AN/ Heelllllooo! I know it's been forever, but i ran into a little bit of writer's block. This chapter is a lot shorter than the other ones but I had to cut it off where I did. Also, this chapter got it's title because Rose has a very important role in this one. Anyways, on with the story!

Chapter Four: Kiss from a Rose

Bella's POV

As I pulled up in the Cullen's drive way I wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to do. Did he just want a ride home? Did he want me to come inside and hang out?

"Aren't your parents going to be mad that you're skipping?" I decided to ask instead.

" Nah, they are both at work, we won't get caught." he winked as he jumped out of my truck.

Well I guess that answers my first question. I got out of my truck and followed him up the steps into the house. I was suddenly really nervous. I had never truly been alone with Edward except for the short ride to school in his car. I followed him straight through to the kitchen and he pulled an ice pack out of the freezer to put on his face. He hissed as it touched his cheek.

"Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should go to the hospital."

He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm fine Bella, it's just a couple of cuts and bruises. Do you want anything to drink?"

"Just some water is fine…"

He grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge but before he turned around he let out a big sigh and rested his forehead against the fridge door.

"Just ask already Bella."

Damn how did he do that?

"I'm just curious.. I mean, I know that something obviously happened to make you not trust people. That's why you act the way you do right? You figure that if you don't let them in then they can't do anything to hurt you right?" I asked and he slowly nodded his head. "Okay, I totally get that, but why are you pushing your family out? They all really care about you and from what they've told me they miss you. I mean, you only met me a few days ago and you seem to be able to be yourself around me, so why not them?"

I became nervous when he stayed silent for several minutes. Maybe this was it. Maybe I had finally pissed him off enough for him to tell me to get lost.

"I know, I shouldn't be treating them this way, but I can't tell them the truth." he finally answered quietly.

"Well you don't have to tell them the truth, you just have to go back to being your old self. Honestly they would be happy with that. They don't need to know every little detail of your life, they just want to be a part of it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Edward and I spent the better part of an hour just talking and getting to know each other. I learned that he was the captain of our schools hockey team and that he was pretty good. He's dream was to play hockey professionally and he was on the right track with that since he already had College and NHL scouts watching him play. It was easy to forget about the real world while I talked with him. I could honestly listen to him talk all day. Of course, I was suddenly brought back to the real world by the chiming of my phone indicating I had a text.

Bella where the Hell are you? Emmett says you didn't show up for calc and Edward never came to chem! - Alice

Heeey Ally. Ummm yeah I'm at your house, with Edward… sorry I didn't tell you, it was kind of a last minute thing. - Bella

You're at my house? With Edward? Wtf is going on! Why was he in the office? And more importantly why are you both skipping! - Alice

Trust me, you'll see when you get home. - Bella

"Who was that?" Edward asked as I put my phone away.

"Oh that would be your sister, freaking out that we both aren't at school."

"Yeah, I probably should have filled them in on what was happening. Oh well, they'll be home in like 10 minutes anyways." he said as he got up to throw out our water bottles.

"Is it seriously the end of school already? Wow, that went by fast." I said surprised. Honestly, where had the day gone?

Sure enough, 10 minutes later the rest of the gang entered the house and Emmett's booming voice carried through the house.

"Yo little bro where you at!"

Edward rolled his eyes as he yelled back, "We're in the kitchen."

I didn't have to look up to know exactly when Emmett entered the kitchen.

"Holy shit! What the Hell happened!"

Edward had taken the ice pack off his face and it hadn't really helped at all. The whole side of his face was swollen, his eye black and swollen shut. It really did look quite bad and once again I worried that maybe he should go to the hospital and get checked out.

"What is all the yelling abo….Holy shit!" Rosalie cut off as she entered the kitchen behind Emmett.

Once everyone had finally calmed down enough for Edward to actually answer them he explained the situation with James to them and how he got off with just detention.

"Anyways," Edward said as he stood up, "I have to get to hockey practice. Wouldn't be very good for the captain to show up late for the first practice of the season."

"I'll give you a ride." Rosalie said while getting up.

"I can drive myself Rose."

"Not with your eye basically swollen shut! Now stop arguing. Besides, you know I love to watch you play." She said and winked at him.

I think I detected a little bit of a blush on his face. Cute.

"You're gonna play with your face looking like that?" Emmett asked.

"I've played with worse bro." Edward replied with a smirk.

"True brotha! Have fun." Emmett said as he and Edward bumped fists and Edward and Rosalie ran out the door.

"So Bella… you and Edward skipped together huh?" Alice asked me while raising her eyebrow.

"It's not anything scandalous Alice. I was going out to my truck to get my books and I saw him sitting outside. He told me what happened and asked me if I wanted to skip." I explained with a shrug.

It really hadn't seemed like a huge deal to me when he asked but I suddenly realized how it may look to the rest of them.

"Yea sure, no big deal Bella." Alice said as she headed to the TV room. I knew that she was far from done with this discussion.

I spent the better part of the afternoon at the Cullen's house just hanging out and watching TV. It was nice to finally have a group of friends that I felt comfortable around. In Phoenix, I wasn't very sociable which left me with few friends. My mom pretty much became my best friend which is just sad I know. But this time, my friends chose me. Maybe it was fate that my clumsiness caused me to run into Rosalie Hale on my first day. I left around 5 so that I could get home and make dinner for my man-child father. I swear I felt like the parent most of the time. Charlie was a cool guy, and our relationship may seem odd to some people. He rarely ever became a father figure, he trusted me and my judgements and let me make my own decisions in life. I had no curfew, alcohol wasn't an issue for him just as long as I didn't drive (shocking for the Chief of Police I know!). I think that the best freedom Charlie gave me though was with boys. There was no dating rule enforced by Charlie, in fact he encouraged it. I've been in Forks for just over two weeks and what did he say to me at dinner the night before?

"You know Bells, you should really get out there and find yourself a man soon, you aren't getting any younger."

Wow. Thanks dad. Is it sad that even my dad knows about my lack of a love life? Now don't get me wrong, I'm no prude. In fact, Tuck Burrows took care of that at the winter formal last year. And ooooh boy can you say awkward? Needless to say, my world was not rocked and it left me wondering what the Hell the big deal was about anyways. Wasn't that good, just saying.

As I pulled into my driveway I noticed Charlie's car was already there. I just hoped to God he hadn't attempted to cook again.

"Hey Charlie!" I yelled as I entered the house.

"Hey Bells, wanna explain why I got a call from your school, claiming that you were skipping today?" Charlie asked as he stepped into the hallway, beer in hand, eye brow raised.

"Well, a friend of mine was having some troubles and I skipped with him, and it's not like I missed much, it's the beginning of the year." I rambled on.

"Geeze relax Bells, it's not like I'm mad at you. So this friend of yours, he's a boy huh? Do I know him?" he asked with a mischievous smile on his face.

Just as I opened my mouth to answer there was a knock on the door.

Sweet, saved!

As I opened the door, the last person I expected to see standing on my front porch was Edward Cullen in all his sexy glory.

Shit did I just admit that?

Well I mean come on, the man is gorgeous!

"Edward? What are you doing here?" I asked and blushed.

Blushed! Seriously?

"You uh, left your phone at my house earlier, I figured you'd want it back." ha said as he handed my phone to me.

"Oh, thanks. You really didn't have to come all the way over I could have gotten it tomorrow."

"Well damn Edward Cullen!" Charlie boomed as he walked over to the door.

"Chief Swan! How are you doing?" Edward asked as him and Charlie bumped fists.

Legit. Edward Cullen and my FATHER just bumped fists.

"Well I'm doing a Hell of a lot better than you are it would seem. Nice face." Charlie said.

"Dad! Don't be rude!" I shoved Charlie with my shoulder.

Edward chuckled. "It's alright Bella, my face looks like shit." he smirked.

"Well I hope the other guy looks worse. I would hate to have to arrest your ass for being a pansy." Charlie said as he punched Edward in the arm.

See what I'm saying? Man-child.

"Oh trust me Chief he does. His two friends that jumped me however escaped without a scratch unfortunately."

"Three on one? Now that shit just isn't fair. Come on in, I gotta hear this story." Charlie said as he began to walk back into the living room.

"I'd love to entertain you with that Charlie but Rose is waiting for me in the car."

"Rose is here? I wanna go say hi, you boys can have your gossip time while I do." I said as I made my way out the door. I could already here them talking before I even had the door closed.

"Since when does my dad have a bromance with Edward? That shit just got weird in there." I said as I approached Rose's open window.

Rose laughed. "Yeah, The Chief has a soft spot for our Edward there and Edward has nothing but respect for the guy."

"So, how was the hockey practice?"

"Oh it was delicious. I swear is there anything hotter than seeing a bunch of men in hockey equipment? I mean hellooooo. There must be like some requirement that you need to be extremely good looking to play the sport." she laughed.

"I'm sure Emmett would appreciate that. So are you heading back over to the Cullen's?"

"Not yet, Ed says he needs to talk to me about something. He wants to go somewhere private and tell me."

This piqued my interest.

"Talk about what? Do you have any idea?"

"Not a damn clue, but I guess I'll find out soon enough here he comes."

Just then Edward appeared beside the car and said he'd see me at school in the morning before climbing in. I watched as they drove off down the street before I headed back inside to cook dinner for Charlie.

Dinner was interesting to say the least. Charlie spent the whole time talking about Edward. I swear, serious man-crush was happening here.

As I was walking up to my bed room my phone stared to ring and 'Alice' flashed across the screen.

"Hey Alice, what's up?"

"Bella, can you come over to my house? Like now?"

She sounded a little frantic and I could here a commotion going on in the back ground.

"Yeah, sure, I can head over right now. Alice, what's going on?"

"When Rose and Edward came back to the house they were both crying. We all thought something bad had happened but thankfully they are both ok. But Bella, Edward told her…"

"Told her what?"

"What's been bothering him for the past year. Bella, Edward told Rose everything."