26.
The door-bell rings.
"Allie, can you get it?" I call from my room.
It's been two days since Alice has been back. Jasper has called at least a hundred and fifty times to apologise but that didn't work. Alice Whitlock is nothing if not stubborn. She's not going to talk to him until he realises why she's upset, on his own.
Which means I can't say a word to him.
"Sure", she shouts back.
~X~
I head down the stairs and am surprised to see Bella Swan standing there. "Hi" I say. "What brings you here?"
Bella looks between Alice and I. "I baked some muffins and thought that you and Masen would like to try some."
"Thanks", I reply as I take the tray from her.
"Edward", Alice clears her throat. "Care to introduce me to your friend?"
Oh right. "This is Alice Whitlock", I tell Bella as I put my arm around Alice's shoulders. "My best friend."
"His one and only best friend", adds Alice.
Hmm. I really don't like it how she's trying to exclude Jasper from my life too. I was his friend first and we've got a lot of history behind us.
But I humour her while we have a guest. "Yeah, shortie and I are close as can be. Most of the times that is. Only when she behaves."
"That's nice", says Bella. I notice how her eyes lock on Alice's engagement ring. She left her wedding ring back in New York.
Girls. The first thing they do when they meet each other for the first time, is to scrutinise what they were, how they look and how they hold themselves together.
I know this because I've spent way too much time with Tanya, Alice and Rosalie.
"Edward!" scolds Alice.
"What?" I ask innocently.
She turns to Bella and removes my hand from her. "I'm sorry", she says. "He usually has manners. I don't know why he isn't using them right now."
Huh? What did I say? I was being perfectly polite.
Maybe I shouldn't have called her short.
Bella smiles at me and I feel a weird feeling in my chest. "I'll be going then", she says to us. "It's nice to meet you, Alice."
"You too..." says Alice.
I didn't finish the introductions.
"I'm Bella."
"Bella?" Alice's eyes narrow. "The same Bella Swan I've heard so much about?"
"From who?"
"Tanya. Edward here never tells me anything."
Whats gonna happen next? Will Alice and Bella become friends or not?