Author's Note: Hey, y'all! I'm back! It's been a few days since my last update, I know. And I'm doubly sorry to tell you that this chapter is very short. Still, enjoy my updated stories!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 23
Edward's Point of View
I came home at ten o'clock, way earlier than Tanya had wanted. But I couldn't stand another minute of her constant nasal tone and close contact. She was like an unwanted gum on the sole of your shoe that refused to come off no matter how hard you tried.
"Why is the lover boy home so early?" Emmett asked as he opened the door for me. I had forgotten my key, something I never did. It was another proof that I wasn't in my right state of mind without Bella.
"Yeah," Jasper said, joining us. "We thought you'd be back at midnight or something. What's wrong? Tanya didn't want to go to a hotel?" He and Emmett snickered and bumped fists.
"Very funny," I said sarcastically. "What are you still doing here, Jasper? It's past your curfew, isn't it?"
Jasper snorted. "Very funny," he repeated. "I don't have a curfew. No, Esme invited us for a sleepover. Thought we might as well, considering the fact that Alice won't let Rosalie leave without a complete makeover."
"Which, I don't get," Emmett said, scratching his head. "What's the point of a makeover at night? I mean, if they were going out to some club, it's totally understandable, but…"
I sighed wearily and trudged into the kitchen with them tailing me. I poured myself a glass of cold water, then started opening the cabinets for the bag of coffee.
"What are you doing?" Emmett asked curiously as I opened the bag and leaned in to inhale.
"Trying to regain my sense of smell."
"What?"
Jasper laughed, having understood. "Oh. Tanya poured perfume all over herself, huh?"
I nodded as my headache increased. "I will never date another girl who wears perfume again."
"Well," Emmett said slyly. "If the girl is Bella, then I'm sure she would be an exception."
I scowled as I turned away. "That's not funny."
"Speaking of Bella…" Jasper paused dramatically. "She's here."
I knocked over the glass cup. Luckily, there was no water inside anymore, but it crashed onto the wooden floor with a loud sound. I didn't move.
"Jeez, bro," Emmett mumbled. "You're really upset, aren't you?"
"What happened?" Esme asked as she rushed into the kitchen. She glanced at the floor. "Edward?"
"Sorry, Esme," I said, feeling numb. "I had a clumsy moment."
Jasper snorted while Esme raised her eyebrows. "You, a clumsy moment?" She chuckled as she reached for a broom and a dustpan. "You're not Bella, Edward."
I reached for the broom. "I'll do it, Esme."
"No, no," she insisted. "Go ahead. You look tired. Go wash up." She looked sympathetic. "The girls are in the library, so unless you'd like to see them, don't go in there."
Leave it to Esme to know everything. I was grateful for the information. I was going to avoid the library for now.
"They're done with the makeover?" Emmett asked, perking up. "Awesome. We should all watch a movie."
"No," I said. "I just watched a romance with Tanya. No way."
"Fine. Action, then," Jasper shrugged as we headed upstairs.
"Yeah, the girls would love that," Emmett snorted.
"Bella would," I said quietly.
They looked at each other, then at me. Luckily, they didn't say anything.
As we were passing by the library, there was a loud shriek from the room. Alice was shrieking Bella's name, while Rosalie seemed to be freaking out over something horrible.
Emmett frowned. "Do you think they saw a spider or something? You know how they get around bugs."
The library door flew open, and Alice stood there, her eyes wild. "You! What are you doing here so early?"
Rosalie stumbled slightly as she joined my sister at the doorway. "Edward! My goodness, what happened to you? You're covered in lipstick!"
"He is?" Emmett and Jasper glanced over me.
I rolled my eyes. "Did you see some spider?"
"Spider?" Alice screeched. "Yeah, right. More like a rodent! I can't believe she did that!"
"It was your idea," Bella's voice sounded from the library. Just hearing it made my heart throb. "I only went along with the plan and told him yes."
"But still!" Alice whirled around to face Bella. "Mike Newton? How could you?"
"What's going on?" Jasper asked, frowning.
"Newton just called," Rosalie told her brother. "He wanted to ask Bella out, and he did. Again. And she said yes."
"Bella!" Emmett and Jasper chorused, looking horrified.
Bella appeared in the doorway. She glanced at me briefly before looking at the other boys. "What? Don't look at me like that. It was all Alice." She slipped out from between Alice and Rosalie, then headed toward a guestroom. "I'm going to bed."
"Bella!" Alice said, upset. "This isn't a joke! Mike Newton?"
I didn't realize that my fists were clenched very tightly. I hadn't noticed that I was very tensed, and that I was glowering. At Alice.
The guestroom closed, and Alice turned to me quickly. "I swear, it wasn't me, Edward. It was totally Bella!"
"It was you, pixie," Rosalie groaned. "You're the one that suggested this. It was a stupid plan in the first place."
"Hey, you agreed with me!"
"What plan?" I hissed.
Alice backed away. "I wanted to make you regret your decision to date Tanya, so I suggested that Bella get a boyfriend to make you jealous. But I swear, I only said that because I knew she would say no! I never thought she would actually do it! Mike Newton…" She groaned. "Jacob Black is better than he is!"
My face hardened even more. "What do you expect me to do now?"
"I'm sorry!" Alice pleaded. "I swear, I'll put this right."
"Forget it," Rosalie said. "Bella's too stubborn. She won't back out now. Let's test it out." She turned to me. "How about a bet?"
"A bet?" Emmett and Jasper chorused, looking interested. Gamblers.
"Bet?" I repeated, raising my eyebrow curtly. "What bet?"
"We already told you our plan. But if you still get jealous and can't control your temper, then you're going to have to break it off with Tanya and ask Bella out instead. Fair deal?"
"If she'll have me," I mumbled.
"She will," Alice said confidently. "Do we have a deal or not?"
"What if he doesn't get jealous?" Emmett asked.
Rosalie snorted. "Please. He will. But, if he doesn't…" She sighed. "We'll get Bella to break it off with Mike, and talk to you. Deal?"
My eyes narrowed at the pair of them. After a moment of silence, I agreed. "Deal. It's not like it's a choice."
Alice smirked. "True. We would make you do it if you refused. Well, good night, boys." She gave Jasper a kiss on the cheek before flouncing off to her bedroom.
Rosalie did the same with Emmett, except on the lips. She gave her brother a peck on his cheek as well before leaving for her own guestroom. Emmett and Jasper looked at me.
I sighed wearily as I shrugged off my jacket and headed for my bedroom. "Life's hard."
"Yeah," Emmett mumbled. "Movie night's over even before it began."
AN: I warned you it was short. Sorry about that! But…you'll still leave me tons of reviews, right?
