Sorry I didn't get a midweek chapter up, I had a filing deadline at work that kept me working through lunches and busy until Thursday, and then I had to actually get the chapter written. I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and I have to say that I love how many of you were all anti Rosalie to begin with, then moved to pro Bella when the reveal happened, and then are pro Edward with Bella's reactions to his gestures. I love that so many of you have jumped sides like that, it's awesome!

Twilight Crystal was busy so this is unbeta'd and any mistakes are my own and I only own the plot.

Cover Girl Chapter 20

Edward watched Bella from a distance, entranced by her natural beauty in the hot Nevada sun. She was sitting on the lawn near her truck with a few other people, talking and laughing. He was waiting for her to leave the area so he could put Phase 1 of OTB 2.0 into action. Benjamin had been skeptical of the plan that he had formulated but Edward was confident that it would work. Bella wasn't like the girls in the movies that Benjamin was taking ideas from, she was unique and Edward was using that as the basis of his plan.

She finally stood up and said her goodbyes to the people she had been with, and then Edward watched her disappear across the lawn. Once he was sure she was gone, he walked over to her truck and was grateful to find the door unlocked. He opened it up and sat in the driver's seat, taking in a deep breath and smelling the soft strawberry scent that always surrounded her.

As much as he wanted to stay in her vehicle and breathe in her scent, which sounded all sorts of Hannibal Lecter-ish, he didn't want to get caught so he quickly set up Phase 1. He pulled the book he had purchased out of the bag the clerk had put it in, running his hand down the cover and remembering when his father had brought him the book back from a New York trip. Edward had never heard of Neal Stephenson, but was quickly drawn into the world that was Cryptonomicon. The book took place in two distinct time periods, World War II era and the late 1990s. The earlier time period surrounded Allied code-breakers and tactical-deception operatives that were affiliated with the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. The later time period has the descendants of the earlier time period's characters employing cryptologic, telecom and computer technology to build an underground data haven. Their objective was to distribute Holocaust Education and Avoidance Pod media for instructing genocide-target populations on defensive warfare.

It really was an amazing book and Edward knew Bella would love it. However, he wasn't putting his name on the book; instead he had called his mother and had her email him the pictures of him and Bella from the photo albums. He had chosen several of the photos to put in the book at different points, and he hoped that Bella would actually read the book and find them. But, to ensure that she would see at least one, he placed one photo in the front of the book and then set it on her seat as he exited her truck and shut the door.

He thought about the photos he had placed in the book and tried to remember each of the moments in perfect clarity. The last photo in the book had been from the one and only Christmas Bella had spent in Forks. Her mom had gotten remarried weeks before and was on an extended honeymoon with her new husband. Her mom had suggested that she spend the holidays with her father but Bella knew what was really going on. She had been shipped off so the newlyweds could have time alone. Edward knew something was wrong with her when the Chief dropped her off on Christmas Eve on his way into work. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were tearstained.

Momma Esme came to the rescue and swept Bella up into a tight hug before they walked out of the room and closed themselves up in his parents' room. Edward, worried about his best friend, sat outside the closed door, one ear pressed against the wood as he listened for the reasons for her tears. But he couldn't really understand anything over Bella crying, and it made him get angry and upset that she was so sad.

When his mom finally opened the door and he fell in, revealing his attempted eavesdropping, it was Bella who helped him up and pulled him to his room. She shut the door once more, but this time she confided in Edward about what had happened. Her new stepdad was apparently rich because he was a baseball player, but he didn't have kids and didn't know how to be around them, and he also wanted time with just her mom, so she was sent to her dad's house for the Christmas break.

Edward hugged her as she cried, and then tried to think of ways to cheer her up. The only idea he could think of quickly turned into action and he pulled her downstairs, not answering her questions about what he was doing. As they reached the front hall, Edward spun her around and pushed her up against the entrance to the living room, took one deep breath, and then kissed her.

She turned her head at the last moment so he got cheek instead of lips, but it didn't matter to Edward and he stood there, eyes closed, and a wide smile on his face as he heard the gasps of everyone else in the house. But his smile quickly vanished when he opened his eyes and saw her tiny fist flying at his face. The resounding impact made Edward spin and scream as he cupped his hands over his left eye, right where her fist had connected. He ended up with a black eye but a proud memory of his first kiss.

The picture was taken the next day, Edward and Bella standing once more in the entryway to the living room, his eye bruised, black and swollen, and Bella's hand wrapped up from the injuries she sustained throwing the punch. The kicker was that right as his mother snapped the photo Bella pressed a kiss to his cheek so his eyes were wide and his mouth dropped open. His mother had blown up a copy and framed it, hanging it in the hallway of her 'kids.' It was where all of her most cherished photos of the kids she had watched were hung up and on display.

The next photo Edward had placed, about a halfway through the book, was one of him and Bella covered in mud, getting hosed off by his dad. It had been a particularly rainy summer and the back yard had gotten trashed by all the kids playing in it. There was more dirt than grass, and when it rained one muggy day, an impromptu mud fight had started.

Emmett and his buddies were trying to take out the younger kids, but Edward and Bella chose to use their brains and tactically take out each of the older ones, one at a time. What they didn't count on was the older kids cheating and Bella and Edward found themselves surrounded while each of the older kids held up things full of mud like buckets, their shirts, their arms, or whatever they could find. With nowhere to run and no way to avoid the onslaught, Bella and Edward grasped hands and took the loss like champions, each getting a head to toe dousing of cold, wet mud.

When his mom snapped that picture, they were both laughing and screeching as Carlisle sprayed the mud off best he could. Both of their heads were thrown back in delight, their arms flailing, and their faces exhibiting the pure and all encompassing rapture of being a happy child. Edward could still remember the feel of the cold water hitting him, and how he tried to not squeal like a girl in front of Bella.

The third photo, put at the back of the book, was another great one. It was Bella's third and last summer with the Cullen's and she and Edward had grown very close. His mom kept a closer eye on them than usual that summer, but Edward didn't know why. They would sneak off to not be tormented by Emmett and his friends, teased unmercifully for their being friends and being of different genders. One of their favorite places to escape to was Edward's closet where he had his little reading nook set up.

Inside the pillow lined space, Edward had a battery powered lantern that he used for reading. He also had gotten a pair of headlamps for his tenth birthday and they had become staples in the closet, allowing each of them to use one for their respective books. But that summer they had chosen to read a book series together. Edward had gotten the complete series for his birthday and he was entranced by the world within a world the books held. The series followed a group of wizards who had just been accepted to a wizarding school in England. There were seven books in all and Edward couldn't bear to read ahead of Bella, and she wouldn't read ahead of him since they were his books. The only logical decision the two could come up with was to read them together, one book at a time, huddled close in the closet with their headlamps lighting the pages.

It had gotten late one night and they had fallen asleep in the closet, the book opened across their legs, their lights shining in different directions, and Bella's head was resting on Edward's shoulder with his arm around her. His mother had known they read in there together, but made them keep the door open for some reason. This time, however, Emmett and the older kids had been especially loud, constantly distracting them, so they shut the door and got lost in the fourth book.

When Esme found them, she couldn't bear to disturb them without capturing a picture first, and she did, taking several in fact. But then she actually left them in there, on the mess of pillows, only stopping to cover them up with a blanket first and switch off their headlamps.

Edward remembered waking the next morning to a massive crick in his neck, a stiff back, and a huge headache. He also had a wet shoulder and chest due to Bella drooling in her sleep. He didn't ever let her know that she did, however, and he was able to crawl out of the closet without disturbing her, change his shirt, and get back in before she awoke. He didn't miss the fact that his mom was sleeping in his bed, which he found odd, but he shook it off and went back to curl up with Bella and try and get some more sleep. When he managed to get back in the nook, Bella shifted and wrapped her arms around his body, burying her face into his chest. Edward recalled the strange feeling he had in his chest when she did that, but he knew now that it was the beginning of his love for her.

Edward double and triple checked that the pictures were secure in the book, and that the book was sitting on the seat where Bella would be sure to see it, and then he went back to his hiding spot to await her return. He knew she didn't have a class at that time, but that she had gone to pick up the student papers from Mrs. Cope since she was helping in the lower level classes.

He only had to wait about ten minutes before Bella returned, her arms laden with papers and folders. Edward fought the urge to go be a gentleman and help her out, but he stayed hidden, waiting and watching for her to discover his gift.

He didn't have to wait long, as Bella put the stack of papers in the passenger seat, shut the door and ran around to the driver's side, and then climbed in. He had placed the book so that she would literally have to sit on it when she got into her truck. And Edward knew the moment she found the item as her head shot up and her eyes narrowed as she looked around, trying to search him out. But Edward had hidden well and Bella didn't see him.

Her expression relaxed and she looked back down. Edward couldn't tell what she was doing, but he knew when she found the first photo, the one of them injured and under the mistletoe, because her mouth dropped open slightly, her hand came up quickly to cover her agape mouth, and then he watched her wipe her cheeks as if she was crying, but he couldn't be sure.

Edward kept watching as Bella looked up suddenly, right to where he was standing, though he knew she couldn't see him. He had checked beforehand that he would be well secluded. Edward studied Bella's expression, the softness and emotions made him want to reveal himself and go to her, but he held firm and stayed in the shadows as he watched her compose herself, start her truck, and head out of the parking lot.

Phase 1 of OTB 2.0 seemed to be a success, but he'd have to wait and see how she took the next phase. And with that thought in mind, he hurried off to his class so that he could work on it later that day. He was implementing Phase 2 a few days later. As he settled in for a lecture on the history of computers, his mind drifted to what he had planned for Bella.

Once the class was over, Edward sprinted back to his dorm and sat on his bed preparing Phase 2 as Benjamin sat nearby shaking his head and muttering that it wasn't going to work. Edward just ignored him and kept on working as he reminded himself that it was going to work because Bella wasn't like other girls.

He knew that if the plan worked and got her to talk to him that things still might not be resolved, but he just wanted the chance for them to talk it all out. He had realized after a long talk with Emmett that both of them were in the wrong and both needed to assume blame. He had gone to Emmett because he knew everything about the situation, all the gritty details and the hidden facts that others had been exempt from knowing.

Edward knew that once Bella and him actually had the chance to talk, if they had the chance, then he would make sure to point out that both were in the wrong, both messed up, and that they both had to accept their faults in the situation. He didn't know how well Bella would take that conversation, but he had to try because he knew what they could have together if everything worked out right. Others would have already given up, but he remembered the connection he and Bella shared years ago, and the connection that quickly sprung up when they met again. He just had to get her to talk to him again in hopes that they could work through the hell that had happened and move forward.

Three days later Edward used his naturally good looks to charm one of the girls in the mail room to put his package in Bella's mailbox. He knew she checked her mail every Monday after her classes so he just had to wait for her to get the package. He hoped it went over as well as he thought it would, and given the time he put into it, he hoped it meant as much to her as it did to him.

He went and sat in one of the little eatery areas near the mail room, picking at a muffin while he waited. It was about twenty minutes later that Bella appeared and asked for the mail in her box, and his package was on the very top. She stepped to the side and tucked everything into her bag except for his package, and then he watched with nervousness as she slowly unwrapped the item and began to look at it.

He had made her a small scrapbook, full of pictures of them throughout the years. He went a step further and wrote little notes of his memories from the captured moments. He watched Bella slowly flip through the book, her fingers grazing the photos, her lips moving as she read his words to herself. And when she got to the last page, he held his breath to see her reaction. He had taken the time to write her a letter on the final page, a letter explaining how badly he felt about how things went and how he desired to make it up to her. He had even memorized his words to her, reciting them in his head as she mouthed them to herself.

Dearest Bella,

I cannot convey the sorrow I feel at knowing how badly I hurt you. I deserved every word you said to me and more for how I threw you out when you were at your most vulnerable moment. Please forgive me. I cannot take back what happened, but know that I wish, with every fiber of my being, to make it up to you. All I ask of you is a chance, a chance to right the wrongs and a moment of your time to speak with you, to explain why I acted the way I did. Please give me a chance; that is all I ask.

Sincerely,

Edward

Edward had looked down at his desecrated muffin for a moment, and when he looked back up, Bella had her hand cupped over her mouth and was running from the area. He jumped up to follow her but by the time he reached the door leading outside, she was gone from view. He hung his head and walked back to his dorm, feeling defeated. He hadn't expected her to run off crying, and didn't know what else to do.

"You have to make a grand gesture, throw away any insecurity, any self-doubt that you might have, and go all out. It's all or nothing now, man, and while your girl hasn't physically lashed out at you with your ideas, she isn't running to you either. This is your last chance," Benjamin spoke from the door and Edward looked up at him confused as to how he knew Bella's reactions.

"How do you-?" Edward started to ask but Benjamin waved his question off as he answered him.

"While you were watching her, I was watching you both. You obviously have it bad for this girl, and from the photos your mom sent, you two have a pretty deep history, however brief it may have lasted. If you truly think that you and she are meant to be, and you really want a chance to make her believe that as well, then you have to go all out. The question is, exactly what are you going to do?"

Edward fell back on his bed, his arm bent over his eyes as he pondered Benjamin's words, and the idea came to him faster than any other had before. She had laid it all out on the line to him, and now he needed to do the same for her.

It took him a week to locate Bella's house. He didn't follow her directly there, but he did follow her long enough each day to see where she was heading, and then the following day he picked up the trail where he had left off until he finally had her address. The following Friday, after his last class was over, he headed directly to her house, determined to make her listen to him.

Her truck was parked in the driveway and Edward parked on the street, took a deep breath, and headed up to the door. Taking another moment to mentally prepare himself, he adjusted his clothes and then lifted his hand, knocking sharply on the door. A moment later, it opened and Edward didn't give her a moment to hesitate as he pushed the door open more and walked inside.

"Bella, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see or hear from right now, but I deserve a chance to explain my side of things and I'm not leaving here until I get a few minutes of your time."

I hope you enjoyed it! And I'll get the next update to you as soon as possible. I'm thinking there are only 2 more chapters left before it's over, but there WILL be a resolution. What it will be and how it will happen remains to be seen! See you soon!