Hello everyone! I hope you had a nice week! Surprisingly I managed to update this chapter despite the countless things I had to take care of this past week! I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written so I hope you enjoy it! :)
Chapter 18
BPOV
Five days had passed since the day Adrian had moved away. Five dull, gray, awful days. I had spent most of them in my room, leaving it -apart from going to school- only to grab something to eat or to have a simple conversation with my parents.
Alice was trying desperately to drag me out of the house tempting me with movies I wanted to see-that was before Adrian was gone- or places I wanted to visit just to pass my time. I took down all her offers from doing anything other than studying. I just wasn't in the mood for it these days.
Jake had been calling twice a day for the last five days just to hear my voice and to ask me how I was. I certainly knew how worried they must've been about me but I was not going to fake I was alright. Because I wasn't.
The last time, when Edward had left, I'd been crying for days, moping around like a very sad Juliet who had just lost her Romeo. That was three years ago and then I was an immature little teen who was craving for a little drama in her life.
I'm not gonna say it was wrong or that I was wrong because that reaction was pretty normal for my age. This time I was not going to be a drama queen once again. But I'm not gonna hide my feelings, which were mostly depressing, either.
Apart from that first night I'd slept over to Alice and I had cried my eyes out I had made quite a big effort to control my tears and left them flow freely when I was in the comfort darkness of my room.
Adrian had called the moment he'd set foot in New York. We'd been talking for hours some moments not talking at all just hearing each others breathing through the receiver.
We were in need of each others company and it was the only way to have it. I knew that for him must've been ten times harder than it was for me so I braced my self to be really strong and supportive to make it easier for him.
That was causing me a really weird sense of deja-vous and I realised it was due to the fact that the last time it was Alice that needed my support.
The next days we both created a Skype account so we could see each other every day and it was a bit of comfort for both of us.
My feelings were all over the place. The last four and a half months I'd been with Adrian I had been used on an everyday routine and now I had to reform my life into a different mode. Not an easy task if you ask me.
Fist of all because of the time difference between Washington and New York I couldn't call him whenever I needed and we had arranged some certain hours we could talk each day. Then it was the fact that I was used to see his face first thing every morning and now I had to drive myself to school with only company my gloomy mood.
There was any other option for me right now so I had to suck it up and find ways to bring my life back to normal even with Adrian away. Fortunately I had to wait for Thanksgiving when he promised to visit and stay for a couple of days. I know it's not much but I have to be content even with that.
At last Friday arrived and it was almost over. I didn't know what it was worse to be at school without him or to be at school without him and have all the other students eyeing me closely waiting for me to break down at any minute! I hated gossiping!
From the moment the news had been spread I had to suffer the company and the comments of Jessica Stanley who was trying to learn more about the subject.
On Tuesday she had come straight to me hugging me and rumbling about how difficult it must have been for me and some other bullshit. I needed all my powers and self control not to shove her into my locker. Thankfully this hell of a week was almost over and I had two days without school ahead of me.
After I took a shower and changed into my favourite pare of oversized sweats and a hoodie I decided it was time to call my brother, it was six in the afternoon here so I knew it was nine in the evening there.
I braced myself for a long hour of teasing and inappropriate commenting from Ian but I had a feeling he was going to make my day. He always did.
He didn't pick up though and I didn't leave a message, he was going to call after he saw my missed call anyway.
The only positive outcome from Adrian's absence was that I had spent countless hours in my room studying like crazy. I needed something to keep my mind occupied and studying was one good way to do it. In addition it was a good opportunity to improve my grades in maths.
I hadn't done much though when my cell started ringing and the voice of Curt Cobain in Smells like teen spirit echoed in the room. I smiled already knowing who was calling me. That was Ian's ring tone.
"Hey, sunshine! Did you miss me?" I smiled the moment I heard his voice. I could tell he had that mischievous smile plastered on his face.
"Hey. Yeah sure. The house's unbearable quiet without you." I happily realised that I was already smiling without I'd even understood it!
"Now you see how precious my presence had been! So fill me in, what's been going on lately in grey-land?" he asked using the old name I'd given to Forks when we were kids because of the many grey clouds.
"Hm not much…" I trailed off. I was wondering how I was gonna tell him about Adrian.
"Okay good try. Spit it out little liar." Of course he didn't buy it.
"Nothing important really…" okay that was a big lie but I wasn't sure I was ready to tell the whole story from the beginning one more time but one the other hand I called him to discuss that matter with him. I was losing my mind here.
"I'm waiting…" he informed me with a tone I knew too well.
"Alright…here's the thing…" and I told him the whole story how Adrian had announced that he was leaving and that he'd known all these time but he wanted to have a chance with me and finished with how much he'd caused him and me of course.
I could tell that Ian was holding his anger back and heare his fast breathing. He was making a big effort not to start yelling.
"Well that's all…" I said again when a few minutes had passed and he hadn't told a thing.
"That's all? Seriously Bella I should have been in my way to New York by now only to beat the shit out of him! That bastard he hurt you!" he told me really pissed.
"Oh no you shouldn't, and by the way Edward did take care of that." I hadn't told him about that part where Edward had punched Adrian the moment he saw me crying.
"What do you mean? Did Edward kick that fucker's ass?" he asked incredulously.
"Yup that's exactly what I mean. And please Ian, stop calling him names he's still my boyfriend you know."
"I like Edward a bit more now. So you think it's a good thing to try that long distant relationship and crap like that? I don't know Bells it doesn't feel right to me."
"I don't know…I want to try. It's difficult I'm not gonna deny that but we weren't ready to break up yet either. I'm so confused Ian." Even I could hear how desperate I was.
"Hey muffin don't panic, everything will be just fine in the end you'll see it. If you decided that it's the best way for both of you then you'll be able to work on it. It will take time and it's possible that it won't last long but you'll have tried it and that's what matters." He told me reassuringly just like he used to do when I was little, using my old nickname. Instantly I felt more relaxed.
"Yeah you're right… we'll give it a shot and maybe we're lucky and it works fine with us…or maybe not. We'll have to wait and see then." That sounded really reasonable that's good.
"That's my muffin!" he said and I could hear the smile in his voice.
"Hey don't call me that!" I told him but the truth is it didn't bother me too much. He used to call me his muffin when I was very little because I had always had a sweet tooth and I had a really rounded belly as a kid because of the many sweets I used to eat. Maybe I kind of looked like a giant muffin.
"You'll be always my little sis Bells. So apart from um Adrian leaving town what else did it happened?" he asked and we just spend the rest hour talking about everything and nothing specific at the same time.
It was casual talking with him and he made me laugh a lot so when we finally hang up I was feeling way better.
Not fine but quite good.
EPOV
I kept my promise and my distance from Bella, leaving her take her time and get used to Adrian's absence. I was dying to know how she was doing and in what state she was in but I thought it would be better for her to stay away for some days.
Thankfully I had Jake filling me in to Bella's progress and I have to admit that I'd been really persistent making him calling her every day maybe more than one time. I know I had no right on bothering her but Jake had and I was going to take advantage of it.
Jake could see how worried I'd been so he did as I said without complaining. I owed that guy a lot.
On Friday, just after school I returned home and found him sitting in the living room talking with my mum. I dumped my bag on the floor in the hall and headed to them eager to know why he was here. Had something happened to Bella and had come to tell me?
"Edward you're back! How was your day?" my mum asked the moment she saw me entering the room. It was her usual thing asking about my day I was giving the same answer every day. Nothing happened in that small town.
"Good…" I said and turned to Jake with a curious expression on my face. "So what's going on?"
"Nothing I just thought it's Friday and you maybe wanted to spend some time down to the reservation with me, you know hung out… meet the guys." He said and I instantly felt so relieved that nothing had happened to her.
"Sure why not? Let me get my bag upstairs and we can go."
"Cool."
"Why don't you boys grab some dinner first? I made my famous suffle and Carlisle will be home at any minute!" my mum said with a bright smile on her face. She loved having us around and it made her even happier when she had the opportunity to feed us well. How could you say no to that woman?
"Okay you really got me with the suffle!" said Jake smiling brightly.
"Great! I'm going to make the table for five tonight!" she squealed and run to the kitchen.
Alice had gone to Bella's house after school on a vain attempt to convince her go out for shopping or something and she returned home with dad right on time for the suffle.
"Hey Jake how are you?" dad greeted him, dropping his bag on the couch and loosening his tight tie.
"Just fine." Jake answered.
"Dinner's ready and served!" we all heard mum calling from the kitchen.
"Mmm it smells heavenly, my love." Dad said and placed a soft kiss on her cheek the moment we entered dining room and the smell of the hot suffle reached our nostrils.
"Thank you. Now all sit down and tuck in! Suffle is best when it's still warm." She said serving big pieces of steaming suffle to all of us.
As we were all eating dad described his day and some really serious cases in the hospital but Alice was unusually quiet. She was moving her found around her plate not really eating anything. I didn't question her behaviour though because maybe she was just tired. It was the end of a very long week after all.
"The dinner was great Esme, thank you. I think I'm so full I cannot move!" said Jake rubbing his swollen stomach.
"It was nothing dear, I'm glad you liked it." Mum responded cleaning up the table.
"So it's getting late I think we should get going." I told Jake and headed to the door.
"Yeah you're right. Thank you again Esme, bye."
"Be careful on the road the streets are still wet." The rain had stopped hours ago but Mum was always worrying to much about us.
We were driving down to the reservation in Jake's red Rabbit and I was watching the thick wall of trees outside trying to remember every turn so I could come here by myself without getting lost.
We parked in front of a really old garage in the back of Jake's house.
"Here's where we usually hang out especially when the weather's like that." informed me Jake when he saw my curious expression.
"Oh and where's the gang then?"
"Probably they'll be inside already. Is there something bothering you?" he asked before entering the garage.
"Uh? Yeah sure, fine, why?" I was quite nervous though.
"Because you're fidgeting like crazy."
"Really?" he was right! I had been running my hands through my hairs for the past few minutes. "I'm just a little nervous…" I trailed off. Damn I was Edward Cullen I wasn't suppose to be nervous!
"You had quite a reputation here as well but that was years ago, you still have the chance to prove you've changed." He said as a matter of fact and he was right. I was going to be myself.
"Okay lets go then." I said motioning him to move into the garage.
When we went in I took a look around the place. It wasn't very big and the most part of it was taken by tools and pieces of car engines and other engineering stuff.
"Whose fixing cars here?" I asked Jake but it was someone else who answered my question.
"Jake's great with cars didn't you know?" I turned and saw a tall and slim muscular boy with short brown hair and kind smile.
"Hi I'm Embry Call, Jake's cousin." He introduced himself giving me his hand.
"I'm Edward. No I hadn't have a clue about Jake." I said shaking his hand. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked Jake.
"I dunno…" he said shrugging his shoulders.
"He's only trying to be humble! He fixed the Rabbit from the beginning. He also repaired Paul's motorcycle." Embry told me sitting on an old worn couch.
"That's- I started but I'd never finished my sentence because the garage door opened and two more guys came inside.
The one was as tall as me and his body was built with strong muscles but not huge like Emmett.
"Look who's here Jared, the famous Edward Cullen. What an honour for us to have you here Mr Cullen." He said mockingly and giving me a fake bow.
"Give it a rest Paul." Jake said smacking him playfully in the arm and continued.
"That idiot is Paul Uley." Paul gave me just a nod. It was clear that he didn't like me a lot.
"And I'm Jared Brown." said the other boy in a friendly tone. He was shorter than the rest of them but he clearly had a lot of muscles too.
"So Cullen you've met the wolves at last." said Jake flopping on the couch next to Embry.
"Really guys? The wolves?" I asked incredulously.
"Yeah when we started hanging out together and we became a gang we were looking for a cool name. Sometime we found out about some creepy old legends of our tribe about big Quileute warriors who could change into the form of a wolf. So we named our gang after them. Simple." Jake finished with the explanation.
"It makes sense if you see it that way… I suppose." I replied hesitantly not wanting to give them one more reason to hate me.
"Maybe when we have time we'll tell you some of them." said Embry excited.
"Yeah that's a god idea. Maybe when the weathers better we can go down the beach and have a barbeque." recommended JB.
"Sure! What do you think Jake? Jake?" asked Embry but Jake wasn't listening.
I saw him fidgeting at the side of someone behind me. I heard light footsteps approaching and turned around to meet the stranger.
Before I managed to speak a word an impressive brunette was standing inches away from my face.
"So you are the dick, huh?" she said raising an eyebrow, looking down on me.
"Wow, slow down girl!" I managed to say after I recovered for the first shock. Paul and Jared were chuckling silently behind me. I knew Paul wasn't quite fond of me but apparently that new girl seemed to share his opinion.
"Err…that's Leah." said Jake awkwardly.
"Oh don't tell me! Leah Clearwater!" I said with a fake pleasant voice.
"Yeah, flesh and blood." said Leah without stopping glaring at me. God, that girl had an attitude.
"Come on cut it Leah." I heard Embry telling her from behind me. I knew that I liked that boy.
"I've heard about you Cullen, you treat girls like rubbish and you think yourself as a super star" she spat at me.
"And I've heard a lot about you Leah Clearwater. Are you going to attack anyone with a dick in his pants?" I said crossing my hands over my chest.
"It's none of your business asshole." She told me but she had lost some of her cocky-ness at my last comment.
"Sam's with Emily get over it!" I instantly knew I hit a very sensitive spot because she turned red from head to toe and her eyes were throwing daggers on me.
"How dare you?" she yelled but I imagined she was only bark and no bite.
"Girl you're really stressed I think you really need to get laid." I threw her my last comment and I was glad to see her stamping her foot down turn and leave the garage.
"Man I think I'm gonna like this guy. He's the only one who put Leah in her place." I heard Paul telling them and I laughed at his last words along with the rest of the Wolves.
"Are you fucking nuts? How could you love that girl? She's the Vlad The Impaler flesh and blood!" I told Jake late the same night while we were sitting in his room. The guys had left an hour ago and I was sleeping over Jake's.
"You're exaggerating now Edward she is not that bad." Jake said after he stopped chuckling.
"Yeah, she was ready to cut my balls off and feed them to the dogs." I answered back.
"She just doesn't like you much." He said Jake sheepishly.
"Yeah, I figured. I can say the same." I said with a bitter laugh.
It was a cold cloudless night and the forest around the house was inky black. I was looking out of the window to the thick night the only thought in my mind was about her. Bella's face appeared in my mind and I tried to bring the sound of her laugh in my ears but I couldn't.
"Edward, are you okay? You seem kind of zoned out the whole day." Jake disrupted my thoughts, damn him why he had to be so observant.
"Yeah… my mind is all he time at Bella…do you think she's coping alright?" I asked really anxious about her. I couldn't hide it anymore and specially to Jake.
"She's going through a lot and it's the second time it's happening so I think is a normal reaction to be a little sad and melancholic." He told me reassuringly.
"I think you're right. I'll just have to be more patient." I wasn't known for my patience though.
We didn't say much after that we just did a small talk before we were both fast asleep.
When I woke up next morning it took me several seconds to realize where I was. I looked around for Jake but he wasn't in the room. I put my shirt on and went to the kitchen when I found Jake eating breakfast.
"'Morning." I said and sat in the chair across of him.
"'Morning, there's coffee in the counter." he said pointing in the brown mug on the counter.
"Thanks." I took the mug and sip a few gulps of my coffee. "Where's Billy?"
"He went to see Sue I think she has a problem with her car or something." He said shrugging his shoulders.
"I think I should go home and change clothes and then I can drive with my car back here." Last night we hadn't planned on staying here so I had only the clothes I'd been wearing and Jake's were a bit short to me seeing that I was a few inches taller than him.
"Okay let me finish that and I'll drive you back home. You do remember to came back here right?" asked endevouring the last piece of his scrambled eggs and bacon.
"Yeah the first time it took me some time to find the house but I memorized the way yesterday." I was looking carefully at the road as we were coming here last night because there were many turns I'd done wrong last time so I got lost.
After Jake dropped me home and left I went straight to the shower and I stayed there for a while to relax my tense muscles. I put on some clean clothes and I was thinking about talking to Alice, she'd been really strange lately.
Maybe I could help. I was wandering if she was in her room or if she was even at home.
I've found a note in the door from mum saying that she and dad had found some time to go jogging together and that there's food in the fridge. Typical mum always worrying about us eating well.
I knocked on Alice's door a couple of times and I didn't get an answer so I supposed she had already gone out. Fortunately I hadn't even reached the bottom of the staircase when the front door opened and a really upset Alice walked in.
"Hey pixie what's wrong?" I asked and went towards her.
"Damn it Edward you scared the crap out of me!" she nearly jumped in the air grabbing her chest.
"Sorry I thought you'd heard me coming down the stairs."
"No I was thinking about something and probably I didn't notice you." she said passing her hands though her long hair. That was something we had in common, we both did that gesture when we were confused or anxious about something.
"Do you want to tell me about it? It would make you feel better." I offered honestly.
It's Bella! The last five days she was just sad and she was spacing out quite often but she was okay if you can say that. She was coming only to school and we were talking on the phone she was making a try at least!" she blurred out in one breath.
What she was telling me I didn't like at all but I suspected that there were more to come.
"But today when I got to her home to take her out for a walk or something she didn't even get out of bed! She was talking me through the covers! I hate that situation Edward! She promised me that she'll let me help her this time that I'm here for her and the only thing she's doing now is leaving me out of her life completely! I know it's hard but she promised to try and it hasn't even passed a whole week and she's giving up!" she paused to take a breath but I didn't let her continue.
"Don't worry Alice I'll take care of that!" I kissed her cheek took my car keys and left the house.
As I was running down to the garage to take my car I was hearing Alice calling me from the front door but I didn't stop to explain. I was in a big hurry. I got inside my car and drove as fast as I could.
I came into an abrupt halt in the front of her house I stormed out of my car and started knocking on the door. As soon as the door was open I was attacked by a little monster, which I hadn't seen in a very long time.
"Hey pumpkin, how are you doing?" I chuckled and said to Emma as I lifted her up in my arms so that we could be in the same eye level.
"I am good! I have missed you a lot Eddie, you were gone like forever!" she told me with a pout. She was the only one allowed calling me Eddie. I really hate that nickname, but she was so damn cute to resist her.
"Ooh, I have missed you too my pumpkin!" I said and gave her a big sloppy kiss on her cheek.
"Edward, I am a big girl now you can't call me that anymore!" said and a very serious expression covered her face and I bit my tongue to keep me from laughing out loud. I placed her back on her feet and crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at her.
"Is that right?" I smirked at her.
"Aha, I'm all seven years old now!" she said to me and brought her hands up so that she could show me seven little fingers for emphasis.
"Well, you know what?" I said and kneeled in front of her.
"What?" she asked with a shy smile and I noticed a light blush spreading on her cheeks.
"You'll always be my sweet little pumpkin, even when you're fifty years old." I told her and put a lock of her hair behind her ear caressing her cheek. She smiled shyly at me and looked down at her feet.
"Besides, if you don't let me, do you know what is going to happen?" I said with an evil smile.
"No, what?" she asked curious leaning her head in one side.
"Oh so you don't know… well I can show you…" she didn't have time to answer when I started tickling her. She broke into an uncontrollable laughter and I couldn't stop smiling. I hadn't realised how much I've missed her until now.
"Please…Eddie…stop…I…can't…"
"I'll stop if you let me call you that my pumpkin and give a big kiss as well" I said and continued trickling her.
"O…ok…ay…okay!"
"Is that a yes?" she couldn't answer because she was laughing so hard so she just nodded. I stopped and waited for her to calm down. When she did, she turned to me.
"Okay, but you'll be the only one that calls me that" she pointed her finger to me but continued to smile with that cute smile of hers. Then she leaned in and gave me a big kiss on my cheek.
"Deal!" I said and extended my hand to her so that she could shake it. "Soo… is Bella in her room?" I asked her.
"Aha, but if I were you I wouldn't go in there. She doesn't want to see anyone, she just spends her whole day locked up in there… and all that fuss for what? Because she misses Adrian! I really can't understand that! Boys are stupid!" she wrinkled her nose in disgust and I laughed at the face she was making.
"Well I'll agree with you. But I am here to make her leave that room."
"Yeah, right" she snorted. "Alice already tried a million times and came with nothing. And we're talking about Alice here. Who she doesn't take no for answer, like never." She said rolling her eyes at me like I hadn't thought of that.
"I have better methods, believe me." I winked at her.
"Okay, whatever you say, but don't say that I didn't warned you." She said and shrugged. I started to make my way upstairs when Emma called my name and came running to me hugging me really tight.
"I am really happy you're back Eddie, I really missed you!" she said releasing me and went back to watch TV.
God, I had really missed her, too. She is the cuttest little girl I have ever seen. When she was born all of us couldn't stop playing with her and tried to make her smile.
She literally had everyone wrapped around her little finger. Even when I stopped hanging out with everyone else and became a jerk to them, I was always happy to see Emma and spend time with her when she was around.
That's why she is the only one that really missed me. The last time I saw her was when I had come to talk to Bella that night before I left and I would give anything to forget that conversation. Or maybe not.
Because as long as I kept these words I said in my mind I knew I really had messed up big time and that was my chance to earn her friendship back.
When I reached her door I knocked and waited for the answer that never came. I tried again but nothing. So I just shrugged and burst in her room. Gosh the last time I'd been here I must have been ten years old.
Many things had changed or at least there weren't these Barbie dolls all over the room that scared me to death. I hated that dolls and Alice had thousands of them all around the house.
There was no light in the room, because the heavy purple curtains were closed. That's when I heard her voice under the covers where she'd been hiding.
"Emma! I told you earlier that I want to be alone!" she yelled still under the cover.
I went and opened the curtains and then made my way to her bed grabbed the covers and threw them off of her head.
"I am not Emma. I am your most beloved person in the whole word!" I said to her with my biggest smile and wide opened arms.
She was looking at me like I had two heads or something.
"I'll say my worst nightmare!" she glared at me looking pissed but I wasn't chickening out now.
"You're really hurting my feelings!" I said putting one hand the place of the heart with a fake hurt expression on my face.
"What do you want Edward?" asked Bella and looked like she couldn't believe in her eyes.
"I am here, my dear friend, to make you leave that bed and take you to the greatest ride of your life." I said with a goofy smile on my face.
"Too bad for you, but that's not going to happen, not with me at least so get the hell out of here and leave me alone!" and with that she grabbed the beddings up to cover her head.
"Yeah, I don't think I'm doing that so I'm gonna give you the chance to come by your own free will before I use my way!" I said and threw the cover completely off of her.
"What the hell Edward! Just leave me alone for Gods shakes!" she yelled and tried to take the blanket for me.
"I told you before, that is not likely to happen, you like it or not. Now get up so that we can start our day." I smirked at her.
"Are you nuts? I am not going anywhere, especially with you. End of discussion." Said with a frown and crossed her arms over her chest. That made her chest to rise and pushed together giving a mini heart attack. Immidiately I took my eyes from there and cleared my thoughts..It was going to be a very loong day.
I couldn't help but smile because she was so cute right now, like an angry kitten. I didn't continue to argue with her, I just made my way to her drawer to find clothes for her.
"What are you doing?" she asked suddenly aware of my actions. I didn't answer and continued rummaging inside grabbing the first pair of jeans that my hands caught. God, this girl had a lot of jeans. Okay what else do I need…aha a T-shirt…I found a dark blue tank top, perfect.
"Are you even listening to me? Stop going through my stuff! I hate people touching my stuff!" she continued to yell at me, but I wasn't paying any attention to her.
Suddenly as I was about to open the top drawer to find something for her to wear over it a pillow landed in my head and Bella's screams reached my ears.
"What the fuck!" I turned to look at her.
"Don't open that, there's my underwear you jerk!" she yell at me.
"Oh really? Good to know!" I winked at her and started open it again.
"Don't you dare!" said and she was ready to throw me another pillow.
"Relax, I am only kidding!" I laughed and raised my hands showing that I was surrendering. I went to her closet and grabbed a blue plaid shirt. They match, right? I mean they're both blue. Oh, screw that, she would wear it.
"Ha ha you are full of funny today." She said with sarcasm.
"Here. Get dressed" I handed her the clothes.
"Are you completely stupid? There is no way I'm coming with you or leaving my room in general! I'm not in the mood… what the hell don't you understand?" said looking really annoyed.
"Sorry sweetie, but you don't have a choice. Now get dress I am waiting." I told her with a sweet voice.
"WHAT? There is no way I am changing in front of you!" said and pointed me with her hand.
"Okay, could you please hold that for a sec?" I asked her and gave her the clothes, which she took with a confused expression.
"Why…EDWARD!" she didn't get the chance to finished her sentence, because I had thrown her over my shoulder and began exiting her room.
"Edward put me down right now or else!" she yelled as she hit my back and kicked her legs.
"Or else what? Don't worry I will very soon." I get to the bathroom and opened the door.
"Here." I said and placed her back on her feet.
"Get changed. I will wait outside just in case you got weird thoughts." I smirked at her.
She continued to stand there looking at me like I was completely idiot.
"Edward, get off my way, before I hurt you really badly." She said through her gritted teeth and narrowed her eyes at me.
"I'd really like to see you try, but we don't have all day." I smirked at her.
"I hate you right now, do you know that?" she said stamping her foot down like a stubborn kid.
"Nah…I can leave with that. Now, get ready. Chop, chop!" I smacked her playfully on her butt.
"EDWARD!" she yelped and was about to slap me, but I closed the door on her face.
"Ugh…I HATE YOU." She screamed. "Edward Antony Cullen, open that fucking door right now! I don't remember agreeing coming with you!" yelled and kicked the bathroom door. I have to say the whole thing was too damn sexy..imagining me entering the bathroom and pushing her against the wall..placing kisses on her neck and lips..Ugh Edward Cullen behave yourself now or you won't make it through the day.
"Oh, you didn't? But I thought you did when you agreed to get dressed just not in front of me." I said as innocent as I could. I didn't get an answer to that just a loud bang on the door and I supposed she kicked it.
"Oh, and don't try the window. You don't fit and if you stuck, I am not going to be the one that'll help you out." I said and started laughing.
I had been waiting outside the door for thirty minutes and she hadn't come out yet. What if she did use the window? I din't think she's that stupid to do that, right? But just in case I knocked her door.
"I am waiting." I said with a singing voice.
"I am ready! Happy?" she said as she opened the door her hands on her waste.
"Very." I said and turned so that I could look at her.
She was dressed in the jeans with the tank top and over that the plaid shirt which she had left it open. She was wearing her hair down and had put light make up on her face. God, she was gorgeous even with the casual look, she was the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.
Her expression was pissed but that only make her sexier than she already was. I don't know how long I'd been standing there looking at her, until I heard her cleaning her throat and saying "Hey Edward! Earth to Edward, is anybody in that head of yours?" asked waving her hands in front of me. I snapped out of it and offered her my hand.
"Ready to go Swan?" I winked.
"Whatever." She snorted and walked down the stairs without looking at me. As we made our way downstairs she stopped and turned to look to me.
"You know that I can't leave Emma alone. Oh to bad we can't go. Maybe we can do it another time." She said with a fake disappointment.
"Yeah, nice try! When you were in the bathroom your mum came to take her at her ballet lesson." I patted her shoulder as I passed near her and made it to the door.
"Fuck." She said under her breath. I laughed and opened the front door for her.
"Come on. You will be fine, I promise." I smiled. She rolled her eyes at me as she put her blue converse on and took her jacket and bag. We begun to walk towards my car. I opened the passenger door so that she could slip inside and walked around the car to get in the drivers seat.
As I was driving I looked over at Bella's side. She had a sad expression on her face as she was looking out of the window and playing with a lock of her hair. It was so obvious that she wasn't feeling comfortable here with me. She should have felt me starring, because she turned and looked at me.
"What?" she asked annoyed.
That's when I really saw her eyes. They weren't the same. Of course they are still beautiful, but the light that always held in them was gone. They looked really empty and that made her look more depressed and melancholic.
"Nothing." I said and looked back on the road not able to look at those eyes for more. One thing that I couldn't stand was that I was responsible for a big part of her sadness. I assumed that people leaving her had become her worst nightmare and it was obvious I'd made the start.
"Soo is there any chance to tell me where we're going? Just asking." She said sarcastically.
"Aha, in Port Angeles to play bowling of course." I smiled broadly at her really happy that she at least talked to me.
"You are kidding me, right?" asked and turned completely to her seat so that she was facing me.
"No, I am absolutely serious as always." I smirked. And that did it.
"Are you crazy? You come to my house, walk into my room without permission, going through my stuff like they're yours, make me leave my bed and come with you when I told you a million times that I want to be ALONE. And for what? So that we can go play bowling! I don't even like bowling! You are an asshole! That's what you are a selfish asshole!" she yelled at me. I pulled over ,stopped the car and turned to her.
"Are you done?" I asked. She mumbled something and looked away from me.
"I will take that as a yes."
"I want you to take me home." She whispered without making eye contact with me.
"Oh, no now you listen to me. You said what you had to say and now it's my turn." She focused her attention back me.
"You want me to take you home so that you can go and hide under the covers one more time like a creepy old rat or something. That's pathetic and you know it. You can't lock yourself in your room, and stay there until he comes back for a visit. I know it's hard, but you are still together for Gods shakes! Imagine what you would have done if you had broken up! Hell I don't even wanna know that!
He didn't go to war! He just moved to NY! I know it's far away but come on Bella you're still eighteen and if I remember correctly Adrian said you'll try and make it work so where's the problem? I cannot see your point! What do you want? To stop living your life? Well, I'm not gonna stay here to see that! I assure you." I couldn't believe I said that to her. I hadn't been more honest in my life.
"It's not easy!" she muttered frustrated.
"I never said it will be and you'll be a fool to believe that yourself but to lock yourself up and shut everyone out definitely doesn't make it any better. Remember when me and Alice left? You managed to get through that and get back on your feet and be stronger. Plus then you didn't only have lost the person you were in love with, but your best friend too. How much harder was that? But you did it and I'm proud of you.
That's the Bella I know and not a chicken that doesn't even get out of her bed to face the situation." God did I just said that? Too much company with Jake and it had made me a rational person.
"I thought that was a taboo subject." She said in a low voice. I believed that she would be uncomfortable or angry but when I looked at her she wasn't either of them. She was just surprised!
"It was, but I couldn't think of anything else to make you understand that you're not alone Bella. You have Alice and Jake who they love you to death and they are worrying so much about you. And Ian, he will kill for you even if he doesn't show that much and…me. I care for you too. We all are here for you. And you have Adrian of course, you guys are still together."
She was starring at me with an amused expression like she couldn't believe in her own ears. I couldn't believe it either.
"So are you ready to throw some ball?" I winked at her trying to light up the mood.
"Fine." She tried to play it cool, but I saw the little smile on her lips."Uh, and I still don't trust you I just have no other choice right now, so that we could be clear." She pointed at me.
"Believe me, I know, but for once we can be good friends and have some good time together." I suggested. She looked at my face for a minute and seemed like she was trying to find something there before she spoke again.
"Okay, I can live with that." She said and shrugged her shoulders.
We were more comfortable with each other for the rest of the ride and we even did a small talk. When we arrived at Port Angeles we went straight to the bowling club, I parked the car in the parking lot and we made our way inside the building and to the counter so that we could arrange how much time we would play and take our shoes.
After I paid for the two hours that we would stay, the employee asked us our shoes number.
"Six." Bella answer and took the shoes he offered her.
"Ten." I said and Bella starred at me with wide eyes.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Ten?" she asked and then looked at my feet as I took the shoes.
"They're so huge." She exclaimed still looking at my feet.
"I know." I winked at her. A few seconds had passed before she realised what I'd said.
"Oh, shut up you know what I mean." She giggled and smacked me playfully on the arm.
"Huh huh, whatever you say." She hit me again and saw that her cheeks had become a little red.
"I don't like you right now." Said and pocked me with her fighter in my chest.
"Don't tell me! I'm seriously offended now, hon." I told her in a mocking tone.
"Shut up." She told me half smiling and smacking me on the chest.
And with that both started laughing. I was so proud of myself, that I made her laugh after a long time and I was so damn happy that she begun to feel more comfortable around me.
"Okay, so are we going to play or not?" she asked with a smile still on her face.
"I thought you said you didn't like bowling." I told her raising one eyebrow. I knew pretty well that she said that because she was pissed but I'd like to see her blushing one more time.
"Um yeah I did say that… only to make you drive me back home or just to piss you off a little…" she admitted blushing like crazy.
"Oh, do you know how to play or you want me to show you?" I told her mockingly.
"Yeah, like I need that! You have an expert in bowling standing in front of you, my friend." Bella said throwing her hair behind her shoulder and stretching her hands.
"Is that right? Well too bad that I am going to kick your pretty ass today, because no one beats me in bowling!" I said and pointed at myself.
"Oh, game on Cullen." She smirked at me and a huge smile spread on my face hearing her saying my last name. She had a really sexy tone in her voice.
"Ladies first." I waved her to go on.
After she chose the appropriate ball for her, she took the right position and threw the ball and…strike. God she is good.
"I told you so." She told me with a cocky expression that resembled Ian a lot when she saw my amused face.
"Make room for the real players, little girl." I said as I went to take a ball and turned to her.
"Watch and learn." I threw the ball and all pins are completely knocked down with the first ball…wait a minute… all except three. I couldn't believe it! I always get a strike.
"Yeah, you are the king of bowling." she patted my back before she go to take her turn.
We played four games and had a great time teasing each other. Bella was now in a better mood. She was smiling and laughing and seem to having fun. Maybe one of the reasons was that she beat the hell out of me.
"I told you I was the best in that." She said arrogantly.
"We just had one point difference, it's like a tie!" I said showing her our points.
"Aha continue to say that to yourself, but you know that I am better than you." She smirked.
"Whatever." I said trying to play it offended as I begun to walk to the door leaving her behind. Bella caught up with me and we left after we returned the shoes.
"Ooh…is Eddiekins feelings hurt because a girl kicked his butt on bowling." She teased one more time pretending she was on the verge of tears.
I looked at her with a smirk on my face. "Nah…I am okay, besides it's not going to happen again so I recommend you to enjoy it as long as it'll last." I threw my arm over her shoulder.
"So do you want to catch something to eat? Good. Let's go before I die from hunger." I said without letting her answer my question.
She bitt her lip and shook her head, but the smile never left he face. I still couldn't believe that Bella agreed to come with me and that we were actually having a lot of fun.
She was more relaxed now and I could tell that she was starting to feel more comfortable as the day was going by. It kind of reminded me when we were little. Of course I still knew that she didn't trust me but I had big plans on changing that. Unfortunately I knew it would take a while… baby steps I remind to myself.
"So does your stomach has any preference?" I asked.
"I don't know. What do you want?" said and looked up at me. That's when I realised that my arm was still around her shoulders and she doesn't seem to mind.
"Oh, believe me I am eating a whole cow right now."
"You're such a guy! Okay, let me think." I was looking at her as she was thinking where we should go to eat.
She was beautiful the way she was taping her chin with her finger. I would never be able to get enough of her beauty. All I wanted to do was to look at her face for hours until my eyes get hurt.
"Aah…I got it. Let's go to McDonalds, I want a Big Mac…oh and fries…yeah definitely fries and a coke." She said finally looking at me a huge face lighting her face.
"You gonna eat all that?" I asked in disbelief.
"Aha…now let's go!' she dragged me along with her.
We arrived at McDonalds and ordered our food. Bella took a Big Mac with fries along with coke, true to her word. And I get myself the same and an extra regular burger. Well I am a big guy I eat a lot!
We took the trays with our food and we went to sit on table by the window. I starred at Bella as she begun eating her fries, I still couldn't believe she would eat all of that. She was a girl after all, a light weighted girl. Where was she going to put so much food?
"What?" she asked as she caught me starring.
"I still can't believe that you're going to eat all that!" exclaimed and pointed at the food in front of her.
"Well for your information I haven't eat that much this past week…" she told me giving me a meaningful stare. Of course she had spent the week like a zombie how could I forget that? Moron. "And besides no one who appreciates food can't say no to a Big Mac."
"I can't argue to that." I told her and started gulping down my food. Bella took the tomato of her burger out leaving it on the side of her tray with a look of disgust in her face.
"What are you doing?" I asked surprised.
"They are disgusting." She made face wrinkling her nose exactly like Emma had done before.
"You don't eat tomato?" was that for real? "Are you allergic or something?"
"No I'm not. I do when they are in salad. Not in burger, sandwich or when they are cooked…it's just…Eww!" I couldn't help, but laugh at her.
"You are a mysterious girl Bella Swan." I gave her one of my crooked smiles and saw delighted that she smiled back.
From our conversation while we were eating, I realised that Bella hadn't change a lot from the Bella I used to know. She had the same likes and dislikes. She preferred and hated the same things. I had really forgotten how much fun was to just hanging out with her.
When we finished with our food and after I finished off Bella's half burger, we decided to head back home.
Surprisingly the rain it'd been falling heavily all morning had now stopped. We got to the car and after half an hour we were back to Forks. As I passed the streets of Fords so that I could take Bella home something caught my eye. I immediately turned around and pulled over the car.
"Edward, why do we stop?" Bella asked confused. I got out of the car and went to open her door. She started getting out as she continued to talk.
"I don't understand what we're doing in a…playground?" she asked more and more confused as she was taking in her surroundings.
"Not any playground, but The playground! Let's go!" I said and took her hand in mine.
It was the playground that we used to go as kinds. I couldn't believe that ts still existed, I hadn't been here since I was ten. The playground wasn't so big, but had the necessary activities for a kid. We used to come here, because it was near to Bella's house.
"I haven't been here in years." I told her and sat down on one of the swings.
"You're not the only one." She said and sat on the swing beside me.
We fell in a comfortable silence for a while both thinking about our childhood until crazy idea crossed my mind.
"So do you want to do it." I winked at her. She was looking at me like I had lost my mind.
"Come ooon! It's going to be so much fun. Please, pretty pleaseee!" I pouted and gave her my best dog eyes.
Maybe I looked like a complete idiot when making that face but I gave it a try.
"Are you crazy? We are going to get hurt!" she said as it was too obvious.
"Oh, nothing is going to happen! We have done it before." I tried to convince her once again.
"We were kids Edward! We didn't think straight" she explained. I just continued to look at her with the same face.
"Ugh…fine, but if we broke our necks you're the one that is dealing with Charlie." She smiled an evil smile at me.
"Sweet!" I smiled and we begun to swing.
When we had got high enough, I turned to Bella.
"Ready?" I asked her.
"God please help me!" she said lookig up to the sky.
"Oh, you know you wanna do it too, with the count of three. Okay?" Bella just nodded her head.
"One…two…three…jump!" I yelled and both of us jumped of the swing and land with our backs in the grass. We looked at each other and started laughing hysterically holding our stomachs.
"You have to admit that you enjoyed it." I told when we stop laughing.
"Okay it was a bit of fun."
"And we are both unharmed." I added.
"Mmm." After a long paused and while we continued to lie to the ground, she asked me.
"Why did you come to my house today, Edward?"
"What do you mean? I came to dragged you out of bed and force some logic into you." I said as a matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, but why?" she turned her head to look at me.
"Well, I was in La Push yesterday and I got home today to grab some things when I met a really furious Alice. She was mad at you because she had tried everything and you were still like a walking corpse and I didn't think it twice. I just came and tried to make you leave that room and have some fun." I paused for a moment to think.
"I hadn't planed it I just acted. I wanted to give you understand that's not the end of the world it's just a big change and everything is going to be fine." She was looking at me so…amused…I think, like she was having a hard time believing me.
"Okay," it was all that she said and looked up at the grey the sky. We should get going because it was starting to get dark. Luckily the rain had stopped hours ago and the weather was pretty good.
As I was looking around I remembered something and started laughing hard.
"What?" she questioned and raised her eyebrow at me.
"Remember when you did your birthday party here? When you were turning seven ?" she starred at me with her mouth hanging open.
"You remember that?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, why I wouldn't remember that" I asked her and she just shrugged.
"Anyway that's not what I wanted to say. Remember when Emmett couldn't wait to eat the cake and grabbed it and started running with it all of us running after him? Until he tripped in a rock and fell with his face in the cake." Bella laughed along with me.
"And you got so mad at him, because he ruined your birthday cake that you started chasing him with a baseball bat." we were laughing so hard that my stomach begun to hurt.
"And because I had become so upset, you made your mum drive you to the bakery so that you could find me another cake. And you did after you crossed the entire city." God I had completely forgotten about that.
"I think we should get going. It's getting late." I got off the ground and gave my hand to Bella to help her on her feet. I looked around still thinking about that birthday party and then something clicked in my head.
"Wait! Your birthday's tomorrow." Of course, how could I forget it!
"Ugh…don't remind me!" she buried her face in her hands.
"What are you afraid of? Getting old?" I teased her not believing that she could think like an old lady.
"It's not that. I just don't like being in the centre of attention and Alice wants to make a big fuss about it. Besides, Adrian is not here..." She said quickly in one breath.
"Uh, I see and believe me I know how Alice is. I live with her. But don't you want to celebrate your birthday with your people, something simple?"
"Yeah, I guess, but now it's too late to plan anything so I will let them pass."
Suddenly, I had a magnificent idea, but I needed everyone to make it work.
"Okay, let's get you home."
I drove Bella to her house and when we got there I got of the car to open her door and make sure she would get inside.
"I…er…I should go inside." Said and looked down at her feet.
"Okay."
"I can't believe I am doing this." Said under her breath and she did something that caught me of guard. She hugged me. Bella hugged me.
"Thank you Edward. I really appreciate what you did for me. And I really had a lot of fun." She smiled widely at me.
"Good to know that I did something good for once." I smile back.
"You did. Goodnight." And with that she went inside.
All way the way back home I had a goofy smile on my face as I was thinking the day we spend together and of course the hug.
When I got home I run out of my car and burst though the door calling for Alice.
"God Edward, stop with the whole screaming, I am right here." She said from the sofa. I was so focused to my plan that I hadn't notice her.
"Alice, stop anything you're doing because I need your help immediately!"
"What do you need my help for?" she asked really curious raising her brow to me.
"To plan a party."
So that was it guys! At last Edward went down to La push and had a little encounter with Leah the real wolf there. :P
Edward's gonna do anything to make Bella happy so it remains to be seen how's the party going to be! Is Edward good at planing a party or is it going to be a big fiasco?
The bad news (for you) and the best (for me) is that I'm leaving for holidays tomorrow and I won't be back utill late that month so the next update will be around Augast 27th. Hope you all have a great summer or winter it depends :P
I really apreciate your reviews as always! Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)
R&R