i know everyone came on here and was like "hey, where's the update?" sorry for the late update. yesterday wasnt a good day for me and i wasnt in the mood to reread the chp. when i did finally reread it, i was too sleepy make proper corrections and today i was traveling to go back to school. finally here and move in tomorrow. yay. anyways...
enjoy...
Chapter XXIV
(Epov)
"Corner right pocket." I said before leaning over the table to shoot. The last ball on the table, the black eight ball, bounced off the side of the table. It went to the corner I was shooting for. It bounced around the hole before rolling back. "Damn it." I sighed. That was the second time I missed an easy shot.
Rosalie laughed. "Nice try." She said. After Bella left me to go with Jasper, I considered concluding working on my paper. Then I realized like I didn't want to anymore. It was no use pretending I actually wanted to work on it without Bella.
When I was going to go my room to read or something to hold my attention, Rosalie was walking down the stairs. She said she was bored. When I asked where Emmett was, she told me that she was supposes to be ice skating with Bella and told Emmett to find something to do without her. But since Bella was with Jasper, Rosalie was free.
I suggested we play pool. She wondered why. I told her, since we were bored; we might as well be bored together.
She agreed and that's what we were doing. She was good. Almost as good as me. This was our third game because we played two and we were tied with one game each. I should have won both of them easily; she was good, but I was better. I don't know what was wrong with me.
I gave a shrug. "Your turn." I told her. Rosalie looked at me. "What?" I asked.
"Before I go, I want to thank you." She said seriously.
"For what?" I asked. Where did that come from?
"Well, for inviting Bella and for helping her with my brother." She said. Oh, that's what she was talking about. I really was starting to get tired of being thanked for that. It wasn't like I gave her gold or something; besides, I didn't even do anything. "It was very unselfish of you." She added.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Please, Edward, I know you. Even if something doesn't have a thing to do with you, like my brother and best friend dating, you would have only thought about how it reflects you and only you. I mean, I understand it. With so many people look at you as some kind of leader, you have to make sure everyone and everything around you look as great as you do or people will think you're doing something wrong. I'm the same way with the girls on the team. And when Bella told me, I assumed you would try to keep them apart because of her status and how it would look on you. I stayed out of it because she asked me to. But you kept your personal feelings out of it and stuck to your side of the deal."
All this talk about me about me not caring how I look and about I kept my feelings out of it was doing nothing but pissing me off. It pissed me off because she was wrong. I am trying to keep them apart because my feelings were in it. I wasn't proud of what I was doing. Every time, I tell myself to not get involved and avoid playing both sides of the fences like that. Then I hear them talk about each other and I feel myself losing control.
"What is your point?" I asked her.
She chuckled. "My point is, I'm happy you did. I don't think I've seen her smile as much as she did these past few weeks in the last few years. She really likes him and I'm glad you help her with him. I don't know how, but you did something I couldn't do." She told me.
I looked away from her eyes. I didn't have anything to say. "It's still your turn." I mumbled.
"Right." she looked at the table to see which position would get the best shoot. When she got it, she leaned over the table like I did. "Corner right pocket." She called the same one I did. She hit it and the black ball flew into the pocket she called. That's what should have happened with me. She stood up and smiled. "Game." She declared.
"Nice shot." I told her. It was easy shot and the game should have been mine, but nice shot nonetheless.
She chuckled. "Thanks. Wanna play again?" she said as she started removing the balls from each pocket already.
I wasn't in the mood to keep playing. Her bring up Bella, just got to me. Besides, I didn't want to get beat again. That was a first; usually if I get beat, I'm nothing but ready for a rematch.
But not this time. I shook my head. "Actually…" I was about to tell her I was going to rest before dinner when I got distracted by a giggle coming from the other room. I think I knew that giggle, but I wanted to make sure. I placed my pool stick on the table before walking to the room where I heard it coming from. When I walked into the living room, I realized I was right. It was Bella. And she was laughing with Jasper.
"I think I should start calling you Bunny the way you bounced down the hill." Jasper teased as he unzipped his coat.
Bella gave a gasper before hitting him on the arm. I knew it was jokingly hit, but I got a small bit of joy from it. "Shut up. It was only on the last run because of all those rocks." She replied as she did the same with her suit.
Jasper chuckled. "If that's what you want to tell yourself." He said before tossing his coat to couch. "If it's any consolation, you looked very cute." He complimented. She giggled and blushed. I rolled my eyes; one might think after spending all this time with him, that crap wouldn't affect her the same way. I guess not.
"Thank you." She said as she pushed her snowsuit off her. She held on to him as she stepped out of it.
"Speak of the devil." Rosalie said next to me. When she did, her brother and best friend turned to us. "Edward and I were just talking about, Bella." She told her as she walked towards her friend and brother.
"Anything good?" Bella asked, looking over Rosalie's shoulder to me. She knew I would tell her the truth; or at least my version of it anyway.
"The word is subjective." I told her. I knew what the word meant and how to use it because after she said to me that day, I looked it up; like I always do when I don't know that the hell she is talking about.
"What does that mean?" Bella asked.
It meant that we were talking about might have been considered good for only one half of the people in the conversation. I shrugged. "Nothing." I told her.
"Did you have fun after you ditched me?" Rosalie teased.
Jasper chuckled. "Build a bridge and get over it, sis." He replied. Bella giggled at the replied. I almost wanted to laugh too. It was clever, I will give him that. I didn't, because I knew how Rosalie felt, even if she was joking. I know I told her to go, but if I would have asked, it wouldn't have been jokily.
"Excuse you; I was talking to my friend, rude." Rosalie playfully snapped. She looked back at Bella. "Well?" she asked again. I found myself waiting for her answer as well. Was it worth leaving the only time we have together in the last few days?
Bella nodded. "Jasper and I had an interesting time. It was fun." Bella said as she tossed her hat and gloves next to her snow suit. "Sorry, but it was worth ditching you." She teased. So there was my answer. I expected Rosalie to reply to that with some remark, but she didn't. She just looked at her friend. "What?" Bella said, seeing what I did. Rosalie tilted her head. "Rosalie, what?" Bella said again.
"Bella, what is that?" Rosalie asked. The rest of us looked at her with confusion.
"What is what?' Bella asked her friend.
"That look. What is that look on you face?" she said. She looked more. "Something happened." She looked at her brother then back at her friend. "What happened?" she asked.
"What are you talking about?" Jasper asked.
"Between you two. Something happened while you guys were out of the cabin and I want to know what it was." I didn't notice until she said something, but Bella did have something under her smile. It wasn't her normal smile. Both her and Jasper did. They were hiding something. Now I was interested in knowing.
"Nothing." Bella said.
Rosalie crossed her arms. "Are you lying to me?" she asked her friend. Jasper rolled his eyes. "You both might as well tell me." she said.
"Nothing happened." Bella insisted, still holding her smile. She looked like she was trying to keep from laughing.
"Yeah, why don't you believe us?" Jasper added.
Rosalie shifted her eyes back and forward between Bella and Jasper. "Fine." She said before grabbing Bella's wrist. She started dragging her friend towards the stairs.
"Where are you taking me?" Bella giggled.
"To find Alice. I'm sure she will be able to get out of you." Rosalie answered.
There they said something to each other that I couldn't quite catch. Bella chuckled. She turned back to us. "Bye. See you guys later." She said as Rosalie pulled her friend up the stairs.
Jasper chuckled at Bella and his sister. "Bye Belle." He answered.
I turned to him. What did he call her? "Did you just call her 'Belle'?" I asked. He nodded as he picked Bella's suit off the floor. "That's not her name." I reminded him.
He laid her suit on the couch next to his coat. "I know." He said as he picked up her hat and gloves and put them next her suit.
If he knew that wasn't her name, then why did he call her that? "So why call her that?" I asked.
He shrugged. "It's a nickname. She told me I could. And she kind of reminds me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Smart and pretty and beautiful on the inside and out. Am I the only who sees that?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, because I totally think of a cartoon when I look at her." I replied sarcastically.
He chuckled. "I didn't mean the Disney movie, you idiot." He joked as he walked pass me. "I meant the book." He answered. That might be worst. I mean, at least with a cartoon, you have a visually. How can person remind someone of a character from a book? Who really reads a book and go, "I want to date a person like this"? I didn't say anything out loud because I knew he would say something that would piss me off, annoy me or confuse me.
"So what happen?" I asked him, changing the subject as I followed him into the kitchen.
"What?" he asked.
"What Rosalie was talking about?" I said.
He chuckled. "I don't know what she was talking about. My sister is crazy." He answered.
"So nothing happened?" I asked knowing he was lying. He shook his head. "Come on, dude. You can tell me. Something had to happen for Rosalie to think that." I told him. I don't know why I wanted to know so much. I knew why Rosalie wanted to. Being in your best friend's business, it was a girl thing. But why I did feel the need to know what happened between him and Bella? When I thought about, I know why I wanted to know.
I wanted to know if what I said worked. If he stay true to what he said before he left with her. I also wanted to see how close they were.
He walked to the refrigerator and opened it. "The only thing I can think of is the kiss but I doubt…"
It didn't take me long to catch what he said. "Wait. Kiss?" I asked. They kissed? When? And where? Was it on the cheek and that's why they thought it was nothing? But as much as she like him, Bella wouldn't have thought of that as "nothing". So was it like on the lips? And who kissed who? He grabbed something before closing the door of the refrigerator and turning to me. I saw he had a bottle of water. "She…she kissed you?" I asked. That might why he thought of it as nothing.
He took a gulp from the water bottle I saw he grabbed before shaking his head. "No, I kissed her." he corrected. Okay, now I was fucking confused. Why did she say it was nothing if that's what happened? Then I realized something. The smile. She wanted to tell her friend, just not in front of me. She didn't to talk about it in front of me. I felt a small of hurt.
But then I was confused again. This time with Jasper. "But what you said before you left…" I reminded.
"I know what I said Edward." He said with a chuckle. "But dude you should have seen her. White sun shining off her skin and off the snow all over her. She was so cute. I would have been stupid not to kiss her." he said before drinking from his water again.
"You shouldn't have done that." I said.
"Why not?" he asked.
I didn't have to think about what I was going to say before I said it. "Because now she might think you like her." I told him. Somehow, I felt like I was lying again. She didn't seem to grasp the fact that he's been all over he since her change, exactly what Alice predicted. She still thinks he was just doing all the things he was doing to be nice and just thought of her as friend. But on the other hand, it didn't have to be a lie because she wasn't the one who kissed someone and not think anything of it; especially if it was Jasper.
He chuckled. "Well, she wouldn't be wrong since I do." He answered.
"What?" I said in shock. He liked her? "How long?' I blurted, not really meaning to.
"Remember during the game we played on the plane, Alice said 'I never had a crush…longer than a few weeks…longer than a few months…longer than a year' and I drank all four times?"
"You were talking about Bella." I concluded. Yeah, I think I knew that, but didn't what to believe it.
He nodded. "I think it's been about a year. last year when I broke my board and I messed up my ankle, It was way worse than we all thought. When I ran on it for the games and for meets, it made it worst. I had to be off the team for the rest of the season." He reminded me. I remember that. Last year was filled of the worst numbers our team had ever faced. I hate to say it, but it was because we were missing someone good when he was benched.
But that wasn't what we were talking about. "What does that have to do with Bella?" I asked.
"Well, since I didn't go to practice after school, I went straight home. When I got there, she would be there with Rosalie. Then during the summer, she was around all the time. While she was there, I realized there was more to her than what we saw in school. I found myself being intrigued." He said.
"Intrigued." I repeated in a mumble, rolling my eyes. Bella would love to hear that sentence coming out of his mouth.
He chuckled. "It's the only word I can think of to describe her. Anyways, I never acted on it until now." he added.
"Why?" I had to ask. He might be as shallow as I thought.
He drank from his bottle again. "Because I know you and your damn girlfriend. She would have made her life hell and you would have tried to talk me out of it because of what she wasn't. What kind of person would I be if I knew that and still put her through it? It would have been selfish. So I was just going to wait until we graduated. But now that I know Tanya will treat Bella the way she does no matter what, I figure what was stopping me now." he said.
Of course that was the damn reason. Wow, what a fucking gentleman. I was starting to think this guy doesn't have a bad bone in his body. Well, probably, but not for Bella.
"So are you guys like dating now or what?" I asked. I had to know because then I would really back off. It wouldn't be like the last time where I said I would and did the exact oppose. If they were dating, she was still free game; but if they were, she became like Rosalie was off limits.
He answered me by shaking his head before drinking again. That was surprising, but not entirely disappointing; not for me anyways. "I surprised her the first time so she didn't really have a choice in taking it. That didn't stop her from giving what she was receiving." He said with a small smile. I stuffed my hands in my sweatpants pocket to keep from smacking him. Then he sighed. "But then when I tried it again, she leaned away." He answered.
"Why?" I asked, using everything I had in me not to smile or sound a little happy about the answer he gave. I think I knew the answer. I think it might have something to do with what I said the night we all were in the hot tub.
He sighed again. "I think you were right. I don't think she wants anything like that right now."
"So what are you going to do?' I asked.
He smiled. "Well, we're having fun. So I'm just going to keep doing that. I'm going to have fun with her." he said.
"Fun?' I asked. It didn't take pretending for me not to smile this time. That phase usually only meant one thing. "You mean, friends with benefits? Like sex?' I asked.
He chuckled. "I never said that." he reminded.
"But you were thinking it." I pointed out. He gave a shrug. "You know she hasn't done anything like that." I felt the need to tell him.
He chuckled again. "I know, dude, I was there for the game too. And I've only done it once so we're pretty even. Besides, it might not even come to that before school ends. She seems like one of those 'saving herself for marriage' types." He took the last gulp from his bottle before tossing it in the trash. I was going reply. I didn't because I didn't know what to say.
It sounded like he was using her. It might be just me because I that's wanted to hear. He was Jasper. He wouldn't do something like that. And the worst part was I knew that, but it didn't take way from the tone of his voice.
I didn't even get a chance to say anything because his phone went off. He reached in his deep pocket to grab it. He unlocked it and read a text. He answered quickly. "Speak of the devil?" I asked, thinking it was Bella.
He shook his head. "Emmett. Remember the three games of darts I got on him? He wants a rematch before dinner. Belle and I got in earlier than I thought so I told him sure and I'll meet him there." he said before dropping the phone back in his pocket. "I'll see you at dinner." He said before holding his hand out for me.
"Sure." I said before slapping it. He gave a nod before leaving to go to the room Rosalie and I just came out of.
XXX
I was in the guys' room watching a video when dad called us down for dinner. I figure he was talking to me since I was the only one in the room. I haven't seen Jasper or Emmett come up since he left me in the kitchen to go play his darts game.
I closed my laptop before climbing off my bed to go downstairs. When I got there, I saw my dad in the living room. "Where is everyone else?" I asked him when I saw I was the only there. I figured everyone would be down here already.
"Two are already in the dining area, you and your sister were upstairs and I'm about to get the last two from the hot tub." He answered. "Alice, dinner." He called again before walking to the back door. When he did, I walked towards the dining area. When I got there, I was kind of surprise to see Jasper and Bella there at the table. When he said they were two in the dining area and two in the hot tub, I figured it was Bella and Rosalie in the hot tub, talking about what she didn't want to talk about with me. I didn't think Bella would be one of the two in dining room already.
"Hey guys." I said to them.
Jasper looked over Bella's shoulder. "Hey." He greeted.
Bella turned to me. She smiled. "Hey Edward." She greeted.
"You guys are still talking?" I heard a voice. I turned to see Emmett wrapping a towel around his waist. I thought he was talking about Bella and me, though I don't know what he would be referring to. No one, but Alice of course, knew about what I felt for Bella. Then I looked to see his eyes were focused on Jasper and Bella. "What the hell do you still have to talk about?" he said to them. Jasper saw it too and chuckled.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Emmett is being a brat." Jasper said.
Emmett rolled his eyes. He looked at me. "During our game, this one started texting her and he was holding up the damn game." he said, gesturing to Jasper then to Bella.
"Sorry." Bella said.
"It's not your fault. It's his." Emmett said. Jasper just chuckled again. Emmett looked at me. "Anyways, he was holding up the game and pissing me off so much, I just took his phone until we were done." Emmett explained. Oh, so that's what he meant when he asked if they were still talking.
"Like I said, being a brat. Can I get that back by the way?" Jasper asked.
"Rosa is getting it." Emmett answered as he went to his seat.
"Why didn't she come in with you?" Bella asked Emmett.
"She did, she went upstairs to change." He answered.
"Why didn't you change?" I asked him as I sat next to him.
"Because your dad said dinner was almost ready and I didn't want you all to wait while I took a shower." he answered.
Just then, my father came in. "Your sister is still now down here?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "I think I should get her." Bella said before getting up.
"Rosa can get her." Jasper said to her. "I was going to read your palm, remember?" He said.
She smiled at him. "I still don't believe you can do that." she said.
"Well, sit down and we'll see." He replied. She did what he asked. "Can I see your hand?" he asked. She nodded before he took her left hand. "Oh no." he said when he looked at it.
"What?" she giggled.
"You have no life line." He looked at her. "You're going to die." He gasped.
"Really?" she teased.
He nodded. "Maybe I save you with mouth to mouth." He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes. That was so lame. Did he really think she would fall for something like that? Bella's eyes shifted. She blushed when she remembered when Emmett and I were there. However, I was the only paying them any attention since Emmett was too busy looking at his phone; probably checking the scores of something. I rolled my eyes away from them to make it seem like I wasn't listening.
Her eyes shifted back to Jasper. On the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper leaning into her. I was wanted to cheer when I saw her leaning away. "Nice try; that might have work with a simpler person." She teased him with a smile.
"What? You're some kind of super genius?" Jasper teased back.
She laughed. "I'm smart enough to know that you were supposed to read my domain hand. The one I use the most." She held her right hand up. "I'm right handed, by the way." She told him.
Jasper chuckled. "It was worth a shot." He said with a shrug. "But you're right, you're not simple. I will just have to think of more clever ways." He said. I expect her to not know what he was talking about; to not understand what he meant. I would have gotten a little enjoyment out of it if she didn't. But instead, she blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Yeah, I couldn't take any more of this. They obviously were oblivious to the people around them. They were going to keep flirting until dinner started and I couldn't handle it. I got up and walked to the kitchen part when my mom and dad were. My dad was leaning against a counter watching my mom toss a salad. "I thought you said dinner was ready." I said to him.
He looked at me. "It's has about five minutes later." He answered, nodding to the oven. I turned and saw the timer on the over ticking down.
"Why don't you go in the dining area with your friends, it will be done in a minute." Esme suggested. Five, to be exact. That was four minutes and fifty-five too fucking long.
"No thanks." I mumbled as I leaned as against the counter on the other side of her. "I don't feel like being ignored." I told her.
"What do you mean?" my dad said.
I gave a shrug. "I guess I'm just not use to being alone."
Dad chuckled. "Missing the girlfriend, huh?" he asked. He wasn't like Esme. He didn't have the same feelings about my girlfriend my mother did. I don't think he was very fond of her, but he didn't hate her. He understood we were teenagers and that's it.
I sighed. That should be the probably. Alice was right, I was still dating Tanya. I found no reason to break up with Tanya. Yeah, I like Bella, but Tanya was security. What if I break up with her to go after Bella and she can't feel the same way because she's still blinded by stupid Jasper? I couldn't handle that. I wasn't going to tell them that. Might as well let think what they want. "Something like that." I finally admitted.
"Is something else bothering you, dear?" my mother asked.
I shook my head. "Nothing too important, I guess." I told her. They wouldn't understand, no point in trying to pretend they would. They were parents, how could they? They would just say it was for the best and I can't chose who she likes. Blah, blah, fucking blah. Shit I didn't feel like hearing at the moment. "It will be fine. I think I'm just ready to go home."
They both looked at me with confusion. "That's odd since you're usually the one who wants to stay a day longer." Esme pointed out. I shrugged.
"What's wrong son? Aren't you having fun?" Carlisle asked me. I gave another shrug. That was the objective, to have fun. It was the last time I would get to do this with my friends and I should be having the best time. But I wasn't. This is all stupid Tanya's fault. Why the hell did she have to get mad at me for something stupid days before break? I thought it would just as good with Bella here. I didn't account for her spending time with Jasper. Now since they kissed, they might be all over each other, in probably more ways than one. Ew.
"Edward, you'll see that girl in a few day." Esme said angrily as if she was regretting it. "Remember what I told you; don't let her holding you back from doing what you want. Don't stop having fun because she's not here."
"It might be perfect practice for marriage." My dad joked.
Esme glared at him. "Hey. I take offense to that. I don't stop you from having fun." She said defensively.
He chuckled. "I was just kidding, dear." He said before kissing her cheek. I almost gagged. To think I came in here to get away from stuff like that not to see a more advance version. Thankfully, just then the oven beeped. Esme walked over to it and pulled out the meat loft and baked potatoes.
"Mind helping me?" he asked my father and I. He grabbed the bowl of salad and the rolls while Esme handed me the pan that held the meat loft. She grabbed the pan with the bake potatoes before we followed my father in the dining area.
When we walked in, my eyes couldn't stop from traveling to where Jasper and Bella were sitting. She kept giggling and moving his hands away as he kept trying to poke her in the sides. I thought they would stop since I've been gone, but they didn't. If anything, it was probably worst. "Aren't you going to say something to them?" I asked my mother in a low voice so no one would hear me.
She looked at me. "Who, dear?" she said. I nodded to the two I was looking at before. She turned her head and looked at them. Then she looked back at me and shook her head. "No, why?" she asked.
"Look at them." I urged.
"Edward, they're just playing." She said.
"That is so unfair. If that was Tanya and me, you'll be all over us." I pointed out.
"That because you and that girl would be all over each other." She shot back.
"Mom." I urged.
She sighed. "Fine." She turned to Jasper and Bella who were still giggling with each other and poking and moving each other's hands. "Enough you two. It's time for dinner." She said. They looked at her and dropped their hands from each other. I would say I didn't feel a small victory, but then I would be lying.
"Yeah, no one wants to see you guys flirting at the table." Rosalie teased.
Bella blushed and tucked her behind her ear "Sorry." She said as her and Jasper both turned towards the table and away from each other.
"Yeah, sorry." Jasper agreed.
They were getting way too close way too fast. I think them being that cozy like and not even dating might be worst then if they were dating. That was because it was a better chance of what I was thinking of earlier happening. How the hell could I handle that it I could barely handle them now? And addition to that, everything I did to keep them apart wasn't working. If anything, it made them closer. I might have to take another route to this.
welcome to the bottom of the page.
this is the last chp i'm asking about the "Bella's choice." thing, through i think i already know what i'm going to do, but it will be nice to hear what you think.
okay, this doesnt apply to anyone on this story. you guys have actually been nice about the grammar comments. and dont think i'm not trying to catch the mistakes. but i am only human and not perfect, so there'll still be a few mistakes. but remember, there is a way to helpful without being rude. like swearing and being dramatic is not needed. like i said, it's no one on here. but i read a comment once and it made me so upset; i almost wanted to cry. i deleted so you won't find ti.
anyways, thanks for all the favs, alerts, and thoughts. love you guys.
Luv & Rocket