A/N Hey I am so incredibly sorry for the wait
All the rest of the authors note business is down below the chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
I stood in front of my mirror and stared at my reflection; I bit my lip and tugged at the hem of the dress that Victoria had insisted was perfect for the networking party tonight. She had taken me shopping about a week ago to find something for the occasion since the only two dresses I owned were my prom dress and a sparkly purple dress, that Rose had bought me years ago, which was far too small and reached above my thighs, something told me neither of them were appropriate. So I asked Victoria to take me to buy a dress that was suitable. It took us awhile, but eventually we did find a dress that would work for the night.
"So are you sure this looks okay?" I bit my lip, eyeing myself in the mirror, turning this way and that, running my hands down my sides.
"Yes," Victoria sighed. "It's perfect, why are you so worried about this anyway? You weren't even this anxious over your prom dress." She looked at me through the mirror, raising a brow.
"Well, I'm meeting –" I caught myself, I didn't want to tell her I was nervous about meeting Edward's mom again, especially considering the fact I'm not even Edward's girlfriend. The first time we had met hadn't exactly been under the best circumstances, and I'm pretty sure that she wasn't all that happy to see me there. Considering I had never wanted to go to prom in the first place my dress choice, while I did want a nice one, was not something I was overly worried about because that was for me no one else. This time, however I had people I needed to impress, and that scared the shit out of me. "Prospective employers, I really want to make a good impression." Not exactly a lie, just not the whole truth.
"Mhm, right and I'm sure there's no other reason other than that."
"There's not." My face flushed, she nodded laughing.
"Sure." She grinned pressing her tongue into her cheek.
"There's not!" I shook my head violently then bit my lip ignoring her and going back to deliberating over the dress.
"I think Elizabeth will like that one."
"Really?" I asked without realising flushing pink when I caught myself.
"I knew it!" she laughed, "You really like him don't you?"
"I, yes, yeah I do," I murmured, it was the first time I had said it out loud, it was quite freeing. Victoria's smirk had softened into a smile.
"I can't guarantee Elizabeth will like you," she said, I blinked unsure whether to be offended or not. Then I thought back to when we first met she didn't seem all that pleased to see me at her house then. Victoria grinned at me through the mirror, "Nothing against you Bells, but Elizabeth isn't the easiest women to get along with, especially when your not filthy rich."
"I have to try though don't I?" I shrugged, taking my lip between my teeth. For a second she looked at me hard, then nodded.
"In that case, that dress is perfect," she smirked. "Edward won't be able to keep his paws of you." I laughed rolling my eyes. I picked up one of my shoes from the floor, grinning at her through the mirror, quickly whipping it at her head.
"Oh!" She squeaked as she saw my pump flying towards her head. I sniggered as it grazed the top of her head and landed by her feet.
After that she chucked the shoe back at me and eventually we bought the dress. After that with the dress hung in my wardrobe as a reminder of what was coming the days rolled into one another until D-day finally arrived.
I pulled on my dress running my hands down my sides to press down any wrinkles and fluffed up my hair applying a thin layer of make up. I grabbed my clutch off my dresser and wobbled downstairs with my heels. Alice insisted they'd look more professional than flats; I wasn't so sure, 'cause if I tripped over that wouldn't be very professional. Hell, with my luck I'd end up knocking someone else over and everyone would go down like a set of dominoes.
I blew air out of my cheeks and bit my lip as I paced back and forth waiting for the doorbell to ring. I looked at myself in the mirror for the umpteenth time to check that my dress was still straight and my hair still in place, trying to convince myself that my make up wasn't too heavy and my hair wasn't going to fall out. The squeak of the doorbell made me jump and snatch up my purse off the cabinet; I fumbled with my keys as I stumbled to the door. I pulled open the front door to reveal a perfectly coifed woman dressed in a white, Breakfast at Tiffany's style dress with a set of pearls resting around her neck.
"Bella." She smiled. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
I grinned clutching my purse awkwardly in front of me. "It's only been three months, Dida."
"Still, I got used to having you around all summer – the new intern is nowhere near as good as you at making me coffee." She teased
"Well, what can I say? After having to make coffee for you and Jane everyday for three months I'd become a bit of an expert." I laughed.
"You make it sound like it's all I had you do."
"Right, we can't forget all that filing I did."
"C'mon you can't say you don't love working with me during the summer, especially those nights you'd help me look through all the books I'd need to approve and edit." She reminisced grinning. She's right though, I did love it. It was one of my favourite things about the job. I had copies of most of the books that Dida had published.
"No, I do love it."
"I do need to talk to you about something related to that actually, but that can wait for now." She smiled secretively and looked me up and down appraising me, raising a brow when her eyes fixed on my feet. "Heels, Bella? What did I say about heels?"
I shrugged sheepishly, "Alice forced them on me."
She rolled her eyes, "Of course she did. I like the dress though, very nice." She smiled at me fondly, then clapped her hands together. "Well, we must be going." I nodded and followed her out the door locking it behind me.
We took Dida's own car to the party instead of her driver and we got there within a few minutes. Ushering us in as soon as we set foot on the steps was a red faced woman who greeted us with a smile and told us to make our way into the main living area. From then it was just a whirl wind of meeting and greeting people, shaking hands, introducing myself then discussing business. Then as quickly as I got one person Dida would usher me to the next person she wanted me to talk to and the cycle would repeat itself.
After a while Dida let me go grab a drink and something to eat from a wide snack table covered in delectable looking food. Licking my lips my eyes roamed across the table. Just as I reached out to load up my plate with handful of orderves – most of which I had no idea what their names were - a hand rested on my shoulder and a pair of lips brushed my ear.
"You have to give her credit," he murmured "My mother knows her food."
"Edward!" I jumped; thanking god that I hadn't put any food on my plate otherwise the carpet would have been decorated with fancy appetisers. He chuckled his breath fanning my ear.
"Yes?" He grinned at me as I turned around, looking at me from under his lashes. I just shook my head unable to muster up an angry response, my heart thudded. I rung my fingers together nerves suddenly taking over, as I have absolutely no idea where we stand and the more he looked at me the more I wanted to kiss him. I opened my mouth to say something and saw a pristine looking woman approach us from over Edward's shoulder, the words caught in my mouth.
"Edward?" At the sound of another voice Edward froze, he squeezed his eyes shut and plastered on a smile before turning round. I swallowed nervously and straightened my dress determined to make a good impression second time round.
"Yes, mother?"
"Have you greeted all the guests?" she asked, completely ignoring my presence.
"Yes," he sighed, "I've done my duties, and now I'm talking to Bella."
She nodded, "Good."
I took a breath and smiled, "Hi, um, Mrs. Masen, it's lovely to see you again."
She finally turned to look at me. "Hello, Bella." She sounded less then please to see me. "Anyway Edward, there's someone special I'd very much like you to speak to."
Edwards brow furrowed, "Who –?"
Before he could speak Edwards mother caught sight of someone over our shoulders and waved them over, face bright with excitement.
"Kristina!"
Edward and I turned to see a tall women making her way over to us, my stomach dropped. It can't be her, not here, not now.
"Elizabeth," she greeted, smiling coming to a stop by Elizabeth's side.
Elizabeth placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, and for the first time I saw a genuine, well, okay, semi-genuine smile stretch across her face. She cast a quick glance at me then looked back at Edward. "I'm sure you remember Kristina, she's back in town for a week with her parents and we thought it would be a good time to get you two together again, seeing as you both were such good friends."
"Good friends is a bit of a stretch, don't you think, mother?" he ground out between gritted teeth.
"Not at all, in fact if I may be so bold to say I think it was a shame she had to leave, you made such a sweet couple," she smiled slyly, shooting me a poignant look. Kristina merely smiled and looked down.
"Mother!" he hissed, "Stop it, your just making a fool of yourself, we were never close and you know it, we were 4 years old. The opposite sex was the last thing on either of our minds."
"Nonsense," She laughed, waving him off. "You would always play together as children; remember all those times you'd play doctor and nurse? So adorable!
"That was years ago and I'm afraid I have no intention of ever being with Kristina, so you need to accept that and if you can't well then that's your problem." He spat, his hands curling into tight fists, his knuckles turning white.
"Edward," she reprimanded. "Stop being so rude, we have guests."
"No. I won't, you've never once pushed a girl onto me, my love life is the only place you ever gave me any freedom, and I'll be dammed if I'm gonna let you decided who I will or will not be with," he fumed; his mother looked scandalised narrowing her eyes.
"I will not have you talk to me this way, I am your mother, I know what's best for you," she insisted casting a glance at Kristina, then turned to look at me with a cool gaze. "And what isn't."
Edwards jaw tensed, "You don't have the first idea about what's the best for me."
"I'm your mother," she laughed. "Of course I do."
Kristina placed a hand on Elizabeth's arm. "Elizabeth, its okay, let him be with whom he wants to be with," She smiled, but it wasn't a sweet smile, it was a smile that made me squirm. "He'll learn eventually, I mean who knows what other boys she's fooling around with," she smirked at me, my stomach dropped, it was her at the dance, she was the one who saw me kiss both Edward and Jacob, her smile grew wider as she studied my face. "He'll understand, eventually."
The anger bubbled up inside me, but before I could open my mouth Edward jumped to my defence.
"Don't talk the way about her; you don't know anything about her!" He snarled.
"But I do," she laughed. "More than you think."
"Cut the crap!" he shouted.
"Edward!" Elizabeth hissed in warning.
"No! I will not let you talk about my girlfriend like this!" He paused for a second; seeming shocked himself at his own words. I blinked, Girlfriend? Before I could think about that Elizabeth let out a sharp laugh and made her opinion of me more than clear.
"Girlfriend? Edward, please." She smirked down at me. "She's not good enough for you."
"Yes, girlfriend. I frankly don't give a fuck mother," he spat, his mother reeled back horrified, shock tightening her features.
"Edward –"
"It doesn't matter whether or not you think she's good enough – because mine is the only opinion that matters; I like Bella and nothing you say or do is going to change that." He started to turn then paused. "Oh and Kristina, enjoy the rest of your week, you won't be seeing me again whilst you're here." With that Edward grabbed my wrist and tugged me through the crowd of people who had gathered to watch as the drama unfolded.
He slid his hand down my wrist as he knotted his fingers with mine and tugged me through the throngs of people and out into the hall way. He paused for a second and took a breath looking between the stairs and the kitchen; quickly he pulled me in the direction of the kitchen weaving around the caterers and headed towards the patio doors. Edward mumbled quick apologies as he pulled me through the door. The icy wind bit at my neck as he pulled me down the decking and to a bench that sat on its own on the grass just out of view of the house. For a while we sat in silence neither of us seeming to know what to say, finally I took the plunge.
"Thank you," I murmured, squeezing his hand with my own.
"You don't need to thank me; you didn't deserve any of that." He shook his head, running a hand along his face. I didn't say anything, but just smiled, guilt bubbling in my stomach. "Implying you're a slut, who the hell does she think she is?" He fumed tugging at his hair with his free hand.
"Its fine, Edward, honestly." I brushed my thumb rhythmically across the back of his palm.
"It isn't!" He shook his head furiously, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "And my mother, the things she said, thinking she could push me around and control me." I put my free hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Forget about it for now, no harm no foul, right?" I said rubbing circles into his shoulder, he nodded letting out a breath, his shoulders dropping and the tension melted slowly away. He turned to face me and lifted his hand up to my cheek, brushing his fingers across the skin. I then finally asked the question that had been on the tip of my tongue since we had come outside.
"Did you mean what you said?" I asked, he cocked his head to the side. "About me being your girlfriend."
He smiled taking my hand from his shoulder and bringing it to his lips, "Do you want to be?"
"I don't know," I breathed trying to let my brain process everything, my mind swimming with mixed emotions.
"I want this to be what you want it to be," he murmured, I bit my lip, then smiled. The briefest flash of guilt nagged at me, then quickly went away.
"I think I'd like that, to be your girlfriend." A wide grin stretched across his face as he gathered me up into his arms and pressed a kiss to my lips, them moving softly with mine. He let go of my hand to take my waist and cupped my face with free hand. My own went up to brush the hairs at the nape of his neck and knot themselves into his hair. He softly nipped at my bottom lip and gently parted my lips with his own. Eventually we both pulled back he rested his forehead against mine with a smile then finally leant back, our fingers tangled together.
"Come on," he whispered, placing one last kiss on the corner of my mouth. "We'd better go back inside." I nodded; he stood up pulling me with him.
Inside we made our way to the entrance hall where Dida was waiting with crossed arms and a raised brow; later I mouthed, she nodded. That was a conversation I was dreading, she must know now what went down tonight. I knew she'd be disappointed in me, the whole point of tonight was to make a good impression on the people here tonight. The fact I had pissed off a women that was donating a lot of money to their companies - told me I hadn't really sold myself to them. I turned, remembering I needed to grab my jacket, Edward offered to go and get it, I nodded and played with my fingers as I waited. Just when my mind started to wonder someone brushed past my side leaning down to inconspicuously whisper in my ear.
"Edward will realise what trash you really are, and even though I'm leaving soon there will be other women. Better women, women a whole lot more suited to Edward than you will ever be, remember that." Chills ran down my spine as she walked away, I could just see her lips pull up into a smirk as she walk out the door.
I swallowed thickly jumping when a hand came down on my shoulder.
"Hey? Are you alright?" Edward asked looking at me with a frown.
I nodded "Yeah, I'm fine."
In actual fact I wasn't, because a part of me knew she was right.
A/N Hey you guys, I hoped you liked the chapter and I am so sorry about the lack of review replies this chapter I just thought you'd prefer me to get the chapter up and I've been ridiculously busy with college work, but you have no idea how much I want to reply to each of you, I thought it would be kinda random too after all this time. I have read all of your comments and it makes me really happy that you all ike the story and aren't giving up on me even though I'm a terrible updater! You can guarantee the normal replies for this chapter :)
Shout outs to all commenters!
SoniaBella, SparklyVampires32, music-is-life2009, twilightlvr4vr, Katie-Hearts-11, Selfless Angel, angie15luvzcullens, ClancyJane, fb13, Glamourous Shellz, xX a black rose Xx, Juliet Palamino, Jabberjay98, BellaLaila87, 2brown-eyes, BeingHannah923, edwardsgirly4eva.
and special shout outs to all of you who have continued to review my story which is the majority of you up there :)!
Next I wanted to shout out to xX a black rose Xx your review was awesome its randomness made me laugh and it's probably one of the longest reviews I've gotten so thank you so much!
And Lastly but by no means least a massive thank you to all you readers and favourites and alerters!
Also a massive thank you to my beta Angel who has been a star.
Anyway, I can't give you a definite date when the chapter wil be up but I can say that it will be up, I will finish this story for you all and for me :)
Lovage to all!
Monstergirl
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