Chapter Twenty: What Started Out as Friendship

Edward's POV

"Let's get married," Bella whispered after her day in court. I could feel my body stiffen in her arms, and I was completely surprised. We hadn't even been dating for a year, and she was already proposing marriage?

"Bella," I started but she cut me off as she let go of me.

"I'm serious." She smiled. "Let's get married."

"We haven't even known each other for a year," I pointed out.

"So?" She asked. "We love each other. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Edward. What's stopping us?"

"I just think we should take some time and think this through," I told her. Of course I wanted to marry her, but I wanted to do it right. I wanted to continue to get to know her, and her family. I wanted to get closer with Ava and continue to build trust. I wanted to ask her Dad's permission and pick out the perfect ring for her.

I didn't want to do it because she had an emotional day.

"You...you don't want to marry me?" She stuttered, her eyes full of hurt.

"Of course I want to marry you," I smiled. "But, I don't think the time is right." I explained. "You've had a big day and it was probably pretty emotional...I don't want to make any rash decisions."

"You're right," She nodded, tears streaming down her cheek. "God, I'm starting to think I'm pregnant again." She sniffled, and I tried to be calm. "I'm not...I got my period a week ago."

Good.

"I just...I haven't been this emotional or irrational since I had Ava." She laughed. "Of course it isn't the time the get married. Oh my god, we've only been dating for a few months."

"It's okay, Bella." I whispered, grabbing her hand. "I love you, and one day I do want to marry you." I told her, which was true. Was our relationship going fast? Yes, but it didn't matter. I loved thinking about the future with her and Ava in it.

"How can you be so patient with me?" She asked. "Other guys probably would have fled already with how crazy I've been lately."

"Eh, I just ignore the crazy most of the time." I laughed, leaning down and brushing my lips against hers. She ran her hands through my hair and began to tug gently at it. My hands found their way to her butt and I gave it a squeeze, causing her to moan.

I pushed her back towards the wall, and gently shoved her against it. I moved my mouth to her neck and began peppering her with kisses.

"Edward," She moaned as I kissed the swell of her breast through her shirt. I untucked her shirt and I began slowly unbuttoning it. When her shirt fell open, I swallowed hard when I saw that she was wearing her black, lace bra. She smiled at me as she tugged at the bottom of my tshirt. She pulled it up, over my head and threw it onto the floor. I pushed her shirt off her shoulders and it met my shirt on the floor.

I bent down and wrapped my arms around just below her butt and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around my hips and latched on. I carried her to my bedroom and set her down on my bed. I unzipped the skirt she was wearing and pulled it down her legs. I was only slightly annoyed that she was wearing tights that were covering up her black thong.

I reached down and quickly pulled down her tights, leaving her just in her bra and thong. I gulped and began breathing deeply. Even after all this time, she still was so sexy and turned me on so quickly.

I fell back down on top of her and she pushed the shorts I was wearing down my legs, leaving me in just my boxers.

"God, I want you so much." I whispered as my lips found her again. We spent a lot of time just exploring each other, like it was our first time or something. Finally, after I was so hard it was getting painful, I traveled down her body. I reached behind her and unclasped her bra. I slid the straps down her arms and grinned when she was finally naked.

"What, Edward?" She teased. "Do you like what you see?"

"You're asking for it," I growled, grabbing her hands and putting them above her head. She grabbed onto the headboard as I began kissing the tops of her breasts, teasing her. She pushed my boxers down, leaving me completely bare as she was starting to squirm underneath me.

"Don't..." She breathed as she bucked her hips. "Tease me." She whispered as I finally found her nipple. I gently bit down and she screamed with pleasure. "Edward, please."

"Tell me what you want, Bella." I whispered darkly into her ear.

"I want..." She panted, she was starting to lose focus and so was I. "I want you to fuck me." She told me and I got so excited, I pulled at her thong and ripped it in half. "Fuck!" She monad as I did that and pushed into her. Something about this time with her was different. It had never been this passionate and rough before. I loved it and by the look on her face, she did too.

I settled on top of her and pushed in. She moaned as she pulled at my hair and wrapped one of her legs around my hips. I set a pace, and we were both so pent up, it didn't take either of us very long. She was screaming my name in a few minutes and I followed quickly after her.

I fell on top of her, both of our bodies covered in a thin layer of sweat. Eventually, I pulled out of her and rolled over. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and she placed her head on my chest, snuggling close to her.

"I love you," She whispered, kissing my chest. "Maybe suggesting we get married right now was a rash decision, but I do love you."

"I know," I told her. "I love you too."

We spent the rest of the night in each others arms, talking about the summer. Ava would be done with school in a week, and I'd be done the following week after my classroom was put back to together. As much as I loved teaching and the kids in my first class, I was excited for the summer. They were all great kids, but they were exhausting.

Plus, the time off from school would allow me to spend more time with Bella which I was always happy about.

I woke up the next morning to a harsh ringing sound, and sat up really confused as to where it was coming from. Bella stirred next to me and rolled over onto her back.

"The hell?" She asked, her voice heavy with sleep. "What is that?"

"My phone," I groaned, realizing my phone was in my shorts pocket that were thrown on the floor. I got out of bed and grabbed my phone out of my pocket. I tightly shut my eyes when I saw Charlie's name. It was too early to deal with him.

"Shit," Bella hissed as she climbed out of bed, grabbing her bra off the floor. "We fell asleep, Edward."

"I know," I said, rubbing my eyes as I pressed the ignore button. It was only seven o'clock.

"I have a kid, Edward." She reminded me. "I can't just fall asleep and not go home."

"Crap," I said, realizing that she had left Ava with Alice yesterday while she was in court. I knew Ava would be safe with her grandparents and loved having sleepovers in the big house, but we still should have been more responsible.

"We gotta go." She told me, finding her skirt and I smirked at her. "Well, you ripped my thong so I guess I gotta go commando."

"I'll get you a pair of sweats and a tshirt." I told her.

"This has never happened to me before." She told me as she pulled my tshirt over her head. She looked so much better in my Red Sox shirt than I did. "And now I'm twenty five and having to sneak into my house."

"There's a first time for everything." I laughed as I grabbed my keys off the hook.

"Alright, kiddos." I spoke up right before the last bell rang for school. It was their last day, and I was trying hard not to get emotional. I'd had a few jobs before this, but this was my first real classroom. They were my first class of babies. I almost didn't want them to move onto the second grade.

"It's our last day, Mr. Masen!" Casey smiled brightly.

"Yes it is, Casey." I nodded. "I just wanted to tell you that this was my very first year being a full time teacher and you guys have made it super special! Thank you all so much for being so super awesome this year. I loved getting to be your teacher."

"You were a good teacher, Edward!" Ava told me and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughed. "I mean Mr. Masen." She giggled.

"Thanks, Ava." I smiled as the last bell rang. Jason's mom was the first to open the classroom door and just like that, my little first graders were no longer mine. I thanked each of the parents as they came in and most of them ended up handing me some sort of baked good.

"Sorry, I didn't know this was give your teacher diabetes day." Bella laughed after the last mom handed me a plate of sugar cookies shaped like apples. I rolled my eyes at her, setting the plate on my desk. "How do you feel, Mr. Masen?"

"Kind of weird." I told her. I watched Ava as she walked around the room to push in everyone's chair like she always did when Bella stayed to talk. "They were my first class."

"I thought you had a job in Boston for a few years?" She asked as Ava came over and leaned up against her mothers legs.

"I had a permanent subbing job for a while and then a few semi-permanent subbing jobs, but these guys were my very own class." I told her.

"Well," She shrugged. "You get new ones in two and a half months." She reminded me.

"Edward, are you coming to the cookout?" Ava asked excitedly.

"I'll see if I can pencil you guys into my schedule." I laughed.

"What?" Ava asked, confused. Sometimes I forgot little kids didn't really understand sarcasm.

"I'll be there." I told her. It was the start of summer and to Charlie, that meant the official start to grill season. Bella said that he fired up the grill on her last day of school since she was Ava's age and started doing it again once Ava was done with preschool. Once they left, I grabbed my things and headed home.

Once I got home, I was surprised to see Emmett's car in front of my building. It was Friday and he usually had a big date planned. When I walked into the lobby, he was leaning against the wall, reading the newspaper.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I checked my mailbox. "Do you not have a date? Are you sick?" I laughed, pressing my hand to his forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"You're fucking hilarious." He said, slapping my hand away. "I'm just board."

"Board?" I asked, pressing the up button on the elevator. "Did you run out of girls to ask out?"

"No, I just..."

"Oh my gosh." I said, raising my eyebrows. "Are you growing up, Emmett? Are you tired of a new girl every weekend?"

"No, I'm just tired of never seeing my friends." He huffed as we got off the elevator and headed towards my apartment door. "You and Jasper are always with your girlfriends and I never see you guys anymore."

"You see us," I argued.

"Yeah, whenever I fit into your schedule." He pointed out and he had a point. It wasn't like I was trying to keep Emmett out of my life, but he lived a different life than us. He always had. Jasper and I were always ones to be in relationships, and Emmett liked being a playboy. Also, because Bella and Alice were best friends, we'd gone on a handful of double dates.

"I'm really sorry, Em." I sighed. "Things have been really crazy lately and I never wanted to leave you in the dust."

I get it, dating a single mom comes with it's own drama." He shrugged. "It would just be nice to go out for a beer every now and then."

"You're right," I agreed. "But, Bella's family is having a start of summer cookout tonight. Wanna come?"

"Yeah, that sounds great." He said sarcastically.

"Jasper will be there." I told him. "And Bella's friend Rosalie is pretty cute. Plus, Charlie calls himself the 'grill master' and Bella agrees that he is indeed a master on the grill."

"I don't want your pity invite." She shook his head.

"It's not a pity invite." I rolled my eyes. "Just come to the damn cookout." Emmett reluctantly agreed and waited with me while I changed out of my work clothes. He grabbed the case of beer while I finished making the salad Bella had asked me to bring.

Emmett grumbled and groaned all the way to the Swan's house, but I just ignored him. He was so stubborn and set in his ways and he was acting like a teenager being forced to go his a piano recital or something. In fact, this was exactly how he acted when his grandma made him go to my piano recital when we were in seventh grade.

"Would you relax?" I whispered angrily at him. "I'm not bringing you here to kill you."

"Yes, Dad." He laughed and I punched him in the gut as I unlatched the backyard gate. We walked through and I smiled at Bella as she sat with Ava playing some hand game Ava learned in school. She looked up at us and smiled as she stood up.

"Hey," She said, leaning in for a kiss. "Hi, Emmett."

"Emmett's mad that I made him come." I told her and she smirked.

"Did you tell him Rosalie will be here?" She asked, taking the salad bowel from my hands. We walked over to the table that had the buns and other sides on it to set the bowel down.

"A few times." I told her. I took the beer from Emmett and walked over to the cooler to put the drinks in the ice. No one liked warm beer. A few people that I'd never met, who I assumed were friends of Bella's parents, arrived shortly after as did Jason and his mother.

"Jason!" Ava squealed happily. She took his hand and led him to the plastic house on the other side of the yard. She pulled out two foam swards from inside and I just shook my head at her. She was such a funny kid, and quite unusual. She was definitely unique.

"How long do you think it'll take them for get married?" I asked, wrapping my arms loosely around her waist.

"Hmmm," She pondered. "I say by the end of second grade and they'll be married."

"Whose house do you think they'll stay at?" I asked.

"Here. Definitely." She said, very sure of herself. "She loves that princess bedroom too much."

"Oh my god," Emmett mumbled under his breath. I sighed in relief when I saw Rosalie and Mike walking through the gate. She really was beautiful, and she didn't even have to try. Anytime I saw her, she barely had any makeup on, she was like Bella in that way.

"That's Rosalie," I whispered loudly to Emmett who was already gawking at her. "Em?"

"Why have you been hiding her?" He accused, pushing past me and walking over to Rosalie. I watched as he introduced himself to Rosalie and couldn't help but laugh. I still couldn't believe what he did in high school still seemed to work. However, she didn't look interested at all.

"Is he always like that?" Bella asked, handing me a plate of veggies for us to share. "Rosalie does not like the cocky guys."

"Yeah..." I sighed. He was going to get turned down and he'd be pissed at me. I watched as they talked together and knew immediately that she was only being nice by putting up with him.

"Come and get it!" Charlie yelled across the yard. The line for the hot dogs and burgers formed behind the grill, and I stood back with Jasper while everyone else got their food.

"You know Rosalie's way too mature for Emmett, right?" He asked, nodding over to where he was still trying to flirt with her. "And way out of his league."

"He is not out of her league." I argued. "But yeah, she's just being really nice right now."

"Good try, though." Jasper laughed, clapping me on the back. "How crazy would it have been if we all fell for best friends."

"I hate you," I shook my head. I didn't want to give up on the hope that Emmett and Rosalie could work out, but I knew it was far fetched. I wanted him to grow up and be able to have a relationship like I had with Bella. But, I knew before Rosalie would ever consider dating him, he'd have to mature a lot.

After everyone had eaten and the party died down, we started to clean up the backyard. Rosalie took Ava inside to get ready for bed so Bella could help, and once she was out of sight, Emmett came storming over to me.

"You're the worst match maker ever." He hollered. "All she wanted to do was ask me questions about work and Chicago."

"Em, that's called having an adult conversation." I pointed out. "Did you ask her questions?"

"Of course I did," He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Did you ask them like a normal person, or with a tone in your voice?" Jasper asked, opening the trash bag so I could put the paper plates in it.

"I talked to her just like I talk to all the other women I've dated." He answered.

"There's your problem." Jasper said. I wasn't going to get in the middle of Jasper trying to shrink him. "Rose isn't like the other girls you've dated. She's smart and ambitious and her looks aren't the only thing she's worried about."

"Whatever, it isn't like I'm gonna see her again." He shrugged, taking a sip of his beer.

"Ummm," I started. "We're dating her best friends." I reminded him. "You're going to be seeing a lot of her."

"I hate you." He told me again, walking away and through the gate that led to the front porch.

"Someday he'll thank us." Jasper laughed as he tied the trash bag. Rosalie came back outside with Ava who was dressed in her PJs. Apparently, she couldn't go to bed until she said goodnight to everyone. While Ava made her way around the yard, I noticed Rosalie talking very secretively to Alice and Bella.

Once Ava was finished, Rosalie took her back inside to get into bed. Once the door to the garage was shut, Bella came racing over to where Jasper and I were standing.

"What?" I asked alarmed. She was very excited all of a sudden.

"Rose thought Emmett was very...cute." She explained. "Well, she's really physically attracted to him and thought it was 'adorable' that he was so clueless when it came to having a conversation."

"So?" Jasper asked. "Should he ask her out?"

"God no." Alice shook her head. "But, if he grows up a little bit she'd consider it."

"I don't get women." I laughed, looking at Jasper.