Chapter 22: Truth

E POV

After the hectic party Rose and Jasper's dad came home from delivering a car to the Tri-Cities. I had a feeling he knew what went on, but either trusted us kids enough or refused to take charge of the situation. Either way, we didn't get in trouble for it.

Halloween had been uneventful. Chief Swan had duty because of all the pranks going on, so Bella was asked to watch the house for trick or treaters. She invited me over to watch a scary movie and carve small pumpkins she had picked up at the store.

She had gotten a little more comfortable with me touching her, which I was both thankful for and cursed by. Every time things had started to get a bit heavy the doorbell rang, causing her to jump off the couch and get the door and leaving me to collect myself long enough for her to come back and get me going again. As a result I had to up my personal shower time in the last couple weeks.

By early November the homecoming game had been played, it was against La Push, this time we won. Both teams were moving on to Regionals next week though and we'd get another chance for best two out of three.

Tonight was the night of the Homecoming Mixer. Bella said that she wouldn't mind dropping by, but that she didn't want to stay insisting that she was a terrible dancer. I was leaving to pick her up in T-minus 5.

"Edward honey." Mom gushes. "You look so nice all dressed up."

"Mom," I complain. "I'm wearing a gray pullover sweater and a black pair of Dockers, I wear this when we go have dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Cullen's."

"Well I know." She bats. "But this time it's for Bella. I think she's a wonderful girl you know. I'm so glad you two are a couple now."

"I know Mom." I answer calmly. "You've said that umpteen million times. Now can I please go?"

"Oh fine." She smiles and kisses me on the cheek. "Have fun. Be home by no later than one A.M. Call me if an emergency happens."

I finally escape the clutches of my house and drive to pick up Bella. Alice and Rose are over there too, something about girls and needing to get ready for a dance together, whatever. Jazz and Emmett are meeting us there. I pull up to her house, scurry up the walk and knock on the door. Chief Swan opens the door.

"Hey there Edward!" He greets me warmly and shakes my hand. "How's it goin?"

"Pretty well," I answer.

"The girls aren't quite done yet, if you want to come on in and have a seat." He offers as he beckons me to come in. I accept and take a seat on the couch.

"GIRLS!" Charlie calls. "Edward's here! Might not want to keep him waiting!"

"OKAY CHIEF SWAN!" They all call back in unison followed by an eruption of giggles.

"So Edward." Charlie takes a seat in his recliner. "You gonna be playing some basketball after football season is over?"

"Absolutely." I grin. "Point Guard." I boast.

"Atta boy." He winks at me then unmutes the game that he has on. We sit in silence and watch TV for a few minutes before Rose and Alice come gliding down the stairs. Rose is wearing a red bandage dress and Alice is wearing a flowy silver one that cuts off mid-thigh.

"Where's Bella?" I ask.

"She's coming," Alice pipes. At that the squeaky top stair whines, I look up the stairs to see Bella coming down and my breath hitches a tiny bit.

She's wearing a sleeveless knee-length black dress. It has a band of silver jewels that create an empire-waist effect and has pleating above and below. The hem of the skirt hugs closer to her knees accentuating her hips and legs just the right amount. She's wearing a pair of black high heels and her hair is down and loosely curled.

To say she looks beautiful is an understatement, the world could have exploded right then and I wouldn't have noticed because I was too busy gawking at her. I snap out of it as she arrives at the landing at the foot of the stairs. I immediately am at her side.

"Do I look okay?" She whispers timidly. "I feel kind of silly."

I go to say that she looks downright hot but her dad interrupts.

"You kids better get going you don't want to be late."

"Okay," Alice and Rose answer. "Let's go you two." Alice gives me a knowing smirk as she pulls the door open.

Bella goes to grab for her jacket, but I reach for it first and give her a "I want to jump you right now but your dad is in the room" look. She blushes and breaks eye contact to bite her lip and look down, so I pull her jacket on her and let my hand drop to her lower back as I usher her out the door.

We walk out to my car, Rose and Alice slide into the backseat as I open the car door for Bella. We take off down the street, the lure of her bare legs is strong and I find my eyes torn between the road and the look of her in the moonlight.

I can't help it, I reach out and rest my hand on her knee, stroking my thumb along her outer knee and thigh. She peeks at me and bites her lip again, Good Lord, this girl has got me chomping at the bit. Why doesn't she see what I see? She would never doubt herself again if she saw herself through my eyes.

We pull up to the already packed parking lot and head into the gym where the dance is being held. Jasper and Emmett are sitting at a table off to the side, a couple of drinks in hand. They wave us over and we wind our way through the small throng of people between us and them.

"Hey ladies!" Emmett greets us as we arrive at the table. "You all look damn good."

"Come on Jazz!" Alice squeals, "Let's dance!" She pulls him up out of his chair and to the dance floor.

"Rose baby," Emmett grabs Rose's hand. "Wanna go shake what your mama gave you?"

"My mom didn't give me any of this," She gestures to her body. "I earned this. I haven't eaten bread since I was eight." She laughs and beckons him with one finger to the dance floor. Leaving Bella and I standing there. She's taken her jacket off and laid it across the back of one of the chairs. Finally, no audience to hear my words to Bella.

"Bella," I breathe into her ear as I nestle my body up closer to hers. "You. Look. Stunning." I say each word separately. She pulls back to look at my face, sees the honesty and enamoration in my eyes. She doesn't need to stretch as far in the heels she's wearing to meet my lips. I hungrily kiss her back and let my hands find her hips.

I pull back and chuckle. "Would you like to dance?" I need to get her on the dance floor before she ends up driving me crazy. She nods.

"Although," she grabs my wrist. "I should warn you again, I'm a terrible dancer."

"Don't worry," I answer. "I know a couple moves." We walk over to the dance floor. The new song, Touch by Natasha Bedingfield, blares over the speaker system.

We start out face to face, my hands on her waist, her hands on my biceps. I guide her hips side to side to let her get the rhythm to the music. She starts bobbing her head to the beat. As soon as the music picks up she's moving her hips of her own accord, adding a sashay type movement.

She twists in my arms and turns her back to me. She lifts her arms a little and starts moving her shoulders with her hips. I mirror her movements but can't keep my hands to myself for long and bring them back down to her hips, I can't help myself, they want to be there.

The music picks up more and soon she's using not only the rhythm but the lyrics to help her make movements. Whenever the word "touch" is sung, she brushes her hands along my bicep, shoulder, neck, side, stomach, chest. This is not preventing me from going crazy right now.

The song starts to get into the last couple of bars and slows down. She responds by slowing her hips and eventually comes to a standstill. We both look at each other, breaths irregular but not gasping or anything, just taking in the moment.

Three songs later and I have to have a seat because the way our bodies are reacting to one another is going to make me do something not suitable for public.

"Would you like a drink?" I ask as she sits down at the table.

"Umm, yeah!" She responds. I walk over to the punch bowl, grab two cups of punch and go to turn back to the table when I'm ambushed by Tanya.

"Edward." She stops me in my tracks, her hair in tight curls framing her face, looking more like a spoiled five year old girl then a desperate succubus. "Point made." She declares. "You can stop trying to make me jealous."

"Umm," is all I can respond with before she starts back in.

"I know that's what you were doing putting on this whole charade with Bella." She adds. "I get it, but seriously, if you keep this up much longer you're going to hurt her."

"Tanya-" I try again.

"No please, let me finish," She puts a hand up to my mouth, I cringe away from her hand. "She seems to be getting more attached to you then you think and if you really wanted me that bad you could have just made it clear-"

"Are you delusional?" I interrupt a little loudly. She flinches back like I just hit her. "I'm not dating Bella to make you jealous. I don't want you Tanya, when are you going to get that? I'm with Bella because she's beautiful and smart and kind. All things that I have never seen in you." With that I scoot past her and back to the table.

"What took so long?" Bella asks innocently.

"Oh, long line." I smile, I didn't think telling her I was cornered by Tanya would make her feel better.

We sit for a couple songs and then she stands. I stand with her.

"Oh," she squeaks. "I just have to use the ladies room super quick." I'll be right back.

"Okay," I answer as I take a seat again. I watch her walk over to the restroom. Emmett and Rose take a seat across from me.

"God these heels are killing me!" Rose yells over the music. She takes one shoe off and massages the ball of her foot.

Alice and Jasper sit between Emmett and I. "This is so much fun!" Alice claps her hands together. "I love mixers!"

A large round of screams, laughter and applause is heard as some unknown student comes running into the door with nothing but a bag over his head and a speedo on. The dance chaperones immediately start chasing him as he makes a couple of twisting loops around the gym and goes crashing out the side doors.

I turn back in time to see Bella walking back over. Once she gets closer I see she has a look I recognize on her face, it's the same look she had when I got her to make that oath to me. She strides over with determination and stops in front of me.

"Is it true?" She spits.

"Is what true?" I ask.

"Are you a chubby chaser?" She almost yells. Emmett spews red punch all over the white table cloth and everyone at the table freezes.

"Umm," I answer struggling for words. Who would tell her that? Who would know? Should I come clean or lie? I guess I hesitate a second too long and she assumes the answer.

"I take that as a yes." She uses my words that I used on her all that time ago in Biology on me. Her eyes prickle with unshed tears of anger as she turns to Alice.

"Jasper." she barks. "Will you please take me home?" Jasper nods then looks at me with an apologetic look on his face.

I watch my best friend walk out the gym door with my girlfriend and I'm too stunned to say anything.

B POV

The mixer was going great. We were dancing, laughing and having fun. We took a break and I decided to go use the restroom.

I walk in and enter one of the stalls. I lay a toilet seat condom down and sit. I finish, flush and go to unlock the stall door but am stopped by a voice that has just entered the bathroom, Tanya.

"God!" She fumes to her sisters. "I can't believe him! The nerve!" She slams her clutch on the counter. "I am way more attractive then that fat bitch! What does she have that I don't? NOTHING!"

"That's not true," Tweedledee pipes in. "She's a nice girl." I make a mental note to stop referring to her as Tweedledee.

"I didn't ask for your opinion. If I want it, I'll tell you what it is." She spits. I peek through the crack in the stall at her. She's applying lip gloss.

"Anyway," she starts again. "The only reason he's with her is to scratch an itch. Once he gets this fat girl fetish of his played out he'll come crawling back. Honestly, I don't understand the whole chubby chaser thing. I mean why be attracted to a girl with rolls, when you can have one with abs?" She continues.

I hold myself together as my inner dialogue explodes. I knew it! I knew he didn't want me! I knew he was only with me so that he could use me! Why didn't I trust my gut? How was I going to deal with this? This was worse than Drake! UGH!

I burst out of the stall not caring that Tanya and her sisters would see me. I stand there for a second, staring at Tanya through her reflection in the mirror, a look of pure loathing splashed across my face. She's not the one I need to confront right now. I set off on a rampage to the source of this bullshit.

His lack of answer to my question confirms Tanya's tirade. Jasper walks me out to the car. I slam it a little hard and forcefully buckle my seatbelt. He silently slides into the driver's seat.

He must know that I'm not in the mood to talk because he doesn't ask me anything as we pull out of the parking lot. As soon as we get 3/4 of the way back to my house though he clears his throat to say something. My eyes snap to his and with one glare I get him to reconsider saying anything.

He parks in front of my house.

"Thanks." I force out between clenched teeth as I get out of the car.

"Bella!" He calls before I slam the door, I bend down to look at him.

"What?" I answer a little loudly.

"Don't do this." Is all he says.

"I didn't. He did." I answer as tears start to form in my eyes again.