A/N: Thanks to Janiceelynn for pointing out my accidental POV switch in the last chapter.

Chapter Fourteen

Edward answered quickly, as if no thought needed to be put into his answer.

"It's been a dream, it really has. Bella has astounded us all with her talent. I'm looking forward to spending the remaining months working with her and I know she has a very bright future ahead of her."

The crowd 'oohed' and 'aahed'.

It drove him insane.

He could have just said that Bella liked to kill puppies in her spare time and they would have done the same thing. Fans were so fickle. They didn't care what you said or what you did, as long as you looked good doing it.

He shot a quick look at Bella whose mouth was agape in shock before she quickly pulled herself together and smiled warmly up at him. Her smile was warm but her eyes said that he was in trouble.

Edward wondered if it would be a screwdriver or a coffee to be thrown over his head today.

She'd obviously expected him to be an ass to her on national television but there was no way Edward would purposely go against his reputation of being a nice guy, which he was, most of the time.

"You call her Bella," Tim pointed out and Edward frowned for a moment before realizing that she'd been referred to as Isabella during the entire interview. "You must have become very close during filming. Which I guess is understandable when your characters are married to one and other and are going through such an emotional journey. Naturally you'd form a bond with each other."

"Absolutely," Edward agreed as his smile widened. "Bella and I have become great friends through this journey and I know that that friendship will last long after we wrap up this production."

The interview continued for a little while longer and then the team were shaking hands with Tim, thanking him for his time and heading off the stage.

Bella stalked past Edward, back to the green room and he chuckled to himself as she sashayed away from him.

Sam clapped him on the back, his phone already to his ear.

"Nice job, Edward. See you at the studio tomorrow."

Sam didn't hang around for a response from him. He just left with his entourage following dutifully behind him.

Edward made his way to the green room and opened the door to the sight of Bella pacing and ranting to Jake.

"…He's such an idiot. He drives me up the wall, Jake! How can he be so mean to me one moment and then praise me like that the next. I swear he's going to give me whiplash with his mood changes."

"They're not mood changes," I piped up as I grabbed my laptop bag from Jake and slung it over my shoulder. "It's called acting. I hope you paid attention because God knows you could use some help."

Edward left the room, shutting the door behind him and laughing as he heard a frustrated shriek from Bella.

He chuckled all the way to his waiting car, nodding to his driver as he slid in the back seat and headed home to the hotel.

He hadn't been entirely truthful with Bella.

His answer hadn't all been acting.

He truly did think she had talent.

And he would have liked to have been her friend.

Slouching back against the seat, he wondered why it was he was being mean to her at all.

She could clearly handle herself, so maybe his plan to toughen her up wasn't necessary.

But then why did he feel the constant need to wind her up?

Playground tactics?

Rag on the girl you like so that it seems like you don't like her at all?

Edward shook his head and sighed.

This was just too confusing to think about.