I don't own Twilight. What I own is my character's behavior, personality, background, and plot of the story.
Thanks to my Beta MadMooey18 for her constant support and help in making this story what it is today.
Bella sighs looking out of the window of the car as Garrett drives her home. "You know, if you sigh for a sixth time, I will just assume that you would rather hang out with someone else." They left giggling from the restaurant remembering every word some tourist at La Push was saying, and Edward wooing a girl from down there as well. Guess the Samantha train had taken off, not that they had left the station. Neither Edward nor his flavor of the week didn't want to lose the progress they were making that night, so it was just Garrett and her going back to Forks.
Bella turns quickly to look at Garrett and tells him, "Of course not. I'm just tired."
"Yeah, sure. I believe that," Garrett tells her not sounding convinced at all.
Bella turns her body to face Garret instead of the window and tells him with as much enthusiasm as she can muster, "No really. I mean it. I enjoy hanging out with you. I'm sorry I am not the best company. I guess I have a lot on my mind."
Garrett nods his head in understanding and silence ensues for a couple of minutes until he breaks it and advises her, "You should not be hung up on someone who isn't showing any interest."
Bella throws her hands up in the air and huffs in frustration as she tells him, "Not you too. For the last time, I do not like Jamie. I barely know him." Alice spent the entire night talking about Bella and Jamie and how cute they could be together with complete disregard for the fact that Bella didn't even like Jamie. She had them married off in five years and was quizzing Bella on the ideal number of kids for them to have. She went so far that even Edward told her to shut up and left them.
"I am not talking about Jamie."
Bella visibly deflates and falls back against the back of the seat then asks him in a low voice, "Who are you talking about then?"
Garrett raises an eyebrow and gently asks her, "Do you want me to tell you? If I do, I will no longer be able to pretend that I don't know."
Bella turns to the window not having the guts to look Garrett in the eye. Was she that obvious? Could everyone tell? Can Alice tell? Is that why she keeps pushing her toward Jamie? Is this her subtle way of telling her that Edward isn't interested in her?
Bella has never had anyone know her secret, but now that she has someone who knows, she finds herself asking him the question she has always wanted to know the answer to, "Do you think that he doesn't like me like that?"
Not taking his eyes off the road, Garrett shakes his head.
"Not even a little?"
"Do you think his behavior is of one who is pining after his best friend?" Garrett tells her giving her a quick look and then returning to the road.
Not giving up, Bella asks him, "Do you think he will ever like me?"
Garrett is silent for a moment until they reach a red traffic light that he stops at then turns to face Bella and tells her with a grimace on his face, "I don't know what the future has in store for you and him. I can't answer that. What I can tell you is what I know and that is; the best indicator of future behavior is past one."
Bella shakes her head not believing him. Garrett is just being biased. Maybe now Edward is being led by his dick, but he will eventually get over this faze he is going through and realize that Bella and he are meant to be.
Her hope is renewed, and Bella takes out her mobile phone. "Who are you calling?"
"Alice," Bella answers him as she finds her in her contacts and hits call. It rings and rings until it goes to the voicemail, but Bella doesn't let it get to her and persists. She calls her again, and again, until, finally Alice answers.
"What?" Suddenly Bella finds herself lost for words. All her bravado had gone out of the window.
"Bella? Are you there?" Alice shouts from the other side shaking Bella out of her stupor.
"Yes, I am. Can you get away from the crowd? I need to ask you something important," Bella tells her, figuring that will buy her some time to find something to ask Alice that won't give away her crush. You do not tell Alice anything you want to be kept a secret.
The commotion in the background keeps getting lower till she can hear nothing but Alice asking her, "What is it?"
"Why do you want me to go out with Jamie?"
"Because he likes you, duh!" Alice tells her in a bored tone.
"And you think he is the only person in Forks who likes me?" Bella asks her.
"Well, yeah."
Bella nods her head even though Alice can't see her then asks, "And you don't think down the line anyone else in Forks will like me?"
Bella holds her breath as she waits for Alice to answer her, "You have known everyone in Forks from a very young age. Who's gonna suddenly like you? Edward?"
Bella felt like she had been slapped in the face. Alice must know of her crush on Edward and this is her way of letting her down easily. There is no explanation. Bella manages to end her phone call with Alice and spends the rest of the ride in silence. Figuring she needs some space, Garrett doesn't say anything to her except goodbye when he drops her home. She walks slowly up the stairs to her bedroom but finds the surprise of her life waiting there.
"Jesus Christ! What the fuck are you doing in my room, Jamie?" she demands as soon as her heart stops beating louder than anything.
From his spot leaning against her windowsill, Jamie shakes his head in mock disappointment and asks her, "Bringing God's name in vain like that and cursing in the same sentence? I thought you were a better Christian than that."
"I am not even Christian not that it's any of your business. What the fuck are you doing in my room? And how did you even get in?" she demands, still sounding as angry as she felt.
Jamie gets off her the windowsill and sits on her chair without her permission then tells her, "As to how I got here, I used the tree to come from my window to yours? As to why I came here, it was to prove to you that I can be great at flirting. Now that I answered your question I need you to answer mine, is the guy who dropped you off your boyfriend?"
Bella rolls her eyes and tells him, "Get out of my room."
"You haven't answered my question," Jamie tells her shaking his head.
Feeling too drained to deal with his mind games, Bella falls to her bed as she tells him in a tired voice, "No, he isn't, happy?" She pauses to look at him and finds him smirking at her with a shit-eating grin.
"Now that we have got that established, get out and never try to prove to me that you can flirt with me again."
Jamie snorts at her then laughs, "This isn't me flirting with you. I am here to tell you that I will be picking you up tomorrow at 7 to take you on a date to prove to you that I can flirt."
"Get out, Jamie!" Bella exclaims, sounding angry even though she isn't.
Jamie raises his hands in mock defeat then opens her window and jumps over to one of the tree branches, but not before telling her, "Remember, we are going for dinner tomorrow night at 7."
"Did you solve question number seven?" Bella asks Edward as she tries to look discretely at his notebook.
Edward rolls his eyes at her lack of subtlety and shoves his notebook toward her, She thanks him as she looks over his answer and copies the methodology. She pushes the notebook back to him and then returns to solving the rest on her own. Two exercises later, her phone pings alerting her to a message.
Edward looks up before she does and tells her, "Reply before lover boy has a stroke and comes over."
Bella rolls her eyes and tells him, "I will once I am done doing my homework."
"Huh! He must have done something pretty bad to piss you off! So now he is on his best behavior and won't come here demanding to know why you won't answer his calls," Edward replies in mock surprise.
Bella keeps her eyes on her notebook as she tells him, "It happened only once and it was because I was not replying to his texts for over 12 hours."
"That happening once should be more than enough," he tells her nodding when she doesn't defend him he goes on in a pleading tone, "Bella, how many awful things do you need to happen to realize that he isn't good for you? You're so much above him. The guy is a walking red flag."
"It's been three months, when will you accept him?" Bella demands throwing her pen down and glaring at him. Bella tries so many times to get him to tell her why he doesn't like Jamie only to end up in anger and frustration. Every time she asks him, he gives her super vague reasons that even a 12-year-old could see through.
"Never! I don't like him and I never will," Edward tells her angrily.
Sick and tired of Edward's controlling behavior, she gets up and starts packing her things in her backpack. Edward watches her silently. So many times he almost reaches out to stop her, but his pride is not letting him. He swore to himself that he wouldn't be the coward who told her to leave her boyfriend and then came up with a half-assed reason as to why she should. He also promised himself that he wouldn't be the pathetic best friend who told her that he loved her while she was dating someone else. He has no choice but to wait it out. It's not like he will last long, Jamie's just the first guy she's dated. Nothing special.
"I just don't understand, Alice. It's been three months. You told me he is just jealous because he never had to share meals with a guy, let alone a boyfriend. He will get used to it, you said," Bella rants as she paces Alice's room.
"Did you try to ask him? Maybe he has a valid reason?" Alice asks her trying to calm down her friend.
Bella falls on her bed and stares at the ceiling as she tells her, "If he has one, your guess is as good as mine. All he does is tell me crap along the lines of him having a bad feeling about things and his gut feelings. He also likes to trash talk Jamie's father like he is one to talk given that his father is Jamie's father's AA mentor."
Bella raises her head off the mattress and then hits it back in frustration. She can't understand his behavior no matter how hard she tries. She never said a single negative thing about any of his exes even when she didn't like them and she was in love with the guy. She knew that dating those girls made him happy and she didn't want to stain that even though it made her miserable.
Can't he see that Jamie makes a part of her happy?
Can't he tell that she needs to have someone like her?
Her sense of self takes a hit every single time he pursues a girl other than her. God knows Jamie isn't perfect or even close to being so, but he makes her feel better about herself. He gives her a small dose of pleasure. It doesn't offset all of the pain Edward causes her, but it helps.
"Why can't he be happy for me?" Bella asks Alice sitting up to face her.
Alice opens her mouth ready to defend him, but no defense comes to her mind, so instead she tells her, "Why don't you call Jamie to come and get you? Maybe he could take you to see a movie or something. That will make you feel better."
Bella shrugs her shoulders and tells her, "I don't feel my best and I don't want to drag him down with me."
Alice rolls her eyes at her friend and tells her, "What's the point of having a boyfriend if he can't make you feel better?"
"You think so?" Bella asks, sounding unsure.
"I know so. Now while you call and wait for him, how about I do your makeup?" Alice suggests which is how they spend the next ten minutes while they wait for Jamie to arrive.
Once he rings Bella's phone, Alice walks down the stairs with her then she closes the door behind her. While walking up the stairs she runs into her brother.
"Bella gone home already?" he asks her in surprise as soon as he spots her alone.
Alice nods and asks him, "Why the surprise?"
Emmett shrugs his shoulders and tells her, "I guess I figured you would spend more time talking with her frustrated and all."
"How would you know that she is frustrated?" Alice demands with her arms crossed. Emmett has the nasty habit of listening in to them talking and she'll be damned if she lets it slide.
Emmett quickly raises his hands in the air and tells her defensively, "You left the door of your bedroom open. If Mum and Dad had been home, they would have heard you too."
"Is that so?" Alice asks him, raising an eyebrow and sounding skeptical.
Emmett nods his head even though it is not the entire truth then to distract her tells her, "Honestly, it's so obvious. I don't know why you haven't figured it out yet."
Alice raises an eyebrow and tells him, "Oh, so wise man. Tell me the profound reason as to why Edward hates Jamie."
"Because he isn't in his shoes, duh!" Emmett exclaims. Of course, Emmett is about to take the opportunity to tell Alice something she can't wait to hear. Oh-oh-oh, he is going to take his sweet time before he answers her.
Alice huffs as she falls back on her bed and tells him, "No shit, Sherlock. Edward is not in Jamie's shoes, and what is that even supposed to mean?"
Emmett walks into Alice's room and takes the seat opposite her bed. "Edward wants to be in Jamie's shoes, but that isn't why he hates him."
Alice dismisses Emmett's answer and tells him, "That is the most unoriginal thought you have had in your life and that is saying something. A guy doesn't like the boyfriend of his best friend? Of course, it's because he is secretly in love with her. Duh! It's not as if he has had a ton of girlfriends over the last two years."
Emmett laughs at her and tells her, "You act like Edward is the first guy to fuck a girl while being in love with another."
Alice kicks Emmett out and puts his words aside but she can't help but think of them during lunch the next day.
Edward brings Bella a chocolate bar in a silent apology. He hangs on her every word and leaves the cafeteria with her the moment she finishes eating even though he isn't done yet.
Emmett must have noticed Alice's eye on Edward as he slid his chair closer and whispered, "You see it too, right?"
Alice turns to Emmett and asks him, "How the hell did I not notice this before? It is so obvious."
Emmett shrugs and goes back to eating, but Alice can't. She can't pretend like it's not a big revelation like it's not a big deal. This is bad. This is bad. In dating, Edward has the attention span of a fish. He will date Bella for a little while then get bored of her and move on. Bella, sweet Bella, wouldn't see it coming. The moment he shows interest in her, she will confuse her feelings of friendship with something more, only to get her heart broken when he ends it. That is the last thing Bella needs. She needs to make sure that Edward doesn't go anywhere near Bella. Because if he does, it will be up to Alice to put her back together piece by piece and Alice hates seeing Bella hurt.
Hello lovely people,
We had quite the change in this chapter.
Leave me your thoughts in a review.
Until next chapter,
Stay Safe