Chapter 33

Chapter 33
BPOV
I was home for 3 days before they came back from New York City. I was sitting in my room reading The Devil in the White City when Alice bounced into my room.
"So how are you feeling?" she asked cautiously as if I was going to crumble any moment.
"Okay." I lied. It wasn't a complete lie. I was indeed okay but guilt was slowly creeping up on me. When I first arrived home I engorged my self with a carton of ice cream while watching Cruel Intentions. The next two days were pretty much of the same. So I just dismissed the fact that Alice was worried about my well being.
"You know he's a mess." she said nonchalant.
"Likewise." I answered dismissively looking back down at my book.
"Bella. Look at me." Alice said stern. I timidly raised my eyes to hers.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you did the right thing."
I stared into her wide hazel eyes. "I did the right thing."
She must have accepted what I said because she gave me a one armed hug before mumbling a quick goodbye. I laid back on my bed thinking what in the fuck I did to deserve this.
The next three weeks were pretty much of the same. I interacted with Em, Jazz, Rose and Alice but Edward and I avoided each other like the plague. We were cordial towards one another when the opportunity came but that was only the benefit for the others. I didn't want them to feel like they had to choose between the two of us. I had hated how things had ended but in the end I knew I was doing the right thing. Luckily I hadn't received any other text messages and for that I was relieved. I had accomplished in saving my family and most importantly Edward.
I was heading off to class one day eating an apple, when I noticed a familiar blond head sitting next to a man with familiar russet colored skin. Slowing but mysteriously stopping in my tracks I spied on the couple to see it was Tanya and Jacob. Tanya was resting her head on his shoulder with his arms casually wrapped around her waist. It didn't get away from my notice that Jacob was married and yet he and Tanya were cuddled up so intimately. It was none of my business so I headed off to my Western Philosophy class. Class was quickly let out when I headed off to my car to go home.
On my drive home, I decided to go pick up some pizzas and along with some drinks for dinner tonight. After ordering three pizzas and picking up a twelve pack of cokes I headed home. Of course luck was not on my side because as soon as I pulled into the driveway so did Edward. I knew the others wouldn't be home for another hour or so, so I was pretty much screwed being left along with him. I tried grabbing my backpack and bag along with the pizzas and drinks to no avail. Edward obviously seeing my struggle cautiously strolled over to me looking down as he walked.
"May I help?"
"If you want, it'll be nice. Thank you." I said in a surprisingly calm tone. Lately every time I got around Edward I became a stuttering mess since he made me so freaking nervous. Politely gesturing out his arms he took the pizza boxes out of my hands and pulled them into one hand while grabbing the drinks in the other. Closing and locking my car door behind me, I walked over to the door shakily opening the door with Edward following behind. He dropped the boxes and drinks on the kitchen counter as he laid his belongings down on the floor. We both stood there in complete silence not looking at one another. I had to do something before the silence ran me insane.
"Um do you maybe want to watch a movie until the others return?" I timidly asked looking at the floor.
"Um…, yeah let me just drop my stuff in my room and I'll be right down." he responded picking his stuff off the ground. Releasing a deep breath I didn't know I was holding, I turned to the food on the counter and decide to fix us both plates of food. Laying a couple of slices on each plate and grabbing two cokes I headed into the living room where Edward was casually sitting on the couch barefoot his glasses perched on top of his tousled bronze mane.
I placed a plate in front of him and settled on the couch next to him leaving a considerable amount of distance between the two of us.
"I didn't know what you wanted to watch so…" he said nervously."Oh I don't mind. Pick anything." I answered taking a bite out of my pizza.
He settled on American Pie, as we settled back in our seats to watch the movie. Emmett had texted Edward claiming they were going to be late and grab a bite to eat later. Edward and I both deciding that we had nothing better to do and no homework we were to make the rest of the night a movie night. Although not that many words were spoken between the two of us, I strangely felt contented that this was some form of healing for the two of us. Edward even smiled when I nearly collided into him when I tripped over the rug. We both changed into our pajamas and were soon sitting back in front of the television once more listening to the crazy antics of Bradley Cooper in The Hangover.
"Oh my god this movie is epic!" Edward laughed for the eighth time, and my heart skipped a beat at his joyous laughter.
"I know I can totally see you, Emmett, and Jasper doing the exact same thing." I laughed.
"Hmm, maybe we should for Emmett's wedding." Edward thought humorously.
"Not the best choice. If the alcohol poisoning doesn't kill you first Rose will." I added.
"Yeah so will Alice; she'll kill us all for ruining her hard work." we both burst out laughing as Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett came through the door. They looked a little startled at the sight of the two of us.
Rose gaped at us before asking "Good night?" I blushed at her words at the double meaning behind them she quirked a perfectly arched eyebrow at me, while I tried to ignore Alice's shit eating grim spread across her face.
"Yep. You?" I asked.
"Goooood…" she singed prolonging the word. I glared at her.
"Well how about we all head off to bed. We all have classes in the morning and need the rest." Edward said breaking me out of my reverie. I shrugged and began grabbing some left over pizza and trash while the others went upstairs.
Grabbing the drinks as well I headed into the kitchen o refrigerate it. I was cleaning off the counters and was about to turn off the light when I heard Edward timidly call out my name.
"Bella?""Yes Edward?' I said in a small voice.
"I just want to say goodnight and sweet dreams." He answered.
"Sweet dreams." I mumbled quietly that I'm not even sure he had heard me say it. I closed my eyes in content as I heard the soft patter of his feet going up the stairs. I leaned against the door frame and released a breath I didn't know I was holding. I had enjoyed this little minuscule moment we had together, we were back in our little bubble away from it all. We had made progress in this strange relationship and at the moment there was nothing more I could have wanted.
The next couple of days you would say our relationship was back to normal? Well not completely our usual banter still wasn't the same, but still it was better than nothing. We were all going through our classes and decided to meet each other up for lunch. I decided to meet Edward outside of his Art class when I saw the two of them. Edward and Tanya sitting on the bench her legs casually lying in his lap. I tired to ignore this gesture until I saw Edward smile. Edward smiling? I didn't want to admit to the strange pang in my chest. We were broken up so he was free to do as he pleased.
I was walking ominously in some random direction until I heard my name being called.
"Bella…Bella!"
I turned around to see everyone staring at me from under the tree. I shook my head and walked over towards them.
"Bells are you okay. You almost passed us up." Emmett asked wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
"Um yeah, I fine." I lied; I was everything but.
"You sure? You look like someone killed Nessie or something." Jasper said.
"Don't joke like that," I smacked Jasper's arm. "I'm just a little distracted.
"At what?" Alice asked. Damn she was too inquisitive for her own good. I had to make up a lie and quick.
"Oh nothing really, one of the characters in my book died and I was attached." I breathed. Edward looked at me curiously try to gauge me reaction, but I was queen of blocking out painful memories.
"Ooh… I hate when that happens." Alice said linking her arm through me. She started babbling about some trip but my thoughts were elsewhere. I was feeling sick to my stomach. Was it so selfish of me to say that just because we broke up under some unreasonable circumstances, that I didn't want him dating anyone else?
We settled on Mexican food so we decided to split cars. Emmett, Rose, Edward and I in Emmett's jeep while Alice and Jasper rode in her Porsche. We rode in complete silence with the occasional remark from Emmett or Rose commenting on his driving.
"Slow the hell down. Are you trying to kill us?" Rose screeched as Emmett sped up on the interstate.
"Chill Babe I know how to drive. Besides there aren't that many cars out here anyway." Emmett laughed sticking an arm out the window. Emmett was partially right there weren't that many cars on the road but that doesn't mean I want to be splattered across the road. I as he pushed the gas past 90, I unconsciously grabbed Edward's hand in reassurance. Surprisingly he didn't say anything as he held my hand. As soon as we were at the restaurant Rose and I bolted out the car where I emptied the contents of my stomach in the waste bin while she emptied hers in the nearby bush. Jasper and Alice strolled over to where they were standing, raising questioning eyebrows at the two of us.
"Uh Edward…Em…why is Bella's head in the garbage can and why is Rose hunched over a bush.
"Well Emmett over here decided to speed scaring the shit out of all of us. I guess the girls just couldn't handle it." Edward added.
"No duh." I huffed. Slowly raising my head back up I wiped the sweat that had adhered itself to my forehead. Strangely enough I had felt much better. Checking on Rose to see if she wad alright we both headed into the bathroom to rinse our mouths out while the others went and found us a table.
"Better?" Edward had asked me as I sat down between him and Jasper.
"Much. Although I would have really appreciated it if someone hadn't tried to kill Rose or me on the way over here." I glared at a sheepish Emmett.
"Sorry Bella, I just got excited." Emmett said.
"Excited?" Rose added
"Excited can be a lot of things but nearly making us crap our pants isn't exciting." she said. Emmett looked down at the table in shame… I kicked him under the table and smiled at him to let him know that all was well. Well since my stomach was now empty I was now extremely hungry. After finishing eating ourselves to death I hopped back into Emmett's car cautiously praying that I kept my food down.
Emmett was such a freaking idiot.
"God Em! Just because the girls commented on your driving abilities doesn't mean you have to drive so fucking slow!" Edward moaned next to me.
Emmett must have taken our comments to heart because he was driving very slowly. We had left the restaurant over 20 minutes ago and we weren't even halfway back to campus.
"Em I have class in less than 10 minutes hurry the hell up. I swear if I'm like your ass is mine." Rose hollered at him front seat.
"Hello mine start's in five." I grimaced. I had never been late to one of my classes and my professor didn't take kindly to tardiness either. Edward was just as agitated classes for him started in 5 minutes as well.
"Fine…Have it you way." Emmett said before pressing his foot against the pedal sending us all flying back in our seat. It was Edward's hand this time who had grabbed mine in comfort. We made onto campus in 3 leaving Edward and I two minutes to get to our classes.
We both broke out into a run not even bothering to shut the door as we headed out into separate directions. I was halfway to my class when I crashed into a couple kissing sending my belongings and their's strewn everywhere.
Before I could even mumble an apology I'd grabbed my books and ran for my class at the end of the hall. I sighed in relief to my professor wasn't in class so I stuck my head out the door to apologize to the couple I crashed into. I looked around and couldn't see anyone but two females leaning toward each other in the hallway. When I gazed a little closer I could see it was Tanya and a tall black haired woman. Usually that wouldn't breech my attention…what had happened next did. Tanya slowly leaned forward as to whisper something in her ear when she pressed her lips against the woman's beside her.
Trying to hold in the gasp that bubbled up my throat I stuck my head back inside the classroom and headed toward my seat, the blood swishing inside my ears. Settling back into my seat to listen to my professor's theory on Shakespeare, I took a deep breath as I tried to concentrate on taking notes but I couldn't. All the thoughts that ran through my head were recurring. That this was definitely something I never saw coming.