Chapter Eleven

Edward's Point of View

It only took me twenty minutes to convince Emmett that I was only going out for a drive. If I told him I was actually going to Bella Swan's house, he would have either teased me to death or locked me in a bathroom. Therefore, I determined the safest thing was to lie.

The only reason he let me go was if I promised to be home in at least two hours. Not because he would be worried, but because he wanted to go out himself. Either way, I agreed.

I clutched my fingers around the steering wheel so tight that they practically turned white. But, I couldn't tell you why exactly I was doing that. Was I nervous? Was I scared? I couldn't pinpoint the emotion. Maybe I was just a mix of emotions. Maybe I was all of them. All of them, including excited. I'm almost certain I was excited for being so reckless.

I glanced down at the torn piece of paper with Bella's address on it next to me. I was close, I knew it. My eyes glazed down the houses until I stopped at one with a new wheelchair ramp. The only reason I noticed the wheelchair ramp was new is because the concrete on the ramp looks fresher and nicer than the driveway.

After confirming the house was Bella's by looking at the address, I pulled in.

"Thank god Rosalie and Alice are gone," I assumed quietly to myself, since there were no cars in the drive besides my own.

I pushed myself out of my car and grabbed my backpack, tossing it over my shoulder. I locked my door with the button on the car keys as I walked up the new wheelchair ramp. I stopped in front of the door and took a breath before ringing the doorbell.

I only had to wait a few moments before the door was pulled open by a tall man with dirty blonde hair. He ruffled his eyebrows and stared me down. "Who are you?" He asked abruptly.

"Uh-" I froze slightly at the confrontation of the man. "I'm Edward. Bella expected me coming…" I said slowly, trailing my words off.

"Really?" Jasper asked, almost with a surprised voice. He stared at me with shock for a moment before turning over his shoulder and calling for Bella. After calling for her, he turned back to me.

Jasper glanced back over his shoulder again to check for Bella, but he also began to murmur quietly to himself. I'm not so certain I was supposed to hear, "I don't remember the last time she's planned for someone to come over."

I glanced past Jasper down the hallway when I heard some wheels rolling down the hallway. Bella began to look between Jasper and I for a moment before she spoke. "You can go Jasper," She said, rolling to a stop in front of the door. "I have to speak to him for a bit, alone." She said simply.

Jasper narrowed his eyes a bit, almost looking frustrated at the sudden dismissal. He placed his hand on Bella's shoulder and gave it a squeeze before leaving. Clearly, the pair could communicate to each other without speaking.

Bella gestured for me to step inside the house. I moved myself in front of her and rubbed the back of my neck. "What is it you have to show me?" Bella asked.

I raised my eyebrow a bit and gave a half smile. "Hello to you, too." I said with a soft chuckle. "You know I warned you that this wasn't as big of a deal as you're making it, right?" I asked.

She nodded and responded with a blatant, "I don't care." She smiled. "I'm impatient."

Yeah. The book said that.

"Alright…" I glanced around the hallway with an amused look. "Is there a place I can sit while we talk, or something?" I asked tentatively.

Bella rolled herself around and I could've sworn I saw her give a small smile. "Sorry about that." She said simply. "I'm always sitting, so I don't generally think about it much." Bella began to push herself over to a door. She leaned forward and slid the door to the side.

My eyes raised up slightly in slight amusement. A sliding door instead of a normal pull door. It made sense. It was easier to open in a wheelchair.

"This is my room," Bella rolled herself inside and pushed her way over to sit in her chair next to the bed. She turned her head to me and gestured to her bed. "I don't exactly have a chair in my room, so feel free to sit on my bed. I don't mind."

I smiled and took a step inside, making my way over to the bed. I sat down and glanced over at Bella. Strange. I thought silently to myself. I haven't felt extremely uncomfortable yet. That's… good?

"So…" Bella prompted silently, gesturing her hand.

"Oh, right." I pulled my backpack off of my shoulder and sat it next to me on the bed. I reached my hand into my back and fingered around for the small, hand sized notebook that Rosalie gave me. I pulled it out and placed it on my lap. Bella eyed it curiously.

"I have to explain something first," I said, continuing to hold onto the book. "Rosalie gave this to me after class yesterday. I only figured that it was something you might be interested in seeing… yourself." The words came out slowly, but I continued to hand the book over to Bella.

Bella took the book in her hand and leaned back in her chair. She read the cover before flipping it open, beginning to read the rule book.

I watched her expression change from neutral, amused, confused, and finally pissed. "I can't believe her!" Bella exclaimed, staring at the book. She hadn't even finished the rules yet, but clearly she wasn't enjoying what was written so far.

I opened my mouth to comment, but Bella continued. "I thought it was sweet at first that she was trying to look out for me, but this is too extensive!" She exclaimed, shaking the book. "It literally has down the fact that I don't like Mexican food. When would you ever need to know that I don't like Mexican food?" She exclaimed.

"I know-"

"Where the hell is my phone. I need to call her-" Bella exclaimed.

I raised my voice a bit, cutting her off. "-I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

Bella glanced over at me and frowned. "Why not?

"Because she'll kill me." I stated simply. Bella shrugged and leaned back in her wheelchair, glaring at the book. She knew I was right.

"Then what." Bella stated simply. She was pissed, but I could tell she wasn't pissed at me. "Do you seriously expect me to let her continue this again?"

I ran my hand through my hair and began to glance around her room. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't finish the entire rule book."

Bella let out a snort of air through her nose and rolled her eyes slightly. "Thanks." She said while closing her eyes, thinking herself.

I took this time to look around her room. It was strange, it didn't look like her own. It almost had a woodsy feeling, and it was covered in photographs that weren't even all of her. Majority of them were of the same man.

Of course, the photographs made me think of another idea.

I reached my hand into my backpack and pulled out a camera from my bag. Bella frowned and stared at it. "What is that?" She asked curiously.

"It's called a Polaroid camera." I explained quickly. "They take pictures and instantly print them out. I've always enjoyed Polaroid cameras. Except, this camera prints on a smaller piece of paper. Small enough to fit in that book."

Bella glanced down at the book and ruffled her eyebrows. "Glad the photographs can fit in the book, but what good would that do?" She asked curiously.

I leaned forward and opened up the book, flipping it open to a random page. "Rosalie wrote on the right side of all of the pages, not the left." I raised the camera higher up into the air. "Why don't we put photographs on the left side of the page?"

"Photographs of what?" Bella asked curiously.

"Photographs proving her wrong." I stated simply. Bella raised her eyebrows higher and gestured her hand. She was clearly intrigued, but wanted to know more.

I stood up, feeling myself get more passionate about it. A smile crossed my face at the idea. "Think about it. We could do some of the things in this book and take a picture of you doing the things, proving her wrong. Like, you hate Mexican food. Right?"

"Right." Bella said slowly.

"Well, we should go eat at a Mexican restaurant and take a picture of you eating something mexican." I explained. Bella watched me curiously, so I began to list ideas. "She wrote you hate being cold and wet, so we can get a picture of you in the rain. She called you a tomboy, so we can dress you up in outfits." My lips moved and spoke ideas, and my brain began to rattle with new exciting thoughts.

Once I stopped speaking, I glanced down at Bella. She stared up at me with a smile, also looking as if she was intrigued with the idea. In fact, she looked excited - just as excited at me. "Yeah." Bella said with a nod. Her smile widened even more. "In fact, it sounds fun."

My smile turned into a wide grin. I glanced down at my camera and clutched it. "Doesn't it?" I exclaimed. "I adore photography, also. It could help me get better, possibly.

"But not all of the pictures are going to be of me, Edward." Bella said.

I glanced up and raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"It's a rule book for you, not for me. There are some specific rules for you."

I shrugged and nodded. "Yeah. That's true."

Bella ruffled her eyes and grabbed the rule book. She flipped it open and landed her hand on one of the pieces of paper. "Page eight." She said simply.

My hands began to wring together in confusion. "What's on page eight?" I asked slowly, looking at the book.

Bella placed her finger on the page and began to read out loud, " 'If Bella lets you go to her house, you can. However, you can't go in her bedroom. I don't trust you.'" I watched her eyes drift from the rule book over to her bed. "Hand me your camera." She demanded.

I handed her my camera and stared at her with both amusement and curiosity. She waved her finger and pointed to the bed, clearly wanting me to sit on it. I slowly sat myself down on the bed. "Grab that purple pillow. Rosalie gave it to me, she will recognise it." Bella suggested.

I reached my hand over and grabbed the pillow, setting it next to me. I wrapped my right arm around it and turned my head back to Bella with a smile. I watched her raise the camera up to her right eye. Her left eye closed automatically.

"Smile."

Click.

I watched the image slowly become to roll out of the camera. I stood up and stepped over to Bella, looking at the picture develop. There I sat, hugging a pillow to my side with a genuine smile.

"Perfect." I said from behind Bella. Bella's smile widened and she rolled over to a drawer. She pulled it open and pulled out some tape. She used the tape and began to tape the picture on the left side of the page, across from the rule to never enter her room.

"One down." Bella said with a laugh, looking at the picture in the book.

"And a whole bunch left to go."

I just wanted to say that while writing this chapter and the last chapter, I slowly have started to think of a new title of the story - "The Rule Book". It just came to my mind, and I've been sitting on it for a while. Though the original title is fine, I couldn't help but get attached to The Rule Book. Thoughts?

Aside from that, the story should start to pick up even more around now! I very much enjoyed writing this chapter - a lot. Made me giggle thinking of the future chapters.

As always, Reviews and whatnot are always welcome! Sorry about any typos or poor writing in general. I was tired writing this!

XOXO Alice