An- if you thought that I had died or something... nope... I didn't.
I was dealing with the stressful life of an Indian student. Scored 90.3% on my finals, so that was awesome, still didn't get my first choice college... that sucked major balls and then I didn't get into my second choice college and I was actually ready to kill myself from embarrassment but then I got a mysterious letter, from a very swanky private university here in India, which basically said that even though I hadn't applied there, based on the board results (final exam results) and based on the competitive exam results in which I scored a 93.6 percentile, the Uni is offering me a fastrack admission and a 50% scholarship.
So basically college is sorted, my mom is so proud that she isn't talking properly to anyone and acting like a diva and currently I'm that kid in the family who every other kid is compared too...

I have internal examinations already ... but that's all sorted... so...

I'M BACK NOW AND HERE IS AN UPDATE.

Recap- we're in forks.

Ch-20 Meet the Parents

Getting to know people from Bella's childhood was fun, I mean I had obviously met with the people that she hung out with in school with... yeah that'd be my family.

This was different because this was Bella's family... or the people she had handpicked to be her family.

But today was the day of real challenge... the quest of getting the dad to like me. Help me god.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Bella?" I asked her as she got out of the shower.

"I'm not sure of shit... but I'm not going let them get away with this kind of bullshit." She replied.

So now we know that she's in a fantastic mood.

It took Bella 30 minutes to get ready today, during which time she changed thrice and stubbed her toe twice.

It was so bad that it hurt to watch.

When we were both dressed Leah joined us with some coffee and doughnuts for breakfast.

"Do we really have to do this...? I mean could runaway and come to live with you guys." Leah suggested with a toothy grin.

"He he NO..." Bella replied with a huge fake smile.

"You know what... I think I'm with Leah on this, I mean we have that one guest room right... we could just have her stay there." I said. And as soon as the words were out of my mouth Leah jumped over to my side and shoot a pleading look at Bella.

Bella obviously retaliated with a death glare but then her expression softened.

"Really Leah? Do you really want to be cut off from your family? Why? Because it's easier and not to mention that it's edgy and cool and that's what I did?" Bella asked her.

Leah did look abashed but shrugged anyway.

"It's nothing to be proud of Leah... and I'm not going to let you take the easy way out... You must at least try to make your mom accept you the way you are, and if it doesn't work out then we'll... take you with us and make you do our laundry for the rest of your life! Cool? Cool! Let's leave!" Bella concluded her little pep talk with flourish and led the way out of the room.

"You won't actually make me do laundry... will you?" Leah whispered to me.

"Oh we totally will..." I reassured her.

XXX

On our way over to Bella's dad's place I analyzed the situation a little more... I mean yes, first and foremost we're here to support Leah... and I like Leah she's cool little girl. But practically speaking this is also going to be the first time I meet Bella's dad and her stepmom.

The stepmom, who does not exactly have the best relationship with Bella... apparently she doesn't like Bella so I don't really give a shit about her; It's the father that I was really worried about.

Charlie Swan, ex police chief now the owner of a private security consultancy... He shouldn't really dislike me... I mean yeah sure, I'm having sex with his daughter. But on the brighter side, I'm rich, handsome and not a meth-head...

That's right, not a meth-head, just a plain old sex addict.

A recovering sex addict, thank you very much... and the stuff that he doesn't know can't hurt him. I'm just the supportive boyfriend to Bella right now, who stands by her side for better or for worse in sickness and in health and all that.

Wow I really thought you were gonna do the whole bit.

Yeah I couldn't remember the rest of it.

The buzzing of my phone distracted me from my train of thought, it was Alice, last night after checking into the lodge, we called up Alice and Esme to inform them that we were heading to Forks, because they were the only ones who would give a shit really.

'HOWS FORKS?!' Alice's text read.

'Good enough, heading over to Bella's home right now... FML' I replied.

'LOL, I know you're nervous about Charlie but he's just a big teddy, the step monster is the real bitch, watch out' Alice texted.

Hmm... Interesting.

Yeah this will definitely be fun.

XXX

Trust me when I say that standing on the front porch of Charlie Swan's house waiting for someone to let us in is probably the scariest thing that I have lived through.

No seriously, this is not a joke.

Didn't have to wait long though... it's like the man was waiting on the other side of the door for us to arrive.

One look and you'd be able to tell that this was definitely Bella's dad.

"Oh look! It's Forks' very own Gay Pride Parade!" He crowed. Yes most certainly Bella's dad...

"Dad! This is not funny... I already had the 'I-was-born-this-way' talk with you... why is this even a problem?" Bella seethed.

This may just be the most unorthodox family reunion I have ever witnessed in my life... but it's Bella so... not that surprising really.

"Whoa... at the very least say 'Hello' first... you look thin... why do you look thin? Are doing that dieting nonsense again?" Charlie had seized Bella by the elbow and had practically dragged her inside, leaving me a Leah to just awkwardly follow them.

"Do I really look thin? Or are you just saying that so that I won't yell on you? Because you have to know that I will yell at you anyway..." Bella said as if it was the most obvious thing in the entire universe.

"No... you really do look like you lost some weight." Charlie insisted.

"Aww... phish..." mumbled a mollified Bella.

Upon witnessing this Leah turns to me and says, "She loses the point fast, doesn't she?"

"Oh you have no idea..." I say in answer.

But we didn't get to go very far with this exchange because Leah's mother had entered the room and to say that the tension was thick would be the understatement of the year.

Now Sue had a kind face... I could tell... but it was also evident that she was not particularly fond of my Bella...

Yes, the Bella that you bought at Wal-Mart.

Oh fuck off you know what I mean.

But then we have to remember that Bella isn't exactly the sufferer in silence type so she goes,

"Sue... we need to talk."

"I'm actually really glad you made it Bella... Leah has been acting out lately and I was hoping that as a former lesbian you could tell her that her unnatural desires are just a fad and will pass..." Sue said with a disturbingly sweet smile.

My first instinct was to try and restraint Bella but then I noticed her father's tight grasp on her elbows which made me realize that the man did know Bella well enough to know about her tendency to get violent around bisexual erasure and the belief that a person's sexuality can be changed... both of which were heavily featured in Sue's statement.

But Bella is nothing if not constantly surprising.

Rather than the yelling that I was preparing myself for, Bella just exhaled loudly and then turned to Leah and asked, "How attached are you to this girl that you're seeing?"

"We just started dating... why?!"The outrage in Leah's voice told me that she was just as shoked by this question as I was.

"Well you can date other people in Seattle... You told me that you wanted to do journalism right? Well then DO journalism... I'll pay for your college and you can stay at my other apartment... let's just leave here."Bella had barely even finished speaking and Leah was already flying like the wind.

What other apartment?

This is neither the time nor the place for insecurities.

"You can't come in here and take my daughter away from me Bella!"Sue's voice had now turned from sweet to shrill.

"Jesus! Lady... Don't make it sound like a kidnapping... she isn't moving to Iraq she's going to Seattle... For college... you're the one driving her away anyway... I'm just thinking about what's best for her!"Bella replied colder than the coldest ice queen.

"And who are you to decide what's best for her?! She is MY daughter! I GAVE HER THIS LIFE ! I DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR HER!" Sue was screaming now... but Bella was not going to back down now...

Leah looked like she was in pain and Charlie just had a helpless and resigned look on his face... I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling right now... I mean its simple enough for me- Side with the girlfriend... the lady who lets me do the sex to her.

But what about Charlie... whose side is he on... the daughter or the wife...

Jesus.

And then Bella was speaking again.

"Will you for one moment just stop to consider the PERSON that you're talking about here? It's Leah! She's been a straight A student her whole academic career! She's taking a year off before college so that she can save up for it! YOU ARE TREATING HER LIKE A JUVINILE DELINQUENT JUST BECAUSE OF HER SEXUAL PREFERENCE! There are 14 year old pregnant crack-heads in this country! I know that she is YOUR daughter SO PLEASE JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT AND TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT SHE ACTUALLY DESERVES THIS!"

I don't really know what I was expecting Sue to say to that but... I know that I wasn't expecting it to hit ME like it did.

"Bella... You think you are so wise and right... But I know the truth, Leah knows the truth, Charlie knows the truth and for the sake of this poor boy, I hope he knows the truth too. You want to be involved right now because you fancy yourself being a big sister and giving a crap. But I know the kind of person you are... the moment that things get even a little tough, you'll run away again and convince yourself that you're not the coward but the victim." And then she turned to Leah, "You want to leave? Leave. But I hope you remember that Bella left the first time around because she did not consider herself a part of this family. Well... that and some other lesbian drama."

XXX

"Are you okay?"I asked Bella as she was changing out of her travel clothes... it had been a long day.

A long tiring day, full of revelations.

"Yeah... I'm fine" That's it? Are fucking with me right now? Are you seriously trying to tell me that you have absolutely nothing to say to me right now?!

"Umm... Bella when were you going to tell me about this, another apartment that you have?" Yeah I'm cutting right to the chase.

"I didn't think that it was important."She sighed

"It wasn't important?! 'Hey Edward! I know our whole thing is based on the fact that I was living with you... but just so that you know... if we don't work out, I already have a place to go because that's how little faith I have in us!' You're so totally right, that does not sound like an important conversation." I nodded

Bella exhaled loudly before she spoke, "Yes, I own an apartment here, No, it has absolutely nothing to do with us and absolutely everything to do with the fact that real estate it very good investment."

And then she walked over to her side of the bed, switched off the lights, lay down on her side turned away from me.

Great... now I feel even more like shit.

While there was a part of me that wanted to kick up a huge shit storm... there was also the part of me who was really tired and just wanted to sleep.

So I got in the bed which felt unusually cold so I tried to snuggle in with Bella, only for her to get really stiff and then push me away saying, "I'm sorry Edward but please don't touch me I'm not feeling very good right now."

You think you just turned that apartment into something more than an investment shithead?

FUCK.

AN- I'm back I promise... next update will be next Sunday, India time. Leave me review so that I know that you guys are still here.