How They Mended Me

Chapter Four: Blush

"Bella?" I heard a musical voice ask. I turned around; my face streaked with tears, and saw Edward standing behind me.

I couldn't help but feel grateful that he had come, even though I had asked him to leave me alone. "Hey" I muttered and my voice cracked.

"Are you all right?" He asked softly. I heard him approach the rotting log I was sitting on.

"Fine." I sniffled and turned away from him when he came closer, so he wouldn't see my red, sad eyes.

"Are you sure about that?" He whispered and was standing right next to me. "May I?" he gestured to the log.

"Sure." I shrugged. He sat on right next to me. I could feel his warm arm touching mine, through my sweater.

"I'm not giving it back to you." Edward said simply.

"What?" I asked confused.

"The flask." He mumbled. "I just don't want to be the reason you die of alcohol poisoning when you come out here one night."

"You—but" I stumbled for the right words, but couldn't quite find the right insult. "You have no right to do that!"

Why am I arguing? I asked myself. I just sounded like an alcoholic.

"You are right, I don't. I still don't want to be at fault if anything happened to you. Besides, drinking so much straight vodka isn't good for you." He shrugged and scouted closer to me.

I sighed. "I know that. But it is the only thing that helps." I admitted. Why was I admitting this? I barely new him!

"No it doesn't. You just think it does." Edward said softly.

"Why would you say that? You don't know me!" I snapped, saying my thought out loud. I was on the defensive. I stared up at his eyes, and blushed when I saw how soft and gentle they were. My anger disappeared as quickly as his had appeared. I realized that what he was saying wasn't meant to offend me. I realized that, yes, he may not know me, but he still cared.

"I don't know you, but I want to." Edward whispered. His eyes burned into mine, making my face heat up more.

"I'm hardly interesting." I whispered back, dropping my gaze.

"I think I should be able to figure that out for myself."

"Edward," I liked the way his name sounded on my lips. I didn't, however, like what I was about to say. I had always denied this little fact, but before anyone got too involved, I had to warn them. "I am fucked up. I may not have it that bad at home but I still am. You don't want to know me. You have to understand that."

He simply nodded thoughtfully.

"I had better go." I whispered, and wiped away the tears on my cheek. The second I was on my feet, Edward stood too.

"I'll walk you home" He said, not looking at me.

"Alright." I agreed quickly. I had warned him. I suddenly came to terms with the fact that, this stranger, Edward . . .well I liked his company. It made the pain in me less potent. Maybe he could become my substitute for alcohol.

I lead the way out of the winding woods. We were as silent as if I were alone, and I kept looking behind me to assure myself he was still following. Every time I turned around I caught him staring at me. I blushed every time too.

It wasn't long before we found the street, and we continued in the direction of home in silence. It was an easy silence, not strained. There was no discomfort. I was cringing with every step I took towards my house. I was shivering by the time I approached my front door.

"Look Bella . . ." Edward began, his voice hesitating. Butterflies fluttered uncontrollably in my stomach when I heard my name on his lips. "I know it is weird that my family cares so much. Alice especially, since she is the only one you know. But—and I don't want to be rude—but not everyone is like your family and friends."

I stared at him for a while, his words shocking me into silence. He was right the majority of the damn world wasn't like my family. But that didn't change that fact that my family an friends weren't like that. And the people that they were—mean, selfish people—were who surrounded my life.

His words didn't offend me though, and his words only made me more interested in him. He seemed to have a certain perspective on the world. One just like me. I nodded after a moment. "I know that. But, that's exactly why you and your sister seem to be so profound." I smiled at him, trying to let him know how grateful I was for being cared about for once. I didn't know him. But I sure as hell wanted to.

Then I heard what I had said, and I instantly regretted it. My face heated up in seconds—unbearably silent seconds—and my eyes slid away from him. Breaking his soft, surprised gaze.

"Sorry." I choked, staring at his feet.

"Why are you apologizing?" He chuckled.

"I—I don't know." I whispered, forcing myself to make eye contact with him. His green eyes amused, but tender. He laughed again, making me blush deeper "I had better get inside."

"Okay." Edward whispered.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I mumbled, and hurried inside.

Right before closing the door, I heard Edward whisper, "Goodbye, Bella"

I leaned against the door, thinking. How on earth could a boy, I had just met today, coax such a reaction out of me. His presence enamored me.

I took a deep breath before entering the house. I was smiling when I came into the kitchen, only to find Charlie sitting there reading. My stomach tightened and my smile disappeared.

"Hey, Dad." I greeted him.

His head snapped up, and he looked to me and gave me a small smile. I could tell he was upset. "Hey, Bella. How was your day? Are you feeling and better?"

"It was good." Only certain parts of it. "And yeah, just a little, thanks. How was work?" I only conversed with my dad like this when my mother wasn't around. My dad seemed to be different with me. He was against dance, but he seemed a little more supportive then my mother.

"It was slow. Well dead slow really. Mark and I played cards as usual." He laughed at some memory from the day. It was nice hearing him laugh.

"Ha ha." I chuckled. "Where is Jamie?" I asked looking around the room, and peering into the family room. He wasn't there.

"Oh, he is at school, doing some prep for the assembly tomorrow." He mumbled, turning back to the paper in his hands.

Jamie was in grade 12 and went to a different school then me. He was the student president at Bell High School. School of the academically gifted. School of the amazingly smart people. And Jamie flourished there.

I never wondered why Jamie was favored by my parents.

"Cool." I said happily. I wasn't happy at all. "Okay, well I am going up to my room. Dinner will be in 2 hours or so. Sound good?"

Charlie looked up and smiled a real Charlie smile. "Sounds great Bell. What are we having?"

I was the designated cook in the house. Though my mother was quite capable, she usually was running around all day and half the night. But, those facts aside, I was just a much better cook.

"Pesto?" I raised my eyebrows, questioningly.

"Yum." Charlie nodded.

I smiled, and made my way to my room. I had a dull room, with blue walls, and purple curtains, with pictures of dancers, everywhere. And books strewn on the floor, everywhere. There wasn't much room to put things on the floor, nor was there room to step because of the books. I walked over to the bed, and sat there for a minute.

I looked out the window, when I heard a car driving down the street. It was a black Mercedes, and it pulled into the Cullen's driveway. I perked up when I saw this and went to my window to observe. I pushed the window open and heard a door slam. I knew that I wouldn't be able to hear anything but I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to be outside I guess.

I went and grabbed my school back and threw it over my shoulder, grabbing my IPod out of their speakers, and made my way back to the window.

My parents weren't precisely aware that I could simply crawl out my window, jump a foot down to land on the slanted roof, walk across the roof, jump down onto the low garage then jump onto the ground, and sneak out. I only did it when I was upset. Which was often.

Today though was not a day for running away. It was simply to listen on the roof. I hopped out of my wide window, and crawled along the room, to a stop hidden in shade, so I wouldn't be seen. I couldn't hear anything in the direction of the Cullen's house, as I suspected. I pulled out my Wuthering Heights from my bag, popped my earphones in my ears, and quickly got lost in Old England.

I was right at the part when Catherin dies, when I heard Charlie shouting from downstairs—my window was still open and I was close enough to it to hear the faint nose.

"Bella, it has been 2 hours, I think it is about time to make dinner!" Charlie yelled.

I frantically pulled the headphones out and threw myself through my window, almost dyeing in the process.

"Okay Dad!" I shouted out my door breathlessly.

"Okay." Charlie shouted in conformation.

I let myself catch my breath, and after a minute or two, I walked downstairs. Charlie was in the family room, most likely watching a game, and the kitchen was empty. It seemed it would be jus the two of us for dinner. Jamie at school. Renee was probably going to come back late tonight since Charlie and her were in a fight.

I grabbed the noodles, and jar of pesto out of the pantry, and went straight to work. In a half hour, dinner was ready, and Charlie and I were sitting in at the table chowing down.

I was reading Wuthering Heights again, while Charlie, continued to read his paper. I heard s car hit the driveway, and moments later, someone—probably Jamie—stomp through the door.

"Hello?" Jamie called. His deep voice rumbling voice, made my head pound. Bringing back the ache in it.

"Hey, Jamie, we are in the kitchen." Charlie called.

I heard Jamie's footsteps as he made his way to the kitchen. He was a big guy, burly, muscled, like the brown haired Cullen. I was sad I didn't know his name—though I knew I would soon find out. Jamie even had curly hair like him, only it was fuzzy like Charlie's. He had blue eyes like Renee, and fair skin like Renee, and even the same nose as Renee. All in all, he was a male version of Renee. He was approximately 6'2, maybe taller. I had to admit, even though he was my brother, he was a good-looking man. Very handsome. I was proud to be his little sister; he was one of the nicest guys on earth, really smart, only just a tad to protective. Though he really did'nt need to be protective. No one was interested in the skinny dancer.

"Hey Bells, how are ya?" He asked, grinning brightly at me. He was like a sun. He had warmed everyone in his presence,

"Pretty good, pretty good. How was your day?" I asked, quietly. He was outgoing, while I was quiet as a mouse.

"Meh, stressful. I heard you were really sick last night. You are still recovering." He said, as he looked me up and down.

I stuck my tongue out at him, and flushed. "Watch yourself, Jamie, I know where you sleep." I threatened. He just laughed.

Jamie and I had an interesting relationship. He hated being the favorite, and always stuck up for me when they bashed dance. He got me alcohol when I wanted it (what with being 18 and having friends in 3rd year university, but made death threats toward a guy trying to—as he put it—"butter my petite muffin". I always turned crimson when he talked about that.

"Pesto, yes!" He exclaimed, and filled a bowl. He pulled a chair out and sat across from me. "So Bella, I heard that the Cullen's across the street go to school with you."

My head snapped up from my book, and my mind was instantly sharp and aware. "Yeah, I met three of them. They are really nice." More then nice, Alice was—I could tell—going to be a good friend, and Edward was . . .well he seemed amazing.

"Hm. I heard they kept to themselves." He nodded, and shoved the noodles in his mouth.

"How did you even hear anything?" I asked, confused.

"Igarvedwydedwstonasn." He garbled.

"What?"

Jamie swallowed. "I said I have my connections. I have a lot of friends at your school."

My face flushed a little. Jamie seemed to have a different opinion of them. "Well, one of them is absolutely jubilant, and a beautiful dancer. Another seems extremely nice, and another is . . ." I hesitated while I thought of Edward, my mind freezing on his face. I sighed.

"Is that last one a guy?" Jamie guessed. He took my blush as conformation. "Hmm. Anyways, Bella, I'm not saying anything mean about them. I was just saying what I heard."

I didn't answer. I kept my eyes on the book. For once though, old England didn't capture my attention. My mind was only on Edward Cullen . . .

sorry about that, I know I haven't updated in soo long! Feels pretty good to do it though! Well I hope you liked! I feel iffy about this chapter, so tell me what you think.

PLEASE READ&REVIEW!! i know you want to! I ALSO LOOOVEEEE hearing what you have to say! so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW IT!!

ps. my room is actually like i described, and i can legit hop out my window. But i dont. . .or do i??lol

thanks everyone!