Walking down memory lane
I sat on my bed cross legged staring at the photo album in my hands. As I flicked through the many pages, my eyes lingered on those of my best friend, Edward Cullen. Some were lone pictures while others were with me, his other friends or his with his family.
Edward and I had been friends since we were 9 years old. I had first met him at a festival down at the park in forks. Both out families had arrived early to help set up. I was playing on the swings when he came over and sat on the one across from me and started swinging a little. Me, being the shy child was too scared to talk to him and kept my eyes away from him. I was drawing patterns in the bark bellow me with my foot, knowing that he was looking at me when he broke the silence.
"What's your name?" His voice was innocent and boyish sounding, now that I remember his first words to me. I had looked up shyly and answered hesitantly.
"B-Bella." He just smiled at me and then looked down and began tracing in the bark as well. Being an innocent child I trusted him immediately after that one friendly smile from him. It's funny how children can trust so quickly, with out reason. I was very curious to find out about this boy.
"What's...your name?" I had asked shyly. The boy looked up quickly and his red-brown hair moved even more out of place. He seemed to have a strange look of shock, happiness and awe as he turned away. But after a second he turned back with a crooked smile on his lips.
"I'm Edward. How old are you?" He asked immediately. He was just as curious about me as I was about him.
"I'm 8. What about you?" I questioned.
"Me too! I'm 8 as well." He was very excited. "Do you live here?" He asked tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah, with my mom and dad. My dad's a cop." I said matter-of-factly.
"Really? What's his name? My dad was talking with one just earlier. I think their friends. Maybe they are friends." He was getting really excited and I must admit I was to. I don't no why I felt a strange pull towards this boy I just met.
"My dads name is Charlie Swan." I asked hopefully that would be the one he meant.
"I don't remember the name." He said looking sad as he looked down at his hands. There was a long silence and I was getting uncomfortable. I decide to break the silence and try to make him happy.
"Do you live here?"
He looked up and then back down at his hands, almost seeming disappointed.
"I'm not sure. We might just be passing through or we are going to stay." People were starting to arrive and the rides were being turned on. I looked over towards where my dad was meant to be. I couldn't see him there anymore and I started panic. I got up and looked around just a step away from the swing.
"Hey there kiddo!" I heard Charlie's loud voice from the side of me. This caused Edwards head to pop up and look in that direction. Charlie walked over to me and picked me up in a hug.
"Ah, so you have met Dr. Cullen's boy."He said looking at Edward. Edward smiled happily.
"Bella, that's the cop that my dad was talking to." His voice was very happy. I smiled too in response. Charlies just chuckled as he set me on the ground.
"Okay, are you two going to be staying together?" He asked looking between Edward and me. I looked over at Edward and he was grinning like mad so I nodded. "Alright then, I have these for both of you." He reached into his pocket and brought out two strips of sticker like bands. Edward jumped off the swing and made his way over to me and was standing really close.
"Hold out your wrists."My dad said. Edward and I did as we were told at the same time and Charlie wrapt the bands around our wrists and bent down to explain what they are for.
"Okay, so if you want to go on any rides just show the person your band and they will let you on for free. As many times as you want." He said with a smile.
"Free!"I yelled. This was great.
"As much as we want!"Edward yelled after me. Charlies replied with a yup and waited for us to go off. But then my mother came over along with a tall blonde man.
"Bella, that's my dad" Edward said as he pointed up to the stranger. I said a hello and then said to Edward and then looked at my mom.
"That's my mom."I said. Then the adults started talking about something. They then asked us what ride we would go on first. Edward and I were deep in thought. I was looking at all the rides around, while Edward had his chin in his hand thinking.
It was quite while we thought. The adults had amused expressions on their faces, probably because we were in such deep thought about this. A minute passed then Edward spoke.
"What about the Ferris wheel? The really big one." I wasn't so sure about that. It was really big and I was a bit scared of heights.
"That's a good one to start with I think." Edward's dad said. My mom nodded her head in agreement, as Charlie also did. Edward was looking at me with hopeful eyes.
"Isn't it too high up? I think I'll get scared."I admitted looking down. There was a very short silence but then Edward pulled me into a hug.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you." I don't know why but I believed he was telling the truth. I knew he would be a friend for life. When he pulled away I noticed my parents exchange a look of 'awe, how cute.' Then my mother raised her eyebrows in a 'do you think there is some chemistry there' look. But of course I only noticed that look in the later years.
The rest of the night I spent going ride to ride with Edward. And he was right, he did protect me. When I got scared he would hold my hand or speak reassuring words that would calm me. We talked about the random things, toys, lollies, games, families, what we want to be when we grow up, everything. It was the start of our friendship.
At the end of the night when we had to say good bye we promised each other we would be friends forever and we would defiantly see each other again. I went home knowing that our promise would be kept no matter what.
A week passed and school was starting. I knew my dad had talked to Edwards dad Carlisle while I was out but they wouldn't tell me what about. I went to school and sat on the short brick wall at the front of the school, swinging my legs. A car that I recognised from the festival as Carlisles car pulled up in front of me. I waited impatiently for the car door to open.
The door opened and he came out. My best friend. He looked right at me, shocked. And I'm sure my own face looked the same. I jumped down from the wall with out tripping and ran over to him with a huge smile plastered on my face.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm going to school here. Do you go here?" he asked. His grin mirrored mine.
I nodded my head frantically, soon giving myself a headache. "Maybe we will be in the same class."Then something hit me. That is what Charlie had been talking to Carlisle about over the phone. "That's why my dad was talking to your dad on the phone, about coming to school here." He nodded his head and turned toward his dad that had come up behind him.
"Why didn't you tell me Bella went to school here?" He asked.
"I wanted it to be a surprise for the both of you" Carlisle responded casually.
We found that we were in the same class, which we were both really happy with. We sat together all the time and at lunch. I noticed that all the other guys and even some of the girls were trying to get Edward to go play with them, but he always declined or asked me to go with him. I was happy he wanted to stay with me.
The years went by and we still stayed close. But when high school started, I had to start watching my back. The girls were absolutely jealous that Edward always hung around with me. I could always feel their dirty glares on my back and I had to put up with confrontations and nasty names and rumours thrown at me. I thought it was worth it though; our friendship was worth it all.
We were there for each other all the time like when my parents split up. Edward was there to look out for me and be there as a shoulder to cry on. I was there for him when his dad was married to Esme and when he also had two new additions to the family were brought with her, Rosalie and Jasper Hale. Soon Emmett was added to the family and Edward started participating in activities that would get me hurt, so I sat out a lot. But then I was thankful when Alice was adopted. She was older than I was but still in the same year. She was my only girl friend and I finally had someone to talk to while the boys wrestled or something like that. But even though Alice was my best friend as well Edward and I always stayed close and made time for one another.
Edward Cullen and I were never more than best friends. I knew he was good looking and of course I thought about if we were together but I didn't want to say anything. I did not want to ruin our friendship. I didn't need to obsess over him like the others girls do, because he was always with me and I knew he would be, and that was enough. Of course I loved him, but i wasn't sure how deeply. Alice was the only one that I told about my feelings for Edward but she just kept saying 'it's obvious that there is something there'. I never believed her of course. He was perfect and I wasn't.
But today I realised something. I was not okay with Edward and me just being friends. Today for the first time ever he said yes, to one of his not so secret admirers, and I absolutely hate her.
This girls name is Lauran. And to all the females at forks high school, she is known as The Bitch. She has taken multiple shots at me over the past month. All over the fact that someone she had been crushing on asked me out and I'm friends with Edward at the same time. She thinks I'm a slut. As do many, even though I tell them Edward and I are just friends. They never believe me.