Growing More

Chapter 5: Preparing

(A/N: the song has nothing to do with the story. I just really like it. It's 'Don't' By Ed Sheeran.)

Esme's POV:

I was eating silently when I looked up at my family. I couldn't help but smile despite everything that happened today. I almost lost my son and my near-daughter.

I wonder what Charlie what would've done.

I wonder where he was this time. He goes on a lot of business trips...

"Bella, would you like to ask Emmett and Alice to spend the night tonight, since tomorrow is the first day of school?"

She swallowed her food and looked at me, eyes full of excitement.

"Yes, please!" She smiled.

I glanced at Edward, who was staring at her, his eyes full of joy, humor, and... something else.

I looked at Carlisle, who was looking at Edward, too. Carlisle looked at me and smiled, and his eyes filled with the same thing as Edward's. Then it clicked. Love.

We looked at Edward again, who was chatting quietly with Bella and his eyes lit up every time she smiled. I smiled to myself, and whispered to Carlisle.

"Edward likes Bella."

"No, he loves her. You can see it in his eyes," Carlisle mumbled back, popping a piece of pork into his mouth and smirking.

There was a clatter of silverware on porcelain, and Rosalie stood gracefully and loped to the sink. She placed her plate into the sink, turned on the water for a bit, and then skipped up the stairs.

A few moments later, Jasper did the same, and then Carlisle.

"I'll go call Bella's house," he said, turning away.

"Remind them to bring their school items," I replied. Carlisle smiled and gave me a curt nod, then walked into the living room.

It was just Edward, Bella, and I, and they didn't even seem to notice the room emptying.

They just kept giggling and chatting to each other. Sometimes, they even linked arms and ate or drank like a married couple. Feeding themselves with their arms interlaced.

"Clean up when you're done," I said simply, and placed my plate in the sink. I turned back to look at them again, smiled, and walked into the living room with Carlisle.

Edward's POV:

When we finished playing our game of Monster Food, we started fantasizing about being in the same class and what pranks we could pull on Jessica Stanley. Jessica Stanley was the annoying popular girl who always flirted with me and bullied Bella. Everyone - except me and Bella's family - treated her like some sort of goddess.

It was quite obvious why Bella's family didn't like her; she was always mean to Bell. But no one really understood why my family didn't like her. She never did anything wrong to anyone in my family, and she was all-too-nice to me. But the answer was simple: She was much too full of herself for my siblings, and Bella was my goddess. I loved Bella, not Jessica.

I saw mom staring at me sometimes, and I wondered what she saw in my eyes. I think my feelings were given away in my eyes, because my mom kept staring at dad and then smiling. At one point they whispered something to each other. I shook it off, and continued Bella and I's conversation on irritating names.

(To anyone who has any of these names, I'm sure you're lovely people. I just don't really like these names. Do not take this personally.)

"Gertrude." Bella shuddered.