11. Dealing with Dad

BPOV

"Okay, I hate to break this party up, but Charlie is going to be home soon, and it would be best if Bella is already there when he arrives," Alice announced.

"Yeah, at least I already prepared dinner. I just need to pop it in the oven so it can get started heating. Alice, do you think you could come over and help me talk to Charlie? Apparently, he will really like you a lot. He's a sucker for your charm," I suggested. Everybody chuckled.

"Who wouldn't like the pixie?" Emmett asked.

"I think Charlie would be a lot more comfortable if I introduce him to my new best friend before I introduce my boyfriend. Sorry, Edward. I'll talk you up for the rest of the week, and then you can officially meet him on Friday. How does that sound? Then it won't be such a shock for him when we start dating."

He nodded understandingly, flashing his crooked smile. "I'll be up to your room later, after he falls asleep."

I grinned. "Looking forward to it."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Come on, lover girl. The clock is ticking. Let's go!"

Edward gave me a brief goodbye kiss, pulling back as Emmett began hooting. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Just wait, Emmett. I'm keeping track, and when the time comes, payback will be hell."

He laughed. "Bring it on, little sister."

I glared menacingly and he pretended to cower. "Oh, yeah, I'm quaking in my boots now. Rosie, save me from the big, bad human! She might cry on me or something."

"Whatever!" I growled, stomping out the door. Unfortunately, for my dramatic exit, I tripped over the threshold and would have fallen down the porch stairs if Edward hadn't caught me. I heard Emmett howling with laughter. I sighed and felt Edward trying to suppress a chuckle. Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me along to the car. I did my best to ignore her speed on the way to my house. I knew it wouldn't do any good to protest, since Alice was a rather unstoppable force, so I was determined to learn to live with it. She chattered happily about all the clothes she wanted to buy for me, and I quickly tuned her out to think about what I should say to Charlie.

At home, I put the pasta dish in the oven, along with some garlic bread. I pulled out one of the bag salads and poured the contents into a suitable salad bowl. Alice helped me set the table. I smiled to myself when I saw her folding the napkins into various elegant shapes.

"Oooh, can you make a swan?" I asked, knowing it was a popular origami figure.

"Of course," Alice replied, as if it should have been obvious to me. "Oh, Bella! That's a great idea!

Charlie will love it." With a few deft flicks of her fingers, faster than my eyes could even process, she had folded some paper towels into an elegant centerpiece.

Just then, I heard Charlie come in the door. He walked over to the coat rack, where he usually hung his jacket and gun belt.

"Bella?" he called.

"In here, Dad," I called back. I heard his heavy footsteps as he made his way to the kitchen. He smiled when he saw me.

"Something smells good. I see we have a visitor," he commented pleasantly.

"Um, yeah, Dad. The pasta is coming out of the oven soon, and this is Alice Cullen, my new best friend. She offered to help me set the table while I made dinner."

"It's very nice to meet you, Alice. Your father is a wonderful man. Our town is very lucky to have a surgeon with his skills working here. Wow, look at the napkins!" he replied warmly.

"Thank you, Chief Swan. I'll pass on your regards. Do you like the centerpiece? I made it for you. A swan for the Swans," Alice twinkled charmingly.

Charlie actually blushed. Well, at least I knew I came by it naturally.

"Call me Charlie. It's a beautiful swan, Alice. You're very talented."

"Thanks!" she squealed enthusiastically, flashing a wide smile at him, dazzling him speechless. I guess

I came by that honestly too, considering the Cullens, some of them at least, had the same effect on me.

"By the way, Dad, I just wanted to warn you about something, in case you heard any strange rumors," I began, embarrassed. He concentrated on me intently. "There were several guys at school who were invading my space and making me uncomfortable, so Alice's brother stepped up and told them I was his girlfriend. I was so thankful, because it was the only thing that made them back off and leave me alone. Alice was there with me, because we had already started becoming friends, and Edward was just trying to help. He apologized and said it was the first thing that popped into his head that would make them stop fighting over me. I thanked him and thought nothing of it, but I realized later the incident had been blown out of proportion by the gossip mongers, and most of the school had us engaged to be married. I even had somebody ask me if I was pregnant, which was rather embarrassing, considering I've never even had a boyfriend before. I told her I was still a virgin, but I wouldn't be surprised if by tomorrow a few people have decided I've managed an immaculate conception. I knew rumors could get out of hand, especially in a small town, and everyone was talking about me before I even arrived, but still, this is crazy. I just wanted you to know if somebody tells you tomorrow that I'm eloping with Edward Cullen to have his love child that you really have nothing to worry about. I'm just about as likely to be abducted by aliens," I assured him, rolling my eyes.

Alice chuckled. "I wouldn't rule out the aliens just yet. I've heard of stranger things around here."

Charlie's lips twitched, but he asked sternly, "Edward Cullen? Which one is he?"

"He's the youngest one, in the same grade as me. In fact, we have the same biology class," I explained.

"Ah, the youngest one," Charlie muttered, lost in thought. He smiled. "Well, that's okay then."

I wondered what that was about, but shrugged it off as unimportant. I had Charlie's approval, which was all I needed to proceed. I pulled the pasta and bread out of the oven and placed them on the table with the salad.

"I'd better get on home now," Alice stated, hugging me goodbye.

"Alice, you're welcome to stay and join us for dinner," Charlie offered sincerely. "It smells delicious!"

I smiled as I saw Alice give a tiny shudder of distaste before she turned to give Charlie a grin.

"Sorry, Charlie, maybe next time. My mom is expecting me to have dinner with the family tonight," she lied cheerfully.

"I'll save you a taste, if you'd like," I joked as I walked her to the door.

She grimaced and stuck her tongue out at me. "I'll look forward to it, Bella. Hey, how'd you like to catch a ride to school with me tomorrow? It's better for the environment if we carpool."

"Sure, I'd love it!" I agreed enthusiastically. "See you tomorrow."

I closed the door behind her and joined Charlie at the dinner table. We served ourselves and took a few bites, before he began his interrogation.

"This is really great, Bells. You're a good cook. So how was your first day of school today?"

"Well, it was both good and bad. I met Alice, and she and I hit it off right away. She invited me to sit with her family at lunch, and her brothers and sisters were all really nice to me. It was so wonderful to be able to relax and fit in comfortably with a group. It was like I really got five new friends for the price of one," I chuckled. "Another girl in one of my classes seemed really nice. She's as shy as I am though, so we didn't say much to each other, but I just had a feeling we'd get along well together. Her name is Angela. I certainly didn't enjoy being the center of attention all day today. I had to endure so many stares and whispers. If it wasn't for Alice, I don't think I would have made it. Some of the girls were downright rude and nasty to me, but she stood up for me. I didn't really like the way any of the boys behaved around me, except for Alice's brothers. They were all perfect gentlemen. They didn't really talk much, but when they did, they were always polite. Alice's sister Rose was really nice too. The two of them invited me to go shopping with them after school tomorrow. I told them I'd check with you first."

"Who's driving?"

"Um, Alice I believe. Why?"

"Well, that's okay then. I'm not sure I want you in a car with Rosalie behind the wheel."

"Why not?"

"Well, let's just say she's been known to exceed the speed limit on occasion."

"Okay, Dad, whatever you say. I'm just glad to have some friends to spend time with now."

He smiled. "Yes, that's really great, honey. Dr. Cullen and his wife are very nice people. I was concerned when they first moved here that we'd have a lot of trouble with so many adopted teenagers in one family and with the parents being so young, but those kids are much better behaved than a lot of the teens whose families have grown up here for generations. By the way, honey, which boys were giving you trouble?"

"Well, there were a few that just seemed a little creepy. Um, I know one was named Mike, and one was Taylor or something like that. I didn't really catch their names."

"That was probably Mike and Tyler. You should probably stay away from those boys. What about Edward? The one who claimed he was your boyfriend."

I blushed. "Dad! He just said that to get the others to leave me alone. I do like him though. He seemed really nice, but he's rather reserved and shy. He doesn't talk to very many people, and he seems uncomfortable around a lot of the girls. He only really seems to relax around his family. I don't know what he thinks of me, other than that I'm friends with his sisters." I thought I was doing a fairly good job of selling Edward, at least as far as I ought to know him from our first day of school. I was deliberately painting an image I thought an overprotective father would appreciate.

Charlie nodded his head knowingly when I mentioned Edward's discomfort with the girls at school. I wondered what he was thinking about.

"Anyway, Alice is so outgoing, she brings us all out of our shells. I felt like a turtle poking my head out for the first time," I joked playfully. "I don't even have to say a word. She can carry on an entire conversation all by herself. Personally, I love it. I don't have to worry about any of those awkward silences when I'm with her."

Charlie chuckled. "Maybe that's why all the boys in her family are so quiet. They can't get a word in edgewise."

I laughed. "Don't let her hear you say that. I have a feeling she can be quite a force of nature once she gets riled, kind of like the Tasmanian Devil. A whirling vortex of destruction. I definitely don't want to get on her bad side."

Charlie laughed out loud. I could tell he had a hard time imagining that petite young girl being strong enough to destroy anything, but I knew better. That girl had her entire family quaking in their shoes, their really expensive designer shoes that she bought for them and forced them to wear.

We finished up dinner in harmony with one another, and Charlie went into the living room to watch TV. I put away the leftovers and washed the dishes. Once the kitchen had been restored to order, I grabbed my backpack and headed up to my room to work on my homework.

After my homework was done, I got ready for bed. I went downstairs and gave Charlie a hug and a kiss goodnight.

"You off to bed now, Bells?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty beat. Today was somewhat emotional for me, so I'm feeling kind of drained. I'll see you in the morning."

"Sure thing, sweetheart," he yawned, shutting off the television. "I think I'll head up myself.

Yes! That means Edward will be here soon! I hurried up to bed and jumped under the covers, listening impatiently to the sounds of my father preparing for bed. After what felt like an eternity, finally all was quiet. I watched the window, waiting for my angel to appear. Even though I was watching, I still missed his actual entrance. One second I was alone, and the next second he was standing there smiling at me. I held out my arms, and he flew over to the bed to wrap me in his embrace. I lay up against him, relaxing as I felt safe and secure.

Before I drifted off, I mumbled, "You know, if you want to get me a gift, you could start with an electric blanket." I felt him chuckle underneath me as I lost the battle for consciousness.

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You guys are seriously not livin up to my expectations..... Im only uploading this chap cuz im out of Wifi range for 3 days... :( Please make me feel like i SHOULD write this story... If you don't like then i wont write and break my fingers for you guys... Please? I love writing this and i wanna feel that people enjoy reading it....

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