Bella...and Charlie?

You didn't want to disappoint Charlie, but you know that Bella needs your support right now. So you chill out in your room, taking a look at some job offers on LinkedIn. Eventually, you get out of your room to see Bella watching TV on the couch.

"Hey," you say, taking a seat next to her. "How was your day?"

Bella shrugs. "Same old, same old. I went to a meeting this afternoon, but it wasn't very helpful. I don't know if anything will be."

You put your arm around her. "Don't say that. You're doing the right thing by going to these meetings. It takes time to see progress, but you'll get there."

Bella leans her head on your shoulder. "Thanks. I appreciate you being here for me."

You smile. "Of course. That's what family is for."

Bella looks up at you. "You know, maybe we should do something tonight. Something to take our minds off things."

"Like what?"

Bella thinks for a moment. "How about dinner? I could cook something."

You hesitate. "I don't know, Bella. I don't think I'm in the mood for cooking."

"I'll do it," Bella insists. "It'll be good for me to keep busy. And who knows, maybe it'll turn out to be delicious."

You can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Okay, fine. But what about Charlotte?"

Bella looks confused. "Charlotte?"

"Yeah, the woman I was supposed to meet tonight. I texted her to cancel."

Bella's eyes widen. "You were going to meet a woman tonight?"

You nod. "Yeah, her name is Charlotte. She's a regular at the coffee shop where I work. We were going to grab dinner, but then I thought you need me."

Bella's face falls. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in the way of your plans."

You put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. I want to be here for you. But if you don't mind, I could send Charlie a message and invite her over for dinner here. That way, we can all hang out together."

Bella looks at you skeptically. "You want to invite a woman you barely know over to our house for dinner?"

You nod. "Why not? It could be fun. And who knows, maybe you'll like Charlie."

Bella thinks for a moment, then nods. "Charlie? Looks like you two aren't strangers at all! Okay, I'll do it. But you have to help me cook."

You grin. "Deal." You pull out your phone and send a message to Charlotte, explaining the revised plan and sending her your address.

As Bella and you start preparing for dinner, you can't help but feel a little nervous about how this will all turn out. But as you work side by side with Bella in the kitchen, you feel a sense of calm wash over you. Maybe this is exactly what you both need right now - a night of good food and good company to help distract from the troubles of the world.

After the initial awkwardness of the situation, the night began to feel a bit more comfortable. Bella and Charlie talked about their favorite books, TV shows, and movies, and the three of you shared a lot of laughs over dinner. Bella's cooking was excellent, and she kept bringing out more and more dishes, making sure that everyone was well-fed and happy.

As the night went on, Charlie seemed to relax more around Bella and you, and you started to feel less tense as well. There was still some lingering awkwardness in the air, though, as you couldn't help but feel torn between your attraction to both women.

At one point, Charlie excused herself to use the restroom, and you found yourself alone with Bella in the kitchen. She was washing dishes, humming a tune to herself.

"Thank you for tonight," you said, breaking the silence.

Bella turned to you, smiling. "Of course. I'm glad you're here. It's nice to have someone to cook for again."

You felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry to make you do all this, Bella."

"It's okay," Bella said, waving a hand dismissively. "I was the one who wanted to cook anyway. Charlie is great though."

You nodded, feeling relieved. "Yeah, she is, but we're just friends."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Just friends?"

You stumbled over your words. "I mean, we're not dating or anything. We just met a few weeks ago."

Bella laughed. "Okay, okay. I get it."

You felt yourself blushing and turned back to the table, grabbing a dish to help Bella wash. Charlie came back into the room, breaking the awkward moment.

After dinner, you all moved to the living room to watch a movie. Charlie picked out an old romantic comedy, and the three of you settled in on the couch. Bella snuggled up under a blanket, and you found yourself feeling jealous of Charlie as she leaned against Bella's shoulder.

Halfway through the movie, Bella got up to go to the kitchen. Charlie turned to you, a sly smile on her face.

"So, you and Bella, huh?" she teased.

You felt your face go red. "She's my stepsister..." You roll your eyes a little.

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Sure, Alex. Whatever you say."

You felt a mix of frustration and confusion. Did Charlie know something you didn't? Or was she just messing with you?

Bella came back into the room, interrupting your thoughts. She settled back down on the couch, and the three of you finished the movie without incident.

As the night wore on, Charlie yawned and announced that she should be getting back to her own place. Bella got up to show her out, and you followed them to the door.

"Thanks again for having me over," Charlie said, smiling. "And it was really nice to meet you, Bella."

"You too," Bella replied. "Thanks for coming."

As Charlie stepped out onto the porch, you found yourself wanting to say something to her. To thank her for being such a good person and for accepting this impromptu dinner.

But before you could say anything, Charlie leaned in and gave you a quick peck on the cheek.

"See you soon, Alex," she whispered, before walking down the driveway.

Bella came back inside, breaking your thoughts. She looked at you, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Well, that was interesting," she said.

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak.

As Charlie left, you felt a pang of guilt and confusion. You didn't know where things stood between the two of you now, and the thought of hurting her made your heart ache. You were grateful when Bella came up beside you, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.

You gave her a small smile, grateful for her presence. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just a little awkward, you know?"

Bella nodded in understanding. "I can imagine. Do you want to talk about it?"

You shook your head, not wanting to burden her with your complicated feelings. "No, it's okay. Let's just...let's just focus on us tonight, okay?"

Bella smiled, and the two of you headed back into the house. As you walked through the living room, you noticed that Bella had lit some candles, casting a warm and cozy glow over the room.

"I thought we could watch another movie or something," she said, gesturing to the couch. "I can make some popcorn if you want."

You nodded, feeling grateful for the distraction. As Bella went to the kitchen, you settled onto the couch, looking through her collection of DVDs. You settled on an old romantic comedy, hoping it would be a lighthearted distraction from the complicated emotions swirling around inside of you.

As the movie played, Bella settled onto the couch beside you, her body warm and comforting against yours. You found yourself leaning into her, grateful for her presence and the stability it provided.

Halfway through the movie, you turn to face Bella, her eyes soft and kind. "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded, curious.

"Do you...do you think I'm helping?"

She furrowed her brow, not quite sure what you meant.

"With your addiction," you clarified. "Do you think that you staying sober has anything to do with me spending more time with you?"

She thought about it for a moment, considering her question carefully. "I think you're the one helping me do the hard work, Alex. You're the one helping me make the right decision every day to stay sober. On my own...well we know how things go."

"I'm here for you, whenever you need me."

Bella smiled, leaning in to give you a soft, gentle kiss. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

As Bella leaned in to give you a soft kiss, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions inside. On one hand, you were grateful for her support and affection, but on the other hand, you couldn't shake the feelings you had for Charlie.

You and Bella gaze into each other's eyes for a moment, both feeling the pull of attraction between you. "I know this is wrong," you say softly, "but I can't help the way I feel."

Bella nods, her hand still resting on your cheek. "I feel it too," she admits. "But we can't act on it. Not when you have feelings for Charlie."

You let out a sigh. "I know. It's just...complicated. I don't know what to do."

"We'll figure it out," Bella says, giving you a reassuring smile. "For now, let's just focus on being there for each other, okay?"

You nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. It was good to have someone to talk to about your conflicting emotions. And Bella was right - you needed to figure things out before acting on any feelings.

For the rest of the night, you and Bella watch a movie together and chat about your lives. You can't help but feel drawn to her, even though you know it's not right. But for now, you push those thoughts aside and just enjoy her company.

As the two of you sat there in comfortable silence, you couldn't help but think about how much Bella meant to you. Growing up with her as your stepsister had allowed you to see firsthand how kind, compassionate, and intelligent she was. You cherished the memories of the two of you playing together as teenagers, and the way she always had your back.

But as much as you loved Bella, you felt your heart should belong to Charlie. You knew it wouldn't be easy, but you had to figure out a way to pursue your feelings for her while also maintaining your relationship with Bella.

"I appreciate your support, Bella," you said, finally breaking the silence. "It means everything to me. And I want you to know that I'm here for you too. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Bella's smile returned, and she leaned in to give you another kiss on the cheek. "I know, Alex. And the feeling is mutual."

As the night wore on, you and Bella talked more about your feelings for each other, and how to navigate the complicated situation with Charlie. Eventually, the conversation turned to more lighthearted topics, and you found yourself laughing and joking with Bella like old times.

When it came time to sleep, you both hesitated for a moment before deciding to sleep in separate rooms. You knew it was for the best, but a part of you couldn't help but feel disappointed.

As you lay in bed, your thoughts drifted back to Charlie. You couldn't shake the feeling that she was the one you were meant to be with, no matter how complicated things got. But for now, all you could do was take things one step at a time and hope for the best. And then there was Avery as well. What to do about her...