The Game

You sit across from me, biting your bottom lip just a little in concentration, totally unaware of the havoc you're wrecking on me.

We're all sitting in loosely formed circle around a spread out deck of cards and a soon to pop can of now warm beer. We've been pre gaming for an hour, and as soon as this game is over, we'll head to the bar. You've just pulled the King of Clubs and seem to have a tough time figuring out what you'd like your rule to be. It's not as if we all don't already know what your rule is going to be - you always pick the same rule. This is confirmed when you suddenly release your lip and smile.

"Everyone has to talk in a British accent," you say as you nod your head as if cementing the rule.

Next to you, Emmett groans. "Really, Bell? You couldn't pick something, anything else? Hell, I'd even be satisfied with saying 'in your butt' after every sentence."

Rose scoffs at Emmett's comment. "That's the lamest one."

"But the funniest!" Emmett throws back.

Sighing and shaking her head, Rose ignores him.

"No, Emmett," you say with an eyebrow raised, already attempting to speak in a rather horrible British accent. "This is my rule and you all shall comply or drink!" You pound your fist on the table in mock anger.

Jasper, deciding to just go with your rule, picks up his card next, pulling a six. "Ha ha, you bloody wankers. Girls, time to drink up."

Next to him, Alice rolls her eyes and levels a steely gaze at Jasper. "I really don't appreciate the 'bloody wanker' part of that statement. So unnecessary, Jazz." She takes a sip of her mixed fruity drink, never one for beer. "It's my turn and I bet you a swig that I pull out a five, Jazzy."

Jasper accepts her bet and, of course, loses.

"Every damn time, man. You lose every time," I groan. "Will you never learn?"

Jasper swiftly flicks me the bird and rolls his hand while gulping down his beer, as if to remind me to pull a card. Before pulling my card, I look across at you as you sit cross legged and sway slightly with a drunk smile on your face. You can never hold your alcohol.

Pulling my card and looking at it, I widen my eyes a little. Rose, always the nosiest of the group, leans over trying to see the card.

I thwart her attempt by pulling it to my chest, but then seeing her glare, lay the card face up on the table.

"A Queen!" You all but squeal and clap your hands excitedly.

Pulling a Queen in this game is equivalent to that nightmare where you go to class and forget to put on pants. It's not enjoyable for the person in the hot seat. And this time, it's me. Taking a deep breath and accepting my fate, I look to Rose to begin the questioning.

"Go ahead and start us off, Rose. Let's just get this torture over with." I wince slightly as Rose is never known to be easy on me. Well, she's never been known to be easy on anyone, really.

Squinting her eyes like she's trying to think up something especially mortifying, she surprises me by going a little easier than usual.

"Why did you truly break up with Kate last spring?" While Emmett and Jasper had questioned me about why I'd let "a babe like that go," especially when they knew full well that she loved sucking me off, I gave them the truth.

Kate and I had "dated" for barely two months. We met at a party and things became physical, quickly. I told her from the get go that I wasn't looking for a relationship, but in the second month, she told me that she didn't just want to be fuck buddies anymore. She wanted more. Obviously, I ended it as I did not feel the same, and honestly had feelings for someone else.

"Well, uh…" I stall slightly and take a gulp of beer. "I just didn't like her like she liked me. No point in leading her on."

Rose narrows her eyes, knowing there's more, but not able to ask any follow up questions. I sigh and look to Emmett, knowing that his question is most likely going to be something crude or weird. Scratching his chin like he's trying to mull something over, he mumbles something and then perks up and throws his pointer finger in the air.

"Would you ever spank a girl during sex if she asked?"

Everyone in sync seems to turn their head to him, flabbergasted. Rose covers her eyes and actually seems to blush, while Jasper tilts his head to the side, like he's considering the answer himself. Alice is darting her eyes between Rose and Em, and you seem to be interested in how I'll answer.

"If she wanted me to… I guess I would."

Emmett seems pleased by this answer and Jasper nods his head. Rose is still blushing and staring at the carpet, while Alice and you seem to be mulling over my answer.

Next it's your question, and I'm dying to know what your going to ask. Will it be something easy, because you always feel bad asking people tough or awkward questions? Or now that you're drunk, will you be bold and ask me something you truly want an answer to?

Circling your pointer finger around the top of your bottle, you gaze down and then glance up at me, like you're debating. Taking a deep breath, you come to a conclusion as you look at me square in the eyes.

Emmett, never one to be patient, eggs you on. "Today, Bellybutton."

You pull your gaze from me and glare at him, hating the nickname he bestowed on you freshman year. "I'm getting there, Emily," you counter with, dragging out the name you call him when he pisses you off.

"Okay, Edward," you start and I steel myself. "Did you take Henrietta?"

My eyes pop open, as do Emmett's and Jasper's. Shit. This was not good. The blue goose, affectionately named Henrietta, was a long standing joke from Sophomore year. One night, we were all walking back to our respective apartments after a night of drinking at a house party. Stumbling along, you saw the blue goose statue in a neighboring yard and convinced Emmett that it was the prettiest goose you'd ever seen. Emmett, being the shithead that he is, bet you that you wouldn't take the goose. Never one to back down from a bet, you stole the goose and ran like a bat out of hell, convinced that the owners saw you and were coming after you to take back what you'd by then dubbed Henrietta.

Since then, the three of us guys would try to steal it from the place of honor on the mantle above the fireplace in the apartment you shared with Rose and Alice. Every once in a while, we'd succeed, but it only ended in you guys somehow finding Henrietta and bringing her back home.

This time, though, we were stealth. It's been two weeks and you three girls still have yet to find her. And you had been seething over the thought that Henrietta might not be home safe when break came in two days.

Knowing that our reign had come to an end, I bowed my head to my chest and nodded.

"You big jerk!" You jumped up and demanded to know where she was being hid.

"Ah, ah ahhhh," Emmett shook his finger. "Your turn is over Bellybutton. And you have to find her first to get her back."

Jasper was the first to see the anger boiling behind your eyes and moved back ever so slightly. Normally, you held your temper well, but God help the man who stood in your way when you were drunk and pissed.

Clearly, Emmett had no idea what he'd just done and was about to get a verbal slap when Alice jumped in front of you and said something that seemed to calm you down - slightly. Sending deadly glares to Emmett, Jasper and I, you slid back down to the ground.

Sensing the tension and desperate to get off the subject of Henrietta, Jasper got everyone's attention.

"Alright, Eddie boy, it's my turn now," Jasper announced rubbing your hands together, almost evilly. "Kill one, marry one, fuck one with Rose, Alice and Bella."

I think at that moment I almost shit my pants, completely forgetting to reprimand Jasper for calling me Eddie. Jasper was a fuck.

"Pass."

"What!" Emmett exclaimed. "You can't pass on that one!"

"Well, I just did," I said before gulping my beer as the punishment for skipping the question. As per the rules, I can skip any one question, but have to drink for it.

"Damn it, Eddie, that would have been good!" Emmett continued to whine.

"Emmett, stop calling me Eddie," I growled. Finishing my beer, I crunched my can and tossed it at his head.

"Eww! Edward you got beer on me!" Rose yelled as few drops of the beer that were stuck in the can landed on her.

"Blame Emmett," I said, not bothering to apologize.

Alice decides enough is enough and calls everyone to order. After all, she has the last question for this hot seat round and I'm sure is determined to cause me embarrassment as I've already skipped a question.

"Edward, Edward, Edward. What to ask, what to ask," Alice taunts.

"Come on, Shorty, just get it over with already," I mumble.

Not appreciating my tone, she seems to decide to go straight for the jugular. "Okay, Edward. For how long have you had a crush on Bella?"

Well, fuck.

"Um, what?" I cough/wheeze.

You're staring intently at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted.

"How long have you had a crush on Bella?" Alice states again, as if I really needed her to repeat it.

Jasper grabs Alice's arm and drags her out of the room, while Rose does the same to Emmett.

"But wait, Rose! I wanna see this!" Emmett protests. Rose slaps his arm and continues to drag him into her room.

I'm staring at the ground, pretending Alice never asked that question.

"Edward?" you whisper. "Is it… do you…" you trail off, not seeming to be able to finish your sentence.

Deciding that I should just be honest, I drag my eyes up to meet yours, only to see that you're directly in front of me, with an almost hopeful look in your eyes.

"Bella, I've had a crush on you since the first day I saw you - when you were dancing and singing along to that song in your room. But it's more than a crush now, Bella, and I think at this point, it's only fair that you know that. I've liked you from the moment you confessed your aversion to the song 'Lollipop' because your high school prom date sang it in your ear. I've liked you since you bet Emmett that you could climb the tree higher and handed him his ass. I've liked you since the day that it rained and you went outside with your rain boots and jumped in all the puddles. Bella, this is more than a crush for me."

You listen to me intently throughout my speech and slowly inch forward, closing the gap between us.

"Really?"

"Yes, Bella. Really."

"Well then Edward," you pause, torturing me and leaving me sure you're going to reject me. "I think it's only fair to tell you that I like you, too." You're shy as you say this, glancing down and then up at me, again.

I look between your eyes, making sure that I'm hearing what you're saying. You nod, as if knowing I need the confirmation. "I've liked you for a long time, Edward."

Whooshing out a breath in relief, I grab you and hug you. We sit there for a while, just hugging and quietly talking until I hear a creak.

Looking behind Bella, I see Emmett pop out from the hallway. "So does this mean you guys are going to, like, get it on already?"

Rose smacks the back of Emmett's head as she comes around from behind him. "Leave them alone, you big lug. We can squeeze all the dirty details out of them tomorrow. For now, it's time to get this party on the road."

Standing up, I put my hand out for Bella. "Well, pretty girl, are you ready?"

Grasping my hand and allowing me to pull her up, Bella looks into my eyes. "You bet. Lead on."

Walking out the door to walk down the street to the bar, I know that while we're leaving one chapter behind, we're starting on another, even better chapter.

Just reliving my college years. *sigh*

As always, reviews are welcomed and very much appreciated! :)