Phosphorescence

The story of a boy, a girl, and a pair of flip-flops. AH, fluff.

Once upon a time there lived a boy and a girl. The boy was the most beautiful creature to ever set foot on Earth, and the girl often wondered what she had done to deserve such a perfect creation. Others wondered this as well. They wished that they had the boy—the girl was the most envied person in all the land. The boy was, of course, completely oblivious to this. He only had eyes for her.

The boy's name was Edward, the girl's Bella. They had been together for longer than anyone could remember, and friends before that. They were comfortable with each other, and each day their love grew so much that Edward's brother, Jasper, once commented that he could barely stand to be in the same room as them because of the love pouring off them.

It was the summer after their graduation from high school and the mark of five long years together. Edward wanted to do something for Bella, but she was insistent that they not make a big deal of it.

Enter Alice.

Bella's peppy cheerleader of a little sister, she loved fashion, parties, and annoying Bella.

And that was why Edward and Bella were sitting at a picnic table, watching as everyone lived it up on the beach. Crashing waves, loud music from someone's car stereo, and a crackling bonfire that Emmett seemed to be doing a worship dance around, it was not Bella's scene at all, and while Edward might have joined in five years ago... this was now. He had Bella.

"Want to get away from here?" Edward murmured in her ear. She nodded and they stood up together, joining hands and walking down the beach.

Bella stared out into the ocean and listened to the fading music. Soon, they could barely hear it. Bella sighed happily and stepped on a particularly sharp rock. "Ow!"

"What'd you do?"

"Stepped on a rock."

"Why don't you have shoes?"

Bella shrugged. "I must have left them back at the party."

"I'll go get them," Edward told her, then ran off. Bella sat down in the sand to wait.

Edward located the navy blue flip flops quite easily and was back in no time. Bella got up before realizing that Edward wasn't holding anything. She furrowed her brow. "You didn't bring my shoes?"

Edward grinned mischievously. "Oh, I brought them all right."

"But... where are they, then?"

"Guess."

Bella looked Edward over, then walked around him. She lifted up his right arm, then his left, and he held them out while she patted him down, a huge grin on his face the entire time. She stood back, perplexed.

"Given up yet?"

"Yeah." Bella sighed.

Edward sat down with his legs stretched out in front of him and patted the sand next to him. Bella sat too. "Do you see them now?" he asked, wriggling his toes.

Bella's eyes were attracted to the movement, and she began to laugh. "You're not wearing your sneakers!"

"Nope," Edward agreed.

"Your feet look ridiculous in my flip-flops," she told him. He tilted his head and studied his feet, hard to see in the dark.

"They do not," he protested.

"Yes, they do! Your feet are huge compared to mine, and you try and wear my shoes? Of course it looks ridiculous!"

Edward reached down and plucked the flip-flops off his feet, handing them to Bella, who put them on. Edward watched her with interest, putting an arm over her shoulders and letting her lean into him when she was finished. They stared into the waves for a minute before Bella picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could, right into the ocean. Sparkles spread across the water, and she smiled.

"Phosphorescence," she mumbled. Edward nodded and they were quiet another moment before Edward spoke.

"You know, you were right."

"About what?"

"Everything. I always thought we wouldn't last, that we were better off friends—but you showed me that where there's a will, there's a way."

"I can't believe it's been five years," Bella mused.

"Me neither."

"And Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"I kind of like it when you wear my shoes."

Edward laughed. "Ah, but you were right about that, too. Your feet look much better in those flip-flops."

Bella laughed along with him. "Want to go look at the tide pools?" she asked when their laughter had dissipated.

"Isn't it kind of dark?"

"No."

Edward chuckled again and got to his feet, holding out a hand to Bella. "Anything for my Bella."

Bella grinned and took his hand. "I love you too, Edward."

And so the boy and the girl lived happily ever after, just as everyone had always known they would.

Just some random fluff, because I can. Hope you enjoyed! Please review. :D