I just saw the Free Hugs Campain Video, which inpired this. If you haven't seen it.. go watch it. Well after you read this.
"Alice! This is the dumbest idea ever," I told her honestly. We were on the way to the mall where I was most likely going to die from embarrassment and or humiliation.
"Yeah Alice this is a little weird" Rose agreed.
"Guys stop being so pessimistic! This could be so much fun. You saw that video and you said you would want to try it!" Alice argued.
"Well, I meant it in the kind of way where you imagine doing something, but would never actually do it." I said tersely.
"Well too bad, we already made the signs, we are going." she said that stubborn look on her face.
"Ugh all right." Alice had seen the Free Hugs Campaign video two weeks ago, and she hadn't stopped talking about it since. The video was of this guy holding a "Free Hugs" sign in a public place, and him getting all these strangers a hug and bring people together while inspirational music played in the background. It was very cool but the thought of actually doing it myself was terrifying.
Alice had made the signs last night and now we were in the mall parking lot getting ready to make fools of ourselves. "This is going to end badly" I said still in my bad mood.
"Someone is going to grope me I already know" Rosalie said in her smart ass voice.
"Guys just shut up! We are going to brighten someone's day goddamn it!" Alice usually patient manner had blown to bits when we wouldn't stop complaining. There was a silence. Alice can be scary when she wanted to be.
"Well let's do this then!" Rose was suddenly on board. With that we walked off into the mall, me purposefully lagging behind plotting my escape that is until Alice grabbed my hand and forcibly dragged me through the entrance.
"Now what?" asked Rose
"Let's go to the Main Court and put some music on" Alice had brought a stereo to attract huggers. Once we got there she put it on and thrust a sign in each of our hands and yelled "FREE HUGS!"
We got many strange looks.
"Come on guys! FREE HUGS!"
Rose was next to join the crazy party. "FREE HUGS!" she yelled. I rolled my eyes at my foolish friends but eventually joined them. After about an hour I was shocked to see I was enjoying myself. Our first hugger was a 7 year old boy who's mom was quickly dragging him through the mall, obviously in a hurry. He stopped suddenly staring at us. He ran at Alice jumping into her wide open arms. His mom freaked out a bit but smiled at her sons antics.
"Thank you hug –lady!" he said enthusiastically with the cutest smile on his face. After that more and more people started taking us up on our offer. It was all kinds of people to ranging in age, gender and race. People of all kinds were stopping for a hug, and leaving with a smile. I think we really did brighten someone's day.
After a while I noticed the most beautiful guy with tousled bronze hair and piercing, even at this distance, green eyes eating in the food court. Like many of t he other people in the mall he was staring at us, probably questioning our sanity. Our eyes locked for the slightest moment, I, of course, blushed and looked away. He was sitting with two other gorgeous guys, but in my eyes they didn't really compare.
"Don't look now but there are three hot guys at 2 o'clock" I whispered, using spy code for subtlety. My not so subtle friends immediately snapped their heads up looking for them.
"Oh my god, that muscle-y one is fine" said Rose with so much class.
"The blond is dreamy" Alice said slightly dazed.
"Stop staring!" I whispered harshly. They smiled and started making their way over to us.
"Ok act cool" Rose said under her breath.
"Don't I always?" I asked sarcastically.
"No." they said in unison.
"Well I'm feeling' the love…"
The burly guy suddenly started running, with a huge smile aimed at Rose. She smiled too and unexpectedly started running at him. His smile got even bigger.
"What is happening?" I asked questioning everyone's sanity.
They finally meet in the middle and he swung her around in his massive arms. You would have thought they had known each other for ever and after years of separation were united. He let out a boisterous laugh grinning from ear to ear. He put her down and introduced himself.
"I'm Emmet" he said holding out his had.
"Please, we are so past the hand shaking phase" Rosalie said with an eye roll jumping into his arms again. With a care free laugh, she said "I'm Rose."
"Well it is a pleasure to meet you". He grinned again. Alice was then distracted, the blond was striding toward her and with a brilliant smile.
And with a slight southern drawl he extended his hand to Alice and said "Hi, I'm Jasper and if you wouldn't mind I would like a hug from the most beautiful woman in the room." Ignoring his extended hand, she jumped at him wrapping her legs around his waist. There was shock on his face but is quickly morphed to amusement and happiness.
"I'm Alice and you just earned hugs for at least the rest of the day" she said smiling still in his arms.
"Is that so?.." Jasper asked, but I wasn't listening any more because the most beautiful man I have seen was looking at me with the most breathtaking smile. He looked down at his feet slightly embarrassed that I had caught him staring. Taking up random courage that I wasn't aware I had, I ran at him planning to jump into his arms. His face brightened and opened his arms to me. He caught me but I had knocked him off balance, he lost his footing and we fell into the fountain that was behind him.
We sat in the fountain, looking ridiculous and soaking wet. There was a pause, and then we looked at each other and at the same moment broke out in hysterical laughter. A while later once we had calmed down a bit. I stuck my hand out to him grinning "I'm Bella."
With biggest smile he took my hand shaking it and he said, "I'm Edward."