Note: The title of this story may change at some point. I couldn't really think of a good one at the moment.
This is for Tasha who wanted to see a more playful and relaxed Edward and Bella. Here you go. Love yous!
I own nothing. All credit goes to Stephenie Meyer.
I don't really like Jacob and that might be evident in this story. Sorry in advance.
(Bella)
Oh my god. I can't believe I'm doing this. Why am I doing this again?
"Bella, this is the kind of thing teenagers do. Now you haven't been out of the house in weeks. We are GOING to have FUN tonight. Do you hear me?" I could swear sometimes that Angela can read my mind but I'm sure she was just reacting to the stiffness of my body and the unease written clearly on my face.
She was right. It had been weeks since Jake and I broke up and I hadn't really seen my friends that whole time. Partly it was because I was sad. Partly because I was feeling guilty that I wasn't more sad. See, I love Jake, I do. But I'm not in love with him. Honestly, I never was. I only really gave it a shot because he and I had been friends for so long and our families were so close. I was interested in him. I did want to see where things would go. But it never really clicked for me and by the time I realized how deeply it had clicked for him, it was too late. There was no way around hurting him.
I'm a person who feels guilty about the stupidest things. I have this complex where I want to save everyone I know and love from pain and if I can't save them then I automatically think of ways to make it my fault. Maybe I should have just told Jake no from the get go. But that's stupid right? I mean people have the right to date. People have the right to break up. No, Angela was right. I'm not going to mope or spend a single moment feeling guilty. I will have fun.
"Come on, I think the keg is over there." Angela and Jessica each grab a hold on one of my hands and start to pull me in the direction of a crowd of people. Soon we're standing in line. Cups in hand. Before I know it, I'm drinking my first beer. Ever.
At first everyone is chatting aimlessly with everyone else. Eric, Mike, Tyler, Lydia and Evan all came. Which surprises me because we're all underage and I didn't think that Lydia drank. But I guess that means nothing considering I'm standing here drinking Budweiser.
Then slowly our little corner of the party dissolves into the bigger chaos of the night. Until finally, I'm alone. I look around and notice that nobody was paying any attention to me. I use the opportunity to "spill" the rest of my beer on the ground. It isn't until I'm finished that I hear a small chuckle from behind me. I spin around and notice a shadow leaning against a tree. I'm guessing it belongs to a tall lanky boy but from a distance it 's hard to tell.
Suddenly the shadow is walking towards me and the first thing the moon light reveals is a mane of untamed bronze colored hair. Followed by smooth pale skin and the most memorizing eyes I've ever seen.
I gasp. "You're perfect." He looks like he wants to blush but the paleness of his skin just won't let him.
"No," he replies, "I'm Edward. But thank you."
"Bella." I say breathlessly. My God, what's happening to me?
"Bella." He repeats and smiles as if pleased by the sound. "I take it your not much of a drinker." I look at him confused. I've already forgotten how we met. I'm just glad we did. With a chuckle he mimics my earlier action of dumping my beer.
"Oh," I reply, finding my voice again. "No. Actually I'm not a big party person."
"Neither am I." For the first time I notice that unlike me he didn't bother with the pretense of holding a cup. I notice other things too. Like the expensive watch on his wrist. The way his tight black shirt hugged his pectoral muscles. The way he was looking at me. A way that made no sense. Like he was just as memorized by me as I was of him.
'This is it.' I thought. 'This is exactly what was missing between me and Jake. That spark everyone always talks about. The rush of adrenaline. The butterflies in the tummy'.
"Do you want to dance?" He askes holding out his hand.
"No!" I practically shout. He jumps back a little and puts down his hand. A brief flicker of disappointment flashing across his face. I immediately recognize my blunder and demand my tongue to obey me. "I mean, no, I can't dance. I'm totally not a party person."
"Oh." He considers it for a moment. "Then would you like to go for a walk? There's a bonfire down by the lake. I'm sure it will be less crowded."
"I'd love to." Edward outstretches his hand again and this time I take it without hesitation. I notice his skin is unseasonably cold but don't mention it.
And then I was walking, fingers laced, with a man I just met through a dark forest path that lead who knows where. He could have been a killer for all I knew. But I didn't care.
Before the forest even thinned I could already smell the smoke and notice the change in temperature of the already warm air. My companion has been quiet but it was a comfortable silence. Not anxious or awkward. We approach a circle of wooden benches that surround a fire pit made of sand and stone and sit down far away from the only other couple within eyesight. Not that they'd pay much attention to us. Their tongues were permanently fused together.
"So.." Edward finally says.
"So.." I repeat. We both laugh.
"So," He starts again. "I couldn't help but notice your reluctance earlier. I take it that coming here was your friends idea?" His question makes me wonder how long he had been watching me from the shadows. The thought sends a chill up my spine. Not from fear, but from delight.
"Yeah. I kinda just broke up with someone and haven't been out lately. I think they think this will help me get back into the loop." Edward shifts uncomfortably but doesn't let go of my hand. "It wasn't a bad breakup" I clarify, "In fact I'm kind of relieved."
"Really?"
"Well, yeah." I shake my head softly as if the motion could disentangle my thoughts. "It just wasn't right and I was tired of pretending that it was ever going to be right." Edward gives my hand a little squeeze and I smile.
"I know what you mean. My brother always gives me crap for being single but if it's not right then it's not right." I nod my agreement and we both just sit there for a moment in comfortable silence.
"Is that why you're here? Because of your brother, I mean?"
"Yeah." Edward looks down at our intertwined hands then up at the stars. I wonder to myself what he was looking for and I hope he's found it. "Emmett, my brother, thinks I'm a house hermit and I think he thinks this will be some sort of therapy for me."
"Oh." Is all I can think to say.
"It doesn't help that Alice agrees and she usually gets her way."
"Alice?" I ask. A little nervous at the mention of a girls name.
"One of my sisters."
"How many do you have?"
"Two brothers and two sisters. But it's complicated."
"I'm sure I can keep up." I pry.
"Okay, but you have to understand that we're all foster kids and even though we've taken our parents name we're not really related." Edward lets out a deep breath and continues "Alice and Jasper are a couple. As are Emmett and Rosalie."
"Oh." Is that all I know how to say tonight?
"Yeah." He says sneaking a peek in my direction.
"Well that's not so weird." I finally say. "I mean, keep me in a house with a boy I was attracted to and I bet the same thing would happen."
"Really? It doesn't weird you out?"
"No. As long as everyone's happy what's the harm?" Suddenly his lips were on mine. Lips that are soft and cold like his hands. All too soon he breaks it off and stares into my eyes. His eyes dancing gold orbs in the firelight. My breath comes hard and fast and this time it's me who initiates the kiss. My lips part and so do his and soon our tongues are dancing together in an ancient rhythm.
Someone behind us clears their throat.
"Little brother." A male voice says. Edward and I both turn towards the sound.
"Jasper." Edward acknowledges. "This is Bella."
"Hello." Jasper says politely in a soft accent. But something about him is standoffish. "Alice and I are going to head out." He says turning back to Edward.
"Oh okay." Edward sighs and drops my hand. "He's my ride."
"Alright." I say. The disappointment evident in my voice.
"Can I call you?" Edward asks, his cell phone already in hand.
"Sure!" I brighten instantly at the query before rattling off my phone number. In an instant my phone is ringing. I look down in confusion at the strange number.
"Just checking." He says with a sheepish grin. Then he kisses me once more and disappears into the night.
I got up after a little while to find my own ride. Who I suspected were all probably very very drunk by now. When I find them dancing with random guys my suspicions are confirmed and I begin to wonder if the real reason they wanted me to come isn't so much about missing me but about them needing a DD.
The ride home is filled with singing and drunken laughter. I drop off Jessica and then Angela and bring Angela's car back home with me. It was either that or walk back home from her house and I wasn't about to do that.
After taking a shower and sinking into bed I pull out my phone and add the mystery number to my contact list under "Edward". Just then, as if he read my mind my phone rings. It's a text message that says "I really enjoyed your company tonight. Can we do it again?" I smile a bright smile before replying "U bet!"