Chapter 1

Three weeks earlier. Costa Café.

My job in Costa Café paid well, that's how I managed to save up three thousand pounds. Hey, mind you I'd been working there for the past nine months, and if you're nice with the clients, their tip is generous. Especially if they're guys in their twenties and you flirt with them a while. When they go, there is always a twenty pound note tuck under their bill.

I had been cleaning the counter when Edward walked into the café, grinning as if he had just won the lottery. In one way, he had.

After serving him his usual coffee and Blueberry Muffin, I made him tell me what he was grinning about.

"If my calculations are correct, three thousand pounds are about four thousand and two, four thousand a three euros," I swear to God, my eyes nearly fell out of my head., "And I have about three thousand pounds and if Jess saves up, then all together we have just about…twelve thousand and six hundred euros." He said proudly.

"Oh. My. God." Was all I could say. Twelve thousand…we would be fricking rich, and all we had to do with that money was spend it on petrol, buy food when we get there and spend it on whatever we liked.

Oh, wait. Return?

"Edward, that's great! The thing is, we have to at least save up maybe three thousand euros for the travel to go and back, maybe more. Frankly, I don't want to be left stranded," Edward frowned, and as he was thinking this over, I served another customer.

He finally said something as I handed the old lady a takeaway bag with her coffee in it.

"Yeah, but we still have loads!" He crowed. Seriously. He crowed. The school's most popular boy, the towns most thoughtful guy, the player just crowed.

I didn't even know guys could crow.

"I know. That'd great, really it is! What do your parents think?" his eyes lit up as I said the word 'parents'.

"Well, dad thinks - because I've been so good in saving up - that he's going to give us a spare six hundred quid, you know, for necessities and stuff, so we're loaded, literally loaded." Yeah, if Jess didn't decide to spend it all on Gucci and Valentino. That girl needs a credit card with no limit.

I grinned at the look of happiness on my best friend's face.

"Bella, I swear to god this is going to be the most awesome summer you have ever had. Promise." Before I could say anything else, he was out of the café door, a crumpled ten pound note on the counter in front of me and the untouched coffee and muffin lying innocently by it.

Well, another ten pound tip wouldn't hurt.

--

Three weeks later. On the Road.

I swear to God if Jess laughs, or says something flirtatious I am going to behead her. I really am. Five hours into our awesome summer and Jess has already made my day. Not.

We're sitting in a café, enjoying cold drinks while the car rests when a couple of boys walk in and they catch Jess's eye. Of course.

Now, she's standing at the bar with the boys, laughing and touching their arm every time she can get away with it. Her dark hair is pulled into a high, bouncy pony tail which swings every time she laughs or, for that matter, does anything. Edward is fuming, seeing as she already blew thirty quid on beer and sunscreen, which hello? She had about three bottles in her holdall.

"You want to know what really pisses me off?" Edward bites out.

"What?" I ask, taking a sip from my cold - thank you God, for getting someone to invent ice cold drinks - Coke and looking at him curiously. Edward is hardly anyone who snaps, let alone bites something out. He only does that when something is really bothering him.

"Jess is being such a slut. I mean, look at her! Flirting with all five the guys, not one, five. And making us wait for her as if we're her bloody servants!" He must really like her if her flirting with a bunch of guys bothers him. This is such a cliché, you might be thinking. The two best friends falling for each other. Hell, it looks like one to me. Anyway, it was only to be expected, isn't it? He's the popular basketball player, she's the popular cheerleader….and me? I'm the unpopular girl who hangs around them like a tagalong. Which bothers me. a lot.

"Well, let's go then. Grab her, make up a lame excuse and let's go. I'm done anyway," I down the rest of my ice cold drink and stand up, rifling through my jeans pocket for a spare ten pound note to pay for.

Edward grabs my hand and says, almost indignant, "Bella, remember I promised we'd pay for everything?" I nod, "Then why are you looking for a ten pound note?" Wait, how did he know I was looking for a ten pound note? He couldn't read minds! Or did he know me so well he just knew I was going to look for a ten pound note? Because, frankly, it's not like I only ever hand out ten pound notes. I do have other money. Only, you never go wrong with ten pounds.

"Er, Bella? Are you alright?" Edward gave me an odd look and released my hand. I laughed nervously and sat back down.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…you know, the heat," He grinned and stretched, throwing a I-am-very-pissed-off-and-she-is-in-a-lot-of-trouble look at Jess when the guys all laughed uproarsly.

"Right, well I'm giving her five more minutes. If she isn't done in five minutes, then I'm gonna drag her out of here by her fricking hair." Only, you know, he didn't say 'fricking'. But something that described his jovial mood way better. Sarcasm intended.

"Huh," was all I said. Jess was doing my head in. If she really did like Edward as much as she said she did, then why was she flirting with someone else? Did she think of using the old techniques? Make the guy jealous? But if Edward had no idea, then how was all this act supposed to get him jealous? Unless he liked her, too?

It looked to me like the act was just pissing him right off.

But that might be classified as jealousy to her.

As I turned the ice cubes in my drink, I could feel Edward get more irritated by the minute. When the five minutes were up, Edward threw a ten pound note (What did I tell you about ten pound notes?) on the table, stalked over to where Jess stood, tapped her on the shoulder - none too gently, might I add - and growled something at her.

Whatever he said made her blush to the roots of her hair and shuffle away, toward the car.

"What did you tell her?" I asked Edward as he approached the table and grabbed my bag as well as his.

"I told her to get her skinny ass into the car before I carried her there," He said smugly. I was shocked. Those words would just have shocked Jess, too. If it wasn't so unexpected, I guess she would have enjoyed having her crush telling her to get her 'skinny ass' into the car.

"Hey, you coming or what?" Edward called back and I realised I was still standing there, gaping after him. Recovering quickly, I hurried after him and beat him to the car.

--

When your best friend stops the car in the middle of a dark, empty motorway, the first thought that pops into your mind is: Damn, the car broke down.

However, when your best friend stops the car in the middle of a dark, empty motorway just to turn around and shout something in your other best friend's face is something else entirely.

I had been asleep so I have no idea what the heck they had been fighting about. All I know is, one minute I was having peaceful dreams about Brad Pitt and the next I was sitting up straight, the angry shout of Edward Cullen still ringing clearly in my ears. Jess was sitting in the back seat - Edward had wanted me to sit in front after I started feeling sick - her knees drawn up to her chest and glaring defiantly at Edward.

"It's none of your fucking business what I spent fifty quid on!" Wait, what?

"What's going on?" I asked groggily, looking confusedly at my two friends. Edward was so angry, his mouth was set into a white line and his eyes were ablaze with rage.

Edward looked at me when he saw I was awake and threw himself back into his seat, slamming a fist onto the driving wheel.

"Jess just spent fifty quid at the Service Station and she won't tell me on what it is!" He growled.

Fifty quid? fifty quid?!

"Fifty quid?!" I screech. Edward's eyes widen in shock and Jess jumps in her seat, "You spent fifty quid? On what? This is eighty quid of our TRAVEL money you spent today!" I shout.

"That's what I've been telling her, Bella! She won't tell me anything!" Edward erupts. I give a moan and drop my head into my hands.

"How much money have we left for the travel?" I ask quietly.

"About…Shit, eight hundred pounds maybe?" He replies. OK, eight hundred pounds to get to Italy. An we aren't even at Swansea yet, where we would board the Ferry that would take us to France. A ticket for the Ferry didn't cost less than 35 pounds a head.

"OK, thirty-five pounds each….one hundred and so pounds, right? Take that away from eight hundred it makes seven hundred or so…We would still have enough if we don't have one room each in a hotel…Maybe not a hotel even. We will have to do with a motel." I say, counting all this up in my head.

Edward is quiet, staring out into the night and Jess is looking at me as if I am a mad woman…which I probably am right now, if what I do next is anything to go by.

I whip round in my seat and stretch out my hand, "Gimme your money," I say.

Edward looks at me and starts to say something but I stop him with a don't-you-dare-meddle look. He shuts his mouth and looks at his hands which are lying limply in his lap.

Jess stares at me, incredulous. "What?" She asks.

"Give me all your cash, now. If we have only six hundred or so pounds, how are we going to a) pay for the petrol, b) pay for an overnight stay and c) buy food? Do you realise what would happen if you spend another penny of that money? We had agreed you and Edward would pay for the car necessities and I would pay for the rooms and stuff, but hey, if you're gonna blow a thousand pounds or so, then how about we turn this car around and go back home? I can do with a few thousand pounds in my bank, seeing as I'm starting uni next year." I snap. I have time to catch my breath before Edward puts a hand on my arm and says quietly,

"Jess, Bella is right. Way right. I know you - WE thought this summer was going to be great, and it will be, but we have to watch out for our money. Three weeks ago, Bella told us to save up just about two thousand pounds for the travel, right? Well, you just about spent a hundred pounds or so, and it won't get us anywhere if you keep spending it on stuff that you won't need, or already have," He said, referring to the sunscreen bottles she had bought, the beer she had slugged down with the five boys and all the money she spent on something she wouldn't even say.

Shrugging, Jess picked up her hand bag and opened it, producing a couple of fifty pound bills. I was surprised at how willing she was to hand over the money after Edward had spoken. Could her crush be more than just a crush? Could it really be that bad?

I closed my hand over the money and slid into my back pocket, where it would remain until I decided we really needed it. As in, if the car left us suddenly stranded or the car was way too uncomfortable to sleep in - I say it's sleep-able - then we would be using the money.

With a heavy sigh, Edward started the car up again and drove onto the motorway, his face expression grim.

You might guess how the night turned out to be.

As Edward and Jess bickered I promptly fell asleep, my head falling to the side and resting against the window.

--

When I woke up, I saw we were still, the car not moving forward and that the motorway had turned into a town road. I frowned. Where were we?

I was unbuckled my seatbelt and stretched, feeling my knotted up muscles un-knot themselves. I looked around in the car and saw Jess looking moodily out of the window and Edward…Gone. Where was Edward? He hadn't left us had he?

I started to panic until the door opened and a blast of cold air greeted me. I shivered and Edward, now climbing into the seat, a paper bag gripped between his teeth, laughed somehow, even with the paper bag in his mouth.

"Oh, ha bloody ha. I thought you upped and left, just then!" I accused him, snatching the polyester cup of coffee he was handing me. He turned in his seat and handed on to Jess who took it somewhat reluctantly. But as she took the first sip, Edward grinned when she started drinking it much more…non reluctantly than before.

"They say it's the best coffee around here. I take it it's true?" He said with a smile. We both nodded and Edward uncapped a bottle of Coke. How can he drink that stuff first think in the morning?

"Yeah, it's true," Jess said and finished off her coffee. I nodded.

Grinning, Edward started the car and said, "We have something like four hours before boarding the ferry, so I say shopping. Whaddya think?" Jess squealed and threw her arms around Edward's neck, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Seemed like they had made up…

"Hey, Edward?"

"Mmm?" He answered distractedly.

"Do you have any credit on your mobile? I promised Mum and Dad that I'd call them when we were, you know, out of town and I still haven't. I don't want them to start worrying about-"

"Bella!"

"Yeah?"

"Stop blabbing and phone your parents," Edward said patiently, handing me his high-tech, multi use phone. Grateful, I grab his phone and dial my parents number.

They weren't happy.

My father had a right go at me about the importance of being honest with your parents. Hey, I just missed ONE phone call and they were ready to call the police! I just sat there, in my seat listening to my parents have a go at me, until I hung up.

Jess glanced at me and asked, "Everything alright?"

"Fine," I say. There really is only a certain amount of I-am-very-very-disappointed-in-you-young-lady's a girl can take.

Rolling his eyes, Edward turned left and we were off, and I saw the port, the blue sea glistening beautifully, the suns rays reflecting off the waves gently lapsing against the port boats. I let out a small sigh at how…free it all looked.

Suddenly, I didn't want to wait any longer until we got to Italy.

--

"Shit, I feel like a frigging pig," Edward commented as he finished off his second Big Mac. Uh-huh, his second. Guys really do have no limits, it's scary. Knowing Edward, I thought he would stop eating junk food so he could play better. Not that he didn't - he was first player- but I guess he wanted to get even more better.

Jess snorted into her can of Coke and giggled, "Wait, you say that after you finish your SECOND Big Mac?! Shouldn't you say it before?" Edward laughed and flicked some crumbs her way.

Jess squeaked, indignant, and went for Dean, throwing her lettuce from her Veggie Burger at him.

"Children, play nice!" I joked, ducking to avoid another piece of mayonnaise-y lettuce piece flying through the air.

"OK, stop! I want to go check out that shop- Zavvi. There's a CD I want to buy," Edward informed us before slipping out of the booth, binning his junk and walking out of the Fast Food place. Jess gazed after him with something like adoration in her eyes and I smirked. It would be so weird if Jess and Edward got together, the way they bicker the whole time and how Edward can't stand her when she's got twenty or so pounds tucked safely in the pocket of her leather hand bag - but what I was scared the most was I would be stuck in the middle of these two of they ever get together, and I would be the one collecting the pieces if something ever goes wrong.

I shook my head to myself, clearing away any bad thoughts and stood up, binning my own junk.

"Hey, you coming?" I asked Jess. We still had about two hours before boarding, but we had to be there an hour early, which meant that we still had one hour of shopping.

Edward was at the counter of the Zavvi shop, talking to a pretty blonde with a nose stud and a lip ring. He grinned and called us over when he saw us. Beside me, I felt Jess stiffen at the friendly girl grinning at us.

"Guys, this is Lana, Lana this is Isabella and Jaz, the girls I was talking to you about," I shook Lana's hand and smiled.

"Hi,"

"Hi. Isabella, huh? Cool name," Lana remarked. Jess stood by and seemed to be trying to kill Edward with her eyes.

I blushed and said, "Yeah, well my parents also have weird names,"

Lana laughed and shook her name, "Hey, you wanna know what my name means in Italian? wool. No joke." I laughed.

"I don't know what my name means but I have a feeling that I don't want to know," I noticed that Lana was wearing a black shirt with Zavvi printed in green just below the shoulder. A shop assistant. A friendly one too.

Edward was looking at the new CD by My Chemical Romance and seemed engrosses in what he was reading, but really I knew he was trying to escape Jess's glare.

Lana turned to her, "Hey, is your name short for anything?" she asked politely.

I swear she was only trying make conversation.

Jess smirked, "What, is it really true what they say about blondes? What do you think?" Edward almost dropped the CD case he was holding, he was so shocked. My mouth fell open with an audible pop and Lana seemed to be as shocked as we were. Jokes about blondes were kind of harsh.

"For Gods' sake, Jess!" Edward erupted, "Why do you always have to be such a mother fucking bitch to everyone?!"

"Me?! I didn't do anything!" Jess replied haughtily. I covered my ears and muttered, "Please stop." But hey, do you think they were listening to me?

My point exactly.

"I'm sorry about my friend, Lana." I said quietly.

Lana shook her head and started to walk away, "Don't worry about it. I've had my share of jokes in life," before disappearing to help someone who was asking for assistance.

Before I could say anything, Edward grabbed my wrist and dragged me out, leaving a fuming, near to tears Jess behind.

--

I leaned over the toilet seat and felt my stomach heave again. Why was it that I keep forgetting about the most important things? Such as, for example, how sick I get on a boat of any type?

I clutched my head as another wave of nausea hit me and groaned out loud. From behind me, I heard a soft chuckle.

"Go away," I whined.

"C'mon, I'll take you to the bar and get you some nice, cool water to refresh your poor stomach. I guess the burger you ate didn't help, huh?" Before I could answer with some witty remark, I was leaning over the toilet seat again.

How could he be so insensitive? I was his best friend feeling sick and all he could do was lean against the cubicle door and laugh at me!

"What are you doing in the girls bathroom, Edward?" I asked, my eyebrows shooting up questioningly.

"Checking on you, duh! You think I'm gonna stay at the bar with Jess and watch her flirt with any male passing by? If you think that, you obviously don't know me."

I stumbled to my feet and went over to the sink, rinsing my mouth repeatedly with the cold water. It Didn't taste nice at all.

"You should try talking to her, Ed. She would probably listen to you, and anyway, if this is how guys are going to act, then I'm going get the first plane home and stay there." I said as we headed out towards the bar where I could see Jess drinking some coffee and obviously not trying to yawn at what some guy with purple dreadlocks and tight jeans was telling her.

Edward arched an eyebrow at me, his smirk dropping right off his face, "Why would she listen to me? She's so stupid she can't even see that she is bothering me with all that Cheerleading crap she throws my way."

"Well do something, anything, that might make her stop, OK? When you said this would be the best summer we ever had, I believed you, but if you guys keep fighting then I'm gonna have the best summer ever at home, in my back garden with a nice book, you got it?"

Rolling his eyes, Edward nodded and went over to the bar. Jess grinned when she saw him and Edward leaned over to say something to her, glaring at Purple Dreadlocks Guy who shuffled off without a backward glance. Jaz nodded and smiled, putting her hand on his arm and saying something back. Edward glanced at me, a look of horror clouding his green eyes but recovered quickly, gently disentangling himself from an over eager Jess.

I shuffled off into the opposite direction from then and settled into one of the empty booths to read my book, the pages now worn out from the many times I read it. Alibi was my favourite Joseph Kanon books, talking about how after the second world war it wasn't only the war that had scarred people, but also how family secrets could kill someone slowly, leading also to some people dying. Yeah, a complicated story but I loved it all the same. Why should I read a story five times if it was anything but brilliant?

"Excuse me, miss?" I looked up and saw a smiling guy, about my age, indicating the seat in front of mine, "Sorry, but is this seat taken?" I smiled at the guy and said no. He sat himself down and extended a hand toward me.

"Hi, I'm Javier." He said.

I took his hand and grinned, "Bella." Wow, I met two people in one day, or two hours if that is any good.

We talked for about twenty minute, discussing bands and books. Funnily enough, I felt more comfortable talking to this stranger than hanging around with my best friends that I have known since we were old enough to make mud pies. Whilst talking, I didn't even notice the ferry sway horribly, or the fact that Edward had disappeared leaving Jess in near tears at the bar, or the fact that Javier had moved remarkably closer to me.

"So, where are you heading?" I asked, shuffling away a little.

Javier grinned, "Well, I'm going to France for three days before taking the train to Madrid. It's my parents anniversary and I'm helping out my sister with the party arrangements, you know? It's gonna be one helluva party." He said in a reassuring tone.

I laughed a little nervously and Javier draped an arm casually over my shoulders, "And where are you heading?" He asked in a sultry tone…or what he thought was a sultry tone. To me, it sounded more like he was trying not to cough.

"Um, Italy," I squeaked much to my chagrin. To my surprise, Javier's arm went tighter around my shoulders and he grinned down at me.

"Do you know that old proverb about Italy? All the roads of the world lead to-"

"Rome." He was cut off abruptly but not by me. I looked up and Edward was standing at the entrance of the booth, a sour expression on his face. Jess was standing next to him and looked at me like I was crazy, which by the way really bothered me. I mean, she looked at me like I was crazy because a guy had his arm around me?? And she flirted withy five guys? Now, who's the crazy one?

Javier looked up too and narrowed his eyes, "Yes, that's right. Now, who are you?"

"Um, Javier, this is Edward and Jess. I'm going to Italy with them," I said, nervously tugging at the hem of my shirt.

"Hi, and did you know she's underage?" Edward said calmly. I don't know what he meant by that. I looked down at my drink questioningly. It still looked like the same old water to me, unless it had morphed into something else. I took a sip fro the glass and frowned: Nope. It was still the same old, disgusting tasting water.

Edward looked at me and a bark of laughter escaped his lips, "Yeah, not the WATER, Bella." His tone of voice mad me think he was trying to make a point.

I thought about it then jumped away from Javier. Yeah, that's what dear old Edward Cullen meant.

"Er, it was nice meeting you, Javier, but I think my friends and I should go to the, er, dining area, right guys?" Jess nodded and grabbed my hand, and together we made a dash for it, Edward following closely behind.

It wasn't until we had sat down for dinner did I remember that I had left my book with Javier. Damnit.

I said this out loud and Jeaa nearly choked on her Pasta all Matriciana.

"That guy was trying to maul you and all you can think about is your stupid book?!" She asked incredulously.

"Well, it's a really nice book and….and Mike gave it to me." I said indignantly, fidgeting with my fork and knife. Edward gave an incredulous snort and shook his head, "You really do have no limits with that guy, huh Bella?"

"Excuse me?"

Edward didn't look at me as he explained, the patience draining from his voice - not that I ever thought he was patient. "What I mean is, this guy just randomly comes up to you and wraps you up in his arms and you don't shake him off-"

"I tried-" I protested feebly. Nothing could stop Edward when he was on a role.

"And your boyfriend asks you to go hike the fucking Himalaya's, and can I add that you would have probably said yes if the proposal of going to Italy wasn't so much more appealing? And even though Mike is so amazing, fantastic and all that shit may I remind you that you haven't called him once? If he was all of the listed above, then why didn't you go with him? And why the hell did you let him buy the book but wouldn't let Jess and I get you one for your birthday?"

OK, well I guess I had no answer for that.

"Well, sorry but- Look, sometimes when you have someone else beside you don't realise what you are doing. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, OK? You think I would have hurt your feelings on purpose? Because if you did, then I'm sorry but I thought you'd know me so much better than that. If you don't mind I'm going to our cabin," I dropped my shredded napkin onto the table and stood up, the chair making a low groaning sound on the wooden floor. Edward shrugged and Jess grinned at me: She thought this was my plan to leave her and Edward alone.

Oh, well at least someone was happy.

We hadn't managed to get a single and double cabin so we ended up with a quadruple cabin, which meant that Jess, Edward and I would be sleeping together and one of the bunks would be used to store our stuff.

It was a long way to France, maybe five or six hours, so I decided to take a nap. I hadn't realised that sleeping on a ferry was so much worse than just standing up…Especially on a full stomach.

I groaned inwardly and flopped onto my stomach, burying my head under my cushion and hoping that the swaying would stop.

When I finally managed to believe that the swaying was in my head - trust me, it helped - something else started bothering me. Why the hell had Edward acted like that at dinner? If he really wanted to spend time alone with Jess, then he could have told me and I would have left them alone. I wouldn't have put up a fight or anything because, frankly, it was none of my business what they got up to.

"Jesus," I groaned and snuggled under the covers, my hand covering my eyes.

After about three Paracetamols and a can of Coke, I finally fell asleep, the swaying that had gentled down lulling me to sleep.

-----------------------

A/N: So... What did you think? There's only one way you can tell me! :P

Love,

- Ali