Chapter 2: Deep Dark Secrets

Bella POV

The shrill ring of my cell on my bedside table woke me up from a sound sleep and I immediately looked at my clock. 7:30. What the hell? I closed my eyes, knowing there was no need to look at the caller ID since only one person on this planet was stupid enough to call me at this hour; or maybe just that brave.

"Is anyone dead or bleeding profusely, Tinkerbell? Because if not, somebody certainly will be soon." I mumbled into the phone groggily, pulling my thick comforter over my head to block out any offending daylight threatening to blind me. Even though as usual, the sky was grey and bleak. Then as my mind drifted closer to consciousness, the night before flashed to my memory and I couldn't help but snarl slightly. "Or rather, make that three certain 'someones' who conveniently disappeared last night after dragging me and Edward out of our houses. Completely against our will, I might add."

A shameless giggle came from the other end. "Oh come on Bella, it couldn't have been that bad. And I am going to completely ignore the fact that you called me that so that you will come downstairs and let me in. I've got Starbucks." Alice sang in a melodic tone.

I groaned and swung my legs out of bed, my feet thudding loudly on the floor in my discontent. "That will buy you five minutes to explain yourself, missy!" I conceded as I stormed down the stairs and flung open the front door to see her chipper smiling face. I snapped my phone closed at the same time she did and narrowed my eyes as I took the coffee she was now holding out and took a sip. "Caramel Macchiato buys you ten. Now would you mind telling me what the fuck you were thinking last night, Alice?" I paused as Alice's eyes widened when she heard me drop the f-bomb. She followed me quietly into the living room and I rolled my own eyes. "Charlie's already gone fishing for the day. So spill."

She settled herself on the couch and I curled up in the corner of it, pulling a blanket over me. Even April was too damn cold here.

"Bella, you and Edward are so damn blind, we're all about to invest in long white canes for you both. He is crazy about you and, deny it as you may, don't think I haven't seen the way you look at him. You guys weren't taking our suggestions so we gave you a violent push."

I growled softly, taking another sip of my coffee before finally daring to look over at her. "You know, normal people would take that as a hint that we just weren't interested in dating each other. How many times do we have to tell all of you that Edward and I are perfectly happy as friends and we do not want to destroy something so good by doing something so stupid as trying to date? Dating leads to sex and sex changes everything, thus effectively ruining my friendship with Edward. Therefore…"

Alice's tiny hands came up in front of her as she laughed at my rant. "Alright Socrates, with your thuses and therefores. Deny it if you feel you must but one day, both of you are going to wake up and realize that you have wasted a lot of precious time. And I really hope that happens before it's too late." She smiled then, taking a sip of her own drink. "So what did happen last night after we left?"

I sighed heavily as I ran my index finger along the rim lid of the cup. I really was not up to talking about it; as it was both the best and worst night of my life. However, I knew that Alice wouldn't give up until I gave her a full play by play of the evening. "Well, once we became aware of the fact that we had been tricked into an impromptu date." I paused to glare at her but her grin never disappeared. "We decided to give it a shot and have a date…."

The night before…

Out of the million times or so that I had actually held Edward's hand, this time felt so much different. Usually it was because my hand was cold, or one of us was comforting the other for some reason or another. Or just because we damn well felt like it because we were just that close. But this… this was almost intimate. I stared at our entwined fingers throughout most of the movie, but only to avoid having to look at Edward's face; not entirely wanting to know what I would see there. Leaning against his shoulder made it all the more believable for me to feign being asleep when the houselights began to come on as the credits began to roll.

Edward brushed my cheek lightly with his thumb to 'wake me up' but never let go of my hand. "Come on, firecracker. I know the movie was bad, but it's all over now. I swear."

I smiled softly at him; he'd been calling me that since the day that we met. I stood with him and gave a dramatic stretch, keeping up with the 'waking up' ploy. "What'd I miss?"

Edward ran his hand through his hair and appeared to have an almost nervous expression on his face. It quickly dissipated and he shrugged with that quirky crooked smile of his. "I honestly have no idea. I couldn't bring myself to pay attention. I was actually thinking of something completely different."

I released my hand from his, sliding it around the crook of his elbow and smiling up at him as we walked out of the theaters. "Oh yea? And what might that have been?"

He furrowed his brow teasingly and laughed as he looked down at me. "What? I have to tell you every little thought that goes through my head?"

I gasped at him in fake appall and yanked my hand off his arm, storming away with my arms folded over my chest. "Fine, be that way, Mr. Cullen! With all your little secrets."

I felt comfortable having these teasing arguments with him. It was fun and familiar, and certainly took my mind off the bigger picture of this evening; something that was my idea in the first place.

Actually, no. It was not my idea originally, and I'd make damn sure to give Alice a thorough reaming in the morning. But it was my own selfishness that made this evening into what it was. I wanted this date with Edward, even if it was only for show. For just one night, I wanted to be the girl on his arm and not just his 'buddy'.

I laughed when he came up behind me and grabbed me into a mock headlock.

"Silly Bella," he laughed and then comfortably rested his arm around my shoulders and I took the opportunity to wrap mine around his waist. Why whatever higher power there was had decided to torment me this way, I would never know. This gorgeous Adonis beside me is, and would always be. nothing more than one of my very best friends. Every girl at school seemed to think that it was so incredible to be me, to be able to be so close to this perfection; but they were so wrong. It was pure torture at times.

Like for instance… now. So close and yet still so far away.

"I'll tell you later. I don't know about you, but I'm starving. And since this is a date, I can take you out for dinner, right? Since we already got that horrid movie part out of the way."

"Eh, sure why not." I tried to respond in a nonchalant tone, but then he caught the ticklish part of my neck with his fingers and then shot off toward his car. "Oh that is it, Cullen! You have had it!"

Edward laughed as he made it to the driver's side of his car and got in. "What are you gonna do, Swan? It's a long walk to your house, you know."

I got to the passenger side and tried opening the door, only to find it still locked. I glared in the window with my hands on my hips. "Edward, open the door."

He laughed and shook his head, cracking the window slightly and then folded his arms over his own chest mimicking me. "No way, you just might inflict bodily harm on me."

I gave him my best puppy dog eyes and jut out my bottom lip in a pout. "Please Edward?" I simpered and batted my eyes at him dramatically. I watched him try to restrain laughter for a moment until he finally broke down and got out of the car, walking around to stand beside me. "What are you doing?"

Edward smiled at me and unlocked the door. "This is a date right? I'm being a gentleman." I stared at him in confusion until he opened the door and gestured inside with his hand. "Your chariot awaits, m'lady."

I laughed, shaking my head and then sighed exaggeratedly.

"Well thank you, kind sir," I replied in my best Southern Belle manner, and then lowered into the seat. Through my façade, I had butterflies doing cartwheels in my stomach and the thought of actually consuming food did not exactly help to quell them. I rode in silence with him, neither of us seemingly sure of what to say.

That ended when he pulled up in front of a small diner type restaurant, and I looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. "Oh Edward, you charmer. You really shouldn't have."

Edward laughed at my sarcasm and then shrugged. "Well, I would have taken you out for a fine French meal, but that's strictly second date territory," he replied with a wink.

"Like you would know," I shot back, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Touché, Miss Swan," he chuckled and got out of the car, meeting me in front since I refused to wait for him to come around and open it for me. He casually draped his arm over my shoulders again as we walked toward the door. "Actually, you're the only girl I've ever brought here, so you should feel special."

I felt the blush spreading across my cheeks and I lowered my head, hoping that my hair would help shield me from him noticing. Either he hadn't or he was simply being nice, because he never mentioned it as we walked inside and sat down. Before we could utter a single word the server came to the table and I looked up, instantly clenching my teeth.

Lauren Mallory.

It was a well-known fact at Forks High that she had been one of Edward's little "itch scratchers" some time ago and she herself made no secret of her dislike for me, due to my closeness to him.

"Hey cutie, got your nachos," she said in that annoyingly sultry voice she tried to pull off whenever she was around him, running her finger along his jaw line as she set them down in the center of the table. She didn't seem to take the hint when Edward jerked his head away from her touch, resting her hand on his shoulder instead as she looked over at me. "Who's your friend tonight, honey."

Edward brought his hand up to cover hers on his shoulder, and sharply removed her hold on him. "Lauren, you know very well that it's Bella."

Lauren feigned a gasp and shook her head. "Oh wow, I didn't even recognize you, Bella. You look… nice," she almost sneered, giving me the once over with her eyes.

"Thanks," I retorted sarcastically and then rolled my eyes to look away from her.

I felt Edward's hand rest on my knee underneath the table and I looked over at him, meeting his smile. He winked at me, flickering his eyes to the table and then back to me. I somehow managed to restrain my laughter, knowing I could read his eyes pretty well by now. I brought my hand up to reach across the table, his growing smile confirming that I had read him accurately and taking my hand in his. "Edward, sweetie. Would you mind ordering for me? You know what I like." I gave my best seductive smirk and winked at him.

Edward kept his eyes on me and gave me a soft smile. "Sure. Lauren, I'll have my usual, and Bella will have the same."

My feeling of triumph was just about complete as I could almost see Lauren turning a mixture of lobster red in fury, and green with envy. And it was finished off as she muttered a confirmation and turned to head back to the kitchen. I pressed my lips together to stifle a snicker and then leaned across the table slightly. "What is your 'usual'? Should I be scared?" I whispered, only to be met with his laughter.

"Don't worry. It's just a cheeseburger, medium rare and they make the best seasoned curly fries in the world here. And a chocolate milkshake," he replied with a smirk, popping a nacho in his mouth.

"Okay, how have you not had a heart attack, yet? Does anything green even exist in your diet?" I scolded him jokingly as I had with my father on many occasions. Charlie was another meat and potatoes guy, who swore all other vegetables were blasphemous.

I grabbed a nacho as well and dipped it into the cheese. "You do realize that come Monday morning, it will be 'common knowledge' that we're screwing, right?"

Edward got that crooked smile on his face again and shrugged. "Well, you'll have one up on Lauren then," he replied casually, wiggling his eyebrows before eating another chip.

I coughed as I tried to swallow the chip in my mouth as he said this, needing a drink of my water before I could even attempt to reply. "But… I thought… I mean, everyone said…"

Edward shook his head and then laughed softly. "Honestly, Bella. Do you really believe everything you hear? She said we did. I just never exactly contested it. I'm a little more selective than that. I kissed her at a party about a year ago, and I drove her home. But as many times as that car has been around the block, I really don't want to take a ride in it." He shook his head again as he pointed at the kitchen door through which she had retreated.

"Oh," was my brilliant response, nervously taking another small bite off a chip.

"So, now that you know one of my deep dark secrets. Tell me something that I don't know about you," Edward said suddenly, leaning forward on his arms and looking at me intently.

I looked up at him abruptly and then chuckled uneasily. "Edward, really. What don't you know about me? I tell you pretty much everything."

"Oh come on, everyone has little skeletons in their closet that no one knows. Little quirks. Like for instance, I know you're not the most graceful person in the world, but everyone knows that," he replied, laughing as I kicked him under the table. "But what about at home. Like uh… let me think. Do you snore?"

I snorted a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand as he continued staring at me expectantly so I shook my head. "No. At least not that I know of. But I do talk in my sleep."

"Really?" Edward replied with raised eyebrows and leaned back in the seat as Lauren brought out our order. Fortunately, she was moving more hastily now, and before long we were alone at the table again. "So what was the most embarrassing thing you ever said?"

"Edward!" I whined but he wouldn't relent. Instead the irritating smirk I had a serious love-hate relationship with appeared on his face, and I sighed. "Well, it wouldn't be called 'talking in my sleep' if I knew everything I said. But it was the way my dad found out about my first kiss."

Edward's eyes widened and he started to laugh. "You've got to be kidding me."

I was midway through chewing a fry, which I must admit he wasn't exaggerating about. They had just enough spice on them to give them a nice kick without burning your mouth off. For a girl born and raised in the southwest, I had a surprisingly low tolerance for spicy food. I shook my head as I responded. "No, it was this kid named Riley Morgan in the fifth grade. It was actually really kinda disgusting. He did it on a dare, but he also tried to shove his tongue down my throat and I bit it. I suppose I said as much while I was sleeping and my father happened to be checking on me at the time. He took me to school the next day and insisted on seeing this kid. Needless to say, between my father's threats and my 'violence', no guy has dared to kiss me since."

Edward sat staring at me in shock and then all of a sudden burst out laughing. I looked around the diner nervously and was relieved to see that there were only two other people there. Nonetheless, I felt my face burning in multiple shades of crimson and I hissed at him to shut up. He pressed his fingers to his lips trying to contain his laughter and was finally able to manage it. "I'm sorry, I just feel bad for the poor kid."

I smiled uncomfortably and began eating my meal in silence. There were just some things I kept private and for good reason. Deep down, I knew Edward wasn't really laughing at me, at least not in a way that was meant to be hurtful; but it hurt just the same. I tried not to show it but apparently, I really wasn't a very good actress; as I had been told numerous times. He reached across the table to brush my arm with his fingertip and I felt that sudden jolt run through me again that I felt anytime he touched me unexpectedly. I had learned to brace myself for it when I was paying attention to his movements. I raised my eyes up to look at his and his smile was apologetic. It was one of those times when there was no exchange of words needed for an apology to be given and accepted. "So now it's your turn. Tell me something I don't know and it needs to be equally embarrassing."

Edward smiled and shook his head, but waited until his mouth was empty to respond. "I already told you. Later," He answered and I must have appeared as confused as I was. A soft chuckle escaped his lip and I watched his tongue slip out slightly to lick them. "Remember? I told you I would explain what I was thinking about during the movie. It's actually something I kind of need to show you. So I'm going to take you to my house after this."

I raised my eyebrow at him and sat back crossing my arms. "I've been to your house before, Edward. What could you possibly have to show me that I haven't already seen?" I asked challengingly.

"That, Ms. Swan, remains to be seen, but I'll give you a hint. It's in my room which is one thing you haven't seen." That devilish smirk appeared on his face, and I instantly became nervous.

x-x-x

"Oh my god!" Alice exclaimed with wide eyes, dropping her coffee on the floor which fortunately was not carpeted. I rose to grab one of the kitchen towels to clean up the mess and to find her expression unchanged when I returned. "You did have sex with him, didn't you!"