I was so happy to get all of your reviews that I don't care if I said seven (did I say 7?? I think so...) reviews. I got 5 and that's good enough for me :)

Ok. I am so proud of this chapter. I wrote it and it was so intense you could probably have lit the room on fire and it would have taken me like, 10 seconds to realize it and then I'd still be like, "wait wait... lemme finish this one sentence..."

I wrote the whole thing listening to Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" album, so I recommend going on .com or or something and just listening from there... AN below :)

I tried walking calmly down the stairs, trying very hard not to think about the black that was showing; trying to fool myself into being calm.

It didn't work.

I walked into the kitchen to get some Cheerios.

Edward was standing with his back to me, facing the cupboard with a plastic bag full of Lucky Charms, popcorn, Milk Duds, Reeses, Skittles, and KitKats - standard movie night snacks.

"Hey," I said, walking over to get a bowl. Edward jumped.

"Holy cra-"

"Language, Edward," I reminded him jokingly.

"You scared me. I didn't know you were here," Edward said, his eyes closed. I assumed that he hadn't seen my new outfit yet.

"Sorry. I thought I told you I was sleeping over tonight." I said, pouring the Cheerios in a bowl and rummaging through the refrigerator for the carton of milk.

"No no, you did. My bad. By the way, I wouldn't drink that milk." My hand froze on the handle of the plastic carton.

"Why?"

"Emmett doesn't believe in cups." I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath through my nose.

"The orange juice?" I could deal with Cheerios and OJ.

"Tainted as well." There went that plan.

I sighed. "Whatever. I'll have dry Cheerios." I closed the refrigerator and turned around.

I didn't expect Edward's reaction.

His eyes widened, and his mouth opened a little. He looked dazed.

"Uh... Edward?" I said, raising one eyebrow.

No answer.

"Edward?.... Anyone in there?" I said, coming over to him and waving my hand in front of his face.

He snapped out of whatever trance he was in, blinking rapidly.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Bella," Edward said, shaking his head as if trying to clear it.

"It's fine. I was just checking to see if you were still alive," I said jokingly.

"Ha ha. It's not my fault my best friend decides to come downstairs looking really-" he stopped abruptly.

"What?" I asked. He couldn't just leave me hanging like that.

"Well.... in all honesty, Bella... you look..."

"Yeah?" I asked self-consciously. I was seriously about to explode.

He sighed, as if he didn't want to tell me. "In all honesty, Bella, you look seriously hot. I know that sounds really weird, but you do. Sorry," Edward said.

I tried to locate my lungs. It worked after a bit, but I had to remind myself I was still talking to Edward.

"It's fine," I said, dazed. "Thanks."

"Sure."

We stood there in an awkward silence. The feeling of electricity I got whenever I was near him seemed to be even stronger; so strong that I could feel it humming in the air without his touch. I was jumping up and down on the inside that Edward had just called me hot, but that reminded me of another thing from that afternoon. The picture Alice had sent... with the message.... and it had gone to two numbers...

Oh no. She couldn't possibly have sent it to Edward.

Only one way to find out.

"Hey Edward," I said, breaking the silence. My voice was more even than I thought it would be.

"Huh?" His head whipped in my direction, and he sounded like my voice had broken him from some train of thought.

"Can I see your phone real quick?" I asked. I couldn't bring myself to even think that Alice had sent him that photo... with that message... oh God. Please no, please please please please no...

"Sure," he said, grabbing his iPhone out of his pocket. I took it from his hand, being careful not to touch his skin. One jolt of that electricity would completely break what was left of my dwindling self-control.

Unlocking the phone, I opened up his mailbox.

Two new texts were in his inbox.

One was from Emmett, the other one was from Alice. And Alice's had an attachment.

Alice was going to embarrass me to no end.

I quickly opened Alice's text and, sure enough, there was the picture and the message. I thought I saw extra text beneath it, but that didn't matter now. All I had to do was delete the picture and no one would be the wiser...

"I didn't know you liked to read other people's mail," Edward's voice interrupted my planning.

"Gah!" I gasped. "That was not cool, Edward."

"Because reading my texts is. Gimme." Edward held out his hand for his phone.

"I just need to do something really quick." I turned and opened opened the options menu. And there it was. The glorious delete button. I was about to press it when Edward grabbed my hand. And the electricity was enough to stop me for a second.

"I don't think so. I haven't read it yet." Edward tried grabbing his phone but I released my hand and jumped back.

"It's worthless. Alice took it because she really liked my outfit. I think it's embarrassing." Once again, I tried to hit delete, but Edward's hand captured mine again. The electricity flowed.

"Embarrassing? In that case..." Edward grabbed for the phone, but I knew he wasn't going to delete it, so I jumped back again.

"Come on, Edward! Don't do this to me!" I pleaded.

"Nu-uh. Ever heard of a little thing called blackmail, Bella?" Edward asked, smiling mischievously. He started stepping forward slowly.

"Sure. I've got a ton to use on you." I said, backing away. And it was true. It helped to have Alice as a friend.

"Oh really? Like what?" Edward said, taking a more deliberate step this time.

"Like the time at your seventh birthday with the wrapping paper-"


"Point taken. I don't know who told you about that, but I'm guessing Alice or Emmett. Maybe Rosalie. But this photo - which you say is embarrassing, I haven't even seen it yet - might be better than that." And with that he lunged toward me.

I jumped back just in time and bolted for the tunnel that led to the garage. It was easier to weave in between the cars than around the furniture.

He followed me into the garage and I went around his Volvo, stopping at the door of the driver's side. He wouldn't dare do anything near his precious Volvo.

"You know me too well," Edward said, standing in front of the passenger door, his eyes narrowed.

"That's just fancy talk for strategy," I said. "Can I please delete the picture?"

"Can I please see it once?"

"You'll laugh."

"Can I see it with a swear on my life that even if it's the funniest thing that I've ever seen I won't laugh or tell anyone?" Huh. No laughing and no one would ever know... it was probably the best offer I'd get.

"Ugh. Fine. You can laugh if you want, but I swear if anyone else finds out about it will be like a real life game of Halo for you." I grudgingly handed him the phone across the roof of his car.

"I promise no one will find out," Edward said solemnly, and looked down at his phone.

I sighed, looking away and waiting for his laughter.

"I don't get it," Edward said quietly after a minute.

"What?" I asked.

"How is this embarrassing?" He asked, still studying the text message.

"Don't you see how hideous I look?" I asked. It was plainly visible.

"No, not really. In fact, I'd say I agree with Alice." Holy crow. He'd just called me hot again.

My cheeks burned and I looked at my shoes. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"Bella?" Edward asked softly after a moment.

I turned my head toward the sound of his voice. He had somehow moved to be on my left side without me even knowing it. His face was a foot away from mine, his eyes burned into mine with an intensity that was so deep and fierce,

and yet they were still soft. It knocked me breathless. Deep inside his eyes, though, was that same look of nervousness from this afternoon.

"Do you want to-"

"EDDIEEEEEE!!!!!" Emmett's voice boomed throughout the household - including the garage - with a childish tone to it.

Edward's eyes closed, his shoulders slouching as he sighed and bowed his head.

"What were you going to say Edward?" I whispered. It seemed to fit the setting, like we were hiding from Emmett for as long as possible, to be with each other.

Or maybe it felt like that to me because I desperately wanted it to be like that.

"Nothing," Edward whispered back, looking at the tire of Esme's blue BMW Z4.

I slid down, sitting on the cement floor of the garage with my back on the door of Edward's Volvo. Edward walked over to me and sat next to me, putting his head in his hands. I, tired and idiotic as I am, so bravely put my head on his

shoulder, sighing. His right arm, to my surprise, wrapped around my shoulders and brought me closer to him.

"Did Alice exhaust you today?" Edward whispered, his left hand pushing hair out of my face. His hand left a burning trail.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," I whispered back.

"It's fine. I'll have to get you out of one of those trips sometime. Alice doesn't seem to understand that not everybody can run around like she can," Edward whispered, even quieter than before.

We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity of bliss. It felt like one of those moments where it was so quiet that the only thing to do was to kiss.

But I couldn't do that with Edward, even though I so desperately wanted to just tilt my head up and touch my lips to his soft, full ones just for a moment. A moment I could remember forever.

I had unconsciously tilted my head up to look at him, and he was staring back. The golden speckles in his intense bright emerald eyes sparkling. His head moved a little closer to mine.

"Bella?" His whisper broke the silence like a glass cup shattering.

"Yeah?" I whispered back softly. The sound rang in my ears.

"Will you please-"

"BELLA! EDWARD!" Emmett boomed from the doorway of the garage.

"We're here," we sighed together, our eyes closed.

"Finally I find you guys! Do you know how long I've been looking for you? All of five minutes! That's so long, I could have-" His sentence stopped abruptly and Edward and I opened our eyes to look at Emmett's expression. His eyebrows were raised, his mouth open.

"OHO! Am I interrupting something? Well. Excuse me. Oh, and by the way, Esme said dinner's gonna be done in fifteen." Emmett looked like he was holding back laughter and I just closed my eyes again.

"Thanks Emmett," Edward said. He sounded annoyed.

"No problem." Emmett's voice drifted down what I assumed was the tunnel and Edward sighed.

"My brother can be such an idiot," he muttered, his chin softly resting on my head.

"It's okay," I whispered.

"No, it's not. Now he's going to tell Rosalie, and Rosalie will tell Alice and Alice will scream and before you know it she'll be in here, dragging you out," his voice was softer and more vulnerable than ever, "and Emmett will come for me and we'll pretty much be held hostage until we spill the details that they're desperate for." He sighed. "I think they'll be disappointed," Edward mumbled.

"I really hope they get delayed," I muttered back.

He sighed and pressed his cheek into my hair.

"But they never do," he breathed, his breath tickling my scalp. He sounded sad, almost like he was sad our time together had to end; just like I was.

I said nothing; his statement was true, and it felt like a good closing to our time together.

After a few moments I realized the electricity was flowing from Edward's direct touch, and the feeling just added to the final moments. It seemed like we were both wistful our peace and quiet had to end; and the electricity just added to that feeling of making the most of the last minutes.

A very, very small part of my mind realized I was probably feeling like this because Edward was so close, but I didn't care. I was just enjoying the moment.

Minutes passed and I didn't hear Alice's quick, sharp footsteps or Emmett's heavy, vibrating ones. Not even Rosalie came - no click-clacking of heels; no muffled, quiet footsteps from Jasper either.

"Looks like you were wrong," I breathed after a few moments, trying to blend my voice in with the quiet, so that the sound of my voice wouldn't be like a scream through a megaphone.

"I'm glad," Edward mumbled back. He sounded worn out.

"Me too," I whispered. And I was. This may have been the happiest moment of my life.

"Maybe Esme controlled them this time," Edward mumbled. He sounded like he was on the verge of falling asleep.

"Yeah. I wonder if it's as calm in there as it is in here," I whispered. It felt like we were divided in two worlds: My world consisted of this completely perfect moment; and the unknown was inside the Cullen Mansion.

He didn't answer, but his chest rose evenly after a few minutes, a sign that he had fallen asleep in the peacefulness of the moment. I couldn't see an end to this perfection.

After a few moments, I gave up the fight to stay awake. Falling asleep like this would be pure perfection.

I boldly wrapped my arms around Edward's waist. I saw him smile a little and he pulled me closer. I smiled before closing my eyes and falling into a blissfully peaceful sleep.

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