Freaking crazy, guys. All of you. But I love you for it. SO much. Almost at a 100 reviews, for only two freaking chapters! Damn…why didn't I ever think of this story sooner?

What am I supposed to wear, Edward?

I signed exasperatedly, turning away from my recently upturned closet, to where Edward was sitting on my bed, an extremely amused smile lighting his face.

Would you like me to pick for you?

I rolled my head back in annoyance. I guess you're going to have to! Because I have no idea where we're going and you won't tell me! So how am I supposed to know how to dress?!

Alright then, come with me.

What? I signed, a flat look on my face, and didn't budge when he lightly took hold of my elbow and tried to drag me out into the hall.

Well, "Alice," has it of course.

My mouth fell open and my jaw locked as I took a step back from him, completely furious. Edward. Cullen. Are you telling me you had an outfit the whole damn time, and you just sat there and watched me completely wreck my closet!?

He looked down and grinned sheepishly. Sorry, he signed, letting out a nervous chuckle. I'll help you clean it up later. Forgive me?

I glowered at him and didn't sign anything as I stomped out of my room, to the front door, and into the passenger seat of the S60R.

His face was on full pleading mode when he got in, the expression truly heart wrenching. I looked out my window, refusing to look at him for fear of giving in. I felt his hand under my chin though, turning my face toward his. I didn't really have a choice; the only way he could talk to me was if I could see his hands.

I'm really sorry, he pleaded, his archangel face full of such believable regret, though I knew it was just there to turn the odds in his favor for my forgiveness. That was mean of me, but you're just so adorable when you're frustrated.

My cheeks burned, as they always did with his compliments. So that's how he was going to play this: with flattery. Damn him - it was working.

I rolled my eyes and half-shrugged.

Does that mean I'm forgiven?

I scowled, but nodded, looking out the window. When I glanced over he was smirking triumphantly, and then we were speeding toward his house. It just wasn't justice. How did he always win?

His house loomed into view, and he helped me out, holding my hand, when we had parked. I expected that to be the end of it, but then he pulled me in for a hug. I really am sorry about your closet, he signed when he pulled back. I'll help clean up. Swear.

I sighed. It's fine Edward. I'm not really mad.

He grinned crookedly, and pulled me toward him for another quick hug, dropping a kiss on the top of my head, before dragging me into the house.

Go find, "Alice,", he signed, while I go get ready too.

I nodded, and bounded past him to the second floor, where Alice's lair resided.

I pushed open her door when I got there without knocking, and was rewarded with the sight of her standing on her bed, singing quietly but exuberantly into her hairbrush, occasionally doing some air guitar to the song she was listening to, and sometimes jumping around wildly.

I smirked, and leaned against the door, awaiting the moment she beheld me.

Mid-verse she turned toward the door, and her smile and dancing immediately dropped, her arms falling straight to her sides.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked flatly.

"Long enough, my friend," I grinned. "But please. As if you haven't found me in enough embarrassing situations."

"Exactly!" she exploded, throwing her tiny arms up into the air. "I see you! I usually see these things coming. I'm not supposed to get caught."

"Well you're not psychic Alice," I told her soothingly, "So stop acting like it."

I shoved off of the door frame and walked toward her. "Now, Edward tells me there is some sort of outfit that you have for me, which is what I'm going to have to wear tonight to an oh so secret occasion."

Alice smiled radiantly all of the sudden. "Oh Bella, trust me, you'll love it. I think it'll be fun for you two. Anyway, follow me to the Closet of Wonders. Let's see if we can dredge up that carefully handpicked dress."

"Dress?" I asked flatly, stopping dead.

She rolled her eyes. "Get over it; you'll like it. It's very 80s chic. And not the tacky part of the 80s either, the good part."

"I can hardly wait," I commented dryly, as I followed her into the Monstrously Outrageously Unnecessary Humongous "Chamber of Secrets", as I so fondly like to refer to her closet as. "Into the mouth of the mouse it is, I guess." Mouse was how I pronounced my nickname for her closet, which shortened is MOUHCS. I had decided that it could be pronounced like mouse, and it was now Alice's and mine's inside joke. It quite confounded people sometimes when Alice and I walked out in public and they caught snippets of our conversation; they couldn't understand a context where shoes could possibly be hidden in a hidden corner of a mouse. It made me giggle.

Alice started flicking through her million articles of clothing, while I just leaned on one leg near her, completely apprehensive.

"Ah! Here it is!" she finally exclaimed triumphantly. "Good thing too or Edward would've killed me if I had lost it; he actually helped pick it out, if you can believe it."

She turned around and held up a black dress. "Tada!"

Alright, so it actually was pretty cute. It was a short dress, and I had a feeling it would only go a little past mid-thigh. The skirt was…poofy? I guessed the word was. Almost poofy, but not as lame as that word usually entails. It had a nice bodice top, covered in thin lace with a delicate flower pattern on it. I actually really liked it; not that I would admit that, of course. I was supposed to be a jeans/shorts only girl. (Pic on profile)

"'Kay, strip," Alice ordered, gazing at me sternly.

"Yes sir, Sergeant," I muttered, taking off my clothes.

"It's General," she sighed, and I looked up at inquisitively, removing my jeans. "Jasper and I were playing this Civil War game on his Xbox, and he got to be a Major, but I was only promoted to General!" She jutted out her quavering lower lip, in full pout mode.

I stared at her. "Uh…Alice? A general far outranks a major, just to let you know."

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "Really!?" She abruptly became furious. "That lying bastard!" she seethed. "He told me he won!"

I laughed out loud, completely and utterly amused not only at her reaction, but also at the mental image of her chewing him out about that later.

Alice yanked the dress over my head roughly, still pissed at her revelation. She zipped the back up and shoved me toward her full length mirror. "Observe it, love it," she growled, glaring at the wall. Perhaps I should've waited to tell her that Jasper lied to her about him winning until after I was out of the lion's den.

Shaking my head, I looked into the mirror. I actually looked pretty presentable, I thought. Nothing extraordinary, but at least the dress fit. And I'd been right, the dress only came to mid-thigh.

Alice dragged me out into her room and glanced at the clock. "Oh hey, it's almost seven!" she exclaimed. "Get going, Edward's going to be waiting for you."

"Alright," I said distractedly, my mind wandering off to the possibilities of where we were going and what we were doing that would require this dress, but was brought back into reality by Alice's shriek after I'd taken only a few steps.

"Wait!" she cried. "No wait! Wait right here!"

She dashed back into her closet hurriedly and was out before I could blink. "Forgot something in the mouse," she grinned, something held behind her back.

I eyed her suspiciously as she approached, before she whipped a fedora hat from behind her back and slammed it down onto my head. "There!" she said happily. "Outfit complete! Now get going, you crazy kid."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks Alice," I said, before walking out.

I hopped down the stairs, and saw Edward leaning against a wall, waiting for me. My jaw almost dropped, but I kept it in check just in time for him to look up at me and smile. He was looking illegally dashing in casual black slacks, a white button-up, and a black vest.

You look great, he signed, an enthusiastic gleam lighting his eyes.

Not too shabby yourself, I signed back, grinning lightly. Biggest. Understatement. Of the year.

Seated in his Volvo, I saw that the sun was starting to go down. Not quite sunset yet, but almost. The sky was stained pink, orange, and baby blue, with dashes of purple. It was breathtaking.

Still not going to tell me where we're going? I asked as he started the car up.

He grinned cheekily and shook his head. I sighed, but I wasn't disappointed, because I hadn't expected him to tell me anyway. Edward and his surprises…

A brown haired girl of fifteen years of age walked glumly home from her part-time job as a receptionist, a very lucky job offer for someone that young.

To just list a few reasons why she wasn't exactly in the best of moods, one could start with the fact that a few of the clients calling today to make appointments were extremely impatient and rude; talking far too loud into the receiver, yelling their complaints, sighing exasperatedly - loudly, and all those other enjoyable things annoying people do on phones.

Then there was the fact that tomorrow was her dreaded birthday, where gifts and attention were most likely inevitable, unless people actually listened to her this year.

And then there was that slight annoying detail of her best friend being too busy with something to come walk her home.

She sighed. She knew she shouldn't be so greedy with his time, always expecting him to be there 24/7. But he always was, so it was hard not to expect him all the time.

Her feet took her to the Cullen household out of habit, because that was where she usually went after school or work. She hesitated outside the door, though. What if he was still busy with whatever he was doing?

Oh well; she could handle being told to go to her real home. Maybe.

She opened the door and walked in. At first, everything was silent; no one seemed to be home. She listened for Alice's loud music playing through the house as a sign that she was there, or Emmett's video games being played on the television in the den. Carlisle was still at the hospital, working, she knew, and Esme was off discussing renovations with some client's home.

She was about to just go home when she heard a loud "Argh!" come from the kitchen. She recognized the rarely used voice immediately, and ran over to the kitchen, prepared for any emergency.

She stopped dead when she hit the doorway though.

There was cake mix everywhere. On the walls, counters, floors, and a bit on the high ceiling too. And then there was Edward, completely covered in it, looking dumbfounded as he stood at the island with an electric mixer and a bowl in his hand.

She couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. She doubled over, and had to hold onto the door frame for support.

Glancing up through her eyes swimming with tears, she saw her best friend wiping the mix off of his face, a very annoyed expression on his scowling face, and his face burning bright pink.

"Oh, Edward," she giggled, walking forward. Observing the mess, she stood next to him and regarded the mixer, guessing it had just been on really high a few minutes ago. She shook her head, still giggling.

That's what you get for disobeying my direct orders and trying to celebrate my birthday tomorrow, she signed, an amused expression on her face. It's fate's way of telling you to drop it.

He rolled his eyes, still scowling, face still aflame with embarrassment. He glared at the counter, and she finally realized how stupid he must feel right now.

She touched his arm. Oh c'mon Edward, I'm laughing at the situation, not at you. You have to see the humor in this predicament.

Grudgingly, he grinned slightly, and wrapped his arms around her after hers had already gone around his waist.

Spotting some chocolate cake mix still on his chin, she reached up and scooped it onto her finger, before bringing it into her mouth. Well, it would've been a good cake, she joked, before looking into Edward's face. His held the strangest expression as he stared at her; she wasn't even sure how to describe it. But it immediately sobered her up.

Finally, Edward pulled away. Help me clean this up? he plead, crooked smile plastered on his face. Before Esme gets home?

She laughed, and together they started scrubbing.

We were at the boardwalk near the lake. The boardwalk was always a fun place; always something to do here. But I knew we had come for something specific. It was only after we'd gotten out and Edward had started leading me toward a big crowd of people dancing and jazz music playing that it finally clicked.

I stopped, and smacked his arm. He merely looked at me with wide, innocent doe eyes.

Don't even look at me like that mister, I signed, my expression menacing, What the hell! You know I can't dance, and you can't even hear the music!

His eyes tightened fractionally, and I immediately regretted my signs, but then he was smiling and the tightness was gone before I could apologize. Oh c'mon, "Bella,", you're always saying you want to work on your rhythm. Here's your chance. You can help keep me on rhythm, too.

I shook my head sadly, letting it drop. I can't Edward! And you have natural rhythm anyway, so you'll be much better than I am; plus you watch TV so you know what to do. But I can't lead, I can't dance, and I don't even have an excuse.

"Bella," he said softly, but I didn't look at him, still staring at the ground. "Bella," he repeated, a little more firm this time. His hand was under my chin and he was gently turning my face up off the ground. You'll be fine.

I'll look stupid.

Who cares? I just want you to have fun. And despite what you think, I'll sure as hell be looking just as stupid as you think you will, because at least you've got beat on your side.

I shook my head again, but it was in defeat, and I was smiling as only Edward could make me. Fine. We can look stupid together, I guess, but you're going to regret this.

I doubt that. He grinned. And there's no one else I'd rather make a fool out of myself with.

I couldn't help but to laugh, and proceeded to let him drag me over to the dance floor.

So, Miss Hearing Intact, lead me.

I stood unsure for a moment, before I took his hands and started dancing awkwardly to the upswing music. I felt really stupid at first, but as time went on I started getting better, and

Edward started leading me, once he realized what dance I was trying to do…And plus we just started copying the people around us.

It actually was pretty fun.

Laughing, hands together, we jumped back from each other, before pushing towards the other again, then swinging around.

See! You got it, Edward signed excitedly, letting go of me briefly, a big smile on his face. He took my hands again, and picked me up off the ground and twirling.

I let out a shriek of surprise and laughter, and giggled when he put me down and the song ended. Edward didn't realize it, obviously, and was about to continue but I stopped him.

Hey, it's a slow song now. That dancing isn't called for now. I grinned, and turned around, prepared to walk elsewhere and get a drink, since I wasn't sure whether he would want to slow dance with me. It was a bit intimate, and as desperately as I wished we were together, we weren't, and I didn't want to put him in an awkward position.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back into a hard chest. And where do you think you're going? he signed, his hands in front of me. I couldn't see his face, and I didn't answer. I just started swaying with him, closing my eyes. I felt his chin drop to my shoulder, and he exhaled a soft breath. I sunk my back into him, wishing that this wasn't just a slow dance between friends.

I sighed, and let my head fall back on Edward's shoulders, listening to the lyrics of the peaceful, almost sad song, that definitely wasn't jazz.

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people passing by.
I see friends shaking hands, saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I…I love you."

The song was almost over when Edward's chin left my shoulder. I felt a stab of disappointment, until I felt his warm breath on my neck. My breathing increased pace, wondering…it almost seemed like he was about to kiss it. He felt close. But the song ended then, and the show was over, and the crowd started breaking up. We got shoved accidentally by a group of people, and Edward's sturdiness was the only thing that kept us on our feet. Regardless, whatever moment that may or may not have happened, it was over now. I wanted to flick the people off, but it wasn't really their fault.

I felt Edward take my hand, and I turned around to face him. Thirsty, he asked? He was smiling, but his eyes weren't as lit up as they could be. I wondered if it was because of us getting shoved or something else. It was so hard to tell with him sometimes.

A little, I signed back. But let's just go back home.

He tilted his head, his smile shrewd. Not specific enough. My house or yours?

I rolled my eyes. Same thing, really. Yours. I'm spending the night, I already told Renee earlier that I was.

He laughed out loud as we started walking back down the boardwalk to his car. By all means, "Bella,", invite yourself to my home whenever you feel like. No need to ask the people that actually do live there.

Fine, I'll go to my house then.

Or not. I don't want you to go.

Thanks. I smiled up at him. Thanks for tonight. Really. As much as I hate to admit it, I actually had a good time.

Yeah, I know. I'm pretty good at guessing what you'll like.

I wanted to slap myself to get my mind back from where it began to wander at that statement. But if only we could apply that to a different situation…

You okay? he signed, concerned at my conflicted expression as he helped me into the Volvo.

I flashed him a tight grin and a double thumbs up. He chuckled and rolled his eyes, getting into the driver's seat. I sighed. If only he knew.

We started speeding off toward his house then. But I was already home; home was wherever he was.

Okay, guys, you all rock! Fer serious. For the first chapter, I got 41 reviews, and for the second I got 47 as it stands now. So I decided I like this pattern of increasing number of reviews for each chapter. As a result, I won't be posting again until I get at least 48 reviews. Go ahead and hate me: just review first ;)

By the way, the song was Somewhere Over the Rainbowperformed by Kamakawiwo Ole' Israel. In my opinion, it's the best version.

Review!

- The Romanticidal Edwardian