A/N: Holy crow...thanks for all the alerts/favs...glad to see so many of you hopping on the Stonedward Express *giggles*
So... while I'm hoping to post in a timely fashion, I'm not that organized yet to have regular weekly updates. However, this update(only a week after the last!) has been brought to you by MrsTheKing and her big heart! She put out a call to authors to update on 2/28 to show gratitude to their readers and of course I had to be a part of that because whether its SVM or Twi, I am blessed with some of the most fab readers out there! You are all amazing, and whether you review, alert, fav or just enjoy the fic quietly: thank you! thank you! thank you!!
You can read more about who else is updating here: http://theficbridge(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com/2010/02/grateful-to-readers(DOT)html
As always...a big old hit from the bong for my fabulous beta, Lexiecullen17 (despite her ever growing desire to spank the comma FAIL out of me) and another huge batch of special brownies for my prereader HunterHunting. Both these girls make me giggle so much, you'd think I was already stoned. (an extra pass of the joint to Zigster for taking a peek at this in a pinch. xo)
"So, what do you think?" Jasper asks as he looks over a set of negatives.
"Huh? Think about what?" I ask, trying to recall what he's been talking about.
Jasper snorts before nudging my arm.
"Yeah, you did have this glazed, far-off look in your eyes, Swan. I wondered if you snuck off to get stoned without me," he smirks.
I roll my eyes, not even dignifying his attempt at a joke with a response.
"So, where were you while I was pouring out my deepest, darkest secrets?"
I huff, not sure how much I want to share with Jasper. We've grown closer over the last few weeks, and I certainly count him as one of my friends, but he's also Edward's friend, and I don't know how much they talk about girl stuff. Truthfully, while Jasper has been apparently bearing his soul to me, my mind has wandered to thoughts of Edward and what the fuck we are doing. Ever since the afternoon spent studying at his place, we've spent most of our afternoons together.
Sometimes, when the weather isn't too cold, we park by the local baseball field and sit on blankets in the back of my truck. When the wind gets to be too much, and I begin shivering, we pack it up and head to his place, where his mom has hot cocoa and snacks waiting for us. Invariably, we end up in his library room, finishing things up, the silence between us deafening. At least for me. Edward seems to take it all in stride.
Fucker.
It should also be noted that I have yet to even see his room.
The feeling of something crawling on me causes me to jump, abandoning all thoughts of Edward. I look down at my hand and see that Jasper's doodled a picture of Spongebob Squarepants on it. I rub at it, but it just smears, creating a blue blob on my hand.
"Asshole," I mutter as Jasper laughs.
"Dude, you did it again. You zoned out on me. Seriously. I'm trying to give you your very own Oprah moment with me, and you totally ignore it. I have be honest Swan, it hurts."
I whip my head around to see if he's okay, but instead of the pained look I'm expecting, Jasper is staring at me with a godawful, goofy grin.
"Asshole," I repeat, spurring a fit of laughter from Jasper.
"So, what's with the heart to heart? What's up?" I ask, truly curious as to what's caused him to go all Lifetime on me.
"I was just saying how I was thinking of asking Alice out."
Alice.
Despite the massive hard on he carries for the elusive Alice, Jasper has yet to actually do anything about it. That doesn't stop him from talking about it... most of the time. He alternates between pretending he's a fucking Man in Black when it comes to Alice and won't say a word about what's going on, or he'll over share, letting us know which Rice Krispie elf is her favorite. It's kind of sickening and absolutely adorable all at once. I hate it. The fact that Jasper is going to man up and actually ask Alice out means that they're one step ahead of Edward and me. If Alice is formally asked out, at least she'll know where she stands. I'm jealous of the girl, and I haven't even met her yet.
"Or...that's lame, right?" Jasper rushes to add, since I haven't responded to him yet. "Yeah, totally lame. Never mind."
"No!" I work quickly to reassure him. "That's great! You've been talking about her so much that I thought you had already asked her out. But, yes! Go for it."
Jasper nods his head and goes back to looking over his negatives.
"Thanks, Swan," he mumbles, and I rub his back reassuringly much to the chagrin of the Bitch Brigade, who has been staring daggers into my back this entire time. I mentally flip them off and try to focus on the work on front of me.
~*~
The next day I pull into the student parking lot, sliding in right next to Edward's car. Jasper, Edward, Marcus and their friend Peter are all standing around, kicking around a hackeysack. I watch for a few moments until somebody kicks it up and over the brick wall, and their game ends abruptly. Edward looks up and spots me, his face breaking into a devilishly handsome smile. He quirks his head to the side in a silent invitation for me to come over.
"Hey."
"Hey," I echo, shifting to lean back against the wall.
Edward drapes his arm around me, like it's the most natural thing in the world, and I press myself closer to his side, his warm pea coat scratching the side of my face. A cold wind hits us, and I bury my face in Edward's chest, waiting for it to pass. He rubs vigorous circles on my back, trying to help warm me up. I take the chance to inhale deeply, savoring the smell of Edward's jacket . He smells like smokey wool and spearmint, and I don't think I will ever get enough of it. Eventually the wind dies down, so I right myself up before I call much attention to myself.
The first bell rings, warning us that we only have five minutes to get to class, and everyone groans as they grab their bags and head indoors. Edward's arm slides away from my shoulder, and I immediately miss his heat. I am calmed a second later when his hand threads its way through mine, and his calloused thumb rubs back and forth over my knuckles. We reach the door of my first class, and I'm about to head in when Edward cups my face, running his rough thumb over my skin.
"So, date night tomorrow?" he scoffs, but his eyes are alight with excitement.
I quirk my head, about to ask him what he means but am silenced when the second bell rings, making Edward officially late for his class. He plants a swift kiss on my forehead and spins me towards my class, leaving me breathless as I watch his retreating form head down the hall. I can hardly concentrate on the assigned reading I'm supposed to be working on, as thoughts of 'date night' swirl in my brain. Was that his way of asking me on an official date? Despite asking me about my movie preferences over a week ago, Edward hasn't actually asked me out. His non-asking fits in with his totally laid back persona, but it just gives me more of a splitting headache trying to figure out the mystery that is Edward 'maybe my boyfriend' Cullen.
When it's finally time for Bio, I inwardly cheer that I'll be able to pump him for more info about what he means. I curse internally when we're given a pop quiz, effectively squashing any chance I have of talking to Edward. I finish my quiz in record time, tapping my pencil on the edge of my desk, my nerves getting the best of me. Edward turns around to look at me but quickly turns back around when Banner coughs loudly from up front.
The bell finally rings, and I figure I'll get an opportunity to say something as he walks me to my next class. So, it throws me for a loop when Edward leans in, kisses my cheek and lets me know that he has to rush to a guidance appointment and will catch up with me after school. I refrain from kicking a nearby locker, knowing it won't do any good, and I'd mostly likely end up with a sprained toe. I give Edward a small smile and a wave as he walks away from me. As I make my way to photography, I hope that I'll at least get some info from Jasper, but of course as soon as I slide into my chair, Mrs. Cope demands our full attention for once. After her half assed attempt at a lecture, she lets us loose, telling us we can go outside to take pictures if we'd like, as long as we're back within twenty minutes.
Jasper and I both grab our coats and camera bags and hightail it the fuck out of there. We make a beeline for the woods that surrounds the school, carefully avoiding the glare of the rent-a-cop they have patrolling the parking lot during the day. When we're finally far enough away that nobody can see us, we relax against a bunch of rocks. Jasper pulls out his pack of cigarettes and waves it in my direction. I pluck one out, despite knowing that I should probably stop this nasty habit but having no real motivation to do so. Instead, I pull out my faithful red lighter and flick it on, lighting my cig before tossing it to Jasper so he can use it.
I perch myself upon one of the rocks, smoking my cig and placing some leaves out in what I hope is an artsy arrangement so Mrs. Cope will think I spent some time on this assignment. I wait for Jasper to say something, but when I look back at him, he's got his camera out already and is crouched down low, snapping pictures, focusing on the dark green moss coating one of the rocks.
"So..." I hedge, trying to figure out what to ask.
Jasper looks up at me, his cigarette dangling from his lip. He quirks his eyebrow, waiting for me to speak.
"What's the scoop with this double date?" I ask, the words coming out in a rush.
Jasper chuckles softly before taking one last puff of his cigarette and stubbing it out on the sole of his shoe. He crouches back down and starts snapping pictures again and I wonder if he's going to answer me.
"I finally asked Alice out," he says, by way of explanation. Although, it's not really an explanation, since I still don't understand how Edward and I are involved.
"Yeah?" I ask, hoping to coax more out of him.
"Yup. We were texting last night, and I finally just called her and asked if she wanted to go out for coffee."
I momentarily forget about my own quasi-relationship issues and am totally stoked for Jasper. I may have even let out a little squeal.
"That is awesome Jasper, way to go! So...what did she say?"
"Don't get your panties in a twist just yet. Here's the thing..." he says slowly, his right hand scratching at his stubbly chin. "I may have said something like 'so a bunch of us are going for coffee, do you want to come too?' "
Jasper toes some stones by his feet, waiting for my reaction.
"So, you didn't actually ask her on a date," I say, stressing the last word.
"Fuck, Swan. I did... kind of. It's hard to talk to you girls. I mean, not you. But you know, most girls."
I roll my eyes at him, and he quickly backpedals.
"Shit. No. You know what I mean. You're different. You're cool. It's just, when I actually called Alice, and I heard her on the other line, being all breathy and shit, I just froze. So it kinda came out all messed up. But...she said yes," he adds, as if that solves everything.
I nod, not saying anything, because in addition to listening to Jasper's fucked up way of asking a girl out, I'm now wondering if Edward just sees me like Jasper's said. Maybe he only thinks of me as the cool chick who hangs with them who he also sometimes kisses. But, fuck...he still said something about a double date. What the hell was that about?
"So, what the hell is the double date thing about then?" I ask Jasper, trying to work this all out in my head before I go crazy.
Jasper actually blushes a bit and has the decency to look chagrined as he explains himself.
"Well, after the disaster of a phone call, I got in touch with Cullen, and we decided that it would at least save it if it was just you two who came along, instead of the whole crew. That way it is sorta still a date, you know? Just a double date. Is that...are you cool with that?"
I think about it a bit and realize that Edward had some part in planning this ridiculous thing, and I can't help but smile. It's sort of sweet that they are trying to figure out a way for Jasper to get with Alice. I let Jasper sweat it out for a bit while he waits for my answer. Finally, I can't take his pleading, puppy dog eyes any longer.
"Fine. Yeah, no it's fine. I'll go. I mean, hell, at least I'll actually get a date with Edward out of it," I add, mostly to myself.
Of course, Jasper picks up on it, and looks at me incredulously.
"What the fuck, Swan? You haven't gone on a date with Cullen yet? But I thought..." he trails off, and I'm immediately in his face, beyond eager for him to finish that sentence.
"You thought what Jasper? Give it up...What were you going to say?"
I'm this close to breaking down and explaining to Jasper the complete mindfuck that is Edward Cullen, because clearly he's not seeing it. Jasper looks at me for a second before his own expression changes to amusement. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm scarily close to channeling Robert DeNiro and am about to ask Jasper if I amuse him. Clearly, I'm bringing the crazy thanks to his bff.
Instead of answering me, Jasper slings his arm over my shoulder and guides me back towards the school.
"Swan, you really need to stop thinking so hard," he says, and I immediately recall Edward using that same line on me once. What the fuck is up with these boys and their stoner mentality?
I try to come up with a snarky response, but Jasper continues to speak, somehow channeling his inner philosopher.
"You and Cullen...you're like two sides of the same coin. You're you, he's him, and you're both...well, you know what I mean."
I stop walking because this is just seriously ridiculous. No, I don't know what he means, and I wonder if I somehow missed the part where Jasper took a huge ass bong hit because he's clearly not sober at the moment. Jasper realizes that I've stopped and turns to look at me, wondering what's wrong.
"It's just..." I realize my voice is really quiet, yet since we're still in the woods, it's carrying quite loudly. "I like him."
I feel my cheeks start to heat up at this admission. I haven't even made it to Edward but to his best friend. All of a sudden, I feel foolish, until I chance a peek at Jasper and see that he's grinning from ear to ear. He pats me heartily on the back, and I stumble a bit before regaining my balance.
"Well, shit, Swan. I'm glad you figured that out," he laughs. "And if I may be so bold as to suggest...I'm pretty sure Cullen likes you too," Jasper snorts as we make our way back to class, his arm slung back around me.
"Yeah?" I ask, still unsure, but somewhat relieved by Jasper's words.
"It's like the Beastie Boys say, Bella..."
Before he's able to finish, we're both startled by Edward, who pops out behind the photography class's door just as we round the corner. Jasper gives my shoulder a squeeze before he drops his arm and fist bumps Edward. As Jasper walks away, he points at me.
"Cheese," he declares, leaving me confused, then he turns to Edward and shoves him playfully before calling out, "Macaroni!"
It takes me a second until it sinks in, and then I can't help but grin, my eyes crinkling up with happiness. Edward looks at me, completely confused.
"What was that?"
I thread my arm through his, my confidence suddenly boosted by Jasper's not so cryptic message, and shake my head, changing the subject.*
~*~
I glance at the clock and realize that Edward and Jasper will be here in five minutes. I check myself over in the mirror and wonder if I'm dressed okay. I know we're only going for coffee, and Jasper and Alice will be there as well, but this is still the closest thing I've had to a date with Edward. I'm not going to let that chance pass me by. I don't overdress, but I want to look somewhat cute, or at least different than when I'm hanging out with all of them in the Hood. With one more look in the mirror, I decide that my grey corduroy pants, black v-neck sweater and purple cotton scarf will have to do. I slip on a pair of sneakers and grab a bag, stuffing my cigs, lighter, wallet and phone inside it.
I debate putting on some makeup and at the last moment apply a bit of flavored lip gloss and some smokey colored eye shadow. I finish the last sweep over my eyelid as I hear somebody honking a car horn outside. Peering out the bathroom window, I see Edward and Jasper waiting in the driveway. I grab my bag, a jacket, and I thank my lucky stars that Charlie decided to take advantage of the fairly decent day to go fishing. I haven't really given him much more info about Edward, and I plan to keep it that way for as long as possible. There is no need to hasten the awkward father-daughter birds and bees talk that neither of us are keen on having.
I toss my keys in my pocket and head out the door, just as I see Jasper lean over Edward to honk the horn once more. I stifle a giggle when Edward smacks Jasper upside the head, before saying something I can't hear. Jasper nods begrudgingly before opening his car door and folds himself into the backseat.
"Aw," I feign a horrible southern accent. "All for little ol' me? You shouldn't have."
Jasper rolls his eyes. "Tell me about it, Swan. But Cullen demanded I move to the back."
I bite my lip, tasting the pink lemonade gloss that's there, before sliding into the front seat next to Edward.
"Hey," I greet him shyly.
"Hey."
His face lights up with a smile that causes a tiny dimple to appear in his left cheek. There is a crackle of static electricity that passes between us, and I want to reach out and touch him to see if I'll actually feel a spark. Before I'm able to even try, Jasper pops his head in between us, breaking the connection.
"Alright, fuckers, let's do this."
"Nice, Jazz," Edward growls with a shake of his head. "Real classy."
Jasper just laughs in response, and I can't help but join in. Soon we're driving down the highway to Port Angeles with the speakers blaring The Flaming Lips. Jasper rambles on incessantly from the back seat. It's obvious that he's nervous, but I'm sure it's going to be fine. His nerves make me forget my own, until I feel Edward's cool hand wrap around mine, squeezing it softly. He holds my hand the rest of the drive there. All twenty-three minutes of it.
Not that I was counting.
We drive a loop around the main street until Edward finally spots a parking space, and he pulls in carefully. Jasper can hardly wait and is out of the car before Edward can even throw it into park. Jasper's eagerness is sort of endearing, and it's making me incredibly curious to meet Alice. We're a couple blocks from Cup of Mud, the coffee shop we're meeting Alice at, so we start to walk over. Jasper already has a cigarette lit and is puffing away. I hope it calms his nerves a bit because the boy is on edge.
We make it to the coffee shop, and Jasper's head is whipping from side to side as he looks around for Alice. His excited eyes dim a little as he realizes she isn't here yet, so I place a hand on his arm, trying to divert his attention.
"Let's get a drink," I suggest, and we all walk over to the counter to order.
I end up getting a hot chai, while Jasper, who really doesn't need the extra caffeine, orders an espresso, and Edward gets a plain black coffee. We find a booth in the back and settle in to wait for our order. Jasper's eyes keep darting towards the door each time the bells chime as it opens. In the meantime, our order is called, so Edward and I go up to grab it, leaving a spastic Jasper to himself for a moment.
"He's really nervous, huh?" I ask, making conversation.
"Hm? Oh, Jasper? Yeah," Edward agrees, looking back at his friend. "He totally should have smoked before we came. Would have mellowed him out for sure. This Alice must be something else," he muses.
I nod in agreement, blowing on my chai to cool it off before taking a tentative sip. When my eyes flicker back to Edward, I notice he's staring at me. I self consciously lick my lips, wondering if I have some foam or cinnamon stuck on them. I bring my hand up and try to wipe at my mouth, but Edward shakes his head and moves my hand away.
"You're perfect," I hear Edward murmur, or at least I think that's what he says; his voice is sort of muffled. I don't get a chance to ask him to repeat himself as I hear a loud voice pierce the room.
"Jazz!"
We both look up and see that Jasper is no longer alone at our booth. Instead, he's holding a petite girl in his arms, stroking her back sweetly. We make our way back to the booth and place the drinks on the table, sliding in on the opposite side. Jasper finally realizes we're back and sits back into his seat, dragging the girl down with him.
"Guys, this is Alice," he says with a huge grin, and it's clear by the lightness in his voice how much he's into her. "Alice, this is Edward and Bella."
I smile and say hi while Edward kind of nods in her direction. She's awfully cute but almost the polar opposite from the boy sitting next to her. Jasper is totally low key and low maintenance, and this girl looks anything but. Her close-cropped spiky black hair is fucking awesome but also looks like it took a while to put together. She's wearing little makeup, but what she is wearing is pretty far out there. Her lips are coated in some sparkly white glitter gloss, and she also has shimmery blue eye shadow on. Something tells me from the beatific smile she's got on her face that Alice is the kind of girl who'd sparkle even without the aid of makeup.
Her clothes are absolutely wild -- from her argyle tights, to her tweed skirt, and ripped t-shirt. She boggles my mind even further when she tells me she made the shirt and skirt herself. Nothing about her screams poseur, though. Despite our outward differences, we actually seem to click, finding out that we have a shit ton in common the more we talk. We continue to get to know one another while Jasper goes up and orders Alice a drink.
"And so I wondered how long it would take Jasper to actually ask my out," Alice whispers conspiratorially while Edward's immersed himself in a leftover newspaper on the table.
I smile at Alice, thrilled that she's so happy. It's nice to know that she's just as into Jasper as he is into her. When Jasper comes back, he not only brings Alice a hot cocoa but a crazy looking snack as well.
"What's this?" I ask, spying graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.
"It's awesome. It's called Table S'mores, and they're like the real deal, only not done over a big fire. Alice mentioned how she missed going camping and so..." He trails off, scratching the back of his neck and looking three shades of embarrassed. It doesn't help when Edward snickers. I kick his foot under the table and give him a look.
"I think it's sweet," I say, smiling at Jasper.
Jasper beams and grabs his lighter as he fiddles with the mini propane container that comes with the dish. He finally gets the flame going and hands everyone a stick. I thread two marshmallows on mine, as I watch the ease in which Jasper and Alice interact. Despite their glaring differences, they seem to be in sync with each other, their movements fluid, with looks passing between them that make even me heat up a bit. On the other side of the table, Edward is drumming his fingers on the table, making his own rhythm, barely aware of what's going on around him. I hand my stick to him, and his face lights up, mouthing thanks as he plucks one of the marshmallows off to eat.
"You need to toast it, silly," I say, pointing to the flame in the center of the table.
Edward nods and holds his stick slightly away from the flame, slowly charring the sticky treat. I load up another stick and join him, snagging a piece of chocolate to nibble on as I wait for my marshmallows to get all melty. While we make our s'mores, we talk some more, and I continue to see why Jasper digs Alice. She's a total spitfire. At some point, Edward and Jasper start their own conversation about some ninja movie, and Alice just sits there, shaking her head, her eyes almost bugging out.
"Bella, please tell me you don't have to deal with shit like this all the time?"
Alice's not so soft voice causes the boys to look in our direction.
"What shit?" I ask, genuinely not understanding.
"This ninja, lame-ass movie shit," she says. Hearing her swear makes me giggle.
"Oh, yeah, that. I kind of tune out when they go there. They tend to talk about movies a lot, so..."
"They can't pick good movies?" Alice asks in disbelief, and both Jasper and Edward now look at her, ready to pounce.
"Alice, what would your definition of a good movie be?" Edward challenges, and Alice sits back, presumably to think about it for a moment.
"I dunno. A good plot, compelling characters, interesting music. But, definitely not one where it's just a bunch of men in black, karate chopping other guys in black. Sorry, boys," she says with a wink.
I can't contain my laughter anymore and high five Alice, which she willingly reciprocates.
"You should come to the Hood sometime," I offer, and only after the words are out of my mouth do I wonder if I've overstepped my boundaries.
Jasper seems okay with it, though, so I continue.
"I'm the only girl there, and while their taste in movies is okay, there's still a lot left to be desired. I could use an advocate."
I can see Jasper out of the corner of my eye, and he's nodding his head vigorously, just wanting any excuse to hang out with Alice some more. I figure I just did him a solid. Edward, on the other hand, wants to talk movies some more.
"What would you want to watch?"
His eyebrow quirks in question, and it's the most beautiful sight. It's not perfectly groomed by any means, but the way it arches perfectly above his bright green eye is just masterful. It takes me a moment to compose myself so I can answer his question.
"Um...Amy Heckerling movies would be a good choice?" I say, but it comes out more like a question.
Jasper lets out a huge laugh and stares at me with wide eyes.
"Swan. I thought I knew you. But, Clueless? Really?"
I'm about to hit him back with at least three other movies she's made that I know Jasper loves, but before I can defend my honor, the green-eyed boy next to me steps in.
"Dude, don't even go there. Sure, Clueless is a super chick flick, but you have to give props for Fast Times At Ridgemont High -- total classic, and boobs, man, boobs."
I figure I'll let the boobs comment slide since Edward is essentially sticking up for me, which is totally sweet.
"There's also Johnny Dangerously, which is fucking hilarious, and I'm pretty sure she directed a National Lampoon Vacation movie too."
I nod along as Edward names some of my favorite movies, while Jasper just sits there, slack-jawed.
"Well, fuck me. Ten points for Swan for being kinda cool, then. My bad," he says, tossing a half eaten marshmallow at me.
I roll my eyes at him, and Alice laughs, playfully shoving Jasper for me. We sit around, chatting for a bit, when almost simultaneously, Jasper decides he needs a refill and Alice gets up to go to the bathroom. They leave together, and after they've been gone for over five minutes, it's painfully clear that they're not coming back anytime soon. I fiddle nervously with the spoon near me and take a few sips of my tea to deal with the silence. Edward continues to drum his fingers on the table while I try and come up with something to say in the meantime.
Before I can think of anything, Edward leans in. At first, I think he wants to whisper something to me, and I'm not quite sure why since we're all alone. Then I feel the heat of his breath tickle my lips as they meet mine. He kisses me for a second, and I'm about to lose myself in it before he quickly pulls back, surprising me. Edward has a weird look on his face as he licks his lips and then grimaces. His hand comes up and wipes them, and I try not to feel hurt, but my heart clenches seeing him basically get grossed out by me. I'd think I had coffee breath if I wasn't drinking tea. I hang my head, tears pricking at the corner of my eyes, and bite my lips in hope of holding them in. The last thing I need is for Edward to see me cry.
I start running numbers in my head, wondering how much longer we're going to have to stay here, and then how long the car ride back home will be. Before I can calculate a way to get home that doesn't involve Edward, I feel a flutter of fingers on my cheeks, pulling my face up. Edward's staring at me with wide eyes, shaking his head. His fingers ghost my lips and soon he's tugging at them, wiping them as well. He leans towards me, and this time he does whisper in my ear.
"You don't need this shit. It's too sweet. You taste...you taste perfect without it."
My cheeks heat up, and my eyes water, but for an entirely different reason now. I bring the back of my hand up and wipe my lips, a faint streak of shimmery pink coming off. I lick them and they taste normal to me, so I hesitantly lean in towards Edward, as he meets me half way, kissing me immediately.
"Much better," he mumbles against my lips, and I let out a sigh.
Edward uses my parted lips to his advantage, sneaking his tongue in and lightly dragging it against my lower lip. I flick my tongue out to meet his, and it's bitter with coffee, but I want to taste more. Before I'm able to, somebody appears at our table, effectively ending the moment.
"Eddie!"
I whip my head around towards the shrill voice and dig my fingers into my thighs at the sight of the girl standing at our table. She looks a few years older than us with dyed blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail and a sparkling nose piercing. Her eyes are trained on Edward, and she has a predatory look to her. It's clear she wants one thing here, and it isn't coffee. The shirt she's wearing is two sizes too small, and I can tell that she also has a nipple piercing. Gross.
"Hey Ed..." she says again, trying to get Edward's attention.
Edward's hand reaches down to clench mine, but for some reason, I'm suddenly all sorts of uncomfortable. I pull my hand away, bringing it to my lap. Edward doesn't seem to get the hint since he then takes his now free hand and threads it through my hair, rubbing circles on the back of my neck. It feels really good, and I wish that this blonde glamazon would just get the fuck out of here, so I could enjoy this without her glaring at me, like she's currently doing.
"Tanya." Edward nods in her direction, but doesn't make much more of an effort.
"What's new Eddie? We haven't seen you in a while. You've definitely been missed. Well, you and those...magic fingers of yours," she says with a wink, her voice suddenly all husky as she stares at the fingers currently caressing my neck.
Edward clears his throat before answering her, and I'm super curious as to what he's going to say.
"Um, yeah. I've been busy and didn't sign up for the next workshop. I'll probably be back around soon, no big deal. So yeah, I'll see you around, Tanya."
Tanya pouts and looks at me, then back at Edward, before rolling her eyes.
"Whatever. You know where to find me. Later." And with that, she turns on her heel and walks away, her ass swinging purposefully as she leaves.
I debate whether or not I should say anything about what the fuck just happened, and thankfully, I don't need to decide as Edward begins to explain.
"A few months ago, I signed up for some guitar workshop at the community music school in town. Tanya was part of that. She's an okay musician; she really just needs to focus on strengthening her chord changes," he explains, and it's almost endearing that he thinks I care about Tanya's guitar skills.
He goes on to tell me all about the class and how it helped him work on some songs and stuff, but that he hasn't really had time for it lately, and I wonder why that is. I hope it's not because of me, because despite the desire to take a black sharpie and write 'MINE' all over Edward, if he is going to be within ten feet of Tanya, I think that going to a guitar class would be good for him. I don't have much time to think about it, though, because Alice and Jasper finally return.
It takes all of my energy not to laugh, and I bite my lip in a futile attempt as a giggle escapes. Alice's cheeks are flushed, and her hair is a mess. Jasper doesn't look any better, with swollen lips and glitter tracked all over his face. I hear Edward snort next to me as he takes in Jasper's appearance.
"You have some um...glitter," he says, pointing to Jasper's face.
Alice looks over and laughs, grabbing a tissue to wipe some of it off. He's still sparkling when she's done, and I lean into Edward as laughter takes over. Neither of them have the decency to look ashamed, but I don't blame them. Their happiness radiates off their bodies and despite my jealously, I'm really glad that Jasper's found somebody as cool as Alice to hang with. We sit around and talk a while longer before Edward starts to get antsy, his body vibrating with energy.
"Cig?" I ask him, and he nods vigorously.
"Let's all go," Jasper suggests, and we leave the coffee shop and head towards Edward's car.
Edward pauses a moment to roll a cigarette, and I grab one from my pack, offering it to Alice. She shakes her head but doesn't seem to care that we smoke. Edward links his fingers with mine once his cigarette is lit and perched on his lower lip. We're not exactly holding hands, but just the slight feel of his fingers against mine is perfect. Right as we make it to Edward's car, Jasper tells us he's going to walk Alice to hers. Before they leave, Alice grabs my hand, ripping it from Edward's touch. She pulls a pen from her bag and writes a number on my palm.
"Call me," she whispers in my ear as she gives me a huge hug, somehow encompassing my entire body despite being half my size.
I squeeze her back, smiling. I nod and wave good bye as Edward shouts out to a retreating Jasper not to take so fucking long. I roll my eyes, pulling him back towards his car. Alice and Jasper turn a corner, and it's just me and Edward, standing by his car, fingers touching and finishing our cigs. Grey smoke curls out and swirls around us, not lasting long in the crisp fall air. We don't talk, but it's not exactly silent either, as Edward hums some song next to me. A passing wind blows hard, and I shiver, not ready for winter just yet. Edward opens his door and turns the car on, flipping the heater on in the process.
"Get in. You're cold," he remarks, as if I'm not aware.
I don't argue, and instead slide in, grateful that his car seems to take no time at all in heating up. I flex my fingers, finally feeling warm again and startle slightly when Edward reaches over and grabs my hands. He pulls them up to his mouth and blows, his hot breath tickling my fingers. The air around us crackles in anticipation, and this time, there is no Jasper or Tanya to interrupt us. I shift towards him slightly just as he leans in, and we bump heads briefly.
I start to giggle, but my laughter is absorbed by Edward's lips as he kisses me. He's now a crazy mixture of tastes...smoke, coffee and still that something sweet lingering in the background. I kiss him back and pry my hands from him, moving them up to his hair. I've wanted to thread my hands in his messy hair for as long as I can remember, and I am finally able to. I look up briefly and decide that his hair is definitely the color of cinnamon. I smile at my internal declaration, and if Edward notices, he doesn't ask, just guides my lips back to his. We kiss for a while, my hands leaving his hair as they brace against his thighs. I hear him groan in my mouth, and the sound reverberates straight to my belly, causing my toes to curl.
At this point, I'm mildly out of breath, so I break apart from Edward, resting my forehead against his while I calm myself down. With my eyes downcast, I notice that the crotch of his jeans is slightly tented, and my eyes grow wide as I think about what's going on down there. I'm not totally inexperienced; I've kissed a few boys before and even dry humped Tyler after the junior prom last year, but that's pretty much as far as I've gotten. Knowing that my hand was inches from Edward's dick and that it was probably pretty hard, causes my breathing to pick up again and a warm feeling to pool in my belly, spreading down even lower. I shift uncomfortably at the sensation.
Jasper chooses that moment to return, opening up the backdoor, bringing the cold air in with him. I spring away from Edward, but he grabs my hand, staring at me for a second, before placing one last kiss on my forehead. He starts the car back up, and we drive home to Forks, all three of us quiet, the only noise coming from the Felice Brothers as music drifts from the speakers. Edward holds my hand the entire way home.
A/N
*Just in case you're not as Beastie Boy obsessed as I am, Jasper referenced a line from the Beastie's song, Get It Together: "Got To Do It Like This Like Chachi And Joanie,
Because She's The Cheese And I'm The Macaroni."(It's also a loose reference to the film Juno - since these kids are so movie obsessed!), where Juno refers to Paulie Bleeker as the Cheese to her Macaroni. sigh.).
Speaking of fuckawesome music...I've created a playlist for The Hood: http://www(DOT)playlist(DOT)com/playlist/19312853515 - It contains songs that feature in the fic or are inspired by the fic. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any good songs to rec for it!
oh! and I would be SO remiss if I didn't mention that the fabulous Zigster made me both a killer banner & blinky thingy for this fic...both linked in my profile!
And just to go down in history of having the longest pre/post A/N in the history of any chapter 3 *snort* - I have one more thing to mention. This fic started off as a o/s for the Twi-High Anonymous Challenge. It won 1st place judges pick and 2nd place in open vote, which snagged me some prizes. However, I thought I'd pay it forward and offer my awesomesauce prize up to a lucky reader/reviewer. I believe the prize is a Twi-High "goody bag" filled with all sorts of fun Twi-related stuff (poster, folder, pencils, etc...). So, if you are interested, when you review let me know you want in (should we have a code phrase? Like... 'Smoke me up!' *snicker* yeah, I'm a dork...) and then I'll pick somebody at random!
