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Chapter 4 – Bumps, Bruises, and Boo boos

That night in the forest clearing was our inaugural gathering, the first of many. The six of us could be found together every Friday night thereafter. The clearing was probably our favorite refuge. We spent hours around the campfire there. Our nights in the woods usually closely modeled that first one…with only slight alterations. The conversations were always different. We talked about everything – books, movies, art, literature, music, politics, and anything else that crossed our minds. We laughed at new stories we'd been saving up to share with one another. We teased and flirted and inflamed and tortured…and always in new and exciting ways. But these were the subtle differences; there were other, more blatant ones as well.

Now, when Emmett handed me a beer, I didn't argue anymore. I never had more than one, and I liked the way it made me feel. Things were just slightly, delightfully hazy. I felt like myself, only lighter. I wasn't as self-conscious. I didn't mind being awkward, because everyone else was mildly off-kilter right along with me. I was bolder. I could say things that I was usually afraid to express. I could flirt with Edward just a little more openly. Emmett had been right; it was just a way to loosen up. And I didn't see any reason not to enjoy it.

Our relationships were constantly changing too. We had started out as six individuals just hanging out together for something to do. Of course, some combinations of us had started with stronger bonds than others. Alice and I had our familial bond. Emmett and Rosalie and Alice and Jasper were paired off into couples. Jasper, Emmett, and Edward interacted in ways that were completely alien to us girls. And on numerous occasions when Rosalie, Alice, and I had become engrossed in conversation together, I had intercepted looks from the guys that stated quite plainly that we were speaking a language totally foreign to them. But spending all of this time together was forging new bonds as well. We were all getting to know one another better. We were all finding new things to admire about each other. We were all discovering things we had in common. And we were all learning to appreciate our differences. After only a few weeks, I considered these five people to be the best friends I'd ever had.

And as our friendships grew and evolved, so did our romances. Of course, Edward and I were not together. We were only friends. We could not be any more than friends as long as he and Tanya remained together. But our friendship was one with benefits, and no, I don't mean those kinds of benefits. We just enjoyed being flirty with each other. There was nothing wrong with it. It's not like we actually meant the things we said to one another…at least, I knew that Edward didn't mean them, and I was willing to pretend that I didn't either, for his sake.

Jasper and Alice were enthralled with one another. Everything between them was a new discovery. They spent hours learning everything about each other. But they were just as comfortable sitting together in silence too. I would often look across the fire and catch them just locked in a gaze together, and I would have to look away. Jasper and Alice could express more intimacy between them with a single glance than most of the couples I'd seen who couldn't keep their hands off each other.

And speaking of not being able to keep their hands off each other… Emmett and Rosalie were by far the most…ummm…affectionate of us as a couple. They had known each other for so long. They had been friends for a long time before they had ever decided to get together. They didn't need to waste time sharing their stories with one another; they already knew everything there was to know about each other. And as a result, their relationship moved swiftly. As our nights together progressed, Emmett and Rosalie quickly graduated from only holding hands, to tentative kisses, to practically making out in front of the rest of us. Alice and Jasper were usually too lost in each other to notice, and Edward and I did our very best to ignore them.

However, we did not spend every single Friday night in our clearing. It would get old if that's all we ever did, so we mixed it up a bit.

On nights when the weatherman told us to expect only clouds and not rain, we would meet in Alice's cemetery. The boys all had later curfews than the girls, so on these nights, Rosalie and I would arrange to have a sleepover at Alice's house. Alice's parents, my Aunt Mary and Uncle Nathan, were trusting types who always left us to our own devices and went to bed early. We loved those nights, because we had so much more time together.

Jasper and Edward were pleased to discover that we'd been right about Alice's cemetery – there was absolutely nothing spooky about hanging out there. It was a quiet place, and we found ourselves also being quiet when we were there. It just didn't seem like the place to talk and laugh loudly; we were naturally respectful of our surroundings. Alice's neighborhood was huge; there were miles of interconnecting streets lined with houses. And when our legs got stiff from sitting on the stone slabs covering the graves, we would take long walks up and down the neighborhood streets. It was really more of a village then a neighborhood. They even had their own small neighborhood store that stocked necessities so the residents wouldn't have to drive all the way into Forks for just a gallon of milk or carton or eggs. And because these miles of land had been cleared of all trees to make room for the houses, Alice's cemetery was the one place we went that we could catch glimpses of the stars through the breaks in the clouds. It was a place to just be, a place to enjoy the silence and the night and one another.

Sometimes, but not often, we would gather in the Forks High parking lot. It could be a nice place to just talk, if we were left alone. But we were so seldom alone there. There were too many other people who gathered there. And it's not that we didn't have friends outside of the six of us, because we did. And it's not that we didn't enjoy spending time with these other friends too. It was just…we usually seemed to have a better time when it was just the six of us together. We seemed most comfortable that way.

I felt particularly uncomfortable on the nights we ended up in the parking lot. Because it was a popular place for teens to hang out and because the good citizens of Forks were afraid that their sons and daughters might be getting up to all kinds of mischief there, the local police took special care to sweep through the lot several times each Friday and Saturday night. My peers were irate, because they felt it was harassment. They weren't doing anything but talking, and where the hell else were they supposed to go? There was nowhere else in Forks. And since my father was Police Chief Swan, I usually got an earful. It's not that they were taking it out on me. They weren't. Mostly I was besieged with requests to talk to my dad and explain that there was no need for the constant drive-bys. I would just nod my head and say I would try. It was the quickest, easiest way to get them to leave me alone. My closest friends understood that I had no influence over how my father did his job and sympathized with me over what I had to endure as his daughter. I was grateful to them for that.

~*~

Unfortunately for me, not every day could be Friday. I loved band, because it meant more time that I got to spend with my friends. Band for its own sake, though…not so much.

Playing the cymbals was truly a nightmare for me. Anyone who's never played them probably doesn't know that there's actually more than one way to do so. If you close your eyes and picture a cymbal player, I'm sure that you imagine him bringing his arms back, and then bringing the cymbals together in front of him with a large crash. Yes, this is one way to play the cymbals. The other way that people are unfamiliar with is meant for those times when a loud cymbal crash is not required, but a soft cymbal clang is needed to help maintain the rhythm of the song. This sound is produced when the cymbal player is holding the cymbals together in front of him, one on top of the other; and his hands gently move the cymbals apart and together lightly to obtain the desired effect. What I had learned from unfortunate experience was that when I held the cymbals and tried to play them like that, the edges of the cymbals brushed the inside crease of my elbows. More times than I could count, I had pinched the sensitive skin of my inner arm between the cymbals. Not only did this hurt like hell, but it also left small bruises on both my arms. The first time I had ended practice with the inside of my arms black and blue, I had tried to hide it from my friends by holding my arms close to my body. That worked for about five minutes.

"Jesus," Jasper suddenly exclaimed, taking my hands and holding my arms out in front of me. "What have you done to yourself, Bella?"

"Swan, I know I told you that you could use a little corruption, but you haven't been shooting up, have you," Emmett asked me jokingly.

"Of course not, Emmett. It's no big deal, you guys. I just keep pinching myself with those damn cymbals, that's all. I'm either going to have to start wearing long sleeves or get used to rumors flying that the Chief of Police's daughter is becoming a heroin addict." All of my friends laughed at that…all, except for Edward. I detected a flash of true concern in Edward's eyes. He didn't seem to find the humor in this at all. I wondered what he was thinking.

I also had major issues with playing the cymbals in the more traditional fashion. For someone as shy and self-conscious as I am, the cymbals are not exactly the perfect choice of instrument to play. Causing a thunderous crash in the middle of a song was a sure-fire way to garner attention, much to my dismay.

Great. That is exactly what I want, everyone staring at me like the freak I am. Hmmm… Did that sound just a little sarcastic?

Maybe, just a bit, but you're talking to yourself, remember? It's not like anyone else can hear you.

Oh yeah, excellent point.

The second issue I had with playing cymbals the traditional way, however, was a little more serious than the sting of embarrassment. Ok, think back to when I asked you to close your eyes and imagine a cymbal player. Did you notice that that the cymbal player in your imagination was male? Do you know why the idea of a female cymbal player doesn't automatically leap to mind? Let's just say that I'm painfully aware of why there aren't a lot of females eager to take the job. The trouble with bringing the cymbals together forcefully in front of you when you're a woman is that there are often…things…that get in the way. If I thought that the pinching on the inside of my arms hurt, it was nothing compared to the stars I saw the first time my breasts got smashed between my cymbals.

I would rather die than have the guys know about this particular hazard of mine. But after about the third time it happened, I couldn't keep myself from complaining about it to Alice and Rosalie. They both noticeably winced.

"Oh, ouch," Alice exclaimed. "That sounds like it really hurts."

"Alice, you know me. I don't normally say things like this, so you know I mean it. It hurts like a motherfucker!"

Rose and Alice looked at me in shock before bursting into laughter.

"Don't hold back, Bella," Rosalie said, still laughing at me. "Tell us how you really feel."

Alice was still laughing too, and I was starting to get a little pissed that they seemed to be getting so much entertainment out of my pain.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I know we shouldn't laugh, but it is a little funny, if you think about it," Alice said between giggles.

I just looked at her. Yeah, I really wasn't getting the funny. "Alice," I told her, "let's see you experience the unintentional mammogram and see if you still think it's funny."

Rosalie managed to gasp out, "The unintentional mammogram?" And then she and Alice actually fell to the floor laughing, tears streaming from their eyes. There was really nothing I could do but wait for them to recover. It took a good ten minutes.

Oh well, at least I amuse my friends.

After Alice and Rose had stopped laughing, they agreed that it truly was a painful subject, and that I had every right to expect their sympathy. They promised never to laugh again if I needed to confide in them. I told them that I'd be happier just forgetting the entire thing. They had nodded their agreement, and I'd thought that was the end of it. Oh how wrong I was.

The next Friday night, we had planned another get together at Alice's. Alice had gone home from school with Jasper, and he was going to pick us all up in his mom's minivan and take us out to Alice's neighborhood around 8 o'clock. As it happened, I was the last one to be picked up.

As I got settled in my seat, I noticed the odd glance and smirk between all three of the guys. I looked at Alice and Rosalie, wondering if they had any idea what the boys were up to now. Neither of them would look at me.

Have you ever had the feeling that everyone is in on something but you? It's not a very nice feeling, being left out by your friends. But it was more than just the feeling of being left out. From the guilty expressions on the girls' faces, I got the feeling that this was about me. Somehow I was the joke. I blushed and looked down at the floor. I wasn't sure what form the humiliation would take this time, but I was sure that I was in for it before the night was over.

It didn't take long for the torture to begin. We had been sitting in the cemetery for just a few minutes. Everyone else was joking and laughing, but I was quiet.

"What's wrong, Swan? You don't seem like yourself tonight," Emmett said, walking over to where I was sitting and nudging me with his foot.

"I'm fine, Emmett," I answered, hoping that he would just leave me alone for once…no such luck.

"You're fine? Are you sure? The boys and I were afraid that you might not be feeling well tonight."

"Nope, I feel great," the flat tone of my voice negated my words.

"Seriously, Bella, we're just worried about you. We thought you might have been permanently injured," Emmett continued.

My head snapped up and my eyes narrowed. "Permanently injured?" I asked.

"Yeah, we heard through the grapevine about your 'unintentional mammogram' and were worried about the state of your puppies."

"Rosalie Hale! You told Emmett?"

"Bella, I didn't. I swear," Rosalie tried to reassure me.

"She's telling the truth, Bella! When Jasper, Edward and I got to Emmett's, the boys went out to look at something on Emmett's jeep. Rosalie and I were just talking about our conversation with you on Wednesday. We had absolutely no idea that the guys had come back inside and were eavesdropping like the sneaks they are," Alice explained.

"It's okay, Swan, really. Jasper, Edward, and I are just concerned. It sounded like that really hurt, and as men, we hate the idea of tits as nice as yours being at all misshapen or damaged in any way."

"Bella is there any assistance we can offer?" Jasper asked me.

"I, for one, would be more than happy to massage your breasts for you…if it would make them feel any better," Edward volunteered.

Oh. My. God. Please, just kill me now.

Yeah, Edward and I had flirted. But he had never said anything that blatantly sexual to me before. I knew that he wasn't serious. In fact, his offer was part of an organized plan to torture me. But I had to admit, at least to myself, how tempting the thought of his hands on my breasts actually was.

Of course, while I was busy fantasizing, the boys had dissolved into laughter. They were laughing at me. That brought a sobering end to my thoughts of Edward touching me, and I felt my face flush a brilliant scarlet. I was thankful that we never brought any sort of lights with us to the cemetery, so nobody could tell just how embarrassed I was. Still, I couldn't take anymore. I stood up, turned around, and walked into the darkness, leaving everyone else behind.

"Oh, come on, Bella. We were just teasing you," I heard Emmett say behind me.

I didn't stop. I needed to be by myself. I walked across the cemetery alone. When I was a comfortable enough distance from my friends, I ducked behind a large headstone and collapsed against it. I brought my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. I leaned my head on my knees, willing myself not to think for awhile.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed like that. My feelings were hurt. I was mortified actually. But if I were honest with myself, there was only one reason I was taking this so much to heart. The girls had already known about this, had already laughed over it, and I had been fine with that. Emmett was just…well, Emmett…and I had gotten used to his teasing. Even having Jasper laugh at me hadn't really bothered me that much. But having Edward treat me like a joke was just too much. And then there was the way he'd teased me…

In all the time that we had spent flirting, there were times when I thought that I had seen a glimmer of understanding in Edward's eyes. I thought that maybe he had at least suspected my true feelings for him. But what he had just done…he had just proven that he had absolutely no idea how I truly felt about him. It was not in his nature to be purposely cruel. And to force me to think about how much I wanted what I couldn't possibly have was the height of cruelty.

"Bella?" I heard his velvet voice coming from somewhere close by, but I couldn't see him. I realized then that he couldn't see me either. He had no idea that I was sitting so close to him. If I just stayed silent, he'd walk right by me and never know I was here.

"I'm right here, Edward." I couldn't let him pass me by, even when I knew I probably should.

Following the sound of my voice, I saw him round the headstone and come to sit beside me. He didn't say anything right away and neither did I. I didn't actually know what to say. I closed my eyes and just concentrated on having him next to me. I listened to the sound of his breathing. I felt the warmth from his shoulder almost touching mine. I inhaled his scent deeply. I couldn't identify exactly what made him smell so good. His scent was somehow sweet but at the same time entirely masculine. It wasn't cologne. I didn't think it was the soap he used. It was just…Edward. I had no idea how he managed it, but I loved it.

"Bella, I want to apologize. We honestly didn't mean anything. We were just teasing. But I can understand why you wouldn't find it funny. You're a sensitive person. We've all grown so comfortable around you that sometimes we forget that. I hope you can forgive Emmett, Jasper, and me for being immature jerks."

I just looked at him. I still couldn't think of anything to say. I was happy that he was here with me. I was glad that he'd sought me out to apologize. But he was still apologizing for the wrong reason.

"Wait. Before you say anything, there's more. I wanted to personally apologize for what I said to you. It was ungentlemanly of me, I know. I don't know if you have noticed, but even though I joke around with Emmett and Jasper and even, at times, with you; I do try to always be a gentleman."

I had noticed. It was one of the things I loved about him.

"I got carried away tonight. I said something I shouldn't have to you. It was disrespectful. It hurt you. And I'm deeply sorry for it. You don't know how much I wish I could take it back."

And you don't know how much I wish that you'd actually meant it.

I sighed. There was absolutely no way that was ever going to happen. I might as well resign myself once and for all to the fact that he couldn't be mine.

I notice that you keep saying things like that, but you're not having much success in really following through with it.

Well, maybe if I keep repeating it, it will finally soak in. A girl could dream, right?

I was still looking down at my feet when I felt his hand cup my cheek. Startled, I looked up and my eyes met his.

"Bella, please tell me you forgive me. I can't stand knowing that I'm responsible for you feeling this way." He looked at me with so much sadness in his eyes.

I couldn't bear to see him sad. My humiliation didn't matter anymore. My feelings for him still mattered, of course, but I suddenly realized that his feelings meant more to me than my own. I never wanted to see him sad. I had to do anything I could to erase the sorrow from his eyes.

"I forgive you, Edward. You're right. I am sensitive. And sometimes I let silly things bother me way too much," I told him.

"They're not silly if they have the power to affect you so intensely," he said. His hand was still on my face, and I felt his thumb lightly graze my cheekbone. I thought I saw him lean toward me, and for just an instant, I let myself hope that he would kiss me.

"Hey, Cullen! If you and Swan are done making out over there, you two might want to rejoin the rest of us. We miss your effervescent wit and charm." That would be Emmett. Who else could it be?

Edward was the one to sigh this time, before getting to his feet and reaching his hand out for mine. I grasped his hand, and he pulled me up. He held onto my hand for just a heartbeat longer than I expected him to.

"I guess we should get back," I said. "We don't want to get Emmett started again."

"Yeah, we definitely shouldget back," Edward readily agreed, turning from me and walking at a brisk pace back to the others.

Damn it, Edward! Could you agree with me just a little less emphatically? Please.

I followed silently behind him.

~*~

A week later, I found myself standing near the sideline of the football field. School was starting on Monday, and since football season began shortly thereafter, Mr. Johnson has us practicing marching to and from the football field. Before each game, we would be marching onto the field itself to play "The Star Spangled Banner" before climbing into a side section of the stands to spend the remainder of the game.

I had been late getting to practice today. Well, late for me was actually on time. But that meant that I hadn't had a chance to talk to Alice before practice started. Mom had wanted me to pass a message along to Aunt Mary through Alice.

Honestly, you would think that she could just pick up the phone instead of using Alice and me as her own modified version of The Pony Express.

There were thirty minutes left of practice, when I saw Alice suddenly break from her line and start walking off the field.

What the hell? Where is Alice going? I still need to talk to her!

That's when I remembered that Alice had a dentist appointment this afternoon. She had told me a couple of days ago that she would be leaving early. Crap!

"Hey, Eric," I whispered to my section leader. We really weren't supposed to be talking, but I desperately needed to catch up to Alice and had to have my section leader's permission to leave.

"What is it, Bella," Eric hissed back at me.

"Alice is leaving, and I really have to tell her something. My mom had a message for my Aunt Mary, and if I don't pass it along to Alice, Mom is going to be pissed. Can I please catch Alice and tell her. I swear, I'll only be gone a minute," I begged him. I hated this asking permission shit, but those were the rules.

"Okay, Bella. But please make it quick."

"I will, Eric. I promise to be right back."

Eric was really being nice in letting me go. Section leaders had some discretion over what they could allow members of their sections to do, but this was kinda bending the rules. Eric was free to release me to go to the bathroom or if something else serious came up, but I wasn't sure being a messenger girl for my mom actually qualified. I didn't want Eric getting in trouble because of me, so I was determined to be back as quickly as I possibly could.

Now you probably know that cymbals have leather straps looped at the top of them, but you might not know the proper way to actually use the straps. Cymbal players do not simply hold the leather straps in their hands. The proper way is to slip your wrists through the straps and then twist your hands around until the strap is secured between your thumb and index finger. This ensures that you don't easily lose your grip on the straps. Anyone who plays cymbals soon learns how to quickly get their hands both into and out of the straps. It becomes automatic, a habit, something you don't even think about.

So, when I took the couple of steps to the sideline, I swiftly and unthinkingly bent over to get the cymbals off and leave them behind me. I put my hands with cymbals attached out, palms facing down, about six inches from the ground. I hurriedly twisted my hands counterclockwise to loosen the straps so that I could pull my wrists free and the cymbals would fall the rest of the way to the ground. I had done this a hundred times already and had never had any problems. Well, my one hundred and first time was not quite so easy.

I felt one cymbal drop and was anticipating the second to follow. I took a stride forward, desperate to catch up to Alice who was getting further and further away from me. Well, my right wrist did not make it out of the strap like I was expecting. When I took the step forward, I tripped over the cymbal still attached to my hand. Everything happened really fast. I felt my feet leave the ground and suddenly the world was upside down. I remember catching the briefest of glimpses at the entire Forks High band standing on the field behind me, before realizing that I was now looking straight up into the sky and that I couldn't breathe. I gasped loudly, trying to get air back into my lungs. It only took a few seconds before I could breathe normally again, and I guess getting the oxygen to my brain helped me figure out what in the hell just happened.

Did I really just do a front flip over a cymbal and land flat on my back in front of the entire band?

That would be an affirmative.

Fuck!

The rest of the percussionists and Mr. Johnson were the first ones to reach me. They had been standing the closest. Mr. Johnson waved off everyone else and told them to go back to their spots, before asking me if I was ok.

I was grateful that he'd sent everyone else away. I felt stupid enough without a front row audience. "I think I'm fine now, Mr. Johnson. I just had the wind knocked out of me for a few seconds, but I'm better now."

I took the hand he offered me and tried to pull myself up. When I attempted to put weight on my right foot, however, I yelped in pain and quickly sat back down.

"What's wrong, Bella," he asked me.

"My ankle. I think I must have twisted it or sprained it or something."

I glanced towards the school and noticed that Alice was long gone. She hadn't even seen my latest screw-up.

Yeah, well, she's the only one.

Oh well, I think that I have bigger things to worry about right now.

"It's okay, Bella," Mr. Johnson told me. "I'll have someone help you back to the band room. Your mother is probably already there, waiting to pick you up."

Before I could protest that I could hobble back to the school just fine by myself, Mr. Johnson asked in a loud, booming voice, "Will someone please help Bella back to the school?"

"I will," a voice rang out promptly.

I knew that voice.

Of course you do. You have dreams about that voice…and about the body it's attached to.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Edward heading toward me. I shut my eyes tightly for a moment and prayed that when I opened them that I would realize I had imagined this entire incident.

You don't have that kind of luck. This is your life, get used to it.

Edward reached me, and he and Mr. Johnson each took one of my hands and helped me up. I was careful to keep my weight off of my ankle.

"Take care of that ankle, Bella. I'll see you next week," Mr. Johnson said as he left me in Edward's capable hands and turned his attention back to the rest of the band.

"Here, put your arm around my shoulder," Edward commanded as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. "Lean on me, Bella. Let me support you."

I loved feeling his arm around me. It was wonderful to be this close to him, even if I was hopping ridiculously on one leg.

It was slow going with me hobbling beside Edward, no matter how much I let him help me. I could tell that Edward was starting to get frustrated with me, and I cursed myself again for being such a klutz.

He probably thinks I'm the world's biggest goober.

Yep, and you just keep adding to your already legendary goober status.

When we were finally out of sight of the field, I was shocked to find myself suddenly swept up in Edward's arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck without thinking, just trying to hold on. I looked into his eyes, his face now so close to mine, and asked him, "What are you doing, Edward? I was doing just fine."

"Bella, we were taking forever the other way. Besides, it was harder on you that way. Isn't it so much easier to just let me do all the work?"

Yes, it is. Plus I get to be close to you. Bonus.

"But I'm heavy, Edward. I don't want you to hurt yourself carrying me."

"Bella, I don't know if you meant that as an insult to you or to me, but I wish you would knock it off. What do you weigh? Maybe 110 or 115 pounds? You're a stick, don't even try to argue with me on this one. And I'm hoping that you weren't implying that I'm a weakling. I assure you, Bella, I certainly have enough muscle to handle you. Don't worry, I would never drop you. I'm holding on to you and won't let you get away from me."

He was certainly right about the muscles. Of course, I had noticed…I noticed everything about Edward. He wasn't obviously muscular like Emmett. He didn't look like a serious weightlifter. Edward was tall and lean, not bulky. But he was still well-built, his muscles toned and defined. He had a swimmer's body, I'd decided, but I'd been too embarrassed to actually ask him if he spent any serious time in the pool.

So, Edward, I've noticed that your body rivals Michael Phelps'. Is there a particular reason for that?

Yeah, that wouldn't be an embarrassing topic of conversation at all.

We had reached the school, and my mom was suddenly running up to us in a panic. "Bella! Are you alright, sweetheart," she asked me.

"I'm fine, Mom. I just pulled another 'Bella' and hurt my ankle. I'm sure it will be okay."

"I'll take you home and get some ice on it."

Mom didn't say anything about Edward carrying me. She just turned and started walking toward the car, so Edward followed her with me still in his arms. While she opened the driver's side door and slid into the seat, Edward walked me around to the passenger side. He finally put me down beside the car, opened the door for me, and helped me in, careful not to jiggle my ankle.

I looked up at him standing beside me. "Thank you, Edward. I'm sorry that I'm such a klutz. I don't know why these things always happen to me. It's embarrassing."

"Don't be embarrassed, Bella. Your klutziness is part of who you are. You wouldn't be Bella without it. It's one of the things I like most about you actually. It's endearing."

I didn't know what to say to that. I really wanted to just stand up, wrap my arms around him, and kiss him for being so sweet to me. But I knew that that wasn't a possibility for so many reasons, so I just nodded.

"I'll call you later to check on you, okay?"

"Ummm…okay. Sure. I'll let you know if I'm going to be able to hang out with you guys tonight. I think it's just twisted so if I put ice on it and prop it up this afternoon, I should be able to see you later," I told him.

"I hope so, Bella. I wouldn't like it…you not being there." And with that, Edward shut my door and stepped away from the car. My mom backed out of the parking space and drove away. I looked back over my shoulder and saw that Edward stayed exactly where he was, watching me leave, until I couldn't see him anymore.

That boy is going to be the death of me, I swear.


For those of you who are reading On a Lonesome Road, you have my sincere thanks. For those of you who are letting me know through reviews and on my thread at Twilighted that you're enjoying this story, I am humbled by and grateful for your praise. Thank you so much for sticking with me so far!

I will be posting a teaser for chapter 5 next Friday, December 11th on my Twilighted thread at http://www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=7308&start=0. Please drop by to enjoy the teaser or anytime just to chat. You are all welcome!

Chapter 5 will be posted next Tuesday, December 15th.

As always, huge thanks to Ravyn, Delta, Gemma, and Nina!