A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all your reviews! Keep them coming!! All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, because if i owned Edward, i'd probably die and go to heaven. (:
Chapter 4: The Searing Pain
We had been in Hawaii for two weeks now. Everyday, we spent hours at the beach. However, being my own easily-embarrassed self, I had refused to wear the bikini Alice got me. Eventually, Alice got tired of my refusal to wear a bikini, so she threatened to put the bikini on me herself if I wouldn't wear it. Reluctantly, I agreed.
After lunch, well, lunch for me, we all headed to the familiar beach.
I glanced around nervously, watching Rosalie and Alice take off their outer article of clothes, reveling their bikinis. Suddenly, I felt something in my stomach stir. The pain was overwhelming, but I surpressed the urge to cry out. The painful sensation stopped as abruptly as it had started. Hoping it was just a temporal cramp, I chose to ignore it and turned to Edward.
"What's wrong Bella," Edward teased.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Nothing," I answered, playing with the hem of my tee.
Edward chuckled and he pulled off his shirt in one swift move. I couldn't help but gape at his body even after having the opportunity to see it a lot of times. His body was pale, just like his arm, but even more attractive. His upper bare torso rippled under the Hawaii sun and his muscles moved with every movement he took. He was beautiful.
My good manners momentarily abandoning me, my eyes traveled from his arched neck to his wonderfully made six packs.
Edward noticed and smirked, "Enjoying the view?" he teased again.
I felt my face flush, and I immediately and quickly turned my face away, "It's nothing," I murmured.
Alice then noticed my tension, "Bella, what are you doing with your clothes still on?" she cried, "Take it off; Edward did, so you should too!" she said, tugging on my tee.
I flushed even more and grabbed hold of her hands, "I'll do it myself," I objected.
That's when I noticed everyone's eyes on me, including Esme and Carlisle. I felt my face redden even more and glanced around nervously.
Alice tapped her bare foot impatiently, "Well what are you waiting for, Bella?" she asked, "Take it off!" she smiled sweetly, but I heard the threatening edge to her voice. "It's now or never…"
Feeling extremely self-conscious, I grabbed the hem of my tee and yanked it off over my head. Alice smiled in satisfactory. Emmett and Japer playfully howled like a wolf and the entire gang burst into laughter. I glanced at Edward, wondering what his reaction is, but he just smiled at me.
Alice giggled and hung her arm around my shoulders, "C'mon Bella let's hit the beach," she ordered,
"Rosalie, you coming?" I expected her to say no.
"Sure," she said. In my mind I was utterly shocked, but I hoped that my facial expression didn't reveal it. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were hot on our tails, trailing behind us. I glanced behind their tall shoulders, and saw Esme and Charlisle sitting under a large beach umbrella, talking happily.
I stopped when the water reached my knees. The unbearable pain was back again. I flinched when a new wave of agonzing pain washed through me. I flexed my stomach muscles, hoping the pain would pass. Finally 10 seconds later, it finally did. Then a wave of coolness hit me in a split second. I wipe the water away from my eyes and I turned to glare at Alice who has another puddle of water in her hands.
I rolled my eyes and I took a step into the water, half expecting the unexplanable pain to return. Thankfully it didn't so I walked into the cool water until it reached my navel. I waited for another second, trying to detect if the pain was still there. It wasn't. I smiled in relief.
"What's wrong Bella, afraid of the water?" a husky voice whispered next to my ear.
I wave of chills washed through my body as I felt Edward's cold arms reach around me and wrapp it protectively around my bare waist.
I leaned back against his cold-bare chest and sighed.
Then I heard Alice. "C'mon you two stop with the public display, and come have some fun!" she whined.
I laughed and unwillingly broke away from Edward's embrace. "Alright," I agreed, "So what should we do?"
"Let's go surfing!" Emmett quipped.
Jasper raised his arm, "I'm in! Edward?"
Edward shook his head, "Naw, I'll stay behind,"
"Aw, you're no fun," Jasper growled, "Alice, Rosalie, Bella, you guys coming?"
Rosalie pronounced excitedly, "I'm in!"
Alice passed. Then they all turned to me, again. I sighed.
"I'll pass," I told them as I glanced at Edward, who nodded in approval.
Emmett rolled his eyes, "You party poopers!" he complained, picking up two surf boards from the sand. "We'll be back,"
Jasper gave Alice a quick kiss and Alice exclaimed, "Don't get eaten by sharks!"
We watched the three vampires make their way into a deeper area of the ocean, trying to catch a good wave. Edward held my hand under the water and pulled me close.
Alice smiled and turned to us, "While we're waiting, why don't we do something fun?" she asked.
Edward stated dully, reading her mind, "Alice, we are not going to go climb the rocks and look for crabs,".
Alice snapped her fingers. "Why not?" she frowned, even though we both knew clearly she already had the answer in mind.
Edward narrowed an eye and pointed at me.
Alice sighed in defeat. "Fine," she agreed reluctantly.
"Sorry Alice," I apologized.
Alice shook her head, "No it's fine," she said, "Edward you should've gone with them," she said.. "Bella, let's go sunbathing!"
"Um-"
Before I could say another word, she pulled me towards shore. I could feel Edward following us closely behind. We reached the blankets promptly, and laid down on them.
"So," Alice started, "having a great time yet, Bella?"
"Yeah, the view is beautiful!" I replied enthusiastically. "Where are we going tomorrow?"
"Well, on the way here, I saw a sign saying that there's a huge mall around here, so I was thinking--"
"No," Edward and I rejected the suggestion vehemently.
"Fine," she said unhappily. "Hmm…I wonder if we'll get to see a valcano eruption while we're here."
Edward laughed, "Alice, you have the most vagarious thoughts sometimes." I wondered what he was seeing in her mind right now.
Without warning, the burning ache was back again. This time the intensity of it was even more unbearable than before. I felt my leg thrash a little, and my stomach throbbed violently, as if trying to cry out loud. I clenched my fists, and clutched my jaw. I hoped the pain would go away, but it remained. My stomach jerked, the pain becoming even more excruciating than before. I felt tears on the corners of my eyes. I tried to take deep breathes, attempting to soothe the sharp stab in my stomach.
All of a sudden, the afflicting pain stopped altogether. I inhaled deeply, and looked up, just to see Edward and Alice casting worried looks in my direction.
Edward was at my side in an instant. "What happened? Are you hurt?" he questioned with anxious eyes. His face was twisted in pain, his agonized gaze made my heart flutter.
"Oh, that was nothing. I probably had trouble digesting the food I ate earlier. I'm fine, really," I reassured him, forcing a smile on my face.
"Are you sure?" he asked skeptically. When he saw me nod, he made me promise to tell him if the pain came back again.
I didn't have much choice, so I agreed.
"Are you tired now?" Edward requested. "Maybe we should go back to the house? It's getting pretty late anyway."
"Sure," I allowed, feeling a bit dizzy.
"Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie!" Edward shouted at the three surfing figures. "We're leaving now! Are you guys coming?"
"NO!" They roared in unison.
"The waves are just starting to get high!" Emmett explained.
"You guys can leave first. We'll be back later," Jasper yelled.
"All right then," Edward called back. Lowering his face, he told me softly, "Come, let's get you back. You should take a nap."
He wrapped an arm around my waist, leaning me into him, and guiding me back to the beach house.
That night, the piercing pain was back again.
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