A/N: reviews... blahblahblah... yeeaaahh...

Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga, any of the characters, or any other brand/company I may mention. I just enjoy messing around with them in my twisted writing world. Also, I do not mean to offend anyone whatsoever with any single thing I say; please take no offense. Thank you and enjoy your reading.

Previously on Echo:

" "I'm sorry," I told her anyway. "I swear, I will not let that boy get to me. I will channel my energy today on this James situation and the fucking fantastic party ahead. Okay? Okay."

She grinned, leading the way out of my bedroom after stealing some Pink perfume. "Like I said, it's fine, Bella. You should figure out this James situation, yes, but don't dwell on it too much. I don't need you looking like an ass when you can't grind with the beat." Alice grinned even more, if that's possible. "Oh, and for the record, Jasper and I only decorated the basement with saliva."

"EW!" How I was jealous of her. "

Chapter 4: Adding It Up

So, remember how in, like, second grade 'boy cooties' were all the rave? I sure as hell do. But it turns out they're real. Boy cooties are now called STI's. When Mike Newton showed up first with his girlfriend Jessica Stanley, we hung around uneasily. Edward was being an ass to him, so really, it was just stupid. Oh, and I brought up STI's because senior year, Jess got Chlamydia from Mike. It was fantastic.

James decided he wanted to come about two hours late, which I was totally fine with. I'd learned how great a dancer Edward was earlier today and so we chilled together until my boyfriend got there. It was wonderful those first two hours.

Once James showed up, I was separated from Edward for what felt like forever. I barely even got to hang out with Alice and Rosalie. He walked in to my house drunk and continued to take shot after shot during the bash. Finally, I'd had enough of his piggyness. I walked away from him without a word and straight into Edward.

Edward realized what was going on due to what he claimed were 'context clues', because that totally makes sense, and seemed slightly down compared to how I took him in before I spent that little time with James. I didn't even bother to make myself understand it. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it was his sour humor, laughing at my expense.

Jet, a band I'd only just recently heard of, popped out of nowhere over the speakers, blasting Are You Gonna Be My Girl.

It was basically a dance- off, what Edward and I performed. His hands guided my hips to the cadence, he spun me around like in the old nickelodeons, I kicked my legs up as high as they would go for the whole big black boots part, he held me a few feet above the ground while I struck some corny pose. It was all enough to get my drunken boyfriend's attention. Thoroughly.

"What the fuck... is going on... heeere?" he managed to spit out, hiccuping.

"What the fuck does it look like?" retorted Edward.

James took a step closer to me, slithering his arm around my waist, getting up in Edward's grill. "It looks... like... you...'re... trying to fuck my... bitch."

I could almost hear the audience watching us go, "Oooooooh".

"Excuse me?" I turned to James.

He shrugged. "You're my bitch."

There was a loud smack that echoed across my whole backyard, a smack that turned James's left cheek scarlet. I stormed off, mortified and pissed as hell.

"Hey, Bella!" James called before I reached the door. "Don't be so upset. I'm still fucking your mom!" He cackled as I lividly turned around.

Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Edward were all upon him before I could reach the scene. Screaming, punching, blood, raw cussing. Everything I would have made sure to do. Since that shit was going down, I decided to sit, take a breather, and think.

Your mom jokes were still popular, right? And James was drunk as fuck. He couldn't have been thinking clearly. But then again, he always seemed to come over, if he even bothered to, and then run away at the sound of my parents. What would make him do that? Did, if he really was cheating on me with my mom, he think Charlie knew? Or worse... that Renee would tell? Holy fuckingshitasshell. There was no way Renee would stoop as low as James. She was a much better person than me.

Edward was staying at Jasper's house for the time being since Jasper was cool enough to have a house of his own. It so wasn't fair. He was a year older than us, already had the awesomesauciest job, and made a crapload of money. Alice lived there, too, and I'm sure it was the most awkward thing ever for Edward.

The afternoon after the party, Emmett and I had to stop by for a GNG, Good News Gathering. We didn't bother texting them because they're always home. Except for then. When we walked in, we heard this music totally blasting from upstairs...

ADVENTURE TIME WITH BELLA AND EMMETT HELLZ YEAH.

The music was coming from the guest room, a guest room the size of the master bedroom, which was huge anyhow. It sounded like some kind of '80s stuff, which definitely wasn't my genre. Or Alice's or Jasper's, as a matter of fact. So it had to be Edward.

"Emmett, let's leave," I said quietly. "Obviously they're not here, and I don't want to deal with him right now."

He nudged me gently. "C'mon, Bells. Don't you want to see what he's like without anyone around?"

"Not really."

"Bella," Emmett sighed. "I hate you. Can we please go spy on Edwart?"

I giggled, "Edwart?"

"Well you don't like him, right?"

"Meh. Let's go spy on him."

We sprinted up the stairs as silently as we could, which was pretty damn impossible for my brute of a cousin, and stopped just outside the guest room. I could hear Edwart speaking, so that confirmed my thoughts of it being him. No shit.

Day after day, I will walk and I will play. But the day after today, I will stop and I will start...

This odd music kicked on then, as if Fonzie had hit the jukebox. Emmett and I took it as a cue to peer in.

Edwart had his back to the open door, singing,

Why can't I get just one kiss? Why can't I get just one kiss? Believe me, some things I wouldn't miss, but I look at your pants and I need a kiss. Why can't I get just one screw? Why can't I get just one screw? Believe me, I know what to do, but something won't let me make love to you.

There was a large opening under the bed. Emmett dove first, Edwart still occupied with his tunes, and I went in after him. I landed right on top of my cousin. Awkward. As. Hell.

Why can't I get just one fuck? Why can't I get just one fuck? I guess it's got something to do with luck, but I've waited my whole life for just one- Day after day. I get angry, and I will say. That the day is in my sight when I take a bow and say goodnight.

Edwart was going crazy dancing around. I wanted so badly to join him, but was distracted by the uncomfortable position I was in.

"You know, cuz," Emmett whispered, "you have quite the mountain rack."

"A what?"

"A mountain rack. Some chicks have apple butts, but others with big... chests... we men call mountainous."

I should have felt flattered. But someone I'd grown up with my whole life, basically a brother and best friend to me, was commenting on my tit size. The fuck?

Oh my my mymymy mo mo mum. Have you kept your eye, your eye on your son? I know you've had problems, you're not the only one. When your sugar left, he left you on the run.

Almost completely forgetting about Edwart, my voice raised.

"Emmett. Get. The fuck. Off. Of. Me!"

His eyes widened. "Shhhhh," he whispered, looking to see if Edwart had heard. No- the boy was still wrapped up in his strange music.

Oh my my mymymy mo mo mum. Take a look now at what your boy has done. He's walkin' around like he's number one. He went downtown and he got him a gun.

So finally Emmett and I were on the same level. He no longer could feel my 'mountain rack', and I no longer could feel his hugeass package through his shorts.

So don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me. Don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me. You know you've got my sympathy, but don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me.

There was an instrumental break and Edwart went nutzo. Like, nutzo nutzo. I'm not even exaggerating. It was ridiculous, yet I was somewhat turned on... I watched him dance around, tugging at his sexy bronze hair in frustration, banging the carpet with his fists in frustration, screeching the words of the song in frustration. It was the hottest thing I had ever seen for a guy a really couldn't stand. And then he calmed down some. Sweat beads trickled down his face.

Broken down kitchen at the top of the stairs. Can I mix in with your affairs? Share a smoke, make a joke, grasp and reach for a leg of hope. Words to memorize, words hypnotize, words make my mouth exercise, words all fail the magic prize. Nothin' I can say when. I'm in your thighs.

I just couldn't figure out where Edwart came from. He seemed totally sweet sometimes, like when he listened to me ramble about my house the other day and when we were on my balcony, but then he was a complete asshole a lot, too. When he admitted to enjoying women, in the way I didn't want to know, I could just tell he was self- centered and loved having sex. Or something. He befuddled me to no end. It was such a piss off.

"Yo, cuz, we should scram real soon," Emmett mumbled. "I think he'll probably do some other shit now that he's home alone. Plus, I need a drink after seeing all this."

Mo my my mymymy mo my mother. I would love to love you, lover. City is restless, it's ready to pounce, here in your bedroom, ounce for ounce.

"What could he possibly do?" I hissed.

I'm givin' you decision to make, things to lose, things to take. Just as he's about ready to cut it up, she said, "Wait a minute, honey, I'm gonna add it up." Oh. Add it up! Add it up! Add it up! Add it up!

Edwart kept singing "ADD IT UP!" at the top of his lungs for quite some time. I wanted to join in even more now, but that was inevitable. I could just picture myself rolling out from under the bed, all "heyyyyyy, Edward, we weren't spying on you. We fell asleep there." Jesus, yeah right.

"Bella." Emmett's voice pulled me from my delusions. "He could totally start beating it."

I gagged.

Day after day, I get angry, and I will say. That the day is within my sight when I'll take a bow and say goodnight.

Okay. It was simply something people did. But Edwart? I could not picture him whacking it!

We watched him casually walk out of his room as if nothing had happened. Probably going to take a piss, Emmett and I saw the opportune moment to bolt. I unlocked my Jeep Compass faster than I thought possible as we sprinted out the door. The minute we got in, though, Edwart stood right in front of the huge window in the front of the house. He saw Emmett and me.

We got out of the car, pretending like we'd just arrived.

"Hey," he said after stepping outside. "Jazz and Alice aren't here. I think they'll be home in, like, ten, though."

I shrugged indifferently. "That's cool. They won't mind if we steal a drink and wait."

The three of us popped Miller Lite Drafts, cheered to being some fucked up kids, and hung around for only five minutes. Alice and Jasper showed up, and we decided to go out to our favorite bar for drinks.

With Edwart in the passenger seat, we grabbed Rosalie and she and Emmett were silent the whole way.

"Six tequila shots, please," Rose ordered as soon as we sat down.

After throwing them back, all eyes were on Alice. It looked like she wanted to say something. Really bad.

"I think we should go to California. The six of us."

I choked. Like Jasper literally had to give me the Heimlich maneuver. Edwart ended up giving me the stink eye. Like worse than Katrina De Voort, whose house, according to Juno and Bleeker, smelled like soup. God, I love that movie.

Anyway, back to the drama I call my life... WHY THE FUCK ARE WE GOING TO CALIFORNIA WITH EDWART?

I sent a text just like that to Alice. She responded with some kind of bonding. Apparently she and Jasper talked about it today. So they gossip about us.

We went home after Edwart and I got extremely hammered (since we absolutely have no interest in living with each other for the two weeks we decided on). I packed my bags and got ready to depart the next evening.

With everything packed, I hung out with Gray Balls for the whole day, talking his ear off about my Edwart problems. When I got to the airport, I listened to his words. When I got on the airplane, I could still hear his words. As we sat on the bus to go rent our superspecial grody car from the Alamo Car Rental place, his words rang in my mind: "Screw them, Bella, don't mind what they think." And I'm pretty sure he got those words from that movie I watched in health class. Angus.

Hell.

I would screw them all.

Okay, so, thanks- I know it was loooong! But to hell with length(X If you've never hear the song Add It Up by the Violent Femmes, Youtube it! It's sooooo amazing!

Please review && I'll do the same for you. Pinky promise. Love always,

~MissEmileigh