A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. I hope you are still interested in this even if it took a while for me to update. I haven't been home since New Year's Eve, and then last night I got a nasty stomach virus. Not fun.

So I have only one thing left to say: "Go Buckeyes!"

Chapter Four – Played and Joked

It seemed that the parts that Edward and Bella were to play were made up without the need to discuss. When the morning came, Edward did not say anything to Bella, even after she greeted him with a "Good Morning."

As Bella brushed her teeth and readied herself to meet their friends for breakfast, she contemplated the change in Edward's demeanor. The night before, her roommate had been perfectly pleasant, even when the need for the charade was not needed in the privacy of their room. However, this morning he had barely even glanced in her direction.

She could not comprehend what changed. Could he be upset that she asked about his parents? It was innocent questions on her part, and she didn't see why after five years a question about how his parents died could affect him so much.

Sighing, Bella finished getting dressed and exited the bathroom. When she glanced around the hotel room, she did not find Edward. Figuring that he already went to the hallway to meet their friends for breakfast, she grabbed her purse and left the room just as Emmett was about to pound on the door.

"Hey. Are you all ready? I'm starved," Bella said as she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah, but where's Edward?" Emmett asked.

Bella looked perplexed. "You mean he's not out here?" All her friends shook their heads. "Then hell if I know."

As suspected, the expressions on everybody's faces showed everything from disbelief to shock at Bella's words. The night before, Bella and Edward were as good as in love, but now, Bella was clearly indifferent towards him. In fact, she was almost indignant.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Alice asked.

"Before I went into the bathroom to get ready," Bella shrugged. "When I came out he was gone."

"Well, Edward knows where to find us if he wants to eat," Emmett commented, clearly impatient to claim some sustenance.

So the group made its way back down to the restaurant. Nothing consequential happened during breakfast; the two couples chatted while Bella silently ate her food. Now that Edward didn't even show up for breakfast, she wondered what was wrong with him.

Sighing, she put down her fork and stood up. "I'm going back to my room. Come get me when you guys are ready to hike."

Although nobody tried to stop her from leaving, Bella could not help but notice the sad and confused eyes of her best friend Alice. It seemed as if her friend was truly sad that things may not have been working out for the best between Bella and Edward.

When Bella opened the door to her hotel room she was shocked to see the subject of her thoughts pacing around the room. Letting the door shut behind her, she softly greeted, "Hi."

"Hi," he answered just as quietly.

"Our friends were wondering where you were."

"Oh?"

"And wondering why all of a sudden I was indifferent towards you."

"Oh."

Bella wanted to ask to where he disappeared, but did not want to pry into his business again. It seemed as if her questioning last night was the reason why he ran off in the first place.

"Are you going hiking with us?"

He nodded.

There were several minutes of awkward silence as Bella began gathering all the things she needed for a hike. She already knew that it was going to be difficult, although really not very long. She figured she would fall no less than five times on the mile hike.

Suddenly, Edward broke the silence. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off like that."

Bella stopped digging through her suitcase and turned to look towards him. "Then why did you?"

He shrugged as he looked down at the carpet. "My parents' deaths are still… very much in my mind. Emmett tells me that I need to get over it."

"Well, that's a bit harsh."

Her friend shook his head. "No, he has a point. I've let it get me down too much. Please forgive me."

Bella could sense that Edward left things unsaid. Something else about his parents' death bothered him, but once again, she also knew that if she pushed herself into his head, he'd likely disappear. She nodded, "Of course. Next time, just tell me where you're going, please, so I don't look like an idiot."

He gave her a crooked smile, and Bella felt her heart flutter for a moment. "I can do that."

"Are we still on with the plan?"

"Of course. It seems as if you already set the tone for the day."

"Mm hmm. Today is our indifference day."

Edward gave a crooked smile again and commented truthfully, "Which is bound to be the hardest day yet."

And Bella swore her heart stopped.

An hour later, the group of friends was on its return way home from the hike. Both Bella and Edward were playing their roles very well, making sure to be on opposite sides of their group and throwing sarcastic comments back and forth.

Despite their attitudes, their friends did not comment on their behavior. They were all trying to figure out what changed in the first place that made the two intended lovers so hostile.

Meanwhile, both Bella and Edward really did find their plan difficult to act out. Both inexplicably felt drawn to each other and the need to know one another better. Bella decided it was only because they were closely working on a plan of revenge, and Edward attributed it to the fact that he hadn't been this close to a woman outside of his family in several years.

The group had just turned around to go back to the lodge, and Bella had just realized she had yet to trip when all of a sudden she was flat on her face.

If it had just been her with her two friends and their boyfriends, she probably would have turned red, but thought nothing else of it. However, it wasn't the case, and the one man that she was attracted to was standing ten feet away from her, doubled up laughing.

As quickly as she could, Bella stood up and faced Edward. "Do you really think this is funny?"

Not being able to talk due to his hysterics, Edward only nodded.

Now truly angry, Bella let out a huff and turned around to continue walking after her friends who barely even stopped to double check to make sure she was okay. They knew she fell frequently, and their plan was to have Edward help her if she was not okay.

Trying to make a dignified escape, Bella only found herself falling again, effectively causing Edward to only laugh harder.

Eyes blazing, Bella let out a growl and headed back towards Edward. As she approached, she picked up some snow and molded it into a ball. "How do you like this?" she sneered before crashing the snow directly into his face.

Sputtering, Edward wiped the snow away from his face, but instead of an angry expression, his face showed a mischievous side.

"Now you're getting it," he smirked. Before Bella even realized what he was doing, Edward had scooped up a ball of snow and reciprocated her actions.

"Ooh," she growled as her eyes narrowed. "This means war."

Just like that, a snow war erupted between the two. It wasn't so much a snowball fight as just a snow war because no snow balls were really created. Edward and Bella took turns either throwing snow in each other's faces and heads, or trying to get the snow between their bodies and coats.

At first, Bella's attacks were laced with animosity, but as Edward's face portrayed his amusement with the situation, Bella's attitude slowly changed. It wasn't long before she was laughing along with her companion.

Finally, both were out of breath and stopped their war. As they stood, hands on their knees, catching their breaths, Edward could not help but admire the sparkle in Bella's eyes and the color of her cheeks as she continued to smile.

Finally dragging his stare away from Bella's face, he looked around only to notice that they were alone. "It looks as if our friends left us."

"Probably in an attempt to make us friends again," she snorted. Realizing the sound she made, her eyes widened as she brought both hands to her mouth.

Not wanting to risk upsetting her again, Edward kept his laughter to a small chuckle before commenting, "That was cute."

Her blush became stronger as she looked down. "Yeah. Cute."

"No, really," he grinned as he took a step towards her and reached out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. "It was."

"Thanks," she whispered.

"So should we head back? I have quite a bit of snow down my coat."

Bella laughed, "So do I."

They both took steps back towards the lodge as they kept a close distance from one another, neither willing to put the space between them as they had all that morning.

"Are we continuing with the hostility when we return?" Bella asked.

"We might as well," Edward shrugged. "If we flip back and forth too quickly, they'll know something is up. Just pretend like you are mad at me as if you did before."

"Pretend?" Bella scoffed. "That was no pretending."

Edward's eyes widened in shock. "I thought it was."

"Hell no. I was pissed off at you, laughing at me like that even though you barely knew me."

"Oh." Edward paused before continuing, "Well, I apologize then. I didn't realize that you were truly that upset."

"It's okay," Bella waved her hand to dismiss his apology. "I'm sorry that I got so worked up. I usually don't since my friends are so used to me falling anyway."

"It happens often then?" he asked, amusement shining clearly in his eyes.

"More than you realize. I'm shocked I only fell twice."

"Well, maybe next time I'll be there to catch you," Edward smiled.

"Maybe."