"Alice, I wouldn't even wear that hideous scrap of a dress in the house, let alone on a date." And definitely not a date with him. Bella thought to herself, jumping up and down internally. After they had been caught in the kitchen, Edward had been a perfect gentleman the whole damn night. He hadn't even teasingly arched his eyebrow at her until the dessert course, and then he had exited without even a small peck goodbye. Bella had been worried about it for a whole day before he sheepishly called her Friday night saying that he'd had to practically beg Jasper for her number.

"You begged for it, huh? And what should that earn you?" Bella was much more confident over the phone than in person, to say the least. Her cheeks had flushed a bright red color as she flirted, but she had enjoyed the teasing. He'd made her worry for a whole day, after all.

"Well, I was hoping it would earn me a date. A real one, without any… growth stunted people to interfere." Bella had choked back her laughter at Edward's jab, but her belly was seared with heat as she recalled just what Alice had interrupted.

She had hummed quietly in agreement, silently contemplating her schedule. She was completely free for the weekend. "Well, I'll just have to see if I can fit you in, you know, with all my other hot dates grabbing my attention." She could've sworn that she heard a low growl from him and held back an uncharacteristic giggle as he spoke again.

"Well, I've got a special spot and another bottle of champange that says you're free this Sunday at 7:00. Would they happen to be right?" She had drummed her fingers and bit her lip in nervous contemplation.

"Yes, they would." She answered back quickly, not even bothering to play coy anymore. Her answer had elicited a soft chuckle, making the butterflies in her stomach burst from their cocoons.

"Bella, Alessandra Rich would be insulted!" Alice's shrill complaint broke her from her daydreaming. "This one of her newest pieces off of her fall collection! I mean, honestly-"

"Bella," Bella pointed to herself. "no wear dress. We done talking now." She spoke slowly, as if Alice were a small preschooler. She loved her, but the midget grated on her nerves fifty percent of the time with all of her fashion this, fashion that! Jesus, if she hadn't grown up around her and known what Alice had been through, Bella didn't think that they would be friends. Keeping up with all of her chatter about aesthetic intention and design along with color perception of a piece was a workout on its own level. Alice should be majoring in design instead of biochemistry like her parents wanted her to do. Her heart thumped at the hurt expression that Alice was trying to conceal. "If you really want to help me, find some jeans and a nice long sleeved tee that I could wear."

Alice met her gaze hesitantly. "Can the jeans be stonewashed?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, Alice, the jeans can be stonewashed." Bella agreed, sighing heavily. She knew that the jeans would be criminally expensive, but it was one of Alice's great joys in life to spend her parents wealth on a wardrobe for Bella. She knew it was Alice's way of making up for her annoyances, even if it just encouraged the annoying tendencies to continue.

Rosalie came to rest against the doorframe, crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow as she did, catching Bella's eyes in the mirror. "I don't know how you put up with her crap all of the time. I Would've thrown her in a barrel and shipped her to timbuktu by now." She waltzed over to the drawers and nudged Bella gently out of the way, grabbing a curling iron and straightener as she did.

"We've been friends since we were little. We've been through a lot together and I honestly would've been lost without Alice in highschool. She… she was there for me." Bella murmured the last part softly, remembering the all of the shit the Lauren and Jessica had done to her, and then Alice when she had stood up for her against the evil twins. She had sunk into a deep depression and hadn't bothered interacting with the world around her until Alice had coaxed her back.

Rosalie considered Bella's wistful but sad expression in the mirror and wondered what the girl had been through. Since getting to know her, Bella had revealed little to nothing about her life before her college years to Rosalie. She'd never hinted at it and clammed up whenever anyone brought up funny stories about the ridiculousness of their lives as teenagers. "Up or down?" Rosalie asked, shaking Bella from her dark thoughts.

"W-what?" Bella asked confused, and Rose stifled a giggle.

"Your hair, Bella. Up or down?"

"Oh, um, down."

"Curly or straight?" She asked, running her fingers through Bella's hair. Bella hummed at the motion; she loved it when people played with her hair.

"Can you do those soft waves that your hair has? It always looks so pretty." Bella said, eyeing Rosalie's long blonde locks surreptitiously.

"You only say that because you've never seen me doing the walk of shame to my house at four AM." Rosalie joked wryly as she wound the curling iron through Bella's chocolate hair.

"Please, for you it was never the walk of "shame", it was the walk of "I just got laid and had more fun than you did, bitch!" Bella threw her hands up in the air, succesfully catching the back of her left one on the curling iron situated in Rosalie's hand. "Well shit." Bella cursed as she shook her hand. Rosalie couldn't help her laughter as Bella stuck her hand under the cold water of the sink faucet. The skin was already raised and turning a bright pink when Alice skipped back in.

"Okay, I have a dark blend, stone washed pair of jeans, long-sleeved, grey knitted tee, and a black cardigan if you get cold." Alice chirped cheerfully, though a bit more subdued earlier now that Rose was in the bathroom. "The mascara and lipstick is in the top, right-hand drawer. If you want to use it. Have fun on your date, Bella. I want details!" She sing-songed as she loped out of the room, intent on leaving to go out on the date she had with Jasper.

The bathroom was silent as Rose finished Bella's hair and helped her swipe on the make up. They both made their way downstairs when Bella was done dressing. She chuckled when she saw that Alice had still mangaed to get her into a cardigan with modest lace backing. Bella figeted nervously as she took her normal seat at the kitchen table.

"If you don't stop cracking your knuckles I'll take the carburetor from your truck and chuck it into the sound." Rosalie threatened, making Bella jog her foot on the floor instead. A million thoughts were running through her head, and they could only come up with worst case scenario situations on how her date with Edward was going to go. He was probably just doing this as a joke to make up for the champange incident. "Hey." Rose said, grabbing Bella's attention. "He likes you, okay? He wouldn't have put up with you breaking a champange bottle with a price tag of nine hundred dollars and bleeding all over his shirt if he didn't."

"It was that expensive?" Bella whispered in horror and her breathing hitched. Yes, this was definitely a revenge date.

Rose smacked her palm to her forehead. "Telling you that wasn't supposed to make you worse." She groaned. Bella just bit her lip and twisted her hair. Rosalie stood up and leaned over the table, putting her face close to Bella's. "Listen, Swan, it's time to put your game face on. You have less than two minutes to pull yourself together or I will slap you! Edward seems like a great guy, way better than the douchebags Alice has managed to set you up with, and you deserve this.Hell, if you don't snatch him up, I might." Bella bristled at that. "See, even you know that he's a catch. So woman the fuck up. Okay?"

A mask of determination settled over Bella's face. "Okay." She said, just as the door bell chimed. "Well, I guess that's my cue." She stood up, smoothing her shirt and hair as she walked to the door. Alice had hung a black leather, sling handbag over the doorknob just to make sure she didn't forget it. She slung the strap over her shoulder before slowly opening the door.

Edward's half smirk never failed to floor her, and she let out an audible breath as his eyes met hers. "Hi." She breathed and he chuckled, just as breathless, though Bella didn't notice. She was happy to see that he was dressed just as casually as her, though he still looked as though he'd stepped from the pages of GQ. His black sport coat and jeans lent an air of familiarity to him that had Bella feeling right at home.

"I parked just down the block, since there wasn't any up space up here." Bella moved to close the door behind her before she heard a soft whistle coming from inside. Rose was holding out some flat and looked at Bella's bare feet pointedly.

"Um, sorry, just a sec." She scrambled back to Rose and hurriedly pulled her flats on while Rose slipped a condom into her jeans pocket.

"Just in case. No pressure." Rose murmured as Bella protested. She just nodded her thanks and rushed out the door.

The walk was relitively silent as they made their way to Edward's car. "You look really nice, Bella." As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to smack himself. Really nice, Edward, really? Could you be any more plebian?

Bella didn't care or notice his distress as she blushed deeply. "Thanks. You look realy nice too. I'm glad I didn't dress to casually."

"No, it's perfect, trust me. I hope you like seafood?" Please let her like seafood, please let her like seafood.

He was startled when Bella started laughing and didn't know whether or not to be insulted. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She let out between gasps of laughter.

"So you don't like seafood?"

She sobered up at his crestfallen look. "No, no no, I love it! I grew up on fish and crab, are you kidding? My dad may be the Seattle Chief of Police, but he still makes plenty of time to fish." She clapped her hand over her mouth. She wasn't supposed to tell him that detail yet. The cop for a father thing always managed to scare guys off. One had even run to a different state after he told her about some shady dealings he was involved in, not that she ever told Charlie.

She dared to peek of at Edward and was surprised to see an amused expression painted across his face as he saw her horrified one. "What did, you think I was going to run away screaming?"

"Kind of?" She questioned reproachfully. He just shhok his head as they reached his car.

"It'll take a lot more than that to scare me away from you, Bella." He opened the door for her and she climbed into it, shell shocked. Did he just say what I think he said? Does he really mean that? Holy fuck Batman! Bella's mouth grew into a wide grin as she considered his words. Maybe she had finally found someone who would be able to deal with her crazy parents; not that they would be meeting anytime soon. It's only our first date, calm yourself Bella.

"So where is this special seafood spot that you're taking me?"

Edward looked at her as if they were in cahoots. "Ivar's."

"On Pier 54?!" Bella asked excitedly, beginning to recognize the route that he took.

"Well I'm glad someone's so excited." His grin lit up the car and his eyes, making Bella's heart stutter in her chest.

"You just so happened to pick my favorite place to eat in the whole state of Washington!" She bounced once in her seat.

"What can I say, I have a knack for reading people." He joked. He did have a knack for readin people, but when it came to her he was practically clueless and it frustrated him to no end.

"Oh really?" Bella leaned back in her seat and perused his figure casually as he continued to drive. He smirked as he felt her exploring eyes on him, but didn't turn to look at her, even if he missed the opprotunity to see her cheeks flush a rosy red in the fading light. "If you're so good at "reading people", how about you guess my favorite color."

He pretended to contemplate his answer. "Purple."

If he had guessed that two weeks previously, he would have been right. Any self-respecting husky would have to say so. "Nope. It's gold." She blurted out without thinking and hoped that he didn't remember it was the color of his eyes. There wasn't any amused smirk or glint in his eyes to let her know that he had realized and she breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"Well at least it's still one of the Husky colors. I don't know if I could date you if you said crimson or grey."

"Please, as if I could survive at the UW if those were one of my favorite colors. The frat boys go ballistic as the sight of crimson. I think some of them actually believe that their blood is purple so they don't have to face the horror of having any shade of red somewhere near their bodies."

"Hey! I just so happen to be one of those "frat boys."

Bella snorted a laugh. "Please tell me you weren't a Delta." They were considered the worst frat house on campus; being able to "party hardy" was a basic requirement and there were only a few alumni of that house that graduated with any kind of honors.

He winced. "No, I stayed far away from that house. Though my brother Emmett was a Delta. I was a Kappa."

"My dad was a Kappa!" Maybe that will make him like you. Bella thought, but then told herself to slow down, cursing her thoughts.

"Really? So was mine. When did yours graduate?" Edward knew that it would be a good in with Bella's father if hers and his were old friends. Not that he was thinking that far ahead or anything. Lord, this is only our first date! He thought to himself.

"He never told me. He said it would make him feel too old." She shrugged, now wishing that she'd forced it out of him.

"Well if you want to ask him about Carlilse Cullen, go ahead." They pulled into a parking spot that was about two blocks from Ivar's. They continued to chat about Edward and his business degree and about her desire to be a teacher.

"I want to teach younger kids. Like first and second grade. They're so smart and it's amazing, the things they can do. I just feel like they need alittle push and I can help them in the right direction." She got nervous at his silence. "I mean, I guess it's a little imaginative or something but-"

"It's not imaginitive at all. I think that you'd be the perfect teacher." He said sincerely, meeting her eyes. He leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. It was slow, unhurried, and let a soft warmth spread like languid lava throughout her body. He slipped his tongue out to trace her lips carefully, cradling his soft cheeks in his hands. Bella's lips felt molten with heat as he pulled away, tracing her jaw with his lips.

He hummed, letting his hands drop to her hips. "I'm going to order." Bella could still taste him on her lips. He was sweet like chocolate and smelled of freesias.

"I don't care. Anything but the clam strips." She murmured to him and loped over to a table that was closest to the water. She'd always felt at home by the water. It was always free and not worried about whatever was near it. It could be as calm as a Sunday morning or as powerful and fearless as a soaring eagle. It was what she had always wanted to be.

She smiled benevolently as Edward wandered over, carrying their food with him. Though when he set down the baskets her smile turned to a grimance. "You got the clam strips?"

He widened his eyes innocently. "Well I still got you Halibut, didn't I?" He grabbed a strip and smirked. "Why do you have against clams anyway?" He threw the strip up and caught it in his mouthm thouroughly distracting Bella for a few moments.

"There was an… incident." She crossed her arms across her chest before grabbing for her own basket.

"Ah ah ah." Edward teased a he dragged her basket away. "I want the story." He raised and eyebrow determedly.

When Bella pouted softly, Edward almost caved. "So you're going to deny me sustenance? A poor college girl who has been living on ramen for the past three years of her life? You, Mr. Cullen are a terrible, terrible person."

"Story first, then halibut." He said, but didn't object as Bella quickly stole a few fries from the basket.

She sighed heavily. "My dad brought home bad clams. I ate them, got food poisoning. I was throwing up and… yeah. For two days."

"Two whole days? Oh, the agony." He teased her, clutching a hand to his stomach.

"Yeah, smartass, it was agony for a little eight year old girl. Now pass me my halibut!" She commanded and he willingly obliged.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Edward stopped her by holding something up in front of her basket. "What're you doing?" Bella asked suspiciously as she eyed the deep fried clam strip lying in his outstretched fingers.

""Trying to make you like clam strips. You can't let one bad experience stop you from enjoying the greasy magic of an Ivar's clam strip."

"Yes I can. Eat the clam strip yourself." She said laughingly, swatting his hand away.

"Just eat the clam strip."

"Put the clam strip down before I chuck the whole basket into the ocean." He pulled the basket away before she could reach for it.

"Well, as much as I wouldn't want to make the poor marine life have to see their dead, deep fried friends, I don't want you to have to experience another minute without knowing what they taste like.

Bella couldn't help the boisterous laughter that burst from her stomach. "I don't want the damn clam strip, Edward. What is wrong with you?!"

"It's just a truly tragic sight to see someone who can't enjoy clams. I may be adding them to the bar menu soon, you know."

"Fine feed me the clam strip you weirdo." He voice wavered with her held in laughter. She let her mouth close over the clam strip in his hand, her lips brushing Edward's fingers and sending a shiver up his spine as she did. She didn't even taste it as she chewed slowly, making sure to lick her lips and meet his eyes as she did. She had no idea where this flirty, teasing Bella had appeared from, but she was starting to like it.

She was also starting to like clam strips, too.

"Well, fancy seeing you here Bella." her heart stopped as she heard a deep chuckle from behind her.

A/N: Oooooh, cliffhanger, but look, I'm back! I just wanted to apologize again to everyone for the wait, but I had to sort through family things after my aunt's death. I wanted to thank each and every one of you who has reviewed, favorited, and followed. I have almost 60 (!) reviews and over 200 follows and almost 100 favorites after just three chapters. I also learned that someone rec'd my story on The Lemonade Stand, which is such a great feeling! You guys bring happy tears to my eyes. If I have not yet responded to one of your reviews I promise that I will try my best. Until next time guys, and thanks again! You're all amazing!

~OA