I practically skipped all the way back up the beach and sang out my new found glory but I kept it all in besides the smile on my face. I had just found the perfect man on earth and he was right under my nose the whole time. We walked over to the fire and started talking again only we included Angela and Jessica. I would have never thought tonight would have turned out like this I had never had this much fun in….well…..I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. I had quit drinking over an hour or so and I still felt buzzed….it was an adrenalin rush.

I side stepped a little closer to Edward and I caught him grin out of the corner of my eye and he did the exact same. I stared in disbelief as to what I was feeling for Edward…how could all of these new found feelings make me feel this way in one night….6 short hours? Nothing could bring me down off of my cloud….and then my cloud evaporated. Here came Jake and Missy right up to the fire to visit with everyone else here. I must have tensed on the outside as well as inside because I saw Edward shift and catch my cold gaze at Jake. There he was laughing it up with Embry and the others on the far side of the fire and yet at the same time grinding with Missy to the music, he always was a multi-tasker.

Instinctively Edward pulled me in close and rested his arm around my shoulder while he continued talking about the Pep squad with Jessica. I could tell he wasn't too interested in the subject but at least he was being polite. There was Jake one moment grinding and acting like his normal self and the next thing I could see was a snarl on his lips from seeing me and Edward. I secretly was hoping he was choking on his beer and beating himself up but seeing me look back only made his anger grow and in retaliation he spun Missy around and laid a kiss on her. He glanced at me while kissing her and all I could react with was rolling my eyes and saluting him with the middle finger. How immature I hope she bit his tongue.

I turned my back completely towards Jake and started in on the Pep squad conversation as well. It was not the thing I was wanting to talk about at the party but there was nothing else really it was Pep squad or turning around and watching Jake. Edward interrupted the conversation by asking if anyone needed a drink because he was dry. We all shook our heads in a no and he excused himself to get a refill.

"Bella what are you doing standing here? Go get him and tell him he should stop drinking cause you need a ride home!" Jessica squealed.

"Say what?" I was totally confused as to what Jessica meant

"Go tell him you need a ride and you would appreciate it if he stopped drinking and took you home. Say something about Angela needing to take me home." Jess explained. Why was she trying to help me out all of a sudden? When did her heart warm up?

"Ahhh….ok….be right back!" I grinned and went off after him. I followed him and could do nothing but stare at his ass…and wow did it look great in those jeans. Focus Bella you need to get him to take you home!

"Hey Edward." I called out after him "Edward." He stopped once we reached his car. Without little effort he popped the truck and grabbed another beer.

"Oh hey darlin….what's up? Did you change your mind are you a little parched?" He smiled a crooked grin and I took note that I loved that look on him.

"No actually I have a favor….I was wondering if you could stop drinking cause well I need a ride home. Angela has something to do with Jessica or take her home…something…but anyway there won't be enough room in Angela's car and I was wondering if you could take me home?" I was pulling at straws but if I could pull this off I would.

"Of course not a problem." He smiled and threw the beer back in closing the trunk he leaned up against it. "When do you want to get going? You look a little tired, especially from today's events." He was sensitive to my needs and it really meant a lot. I shrugged and slowly glanced over at the parking lot seeing a new car pull in an empty space.

"Huh I wonder who that is." Edward stated. No sooner had he uttered those words we both realized who that was…the cops…three squads filed in after the first parked. Two police officers started towards us while the rest took down license plate numbers. I looked back at Edward and he reflected the fear I had felt and for sure thought I was emitting on my face.

"Good evening are you both part of the beach party?" The taller officer asked. I squinted to read his badge Stallman.

"No sir we are here to pick up one of her friends." Edward quipped he looked nervous but you couldn't hear it in his voice.

"Well you both wouldn't mind in participating in a sobriety test would you?" The shorter and fatter officer questioned with a more insinuating voice. His badge read Strobel.

"No not at all officer." Edward agreed and I closed my eyes wanting to cry. Charlie was going to completely kill me and ground me for eternity.

The shorter chubbier one….Strobel…came over to me to administer his tests. Why did I have to have him, why couldn't I have the taller one so he wasn't so close to my breath?

"I'm officer Strobel, and your name is?"

"Bella" I whispered

"Ok Bella what I would like you to do is follow the tip of my pen without moving your head from side to side." What the idiot held up was his finger and I had to do whatever I could to contain myself from laughing, did he get those two mixed up a lot? He moved from left to right once and then sighed.

"She's good Stallman." He almost seemed disappointed in the outcome. Edward was in what seemed to be a deep conversation with the other officer and then I saw him walk back over to his squad, Strobel in toe. I rushed back to Edward.

"What's going on?"

"Here take my keys." He whispered and handed them to me when the cops weren't looking. I stuffed them in my back pocket.

"He's getting out the breathalyzer I failed his finger test." Edward shook his head. The tall cop came back and I watched the short one head down with the rest of the officer clan down the beach to the unsuspected partiers.

"So is there anything you would like to admit before I give you this test?" He questioned

"He's really tired he was working hard all day, he's probably beat from the sun." I quipped

"How many hours did you work today boy?"

"12" was all Edward uttered

"Who is driving then?"

"Me." I yelped and swallowed hard to calm my nerves

"And who are you to him?" He asked taking note

"I'm his girlfriend…He came to my house a few hours ago and was sleeping, my friend Angela called and asked me to pick her up so we came down here with his car to get her." I had a problem lying all the time to others but to say I was his girlfriend was easy. I saw a smile come across Edwards face when I said those words, he seemed to have no problem with it.

"Ok well as a precaution I have to give you this test. Now you are sure there is nothing you would like to inform me of before we begin?" He glanced between the two of us and when we didn't even move he figured we both agreed. "All I need you to do is blow really hard until the machine beeps." He explained and held it towards Edward. He complied and I saw him take in a large breath and blow as hard as he could. It was like he was trying to blow up a balloon, if he blew any harder I swear his eyes were gonna pop out of his head. The machine made a loud high pitched beep and the numbers began to flash.

".002" The office read out loud as he turned it around to show us the results. "I wish you would have told me the truth boy because I would have let you go. I will be giving you an underage drinking violation but I'm not going to give you one for loitering, illegal activities or trespassing since you just recently got here to pick up a ride. Driving drunk is very unsafe and a zero tolerance is in order. Who has the keys to this vehicle?"

"I do." I muttered and pulled the keys out of my back pocket.

"Ok well I will be right back to give you the citation and explain what you can do to lessen the charge and then once you find your friend you can be on your way." And with he turned back around and walked off to sit for an unmanageable 15 minutes in his squad.

Tears formed and I cried so hard I was unable to breathe. If Charlie even caught wind of this I was dead meat…and if he told Renee…this was not going to be good. One moment I am standing in the cold crying and the next I am in Edwards embrace and he is rubbing my back.

"Shhhh….it's all going to be ok Bella it's just a ticket and we will get you home." He whispered into my hair and rested his cheek on my forehead. I didn't want to do anything but get home and forget this ever happened, just crawl into my bed and block this all out.

Officer Stallman came back with Edward's ticket explained what he could do and then he waltzed down to the beach too no doubt would he be able to fill up his ticket book tonight. I stood there with my harms around myself and watched as people tried running into the woods and the flash lights from the cops going in after them. This was much unexpected but it made sense the reservation still had to follow the law and fires on the beach were against the law no matter where you were. I still couldn't believe that tonight of all nights it had to be busted. Edward was such a gentleman he still was rubbing my back even while I was staring off at the scene below folding out in front of us.

"Do you want to go find Angela and just let her know you're going home?" he wondered. I just nodded and willed myself to walk down there. It wasn't too hard to spot Angela she was sitting on one of the logs hanging her head; her parents would not be forgiving her for this, or letting her out of their sight for a very long time.

"Did you get a ticket?" I whispered as I knelt down next to her. She nodded and hung her head even lower.

"You?"

"No."

She shook her head in acknowledgement and wiped her face off. Poor thing knew how much this was going to hurt but she seemed to be ok with it.

"My parents have to come get me though…my Mom freaked on the phone but she didn't wake my Dad so I might get off pretty good."

"What about Jessica?" I asked glancing around the crowed

"As soon as we all saw the cops coming down the beach Jessica took off into the woods so far they haven't hauled her out of there so I'm guessing she got away."

Could this night get any worse? Edward and Angela both got underage tickets and Jessica was running from the cops. I was wrong it would get worse, here came Jake.

"Bella! Are you ok? Did you get a ticket?" Jake asked out of breath from running to me.

"I'm fine." Why do you care? I hate you too bad I can't tell you to your face or I would Jacob Black!

"You have to be shook up at least worrying about Charlie finding out." He sighed and pulled me into him. Part of me was thankful he cared and the other horrified to know Edward was standing right there watching this all take place.

"Really I'm fine." I rolled my eyes and tried to pull out of Jake's arms. It was like a death grip. Let go you big gorilla!

"Jacob I think Bella really is ok you can let her go now." Edward interjected. Shocked Jake let me go and looked over to Edward like he was about ready to attack. Jake turned his attention back to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"I don't know Bells so far it seems that everyone who threw the party is going to get a separate charge for everyone who got a ticket. There is no doubt that when my Dad finds out he's gonna tell Charlie."

"Well I will deal with it then I guess there is nothing I can do about it now. Besides I didn't get a ticket so there's nothing for Charlie to hate me for. At the very least he might not let me see you again but that wouldn't be so bad." Did I just say that?

Jake instantly dropped his hands to his sides and retaliated by leaning back, which had to have been a large emotional smack in the face. I really had no control over what I was saying though but it made me feel a hundred times better. He pursed his lips together in a hard line.

"Fine." He turned around and walked off back towards the others leaving me to stand there wondering if I was just a little too harsh.

"Come on Bella let's get you home it's getting late." Edward smiled and took me by the hand. I gladly accepted and walked next to him. I turned around once to just glance back searching for Jake. There he stood by the dulling fire watching me. When he caught me glance at him he just shook his head. This would be the last image of Jake in my memory. Not the funny, laughing, joking Jake that I could turn to, the one I secretly loved. Instead I would remember this night and how I actually was going to be ok without Jake in my life. This was a new chapter in the story of my life.

We got back to Edwards car and he crawled into the passenger seat. I stood there dumbfounded at the whole matter. He got back out laughing and stood there leaning against the roof.

"Are you gonna get in?"

"Yeah but you're in the passenger seat." Was I missing something…

"I can't drive Officer Stallman said so. In turn my girlfriend is now going to have to drive us home." I smiled inside and then cringed.

"But that's a Volvo." I stuttered and pointed at the car

"Come on get in I promise it won't bite."

I eagerly yet concerned got into the driver's seat and shut the door. Carefully putting the key in the ignition I started the car and it came to life with a quiet purr. I looked over all the different gauges and at how complex the dashboard looked compared to my truck.

"Ok put your foot on the break and your hand on the gear shifter." He laughed at how unsteady and unsure I was at this. I complied and gingerly pressed the break in and put my hand where he said. He covered my hand with his. "Depress the button and slide it into D." I knew I had to be blushing; the car itself felt like it was over 80 degrees inside. I followed his every move and no sooner had I started the car it seemed I was driving down the road.

The car ride was kind of quite compared to the entire night but his hand never left mine as we drove back to Forks. It had to have been the most eventful night of my life for sure. I didn't know what was going to happen between Edward and I and I was completely unsure as to where Jake and I stood even as friends. My mind drifted back and forth between subjects until I realized where we were. I slammed on the breaks and skidded to a stop. I looked over at Edward and he looked frightened.

"I'm sorry but I just remembered that I rode with Angela. If I pull up in your car driving no less and Charlie sees he's gonna question me." He nodded understanding where I was coming from.

"How about we switch spots and just before your house I drop you off so you can walk up without being really noticed?" I smiled and hoped inside that would really work. We switched seats and wished the night was not over, at least not with Edward. Everything else could have not happened besides this. Meeting him like this was fate no doubt. He stopped just short of the beginning of my yard and I went to get out.

"Um….Bella…." Edward began

"Yes" I answered and spun back around to look at him

"Can I….I mean you don't have to if you don't want to…..but could I get your number?" He asked shyly and smiled. I nodded and smiled blushing a little. The next part was a little blur; I gave him my number and slowly walked up to the house floating on air. I watched him drive away waving at me and I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. I walked in to the house past Charlie and right into my room. I danced in circles around my room and flopped backwards on my bed. If this was love I was in it was perfect, and the way I had seen it described in books and movies.