AN- It's late, I know…but it's also really long…so there's that…

How to Paint a House Chapter 7

BPOV

After we left the river, Edward killed the wasps with some spray that Charlie had in the shed. He put on Charlie's fishing waders and a sweatshirt, and made me watch from the living room, keeping me at a safe distance from the nest. He was like my knight in shining armor…or waders…and I watched in awe as he valiantly destroyed our foe.

I couldn't help but notice how protective he was toward me, and how he didn't want me anywhere near the wasps or the fumes of the spray. I realized he probably would have been that way toward any girl…but I still found it sweet, and it made me feel special somehow. Not like a kid either…just someone he didn't want to see hurt.

When he left early to let the nest settle, I felt like there was a lot of stuff left sort of hanging in the air…

Like how Edward touched my face, for no other reason than to touch my face. It happened, and it was playing over and over in my head like a broken record. I tried to keep a sensible head about it, and not make it more than it was. But I had never been touched by a boy, deliberately, and in an affectionate way. And the fact that it was Edward Cullen only amplified its significance to me.

Getting dressed the next morning, I checked the clock on my night stand. It said 7:00 am. That meant I had about eighty two hours before Edward went to Emmett's house. I wanted to know more about why he moved, and his scar, and why he touched my face like that. And in the back of my mind all I kept thinking about was how I was running out of time before Emmett McCarty's party.

Eighty two hours…

I couldn't know for sure what would change after the party. I didn't have a crystal ball. But as the hours ticked by, I just got increasingly anxious and restless, fearing the worst.

I had eighty two hours.

I wanted to take advantage of that time, and be able to put up my best fight against the cooler older kids that he'd inevitably meet. I wanted to show Edward that I wasn't a kid, and that our friendship was something special…because that's how it was starting to feel to me.

It felt like a bomb with a timer. I could either cut the wire and stop the bomb, or let it tick down and allow it to explode. It terrified me just thinking about what it might entail, but I wanted to cut the wire…I wanted to keep Edward. Definitely as a friend─ but I couldn't help but hope for maybe more than a friend.

A part of me felt like I was crazy, or desperate, or both. But there was another part of me that remembered the way he looked at me, and the way he touched my face on the riverbed, and felt like I just might have a chance.

Just maybe.

After he arrived, I found him on the front lawn setting up. My heart didn't let me down and fluttered like crazy when I saw him. "Hey," I called, walking toward him. His head was still wet from a shower, and he was wearing a light teal colored t-shirt. It was a pretty color against his skin.

He looked up to me with his groggy morning face and smiled his perfect smile. "Hey," he said. "How is your hand today?"

His concern always took me aback a little. I had almost completely forgotten about my hand. "I think it's healing," I shrugged, showing him the big band-aid I had dressed it in.

Edward took a look at my band-aid, and his lips curled up in one corner. "Good," he nodded. "I think you're going to keep your hand."

I laughed, remembering our running joke. "Painting is always a backup option," I smiled.

Edward picked up a paint brush, and walked toward me. "Or, you know, I could become an exterminator," he said, pushing the brush into my stomach, his eyes sort of light and dancing.

I grasped the brush, and looked right into his eyes, barely able to catch my breath. "You looked pretty scared of those wasps. I'm not so sure," I quipped, raising a brow in challenge, holding his stare.

Edward's eyes narrowed and his lip curled up again. "Talk to me when you've had wasps in your shirt, ok," he smirked. "Until then you can just shut your mouth."

Barely able to feel my arms, I motioned like I was zipping my lips. "Sorry," I giggled. "You were very brave," I said, trying to sound serious, but just internally giddy over how playful he was being already.

Edward nodded proudly, feigning victory. "Thank you," he said. He held my stare for a beat, and then cracked a big toothy grin. "Come on, I'm going to show you how to paint," he smiled, knocking my shoulder with his elbow.

My shoulder just caught fire instantly. Edward made me aware of every molecule that made up my body. He made me feel so present and just alive. It was so cliché to say…but it was true.

I followed behind him to the tarp by the bushes, unable to wipe the smile off of my face. I had only been in his presence a few minutes, and I was already walking on a cloud. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder how badly it would hurt if he ever stopped smiling at me or playfully knocking me with his elbow. But I followed him anyway, determined to keep him.

Edward had finished painting most of the front of the house, and we just needed to paint under and around the bottom windows. He got a little station set up for me on a little tarp.

"Let me see your technique," he smiled, turning to me and gesturing toward the paint. There was expectation in his eyes, like I was being tested. It made me a bit nervous.

With a sigh, I bit down on my lip and walked onto the tarp and knelt down. I held the brush and eyed the paint, then looked up to Edward, wary to make a mistake. "Just dip the brush in and paint?" I asked, my hand hovering with the brush over the can, hesitant to dip it in.

Edward smiled, and held his hand out, asking for the brush back. "Here watch me," he said.

"Ok," I breathed, moving aside so he could show me.

When he came down next to me, I could smell his fresh shower smell and his body was so close to mine that all he had to do was lean over a few more inches and he'd brush up against me…just like on the riverbed. He was right next to me, but at the same time I missed him. Being sort of close to him was no longer good enough. I wanted to be touching him. I wanted to feel my skin catch fire and my body come alive. I wanted more of him than he was currently giving me. I felt ready for more.

Taking in his every move like oxygen, I watched him closely as he dipped the brush into the paint. "Just bend your wrist, and let the brush do the work," he said, placing the brush to the siding and dragging it horizontally to the right, then flipping his wrist and reversing the motion to the left. His forearms were so strong and so in control of the brush…he made it look so simple. And really, it did look pretty simple, but I watched him a few more times because I really wanted him to stay longer…

After it got to the point where I'd look slow for not catching on, I piped up. "Ok, I think I have it now," I smiled, taking the brush from his hand, grazing his thumb intentionally, just wanting to. "Thanks," I gulped.

"Sure," Edward whispered, rising from his perch. "But you're going to have to show me."

Right…

"Ok," I smiled, gripping tightly to the brush and dunking it into the paint.

"Whoa whoa, not too much paint," Edward warned with a cocky smile, as I was about to soak the whole brush.

I pulled it out, just in time. "Oops," I smiled. Then I bit down determinedly on my lip, and raised the brush to the siding, globbing it down, then doing as Edward instructed and gliding it to the right.

"Good," Edward hummed as I pulled it back to the left. "You got it."

"You sure?" I asked, as I went for another pass.

"Great technique," Edward assured. "Now I have to get to work."

And just like that, he walked away to the other side of the house. I couldn't even watch him leave I was so focused on what I was doing. But with every step I missed him more. His energy was so strong…his life force, that I could almost feel him walking away. My body sort of yearned for him when he got too far from me.

Oh brother…

Edward turned the radio on in his corner, and I was tempted to ask him about music school…but decided against it, figuring if he wanted to teach me about music, he would have offered.

The music wasn't anything I hadn't heard before anyway. It was Charlie's favorite station that played mostly rock and roll from the 70's…Allman Brother's, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey…I knew those bands like the back of my hand just by association with Charlie. I wanted to know more about Edward's music…what he really liked.

But the familiar music set the mood for the morning, and Edward and I hummed along and exchanged a few smiles as we painted on opposite sides of the house.

I wondered if he felt as comforted and happy in my presence as I felt in his? Even when we weren't saying a word to each other, I loved his company. It made the time pass quickly…maybe a little too quickly.

Soon, it was time to break for lunch, and the mild almost cool morning had made way for a hot and sticky afternoon. My corner was in the shade, but Edward had been exposed to the full sun all morning long.

I grabbed an apple from the house and filled my water bottle, and went to meet Edward on the front steps. Unfortunately, the shade under my tree was a pile of dead wasps and lingering poison. Edward wanted to wait for rain before we sat down there again.

He plopped down next to me onto the concrete, and I was comforted having him back. But quickly I noticed that his face wasn't bejeweled and beautiful, but genuinely flushed, almost purple and dripping sweat. "Fuck, it's hot," he gasped, his eyes sort of wandering and unfocused from the heat. He was pinching his nose and blinking away the sweat. He looked so uncomfortable, I wanted to help.

I tried to find his eyes, but he was all over the place. "We can go swimming," I said. Granted, I was itching to get back to the river…but more than that, I just wanted to help Edward cool off.

Leaning back, he gripped his hands into his moppy damp hair and sort of growled in uncomfortable frustration. "I don't have another change of clothes," he whined. "I used them yesterday." It was sort of funny seeing his irritable prickly side…he was like a grumpy kindergartner.

I tried to mask my smile. "We can go inside the air-conditioning?" I offered, trying to appease him.

He looked over to me, and his expression was adorably petulant and fraught. "I smell," he huffed. "I fucking smell."

I pushed my water bottle toward him. "Here," I said, insisting he take a sip.

Edward's hands sort of swatted it away. "No, you drink it. I have water," he moped.

I didn't see any water. "Edward, drink the water."

"I don't want it."

"Edward."

"You need it."

"I'm not purple. Drink the stupid water."

"I have some."

"Where?"

"In my car…I think…"

He was being so difficult, but he was also seemingly really uncomfortable. I eyed the open water bottle in my hands, and then raised my eyes to Edward, and then turned them back down to the bottle...

Then, without another thought, completely impulsively, I threw my hand forward and just tossed my water in his face.

Oh God…

The water splashed directly into the center of his forehead. At once his muscles tensed and his eyes slammed shut and he let out this primal sort of shivering growl. I watched still as a stone waiting for his reaction, watching the water drip down the planes of his perfect face and soak the front of his shirt.

Then, slowly, Edward's lashes fluttered opened, and his shoulders relaxed, and his tensed forehead became smooth. "Bless you," he exhaled, his lip curling up in the corner starting an infectious giggle. "Bless you Bella," he laughed, his eyes sparkling. He was looking at me like the merciful savior I was…and I was happy to see that there was a cognizant Edward on the other end.

I laughed, relieved to have him back. "No problem," I said with a bashful nod.

Then Edward shook his head back and forth like a dog. "Woo! It's hot," he laughed, the water from his hair sprinkling and cooling my legs and arms. It felt good, and I could have really gone for a swim….but Edward had something else in mind.

He combed his hair back with his fingers. "You know what I could go for right now?" he asked, seemingly reenergized.

"What?" I smiled.

"One of those massive red Slurpee things from 7Eleven," he said slowly, with reverie in his tone, like he was remembering something wonderful.

Just the mention sparked a craving. "Oh, yum," I hummed in agreement. "I haven't had one all summer."

"Tell me Forks has a 7Eleven?" Edward asked hopefully.

"Forks has a 7Eleven," I smiled.

And just like that, Edward and I were on the bikes again, heading down to 7Eleven. We didn't hesitate…we were on a mission.

The 7Eleven was down the hill in the lower part of town. The loggers had come to Forks to set up shop there ages ago, right at the bottom of town by the sawmills along the river. There were mostly just tiny little houses all in a row…and a 7Eleven and a pizza shop.

To Edward, it was all new, and I liked showing him new places.

"So this is where the loggers live mostly," I said, starting to peddle as the road flattened out.

Edward peddled in front of me and looked around. "More people lived in my apartment building in Chicago," he laughed, shaking his head at the tiny little blink and you might miss it village.

I perked up, always happy when he offered me details about his life. "You lived in an apartment?" I asked breathlessly, standing up on my pedals trying to catch up to him.

Edward coasted a bit, allowing me to catch up. "Penthouse with a lake view, three high rises away from Oprah," he said sort of sarcastically.

But to me, it sounded amazing. A deluxe high rise penthouse on Lake Michigan… so different from Forks. "It must have been nice," I sighed, relaxing back into my seat.

"Eh," Edward shrugged. "I kind of like having a house that I don't share with 200 other people."

"I bet your house is nice here, huh?" I asked, curious about his home in Forks. Most rich people had private drives, and the mansions that lay beyond were just myths as far as I was concerned.

Edward looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. "I'll bring you some time," he said, right as we turned the corner to the 7Eleven.

I smiled at his invitation. "Ok," I said, beyond excited by his offer, picking up my pace and taking the corner aggressively. I coasted around the bend in float mode.

We stopped at the intersection, and Edward looked both ways before he waved me to follow him across the street.

The 7Eleven sat back a bit, with a small six car parking lot in front of it. It was a jumping spot on a Friday afternoon, and there was quite a bit of action going on as we approached. We hadn't passed a single soul our whole ride down. I guess they were all at the mini-mart buying cigarettes, lottery tickets, and Slurpees.

One of them being Angela Weber…

Oh no…

Just as we hopped the curb to enter the parking lot, she came out of the sliding glass doors with dumb and dumber Jess and Lauren flanking her on both sides…carrying Slurpees in their hands of all things.

I knew the day was going too well…My luck just wasn't that good.

And as soon as I saw her, I went straight from float mode to coward mode, and rode my bike in shrieking dramatic fashion right behind a bread truck that was in the parking lot. I didn't even alert Edward. I left him out in the middle of the lot, as I cowered behind the truck. My face got hot and my heart started racing and I just didn't want to deal with her…

I had managed to go almost a whole day without even thinking about her…

Almost.

Eventually, Edward realized he had lost me. "Bella?" he called. I couldn't see him, I could only hear him. I had my back pressed against the truck. He must have thought I had vanished into thin air.

"Bella?" He called again, and that time there was some definite worry in his voice, some panic. .

Oh God…

I gripped the dirty white back panel, and poked my head around the truck to an adorably worried Edward. "Over here," I whispered, trying to flag his attention.

He smiled when he heard my voice, like he was relieved. "Where?" he asked in the same shouty whisper I had used.

"Behind the truck," I called.

His head snapped in my direction. "Why?" he asked curiously. Then he finally spotted my face, finding my eyes.

"Just get over here!" I cried, getting impatient, wondering if Angela was watching the whole thing.

Edward shook his head with a laugh, and began peddling toward me, eventually finding his way to the back of the truck where I was stationed in a jittery panic.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked, looking down at me with the most startling smile. I was sitting on the pavement, with my back pressed against the truck tire.

"Is there a group of girls standing around?" I asked.

Edward looked at me like I was crazy, but checked for me anyway. "Yes?" he said, almost like a question.

"Oh shoot," I hissed.

Edward looked around the truck again at my former friends, then back to me. "Oh shit, is one of them Angela?" he asked, his eyes getting wide. Edward was smart. He caught on quickly.

"Affirmative," I sighed. "She's the one in the glasses."

Then Edward's beautiful smiling eyes got soft, and he crouched down to my level. "Do you want to leave?" he whispered sweetly. "Or you can stay and hide and I can go in," he offered, his face taking on this completely gentle and kind expression. I always lost my breath when he did that. I just would never get used to it.

When I was able to think again…I thought about his offer pretty seriously for a moment…

With a sigh, I shook him off, feeling ridiculous all of a sudden for hiding behind the truck. I couldn't hide from Angela forever. Besides, I felt more confident with Edward by my side. I felt I could do almost anything with Edward by my side...

I smiled up to him. "No. Let's just get this over with," I sighed, starting to push off the pavement to hop onto my feet. But before I could, Edward's hand reached down and gripped around my bicep tightly, lifting me easily to my feet, while he still straddled Charlie's bike.

I found his eyes as I found my balance. "Thanks," I breathed.

Edward's lip curled up. "No problem," he said as he dropped my arm, leaving it burning in his wake.

Shakily, I mounted my bike. "Let's go before I change my mind," I laughed, and started wobbling toward the bike rack.

"After you," Edward laughed to himself, following behind me.

When I pulled into the bike rack, Angela noticed me right away. I was hard to miss. She must have watched me ride in. I tried to avoid looking right at her though. My tunnel vision worked pretty well when I wanted it to.

She made the first move. "Hey Bella," she said, coming toward me.

I kicked my kickstand down, and looked up to her. She was in another cute new skirt and blouse, with her hair softly draping over one shoulder in a loose braid. My hair was sticking to me, and I felt absolutely gross in my white tank top, cutoffs and sneakers. It's amazing how quickly I became insecure.

I could see some insecurity on her face though too. She wasn't sure how I was going to react to her. I wasn't either. "Hey," I nodded coolly. "What's up?"

Just in time, I heard Edward's kickstand drop, and soon I could feel him hovering right behind me. It helped me breathe a little.

Angela looked up to Edward, then back down to me, and her eyes narrowed when she realized that we were together, that Edward had come with me. In my periphery, I could see Jess and Lauren huddled together whispering about him too…

I kind of loved the position I had found myself in, just imagining their shock seeing me come in with Edward.

Before the silence could drag too much, Edward lurched forward. "Edward Cullen," he said, reaching around me for Angela's hand, his arm resting on my hip. He was so close that I could smell his musty sweaty body. I didn't think he smelled bad at all…I kind of liked it actually.

Angela's eyes bugged at me before taking his hand. "Hi, Angela Weber," she smiled sweetly to him, flashing her newly de-braced teeth. As soon as she was touching him I wanted to rip her arm off. Her nails were manicured, and she had on these perfect little gold rings, and dainty bracelets…

My hand had a dirty band-aid on it and I had paint under my nails…

To my relief, Edward dropped her hand pretty quickly, and looked down to me, finding my eyes. "I'll be inside," he said softly, looking to me carefully for the go ahead, his arm still lingering around my hip.

"Ok," I said, feeling confident I could take it from there.

"Red or blue?" he asked, reminding me we had come for Slurpees…I had almost forgot.

"Red," I smiled.

"I'll be right back," he nodded, "Nice to meet you Angela."

Angela had to pick her jaw up before she could answer. "You too," she sort of gasped.

As soon as Edward was inside the store, Jessica and Lauren scurried over like excited little hens. "Who was that boy?" They cried breathlessly…they were swooning just like I did the first time I saw Edward.

I wanted them to stop. I was finding that I didn't like other girls noticing Edward. I didn't like it at all.

"He's nobody. Don't worry about it," I dismissed them bluntly…

Jessica narrowed her beady eyes at me. "What's up your butt?" She huffed, twisting her fingers into her brown curly hair.

"Nothing," I shrugged.

"Is he single?" Lauren asked boldly, with her blonde hair and her fake tan and her huge boobs just taunting me. "Oh my God Bella, he's gorgeous, you have to introduce me," she crowed, like she already just assumed that Edward wasn't dating me, and she wanted a piece of him. I could have punched her right there…

Ugh!

My face must have looked like I was about to blow, because before I could react to them, Angela interceded. "Guys could you give us a minute?" She asked Jess and Lauren, widening her eyes at them.

They agreed with a huff, and went back to the curb where they came from.

When they were out of ear shot, Angela turned to me. "Something you want to tell me Bella?" She asked quizzically, her hands on her hips…almost like she was getting a taste of how I was feeling. She was completely out of the loop as far as my life was concerned. It gave me a small amount of pleasure seeing her squirm over seeing me with Edward.

"Nope," I shrugged. "I'm good." I kind of liked making her feel left out. Sure, it was nasty and immature…but that was the kind of mood I was in.

"You never called me. Bella, I'm getting freaked out," she scolded.

I looked around…at the Slurpee in her hand…at her pristine appearance…at Jess and Lauren. "You don't seem freaked out," I shrugged. "You seem fine to me."

Angela's face tensed even more. "You're mad because I'm being social?"

"Who said I'm mad?"

"Bella!" She cried, obviously fed up with my antics.

I didn't know how else to act. "What?" I asked, going on the defensive.

"I thought we agreed on branching out?"

"That was your idea," I reminded her.

"So, I'm supposed to sit at home with you all day and do nothing?"

"We did not do nothing!" I cried, finally giving her what she wanted and showing some emotion. She had a lot of nerve talking about our friendship like some empty boring prison. I never thought that. And now she was friends with possibly two of the most annoying idiots on the planet. How dare she!

Seeing my anger, Angela recoiled a bit. "Sorry, I didn't mean that," she said. "I'm just upset is all. Why haven't you called me?" She asked, and in her tone and in her eyes, I could see my best friend again…sort of.

"I guess I've been busy," I shrugged. "I didn't think you cared."

"Why would you think that?"

I looked over to dumb and dumber. "Because you seem pretty ok Ange," I said shortly.

"It is not ok for us not to be friends Bella," Angela whined. "You know you can always hang out with us," she said, indirectly pointing to the problem with our friendship at the moment. "Us", was no longer Angela and me…it was Angela, Jess and Lauren. She left it up to me to change. She wasn't going to turn back. She wasn't giving them up.

And somewhere deep inside, I realized I never should have expected her to.

"Yeah ok," I shrugged, giving her a half smile. In a way I was silently telling her to wait for me…that I'd catch up eventually. I just wasn't ready for her new lifestyle yet. I didn't want to loiter and dress up in cute outfits and stuff my bra. I wanted to ride my bike and swim in the river with Edward…just for a little while longer.

Just then, the door slid open and Edward came out carrying two massive red Slurpees. Seeing him, having him, made everything with Angela feel so much easier…at least for the next 77 hours.

"Hey," he smiled his perfect smile, sidling up next to me and knocking my Slurpee into my hand.

I felt normal again, less awkward, having him beside me. "Thanks," I grinned, taking a big sip right away.

Edward raised his brows. "Ready?"

I looked to Angela and she smiled weakly at me. "Yeah, I'm ready," I said. "Later Ange."

"Bye Bella," she whispered.

Edward and I got our bikes from the rack and started walking home side by side…handlebars in one hand, giant red Slurpees in the other. The walk was about a mile, and all uphill, and neither of us seemed to be in any hurry to get home and back to work.

When we cleared the corner, and the 7Eleven was out of sight, Edward turned to me. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, swallowing a large gulp of red slush mid sentence.

I shook my head. "Nope," I said curtly, popping my p for emphasis.

Edward shrugged. "Ok. Suit yourself."

But then I started thinking about something Angela had said, and quickly changed my mind. "Ok, actually I do…" I started. "Do you think I'm boring?" I asked. Maybe the red dye was making me crazy, but I really wanted to know Edward's opinion on the subject. I always had suspicions that I might be, and Angela sort of implied it when she said we sat around and did nothing…Was she right?

Edward looked over to me and shook his head. "No," he said with a little laugh. "You are a lot of things…but boring isn't one of them." He cleared another sip of his Slurpee, and then looked to me curiously. "Why? Did someone call you boring?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Angela did …sort of," I said. "Not directly, but it was implied."

Edward shook his head. "Well that's bullshit," he said firmly.

"Jess and Lauren are obviously more exciting to her right now," I said out loud, just as I was thinking it.

Edward stopped walking, and turned to me seriously. "Why do you let them get to you?" He asked.

I thought about it, and shrugged. "I don't know? They just do," I said, gesturing for us to start walking again. "All the boys like them, and they're pretty and popular…and now Ange is friends with them…"

"Pretty?" Edward asked, cutting me off, sounding unconvinced.

"What, you don't think Lauren is pretty?" I asked, a bit shocked. I mean, Edward was perfect and gorgeous, and just shockingly handsome...But most guys found Lauren to be rather attractive, even the good looking ones.

Edward narrowed his eyes at me. "Which one was Lauren?" he asked.

"The blonde," I said.

"No," he said quickly, without a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"You must have really high standards," I sighed, suddenly depressed. If Lauren wasn't pretty to Edward, I must have been beyond invisible.

"I just don't like fake blondes," he shrugged. "Never have." He casually sipped his Slurpee again, assuming his cocky posture.

Mine was freezing my injured hand…I was suddenly too curious to drink. I couldn't help myself. Edward was offering me personal preferences, and I wanted to dig further, even if it was a sensitive subject for me. Learning his type, well it seemed like something I could use, something I could work with. Even if it meant a hit to my ego, I wanted to know.

"What about Angela?" I asked casually, like it was a perfectly normal conversation to be having. I wanted to play it cool.

Edward's chewed his straw. "Eh, she's cute. A bit stiff," he nodded.

I shook my head. It was a fair assessment. "She wasn't always that way," I sighed. The stiffness was new. "What about Jessica?" I asked, just letting the ball roll.

Edward smiled. "No," he said decisively. "She looks like work," he smirked.

"Jeez Edward," I huffed impatiently, my eyes rolling over his pickiness. "What's your type, super models?" I laughed, pretending to be casual, but really starting to wonder if any girl in Forks, any girl in the world had a chance with him?

Edward smiled and turned to me. "No," he shrugged, his green eyes sparkling. "I generally go for low maintenance brunettes," he said casually, lowering his lips to his straw again.

Well, I was a low maintenance brunette…

Oh!

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," I spat, not buying his little confession. It was too convenient. He had to know I was feeling insecure.

Edward laughed, and shook his head. "No I'm not," he sustained, looking over to me with a smug smile. "If I told you that you were miles prettier than those three girls, you probably wouldn't believe me, would you?" He asked, his green eyes not soft enough to be convincing, but not playful enough to be obviously lying…

I couldn't read him…so I didn't believe him.

"Probably not," I shrugged.

Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head, like he wasn't surprised by my reaction. "Well you are," he laughed.

"Shut up!" I cried, completely not buying it. He sounded like my mother trying to make me feel better. I had watched year after year as every single boy in my class looked right past me and chose my friends over me. I wasn't going to fall for what Edward was selling…even if it was kind of sweet of him to try and make me feel better.

Edward chewed his straw and his lip curled up again. "I knew you wouldn't believe me," he shrugged. "But you are…"

I shoved my Slurpee in my basket, and plugged my ears playfully, cutting him off. "La La La," I started chanting, blocking him out, looking into his eyes and scrunching my nose like I was angry. "I can't hear you!" I cried.

I couldn't take compliments…like at all…especially half hearted ones meant to make me feel better from a boy who was too nice for his own good. He didn't know how much I wanted his words to be true…he couldn't have. It was better for me to just pretend he wasn't saying them. That way, when he did end up dating a girl like Lauren Mallory…it would hurt less.

Edward was laughing at me, and his mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear him.

I took my fingers out of my ears. "What?" I asked with a giggle. "I couldn't hear you."

Edward shook his head. "I said you look extra awesome now that your lips and tongue are bright red," he laughed.

"Hey!" I protested. I was in a playful mood, so I stuck my tongue out at him, to give him the full effect. "Blahhh!"

Edward beamed at me. "Oh, she's a stunner folks!" he cried teasingly. "A perfect ten!"

CRACK! BOOM!

A loud thunder crack shook us both. I was so caught up in our discussion, that I hardly noticed the clouds roll in.

Edward's face got serious and his eyes got wide and he threw his Slurpee into his basket and mounted Charlie's bike. "Come on Bella!" he cried, starting to pedal up the steep hill.

Just as I mounted my bike, the sky just opened up into a heavy downpour.

Oh perfect…

The rain was tickling my face and my legs, and steaming off the hot pavement as I tried to find the strength to push my legs to pedal. "Of course I'm wearing white!" I cried, as I pushed forward, feeling my shirt become soaked.

Edward peeked over his shoulder at me, and his face was light with a laugh. "Oh my God, I'm not going to look at your bra!" he cried. Then his eyes went straight to my bra. "Oops I just did," he smirked.

Hey!

"Edward!" I cried, picking up my pace, feeling my face get hot while the rain washed over it.

Edward put his head forward. "Purple…Mmmm," he hummed under his breath as he started peddling in a full sprint.

I had to really work to keep up…so I could scream at him. "Shut up!" I cried.

Edward threw his head back. "Woohoo! This feels good," he howled, shaking some rain out of his hair.

I felt like my cutoffs were chafing, and my hair was sticking to my eyes, and my stupid purple bra that I didn't want in the first place was on display to the whole town, and my legs were about to fall off, and I was out of shape and tired. It did not feel good to me. "Speak for yourself!" I cried, trying to push some hair out of my eyes and remain steady on my bike while the rain just drenched me and kept pouring. I was losing momentum and starting to wobble.

Edward peeked over his shoulder to me again, and his face was a little more concerned. "Come on Bella, we're almost home," he called. "Just keep your legs moving." He was just effortlessly peddling, and he looked so amazing all wet, with his teal shirt clinging to his rippling chest.

Oh boo!

"I'm tired," I whined.

Crack! Boom!

Edward's eyes weren't playful anymore. He looked worried and concerned for me. "I know you are. Come on, you're doing great," he coached, urging me to keep peddling through my exhaustion.

I shook my head determinedly, then glued my eyes to Edward's back and started peddling harder, just suffering through the pain. Only a few more blocks to safety.

Crack! Boom!

Just as the lightning came over Forks, Edward and I were pealing into the driveway, making a b-line for the shed to park the bikes before we could make a run for the house.

Edward threw the double doors open and I just rode straight in not caring where I landed. I ended up crashing into a bag of grass seed and a rake, and fell to my side, onto the greasy floor.

My heart was racing out of chest and I could barely feel my legs when I heard the doors close behind me and Edward come into the shed. "I'm dying!" I cried, sort of squirming on the ground, trying to free my right leg from the bike resting on top of it.

I could hear Edward laughing lightly behind me, and then his cool hands gripped around my arms to lift me. "Come on," he chuckled. "Up you go."

"Leave me, I can't move," I whined as he dragged me to my feet.

Edward turned me around to face him, and I was sort of putty in his hands, unable to control my body. I was so exhausted I could hardly stand. My eyes were sort of lazy and half open, and he was hugging me to his chest, supporting my weight under his forearm, cradling my lower back.

"You ok?" he asked softly, his face getting super close so he could check my eyes.

My sanity and my head came back quickly…

Oh My God…

I swallowed hard as I took in our current body positions. "Uh huh," I gulped. His whole front…like everything…was almost touching me. His face was inches away, staring down into me…God, so gorgeous. If I fainted, I could have easily blamed it on exhaustion. But that wouldn't have been the culprit. It would have been Edward.

Unable to take it, I sort of fell back and let more of my weight rest against his strong arm as I watched his chest rise and fall through his teal shirt, unable to focus too long on his face.

Edward smiled down at me, and lifted my chin with his hand to find my eyes. "Come on pretty girl," he smiled…and that time, I believed him.

Squee!

"Let's make a run for it," he said, taking the hand that was holding my back, and entwining it with my fingers.

I gripped his hand tightly and smiled up at him, raising my brows in anticipation. "One, two, three!" I cried as we both started pushing out the door, running like maniacs for the house, hand in hand…fingers intertwined…slipping and sliding the whole way.

Round one to Bella Swan! Take that Emmett McCarty!

AN- Sorry this took so long, but as you can see, it's loooong. I hope you like how it's going so far. :)