I am so sorry this took so long. Some of you may be expecting an explanation as to why I am so epically slow at this, but I'm not gonna do that here. Just know that I am NOT abandoning this story and I'm not simply being lazy. Real life has been fuckawful the past 3 months, but it is slowing down for now.

Thanks to bratty-vamp and Melissa Cullen for beat'ing/pre-reading and to everyone out there who reads and reviews and adds an alert! I may not respond to every review but I do read each of them with a happy heart!

Come visit me at A Different Forest for Loneliness Be Over exclusives in my VIP Cabin! www (dot) adifferentforest (dot) com


"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." ~Robin Williams

My cell phone vibrated on the coffee table, waking me from what could have been the longest nap I'd had in years. The title menu of the DVD we'd been watching had faded to a blank, blue screen on the television, and lazy afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds. I could feel my legs tangled with something heavy, and sat up to see Edward sleeping on the opposite end of the couch.

He kissed you, dude. On the cheek, but he KISSED you.

His foot twitched against my shin and I couldn't help but smile.

However, it was after four o'clock and I knew Charlie could be home at any time. I leaned toward Edward and gently rustled his sleeping form.

"Edward? Edward, wake up."

He swatted my hand away with a sleepy smile, one green eye opening to peer up at me. Disentangling my lower limbs from his, I shook him more firmly.

"Seriously, my dad will be home soon…"

"Good! Then you can tell him about my plans to take you surfing tomorrow." Finally, he sat up and wrapped his arms around my shoulders in an attempt to pull me down against his chest. I flattened my palm to the muscles there, uncertain of what to think or feel about both his words and his gesture.

"Edward… surfing?"

"Come on, Bella. I'm a cuddler. Cuddle with me. And yes… surfing. Have you ever been?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I have," I responded timidly. "And it ended disastrously." I could recall with crystal clarity my first attempt at organized water sports. Jake and Embry had taken up surfing as soon as they had saved enough money for decent boards and wet suits. Quil and I preferred swimming and the occasional cliff dive. We stuck to the less intimidating cliffs, afraid of falling longer than our stomachs could handle from the more colossal heights. And the one time Jake had talked me into surfing, I had banked the nose of the board off a rock and gone tumbling into the waves, my elbow meeting the rough surface of the object in my path. It bled for what seemed like endless amounts of time, and I reached up to touch the scar that still tainted my skin. I could remember the pressure Embry had applied, my bright crimson blood staining his white beach towel as I scowled up at him from the sand. His eyes were sweet as his fingertips pressed against my arm…

No. Surfing would be a very bad idea.

"I don't know. I will probably get hurt. I'm terribly clumsy, Edward. Like, you have no idea how bad it is. I'm almost handicapped…"

He laughed out loud, interrupting my monologue, and I huffed at him impatiently until he finished. He took my hand in his swiftly and gave my fingers a reassuring squeeze.

"Bella, I'll teach you. And I promise. No getting hurt. Not on my watch." His expression was soft, the green depths of his eyes swirling into mine. The intensity was startling, and I was overcome momentarily as he held my gaze with a smile.

"Well… Edward, what makes you think you're a good enough surfer to prevent any injury?" I asked playfully.

He feigned insult, his mouth agape before he pulled me toward him in a crushing hug. His chest was warm, his t-shirt smelling faintly like cologne and stale cigarettes.

"Does that mean you'll go with me, then?" he asked.

I nodded, letting my nose nuzzle the soft fabric on his skin. He began rubbing small circles on my back after a few moments, and I gently untangled myself from his arms.

"Yeah, I guess I will go with you. You can try to educate me on the art of surfing. But you have been warned of my lack of ability." I tried to sound sure of myself, but the truth was that I was terrified. And not even terrified of the idea of surfing. More like terrified of how happy it made me to know I was going to be spending more time with Edward. Alone.

Edward's eyes never left mine, even up to the second that the front door opened and Charlie stepped through. It was an almost eerie silence that lingered between the two of us, intimidating but binding. I was certain he knew he was doing this to me, as this same scenario replayed itself in my head from previous moments with Edward. Only the sound of my father's voice disrupted my flight to whatever planet I found myself on when Edward Cullen was around.

"Bells, I'm home. Oh, you have company." He eyed Edward suspiciously, startled by his presence and proximity to me on the sofa. My cheeks flushed warm and I quickly stood as Edward pulled his shoes on and headed toward the door.

"Edward, good to see you again," he mumbled as we pushed past him toward the door.

"You too, sir. Um, I'll call you in the morning Bella?"

I nodded my head rapidly, and the door clicked shut behind him as I turned to my father. A small grin played on his lips, his mustache twitching as he tried to control his laughter.

"Ugh, leave me alone Dad."

"I don't know, Bells. I think you're gonna like it here after all." His smile broadened and I rolled my eyes at his teasing.

"Edward and I are just friends. He just got out of a pretty long relationship. And besides… Embry and I…"

"Bella, you do not have to justify having a friend. Especially not to me. It's a tough thing you're going through, and having friends can only help."

"Jake didn't think so earlier." I picked at my fingernail and hesitated before continuing. Was I telling Charlie too much? Of course he would take my side on the matter, but Jacob was like a son to him. More than anything, I wanted Jake to call me, right then. And my chest split in two when he didn't. How long will he drag it out this time? We've never actually argued that badly before…

Charlie transformed, the light leaving his eyes as he took on his serious face. "Well, Jacob is just protective of you and also of Embry. And I'm sure he is missing his best friend." Charlie draped his jacket over the back of the couch and pulled his shoes off. Anything to keep from having to look me in the eye while having a serious conversation about boys. "You should never apologize for having friends, Bells. Not even if Jacob disapproves. Although…" He paused, and another playful look danced across his features. "I think that Cullen boy might have a crush on you."

I swatted his arm and rolled my eyes once again before pulling food from the fridge for dinner. I made Charlie a quick casserole, my mind plagued by thoughts of Jacob and Embry and Forks. Edward had relieved all of those thoughts. For the little time we spent together that afternoon, even after the crisis situation between my friend and I, things felt lighter. The tightness that had resided in my chest since leaving Forks felt as if it were being tugged apart, opened again by his friendly smiles and eyes that gazed at me as if he'd known me his entire life.

But is it the same? Are these feelings the same as what you have with HIM?

My mind was warring with itself, and my heart instantly ached for Embry at the thought of comparing him to someone else. It was unfair to us both.

And I missed him to no end.

"Dad, I'm heading upstairs for a bit. I need to… think."

He nodded once, brown eyes meeting my own as he chewed a piece of baked chicken slowly.

"Well," he said around his mouthful of food, "let me know if you need anything."

Walking up the stairs, I felt the overwhelming urge to call home, and my fingers punched Embry's number into the phone without a second thought. I plopped down on the edge of my bed, gripping the floorboards with my toes as if they would hold me up.

"Bells…" His soothing voice floated through the earpiece, and a heavy sigh escaped from my mouth. I was plagued with the emotions I felt at the mere sound of him, that undeniable tightening in my chest forming a solid lump in my throat. I swallowed it down, wanting to be strong in case Jake had told Embry about our argument.

"Hi," I said softly, a small smile pulling at my lips, my voice cracking with emotion. "What are you up to?"

My feeble attempt at hiding what I was going through was not overlooked. He knew me in every way imaginable, and he would know something was wrong.

"Bella, are you okay?"

I dug the heel of my hand into my eye, the tears there smearing along my cheek with the motion, and sniffled involuntarily.

"Why are you crying, Bells? Talk to me, please."

"Oh, I don't know, Em… I just miss you. I miss home. But at the same time, things here are better than I expected them to be."

"And that's great, Bella. Really, it's a relief to me that you haven't felt like you have to stay hidden in your room with no one to talk to."

Yep, Embry and Jake have talked.

"If you knew what was wrong, why did you ask?" It came out more brazen than I intended, and I blanched at my own words. "Sorry, I just knew that Jake would call you. I don't know why I thought for a minute that I would have to tell you what happened today myself."

He laughed a little, a trademark of his when I was frustrated. "You're so cute when you're angry," he would tell me. "Anything you get passionate about does beautiful things to your face."

"Jake feels bad for jumping the gun on the situation with you and Edward…"

I huffed. It felt weird to hear him say that. My 'situation' with Edward? "I have no situation with Edward, Embry. He's just… trying to be nice to me."

"Bells, you know Jake had good intentions. Yeah, he went about things the wrong way, but he didn't want to hurt you."

I hesitated before responding, feeling as if my relationship with Embry, with all of my friends back in Forks, was in jeopardy. The feelings I had for Embry and the feelings I was beginning to develop for Edward were creating a rift inside me, splitting me in a way I had never expected.

"Jacob threw you in my face, Embry. And it made me feel… trashy. Like I was doing you wrong by having another guy in my house. But… he had to have known I would have given anything for it to have been you."

Are you just trying to make him feel better? Or do you really mean that? Do you even know anymore?

I did mean it, unequivocally so. I knew it would kill me to ever lose Embry. Our feelings and history don't need to be reiterated. But the attraction between Edward and I was there. And even though Embry and I had left our relationship on no certain terms, it would feel deceitful to act on that attraction.

"I'm so sorry he was mean to you, baby. I told him he should have left you alone. Don't be upset anymore. I'm not mad at you, and I know you thought I would be."

Quiet laughter issued from my lips, because he knew me so well. "Embry, I was terrified to call you. But I couldn't get you off my mind these last few hours. Being away from you is so hard…"

"Bells, do you have any idea how strong you are? You are going to be fine, once you stop worrying about me and once you start getting used to Jake being the territorial, overprotective brother. I'm sure Charlie has been reminding you constantly what kind of things you have survived. Just because you had to move doesn't mean anyone will forget about you. Especially me."

His words gave me comfort, as they had a way of doing, and I found myself in a state of longing again. Not just for Embry and everything I was used to him providing, but for reconciliation with Jake. When would we speak again? What would I even say to him?

I gazed at the still bare walls of my bedroom, my eyes falling to the collage of pictures on my bookshelf. I knew Embry was right: we had all been friends for too long. Nothing would come between us. And he wanted me to have fun. He was happy that I wasn't completely alone here, that Edward and Jasper and the others had been nice enough to accept me into their group so quickly. We fell into our usual easy conversation, me telling him about my upcoming escapade in the ocean and him talking about a new job prospect he had to earn a little extra money, possibly saving for school.

After hanging up with Embry, I lay back on my pillows, eyes to the ceiling. As I began to doze off, my phone vibrated in my hand.

One new message from: Edward.

My smile was automatic, and broadened as I read his words.

Better get some sleep, new girl. I'm picking you up at 9am.

....................................

"Bella, you're up early. Everything ok?" Charlie knocked from outside my bathroom, and I spit the rest of my toothpaste into the sink before opening the door.

"Yeah, hey. Good morning."

"Um, what's going on? You look like you're getting ready to go somewhere." He ran a hand through his hair nervously, taking in my cut off jeans and bikini top.

"Oh… well, actually Dad… I'm going to the beach. With Edward Cullen. He's, um, well he's taking me surfing."

I watched Charlie's still sleepy eyes grow impossibly large in his surprise. I knew what he was thinking. You? Surfing?

"Bells, you know how clumsy you are. Does he know what he's doing? School starts next week and you have to go register tomorrow by noon…"

"Dad! It's okay. I promise not to end up in the hospital. And I promise I will be back at a decent hour…"

"Which doesn't mean one in the morning."

"…yes, you're right."

Charlie smiled, a fatherly expression crossing his features. He looked relieved at the recent events around here, more relaxed than he had in awhile. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before continuing.

"Listen, I was thinking…new school, new friends. What if I gave you some money this week for new clothes."

"Dad, no way. I can't let you do that and there's nothing wrong with the clothes I have now." I gestured to my slouchy shorts, the hem hanging in frayed strings. My flip-flops were plain black cloth, a pair anyone could pick up from Target for five bucks. I knew I was 'under dressed' compared to my new female companions, but it didn't bother me. He quirked an eyebrow and smiled, possibly proud that his little girl was unafraid to face her socialite peers in her less-than-socialite attire. He knew I wasn't worried about what they thought of me.

"Well, okay then. You let me know if you change your mind. We'll consider it an open offer. And, just be very careful today."

I nodded just as my phone rang on the bathroom counter. I knew it was Edward so I hurriedly tied my hair in a knot, grabbed a beach towel, and tossed some sunscreen into my bag before flying down the stairs.

"Bye, Dad! Be back later on."

Edward was glorious, his lithe arm draped across the open window of his Range Rover. There were two surfboards hanging out the rear window, one longer than the other. His hair seemed messier than ever, wind-tossed whiskey, eyes a blaze of green and gold. I smiled at him and climbed into his car.

"Hi," I said shyly. I tucked a tendril of loose hair behind my ear and looked up at him.

"You ready to surf, Bella?" He looked very mischievous, and it was completely adorable. I took a deep breath as we drove away, and noticed his cigarettes in the cup holder.

"Do you mind?" I reached for the cellophane wrapped pack of Camels tentatively, as if he might say 'no,' but he didn't disappoint.

"Help yourself. Grab one for me too?"

The drive to the beach was only a few blocks, and the closer we got, the more nervous I became. I confessed as much.

"So, I'm actually kind of uneasy about all this, Edward." He glanced over at me with a crooked smile as I took a quick drag from my cigarette. The sun was warm and it streamed in through the open window, permeating my skin and covering me like a blanket.

"Don't be nervous. We'll take it easy today. Baby waves." Edward looked happy, the glimmer in his verdant eyes unable to conceal his excitement. "Plus, I won't let anything happen to you."

"Hmm. That's probably a good thing. I think Charlie would try to have you arrested if you did." He chuckled along with me and we settled into an easy silence. I tossed my cigarette from the window a few minutes later as he pulled into a parking lot facing the sandy beaches of Orange County. He parked right next to another white SUV, where a man with wet blonde hair was busy loading his own board into the back end.

"Hey, Dad," Edward called. The man spun around, his t-shirt damp from the wet skin beneath, and I looked into the face of Dr. Cullen.

"Wait a minute. Your dad… surfs?" I couldn't prevent my question from flowing freely past my lips. My cheeks burned with my embarrassment. Carlisle simply laughed, his face friendly and his eyes alight.

"Every morning before work, actually," he stated proudly. "Helps keep me feeling young I suppose. First time surfing?" He gave me a knowing smile, and I felt myself relax again.

"Actually, not really my first time. But last time I tried, it did not end well." I glanced over at Edward whose face was warmed by his reassuring expression.

"Well, I'm sure you two will have a great time today. Bella, it was lovely to see you again. Make Edward be careful with you." He eyed his son jokingly before climbing into his car and pulling away.

Still in a state of shock, I looked at Edward and pointed after his father's retreating vehicle, my jaw slack. Edward's lips twitched up into an amused smile and he tossed a long sleeved, cobalt blue top into my surprised hands. It was thick, but silky, with the Roxy surfing emblem across the chest and a black design on the sleeves. I eyed him suspiciously as we met at the back of the truck and he retrieved the two surfboards.

"It's a rash guard. Kinda keeps your skin… protected. And the water might be a little chilly, but I didn't have a wetsuit for you…."

"Is this Alice's?" I asked, holding up the shirt in emphasis.

Edward looked away quickly before rubbing his palm across the back of his neck, a bashful expression crossing his face. It was then that I noticed the tag, still attached to the cuff of the long sleeve, the price ripped away.

Oh, hell.

Edward cleared his throat before meeting my shocked eyes again. "Um, I hope it's the right size… I wasn't sure…"

"Edward," I exclaimed, shaking the rash guard in his face. "I can't accept this! I mean… the fact that you ripped the price off says one thing to me. And…and… I have no money. I can't pay you back."

Placing his soft fingers on my shoulder, Edward silenced me with his eyes of fire. He moved closer to me, only slightly, and I let my arm fall back to my side, gripping the merchandise in my fist. The moment was charged. I couldn't look away. I wanted to, he unnerved me so, but I found it impossible. My breath was ragged from emotion and the overwhelming feeling of him looking at me that way.

"Bella." His voice was soft, melodic. I tore my eyes away only to glance back up at him. His fingertips pressed into my skin quickly. "I don't expect you to pay me back for it. It's a gift." He smiled then, and I couldn't help but smile back, even though I didn't want to. Edward giving me this top felt like a charitable donation… and I didn't need the charity. Especially not from him.

But to appease him, I gave in, and instantly thought that I could just leave the gift with Alice or Rosalie next time I saw them. With a resigned sigh and a quick glance, Edward picked up on my acquiescence and breathed his own sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Edward. You know you didn't have to do this, so I won't tell you again. But thank you."

His face was glowing, green eyes twinkling and shades of honey peeking through the bourbon brown of his hair in the sunlight.

"You're welcome. Let's see it on you."

I could feel my cheeks flushing hot, and knew that even though the warm air could be to blame, Edward could see my shyness. Stripping my tank top from my torso, I felt exposed in front of him, even though our recent romp in the Cullen pool was still fresh in my memory.

Better get used to it, Swan. You're spending the day on the beach with this boy.

The top felt tight, but I knew it was supposed to. Edward seemed pleased with himself, and I did one little turn so he could see all angles.

"Good job. It fits!" I hoped that I sounded appreciative and not snarky, since even though I wished he hadn't bought it for me, I definitely didn't want to offend him.

"So, should we hit the surf then?" he asked. I looked past Edward, to the water, and became anxious at the number of people on their surfboards. I had never thought about the fact that I might have an audience. Edward followed my gaze and rubbed my arm in a gesture of comfort.

"Don't worry. We'll go a little further down the beach. There might be less people."

I tried to appear less concerned, more relaxed, as we gathered our things from the back of the Range Rover. I stripped the rash guard from my torso, even though Edward said it would protect me from the sunburn I feared. He explained that I would be riding the long board, but he asked me to carry the shorter one for him. We trudged down the beach, casual laughter passing between us with intermittent moments of quiet. I caught him stealing a glance in my direction once, and I smiled furiously at the thought of Edward admiring me.

Finally, he stopped our trek and lowered everything to the sand. The beach seemed much less populated here, with only a few surfers out in the water and some young college students sunbathing.

"This looks good," he remarked, half to himself, while surveying the surf for a few moments. A cigarette dangled from his lips, one hand shielding his eyes. I lowered myself to the sand, swiping away the sheen of sweat from my brow. The surf wasn't very high, not even in comparison to some of the sets I'd seen at La Push. I knew it changed day-to-day, but was thankful for what we had to work with. The sun warmed me, giving off its mellow yellow glow and heating my skin. Its rays shimmered along the watery wall beyond, refracting its light just so, and a feeling of extreme content covered me. Closing my eyes, I reveled in the feeling, the sensations all around me. The suns fingers caressed my face and legs, embracing me in its long arms.

Edward looked like he belonged there, his slender frame an outline in the brightness. I leaned back on my elbows to get a better look at him. He raised his arms over his head to remove his t-shirt, the muscles in his back rippling with each movement. From this angle, I could see more of his physique: the abs that weren't washboard, but were there nonetheless. His arms muscular, but still slender. The freckles smattered across his shoulder blades. He turned towards me and smiled, tossing his shirt in my face. A warm, spicy scent wafted to my nose, something akin to cinnamon. I giggled to myself at the smirk on his face before laying the shirt on his bag.

The sun beat down on us, the air still breezy and thick. I dug in my bag for sunscreen, feeling the beginnings of a burn creeping up on me, and set to rubbing the creamy liquid into my skin.

"So, here's how its gonna work," Edward began. He was all business for a moment, giving me a quick glance from his periphery and then nudging me with his shoulder and smiling when the anxious expression returned to my face. "We're gonna do some practicing on dry land first. It would be kinda hard for me to show you how to pop up while we're in the water, so we'll just get the technique down here. And I assume you know about paddling out and everything?" His eyes roamed my face for a few quick moments, green bouncing back and forth between brown.

"Yep, I've done that much before. Actually, I've tried it all, we just didn't really take time to go over technique or anything. Always trying to prove I could keep up with the boys…"

I didn't know why I said it, but the words come falling out. Edward kept his eyes trained on mine, lopsided grin still in place, even though he could see my discomfort at bringing up my old friends again. He seemed interested, like he wanted me to continue.

I looked away from him, back out to the ocean, and watched the white caps of the waves rise, break, and fall. The melodies of the water reminded me of times at the beach back home, with my mom and with the boys.

"How'd you get hurt?" His voice interrupted my quick reverie and I snapped my eyes back to his. "I mean, what turned you off from surfing in the first place?"

"Well, nothing really turned me off. But I did kind of bust my elbow up pretty fierce the first time out." I lifted my arm and tapped the raised marking on the back of my elbow.

He winced. "Ouch. That looks kinda bad, Bella. Smash into a rock?"

I nodded, rubbing my fingertips over the scarred flesh. "Yeah, finally relented and had to go for stitches, which is not a totally abnormal occurrence for me. Keep that in mind today."

He chuckled at that and looked down at his hands before glancing back up at me. "Well, I promise… I'll try really hard… not to let anything happen to you."

My heart sped up just a bit at his words, fluttering in my chest almost imperceptibly. As he looked at me, it seemed like he could be moving closer, tipping his face toward mine. I panicked, an overwhelming need to busy myself with something other than Edward's beautiful face and emerald eyes taking over. Going back to my sunscreen, I reached around my shoulders, trying to cover my back in the cool liquid, when Edward stilled my fingers and took the sunscreen from me. His hands were smooth on my back, lingering on my shoulder blades, gentle along my spine. Tiny goose bumps spread down my forearms and my legs, and I felt my body give a slight shiver at his touch. I prayed he wouldn't notice my reaction, and if he did, he didn't let on.

"Alright. That should do it." His voice was low, husky, and seemed to be close to my ear. I fought off another round of shivers as I tugged the rash guard back over my head.

We spent the next half hour perfecting me simply moving from lying on my stomach to standing on my feet while on the surfboard. Edward explained to me how to balance my weight, how maintaining my center of gravity would be essential to staying on and not getting worked. Occasionally, he would place his hand on my lower back to emphasize the way my upper body leaned the wrong way, and once he gripped my ankles and actually placed my feet an appropriate distance apart. I laughed at myself easily and he grinned at my clumsiness.

"What's so funny?" he asked at one point.

"Oh, just the idea of me NOT falling off this thing. Of actually being able to stay on. It will be a miracle… you watch."

Edward laughed wholeheartedly at that, and decided that now was the time to try it in the water. We coated the boards with wax, and he strapped the leash around my ankle, carefully explaining its purpose and why it was important to have the right length, and so on.

Placing his hands on each of my shoulders, Edward gave that remarkable smile and breathed a deep sigh. "You ready?" he asked with a nod.

I glanced out to the water. The waves were average size, nothing too scary. I already assumed that the water temperature would be much warmer than back in La Push, so I worried less about cold and more about getting injured.

I met Edward's eyes again and gave a hesitant smile. "Guess so. As ready as I'll ever be." He squeezed my shoulders gently. "Just promise you won't let me drown."

The water was cool against my feet as we paddled out far enough to catch a good set. My arms began to ache with the exertion and Edward's eyes teased me.

"Feelin' the burn, Swan?"

"Was it my labored breathing that gave it away?"

We were finally out far enough for Edward's taste, and he wanted to send me on the first set of waves. Of course, I froze and ended up staying right next to him, bobbing over the waves as they moved like a blanket beneath us. He threw his hands in the air, mouth agape in shock at my cowardice.

"I'm sorry! I froze!" His arms continued to flail dramatically and I laughed at how irritated he was pretending to be.

"Alright, Bella. This next set looks good… no freezing!"

I took a deep breath and waited for Edward's instructions, my heart thumping wildly in my chest.

Please don't get hurt. Please.

"Go, Bella! Paddle!"

My arms moved furiously, pulling through the heavy swirls of water flowing around me. I tried to concentrate, but as I felt the water rushing closer to me, forming that small wall I knew I was meant to ride, the panic set in again. I could hear Edward yelling for me to stand up, but my arms were too weak to lift my body. It felt as if a weight was on my back, keeping my tummy flat against the board. The moment felt like minutes, and when I finally pulled myself up to standing, it was too late, and I dropped in just as the wave capped. The force and speed of the water threw me from my platform and a small squeal escaped my lips before I tumbled in. The leash jerked my leg, but I resurfaced quickly and scrambled for my board again, sputtering water from my nose and wiping at my stinging eyes. Edward was paddling toward me, eyes wide, hair wet and tousled in the most imperfect and beautiful way.

"You okay? Bella?"

I nodded and squeaked a 'yes.' Edward's hands found my face, smoothing my disheveled hair from my eyes. I froze beneath this more intimate touch, which did nothing to calm my racing heart. His expression was one of earnest concern, but shifted to slightly pleased after a few moments.

"Well, you didn't freeze… long." I huffed and shrugged gently from his hands, determination filling my veins. If it took me all day, I was going to ride at least one wave to the shore. Edward saw it in my eyes, picked up on my resolve instantly.

"Ready to try again?"

"Absolutely."

It took several more tries, and a few minutes of waiting for a good wave. Yes, I fell off again, but I didn't let my nerves keep me pinned to that board. Edward even demonstrated for me a few times, and I watched in awe as his lean body would glide along and almost manipulate the water. He made it look so easy.

"Lot's of practice," he said modestly.

There were several times when Edward and I would spend long minutes floating in the water, simply talking and laughing, recovering from one of my spills and waiting for the next set to roll in.

"How did your dad get the job here?"

"A friend from Seattle actually set him up with it. Charlie started out as Chief of Police in Forks, and then moved on to the Sheriff's Department. And once my mom… passed away, he just became restless. We've both spent our whole lives there, but my mom was what held that intact. I guess I always knew he wanted to leave, but figured it wouldn't come to fruition until I was out of high school and off at college somewhere."

Edward listened intently as always, roaming every inch of my face as I spoke, following my hand as I ran anxious fingers through my wet hair as it curled around my face.

"Anyway, this guy in Seattle knew there was an opening for a detectives position here. So, Charlie had a connection and got the job." I finished with a heavy sigh, unable to push the faces of those still in Forks away. As I looked to the horizon, I saw more waves heading for us, and could feel my face light up.

"How about this one?" I pointed to the rolling water beyond with excitement.

Edward followed my gaze and smiled. "Hey, you're getting good at picking them out." He seemed proud and gave me a wink before I began paddling back toward the beach. This wave was mine. I could feel it, the adrenaline pumping through me, making me feel strong. Edward barked his instructions from somewhere behind, but I could barely hear him from the sounds of my own heart in my ears.

Focus, Bella. Focus.

And then I heard it… clear as a bell in my mind. You just have to feel it, Bella. The advice Embry gave me the first time I hastily surfed in La Push. The time I completely ignored him and acted like a big shot and he drove me to the hospital for stitches later. I smiled to myself, my arms still dragging through the water as I paddled, gaining momentum as the wave began to form beneath me. I pictured the way I had seen the boys do it back in La Push, with the same ease as Edward had shown today. My confidence continued to build, and I felt myself popping to my feet in a smooth motion.

It was like an out of body experience, me riding that wave. If this were a movie, some epic portion of the score would be blasting as I maintained my balance and let out a triumphant yell, accompanying Edward's in the background. Still trying to remember the form Edward had taught me on the beach, it took everything not to pump my fist in the air with excitement.

When the wave began to calm and lost its momentum, I precariously leapt from the board into the more shallow water, splashing around and squealing in elation just as Edward joined me.

"That was awesome, Bella! I knew you could do it! How do you feel?"

"Like I just conquered the world, actually." I dove for him then, wrapping my arms around his neck and laughing manically. "Thank you, Edward. So much." I hadn't ridden the largest wave of the day, but I had stayed on. And I felt accomplished for it.

His arms wound around me, and I could feel him sigh against my temple, his lips curled in delight. I let the hug linger longer than I should have, but I was enjoying the moment. When I broke away, it was only to trudge back onto the beach, board in hand, while Edward talked about being "famished enough to eat sand."

We made it back to the Range Rover, not a silent or awkward moment between us, each of exhaling smoke through our smiles. I suggested fast-food of the worst kind for lunch, feeling suddenly like I hadn't eaten in days. We got cheeseburgers and fries and when Edward stopped for gas, he returned from the small gas station with a bottled beer for each of us.

"To celebrate," he said, twisting the metal cap from mine and lifting the neck of his to it in a toast.

"The way you people just openly purchase alcohol makes me laugh," I exclaimed to him as we ate and drank in the parking lot before driving back to my house. Edward hummed along to the radio, a White Stripes song, and I bobbed my head with a smile.

Alice and Jasper appeared to have just pulled up across the street, and they ran over to Edward's vehicle when they saw us pull in.

"How was it?" Jasper asked excitedly. Alice hopped up and down next to him, her eyes glittering in the sun.

"Took several attempts, but she finally pulled it off," Edward said proudly. Alice clapped her hands enthusiastically, and the easy conversation continued for several more minutes. I told them about having to register for classes the next morning, and Jasper volunteered to drive me, even though it meant early departure time, but I put up my hands to stop him.

"Thanks, but I think Charlie is off tomorrow and he wants to take me. Kind of a father/daughter thing."

"Edward," Alice piped up. He turned to his sister and waited for her to continue. "Don't you have something you want to ask Bella?" He dropped his head with a thunk to the steering wheel and shook it back and forth in embarrassment. Ask me something? I've just spent all morning with him and he asked me lots of things, but nothing that stuck out.

"Yes, well, if Edward is to ask her anything, we had better let him do it in private, Alice." Jasper removed her from the street as she waved goodbye happily. I laughed at the display and Edward finally turned to face me.

"So, what is it?" I asked him.

He got nervous almost instantaneously, running that hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at me. He even gnawed on his lip for a few moments. I followed his every move with my eyes, taking in his anxiety and the embarrassment still rolling off him in waves.

"Edward. Just say it," I said, raising my voice in frustration.

He huffed loudly, running both hands down his cheeks before speaking.

"There's a thing the school always does the weekend before fall semester. The Kick-off Carnival. It's kind of the first big social event of the school year. But it's pretty lame and we usually go drunk and eat too many funnel cakes and… I was wondering." Sigh. "If. Youwouldgowithme."

I leaned toward him just slightly and raised my eyebrows, wanting to make sure I understood. "Sorry?"

He was getting more and more flustered and I hated it. And he obviously didn't want to repeat himself.

"Well, I mean, just as friends. Except… well, you'd be there with me. Not with me, with all of us." He motioned to where Jasper and Alice had just been standing, indicating that everyone would be tagging along. He noticed how I didn't answer right away, and felt the need to continue filling the silence with useless, nervous words.

"You can say no if you don't want to…"

"Edward! Stop it." It didn't take me long to decide, it just took me a second to process. Would this be like… a date? "Of course, I'll go with you."

His smile was infectious, so naturally I gave him a matching idiotic smile. My heart swelled inside of me, even though I didn't expect nor was I even really thinking it meant anything to him. He was just keeping up the pattern of friendly, nice behavior. Right? Either way, it sounded like fun, and any excuse to keep myself occupied was good. It was just made even better by the fact that I would be occupied with attractive, sweet, beautiful Edward.

"Okay, so… good luck tomorrow," he said, wrapping his fingers around my wrist and squeezing. "I'll call you tomorrow, if that's alright."

I nodded, a nervous giggle rising from my throat. God, how often do I make those kinds of silly sounds around him? I waved goodbye and thanked him again for the surfing lesson, telling him I hoped we did it again soon.

Barely inside the door, my cell phone rang from somewhere inside my bag. I dug around, cussing the overpopulation of shit inside, until I finally found it and answered on what was probably the last ring with a smile.

"Embry! I surfed! I actually surfed!"


YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO HERE! 3