AN: As aways, love and thanks to everyone reading this! I'm not going to make this note too long because... I think you're going to like this chapter...so let's get to it! ;-) Enjoy!

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Chapter Seven

That Thursday was Thanksgiving. Jacob's sisters, Rachael and Rebecca, couldn't make the trip home this year. I felt bad that Jake and Billy were going to be alone for the holiday, so I invited him to join me and Charlie.

Normally, we had Thanksgiving with the Cullens and I was a bit relieved when Jake teased me that they didn't celebrate anyway, on principle. I'd never really thought about how the kids from the reservation felt about the day, and I felt a bit guilty, but he assured me it was no big deal.

We decided to just do a simple fish fry lunch instead and pushed back our plans with the Cullens for the evening. The meal was fun and easy, like all our times with the Blacks. After lunch was over, we all moved to the living room to catch the football games. Alice came over a little later, claiming she was "OD-ing" on family time and had to get away. She'd gotten really into football since we'd started attending Jake's games, and I could tell Charlie and Billy were amused by the pipsqueak girl jumping up and down and cursing at the refs like a sailor, eye-black decorating her high cheekbones like warpaint.

After the game finished, Alice and the Blacks headed home and Charlie and I went over to the Cullens. I raced into the kitchen as soon as I got there. Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday because it gave me an excuse to cook, and it was always nice to help out Esme and Edward in the kitchen. He and I cooked together a lot during our summers kids when no one to feed us, but we rarely cooked together since school had started. I'd really missed the way we just worked together. We were so in sync and in our element; we rarely had to talk about the dishes as we prepared them.

Esme joined Carlisle and Charlie in the living room while we were waiting on the Turkey to finish cooking. Edward and I decided to head upstairs and hang out in his room, since I'd had enough football for one day.

I noticed the new addition to his posters as soon as I walked in.

"Farrah? Seriously?"

"Don't knock it, Swan. That poster is a classic," he said, reclining on his bed. It was the famous, no-bra print from her Charlie's Angels days, and it was extremely incongruent next to the other pictures of hardcore rock stars.

"Right, you just put it up because having all these dudes on your walls makes you look gay." I crawled onto the bed beside him and propped myself on my side, grabbing his hand.

"You know I love you, no matter what. If you have something you need to tell me, I'm here for you."

"Shut up!" he said, pushing me on my back. "I think I've made it quite clear I'm into chicks."

"Um, Edward?" I said, staring up at his ceiling with amusement.

"Yes?"

"Why is my picture up there?" I pointed overhead. It was a shot taken from the Halloween party, printed out on a sheet of computer paper. I didn't know who took it, but I was obviously the focus of the shot. I was on the dance floor, a ton of people blurry in the background, but I was dancing by myself, knees bent slightly, one arm over my head.

I actually looked… sexy.

"Why do you think, Swan?" Edward asked, suddenly right by my ear. He'd rolled over beside me and I could feel his body heat along my whole side.

"You are such a perv!" I said, suddenly figuring it out. Did he… masturbate to it? I couldn't believe he would do that. Or rather, I could believe it, but I was surprised he'd admit it. It was way worse than when I told him about my period, but Edward just chuckled, his breath hot on my face as he leaned closer.

"It's not my fault," he said as I turned to meet his eye. "As I said, you were sinfully beautiful that night."

I blushed, remembering the rest of that conversation and where it had almost led. My breathing picked up, and I could tell Edward was remembering it too from the way his eyes darkened. He suddenly leaned down, and this time, I didn't stop him.

I didn't think. I couldn't. In the back of my mind, I knew this was wrong, but at that moment, lying in his bed with his summer scent surrounding me and those eyes…I honestly couldn't think of why.

I let his lips meet mine.

I'd never felt anything like it before. When I kissed Jake, it was good. It was nice and safe and sure. This wasn't anything like that.

As Edward's lips pressed against mine, I felt my heart explode inside my chest. It literally ached. The point where we were connected seared with a heat that ran down my chest and burned between my legs. He didn't even move, just pressed against me, soft then hard, not trying to deepen it. It was the most chaste kiss I'd had, but it didn't matter.

What mattered was how it made me feel. And that was anything but safe.

I felt like I was burning and drowning at the same time. I lost my sense of up from down and if I'd hadn't already been lying down, I was sure I would have collapsed. The world was spinning behind my closed eyelids. I thought I was going to die. I thought I was alive for the first time.

When he pulled back, I opened my eyes and saw my own emotions reflected back at me. Love. Want. Fear.

We only parted for a second before his lips were back on me, both of us opening and deepening the kiss instantaneously. The familiar throbbing in my chest began pounding with intensity as our tongues met. It was wet and sloppy and scary and so, so right.

I knew in that moment, I could never go back to safe. I could never go back to just.

Because he wasn't just my best friend. He wasn't just Edward. And this wasn't just a kiss.

This was perfection.

---

I spent the weekend dancing around my room to embarrassing pop songs, talking to Edward for hours on end about absolutely nothing, and avoiding any contact with Jake.

Jake.

From the moment Edward's lips had touched mine on Thursday night, I knew what I had to do. There was no second-guessing, no hesitation. I had to break up with Jake. I had to be with Edward.

I'd never experienced anything like this before. I'd known I was in love with Edward for a long time now, but it had always been accompanied by an aching pain, by fear. All I felt now, though, was complete bliss, untainted joy, pure ecstasy… God, Bella, way to overdo the purple prose. You'd even have that Stephanie Meyer woman gagging.

Still, while I knew I had to break up with Jake, I didn't know how to it. He was a good guy and I did like him… just not enough. Every time I thought about it, I got anxious and nervous and… well, it killed my buzz. And I loved my buzz. So I pushed the thought out of my mind and just replayed that kiss, that kiss, and suddenly I was jumping in place again, all tingly and feeling like a fool.

I was utterly ridiculous.

I was in love.

---

Alice, Rose, and Angela came over on Saturday for a girl's night. I tried to calm myself down since Edward and I decided it was best not to tell anyone until I had talked to Jake on Monday. I must not have done a very good job though, because as soon as we were out of Charlie's earshot, Alice turned on me.

"Isabella Marie Swan, what is going on?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. And grinned. And blushed. Shit.

"Did someone get lucky this weekend?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" I half-shouted. "I don't know what you guys are talking about."

"Bella," Angela said calmly, "You look like a three-year-old on Christmas morning. Either you've started doing drugs or something happened."

"Drugs!" Alice squealed. "Are you-"

"I'm not on drugs!" Or maybe I was. Edward's lips were definitely something I could get addicted to.

"Then what?" Alice asked, stomping her foot. I sighed.

"Look, I can't tell you right now, but you'll find out soon enough."

None of the girls looked satisfied with this, probably since my declaration was followed by an involuntary bout of giggling.

"She's lost her mind," Rose decided.

"She's in love," Angela sighed.

"She ate all the Lucky Charms! You bitch!" Alice had started pulling out the girl's night supplies from the cabinets.

Luckily, the speculation was dropped after that, and soon, enough sugar had been consumed that my strange giddiness wasn't that noticeable.

---

The ride to school on Monday was torturously long. I was riddled with nerves about seeing Jake again and telling him the truth. At the same time, my stomach was full of butterflies, the good kind, at the thought of seeing Edward. I had no second doubts.

I had Jake's sweatshirt on my lap, washed and folded neatly, ready to give back to him. Alice didn't notice, because she was too busy bouncing in place. She was sure this was the week Nick was finally going to ask her out.

Jake noticed thought. As soon as I got out of the car, he was staring at it.

"Bella?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

I hung my head in shame. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I can't do this anymore."

"Did I do something wrong?" I would have thought my heart was breaking at the hurt in his voice if I hadn't known what true heartbreak felt like already.

"No, Jacob. You were great. I just--I can't--"

"Is it Cullen?" he asked, he tone suddenly harsh. I glanced up and saw hatred in his eyes before turning mine back to the ground, nodding slightly.

"I'm sorry!" I said. "Really, I--"

"Save it, Bella," Jake said, grabbing his sweatshirt from me. "I really don't want to hear it."

I watched him walk away, overcome with guilt. He was such a good guy. He didn't deserve this.

My mood was short-lived as I soon felt warm hands placing something over my shoulders. I gripped the fabric of the familiar black hoodie as I slid my arms through before looking up at him.

"Perfect," he whispered. I smiled at him, still feeling a bit sad about Jake, but those thoughts were driven from my mind when he bent down to kiss me.

I burned. I drowned. I died and was born again at the slightest touch of our lips.

"Oh. My. GOD!" Alice squealed from the sidewalk beside us. I broke away and looked at her wide-eyed expression. "When the hell did this happen?"

"Thursday," Edward said confidently, throwing an arm around my shoulders. I was worried she was going to be mad or hurt or something. But she just beamed at us and laughed.

"Took you long enough. You're giving me the deets in Algebra, Swan," she said, walking away.

"Shall we get to class?" Edward asked. I shivered as his lips brushed the curve of my ear and nodded.

We walked to class, snuggled together like we always did. But I knew everyone had seen our kiss in the parking lot. Or if they hadn't, someone had told them. Word spread fast in Forks, and it was apparent by the raised eyebrows and glares we were getting that everyone knew what was up.

Edward and I were already sitting in English when Mike came in. He stood before us expectantly.

"So," he said. "You two finally together?"

"Yep," Edward smirked at him, leaning back in his seat. "Got a problem with it, Newton?"

"No," he grumbled, sitting down on my other side. "Just think she could do better."

The second part of his statement was thankfully too quite for Edward to hear. I ignored it.

The rest of the day continued the same way. It seemed everyone had a vested interest in our new relationship. I couldn't care less. Edward walked me to every class, holding me close. I breathed in his summer smell and looked forward to the brief, searing kisses we exchanged.

At lunch, Emmett was the first to confront us.

"So, what's this I hear about you two bumping uglies?" he asked. I blushed and hid my face in Edward's chest. His arm was draped casually over my chair and he didn't seem concerned in the slightest.

"I have no clue what you're talking about, Em," he said.

"So you aren't going out?" Jasper asked, his tone hard.

"Of course, we're going out. Is that a surprise?" Edward asked, smirking at him like he had Mike. Jasper shook his head and looked down at his plate.

"I think it's a good thing," Rosalie pronounced. "Though, if you hurt her, I will string you up by your balls."

"Ditto," Angela said, sounding surprisingly serious.

"Don't worry," Edward quipped. "I would never hurt my girlfriend."

Girlfriend. I shivered at the word. It sounded good. Great, even. I liked it a lot.

"History would say otherwise," Alice challenged. "Though you've been in love with Bella for years, so I doubt you want to mess this up."

I looked up, trying to see if she was angry, but she was just smiling at the two of us.

"I won't mess up," Edward said. That same look of determination was in his eyes, and I reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. It seemed like everyone accepted it after that. The conversation turned to Alice's upcoming date with Nick and pressuring Jas to reveal how far he'd gone with Maria.

Jasper met my eye briefly, and I remembered seeing his eyes bloodshot on the beach that time and was concerned. But then, Edward pressed his lips against my neck and all coherent thought was driven away.

Girlfriend, I thought to myself, happily. I snuggled into his hoodie and his embrace.

And it felt right.

---

The girls cornered me and Edward as we made our way to the parking lot after school.

"Sorry, Edward, we have to steal your girlfriend," Rose said, not sounding sorry at all.

"No," Edward said petulantly. Alice smacked his chest.

"Yes. We are having an emergency sleepover at my house tonight. No excuses!"

"But it's a school night," I said. "I don't think Charlie--"

"Oh my god, you're going to be next door! And Charlie loves me, he won't have a problem with it. Now come on!" Alice said. Damn, she was scary for being 5'2''. She started to drag me away, but Edward held tight and pulled me in for a breathtaking kiss, letting me go after a moment to stumble on jelly legs to Mrs. Brandon's car where all the girl's had already piled in.

I felt the familiar throb in my chest that I always associated with Edward, but it didn't make sense. He wasn't hurting right now. No, as I turned in my seat to make sure I kept eye-contact with him for as long as possible, he was glowing with happiness. The ache was just about being separated from him.

God, I thought, you'll see him tomorrow. Are you really going to be one of those girls?

….Yes, I decided with a grin. Yes, I am.

---

Apparently, "emergency" girls' nights differed from regular ones in that the usual sugar overdose was replaced with vodka. Once, we'd sequestered ourselves in Alice's bedroom, she pulled out the bottle filched from her parent's rarely-used liquor cabinet and began passing it around. I partook greedily, knowing I was in for an inquisition like no other. Even Angela drank some, which surprised me. I knew she'd had a few drinks at Halloween, but we had school the next day.

Not that it was stopping me. I could be irresponsible. I was infallible. I was Edward's girlfriend.

"Okay," Alice began seriously, after we'd all had a few swallows off the handle. "Spill."

I didn't know where to start. "Um… well, he kissed me on Thursday."

"Yes, I know you told me in Algebra," Alice cut me off. "But, I mean, what is going on? Is it serious?"

"I think so," I said. "We never really discussed it. But we've both liked each other for a long time now, so I think it's serious. I mean, he called me his girlfriend."

"Wait, he didn't ask you?" Rose asked.

"Um, no."

"How long have you known you liked him?" Angela asked.

"Well, I liked him a long time, but I guess I knew I loved him… winter break, last year."

"You love him!" Alice squealed. "Have you told him?"

I shook my head and blushed. Edward and I hadn't really talked about anything after the kiss. Sure, we talked for hours and flirted blatantly, but we hadn't really hammered things out. It was just… understood.

"Okay," Ali continued, "Well, we know he loves you too, so that's not a problem."

"You think," Rose scoffed.

"You think?" I asked.

"DUH!" they all said at once.

"Edward has loved you… well, at least as long as I've known him," Alice said.

"But… you dated him?"

"Well," she said, seeming uncomfortable. "I didn't think you liked him back. And… he's hott."

I laughed. "I guess I can forgive you. I mean, I didn't really let anyone know how I felt. And yeah, hott doesn't even begin…"

The girls giggled at my obviously dazed expression.

"So, how far have you guys gone?" Rose asked.

"We've only kissed."

"How far are you willing to go?" Alice asked. I paused. Honestly, I didn't know. I wanted more. I wanted everything. I craved him and loved him and I didn't really have any set boundaries about that. But at the same time…

You can't just kiss a guy like Edward and not know what you're doing!

I wondered if Alice knew that her words from three years ago would haunt me so. How could I compare to all the other girls he'd had? How could I compete?

"I don't know," I said. "I mean, we just got together."

"I wouldn't rush it," Angela said, always the voice of reason. "I mean, I know you guys have been friends forever, but that just makes it more risky. If you rush, you won't just be losing a boyfriend. You'll be losing your best friend."

"I won't lose him," I said. I suddenly understood Edward's determination at lunch. I couldn't lose him. I would do anything, because he was everything.

"Next topic," Alice clapped her hands, apparently satisfied with my answer. "How are you going to deal with the backlash?"

"Backlash?" I asked, bewildered.

"You had to expect it," Rose said. "I've already heard Kate and Lauren commenting on how quickly you went from Jake to Edward. Not to mention the fact that he was unofficially with both of them when it happened."

"And it didn't help when Jake didn't show up to lunch," Angela added.

Jake didn't show up to lunch? I hadn't noticed… I'd been too busy with Edward. And Kate and Lauren?

"Tanya and Jess were gossiping too," Alice said, nodding. "Apparently, the whole school is reeling. From what I've picked up, the main rumor is that you were sleeping with him behind Jake's back, or even before Jake, and the 'Little Miss Perfect' deal was an act."

"That's what I heard too," Rose said. "People are saying you slept with Jake too. And even Mike, back in August."

"But we only went on one date!" I shrieked.

"Yeah, but if people believe you and Edward were already doing it in middle school…" Angela trailed off.

"This is ridiculous," I said. "I only kissed Edward once! And then I broke up with Jake. I haven't even really made it to second base, ever."

"We know that," Rose said comfortingly. "But you should know what's being said about you."

I picked up the discarded bottle of vodka and took a gulp, my head swimming. After years of being "Little Miss Perfect," I'm branded a whore after one kiss?

But then, the voice in the back of my head whispered, you never liked being Little Miss Perfect.

It was true. Though I may still have qualified for the title of "Brain" since my grades were near flawless, I'd never liked being branded Perfect. I didn't even understand the title. I drank. I cursed, only blushing occasionally now and then. I was friends with bad-ass rebels and though I didn't dress like them and hadn't had as many sexual experiences, we weren't that different. Why was I the "Little Miss?"

"Fine," I said. "I'm fine with it. Let them say what they want. I was never who they thought I was. I'm just Bella. Always have been, always will be."

Just Bella.

"Good for you!" Angela said, taking my vitriol as a declaration of self-worth, or something.

"You know we've got your back," Rose added, more comfortingly.

"Yeah, and you will give us the deets when you actually do bone him," Alice said, with a smirk.

"Of course," I smirked back at her. My anger and the vodka was making me confident, but I knew beneath it, I was panicking. Sex?

You don't just kiss a guy like Edward without knowing what you're doing!

---

Tuesday was different.

I mean, not really, on the outside. Edward still walked me to class and stole kisses and held me at lunch. And people in the halls still glared (if they were girls) or smirked (if they were guys). But now I knew what those glares and smirks meant.

It made me angry.

I'd never tried to be perfect. I'd never claimed the "Little Miss" title that was thrust upon me. I'd never even really understood where it had come from. But now, now that I was dating Edward? Now I was suddenly a slut?

It pissed me off.

It pissed me the fuck off.

Who were these people to judge? Half of them had already hooked up with Edward and the other half wanted to be him. I'd never been so grateful for my friends.

Be it Alice or Rose or Angela or Jas or even Em, I had a friend in ever period. A friend who really knew me and didn't gossip.

It stung a bit, at first, when Mike, Eric, and Tyler started sitting with Jessica, Kate, and Lauren at lunch. It hurt that the guys I'd considered my friends sat on the other side of the classroom like they didn't know I could kick their asses on the baseball diamond.

But it didn't hurt too much. Because the rumors and the gossip just showed me who my real friends were. And though I knew Rose and Jas were hesitant about my relationship with Edward, though I knew Alice had a reason to be hurt, they all stood by us.

They acted like it didn't change anything.

And it didn't. Not on the surface. Edward and I had always been closer than anyone else. We'd always been flirtatious and touchy and all the rest. And even though we were kissing now and I was head-over-heels in love with him, it didn't change much in how we acted in school.

But then Esme and Carlisle decided to attend a medical conference in Seattle overnight on Friday. And they asked me to keep Edward company, since neither of us had told our parents about the change in our relationship.

At first, it sounded perfect. The two of us alone, all night, with our parents assured that we were just friends, as we'd always been. It was the ultimate freedom.

Then Emmett caught wind of it.

"Party at the Cullen Place!" he stood on the café table and shouted without warning. "Friday, Eight. Be there!"

I swear, I thought Edward was going to strangle him for a moment. But then Rose assured us that Royce would get us booze, and Alice started bouncing in place about the outfits she'd instantaneously pictured for us, and Jas and Em, always the golden boys, seemed pumped. And Edward just smirked at me and whispered, "I'll make sure they bring tequila" too close to my ear and then licked it slowly and I shivered and then…

I was in.

I warned Edward that Charlie would have a patrol driving by at nine when I overheard him on the phone on Thursday night.

And Emmett got back up on the cafeteria table and announced the time change to ten at lunch. And I got high fives, for the first time in my life, for being the Police Chief's daughter, and it felt kinda good.

I felt kinda badass.

And Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder when he walked me to class and kissed me when the teachers weren't looking in a way that had me wanting more. And my life, for the first time, seemed perfect.