A/n: This chapter's going to be crap; because I've had too much to drink.

It seems like a good idea to post right now, before I go and eat a bowl of ice cream. I love ice cream. Here we go…

Speed Over Beethoven and DDR in general get a lot funnier after wine.

So does the Mamma Mia soundtrack.

Haha.

Eh.

Chapter 10

Bella POV

By the time my class had ended, I was convinced that I'd made the whole escapade up; and that Edward had not invited me to lunch. Upon walking out of my class with Angela, however, I discovered that it had happened after all. Edward Cullen was, once again, leaning against the opposite wall, smiling at me.

I told Angela to go and meet up with Ben; which she did, though not before throwing a 'you'll tell me what's going on later' glance. I sighed, and walked over to Edward

"How were your lessons?" he asked me as he guided me towards the food hall.

"Um, fine", I replied shyly. "Yours?"

"Boring", he grinned down at me, and I realised that his smile was slightly crooked; one side lifted up more than the other. I sighed; he was gorgeous.

"What?" he asked me, when he heard me sigh.

"Oh, er, n-nothing", I stuttered back. I would not be admitting he was beautiful. No siree.

We made it to the food hall, and Edward grabbed a tray full of food for us, before taking a gentle hold of my arm, and pulling me towards a table at the back, where, I could see, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett sat.

When we got there, Alice got up and hugged me tightly around my waist.

"Hi Bella!" she squealed.

Jasper smiled up at me from beside her, "Good morning", he greeted me kindly.

"Morning, Jasper", I replied, smiling back at him.

"Bella, Bella, Bella!" Alice exclaimed, "this is Rosalie and Emmett!"

I nodded; I knew exactly who they were.

"Hello Rosalie", I said, smiling and nodding at her, "hello Emmett."

Emmett grinned at me; a massive, goofy grin, and reached over to offer me his hand, which I took, and shook.

"Nice to meet you, Bells!" he said happily.

Rosalie just nodded to me.

Suddenly I felt breath on my ear, and had to force myself not to jump.

"Rosalie takes a while to warm up to people, so don't be too disheartened if she seems a bit…mean", Edward's velvety voice whispered in my ear. I nodded slightly.

Alice quickly struck up a conversation about a fashion show that she and Rosalie were visiting the next weekend. I giggled quietly as I saw the boys roll their eyes at each other. Alice asked me what I thought about fashion, and Rosalie snorted at her. I didn't mind; it was obvious that I didn't exactly keep up with trends. Today I'd shoved on a large green jumper; and some old blue jeans, ripped in several places from my common falls.

"I'm not really into fashion, Alice", I told her, a little sad that I couldn't share her love of clothes. She snorted at me.

"We'll have to take you shopping then Bella. What are you doing the weekend after next?" she asked.

"Er, nothing?" I replied.

"Well now you're coming shopping. Give me your address later, and I'll pick you up at nine on the Saturday after next. You'd better be ready!" She smiled over at me, "all the best deals are found in the morning". I felt Edward squeeze my forearm gently, and I wondered what I was getting into. Jasper and Emmett gave me sympathetic looks.

"Rose will come too, won't you?" Alice asked her friend. Rosalie nodded, and gave me a small smile. I smiled timidly back. She really was very intimidating; and beautiful. I felt my self esteem drop every time I looked at her. If she wasn't so obviously with Emmett; I'd wonder why she and Edward weren't together. However, as it was, Emmett's arm was wrapped securely around her waist; his chin rested on her shoulder when they weren't eating. They looked like a modal couple.

So did Alice and Jasper. Alice didn't bother with sitting in another seat, even. She was perched on Jasper's lap. His arms were wrapped around her waist. And she leant back against his chest. I could see them on the cover of Vogue; or something equally fashionable. I couldn't help but smile at the couples, however, their love was obvious, and so pure. It made me happy, and wonder whether I would ever find somebody I'd be so crazy about.

"Um", I suddenly decided to speak up. "Thanks for inviting me to sit with you guys. It's really nice of you, and, er, I'm really happy?" It sounded a bit like a question; but I desperately wanted them to know how happy I was to be able to spend time with them. They all grinned back at me; even Rosalie gave me a lovely big smile. My heart swelled at their acceptance. Until then, I'd almost been waiting for somebody to tell me I didn't belong there; to get off their table. They were popular, and beautiful; and I was not. I grinned back at them.

We sat in happy silence for a few moments; before my perfect lunchtime was disrupted.

"Excuse me", a high pitched voice crooned in my ear; "you appear to be at the wrong table".

I turned around in shock, and came face to face with Tanya Denali. I froze.

"Did you not hear me?" her sweet voice asked, a little louder; and I saw Kate and Irina standing slightly behind her. "I said you were in the wrong place. So perhaps you should move". She hissed the last words.

I opened my mouth, prepared to apologize, and began to stand up.

A cool hand on my arm stopped me standing, and pulled me back to my seat.

"What", a smooth voice hissed, "did you just say to Bella?"

I looked to my side to see Edward staring at Tanya; if I wasn't wrong, there was anger in his narrowed eyes. His lips in a thin line.

"Hi Eddie", Tanya crooned, her voice raising an octave; her words spilling like honey, "I was just telling this….girl here that she obviously doesn't belong at our table." She giggled sweetly, and battered her eyelashes at him.

"I see", Edward replied. My heart plummeted; I'd thought that he might stand up for me. I blinked back the tears.

"Well", he continued, "in that case we'll have to go somewhere we do belong". His arm was suddenly around my waist; and he pulled me up, and backwards, so I rested against his hard chest. He picked up the tray we had been eating from, and started to lead me away from the table; his arm still around me. I let him pull me along.

"Where are you going, Eddie?" Tanya called over at him, we were about a metre away from the table.

"Bella and I are going somewhere we belong", Edward told her calmly, "since that place is obviously not here. And it's Edward. I'd appreciate it if you could remember that in the future."

By this time I'd realised that the whole hall had gone silent. We were the centre of attention. I blushed bright red. I looked up to see Tanya's eyes tighten; her glare focused on me, and her lips thinned.

"You must have mistaken me Edward", she stated, venomously. "I was talking to that girl. You belong on this table, just like me."

She twisted her mouth into one of her stunning smiles, and I was sure that Edward would return to them; perhaps he had misunderstood her words after all. I felt my heart plummet once more.

"Forgive me Tanya, but if you belong on that table, I'd rather not." Then, as my heart swelled to twice it's normal size, Edward's arm tightened around me; he shoved our tray on the counter, and pulled my out of the room beside him, and didn't stop until we were outside in the sun.

Then he turned towards me.

"I'm sorry Bella, Tanya is…Tanya….well, she's not very nice really." I looked so apologetic; unwinding his arm from around me, and running his hands through his messy locks. "Oh, and I didn't think about whether you wanted any more of that food. I'm so sorry Bella." He looked down at me sadly.

"Edward, I don't care about the food. Thank you so much for sticking up for me. Um, no one's ever done that for me before. And, erm, are you sure you don't want to go and sit with them? I won't be, um, insulted?"

He grabbed my shoulders gently, and pulled me towards him.

"No, Bella, I'm sorry you had to be talked to like that. That is no way to treat people. And I certainly don't want to go back and sit with Tanya". His face twisted as he said her name, and I felt myself smile involuntarily. "The, erm, the others don't either, you know. But she's a family friend, so I don't suppose they want to, er, upset the beast too much." Edward seemed unsure of himself. I just nodded at him stupidly, not sure of what to say.

He smiled down at me; that gorgeous crooked grin.

"Next time we'll sit somewhere she won't find us, okay?" he grinned wider, and I couldn't help but smile back. He wants to sit with me again! My insides felt like they were doing a jig.

Then the bell rang.

"Come on", Edward said, pulling my hand into his own. I felt tingles of electricity from where we were joined. "Let's get you to class."

I just nodded and followed him; my eyes on our hands, and the way my fingers were linked through his.

They were a perfect fit.

A/n: Thank God for Spell Check.

Did you know that eating half a tub of ice cream sobers you up in a major fast way?

I wouldn't recommend it though; gives you terrible stomach ache.

Though that might just be the immense sickliness of triple chocolate ice cream.

And having to think about Tanya.

TRIPLE EW!!!