Disclaimer: All things that exist in the Twilight universe belong to Stephenie Meyer.

shine – chapter 10 – hand in my pocket –

I'm broke but I'm happy,
I'm poor but I'm kind,
I'm short but I'm healthy, yeah,
I'm high but I'm grounded,
I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed,
I'm lost but I'm hopeful, baby.

-Hand In My Pocket, Alanis Morissette

I was pretty sure Edward was more nervous than I was. He hadn't stopped babbling since I had emerged from my bedroom, clad in a pair of jeans – which he absolutely approved of, a tank top – which he absolutely did not approve of, and a flannel shirt – which he had requested I put on to cover up the tank top he didn't approve of. I rolled my eyes at him when he asked me to do so, but he responded so sexily – growling that I was his and he didn't want any one of those fucks seeing that much of his woman's skin – that I turned right back around and grabbed one of Charlie's old flannels. My mother and I had split his collection up when he passed away, and we both made a habit of throwing them on in place of a jacket if it wasn't too cold outside. It wasn't cold at all tonight, but I didn't mind. The shirt would actually be like a security blanket for me, so I really wasn't going to argue with him on the subject.

And the minute he turned his car on – a brand new, silver, hatchback Volvo, which I thought was an odd choice for him, but chose not to voice – and the air conditioning began to blow so forcefully and freezing in my face and on my chest, I was supremely happy with my decision not to argue with Edward on the flannel shirt issue.

But he was jabbering. Rambling. Bumbling. Blubbering. Pick a word, that's what he was doing. He was undoubtedly nervous, and I had no idea why. I was the one who should have been nervous. I was going to suck it up and tell him the truth of the matter concerning my sister before tonight was all said and done. I had already decided that for certain.

I wouldn't keep it from him anymore. Regardless of whether or not he said that he wouldn't feel as if I had tried to keep it from him – because now he knew how badly I wanted to tell him something – I didn't want to chance it and drag it out any longer. If I had learned anything from today, it was that keeping secrets was never a good thing. And that's exactly what I felt like I was doing. But not anymore – I was going to tell him tonight.

I couldn't keep it from him any longer, but I didn't think the car on the way to watch him practice with his band was the best time to tell him either.

His incessant talking was starting to get to me though. He wasn't really making any sense, and I was so preoccupied with wondering what things would be like upon our arrival that I missed over half of what he said. Now, I was just lost. Maybe I can give him one subject to focus on, I thought, and then I wouldn't feel so annoyed with him. Because I was. Annoyed, I mean. Completely and totally annoyed. Three days of knowing him had revealed a flirt and a nervous little man. Three days of knowing him had revealed a lot more than that to me, as well, but, those two traits were completely unnerving to me.

Well, that's not entirely true. His flirting didn't annoy me always. I quite liked when we were throwing it back and forth at one another, and that he wanted to flirt with me at all. However, I hated the fact that he could turn any conversation into innuendo. I didn't understand it, and furthermore, I wondered if we would ever be able to have a conversation without it. I hope so, I silently prayed, I'm gonna need his head on straight for what I need to tell him.

The nervous rambling though? Totally annoying. I couldn't understand a word of it. I wanted him to stop. I wondered if I brought up a subject if he would be more focused.

Worth a try, I thought, anything's better than this. "So," I said, rather loudly, effectively breaking into his line of mumbling, "why exactly do you have to have band practice? You guys know your shit."

He laughed a little; it sounded a bit forced. He didn't say anything though, for almost a full minute. So I counted the seconds – sue me. Once he stopped at a red light, though, he turned to face me. "You haven't been listening to a thing I've said, have you?"

I turned to face him too, with a puzzled look on my face. "Huh?"

He raised his eyebrows as he stared at me. "You know... since we left your place... I've been talking about nothing but why we have to have this stupid band practice."

"Really?"

This time, when he laughed, he laughed for real. "Wow... so where the hell have you been?"

I shrugged. "Just thinking about stuff."

He ran his tongue along his bottom lip. "Stuff like... what we were doing earlier?"

Well, no, I hadn't been – until his tongue peeked its way out and he started talking about it. "I wasn't... but, now... "

He chuckled sexily. "Yeah, me too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good," I said quietly, biting my lip as I studied the features of his face. He was so beautiful that he almost didn't look real. His eyes were the best part – I could stare into the green all day long. But right now, they were both aimed right at my lips. My bottom lip busted free of my teeth under his scrutiny, and I found I had been biting a little hard. My tongue automatically licked its way across the soreness and Edward's gaze intensified with the motion.

A honk broke the connection. The light had turned green. Fucking traffic lights, I silently raged, I wouldn't have minded some more staring... or a little lip action... a little action, period. But I knew that, really, the light changing was for the best. Edward and I had a tendency to get hot and heavy – fast. Earlier tonight had proved that, and that was with as little time as we had spent with one another. It could only get worse from here on out.

Edward turned back forward quickly when the horn sounded from behind us, and before I could blink, his hand was on the gear shift and we were in motion again. He sighed. "I don't know why the hell... I just... I've never had such a problem keeping my hands off of a woman."

My lip went right back between my teeth as I felt my cheeks heat up. Realistically, I knew that I should feel some kind of jealousy over such a statement. I didn't, though. Not even after his retelling of his relationship with Kate earlier. He had made it quite clear that he had been with women – the "plenty of" I added on myself, but I knew it wasn't an exaggeration. And I wasn't going to be that girl – the girl that overreacts at every turn and pushes the guy away from her because she's so stupid with jealousy. Well, jealousy wasn't the only thing, but it made up a lot of that category. No, what I chose to focus on, was the fact that I was the woman causing this reaction in him. I was making him lose control. I could live with that.

"So you were saying?" I asked, coyly. Hopefully, if I could steer the conversation away from talks of his hands on me – not that I minded talking, thinking or participating in such an act – this blush might go away. He might like it but I sure didn't. And I was a little pissed at myself for allowing myself to be pulled into flirtation again with him. I wanted to talk to the man. How hard was that? Clearing my throat, I fought to bring my voice back to a normal, conversational tone. "I just... you guys really are that good... I don't... I guess I just don't really understand why you feel the need to practice. It seemed to me like you know what you're doing... so...?"

He sighed, long and loud. "No, we do. It's just... your uncle really is following through for us. Apparently, he called Jasper just a little while ago and told him that he's got a radio station on board to do a broadcast from the bar on the Saturday that we play. We just... we wanna make sure we don't fuck up what he's done for us."

He looked nervous still. He had taken his hand from the steering wheel and had begun to rub the back of his neck again. I was a little nervous at that, because he still had his other hand on the gear shift, which meant he was now driving with his knee... but, honestly? He seemed to have complete control of the car. "That's... really sweet," I said, smiling at him, "I mean – okay not sweet, but... well, nice. Yeah, nice. It's really nice that you guys are working so hard on this."

"Yeah, well, I want your uncle to like me." He chuckled. "The guys know that... and Jasper said he thinks of Alice like a part of the family too... so... he's sucking up as well."

"I don't think you really have anything to worry about," I said quietly. "James didn't kick you out of the bar for flirting with me and he didn't fire your band when you kept me from getting right back to work... so... I'd say you're doing good."

"He kicks people out of the bar for flirting with you?"

I nodded once. "If someone starts to come on too strong, or gets handsy with me or Alice or Angela or Vanessa or Victoria... yeah. He's quick about making them pay up and either calling a cab or the police. Usually they're really drunk anyway – time for them to leave."

"That's... shit," he said, expelling a loud whoosh of air, "that's really good to know. Jasper will like that too."

"Why?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Means we don't have to worry about you two so much when you're working up there."

I found that – that he would worry about me while I was working at the bar – incredibly silly, but also very sweet. I could absolutely understand why he would feel the need to worry. After working with Angela for the past year, I knew how much Ben worried about her while she was working. The same could be said about Vanessa and Jake, and Victoria and James – though James tended to worry about all of us. I knew that when dealing with people under the influence was an iffy vocation, but the money was good for what we did. The minor risk was worth the reward.

"You don't have to worry, ya know."

"I know. Because I know your uncle has shit under control."

I was about to respond to that; to tell him he didn't have to worry about it at all, not just because James was there, but we pulled to a complete stop just then. He killed the engine and turned in his seat to face me once again. I took a quick glance around before giving him my full attention. We had stopped at a house, a nice house. The lawn was neat and manicured, the shutters were in perfect condition, and the lights shining through the windows looked inviting. There was also a ridiculous number of cars parked in the driveway and along the street in front of it. I wasn't sure which neighborhood we were in, but obviously who ever lived here either made a nice bit of money or had rich parents.

I wondered if this was Edward and Jasper's house. I looked for Alice and my POS red truck, but didn't find it, which lead me to believe that it wasn't theirs because it would have still been parked there. He had told me Alice would be here. Curiosity got the better of me. "Where are we?"

"This is Rose and Emmett's place."

"Oh," I said quietly. I was now a shade more than uncomfortable. I knew for a fact that she wouldn't want me in her house. "Maybe I shouldn't have come."

"Don't be silly, Bella."

"Rosalie doesn't like – "

"Yeah, I know. But she has impeccable manners. Just watch." With that, he opened his door and stepped out, but before closing it behind him, he ducked back down and told me, "Don't move."

I froze. Had I done something to make him change his mind? Was he on his way inside to warn Rosalie I was here so that she could polish those impeccable manners of hers? Maybe I just had a bug on me – which the thought of completely creeped me out – and he was going to get it for me and kill it. My door opened before I could inspect myself for bugs. "There. Now when you meet my mother you can brag about how much of a gentleman I am."

I let out a relieved chuckle before grabbing hold of his offered hand and stepping out beside him. "I don't think your mother will be worried about you being a gentleman when she meets me."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You could just tell her anyway. You'd be doing me a favor."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he said, grinning widely at me. "In fact – "

"There you are! Goodness gracious, Edward! We've been waiting on you forever!" I turned at the sound of Heidi's voice. I certainly knew it well enough – her class seemed to get longer each time I had attended it, so I had certainly heard her voice enough to recognize it. "Bella! So glad you're here," she said just as we closed the distance between her and ourselves. She pulled me into a loose hug before wrapping a hand around my upper arm and pulling gently. "Hope you don't mind, but... he has got to get in there and get his shit ready or the guys are going to have his head. You can come with me and grab something to eat? Rose made a huge spread."

"How the hell did she have time for that? Didn't Jasper just get the call not too long ago?" Edward asked. He sounded annoyed. I wasn't sure whether it was the mention of Rosalie, the talk of the rest of the guys being upset, or that Heidi was dragging me away from him. With the way he was glaring at her hand that was wrapped around my arm, I was going with the latter.

I certainly understood how he felt. I wasn't entirely crazy about being taken away from him either. "Pssht. Please, you know Rose. She only needs thirty minutes to turn nothing into something. Anyway! There's trays and sodas and beers in the kitchen if you want to grab something on the way to the basement."

Edward sighed loudly before leaning into me and pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. He mumbled, "See you in a minute. Don't let them annoy you." Then he was walking past me and into the house.

My eyes followed him until he was out of my sight. I sighed then, too. He was just so fucking beautiful.

"Look at you two... " Heidi's voice was teasing, openly, and I knew it, so I wasn't upset at her leading.

"Yeah."

"He's really into you."

I turned my head toward her, smiling. "I know it."

She returned my smile. "Good. You do realize that you're completely over the moon for him, too, right?"

I pursed my lips, trying to contain the even wider smile that threatened to spread across my lips at her words. Yes, I thought, completely, completely over the moon for that man. Flaws and all. "Yeah... that's... that's about right."

"Glad to hear it. It's about time Edward found someone like you." But her words weren't comforting, not right then. Because one of the blondes from the bar walked out the front door and glared at me before pushing past the two of us. The strawberry-blonde. Tanya.

"Kate said to tell you to hurry, Heidi. Your Heineken is almost gone," Tanya told Heidi in a sickly sweet voice. She was walking toward a bright yellow, expensive looking car. I sucked at identifying cars, but I thought it resembled Jake Ryan's car in Sixteen Candles. If I remembered correctly, that would make it a Porsche.

"Ugh," Heidi mumbled. I turned quickly back to her. "I do hope Edward gave you some warning...?" I nodded to answer her question. "Good. We'll call her Bitch Number Two. Or Tanya, if you want to. Bitch Number One is here... she's inside. And... " She lowered her voice to a near-whisper, leaning forward, close to my ear. "I don't think Alice likes either one of them. We should go save her."

I chuckled. Yes, I could imagine that Alice wasn't too fond of the blonde bimbos in attendance. She took to insulting their type each and every night she worked at Reign. "Good idea. She might get us kicked out – Rosalie's manners be damned."

"Oh, good! Edward's been more than forthcoming with information that might be useful to you!" Heidi sounded positively cheerful. "That makes my job so much easier... but... a lot less fun. I do so love insulting those two. But I swear it when I say that Rose really will come around... just... don't rule her out, okay?"

Yeah, sure, I thought sarcastically, I'll be holding my breath, waiting for Rosalie to want friendship from me. "Uh – okay?"

Heidi sighed. "Well, I guess she hasn't really done anything to prove my point. Time, I guess, will help you decide that." She shook her head. "Enough depressing talk. C'mon!" With that, she began pulling me through the house – much too fast for me to really take in my surroundings, but I could tell from what little I saw that Rosalie not only had impeccable manners, but taste as well. Her's and Emmett's house was decorated beautifully. I was only a tiny bit jealous.

"Bella, thank God!" Alice exclaimed as soon as I was within her sights. She hopped off the bar stool she had been perched upon and practically sprinted to my side. She pulled me in for a tight hug before beginning to rapidly whisper into my ear, "These bitches are driving me fucking crazy and I'm about to lose my shit if that red-headed hoochie-mama tries to flirt with Jasper one more time! One more time, Bella! I'm serious! And this bitch here next to queen-bee-bitch hasn't stopped talking about how wonderful Edward and his family are and that she can't wait to attend some fucking bruncheon shit with Mrs. Esme Cullen herself – not that her own mother hasn't been high up on her topics list, either. But I swear, Bella, if I hear her call you "that girl" one more time. Or talk about Edward and his mother and her sister and her goddamn new Louboutin's, I'm gonna break this fucking glass off in her motherfucking neck. Hand to God, Bella. Hand to God."

"Oh, good! You're here," a new voice said. I knew instantly it was Kate. She was the only person in the room whose voice I hadn't heard, but more than that... I knew because of the snotty, sarcastic manner in which she spoke. "Looks like we can get the party started. Finally."

I decided to try and play nice, though I knew it was all for naught. This bitch wasn't going to like me regardless, but Rosalie wasn't the only one who was raised with manners, and I could just imagine the tongue lashing I would receive from Renee if she found out I had been less than cordial to anyone. So, politely, I stepped forward and extended my hand toward her. Smiling, I said, "Hi, I don't believe we've met. I'm Bella," I paused – solely for effect – because I knew she wasn't going to like what I said next, "Edward's girlfriend."

A gasp from behind me. I wasn't sure who. A death-grip on my arm. Alice, maybe, but it also could have been Heidi. A dropped jaw. All Rosalie – though I wasn't sure if it was because of my declaration or my manners. The prize was the look on Kate's face.

I decided to rub it in a little further. Politely, of course. "You must be Kate. Edward's told me so much about you."

She recovered quicker than I probably would have. Shaking her head slightly, she scoffed quietly before asking, "Really? That's funny... because I've known Edward for years – which you surely know... " she trailed off, her voice reeking of suggestion. I, however, had already decided not to be that girl. So I sucked it up, smiled, and nodded in the affirmative. That seemed to throw her for another loop. "Oh... " She laughed quietly before saying, "how nice. Unfortunately for me... being such a good friend of Edward's... I haven't the slightest clue as to who you are. Aside from walking in here and introducing yourself as his girlfriend – which, I'm sorry... but that's completely ridiculous, honey. Are you sure you didn't hit your head on the door on your way in? It is a rather low door – I've been telling Rose that for years – " Rosalie scoffed next to her, looking at Kate like she was crazy " – but girlfriend? Really, sweetie... I'd get my facts straight before marching in somewhere that so many people might be able to call you on such a thing – "

That was, apparently, the end of Alice's straw. "Oh my God! Would you shut-up? Jesus. It's like you have no filter. None at all. And I'm sorry, Rosalie, but if I have to hear her voice prattle on about my best friends' boyfriend any longer – "

"It's fine," Rosalie interrupted smoothly and, dare I say, politely, "I'm sure Kate gets the gist of what you're saying, Alice. Now, Bella, we waited for you before we started dishing up plates, so... help yourselves. The guys, of course, have already done so."

Heidi walked past me slowly, and I realized the death-grip had been from her, because she loosened her hold before sending me a kind smile. Tanya, I assume, was the one to gasp, because she followed right after Heidi, but there was no smile offered from her. She gave me a glare though. I felt completely okay with that.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Alice murmured to me. "He must've brought a large."

"Large something," I mumbled back at her, smiling widely.

"Oh-ho! Hussy. Do I need to bleach anything when we get home?"

"God, Alice. I'm not a total slut."

"Well, I figured you wanted to bleach the floor at some point. What with how we found it this morning. So, I figured we could knock two birds down with one stone – if you'd gotten any action. I shoulda known you'd be a prude!"

"I would bleach it if it wouldn't ruin the carpet. And I wasn't a prude. Exactly. But clothes were left on and there was no mess... so... "

"Tell. Me! Holy shit, Bella!"

"Nothing... we just... made out a bit... that's all."

"That's all, she says. That's all? I call bullshit. And my bullshit sniffer is excellent."

"Well... it would have been "just making out" if it had been any other guy... but you're right... it wasn't like that with him. He's... " I didn't say anything else, just sighed. Alice got it, though. She gave me her quirky little grin and a nod, and that was that. I was pretty sure she was feeling the same way about Jasper. I wanted her to tell me what the two of them had talked about or done, but that would have to wait until later, unfortunately. The thought of waiting to hear about the man that had her eyes sparkling just so made me more than a little sad, but I knew Alice, and she wasn't going to tell me anything until I got my shit straight.

"You hungry, Bella?" Heidi asked. I turned my head to see her dropping food onto a plate, but as soon as I looked, she reached for another plate to offer me. Alice had already reached for one and was serving herself with a smile.

"Oh, uh – no. But thank you," I said hurriedly. They were waiting on me, I thought, and here I am not even joining them.

"Seriously? You're not even going to eat? Why did we wait, Rose?" asked Kate, the shrew.

"I'd probably be stuffed too," interjected Alice, "if my boyfriend showed up with a large pizza from Pagliacci's. That place is divine."

"You hate that pizza," I told her with a raised brow.

"Correction! I hate that repugnant shit you eat from there. But their pizza is amazing."

"It's good, Alice."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes," a different voice said in place of mine. Edward. I sighed and smiled as I turned toward the sound. I didn't have to turn far though, he was almost right behind me. "It is."

"Ugh! Now you two are gonna gang up on me, aren't you?" Alice asked, petulantly.

His chest pressed against my back and his arms surrounded my waist. Dropping his chin to rest on my shoulder, he said, "Hell yeah, we are. And please don't force-feed Bella, Heidi. She ate half the pizza... I'd bet money she still feels like she's gonna bust."

Heidi laughed, but she wasn't the only one. Cackling spouted from the shrew and her sister. I barely managed to contain my eye roll. She couldn't just cackle, though, no, then she had to speak. "Oh, Edward! That's so funny! I remember that time when we went – "

"The guys ready, Edward?" Thank you, Heidi, I said silently, you probably saved either Alice or I from a verbal sparring match. She also saved me from having to listen to Kate's version of how wonderful Edward was. I knew how wonderful he was, I didn't need her telling me anything.

"Yep. I got picked to come fetch you girls. And... I wanted to make sure you weren't torturing my girl, here." The heat spread in my cheeks and I silently cursed my ever-present blush. Why? I asked myself, Why can't I have some other show of embarrassment that isn't quite so apparent to everyone in the room?

Edward pulled me more firmly against him before turning his head from the shoulder it was resting on and pressing a kiss right below my ear. My breathing stuttered. He whispered, "Everything okay?"

I nodded, and then shivered again when the motion caused his lips to brush against the sensitive skin of my ear. "Yeah," I whispered back to him, "I'm perfect, right now."

I felt his grin on me, but I also heard it in his words. "Yeah, I'm pretty fucking perfect right now, too."

"'Kay, why don't we all head down before they show back up here," said Heidi. I could have slapped her for bursting Edward and my bubble, but I could have hugged her also. We did tend to get hot and heavy quick, and I knew it. I also knew we were teetering right on the edge of that precipice right then.

Edward sighed against my skin, but didn't argue with Heidi. I wondered if he realized, like I did, how fast we could get going, and maybe that was the reason he didn't put up a fight. I wondered if it bothered him at all, like it did me, and if he wanted to just talk to me as well. I couldn't ask him right then and there, though, so instead I wiggled one of my hands into his and let him lead me from the kitchen.

We walked down a short hallway before he opened a door and gently pushed and pulled at me until I was walking ahead of him through the door. Thank goodness it was well lit, because as soon as I walked through that door, I was walking down a steep set of stairs, into a basement.

Jasper was the first to notice me. "Hey, Bella! Glad you decided to come out," he told me, grinning. I grinned back at him.

Emmett was much more subdued than last night. "'Sup, girlie. You 'bout done distracting my bro? We gots work to do." His smile told me that he was joking, but I knew there was some ring of truth to his words. Edward made it clear earlier just how much the guys wanted the gig to go well. I smiled at him and nodded, knowing that they really did need to get to practicing. Felix gave me a nod of hello before settling himself into his stool behind the drum set.

Edward had led me to a grouping of chairs; it didn't escape my notice that there were only four chairs and six women, but I chose not to comment, instead turning to face him with a smile. He gave me one in return before leaning down to give me a quick kiss, and then walked slowly away. I loved that he was so reluctant to leave my side.

"C'mon, wench, sit with me," Alice said. I turned and found her standing in front the chair on the far right. "I'll sit on you since you've eaten and I haven't."

"Your ass is bony. I don't want you sitting on me," I said but I was just kidding with her. I was already making my way to my seat so that she could, indeed, sit in my lap.

"Whatever," she replied as she settled her bony butt on my lap, "my ass is no bonier than yours is." And that was completely true. Alice did have a bony butt, but so did I.

"I don't know," Kate said in a snotty voice, "looks like Betty has some meat on her bones. Did you have one of those butt lifts done, Betty?" Bitch, I thought. But I wasn't surprised.

"No, actually," I said, smiling at her, "was that your way of saying I have a nice ass?"

"Ha! No, honey, sorry. That was my way of telling you that you have a fat ass." Her sister snickered next to her. I noticed she hadn't spoken since I had been there, but Alice had said she was flirting with Jasper earlier. I wondered if she felt awkward now that Alice had a friend beside her, and didn't want to rock the boat. If that was the case, then she obviously was the cowardly sister, and chose to let Kate fight her battles.

"Fat asses are better than no asses, I guess." I shrugged.

"If only," she replied, "fat asses are nothing but that: a fat ass. You should really do something about that if, you know, you want to hold on to your man."

I bristled at the same time Alice did. I knew she was about a second away from throwing her plate of food or something worse – like herself – at the bitch.

Heidi beat her to the punch.

"Don't let those two heifers bother you, Bella, seriously," Heidi told me quietly. She leaned her head closer and spoke in a whisper that I knew Kate and Tanya could hear. "Besides... they really have nothing to bitch at you about. There's nothing natural about them."

"Fuck you, Heidi," spat Kate. Tanya shuffled on her feet next to her but didn't say anything herself. "You don't know shit about me or my sister."

"I don't? Last I checked... my dad and Esme were brother and sister. Which means that my dad has known your mother for as long as Esme has. He, however, has had the, well, I don't know that privilege would be the right word, perhaps opportunity? No... that's not right either. Damn, I can't think of the word. Ooh! Maybe – "

"Spit it the fuck out or shut the hell up!" Kate practically growled. Her face was turning an ugly shade of red as she glared at Heidi. Interestingly enough, Rosalie seemed to be enjoying Heidi's verbal spar with the bimbo to her right. It almost looked as if she were smiling.

"Oh, fine. My father's been – oh! Subjected! That's the word!" Heidi's smile couldn't be wider and her tone couldn't be more sarcastic. "My dad's been subjected to your mother throwing herself at him for too many years to count. You know, even though he's completely in love with my mother. But whatever. You two wouldn't understand where I'm coming from. You're both just like your mother."

If it were possible, Kate's face turned even more red – I think she had me beat in that department. Tanya, who had remained silent throughout, finally spoke. "Come on, Kate. This is bullshit, let's go. It's obvious we aren't wanted here tonight."

"Ya think?" Heidi scoffed. "And don't mistake me – I don't want either of you around any night. There's nothing special about tonight."

"What's your deal, Heidi? Edward finds a new piece of tail and you turn on me like I'm garbage or something!"

"Oh, Kate," Heidi said, sighing, "I've always thought you and your sister were trash." Both bitches gasped. Rosalie fought harder to hide her smile. "And don't call Bella a piece of tail. Edward's smitten with her."

"Who says smitten?" Alice asked, mouth full of food. I smacked her leg. "What?"

"Smitten, my ass! She's just a new toy for him to play with! You wait, Heidi... and you'll be sorry you acted this way to me after I speak to Esme!"

"Pssht. I'm not afraid of Esme. She's not my mother, and I'm not going out of my way to try and impress her. Last I checked, I was a grown ass woman. You are too, ya know. You should start to act like one. You can begin by getting the hell out of here. There's some of your pride left by the door if you want to grab it on your way."

Okay, I think I was in love with Heidi. Maybe a little.

Both sisters huffed, but it was Tanya – coward, indeed – who grabbed hold of Kate's arm and led her back out of the basement. There was complete silence in the room for all of a minute after we heard the front door slam and then Rosalie sat down on the far left chair, looked at the band and said, "We've provided our portion of the entertainment for the evening, now it's your turn."

I couldn't help it – I began to giggle again. The giggling was really starting to get annoying. Alice huffed on my lap and turned. "Heidi move over, I can't sit on her when she's giggling, it's upsetting my stomach."

And then Heidi laughed and moved over and thus went the night. I stayed far from Rosalie, who seemed to have perfected those manners Edward had told me of, because she said nothing to me either. I was reminded of the phrase, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." That was Rosalie. She spoke to Heidi, but not to Alice or I, and that was alright. We enjoyed the music so much that we really didn't find ourselves too upset over not being pulled into conversation. We didn't even really talk to each other, we were both too busy focusing on our respective men to really bother.

By the end of the night, I was more than familiar with the quirks of the band and what they needed to work on and what they didn't need to work on and I was completely fascinated by Edward's voice, but I was also ready to go home. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to tell him about Gianna and Felix and how I knew Heidi for real, and not just because she was one of my professors. I wanted to start this right – I had done enough wrong.

So when he walked me to my door, instead of kissing him goodnight and calling it good, I leaned away from him. He looked at me puzzled by the action. So, I told him, "It's time I told you about my sister."

I didn't imagine it. Edward's eyes tightened at the corners. He nodded, though, so I opened the door and let him through. His whole posture had changed. My breathing quickened.

I was afraid I had already lost him.

it's time. next chap, loves.

thanks to every one of you who've given this story a shot... to those leaving me reviews... favoriting... alerting... thank you, srsly. sarah! I'm free now for a couple of days! gtalk? yes, please. :p les! i heart you~

short teasers in review replies and longer teasers will be up on monday at adifferentforest and the fictionators blog!

(www(dot)fictionators(dot)com ) (adifferentforest(dot)com)

see you all on friday! (or sooner on twitter! - i locked my twitter acct, but i will absolutely accept requests when i confirm you aren't a bot or just spam lol! )

:) tia