Who owns Twilight? Not me!

The days after the time I spent with Edward in the attic seemed so long. I couldn't stop thinking about what it felt like being kissed. I couldn't stop imagining doing it again. It was on my mind all the time. I would think about it as I cleaned, as I ate, everything.

But Edward never brought it up. It was almost as if it never happened. When I would clean his room, he wouldn't be in it. Either he was in the study or somewhere else in the mansion. I wondered if he were very busy or just avoiding me.

And then when I was around him, he would just give me a nervous 'hello' or 'good morning' or 'good night'. The courage I had that I wanted to tell him how I felt, I lost. I started to think about what Victoria told me about why he apologized. Then I thought about what he said about wanting to kiss me so long.

What if he kissed me and didn't like it? Was I a bad kisser?

"How do you know if you're a bad kisser?" I asked at the dinner table. Jake looked up at me.

"You kissed someone?" He asked with his eyebrows raised.

"I just wanted to know. How would you know? Does the other person tell you? Would they say 'you're a lousy kisser'?" I asked him. I looked back at my food. I moved the rice everywhere on the plate but in my mouth.

"A good person would just show you how to do it the right way." He answered with a sly smile.

"I would tell 'em." Angie said. "You're not gonna kiss me like a dog with no teeth eating a bone." We all started to laugh.

"What's all this talk about kissing? Who you want to kiss Liberty Bell?" Jake asked me with a smile.

"Duke Ellington" I joked.

"Good luck doll, unless you're singing or dancing, you can't get in the Cotton Club," he answered. I slumped down in my seat.

"We should go to the Savoy. It's been ages since we all went there. Well since me and Mike" Angie started. A few months ago, Mike and Angie were inseparable.

Mike worked along with Jake's father's Billy, but he was around our age. He was tall and thin like a streetlight. He had light blue eyes, a head full of straight black hair and rosy skin. He was a great dancer and according to Angie, great at other things.

But they didn't work out because Angie couldn't stand all the looks they would get when they were out. Then she would complain that they never went out. But that was because there were few places in the city where whites and coloreds mixed.

And Mike being as tall as he was and white, he stood out everywhere we liked to go. And since Angie was obviously colored, even though she could pass if she straightened her hair, they didn't last long.

I wondered a little if it would be like if Edward and me ever got together. Not only would I lose my job, make Mama mad, I would have the whole of New York City watching me.

"Do you miss him?" I asked.

"No." She rolled her eyes, but she glanced down the table to where he sat. Mike was with Jessica now; they were like two peas in a pod. He moved on and was dizzy on her; Angie had no one like me.

"Well it's better that way." Jake said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Angie doesn't need to be with a face like that. Too many colored Joes out there for her to run to one of them." He said.

"Just cause he's white?" I asked. He nodded and continued to eat. I knew Jake wasn't too thrilled when Angie dated Mike, but I never thought it was because of his color. I didn't know Jake felt this way.

"Well what if I dated a white person?" I asked. His eyes shot wide open.

"You? Liberty Bell, why waste all of that beautiful chocolate skin on some..."

"Jake" Angie said before he said something rude.

"It would me make me mad." He said

"But if I loved him and he loved me?" I stared into his eyes. I needed to know. He stared back.

"You can love whoever you want, but I hope it ends up only being a great person. Someone who can protect and provide for you. Give you a better life," he said thoughtfully.

A better life. How could I get a better life if I couldn't even ask Edward about what happened between us? I had to ask. I'd have to build up the courage and do it. If I were embarrassed at his answer, then at least I knew that I tried.

After dinner, when Angie came to my room I confessed to her. I had to tell someone. I needed advice.

"I have a secret." I said.

"What did you break this time?" She smiled. Yes i had broken a few things in the past, but I had gotten better over time. I wasn't as clumsy.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone. Anyone Angie." I stressed.

"Cross my heart. " she said as she drew an imaginary 'x' over her heart.

"Twice" I said. And she did it again. "We kissed. Edward and me" after the words escaped my mouth, I knew I couldn't take them back.

"What!" She yelled. Her eyes shot wide open and she sat up straighter. "You kissed? When? Where? How was it?"

"A few days ago in the attic" I said.

"Well how was it?"

"It was more than I thought it would be. It was sweeter than chocolate..."I thought about it again and my heart started to pound.

"I told you he was dizzy on you! Told you." She smiled. "If its one thing besides doing hair and baking that I know, it's men."

"But I think he's avoiding me now. I think I'm a bad kisser." I huffed. I leaned back on the bed.

"It can't be that. I think he's scared. What if someone finds out? You'll have to make tracks. It's against the rules you know, but it makes it so much better. A forbidden romance." She said and stared off into the ceiling.

"Forbidden romance? From one honey cooler?"

"Well you wanna keep kissin' him dontcha?" She asked.

"I wanna kiss him right now." I admitted.

"So it'll be a forbidden romance. Just like 'Stephanie's Saga'. Who would've thought...you and Edward Cullen, the prince of the Cullen empire." she smiled.

"Hey you thought it was true from before!" I said nudging her.

"I forgot." She giggled. We talked a little bit more then she left. I felt better having shared it with her. I didn't like to keep secrets from her especially when she was alway so open and on the square with me.

I went back to work, to collect the clothes at the end of the night. I hoped Edward would be there in his room, I wanted to see him again. But he wasn't there like the last few nights. His clothes were laid out neatly though. I collected them and held them in my hands. I brought his shirt to my nose and smelled it.

Whatever cologne he used or soap it was, made him smell so good. Sadly I put the clothes in my basket and headed to the laundry room. Tanya left the radio on in the room and sad music played to all the clothes. I walked over to it and turned it off before the song got stuck in my head.

I slowly I went back to my room and changed slowly. I couldn't stop thinking about Edward and our kiss. I unbraided my hair slowly and looked out of my window. Another night I would have to force him off my mind just so I could sleep. I wondered if he went through the same thing.

Sometime in the middle of night I woke up but barely. I turned over and looked toward the door. I couldn't tell if I had been dreamin' or imaginin' or what, but I seen Edward. He stood against the door silently and watched me.

I rubbed my eyes to try get the sleep out but when I stopped he was gone. Something told me I wasn't dreamin' so I got out the bed and stumbled to the door. My body was still sleep so I fell. I got up and opened the door and looked down the hall. It was empty.

But there I didn't give up. I rushed down the hall toward the back stairs and sure enough, Edward there in his pajamas. He held his hand out without a word, his eyes serious. I carefully put my hand in his and he led me up the stairs.

His warm fingers tightened around mine. I had no idea what was going on, why I went with him or what would happen. Hand in hand we went to the attic. He opened the door for me and I stepped inside. When the door closed, I noticed it wasn't completely dark.

There were a few old oil lamps we had incase of a blackout spread around the floor. The old bed was uncovered still and I walked over to it, sat down.

"Edward-" I started as he sat down.

"Shhh..." he whispered. "Bella, I'm sorry for avoiding you. I needed time to think...think about what I wanted, what I wanted to do. As much as I care for you...I have to keep my personal feelings aside. I have to stay focused on the needs of of of the family, the workers and the business."

"What about your needs?" I asked.

"My needs?" In the warm soft glow of the lamps, I could see something in his eyes. There was warmth in his voice.

"Yes." I said.

"My needs," he looked deeper into my eyes. "Bella you're what I need. Every part of me needs you...that's why this is so hard to do."

"So don't do it. I need you too...you're all I ever think about. I'm so worried for you all the time...I...I"

"Damn Bella" he said and started to kiss me. It was better than the first kiss. It was deeper, rougher, and wetter. It was like our tongues were dancing. I felt myself melt into his arms. I could feel his muscles against my chest as he brought my closer.

And like when I wore his robe, I was surrounded by his scent. We continued to kiss for what seemed like forever. Then he stopped suddenly. He breathed heavier than before. Again he looked in my eyes. "I never would have imagined that you would want me."

He touched my face softly with his fingers. He touched my hair. It looked as if he would cry. His eyes looked watery. "And now this has become even more difficult."

I touched his face, moved his wild hair from his forehead. He closed his eyes. He was so handsome...

"What are we gonna do?" I asked.

"I don't know..." he answered. "This is quite a conundrum."

"A what?"

"A really difficult problem." He said as he kissed my forehead.

Short chapter but a lot things were revealed. Bella doesn't have to hold this secret to herself anymore. Do you think it was smart of her to tell Angie? And now Edward knows that she feels the same, but feels it will make things more complicated. What do you guys think? Tell me in a review or private message! I love every one of was everyone's holiday? Hope you had a great Easter/Passover/break or time off. I spent my time off relaxing and coming up with more ideas for the story. There will be more jazz in the upcoming chapters!