I like to play Yahtzee and Rummy with my family. Other's go outdoors with their family and pick choked cherries and hang out.

I wanted to apologize for taking my sweet time getting this chapter to you. My family reunion was a little busier than I had anticipated. I am home now and am ready to write about our favorite duo, starting with this chapter. I should have another one to you in a few days.

I got 2 reviews for my last chapter and I have to say the words were encouraging and greatly appreciated. I love to hear your words.

As usual I do not own Twilight or its Characters; I just like to live vicariously through them!

Enjoy!

My breathe caught as Edward closed the door as he entered the room. I knew this was either going to be a really good or a really bad conversation.

Edward paced in front of the door. The silence was beginning to unnerve me. I felt my heart pick up in steady rhythm that quickened my breathe. I was about to say something when Edward stopped and looked at me.

"Bella, about today, I just wanted to say sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I meant what I said as a compliment," Edward smiled weakly and I knew there was more to this so I steadied my breathing before I hyperventilated and passed out.

"Is that all you wanted to say to me?"

Edward started to pace again. It wasn't like him to be so uncertain. Edward always seemed like he knew what he wanted and to see him like this upset me. I didn't like Edward being so out of sorts.

"You wanted to talk to me, talk."

Edward stopped again but couldn't look at me. He turned and walked to the door before stopping and turning to finally face me. He walked over to me and stood a foot from me. I felt the warmth of my blush fill my face and my breathing picked up. I could feel his eyes on me but I couldn't look at him. I knew my face would betray my new feelings.

"Since when can you not look at me?"

Everything in the room suddenly felt very heavy. The air was thick and my lungs stung a little with each breathe. I felt the warmth from his proximity as my skin tingled for his touch. My stomach was flipping as if it knew something I didn't, or maybe something that I wanted to happen. I finally lifted my head to look at him while my bottom lip went immediately in between my teeth. Edward smiled as I gnawed on my lip. His hand went to my face and his thumb pulled on my bottom lip.

"You aren't going to have a bottom lip the way you keep chewing on it. I can't imagine your face without that bottom lip," Edward smiled at me as the blush burned red over my whole face.

"What's going on with you these days? One minute you're my friend the next you're this guy who can't walk away fast enough. Which one am I talking to now?"

This time Edward blushed, but only slightly. It could've been passed off but I knew Edward, he was nervous.

"Bella, I'm not sure how to say this."

Knock, knock.

Edward and I turn to look at the door as Esme walks into the room.

"Do either one of you have homework?"

Both Edward and I shook our heads yes.

"I need a few more minutes' mom then Bella and I will be down."

"Make it quick, I want you guys finished before your dad gets home so we can play," Esme smiled at us before closing the door behind her.

Edward turned back to me. I looked in his eyes as he took a deep breathe. His lips curled into my favorite smile. My heart skipped a beat as Edward found the courage he needed to get through what he wanted to say.

"That day I pulled your pigtail, I was never so scared cause I thought your dad was gonna arrest me. But I also thought you would hate me. Instead you became one of the most important people in my life. I'm not trying to get away from you I just don't know how to be around you," Edward reached for my hand.

"You are so different these days and I have noticed and it's really confusing."

Edward paused while looking away I felt sick thinking he might not want to see me anymore. All I could think was the negative of how this was going to go down. Edward turned to see the concerned and confused look on my face.

"Bella I don't care about you like a sister, I just said that because I didn't know how I felt about you and I was on the spot."

I was nauseous and thought I was going to vomit. I thought being cared about like a sister was bad but this was heartbreaking. I wasn't sure I could survive the rest of what Edward could say. I was pretty sure I loved this guy and now he was going to blow me off. The room began to spin.

"Bella, are you alright?"

"No, I think I need some air."

I pushed past him and walked out into the hall. I wanted to run home but I knew I would never make it. Plus all I would do was upset my dad and Esme and I didn't want to do that. I did run down the stairs and past the rest of the group. I made it out the front door and out into the woods. I needed to be alone but I knew Edward was behind me. I could hear the panic in his voice as he called after me to stop and to slow down. I wanted to avoid what I knew was coming as long as I could.

Finally I felt a hand on my arm. His fingers wrapped around my arm and pulled me to his body.

"Bella what is wrong? What's going on?"

I couldn't look at him. My eyes burned with tears I knew were threatening to fall. I wanted to stay strong and make it through this without having another emotional breakdown.

"Please talk to me. We have always been able to talk."

"Finish what you were going to say Edward. Please."

Edward moved his hand down my arm and placed his hand in mine. I could feel his fingers weaving with mine and a new emotion stirred inside me. I couldn't explain or even understand but fear and heartache were suddenly replaced with something I couldn't put my finger on.

Damn hormones.

"I care about you Bella, a lot. I sat next to you in class today and I couldn't understand a single word the teacher was saying. I was so focused on you and when the teacher started picking on you I was really angry. And then when you disappeared and weren't in class I was worried."

"Bella, I find myself thinking about you a lot and I don't know how to act around you anymore. So rather than keep doing this dance with you I thought I would do something different."

I looked down now unable to take the suspense. I had no idea what was going on inside of Edward.

"Bella," Edward placed his hand under my chin lifting my face to look at him.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

My mouth went dry and my eyes bugged a little as I replayed his words in my head over and over again. I didn't realize I wasn't breathing until my lungs burned. I started to breathe faster as my heart raced.

Edward Cullen's girlfriend.

"Bella? Are you going to say something?"

Edward looked nervous like he had made some sort of mistake. I could see as he processed what he said and what I said and where he might have made a mistake. I looked in his eyes and saw what I had been feeling and I knew he cared for me as much as I cared for him.

I squeezed his hand to let him know I was still with him. I let a soft smile play on my lips as his eyes melted with relief.

"I thought you would never ask," I couldn't fight the smile that beamed all over my face. Edward couldn't fight the smile that came over his face as he let go of my hand and put his arms around me and held me in his arms.

I felt his warmth around me as the afternoon autumn air nipped at us. The sky darkened as rain threatened us. Edward pulled away and I felt the loss as he looked in my eyes.

"I thought you were going to say no. You looked like you had a million things running in your head."

"I did, I thought you were going to tell me to get lost. You didn't want to see me anymore."

Edward looked at me and shook his head, "Why would you think that? Did I make you feel like that?"

"No, well sometimes I thought you wanted nothing to do with me but then you would change your mind it seemed but I have been so messed up lately I didn't know which end was up."

"Are you ok Bella?"

"I'm more than ok Edward."

Edward had a look on his face I had never seen before but before I could find out Esme was outside.

"I want you both at the table doing your homework right now," Esme stood with her hand on her hip doing her best to look angry. I had never seen Esme angry and although this was her best impression of it, I didn't really want to make her angry.

Edward and I hurried into the house and sat down at the table. Of course I had left my stuff upstairs. I stood up to head upstairs to grab my things when Esme set my backpack on the table.

"No more distractions."

I smiled as I took the bag from her. Edward and I smiled wide as we looked at each other. I pulled out my books and we both got to work quickly as Alice laughed at us.

"Should we start planning the wedding now?"

"Shut up Alice," was the only unoriginal thing I could say to the pixie.

"Touchy, touchy Swan. You and Edward got something going on?"

"Emmett why are you pestering my girlfriend?" Edward said with a smile.

"Oh my god!" Alice squealed while getting up to hug to hug me. Her excitement almost knocked me over. I had to laugh at the power the little pixie brought.

Emmett laughed as he congratulated Edward. Esme came back in the room to see what was going on. We all got quiet as Esme walked over to the table.

"Are we done with our homework yet?"

We all quietly went back to our books as Esme smiled and placed her hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her and smiled as she gave me a quick wink and then headed back to the kitchen to finish dinner.

*~*

We all worked silently until one by one we were done. Edward and I kept throwing glances at one another and every once and a while he would feel the need to "help" me with a problem. I thought it was cute how he wanted to be close to me. I thought I could fly on the happiness I was feeling.

Finally we were both done. I got up to help Esme in the kitchen as Emmett challenged Edward to a game on the Playstation. Alice was on the phone with Jasper. Dinner was almost done when Carlisle came home from work. He always came into the house and made a beeline for Esme.

Watching Carlisle with Esme almost felt voyeuristic. Everything about who they are as a couple is so intimate and personal it's almost poetic. I had never seen any couple with a bond like Carlisle and Esme. I knew that when I grew up I wanted the same thing that they had.

I left the kitchen to give them some alone time. I walked into the living room in time to watch Edward beat Emmett at whatever game they were playing. I had to laugh at Emmett for being such a poor sport as he boomed about wanting a rematch. I laughed as I sat on the couch next to Edward who quietly gloated his victory.

My hand rested on the couch between Edward and I. I felt his hand next to mine as his fingers intertwined with mine. My heart skipped a beat as his hand fit perfectly with mine. I couldn't fight the smile that came across my face. I was lost in my euphoric happiness till Emmett found his revenge.

"Oh look at little sweet Swan. Look at her, all smiles and lit up like a Christmas tree. I don't think she's ever been so happy," Emmett leaned on his knees looking at me.

I felt the blush beat my face as my smile turned into a frown. I hated being looked at especially if it was at my own expense. I released my grip on Edward's hand and began to pull away. Edward continued to hold my hand while tightening his grip. He looked over at me with a smile and a wink.

"Really? Emmett how sad are you? I mean you are pissed at me for beating you at a game and you are gonna take it out on Bella. Who's older here?"

Emmett lost his cockiness and he looked over in my direction. "Sorry Bella."

I smiled and looked at Edward as Carlisle walked in.

"Hello kids. How was everyone's day?" Carlisle walked in and sat down next to Edward.

Everyone said it was good. As Carlisle picked up the remote control to play against Emmett, I tightened my grip on Edward's hand. Esme walked in the room and asked for mine and Alice's help setting the table. I gave Edward's hand a squeeze before getting up.

*~*

"What game are we going to play tonight?" Carlisle sat at the cleared table waiting for the family to decide what to play.

"I wanna play Yahtzee," Alice chimed.

The whole group whined not wanting to play Alice's favorite game. Everyone had their own games they preferred to play on game nights. Emmett likes Monopoly, Carlisle likes Life, Esme likes Chutes and Ladders, Edward likes Poker and I like Rummy. Carlisle ever the diplomat was going to tell us to pick numbers. We always played all the games but it was the order that changed.

After we all picked our numbers and then the order of games was set. We sat around the table with our snack in hand and played games. For hours we all sat together and laugh till it hurts. This is what I loved about this family.

Walking upstairs for the night I couldn't be happier. I thought today was going to be one horrible day but after Esme, Edward and game night I was going to sleep like a baby. Edward and I walked behind everyone else. Edward hadn't taken his hand out of mine all night. We walked slowly as if maybe we would wake up and this all would have been a dream.

I went into the bathroom to change for the night as Edward said goodnight to his parents and Emmett and Alice. I walked out to find Edward waiting for me. I smiled as I walked over to him. I was grateful that I picked the tank top and pants for pajamas. Edward was also appreciative as he looked me up and down.

Edward walked me over to the door of my room. We couldn't be up too late and we had to be respectful otherwise I would never be able to stay at the Cullen's again. I knew Charlie would be upset that I was with Edward but being inappropriate was something that neither Edward nor I would ever have done to each other or our parents.

"Goodnight Bella," Edward kissed my hand as he left me at the door.

"Goodnight Edward," I smiled as he walked over to his door.

I walked into my room and closed the door. I climbed into bed hoping sleep would come quickly but I wasn't so fortunate.

I tossed and turned.

It was going to be a long night.

How old were you when you got your first boyfriend?