CHAPTER 10

Previously:

Then his lips touched mine.

And I died.

If dying were to be defined as a sensation you've never experienced before, then yeah, I died. I couldn't seem to grasp what was happening around me. Not that I cared about what was happening around me. Not that I cared about living at that particular moment. I didn't even know where or who I was. All I knew was that I've stopped breathing, and my brain didn't seem to be working. My mind was all fogged up, and my vision cloudy. Nothing seemed important anymore.

So as I was becoming pretty confident that I died, I realized one odd fact.

Why was dying so good?

All to soon, his lips left mine.

He rested his forehead on mine, and I was panting like crazy. Only as air rushed into my lungs did my brain start working again. Only then I took in everything that had just happened.

"Wha-" I started to say, the exact same time as Edward said,

"Wow." More to himself.

Did he also… 'die'? Because Wow sounded about right.

We didn't speak for a while.

"Sorry," He broke the silence first.

"What?" I asked, suddenly embarrassed. He was sorry?

"For… what just happened. I couldn't resist it anymore… I couldn't resist you, sorry." His eyes were shut.

Silence engulfed us once again, our heads still touching.

"Well," I whispered quietly. "I'm not sorry."

"Really?" He opened his eyes slowly.

Right at that moment the door burst open and Alice came in, yelling. "Dinner's almost cold, guys, what took you so-"

I jumped up in shock as Edward coughed, choking on air. He was suddenly very interested in his fingernails.

"Did I interrupt anything?" Alice asked.

"Nope," I said.

"No," Edward said, shaking his head, "Of course not… nothing. Nothing at all… was happening."

Alice's eyes narrowed. "It sure looked like something…"

I forced out a laugh, "Don't be silly, Alice. What were you saying? About dinner?"

"Yeah," Edward added. "'Cause I'm starving. Let's go." He took my hand naturally, and we couldn't get out of the room fast enough.

----

I was curled up against the armrest, feeling full and sleepy. Edward was next to me, yawning. Alice came back from the kitchen, carrying a bottle of wine and six wineglasses with some difficulty."Could you lend me a hand, here?" She said to Emmett.

It took Emmett a while to realize that she was talking to him. "Me?" His look was incredulous, "Why me?"

"Cause you're the closest!"

It was curiosity for what was going to happen next that stopped me from standing up and help Alice myself.

Emmett turned his head dumbly to look around.

He moved to an empty spot next to Rosalie, "No, I'm not. Jazz is."

Then Jasper, catching on, rather apologetically said, "Sorry, love, I'm not," Moving to sit on Emmett.

"Ow!" He pushed Jasper away immediately.

Jasper snickered and sat on Emmett's armrest.

Alice grumbled and stomped her foot, which was a funny sight that made all of us laughed. She angrily gave up, and very slowly placed the bottle and the glasses onto the coffee table.

"Thanks Alice," She said to herself, doing a good imitation of Emmett's voice.

"You're welcome, that's what siblings are for," She replied herself.

"We shouldn't have let you do all the work, here let us help." The Emmett voice said again.

"No, I'm fine, I just—"

Just as she was sitting down, a loud sound of fart was heard.

Emmett's booming laugh exploded, and he was holding onto Jasper for support. Jasper couldn't hold it much longer either and spat all over Emmett as he burst out laughing. Even Rosalie and Edward couldn't hold their giggles. I was in shock.

Alice turned around and lifted up a round object shaped like a small balloon from her seat. It read, "Whoopee Cushion – Exert a particularly embarrassing sound when sat on." A "Property of Emmett" was scribbled in black pen on the back.

"That wasn't exactly polite for a girl to do, Alice." Emmett tried to sound serious and failed miserably.

This was followed by Edward's "Yeah, Alice."

Alice's glare turned murderous. I assumed she didn't have anything on Emmett or Jasper, because she lifted a shaky arm and pointed at Edward.

"You! Shut. Up. I know her name," She said, pointing at me.

Silence.

"You what!?" Edward stood up, towering over her.

"Yeah, and you don't. So I'd be nice to me if I were you… because information, my beloved brother, is priceless."

Edward looked thoughtful. "What do you want me to do?"

"Make them suff—"

"I do too, you know." Rosalie said quietly.

Edward turned his head sharply.

"WHAT?"

"Know her name, I mean." Rosalie added.

"We all do," added Emmett.

"Edward, even I do. And bear in mind that I've only met her today."

Alice, although her initial intention of using Edward to kill Jasper and Emmett wasn't achieved, seemed happy enough as it was apparent they weren't having fun on her expense anymore.

Edward turned to me, "What is this? A conspiracy? Why'd you tell them?"

I laughed, "It's my name, Edward."

Emmett let out a booming laugh, "Hey, bro," He said in between gasping for air, "You're in deep trouble." He turned to Jasper and said, "It'd be kind of hard when they're having sex if he doesn't know her name, you know. He wouldn't know what to moan."

Jasper burst out laughing.

"EMMETT!" It was my turn to scream and blush.

"Ew!" yelled Alice, "Thanks for the mental image, now I have to drill a hole into my brain!"

Rosalie elbowed Emmett hard on the side.

"Yow!" He yelped in pain. "Of course, saying the wrong name would get you killed." He whispered loudly. "Trust me, bro. I know." Looking at Rosalie from the corner of his eyes meaningfully.

Jasper laughed again as he smacked Emmett's shoulder. This got him about seven or eight beatings from Rosalie. But he shrugged it off, letting out the booming laugh once again.

"Anyway," Edward said in a loud voice, "Can we please focus? Why do all of you know her name but me? This is unfair! I met you first! And it's just a tiny fifth letter. I know it's Bell something! Please, tell me what it is. I know maybe I haven't been very good but—I can't just keep on referring to you as you or her, that's completely impolite and what about—can you please-- Please just tell me?"

He was speaking very quickly that his siblings were silent, completely in awe.

"What?" Edward's eyes were wide.

"You're not, erm, you don't do that, Edward" said Jasper.

"You sounded like Alice, man. Don't do it again, it was creepy," said Emmett.

"We just weren't aware of the fact that you, Edward, were capable of rambling, that's all," said Alice, giving Emmett a look.

Silence.

"I do too! Ramble, I mean. Who doesn't? What's so wrong about me ram--"

"Oh my god. Don't tell me he just said I do too." Alice said in a low tone, her face horrorstricken.

Emmett closed his jaw which dropped. "He just… doesn't say that kind of thing." Emmett added in agreement.

"That's my point," Alice nodded quickly.

"He's not acting like himself." Said Jasper, including himself in the conversation.

"Remember that time when Mum got us ice cream and you spilled yours all over your new shirt, Emmett?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, Ed got into this full explanation of how to scientifically remove stain from garments." Emmett whispered importantly, like discussing the government's confidential defense system.

"And we were seven," Alice added.

Jasper clicked his fingers and said, "Or that time when my bike broke down. He knew exactly what to do, and without muttering more than two words he completely fixed my bike!"

"I don't get it... what's the point?" Rose asked loudly, confused and feeling left out.

"You don't get it, Rose? You don't get it?" Alice yelled at her. I felt almost sorry for Rosalie. Alice's voice was trembling with fear. "He's smart, and… and always composed, and come up with better arguments than I do too!"

"Do you think she might have something to do with this?" Jasper asked, obviously referring to me.

"Well, what else?" Emmett said.

"Yeah, but it's not like it's a bad change or anything."

"We always thought he's too uptight and tense."

"Maybe he'll be a better person."

"Oh, and the sex will definitely change that prude like it changes other people, in a good way— OW!" Yelped Emmett.

They were so involved in the topic that I didn't think anyone would notice if a meteor landed on me or Edward. The conversation didn't include us anymore. Not that we weren't grateful for it.

Edward was still grimacing when I asked him, "Um, are they always like this?"

"You mean, overreacting and making big deals out of everything? Sure, it's their specialty." He answered glumly.

"And speak like the subjects of their conversation aren't two inches from where they are?" I added weakly.

"Oh, yeah. That too." He replied. Then he suddenly asked, "Do you… happen to… want to go upstairs and start out where we left off?"

I blushed involuntary at this, remembering what had happened just an hour ago. Now that I was in my right mind, and his face wasn't inches from mine, I could finally think before I act.

"You know, this isn't what I normally do." I said, trying to explain myself.

"You mean, you don't… meet a random guy in a complete random way, start talking and pouring your heart out to him, let him off your radar for days, then make out in his room?"

I could feel my cheeks going bright red. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean," I said quietly, surprised at his casual way of blatantly summarizing my obsession for him.

He chuckled, and said, "You heard them, this isn't what I normally do."

"Well…" I muttered, seriously considering his offer.

"Come on," he smiled, "let's be abnormal together."

Oh, no. He used the smile again. I was starting to think he knows exactly how his smile makes me lose my mind.

I cursed at my mouth as I hopelessly said, "Okay, let's go."

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