Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 11

Bella

I was thankful that I was able to keep myself occupied for the rest of Thursday, catching up on Luther, a series that Emmett and I had started watching since it's inception in 2010. Being a brit, Lizzie had raved about it for weeks to me before I'd finally given it a chance, deciding to start it with my brother when we'd met up that summer.

We ended up watching about five episodes in a row before hearing the familiar hum of the Police Cruiser pulling up our driveway, soon cutting off.

The door was unlocked within the next second, as Emmett and I both lay on our respective couches, heads tilted towards the door as we waited for Charlie to enter the room.

"Oh," he looked surprised to see us both here, having gotten slightly used to us being absent, gallivanting with our friends for the past couple of days.

"How was the dinner?" he questioned, hanging up his coat and ridding himself of any cop gear before shuffling over to sit on the armchair in the living room.

"Good," I answered, a little too quickly, causing Emmett to snort, and me to almost shut my eyes in anticipation after seeing the suspicion flicker across my father's face.

"What happened?" Charlie looked from me to Emmett, seeing the difference in our expressions – mine, mortified, his, enthusiastic – and immediately lifting his eyebrows.

I began to open my mouth, unable to get the words out, looking upon my father's face, as Emmett continued to guffaw.

"Bella's just having a bit of trouble telling you that she's seeing Edward now," he grinned, causing my mouth to open, before closing, narrowing my eyes at him as he shrugged. The whole time, Charlie's face was a blank canvas.

"You… and Edward... are dating?" my father spoke slowly, making sure he'd understood my brother correctly. His expression didn't give anything away with respect to how he felt about the concept, and I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering if he was taking it at all well.

The topic of boys hadn't really ever been breached between us, because it had never been an issue before. My mom had been the one to have 'the talk' with me, and she hadn't ever shown any problems with me starting to date.

But my dad. Well, like all dads, I assumed he wasn't taking it lightly that I was finally romantically involved with someone. Quite seriously, as well.

"Yes," I answered, with a nod, seeing his lips form into a fine line.

"Dad, I've already grilled him, and he's serious about her, trust me," Emmett offered, as I shot him a grateful smile for stepping in.

"They're both serious," he decided to correct himself, as my smile widened, knowing that it was true. We'd established just how serious we were, only yesterday.

"Okay," was all my father said, before taking the remote from my brother, switching from Netflix to cable. My jaw dropped, though Emmett didn't seem fazed by the blasé reaction.

"That's it?" I still asked, watching my father's lighter brown eyes meet mine, as he sighed.

"I've known Edward for years, Bella. He's a good kid. I wouldn't let Emmett hang around him if I didn't think so," he responded, as I let out a disbelieving sigh, still surprised at how… well he had taken everything.

"Obviously, I'd like to talk to him formally. Is he coming over any time soon?" Charlie questioned, looking toward the TV guide, and scrolling through, though I knew he was still listening in for my answer.

I forced my mouth open, blinking, and shaking to clear my head, "Uh, yeah. Saturday afternoon."

He nodded in response, clicking on the baseball game, before seeming to realize something, "Does your mother know?"

I almost rolled my eyes, anticipating how that conversation would be panning out, "No," his eyes widened, as I hurried to say, "but don't worry, I won't tell her you found out before she did." Renée had a serious problem being left out of the loop; she needed to know every single detail about everything and everyone, before anyone else. Hearing my assurance, Charlie slowly sighed, as both him and Emmett soon became engrossed in the game, and I kept them company though I was only mildly interested in the score.

Friday came and went, filled with multiple meetings on the phone, before I was finally allowed some time to relax and meet up with the rest of our friends – and my boyfriend – for the movie, Mad Dogs.

Of course, the film itself was highly entertaining, but my favourite component - hands-down - of the entire experience was more so when Edward had laced his fingers through mine, planting sneaky kisses on my face in the darkened theatre.

Aside from that, we weren't allowed very much time to enjoy each other's company, sharing a meal with the others, and sitting apart.

Thankfully, Saturday had finally arrived, and I only had a few hours left of keeping myself occupied - and trying my best not to send myself crazy with thoughts of how desperately I wanted Edward's lips on mine as soon as humanly possible - reading various genres of the news, laughing at memes, doing anything to take my mind off of him.

After feeling like a significant amount of time had passed, I decided to chance a glance at the clock, breathing a sigh of relief once noting that it was just nearing half past one. That would give me ample time to sort out an outfit and be ready by three without having to rush.

I'd brought a substantial chunk of my closet from L.A. to Forks, packing most of it into the wardrobe and chest of drawers that Emmett and Charlie had set up in my room. Judging all of the possible clothing options, my fingers trailed along the different fabrics, stopping suddenly at a plain white spaghetti strapped top that I'd recently bought for the summer. I paused, becoming thoughtful before reaching for a pair of jean shorts, which were thankfully long enough to cover everything important.

My pink lightweight bomber jacket was soon thrown into the mix in the event that it happened to get cold later on.

Thinking back to Edward's text from this morning, I recalled him suggesting that I wear something flat for shoes, seeing as where we'd be going required some walking.

Looking down at all of the shoes I'd packed, I decided that my white Adidas sneakers would most likely be the safest bet – comfortable, yet stylish.

Nodding, finally satisfied with my outfit choice, I moved into the bathroom, stripping down and turning on the shower, jumping in and basking in the warm water. After washing my hair slowly and thoroughly with my favorite strawberry-scented shampoo and conditioner, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around myself.

I grabbed an extra towel, removing the excess water from my dripping hair before proceeding to blow-dry it straight. Combing through any tangles with a brush, I opted to tie it all up in a high ponytail, not bothering to be particularly neat with it.

I moved onto getting dressed, taking a quick time check when I was clothed, and noting that I was making good time, as it was just around half past two.

Feeling my nerves kick in for no reason at all, I took a deep breath, before going over to my dresser to work on my make-up. I enjoyed keeping things quite light - I was lucky enough to have been granted clear enough skin, so I didn't feel the need to cake much of anything on.

I applied a thin layer of bb cream, dabbing some concealer under my eyes and anywhere else I deemed necessary, making sure my eyebrows were brushed through to remove any product that had accidentally gotten onto them. To finish off the look, I applied some mascara to my lashes, before going over my lips with some tinted lip balm.

Standing up and taking a long look at myself in the mirror, I tilted my head to the side, overall pleased with the outcome.

The last thing I managed was to grab my black cross body YSL bag, which I'd already stuffed my cell phone and wallet into, slinging it on my right shoulder before heading downstairs.

Emmett and Charlie were relaxing in the living room, watching yet another baseball game – surprise, surprise. However, once I walked in, both seemed to feel my presence, instantaneously looking up.

Feeling incredibly self-conscious as they both stared me down, judging my appearance, I cleared my throat as I raised my eyebrows, silently asking their opinion.

Emmett smiled with a nod, "You look great," causing me to breathe a mental sigh of relief, before I moved onto Charlie.

He eyed me for one more minute, a frown on his face, "Are you sure you want to be wearing that? You know, the weather in Forks is unpredictable these days. One minute it's warm, the next it's chilly."

I bit my lip, holding in a laugh as I looked down at my bare legs, "I'm sure I'll be fine, Dad. Thanks, though."

Charlie seemed nonplussed, searching for something else to say, clearly having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I wasn't a little girl anymore, and I was going to be embarking on a date with my boyfriend – who, no one actually knew was my boyfriend quite yet, but still.

"I promise I'll be okay," I said, for added reassurance, just as I heard the sound of a car pulling up in our driveway.

Here come the butterflies…

"I know, I know," Charlie sighed, before nodding, looking slightly uncomfortable as he continued, "you really do look great, Bells."

The doorbell rang a few seconds later, and Charlie's discomfort seemed to increase as he gave me a look, not needing to say anything to communicate what he was asking for. He was going to have the classic talk that all fathers had with a boy before sending their daughters off on a date with him. I'd already forewarned Edward about it, but he hadn't been particularly nervous about it.

Then again, I assumed his talk with Emmett had really prepared him for what was to come with my father.

My breath caught in my throat upon opening the front door, noting the sight of Edward dressed in a navy blue polo, jeans, and a pair of all-black Converse. His gaze had been averted to the ground as his hands were stuffed in his pockets, but upon seeing the door open, his eyes wandered from my feet, up my legs – I didn't miss the way his eyes widened at that – coming to my shorts, then my top, and finally settling on my face.

I had to fight the smile off of my face seeing his mouth open, before closing, then opening again.

"You look beautiful," Edward seemed to gather his thoughts before speaking.

I felt myself blush, not even slightly used to hearing those words come from him, "You don't clean up too bad yourself." Of course, we'd both seen each other dressed even more elegantly at the dinner his parents had hosted, but this was the first time that either of us had felt really, truly comfortable complimenting each other's appearance. My words earned a grin from Edward, and I smiled along with him, before remembering my father's request.

Edward immediately realized my train of thought, as I stepped out of his way, allowing him inside to meet my brother and father, still lounging in the living room.

Instinctively, I took Edward's hand in mine, surprising him when I squeezed it, before releasing it. He shot me an appreciative smile, seeming to be holding himself back from doing something, causing me to grin when I realized what it was.

He walked into the living room, as Emmett immediately stood up from his spot on the couch in response. Before I could ask what he was doing, he began slinging his arm around me, leading me into the kitchen to allow my father and Edward some privacy as they talked.

It was one of the hardest things for me to do, trying not to eavesdrop when they were right next-door. But thankfully, Emmett allowed for some distraction.

"So do you know where he's taking you?" my brother asked, opening a bag of Doritos, stuffing chip after chip into his mouth.

I frowned, "No, actually. He didn't say. Why? Do you?"

My question resulted in my brother shrugging as he shook his head, "Nope."

Great..

"But I wouldn't worry too much. Anything that Edward does turns out amazing. Hell, whenever I get stumped for ideas, Edward comes up with something that Rosalie always ends up loving," Emmett reassured me, despite the fact that I hadn't even been worried in the first place. I was more excited to be getting the opportunity to spend some more alone time with Edward.

The memories of Wednesday night in his bedroom had only just sustained me.

Having heard no yelling, or doors slamming, I assumed that the conversation with Charlie was going well for Edward. Although Charlie had already reassured me that he genuinely thought Edward to be a good guy, I also knew how, sometimes, when a daughter is thrown into the picture, things could quickly change.

Approximately two minutes and thirty-four seconds later – yes, I was so anxious to leave that I counted - Edward entered the kitchen, greeting Emmett before turning towards me, "Ready?"

I automatically grinned, inferring from the question that everything with him and my father had gone smoothly, "Yup."

Emmett looked towards Edward before pointing towards me, "I'm trusting you to take care of her."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Hasn't my date been tortured enough?

Instead of expressing my frustration, I tried to view this whole situation from my brother's point of view, feeling myself begin to relax. Of course he'd already had his chance to grill Edward, but I guessed he simply wanted to be reassured one last time.

"I won't disappoint," Edward said, startling both Emmett and myself with the amount of conviction in his voice, before saying a quick goodbye to my brother and leading me out of the kitchen.

After giving Charlie a hug goodbye, I walked over to meet Edward at the front door, smiling when his hand smoothly reached down to grasp mine. Once stepping foot outside, he swooped down, planting a light peck on my lips, sending a shock through my body.

"Missed me?" I teased, only half meaning it as he feigned hesitation, before deciding to give me a serious answer.

"More than I'd care to admit."

In both of our minds, the clock was ticking, and it was upsetting to reflect on the fact that, in a couple of weeks, we'd have to go months without close contact like this – as opposed to mere days.

At that nauseating thought, I tiptoed up, pressing my lips more firmly against his but still deciding to keep things chaste. I wasn't sure I was willing to risk Emmett or Charlie peeping through the windows to find me with my tongue in Edward's mouth.

With another soft smile, Edward surprised me by leading me over to the passenger side door of his silver Volvo, opening it for me, and ensuring I was tucked in safely before shutting it.

In my seventeen years, I'd never, ever, had a friend, or even a date, actively hold a door open for me. I guessed it was their way of attempting to treat me like a regular teenager, but I knew that Edward hadn't opened my door because of who I was. He'd done it because he was a gentleman, simple as that.

As Edward shut the driver's side door, starting the engine, I turned to him, wondering, after the last time, if I really wanted to know. It took a couple of seconds, but I realized that I still did.

"So, how did it go?"

Edward looked towards me, pondering as he shifted the gear into reverse, pulling out of the driveway, "It was pretty similar to my talk with Emmett. He didn't ask, or… tell me anything I wasn't expecting to hear." There was that sadness in his eyes again, and before I could stop myself, I began to ask.

"Have you changed your mind yet?" I attempted to play it off as a joke, but Edward apparently saw right through me. And though he tried his best to hide it, he did look the slightest bit offended, making me feel like kicking myself for once again making it seem like he wasn't every bit invested in this as I was. Hadn't I just two days ago promised his mother that I wouldn't hurt him?

"Bella," he began, glancing at me for a moment before returning his eyes to the road.

"I'm sorry," I shook my head, leaning it back against the seat.

"You're not a piece of meat to me, you know? When things get harder, when I can't see you, or hear your voice as much as I'd like to, I'm not going to just… give up and walk away," he sighed, as I felt my heart begin to hammer again. He continued, "You mean so much more to me than that." His voice softened, as I felt my guilt intensify, reaching for his hand.

"I know that this isn't a fling to you, and I know that you really do intend on making this work," I sighed, "I just… I know the statistics." I didn't need to go on; he knew immediately what I was trying to say.

It was almost never that your first relationship would end up being your last. Add in the fact that we both lived in different states, and led very different lives. I felt... scared about our future. I was worried that even after all was said and done, he'd lose interest.

"We're not a number on a piece of paper, Bella," he squeezed my hand in his, "You said it before: nothing about our relationship is ordinary. What makes you think we can't make it as an outlier?" there was so much faith in his voice, his expression, that I couldn't help but want to believe him. He planted a kiss on my hand, keeping his hold on it as he used his other to steer.

It wasn't realistic that we would work out, but, then again, our story wasn't realistic. I'd met the guy of my dreams in a small town in Washington, whilst on vacation. What were the chances?

I bit my lip, finding the beginnings of a smile working its way across my face as Edward sped off to wherever he was taking us, never once releasing my hand during that time. I really was lucky to have found him. The realization struck me now, more so than ever, after thinking about all of the different ways our conversation could've gone. Yes, he'd been frustrated, but he'd also understood my perspective, as bitter as it had sounded.

After a couple more minutes of driving, I sighed, "So, where are we going?" I asked nonchalantly, as I saw Edward smile out of my peripheral vision.

"You'll see," there was a touch of cockiness in his voice, as I groaned.

"Have I ever told you how much I really don't like surprises?" I whined, as Edward full on laughed at my childishness.

"Well, I promise you'll like this one… hopefully," he seemed to mutter under his breath at the end.

I leaned back, realizing that I wasn't going to get anything out of him any time soon, deciding to instead relish in the comfortable silence that filled the ride.

Flying down the highway, we seemed to leave the city (or what you can possibly consider an urban area in Forks) behind us. All the while, I kept thinking of all of the possible places that Edward could be taking me.

I'd come to the conclusion that we were going to be heading to a park of some sorts, feeling that it made the most sense. We would be walking around a lot in a park; we'd be dressed appropriately, etc.

So you could basically envision my surprise when Edward made a few turns, seeming to be nearing his neighborhood, but then apparently taking some kind of back road, coming to a stop in front of… a forest.

Yes, a forest - as in, shrubbery, trees, nature, wildlife; basically all of the things that you envision when you hear the word 'forest'.

Edward came around to my side, opening the door for me once again, and offering his hand to help me out. All the while, he gauged my reaction to the setting.

My mouth was slightly agape as I searched for the right words to say. Luckily, Edward swooped in with, "You're surprised."

He wasn't asking.

I nodded, showing my confusion.

"Are you scared?" he continued, looking even more carefully at my expression.

I laughed nervously, "I'm not going to lie. When I picture a guy taking a girl out into the forest, I immediately think of a horror film… one in which the girl usually dies."

Edward was completely amused at my answer, trying to hide it as he settled for a sheepish smile, "Do you think I'm going to kill you?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his ridiculous question, "Of course not, but can you at least give me a hint as to where we're going? Please?" I jutted my bottom lip out slightly, and watched as Edward's eyes seemed to glaze over.

His mouth opened, but no words came out, "Uh, um," he made a series of sounds, causing a surprised grin to sweep across my face. Had I just made Edward Cullen stumble for words, just by pouting?

He closed his eyes briefly, making me hold in a laugh, realizing he was trying to recollect his thoughts, "I can't tell you where exactly we're going. It's really just something you have to see for yourself. But I can tell that we're going to be hiking for a few minutes, to get to the place."

I let out a soft sigh, not wholly satisfied with his answer, and he knew it, but at least now I understood his reasoning behind not telling me. Instead of going on with more pouting and complaints, I clamped my mouth shut, motioning with my hand, "Lead the way."

Edward was surprised, to say the least, giving me one more look as if to say, "Are you sure?"

I only nodded, smiling at how concerned he was. It was at times like these when I couldn't believe how much he took my feelings into account.

Edward grasped my hand in his, tugging me forward, thereby beginning our relatively short trek into the woods. He kept a slow pace so as to keep up with my shorter legs, also keeping a solid grip on my hand, preventing me from falling every time I tripped over a stray root, or even just thin air – which, mind you, happened a lot. If it wasn't for his attention and care as he helped me through the woods, I definitely would've come out of this date with heaps of bruises.

Just as I'd been getting mildly used to the walk, I suddenly felt Edward slowly come to a stop beside me. Then, he moved in front of me, blocking my path, making me arch an eyebrow.

His emerald eyes bore into mine, making me light-headed as he asked, "Do you trust me, Bella?"

I blinked, thrown by his out-of-the-blue question, but at the same time, not needing to think about it as I answered with a nod, "Yes."

Odd as it was, I had only known Edward for two weeks at this point, and yet I was beginning to realize that I trusted him more than I trusted some of my closest friends. I could tell him anything that was on my mind; I could follow him anywhere, and know that he'd only have my best interests at heart.

Edward didn't bother to hide his thrill at my answer, his lopsided grin appearing as he requested that I close my eyes.

Knowing that it would look terribly hypocritical if I didn't, having just stated that I trusted him, I followed his instructions, feeling his hands slip out of mine, as he moved away from me.

Not knowing what to expect at this point, I almost jumped when I felt his hands on my waist, lips at my ear, "Just move in the direction that I guide you in, okay?"

I felt like I wouldn't be able to manage out any words without potentially embarrassing myself, so instead, I settled for nodding, unable to control my shiver as I felt his breath tickle my ear.

I heard Edward chuckle under his breath at my reaction, before gently moving me forward. I had walked about twelve paces in the same direction, before turning right, and walking four more, until at last, Edward held me in place, telling me that I could stop walking.

"Okay, now, open your eyes," Edward commanded, stepping back.

I did as I was told, unable to control the gasp that escaped my lips as I took in the scene in front of me. A clearing filled with lush-green grass and multicolored flowers - lilacs, daisies, freesias, lavender, you name it.

I stepped forward, jaw to the floor as I observed how the trees seemed to encase this meadow in a perfectly wide circle, also providing a perfect canopy if rain happened to fall.

As if everything hadn't been impeccable already, I noticed that Edward had already set out a picnic cloth, and basket in the middle. He'd prepared food, making a trip here to set this all up before going to my house to collect me. He'd really gone to town.

I turned around to face him, voicing my thoughts, "I don't know what to say."

His eyes had already been fixed on me as he leaned casually against a tree trunk. Upon realization of this, I blushed for the millionth time, as he smiled, walking forward.

"I'm glad you like it," Edward placed both hands on my waist, looking down at me.

"I was worried that you wouldn't," I heard the honesty in his voice as his eyes met mine.

"I love it," I assured him, reaching up and planting a soft kiss on his lips, before dragging him to sit down with me on the laid-out cloth. He smiled at my enthusiasm, sitting with his knees pulled up, arms folded over, as I sat across from him, cross-legged.

"How'd you find this place?" I was curious to know how he'd managed to stumble across this magnificent meadow.

Edward's eyebrows seemed to crinkle in deep thought, before he explained, "Well, when I initially moved here, I was eleven, and very much immature. I'd been really upset over the move, having just made a great group of friends back in Chicago. So, on my second day here, while my parents were still unpacking, I decided I'd run away."

My eyes immediately widened, surprised to hear something like that come out of Edward's mouth. Edward… running away. I couldn't believe it.

"My house isn't too far from here, which you probably noticed. So I planned on walking through the woods, onto the highway, and grabbing a taxi to take me to the airport so that I could fly back to Chicago," he smiled, shaking his head, "Obviously, I didn't make it too far in my plan. As soon as I found this place, I was pretty much in awe. I just sat here, thinking, and thinking. And I realized after about an hour, how stupid I was for trying to run away."

Edward laughed then, as I smiled along with him.

"I went back to my house, shortly after that small revelation. And thankfully, my parents had only just taken a break from unpacking to make dinner. They hadn't had the opportunity to realize I'd been gone, which is great because I would've been grounded for life if they had." I nodded, agreeing with him as he chuckled.

Edward began offering me some fruits that he'd packed in the picnic basket, which I gladly accepted.

Whilst popping a green grape into my mouth, I asked, "Did you ever end up telling your parents?"

Edward smiled a little, taking a moment before answering, "Yeah, about a month later. But I never told them what had stopped me."

This confused me, propelling me to ask, "So they don't know about this place?"

Edward looked straight into my eyes, giving me a look of utter sincerity, "No. No one else knows about it. I made a promise to myself that it'd be my secret place to just come and think whenever I felt overwhelmed with anything."

He took a deep breath, looking straight into my eyes now.

"But, a few days ago, I decided that I wanted to share it with someone else," he finished softly, as a warm feeling spread throughout my entire body, and I let out a breath.

It meant the world to me that he was sharing something this important to him with me.

I didn't know what else to do but reach across and plant my lips firmly onto his. He was caught off guard at first, but soon enough began moving his soft lips in sync with mine as I sighed. My hands wound around his neck, as he began to try to shift his position, arms encircling my waist.

But this had proved to be a mistake, as it caused Edward to lose his stance, leaning back until he made contact with the ground, taking me with him so that I landed on his chest. Instantly, we broke apart, laughing, and I tried my best not to think about his abs, which I could clearly feel against my stomach through his shirt.

As we began to catch our breaths, Edward's eyes never left mine, and rather than move off of him, I continued to hover over him, feeling his cool breath fanning across my face. I don't know what compelled me to do it, but a few seconds later, I found myself reaching out with a hand, tracing the features of his face with my index finger.

At first, Edward's eyes remained fascinated and fixed on me, but as my finger moved down to his nose, I saw his eyes close shut as he sighed. Trailing my finger below his eyes, down to his jaw, it finally met his lips as a slow smile spread across his face.

Then it was his turn to surprise me, moving forward before I could register it, and capturing my lips in a slow and sweet, turned eager kiss. Somehow, Edward managed to move our bodies, flipping us over so I that I was now lying entirely on my back with his body hovering over mine. His hands were on the picnic cloth, in a push-up stance, so that none of his weight was on me.

My fingers found their way into his silky bronze hair, wanting him closer, making him smile against my lips. And then of course, things got even more heated.

Edward's tongue moved out of his mouth, licking my bottom lip, asking for entrance that I happily permitted, feeling the excitement return at finally having the opportunity to kiss him like this again. Butterflies swarmed my stomach as I opened my mouth, feeling Edward's tongue tangle with my own in what felt like a dance. I tasted the sweetness of his mouth, wanting so badly to continue doing this forever; exploring his mouth as he explored mine.

He moved in closer, his body pressing against mine, sighing into me as I held in a moan, tugging on the ends of his hair as he practically went crazy, forcing himself away from me and panting heavily as we both tried to regain our composure. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest as my eyes opened, watching as Edward's piercing green eyes smoldered my brown ones.

I knew it. Every atom in my body knew it, humming excitedly as I continued to keep my eyes on him. I was falling for him, faster and deeper than I imagined possible.

A/N: Again, really sorry for the long wait.

I hope that I won't have to make you guys wait that long again… but I feel like it's only inevitable with the start of school.

Please drop me a review letting me know your thoughts :)

Xoxo

LoveACullen