Hello readers! Thanks for all your reviews, they mean a lot.
I know a lot of you were asking if I had a twitter account - well... I have finally given in and gotten one. I am all lonely over there at the moment, so feel free to follow me. I'm VampsHaveLaws - link is on profile page. I will post mini teasers there for you all. :)
And not forgetting a huge thank you to my wonderful beta SusanQ - she is awesome.
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight. If I were to somehow convert my dreams into a book, it would so end up in the crack section - no joke.
Bella
I had been having a wonderful dream; all sun, light and heat...and oddly cacti. Weird? Not for me. I've had this recurring dream where I have to leave all doors open in my house for the wolves to find me. I would be hiding in the same spot behind my sofa every time – then the next thing I know, I'd be on a huge-ass boat, the wolves all dressed as pirates, and they'd make me walk the plank. I really should see a dream specialist about that shit, it can't be normal.
Anyway, I was back in Phoenix, playing on the swing-set Renee had gotten our old neighbour, Aro to put up for me when we first moved into the new neighbourhood. She got bored easily and loved new scenery. I don't know how old I was, maybe like six - give or take a year. I was happily swinging back and forth on my bright green swing with it's multi-coloured ropes, laughing every time my hair would drag along the dusty ground whenever I leaned my head back far enough. I was carefree and content, wearing my favourite t-shirt and dungarees, and a pair of wellies which made absolutely no sense considering that I wouldn't be coming into contact with anything wet. Even my style back then was questionable. Alice would most likely have had a fit. Then something strange happened. I literally thought I could see fire hazily making its way towards me, which again, was lacking the whole "logic" part. Fire doesn't float, idiot. The closer it got, the more I could see it wasn't fire at all, but in fact a boy around my own age. When he came within touching distance, it didn't take me long to recognize him. It was a young Edward. I stared at him wearily as he stopped in front of my swing set, causing me to swiftly halt my movement in case my momentum should knock him off his feet and cause him harm. His hand was drawn to his face, protecting his eyes from the sun and creating enough shade to enable to see me clearly. I didn't know what he was doing there. Wouldn't his parents be worried? I looked towards the kitchen window that my mother was standing at just moments before he had arrived, but she was no longer there. All that was evident was a lonely sunflower standing in the laughable vase I had made in school in pottery corner.
"What are you doing here?" I asked petulantly, squinting my eyes at the brightness.
"I got lost," he shrugged, the familiar green of his eyes so out of place in the yellows and tans surrounding us. I started chewing my bottom lip in thought, wondering how I could help him get home, when his much different voice broke into my reveries. "I bet you can't jump as high as I could from your swing," he goaded, his crooked grin I was so accustomed to, donning his face even at this young age.
"I can," I replied stubbornly, running my dust streaked hands across my face to remove the annoying wisps of hair getting in my way. He moved to the side with his little arms crossed in waiting, bringing my attention to his jumper with a big red car emblazoned on it, causing me to giggle. His face scrunched up in annoyance, obviously not liking being made fun of, so I turned my head away and started to swing. I got to a good height and could sense Edward watching me closely, waiting for my jump. I started to get a little scared and considered backing out, but his snigger and "I knew you couldn't" gave me the nudge I needed. I let go of my hold on the ropes and swiftly made my descent to the ground. Of course even in my dream I'm a klutz and didn't land on my feet. Instead, I made impact with my knees, tearing my dungarees and grazing my skin. I felt my lower lip start to tremble, and my tears fell unstoppably from my eyes. That big red car I had laughed at just moments before came in my line of sight, a concerned looking Edward stared at me guiltily.
"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked while staring at my knee. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand and shouted, "No!" at him. I tried to get up but hissed as I realized my hands were scraped too, more unwanted tears sprang forth.
"I'm sorry you got hurt," he mumbled, and uncharacteristically started wiping the tears from my face with his own, now-dirty hands from leaning on the ground. I pouted and looked at him wearily, but conceded when I decided he looked genuinely sorry.
"S'okay," I sniffed, standing upright and brushing myself off, rolling my eyes when I felt him help me, his little hands smacking against the denim material. "When are you going home?" I asked, watching his face morph into a scowl.
"I don't know, why? Do you want me to go?" I watched as his bright red sneakers toyed with a pebble that looked oddly in the shape of a half-moon, his shoulders slumped in his movement.
"No, you can stay and push for for a little while, if you want," I suggested, fiddling with the catches of my dungarees. I remember those things being bitches to get off.
"Alright," he answered, an unsuccessful hidden smile forming at my offer. I smiled brightly at him before running over to my swing-set, sitting down and holding on carefully, making sure not to cause more damage to my grazed palms. I felt his hands gently start putting pressure on my back, my momentum gaining steadily. I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped me when I leaned backwards to watch him from upside down, my hair-watching from earlier seemed boring. He was shaking his head in amusement at my antics.
"I like your jumper. I want a red car when I grow up," I stated, nodding to myself. He seemed to think for a moment before deciding what he wanted to say.
"I want a silver one, just like my dad," he voiced proudly. I commented on it being a pretty colour, which caused his scowl to reappear, not at me though, just at the word "pretty."
I felt his movements stop and turned my head to ask why. Perhaps he was ready to go home now? "Here," he said handing me his jumper, "it's really hot here, it's making me too warm, you can wear it for a while."
It was pretty warm, stifling even, and I mean this was Phoenix, but I was pretty used to the heat by now so it was a little unsettling. I could also smell cinnamon and wondered if mum was baking? Then the heat started moving and mumbling? Huh? Yeah, that's not meant to happen. I felt something squeeze me and realized that I must be rousing from slumber. Either that, or I had officially gone crazy. I was no longer in that half-conscious state where you realize that you are awake, yet somehow are still in dream mentality, and watch it all play out drowsily in your head. God I hate it when that happens. It certainly wasn't the first time Edward had been in my dreams, and I doubted it would be the last, but the fact it was with a younger us, and back in Phoenix... well that was very different. And of course, as usual, I had no idea what to make of it.
I pushed my face into the warmth, rubbing my nose delicately against the soft fabric of my pillow. Except it was too solid to be a pillow. Was I sleeping on a rock? Had I sleep-walked and ended up with mountain folk? Or perhaps those creepy-ass birds in all the Disney movies – you know the ones that can understand you, and dress you, and wash dishes and shit – had kidnapped me and now I was living with seven dwarfs. I really shouldn't eat sugary foods before bed. Did I even eat anything sugary before bed last night? Oh my god I need to shut up. I hesitantly cracked an eye open and was met with blinding white. Gah, what the heck? Ugh, painful head is not good. I lazily pulled my head back with one eye still half open and noted that it wasn't a pillow, but in fact a human chest. So...no dwarfs, then. My body finally froze after understanding dawned on me. Oh crap. The body next to me started moving again, and I had a pretty good idea who it was, but really, really didn't want to believe it.
I tried to slip away without disturbing him, so I could work out how I ended up on the sofa with the last person I expected. That plan backfired when I practically got pinned beneath him in his sleep. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. The sneaking away thing wasn't going to work now. I turned my head to the left to see rumpled blankets and scattered pillows on the floor. I ran my tongue over the front of teeth, trying to remember what happened last night. I remember riding with Jake, then coming over to see Alice and Rose for a sleepover – well that part was pretty obvious considering I was in the Cullen's den. Now I just had to work out how I ended up sleeping here, instead of down there where I assumed the others must have slept. Okay, think. What else happened? Umm we talked, Alice gave me a manicure, Rose made me a fruity drink like the one from the bonfire that I had enjoyed so much...Rose! Dammit! A muffled groan sounded from above me and I realized with horror that he was waking up. And hello...doesn't seem like he's the only thing rising this morning.
His face pressed into the crook of my neck, and I swear he sniffed me. That's when realization that he wasn't alone must have sunk in. He suddenly froze, his weight became heavier against me. His face pulled back to display his shock, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. It would be quite comical if I wasn't so pissed off. Oh, and completely mortified.
"Yeah, perv you can get off me now," I snapped, not wanting to address the fact that his peen was trying to show some love to my thigh. So, this is my first experience at witnessing what is referred to as "morning wood"... now if only I could tell my lonely hooha that this is not the time – or the correct person - to want to play with, everything would be great. Well, not great but definitely less awkward.
I was being given a major glare - as far as glares go, and couldn't stop myself from giving my own back. I flicked my gaze downwards, escaping his hostility and landing on his now flexing jaw.
"Well aren't you just sunshine in the mornings," he said tersely, resting himself up slightly on his elbows, effectively removing the majority of his body off my own and giving me a clearer view of his face. His hair was in more disarray than usual, a slight shadow of stubble evident along his jawline and his lips looked extra pouty. God I hated the fact that he was so good looking.
"No, that would be just for you," I quipped, smiling sarcastically. His cheeks hollowed slightly as he sucked in his cheeks, before quickly changing to grind his teeth.
"You always know how to make me feel so special," he responded, looking me over. "And what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't offer to reciprocate? Want me to make you feel special, Bella?" I swallowed the lump in my throat and considered kneeing him where it hurts. His typical smirk had made its appearance, making that urge to do so even more potent.
"Look, I don't know how to say this," I said, giving him what I hoped was a seductive look. I was playing with him. I knew exactly what I was going to say, and it wouldn't be pretty. I grabbed his hair roughly in my hands, dragging his head down until it was inches from my own. I could feel his breath hitting my face, but the look in his eyes distracted me from my next words. I could possibly see something akin to lust, but I swear he also looked scared.I opened my mouth to speak but stopped and looked away when I heard commotion coming from upstairs.
Emmett's voice could be heard over the others and I wondered what was going on up there. I quickly looked back at Edward and realized I still hand my hands in his hair. I instantly removed them and put them down at my sides, comprehending that I had finally touched the hair. I'd sit through hours of school listening to giggling girls at the table behind me, in front of me – basically anywhere - talk all about how "hot" he was, and discussing what he did to get his hair to style that way. I had wanted to touch his hair for so long, and it looked like when I eventually had the opportunity to do so, I didn't want to let go. I hope this isn't the beginning of some weird fetish.
"Are you going to spit it out?" he asked, grabbing one of my hands, "or do you want to play with my hair some more?" There was amusement colouring his expression, making his features seem all that more attractive. Part of me wanted to ask why he looked scared just then, but I remembered that I had seen that countenance before – at the movie theatre when I swore the ass was going to kiss me. Victoria's words from a previous day in the cafeteria came to the forefront of my mind: Edward Cullen doesn't kiss. I knew I shouldn't even contemplate it, but I evidently had new artillery to use at my disposal. I can make him just as uncomfortable as he makes me. I just hoped he wouldn't call my bluff – I would not kiss him.
"Please, I was not playing with it, I was thinking of all the ways I could destroy your stupid sex hair." So, I lied. He always brought out the worst in me.
A crooked grin spread along his lips. "You think I have sex hair? Is that your attempt at a proposition?" The hand that he was still holding clenched into a ball and I seriously considered punching him with it, but that would have been wrong of me. So I settled for an immature pinch on the stomach.
"Fuck," he hissed, a tingling sensation being sent down below. Ignore it! "Didn't you get your fill of this last night?" I looked at him entirely confused I'm sure. My head was pounding again and I wondered just how much I drank last night. From the feel of it, I must have had quite a lot. It obviously wasn't the first time I drank, but the fact that I was having a hard time remembering events solidified the fact that it was most definitely my first experience at being drunk. Meh, I hope I had fun.
"What does that mean?" I asked. I got a confused expression in return, and I swore I could almost see the wheels turning in his head.
"You can't remember, can you?" I didn't know how to answer that correctly. Remember what exactly?
"You're going to have to be a little more specific...which probably answers part of your question for you already," I retorted irritably, hating the fact that he had control of this situation. I am never drinking near, or in his presence ever again.
He stared at me curiously for a minute, his eyes swept lazily across my face. I shifted nervously, not at all liking where this could go, my bare legs rubbing against his sweats...wait a damn minute...where the hell were my pyjama bottoms? Oh god. I looked down at myself – well what I could see anyway – and acknowledged that I was only dressed in a pair of boy shorts and a cami, my long-length cardigan twisted uncomfortably around my upper half. He started chuckling at my unease.
"I know my state of dress has nothing to do with you," I said icily, attempting to pull my hand from his own.
"I thought you couldn't remember anything?" he asked amusedly, lowering himself completely on me once again. I could feel that his excitement had ebbed considerably but it still didn't help with the warmth that was threatening to shoot through me. "You were so tight and warm," he whispered, moving his mouth to my ear. I felt his free hand run along the outside of my leg, stopping at the sensitive spot behind my knee. "The noises you made...you begged and pleaded with me," he said seductively, nipping gently at the skin at my neck. I was starting to get a little breathless, hating my bodies reaction to him. Thank god I had a brain and wouldn't act upon any of his crap. "I made you cum so hard." God that's hot. If it was anyone else but him, I may have launched myself at them by now. I bit my lip as he pulled back to look at me, his eyes glistening. I glared at him, not trusting myself to speak, and realized he was trying not to laugh.
"You're such a jerk, I know for a fact nothing happened," I snapped. Considering I was still sporting my v-card, I would be feeling a little sore if anything had happened. Plus, inebriated or not, I have brain cells – and they all know not to go there. Yeah, you all deserve a high five.
"Oh yeah, and how's that?" I obviously wasn't going to tell him, and when he started laughing again, I pushed angrily at his chest. He was playing with me. What a jackass.
He finally got up off me, allowing me to pull my legs up to my chest to cover them with my cardigan as much as possible. I grabbed the throw just to make sure. He stretched his arms above his head, letting out a satisfied groan. Don't look at his exposed skin, don't look at his exposed skin...good lord look at that happy trail. I didn't have time to berate myself as the noise that had just been occurring upstairs was now making its way down here. Emmett barged in first, followed by Jazz, then Alice and lastly Rose.
"My sleeping beauties have awoken," Emmett announced – far too loudly I might add – before he plopped down on the once deserted make-shift beds in front of us. "About damn time too. I wanted to wake you up, but Rose told me to let you guys sleep," he shrugged, taking a massive bite out of his bagel. I looked behind him to see they had brought have a truck load of food down – so that's what the noise was...they were attempting to use the kitchen.
"Yeah, and I took a really cute picture too, I'll show you later," she smiled, as if I would be remotely interested in this. Perhaps I could steal it...then burn it.
Edward, who had helped himself to waffles, choked mid-bite. "No you won't, you'll delete it."
"I second that notion," I added, asking Jazz if he could please pass me a glass of juice. Edward just looked at me oddly, swallowing his mouthful of food before grabbing himself a bottle of water. It wasn't that shocking that we agreed on something, after all, there has to be a first time for everything.
The smell of food was making me feel a little nauseous. Everyone was eating except me and Alice – who weirdly had sunglasses on...inside. She evidently saw me staring and motioned to the lights. Ah, gotcha, already had that problem earlier.
"How you feeling this morning, B?" Jazz asked while passing me my drink. I thanked him while I looked at everyone over the rim of my glass, taking a hesitant sip. I shot Rose a mild glare when I saw her wink at me.
"What?" she asked innocently, running her fingers through her blonde locks and batting her eyelashes. That look may work with Emmett, but I was not fooled as easily.
"Your drinks are evil," I mumbled, causing everyone to laugh – even GQ next to me. Glad I could amuse everybody, I'll be here all week...well, next door...whatever.
"It's good to let your hair down every once in a while," she stated with a wave of her hand. That may be so Rose, but not when I was dressed in so little when a certain person was present. I wonder what time they joined us? I remember up until a certain point, and it was most definitely just the three of us then, but after that things just get kind of...foggy.
"Yeah, you practically attacked me," Em murmured through a mouthful of food. "You called me your "protective bear", it made me all warm inside," he said half playfully, half pleased. "My SVB loves me."
"I'm pretty sure she loved everyone last night," Edward snorted, smiling wickedly at me. I threw a balled up napkin at his head, smirking in satisfaction when it landed in his plate of food.
"Hey, leave her alone," Alice cautioned, getting up off the floor to sit next to me. I rested my head on her shoulder, relishing the feel of her fingers running through my hair. I wrapped my arms around her small waist, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at Edward who was watching on, frowning.
"What? It's true," he stated with amusement. I must have seemed confused as he carried on. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it later," he winked, shoving the last bite of his waffle in his mouth, and distracting me with his tongue as he swiped his lips.
"What's later?" I asked everyone. Had I missed something? Edward shook his head, his mouth filled with water. "No," he told me, wiping his mouth. "We have to start the planting for our project today, remember?"
I pulled my sleeves further down my wrists. "Yes," I said sheepishly, secretly smiling at Jazz so Edward couldn't see. "Maybe," I laughed when Rose snorted at me. "I'll have all my stuff ready, it will be fine," I told him as I met his gaze.
"Drunk last night, forgetting school work, tut tut Bella," he replied smugly, earning the finger from me. If he was extra lucky he would get two.
"Anyway, I better get home and spend a little time with Charlie, I already promised to make him dinner later so I need to go prepare some things," I voiced, giving Alice a final squeeze before pulling away. I went to stand but then realized my clothes were not down there, and I didn't want to give everyone a peep show in my sober state. I blushed furiously as I tied the throw around my waist, bumping Alice's shoulder playfully when she giggled.
"Shush, you," I mumbled, strangely finding a feather boa at my feet and tickling her face just under her nose, causing her to sneeze. Where the hell did this thing come from? Rose and Emmett were arguing about something or other and Jazz was reading the back of a box of Pop Tarts. Hey, whatever floats your boat.
"I think I just sneezed my glasses off," she laughed. I looked around and indeed noticed that she had. I doubled over in laughter, groaning when the movement made my head throb.
"I'll quickly nip upstairs and change," I stated. "Err...what time do you want to start?" I asked, addressing Edward. He tapped his fingers on the arm of the sofa, taking a glance at the clock.
"It's eleven now, so how about you come find me, say three o'clock? Would that give you enough time to do everything you need to get done?"
I nodded my head in agreement, "Yeah, that's fine." I turned to the others, "Bye guys, I'll see you later." Em blew me a kiss while Jazz saluted. You can't help but grin at those two. "And Rose, Alice...from what I remember of last night, I had fun, so thanks." Alice started doing an impersonation of Tigger, bouncing up and down. I scrunched up fmy face and held up a hand. "Just make sure I don't drink next week at my party. I don't want to end up getting cornered by Newton while being so out of it that I think he looks like Brad Pitt and decide to make some babies to add to his already sizeable brood." The unmistakable laughter belonging to Edward roared out beside me, so I discreetly stomped on his foot, earning a pleasing grunt from him. That's better.
"Don't worry, we'll save you if that situation happens to arise," Em assured me. I smiled at him gratefully, knowing that he would do just that. When I apparently called him by protective bear last night I wasn't wrong. Go drunken me.
"That reminds me, are we inviting Jake?" I looked at Rose a little stunned. Of course he would be invited, why wouldn't he be? I know she dislikes him, but I also know that she would put up with his presence for my benefit.
"No," was the fervent reply spat from Edward's mouth behind me. I turned and glowered at him, neither one of us backing down with our outwardly hostile demeanor. He rose smugly off the sofa, going over to lean on the door frame leading out of the room. What, was he trying to trap me or something?
"Shut up, Edward," Alice admonished, shaking her head at her brother. "It's a done deal," she assured, winking at me. I mouthed a thank you to her, ignoring Rose's grumbles.
"I'll see you guys later," I smiled, heading for the door. I couldn't help myself, as soon as I made eye contact with Edward when passing, I just had to smirk at him. So many times he had done this to me, and finally this was something he couldn't control. He wouldn't dare mess with Alice.
I started up the stairs, increasing my pace when I heard footsteps behind me. I managed to get to the top floor with only a few stumbles, luckily not falling down from any of them in my clumsiness. I knew who was following me, I just really didn't want to deal with him any more right now. I was feeling so suffocated by his presence, the fact that I knew I had to meet up with him again in a few hours only increased my exasperation.
"What Edward?" I shouted, catching him off guard by abruptly spinning around to face him.
"You know what," he seethed. "Stop pretending to be so obtuse. You're doing that shit on purpose to get at me."
"Believe it or not, not everything is about you. He is my friend, and he's coming, so drop it." I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands. I was getting so sick of this fighting.
"He's not, and that's final." He stormed towards his door, me following to get to my own given room.
"The decision is not up to you. Alice is throwing this for me, not you! You have no involvement in this, so butt out." I pulled my door open, gathering my things hastily so I could change and get out of here.
"It has everything to do with me," he snapped, following me into the room. "This happens to be my house just as much as theirs; so I automatically get a say in who enters it."
"And so do they," I quipped, wanting nothing more than to sock him one. "God, it's like you want jurisdiction over everything. Well, sorry to tell you, but you can't...and you don't, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner people will stop castigating you."
"I don't care what you think, or say," he replied through clenched teeth. "You've beguiled everyone into thinking you're this perfect person. It makes me sick. It's so hard for me to be around you sometimes." He was standing inches away from me, his eyes smouldering. "This is why I am doing this, this is why I continue to do this," he whispered harshly while motioning between us. "You continuously make speculations. You know absolutely nothing about me, yet you still make assumptions based on what you believe to be poor decisions, or even gossip you've heard from other people. And you accuse me of jurisdiction when you display the same qualities. The difference being you just do it in a less direct way. You also believe yourself to always be right, and your opinion is the only correct one, so cut the bullshit."
My mouth gaped open in disbelief. "I don't even think you comprehend how disconcerting you are to be around. So, for you to say those things to me is so incredibly laughable right now."
He gripped his hair tightly, openly showing his evident frustration. "I seriously don't understand you. I've watched you and you're so closed off sometimes, even around my family. Then the next minute you're so angry with me, showing all that emotion. You also parade these enigmatic little smiles which frustrate the hell out of me." I stared at him in shock, bitter chocolate meeting burning emerald.
"What, are you like stalking me now?" I asked incredulously.
"No, and don't change the subject," he admonished. "I think you hate the fact I can get reactions out of you that you'd rather not display, and that's why you feel so ill at ease around me – your words not mine."
"And I think it's killing you that I'm one person you can't have." I was somewhat shocked at what we've both said to each other. This was possibly the longest we've ever discussed anything, angrily or not. And we've certainly never gotten this deep or personal.
"Well, that still remains to be seen," he whispered stoically, his expression not matching his words.
"Another "impasse" then," I replied, completely exhausted. "Now, can you leave? I'd liked to get changed and leave," I sighed, closing my eyes for a calming second.
"I'll see you later then," he responded, walking backwards. "Oh, and just a heads up, if you're inviting your lap dog, I think it's only fair I invite a few people, that way I'll be occupied enough to stay out of his way." Yeah, and I can guess who those "few people" will be. I'll have to help Alice disinfect every available surface at the end of the night, and maybe sneakily spray them when they walk through the door just to be on the safe side.
"Fine," I snapped, storming into the bathroom, tired of waiting for him to just leave.
"Fine." I heard him reiterate, the door slammed shut behind his exit. I looked at my flushed face in the mirror, begrudgingly noticing that the bags that were under my eyes had diminished slightly. So it looks like I finally managed to get some sleep then. I changed quickly, giving my face a good splash of cold water. Jeez, what a freaking morning. I swear I can actually feel my blood boiling, that seriously can't be healthy. Oh, where is the good doc when you need him? Oh yeah, saving lives. Pom-pon's a go-go.
I managed to exit the house without any further incident, catching Charlie just as he was getting into the cruiser.
"Hey Dad," I greeted, briefly startling him with my unexpected appearance. I bit my lip to stifle the laugh that was threatening to depart from my lips.
"Hey there kiddo, you have fun with Alice?" he asked before clearing his throat, obviously trying to mask his embarrassment at being caught off guard.
"Yeah, it was good. So where you off to?" I inquired, hoping I wouldn't have to explain my evenings events with Charlie, not that he usually pushed for that kind of stuff, but just to be on the safe side. I wonder if he can tell when I'm lying, what with him being a cop and all? That was actually a worrying thought.
"Just to the store, we've run out of milk," he shrugged, opening his door. "Do you need anything while I'm there?" I thought about what food we had left in the house, and whether I needed any more ingredients for the lasagne I had planned on making.
"Actually, there are a few things. Mind if I come with you?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing if he wanted to go alone or whatever. Also, I pretty much hated driving in the cruiser. It's kind of embarrassing with it not being the most unnoticeable vehicle out there; so you're pretty much guaranteed attention wherever you go. Not my most favourite pastime.
"Sure thing, hop in," he smiled, motioning with his head over to the passenger seat. I grinned, walking around to pull open the door and hoist myself up.
The drive over was comfortable and quiet as always, only the odd word passing between us. Charlie cut the engine, grabbing his wallet from the center compartment. "I can grab everything, Dad, save both of us going in," I suggested.
"Sure thing Bells, here, this enough?" He queried, opening his wallet and handing me some cash.
"That's plenty," I stated jumping out the cruiser. "I won't be long," I replied over my shoulder, making my way into the store.
I grabbed a basket upon entry, wandering through the aisles to search for what we needed. I went to reach for a pack of spaghetti when someone beat me to it.
"You cook?" he asked. I nodded at James, holding my hand out for the spaghetti. He handed it to me without any incident, which I wasn't expecting, but then again it was only Edward who was childish enough to do things like that.
"A little," I replied shrugging. "I take it you don't," I assumed when I noticed the pack of hot pockets in his basket. He mock scowled.
"Please, you still have to cook them, even if it is only by pressing a few buttons on the microwave." I couldn't help but laugh. It was technically true I supposed, but still ridiculous.
"Anyway, I'm glad I ran into you, I wanted to ask you something," he voiced, taking a step closer to me, his eyes taking on a new expression. I looked at him warily, not sure what he was going to ask me.
"What's that?" I requested, transferring the weight of the basket to my free hand, trying not to let my caginess show. He tilted his head to the side as if searching for something, his actions increasing my nerves.
"I was wondering if you wanted to go out next weekend, maybe have dinner, catch a movie?" My eyes widened in shock, his expression unwavering. I swallowed the lump in my throat, turning my head away from his gaze.
"Umm...that's really nice of you to ask James, but it's my birthday next weekend, so it's really kind of already full," I explained, momentarily glancing at him to gauge his response. His eyes had become slightly squinted, but other than that, my rejection hadn't seemed to have bothered him much.
"Birthday, huh? I must have lost my invite," he said while smiling, it never quite reaching his eyes. I shifted awkwardly, not wanting to, but knowing that I had to give him an invite. However, it's not my house, and I know how the others felt about him, but he did seem to be Edward's friend, so hopefully it would be fine. Perhaps I should phone and check first, just to make sure? I checked my pocket for my phone, cursing when I found it not in attendance.
"Err...Alice is throwing me a small party at her house, it's not going to be a big deal or anything," I added, hoping this would put him off. It didn't. "You can come if you want, I'm sure it will be fine." I smiled disingenuously at him, expectantly waiting to see if it had in anyway sated him. God, why do I have to be such a pushover? I have such a guilty conscience, whether I want one or not. I mean, James is okay, but he occasionally freaks me out. The only person I can seem to be able stand up to is Edward...and I have no idea what to make of that piece of information. I realized I had been staring at a pack of taco shells while immersed in my own thoughts, and quickly shook myself out of it before an employee came by and thought I was going to either steal them, or rip them open like an animal and start devouring them.
"I'll see you there then," he smirked, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I stiffened slightly, my eyes followed the movement of his hand the entire way back to his side. "I'll just ask Eddie boy for the details then, shall I?"
"Err, yeah sure...I guess. Anyway, I really have to go, my dad's waiting outside for me," I explained, backing away down the aisle. "See ya," I said hurriedly, turning and heading for the checkout, quickly remembering the milk and going back for it, sneaking around the aisle like a retired, eighty year old, 007 who had to get his kicks by avoiding people at the local store. Lame doesn't even cover it.
The drive back was just as quiet as the drive there. When we arrived home, I packed everything away and immediately started prepping everything for dinner, and even managed to get a load of washing done in between. Charlie sat comfortably in the lounge, watching baseball and drinking his typical Rainier beer, as I made my way upstairs to shower and change, wanting to get the smell of last night off me and get into some clean clothes. Not to mention, have a good five minutes with my toothbrush. I'd been in such a rush to get out of there that morning, that I had forgotten to brush them. Gross. Once finished, I glanced at the clock. I had a half an hour before I had to go start on our project, so I sat myself down on my window seat and once again got lost in the trials at Thornfield Hall.
All cars – apart from the unmistakable silver Volvo – were missing. My guess was that Rose and Alice had gone for some beauty treatment somewhere, while Em had dragged Jazz out for more food and maybe even possibly gone to wait for the girls to finish whatever they were doing. I remember Em telling me that he occasionally liked to go and harmlessly flirt with the female staff at one of the salons they went to, as he loved it when Rose got possessive. I had to stop him when he started giving more details – I really didn't want those images in my head. Of course, he said that this ploy occasionally backfired on him and Rose wouldn't talk to him for days on end, which was fine by him. He loved trying to find new ways to get her to give up, and knew that she secretly loved it too. Sounds like a crap load of hassle to me, but, meh, what do I know. The most romantic thing that's ever happened to me was when I got a secret valentine card in my mail box when I was like ten. Years later, I found out it had been written by my mother. All those years thinking it had been my stamp-obsessed neighbour were dashed. No wonder he scuttled away every time I smiled. He probably thought I had cooties or something, when actually, I was merely trying to be polite.
I let myself in through the side door, heading straight for the den but found it empty. In fact, all the downstairs seemed to be empty, well all the ones I had previously been in anyway. I wasn't about to go opening doors I hadn't been given permission to, as everyone deserved their privacy. I checked the second floor, and still nothing. I bit my lip and debated whether or not I should go knock on his bedroom door or something. I knew he didn't like people going in there, but surely just knocking would be alright? Well, I supposed there was only one way to find out. I steadily made my way up the remaining stairs. My eyes focused on the door at the end of the corridor opposite mine. Once I was standing in front of it, I hesitated and had to give myself a pep-talk for being so stupid. It's just a damn door. Knock! I rattled off a few taps, but like all the other rooms I had tried so far, I was met with total silence. My palm started sliding its way down the wood without conscious thought from my part, my fingertips coming into contact with the brass handle. I knew I shouldn't be doing this, but for some reason I couldn't find it in me to stop. Just as I had the door open and had pushed it minutely forward, it is slammed shut just as quickly. I turned my head slowly and was met with a very angry looking Edward Cullen. Well shit. But then I remembered he did the exact same thing to me after I specifically told him not to enter my bedroom...and technically he never once personally told me that I couldn't enter his. Then why do I still feel guilty? Dammit!
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, hating the fact that I was apologizing to him, but knowing in that instance it was the right thing to do. He stared at me censoriously, making me want to bow my head like a scolded child.
"Did you knock?" he asked, leaning against the frame. I nodded my head in the affirmative, gnawing on my lip anxiously. "So you thought that no answer meant that I was actually in there, did you?" I couldn't help but start to think he was enjoying making me squirm like this, making my answer a little snappy in response.
"Please. You know as well as I do that you could have very well been ignoring me on purpose just to wind me up," I scoffed. "And I wasn't going to step inside or mooch around, I was just simply going to see if you were, in fact, in here, and if you weren't, I would have closed the door behind me and gone back downstairs." At least I think so. Maybe.
He inched closer to me, his breath caressing my neck as he exhaled. "You know, if you really want to go inside, I can think of something we could do." And we were back to these games. Fine, we can play all you want, doesn't mean you're going to get anywhere.
"Really?" I breathed, looking up at him from beneath my lashes and raising myself up on my toes to enable me to put my arms around his neck. His face was a bit smug, his eyes glittering. "Do you have Scrabble in there? I just love it," I smirked, laughing and dropping my arms from around his neck. "Nice try though, but as always, I'm going to have to pass. Thanks anyway." His expression showed palpable distaste, his smug look a thing of the past.
"You're only dragging this out more, Bella. We both know this is going to happen sooner or later." He sauntered off down the corridor, winking over his shoulder. "You coming?" he asked, pausing mid-stride, "or are you reconsidering?" His words set my feet in motion, a crooked grin forming on his face, inwardly disarming me yet again. Damn his physical appearance.
"Never," I huffed as I passed by him and took off down the stairs. His chuckling followed me all the way until we arrived in the kitchen, where Esme had arrived home and was baking what looked to be muffins.
"Hey kids, what are you both up to?" Esme asked, putting a tray into the oven. She turned and cupped me cheek motherly, both of us laughed when she unintentionally got flour on my face. Edward appeared beside his mother, frowning at the both of us. "What's with that face?" Esme queried, going to the sink to wash her hands.
"I think he's feeling a little left out," I laughed, smiling impishly at him. His mien turned devilish with my words, wiping the smile right off my face. Oh god, what now?
"You're right Bella, I think I need a hug," he stated, stopping in front of me. "Thanks for offering." I didn't get a chance to do anything before he had me in his arms, crushing me to his chest right in front of his mother. I knew he was doing this for the sole purpose of making me feel incredibly awkward, but also because he knew I wouldn't knee ball him in front of Esme. I had no choice but to begrudgingly put my arms about his waist. His scent hit me like a wrecking ball, the aroma of fresh linen mixed with him was quite the heady fragrance. His embrace was warm, and unexpectedly gentle, and if I could close my eyes and forget that it was Edward that I was hugging it would be pretty close to perfect as a hug could get. After what I thought to be an acceptable time, I pulled away, clearing my throat at the somewhat intimate moment we shared. Esme was all smiles as she moved about the kitchen, however, Edward was rubbing the back of his neck looking all kinds of uneasy. Good, hopefully you won't be trying that again.
"I think we should go and get started now," he voiced, heading for the side door. I gave Esme a small wave and followed him out, left bewildered yet again. The garden was beautiful. It was filled with all types of flowers and grasses. Hedgerows and rose bushes were all sculpted to perfection, and ornate birdbaths and sun dials were scattered throughout the vast area. The greenhouse itself was located at the far end of the garden, out of sight of the main house. I could already see Edward potting about inside, presumably getting what we needed. It was his home so hopefully he had a better idea at what was placed where. Although, I very much doubted he would randomly decide to come outside and do a bit of planting every now and then; didn't really seem like his scene. The lack of females was kind of a big give away.
"I can see why Esme spends so much time out here. It's tranquil," I stated to Edward as I stepped through the glass doors.
"Hmm," was his only response. He continued to dig around in a few cupboards in what looked to be the planting area. She had decorated this section of the greenhouse like a little kitchen, it had a sink and everything. She was quirky like that. He stacked a few more plastic pots aside, along with bags of seeds, and compost. Also, there were some adorable gloves with waving flowers and trees with little smiling faces, like that creepy-ass baby from the Teletubbies. Okay, maybe they weren't so adorable after-all.
"Right, if you get started on those pots there, I'll start with these," he prompted, referring to the stack in front of him, and still not looking my way. I nodded my head, hoping he could see the movement from his standpoint. I smirked as I picked up a pair of gloves and made to stand next to him.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked, wiggling the gloves in front of his face. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head, his attempt at trying to dispel me not working in the least. "I think you should put them on, otherwise you're going to have mud embedded under your nails, which is a real shit to get out," I suggested. "And, you never know...you could miss a bit and not realize it until you have dirt smudges...say in your shiny Volvo for example." I knew this would be the thing to break him and finally get him to wear the ridiculous things.
"Fine," he huffed, snatching them out of my grasp and slotting his fingers in their respective crevices. I realized I had been staring at his hands far too long, a blush immediately attacked my cheeks. Right. Focus. Project, planting, seeds, fingers...no. Shit.
I wordlessly got to work, depositing a single seed to each mini pot and covering them with a minimal amount of compost and a slight drizzle of water. I carried on this sequence until I had filled each one, took a few snaps with the camera so we could record the growing stages, and then proceeded to cover them over with the black plastic sheeting so they were in complete darkness. Edward was taking a picture of the plants that were going to be staying out in the light, so I packed the few odd items we had used away while he finished. A flash came my way and I realized with horror that he was taking unsuspected shots of me.
I covered my face with one hand and reached for it with the other. "If you want to keep your balls, I suggest you desist immediately," I threatened, getting really aggravated when he carried on and added in his annoying chuckling. I spotted something at my feet and internally cackled. I bent down slowly as if I was attempting to curl myself into a ball and turn in on myself. The sucker fell for it as the flashing stopped. Time to say hello to my little friend. I grabbed the hose and directed it straight at him, holding my hand out for the camera.
"Hand it over and no one gets wet," I said seriously, biting my lip in concentration. He looked wary and I knew he was probably thinking the same thing I was. Would I actually do it? He clenched his jaw and grudgingly held it out for me to take. I was doing a victory dance on the inside. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" I smiled and placed the camera on the shelf nearest to me, regretting turning my back instantly. A burst of ice hit my spine, wet material now sticking to the skin of my lower back. He'd stolen my hose. Well, Esme's hose, but I know that she's a sharer, so it's all good.
"You did not just do that," I seethed, which was a stupid thing to say, as it was pretty darn obvious, that in fact, he had done what I had just minutes ago been threatening to do myself.
"Oh Swan, I think you'll find that I did," he smirked, blowing on the end as if he was some cowboy who was blowing the residual smoke from his pistol. My eyes squinted on their own accord, searching for something to use against him. I grabbed a watering can, which was only about half way filled by the weight of it, but at least it was something. He laughed when he saw me holding it, knowing that I wouldn't succeed in actually catching him off guard with it without soaking myself in the process.I took a step towards him, and he retaliated by giving the handle another press, water shooting out against my stomach this time. I gaped at my now rapidly soaking white t-shirt, my eyes burning with fire at his dry clothing. I hauled the can into both of my hands, watching the filmy liquid fly from the gap in the top as I heaved the contents right at him. A sharp gasp permitted my ears causing my to drop the can and haul-ass out of there. I had no artillery left. I was going to run for it...and when I say run I mean stumble like an old friend of my mums named Felix, who was in fact, a drunk. Unattractive reminiscences are another one of my things, apparently.
My attempts at escaping him were futile, as no sooner had I had gotten approximately a meter away from the greenhouse, he was right next to me, assaulting me with the freezing liquid. I shrieked and uselessly tried to hold my arms around myself as if that would actually stop the attack.
"Edward!" I screamed, wiping my now drenched locks out of my face and glaring at his bent-over-in-laughter form. This wasn't any ordinary chuckle, this was full-blown can't breathe and tears-streaming-down-your-face kind of laugh. I hurled myself at him, turning the gun at him and pressing with all my might, eyes lighting up at the sight of endless water assailing him from head to toe.
"That's it," I heard him say before he picked me up bridal style, the hose trapped between us... well that was until he slipped on the sodden lawn under his feet, resulting in both of us landing to the floor with a squelch. Of course, I landed first, mud splattering onto any reachable part of me like flecks of glitter attaching itself to still wet glue. I could feel my hair caked in dirt, the weight of Edward partially on top of me seeming to be the only area that felt mud free. The back of his shirt looked fine, if only a little wet, and I was about to curse his obvious good luck when his face popped up from beside my own head. My laughter was instantaneous. One side of his face was completely covered in the brown soil, his green eye standing out like a precious jewel amongst the dirt and debris.
"You look like the cheap and dirty version of Phantom of the opera," I cried, slapping my hand on the ground beside me, bringing forth another bout of splattering mud. Meh, I'm already filthy, so who really gives a shit?
"Yeah, well you look like a damn dalmatian. If they ever make a third one or whatever, you would be a shoe in," he snapped, touching the gunk on his face in distaste.
We were both quiet for a time, surprisingly neither one of us moving to get up. I couldn't help giggling at the situation once again. I knew I should be mad considering the company I was in, but dare I say it, that was actually sort of...fun. Of course, I wouldn't tell him that. He gazed at me curiously, most thinking I had lost my marbles, before his breathtaking crooked grin spread across his face, his eyes twinkling. He turned his head away, shaking it in humour, water droplets fleeing his wild, now darker hair, in all directions.
"Here," I voiced, grabbing the end of the hose. I placed my free hand on the caked side of his head, telling him to cover his eye while I rinsed him off. He looked dubious at first, causing me to roll my eyes and sigh, before he finally relented and let me wash him somewhat off. His skin was just as soft on his face as it had been on his hands. He really did have beautiful skin, in fact, every member of the Cullen family did. My fingertips grazed along his jaw for the first time, following the route from his sideburns to his chin with gentle movements. I think a pleasurable sigh escaped both of us simultaneously, making it difficult to know if just one of us, or in fact both of us had breathed our enjoyment.
"That's the best I can do," I said, clearing my throat and somewhat unwillingly pulling my hand away. He uncovered his eye and focused his attention on my face. "Is mine really bad?" I asked, feeling a little self-conscious.
"A little," he replied, wordlessly taking the hose from me and giving me the same treatment I had just given him. I didn't close my eyes, but kept them firmly on his face, watching him closely every time his eyes would drift to a new area of my skin. His hand started drifting lower down towards my neck, the icy water running down the column of my throat and carrying on to my chest. A silent gasp formed my mouth into an 'O' shape, as the liquid ran over my already sensitive nipples, causing them to strain even further against my incredibly muddy shirt. I watched his throat bob as he did it again, this time viewing as he did so. As another gasp escaped me, a whispered plea escaped my lips, except I didn't quite know what I was begging for. His eyes darted to mine and stayed there as his hand drifted lower further, the tips of his fingers coming into contact with the swell of my breast. Okay, this is the part where I push him away. I didn't get chance to say anything as Alice's shrill voice assaulted our ears.
"Oh my god, what happened?" she inquired, running over to us and skidding slightly, but managing to stay upright. Edward's hand was still resting precariously on my chest, thankfully Alice was too concerned with the mess we were in to notice.
"Err...we fell," Edward groaned, finally removing his hand. I could see the others making their way towards us, but turned back to gauge Alice's expression. I could see she didn't believe that for a second, however Emmett slipped at the last minute and brought Jasper and Rose down with him, who went flying into Alice. What a diversion! We all clumsily shot to our feet, shock evident on all our faces. An eerie silence descending upon us, all eyes on Rosalie's now stained clothing and tangled hair while she still sat on the ground. Oh. My. God. Houston, we have a really fucking big problem. I think my jaw hit the floor when she laughed, throwing a clump of soggy mud right in Emmett's face. He swiftly wiped it off, pulling her up so she was on her feet once more.
"What are you lot gawking at?" she asked as she attempted to smooth down her hair and shirt. I looked around and noticed I wasn't the only one suffering from slack jaw. I exchanged a look with Alice who lolled her tongue out the side of her mouth, indicating Em was toast.
"Probably because you haven't turned into a fucking psycho bitch yet," Edward shrugged. He certainly has a way with words that one.
"I'm fine," she huffed. "It's just a little mud, it will wash off." I seriously didn't think my jaw could go any lower, but I'm pretty sure I gave it a damn good shot at trying.
"Okaaaayy," Alice drawled out, checking Rose's forehead, and looking her over for any sudden illness that could cause a personality alteration that fast. Rose turned on her heel, all of us left following her back across the garden into the house. I could feel Edward sidle up beside me, his arm occasionally brushing my own and setting my nerves on complete alert.
Rose slipped off her shoes at the side door and swiveled to look sweetly at Em, "Oh Em, I forgot to tell you something."
"And what's that beautiful?" Em queried, giving her a dazzling smile with his dimples on full display.
"You won't be getting sex or any of the favours that go along with it for a month. See you inside." Her hips swayed through the kitchen doorway leaving a very pale looking Emmett in her wake. And she's back.
"She's joking," Em laughed, scratching the back of his head. Alice snorted, indicating that Rose was in no way joking.
"I have two words for you," Jazz whispered to Em while following Alice through the door. "Blue balls." Edward sniggered while they both started a whispered discussion, one that I was positive I didn't want to be included in. I went to follow after them, when Edward's hot breath caressed my ear.
"Why do you keep fighting it?" he whispered, ghosting his fingers along my collarbone. "I can see it in your face when I touch you." I turned my body to make eye contact, his gaze heated. "Your body reacts so well to my touch. What are you afraid of, hmm?" he pondered. "I could make you feel so good Bella."
I shook my head, dispelling his words. "You're wrong," I said full of conviction, turning away from him and heading towards the noise in the kitchen before he kept me out there any longer. I didn't have enough energy left for another argument. Why did he have to go and say something like that, again? He is his own worst enemy. I was so angry at myself for once again drowning in those feelings. I was not used to that kind of attention. I didn't know how to handle it. I was completely winging it, and that thought was utterly terrifying. I was fighting against something I didn't fully grasp. Was I physically attracted to him, or did I just like the feeling of a male's touch? That was more than likely part of his game; the constant confusion.
He had so many layers to his personality: salacious conduct, playful banter, angry speeches, the occasional gentle and caring action. He was attentive towards his mother...the list could go on. He was like an extremely difficult puzzle. You could try to get the pieces to fit together where you thought they should go, only to find they wouldn't conform, and perhaps never would. The stubborn part of me - that feeling deep-down inside that liked something challenging, suddenly wanted to hide.
I wasn't sure I could ever complete that particular puzzle.
I would love to hear what you think, so please review! Thanks for reading! VHL xx