The Twilight Twenty-Five
thetwilight25 dot com
Prompt: Forbidden
Main Character: Bella
Rating: M
Word Count: 492


Autumn has fallen victim to peer-pressure lately, copying the pattern of summer's days and then imitating winter by night. The sun is just sinking below the treeline, it's warmth already fled, when Victoria and I arrive at Alec's. I trail after Vic as she heads through the house and out into the backyard. With her vivid hair, she's like a flame moving through a sea of moths, the way everyone moves towards her to hug her or bump fists.

I am absolutely not looking for Edward as I do a lap of the yard, saying hi and seeing who's here. And I am absolutely not disappointed when he doesn't materialise in front of me in that way he does. I pull the sleeves of my cardigan over my hands and hug my arms to my chest.

"Drink?" Alec holds up a couple of Vodka Cruisers and a can of Solo.

I choose the Solo and he shakes his head, his blond hair flopping over one eye. "Not allowed to drink?"

"I don't drink that crap." I point at the brightly coloured alcopops. "Remember I spewed everywhere at Sam's party? I feel sick just looking at them."

Alec waves the bottles in my face, grinning like an idiot. I shove him away and pop open the can of soft drink. He takes the hint, wandering over to the group of Northern girls who have just arrived, and I sink into a plastic chair by the pool.

Victoria, Lauren, and a few other girls join me, and I forget I'm disappointed Edward isn't here as we trade stories and gossip. Night descends and the music goes up a notch. A few of the guys are getting pretty amped up, I can hear them yelling over the music and I know it won't be long before someone ends up in the pool.

Victoria is talking to a girl from Northern—Siobhan, maybe—when I stand up, the pressure in my bladder too uncomfortable to ignore any longer. She grabs my hand and I lean down to tell her I'll be right back.

He finds me as I'm leaving the bathroom, drying my hands on the skirt of my dress. "Where've you been hiding, Jasmine?"

The butterflies are back in force. Edward leans against the wall to my left, a tinny of VB in his hand.

"I've been around." I glance at the can in his hand, like it will help me gauge how much he's had to drink. His cheeks are flushed, but his gaze is steady as he looks down at me.

"Did you win at hockey?"

I'm surprised he remembered. "Nope. Lost by one."

"Bummer."

"Yep."

We look at each other for a moment and he doesn't say anything and neither do I. I turn away, feeling stupid and disappointed. The butterflies trail behind me as I move to rejoin my friends outside.

"Hey." Edward catches me as I reach the verandah. "Wait up."


Solo = lemon-flavoured soda; VB = beer; alcopops = premixed alcoholic drinks marketed to girls. brightly coloured, sugary sweet.

Thanks so much for reading. Shell x