First of all, I APOLOGIZE!! Really, my days are pretty filled, and then somewhere along these days some stuff happened and I got delayed in my writing again, but I'm here now! So read and enjoy this chapter! REVIEWS are love! ((:

Love is an electric blanket with somebody else in control of the switch.
- Cathy Carlyle

***

I should have known! I laughed along with them as we entered the ice-cream parlour hand in hand, thoughts of Edward and my painful heart tossed out the window...at least temporarily.

***

BPOV:

When the yellow Porsche eventually pulled up at the Cullen's garage, my feet were aching badly and my arms felt like I had been to the gym and worked out for four hours. No wonder they say shopping helps women all over the world get rid of their excess calories!

Esme had called us while Alice and Rosalie were contemplating which stores to tackle next, saving me and my battled feet the hassle of another round of "Barbie Bella". Esme had graciously cooked us dinner, and wanted to invite me over as well, since Charlie would be working late again, needing to cover his sick partner's shift. The girls had decided that Esme's cooking was a better trade than more shopping and we had headed straight back after the call.

As I stepped out of Alice's baby, I noticed that it was still drizzling. The sky was still overcast, in a sombre grey and the horizons were dark, the sun rays masked by the clouds. Another twilight, the end of another day.

Jasper came out and greeted us before Alice flung herself into his arms, giving him a kiss on the lips as she retold the story of our shopping spree to him. Jasper good-naturedly picked up her shopping bags and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her into the warm house.

Behind me, Emmett had sneaked up to surprise Rosalie, and the shopping bags laid at their feet, temporarily forgotten, as Rosalie locked her lips with Emmett's, lost in their heated passion. Ah, what separation can do to some couples!

Glancing at the happy couples around me, I felt out of place. I had never notice before that every one of them were coupled up. Alice had Jasper, Rosalie had Emmett, and before today, I thought I had Edward. But now, as I looked at them, I felt a tug in my heart. Maybe it was envy, maybe it was admiration. I wanted to be in a relationship too! Not just any relationship, but one with my beloved. I let out a soft sigh, and watch the mist escape from my breath. Keeping my eyes averted to the ground so that I need not torture myself from all the unhidden passion of my friends, I walked to the side door to get out of the garage and into the house.

"Ouch! Owwww…." I could not help the whine and yelp that escape when I found myself banging head first into something hard. Rubbing my nose, I frowned and looked up into a smirking face. Edward.

"Hey Bells, had fun shopping?" He was clearly in a good mood, chuckling as he asked. Without waiting for my reply, he stooped to take the shopping bags from me, lifting them effortlessly with one hand, while I rubbed my painful nose. Edward turned to walk into the house, shooting me an amused look in the process. He smiled wider, and bent down so that our heads were levelled, his perfect teeth gleaming white.

The green emeralds that met mine were playful and teasing, but still striking and breathe-taking at the same time. His face was just inches from mine, and I felt fireworks shot through my body. Automatically, I held my breath and closed my eyes, feeling Edward's warm minty breath on my cheeks. Is he going to kiss me? Should he be kissing me!? As a million thoughts ran through my cluttered mind, I felt his free hand cupped my cheek and then…

"Edward! That hurts! What was that about?!!"

Edward was grinning like a Cheshire cat, laughing as he ruffled my hair and made his way into the house. He had pinched my nose! As much as I wanted to complain, I could not help the fluttering in my heart. Even in my broken state, he still had the power to make my heart race and beat rapidly. Only he had that power, only Edward could do that to me. I sighed in defeat at the irony of my situation and followed his lead.

***

Dinner is never a simple affair at the Cullen's. Esme had prepared steaks for us, a specialty of hers. The meat was tender and juicy, cooked to perfection, and served with baked potatoes. Carlisle had gone to his cellar and dug out a bottle of 1983 Chateau Latour Pauillac red wine, one of his many expensive, antique collections.

The plates were finally cleared and we had all gathered back and settled in the living room, where a movie was playing, when Alice bounded elatedly into the room, waving a cream envelope in the air.

"Everyone, look, look!"

"What's that love?" Jasper was the first to respond to her while it took a moment for us to register Alice's excitement.

"It's an invite for our high school reunion! They are having a carnival and all past year students are cordially welcome to return and visit! It's called a homecoming. This is so exciting; we get to go and see how others look like now, and catch up with our pals. I can't wait to go!"

I looked from Alice eager face to the letter that she was waving around and recoiled a little at the thought of going for the homecoming. Back in high school, I was the plain Jane, the one people raised their eyebrows at when they saw me sitting at the same lunch table with Edward, the school's smartest student and one of the best jocks. I was not eager to meet up with Jessica and Sarah, the popular girls who tormented me restlessly about being Edward's best friend.

"Bella, you are going right?"

Alice had apparently caught the look of distaste on my face, and was now turning her attention to me, effectively tossing me into the spotlight. I cringed slightly, feeling like a helpless child tossed into an undercurrent. Knowing she wanted an answer, I wrinkled my eyebrows and shook my head slightly.

"Bella love, why don't you want to go? All of us are going and it would be nice to go visit the place we spent so many of our waking hours at back in those days, don't you think? It could be fun!" Edward was giving me his puppy face and I raised my eyebrows slightly.

"Yes, Bella. It would not be the same if you didn't go with us. Even Emmett and Rosalie who graduated three years ago are going, and you just graduated a year ago. Come on, say you will come."

As I mulled over whether to go or not, I vaguely saw Rosalie nudging Alice on the shoulder and questioning her about the "three years ago" comment. Rosalie claimed that Alice was indirectly calling her old, and Alice was bowing to Rosalie, hailing her "Old Gangster Rose". Everyone was in high spirits as they joked and laughed at the new nickname.

I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked up into a sea of green. Edward was standing by my side, and he kept his hands on my shoulders, squeezing it lightly as he whispered.

"Hey stranger, why don't you want to go? I'll be there; wouldn't it be nice if we could relive those memories together?" He flashed his crooked smile at me, pouting slightly as his long, dexterous fingers gently swept my wayward hair out of my face.

"Please? For me?"

His hands were back on my shoulders, massaging them and relieving the tension from the lack of sleep and my crazy shopping spree. I felt my resistance crumbling, and gave a defeated nod. Edward smiled and beamed at me.

"Bella is going!" He announced to the room as he pulled me to sit on the floor against the couch with him. Almost instinctively, I shrugged out of his touch and struggled covertly to move away from his welcoming heat, but he caught my arms.

"Come here love, your shoulders are really tense. Let me massage them for you." The words he murmured were soft and sensual, as he spun me around so that I had my back pressed against his chest, his arms working their way with the tight muscles on my shoulders.

I let out another sigh. A sigh of contentment, a sigh of frustration, a sigh of resentment. Contented that I was in his arms, frustrated that I could not resist and resentment at my own lack of courage. I felt my eyelids grew heavier and the movie became out of focus as my head came to rest on my favourite spot, the crook of Edward's neck between his head.

One of the last thing I heard or imagined was a whispered, "Sleep now, my love" in a low velvety voice, followed by a very familiar humming and then I gave in to the darkness that overtook the room.

***

It's a short chapter, but I think it will do alright for now! (: Review, reviews! I need my dosage of confidence from you all!

I will try and update as soon as I can! My holidays are almost over, and I'm about to be tossed back into my busy life of a student. Ah, wells.