Chapter 14: Chapter 14

I had to rewrite this twice but I made it real long since I've been putting out semi-crappy chapters lately.

I was nervous, as I looked at myself in the small mirror in the bathroom. It wasn't a bikini, but it wasn't a one piece, which I usually wore. "C'mon Bella! You look hot" I could practically hear Alice saying. When she had bought me this, when she got my size, I had no idea.

I took a deep breath running a hand threw my hair and opened the door.

Edward was outside with my bag at his feet looking more like a Greek god than anyone had a right to be. He was truly the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. With a chiseled tan chest an amazing 6 pack, bronze hair that I was dying to run my hands threw, and an amazing personality to match his looks.

I tripped over my own feet and waited for the impact of the cement. It never came. Instead I fell into a pair of strong arms encircling my waist.

I looked up to see Edward's face his eyes sparkling. "You've got to be more careful Bella, we wouldn't want you to get hurt."

I childishly stuck my tongue out at him as he laughed at my embarrassed red face.

As I stood up I saw, as he looked me up and down. I bit my lip unconsciously and I saw a special gleam in his eyes before he quickly looked away a gorgeous pink shading his cheeks as he noticed that I saw.

I looked over past his shoulder grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. The beach was pretty empty today except for a few people. "Race you to the water," I said and then took off running down the beach.

The sand squished under my feet and it was harder to run but I pushed myself father and faster. I heard Edward's feet pound against the ground a few seconds later. He was catching up with me.

We raced down the beach and I saw the few people that were on the beach give us strange looks.

"Go pale chick!" I heard someone yell and I laughed nearly loosing my balance and falling on my face.

My feet hit the deck as soon as Edward's did. Edward got to the end first as he did a cannon ball into the water. I froze as the drops hit my bare skin. It was cold.

Edward's head broke through the ripple of water as he smiled up at me. "What's wrong Bella?"

"Cold," I mumbled trying not to look at him. He was too gorgeous it was nearly impossible.

I wasn't looking at him so I didn't see his hand reach out and snatch my foot pulling me into the water with him.

I shrieked as I went under taking in a mouth full of water. My head came up from the water and I had a little coughing fit getting all the water out of my lungs. Edward was laughing to death behind me a huge smile on his face and his eyes sparkling. The sun reflected off of his soaked hair making it look more like a golden flame and I couldn't help but smile at him.

I smirked at him and then dove deep into the water.

I swam deep so he couldn't tell where I was. I popped up a while away and his surprised expression turned towards me.

"Can't catch me," I shouted before diving back into the water.

He followed me but he couldn't find me. Finally something I just might possibly be better at than him. I appeared behind him jumping onto his back and wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Gotcha," I whispered in his ear and I felt a shiver roll down his back. Did I do that? Or was he just cold? The water wasn't too bad once you get used to it. Either way, Rose would be proud. I was shocked I did that too.

"Hey!" I heard an unfamiliar low voice shout from a bit away.

I turned around climbing down from Edward's back and saw 3 guys and a girl coming our way. They all had black hair and russet colored skin.

The girl was gorgeous wearing a deep blue one piece with her long black hair fanning out behind her in the water and her tiny brown eyes.

One of the guys stood out more than the rest. He looked so familiar. The dimples, the taking over your face smile, the sparkling eyes, the short black hair that spiked up when it was wet. Where do I know him? I know I do. I know I do. Where? It was going to kill me if I couldn't figure it out!

"Hey," Edward yelled back confused.

They all finally reached us and the familiar looking guy smiled down at me. He must have been about 2 feet taller than him.

"Hey we noticed you guys racing. I was routing for you paley," one of the guys said winking playfully at me. It didn't seem like he was flirting but Edward draped his arm around my shoulder. What the heck was that?

What if he actually did like me? Was it possible that for once in her life Rose might have been right? That one of her schemes might have actually worked?

"And Jacob over here noticed you," the guy said pointing to the familiar guy.

"Jacob," I suddenly shouted. "I knew you looked so familiar…. Whoa! When did you get so tall! You were always shorter than me!" I said punching him in the shoulder.

I felt so stupid! How could I not see that was Jacob!

Jake's face lit up as I recognized him. "It's nice to see you again Bells, and sorry I can't help it if I grow and you 'ont."

"Bella," Edward said. I had almost forgotten he was there except his arm was still draped across my shoulder holding me to his side. "You know him."

"Oh sorry, um guys this is Edward."

Jake nodded at Edward. "This is Embry," he pointed to the shorter one. "And Quill, and this is Leah."

"Hey," I said with a little wave.

"Hey." "Hi." Leah just blinked.

"So…you guys in the mood for a little chicken fight?" Jake asked. "We're unbeatable," Jake said wrapping his arms around Leah and pulling her into his chest. Leah smiled up at me showing off her perfect teeth but her eyes stayed in a glare.

He has a girlfriend! Since when does Jake date! The only person he's ever been interested in is…me…and I said no. I shouldn't feel so mad about this. He's practically my brother! Well I haven't seen him in years, but he was still my brother! I should not be mad. He can date whom he wants.

I felt Edward tense behind me.

"Your on!" I said faking enthusiasm and smiling just as brightly at her as she was at me while we were also trying to kill the other with our eyes.

"You okay?" Edward asked. I was currently sitting on his shoulders, his hands on my thighs holding me in place. This would've been extremely awkward if I wasn't overpowered by the hate I felt for Leah. The hate, hot and boiling over, distracted me from all of that.

I don't know why I hated her so much. Jake was just my best friend right? But Leah was an absolute bitch. She reminded me of Alex, her crude attitude. Jacob really didn't have good taste!

"Fine," I grumbled. Leah was on Jake's shoulders smiling her bittersweet smile up at me as I tried to kill her with my eyes.

"Chic Fight!" Embry yelled. "Go!"

She launched at me grabbing my shoulders and trying to tear me off and into the water. I shoved her away as far as I could. She fell backwards the tip of her long hair just barely dipping into the water before she sprang back up. I leaned down splashing water in her face and as she was distracted I shoved her again trying to throw her off. She caught my arm slinging it back and making me almost loose my balance. Edward grabbed my legs pulling me up and balancing me on his shoulders again. Leah grabbed my wrist trying to through me off balance again. We both grabbed each other's shoulders at the same time. She dug her nails deep into my shoulder as her piercing brown eyes shot into mine. I did the same, trying to hurt her, make her bleed, anything.

"Stay away from him!" she growled so low but menacing only I could hear it.

"You stay away from him! I don't even like him! Go back to wherever hell you raised up from and leave us alone!" I wasn't really sure who I was talking about when I said us; Jake and I, Edward and I, Jake, Edward and I?

"The only us is Jake and I. Now leave him alone!" she whisper yelled.

I was practically expecting her to blow up from all the hate I was shooting at her.

How dare she accuse me of trying to steal Jake from her! She deserved it, but I wouldn't do that. Jake was just my friend! Just my friend, just my friend, I don't like Jacob, he's just my friend. It sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

At the same time we both tugged on each other's shoulder trying to throw the other off. My leg slid off of Edward's shoulder and I hit the water the second the Leah did.

I sucked up quite a bit of water and when I got up I started having a choking fit. My shoulders were killing me, and I was pretty sure that she had left a mark as I probably did with her.

" You girls okay?" Jake said as he pulled Leah to her feet and looked nervously between the both of us.

"Fine, just swallowed a little water," I choked out.

I looked over at Edward. I couldn't quite tell the expression on his face; worried, sad, mad, depressed, passion, and was that lust? Not a chance.

"Woo! Bells won!" Embry shouted his fist pumping in the air.

"Are you kidding? Bella went down way before Leah," Quill shouted.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"It was a tie," Jake and Edward shouted at the same time.

I looked over to see Leah glaring at me her arms crossed over her chest. I saw a small cut on her shoulder in the shape of my fingernails. It broke the skin, but not enough to bleed. I looked over on my shoulder to find an identical mark. I crossed my arms over my chest, matching her death glare.

EPOV

The hate between Leah and Bella would be obvious to anyone and anything. That is, except for that dog Jacob.

They both stood glaring at each other their arms crossed over the chest. I saw a small cut on each of their shoulders that looking like fingernails.

I instantly hated Leah for hurting my Bella. No! Not my Bella! She wasn't mine….yet. Someday maybe she will be, I hope.

And that Jake guy; I was so extremely jealous of him. Bella obviously felt something for him. Especially at how jealous she was getting about Leah. She said they were just friends. Well she didn't say it, but it was implied.

"Gosh it was just a game!" Jacob said laughing to himself.

I saw Bella give him a weird look, was that love. No she didn't like him. They were just friends. Please just be friends!

"Yea Leah," Embry said accusingly. "Hey I'm hungry…lets go get something to eat!" short attention span on that one.

"Sure," Jake shrugged looking at Bella and I…. that sounded nice. Bella and I. Edward and Bella. Bella and Edward.

God, I'm pathetic.

"Sounds fun!" Bella said. She sounded cheerful, but I could hear the anger and fakeness in the voice.

We walked over to the beach and ate out of picnic basket someone named Emily had packed for them.

BPOV

I actually had a good time after the chicken fight. I hope Edward was too, but I couldn't tell. He kept giving me these weird looks, and every time I caught him staring at me I blushed bright red making Quill burst out laughing every time.

We had sandwiches for lunch, and surprisingly the were quite low on the sand part. Usually when you eat at the beach you end up swallowing a mouth full of sand no matter what you do and how careful you are.

Jake and I caught up, and I learned a little bit about Quill and Embry. Jake was working on this 'rabbit' car that he was entirely rebuilding from scratch. I was surprised. The last time I had seen him we were making mud pies in the backyard, and now he's building cars. My Jakers is growing up.

Another thing, I was nearly positive that I had no feelings, more than friendship anyway, for Jacob. So why did I act so jealous whenever Leah was around? I had no idea but I couldn't stop the anger from bubbling up.

After lunch, Jake and Edward raced. Those 2 competed over absolutely everything and it was kind of deathly annoying and kind of hilarious. Even when they ate it was a race.

They ran along the beach seeing who was faster…. a lot. After the…. I think 12th time they gave in and declared it a tie both boys winning 6.

"Well as fun as this had been…. we should probably get going," I said suddenly. We were all sitting in the sand just talking.

Okay, I said I was having fun. And I was. But Leah was really getting on my nerves. Just the simplest things she did, made me furious. She never stopped touching Jake, she drew little patterns on his bare chest, when she randomly leaned over giving his a kiss ranging between a little peck and heated, passionate, making out. And she knew it was pissing me off. Because she was only doing them to make me mad. I knew it. Just like Alex.

"Yea," Edward agreed jumping to his feet and offering me a hand. I took it gratefully and we thanked them for lunch and started walking away.

"Hey! Rematch next time!" I heard Jake yell at Edward's back and he just nodded his head a small smirk gracing his lips.

"I'm gonna go change," I said quickly running into the bathroom.

I got dressed, combed through me hair, and tried to get all the sticky sand off of me as quick as I could.

When I came out Edward was of course waiting for me dressed back in his jeans and T-shirt.

Shirt on or off, he looked unbelievable gorgeous.

"Where to next?" he said smiling brightly down at me as I walked to his side.

"Port angles?" I asked.

"Sure." He grabbed my bag slinging it over his shoulder and started walking towards the Volvo.

"I love the beach," I said randomly looking at the trees surrounding the sand.

Edward smiled down at me taking a piece of my hair that was in my face and tucking it behind my ear.

"It's beautiful."

I got lost in his eyes then. Two perfect orbs of sparkling green (I have yet to find something the exact color of his eyes; trees no, grass no, and it surely wasn't neon green) seemed to melt under my gaze.

Suddenly his eyes got huge and he jumped back a few feet. He seemed to be looking just past my shoulder and I swiveled around quickly.

There on the ground was a orange little ball of fur chewing on a cracker from someone's lunch most likely. A squirrel.

It looked so cute and harmless with it's bushy tail. I looked back at Edward to see his eyes nearly as big as plates scooting against the line of trees on the path we were walking on. When his eyes were big like that it only made his hair look messier.

I tried to keep from laughing; I really did, knowing that he was honestly scared to death of these things. I couldn't. As soon as I saw his face I burst out laughing so loud I heard a few birds take off from the sudden loud noise.

Edward's gaze turned to me his eyes still wide slowly turned into slits as he glared at me.

I covered my mouth trying to stifle the laughter but a loud snort came out instead making me laugh harder.

"This is not funny Isabella!" Edward said turning his back to me and walking away. I noticed how he took fast steps, always had a wary eye on that squirrel, and kept to the edge of the trees putting as much space between him and the squirrel as possible.

I instantly felt bad for laughing at him and hurried to catch up with him.

He was waiting in the Volvo his arms crossed against his chest and his lip stuck out the lightest bit in a pout.

I held down the giggle that nearly fell out of my mouth and slid in the car.

He twisted the key and started driving off.

"Come on Edward! I'm sorry for laughing. You can't honestly be mad at me; it was just your facial expression. I really didn't mean to. I know how badly your freaked out by them. But if you had seen your face you would have laughed to." I said breaking through the silence.

I really did feel bad, but how can he really get mad at me for that. It was just too funny.

His position relaxed and he ran a hand threw his hair. "I'm not really mad at you Bella…. And I just did that for you. I know how funny you think that story is, so I thought I'd…amuse you."

"Bull," I said loudly. "You were scared and you know it! Don't try to make up some excuse. The Great Edward Cullen has a weakness!"

"Do not."

"Do so."

"Do not!"

"Do so!"

"Do not."

"Do so."

"Do not."

"Promise not to tell?" he said sheepishly finally giving in.

I laughed. "I promise."

Silence.

No, no silence. Rose's rule.

"So did you like them?"

"Oh yea. They're cool. Embry and Quill and pretty funny. You should hear some of things they've done!" Edward said laughing at the memory.

"And what about Jacob and Leah," I didn't mean to but I said Leah while gritting my teeth.

He noticed, you could tell, but thank god he didn't mention it. "Jacob seems nice enough, little too competitive." You're one to talk. " And Leah…well there a good couple. She seems ok."

We talked and talked and talked. I can't remember a time when I had talked for so long and laughed so hard. For part of the time Edward and I even rolled down all the windows and started screaming out the lyrics to the song we were listening to at random cars passing by. We got some weird looks, but it was so much fun.

Finally we arrived in Port angles.

We walked around a lot, looking into random shops.

"Oh let's go in here!" I said pulling Edward into this little stored with lots of bright colors everywhere.

I threw a cowboy hat onto Edward's head and some dorky huge glasses with big rims.

"Smile!" I said pulling out my camera and snapping a picture.

He took off the stuff placing the hat on my head. "You look a lot better in it."

I tipped my hat grabbing some more random stuff on the counters.

We got lots of pictures in that store. One of Edward and I each in the cowboy hat. One of me in a hot pink beret and matching sunglasses looking evilly at a wad of cash. (Sadly they were all ones) One of Edward in a tux looking like James Bond. (God he looked amazing in that) One of me in a hippie outfit pouting my lips and doing the peace sign. One of Edward wearing this whole gangster outfit and jumping up and down clapping his hands. (We nearly got kicked out of the store because I was rolling on the floor laughing from that)

We finally left the store much o the employee's relief.

Oh this place looks so cute," I said. I think Alice is rubbing off on me. I pulled Edward into this small little store.

It was filled with brightly colored dream colors and Native American styled jewelry. I loved the style, and always had. I was surprised that Edward didn't complain. He just stood there talking and laughing with me as I pulled him into stores. He rarely ever chooses the store. The whole place was warm and this unique in a good way smell to it, and there was some Indian flute playing in the background.

It was then that I had never let go of his hand. I was instantly embarrassed and was going to let go but couldn't bring myself to. He seemed completely happy and at east with us holding hands. Maybe he really did like me. It wasn't impossible…. just unlikely.

There was only one way to find out. Every girl knows it, the ultimate test. Fail or pass.

I squeezed his hand loving the feelings of his warm hand. He squeezed back.

He likes me.

FINALLY! That's it for now, but I'm already working on the next chapter. I was going to make this loner and have the whole day, but this seemed like the perfect time to stop and this is alreaddy real long. sorry if it's a cliffy, but....yea.

So many people loved Edward's fear of squirrels so i had to add that and c'mon Edward's so perfect in the books it annoys me. the boys gotta have some flaws

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