Author's Note:

Hey you guys! Enjoying the holiday rush? I know-it's crazy!!! I still have SO many gifts I have to buy everyone in my family, and not to mention my FRIENDS! But, I think, when the time comes, I'm going to-for my present for you-give you an extra long, goodie chapter!!!

But you have to wait for Christmas/Hanuka/Kwanzaa gifts, kay? Muahahaha!

But really, let's focus on the present day, right now...two weeks from Christmas. So, I really hope you enjoy this chapter-it's going to be an exciting one!

"However," Edward continued, "It is not the time nor place to discuss this now."

I looked at him, my obvious curiosity burning in my eyes. There was so much I wanted to ask him, so much that I felt I needed to know...But I did wonder-would he answer them all? After these few days that I had just begun to know him, had we developed a strong enough bond? Were these secrets that he was keeping meant to be just that-a secret, and I was not a trustworthy enough person, or a person who had known him long enough to trust, to learn such things that he was keeping so well hidden?

I tried to search in his own eyes for the answer, but only found myself lost in their beauty, the melted golden pools that they were. They bore into me, as always, and only showed the confidence and perfection that he so openly demonstrated.

But I knew better than to think there was just that to this mysterious boy.

I could feel myself losing my wits, drowning in the depths of those butterscotch irises. I could see his lips moving, so obviously trying to tell me something that I was without a doubt going to understand.

"Bella!"

Breaking through my daze, I shook my head, as if I was trying to clear my thoughts and fantasies. "Err...Excuse me?"

"I was asking you if you were hungry...would you like something to eat?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

He looked at me incredulously, his perfect features twisting into a mask of shock and annoyance. "Come now, you just had a near-death experience. Shouldn't you be the least bit dazed and confused? And, coming with all of that confusion, shouldn't your empty stomach need energy?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Please! I told you that this happens on a daily basis. As for being confused..." I paused, dropping my tone. It was almost a whisper, but somehow I knew that he would hear it. "Sir, I think you owe me a few explanations."

He narrowed his eyes, dropping his voice to almost as low as mine. "Bella," he warned, "I told you...this is not the-"

But we were interrupted by loud shriek, a pitch so high and annoying that there was only one possible person who could even try to achieve such obnoxious noises. "OH MY LORD WHAT A COINCIDENCE!"

It was Jessica, that fake smile plastered to her face as she ran toward us, yet another huge and inappropriate hat bouncing on the top of her head, threatening to fall off and possibly puncture the ground with such weight.

And then I noticed that she had yet another accessory dangling from her arm. It was Prince Michael, from...Germany, was it? I remembered him-the cute, baby-ish one with the annoying habit of clinging. His face visibly lifted as he saw me, blue eyes alighting with excitement. But then he saw Edward, at such a close proximity to me that it was obvious to him that we were here together. His features darkened then as he sulked, dragging himself forward with Jessica to meet us.

Behind them, following every step, was Lauren and some boy-a fairly fit, tall boy. He was frowning and rolling his eyes as he was dragged across the fair grounds.

"Why, if it is Edward Cullen!" Jessica exclaimed, throwing Mike to the side-literally. He gave her a puppy dog-like gaze before cheering up again and going next to me.

"Hello Bella!" He grinned and moved closer, stepping so that our bodies were as close as mine and Edward's were. "You look lovely tonight."

I blushed and look toward Edward, who flickered a death glare to him...which he didn't notice. "Er...thank you..." I said, smiling while simultaneously backing away.

I turned to Jessica, who was practically leaning on Edward's arm, batting her eyelashes away. All Edward was intent on, however, was staring at Mike with narrowed, glaring eyes while Mike himself was busy drooling over me.

"So Edward, have you enjoyed yourself tonight?" Lauren asked, finally joining us to my extreme disappointment.

Edward cocked an eyebrow and coldly answered, not once tearing his gaze from Mike, "Yes, thank you very much. And yourself?"

I sighed. Always the perfect gentleman, even when it came to the two most preposterous girls in the entire country.

Before answering, both Lauren and Jessica had a fit of uncontrollable giggling and looking at each other, while everyone else stood there rolling their eyes. "Yes, thank you Edward! We are having the best time!"

"But..." Jessica smirked, adding in a sultry voice. "Do you know what would even make the night grander?" He didn't answer her, so she continued. "A dance with you..."

I could feel my chest tighten, a lump forming in my throat. This was it-he would say yes to her, the beautiful raven-haired girl she is, and would completely forget about me. He would dance the night away, and she would probably ask for a kiss at the end-which he would give. I could see it all plan out in my mind as I realized with a burning jealousy that I was just kidding myself all of this time. Thinking that he, the perfect, kind, beautiful prince that he was would even consider me was the most foolish thought that I could ever have.

Not that I didn't know it would happen sometime, though.

As I was about to make up an excuse for leaving, I heard him say the most shocking thing:

"I'm terribly sorry, Jessica, but I believe that I promised a dance with Bella." He didn't sound terribly sorry at all-in fact, he sounded ecstatic at the let-down.

Jessica's face fell slightly, but then she covered it up with that fake grin. "Oh, I'm sure Isabella wouldn't mind if I had just one tiny dance with you. After all, she can't just have you all to herself, can she? That would just be selfish." She smirked smugly, confident that she would get what she wanted.

"Actually," Edward said, taking my hand in his surprisingly freezing, hard one. He started to lead me away from them, onto the dance floor in the middle of one of the tents. He turned to her one last time as he grinned crookedly, undoubtedly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my lifetime.

"She can." He finished, grabbing my other hand and leading me into a seemingly effortless waltz.

He led me through the floors, never skipping a beat and keeping in perfect time to the slow, flowing music. Professional dancers seemed amateur compared to Edward, as he glided like butter across the floor.

And, the most amazing thing was, was that I didn't trip...at all. It was like I had never been clumsy in my life, that I had always been a naturally born dancer. I fell perfectly into his rhythm, and allowed myself, daringly, to rest my head against his hard chest.

But, much to my surprise, he didn't push me away. He actually pulled me closer, so that his wonderful scent was everywhere, enveloping me in a heavenly blanket of him. If a honey was a smell, he would have had to bathe in it to achieve such an aroma.

And then, without thinking, I blurted, "Edward, are you a va-"

But, before I could get my question out, I was whirled to the side by Edward, who leaned down to my face. "What," He said darkly, his eyes turning black as coals. "Can you be thinking? Do you know what would happen if anyone heard you?"

I was afraid-more than I had ever been. He was positively livid, his hands on the tent's poles on either side of me almost bending them, with the force he was pressuring. "I-I wasn't thinking!" I cried, looking at him with widened, scared eyes.

We stood there for a moment, him glaring at me while I tried to shrink into myself. He was breathing slowly...actually, I don't think he was breathing at all. He had his eyes closed and seemed to be counting.

Finally, pinching the bridge of his nose, he opened his eyes to reveal a much lighter color. "Bella, would you like to take a walk with me? It's a bit...stuffy in here."

It didn't look like he thought it was stuffy at all. In fact, he looked perfectly cool and content, but I didn't protest.

Once we were outside, he began to talk. "Isabella Swan, I suppose I underestimated you. I once believed that all humans were the same-all simple minded and unobservant, caring only about their own foolish desires. I have, as long as I have existed, witnessed the selfishness and cruelty and stupidity that they have shown to carry out.

"But then I met you. At first, all I could see was this small girl with large, deep eyes and positively succulent...well, I suppose we can discuss this another time. Anyhow, the first day I ever saw you I could tell you were different in some way. I couldn't...read you, like you were trying to hide your thoughts from me-in the most literal sense." He raised an eyebrow in confusion, as if it still puzzled him.

But I was more than puzzled. "But...what do you mean by...humans?" Then, I could almost hear the click in my mind. Then that meant..."Oh my...Edward, was I r-right? About you being a-"

He shook his head, putting his hand over my mouth. "Don't say it."

I uncovered it, rolling my eyes. "Fine, then. But can I ask a question?"

"You just did."

"Ugh! You are the most infuriating person!"

He smirked, enjoying this. "Yes, then. One."

"How did you know where I was when that pirate took me? And what do you mean in the literal sense? And how do you seem to know all the time what everyone is thinking? And, do you have a family? Are they all va-I mean, like you? And-"

He narrowed his eyes. "That's more than one."

I shrugged.

"Fine. I followed your scent. Your blood. I was able to detect it through the crowd, easily, as yours is the most appealing one of all of them. And I meant literally, as I couldn't see what you were thinking. I can...read minds. It's my...forte, we can say. That is how I understand what everyone wants me to say. It's a valuable gift-I know when those are getting suspicious of us, so we can go someplace else. But no one questions the royal family-they daren't be made a fool of for insulting the king, not to mention the death penalty for 'false accusations'."

He paused, looking at me to see how I was receiving this. If I was shocked or scared or happy. Maybe he was afraid I would run away.

Maybe he wanted me to run away.

No one said anything for a while. We walked in the misty night, feeling the cold air hit our skin. It was a beautiful night-a full moon, so unlike the one I had seen as I was going to the castle. No, that night was pitch black, a new moon. I smiled to myself thinking how appropriate it was-then I felt as if nothing in the world could change my bad fortune. I felt that my life was forever doomed to boredom and confined castle walls, and betrothals and doing what I was told to do.

But, somehow, Edward made me think otherwise. Now I didn't feel as if my life was just the castle and Harriet and the servants and The King and Queen, my mother and father. He made me realize that there was a world out there, and people, and mysteries. I was so fascinated with him, and this new fact didn't scare me, although I knew it should have. It only made me want to discover more-about him, about his...life and stories.

Finally, he turned to me again. "Bella, we best be getting back to the castle, I'm sure your very tired." He had a sad look in his eye, but he smiled.

I frowned. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

He laughed, breaking the tension again. "Well, tomorrow I was planning to take a trip to the town markets, but I suppose...if you wanted to you could come with me..." He looked at me uncertainly, saying that I could decline if I wanted to. It was my choice, and I was not obliged to come.

But I never would say no to spending time with him, whatsoever. "Please! Take me!"

He grinned at my excitment. "Okay, then. It is a date."

I smiled to myself and whispered, "Yes it is..."

Back at the castle, as Marie helped me into my nightgown, I thought of all of the events of the day. No one had any idea that there was such a world out there-I hadn't, at least. And I am not talking about the kind of world that Marie's sisters, Rebecca and Miranda, went out and so freely explored with their lovers. No, I was talking about a world that no one can see, only experience. The world where people like Edward hold their secrets and my fantasies that once seemed impossible. The kind of world that very few people can realize and explore. And, a world that made me realize that I was falling into a deep, seemingly bottomless pit of love.

I was falling in love with Edward Cullen.