AN: Thank you to Nature's Melody, ilvgonzaga, LittleStarThingys, oneiros lykos, wherthewild1s-trulyare, RemedyX, Fire.or.Ice and WithTheTasteOfUrLipsImOnARide for the reviews, alerts and favorites. I haven't been bowling in ages so forgive me if things get a bit inaccurate. Plus, it might be the shortest chapter. Enjoy the madness .

21. Distraction:

Edward:

"I'll go first," Alice sang out as she danced over to the ball caddy, her hand hovering over the sixteen pound ball.

We have a guest, I reminded her and she picked up an eight pound ball instead.

"Watch and learn guys," she called over her shoulder before taking aim.

The ball glided down the lane and knocked down all ten pins. A strike. Her next shot was, surprise, another strike. She beamed as she skipped over to her seat.

Try not to show off too much, I warned and she stuck her tongue out at me.

Bella was next. She also managed a spare. She grinned at me as she sat down and I shook my head.

"Who's next?" Alex asked.

"Go for it," I nodded, "I'll go last."

Alex shrugged and chose his ball. His first shot knocked down three pins and his second saw a strike. Elizabeth got up to take her turn and knocked down seven pins but her second ball missed completely.

"Well done," Alex smiled at her, "You did really good for your first try."

"Thanks," she beamed at him and then turned that smile on me, "You're turn, Edward."

Knock em dead, Daddy-O, she sent at me.

I shook my head at her but got up from my seat. I heard Alice snicker and knew that she was already picturing my eminent demise. Bella leaned forward in her seat as I took my ball. Okay. This should be easy. I closed my eyes momentarily before I tried to focus on the pins. As soon as I let go of the ball, I knew I was done for. It hit the lane and rolled sideways and kept going, right into the gutter. As soon as it hit the groove, Alice burst out laughing. I turned in time to see Bella attempt to hide her smile.

"Wow," she said, "That was um..."

"Oh, shut up," I snapped, retrieving the ball.

I walked up to the line and glared at the pins as if it were their fault for my lack of bowling skills.

Focus young Jedi, I heard Elizabeth say just as I released the ball.

I had been distracted by her thought and sent the ball rolling in the wrong direction again. However, I was pleasantly surprised when it managed to knock over one pin before finding its place in the gutter. My ears were assaulted by another outburst of giggles.

"Go," I snarled at Alice as I took my seat.

"No need to be rude just because you suck," she chimed.

I hate you.

No you don't, she replied cheerfully, releasing the ball.

Didn't I tell you to stop that! I hissed as she made another spare.

What? she replied innocently as she sat down, I could just be really really good.

Bella sat down again, still smiling. I don't know what my face was doing but she obviously thought that she needed to help. Her hand slid into mine and I looked at her, expecting to see mockery on her face but only saw her loving smile. I couldn't be angry when she was looking at me like that.

I thought they were supposed to be siblings, Alex's thought brushed through my head and I tensed a bit, Well, I guess it's okay. It's not like they're actually related.

Bella squeezed my hand and I offered her a smile. We didn't need to worry about the human boy just yet.

Dad, Elizabeth called and I realized that it was my turn.

As I steadied my arm for the shot I was distracted yet again by Alex's mind.

I sure hope that Dr. Cullen doesn't adopt any more kids, especially anymore pretty boys like Edward. I don't think I could ever stand a chance against another one of him.

"You're supposed to let the ball go, Edward," Alice said, "That's how you knock the pins down, you see. Or in your case, try to knock the pins down."

"Alice," Bella chuckled, "Be nice."

"I will not," she replied cheerfully and Bella laughed.

I shook my head and sent the ball down the lane, holding my breath, so to speak. The ball actually knocked down four pins. Four whole pins!

"Holy once-in-a-lifetime event, Batman," Alice exclaimed, "You actually hit more than one pin!"

"Alice," I said in a warning tone.

"Edward," she called back in that sing-song voice of hers.

I glared at her again as I retrieved the ball, storming over to the lane and putting all of my focus on the remaining six pins.

That sure is a short skirt she's wearing, I felt my hands tighten on the ball and had to force myself to relax before I smashed it.

Just ignore him. Focus on the pins and ignore everything else.

Wow! Those tights are practically see-through!

I dropped the ball. I had to. It was either that or have it shatter to pieces in my hands. I heard a loud smack as the ball hit the floor, hard. It took me hearing Elizabeth's gasp to realize that the ball had actually struck my foot. I suppose that would have hurt a human and then I remembered that we were playing human and I allowed myself to fall to the ground, clutching at my foot, feigning injury.

Bella was at my side in moments.

"What the heck was that," she said to me too quickly and quietly for the humans to hear.

"Alex," I replied in a murderous tone.

The others were with us now and I tried to convey with my eyes that I would tell her about it later, when we didn't have an audience.

Way to get out of the rest of the game, Alice shook her head at me.

That's not why I did it. It was purely accidental that it hit my foot, not intentional.

Sure, she sighed.

"Dude," Alex said as bent down next to me, "Are you okay?"

"Obviously not," I hissed under pretence of pain.

"I think we better get you home," Bella announced, "Hopefully Dad will be there and we can make sure it's not broken."

"Good idea," I winced as they helped me stand and I hobbled over to the chair for dramatic effect.

"We're going to need to take that shoe off," Elizabeth stated with pure panic in her voice.

"Go with Alex and get the car opened for us," Alice replied, using Elizabeth's fear in a different manner.

Get him away from me right now, I sent to Elizabeth, Pretend you're squeamish or something.

Elizabeth turned a convincing shade of green as she saw Bella go for my "injured" foot and turned to leave. As we all knew he would, Alex followed after her. We watched them as they returned their own shoes, pretending to struggle with my foot in case we were being observed and once they were out the door, we all straightened up.

"So are you going to tell me what this show is about," Alice asked in a somewhat exasperated voice.

"Alex," I snarled and then pointed a finger at her, "You are never, ever picking out her clothes again."

"But I thought she looked good," Alice said innocently.

"Too good," I replied, "She does a better job of dressing herself."

"But she looks like a tomboy," Alice wrinkled her nose, "A designer tomboy, but a tomboy nonetheless and I just can't allow it anymore."

"Yes you will," I replied tersely, "If you could hear what that boy thinks, you would leave her choice of clothes alone, too."

"Edward, he's a teenage boy," Bella sighed, "He'd think sexual thoughts about her even if she were covered from head to toe."

"She's not wrong," Alice shrugged.

"But," I tired to explain but I knew that I had lost this particular battle.

Bella laughed and pulled me closer, "You're so adorable when you're being overprotective."

"I have to agree," Alice laughed.

I glared at both women before I got up and and followed them to return our shoes. Bella and Alice then took one arm each and "helped" me hobble over to the car.

"I think I'll drive," Bella announced, helping me into the passenger's seat.

"Sorry guys," I replied, not sorry at all for the excuse to leave.

"It's not your fault," Elizabeth replied.

Damn right it wasn't.

Alice heaved a martyred sigh, "And I was winning too."

We got to Alex's house and he exited the car.

"Sorry about your foot, man," he said, "I hope it's not broken or anything."

"Thanks," I forced myself to say in a civil tone, "Sorry about ruining the fun."

"It's cool, " he replied, "Thanks for the ride, guys. I'll see you on Monday."

We all bid him goodnight and Bella drove off.

"So?" Elizabeth said after a long moment of silence.

"So when we get home, you're burning that skirt," I replied.

"Uh-huh," Elizabeth sighed, "That's fine. I only wore it cause Aunt Alice wanted me to."

"Don't blame it on me!" Alice cried.

"Sorry," Elizabeth replied, "But you're a little more durable than I am."

Bella started laughing then, "Honestly, you three."

"I have to admit that the whole scene was well played," Alice said, "If not a bit delayed on Edward's part."

"I was a little distracted," I shot back.

"He could have been in shock," Elizabeth suggested of my delay.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," I said to her, glad for her defence.

Bella chortled again as we pulled into the garage. Once we were in the house, we all went our separate ways, Alice racing up the stairs. I had no doubt in my mind that I would soon have Emmett and Jasper teasing me about the ordeal. As Bella and I entered our room, Elizabeth knocked on the open door to signal her presence. She then handed me the offending skirt with a smile on her face.

"I figure I'd let you do the honors," she shrugged, "Good night."

"Good night, honey," Bella replied, "Sleep well."

"I plan to," Elizabeth beamed, "I got the vervain with me."

She then walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. I looked down at the strip of fabric in my hands that could barely be called a skirt and wasted no time in shredding it into near microscopic pieces. I looked at Bella with a joyous smile and she smirked from her position on the bed.

"Feel better?" She asked.

"Much," I replied, laying beside her.

She was quiet for a while before I saw her face twitching, as if she were fighting off a smile or trying not to laugh.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

She lost the battle and her face split into a large grin, "I was better at something than you were."

I rolled my eyes at her, "Yeah, well, I'm starting to see that you're actually better at a lot of things."

"Or really?" She said, "Like what?"

"Like patience," I said, "And intuition."

"And bowling," she smiled wickedly, "Don't forget that."

"And bowling," I chuckled.

She moved down a bit so that our faces were closer together. That gorgeous, loving smile was on her face again and I reached for her, my hand caressing her cheek.

"Had I any breath, you would always steal it away," I said.

"Now there is the one thing that I can never be better at," Bella sighed, "I can never dazzle you the way you dazzle me."

"I wouldn't say that," I whispered.

"Shall we call it even, then," she smiled, her lips inches from mine.

"Even," I said, my words melting into the kiss seamlessly.