Disclaimer: We do not own the Cullen family or Bella as portrayed in the Twilight series created by Stephenie Meyer.

Journal Entry Fourteen – Smitten Revenge [1958]

After our display in the cafeteria on Monday, school life flowed smoother for Bella and I. We were now the schools number one item, but on Thursday, Jim began taking bets as too how long it would last. His opinion was that I would drop her because she wasn't as pretty as my sisters were, as though I would ever compare her to my sisters, and I never once thought of Bella as a sister. Besides, even though he thinks my sisters are pretty, I find Bella more beautiful than anyone else I had ever met. His problem and that of the entire school population really is that he did not understand what it means for a vampire to be in love. It is not just being in love, it on an entirely different plane from human love, which can be so ephemeral that it is pathetic. Not that I believe Bella's love is fleeting; no, everything about Bella surpasses the ordinary in every way. If it didn't, she would have chosen a normal human over me shortly after arriving in Tacoma.

I suspected that more than just her blood drew me to her; her mystique also drew me to her, and I had a feeling I could spend all eternity with her yet never resolve all the mysteries surrounding her. The major one concerned my inability to hear her thoughts. With everyone else, it came simply, and in most humans, their thinking involved very little complexity. In my own family, Jasper and Carlisle had the most complex thoughts, but with Bella, it went further than just the complexity of thoughts, it included the overall complexity of her mind. After meeting her father, I wondered if she inherited part of it from him and then the rest was all her. My other option revolved around the number of life and death situations she had been in over the years and the fact that she grazed death so many times had somehow changed something inside of her.

With her inimitability, I could not fathom why Jim thought I would lose interest in her; however, not wanting to miss the betting pool, both Emmett and Jasper placed their bets. Of course, they based their guesses on Alice's vision and the fact that everyone in the family knew I had already proposed to her. Emmett's major concern was the pay-off. He wanted to know how soon Jim would admit he and Jasper had won; unfortunately for them, Jim refused to answer.

By lunch on Friday, everyone in the school knew Bella and I were going on our first date that evening. Up until that day, there had been speculation amongst some of the students that Bella and I had secretly been dating for some time but since they all seemed to know this would be our first date it was my guess that Emmett was the one who informed everyone, and just to be funny, he hung a large note on my locker that read, 'He is smitten by a kitten.'

Bella didn't find it very funny, so to get back at him, she put on some lipstick she had borrowed from a friend – I hadn't really noticed until then that Bella didn't wear makeup – and picked up a small bottle of perfume from her locker and waited for Emmett to walk by, which he did regularly every day at that time. I had already removed the note, but I had no idea about what she had planned.

As I said before, Bella had spent too much time around Emmett before I took an active part in her life, but what she did brought a huge smile to my face.

"Emmett, do you have a minute?" She cooed sweetly.

"Sure Bella, anything for you," he walked casually over to her without a fear in his mind that she might retaliate because of his note.

She let him come up close her, and put out her index finger to indicate he should come closer, and when he did, she softly said, "Lean down, I don't want anyone to hear," and she still had that deceptive smile on her face.

As he leaned down, she kissed him on the neck getting lipstick on his collar and neck and spilled a little perfume on his shirt.

"Aw Bella, why did you do that? Now Rose is going to think some girl has been flirting with me."

Bella smirked as she replied, "Edward might be 'smitten by a kitten' but I thought you ought to know this kitten has claws."

Emmett roared with laugher, and then commented; "You will tell Rose that you put the lipstick and perfume on me, right?"

Bella smile became wider but there was a hint of mischief in that smile, she turned to walk away, but over her shoulder she replied, "Maybe, if you make it worth my while."

I had never seen Bella act this way before. With everyone else, she was quiet, respectful, and somewhat shy, but around my siblings, I was beginning to see a Bella who could be sociable and hold her own when someone teased her, but only when she felt comfortable with the people around her. The best part about what happened was the shock and disbelief on Emmett's face as she walked away; that alone was priceless, but the fact that he trailed after her pleading was even better.

There was no need to listen to his thoughts because he verbalized every one of them. "Please Bella, I'll do anything you ask; no price is too high. Rose will kill me if she thinks I've been letting some other girl flirt with me. Hell Bella, I swear, I'd even kill for you just to get you to tell Rose the truth."

Bella hadn't paused once as she walked to her last class of the day, and Emmett's time was running out because I spied Rose walking down the hall from behind us. Then Emmett played a trump card I'd bet anything he didn't know he held, and I doubt he learned it that day because only I saw her face when he spoke.

"Please sis," he would not have had to say anymore because the look in Bella's eyes at his words told me she had crumbled, but he continued, "I'll go down on bended knee and promise anything."

Bella pulled herself together before turning around and replying with a slight smile, "I'll take the promise, but you don't have to go down on your knees. Meet me after class at my locker and I'll tell you what I want, until then Rose will have to wait." Then she shifted her gaze from Emmett to Rose and said, "Hi Rose. Don't yell at Emmett until after you meet me at my locker after school," then she looked back at Emmett, "I've got to go or I'll be late." She promptly turned and started to class again with me tagging along.

I wasn't sure what she had in mind, and I really wondered if she did, so I asked, "What promise are you going to ask for?"

"I'm still refining it, but it could really be interesting to see if he'll agree," she giggled softly. "I wonder if he really meant what he said."

"I have a feeling that Emmett may have finally met his match," I commented.

She turned toward me, "Would that be a bad thing?"

I was going to have to remind myself more often to avoid looking so deeply into her eyes, for as she turned they pulled me in. I could tell her mind was definitely working on that promise because there was new depth to her eyes and deep within them was spark, almost as if I were watching in idea come to life; the fascination of her eyes reached deep within me and kept me riveted to one spot as I felt myself fall further into them. A deep never-ending cavern – that was the only way I could describe what I was seeing.

She kissed me lightly on the check before saying, "Thanks for walking me to class; I'll see you later," and then she opened door and walked in.

The look in her eyes had so enthralled me that I hadn't realized we never actually stopped walking. As I finally made it to class, I realized I wanted one thing, the bell to ring; I can honestly admit I had never endured a longer fifty-eight minutes.

Emmett's thoughts provided my only source of amusement as time lingered on; first he lamented Rose's cold shoulder treatment of him; in his mind he would rather have her ranting and raving instead of ignoring him completely. Next he ruminated about what promise Bella might extract from him. He began by basing his options on what Jasper, Alice or I might think up, but after a while, it dawned upon him that Bella wasn't like his other siblings. His internal conversation with himself actually provided some enlightenment to me about what he had learned about her over the past year.

'Bella is too nice to be devious. Ha, she was even willing to forgive Edward for only wanting her blood even though he was breaking her heart. Maybe she will ask me to take her someplace fun; someplace she has always wanted to go but her dad would not allow because of the dangers he feared for her, or maybe she wants some tips on kissing.' I almost laughed a loud when I realized he was non-verbally laughing to himself. 'Edward could use a few tips; I bet she's wishing he was a better kisser or maybe she wants to find a way to razz his berries. There are any number of suggestions I could give her; she might find some of Rose's helpful, but not the most helpful ones – no, Bella's not ready for some of her tricks . . .' and from that point his visions and thoughts become too personal and graphic so I backed out of his mind.

Before I left his class mentally, I caught a few of Rose's thoughts. 'If he let that blond paper shaker that near him, he is going to be missing a few body parts before the night is over, and as for Bella . . .' and that was when I focused back on class for the teacher was asking me question.

Between the wait, the droll voice of the teacher, and the ominous ticking of the clock, I thought I would not last, but finally the bell rang. I had to monitor my pace or someone would have noticed my inhuman speed, as it was, I reached Bella's locker before anyone else. Jasper and Alice arrived next.

"Alice had a vision, but she won't tell," Jasper hissed.

I turned searchingly toward Alice but she had jumped ahead of me and had some obnoxious tune running through her thoughts. I heard Bella before I saw her; in the short time we had been together, I had automatically registered the sound of her footsteps; in addition to that, I also smelt her, her aroma would always precede her and excite me. I turned toward the direction she would appear from, and waited with a huge grin on my face.

Just as she came into view, a senior wearing a leather jacket stepped from behind a column that decorated the halls – they also served as support for the roof of the school – and impeded her progress.

I don't think he had any idea that I could hear his words, but I began seething from the moment he stopped her.

"Hey sweet thing," he attempted to sound smooth, "how about you and I taking a ride on my bike." He hadn't even asked, it sounded more as if he was telling her what they should do.

Before I could move, Emmett stepped around Bella, grabbed the guy by the front of his jacket and snarled, "Don't ever talk to my sister that way again or I'll smear your remains on the school wall," then he let go and lightly pushed the guy but his light shove sent him staggering back into the lockers. Emmett then placed his arm around Bella's shoulder and said, "Come on sis, let's find your boyfriend."

Bella waited until the senior couldn't see her before she snickered into her hand, and then softly said, "Thanks Emmett."

Emmett, Rose, and Bella joined us at the same time, but Emmett didn't remove his arm from around her shoulder until he could pass her off to me.

As I wrapped my arm protectively around her, Emmett smiled down on her and asked, "So, ask what you will Bella, and I will will keep my word."

Rose looked on with a puzzled expression.

"Since you were kind enough to step in and save me, Emmett, I'm only going to ask for the first part of what I had in mind, but it will be enough to show me you are sorry for that little note you posted on Edward's locker."

Emmett smiled imagining she would let him off with some simple task, but I glanced at Alice and watched her smile broaden.

"Well, it's about the movies tonight." Emmett nodded his head knowing of which one she spoke. "Well, I thought it was shame we couldn't all go together," I noticed Jasper was about to say something but Alice squeezed his hand, "so I thought of a way we could all go. All you have to do, Emmett, is promise you will come with us and behave yourself."

Emmett's mouth fell open, "Behave myself meaning what exactly, Bella?"

Bella paused a moment before articulating, "Meaning, you keep your hands to yourself, and Rose does the same, then we can all enjoy the movie."

"No hands," Emmett murmured and then smiled as he asked, "What about lips?"

"How about no touching – period."

Emmett growled under his breath; I didn't need to hear his thoughts to know what he was thinking, but before I could say anything, Bella smiled brightly.

"You said 'anything' Emmett. Are you a man of his word?"

Emmett's key words to Bella had been calling her 'sis,' but Bella's had been to challenge the honesty of his promise.

Emmett smiled, "I did, didn't I. Well, a promise is a promise and I'll abide by it. Now please tell Rose where the lipstick and perfume came from."

Bella faced Rose a little hesitantly and offered, "I'm sorry Rose, I put the lipstick and the perfume on him, but only to get him back for what he put on Edward's locker."

Rose could have done many things at that moment, but I was happy when all she did was ask, "What did he put on Edward's locker?"

Bella pulled out the wadded up piece of paper, I hadn't realized that she took it, and handed it to Rose. As Rose read it she chuckled, "Well Edward, it looks like the kitten you are smitten with has a very sharp set of claws and they just scratched Emmett where he lives."

Her words caused all of us to laugh. All I could think at that moment was, 'That's my girl.'

After dropping Bella off at her house and promising to pick her up at eight that evening, I drove home feeling elated.

I spent the next few hours listening to Emmett bemoaning his fate.

"I can't believe she asked that. Edward, see if she'll change her mind. It's just not right. A night at the passion pit and no back seat bingo – it's just not fair. How can she do this?" He was pacing the living room as he whined. "How am I going to keep my hands off Rose and not break my promise?"

While he whined, he played a visual litany of what he was going to miss with Rose, and it finally became more than I could tolerate. "Emmett," I yelled. "Four hours is not going to kill you, and if it is necessary, we'll put Rose in the front seat with Alice and Jasper."

"No you won't," Jasper replied from upstairs.

"Think of it this way, you will be practicing self restraint and savoring the moment when we come home and then you and Rose can do whatever you please."

Emmett finally alighted on the sofa, but propped his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands.

At that instant, Bella's words echoed in my mind, 'I'm only going to ask for the first part of what I had in mind.' She had planned to ask for something else; I contemplated on what she might have had in mind, but could think of nothing else that she might have asked. I, however, could present an idea that might make him happy she didn't ask for more.

"You do realize that she let you off easy," I commented offhandedly.

He looked up as he asked, "Meaning what?"

I grinned wickedly as I said, "She could have asked that you abstain from all public displays of affection with Rose for the rest of the school year."

Emmett cupped his head again with his hands as he leaned into them and groan, "My little sister could never be that cruel," then he turned his head in his hands to look at me, "Could she?" he asked pitifully.

"Emmett, she's been taking lessons from you. Could you be that cruel to your siblings?" I wondered how honest his reply would be considering the bet he made with Jasper two years ago.

"I never told her about the Jasper incident, or even suggested I could ask that of anyone, and I have never been cruel around her – yes I'll admit I was teasing, but cruel, never."

"What about the flirting incident?" I asked. I could guess Bella had found that cruel, in a way, because Emmett's kind of flirting wasn't a part of her nature.

"I was helping," he protested, "How was I supposed to know she would become flustered by your devastating charm," he chuckled softly as he continued, "It was fun to watch your face, thought, as she walked away from you. You have to admit, she has a cute wiggle when she walks."

I laughed in reply, "Okay, I will admit you are right, but still, you have to admit it could be worse. What's one night compared to eternity? You'll do fine, and you'll allow Bella her revenge for your joke with the sign."

"But it was true, every word of it; Bella reminds me of a kitten, all cute and cuddly and you are smitten with her, so why was it so wrong to tell the truth?" Emmett sat up seeking an answer, so I provided one.

"First, you stuck it where everyone could see it. Bella is not as forward as you or Rose; she's shy and doesn't seem to like the limelight."

"Like when you kissed her in front of the entire student body in the cafeteria?" He snickered.

I chucked in response, "That took her completely by surprise, and I suspect she enjoyed it too. Besides, it served its purpose; Jim turned around and left her alone."

"Yeah, she did look a little dazed when you were done," he chortled in response.

"Second, I'm not sure Bella appreciated being compared to a kitten. Look, all joking aside, I think you deserved her retaliation, and you have to admit she was fairly lenient." I looked intently at him. "Emmett, you will survive this."

Emmett laughed heartily again. "You might be right but somehow it just won't seem the same; however, if I get to sit beside Bella, maybe I can find a way to still enjoy myself."

"Don't taunt or tease her tonight Emmett. I would like her to have a nice time tonight."

"You realize this is her first date ever. She admitted that to us when we discussed ways to get you to admit you liked her, so I guess I can do this. I'll keep reminding myself that this is about her and not Rose and me; besides, I can make this up to Rose later tonight." Emmett got up, "I'll see you later."

I knew where he was going, so I said, "Tell Rose what your plans are for after we come home and I think you'll placate her."

Emmett chortled heartily as walked away warning, "Maybe plans for before and after will work better, and in that case you don't want to hear or see what will be going through my mind for the next two hours, so you might want to find something else to occupy it."

Heeding Emmett's warning, I decided to take a quick hunting trip. I had told Bella her blood wasn't as tempting as before, but when I felt the nature thirst, her blood was still a temptation, and since we would be in a closed car for four or more hours, I decided I would quench even the minor thirst I was beginning to feel. Before leaving, I stopped at Jasper's study to ask if he wanted to accompany me; it didn't surprise me when he agreed it was a good security measure for him as well, and just before we left, Alice joined us claiming she needed to escape the noise that would soon issue forth from Rose and Emmett's room.

We were only half a mile from home when Esme caught up to us and we made it a foursome. I loved being in the woods. The forest provided one refuge I had from the bombardment of voices and other human related noises. Vampire hearing has its downfalls, but sometimes I really enjoy the benefits. In the spring, I enthusiastically ventured into the forests just to enjoy the songs from the different species of birds as they returned from their winter migrations. I once composed a piece consisting entirely of the music created by returning birds. I had spent an entire week carefully listening to their music and pulling out only the pieces I felt melded well into the finished song. It would be something I would play for Bella during one of her visits.

50's slang

Razz his berries – excite him

Paper shaker – cheerleader

Passion pit – drive-in theater

Back seat bingo – making out in the back seat

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