A/N Hey guys!

Thank you for all your amazing support, I appreciate your thoughts. My writing style may come across as confusing, but by now you should have noticed some patterns.

As always, I would like to send out a special thanks to my amazing beta, Elise de Sallier, not only are you helping me out a lot, but you allowing a wonderful learning experience for me.

I hope you guys enjoy. Please feel free to share your thoughts :-)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 24

EPOV

"Cullen! Pass the fucking ball!" Emmet yells from across the field.

I keep running forward, tackling the opposing players who are beginning to play dirty. We are leading two nil against Walkerville City.

My main aim is to score a third goal. Scoring a hat-trick on foreign turf is any footballers dream. So I push, push, push and try to tackle the ball through as many defending legs as I can.

I block out all external noise. In that moment, all I see is the goal keeper. Coach is yelling at me, my teammates are yelling at me, my father is standing next to my fucking coach yelling at me. It is all a blur.

Pressure.

Always fucking pressure. I can easily be a dick, let my entire team down, and say 'fuck off future'.

I won't.

I run.

I tackle.

I score.

And just like that, I am what everyone expects.

I am an imposed champion.

Heated sweaty bodies jump against me, trying to shake my hand or pull me into a hug. I look towards the side-lines, into the eyes of my proud father.

This is all Carlisle wants for me … to see me at my best. He wants me to succeed.

And because my father wants me to succeed, he will never allow anything to happen, or anyone into my life that could destroy his goal.

So I play my part, I celebrate the victory goal and play just as hard for the remainder fifteen minutes.

Once the match is over, coaches, managers, and supporters try to grab my attention. I keep my eyes focussed on the ground and ignore their calls.

I walk along with my team to the changing rooms.

"Yoh, Cullen! You played like a fucking king, my man." A dude named Jared who plays right back comes up and pats me on my shoulder.

"You weren't too bad yourself." I thank him, and many other teammates who are now congratulating me as if I ruled the fucking team.

We get to the cloak rooms where we have post-match discussions. Coach walks in with the manager of the UCL's team.

"So, I would like to start off by congratulating all of you. I will keep the technicalities and the formalities of this game to a minimum, but I want you to know that I am proud of all of you, and especially the future UCL team." Coach is confident as shit.

He continues, and I actually listen, because I want to know everything that happened. After his 10 minute victory speech, the guys begin to chatter until the manager tells us to settle down.

"As your coach just mentioned, you all played brilliant. If all goes well, I hope to see you all in the first team a year from now. For those of you who are still in high school, pull up your socks and keep training… I would like to personally congratulate our youngest player, number 10, please make your way forward." The manager looks me in the eye and motions for me to come over. I stand up and make my way to him.

My team applauds.

I smile.

I am happy.

But there is one thing that remains in the deepest place in my heart,that is capable of making me happier.

Beat, beat, beat is my heart's reminder of my head's neglect.

"Congratulations, Number Ten." He shakes my hand and hands me an envelope, along with my number 10 jersey that reads UCL.

I briefly scan the cover of the envelope to see what it's about, and I have to swallow hard. What I have in my hand is my future…a full scholarship to UCL. It is everything my father wanted for me. I guess I am one step closer to living his fucking dream.

Happy now, Dad?

Coach and the manager shake my hand as I thank them.

"Consider the offer, Mr Cullen," he whispers in my ear.

I nod and return to my seat.

After a general team discussion, I make my way to the showers. Once I am all cleaned up, I pull my tog bag over my shoulder and walk beside Emmet as we exit the changing room.

My father is waiting in the hallway, all black suit and navy tie.

"You came." I don't greet.

"My son, what I saw out there was out of this world." Carlisle smiles and pulls his arms over my shoulder, forcing an awkward hug.

I hug him back, because he is my father, and he is proud of me.

"What made you fly out all the way to Walkerville City?"

"Do you think I would have missed the biggest trials of my son's life? Edward, if all goes well, you're in with the big guys after you graduate."

I nod.

All I want to do is crawl up in my bed and call Bella.

I won't.

I haven't seen her since Monday of last week. Today is Wednesday.

We have being playing matches every second day since our arrival on Friday evening. Everything has been such a rush, from booking into hotel rooms, to playing matches, and attending team dinners.

Emmet and I shared a hotel room, so he was constantly on my case until I closed my eyes at night, overcome by exhaustion.

Busy people don't have time to suffer over what is lost.

The bus drive to Walkerville City consisted of thirteen fucking hours. I don't know why they couldn't just fly us up. I hated it.

The fact that I was chosen out of hundreds of schools around the country, to not only make the training camp, but also the future top eleven for UCLS, makes me feel overwhelmed.

I can't fucking believe I made it this far.

But apart from feeling overwhelmed and being constantly busy, my heart still longs to be with the one person I can never have.

Bella…Bella…Bella.

I played my heart out this past week. I did it for my team, but also to just forget about her.

I can't. My heart will never allow that.

I'm fucking in love with her.

While I am deep in thought, Carlisle goes on and on about working extra hard and shit.

I ignore him, and ask, "Dad, how long are you going to be in town for?"

"Well, my flight is scheduled for after the prize ceremony tonight, son. When is your bus leaving?"

"The bus leaves tomorrow. That thirteen hour drive really fucked up my back." I lie.

Carlisle will do anything to maintain my good health.

"That is unacceptable. Let me speak to your coach and inform him that you will be flying out with me.

I smile.

Daddy's presence isn't too bad after all.

After much debate, coach agrees for me to leave the team behind, and head home with my dad. Before that, Carlisle and I head back to the hotel to collect all my shit so I can attend the team prize ceremony in the hotel conference room. I collect a trophy and a certificate for my achievement. Emmet didn't make the top eleven, but I am glad he made it as far as he did.

Finally, we head straight to Walkerville's airport.

"Three months of try outs are done and dusted. And you, my son, you made it to the end." Carlisle is praise, praise, praising me like never before.

I smile and board the plane with my father.

My phone has been off all day, so before take-off, I decide to switch it on very quickly. My heart kinda jumps out of my chest when I see I have one unread text from Bella.

Bella: I saw you on TV. The entire town did. You played amazing, Number Ten. The whole town cannot wait for your return. Congratulation on making the top eleven

I want to reply so badly.

I won't.

Because the flight attendant just announced that all electronic devices should be turned off.

So, I turn my phone on plane mode and close my eyes for the two hour flight back to Treehaven.

Back to Bella.

Love is impatient.

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It is just after 11 p.m when we arrive at Treehaven airport. Esme fetches us, and she is ecstatic to see me.

I kinda feel good for making my parents proud.

I walk into my room and dump my bags on my floor. I feel tired, my calves are fucked, but I am restless.

I haven't seen Bella in a total of nine days. Now that I am back home, I need to see her again. We have four more days of summer, and I want to spend it with her.

No matter what I do, or where I go…I will always come back to Bella.

People always leave, because they follow what their head wants.

People always return, because they follow what their heart needs.

The last time I left Bella's house, we had a bit of an altercation, and I was the biggest fucking dick.

I was feeling under so much pressure because of my trials, and yet she still agreed to be my friend.

Bella made me promise not to fall in love with her. I wanted to laugh, because I fell for her a long, long time ago.

Golden boy is whipped.

Although I told her that we should end this, our deal was that we continue until summer ends.

According to my calendar, summer is not over.

Therefore, I will go to Bella's place…and disappear in love and need. Because that is the only place my heart will allow me to be.

When my team went touring in Walkerville City, we came across a record store that sold band T's. I didn't know what I was doing, until I found myself walking into the store and purchasing a '30 Seconds to Mars' T-shirt.

If I bought Bella a gift, the least I should do is personally deliver it to her.

Once my parents are settled in their bedroom, I make my way down our huge spiral staircase, and I walk out of the lonely place I call home.

My mom's BMW One-series is parked behind my truck, so I run back in and grab her keys. She won't even know I borrowed her car.

I get in and adjust the seat, and reverse out the driveway.

As I am driving, my heart beat, beats, because I am ten minutes away from seeing Bella.

She will never expect me to surprise her. Everyone thinks I am still in Walkerville with the rest of my team.

I get to Bella's house just after 12 p.m, and park in my usual spot.

I climb up the familiar washing machine and up the water pipes.

Love is climbing through midnight windows.

Her backyard is dark, and all the lights in the house are out.

Bella's window is opened slightly, once I pull myself onto her window frame, I push her window open and climb in.

She is fast asleep.

My heart beats to her soft sounding snores.

I want to run across her room and beg her to just love me.

I want to ask her to run away with me.

I want to plead for more than just one summer.

I won't.

The best thing I can do, is step out of my trainers, pull my hoody over my head, and lay beside the girl I love.

Bella.

My home.

She doesn't wake up. Or maybe she does. But I hold her and snuggle my face into the curve of her neck. The smell of familiar strawberry sweetness brings back every single memory I have savoured.

I drift off to sleep with my arms placed around my forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Edward?" I wake up to Bella shaking me.

Opening my eyes very slowly, I smile at the sight of brown eyes staring intensely into my greens.

She smiles.

"You're back." It's not a question.

"Yeah, I'm home." I promise.

"This is kinda a bittersweet moment," she says shyly.

I want to smother her with all the fucking love I feel.

"It's our deal, right?"

"Yeah, our deal it is." She repeats.

Bella's Blackberry light keeps flashing, she grabs her phone off her bedside table and quickly puts it away.

"You not gonna check if you have a text?" I ask, wondering.

"No…it can wait." She drops a nervous smile of everything that is guilty.

I have no right to feel pissed and insecure, but the fact that she possibly has an unread text at midnight, bugs me.

"Read your text Bella?" I am persistent.

"No, I said it can wait. So, how was everything? I am proud of you, always." She looks down.

Even though I want to thank her, the unknown text continues to bother me.

"Who is it?" I can't help but ask.

"What do you mean?" I have a feeling my girl is playing dumb.

Love never lies to each other. Love lies together.

"If you don't check your phone, I will," I warn.

She quickly grabs her phone and reads the text. I stare at her, questioning her with my eyes.

"It's just Garret," she says, trying to make her revelation sound nonchalant.

I fucking boil.

Love is jealous.

"Who the fuck is Garret?" I emphasis his name.

Because I am angry.

I cannot help it.

"He is my friend, Edward. Please don't do this. You and I are just friends remember." She looks down.

"So you run to the next walking dick, huh?"

I'm sorry, Bella.

"No! I knew him all along. He is Ally's cousin, and he was in town for the weekend." Her voice begins to break.

I feel like shit, because all I ever do is break this sweet, sweet girl.

I hate that I am good at making her cry.

Bella doesn't understand. She doesn't get that I will do anything to make her smile, even though making her cry is the result.

I fucking hate her tears when they're caused by sadness.

I just want to hold her in my arms and love her. I want her everywhere, but nowhere at all.

I want my memories of high school to be filled with everything that is Bella.

In my moment of insecurity, I realise that no matter what, Bella will always be more than just a summer.

I will never be her friend, because what we share is so, so much more.

She's my better side. She's my simple. She's my brown-eyed girl.

Therefore, I will never allow anyone to love her more than I do.

So I ask, "Did you see him while I was away?" I don't want to know the answer, but I need to know.

"Yes, Edward, I saw him. Nothing happened, I swear."

I believe her.

"Then why would he be texting you at midnight, and why are you hiding it from me?" I want to know.

"Because…I don't know. I was keeping it from you, because I was scared that this would be the way you'd react to something completely innocent." She sighs.

"I can't control who you talk to, but I can disapprove." I am honest.

"You have nothing to worry about, but more than that, you have no right to question me."

"I know," I whisper.

"So, are you going to tell me how your week was?" And just like that, we're back to being us.

I spend the next 20 minutes telling Bella everything she wants to know.

Because, friends are allowed to discuss their weeks and whereabouts.

Friends are not allowed to let midnight texts from fucking pricks bother them the whole night.

After Bella and I get comfortable in our welcome bubble of forever, we begin to feel desperate.

I fucking missed being inside of her. Because we only have four days of summer that remains, I feel like I need to be as close to her as I can.

I pull her tank over her head as I press soft kisses along her jaw. With closed eyes, my girl looks like she needs this just as badly as do. Bella rubs her soft hands along my sides, and the usual electric current runs through my body, making its way to my heart.

Beat, beat, beat.

Our silent actions are screaming of love. I want her to feel the way I feel.

I need her love so, so bad.

I suck her earlobe, and then run my tongue down her body, until her prominent nipples catch attention.

I suck, suck, suck, until I realise I am becoming too desperate.

Bella can feel my need, so she pushes down my shorts.

At this point, I can fucking drill a hole in her hall because I am so hard.

We continue our touching and feeling, until my hands grow impatient, seeking something softer and deeper.

I rub my hands against her core, and then insert one-two fingers. She budges, welcoming all the pleasure I hope I am giving her.

"Please, hurry." My girl is impatient.

I begin my motion of in-and-out, in-and-out, until I feel her rigid body below me.

Her innocence and beauty are a sight that no man deserves to see.

Once we are completely naked, I remove myself from her tiny body and search my wallet for a foil packet.

Placing it on, I climb atop my girl, and search her eyes, questioning if we are okay.

She smiles.

That is all the confirmation I need.

I gently slide my dick into her softness, and as always, I am home.

I insert my dick, in-and-out, until I am sure she is ready.

Finally, with one swift movement, I press into her as hard as I can.

She opens her eyes widely, and I know we are okay for now.

We are at the only place that we need to be.

Our slow movements become more intense. I am about to orgasm, luckily, Bella cums before me.

I lay my head against her shoulder…and, we breathe.

Our breaths are of oneness.

Eventually, after we all cleaned up, we fall asleep, holding on tight to whats left of us.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I wake-up around 6 a.m. My girl remains sound asleep.

My naked body is pressing against hers, and I want her again, so, so bad.

Bella's long hair has formed a soft curtain around her face. Her lips look swollen, remnants of the night before.

The light sun-freckles on her tiny nose make her look so fucking cute and innocent.

I run my hand gently down her naked body, and cup her ass. I press my dick against her ass slightly, and she budges.

Bella stretches her arms out, and she turns her head to give me an innocent morning smile.

I smile in return as the sun begins to rise.

"Good morning," I say as I continue to press my prominent dick against her back

"Good morning yourself." She smiles. "Hungry?"

I nod with the brightest smile I can manage.

Bella climbs out of bed, stretches her sexy as fuck body, and walks over to her drawers.

She removes two foil packets and holds them out in each hand.

I don't look at what is in her hands, though, I stare at her glorious figure. The fact that my girl isn't shy and insecure about her body, makes me want her ten times as much.

"You want this?" She teases me by waving the two condoms above her head.

"Yes! Bring me my gold woman." I tease in return.

I love the fact that we're back to being us.

Edward and Bella.

Nobody will ever fucking understand the strong bond this girl and I share. It is impossible to deny, but in the end, love may not be enough.

And that fucking crushes me.

Bella shakes her head and protests, all the while sending soft giggles my way.

In one quick movement, I climb out bed and rush to her. I throw Bella over my shoulder and tap her smooth ass.

She laughs so fucking hard.

I gently throw her on top of the unmade covers, and spread her legs, climbing between them.

"I want you, now!" I play, serious.

She smiles.

"You can't have me." Bella teases as she begins to stroke my dick.

I close my eyes and picture being inside of her, until I cannot take anymore of her teasing. I flip her over onto her stomach and kiss her from the arch of her neck, down to her centre.

I finger her as she lies with her arms beside her body. Once I am satisfied with her readiness. I pull on the condom and enter her from behind.

The feeling is amazing, and I push harder, harder, harder, until we're both coming and panting, searching for the breaths that were lost in our moment of passion.

Bella closes her eyes and remains on her stomach. I remain on top of her, kissing and sucking as much of her face as I can reach.

"If we were to continue this, I'd go on the pill," she says, breathing in and out deep, deep.

"Then why don't you?" I ask, testing her answer.

Bella opens her eyes and turns over to face me. I use this opportunity to quickly remove the condom. I throw it on her floor, because who gives a fuck.

I lay on top of her gentle, sticky body, wishing to lick every single area I can get hold of.

"Because what's the point, when we're going to be ending this?" she whispers.

"Bella, please don't ever leave me alone in this world?" I am serious.

"Then what do you want from me?" she asks, while gently pushing unruly strands of hair out of my face.

"I want us this way forever?" I admit.

"You want me to be your dirty little secret forever?"

"No, Bella, I just want you. Like I said, the world is too fucked up to know what we share."

"By the world, you mean them, your friends, and your parents?" She swallows hard.

I nod.

"They will never accept me?" she whispers.

"Fuck them, I accept you." I choose to ignore the answer that she is seeking.

Because I know. I know that they will never accept her.

"Why Edward? What is so wrong with me?" My girl is becoming edgy.

We build and then we fucking break.

"It's not you, Bella. It will never be you. It's all them, and what they fucking expect from me. Please, you have to know this," I plead desperately.

She nods. Because she does know.

A lonely tear escapes Bella's eyes, and I gently wipe it with my thumb.

"Enough of these now, B."

"Only time will heal a bleeding heart, I guess. There are no band-aids for internal suffering." I don't think she meant for me to hear her softly murmured words.

"Can you handle our secret? If we are to continue this?" I hope for the only answer I need to hear.

"Of course. You are effortless, Mr Cullen." My girl smiles weakly.

"You have no idea how happy I am going to make you, and only you." I promise.

"Wait. So what you're saying is that you want to continue this, even while we are at school?"

"Yeah…I mean if you want to. What's the point of walking around with lonely hearts when we found our person to complete it? Even if it has to be in secret, Bella." I try to explain.

"So, can I go on the pill now?" Out of everything my girl can say, she chooses this.

I nod. I smile.

"Tell Garret to leave you the fuck alone. I don't like him."

"You don't know him." Bella laughs.

I look down and cup her sweet, sweet face.

I think about how unprepared we are for this. We're too young, we're too selfish. But we will grab and take and rip apart, because our love does that.

Love is compromising.

Love is pushing time limits.

Love is saying yes to every no.

Love is never giving up.

So Bella eventually agrees to my ridiculous request.

I promise her that what we have, will last for as long as it is supposed to.

I don't tell her that I love her, because the world is too corrupted to have my true thoughts said allowed.

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After I leave Bella's house, I drive home with some extra speed and park Esme's car on the exact spot where she left it. I sneak in quietly and make my way to my bed.

Today, I am going to spend with my girl. I plan on taking her to the next town, so we can enjoy what's left of summer.

I didn't tell Bella about the shirt I bought her… I just left it in her room.

I don't think I can handle the look of appreciation on her face, because it will have love written all over it.

After another couple of hours of sleeping in my own bed, I call Bella and ask her to get ready for a day out.

She sounds excited, and she agrees when I say that we leave within the hour.

I grab the breakfast that Maria has prepared, and I climb into the shower, washing away what's left of Bella's scent.

I rush, rush, rush, until I pull up in front of her house.

She comes rushing out wearing cut off denim shorts and a tight yellow tank top. I can see the strings of a crocheted bikini sticking out, and her usual blue baseball cap is placed on backwards.

I love her.

I jump out of my truck and pull my cap down low, making my way to open the passenger door for her.

Bella smiles, climbs in, and kisses me on the cheek once I climb back in on my side.

"I missed you, and thank you for the band-T. I love it Edward." She's all the appreciation I need. I grin, and take off on our journey to wherever we can just be ourselves.

Love is sneaky.

Love is journey taking.

Love is holding hands above the gear stick.

Love is sending secret gazes of eternity to the girl that breathes the beats of your heart.

Tick-tick-tick,

That is the sound of what we could have been.

Beat-beat-beat,

That is the sound of what we should be.

A/N: I'd love to know what you guys think.

Thank you for reading :-)

Next up, Bella.