Chapter 24: Strange is good

"The mouth is made for communication, and nothing is more articulate than a kiss."
― Jarod Kintz~

The snow slowly melted away and rain took its place. I had never been so happy to see the snow go away. It was a sparkling nightmare for me. I fell at least twice a day, and sometimes I took people with me. Like Edward.

Poor Edward. He always looked calm when he helped me to my feet but I knew he was probably imagining different ways to kill me, in his head.

"You two seemed quite determined to act as innocently as possible after you came back from that room during the party, like you were trying to hide something," Sasha smirked.

I looked up from the last minute English assignment I was doing and shot her a well-rehearsed blank look.

"Huh?" I blinked in confusion. It was better to act confused than look smug and blurter everything to the gossiper.

"Oh please," she rolled her brilliant sapphire blue eyes. "Quit acting dumb. I never got a chance to talk to you after that party in Newton's house. One minute you and Edward were on the floor dancing and the next second, you were practically dragging him up the stairs."

"Shh," I kicked her feet under the bench. "Shut up."

School had started after the short winter break and currently, we were in the English class. The New Year party had been day before yesterday. I was fuming from the morning, why did the school had to start right on January 2nd?

"No one's looking." Sasha prompted, watching me with hopeful eyes.

I looked around. Some of the students were staring at me, but I was sure it did not have anything to do with Sasha's loud talking. My best guess was, they were probably wondering what Edward and I had done upstairs were no one had stuck around.

Edward had kissed me. In one of Mike Newton's guest rooms. Nevertheless, I got my wish fulfilled. Sasha continued staring at me, and I could almost imagine her counting one...two...three.

My face broke accordingly into a blissful smile before I could control myself. It seemed that I could not stop smiling. I had been up half the night just grinning in the darkness, unable to sleep - such was the extent of my euphoria. He'd kissed me.

"Oh. My. God!" She shrieked loudly. Mr Varner shot her a warning look, which she ignored in turn.

"He kissed you, didn't he? Or did you kiss him? Tell me everything!" Sasha squealed and I found myself trying hard not to squeal back.

Because the person who made me want to squeal in a very un-Bella like was in the same classroom. That person was sitting just two benches behind me. I could feel his intense gaze burning a hole in my bare neck.

I cursed myself for pulling my hair into a high ponytail. Sasha glanced at someone behind me -possibly at Edward- and giggled giddily.

"He's staring at you," she crooned with a teasing smile. "Now tell me!"

"Yes, yes," I dropped my voice to whisper. "He kissed me. But I was the one who made the move first."

"What do you mean by 'made the first move'? Did you climb on top of him?"

"No," I snorted and then paused. "I mean, if straddled him is equal to climbing on top of him, then yes."

"Oh gosh!" she bounced in her seat excitedly. "Then?"

"I asked him if he wanted to kiss me. He answered 'yes' and kissed me. It was really sweet." I grinned and peeked at Edward.

He caught my gaze and smirked at me, like he somehow knew what we were talking about. Sasha wanted a more detailed explanation, so I told her. Her genuine happiness for Edward and me was very heart warming.

But I omitted the part where Edward had said those three magical words to me.

I hadn't replied him that night but he seemed like he didn't mind. Instead he'd pulled me for another lingering kiss and then we went downstairs for the New Year countdown. The rest of the night passed with longing looks and before I knew it, I was driving him home.

"I want a kiss like that too," she moaned. "You know, a kiss which makes the stars align, the earth shake blah blah blah."

"I thought those things happen when you have...sex." I lowered my voice at the last word and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Whatever," she sniffed and turned her attention back to the class. I stifled laughter and she used her lush blond hair as a curtain to hide behind.

The rest of the class passed uneventfully and soon I found myself stuffing the books inside my school tote. Sasha rolled her eyes playfully when I heard a boy clear his throat.

"Hi," Edward's lips twitched, like he was fighting a smile.

"Hi yourself," I grinned and shouldered my tote. I kept remembering how soft his lips felt on mine. It was like kissing a pillow.

"See ya love birds later!" Sasha blew me an air kiss and exited the class.

Edward raised an eyebrow at her in amusement and then took my hand in his hand.

"What were you both talking about? Sasha seemed very...excited." He tugged at my hand and we walked out of the class.

"I need to stop by my locker." I ignored his question and rubbed my elbow nervously with my free hand.

"Sure." He nodded but his bright green eyes remained equal parts suspicious and amused.

Outside in the corridor, people actually stopped and stared at us. A pretty red headed girl kept staring at us as she walked and banged her head against an open locker.

"That is, like, so rude." I commented a little miffed. Nevertheless, it was freaking hilarious too.

"Well, I enjoy it." Edward chuckled. "Everyone knows that you are finally mine."

"I am not a property to be yours." I elbowed his ribs playfully.

"You don't sound convinced." He squeezed my hand and smiled knowingly at me.

I did belong to him, I realized, just as much as he belonged to me. Edward always managed to change corny things into romantic. Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

"Tell them to stop staring, Edward." I bumped his shoulder in emphasis. All the staring did not make me feel proud. Instead, it made me feel like I had stepped into the school in my inner garments only.

"I don't blame them." Edward shrugged nonchalantly and pulled a lock of my hair. I replied by blushing.

We reached my locker and I spun the dial. Edward leaned against the locker next to mine and ran a hand through his tousled auburn hair.

"I totally forgot to tell you," I began as I took a few books from the locker. "Do you remember the day we talked about Rosalie's death?"

"Yes, what about that?" He asked cautiously.

"The soldiers were buried in the Eternal Cemetery along with their families. I forgot about that when I was talking you. You see, like, even if the one of the family members of the soldier dies sixty years later than the soldier, they were still buried next to the where the soldier rests. It was customary. The old folks didn't walk to separate the dead, it seems. They were afraid of ghost vengeance or something."

"Oh," he shuddered but a smile of relief lit his face. "So you assume Rosalie died of old age?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "If she died of old age, how does she appear physically young now? Maybe she became a nun and committed suicide as a sacrifice to God."

"Very funny," Edward rolled his emerald green eyes. "I'm sure Rosalie won't like that idea."

"Just ask her!" I coaxed him softly. "Take her to dinner or something and try to get it out of her."

"You won't be jealous if I take her to dinner?" He smirked and took my tote in his hand.

"Well, "Love is not jealous or conceited or proud". So, no." I deadpanned.

"Was that a quote by someone?" He blinked, stunned.

"It is a Bible quotation. Mom used to have it all over her room. Don't ask why." I giggled and we started walking to our next class.

Edward remained silent and I wondered if his mind was lingering on the word 'love' in the quote, I recited. We stopped before my next class which was Trig and I turned to bid him temporary goodbye.

He took my hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on my knuckles.

"Enjoy your class." He smirked and walked away to his class. He knew I hated Trig more than any other subject.

I stood there for a few seconds, still reliving the kiss before I strutted inside the class. I shared this period with most of the cheerleaders. In fact, they occupied the benches around me.

I took my usual seat next to cheerleader Charlotte and took my notepad out. When I looked up, all of them were watching me.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you and Edward a thing?" Tanya asked, chewing her bubble gum rather loudly.

"Maybe," I shrugged and gave them the same blank look I had given Sasha last period.

"Is it maybe 'I am not sure' or maybe 'Definitely yes'?" Charlotte twirled a piece of her silky pale hair.

"How about maybe 'it's neither of them'?" I quoted the words in air and gave them a sweet smile.

"Come on, Bella, tell us! Edward is, like, a brooding mystery to his school." Lauren put in.

"Some things are best left as mystery." I blinked innocently and prayed for the teacher to come soon.

"Uh-huh." They folded their arms stubbornly.

"So if you're both not together, can I, like, make a move on him?" Tanya asked with a dumb-blonde smile.

I remained silent and they turned away when the teacher came inside the class. I was distracted throughout the class and I couldn't ignore the hopeful looks that Tanya kept throwing in my direction.

When the bell rang, I shot up from my seat like I was on fire and faced Tanya.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that." I replied and then victory pranced out of the classroom.

I made my decision when I stepped inside the buzzing cafeteria later that afternoon. Edward spotted me from his table and joined me in the queue with a dazzling smile.

"How was -"

I took a step forward, yanked his chin down -damn but he was so tall- and kissed him loudly on the lips. I counted to three seconds then stepped back and accessed his shell-shocked handsome face.

Suddenly, the entire cafeteria went still and silent. Just like I wanted it to be.

"What was that for?" His eyes were dilated, making his dark green eyes standout fiercely against his pale skin.

"I needed that." I informed him and batted my eyelashes at him. He let out a laugh and slung his arm around my shoulder.

"You, love, sometimes act very strange." Edward tweaked my nose affectionately.

"Strange is good. As long as I am not crazy, strange is good." I nodded satisfied. He continued to chuckle silently beside me.

Sasha and Heidi gave me thumbs up from where they were sitting. I smirked when I saw Tanya's wide eyes fixed on us. When our eyes met, her cheeks flamed and she quickly turned away.

Strange was good, even if it was totally strange.

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-BEJL