Chapter 25

Happy New Years everyone! I hope you have a good one! ;D
Alice opened her mouth to form words. It all seemed to go extremely slow. I could hardly wait to finally understand what was going on.

"Girls, think," the words finally escaped her mouth.

I could only stand there waiting. Waiting for a reaction. Waiting for something to happen. Waiting so I could do something. Just standing here useless was boring. Especially compared to all of the excitement from last night when I did something. I wasn't able to do anything, my thoughts were nothing to Edward. Well, not nothing, but he couldn't read them, so they don't exist for him. In a way...

Edward stiffened. A reaction! Finally. His eyes grew wide, and his jaw clenched. Was that bad or good? It must be bad since Alice was using it against Edward, right? Or is it good and make him suffer?

"Alice..." Edward growled.

"Oh, did you like that?" she said smirking. "We still have the outfit."

She added,"And if you want a reenactment you can just ask Bella here." She gave me a wink,"She can never say no to you."

Edward gave a small growl.

"Or," Rose continued. "You can borrow this."

In Rose's hands was a tiny CD. I blinked slowly. It can't be, can it? They wouldn't dare...

"Oh, yes," Rosalie chuckled. "I may not be the mind reader of the family, but I know what you're thinking Edward. And yes, it is a tape of last night. Of the whole performance."

"If you want it, to even look at it," strangely it was Anna who said this. The authority and tensity of her voice frightened me. I had no idea that she could be so assertive and demanding. It scared me, and by the looks of it I wasn't the only one. "You have to give us what we want. And you know what we want," she stressed.

What is it they all want so badly?! And why won't any of them just explain to me what this is? I mean, what has that much value that they would fight over it? Certainly something that's unique and different. If they can buy whatever this mystery object is, surely they would. Wouldn't they?

Edward gave a loud growl in frustration. Then slowly, too slowly even for him, he shook his head in what seemed like disappointment.

His perfect lips moved to form words,"You think that I would give up? Ha!" His laugh was mocking.

"To retreat and just sit there watching? I won't give up," Edward took a step towards me. I was frozen in my spot. My instincts told me to run towards him, to embrace in. But in my mind I knew I couldn't.

Another step. I couldn't breathe. It was as if my lungs closed up in excitement, or was it fear? Not fear of Edward, that's just so irrational beyond words. But the fear of losing, the fear of disappointing the girls, that's the fear that would close up my lungs.

Another step. He's getting closer, and so slowly. Why couldn't he just run at his vampire speed and sweep me off my feet? Then we'll run -- okay, he'll run and he'll carry me -- forever. We'd never stop. And that'd be okay because we would be together. I would finally be in his arms, where I belong. Where I always belonged...

Another step. Shut up Bella! I scolded myself. Remember whose side you're on. Remember whose side you're on. Remember whose side you're on. You don't want to disappoint the girls. Besides, I need to prove to myself that I can have a life without Edward, for a little while at least.

Another step. But I need him. I love him. I need him to breathe. Edward is my everything. And god knows I'd go insane without him.

Another step. Get yourself together Bella! Remember whose side you're on. You are a woman. As that one famous feminist said,"A fish needs a bicycle as a woman needs a man." You can do this, just... Don't mess up.

Edward's face was inches from mine. I could smell, the smell that was simply Edward. I inhaled in slowly, making the memory fresher in my mind... So I would never forget...

No, no, no, no!

Edward's lips were centimeters away from mine, I froze into place, not knowing what to do. I yearn so much for him to touch me, but at the same time repulsed from it, because my reaction would be anything but subtle.

"Bella, love," he said. His breath caused tremors along my body. "Come with me love, we can go anywhere, together. Surely this is what you want."

My mouth gaped open, afraid of what words would come out,"No."

It was clear on his face that Edward was upset and shocked at my reply, and he wasn't the only one. I could hardly believe I denied him, I said no to something that I want to do. Something that I've been waiting to do. And proud, I kept my word.

I lifted my chin a bit so I could look into his eyes, they were full of pain that I rejected him. "Edward, do you honestly think I was just going to give up so easily? I'm hurt that you think I have no self-control -- you're not the only one with it you know. You're going to need to do more than that to shake me up." I crossed my arms over my chest and gave in a smug smile to prove my point.

That lop-sided smile I love so much slowly surfaced Edwards flawless features as he chuckled slowly,"I guess you're right. I did play too easy, but don't think I'm giving up. In fact I'll just play harder." Edward winked with playfulness in his eyes,"I'll be back."

"You've won this round," Emmett said gruffly. "But we'll get you my pretties, if it's the last thing I'll do! And you're little human too!" That's when Emmett started cackling. I didn't know whether to laugh harder than I already was or to run away in fear.

"Emmett," Rose shook her head slowly at her husbands display.

Alice shot a wide smile,"We win, so we get your car."

In her lithe movement Alice danced her way to the car. She opened the door as she and Edward switched keys.

"You know those tickets were expensive," she growled.

Edward grinned,"Yes I know. That's why I'm getting so much pleasure out of this, because you see, I'm not the only one who's missing something very, very important." His gaze flickered in my direction briefly as he stressed on the "important" part.

My breath got caught in my throat. Am I what they're fighting for? Am I their silly prize that has infinite value? That seems so... unreasonable, illogical. And yet... it fits, doesn't it? I mean they certainly can't buy me, they've learned money has no value to me. And there's not another me in this world that I'm aware of. It does make sense. I mean, they both want me: Alice to throw a bachlorette party and whatnot and there there's Edward who strangely, but thankfully craves and needs my company as much as I need his -- or more so as he thinks.

I followed Rose and Anna into the car. Alice revved the engine and started her up as fast as she could go. And before we could even see the boys roar in frustration because the Porsche wouldn't start, we were already gone.

"Alice where are we going now?" I said exasperated and tired, not from the "fighting" because frankly I did nothing. But from my little epiphany.

Alice took a glance at me from the review mirror in the unfamiliar car,"To the fashion show Bella. Where we were headed in the first place."

"Why waste perfectly good tickets?" Rose mused.

"So, we're going to be fashionably late," Alice smirked.

"Wow," Anna said slightly sarcastic. "Fits right in with the theme."

I'm sorry, that it was short... but, what can you do? I hope you liked in anyways... :D

Amanda