Hi! Hope you all are having a magical Monday (: With the holidays right around the corner, it's time to get into the spirit!
Tis the season to let your creative juices flow as you combine two really freaking amazing things - the Twi fandom and the winter holidays - with the Winterward Card Contest. Submit a photo you think depicts how the lovely, handsome, amazing, sexy Edward Cullen would be celebrating the December holidays (preferably nude, but maybe that's just me). Each entry must have a photo on the front along with a caption or short story no longer than 500 words tying it together. Make your moves stat, people, as submissions close on Friday, December 20! Entries should be emailed to winterward2019 at gmail dot com (removing the spaces and replacing the words with the actual symbols).
For more info (or if you just wanna lurk), join the "Winterward Card Contest 2019" Facebook page (:
DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
Beta: Fran
2018
"Well, well, well," Alice chirps, beaming from ear to ear, "look who it is."
Edward and I halt our casual stroll to the festival entrance as Alice and Jasper intercept us. They're both wearing matching smiles; however, Alice is practically vibrating with excitedly anxious energy, while Jasper is all hooded eyes and smirking sex appeal.
"Hey there, you," I can't help but answer Alice's grin with one of my own as I release Edward's hand to wrap her up in a tight hug.
"Oh my god," Alice squeals into my shoulder conspiratorially. After Jasper epically failed at setting up our double date, Alice and I didn't think we'd ever have a moment like this. It's absolutely surreal now that it's actually happening – and so soon after Edward's flat-out denial!
"I know," I reply, conveying my astonishment at the turn of events through my eyes as I gently release her from my embrace. I watch her lift her shoulders in a slight shrug, widen her eyes minutely, and grimace in answer before my attention is commandeered by Jasper's outstretched hand.
"Good to see you again, Miss Bella," Jasper drawls, blue eyes twinkling with mischief. As I grasp his much larger hand in my own, I take a second to size him up. He hasn't changed much since his Forks Four days; he remains tall and thin, with a wide smile and a heavily-freckled boyish face. His signature look remains unchanged, consisting of jeans so tight they seem painted on, tattered band t-shirts, and clunky boots. The only thing that has changed is his hairstyle. The long, blond locks that were once haphazardly tied into a loose, low ponytail have now been replaced by a sloppy man-bun with closely-shaved sides.
I'm usually not a fan of the man-bun, so it pains me to admit that this look really fucking suits him.
"Sober this time," I answer him sheepishly, blinking rapidly in an effort to shake off the haze of attraction he cast over me. The butterflies trapped in my stomach flutter at the sight of him. He may be dating my friend, and I might be sleeping with his ex-bandmate, yet those statements do nothing to diminish the fact that I'm meeting Jasper fucking Whitlock in the flesh.
Angela would literally shit herself if she were here right now; she had the biggest crush on Jasper growing up. So much so that she installed a life-size poster of him in her room, which she would frequently kiss and dance against. Meaning, she'd close her blinds, dim the lights, blast some Forks Four, and rub her ass all over that poster. Now that I think about it, that's fucking mortifying. Then again, it's Angela we're talking about, so ... yeah, she definitely doesn't give a shit about that now. In fact, I think that poster is still hanging in her childhood room, lipstick stains and worn-out crotch on full fucking display.
"Not for long, if I have anything to say about that," Jasper replies, throwing me a cheeky wink for good measure.
Well, someone's flirty. It's no wonder he had a different girl every night during his heyday. I'm sure he'd have no problem doing the same now, and I'm not convinced he doesn't want to, what with the frisky twinkle in his eye and pretty-boy set to his mouth. Everything about him screams sex, sex, sex.
"Yessss!" Alice interrupts my train of thought with her obnoxious exclamation. She circles her arms around Jasper's middle, grinning impishly as she continues. "Let's party!"
It's a wonder how these two have resisted falling into bed together, given how she paws at him and his clear "fuck me" vibe. Today is going to be very interesting.
"Come on, little one." Jasper's face softens, and he leans down to press an adoring kiss to her forehead. "Let's go inside before everyone eats and drinks the place out of supplies."
Edward and I follow behind them, our posture a stark contrast to Alice and Jasper's tightly fused torsos and entwined arms. We simply walk beside each other, not touching, save for the occasional brush of a shoulder. I try not to dwell on that, and instead, hold the tender moment we shared earlier in the car close to my chest as a reminder of how close we really are. It doesn't matter that we don't hold hands or snuggle up like Alice and Jasper do...
Not when he looks at me the way he did in the car.
Not when he answers my kiss with the delicate press of his lips, like he's savoring the feel of me against him. Like he's never felt anything better than the tender joining of our mouths, the warm intermingling of our breaths.
Not when he holds my face to his, nose to cheek as he reverently breathes me in.
My heart thrums in time with the echoes of my memory.
"Bella?" Edward's voice jolts me.
"Huh?" I blink into focus, suddenly aware of his concerned expression.
"I asked if you've been to one of these things before," Edward repeats, brow furrowed. "Where were you?"
"Uhh..." I stutter, face flaming. "The car, earlier," I admit, chewing my lip. "But, no, I've never been to a festival like this."
The corners of his lips lift at my admission, and he steps up close behind me as we slide into place in the line reserved for people with VIP Access tickets. Jasper sprung for them and decided to hook us up, too, after Edward confirmed our attendance. Who am I to say no to unlimited food and drink? Plus, Jasper can definitely afford four tickets at this price, seeing he's a successful talent manager with quite an impressive lineup of well-known musicians under his care.
"It's so fun," Alice assures me, turning to face us as she grins and bounces on her toes excitedly. "You're going to love it, Bella. The food is so freaking good here."
"Just don't eat too much in one place," Edward murmurs close to my ear. His hand burns white hot over my stomach as he holds me in place and firmly presses his front to my back. Moments later, goosebumps rise on my skin, and I hold back a shiver as his warm breath fans over the back of my neck, and his fingers delicately tug a wayward strand of hair from my face, tucking it gently behind my ear.
The sweet torture continues.
Alice's eyes practically scream at me as she observes this, but, thankfully, she keeps her huge mouth locked tight.
"Good girl," I try to communicate to her through my eyes, and I think she gets the message because she beams proudly in response before turning to whisper something to Jasper. He inclines his head, glancing at us quickly over his shoulder, before shrugging, grinning, and tugging Alice forward in line. Moments later, we reach the front of the queue, where the festival staff quickly scans our tickets, slaps wristbands on us, and ushers us into the fairground that has been converted into a swanky festival.
"This is neat," I chirp, scanning the horizon and taking in the various food and drink stalls set up throughout the fairgrounds.
"Neat?" Alice repeats, face distorted in a frown. "You're such a nerd," she teases. "Who even uses the word neat anymore?"
"My dad, that's who," Jasper supplies, snorting derisively as he seamlessly joins the roast of Bella Swan.
I roll my eyes at them before turning to Edward. "Where to first, boss?"
"I want some pulled pork sliders," Alice interjects in a way that only she can make seem charming. "Sorry, I saw the sign over there, and I got excited."
"Pulled pork sliders it is, then," Edward chuckles. "By all means, lead the way."
"Sorry about Alice," I press closer to Edward as we follow our extremely energetic double date counterparts. "She's kind of rough to deal with if you're not used to her antics."
"She's fine," Edward assures me, squeezing me against his side with one ropey arm. I can't help but preen – on the inside, of course – under his attentions. However, my mental fiesta is cut short when he abruptly releases me once we reach our destination. "Do you want anything? It's my treat." The wink he throws me flirtatiously conveys his joke. His treat? Our VIP, all-you-can-eat festival wristbands say otherwise.
Okay, I can hold off on the dramatics. He's blatantly flirting and offering to order my food for me – that has to mean something, right?
I peruse the menu thoughtfully before settling on a small sandwich and a craft beer. Edward taps my order into his phone notes – "so I won't forget," he tells me as he blinds me with a grin so dazzling my heart nearly stutters to a stop – before striding forward to make the line.
Alice glues herself to my side as soon as he's out of earshot and immediately releases all of her pent up energy and excitement in one long, drawn-out squeal. "Oh, my gahhhd, Bella. I freaking can't with this right now!"
"God, you're too much," I groan, covering my ears in hopes of protecting them from her girlish exclamations. I don't want that annoying shit rubbing off on me.
"I know, I'm sorry! I'm just so excited for you guys. Wait – do you think Edward hates me?" She pauses her diatribe long enough to watch me shake my head reassuringly before launching back in. "Thank God! Dude, I know you guys are in a weird place right now," Alice whisper-yells in an attempt to take it down a notch; yet, despite the decrease in vocal volume, her intensity remains. "But that guy is so into you."
"Stop," I sigh in exasperation. "You know how I feel about this."
"I know, I know," Alice whines. "I was so on board with how you were planning to approach all of this, but Bella, I think we may be going about it the wrong way."
"We?" I can't help but laugh in spite of the doubt that flares up inside me at her assertation.
"Yes, we," Alice nods confidently. "I'm in this with you, Bella. I'm your support system, babe."
Babe.
Her endearment brings me back to baby, which releases a whole new round of butterflies in my stomach. The moment unfurls in my mind, and I reverently trace over it, savoring the way he looked at me, held me, kissed me.
Maybe she's right.
"Okay, so, what do you think I should do differently?"
Alice gives me a look that says, "you already fucking know." And I do, but, for some reason, I think I need to hear someone else say it. I need confirmation that it's the right thing to do.
"Be honest with him, Bella." Alice voices my thoughts. "Tell him how you're feeling."
"And how is it that you know what I'm feeling?" I know the answer to this question as well, but it's much the same as the previous one. I want to hear her say it.
"Oh, it's painfully obvious." Alice waves her hand at me, dismissively. "For you, and for him..."
"Is it?" I probe, now extremely interested.
"The way he looks at you," Alice's smile deepens. "It's like you're the most precious thing he's ever seen."
"Stop," I tell her, although I'd prefer if she continues.
"No," Alice is firm with me now. "You need to get your head out of your ass, idiot. You need to look at him. And – I mean – really look at him."
"I do look at him," I'm defensive now. She must be crazy if she really believes I don't look at him. I'm almost obsessive in my staring. It's borderline creepy.
"No, that's not what I mean, and you know it." Alice's brows raise in a challenge. "You need to take off those adoring fangirl lenses and actually look at him. You need to see what he's telling you with his eyes, with his body language."
"Wow," I breathe in response. "When did you get so insightful?"
"Well," Alice smiles softly, dreamily, as her eyes flash naughtily. "Jasper did fuck me into next year last night, so that might have something to do with it."
"Oh my god!" It's my turn to let out a girly squeal. "Fucking finally! I feel like I should get you a card or something."
I guess my ear-covering was for naught. She's clearly rubbed off on me.
"What?" Alice snorts humorously. "Like, congrats on the sex?"
"Yes!" My cheeks flush as I snort unappealingly at the thought of it.
"It's honestly appropriate," Alice's lips quiver with laughter.
"I want to get you a balloon." She deserves it. We should all be celebrating her triumph.
"Aw," Alice grins, punching my shoulder playfully. "You're so sweet."
"Just not too big, or you'll float away," I add, unable to resist throwing in a jab at her small stature.
"Very funny," Alice wrinkles her nose, only slightly amused.
"I thought so." Edward's ism flows from my lips without thought, and it gives me pause. Are we really to the point where we're unknowingly adopting each other's speech patterns and sayings? I've heard about this phenomenon, but have never been consciously aware of it happening to myself.
"Hey," Alice interjects suddenly, humorous tone replaced by mild panic. "Isn't that...?" She trails off, and I follow her line of vision. I see it right as Edward steps up next to me. By then, it's too late; the damage is done.
"Oh, shit," Jasper murmurs, joining our stunned trio and adequately conveying our simultaneous thoughts.
Edward is silent, save for the heavy sigh he releases as he hands me my food. I watch in alarm as he tilts his head back, dumps the contents of his beer down his throat, and crushes the cup in his clenched fist.
"I'll be right back," he tells us gruffly before turning and trudging to the spot; to the person who has drawn all of our attention.
Over his retreating shoulder, I see it; I see her face. I see her eyes, intense with an unfathomable expression. They stare unblinkingly, not at Edward, but at me.
Overwhelmed with emotion, I swallow against the panicked closing in my throat and break free from her unyielding gaze. "Fuck," I breathe out, taking in Alice and Jasper's concerned expressions.
Of course, when everything is going right, and we're seemingly making progress, we have to go and run into quite possibly the worst person.
Irina.
Welp - that was certainly unexpected! What do you guys think? Does this spell trouble for our favorite non-couple, couple?
More next week!
xo
j