After school yesterday Rose and Alice called me down to the were both hiding their thoughts by singing songs from that foulest of features Mama Mia, but I knew this trip was to help Bella, so when Rose was in her Mercedes and said 'Get in loser, we're going shopping.' I reluctantly complied.

I sincerely wished I hadn't when they dragged me into a lingerie store in Port Angeles and told me to pick out a … brassiere the same colour as the one of Bella's which Mike had glimpsed earlier that day. I immediately keeled over.

A full forty-five minutes later I was still sat rigid on the floor of the store, head between my knees, hyperventilating into the paper bag Alice had seen she would need to bring on the shopping trip. Rosalie drummed her fingers on the store counter and reminded me that the store would soon close and that it was my idea to prank Mike.

Steeling myself with my desire to protect Bella and stop Newton's rakish plot to molest her fair mouth at tonight's party, I managed, with some difficulty, to raise a shaking finger and indicate an appropriately coloured item.

Thankfully we were able to leave the store soon after, though Rosealie and Alice did have to carry me out and place me in the convertible like a small child, it was most humiliating, but I was still very much agitated.

After two hours of Esme stroking my hair I was somewhat able to function again. By that stage Emmett had enacted his plan and I spent the rest of the evening quietly working on my watercolours.

School passed fairly quietly today, though there was quite the buzz around Mike Newton at lunchtime. He was boasting about how he had a secret admirer and was flashing around a picture of a woman's décolletage, in suspiciously familiar blue underthings. Of course the oozing hormonal frenzy that occurred amongst the male student populous was hard to ignore as they passed the phone around, each speculating about whose 'sweater stretchers' were featured in said photograph.

I was struck silent as my eyes flitted between Roaslie and Alice, shocked that they felt this was appropriate and also somewhat moved that they would make such a sacrifice as an act of sisterly love.

After school Esme stroked my hair and helped to calm me before tonight's excusrion. I do love our snuggles so, it is the best part of any day I do not see Bella.

The party was in full swing as we arrived. Emmett and Rosalie often attend these sorts of gatherings, as do Alice and Jasper, but it was my first such outing. The thoughts of the partygoers were most overwhelming, as was the smell of warm beer, peach schnapps and cherry brandy. However, I held fast, knowing I wanted to witness the outcome of our plan first hand.

Bella was wearing that most alluring item, her khaki skirt and fighting the reaction this stirred in my loins was most taxing. I positioned myself behind a potted palm with my eyes screwed shut, and tried to quiet my nether regions for an hour or so.

After I had finally won the hard fought battle of wills in my underpants, I looked about the party and could see Mike Newton. He looked extra sweaty this evening, no doubt fueled by room temperature beer and pheromones. He was showing his phone to a huddle of male students, much as he had been at lunch time. Sure enough, he soon declared that he knew 'whose honkers' they were, bragging about how he'd 'copped an eyeful' the previous day and nodding in Bella's direction. She was seated across the room unawares, nursing a turned ankle she'd sustained whilst attempting to stand up.

Emmett joined the gaggle of lusty teens as Newton was joking about how he'd already twice made use of this latest picture in his 'wank bank' and was now going to move in to get his greasy hands on the real deal. He was eyeing Bella in the most grotesque manner and was positively salivating.

At this point Emmett took out his phone and quietly sent the zoomed out long shot of the same image Mike had been showing the boys to his phone. As it popped up on Mike's screen he boomed "YOU BEAT YOUR MEAT TO MY SWEET CHEEKS!"

Newton blanched, somehow sweating even more so as the group all beheld this new image. In it Emmett stood, naked, back to the camera, face turned over his shoulder, winking coquettishly as he blew a kiss to the viewer, his bare derrière cupped in the blue lingerie purchased the previous afternoon creating the false appearance of mammary cleavage.

Raucous whoops and laughter quickly drew the attention of all in the vicinity and Mike was an instant laughing stock. Emmett kindly granted requests for the image from a few of the guys who wanted to send it to friends who couldn't make it to the party. Mike was not going to live this down any time soon.

Mission accomplished, we were set to leave, but then Bella caught my eye and gave me a small wave. I tried to avoid looking at that most erotic khaki garment as I joined her on the sofa, where she sat with her sore ankle elevated on a footstool.

We exchanged a few words and spent some heavenly moments together. It was utter bliss. I can honestly say the best in my entire existence. Bella is not one for parties either, it seems. She was surprised to see me there and I confessed it was my first party and that my siblings had insisted I come.

We talked about movies for a while. Bella is quite the film buff it seems, preferring classics by Hitchcock and Wilder to the comic book superhero fare that has been so popular of late. She particularly likes Vertigo, The Empire Strikes Back, The Apartment and Gattaca. I was surprised when she said she liked Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I hadn't thought that to be a film many young people would have seen these days.

I shared a little about my tastes and hoped my choices weren't too revealing of my age, citing M, Persona, Eight and a Half, The Mirror, L'Année Dernière à Marienbad and Citizen Kane as personal favourites. I haven't been to the cinema in a very long time now. I do wish we could go together, it seems like such a simple pleasure, but I cannot risk such temptation. Her ankles would be so close! And unconcealed by a table!

As the night drew on Bella grew tired. I went to fetch her a drink and returned to find her snoozing peacefully in her seat. She looked ethereally beautiful, an absolute vision, as she drooled softly onto the cushions. I stood transfixed for a moment or two, until Angela arrived and gently woke Bella, saying she was going home now. They stood to leave, Bella hobbling slightly on her swollen ankle and I bid them goodnight. She said 'thanks for keeping me company Cullen' and smiled at me.

She smiled. At me.

A/N: Please leave a review! Thanks so much to my wonderful beta wh1teow1, who came up with the idea for the classic prank that Emmett pulled on Mike to thwart his grubby designs on Bella's chest. Please show some love and read Moirai, a reimagining of Twilight for the new decade!

OOOH! Edward got a smile! What do you think? Was she being polite? Does she think he could be a friend? Does Bella like him like him?