Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

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I smooth my fingers over Edward's knuckles until he relaxes.

The tension is broken further when Esme and Dr. Sasha come inside and start giggling in the other room about more gossip than I hear in a week, and I'm in high school. Their laughs are infectious. I can't help but smile when Edward chuckles in my ear. I hope that my friends and I have the same kind of friendship when we're older. My mom has a best friend too, but it's not like this silly giddiness at all. Edward, Tanya, and I stay in the kitchen, filling up on appetizers as we wait for dinner to be ready. For the most part, the chatter coming from the other room makes little sense to me until my name is thrown in. "I know, right? It was an accident. Don't tell Bella."

I look at Edward, not at all sure what to think.

He rolls his eyes and smirks. "It's that tropical juice you like. We picked some up the other day, and she put rum in it and started calling it her Bella drink. Can we just ignore this, please?"

I stare at him as I try to decide if we really can, but I don't think this is something that will simply evade my mind.

He raises his brows. "Do you want to try it?"

I press my hand against his chest. "Shh! No." I pause because I am curious, so I add in a whisper, "Not right now." I lean over, listening to find out if his mom heard his offer, but her banter with her friend has returned to silly local town shenanigans.

"I do," Tanya says in a perky voice, as if she was included in our conversation.

For all of five seconds, I'd forgotten she was still standing so close to us.

"No," Edward tells her as he walks toward the fridge. He grabs two drinks, but when Tanya clears her throat, he rolls his eyes before also grabbing one for her. "You can leave if you want," he tells her as he hands her the glass bottle. "I'll even cover for you. For real this time. I swear."

"Thanks," she says. "I'll consider it." She turns to me, fake smile falling. "Is he this mean to you?"

"No," I say, as I watch him loosen the lid on my drink before handing it to me.

"Good. Don't let him be."

I give her a tight smile and a nod but pay little mind to her advice. She gives him reasons to take issue with her. He's never been that way toward me—not even a little.

Dinner is an interesting affair of generic burger toppings with some odd mustards and the random pickled vegetables Edward warned me about. The food items I brought fit right in, and Rosalie's flowers are now a center piece on the table.

The Cullens and Denalis may work together, but they talk as if they haven't seen each other in years. Unfortunately, they try to include us in their conversation every now and then. When Carlisle asks me about college, I feel somewhat put on the spot but explain my plan to spend two years at Peninsula while I figure out what I want to do. I'm prepared to defend my choice to spend a few more years living with my dad after spending so many with my mom, but it feels too personal to share with this group. It turns out that defending my decision isn't even necessary.

"That's a solid choice," he says followed by a pointed look at Edward.

Dr. Denali sets down his wine glass, causing the burgundy liquid to nearly wave over the rim. "Nothing wrong with that." Looking at Tanya now, he asks, "Have you looked into Peninsula?"

"No." She drops her fork and her eyes bulge. I wonder if she's trying not to throw a fit as she speaks through clenched teeth. "I like New York and California. I don't like Forks or Seattle, or even Washington in general. You also know I do not enjoy Portland or Boise." She holds up a finger when her father tries to chime in. "That is also a no to Vancouver. I love you, guys, but no. I have to go where I want. There are no opportunities for me in the places you want me to go."

"For school?" Dr. Sasha asks.

Tanya scoffs, "Still, no, but you already know this. I'm not interested in a trade school, and I will not take online classes. I have no use for dual enrollment. I don't care if you can get me a killer internship. I will not…"

She stops when Edward groans. After glaring at him, she gives me a look as if she expects me to reprimand him. She rolls her eyes when I don't. I can't help but wonder how much longer she would have gone on for if Edward hadn't reacted.

"Well," Dr. Denali says. "I'm sure you'll make a great model. How are things at Newtons'? Still leaning toward managing their e-commerce?"

"Sure, he is," Esme says, her giggle higher than earlier thanks to a few glasses of her Bella drink, "but we haven't had a chance to talk about Peninsula, so we'll have to get back to you on that." She winks at me before bringing her glass to her lips and smirking behind the rim.

Edward presses his thumb and forefinger against his eyes as he props his elbow on the table. He's not mentioned Peninsula or even wanting to stay on at Newtons' after high school. All I know is that right now, he's probably thinking about going to Peninsula with me as he tries to hide his smile. I'm also pretty sure he's blushing. I squeeze his hand as I wonder if staying in Forks had even been a consideration before.

Of all the scenarios I could have conjured up about how bad this could go, this isn't anything like I had imagined. One thing that doesn't escape my notice, though, is that despite how secretive Edward is, Tanya must have always known where he works and that has me questioning so many of my previous assumptions.

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With the remnants of the chips and dip in hand, Edward leads me toward his game room. He opens the swinging doors with his back. Dinner went pretty well but being in here with just him is so much better. I take off my shoes and leave them by the wall where I usually do. He sets the food on the coffee table and sits down on the far end of the couch, leaning back as if this has been the most tiring day of his life before he reaches for me. I take his hand, but I don't let him pull me as close as he wants. I take the middle seat.

"Why?" Edward asks. "Are you mad at me?"

There's no way I'm just going to sit on his lap with his parents and their guests right down the hall. "No, here," I say as I stand up. I have him move over just enough so I can sit in the corner of the couch sideways and drape my legs over his. "Now it's not like I'm trying to grind on you."

"Grind on me, huh? Is that all you ever think about?" he asks as he slides his hand up my leg.

I grab his hand to stop its progress from going up any farther. "No," I say, but it's almost a lie. Ever since I was here on Tuesday, I haven't thought of much else. "It's all you think about apparently."

He smiles and kind of shrugs but doesn't deny it. My face warms up at the idea of him thinking about us in the same way as I often do.

I move closer. "You owe me still."

"For what?"

"For the almost kissing," I say even though I'm sure he already knows. "That was rude."

"It was very rude," he says and leans in until our lips connect.

I feel a rush from my mouth clear down to my toes. Even from this position, it feels like our kissing could turn into grinding. It takes a lot of effort to remember our surroundings. My dad usually stays out in La Push pretty late. Edward could take me home and we could fix this problem I have where my bed doesn't smell like him. Even the hoody he left with me has lost his scent. I should trade him the gray one for the black one he's taken to wearing. As it stands, with my chest pressed against his, the clothes I'm wearing now are sure to already smell like him. Our breaths get heavier as his hands slide under my shirt in the back.

"Stop ditching me," Tanya says as she enters the room.

I feel like I've crashed back down to Earth. Edward's head falls back as she plops down on the couch beside us. I close my eyes a moment to keep from glaring at her before I make sure my clothes look okay and move away from Edward just a little. She doesn't even try to sit on the opposite end. My feet are between her and him, but maybe I shouldn't have had him switch me sides.

"Stop following me," he says back, not looking at her as he squeezes my thigh.

I rub the side of his neck. The way his head is, his neck looks uncomfortably stretched.

"I don't follow people. You know this." Tanya turns her body sideways, pulling her knee onto the couch. "So, how long have you two been sneaking around?"

He looks at me and then, squeezes his eyes shut.

When he doesn't answer, I just say, "A while."

"Why are we hiding this?" she asks.

Edward doesn't miss a beat. "Because of you."

"Oh, whatever." Her face twists in the only unattractive look I've ever seen on her. "When are you going to get over that. It's been years."

"Years of you still doing it." He buries his face in my neck.

Tanya is looking at her phone as she says, "It has not. I'm not doing anything. If you wanted Siobhan, you could have had Siobhan. You don't need to keep punishing us for it. Even Zafrina isn't mad anymore, so why are you still dwelling on this?"

There's a rush of air as he scoffs against my skin before he says, "That's not even what I'm talking about," but it feels as if the whole world has gone still.

"Siobhan?" I ask, not really wanting to know, but the question comes out anyway because I have no idea what's going on right now.

"No," Edward says, still tucked against my neck.

Tanya shakes her head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. Just forget it."

Everything is silent except for the clacking sounds Tanya's phone makes when she texts. Whatever this story is that they're not telling me, it hangs in the air.

Edward leans back and when I look at him, he says, "It's middle school drama. It doesn't matter."

I nod because it shouldn't, but it doesn't make me feel any less uneasy. I may not have paid attention to gossip surrounding him before, but Alice and Rosalie did, so I don't know how I don't already know about whatever this is.

"It started before I even moved here." He nods Tanya's way. "She found out we were moving and decided to try and set me up with one of her new friends, but they've always been shady people, so…"

Tanya snorts, but doesn't add anything.

"Oh." I don't know what else to say. I'm tempted to follow Tanya's lead and hide behind the screen on my phone.

His fingers brush my ear as he pushes my hair away from my face. "It was ridiculous. They gave me a fake picture, and then all three of them were talking to me from the one account. I didn't know what was happening until I moved here. It was a great time. Then, they followed it up with sending the whole school after me, which will never end, and for some reason, she still thinks it's okay for her to come to my house."

"Oh, please. The whole school being after you is genetic. I know you own a mirror, but I'm sure Bella can tell you," Tanya says as she sets her phone on the table and grabs a handful of chips. "It was Siobhan in the photo. We just touched her up a bit because she was insecure." She shoves a chip in her mouth and places her hand in front of her lips as she says between chews, "It was supposed to just be Siobhan messaging him, but like I said, she was insecure, so we helped her out." She rubs her hands together, brushing off crumbs as she says to me, "Then, Zafrina really liked him, so Siobhan was happy to let her go for it, but when he went to the theater and it was Zafrina and not Siobhan, he wouldn't even talk to her."

"Because you're all liars," Edward says as he looks at her like she's crazy.

"You didn't even give us a chance to explain. Zafrina and I got in the biggest fight after and we almost didn't come back from that, but does he care? No. All he cares about is that girls at school throw themselves at him like he's a rock star and somehow thinks it's all my fault."

I press my hand against the side of his face as I imagine a much younger version of him being as against moving as I know he was, talking to a girl he may have thought he liked only to get fooled the way they'd fooled him. He'd never caught a break where girls are concerned it seems. "I'm sorry they did that to you."

He cracks a smile, but Tanya says, "I know. We're still sorry. He was super sweet back then too, not like now. He didn't even visit me after my surgery. His parents came over, but did he? No."

Edward keeps his gaze fixed on me, but I can tell she's wearing on him, so I say, "Let's go to my house."

He nods, but it's Tanya who speaks. "Okay, go, but are you coming to our party?"

Edward laughs. "No one is going to that party."

She looks down as she messes with her thumbs in her lap. "I know."

The whole thing is kind of a mess. Alice, Rosalie, and I were all invited, but some of these invites have been coming between friends. There are worse things in life than not being invited to a party, but I know that being shut out isn't an easy experience, and this exclusive party might have a lasting impact.

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Water droplets clung to the foggy glass of my bedroom window, appearing stranded in midair. I looked up at the gray sky, feeling small in the grand scheme of the universe. It'd been a week since Harry Clearwater's heart attack, but things hadn't been improving. It had been the closest thing I'd ever experienced to a family tragedy. Charlie went to the hospital daily, though I didn't know where to start with such things. Even though my issues with Jake bothered me more deeply than I'd ever felt before, they seemed like nothing as Harry Clearwater fought for his life. I tried texting Leah to check in on her dad, how she and her family were doing, and to see if there was anything that I could do to help her, but it wasn't easy. Her short answers left me feeling like I should leave her be, so I did. We'd only just barely started tolerating each other. Maybe friendship seemed close to the horizon, but the sun had set before anything happened there. Even still, I felt like I should have been doing something, anything.

It was unnaturally sunny on the day he passed away. No formal service was planned. Instead, a handful of relaxed events took place.

My dad looked older, more tired than I'd ever seen him as he poured the third cup of coffee he'd had that morning. "I'm heading back out there in a bit. Do you want to ride with me?"

"Go ahead," I said, while thinking of the voicemail I'd left Leah the day her dad had passed. "I need to call Leah and see what they're all doing."

He nodded and left me alone.

I looked at my phone. With as much time as I spent in La Push, I hadn't gotten that close with anyone. It didn't feel right to keep bothering Leah. With my free hand clenched into a fist, I managed to text Jake, asking how things were going and if I could do anything.

His short answer was the word, Fine, but three dots kept flashing on the screen. I watched them as I waited to see what he had to say, but a few minutes later, Leah's name appeared on my screen as my phone rang.

"Bella, I need you to not come out here."

"Oh, okay." I closed my eyes as I tried to process what she had said. "Okay, don't worry about that. I won't come out there. I just wanted you to know that I'm really sorry this happened, and I'm here if you need anything—anything at all."

"Yeah, thanks," she said. "Just don't come out here. I know you mean well but having you out here after everything would be too much. I can only handle so much right now, but we'll talk later."

She hung up, but we didn't talk later. We never spoke again.

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"I'm sorry about her," Edward says when were in his car as he reaches for my hand.

"It's fine. At least, I think I learned something."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I think you were right. I don't think she likes you."

He laughs. "Is your dad home?"

I bite my lip, as I look down. "No, he's not."

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A/N:

Thanks for your patience in waiting! I'll have the next chapter up next Wednesday, and I'll post a teaser on my Facebook page on Monday: Mylissa Denicks. Thanks again! And so many thinks to dazzled eyes22 and YourVixen for all your continued help to make this story better!