15

"No, Masen," snapped Bella, slamming her locker shut.

"Yes, Cullen," I said, smirking, causing her to roll her eyes. "You promised I could drive."

"But-"

"No, buts," I laughed. "A promise is a promise."

"Fine, but I really don't like you right now," grumbled Bella, leaning against her locker. I rolled my eyes this time and put my arm next to her head as I leaned in.

"It won't be that bad," I smiled. "I might even let you control the radio."

"Oh, look, Edward and Bella are so cute together," sneered Lauren, walking past us. "Too bad they are both freaks."

"Oh, look, Lauren's ass looks fucking fat," snapped Bella, causing everyone around us to laugh. "Here's a tip, don't eat so much shit. It makes your ass look huge."

"Fucking little bitch," muttered Lauren, storming through the crowded hallway.

"I don't think she appreciated your suggestion," smirked Angela as she, Ben, Garrett, and Kate joined us at Bella's locker.

"Here I was trying to be a good friend," sighed Bella, shaking her head. She looked up at me. "That's what I get for giving back."

"Yeah, you're a real good Samaritan," I laughed, rolling my eyes. I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from her locker. "Let's go be good Samaritans somewhere else."

Bella groaned as I pulled her past everyone. Bella and I headed out to my car, a beautiful silver Volvo that Bella made fun of for being a 'Mom car'. I didn't care that it was a mom car since that meant that I didn't have to ride with Esme anymore. I was getting really tired of riding in with her every morning. Since she didn't trust Bella's driving to actually get me to school on time, I was forced to ride with Esme.

"Ok, what are you going to force me to listen to this time?" I asked, starting my car.

"Only the best band to ever grace the stage," smiled Bella. "The Rolling Stones."

"I can handle that," I laughed, pulling out of the parking lot.

A few minutes later, I pulled my car up in front of the gym. Bella and I climbed out and headed inside. We found Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper waiting inside with Esme, Renee, Charlie, Alice, and Rose. All of them had looks of anxiousness and excitement etched upon their faces, well except for Renee and Charlie.

Renee had a look of pure annoyance while Charlie looked bored as usual. Over the last couple weeks since they've been here in Forks, Renee has managed to piss Bella off a least five more times, all while she was training. One of these days, one of us is just going to let Bella hit the bitch when she lunges for her. We are all getting tired of hearing her spout off crap. Of course, Charlie doesn't do or say anything to help the matter.

"We about ready?" asked Bella as we came in.

"Yep," mumbled Carlisle, looking around to make sure he had everything. He sighed and looked up at us. "You two ready for this?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, trying to be more confident than I felt. The truth was I was scared shitless but I wasn't about to tell them that.

"Yep," smiled Bella. She was practically vibrating with excitement. It was a little unnerving on how excited she really was.

"Ok, let's load up and head out," sighed Emmett, looking at me. "Drive carefully."

"I will," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Their lack of confidence in me and my driving skills was very annoying.

"I don't even know why they aren't just riding with one of us," mumbled Renee, under her breath.

"Cause we don't want to," snapped Bella, pulling on my arm. "Stupid bitch just can't shut up."

Bella pulled me out of gym and back over to my car. We climbed in and waited for everyone to come out. Renee came storming out a few minutes later, looking pissed and angry but Bella and I had decided that was the only expression she seemed to have anymore. After a few more minutes, everyone was loaded into their cars, Esme with Carlisle, and we were headed to Seattle for mine and Bella's first boxing tournament of the season.

"Ok, so I thought we would start with some 'Ain't to proud to beg' and work our way down to 'Satisfaction,'" smirked Bella, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"It's nice to know you aren't too proud to beg, Baby," I said, flashing her a smile.

"Ugh, that was lame," she scoffed.

"I know," I sighed.

"Are you ok?" asked Bella. "You seem…nervous."

"I am a little," I admitted, looking over at her. "I've never boxed like this before. It's always just been sparing with my dad or you or your brothers. What if…"

"You'll be fine," smiled Bella, grabbing my hand. "If Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper didn't think you were ready, they wouldn't be letting you fight."

"I know," I muttered, looking back at the road.

"It's ok to be scared and nervous," said Bella, laying her head on my shoulder. "I am too."

"You are?" I asked.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "This is the first tournament I've done since…"

"Oh," I whispered.

"My Mom and Dad used to take my brothers to tournaments all the time. I loved going with them. The energy and excitement in the place was…just amazing. When I was fourteen, they entered me in my first juniors tournament. It was the most incredible experience of my life," said Bella.

"How'd you do?" I asked.

"I got my ass handed to me," laughed Bella, "but I was young and stupid. I thought that because I grew up in the gym that I knew more then my father and that nobody could beat me. Needless to say, when I found myself eating the glove of the girl kicking my ass, I realized I was an idiot. I went back home, stopped being such a little bitch, and started training harder."

"That really doesn't make me feel very confident," I chuckled.

"Sorry," smiled Bella, looking up at me. "If it helps, I went to my next tournament and totally kicked her ass."

"Now, that does help," I smiled.

Bella laughed as she turned up the radio and started singing along. I couldn't stop the smile from flittering across my face as I watched her let everything go. This was the Bella that nobody else saw. Even over the last couple weeks since we started going out, she was still so reserved and guarded if anyone else was around. I suppose a big part of her was afraid to let her walls down with anyone else but me. All I really knew was this amazing girl sitting in the passenger seat of my car had totally and completely entranced me.

A couple of hours later, I parked my car next to Carlisle and Esme. Bella and I exchanged a look before we climbed out of the car. We had both found it difficult over the last couple of weeks to keep our relationship from our families but we also knew that they would not completely understand. Bella's brothers were just now starting to trust me a little bit and Esme was still weary of Bella's past.

Bella and I got out of the car and grabbed our bags from the trunk. The tournament was scheduled to start bright and early tomorrow morning but we had to get in here tonight to get registered and weighed in. We followed Carlisle into the hotel and waited while he and Esme checked us in. I exchanged a look with Bella when I saw Carlisle place his hand on the small of Esme's back.

"They must think we are fucking blind if they don't think we know they are all hot for each other," whispered Bella. I bit my lip to stop from laughing.

"No shit," I whispered, back. "I'd say we should lock them in a room together but I don't even want to think about what they might do in there."

"Gross," laughed Bella, causing several people to stop and look around at us.

"What's gross?" asked Renee, cocking her eyebrow at us.

"Nothing," snickered Bella, looking over at me. I was doing my best not to just completely lose it here in front of everyone. "I can't believe you went there."

"Like you didn't think it," I scoffed. I got a flash of Esme and Carlisle…I shuddered. "Fucking mental pictures."

"Sucker," snickered Bella.

"Ok, we have five rooms on the third floor," said Carlisle, coming over to us. "Edward, you are with me. Bella, you are with Esme."

"Great," muttered me and Bella at the same time. Nothing quite like sharing a room with your secret girlfriend's older, pain in the ass brother.

"Anyway," chuckled Carlisle, clearing enjoying the uncomfortable moment. "We need to take everything upstairs and make our way down to conference room twelve for registration and weigh in."

Ten minutes later, we had deposited our belongings into our various rooms and had found our way back downstairs to the lobby. We followed Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper down to the conference room where we found at least a hundred people milling around the large room. I felt Bella tense up next to me and almost reached for her hand but didn't because I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. I looked down at her at the same time she looked up at me. There was a look of fear and dread in her eyes.

'You're ok,' I mouthed.

'I'm…' she shook her head softly and took a deep breath, putting on her stone face again. 'I'm ok.'

We followed Carlisle over while he, Emmett, and Jasper got us registered for the tournament. The people sitting behind the large table seemed surprised when they told them their last name was Cullen. I guess their parents had made quite the name for themselves over the years. After they got us signed in, we followed Carlisle over to get weighed in.

"Ok, Bell, you're first," said Carlisle. Bella stepped up on the scale so the official could weigh her.

"You are 113lbs or 51.4kg which places you in the flyweight division," smiled the official. "Good luck, young lady."

"Thank you," muttered Bella, stepping off the scale.

"Edward, you're next," said Carlisle. I stepped up in the scale and took a deep breath.

"Ok, young man, you are 177lbs or 80.5kg which puts you in light heavy weight division," explained the official. "Good luck to you, too."

"Thank you," I said, stepping off the scale.

"Baby Cullen?" asked a man behind us. Bella, Carlisle and I all turned around. "That is you, isn't it?"

"Well shit, look at that ugly face," smiled Bella. She went over and hugged the man, who had shaggy blond hair and blue eyes. "You look like shit."

"So do you," he smirked, pulling back from her. He gave her the once over and I nearly punched him. "Bella, you look hot. When did that happen?"

"Last Tuesday," snorted Bella, looking back at me. Her eyes widen a little when she realized I was standing there. "James, this is my friend Edward."

"Nice to meet you, Edward," smiled James, holding out his hand to me. I clutched it in mine.

"You too," I muttered, dryly. He looked from me back to Bella before turning to Carlisle. "Hey, Carlisle, how's it going?"

"Not to bad," laughed Carlisle, shaking James' hand. "Where's Vic?"

"Around here somewhere," shrugged James. "Where's the rest of the Cullen Clan?"

"Waiting for us in the back," said Carlisle. "Come say hi."

"Sure," smiled James. Carlisle started leading James through the crowd to the others. I made to follow them but Bella pulled me back. I couldn't look at her.

"Edward, look at me," she whispered. I reluctantly looked down at her. "Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not," I muttered.

"Yes, you are," she whispered, frantically. "Please tell me what I did."

"You didn't do anything," I whispered. "I just…I didn't like seeing him…"

"Edward, James is just a friend of the family," said Bella. "He and Jasper used to train together before they went to college. He's almost like a brother."

"Ok," I said.

"Please don't be mad at me," she whispered.

"I'm not mad at you," I said, softly, staring into her beautiful eyes. "I really want to kiss you right now."

"I really want you to kiss me-"

"Bella, Edward, shake a leg," hollered Emmett, from across the room.

"But they are like vultures following us around," groaned Bella.

"Yep," I muttered. "Fucking family."

Bella and I made our way over to where the others, James, and a beautiful redhead with light brown eyes were talking. The red head looked over at me and Bella and smiled as she pulled Bella into her arms and hugged her.

"Bella, you look great," whispered the woman. She pulled back and moved her hands to Bella's face. "You look more like Corrine everyday."

"Thank you, Vic," whispered Bella. She turned and smiled at me. "Vic, this is my friend Edward. Edward, this is James' girlfriend, Victoria."

"Fiancé, actually," smirked Victoria holding up her left hand. Sitting on her ring finger was a glistening diamond ring.

"So you're finally going to make him an honest man," snorted Bella.

"I figured it was time," snickered Victoria, looking back at me. "It's nice to meet you, Edward."

"You too, Victoria," I smiled.

"Call me Vic," she shuddered. "I fucking hate that name."

"Ok, Vic," I laughed.

"Well, we should be getting to our rooms," said Carlisle. "Big day tomorrow."

"We'll catch up with you sometime tomorrow," smiled James. He looked from Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, and Renee over to me and Bella. "Good luck tomorrow, Baby Cullen."

"Thanks," mumbled Bella.

Bella and I followed the others out of the conference room and down to the elevator. We insisted that they take the elevator up first. We stood side by side awkwardly waiting for it to come back down. After a few more minutes, the doors opened and the two of us stepped onto the empty elevator. The doors closed and I looked over at Bella as I hit the stop button.

She bit her lip as she looked up at me. I slowly brought my hands up to her face and cupped it. I pressed my lips down slowly onto hers. Bella moaned and brushed my bottom lips with her tongue, asking for entrance into my mouth. I opened my mouth and let her tongue in. I lifted Bella up and pressed her against the wall of the elevator, kissing her harder and more frantically. Bella wove her fingers into my hair and pulled slightly as the alarm in the elevator started going off.

"Fuck," she whispered. I reached over and hit the stop button causing the elevator to start moving.

"Guess we got a little carried away," I whispered, setting her on her feet.

"A little," smiled Bella. I stepped away from her as the doors opened. We found her brothers, Renee, Charlie, and Esme all waiting for us.

"What the fuck happened?" asked Emmett..

"The cables must have gotten stuck for a minute," lied Bella. "Piece of shit elevator."

"No shit," scoffed Emmett, shaking his head. "Anyway, night all."

"Night," we all mumbled. We headed down the hallway to our rooms. I looked over and smiled at Bella before she followed Esme into their room.

"Goodnight, Bella," I said, softly.

"Goodnight, Edward," smiled Bella.

I waited for Bella to shut the door before I went into mine and Carlisle's room. I pulled out my pajamas from my bag and went into the bathroom to change. I climbed into my bed while he went to change into his. He came back out and got into his bed and turned off the light, after setting the alarm.

"Hey, Edward," he said. "Do me a favor?"

"What?" I asked.

"When kissing my sister in an elevator, try not to cause the alarm to go off," he laughed.

"What?" I gasped.

"You heard me," he said. "Just try to be smoother about it, or whatever."

"Um, ok," I said, weakly.

"Good," he laughed. "Now, get some sleep. You have some ass to kick tomorrow."

I laid there for several minutes trying to wrap my mind around what Carlisle just said to me. Did he just give me permission to keep seeing Bella? Not that it would make a difference but did he? Eventually, I managed to fall asleep, where I once again dreamed of Bella.