Chapter Two

"Urghhh" I groan, feeling a wet tongue against my cheek and then my forehead.

I roll onto my back, pushing the offending mouth away before attempting to open my eyes. The low light streaming through the window is still far too bright and I wince before groaning again, slamming my eyes closed. I gingerly lift my hand to my forehead and feel as if I have a tiny army of roadworkers drilling into my skull.

"Fuck..." I groan before the tongue smacks me on the cheek once more and stale dog breath assaults my nose. "Oh fuck, Finn, get away" I grumble, turning onto my side and managing to crack an eye open once more.

I breathe deeply, trying to swallow down the bile that's risen in my throat. I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth before realising that nothing is going to stop the fast-approaching vomit and throw myself out of bed and into the bathroom next door. I slide to my knees, just making it to the toilet on time before unloading my stomach contents into the porcelain bowl.

I heave and retch for a few minutes before feeling like I can move away and dropping down onto my ass, resting my back against the cool tile behind me. I turn my eyes to look at the far too happy face beside me.

"Sorry, you had to see that bud," I say to the dog in front of me.

Finn's ears twitch a little before he sticks his tongue out, smiling at me.

"You hungry?" I croak.

He jumps up and down before barking joyfully and setting off another round of drilling in my brain.

"Fuck bud, shut the fuck up...please..." I groan, pressing a hand to my head and closing my eyes for a moment.

Finn seems to take pity on me as he immediately stops barking and comes to sit in front of me. I crack open an eye and look at his face before letting out a small laugh and scratching behind his ear.

"Come on then, let's go get you some food," I say.

I heave myself to my feet, taking a moment to clean the foul taste out of my mouth and pop a couple of Advil before I stumble into the kitchen. I grab Finn's bowl before pulling his food out of the cupboard and filling it. I place it back on the floor watching him tuck in before looking around the room. My eyes fall on the coffee machine.

Coffee...

I slowly fill the machine, setting it going before I rest my hands on the counter and take a deep breath, my eyes closing.

Oh fuck...last night...


"Fuck" I croak, "Bella".

It's like seeing a ghost, like a mirage witnessed by a dying man. When my eyes first landed on her, I wasn't sure if it was the drink, a figment of my imagination. It had happened before, especially in the early days, but this time she didn't disappear or end up being someone else when I blinked or shook my head. She just stood in front of me, like a fucking...dream.

"Bella?" I hear Emmett's voice ask.

"Hi," She whispers, her eyes dragging away from mine.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He asks.

"I'm visiting my parents for Christmas" She whispers.

"But it's been..." Jasper murmurs, looking at her as if he can't believe she's here either.

"Seven years" I fill in for them.

Bella's eyes snap back to mine and I feel like I'm going to pass out.

She looks the same but different. Her hair is the same shade of brown that it had always been, but it's shorter, more styled. Her eyes are still the hazel they'd always been but they seemed to stand out more like she's wearing more make-up than she used to. Her face is the same heart shape but somehow slimmer, more chiselled. She's not a girl anymore, she's a woman.

"I need to go" I grunt before stumbling towards the door.

I make it out onto the front porch before stumbling slightly and grabbing one of the wooden posts to steady myself.

"Wait, Edward!" Angela calls after me.

I ignore her calling my name and make my way down the drive quickly, needing to get away from that house. I take off down the street and back towards the main road. I hear my phone ring a couple of times in my pocket but ignore it. All I can see, all I can think about is brunette hair and hazel eyes and how she was standing in Angela's fucking living room.

I walk for a long time until the cold makes me turn towards home. When I get there, I manage to get my key into the lock before I turn the knob and basically fall into the hallway. Finn jumps and barks excitedly and I reach a hand out blindly, patting his head before practically crawling up the stairs.

I shrug out of my coat and flop down onto my bed. I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow.


I hear the coffee machine finish and open my eyes, pouring myself a cup. I sip the burning hot liquid, relishing the way it burns my throat and makes me momentarily forget about the pain in my head.

I turn to look at Finn and see him sitting, watching me, his head slightly cocked to one side.

"What?" I ask.

He hangs out his tongue in response.

"You have no idea the night I had" I murmur.

He cocks his head to the other side and I chuckle a little.

"You wanna hear about it?" I ask.

He spins in a circle excitedly and I can't help but laugh at him.

"I saw a girl I used to know," I tell him quietly, staring into his big brown eyes. "She looked the same but...she also didn't you know? I haven't seen her for a long time."

His eyes bore into mine and it's almost like he can understand me.

"I didn't even know she was back you see" I sigh, sitting down on the kitchen floor and watching him shuffle towards me, resting his chin on my knee. "I loved her once". I whisper.

Finn whines a little in response.

"Yeah, that's how I felt too," I tell him with a sad smile. "But...she wanted more than me," I tell him.

I look into his dark eyes and I can almost see the question - 'so what happened last night?'

"I kind of ran away last night" I murmur.

Finn raises his head up and cocks it, like he can't believe the words leaving my mouth.

"I know. Real big of me right?" I chuckle humourlessly.

Finn snorts in response.

"I just...didn't know what to say to her." I shrug.

He places his chin back on my knee and I stroke behind his ear.

"Maybe you could tell me what to do eh?" I tell him.

He closes his eyes and sighs, enjoying the attention. I chuckle at him, shaking my head a little. I can't believe I'm talking to the dog.

"Wanna go for a walk?" I ask.

Finn immediately sits up and spins in a circle, barking excitedly.

"Okay buddy, let me just change," I tell him.

I shower quickly, washing away the stench of alcohol and vomit before pulling on some clean clothes. I clip on Finn's leash before heading out the door and turning towards my parent's house. We make the short walk but I constantly look over my shoulder, expecting to see Bella at any moment. I don't of course and I almost start to wonder if I imagined the entire night, but then I check my phone and see twelve missed calls and six texts.

Are you okay? - Em

Where are you? - Jazz

Edward, I'm sorry, I didn't know you would be going for drinks with Ben - Ang

Have you gone home? - Em

Text me when you get up - Jazz

Heard what happened. Kind of remember. You okay man? - Ben

I quickly reply to each of them, saying that I'm fine but just need some time on my own. I then turn off my phone, reaching my parent's house and knocking on the door. I wait a few minutes before Mom appears dressed in a robe.

"Edward? Is everything alright?" She asks, looking concerned.

"Yeah...no...can I come in?" I ask.

"Of course" She says before stepping back and letting me walk in.

I head into the house, unclipping Finn's leash and shrugging out of my coat. My dad appears from the kitchen, looking equally concerned.

"Edward? You're here early." He says.

"What time is it?" I ask, suddenly realising I have no idea.

"Seven thirty" Mom replies.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" I ask.

"No, we were up" Dad says.

"What's going on honey?" Mom asks.

I sigh a little.

"I saw Bella." I tell them. The words feel weird leaving my mouth.

They're both silent for a moment before my dad speaks again.

"Where?" He asks.

"At Angela's" I reply quietly, staring at the floor.

"Why was she there?" Mom says.

"She's visiting her parents for Christmas. She was over having a drink with Ang. I saw her when we took Ben back from the bar" I tell them.

"Did she say anything?" Dad asks.

"No" I say. "She didn't say anything. She just looked...surprised."

"I'm sure she was. What did you say?" Mom asks.

"I didn't say anything I just...ran away" I admit.

They're silent again, letting the words sink in.

"Come have a coffee" Dad says, tilting his head towards the kitchen.

I sigh a little, following him into the kitchen and taking the mug he offers me.

"Are you going to try and see her again?" Mom wonders.

"I...I don't know" I whisper.

I hadn't even thought about trying to see her again. I doubt she'd want to see me after the way I behaved last night. I must have looked like a complete ass.

"Do you think I should?" I ask.

They exchange a glance before Dad sighs a little.

"I think you need to do what's right for you" He says gently. "But, I know how everything ended between you and...I think you owe yourself some closure. You're both older than you were the last time you saw one another, more mature...you might find that you get a bit of closure by seeing her again now."

"What do you think?" I ask Mom.

"I agree with your father. You were so...broken...when she left" She says quietly, and I sigh, remembering how awful it was. "I don't want you to go back to that but at the same time, I think...maybe seeing her now you can separate fact from fiction, you know?" She says.

I nod a little.

"Yeah. Maybe" I whisper.

We're all silent for a while, sipping our coffee as I mull over their words.

Is Bella more fiction than fact now? Of course, I knew her once, knew her inside out, but...she's probably different now. What if I speak to her and realise I don't like her anymore? What if it lets me...move on a bit?

Maybe I should try.


It's been three days since I saw Edward again and I still haven't gotten over it. I feel like every waking moment I think about green eyes and auburn hair and then at night, I relive the moment he ran away from me. Like I was some kind of monster.

"Honey, are you sure you're okay?" Mom asks.

"Yeah Mom" I smile, "Just a little tired".

"How about a nap?" She suggests.

"Actually, I might take a walk. Get some fresh air" I tell her.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you?" She asks.

"No, I might just go by myself if that's okay. I just need a bit of...I don't know...thinking time I guess" I admit, pulling on my coat.

"Okay, let us know when you're on the way back and I'll put on the coffee" She smiles.

I nod before heading out the door and making my way down the driveway.

I hadn't told my parents about my run-in with Edward. It's not that it was a secret but I just didn't really know what to say. They knew how it had ended between us, they knew how long I had agonised over him, I didn't want to bring it all back up again.

I walk along the road, heading towards the main street. I try to clear my mind, breathing in the cold winter air and feeling the chill on my cheeks. I walk past the park we used to hang out in, then past the few stores that make up the main shopping area. I see there's a new cafe on the corner and decide to try it before I leave.

Everywhere I look there are signs of the impending holiday, from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the small square to the wreaths hanging from people's doors. I walk until my legs begin to turn numb from the cold and I feel like my feet might drop off.

I decide to turn back, heading towards the house. As I reach the corner of their street I pull out my phone and send a quick text to Mom's phone, seeing it gets delivered. A few minutes later, I'm turning into their driveway, watching the last of the Autumn leaves swirl on the asphalt. I look up and see a figure standing on the front porch just about the knock on the door.

They must hear me coming behind them because they swing around I immediately see green eyes staring into mine. Edward stands on the front porch, his arm still raised as if about to knock, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of me. There's a long, devastatingly painful pause and I feel like I can't catch my breath.

"Hello" He says quietly. His voice sounds like he hasn't spoken in days.

"Hello" I reply.

We continue to stare at each other for a moment before he walks down the few front porch steps toward me.

"Are you here to see my parents?" I ask, feeling suddenly far too warm in the coat I'm wearing.

"No" He replies. "I...I'm here to see you" He says quietly.

I'm surprised. I thought I'd be the last person he'd want to see.

"Oh" I nod, unsure what to say.

"I...I wanted to talk about the other night." He says, looking incredibly uncomfortable even being in my presence. "Well, apologise really."

"Apologise?" I question, frowning a little.

"I shouldn't have run away like that." He says, looking genuinely embarrassed. "I'd had too much to drink and I wasn't expecting to see you at all, let alone at Angela's."

"I get it. I wasn't expecting to see you either" I admit.

We stare at each other for another long minute before I can't bear the intensity of his gaze anymore.

"So...how are you?" I ask quietly, dropping my eyes to the ground before glancing back up.

A strange look crosses his face but it's gone before I can place it.

"I'm...fine" He nods. "You?"

"Fine" I reply quietly.

Again, a painful minute of silence passes and I feel the need to run away myself.

"Um...I guess I should..." I trail off, pointing towards the house.

I start to walk towards the safety of the building before Edward speaks again, stopping me in my tracks.

"Do you want to get a drink with me?" He suddenly blurts out as I pass him.

I freeze, unable to comprehend what he's just said. I turn around slowly, looking him in the eye.

"A drink?" I question.

"Yeah." He nods, looking awkward. "It would be good to...catch up" He shrugs.

I stare at him for a moment.

Do I want to have a drink with him? Things seem awkward enough as it is, I can't imagine a prolonged amount of time. But then, it's been so long and I've thought about him so many times over the years and now...he's right here.

"Okay" I whisper before I can bottle out.

He looks genuinely surprised for a second, like he didn't think I would agree.

"Do you want to go to the bar one evening or...?"

"I can't really go to a bar. I get a recognised" I tell him.

He nods again, thinking.

"Um...what about...what about my place?" He asks, his eyes looking anywhere but me.

"Really?" I blurt out before I can stop it.

He shrugs non-committedly. Do I want to go to his place? Do I want to be alone with him full stop? I'm finding this conversation in my parent's driveway hard enough as it is...

"Okay." I hear myself say. "Your place. When?" I ask, feeling my heart fly up into my throat as I realise what I've just committed to.

"Tomorrow night? I finish work about five" He says. "Number 42 Drummond Street".

"Okay. I'll be there" I nod.

"Okay" He replies, nodding a little.

We're silent again, just staring at each other like we're frozen in time.

"Well, see you then" He says before turning on his heel and walking away.

I watch him as he goes before I open the front door and head inside. Once in the hallway, I lean my back against the hardwood of the door, letting out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. I hear a noise to my left and turn to see both my parents standing at the living room door.

"Was that Edward Cullen?" Dad asks, having obviously seen our exchange out of the window.

"Yes" I reply, suddenly feeling light-headed.

"What did he want?" Mom asks.

"To invite me over for a drink" I reply.

"Why?" Dad questions.

"I have no idea".


When the following day comes, I'm nervous, more nervous than when I moved to LA, more nervous than when I auditioned for my first part, more nervous than when I last saw him all those years ago.

I swipe my lipstick on, pursing my lips before I spray on some perfume and check my reflection once more. I check the time on my phone and see it's almost five thirty and I really need to go if I'm going to go at all.

I grab my bag and head downstairs. I see my parents sitting in the living room, their eyes meet mine as I reach the bottom of the steps.

"You okay Bells?" Dad asks seriously.

"Yeah, I'm good." I nod, putting on my best brave face.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Mom asks, looking concerned.

"Yeah." I nod. "I want to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else."

"Okay, well...if you need us, you call okay?" Dad says.

"Yeah Dad," I say with a short laugh.

I grab my coat, slipping it on before saying goodnight to them both and heading out the door. I climb behind the wheel of Dad's car before navigating my way to Drummond Street. I crawl down the road, reading the house numbers before finding number forty-two.

I turn off the engine and look up at the house opposite. It's a small, two-storey, painted white with a wrap-around porch. The lights are on in the front windows and there's a truck in the driveway. He's home.

I swallow hard before taking a deep breath, trying to steal my nerves. I check my face once more in the flip-down mirror before climbing out and striding up to the front door. Before I can bottle out, I knock twice and wait. I hear movement behind the door before a dog begins barking.

The door opens, revealing Edward. He's dressed in jeans and a sweater, his hair is slightly damp like he showered recently. Suddenly, a huge Alsation dives out of the door, jumping and spinning in front of me, barking. I'm momentarily taken aback and stumble away from the door.

"Finn! Shut the fuck up!" Edward hisses, grabbing the dog's collar and wrestling it back inside. "Sorry" He mumbles.

"It's okay," I say, "Is it...friendly?" I ask.

"Yeah, his bark is worse than his bite," He tells me. "He'll calm down if you pet him".

I look down at the barking dog and nervously reach my hand out, very slowly. He stops barking for a moment, sniffing my hand before pushing his head into it, nuzzling against me.

"Hi" I say quietly, crouching down to his level. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Finn" Edward answers.

"Hi Finn, it's nice to meet you" I whisper.

Finn flops his tongue out before licking my hand. I breathe a laugh before he suddenly trots happily back into the house. I stand up again, my eyes meeting Edward's.

"Come in" He says after a moment.

I give him a small smile before stepping into the house. It's small, smaller than Angela's but it has a cosy feel to it. The house enters into the living room. There's a fireplace on one wall with a couch and chair flanking it. There are built-in bookcases on either side of the fireplace, overflowing with books.

Through the living room, I can see a dining room and then what looks like a kitchen beyond. There's a staircase on the opposite wall, leading to what I assume are the bedrooms. My mind is immediately filled with curiosity.

I wonder if his room is anything like it was in high school.

"Can I take your coat?" Edward asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Thanks," I say, shrugging out of the coat and smoothing my sweater.

Edward takes it, hanging it by the door before turning to face me once more.

"Would you like a drink?" He asks.

Now that I can see his face in the light, I realise he looks nervous.

"Sure" I nod.

"I have beer or wine," He says, walking towards the kitchen.

I follow behind him quietly.

"Whatever you're having," I say when we reach the kitchen.

He nods a little before grabbing two beers and handing me one. I smile gratefully before popping the cap and taking a sip. I watch him from the corner of my eye as he takes a long drag of his beer, his eyes darting around the kitchen.

We stand in silence for a moment and I tap my bottle awkwardly.

"So..." I sigh. "How was your day?"

His eyes flash to mine with an emotion I can't place.

"It was fine thanks." He replies. "How was yours?" He asks.

"It was okay. Mom forced me to help with the cookies for the neighbours" I say, breathing out a laugh and trying to make light of the awful atmosphere in here.

He doesn't smile. He just watches me. I feel the smile on my face falter a little before he shakes his head.

"Shall we go and sit down?" He says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I remember that habit. He used to do it when he was struggling with something or frustrated. Seeing it now makes my insides feel weird.

"Sure" I nod.

We head back into the living room and I take a seat on the couch. He sits in the chair opposite, leaving plenty of space between us. The choice doesn't escape my notice.

"So, how have you been all these years?" I ask, deciding to make conversation if he isn't. He said he wanted to catch up after all.

His eyes flash up to mine and I suddenly feel like the room is becoming smaller, as if his gaze is so intense I have to look away.

"I've been fine" He says, his voice monotone, and emotionless.

"What have you been doing with yourself then?" I ask.

"Just working really" He sighs. "I've done a lot of working".

"What do you do?" I ask.

"I work for Dad's construction business with Emmett, Jasper and Ben. You'll remember them from the other night I'm sure" He says.

I nod a little. It's weird, I can't imagine Edward doing construction. Then again, when I knew him he was a lanky eighteen-year-old with a leather jacket and a Volvo. He's certainly not that anymore.

"That's cool. Your dad must be pleased" I say, smiling at him.

"Yeah. He is" He nods, giving me a tight smile in return. "How about you?" He asks.

"I've been good. Busy." I nod.

"I heard you were in a big movie a few years back. Something about rocks?" He says.

"Beneath The Stones," I tell him, laughing slightly.

"Right" He nods.

"Did you..." I trail off, "Did you see it?" I ask.

"No" He admits. "It...it wasn't really my thing," He says.

I nod a little, unable to ignore the disappointment I feel. I always wondered if he watched my stuff. If was proud of me or impressed. I guess now I have the answer.

"I'm sure it was good though" He says, looking like he doesn't really know what else to say.

"Thanks" I reply quietly.

We're silent again for a minute and I'm starting to wonder why I came when Edward speaks.

"So, you caught up with Angela?" He says, sipping his beer.

"Yeah. I bumped into her at The Windmill the other night. I was having dinner with my parents." I nod.

I see something like understanding cross his face before a small smile tugs on his lips.

"I didn't realise she'd got married." I admit. "Or had a baby".

"Yeah" Edward barks out a laugh. "Angie and Ben are the regular picket fence family" He nods.

"Theo is adorable" I tell him.

"Yeah, he's a cute kid." Edward nods, smiling slightly and for a moment I see the softness I once knew.

"Do Emmett and Jasper have anyone?" I ask, sipping my beer.

"Not at the moment. They both had long-term girlfriends a while back though" He says, playing with the label on his bottle.

"And..." I want to ask but I'm not sure if I want to know the answer, if he'll even tell me. "And what about you?" I ask.

His eyes meet mine and the intensity behind them almost takes my breath away.

"No one" He says shortly.

I nod a little, biting my bottom lip. I notice his eyes drop to my mouth for a moment before he looks away, clearing his throat slightly.

"Want another beer?" He asks, standing from the chair.

"Sure" I nod, even though I've only drunk half of mine.

He strides out of the room and I hear him clattering around for a moment before he comes back with two more bottles. He passes one to me before taking another long swig of his.

"So, how long are you here for?" He asks, sighing a little as he sits back down.

"Until after the new year" I say.

He nods.

"It's been a long time...since you've been back." He comments.

"Yeah" I nod. "I guess I was busy and..." I trail off shrugging, not really sure what else to say.

The truth is, I wanted to come back sooner but I was scared of bumping into him. Scared he would scream at me and tell me how much he hated me. Scared that all my worst fears would be true. I'd desperately wanted to see him over the years though, sometimes so much it was almost like physical pain, but I'd always ignored it, put it out of my mind, hoping it would go away. For a time I thought it had.

We're quiet for a moment, the only sound in the room my nails against the glass bottle as I tap it.

"So, have you kept in touch with anyone else?" I ask.

"Not really. I saw Lauren a few months ago. Remember her?" He says, swigging his beer again.

"Oh god, do I remember her!" I laugh humourlessly. "Is she the same as she always was?" I ask.

Lauren was the typical popular girl at school that made everyone else's life hell. She'd called me names multiple times in the school corridors and generally made me feel small and insignificant.

"She seemed...smaller, like she wasn't Miss Popular anymore," He says as he stares into the fire in the hearth. "She still had huge fake tits though" He chuckles.

It's the first laugh I've heard from him.

"Remember when she first came to school with those? I thought Emmett's eyes were going to pop out of his head" I giggle.

Edward chuckles quietly before his eyes flash to mine and he suddenly looks a little uncomfortable, as if he shouldn't be laughing with me.

"We couldn't work out how she'd managed to get them done underage but then you'd said they-"

"Were made from the skin of her enemies" Edward nods before chuckling slightly, tipping the bottle to his lips.

"Where did you see her?" I ask.

"She wanted a quote for a treehouse for her kids" He says.

"She has kids?!" I ask, unable to comprehend the idea of Lauren as a mother.

"Yep, three" He nods.

"Wow. Who'd have thought" I say, shaking my head.

We're quiet for a while, just staring into the fire. I sip my new beer, feeling my cheeks warm from the alcohol and the fire in the room. I look down at Finn, snoozing soundly in front of the dancing flames. I glance around before frowning a little.

"No Christmas tree" I say quietly.

"What?" Edward asks, his eyes flashing up to mine.

"You haven't got a Christmas tree" I tell him.

He stares at me for a moment before shrugging a little.

"I guess I never felt the need for one" He says.

"Don't you like Christmas?" I ask.

"Of course I do. But...I don't need a tree and stuff" He says. "I think that's more for...families, couples you know? Not a guy on his own" He says.

For a moment I hear the sadness in his voice but then he looks at me, tilting his chin in the air slightly.

"Anyway, Finn would probably destroy it" He says with a small laugh. It doesn't quite reach his eyes.

I laugh with him nodding a little.

"He does seem a little energetic" I admit. Edward nods.

"He's a good boy though" He says.

Despite Finn being asleep, his tail thumps quietly against the wooden floor. Another few moments of silence pass and I begin to feel awkward.

"So, is LA everything you hoped it would be?" Edward asks. I notice he glances at me from the corner of his eyes but doesn't turn to look at me.

"It's...very LA" I shrug with a smile.

"What does that mean?" He frowns.

"It means it's warm and sunny and there are palm trees everywhere and a lot of fake boobs" I giggle. "I don't know. It's Hollywood, you know?" I shrug.

"Do you like it?" He asks.

That's a question no one has asked me before. Do I like it? I don't know.

"I guess?" I reply, my answer sounding more like a question.

"You guess?" He asks.

"Yeah I mean. I like my job and I've been pretty successful at it but, I don't know, I can't see myself in LA forever" I admit.

"Where do you see yourself?" He asks, his eyes moving over my face and making my skin tingle. I feel like this is the first time he's really looked at me all night.

"I don't know" I reply. "Maybe with a house...a family?" I whisper.

His eyes burn into mine and I feel like I can't look away.

"Very picket fence" He says, dropping his gaze to the couch.

"Yeah. Maybe" I shrug, sipping the last of my beer.

"It's warm in here" Edward mumbles before reaching over his head and pulling his sweater off.

He drops the sweater to the arm of the chair before readjusting his white t-shirt, grabbing his beer once more and taking a long swig. His eyes meet mine over the neck of his bottle and I suddenly see him at eighteen years old again.


I'm standing in my bedroom, checking my outfit for the millionth time this evening when I hear my Dad calling up the stairs for me. I swallow hard. I can't believe I'm doing this. This is insane.

I grab my bag before heading out of my bedroom and down the stairs. As I reach the hallway, I see Edward standing in the doorway, talking to my father. He looks better than I remember, dressed in dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. He embodies a bad boy.

"I hear you're going to the arcade?" Dad asks, looking surprised.

"Er..." I trail off, looking at Edward. He just grins at me. "Yeah?" I reply, my answer sounding like a question.

"Oookay then" Dad replies, chuckling slightly. "Have a good time and be home by midnight" He says, looking pointedly at Edward.

"Yes Sir" Edward replies respectfully before whisking me out the door.

We head down the front porch steps and the driveway heading towards his old Volvo.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask, stopping next to his car.

"Why wouldn't I want to do this?" He replies.

"You don't even know me" I shrug.

"Well, hopefully by the end of the night I'll know you a bit better now won't I?" He says with a grin. "Now" He says quietly, leaning towards me and I momentarily think he's going to kiss me right there on the driveway, "Get in the car".

He opens the car door and smirks at me. I swallow hard before slipping into the passenger seat, Edward closing the door behind me and walking around the front of the car, climbing in behind the wheel. He turns on the engine before we pull out onto the street.

As we drive, we sit in silence. From the look on Edward's face, it's comfortable, but for me, it's anything but. I've never been on a date before and have no idea what I'm doing, especially with a boy like Edward.

"Stop having a meltdown Swan" Edward says, his voice breaking through my thoughts.

"I'm not!" I say, my voice sounding high-pitched.

"Yes. You are" He chuckles. "Just relax, we're just two people going to the arcade" He shrugs.

"I've never been to an arcade before" I admit.

"Well, then good job you're going with me. I'm a pro" He says, looking over at me and winking. The action does something funny to my insides.

When we arrive at the arcade, Edward parks the car before climbing out and walking around to open my door. The gesture is surprisingly gentlemanly and I'm sure my surprise shows on my face.

"So, what first?" He says, his breath tickling my ear and making me shiver.

"I don't mind. You choose" I reply.

"How about air hockey?" He asks.

"I've never played" I tell him.

"Well, now's the time to learn" He grins before taking my elbow and pulling me towards the air hockey table.

He explains the rules before showing me how to push the puck back and forth. When I think I've got the hang of it, we start to play. I'll admit, it's pretty fun and before long I'm laughing and squealing as the puck flies back and forth between us.

Edward laughs loudly before winning the first two games. I notice he lets me win the third before he shrugs out of his leather jacket, raking a hand through his hair. I can't help my eyes dropping down his body and know he's noticed when he smirks at me. I feel my cheeks burn at the realisation.

"Want to get something to eat?" He asks.

"Sure" I nod.

We head over to the food area, looking at the various things on offer.

"What do you want?" Edward asks, staring up at the menu.

"I'll have a hot dog" I tell him.

He nods before ordering two hot dogs, a portion of fries and two cokes. He pays for the food before carrying the tray over to a table in the corner.

"How much do I owe you?" I ask, digging through my purse for my wallet.

"Bella, it's a date. That means I pay" He says, like it's fucking obvious.

"Well, I don't mind going halves," I say.

"I don't want your money. Just eat your food" He says, handing me a hot dog and a coke.

I drop the subject, taking the food and drink before he places the fries in the middle between us.

"So, what did you think of air hockey?" He asks, taking a bite of his hot dog.

"It was fun" I smile, sipping my coke and looking around the arcade.

"What do you want to try next?" He asks.

"How about Space Invaders?" I suggest.

"Yeah?" He asks, looking surprised. "You played that before?"

"Once or twice" I admit.

"Bring it on then" He grins.

I giggle before biting into my food. I notice Edward's eyes drop to my mouth and the action makes my stomach fizz and my cheeks warm. While we eat we talk about school, friends, family and nothing in particular. It's nice and easy, easier than I was expecting.

"Ready for Space Invaders?" He asks, throwing away our trash once we've finished.

"Yeah" I nod.

We head over to the machine before Edward sticks a quarter in.

"Right, show me what you've got" He says before moving out the way.

I play the game, getting a pretty decent high score but not my best. Edward seems marginally impressed by my skills too.

"My turn" He says, sliding in front of me and having his turn.

He's pretty good and his score is a little higher than mine.

"Ooo, sorry Swan, better luck next time" He teases.

"Hold my purse" I say seriously, before dumping my bag in his hands and sticking a quarter in the machine.

He chuckles at me before I begin to play, focusing all my efforts on the game. When it declares me a winner, I think I hear Edward curse behind me before I turn with a smug smile.

"Oooo better luck next time Cullen" I tease.

He rolls his eyes at me before handing my purse back and throwing an arm around my shoulders. At this proximity, I can smell his shampoo and aftershave and the washing powder on his t-shirt. It's a heady experience.

"What now?" I ask quietly, trying to keep my breathing even and ignore his warm limb around my neck.

"Well, as this is a date, I think I should try to win you a toy" He says.

I laugh at him, rolling my eyes but shrug.

"Come on" He says before pulling me along to the game.

He sticks a quarter in the machine before using the claw to try and get a prize. It takes a couple of attempts and I notice Edward starts to stick his tongue out in concentration making me giggle before he cheers in victory, the claw holding a glittering silver tiara.

"For you" He says, bowing slightly as he gives it to me and making me laugh.

"Thank you good sir" I reply.

He laughs before placing the tiara on my head. As he does his eyes drop from the top of my head to my eyes and then to my mouth. I feel my heart begin to beat faster before he gives me a small smile and moves away.

"Come on, I want some candy" He says.

I roll my eyes at him before we make our way over to the confectionary stand. Edward buys me cotton candy before grabbing a couple of snacks for himself. We wander around the arcade, looking at the various games on offer.

"So, is the date as bad as you imagined?" He asks, grabbing a piece of pink cotton candy from my stick and popping it into his mouth.

"No, not that bad" I tease. "I suppose you're tolerable".

"Tolerable!" He laughs, "I'll take that."

"No, it's been nice" I admit.

He nods a little, grinning as he chews his candy.

"Why did you ask me on a date anyway?" I ask, the words leaving my mouth before I can stop them.

Edward's eyes flash to mine before he chuckles.

"Um...I kind of like you, I guess" He teases and I roll my eyes at him, shoving his arm, making him laugh.

"You can't have known if you liked me, you spoke to me for like two minutes under the bleachers in the rain" I point out.

"True. But maybe I knew all I needed to from those two minutes" He shrugs.

"What did you know?" I ask.

"You're smart, easy to talk to, not to mention pretty easy on the eyes" He says, wiggling his eyebrows at me and making me laugh. I feel my cheeks warm. "Why did you come?" He asks.

"I guess I was curious about you" I admit.

"Curious?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I'd never been spoken to like that before, when you asked me out. I guess I was curious about who you were" I shrug.

"And who am I?" He asks, turning to face me, and walking backwards.

"You're smart, fun, easy to talk to...pretty easy on the eyes" I add, repeating his words back to him and feeling my cheeks burn at the omission.

He grins widely at me before stopping suddenly making me almost walk into him.

"Do you want a kiss?" He asks.

I'm momentarily taken aback by the question and I open my mouth in surprise.

"Um...I..."I stammer, feeling my cheeks flame.

Suddenly he grabs my hand, holding it palm upwards and places something in it. I look down and see a small chocolate Hersey kiss. I roll my eyes, looking up at him.

"Seriously?" I reply before popping the kiss into my mouth. Edward laughs heartily.

"You should have seen your face" He chuckles.

"Does that ever work?" I ask him, giggling myself.

"No" He admits.

"So why do it?" I ask.

"Because now I know you'd let me kiss you" He says.

"I didn't say that" I point out.

"You didn't say no either" He winks.


Edward's staring at me, his eyes burning into mine, my mind flooding with memories long forgotten or ignored. I can't help but let my eyes drop down his body, obviously checking him out. He's broader than when I last saw him, more muscular. I can only imagine what he looks like without the t-shirt. My attention is momentarily grabbed by a streak of black on his arm.

"What's that?" I ask, pointing towards his arm.

"Just a tattoo" He says, swigging his beer.

"Can I see?" I ask.

He looks at me for a beat too long before shrugging a little and rolling his sleeve up to his shoulder, revealing the black ink to me. It's a cigarette, the smoke dancing around his arm and ending in a flurry of stars.

"What does it mean?" I ask, my eyes flashing back to his.

"Just a design" He mumbles, his eyes avoiding mine.

I nod a little in understanding.

"Do you still smoke?" I ask as Edward rolls his shirt sleeve back down.

"No" He shakes his head, tipping the beer bottle to his lips again.

"When did you give up?" I ask.

"About four years ago." He tells me. I nod a little.

"Was there a particular reason or...?" I ask.

"Fuck Bella" He laughs humourlessly. "I gave up because it's bad for you. Why do you care so fucking much?" He asks.

I stare at him, surprised at the outburst. I can see the fire behind his eyes and it reminds me of when we were young.

"Sorry, I was just making conversation" I whisper, biting my bottom lip.

His eyes drop to my mouth for a split second and I suddenly feel too warm, my skin tingling and my heart pounding harder.

"You still do that then" He murmurs, almost to himself.

"What?" I breathe.

"Bite your lip. You always did it. When you were nervous, when you were sad, when you were-" He cuts off as Finn suddenly barks, running to the backdoor. Edward and I both jump at the sound. I'm desperate to know what he was going to say but at the same time terrified of what it could be.

"Finn.." Edward sighs before standing from the couch and walking into the kitchen, letting him out into what I assume is the backyard. Edward returns a moment later, looking a bit pissed off. The spell is broken.

"Sorry about that" He mumbles.

"It's okay. I should probably be going anyway" I say, placing my beer bottle down on the coffee table and standing up. "It's getting late and I'm assuming you have work tomorrow" I tell him.

"Yeah...Yeah I do" He nods, looking at the floor.

"Well, thank you for having me. It was nice to catch up." I nod, grabbing my coat from the rack.

"Yeah. It was good to talk" He nods, suddenly looking awkward.

I reach for the door handle before I hear Edward huff a little behind me.

"I'm sorry if it was awkward" He blurts out.

I freeze, before turning to look over my shoulder slowly. He looks uncomfortable like he didn't mean to actually say that out loud.

"It's okay. I..I was surprised you suggested a drink in the first place to be honest" I whisper.

His eyes meet mine before he nods a little.

"Maybe um...maybe we could try again one night? Now that we've broken the ice" He says quietly, his eyes trained on the floor.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"Yeah." He nods, his eyes flashing up to meet mine.

"Okay, well...you know where I am so...let me know" I shrug.

"Okay" He nods, letting out a slow breath.

We stare at each other for another long minute before I clear my throat and turn to the door once more.

"Well, goodnight" I mumble before almost bolting out of the house.

"Goodnight" I hear Edward say before I make my way down the drive and slide behind the wheel of the car.

I back out carefully, making sure not to hit his truck before taking off down the street. As soon as I'm away from the house, I let out a long breath, stopping at the stop sign at the end of the road. I rest my head on the wheel, taking a few deep breaths.

What the fuck was that...