Hello! Sorry for the delay with this one. RL made it difficult. :/

Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, and puts this story on alert!

Big thanks to Fran, Monica03, and Mr G and me for all of their help. (Any mistakes you see are my own.)

SM owns everything Twilight ... so let's get to the chapter. :)

He smirks and nods once, folding his arms across his chest. The entire look of him from the expression on his face to his bare feet scream cocky.

"I am," he says with a nod, giving Edward a confused and pointed glance.

Edward shakes his head at the interaction, looking away with an irritated glare.

"Technically, I'm Carlisle's half-brother, but that doesn't matter. You're a smart girl. A lot smarter than some give you give credit for. If I were a betting man, I'd say you know a lot," he muses, rocking back on his heels.

I smirk in response. "I have to take people by surprise, don't I? And if I have to, I fake it 'til I can't make it."

James throws his head back in a laugh while Edward's head swivels over to me, his eyes comically wide, and his lips slightly parted. Marginally, his head tilts to the right the longer he stares, seemingly growing more annoyed with each passing second. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear he's studying me, trying to decipher what's going on in my mind.

Raising an eyebrow, I tilt my own head, meeting his gaze unblinkingly. "You're giving me a complex. Stop staring, or I'll read too much into it … or I'll believe you're trying to get inside my head."

Jerking back, his mouth falls open as he begins to stutter, shoving one hand in his hair and pulling on the roots.

"That's absurd," he scoffs.

"It is," I agree with a shake of my head. "But strange things happen around here every day."

He begins to retort, but James releases another loud laugh. "Oh, you're good," he says, though it seems to be missing something, based on the knowing twinkle in his eye. "Are you a lover of the strange and unusual?"

"Of course. I have to show my species love."

He laughs once more, slapping a hand on Edward's shoulder and pointing in my direction. "Keep her around, Edward. I like her."

Scowling, Edward shrugs James' hand off his shoulder and mutters something under his breath.

Unbothered by his reaction, James merely smiles, humming something under his breath and rocking back on his heels. Edward keeps his glare on his smirking uncle, the pair of them locked in an unblinking showdown.

Quickly, I begin to feel like the odd person out. I feel as though I'm missing a huge part of whatever is going on here, but what, I don't know.

Out of nowhere, James releases a full belly laugh, bending at the waist and leaning his hands against his knees. I watch this for a handful of seconds before I follow Edward in feeling annoyed. Crossing my arms over my chest, I cock my hip out to the side and tilt my head at the strange man laughing in front of me.

"What's his problem?" I mumble to Edward. "Is he laughing at me? Cause if he is, we're gonna have issues."

Edward sighs harshly, shooting the man a hard look. "He's insane."

"Another one?" I have to wonder how many insane people are in his family because maybe I should rethink spending time with him. Then again, I really can't talk. There seems to be a boatload in mine.

"Unfortunately," he drawls. "That's why he and Victoria are such a perfect pair."

"Hey," James says, his laughter finally abating. "Don't put a label on me, brooder."

"My apologies."

James clicks his tongue against the roof his mouth at Edward's sarcastic response and eye-rolling. "There's no respect in today's youth anymore."

Carlisle steps into the room, a forced frown on his face as he eyes his brother. While he's trying to look annoyed, I can see the love shining clearly in his eyes.

"James, are you causing trouble again?"

"Always."

Now that they're standing side by side, it's so easy to see they're related. They have the same hair color and facial features. Their height is completely different, with Carlisle being a few inches taller, and their bone structure is different, with James having harder features than Dr. C, but it's still easy to see the similarities.

Accidentally, I laugh and feel like slapping myself for not seeing it sooner.

Though, to be fair, being cornered by a creep and scared to death doesn't help my detective skills.

The trio of Cullens give me inquisitive looks, and I feel like I have to explain.

"I just can't believe I didn't put together your relation before," I tell them, waving between the two brothers. "It's so obvious now."

James scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest, affronted. "It's not completely obvious. I'm the better-looking brother."

Clearly having heard this before, Carlisle rolls his eyes. "Let's not start this argument again."

"Yes, let's not," Esme remarks, breezing into the room, coming to stand next to her husband's side. "First of all, this is my house and only my opinion matters … and you know my opinion," she tells him, placing a possessive hand on Carlisle's chest.

James rolls his eyes and huffs while Esme continues.

"Secondly, if you're going to debate—and I use that term loosely—you're going to take it outside. The last time you destroyed my house."

"That was an accident," James begins to argue.

Esme glares, though there's no force behind it. "So you say, but I know—"

"Thankfully," Edward says, leaning toward me, his lips quirking in amusement. "Carlisle got all the brains in the family."

James narrows his eyes at Edward but continues arguing with Esme. Carlisle stands in the middle, choosing to remain impartial, but I can see the humor dancing in his eyes.

"All kidding aside, James is a great guy. He's pretty smart and caring, and while we're not related to Carlisle or Esme, he loves us like we're his blood."

I nod in understanding, knowing the feeling. Jasper and Rose may not be my blood, but that doesn't make them any less my family. I would do anything for them … within reason.

For instance, right now, I don't plan on following Jasper's ridiculous pleas to stay away from the Cullens unless he gives me good reason.

Speak of the devil; Jasper slowly turns the corner, his head hanging down with my parents walking behind him. His hunched in shoulders, the pout on his face, and the look of dread in his eyes makes him seem as if he's walking down death row.

Shooting him an inquisitive glance, I gesture for him to walk over, taking a couple of steps away from Edward for privacy.

Edward turns toward me but doesn't move any closer, keeping watch on Jasper and me. Rolling my eyes, I turn so my back is facing him, giving myself the illusion of privacy.

"Well? What's the verdict?"

Jasper sighs, scrubbing a hand over my face. "I guess I'm going to have to … spend the day here."

I release a fake gasp, covering my mouth with both hands. "You poor thing. Will you … will you be okay?" I question, grasping one of his arms.

"I doubt it," he replies, his tone serious and foreboding. "No matter what Uncle Charlie says, I don't trust them. They'll probably kill and bury me—ouch!" he trails off, rubbing his upper arm with a look of astonishment after I punch him. "What was that for?"

I smack him once more for good measure. My jaw begins to ache, and there's a low crunching sound in my ears, a sure sign of my teeth clenched and grinding. Taking a deep breath, I attempt to calm myself, breathing deeply, but this time it doesn't work.

All I can think of are his harsh words and opinions toward people who have done nothing to warrant it, not to mention they're all within hearing distance.

"You're such a jerk," I hiss. "What happened to you? You used to be nice and give people a chance."

He steps closer, coming an inch away from my face. "That's before I learned the truth. And what about you? Huh? You used to believe me when I would tell you not to trust someone. What happened to that? I'm your family," he tells me, beating a fist against his chest once.

His complexion is slowly turning red, the muscles of his jaw taut and straining. Soon, things are going to escalate and probably come to raised voices and harsh exchanges of words with one or both of the parents stepping in between us before things get any farther.

Hopefully, I can get a few hits in, because honestly, he needs some sense smacked into him.

As soon as the thought comes, I regret it.

I really wish it hadn't come to this because I hate fighting with him, but I don't see any other option. In my opinion, Jasper is being completely unreasonable. One moment, he's best friends with Edward and Emmett and tentative friends with Alice, then, in the next moment, he's swearing up and down that they can't be trusted.

I wish I could understand his reasoning and thought process behind his actions, but I can't. Unless the Cullens are homicidal maniacs, I don't see any reason to treat them so horribly.

"You may be family, but you're also being a bastard," I hiss. "I love you, Jasper. You know I do … and you know you're my family. I would die for you. But this? Your behavior? It's extreme … and jeez, I feel like a broken record with this shit, but I'll say it again. You expect me to trust you, but for the first time, you won't give me an explanation. Why? Because you made a promise to someone I'm supposed to avoid? That makes a lot of sense."

"You're so delusional and—"

"Okay, knock it off," Edward says, stepping in between us. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he gently pushes Jasper back, coming to stand in front of me. One hand remains on Jasper's shoulder, while the other curls around my hip, pressing me close. "I know you're upset, but you don't need to get in her face like that."

Jasper sneers. "You don't know shit about me. I would never hurt her."

"Really?" Pointedly, Edward looks down at Jasper's hand, balled into a fist at his side. "It doesn't look that way."

Unafraid, Jasper gets into Edward's face, staring unblinkingly. "I would never hurt her," he tells him, drawing the words out slowly. "Some things, words, thoughts … they're just that. Unless you act on them, they're nothing."

Edward shrugs, indifferent. "Don't really care."

"Since when do you care about Bella?"

Glancing at me from the corner of his eye, Edward again shrugs. "My reasons don't matter. Just take a step back and calm down."

Incredulous, Jasper shakes his head, looking as if he sprouted a third eye or something. "I don't need to calm down. I need you to get—"

"Enough," Dad commands, staring sternly. "Jasper, go sit down."

"Yeah, go sit down, asshat," I mumble, still glaring daggers at him.

Glowering, he does as he's told, rigidly sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees. Studiously, he watches everyone from his vantage point, stiffening whenever someone moves. I can't believe he's acting this way; it's incredibly rude and disrespectful.

At the same time, it hurts to see him this way. I would expect this kind of behavior and attitude from Rose, but from Jasper? Especially toward the people he considers friends.

I just hope he snaps out this fast.

"Hey." Edward nudges my arm, tossing his keys into the air and catching them without looking. He nods toward the front door. "Let's get out of here."

Without waiting for a reply, he walks over and opens the door, waiting. Heading over to him, I cross my arms over my chest and raise an eyebrow.

"You're awfully presumptuous. What if I don't want to go out?"

Dismissively waving a hand and shrugging a shoulder, he nods. "Fine. Stay here. I just thought I'd offer you an out so you wouldn't have to deal with everyone's tempers."

He walks outside, and I look behind me to see Jasper still sitting like an angry statue, only this time is ire is directed in my direction.

Realizing right, Edward was, unfortunately, right, I rush through the open door after him, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him along to the car.

"Don't say a word," I tell him, ignoring his low chuckle.

"About what? How I was right? Again?"

I blow a raspberry, sliding into the passenger seat. "What 'again'? You're hardly ever right. They may have been a couple of instances where you were in the right ballpark, but …" I trail off, raising my upturned palms in the air. "You can't be wrong all the time. Sometimes you get close."

"Is that what you tell yourself?"

I feign ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about; I've been wrong … and right. You, on the other hand, are a completely different story."

He hums and tries to look annoyed, but I can see the corners of his lips twitching as he rubs a hand over his face.

"Where are we going anyway, kidnapper?"

This time, he releases the humor he's been repressing, shoving his head into the headrest as he looks up, muttering.

"Jesus, you're a pain in the ass."

"Now, you know how I feel."

Shaking his head, he sighs, his fingers gently caressing the steering wheel slowly. I find myself staring at his long fingers stroking over the smooth buttery leather. It's strangely hypnotizing and makes my skin tingle and buzz; I suppose it's because I know what those fingers feel like against my own skin.

I stop suddenly, wondering if I want him to touch me or if I'm jealous of a little bit of leather.

"You okay?" he questions, raising an eyebrow. Humor swims in his gaze, and he's not even trying to hide the smile on his lips this time.

"Fine," I rush out, brushing my hands down the front of my jeans. "You still haven't told me where we're going. This is what makes people think you're a weirdo, weirdo."

He snorts. "Normal people wouldn't get in the car with me."

"True, but I'm not normal."

Pensively, he turns to stare at me for an uncomfortable amount of time … and it's not just because he's not watching the road while he drives.

"Very true," he murmurs at last. He clears his throat, shifting in the seat and straightening his posture. "We're going to Port Angeles. I figured it would be a good place to get away."

I hum in agreement. "It sure is. We definitely need it after everything that's happened."

My thoughts drift to Jess and Laurent, which then leads me to Lauren.

I don't like Lauren; in fact, it's one of the few times I can say with absolute certainty that I hate her. What she did to Rose was truly unforgivable. She was supposed to be her friend and instead threw her to the dogs for her own sick enjoyment. Or maybe that just because she could.

Whatever her reasons for her behavior, there's nothing she could say that would make it okay in my eyes.

Her behavior to Jess is also inexcusable. There's no reason to treat someone like shit just because they're different.

Despite my hatred of her, I don't want her to be hurt. She may deserve everything karma can throw at her, but to be tortured and killed by a psychopath? No one deserves that, no matter what you've done.

My only hope is that Laurent was lying when he said he disposed of her, but what purpose would he have to lie? To him, I'm no one besides his next victim, and I have no doubts he's now been taken care of, especially after what I saw at the haunted house.

The only thing I can do is continue to think positively and hope she'll turn up somewhere and be a better person than she was. It's a bit of a stretch considering her nasty attitude toward her own flesh and blood, but miracles do happen, and maybe this will be one of them.

"Is this … thing with Jasper really bothering you?"

Edward's question breaks me out of my thoughts, and I pause, thinking about it.

To be honest, his attitude is a big issue right now, on top of everything else going on. His complete three hundred and sixty-degree turnaround has opened my eyes to a new side of Jasper that I don't particularly like.

It's almost as if he and Rose have swapped personalities … and I don't like it at all.

However, I know that once he pulls the stick from his ass, he'll be back to the person I love the most. It's just getting there that's the problem.

"Kind of," I reply. "I know Jasper, and the way he's acting is definitely not him. He's just …"

"He's been through a lot."

"Something that no one has shared with me, by the way," I hedge, leaning my elbow on the center console and resting my chin in my palm. "Want to share? That way, I can help him."

At once, Edward shakes his head. "That's between him and us. Sorry."

I had expected this answer.

Forcing out a fake sneer, I push away and lean against the door with my arms folded and pretend to glare. Edward shakes his head with a low chuckle.

"You're such a child."

"Technically, I am a child."

"You're eighteen."

Dismissively, I wave. "Semantics."

"Should I get you a kid's meal somewhere then? Did you ask your parent's permission to play with me?"

"I'm not that much of a child, jerk."

Briefly, he raises his hands from the steering wheel before replacing them. "You could have fooled me … but I apologize."

"Sure you do."

After a minute of silence, Edward glances at me from the corner of his eye. "You weren't really upset, were you?"

I debate about whether or not I should drag this out. He seems concerned about my answer, which is puzzling and curious. I don't know why he would worry about whether or not I'm mad at him, and instead of answering, I decide to ask a question of my own.

"Why do you care?"

He pauses, his mouth opening a couple of times as he tries to answer, his face a mask of bewilderment. "I don't … I'm not sure," he finally says, freeing one hand to glide it through his messy locks. "We've been getting along pretty okay, recently. I guess it was to be friendly?"

"Aww," I coo, reaching over to grab at his cheek. He dodges me expertly, his lips pulling down in a frown, but he's not truly upset. "You were concerned about my feelings. Cute."

"Well, since I know you have them, I wanted to make sure they were still intact. I don't want to see you crying again."

I'm honestly touched by his kind words and don't know what to say, but Edward takes care of that.

"You're not a pretty crier. Your face gets red and blotchy … your eyes swell … I'm pretty sure there was snot." He playfully shudders, shaking his head adamantly. "Yeah, I don't want to see that again."

I force a laugh, and when he looks over, I flip him off with a sneer, fighting my smile as he boisterously laughs, the rich sound reverberating around the car.

"To answer your question, no, I'm upset. I know what happened," I smugly tell him, crossing my arms confidently.

At my response, he shifts, resting one elbow on the middle console as the car slows when he enters Port Angeles's city limits. He raises an eyebrow, tapping his index finger against his bottom lip.

"Really? You know what happened on Halloween night at our house with Jasper just like that, huh?"

I swallow thickly, noting his proximity to my face. He's so close I can feel every burst of air as he speaks, and the closeness, along with the slightly sweet scent of his breath is doing things to my head.

"Yep, I sure do," I tell him, my voice embarrassingly low and somewhat breathy sounding. Once I realize this, I pinch the side of my thigh and wince at the harsh sting.

Edward hums, turning his face away and offering a slight reprieve from his intense voodoo stare. I breathe a sigh of relief, taking a moment to collect myself as he finds a parking spot.

Once he's parked, he turns back to me, resting his elbow on the middle console again, leaning toward me and forcing me back into the passenger side window.

He follows me as I move, his eyes glancing from mine to my lips and back again. Smugly, I notice that he swallows thickly, his breathing coming in uneven exhales.

With amazing and envy-inducing speed, he collects himself quickly, his face impassive as he leans closer. "Why don't you tell me?" he whispers, sounding almost hypnotic. "That way, we can have it all out in the open then."

Instantly, I know what he's trying to do. He's messing with me, and I'm going to mess with him back.

"That's a good idea," I whisper in return, leaning closer to him. He swallows thickly again, his gaze rapidly flitting between my eyes and lips once more. "We should definitely have everything out in the open."

Slowly, he nods, gradually leaning further into me until our noses are practically touching. I find myself wanting to close the distance between us, remembering the last kiss we shared in this car. While it was bruising and intense, it was still the best I've had.

Strangely, I wouldn't be too upset about it if it were repeated at this moment.

I hold strong, however, not wanting to let this golden moment fade. I have him right where I want him, and I can't succumb to his charms. If I do, I'll never hear the end of it.

"Well? What do you know?"

"I know a lot. But I'm not going to tell you. I have my secrets too."

I pull back slightly, allowing him to see my smirk. He huffs a laugh, his head falling forward, and the ends of his hair tickle my chin as he does so. Lightly, I shiver but manage to control my reaction when he looks back up at me.

"You're a pain in the ass."

Squinting my eyes, I tap a finger against my pursed lips. "You know, I think I've heard that somewhere before … it was from someone who … yes, it was from a stubborn know-it-all who thought he could charm me all the time. He's such an ass."

Edward sucks air through his teeth. "Sounds like it."

"He is. And so egotistical too. Yikes. I'd hate to be that guy."

"Oh, definitely." He nods with a solemn expression. "I know I can't charm you all the time. You're too hard-headed to do that."

I snort. "Takes one to know one."

He ignores me, continuing. "But, I can tell what you're thinking."

My heart begins to hammer away in my chest as I raise a curious eyebrow, wondering if this true. After all, I would never guess Alice could see the future. Is it possible he's gifted too? The thought of mind reading is a bit of a stretch, but then again, so are a lot of things.

Clearing my throat, I reposition myself in the seat, at the same time reminding myself to maintain eye contact with him.

"Really? What am I thinking right now?"

I focus on a few select words, so if there is a chance he's telling the truth, he'll have no trouble picking them out in my mess of a brain.

Moments later, however, I realize he's just full of shit as frustration clearly colors his face.

"You're so full of shit," I laugh. "Reading my mind, yeah, sure."

"I can!"

"Uh-huh. Okay."

"Really," he says, quite seriously. "I can."

"Okay, sure. I'll give you one more test. What am I thinking right now, at this very moment?"

Straightaway, as if knowing I'm on to him, his face smooths, and he smirks, leaning close to me again. "You want to kiss me."

I pause, wondering if he can read my thoughts, but that's not what I was thinking about at this moment. Sure, I thought about it earlier, but as I think back to all of our interactions, there hasn't been an instance where he's given away that he can read my mind.

Now that the thought is back there, however, it's all I can think about … and that's exactly what he wants; I can tell by the smirk he's fighting.

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. "I think that's what you want. You keep bringing it up an awful lot. I mean, I know I'm a catch, but give a girl some space," I tease, reaching for the door handle.

His hand slides around my left, his fingers smoothly gliding over my wrist. He stares intently into my eyes, and the penetrating emotion radiating from them has me frozen.

"Bella," he breathes, his fingers still gliding over the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist. "You know you want to kiss me."

He can't continue without laughing, and I find myself laughing as well. Playfully, I push his shoulder, rolling my eyes again.

"What are you? Five? Come on," I gesture toward the door, finally opening it. "Let's do … whatever we're going to do."

"Deny it all you want," he says with a heavy sigh. "But lying to yourself isn't the answer."

"Yeah, you're so irresistible … the mysterious new guy that can read minds," I reply, reaching up to dance my fingers over his forehead. "What completes the trifecta?" I pause, tapping a finger on my lips. A moment later, I snap my fingers. "I know! You're a vampire!"

He freezes, still as a statue, his face locked in shock and surprise. Unable to help myself, I laugh boisterously, my chuckles filling the air as I lean against the car. Through the windshield, I notice Edward is staring pensively at me as if he's trying to figure out some riddle.

After a long moment, he shakes his head, meeting me at the front of the car, holding an arm out in invitation. Stepping up to his side, I feel a light pressure against the small of my back, and briefly, I wonder if he's resting his hand there. I want to look, but at the same time, I don't.

In the end, I decide to let it pass.

He probably accidentally brushed against me or something.

"Bella, why—" he starts, but immediately claps his lips closed, huffing an astonished chuckle.

"Why what?" I continue. "Why is the sky blue? Why is the Earth round? Why are you so annoying? These are questions we'll never have answers for."

"I know the answers," he replies, his voice haughty and smug. I stick my nose in the air with a sniff, mimicking him, but he ignores me and continues. "The answer to your last question is you. You drive me insane!"

"Ditto."

Edward leads us to the music and art store, where I jump in the air once, grinning broadly. He chuckles, holding the door out for me, and I rush inside. I start to call out to Kevin but pause as I see Sandy, his assistant manager.

She gives us a barely-there smile and a lukewarm greeting. Her eyes remain downcast as her fingers twist at the tie-dyed shirt in her hands.

Stepping forward, I swallow past the lump in my throat and place my hands on the counter, nervously drumming my nails. Edward's hand covers mine, and when I look up, I see him frowning down at me, his eyebrows pinched together in worry.

Meeting my gaze, he smiles, but it's not genuine.

"Hey, Sandy. How are you?"

Like Edward, she plasters on a fake smile, giving a jerking shrug as her eyes fill with tears. I have to hand it to her; her tears don't fall. She blinks them back and straightens her shoulders, trying to look happy.

She doesn't succeed.

"I'm fine. You?"

"I'm okay," I murmur and gesture toward Edward as an afterthought when I see her staring curiously at him. "This is Edward."

He dips his head in greeting but says nothing more as he stands at my side. Sandy's lips quirk as a humorous glint appears in her eyes, but it fades just as quickly as it came.

"Nice to meet you, Edward. It's nice to have a face with the name," she tells him. "You must be someone special if you're here with Bella."

As if he had been shocked, Edward snatches his hand away but doesn't move from my side.

"We're, uh—"

"We're not—" we say at the same time.

Sandy nods, her lips quirking once more. "I see. Well, I'll leave you two to your browsing. Let me know if you need anything."

I nod and step away, following after Edward, but pause, turning back to Sandy. "Have you … heard anything? About Kevin?"

Sandy slowly shakes her head, her eyes glassy. "No," she whispers. "Not a thing. We're all so worried about him. He doesn't have any other family besides all of us here at the store. The police … they think he … well," she trails off, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "Let's just say, they don't think we'll have good news. They're still looking, but as more time goes on …"

Knowing what she's referring to, I nod. The chances of a missing person being found rapidly decrease the longer they're missing, and each day Kevin and the others aren't found, it means less good news for everyone that loves them.

"He'll be okay," I tell her, my voice cracking. I clear my throat and try again. "He'll be okay. He's a tough old bird, wherever he is."

Sandy laughs in agreement. "Yeah, he is. I just want him back here, you know? It's not the same."

Not knowing what else to say, I attempt a smile and step away, and the tears I had been holding back finally fall.

Edward frowns once more, his face radiating nothing but sympathy as he wraps an arm around my shoulders, tucking me into his side. Hastily, I wipe away the moisture from my cheeks with my sleeves, giving a short laugh.

"Sorry. I feel so stupid."

Honestly, I do. I never wanted to cry again, especially in front of him, but with this latest news of Kevin, it makes me wonder if any of the other missing people will be found.

Like Arthur.

He's still missing as far as I know. Otherwise, I'm sure Dad would have told me.

It pisses me off that people think they have the right to mess with people this way. What right do they have to take someone? To tear them away from their lives, from their families for their own sick amusement?

I have no doubt Laurent was responsible for most of the disappearances, if not all of them. I can only hope, however, that he's paying for his crimes.

"It's never stupid to care for someone. Come on, I'll buy you something," he teases, leaning toward me, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. They glide up to my temple and linger there before he pulls back.

Playfully, I narrow my eyes. "I'm not that easy to buy off. But," I sing-song with a smirk as I continue. "Since the offer is out there, I'll let you buy me something. Maybe multiple somethings. Who knows?"

"How gracious of you."

"I know."

We spend nearly an hour in the store, browsing the aisles, and pointing out things we like. By the time we make it back to the front of the store, Edward has picked up a new notebook for his studies and practically snatched the pencil set I had been eying right from my hands.

"Give it back!" I argue, attempting to reach around him and grab it back. "I can pay for my own shit, you know."

"I know," he counters, fluidly evading my hands. "But I told you I would buy you something, and I am. I'm a man of my word."

"That's very … kind and noble of you, Sir Edward of Asshat-ville, but again, I can buy my own things. Give it to me."

Shaking his head, he slides the items across the counter, deftly blocking me from touching anything. He quickly pays and bids the cashier a good day before leading the way out of the store.

As a counteroffer, I gather the correct amount of money to pay him back and hand it to him once we're in front of the store.

"Here."

He doesn't even look at my hand before he's shaking his head, some hair flopping down in his eyes. He brushes it back with a sweep of his hand, making it stand taller on his head.

"Stop it. I told you I was going to buy you something, and you agreed, I might add. So, no, I won't take your money."

"I was just joking about that," I tell him, persistently holding the money to him. "Take this. Please."

"No."

Growling under my breath, I attempt to stuff it in the pocket of his gray pea coat, but he quickly wraps his arms around me, locking my hands at my sides. He leans down, the tip of his nose touching mine.

"Will you please stop trying to give me money? I don't want it. I'm not into that kind of business."

"What business?" I question, confused.

"I'm not an escort."

"Ugh," I groan, lightly pushing him away. "Too bad; you'd make a killing." Before he can say anything more, I continue. "I don't want you paying for my things. I'm more than capable of—"

"I never said you weren't," he interrupts, a slight edge of frustration seeping into his words. "Just … look, it's a gift, okay?"

Angrily, his nostrils flare, and I realized I pushed this too far. If I were in his place, I would be pretty pissed if my good gesture was being refused too. Taking a deep breath, I nod once and freeze, the action moving our lips in the right position for kissing.

We both freeze in place, eyes wide and unblinking. We stay like this for a long moment until the slightest amount of pressure is added—from him or me, I'm not sure. I just know one minute we're frozen with our lips barely touching to trying to get as close as we can while exchanging panting breaths.

After a long moment, he swallows thickly and steps back, running a hand through his hair. He blows out a heavy breath, shaking his head as he looks away, seemingly lost in thought.

"Ready to go somewhere else?"

I'm surprised by his blasé attitude regarding what happened. I expected him to say something sarcastic, but I guess he's just going to ignore it.

Well, the bad news for him is, I'm not going to let him.

"Why did you kiss me?"

He shrugs, shoving his hands in the pockets of his coat. "I had to get you to stop arguing somehow."

I flip him off, and he smirks in response.

I should have known.

8*8*8*8*8

The rest of the day is spent walking around, browsing. Multiple times, I tried to buy him something he seemed interested in, but he thwarted my attempts with a frustrating shake of his head.

Luckily for me, the store I saw something in has online shopping.

An hour and a half later, we head to lunch. The girl behind the counter does a double-take upon seeing Edward and smirks, shooting him a flirty wink as she smooths the front her shirt. I roll my eyes and groan under my breath, realizing he has another admirer.

Things quickly change, however.

Edward becomes extremely uncomfortable. He's sighs heavily, rakes a hand through his hair, pulling at the roots as he glares unblinkingly at the worker behind the counter, who loses her confidence pretty quickly.

I'm honestly a little scared for her, considering how pissed he looks.

"What is your problem?" I grind out, glaring at him over the small paper menu I was given when we walked in. "You're gonna give that poor girl a heart attack."

Confused, his eyebrows pinch together, and I nod toward the scared woman near the kitchen, clutching her apron so tight it leaves severe wrinkles in the fabric. She's gone pale, and her eyes are wide, with lips pressed together so tightly they're practically gone.

Frantically, she gestures toward our table, looking close to tears as her co-worker tries to calm her down.

She manages a stiff smile as her friend points in our direction and races off toward the back. The woman she was talking to shakes her head and offers a friendly wave, coming to stand in front of the register.

"I'm terribly sorry about Kara's behavior. What can I get for you?"

It's obvious Edward isn't going to speak; he still quietly brooding, eyes narrowed, and jaw clenched.

"Uh, I think I need a few more minutes."

The woman nods, pleasantly smiling, and steps back. "No problem. Just holler when you're ready."

Once she disappears in the kitchen, I round in on Edward.

"What is your problem? Do you enjoy scaring the crap out of people?"

"Nothing," he replies, a bit tersely. "Sorry."

I snort, pursuing the menu once more. "It's not me you have to apologize to … for once. What did she do to incur your wrath, anyway? Did she steal your stuffed animal? Tell you Santa wasn't real?"

Comically, Edward's eyes widen as shock colors his features. "Santa isn't real?"

Exhaling a laugh, I deliver a swift kick in his shin, but only end up hurting myself. As pain radiates up my leg, I hide my pain well and only wince when he looks away.

"Seriously, I say after a long moment. What happened?"

"She was just …" he sighs, trailing off. "It's nothing. I'm going to stand … over here."

Vaguely, he waves toward the farthest corner of the restaurant, leaning his back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eyes.

Clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth, I shake my head and heave a sigh.

"Such a drama queen."

A low keening squeak erupts from behind me, and I turn to see Kara poking her head out from behind the kitchen door. She breathes a sigh relief when she sees me alone. I'm tempted to chuckle at her reaction, considering most people—myself, included—have felt that way once they were faced with Edward's bad side.

"Your freaky guy gone?"

One of my eyebrows raises at her tone. "Pardon?"

"The guy that was in here with you," she replies slowly. "Where did he go?"

I'm tempted to tell her he's still here, out of her eyesight, just to see what her reaction will be, but I hold off. Maybe Edward will make a surprise appearance and scare the crap out of her; that'll be something to see.

"Not here, obviously."

I really don't like her attitude, especially with what she's insinuating. Now, I'm regretting coming here at all and debating if I should just walk out. I really would, except this place has the best burgers in town.

"You two are perfect for one another, aren't you?" she mutters. And while I don't think she intended for me to hear her, I heard every last word. Before I can question her on what she means, she continues on, oblivious to my glare. "Thank goodness. He's super-hot and all, but he looks dangerous. There's something about him, though."

She trails off, lost in thought, and while I don't her like attitude, I know what she's feeling well. Edward is definitely an enigma, one that's frightening, alluring, and curious all at once. It makes you want to learn all of his secrets while getting the hell away from him as fast as you can.

"Can you take my order?" I ask when it's obvious she's not going to do anything.

Muttering under her breath, she rolls her eyes and drums her fingers on the plastic surface of the counter. "Well?"

"A number three."

After I pay her and my food is made, I quickly book it out of there. I turn and glance back at Kara, smirking as she pales when she sees Edward stepping up beside me, throwing the door open with a dramatic flair. Ordinarily, I would call him out on this type of behavior and bust his balls, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the effects of the show he's putting on.

As we walk, I unwrap my burger and take a huge bite, resisting the urge to moan out loud at the flavor.

"So, what was your deal back there anyway?" I question after I swallow my first bite.

I'm hoping my question will distract him from his curious staring as I eat, but from the way he keeps looking back at me, I can see my plan has failed.

"What do you mean?"

"Stop staring at me as I eat, dude. It's weird," I tell him through a mouthful. When he looks away, I continue. "I mean, what happened in the restaurant? You were pissed."

He shrugs and huffs, shaking his head once. "She … I didn't like something."

"That much was clearly obvious. What was it? What didn't you like?" I ask, hoping he'll clarify. Honestly, I didn't even notice her looking at us in any certain way … but then again, I wasn't paying attention until I saw her try to escape from Edward's glaring.

"Her thoughts; she was disgusted by the thought of us together."

My first initial reaction sends a big fuck you to the girl, because while we drive each other crazy, we have a kinship I can't deny. He shares my sense of humor and sarcastic mouth, plus, he's not too bad to look at either.

I'm not vain or anything, but I'm not completely unattractive either. Although, I can see the shock value in seeing us together. Edward is clean and, to be honest, high-ish society looking. He looks better suited for Rose or a cheerleader, rather than someone who wears black eyeliner, dark berry lips, and has multi-colored streaks in her hair.

But hey, everyone needs to visit the dark side every once in a while, right?

So, I say again, screw her. For all she knows, Edward just puts on an act, and he's really a freak … which is most likely the case.

When I get all of that out of my system and digest everything else, I dive in.

"How do you know that?" Seconds later, the answer comes to me, and I snort, trying not to choke on my food. "Oh, right. I forgot. You can read minds. Very cool."

"You don't believe me, but I can read minds. That's what she was thinking. Honest." His reply is so serious and coupled with the look on her face, I'd say that would be a pretty good guess if I were messing with someone.

The next several minutes are spent in silence as I methodically chew my food.

A part of me doesn't doubt him; deep down, I know he's telling the truth. After all, I've seen Alice's special abilities, and I've witnessed a lot of weird shit with Rose and Jasper, so it's not completely far off.

The only thing I can't understand is why doesn't Edward respond to my thoughts? I've had enough of them where there should be some kind of reaction, but he gives me nothing.

No reaction, no answers, not even a scowl … and that just makes me think he's bullshitting me.

"For argument's sake, we'll say I believe you."

"You're humoring me," he concludes, a mixture of resignation and relief etched on his features.

"Absolutely," I coo. "So, we're going back now, right?" I question, covering my mouth to hide the food I'm in the process of chewing.

Edward returns to his staring, I stop walking, giving him a pointed look. Catching my meaning, he looks away.

"Yeah, we are."

"Can we stop somewhere on the way? I need to go see someone."

Quickly, he turns back to me; his eyebrows pinched together. "Who?"

"Jess. Dude, stop staring at me eating. It's not that fascinating," I finally tell him.

"How would you know?"

"Do you find it fascinating?" I raise an eyebrow, hoping he doesn't. The thought of finding someone chewing and swallowing food is disgusting to me.

"Of course not," he scoffs, focusing on the sidewalk underneath his feet.

I can see a spark of embarrassment in his features, but before I can call him out on it, he rushes to change the subject. "Why do you want to see Jess? Is she okay?"

"Physically, she's fine," I reply honestly.

It's where she is mentally that I'm most concerned about; if she's like me, she might be having nightmares, and I want to be sure she's doing okay on that front. Moreover, I figure seeing her at home, healthy and okay will hopefully help ease my own bad dreams.

"Hey," Edward softly says, his fingers sliding over the back of my hand. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." My answer is too quick to be believable, but I don't care. I continue eating and increasing my pace, wanting to deter any further questions.

"You're lying."

His tone is casual as if he's talking about the weather. The subtle incline of his head toward me and the thin press of his lips say otherwise.

Taking a moment, I pause and study him, trying to figure out whether he really knows I'm lying or whether he's calling my bluff and hoping I'll cave. It's too difficult to tell; these Cullens can be masterful hiders when they want to be.

When they're not completely taken off guard, and I call them out on it, that is.

Instead of replying, I finish the last of my burger and shrug as I toss my trash into a nearby can. "I'm not. I want to see my friend. I'm concerned about her."

We're left in an odd stand-off, which shouldn't be odd anymore at this point. It seems like staring contests and waiting to see which one of us will cave first is our thing now.

After several moments, Edward breaks contact first, and mutters something under his breath as he shoots me a scowl from beneath his eyelashes. I have no doubt it's nothing good about me, but I don't care.

I've won this round.

Gloating, I swagger over to his car and giggle under my breath at his irritated expression. His glower deepens, which only causes my laughter to get louder. Soon, I find myself leaning against the car and laughing loudly, not caring that people are gawking.

"Are you done now?"

Instead of looking put out or annoyed, he appears amused, and I realize I must have made a fool of myself, but I don't care. His grumpy expressions are too hilarious for words.

"I'm done. Let's go."

Without another word, I get into the car and tap on his window when he doesn't immediately follow me. Nearly a minute passes, and he still hasn't gotten in, so I climb over the seat and peer up, finding him pensively staring off into space with a bewildered look on his face.

More forcefully now, I knock on the window. He jumps back and immediately makes a shooing motion when he sees me in the driver's seat.

Rolling my eyes, I climb back over to my side. The skin on the back of my neck warms and tightens, making me aware of just how much my ass is sticking in the air.

Could he be watching me climb over? Would he say anything?

As stealthily as I can, I peer over my shoulder, using my hair to hide my line of sight. He's looking all right, but it's not like I expected. Instead of looking aroused or intrigued as most men would, he merely looks baffled.

My mind runs a mile a minute, wondering why he looked like that.

Thinking back to our earlier conversation, I realized just how helpful mind-reading would be for me, especially with Edward.

On second thought, though, his head is probably just as much a mess as mine is, if not more.

"What?" I inquire, sounding a little too defensive to my own ears.

"Self-conscious, are we?"

I scoff. "Hell no. I'm perfectly happy with the way I look, thank you."

Strangely, he seems satisfied with my answer and gives a small smile and nod. "That's nice to hear. Not a lot of teenagers are."

"Here we go again with you talking like you're a hundred," I groan theatrically, banging my head on the headrest.

"Well, if you really want to know ..." he begins, a teasing tenor to his words.

"I already know. You're immortal, remember?"

He hums, his lips pressed tightly together as he cuts his eyes over to me periodically. "Do you really believe that? You're more gullible than I thought."

"Me?" I reply with a sniff. "You still believe in Santa. That's sad."

"Why do you keep saying that? Santa is real."

"I guess you'd know," I murmur.

"You're right." A piercing laugh escapes him, and I can't help but join in. When our humor fades, silence lingers, but it's not uncomfortable or tense.

It's relaxing and easy.

I like it. A lot.

"Bella, what do—"

"Are you—"

We speak at the same time and pause, waiting for the other to resume speaking.

"Go ahead—"

"Go on—"

Once more, we speak at the same time, and this time, Edward chuckles lowly with a wry grin. Lapsing into silence and stares again, we both wait for the other to speak, but it's obvious neither one of us is going to take that leap.

Like he's in school, Edward raises his hand and points a finger in the air before aiming it at himself. Finding this funny but not wanting to let him know, I bite the side of my tongue and nod.

"You can laugh," he tells me. "I know I'm a riot."

"Yeah, you're a comedian."

"I know. I'm simply the best at everything."

"Sure you are," I tell him. In my lap, my fingers twitch, wanting to pinch his cheeks to complete my sarcastic quip, but I refrain and squeeze my hand into a fist. "What were you going to say?"

All traces of humor and teasing vanish, replaced with caution and indifference. He clears his throat in a completely uncharacteristic gesture, looking intently into my eyes.

"Bella, what do you—" he stops himself short this time, the words breaking off. He growls lightly under his breath, raking a hand through his hair and tugging roughly at the roots.

"You'll go bald," I murmur, pointing toward his hand. "It won't be a good look for you."

Jerking his hand away, he sighs heavily and continues to bore his gaze into mine. I grow uncomfortable with this quickly; the urge to squirm and blurt out what his problem is, rests on the tip of my tongue. However, before any of that can happen, he mutters something under his breath and shakes his head, looking away.

I can't be certain, but I swear I heard him utter, "it's not possible."

I want to ask what he thinks isn't possible, but something stops me. Instead, I push his arm and nod toward the steering wheel.

"Can you drive now?"

His index finger taps heavily on the steering wheel. "You're ordering me around? I'm not your servant."

"Technically, you offered to take me to Port Angeles, so you kinda are. Drive, please." I wait a moment before continuing. "See? I said, please."

"You're a pain in the ass."

"I have multiple pains in my ass. The first one is from sitting here too long. The second, of course, is you. As always," I say with a drawl.

His gaze remains impassive as he starts the car. For a moment, I don't think I'll get a reaction from him, which is kind of disappointing. It's not until I turn my attention forward that I hear choked laughter coming from him.

Causally, I turn and see his face is neutral, his hands loosely draped over the steering wheel, gently maneuvering the vehicle on the road. Briefly, I wonder if I was hearing things, but the humor in his eyes and the twitch of his lips tell a different story.

"What's your game here, Edward? Trying to make me think I'm crazy?"

"You mean you don't know?" he questions with fake shock before sucking air through his teeth. "Sorry to break it to you this way."

I force a laugh before letting it die suddenly. "Hysterical. Can you drop me off at Jessica's?" I proceed to ramble off her address and sit back stoically.

He smirks and continues in silence, stealing looks at me periodically while I ignore him. I last approximately seven minutes until his choked laughter grows louder.

Whipping around, I try to remain angry, but immediately I see the mirth swimming in his eyes and know he was trying to get a rise out of me.

Pushing his arm, I force a scowl. "What are you? Five? Really mature, Edward."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I turn toward the window where I'm free to release my smile. Luckily, I'm able to hold in my laughter by pretending to huff.

"You're not fooling me, Swan," he says. "You think I'm funny. Just admit it."

I dodge his attempts to touch me, smacking his hands away whenever they're close.

"It's pity laughter," I snap. "I hate to break it to you, but you're not as funny as you think you are. You're incredibly dull and boring. Like my grandfather."

Edward's lips purse, but there's still humor underneath his phony irritation. "I'm an old soul. Sue me."

"Maybe I will; emotional distress and psychological scarring." I nod once. "Yep. I'll never be the same after this afternoon. I'll cry at random times or laugh for no reason. I'll be skittish around every single person I come across and never trust their intentions. Then, I'll have no choice but to buy a house in the middle of nowhere, becoming a recluse—"

I trail off at his astonished and puzzled expression. It's a look I've seen many times from Rose. If I were betting person, I'd bet he's wondering what the hell is wrong with me.

Like Rose often is.

"Where do you … how do you come up with these things?"

I shrug, picking at my cuticles. "Don't know; it just pops up in my head and unravels."

"Huh," he replies with astonishment, shaking his head and blinking slowly. "All right, then."

Getting the feeling he's labeling me as crazy, I stick my tongue out at him, making sure there's no doubt in his mind. He doesn't look at me fully, but I see his eyes peer in my direction, and once more, he shakes his head but doesn't comment.

Finally, we arrive at Jess's house and hastily, I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the car door, only to be pulled back.

"Bella … your word vomit, generally craziness and frustrating everything aside … I had a nice time," he admits shyly, briefly looking up through his eyelashes. "It was … nice. Nicer than I've had in a long time."

I'm flustered by his words, not expecting him to say such a thing, especially to me. My mouth opens to speak, but nothing comes out.

Taking my silence the wrong way, Edward clears his throat, and the muscles of his jaw tighten as he grinds his teeth. Gradually, he pulls his hand back, and realizing my moment is quickly slipping away, I reach for him.

His eyes widen as he stares down at my hand, which I quickly snatch back.

"I, uh, had a … nice time too. It was a great distraction from the whole hell-fest that was at your house. Thanks."

A small, shy smile tugs at his lips before he schools his expression into one of indifference. "No problem. I figure we should attempt to get along since you're friends with my sister, and I'm friends with Jasper … not to mention Rosalie and Emmett."

"You've noticed, too, huh?"

Uncharacteristically, Edward rolls his eyes and lightly scoffs. "He's not exactly subtle."

I nod with a laugh. "Yeah. Rose isn't either." I pause for a moment before climbing out of the car again. "Thanks for the ride. We'll have to do this again."

My eyes widen at the words, wondering what the hell possessed me to say such a thing and what Edward's reaction will be.

Surprisingly, he doesn't show an ounce of shock or repulsion. "Definitely. Text me whenever, and I'll come pick you up."

"What makes you think I have your number?"

He smirks. "Bella, we've been over this; you want me."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, that's it, for sure."

"See? Told you."

"Uh-huh. So, now you're at my beck and call, huh? I like it, servant."

"Don't let it go to your head. This all a ruse to leave you stranded at home to scar you for life, courtesy of your cousin and my brother."

My face twists in disgust. "Thanks for the reminder."

"You're welcome."

I point a finger in his direction. "Don't get too cocky. Karma will come for you."

"She already has; her name is Bella."

"Thank you!" I beam as if it's the nicest compliment I've ever received, and he laughs, shaking his head incredulously as he murmurs something under his breath.

Moments later, he's leaning across the seat, angling his head in an uncomfortable position to see me. "Do you want me to wait? I can give you a lift back to your house."

"Thanks, but no. I live two streets over. I can manage."

"You sure? You seem to get into trouble easier than anyone I've met."

"I'll be on my best behavior, and I'll be fine, worrywart," I promise, holding up two fingers. "See ya later."

Edward doesn't seem pleased with my response, but nods, and pulls out of the driveway as I step onto the porch.

Jess's Mom answers the door with a beaming smile, pulling me into an uncomfortable hug the moment she sees me. Kindly as I can, I pull back so I can dislodge her frizzy hair from entering my mouth.

"I'm so glad you stopped by! Jessica will be so happy to see you!"

"Sorry, it was unannounced. I meant to call, but—"

Mrs. Stanley dismissively waves. "I told you, stop by anytime. You're always welcome here."

"Thank you," I reply, following her back to Jess's room. Through the door, I hear her quiet and bashful voice stuttering, making me wonder if she's sleeping or talking to someone. "How is she?"

"She's doing well. She hasn't been sleeping well, but the doctor said that's to be expected. She's going to be fine, though. She's fine," she repeats, mostly to herself.

"Jess is strong," I tell her, fulling believing my words. "If anyone can get through the aftermath, it's Jessica."

Mrs. Stanley nods in agreement, delivering a firm knock to Jess's door. "Jessica, honey, you have a visitor."

"Co-come i-in."

Heading inside, I see her shove her cell phone underneath her covers. I raise an eyebrow at the action, noting the reddening of her cheeks.

"Hey, Jess."

She gives a shy grin, waving once and patting the space beside her.

I take a seat, noting how good she looks. She still has a bandage on her neck, and her color is still slightly pale, but I'm happy to note she has more color, and there's a sparkle in her eyes I've never seen before.

"How are you?"

"I-I'm go-good. Ge-getting be-better ev-ever-every da-day."

"Awesome," I reply, squeezing her hand.

From underneath her blankets, her phone buzzes every few seconds, leading me to believe she's getting texts.

"Am I keeping you from something? Or someone?"

She blushes, toying with the fringe of her blanket. There's a long moment of silence as she silently debates whether or not to tell me.

"I-it's Ty-Tyler," she confesses, timidly.

My eyebrows rise into my hairline at the news, but she doesn't notice and continues.

"H-he ca-came t-to se-see m-me wh-while I wa-was i-in th-the hos-hospital. We-we're cl-close."

If it were anyone else, I would be suspicious, but Tyler is a good guy. Sure, he's a jock, but he's not the typical jock you see in movies and television. He's actually smart and kind; I know he's a good match for my friend, and he'll treat her with the respect she deserves.

"Tell me everything."

8*8*8*8

Half an hour later, after happily listening to Jess gush about all the things Tyler has done for her, I arrive home the same time as my father and Jasper.

Dad looks extremely satisfied and swaggers up to the house with a cocky smirk while Jasper follows behind him with a confused and brooding expression, his eyebrows pinched together in confusion.

"Hey, Jasper. Everything good?"

"Huh?" he asks, still lost in thought. "No, yeah … everything is fine."

"Okay," I reply, drawing out the word. "How was your day?"

His distracted attitude makes me wonder what happened and what he saw to make him so thoughtful. There are a thousand questions I want to ask him, but I don't get the chance.

He shuffles past me without a glance, his eyes trained on the ground.

"Jasper—"

"I'm fine," he replies. "I'm going to my room."

"That's fine, Jasper. Take your time," Dad answers, patting his shoulder once. "I'll call you for dinner."

Jasper mumbles a response, but instead of a snarky comeback, Dad simply looks pleased.

"What's that about?"

Dad plasters an innocent expression on his face. "What?"

"That look … that cat that got the canary look."

He shrugs, still cockily grinning. "Let's just say, Jasper has a lot to think about."

"What—"

"Charlie," Mom says, throwing open the door, a slightly panicked look on her face. "Get in here."

Dad's smugness fades into one of concern as he follows Mom inside, questions falling from his lips. I head inside myself, rolling my eyes at the scene on the couch.

Rose and Emmett are snuggled together in front of the television, their hands entwined on Emmett's knee, their heads pressed close together as they whisper and exchange soft kisses.

"Do I have to expect this when I come now? Seeing this sickening display in a common area? You have a bedroom, you know."

"Wha-what? Bella!" Dad bellows from the kitchen. "Are you trying to kill me? Forget getting shot; I'll have a heart attack thanks to my daughter. No boys upstairs, at all!"

"But how will I know if he's good at sex? Relationships can't last on conversation alone!"

"Bella, you're killing me! I'm the only father you have!"

We all snicker, but it's Emmett who guffaws, leaning in to whisper in Rose's ear. Whatever he says has her pulling back with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips, looking as if she's asking, "really?"

Catching on to this, Emmett nods with a smirk, looking all too delighted in the news he had to share.

"What did you say? Share your secrets," I start, walking forward but stop as Mom's fretful voice carries in from the kitchen.

"What are we going to do, Charlie?"

Changing my direction, I spin around and find my mother sitting at the table with her head buried in her hands and Dad standing behind her, giving me the stink eye.

I merely grin and lean against the wall. "What's going on?"

Mom slowly looks up, swallowing thickly. The serious and foreboding look on her face has my stomach twisting in knots and my palms getting sweaty. "I got some news today … from your Gran Marie."

Dad winces, bringing a hand up to rub at his forehead. "Renee, again, I'm sorry—"

She ignores him, continuing. "She's coming early for the holiday. A whole week early."

My eyes bulge, and my mouth drops open. I love Gran, and for us kids, she's great to be around. For my parents, however, not so much.

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, she'll want to take over the cooking and cleaning, not to mention she'll dictate what my father can and cannot eat.

Plus, I know for a fact she'll make a point to let my Grandmother Beth know she's here, because "she's the favorite grandmother in our family." That, in turn, will bring her here, where the two will proceed to bicker over every little thing.

Oh, boy. Here come the holidays.

Idly, I wonder if I'm too old to run away. It's not the most mature thought, but with all three of my grandparents in one small, cramped space for an extended period, at least I won't be the only immature one here.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Until next time! Stay safe!