Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! I'm glad you're enjoying my writing. I also have an announcement... the unresolved emotional tension ends here!


CHAPTER EIGHT:

LUCK


Edward eventually, and very reluctantly, let go of her hand when the sun began rising. Her nightmares had ceased after he'd laced their fingers together, gently stroking her knuckles with the pad of his thumb, and she'd slept peacefully through the rest of the night. He was glad that it would be the last day the sun would keep them apart; keeping him prisoner in the shadows, and watching her longingly through the eyes of others.

When Bell came out of the house, she looked refreshened. The shadows under her eyes had lessened, and she was wearing a deep blue blouse that wonderfully complimented the creamy color of her skin. There was a little bounce to her step throughout the day, a certain liveliness that the nightmares had undoubtedly stolen, and Edward didn't even bother to fend off the satisfied grin tugging at his lips.

After making sure the girls' plans hadn't changed, with Jessica picking them up, he went home to get his car. Upon finding that both Peter and Charlotte were there, he guessed he could afford giving the girls an hour for themselves. He'd basically been avoiding their guests ever since they arrived, Edward realized with a small grimace. He came through the kitchen, and replied to everyone's greetings, undoubtedly surprising them.

Ugh, he's back, Rosalie thought as he walked past her to get to the piano. Edward ignored her, giving a content hum to prove his point, and started playing.

I've never seen him like this, came Esme's joyful thoughts, a mere sliver of concern accompanying them. A part of her was afraid it would be temporary, and that everything would go back to the way it was. Leaving him by his lonesome.

Have fun in Port Angeles tonight, Alice thought, and the mischievous tone made him tilt his head. Edward briefly wondered if he should be concerned. Let me know when I'm allowed to talk to Bell, okay?

Emmett's thoughts were loud and accusing, his stare disbelieving. I can't believe you've done this. You missed out on the game to watch her sleep, bro. I'm never forgetting this. There was no malicious intent to them, just a pinch of overdramatic betrayal and a handful of amusement.

Jasper seemed content, the small smile on his lips revealing that he was genuinely enjoying Edward's good mood. His friends seemed curious, eyeing him from afar as if he was the new exhibit in a gallery. Edward's song picked up the pace.

What a strange creature, Charlotte thought, though not unpleasantly.

It must be the animal blood, Peter was concluding, as if agreeing with her despite not hearing each other's thoughts. The lack of human blood drives them mad eventually, he continued in a pitying tone. Edward held back a laugh, and spotted the way Jasper's lips twitched at his amusement.

They began saying their goodbyes. "If you see Maria again," Jasper began in a slow, wary voice, "tell her I wish her well."

Ah, yes. Maria was the vampire that had created Jasper and Peter, though Peter was a more recent development— somewhere along the nineteen forties. Maria had tracked Jasper down when they were living in Calgary. It was an… eventful evening. They had to move immediately, and Jasper more or less threatened her to keep her distance, all in a polite voice that betrayed the fury in his charcoal eyes.

Peter laughed, lacing his fingers with Charlotte's. "I don't imagine that will happen soon," He said easily. "But, should it happen, I certainly will." He assured Jasper with a small smile.

As his song trailed off into a rather satisfying end, Edward glanced at the clock perched on the wall to confirm that an hour had passed. He rose from his seat, and approached their guests. "Charlotte, Peter," He nodded at them, extending a hand to shake theirs.

"It was nice to see you again, Edward." Charlotte said, though she kept her grip light in her doubt. Peter nodded in agreement, but his grip was firmer.

There goes the madman, Emmett thought pointedly as Edward took his leave.

Idiot. Rosalie glared at the same time.

Something tells me your luck is about to increase, brother, came Jasper's surprisingly mischievous thought. Edward paused at the door, and turned to stare at him with an arched eyebrow. Jasper only smirked.

Okay, now he was concerned.


The nightmares had apparently come to an end, and Bell had a sneaking suspicion why. She couldn't confirm, nor deny, any of them— therefore they would remain only that.

Suspicions.

Her day was better than the last despite the empty seat at her table in Biology. The fact that Lauren had other obligations made it even better. It sounded mean, being glad a person had to cancel their plans to go out with friends, but the girl was a brat that Bell didn't feel like dealing with. After school, Bell made her way home to drop her things, and left a note for Charlie before taking her purse.

They sang along to the pop songs on the radio, and Jessica talked about how her date with Mike has been, informing them that they would be having their second date on Saturday. Bell wished them all the luck in the world. Poor Angela soon became the target of Jessica's interrogation, since she was obviously enamored with none other than Ben Cheney, but Bell was quick to interject with questions about what type of dresses they would be looking for. When Angela threw her a grateful look, Bell only winked.

Unlike Forks, Port Angeles was more polished and quaint, a cute little tourist trap that Bell planned on seeing again. They drove to the biggest department store in the area, a few streets away from the bay area. The dance was billed as semiformal, which definitely meant that the kids would be wearing formal attire in fear that they would be going too casual. It happened all the time, no matter the era.

"So you haven't been to any dances in Phoenix?" Jessica sounded incredulous, her brow furrowed in disbelief. "Not even with a partner or something?"

Bell laughed at her, "No, I didn't like them much."

"Did no one ask you?"

"Oh, they did," Bell told her with a grin. "I just didn't want to go."

Jessica stared at her for a long moment, before concluding, "You're so weird."

"Hey, Bell..." Angela began after they'd started looking through the numerous racks of dresses. "Did you know Tyler's taking you to prom?"

Bell paused, her fingers curled around the hanger of a blue dress. "Pardon?" She turned to look at both girls, blinking slowly.

"Tyler's been running around telling everyone that he's taking you to prom." Jessica explained, and put her hands up in a peaceful gesture, "No one believes him of course!" She quickly added.

"Well, except for Lauren," Angela murmured, nibbling on her thumbnail.

Bell stared at them for a moment, astounded, before she laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Ah, that makes so much sense." She said, out of breath, and wiped away a small tear of mirth from her eye. Though it wasn't right, Lauren's anger did make sense.

The dress collection the store owned wasn't the largest out there, but they found a few things for the two girls to try on. Bell sat herself on a low chair by the three way mirror inside the dressing room, giving her opinions on the dresses. She found that Jessica looked the best in a deep blue, off the shoulder high low dress. Its design complimented her short stature, and color contrasted beautifully with the warm chocolate brown of her eyes.

Angela looked stunning in a long pale pink dress with thin straps and a split. There was nothing wrong in showing a little leg, Bell had reassured her when the tall girl looked a bit nervous. Bell couldn't help but shower them in compliments, genuinely enjoying the happiness dancing in their eyes as they looked at their reflection. Finding the perfect shoes took a little longer, but in the end, both girls found their respective shoes. They were the same cream color, Angela's being a pair of pin heeled platforms while Jessica chose open toe heels with an ankle strap.

They mentioned that there was a bookstore nearby, and Bell instantly wondered if they had any of Mario Benedetti's works since she hadn't read any of them in a long time. Seeing as Jessica and Angela were still struggling with finding the right accessories, Bell asked if she could meet up with them in the Italian restaurant on the boardwalk in an hour. They wanted to accompany her, but Bell was quick to reassure them that she'd be fine and to keep looking for their jewelry.

It took her a little while to find it, a cozy little thing with glass windows and dreamcatchers. The bell on the door chimed softly as she entered, and the building smelled like old books and incense. The elderly woman behind the counter had long, curly gray hair, a pair of spectacles resting on the bridge of her nose, and laugh lines on her aged face. She smiled welcomingly, and Bell found herself smiling back.

She approached the counter, and spoke in a soft voice, "Good evening. I was wondering if you have any of Mario Benedetti's books?"

The woman nodded her head, the lights reflecting off her glasses, and walked around the counter. "Right this way, honey," She beckoned, guiding her deeper into the store. There was a spanish accent in her voice, noticeable in the rolling of her r's. "I'm afraid I don't have the translations, though," She apologized.

Bell's eyes fell upon a compilation of his stories, and she took it in her hands, smiling at the shopkeep. "They're perfect, ma'am. Thank you."

"Alba is fine, dear." The woman, Alba, brushed away the formalities with the wave of her hand, and Bell gave her name in return. "Do you need it for school? If you don't mind me asking…"

"Oh, no," Bell shook her head, running her fingers along the spine of the book. "It's been a while since I've read his works. I remember enjoying them and since I'm fluent in the language, I thought it'd be nice to refresh my memory." She explained quietly, a tad nostalgic.

Alba's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "¿Hablas español?"

Bell chuckled at her expression, "Sí, sé hablar español."

"Nena, but you sound so natural." Alba complimented, returning to her place behind the counter.

"I've had… a lot of time in my hands." Bell shrugged.

Alba took the book from her hands, ran her wrinkled fingers over the cover, and peered at the brunette. "Dime, which one is your favorite?"

Oh, it had been such a long time since she'd been able to talk to someone about books— specially Benedetti. A grin lit up her face, mirrored by Alba, and Bell soon went on a long, heartfelt explanation of why Transparencia was her all time favorite. It'd come out back in 1977, and it touched various topics like loss and acceptance. It was realistic despite its imagery, loss was something everyone dealt with very differently, and it was something they eventually had to move on from, lest they let their grief swallow them up and obscure any sliver of hope for the future.

They talked for a while, Bell realized, even if it had felt like a few minutes. When she looked at Alba again, the elderly woman had a peculiar expression on her face, something like sadness. "How old are you, campanita?" Alba asked softly.

"Seventeen." Bell replied, caught off guard by the knot in her throat.

She stayed very still as Alba reached out, and placed a warm hand on her cheek. "You say seventeen, pero estos ojos…" Alba shook her head, a sympathetic smile on her lips, "they say you've been around for much more than that."

For once in a very, very long time, Bell didn't know what to say.

Alba seemed to notice, and took her hand away. "You don't have to say anything, linda. It's alright." She said, smiling in a motherly manner, and placed the book inside a brown paper bag. "It's on the house."

The stern look given to her when Bell tried to protest made her stay silent. She accepted the bag with a grateful nod. "Que tenga una linda noche, Doña Alba." Bell said, bidding her goodbyes, and walked to the door.

"Vuelve pronto, campanita," Alba called out, and Bell smiled to herself. That… had never happened before. Sure, there were superstitious people in the world, but no one had ever recognized what she was so quickly. But, Bell supposed, there was always a first time for everything.

It had gotten very dark outside, and it seemed that no one was around as she walked down the streets. The keyword being seemed. Bell let out a small sigh, hugging the bag close as she heard the footsteps growing closer. "Hey, there!" The man greeted, suspiciously quick to join her, and looked her over hungrily.

"Goodnight." Bell said tersely, her lips curling in disgust, and stepped around him to keep walking towards the restaurant. If he tried anything, he would certainly regret it. If there was anything she learned throughout her lives as a woman, it was how to defend herself against men like him.

"Aw, sugar, don't be like that." He called out. Bell curled her fingers into her palm, her thumb over her fingers, and lashed out the second he grabbed onto her waist. Her knuckles slammed into his nose with a satisfying crunch, and throbbed lightly from the force of her punch. He swore, and made to grab her again, but Bell stomped on his foot and hit the side of his head with the heel of her palm. The man fell on his arse, clutching his bloody nose and groaning in a pained daze.

Just when she considered hitting him again, maybe even kicking him, a familiar Volvo screeched to a stop right next to them. The windows were heavily tinted, but she didn't have to see him to know exactly who it was. The passenger door flew open, and Edward stared at her with hard charcoal eyes. "Get in." He commanded.

Bell slid in, casting a glance to the fallen pervert with satisfaction brewing in her chest, and put on her seatbelt. The tires squealed as Edward accelerated, and drove down the street without any regard for the stop signs. The inside of the car was dark since light could barely slip through the windows, his face illuminated by the glow of the dashboard. They quickly left the town.

Bell hummed to herself, placing the paper bag on her lap, and turned to look at the side of his face. "Hi."

"Good evening." Edward greeted after a moment, his voice tight.

"It's very nice to see you again," She continued softly, watching through the dark as his grip on the steering wheel slowly loosened at the sound of her voice. "I missed you."

He sighed, and she spotted his lips twitch. "I missed you, too." Edward admitted, and she was pleased to hear that he didn't sound as angry. The car eventually slowed to a stop. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly in genuine concern.

Bell ran her fingers over her sore knuckles, knowing they would bruise over the hours, and nodded her head. "I'm alright, thank you." She said lightly, "How are you?"

A laugh full of disbelief left him, and Edward shook his head. "You were almost sexually assaulted and you're asking me if I'm alright?" He questioned.

"Trust me, nothing was going to happen." Bell reassured, absolutely sure the man was either unconscious on the sidewalk or seeking immediate medical assistance. She did hit his head rather hard, after all. "He was in more danger than I was." She couldn't help but chuckle. "Anyways, did you know Tyler's been telling everyone he's taking me to prom?"

"Yes, I heard about that." His replies were still short, but she continued to distract him from his anger.

"I think a part of him still feels guilty about almost running me over." She noted, tucking her hair behind her ear with her uninjured hand. "But I think this is mostly your fault, though," Bell adopted a playful tone.

Edward tilted his head at her, "How so?"

"If you hadn't allowed him to ask me to the dance that day after school, he wouldn't be so confident I'd even consider going to prom with him." She pointed out, and smiled when she heard him chuckle. Bell eyed the hour displayed on the dash, and pursed her lips. "Jessica and Angela must be so worried."

"I'll take you." Edward said smoothly, putting the car in drive, and started driving again. He never once asked where they would be waiting, which meant he definitely knew. Bell wasn't surprised in the least. He drove much too quickly, easily weaving through the other cars on the road, and arrived in the nick of time. Edward effortlessly parked against the curb, and Bell looked out the window to see the lights of La Bella Italia. Jessica and Angela were anxiously pacing in front of the building.

Edward cut the engine, and Bell turned to look at him curiously. "What are you doing?" She asked, trying to fight off a smile when she saw the crooked grin growing on his lips.

His eyes had softened into the ochre hue she loved. "I'm taking you to dinner," Edward informed her, and gestured for her to leave her things. He was already opening her door by the time she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Girls!" Bell called out to the two of them as they grew nearer.

They whirled around with identical expressions of relief etched onto their faces. "Where have you been?! You weren't answering your phone—" Jessica cut herself off, her jaw dropping when her eyes fell upon Edward.

"I'm so sorry," Bell apologized. "I forgot I left my phone on vibrate and I lost track of time at the bookstore, then I ran into Edward..." The words left her in a rush, and she sighed. "I'm so sorry." She repeated.

Edward took a step closer, their arms brushing, "Is it alright if I join you?" He asked in the same voice he'd used on Ms. Cope, an irresistible silken tone that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Both girls looked shaken, clearly never having been the victims of his supernatural talents.

"We actually ate something while we were waiting," Angela confessed guiltily, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"That's fine," Bell was quick to interject, "it was my fault, I got distracted."

His cool fingers curled around her wrist to catch her attention, "You should eat something." Edward told her gently before looking at her friends again, and speaking in a louder voice, "Do you mind if I drive her home tonight? That way you won't have to wait while she eats."

Jessica glanced at her, fiddling with the shopping bag in her hands, as if to make sure Bell wasn't being held against her will. Bell smiled, and nodded once. "Okay, that's fine," Jessica said in reply after a moment.

"We'll see you both tomorrow." Angela quickly grabbed Jessica's wrist and pulled her towards the car. They waved goodbye as they got inside the car, and Bell was certain they would bombard her with questions the following morning. Bell waved back, and waited until they drove out of sight before turning to face Edward.

He was still loosely holding on to her wrist, and Bell stared at his face to gauge his expression as she proceeded to interlock their fingers with astounding familiarity. All of the leftover tension seemed to melt right off his shoulders, and he sighed softly in something like contentment. The restaurant was hardly crowded, and their host was a pretty young woman with bleached blonde hair. Like all women, she seemed entranced by Edward's beauty.

"A table for two?" He requested, his fingers very gently squeezing hers. The woman's eyes flickered down to their joined hands in dissatisfaction, and she quickly looked Bell over in a judging manner. Bell simply smiled back at her. She led them to a table big enough for four people, located in the middle of the most crowded area, and Edward was quick to stop Bell from even making a move to sit. "Perhaps something more private?" Edward suggested, swiftly handing her a large tip, and the woman blinked at him in surprise.

"Sure," She stuttered, then quickly showed them to an empty booth that was far away from the other customers, tucked away in a cozy corner. "How's this?"

"Perfect." Edward smiled, pleased, and the action visibly dazed her. Bell tried not to laugh.

"Your server will be right out." The hostess told them before speed walking away on unsteady feet.

"You really shouldn't do that to people," Bell grinned as she slid into the booth, "it's so cruel."

"Do what?" Edward blinked innocently at her.

"Dazzle them like that." She elaborated, absentmindedly running the pad of her thumb over his knuckles. "The poor thing is probably hyperventilating in the kitchen." Bell said sympathetically, and Edward looked at her through his lashes.

"Do I dazzle you?" He asked lowly, and Bell squeezed his hand.

"All the time." She confessed.

The hostess had evidently spilled the tea in the kitchen, because their waitress looked expectant as she arrived at their booth. She tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear, and smiled directly at Edward. "Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?"

Edward moved their joined hands to his lap, cupping hers between the two of his, and looked down at her. She found that she didn't mind the coldness. "I'll have an iced tea." Bell told the waitress.

"Make that two." Edward said, not looking away from her.

"I'll be right back with that." The waitress told Edward with a flirty smile that he didn't see.

"I missed you." He told her again, and Bell leaned against his side, feeling a soft warmth travelling to her cheeks as she smiled.

"I missed you, too."

The waitress was back with their drinks soon enough, along with a small basket of bread that Edward nudged towards her. "Are you ready to order?" The young woman asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

He blatantly ignored her. "Bell?"

"I'll just have the chicken fettuccine alfredo." The slivers of an accent slipped out, and Edward tilted his head slightly with a curious took in his eyes. Oops.

"And you?" She asked him.

"Nothing for me," Edward replied curtly, and began playing with Bell's fingers.

"Let me know if you change your mind." He didn't look at her once, making her leave dissatisfied.

Bell hid her smile with a long sip of her iced tea. She set the nearly empty cup on the table, and Edward automatically set his drink in front of her. She thanked him quietly and licked her lips, unable to help the shiver that wracked her body at having drank the whole thing.

He took notice, "Are you cold?"

"Just a little," She murmured, and tightened her hold on his hand when he tried to take it away. "It's just the iced tea." She was whining, but spare her, she never wanted to let him go.

Edward was clearly trying not to smile. "Where's your jacket?"

"I left it in Jessica's car." Bell realized, and reluctantly let go of his hand when he started shrugging off his jacket. Underneath it, Edward was wearing an ivory colored turtleneck that fit him snugly and emphasized his sculpted chest. The almost smug smirk tugging at his lips told her he knew exactly what she was looking at. She took the jacket from him, and slid it on.

It had a peculiar, delicious scent that made her mouth water. It wasn't cologne— it smelled too good to be just that. She figured it had to do with him being a vampire, and nuzzled into the soft fabric. The sleeves, much too long, swallowed up her hands so she had to push them up. He looked her over, visibly satisfied.

"That shade of blue looks lovely on you." He complimented, and grinned when Bell reached to hold his hand again. Her cheeks warm, she took a piece of fresh bread from the basket and nibbled on it. "You know, a normal person would be going into shock, but you seem perfectly fine." Edward still sounded surprised.

"I'm strange, remember?" Bell teased, humming in delight at the soft and buttery taste of the bread. It was surprisingly good. That reminded her, "Did you eat properly?" She asked, tilting her head at him.

His mouth fell open, and his honey colored eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"Your eyes turn black when you haven't fed, right?" She continued, amused by his stunned expression. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to be this knowledgeable. "They turned black earlier so I'm guessing they also darken depending on your mood."

Edward stared at her for a moment longer, and his fingers tightened ever so slightly. Slowly, he smiled again, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "You really are something else." He spoke, shaking his head. "Did you figure it out by yourself or did you seek the help of the internet?"

"Mmm," Bell swallowed a mouthful of bread, "No, I didn't figure it out by myself, but I didn't google it either."

"Oh?"

The waitress arrived with her food before she could say anything else. Bell said her thanks, though the woman had turned to Edward. "Did you change your mind? Isn't there anything I can get you?" Bell didn't miss the double meaning in her words, and chuckled as she twirled the pasta around her fork. That poor, sweet child.

"No, thank you," Edward said politely. The iced tea he'd given Bell was still more or less full. Once the waitress had left, he turned to Bell once more, "You were saying?"

"How about I tell you about it in the car?" She offered. A part of her felt nervous, and rightfully so. The last time she'd explicitly told someone about her little predicament, she'd gotten publicly executed in a plaza for witchcraft. "You answer some of my questions and I answer yours." She took a bite of her food, letting out a small noise of enjoyment at the taste.

He seemed to be listening for something, then nodded his head. "Seems fair," Edward concluded, "Go ahead."

She teasingly batted her lashes at him. "So, how long have you been following me?" Bell asked knowingly, arching an eyebrow at him.

An embarrassed expression took over his face, and he avoided her eyes, pursing his lips. "Next," He mumbled.

"Aw, come on," Bell held back a laugh, "that's the easiest one."

"Next, please."

"Okay." She giggled, and took another bite of her food as she thought of her next question. "I've noticed that you always seem to know what others are thinking. So, partner, you read minds? Other than me, how many other exceptions are there?"

"You're the only exception." Edward replied.

"How does it work?" She was extremely curious, and didn't bother to hide it. He seemed to be enjoying the attention, anyways. "Are there limitations? Did it help you know I was preoccupied?" She wouldn't say trouble, she was never in trouble unless there were cars or vampires involved, it seemed.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "If I'd been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have been so exact." Edward confessed, shaking his head at himself. "Though you're basically a magnet for trouble." He gave her a look that lacked any real annoyance.

Bell winked at him.

"I've been following you for a while now," Edward confessed in a rush, that embarrassed look returning. "I've never had a reason to keep someone alive until now, it's much more troublesome than I expected." He admitted, and sighed deeply. "The thought of something happening to you, something that I could have easily prevented, is unbearable."

She squeezed his hand comfortingly.

He smiled, "Keep eating, I'll talk." Edward let go of her hand to make it easier for her, but pressed his leg against hers. "It's hard to keep track of you from afar, since I can't hear your thoughts, so I followed you to Port Angeles and kept tabs on Jessica. I gave you some privacy, and didn't realize you'd gone off on your own. By the time I checked again, you were in the bookstore."

Bell took a sip of her iced tea, and realized that he must have heard Alba's thoughts, therefore having an inkling of what she was.

"Though I had no reason to worry, I was very anxious that you were taking so long… so, I listened." He sounded a bit guilty, and looked down at his hands on top of the table. "I stopped when the sun started setting, since I'd planned to meet up with you on foot after you left the store, but then I—" He cut himself off, and his fingers curled into his palm as he clenched his jaw.

She set her fork down, and looked at him tenderly. "And then what?"

"I heard the things he was thinking. What he wanted to do to you." Edward snarled under his breath, his lip curling to bare his teeth. The second Bell saw a hint of fangs, he quickly covered his mouth and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.

Sighing quietly, Bell leaned against him, and curled her fingers around his bicep. They stayed like that for a few moments, until his anger had passed, and he leaned his head on top of hers.

"Your actions and quick thinking surprised me." He murmured, the smallest hint of amusement in his voice. "You scared him, but I wanted him more than scared. I wanted to go back and finish what you'd started. But then you started talking to me," Edward turned his head, and pressed his lips against the crown of her head. "I love the sound of your voice. It makes me calm." He confessed in a whisper.

Bell smiled, "I love your voice, too," She whispered back, like they were sharing a secret.

Edward let out a quiet laugh, and pulled away to look down at her. "Are you ready to go home?" He asked, the look in his eyes so tender that she felt the need to wrap her arms around him.

She didn't want to say goodbye to him yet— she never wanted to say goodbye. But she'd told Charlie she would be back early. "Yes." Bell quietly replied.

The waitress didn't even need to be waved over, coming up to their booth swiftly as if she'd been summoned. Bell had no doubt she had been watching them from afar. "How are we doing?" She asked Edward.

"We're ready for the check, thank you." He said politely, still blatantly ignoring her advances. When she stared at him in disbelief for a moment, clearly not used to not having her way, Edward arched an eyebrow. Bell turned her face, hiding against his shoulder as she tried to maintain her composure.

"S-Sure," The waitress stammered, fishing out the leather folder from her apron. "Here you go."

There was a bill in his hand already, and he slipped it into the folder before handing it back with his usual graceful swiftness. "Keep the change." Edward told her, though his voice sounded even less enthusiastic than before as he addressed her. He must have heard something unpleasant.

"Have a nice evening." She mumbled, dejected, and watched almost enviously as Edward grabbed Bell's hand to lead her out of the restaurant.

The first thing Edward did after they got into the car and the engine purred to life was turn on the heater. He pulled out of his parking spot, and drove down the quiet streets with less speed than before. He didn't want to say goodbye so soon either.

"Now, it's my turn." Edward announced, quickly followed by one of the questions he'd been wanting to ask, "How did you figure it out? That I was a vampire."

Bell let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and was only partly glad he'd asked that one first. After a moment of silence, he turned his head to stare at her in mild concern.

"I've actually met people like you before," She saw him go very still, though the speed of the car didn't decrease or increase. "I wasn't absolutely sure because your eyes were different. I found out on Saturday, when I went to La Push."

"How so?" Edward looked puzzled.

"I ran into an old friend, his name is Jacob Black. His father is one of the Quileute elders." Bell explained, and realization seemed to dawn on him, his expression turning a tad sour. "We went on a walk, and he told me about their legends."

He adjusted his hold on the steering wheel, "And you thought of me?"

"I asked about your family. One of the older boys that was with him mentioned that your family didn't go into the reservation, and I remembered how you'd reacted when I invited you along."

Edward let out a chuckle, and he shook his head. "You're so observant." He sounded like he was saying it to himself, but Bell cheekily thanked him anyway.

"When he said you fed from animals instead of humans, I realized I had my answer." She continued, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket. "Though it didn't really matter in the end. You're still Edward, my beautiful Biology partner that has dazzled me since day one."

The laugh he let out sounded both embarrassed and relieved. "But you're still curious?" Edward questioned.

"Of course I am." She said it so quickly that he snorted in amusement.

"Ask away then."

"But it's your turn to ask me questions," Bell pointed out.

Edward made a turn, and shook his head. "My questions can wait a little longer, I'm more intrigued about yours." He admitted with a crooked smile.

"Okay," Bell pursed her lips for a moment as she thought her questions over. "First one is the most obvious, do you burn in the sunlight?"

"That's a myth." He replied, before pursing his lips for a moment and adding, "Something else happens to our skin."

Her eyes widened slightly, and excitement bubbled in her chest, "Will you show me?"

"...Someday."

"Do you turn into animals?"

"I've never met anyone with that particular gift, no."

"Do you… sleep in coffins?"

"That's also a myth." Edward smiled briefly, but then his voice gained a peculiar tone as he continued, "I can't sleep."

"At all?" Sadness made her chest tight, and Bell fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket once more to distract herself.

He looked almost sad, wistful. "Never," Edward sounded like he missed it terribly.

She reached out, and lay a hand on his arm. He took his hand off the steering wheel, turning his palm up to allow her to slip her hand into his and lace their fingers together. They fit perfectly, like a puzzle.

"When you said you couldn't read my mind," Bell began in a soft murmur, watching as the Swan residence came into view, "can you hear anything at all?"

The Volvo slowed to a stop, and Edward turned to face her. "I hear things sometimes, when I touch you," His fingers tightened their hold, "like this. They're muffled, like television static, but sometimes I can catch the gist of them." He admitted, equally as quiet, as if afraid to burst their little bubble of comfort.

Bell looked at his face, illuminated by the glow of the dashboard, and unbuckled her seatbelt with her free hand. "Can you tell what I'm thinking right now?" She asked, turning her body towards him.

His Adam's apple bobbed in a harsh swallow, and his pink lips parted, "No."

She smiled softly, "I'll show you, then." Bell kept her fingers laced with his, and reached out to cup his jaw with her other hand, his skin soft and cool under her touch. She leaned forwards, staring into his eyes as the space between them was reduced to nothing. His breath hitched in his throat, and he swallowed harshly, but didn't move away. Bell let her eyes flutter closed, and finally gave in to her desires.

The press of her lips against his was infinitely better than anything her dreams could ever come up with. They were impossibly soft, and the small gasp he uttered against her made a shiver run down her spine. Then he was kissing her back, his hand coming up to tangle in her hair to pull her closer. He was trembling, she noticed, and ran the pad of her thumb along the curve of his jaw. She pulled back slightly, carefully tracing the seam of his lips with the tip of her tongue to see just how far he would go, and was pleasantly surprised when he parted them almost eagerly with a low groan.

Like in her dream, she felt his fangs, and felt nothing but unfaltering affection.

Bell pulled back, unable to hold back a smile, and sighed softly. His hand slid from her hair to cup her face, holding her like she was something fragile, and he stared at her in awe. She chuckled, and pressed her lips against his one last time in a chaste kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow," She whispered, and it seemed to bring him back from his daze.

"Of course." Edward whispered back, an almost giddy smile tugging at his lips.

Unfortunately, they couldn't stay like that forever. Bell pulled away, and started taking off his jacket, laughing at his disgruntled expression. "I told my dad I was going with Jessica and Angela, how do you think he'd react if I came back with your jacket on?"

"Right," He mumbled, taking it from her. When she opened the door to leave, he grabbed her hand again, "Promise me something." Edward nearly begged.

"Anything." She was only mildly surprised by her inability to deny him anything. Once more, this was a first for her.

"Don't go into the woods alone."

Bell was briefly stricken by guilt, realizing how she must've worried him. He wasn't the only vampire in the world, and others certainly didn't share the same diet as his family. "I promise," She nodded her head, and gently squeezed his fingers.

In a bold move that dazed her briefly, Edward leaned forwards to peck her lips. He smelled divine. "Sleep well," He smiled at her.

"Goodnight, beautiful." His eyes immediately looked down, his expression flustered, and Bell giggled. She stepped out of the car with her things, and made her way to the house. The lights were on, and Ol' Red was sitting in the driveway. The silver Volvo only pulled away when she'd reached the front door, quietly disappearing around the corner. She opened the door with her keys, and found Charlie watching the baseball game on the television.

He turned to greet her, and noticed the expression on her face. "Did you have a good time?" Charlie asked, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a smile.

Bell smiled back, a pleasant warmth settling on her cheeks, "Yes."


Edward quickly drove back home, and made his way up to his room. He could hear his family's intrigued thoughts, wondering what had happened to make him behave so oddly. Only Jasper and Alice seemed to be fully aware of what transpired that night, their inner voices teasing. He truthfully couldn't care any less, letting himself fall on his back against the soft cushions of the couch, grinning like the lovesick fool he was— because he'd heard it. He'd heard her.

I love you.

The wild flutters in his chest almost felt like a heartbeat.


There we go :)

This is not the last of Alba, she'll definitely be popping up again throughout the story.

Also, is it bad that I picture Jessica as a short mixed latina and Angela as a tall asian girl whenever I write about the two of them?