Just so you all know, it doesn't normally take me this long to update. Things have just been really weird this past week, i've been miserable. Mostly physically, mostly from two days ago. I'm still getting over it. But it's been so great to get back into writing, and, personally, this is my favorite chapter so far. There's some good old fashioned ExB love!

So without any further ado, on to the story!

Hope you like it, thanks for reading. :)


One week.

One full week.

One full, long, excruciating week.

Why hasn't he called? Did he really give up? I thought we had a connection. Did he feel it too?

This was driving me to the brink of insanity. If I had given him my number and he didn't call, that would be different. That would be clear as day.

But this isn't. I told him to "figure it out."

Pffft.

"Figure it out."

I'm an idiot.

"Bella!" My boss shouted suddenly, breaking my from my self-loathing thoughts.

"Y-yes?" I stuttered, still in a bit of a state of shock.

I need to stop daydreaming at work before I get fired...

"Snap out of it, kid. You've got a costumer at table four."

I sighed, glancing up at the clock not so subtly.

"Would it be alright if I took my break now?"

Old mister Newton seemed to consider this for a moment, before finally nodding.

"Sure, sure. I guess I can have Jessica cover the table for you...." He smiled down at me. "You've got ten minutes."

"Thanks."

So I set down my tray and went outside through the back door, leaning against the outside of the building and closing my eyes.

Get a grip, Bella. You need this job! Stop daydreaming...

Of course, I would have taken my own advice - if I hadn't seen a flash of bronze hair the moment I opened my eyes.

"Edward??"

I pushed away from the building and starting walking down to the front of the diner, my eyes scanning everywhere for that flash of bronze.

Damn. Nothing.

"Please say i'm not starting to imagine things now," I muttered under my breath.

"Bella!"

I turned quickly around, shock plastered on my face.

Seriously, does everyone have to shout my name from now on?

"Oh, hi Jessica," I said with a mixture of relief and...disappointment?

"Newton says your break is up."

"But he said I had ten minutes..."

"Well, he let me off early," she sneered.

Great. I wish Mike didn't have that stupid crush on her. I'm getting a little tired of all my breaks being cut short so the princess can go home early.

"Oh. Alright," I muttered, brushing past her to let myself inside.

"Oh, and Bella?"

I turned back around, crossing my arms impatiently. I don't think she caught on.

"Thanks for leaving me table four. He gave me his number," she said with a devilish smirk on her face, waving a small piece of paper in the air.

Please say she's not trying to make me jealous...It isn't working.

"Oh, that's wonderful," I replied, with fake enthusiasm. "Mike will be thrilled to hear it."

I went back into the diner, closing the door in her face before she had time to respond.

Too easy

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The rest of my shift was spent in a distracted haze.

Why did I have to go and start imagining things...

It didn't take long for Newton to recognize this, and he sent me home early. In a way I was thankful, to be able to get home and gather my thoughts.

But on the other hand, that wasn't exactly something I wanted to deal with.

Once I finally arrived home, I found Alice in the living room, flipping through a fashion magazine. She noticed me walk in, and looked over.

"Hey, Bella. How was work today?"

"The usual," I grumbled, sitting down on my recliner, immediately reclining with a sigh.

This thing is a lifesaver. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't stumbled across it at that garage sale...

Alice set her magazine down and gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry, Bella. He'll call."

"What makes you so sure?"

She simply shook her head at that, as if it was a ridiculous thing to ask.

"I just am. And haven't you caught on yet, Bella? I'm never wrong."

"I suppose not," I replied, finally breaking a smile.

"That's what I like to hear!"

I closed my eyes, relaxing into the chair. I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew the phone was ringing - I opened my eyes with a growl, noticed Alice was missing, and glanced over at the clock.

Guess I fell asleep...

So I got up with an angry sigh, and trudged over to the phone.

Where did Alice go anyways??

"Hello," I sighed after picking it up.

"Well, hello to you, too," a velvety voice on the other end replied.

WHAT THE HELL?!

"Edward," I said a little too eagerly, my face lighting up like it was Christmas morning. "You found my number."

"Of course I did. You didn't think i'd give up, did you?" He teased.

"Well..."

"Oh," he replied, sounding deflated. "Did you want me to?"

"No! I...I mean, well, no. I just figured that you...well, that you would have come to the conclusion that I wasn't worth it."

"And just why would I think that?"

Is that anger? Well...at least he doesn't sound sad anymore.

"Because it's the truth."

"Bella...I had a wonderful time with you. I want to see you again, if that's alright."

I smiled, noticing the anger had left him. He now sounded more hopeful, determined even.

"Of course, i'd like that."

"When are you free?"

I glanced at the calender that was taped to the fridge, slowly looking it over. I wanted it to seem like I was really thinking about it.

Can't let him know how much you like him yet, it'll scare him off. Be casual!

"Um, whenever...I don't have much going on," I answered honestly.

More like "i've just completely cleared my schedule for you..."

"How about right now?"

"That sounds wonderful."

"Great, i'll come over and pick you up."

"Okay," I said, the smile only growing wider my the second. "Oh, before you go, i'm kind of wondering...How did you finally figure out my number?"

He chuckled at that, the sound making me melt into my socks.

"I'll tell you sometime. See you soon, Bella."

And with that, he hung up.

I hope he knows, i'm expecting some answers...

-------------

Approximately 7 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. After a quick check at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I rushed over to answer it.

I was rewarded with the glorious sight of a dripping wet Edward in my doorway. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised -- it's really never not raining here. But I just wasn't used to the sight of Edward in the rain yet.

After a few more seconds of ogling, I was interrupted.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Oh, i'm sorry! Please, come on in." I took a few steps back, opening the door up wider and turning my usual embarrassing shade of crimson. "Don't you have an umbrella?"

"Well, um, actually...I don't," Edward mumbled sheepishly, pulling the hoodie of his gray sweatshirt down from his head, revealing those wonderful bronze locks.

"You don't?"

"Nope. I never really felt the need for one."

"Are you new in town?"

He grinned and leaned back against the wall, not replying to my teasing, or trying to progress the conversation further.

I swear this man is trying to kill me with secrets...

Wait, why does that bother me so much? Why do I want so desperately to know everything about him? I should really put more thought into this later, when there isn't a gorgeous man staring at me.

"What?" I asked, starting to feel a little self-continuous under his gaze.

"Nothing. I just noticed that you never closed the door, and so are now getting a little wet."

Sure enough, as I gazed downward I noticed about a hundred dark little wet spots on my shirt. My face immediately went ten shades darker.

Damn it, why is this guy so damn dazzling!

I quickly closed the door, and headed off to the bathroom to grab a towel, as Edward chuckled at me.

A minute later I returned, throwing a clean towel right at his face. He simply lifted his hand up and caught it with ease.

"Afraid of a little rain, are we, Bella?" He teased.

"Well, excuse me for not wanting to get wet," I grumbled, crossing my arms.

"There's nothing wrong with being wet."

Don't let your mind wander, Bella...

"I love it, actually," he continued, rubbing his hair with the towel.

Keep focused...Focused!

"It must be from growing up here. The rain has never bothered me - quite the opposite, actually. I really enjoy it." He grinned at that, glancing out a nearby window.

"I suppose it must have to do with upbringing. I moved up here from Arizona a few years back after high school, and I prefer the sun."

"I can understand that," he replied, with a bright smile. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but he, yet again, distracted me.

"But you know, you'll get quite accustomed to the rain after some time. Just give it a chance."

"Oh?"

He tossed to towel back at me, though I failed to catch it. He picked it up off the ground and set it on a nearby table, his smile growing brighter.

"Yup. You'll see."

And with that, he opened the door again, stepping outside.

He's not leaving already, is he?

"Edward..."

"Follow me, Bella. Come on!"

"Edward, come back inside! You're getting soaked..."

"Exactly."

He reached back in through the doorway, grabbing one of my hands into his own, and pulled me out with him.

"What are you doing??"

"Don't be afraid of getting wet, Bella," he laughed, brushing a stray lock of hair out of my eyes, amusement evident on all his features.

"This isn't funny," I replied weakly, my frustration fading as all my senses were overloaded with Edward.

His hand came back to brush a second lock away, the skin he came in contact with tingling at the sensation.

"I beg to differ."

And with that, no more words needed to be said. We just gazed into each other's eyes, sharing a charged silence.

Without even realizing it, I soon began to lean forward a little, as did Edward. It was as if there was a magnet pulling us together, and nothing could break the connection.

All too slowly, our lips finally made contact in the sweetest, most romantic kiss i'd ever experienced, as the rain poured down around us, making it feel like we were in some Hollywood romance movie. It was all so perfect.

"Bella," he sighed against my lips, as my hands reached up to tangle into his hair.

"Hmmm."

"Do you have any idea how much you drive me crazy..."

I laughed, pulling away slowly to look him in the eyes.

"Edward, you just gave me the most amazing kiss ever, in the rain. That's like, every girl's dream come true. I think it's you that's driving me crazy."

His eyes lit up at that, to the point that they were so bright they were literally sparkling.

And just when you think a guy can't possibly get any more gorgeous...

"That's so wonderful to hear, Bella," he grinned, pressing his forehead to mine. "To know that it sounds as though I have the same effect on you as you do on me."

The same? Come on Edward, you simply...dazzle me. I can't possibly do that to you. How could you think it's the same?

Of course I didn't voice my thoughts. Instead, I just leaned forward to capture his lips again in another amazing kiss.

We'll get through all my insecurities later. Right now, it's time to focus on the sexy, incredible man that's kissing me in the rain. Yeah. That's always priority number one.