A/N: Thank you so so much for the reviews. I can't express how thankful I am that my story is (so far) being accepted. I'm going on a wilderness trip for a couple weeks, so I'm so sorry, but after either this or the next chapter I won't be updating for sometime.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Twilight Saga.

The Halloween party was all planned, and as my parents would be conveniently spending the night in Seattle, I didn't need an excuse to get them out of the house. Now my only job was to spread the news. I discreetly sent Jessica a note in Spanish, explaining what needed to be done.

Greetings my six fingered friend,

Do you have any plans for Halloween? Yes is the answer. I'm throwing a party. Come in costume or naked. Spread the word.

Alex

I slid the folded paper under my lime green converse clad foot, and slid it across the aisle to Jessica's feet, yawning to hide my sudden expansive stretch. Jessica finally got it, and accepted the note from my foot with her DC skate shoe.

She read it under her desk, produced a black thin tip sharpie and scrawled down her reply. Casually tossing the paper to me when the teacher's back was to us.

Oh my god, Alex! It will be like so fun, I'll totally invite everyone at lunch today. Are you going to invite Ryan or Edward Cullen?

I considered this briefly, then tucking the slip of paper in a pocket of my turquoise skinny jeans I shrugged and mouthed "We'll see" in reply. I would definitely invite Edward – that was one of the main reasons I was having this party. Ryan, on the other hand? Well, if he showed up then I would let him in. I could send him a last minute text, too.

At lunch the students were already buzzing with excitement for my party, debating what drinks or dates to bring, and what costumes to wear.

In Art I took my seat next to Edward like I did everyday – too aware of him, and my body's reactions to him. Mr. Kettel was at the front of the class, holding a large clump of shell infested seaweed; what an odd man.

"Children, my lovely children, I have been inspired, and I want you all to be as well." He seemed ecstatic about wherever he was taking this.

"We are going on an adventure; I want you to find the beauty of the marine life – we are going kayaking!" He practically cried, enthusiastically throwing his arms in the air, and unknowingly creating a shower of seaweed for the front row.

"This Friday. I've already arranged it with your other class teachers, and I'll be sending these lovely permission slips home in your pockets today." He continued, ignoring the gagging front row.

He spent the rest of the lesson getting us to draw the algae. I took advantage of his not talking to us to talk to Edward.

"Hey, I'm having a party on Halloween. Will you come?" I asked, sounding as casual as I could, adding a teal shadow in the left corner of the page.

He was quiet for some time; I looked up to see if he had heard me. "Yes, I'll see you there." I hid my grin in my sketchbook.

"Alright costume's mandatory" I said, imagining the outcomes if he didn't wear one…drool.

"I'll be in costume; I'd rather not be naked then." He said, chuckling. I would rather he was naked then – but maybe another time.

Wait, how did he know that you had to come naked if not in the costume? I had only told Jessica, and I knew for a fact that no one had approached any of the Cullen's with this topic before me. I noticed Edward freeze in my periphery. "How did you know that nakedness was the result of no costume?" I asked casually.

"Lucky guess" he murmured, darkening a side of his seaweed with a graphite pencil.

"Hm" Was all I came up with.

"You don't believe me" He smirked, but there was an edge in his masculine voice.

"I think it would be much more interesting if you were, oh, psychic or something." I replied animatedly.

He laughed at my response "That would be interesting, as you say. Imagine all the bizarre thoughts I would encounter every second." He turned his penetrating eyes on my face with a knowing look. Oh dear god, would the implications never end? Did I want them to?

The bell rang then, signaling the end of class. "Bye Edward" I called as I walked out the door. He nodded in my direction, his features marred by a look of frustration.

The rest of the week passed without incident, and I learned I was becoming more comfortable in Forks. How odd. I was looking forward to Friday's fieldtrip – it would be a nice change from the classroom.

And perhaps Edward would feel the need to take off his shirt and swim. Yum.

"Hey Alex, will you pass me the vapor paddle on your left?" Mike called from 5 meters down the rocky beach. I picked up the double ended black paddle and handed it to him.

We were on a small crescent shaped beach just north of the school. It housed an even smaller boat rental shack, which we were currently rummaging through for the proper kayaks for our trip. Mr. Kettel had been very clear that he wanted us in single kayaks, so that if "the ocean called to us we would be able to scurry off by ourselves and not interrupt the others". Personally I was pleased by this, paddling with others always slowed one down, and this way I could sneak up to another's boat, hold onto the rutter, and not be noticed. Not everyone was contented by this; I could see Jessica glaring at the teacher, and occasionally throwing Mike wistful looks. Mike was too busy staring at me to notice though. Ugh, another guy that wanted in my pants. I cracked a smile.

"Okay everyone, climb aboard your new boat friend, and let's enjoy the surrounding nature!" To say Mr. Kettel was excited was an understatement. He was clad in a head to foot wetsuit with royal blue starfish etched on it, and grinning from ear to ear.

I pushed my kayak a bit farther in the water, walked down towards the water with my feet on either side of the boat, and while keeping my knees bent, carefully slid in. The boat rocked a bit from side to side, and I picked up my paddle and pushed off the shore with it. Once everyone was safely in their boats – though some people already falling in the ocean before they were even fully in the kayak – we headed out of the bay, and into the open water.

"Er" began Mr. Kettel, "So the waves aren't ideal, but perhaps the unusually active surface will bring along some marvelous creature for us to examine."

Of course what he was saying was an understatement. The ocean surface was frothing and rippling with whitecaps and uneven, randomly large waves. It was my favourite type of weather on the ocean, with the northwest wind bringing in a warm current, but it was a bit different in a kayak.

We paddled along the tree shaded coast, occasionally commenting on irregular shaped or coloured marine life and algae, prompted by the insufferably enthusiastic teacher. Something reddy orange caught my eye, and I paddled away from the coast, towards whatever it was. I noted that the rest of the group was paddling ahead, with Edward way in the front. Of course, fucking fit as a flea that kid.

I sighed and turned back to where my boat was facing – only to muffle a cry of surprise! A random wave had suddenly made contact with my boat, knocking my paddle out of my hands, and into the frothing water where it drifted out of reach, and turning my boat so it was parallel with the shore. This was fine – if one was paddling. But I wasn't, so I was suddenly vulnerable to the rocking murky depths. Another smaller, faster wave came towards my susceptible kayak, and tipped it over, sending me head first straight into the chilly water.

The stupid kayak rental shack hadn't believed in skirts, so instead of flipping myself back up, I was forced to maneuver myself out of the upturned boat. I shot up out of the water a moment later, spluttering and laughing, while reaching for the boat.

I glanced at my classmates to see if they had noticed my failed excursion. They were barely insight now, paddling into an inlet. Shit; I would have to get in the kayak and paddle like I'd had ten redbulls in order to catch up. Once again I reached for my boat, turned it so it was facing the waves head on (not wanting a repetition of getting dunked) and began to turn it right side up.

Another rebel wave appeared then, knocking the boat out of my hands, and completely out of the water, where it fell from landing with an audible smack on my soaked head.

Suddenly everything went black, black and very wet, with a distant ringing in my ears, not unlike a persistent mosquito. The water was everywhere, and my head hurt a lot despite the numbing temperature.

Don't panic Alex, I told myself, desperately fighting against the suddenly strong current. I saw a dark shadow to my left, and on instinct inhaled – a mouth full of salt water. I couldn't breathe or think coherently, so I relied on my muscles to get me to my kayak. I thrashed out with my limbs and beat redundantly at the ceaseless torrents of salt water.

Suddenly the shadow appeared again, much closer, and I felt a pair of arms wrap around my slight waist. I could tell who it was by the temperature of their evidently muscled arms, which were even cooler than the arctic water.

Our heads broke the surface moment later; Edward had his usual calm façade on, while I was spluttering up what felt like half the world's supply of salt water.

"Alex, Alex, are you okay?" Can you hear me?" Edward asked, pulling me slightly higher so my neck was out of the water.

I was suddenly distracted by how smashing Edward looked after probably nearly drowning himself. His hair was wet, and slopped randomly across his dripping forehead, and the water clung to his eyelashes, which surrounded his excited, albeit worried eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I spluttered.

I glanced up to the inlet where our classmates had been headed. Only the last couple of students were in sight. I was suddenly aware of how alone we were, in the middle of the ocean, with Edwards's arms feeling great wrapped around my fit waist. A feeling other than panic and freezingness passed through my body, and I bit my numb lip to hide my sudden creeper smile. He suddenly released me from his stalwart grasp, a disapproving look on his gorgeous, dripping features.

Just then another wave knocked my forgotten kayak towards me, headed for my head again! One of Edward's arms was suddenly fastened around me again, while the other reached up and caught the boat in mid air, denting the side with his hand. I gasped in disbelief. How the fuck did he do that? He threw a frown in my direction, and quicker than I though possible, had the boat bobbing innocently in the waves.

Once I was in, I paddled with my hands over to my own runaway paddle and retrieved it. Edward was still bobbing in the same spot, concentration in his torn expression. I noticed a piece of reddy orange plastic float by his head. Gr.

"Edward" I began, sounding slightly astounded despite the croaking voice. "Thanks so much. This sounds so cliché, but you saved my life and wow, how the fuck did you get over here?"

He looked up, his face carefully confused, "What do you mean? I was paddling in the back the whole time, and I'd wondered what you'd seen to make you part from the group, so I paddled over as well. And frankly, I didn't trust your reflexes so much in this current."

I stared at him, confused, "No, I saw you at the front. And even if you were at the back, that still wouldn't explain how you got over here so fast." He began to argue back so I quickly cut him off. "And, ignoring that, can you tell me why there is now a dent in my boat with your hand print?" I indicated it with my paddle, splashing my face in the process. Well, he had been right about my reflexes – despite being a dancer and all; I was a class a klutz.

"My hand? I doubt it Alex" He said my name with an amount of contempt that surprised me, "It's probably from your head, I saw you hit it hard on the boat, and it definitely sounds like it too."

I gaped at him, too shocked by his sudden antagonism for words. He had just rescued me, why was he acting like a bitch now?

I was quiet for a moment, thinking of a come back for that. "I'm sorry Edward, if I offended you by saying that you have fucking brilliant, albeit inhuman reflexes. I was simply expressing my gratitude, and impressed disbelief."

He sighed in response and began to swim towards the inlet. I paddled beside him, pondering what had just passed.

When we caught up with the group, no one seemed to have noticed our absence. Mr. Kettel took in my and Edward's wet clothes once we were back at the rental shack. "Did you decide to go for a dip?" He asked laughing.

I nodded, laughing awkwardly as well. Why did I wear a tight white shirt today? All the guys seemed to have forgotten about the existence of my face.

Once we were back at the school, Edward pulled me aside to his car – the only decent one in the lot – a shiny silver Volvo. Was he going to finally explain his bizarre actions? The first words out of his mouth, however, made me doubt that highly.

"Alex, you hit your head quite hard, I'm going to take you to the hospital to see if you have a concussion." He said, looking around my head, his tone expressionless.

"Thanks for your concern, but I think I'll be fine." I said, cautiously looking at him. I turned to go in the opposite direction. He grabbed my jacket before I could, and dragged me to the passenger door. Oh yes, be rough with me, I thought, running my hands through my still drying hair.

He let go, like I thought he would, opened the passenger door, walked around to the driver's side, and climbed in. Of course I followed suit, willing to go anywhere with Edward. Anywhere.

He turned on the luxury model vehicle, adjusted the heating and pulled out of the school parking lot. The ride was mostly silent, I would occasionally try to make casual conversation, but Edward would barely answer. What the hell was his problem? Shouldn't he be all macho and confident after saving a damsel in distress?

Once we arrived at the hospital, there was no wait. Edward and I simply glided through the hallways and wards completely unperturbed by the surrounding chaos. Once he explained to some doctor that I should get an ex-ray because I hit my head, everything went smoothly and efficiently. I didn't get to say one peep, everyone just told me what to do and why.

I was sitting in the waiting room reading a vogue magazine when Edward and an incredibly sexy man walked in. He was probably in his mid 20's, with blonde hair and pale striking features. This was obviously Edward's adoptive father: Carlisle Cullen.

"Hello, you must be Alex. I'm Dr. Cullen, and I have your results from the x-ray." He said in an attractive voice. I nearly started purring.

"Hello. Oh okay, excellent. Am I going to go bonkers or am I fine?" I asked with a smile.

He gave Edward a quick what-the-fuck-is-she-on look, and glanced at the clipboard in his pale hands. "You only have a minor concussion. To prevent anything more serious, set your alarm for every two hours. You won't have the most restful sleep, but it should only last for the weekend."

"Oh okay thanks. So can I go? I really want a shower and dry clothes and coffee." I said like a chipmunk.

He chuckled as he replied, "Yes, of course. Do you want me to notify your parents so they can pick you up? Or would you prefer if Edward drove you?"

Hm, a difficult decision. And yet not. "Well, they're probably at work." I said slowly, trying to sound like I was deliberating. I turned to Edward trying to appear hesitant, but hopeful, "Would you mind dropping me off?"

He smirked and took his car keys out of his fitted uber sexy black Diesel jeans. I would trade places with his keys any day. Yum.

He held the car door open for me, smirk still in place, staring at my face with a knowing look. Creeper.

"Hm," I began, once we were out of the parking space, "A concussion, I guess you were correct."

"I usually am" He sounded smug. Ah, confidence was such a turn on. "You'll only be able to sleep for two hours at a time though."

"Yeah, but why bother?" I asked, "If I'm going to be up for most of the night I can think of some other uh, activities that would be much much more entertaining." I winked at him. He rolled his eyes in response and increased the speed at which we were flying by.

"Holy fuck, Edward, slow down." I said. We were going over 120 k/m h on a small two lane street.

"You think in kilometers, Alex, in the U.S. we drive faster." He said, increasing the speed even more.

"I know that, but it's still quite irrational to be driving this fast. What's the hurry?"

"I always drive this fast, besides, we're not going to crash." He said calmly, picking up his iPod in the dock and turning it to "Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones.

"I don't doubt your reflexes" I said as we shared a sour look, both remembering today's earlier activity, "More that if, say a deer or squirrel peeped its head onto the road it would be killed immediately." I shuddered at the thought.

"Well, there's something to say for a quick death." He sounded almost wistful.

I inhaled a gasp, my vegan instincts fully kicking in. He looked over at me confused. "Oh, you're serious."

"Yes, why would I joke about the death of an innocent animal?" I asked indignantly.

"You're one of those activists," It wasn't a question.

"Yes" I said confidently, albeit a bit smugly.

"Why, why do you want to protect the animals?" He wasn't delivering in an accusatory tone, simply intrigued.

"I simply want to eliminate as much suffering as possible. Why not start in a place where we all have control over what effect we have?" I asked rhetorically.

He raised his eyebrows. "The kitchen" I stated.

"Ah" He nodded.

Our conversation had distracted me from my original intentions for driving home with Edward - other than wanting to have sex with him.

"So…How did you save me earlier?" I asked, truly interested.

He sighed. "I told you, I paddled over to see what you had found so interesting. Then you were out of the kayak, got hit on the head, and I jumped in and pulled you up. Head injuries can make you confused."

I sighed as well. "And if that were true, how did your hand print get indented into a fucking kayak?" I asked.

He didn't bother answering that, though a sneer was seemingly carefully placed on his perfect face. "What do you think happened then?"

I gave a fake laugh to lighten the mood, "Basically what you said, not quite in that order though."

"And if it did occur the way you saw it, how would you explain that in a rational way that made even one person think you didn't have a head injury?" He asked his voice acidic. Mm, he could be my acid. I wouldn't mind taking a trip on him – I was already addicted. Dirty thoughts Alex, shut up brain.

"That you aren't really human, I guess." I said, glancing at my mobile for water damage. It seemed fine, how odd. I did have a new text message from Ryan. I ignored it. When with Edward it was impossible to believe that any other guy could be even slightly attractive.

He was silent. I glanced up at him; his hair was mostly dry, and very distracting. "Are you?" I asked sounding impressed.

"No one will believe you." He sounded calm, but his knuckles were hard on the steering wheel. Mm, I wanted him hard on me. Shut up brain. We had reached my house by now, so I had to make my thoughts clear.

"I don't mind that, I'm not viewed as the most trustworthy person, so I wouldn't blame them. But I will belief what you tell me, so why not the truth?" I asked, taking my hair out of its messy bun, and attempting to come through it with my fingers. It was full of seaweed.

"You're such a martyr." He said in an even more attractive voice than Dr. Cullen's. I worked hard to keep my pants on. I saw him roll his eyes in my peripherals. It seemed sometimes as though he could read my mind, now that I thought back on it. His reactions, however subdued, to my thoughts rather than my words seemed quite probable.

Could he hear my thoughts now? How could I test if he could? Edward, I said in my brain, can you hear me? I glanced at his face. It was perfectly smooth, staring out the windshield. I decided to try again: MEOW! He still made no obvious expression of hearing me. Hm. Edward, you are so ridiculously incredibly sexy. Why not just take it to the back seat right now?

He grimaced, with a quick sly glance in my direction. Excellent. I still wasn't sure if he could – it could simply be a lot of coincidences – but still, the thought was entertaining.

I turned to the object of my curiosity – and fantasies. "Thanks, for saving me, and the hospital stuff, and chauffeuring me around." I could give you a ride of sorts in return, I thought intentionally loudly. He exhaled loudly, forcing a smile on his face.

"No problem, I couldn't just sit there in the kayak a few feet away from you." He said. I rolled my eyes.

"More like a few kilometers" I grumbled.

He laughed at my expression, looking smug. "We'll see."

"Bye Edward" I said seductively, checking him out as I reached for the door handle.

"Goodbye" He answered looking straight ahead. He sped out of the driveway, leaving me with an odd feeling in my stomach. I really liked Edward Cullen, more than as just eye candy.