Dedicated to ____(insert your name here)______

As i popped up from the warm water... popped... like a balloon

But not… hm…anyway, I pushed myhead up and out of the water so that my ears were out of the water and squeezed my nose whilst blowing out so the air was out of my head like in airoplanes.

"Cassy?" I heard my name being called and looked around the room.

"Elders?" I heard a deep chuckle before the door spoke.

"Nah, honey, it's Brady."

"Woah! You talk now?" there was a short silence,… he may have been breathing… before I heard a sigh.

"The door isn't talking to you Cassy. It's me, Brady… on the other side of the door.."

I 'ahh'ed and sat back in the bath, putting my arms through the bubbly mass before my arms hit the hot water.

"Come in!" my head turned towards the door when it didn't open immediately. "It's open…" I said loudly,

A moment later the handle turned slightly and the door widened as Brady stuck his head around the door. "What's up? And you can come in if you want." I said quietly, suddenly really shy.

"First, I wanted to ask you something, and second, no I can't you're naked in under those bubbles." I just giggled.

"I might be, but but there are many a thousand bubbles surrounding me so there is no way you will be in such an embarrassment that you will have to turn and leave the room." He entered the room slowly and peered over at me slowly to make sure I was telling the truth. When he was satisfied he pulled across the chair in the corner of the room which I kept there in case I wanted to sit in the shower, like old people sometimes need to, and sat on it.

"So, What's up?" I asked slowly, blowing a load of bubbles off of my hand and towards him, smiling as I did so.

"Erm… I was wondering if I could talk to you… maybe… no… this isn't the right time. I'm sorry for interrupting" he turned to go and I sat up, grabbing his t-shirt.

"Sit down." His eyes were devoid of expression, he wasn't staring at my face and I sat back, the bubbles going around me again as he lowered his head, almost as If my words had been an order.

"Ermm… will you accept, … that is to say would you consider… maybe… erm…" after so amny pauses my mind started to wonder what could be so hard toask. Did he think I sold drugs, was he asking if I smoked? If I liked fast food? If he could have a bar of choclate, or worse, if he could have some of my cookie dough ice cream hidden at the back of the fridge!

"No!" I said loudly and the word echoed around the room as his face fell. He started to look around and got up quickly.

"I'm sorry for erm…" he cleared his throat and I could see tears in his eyes before I spoke.

"Wait, I guess it's okay, I mean, as long as you don't take too much." He frowned at me and moved closer.

"What did you hear me ask you?" I repeated his question concerning one of my favourite ice creams and he smiled as he sighed, sitting back down.

"I didn't ask you that. I asked you if you would consider going out with em sometime. Like… on a date?" I wasn't acceptiong that one. It knocked everything out of me. I just stared at him and nodded dumbly before remembering to breath and taking in a deep breath. "Really?" he asked slowly, as if unsure of my powers of speech slash reasoning.

"yes. I'd like that as long as we don't go to the diner in forks for a meal, I went there once and one of the boys said he liked me. It turned out badly as I didn't realise what he was saying and chucked my ketchup all over his new shirt. He didn't like that and I had to pay for the shirt. I don't really want to go back in case he lives there or something."

"In case he lives in the diner?" I nodded quickly. "When was this?"

"well, I act as if I remember it well, I was six at the time and he was a cop. I think cops hold grudges or are those Canadian geese?" again, a blank stare before he asked slowly,

"What was the officer's name?" I thought back and relayed the whole incident.

"Officer Swan." He grinned and reached over as he sat forwards, bringing my face closer to his.

"He's a friend of mine, I think it'll be okay if we go there." I barely heard his words before he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. Well, on the side of the mouth but mostly on the cheek. I grinned at the thought that my first kiss had not yet been taken and he sat back. "I'll see you in a minute. Get dressed and everything. Collin's getting hungry." I called his name and he turned around at the door. "Yeah?"

"Don't tell Collin yet please?" the smile faded from his lips and the twinkle in his eye retreated. I frowned slightly.

"Why not?" there was a broken silence for a moment before I answered.

"He's been shocked enough today." His eyes seemed to harden and he took in a deep breath as he stared at me even more.

"Did you hear what happened downstairs?" I did what I thought was right so I shook my head and deepened the frown on my face. I didn't want Collin to think that just because I knew that he wasn't my brother, I didn't feel that he was my brother.

"Wha?" he blinked at me before nodding, walking over to the door again and leaving.

After a few moments I got out and got changed into a white pinafore dress with matching white pumps and an Alice band in my hair. Before sliding down the banister to where Brady was waiting.

"What's this?" i asked, considering he was dressed as a very handsome penguin.

"Collin's idea. Anyway... ma'am, may i show you to your seat?"

"It'd better be the best in the house or i'll have to call your manager." i scoffed as i walked past his outstretched arm which was showing me the way into the lounge. I smiled at collin who was pulling a bottle of Pepsi from a box of ice and grinned as he poured some out for me to 'taste'. "i'll have a glass if you please." i tried not to laugh as he nodded and waddled to the door before turning back and saying loudly.

"Dinner will be served in approximately the time it takes me to get to the kitchen and back. Would you like some red liquidy stufff... ah sod it. d'you want some ketchup... to accompany your italian meal?" i shook my head and smiled as he walked out of the room before looking over my shoulder at Brady.

"I think he'll be cool with it you know, i think that the longer we wait to tell him, the more annoyed he'll be that we kept it from him. Trust me." i nodded sullenly suddenly and looked down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I lied and smiled sweetly up at him before patting the seat next to me. "Sit down, eat, watch." he didn't smile so i had to go on with the previous topic. "I don't know if 'us' is even going to work out yet."

"We are! how can y-" collin walked through the door and placed the three large pizzas on the table before placing a plate on my lap. i grinned and thanked him before shooting a glance at Brady. his eyes were downcast and glistening. It wasn't the sort of glistening you'd want to stare at, it was the kind you'd want to help take away.

"What's wrong with him?" collin asked as he sat down next to me. I looked at him quickly and frowned. a moment later Brady got up and stormed through the kitchen. i could hear him stomping out the wood of the porch and decided to go and talk to him before we had no steps left and just a big hole all the way down to the center of the earth.

"I'll go check. start the film?" Collin nodded and as i passed the mirror on the wall of the lounge i saw him smiling broadly and hi-fiving himself. after widening my eyes and shaking my head, knowing that my dearest brother, well, you know, was as crazy as Brady i walked quickly through the kitchen before hearing something, screaming, running outside and jumping on Brady, my legs around his waist so that i wasn't anywhere near the floor, my hed craning around and looking into the kitchen.

"Should i ask, or just be happy that you're hugging me...?" i looked 'round at Brady and blushed, jumping down quickly and straightening out my dress.

"Sorry. i thought i heard a squeak and you know how rats are the size of men at the moment." he raised an eyebrow and i felt compelled to explain. "apparently, there are rats...." i leant in and whispered into his ear "the size of men, i can't remember where they live but it could be anywhere."I felt his arms circle around me and he pulled me closer, kissing my cheek as he chuckled.

"That would be nearer to the city, than here. They say that because the sewers get overrun." my eyes widened and he smiled broadly. "honey, i'll make sure nothing gets you out here in la push. Sometimes i wonder if you've really lived here all your life or not."

"I definitely haven't. i live in my own little world most of the time! it's okay, they know me there." i stuck my tongue out at him and smiled.

"Well can i visit, i need to work you out! okay, it's just so weird. one minute you're telling me you're going to go on a date with me, the next you're telling me it's probably not going to work out between us. what do you base your decisions on Cass? because i really want to know. it's killing me not being able to understand how you feel, what you think, not knowing how you hurt or heal. I just want to be with you and i can only do tat if you let me in. And you don't trust me to even talk to me properly."

"It's killing you? because if it is, you'd better see a doctor. that's a problem i can't help with. i don't know how to open up to someone yet and springing all of this stuff on me at one time isn't helping any. i don't knowif we're going to work out because we haven't tried yet." i smiled up at him and noticed how the moonlight shone over his cheekbones. i tried not to laugh at the fact that my mind kept wandering and focussed on the conversation. "come inside. the food's hot and the fi...lm.... erm." i trailed off as Brady's face came steadily closer and closer to mine, until his lips touched mine.