ok...so apparently this section is going to be 3 parts...sorry, i've been a little busy working on this on the other stories...but again, like the other's i'm thinking of calling it quits on this one.

There seems to be ppl who read the stories, but don't review, so i naturally assume no one's really feelin' it (which is y i dont update soon). i dont know...maybe ppl want me to update more often?? or maybe its not good enough? again, je ne sais pas et yo no se'...

so...i would like to get at least 10 reviews over the next 2-3 days. if not, i'm going ot finish this chapter out and maybe skip to the "meadow" and then call it quits!! sorry 2 those of u who enjoyed it! i really enjoyed writing it!!

steph own characters (Steph if ur reading, please finish and release midnight sun!! we love u)


PORT ANGELES II

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion; the two groups of men, who before had been approaching slowly, suddenly started running towards me. I forced myself not to panic, twisting my head back and forth frantically as I judged my next move.

"Wait for it…" I mumbled under my breath.

They were close now; only a few feet away. I hesitated a moment longer, until they were inches from my side then dove forward; causing them to crash full speed into each other. I scampered to the other side of the street and rolled quickly onto my back. All but one of them-the one with the bat, of course-had fallen to the ground. He was glowering at me, his burly chest heaving up and down spastically.

"You little prick! You're gonna pay for that!"

I scrambled to my feet as he raced towards me holding the bat above his head. Again, I steadied myself, waiting until he was almost directly in front of me. Quickly, I stepped to the left (to the left, sorry, i couldn't resist! :) and stuck my foot out, tripping him. He sailed into the concrete wall of the warehouse behind me, dropping the bat. By then, his "friends" had gotten to their feet, angry and ready to back him up. This time, their approach was slow and steady.

"Hey man, we just want to talk to you. Why are you making this so difficult?" one of them joked, baring his crooked, yellow teeth.

"Why don't you leave me the hell alone!" I yelled. I was backing away from them, not paying attention to where I was going. I hadn't realized I was walking into a dead-end until my back hit the cool wall of a dingy warehouse. They all smiled now; maybe this had been part of their plan.

"Aww, he looks like a trapped rat." It was the one with the bat again, his beady eyes filled with malice as he stood behind the others. My heart was pounding in my ears as I whipped my head around, desperately searching for a way out.

As if on cue, headlights suddenly flew around the corner. The car almost hit the burly one, forcing him to jump towards the sidewalk. The rest of them followed suit. I leaped forward into the road; this car was going to either stop or run me over. I didn't care; it wouldn't be the first time I was nearly hit. The blood-red car fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet in front of me.

"Get in!" A beautifully furious voice commanded.

It was weird how the fear had quickly dissipated, replaced by feelings of anxiousness. It seemed strange how just hearing her voice caused my already shocked heart to double its rhythm. I leaped into the car without hesitation, slamming the door behind me. It was dark inside, except for the faint glow from the dashboard. I could barely see her face. The tires squealed as she accelerated quickly, spinning the car around and swerving towards the stunned men on the street. I whipped my head around to glimpse the group of guys, staring after us in confusion. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at them. A smile spread slowly across my face as I turned around and gazed out the window.

"Put your seatbelt on." She commanded; her voice was as hard as her eyes had been that day in Biology. I stared at her then, seeing only the profile of her beautiful face in the darkness. The reality of what had almost happened began to sink in, leaving me too stunned to move.

"Put it on!" she enunciated every word carefully. I moved quickly to fasten the belt, afraid to hear that harshness in her voice again. She took a sharp left, racing forward, blowing through every stop signs without the slightest pause. I gazed at her face, and then out the window as the scenery rushed by in a blur of blackness. I waited for my heart to slow down before I turned back to her. I studied her expression in the limited light. It wasn't very clear, but I could see enough to know that she was livid.

"Are you okay?" I didn't recognize my voice. There was a hoarseness there that caused my words to break.

"No." she breathed, her angelic voice seething with anger. I sat in silence, watching her face while her scorching eyes stared ahead.

The car stopped suddenly.

I peered through the window, seeing nothing but the vague outline of trees in the blackness. We weren't in town anymore.

"Edward?" She asked, her voice was tight, controlled. But still my heart leaped at the sound of my name on her lips.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" She did not turn to me as she asked this, but the fury was plain on her face, even in the dark.

"I'm…fine." I paused, so that the words would be true.

"Distract me, please."

"Huh?"

She exhaled sharply. "Just prattle about something insignificant until I calm down." She clarified, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. Adorable.

I searched my brain for something trivial.

"Well…I may have to strangle Angela." I breathed, with narrowed eyes. She was still squeezing hers closed, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Why?"

"Apparently she's become delusional and is telling people that I'm taking her to the Spring Formal. Honestly, I keep telling her I'm only interested in being her friend, and besides that, the idea of me at any event that involves the moving of feet at a pace faster than walking is beyond ridiculous." I rambled.

"Hmmm, I heard about that." Her voice as a little softer now.

"You heard? That chick is crazy."

Bella sighed, and finally opened her eyes.

"Better?"

"No, not really."

I watched as she pressed her head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car. Her angelic face was rigid.

"Is everything ok?" I wanted to reach out and stroke the smooth skin of her cheek, but something told me this might not be the best idea.

"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Edward." She whispered, as she turned to stare out the window. Her scorching eyes narrowed into slits. "But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those…" her voice trailed off as she struggled to control her anger.

"At least that's what I keep telling myself." She breathed. I didn't know how to answer that so I nodded and remained silent. I glanced at the clock on the sleek, wood-grained dashboard. It was past seven.

"Mike and Anthony are going to be looking for me." I murmured, not wanting to leave her presence. "I'm supposed to meet them." She started the engine without a word, turning around smoothly and speeding back towards the town. I stared at her, marveling at how she handled the vehicle with such ease. She was definitely my kind of girl.

We were back under the streetlights of Port Angeles in no time; still driving too fast, but I didn't mind. We weaved smoothly through the traffic that cruised along the boardwalk. She parallel-parked in a space that seemed much too small, even for a Romeo, but she slid in effortlessly in one try. I peered out the window and saw the lights of La Bella Italia, and Mike and Anthony pacing anxiously away.

"How the hell did you…" I began, but just shook my head. I heard the door open and turned to see her stepping out.

"Err, what are you doing?"

"We're going to dinner." She grabbed something from behind the seat and slammed the door. My heart-rate soared as I fumbled with the seat belt and got out of the car. She was already waiting for me on the sidewalk.

"Go stop Mike and Anthony before I have to track them down too. I'm not sure I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again." Her eyes narrowed as she spoke the last portion of the sentence through her teeth. I wasn't sure what was going on, but the hardness of her voice told me I should comply.

"Hey, guys." I called after them, waving as they turned. They jogged over to me, the strong relief in their faces quickly morphing into shock as they noticed who I was with. They stopped then, hesitating a few feet away from us.

"Man, what took you so long?" Mike asked, his wide eyes darting to Bella and then to me.

"I got lost, then I ran into Bella." I flipped my thumb towards her.

"Would it be alright if I joined you?" She asked in a silky, irresistible voice. My heart stuttered.

"Err…" Mike was dumbfounded.

"Oh, we already ate while we were waiting. Sorry man, you know how it is." Anthony shrugged, rubbing his stomach.

"You should eat." She commanded in a low voice. She looked up at Mike and spoke slightly louder.

"Do you mind if I drive Edward home tonight?"

It was all I could do to keep from passing out right then and there. I wasn't sure how much more of her my body could handle.

"Ummm…no problem, I guess…" He answered with shocked eyes, stunned by her request. I shrugged my shoulders and nodded, pretending it was no big deal.

"Cool." Anthony knew how much I wanted to be with her, even if I never spoke the words.

"See ya later, man." He tapped Mike's shoulder, a signal that it was ok to leave. They turned then and walked towards the car, which I could see up ahead, parked across First Street. As they got in, Anthony turned and gave me the thumbs up sign. I rubbed the back of my neck as my cheeks reddened. I really hoped she wasn't looking.

"Ready?" She asked, her voice still not back to normal. I shrugged but said nothing; afraid that the anxiety I was feeling would cause my voice to crack. I watched as she walked to the door of the restaurant and paused, turning to look at me. I sighed heavily and dragged my body slightly in front of her, pulling the door open.

It was the off-season in the tourist town of Port Angeles, so the restaurant wasn't crowded. There was a male host standing at the front, and though I understood the look in his eyes as he assessed Bella, I still didn't like it. He welcomed her a little more warmly than necessary. He was several inches taller than I was and about 30lbs., of muscle, bigger.

"A table for two." Her angelic voice was alluring, whether she was aiming for that or not. The host's eyes flickered to me and away. He smirked, satisfied that I was clearly no competition for him. He led us to a table big enough for four in the center of the most crowded area of the dining room. I didn't like it, but I began pulling out her chair anyway, until she shook her head at me.

"Perhaps something more private?" she insisted quietly, smiling the beautifully crooked smile.

"S-sure." He stammered, stunned as I had been the first time I'd seen it. He turned and led us around a partition to a small ring of booths- all of them empty.

"This ok?"

"Perfect." She flashed that smile again.

"R-right..." he shook his head, blinking quickly, "your server will be right out." He walked away, tripping over an invisible lift in the ground.

"That's unfair, you know." I mumbled.

"What?"

"The way you dazzle people, or maybe I should say frazzle. I'm sure that guy is wishing he had an inhaler right now."

She seemed confused.

"Come on, I'm sure you know the effect you have on people." She crinkled her nose and tilted her head to the side. "I dazzle, frazzle people?"

"You haven't noticed?"

"Do I dazzle you?"

I paused before answering this, unsure if I really wanted her to know.

"Frequently." I finally admitted.

Our server arrived then, his face expectant. He straightened his collar and smiled with unnecessary warmth. I could tell this was going to be a slightly irritating dinner.

"Hello. My name is Andrew and I'll be serving you tonight. What can I get you to drink?" I didn't miss that he was speaking only to her. Why was this bothering me so much?

Bella looked at me.

"Pepsi."

"Two Pepsis." She corrected.

"I'll be right back with those." He said with another unnecessary smile. She didn't see it. She was watching me.

"What?" I asked after he'd left.

"How are you feeling?" her eyes were fixed on mine.

"I'm fine" I mumbled, surprised by her intensity.

"You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold…?"

"Umm…should I?"

She laughed quietly.

"Well, I'm kind of waiting for you to go into shock." Her full lips twisted into that perfect, crooked smile.

"Umm, I'm pretty sure that won't happen." I replied, leaving out the fact that her presence was the only thing that could get that sort of reaction from me.

"Just the same, I'll feel better when you have some food in you."

As if on cue, Andrew appeared with our drinks and a basket of breadsticks. He stood with his back to me as he placed them on the table.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked Bella.

"Edward?" she asked. He slowly turned towards me with a smirk. I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu while resisting the urge to punch him in the face. "I'll take the Chicken Alfredo."

"And for you?" He turned back to her with a smile.

"Nothing for me."

"Let me know if you change your mind." His slick smile was still in place, but she wasn't looking at him, and he left the table dissatisfied.

"Drink." She ordered, her tone a little more playful.

I smiled sheepishly and sipped the soda, and then drank more deeply, surprised by how thirsty I was. It wasn't until she pushed the second glass towards me, that I noticed I had finished the whole thing.

"Thanks." I mumbled, still thirsty. The cold from the icy soda was radiating through my chest, and I shivered.

"Are you cold?"

"Nah, it's just the drinks." I explained.

"Don't you have a jacket?" Her voice was a little disapproving.

"Yeah." I looked at the empty bench next to me. "Oh, I must have left it in the car."

Bella slowly reached for something next to her. I watched the brown waves of hair fall across her shoulder, resting softly against the light blue v-neck sweater she wore. I had never really paid much attention to her clothing before; I was always distracted by her face. Now though, it seemed I couldn't take my eyes off the way the snug sweater hugged the soft curves of her body.

"Put this on." She handed me a dark blue, leather jacket, interrupting my ogling.

"Umm, thanks." I said, sliding my arms into the jacket nervously.

"Don't worry, it's not mine. I keep an extra one in the car for my brother. He's a little forgetful." She explained.

I nodded and continued to push my arms through. It was cold; the way my jacket felt when I first picked it up in the morning, hanging in the drafty hallway. A shiver trickled down my spine again. It smelled amazing. I inhaled discreetly, trying to identify the enticing scent. It wasn't like anything I'd smelled before.

"That color looks nice against your skin." She said, watching me. I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

She pushed the bread basket towards me.

"I'm fine…I promise. I'm not gonna go into shock." This surprised me, since normally her presence would have me hyperventilating by now. Maybe I was getting used her.

"You should be shocked; a normal person would be. You don't even look shaken." Her voice was unsettled. I returned the gaze as she stared into my eyes. I noticed how light hers were, lighter than I'd ever seen them, golden butterscotch.

"Honestly, being around you is more nerve-racking than that was," her eyes narrowed a bit as I spoke, "but even so, I like being with you. I feel…alive when I'm with you." I confessed, mesmerized into telling the truth, though I hadn't realized the certainty of it until I'd spoken the words. Which was strange because almost every time I'd been with her, a near-death experience had been involved.

This seemed to displease her; her brow furrowed as she shook her head and frowned.

"This is more complicated than I'd planned." She murmured to herself. I shrugged, picked up a breadstick and bit off the end as I measured her expression. There were a lot of things I wanted to ask her, but I wasn't sure if this was the right time.

"You're usually a little nicer when your eyes are that color." I commented, trying to distract her from whatever had left frowning and somber.

She stared at me, stunned. "What?"

"You're always a little, well, bitchier when your eyes are black; I expect it then," I decided to keep going, "I sort of have a theory about that."

"More theories?" she said, with narrowed eyes.

"Yep." I chewed off another chunk of bread, surprised at how calm I was.

"I hope you were more creative this time…or are you still stealing from the comics?" her lips were set in a faint smile, but her eyes were remained tight.

"Well, I didn't get it from comic book this time, but I didn't come up with it on my own, either."

"And?" she prompted.

But of course, Andrew strolled around the partition with my food. I was beginning to think our table was bugged; he seemed to appear at "just" the right time. I realized we'd been unconsciously leaning toward each other across the table, because we both straightened up when he approached us. He set the plate in front of me and turned quickly to Bella.

"Did you change your mind?" he asked, "Isn't there anything I could get you, anything?" He smiled coyly, slicking his hair back. I almost laughed.

"No, thank you, but some more soda would be nice." She gestured with a smooth white hand to the empty cups in front of me.

"Sure." He removed the empty glasses and sulked away.

"You were saying?" she asked.

"I'll tell you about it in the car, but only if…" I paused.

"You have conditions?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I have a few questions of my own."

"Of course." She smirked, tossing her soft brown hair over her shoulder. The waiter came back with two more Pepsis. He set them down without a word and left again. I took a long sip, fighting back a belch.

"Well, go ahead." She pushed, an edginess creeping into her voice.

"Why are you in Port Angeles?" this seemed to be the easiest question.

She looked down, folding her smooth white hands together slowly on the table. Her eyes flickered up at me from under her lashes, the hint of a smirk on her face.

"Next." Ok, maybe not.

"That's the easiest thing to answer." I objected.

"Next," she repeated.

I sighed in frustration, grabbing for the napkin-wrapped silverware. I picked out my fork and dug into the soft noodles, twirling it around. I put the forkful in my mouth slowly, my eyes on the plate, chewing as I thought. The food was surprisingly good. I swallowed and took another sip of Pepsi before looking up. She was staring at me; her eyes filled with some emotion I couldn't point out.

I quickly dropped my gaze to her lips before my heart finally caught up with what was going on here. Her mouth was perfect, despite the rigid way in which she held it now. I fought back a smile as my eyes traveled down her slender neck, pausing to admire the contrast between her alabaster skin and the blue sweater. I took a deep breath before looking into her eyes again.

"How did you know I was here?" I pushed the plate of food to the side and leaned towards her. Her eyes locked with mine briefly, before she dropped them and turned her head away from me.


PLEASE R&R IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CONTINUE THIS...

P.S. I know Bella drank "Coke", but i'm a "Pepsi" girl...thank u very much!

PEACE&POSITIVeNERGY