I spent nearly all of my time in our basement with Edward.

Watching him play, trying help him with the mysterious song he refused to go into detail about... He wouldn't even play what he had done so far, but did promise that I could hear it when it was finished.

And he promised to teach me how to play an instrument.

The only time we left was to hunt.

I think the family was getting a little concerned.

They sent Emmett down to spy on us sometimes, but after awhile he gave up, saying we were too boring.

Oh well...

And now, today is the day Edward will be my teacher.

I'm going to learn to play guitar.

"Alright, so pick up the guitar, and hold it like this. Right... And place your hands over... Wait, your fingernails aren't clipped."

"So?"

"So," he chuckled, "you can't play unless they are."

I looked down at my hands and frowned.

But I always keep my nails long...

"Will they grow back?"

He winced.

"I'll take that as a no."

"I'm sorry, Bella. It would just be too difficult to play with long nails like that... Perhaps I could teach you something else?"

"No, I want to play the guitar," I pouted.

He shook his head in disbelief.

"Go get some clippers," I said with determination, setting down the guitar and holding out my hands, wiggling my fingers a bit.

"It will be a little more complicated than that, I'm afraid. Normal clippers aren't strong enough for... us."

"Oh."

I wrinkled my nose in confusion.

"So then what will we use?"

"I'm not sure."

He placed a hand over his chin thoughtfully.

"You always bite them."

"No way! I couldn't do that..."

"I don't quite see what else will work. Our bodies are too strong, not many machines could do the job properly. Perhaps we could try an axe...?"

I flinched and shoved my hands into my jean pockets, not liking that idea at all, and so trying to protect my hands from it.

"No, I don't like the sound of that. No weapons, or heavily machinery."

"The only other way I could think of at the moment is chewing them. It's one clear way, as you are surely strong enough to remove something off of your own body, in the same way as when you were human. Only more so now."

"But... I don't want to do it myself. I was never one to bite my nails, it's almost like a sort of phobia... I can't stand the thought of it," I shivered.

He grew serious then, thinking over his response for a minute before giving it.

"Would you like me to do it for you?"

"You want to bite my fingernails?" I asked in disbelief.

He smiled slightly, suddenly looking very bashful.

"If it would help you."

I began to gently chew on my lower lip nervously, thinking over my answer.

Wouldn't that be sort of awkward?

But I really want to play guitar.

The sound would go beautifully with the piano.

We could spend our days playing together, so it would be another thing for us to share...

So then it's either this, or... the axe.

"Okay," I nodded, thrusting my hands out towards him. "Get it over with."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Just do it."

"They won't grow back. You'll have to live with short nails for the rest of your existence."

"At least i'll be able to play the guitar for just as long."

"Very well."

He took a deep breath and held one of my hands, bringing it up to his mouth.

I can't watch!

This is just too odd!

So I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, trying not to think about the fact that Edward had his mouth on me.

And the way that it made me feel all... weird inside.

I could feel some slight tugs on each finger as he made his way through them all, followed by the soft plinks as the bitten-off pieces of my nails hit the floor.

This is so morbid.

"Almost done," he whispered.

I just nodded.

Then suddenly I heard the door crash open, followed by loud footsteps.

"Hey guys, we're going out to - WOAH mama!!" Emmett bellowed, followed by some very hard laughter. "Did I interrupt something?

I jumped backwards until I came in contact with the wall, my eyes flinging open.

Edward was frozen in place, mouth still hanging open, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights.

"What do you want, Emmett?" I stuttered, trying helplessly to keep some sort of composure.

"I just wanted to let you guys know that the whole family is going hunting. You know, Carlisle's whole family bonding time thing."

He smiled oddly and waggled his eyebrows.

"But I can see you're already bonding down here. Should I tell him you're not going?"

"No, we'll go."

"Cool. You can finish up down here later," he winked, turning around and running up the stairs in a flash before I could make any sort of defensive remark.

"Uh... Edward?"

He slowly turned his head to me, the same expression on his face.

"Yeah?"

"I guess this means we're going hunting."


Throughout the whole trip, both Emmett and Alice just kept on smiling at Edward and I, and then looking at each other with a chuckle.

I don't know how Alice knew. Why would Emmett only tell her, and not everybody else?

Maybe she can also read minds, like Edward.

I'll have to ask him about that once we get back home.

"So," Emmett started on the way back, stretching his arms out and shooting me an odd look. "Will we be seeing more of you and Edward when we get home, or are you two lovebirds going to fly right back downstairs?"

Alice smacked him in the back of the head.

Edward snarled.

"Shut it, Em!" He hissed, getting into a defensive position in front of me.

"Be nice," Esme scolded. "I don't want this forest being destroyed, you know it's one of my favorite places to hunt."

"Sorry," Emmett nodded, shamefaced.

Edward grinned smugly at him.

"Edward," Carlisle warned, shooting him a pointed look.

"Emmett started it," he grumbled, turning to give me an apologetic smile.

I just looked down at my feet the rest of the way home, not wanting to see the glare Rosalie was giving me, and the knowing smiles Emmett and Alice had.

Right when we got back I flew down the stairs, slamming the door shut right after Edward entered.

"I'm terribly sorry about that, Bella. I didn't intend to make a scene. Emmett just doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut..."

"No, it's fine. Embarrassing, but fine. I'm over it."

I held out my hand, the one that still had a remaining long nail.

"Let's just get this over with, and not look back."

He raised a brow curiously.

"And afterwards, maybe I should go upstairs. Spend more time with the family, so they can just stop assuming things and we can put it all behind us."

"Yes," he nodded, a flash of something going through his eyes before he suddenly grew serious. "That would be best. I'll do this as fast as I can."

So then he strode over, grabbed my hand, held it up to his face, and tore the remaining nail off of my finger.

I hissed and recoiled away from him, clutching the hand protectively to my chest as pain shot through my hand.

"What the hell?!" I growled, feeling venom slowly start to run down my arm from the finger.

His eyes widened and he took a few large steps back, as if afraid to be near me.

"I'm so sorry, Bella! I... I don't know what that was, I don't know what came over me... I'm sorry!"

The incredible pain I saw all over his face scared me.

"No... It's fine, really. It doesn't hurt..."

I took a step towards him, suddenly feeling the need to comfort him, protect him from the pain.

It was only a fingernail...

"Don't," he whispered, holding a hand up, signaling me to stop. "Just don't."

And with that he flung the door open and ran up the stairs.