AN: I´m so thrilled that you guys enjoy this story. Thank you so much!

Edward's Aftermath

Edward Masen was a creature of habit. Every Sunday morning, he would run a few miles with his best pal from high school, Jasper, while they would simultaneously discuss the date his mother had sent him to the day before. The dates had always been fine, nothing noteworthy happened on them anyways, so that topic soon finished and they would drink a protein shake at the Esmasen location closest to his apartment afterwards.

Edward would go home, answer his emails and set up meetings for the following week, and spend the rest of his Sunday afternoon dreading the phone call he had to make to Esme. Yes, the date had been fine and no, there wouldn't be a second one. Why? He didn't feel a connection. And yes, he was so, so saddened by that.

Edward was a creature of habit, but not today. Because today, for the first time in forever, the date he went on yesterday wasn't fine or uneventful. Today, he needed this run as a way to clear his head, something he rarely needed to do.

¨How was the date?¨ Jasper asked, just like he asked a million times before.

Edward frowned and resisted the urge to run faster, as a way to avoid answering this dreaded question. He instead wiped away the sweat that had formed on his forehead.

¨I have absolutely no idea,¨ he answered truthfully.

Jasper snickered. ¨So Alice Cullen didn´t immediately fall for the Masen charm?¨

¨Quite the opposite, I would say.¨

¨Oh?¨

Edward avoided looking at Jasper when he answered. ¨She said she was bored and left,¨ he murmured quickly under his breath.

It was only after a few more meters that he noted he ran alone. He turned around and saw Jasper with his hands on his knees, gasping for air as he laughed. Annoyed, Edward jogged towards him.

¨That's certainly a new one,¨ Jasper managed to say after he wiped a single tear from his eye.

¨You could say that again.¨

¨So, she just left? That's absolutely and certainly a new one. Normally, your dates are dying for a second one. I mean, remember Jessica?¨ Jasper shook his head and laughed.

Edward nodded. He didn't elaborate further. He didn't need to. Instead, he turned and dashed off as hard as he could. The frown on his forehead did not decrease, but his heartbeat and breathing quickened, which had the same sort of effect on him.

Behind him, he could hear Jasper's steady rhythm, one that matched his own. Since Jasper was slightly larger than him, he could outrun him if he wanted to.

¨Wait up!¨ he heard behind him.

¨I just don't know what happened,¨ he yelled back in between his sharp intakes of breath. The pace in which they ran now was too quick to keep up a conversation.

¨Maybe you weren't as charming as you hoped you would be,¨ Jasper shouted at his back. Contrary to him, Jasper never seemed to be out of breath.

Edward jolted to a stop and turned around. ¨But do you think I'm boring, though?¨

Since Jasper only sheepishly looked at the nearby buildings instead of him, he pressed further.

¨Well?¨

He sighed. ¨That's not fair, because I know you personally.¨

¨So if you didn't know me, you'd really think I was boring?¨ Edward asked, dismayed.

¨Maybe,¨ Jasper shrugged. ¨Your life could be seen as monotonous by other people.¨

¨Monotonous, how?¨

He raised his hands in surrender. ¨Like this. Every Sunday, you run your laps with me. You´ve only studied economics because you´ll be the CAO of Esmasen one day. All your dates are well-known, well-established women. You just never jump out of line! Want me to continue?¨

¨Don´t worry, I´ll get it,¨ Edward pointed out as they both started walking towards Esmasen. He didn´t realize he was sulking until he caught sight of Jasper, who eyed him out warily.

Before Jasper could reach out to open the heavy wooden doors of Esmasen, Edward caught him by his arm.

¨I´ll ask for a second date,¨ he blurted out. There, he had said it out loud, so now he couldn´t back off again. He would ask Alice for a second date, simple as that!

¨Why in the hell would you do that?¨ Jasper asked, and he couldn't give him an answer, since he didn't know that himself. It was a spontaneous action, something he had never done.

Edward had already found his phone in his pocket and started dialling Bella´s number. Too late to back off. ¨You say I´ll never jump out of line? Watch me!¨

¨Are you really calling Alice right now?¨ Jasper asked. Edward quickly shushed him before Bella answered tiredly.

¨Good morning Alice.¨ Edward said, way too cheery for the early morning.

¨Hello,¨ said the woman silently on the other line.

¨You've left quite an impression on me,¨ Edward said truthfully.

¨Oh?¨

¨And I'd love to see you again if you´re up for it.¨

Bella yawned on the other line but kept still.

¨Alice?´

¨Oh yes sorry, yeah,¨ she quickly said before realizing what that meant.

¨Great, it's a date! I'll message you the details.¨

Edward gleefully hung up and laughed at Jasper. See? That wasn't so hard! He opened the door to Esmasen, suddenly hungry and eager to sit down.

Jasper only rolled his eyes at him. ¨Oh god no, what did you do?¨

¨I'm jumping out of line. It's very easy. I can teach you, it's not that hard¨

¨Clearly not if you can do it.¨