Okay, second chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. :) Please leave me reviews on suggestions for upcoming chapters, or comments, or anything! Second chapter of my first ever fanfic, so be easy please. :) Thanks!

Chapter Two – Deal or No Deal

Bella's Point Of View

I couldn't concentrate during the movie; I barely noticed the car ride home. I just kept wondering what Alice was scheming in her head.

I clearly remembered the two posters Alice had shown to me:

Beauty Contest – Girls Only!

Your chance to win $1,000 and a year's supply of MAC cosmetics!

Enter at the YMCA on Masen Street

Sign-Up Times: 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Sunday

Day Of Contest: June 23rd, 3:00pm to 5:30pm in Gym A

Requirements: Between 16- and 20-years-old

Contest Activities: Swimsuit, Evening Gown,

Questioning, Runway Walk, and more

We'll see you on sign-up day!

Beauty Contest – Boys Only!

Your chance to win $1,000 and a year's subscription to the gym!

Enter at the YMCA on Masen Street

Sign-Up Times: 3:00pm to 6:00pm on Sunday

Day Of Contest: June 23rd, 5:30pm to 8:00pm in Gym B

Requirements: Between 16- and 20-years-old

Contest Activities: Swimsuit, Evening Wear,

Questioning, Runway Walk, Muscle Flex, and more

We'll see you on sign-up day!

What on earth could Alice be planning? The money wasn't a prize for the Cullens; they had enough of that already. Neither Rosalie nor Alice needed any more cosmetics, as they were already gorgeous – another reason for me to become a vampire. The pale white skin, honey eyes, graceful walking… I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and concentrated on the contests.

While it would be quite amusing to watch the men walk down the catwalk in Speedos, it would most definitely not be amusing for me to stumble over the length of my evening gown and fall off the runway and onto the judges' table. I'm sure I wouldn't get a high score for that.

There had to be another reason for Alice to enter the six of us into beauty pageants, other than to watch my incredibly non-graceful walk… there had to be something else behind, another plan… some sort of bet…

My body froze when I realized how right I was. Great, Alice was planning a bet. But what would it be? I could already think of a million things that would apply to Alice. If she won the girl's contest, she would take me shopping, or do my hair, or even worse – both. I shuddered at the thought. If I won, I would dress her myself, or something along those lines. I had no idea what Rosalie would do to me, or I to her.

As I thought more, I realized it would be impossible that I could possibly win over Alice or Rosalie, and whatever bet they were planning, I was sure I'd get the losing end of it. So, for the rest of the car ride, I went over arguments with Alice about quitting the competition in my head.

When we arrived to the Cullen's house, Edward stepped out and opened my door for me. I stepped out gingerly, a blank expression still in my eyes, my mind continuing going over arguments. Edward didn't interrupt my train of thought by asking me questions; he just placed his arm around my waist and guided me to the door.

As soon as we got inside, Alice began chirping about the movie to the others. Emmett was talking animatedly to her, using hand motions to describe the big action scene. Rosalie wasn't paying attention to the conversation, but rather staring at herself in her compact mirror. Figures. Jasper had his arm around Alice's waist, giving his soul mate his full attention. Edward was just staring at me, playing with a piece of my hair with his free hand.

They talked for a few minutes, but it sounded like Alice was revving herself up for another conversation. I saw her small hand itch toward her pocket – the same pocket as the two posters had been shoved into.

I quickly muttered, "I'm going upstairs, I'll be back down soon," to Edward's startled face before rushing up the stairs to his bedroom.

I knew I only had a few minutes to think of more quitting strategies before Alice would come upstairs and excitedly drag to the pageant conversation. I shut the bedroom door and searched through Edward's closet, all-the-while thinking of Alice's outraged rebuttals to my well-formed attacks. I found a pair of gray sweats and a black t-shirt, just what I had been looking for.

Taking off the zip-up shirt was a lot easier than putting it on. With a quick movement of my hand, I had unzipped the back of my top. Slowly, still contemplating the situation at hand, I slipped on Edward's shirt.

I am not going through with this, I told myself as I took off my jeans. I refuse to go on the runway and make an utter and complete fool of myself. Alice and Rosalie would gracefully jump on stage and walk down and up the catwalk in their slim bodies like they were built for it. I, on the other hand, would be forced to wear four-inch heels and an evening gown, my outfit for my date with hell. I could picture myself tripping in my mind as I slipped on Edward's sweatpants. I'd start walking okay, my arms awkwardly swinging at my side. Then the toe of my shoe would catch on the front of my gown. I would fall, no where near gracefully, to the catwalk, my forehead meeting the black stage with undying pain. Or, with my luck, I would just tumble right off the stage, be thrown into either mobs of happy mothers or the judges. And that would completely kill my chances of winning the bet altogether.

Nope, I decided as I walked out of Edward's bedroom, I couldn't do it.

I hopped down the stairs, hearing Alice continue on with the movie chatter. I looked toward the bottom step and saw Edward standing there, drinking in my – or should I say, his – outfit. His golden eyes seemed confused but happy. I smiled at him and, once I was close enough, jumped into his arms. He caught me, as always, and flashed his gorgeous crooked smile down at me as he carried me to the sofa, holding me like a mother holds her baby. He sat down and I sat on his lap.

Alice looked at me with intense, excited eyes, and stopped talking. I knew she was getting ready to launch into the beauty contest bet.

"Okay," she started, "you all remember the posters, right?"

We all nodded our heads.

"And you all know that I'm going to force each and every one of you to enter, correct?"

We nodded our heads again. Emmett looked fearful but also excited – probably because he got to show off his muscles. Edward and Jasper, the more shy guys, nodded their head slowly, looking apprehensive. Rosalie almost looked bored about the competition, looking into her compact mirror. She probably assumed she was going to win. I would agree with her. And Alice was her usual, eager self. I couldn't even imagine what emotion my face displayed.

"Alice, I wanted to talk to you about the competition," I began, planning how I would phrase my argument.

Alice just looked at me, still eager.

"I'm not sure if I should do it. Alice, you know how clumsy I am! In fact, you all do. Why should I even enter when I know I won't win? With my luck, I'll tumble off the stage and land on a judge, most likely incurring a concussion. So why should I make a total fool out of myself? Plus, how could I possibly win with you two around? Alice, you and Rosalie are so gorgeous, I know there's no chance that I will even have a chance at winning. So, I say I shouldn't even enter. And I think you shouldn't make me." I finished with a sigh, hoping that Alice had listened to what I had to say.

She did, but she still looked eager – too eager. She must have something else up her sleeve, I thought to myself. I glanced at Edward, knowing he could hear what Alice was thinking. Edward glanced back, obviously knowing that I would want to know what Alice was planning.

He took a look at Alice, who seemed concentrated on something. "She's translating the Constitution into Chinese – oh, no, she's finished that… now she's searching through Chinese song melodies, trying to figure out which melody will match the words for the Constitution." He looked back at me, his eyes apologetic.

Great, I thought. This must be big if she doesn't want Edward to know.

"Alice, what's going on? What aren't you telling us? I know there must be a bet involved since the prizes aren't good enough for the Cullens…" I said. With that, everyone laughed. Emmett especially got a kick out of it – I could tell from his booming laugh.

"Bella, of course she's got something up her sleeve! It's Alice we're talking about!" Emmett boomed, still laughing.

I cracked a smile and looked back at Alice. "So, what's going on? Please tell me. Please tell us."

Alice grinned widely, and then spoke in a whisper that I could barely hear. "Battle of the sexes."

To this, everyone reacted. Edward stiffened at my side – he could probably read all of Alice's thoughts now that she had spilled the beans. I wondered what she was thinking and planning… Emmett's laughter boomed, though I wondered what he was laughing at. Probably the word "sex"… he was so immature at times. Rosalie glanced up from her compact mirror, now interested in what Alice had to offer. Jasper was supportive, as usual, at whatever his significant other wanted to do. I knew my face was displaying confusion, but also excitement.

"Tell more, Alice!" I urged her. "Tell us everything you're planning."

"Here's what I was thinking. You know how the scoring works, I suppose?" I nodded, as did everyone else. "Sometimes the judging is a score out of five points per person, per category. But the officials are now planning on make the scoring out of ten points per person, per category. There will be several categories that I know of already: evening wear, swimsuit, walking, answering their questions, our hair and makeup the entire time… I have the feeling they are planning others as well, but they haven't decided yet.

"So, here's what I was thinking." I looked around the room and realized that we had all, unintentionally, leaned in toward each other, as though we were sharing a secret. All of us that is, except for Edward. He was staring at me intently, apparently wanting to gauge my reaction. I thought of Alice and looked back at her, preparing myself for whatever it is she had to say.

"The sex that gets the highest score average wins. For example, if Rosalie, Bella, and I were to get an average score of 9.2, and Emmett, Jasper, and Edward got a 9.3, then they would win." Alice smiled, but her face read there was something more.

"Well… what would they win?" I asked.

Alice whispered again. "Total and complete control of their significant other for one week. So, Bella, if the girls won, I would control Jasper for one week. What he wears, what he says, what he hunts – or eats, in your case – and more importantly, what he does." She leaned back against Jasper's legs and let that sink in.

Complete control. I could make Edward pick me up for school every day. I could make him take me shopping.

"But Alice, Edward already does everything I want him to. Why would…" But I trailed off, thinking back to earlier this evening, when I'd asked Edward to zip up my shirt.

If the girls won the bet, I could make Edward zip up my shirt and he would have to, no complaints. I felt my jaw drop as I realized what else I could make him do. I could make him take off his shirt and he would have to, no questions about it…

Alice! What the sneak! She had purposefully given me that shirt so that, now, in the face of total control, I would be succumbed. She had given me that shirt so that I would want to have a reason for control. She knew that I wanted Edward in every way possible, and she had just guided me to the open door to reach it…

I looked over at Edward, my jaw still dropped. Edward was looking back at me with wide eyes, full of fear but also understanding. He knew what I was thinking. He knew what I would ask him to do.

Just as I was about to say, "Deal," Edward scooped me up and ran me up to his room. "We'll be right back!" he called to his siblings. He also said something else at vampire speed. I thought I caught "don't listen" or something to that effect.

With me still in his arms, he ran me down the hall and into his bedroom. He set me at the head of his bed and then sat down across from me, sitting cross-legged.

"Bella, I already know what you would make me do. And I can't let you do that." His face contorted into one of desperation and upset. He took my hands in his and looked down at them as he spoke. "You still don't seem to grasp how easy it would be for me to… lose… myself, if we became that close. Now." He looked at up my face and pleaded me with his eyes. "Can you promise, promise, that if you win, you will not ask me to… do that? Can you promise me that you will wait until marriage? Please?"

I looked into his eyes. I knew it was wrong to want him, all of him, before marriage – as that was our official agreement – and I knew it was wrong to push him like this. I could see the pain in his eyes; I knew he wanted to want all of me too. I looked down at his hands, which were still holding mine.

"Deal."

He let out a breath of air, obviously relieved. "You promise?"

"Yes. I promise. Deal. Until marriage, I will not make you tie yourself to me."

I looked up at his face, which was stretched with a smile. "I love you, Bella." He leaned forward to give me a wistful kiss on the lips.

I smiled too. "I love you, Edward."

But then I realized something as I stood up from the bed. I wasn't allowed to make him go all the way, but that I didn't mean I couldn't make him do other things… I smiled to myself with pride. Rosalie and Alice truly had rubbed off on me. I was getting to be as good as them at all of this prank stuff.

"Bella?" Edward asked once we had stood. I looked up at him, and I could tell he had seen the mischievous twinkle in my eye. "Bella, what are you thinking?"

"I promised not to make you go all the way with me…" I paused and looked down at my hands, which were still held in his. "But that doesn't mean I can't make you do other things…" I looked up at his face; his eyes were now wide with fear. "Like, oh, I don't know, take my clothes off?"

I gave him a devilish smile, and as he opened his mouth to rebut and try to make me promise something else, I yelled out his door and down the stairs, "Deal, Alice! Let's do this beauty contest thing!" as loud as I could.

I broke my hands free from Edward's and I looked back at him. He was frozen to his place on the floor. He was still looking at me, his golden eyes wide with fear. But there was something else in them too – excitement? Pleasure? Discontent? Anger? I couldn't tell what it was, but I gave him a quick brush on the lips with mine, and scurried out the door.

There was excitement brewing in my gut, and I couldn't wait to win this bet.

Of course, Edward rebutted with the rest of the Cullens downstairs. But Alice was able to sway him with her arguments about how big of a chance the boys had at winning – they were handsome, muscular, and kind. With worry still in his eyes, he gave one quick glance at me before agreeing to go through with the contest. I looked at him, smiling appreciatively, hoping to receive the same in return – I did.

I knew all would be well between Edward and I, no matter who won or what happened… but I also knew that Alice and Rosalie were already concocting plans to mess up the men. After we would sign up, I decided I would get together with Alice and Rosalie and make some plans to help us win the competition.

I fell asleep in Edward's comforting arms that night, looking forward to the following day's activities, while he hummed my lullaby.

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