Here we are again...Enjoy!

OGCJM

Edward

Esme brought in a girl. That girl. The one I haven't been able to get off my mind in a week. The one I wrote a damn song about. The one that heard the song I wrote about her. The one that has made me feel again.

How she found her, I didn't know, but I knew I would owe Esme for a long time because of it.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, because I had been too focused on the beautiful brown eyed girl staring back at me. She looked awkward, uncomfortable, unsure. She didn't look like the same confident girl who ran out on me, leaving me in her apartment alone. The only part of her that was the same was the casual attire. She was comfortable in her skin and what covered it, nothing like her friends.

Emmett was no longer next to me; where he went, I wasn't sure. My cigarette had burned out in my hand; long forgotten. Nothing would be able to hold by attention but her.

I wanted to go to her, talk to her, tell her how much I couldn't get her off my mind, but then I knew I would look like a complete tool. She already heard the song, I didn't need to add to my level of humility.

"Guys, you need to get out there. The natives are restless," Jake said from the doorway. DJ Jake Black was a cool enough dude, but right now, I wanted to junk punch him.

I had yet to find it in me to approach my nameless, now named girl, and he was cutting it short.

"Give us five?" I asked him, my eyes still on Bella.

"Make it three and you gotta deal." He winked at me when I glances his way, and I knew he understood.

I threw the burnt out butt into the ashtray and stood up, strolling over to where Bella still stood; alone in the middle of the room.

"Why didn't you call me?" As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew I'd made a big mistake.

"Uh, been busy?" Her response came as a question which she silently spoke.

"I see." She looked down, back at her feet and I hated that she felt so removed around me. Her hair draped around her face, completely blocking my view of her. A view I didn't want to lose.

Without thinking, I reached out and tucked the hair that surrounded her face behind her ear. If nothing more, I would be able to see a small part of her.

Her eyes met mine for the first time since we were face to face, and I wanted nothing more than to melt for this woman. I knew nothing about her, save her name, but I knew she was someone I needed to get to know everything about.

A clearing of a throat told me my three extra minutes were up. "Will you be here when we're done?"

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. "Yeah."

"Good." I smiled at her, praying she was being honest and wouldn't run off again. Not wanting to break apart from her, but knowing I had to, was more difficult than I would have ever thought. Carlisle threw a shirt at me, pulling me from the hold Bella had on me.

Pulling the white undershirt over my head, I looked at Bella again. "Be back soon, beautiful." I reached out and touched her face with the tips of my fingers. Her soft skin felt like silk. A feeling I wanted to feel over and over.

Emmett seemed to take a liking to the blonde that came with Bella and Jasper was back on the same chick from the night I met Bella.

Esme walked past me as she departed from Carlisle's arms. "Don't let her leave. And thank you."

Esme winked, before grabbing Bella by the hand and pulling her down to the couch I had been sitting on. I looked back at her one last time, hating I had to leave her. I trusted Esme to not let her run. I had to trust she would still be there when I was done.

Three of us guys followed Jake, heading to where the crowds were waiting. Emmett was having a hard time parting from the blonde. Being out of the room, you could hear the overall excitement from the large auditorium where the fans were waiting.

I walked slower than normal, not wanting to walk in the other direction from Bella.

Emmett came running up from behind me, clapping his hand against my shoulder.

"Hot damn, those girls are smokin'! Where did Esme find them?" he asked, his loud voice echoing off the walls of the long hallway.

"Pretty sure Ed found them. That's your girl, right?" Carlisle said.

"You mean the girl? The one you have been all love sick over?" Emmett asked, a tad loud yet again.

"Keep your voice down, fucker. And yeah, she's the one."

"How the fuck did you stay in her house with her all passed out drunk and shit and not fuck her? I couldn't have held back." Emmett winked and I couldn't decide if I wanted to beat the shit out of him for talking about her like that, or laugh at his stupidity.

"Like hell you would." There was a tad amount of possessiveness in my voice and I wasn't sure where it was coming from. This girl wasn't mine to be possessive over. She didn't even call me back after last week.

For all I knew she was taken and Esme was fucking with me. Esme has been known to torture me with worse. I wouldn't put it past her to be fucking with my mind.

I tried to shake off the possibilities that she's taken or here for any other reason than to be with me.

The meet and greet took longer than I would have wished. In theory, we were out there less than an hour, but when the girl you haven't been able to get off your mind for a week is down the hall, within reach but not, it's difficult to let time to move quickly.

After taking pictures, signing shirts, hats, and more bare skin that I had ever desired, I was ready for the day to be over. At least that part of it.

I ran my hands thought my hair, slightly tugging at the ends. I'm not typically nervous when girls are involved, but something about Bella made me feel off my game. Maybe because she's the first girl in a long time I didn't want to only put my dick in. Maybe because I'm scared at the fact I had already come to that conclusion and I hardly knew anything about her.

Either way, I was a nervous mess in need of something to ease me.

Bella

Edward asked me to stay. He asked me to still be here when he got back. Part of me, the part that never wanted to be here to begin with was screaming for me to leave. Screaming for me to run again while I had a chance. But the part of me, the part that melted at the sight of him, at him saying to stay wanted to do just that and never run again. At the fact he was upset I didn't call, at the fact he touched me and it brought butterflies to life I never knew were in me added to it.

Esme pulled me to the couch. Alice and Rose joined us, both buzzing about the respective men they had their eyes on.

"Esme, you've made this night far better than I ever imagined. How you found us, I will never know, but I'm so thankful," Rose gushed. She had a mirror out and was checking her make-up. Someone will need to send her to nerd rehab if she keeps this up.

I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell her that being someone you're not was never a good idea, that it was bound to bite you in the ass, yet was I not doing the same. I was hiding out, posing as a nerd, as a bookworm, when really I was the complete opposite. I was a girl who had a drug problem, a drinking problem and knew how to ruin people's lives, yet no one around me was of the wiser. They all thought I was a nerdy homebody. Just because I acted to be something more respectable than what I was didn't make me any better than Rose. I had no place to judge her for trying to be what she thought Emmett would want her to be.

Esme pulled a pack of cigarettes out from her bag. She lit the end of the stick. I watched as the end glowed red; the embers glowing as she inhaled.

"Want one?" she asked, looking at me. She exhaled, the cloud of smoke surrounding us.

I looked to my friends, they both declined quickly, but I wasn't as quick to respond. Here I was, already debating on dipping my toes in the water over the line. What was one cigarette? It wasn't like I was looking to do some hard drugs.

I nodded my head lightly, grabbing the tan end from the open pack. Esme handed me her lighter. I looked to my friends, both of them were wide eyed at my decision.

I ran my thumb along the wheel before pressing the tiny button to create the flame. I watched the flame, mildly mesmerized by the instant brightness. I popped the cigarette between my lips, taking a drag in as the other end caught fire.

I released my thumb from the lighter, extinguishing the flame. I hadn't smoked a cigarette in years and I instantly felt it in my chest. I couldn't help the small cough that followed the first drag, but after that, it felt like I never stopped smoking all those years ago. I settled back in the chair, resting my head against the cushion. The rush of nicotine through my body calmed my nerves, making me forget about the nervousness I had about being here for him. For Edward.

The other three girls talked, discussing everything and anything. I continued to take cigarettes from Esme, relishing in the drug. Nothing even remotely addicting had touched my system in more than six years, alcohol excluded. I might have been enjoying the nicotine more than I should, more than was normal. But seeing as it was only nicotine and nothing nearly as hard as I used to do, I would be okay.

My head was resting against the top if the back of the couch. Cigarette was to my lips. My eyes were closed as I inhaled and exhaled the smoke. I tried my best to block out the girls around me.

They talked about the men they were interested in. I had no desire to think about the man I was interested in.

The more I thought about him, the more trouble I would be in. I knew it. He would only bring me trouble.

The chatter finally stopped and I was thankful for that fact. I brought my hand to my lips, placing the cigarette, once again, between my lips.

It was pulled from my mouth before I could completely inhale. I opened my eyes, lashes fluttering. I figured Alice was sick of me and the cancer sticks, but instead I was met, face to face with Edward. An Edward which was too close.

His hair framed his face, the light from the ceiling struggled to get around him and to me. "Hey, beautiful." He had an arm on each side of my head, resting his hands on the couch.

"It's Bella."

"Same thing, right?"

I tried not to smile, honestly I did try, but I couldn't help the smile which graced my lips at his flirting.

"Not quite."

He pulled the stolen cigarette to his lips, taking a drag. "I'm happy you stayed."

I tried to look around Edward; to see if my friends were still there, but Edward was so close, I could only see him.

"I think I am as well." I shouldn't have said that out loud.

The hand which held my cigarette was brought to my lips. I inhaled and let the nicotine course through me. As I blew out, my tongue couldn't help but lick my lips. It was probably my imagination, but I could have sworn I could taste Edward on them.

He took another puff off the cigarette before discarding it in the ashtray. His hand instantly came to my face, brushing my hair back. "This might sound pathetic, but you're all I've been able to think about since last week."

Did I want to admit to the same? Did I want to let him know I couldn't get him off my mind either? Would the verbal admittance somehow make this all more real?

"Why's that?" I opted with the safe route.

The back of his hand brushed across my face, igniting a tiny fire within me. "You're beautiful and mysterious. From the moment I saw you at the club I was pulled to you for some unknown reason. I need more of you."

"You're full of it." Words I didn't mean to say, but only think came out. This guy was insane. I was sure no matter the girl before him he would've been saying the same thing to them.

"Not at all, beautiful. My eyes are set only on you."

"Yo, Eddie, we're taking off. You two love birds joining?" Edward pulled back from me, allowing me to take in what was around us. Emmett, the same one who broke our moment, had his arm wrapped tightly around Rose. She looked completely lost in the man next to her. Alice was nowhere to be scene, nor was Jasper. Esme and Carlisle were in the corner, whispering to one another.

"Would you care to head out with me?" Edward held his hand out to me.

My mind was instantly unsure. With him pulling back, placing distance between us, I was able to think, at least a little.

It was one thing to be here, around other people. It was another to be alone with him. I wasn't sure I would be able to maintain myself if it was us together. There was something about him that made me want to throw care to the wind and hop back on the track I had worked so hard to stay off of.

Things I knew, in my right mind I shouldn't do, didn't seem so wrong with him there. I didn't know what it was about him, but there was a pull I needed to stay away from. This had to be it. I had to walk away and never look back.

My mind was at war with myself. "I don't think I should." My voice was weak. Even I didn't believe myself.

"I understand," he said, his lips pulling into a smile. He held his hand out for me and I took it, selfish enough to need one last touch.

He pulled me up with a bit of force. My body wasn't expecting the quick movement and we were suddenly flush; face to face, chest to chest.

My breath quickened. My body shook. We were touching completely. Every inch of me was pressed against every inch of him. This was more than I could handle.

My mind was fuzzy at the complete closeness to him. I no longer wanted to run from him no matter how much I knew I should.

I thought I heard him speaking. I thought I heard everyone around me speaking, but I wasn't sure. I wasn't able to completely comprehend it all. All I knew was my hand was in his and I was walking, side by side with him out of the venue.