AN: Hello again! I hope everyone's holidays were magical and spectacular :) Your reviews were the best Christmas present I received, so...thank you. As for your present, I haven't decided what outtake to do yet – you guys couldn't agree on one for the life of you, so…give me another extra week to put it out, please?

Extra thanks to kaystu who flew into CT to spend the holidays with me and to Lisa89 for being the bestest beta in all the lands. And of course to Beautiful_Distraction and susanashlea for their love of "the other woman." I can only hope everyone else loves her just as much :)

A quick reminder, the deadline to enter my Twi-High Anonymous Challenge is on January 15, so please get those submissions in!

http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2165753/Twi-High_Anonymous_Challenge

Also, I'm on the thread tons -- thank you to the girls who are frequenting there as well...I'd love to see more of you!

http://www(dot)twilighted(dot)?f=44&t=7126

And last, but not least, please be safe tonight. And Happy New Year!

~Bella~

Last night had been one of the most emotionally draining of my entire life. First, I'd waited patiently for Edward to show up to our shack date for nearly an hour and a half. Then, when he'd finally shown up, it seemed as if he could have cared less that he'd essentially snubbed me for something that had "come up." Yes, that was the brilliant excuse he'd used. I could feel my temper raging under the surface, just waiting to spontaneously combust.

However, when I'd combusted, it was only because I'd found the two people I loved and trusted most betraying me. Seeing Rosalie and Emmett's bodies (and tongues) intertwined as they pressed up against the side of the dance studio had hit my stomach like a ton of bricks. I wasn't even sure why I was so upset. Maybe it was the fact that they'd both lied to me about it, or maybe it was the fact that I'd already been feeling ditched.

Blindly, I'd run back to the shack, seeking Edward's solace, despite the fact that I was still a little angry with him. And then, to find out that he too had been lying to me…well, it had been more than my fragile ego could take. How many times did a person have to be beaten before they broke completely?

Seth, to be frank, had been, a Godsend. He'd provided me with booze, Harry Potter, and a shoulder to cry on. I knew I should have been embarrassed that he knew I was crushing on Edward, but if he was offering to help me seduce Edward, then who was I to fault him for knowing in the first place?

Having slept in past breakfast, I was just getting ready for the day when my campers arrived back at the cabin. They all admired my non-uniform clothes, a pale blue sundress, perfect for the mid-summer heat. I told them to be good and behave while I was gone and headed straight towards the parking lot to meet Seth at Jake's truck.

I was surprised to see Jasper, Alice, and Edward waiting by the truck as well. Jasper's arm was around Alice's shoulders, and she leaned into him at the perfect place, fitting into his side as if she were made for him. They were deep in conversation as I approached, and I couldn't help but be innately curious as to what they were discussing with such serious faces.

"Morning!" I called out from a few feet away. Edward, whose back had been facing me, spun around quickly, stumbling over his words as he hopped into the driver's side of Jake's truck.

I'd thought that Edward had other plans today, but apparently we were all going together. Seeing my confused face, Jasper jumped in, wrapping his other arm around my bare shoulders.

"We're taking my car to Portland, since apparently Jake's a dumbass and double-booked his truck for today," Jasper explained as Edward waved awkwardly out the window and sped out of the driveway, the thick acoustic guitar sounds of Wilco trailing in his wake.

"Is he going to be okay?" I was honestly curious. I'd never seen Edward so frenetic in his actions before. It was as if Flustered Edward had taken some amphetamines this morning, causing him to act even more spastic and awkward than usual.

Alice flicked her blue eyes to Jasper before sneaking out from under his arm to stand in front of me, hands on her hips, looking as sassy as ever. "Oh, he'll be perfect. You, on the other hand, might not survive today." Her tone was sharp and devious, and I wondered what the hell she was up to now. "I have plans for us today, LB, and you're going to accept them. Plus, Rosalie would kill me if I didn't take you for another bikini wax today."

I could feel Jasper flinch at her words, and he shook his head slowly. "Aw, Alice, I don't need to hear that! I don't want to know what y'all are doing with your waxing…" He trailed off and shuddered, a fierce blush pooling in his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

Alice looked visibly put out. Her eyes drooped and her lip jutted out, like an infant on the brink of crying. "You don't?" Jasper shook his head, disgust still the prevalent expression on his face. Alice smiled devilishly as she looked through her purse for a bobby pin. She pushed it open with her tooth before sliding it into place in her hair, creating a sort of poof away from her face. "That's a shame," she said, completely distracted.

The blood rushed out of Jasper's face at Alice's insinuation, and I couldn't control the fit of giggles their conversation left me in. They were both so adorkably delightful as a couple, and I thoroughly regretted harboring any ill feelings towards their inevitable union.

"I…uh…yuh…cou…wh…what now?" Although seeing Jasper flustered was a common occurrence, my laughter would not cease. My pent-up frustration ebbed and flowed through my laughter, giving me the release of emotions I definitely needed.

"What are we all laughing at?" a jovial Seth asked, jogging up to our spot in the parking lot.

"Oh, we were just discussing Jasper and Alice's sex life," I replied with a noncommittal shrug. I heard Jasper gasp and choke at the same time that I saw Alice's smile widen. Maybe by the end of this summer, Jasper would finally be accustomed to our brazen discourse. Seeing his still-pallid face, I decided that he probably wouldn't. But I'm going to have a stellar time trying.

Shrugging back, Seth just smiled and slid into the backseat. I slid in after him, giving Alice the front. I had high hopes that she'd be able to render Jasper tongue-tied the entire trip. Unfortunately, he was a step ahead of us and already had his music picked out for the drive. I couldn't begrudge him, either, since I spent the forty-five minute drive singing along with the classic rock tunes.

"So, where to first?" Seth asked, kicking a pebble along the street. Portland was beautiful. I'd never been, so I'd had no clue what to expect, but I immediately fell in love with the narrow European-looking cobblestone streets and quaint shops.

Before anyone could answer, Alice nearly pulled my arm out of its socket and was dragging me into the closest spa she could find.

As we sat, waiting for the Russian receptionist to call our names, Alice sat quietly. We hadn't talked in days, and I couldn't understand what she was waiting for. She should have been gushing about Jasper by now, but she was keeping quiet. Too quiet.

"Okay, Al. Let's have it." She looked at me, her eyes wide in shock. "Tell me all about Jasper and how fantastic the sex is?" I asked it as a question, and as I did, her eyes widened more, confusing me with her surprised expression. "Alice?"

She shook her head, shaking out whatever thoughts had surprised her so thoroughly, and leaned in to whisper, "We haven't had sex! We've barely kissed!" Now it was my turn to look shocked.

"Wait, what?"

Alice looked indignant as she continued, smoothing the short strands of stray black hair behind her ears. "He's a gentleman."

My face contorted as I examined the clearly visible bruise on the right side of her clavicle. "Sure he is." I poked her neck, and she winced and whimpered in pain.

"Jesus, LB! He is! This—" she moved her shirt collar to show me the rest of her dark bruise "—is from my curling iron."

"Curling iron? Your hair is barely long enough to run your fingers through it, much less curl."

If Alice could have bared her teeth and growled, she would have done it in that moment. A fire flashed through her eyes, and I was suddenly afraid of my best friend. "I know, Bella." She emphasized the syllables of my name, something that she only did when I was in severe trouble. "Hence, the burn."

We sat, letting the soft hum of Enya's voice lull us into silence, but I could still feel the frustration rolling off her in waves.

"It's just…is there something wrong with me?"

My eyes slid over to the small girl next to me, and I was inordinately shocked to see her looking less than confident. In fact, she looked downright insecure. "What? Al, are you serious? You're perfect. What happened?"

"It was…sweet," she said with distaste. "He took me out to dinner, where we talked about everything, and it was just great. And then we went to a movie and he held my hand, and then he drove me home and kissed me once. And now he just wants to talk." She huffed and crossed her arms angrily, and I could see the frustration in her eyes — her sexual frustration. I finally got it. Huh. I guess Jasper isn't giving it up yet.

"So this bikini wax is really for you, then…not for me."

"Oh, no, it's for you. It's definitely for you. Having Jasper know that I'm getting one was just an added bonus. I hope he's hard for days, thinking about my bare, swollen pu—" She started speaking as if she were narrating a steamy harlequin novel, and I forced my hand over her mouth.

"Alice!" She licked the palm of my hand, and I retracted it quickly, wiping it off on the chair next to me. "That's nasty."

"So, now that I've spilled about Jasper, can you spill about Edward? Or Seth? I mean, really, LB, what the hell has been going on? I've never seen Edward so serious about anything as this morning, it was kind of freaking me out."

"I—" I was about to launch into a full-on rant about the trials and tribulations of the past few days when the receptionist called out my name, pulling me towards the scary, paper-covered bed.

Luckily, the wax was over quickly. I gritted my teeth through it, trying not to focus on the fact that a random woman was staring up my cooch. She led me out towards the door, where Alice was already waiting for me, despite the fact that I'd been called in first.

As we were walking out of the store, I was about to ask Alice what she'd meant by her earlier comment when I saw Edward walking down the street. I'd had no idea his plans were in Portland, too. I stiffened, not prepared to see him after I could feel every inch of my bare pussy — not to mention the wetness that was definitely accumulating there. My feet stopped without conscious thought, freezing me where I stood.

"Bella?" Alice followed my gaze, and a look of shock spread across her face.

"What's he doing here? I thought…" She trailed off, looking on with curiosity as a girl appeared from around the corner and ran into his waiting arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He hugged back with equal fervor, leaning his cheek to brush against hers, and I suddenly didn't want to look anymore. "Whoa," Alice muttered under her breath. "She's…"

The girl was beautiful. She was one who'd probably had constant boyfriends since the age of twelve and never had to spend a Friday night at home. She was gorgeous, stunning, and a whole slew of other adjectives that I was too intimidated to think about right now. Her long strawberry blonde hair hung straight nearly halfway down her back, curling up at the ends, and I could see her emerald eyes sparkling from across the street.

As she slid down to a standing position, keeping her hands firmly clasped within his to speak with him, my eyes finally moved away from her face and trailed down her lean body. A white wife beater and black shorts were topped off by none other than a pair of knee-high black chucks. I almost vomited in my mouth, wondering if Edward's throwaway comment years ago about girls wearing them being hot was based on this inhumanly attractive girl.

They embraced once more before a megawatt smile lit up her face and she dragged his hand into a close-by Chinese restaurant.

"…Bella? Bella!" Alice's yelling finally penetrated through my downward spiral, imagining all the dirty things Edward and his mystery lady were off to do. "Bella!" She pushed my shoulder, and I snapped out of it.

"Sorry." My stomach was churning, and I couldn't remember ever feeling this jealous in my entire life, not even when I'd known exactly which girls Edward had been hooking up with. This one felt different—more intimate and familiar. PDA ahoy with those two, I was sure. Just as they disappeared into the restaurant, Seth and Jasper reappeared with smiles on their faces.

"Lunch?" Seth asked, his chin nodding towards the restaurant Edward and his "friend" had just gone into.

Jasper and Alice agreed, but I had no desire to sit a few tables away from the lovebirds and watch on in despair. "I'm kind of in the mood for pizza, actually."

Jasper cocked his head towards me, knowing that Chinese was my absolute favorite and curious as to why I would turn it down — especially because we never ate it camp. In fact, I'd been complaining for the past three weeks that I'd been missing Chinese food.

Seth and Alice agreed again without any thought, but Jasper continued to stare me down. "Later," I mouthed. He nodded in acceptance, and I was relieved. At least this way, I'd have time to think things over. Yes, I definitely needed time.

~Edward~

I got to Portland an hour before the time I needed to be there. So, instead of walking around town like a normal person, I sat in Jake's car and let my mind wander to the image of Bella from this morning. She'd looked ethereal in her light blue dress, her hair wild and whipping around her cheeks in the morning sunlight. I'd needed to get away from her as quickly as possible before I said something truly inappropriate. Plus, I still had no idea what to do about our date tonight. My lust for Bella was turning me into quite the idiot.

I was so lost in my thoughts of seducing Bella that when my phone beeped with a new text message alert, I was genuinely shocked to see that I was now late for lunch.

Just parked. U better b ready to spill, Teddy! K luv u, bye. – T

I groaned at the text. It finally clicked that I'd need to spill my proverbial guts about this Bella situation, and my head still didn't feel screwed on straight about the whole thing.

I picked up the pace as I strolled out of the car and towards the Chinese restaurant I wanted to go to. I'd had a craving for some good kung pao chicken for weeks now. Long Lake's version of Chinese food was fried chicken with a melted peanut butter sauce — not up to my usual standards.

I caught sight of her rounding the corner and smiled, opening my arms for her. She bounded down the street and jumped into my hold, wrapping her legs around my waist, her arms around my neck, and giggling, "T-t-t-teddy!" at a ridiculously high pitch.

God, she could be so ridiculous sometimes.

I hugged her back, matching her overzealous enthusiasm with a too-tight hug and a goofy grin. She released her hold on me and gained her footing on the ground as I responded with the apt, "T-t-t-tanya!"

My response made her grin even wider, and she nearly skipped as she interlocked her hands with mine and pulled us into the Chinese restaurant. The hostess, a little black-haired girl that reminded me oddly of Alice, glanced at our intertwined hands and visibly pouted. I could have laughed at the dejected tone in her voice as she mumbled, "This way, please." I wanted to let go of Tanya's hand to give the hostess at least a little hope, but I had no interest in her anyway, so I figured it was pretty much pointless. Although I had no idea how anyone could construe the closeness of Tanya and me as romantic. That would be disgusting.

Cue incest jokes.

The hostess sighed once again, handing us our menus and claiming that our server would be right out. But before she could turn and walk away, Tanya reached out her hand to grab her wrist. She smiled, showing off her impeccably (and naturally) straight white teeth and began in a sing-song tone as her thumb moved lightly over the girl's pale wrist. "Don't frown so much, hun. You're far too pretty for that." The hostess blushed and smiled before ducking her head and scurrying away.

I let out a short, barking laugh. "Since when are you into girls, Tan?"

"Since never." She took a black rubber band from her around her wrist and twirled her long hair up into a messy bun, keeping the "restaurant smell" out of her hair, as she always did when we went out to eat. "But that poor thing looked so sad that we were on a date, and I couldn't tell if she was into me or you, so…"

I snorted at Tanya's unflappable ability to make anyone feel better about themselves. Such a giver — a giver of sexual confidence.

Right, which is why you came to see her in the first place.

"So, what's the sitch, Teddy? Don't tell me I hauled ass two hours from New Hampshire just to look at your pretty punum?" She reached over the table and squeezed my cheeks. "Not that it isn't fab to see you, 'cause it is, but—"

"But you want to know why I called you for an emergency get together?" I laughed and pushed air into my cheeks, making them blow up like a chipmunk storing acorns for winter, forcing her hands off my face.

Tanya's eyes widened, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice. "It's an emergency?"

A groan made its way through my mouth before I could suppress it. Closing my eyes, I nodded slowly and began to speak, fearing her reaction. "I want to bone one of my campers." Tanya's gasp was so loud that the entirety of the restaurant went silent. I went over my words and snapped my eyes open, realizing my blunder. "Ex-camper," I stuttered. "She's an ex-camper, I mean. Fuck."

The exertion of admitting my attraction to Bella to someone outside of Jasper, who had apparently known without a confession, caused me to break into a mild sweat and slump over the table, needing to rest my forehead on the cool wood.

"Well, that's the first problem," Tanya quipped. I raised my head and narrowed my eyes at her, but she wasn't fazed. She looked back at me expectantly, obviously wanting me to continue my story. My groan gained volume, and I sank back down to the table, hiding my face away from the one person in the entire world who could read it best. "Oh, come on, Edward. Be a big boy and tell me what's going on. It's not nice to leave a girl hanging, you know. Been there, no fun. I'm like, can't you fucking follow through, you pansy?"

"Gross, Tan. I don't need to think about my sister hanging on—"

"Well, I don't need to think about my doofus little brother wanting to bone a minor, but here we are." God, my sister could be snarky as fuck, and I hated it when it wasn't convenient for me. Then again, I had been the one to call her for her sexual expertise, and she was my best friend in the entire world, so it was really my own fault that I wasn't hearing what I wanted. I did feel the need to clarify, though. "She's not a minor…"

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even hear our server approach. However, when I came to, he was staring at both of us, poised to take our orders.

"Should I give you two a few more—" the server began, but Tanya quickly interjected, not even bothering to look his way. It was a shame, really, seeing the indecent way he was drooling all over her, but she was too intent on figuring out the rest of my story to be bothered with this latest cad.

"We'll have one order of veggie spring rolls, kung pao chicken, and mushu pork with extra pancakes and plum sauce. Oh, and one white rice and one brown," she added as an afterthought.

The server stood there for an extra second, in awe of Tanya, until he finally scurried away to put our order in. I couldn't blame him; she was stunning and she had no clue. I had never met anyone as oblivious to their natural charm as Tanya in my entire life. She drew people in, guys and girls alike, but she just claimed that they were friendly.

I was constantly in awe of my sister, as well. Only a year older than me, Tanya and I had spent nearly every waking and sleeping moment of our lives together. In fact, as an infant, my parents had thought it'd be super awesome to put us in the same crib together—saving money and all that good stuff. It wasn't so awesome when they realized that Tanya was a sleep kicker, causing me to wake up crying every hour, on the hour. And she'd been abusing me ever since.

That said, she was also my best friend, and I knew that she would be there for me without fail when I needed her, which was why she'd driven the two hours from Concord, New Hampshire to come listen to my sad, sad tale. I had nothing but love, admiration, and respect for her, but she definitely knew how to be a pain in my ass.

"From the beginning, Teddy. And don't leave out any gory details, please."

"Do you remember my old camper, LB?" Saying LB felt unfamiliarly childish on my tongue, and it suddenly became clear why Bella had been so adamant about getting rid of her nickname. To me, LB and Bella were two very different people.

Tanya's green eyes widened in recognition. "LB? Your pride and joy, child protégé, LB?"

"She goes by Bella now, but yes."

"You want to bone her." Conflicting and simultaneous guttural responses of an erection and nausea spread over my body as I nodded hesitantly. "Why are you making that face, Teddy? You look like I just kicked your video camera."

"She's…young," I began.

"How young is young?" She emphasized the word, using the same guilty tone of voice I'd just used.

"Eighteen."

Tanya looked thoughtful and sipped her glass of water. Before she could continue questioning me, though, a smile appeared on her face as our copious amounts of food were brought to the table. She made my plate for me, scooping the perfect amount of brown rice and kug pao on it. I wanted to scold her for babying me, but the truth was, she'd always taken care of me like this, and I hadn't realized how much I'd missed it.

"What does she look like? Did you bring me a picture?" I quirked my eyebrow at the ridiculousness of her statement. It absolutely didn't deserve a response. "Kidding, Teddy. Give me a description." As she began shoveling her intricately made mu shu pancake into her mouth, I launched into a description of Bella.

"She's gorgeous, Tan. But not in that obvious kind of way, you know? She's, I don't know, about five-two, really petite, but with a noticeable rack. And she knows it, too, which she doesn't hesitate to flaunt, but in a tasteful way, not a slutty way. And she's got this long brown hair and these brown eyes that make you want to melt—"

Suddenly, Tanya started coughing and choking from her side of the table, stopping my epic Bella rant. She slapped a hand hard onto the wood as she chugged her glass of water.

"Tanya, are you okay?" I noted her watering eyes as she finally started breathing normally again.

"Jesus, Teddy," she wheezed, the final pieces of rice from her self-made Chinese burrito dislodging themselves from her lungs. "You're giving me a heart attack here with how dense you are."

"What?" It was like she was speaking in riddles. She was the basilisk, but I did not speak Parseltongue.

"Are you seriously this much of a 'tard?" I looked at her blankly, and my resounding growl took me by surprise. "Teddy, you don't want to bone her." She shook her head, looking incredibly disappointed in me, which piqued my frustration.

"I'm one hundred percent positive that I do, actually." She rolled her eyes and waved me off, taking another large sip of her water.

"You're such a moron, you know that? You don't just want to bone her. You like her." She paused for dramatic effect before continuing to talk to me like the retard that I was. "You have feelings for her, Edward."

I let her words sink through my skull, giving them time to marinate. I had feelings for Bella? I liked her?

I knew I lusted for Bella, that wasn't a question. My cock had without a doubt clued me in to my affections for her body, but…did I have feelings for her? I wouldn't even begin to know what that meant.

"No, I don't. She's just a friend. And I'm confused because I want to sleep with her."

"Are you shitting me right now? You used the words 'eyes that make you want to melt,' and then 'tasteful' to describe her tits! Trust me, boo, you want more than to sleep with her. You want a relationship with her. That's why you haven't yet, obviously. Since when have you ever felt guilty about wanting to sleep with a friend? Remember that little blonde one you were telling me about? I believe you said that she was 'tight in all the right places.' God, you're such an imbecile sometimes. I want to wring your neck. This poor girl!"

As Tanya continued to berate me, my mind started flying. I liked Bella. I liked Bella. I wanted to be her boyfriend.

Oh God. It hit, and the panic overtook me. I wanted to be her boyfriend! I wanted to kiss and hold hands with her and hang out by the docks late at night just to sit side by side. I wanted Bella to tell me about her work and her hopes and her dreams and, fuck, I was so out of my element.

"Teddy! Come in, Teddy, come in…" Tanya threw her napkin at my head, smirking as if she'd known about my predicament the entire time. "You okay in there?" She reached over the table to knock on the side of my head, and I couldn't help but retaliate and throw the napkin back at her.

"I'm fine, I'm just—"

"Freaking out?" she snickered.

"Freaking out," I confirmed.

"No worries, Teddy. You eat your Chinese, and Tanya's going to come up with a plan to make it all better." Her tone was full of mockery, as was her over-exaggerated wink.

I was glad to finally have some semblance of clarity. If I had Tanya on my side now, at least I couldn't fuck up too badly. Somewhat appeased, I delved into my delicious lunch, wondering what the hell Tanya was planning, and more importantly — if it would work.

~Bella~

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Alice dragged us into shop after shop, filling her arms with merchandise, but my mind was trapped in a Chinese restaurant, wondering how Edward's lunch date was going.

"Should we go see a movie?" Seth suggested as we walked past a multiplex.

"Sure. I'm getting kind of tired, anyway."

Jasper looked forlornly at Alice, who was gearing up to go into another store. "Actually, I'm getting pretty tired, too. I was wondering if y'all wouldn't mind cutting your day out short to just go back to camp and hang out?"

That sounded like the absolute best idea in the entire world, and I wondered if Jasper wasn't able to read my mind. Unable to control myself, I threw my arms around his waist. "I've missed you."

Jasper blushed and tipped his head towards me. "Likewise, Bella. Are you going to tell me where your mind's been all day, or am I going to have to guess?"

"Seriously. Later," I repeated.

"I'm letting that go temporarily, but expect to be grilled when we get back, okay?"

I nodded, feeling too drained to care. How could I go out with Edward tonight after knowing that he'd already been on a date for lunch? And who went out with two girls in the same day…unless they were just friends? But, in that scenario, I too could be the "just friend," so I decided not to focus on that right now.

As soon as I thought the word "friend," Seth appeared on my other side, linking his arm with mine. "So, what happened to asking Edward to come with us today?"

"He had other plans already, but we're supposed to go out later, I think…"

A look of surprise passed along his features before melting into a kind smile. "Do you want to go home to get ready?"

Relieved that I wouldn't have to explain more than that, I used my "excitement" for later as an excuse to head home early. In reality, all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and listen to the emo indie music that reminded me of Edward and maybe eat a tub of frosting with Oreos, which subsequently reminded me that I was still mad as hell at Emmett.

Alice and Jasper continued to look on worriedly as I pretended to doze during the car ride back to Long Lake. I thanked Jasper for the ride and was headed towards my bunk for said wallowing (minus the junk food) when I crashed into a large boulder that could only have been one of the few people I'd been trying to avoid.

"LB," his booming voice called, but I kept my eyes trained on my feet. I felt two large hands wrap around my shoulders and pull me close into a comforting embrace. Emmett's hugs always felt like home, and I hated that he was thawing past my shoddy icy exterior so quickly. "This isn't the place to explain everything, but you have to know that I'm sorry I didn't tell you." His words sounded heartfelt, but I kept my eyes averted, knowing that one look into his puppy dog eyes and I'd be done for.

I sighed softly and stepped back. Shrugging off his mediocre apology, I decided that I knew what I really needed, and fortunately (or unfortunately) I would need to use Emmett for it. Finally, I brought my eyes to meet his, forcing him to see the hurt and betrayal I'd been feeling because of him.

"I'm sure you are, Em."

I could see the lightbulb go off in Emmett's head as he recalled why my presence should be a surprise. "Hey, I thought this was your day off. Why are you here in the middle of the afternoon, anyway?"

Images of that girl's body wrapped around Edward's flooded my mind, and my annoyed body became filled with untapped rage. "I need a favor."

"Anything," he answered without pause.

"I know that I'm supposed to be like super pissed at you, but can we put that on a momentary hold?" He nodded, and I could see the excitement building in his muscles. It was as if he could anticipate what I had planned. "Gather the troops, Em. I'm going to change into a bathing suit. Meet back here in twenty, sound good?"

"Aye aye, Captain!" Emmett saluted me and ran off towards the basketball courts, where I happened to know he stashed supplies for a full-scale water balloon battle. During the hottest days of summer, Emmett liked to alleviate the tension on the dry courts with some watery fun. And after the day I'd had, I seriously needed it. Fuck Edward Cullen and his stupid whore, my inner voice cried out like a battle call. I was going to enjoy my day off, no matter what.

Back at the bunk, I pulled on my rattiest clothing — an old white t-shirt with a storm trooper's mask covering the entire front and my oldest denim cutoffs — over my favorite blue bikini, put my hair into pigtail buns, and headed down to the courts. I passed the mirror on the way out, and I nearly gasped at how camper-like I looked. However, I wouldn't be deterred. Instead of communicating and fixing my problems, I was going to do what I always did best: avoid, avoid, avoid.

Jake, Seth, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett were already waiting for me when I arrived, anxious to get started.

"Where's Rosalie?" I asked no one in particular.

"She, uh, thought that maybe you wouldn't want her here," Emmett said with little of his usual confidence. So, Emmett had shared my discovery with Rosalie, and she'd run away, too. I guessed I wasn't the only one good at avoidance. However, I couldn't help but be slightly glad she wasn't around. It was bad enough that I had to put up with the dreamy eyes of Alice and Jasper. I didn't think I could stomach being around two couples right now. Not when Edward was off gallivanting with only God knows who.

"Plus, this way the teams are even," Jake added. "Shotty being on Team LB!" His voice raised to an ungodly pitch as he squealed and jumped over to me like an overzealous fangirl. I laughed at his enthusiasm; I loved how Jake always seemed to be able to break tension and put a smile on my face.

"Oooh, samesies!" Alice squealed, running towards us. She didn't get very far. Emmett gripped the sides of her waist, holding her back so that she was essentially running in place.

"Not so fast, shorty. We can't have both newbies on the same team. You and Jake can duke it out, but one of you has to be with me."

"I called it first—"

"She's my best friend—" they both shouted at the same time. My heart exploded with gratitude to the both of them for making me feel better.

Suddenly, Jasper walked over to Alice. He put his hands on her shoulders and cocked his head towards Jake. "Sweetheart," he drawled, using every ounce of charm in his imported-Southern repertoire, "Jake did call it first." Alice looked like she was about to keel over in shock with how strong Jasper was suddenly coming on. No doubt it was everything she'd ever dreamed of. "Plus, I want to be on Team Bella, too." He backed away from Alice and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

After a few prolonged moments, Alice finally rejoined the living world. She shook her head and scowled, wagging her little finger at him wildly. "Jasper Clancy Whitlock! You can't do that…cheater!"

"Clancy?" I snickered as a red hue took up space on Jasper's cheeks and ears.

"I told you that in confidence, Alice," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

Always the tension breaker, Jake was the first one to reach for a balloon and hit Alice in the head, making her stumble backwards.

She whipped around in shock, looking slightly like a drowned kitten. "Oh, you'll pay for that, Jake…"

And with that, we were off. With each balloon I threw, I felt the day's tension being relieved. Laughter poured forth from us, making me feel lighter. After a while, it didn't even matter which team was which or who was winning. It was each man for himself, and I had never had so much fun.

In the middle of our fight, though, Jake took off, running up the hill, crying out a muffled name I couldn't quite make out.

My eyes followed Jake's loping form, and I caught sight of strawberry blonde hair and knee-high chucks barreling back towards him. An irrational surge of jealousy spread through my body, and my hand reached for a water balloon before I could even think my actions through. The balloon left my hand and exploded all over the back of the girl's head. Water dripped down her hair and back, causing Jake to fumble with his grasp. Soon, they crashed to the ground, making me feel slightly vindicated.

Seeing Jake and the mystery girl collapse onto the grass, Edward jogged over quickly, looking concerned.

"Sorry," I called out, feeling anything but. "I meant to hit Jake."

Seth and Jasper both scoffed, and I couldn't resist smiling innocently at them. They knew I was jealous, I knew I was jealous…I didn't even know why I fought it anymore.

We had a date tonight, and Edward had decided to bring back a…what? An ex-girlfriend? A best female friend? I didn't even know. And the fact that Jake obviously knew who she was spoke volumes as well. Edward wasn't one to introduce his whores to his friends, so this one must have actually meant something. God damn, there goes that light, happy feeling I had.

Seeing Edward scowling at Jake's proximity to the girl as he shamelessly flirted with her, I knew. My stomach knotted with his caring expression. This girl meant more than something to Edward — she meant everything.

"Look, Edward. Tanya's wet." And so the bitch had a name.

Tanya.

It sounded oddly familiar. Had Edward told me about a Tanya he'd dated? I honestly couldn't remember.

They continued their banter, making my stomach roll with how flirty and familiar they all were. I could feel the anxiety building in my stomach, and when I looked over my shoulder and saw Rosalie walking up from the docks, I decided that I needed a bit of a reprieve from the situation.

Sensing my distress, Seth nudged me in my ribs and cocked his head toward the Adirondack chairs at the top of the hill.

As we climbed, I glanced behind me. Tanya was being introduced to everyone, and I saw her in a large embrace with Rosalie. Traitors.

"So…do you know who that was?" Seth asked quietly. I shrugged and shook my head. Why did she have to be so pretty? I would never be able to compare to someone like her.

Suddenly, we heard yelling coming from inside the counselor lounge. Curiosity took over, and I grabbed Seth's hand to pull him along with me.

A crowd was huddled around a small piece of paper, tacked up to the bulletin board.

"Oh my God, Lara! I'm Rusty!" a counselor who worked at tennis called out.

Oh. My. God. The cast list for the musical was up. Today, of all days. Oh well, if I hadn't gotten the part I wanted, I'd still make it through. After all, everyone was admitted into the chorus. But after being confused by Edward's mood whiplash, I really needed something great to happen today.

Nervously, I took a meager step towards the paper. I felt a warm hand at my back, pressing me forward as I shut my eyes. I knew that Seth was just encouraging me, and finally, I opened my eyes to scan down the cast list.

I didn't have to scan far.

There, at the top of the cast list was written:

Ren McCormack …………… Edward Cullen

Ariel Moore ………………... Bella Swan

I started squealing uncontrollably, shrieking noises bubbling out of my chest that I hadn't known I was even capable of before I spun around into Seth's waiting arms. My smile was so wide that it hurt my face, and Seth's comforting embrace was exactly what I needed.

As I stood there, leaning against the wall with a smile on my face, I was bombarded my congratulations from people I didn't even know had known my name. There had never been a more auspicious moment to feel like I belonged than that very moment. Plus, I was going to be spending every night rehearsing with Edward…as a love interest.

"Hey." A velvet voice greeted me softly as an elbow nudged my shoulder, and I jumped in surprise. It was like I'd willed him to appear, and it creeped me out slightly.

"Edward!" I gripped my chest, not prepared for the onslaught of desire that his close proximity invoked. "You scared me." More like, set my heart and loins ablaze, but that works, too. Oh God.

He leaned in closer, moving a stray piece of hair behind my ear as he whispered, "What's going on?" I tried my hardest not to shudder, but there were some reactions that couldn't be controlled. My nipples hardened and my skin broke out into goosebumps as I replayed the feel of his warm breath on my still-damp skin.

I refused to look at him. If I looked into those jade eyes and they were smoldering the same way his voice tinged my ears, I would be sure to do something idiotic. Instead, I crossed my arms over my puckered breasts and replied as coolly as I could. "Cast list for Footloose went up."

I could hear each one of his steady breaths as he waited for me to keep talking, but I couldn't. My voice was already on the edge of breaking, and I could feel a different kind of wetness pooling in my already-soaked bikini bottoms.

"So…"

His voice sounded like he was begging, and just as I turned around to give in and forget about the way my heart had shattered as I saw him with that gorgeous girl earlier, my dreams were destroyed again.

"Congratulations, Edward!" The girl jumped him…literally. Did she have no shame? And then, to add insult to injury, she started pressing loud, squeaky, overtly obnoxious kisses to his face. I wanted to pull that strawberry blonde hair out of her fucking head for having her lips on him, but instead I stood and calmly controlled my breathing — and my temper issues.

I snapped my head back towards the wall, unable to see the gratuitous display of public affection before I congratulated him myself.

"I can't believe my Teddy is the star of the musical!" Tanya shouted as she wrapped her arms around Edward's neck. His face turned red, and I wondered if it was from embarrassment or if she was cutting off his air supply. I secretly hoped it was from the latter. That would serve the fucker right.

My Teddy? The fucking nerve some people had. Teddy? How ridiculous did that sound? How juvenile.

Suddenly, their eyes were on me, and I realized that I'd most likely voiced my disbelief at the nickname. Though, to be fair, I was in all kinds of shock here. I drifted off, watching the hugs and congratulations being given around me, not wanting to give into dissecting the words, "My Teddy," at the current moment.

I was so lost in my distractions that I hadn't noticed that Tanya was standing in front of me, staring me down with a curious expression on her face.

"Um, hi?" I said awkwardly, unsure of what she could possibly want from me.

Her smile was instantaneous, and it lit up her entire face, only making her more beautiful. I took a second to examine her up close. She was stunning. Too bad, Bella. Looks like you're out of the running.

I was so caught up in my self-flagellation that I failed to hear anything she was saying to me, which was too bad because it had probably been important.

"…so rude. I'm Tanya," she explained, sticking out a hand for me to shake. I looked at it as if it were something dirty before finally taking it within my own. Keep your enemies close, and all that, right?

"Bella."

"I know," she breathed, sounding exasperated. "Teddy is such an imbecile, right?"

My brow furrowed, unsure of what she was asking me, since I'd essentially missed the first half of her introduction. I needed to pay better attention.

"Yeah," I agreed, rolling me eyes.

Tanya's smile widened again, and the glint in her eye returned. She looked as if she were up to no good, and I really hoped she wasn't thinking about the dirty things she was going to do to Edward tonight, because I might just upchuck my pizza for that.

"As soon as I saw your shirt, I knew who you were. Teddy's description of you is just uncanny."

Wait. I'm sorry, what? Edward had described me to Tanya? Why in God's name would he talk about a girl to another girl? That seemed all kinds of fucked up to me. What the hell was he playing at anyway?

Glancing down at my shirt, I flushed. The white storm trooper's mask was fading with the age of the fabric, and it was nearly see through due to the remnants of the water balloon battle. Uncomfortable, I crossed my arms and looked at the floor nervously.

When Tanya didn't continue, I was forced to look up. Her expression hadn't changed, and it seemed as if she were waiting for me to say something in particular, but I had no idea what that would be. Did she want me to confess my undying love for Edward? Was it written so plainly across my face that she needed me to admit it?

"Ted-Edward talked about me?"

That had my interest piqued. Tanya nodded enthusiastically as she leaned in closer. "Oh my God, yes. And I have a huge favor to ask you, if you don't mind?"

Oh my God, yes? Well, that sounded enthusiastic. And she didn't seem to hate me, so I was truly confused now. "Sure," I agreed hesitantly.

"I know that you and Teddy were supposed to go out tonight, but—"

"You do?" I gaped, not having been prepared for that admission.

"Yes, but…I was wondering if you didn't mind us all going out together and rain checking on your date? I'm only here for the day, and I would really like to see everyone before I head back."

I bit my lip in frustration. I should have been prepared for that question, but somehow it blindsided me and left me feeling lightheaded and like someone had just kicked my stomach. But it seemed that Tanya was really important to Edward, and I didn't want to take her away from him, either. What a fucking double-edged sword.

"Sure." Feeling slightly confident, I decided to be a little brave. "But—"

"But what?" she asked, leaning even closer.

"Never mind." I shook my head, unable to ask her what I really wanted to. I needed to protect my heart somehow.

"Bella, you can ask me anything." Her eyes were wide and sincere, and for some reason, I was completely drawn to her, hypnotized by her unwavering gaze.

Instead, I chickened out. "How long have you known 'your Teddy?'" I used the dorky air quotes and everything.

Tanya looked momentarily confused, her smile dying quickly as her eyes darted around. Then, just as quickly, they refocused on me, her grin looking lopsided, almost like a certain video counselor's.

"Um," she began, tapping the nails of her left arm against the forearm of her right, "Since I was almost one."

"Years old?" I blanched. This was so much worse than I had anticipated. Friends for life? No wonder she wanted to take him out.

Her laugh came out easily, unnerving me slightly. "Yes, Bella. Didn't you listen to me earlier? I told you I had just relocated from Vermont to New Hampshire for a photography gig? And I was pissed at Teddy for not introducing us himself?" I was still lost. Figuring out that I hadn't listened to anything she'd said before, she continued with a smirk plastered across her face. "I'm Tanya, Edward's older sister."

Oh. TANYA. That's where I've heard the name before!

My night brightened infinitely at her words, and the guttural pain I'd been feeling dissipated quickly. The girl was his sister.

"Tanya!" Jake yelled, scooping her into his arms again. "I heard you're taking us all out tonight? It's karaoke night at the pound again, and we need to sing a love duet together."

Tanya laughed and leaned into Jake's side. "By love duet, do you mean Liz Phair's 'Flower?'"

Jake took a large step backwards and faced the two of us, looking serious before breaking into song. "Every time I see your face I think of things impure, unchaste. I want to fuck you like a dog. I'll take you home and make you like it."

Having never heard the song before, I was so aghast with shock that I reached for Tanya, just to make sure I wasn't imagining Jake's performance. She was laughing so hard that tears were now running down her cheeks as she gasped out her words. "I…don't know if…I should…be more worried that you…know all the lyrics…or that I think you actually mean them!"

Jake wiggled his eyebrows and slid his hand down over her rear and leaned in to whisper seductively, "T, I always speak the truth." He pinched her ass and she took off running, pushing through the entryway of the counselor lounge, leaving me dumbfounded.

Jake and Tanya?

How had I read this situation so completely wrong? Tanya and Edward weren't together; they were siblings. I should have known – those green eyes were one of a kind. But thanks my egregious error in judgment, I now knew that I needed to step up my game in terms of "seduction." We may not have our date tonight, but Jake's karaoke suggestion had given me a great idea. I was going to give the performance of a lifetime tonight. Edward won't know what hit him.

Chapter End Notes: Ohhhh...who saw THAT one coming? Haha - actually, quite a few of you thought the other woman was going to be his sister, but ALL of you failed to remember that I mentioned his sisters (by name) in Chapter 6: Unfounded Insults.

I should probably run and hide from all the tomatoes being thrown at me for them not going out on their date. You guys were so excited, too…But, it had to be done.

Next up, karaoke night at The Pound. What songs do you think will be sung?

Until next week (or follow me on twitter lexiecullen17)