A/N: Am I amazing, or what? I don't even know how I managed to write this chapter, because I had been far too busy, but not only did I finish this chapter, no... I'm also nearly done with the next, there just a little part missing, so you might get an update in the next few hours, if it doesn't take You And Me Up In A Tree too long to finish the next chapter of our amazing story (yep, that is covert advertising). So before we start this show, I wanna thank a few people. Well, actually I wanna thank everyone who reviewed, I'm really really really thankful for that
Thank you to Mc Alice Bones Salvatore- your reviews lways make me smile and they kinda remind me of Alice for some reason...
Next is justareaderfan- as far as I know there is always a review from you and that's why I actually tried to oblige to you request. Hopefully I did a great job
misssmeden also gets a thank you, because of the regular reviews :D:D
And right now my amazing Beta ( You And Me Up In A Tree) is kinda rushing me, because she wants to continue working, so I just have to stop my thank -you-speech, of course not without thanking the person just mentioned!
Anyway one last thank you to everyone, who is reading this story and to C. Vanessa .. sorry I kinda forgot to mention Gollum but hopefully he will be mentioned in the next chapter ;D Sooo enough from me for now, see ya at the bottom
Bella POV
"Yo Chris! Wait up!" Damon's voice reached us before he did. Chris didn't even bother to turn around, but I could tell by the small smile on her face that she had heard him. If I didn't know any better, I would have said that she was falling for him. But I did know better. Didn't I?
Damon caught up with us and wedged himself between Chris and I, pushing me into Alice in the process, who was busily making out with Jasper.
"Hey!" Alice complained, prying herself from him. I didn't even know how they managed to make out while walking, but apparently the technique wasn't all that hard or unknown, considering Rose and Emmett were currently doing the same thing. The two of them were on Chris' other side, and I saw that Damon had slung his arm over her shoulder.
I sighed quietly. All of these couples around me were starting to get annoying. Dylan, Edward, and I were the only single ones in our clique. Well, Chris claimed to be single too, because she and Damon weren't officially together yet, but everyone knew better. In fact, the whole school did. Yesterday, I had discovered that Chris and I were now known as two of the most popular girls in the school. Angela had been the one to inform me of this when we worked on homework together. Hanging out with someone that was not part of the "elite" let me escape my little bubble, and I actually saw what was going on around campus for a while.
Most people didn't even bother to gossip about our heritage anymore. Instead, they were whispering about us now being part of said elites. Angela had told me that our incredible powers did the rest, but the fact that we were 'absolutely stunning' didn't do anything bad for us.
I didn't really care about being popular, but it helped explain why people still hadn't cut back whispering about us like they didn't have hobbies or problems of their own. I was really beginning to think they didn't.
Jessica Stanley, for example, was currently spreading a rumor around saying that Dylan and I were dating. I wasn't even sure how she came up with that one. Now, every time she is around, Dylan puts his arms around me and cuddles me fiercely, making me feel like some sort of stuffed animal. I didn't really mind, though, since I liked Dylan enough to allow him to have his fun while he was laughing at Jessica's expressions afterward. He found the whole situation to be hysterically funny.
Although I didn't really mind much, I had a feeling that Chris did. She didn't look particularly angry or anything even remotely close to it, but there was just something in her expression that told me she didn't like it.
I was under the impression that she may have some sort of romantic feelings for Dylan, but when I asked her, she had simply laughed and told me that I'd be better off concentrating on my feelings for Edward. I blushed when she said that, only causing her to laugh even harder.
In that moment, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned, only to see the tall figures of Edward and Dylan. Think of the Devil...
Both of them smiled down at me in a kind manner. In my opinion, Edward's smile was much more entrancing, though.
"Hello, Bella. How come you guys are walking so slow this morning?" he asked me politely, a small glint of amusement in his smooth voice.
I quirked an eyebrow at him and gestured toward our friends. "Can't you see the happy couples?"
Edward and Dylan both looked at them, but I saw how Dylan's gaze stopped on Chris and Damon, who were making plans to meet later to do homework. Right, homework.
Dylan looked at them with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"You'd think he would have already figured out that he has feelings for her by now. Not even close. He's currently wondering why none of his previous girlfriends have ever had hair as beautiful as hers," Edward whispered to me with a light chuckle. His breath left a tingly feeling on my skin, and I could feel the blood rushing into my cheeks. Luckily, Edward didn't notice.
I really wasn't sure what I would do if he ever found out about my little crush on him. He would probably laugh at me, telling me that he thought of me like a little sister. After all, I was the same age as his little sister. It was rather silly for me to be crushing on an older guy. That's usually something girls did in the fifth grade.
I took a deep breath and attempted to keep my thoughts as neutral as possible.
"So, are you playing baseball with us later?" Edward asked me lightly, trying to make small talk.
"Baseball?" I asked in confusion.
Apparently Alice hadn't been too busy with Jasper's lips, because she was suddenly right in front of me.
"Yes, baseball. I bought these cute baseball caps and matching shirts on Saturday, so I decided that we'd play baseball today," she piped.
"We are so not going to play baseball. I already told you that on Saturday," Chris interfered.
Why did she know about this and I didn't? I'm the one who actually pays attention to what is being said.
Edward must have noticed my confusion, because he was quick to explain. "The decision was made when the two of us were gone to get their drinks. I only know because I picked it out of their heads. Otherwise, they wouldn't have told us until today."
"I thought you didn't read minds when it wasn't necessary," Chris' voice held an accusing tone.
"I usually don't, but I can't always prevent it from happening. And also, I wanted to know the reason why you looked so pissed off."
Chris rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to me. I ignored her.
"So, are we playing baseball after school?" I asked.
Alice nodded her head in confirmation.
I sighed. I really didn't like sports.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you, and you can be on my team." Edward had placed his arm around my shoulder and was bending down so he was at eye level with me. It must have looked strange to other people, seeing him walking and bending like that.
Flirt a little, I heard Chris' voice in my head. I really needed to find a way to either shut her up, or shut her out.
What am I supposed to say? I pushed into her head. I hoped she heard me. I saw her shrug, so I knew she did. Nice, let me do all the work.
I quickly whipped my head around and smiled brightly at Edward. "I was hoping you would say that. I would only play if I get to play with you." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to hit myself.
When exactly did I start to hide double meanings in my speeches? I said a little, not forceful, Chris scolded me.
Oh please, spare me.
Edward immediately straighted himself up and coughed awkwardly. Well, I guess I ruined any chance I may have had with him.
Seriously, Bella, what happened to your flirting skills? Haven't I taught you better? Chris asked, making me giggle aloud.
Edward, who didn't know what I found so funny, was looking at me with an expression mixed with the same awkwardness, and some confusion.
I shook my head at him. "You better be a good teacher. I want to beat Chris," I informed him.
He nodded with a small grin etched on his face.
"Okay guys, count me in. I don't care who's on my team, but I don't wanna wear pink," Dylan said and took off.
All of us looked after him for a moment before stepping into the school building. Edward and Emmett had to take off as well, heading toward their own classes. I wasn't really excited about classes today, but I couldn't change it, now could I?
xXxXxXxXxXx
"Physical changes are not necessary nor common. If you are one of the rare few with physical attributes that come with your gift, then you may have already noticed them. Others may still have some to come, though. But most of you will stay the way you are. There aren't very many gifts that change one's appearance; it's rather rare." Mr. Decour was lecturing about the physical changes that could come along with our gifts.
Apparently there was one guy in the senior class who had a greenish tint to his skin because his power was to let plants grow out of him. I found it rather fascinating. Chris, on the other hand, mumbled something that sounded like 'freak.'
If I hadn't seen our childhood pictures, I never would have believed that Chris and I were actually twins. A thought passed my mind and I immediately raised my hand and started bouncing up and down in my seat to make sure Mr. Decour noticed me.
"Yes, Ms. Swan?" he asked. His voice was void of the annoyance it usually held when he was talking to Chris.
"Is it possible to start changing before the powers have actually developed?" I asked excitedly.
Chris eyed me in wonder, but two seconds later, I practically heard the click in her head.
"Yes, it happens. For some, it is required that they physically change before their gifts become active enough for them to use," he explained. "Is there any specific reason you asked?"
"It's actually quite simple. Once upon a time, Bella-" Chris started, but was interrupted by Mr. Decour.
"I don't remember asking you," he stated, effectively silencing Chris. She was sitting with her arms crossed and a fierce glare set on her face, directed at him. He rolled his eyes and gestured for me to continue.
"Well, Chris and I are identical twins and we used to look exactly the same. When we were about eight years old, we started to change, and eventually we looked nearly nothing like we had before. Chris changed more than I did, though," I rushed the words. When Mr. Decour did nothing but stare at me, I wondered if he had actually heard what I said.
"What physical attributes changed?" he asked.
"Not much for me. My hair may have turned a shade or two lighter, but Chris' eyes changed and her hair turned black," I answered.
Mr. Decour seemed thoughtful. "Do you think you could bring me pictures of you two from back then, and from today so I can compare them? We will discuss these changes in class."
"Sure," Chris answered before I could protest.
I opened my mouth to say something, but was cut off by the shrill of the bell.
I didn't even get the chance to complain to Chris because she was in a hurry to take off since she still needed to clean her room before she and Damon "learned" in there.
I slowly made my way to my room with the others. The walk was filled with meaningless chatter, and when we parted ways in front of the houses, Alice promised me that they would be there with the shirts in about an hour.
"Hey Bella. Do you have a minute?" I heard a sickly sweet voice.
I looked up and straight into the eyes of Irina Milian.
"What for?" I sighed.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime?" Irina was still smiling, and this somehow unsettled me. I didn't dislike her or anything, but I had never been under the impression that she liked me.
"Now?"
"Well, if you're busy, I understand. Maybe I could join you for lunch tomorrow?" she suggested.
"Um, I wouldn't mind, as long as everyone else agrees to it," I replied slowly. Why had she all of a sudden decided to talk to me?
"Okay, cool. I'll talk to you later." She walked off with a small wave, the smile still plastered on her face.
I shook my head at her.
Suddenly, I was pushed by someone.
"Hey! Watch where-" I started, but the person interrupted.
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't see you," Damon said. He seemed to be out of breath as he spoke.
"Where are you rushing to?" I asked with a knowing smile.
"He's late for his 'learning session' with Chris," Dean answered as he appeared behind Damon. He did air quotes around 'learning session' which made me giggle a little.
Damon threw an annoyed glance at both of us. "We are really going to learn. Is that so hard to believe?"
"Yes. Especially when Chris doesn't need to learn," I answered.
Damon rolled his eyes at me.
Damon POV
"I know she doesn't. But I do, and she promised to help me with Biology," I answered. I wasn't even sure why I was going as far as explaining myself to them, but I was.
"Biology, huh?" Dean asked with a suggestive tone in his voice, waggling his eyebrows.
I sighed in defeat. There was really no point for me to continue defending myself. Dean had been teasing me for a while now and it seemed like he would never get tired of it. I didn't know if the fact that Chris and I had never kissed escaped his attention. Well, we did kiss like twice, but he wasn't around on either occasion, so he wouldn't really know.
Now it was Bella's turn to roll her eyes as she nudged Dean softly in the side. She turned to me and said, "Good luck, then. Chris can be a harsh tutor."
I flashed her a quick grin and took off.
Hopefully Chris wouldn't be pissed at me. I was already fifteen minutes late. Although I could hardly imagine her sitting there, waiting anxiously for my arrival.
When I finally made it to her room, I was quick to knock lightly on the door.
"Come in," I heard her voice yell from the other side.
I opened the door and stepped in. My eyes roamed around the room for her. I couldn't see her anywhere. "Chris?" I asked carefully. I had just heard her a moment ago. Maybe I imagined it...
"Here!" she said as she jumped up from behind her bed and gave me a bright smile.
"What were you doing behind your bed?" I asked with a light chuckle. She looked a little frazzled and worked up. Her hair was slightly ruffled and her face looked a little flushed.
"I just dropped my phone," she answered. "You're late you know." She gestured for me to sit on her bed where she already had all of her books piled.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Dean was going on and on about how I was 'totally whipped'," I explained with an eye roll as I took the offered seat.
Chris sat down on her bed, crossing her legs in a swift motion. I wasn't sure if she realized how absolutely entrancing her movements were. The way she moved was so unlike other girls. Bella was the same in that prospect. Chris' movements were sort of sensual in a way, while Bella moved very gracefully.
I enjoyed watching Chris move.
She giggled a little. "Let's get to work, shall we?"
I nodded and stopped thinking about her movements, deciding to instead concentrate on the subject at hand.
Bella had been right about Chris. She was a rather difficult tutor. Not because she was doing a bad job, but because she was suddenly throwing around words that I didn't even know existed in her vocabulary. She didn't exactly give off the 'brainiac' vibe.
After an hour of hard work, we were finally done and I sunk back on her bed and let out a deep breath. That had been extremely exhausting. I closed my eyes and let myself relax a little. Chris didn't say anything, but I heard as she moved the books from her bed and crawled over to where I was. When I opened my eyes, I saw her face right in front of mine, her honey-like eyes glowing slightly.
"What?" I asked, feeling a little bit self-conscious.
"Nothing," she answered lightly and straddled my hips in a quick movement. My heart beat quickened, even though she wasn't really doing anything. She just leaned against my legs and looked down at me with a rather thoughtful expression on her beautiful face.
"What's on your mind?" I asked her softly.
"I was thinking whether or not you deserve to be my boyfriend," Chris stated with a small smile on her lips.
Looking at her lips made me instinctively lick my own, since they suddenly felt dry. That girl was just too hot for her own good. The corners of her mouth twitched and I wondered what she might have seen on my face. I gazed into her eyes again and found her looking at me with a fond expression on her face.
Without really thinking, I sat halfway up and pulled her a little closer to me and brought my lips onto hers. For a second, she didn't respond. But then she began kissing me back, her soft and smooth lips moving against my own. She exerted so much force that I actually fell back on the bed again. Her hair created a curtain around us, and while I enjoyed her sweet taste, I was also able to inhale a fruity and exotic scent that was naturally her. My hands travelled down her upper body, but at one point, she quivered and a small giggle made it's way through her lips causing her to pull away from me.
"You tickled me," she said with a hint of accusing in her voice.
"I'm sorry," I said, laughing a little. She didn't really seem to me like the type of person who was that ticklish.
"You just ruined the moment."
I raised my eyebrows at her.
She just rolled her eyes and leaned down toward me again, stopping about an inch in front of my face and gazing at me intently. Her warm breath was blowing across my face.
"Well now that you know my weakest spot, I either have to kill you or make you my boyfriend," she whispered seriously.
"I prefer the latter."
"Damn. I was looking forward to-Ah, whatever, this is just as good," she said with a small shrug and kissed me again. Her hands went to my hair and started tugging on it a little. A small hiss escaped my mouth, which Chris seemed to enjoy, since I felt the smile on her lips as she pulled harder. Who know that pain could be so good?
I slowly traced her bottom lip with my tongue, asking her for entrance, which she immediately granted. The second our tongues met, she arched her back and pressed her small warm body flush against me.
Of course our intense moment was quickly interrupted by someone bursting through the door.
Out of reflex, I sat up instantly. But since Chris had been on top of me, she fell.
Bella POV
"Bella, you're on my team," Emmett sang, picking me up from behind and nearly scaring me to death. He had a very bad habit of bursting into people's rooms without knocking. I remember one time, I was rummaging through my drawers in search of a hairband, when suddenly, I was being lifted up from behind.
"Put me down you big fool. Didn't anyone ever tell you that you have to knock before you enter someones room?" I asked him with obvious annoyance in my voice.
Emmett put me back on the ground and looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry Bells, I just get overly excited," he mumbled. He looked so much like a little kid that was being scolded for stealing cookies. I could hardly be annoyed with him or mad at him. He was just too adorable, even if he was twice my size.
"Em, you really are impossible, but I'm glad to hear that you're on my team." I laughed.
The others had entered my room as well, and Alice threw a blue striped shirt at me. I saw that it was the same as the ones Emmett, Edward, and Rosalie were wearing.
Dylan, Jasper, and Alice were wearing the same shirt, but in pink, and everyone had on matching baseball caps.
"Put that on and we'll go drag your sister along," Alice told me.
Since I was only wearing a tank top and a pair of jeans, I simply pulled the shirt on quickly. When my head was no longer blocked by the fabric of the top, I saw that Rose was suddenly by my side, putting the cap on my head.
"Let's go and get the other Swan!" Emmett exclaimed, rushing out of the room before anyone else had the chance to follow.
I sighed, but decided to go anyway. When we got to Emmett, no one had the chance to say anything before he opened Chris' door with a loud bang.
The sight in front of us was...well, different.
Chris and Damon had been intensely making out on her bed, but Emmett's entrance had made Damon sit up abruptly, which in turn threw Chris off of him and the bed because they had been fairly close to the edge.
I pressed my lips tightly together and tried my hardest not to laugh at the expression that came over Chris' face when she was back in sight.
"Damn Chris," Emmett said. "Home runs before the game even starts? Nice." That was what made me crack. I couldn't contain my laughter anymore and it burst out of me.
I laughed so hard that I somehow managed to fall backwards. I didn't notice that I had until a set of warm, strong arms caught me.
The chuckle that left Edward's mouth was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. It was obviously not the first time I'd heard him laugh, but I was fascinated by the sound each and every time.
He smiled kindly down at me while he steadied me. I saw Alice looking at us with wide eyes. What was her problem? I threw her a questioning glance, but she didn't give me any sort of answer.
"Ow, Rosie!" I heard Emmett's whining voice complain. Rosalie had smacked him on the head because of his stupid comment.
"You're lucky that I only smacked your head, Emmett. I don't even want to know what Chris is going to do to you," Rose replied dryly.
Everyone turned their eyes to Chris. She was shooting death glares at Emmett while rubbing the back of her head.
"I think I'll just go now," Damon said slowly, looking back and forth between Chris and Emmett before he quickly jumped off the bed. He pushed passed me and I watched his retreating figure.
Chris might kill him later for disappearing like that.
"Come on, guys, let's go play. We need to score a couple of times to catch up with Chris," Edward said. He put his arm around me and led me outside. It was nothing more than a friendly gesture, but I still couldn't hold back the blush that covered my face.
Edward poked my cheek lightly. "Why are you blushing?" He chuckled, his eyes twinkling a bit.
"I'm not blushing. It's just a little hot in here," I said lamely.
Edward laughed and played with a strand of my hair. "You know, you're kinda cute," he told me.
Suddenly Dylan's head appeared between us. "Ah, young love. Watching it bloom makes my heart melt," he cooed.
"Shut up," Edward told him, then hit him on the back of his head.
"Ouch! Bella, maybe you should look for a new boyfriend. This one here is far too violent," Dylan told me quickly before Edward hit him again.
I sighed and shook my head when the two of them started chasing each other. Whoever said that older guys were more mature had obviously been lying.
"So, Bella. Is there something you want to tell us?" Alice hooked her arm through mine as Chris did the same on the other side. Rose put her arms around me from behind and all of them looked at me expectantly.
"What are you talking about?" I asked them in confusion. Sometimes I really didn't get them.
"You like Edward," Rose stated bluntly.
"What?" I screeched.
Emmett and Jasper, who had been walking in front of us, turned around. Emmett let out a loud, booming laugh.
Jasper only said, "No point in denying it. Your sister and I have proof."
"Oooh!" Alice squealed, then started gushing. "The two of you would make such a cute couple. Oh and you'll get married and then you'll be my sister-in-law and-" I cut her off.
"No one is going to marry anyone. Where do you get these crazy ideas? I don't really like Edward that way, it's just a silly little crush. It'll go away," I informed them in a steady, reasonable voice.
"Sure. You keep telling yourself that," Chris sang, then looked at her nails.
"Why are you all of a sudden hassling me? Can't you guys annoy Chris?" I asked desperately, and slightly angry.
"Alice had a vision of you and Edward kissing." Rose blew into my ear.
I shivered slightly and felt as a blush started creeping up my face. I quickly looked down and let my hair hide my face, but the others had already seen it.
Alice chuckled evilly. "So the thought of kissing Edward makes you blush, huh? Are you sure that you don't like him?"
The blush on my face deepened. "Even if I did like him, he doesn't like me in the way, so what's the big deal?" I mumbled.
"Ah ha! She admitted it," Rose exclaimed, letting go of me.
"Oh yay! The wedding is going to be so great! And I can-" Once again, Alice was getting carried away.
"Did you not even listen when I said that Edward is not interested in me?" I sighed.
"Hey Bella, hurry up! You want me to show you how to play or not?" Edward's voice came from a big, empty field where he stood waving at me.
"Coming!" I shouted back.
"Suuure he's not interested in you," Alice said with a knowing smile.
I rolled my eyes at her but didn't say anything as I jogged off toward Edward.
xXxXxXxXxXx
"This was officially the most exhausting baseball game ever," Edward whispered. He was so out of breath that it hardly even came out, though. He collapsed on the ground beside Dylan who didn't look like he would move ever again.
"I'm never running again for the rest of my life. Not even an inch." I crawled to where Edward was and leaned against his legs.
"Next time, I decide what we're going to do," Rose said as she collapsed on top of Emmett.
Chris was laying next to them with her face buried into the cool grass. Her voice was muffled and exhausted as she mumbled, "Or we should at least make up some rules."
Jasper was sitting next to her and looked like he was close to passing out. The poor guy had to handle the exhaustion of all of us.
"I think it was fun. We should do this again some time." Alice was jumping up and down, clapping her hands in excitement.
How was she not tired? I don't think she even sweat at all.
The whole game had started out normal. Chris and I soon discovered that we were actually pretty good. The game changed when I discovered that I was indeed capable of using telekinesis. I didn't use it intentionally the first time. If the ball had been an inch closer to me, I would have caught it. I had been desperately wishing that it would somehow land in my hand, and was rather surprised when it did.
After that, the whole game changed. Alice began predicting many of the moves that we were going to make, Jasper spread wave after wave of insecurity around, and Dylan was manipulating our minds. As if that wasn't enough, Edward had decided to switch his mind reading on and use his enhanced speed, while Emmett used his ability for the first time in front of me.
The others told me that it was called phasing. Emmett was able to go through solid objects and so he simply vanished into the ground and reappeared at last base before anyone even noticed. Dylan beamed as well. All in all, Emmett, Dylan and Edward were rather quick in getting home runs. That was, until Chris and I began experimenting with our powers.
Chris managed to throw the ball with inhuman speed, and even if someone were able to get it, they couldn't touch it for a while because it was too hot. She also figured out that the fire could give her speed, so she was flying past everyone in a hot flash, leaving a burning trail behind her.
I found out that playing on grass was a plus for me. I was able to use my ability to move the water out of the grass and surf on it. I only found that out because when I transformed into my water state, the water around me seemed to be automatically attracted to me. It was like the water couldn't be without me when I was in that state.
By the time I was done, the grass was completely dehydrated. I had to rehydrate it by forcing the water that I had absorbed away from me and pushing it back into the grass.
And as if that wasn't all enough, Rosalie simply dazed all of us and strutted from one base to the next and none of us interfered.
Overall I'd say this had been the strangest baseball game in the history of time. I wasn't even sure who really won the game.
"We won," Edward informed me weakly.
Oh yeah, I had forgotten that at some point during the game, I managed to remove my shield so that Edward could read my mind. It was rather helpful for the team, but now I didn't want him to read my mind anymore.
"Why not? I enjoy your thoughts. They're different than everybody elses," Edward said.
There was a very simple reason as to why I didn't want him to read my mind, and as soon as that thought crossed my mind, the shield slammed back into place, making Edward flinch.
"Sorry," I mumbled.
Edward smiled weakly at me, showing me he wasn't mad.
"Guys, how do we get back to our houses if none of us can even move?" Chris mumbled into the ground. I wondered if she was eating dirt.
"Emmett will carry me," Rose answered. Emmett didn't look too keen on the idea, but one look from Rose had him nodding his head as if he couldn't think of anything better.
"And Jazzy will carry me," Alice said happily.
"You're not even tired, Alice," Jasper said. His voice sounded almost like he was whining.
Alice pouted and her eyes began tearing up as she batted her eyelashes at him. "Please?" she asked in a small voice.
Jasper sighed in defeat.
"Well then I guess I have to carry you, Bella," Edward said.
"No, you don't have to. I can walk myself. It would only be unfair to bother you with my weight-"
"Chill, Bella. First of all, you're not that heavy, and second, I just volunteered. Suck it up and say 'thank you'." He sent me a teasing smile.
"Fine. But if you collapse on the way, you'll have the crawl home. Once you've committed to this, you're in it for a lifetime," I told him in a deep voice.
He laughed and got up to pull me to my feet. "I will not rest until you have made it safely to your room," he said with a small bow. He stayed bent so I could climb onto his back.
I grinned at Alice, who was sitting on Jasper's back, and she gave me that same knowing smile.
"Don't even think about me carrying you," Dylan told Chris, who had finally pulled herself up off the ground. She didn't even pay attention to him, since she was too busy dusting herself off. "Did you even hear what I said?" Dylan asked in annoyance.
"Yes, I did, but I'm ignoring you," she replied as she pushed passed him.
Jasper and Emmett appeared beside me and Edward.
"You think they're starting again?" Jasper asked.
"Hopefully," Emmett answered with a huge grin. The two of them enjoyed the fights between Dylan and Chris too much.
I would have said something to them, but I was too distracted by a sudden sensation. Edward's hands were on my legs, holding me close so that I wouldn't fall off, and this excited me far more than it should have.
"Can't you just leave me alone?" I heard Chris' annoyed voice. She and Dylan were walking in front of us. Their faces held no trace of their earlier exhaustion.
"Now why would I want to do that?" Dylan asked sweetly.
"Because I asked you to."
"So you want to deny me the chance to talk to a beautiful girl?"
"Do you said that to every girl you want to screw?"
"I-What? I don't want to screw you." Dylan sounded completely opposed to the idea.
"Are you sure about that?" Chris asked nonchalantly.
"Why are we always having this discussion?"
"Because I like it."
"You like talking about sex? Or are you, in reality, trying to get into my pants, but you twist it to make it seem like I'm the guilty one."
"Oh my God, Dylan. You've figured me out. We'll just completely ignore the fact that I have a boyfriend," Chris said in mock surprise.
"Boyfriend? Since when is he your boyfriend?" I piped.
"Probably since they hooked up today," Dylan answered for her. I thought I detected something along the lines of anger in his voice.
It seemed that Chris noticed it too. "What? Are you angry because you're not getting any?" she asked him.
Dylan didn't answer her, which only made her smile victoriously.
Little did she know.
Somehow, the walk back felt like it was ten times longer than the walk there. I felt my eyes wanting to close and the sleep trying to get to me. I fought it as best as I could, but failed miserably.
xXxXxXxXxXx
"Bella, wake up," a musical voice said. The sound was so beautiful I was certain that I must be dreaming.
"No," I mumbled, snuggling closer to the warm body. I heard the lovely voice sigh and a moment later, I was no longer close to the warmth - that I assumed was Edward - I had previously felt. Instead, I was laying on a soft pillow, which was nearly as good as Edward. But I really didn't want him to go. What kind of dream would that be?
"Bella, please let go of my shirt. I want to sleep, too," I heard Edward say, his words slightly muffled from a yawn. His sweet breath washed over my face.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw Edward's face hovering over mine. I hadn't realized that I had grabbed his shirt by the collar until now. I figured that I probably grabbed him and pulled him close to me.
"Awake now?" he asked me with a slightly teasing smile on his face.
I looked at his features and marveled at his perfection. His perfectly angled nose, his strong jaw, his fully delicious-looking lips and entrancing emerald green eyes. As I gazed into his sparkling eyes, something in me flicked my rational thinking off. Before I could even make sense of my actions, I pulled him closer and kissed him. Once our lips met, I felt an electrical jolt go through me once again. It was increased when I felt Edward moving his lips against mine. He pressed himself closer to me and his hand snaked behind my head, sliding into my hair. The kiss was filled with so much intensity, confusion, passion...
And then suddenly, he stiffened. I didn't know what was wrong when Edward abruptly pulled away.
"Don't do that again," he said stiffly as he got up from my bed.
All of the happy feelings that had filled me instantly vanished. I had been right all along. Edward wasn't interested in me. I should have known that he would never go for someone as plain as me. For some reason, this realization made me incredibly upset and I felt tears beginning to fill my eyes. I blinked a few times to prevent them from falling, then looked up at Edward, who was standing there, looking at me.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I just thought that you might-"
"No, I'm sorry Bella." Edward knelt down beside my bed and wiped away the tears that had escaped despite my effort. "I probably mislead you into thinking that I feel the same way about you. But the truth is, I don't. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I love you, I do, but as a sister. You're a beautiful, sweet, nice girl, and I'm so sorry if I hurt your feelings," he said in a quiet, soothing voice. The soothing wasn't helping me at all.
But I put on my brave face and said, "Don't worry about it, I'll live. It's just a silly crush, anyway. It will pass soon, so it's not like it's that big of a deal." I gave him a watery smile. I was convinced that this was just a crush, but if that's the truth, then why is there such an ache in my chest?
It was obvious that my heart wasn't as aware of things like I was, so I chose to ignore it.
Edward gave me a tight smile and pressed his lips to my forehead. "Let's just forget about this, okay? Try to get some sleep. Who knows? Maybe you're not even really awake yet." With that said, he left my room and I was finally free to cry.
As the tears poured down my cheeks, I thought about the pain I felt. Maybe it was just because I wasn't good with rejection and everything would be splendid in the morning.
Eventually I was able to fall into a dreamless slumber. It didn't go undisturbed, though, because every now and then, I felt little bursts of excitement come from Chris. Knowing that she was happy made me smile, despite what had just occurred, and made me sleep even better.
Who cares if Edward doesn't want me? I still have Chris.
Edward POV
"Oh, how cute. Bella fell asleep," Alice cooed.
I rolled my eyes at her. It was a mystery to me why she was the only one here who wasn't tired at all. I turned my gaze to Bella and found that she was indeed sleeping. She looked like an angel with the small smile playing on her lips. It made me wonder what she was dreaming about. She started mumbling something in her sleep, but it was too quiet for me to hear. She was really adorable.
For some reason, she had just grown on me faster than any other person ever has. I cared about her just as much as I cared about my other friends, but sometimes it felt like I cared about her a little more. It was like she was family or something. It would make sense to think of her as my sister, that's what Rose was to me, and same with Alice. Bella and Chris had managed to become solid fixtures in our little family and I enjoyed their presence very much.
"I'm gonna go bring Bella to her room. See ya," I told the others when we arrived at the blue house. They just gave me dismissive waves as I entered the house.
By the time I reached her room, I was ready to pass out. I just wanted to get home and into my bed as fast as possible.
"Bella, wake up," I said softly to her, shaking her shoulder slightly.
The only answer I received was a mumbled, "No," before she snuggled closer to me. For some strange reason, the closeness pleased me far more than it should have. I pushed that thought aside for now. I was tired and would probably accept cuddling anyone right about now.
I sighed and managed to maneuver Bella onto her bed. As soon as I let go of her, her hand reached out and quickly grabbed the collar of my shirt, effectively pulling me closer to her. Now we were face-to-face. It was weird, but looking at her like that made my heart feel warm.
Her eyes were still closed and she would have looked perfectly peaceful if there hadn't been a small frown dawning her face. She looked adorable nonetheless. I suddenly felt like I could have sat there and watched her sleep forever if I hadn't been tired myself.
"Bella, please let go of my shirt. I want to sleep, too," I told her with a yawn.
Bella finally seemed to be aware of what was happening and slowly opened her eyes. The deep pools of milk chocolate never ceased to amaze me. The emotions that I felt were confusing me a little, but it was probably just some sort of brotherly love that I was developing for her. What else could it be? She was younger than me and I had never been interested in younger girls, not even the slightest bit. And I certainly wasn't going to start now.
"Awake now?" I asked with a small smile, caused by the slightly disoriented expression on her face.
She looked at me with wide eyes for a few moments. When her eyes flicked to mine, her expression faded into one of awe. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, she pulled me to her and pressed her lips to mine. Warm, soft, deliciously sweet lips. The electrical jolt that I felt numerous times in her presence flowed through me, lighting my whole body. Her lips were demanding against mine and I couldn't help but kiss her back. As the electricity increased, I pressed myself as close as I could to her small, warm body, wanting to close the barely-there distance between us. I didn't understand the urge, but it was obvious that my rational thinking was switched off. I slid my hand into her soft, shiny hair and for the first time, I noticed a sweet smell coming from her. It was like vanilla, honeysuckle, and strawberry all together.
Strawberry...strawberry blonde.
I froze for an instantly, then quickly pulled back.
"Don't do that again," I said as sternly as I could, unsure of what else I could say.
Bella wasn't the type of girl I usually dated. She was younger than them and just so sweet and innocent. There was absolutely no way I could think of her in that way. She just caught me by surprise. Yes, that was it. After all, she was like a little sister to me.
I was no longer on Bella's bed, but standing next to it, since I had been occupied with arranging my confused thoughts.
I looked at her and saw her eyeing me with a sad expression on her face. Her eyes were filled with tears and I felt so bad for what I had just done. It was completely out of line for me to kiss her back. It was wrong. A mistake. I shouldn't have done it.
"I'm sorry," she murmured quietly. "I just thought that you might-"
"No, I'm sorry Bella." I knelt down beside her bed and wiped her face to get rid of the salty water running down her cheeks from her eyes. "I probably mislead you into thinking that I feel the same way about you. But the truth is, I don't. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I love you, I do, but as a sister. You're a beautiful, sweet, nice girl, and I'm so sorry if I hurt your feelings." I tried to make my voice sound as reasonable and soothing as I could to stop her tears.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, seemingly to calm herself. When she opened her eyes again, her face was void of any emotion or expression.
"Don't worry about it, I'll live. It's just a silly crush, anyway. It will pass soon, so it's not like it's that big of a deal," she said, giving me a smile through her tears. It stung to see her like this, but there was nothing I could do.
I gave her a smile, trying to make it as kind as I could, then kissed her on the forehead. "Let's just forget about this, okay? Try to get some sleep. Who knows? Maybe you're not even really awake yet." I turned and left her room.
I stood in front of her door for a while, taking deep breaths and trying to force myself to forget about the kiss. But my lips were still a burning reminder of it. I couldn't help but replay it in my head over and over again.
"What are you doing here?" someone asked from behind me. It was Damon. I figured he was probably on his way to see Chris. He was carrying a small bag and looking at me in surprise.
"I just, um, brought Bella to her room. She fell asleep," I told him, then smiled slightly before walking away as humanly fast as I could.
A/N: Sooo...? Did I do well? I seriously tried hard to write a somewhat good chapter... I hope I made everyone happy and if someone is unhappy or confused just tell me
Well, now I'm off to work on my other master piece and I might wanna update my other two FFs now, so this is it from me for now:D