Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta'd by HollettLA.

Enjoy!

"Higher"

Chapter Three: Breaking the Ice

Thirsty, as I entered the bodega, I went straight to the fridge, where I debated whether I wanted OJ or water. I went with the H2O since it's less conspicuous.

Mohammed, who knows me, was behind the counter. "Hey," he greeted, rocking his newborn daughter in his arms.

I smiled at the bundle of joy. "Pack of Newport regulars, too." I swallowed a bunch of spit, hoping the Ecstasy had gone down.

He placed the pack on the counter, took my money, and gave me change while I chugged some of the water.

Then I packed my cigarettes, beating the box against my palm, as I walked outside.

Cautious, I tried to spot Rose and Alice from across the way as I lit a cigarette. They all stood in front of the donut shop, and it looked like Jasper—not only came through—but he was early as well. He had two friends with him, but from this distance, I couldn't even make out which one was Alice's dreamboat.

After a few minutes had passed, I walked to join them, feeling all kinds of uncomfortable. I couldn't wait for the X to kick in, have me feeling good. It wouldn't be as amazing as times before, because I'd taken a half, but it'll be fuck-awesome for a bit.

"Bella!" Rose smiled at me, reaching for my hand.

I grinned and was reluctantly dragged over.

"This is Bella…and that's Jasper." Rose introduced me, pointing to whom I now recognized as such. Jasper really wasn't that tall, but he was taller than Alice. He was handsome, very cute, and had a killer smile. "That's…I'm sorry. What's your name again?" Rose asked.

"I'm Emmett." The bigger dude smirked down to me, and he had these dimples that were adorable—brown hair, fucking muscles... "This is my man, Edward." Emmett patted the other one's back, looking to Rose.

"'Sup?" He jerked his chin and spit on the sidewalk, not looking to either one of us. He was cute, too—from what I could tell, as he was turned away from me, hiding under a hood just like I was. Number three was just as tall as Emmett but not as bulky.

I waved to them, like a dumbass.

"Dimples is mine," Rose whispered in my ear.

My jaw almost hit the concrete. "Why yours?" I asked through clenched teeth while I threw my cigarette into the street.

"I saw him first."

She had me there, and then we all started walking.

I tried to hide some more by making sure my hood was secure—that my face was hardly visible.

That's just how I get, always so socially awkward, and I had nothing to say to anyone anyway.

All I wanted was for the Ecstasy to kick in and to be left alone. I'd still look after Alice, be able to, but I'd be in my own little world for the most part...I might even socialize.

While we walked along, much to my horror and dismay, everyone paired off.

Motherfuckers!

We were heading to the subway—from where these guys had come—and they wanted to go to the city.

Alice and Jasper were ahead of everyone, slowly strolling with their heads almost touching. I was happy for her. He turned out to be exactly who he said he was.

Imagine that?

We were walking really fucking slowly, too. It'll take us forever to get to the train.

And I wanted to dropkick Rose.

She also seemed to be hitting it off with Dimples, and I heard their conversation. Dimples was funny, kind of upbeat, and just…cute. He's a fucking firefighter, a probie or something. I only caught half when he spoke about that. He was also being really nice, trying to include me by looking over his shoulder at me.

Number three—whatever his name is—walked along next to me, yet he hadn't uttered a word.

Neither had I . . .

Because I suck.

But that didn't matter.

Nothing mattered!

Once we hit Fourth Avenue, the street lamp was glowing, like this big, yellow orb of light.

The air felt amazing as it entered my lungs, and I kept inhaling deeply. My stomach was filled with butterflies—the happy, excited kind—and I was suddenly on top of the world, instantly ecstatic, no matter the circumstances.

I sighed, clenching my teeth together as I stopped to light another smoke. "You want?" I was giddy, offering my pack to Number Three.

"Nah, I don't smoke menthols." He didn't even look at me.

I shrugged, blowing my smoke out to skip up to Rose. "Rosie…" I linked my arm with hers.

"Damn…It hasn't hit me yet." She pouted. "Gimme a minute."

"A minute for what?" Dimples laughed.

I reached up to poke them, surprised by how soft his skin was. "Wow..."

Dimples chuckled and pushed my hood away from my head. "Why are you hiding?" he whispered, his eyes were like...dazzling. "You're so pretty." His thumb caressed my cheek, and then he pulled my hair from the hood—being so gentle, and those fucking dimples…attached to that gloriously humongous man. "You okay, sweetheart?" He stepped toward me.

I sighed, and I knew I looked stupid, but I didn't give a fuck—awestruck.

"Bella…" Rose's tone was stern as she pulled me away. "Sorry about that…" she told him.

"It's cool. She's fine." Dimples moved so that I'd flank his other side. When his arm draped over my shoulders, I started to giggle; I was only slightly taller than his elbow.

"Wait…" Rose laughed. "Come here." She snatched me away from Dimples, laughing her ass off. That's when I knew she was on my level or very close to it.

"Right?" I asked, knowing that the Ecstasy finally hit her, too.

Rose licked her lips. "Let's just go." Our arms stayed linked as she tried to keep me away from Dimples, and she told him what we'd taken. He didn't chastise us or anything, but…

"Do you know where I can get more?" Rose asked; meanwhile, she knows where she can get more. I don't speak or interact with drug dealers. I'm not that cool. I just have a leggy, blonde friend who knows all the right people—Rose.

Dimples grinned, showing off those dimples. "I—I don't touch that shit anymore. I grew up." I guess that was supposed to sting, but we're only pretending to be twenty.

And I laughed out loud like a total spaz.

I crack myself up.

"Edward might be able to help you out." He jerked a thumb back to Three.

I wanted to turn around so badly, because now I could probably see his face, being that I was walking ahead of him.

But I was too busy giggling to do so.

"Oh, Edward…?" Rosalie called and stopped us from walking so he could catch up.

He stared head-on, barely making eye contact with me, but he was . . . fuck me, man.

Edward looked hardened, slightly mean with an edge, and so fucking hot, and handsome, gorgeous—making him totally fucking sexy. He also had the greenest eyes I'd ever seen, too. They kind of trapped me, hypnotized me in a way, and I paused in my movements to gawk at him.

However, when he caught me staring, the spell was broken; I looked to the ground.

"Yo…that's you right there," Rose whispered, pushing me toward him. "Get to talking." She probably noticed he was a babe, too.

He was way hotter, sexier than Dimples, and I was surprised she didn't ditch him for Edward.

Nevertheless, I didn't say anything to him since we'd arrived at the subway.

Once I threw my token in, I went through the turnstile, waiting for the rest of them.

"Hey…" I nudged my elbow to Edward's hand or something, studying my feet as I walked. "I'm Bella." I chanced a glance at that gorgeous face of his, which made those excited butterflies in my belly fly around all wild. Knowing it was the X, I let out a short giggle.

Edward nodded, wearing a hint of a smile as he looked everywhere but to me, it seemed. "I heard youse talkin'. . . You got money?"

I grinned. "Yeah..."

"All right." And he left it at that, walking ahead to get down to the tracks.

I shrugged when Rose looked to me, and she didn't talk to him either.

Again, that surprised me. Usually, she'd dump whoever to jump at the best-looking guy.Edward had connections, too; he could get Ecstasy? She'd totally put out for some—whereas I would not.

Instead, Rose went on and on, talking to Dimples about her managerial position at Carvel. It's more like, her daddy owns it and wanted to keep her busy for the summer.

But I didn't blow up her spot.

"What do you do?" Dimples asked me, lightly tugging on my sleeve.

I opened my mouth to respond, and I actually got stuck, wanting to laugh. "A little bit of this…and a little bit of that." Feeling like an ass, still so silly and happy, I did my gangsta swag. "You know..."

Dimples cracked up, but then that was my intention, to lighten up the situation—wanting everyone to be as happy as I was. "You're fuckin' adorable," he said.

Rose threw me a wicked glare.

Snickering, because she's ridiculous—and I didn't want Dimples at all—I turned and looked up and down the empty platform.

"Bella's in school, actually." Rosalie kept talking. And her petty ass might just blow up my spot.

Little does she know, I'd take her down with me.

No, I wouldn't.

What the fuck would I care?

"High school?" Edward piped in, smirking at me, and . . . oh my God.

He spoke to me!

"No," I laughed.

Dimples pulled on my hood string, and I faced him. "What are you studying?"

"I'm working on my bachelor's…in science." I furrowed my brow, and then I turned away, giggling again. "I feel amazing," I told Edward, because I did.

The air was now muggy, hot as fuck down here, but it still felt fantastic to breathe. I kept grinding my teeth, too, which I always do while on X.

My high wasn't coming down just yet—not yet.

"I just—I wish you felt it, too." I smiled at Edward.

I wanted the world to be on my level, soaring high!

"I bet." Edward kept his hands in his pockets, staring down the darkened tunnel, the direction the train would pull in. "X'll do that shit," he said.

"What about you?" I asked, and I poked his arm to get his attention, and I wanted to rub his arm, just rub him. His hoodie was made of real soft, light material. It'd have to be in this heat. "What do you do?"

Edward shrugged, looking from Jasper to Dimples.

I glanced at Alice then, too, and she was swept up in everything Jasper, it seemed.

"No offense." Rosalie started, facing Edward. "But how does a mechanic, a fireman, and a—" she paused "—Dude, I wanna say you're a hustler of some kind." She winced through a chuckle. "How do you all know each other?"

My smile whipped back and forth.

"An AOL chat room," Edward deadpanned.

"He's kidding," Dimples laughed, facing me. "Ed is my cousin, and Jazz…we've known Jazz forever."

Edward raised a brow, and Emmett—that's his name!—stopped talking.

"You're Emmett!" I was even happier, having remembered his name.

"Yeah…I am." He grinned again.

"Ugh…you're killing me with those dimples, dude!" I held my heart, and then I pushed him; he didn't budge. "Put them away!"

They only became more defined when he smiled wider. "Come here, you." Emmett reached for my hand.

But then Rose stole it right out from under him to accost me. "Excuse us." She dragged me more over toward Alice. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I said, my eyes trailing back to Emmett and Edward. They were having their own little powwow, when I caught Edward's gaze.

I grinned at him.

"You're flirting," she whispered, making me look back to her.

"No. I'm just being nice. Emmett is still yours..." I giggled. "You say he's yours…Hey, he's yours. Besides, I want—"

"Looks like you're flirting with him."

"No, I'd never do that to you." And I sounded so serious. I loved me right now, and I started laughing again. "I'd never." I was honest, but I couldn't help it…those dimples are cute.

With the way I was feeling, I truly wanted to interact or whatever.

Above that, I really wanted Edward's attention.

"What's wrong with you?" she scolded through a whisper.

"Nothing. Not a fucking thing." It was true. "I'm fine. We'll get to the club, and I'll…stay with Alice." I frowned but it didn't stay. "You can get it on with Dimples, and Gangsta-hottie will probably do whatever…" I had no idea, but I wanted to ease her fears.

Rose laughed, leaning her forehead to mine. "I'm tryin' too hard to play it cool. All serious and shit. Emmett is fucking fine."

"You're doing well...playing it cool. Do I look like an ass?"

"You could never." She hugged me tight to rub my back. "You're actually talking, and you're so cute right now…but Emmett is mine." She had to remind me again, not like I really cared.

I pulled away and palmed her cheeks. "You wanna…?" My gaze had gone back to Edward. He was still talking to Emmett, caught me looking again.

"What, give 'em a show?" she raised a brow.

I shrugged a shoulder and then her lips met mine, and now I had Edward's attention.

Like magic!

Now he was openly staring, and my eyes locked on to his as I kissed Rose.

My friend has always been a great kisser. Although she's a bit grabby, I always go along with it. She held my cheek, and she tasted like spearmint, and it felt awesome. Her hair was so soft when I wove my fingers through it.

When Dimples started hooting and hollering, applauding us, we giggled and broke apart. "Come here." I called Emmett over with my finger.

He was suddenly nervous and put a hand up like it was all right—he was good. "Why don't'chu come over here?" Emmett pointed to the ground, but I didn't know who he was referring to.

I actually took a step back to be slightly behind Rose, nudging her forward, which wasn't subtle, but . . . fuck it.

I started snickering to myself again.

"Get the fuck ova there." Edward pushed him.

Rose and I laughed as he made his way over.

"What's up?" Emmett asked.

I grasped his hand and pulled him to where he stood between us—and I quickly got behind him. My hands roamed up his shoulders, his massive build, but Rose really seemed to like him, so I took my hands back. His shirt was soft, too, and I wanted to keep touching it. But I don't like him like that.

As soon as they started kissing, I walked away, giggling like a mad woman.

Rose went in for the kill…He didn't know what hit him.

She was killing him with that lip-lock!

And I purposely bumped into the other guy…with the eyes, Edward. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's cool." He placed his hand at the small of my back. "What the fuck was that all about, though?" Edward asked, pointing back to them.

"Breaking the ice," I sighed.

"That was some kiss...It was hot." Edward grabbed my hand, pulling me into his arms. "You earned that." When his hand left mine, I felt a tablet there. "Good for you, Shorty…but don't take that now. Wait 'til you come down a bit." He backed away as we heard the train in the distance.

"Thanks!" I shouted over all the noise, and I wanted to do a little dance.

FREE ECSTASY!

Edward stood next to me, holding me in place. "Back up…you're too close to the edge." But I wasn't. I was technically on the yellow line.

I laughed. "Just stand still!"

Edward did as I said, and my stomach became even more excited—my heart rate accelerating, feeling the rapid swoosh of the train pulling in, the wind hitting me.

When it came to a stop and the doors dinged open, I hopped on.

They all trailed in after me, and I twirled on a pole, enjoying the jolt when the train started moving again. "Nice."

"Bella, come sit." Emmett pointed to a seat, and Rose placed a hand to his cheek, turning his face back to her.

Giggling, I was about to run to the other pole.

"Sit down." Edward gestured to the spot next to him, and the way he said it . . . I wanted to listen to him.

"You're no fun." I faked a pout, but nothing could get me down in this moment.

"Someone has to keep an eye on you…since your girls are busy." He smiled, and it was breathtaking.

Looking to my friends, they were paired off again, but Emmett had a brow raised at me.

My head snapped back to Edward. "Yeah, you keep an eye on me." I tried to sound flirty.

I wanted both of his eyes on me—along with his hands.

"You got it," he said. "But sit down." He patted the seat next to him. "You might fall or somethin'."

With a newfound boldness, something only Ecstasy can give me, I sat on his lap instead. "Is this okay?" I draped my arm around his shoulders, practically shoving my tits in his face.

Edward nodded, noticing the boobs. Then his hand ran up my outer thigh, which caused me to shudder, it felt too good. "Relax."

I smiled, resting my head in the crook of his neck. He smelled like soap, man, and cologne, and it made my head spin even more. "Keep doing that." I whispered in his ear, twirling circles in the hair by his neck with my fingertips.

He tilted his head so that it was against mine, not moving his eyes from my thigh—his hand softly caressing it.

Edward was a stranger, but I honestly didn't care. He was gorgeous, smelled fantastic, and he had gentle palms. And I honestly lost any inhibitions I had, although I might regret my choices tomorrow…

Fuck it.

Hey . . . X'll do that shit.

Thank you for reading

Please leave me your thoughts.

;-)

Terms:

Bodega—convenience store.

H20—water

OJ—Orange juice

Spaz — act oddly

Blow up her/his spot — rat, tell the truth.

A hustler — someone who gets money from others. Selling drugs, rolling dice, pimping.

Shorty — it has a few meanings, can be used to refer to men or women. Usually, it's used to refer to an attractive female a guy doesn't know