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Basically we get a word prompt a day and we then write about it. It's a great exercise to keep one's mind sharpened and focused on writing... This isn't beta-ed. It is what it is.

This has nothing to do with Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Each day's prompt will differ, so what I write will vary greatly as well. If you like it, then cool, please review.

These are unbeta-ed. If you find any grammatical errors, you're more than welcome to point them out to me.

Notes: This continues the scenario established by the earlier prompt "Lollipop". There will be several related to this storyline, until a conclusion is reached.

Today's prompts: August 20, 2010

Word Prompt: Tapas

Dialogue Flex: "Just a spoonful…" he said.

Lollipop:

I looked at my reflection again. Jeans, a cute tee, and manageable hair. That was casual, right? Of course, I could always go for a modest skirt- maybe the one that Mom had bought for me in Florida? I rummaged through my seemingly small closet frantically, hoping that I had brought it with me to Forks.

Finally, I found it lurking at the back, behind a photo of my parents- the only one I had- and unfastened my jeans as quickly as possible, tossing them onto the pile of clothes on the floor. Slipping the skirt on, I picked up the white eyelet lace top and checked to make sure it matched the skirt. Reassured, I removed the tee I was wearing, and slipped on the white top instead.

Just as I was making sure that I had everything in order, the alarm on my desk went off (yes, I had set the alarm to ring at 4: 45 so I would be better prepared), sending me into another frenzy. I patted my hair to make sure it was still slightly straight, from the clumsy blow-drying session I had subjected myself to. Satisfied with it, I wore my white flip-flops and clutched the small white purse I'd crammed a few dollars into – my allowance had a huge dent in it now- and was on my way to the door, when someone knocked.

Charlie had no idea that I was going on a date, and was under the impression that I was juts going to get ice=cream with a friend. This, by the way, was true. Edward was my friend. My friend I was going on a date with.

I ran to the door, swung it open, and saw Edward standing on the other side- hands in his pocket, his eyes flitting from one surface to another.

I smiled brightly at him, hoping to abate some of his nervousness, "Hi", I said, giddy at the prospect of our impeding date to the ice-cream parlor. "Um, shouldn't we get going?" I continued, when he didn't respond.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. My mother invited my cousins over for dinner today. And they're coming early, to play games or something. I swear, I had no idea they were coming. Like, she just told me, right this second" he said, the words not making much sense to me. Slowly, I put them together; realizing that he was cancelling our date- no, not date. This was just a friendly excursion. That was all.

Edward was still talking, his face screwed up in worry, his eyes looking troubled. Feeling sorry for him, I cut him off mid sentence "Edward, it's fine. Really" I said, hoping he would buy it and run off, and leave me alone to cry in despair. I continue making excuses, hoping to salvage what is left of my pride, "Um, I just remembered, I have to do my homework .God, I'm such an idiot! I just completely forgot I hadn't finished it, so this is actually a good thing, you know? Okay, I'll see you around, then? Right, bye!" I almost mange to swing the door shut, having slowly inched my way back into the house during my speech. But his foot in the path stops me, his hand coming out to hold the door open.

"Bella, will you please just listen to me?" Edward asks, his face coming to rest in the small space between the door and its frame.

"Listen, come over to dinner. Mom's made this Spanish feast, Tapas and all that. You already know Alice and Mom and Dad. And my cousins aren't that bad, I swear. Just, will you come to dinner? Please?" he asks, his eyes pleading, his face leaning towards mine.

I want to say yes so badly, but I know it's a family thing. I don't think Esme would be too happy to see her dinner being intruded upon. Besides, it's entirely too scary to mingle with his cousins, without even knowing them. So I just shake my head, saying, "Edward, I have a lot of homework left. And Dad and I always have dinner at the diner on Fridays. You should go , they must be waiting for you".

I expect him to leave, but am surprised when he just smiles, his eyes mischievous, "Bella? It's summer. School's out. We don't have any homework", he says and I feel like hitting myself with a hammer. With all the excuses in the world, that's the one I come up with? So I answer truthfully, not wanting to cause any more reason for him to doubt my mental capability.

"Edward, it's a family dinner. It's not right for me to intrude upon that, okay?" I reason, but he just starts pretesting immediately, shaking his head.

"Bella, Mom wants you to come. She told me to invite you personally. Honest. And I really want you to come. Even though my cousins are gonna be there. They're probably gonna embarrass the shit outta me. Tell you some stupid stories, try to scare you sway or something. But, just come. Please?" And who am I to say no? So, I reluctantly agree, already getting scared by the thought of dining with his whole family.

"Okay, but what about Charlie- I mean, Dad? I'll have to tell him, right? He doesn't even know about all of this" I say, trying in vain to get out of dinner.

"Oh. Mom's already invited him, I think. He's coming over with Dad. Apparently they're both really close friends" Edward says, and just like that, all my excuses are spent.

"I'll just lock up" I say and enter the house to switch off all the lights, close the door and then lock it.

Edward's waiting for me outside, and as soon as I reach him, he hands me a blade of grass, a sheepish grin on his face. "I didn't get you any flowers or anything, so I just plucked this from your lawn. That's okay, right?" he asks, and I just smile, nod and blush, as usual.

"Thanks. It's very sweet of you", I say and he just blushes. We're both similar that way.

As we start walking, his house is just a block away, his pinkie finger touches mine, and then his right hand is molding into my left one. We share a secret smile, my skirt swishing around me as I walk.

We're almost to his house, when he suddenly stops, and brings my hand up to his lips, whispering, "You're beautiful" and I practically vibrate with happiness. We both blush- surprise, surprise- and then his lips place a feather light kiss on my knuckles.

We're both still locked up in each other, when a booming voice cuts through the silence, "Eddie! Where's the baseball bat I gifted you last Christmas? Dude, did you watch the new episode of-" the boy with the voice steps right in front of Edward, his voice drifting off when he sees me.

"And hello to you too" says the boy, grinning widely, a dimple flashing on his left cheek, his hand extending forward to shake mine. I shake his hand, my small hand totally enveloped by his huge one.

"Bella" says Edward, through clenched teeth, "My cousin, Emmett. Em, this is Bella" his hand tightening its hold on mine. Emmett just smiles, muttering a 'nice to meet you' under his breath and shoots back into the house.

We follow 'Emmett' into the kitchen, only to see Esme batting his hand away as he tries to get a taste of the salsa sauce – that's what I'm assuming the red sauce is, the theme being Spanish and all.

'Emmett! Get away from here right now!" Esme barks at him. To no avail, though, because the burly boy has already procured a spoon, set on disturbing the smooth evenness of the sauce.

"Just a spoonful" he says, and swallows it before Esme can stop him. Grinning triumphantly, he dashes out of the room, jostling me in the process. That's when Esme decides to turn around and sees me and Edward standing there.

"Ah! Bella, you're here. And you look lovely!" she says, scurrying forward to hug me.

I return the hug, belting out a "Thank you so much for inviting me Esme. The food looks great", to which she just smiles and waves her hand dismissively.

"Bella, you're always welcome here, okay? And why in the name of God are you both standing here for? Go out to the backyard. We're having an open sky dinner tonight!" she replies, ushering us out of the kitchen.

Edward leads me out the French windows to the huge backyard, his hand at my elbow, guiding me through the house.

As we reach the backyard, I freeze. Like, totally, freeze.

Sitting on two benches, on each side of the long wooden table, are about a dozen or so people. All of whom looked towards us as we entered, their faces a mixture of emotions. Some looked surprised, some happy, some indifferent. But one face shone through the haze- blond hair, blue eyes, pretty enough to give me a huge complex. And wearing a pouty scowl on her evenly proportioned lips, and s glare that could have thawed even ice. Both the scowl and the death glare aimed right at me.

This was going to be a long night indeed.