We made it to the 100th review mark! I can't seem to thank all my reviewers enough! I love each and ever one of you!

Also, I wanted to say that Fanfiction has lost an amazing author this month. Daddys little Cannibal. She was an amazing writer and if you would like to read a beautiful Eulogy on her just read the latest chapter of one of her unfinished stories.

RIP DLC you will be missed.

Today is the last day of school, which I couldn't be happier about. Next year I, Edward Cullen, will be a senior. Although this excites me to no extent, I can't help but be even giddier about the summer I will spend with Bella each night in my room. Of course, Bella's relationship with me hasn't changed in the past week much. I'm still hoping for that fairytale ending.

I finally made my way into the crowded lunchroom. I immediately went to search for a certain brown haired beauty, but only found Alice and Jasper alone at a table. I wondered where Bella, Rosalie, and Emmett were on my way to the table.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked Alice and Jasper, who were oblivious to my arrival until I spoke up.

"I think their class got held back a few minutes after the lunch bell. You know how Ms. Taylor is always giving lectures," Alice said as she popped a french fry in her mouth.

"Hey, sorry we're late. Ms. Taylor's a bitch and she even..." I stopped listening to Emmett as Bella took her usual seat next to me. My heartbeat immediately began to pick up as her leg accidently bumped into mine. She mumbled a quick apology; I gave her a smile to tell her I didn't mind.

Alice began chatting away to Bella, while Bella put in her two cents every so often. Ever since Bella started sitting with us, for about a week, I noticed that she never ate lunch. Not once. I really don't think Bella has an eating disorder; I think she doesn't have money to eat lunch. I'm always afraid to offer paying for her. What if Alice heard and began wondering why she doesn't have the money even though her dad is chief of police? Alice has never been one for dropping a topic; she would continue with this conundrum until she figured out the truth.

Still, I wanted Bella to start to eat lunch regularly; it wasn't healthy otherwise.

I wondered how I could ask her if she wanted me to buy her lunch without Alice hearing. Finally, I made my decision. I scooted closer to Bella so our sides were touching, which didn't go unnoticed by everyone else.

I leaned next to her until my mouth was right next to her ear. "Bella, would you like me to buy you a lunch?" I whispered softly for only her ears to hear.

She turned to look into my eyes before shaking her head.

"Why? I'm only offering because I want to, Bella. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to. You know that," I mumbled into her ear. After a few seconds of her not saying anything, I helped her up out of her seat at the table so we could get lunch together.

I didn't look back because I know what I would see: anger, because I was hiding something from them and confusion, because they didn't know what I was talking to Bella about.

Once we were out of earshot and in line I asked Bella what she would like.

"Edward, this is a very nice offer but, you don't need to. I'm fine, really." Her modesty is just one of the many things I love about her. The word love involving Bella always struck me like a lightning bolt. I think I was in love with Bella, everything about her draws me into her. I don't want to be away from her for second, but when I am, I find myself thinking about her and wishing I were with her.

"I'm buying you lunch, Bella. Get used to it." I smiled down at her when she let out a frustrated sigh and picked up a lunch tray. She picked up an apple, a milk carton and a sandwich. I put my own lunch contents on the tray as well.

After paying for the lunch she thanked me and we walked back to our lunch table where four pairs of questioning eyes were watching us. Bella picked up her sandwich and happily munched away. Alice noticed.

"I see Edward bought you lunch," Alice sad, a smile in her voice as always. I mouthed, "Drop it!" to her, but she ignored me. Bella blushed out of what I could only guess was embarrassment.

"Um... Yeah." She looked down at her hands, which were now on her lap. But all eyes latched onto Alice when she began squealing and bouncing in her seat.

"So you and Edward are, like, a couple! I knew this would happen. Rose, didn't I tell you this would happen? Oh my god. How far have you guys gone? When did this happen? Oh I'm so happy for you two!" She was blubbering so fast I couldn't even explain to her that Bella and I were not a couple.

"Alice! Calm down. Bella just... forgot her lunch at home, I offered to buy her food is all. Stop making something out of nothing." The truth was that I am the king of making something out of nothing. Every time Bella smiles I wonder if she feels the same way about me. Every time she accidently bumps into me in bed, I wonder if it was actually on purpose. I was being hypocritical.

"Then, what about the whispers between the two of you? You cannot possibly say that wasn't you two telling each other how much you love one another!" Alice was a hopeless romantic, I learned. I laughed at her accusations and Bella chimed in as well.

"No, Alice. I'm sorry we led you on," Bella told her, trying to suppress her giggles. Alice glared at the two of us.

"You didn't answer my question. What were you two whispering about?" Bella and I looked at each other and shrugged it off.

"I don't remember whispering to each other. Do you Bella?" I let a smile play on my lips and Bella's face mirrored mine.

"No, Edward. I can't say I do." Bella and I laughed and were soon joined by the others, except Alice who was still angry with the two of us.

I can't say I wouldn't have my life any other way, because that would be a lie. I would love it if Bella and I were going out and she wasn't being beat every night. That would be my ideal life.

But here, right now, this is pretty damn close to perfect.

But not close enough.

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It has been two and a half weeks since school has been let out and there was no sign of Bella. I stayed home every night, not that it was an unusual case, just so I could see her. Where was she? Was she hurt? Were things getting better? Were things between her and I over?

There was no way I could sleep with all these questions floating around in my head. It was nearly midnight and long after I headed to bed, and I had not gotten a wink of sleep. I threw a sweatshirt over my pajama shirt. Taking a drive seemed like the best thing to do.

I quietly made my way through the house and out the door, so I wouldn't wake my parents. I slid into the drivers seat in my Volvo and it started with a purr. There was nowhere open in the middle of the night in Forks, so where would I go?

I drove everywhere, past the store and the diner, past Emmett's house and past Jasper's house. I even drive past Bella's house, twice. Just as I was about to go home, I drove past the park in the middle of town.

At first, nothing caught my eye. It wasn't until I was almost past the park when I immediately stopped the car. On the swing, under a dim streetlight, Bella sat. Her head was low and she hadn't noticed my car or me. I hopped out of the car and my feet brought me to her until I was in between the slide and her swing. There was no way I could miss the tears running down her face.

I stepped in front of her and finally got her attention.

"E-Edward!" She wiped away her tears furiously. "What are you doing here, it's nearly morning!" She had to be freezing, wearing a tank top and shorts. Even in the summer, Forks wasn't nearly as hot as it should be. I could see bruises and cuts all over her legs and arm, causing me to cringe.

"I could ask you the same thing, Bella. Why haven't you been coming over?" She avoided eye contact, which broke my heart. I would give anything at this moment to look into her eyes.

"It's for the best," she mumbled. For the best?

"I'm not following..."

"It would be best if you didn't get involved in my family problems. I'm sick of burdening you." What a lie. She knows that I would like nothing more than to fix her problem; if I can only help then that's enough for now.

"That's bullshit and you know it." Her head snapped up and her eyes finally met mine. My heart felt like it was oozing into oblivion. She was silent and that was all the confirmation I needed.

"Tell me why you don't come over anymore." I was beginning to feel a little self-conscious. Did she hate me? Find me annoying? I needed answers; I needed to know if loving her is pointless.

"It's hard." I could barely make out what she was saying; she was speaking so quietly.

"What's hard?"

"Being with you! It's... It's hard!" She raised her voice past the normal talking voice, but not quite yelling.

"Why?" I stayed calm and kneeled in front of her.

"Because...Because I like you! And… it's hard knowing what we could have if things weren't so difficult. So why tease myself?" She was still crying and still talking but I couldn't hear anything past those words. She liked me. She wanted a relationship with me. This whole time I thought she hated me when it was the opposite of that entirely.

"If I wasn't... we could be together. I want that!"

I focused in on her lips. They were moving gently, her words somewhere in a distance to me. They looked so plump and pink and perfect. I leaned in close to her, holding her cheeks still. We all know what comes next.

I pushed my lips softly against hers. I always knew there was supposed to be some sort of unexplainable feeling when you kiss someone you truly love. A spark that just makes you love them more. But, I was never a believer that this was possible. Now I see it is. I kept my eyes closed, afraid of what I would see. She didn't respond and suddenly I felt self-conscious again.

What if she meant just as a friend? What if she didn't feel that "spark"? God, what have a done?

Just as I was about to pull my lips away from hers and apologize, I felt it: her lips moving in a synchronizing rhythm with mine. My first kiss, this amazing first kiss.

I pulled away when I needed air. It felt like I had been kissing her for a million years, but it seemed to be not enough time.

To my surprise Bella didn't avoid eye contact when we broke away. She stared into my eyes with passion and love. However, that beautiful blush appeared on her face, just as I expected.

"Edward..." I had realized we had just been staring at each other for God knows how long.

"Bella, I like you. A whole hell of a lot more than you will ever know. I know I should be sorry for suddenly kissing you like that, but I'm not. That, right there, was the highlight of my life."

I moved my hands from her cheeks to her hands, which were in her lap.

"Edward, I really don't know what to do. I've never liked a guy before and if my dad figures out then I'll be dead and…I…I…" I could tell she was on the verge of tears and I hated seeing her cry.

"Bella you don't have to make decisions right now. Why don't we head over to my house?" She nodded and I held her hand back to the car, not forgetting to help her into her seat.

The drive back to my house was quiet; I held Bella's hand the whole way back. Were we a couple? If not we had to be close right?

When we pulled into my driveway we decided that Bella and I would sneak into my room, so Bella didn't have to climb the window.

Once in my room I pulled off my sweatshirt and climbed into my bed, though it felt strange calling it that. It was more our bed. After all, the majority of the time Bella was sleeping in it too.

Bella crawled in after me. Usually we slept on opposite sides of the bed, only occasionally would we accidentally snuggle in our sleep. But this time almost immediately Bella was in my chest. I'm not sure if she came willingly or if I pulled her there. Either way, she was there. She was cool in my hot bed, like she became everything I needed. I liked that thought.

I kissed the top of her head to which she replied, "Mmm…"

I had the easiest sleep ever.

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I felt movement in my arms and fluttered my eyes open. Bella was struggling to escape from my grasp. Did she really have to leave already?

"Stay?" I whispered into her hair. She giggled but managed to free herself anyways.

"You know I can't, Edward."

"Can I call you later on? Maybe even see you?" She leaned over the bed a pressed her lips to mine. We stayed like that for a long time and I could have stayed longer if she hadn't pulled away.

"He leaves at ten." With that, she was gone.

It was harder to fall asleep when Bella wasn't here, so I thought. I thought about what Bella and I were. I suppose we could discuss it later would we do? Would I take her to meet my parents? Would she feel comfortable doing that?

Dad's kind of tall; she's uneasy with tall, over-shadowing men. For the first time in my life, I'm happy about my relatively average height. When she first met Emmett, he gave her a pat on the back, and she didn't like it. I don't think anybody else noticed but I saw her visibly cringe when Emmett was around her the first week. I think now though she's a lot better.

So what would Bella and I do for our date, if I could even call it that? Would we go out to eat? No, there's only one diner in town and there's no doubt the workers know Bella's dad. Where is somewhere we can be remotely alone without being noticed? The movies, perhaps? I didn't like that idea either. Bella and I wouldn't be able to talk at all and I wanted to be able to talk to Bella and even attempt to flirt with her.

The weather will be nice as well. We should definitely do something that involves the scarce hot weather.

Swimming? I know of a secluded area of a beach where nobody will be around. We could talk, and flirt and I even would be able to see her in a swimsuit. No, she hates people seeing her bruises.

Does it even matter what we do? As long as I'm with her I'll be happy.

I glanced at the alarm clock. 9:00 already? I threw off my cover, not feeling the tiniest bit of lack of sleep, and headed for the shower.

After the shower I threw on some shorts and a white tee; it was already beginning to be hot. Hot for Forks, at least.

I remembered to put my swim trunks underneath my get up.

By the time I was dry and dressed it was 9:40, time to tell the parents.

"Hey Mom, Dad," I called when walking into the living room where Esme and Carlisle were watching the morning news, not paying any attention to me.

"Good morning, Edward." They were still concentrating on the news.

"So, I'm going to be leaving pretty soon."

"Why?" Dad seemed not to be listening, his answers automatic.

"I have a date." Their heads snapped in my direction as if I had just told them I was gay!

"A date!? Oh Edward this is wonderful!" My mother came up and gave me a motherly hug before going back to Carlisle's side.

"Is it with the girl from spring break you wanted to hang out with so bad?" My mother asked. I shot a glare at my dad who I thought wasn't going to say anything.

"Um, yeah." My parents exchanged looks; I knew what they were going to ask next.

"What's her name?" Esme asked.

What do I tell her? If I told her I couldn't tell her she'd surely think I was making this whole date up! Do I tell her Bella? What would they do? Should I make up a name?

We all heard my phone ring in my pocket.

"That's my cue guys, I'll tell you all about my date when I get home." I made a mad dash to my car, which was waiting in the driveway.

Once in the car I answered the phone, breathlessly, "Hello?"

I hadn't bothered looking at the called ID. "Edward, Hi. Um, you sound out of breath. Did I catch you at the wrong moment?" A beautiful voice was coming out from the other line causing my heart to speed up, and not from running.

I felt the familiar tightening of my stomach: butterflies.

"No, no. I thought I was going to call you? Did your dad leave early?" A man could only hope, right?

"Yes. Have you given any thought as what we might do today?" Her voice was sweet, innocent. I thought back to our kisses.

"Not really. Have you?" My breath was finally back to normal.

"What about my house? My dad won't be home for another few hours. I mean, if you want to. We can always do something else." Home alone with Bella? Obviously we wouldn't do anything sexual, but the thought of being alone with Bella sounded nice no matter what.

"That sounds great. I'll see you in a few minutes?"

I would make sure today was perfect. I would walk out of her house with a girlfriend. Not only a girlfriend, but also the most amazing, gorgeous girlfriend in the history of girlfriends.

I just hope Bella says yes.

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