DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: After school, Bella, Alice, Rose and Kate hang out together.
Girl Time
"Class! I want to remind you once again that your resumes are due on my desk Monday morning! And in case any of you have any strange ideas, I am not as old as I look. I am familiar with the World Wide Web and I will find out if your resume came from it!" Professor Benson warned.
I chuckled, wondering who could possibly be lazy enough to copy a resume from the internet. This was likely to be the easiest assignment of the entire year. The course syllabus showed that we would be expected to put together a business model toward the end of this semester. That was an assignment that would definitely require some internet help! Besides, with Alice and Jasper around, I didn't have much to worry about. They were great at covering their tracks when they borrowed stuff from the internet.
I looked over at Edward as I shoved my tablet into my backpack. His fists were clenched and if he wasn't so pale, I was sure his knuckles would have been white. He'd been doing that on and off in this class for a week now, but he kept refusing to let me block him.
I put my hand over one of his and rubbed his knuckles. "Are you okay?"
He looked at me, a smile gracing his beautiful face. But it barely touched his eyes. "Of course I am. The love of my existence is sitting right next to me."
"What's bothering you?"
"Nothing."
I picked up his hand and forced his fingers to relax. He sighed heavily.
I frowned at him. "Edward, why are you so tense if nothing's wrong?"
"It's just been a long day, love. The humans have had one too many inappropriate daydreams about you."
"I offered to block you."
"You need to focus on class, not me."
"I can do both, you know!"
"I know. But Alice has plans for you after school. I didn't want to take the chance of tiring you out and ruining her fun," he said, with a wicked grin.
"What fun?" I asked, eyeing him warily.
"You'll see," he chuckled. He put away his notebook and stood up, tossing his backpack over his shoulder. He snatched my bag away from me, and then held his hand out to me.
I took it, pretending to be annoyed. "I'm quite capable of carrying my own books."
"I prefer it when you allow me to do it. I'd like to think I can still be chivalrous, even if you don't necessarily need it."
"Don't worry, Edward. Even if I don't need it, I still like it!" I gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.
He smiled my crooked grin, his golden eyes lighting up with his happiness. He pulled me close and put his arm around my waist. He kissed my neck, making me giggle. We made our way out of the class and toward the parking lot. Another day of school was finally over.
We spent the drive home talking about the work the boys had finished in the basement and what was left to be done. Then Edward launched into his plans for his new car. I didn't understand much of what he said, but I was content to just listen to his smooth voice. It was amazing to feel so peaceful and safe with all we'd been through and the things lying in wait for us. Times like this reminded me of why I felt the danger and worry were small prices to pay. Nothing mattered more than this man, his love for me, and the desperate way I loved him right back.
All too soon, we were pulling up to the garage, where a bouncing pixie was anxiously awaiting my arrival.
"Uh, oh! She's really excited! How long do you think this Bella Barbie session will last?" I cried.
Edward slapped the steering wheel and roared with laughter.
I turned my head, glaring at him. "Just what is so funny, Edward Cullen?" I hissed through clenched teeth.
"Emmett! He's … Oh, God, Bella! I can't!"
I looked up to see Alice lying on the ground, holding her stomach. She seemed to be laughing as hard as Edward. "Has it happened yet?" I asked, catching their excitement.
"No! Alice saw it as I stopped the car," Edward chuckled. "He's going to get mad at Jasper when he loses at his race car game. He's going to wrestle Jasper and split his pants in the process."
My door flew open, revealing my giggling pixie sister. "Don't you dare tell him, Edward Cullen! It's going to happen in front of everyone tonight and I want to see it in person!"
"I wasn't planning to," Edward chuckled. "I still owe him for distracting me so Bella could slide into me."
"Good!" Alice chirped. She grabbed my arm and yanked me from the car. "Come on, Bella. Kate and Rose are waiting."
"Where are we going and why?" I asked, trying to wave goodbye to my husband.
"My room and we are having Girl Time with Kate," Alice explained.
"Just Kate, right?" I asked warily. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Irina's glares or Tanya's speculative glances.
"Yes," Alice said, giving me a knowing smile.
"Thank you, Alice," I said, leaning my head against hers as we walked toward her room.
"You're my best friend and my little sister, Bella. You come first," Alice whispered.
I smiled happily at my best friend, and big sister! "So what's on the agenda this afternoon?"
"We're having an afternoon slumber party," Alice informed me as we entered her room. "No need to make it at night since we don't sleep."
"Alice, you have the most wonderful ideas," Kate exclaimed.
"Don't encourage her!" Rose said, rolling her eyes.
"We need music!" I said, as I moved toward Alice's CD player.
Alice bounced over to stand beside me as we flipped through her CDs. "Oh, Bella!" Alice chirped. "I really want to put this one on!"
"Rose hates that one," I warned her. "She threatened to break the CD the last time you put it on."
"She won't break it," Alice whispered. "I checked."
I shook my head and chuckled. Of course Alice checked!
Alice put in the CD and hit the play button. Rose groaned as soon as the music started up.
Alice wrapped an arm around my shoulder and started singing loudly. "Kiss me out of the bearded barley - Nightly, beside the green, green grass!"
I chuckled next to her.
"You have to sing too, Bella!" Alice commanded.
"Swing, swing, swing the spinning step - You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress!" we sang together.
Kate bounced over and stood on the other side of me, joining into the singing. "Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight - Lead me out on the moonlit floor - Lift your open hand - Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance - Silver moon's sparkling - So kiss me!" (Sixpence None the Richer – Kiss Me)
"No more!" Rose cried, as she started throwing pillows at us.
I grabbed a pillow and ran over to Rose, striking her shoulder with it. She laughed and grabbed herself another pillow and we started a nice little war between the two of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Alice and Kate having their own fight.
"Rose, let's get them," I whispered for her ears only.
She smiled and nodded. We jumped toward them and started smacking them with pillows. It wasn't long before it ended up being every girl for herself.
"Stop!" Alice giggled. "Jasper will be up here in forty seconds to beg us to behave. Let's all sit and pretend we don't know why he's feeling so much glee!"
We nodded our heads and quickly took up positions on the floor as Alice and Kate quickly started pedicures on Rose and me. By the time Jasper reached the room, it seemed as if that was what we'd been doing all along.
"How do you like our new place?" I asked Kate, as she painted my toes my favorite 'Bite Me' red.
"I like that it's so easy to go outside with the cloud cover," Kate replied.
"What are you girls doing?" Jasper asked from the doorway.
Alice turned and smiled sweetly. "Pedicures, Jazzy! Do you want one?"
"No. And if that's all you're doing, why was I giggling in front of my brothers?" Jasper questioned.
"How should we know?" Rose replied. "We don't have access to your thoughts. Maybe you should ask Edward for help."
"Yeah, I've heard he's pretty good at that sort of thing!" I said with all the sincerity I could muster.
Jasper rolled his eyes and grunted as he left the room, closing the door much louder than necessary. We looked at each other and then started laughing loudly.
"You guys are so much fun!" Kate cried.
"We try!" Alice chuckled.
"So how much did Edward baby you yesterday?" Rose asked me with a smirk.
"He didn't!" I said excitedly. "He actually let me train for real! And I did a good job!"
"We need details!" Alice chirped. "Especially since you forbid me from looking!"
"You know that move you and Rose taught me in New York?" I questioned.
They both smiled and nodded their heads eagerly.
"I used that one," I said.
"On whom?" Rose asked, grabbing my arm. She was practically bouncing as much as Alice usually did.
I smiled shyly and tucked in my neck. "Edward."
"No!" Alice and Rose cried together.
I just nodded my head.
"Wow!" Rose breathed. "Bella, I'm really proud of you. If you used it on Edward it means you're really serious about learning to protect yourself."
"I am, Rose!" I promised her.
"What's this move that's making you guys freak out?" Kate asked.
Rose smiled wickedly. "It's for when a guy is standing in front of you and you don't want him there. You knee him in the groin, then knee him in the stomach, and lace your hands together into one big fist and hit him just below the neck."
"You did that to Edward?" Kate cried.
I nodded my head, remembering how my husband had dropped to his knees.
"Wow!" Kate breathed.
"Who else did you bruise?" Alice asked with a huge smile.
"Jasper got his legs kicked out from under him and Emmett got pounced," I told them.
"They taught you the leg sweep thing," Rose said. "I like that one."
"Me too. It was pretty easy once I figured out how to wiggle out of Jasper's grasp. But I liked the pouncing the best!" I said. "Emmett and Jasper say I look like Edward when I fight."
"That's a really high compliment," Alice told me as she patted my leg. "So can I watch next time, now that you know you're a kick ass vamp?"
I laughed at my sister. "Sure, Alice!"
"Screw that!" Rose said. "We're going to go watch in person! Emmett and Jasper don't get to have all the fun. There's a lot you can learn from us, Bella."
"I'm sure there is, Rose," I replied, resting my head on her shoulder. "Just make sure Edward knows you're coming. He's trying, but this isn't easy on him."
"What's his problem with training you?" Kate asked.
"It's not that he has a problem with the training," I answered. "It's watching me get hurt until I learn what I need to that he has trouble with."
"Oh!" Kate replied. "He really loves you, Bella."
I smiled brightly. "Yes, he does! And I love him just as much."
"So!" Kate started. "I would really like to know more about how you two first got together, if you don't mind. I know a little of it from Esme, but … a human and a vampire! Wow!"
"But you and Tanya and Irina … haven't you been around humans?" I asked.
"Yes, but not for long," Kate answered.
"Oh. Well! I … I'm not sure where to start," I said truthfully.
"Start with the car ride home from Port Angeles," Alice instructed.
"Okay," I replied. "Well, I was asking Edward all kinds of questions. It was the first time that he actually let down his wall and was honest with me. I told him my guess about what he was. He wasn't very happy that I had figured him out. I learned later on he was upset because he was worried I would run away from him. That weekend, he took me to his meadow for the first time. I scared him!" I chuckled.
"You scared a vampire?" Kate asked, with disbelief on her face.
"Edward likes to tease her that she's the only person capable of giving a vampire a heart-attack," Rose said with a grin.
"I got too close, too fast, and Edward didn't know how to react. He ran from me and I got to really see his speed and strength. It was really the first time I saw him as a vampire. He tried to convince himself that I saw him as a monster. He didn't see himself clearly back then."
"What happened next?" Kate asked, inching closer and bouncing in place.
"Edward came back and sat next to me again. The sun was shining and he was sparkling so beautifully. I held his hand and tried to see every little sparkle individually. We talked some more about how he craved my blood and my company at the same time. And then he looked at me …" I smiled, remembering his face as he said the words to me. "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. We admitted our feelings for each other. Everything just kind of snowballed from there."
"That explains the team names," Kate chuckled. "It's like a fairytale romance for the two of you."
"Nope!" I said, popping the 'p'. "It's just a life I was lucky enough to stumble into. We've had bad luck, monsters, unhappy days … but I would relive every bit of it again and again as long as I always ended up with Edward in the end."
"You're devoted to him," Kate said softly. "So how long did it take him to attempt holding you and kissing you?"
"Well, we held each other in the meadow as we talked," I answered. "And the kiss came not long after we left the meadow and headed for my truck."
"He managed it that soon?" Kate cried.
"Yep!" I chuckled. "Although, it didn't go exactly as he had planned."
"Did he lose control?" Kate asked, worry lacing her tone.
I started giggling very softly and glancing at my sisters. "It wasn't Edward." I shook my head as my giggles ramped up into guffaws.
Rose pushed me and I fell over on my side. "She always starts cracking herself up when she remembers their first kiss," Rose explained. "Bella was the one to lose control. She grabbed a hold of Edward and really laid one on him."
"Edward didn't know what to do!" Alice laughed. "The look on his face was priceless!"
"Alice, did you peak at everything?" Kate asked.
"Nope!" Alice chuckled. "Only when I needed to make sure Bella would be safe."
"The rest she made me tell her in person," I added, sitting back up.
"How long was it before you two were intimate?" Kate questioned.
I crinkled my nose. "Not until our wedding night. And after that, not until I was changed. Edward was too nervous and worried about hurting me."
"And now they're like rabbits!" Alice cried.
I snagged a pillow and tossed it at her head. "Hush up!"
She smiled wickedly and I pounced on her, both of us falling over as we laughed. "Bella, you're the best little sister, even if you are fashion-challenged!" Alice chuckled.
"And you, Alice, are the best friend a girl could have, even with the shopping addiction you suffer from," I giggled.
Our afternoon slumber party lasted well into the night, just like real ones are supposed to. I smiled at the fact. It had nothing to do with being a human or being a vampire; it had to do with who surrounded you, and right now, it was my family and friends. At that moment, I didn't think I could've asked for more.
