Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight why would I be writing fanfiction for it?

Chapter Five: Freedom

"You're finally free!" I exclaimed as Edward and I walked down the main street of Forks.

The day was absolutely perfect. The sun was shining–the sky perfectly blue–and Tanya was gone for two whole days! She was grounded because she went to a party and got drunk. When her friends were trying to sneak her into her bedroom, her parents caught them. She couldn't even leave her room with the exception of bathroom breaks and mealtimes, and her parents had taken away every electronic appliance she had- like her TV, iPod, cell phone. I could not take the grin off of my face even if I wanted to.

"You are so funny, Bella." Edward's tone was sarcastic, but he laughed along with me.

"I know, right?" I teased him. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Let's just hang out. We haven't done that in forever. I mean, without Tanya calling or dropping in."

"That sounds good to me."

We walked down the street, looking in the very few window shops. We had to drive all the way to Port Angeles if we wanted a good selection in anything. I swung my arms back and forth, whistling a random song. Edward stuffed his hands in the pockets of his baggy, worn-out jeans.

"You need new jeans." I told him randomly.

"I thought you would like these. You did get them for me on my birthday." He smirked.

"Yeah. Two years ago." I raised my eyebrows at him.

"So you don't like them?" He asked, faking hurt.

"Of course I like them. I was just pointing out that you need new ones. There's no need to get all defensive." I threw my hands up in the air.

Edward just rolled his eyes. Then he took one of my hands in his. It made my heart race though I knew that it was no more than a friendly gesture.

"Oh, Wilfred, look!" A lady in her fifties or sixties, who was sitting on a bench with her husband, said. "That couple is just so cute together. It reminds me of when we were that young." I looked over to Edward, and he had heard it too. My face went bright red, and we nearly ran away.

"That was so embarrassing!" I exclaimed, not making eye-contact.

"I like it when you blush." Edward stated, ignoring my earlier statement, knowing that it would get my mind off of what that lady said.

I blushed even deeper, but it did get my mind off of that lady.

I smiled to myself as I thought about how this was how it was supposed to be: us just hanging out together, having fun, doing random things. The only thing that could have made me happier was if Edward suddenly proclaimed his love to me and we drove away together; the wind in our face...Hey, a girl can dream!

Suddenly thunder cracked in the sky and it began to rain. While everyone else ran into stores or their cars Edward and I kept on walking. I mean, when it rains nearly 24/7 where you live you can't help but get used to it. I looked forward and saw that the small park was empty.

"I'll race ya." I told Edward as I began running.

It took him a minute to realize what I meant. I heard him laughing behind me. I looked around and saw that he was gaining on me. I was in the park already and was about to pick up my pace when my foot got caught on the root of a tree. I fell face forward and into a huge pit of mud. My white t-shirt and jean capris, along with every other part of me, was covered in mud.

I heard Edward's laughter. I looked up and Edward was doubled over in laughter. I scowled and tried to stand up. I ended up slipping in the mud again and getting even more dirty, making Edward laugh harder.

"Are you gonna help me up or not?" I demanded angrily.

"Sorry." Edward snickered as he held out his hand to me. I took it. When I was safely on my feet I took one step and slipped again, this time taking Edward with me. We both landed in the mud again with Edward on top of me.

He brushed a piece of muddy hair out of my face. His expression was gentle, and it seemed like he was searching for something in my eyes.

"I cannot believe you did that." He murmured.

"That wasn't on purpose! You know better than anyone I have no balance!" I exclaimed, changing the mood right away.

With that I grabbed some mud in my hand and threw it at him. It hit him square in the face, and he jumped off of me in shock. I stood up and successfully stepped out of the mud pit. Edward tried to get up but I pushed him back in. He was now just as muddy as me; I was sure that we looked like mud monsters. He stood up and began chasing me.

"You are going to pay for that!" He exclaimed.

I began running away. The pouring rain began to wash away the mud on our bodies. Edward caught me easily. He swung me around in the air until he fell down on the park bench out of dizziness. He was laying down on the bench, and I was sitting on the ground next to the bench. We were both laughing for no apparent reason.

It was just so easy when it was just the two of us hanging out. I felt free of everything. I was free of problems at home, free of annoying cheerleaders, free of any bad feelings. There was no pressure to act a certain way or anything like that. We just talked and caught up with each other, acted crazy and ranted about stuff that was bugging us. It was the way things were supposed to be. I saw it and wished that he could too.