Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the universe S Meyer created. There may (or may not) be strong language or subjects in this chapter...

AN: Beware - cute and fluffiness ahead.

For Some Reason
Chapter 12

"Let me see it, pleeeeeaasssse," I begged.

"Bella it's really personal."

"Personal? Are you frickin kidding me?! I told you my secrets and answered all of your questions!"

"I'm just not ready…"

"I am not talking to you anymore," I dropped my head against the kitchen table.

"Bellllaaa, don't pout," Edward whined.

For the past few days, everyone had been coming over to my house to hang out after school, but since today was Friday, I was alone with Edward. Rose and Emmett went to Port Angeles for their first real date – one that wasn't chaperoned – and Jasper and Alice were doing something somewhere. I didn't really know what they were up to, and part of me didn't want to.

I stayed silent closing my eyes. I could hear Edward sighing heavily and his fingers tapping against the table. Edward had taken the whole curse thing really well. Too well. We talked about the first few weeks of school, the incident as the movie theater, and my situation with the wolves. I explained everything that he asked about, and he just accepted it and was eager to know more. Neither of us mentioned Mike Newton or gym.

But when I asked him about his tattoo, he wouldn't tell me. I tried Emmett and their parents, but Edward always intervened. When I would ask Emmett, he'd clam up and start thinking in Spanish. I tried Carlisle, but Edward was there clinging onto my arm so that I couldn't hear anyone. I even tried calling Esme on the phone pretending that I wanted a certain recipe, but Edward answered the phone and wouldn't let me talk to her offering to look up the recipe himself. It was ridiculous…

"Really Bella? Are you even still breathing?" he asked, obviously rolling his eyes at me. I smiled into the table and I was glad most of my hair was hiding my face.

"Aah!" I jumped when something cold touched my neck. I sat up to Edward with a huge grin on his face leaning across the table. "Your fingers are freezing!"

"I had to make sure you were still alive," he grinned at my scowl. "Okay… I'll show you if you promise to do something for me…"

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise."

"Of course it is," I scoffed rubbing my forehead. When I looked back up at him, his smile was gone and he looked somber.

"Do I give you headaches?"

"No actually, but you're a pain in the ass," I told him as he fought a smile.

"It's a surprise, but your dad gave me permission to take you there."

"No he didn't," I shook my head.

"I can prove it," he pulled out his phone and suddenly it was ringing loudly for both of us to hear.

"Edward?" Dad's voice sounded from it.

"Hello Chief Swan, Bella needs affirmation that I'm allowed to drive her to Port Angeles."

"Port Angeles?" I questioned.

"Bella? I've given him permission, but he's not allowed to just drag you around. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but I wouldn't have agreed to it if I didn't think you would enjoy it."

"Alright, thanks Dad. I'll see you tonight then," I sighed, knowing I had lost. I looked back up expecting to see a cheeky smirk on his face, but he was calm, waiting for my decision. "Fine, but I have one condition."

"Of course you do," he smiled resting his chin in his hand.

"I get to drive."

"But you don't even know where we're even going. And it's not like I can kidnap you or anything," he object.

"You still could. You could drug me up and sell me into some sex trafficking thing or cut me up into tiny pieces and blend me into a human smoothie."

"Where do you get this stuff?" he asked incredulously. "I know you don't watch TV."

"But I still watch the news…"

"Fair enough."

It took us an hour and twenty minutes to get to Port Angeles much to Edward's dismay. He fretted and stressed that we were going to be late, and he hadn't realized that I was going to drive five miles under the speed limit. He'd shut up when I lied and told him I needed silence to concentrate on the roads - though I had been driving since I was thirteen because Dad said that I needed to know in case of an emergency. I could probably drive with my eyes closed.

"Take a left here…"

"Why are you even here tonight?" I asked him, carefully turning the corner.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you have something exciting to do?"

"What?" he sounded confused.

"You don't have to hang out with me just because we're the fifth wheels. I wouldn't mind if you wanted to go hang out with Jessica or someone else," I told him. He shouldn't have to hand out with me because he felt guilty or that he had to.

"Are you – you are – Bella," he groaned. "Listen to me, we're friends. I'm your friend and you're my friend. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be, and this is going to be exciting."

"Okay," I answered quietly to his strong response.

"It's up on the right… get ready to turn… right here," he pointed for me to turn into the parking lot of the movie theater.

"Um… you know I'm banned from here, right?" I asked unsure of this surprise.

"Trust me it's okay. Plus they wouldn't stop a pretty girl like you," he said opening the door and jumping out. I sat motionless for a moment not sure if I'd heard him correctly.

"Wait a minute," I rolled down my window as Edward walked around to my door.

"What now?"

"We're here. Show me."

"You have to get out of the truck first then I'll show you," he said pulling on the locked door handle. "Bella…" he nearly growled.

"Show me first," I smirked at him. He leaned forward against the truck resting his hands above the window. I gulped at our close proximity and my breathing quickened.

"Alright," he pushed off the truck and pulled the snaps of the wristband. He held up the piece of leather and tossed it through the window turning on his heel. Wait… where was he going? "Come catch me!"

"Wait! Wait for me," I yelled grumbling to myself as I quickly turned the lever to roll up the window. I flung myself out of the truck and hurried to where Edward stood waiting.

"Happy?" he asked holding out his right arm. I held his wrist to look at it carefully as we continued walking.

On the underside of his wrist, there was a coat of arms. One that I had seen before on Emmett's back. It was relatively large for his wrist, and the black and grays stood out against his pale skin. A decorative lion, shamrocks, and a hand.

"Would you like something from the concession stand?" Edward's voice woke me from my daze. We were sitting a dimly lit room with people filing in and out.

"What? No thank you. How did we get in here?" I had completely zoned out and I didn't even remember buying the tickets.

"Your feet did this strange thing called walking, and I had these pieces of paper called tickets that allowed us admission to this room," he smiled.

"Don't be a smartass. I don't remember buying tickets. What movie are we seeing?"

"I bought the tickets a few days ago. So many questions about the movie. I thought you'd be babbling a million about the tattoo," he laughed.

"Oh… right. I've seen this before, but bigger on Emmett…"

"Size doesn't always matter," he shot back leaning away from me.

"Okay I'm just saying – never mind I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, but will you tell me more about it?" I asked nicely.

"It's the Cullen crest. My dad had it tattooed on his shoulder on his 21st birthday. He was drunk, but at least it wasn't something stupid like a stethoscope. And last year, Esme asked Em and me if we thought she should get a tattoo. We went with her and she signed the permission slips for us to get one too. We all got the same thing – just in different places. Emmett's on his shoulder, mine on my wrist, and Esme… well we're not exactly sure. She asked us to leave the room," he winced.

"And you kept it from your dad?"

"Well Esme had told us then that it was just our little secret, but apparently even though she wanted it to be a surprise, she'd discussed it with him first. He'd agreed, but he pretended not to know about it. He got a few laughs when we thought we were being sneaky…"

"Did it hurt?"

"Uh yeah, but then my whole arm went numb and it kind of tickled."

"So are you still going to wear the wristband?"

"I don't know. Maybe… probably… yeah," he thought it over.

"Why?"

"I don't know. Out of habit I guess. Will other people make a big deal about it like you did?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You were the one to make it a big deal by not showing it to me in the first place," I scoffed at him. "So what movie is this?"

"Guess," he smiled. I hated guessing games with Edward.

"Face Punch." It was the first thing to pop into my head because it was the only movie that I knew was playing now. Guys at school had been talking about it for weeks. "Wait no, that's rated-R…"

"Wait, what does that have to do with it?" Edward stopped me.

"Because you bought the tickets, and you have to be seventeen to get into rated-R movies."

"Who said I wasn't seventeen?"

"Well how old are you?"

"Seventeen!" he laughed.

"How long have you been seventeen?"

"Um… awhile."

"Ugh, just tell me when your birthday is. You know mine!" I pointed out. "How else am I going to know when to bake you cookies?"

"June 20th," he nodded quickly.

"And that was a big secret because…?" I asked him.

"Because I should be a senior now, and I don't like people thinking that I failed a grade or wondering why I'm a year behind. And I don't like telling people that I was sick when I was little…"

"You shouldn't worry about what people think about you. Life is a lot easier that way… look how I turned out," I laughed humorlessly.

"You're right. You're amazing," he said right as the lights dimmed. Again I wasn't sure if I hadn't heard him correctly.

"Oh sorry," I whispered letting go of his arm. I hadn't realized why my head was so quiet.

"No it's okay. You can't hear anything right?" he whispered back grabbing my hand, our hands cupped together. I was stunned as I sat there holding his hand. My own felt small and alive. The contact made whole body tingle.

The opening scenes of the movie pulled my attention to the screen, and I gasped at the Mr. Potato Head dressed as a bank robber. How was this possible? How did he do this? My mind couldn't comprehend it. Edward pulled me out of my seat and led me out of the dark theater as the credits were rolling. The two hours went by fast. I had been entranced the entire time. When I saw the familiar security guard in the lobby, I hid my face in Edward's side. His eyes danced over us before moving onto the next person.

"So what did you think?" Edward asked smiling down at me, and my breathing hitched. Edward was way too beautiful from this close up.

"How did – that was – I'm confused. How did you do this?"

"Oh I didn't. I wish I did though, but it was a lucky coincidence. There's gonna be a third one next summer and the studio's released the first two for promotion," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, they're showing the second one too?"

"Yeah, we have to be back in our seats in ten minutes."

"What?" I knitted my eyes.

"It's a double feature," he handed me a ticket stub that read Toy Story 1 & 2.

"Thank you, this was a nice surprise," I smiled at him.

"Edward?" Jessica appeared next to us.

"Oh hey Jessica, what's up?"

"Nothing much, we're all here to see Face Punch," she thumbed behind her at a large group of kids from school. Edward looked that way and her eyes flicked down to my hand, still clasped in Edward's. My hand felt heavy as I let go of Edward and tried to pull it away, but he just gripped it tighter.

"Oh, Bella and I are seeing Toy Story."

"I totally wanted to see it, but I was overruled," she pouted.

"Hmm, well we have to get back in there. See you at school," he nodded pulling me away as she mumbled a goodbye. "Did you want anything?" he asked suggesting to the concession stand.

"No I'm good, thanks."

"So what's your beef with Jessica?" he asked as we settled back into our seats.

"What? I have nothing against her," I shook my head.

"Liar."

"There's nothing. We just don't get along well. You know I don't get along well with that many people," I raised an eyebrow at him. It wasn't that I didn't get along with people, they just didn't want to get along with me…

"Uh huh, right. Tell me."

"No, I don't want to," I blushed shaking my head, trying to rid the flash of a horrible memory.

"So there IS something to tell," he grinned.

"You are…" I gritted my teeth.

"Handsome. Clever. Curious?" His smile grew.

"Awful," I turned away so he couldn't see my face. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from smiling.

I enjoyed the second movie as much as the first one, and I was still amazed that he did this. I had only briefly mentioned my attempt of seeing Toy Story when I was little, but he remembered. And he was still held my hand – never letting me go once.

The next morning I found Rosalie on my couch playing Nintendo.

"How was your date?" Rose stared at the television.

"What date?" I blinked confused, not fully awake yet.

"Edward took you to the movies… that date?"

"That wasn't a date, and he practically forced me to go. Plus I don't like Edward like that," I corrected her pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

"I know you're initials are BS and all, but you can tell me the truth. I know I'm not Jasper, but I understand things too. Well I'm learning..."

"Rose, I promise. I don't like him in that way," I told her. She watched at me for a moment before continuing the game mumbling something about the Nile river.

Though I had to admit, I found Edward very, very attractive. Even a blind person would, but he just wasn't my type. I had accepted that I would live and be alone for the rest of my life; I wasn't too upset about it. If I got lonely, I would get thirty-seven cats and be that crazy cat lady of Forks.

"Did Dad come home?" I chewed sitting next to her.

"No he's at work. He texted me to come over until you woke up."

"Oh…" Dad had been working later and longer lately, and I didn't think he was just over at Sue's all the time. "Emmett's here," I said turning my head to the front door.

"He is?!" Rose jumped up and hurried to look out the window as she straightened her clothes and fixed her hair. I laughed when she looked back at me disappointed and confused.

"Made you look," I choked on my cereal.

"Bella Swan," her cheeks reddened as she stomped her foot. "I'm going to get you."

"Unh uh." Part of me panicked as the rest was still laughing. I popped up from the couch and ran behind it as she chased me. She gave the meanest pinches and it was best to try to avoid them. I escaped behind the couch and hurried up the stairs, slamming my door closed before slipping into the hallway bathroom. I tried my best to stay silent as Rose ran up the stairs. As soon as she closed the door behind her, I banged my knee on the door jam running down the stairs to the back door. I walked around the side of the house as my breathing slowed and I started regretting coming outside. The shorts I had worn to bed were one of my smaller pairs and my legs and feet were freezing. I should just have taken the pinch.

Bella? What is she doing? I looked up from the ground and found Emmett and Edward getting out their car. I waved feebly at them.

"What are you doing?" Emmett called over. Edward looked me over and suddenly I felt very naked.

"Um, running from Rose," I told him realizing I should warn her that Emmett was actually here. Shit! I turned and ran to the front door as Rose flung the screen door open.

"Bella!" she ran down the steps.

"Rose wait!" I shouted trying to stop her as she collided with me, and we fell to the ground. "Emmett's here," I groaned.

"What?" she grumbled.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt, Sunshine?" Emmett's voice sounded over us.

"Emmett?" She looked up at him with wide eyes before she started giggling, her cheeks red. "You're here..."

"Sunshine?" I questioned at her.

"Shut it," she grunted at me as she sat up and brushed some of the mud off before leaning over to pinch me.

"Ow!" I rubbed my arm as she smirked at me and Emmett pulled her up. She started explaining what happened to Emmett as they made their way to the Hale house.

"Um, are you okay?" Edward asked with a blank face leaning over.

"Yeah I think so. I'll be sore tomorrow though," I sat up stretching out my muscles.

"Good because that was the funniest thing I'd ever seen!" Edward choked out with laughter. His cheeks were red and his eyes were watering.

"This is so embarrassing," I grumbled wiping the mud off my hands.

"Is it more embarrassing than the Jessica thing?"

"Why do you always remember the things that I don't want you to remember?"

"Because I remember everything that you tell me Bella," he said helping me up.

"Oh that's so sweet," I told him sweetly before wrapping my arms around him for a hug hoping most of the mud would rub onto him.

"Ew Bella…" He tensed as I pressed most of my body against him.

"You asked for it," I laughed pulling away to see that his shirt was dirty.

"No, this is me asking for it." He leaned down and pulled me out from under my knees, picking me up.

"No put me down." My arms wrapped around his neck so he wouldn't drop me.

"Nope… man your legs are freezing," he complained rubbing the side of my thigh, walking up the porch steps.

"Err thanks," I mumbled when he put me down in the kitchen.

"No problem, now hurry up and go put some clothes on. I have something to show you."

"Okay," I surrendered. I didn't feel like protesting… Apparently holding my hand wasn't the only way he could make my body shiver.

I showered off the mud quickly and then shrugged into a pair of jeans and a warm flannel shirt. Edward was in the kitchen standing where I left him, staring at something on the refrigerator.

"I have this picture in my room… I thought it was Esme," he pointed to a black and white photograph of me. I was five and I was sitting on the leather sofa in library of the Masen house. Tilde had taken it while I was reading The Secret Garden. It was one of the few pictures of my self that I actually liked.

"Yeah well if you look close enough, you'll see my name everywhere in that house."

"Wait, your middle name is Marie, right?" he whipped his head at me. "I figured it out… ha! I can't wait to tell Emmett," he smiled at me.

"What's going on?"

"You're Imes. They're initials. They're your initials. Ever since we moved here, we saw IMS everywhere, and not even at our house but around town," he explained. I vaguely remember Emmett talking about it. "It was sort of a big mystery for us. We were trying to figure who Imes was…"

"Oh… and it took you how long Nancy Drew?"

"Five months," he thought out loud.

"Five months? That's an insult to Nancy," I smirked.

"Oh be quiet, let's go," he rolled his eyes at me as I followed him out the door. He walked halfway around my house and stopped to look at me. "What, no interrogation today?" he laughed.

"No I trust you," I shrugged.

"Okay, well I actually need you to lead us to the meadow, since I have no idea where I'm going," he waved me forward.

We were silent as we walked the back trail, and my mind kept replaying what Rose had said earlier. Had last night been a date? He'd asked my father for permission, we went to the movies, and there was handholding… No it wasn't a date. First, he didn't ask me out, and second, he didn't like me in that way, and third, I didn't like him like that either…

At least, I didn't think so.

"Okay wait," Edward stopped me. When I looked back at him, he had an excited smile on his face which made his eyes more a vibrant green. "Close your eyes. No peeking."

"Alright," I nodded closing my eyes as he stood behind me inching me forward slowly.

"Okay so I told Esme that I found the meadow," he spoke softly in my left ear. "And she started telling me all these stories about it. She told me how her mother used to garden everyday and there used to be flowers everywhere. It was her favorite place in the entire world, so I figured you had similar sentiments.

"I cheated, but I think you'll still like it… Open your eyes."

Color was the first thing I noticed, and it wasn't green. Purple, white, and yellow wildflowers splattered the meadow except for the small area in the middle where we stood.

"How did you…?" I stammered. He was right, I did like it.

"I bought this bag of seed mix for shade and all I had to do was throw it around and flowers would bloom. It took a month though, but I just had to wait it out. So you like it?" he asked nervously.

"I love it. You did this for me?"

"Yep," he grinned proud of himself. He sat down pulling me with him and we fell into comfortable silence.

He did this for me. He'd been planning this for a month – way before he found out about my curse. He took me to the movies and held my hand so I could watch it in silence. He stood up to Mike Newton in a locker room full of witnesses, and he still wanted to be my friend after everything. I liked Edward. He was a nice person; he cared about his family; he was beautiful, smart, funny, and annoyed the hell out me sometimes. My skin tingled when he touched me, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach when he looked at me.

I really liked Edward in that way.

I was screwed.

AN: I think if you go back through the chapters and reread them – basically every time Bella said "for some reason" it was because she liked Edward... I think.

Yeah so I've been planning this chapter since last October… when Toy Story 1 and 2 came out again for two weeks. What is it now April? May? Oh and I totally messed up the dates with the movie. Toy Story came out in 1995 and Bella would only have been three, but I said she was five earlier… it was actually me who may have 5 or 6 at the time. Whoops…

And his tattoo was just the Cullen crest. Sorry I didn't come up with anything super cool and exciting, but I like how they have their own piece of jewelry in the movies… but my Cullens have tattoos.

Also my story Passing Notes has been nominated for "The Fanfiction You Couldn't Stop Reading" award in the Class of 2010 Awards at the "Twilight All Human Fanfiction Awards"… I know right? But I'm supposed to encourage you guys to go nominate for all your favorites. There's a bunch of categories like "the fanfiction that had you crying with laughter" and "the fanfiction with the best ending"... hint hint on that one... wow i cant believe i just did that.

So go nominate your favorites and there's a link to the FF account for the site under my favorite authors.

I'm totally flattered and a little bit embarrassed because I doubt I'll win, but thank you. I'm going to post a very fluffy outtake for Passing Notes to let you know when voting starts.

THANKS FOR READING!!