Disclaimer: I own everything but their names.

July 13, 2001 – Santa Cruz, California

"How's it going with the surf guru back there?" Jasper asked.

I scowled at him across the store. "It's not."

He looked confused. "What? Haven't you guys been out on the water almost every day since last week?"

"Yeah."

"Then why isn't it going?"

I really didn't want to admit to Jasper how bad I was, but I knew he would push until I admitted the truth.

"Because I'm horrible," I replied quietly.

Jasper started laughing then. Hard. Like, bent over and out of breath hard. I was tempted to punch him.

Childishly, I stomped my foot. "Dude," I said, hoping he'd hear the irritation in my voice. The week had been stressful enough without him adding to the pile of crazy going on inside my head by picking on me.

Jasper rolled his eyes and hopped up on the counter, smiling. "Don't 'dude' me. You're being ridiculous; we all sucked at first."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right."

"I'm not kidding. It took me like a year before I was able to go out there and catch almost any wave I wanted. And I didn't get 'lessons' like you did. With Dad and Edward as teachers, it was sink or swim. I had to learn by watching, honey. You're lucky he didn't just throw you out there to the sharks."

"Maybe he should have," I said snottily.

Jasper ignored me, and I couldn't blame him. I was a freaking mess. I'd been treating everyone around me like it was their fault I hadn't stood up on a wave yet.

Most of all, Edward.

He took my attitude in stride, always remaining his usual positive self. Sometimes annoyingly so. He just shook off everything like nothing I said or did bothered him in the least. And that bothered me.

I wanted him to be bothered. I wanted a reaction. Something. Anything. Even if it was anger.

My dreams about him hadn't gotten any better. Well, that's not true… they'd gotten a whole lot better. But that didn't make them easier to deal with in the morning. And I knew it wasn't just my epic surf failure causing me to act like a big brat. It was the fact that they were just dreams and I wanted so badly for them to be real.

"You know he wouldn't do that, don't you?" Jasper asked.

"Do what?"

"Throw you to the sharks… Edward's not that kind of guy."

I nodded. I knew that. "I know."

That afternoon, Edward came out of his office with his keys in his hand, avoiding eye contact with me. "I'll be back," he told Jasper.

As he pushed open the door, he looked at me, offering a tilt of his chin before he disappeared.

It wasn't long before he returned with Lisle in tow. Since he'd spent the previous weekend with his mom, it was our first time seeing each other since the holiday.

The way his face lit up when Edward set him on his feet completely changed my world. There was something about that little boy that made everything better.

He ran toward me, completely ignoring Jasper as he buried his face against my legs. "Bella!" He looked up at me with a huge smile.

"Hey, bud. Whatcha doing?"

"Come see my new toy," he insisted excitedly, grabbing my hand and tugging on me to follow him.

With a laugh, I went.

In the back, I lowered myself to sit on the floor. Lisle crawled into my lap, bouncing as Edward sat down across from us on the edge of the couch and unloaded his son's new toy on the floor.

"Legos!" Lisle babbled on, flaunting with everything he had.

I tried to listen attentively to everything, but Edward being so close was… distracting. I could feel the awkward tension coating the air around us.

And I hated it.

"I'm sorry," I blurted, looking up at Edward briefly as I helped Lisle assemble a tree.

Edward opened his mouth, but Lisle beat him to it. "Why you sorry, Bella?"

I heard Edward chuckle, but focused my attention on Lisle. "I'm sorry for being a meanie to your daddy."

Lisle got that look kids get when they're really trying to work something out. All perplexed and squishy faced and cute. He narrowed his eyes a little and pouted his lower lip before letting out a big sigh. "Why you mean to Dada?"

"I didn't mean to be, but sometimes things happen."

"I fink you should tell him you sorry. Dat always works f'me."

"Oh, really?" I asked, tickling his sides.

He giggled. "Yes huh and 'den you get ice cream for bein' a good boy!"

Edward and I both laughed, and I shifted my eyes to back him. His look alone said that all was forgiven. Now I just had to get myself back out there and prove to both of us that I could do this.

Leave it to Lisle to relieve some of that tension, yeah? Plus, ice cream is awesome.

Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, tweeting, everything. I am completely kerfluffled (yes, I totally said that) about how well this story's been received so far. You all make me an amazingly happy woman.

Reviews are love.

Until tomorrow!

xx