Note: Parts of this chapter are going to seem a little random, just so you know. A lot of random facts that I never added in before. You will have a bit more background info on everyone after this though and it will save us all time later! Please keep the reviews coming!!
Disclaimer: I take no credit in the characters within this story; those are the sole work of Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. I do, however, take credit for the specific, new traits I gave them and am quite proud of them.
I glared at Edward again and his eyes were glued to me as I debated in my head.Did I want to live in my closet or just agree and get it over with? I would lose in the end anyways, right? Two of them against one of me was just not fair. I began to think about it. Alice did know her stuff, obviously, or she wouldn't be a manager at one of the nicest(nicest what?) on Mercer Island, but then at the same time she had the body and it seemed like she had convinced herself that I did as well. I looked back to Edward. It was worse to have him against me than Alice simply because of his amazing ability to make people feel like it would all be alright, a trait that was perfect for his desired profession as a doctor, following in his fathers footsteps. I let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll wear if we end up going somewhere where it would be appropriate."
Edward smiled and stepped back, letting me out of the closet. I shook my head, hitting his arm with a good punch as I passed him. He just laughed, like my swing didn't even hurt. I shot him another glare before walking out into the living room, Alice close on my heels. "So, what are we ordering?
"Whatever you guys want. Chinese? Pizza? Pasta? Everyone here delivers in Yakima because it gets them more business. Prices can be a bitch, depending on the price of gas, but that's not important now, is it?" I said, picking up a phone book that was on top of the coffee table. "So, what are we in the mood for?"
"Do you have a barbeque place anywhere?" Edward asked, flopping down on the couch, a lazy look as he lounged. I felt myself begin to drool… for barbeque of course. Why else would I be drooling? Oh god.
"We have a few. Exactly what did you have in mind? Ribs or something like that? Or burgers? Pulled pork?"
"Ribs." Alice said, taking a seat next to Edward while I stood up and headed for the kitchen to order, my fingers already fanning through the phonebook to get to my favorite place for ribs. The meat practically fell off the bone and they didn't jip you on your barbeque sauce. When I reached the number I lifted the phone and dialed it, waiting for someone to answer.
"Thank you for calling Bobby's Barbeque, this is Kim speaking. How can I help you today?" She sound bored, and I could hear All She Wants to Do is Dance playing in the background, followed by whoops.
"Yeah, I need to place an order for delivery." I said, staring at my fridge blankly.
"Okay. What can I get for you?" She asked, her voice almost waking up. They must be pretty dead.
"I need three orders of ribs, two of potato wedges, and one of coleslaw." I said, knowing that was more of a classic barbeque side than the other things plaguing the menu.
I heard her calling off the order to the kitchen staff and a minute later she was back, asking for my address. I told her and she sighed before giving me my total. I didn't blame her for sighing; I was on the outskirts of Yakima and the road that you had to take to my house was not a smooth one. In my opinion, it was perfect though. Not only did it keep me from getting unwanted visitors, but I felt so secluded in the group of trees. It gave me the peace I needed to write, not to mention ideas. I hung up the phone and went back into my living room, smiling at the others as I took a seat in my leather armchair and looked at the blank TV.
"What do we want to watch?" I asked, looking over at Edward again. He was looking at Alice who was on the floor in front of the TV, searching through the stacks of DVD's under it. I had only seen a few of them, never really that interested in watching much.
"Oh we should watch Silence of the Lambs! I haven't seen that in years! And The Shining! Lets have a horror fest!" Alice said, pulling out a few movies before looking at us.
I shrugged. "Sound fine to me."
Edward just bobbed his head, his eyes turning and looking out the window. I looked as well, seeing the sun reflected in the river that was visible. I smiled. I have never been one for big places but this place was perfect for me. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"Yeah." He said, his eyes tracing the visible bank. "It is."
I smiled, glad that he could see the place like I did. I didn't have very many people out to my house and most of them only saw it as an out of the way place, which was quite true. But I loved the house more than most things; it served to prove my independence and showed that I had no need for others. I stared out at the water again, watching it edge up onto the banks only to be pushed away quickly.
--
We finished the assignment really early, our couple's family history giving us everything we needed to pick the three possibilities from our list. I pulled out my notebook and began doodling; trying not to look out of the corner of my eye at him, though I must admit it was incredibly difficult.
"So, I was told, and yes, I do meantold, to find out if you would possibly want to come to a barbeque that my family is throwing this weekend. Alice is dying to prancing you around." I heard Edward say beside me. I managed not too look at him as I thought it over, still doodling.
"I don't see why not. I'll have to check with Charlie of course, but I doubt he'll mind." I said, keeping my smile from coming out. "I'll have to let you know tomorrow."
"Great. Alice will be happy." He said and this time I did glance at him. His lips were kind of upturned, but it was probably due to the book that was open in front of him.
I wished he would keep talking to me. After a moment I pulled my eyes away from him. "Do you like to read then?"
He turned toward me as I continued to draw. "Yeah. More than anything really. Nothing quite like a good book that leaves you thinking. Do you?"
"Very much." I said, smiling to myself.
"Who's your favorite author?"
"Jane Austen." I said without thinking. I felt myself begin to blush, but managed to hide it with my hair as I continued to doodle.
" 'Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.'" He said quietly in his musical voice, quoting Pride and Prejudice exactly.
"Very good, but not my favorite quote. 'Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society . . .' from that particular book simply because it really shows how witty she was and how little she cared about what readers would think."
"And what your all time favorite?" he asked. I looked at him to find that he had turned toward me, finding the conversation interesting apparently.
"'There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere . . .'" I recited easily.
"The very core of human nature." He said, smiling a bit.
"Yeah." I agreed with a sigh, looking up into his eyes. "A sad one too. A consistency that is made up of nothing but the opposite. Makes you wonder if she picked up on that when she wrote it."
"I have a feeling she did. Her writing makes her seem like an extremely wise person; I would be surprised if that wasn't her central point of that quote." He said, nodding as he spoke. I stared at him, surprised by how this conversation was going. I had never actually had an intellectual conversation about Jane Austen before.
"I have to say that I'm surprised that you've read anything by her. You don't really seem the type." I said, letting the corners of my mouth to show that I was teasing him.
"Well, sometimes there is nothing quite like a good English novel. I'll admit that I'm more of a Shakespeare guy myself, but sometimes the sarcastic humor of Jane Austen proves to be better for my mood than Hamlet." He smiled as he tilted his head a little, laughing at my face.
"I can see why you would say that." I say nodding. "Don't get me wrong, there is nothing quite like Shakespeare, but I don't think Hamlet could ever be compared to Pride and Prejudice or Persuasion."
He laughed again. "No. Probably not."
--
"There seems something more speakingly incomprehensible in the powers, the failures, the inequalities of memory, than in any other of our intelligences." I whispered as I came back, realizing I was still staring out at the frothing river.
"What?" Edward asked, looking over at me, a strange set to his mouth.
"Nothing." I said, giving a weak smile. "Just talking to myself."
He nodded for a second but kept looking at me. "When will I get to read something of yours, Bella?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I specifically remember sending you a signed copy of my book last year."
He smiled. "I meant something else. I read that book the day that I got it. I couldn't stop reading it. Your language was so… exaggerated and the sarcasm was just seething through that I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop laughing the entire time, just imagining you as you wrote it."
"What else would you like to read?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who says I'm writing something else?"
He smiled. "Because I know you."
I blushed and looked over at Alice who was still pulling movies out of the cabinet. "You know Alice, if you take your time going through all of them we won't have to watch any of them."
"I'm trying to hold it off as long as I can so that it'll be dark. You can't have a horror fest while its still light out; besides, the food's not here yet."
As if on cue I heard the crunch of gravel outside. I stood up and hurried into my office where I grabbed my purse and pulled out my money before answering the door before anyone knocked. "Okay, I've got three ribs, two potato wedges, and one coleslaw to deliver to a Miss Bella Swan." The guy standing outside said, staring down at a piece of paper. He looked up, smiling a little. "Is that you?"
"Yes." I said, smiling back before handing over the money along with a nice tip. He took it and handed over two bags. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome Miss Swan." He said with a wink, and then walked away. I shook my head a little as I stepped back through the door and went straight into the kitchen. I placed the contents of each box onto a plate and then grabbed forks and lots of napkins from the drawer before beginning to carry the food back into the living room. The two of them looked at the plates hungrily as I went back to the kitchen to get the rest of the plates.
"What would you guys like to drink?" I asked, looking down at Alice first.
"That lemonade was delicious earlier." She said with a smile. I laughed and nodded at her.
"Same here Bells." Edward said, picking up a piece of potato and taking a bite.
I hurried back into the kitchen, getting out the lemonade and pouring three glasses before cutting and sugaring some lemon rings again. I carried all of the glasses back out and took my seat on the floor beside a plate of ribs. I could smell them, making my mouth water almost as much as Edward did…. I froze as the thought crossed my mind and all I wanted to do was bang my head against the table. I had to stop that. I couldn't think like that right now. After I yelled at myself for a minute I picked up a rib, looking at Alice who was nibbling on one of her own, a blissful look on her face. I took a bite, the meat coming off easily.
"These are so good." Edward said. I looked at just in time to see him wipe some sauce from his chin. "I'm sure this place does great business."
I just nodded, taking another bite of meat and chewing it slowly while I scanned the small stack of DVD's that Alice had pulled out. I could read some of the titles, but hadn't seen any of them yet. "Signs?"
Alice looked at me. "You haven't seen Signs?"
"No. I don't watch much TV."
She smiled at me, her eyes dancing. "That one's first then! It's a great movie; all about aliens and stuff."
I laughed. "Aliens? And that's scary?"
"Just wait." She said, taking a bite of one of her ribs before turning around and turning on theTV before slipping the DVD into the player. I moved around the table, sitting with my back pushed against the couch so I was more comfortable, Edward's legs not a foot away as he munched on the food. "It's actually a really good movie."
I was skeptical, but just relaxed and watched as the movie started, my eyes continuously trying to turn and stare at the jean clad legs that were so close. After about ten minutes I gave up on trying to stop myself from looking at them and just got up on the couch for a better view. Inside I was kind of laughing at the thought that I was actually a girl checking out a guy's legs rather than the other way around. It just didn't seem quite right.
I was distracted from him soon enough, though, as I got sucked into the movie. Halfway through I was jumping every five minutes or so, making Edward laugh a little every time. I would shoot him a look, but didn't say anything before going back to the movie, dying to know what would happen. Nearing the end, when they were in the basement and felt the draft I was sucked in, nearly leaning off the couch as I watched the beams of the flashlight turn to the son two seconds before he's ripped backwards. I jumped and squealed when it happened, surprised at myself.
"I didn't think aliens could be scary?" Edward said, making it sound like a question.
I turned to make a comment about him being a smart ass when I saw that he had leaned toward me, his face just inches from mine. He laughed a little, his breath warming my face as I tried to tear my eyes from his. It was all but impossible until he leaned back, still chuckling to himself. I let out a breath, not even realizing that I had been holding it.
My eyes went back to the screen, not really focusing on the alien holding the boy. I was still caught up in his proximity, the glow that had been in his eyes. I wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss him then, almost more than I ever had before. I wrapped my arms around myself, willing myself not to jump on him. I flashed back, remember the one time I had almost given in.
--
God it was hot outside. "Alice, of all days to choose to be outside, you had to choose the one where Forks actually got to be a hundred degrees."
"Don't complain. It's a pool party; go cool off."
I stared at her, raising my eyebrows before pointing down at my clothes, a dark blue tank and a pair of black shorts. "I'm not exactly dressed to swim."
"Well, if you had just brought your bathing suit like I told you to you would have been." She said shortly, but I could see the smile begin to crack at the edges of her lips. "See what happens when you don't listen to me?"
"What did Bella not listen to?" Emmett asked, climbing out of the pool and looking at me with a smirk.
"I told her to bring her bathing suit and she refused." Alice said with a wave of her hand at me. "Despite the fact that I told her we were going swimming and that it would be hot."
"She can still go swimming." Edward said, wandering over. "Just hop in."
I cast him a look. My breath hitched as I saw his wet chest so perfect that it emptied my mind of coherent thought. I had to shake my head a little to clear my head. It had been over a year since I had met him and yet he still managed to take my breath away without even trying. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't exactly have anything to change into once I'm completely soaked."
He smiled and shrugged. "So? Just stay in those till you get home. What are you so worried about?"
"I'm not worried." I said, shaking my head. It was true; I wasn't worried because I wasn't getting the pool as long as Edward was getting in or, basically, anywhere near me without clothes on.
"Then get in. You're obviously hot." Emmett said simply nudging me off of my chair and taking it for himself.
"No, really, I'm okay." I said, "I think I'm just gonna go take a walk."
Before I even had a chance to walk away I was off my feet. I yelled out, shocked by the sudden wet grip on my legs as Edward tossed me over his shoulder.
"Edward! Put me down!" I yelled, my hand reaching around and slapping at his arm.
"Okay." He said simply and I let out a breath, thankful. Well, until he tossed me into the water. I came up sputtering and glaring at him. "Better?"
"I can't believe you just did that!" I screamed at him, treading water. "I still have my fucking shoes on and everything!"
He smiled and jumped into the pool, landing only a foot or so away from me. I shook my head as I tried to clear my head of the thought that I had just been thrown across his half naked body, when I felt a hand wrap around my ankle. I squealed, trying to kick away seconds before I was pulled under. I felt the shoe on my foot disappear just before my other ankle was grabbed. That shoe was gone in a second too, and I was released. I broke surface, taking deep breaths of air.
Edward surfaced a foot or so away, with both of my sneakers in his hand and a wicked smile on his face. "There. All better."
I splashed him as I continued to take deep breaths. He laughed before swimming to the edge and setting my shoes on it. When he turned around I saw the smile had grown a bit as he looked over at me. Then he dove back down. I watched his body swim toward me and turned, trying to swim away, but my clothes made it unusually difficult. A second later I was submerged again as he pulled me down by my ankle once more. I felt his fingers run along the center of my foot, tickling like no other. I squealed in the water, trying to kick away from him. He kept a firm hold and kept tickling me, looking up at my face as I struggled to get back to the surface. With one last run of his finger over my foot he released me, watching as I swam upwards. I sucked in air when I broke surface again. Edward surfaced not too far away, his grin still in place as he laughed. I stared at him hard, his eyes meeting mine. I watched as he stroked the water, holding himself above it.
I was struck then, again, by how incredibly beautiful the boy was. And, I mean, I had been noticing this every day for the last year, so that wasn't that surprising. The weird part was that suddenly I could feel just how beautiful he was. Feel how much I wanted him. And then, without a second thought I launched myself at him. Our bodies crashed together, a shocked look on his face as we went under water, one of my arms pushing against his perfect chest while the other held onto his shoulder. I saw his eyes were still wide as I pushed us a little further under water, letting my entire body lay against his. I was just about to kiss him when he started laughing. A mood kill to say the least. I moved my hand off his shoulder and gave him a single shove down before swimming up to the surface.
He was there a few seconds later. "I've never seen you take revenge Bella. You surprised me."
He thought I had done it to get back at him? I wanted to laugh at that, imagining how it probably looked to him. "Well, you ruined my shoes."
He laughed again and splashed me before swimming to the edge and pulling himself out of the water.
--
"What do you think Bella? The Shining next? Watch Jack Nicholson be creepy?"
I smiled at her. "Sure, why not?"
She popped the movie in and I shook myself a bit to try to rise out of my paralysis. Then I reached forward and grabbed my last rib and put it to my mouth. They weren't as bad cold as you would think.
It didn't take me long to finish it off. Edward chuckled beside me and I looked over at him only to see that he was looking at me while he laughed. "What?"
He leaned forward, lifting his hand to my face.