Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The remainder of the words, plot and lackluster formatting belong to me. Please do not repost the story without authorization.
Word prompts: report, resort, retort.
Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, use all three.
Not beta'd.
I slip into the passenger seat, eyes averted, and utter a greeting before I lose my nerve. "Hi, you must be Masen. I'm Bella Swan. Thanks for doing this. I'd never be able to get to school without you." While I speak, I stash my backpack on the floor between my feet, buckle my seatbelt, and fold my hands in my lap, all in an effort to avoid his gaze. I'm chicken, but I don't know why.
Even though I'm clearly ready to go, the car doesn't move.
I chance a sideways glance at him. Not only is he staring in my direction, it seems he's trying very hard not to laugh. He doesn't know me from Adam. He certainly has no idea how foolish his guffawing would make me feel. With a sudden clarity, I realize it matters what he thinks of me. Probably because I know no one in this town besides an ogling mailman and a six-year-old child, and neither well enough to call by name.
He clears his throat. "This is going to be kind of awkward if you can't look at me."
I do as he asks, and wish I hadn't the moment I see him. He's too hot for words. Not just cute or handsome. He's the kind of good-looking that you feel in your bones, the kind that ties your tongue and turns your brain to mush, until the only thing you can sense is the ache between your thighs.
"That's better," he says, smiling so widely that his dimples show—quite possibly the only thing that could make his extraordinary face more attractive.
I blurt an excuse for my behaviour, hoping he hasn't already decided I'm a total spaz. "I didn't want you to think you had to speak to me. This is a business transaction, right?"
"Are you saying you don't want to be friends?"
Despite the playful squint of his eyes, he sounds concerned. It occurs to me that I may have unintentionally insulted him with my assumption, so it's on me to set things right. Only I can't think of a single thing to say except an absurd joke. I go with it, mimicking his expression and tone as best I can, and let the words tumble from my lips.
"I'm not sure it would be prudent for us to be friends. You could be a vampire."
A warm chuckle fills the cabin of the car and fills me with relief.
"I swear I'm on the up-and-up," he says. "I believe I've been Lexis-Nexis-report verified." His waggish grin is contagious. He knows it, too.
"As have I, I'm sure." It's not much of a retort, but it's the wittiest thing I can come up with.
He holds his hands up in surrender. "It just shows safety is important to both of us. That's a good thing. Otherwise, we'd have to resort to creeping each other on Facebook."
"You wouldn't find a thing. My account is locked up tighter than Fort Knox." The reddening of his cheeks gives him away. "But you know that already, don't you?"
"Guilty, but I'm only admitting it in the interest of full disclosure. We'll be spending an hour or more together each day. I don't want you to think I'm a liar."
He's probably a lot of things, but dishonest isn't one of them.
"As long as you promise not to stalk me, we're good." He joins me as I giggle at my own joke.
In the space of two minutes, we've managed to remove every bit of awkwardness between us. That's a world record for me. The fact that I genuinely like him is an added bonus. Something tells me I'm going to enjoy his company a great deal.
A/N: Just to reiterate: Daily updates. Short chapters of 500 to 1000 words. A goal of 30 chapters with a potential to extend based on how it goes.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. I appreciate the support very much.
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