Luckily, Peter's mom isn't home when I get to his house.

"Pete?" I yell as I open the front door and peek my head through.

"Downstairs!" he shouts back.

He had told me his parents moved the pool table around and set up a bed in front of their big screen television in the basement. Peter's house is the favorite hang-out-party-spot among our entire friend group; his parents spoil him in ways we all benefit.

He's talking on his cell when I walk in, but the big smile on his cute little face is nice to see.

He holds up his finger for me to wait a minute and then pats the bed beside him.

I put my bag in the corner and crawl up to sit with him. He opens his arm and pulls me close to rest my head on his shoulder.

I had forgotten how nice this could be.

"That sounds perfect, Mike," he says as he nods.

Mike is Peter's best guy friend. I always wanted to hook him up with Jessica, but she won't even give him a chance.

I close my eyes and settle in against Pete, letting his familiar smell and his simple touch comfort me and ground me. I shouldn't deny it or fight it—this is who I am.

"All right, hurry up. See ya." Peter hangs up and puts his other arm around me and squeezes me tight. "I missed you," he says with a deep breath.

I look up and grin at him and he leans down to kiss my cheek.

"Are you in much pain?" I stick out my bottom lip in a pout and rub his chest.

"I'm fine as long as I don't move." He laughs.

I reach down to lift the throw that's covering his foot. It's all bandaged up so I can't see anything.

"The good news is that my doc said I should be healed enough to start opening day of baseball season. I'll miss a bunch of practices, so I'll have to put in double practices as soon as I can." He sounds hopeful and not too bummed. He is so dedicated.

"I talked to your mom last night," I snarl.

"Yeah, she told me. She's all freaked out and upset saying I'm going to lose my scholarships and shit. A sprained ankle is nothing, but you know her. At least I don't have to go to school for a few weeks." He wiggles his eyebrows.

I slap at his chest and shake my head. "I heard, but... what about my play? You have the male lead." I begin to fiddle with the fringe of one of the massive pillows tucked behind him, part of me feels guilty for bringing it up.

"I'm sorry; I just don't know what's going to happen yet. But is it true that Mr. Banner is making Edward Cullen learn my part?"

I slowly nod my head. "Yeah, he brought Edward over to practice yesterday but..." I shrug, "I need you. You know what this means to me and I hate to sound all self-centered and stuff, but..."

He pulls me in tight again and kisses the top of my head. "Don't worry about it, babes, it'll all work out. Just you wait and see."

I huff and try not to let it worry me now. We stay like that for a good while, snuggling and quiet watching some cop show on TV.

I remember that Edward told me I should ask Peter what happened between the two of them, so I pull away and sit up to ask, but I'm quickly silenced when it sounds like a herd of elephants coming down the steps toward us.

In walk Leah, Sam, Mike, Devin, Angela, Riley, Embry, Vicky, James, and Maria.

"If you can't come to the party, the party will come to you!" James sings as he places a stack of pizza boxes on the pool table.

I try not to show my disappointment, but I was really hoping that Peter and I could have a quiet evening alone. No such luck now. This crowd will most likely end up crashing on the floor, after drinking too much beer tonight.

Peter elbows me, "I told them to come over; we're going to have a movie marathon."

"Hmm," I hum with a fake grin.

Mike walks up to the bed with a bag full of movies.

"What did you find?" Peter starts to dig through the bag. "Hell yes! Texas Chainsaw Massacre—start with this one!"

"Slasher time," Peter chants as he hands me the bag of DVD's. I open it up to glance in and he's right—all horror movies. An entire bag full. Wonderful.

Doesn't he remember I only tolerate watching these movies at Halloween?

Then again, this isn't all about me, not even in the smallest way, so of course I can tough it out.

"Hey, some of you can come over here and sit here on the bed, just DO NOT TOUCH the ankle." Peter gestures toward his foot. "Or bounce on the bed."

"Pussy," Sam coughs and I can't help but laugh.

Forty five minutes, one slice of pizza, and one beer later, I'm wishing I had an excuse to leave.

I'm friends with his friends, everyone gets along, but I'm just not really in the mood for all this right now.

I stand to stretch and I notice his copy of the play is stacked with his other things on the table, beside his makeshift bed.

Good, he better not forget about it. I pat my pockets and realize I left my cell in my bag. I get it and escape for a bathroom run.

When I get back I find that Angela is now sitting beside Pete on the bed. I roll my eyes. He's such an attention whore—he loves it, and she sure does love to give it.

If I was the jealous type, that would bother me, yet since I'm not, let them have their little flirt party and watch their gore movies. I think I'd rather take a nap.

I stretch out on the chaise. There's one thing that I've mastered from dating Pete and hanging out with his friends, and that's sleeping through the noise.

"Bella, answer your damn phone, it keeps ringing!" Mike yells from across the room effectively waking me from my nap.

The room is a littler darker, so it must be late afternoon. They're all still huddled around the television.

I pull my phone out of my pocket. I've missed two calls and four text messages. One text was from my mother telling me to call her, the rest were from a number I'm not familiar with.

But it doesn't take me long to figure whose number was programmed in as 'sexy beast' in my contacts.

12:52 p.m.

Bella. This is Edward. Call me back.

~Sexy Beast

/ / /

1:28 p.m.

I need to ask u sumthing, call me.

~Sexy Beast

/ / /

2:01 p.m.

I need to talk 2 u. Please?

~Sexy Beast

I correct his name under my contact list and see that it was also him who called me a few minutes ago. He didn't leave a message on my voice mail either time.

I glance up to see who is around me and not a single person is paying me any mind.

My curiosity is piqued and I wonder what he wants.

I scroll down to his last message and press reply. I sit there staring blankly wondering what to say.

3:57 p.m.

Hey! Whats up?

~Bella

I type in a dozen different things before I finally just hit send. I try to watch the movie but looking at my screen waiting on his reply seems much more exciting.

Just ask the butterflies in my belly—they feel as though they're locked away in a cage anticipating a tiny tear in my resolve for them to escape. All the while, the flutter of their wings somehow stirs my whole being.

4:09 p.m.

FINALLY! TG!

~E Cullen

I giggle and then tuck my lips under my teeth as to not draw attention to me laughing at my phone.

4:10 p.m.

What r u doing?

~E Cullen

I sit there for what seems like the longest, not knowing how I should answer, or really, not knowing how I want to answer.

4:16 p.m.

Still at Pete's.

~Bella

There, that's oddly satisfying.

4:17 p.m.

U saying there all night?

~E Cullen

I know I told Edward I was, and Peter had said I could. I used to stay over all the time, most of the time we keep it PG with strictly cuddling on the couch. Our parents trust us together, but I hadn't decided if I was going to stay tonight. I think I already know the answer to that because if all these other people are staying, I am not.

But Edward doesn't need to know that.

4:19 p.m.

Yes. Why?

~Bella

Instantly my cell rings and Edward's name pops up on the screen. I hit the ignore button to stop the ring and bury my cell in the cushion of the chaise.

A few seconds later it starts to ring again. I push the cushion down harder hoping to muffle the sound.

My heart is beating wildly in my chest and I swear, I'm breathing faster. Just knowing Edward Cullen is making me feel like a rebel.

The cushion vibrates for the next five minutes as Edward calls and calls. There's a battle raging in my head, call him? Ignore him? Tell Pete, don't tell Pete? Leave? Stay?

After a few minutes of noticing my cell seems to have stopped ringing, I walk over to Peter's bedside.

"You all right?" he asks as he grabs my hand.

"I'm just tired and I feel like I may be getting a migraine." Twice in twenty-four hours I've used that excuse, it's a good one. This lying thing isn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

"Awwww," he pulls me toward him and I'm forced to sit on the bed. Angela exhales loudly and I resist the urge to flip her off. She's now perched at the end of the bed near his hurt food. I hope she rolls over on it and he kicks her off the bed.

"Come here." He starts to run his fingers over my scalp and massage my head. He knows I love that. It makes me purr like a kitty.

But it doesn't last long. Embry comes over to the other side of the bed and shows Peter some video that's playing on his phone.

I'm always the least important, and it gets old.

"I think I'm going to go. I'm just not in the mood for all this tonight." I say after Embry takes his place back on the couch.

"No! Don't go. Stay with me." Then Peter laughs at something on the movie.

"How about you call me after they all leave tomorrow, so maybe I can come back over?" I suggest.

"You're mad aren't you? Babes, please don't be mad, I just wanted them all to come over and hang out. I was bummed about my ankle and ..."

"I'm not mad, I promise." I stretch up and kiss his lips. My eyes close daring to get lost in something that I don't even know is there any longer.

He kisses me back, sweet and gentle. Like he means it a little but not like he wants more.

"Call me later," I whisper before rising off the bed and going to gather my things.

Everyone is so engrossed in the movie no one even notices I leave.

I pull up at my house and start to walk inside when I notice a car inching down my road.

It comes to a complete stop right behind mine and the window rolls down. "I knew you'd come home tonight."

"There's always a period of curious fear between the first sweet-smelling breeze and the time when the rain comes cracking down."

~Don Delillo