Thanks everyone for the reviews and adds. As usual, I was fail with review replies. But in my defense, I'm getting a new boss at work (eep!) and went to the Indy TFMU, where I had entirely too much fun. Everyone there was so awesome.

Huge thanks and hugs to ChocolateLover82 for writing the most amazing review of Dear Maggie on The Lemonade Stand blog, and to everyone who voted it as Fic of the Week. I was absolutely floored to see it!

Here's the psuedo link if you want to take a peek: http:/ www. tehlemonadestand .blogspot. com/ 2012/ 02/ tls-fics-of-week-222-2282012-six-sexy .html

Thanks to my fuckawesome and ever dedicated beta, Stratan, and to the girls who read my shit and tell me it's not just that, twilover76, stephk0525, and claireoth.

Oh, before I forget: Nothing about Rosalie has been revealed; although, I'm sure most of you can guess. It's pretty canon.

Chapter 25

Bella

"Ugh, make him do something else," Jasper groaned from beside me.

I shook my head. "Uh-uh. I'm glad he's playing again."

"So am I. I'm actually glad he's doing all of this; but do you think he could focus on another song?"

"It's Maggie's. You know that. He's just trying to... perfect it."

"But he's going to drive himself crazy with it. Or me. I'm still undecided on who'll have a psychotic break first."

"Maybe not," I argued.

On cue, the melody faltered, picked up again. And then it stopped.

Edward's frustrated curse from the other room reached our ears, and Jasper quirked his eyebrow knowingly.

I didn't like the smug look on his face and knew exactly what to say to wipe it right off. "Alice is coming by tonight."

It worked.

He dragged a hand through his hair and gulped. "When?"

"About eight? I'm not sure yet. You've got plenty of time to primp," I told him with a grin. "Don't worry."

I hopped off the kitchen barstool and rounded the corner to find Edward glowering at his prized black piano.

"You're going to stroke out if you keep this up."

He growled under his breath. "I can't get this fucking part right. That's... that's never happened to me before."

I closed the distance between us, struggling not to laugh at his bewildered face. "I told you she was amazing."

"Phenomenal's the word you used," he spat, his eyes flashing apologetically as he realized he was taking his anger out on me.

I ignored it. "Oh, yeah. I did. Well, now you know."

"I have the technique, timing... everything. But it feels wrong when I play it." He shook his head. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Maybe you should watch her play it."

His brows shot up.

"I have the video."

"I- Fuck, no. No, I can't," he croaked, his eyes growing wider by the second. "It's-"

I reached around him and gently gathered the composition together. "Then I think it's time you focused on something else."

"Bella-"

"If you're not ready, you're not ready. It's no big deal."

He exhaled sharply. "And what the fuck am I supposed to do now?"

"Pack for this weekend."

"Pack," he laughed bitterly.

"Yep. Pack. For that trip we have planned to Forks?"

"God- Fine," he snarled. "Let's go pack."

He stormed off into the bedroom, leaving me to exchange a glance with Jasper, now leaning against the doorway.

"Think you got this, B?" he asked, taking a lazy bite of his apple. He shoved the chunk to the side of his mouth before continuing. "He's pretty pissed."

"We'll see, won't we," I responded flatly.

"I'll be out here if you need me."

I nodded and took a deep breath.

I found Edward in his closet, flinging clothes out haphazardly onto the bed. I calmly put the composition away, and then turned around.

Only to jerk to the side when a shoe came flying out and hit the wall beside me, leaving a dent in the drywall in its wake.

There was the temper I'd been waiting for to resurface.

"Edward..."

"Goddamn it," he shouted, whirling around to face me. "I can't- When is it going to stop? When is it going to stop fucking with me, baby? Every day it's like this. There's something every day that makes me so-"

The pacing began.

My voice trembled as I answered him. I couldn't stand to see him like this. So hurt, distraught. "When it's supposed to, I guess."

He pinned me with a furious glare. "Because that's so fucking helpful, Bella."

"Well, what do you want me to say?" I demanded, a little desperately. "I don't have any answer to help you! Nothing I can do or say will ever help you because I have no idea what you're going through! And I'm sorry. I hate that I can't-"

I broke off before I burst into tears.

He growled again, loudly this time. He snatched up a picture Esme had given him and threw it. Hard. It shattered onto the floor, along with the man in front of me.

I was at his side immediately.

I pried his hands away from his face, a pathetic little sob escaping me as I caught his expression. His chest heaved with his quick, sharp breaths, and his skin was slick with sweat. I thought I'd seen him panicked before, but this was...

"Do I need to call Dr. Banner?" I asked softly.

His eyes shot up to mine. They were a little crazed, unfocused.

He blinked when I gasped quietly.

"No," he ground out. "Just... come here."

I hurriedly crawled into his lap and felt his arms wrap around me. He clung to me, dropping his head to my shoulder and worked to calm his breathing.

"Now you know why I waited so long," he whispered. "I couldn't... This was me all the time, and you-"

"Stop," I interrupted. "It's okay."

"The hell it is," he shot back. "I never wanted you to fucking see me so..."

"So what?" I prompted.

"Weak. Fucked up. I-"

"You're not weak," I replied, a dry laugh working its way out of me. "Far from it."

"Bella..."

"No, you don't get to 'Bella' me. You may have made a ton of mistakes," I ignored his snort of agreement, "but you are not weak. You've done more with your life than most people in your situation could ever hope to."

"You think so?"

"Yes."

He pressed a kiss to my shoulder and pulled back, resting his head on the wall behind him.

He looked exhausted, like he could sleep for days and it still wouldn't be enough.

"I'm kind of tired," I lied, hoping to help him in the only way I knew how. "Take a nap with me?"

"Bella, I can't fucking sleep right now."

"Just try. Please?" I pouted.

He grumbled and made a move to get up. I tried to clamber off of him, but he held me tight, and surprisingly managed to get us both off of the ground without dropping me.

He smirked when I looked at him in shock.

After we'd crawled under the covers, Edward immediately pulled me flush against him with a deep kiss, not releasing me until I was nearly out of breath, words of his love for me whispered against my lips.

I thought the weight of them, the way they made me feel, might crush me. I knew he needed me, just as I needed him. But seeing - hearing - such evidence of it made my heart ache.

"What caused it?" I eventually chanced.

He sighed and jerked his shoulder up. "I was fucking playing and thinking, and it just all... Jesus, I don't know what got into me. I thought I was fine - fine for me, anyway. I've been going through her stuff every week. I-"

He didn't finish, nor did I press him further. There was no need for any more explanation; he'd simply had a bad day.

Once settled in together, my hands went into his hair, running through the silken, auburn strands slowly. I didn't dare touch his face, too afraid to cause another panic attack. And for just a moment, hatred clouded my vision. I hated Elizabeth for what she'd done to him. For making him wary, hurt, broken, scared.

"I hate her," I said fiercely. It was the first time I'd openly admitted it, and I wasn't sure what his reaction would be.

His hold tightened on me. "I know. God, I fucking know."

My fingers grazed the back of his neck; his eyes flew open, whole body tensing.

"I'm sorry. I'll-"

"No," he drew in a shuddering breath, "please. Just keep..."

I swallowed. "Okay."

And soon, we both drifted away.

xx

I woke up before Edward. I stared at him for a moment, marveling at how much more relaxed he looked than he had before he'd fallen asleep. Regardless of the fact that he was actually getting rest every night, he was wearing himself thin. Too thin.

A break from it all in Forks would do him - us - some good.

I carefully extricated myself from his arms and his bed, and then went over to the bag I kept stocked here and pulled out some gym clothes.

"You need a drawer or something," Edward mumbled sleepily.

I twisted around and smiled. "Go back to sleep."

He shook his head and yawned. "Where are you going?"

"To work out."

He was quiet, watching me change into a sports bra.

When I put on my blue yoga pants, he slid out of bed and headed over to me. "I'm coming with you."

"Why? I'm just going for a run today."

He cupped my ass and squeezed, lifting me up so that I straddled his waist. "Good. I'll get on whichever machine's behind you and watch."

I giggled when his stubble scratched at my neck, tickling me. "Sounds pretty boring," I gasped.

He straightened up and stared down at me, hot and heavy. "Bella," he said, dragging my name out slowly. "Blue yoga pants. Your ass. While you're running. That would be this fucker's heaven."

"But won't it bounce?" I asked, a nervous blush creeping into my face. "I don't want you watching my ass jiggle."

He propped me up against the wall and snaked one hand between us, pinching the skin at my stomach. "Don't even fucking go there."

I went to push his hand away. It was all I could do not to whine, "Edward, stop touching my fat."

"For fuck's-" He huffed. "You're almost as bad as me, you know that?"

I gaped up at him.

"You see yourself all wrong. You're not this pudgy, short thing you perceive yourself to be. You're small, yeah, but you fit against me just fucking so. Soft in all the right places. Places I get to put my hands on. Your hair is not this stringy mess you bitch to Alice about. It's pretty, Bella, and falls over your tits when you're riding me in a way that makes me practically come on the spot. Your eyes... Lips..." He paused and swallowed hard. "And your heart... Damn it, I think all the time how fucking lucky I am that, out of everyone else around, you want me."

I was speechless, save for one thing. "You really see me like that?"

He put me down and started toward his dresser. "I think I've said this repeatedly: it's not just me, baby. There's a line of fuckers waiting for me to screw up."

"But I-"

He rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed with my refusal to believe him. He jerked open the bottom drawer, gathered everything in his arms in one quick swoop, and tossed it all on the bed. "There's your drawer. I'll talk to Jasper about one in the bathroom for you later."

"Uh..." Apparently, we were done with that conversation. "Thanks?"

"Yep."

"Isn't this like, some big step for guys or something? The concession of a drawer?"

He scowled. "How the hell would I know?" And then he got nervous. "You don't have to take it if you don't want to. I... I mean, I guess I should have-"

"No, I want it, Edward. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable with my stuff here, that's all."

He kicked his chin up. "I wouldn't have fucking done it if I didn't want it here."

Good point.

"Where are you going to put all that?"

"Doesn't matter."

Okay...

I dug through my bag for a tank top and slipped it on, stopping as soon as I realized that Edward was standing behind me. Waiting for...

I didn't know what.

"Hey," he murmured.

"Hmm?" I replied, focusing on the way my tank top laid against my hips instead of him. I was apprehensive about what he was going to say for some reason.

"Thank you. For earlier."

I spun around to face him. Not what I'd expected at all. "I didn't do anything."

One side of his lips lifted sheepishly; a hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "Yes, you did. You calmed me down. You were there for me when I- Thank you."

I took a step toward him, struggling for the words. "Don't thank me for that. You're... I love you. It's what you do for people you love."

"Maybe."

"No 'maybe' about it. You can't tell me that your family wouldn't do the same thing if you let them."

"They'd crawl in my lap?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean."

He nodded. "Want to hit the cages after your run?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I... I just want to do something normal with you after... Get back to us again."

"Edward, we're still us."

He shrugged. "I know. But I need..."

A distraction.

I understood completely.

"It's either that or a cigarette."

I pretended to be appalled. "But you're a non-smoker now!"

"Fuck that," he answered. "Right now I'd kill for just one hit. Maim, even."

I stood there and waited for him to finish. The look on his face told me there was more to it than just that stupid joke.

"But I have you now," he said, flicking a piece of my hair over my shoulder. "So I need to be good. I remind myself that a lot, you know. How good I need to be for you."

I didn't comment on that. I was fairly certain the argument that would follow wouldn't be worth the time it consumed. Or the anger.

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Run beside me while we're there? You can still watch my ass so long as you know how to put one foot in front of the other at a fast pace."

"Unlike you, huh?"

"Hey, I've never claimed to be anything but clumsy."

He smiled with that. "All right. So long as you keep your fucking self forward, I'll do it. I'm not in the mood to watch you do a faceplant on the treadmill today."

I giggled; he knew me well. "Deal."

"You're better than you were before."

I hit the next ball and looked back at Edward with a smile. "I've practiced."

I didn't mention who I'd practiced with, though.

"Shift your weight a little..." I leaned back. "Yeah. And pivot-"

Another ball was launched at me, and I worked to do as he said.

He shut down the machine to give me a break. "Goddamn, you got it."

A happy laugh bubbled out of me. I hurried to where Edward stood and passed the bat off to him. "Your turn."

He took the bat and grabbed a helmet on his way to the plate. He readied himself, and then nodded for me to start the machine back up.

Edward's swing was fluid, perfect, ingrained from years of practice with the Cullens. I'd forgotten how much I loved watching him play, how his muscles flexed as his body twisted. How great he was at it.

But, even with as good looking as he was, I got bored after a while.

So I made a little screech from my spot in the corner, pretending to fall a little just to mess him up. He swung and missed; his eyes were wide as he turned in my direction.

"I stumbled. Sorry."

He grinned, shook his head, and focused on the pitching machine again.

I bit back a laugh.

I let him hit two more balls, and then let out another screech right as he let loose to swing.

He missed.

"Fuck, Bella," he grumbled, glaring over at me.

Then his entire demeanor shifted when he saw my smile.

"Are you going to keep this up all night?"

"No," I said innocently.

He muttered something and turned away from me again.

Another few minutes went by, and I let out another well-timed sound.

He threw down the bat with a laugh and stalked over to me, pressing me against one of the poles. "Stop."

"Or what?"

"Or..." His eyes darted to my lips.

"There are kids around." One of the kids practicing in the adjacent cage laughed on cue.

He ran his index finger over my cheek, down the line of my neck until he was toying with my shirt. "Are you going to let me hit anything or did I just waste my money?"

"I haven't decided yet. You're just too good."

His answering laugh was warm, incredible.

Suddenly, I was worried about him again. He was back to his usual self, a complete turnaround from where he'd been earlier. And I couldn't help but think that it wouldn't last, that he'd have some other sort of attack before the day was through.

The smile slid off his face as he sensed my mood. He sighed and put his hands on my hips. "I scared you earlier."

Not a question.

"Yeah," I admitted. "You really did."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Our time's almost up."

"Already?"

"You used up most of it," he joked.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked.

"Whatever you want."

"You," I answered unthinkingly.

"Done."

My entire body jolted with that one word. "Wait... What?"

His lips quirked with my surprised reaction. "It's easier. Not exactly the way I want it yet, but easier."

Any response I might have tried to say was stopped by the sound of someone talking right outside the cage.

"Irina, would you shut up already? It's not our turn yet."

Edward's jaw clenched at the sound of the voice. His eyes darted over to the two girls waiting outside the cages, and then back at me.

"Shit. Tanya."

I glanced over to find a girl with curly, blonde hair looking at us strangely.

Holy shit, she was pretty.

"I'm..." She kept blinking those big, blue eyes at me. "Uh, hi. We're up next. We're early, though."

Edward gazed past Tanya to find a younger version of her digging through her gear.

This Tanya person noticed Edward staring back at the other girl. "That's my sister, Irina. I promised our parents I'd bring her here."

"She's cute," I said.

Tanya snorted. "Don't let her appearance fool you. She's a spoiled shit."

I giggled under my breath.

"I didn't know you were into baseball, Edward."

"Yeah, uh, my brother's garage is in the local league every summer," he said tightly.

"Ah." Her eyes flickered between us questioningly.

He sighed, and then gave in with, "This is my girlfriend, Bella. Not that it's any of your business."

"Edward," I hissed, horrified by his rudeness. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's..."

"It's fine. I'm used to it." She smiled. "You're the girl from the picture."

"Picture?" I glanced up at Edward. "What picture?"

"Emmett sent me a picture of you from one of the games," he muttered. "It's... It was what made me go home and read your journal."

My brows shot up. "I'll have to be sure to thank him."

Edward fidgeted against me nervously. "We're done, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll get out of your way," he said to Tanya.

"You don't have to," she started, but her sister was already barreling past us and into the cage.

Edward kissed my forehead before he started gathering our belongings up. The cage was crowded now, so I hurriedly got out of the way and stood with Tanya.

Not awkward at all.

"So how do you know Edward?" I asked, risking a glance at her reaction.

She laughed.

"Figures he wouldn't mention me."

I had no idea what that meant.

"We were lab partners last semester. And somehow got stuck together again this semester."

"Oh."

"We have a lot of the same classes together, actually," she continued. "Goes with being in med school, you know?"

"Yeah."

She faced me and let her eyes run over my frame, a curious expression on her face. "You're very pretty."

"Thanks," I mumbled. "So are you."

"How'd you do it?"

I blinked. "Do what?"

"Get Edward to open up," she elaborated. "I tried for months to be his friend, and as you can see, it's never actually worked out for me."

"Just friends?" I asked, cocking my brow.

Her smile returned. "Okay, so maybe I had a bit of a hidden agenda. I don't think you'd blame me, though. I mean, just look at him."

So I did. He was crouched over his black duffle, a sliver of skin peeking out between his shirt and track pants. He was hot.

He was mine.

Guilt settled in the pit of my stomach, making me feel nauseated. Tanya had no problem admitting she wanted Edward, and suddenly, I knew exactly how he felt when it came to Garrett. That, while I wasn't threatened by this girl - no matter how gorgeous and model-esque she might have been - there was something awful about finding out that she was around my boyfriend without my knowledge. She'd spent months trying to wriggle her way into his life. And Garrett had done the same. Maybe he'd stopped when Edward and I got back together. Maybe I'd chosen to overlook it. Whatever the case might have been, Edward didn't deserve it. He'd said it himself; he was trying so hard to be something good for me. And I wasn't.

Lesson learned.

I smothered my tears with a laugh.

"I didn't do anything, really. Our relationship was..." I had to stop and regroup for a moment, and played it off like I was thinking. "I don't know how to explain it. Things were complicated at first. Edward's complicated. But most of the complications are gone now, and we just... fit."

God, I needed to get away from her before I made myself look like an idiot.

I let my eyes drift back to Edward, wondering why it took so long to throw a few things into his black duffle, and found him trying to help Tanya's sister, albeit extremely uncomfortably.

He wouldn't touch her, simply kept pointing out which parts of her stance were wrong.

"Edward, just reach over and move her leg the way you want it," I called out to him.

He paled at the suggestion.

"Excuse me for a second," I said to Tanya, quickly going back into the cage so that our conversation wouldn't be overheard. I had no idea what Edward let people know about himself and what he didn't.

Not to mention this wasn't really any of Tanya's business.

"Oh, come on," I said softly. "Stop living in your head and just do it."

"Baby, I-" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth together.

Change of tactic.

I grabbed his hand and waited until he opened his eyes to speak again. They were wary, stormy. "Do you think you can?"

"I don't know," he said slowly. "I'm not concerned about physically touching her. It's the aftereffects that... I'm being stupid, aren't I? She's a kid."

"Well, not a kid exactly; more like middle school age. And no, you're not being stupid."

He exhaled slowly. "Okay."

"Just let go," I murmured. "Let it all stay where it belongs. In memories."

"Okay," he repeated.

I backed out of the cage and kept my eyes trained forward. There was no way that I was going to answer any questions Tanya might have about our little exchange.

Edward gave himself what looked to be a pep talk and took a hesitant step forward. After a ball had whizzed past them, he bent down and moved Irina's legs until he was satisfied. He stood up, brushed his hands over his thighs and instructed her further.

Whatever he'd said made a difference, and she beamed as the ball hit the back net of the cage.

"You're not going to tell me what that was about, are you?"

Seemed like my aversion plan didn't work.

"No," I said firmly.

I could see her lips form a pout in my peripheral.

I didn't bother acknowledging it.

Edward came out of the cage shortly after, and gave Tanya a terse wave before leading me back out to his car. I didn't talk, unsure of what to say, until we got to the Volvo. He opened the passenger's side door for me, fully expecting me to climb inside.

Only I couldn't.

I launched myself at him, causing him to stumble back a little as I wrapped my whole body around his.

"I'm sorry."

Tears sprang to my eyes again, so I buried my face against his chest. His scent was warm and clean, with just a hint of his cologne.

"So, so sorry," I blubbered.

"What the fuck?" He held me against him. "What are you sorry for?"

"Tanya likes you," I said slowly.

"Bullshit," he snipped.

"Is it?"

His hold tightened on me.

"Why haven't you mentioned her before?"

"Because she doesn't mean shit to me, Bella."

"Exactly. You... You don't give Tanya the time of day, and I... I encourage Garrett's stupid crush on me."

He groaned. "No. You don't."

"Stop trying to make me feel better," I sobbed. "I'm a horrible girlfriend."

"Bella..." He forced me down to the seat so he could look at my face. "Jesus, you're the best thing to ever happen to me. Why would you say that?"

"Because... because the second she implied that she was attracted to you I got sick. I knew what you felt when Garrett was around, what it was like to be on the other end. It made me realize that I've just been flaunting him in front of you."

"Stop that shit. You don't flaunt anything."

"I've been selfish. I didn't- I..." I started crying again because I couldn't form my thoughts into words. "I'm sorry."

He kissed me then, taking my face in his hands and melding his mouth to mine. His tongue was hot, taste was sweet. And soon, I couldn't breathe, utterly consumed by him.

"Why are you kissing me?" I wailed.

"Fuck, are you hormonal or something?" he ground out.

My jaw dropped.

"Listen to me, Bella. Why did you insist on hanging out with Garrett when you knew I didn't like him?"

"I... He was the first person I met here, I guess."

"It's more than that."

"Okay, he was the first, random person who saw me for me and not 'the girl who had the heart transplant' since... I can't remember. Your family did, but it was different. More like they didn't mention it because they wanted us together."

"Which is the reason why I don't say a fucking word."

I stared at him, dumbfounded.

"I see how good it is for you to have someone who doesn't give a shit that you had a heart transplant. You keep it so... You tell no one. Nobody knows you but just a select group of people. He's in that group. No matter how fucking jealous I am, how threatened he makes me feel, I would never make you give that up."

"But Tanya-"

"She's a fucking moron," he spat. "And has nothing to do with this."

"I..."

"I've seen you with him. He doesn't cross the line. For that, his fucking face stays intact. But I'm not so irrational that I can't recognize that there are times you can't help the way you feel. My God, I'm the perfect example of that. I tried so hard to deny what you do to me. And look where I ended up."

"Edward..."

"I'm not going to lie and say that I want you to hang out with him. I'm not going to tell you it doesn't make me uneasy. It does. Fuck, I hate it when he's around you. But I trust you. You're the only person I've ever trusted outside my family."

I think I whimpered with that.

His hand came up to cup my face. He kissed me again, this time pleadingly.

"Are you okay now?" he asked when he broke away.

I nodded fervently, though I wasn't so sure.

"Good," he breathed.

"I don't have to talk to him," I blurted out. "Just say the words and it's done."

"Bella-"

"You're more important to me than he is any day. I can't believe I've gone this long without making sure you know that."

"But I know, baby. I swear, I know."

I sighed in relief.

"So Tanya... I have three classes with her. Three classes where I listen to her squeal with her friend, Kate, and a lab where I try my fucking hardest not to touch her when we're looking over slides or dissecting our cadaver."

"Ew..."

"Well, you said I'd never mentioned her before."

"I did. Damn it, I did."

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose before getting up and heading over to the driver's side of the car.

He slid inside and shut the door, entrapping us together.

"Do you know what bugs me the most about Garrett?" he asked quietly.

"No, what?"

"You laugh with him, talk to him. I don't do any of that with anyone else but you."

"You do with Jasper and Emmett."

His shoulder came up noncommittally. "I... I'm happy you fit in here. But I don't see where I fit in with you sometimes. I'm not like you. I can't..."

And there it was. Another part of Edward that had been damaged by his mother.

"Don't you dare look at me that way," he said with the oh-so-familiar sneer.

I schooled my expression. "Sorry."

"Yeah."

"You need friends."

"I don't fucking need friends."

I gave him a level look.

"I wouldn't be good at it," he muttered.

My heart broke with his words. How could he ever think he'd be a lousy friend?

"Yes, you would." I leaned over toward him, until my head rested against his arm "You would be an amazing friend."

He snorted derisively in my ear.

"You're loyal, funny. Because of everything that you've been through, you don't judge people. You might not always know how to respond, but you listen to everything I say, even when I'm bitching you out for no reason."

"Shark week is a big fucking reason," he shot back playfully. "Hell, look at what I just had to deal with."

I smacked his chest, making him laugh. "It's not shark week, Edward."

"Fooled me."

Ass.

"You know what the best thing about you is?" I asked him, gazing up into his eyes. They were so green tonight.

"What's that?"

"You're like a fricken' vault. You can keep a secret like no one else."

"I think I might fucking love you for that."

I giggled. "I think I might love you for putting up with my crazy tonight."

"Talk to me next time," he replied. "I know I'm shit at talking, but I'd rather not be uh, taken by surprise like that. You have no idea what was going through my mind, Bella. It was... yeah."

'Sorry' was on the tip of my tongue, but I shoved it down. I'd said it enough tonight. "Okay. But I still think you should branch out some on your own."

He winced.

"You don't have to touch anyone. Just talk to them. I think it would be good for you."

He cleared his throat, obviously finished with the subject. "Where do you want to go now?"

"Movies."

"And what are we seeing exactly?"

"Don't care. We aren't actually watching it."

He shifted and gave me a strange look. "Oh?"

"Nope. You know all those things I missed as a teenager?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, tonight we're going to cross one of those things off the list. We're going to make out in a dark, empty theater."

His hand shot out to the ignition, flicking the keys hastily.

I stifled a laugh.

"Just make out?" he questioned.

"Depends on how empty and dark the theater is," I hedged.

"Fuck."

Maybe.

I've been mum on the whole Garrett thing because of this chapter, so I hope it answered some stuff for you all :)