One chapter will talk about the past, one about the present until we reach the point where we began with the present. Confusing much? It keeps things interesting. ;)
Same disclaimer applies-Twilight belongs to S.M., but the idea of this story is mine.
Many thanks to my awesome betas and friends - TeamAllTwilight and m0t0b33. And to my newest help: Momma Laura.
June 2011
The sleeping arrangements are funny as hell.
This is a small cottage. Esme and Carlisle sleep together, just like Rose and Emmett. It's a given; they're married.
That leaves the three odd sheep.
I end up in a room with Victoria, while Edward has to sleep on the couch. House rules and all that shit.
Parents can be so funny until they're not.
I can't sleep and apparently neither can my roommate. That invites many interesting and amusing stories from when they were little.
"They're closer in age, but I guess Rose tortured him a lot growing up so he found solace in me," Victoria whispers, giggling.
"Torturing you in return?" I joke, remembering about how he used to play with her as a baby.
"No, Edward was an amazing big brother. Still is. He's always there when I need something. It's awesome to have older siblings. I can go to them with shit, not be embarrassed about asking you know…private stuff to my parents."
"Only the unfortunate ones get overprotective parents," I mumble.
"Aw. That must suck. I can't imagine life without them."
"So what's your sister's deal?" I wonder, turning on my side, propping my head in my palm.
"She's really not this awful. But she got some really bad news recently, and okay, maybe she's a little uptight. But she's the oldest, and she thinks she doesn't get enough attention. Edward's the only boy, so of course he's been mama's boy, and then I came…and yeah, not much time for her." Victoria shrugs. "But our parents love her, too."
"Of course, they do." I nod. "And…I know about her. I was there when she told Edward. I overheard them," I explain.
"Yeah, sucks. She really wanted kids."
"What about you?" I ask, smiling. She's such an easy-going person. I can talk to her about anything.
Of course, she's a teenager and has some stereotypes, but I was like her once.
"I'm sixteen, Bella!" she shrieks, then burrows her face in the pillow giggling.
I gasp, realizing what she thought I meant by my question. "No!" I snicker, despite myself. "I meant...tell me about you. All you talked about was your family."
"I didn't think you'd be interested in my life. Besides Mom and sometimes Dad, no one's interested in my life. They think school is school. That means they forgot how horrible high school is and how much drama it involves to wake up, attend classes, maintain a standard, and try not to look or sound like an idiot."
That's the longest speech for her so far.
"Well, I'm younger than your sister. I remember."
"Really? How did you stand the cheerleaders? Ugh, they're soo annoying. Wait, you weren't one, were you?" she adds, concerned.
"No, and they were okay at my high school. One of them was my best friend, actually," I explain.
"Those at my high school are so annoying! They think they're important and that every good looking guy in school should be their boyfriend...or a notch on their bedpost."
I grin, shaking my head. "Yeah, that's what usually happens in high school. Don't worry about it. You'll be out in a couple of years, and you'll see that some of them will realize life isn't all about looks, or if they lost their V-card on prom night or how many boys kissed them. Trust me."
"Oh, my God! You were one of them!"
"Shhh!" I hiss. "Not exactly, but kinda. I knew what I wanted to do in life, but I got sucked in the high school life's games."
"I need a midnight snack to go with your story," Victoria declares, getting out of the bed. When she stops in the doorway looking at me expectantly, I realize I should follow.
Our tiptoeing and trying to be quiet turns out to be in vain because Edward's awake anyway—in the kitchen, eating ice cream.
"Gimme that!" Victoria lunges for the container.
I must stay away from the crazy siblings. Edward smirks, lifting the carton above his head.
"I hate you!" Victoria jumps, trying to reach the box.
"Guys, it's middle of the night," I whisper-yell, trying to keep them quiet.
"Stay out of it, Isabella. This is my favorite past time activity," Edward says laughing.
"I'm so taking basketball classes next year," Victoria mutters, making a show of turning around as if going to the table only to turn back to Edward, step on his foot, punch him in the stomach, and get access to the ice cream.
I'm shocked to say the least.
"Holy fuck, Vic." Edward doubles over. "What got into you?"
"Well, I'm playing dirty since you're a jerk."
"Why did you have to come here?" he moans, rubbing his stomach. I wonder if he's truly hurt. "I was okay on my own, eating my favorite dessert and contemplating how old I am."
"That's right!" Victoria exclaims, her eyes widening. "How could I forget to tease you? Dang it. Thirty is a turning point, isn't it?"
"Shut up and eat. Leave me alone," he pouts, then he glances at me. His hand reaches out, grabbing mine and brings me close to him. "Hi, you."
This is new on every level.
The shift in this relationship is crazy. I'm not ready for intimacies in front of his sister.
"Can you believe my Mom making us sleep apart?" he whispers in my ear.
"Yes. Mine would have done the same."
"Really?" His eyebrows draw up. "Anyway, want to stay on the couch with me, while Lil' Sista pigs on ice cream?"
I should scold him for talking like that about his sister or for even bringing such a subject up, but I nod.
Grinning, Edward takes my hand and walks me out of the kitchen.
"I'm totally telling Mom if you fuck in the guest room!"
"We're going to the couch," Edward mutters acidly.
"Worse. I can see that."
He turns to glare at her. "Victoria, do you think I'd sleep with Isabella under our parents' roof? No? Good." Then I'm more or less dragged to the couch where I'm positioned on his lap.
I touch his cheek, rubbing my thumb over his stubbly skin, resting my head on his shoulder.
"I guess I should apologize for what happened...how Mom kidnapped you, too."
"It's okay. I liked meeting your family," I add, unsure how it sounds.
Fuck buddies shouldn't meet the parents or siblings.
Fuck buddies shouldn't have a relationship aside from fucking.
Fuck buddies should be just...fucking.
I must have groaned aloud because Edward rubs a hand over my back, asking if I'm okay.
"Yeah." I burrow my face in his neck, breathing in his musky scent.
I'm so scared of the weird things I'm starting to feel.
"Aw, guys! You look so cute together!" Victoria gushes as she steps into the room.
Edward keeps me in his arms, not allowing me to move.
"Want some?" She offers me the ice cream bowl.
I shrug, adjusting my body better so I can hold the carton and eat without spilling on me.
"Sorry for punching you, but I needed something sweet. I'm PMS-ing," she explains.
"Ew. Don't talk about that with me." Edward makes a face.
"That shows how mature you are," she mumbles. "It's something that just happens."
"Victoria, I'm serious!"
"So am I."
I laugh, spooning more ice cream into my mouth. This catches Edward's attention—his eyes are glued to the spoon while he licks his lips.
I eat a few more spoonfuls before I take pity of his puppy dog eyes and offer him some ice cream. He grins, opening his mouth and wrapping his lips around the spoon, closing his eyes as the cool dessert melts in his mouth. He moans quietly, having a dreamy smile on his face.
Forgetting about our audience, I lean closer and kiss him.
"Minor right next to you!" Victoria squeaks. "This is more than I ever wanted to see from my brother."
I see Edward's hand pointing to the door, and she immediately disappears, then he returns to kissing me with so much passion I can't breathe right, and my head spins.
Without thinking, I turn to straddle him and get better access—all I do is spill ice cream on us.
"Jesus, you're too adorable for your own good. Is there something you can do without a problem appearing?"
I feel my blush spreading all over my body. "I'm kinda clumsy."
"I haven't noticed," he laughs, helping me up. I take the ice cream carton to the kitchen while Edward takes his shirt off, going to clean up.
On my way back to the room I share with Victoria, I bump into Edward.
"Oh, you're going to bed?"
"I think we had enough excitement for one night."
He smiles, his eyes shining in the dark hallway. "Good night then, Isabella." Leaning down, he kisses my nose before continuing to walk to the living room.
"Night, Edward," I whisper making him turn to look at me, grinning from ear to ear.
I slip in my assigned room and close the door, resting against it for a second, contemplating the new side of our relationship.
"I feel like we're in camp," Victoria giggles from under her blanket. "All this sneaking around. And you, returning with that stupid smile on your face."
Ignoring her comment, I get in my bed and fall asleep immediately.
In the morning, her bed is empty, but the soft blanket that covered her is missing. Odd.
I realize why when I amble into the kitchen. Out the window, I can see Victoria and Edward, wrapped up in blankets, sitting on the porch, talking, and drinking coffee. There's also some smoke, too, above Edward's head.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea to disturb them, but I always wanted to sit on a porch and watch the ocean, first thing in the morning. It's a bonus that Edward will be there. After pouring myself a cup of coffee and adding sugar and milk, I go outside.
Edward turns his head to see who joined them. Grinning, he scoots back a little, patting the spot between his legs.
Not thinking about it, I sit there. He immediately wraps me in his arms and with the blanket. He's so warm and wonderful.
Victoria smiles at me before drinking from her cup of...tea. I think. She's probably too young for coffee.
"Sleep well?" Edward murmurs in my ear.
No. You weren't there. "Yeah," I whisper, burrowing further into him, and bringing the cup to my lips.
Mhmm. Nothing else like warm, sweet, delicious coffee.
"Want one?" He shows me the packet of cigarettes.
I'm still shocked he smokes the same kind as me. Wordlessly, I take one out. He lights it for me, putting away the packet and lighter.
"So what happened next?" Edward asks, turning to his sister, continuing their previous conversation.
"He gave me a B because I didn't put Junior after Bush. Seriously? Couldn't he give me an A minus?"
"Well, it's important when you make such a mistake. What was the question again?"
"I don't remember...It's just...the answer I remember. Everyone called him Bush," she mumbles.
"Yeah, because we knew who we were talking about, but in history, it's important to mention such things. Take Kennedy, for instance. You'd have to mention which one did something because there were two."
Huh.
I never heard him explaining something so patiently to anyone.
I can see how much he loves his sister, how close he is to his family.
Sadly, he never talked about them.
Maybe we're really just fuck buddies.
Why is this so complicated?
I'm content to stay there in his arms, listening to him talking with his little sister. She's a hot-headed teenager, but they work together so well. I'm surprised there aren't fireworks, but maybe two fierce temperaments can get along.
I nearly choke on the smoke I inhaled when Edward's lips press against the back of my neck out of nowhere. I try to act as if nothing happened, but the look on Victoria's face tells me he's not even aware of what happened.
Crap.
This is getting out of hand.
Suddenly, Victoria nudges his leg, which bumps into me making me hit his cup of coffee, spilling it on the stairs.
"Oops, sorry." She looks anything but apologetic.
Edward mutters something unintelligible under his breath before extricating himself, putting the blanket on my shoulders and going inside for a refill.
"Oh. My. God! He's so gone!" Victoria exclaims, bursting in a fit of laughter. "I've never seen him so...in love."
I freeze, my hand shaking my cup of coffee. Not to look rude, I plaster a smile on my face.
She's relentless, giggling about how Edward's acting around me. Then she abruptly stops when he returns.
"Don't let me stop you gossiping about me...keep it going, whatever it was," he mumbles, taking his spot behind me. The blanket goes around both of us again, but he's much closer now. I'm encased in him—his right arm is around my shoulders, his knees are on either side of my body, and his hard chest is a very good resting spot for my back. It doesn't help that he's breathing on my neck or that his thumb is stroking my elbow.
A violent shiver crosses my body, but I cover it with a drag of my smoke.
I'm fucked.
I'm sure everyone saw DiorRob by now. UNF!
