"Please just-" Bella began trying to get the Dean of Students to reconsider his choice to not let her go to Yosemite.
"You know the rules." His answer was rigid and to the point before he left her standing in the center of the school's active courtyard.
"I'm not going.." She spoke the words solemnly aloud and jumped when Edward snuck up behind her and put his arms around her.
"What's wring?" He asked, kissing her cheek. The two of them waved as their friends Emmett and Rosalie approached hand in hand.
"The bursar is being such a jerk. My father didn't pay all of my financial aid and now I can't go to Yosemite."
"Well that makes two of us," Edward said, smirking at her.
"You're not going?" A flicker of hope filled her eyes and they both smiled as Edward slowly shook his head.
"Not going where?" Rosalie asked as they approached.
"Camping," Edward told her.
"You're not going either?" She asked Bella, who shook her head.
"I'm not going." Rosalie looked to Emmett.
"How are you going to get out of it?" He asked, folding his arms over his broad chest.
"Please.." She rolled her eyes.
"Hey." A lightbulb went off in Emmett's head and his eyes lit up. "What if we all stay back? We can have our own little Halloween party.. just the four of us."
"Can you score some of your mom's wine?" Rosalie wiggled her eyebrows at Edward who laughed lightly.
"She accounts for every drop." He looked at Emmett, "But maybe we can convince security to let us out during lunch.. pick something up down the street."
Emmett looked over his shoulder and then back to Edward. "They didn't card me the last few times I went."
Bella smiled and looked at them. "Are we doing this?"
"Oh we're doing this," Emmett confirmed and then looked at Edward. "Meet me back here by the fountain after your mom's no sex, no booze and no fun speech in the auditorium."
..x
Edward took his seat beside Bella in the auditorium, smiling as Emmett waved them to where he sat with Rosalie.
The four of them sat talking until Esme stood before them as the head mistress of the school. She tapped the microphone and cleared her throat.
"Your mom is looking hot," Emmett teased Edward.
Rosalie looked at Edward and shook her head. "He would never say that to her face."
"You all know why we're here," Esme said to the boisterous group of teenagers. "The busses to Yosemite leave at 3 pm sharp." A loud cheer erupted and then the crowd settled down. "The rules of Hillcrest Academy still apply and that means.." she paused, "No musical sleeping bags." A collective groan ripples from the student body, "No booze.. no drugs.. no kidding!" Esme firmed up her tone but tried to remain upbeat, "I don't anticipate any problems but I would hate it if someone ruined it for the rest."
She carried on, reinforcing the rules and reminding students to pack for the chilly temperatures at night before finally smiling at them.
"Okay.. that's it. Have a wonderful time."
Edward and Bella stood up, hand in hand. He made brief eye contact with his mother before heading out of the assembly with Emmett at his heels.
Esme spoke with a few teachers off to the side and then headed back down a short hallway to where her secretary sat a short distance in front of her office.
"And why aren't you going camping?" Carlisle teased, exiting his office in the guidance department when she flashed him a wave.
"Because it sounds like fun." She fiddled through a folder of permission slips and kept walking with him at her heels. "And you Mr. Cullen?"
"I don't thin guidance counselors are a big hit in the wilderness. Besides someone has to stay back and watch over the three or four outcasts."
Esme reached her door and unlocked it, entering her office with Carlisle. As the door closed he pulled her to him, kissing her deeply for a moment as Esme reciprocated with a smile.
"Wait.. wait.. place of employment." She pushed him back and let out a sigh, smiling before pulling him back to her for another quick, heated kissing sessionZ
"So.." he spoke in between the last few gentle kisses he left on her lips. "We're still grabbing some lunch?"
Esme held the side of his face in her hand and leaned her head back against the frame of the door. "Should I let Edward go on the field trip? Am I being crazy?"
"You're not being crazy." Carlisle kissed her again. "But that's your own decision to make."
She scrunched her nose and parted from him, walking to her desk with the folder to look through them.
"It's whatever you want," he reiterated. "There are plenty of chaperones.. the best teachers around.. they'll all be together." Carlisle shrugged and fixed his slightly loosened tie.
"I'll have to think about it some more." She sighed.
"It could make for an empty house for the weekend," he added, smirking when Esme smiled wide at him.
"Now you've really given me something to think about." She laughed as he went to leave.
"Lunch.. twelve o'clock." Carlisle flashed a little wink and then headed back out of the office toward his own.