Chapter 13

Life in Washington had become more bearable. She already had some friends and had just started her first year at Forks High School. Bella was happy. She had a lot of contact with Rosalie but nothing with Edward. At some point, she simply stopped caring. She had made a great friend at school too, Alice, and they were inseparable.

That afternoon she was doing homework on her computer when she received a notification.

Edward sent a message.

Her heart raced a little. Edward? Did Edward want to talk to her? She thought about it for a moment. She could leave him hanging like he left her many times. After much debate, she decided to respond.

Hey brat!

Hello!

It was like a switch, they began to talk every day on the computer; as if they had never stopped doing it. They told each other everything about their lives from the moment they stopped seeing each other. Both hearts beating rapidly and butterflies fluttering in both of their stomachs.

I looked outside and it still hadn't stopped raining. The street was still flooded. I sighed and resigned myself to the fact that we would be locked up for a while longer. I then remembered the whole reason we were outside the room.

"Edward?" I began saying while I turned to look at him..

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Didn't you have to use the bathroom?"

He ran to the restroom as I laughed. It was the second time I laughed like that. Was it because of Edward? Was that what he provoked in me?

I decided to put those thoughts out of my head and go to the kitchen to look for something to eat. I turned the TV on hoping to get some updates. Edward was right; the phone signal was not working. I hoped that the satellite was at least functioning.

Thank God the satellite signal was working and according to the news, we were all asked to be on high ground and not travel for the next 24 hours. They were talking about how dangerous it would be for someone to try to travel during the flood and that it would be best to keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles.

24 hours? Looking at the images, and the street itself, Edward couldn't travel in those conditions. He would have to… Oh, shit.

"Did I listen right?" he asked, appearing in the room.

"Yeah, it seems like you'll have to spend the night," I explained, feeling something in my stomach very close to nausea, but also butterflies.

"Oh."

"Mhmm."

Now what?

"You want something to eat?" I offered. I wasn't sure how to handle this peculiar situation.

"Sure, why not?" Edward answered. "I'll help you," he added, following me to the kitchen.

We were both quiet. I would've liked to know what he was thinking so I would know what to think.

"Spaghetti?" I suggested.

"Sounds good, what can I help you with?"

"I have a storage room in the basement, could you grab a can of sauce?"

Edward started going down when he stopped and looked at me.

"Any room I shouldn't go into?"

"Very funny," I said, rolling my eyes.

I started cooking the noodles and sighed heavily. It would be a long day, but at least I wouldn't be alone. Max began to walk around near the door wanting to go out but the backyard was in very bad shape. I remembered that I still had dog diapers left from when I first adopted him. I considered asking Edward to find those too but those were a little more hidden.

"Give me a moment, bud," I said to my dog.

I started to go down the stairs but I took a wrong step and fell. I didn't fall alone though; I dragged Edward down with me. I fell right on top of him, hurting my hands, trying not to let all my weight fall on him.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry!" I said sitting up quickly.

I was right on top of him and he used his forearms to lean up and look at me amused.

"You don't change, huh?" he said laughing.

"What?" I asked defensively. "I haven't fallen down the stairs for a long time," I justified.

"If you wanted me to catch you, you could have just told me. This position is somewhat uncomfortable."

I realized that I was straddling him and felt myself blush immensely. I got up as fast as I could and kicked him by accident. He let out a grunt of pain.

"I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," he replied, getting up as well. "Why did you come down? Didn't trust that I could find it alone?"

"I need something for Max to use the bathroom," I explained. "Not everything is about you, you know?"

When I found the diapers, we went upstairs and he took care of the noodles while I put the diaper out for Max. Max looked at it ugly and turned to look at me as if I was playing a prank on him.

"This will have to do, Max. You can't go out in this weather."

I stomped back into the kitchen to find Edward contorted like a human pretzel, his phone held aloft like a sacred offering to the signal gods.

"Lost cause?" I smirked, picturing his patients rolling their eyes at his dramatic doctor consultations. He whipped around, startled, then mumbled something about "the stupid rain" with a sheepish grin.

"How are the noodles going?" I asked.

"I think they're fine," he observed. "I was about to open the sauce. Do you have a can opener?"

"You don't need it. Those cans have easy open," I explained.

"Those things never work, it's easier with the can opener."

Okay. Mr. I am always right.

"Well, if it's that hard for you, I'll do it," I said, moving him to the side and taking the can in my hands.

I pulled but it didn't move. I didn't dare look at Edward. I didn't want to let him think he was right so I pulled harder, and harder, and harder until the can burst open and smeared all over Edward. We both looked at each other for a microsecond before I burst out laughing. My laughter didn't last long when I felt sauce on my face and blouse. Edward held her with an air of superiority that had always driven me crazy.

"Okay," I conceded. "We're even now. Could you go for another one? I'll get you another shirt."

He nodded and started walking. He didn't get very far when the sauce hit him in the back. He turned around in slow motion and looked at me in shock. I threw more sauce in his face so he would stop staring. He had started it and I was clearly going to finish it.

"Bella…" his voice was serious and his eyes had darkened.

Shit.

"Edward," I said, putting my hands in front of me and slowly walking backwards as he got dangerously closer. "We are both reasonable people. You know the first time was an accident. You owed me."

He kept coming closer. My back hit the counter and I had no room to run. He came closer until my hands touched his chest. He put his hands on either side of me and slowly approached my face. I felt very nervous.

"Wanna know something, brat? There's something I've wanted to do for a long time," he whispered, his lips now on my ear. "I think it's time."

I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. I knew this was wrong but by God it felt good to imagine what would happen. I prepared myself for what would happen but it didn't happen. In its place came tickles that I couldn't escape. I couldn't stop laughing either, that made it more difficult to try to escape.

Edward had me in an extremely tight grip and I thought I would die of laughter. I lost what little dignity I had left trying to beg for mercy. When he was satisfied with my punishment he let me go and went to the basement for another can of sauce. It was disgustingly covered in red sauce. And would probably have to shower. Edward needed another change of clothes as well.

I ran quickly to the guest room to get a new t-shirt and pants for him, while I quickly washed my hair in the bathroom. The shower would have to wait. I felt my phone vibrate at that moment; the signal was back.

"Hey," I answered.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed in relief. "I've been trying to talk to you and Rosalie all day. Are you okay? The fucking signal barely came back for me."

"For me too," I explained. "I'm fine. The storm caught us off guard but we are safe in my house."

There was silence on the other end of the line as Alice was trying to make sense of my words.

"When you say 'we', you mean you and Max, right? Or is Jake in lockdown with you?"

Shit. This would be fun to explain.

"Well, I…"

"Bella! Here's the sauce! Now can I have a fucking can opener?"

"Edward?" Alice exclaimed in surprise.

"What did you say?" I heard Jasper on the other end of the phone. Well, dammit. Speakerphone again? Really?

"Yes, it's just that he, well, we were, and then," I began to stutter.

"Bella," Edward said entering the bathroom. "The noodles are going to get mushy. Where is the can opener?"

"I'll call you later, Bella. I don't want the noodles to spoil," Alice finished in a suggestive tone. "Don't worry about Rosalie, I'll tell her you're both fine," she added with emphasis on the "both".

"Al…" but she had already hung up. Well, shit. This did not look good for me. I just hoped I would be able to explain it before Jake got the wrong idea.

"Alice?" he asked, curiously observing my rosy cheeks.

"Yes, apparently the signal has returned," I replied. "There are new clothes here. I'll take care of what's left in the kitchen so you can change. "

Edward's hand clamped down on my arm, halting my escape from the bathroom. I whipped around, forced to face him. His eyes, usually bright as gems, were now dark and stormy, like a brewing tempest. Something dangerous lurked within them, sending a jolt of fear through me. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Instinctively, my gaze dropped, drawn to the press of his lips – a familiar sight, yet somehow different in this charged atmosphere.

My resentment, the only thing that had kept a barrier between us, was gone as soon as I heard him begging me not to leave. Now Jake was also a factor I needed to consider but at that moment I couldn't do anything, I was frozen. And that terrified me. I was terrified by his closeness, his smell of cedar with mint, his dark eyes, his intentions.

That distance continued to close. He was getting closer and closer and I wasn't sure if I could turn him away.