Work Text:
1:45 PM
July 1st, 2010
Forks, Washington
The Newton's House
"You two-timing piece of shit!"
"B...B...Bella! What are you doing here? You don't understand. It's not what you think," Mike stuttered. He frantically pulled the bed sheets to cover up.
"Oh, it isn't. Then please explain what it looks like to me because, obviously, my eyes are failing me. It looks as if there's another woman in your bed."
Mike remained silent as he tried to come up with an excuse. He had forgotten that Bella would be flying back from Florida today. She had finished her last year at college a month before, but instead of coming back home to their small town of Forks, she had chosen to fly down with her mom to Florida. The last thing either had expected was this moment.
"Bella, I got lonely. You were all the way on the other side of the country. I only get to see you every few months."
Mike put on that soft voice that Bella would so hopelessly fall for every time they had a fight. However, today, Bella didn't fall for it. She didn't care anymore. She loved Mike, and though it had been hard to make their relationship work from different sides of the country, she had thought that the years of friendship before they started dating would help ease the distance.
Obviously, she had been wrong.
"What an excuse? You got lonely? Please don't give me that pathetic excuse. That is such bullshit. And with Jessica Stanley? Of all the scum in the world? Her?"
"Excuse you?" Jessica interjected from beneath the bed sheets. She was hiding from Bella, but it was to no avail. Bella could see the roots of the terrible dye job Jessica had peeking from the top of the sheets.
"No! You don't get to talk!"
Bella was fuming. Her face was red; she could feel the heat blazing on her cheeks. Her fists lay clenched tightly at her sides, gripping the copy of Mike's house keys that he'd given her. Her body remained hunched forward as if she were preparing herself to swoop onto the bed and attack its occupants. It was all terribly strange to witness. Bella tended to be levelheaded and mellow. This side of her rarely made itself known.
"We're over. So done. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't email me. Don't Facebook me. Don't even wave to me if you see me in the goddamn supermarket."
"Bella, we can work this out. You know I love you."
"Are you kidding me?" Both Bella and Jessica reacted at the same time. Each woman's tone disbelievingly for different reasons. Bella shook her head and watched as Jessica scrambled out of bed and began redressing.
"This is such bullshit, Mike," Jessica yelled, and Bella looked on in slight amusement for a few moments before exiting. She left her keys in the bowl by the door; she no longer needed them.
The last thing she wanted was for Mike or Jessica to see her crying.
2:15 PM
July 1st, 2010
Forks, Washington
Cullen Household
Bella frantically kept pressing the doorbell and knocking her fist against the Cullen's front door. She knew it was rude, but she desperately wanted—no, she needed to speak with Edward, and it appeared that no one was home. Though the two had gone off to different universities, they remained close, but not as close as they had been when they were younger.
Esme, his mother, finally ended up opening the door. She looked agitated and annoyed by the commotion but quickly changed her countenance when she saw who it was.
"Bella! Long time no see. How have you been?"
Bella smiled politely. Esme Cullen was and would probably always be the nicest person she had ever encountered. She always wore a smile on her face and was willing to help anyone who needed it. There was no way that Bella could greet her with a scowl; it seemed wrong.
"I'm alright, Mrs. Cullen. Is Edward here?"
This time, Esme smiled tightly and stepped aside to let Bella enter. Bella quickly looked into the glass panes of the china cabinet by the door and noticed the puffiness around her eyes and the smudged eyeliner in the corner of her eyes. They were telltale signs that she had been crying.
"Are you sure you're alright, Bella? You know you can tell me anything."
Bella nodded affirmatively, and Esme gave her a knowing look. She was all too familiar with that look since childhood. Esme had been prodding her for an explanation, and Bella had refused to give one. She immediately knew that Esme suspected that something was wrong and that she was lying. It was all over Bella's face; she hadn't done a terrific job of hiding it.
"I'm alright. I promise. I just need to talk with Edward."
"Did you two fight?"
"Oh no. I just want to see him. It's been a while."
"It has," Esme replied. "He's upstairs. Probably has his headphones on. It would explain why he didn't come down to answer the door. Since he's come back, all he does is stay up in his room with those damn headphones blaring. They're bigger than his head."
"Thank you," Bella quickly spat out as she ran up the stairs. She skipped the squeaky fifth step like she and Edward used to do when they were teenagers trying to sneak out of the house. She headed down the familiar, picture frame-filled walls that led to Edward's room.
She knocked on the door a few times, but Edward didn't answer. Eventually, she decided to just rush into the room.
"What the? Bella?" Edward shouted. The sudden onslaught of sunlight that entered his bedroom from the hallway broke him out of his music-induced meditation. It was clear that he was more than surprised to see Bella. He peeled his headphones off and hastily threw them down on the bed before walking up to Bella and hugging her.
It had been about four months since they had seen each other. If Bella was being honest, she had truthfully missed him. Though their friendship had grown slightly frayed due to school, he was still an essential person in her life. He was one of the few people from their hometown she still talked to and wanted to speak with.
Bella hugged him tightly. He was the one person she could always confide in. He never judged her but was always honest with her. No matter if the truth was brutal.
"How have you been?"
"I've been better."
Her response was timid and weak. It caused Edward to take a closer look at her. That was when he noticed that she had been crying. He grabbed her once more and pulled her into another hug.
"What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?"
Through tears and shaky breaths, she told him everything that happened earlier; she left nothing out. He just held her tighter and rocked them from side to side.
"I can't be...believe he did it," Bella stuttered. "After all those years of me refusing to date him, he goes and cheats on me. I wonder how long it's been going on."
"He wasn't good enough for you, anyway." Edward knew precisely who Bella was talking about without her having to say his name. They'd all gone to high school together.
Bella chuckled against Edward's chest. It made Edward grin, and he pulled away from Bella to smile at her. He grabbed a tissue behind him and wiped away her tears.
"You never think anyone is good enough for me."
"I'm your friend; I'm supposed to think that."
"I can't believe he cheated on me. I mean, I know that we really didn't see too much of each other in the last few months, but I had to focus on graduating on time," she reasoned. Edward shook his head.
"That's no excuse, Bella. You did nothing wrong. He cheated because he wanted to. You being away at school is not an excuse. You don't cheat on someone you supposedly love."
Bella huffed in frustration and plopped down at the end of Edward's bed. She made sure she didn't end up sitting on his laptop or his headphones. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulder, once again pulling her close to him to comfort her.
Bella sighed contently. She felt safe in Edward's arms; she always had. Edward, though he was only about three months older, always played the role of the protector. Edward and his cousin Emmett always managed to make sure no one ever picked on her when they were kids. Edward was always the one who could make Bella feel better.
"It's my fault if you think about it."
"No, Bella. It isn't. Don't try to justify that you're the one to blame. Mike Newton was an ass in high school, and he still is."
"I guess, but he was so nice to me. I really cared about him; I actually loved him. I put so much effort into this relationship, and it was all for shit."
"Fuck, Mike Newton. He's an idiot. He obviously didn't know what a catch he had. It's his loss."
Bella smiled shyly and snuggled closer to Edward.
"Thanks," she quietly said.
"Anytime."
7:30 PM
July 1st, 2010
Forks, Washington
Cullen Household
"Let's go somewhere," Edward suggested. He and Bella had spent the last few hours watching television.
"Where? The diner?"
"No. Far away from Forks."
"What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. Let's just get the hell out of here. We've graduated, and yet we decided to come back here. What's wrong with us?"
Bella chuckled and nodded in agreement. She turned to look at Edward beside her and smiled. He was making so much sense. A short vacation from Forks and everything and everyone in Forks sounded fantastic. It was exactly what she needed. Of course, he knew.
"I agree. Let's get out of here. Where to?"
"The Happiest Place on Earth."
"You wanna go to Disneyland?" Bella asked, surprised. Edward never seemed impressed by Disneyland or anything Disney-related. Bella could remember their senior trip in high school. Edward had been a sourpuss the entire five days they were at Disneyland. All he did was complain about the heat, the people, the children, and he kept whining about wanting to go home. Bella had enjoyed herself greatly, getting on every ride before their time was up.
"Yeah, why not. It takes about a day to drive down there. If we leave tomorrow, we can get there by the 3rd and then stay for the Fourth of July fireworks show."
"That sounds like a blast."
"Are you down? I can book a room online," Edward said while he grabbed his laptop off his desk.
8:00 PM
July 1st, 2010
Forks, Washington
Cullen Household
"One room, two queen beds reserved for the 3rd to the 6th."
"I can't believe we're going to do this," Bella remarked. Edward smiled brightly at her.
"You need this, Bella. It'll be a great way for you to see why you're awesome and Mike Newton is a dick."
"I don't quite know how Space Mountain or the Tower of Terror will show me how awesome I am, but it sure as hell will be fun."
"That's the spirit," Edward chuckled. He walked toward his closet and pulled down a duffel bag to start packing.
"I love you, Swan, but I suggest you go home to pack and sleep. We're leaving early."
"Of course we are," she groaned as she stood. "You always want to leave early."
5:20 AM
July 2nd, 2010
Forks, Washington
Swan Residence
"It is too fucking early," Bella complained. Edward sat in front of her at the kitchen table. Her father had already left for work. Being the chief of police didn't only mean more money; it meant earlier work hours.
"Well, the sooner we leave, the sooner we can get to Disneyland."
"I know," Bella grumbled. She tried not to scarf down her cereal, but she could tell that Edward was anxious to leave. He kept drumming his fingers on the table and staring impatiently at her.
"Want to leave now, don'tcha?"
"Well, according to Google Maps, it takes twenty hours to get to Disneyland. If we leave now, we can get there by tomorrow morning. However, I've taken into account that if we make a few rest stops, we won't be too early for check-in."
Bella laughed. Of course, Edward would have researched how long the trip would take. That was such an Edward thing to do. He always seemed ready for everything, always the Boy Scout. He always had to be prepared for everything. God forbid he did anything spontaneous to its full capacity.
"Edward, we're going to take several rest stops. Specifically so we can switch. I'm not going to let you drive the whole way down there. That wouldn't be fair."
Edward gave her a horrified look, and she realized that he hadn't taken that into account. Edward was incredibly strict about who drove his car or who even sat in his car.
"Umm, I don't mind driving the whole way," he replied. Bella threw her head back in raucous laughter.
"I knew it. I'm not going to wrap your car around a tree. I promise."
9:00 AM
July 2nd, 2010
Somewhere between Forks, Washington, and Seattle, Washington
Rest Stop, Exit 169
"Better?" Edward asked. Bella nodded and patted her stomach.
"I had to pee. I don't think I would have made it to the next rest stop, and I'm sure you would not have appreciated your leather interior smelling like urine."
"Correct."
"I think you care more about your car than anything else," Bella quipped. She walked over to the Starbucks at the rest stop and ordered a piece of banana bread and a frozen caramel Frappuccino.
"There are things I care about more."
"Name one, and it better not be your iPod."
"You," he answered honestly. It caused Bella to miss the barista behind the counter, calling her name. For some reason, all she could suddenly hear was the pounding of her heart against her chest. She knew Edward meant it in a friendly manner, but for some reason, it had felt amazing to hear him say that he cared. Oddly, she couldn't explain the flutter in her stomach. All she could do was smile.
"Bella," the barista once again called out. This time, Bella heard him and walked over to pick up her coffee.
"You've got a crazy caffeine habit, Bella."
"Yes, well, just because you choose to get your caffeine from Coca-Cola doesn't mean that your caffeine habit is any healthier than mine."
1:42 PM
July 2nd, 2010
Somewhere between Tacoma, Washington, and Lakewood, Washington
Side of the Road
"We're lost."
"Yep."
5:20 PM
July 2nd, 2010
Portland, Oregon
Fuller's Restaurant
"Let's eat something here. There's a bunch of restaurants around here."
"Edward, we don't have to eat at a restaurant. Fast food works for me."
"Shut up, Bella. Look, a nice little diner," he pointed to the left side of the road and drove on ahead to find parking. The neighborhood that they were in was quite nice. People were shopping in the small stores and just milling around.
"This place is pretty cool."
Edward nodded his head and held the restaurant door open for Bella. The hostess quickly sat them at a table by the large front window. Soon enough, their food arrived.
"Always with the ravioli, huh?" Edward teased as he bit into his cheeseburger.
"Hey, I like Italian food. I don't go around making fun of the fact that no matter where we go if there's a cheeseburger on the menu, you're probably going to order it."
Edward chuckled.
"Hey, look over there," Edward said, distracting Bella. While she looked behind her, he grabbed a piece of ravioli and popped it into his mouth.
"There was nothing there," Bella remarked. Edward shrugged his shoulders.
Bella stared at Edward, trying to figure out what all that had been about. It was when she looked back down at her plate that she noticed the few trailing drops of Pesto sauce on the table leading to Edward.
"You could've just asked for some."
"Stolen food tastes better," he remarked, and Bella broke out in laughter. It seemed like all she did around Edward was laugh. It was a pleasant and much-needed change after the Mike debacle.
"I bet."
"You can steal a fry if you'd like to," Edward offered, pushing his platter forward. Bella shook her head and scoffed playfully.
"It doesn't count as stolen if you're presenting me with the opportunity and giving me permission."
Edward laughed, and the two spent the rest of their dinner recounting stories from childhood. It was a fun dinner and the first time in a while that Bella could remember having so much fun with someone. Of course, it had to be Edward.
"Thanks, Edward."
"For what?" he asked. He didn't know what Bella was thanking him for, but he knew it was something much more serious than just paying for dinner. The little wrinkle in the middle of her brow was evidence of that. Whenever she was solemn, she would furrow her brows and stare intently at whomever she was speaking to.
"For all of this, for suggesting we take this trip, and for coming along with me."
"It was no problem, Bella. I don't like seeing you upset."
They smiled shyly at each other, and again, Bella felt the same flutter in her stomach she had at the other rest stop. There was something in the way Edward was looking at her that felt different from other times. Something in his gaze felt familiar yet utterly unfamiliar. She couldn't figure it out.
Bella looked away from Edward and looked behind him, causing him to turn around to see what she was staring at so intently. When he turned around, he found Bella shoving a few of his French fries into her mouth.
"You're right. Stolen food does taste better."
8:55 PM
July 2nd, 2010
Somewhere between Eugene, Oregon, and Roseburg, Oregon
I-5
"We're lost again. Aren't we?"
"Shut up, Edward."
"I can read the map for you."
"Go back to sleep."
9:15 PM
July 2nd, 2010
STILL Somewhere between Eugene, Oregon, and Roseburg, Oregon
Side of the Road
"Stupid fucking map. Why doesn't Edward have a freakin' GPS?" Bella talked to herself as she tried to figure out where they were on the map. Edward was sound asleep beside her. He still had about another two hours of rest time before he was to swap with Bella.
She wanted to wake him up to help her, but he looked like he was in a deep sleep. His mouth was slightly open, and he was snoring softly. It was more like heavy breathing, but sometimes it became a full-on snore.
Bella took a moment to study Edward. It was the first time, the first real-time, that she had stopped to admire him. He was handsome; that was a given. He had always gotten tons of attention in middle school and high school. He had striking features: a long, narrow nose, full lips, a strong jaw, and hair that looked as if he had just had fantastic sex. He was tall and lean. If Bella remembered correctly, Edward had a toned, swimmer's physique.
Frankly, he was one of the most beautiful men Bella had ever seen, and that was saying something. Living in New York for about four years had provided her with a city full of attractive men, and yet Edward could fit in with no problems. He could even stand out, especially with that odd shade of red hair.
He was warm and funny. He was gentle yet strong. He was intelligent, and yet he could be silly.
He was nearly perfect.
He could be off with another girl having a summer spent mostly in bed, and yet here he was with her on a trip to Disneyland, all because he wanted to see her happy.
11:10 PM
July 2nd, 2010
On the I-5
Rest Stop, Exit 14
"I'll drive from here on in," Edward offered. He had noticed that Bella was getting tired as they headed down the I-5. Her eyes kept fluttering shut.
"Why don't we just stop at a motel? We'll be well rested. We won't have to worry about being early for check-in at the hotel."
"Yeah, I guess."
11:30 PM
July 2nd, 2010
Exit 14: Phoenix, Oregon
Holiday Inn Express
"I want to shower."
"I want you to shower," Edward joked as he took a deep whiff of Bella.
"Oh, 'cause you smell like daisies."
Edward chuckled and plopped onto the bed. The hotel had only one room left. It was a room on a smoking floor with a king-sized bed.
"Which side do you sleep on?" Edward asked. He moved to the center of the bed and waited for Bella's response.
"The right."
"My right or yours?"
"Mine," she replied. She was searching for her toiletry bag in her suitcase.
"Good, 'cause I like the left side."
Bella turned around to see him lounging on the left side. He was busy flipping through channels on the television. His body looked so long stretched out on the bed. His shirt had risen up on his torso. It teased Bella, just giving her a small peek at the trail of hair there. It was tantalizing.
"Looks like it's going to be a nice, hot day in Anaheim on the Fourth," Edward announced.
"That's good," she offhandedly remarked, only having caught the very end of what he said.
1:30 AM
July 3rd, 2010
Exit 14: Phoenix, Oregon
Holiday Inn Express
"Nothing like a shower to make you feel like a human being," Edward remarked as he stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of sweats and nothing else. The sight caused Bella's mouth to go dry. She instantly felt her cheeks to see if they were red. His sweats were so low on his hips, and his body seemed much more toned than it did the year before.
"Yep," was all Bella could say.
"You okay?"
"Yep," Bella replied as she watched Edward walk over to the bed. They were choosing to sleep on top of the bed sheets. You could never trust any hotel to wash their sheets. Luckily, Edward had thought to bring some blankets.
"Goodnight, Bella."
"Goodnight, Edward," she quietly answered and turned over and away from him.
2:55 AM
July 3rd, 2010
Exit 14: Phoenix, Oregon
Holiday Inn Express
Bella couldn't sleep.
Sometime around 2:30 in the morning, Edward had turned over and was now breathing on the back of her neck. The heat from his mouth was affecting her in ways she never thought Edward could affect her.
7:30 AM
July 3rd, 2010
Exit 14: Phoenix, Oregon
Holiday Inn Express
Bella woke up to find herself spooning with Edward. She had finally fallen asleep around 3:30 in the morning and couldn't remember when this predicament happened.
She tried to wriggle out from under his arm, but he had a firm grip on her, and it had the opposite effect. He just held her against him tighter.
"Edward," she whispered. He groaned against her. "Edward, wake up."
"Five more minutes." He spoke against the side of her neck, and the feeling of his lips against her skin caused her breath to skip.
"No, come on, Edward. We need to leave."
"Alright."
He leaned forward as Bella turned, ending with the two of them facing each other.
"Morning."
"Good morning," he replied sleepily and leaned forward. With his eyes still barely open, he leaned forward and kissed her soundly on the mouth. Bella didn't know how to respond, but her body did. Heat coursed up her back and caused a chill down her spine. She pushed her lips gently against his before she realized what she was doing. Quickly, she pushed away from him.
"Oh shit! Bella, I'm sorry," Edward, now fully awake, jumped out of bed. "I'm sorry."
"Okay, it's okay," Bella sputtered. "I'm gonna go brush my teeth."
"Okay."
"Okay."
11:30 AM
July 3rd, 2010
Near Redding, California
Rest Stop, Exist 677
"Are we going to talk about what happened?" Edward asked as he pumped gas.
Bella shook her head and walked off to use the restroom and get some food.
3:30 PM
July 3rd, 2010
Somewhere between Modesto, California, and Fresno, California
I-5
Edward turned to look at Bella. She was staring out of the passenger side window, avoiding him.
When he wasn't looking, Bella watched Edward before turning to face away from him again, only to turn back to stare at him again.
Only the radio provided noise.
8:30 PM
July 3rd, 2010
Anaheim, California
10 minutes from Disneyland Resort
Tropicana Inn & Suites
"What time do you want to head out to the park tomorrow?" Edward asked. He chose the bed closest to the bathroom to let Bella have the bed next to the window. He knew that she liked to wake up with the sun coming into the room.
"Whenever is fine."
Bella lay splayed out on her bed, facing away from Edward. Things were still tense between them. They hadn't spoken much since earlier in the day. Bella didn't know what to say. Edward had always been just her friend. She would be lying to herself if she said that the kiss hadn't been fantastic. Though it was short, it had felt so right. She had no idea what that meant. She had no idea if Edward had kissed her in the morning because it was her or because he was still too asleep to notice it was her.
"Does nine sound okay?" Edward was desperately trying to get Bella to talk. All her answers were either short or monosyllabic. It was frustrating. He felt guilty for kissing her. He wasn't sorry for doing it, but he didn't want her to think it was because he felt sorry for her.
That wasn't the case with Edward. Bella had been playing an integral part in his fantasies since their sophomore year in college. He had flown out to spend Spring Break in with her. Those ten days had changed everything for him. However, that was around the time that she started to date Mike Newton.
"Nine sounds good."
"Okay."
9:35 AM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
Disneyland Resort
"God, it took forever to get in," Bella complained as she slipped her pass into her pocket. She didn't want to lose it because it could be used to get into the California Adventure Park next door, and that was where her favorite ride was, the Tower of Terror.
"I know. Look at all these fucking people," Edward added. He was slathering sunscreen on his face and arms. He passed the lotion to Bella, and she rubbed it into her face and arms as quickly as possible.
"Where to first?"
"Space Mountain," Bella happily announced, and Edward smiled.
Though things were still slightly tense between them, he could see that the Disneyland atmosphere was making Bella happy, and that was the whole point of this trip.
"All right, Space Mountain it is."
11:05 AM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
Disneyland Resort – Outside of Space Mountain
"That was the longest line in history," Edward grumbled. Bella merely laughed.
"It was totally worth it." She was beaming up at him, and Edward couldn't help but smile back. Her hair was a mess, and most of it had fallen out of her ponytail. His hand reached out to pull the rest of it out of the hair tie before he could stop himself.
"Here," he held out the hair tie to Bella. "It was about to fall out."
Bella slowly nodded and tied her hair back up." "How about Star Tours now?"
"Ah, you know anything with Star Wars is fine with me," he smiled, and Bella grinned.
"Know this I, Padawan."
"That was a terrible Yoda impression."
"It's better than yours," Bella argued.
"I don't do a Yoda impression."
"See? Better than yours."
Edward scoffed and walked away from Bella. He turned around to stick his tongue out at her, and she laughed. She jogged over to him, and they walked together to the ride. Thankfully, this line was shorter.
12:25 PM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
California Adventure - Tower of Terror
"After this, we can get some lunch," Edward suggested as they moved up in the line. They were still standing on the outside portion of the line, but it was moving fairly quickly.
"Sounds good."
"Are you having fun?" he asked and turned to look down at her.
"Yeah. So far, this has been one of the best days ever. Thanks."
"No problem."
2:25 PM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
California Adventure - Tower of Terror
"Again?"
"Yes, Edward. We're going on again."
"This is the third time."
"It won't be the last today."
8:45 PM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
Disneyland Resort
"Let's find a good place to sit to see the fireworks."
"Yeah. I don't want to deal with all the people shoving and any crying babies," Edward added, and Bella shook her head.
"Are you honestly telling me you didn't have fun today?"
"Even though my feet hurt, I'm sticky, and I'm sure the sunscreen didn't work; I had a great time with you today."
"Me too, and about this morning—"
"Bella, I'm sorry. I hope you don't think I was taking advantage of you."
"No, Edward. I know that. I'm just wondering why?"
9:00 PM
July 4th, 2010
Anaheim, California
Disneyland Resort - Celebrate America Fireworks
Edward smiled wistfully and pushed a strand of hair away from Bella's eyes. He wrapped it around his finger before putting it behind her ear. He felt her cheeks flush and smiled again.
"It's been a long time coming. I've wanted to kiss you since Spring Break."
"Since then?"
"Yes. I just…those few days we hung out are still the best days I've ever had. I had so much fun with you. You make me laugh, Bella, and you make me smile. I'm constantly smiling around you. I always want to be near you. You waking up in my arms was incredible. I know you just got out of a relationship, but I'd like to date you."
The fireworks were going off in the distance, but Bella continued staring at Edward instead of the colorful lights in the sky.
"I think I'd like that. You do all those things for me, too, Edward. You always know how to make me feel better."
Edward smiled brightly down at her and picked her up. He kissed her chastely before Bella surged forward and really kissed him. Their lips fit perfectly together. Edward knew exactly what he was doing. His kiss was gentle yet aggressive. He knew when to apply pressure and when to be soft.
They stayed kissing as the fireworks went off in the background until a young boy kicked Edward in the shin. It had caused him to bite down on Bella's lip and to pull away from her.
"Ow!" Edward and Bella both groaned in pain.
"Hey, kid. Why did you kick me?" Edward asked the little blond-haired boy beside them.
"'Cause you're in the way. And you're kissing. Yuck!"
Bella laughed against Edward's chest. Edward couldn't help but laugh as well.
"I'm sorry. We'll sit," Edward apologized. The boy nodded in a "You better" motion and walked back to where his parents were obliviously watching the fireworks show.
He and Bella sat down amongst the crowd and watched the bright lights bursting in the sky. Bella sat between Edward's knees with her head resting on his shoulder.
"Thank you. For all of this."
"Anytime, Bella. Maybe next time we'll do a cross-country trip."
"That sounds like fun. Except next time, we'll take my truck."
"God, no. It would take three years to complete the trip then," Edward joked, and Bella shook in his arms.
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"Now that I think about it, it really doesn't."
[-FIN-]