Twilight Idea Excerpts
Don't read these, they are simply parts of these ideas. If you do, you may be spoiled in an upcoming story of mine... or you'll probably be confused.
...And yes, I realize these titles are copied off of songs... two from The Strokes, even.
Rating: Leaning on Mature, I'm liking those lately.
Comments: Inspired by Melissa De La Cruz's The Au Pairs, and slightly by Blue Bloods, especially the environment of Duchesne.
Notes: Bella's character is slightly different here; much more hardened, but still kindhearted deep down. Set in Los Angeles. Though it's safe to say that my sources are rather reliable, it's not accurate, and certainly depicted a lot harsher than it really is in real life, so don't take this to heart. Most everyone is not really like this. Everything is taken to an exaggerated degree.
Summary: To be a "civilian" in this city is to be a peasant. Watch out for the nobles, they'll kill you with a flip of their beautiful hair. If only Bella had taken this to heart. All-Human.
Hard to Explain
The sun was beating down on the cement, contrasting greatly to the cold, biting air, which she took notice of as soon as she exited the car. Being only 4 o'clock in the afternoon, there was positively no one who could be parking in the lot of the club. So what was she doing here? Why in the world did she have to cut all her previous plans with her mother and Phil? Why did she have to rush over clad in her jeans and running shoes, an attire she wouldn't normally work in?
The answer was that the Hales were coming that night.
Bella tugged at her sweatshirt, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as she thought about the sudden visitors. Her normal attire didn't consist of the glamorous dresses and ensembles that her work demanded (the old gray sweatshirt and faded jeans said that enough); usually she took the time to dress up before going to work, but she didn't have her normal half-hour-long primping for now. She had to rush to work, as did the other head consultants and planners of the club. Normally a run-of-the-mill celebrity wouldn't cause this much hoopla, but these weren't run-of-the-mill celebrities.
These were particularly large contributors to the events and programs the club's owners had, and of course the club itself. They were powerful. And she wanted to hate them for being two spoiled celebrity brats. However, she could never bring herself to think that way, because, firstly, it wasn't really in Bella's nature to hate someone without any basis, and secondly, they had done absolutely nothing to earn that denomination.
Of course, there was reason for someone like Bella to have judgments on the twins. After all, they were born into a highly regarded family of highly successful, highly powerful people. Their father was a CEO of a well known beverage company; their mother an Oscar winning actress. Their grandfather was a Justice in the Supreme Court, their aunts writers and journalists, their cousins rising actors and actresses. Their mother's brother was the famous Dr. Cullen, known for his regular visits to Oprah's show; even his wife was a successful interior designer, and had her own share of time on Oprah's couch. And as if it weren't enough that they were all successful, they were all so good looking.
The Hale twins were beautiful and rich - a guaranteed winning combo in this town, regardless of anything else. Jasper, the quieter twin, was rising in the ranks of successful therapist, an odd profession to be recognized as a household name, but he shaped the standard when Vogue did a piece about him and his twin sister, Rosalie. Rosalie, a notorious high-lifer, was the breathtaking model whose body had been ogled by many in her magazine spreads and Victoria Secret TV ads. However, the two were anything but typical Hollywood starlets. Rosalie may have had a certain hauteur in her from what Bella had taken when she spoken her several times, but she gathered so much more from when she was simply observing the twins.
One time, when she had to be the consultant for the night and help pick up the twins, she found Rosalie had, instead of being in a lavish spa or at a luxury hotel, stayed at her friend's second-in-nature home with chipping paint in none other than the ghettos of North Hollywood. Jasper had been at a Children's Hospital, so Bella couldn't even begin to think anything bad at all about him. Not only did they seem to be generous, but they preferred to not be in the limelight. Sure, their many interviews and spreads might have said otherwise, but they both avoided the starlight otherwise. Though, Bella knew for sure she would prefer to work with Jasper over his sister anytime. The woman may be low key, but she was still pretentious.
And Rosalie was exactly the reason why everyone scrambled on their feet to impress them so well. After all, Rosalie wasn't so much as demanding as she was presuming. If some place didn't meet her preconceived standards, she'd simply move on. No one wanted that here in Twilight.
Twilight was known for its high class and accommodating nature, which earned its spot to number one. Number one meant high clientele, but it also meant responsibility. Said "high clientele" were to be well accommodated, and kept away from any civilians. Civilians were, quite bluntly, the average people... non-celebrities, the unimportant, the peasants. They were all kept away by the hired help. Hired help was simply a euphemism for those who are, or were once, civilians and now were just a step above. The "hired help" was exactly as the name entitled it to be.
Really, anyone could have found Bella very lucky for getting this job. This job was more than just a job; it was a way of life for these people.
Still ticked off from Mike Newton, Bella lifted her eyes to the next person in line. Though her eyes were slow to reach their eyes, hers were quick to look down as soon as they reached theirs. In that brief moment, she locked eyes with a towering handsome man with a crooked smile that made her heart race. He was so handsome, she burst inside; he was more handsome than any of the many celebrities she had met... but she was positive he wasn't a celebrity himself. Her face, now buried in her clipboard, felt like it was on fire. Was she blushing? The idea horrified her; she hadn't blushed over a man since, well, before LA. Quickly, she composed herself, grateful for the fact that the clipboard effectively cut her reddened face from the man.
"Name?" Her voice held that familiar professional cold. Ah comfort.
"Edward Masen." Suddenly that coldness melted from her once more as she reveled in his smooth voice. It was like a smooth jazz radio host's, only more soothing. Her facade was slipping; she channeled her inner bitch again, and scanned the clipboard.
"Sorry, I'm afraid you're not on the list."
"What?" His voice was every bit incredulous. Bella had heard all the exasperated tones, the pleas, the contradictions; she could take this voice. However, she knew she couldn't risk one look at him. He continued, "Just... can you double check for me? I know I have to be in there tonight."
"You are not on the list. Please step aside."
Some people simply didn't get it. Either you were on the list, or you weren't. The only people who were allowed to break the rule were celebrities and regulars. Even if some people were simply too irresistible not to let in. But some guy with a beautiful smile, and silky bronze hair, and a perfectly chiseled chest, and oh GOD!-worthy gorgeous green eyes wasn't worth losing this job over.
Okay, so it didn't really matter that she would lose this very tedious job; however, it did pay well, and the perks were just too good. Not many people could be up close and personal with this many celebrities, and feel so in charge as she did whenever she was on the clock, and have opportunities to be featured in the magazines and papers... Of course, what she did wasn't that glamorous either. She was basically assigned to cater to the guests' every need; whether it be to order six large pepperoni pizzas from Domino's at 4 o'clock in the morning or hire a stripper as early as 3 o'clock in the afternoon, it had to be done. This also tied in with having to monitor who was in and out of the club at all times. If this celebrity was going to the club at said night, then that celebrity, who was dating this celebrity's ex, would have to be in no way allowed inside; this meant a close monitor and control of who was going in and out of the club. Civilians were even monitored, because, quite frankly, the more exclusive the club, the more popular it would be. And that meant business. And business meant money for her college tuition.
So she took this business very, very seriously. There was no way this breathtaking man would ruin it for her. She hadn't even looked at him since her initial glance, because she knew very well that she would melt. It wasn't as if she hadn't met a handsome man before (certainly not! The club was crawling with gorgeous men), but this man, Edward, was unlike absolutely anyone she had ever met. It might have been hopeless to describe to anyone, because, while he was very, very good looking, he wasn't much more than the average hot. And she couldn't fathom why she was this attracted to him.
The fact that he was still persisting to go in was making her life all the more difficult. She was so taken by his beauty that she only caught snippets of what he said. "Rosalie Hale", "party", "invited", "ask them". Great, she wasn't going to get fired for letting a civilian in... she was going to be fired for denying a celebrity's party member. She nodded as she idly twiddled with her headset, at least acknowledging what he was saying.
Of course this man would be with Rosalie Hale, she thought, her mental voice a cross between harsh and saddened. He's much too good looking to be a regular civilian.
She spoke into her headset, "Emmett? Can you get the Hale's representative? I've got a civilian saying he's an invitee. He goes by Edward Masen."
Emmett responded instantly and went to check. After a few moments of awkwardly standing this with the green-eyed god, Emmett replied in a very Star Trek-esque manner, "Affirmative. Beam him up."
She had to laugh in response, which she noticed made Edward jump. She brushed it off, and turned to him, looking him in the eyes for the first time since she took that first glance. Oh goodness. He was more delicious the more she got to look at him. His wonderfully green eyes were captivating, especially the way the stood out behind the pieces of hair that were covering them slightly. His lips, slightly open, were so full that she had to actually restrain herself from bringing her own lips to them. Then there was the fact that he was so close to her now, her head was positively spinning from the close proximity and... his scent? She had never, ever, ever been attracted to a scent like this, much less knew how to stop it from getting to her.
"You live in Studio City?" Edward asked her, one eyebrow up. "Isn't that kind of far from where you work?"
Bella looked at him, her with both eyebrows up at him. "Listen, Chicago, my commute is actually much shorter than you think. It's only over that little hill, which takes about forty minutes, thirty minutes if it's a good day. So shut your little mouth."
"You're too good for this world..." he softly said, cupping her face. "Why did you even associate yourself with this place?"
"Hm..." The interviewer looked her over, above her resume. His eyebrows rose. "Well... You have that plain look going on, and that's good. Some of the guests will get to be too grabby, and I don't think they'll be too flirty flirty with you. That'll make things more efficient."
Rating: Definitely MATURE
Comments: Based on my idea here. I basically wrote this while I was working, but it hit me hard. There's a possibility that I may completely change this though. I love this idea so much that I want to perfect it completely. But I had to type it up somewhere, which means this is unedited, and spoilerific!
Summary: A long time ago, Bella had lost her virginity to a boy that had completely swept her off of her feet within a night... And Edward couldn't get her off of his mind after that night... Even nearly ten years afterwards. It is fate that had eventually brought them together, but their history with each other prevents them from being more than just friends. Can they see what the other wants? All human. Working title.
What Ever Happened
Note: This is a scene already far into the storyline, the one scene that stood out in my mind. Reuniting.
I honestly had no idea where we were, though I trusted Emmett did, considering he lived here throughout college life. We passed a sign that said "Private Beach", but Emmett said it only belonged to the restaurant, so that meant all customers could go. I wasn't sure if ordering a few drinks made us customers. However, once we reached the shore, I wasn't so worried anymore. I was greeted with a beautiful view of the clear sky and sparkling ocean. There were only a handful of people scattered about; sunbathers lounged on the restaurant provided chairs, a couple of families had picnics displayed around them, and we were met with the sounds of waves, kids' laughter, some chatter of both people and seagulls, and high-pitched squeals.
Immediately our heads turned to the squeals, afraid that someone was hurt. All it was, however, were three girls far in the distance jumping and being washed by the waves. Even from a distance we could tell they had spectacular bodies clad only in bikinis. I could only recall one instance when I had felt attraction this strong...
California was proving to be amazing.
Emmett finally broke the silence with a long whistle. Jasper and I didn't have to say anything to share that we definitely agreed. But Emmett surprised us both by letting out an obnoxious, booming laugh. Our heads immediately turned to him, as did everyone else, including the girls far away. He surprised us further by yelling in his booming voice, "Hey girls! You're not even gonna give ol' Emmett a proper greeting?!"
"Emmett!" came the loud squeals of the girls.
I was sure both Jasper and I were slack jawed when seconds later a tiny girl with short black hair jumped up into Emmett's arms. I glanced over to Jasper, whose eyes were positively bugging out. I was surprised to find that yet another girl joined the small girl into Emmett's arms seconds later. He sure wasn't lying when he said he and "his girls" were close. Their exclamations, however, weren't as surprising as what happened next.
"Jasper?! Edward?!" All of our heads swung to the third girl, who had taken her time walking to our group. There was no way we could have expected what happened next though. We were met by Rosalie, who mirrored our incredulous expressions. She quickly brought the both of us in a hug, giving a slight noogie to Jasper as she did so.
"Rosalie, what the hell are you doing here?" Jasper's voice was significantly filled with more emotion than usual.
However, just as Rosalie was opening her mouth, Emmett, who had detached from the two girls, had stuck his hand out to Rose, saying, "Hello, I'm Emmett. Rosalie, right? I must say, I was expecting some frumpy prude, but hot damn, you are smoking!"
Jasper's eyebrows shot up. We both knew Rose loved the attention, but she had a tendency to be rough with much too forward guys. Knowing how Emmett was, we feared for his safety.
Much to our surprise, however, Rose didn't pummel Emmett to the ground. Instead, after a brief moment of shock, she sauntered over to him, pressing her wet and nearly naked body against his. With her palm pressed against his bare chest, she leaned slightly into his ear and delicately whispered something, which made his body stiffen. And I was sure every part of his body was stiff.
Though her actions made us speechless and completely shocked, it earned a soft giggle from one of the girls. It was the short girl with black spiky hair that was slick from the water. She was tiny and nicely built, which I was sure why Jasper's eyes were glued to her. She returned the same look, and after a moment of their intense staring, she brought her hand up and gave a bright smile.
"Hi, I'm Alice!" Her voice was light and musical, and I immediately liked her.
Jasper, ever-cool as usual, had brought his hand up to hers. "I'm Jasper," he said, giving her a smile. He turned to the other girl and brought his hand up to her as well.
I didn't get a chance to look at the other girl yet, but my first impression of her was interesting. Before I got to look at her, she fell into my chest, tripping in the sand as she made her way to shake hands with Jasper. Her brown hair covered her face, but I felt my heart beat increase tenfold. It wasn't until she looked up in my eyes that my heart stopped altogether.
I was greeted with the most beautiful, and familiar, sight. Her brown eyes bore into mine with a few strands of her wet hair covering her face slightly. Her face had a tinge of pink, but it didn't compare to the pinkness of her lips. I focused on them before I brought my eyes back to hers, finally noticing the way her bikini clad body felt against me. It brought a flood of memories, all from that night, and through my shock, my mind only thought of one name: Bella.
"Edward?" Her soft voice was laced with disbelief and hesitance, but I found that I didn't care. I was ecstatic that she would remember my name after all these years. My mind reeled at what that meant, though I knew there was no way she could've been as obsessed as I had been about it. She slightly bit her lip and I couldn't help but groan at the sight.
"Bella..." Her name came out rough and deep, but that didn't matter at all in that moment. Our lips were beginning to meet, and I rushed to have them touch. However, just millimeters from her mouth, we were interrupted by a choked cough.
"Wow! Well I wasn't expecting that!" Emmett's loud voice came into my ears. Suddenly I was hyper aware of everything around me. Jasper and Rose both had the same exact expression, with raised eyebrows and open mouths. The jumpy girl Alice was making squeaking noises all the while grinning. Emmett had the most incredulous expression on his face, with crossed arms. The smell of ocean was all around me except for right in front of me, and I could still hear the background noise of the families and seagulls. But all I could focus on was Bella in my arms. Bella's face was the brightest shade of red, which briefly reminded me of the first time we met. I was sure my own face was red thinking about it.
She then jumped away from my body, going to where she previously was standing. I missed her body immediately, but I knew I had to keep myself in check in public, so I folded my arms and put my hands into fists. It was all about self-control, and if I had to dig my nails into my palms for it, so be it. I noticed Bella was in the same stance as mine, and I wondered if it was just as difficult for her self-control.
"So, I'm guessing you two know each other?" Rose asked, pointedly looking at Bella with a smirk and raised brow.
"Uh, yeah, this is Edward," Bella replied with a look to Alice, whose mouth was in an 'o' shape. The pixie-like girl then gave her a thumbs up and broke into a grin, which made Bella's fading blush flare up once more. Then her eyes darted to our whole group and looked to Rose. "And how do you know him, Rose?"
"Well, Jasper here," she said, indicating him with her thumb, "is my cousin. Naturally, I met Edward since they were roomies. I was even set up with him." She then stared into Emmett's eyes as she continued, "But that was pointless, since I've never held any attraction or feelings for him." Then she grinned at Bella. "Besides, I've always thought he was harboring feelings for someone else. So, how do you know him, Bella?"
"That's a story for another time," Bella said almost meekly. "Besides, we're here because we're being reunited with Emmett! Guys, where are all your stuff?" I had to admit, even though her diversion wasn't exactly subtle, I liked her style.
"We don't have any," Emmett replied, completely on the next topic already.
"What? You come to a beach without anything?" Alice's voice was high as she smacked Emmett on the arm with her right hand. I noticed then that her left hand was preoccupied with Jasper's, as if they had been attached their whole lives. If anyone had an initial attraction, it was Jasper and Alice. I must have not been the only one who noticed because Alice and Jasper noted our stares and looked down. She was grinning, as Jasper looked sheepish.
Emmett groaned. "Don't tell us you two know each other too!"
Alice's musical laugh reached our ears, and Jasper smiled lopsidedly at her. "No, no, Emmett..."
Jasper leaned into her ear then and whispered something in a very Rosalie-esque fashion. It was obvious the cousins were related from their similar tactics, especially judging from Alice's dumbfounded and flustered expression, that rivaled Emmett's earlier one, which soon turned into a catlike grin. I never knew Jasper to be so bold, and it was almost causing me to be dumbfounded.
"Okay! Lemme get this whole situation straight," Emmett said with narrowed eyes. "So I was good friends with Bella and Alice, and when I ended up in Seattle with Edward and Jasper, they replaced me with the friend and cousin of my new friends. And it turns out Bella and Edward have some history with each other that rivals with the attraction Alice and Jasper are having? I've got this all correct, right?"
Alice, who hadn't separated from Jasper yet, burst out laughing and slapped Emmett hard on the back with her free hand. "Sounds about right, big boy! How about we go over to our stuff now?"
We strolled over to the area with Alice chatting away with me and Jasper, effectively ignoring the three friends she originally planned to hang out with. Every once in a while, she'd look over at Bella with an evil glint in her eye, and I already knew she had many questions and ideas in her mind. Jasper on the other hand was very calm throughout, taking in everything Alice was saying, and giving her hand squeezes every once in a while. I noticed that Emmett and Rosalie had begun to go a ways ahead of us, in their own heated conversation. With Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice starting pair off, that left me with Bella... And I wasn't too sure how I felt about that.
Rating: Mature
Comments: All Human love again. Very typical story, but I wanted to make something that I could write to get the ideas out of me. I'm even tempted to add "Pour Some Sugar On Me" somewhere in this.
(Possible) Summary: In the heat of the summer night, they found each other at a club away from home. Bella had been blown away by his touch. Edward was blown away by her presence. And then they were separated, thinking it was only a fling. And presuming their efforts to be a wild goose chase, they rely on destiny to bring them back. But how?
...This has got to be the worst story I've ever written.
Today My Heart Swings
It was cold. Was it supposed to be like this in "sunny southern California"? I didn't think so, but it was, and I had to deal with it. It was like visiting Charlie in his actual home in Forks. Oh God, I couldn't believe how cold it was there. What I couldn't believe more was that I was living in Washington all the same. Raised in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, and then Florida, I was all too used to the heat I was around. Of course, Phoenix was dry, whereas my stay in Florida was... humid. I shuddered as I realized that I preferred the rain of Seattle than the humid conditions I had to endure towards the end of my high school life. But still, there was a reason why I chose to vacation in supposedly hot southern California.
And that was not the cold.
I sighed as I pulled my coat tighter to my chest, making my way up the block of my hotel to the nearest Starbucks. Dear Lord were there a lot of them here. I winced as I recalled a discussion in a lesson not too long ago about capitalism from my professor who was very... anti-capitalist. I almost had to chuckle at the memory as I made my way in one of the biggest chains of America.
With relief, I waved to my new friends. Well, not so new, but I did become closer to them recently.
One day, when my roommate Rose was still harsh to me and I was terribly intimidated by her, this couple knocked on our door. The short, spiky-haired girl wore this contagious grin on her face, and the tall blonde man looked calm and collected. They were hand in hand. They were also so incredibly adorable together that even Rose had come up to greet them at the door.
Then they told us this crazy story how they were lost on campus being freshmen, and how they ended up in the sophomore buildings, they did not know. And for some reason, the girl--whose name was Alice--had felt that if they asked helped from our door, we'd be different from the others. Well, we were certainly different. Alice noticed the tension between Rose and I and immediately did her best to mend that within the minute. (Which was effective, surprisingly.) While she did this, her boyfriend--Jasper--had simply been watching her with amused eyes. I was so taken by their connection, I was thrown off, and apparently as was Rose.
After lessening the tension between Rose and I somewhat (the full fledged thing didn't come until later in the night), we ended up giving Alice and Jasper a tour of the entire campus. Both of us knew that there were certain students who were assigned to do that sort of thing, but we felt that we had to do this for these two. That afternoon, Alice, Rose, and I had become friends. The thing was, in the end, Alice and Jasper were in the wrong school entirely. They had to go to their own schools, and Rose and I were left to each other.
We did keep in contact with Alice and Jasper of course. But they seemed so far away that it seemed nearly impossible to constantly keep in touch. That is, of course, until this summer.
I smiled, enjoying the way this man's hands were gliding down my sides. My hips were grinding in sync with his. I never felt this comfortable. Ever. Much less in a club with gross, sweaty people. But this was different; his touch was delicate, but daring in its adventure of my sides. I could feel the song was starting to end, and I wanted to turn around at my partner. Though, in my thoughts, I realized that though this man's hands may be tender and gentle, would his face be the same? Would his intentions, and mind, and the rest of his body? Was I glorifying this dance too much to realize the reality of this situation or the disappointment that would face me when I turned to him?
The song was ending for sure now, and I had to work the courage up, so I slowly danced myself to turn to him. I was rendered speechless from what I was faced with.
"And this," I turned to my escort, "is Edward." I smiled lightly as I gestured towards him, hoping Rosalie would approve. I was getting ready for the scene Rose was going to make about Edward and I, though I didn't know what kind of scene that would be, but I was instead confused at the expression that touched her face.
She had this amused smile, almost as if she was going to burst out laughing. I looked back at Edward who was holding the same smile. I was terribly confused now. She must have seen the confusion, because she turned to me, and simply said, "Oh, I know."
Oh no. I'm sure the look of horror made its way up to my face as the possibilities went in my mind. Were they together? Had they dated? Related? (Oh how I prayed for it.) My mind was reeling. I was still in horror as they made casual talk. "So Rosalie," said the velvety voice of Edward. "How's the Hale clan?"
Oh God, they were closer than I thought. I wanted to throw up at my revelation. It only made sense that the beautiful and perfect would attract each other. Apparently this horrible realization was clear on my face by this point, because Edward snapped his head at me and immediately put his hands on my shoulders, ignoring whatever answer Rosalie would give him. He looked intensely into my eyes and asked, "Bella? Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?"
I didn't want to tell him the real reason for my sudden sickness, but I had to shake my head at his question. His grip tightened as he went to assess what was wrong. I finally found my voice as he was looking me over. "Edward. I... I'm fine. I just got suddenly lightheaded."
His eyes softened but his grip didn't. "Oh Bella," was all he said before he lightly kissed my forehead. I was now shy from my blushing and the way my heart was racing. Did he just kiss me? That was the first time he did something like that. My mind was reeling. Was he relieved because he was just being protective? Or was it something else?
"Are you okay, Bella?" Rosalie asked, which reminded me of why I was sick in the first place. I nodded weakly, knowing I should just get this information over with. If they were together, then it was better to have my heart break now before these feelings started to develop. "Edward, you're the doctor here, why don't you help her out?"
He nodded, but I stopped him. "No, I'm fine. Really." He gave me a concerned look that almost made my heart burst, but I stopped myself before the feeling got worse. His face contorted between worry and relief as he realized I wasn't going to back down on my word. I was desperate for him to look away from me, so I looked to his right and said, "So... it seems you two already know each other..."
Rosalie's light and perfect laugh rang in the air. My stomach dropped as I realized how perfect she was for Edward. Her voice matched her beautiful laugh as she said, "Oh yeah, we go way back. His parents and my parents had been friends and colleagues. 'Course, that's not reason we're so close, huh, Ed?" She used a nickname. Oh God.
Here it comes. I tried to ignore the stupid butterflies in my stomach as he laughed as well. "Well, Rose," nickname for her as well. "My best friend was attached to your hip. I don't think I would have had a choice if I didn't want to hang out."
"Emmett was never really the brightest," she laughed. I was really confused. Who was Emmett? She mused aloud, "How's the goofball nowadays? I haven't even thought about him since graduation."
"Gee, that's nice, Rose," his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The boy who happened to be your first...everything flies from your mind just like that?" My mind sparked at the realization. This Emmett... he had to have been the reason Edward and Rose knew each other. I felt a sort of relief, but it didn't really explain whether or not the two of them were that close.
"Edward, that was a long time ago. He was my first kiss in elementary school, first boyfriend in middle, and first fuck in fucking freshman year. We had changed a lot in those years, and the years afterward. We were simply friends from then on." Rose waved her hand for dramatic effect. Then, almost as if remembering I was there, she turned to me swiftly, and then glanced back at Edward, with a wicked smile on her face. "You seemed to be 'simply friends' with nearly everyone... What about nowadays?"
I looked over to Edward, who looked down. From where I could see, he had a hint of red on his cheeks. Was he blushing?
...And yes, I realize these titles are copied off of songs... two from The Strokes, even.
Rating: Leaning on Mature, I'm liking those lately.
Comments: Inspired by Melissa De La Cruz's The Au Pairs, and slightly by Blue Bloods, especially the environment of Duchesne.
Notes: Bella's character is slightly different here; much more hardened, but still kindhearted deep down. Set in Los Angeles. Though it's safe to say that my sources are rather reliable, it's not accurate, and certainly depicted a lot harsher than it really is in real life, so don't take this to heart. Most everyone is not really like this. Everything is taken to an exaggerated degree.
Summary: To be a "civilian" in this city is to be a peasant. Watch out for the nobles, they'll kill you with a flip of their beautiful hair. If only Bella had taken this to heart. All-Human.
Hard to Explain
The sun was beating down on the cement, contrasting greatly to the cold, biting air, which she took notice of as soon as she exited the car. Being only 4 o'clock in the afternoon, there was positively no one who could be parking in the lot of the club. So what was she doing here? Why in the world did she have to cut all her previous plans with her mother and Phil? Why did she have to rush over clad in her jeans and running shoes, an attire she wouldn't normally work in?
The answer was that the Hales were coming that night.
Bella tugged at her sweatshirt, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as she thought about the sudden visitors. Her normal attire didn't consist of the glamorous dresses and ensembles that her work demanded (the old gray sweatshirt and faded jeans said that enough); usually she took the time to dress up before going to work, but she didn't have her normal half-hour-long primping for now. She had to rush to work, as did the other head consultants and planners of the club. Normally a run-of-the-mill celebrity wouldn't cause this much hoopla, but these weren't run-of-the-mill celebrities.
These were particularly large contributors to the events and programs the club's owners had, and of course the club itself. They were powerful. And she wanted to hate them for being two spoiled celebrity brats. However, she could never bring herself to think that way, because, firstly, it wasn't really in Bella's nature to hate someone without any basis, and secondly, they had done absolutely nothing to earn that denomination.
Of course, there was reason for someone like Bella to have judgments on the twins. After all, they were born into a highly regarded family of highly successful, highly powerful people. Their father was a CEO of a well known beverage company; their mother an Oscar winning actress. Their grandfather was a Justice in the Supreme Court, their aunts writers and journalists, their cousins rising actors and actresses. Their mother's brother was the famous Dr. Cullen, known for his regular visits to Oprah's show; even his wife was a successful interior designer, and had her own share of time on Oprah's couch. And as if it weren't enough that they were all successful, they were all so good looking.
The Hale twins were beautiful and rich - a guaranteed winning combo in this town, regardless of anything else. Jasper, the quieter twin, was rising in the ranks of successful therapist, an odd profession to be recognized as a household name, but he shaped the standard when Vogue did a piece about him and his twin sister, Rosalie. Rosalie, a notorious high-lifer, was the breathtaking model whose body had been ogled by many in her magazine spreads and Victoria Secret TV ads. However, the two were anything but typical Hollywood starlets. Rosalie may have had a certain hauteur in her from what Bella had taken when she spoken her several times, but she gathered so much more from when she was simply observing the twins.
One time, when she had to be the consultant for the night and help pick up the twins, she found Rosalie had, instead of being in a lavish spa or at a luxury hotel, stayed at her friend's second-in-nature home with chipping paint in none other than the ghettos of North Hollywood. Jasper had been at a Children's Hospital, so Bella couldn't even begin to think anything bad at all about him. Not only did they seem to be generous, but they preferred to not be in the limelight. Sure, their many interviews and spreads might have said otherwise, but they both avoided the starlight otherwise. Though, Bella knew for sure she would prefer to work with Jasper over his sister anytime. The woman may be low key, but she was still pretentious.
And Rosalie was exactly the reason why everyone scrambled on their feet to impress them so well. After all, Rosalie wasn't so much as demanding as she was presuming. If some place didn't meet her preconceived standards, she'd simply move on. No one wanted that here in Twilight.
Twilight was known for its high class and accommodating nature, which earned its spot to number one. Number one meant high clientele, but it also meant responsibility. Said "high clientele" were to be well accommodated, and kept away from any civilians. Civilians were, quite bluntly, the average people... non-celebrities, the unimportant, the peasants. They were all kept away by the hired help. Hired help was simply a euphemism for those who are, or were once, civilians and now were just a step above. The "hired help" was exactly as the name entitled it to be.
Really, anyone could have found Bella very lucky for getting this job. This job was more than just a job; it was a way of life for these people.
Still ticked off from Mike Newton, Bella lifted her eyes to the next person in line. Though her eyes were slow to reach their eyes, hers were quick to look down as soon as they reached theirs. In that brief moment, she locked eyes with a towering handsome man with a crooked smile that made her heart race. He was so handsome, she burst inside; he was more handsome than any of the many celebrities she had met... but she was positive he wasn't a celebrity himself. Her face, now buried in her clipboard, felt like it was on fire. Was she blushing? The idea horrified her; she hadn't blushed over a man since, well, before LA. Quickly, she composed herself, grateful for the fact that the clipboard effectively cut her reddened face from the man.
"Name?" Her voice held that familiar professional cold. Ah comfort.
"Edward Masen." Suddenly that coldness melted from her once more as she reveled in his smooth voice. It was like a smooth jazz radio host's, only more soothing. Her facade was slipping; she channeled her inner bitch again, and scanned the clipboard.
"Sorry, I'm afraid you're not on the list."
"What?" His voice was every bit incredulous. Bella had heard all the exasperated tones, the pleas, the contradictions; she could take this voice. However, she knew she couldn't risk one look at him. He continued, "Just... can you double check for me? I know I have to be in there tonight."
"You are not on the list. Please step aside."
Some people simply didn't get it. Either you were on the list, or you weren't. The only people who were allowed to break the rule were celebrities and regulars. Even if some people were simply too irresistible not to let in. But some guy with a beautiful smile, and silky bronze hair, and a perfectly chiseled chest, and oh GOD!-worthy gorgeous green eyes wasn't worth losing this job over.
Okay, so it didn't really matter that she would lose this very tedious job; however, it did pay well, and the perks were just too good. Not many people could be up close and personal with this many celebrities, and feel so in charge as she did whenever she was on the clock, and have opportunities to be featured in the magazines and papers... Of course, what she did wasn't that glamorous either. She was basically assigned to cater to the guests' every need; whether it be to order six large pepperoni pizzas from Domino's at 4 o'clock in the morning or hire a stripper as early as 3 o'clock in the afternoon, it had to be done. This also tied in with having to monitor who was in and out of the club at all times. If this celebrity was going to the club at said night, then that celebrity, who was dating this celebrity's ex, would have to be in no way allowed inside; this meant a close monitor and control of who was going in and out of the club. Civilians were even monitored, because, quite frankly, the more exclusive the club, the more popular it would be. And that meant business. And business meant money for her college tuition.
So she took this business very, very seriously. There was no way this breathtaking man would ruin it for her. She hadn't even looked at him since her initial glance, because she knew very well that she would melt. It wasn't as if she hadn't met a handsome man before (certainly not! The club was crawling with gorgeous men), but this man, Edward, was unlike absolutely anyone she had ever met. It might have been hopeless to describe to anyone, because, while he was very, very good looking, he wasn't much more than the average hot. And she couldn't fathom why she was this attracted to him.
The fact that he was still persisting to go in was making her life all the more difficult. She was so taken by his beauty that she only caught snippets of what he said. "Rosalie Hale", "party", "invited", "ask them". Great, she wasn't going to get fired for letting a civilian in... she was going to be fired for denying a celebrity's party member. She nodded as she idly twiddled with her headset, at least acknowledging what he was saying.
Of course this man would be with Rosalie Hale, she thought, her mental voice a cross between harsh and saddened. He's much too good looking to be a regular civilian.
She spoke into her headset, "Emmett? Can you get the Hale's representative? I've got a civilian saying he's an invitee. He goes by Edward Masen."
Emmett responded instantly and went to check. After a few moments of awkwardly standing this with the green-eyed god, Emmett replied in a very Star Trek-esque manner, "Affirmative. Beam him up."
She had to laugh in response, which she noticed made Edward jump. She brushed it off, and turned to him, looking him in the eyes for the first time since she took that first glance. Oh goodness. He was more delicious the more she got to look at him. His wonderfully green eyes were captivating, especially the way the stood out behind the pieces of hair that were covering them slightly. His lips, slightly open, were so full that she had to actually restrain herself from bringing her own lips to them. Then there was the fact that he was so close to her now, her head was positively spinning from the close proximity and... his scent? She had never, ever, ever been attracted to a scent like this, much less knew how to stop it from getting to her.
"You live in Studio City?" Edward asked her, one eyebrow up. "Isn't that kind of far from where you work?"
Bella looked at him, her with both eyebrows up at him. "Listen, Chicago, my commute is actually much shorter than you think. It's only over that little hill, which takes about forty minutes, thirty minutes if it's a good day. So shut your little mouth."
"You're too good for this world..." he softly said, cupping her face. "Why did you even associate yourself with this place?"
"Hm..." The interviewer looked her over, above her resume. His eyebrows rose. "Well... You have that plain look going on, and that's good. Some of the guests will get to be too grabby, and I don't think they'll be too flirty flirty with you. That'll make things more efficient."
Rating: Definitely MATURE
Comments: Based on my idea here. I basically wrote this while I was working, but it hit me hard. There's a possibility that I may completely change this though. I love this idea so much that I want to perfect it completely. But I had to type it up somewhere, which means this is unedited, and spoilerific!
Summary: A long time ago, Bella had lost her virginity to a boy that had completely swept her off of her feet within a night... And Edward couldn't get her off of his mind after that night... Even nearly ten years afterwards. It is fate that had eventually brought them together, but their history with each other prevents them from being more than just friends. Can they see what the other wants? All human. Working title.
What Ever Happened
Note: This is a scene already far into the storyline, the one scene that stood out in my mind. Reuniting.
I honestly had no idea where we were, though I trusted Emmett did, considering he lived here throughout college life. We passed a sign that said "Private Beach", but Emmett said it only belonged to the restaurant, so that meant all customers could go. I wasn't sure if ordering a few drinks made us customers. However, once we reached the shore, I wasn't so worried anymore. I was greeted with a beautiful view of the clear sky and sparkling ocean. There were only a handful of people scattered about; sunbathers lounged on the restaurant provided chairs, a couple of families had picnics displayed around them, and we were met with the sounds of waves, kids' laughter, some chatter of both people and seagulls, and high-pitched squeals.
Immediately our heads turned to the squeals, afraid that someone was hurt. All it was, however, were three girls far in the distance jumping and being washed by the waves. Even from a distance we could tell they had spectacular bodies clad only in bikinis. I could only recall one instance when I had felt attraction this strong...
California was proving to be amazing.
Emmett finally broke the silence with a long whistle. Jasper and I didn't have to say anything to share that we definitely agreed. But Emmett surprised us both by letting out an obnoxious, booming laugh. Our heads immediately turned to him, as did everyone else, including the girls far away. He surprised us further by yelling in his booming voice, "Hey girls! You're not even gonna give ol' Emmett a proper greeting?!"
"Emmett!" came the loud squeals of the girls.
I was sure both Jasper and I were slack jawed when seconds later a tiny girl with short black hair jumped up into Emmett's arms. I glanced over to Jasper, whose eyes were positively bugging out. I was surprised to find that yet another girl joined the small girl into Emmett's arms seconds later. He sure wasn't lying when he said he and "his girls" were close. Their exclamations, however, weren't as surprising as what happened next.
"Jasper?! Edward?!" All of our heads swung to the third girl, who had taken her time walking to our group. There was no way we could have expected what happened next though. We were met by Rosalie, who mirrored our incredulous expressions. She quickly brought the both of us in a hug, giving a slight noogie to Jasper as she did so.
"Rosalie, what the hell are you doing here?" Jasper's voice was significantly filled with more emotion than usual.
However, just as Rosalie was opening her mouth, Emmett, who had detached from the two girls, had stuck his hand out to Rose, saying, "Hello, I'm Emmett. Rosalie, right? I must say, I was expecting some frumpy prude, but hot damn, you are smoking!"
Jasper's eyebrows shot up. We both knew Rose loved the attention, but she had a tendency to be rough with much too forward guys. Knowing how Emmett was, we feared for his safety.
Much to our surprise, however, Rose didn't pummel Emmett to the ground. Instead, after a brief moment of shock, she sauntered over to him, pressing her wet and nearly naked body against his. With her palm pressed against his bare chest, she leaned slightly into his ear and delicately whispered something, which made his body stiffen. And I was sure every part of his body was stiff.
Though her actions made us speechless and completely shocked, it earned a soft giggle from one of the girls. It was the short girl with black spiky hair that was slick from the water. She was tiny and nicely built, which I was sure why Jasper's eyes were glued to her. She returned the same look, and after a moment of their intense staring, she brought her hand up and gave a bright smile.
"Hi, I'm Alice!" Her voice was light and musical, and I immediately liked her.
Jasper, ever-cool as usual, had brought his hand up to hers. "I'm Jasper," he said, giving her a smile. He turned to the other girl and brought his hand up to her as well.
I didn't get a chance to look at the other girl yet, but my first impression of her was interesting. Before I got to look at her, she fell into my chest, tripping in the sand as she made her way to shake hands with Jasper. Her brown hair covered her face, but I felt my heart beat increase tenfold. It wasn't until she looked up in my eyes that my heart stopped altogether.
I was greeted with the most beautiful, and familiar, sight. Her brown eyes bore into mine with a few strands of her wet hair covering her face slightly. Her face had a tinge of pink, but it didn't compare to the pinkness of her lips. I focused on them before I brought my eyes back to hers, finally noticing the way her bikini clad body felt against me. It brought a flood of memories, all from that night, and through my shock, my mind only thought of one name: Bella.
"Edward?" Her soft voice was laced with disbelief and hesitance, but I found that I didn't care. I was ecstatic that she would remember my name after all these years. My mind reeled at what that meant, though I knew there was no way she could've been as obsessed as I had been about it. She slightly bit her lip and I couldn't help but groan at the sight.
"Bella..." Her name came out rough and deep, but that didn't matter at all in that moment. Our lips were beginning to meet, and I rushed to have them touch. However, just millimeters from her mouth, we were interrupted by a choked cough.
"Wow! Well I wasn't expecting that!" Emmett's loud voice came into my ears. Suddenly I was hyper aware of everything around me. Jasper and Rose both had the same exact expression, with raised eyebrows and open mouths. The jumpy girl Alice was making squeaking noises all the while grinning. Emmett had the most incredulous expression on his face, with crossed arms. The smell of ocean was all around me except for right in front of me, and I could still hear the background noise of the families and seagulls. But all I could focus on was Bella in my arms. Bella's face was the brightest shade of red, which briefly reminded me of the first time we met. I was sure my own face was red thinking about it.
She then jumped away from my body, going to where she previously was standing. I missed her body immediately, but I knew I had to keep myself in check in public, so I folded my arms and put my hands into fists. It was all about self-control, and if I had to dig my nails into my palms for it, so be it. I noticed Bella was in the same stance as mine, and I wondered if it was just as difficult for her self-control.
"So, I'm guessing you two know each other?" Rose asked, pointedly looking at Bella with a smirk and raised brow.
"Uh, yeah, this is Edward," Bella replied with a look to Alice, whose mouth was in an 'o' shape. The pixie-like girl then gave her a thumbs up and broke into a grin, which made Bella's fading blush flare up once more. Then her eyes darted to our whole group and looked to Rose. "And how do you know him, Rose?"
"Well, Jasper here," she said, indicating him with her thumb, "is my cousin. Naturally, I met Edward since they were roomies. I was even set up with him." She then stared into Emmett's eyes as she continued, "But that was pointless, since I've never held any attraction or feelings for him." Then she grinned at Bella. "Besides, I've always thought he was harboring feelings for someone else. So, how do you know him, Bella?"
"That's a story for another time," Bella said almost meekly. "Besides, we're here because we're being reunited with Emmett! Guys, where are all your stuff?" I had to admit, even though her diversion wasn't exactly subtle, I liked her style.
"We don't have any," Emmett replied, completely on the next topic already.
"What? You come to a beach without anything?" Alice's voice was high as she smacked Emmett on the arm with her right hand. I noticed then that her left hand was preoccupied with Jasper's, as if they had been attached their whole lives. If anyone had an initial attraction, it was Jasper and Alice. I must have not been the only one who noticed because Alice and Jasper noted our stares and looked down. She was grinning, as Jasper looked sheepish.
Emmett groaned. "Don't tell us you two know each other too!"
Alice's musical laugh reached our ears, and Jasper smiled lopsidedly at her. "No, no, Emmett..."
Jasper leaned into her ear then and whispered something in a very Rosalie-esque fashion. It was obvious the cousins were related from their similar tactics, especially judging from Alice's dumbfounded and flustered expression, that rivaled Emmett's earlier one, which soon turned into a catlike grin. I never knew Jasper to be so bold, and it was almost causing me to be dumbfounded.
"Okay! Lemme get this whole situation straight," Emmett said with narrowed eyes. "So I was good friends with Bella and Alice, and when I ended up in Seattle with Edward and Jasper, they replaced me with the friend and cousin of my new friends. And it turns out Bella and Edward have some history with each other that rivals with the attraction Alice and Jasper are having? I've got this all correct, right?"
Alice, who hadn't separated from Jasper yet, burst out laughing and slapped Emmett hard on the back with her free hand. "Sounds about right, big boy! How about we go over to our stuff now?"
We strolled over to the area with Alice chatting away with me and Jasper, effectively ignoring the three friends she originally planned to hang out with. Every once in a while, she'd look over at Bella with an evil glint in her eye, and I already knew she had many questions and ideas in her mind. Jasper on the other hand was very calm throughout, taking in everything Alice was saying, and giving her hand squeezes every once in a while. I noticed that Emmett and Rosalie had begun to go a ways ahead of us, in their own heated conversation. With Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice starting pair off, that left me with Bella... And I wasn't too sure how I felt about that.
Rating: Mature
Comments: All Human love again. Very typical story, but I wanted to make something that I could write to get the ideas out of me. I'm even tempted to add "Pour Some Sugar On Me" somewhere in this.
(Possible) Summary: In the heat of the summer night, they found each other at a club away from home. Bella had been blown away by his touch. Edward was blown away by her presence. And then they were separated, thinking it was only a fling. And presuming their efforts to be a wild goose chase, they rely on destiny to bring them back. But how?
...This has got to be the worst story I've ever written.
Today My Heart Swings
It was cold. Was it supposed to be like this in "sunny southern California"? I didn't think so, but it was, and I had to deal with it. It was like visiting Charlie in his actual home in Forks. Oh God, I couldn't believe how cold it was there. What I couldn't believe more was that I was living in Washington all the same. Raised in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, and then Florida, I was all too used to the heat I was around. Of course, Phoenix was dry, whereas my stay in Florida was... humid. I shuddered as I realized that I preferred the rain of Seattle than the humid conditions I had to endure towards the end of my high school life. But still, there was a reason why I chose to vacation in supposedly hot southern California.
And that was not the cold.
I sighed as I pulled my coat tighter to my chest, making my way up the block of my hotel to the nearest Starbucks. Dear Lord were there a lot of them here. I winced as I recalled a discussion in a lesson not too long ago about capitalism from my professor who was very... anti-capitalist. I almost had to chuckle at the memory as I made my way in one of the biggest chains of America.
With relief, I waved to my new friends. Well, not so new, but I did become closer to them recently.
One day, when my roommate Rose was still harsh to me and I was terribly intimidated by her, this couple knocked on our door. The short, spiky-haired girl wore this contagious grin on her face, and the tall blonde man looked calm and collected. They were hand in hand. They were also so incredibly adorable together that even Rose had come up to greet them at the door.
Then they told us this crazy story how they were lost on campus being freshmen, and how they ended up in the sophomore buildings, they did not know. And for some reason, the girl--whose name was Alice--had felt that if they asked helped from our door, we'd be different from the others. Well, we were certainly different. Alice noticed the tension between Rose and I and immediately did her best to mend that within the minute. (Which was effective, surprisingly.) While she did this, her boyfriend--Jasper--had simply been watching her with amused eyes. I was so taken by their connection, I was thrown off, and apparently as was Rose.
After lessening the tension between Rose and I somewhat (the full fledged thing didn't come until later in the night), we ended up giving Alice and Jasper a tour of the entire campus. Both of us knew that there were certain students who were assigned to do that sort of thing, but we felt that we had to do this for these two. That afternoon, Alice, Rose, and I had become friends. The thing was, in the end, Alice and Jasper were in the wrong school entirely. They had to go to their own schools, and Rose and I were left to each other.
We did keep in contact with Alice and Jasper of course. But they seemed so far away that it seemed nearly impossible to constantly keep in touch. That is, of course, until this summer.
I smiled, enjoying the way this man's hands were gliding down my sides. My hips were grinding in sync with his. I never felt this comfortable. Ever. Much less in a club with gross, sweaty people. But this was different; his touch was delicate, but daring in its adventure of my sides. I could feel the song was starting to end, and I wanted to turn around at my partner. Though, in my thoughts, I realized that though this man's hands may be tender and gentle, would his face be the same? Would his intentions, and mind, and the rest of his body? Was I glorifying this dance too much to realize the reality of this situation or the disappointment that would face me when I turned to him?
The song was ending for sure now, and I had to work the courage up, so I slowly danced myself to turn to him. I was rendered speechless from what I was faced with.
"And this," I turned to my escort, "is Edward." I smiled lightly as I gestured towards him, hoping Rosalie would approve. I was getting ready for the scene Rose was going to make about Edward and I, though I didn't know what kind of scene that would be, but I was instead confused at the expression that touched her face.
She had this amused smile, almost as if she was going to burst out laughing. I looked back at Edward who was holding the same smile. I was terribly confused now. She must have seen the confusion, because she turned to me, and simply said, "Oh, I know."
Oh no. I'm sure the look of horror made its way up to my face as the possibilities went in my mind. Were they together? Had they dated? Related? (Oh how I prayed for it.) My mind was reeling. I was still in horror as they made casual talk. "So Rosalie," said the velvety voice of Edward. "How's the Hale clan?"
Oh God, they were closer than I thought. I wanted to throw up at my revelation. It only made sense that the beautiful and perfect would attract each other. Apparently this horrible realization was clear on my face by this point, because Edward snapped his head at me and immediately put his hands on my shoulders, ignoring whatever answer Rosalie would give him. He looked intensely into my eyes and asked, "Bella? Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?"
I didn't want to tell him the real reason for my sudden sickness, but I had to shake my head at his question. His grip tightened as he went to assess what was wrong. I finally found my voice as he was looking me over. "Edward. I... I'm fine. I just got suddenly lightheaded."
His eyes softened but his grip didn't. "Oh Bella," was all he said before he lightly kissed my forehead. I was now shy from my blushing and the way my heart was racing. Did he just kiss me? That was the first time he did something like that. My mind was reeling. Was he relieved because he was just being protective? Or was it something else?
"Are you okay, Bella?" Rosalie asked, which reminded me of why I was sick in the first place. I nodded weakly, knowing I should just get this information over with. If they were together, then it was better to have my heart break now before these feelings started to develop. "Edward, you're the doctor here, why don't you help her out?"
He nodded, but I stopped him. "No, I'm fine. Really." He gave me a concerned look that almost made my heart burst, but I stopped myself before the feeling got worse. His face contorted between worry and relief as he realized I wasn't going to back down on my word. I was desperate for him to look away from me, so I looked to his right and said, "So... it seems you two already know each other..."
Rosalie's light and perfect laugh rang in the air. My stomach dropped as I realized how perfect she was for Edward. Her voice matched her beautiful laugh as she said, "Oh yeah, we go way back. His parents and my parents had been friends and colleagues. 'Course, that's not reason we're so close, huh, Ed?" She used a nickname. Oh God.
Here it comes. I tried to ignore the stupid butterflies in my stomach as he laughed as well. "Well, Rose," nickname for her as well. "My best friend was attached to your hip. I don't think I would have had a choice if I didn't want to hang out."
"Emmett was never really the brightest," she laughed. I was really confused. Who was Emmett? She mused aloud, "How's the goofball nowadays? I haven't even thought about him since graduation."
"Gee, that's nice, Rose," his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The boy who happened to be your first...everything flies from your mind just like that?" My mind sparked at the realization. This Emmett... he had to have been the reason Edward and Rose knew each other. I felt a sort of relief, but it didn't really explain whether or not the two of them were that close.
"Edward, that was a long time ago. He was my first kiss in elementary school, first boyfriend in middle, and first fuck in fucking freshman year. We had changed a lot in those years, and the years afterward. We were simply friends from then on." Rose waved her hand for dramatic effect. Then, almost as if remembering I was there, she turned to me swiftly, and then glanced back at Edward, with a wicked smile on her face. "You seemed to be 'simply friends' with nearly everyone... What about nowadays?"
I looked over to Edward, who looked down. From where I could see, he had a hint of red on his cheeks. Was he blushing?