Revving to Go

Bella and Edward, age: 12

"Dad! Are you serious?"

"Bella," Charlie responded disapprovingly. "Don't whine. We're lucky to have been invited at all."

It was Dr. Cullen's birthday today and the Cullen's were having a huge garden party type thing. The only reason I knew that is because I was standing outside Dads car on their front lawn, in the nicest clothes I brought, wondering why I wasn't in La Push like I'd originally thought, at the 'good friends party' we were supposed to be at. The Cullen's aren't good friends!

I groaned loudly, throwing my head back and stomping after Charlie to the front door, very un-lady like. 'Good friend', as if. Just because they always see each other…and always talk with each other...doesn't mean they are 'good friends'.

Esme Cullen came to the door and opened it wide to us.

"Come in, come in," she urged us eagerly. "Oh! Nice to see you again Bella! Look how tall you've gotten since last summer!" I smiled proudly, forgetting my aversion to this place. It was true, I had grown at least in inch since last summer.

"Thanks,"

Esme smiled one of those motherly smiles. That's something I always liked about her. She was one of those people that could find room in her heart to love anyone…Even someone that loved to get at her son.

"Oh well, Edward's in the back with some of his friends from school." Esme put her hand on my back and lead me out to the back yard- huge back yard. "You should go play with them."

Oh, just what I wanted. "A-ha, sure." I forced a smile, not meeting her eyes but searching for Edward and his 'posse'.

There were lots of adults standing around talking, drinks in hands, the multicoloured balloons standing out above their heads. But there were kids too, running around between peoples legs. None of them were at all familiar and I suddenly felt very stupid standing there like a loner.

Cursing Charlie again with words that I would get in big trouble if ever uttered aloud, I started walking around the edges of all the adults, looking for something to distract me for a little while.

I couldn't see Edward anywhere in amongst all the chattering bodies, but then something caught my eye behind the tent that held a picnic table with food on it. Curious, I edged around the tent to see better.

There were six or seven other children there, the little bronze haired menace in amongst the group, seeming to be the leader of the group. They were laughing and cheering, egging someone on. I stepped closer to the swarm, wanting to get in on the action. This actually looked like fun.

Suddenly, a body was thrown out of the group, landing a metre in front of me with a hard 'oof'. My eyes widened as I stared at the boy at my feet, trying to understand how exactly that had happened.

Frowning, but the tiniest bit amused as the boy huffed trying to get back up, I turned my questioning gaze as the boys and girls- majority of them boys – that were now on the other side of the boy.

Edward, whose lips were twitching with suppressed laughter, looked up at the same time I did and immediately caught my eye, widening slightly as he realised who exactly was in his backyard.

"Bella?"

"Edward," I replied politely, a note of steel in my voice as I looked him over. Wow, he was tall, standing above all those in the crowd he was standing in. I guess the height factor I had counted on in previous years was over with. But other than that, he looked almost exactly the same, save for one of his vampire teeth missing. "Been a while, huh?"

Edward laughed once, a humourless laugh as we both sussed each other out, the same as every summer I ended up back here. Edward stepped over the boy on the ground, closer to me. "I reckon, Swan."

A girl with stringy blonde hair, about my age stepped up closer to Edward and glared at me threateningly, glancing back to Edward briefly. The very way she stared me down immediately put me on edge, making me want to step back.

"Why did you call her 'Swan'?" A nasally voice whined from the blonde girl. "I'm your girlfriend! You should be calling me that." She stomped her foot, huffing as she crossed her arms.

My face screwed up at the word 'girlfriend'. Things had certainly changed over the year. Edward's face turned to one of disgust as he turned to look at the girl like she was stupid.

"Lauren, that's her last name," he shook his head at her, and Lauren went quiet but returned to her angrily striking gaze in my direction.

"Girlfriend?" I choked, my face still horror-stricken.

Edward smirked, his face forming a conceited edge. "That's right,"

I shifted to the girl named 'Lauren'. "I feel sorry for you," my face scrunched up again and I shuddered at the thought of being his girlfriend. "Anyway, what were you guys doing?" The boy that had fallen was up now, trying to brush off the grass that was stuck to his clothes. I stared pointedly at the boys dirt covered elbows, raising my eyebrows. "Looked like fun."

Edward, seeming to be the leader answered, his face having dropped after I'd insulted him in front of his friends and his girlfriend…Jeez, that was weird. "Wrestling. You have to knock the person out of the rope circle." He gestured to the thick rope that formed a…egg slash rectangle shape.

It was Laurens voice that spoke up this time, her nasal voice ringing with a menace. "Want a go? I'll verse you."

--

It was late now; the night being lit by lanterns strung all about. A party that had once been loud and bright and cheery with children running around had changed into a slow dancing, murmuring, dim lighted BORING fiasco- with only two kids still sticking around.

Me and Edward.

Charlie was sitting at a picnic table under a lantern with some people I had seen here and there. Most of those people had taken their children home and then came back to continue with the festivities. Festivities you can only appreciate when you get older. But I was still there, sitting a table away from any of the chattering, staring blankly at the moths fluttering around the misty lights.

Edward was on the opposite side of the table, on the opposite corner, tearing up a piece of plastic to subdue the boredom.

"Wow, this is fun, isn't it kids?" Dr. Snow asked, walking by on his way inside.

Edward and I both gave him sour looks, not hiding our extreme distaste of having to be part of this.

Loud upbeat music started playing, an odd contrast to the soft tunes that were playing before. We all turned to the centre of the lawn where Carlisle was leading Esme round and round, her giggling and their audience laughing at the silliness of the dance…if you could call it that.

Oh jeez, this was disturbing.

More adults were getting up and mucking around. It was weird. My nose twitched at the sight and I glanced at Edward. It was his parents up there, looking slightly mental after all. To my great amusement he had his head in his hand and was cringing almost every time there was a giggle from Esme or a chuckle from Carlisle. Oh, this was well worth it.

Until…

When Carlisle spun Esme around closer to where Edward and I sat and shouted to Edward, "Why don't you ask Bella to dance?"

My face screwed up with the disgusting prospect. My head snapped towards Edward and we mirrored each others expressions.

"Ewwwwww!" We both exclaimed, flinching away from each other even further, echoed by a whole lot of adults very funny attempts at humour- not.

Okay, there is ONE more chapter when they are young I'm fairly certain. I had half of chapter 5 written weeks ago...then it accidently got deleted...and then i couldn't be bothered trying to re-do it, so i left this chapter for a long time and now i just thought stuff it, i need to update. so...HERE IT IS!

FALLING UP: I am working on it now, hopefully something should be up in about a week. I've had a lot to consider with that story and I've come to my conclusion, so...Look out for it! XD

Review? Pweety pweety please with sugar on top? Maybe even a cherry?