A/N: All recognizable characters belong to their respective owners. I own nothing except this beat-up laptop. And maybe an appreciation of southern boys.

This is a WitFit writing exercise and any chapters will likely be un-beta'd. Hopefully any remaining errors won't be too distracting.

A/N: This is it, lovelies! Hope you've enjoyed. More on the flip side.

Also, the song mentioned in this chapter is "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap. * swoons * Check my profile if you're not familiar with it.

WitFit Prompt: Airplane

I use the fact that Christmas is only two days away to my full advantage. I may not be presentin' it with a big red bow on top as a gift to anyone, but I've waited a hell of a long time for my own set of wheels, and these holiday deals don't disappoint. I sign the paperwork and leave a fat wad of long-saved bills for my down payment before drivin' off the lot, feelin' like I've jumped from seventeen to twenty-five with the snap of my fingers.

My parents and Jasper's parents are at a holiday party for friends of the family tonight, so all us kids decided on havin' our own little dinner party back at the house. I had my parents drop me off at the dealership on the way out earlier under the guise of me runnin' a super-secret holiday errand for them. Bella's waitin' at my house along with Jas, Allie, Emmett, and Rosie. She thinks I'm gonna call her when I need a ride back home.

Ha. I won't be needin' one, babe.

In minutes I'm pullin' into the driveway, parkin' behind Jasper's and Emmett's trucks, with Allie's little Mazda sandwiched between 'em. I take the keys from the ignition and let myself in through the back door.

Allie looks up from her position at the island choppin' veggies. "Eddie!"

Bella whirls around from her spot at the stovetop where she's stirrin' sauce and looks at me all bug-eyed. "Hey, how'd you get here?"

I smile as I saunter over to her, wrappin' my arms around her waist as I press a kiss to her shoulder. "I flew."

She giggles and rests her head on my chest as she goes back to her sauce. I find the shell of her ear with my mouth. "Come out front for a sec."

She wrenches her head around to try and see my face. "Now?"

I nod before unravelin' her from my hold and turnin' to call out to the rest of the group in various spots around the kitchen and family room. "Hey, y'all, there's somethin' outside you gotta see."

Jasper's head pops up, his eyes narrowin' in suspicion. "Is that goddamn 'coon out there again?" He squares his shoulders and starts marchin' toward the front door. "He ain't gettin' away this time," he mutters.

I shake my head and laugh, not botherin' to set him straight. I follow him out just as he flings open the door and says, "What the hell?"

"What is it?" Allie says, skippin' up behind him tryin' to get a peek around his tall frame.

Rosie's voice comes from behind me. "Whose car is that?"

"I dunno but it's hot," Allie giggles, eyein' the sleek silver machine at the foot of the drive.

Just then, I feel Bella's hand wrap around my hip. "Holy shit," she breathes. She's a smart girl; she's figured it out.

I turn and grin at her, and even though I'm speakin' to the whole group, I never take my eyes from hers. In my right hand, I dangle a slick key fob. "Who wants to go for a ride?"

Jasper whips his head around, givin' me an impressed smile as he nods. "Well, well, well… lookie what we got here."

I step in front of them all and lead the way down to my silver Volvo. "Well, this is my new car, y'all," I announce. "Well, she's new to me, at least," I add, laughing nervously. "Low mileage, safe, all the bells and whistles…" I pull open the driver-side door and let everyone peek inside.

"Damn," Rosie says under her breath. "How the hell did you afford this, Eddie?"

I shrug, blushin' with embarrassment. "Been savin' for a long time, I guess."

Emmett pops in, nudgin' my shoulder good-naturedly. "What, no truck for you, bro?"

I can't answer because Red's doin' it for me.

"Nah," she replies, smirkin' as she speaks to them all but looks only at me, "Edward's got his own style."

Emmett's eyebrows strain for his forehead. He's tryin' to fight a smile. "Oh, Edward's got style? Is that so?"

"Yup," Bella nods, finally facin' him. Her smile belies the fierceness in her gaze, almost like she's testin' him to challenge her words. "That's so."

My brother grins at her for a minute before wrappin' his beefy arm around my shoulder and pullin' me into a one-armed hug. "This one's a keeper," he says, cockin' his head in Bella's direction.

Like I don't already know.

"No, seriously, bro," Em says, still standin' by my side. "Congratulations."

The rest of the gang jumps in with encouragin' words of their own, and I'm flooded in a wave of support and kindness from my friends… my family. I know there's a part of me that worried they'd make fun, or tease me mercilessly for not gettin' a truck like pretty much everyone else in this town. But there ain't any of that. Just genuine happiness. For me.

I catch my reflection in the glass of the car's window. I'm wearin' a relaxed smile, standin' tall. I'm wearin' my glasses, but I look like a completely different person than the sulky kid who'd been dragged to the river last summer. I'm bigger, my broad chest pullin' at my long-sleeve black t-shirt. I look… confident. Strong.

I look happy.

"Thanks." I smile, reachin' beside me to thread my fingers with Red's. It's not all her doin, but havin' her in my life these last seven months has shaped me.

She squeezes my hand.

I squeeze back.

• C •

The holidays come and go, and because I have a whole week of Bella in town stayin' with her momma, I'm as merry as can be.

Goin' back to school for our last semester of senior year is the fuckin' pits, though. We slide back into our well-established routine, but it's not the same as havin' her sleepin' in a bed five minutes away after spendin' the entire day with her.

Soccer season for both of us ended in the late fall, so we find we have fewer demands on our time overall until Bella gets asked to join an indoor spring league.

"I don't know, Edward," she hedges. We're on the phone and she's just told me about the league, and I can totally see her bitin' her lip, worryin' over whether or not she should join the team.

"Yeah, you do, babe," I reassure her.

I know she's worried it'll take time away from seein' me, that her games will eat into some of our precious weekend time. Hell, I worry about that, too. But more than anythin', I after gettin' to watch her play this last season, I know she needs to exercise her skill.

"Bella, you're just too damn good not to play. If you want this, you gotta take it, girl."

She huffs. "But what about us?"

"What about us? I ain't goin' anywhere." She's quiet so I add, "Besides, watchin' you play is the best damn aphrodisiac ever, so I'm pretty damn sure I'll be at every game I can possibly be at."

She giggles softly and the sound goes straight to my dick. "Yeah?"

"Hell, yeah." My voice is deeper with my sudden flux of desire.

"Well then I better tell 'em I'll play," she breathes.

I palm myself, already growin' hard just with the sound of her voice. "You do that." I close my eyes and smile devilishly as I speak next. "So… what're you wearin' right now?"

• C •

The luncheon party is almost over, and I can't wait to get my girl out to the river.

We loaded the trucks early this mornin'. I get to leave my car behind because even though the guys tease me that my car's too pretty to get muddy and dusty on the back roads, they know it's a fact. She is too pretty to defile like that.

We're finishing our sub sandwiches as my momma brings out a huge sheet cake with blue and yellow icin' in swirled script congratulating our graduating class. Dad clears his throat, then calls for everyone's attention. We've got a small group gathered today, includin' Bella's mom.

"First, I wanna congratulate our sons…" dad stops and shares a look with my momma that makes my heart hurt. Because of how I feel about Red, I suddenly… get it. "…on a fine thirteen years of schoolin'." He glances at both Emmett and I, noddin' his head once. "You boys've worked hard, and your mother and I couldn't be more proud of y'all."

"Thanks, Dad." My voice and Emmett's echo each other's.

Momma slides in beside Daddy and his arm automatically goes around her waist. "Well, Em's off to State in the fall, followin' his dad's and my footsteps," Momma announces, pride gleamin' in her eyes. Our little gathered crowd applauds and Emmett eats it up with a damn spoon.

"Aw, shucks, y'all," he says, his face pulled into a huge grin.

"And Eddie, here," Dad starts, anglin' to face me, "Eddie's been nothin' but one surprise after the other, and we couldn't be more excited to see him head off to Duke University, even if it means a serious NCAA basketball conflict of interest 'round these parts."

Everyone laughs and I get my own round of applause. Bella even whoops, cheerin' for me the loudest. I flush a little, but I don't care. In this moment, I'm proud and excited, too.

"Rosie's stickin' close to my side, thank the good lord," Emmett's voice comes boomin' as they give each other high fives.

I know Em and Rosie had always planned on going to college together, and seein' their plans finally come into reality makes me really happy for my brother. They deserve it.

"And I'd be remiss if I didn't make it public knowledge that Allie here will be studyin' economics at Queens University, right around the corner in Charlotte," Dad adds, since Allie's parents aren't here to say it themselves.

Jasper grins and snakes his arm around Allie's shoulders. "The woman knows a good thing when she sees it. What can I say?" We all laugh since he'll be startin' his sophomore year at UNC Charlotte, minutes away from Queens.

Allie feigns protest. "What? They have the best econ program in the…" that's all she gets out before she starts laughin', shakin' her head. "Oh, never mind, I wanna be close to home and to this lug," she admits, smackin' Jas in the chest.

All eyes turn to Renee Swan as she smiles affectionately at Bella. "Well," she starts, "Bella's been struggling to nail down where she's going to school in the fall, but last week's mail made her decision a little easier."

Red and I exchange a knowin' smile since I'm already up to speed on her decision. And I couldn't be happier for her.

"I'm proud to say Bella's accepted a full-ride soccer scholarship to Guilford College." Renee beams as she speaks, her eyes shinin' on her daughter. More applause and laughter fill the room as Momma makes her way to the table and starts cuttin' the cake.

"C'mere, y'all, stuff your faces before you head down to the river." Momma starts slappin' huge squares of cake with fluffy whipped icing onto paper plates. She's like a machine. "Please," she pleads, "this thing is huge."

"That's what she said."

We all stop short and look with gapin' jaws over to my dad, who's standin' with his arms folded across his chest and a sly grin that looks an awful lot like Emmett's.

"Ed!" Momma gasps, blushin'.

"What?" Dad shrugs, lookin' like he could give a hoot.

"I think that's our cue!" Emmett hollers, takin' a cake plate right from my momma's stunned hands. "We're outta here. Thanks for the party, y'all!"

We all laugh and grab cake to eat out front before we hike into the trucks – Em's, Jasper's, and even Bella's got hers today to make up for me not bringin' my silver fox down to the river.

In fifteen minutes, we're unloadin' and sheddin' clothes, puttin' coolers in the river to try and stay cool. We plan on partyin' til the early hours of mornin' after more of our graduating class arrives later on in the evenin'.

We swim, pop open some beer cans we smuggled in with the Cokes, and have a hell of a lot of laughs. Jasper gives me a look before announcin' he's gettin' the guitars. We all make way for the shade trees, formin' a circle on the cool grass.

Jas hands me my case as he plops down next to me with his own guitar ready to go. I get my six string situated on my lap and Jasper waits for me to count it down, takin' the lead. We learned somethin' special for today.

I start on the chords, and when it's time for the lyrics to kick in, everyone turns in surprise to me when it's my voice, not Jasper's takin' lead.

"Sweet disposition… Never too soon… Oh, reckless abandon… Like no one's watchin' you…"

My eyes are locked on Bella's where she sits across from me – exactly where I wanted her to be for this. When we get to the chorus, Jasper harmonizes with me, layerin' in some depth that's desperately needed since we have no percussion out here.

"A moment of love, a dream, a laugh, a kiss, a cry… So stay there, 'cause I'll be comin' over… While our blood's still young…It's so young, it runs… We won't stop til it's over… Won't stop to surrender…"

I'm strainin', singin' in my upper register, and this song is fuckin' hard. But Bella's face when we get to the end and I stand up and walk over to her makes it worth it.

My lips find her ear as my hand buries in her dark waves of hair. "Happy Anniversary, crazy girl."

"Edward," she breathes, shakin' her head in a tiny little motion. "I'm… no words."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" I hear Allie coo from somewhere behind me, but, truthfully, as soon as my lips touch Bella's the rest of the world disappears.

I pull away, breathin' heavy, and take her hand. "Let's go swing."

"Yeah, okay," she agrees, her big brown eyes locked on mine.

I lead the way to the tree with the rope swing and start to shimmy up the tree. I look back at her still on ground, shieldin' her eyes from the sun as she watches. "I'll catch ya when you jump," I say, givin' her a half-grin.

Red laughs, loosening and re-tyin' the strings of her little red bikini around her neck, makin' sure they're as secure as they can be. "I know you will, cowboy."

I crawl to the edge and unravel the ol' rope swing, letting gravity pull it down until it stops with a hard yank when it reaches the rope's length. Fistin' the rop in my hands, I slide down a few feet until my feet are on either side of the wooden plank. I bend and flex my knees, gettin' some good motion in the air.

And then with arms outstretched like the wings of an airplane, close my eyes, and I leap.

Reckless abandon.

I free-fall down toward the water, feel the warm rush of my young blood, feel the heavy, thick beatin' of my heart.

I feel in love. I feel alive.

I crash beneath the surface and shoot up and out of the water, shakin' the hair that's already started to grow in a little longer off of my face.

"Fuck, yes!" I shout, feelin' like my every nerve endin' is on fire.

"Ready, babe?" Bella calls, and I watch her get the swing goin' as she prepares to jump.

I smile up at her and nod. "I'm ready!"

She lets go, tucks into a ball, and cannonballs right beside me. When Red emerges from the underwater, her dark, wet hair's plastered on her head, but her suit's miraculously still in place on top. Beneath the surface where no one can see, I slide my hind to her ass to check if her bottoms are still in place.

Now that's something I didn't get to do last summer.

She giggles, but doesn't swat my hand away. Instead she wraps herself around me, her tan arms a stark contrast to the pale, golden-freckled skin of my shoulders.

"Hey," she says, runnin' the tip of her nose against mine.

"Hey, yourself."

Her brows pull together and her teeth sink into her bottom lip, and I know she's worried about somethin'. She glances at me, then looks off in the distance before turnin' her anxious eyes back to mine.

"We can hang on, right?"

I look at her face, her furrowed brows and nervous lip workin' beneath her front teeth. I know she just needs my reassurance. Needs to hear it as much as I do sometimes. And that's okay, because I understand her quirks better than anyone, and she gets my idiosyncrasies even better than my twin brother does.

Four more years of not bein' in the same place at the same times does sometimes seem daunting. But eighty minutes apart ain't nothin' we can't handle. We've had lots of practice.

And we've pretty much mastered the skill of phone sex, so… there's that.

I shove my horn-dog thoughts down and smile at my girl. Pullin' her against me, I run my finger beneath the red string holdin' up her swimsuit, brushin' my fingertip along the smooth, tan skin of her collarbone.

"We can do anythin' we damn well please."

Her face lights up in a brilliant smile and, you know what? I'm the fuckin' king of the world.

I hold her to me, just swayin' in the warm water, feelin' the river's gentle current graze against our heated skin. It's a quiet moment – one I'll remember and cling to when autumn comes. I think about the last year… all the changes, the challenges, and sigh, holdin' Bella in my arms as my mind wanders.

Sometimes life looks like it should be smooth sailin' and it's anythin' but. Every once in a while, the road's bumpy, filled with dusty potholes. Maybe you make a few wrong turns, but you find your way. And when you find the right path – that glorious, wide-open space where anything's possible – you press on the gas pedal and you cruise.

Windows down, radio up.

A/N: Thank you SO much for reading.

Well this is it, y'all! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Coming back to fic for this writing challenge has been a really joyous, wonderful experience, and I thank you all for sharing it with me!

A few of you have asked in reviews and PM's if I've got any other stories in the works. Right now, I don't have any other fics planned. I am, however, editing my first original fiction and hope to publish within the next year. I also plan on tackling NaNoWriMo this November and bustin' out a new novel draft during that challenge – so there's more fun ahead!

If you'd like to follow my super-boring RL twitter account (which will become super-exciting when I have book news, no doubt!) to keep informed of any book developments, you can find me at danijrichards.

But, trust me, it's pretty boring right now.

Again, THANK YOU! It's been a blast.