1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

24.

Bambi walks along side Edward as they leave the ice cream place. He smiles watching her kitten lick her spoon, it's utterly adorable and not at all arousing....okay, it is.

"Okay" she starts nodding to herself. "Lennon or McCartney?" she asks looking to him.

"Lennon" he smirks. "Hands down...always Lennon" she smirks and nods. "Clapton or Hendrix?" she shoots him a look.

"Do you even need to ask? Hendrix..." he chuckles. "Turner or Houston?" he crinkles his nose.

"Neither" he answers. "Aretha instead" she smirks and nods.

"Yeah, nice" she tells him, he turns to her.

"Stravinsky or Debussy?" he asks. She looks to her ice cream thinking about it.

"For me, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring is one of the greatest works of the 20th century but Debussy as a whole probably enchants me more with his very unique and sensual sound-world present in Preludes, Estampes, Nocturnes, Pelléas et Mélisande and Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" Edward smiles. "And then there's Clair De Lune" she states softly, Edward raises an eyebrow. "It's one of the very first pieces I learnt to play on the violin, there's something so.....magnetic about it" she looks to him.

"I know what you mean....it draws you in....pulls at something inside" he offers, she smiles and nods.

"Yeah...that's exactly what it is" they share a smile, his eyes softer then they have been yet, of course she had to like his favourite song and of course it had to affect her the exact same way. She looks away first and smiles down at her ice cream.

"I've never heard Clair De Lune played on the violin before" he tells her, she glances up at him.

"Maybe I'll show you one day" she offers.

"I would love that" he tells her.

........................

Edward's volvo is parked outside of Charlie's house, Bambi sighs and looks out the window as Edward smirks.

"I could drive us around some more...." he offers. She looks to him.

"It's not that I don't like my father" she tells him. "Just...the house can be quiet...when he's not around" she looks to her watch. "I should go in anyway, I have to get ready for work" she shrugs and looks to him. "Thanks for the ice cream" she tells him, he smiles.

"You're welcome"

"I'll see you at school?" he nods.

"Most likely" she smiles and climbs out the car, he watches her head inside before letting out a breath, he smiles and shakes his head before driving away, there is something about her that keep drawing him back towards her, like a beacon, and being around her, just being in her presence, he feels....lighter.....alive even. And now she's gone, he can feel the darkness creeping back into him.

...............

Bella pushes open the cafeteria as Bambi talks animatedly at her side about some podcast she'd listened to the night before about Vivaldi or something. Bella glances across at the Cullen table, to Connor and his siblings, he doesn't look at her. Bella tightens her jaw and looks away as Bambi looks up and across to Edward who smiles looking to her, she smiles back at him pulling her bag over her shoulder. Bella takes her hand and pulls her towards where Eric, Jessica, Mike and Angela sit. Bella drops her book bag on a seat as Bambi sits on another.

"La Push, baby. You in?" Eric asks looking between the twins, Bella frowns.

"Should I know what that means?" Bella asks, Bambi rolls her eyes.

"La Push beach" Bambi answers. "On the reservation"

"Oh" Bella states.

"We're all going after school. Big swell coming in" Mike offers. Eric jumps up onto the table.

"And I don't just surf the internet" he teases.

"Eric, you stood up once. On a foam board" Jessica teases.

"There's whale watching, too" Angela offers. "Come with" she asks the twins.

"La Push, baby" Eric coos, Bambi snorts.

"We'll go if you stop saying that" she tells him, Bella looks to her.

"We will?" Bambi shoots her a look and then smirks.

"Caleb might be there" she teases kissing Bella's cheek. Bella nudges her twin.

"Why would I care?" Bella asks looking away and standing, Bambi smirks

"Uh-huh" Bambi mumbles as Bella walks away and the the salad bar station. Bambi watches as Connor approaches her. Bambi glares at him before standing. "I'm going to drop my violin off at music" she tells the table before walking away, she doesn't mind them, Angela's okay, Eric and Mike a little over enthusiastic but nice....it's Jessica that grates on her. Bambi walks across the cafeteria, Edward watching her go before standing.

..........................

Bambi sets the violin aside and turns to leave, Edward stands in the doorway.

"Your brother" Bambi states walking towards him. "He just....can't seem to make his mind up can he?" she asks, he chuckles and shakes his head.

"No...he can't......Connor...he believes himself bad for your sister....but he likes her.....it comes and goes" Edward tells her, she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Bella's a nice girl" Bambi tells him. "Quiet, sweet......but she's never...." Bambi sighs. "She's never been one for relationships" she tells him. "She doesn't know what's....normal....she doesn't know that the way he's treating her....isn't normal..." Bambi looks up at Edward. "So you tell him, that until he makes up his mind....That I'm looking out for her....and the second she gets hurt..."

"I'll tell him" Edward interrupts. "He doesn't want to hurt her" he reassures her. "I promise you" she raises an eyebrow and then nods.

"Alright..." she then smiles. "Did you follow me?" she asks, he chuckles and smiles.

"No...I came to collect a workbook...." She frowns. "Going home early" he offers.

"Oh, bunking off" she teases, he laughs.

"Actually, it's blood testing in biology and....me and my brother have a.....phobia" he lies, she raises an eyebrow at him.

"Really?" She smirks. "Blood?" he shrugs and smirks. "Wow" she breaths smirking away. "You know.." she smirks wider. "You've told me your secret....your weakness" he laughs and nods.

"I have...I guess I just have to trust you with it" he smiles at her, she smiles back.