1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

10.

As the bell rings signalling the end of the class Bambi stands pulling her bag over her shoulder, Edward stands beside her, notices she is just about to forget her pen as she turns away, he picks it up and holds it out to her.

"Bambi" he calls out, she turns to him and smiles noting the pen. "You almost forgot this" he offers, she takes it from him.

"Thank you" he smiles at her. She's charmed, her cheeks redden slightly.

"You're welcome" he looks to Bella who waits for Bambi, Bambi smiles once more before walking towards her sister, tucking the pen into her bag and reaching up to pull her hair down, shakes it out. Edward has to stop breathing as her scent washes over him, still powerful, he grasps the edge of the desk and closes his eyes, listening to them leave before he leaves himself.

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

Charlie sits across from his twin girls in a Forks coffee shop, Bambi sits tapping her heel on the edge of the chair leg, it's annoying, but she doesn't even know she's doing it most of the time, Charlie nudges her foot gently and she stops and looks at him.

"Sorry" she whispers, he smiles back at her.

"You only do it when your working on music in your head, you have a new project?" She shrugs.

"Maybe" She answers. "I haven't decided yet...." she shrugs as a sirloin steak is set in front of Charlie by Cora, their waitress, she beams at Bella as she sets a plate of cod in front of her and then a burger and fries in front of Bambi. Several loggers at the counter offer the twins welcoming smiles. Bella shrinks in her seat at the attention. Charlie's oblivious.

"Can't get over how grown up you two are. And so gorgeous" Cora tells them. Bella glances at Charlie, who keeps his eyes on his steak. Bambi smiles at Cora. A bearded, hippy logger, Waylon Forge appears behind Cora, leaning over her shoulder to Bella and Bambi.

"'Member me, honies? I was Santa one year"

"Waylon, they haven't had a Christmas here since they were four" Charlie tells him.

"Bet I made an impression, though"

"You always do"

"Let the girls eat their food, Waylon" Cora tells him and then turns to the twins. "When you're done, I'll bring your favorite - berry cobbler. Remember? Your dad still has it. Every Thursday"

"That'd be great, thank you" Bambi tells her, Cora shoos Waylon away. Left alone now, Charlie and Bella both reach for the salt, knock hands. Charlie goes for the ketchup instead. Silence as they eat. Bambi looks between them and sighs. Her family is so awkward.

"So... you eat here every night?" Bella asks.

"Easier than washing dishes"

"Bambi can cook" Bella offers, Charlie looks up, as if confused by the concept, Bambi shrugs.

"I do the cooking at home - in Phoenix. Mom's not great in the kitchen"

"I remember.." the three of them laugh, recalling an especially bad dinner. Bella and Bambi each then reach over to steal food from one another's plate, Charlie smiles watching them. "How was school? Meet anyone?" Bella and Bambi share a look and then look to Charlie.

"A few people..." Bella answers.

"Do you know the Cullen family?" Bambi asks. Charlie looks up at her sharply.

"Are people talking about them again?"

"No..." Bambi answers. "Well, a little" she corrects.

"Just 'cause they're newcomers. We're lucky to have a surgeon like Dr. Cullen at our podunk hospital. Lucky his wife wanted to live in a small town. Lucky his kids aren't like a lot of the hell-raisers around here" Bambi and Bella stare at Charlie.

"....Okay" Bambi states looking to Bella who shrugs.

"I just don't like narrow mindedness" Charlie adds and returns to his food. Silence.

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

Bambi pulls her hair up as she passes in front of her bedroom window, a beautiful view of the forest as far as the eye could see, she smiles and looks out the window tying off her hair and then opening the window, she sinks down to the window seat and leans against the wall to look out at the world beyond. This is her happy place, well, anywhere where there is nature is her happy place. The smells, the sounds. She closes her eyes and listens to the sounds of the forest, the wind blowing, the river flowing, the birds, rabbits and deer moving through out. She jerks a little as her cell phone ring, loud and screeching in her ear, she stands and moves to where it sits charging across the room and smiles answering it.

"Hey, Mom" she greets moving to lay on her bed.

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

Bambi's sleep is fitful, sketcy and sporadic, she wakes panting at four am and doesn't go back to sleep, she sits listening to violin music on her window seat, watches the sun rise, the morning fog roll in and then out again. Her fingers drawing random patterns onto her window as she waits, waits for her alarm to go off so she can start to get ready for school, she closes her eyes and sighs against the glass.

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

Bella frowns at Bambi as she climbs into the truck.

"You okay?" Bella asks, Bambi nods.

"I couldn't sleep" Bambi answers as she yawns. "Just one of those nights" she curls into Bella's side, her sister smiling and kissing her head before starting the truck.

"When's your car going to be ready?" Bella asks, Bambi snorts.

"Sick of me already?"

"No, of course not" Bella answers. "Just wondering...."

"Jake said they're just waiting on parts so...whenever they get here....soon I hope...this truck is an embarrassment!" she teases, Bella nudges her up and Bambi whines holding her ribs. "Ow, why so mean to me?" she whines with a smirk, places the back of her hand to her forehead. "All I do is love you .....you wound me, dear twin of mine" Bella laughs and Brit smirks.