Bella's Little Sister

Chapter 34

A/N: This chapter will be the start of Eclipse.

Edward was certainly not at all helpful to me in any way as I tried to study for my English final. I tried very hard to tune him out for quite a while, but he was absolutely relentless. As I read through the chapters of the assigned book for class, studying the specific section of the book that would be on the test, he would pull my hair back and away from my face to occasionally kiss me. I had allowed it for a while, but now I was beginning to worry that I would fail the exam.

"I have an English final," I told him. A smile was playing on my lips as Edward took the book from my hands and tossed it to the ground. "And you are not helping in the slightest by distracting me."

Edward only smirked in response, pulling me closer to him so he could kiss me again. "You'll do fine," he stated quietly, his lips brushing against my own. "Marry me."

I leaned back against him after I had picked up my book again, and turned back to the pages I had been reading before. "No." I tried hard to fight against another smile. "I have to study."

His hand appeared in front of my face as he grabbed the book out of my hands again, though this time, he tossed it a few feet away. I looked across the meadow to where it lay, watching the pages flutter lightly in the gentle breeze. "Marry me."

I shoved him playfully as I stood to retrieve my book for the second time. "You're impossible." A peal of laughter passed through my lips as he pulled me back down onto his lap. "Stop!"

Edward's fingers were dancing quickly across the fabric of my shirt as he pressed lightly on my ribs. A wide grin was on his face as he stared down at me, grinning mischievously. This went on for about two minutes more before he finally released me when I told him that I was unable to breathe through my laughter.

As I sat back against his legs, I lowered my gaze as a frown crossed my face. Edward was immediately somber, his eyes quickly filling with worry as he questioned me on my thoughts. I took his hand in my own, intertwining our fingers. "Do you..." I released a breath as I continued on. "...do you think people will be happy? When we tell them?"

"Jess, are you worried about what they'll think?"

"Not... exactly," I started slowly, my mind racing. "I just don't think my dad will be too happy about it."

"Because you're only eighteen?" he questioned.

I did not respond to Edward's questions right away, biting my lip as I sorted carefully through my thoughts. "That's part of it," I finally admitted. "But I also think he's still mad at you... for everything."

Edward's cold arms wrapped around me tightly, holding me securely in place. "All he wants is for you to be safe... and happy." His tone was soft and his words were reassuring as he held me. "However," he continued. "You won't be safe for long if I don't get you back by four."

My lips twitched slightly at the smirk in his voice. I took a deep breath before allowing him to help me stand, reluctantly leaving our little piece of serenity.

My father was sitting on the couch when I got home and walked through the door, a newspaper in his hands. His eyes turned to the clock resting on the side table by the couch before he glanced at me. "Four o'clock on the dot. That kid trying to brown-nose me now or something?"

"In case you've forgotten, he does have a name. And now he's too punctual for you?" I questioned. I did not bother to hide the brief flicker of annoyance I felt from my tone.

Dad sighed as he folded up the newspaper and tossed it down onto the coffee table before him. "Okay, look. You understand why you're being punished, right?"