5While they were growing up, everyone talked about how they couldn't wait to get out of Forks, and many of them did. Now, however, they look forward to that one week each summer when they all come back. Most of them were from the same graduating class of Forks High, though some grew up in La Push. They had known each other since kindergarten. But what made this group important is that they all became friends during high school when they hung out at First Beach.
As they went off to work or college, they realized how much they missed the times when they got together. Someone had the idea to do a reunion. It started as something they'd do during summer break, and it continued from there. What started as a small group of friends has grown to include spouses, most of whom are from outside of Forks, and children.
Edward stood looking out at all who had gathered at First Beach this year. He watched Tanya in the distance, social butterfly that she is, hugging and saying hello to everyone. She was still beautiful after all these years.
He sensed movement by the bonfire glowing before him. He looked down and called, "hey Carlie, take two steps back."
"Like this daddy?" The four year old asked as she took two very deliberate steps backwards.
"Exactly like that, sweetheart."
He stepped toward her, knelt down and wrapped his arm around the little girl his wife refers to as his mini me. She has big bright green eyes and long wavy auburn hair. She also has many of his mannerisms, including running her hands through her hair and pulling at it when she is frustrated.
"The fire's very pretty, but we have to stay back from it, bec–"
"Because it's hot," she interrupted.
"That's right."
Just then a piece of driftwood caught fire and blue flames exploded.
"Oh daddy, that's so pretty. I want to show mommy." She looked around. "Where is she?"
"She's over there talking to her friends." He pointed down the beach.
"I'm gonna go get her."
"Okay, you do that, sweetheart."
Edward rose to his feet and watched Carlie as she ran off. When she grabbed hold of her mommy's hand, he once again took in all the people who had made it this year. He noticed Tanya talking to Jake, and he was propelled into a memory.
Nearly 10 years ago Edward had brought Tanya with him to the yearly gathering. He had met her in one of his classes at UW. They sat next to each other in a chemistry class, and worked as lab partners throughout the semester. He realized he enjoyed spending time with her, so he asked her on a date. They had been together for close to two years when he brought her to the gathering.
That same year Jake brought his girlfriend. He and Jake hadn't been super close. They knew each other from hanging out, but didn't stay in touch. Jake lived in La Push and was a year younger than him. Like Edward, Jake was attending UW. His girlfriend, Bella, was also a student there. Edward met her the night of the bonfire and nothing has been the same since.
He was walking across the beach when someone bumped into him and spilled their drink on him. She apologized profusely. He wasn't concerned. Shit happens, and they were at the beach, after all.
"No worries, wet looks good on me," he joked.
Bella muttered something that sounded like "prick" under her breath.
Later that evening he and Jake were grabbing a beer at the same time. Tanya was by his side. Edward said hello and introduced him to Tanya. Jake called Bella over and introduced her to Edward and Tanya.
"Oh, hey. Tanya, this is who you need thank for seeing me in a wet t-shirt," he laughed. He had taken the t-shirt off since the run-in and was now bare chested in board shorts. Did Bella's cheeks turn pink, he wondered.
"That's why I need my sunglasses to fight the glare from your pasty white skin?!" Jake slapped Edward's chest and laughed.
"I know you can't get enough of this goodness," Edward responded as he spread his arms to display his chest.
Both guys laughed. "Bella, this guy ruled Forks. The guys wanted to be him, and the girls wanted to fuck him," Jake told her.
The following day they all headed up to Lake Crescent where they had reservations at Lake Crescent Lodge. They had opportunities to hike and explore together. Edward had convinced Tanya to hike with the group. She was a city girl and did not include hiking among her favorite activities, so he was excited to have her join them. Unfortunately that excitement was short lived as she began to complain about everything: the bugs, too many ferns, the humidity, the moss, and how much her feet hurt.
Edward was at the end of his patience when Bella, who was just ahead of him, slipped on something and fell backwards into him. Of course she apologized, and any other time or with any other person, he would have brushed it right off. However, this woman rubbed him the wrong way and Tanya had him on his very last nerve. Without thinking he snarked,"yeah, well, you should watch where you're going!"
She sneered back at him, "you are such an ass!"
He wanted to strangle the woman!
By the time they returned to the cabins, he needed a minute to himself. He tromped over to his cabin to take a nap. Just as he turned to go around the corner of one of the cabins, he crashed violently into someone coming from that direction. They both fell.
"Mother fucker!" Edward yelled as he rubbed the area on his chest where he felt the worst of the impact.
At the same time he heard a woman say, "damn it!"
He looked up to see Bella on the ground in front of him.
"Jesus Christ woman! Do you ever watch where you're going?"
"Me? You entitled prick, you're the one who came barging around the corner like everyone else will move to the side for the king of Forks."
By now they were standing, wiping the dirt off of themselves.
"Hah! You apparently want to be queen with the way you keep stepping into my space."
"What an arrogant asshole! Just because the rest of these sycophants think you can do no wrong, you think everyone else looks at you the same way. But I see you. You are just a small man, with a small dick who rules over his tiny fiefdom, because otherwise you're a impotent cipher."
"Small dick?! Admit it! You want to see my dick, don't you? That's why you can't stay away from me!"
"All you heard was about your dick? You disgust me!"
"You can tell yourself that all you want, but I've seen you looking at me!"
"Really? I've done no such thing. And it seems for you to even think that, you'd have to be spending a lot of time looking at me! I hadn't even thought of that before. It's you who wants me, and like a jealous little boy, you're throwing the blame at me. Pathetic!"
"You need to shut those lips of yours!"
"And if I don't?
Suddenly Edward leaned over and slammed his lips onto Bella's. She froze for a second, then joined him in the kiss. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and he pushed her up against the cabin, lifting her so their mouths were at the same height. When she wrapped her legs around him, she could feel his arousal against her core. He began to thrust. They both moaned, then suddenly stopped. They looked each other in the eyes. He lowered her to the ground. They both adjusted their clothes and left in the direction they were originally headed.
Over the final day and a half of the reunion, they avoided each other as much as possible; yet, their eyes continually met each other's.
Edward smirked, thinking about the fallout of that day. He smiled as watched Tanya laugh. He then scanned the beach to find Carlie who was playing soccer with the big kids.
Moments later he stepped away from the bonfire to grab a beer, then walked further down the beach and sat in the sand. His wife sat down beside him, and he wrapped his arm around her. "I was talking to Jake," she said. "He's happy."
"I am glad. Tanya looks happy, too. I hate what we put them through, but I'm glad they found each other." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Bella."