Open hearts(Twilight Ménage) *discontinued*

Banter or Flirting?

"Thanks, Hale. For the radio", Bella called out with what could be described as glee before she headed back to her house as Rose drove off.

That emotion I didn't want to name bubbled up in my chest, filling my throat. I swallowed hard again, I wanted to go to Rose, ask her why she found it necessary to flirt with my Bella. Yet just as I was about to put down the icing and confront her, Jasper and Alice came in the house from the back door.

"You are so petty", Alice hissed as she came into the kitchen, poking a skinny finger on my shirt, right at one of the spaces between my ribs.

"You are so annoying", I shoot back at her with a glare as I tried to swat her hand away, "Can't you see I'm icing cakes for the party you want to throw."

"I can take over, so you can kick his butt, Alice", Rose offered with a grin that I wanted to smack off her face.

"No fighting in this house", Esme spoke sternly as she gave Alice, Rose and I a glare before she went back to icing cakes.

"You won't have time to set up the booth at the bowling alley if we fight", I pointed out as I continued to swat her hand away and put the icing on the one more cupcake. I tossed the pastry bag at Rose before I spoke again, "Plus I have a camera to get since you told me to take plenty of pictures, Alice."

I ran up the stairs into my room, checked the camera then I got changed into a different outfit. I changed a few times, I wanted to look nice for Bella, I mean it is her birthday. I settled for frost green button up shirt, black dress pants with matching dress shoes. I packed everything I needed to take plenty of pictures in a bag that I bought for my camera a while ago. I looked at myself in the mirror, pale white skin, straight thin nose, high cheekbones, heavy-lidded eyes, with the unnatural color of gold, lips pink and thin with a slight cupid's bow and reddish-brown hair. I ran my fingers through my hair again, trying to get it to that perfect messy look that will seem effortless.

Time passed unnoticed as I tried to make my hair look perfect, that is until I heard Esme's voice, "Oh Dear, you look fine."

I turned to her with an unsure smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I spoke with a questioning tone, "Do I?"

"It's a birthday party, not a date", She reminded me as she moved behind me, fixing my collar as she continued, "There's no need to be so nervous."

My eyebrows pulled together as I processed her words. Keeping my hands busy, by rolling up the sleeves to my elbows. I forced on making my voice sound nonchalant, "It's been a while since we had human friends. Bella is different, I can't read her, which makes her a danger if she ever finds out the truth."

Esme let out a string of laughter that made me shift uncomfortably. Was I not convincing in the least? She took a sobering breath after her laughter died down, "I came to get you, everyone is heading for the bowling alley to set up, get going."

"Right", I agreed with her, planting a kiss on her cheek, before I gathered the bag. I told Esme of my love as I moved at my natural speed to the garage.

I grabbed the keys, off the rank and got into my silver stream. I got on the road, turning on the radio, which blasted the Barbie girl song. I swerved the car in my shock, I quickly straightened out the car as I growled in annoyance. I tried to change the station but nothing worked.

 I clenched my jaw tightly. I turned off the radio, knowing that Rose must have done this on Alice's behalf. I just drove in silence the rest of the way to the bowling alley. I exit from my car with my bag in hand and my camera around my neck. If I was going to make things up to Alice, I had to take the best pictures ever tonight.

I heard the loud engine of the freshly painted red truck that belonged to Bella Swan. I followed the sound, as she parked her truck. I made it to her truck as she stepped out of it with her phone in hand, she was wearing the dress that Alice gave her. Frost green just like my shirt, with a black ribbon tied around her waist, as well as a little black purse.

 Did Alice set this up? Surely not, since I made the decision on this shirt not that long ago, while Alice got that dress two days ago. I pulled my eyebrows together, trying to figure out if it were possible for Alice to set this up. Although it could have easily just been fate, trying to tie us together. I moved my eyes back to Bella so that I could finish taking in her outfit.

 Her hair is pushed back with the help of one of the headbands that Jasper was probably suggested into getting Bella by Alice. Around her neck lay a necklace, with a sapphire surrounded by little diamonds. She wore a pair of blue chucks on her feet that went well with her outfit.

I lifted the camera, adjusting the zoom to take in her entire body and the way the light from the lamp post is shining on her from this angle. I took the first picture of many that were expected of me to take by Alice. The click sound altered my presence to Bella, she looked up from her phone, narrowing her eyes at me with annoyance.

"Pretty boy, please don't tell me you're just skulking around taking pictures of women without their consent. Because if so, that's creepy and gross and delete that picture", She spoke sternly as she made her way over to me, the corner of her lips pulled in a frown.

"What? No. Alice didn't tell you, she's making me take a thousand pictures of the birthday girl and her party. So I won't be deleting that picture", I told her as I moved the camera out of her reach as she got into my personal space.

She closed her eyes and shifted the strap of the purse on her shoulder. I wondered what she was thinking. Something she said before brought itself to the forefront of my mind.

 A mischievous smile came on my face as I spoke, "Right, you don't like being the center of attention. We could just ditch the party and go for a drive or something?"

She bit her lower lip for ten seconds before she slowly released it. She looked up at me with those brown eyes of hers before she gave me a response, "I can't do that to Alice, as tempting as that sounds."

I raised an eyebrow at her as I asked in a teasing tone, "I tempt you, Swan?"

She turned away from me, heading for the entrance of the bowling alley. I followed her with a small smile on her face. Her heart beating faster and the blush creeping up her neck was enough of an answer for me at the moment. It made whatever I was feeling a bit easier, knowing that I had an effect on her. I picked up my pace, holding the door open for her, she kept her face hidden from me. I wondered what she was thinking. 

A/N: Thanks for reading.  Please leave a comment. I'm not sure when the next update will be. I feel like no one wants to even read this story because of the lack of comments.