A week and a half passed by since Edward's and Bella's accident.
Edward occasionally talked to her and she kept questioning him. Finally, during a school field trip that Edward, Jasper, and Alice went to he told her that it was an adrenaline rush and they shouldn't be friends.
Ashley wanted happiness.
She wanted her family to be happy. She wanted her uncle to be happy. But, one thing that made one side happy upset the other. So, she didn't know exactly where she stood.
One day Ashley rode to school with Edward. Ever since the accident, he couldn't take on the remarks from Ashley's mother so he had decided to drive on his own.
After singing a song together Ashley turned the volume down. "So, I need to ask you something, and you need to be honest with me," Ashley said turning to his uncle.
Edward could hear Ashley's thoughts and he was concerned. "Yeah?" he said.
Ashley took a deep breath. "For a while now I've seen you sneak out at nights, I don't even know if that's the right term, whatever, where are you going? It surely can't be hunting,"
Edward was shocked by her question. He was shocked that she had caught it. "Uhm," he started not really knowing what to say. Ashley would know if he lied. She had always been good at reading him. "To Bella's house," he finally admitted.
"Wait, what?" Ashley blurted out. She had expected an answer like an affair or something, not the girl's house he saved. "What are you doing there, at night? OOOH MY GOD--" Ashley started to say, then shout, and then got shushed.
"NO! No, uhm, no, it's not what you think it is, God, stop thinking of me naked, I am your uncle," Edward quickly said grimacing his face.
Ashley chuckled. "Fine, I suppose you're right, it's gross to think of you like that," she said and earned a glare from her uncle.
It was the last day of the week.
Just like Ashley wanted the lessons went by quickly and she was already eating her lunch. Her dad and Uncle Jasper were talking about the game that was going to be on the TV tonight. Her mom was looking at a catalog she brought from home. Aunt Alice was on her phone and her Uncle Edward was eyeing Bella again.
Ashley hit her uncle's feet. Edward turned to her with furrowed brows. He was pretending to eat and he dumped something back to the plate.
"Stop staring, go talk to her," Ashley whispered to Edward.
He rolled his eyes at her. Then Ashley turned to look at Bella and saw that she was heading for the salad bar. So she leaned back on her chair. "Edward, could you go and get me a salad?" she said with a smirk.
Edward glared at her but declining would earn remarks from Rosalie and he wasn't in the mood for that plus he really wanted to talk to Bella. So with a sigh, he got up and made his way over to the salad bar.
Ashley watched her uncle with a smirk on her face and kept on eating her food. "You're sometimes evil, you do know that, don't you?" she heard her Aunt Alice whisper to her.
She turned to her with a smirk and shrugged. "I guess I am," she answered.
When she saw the two of them chatting her phone vibrated. It was a text. From Paul.
They were talking as usual but the other day Paul offered to meet up. She was beyond excited and this was the day.
She couldn't wait until school ended and she went to meet up. Ashley felt her belly strangling in a funny way every time she thought about her meeting up with Paul.
For the last lessons, Ashley didn't really care about school and focused on Paul. Her last lesson was with Uncle Jasper and he had realized the excitement from his niece. Since it wasn't in a bad way, he hadn't been alarmed.
When the rang bell a big smile was formed on Ashley's face. Together they walked outside to the cars to meet up with the rest of their family.
Alice was already there when Jasper and Ashley arrived. "Alice!" Ashley beamed. "Can I ride back with you and Rosalie? I need to talk to you two about something," she said excitedly.
Seeing her niece with smiles all around her face Alice smiled too. She looked at her mate and he shrugged with a smile on his lips. "Of course honey," she replied as they waited for the last of the Cullens.
Alice and Ashley had dragged Rosalie away from the car and they got in quickly. Without waiting for the others Alice started driving, eager to learn what her niece is going to talk about.
"What's the rush guys? What's going on?" Rosalie asked with a smile on her face.
"Mom, Auntie," Ashley started talking, "I think I may be going on a date today," she quickly said.
Alice shouted a little and Rosalie turned to her daughter. "Maybe going?" she asked her daughter with a grin on her face.
Ashley blushed at the question. "Yeah, I am not sure, he asked me to meet up, and I think I like him, we hang out once before," she quickly explained. "What should I expect?"
Sure, there had been boys interested in her before but it never got to be a serious thing for several reasons. Ashley never really liked them back and the boys she liked were kind of scared by the other Cullens. Especially Emmett. He was very protective of his little daughter.
"Oh honey," Rosalie exclaimed. "Just try to enjoy yourself, but know that with teenager boys things can get a little out of hand and you don't have to do anything you don't want to or don't feel comfortable,"
"Exactly sweetie, don't feel pressured," Alice added and the two vampires shared a look.
Ashley nodded. " Okay," she said. "How do I know if he's into me?"
The vampires grinned. "Oh, you'll know, trust me," Rosalie said.
Ashley giggled. "Oh, okay, expert,"
"What will you be doing?" Alice asked her.
"We'll go see a movie and then eat, I think, I am not sure," she replied.
Alice chuckled as she increased the speed. "Then I suppose we better hurry up so you don't end up going late, not further than the expected fashionable late I mean," she said and all of them broke into laughter.
When they got home Ashley quickly dived into the food her grandma had prepared for her meanwhile her mom and aunt informed her grandma of the event today.
Esme chuckled at the news. "Do we know who the lucky guy is?" she asked and then all of them turned to a blushing Ashley.
"Is he from school?" Alice asked.
Ashley shook her head. "What if I tell you after tonight? When I'm sure where it is headed?"
It was the first proper date she was going and it was understandable all the other females' reactions. However, Paul was from La Push and she knew how they reacted. Plus she really didn't want to let her family know without things getting serious.
"Alright, I suppose we could wait a few hours," Rosalie said as she hugged her daughter.
She smiled as a 'thank you' and focused on finishing her food. "Oh, also, don't tell dad, please, or anyone else, I don't want them to freak out, we all saw how they reacted when I came back from Europe,"
While the others laughed and nodded their heads, Emmett joined in. " What shouldn't they tell me, kiddo?"
Ashley blushed and the others kept on chuckling.
"Emmett, buddy, I don't think you're going to find out unless they want you to," Jasper had joined in, patting Emmett's shoulder.
Emmett frowned for a second. "We'll see about that," he muttered. "Eddy boy!"
He was using his daughter's nickname for Edward when he came in. It had stuck on. "What is that they're not telling me?" he asked him.
Immediately all of them changed their thoughts.
"Ugh," Edward said as he furrowed his brows, " I don't know Emmett, they've gotten good at guarding their thoughts," he replied.
Ashley giggled and pulled her tongue out. "Oh god, Ashley, please stop thinking of my head on a koala bear!" Edward groaned.
After getting rid of the boys Alice, Rosalie and Ashley went to her room to get her ready. Alice dived into her niece's wardrobe as Rosalie started to do make-up.
"Mom, you are amazing!" Ashley exclaimed as she looked at herself in the mirror. Rosalie smiled up at her daughter.
"And I've found the perfect thing to wear!" Alice said.
It was a cute dress Esme had bought Ashley a couple of months ago. With a nice jacket, she would be okay.
After laying it out on the bed Alice and Rosalie started to work on Ashley's hair, even though she rejected it. They brushed it and braided a part of it. Then they left to let her get dressed.
When Ashley went to the living room all the females awed loudly. "You look amazing!" Esme exclaimed.
"Uh, yeah, she does, for what?" Emmett barged in, looking at her daughter with a frown.
Ashley blushed and looked at her mom for help. "She's going out with friends," Rosalie said as she hugged her husband and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Huh," Emmett said.
"Dad, can I take the car?" Ashley asked her dad with her puppy eyes.
Emmett rolled his eyes as he handed them to her daughter. "Don't be late," he said as he kissed the top of her head. Ashley nodded as she made her way to the garage.
After she parked the car and walked to the theatre Paul was already there at the entrance. "Hey," she said with a huge smile at her pace.
Upon seeing her he broke out a smile. " Hey,"
Ashley wasn't sure what to do now. Was she supposed to hug him? Kiss him? That's what they've done the last time.
Luckily Paul had stopped her inner argument as he leaned over and half hugged her. Ashley blushed as they went in. "I already got the tickets, hope you like the seats," Paul said.
"As long as it's not the front I'm sure it'll be okay," she replied. They got popcorn and some drinks before going inside to their seats.
When the movie ended Ashley was still eating her popcorn. "I mean, cmon, I wouldn't have done that at the ending! Why wouldn't he accept the offer? It's an adventure!" Ashley exclaimed as they got out of the theatre.
They had watched a superhero film and in the end, the guy rejected an offer to join a superhero group. Paul chuckled as he watched her.
"What?" Ashley said with a chuckle when she saw him staring at her.
"I don't know, he kind of has a point," he said but Ashley threw some popcorn at him. He laughed at the way she reacted.
When they reached her car Paul looked at her with a grin. "So you like adventures?" he asked her.
Ashley nodded.
"How about an adventure right now?"
Ashley gave her a suggestive look. "Right now?"
"Yeah,"
"Alright, where to?" she asked as she took out her keys.
He grabbed the keys. " It's a surprise, hop in,"
Paul ended up bringing Ashley to a cliff. They got out of the car and walked to the edge. "My friends and I like to come here to jump," he said.
Ashley looked at him in disbelief. "Jump?" she shouted as she looked between Paul and the water beneath them.
"Yeah," Paul said with a grin, "It's called cliff-jumping. It's a sport," he explained.
Ashley nodded as he explained. She pointed to the place they were standing in and then the water. "So you jump from here, to there?" she asked him. He nodded.
"Hmm," Ashley said as she took a step back towards the car and then sat on the car's bodywork. "Then I guess you're quite adventurous, aren't you?" she asked him with a smirk.
Paul grinned as he came near. The moonlight was upon them, it was shining to the sea behind Paul and Ashley's heart was racing. This seemed like the moment in dates where something happened.
Ashley's eyes met with Paul's.
"Ashley," Paul said slowly as he neared her, " If you're okay with it, I'd like to kiss you now," he whispered to her.
Ashley softly nodded to his request and Paul started to lean in. First, their lips brushed together, and then Paul closed the gap between them.
At first, it was only their lips that were touching. But as it got more heated Paul had brought his warm hands around Ashley's cheeks and his body was between her legs.
Ashley had wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. With Paul sliding in his tongue Ashley softly moaned.
Sure she had kissed before but with Paul the kiss was amazing. She felt like she had never been kissed before. She didn't know whether it was the rush or his temperature but she was feeling very warm.
His warm hand slid down to her waist, bringing her closer to him. They continued kissing for a while until they were out of breath. She leaned her forehead against his.
"That was nice," she murmured in between her breaths.
Paul chuckled. "Yeah, it was," he replied.
After the kiss, they talked for a while until it became late and they both knew they needed to go. However, luckily, this time Paul had accepted Ashley's offer to drive him to his house, given he couldn't go without a car.
The drive was fun. Paul had made jokes and they sang along to some songs they both loved. When she pulled over next to a house Paul decreased the volume of the music.
"This is it," he said. Ashley nodded. She wanted to see him again. "Until next time?" Paul asked her with hope.
Ashley's lips curved upwards. "Yeah," she answered.
Paul grinned as he quickly leaned on and planted a kiss on her lips. "It's my turn to shock you beautiful," he said before getting outside the car.
Ashley blushed as she watched her walking up to his house with a grin. She shook her head as she pulled onto the driveway with a smile on her face.
After she parked the car and got in she found her family in the living room. They were smiling at her until Rosalie furrowed her brows.
"Honey, how was it? Tell us everything!" Alice yelled and was by her side in a second. Ashley smiled as she eyed her dad and Uncle Edward looking at them with their brows furrowed. "Oh, never mind them, they found out," Alice said rolling her eyes.
"It went, great," Ashley said blushing and thinking of the kiss.
"Ugh!" Edward groaned suddenly. "I don't need those images in my head!" he said and left the room.
Alice and Ashley chuckled after them. "I'm guessing some things happened," Alice said with a smirk and Ashley nodded. She looked at her mom and saw her with a sad expression on her face.
"Honey, why don't you go change? Then we can talk about it," Alice offered. Ashley nodded and made her way to her room as Alice sat next to Rosalie.
When she saw done changing she went to Edward's room. "So," she said with a grin, "What did you and Bella talk about today?"
Since she came back with her mom and aunt she didn't get a chance to ask him. "Well, I asked her about theories of me, since she doesn't believe the adrenaline rush thing, and they were mostly about those superhero movies you make me watch,"
Ashley bit her lip. "And you still can't read her mind?" Edward shook his head.
"Okay, what else?"
Edward chuckled. "She suggested that we 'hang out' and then invited me to go to La Push beach with her and her friends this weekend,"
"Eddy boy! You better tell me you're going!" Ashley exclaimed.
Edward shook his head again with a chuckle. Ashley ended up throwing him a book. "Why?" she asked him.
Edward couldn't tell her the real reason why he or any of the Cullens except for Ashley couldn't go to La Push. "It's way too crowded, it'd be awkward," Edward said and Ashley threw him another book.
"You know, you suck at flirting," Ashley commented.
Edward rolled his eyes. "I am not trying to flirt," he said and earned a glare from his niece. Trying to change the subject Edward said, " By the way, all of us could smell it, again, you were with one of them, weren't you?"
Ashley bit her lip. She had completely forgotten about the smell issue. "Oh, well, yes," she started, "But I had a deal until the project is over I could hang out with them,"
Edward rolled his eyes. "Yes, the keyword is 'hang out' not date and make out,"
"I don't understand why it is such a problem, also, how do you know the smell? Isn't he human? Isn't 'them' human? How do they have this smell that you guys can recognize instantly?" Ashley asked her uncle. She was frustrated.
"Believe me, if you could smell it, you'd recognize it too," Edward replied, ignoring all of her other questions.
When Ashley realized he wasn't going to answer she groaned. "I'm going to bed then," she said loudly for everyone to hear as she went to her room.
She had been the happiest since the date and she thought of the after-talk with her mom and aunt for the entirety of the drive back but it had all turned upside down and now her mood was ruined. She didn't expect her family to react in such a way and being left out of whatever this secret was just so annoying.
She drifted off to sleep thinking about the talk with her uncle and the moments with Paul.