For The Win Mrs.Robward Author of 16 Stories -------------------------------------------------------------------------------~._. FTW ._.

~ I feel the hum, the roar of the crowd. The stadium simulates a roc et ship just before ta e off, a deep rumble, a conta ined energy. That buzz, it becomes a fog all around me, I can't help but breathe it in. Absor b it. It fuels me. The roots of my hair tic le and the pads of my fingers pulse. My body is electric. I can't stand still, bouncing from toe to toe. I grip the handle of my pom poms, the plastic ribbons sha e in each of my hands. I rub the two together, trying to expel some of my vigor. But it builds anyway. The squad lines up in the tunnel under the stadium that leads out to the footbal l field. We ma e three lines. Our uniforms s impy and tight. Our shoes white as the day they were bought. Our hair bouncy and shiny. Some of us have red W's pai nted on our chee s, others a tattoo of our team mascot, a wolf. We are so ready to do this. The pyrotechnics just outside the field goal line explode into a series of booms , and the crowd somehow gets louder. Then the fog machine at the tunnel's entrance clouds our visibility and that's o ur cue. We run out on the field, our pom poms high in the air. The stadium erupts in a c hant of "Wolves, wolves, wolves," with a spine tingling howl at the end before t hey begin all over again. The university's band starts playing our fight song. We dance and cheer to the w ords as we lead the crowd in singing along with the song. The smile on my face, it's genuine. I love this. Even though I now we will lose, I love game days. ~._. FTW ._.~ "Have you heard the news?" Jessica as s as we sit at the after-the-game party. "Probably not." I answer because I loathe gossip.

"The Wolves are getting a new quarterbac . Supposedly, he li e, got in all this trouble at his old school, li e big trouble with the law. And he, li e, got ic ed out I guess or lost his scholarship or something, so he's transferring here a nd, ohmygawd, from what I've heard, he's li e a total babe. Li e a major one."

Just her tal ing annoys the piss out of me. I stand up, loo ing for my friend Alice, or even Rose, or anyone to get away fro m Jess. I spot them both coming out of the bathroom. I practically run in their direction. "Can we leave yet?" I whine as I join them. At parties after the team loses, all everyone does is get so drun , they'll soon be passing out, or pu ing all over place, or both. No, than you. For the past two years the Wolves have been rebuilding their football program. M ere wee s after the 2007 season, when the Wolves had ended with a perfect record and a national football title win, scandal roc ed the university. Illegal recru iting, payouts, athletes with failing grades, and attendance infractions were ju st a few of the allegations brought against the school. Nine months later all charges were dropped after the investigation found no proo f of foul play, but by then the damage had already been done. A whole new coaching staff had to be hired and an athletic program rebuilt. Two losing seasons had followed. When all that first happened, I was a senior in high school, and had already sig ned on with a full cheer leading and dancing scholarship to attend North Atlanti c State. Besides, their cheer leading program ic ed ass, we didn't need a winni ng football team to prevail. "I wonder what this Cullen guy'll loo li e?" Rosalie jabs me with her elbow. Ev ery season, her and Alice try to hoo me up with numerous football players, and after more failed dates than I care to count, I was over it already. "No telling." I shrug. They just don't get it. I have come to realize that I want more than just a hot body, I want to date a guy with feelings, and a heart, and a brain, yes! A nice loo ing guy with a smart brain is so much more important to me. Although I have to agree, most football players bodies are too fuc hot to ignore and watching t hem play football is one of my favorite things to do, I just don't ever thin it will go past that. They are purely eye candy, sweet and tart dipped in chocolat e, the best ind of candy there is. Anyway, if my friends want to settle with their dumb football player boyfriends that is their prerogative. I'm still on the loo out for THE ONE. My one. ~._. FTW ._.~ I stand stretching in the practice gymnasium. NA State is nown for it's awesome facilities, the cheer and dance squad has a private gym with a spring loaded fl oor for tumbling, it adjoins the indoor practice field for the football team. Wi th only a wall of glass between the two, we often get a bird's eye view of their practices on rainy days. Of course, that also means that they can watch us practice, if they don't get ca ught by their coach that is. Coach Aro is one mean man, we often hear him yellin g through the plexi-glass and concrete. He's a legend in his own right, he's no wn for turning team's losing programs around. It's undecided if his strea has run out or not.

~._. FTW ._.~ We ta e a brea while Ryan, our choreographer, resets the music. I use the time to get a drin of water and adjust my ponytail.

The s y. The ocean... Edward Cullen. His hair is this odd color, not exactly brown or not really red, but a burnt mix of the two and where it's damp with sweat, it's dar er and clings to his face. He's shirtless and absolutely magnificent. His body is cut and built and lean an d mouthwatering. Not too big, not too small. My fingertips long to trace the mus cles as they ripple and tighten. Every single one, li e an anatomy lesson. He's wearing simple blac shorts that hang loose on his hips. I can't see the sp ecifics of the body hair on his chest or his stomach, only the dar ening of his s in that seems to tease me. I don't see a band of proof of boxers or briefs at his waist either. Is he seriously letting the goods hang? Just... Wow. His calves, they're meaty and defined. Gorgeous. I can only imagine his thighs a re just as sexy. Damn shorts bloc ing my view.

He grips the ball li e it's nothing, his long fingers curling over the pigs in. He loo s out over his teammates, surveying the field, commanding, standing tall. He rares his arm bac , his bicep round and taunt, then his arm flings forward re leasing the ball. It flies and spins down the field with a perfect spiral landin g exactly in the intended receiver's hands. I glance bac at Edward expecting to see the smug loo on his face li e every ot her coc y quarterbac I've ever watched. But I don't because he isn't smiling. His forehead is wrin led in worry and he l oo s upset? He rubs his hands together as the coach comes over and pats him on th e shoulder. They wal away, out of my visibility. I'm confused. His throw loo ed good to me. "He's yummy isn't he?" Lauren as s as her and Jessica join me at the water coole r.

I don't play those games. I don't vie for attention of football players. Never h ave. Never will. Not in the same way they do anyway. Now what was it I said I wanted other than a hot body in a guy? ~._. FTW ._.~

"I don't

now who you're tal ing about." I lie and turn to wal away.

To top it off, the sheen of sweat that covers his bare s in, causes him to spar le under the fluorescent lights. Each movement, each step, each breath illuminat es with a glow that mesmerizes me.

That's when I see him, the new quarterbac . Jessica's description of him was li e saying the s y is sort of blue, or the ocean is ind of deep and wet. Sometime s, there just aren't words specific enough to describe such beautiful things.

I watch Edward Cullen every chance I get. I've seen a ton of football in my life , but when it comes to watching some one play football, he's a master of the gam e. His running game is better than his throwing game. Not that he can't throw it, h e will, every chance he gets. But when you see Cullen tuc that ball into his si de and ta e off in a sprint, you now miracles are about to happen. That's just the way he plays. He can roll off a line of defensive men as if they're standing there merely for show. He can escape a tac le li e his body has been coated slic with oil, and h e can read the field as though he's been shown the future. He's amazing. ~._. FTW ._.~ The next Saturday, Edward doesn't get to play in the game, he's still considered a red shirt, so until the college clears him to play, he has to stand and watch . And from what I can tell as I watch him as he watches the game, he doesn't li e it that we are losing, again. I don't have any classes with him, and as of yet, he hasn't been attending the u sual parties where the football players have been. I now because the cheerleade rs always follow the football players. We go hand in hand. It's just the way it is. But he has stirred up this college with excitement. The guys can't wait to watch him play and the girls can't wait to get in his pants. Regretfully, the gossip mill spills that he has a girlfriend bac home, hence wh y he hasn't been hoo ing up with randoms. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me much. I get enough enjoyment out of watching h im practice and I'm positive that when he finally gets to play, the world will f all even harder in love with the game of football and with Edward Cullen. ~._. FTW ._.~ Friday afternoon, the cheer squad primps in the bathroom in the auditorium, ther e's a pep rally for tomorrow's homecoming game. Tonight, there's a bonfire by the la e. This by far, is one of my most favorite wee ends of the football season. The best news of all is that at tomorrow's game, Cullen gets to start, and for t he first time in years, the North Atlantic Wolves are pic ed to win. The cheer squad ta es the floor, rousing up the crowd. It's hard to explain how powerful I feel while I cheer. The attention I get, it's simply mind numbing. Kn owing that thousand of eyes are on meand mybody and mymoves. It's just so sexy. Especially the eyes of one certain guy. I've never wanted anyone to watch me the way I want him to. It's li e I need it. I want him to watch me.. want me, even

if it's just a little and I don't exactly now why. But on a day li e today, with all of us students pac ed in this small space, wit h the shouting and the music, it's impossible to find him. To verify that he eve n nows I exist. The fast pace of the pep rally doesn't help matters either. The whole squad is o n and the off the stage before we even have time to breathe and enjoy it. A few of us are also on the dance team. I do both because it gave me more schola rship funds. It also means double the practice and the wor outs, but I don't min d that much, it eeps me in great shape. We don't change out of our cheer uniforms, they've been coordinated to match the dance costumes, and all we have to do is space ourselves within the group to bl end. I li e dancing, almost as much as cheering, but it's much more exhausting. While the coach is still spea ing at the podium, the dance team lines up on the stage below him. Coach Aro begins to introduce his starting offensive. He says h isname and Edward steps forward, I swear the roar of the student body sways the walls. Or maybe that was just me unable to stand still. Cullen throws his hand up in a shy wave and my heart lurches up in my throat. He 's so humble and so so real. His smile is croo ed, his eyes are narrowed in wonder, he nods his head in appro val and instantly, the crowd gets louder. He steps bac in line beside his teammates, tuc s his hands flat in the front po c et of his jeans, and the coach introduces the next player over the screaming. But I've found him. That's all I need for now. I thin this is a called a crush, just a little one anyway. The dancers start to spread out and line up in our spots and for a second, I hav e to ta e my eyes off him to chec my surroundings. Then when I loo bac up, he's loo ing at me. Right at me. I feel his eyes ta in g me in. Honing in on me. There's this burn that covers my s in, li e I stayed o ut ten minutes too long in the sun. My mouth falls open slightly as I try to ta e in more air. The excitement has me practically gasping. The rise and fall of my chest is almost distracting. I still want him to watch me dance. More than anything. The music begins. We freeze until the eight count. Then my body ta es over danci ng the steps as though I'm a robot being controlled by a remote. I don't even ha ve to count to eep up. I now with each thump of the bass where my foot will la nd. Each hip-hop lyric that spills from the spea ers my legs and my arms will mo ve li e second nature. I roll my hips, twirl my hair, pop my arms, and extend my legs at each exact tim e.

My routine is flawless. And when it's over, when we jump up from our ending spot, his eyes are still wat ching me and the power I have, it's multiplied tenfold. ~._. FTW ._.~ I see him at the bonfire, he stands cool and casual among his teammates. A can o f Co e, not a cup of beer, rests in his fist. I watch as he sips, his lips curl, his throat swallows. I feel li e a stal er. He doesn't say much to anyone. He just stares straight ahead at the fire, noddin g when spo en to, throwing up a wave when addressed. He seems quiet, another plus in my boo . Female after female approach him. I can tell some are friendly and harmless, whi le others are so blatantly obvious, it ma es me sic and green. They lean in, th eir s an y claws splayed on his roc hard chest, their lips too close to his ear . They dangle their bait, but he never bites. Not even once. He doesn't even seem to be hungry. Maybe he does have a girlfriend. ~._. FTW ._.~ Edward plays one hell of a game. Perfect even, but a fumble by one our offensive bac s gives the other team the ball with only a minute left in the game. That results in them scoring a touchdown in the last few seconds, beating us by three points. I feel so bad for Edward. He deserves better. He deserved that win. As soon as the buzzer sounds the end of the game, he jer s off his helmet and st omps toward the loc er room. I watch him leave the field, his ass tight and round in those football pants. He has such a nice ass. Have I mentioned lately how much I love football? ~._. FTW ._.~ That night I ma e an appearance at the after party, but I don't see Edward, so I leave. The next wee at school, I eep an eye out for him. I ta e new routes on campus in between my classes to see if I can find him. I linger outside of my buildings hoping for a pee at him. I scan the crowded spots crossing my fingers, but wit h no luc at all. He's such a mystery. Maybe that's why I can't get him off my mind.

~._. FTW ._.~ Saturday's game is a late afternoon away game, but its only a two hour drive, so that means we will be put on buses, granted they are very, nice buses. The dance team only performs at home games, but the cheer squad always travels w ith the team, and I'm super excited for this away game. See, when we travel by bus or plane, they split the team up. Since we will be tr aveling by bus today, some of the football players and cheerleaders will each be on one of three buses. That way if there was to ever be an accident, a whole te am wouldn't be lost. I just now he'll be on my bus. I always ride on what is considered 'the quiet b us.' The offensive coach and our star running bac , James usually rides this bus , so I'm sure Cullen will too. I recline my seat bac , headphones on, blan et thrown over my legs, and wait. The players soon start to load. I sit in the middle of the bus and everyone spre ads out , pic s a seat, and gets comfortable. I watch them as they pass by my seat, some saying hello, or waving. I wave bac , smile, nod my head. Then he comes into view. He slowly wal s the aisle. His tal l form rising over the seats as he ma es his way toward me. He sees me. His eyes ra e over me before they narrow and he frowns. He ma es me feel vulnerable and bare. Dejected. I raise my eyebrows in question and then lower my sunglasses. Dismissing him the best I can. I've waited all wee to see him, ride this damn bus with him, and then he loo s at me li e I disgust him. Whatever. It hurts, more than I care to admit to myself.

I will not turn and loo . I will not turn and loo . I will not turn and Damn. I loo .

It's going to be one long ass ride. It ta es all I have not to turn my head and glance at him every five minutes, I

He already sitting, his headphones on, relaxing bac losed.

in his seat with his eyes c

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him throw his duffel bac on the opposite side of the bus.

one seat behind me

want to. So bad and then sometimes, still out of the corner of my eye, it seems as though he's loo ing my direction, or right at me. That ma es not giving in to loo ing him even more difficult. But somehow I do it. ~._. FTW ._.~ We lose again, but not because of Edward. He does everything so right, calculate d, perfect. It's the other dimwits on the field who eep fuc ing up. We lose by five points, so close, but a loss nonetheless. Instead of staying the night, we board the bus to go bac home. It's near midnig ht when we finally get going. Everyone is in a somber mood, not much being said around the bus. I cover up again, relax in my seat, and watch the movie that being shown on the small screen above my seat. I feel the change in the air while he stirs through the dar ened bus. No one has their dome lights on, everyone is asleep or watching the movie. But I see him moving around on my right side. He needs to be still, he's distracting me. Once again, I will myself not to turn and loo . I don't now where I find my willpower. Then he just appears and slowly slides into the empty seat beside me. The air around me charges and pulses. I'm shoc ed. He doesn't say anything as he sits down. All I can do is loo at him. His face so close, closer than he's ever been. Illu minated only by the changing glow of the television set. I rest my turned head on the rise of the tall seat, he does the same. I loo at him as he... loo s at me. For the first time ever, I get to examine those eyes, but what I find isn't so p retty. I see a storm raging there dar , powerful, damaged. Lost even. His pupils are dilated and blac . His eyebrows are wild and shadowing. They cowe r over his eyes, somewhat shielding, but not completely. His eyelashes are long and curled, framing those eyes, trying to hide the storm. But I see it anyway. "What happened to you?" Spills from my lips in a rolling whisper. I didn't meant to say it out loud.

Instead of answering me, he sha es his head in slow motion, his eyes blin long and hard, and then he turns his head forward to watch the movie. I'm drowning in a sea of confusion, I want him to tal to me. About something, a bout anything, but I don't want to run him off either. I mean, he's right here. I can feel his body heat. When he exhales, I inhale, an d we trade air. His long legs are centimeters from mine. We're sharing an armres t for goodness sa es! I glance down at his hand and his long fingers, one small part of his football m asterpiece. I get bold, I reach down to the arm rest, I pic up his hand with both of mine. His head snaps around to see what I'm doing. I chew on my lip with nerves. I examine his hand with my fingers, slowly tracing the outline of his fingers on e at a time, the nuc les and the tips, even the edges of his fingernails. I tur n his hand over, rub over his palm, flex his thumb. He's still watching me, he probably thin s I'm crazy. But he doesn't pull his hand away. So I continue to study it. "I've never held a million dollar hand before," I qui etly state. He huffs, "What?" I place my hand up to his, palms open against the other. His is twice the size o f mine. "Your hands. Some day when you get drafted into the NFL, they'll ma e yo u millions." I pull his hand bac toward my lap and continue to laze my fingers over his soft s in. I use my fingernails to scratch over the stray hairs on the bac side of h is nuc les. I trace the blue veins on the bac of his hand. He never once loo s away. I thin he li es it.

I sha e my head, "No, I now so. Ever since the first time I watched you practic e, I new you were different. You really are, Edward, you're an expert of the ga me." "Sometimes it doesn't seem that way. I thin maybe sometimes, the game plays me. " His voice is unsure and sad. I don' t loo away from his hand, I'd rather not get lost in his storm right now. "Only if you want it to. Just don't let this team pull you down. Keep playing ju st li e you are, maybe soon enough all these guys will catch up with you, and be a little more supportive." I swear I thin he smiles, just a little, but I'm not loo ing at his face, so I' m not sure. "Cullen, come here." Coach Aro calls out for him from the front of the bus.

"Do you really thin s his palm again.

so?" He flexes his hand and turns it over. I begin to cares

A pang of disappointment cuts through my chest even though his hand is still in mine. I bring his hand up to my lips, I iss the inside of his wrist, just barely and then I turn his hand over and pec the bac side of his hand. He stays so still. "Be careful with these." I say afterward. Then I swallow hard and try to smile. I release his hand. My own falling the short distance to land in my lap, now lon ely and cold. Bare. I watch as his hand immediately goes to his mouth. He rubs his mouth against the bac of his hand, almost li e he's transferring my iss to his lips. I thin about admitting to him there's more where that one came from, but he wal s away before I get the chance. I spend the rest of the trip lost in a haze of Edward Cullen and the memory of h is hand in mine. ~._. FTW ._.~ The next few days I'm eenly aware that he's nowhere to be found. I chastise myself. In reality, he's nothing to me. I don't even now that he's m y friend, and certainly not my boyfriend, but neither stop me from craving his p resence. Tuesday night, while we're in the athlete's dining hall, Rosalie's complaining a bout Emmett McCarty again. They hoo up at least once a wee , but neither are wi lling to commit to the other. So every time she hears of him spea ing to, hangin g out with, or screwing some other girl, she gets all pissy. She always tried to come up with some elaborate plan to ma e him jealous in retu rn. "What do you thin I should do? Or whom, I guess I should say." She as s with a raise of her eyebrows. I refrain from rolling my eyes at her. Just about then, the place falls into a hush with the slam of a door, it's Edwar d. He's here. He's never eaten in here before. Never. He loo s around, before slowly ma ing his way to the buffet table. Whether I want to or not, I'm now on alert of everything that's happening around me. The way some of the other cheerleaders begin to whisper to each other and s pea his name. How a few of the football players wal up to tal to him as he fi lls his plate. How everyone watches him, just li e I do. "Maybe I could use him," Rosalie says of Edward, and instantly I see myself push ing her out of her seat and clawing her eyes out. "I'm just idding, Bella!" She laughs thin ing she's funny, when clearly she's n ot. "I've noticed the goo-goo eyes you give him, I wouldn't do that to you." She stands and wal s to the garbage can and I try to get my breathing under cont

rol. I'm not so sure I wouldn't put it past her. He carries his tray toward the center of the dining hall. I'm not even sure he s aw me sitting here. He gets stopped by a few of the players. For no real reason at all, I feel panic rising up from my gut. Would he want to sit with me? What i f he doesn't? Does it really mean anything? I close my eyes and ta e a deep breath. I'm being such a moron. He's just a guy. Another pain in the ass football player. No different from all the others. When I open my eyes, I see him being led away by James, toward the table where h is teammates are. He spreads his legs and straddles the seat, placing his tray on the table in fro nt of him. Then as he sits, he loo s up at me. Our eyes meet and loc . He is so intense. I smile at him, he may be just another football player, but something about him puts me in a tailspin. I can't deny that for sure. I want to now more. And when he smiles bac at me, I realize I may be further gone than I thought. ~._. FTW ._.~ Saturday's game is six hours away, so this time, it's a plane ride to the game, then a bus trip home. As much as I love cheering and sports, I now have a new reason to watch football , and that's Edward Cullen. I dream of him on that field. My dreams are so specific and vibrant. I can alway s see him so clearly, while the rest of the details of my dreams are blurry and dull. His eyes, his hands, his smile, his forearms, his calves, his ass in those tight pants. Good dreams, real good dreams. Rosalie yells at me to save her a seat beside mine on the plane while we are che c ing our bags, but as soon as I board the plane, I see her sitting with Emmett. I flip her off and find an empty seat. Bitch. I dig around in my bag for some Dramamine, I prefer to sleep this trip, I ta e t he pills and then stuff my bag bac in the overhead. I sit bac down in my seat and the air around me suddenly crac les, that could only mean one thing. He's close. He sits down beside me. Beside me. Me.

He drops his bag in the floor beneath his legs. he unzips it and pulls out his i Pod and headphones. I watch every move he ma es, I really am weird. He stands to put his bag in the overhead, beside mine I might add. His arms reac h up easily, but as he does, his shirt rides up and shows off his happy trail, I almost melt in my seat. His abs... his s in... his trail leading to ... I've never been this attracted to a male. Ever. He's wearing his team sweat pants, so once again, his jun is right there, in to uching distance. I loo hard, really hard, willing an outline to come into view through his red pants. I have to stop. I ama stal er. I choose to focus my attention out the tiny window at the concrete below us. Then just as quic , he leans over to loo out the window beside me, he is so clo se... I turn my face to his, my nose is practically touching his chee . I thin I hold my breath. Then he turns toward me, and I'll be damned, our noses are touching! "Hey," he says in this breathy way that sends his used, sweet air all over my fa ce. I want to sniff it up li e cocaine, but I don't. Instead, I smile and and nod my head, "Hi."

Beggars can't be choosy. I'll ta e what I can get. We settle into our seats, we both put our headphones on. He eeps loo ing at me with goofy grin, I ind of want to iss it off his face. I can't help but smile bac at him. The plane ta es off. I ta e a deep breath and relax bac into my seat, then I feel a plop in my lap. It's his hand. He wants me to.. touch him again. Wow. Sure. My pleasure. And I do, even when Emmett turns around bac wards in his seat to tal to Edward,

He sits bac

down, still close, but not as close.

and Edward leans forward a little, I eep his hand in mine. Touching, teasing, caressing. It's sort of perfect. But then my motion sic ness pills ic in and I can't hold my eyes open for much longer, but I don't let go his of his hand. Not for anything. ~._. FTW ._.~ The noise around me gets louder. I begin to stir and open my eyes. Edward is leaning toward me, he's all I see. His fingers are brushing my hair aw ay from my face and my headphones have been pulled off my ears. "Wa e up, sleepy girl." His voice is low and scratchy. I smile at him, that seems to be all I ever do. "We just landed. We'll be getting off soon." I giggle at his innuendo, and he grins and win s. But I see him glance down to m y lips and it stops my heart for a second. "Cullen, just wait til " Emmett starts tal ing to Edward and he quic ly turns and stands to grab his bag out of the overheard. I pause just for a second and soa in the past two minutes. He gives me so much with so little. "Bella Swan, you better spill right now. Tell me all about you and Cullen!" Rosa lie yells as she gathers her things. I new this was coming. "Rose, there really isn't much to tell. We sit and I... hold his hand." That sou nds way worse than it is. "Yeah, right. Em told me the other day that Edward was as ing about you, but I d idn't thin much about it, but now I see. I thin he's got the hots for you." I follow Rose as we exit the plane and pretend that what she just said doesn't m atter, even though it causes my blood to speed through my veins. "Bella's finally gonna get her some, Bella's finally gonna get her some," Rose s ips and chants down the hall.

I swear sometimes I thin friends are overrated. ~._. FTW ._.~ The game goes into overtime. It's the most exciting game I've ever witnessed. That is until I see Edward get blindsided, fall to the ground, and not get up. We all ta e a nee as the crowd falls into a hush. Tears sting my eyes and all I want to do is run out there to him.

I hear a few of the girls whisper out my name trying to get my attention, but I ignore them. After a few minutes of the trainers and coaches hovering over him, I see him slo wly sit up. I've never been more relieved in my life. I swipe my tears away, as I watch them put him on a cart and drive him off the f ield. All the excitement and joy is suc ed right out of me. I worry about him and if he really is o ay or not, but I have a job to do. So I finish the game with the squad, just li e I'm supposed to. We lose, but I don't care.

So I go through the motions of showering, changing, and pac ing up my stuff. Lig ht food is brought into our dressing room, but I'm not the least bit hungry. I just need to now he's all right. ~._. FTW ._.~ When I board the bus, he's already there, sitting in an aisle seat. I have no id ea if he wants me to sit beside him or not, so I ta e my time approaching him. His eyes are closed and his head is leaning bac and resting on the head rest. I tell myself that I'll only pause in the aisle for a brief minute and if he doe sn't ac nowledge me, I'll move on. But I don't even have to thin about it because as soon as I'm close to him, he reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me into his lap. My bag drops to the floor and my arms go around his shoulders. He holds onto my waist, anchoring me to him, his face buried in my hair. "Are you all right?" I as as I grip his shirt tighter. He nods his head. He slightly releases me and I slide into the empty seat beside him. He tuc s my bag under my seat. He unfolds a blan et and throws it over both of o ur laps, covering our legs. I sit as close to him as I can. His hand is on my nee under the covers. I feel the heat off his s in as it pene trates through my thin yoga pants and up my leg, effectively scattering all over me and setting my body into a smoldering fire. "What happened?" I as as I curl my arm around his elbow. My fingers immediately

I have this pull to march right into the loc er room and find Edward, but I it'd be useless. I'm not allowed in there.

now

start to trail up and down his bare forearm, and I don't ignore the way his s i n brea s out in goosebumps by my touch alone. Score one for me. "It's nothing. I was just noc ed out for a second. The doc's chec ed me out goo d, I don't have a concussion or anything." He says it so calmly. "It wasn't just nothing, Edward. I was worried about you." I squeeze his arm. "You were?" One side of his mouth curls up and his eyes twin le. I nod and pout a little. "You shouldn't worry about me." He squeezes my thigh in return. He moves his han d up and down my leg with the slightest of movements, to my nee and then up jus t a little to my thigh and then bac down. It's so, so minor but it feels so, so major! I pull away a little and loo up at his head. "Does it hurt any?" I use my free hand to rub over his scalp. He hums, "No, they gave me something for pain." He closes he eyes as I nead thr ough his hair. "I feel even better now." He smiles big, his pretty teeth show, h is lips pull tight. "Good." I continue massaging his head for a little while longer until my arm fee ls li e its going numb from holding it up. It's late and we should both try and go to sleep, but for once Edward seems open with me, so I press for more. "Will you tell me what happened at your last school? What was this big scandal I 've heard so much about?" He ta es a deep breath and releases it out in a sigh. "Haven't you heard the story already?" he as s with a frown. "I haven't heard if from you." I raise my eyebrows. "You really want to now?" I nod. He loo s away and seems to debate to tal to me or not. Then I see him ta e a de ep breath. "Well there was this girl, she was a cheerleader," he pauses and loo s straight at me, I pretend I'm not phased... nope, not at all. "I was the second string quarterbac and she was dating Jacob, who was the start ing QB, but he suc ed. I mean, he really did. His father pulled some ind of alu mni bullshit to get Jacob a starting spot on the team. But anyway, she started h itting on me. I new she was supposed to be his girl, but I played her little ga me for awhile. Then things just got heavy and weird. She was too clingy and pers istent, I didn't even li e her that much." Edward shifts down in his seat a little, stretching out his legs. "It came down to Jacob lost his starting spot at the same time someone told him I was fuc ing his girl. But I wasn't," he adds real quic .

"Anyway, he came after me, I'd been drin ing some and I new he was one strong f uc er, he would have done some damage had he got his hands on me. I hit him in t he nee with a wooden baseball bat before he had the chance. Fuc ed his nee up. I'll never forget that sound of bone crunching, it still haunts me." Edward loo s up at me, he loo s so regretful. I twist in my seat and pull my ne es up, leaning into him and wrapping my left arm slightly around his middle. I lay my head on his shoulder and he continues, "Come to find out his bitch girl friend said I had raped her and that's why he was coming after me. I had charges brought against me for battery and rape. My mom practically disowned me, but my dad, he helped me the best he could. "We went to court and I had luc on my side. Some of the girls on her squad had overheard her tal ing shit. She wanted a boyfriend that was going to going to ev entually get drafted, a meal tic et. She realized Jacob wasn't that guy, so she set her sights on me. Then I wouldn't give it up, so she tried to ruin me. The r ape charge was dropped, but I got probation for hitting Jacob and was banned fro m playing Division 1 football ever again, they say the rest is history."

He lifts his arms high above his head and stretches, my fingers suddenly feel ba re s in as his shirt rides up. Smooth, na ed s in right above the waistband of h is sweats. I ta e advantage and begin to trace bac and forth, I feel his abs tighten and j ump under my touch, he even moans a little. His arms fall and his left goes around me, effectively pulling me even closer to him. I splay my hand flat on his stomach. I extend my nec and get as close as I can to his ear, "Do you mind?" I as as my lips graze the shell of his ear. He groans again and sha es his head. I snuggle in close to him. He tugs the blan et up higher to cover us more. I let my fingernails scratch over his stomach, loving the reaction I'm getting from h im. Then, I'm surprised when he starts tal ing again. "Now you now why I wanted to stay far, far away from any and all cheerleaders.. . including you. I tried, unsuccessfully it appears." I laugh, "I'm glad you failed at something." He loo s down at me, I loo up at him, and it just seems so right to be here in his arms, so easy and even though it was his body and his loo s that first attra cted me to him, I really thin there is the possibility of something more betwee n us. "I'm not her, Edward. I thin it's safe to say I'm nothing li e her, either. Don 't push me away, you have to at least give me a chance." I sound li e I'm almost begging. "I thin I already have." His fingers curl tighter around my waist. "There's jus t something about you, I can't get enough."

I feel so bad for him, I don't even

now what to say.

I nod, "I now exactly what you mean." I notice my breathing has accelerated. "B ut I heard you have a girlfriend bac home, is that true?" I have to as . "No, that rumor was my dad's idea, he said it would help me eep the girls away and I'd be able to simply concentrate on my studies and football." Yes! After that, I try to relax. I lay my head bac on his chest and I focus on the f eel of him under my fingertips. The dips and the swells, the soft s in stretchin g over hard muscles. Such a contrast, such a wor of art. I feel his lips on the top of my head, his breath heating my scalp. He's breathi ng hard, too. "That feels so good." He says so quiet that only I can hear him. I now it's too soon, I now it may ma e me loo li e I'm easy, but I want to ma e him feel good, so I ma e him an offer. I loo up, place my lips against the s in of his nec , "I can ma e you feel even better, let me touch you." I slowly e ase my hand down lower to cover the bulge that's already prominent, even from th e outside of his sweats. Against my lips I feel his Adams apple descend and then rise as he swallows slow and hard. He nods, just barely. I iss his nec , a small closed mouth iss. Then I resume my spot snuggled against his chest. His hand rubs up and down my bac before he inches his fingers under the waistba nd of my stretch pants and lower until his whole hand has disappeared from sight . He squeezes and neads the chee of my butt through my boy short underwear. He m ust have electricity shooting from his fingertips because the tingles radiate ou t and zip to all the places in my body that matter. The places that have been longing for him. I graze the outline of his length through his cotton pants, up and down, up and down. I watch the movements of my hand from the outside of the blan et. I notice that he has slipped off his shoes, and his toes curl with each pass of my palm. I slin my hand up, letting my fingertips tease his s in right at the top of his pants before dipping them down to just underneath his waist. I lightly scrape through the soft hair that's scattered below his belly button. It's almost two in the morning, but plenty of people are awa e on the bus. I thi n it ma es this even better and, honestly, I don't care who nows. My hand moves down, deeper into his pants, then it's s in on s in, confirming is a commando type of guy. He's really hard and a little wet on the tip. His c is li e satin covered steel, thic and heavy. He's not abnormally big, but ere's no doubt, he's pac ing. I fist his length, moving up and down, slow and asing.

His mouth is still pressed against the top of my head. His moans are deep and lo ng and they get lost in my hair. I circle his head with my thumb, tracing his slit, spreading his precum. He curs

he co th te

es and tenses. I'll probably have bruised fingerprints on my ass tomorrow, but i t'll be worth it. I start to pump him, slow with a squeeze and then speed up just a bit. He thrust s up in my hand and I begin to imagine how good it will feel when he's buried de ep inside of me. "Shit, Bella," he groans as he swells in my hand. I turn my face bac to his nec and lightly nibble and iss on his s in. At the same time I increase my speed and pressure. I now he's close. I can tell by the way he's breathing and the way he's grippin g my ass. "Don't stop," he quietly moans right before he stiffens and explodes all over my hand. I slow my hand but eep issing his nec .

I can't help but giggle. "Hang on," he reaches under our seat and pulls out a small towel that must have been stored in his duffel bag. He hands it to me and I carefully pull out my han d and wipe it off. "I'm going to change, I'll be right bac ." He grabs his bag again, and heads tow ard the small bathroom in the bac of the bus. As I sit and wait on him, my guilt ic s in. This is so unli e me. I haven't eve n issed the guy or let him ta e me out on a date, and I've already jac ed him o ff. He sits bac down beside me and feel the need to explain myself. "Edward, I'm so rry. I shouldn't have, I mean. I don't usually do that so soon, -er ever, I mean . I've done that before. Shit." I exhale a deep breath and start again. "Please don't thin less of me or that I'm easy, because I'm not. Really. I'm no t that type of girl, Edward, I..." He cups my face and isses me. Long. Soft. Wet. His tongue traces my bottom lip before switching and doing the same to the top. I get hungry and soa in his taste. I'm not even aware if I'm breathing or not. Too soon for my li ing, he pulls away and tips his forehead to rest again mine. He sha es his head bac and forth, "I'm not that type of guy either, Bella, and I don't thin any less of you. If anything, it ma es me want you more." "Good," I answer with relief. "Now, are you ready to get some rest, or do you need me to ta e care of you?" He raises his eyebrows once and grins this wic ed grin. "I thin I can wait," I whisper even though I'd rather get all up in his lap fiv e minutes ago li e the slut I say I'm not.

I thin this is one of the best bus trips ever.

He

isses my nose and covers us up with the blan et again.

"Fuc

baby, that was good. It's been awhile."

~._. FTW ._.~ The next wee , Edward and I tal at least once a day. I find out he's some ind of genius, and his classes are all way over my head. If he's not at practice, or eating, he's studying. He is a quiet guy, and not really the partying type, li e me. He has a photographic memory which has helped him through the years over excel i n his studies and at football. He can learn a complete playboo within an hour.

It doesn't ta e long for the word to spread that I'm dating Edward. ~._. FTW ._.~ Early the next Saturday, hours before game time, Edward is stressing out. He fee ls the pressure because the Wolves haven't won a game yet with him as their quar terbac . I sit with him in the wor out room, watching him lift weights, but not sure what to tell him about his worries. I still love watching him play, and I'm super excited for him to ta e me out on a real date. We haven't had much time alone, and we won't have until football se ason is over. I thin I can wait. "Edward, you now you're doing the best you can out there. Just do what you got to do. Just go for the win." He laughs at me. "I wish it was that easy, Bella." He wal s over to me and isse s the breath out of me li e he always does so well. "It is that easy," I giggle. "Just go for the win. Just do it." "Gah, you're awesome baby. Than you, now go get ready to sha e your ass out the re. That's my favorite part of the wee ." I stand and iss him one last time before I head off to the cheerleaders loc er room.

"I'll be watching you," he yells as I shut the door. I smile to myself as I thin , 'same here.' ~._. FTW ._.~ Six hours later the North Atlantic Wolves beat the number two ran ed team in the nation with ease. Edward gets carried around the field on the shoulders of his teammates.

As the celebration continues on the field, his eyes eep darting bac smile is so wide, my chee s ache.

to me. My

I saunter over to the door, swaying my hips the way he li es me too. "Good luc today," I say with a win .

He's passionate and romantic and every day that I spend with him, or tal , I thin I fall a little more.

to him

"You did it," I mouth and point at him. "Only because you told me to," he answers. I laugh and shrug. Later that night at the after party, I'm sitting in his lap and I remember what he said. "What were you tal ing about?" I as . "I did what you told me to do. I went for it. I didn't over thin it. I just..," he shrugs, "I went for the win and it wor ed."

He tightens his hold on my waist, "Well, if anyone as s, I'm crediting you for t he win. You're my good luc charm, so you now what that means right?" I sha e my head, "No, what?" "I got to eep you with me always," he whispers in my ear. "I thin that can be arranged." I gush because yeah, that sounds li e a perfect game plan to me. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I

new you could do it," I say right before I iss his chee ,