TWILIGHT

Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen hihihi

MY FAVORITE PART

"All right," Esme called in a clear voice, which I knew even Edward would

hear, as far out as he was. "Batter up."

Alice stood straight, deceptively motionless. Her style seemed to be

stealth rather than an intimidating windup. She held the ball in both

hands at her waist, and then, like the strike of a cobra, her right hand

flicked out and the ball smacked into Jasper's hand.

"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Esme.

"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she told me.

Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice's waiting hand. She permitted

herself a brief grin. And then her hand spun out again.

This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the

invisible ball. The crack of impact was shattering, thunderous; it echoed

off the mountains — I immediately understood the necessity of the

thunderstorm.

The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the

surrounding forest.

"Home run," I murmured.

"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a

blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was

missing.

"Out!" Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward

sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide

grin visible even to me.

"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest."

The inning continued before my incredulous eyes. It was impossible to

keep up with the speed at which the ball flew, the rate at which their

bodies raced around the field.

I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when

Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball

toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to

first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two

massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but they were somehow

unscathed.

"Safe," Esme called in a calm voice.

Emmett's team was up by one — Rosalie managed to flit around the bases

after tagging up on one of Emmett's long flies — when Edward caught the

third out. He sprinted to my side, sparkling with excitement.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major

League Baseball again."

"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed.

"I am a little disappointed," I teased.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do

better than everyone else on the planet."

He flashed his special crooked smile, leaving me breathless.

"I'm up," he said, heading for the plate.

He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of

Rosalie's always-ready hand in the outfield, gaining two bases like

lightning before Emmett could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked

one so far out of the field — with a boom that hurt my ears — that he and

Edward both made it in. Alice slapped them dainty high fives.

The score constantly changed as the game continued, and they razzed each

other like any street ballplayers as they took turns with the lead.

Occasionally Esme would call them to order. The thunder rumbled on, but

we stayed dry, as Alice had predicted.

Carlisle was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped. My

eyes were on Edward, as usual, and I saw his head snap up to look at her.

Their eyes met and something flowed between them in an instant. He was at

my side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong.

"Alice?" Esme's voice was tense.

"I didn't see — I couldn't tell," she whispered.

All the others were gathered by this time.

"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked with the calm voice of authority.

"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the

perspective wrong before," she murmured.

Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective. "What changed?" he asked.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she said, contrite,

as if she felt responsible for whatever had frightened her.

Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to my face and away.

"How soon?" Carlisle said, turning toward Edward.

A look of intense concentration crossed his face.

"Less than five minutes. They're running — they want to play." He scowled.

"Can you make it?" Carlisle asked him, his eyes flicking toward me again.

"No, not carrying —" He cut short. "Besides, the last thing we need is

for them to catch the scent and start hunting."

"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.

"Three," she answered tersely.

"Three!" he scoffed. "Let them come." The steel bands of muscle flexed

along his massive arms.

For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle

deliberated. Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at

Carlisle's face with anxious eyes.

"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle finally decided. His voice was

cool and level. "Alice said they were simply curious."

All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. I

had listened carefully and caught most of it, though I couldn't hear what

Esme now asked Edward with a silent vibration of her lips. I only saw the

slight shake of his head and the look of relief on her face.

"You catch, Esme," he said. "I'll call it now." And he planted himself in

front of me.

The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with

their sharp eyes. Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where

I stood.

"Take your hair down," Edward said in a low, even voice.

I obediently slid the rubber band out of my hair and shook it out around

me.

I stated the obvious. "The others are coming now."

"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, please."

He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled my

long hair forward, around my face.

"That won't help," Alice said softly. "I could smell her across the

field."

"I know." A hint of frustration colored his tone.

Carlisle stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly.

"What did Esme ask you?" I whispered.

He hesitated for a second before he answered. "Whether they were

thirsty," he muttered unwillingly.

The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared

to hit harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the

infield. Now and again, despite the fear that numbed my brain, I was

aware of Rosalie's eyes on me. They were expressionless, but something

about the way she held her mouth made me think she was angry.

Edward paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the

forest.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he muttered fiercely. "It was stupid, irresponsible,

to expose you like this. I'm so sorry."

I heard his breath stop, and his eyes zeroed in on right field. He took a

half step, angling himself between me and what was coming.

Carlisle, Emmett, and the others turned in the same direction, hearing

sounds of passage much too faint for my ears.