TLS Fics of the Week 3/25 - 3/31/2012

Terms & Conditions Apply by TheSaintsMistress
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6916502/1/Terms_and_Conditions_Apply

There's only one person on this earth that Edward Cullen hates, and that's his boss...Bella Swan. She's cold. She's ruthless and incapable of human emotion, and to Edward's greatest frustration, the hottest woman walking the face of the planet. Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: AnnaLund http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2307684/AnnaLund

It started (for me) with a tweet from @katinki01 about a hot hot hot hot hot lemon, telling us all to go read it, and LEARN to write lemons like that one.

Well I did. I often follow good advice. At least when it tells me to go read stuff. Especially lemons. Yeah, sue me. Well, this one truly was. Hot, I mean. Sizzling, steaming, and yet, still both elegant and sensual. Blew my mind, it did. Right out the window. (The lemon is in Chapter 24 if you are into in cutting corners.)

But then—after fanning myself thoroughly—I realized that the reason I loved it was that the writing was so good. Like, all the way through. This author could really paint a vivid image. So then I just had to go back and start from the beginning, from chapter 1.

”What?” you all scream, ”having already read the lemon?”

Hell, yeah.

Because it IS that good. The writing. The storyline. The whole thing. The masterfully done lemon is just the icing on the cake. The proverbial cherry.

  So, when I got back to the lemon again, (still in Chapter 24, in case you missed my mentioning the fact above) it was just WOW, HOLY, HOT, HOT, OUCH, WOW, WOW, WOW. Because it was suddenly in context, and TheSaintsMistress had worked up such UST that the whole story exploded around me. Of course, I cannot guarantee it, but you are more than likely to go up in flames right with it, too.

Let's face it, there is just NOTHING lamer in the world than a lame lemon. I call them Lamons, and fanfiction stories are full of them.

THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE. THIS GOES HOT, AND THEN IT GOES HOTTER. THEN IT GOES NUCLEAR MELTDOWN.

To give you a sense of how the lemon gets underway, here's an excerpt:

“Signs of dehydration:

Thirst

Flushed skin

Dry mouth

Chills

Head rushes

1. Thirst

You know that feeling when you've had a wild night of partying and consuming copious amounts of alcohol? When you wake up from dreaming about drinking gallons of water? You know, that intense need to thrust your mouth beneath a tap and just drink and drink until your stomach bursts or the desperation subsides.

Well, that's what it feels like being kissed by Edward Cullen.

I feel like I've reached an oasis in a desert and just want to suck and lick and consume each drop of wet relief. The craving is so intense that I literally mold my mouth to the source and claim.”

After Thirst, she moves along, through Flushed skin… Dry mouth… Chills… and so on, until the end. Now, sit back a second, and taste those words in your own mouth. I dare you. Flushed skin. Chills. Head rushes.

Yeah.

It is a brilliantly executed lemon, in a brilliantly written fic. You can actually grow as a writer when you read and analyze what she is doing with her words, how she strings them together, one after the other. Or, you can have a lot of fun just speeding through it as a reader. Whichever way you decide to devour this story, it is made of win. Pure win. To think that she is not a native speaker of English just makes it even more brilliant.

Okay, well, now—I've gone on and on about the lemon, what about the story itself, what is it about? Let's see, the storyline says:

“There's only one person on this earth that Edward Cullen hates, and that's his boss... Bella Swan. She's cold. She's ruthless and incapable of human emotion, and to Edward's greatest frustration, the hottest woman walking the face of the planet.”

So, Edward works for Bella—who is an editor at a big publishing house. She is having her parents come visit her, and she has been deceiving them for a long time, telling them she is in a long-term relationship. She needs a stand-in. Pronto.

"You, Mr. Cullen," she practically growls. "I need you to be my boyfriend." Her knuckles turn white as she massages the taut skin stretching over her forehead in frustration.

"Excuse me?" I'm sure that she's finally going off the deep end. Did my boss, the bitch I could hardly stand to face, just ask me to be her…boyfriend?

"I need you to pretend." She pauses for emphasis. "To be my boyfriend, Mr. Cullen. Starting this Monday."

This is of course where the Terms & Conditions Apply… After which hilarity, three variations of crazy and sadness ensue, always balancing on the right side of truly believable, credible, touching and real.

TheSaintsMistress also manages to master the male voice (the fic is written in switching BPOV to EPOV), but without ever falling into ridiculous descriptions of colors like “mauve”, or plastering the fic with descriptions of fashionable clothes and such nonsence. To Edward Cullen, quite the man, blue is simply blue. Remember our good old Rob’s answer when asked the color of his burgundy suit? “Eeeeh… Red…?” There you go. That’s a male voice. Red. Brilliant.

Now, instead of giving you line after line from the fic itself and risk destroying your reading experience—because I want YOU to read it and feel all the goodness first-hand and on your own—I am going to go with a different approach here.

  I’m handing you excerpts from actual reviews on the 32 chapters and an Epi. Yeah, TheSaintsMistress uploaded the last chapter and the Epi at the same time as I was writing this very review. How very thoughtful of her.

I’ve tried hard to just use the excerpts that won’t spoil your fun, so you can safely read on. No spoilers here, just a way to show you how this story can reach your mind.

  Without further ado, some lines to amuse you and possibly make you want to read the story that has inspired so many of us:

This lemon is seriously the best I've ever read. I think perhaps it needs a warning sign at the beginning. Or free cigarettes. Or something.

Or:

You just keep giving, one emotion after the other. I love it. just love it. 

Or:

Just when I think you can't do it better, you go and just Do It.

Or:

I love love loved it. oh man, you write the socks off of me. this edward is to die for. Gah

Or:

I just love how tight they have become, how close everything feels. beautiful. sexy. hot. sweet. supportive. and hot. yeah. 

Or:

I love how your Bella takes charge of herself, not just being made come by super-E... No, no, she is taking matters into her own hands, and rocks the socks off him.

Or:

Well done. Now, is there more of this coming? Pun intended.

Or:

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh. oh. boy. oh help.

Yeah, I believe that’s enough. I think you get the idea.

Truly, TheSaintsMistress possesses amazing skills when it comes to describing a scene so vividly it comes alive in front of you; however, I give her extra brownie-points for her especially-super-special-awesomesauce-skillz for the lemony bits. Oh, yes. It is never crass or icky, it is always sexy as fuck and sensual to the umpteenth power.

I rest my case. Go read it. Now.

I salute you, oh Mistress of the Lemon. Rock my world.

Come again, please?

AnnaLund 

Unrequited by Perry Maxwell
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7446868/1/Unrequited
Edward left Bella almost a year ago, upending her whole world. What happens when Bella receives a phone call that just might shatter it? "Wait, Alice…Edward is dying?" I choked out. Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: Twilover76

All stories we read have authors who have poured parts of themselves into them…whether it be time, creativity, emotions, or all of the above.  And then there are the stories based on actual events in the author’s life.  Unrequited by Perry Maxwell is a true testament of a writer giving blood, sweat, and tears in sharing their story.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon meeting Perry in a random WC, and we became fast friends.  It’s hard not to love her as soon as you meet her.  Aside from her being one of the nicest and most supportive authors around, she’s also uber-talented with her words.  It took me about two seconds of reading her not-yet-posted story before I was jumping at the opportunity to be a part of Team Unrequited.

From the prologue, your heart wants to shatter as Bella’s nightmare begins:

"No Bella. This is not my home. This is where I live, but this is not my home. I'm not sure it has ever been my home." He responded with a resigned sigh. I couldn't tell if he was mad or frustrated.


His words felt heavy and obstructive, and my chest responded to their weight accordingly.
Breathing in deeply and finding the courage to speak, I tried to reason with him, convince him that we could move to Dallas together and fix whatever was broken, not that I knew what that was. Didn't he know that my home was wherever he was?


"Okay. If you wanted to go back to Dallas, and you were uncomfortable here, why didn't you just tell me? I can work from anywhere, and we can start looking for houses. I know your parents are there, and so is your brother, and - "


"Bella…stop. I said I'm leaving...not we're leaving." He ran his hand over his face and then returned my stare. His eyes bore into mine as if searching or maybe pleading – no, begging me to understand what he meant without making him say it.


I fell silent as I let the gravity of his words sink in. My lips started to quiver, and my eyes began to water. As tears fell, my trembling lips asked the dreaded question even though the answer could destroy me.


"Edward, don't you want to be with me anymore?" I couldn't even look at him when I asked it. Instead, I stared at my hands in my lap and watched as a single tear turned into a staccato of salty droplets.


He sighed and shifted on the couch, turning to sit side by side with me, his shoulder brushing against mine. Normally, I'd find his touch, his presence reassuring…but not now.


"The truth is, Bella, I simply don't love you as a husband loves a wife," he explained.


Shocked, I turned my head to look at him; he showed no signs of emotion.


No remorse. No regret. No tears.


No reaction to my state of despair.


The Edward I knew would have comforted me; it would have torn him apart to watch me cry. I was sitting next to a complete stranger and looking into the eyes of a man I did not know.


Perry has you gripped from the start, wondering what it was that changed Edward.  How could the perfect husband so quickly turn into a monster?  How does Bella deal with this level of betrayal and grief?

Chapter one picks up about a year after the prologue…a year after Bella’s heart was crushed and left abandoned by her husband for reasons unknown to her.

"Wait, Alice…Edward is dying?" I choked out.


"Bella? Oh my God. I didn't realize that asshole finally gave you the phone. I'm so sorry you had to hear that," she said in one breath.


"Alice, what's wrong with Edward?"


"Bella, he's in the hospital. Look, there's so much I need to say to you…so much you need to see. Can you come out here?"


"Alice…I…I…"


"Bella, he needs you. I don't know…we don't know how much time he has left. Please say you'll come," she begged me.


I was straining to keep grip on my emotions but was losing control fast. Time seemed to slow down, but nothing could slow the ache in my chest or the tears that inevitably fell. I couldn't form a coherent thought much less a sentence, and I faintly heard Alice repeatedly calling my name. Jamie came to wrap his arms around me and took the phone from my hands as I collapsed to my knees.


"She'll have to call you back, Alice. Listen, she can't give you an answer right now, okay? I'll have her call you when she is ready. Bye, Alice," he said, hanging up and turning his complete attention to me.


"Bella, talk to me."


I turned my watery eyes to him and whispered, "The only man I've ever loved is dying; I have to go be with him."


Bella does go to her ex-husband and not only has to face the man who left her, but also his family.  She felt just as rejected by them as she did Edward.

We made it to the hospital in record time, which really wasn't a difficult feat at the ungodly hour of five in the morning.


Carlisle and Esme were already in the waiting area when we arrived. Standing to meet us, Esme opened her arms to me as if asking for a hug. "May I?"


"Of course, Esme. Sorry we had to see each other again under these circumstances."


She shrugged, placed her hands on my shoulders, and pulled away to look me over like a concerned mother. "While it isn't ideal, I still get to see you. So I'll take it. I still claim you as mine, you know."


I didn't want to cry, but Edward's mother's words cut right through me. I missed her. I missed all of them. Yet, no one called me, except Alice. I was hurt; I felt my annoyance and indignation begin to bubble inside me. If I was still hers, why hadn't she or any of them reached out to me? I had assumed that they just took Edward's side in the divorce. Not that there was really a side to take. He wanted out, and I let him go.


What else do you do when someone says they don't want you anymore?


As you read through the chapters of Unrequited, Perry has masterfully blended present-day circumstances with insightful flashbacks.  I have never read a story that so seamlessly intertwined the two throughout.  With Bella’s memories of earlier times, Perry shows the readers the important background information rather than tells them.

It is hard not to hate Edward, and his family by extension, for the trauma Bella has gone through and continues to go through when thrown back into their world.  However, as time passes, Bella learns more about the reasons behind Edward’s decision to leave.  I won’t give too much away here, but you slowly start to understand and sympathize somewhat for both sides.  Even if you want to strangle Edward’s pretty neck more than a few times.

With only a couple chapters left to post in Unrequited, run and read this amazing story by Perry Maxwell.  It will make you cry, laugh, and engage with the characters like few other great stories out there.

Last Call by Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7596421/1/Last_Call
The past she's struggling to remember is the time he'd rather forget... Can they move beyond the scars and forge a new beginning together or have they missed their Last Call? AH, Rated M for language & eventual lemons. Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: Southern Fanfiction Review
Bella King suffers from retrograde amnesia which resulted from a car accident on her wedding night. The accident took the lives of her new husband and her parents. She's been left with no memories of her husband and only remembers her parents from years ago. She has no memory of her own life during the years leading up to the crash and is desperate to discover who she was.

While visiting a bar called Last Call, Bella and her friend Rosalie run into a handsome bartender.  He knows Bella’s drink of choice before she orders it.  He obviously knows Bella, but when she goes to the Lady’s Room and Rosalie asks him about it, this is his response:

"Who? Isabella? Hell no! I have a pretty liberal checklist on who I spend time with but kindness to other human beings falls into those standards. I wouldn't have dated your friend for all the money in the world. She was a raging, selfish bitch from the instant I met her until the blessed moment I didn't have to see her face anymore. Does that answer your question?  I'm your bartender here and will happily take care of your drink orders for the night. But honestly, there's not one shred of decency in your little friend back there. At least there wasn't when I knew her. And I really don't care to revisit those days, ok? Life's too short, you know? My name is Edward. Let me know if I can get you anything else."


Something tells me Edward is NOT interested in Bella.

Last Call is set on the Southern New Jersey Shore.  I asked Yummy (the author) where she came up with the idea for the story.  She said she grew up on the South Shore of New Jersey and there is actually a bar called Surf City Pub that reminds her of Last Call.   She even told me that a guy she had a crush on in High School has worked that bar and gave her free drinks…I wonder if he looked like Edward…

After talking with Yummy, I also learned that she is a Speech Pathologist, so she works with people who have retrograde amnesia just like Bella.  It’s facts like this that make Last Call not only believable, but very enjoyable to read.   Yummy gives you facts that are true, but also, very rarely answers all your questions.  The UST at this point in the story is killing most of her readers!!   But OH What a Way to Go!!!

I wanted to see what some of her readers were saying about Last Call.  This is what I found out:

ilive2read: ooohhh this is going to be a mystery for a while isn't it? going to keep me coming back trying to figure everything out lol. Looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle.

Kitty Vuitton: The suspense is killing me FYI. I want to see the fireworks and entertainment from when Edward and Bella finally meet again and he realizes she's completely different lol! Thanks for the early update love

FFLoverLaura: dun dun dun! holy crap so so good! effin love this babe! you knocked it outta the park. this chapter was awesome. gah! cannot wait for more! :)

There are lots of twists and turns in Last Call.  Bella ends up dating James (Edward’s Brother), Edward is engaged to be married to Tori.  And, oh, did I mention:  Edward Hates Bella?  Looking at all this, I don’t know how in the world the story is marked E/B.  But I promise the two love birds will eventually get together. 

Last Call’s beta is Monica Manunta or LaMomo.  Yummy told me that she absolutely could not write the story without Monica and that she trust her beta to keep her on track.  She said that if she ever felt like she couldn’t finish Last Call, she knew Monica could be there to make sure she stuck with it.  I appreciate relationships like this one in the fandom.  I think it’s a good thing that we learn we can’t always do it ourselves.

If you are looking for a fun read that keeps you on your toes, you can look no further than Last Call.  It is suspenseful, ustful, and a lot of fun to read!  We are also promised smokin’ hot lemons (and her readers plan to hold her to that).  Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy updates weekly on Wednesdays and she even gives us a teaser every Sunday.

We would love to have you join us Call Girls at The Cabanaboy’s Playground on Facebook.  That’s where teasers are posted and there is lots of RobPorn and conversation surrounding the story Last Call.  Thank you for taking the time to read my review!  I hope you will give Last Call a read, you will be glad you did!

Ride by Kris Salvador
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6253744/1/Ride
Bella wanted to fulfill a fantasy - to be groped inside a crowded train. She gets her wish and more, when a sex-starved ex-convict decides she's fair game. ALLHUMAN. Mature but with plot.
Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: Crooked Smile http://www.fanfiction.net/~crookedsmile101

This ride is hot. Fast and hard.

A girl.

Curious.

Let’s see if I can.

A man.

Gracious.

Let’s make sure you fucking can. And again and again and again.

"…without warning, he plunged his hand into my skirt and my leggings under it, going straight for my pussy. He started finger-fucking me in earnest, just in and out, in and out, fast and hard. His hand rubbed my clit hard, while it pistoned in and out of my tight, wet, hot pussy and it was insane, so fucking insane. Pleasure, hot and cold, raced all over my body. I didn't know where to concentrate, whether on his long finger fucking me, his breaths, ragged and crazy in my ear or the fact that I'm about to cum in a train full of people. I pressed my ass against his hard cock, grinding it. He pushed against me and I knew he must be dying to ram it inside me…"

Edward is just out of prison.

"Spread 'em, sweetheart."

Bella is a collage student.

"Don't stop. Don't stop. Don't fucking stop. Don't stop fucking."

Their union is hot, fast, hard.

"FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

And impossible.

I walked a little faster, not looking back. Whoever it was better not make the mistake of harassing the chief of police's daughter. Everybody knew who I was and I wasn't exactly defenseless. Fuck you, fucker. “What do you want?”

Edward has secrest. Bella has a weakness. Starting with the words;

"Wanna go for a ride?"

"Hold on tight."

Oh God, oh God, oh God!

She tries to stay away.

But he is hard to deny, easy to comply.

And oh so very polite.

"Please, Isabella. Let me fuck you."

And she lets him in. And out. In and out. In and out. In and out.

"Breathe...," he gritted out. "Breathe, dammit."

"No, no more..." The pressure was rising again with him inside me and if I came one more time, I was certain I'd break.

"Just one more, baby, one more." Her skin glowed from exertion, her hair a wild cloud on her head. Gorgeous, just fucking gorgeous.

"One more...just one more..." Too much...oh, God. Edward! Oh God, oh God, oh God.


Life puts them on a train and sends them on a ride. A ride that is fast and hot and hard. A ride that you’ll love and hate with equal passion. Why don’t I ever find that kind of train?


Kris Salvador doesn’t put unnecessary words in her Ride. A story with a perfect balance of plot and smut. The best smut! We all were still screaming for more but when she was done, they were done. And it was perfectly done.


Now...wanna go for a ride?

Words With Strangers by Nolebucgrl
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7176635/1/Words_with_Strangers
EPOV Companion Piece to Words with Friends. Movie star Edward Cullen is done with women and focused on his career. A stranger reaches out to him via Words with Friends. Will her words change his mind? Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: JenRar http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1669516/

I just have to say it's an honor to review Nolebucgrl's Words with Strangers. I love Nole...her stuff is amazing.

Now to the nitty gritty. Words with Strangers is the companion piece to Words with Friends and tells the story through Edward's POV. Some of the chapters are a bit repetitive if you read the same part in Bella's POV, but I like to read them both anyway, because she does a fabulous job of getting into Edward's head. Yes, we “hear” the same dialogue, but what was Edward thinking when they talked? You don't know unless you read it from his POV. And Nole is good about telling you ahead of time if the chapters are virtually the same or if there are enough differences, you need to read both. Even when she said they were the same, I still read both—because like I said, I love getting into Edward's head, and she does it so well.

Now to the heart of the story... Bella and her friends are huge fans of movie star Edward Cullen. One day, they see him on an interview talking about playing Words with Friends—you know, that game you can play on your phone and what not—and she and Alice both decided to try and figure out his username to play with him.

Imagine sitting down at your computer, trying to figure out what Robert Pattinson's username is. You could try silly things like his actual name (but he'd be kind of stupid to do that. ;) ), or KStewLuvr, or EdwardCullenRocks. That's the dilemma Alice and Bella are faced with—and when both start talking to someone, they both think they are right. Of course, this wouldn't be a Bella/Edward fic if Alice was the one talking to him, would it?

So Words with Strangers opens on the day Edward receives a new game invite from someone named BluBell22. He decides what the heck, he might as well see if it's someone he knows, so he plays and then asks if he knows them before closing the game. When he comes back, it's their first conversation :
______________________________________________________________

No, I just wanted someone new to play with.

You and me both, my new friend. Too bad the only playing I'd be doing would be with myself for awhile.

Oh, I didn't mean it like that! Sorry, I'm a spaz.

I found myself laughing. A spaz? That was different. Well, better a spaz than a stalker, right?

She/he had played spy. Hmm, that was an interesting choice of words to go with my stalker thought. Oh well, what was the harm in responding? I needed to find out if my new friend was a male or a female, because calling them he/she was kind of dumb. Time to have a little fun with my spaz.

A spaz? That's too bad. Here I was thinking my favorite cheese had come to life and was reaching out to me. I guess my nutritionist will be thankful that's not the case. I like playing with someone new, on occasion. Your move, Cheese Girl/Guy?

We'll see what they have to say to that. I played phage on their spy. Dad would be so proud of me retaining some of his medical knowledge, though I'd actually learned that one when I'd guested on Grey's Anatomy.

I closed the app just as Garrett told me it was almost time. Here we go again.
________________________________________________________________________

That's how their communication is for quite a while, and their relationship grows from there. It's so fun to watch as they both develop feelings for one another. I don't want to give a lot away, but suffice it to say, it isn't a totally smooth road!

One other thing Nolebucgrl does well is her side characters. I will state here (and I told her this in reviews, too! LOL) that I HATE Alice at first. I love her now, but she is a hard pill to swallow at first. But Rose (Bella's other friend) and Emmett (Edward's brother) are the perfect companions for Bella and Edward and just so much fun to read. Not only are Rose and Emmett great, but Edward's manager and publicist, Garrett and Kate, and his parents—his mother, especially—Esme and Carlisle, are quite hysterical. I've laughed so hard I've nearly been in tears several times because of one of more of those people.

To me, that's the mark of a great fic writer. There are a lot of people who can write an Edward (and Bella) that we fall in love with. Let's face it...Edward isn't a hard character to make lovable! But in the books, the other characters are mainly in the background. Nolebucgrl can take her side characters and make them just as lovable, just as fun and funny, without them taking over the story. They make you want to be their friend or their family member. I love that. There's not a review that goes by that I don't mention one or more of them when they appear. They are just that damn good.

If you haven't given Words with Strangers (and by extension Words with Friends!) a shot, this is your chance. She posts fairly regularly, so you'll never be left wanting *too* long, and they are fun, easy, and highly entertaining reads. Plus, the eventual lemons are damn well worth the wait! WWF/WWS gets a definite 5 out of 5 stars for me. (And don't forget to check out her other stories. First & Ten and Sideline Collision are both also brilliant.)

Welcome to TLS Nursey!

Welcome to TLS Nursery! Here we nurture all of the newborn stories (stories published within the last 30 days) that we love! Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few - or a lot - of the TLS ladies and we think you will enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

There are so many awesome stories to check out this week! I have read about half myself and can't wait to get started on the rest. Please have a looksie and leave some love. And remember to let them know who sent you! XOXO

Saving Myself by 107yearoldvirgin

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7690201/1/

He's fresh out of the Army. She's fresh out of luck...and her mind. They've just met, but when an opportunity to win 2mill on a reality show arises, can they pretend to be in love? And saving themselves for marriage? BxE/AH/Fluff-fic

Winter Song by jessypt

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7616412/1/

Sometimes a Christmas miracle is nothing more than a second chance. A story told through Fictionista Workshop's Daily Witfits.

My Sweet Variable by LifeInTheSnow

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7762489/1/My_Sweet_Variable

My Sweet Variable by Life in the Snow

Review by Rochelle Allison

Having read Branching Inward, I was confident that the writing style and content of Life in the Snow's new fic, My Sweet Variable, would appeal to me as well. She's pretty masterful at fleshed out, genuine characterizations and plots that meander and flow with purpose and beauty.

Anyway, to say that her new story exceeded expectation would be an understatement.

It's so good! It's completely unlike anything else I've read: intrigue, mystery, dystopian. So good. I can already see that this is going to be one of the stories I pant over when it updates. I read chaoter one with the biggest grin ever.

Edward is sexy and mysterious (mysterious to us, though not to Bella) yet very accessible and Bella is pretty tough and able herself, though she doesn't quite know it yet. I can't reveal anything about who they are to each other, and ...well, I don't want to give anything away. Read this. It's fantastic and sure to be amazing.

Practice to Deceive by Livie79

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7699988/1/Practice_to_Deceive

I saw her today. I wasn't impressed. But he wanted her, and that was enough for me. He would feel what I felt. She was just collateral damage. AH ExB

Going Under by Sparklnfade

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7728698/1/Going_Under

It's been ten years since the summer Bella Swan's life changed. What will happen when she comes face to face with the reason for it? She went under once, will she go under again? AH ExB

Consign Me Not To Darkness by msj2779

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7653135/1/Consign_Me_Not_to_Darkness

Bella has just escaped from the grasp of a torturous relationship and she finds herself in the slums of Chicago. She's a shadow of who she used to be and has the anxiety to go with it. With some help, she finds hope... AH B E. Some dark situations.

Beautiful Storm by Troublefollows1017 -

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7601746/1/My_Beautiful_Storm

Weather-obsessed Bella finds Edward's journal, leading her on a trip down memory lane. Back then, Edward had run away, hoping to find a new purpose. Bella couldn't wait for her chance to escape, sure she knew what she wanted. Neither one expected this.

Review by: FictionFreak95

Trouble gives me so much happy with this fic. She gave me lock jaw from smiling so much this past week as a matter of fact and I even told her so.

I’ll just start out by saying, this is not just another story about High School Edward and Bella. The story begins, actually, with adult Bella finding adult Edward’s journal under their bed. Their bed. So we know they are together, somehow, we just don’t know how they got there… Until Bella starts reading the journal.

She finds a note, first of all, addressed to her, from Edward. It’s… *swoony worthy* and then she just can’t help but begin reading through his memories of how the two of them first met and how they fell in love. It’s a journey I’m excited to be a part of because I know the genius that is Trouble… and she will never ever write something that I’m planning on passing up.

I’ll leave you with a little snippet from my favorite chapter yet:

Edward tilted his head towards mine. "Why is everyone staring at me?" he whispered.

Because you're with me. "Have you seen yourself?" I joked instead.

He pushed at his hair. "No, I haven't looked at myself since this morning. Is there something wrong?"

I giggled at his anxiety. "There's nothing wrong with you." Besides the fact that you're walking with me. "People are attracted to pretty things, Edward."

The nerves fell away and he smiled. "Did you just call me good looking?"

"No," I snorted. "I called you pretty."

"You're pretty."

"You're weird." I shook my head, refusing to let his words settle into my consciousness. I needed to get to Angela. If I could get to Angela, everything would be okay.

"You're weird."

"You're terrible at basketball."

"So are you," he retorted. "We should join forces. Maybe get married, have a couple pretty but weird kids who are really good at physics but terrible at basketball."

I dropped my tray on Angela's table and tried to pretend Edward did not just say that. She stopped talking to Ben and stared as Edward took the seat next to me.

"Hi," he said, smiling and giving a little wave.

Angela seemed to be suffering from cat-got-your-tongue disease, but Ben welcomed Edward with a rhetorical, "What's up?" When Angela stopped staring at our guest, she began berating me with her eyes. She also cleared her throat. Three times. I stared back, giving her my "What?" look. Her eyes moved to Edward and then back to me. Again, I gave her my "What?" look. So what if Edward was sitting with us? What the hell was her problem? Did she not understand that I was under severe emotional distress? Edward Cullen, the hottest guy in school, was my friend, said I was pretty and weird, and wanted to marry me and have pretty weird kids together. That trumped any issues she had with him joining us for lunch.

"Edward, right?" Angela questioned, putting on her friendliest smile. I loved that she was trying to play it cool.

Before Edward could confirm what my best friend already knew to be true, Heidi and Gianna rudely interrupted. "Here you are! We were saving you a spot over at our table for lunch. Don't feel like you have to sit alone," Gianna said, putting a hand out.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest, trying to figure out when sitting with three other people was considered sitting alone.

"I think I'm going to stay here with Bella, but thanks."

"Oh silly..." Heidi placed her hand on his shoulder, and the urge I had to bite it made me smile "...not even Emmett sits with Bella. He sits with us at the tables over there." She pointed to the table filled with the Bitch Brigade next to another table of football players.

"Bella and I have to share an apple." Poor Edward turned the color of our sweet little prize as he held it up as proof that he had to stay here. Heidi and Gianna stared at him like he had two heads. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. That's right, ladies. Edward and I share joint custody of an apple. Back the hell off.

God I love this guy. SFM.

Now go, run, do not walk to your nearest computer or otherwise internet savvy device and read it, the Storm is a brewin’ and it’s gonna be a fantastic ride!

LOVE!

Fangirl by MaverickWrit - rec'd by Mina Rivera

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7462188/1/Fangirl

"I am not obsessed," I repeated to myself for the hundredth time today. "I am simply enjoying a film. It's not obsession. I am not a fangirl." Bella Swan is in deep denial.

Footprints in the Snow by Cosmogirl7481- rec'd by TLS FIC OF THE WEEK

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7610974/1/

"An hour from now, when the snow falls again, it will be like we weren't even there. But we will remember." A story of unrequited love, and how the things we keep silent can hurt us and the ones we hold closest. E/B Rated M for themes of an adult nature.

Last Call by Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy - rec'd by LaMomo/Suebee

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7596421/1/Last_Call

The past she's struggling to remember is the time he'd rather forget... Can they move beyond the scars and forge a new beginning together or have they missed their Last Call? AH, Rated M for language & lemons.

What would you do if you couldn't remember your past? If the past few years of your life were wiped clean? If you had to recreate yourself? Most would talk to family members and friends, but what if they no longer existed either? Bella Swan lost her parents and her husband in a fatal car crash, the night of her wedding. When she woke up, she didn't remember them or herself.

With no one to talk to, she went on with her life. After years of rehab, she has settled in the summer haven of Loveladies on the Jersey shore, a place of her youth and her past, although, none of it is familiar to her. Looking to begin her life again, maybe she will have the chance to do so when she meets someone who does know her from before, although he isn't too pleased to see her.

When the waiter at the local bar serves them, and recognizes Bella, she has hope for finding out about herself although is the possibility dashed when he reveals to her friend, "Listen, I'm your bartender here and will happily take care of your drink orders for the night. But honestly, there's not one shred of decency in your little friend back there. At least there wasn't when I knew her. And I really don't care to revisit those days, ok? Life's too short, you know? My name is Edward. Let me know if I can get you anything else."

"Last Call" is a hilarious fic which is going to keep us guessing because the Bella we now know is not the one that Edward remembers. I can't wait to find out what Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy has planned for us on this adventure!!

Patience is a Virtue by conversed - rec'd by PAWsPeaches

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7619457/1/

AGE GAPS FIVE: Emmett told me that good things come to those who wait. When it comes to his brother, Edward, patience is a virtue that I lack. AH M/M slash.

Requiem by katinki - published 11/28

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7591168/1/

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor. 13:13. When hope and faith are insufficient – when they fail to heal and save the soul – is love strong enough to conquer decades of guilt and remorse? AU. ExB

Skim the Surface by buff82 - rec'd by the ladies of TLS

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7614297/1/Skim_the_Surface

Rumor has it. Bella deals with the reality that one little lie told can change everything. A/U Rated M for mature content.

String Theory by theladyingrey42 - published 11/27

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7589412/1/

"Eleven dimensions. Infinite parallel realities. And in all of them, I love her." Muppets, math, and physicists falling in love. Fluff and eventual lemons. ExB, AH.

Water Landing by camoozle - published 11/27

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7588907/1/Water_Landing

High School's a lot like a plane crash. You check for the exit. You secure your mask. And if you're lucky, you survive. AU, AH, All EPOV.

If you enjoy reading a story about a perfect Edward, then I suggest checking out any of the other stories rec'd this week. However, if you are interested in an Edward whose High School experience was about the same as most teen's, then this is the fic for you! Edward isn't popular, although he does have friends, he drives a Volvo, but it was his dad's and has seen better days, he is a musician, he plays the trumpet in the school's marching band, do I need to go on? A regular, nice guy surviving hell called High School and a home life where his pregnant teen sister is constantly being filmed for '16 and Pregnant', Edward Masen is doing his best to get by. Jam packed with a huge cast of characters, hilarious dialogue and an evolving plot check out Camoozle's "Water Landing" for a humorous look at a life, through a teen boy's eyes.

TLS Fics of the Week 12/22 - 12/28/2011

Here are the fab five fics, that moved us the most this week. Don't miss these great stories. There is something here for everyone. From all of us at The Lemonade Stand, we wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and a Happy New Year to all of you!

Happy Holidays, Love TLS

Cliche by Suzie55
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7352604/1/Cliche
In a place far, far away lived a beautiful…oh, forget it. Who are we really kidding here? This is Hell. This is high school. Welcome to Forks. Bella X Edward AH - some humor though that's subjective. Twilight - Rated: M


Reviewed by: EvilNat

Cliché begins with Bella spending her Christmas break visiting her mother, Phil and her new step sister Rosalie.  Tired of being invisible, she enlists Rose to help make her over.  She has a mission to be noticed especially by Edward Cullen.

In a place far, far away lived a beautiful…oh, forget it. Who are we really kidding here? This is Hell. This is high school. Welcome to Forks.

I make my way through the crowd, bumping shoulders, seemingly invisible. How does one remain invisible in a school where she's attended all four years? In a town, where she grew up visiting every summer before that and played with most of these kids since we were toddlers? Well, this is my story and how I decided on the last day before Christmas break in my senior year that I would no longer be invisible.

After the break, Rosalie comes to live with Charlie and Bella in Forks; she helps Bella come out of her shell.  Her maturity and friendship help Bella survive her rising popularity.

"Remember, confidence is projected in different ways. It's not always about the words. Most of it's about the body language. She pulls into the far side of the lot between two vacant spots and parks at an angle taking up two of the three. She quickly turns toward me, a sympathetic smile on her face. "You can do this, Bella. You're better than you think you are and you're definitely better than they think you are." She cuts the engine and pulls the key. "Let's go prove it to them." With that, she gets out of the car.

I take a final deep breath and get out too, meeting her at the back of the car and we start to walk. I feel every eye on us, the pressure making my cheeks heat even though it's in the forties this morning. As we approach the sidewalk leading to the main front doors, Emmett steps forward.

"If I could have a moment of your time, I'd like to officially welcome you to Forks. Talk of your beauty and your car precede you. I'm Emmett McCarty."

Rosalie barely smiles, apparently not amused by the jock brigade greeting. She plays it like this is an old stunt she's heard a million times, but she's still polite. "Rosalie Hale. I'm new here."

"I would say so. And who is this pretty friend of yours?" he asks just as I see Edward walking up the stairs a few feet away.

We make eye contact but I drop mine quickly, all those old feelings for him rushing forward, the butterflies fluttering about, and my temperature instantly rising.

"Emmett, why surely you know Bella Swan?" Rosalie references back to me and smiles.

Emmett does a double take as Mike Newton comes in for a closer look and exclaims, "Holy shit! It's bird girl!"

Rosalie instantly steps forward, moving close to Newton's ear, a hand to his collar pulling him down towards her, and with a plastered smile and in a whispered tone, she says, "Don't ever call her that again or you will be eating your balls for breakfast. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," he gulps as she releases his collar, straightening it for him then turns back to Emmett.

"It was nice to meet you, Emmett. I'll be seeing you around I suspect."

"Your suspicions are correct," he says smugly.

The popular crowd in Forks High have a code.  A game where each boy can pick a girl to pursue, and when they are done the next in line is allowed to go after her.  If the girl chooses not to participate then they are out of the game and the boys move on.  Their pecking order is clear and they have an unspoken rule between them not to step out of line.

"These boys are trickier than I gave them credit for." She slides off the end of the bed and sits across from me on the floor so we're eye-level. "There's a code, a bond or something. They all play by a certain set of rules. They tag a girl and the others lay off of her. I must admit that it's quite organized and somewhat civilized for a group of high-schoolers."

"You got all that from one day at school? I'm impressed, Rose. That makes total sense too because Edward told me that he was my best bet."

"Yep, it's that damn code." She looks puzzled. "The problem is do they mark you and the others back off or do you have a say in the matter?" It's rhetorical, I can tell by how hard she's focusing on the ceiling, on solving this mystery.

The code thing whether it's a friend code or a team code or whatever surprises me though. It sounds civilized on the surface but it's really quite insulting that they get to tag you as theirs, verbally claim you in that way.

Edward doesn’t want to be part of the game anymore.  He likes Bella and had planned on making a move after the Christmas break.

I dig out my freshman, sophomore, and junior year yearbooks and crawl onto my bed. I flip open my ninth grade book and scan my finger across the pages until I find the S's. Saburn, Scott, Smith, Swan. Isabella Swan - brown hair, a little messy for picture day, headband, heavy looking sweater, and no make-up. She's cute. She doesn't stand out on the page and probably didn't back then. I don't remember much of her that year. I wonder if we had any classes together.

Tenth grade – the glossary says page eighty-seven and one-nineteen. I look at her school photo first. That might be the same headband from the previous year. It's hard to tell. She's wearing another bulky, too big for her sweater and a turtleneck. She's nothing if not practical for Forks weather. Her face seems similar – a late bloomer for sure, but cute. Page one-nineteen reveals she joined the yearbook staff. This is the book that has an abundance of pictures of me in it ironically. I think there were thirty-seven if I remember correctly. I shut this one and toss it aside.

In last year's book, I can see the girl she's become. Her hair is smooth with soft waves, she still doesn't have any make-up on, but she doesn't need it. Her eyes capture me, draw me in. They're brown. I know that just from seeing her at school, but the flash of the camera highlights something else in them, maybe gold, maybe green.

Edward’s only problem is it’s not his ‘turn’ to pick and since she’s come back from the break looking different and a lot hotter, Liam who is next in line, has set his sights on Bella for himself.

Edward also likes to bake pies when he’s down and needs to think which I really love, it’s just so anti-canon but it makes him even cuter.

I stop at the store and get the ingredients I know we need to make pumpkin pie. When I set it down in the kitchen, my mom looks at the bag and questions, "Pie?"

I hop on the counter, my shoulders drooping, feeling tired. "Yeah, I thought we could make it together."

She smiles at me and makes me feel like a kid and safe, comforted again. "We just had pumpkin at Thanksgiving. You sure you want this kind?"

"It's one of my favorites."

"Alright, the pie plates are in the cabinet behind your feet. Grab one out and help me make the crust."

As soon as the oven door closes, the two pies safely baking inside, she leans against the counter and asks, "You want to talk about it?"

She knows me too well. I should have gone for cake or cookies. Pie is my tell, my giveaway.

Will Edward and Bella get together, or will they let the weight of the ‘game’ get to them?

Suzie55 writes a witty, cute story about the pressures of high school.  It is relatively low in drama and very swoony when Edward and Bella hook up.  There are some great ‘villains’ and it is extremely entertaining.

Check it out!

Nat  xx

Footprints in the Snow by Cosmogirl7481
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7610974/1/Footprints_in_the_Snow
"An hour from now, when the snow falls again, it will be like we weren't even there. But we will remember." A story of unrequited love, and how the things we keep silent can hurt us and the ones we hold closest. E/B Rated M for themes of an adult nature. Twilight-Rated:M
 
Reviewed by: Jaime Arkin

This was important.

 These people were important.

And no matter what happened – where we all went or what we all did – these people would always be my family. Always.

Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett and Edward. Maybe the same blood didn't run through our veins, but they were more important than any blood. Like I said, they were my family.

Its no secret by now that I have a ginormous crush on the lovely cosmogirl7481.  She's written some of my favorite stories out there...filled with emotion, enchanting characters, hot, sexy citrus and believable plots.  Footprints in the Snow is no exception.  I'm incredibly lucky enough to get to be a pre-reader for her and I was immediately drawn into this story of unrequited love.

When we first meet Bella, she’s on her way to meet up with her family at their house in the mountains, where the kids spend the five days before Christmas together.  cosmo fills us in on their history and how this mix of kids became a big family through her memories –

I met them all the first year I was placed in the group home after Charlie and Renee died. With no living grandparents or other family members to take me in, I became a ward of the state of Washington. It's still hard to think about it that way, but that's exactly what I was. I didn't belong to anyone. Not even myself. I had no possessions to speak of. Just the sad brown backpack filled with the few clothes I'd packed before they took me from my home. Two pairs of jeans and three shirts.

From the first chapter we are shown how important Bella’s family is to her, having lost her parents and thinking that you are absolutely alone in the world makes her cherish her new family even more, not willing to share them with anyone else in her life, even someone who’s become important in her life.   

You immediately know that there is something between Edward and Bella, a history that is alluded to but not mentioned, but we don’t know the circumstances surrounding what it is or even the why, instead cosmo gives us readers a little bit more information with each and every chapter she posts.  We know Bella has someone in her life, but she keeps him at an arms length.  We find out why quickly in the second chapter.

The house was quiet. There were no sounds except for the occasional creak in the old floors. And I rolled over on my side and turned out the light on the nightstand. I breathed in deeply, allowing the chilled air to fill my lungs. And I pulled the quilts and blankets up around my neck and closed my eyes.


And that's when I felt it.


 Felt him.


 The air was cold on my back as he slid in bed beside me. But his body was immediately warm as he pressed up against the entire length of my own. His hands slid under the hem of my t-shirt, and as he rubbed my skin, he pressed his face against my neck, breathing in deeply.


My heart was pounding, and I wondered if he could feel it.


 "I wondered when you would come," I whispered into the dark.


 He pushed my hair back, running his nose up and along the shell of my ear. And then, soft and wet, he sucked the skin on my neck, while his hand slipped inside my panties…finding me…touching me.


 "I always come, Bella," he whispered. "Every year."


 Did I mention that Cosmo writes some of the hottest lemons around?

"Does it feel good?" he whispered, as he spread me open with his fingers.


 I could only nod my head because I knew if I tried to speak, it would be a moan. It would be loud and wanting. And in the silence of the house, I knew I couldn't allow it. Words didn't matter because I knew he could feel just how much I loved what he was doing. How much I wanted it.
How much I needed it.


 "You feel so good," he whispered again. "So wet for me…so, so…always so fucking tight."


 He continued to stroke me, his voice and breath all soft in my ear. I wanted to turn in his arms. I wanted to feel his mouth over mine. I wanted to taste him…to suck his skin…his tongue…his cock. But I let him hold me – let him take me wherever he thought I should go. At his pace. In his own way. Because in his arms, and under his hands, I knew I was safe. Knew I was protected. And even though it wasn't the way that I'd secretly always wanted…I knew I was loved.


 As if he could sense what I needed, he rolled me onto my back. He pushed my hands over my head, taking my shirt off slowly. And then he covered me – his naked skin on my skin – with the blankets falling heavy, over and around us. My hands wrapped around his neck, needing him closer than he was. But he held back for just a moment – looking in my eyes.


 His breath was labored and sweet. Just like everything about this stolen moment. And he reached up with one hand, cupping my face and stroking my cheek with his thumb.


 "What do you want?" he whispered. It sounded loud to my ears, as it bounced and reverberated off the cocoon of the covers.



 Finding my voice for the first time since I'd felt him in my bed, I gave him the only truth I was capable of saying out loud. "Whatever you want to give me."


 We find out that the secret hook-ups have been going on for eight years, every Christmas.  It’s heart wrenching to know how Bella feels about Edward, thinking he doesn’t return her feelings.  Her fear of causing awkwardness and discomfort for the rest of the family and their attempt to keep what was going on around them a secret weighs heavily on her, but she isn’t strong enough to give him up, to lose what little bit she can have of him.  This story is a testament to opening up and having a conversation, because as the story progresses, we learn so much about these two that simply could have been resolved if they hadn’t hidden their feelings and tried to play things cool, simply assuming they knew what the other wanted or needed.

I’m not going to give away too much more here, in fact, the chapters are short and the story should be complete around Christmas or shortly after so you must go give it a read.  I for one will miss the threads and texts filled with flails and the opportunity to talk my friends down off the ledge when cosmogirl7481 posts her updates.  Please go check out Footprints in the Snow and leave this incredible author some love.

Last Call by Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7596421/1/Last_Call
The past she's struggling to remember is the time he'd rather forget... Can they move beyond the scars and forge a new beginning together or have they missed their Last Call? AH, Rated M for language & eventual lemons. Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: La Momo

Basic rundown: take the usual suspect and dump them in Loveladies, on the Jersey Shore. Edward is bartender, B&B and restaurant owner, and caterer. All this, split 50/50 with his handsome brother James.
Bella is in Loveladies because her "aunt" just died. Her very old, very rich, very philantropic aunt. The very aunt that helped Bella recover from a quasi deathly car crash, where she lost her parents and her memory.
And now she deals with another loss. Her aunt.
Picking up the pieces and trying to make them fall into place is not an easy task, especially when you remember jack with a side of squat about WHO you were BEFORE. Bella, along with Rosalie (her physical trainer and now her friend), do run into Edward at Last Call (the bar he owns), but Edward doesn't want anything to do with Bella, even if he remembers her drink of choice (Shirley Temple) down to the number of cherries. Might be because his days as a cabanaboy at the local country club were plagued by Bella's teenage bitchy behaviour and by her snotty parents?
Instead, the one who's interested in her is James. And of course, add to the mix that Edward can't stop thinking about her (despite the former bitchiness) but he currently has….a significant other (Tori, hair stylist on a mission).
Take all this, put it in a shaker, add some ice, two very intriguing narrators (Bella and Edward herself), shake it well, and you have the little gem that is Last Call.

I might be very inappropriately biased towards this story because I get to beta it. And I will never thank Suebee (the Beta Fairy) enough for asking me to take over when her schedule became overloaded with RL committments. First of all, because this beta'ing gig gave me as a collateral the immense gift of RC's friendship. She is an amazing person. Second, because I get to beta this story. Main reasons why you should drop everything and read? Follow at your own risk, you may develop an addiction….

The first piece of advice that aspiring writers get every day on god's green earth is "write about something you know", because research can only get you this far, and ultimately, it's feelings, not data, that you want to convey. And to do that, you need to know a place, a situation, or a person, in a very intimate way - its ins and outs, its quirks, upsides and flip sides. And if you do know that place, it shines through when you write.

This is one of the first things that strike you about Last Call. Our very own RC knows the Jersey Shore (the real, not the trashy one) and it shows in here. The rhythm of seasons, the set of people prowling the shore, the invisible social divides….between guests and a cabanaboy at a country club.
Second piece of advice you get is "find a voice" - each character is a real person, and should have a distinctive voice, just as each of us has in real life. We don't use the same set of phrases, the same vocabulary, the same metaphors, the same structures. And this, too, shines through in RC's writing.
Third, her writing and vocabulary are really articulate. Her descriptions, her adjectives and her phrases are quirky, funny, to the point, and just so refreshing. None of the "fic pet peeves" or syntax clogged by too many "you know's". And this is even BEFORE I get to work on them.
RC's writing is for real, and she has a clear image in her mind of where she wants to take this. And this, too, shines through. Page after page, she's laying the foundation of a layered, complex storyline, where two strong-willed people with strong feelings will be confronted by their own demons, uncertainties, and ill-hidden desires, as one of them learns everything from scratch, and the other needs to unlearn everything from scratch, because the former knows nothing and the latter…knows nothing right.

Follow them on their journey, and now shout up…I have a chapter to beta :)

My Beautiful Storm by Troublefollows1017
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7601746/1/My_Beautiful_Storm
Weather-obsessed Bella finds Edward's journal, leading her on a trip down memory lane. Back then, Edward had run away, hoping to find a new purpose. Bella couldn't wait for her chance to escape, sure she knew what she wanted. Neither one expected this. Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: Onebravelamb Fanfic

Isabella,
When I met you, I never imagined the impact you would have on my life. I didn't even really like you the first time we spoke. You were definitely not part of my big plan. I was running away. I was going to find my true happiness. What I didn't know was I found it that day at the beach. Hiding behind the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen and a know-it-all attitude was the person with whom I will spend the rest of my life.

---

I know, right? How completely adorable and gut-wrenchingly sweet is that?

That, my dears, would be troublefollows1017’s newest Edward. Well, it’s a letter he wrote to his Bella that she finds in a journal hidden under their bed.

Naughty, Bella. Such an invasion of privacy.

The story follows our favorite duo from the first time they meet, by way of Edward’s journal  and Bella’s memories spurred on by each entry. It’s a lovely way to glimpse into their past from both perspectives.

Bella, it seems, is an outcast. She has a fascination with weather and meteorology; she’s constantly spouting off random tidbits of information, much to the people who surround her chagrin. My guess is, being that they’re all high school students, they don’t see this as a defense mechanism, as a way to try and divert the attention off of herself.

They just think she’s weird.

But Bella doesn’t really seem to care, she thinks her fellow classmates are imbeciles anyway. She can’t wait to finish her high school career and leave Forks and all of its small-minded occupants behind.

Enter Edward, whom appears to be your quintessential jock at first glance.

Needless to say, it’s not a case of love at first sight.

---

"Were you trying to throw the ball at us or do you just have really bad aim?" I asked, ignoring his pretty face and his bright green eyes and his chiseled jaw and his tanned chest.

"I overshot it a little, I guess, but you have to admit that was a pretty amazing catch," he replied with some weird lopsided grin.

No apology. Nice.

"A little? More like a lot."

"If it had been off by a lot then Emmett wouldn't have been able to catch it. So, it must have been only off by a little."

"It was off by a lot."

"A little." He crossed his arms across his chest, making his forearms look really, really big.

"A lot," I continued to argue because the size of his arms was not going to distract me from being right.

Emmett decided to intervene."Bella, this is Edward, Rosalie's cousin. He moved in with the Cullens this summer kind of like I moved in with you last year. Edward, this is Bella Swan, my cousin." Em smiled brightly. "Hey, if Rose and I get married someday will that make you guys cousins?" His boisterous laughter did nothing to improve my mood.

"I hope not," Edward and I both mumbled at the same time. We then both arched a brow at the other. Good to know neither one of us wished to be related.

"Sorry for the sand shower. We'll try to stay on our side of the beach from now on. I promise."

"We absolutely promise. Wouldn't want to cause that stick to go any further up your ass. That could be painful," Edward said as the two of them jogged away. "Pleasure to meet you, Bella and her friend no one introduced me to!" He playfully punched at Emmett, who punched back, causing Edward to stumble a couple steps.

---

But there’s more to Edward than meets the eye, though even now at four chapters in, we’re all still wondering what makes up his past. The things we have learned so far are as follows: Edward was homeschooled until his senior year. His father had an obsession over his hands and keeping them safe. His father is a control freak. Edward plays the piano and has never been free to live his life as he wished.

He also claims to be able to predict the weather by simply feeling it in the air.

You can’t imagine how insane that makes Bella.

But it’s cute, because it’s obvious that Edward likes to ruffle Bella’s feathers and after spending a little time with the handsome boy with a questionable past, she doesn’t mind it so much when he does. In fact, it seems like she kind of likes it, even if it makes no sense to her whatsoever.

As I stated before, we’re four chapters into this incredible story and already these characters own me. Bella is snarky and odd, but incredibly endearing and Edward, well, he’s Edward. He’s sweet, charming and more than a little dorky himself. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to just reach into the story and pinch his cheeks.

Yes, he’s that adorable.

Only time will tell what’s in store for these two sweethearts, but I can tell you that I’m literally waiting on the edge of my seat for each update. Being the incredible author she is, troublefollows1017 has a set updating schedule and MBS hits inboxes each Friday. Much like her other incredible story, Fridays at Noon, used to.

I’ll leave you with a snippet from the latest update to whet your appetite.

---

8/26/2010
Positive - Bella met me at my locker this morning and walked with me to first period. Negative - I will be devastated if she doesn't do it every day now.

8/30/2010
Bella is so funny. She probably makes me laugh a hundred times a day. But I have to admit, I love it more when I make her laugh. She has this really cute giggle. Using the word cute probably makes me sound so lame, I know, but it is what it is. She's so damn adorable.

9/13/2010
I'm pissed. Today is Bella's birthday, but no one told me until lunch, which is like halfway through the fucking day! I said, "I didn't know it was your birthday." She said, "Of course you didn't. Why would you?" I said, "I don't know. It just seems like something I should have known." She looked at me like I was a moron because obviously I am. I wished her a happy birthday because what else do you say to the girl you have a huge ass crush on when it's her birthday and you had no idea until it was too late to do something cool and interesting? She smiled. I'll take the smile.

9/18/2010
Bella grabbed my arm today in physics. It was to stop me from writing something down, but still. She touched me. On purpose. Cue the dirty thoughts right there in class. What I wouldn't give for her to touch me on purpose for other reasons. I swear this girl has no idea what she does to me on a daily basis. I mean, I can tell she likes me. She smiles when I smile. She includes me when we're around her friends. It makes us friends, which is cool, but I don't usually have dirty thoughts about my friends. I have lots of dirty thoughts about Bella. A LOT.

9/20/2010
I hate PE. My lack of experience in this area is becoming embarrassingly obvious. I've considered having Uncle Carlisle to write me a note excusing me from it because I think he totally would if I asked him. Hell, my dad would probably send me a damn note if I told him about the things they make me do with my hands in that damn class. But I keep thinking if I miss PE, I'd miss out on seeing Bella in those tiny shorts they make the girls wear. Those legs, that cute little butt are so worth the potential humiliation. Hello, dirty thoughts. Welcome back. Yeah, I think I'll stay in PE.

9/23/2010
BEST DAY EVER. I've had a few moments in my life that stand out as major life moments. Moments that blow me away. Moments that I know I'll never forget because they affected me so deeply. Today, I had one of those moments. Today, Bella took me to play in the rain and I had the best time of my life. The whole thing was fun and crazy and something I never would have been able to do three months ago. But it wouldn't have been half as fun without Bella. Playing in the rain makes me think I have fallen hard for this girl. HARD. Today will be the day dirty thoughts take on a whole new meaning for me.

---

What are you waiting for? Go devour troublefollows1017’s words like I do and bask in the beautiful storm we’re all watching unfurl.

You won’t be sorry.

xo-

OBL

String Theory by theladyingrey42
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7589412/1/String_Theory
"Eleven dimensions. Infinite parallel realities. And in all of them, I love her." Muppets, math, and physicists falling in love. Fluff and eventual lemons. ExB, AH. Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: DiamondHeart78

Everyone knows my love of all Geekwards. When theladyingrey started posting her semi-short, daily updates featuring a super-sweet but sexy Edward (in glasses, once again. You KNOW how much I love my Edwards in glasses), I knew I would get stuck on the story like white on rice.

Theladyingrey is the kind of author who can write just about anything, and if you’ve read Our Lives Unbound and Love Amongst the Ruins, then you know she can go from angst to humor quite seamlessly. String Theory, although lighter in atmosphere, still retains a little of the uncertainty of life and love, which is the reason her readers keep reading.

Edward, a graduate student, spends most of his time at work pining over the equally (if not more) intelligent graduate student Bella Swan. Since it’s told in EPOV, Bella, seen through his eyes, is perfection in everything she does. The truth is she’s probably just as insecure and lonely as he feels. Edward’s crush is endearing, human and it makes you want to just hug him.

When he finally literally bumps into her for his perfectly schedule coffee break and introductory words are exchanged, we cheer for him. She’s sweet and charming and sparks fly rather quickly.

I found myself cheering for him quite a bit. Who wouldn’t cheer for the unlikely hero who happens to actually have some game? Boy’s got skills, making him the hot nerd of my fantasies. When the two finally go on their much talked-about date to get her disabled father out of the house, I’ve got my cheerleading outfit on, complete with pom poms.

And about halfway through the movie, I get a present of my own. While our hands have been joined all this time, as Kermit and Miss Piggy go on a romantic walk through the streets of Paris, I feel Bella shifting and leaning closer to me. At the same time, her thumb starts tracing out little arcs on the back of my hand.

My whole body takes notice. This is different. New.

This isn't the touch of a friend. It's more intimate than that. It's the touch of a…

I swallow hard.

Of a lover.

And that sparks a whole series of scenes in my head that have absolutely no business in a family film.

The world goes soft and dream-like, awash in a wave of desire so powerful it hurts, as I force myself to loosen up and touch her back. With gentle caresses, I feel her smooth skin beneath my fingertips. Beside me, she takes a deep, shivering breath.

Charlie coughs.

But neither of us pay him any mind.

The rest of the movie plays out in two parallel dramas – the one happening on the screen and the one happening right here in this seat. The one that's happening to me. My hand learns hers and she learns mine. By the time the closing number starts – a reprise of the same happy song from the beginning of the movie – I think I could recognize her by the shape of her knuckles alone.

This is where you hear the collective “aww” from the readers who I’m sure are totally rooting for Edward and Bella and their simple connection that has so much meaning.

Their relationship evolves to where it is at the moment, where they’re on another official date, sans parent and after a long week of studies, care-taking, and trips home to see family. They deal with the realities of graduate student life (endless studying, grading, and thesis prep) as well as the common fears and insecurities of going too fast or too slow in a new relationship.

Luckily, her daily updates are just long enough to make impatient readers happy and spoiled, so you won’t have to wait too long for your next Geekward fix. You’ll be rooting for him with me in my reserved cheering section too.
Pom poms optional. ;)
-DH78