Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(169)

Another crash of lightning sent a rumble of thunder through the earth at our feet. All the amazing feelings shooting through my body were making me exceedingly intoxicated with bliss. In this moment I felt like I had everything I could ever want. I flew past Alice and Emmett.

Show off, Emmett thought.

I just chuckled at his expression as I turned to run backwards, stopping in the outfield next to Carlisle. I peered over Emmett's shoulder to see Esme and Bella walking toward the field.

"Same teams?" Carlisle asked.

Everyone nodded in agreement. My team members, Carlisle and Alice, left to go to their positions. Carlisle went to stand between first and second base while Alice went to the pitcher's mound. I darted toward the outfield.

Edward, you are such a gentleman, Esme commended.

I hadn't been paying attention to their conversation and listened to the end of it as they finally reached the outside of the playing field.

"You don't mind, then? That I'm...all wrong for him?" Bella asked Esme incredulously.

She's not all wrong for me, I'm all wrong for her. I amended internally.

"No." Esme began. I'd never want to take Bella away from Edward, I just couldn't imagine... "You're what he wants. It will work out, somehow." He needs to change her but I know if he never will, Esme was thinking wistfully.

The ground shook below us as thunder rumbled overhead.

Get ready, Edward! Emmett chortled internally. He was swinging the bat back and forth.

He'll miss the first one, Alice snickered.

"All right," Esme called out. "Batter up."

Emmett raised his bat, ready to strike. Alice continued to snicker internally as she pictured Emmett missing the first pitch. She brought the ball to her waist. In a swift stealthy move she brought the ball into flight. It flew past Emmett at amazing speeds as Jasper caught it.

He's going to hit the next one, Edward. Be prepared, though, there is a ninety-seven percent chance you'll catch it. Alice mused in her mind.

Jasper threw the ball back at Alice and she showed her gleaming teeth at him.

Damn she is so attractive when she pitches, Jasper thought.

I began ignoring Jasper's thoughts quickly after that. I didn't need to be distracted from the game. Alice brought the ball back to her waist. She threw it with great force again and I was prepared. Emmett hit the ball with such strength that the aluminum smashed into the ball making a sound so fierce that it reverberated off the trees. It sounded just like the thunder. I caught a glimpse of Bella before I took off running. Her face looked stunned.

The ball suddenly flew toward me at a ferocious velocity. It went whizzing by me at lethal speeds and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to catch it. Bella had distracted me with yet another one of her expressions. I hurtled through the woods, jumping over downed trees, hopping over rocks until I caught up with the ball. I put all my strength into my leap as I jumped and caught the ball while grabbing onto a branch and swinging down to the ground.

With immense speed I ran back to the clearing, ball raised high and a smile prominent on my face.

"Out!" Esme yelled to Emmett's disappointment.

Don't worry, I'll get you back... he threatened.

Bella had a bewildered expression. I heard Esme explaining what happened. "Emmett hits the hardest, but Edward runs the fastest."

Jasper was next to bat. He already knew that throwing one towards me would be a mistake and was going for a ground ball. He hit the ball and it bounced off the ground. Carlisle caught it and started running to beat Jasper to first base. They collided and sent another thunderous noise through the night's air.

Bella was sitting on the grass and jumped up with a look of concern on her face. I laughed harder than ever at her expression.

"Safe." Esme called out.

We continued to play until the other team had three outs. We switched positions and I was at Bella's side in a quick motion that she almost didn't see.

"What do you think?" I asked in excitement.

"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again," she smiled widely.

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

The thrill of the game and the desire I felt when I was around Bella had me feeling high.

"I am a little disappointed," she said teasingly.

"Why?" I asked, perplexed.

"Well," she grinned, "it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet."

She thought I was better than everyone else on the planet. I was soaring. I didn't think anything could remove the smile that seemed to be permanently plastered on my face.

I'm going to have to have a talk with her about filling your head with non-sense, Emmett guffawed stupidly.

You're oozing love over here. You're up lover boy, Jasper joked.

"I'm up!" I told Bella while heading to the plate.

We continued to play for several innings when several things happened simultaneously. I had bent down to get into the catching position, Carlisle had walked up to bat and Alice gasped in horror while she shrieked in alarm in her mind. I brought my eyes to hers as I saw what she was seeing. Terror rose inside me as a large dead weight fell through my chest and into my stomach.

Three vampires were running in our direction, curious about playing ball. The next series of visions had me scrambling to Bella's side in terror.