So this is my new story. It is very lovey dovey with little to no angst. I basically wanted to write a version of what I would want my perfect man to be as my Edward. Yes he is human and fallible, but oh so very swoon worthy in my opinion. It takes place at a college somewhere in the US. The college is made up so don't nit pick me to death about location specifics. Yes I did take liberties with small details like email addresses and the fact that Bella and Edward being seniors in a Freshman intro class is a big deal, when in reality it isn't all that uncommon. Just go with it please. This is just fluff afterall. But thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I just like to play with the wonderful characters that SM supplied us with.
Chapter One
Bella POV
As I made my way towards the lecture hall I'm sure I appeared to anyone around me as a mumbling crazy person. In a word, I was pissed. Not just the "Oh I'm so upset!" kind of mad, but the spitting nails-I curse you to the fiery depths of hell kind of mad. My academic advisor Ms. Cope was "just positive" we discussed taking Psych 101 within my first two years of undergrad. If we had, I wouldn't have to be coming back on campus three times a week to take a required general education course that should have been taken three years ago in what is now my last year of undergraduate studies. The more I fumed, the more my mumblings turned into a low growl and I was starting to frighten the few people left on campus at this time of night.
I like my schedules, no LOVE my schedules. When someone's screw up messes with my schedule I get truly angry. Yes I realize that is borderline OCD, but I can't help it. Maybe I am distantly related to Burt Banner or something because I can seriously envision myself bursting into a giant green monster right about now.
When I walked into Ms. Cope's office last Friday I was on cloud nine. It was my last year. I only had about three classes left to take before I held the honored piece of paper saying that I had completed my bachelor's degree in English Lit. For this semester I had signed up for one seminar class that met on Friday afternoons. My final two classes were not available until next semester. The rest of my week would be spent working at the book store and also tutoring middle and high school kids after school.
The owner of the book store was approaching retirement and slowly trying to hand the reigns over to me. I wanted to be a writer and luckily due to my years of experience at the book store, I earned a decent enough salary to support myself and my cat Hemmingway. I had been renting the apartment above the bookstore from my boss since my sophomore year.
My beloved schedule all went to crap when Ms. Cope dropped the Psychology bomb. What pissed me off the most was that she made it sound like it was my oversight. I was so close to reporting her but I realized it wouldn't get me anywhere once I heard from several other classmates who were once in my same position. The only thing reporting her did was the university made her upgrade her computer and filing system. Now every student's course plan and requirements are on a downloaded file that is viewable for both advisor and student. Too bad that upgrade wasn't available during my first couple of years here. Thanks to Shelly Cope's ancient filing system I am now forced to take Psych 101 and low and behold the only available section meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at six in the evening. Lovely.
I found the lecture hall easily since it was an old auditorium and was basically the only logical space to hold a class on the first floor. The nice thing was that there were exits on both sides of the building as you walk in so getting in and out shouldn't be too difficult with 150 plus students stampeding in and out of the auditorium. I remembered my first lecture classes that I took here at the university. I learned very quick to suck it up and sit in front so that I wouldn't feel like cattle being herded out the door at the end of class.
I sighed internally as I made my way into the auditorium. The entrance to the room was actually in the back so in order to be closest to the door I made my way to the last row of roped off seating that the instructor must have set up in order to keep people from sitting all the way in the back of the auditorium. I actually preferred this type of set up because it meant that I could enter the room without everyone staring at me. I moved in about five seats just in case it got full and settled my bag and the Godforsaken overpriced textbook that I would never get my money's worth out of. I pulled out my laptop and turned it on and tried to avoid eye contact with the curious freshman eyes around me. I figured they were looking at my dated laptop, but I didn't care. It got the job done. At least I tried to convince myself they were looking at my laptop and not the fact that I looked a little older or mature than everyone else. I grew out of the whole pajama pants, flip flops and hoody combo that a lot of freshmen loved to sport. I didn't necessarily dress up for class, but I did start my seminar class this afternoon so I at least wanted to look professional.
My luck the students think I am the professor and I'm trying to spy on the class like so many movies and TV shows have made cliché. I hated when profs did that. It's like we are supposed to automatically think -Wow. This person is laid back and relatable to me. We can be friends! – Please. I just want to get my syllabus and assignments and get on with it.
I was checking facebook as I waited for the class to start when I felt someone sit down two seats to my left. I hadn't planned on looking up but the most attractive scent wafted over to me. It smelled like honeysuckle and sunshine and all man. I almost moaned out loud as my mouth watered. What the hell? I looked to my left and my gaze got trapped in the mossiest green eyes I have ever seen. At that moment those green orbs were piercing into my soul. I have heard of penetrating gazes, but I could actually feel it. My pulse double-timed as the rest of my body froze. It felt like he could read my thoughts and this scared the crap out of me. I instantly became embarrassed and could already feel my cheeks enflame as I actually had to close my eyes so that I can look away and break away from his spell.
As I tried to get my breathing back to normal I catalogued what I just observed. He was by far the most beautiful man I have ever laid eyes on. He had this odd color of hair. It looked like dark auburn with shocking bronze highlights that looked completely natural. His features were perfectly angular and had the hard jaw line that you could cut steel with. He was somewhat lanky build because of his obvious height. I would guess 6'2 or maybe 6'3. But he had muscles and looked very strong in an unassuming way. Definitely not a meat head, but certainly athletic. And surprisingly enough, he looked to be closer to my age and not like the other freshmen. Now my curiosity is piqued and I had to examine him further and be as subtle as possible. No need for him to catch me ogling him. He was wearing a grey t-shirt that wasn't by any means skin tight, but just snug enough to seem fitted. Out of the corner of my tempted eye I caught sight of something peeking out beneath his right sleeve. Oh dear Lord it was a sliver of black ink. Can this guy get any hotter? Gah. Okay Swan, quit acting like a dog in heat and stop trying to molest the gorgeous man with your not so subtle staring. Snap out of it!
Right. Class. Graduation... Tattoo... Long arms...Green...FOCUS BELLA!
The professor rushed into the room almost out of breath. This welcomed distraction allowed me the time to gather myself and try to ignore my latest infatuation who I could have sworn just chuckled. I couldn't even be irritated since it was so low and sexy...Damnit Bella!
Syllabi were passed around and I may or may not have accidentally grazed my hand over Mystery Man's as he was passing me the papers. An instant jolt of electricity seemed to shoot up my arm. He instantly released the papers and almost dropped them in the process. Hmmm, so he must have felt it too. Weird.
I glanced at the assignments and tried unsuccessfully to hide my eye roll. I was again gifted with a sexy chuckle and heard the most scintillating voice that went straight through me.
"Gotta love the busy work. Just like high school. Too bad that was almost five years ago for me."
I don't know how I was able to even function but I managed to croak out a response and just hope that I wasn't drooling when I said, "Yea. Same here. At least it will be easy to stay ahead and get all the work out of the way early."
Mr. G (what I was now calling him in my head short for Mr. Gorgeous) instructed us to break into groups of four or five with the people around us. We broke into our designated groups and were informed they would be our "group" for the remainder of the semester. I was both elated and terrified at this prospect. The part of me that is ruled by my ovaries is jumping for joy. The rational side of me was worried about the utter distraction that Mr. G was already proving to be. Thank God this seemed like an easy enough subject. We were instructed to go through the cursory introductions. It was then that I all but forced my attention away from Mr. G to the rest of our group. We had three other people in our group.
There was Ben Cheney who had the whole nice shy guy thing going for him. He informed us that he was a going for a degree in graphic design. I spotted multiple references and insignia all over his belongings that proclaimed his love of anime.
Next in our group was Jessica Stanley. She was what I always secretly referred to as a Triple B. Bubbly. Busty. Bimbo. She was a physical fitness major and used the word "like" at least twice a sentence it seemed. Something else that bothered much more than it should was the fact she introduced herself to only Mr. G. My ire for this girl was increasing by the second. A small consolation was the fact that Mr. G was extremely interested all of a sudden in his own desk and hadn't even lifted his green orbs to her since she started talking. I was impressed by this considering that her tatas seemed to be holding up their own end of the conversation. Maybe he's gay? What a shame.
The final group member, after peeling his attention from the talking tatas, introduced himself as Mike Newton from California and he was majoring in Business Marketing. He was the epitome of All-American Jock and his sea blue eyes did this weird wink thing when he finished his introduction. It kind of resembled a look of constipation. On a superficial level he would be considered attractive, and boy did he know it! However his eyes and face showed no genuine emotion or depth. Everything about him screamed "I'm fake and I try too hard."
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Mr. G look over to Mike. It was then I realized that if Mr. G was in fact gay, then Mike was definitely not his type. Mr. G had a deep scowl on his face when Mike did his weird winky face thing towards me. Mr. G was not the only one scowling. Triple B, who was soaking up Mike's attention to the tatas, was now shooting daggers at me for some reason. Hmm...maybe we can add a fourth B to her name...Bitch.
I heard a throat clear and I focused my attention back to where it had been begging to get back to. His voice was like pure velvet. "I'm Edward Cullen and I just transferred from Chicago and I'm a senior majoring in Biology. I had to take this course because my Psych credit didn't transfer." He turned and did that whole deep dazzling stare thing right at me when he said, "I really look forward to working with you and getting to know you."
As my breathing returned to normal I realized it was my turn. "I'm Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella. I'm also a Senior and majoring in English Lit. I am from a small town in Washington called Forks."
Triple B interrupted with, "Like, why are you taking this class? You're like a lot older than us. And like, where the hell is Forks?''
I was about to put the bitch in her place but Mr. G beat me to it. His voice was like cutting steel and panty dropping at the same time. "If you had been paying attention Jessica, you would know that Forks is a small town in Washington. And I believe Bella meant Washington State, like, you know, in the Pacific Northwest?" He was now impersonating Triple B's Valley Girl voice quite hilariously. He continued in his normal voice, "So why don't you act your age and not your IQ and show a little manners. If Bella decides to let us know why she's here that's her choice. Calling her old is just further showing your immaturity. Sorry Bella, I realize you could have taken up for yourself I just don't' like judgemental small minded children. Please continue."
Triple B was stunned into silence, and I couldn't believe what just happened. "That's alright Edward. I was getting ready to say basically the same thing." I directed to Triple B who at the moment was impersonating a guppy fish. "Anyway, since it seems like some want to know, the academic advisors in the English department are a little lacking and it wasn't until recently that I was notified that I needed this class in order to graduate."
Triple B just rolled her eyes and petulantly crossed her arms under the tatas. This sufficiently distracted Mike from me and I swear he started drooling like a dog. I shot a grateful look towards Edward and he gave me that crooked smile which had me stunned again.
Ben spoke up and suggested we all exchange emails so that we can coordinate the project work for the semester. Since I had my laptop I volunteered to send everyone an email contact list. It was funny how everyone's email was suited perfectly to its owner.
Ben Cheney- oshikuru91
Jessica Stanley- BubblesLikeGoodTime
Mike Newton- CaliHomeboyDawg
Edward Cullen- ChiTownEdward
Bella Swan- BellaBrownEyes
The professor called the class back to attention and began going over the syllabus. When there was only a few minutes left in class I saw Edward texting on his phone with a smile on his face. I felt my spirits deflate at the thought that he's taken. Of course he's taken! Is it completely wrong to wish he was gay at this point?
As soon as the professor released us Edward was up and out. Hmm...weird. I started gathering my thins when an email popped up from Edward. Intrigued, I opened it up.
To: bellabrowneyes
From: chitownedward
Subject: Phew!
Bella- (very apt email address by the way)
I can't say how relieved I was to find out that I'm not the only old fogey in the class. ;-)
I couldn't believe my Psych credit didn't transfer from Chicago. I was convinced that I would be mistaken for the professor today. I can only imagine how pissed you are at your advisor. I think that us being in the same group might actually make this class bearable.
I also wanted to take the chance to apologize for going all caveman earlier. I am totally aware that you can take care of yourself and were about to do just that when I barged in. I just can't stand when people make assumptions and belittle others to make themselves feel better. I would really love to make it up to you.
If you would like, I will be at the coffee shop on the corner after class. I would love to buy you a cup and get to know you better. I have no idea if you are involved with anyone, and if your then please consider this a friendly apology coffee. Nothing more. However, if you are unattached, I would love to find out how a beautiful and intelligent woman could possibly be available. It sounds like a crime against humanity. If I have completely creeped you out by now, please don't feel obligated to show. No harm no foul and we can easily go back to being merely classmates and group members.
Fingers Crossed and Hot Coffee Waiting- Edward Cullen
So that is the first chapter. I welcome reviews, but please sign in to leave a review as I cannot reply to guest reviews. Hope you enjoy. I am not set on an update schedule yet but I will let you know when it is nailed down and will try my hardest to stick to it, However I make no promises. I do promise this: 1. NO CHEATING will take place with Edward and Bella. 2. I WILL finish this story eventually so don't give up on it because I certainly won't. That is all.