Something About You

Chapter 1

...

Knight in Shining Armor

Bella smashed the pillow over her head and groaned. The pillow only slightly muffled the music and did nothing for the pulsing of the walls and, to a degree, her bed. Something rattled and fell off her desk, wincing, Bella checked that nothing of significance had broken and buried her face in the mattress yet again.

Usually she was nothing if not a quick learner, but she'd honestly hoped that these parties wouldn't be a weekly occurrence. Once people got used to college life, Bella had honestly thought they'd calm down a bit and realize that partying wasn't the only means of socializing. It had to die off eventually. Yet, this happened every Friday night.

Bastards.

One heavy sigh later, Bella stood from her bed and pulled an overnight bag from the top of her closet. Her mother would be happy to see her, at least, and she could go to Rosalie's place if she wasn't busy. She'd even put up with Eric if she had to, anything to get out of the dorm and experience a calm weekend.

She tidied up only a little, picking up the framed photo of her fishing with Charlie, off the floor and packing up her laptop in one go. That would be indication enough for Bella's roommate that she wasn't intending to come back. Bella guessed Alice was deep in the crowd of students trying their best to drink away their inhibitions and she felt no need to inform her roommate she was leaving.

From the moment she opened her door, Bella could barely find a breath that wasn't directly escaping someone else's body. They tried their best to trap her from all sides, but she resolutely held tight to her bag and shoved through. The red exit sign at the end of the hall beckoned to her and Bella found herself gazing helplessly at it when she was pushed back a few steps.

"Excuse me." Bella accompanied the politeness with an elbow to someone's side. "Coming through — no, thank you, no, I'm just trying to get through."

Bella glared at a boy who grazed past her a bit too intimately for her taste, his chest shoved full in her face. "It's called deodorant," she snapped when he gave her an inviting smile. "A foot of space, people, that's all I'm asking for!"

No one paid her any mind and Bella was left to swim through the crowd for at least five more minutes before she got to the end of the hall. Her hair fell limply in her eyes and a sheen of perspiration was light across her forehead.

"About time," she grumbled loudly. But when she pushed the latch on the door, it remained tightly shut. "You have got to be-"

"Here, I gotcha." Two hands joined beside hers and gave the door a hard shove. The metal gave a little and Bella pushed her weight into it again. "Need a little air?"

"Something like that," Bella replied. The door suddenly sprang free of their hands, revealing a flustered couple on the other side. They gave her a look of resentment, but Bella merely returned it and said, "In a building full of rooms, this is where you choose to screw around?"

The girl gave a huff of annoyance, but Bella was already walking away. Intent on taking the steps two at a time, it was a few moments before she realized that there was someone close on her heels. Simultaneously turning and pulling a small item from her bag, she said, "I've got mace and a high tolerance for pain, so don't think I won't use it. Do you really want to start something?"

The boy — she recognized him as the one who'd helped with the door — stopped in his tracks and gave her a rather affronted look. He recovered quickly, though, and said, "Kind of trigger happy, huh?"

"I've had a bad night," Bella replied shortly.

"I've got it on good knowledge that parties tend to lift one's spirit." He pointed a thumb back toward the dorm. "Care to give it a try?"

"That," Bella said, pointing her finger in the same direction, "is my definition of a bad night."

"Well, that's a pity. I was rather enjoying it myself."

"Then go back," Bella said without bothering to mask her annoyance.

"No can do." He paused and looked expectantly at her.

Bella gave him a purposefully blank look and remarked, "And this is where I ask you why, I suppose."

"Excellent question." Matching her stride when she began to walk to the parking lot, he said, "See, the combination of a dark night, lonely parking lot and a single girl could equal-"

"-a potential stalker who won't go away?"

"I was going to say a dangerous situation, but that works, too."

"Funny how that adds up," Bella said dryly.

The boy stopped directly under a lamp and — against her desire to escape quickly — Bella stopped, too. "Look," he said seriously, "there's been a lot of messed up stuff going around here lately. For my part, I really don't think you should be out here by yourself...even if you do have a high pain threshold."

He gave her an open look and even placed his hands behind his back. Bella found herself softening slightly when he added, "It takes maybe two minutes out of my day to make sure you get to your car safely and then we can both be on our way. Will you just let me?"

"You could have said that from the beginning," Bella pointed out.

"Well, I had to get past the hostility first. And the mace."

Bella snorted lightly, but gave him a timid smile. "My car isn't far."

"Humor me," he answered.

Replying only with a shrug, Bella turned on her heel. He stayed beside her, but there was at least a couple feet of distance remaining between them. They were drawing near to her car when he made a funny noise and said, "I swear, you look so familiar to me."

"Well, we have a history, you know," Bella said. "The door, the steps, the sidewalk..."

"No, no, I mean from before that. Do we have a class together?"

Bella shook her head. "Probably not. You don't have the physics nerd look to you."

He chuckled lightly. "Nope, I'm in Business. Wait...did you go to Jacksonville High?"

Drawing up to her car, Bella first unlocked the passenger door and then gave him a good once-over. Disappointed by her quick review of the expensive shoes and trendy clothes, she half-jokingly said, "Oh, you were in the popular group, weren't you?"

"Technically, yes, but it was a long time ago and I never really embraced it, anyway."

"Did we graduate together?"

"No, I was only there a few months during my junior year." He stopped and shook his head, chuckling again. Reaching out his hand, he said, "I'm such a tool, sorry. The name's Edward. Edward Cullen."

"Bella Swan," she replied, taking her hand in his and giving it a shake before she threw her overnight bag into the passenger seat.

"Well, Bella Swan, you have made it to your car without a hair on your head harmed. I'd say my mission was a success."

"Break out the bells and whistles." Bella softened the sarcasm with a more sincere smile than before. "It is nice to know that there are still some decent guys around here."

Edward waved his hand a bit. "I went through the not-so-decent phase pretty early on in life. This is all I've got left."

Bella shrugged, "Could be worse, I suppose."

She skirted around the front of the car and unlocked the door, but it was Edward who opened it. He swept his right arm to indicate the seat and gave her a slight bow. "Your carriage, milady."

"Corny, but sweet."

"I was going for well-intentioned. Perhaps knightly, if that isn't aiming too high."

"Hey, we all need goals."

Edward waited until she was fully behind the wheel before closing the door. When Bella rolled the window down, he asked, "Sure you don't want to come back inside? It'd give me practice at escorting from the parking lot to the building. I hear it's a completely different experience."

"Parties aren't really my thing."

Bella was relieved that he seemed to accept it at just that and lightly tapped his palms on the door before stepping back. "Well, here's hoping I see you around campus. Though, I have to say, you don't have the physics nerd look to you, either."

Bella took off the parking brake and gave him a sly glance out of the corner of her eye. It startled her how easily it came, but she let her voice get playful anyway. "That's because you haven't seen me in action."

Edward whistled and smiled. "Challenge accepted. See you around, Bella Swan."

Her spirits decidedly higher than before, Bella grinned and said, "Until then, Mr. Cullen."