"I need to tape my eyelids open, or something. There seriously aren't enough hours in the day," I complained as I threw myself on the couch next to my best friend, and roommate, Jacob Black.

"Well, that's what you get for going pre-med, Ness."

I rolled my eyes and ignored his completely non-helpful comment. I decided I was going to take a ten minute study break and did not want to spend it trying to convince Jake that despite the fact that pre-med was stressing me out beyond belief, that it was what I wanted to do.

Instead, I turned by attention to the TV and watched Jeopardy! Jake always hated it whenever someone would know an answer before he did, so I tried to blurt out answers as quick as possible.

The contestant chose the category titled "Get Your Facts Straight."

"Burning Man is an arts festival," Alex began on-screen. "The Running Man is a dance, as seen in his video for 'U Can't Touch This.'"

"MC Hammer!" Jake shouted, trying to beat me to the punch.

"Who is MC Hammer," I corrected. "Alex wouldn't have given you credit for that."

"Oh shut-up, smart ass."

"Not my fault you can't remember the only rule of Jeopardy!"

"Not my fault you're such a smart-ass."

"Oh wow, Jake. What a great comeback. You're so witty."

He threw a pillow at me which I dodged.

"Not to mention you have sucky aim," I teased.

"I don't have sucky aim. You just have freakishly fast bloodsucker reflexes."

I rolled my eyes and ignored his derogatory term for vampires. I knew he didn't mean it to be rude and that it was a habit from before he was good friends with my family.

"Half bloodsucker reflexes," I corrected.

He just smiled and shook his head, returning his attention to the television.

The contestant chose from the category "12 Letter Words."

"Meaning a beginning, it's also a school graduation ceremony."

"What is a commencement?!" I said quickly, before Jake could answer. I turned and stuck my tongue out at him. "Won that one."

"Wow, Ness," he said, shaking his head, "real mature."

I was about to make some wise-crack comment when Seth and Embry, our other two roommates came busting through the door, bags of Chinese food in hand. I suddenly realized how hungry I was and remembered I hadn't eaten since around 11 in the morning, and it was currently 7 at night.

"Yay! I'm starving!" I pounced off the couch and eagerly followed them into the kitchen.

"Ok, I see," Seth started and set the bag of food down on the countertop. "You're only excited to see us when we have food."

I picked up a container and opened it. Sesame chicken, my favorite. "Why else would I be excited to see you? I see you every day."

"You should be excited to see us because we're you're best friends!" Embry explained, while grabbing a plate and dishing some rice out onto it.

"No, Jake is my best friend. I only put up with you guys because he insists you guys live here, too," I joked.

Well, half-joked. Jake was my best friend but I still would love Embry or Seth even if Jake didn't insist they live with us. And Jake didn't really insist, my parents did.

When I was accepted into Stanford and decided that was where I really wanted to go, I had to beg my parents for days to let me go. Since they insisted on treating me like I was much younger than I was, they said I couldn't go by myself. I guess I could kind of see their point. I was born only eight years ago, but I've been physically and mentally about eighteen for over year. While I was very mature for even an eighteen year old, I did understand there were some experiences that only time could prepare you for.

Since for obvious reasons my parents couldn't follow me to California, Jake said he would move there with me. We ended up getting an apartment off campus but apparently my parents weren't too keen with Jake and me living by ourselves, so Jake invited Embry and Seth to come with us. Because living with three guys is so much better than living with just one, obviously. Sometimes my parents' logic felt really backwards, but as long as they let me live on my own, I was fine.

So currently I was attending Stanford, going pre-med even though it just might be the death of me. Jake, Embry, and Seth had opened a shop where they worked at a place that built custom motorcycles, like American Chopper on the Discovery Channel. I told Jake that he needed to go to Discovery Channel and let them know that he fixed up bikes, too. When he told me that he couldn't compete with American Chopper since it had been on for years, I told him that he should try since he was way more attractive than those guys on the show, and we all know that sex sells.

I grabbed a plate out of the cabinet and begin to dish some chicken onto it.

"Hand me the Sesame Chicken, Nessie," Jake said, after serving several helping of Lo Mein onto his plate.

"No way, there'll be none left for me if I decide I want more. You eat like Michael Phelps."

"Please," Jake scoffed, "Michael Phelps couldn't hold a candle to my appetite. Especially now that he's like fifty."

"He's not fifty, Jake. He's like thirty."

"Yeah, yeah. Sesame chicken, Ness," he said, holding his hand out, waiting for me to pass him the container.

I dished out some more chicken and then handed the container over to Jake. "Whatever. But pass me the Lo Mein."

After I was sufficiently stuffed full of Chinese food, I decided it was time to go back to studying. By the time eleven o'clock rolled around, I didn't think I could read one more word. I gave up, figuring that if I didn't know the material for my test tomorrow by now, then I never would.

After getting into my pajamas, which were really just sweats and a tank top, I managed to muster up enough energy to go into the living room and tell the boys goodnight.

When I walked into the living room, some action movie was on and all three had their eyes glued to the TV.

"Goodnight, guys," I said, even though I knew they probably wouldn't even register I was in the room.

To my surprise, Jake turned his head toward me and smiled. "'Night, Nessie."

I smiled back before yawning and shuffled back down the hallway to my room. I was out the second my head hit the pillow.

I was woken up by the clap of thunder that echoed through the apartment.

Shit.

I hated thunder storms. Realistically, I knew they couldn't hurt me. I don't really even know why I was so scared of them. I think I had a really bad dream about them when I was younger, but I don't really remember. It was my only real phobia. I was fine with snake or spiders or heights, but the second I heard thunder, I was terrified.

I rolled over to check the time. It was shortly after 3 in the morning. I laid in bed for a few more moments, wondering if maybe the thunder storm was far away and the thunder was just going to be a onetime thing. After about a minute though, I heard the sound of rain outside and a flash of lightning briefly lit up my room. Thunder boomed in the distance.

I was quickly out of the bed and began making my way down the hallway to Jacob's room. I slowly opened his door, trying not to make any noise that would wake him up. Even though he said he didn't mind when I came into his bed during a storm, I always felt a little guilty about it and really tried not to wake him up.

It never worked.

"Nessie?" Jake croaked as I slid under the covers.

"Yeah, there's just a storm. Go back to sleep."

"You ok?" He rolled onto his side to face me and scooted a little closer.

"Yeah. Just a little scared. Sorry I woke you up."

I could see him roll his eyes, even in the darkness. "Don't be ridiculous. You know I'm always here for you."

I smiled at him. "Go back to sleep, Jacob."

"You sure you're ok? I can get up and watch some TV with you until the storm passes, or something."

"No, it's fine. Just being with you helps, you know that."

"Ok. Goodnight, Ness."

"G'Night."

I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but I just couldn't. I wasn't afraid of the storm anymore. Even with Jake asleep, I still felt completely safe and calm in his presence. He always had that effect on me.

I opened my eyes and watched him sleep.

Even though Jacob and I were only friends and our relationship was platonic, I'd have to be blind to not realize that he was attractive. Sometimes when he would stretch, I'd find myself watching his body and his muscles flexing under his skin. Or when he smiled, I'd notice how his whole face would light up and it would make him even more handsome.

I watched his eyes move around behind his eyelids, signaling that he was dreaming. I wondered what he was dreaming about.

I wondered if he was dreaming about me.

Sometimes I would have thoughts like that about Jacob that I had no idea where they came from. Like sometimes I would catch a glimpse of him drinking from a water bottle, his lips puckered around it, and wonder what his lips would feel like against mine.

Most of the time I rationalized that I just wanted some kind of a love life, and since Jake and I were always together it's only natural I would have those thoughts about him. I was so happy with him as my best friend and him being around all the time, I didn't want to explore the other option (that I was truly attracted to Jake and wanted him as more than a friend), fearing that it would make things awkward.

I continued to watch him sleep for a little while longer before finally getting sleepy myself.

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that it was warmer than usual. The second thing I noticed is why it was warmer.

Jacob's arm was around my waist and I was curled into his chest. Apparently we had rolled closer to each other while we slept because there was definitely more space between us when I fell asleep.

I didn't move at first because it was kind of nice. He would put his arm around my shoulders, and occasionally we'd hold hands (hands cupped, never fingers laced), but this just felt so romantic, like something you always saw couples do in movies. I knew we would never end up like this if we were awake, so I just kind of laid there for a minute and enjoyed having him so close. Plus he smelled absolutely amazing.

I heard him stir slightly and then he was gone, halfway across the bed.

"Oh, shit. Sorry Ness."

I almost couldn't stop from laughing. His hair was sticking every which way and he looked completely confused, like he had no idea what the hell was going on.

"About what?"

"Getting that close to you. You must have been burning up," he explained.

I shrugged. "You're not that much warmer than me, Jake. It's fine."

"Oh, well…" he trailed off for a second. "Sorry if it was awkward, or whatever."

I let out a little laugh and rolled my eyes. "You're my best friend. We're never awkward."

I sat up and looked at his clock to see what time it was. 8:47 a.m. I needed to get up and start getting ready.

"Thanks for letting me sleep in here, Jake," I told him as I was getting up.

"Anytime, Nessie. You know that."

I smiled at him. "Yeah, I know. But I still appreciate it."

He smiled back at me as I left his room.

After brushing my teeth and throwing my hair in a messy bun, I made my way to the kitchen. I really needed coffee. I was so glad that even though I was half-vampire, caffeine still seemed to have an effect on me.

Thankfully either Embry or Seth had already woken up and a pot was already made.

I started to stir in all the creamer and sugar when Embry came into the kitchen.

"So, there was a storm last night. Did you go in Jake's room?" He elbowed me and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"C'mon, Embry. You know me and Jake aren't like that." I took a sip of my coffee, enjoying the caffeine making its way down my throat.

"Uh huh. Whatever you say, Ness."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it means."

I took another sip of my coffee. "Ok, now you're just being obnoxious. You're like the brother I never had."

"Aw, thanks, Ness." He reached over and ruffled my hair, something I absolutely hated when people did.

"I didn't mean that in a good way."

"You lo-ove me!" he sing-songed as he made his way out of the kitchen.

Jacob stumbled past him and into the kitchen, grabbing a cup and pouring himself coffee. He brought it to his lips and took a sip.

"Ew," I said as I watched him enjoy the black, bitter coffee.

"What?"

"You know what. How the hell do you drink black coffee?"

I walked over to the fridge and got out the milk.

"How the hell do you drink blood?" he asked, only sort of joking. Jacob never really cared that I drank blood, understading it was part of who I was, but he still teased me about it from time to time. He just didn't get how I could stomach the taste of it.

"I don't drink that much blood." This was especially true ever since I started at Stanford. I didn't exactly have a lot of opportunities to go hunting.

I grabbed several types of cereal out of the pantry and two bowls and spoons and set it all down on the table. Jake grabbed a bowl, spoon, and Frosted Flakes and poured the cereal in to the almost top of the bowl.

"Well, you drink enough." His smile at me reassured he was kidding.

"Yeah, well…" I couldn't think of what to say. He raised an eyebrow at me as he poured the milk into his cereal. I swear he was defying some laws of physics or something because it didn't spill over to top, even though it was dangerously close to overflowing before he added the milk.

"You still love me," I said, because I couldn't think of another reply.

Jacob just laughed and shoved a mouthful of cereal in his mouth. "Sure, sure," he replied, mid-chew.

"Classy, Jake. Real classy."

A/N: Thanks for reading!

Just as a reference, according to the Twilight Lexicon timeline, BD takes places in 2006. In this story it is early 2015.

Also, the title of this story comes from the song "Breathe Me" by Sia.