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The Oak Tree

Chapter Two

(I don't own anything. I just play around with the characters.)

I wake the next morning with lingering thoughts of bright fall colors and Greek Gods. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I stretch lazily in my twin bed and look at the clock. 7:18 am. I smile knowing that my first class isn't until 1pm today. I have the whole morning in front of me. What should I do? I have a couple more boxes to unpack in my dorm room, I have some assignments from yesterday's classes and I really want to see if I can get a job in the Campus Library. I had worked in the Phoenix Library for the last two years and I really feel comfortable around books and quiet spaces.

My itinerary set, I climb out of bed careful not to wake my roommate, Angela. I thank my lucky stars that I got Angela for a roommate. She is just like me. Brown hair, brown eyes, quiet, shy and a bookworm. We are both English Majors. She has a slant towards Journalism/Teacher and I have a slant toward Librarian/Writer. She prefers Murder Mysteries and Science Fiction and I tend to go for the romantic classics… Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters and the like. We get along very well and respect each other's space.

After my shower, I decide to hit the cafeteria first before I head to the Library. I'll tackle my boxes later in the day before my class. I'm surprised at the lack of bodies in the dining hall at this time of morning but then again, this is college now. Everyone is probably trying to sleep off whatever party they went to last night. I am so glad that I'm not part of that scene. I decide on a bagel and orange juice and find a quiet little table in the corner. I pull out my very well-loved copy of Wuthering Heights and pick up where I left off last night.

I've finished one half of my bagel when I notice a movement out of the corner of my eye. I peek up from book and see the Greek God sitting down a couple of tables away. He smiles at me with that lop-sided grin and looks down at a book he has just pulled out of his backpack. The heated feeling is back. I feel it in my cheeks. I hate the fact that I blush so easily. I hope he doesn't notice. I try and steady my breathing and bring my focus back to my book. It doesn't work. I am now consumed by his presence just a few feet away. What is wrong with me? Why am I reacting like this? It's like he's the sun and I am an orbiting planet.

I can't finish my bagel. I make a decision that it's best to do what I've always done. Run and hide. I slowly put my book back in my bag and start cleaning up my food. As I walk toward the door, I glance back at him and notice his brow is furrowed as if he's upset by something. I wonder if he is reading something that he doesn't like. I say a silent good-bye to the Greek God and head out the door toward the Library.

~~~ [ ~~~ ] ~~~

Once at the Library, I head straight to the Circulation desk to inquire about employment. I'm in luck, they have positions available and hand me an application. I also grab an application for Angela thinking she might want a job here as well. I fill out the application and bring it back to the Head Librarian, Mrs. Cope. She looks it over and asks if I have a few minutes to discuss the position. Yes, as a matter of fact I do. I have all morning, I smile to myself. After a half hour discussion of my previous work in Phoenix and my goals here at school, I leave Mrs. Cope's office with a new job. I am to start next Monday and she will work out a schedule that works with my classes. I am so excited, I decide to step outside and call my mother to share the news.

"Hello?" she answers on the third ring and sounds out of breath.

"Hi Mom!"

"Bella, I've been anxiously waiting to hear from you. Tell me every thing that's happened since you got there." she says excitedly.

"Mom, why are you out of breath?"

"Oh, I was just doing my Wii workout. They have this program called Dance, Dance Revolution and you have to match the steps on the screen to this pad you lay on the floor. It's a lot of fun. You should try it."

I can only imagine my legs looking like a pretzel after attempting something like that. "Yeah, I'll check it out next time I'm there." Knowing full and well she'll be on to the next greatest idea before I get there. I then share my news about my new job and tell her about Angela and my classes.

"Have you met any boys yet?" she asks.

I pause a little too long for her and she is all over me. "You have! What's he like? What's his name? Are you in the same classes?" she says almost shouting.

"No, mom, I haven't met anyone. I've see this one guy around the campus but we haven't talked yet." I explain.

"Oh Bella, you need to go up to him and introduce yourself. It's time for you to start dating."

"Mom, you know I can't do that. My head will explode or something. I know it will. I have to go. I have some homework to do before my class starts. I'm going to head back into the Library now."

"OK, honey. I love you. Have fun and be safe."

"Bye, Mom. I love you." I sigh as I end the call on my cell phone.

As I turn to put my cell phone back in my bag, I notice the Greek God going into the Library. Oh no! I wanted to get my work done before my class. I'm not going to be able to focus if he's in there. What should I do? I come to a decision that it's time to put my big girl panties on and face it. I know I will be blushing furiously but he just entered my territory. The Library is going to be my home away from home. I can't run away every time he comes near me.

I walk up the granite steps and enter the library. My Library. I go to step into the main hallway and proceed to trip on absolutely nothing landing me on my hands in knees in the main entrance to the library. Kill me now, I think to myself when I feel two strong but gentle hands on my upper arms lifting me up. I am so embarrassed. Leave it to me, Miss Universal Clumsiness to make a grand entrance. I steel myself and look up at my savior. Holy Crap! It's him, The Greek God. He has his hands on my arms and he is smiling down at me with concern.

"Are you OK?" he asks.

I stare at him with my mouth open like a darn fish. I want crawl into a corner and cry. "Erm… Yeah, I'm OK" I say finding my voice.

"That was quite an entrance." He jokes.

"Um…yeah. It's the only kind I make. Erm… uh …you can remove you hands now. I'm not going to fall over."

"Are you sure about that?" he teases as he gives me his lop-sided grin as he removes his hands from my arms.

And, cue the blushing. My face feels like I've just leaned over an open fire. I need to get away from him. He's too close. I can't think. I am surrounded by his brightness. His heat. His scent. I'm slowly losing my mind as I stand there.

"Thanks for helping me up. I've got to go." I mumble as I start to walk away.

"You're welcome…?" he calls after me while silently asking my name.

I turn back to him. "Bella. Bella Swan."

"Hello, Bella Bella Swan. I'm Edward Cullen, at your service."

I smile shyly at him as I turn and lose myself in the stacks of books as if I can't get away fast enough. I should have known that even his name would be beautiful. Edward Cullen. Edward "Greek God" Cullen. Bella Cullen. Wait, what? Where did that come from?

I peek through the bookshelves to see if he's still there and I see him shake his head and chuckle to himself. Great, now he thinks I'm a joke. That's just grand. See? This is why I don't interact with people. I'm socially inept. I just need to forget about him and get on with my homework. He'd never be interested in me anyway.

I find a nice quiet comfy chair in the corner and slowly start to take out my books to complete my assignments. I take a deep breath and try and clear my brain. Not working. Maybe some music will help; I put my ear buds in and turn on my iPod. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard starts playing and I know that the Universe is conspiring against me ever being able to concentrate again. I close my eyes, lean back and sigh loudly as I listen to the hauntingly apt lyrics.

I don't know you

But I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You'll made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can't go back

Moods that take me and erase me

And I'm painted black

You have suffered enough

And warred with yourself

It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice

You've made it now

Falling slowly sing your melody

I'll sing it loud

There is nothing slowly about this, whatever it is. I'm a goner. I've fallen hard and fast for a boy.

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