I'm utterly shocked at how many people put this on alert just based on one chapter last week. Thanks so much for having a little faith in me, everyone.

Again, HUGE thank you to rmhaleff and VanPireNZ for purchasing my ass in FGB. And I could never in a million years thank vampireisthenewblack quite enough for all she did. She's an awesome person, fantastic writer and amazing friend. Lots of love.

~2~

I sat under the shade of a tall maple tree enjoying the early fall colors of the campus as I flipped open my American History book. Two hours until my next class started and then I'd be done for the day. I knew it would be a good idea to spend all my free time during the first week exploring the campus, but as I had always been one for academics, all I wanted to do was read my textbooks and get a jump start on my classes.

I chewed the end of my pen as I read through page after page, soaking in as much of the Civil War as I could. In his lifetime, my father had always been a Civil War buff. He hoped that I would take as much interest in the history of it as he had. He'd even gone as far as giving me a set of toy Confederate and Yankee soldiers to go with my Lincoln Logs for my seventh birthday.

History fascinated me, but not nearly as much as art. I often wondered if my father would have been disappointed in me for pursuing a career in graphics design rather than teaching as he had, but that just wasn't for me. During my freshman year, I had considered going for a masters in art history, combining my interest with the expectations that had been set for me, but there was little creativity in a career that would stem from such a degree. I needed to be able to create things, not just read about them.

A shadow was cast on the page of my book as someone moved between me and my light source. I looked up to see Edward smiling down at me again, just like he had in class the day before.

"Hey, Edward." I tore a piece of my notebook paper to use as a bookmark before closing my American History book.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," he said. "I just saw you sitting here and thought I'd come say hi on my way to class."

"Don't worry about it, man. You're not interrupting. I think I actually read the same sentence three or four times anyway." I laughed.

"That good, huh?" Edward sat down in the grass a few feet away.

I shook my head, leaning back against the tree. "It's not so bad, I guess. Just seem to be having a hard time focusing today."

"Beginning of the semester tends to do that to you. By the time you get into the groove and things seem to come a bit easier, it's all over and time to move on to the next challenge."

"Ain't that the truth," I said smiling. It was exactly right, and not just with classes. Everything in life seemed to follow that same rule. Just when you learned to crawl, they wanted you to walk.

"So, did you get all your supplies for the drawing class?" Edward asked.

"Not yet. My day was pretty full yesterday. I probably should go now before my next class starts, but I'm sort of comfortable right here."

"Well, Alice and I plan to go this evening if you want to come with us. We can work on showing you around campus a bit."

I didn't want to be the presumptuous asshole that assumed just because a guy was gay, he must be hitting on me, but the way Edward was looking at me certainly didn't suggest otherwise. I wondered if I should be concerned about that. I was open to having any friends I could get, especially here, so far from home where I was so alone, but I didn't want to give him the wrong impression.

"Yeah, you know, that would actually be perfect. Half the time I can't tell north from south on the campus map anyway," I answered. It was true. It didn't matter that there was a compass rose in the bottom corner of the map clearly illustrating the cardinal points, if I couldn't find north outside of the map, I couldn't find north. Period.

Edward laughed. "You get kicked out of boy scouts or something?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." I smiled and shook my head as I remembered that day.

"Shut the fuck up. Are you serious?" Edward's laughter was contagious and I found it impossible to hold back my own.

"I never was very good at any of it. Always had something better to do. I'd sit there and draw while they carved mini canoes and shit out of wood blocks."

"Wait," Edward interjected. "You weren't interested enough so they actually kicked you out?"

"Uh…not exactly. There may have also been an incident involving a flaming marshmallow." Edward laughed even harder now. "Smokey the Bear and standard protocol demanded an early withdrawal."

The rest of the afternoon passed without much interest. Class was slow and uneventful, as was expected for the first week or so of the semester, but I was also anxious to get out of there for other reasons. Edward and Alice would be accompanying me to the campus bookstore and I very much looked forward to spending time with them again. They were far different from the friends I'd had back home. Peter and Charlotte would have never approached a stranger and introduced themselves. Most of the time, they were too into themselves to realize there were other people around at all.

I waited under the clock tower where Edward had told me to meet them. It seemed easy enough. He pointed it out to me as he was leaving to head to class, and there was really no missing it regardless of my shoddy sense of direction.

"Hey, you." I recognized Alice's soft voice approaching. She and Edward came up the concrete stairs to the walkway that cut its path through the tower base, arms linked, looking very much like a modern day prince and princess; Edward in his nice jeans and form fitting t-shirt, Alice in a light, flowing summer dress and sandals. He tall, with an amusingly carefree look, she short and petite, well primped and perfectly manicured. They both had an air of confidence about them that certainly demanded admiration. It wasn't conceit; it was simply comfort with themselves and each other.

"How'd it go, cowboy?" Alice asked with a wink.

I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head at her nickname for me. "Is that going to stick?" I asked.

She shrugged, making even that gesture look graceful. "Depends."

"On?" I questioned.

"All she knows is that you're from Texas. If you give Alice any other tiny piece of information about you that she happens to like more, she'll change it," Edward answered. "Trust me. Over the last two years, I've had dozens. Most recent one being 'cock wagon,'" he laughed, nudging his friend.

"Hay ride and a pumpkin patch," Alice interjected. "We'll tell you more once you're securely wedged into our circle." She smiled at Edward. "Should we head to The Bookie?"

"Umm…The Bookie?" I asked, following the two of them down the path.

"That's the name of the campus bookstore. Edward works there, you know?"

"I don't work there," he said, looking at her before shifting his gaze to me and repeating his simple statement. "I don't work there."

"He works at the coffee shop that's inside the bookstore."

"See? Right there. That's the difference," Edward said as I caught up to them and fell into step beside Alice. "If you work in the bookstore, all you do all day is take money and put things in bags. In the coffee shop, I get to be a little creative with the drinks I make. I invent pleasure."

Alice leaned into me and, with an exaggerated whisper said, "He follows the instructions on a cheat sheet."

It was Edward's turn to whisper at me now as he leaned over her head. "She's jealous because they wouldn't hire her."

"Not true. If I had been showing more cleavage, I would have had the job long before you."

"Some day you're going to have to accept that I'm just more skilled with an espresso machine than you are."

"Well, you certainly outdo me when it comes to blowing steam, that's for sure."

Edward cocked an eyebrow at me. "I didn't have to show any cleavage at all."

I laughed at their playful banter, thankful for how easy it was to be in their presence. There were no awkward silences as per usual among new friends, no strange, prying questions to get to know one another. We simply talked and joked all the way across campus to the bookstore.

There were, of course, the occasional questions mingled in with comfortable conversation. Edward asked about my family, what my mother and father did, and if I had any siblings.

I answered truthfully—even though I hardly knew them—that I was an only child, my mother was a nurse midwife and my father had passed away when I was a teenager.

Edward's parents were doctors, both of them, and it seemed that he too had been intended to follow their footsteps.

"Music calls to me," he said. "My mother doesn't mind my pursuing this path. She had me playing the piano when I was only five years old. My father's surprisingly supportive as well. They really just want me to be happy."

"They sound nice," I said. "My father used to discourage me from drawing, but my mom always supported any decision I made. What about you, Alice? What are your parents like?"

"Oh, what a fun question," she responded with a smile. I looked at her curiously. "Hmm… let's see. I imagine they were both amazing, my mother a gorgeous movie star and my father a rich oil tycoon."

"Alice likes to live in her own world," Edward added. "She grew up in foster homes mostly, wound up here on a full scholarship."

The bookstore, as Alice had predicted, was sadly lacking the necessary items on our list. Apparently, this was typical. She wasn't worried though. Edward and she always had a backup plan.

"We'll just grab a coffee and head over to Olympic Art supplies. It isn't far from here. We could probably even walk, but since it's getting close to closing time, we'll just take Edward's car."

I looked at Edward, wondering if he minded Alice volunteering him to be our personal chauffeur. He shrugged noncommittally.

We purchased the items they had available, using our student I.D. cards for a measly—albeit helpful—ten percent discount.

"So, Jazz," Edward began as we stood at the counter awaiting our respective beverages. "Can I call you Jazz?"

Alice turned to me briefly. "It's a music thing. You can tell him no, but he probably won't listen."

"Anyway, Jazz, I know you probably like your coffee chewy and dark—that's cowboy style, right?"

Alice giggled at this. "Not the cowboy style I'm into."

"But that's not going to cut it here in Seattle," Edward continued as if she hadn't spoken at all. "So here, try this." He handed me a hot cup which I took gratefully. I hadn't even realized how cool the air outside had been on the walk over until I had a warm Styrofoam cup in my chilled hands.

"What is it?" I asked as I inhaled the steam emanating from the cup.

"My special combo," Edward said with a sly smile. "Trust me, once you taste mine, you'll never want anything else."

Alice chuckled at his double entendre and I shot him a warning glare. Edward cocked his head to the side, shrugging innocently.

I took a tentative sip of the drink in my hand, bracing myself. I wasn't sure what I'd expected, perhaps something too sweet for my taste, but what I was met with was quite pleasant indeed. Not too sweet, and not at all bitter, it was the perfect blend of coffee and cream with just a hint of sweet vanilla and cinnamon.

Edward arched an eyebrow, watching me expectantly. "Well?" he asked after a moment of silence. "You love it, don't you?"

"I confess nothing," I told him taking another swig of my drink. It really was delicious.

A/N

Sorry if these chapters seem to end rather abruptly. This was supposed to be a oneshot but ended up running long so I shoved breaks where they seemed to fit.

Thanks so much for reading :)