Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The content, ideas and intellectual property of this story and the 'American Vampire Series' in its entirety are owned by Just4ALE.

Chapter 3: A Second Meeting

BPOV

With the fall trimester over and the winter one beginning, I had finally eased into the flow of the daily B'school life. I was never one to make friends quickly or easily. Generally careful where I placed my trust and loyalties, I chose to bide my time and seek out lasting friendships rather than loose acquaintances.

Hence my frustration with the endless superficial conversations that happened each Thursday at Pub Night and each Friday at the 4pm beer fests. Really, how many times could I possibly talk about where I used to work and where I hoped to land a summer job? What I'd heard about B'school had been correct: it was a two-year job search and you never knew which of these folks was a potential employer or co-worker who could help you land a job. I didn't like the idea of getting to know people so that I could use them in the future, but I did need to learn how to 'network.'

I also hoped that with the ratio weighted toward males, I'd be able to learn to deal with them. Growing up, I really didn't understand boys. I had great girlfriends and I'd become pals with a bunch of guys over the years, only to find out, uncomfortably, that they had developed unspoken or sometimes - if they were so bold - spoken feelings for me. I didn't know what drove that; I never tried to flirt with them and truthfully, I wasn't sure that I knew how.

But it had happened often enough that I was doubly cautious here at B'school. If I was going to be in the business world, I wanted to learn balance in all aspects... work and home, business and friendships, men and women. If I was going to work in male-dominated environments, I didn't need to walk into these weird crushes again. If I was giving off any type of vibe, I was hoping that my time here would help me figure out what that vibe was.

I'd already learned from my newer friends here that they had considered me unapproachable when they first met me. Apparently, I gave off some impression that indicated I already had enough friends. It was off-putting, I'd been told.

Who would have thought that I, Bella Swan, could ever be viewed as intimidating? It was kind of funny. In high school, anyone could intimidate me: one odd comment or look and I would blush furiously, embarrassed as hell. Now, here I was at 25, some brief work experience behind me and I was the one who scared them. They felt that I should just be open and accepting of my classmates; I believed trust should be earned. I wasn't going to grant it willingly to people I'd just met.

However, as part of this grand learning experience, I did think I should TRY to be friendly. Which is why I decided to sit in the lounge every once in a while, in between classes, rather than hide somewhere to eat lunch privately. Each night, to help my networking skills, I would look at the student guide to try to match the faces of the people I met that day to their names, which I always forgot. So far it was working well.

That said, I couldn't help putting on the iPod every once in a while to block out the daily chatter. Usually, I brought my GAMES magazine with me. Today, I sat peacefully in a corner of the lounge making a list of the things I needed to accomplish this week and eating my small bowl of pasta. No one had disturbed me yet; iPods were often a universal sign for 'don't bother me.'

Suddenly, I saw a hand tapping the iPod. Hmmm, someone can't read signs. I looked up and was surprised at who I found attached to the hand.

It wasn't one of my classmates. I was taken aback by the mussed-up copperish hair and the green eyes that looked at me. It took me a second or two to place him.

"Edward… right?"

He smiled. "Yes, you remembered. Nice to see you again, Bella."

Wow, when had I met him? November? I instantly remembered that first night of Karate. "I told you that there aren't too many Edwards out there. This is a surprise; it has been a while."

"It has. Did you ever sign up for that Karate class?"

I nodded. "Yep."

He smirked. "Is it as intimidating as you thought?"

I looked down at my iPod. "Actually, it's great," I answered.

"How so?" he pressed.

I looked back up at him, and then my eyes wandered over his shoulder as I thought about it. "I was a bit of a klutz through high school and it has only been over the past several years that my sense of balance stabilized. In college I took dance classes and it actually helped a bit. Here at U of C, I wanted to take Karate to learn self defense while in Hyde Park, but it is also brings a different sense of balance to my time here. Group meetings are far less frustrating when I've spent an hour during the day kicking and punching." Gosh, I volunteered a mouthful. My eyes made it back to his face.

He laughed. He had an interesting smile…not too toothy, and seemingly genuine. I decided to not be rude and see if he cared to sit. "Were you on your way somewhere or would you like to join me for a little bit? I have a class in about 45 minutes."

He nodded. "I'd love to, thanks." He sat down.

"So what are you doing here in the B'school lounge?"

"I frequent all of the lounges, in search of quiet space and better food."

"Ah. Good luck with that… you'll find neither here."

He chuckled. "So what were you listening to before I so rudely interrupted you?"

"My iPod," I responded.

He cocked his head and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I gathered that. What play list?"

He picked up the iPod and reviewed the song that I'd paused. His brow furrowed as he looked a little surprised. "Are you playing Yo Yo Ma?"

"Well, he's one of the artists. It's actually the theme from Cinema Paradiso." I said somewhat sheepishly.

"Movie soundtracks?"

I nodded. "Some Cirque shows too."

"Really?" He seemed intrigued.

"Yeah, I know it is a weird playlist."

"Could I hear one?" he asked.

I was taken aback for a second. "Do you want to? Do you like movies?"

"Yes and yes. I'm now curious about this." He was about to pick up the iPod, but I grabbed it first. "Wanna try to guess the movie?"

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "A challenge?"

I shrugged. "Not necessarily," I said, nonchalantly. "You don't have to if you don't think you can do it."

His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips. "So you are challenging me. What is the prize?"

"Glory? See if you can name that tune."

He bowed his head slightly. "Sounds good."

Suddenly, I realized that this would be difficult with only my headphones.

"Okay, only one thing. I need to hear how quickly you're getting it. Well, not need to but I'd like to track the trigger point for you to see how good you are at this. Do you mind sharing the earphones? I'll listen to the right and you can listen to the left. I don't think it will handicap you... unless your hearing isn't great."

Edward paused for the briefest of seconds, holding his breath, then he breathed out and stared me in the eyes. His voice was steady but low. "My hearing is excellent." He took an ear bud and put it in his left ear. I put the other in my right. Our heads were a bit close, but not any closer than folks reading an assignment together. I picked a song out of his view and pressed play.

After five notes, he said, "The Piano. Too easy."

I picked another. After another few notes, he said, "Last of the Mohicans."

I was amazed. "Damn, you're good…" I murmured.

"You sound surprised," he said softly. "Next one."

This one would be easy, but it had a twist. After three notes, he guessed. "Clair de Lune. Debussy."

I was smug. "Yes, but name the movie though."

He frowned. "Oh, hmmm. I don't know."

"Ocean's Eleven. End of movie. Okay, two hits, one miss." I selected another one.

He rolled his eyes. "Please. Star Wars… The Empire Strikes Back."

I pulled the earbud out of my ear, sat back in my chair and exhaled. "Okay, you're killing me here!" I was having so much fun: movies were my thing. And he was great at this! With each song, I was becoming more aware of his physical proximity and that amazing smell of his soap or whatever it was. I tried to ignore it and focus on the game with my new acquaintance.

Edward stiffened. "Killing you? Why?"

"Star Wars is an easy pick. But Empire? VERY well done."

"My favorite of the series."

I nodded as I leaned in and put the earbud back in. "Mine too. I like your tastes."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, a sly smile on his lips. There was amusement and yet seriousness behind his eyes. "And I suspect that I would like your… tastes."

That sounded odd. Hmmm. I pressed another. He seemed stumped. I was shocked. "What? How could you miss that? It was the number one movie last year. Pirates of the Caribbean!"

"I've been busy working."

I acquiesced. "Okay, I'll give you that. Next."

We continued for about 15 minutes. He got Dances with Wolves and The Natural but missed The Lord of the Rings. It was incredible.

"Okay, here you go," I said. "Last one. If you get this, I'll…" Oops. I stopped immediately and my face started to flush. I couldn't believe what I had been about to say.

His eyes flashed to mine, blatantly curious. "You'll what?"

I made up something quickly. "I'll give you a dollar with the glory."

He gazed seriously at me. In that silky voice of his, he said, "That wasn't what you were going to say though."

I could feel the flush deepening. I looked down at the iPod. "But it is what I said."

"You really won't tell me?"

"Nope. Ready to try for the dollar?"

I pressed play one last time. I wondered if he would get this one. I thought I might pass out if he actually did.

The music went on. Almost a half a minute had passed. He wasn't going to get it.

I watched his eyes as they stared outward, almost blank. He was concentrating hard, but after a minute, he shook his head. His face was disappointed. "I don't think I recognize it."

I exhaled. Thank God. "Ah… The Shawshank Redemption."

"Hmmm. Again, I don't think I know that."

I took the earbud out of my ear and sat back again. "Okay, seriously? You haven't seen it?"

He removed the earbud from his ear and set it gently on the table. Then with his head still somewhat down, he raised his eyes up to meet mine. "No," he breathed.

I felt his incredible cool breath wash over me as his 'bedroom eyes' look stunned me for a second. I blinked to shake it off. "Wow," I responded. "You've missed out on a great one."

He picked up the iPod and scrolled through the list. "So how did you organize this?"

"Sort of by musical sound… you know, westerns lumped together, then as they pick up in tempo… action films. Piano segments/quiet pieces together. Then at the end, they go in ascending order up until my favorite."

He cocked his head. "Shawshank is your favorite movie then?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. I'll have to see it sometime to see what intrigues you, Ms. Swan."

I flushed again and looked down. He was unnerving me. I had worked for so long not to let people fluster me and today I was turning pink like crazy. "Yes, you should," I mumbled quickly. "I have it if you'd like to borrow it sometime."

He smirked at me again. I think he liked seeing me embarrassed. "So are you going to tell me what you were going to say?"

"Nope. Movin' on."

He chuckled. "Okay, different question. Are any of these songs the one you zone out to when you're walking to school?"

I was puzzled. "Zone out to?"

"Uh, yes. I've seen you walking to and from classes here and there, and…"

I interrupted him. "When? Why haven't I seen you?"

He waved one hand casually. "I've been with colleagues mostly, walking to other buildings or sitting with them in discussions. I noticed that sometimes your eyes go blank, your hands start moving slightly and you look like you're somewhere else."

I knew then what he witnessed. He sure was observant. No one had asked me about that before. I smiled. "Oh, no. Not movie soundtracks, no."

He leaned closer to me and gave me a slight nudge on my shoulder with his. "Would you tell me?"

I gave it up… I wasn't embarrassed about the song. "It's a Genesis song that I love."

He seemed surprised. "Oh. What is the…?" Suddenly he was distracted.

I followed his eyes over my shoulder and saw three guys approaching. My summer program friends. "Hey guys. What's up?"

The guys looked at me and then to Edward. Ben spoke first. "Sorry, Bella, are we interrupting a meeting or something?"

"No, we were just chatting. Edward, these are some of my friends here… Ben, Eric, Tyler – Edward." I said, gesturing among them.

"Are you a student here?" Tyler asked suspiciously.

"Grad student in Biology." he answered tersely. At that, Edward stood up. "Well, I must go. It was good to meet you all. Bella, it was nice to see you again. I'll likely see you around campus."

"Oh, okay." I was a little disappointed. It had been a fun half hour. "See you."

I watched him as he left and my friends made themselves comfortable at the table. Before leaving the room, he turned to look at me. Catching me looking, he winked.

I could feel my face turning colors again. I smiled and then turned back to my friends.

A/N: The story will unfold slowly. Please stay with me. And please review.