Hey kids! I'm back! After a year of madness, I'm returning to my old stories. I ended up getting married and moved away from home. Good times. I reread all my stories and really enjoyed it. I am going to write a chapter a week for this one. Should be done by the end of summer. Next chapter should be intense. This one is a filler leading up to the action. =3


New Night

Chapter 3: Another Day

If it weren't for my high metabolism, I would have slept right through my 10 a.m. class. I was really starting to regret taking my Tuesday /Thursday classes before noon. Regretted it so much that I decided to switch to all afternoon and night classes.

I pulled myself from my sleep and went back to my faithful laptop. It seemed like students of the ivy league didn't like night classes. There were openings in everything I needed. I tried to tell myself it was so I could get a day job and sleep a little more, but my conscious knew it was because of him. Regardless, of my intentions, I was happy with my decision.

I did all my morning rituals: showering, brushing my hair, finding clothes. I found myself remembering why I was awake. My stomach let out quite the roar. I grabbed my hoodie to leave but remembered I was meeting Jacob for lunch in about 45 minutes. I sighed and grabbed a granola bar, wondering if I would ever make it to breakfast in the dining hall.

There really wasn't much to fill my time. Facebook wasn't exciting and I never really liked TV all that much. So, I fell back into my reading routine. In 45 minutes I managed to get about 75 pages read in Pride and Prejudice. Not bad for a morning read.

New Hampshire was really letting me down: another cloudy day. I tried not to let that get to me. I had a ton to do today. I needed to buy books, find a job and find something to distract me from the boy with the auburn hair.

Just as I stepped into the dining hall, Jacob about ran me over.

"I didn't know if you remembered. I was getting anxious." His smile was nice. Nothing like Edward's.

"Sorry, I was reading." I grabbed a tray and started piling it with things that would surely make me obese.

"So, you're a reader eh? Anything I'd like?"

"Mostly classics. Jane Austin, Shakespeare, Bronte. Every author off of the AP reading list." I sat at the table I would probably sit at for the rest of my college career.

Jacob laughed. "I'm guessing you're not into sci-fi then? Right?"

"Not really. Witches are boring, wizards are more trouble than they're worth and vampires freak me out."

And as soon as I finished my thought, none other than Edward Cullen walked to the table. He paused. I guessed he was debating if he was welcome.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything." He was looking at Jacob, not me. "Bella, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday again. I didn't receive a response to my email."

"Oh! Uh, yeah. I got it. I was just busy last night. Had to . . . change my classes around. Everything's okay." He was apologizing again? At least he was persistent. Maybe the last couple of years were a fluke. Probably not. All men are the same.

"Well, then. I'll be seeing you in class." He smiled and turned. "Jacob," he said with a nod and then left the hall.

"That was awkward," Jacob said, breaking a silence I wasn't aware of. "So, you know him?"

"Yeah. He lived out by my dad's. We didn't talk much then." I felt like I would be telling the same story to every person I met. All the story did was reiterate the fact that Edward wanted nothing to do with me.

"He's a weird one. Something out of sci-fi for sure." Jacob being stuffing his face. Apparently, he was still a growing boy.

"Sci-fi? How do you figure?" I couldn't help but indulge myself. I knew it wasn't my place to dive into the inner workings of a guy I barely knew, but I was interested. Who wouldn't be?

"I don't know for sure, but I know there's something off with the Cullens." Jacob leaned back in his chair. "My sister had a few classes with Rosalie and the other older ones. They only took night classes. Kept to themselves, and I personally never see them eat."

I sighed. All trivial stuff.

"Well, they could be vegan or something." It would explain how they all stayed beautiful. "And they were home schooled. They probably don't have the same social skills as us."

I chuckled. Me? Social skills?

"Whatever they are, they're not the type for me. I like people who are into talking and eating."

No matter how oblivious I was to the ritual of dating, I could tell Jacob was insinuating something.

"I have to go. I need to buy books before my next class and find a job." I really wasn't up to messing up the first real friend I've had in a while.

"Okay. Maybe I'll see you around for lunch again?"

"Sure thing." I couldn't help but smile. It was nice having plans, no matter how vague they happened to be.

My next few hours were pretty productive. I spent about half of my savings account on various novels and text books for my 15 credit hours worth of classes. I read another 100 pages of my book. I also managed to get an interview to work in the library part-time.

Feeling pretty good about life, I decided to venture to an ice-cream stand before heading to class. I juggled my cone, books and wallet as I attempted to cross the street. I should have known better and found myself in a mess of vanilla on the pavement.

Maybe I should consider taking dance lessons.

By the time I managed to get the ice cream off of my brand new textbook, I was running late to class. Luckily, economics was in a huge lecture hall. I slid in to the back row and didn't even miss the syllabus being handed out.

Half-way through the class I knew this was one of those classes I would be skipping every day I could manage. The professor spoke in a heavy French accent and was stuck on how America's economy was a waste.

My 5:30 class wasn't any better. World history wasn't really my thing. I didn't like memorizing dates.

At last it was time for my Literature class. I got to class early, since history let out with time to spare. I took my seat in the middle of the class and waited patiently, wishing I would have brought something other than my economics book to read. I blankly stared at the door as I waited for the minutes to pass.

"Bella?" a familiar voice called.

I shook my head.

" . . . Edward?" He was in another one of my classes? The chances of us picking the same college were slim, let alone picking two out of five classes to sit through together. "You're into English?"

"I like a little bit of everything." He took the seat next to me, closest to the window. "I love a good book. I hope we're reading more than Milton and Herbert. They're great, but there are other poets and authors out there."

Of course Edward Cullen knew the metaphysical poets. He couldn't just be beautiful and mysterious; he had to be smart and well-read.

"I don't like poetry. At all, actually." I don't know what it is, but I always feel a little like starting something when I'm with Edward. It's like he always pushed my buttons, or I was just a basket case.

"It's a shame. A good poem never hurt anyone."

"Except Sylvia Plath."

"Nice one," he chuckled. "At least you know you're poetry and aren't basing your attitudes on nothing."

"Thanks." I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. No matter how cool I could act, my blushing always told all.

We were both silent for a minute, but it didn't feel awkward. I liked that. He looked like he was examining me. That I didn't like.

"Bella, I thought I told you to watch your step." He was pointing at my arm. There was a little ice cream on top of what would soon be a bruise. I cursed myself for not cleaning up better.

"I fell on the way over here. I was carrying too much." And why would he care? I was still getting used to this new side of Edward I hadn't seen. The side that cared about my well-being.

"Next time don't eat and walk. Wouldn't want my father to see you at a hospital again."

"I thought your dad was still working in Forks?" It didn't make sense for him to come here. Wouldn't they want to stay with their house and friends?

"Alice and I are the youngest. Now that we've graduated, my parents thought they should relocate closer to our university. All my brothers and sister are here as well." He leaned back and actually looked relaxed for once. I couldn't help but stare. He seemed so motionless. "Are you friends with Jacob black?" His words broke my gaze.

"Um, yeah. Kinda. We just met yesterday." I quickly looked down at my hands.

"I see . . . " His voice trailed off and then he turned toward the door. "Looks like class is going to start soon."

I strained my eyes. I didn't see any movement by the door, and I didn't hear anything beside my classmates chatter. But, like clockwork, the professor walked in about 30 seconds later.

Every once in a while during the class I'd steal a glance at Edward, but he seemed to be very focused on what the professor was saying. I, on the other hand, was more concerned with why Edward wanted to know about Jacob and I's relationship. Why would Edward want to know anything about me?

Somehow I had managed to successfully not pay attention the entire class. Before I knew it, everyone around me stood up to leave. I turn to my right, half expecting Edward to have disappeared like last time, but there he was, standing over me.

"I have to get going, but I was wondering if you would join me for dinner tomorrow after class in the dining hall. Alice would like to meet you." He waited patiently for my reply, and I stared at his lips. I nodded and he left.

I didn't really feel like going back to my dorm and doing nothing, so I decided I'd go to my hall's lounge. Allegedly there were nightly activities. I wasn't the type to usually like those types of things, but today had proven itself to be something out of the ordinary. I had somehow acquired a dinner date with the Cullens.

The girls from my dorm appeared to be making a collage of their first couple of days on campus. They were going to put it up in the quad and change it every so often. I sighed. I never took pictures.

As I was about to leave, I noticed Amanda sitting alone with a book. Normally I wouldn't disturb someone reading, knowing how annoying it could be, but I was desparate.

"Hey, Amanda." I took a seat next to her. "Not into collaging I assume?"

She laughed. "No, not for me. How were your classes?" She didn't seem too upset I had interrupted her.

"Economics and history will be a chore, but I'm looking forward to lit."

She nodded. Apparently I didn't say anything worth elaborating on.

"Oh, and Edward Cullen is in another one of my classes." I sighed. I didn't know if I should be excited about this.

"Are you sure you don't have a thing for him?" Amanda turned to face me. I could see myself in the reflection of her glasses.

"He's pretty attractive; I'm not going to lie." Another sigh. "But I still feel like I'm putting him out. Like him talking to me is a chore or something."

"Come on now, Bella. Don't be oblivious." She rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't be talking to you at all if he didn't want to." Amanda leaned in, like there was someone listening to our exchange. "Just between you and me, he completely ignored Jessica. Just said a hello and moved on. It really upset her."

I let out a chuckle. I tried to entertain the idea of Edward actually wanting to talk to me and not trying to make up for all the times he'd run from me. It didn't work out. Edward looked like a model for some overseas fashion line and I looked like a plain girl from Arizona who really belonged in Iowa, with corn.

Still, Jessica was much more appealing than I was. Maybe Edward really was into girls with intelligence, then again, just because I read a lot didn't mean I was a genius.

Every little angle I could come up, I analyzed. And in the end, all I knew is that I needed something better to do than thinking about Edward Cullen.