Thanks again to my wonderful Love-of-Edward-Cullen. She is my muse :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.
EPOV
I awoke on Monday morning to the blaring sound of my alarm. I rolled over to hit the snooze button when I realized it had been going off for over twenty minutes.
"Shit!" I yelled and flew out of bed. Late again. I threw on a pair of faded jeans and a blue polo shirt. I rushed to the bathroom and hurriedly brushed my teeth. Looking in the mirror I quickly ran my hands through my hair. Good enough.
I ran into the kitchen to grab something to eat and noticed Emmett leaning lazily against the counter reading the paper.
"Oh, hey Edward," he said calmly.
"What the fuck, Em! Why didn't you wake me up? I'm late!" I grabbed an apple off the counter and shoved a water bottle into my bag.
"Dude, it's not my job to make sure you're up for school on time. I'm not our mother for Christ sake!" he rolled his eyes at me. "But now that you're up, can I hitch a ride with you?"
It was my turn to roll my eyes. I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the door. "Come on," I grumbled.
He threw down the paper and followed me out the door with his own bag. We got into my Volvo and I sped down the street. We didn't live far from the college so we got there in no time. I parked the car and hurried off to my first class, Emmett crossing the quad to his.
I yanked the door of the auditorium open, found a seat near the back and sat down just as the professor was beginning his lecture. "Human Anatomy" was one of my favourite classes, and the irony of today's lecture was not lost on me. "Human Reproductive Systems". Great. Every time Dr. Phipps said the words "penis" or "vagina" I cringed internally. I mentally chastised myself for acting like a twelve year old. It wasn't as if I found the words humorous in any way, it was just that it made me think of sex, which made me think of Bella.
I took copious notes in this class, looking over to my left every once in a while at the hot blonde across the aisle. She would smile at me and bat her eyelashes. One time I looked over at her and she was tracing the tip of her pen across her bottom lip. Then she flicked out her tongue and rested the pen on the tip of it, smiling devilishly.
Any other time I would have smiled back and handed her my number. Now, unfortunately, I just had to shake my head and turn back to the lecture. I heard her whisper nastily to her friend beside her and I could see them shoot me dirty looks out the corner of my eye.
Whatever.
The class ended a few minutes later and I tossed my notebook back into my bag and stood up. I needed a coffee. I didn't have another class for an hour so I headed to the cafeteria to see if Emmett and Jasper were there.
I walked through the large hall, winding my way around tables, receiving punches on my arm from guys I knew and breathless 'Hi Edward's' from the girls, even the ones I didn't know. I nodded to them and kept on my way.
I eventually found my brother and Jasper seated at a table near the food court. I dropped my bag on the floor and pulled out a chair. I flopped into it and looked at the guys.
"Rough class Edward?" Emmett asked.
"Not really," I replied casually.
"A little anxious today?" Jasper chimed in.
"No."
"I think Alice's roommate may have you a little preoccupied," Jasper continued.
Preoccupied? Me? Well, the fact that my eyes hadn't stopped roaming the cafeteria, hoping for a sight of Bella obviously wasn't lost on him. Damn Jasper and his perception. I watched as he lifted a plastic cup with a straw and some pink liquid inside it to his mouth. Damn his perception and those seriously fruity drinks.
"I need a coffee, or some type of caffeine," I said getting up from my seat.
"Well I would recommend-" Jasper started, but I cut him off quickly.
"Not a chance. Coffee. Plain black coffee will do." I turned my back on them and walked into "The Marketplace". It was a small round section with different food and beverage places along the outside. I went to a stand in the middle and poured myself a coffee. I couldn't even bring myself to put any milk or sugar in it.
I walked up and stood at the back of the line of people waiting to pay. I noticed the girl in front of me had incredibly beautiful hair and a small, tight ass. I was staring appreciatively when she dropped a book she was carrying and cried, "Crap!"
I bent to pick it up for her and realized when she turned to take it back from me that it was her. Bella. I had never been this close to her before. She smelled amazing, like fresh laundry and sunshine, not at all what I was used to. Usually chicks poured on some cheap imitation of a popular designer fragrance that was overpowering to the senses.
"Hi Bella," I said confidently, holding the book out to her.
"How do you know my name?" she asked warily, not looking directly at me.
Shit. "Oh, I have a class with you and I've heard the professor call on you before." I recovered quickly. "You're very smart," I added. Chicks loved when you complemented them on shit like that.
"Uh, thanks?" She said it as a question. She took the book back from me and moved ahead a few paces.
"You're welcome, Bella." I liked the way her name sounded on my lips. But damn it all to hell, she still wasn't looking at me.
"So do you have a class now?" I asked casually.
"Not until twelve," she mumbled, Her body only half facing me.
"Me either." I left it at that, my implication should be clear.
She nodded her head and moved forward as it was her turn to pay. She was holding a similar cup as my own and I reached forward and touched her hand as she began to pull a bill out of her wallet. "It's ok, I've got it."
"Oh, um, you don't have to do that. Really," she looked at my chest, then quickly turned back to the girl at the till. She was so small, if I pulled her in for a hug she'd barely reach my shoulders. I liked it.
"No, really, I insist." I handed the girl some cash for our drinks and waited for my change.
Bella had moved out of the way of the other lines and waited until I walked over to her. "Well, thanks," she said awkwardly.
"You're welcome, Bella," I repeated. I could see Emmett and Jasper a few tables away. I looked down at her and smiled. I placed my hand on the small of her back and began leading her to a table.
"Where are we going?" she asked. We stopped at a table next to Emmett and Jasper. Bella looked at it with a confused expression on her face.
"Well I figured since I bought you a coffee, the least you could do is sit down and drink it with me," I said confidently.
Her face turned eight shades of red in that moment. I watched as she silently reached her hand into the front pocket of her jeans, pulled out a few dollars, and slammed them onto the table.
"Thanks, but no thanks, jerk," she replied coldly. She turned on her heel and stalked out of my sight.
I waited with baited breath…three…two…one…
"Haha! Edward she shot you DOWN!" Emmett slapped the table, laughing so hard he started choking.
I couldn't bring myself to face them just yet. I took a deep breath to calm myself, then I slowly turned and sat down across from them.
I looked up to see Emmett still in hysterics, his face almost as red as Bella's had been. Jasper, bless his fruity little heart, was trying his hardest not to join in.
"Go a-fucking-head. Laugh," I shouted at him.
He finally broke down. "Dude, you should have seen the look on your face! She didn't just shoot you down, she slaughtered you!"
"Ya, ya. Laugh it up assholes," I shook my head. I swear I drank that coffee in one gulp. I didn't need caffeine, I needed liquor.
Damn it. I'm Edward fucking Cullen. I need a plan.
BPOV
I stormed through the cafeteria and out the doors into the sunshine. What a jerk! How dare he think he can buy my attention?!
"Bella! BELLA!" I vaguely heard my name being called through my internal grumblings.
Afraid it was him again I turned around and yelled "WHAT?!"
I was standing face to face with Rosalie, my hand cocked like I was going to haul one off in her face. "Jesus, Bella! It's just me!" She clutched her hand over her heart and smiled. "Nice. Scaring me into thinking you might slap my face off is a feat! Good job Bella." She was laughing.
I could feel the heat leaving my face. "Sorry Rose, I'm just a little upset."
"Ya, I can tell. Not that I blame you. I mean, a run in with Edward Cullen isn't always a good time. I saw what happened. I was just coming out to make sure you were ok."
"So it has a name?" I said, my anger flaring back up.
She laughed heartily. "Yes, it has a name. And to be quite honest, I'm surprised you didn't recognize him." She rolled her eyes.
I had recognized him. Well, sort of. I wasn't really looking at him. I generally tried to avoid looking directly at anything threatening, like guys. But I thought for a moment where I knew him from. Edward Cullen…I think he had a fling with that girl from my Anthropology class. And one with Emma in my sociology class, oh and that other girl from that other class…Come to think of it, he had had a lot of flings with a lot of the girls I knew.
I just shook my head and began stalking off to the library to meet Alice. Rose followed silently behind me.
Edward Friggin' Cullen. What the heck would he even want with me?
*****
I was sitting in the front row of our Women's Studies class in between my two best friends. Alice was texting on her cell phone and Rose was flipping through a Cosmo magazine while we waited for class to begin. I had pulled out my notebook and a copy of our current study, Jane Eyre.
I began scanning through the text when I heard the rustling and laughter behind us. I nudged Rose and rolled my eyes. She turned and looked over her shoulder and shot a nasty look. She leaned over to whisper in my ear, "It's Edward. Take a deep breath, Bella. Don't pay any attention to him."
I did as she instructed. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I wouldn't let him ruin this class, or my day in general, although his mere presence was doing a pretty good job.
Alice must have got a good text as she let out a squeak beside me and turned in her seat. "Jasper!"
Surprised, I turned around to look at him. Alice had practically fallen in love with him in one weekend. One kiss on the dance floor and she was telling me he was the man she was going to marry. She scared me sometimes. Now I was seriously starting to question her judgment, as I could see Edward on Jasper's left. If he was friends with that jerk, was he any good for my Alice? I really didn't get a chance to talk to him, or see much of him actually, except the back of his head. He was glued to Alice the whole night at the bar.
I gave him a slight smile and quickly turned back around in my seat. Alice pinched my arm and mouthed "be nice".
"Jasper, you remember my roommates, Bella and Rosalie?" she said sweetly.
"Of course. And these are my friends, Edward and Emmett Cullen," he said politely.
I heard Rose's slight intake of breath as she laid eyes on Emmett. I turned to look over my left shoulder and nodded to the burly guy. He was so clearly her type. Too bad he was probably born with the same 'jerk' gene as his brother.
"Hi Bella!" he laughed. "Sorry for my brother, he's kind of an idiot," he was grinning from ear to ear. He was talking to me, but he was staring at Rosalie.
I heard the sound of someone being hit, then Emmett's laughter again. He leaned forward in his seat and began talking sweetly to Rose. Maybe he was the good brother.
On my other side Alice and Jasper were flirting and laughing.
Lovely.
Fortunately Edward stayed put and didn't try to strike up some brilliantly nauseating small talk with me. A moment later Dr. Hewitt entered the auditorium and quickly began her lecture.
I was listening intently and taking notes when a tap on my shoulder made me turn my head slightly.
"What?" I whispered, trying to be respectful of the professor.
It was Edward. "Can I borrow a pen? Mine just ran out," he asked sweetly.
I rolled my eyes. "Like you've been taking any notes, let alone enough to make your pen run out!" I hissed.
"I don't need to take a lot of notes, Bella. I'm an auditory learner."
"Doesn't Jasper or Emmett have one you could borrow?" I whispered back irritably.
"No."
I grumbled internally, but bent down to my bag and grabbed him a stupid pen. I didn't bother to turn around, I just handed it to him over my shoulder silently.
"Thanks Bella," I could hear the smile in his voice.
I went back to taking notes. I loved the way this professor got into her lectures and really made you lose yourself in her words.
Not two minutes later there was another tap on my shoulder. "What?"
"I was just wondering if you had a black pen Bella. This one is blue and I prefer to take my notes in black."
Was he serious? He preferred a certain colour of ink to take his non-existent notes? Like he even cared about this class! He probably hadn't even read the back flap of Jane Eyre.
"No, I do not have a black pen, I only have blue, take it or-"
Just then Dr. Hewitt stopped her lecture and turned to us. "What are your thoughts on this Bella?"
Crap! I hadn't heard the question. I felt my face turn a thousand shades of red and before I could ask her to repeat the question she lifted her eyes and nodded to someone else behind me.
"Well in my personal opinion I think that Jane is a very strong feminist character but not in the "normal" sense. We often stereotype feminist women as very forward and after equality with men in areas such as politics, education, and the law. I think that Jane, however, is much deeper than this. We must look at the times Jane was living in to truly understand her feminist quandary. She is looking for recognition that men and women are equal in matters of the heart and soul, which was not an idea that was common in the Nineteenth Century." Edward finished.
The professor nodded her head, and smiled, "And why do you feel this way? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?"
There's no way he can continue… He may have pulled an intelligent sounding answer out of his butt, but there was no way he could go on. There must be essays on the internet on 'how to sound smart in a class you are clueless in."
"Well, I feel this sentiment is most prominent when Edward Rochester so offensively proposes to Jane. Her response to him is - one second, let me find it -" I heard the sound of pages rustling behind me…
"Jane says to Rochester -
Do you think I could stay to become nothing to you? Do you think that I am an automaton? - a machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! - I have as much soul as you, and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh; - it is my spirit that address your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal, as we are!
Jane is clearly saying that regardless of her social status, her beauty or lack thereof, and her poverty, if she and Rochester were to die and stand in front of God, he would judge them to be both equal in heart and soul."
Dr. Hewitt looked impressed. "That is a very interesting take…?"
"Edward. Edward Cullen," he answered.
"Very interesting Edward," she went on to address the rest of the class and get their opinions on Edward's statement.
I was shocked to say the least. Was it possible that Edward Cullen wasn't just another pretty boy hanging around in a fem class to pick up chicks? Could he really be interested in this stuff?
I was just pulling myself together when he leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "Are you sure you don't have a black pen?"
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