Merry day after Christmas! I hope the holidays are treatin' everyone well. This quick update is my present to all you lovely people how are reading this story. Thank you so much for your interest in HH.
Also, in the spirit of the season, I think that each and everyone of you should leave a review. Pretty please? They just make my heart soar.
I dont own nothin.
December 21, 2010
BPOV
Alice finds me naked in the center of Edward's old bed. My chin rests on my knees, my arms wrap around my legs, and I wear the red sheet like a toga with my discarded journal lingering at the foot of the bed. I stare intently out the window, entranced by the big flakes drifting down from the grey sky.
I don't cry until I see the look of absolute pity on Alice's face.
Sobs wrack my shoulders as Alice puts an arm around my waist and pulls my head to her chest. She hugs me, rocking back and forth as I shake and sob. She makes calming noises and I can't recall the last time I cried like this. Alice brings the unfamiliar quilt around us, reclining with me in her arms until we're lying against the pillows.
Twenty minutes later, my sobs turn to pathetic little sniffles.
"I can't believe I'm in bed with you like this." She speaks for the first time and her voice is remarkably untroubled. "There are probably bodily fluids all over the place. This is disgusting."
I laugh loudly, snorting into Alice's shoulder. I crackle away, my maniacal crying now replaced by maniacal laughter. The two of us giggle hysterically, and I'm reminded of a time when we were young roommates, freshman year.
We slip into silence, and she soothingly runs a hand through my hair.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask without opening my eyes.
"Oh, Bella," Alice replies, sighing heavily. "He may be my twin, but you are my friend. And it would be pointless for me to torture you when you have done such an excellent job of fucking things up on your own."
I nod, appreciating her honesty.
"How is he?" The words are spoken so quietly, I'm not sure at first if Alice can even hear me.
"Fine, Bella. He's fine."
"Good, good. That's good." I stutter and blush. It occurs to me that Alice probably heard everything last night, and I'm far too conscious of my nudity.
"How are you, Bella?" Alice asks seriously.
"I really don't know, Alice."
"Are you back? For good?"
"Yes," I say, sitting up so I can smile at her. "I mean, I need to get a job and find somewhere to live. But yes. I'm home for good."
"Good. And you are staying here of course," she states matter of factly.
"But… I can't… this is your brother's room." I'm back to stuttering, but really the idea is so appealing. I crave the familiar. I'm grasping at anything that will get me a little closer to where I was before I took off.
"Bella, he hasn't lived here in a year and a half. He doesn't even visit very often. I haven't had the heart to rent it out because I knew you would need somewhere to live. I have been saving it for you silly!" Alice is smiling and adorable and I love her How I survived without her for two years, I will never know.
"Thank you." I'm crying again. "But you should really make sure it's ok with your twin. I've already hurt him enough. I don't want to force myself back into his life. I thought after last night… but I'm a fucking moron for thinking it would be that simple, huh?"
Alice sighs heavily. "Edward's anything but simple. Everything will work out Bella, you'll see."
I make Alice breakfast, and we spend the morning catching up. I learn that Rosalie is designing for an engineering firm and Emmett is doing HR for Whole Foods, of all places. Jasper is teaching history at my old high school while Alice teaches drawing lessons for little kids and is showing her own work in several local studios.
I want it to snow more so I'm forced stay in the Goss house bubble with Alice all day, but I have people to see, sins to atone for.
August 22, 2004
I manage to avoid Hallett Hall until the Sunday afternoon before school starts. Jake recently moved in with Embry and Quill in a shity little house on The Hill so I crashed with the boys the night after my little escapade in room 233 E.
But tomorrow is the first day of college and people have already started to congregate to party at Jake's. I crave the quiet, and Jake's is always so fucking loud,. It's going to be real difficult, balancing my old friends with my new status as college kid. It's weird already and I have to get out of that house. There's nowhere to go except back to my dorm.
And my roommate, whose brother I accidently slept with Friday night.
The part that is really fucking freaking me out is the sleeping. We just slept. That's it. And I was wasted. And he wasn't. And then… I don't know. He flusters me, and I hope never ever see him again.
Except we live on the same floor. And his fucking twin sister is my roommate.
I pause in front of room 233W (trying not to think of the occupant of room 233E), steeling myself for the awkwardness that is sure to follow.
Alice has already annoyed the ever-loving piss out of me.
She is bubbly and perky and loud. And she fucking hugged me when I arrived to move my shit in on Friday.
Hugged me.
Hugged me.
She squeaked my name, bounded off her bed, wrapped her tiny little arms around me, and said that she just knew that we would be the best of friends. Jake and Embry, who helped me haul my few belongings into my new home, left real quick after that.
Right.
I don't really hang out with girls at all. I'm much more comfortable with my boys. They know me, don't judge me, and most importantly, they just let me be. They are easy.
Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door and step apprehensively into the small room that I will be sharing with the perky midget for the next 9 months. I'm met with silence, which is weird because I get the feeling that Alice Cullen is rarely silent.
The room is blessedly empty.
I dump my bag on the desk chair and flop down on my elevated twin bed. I curl into the fetal position, feeling sorry for myself.
I stare at Alice's flawlessly decorated half of the room. Her purple color scheme is girly and trendy. Her posters and pictures match. She has a bulletin board set up that includes swatches of fabric and pictures of Alice surrounded by people who really seem to love her.
Most of them contain her brother, a mammoth dark haired boy that I take to be the legendary Emmett, and two beaming parents.
She has so much stuff.
I basically have no stuff, no loving family besides Billy and Jake. My mom is a heartless cunt, and my dad lives on the other side of the country. I barely even know the man.
Alice Cullen's life is colorful and love filled. Her tastes are designer, and I want to hate her for being a spoiled little rich girl. But mostly I'm just jealous. She seems to have it all, and I can't help comparing our material possessions.
She has books and posters of post-impressionist works of art and fashion magazines and technology all over the place and at least eighty pillows.
I have a thin quilt a grandmother I never met sewed, and a fleece blanket with sheep on it. I have my textbooks for school and a new Mac computer that I didn't want to except from Renee. But I didn't really have a choice. I have a couple pictures Jake and me, plus a stack of old journals and my favorite works of fiction.
I have a hard ass attitude that usually keeps me from feeling too much, but even that has been off since I spent the night with Adonis.
I have a closet full of flannel and black. I have motorcycle boots and converse sneakers. Alice has cute dresses and high heels.
She doesn't belong in Colorado, but she does belong in college. I am just the opposite.
I really need to stop feeling sorry for myself.
I have friends. I grew up less then a mile from the dorm. Jake is never more then a phone call away. I can do this. I deserve to be here just as much as they pansy ass, rich girl types. I don't give a fuck if the rest of the girls on my floor are just like Alice Cullen and therefore sure to hate me.
Well fuck them. I am Bella fucking Swan and I don't need anyone.
Somewhere in the middle of my mental peptalk, I fall asleep because the sun is low in the sky when the opening of the door woke me up.
I blink, readjusting as the overhead light flicks on, and I brace myself for the coming onslaught of little Ms. Perky Pants.
"Hey," Alice says, smiling slightly. "Sorry, I didn't see you. Did I wake you?"
"No, it is fine. I guess I just dozed off," I reply, feeling awkward.
Alice nods, moving to her crazy, organized closet. She slips off her insanely high black heels that probably cost as much as my truck. She picks up the shoes, placing them on the rack in her closet, making sure all the pairs were exactly lined the fuck up.
Wow, some one was a wee bit anal.
At least she isn't chattering away at me or hugging me or trying to color coordinate shit today.
I wonder if she's mad at me. I wonder what her brother told her. I wonder if she thinks I'm a slut.
She really wouldn't be that wrong.
And Alice still hasn't talked to me.
Not that I fucking want her to. I don't like her. She is annoying, a bouncy rich girl with no substance or redeeming qualities. It's good that she finally figured out that we won't be friends.
Still half asleep, I watch as Alice bustles about the room, tidying even though her half of the living space is spotless. With tiny fucking fists on her tiny fucking hips, she surveys the area, nodding once to herself, before pulling a sleek, black portfolio out from under her bed. She sits cross-legged in the center of our room on the carpet, bringing a large sketch pad into her lap and tucking a charcoal pencil behind her ear.
I suddenly becomes much more interested in my rich, perky, roommate.
"Alice," I say, feeling a little guilty for breaking her concentration as her head snaps up to gaze at me. "What's your major?"
These are facts we probably should have already discussed but I didn't really care before. Plus, I hate all these boring ass questions freshmen ask each other. The answer is never anything real.
"Right now? Studio Art. But that might change, I mean it's not very practical and my dad want me to go into business like my brother or medicine, like my other brother."
"Fuck that. Studio Art is badass," I say, crawling out of bed and awkwardly approaching her. I wonder which brother is which before deciding Adonis must be the doctor. Guy has science nerd basically etched into his forehead. "Can I look? Do you mind?"
"Not at all! Come here!" Alice grabs my hand and pulls me to the floor next to her. Fuck, she is stronger then she looks. Though not as strong as her brother. They really look nothin' alike. For twins, I mean. He is double her height and width. His hair is bronze and her is inky black. Nothing alike.
Well, I guess they had the same emerald eyes.
"These are only my drawing, charcoals, some color pencils. What I really like is oils. Or mixed media. But that's not really not something I can do in here." She chats as I flip through her sketchbook.
"Are these the Flatirons?" I ask, impressed that she had captured the rock mountains flanking Boulder so beautifully and uniquely.
"Yeah, I did that when Edward and I visited our brother Emmett last year. He's a sophomore now," she explains as I continue to study her work in silence. "The main reason I came here is because it's so pretty. Everything where I'm from is green, green, green. I like the colors here and the textures. Plus, Edward and Emmett can't be trusted on their own."
"Alice, you are fucking good. Why haven't you hung up any of your work in here?" I ask, trying to pretend that she didn't mention her brother, the Adonis.
"Really? You like them?" she asks, beaming at me and clutching her heart dramatically.
I nod, and give her a small smile in return.
"Thanks, Isabella! That… that is really nice to hear. You don't think it would be weird, do you? Hanging up my art in here? It's not conceited or stuck up or something?" Her brow furrows, and she looks at me with concern in her Edward-y eyes.
"Naw, bre . These are too fucking good not to display proudly. You're fucking talented Alice. And call me Bella."
"What?"
"Not Isabella. Just Bella."
My roommate and I spend the next half an hour picking our favorites and planning where we will put them. Alice insists they need frames. It's nice. We chat. Well, Alice chats and I nod, putting in a sentence here or there.
"Oh my gosh, Bella! I can't believe that I didn't ask you earlier. What are you studying?" she asks suddenly.
"Creative writing," I reply proudly. "I might change to English Lit though, who knows?"
"That is so cool! You will have to let me read one of your stories sometime."
"Maybe." My writing is so personal, I have a hard time showing anyone. I know that it's something I need to get over, but I don't like the idea of sharing that much with someone I have to see everyday.
"So you must like to read a lot huh?" I nod. "Do you know who else is a crazy reader? My twin brother, Edward."
Oh good God. Things have been going really well for Alice and I. I thought we were bonding. Though I don't know if we will ever really be friends, we are at least getting along. After spending some time with the girl, I begrudgingly admit to myself that my original judgment is wrong. Alice is kinda awesome. Except for all the Adonis talk.
"Alice. I don't want to talk about your brother," I say through clenched teeth.
"Why not? I know it's a little awkward, but he really likes you! He asked me so many questions about you, not that I had the answers, but still."
"Alice…"
"I know, I know. It's kinda weird, but I think you could be really great together. Edward is… special."
"Special?" I ask, a little alarmed. Visions of me drunkenly assaulting the mentally impaired bombard my brain.
"Yeah. Smart and kind, good at everything he attempts. But he doesn't really like people—"
Smart. Kind. Good. I could never be with anyone like that. I would just drag him down. I'm too fucked up to be with someone decent like Edward.
"Alright. That's enough, Alice. Listen, I don't want to talk about your brother. In fact if we have any hope of being friends, there can't be any talk about your brother. I know he is your twin and you love him and all, so I get it if that wont fly with you, but I just can't. So I don't want to know about your family or where your from or anything like that. Ok?"
That is more then the total number of words I spoke to Alice ever.
And then something very strange happens.
Alice stops talking. Her eyes unfocused and glazed over. She looks like she is about a million miles away for a moment.
But then she snaps out of her trance, beams at me, and agrees.
"Fine. No Edward talk. Now tell me, where do the locals shop? I haven't been inside a good store in days."
Somehow this spritely little rich girl has wormed her way into my cold, emotionally closed off heart to the point that not only do I point her in the right direction, but she manages to get me to partake in said shopping extravaganza.
She says the outing cements our bond.
Shockingly, I like Alice. She's funny and weird, but I still need more convincing. I continue to be wary of anything with the last name Cullen.
I am not a morning person. There is nothing harder for me then just getting out of bed. Once upon a time, I slept in well past noon on weekends but since the departure of Renee, sleep eludes me. I am always up by seven, even if my body longs to sleep later.
This day is no different. Despite the first day of college trepidation and excitement, dragging my sorry ass out of bed is as difficult as usual. Without ever really opening my eyes, I shuck the oversized t-shirt I stole form Jake and wrap a towel around my body. I grab the small plastic crate that contains my toiletries and walk down the hall to the communal bathrooms.
Sharing showers with 20 other girls really fucking freaks me out, so I wear an old pair of flip-flops.
Bursting into the bathroom, I am met with the sight of Alice's butt wagging in the air as she bends over, blow-drying her hair. Grinning up at me from in between her legs, she yells a greeting over the sound of the dryer.
I give her a little wave before locking myself in a stall, hoping the hot water will wake me up.
It doesn't.
After my shower, I blink sleepily at myself in the mirror, brushing my teeth as I listen to Alice talk about how excited she is for her Art History class this morning. It doesn't start until 11, but apparently her beauty regime takes hours to complete. And she is getting breakfast with Jasper.
"You don't talk much," she says, her eyes never leaving her reflection where she is styling her short hair.
"Sometimes I just don't have anything to say," I reply, shrugging my shoulders as I apply my eyeliner. "I'm not quite with the people that really know me."
Alice giggles.
"What?" I demand, irritated that she is laughing at me.
"Well…" She stares at me for a long moment, deciding what to say. "I know you don't want to talk about Edward, but he's the same way."
And now my day is ruined because once I start thinking about him, I don't seem capable of stopping. It's facking annoying as fack.
"Right. Whatever. I'm going to class, see you later, Alice," I say, making my way towards the door.
"Hey, Bella," she calls, stopping my forward progress. "Do you want get dinner tonight? I'm out of class as five."
It surprises me that I want to, and I smile at my roommate that is growing on me so quickly, it should be alarming. "Sure, Alice. As long as none of your siblings are there too."
Alice gives me a scout's honor, and I chuckle as I make my way back to the room to get dressed. I stare blankly into my closet for at least five minutes before settling on a rust colored tank top, jean shorts, and my Birkenstocks. I think about wearing a hemp necklace and feather earrings, but I already look too much like a hippy so I just grab my bag and got to going.
I can't help feeling a little superior as I work my way towards the exit. I know this campus. The red sandstone buildings with their clay tile roofs might look too similar to many freshmen, but I like the cohesive look they give campus. These buildings are familiar to me. This is my town. I'm not a pathetic little freshman with lost puppy dog eyes. I am going to rock this bitch.
And then, rounding the corner right before the door, I run smack into one of said puppy dogs.
Goddamn it, he is so fucking pretty.
Why does the universe hate me?
"Bella!" he exclaims, grabbing my elbows to steady me. He is beaming down at me as if I totally make his day, which is funny because he is absolutely ruining mine. "Hey! How are you?"
"Fine," I reply, pulling my arms away and stepping into the bright Colorado morning. I pull my sunglasses out of my messenger bag and hope that he isn't following me.
But his long fucking legs catch up with my shorter stride easily. "We match," he says in my ear as I march across campus.
I glance over my shoulder, trying not to return his grin when I see that we did indeed have the same Ray Ban sunglasses.
Edward does not look nearly as nerdy as his sister made her out to be. His green polo does crazy things to his eyes and damn, that boy can wear a pair of jeans.
I hate him. Why won't he just leave me alone instead of taunting me with his general sexiness?
If Edward weren't a guaranteed stage five clinger, then I would have to just fuck him out of my system. But that will not do. He is already all up in my business and we just slept together. Just sleeping. This boy is infuriating.
I light up a cigarette to busy myself while I try to ignore him, sighing with relief when that first rush of nicotine hits my system.
"Those are really bad for you, you know," Edward says brightly.
I blow smoke in his face in response because I'm nice like that.
"Are you sure you are even going this way?" I ask after we walk along for a few minutes in silence. Well, mostly silent. I inhale and exhale, he whistles.
Edward fumbles with a map and a class list, his brow furrowing. Sighing loudly, I take pity on him, snatching the list from his grasp. Our fingers touch for a split second, and it's akin to getting fucking electrocuted. I ignore the shivers.
"No way. You have Bio at 9? In Chem 140?" I demand, stopping to stare at him like an idiot and further cursing the universe.
"Yup. Am I going the right way?" he asks, smiling at me.
"Yes," I say, continuing to walk at a less furious pace.
"How do you know?" he asks, sounding suspicious, like he thinks I'm trying to lead him in the wrong direction. Which, is actually a really good idea come to think of it.
"It's where I am going," I reply without really answering his question.
Stupid universe. At least Chem 140 is a lecture hall that sits five hundred. Maybe he won't sit next to me.
Right.
"Oh really?" he says, raising an eyebrow at me. "That's convenient."
"How so?" I demand, walking passed the student center known as the UMC and up the steps to the chemistry building.
"I like walking you to class."
"This is not a daily thing, buddy," I say, stopping abruptly in front of Edward with my hand on his chest. I continue to ignore the fucking spark, and I glare down at him (I am standing on concrete stairs, two levels above him. Otherwise I would be looking up at him). I need to end this little crush he has going on. That sort of thing is just not gonna fly.
"Why not?" he inquires, tilting his head to the side and studying me like a freaking science project. He gaze makes me uncomfortable, though I can't figure out why exactly. It's like he see too much.
His simple question throws me off so I just glare at him for a bit longer. "It just ain't gonna fly, homeslice," I reply gruffly.
"Come on, Bella," he says, chuckling at me. Chuckling. At me. Who does this guy think he is? I don't like him. "Let's go sit down."
And then he slings an arm over my shoulders, completely ignoring my tough girl routine. It's like he sees through me, right down to my mushy, vulnerable, marshmallow goo center. The place where all my demons camp out. The place I pretend doesn't even exist. And he sees it, somehow.
It's fucking terrifying.
I am so shocked by the whole interaction that I let him lead me into the lecture hall and to a seat a third of the way down.
Goddamn it.
We sit in silence as we wait for the lecture to start. It's not awkward, and I can tell the boy appreciates a little quite, just like me.
He is difficult to figure out. Despite all my bitchiness, he seems to want me around. Edward is bumbling, awkward, strange, smart, and obviously very happy. He, like his sister, is a total half glass full type. I, conversely, am the queen of fucking pessimism.
We couldn't be more different.
I study him out of the corner of my eye, trying to figure out what he could possibly want from me. Unfortunately, Edward catches me staring and gives me that crooked smirk. Blushing, I look away, hating that he seems so pleased with himself.
For someone so obviously lacking social skills, he sure is self-confident.
I try not to smile as Edward makes weird faces at me in an attempt to get my attention.
"Hi!" someone practically shrieks from the other side of Edward, sealing his attention. "I'm Claire! What's your name?"
I lean forward to get a good look at this squeaky bitch. Fake tan, fake hair, sparkly eye shadow, pink polo, and diamond studs in her ears. I instantly hate her more then I hate Edward.
"Uh… Edward," the idiot boy stutters next to me, practically drooling over Betsey Big Tits.
"It's nice to meet you, Edward," she cooes, touching his bicep as he turns bright red. "Are you a freshman too?"
"Uh… yup. Freshman. That's me." Why was he acting like such a doofus?
"What's your major?" she asks. Of course. There are several questions all freshman ask each other as people desperately try to make friends when they first get to college. Where are you from? What's your major? What dorm do you live in?
Blah, blah, blah.
I hate them all. The whole charade is so goddamn trite. Since I started gong to college parties when I was 15, I've been asked them all a million times each. Unfortunately, I too am guilty of asking them back. I've gotten so good at it over the years, I can basically answer for someone without ever talking to them.
"Intergraded ph…physiology," mutters Edward. What a nerd. "Pre-med."
"Wow," she gushes, batting her eyelashes and flipping her hair. "You're like, really smart huh? You know my aunt always said, medical students are an investment." I roll my eyes. Why does this girl think portraying herself as a blatant gold-digger is an effective pick up technique? Although Edward is bright red, so it seems to be working.
"Uh… right. Yeah. So. Um… what's your major?" he asks finally as I lost all patience with the whole conversation.
"Let me guess," I say with a fake, sugar coated voice as I lean forward. "You, dear Claire, are form California, probably L.A, maybe the Valley, but definitely Southern California. You are studying Psychology, because you have daddy issues and you want to figure yourself out. This year you live in Libby, the well-known party dorm, but you are planning to rush a sorority in the next couple weeks. Am I right?"
Claire's pretty little mouth falls open in shock, and a smile plays around Edward's lips.
"I'm from Laguna," she mutters before busying herself with retrieving a notebook from her Coach bag.
"Score!" I raise my fists in triumph, causing Edward to laugh.
The professor calls the class to order, and several pass out syllabuses. I listen with half an ear, keeping boredom at bay by I doodling a tree in the corner of mine.
"That was impressive," he whisper in my ear, referring to my totally ownage of Claire from California. Edward's hot breath tickles my neck, and I shivered slightly in my seat.
I nod and smile in response.
"Where did you learn to do that?" he asks.
"It is not hard," I whisper back. "Sorry if you wanted to tap that. I think I ruined your chances."
"I'll survive. I don't like blonds."
I smile down at my paper, trying not to blush at his statements. I haven't blushed this much since lost my virginity under a pine tree at thirteen.
After fifty minutes of pointless, syllabus babble, class is dismissed. Five hundred college kids pour into the aisles and make slow progress toward the exit.
"What other classes do you have today?" Edward asks as we tromp up the steps.
"Intro to Creative Writing and Woman's Lit," I reply.
"What's your major?" he asks, causing me to glare at him. "Ok, you don't like that question. You would prefer it if I guessed?"
"You can try," I say, feigning indifference. Truthfully, I really want to know what he thinks of me.
"Ok. I would say you were from Montana or something, but you are really comfortable on campus so I think you are from Boulder. And you are a English Lit major who lives in Hallett Hall, obviously."
He's pretty good. One smart and perceptive motherfucker.
"So am I right?" he asks when I don't respond right away.
"Close," I say, hiding a smile. Edward has me smiling so much, my mouth might fall off. My lips aren't used to the movement. "Creative Writing."
"Damn, that was my second choice. It was just wishful thinking, I suppose," he says.
"How so?" We get outside and both pull on our sunglasses at the same time.
"Well, I thought about being an English Lit major and I was hoping we would have that in common. You know, a love for lit."
I am about to begrudgingly admit that we do have that in common, when thick arms lift me off the ground from behind. An involuntary squeak escapes my lips in surprise, and Edward looks on in alarm.
"Hey there, college kid!" booms Jake as he swings we around. My feet dangle like a pendulum, and I laugh even though he is irritating me. "Do you feel smarter yet?"
"Only in comparison to you, moron," I yell back as I try to get free. But Jake is huge, and he has my arms trapped, so I make no progress. Instead, I kick backwards into his knees. "Put me the fuck down, cocksucker."
"Not until you say the magic words," he teases in my ear.
I shake my head vehemently, not willing to do that in front of Edward for whatever reason. Jake gives me a good shake in response, and my head bobs around against my shoulders uncomfortably.
"Urg. PUT ME DOWN," I scream as people turned to stare.
"Say it, Bells! Say it"
I go limp in his arms, resigned to my fate. "Fine. Jacob Black, you have a spectacular cock. Now put me the fuck down!"
His laugh vibrates against my back as he finally dose as I ask. Asshole.
"See, Bella?" he asks when I get my feet under me and turn to face him. "Was that really so hard?"
"You are such a fucker," I say as I punch him in the arm. He is so big, he doesn't even appear to notice.
"You know you love me." I just roll my eyes at him.
Suddenly Jake looks to my side, his eyes narrowing into irritated little slits. "Hey buddy. You going to pay admission or are you just enjoying the show for free?"
"Uh…" I turn to see Edward glaring at Jake. It surprised me to see that kind of anger in him, and I find his scowl horrible unattractive as it mars his perfect face.
"Jake, be nice. This is Edward. He's in my class," I say, trying to play peacemaker between the two.
Jake gives Edward a quick nod that is not returned.
"Bella," Edward says, turning away from my giant best friend. "Do you want to go get a bite to eat before your afternoon classes?"
I have to give it to Edward, he is braver then he appears at first. Snaps to him, for even addressing me at all while Jake is there, trying to be intimidating.
"She has plans, dude," Jake growls.
"Bella?" asks, ignoring Jake.
"Plans, Edward. Gotta run." With that I slip my arm through Jacob's and walk away from the beautiful and confusing boy.
I hope that this latest bitchy move is enough to get him to leave me alone.
Weeks go by and the newness of college life turns into a routine full of classes, eating, studying, and partying. Through Alice, I meet several girls on my floor who I don't mind being around. I genuinely like the quite girl who lives in the single next to us. Angela is shy but insightful. When provoked, she has a sharp tongue and processes a dry sense of humor. Lauren and Kate I could do without, but Alice and Angela like them so I don't complain.
It is nice to have girlfriends again, even if our relationship is casual. Most of our time together is spent studying or eating in the dinning halls. On weekends, they go out to their frat parties without my company. I prefer to hang with Jake. Since starting college, I've seen him significantly less, and I know he isn't pleased with me, so weekends are typically devoted to him.
Edward is the one complication in my new life. He walks me to biology daily, and I occasionally let him convince me to get breakfast with him after class. He is genuine, smart, and too funny for his own good.
And then there are his looks. Oh, baby, his looks. Despite his slightly nerdy wardrobe of khakis and polos, he's hot as fuck. The hair, the jaw, the body, the eyes. I'm not the only one who notices, but I try not to let the attention her garners annoy me. Just as I try to keep myself from drooling all over him.
Edward Cullen is dangerous, and I continue to try to keep my distance myself from him.
He seems to see right through my hard as nails act, right to that gooey center, and it scares the living piss out of me. He challenges me, calls me on my crap, and doesn't let me get away with anything.
He is superior, smug, and a know it all, yet it's increasingly difficult to hate him.
We are both unbearably stubborn. He continues his relentless pursuit. I continue to shoot him down at every turn, but it is getting progressively more difficult to deny him. I struggle to keep our relationship purely academic, but some nights in the common room, we do more chatting then studying. We talk books, and Edward tries to get me to open up.
He is a big fat failure, but it is getting more difficult to convince myself that he means nothing to me.
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