a/n: so, I apologize for the very late update. I was out of town, and then I just didn't have the energy to update, and now I'm just barely getting this up before I go up to bed and pass out before enduring another day of brutal tennis camp. My next update will go up either Friday or Saturday, but most likely Friday. I've edited this story, now, up to chapter nine, and, I believe, I'm working on writing chapter 21 right now. Maybe it's 22. My brain has gone to the crapper and has informed me it will not be returning until I'm capable of feeling my legs again and my ass no longer hurts. I admitted that its request was quite fair and allowed it the well deserved vacation. It asked me to tell you guys to review because when it get back, it expects some good feedback. What else shall I say?? Hmmm, hope you all are enjoying your summer, this story, and my total lack-of-brain function. Oh, and one last thing. My little sister is gone for the next three weeks at camp. Can I get a boo-yah??!!

xoxo Jordi Brooke xoxo

P. S. REVIEW!!!!!!!

Chapter 4 of BEB: A New Way To Think Of It

EDWARD'S POV

I decided to go with Alice and Jasper to the club, Darkness, tonight, because I really had nothing better to do. Alice was thrilled with this and made me wear a dark blue button down with one pair of the designer jeans she got me for our first year at college. We were twins and she decided that she was the one of us two who got the gene that dictated fashion sense. I just let her think that, because I already knew enough to be considered gay.

Once there, Alice started tugging on Jasper and I excitedly, leading us in the direction of the tables. "You guys have to meet my friend Bella!" she exclaimed, moving toward a girl with brown hair and a beautiful, heart-shaped face. She looked familiar, and the sunglasses instantly reminded me why. She was the girl I'd literally run into earlier this week. What was with the shades?

Alice greeted her, and made some comment about wearing the glasses in the club was ridiculous because it must have made her instantly blind. I agreed. It was a bit above and beyond. Of course, the way Bella's expression changed to a frown showed she was obviously very offended. She looked like she was about to retort when Emmett's incredibly loud voice interrupted her. "There you guys are," he exclaimed. He draped his arm across Bella's shoulders and then said the thing a least expected him to say. "I see you've made the acquaintance of my little sister, Bella."

Jasper, Alice, and I all gasped. This was the blind sister. Well…fuck. Way to go, Alice. Suddenly, her little comment seemed entirely tactless. I watched as Alice's shocked expression changed to anger, and I was instantly curious as to what was going on just as Rosalie came over with a confused expression on her face.

"Bella, how could you have not told me about this? I can't believe you managed to keep this from me. And here I was thinking you and I were friends!" Alice exclaimed loudly over the music and stalked away. Bella, who had sunk into her chair and shrugged off Emmett's arm, only frowned further. She turned to Rosalie and said something and Rose instantly went after Alice. I just stood there next to Jasper and watched.

"Bella? What's going on?" Emmett asked.

She shook her head. "Alice and I have a few classes together. She and I sit next to each other and walk together. She's always taken to leading me to my classes without even realizing it and she didn't know about my disability. I didn't want her to, Em, and you know why. I just wanted to live it out for a little while before she found out," she huffed and lo– faced down toward her lap, letting her hair fall as a curtain to cover her face.

"I'm confused," Jasper muttered to me.

"Me too," I mumbled.

Emmett turned Bella's chair so that she was facing him and stood in front of her, talking only loud enough for her to hear. I didn't try to listen, because this was obviously a private moment among siblings, and instead thought back to when I'd bumped into her. It made sense now why she was patting around for her glasses instead of just seeing them, and why she'd not been looking at me.

ROSALIE'S POV

"Alice, what's wrong?" I asked, catching up with the small pixie.

"I can't believe Bella didn't tell me."

"You know Bella?" She nodded and told me that they were friends…or at least she thought they were. I sighed and grabbed onto her arm, dragging her back toward Bella.

"Alice, you can't take it personally. Bella has two friends. Me and her brother. That's it. Everyone looks at her like a blind girl, never like a person, so if you didn't already know it, she wasn't going to tell you and would just live out a normal friendship until you did find out. She tries to pretend she's normal when she's given the chance, and whether you know it or not, you've actually been making her smile a little more lately. She talks about you a lot, you know. She's never used your name, because she knows Emmett and I usually try to talk to anyone she starts to get close to you, but she talks about you whenever she gets the chance."

"Rosalie, let go of me," she demanded, but didn't really put up a fight and her request was half assed. "If she wants to talk to me she can come find me."

I laughed and we were standing right beside Jasper and Edward who were watching helplessly as Emmett tried to talk to Bella. "Alice, honey, you can't ask that of a blind person, especially in a club when she can't rely on her other senses to find you."

All eyes shot toward me, including Bella's. I smiled. "Bella, you and Alice work this out. Now."

I pushed Alice toward Bella and they instantly started talking. I shook my head and looked to Jasper and Edward. "What a way to start out a night," I muttered and the two actually laughed and took their seats at the small table. I hopped into Emmett's lap and smiled up at him.

"What's up good lookin'?"

I laughed and kissed his lips quickly. "Nothing much. Just doing my job."

His arms circled around my waist as his goofy smile grew on his face. "I love you. I don't think any of us say this enough, but the things you do for Bella are just too much some days. Thank you."

I shrugged. "It's what I do."

BELLA'S POV

"I'm sorry." They were the first words that came out of my mouth the second I knew she was near enough. I could barely hear any of her movements. It was killing me. I didn't know how far she was from me, I couldn't hear if she was breathing heavily with anger, and I didn't have any idea as to what her expression was.

"You kept something huge from me."

"Alice, what do you hate most about yourself?" I asked.

She didn't even hesitate as she answered sincerely, "I don't hate anything about myself."

"But if you did hate something about yourself that was clear to everyone else, but you were maybe able to hide it, would you go telling them anyway?"

"No, but Bella, this is—"

"Different? To you, maybe. But to me it's exactly that. Something about myself that some days is just a disability, while others it's the worst part of my life."

"Bella…"

"I just…don't ever want pity, and even my parents can rarely look at me in any other way. Emmett and Rosalie can, but everyone else can't see past the blindness. Maybe to you it's the first thing you should know about someone, but to me, it's the last thing I want people to know."

I felt her small hand on my shoulder, startling me just for a second before I settled and placed one of my hands over hers. "I guess I can understand that. I'm sorry to freak out on you there. But you have to admit, it's the last thing you expect to hear from someone you've known for weeks. 'Oh, by the way, I can't see' you know?"

I laughed. "Yeah, well, I didn't exactly say that, or tell you at all. My idiot brother did that for me." I shot Emmett an evil expression. I could faintly hear his laugh and Rosalie's mixing with the music. I heard Alice's light giggle beside me.

"I'm still going to take you shopping," was all she said before dropping her hand from my shoulder and introducing herself into the conversation at the table.

I didn't realize there was anyone beside me until a familiar velvet voice filled my ears, its owner's unique scent overcoming me. "I wanted to apologize for knocking you over. I was in quite a rush after leaving Alice's apartment the other morning. I was running late for my music for class." I felt my heart sink in my chest, oddly enough, and frowned. Was this man Alice's boyfriend? I thought he had a southern accent. I remembered Rose saying that he hadn't moved to Chicago until he was fifteen.

"That's alright," I replied.

"I'm Edward Cullen," he introduced himself. Hold on a second. I was pretty sure Rose's cousin was Jasper Whitlock, and that my friend was Alice Cullen.

"You're Alice's brother?" I asked.

He chuckled in my ear. His face was far too near mine, his breath brushing over my skin. "Unfortunately," he joked.

I giggled. "I wouldn't consider it unfortunate. I don't know if I'd consider myself lucky, though, either."

He chuckled again and it was quite a glorious sound. If I could, I would record the sound and play it back on my CD player instead of the music I usually played through my apartment, but Edward would obviously find that weird.

"Hey Bells, what do you want to drink?" Emmett asked, yelling over the music even though I would have probably been able to hear him if he just spoke at his normal volume. He was never a quiet child.

I shrugged. "Cherry coke?"

"Eddie?"

"It's Edward," he growled in response, causing me to laugh. Note to self: do not call Edward, Eddie. "Could I just get a coke? It's not like there's much else for an eighteen year old at a club." He mumbled the last part in my ear. "So, what's your major?"

"English."

"Really? But isn't it—"

"Hard to read and write? I'm quite capable Edward." I spoke in a normally conversational tone. It wasn't as if I hadn't heard that before, even from my own brother. "I mostly just record everything and then I can use a computer that has Windows-Eyes, a special program that they have on one of the computers in the school library, with a Braille keyboard to type my papers into the computer."

"Really?" he asked, interested.

"Yeah. I'm not saying it's easy, but I can do it and it's what I love. What are you majoring in?"

"Music."

I smiled. "Wonderful choice. What instrument do you play?"

"Piano, though I miss having my own baby grand to use in my apartment."

"So you enjoy classical music?"

"Quite thoroughly. Do you?"

I nodded. "Music is a wonderful thing because you don't need to see it to appreciate it."

"I can easily understand that. In fact, I prefer to close my eyes when I listen. It blocks out one of the other main senses and just lets the music take control."

"That's a new way to think of it."

"Speaking of letting the music take control," Emmett interjected, setting my cherry coke down before me, the glass touching the back of my hand. "Rose and I are going to go dance. You'll be okay?" The cool temperature of the drink seeped through the glass, sweat gathering on the outside against my skin. I moved to lift the glass and brought it to my lips, the ice tapping against the glass and I could feel the tinks that I would usually be able to hear should the music not have been drowning it out.

After taking a small sip of the refreshing soda, enjoying the flavor as it washed over my taste buds, I smiled at my brother. "I believe I'm capable of surviving here on my own. So long as I have my drink, I'm good."

"Good. Don't let some cute deaf guy take advantage of you while I'm gone," he replied, tapping my shoulder twice to signal his leave.

I laughed at his comment, but Edward didn't. I was sure he was beside me, the hairs on my neck sticking up and a strange electricity radiating off his skin. I could hear his breathing lightly beside my ear. "Was what he said not funny to you?" I asked curiously.

"It wasn't…very—"

"It's alright to joke about it, Edward. Besides, that's Emmett's thing. He's always there to keep the mood light. I certainly prefer joking about it than letting it get me down."

He sighed, his breath washing over my ear as it had earlier. "I suppose that's one way to look at it."

"And in what way, Edward, do you look at it?"

"I don't know. You have to admit that you've had years to look at it while I've had far less time."

"That's true, though I wouldn't say I really look at anything. So, your favorite composer?" I asked, changing the subject back to our original topic of discussion.

"Hmmm, I suppose I'd have to say Debussy."

I smiled widely. "He is quite the composer. I happen to love him as well."

"Do you really?"

"Really. Claire De Lune is amazing."

"Then maybe I'll play for you sometime."

"That would be lovely, but you don't need to."

He chuckled. What a beautiful sound… "I want to, though, Bella. I don't play for many people these days. Mostly, I play on my keyboard in my apartment for myself."

"Well, then I would definitely like the chance to hear you play." It just then hit me that Alice's soprano voice couldn't be heard by me at all. "Okay, either Alice and Jasper are in a full out make out session, or they've left."

Edward chuckled again. "They've left, Bella."

"Good, because I'd hate to have Alice kissing her boyfriend just a few feet away from me."

"Believe me, I feel the same way. Fortunately for you, you wouldn't have to watch them doing so, and when it's your sister no less."

"Ewwww," I muttered. "It's the worst when I have to listen to Emmett and Rose. You'd think they were having sex by the sounds of it, though I've heard that too, so I know that's not what they're doing." A blush warmed my cheeks as I spoke.

"Ewwww," Edward mimicked. I giggled and he chuckled. He was fun to talk to. Then I realized that he'd probably come out to hang out with his friends or to meet some girl, not to talk to me. Stupid, blind, little ole me.

"Edward, you're welcome to go enjoy your evening. It isn't necessary for you to stay with me," I told him, but couldn't quite keep the sadness from my voice as I said that. I didn't want him to leave, but I doubted that this was how he'd planned to spend the night.

"Who's to say I'm not already enjoying my evening right here?"

"I—"

"Bella, would you like to dance with me?" he asked, cutting me off. His voice didn't hold such a confident tone as I'd noticed in it before.

I shook my head at him. "I don't really dance, Edward. I'm quite the klutz."

He chuckled as his hand slid over my free one, my other still gripping my glass. "Please? It'll be fun and I promise not to let you fall."

"Even Emmett can't keep me from falling."

"Emmett wouldn't be holding onto you like I would," Edward replied. My cheeks heated, a blushing spreading across my face in an even fuller effect than before. The heat was so familiar to me. Emmett did everything he ever could to make that happen. But the reason behind the blush was new. I'd never thought before about being held by a man, in any way, who wasn't related to me by blood. Edward holding me, well, that was rather appealing. The skin on my hand was tingling beneath his.

"Well, I mean, I guess…sure."

His hand tightened on mine as he moved. I frowned, no longer able to hear him, but felt my chair being pulled out. I tentatively stepped off the high chair and the second my feet hit the floor, an arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me. He led me to the dance floor slowly, and that was perfectly fine with me as he brought me to what would probably be the last time I would ever be out dancing at a club.

EDWARD'S POV

I guided her over to the dancer floor, her feet a little unsteady beneath her as she walked. Her scent, freesia and strawberries, filled me as she leaned into me. We walked – well, she stumbled a little – into the crowd of bodies toward the center where I'd spotted the other four who had joined us tonight.

Emmett and Rose smiled when we came upon them. "Did you need something, honey?" Rose asked Bella, causing the brown haired beauty to frown.

"No, thanks. Edward and I came out her to dance."

"Oh!" came Rose's surprised response. I guess Bella wasn't lying when she said she didn't dance.

My sister hip checked me. "Whaddup, big brother?" I rolled my eyes. I was older by all of ten minutes.

"Nothing much, little sister."

She went back to grinding on her boyfriend, and so I turned to look at Bella, her lips pursed. She was positively stunning, even in the dark lighting of the club. Her hair shimmered in the strobe lights and her lips were such a luscious, inviting pink. I wanted to kiss her. But even more, I wanted to see those beautiful brown eyes one more time.

"I've never really done this before," she admitted, embarrassed.

I chuckled. "It's easy, really." Smirking, I simply started moving back and forth with the music, closing my eyes, though I, belatedly, knew she couldn't see my actions. "Just let the music take control," I said into her ear, taking her hands in mine and placing one on each of my shoulders.

The blue sweater dress she wore gave her skin this sort of glow that was making me melt as I kept my hands over top of hers on my shoulders. I watched as she began moving her hips back and forth uncertainly. Chuckling, I placed my hands on her waist, not wanting to do so before incase it made her uncomfortable, and began guiding her hips from one side to the other, wishing I could close the large distance between us and hold her against me, moving her with me.

She smiled at me. "You were right. This is kind of fun," she told me.

I grinned back at her, though I quickly realized she couldn't see it. "I told you so," I gloated.

She laughed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

We danced for a while. Every second I was wishing I could move her closer, but was nervous about her response. Suddenly, she was pushed up against me.

"Oof!" I grabbed her more firmly than I'd had her before, holding her tightly. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I got shoved."

I chuckled as she straightened up, but this time I held her much closer. "Well, we don't want that happening again now do we?" We weren't grinding or dancing in a particularly provocative way—though anything Bella did was provocative if you asked me—and it was just simple and comfortable, moving with the beat of the music. Rosalie and Alice came up behind me, Alice tapping my shoulder while Rose tapped Bella's.

"It was a pleasure dancing with you this evening, Bella," I commented, letting Rosalie lead her away to the women's room with Alice as Jasper, Emmett, and I moved back toward the table.

"Man, I can't believe my sister let a complete stranger lead her out onto the dance floor," Emmett groaned.

"I'm not a complete stranger," I replied, taking a sip of my now very watered down coke. "Yuck. Do you guys need fresh drinks?" I asked. They both nodded. "What'd you have?"

"Just get a cherry coke, a Shirley temple, two ginger ales, and a virgin Pina Colada," Jasper answered.

"Yes sir," I answered before leaving for the bar and ordering the drinks. The bar tender gave me them on a tray which I carried back to the table where the girls were just taking their seats.

I sat the tray on the table and sat in my own seat, smiling at the odd sensation of the vibrations from the bass going from beneath my feet to beneath my ass. "Thank you," Rosalie sighed, taking her Pina Colada and sipping.

Alice took the Shirley Temple and grinned as Jasper pulled out the cherry and dropped it into her mouth. He chewed on the stem like a toothpick. Everyone else picked up their glasses and there was just one left on the tray. Bella's. My brows furrowed as I wondered why she didn't take it.

Rosalie picked it up off the tray and set it down against the back of her hand. She turned her hand around and lifted the glass off the table, bringing it to her full lips and taking a sip before setting it back down. She couldn't just pick up the glass, because she hadn't known where it was. Why didn't I think of that?

She adjusted her black and blue sunglasses and leaned back in her seat, smiling at her brother and Rosalie. How did she know where they were? "What time is it?"

I checked my watch. "Nine-thirty." She nodded.

"What time do you want to be home for?" Rosalie asked.

Bella shrugged. "I've already done my notes and I'm not too tired yet. As long as I'm home by eleven, I'll be alright."

"I've got an early lecture tomorrow, so I'm not staying much longer if you'd like a ride home," I offered.

"No, I wouldn't want you to go out of your way."

"I need to come over tonight anyway," Rosalie added.

She said she always went over there every night or morning to pick out Bella's clothes, I recalled. I nodded and took another sip of my coke, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. It was a little more bubbly than usual and I could feel the bubbles ticking my nose in that annoying and painful way. "Ugh," I groaned.

Bella looked curious and concerned beside me. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just the bubbles," I replied in her ear.

"Oh, okay." She shivered just before she spoke, and then took another sip of her drink, leaning back again. She seemed to be enjoying herself. I looked at my watch again and sighed.

"I've got to go now. I'll see you all soon."

"Bye," Bella's voice rang out to me as I stood and hugged my little sister. She and Jasper would leave together later.

"Bye," I said in her ear before departing for my car.

BELLA'S POV

I'd had so much fun tonight. I didn't know what it was about this evening that was so thrilling, considering I'd been out to a club before and it wasn't particularly enjoyable, but I was sure it was the company. I loved Emmett and Rose, don't get me wrong, but there was something about Edward that had me thoroughly absorbed in everything he did. I wished I could have a conversation with him sometime where we weren't in a crowded, noisy place. When it could just be the two of us.

But now, as Alice and Rosalie chatted away about nothing particularly interesting to me, I found that I wasn't quite enjoying myself anymore. Before, this place had been just somewhere for Edward and I to talk and dance. Now, it was a big room with sweaty bodies that smelled of arousal and musk. Not very pleasant.

I kept a smile on my face, however, because I knew Emmett and Rose would cut their night short anyway to take me home.

"Hey there kiddo," my brother said in my ear and I jumped, not realizing he'd moved nearer. His laugh drowned out the rest of the noise in the club as he muttered his apology.

"Hey, Em. What's up?"

"The ceiling. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"I saw you dancing out there with Edward. Was it fun?"

I smiled and nodded. "I haven't had as much fun since we last played beep ball."

Emmett chuckled. "I love that game. I was thinking you and I would try to find another sport soon. What do you say?"

I shrugged. "It sounds fun." It really did. I couldn't play sports like a person normally could, but I could still do it with a lot of practice and special equipment. "What did you have in mind?"

"Soccer?"

I nodded. "Okay. Tell me more."

I knew he did research. He did a lot of it, usually, whenever he was thinking about introducing something new to me. He did that a lot, too. He knew how boring things could become when everything needed to be repetitive for me to be safe. That's why he didn't protest my moving out to the city. He understands how mad I would have gone in Forks. "They put a bell inside the ball, so you can hear where it is, and instead of the sounds coming from the bases, like in beep baseball, they come from the goals. Each goal's sound is different from the other, so you'll know which one is yours and which one you want to shoot on."

"When do you want to start?"

"I got permission from the school for you, me, and Rose to use the gym every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at two." I nodded. "So we can work on that as long as you want and then trade off to beep ball once you're too frustrated." He poked my side as he teased me with the second part.

"Oh hush. You'd get frustrated if you couldn't see the ball, too." I swatted his hands away.

"Ready to go?" Rosalie asked out of nowhere.

"Yup. Let's hit the road."

a/n2: So, there you all have it. Edward and Bella officially meet. Bella has fun...for once. Alice and Bella make up. Rosalie and Emmett get a chance to have some fun without worrying about Bella sitting home alone like the good siblings/friends that they are. Alice and Jasper get to go out and do a little down and dirty grinding. And Edward gets to go and be sex on legs, as always. Review, babes. JB (Hey! Same initials as Jacob Black!!!...Team Edward, 'cuz werewolves don't sparkle!)