Hey, everyone. Sorry for the bit of a wait. I've been super busy with school lately, but thankfully I got almost the whole week of Thanksgiving off, so I was able to get some writing done. Updates might be a little sparse until the semester is over in about a month, but I promise to try my best to get at lest two more updates out before Christmas. Fingers crossed.

So, I hope those of you in the States had a good holiday. I know I ate way too much, and I will be living off of leftovers for like a week. Not a bad way to go about things, though.

Without further ado, here is chapter 7.


Chapter Seven

I DON'T LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND

September 28th, 2015

4:25 pm

Rose and I sat in her living room, the TV on in the background as we hammered out a written analysis of symbols in the book that we were required to read for class. Our assignment was due Friday, and like most people, we had put it off until almost the last minute. We both had our laptops propped open with several tabs pulled up on Googled pages of what symbols there even were in the novel. We had a shared document where we were putting all the information that we found so we could compile it into an actual, decent-looking assignment before we turned it in in a few days.

Rose and I spent a lot of our free time together now, helping each other out with work and just hanging out. Alice had been spending more time with Jasper this last week, plus her class schedule pretty much conflicted with mine, so I didn't really see her until the weekends and when I got back from the shop at the end of the day. We had one class together, so I was guaranteed at least three hours a week with her, at least. In the meantime, Rose and I had become really good friends. When we weren't hurrying to get assignments done, we talked about our lives and things we did and just got to know each other. She told me a lot about growing up with Edward and how she met Emmett. I told her about how I jumped between parents and eventually settled with Charlie.

"So have you seen Riley anymore since that night you established that you weren't going to fuck each other?" Well, Rose was never one to mince words. Honestly, it was one of my favorite things about her.

"I have, around school. He promised to help me with math when I need it, and I have an exam coming up, so I will definitely been hitting him up," I admitted. I was not ashamed of my mathematical handicap, and I was lucky enough to have a friend that happened to be really good at it. I was not stupid enough to pass up that offer.

"So you're really not going to be anything more than friends?"

I shook my head and pushed my laptop aside. "Nah, he's a good friend. And he's into that Bree chick. I wouldn't get in the way of that."

Edward walked in in that moment, glancing at me and offering a small smile before greeting his sister. He headed into the kitchen and rummaged around the fridge as Rose continued our conversation.

"But you're still going to be seeing him, right? Because he is very easy on the eyes and seems like a great person to have around."

I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out. "You're right, he is very easy on the eyes. The first time I saw that man, shirtless. Oh dear."

Rose laughed with me. "I thought the same thing the first time I saw Emmett." She fanned herself.

The fridge door slammed. "Goddammit, Rose. Please stop."

"Oh shush, like I haven't heard you going on and on about all the girls you've fucked. 'Damn, Em, you should've seen her tits. They were fake as hell, but her doctor did a good job.'" She dropped her voice to imitate her brother and added a weird, male swagger to her shoulders. I would've laughed if the image of Edward talking about other women's bodies wasn't making me kind of nauseous.

"Whatever, I'll be in my room." He walked past the living room with a can of soda and a bag of chips in his hands.

"Is he okay?" I asked Rose. I was used to Edward being kind of distant and quiet, but I had never heard him snap like that before. We had become civil and somewhat pleasant toward one another in the last few weeks, and he typically at least made small talk with me about classes or something equally mundane before stalking off.

"Yeah, he's just been a little grumpy since he broke up with Irina. I think he's sex deprived or something."

"Wait, what?" This was news to me. I had noticed that Irina stopped coming around the shop, but I just figured someone had complained enough for Edward to finally tell her to not hang around the shop anymore. I hadn't realized she wasn't there because they weren't together anymore.

"Yeah, Edward dumped her ass about a week ago. Thank Buddha, because I was really this close to punching her," she explained, holding her thumb and first finger a hairsbreadth apart. I couldn't help but giggle, because I had the same feeling when we were in the shop with her. Just her voice grated on my nerves, and her dumb comments just made it so much worse. I was pretty relieved that I wouldn't have to see her around anymore.

"Well, I'm glad she's gone."

"Who? The Wicked Witch of the West?" Alice asked, bursting through the apartment door. We had taken to just walking into Rose's apartment in the last couple of weeks, since we were over here a lot of the time anyways.

"You knew about that?" I asked. Was I actually the last person to find out? I worked with the guy, for fuck's sake.

"Well, yeah, I actually talk to Edward." She shrugged as she dropped her bag on the coffee table, like I knew her and Edward were best buds, or something. "So, can you stop pretending you're not totally into him, now?"

I rolled my eyes. There had been a nonstop onslaught of her suggestions over the last few weeks. "I'm not 'totally into him', Al. We've been over this."

She waved her hand at me to dismiss what I had just said. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get it out of you eventually."

}ACH{

October 2nd, 2015

Alice and I had just finished up our first math exam, so we headed down the bar Kate worked at to see if she'd slip us some alcohol and grab some burgers. We came here at least once a week now, usually with Rose or Riley or both. We had all gotten to know Kate a little better, since she spent a lot of her downtime talking with us and handing out. Today, she came over as soon as she saw Alice and I at our usual booth.

She already had two bottles of Stella Artois in her hands, tops popped off. She smiled as she placed them on the table in front of each of us, sliding into the empty seat next to me.

"Bella! I have great news for you," Kate beamed.

"What is this news?"

"Tanya, my cousin that's getting married, wants to book you to take her photos. She's got two thousand set aside for a photographer, so it's yours if you want it."

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, and a little bit of beer may have dribbled out of my mouth. I wiped my face with a napkin before addressing her. "Are you serious? That's a lot for a photographer."

Kate rolled her eyes. "The crazy woman had four thousand, but she decided using a couple of it for her dress was more important. Booking you for two is going to be like a blessing for her."

"When's her wedding?" Alice asked, looking just as excited as Kate about the prospect of a job for me. I was making decent money working for Emmett and Rose, but a two thousand dollar job would be amazing.

"November fourteenth. The ceremony starts at four. She wants sunset photos, since her alter is in front of a bunch windows, right where the sun sets."

"Sounds beautiful. I'm guessing she'll want me there early."

"Yeah, she wants to meet you beforehand, too. Here's her number," she said, pulling a napkin from in front of me and jotting down the number. "She's usually free during the week. She works from home, so you're not really disturbing her."

I thanked Kate and pocketed the number. I'd call Tanya when we got back to the dorms. After sitting and chatting for a bit, Alice and I headed back. I was anxious to call Tanya and take a nap, and Alice had another class to get to in about half an hour.

As soon as Alice was out the door, I dialed the number Kate had given me and pressed the phone to my ear. On the third ring, the line picked up, and I could immediately hear some sort of classical music playing in the background.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm looking for Tanya."

"This is she."

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan. I know your cousin, Kate. She told me you'd be interested in having me do the photography for your wedding."

"Oh! Bella! I was hoping you'd call soon. I'm so glad you're willing to do this."

We set up a time to meet during the week next week. Her weekends were pretty full with hashing out details for the wedding, and it was already Friday, so she assumed I already had plans for the evening. Honestly, the only thing I had going was going over to Rose's to hang out and watch a movie, which could have been cancelled.

After hanging up with Tanya, I set my phone on the charger and got into my bed. It was only one in the afternoon, so I was good to take a nap for an hour or two before getting my ass in gear for the rest of the day. I had early classes on Fridays, for some god forsaken reason, and it always required a nap at some point in the day.

I dozed off pretty quickly, but I was roused unexpectedly only a half hour or so later. My phone was ringing on my desk, and I had forgotten to turn the sound off when I got back to the dorms. I turned it on when we were in the bar because it was so loud, and I didn't want to miss a call if it was my dad or something.

I wiped the sleep out of my eyes as I looked at the caller ID and was surprised to see that it was Edward's name that popped up. I only had his number because we worked together, and we never had a need to contact each other before, so his call was a bit strange. I answered anyway,just in case the shop was suddenly slammed and he needed me to come in and help.

"Hello?" I answered and cringed when my voice came out slightly rough. I cleared my throat as he responded.

"JB?" I rolled my eyes at the nickname, upset that it was still sticking around. I was already eighteen, for Christ's sake.

"Yes, Edward?"

"Are you busy?" He seemed slightly uncomfortable that he even had to call me in the first place, so I was naturally curious as to why he called.

"No, I was just napping. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to ask, but is there any way you could come pick me up? My car died on my way home from my parents' house. Rose and Em are busy at the shop, and both my parents are at work."

I was already swinging my legs off the edge of my bed. "Sure. Where are you?"

He gave me quick directions to the highway he was on and close landmarks. I jotted them down on a sticky note that I shoved in my pocket.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I told him, shoving my feet into the boots I had been wearing earlier in the day.

"Call me if you get lost or anything."

"Will do."

As soon as we hung up, I had my bag in my hands and the keys to my car. I hadn't had to drive my baby since the week prior, when Al and I had made a run to the grocery store late at night for some ice cream, so I hoped the battery still worked. It needed a jump sometimes when it had been sitting for awhile, and I didn't really have to resources for that right now.

Luckily, it started right up when I turned the key, and it rumbled to life. I nearly had a full tank of gas, so I just pulled out of the parking lot and found the closest freeway entrance. I listened to the radio as I drove, finally having found some decent stations in Boston over the last few weeks.

The weather had started to change, so the trees all over the city were taking on various shades of yellows and reds, and the leaves were starting to drift to the ground. It was brisk during the day now, with the high usually only getting to the mid sixties before dropping into the forties overnight. We had had a few rain showers since it got colder, which meant I had to break out the pairs of boots that I owned, since my Converse did not take too kindly to the water. Alice was excited to finally wear autumn outfits, while I was just content to bundle up in hoodies and knit sweater. I wasn't really used to the warm summers that they had here in Boston, so I was glad to be back in a climate that I was familiar with.

By the time I finally reached the highway Edward said he was stuck on, it was past three. I hadn't realized how far outside of Boston his parents lived. Luckily, after only being on this highway for about ten minutes, I stumbled across Edward's car, his black 1967 Chevy Impala. All I could think about was Supernatural when I looked at it, but it suited Edward. I could never see his lean, tattooed body in some Volvo or something like Rose drove.

I pulled up just behind his car after making a U-turn. He hopped out of the car and made his way to the passenger side of mine. He looked too good in his well-fit jeans and plain grey t-shirt that stretched across the muscles of his shoulders and chest. He had on a black leather jacket over it to shield himself from the wind that was picking up with the setting sun.

"Hey, thanks for come out here. Do you mind if we head back to my parents' house? It's only fifteen minutes back up the road." He buckled his seatbelt while I took a second to really digest the fact that Edward was in my car. Cool, hot as hell, lean, tall, too cool for anything Edward Cullen was sitting in my kind of beat up 1996 Honda Accord. He seemed out of place in my tiny car and the worn seats.

"Yeah, just tell me where to go." I pulled back out onto the road, the same way that I had been going to get here. We sat in silence for a few minutes, just listening to some overplayed pop song that was on the radio. I saw his fingers tap along to the beat of the song on his knee, and I tried very hard not to continuously glance at them. They were so long and nimble and I couldn't help but imagine what they could do to a girl's body.

That thought had me clenching my thighs together and focusing my eyes strictly on the road ahead of me. I suffered my pervy little thoughts in silence for a few more minutes until Edward spoke up.

"There's a stop sign in about half a mile. Turn right at it."

I nodded my acknowledgement as I kept my eyes facing forward. I was expecting silence until he had to give me more directions, but he spoke up again after only a few moments of quiet.

"Do you not like me or something, JB?"

I was shocked by his question and his forwardness, so I tried to play off my suprise with humor, like one tends to do.

"I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of the JB thing, if that's what you're asking." I smirked at him and glanced over from the corner of my eye.

I could have sworn he rolled his eyes, and the similarities between him and Rose in that moment were truly uncanny. It was actually a little scary. "No one likes their nickname. That's the point of the nickname. But, no, I just meant in general."

"Why would you think that I don't like you? I drove out here to get you, didn't I?"

"Thank you again for that, by the way. But, you just kind of seem to avoid me whenever we're in the same room together."

"Well, honestly, I'd get a death glare from Irina every time we were in the same room together, so I thought staying away from you was best for everyone's health," I admitted, glancing over to see his mildly upset expression. I wasn't sure if he was upset by my mention of his ex-girlfriend or my honesty, but I was hoping it was the former. I would just tell myself it was.

"We've been broken up for a little while, now."

I nodded. "I know, but I only found out about a week ago. I don't actively avoid you, Edward. I just don't think we really have anything to speak to each other about, so why force a conversation?"

He was quiet for a few moments, besides when he instructed me to take a left at the next stop sign. He finally spoke up just after I made the turn. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

I felt my eyes furrow together, and I glanced at him in confusion. "No? I mean, besides the Irina thing, I've never felt uncomfortable around you."

Except for that first time I met you, and that time in the kitchen of your apartment and all I could think about was the way just looking at your body made my body feel.

Edward just nodded and stared ahead. He muttered something about his parents' house coming up in a few more blocks. I let him brood in silence, not really wanting to push this already strange conversation any further. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I didn't have to, and Edward spoke again of his own accord.

"Do you think maybe we could be friends, JB? Stop this weird avoidance thing?"

His request was the most surprising thing I had heard from him yet, and I didn't know how I felt about my easy acceptance of his truce. Edward and I had a weird mutual avoidance but acknowledgement of each other, as it had been since we met, and I wasn't sure how an actual effort into a casual friendship would go, but I was willing to try. Edward seemed like a good person to have in your corner if it came down to it, and he seemed like a genuinely good guy behind all the rumors and his rough exterior. I could get used to his type of dry humor and his girl talk, much like I had gotten used to Emmett's.

"Sure, I'd like that, Edward."

I saw a smile touch his lips for a split second before he gestured up ahead with a flick of his hand. "My parents house is just three houses ahead. You can pull into the driveway. We'll go in through the garage."

I did as he instructed, and marveled at the immaculate structure that came into my view as the trees on the street broke. The Cullen's home was a masterpiece, and I was trying to take in the slate grey brick and wood finishes on the exterior of the house, as well as the big, bare windows that allowed you to see into their contemporary designed living room. Their lawn was even perfect, with a fountain in the middle of the circular driveway and little marble statues on the walk up to the front door. I parked right in front of the garage, and I cringed to think about what my crappy little car looked like next to this probably million dollar home.

Edward hopped out and put in a code on a little number panel by the garage door. My jaw dropped as the sliding panel revealed black marble floors against fluorescent lighting, and two of the nicest cars I had ever seen parked inside. One was a brand new Tesla Model S in slate grey, and the other was a Jaguar XF in white. I knew those cars weren't cheap, and they were nicer than anything I ever hoped of owning. If I hadn't known the extent of Edward's family's wealth before, I certainly did now.

Edward waved me over, and I swallowed nervously as I pulled my keys out of my car and exited to go into the garage with him. I personally felt like a less worthy human being as I passed by the cars, in my ripped jeans, plain long sleeve, grey jacket, and twenty dollar boots from Target. Even though Edward was dressed just as casually, I had a feeling his jeans were expensive, and his shirt was probably something ridiculous like Gucci, and his jacket was probably made out of real leather. My significance in the world compared to the Cullens went way down in that moment.

We went in through a door that led to the laundry room, where even their washer and dryer were top of the line, and the space was nearly as large as my room in my dad's house. It seemed to also double as a mud room, because all of the family's large winter coats and heavy duty boots were kept neatly in a corner. I wiped my feet on a little mat that was just inside the door, because, even though I hadn't walked through any of the elements recently, I felt like there was no question that my shoes needed to be wiped off before entering the domain that was Edward's home.

The laundry room opened into a short hallway, with what looked like a bathroom and another closed door in the same space. I walked into the rest of the house behind Edward, closing the laundry room door behind me. I followed him out into a more open area, which led into one of the most open, gourmet kitchens I had ever laid eyes on. Everything was light wood and dark countertops. The appliances were all brushed stainless steel, and the floors were a dark hardwood. There was an island that seated four, as well as a little corner with a small kitchen table. The little nook the table was in was surrounded by windows, which looked out over the giant backyard, which looked like opened out onto a golf course.

"Edward, is that you, dear?" came a very warm, kind voice. I looked around and noticed a very well-dressed woman descending a flight of stairs I was just now noticing, even though I knew from the exterior that the house had three stories.

The woman, who I assumed was Edward and Rosalie's mother, was just as beautiful as her daughter, but had Edward's coppery colored hair and sparkling green eyes. She was thin and shapely in all the right places, and dressed extraordinarily well in dark jeans, a cream colored, knit sweater, dark, knee-high boots, and a fresh face with minimal makeup. Even in her assumingly earlier forties, she had me beat in the beauty department. Although, how could I expect anything less from the woman that birthed Edward and Rosalie, two of the most beautiful human beings I had ever seen.

"Yeah, Ma. You're supposed to be at work." Edward leaned against one of the counters as I stood awkwardly near the entrance to the hallway. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to behave in his home, especially since his mother was now standing in front of me. If I had been with Rose, this would have gone so much better.

"Well, I rushed home as soon as I got your message. I was going to go get you, but I figured I'd wait to see if you still needed it. But, it looks like you got along just as well without me." She smiled in my direction as her eyes appraised me briefly. Once she got back to my face, her smile had turned into a warm, genuine one, and I felt some of the tension I was harboring lighten. I still felt totally unworthy standing in her home, though.

"Yeah, J-Bella came and got me. Rose and Em were busy at the shop," Edward told her. "I was gonna call you, but my phone died while I was waiting out there, and I didn't have a charger. I thought I'd come back here and grab one and call you and Dad to let you know what was going on."

It was kind of strange to hear Edward utter so many words without any snide comments or sexual innuendos coming out. I figured he could act like a normal twenty-something year old around other adults, but I was used to his crass nature. Apparently his parents still got the tame side of Edward. I guess he had to if he got his way as often as Rose said he did.

"And who might Bella be, exactly?" She obviously knew who I was, seeing as I was standing right here, awkwardly watching her and Edward's exchange, but I knew she was asking what my status was in his life. How important was I that he was calling me to come pick him up outside of Boston? "Is she a new girlfriend, dear? Because she is much prettier than Irina."

I could feel my face heating at her words, both from her assuming that I was her son's new flavor of the month and her compliment. Edward sounded like he was choking next to me, but a few coughs and he was correcting his mother.

"No, Mom. Bella is a friend. Her and Rose are close. She works at the shop. Bella, this is my mother, Esme."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," I finally spoke, extending my hand for her to shake.

She batted my hand away with a smile. "Oh, dear, I prefer hugs," she stated, pulling me into one. "And Mrs. Cullen is my rotten mother-in-law. Please call me Esme."

I nodded dumbly as she released me from her grasp and took a step or two back. Since I was having some sort of weird problem with forming words, she continued the conversation.

"So, are you a tattoo artist, too? Or do you do piercings, like Rose?" she asked. I could see her eyes roaming over my body again, probably looking for tattoos or piercings, like were typical on her children. I didn't have any tattoos and my only piercings besides my ears were well hidden beneath clothes, which just made me blush more.

"I take pictures for the shop for the artists' portfolios," I amended quickly, not wanting to let her wonder. "I'm studying photography at school, so it's building up my own portfolio, as well."

Her eyes lit up bright. "Oh dear, that's wonderful. I'm sure you're just fantastic. So you go to UMass, too?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm a journalism major with a minor in photography."

"Well, I'd love to see some of your work, sometime. I bet it's beautiful." She smiled and looked like she wanted to pull me into another hug.

"She's pretty good. I'm sure Rose will show you all sorts of stuff if you ask," Edward interjected. "I'm gonna go get my charger." That blunt Edward I knew much better than the polite one was showing through again, and I felt a bit more at ease. Short and stiff I could do. I wasn't so sure what to do with polite and warm.

As soon as he had disappeared up the stairs, Esme turned to me with the same bright smile. "So, dear, you and Rose are close?"

"Yeah, we've gotten to know each other pretty well. We're together a lot of the time, the two of us and my good friend, Alice."

Esme seemed to sag with an unknown relief. "Oh, good. I thought that girl would never meet any other girls to be friends with. She's always hung out with her brother and his friends, and now Emmett's friends. I'm glad she has you and this Alice girl."

It's funny how Rose had mentioned the same thing just a few weeks before. Her and her mother seemed to be on the same wavelength.

"I hope we'll be seeing more of you, Bella. You seem like a lovely woman." It seemed like a strange thing to say, but coming from Esme, I could tell that it was sincere.

"Thank you, Esme." It was all I could really say about her comment. I was afraid of a prolonged, awkward silence, but Edward reappeared in that moment, his phone charger in one hand and his car keys in the other.

"Ma, can you get my car back here? Rose is coming by next weekend, so I'll grab it then."

"Of course, honey. I'll have your dad swing by and take a look at it when he gets out of work."

"Thanks. Sorry to just take off, but we're having a movie night at the apartment. I'll fix it up next weekend."

"Oh, a movie night! Are you going to be there tonight, Bella?"

Oh, she's addressing me again. Does she do that often to new people in her house that have shown up unannounced.

"Uh, yeah," I said quickly. "Alice and I always go."

"Well, have fun kids! Call me when you get back safely, Edward."

"Yeah, Ma."

}ACH{

6:27 pm

"We come bearing food," I announced as Edward and I walked through the front door of his apartment. Rose was in the kitchen, her head in the fridge, presumably looking for beers and other drinks. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, who was a new addition, were sat on the couch, kicked back, watching a rerun of Friends, which was an addiction we all apparently shared. We had learned very early on in our friendship that we were all prone to making references to the show, and when all of us understood them, it was golden.

Edward and I set the bags of Chinese takeout on the sill of the baker's window and took out all the boxes of meats, rice, and chow mein. As everyone crowded around to make their plates, Rose saddled up beside me.

"So, my mother has requested that you and Alice accompany back home next weekend and spend it with us. You must have made some impression, Bella." The little smirk she gave me probably had something to do with my being at their house with her brother, but I wasn't willing to put any effort into figuring it out for sure.

"Mom's just glad that you finally have some friends," Edward snickered, smirking at his sister from the other side of the counter.

Rose just rolled her eyes at her brother. "Anyways, I leave on Friday afternoons and come back Sunday evening, if that's alright with you two."

I nodded and Alice clapped her hands. "Oh, good. A whole weekend at the Cullen's house. How was it, Bella? I've always imagined they live in this old Victorian home with a wrap around porch and a porch swing."

I tried to stifle my laugh, but it was a losing battle. "Oh, you're in for a big surprise. Their house is this contemporary beast. It's, like, three stories of hardwood floors and sleek furniture."

Alice's eyes widened. "Oh, geez. Have you guys always lived there?" she asked Rose.

She shook her head. "No, we moved when I was a freshman in high school. We used to live in a townhouse type home closer to Boston, but my parents decided to move to a less populated area."

"Well, I'm excited to see it, then. Thanks for the invite, Rose."

After everyone had gathered their food, we settled in on the couches and the floor when there was no more room. Rose and Emmett took up the small couch, and Jasper and Alice sat in the two chairs that were situated next to each other. Edward and I took to the floor, our backs propped up against the coffee table with our food in our laps, so we could face the TV. We had chosen to watch a scary movie, so Alice had brought Sinister from our collection in the dorm. Alice and I had already seen it, but it had been awhile, and I was a jumper when something happened on TV.

I quickly finished my food and set my plate on the table behind me. I sat cross-legged and watched the movie, trying to remind myself when all the suspenseful parts took place so I wouldn't be quite so startled. Unfortunately, that didn't really happen. I'm a bundle of nerves when scary movies are in the mix, and the first sign of a scare, I was jumping right into Edward, who looked surprised to say the least. His eyebrows furrowed at me, and I just shrugged at him to say that I couldn't help it and I scared easily. He just smirked at me and gave his attention back to the TV screen,

Not more than five minutes later, I was back into his side, having jumped again from yet another scene. He chuckled at me and simply rested his arm behind me on the coffee table, offering me a space when I scared. I was just going to take that as a sign of our agreed upon friendship, even though the heat radiating from his arm against my neck was making me break out in goosebumps. His close proximity was at least helping with distracting me from the movie, so I calmed down a little while it got tense, but I was now buzzing because of his presence.

Thankfully, I was able to make it through the rest of the film without ending up in Edward's lap, although I wouldn't have been opposed to that. Alice and I helped clean up and pack away left overs before heading to back to the dorms for the night.

}ACH{

October 9th, 2015

9:21 am

"Rose is out front," Alice told me, hiking her weekend bag up over her shoulder. I hurriedly shoved the last of my things into my bag and zipped it up. I also grabbed my school bag, because Rose and I had some English homework due at the beginning of the next week that I was hoping we'd be able to do over the weekend.

We headed out and down the elevator. As soon as we opened up the door to step outside, Alice called out, "Shotgun!" and trotted over to Rose's car, where the trunk was already popped open. I rolled my eyes at Al's shenanigans, but I followed after her, closing the trunk when I was done. I slid into the back seat that was closest to the curb, and was slightly surprised when I saw Edward sitting in the other seat. It took me a second to remember that he had told his mom he'd be back this weekend to fix his car up and bring it back to school.

"Hey," I greeted him, sending him a soft smile as I closed the door. We had become somewhat more comfortable around each other since we had made our friendship truce, but I still wasn't willing to bare my soul or something to him. We were still kind of awkward around one another, but we were civil, even friendly, when we were in the same space. It mainly just made working together more easy on the both of us, and cleared some of the tension when I was in his apartment when he got back from work or class. It was working out fine so far, though.

"Hey, JB," he nodded back, quickly flashing me a smile and turning his head to look out his own window. I wanted to sigh at the lack of communication, but I kept it in and turned to Rose, who was already pulling away from the curb.

"Hey, you're looking surprisingly chipper this morning," I noted. Rose was not a morning person, and she usually tried not to be awake nine-thirty, if at all possible, but today she seemed energized. She had a small smile tugging at her lips and she looked alert and awake. There was even some upbeat pop song playing through the radio, and that was definitely not her choice of music in the morning.

"I haven't been back home since the semester started, so I'm just excited to see my parents," she reasoned, catching my eye in the rearview mirror. "And Eddie's promised to get us coffee, so I'm particularly happy about that." Rose said this with a mirthful glint in her eyes. I didn't really know what that was about, and Alice looked none the wiser either, so I chose to ignore it. Must just be a sibling thing.

"Wow," I said, turning to look at Edward, who was already glancing at me, "that's nice of you to offer." He just shrugged.

"She's driving me back to get my car. And it's my fault that you're being dragged to our house for the weekend. I figured I owed you both."

"Wait, I still get coffee, right?" Alice interjected, sounding pouty at the thought of not getting her favorite beverage.

"Yeah, Squirt, you get coffee, too."

"Sweet!"


Ok, so there's the next chapter. It's a little filler-y until things start to pick up more. Next chapter will have the weekend and maybe a little bit of Halloween, if I'm able to fit it in. I'm gonna be jumping in the timeline a little bit, just because I don't think it's necessary to draw the days out. Not my cup of tea.

As always, please leave reviews! I read each and every one of them, and I love seeing those emails pop up. Some of you really had strong opinions about the Riley thing last chapter, and it was interesting to read. So I do greatly appreciate it!

Also, I have another story in the works. I have a few chapters already written, though no real plot drawn out. I just wanna see who would like to see that in tandem with this story, or if you'd prefer I waited until I was further along in this one to start posting a new one, kind of like how I did this story with ATRM. Just wondering.

Until next time, lovelies!