Yay!!! It didn't take me nearly as long to write this one as it did the last one. Are y'all proud of me?

Now, to mention my wonderful reviewers.

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Thanks so much for the reviews you guys!!! Keep them coming!!! Now read the chappy =)

Bella's POV

Edward walked me home a few hours later. He always seemed a bit on edge when he walked with me around my apartment. Probably because it reminded him about the society difference, I thought sadly. At my door, he hesitantly leaned in and kissed my cheek before turning and walking back down the steep stairs. My heart missed a beat, and I blushed at the touch. I watched him go, his bronze hair disappearing around the corner. I sighed quietly, and wrapped my arms around myself before I unlocked my door and walked in. I flicked on the light and sat down on my bed. I had a couple hours before I had to get to work, but I didn't really feel like doing anything. I opened a drawer in my dresser and got out a pair of jeans, but I didn't feel like putting them on. Edward had given me a pair of black track pants to put on and they were amazingly comfortable, even though they were way too big. I had the string pulled as tight as it would go, and the legs rolled up several times. He also gave me one of his tee shirts, and it smelled just like him. I reluctantly changed into one of my own shirts, long-sleeved and pulled on my boots and one of Emmett's old hoodies. It was dark green and huge on me, even bigger than Edward's shirt had been on me. The old hoodie had been through a lot with me, and had been pretty valuable to me during that last year I went to highschool. I left my apartment and taped a note to Emmett and Rose's door.

"I'm going to the library, then work. I got home safe and sound this morning. -Bella"

I walked down the steep stairs, actually, I tripped and managed to roll down the last five, but anyways…no broken bones, just a few bruises. When I got outside I smiled, looking up at the sky. It looked like it would snow again soon. It would be Christmas before too long. This year, we were going back to Forks, my entire family was going to be squashed into my Dad's house, as well as Jacob and Billy Black, old friends of me and my Dad's.

I was excited about it.

After spending an hour at the library, surrounded by books, I walked the familiar route to the bookstore. I wanted to get there early today, to talk to Heidi. The bells tinkled as I entered and she looked up, a smile brightening the room as she saw me.

"Isabella Swan, I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten about me." She said, climbing down from the step stool she had been on a moment earlier. She enveloped me in a tight but gentle hug.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy lately. I could never forget you." I told her. It was true. Heidi was like my New York mother, she knew as much about as my real mom did, possibly more.

"Have you found another job yet?" she asked me, looking concerned. I shook my head. Of course not. No work in New York City for a girl that doesn't talk. To my surprise, Heidi smiled widely.

"Good. I have a friend who wants someone to tutor her daughter in Sign Language!" she said with a happy squeal. Sometimes she really reminded me of Alice. My mouth dropped and I launched myself forwards, onto Heidi, hugging her tightly.

"Are you serious? Oh, Heidi…" I asked after letting her go. She smoothed her black hair down, pretending to be annoyed with me for jumping on her, but her eyes were smiling.

"Yes, Hon, I'm serious. I told her about you and what you've done with little Adele, and she wants to meet you. Here is her address, go see her tomorrow morning, she said anytime was okay." She said, handing me a sheet of paper. I smiled and tucked it into the pocket of Edward's pants. Adele…I missed her.

"Thank you so much…"

"Don't mention it, Bella. Now, tell me, how is Adele?" she asked, her voice curious as she sat down on the stool behind the counter. I plopped down on the bean bag chair that Edward had dragged over.

"Mom says she's doing alright. Still growing fast. I can't wait to see her over Christmas, but I can't think of what to get her." I wrote on my marker board. Heidi smiled.

"You need to send me a picture of her. Hm, what to get her…" the bells tinkled again and we both looked towards the door. It was a woman with a huge purse, to my disappointment. I knew that Edward had students until six, but I still hoped. I looked back down and began to doodle on the marker board while Heidi helped the woman with the purse that you could fit a good sized dog into.

You're getting too attached. You need to stop this while you still can. That rational, smart side of my brain told me in a stern voice. I had to smile a little at what it hadn't realized yet.

I'm already in too deep to stop.

Edward's POV

I sighed as the little girl I was trying to teach scales to messed up again.

"No, Lizzie. Like this." I said in as gentle and patient a tone as I could, playing the simple F scale once again for her, very slowly. The day was dragging on slower than usual, and I couldn't wait to get out of my apartment. It was five thirty, only another half hour until I could leave. I zoned out while Lizzie attempted to play the scale again. I wondered again what had happened, to hurt Bella so badly that a simple touch, one wrong word would make her withdraw, that would make that hurt stay in her eyes for so long. My doorbell ringing startled me out of my thoughts.

"Be right back." I told Lizzie, going to answer the door. I walked down the hall and unlocked my door, letting it swing open.

Oh thank God. Lizzie's nanny, here early. I smiled, and instantly felt like hugging the poor, unsuspecting woman.

"Lizzie! Gail's here." I yelled over my shoulder. A minute later, Lizzie came running, her backpack over her shoulder.

"Thanks, Mr. Masen. We'll see you next week." The old woman said, sounding like she didn't really mean it before herding Lizzie out the door and towards the elevator. I shut the door behind them and ran up to my room, rummaging through my closet for my jacket. I pulled it on and ran out the door, only stopping to lock it.

I've got it bad.

Bella's POV

I had my Ipod on, drowning out the sounds of the cars on the street outside. I was curled up on Edward's bean bag chair, still just doodling on the marker board. It had been a slow day, only three people had come in all afternoon. I was just killing time until Edward got here.

"If someone said three years from now

you'd be long gone

I'd stand up and punch them out

Cause their all wrong

I know better

Cause you said forever

And ever

Who knew?"

Why was I listening to this? It made me think of Brandon, stupid Brandon. Three years…Three long years of trying to put my life back together. A tear rolled down my cheek, then another, and another, and before I knew it, I was all out crying. I ripped the ear buds out of my ears and put the ipod on the counter.

A song. A song had reduced me to tears.

The next thing I knew, warm, strong arms were around me. I gasped and squirmed, trying to get loose, but they held me still.

"Hey, hey. It's just me." A soft, gentle, familiar voice said. I relaxed instantly and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself. Edward rubbed my cheeks with his thumb, wiping away the tear tracks.

"Are you okay? What happened? What's the matter?" He sounded so worried. It felt good to have some one worry about you. I just nodded, pushing my hair out of my face and standing up. I picked up my ipod off the counter and shut it off, stuffing it back in the pocket of Edward's pants. He stood up too, still looking worried.

"You know you can talk to me about whatever's been bothering you so much…right?" he asked in a kind of shy voice, sounding so much younger than he actually was. I felt like I was older than he was, and in maturity and experience with life, I probably was. I just nodded again.

No, I can't. I thought, sitting on my stool and pointing at the purple marker and board next to his chair. He picked them up and looked at my doodles before he handed them to me.

"Nice..." he commented. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was only five forty-five.

"You're early?" I wrote on the board in purple ink. He nodded, smiling.

"Yeah. The last student left early. I could've hugged her nanny when she came." He said, grinning. I was confused.

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't wait to be done and see you again. I missed you." He said, watching me carefully as if he was waiting to see my reaction. I couldn't help it, I smiled, blushing just a tiny bit, and looked down at my board, my voice, and drew a heart on it.

What was I, a highschool freshman with a crush?

I quickly erased the heart, before Edward could see it. When I peeked up at his face again, he was smiling in a satisfied manner, and still watching me closely, his eyes twinkling.

"Did you miss me?" he asked, his voice sounding teasing, but I could tell that there was a hint of seriousness behind it. As he probably expected me to, I blushed a deeper red and looked down at the board once more.

"Well?" He asked, sounding more serious now. I nodded my head quickly before standing up and grabbing a stack of books on the counter and walking to the shelf they belonged in.

"I said it first, you know. So if anyone should be embarrassed, it should be me." That velvet voice said, following me. I bet he could get anything he wanted with it, and his looks probably helped quite a bit. I finished putting all of the books back in their proper places and turned around.

And me being me, managed to trip over the hem of my…Edward's pants and fall. Straight onto him.

And we both tumbled down to the floor.

Edward's POV

Before I really knew what was happening, I was on the floor, with Bella on top of me.

Her face was right in front of mine, so close…

I didn't think.

I didn't think about the warnings that Emmett had given me the night before. I just didn't think. I acted.

I kissed her.

She was still for a minute, then pulled away from me, and rolled off. I sighed.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! I yelled at myself, in my mind. Bella stood up, and I sat up. She looked surprised, and her fingers were on her lips.

"I-I'm sorry." I stuttered. Wonderful, I sounded like I was back in highschool. And I just stuttered. Bella's hands stayed still, silent, and her eyes were far away.

What is she thinking? I thought, frustrated. I needed to know. I stood up, dusting myself off, resigned to the fact that I'd been an idiot, and that she didn't like me back. She still stood there, in obvious shock, her eyes distant.

I was starting worry…was she okay?

"I…I'll just go now. Okay?" I said, turning around and walking towards the door. She probably wanted me gone. I had my hand on the door to open it when running footsteps came from behind me. I turned around, and Bella jumped on me.

Literally jumped on me.

She didn't kiss me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight. I wrapped my arms around her waist so that she wouldn't fall.

Bella's POV

I didn't want him to go. I wasn't angry at him for kissing me…I wasn't expecting it, but I had wanted him to.

The only bad thing about it was, my mind reminded of Brandon because of it, in a strange, sick and twisted way.

But it wasn't Brandon. It was Edward. And they were completely and totally different. I wasn't even sure why I was reminded of Brandon.

I just wanted Edward, no memories of my past attached.

Edward's POV

"I'm sorry." I repeated, burying my face in her hair. I loved her hair. It smelled so good, and it was so beautiful. Bella shook her head, and I set her down on her feet reluctantly. She let go of me, and walked behind the counter and came back writing something on the marker board, and after a minute, she held it out to me.

"Don't be…unless you regret it." She said. I could practically hear her voice saying the words.

Wait. She thought I could regret that?

"I don't. I never will." I told her, reaching out and brushing her hair out of her face. She smiled, a tiny smile, but a smile nonetheless. She rubbed off the words that she had written on the board and wrote again.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Never say never." Her eyes grew somewhat sad as she let me read the words she had written in her messy handwriting. I felt like sighing. How was I supposed to make her feel better, if she wouldn't tell me why she felt that way?

"Never." I repeated, locking my eyes with her chocolate brown ones.

They smiled, even though her mouth didn't.

OoOoOoOo

Who's Adele?

We shall see...we shall see...

review. i want to hear what y'all think of it so far. and who do you think Adele is?