Tali: as one review put it so eloquently: The previous chapter sucked because nothing happened. Sorry, sometimes there just needs to be some filler, they just need to be. Here's another chapter, hope it doesn't suck as much as the last one. I may or may not take to updating more often, depending on how much of the later stuff I get written. I prefer to update on a regular schedule and not leave you waiting for days or even weeks at a time while I write.
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Bella's POV
I sighed and rolled over. I ached from restless sleep. I frowned when I saw the Edward-scented pillow on the floor across the room. I climbed out of bed, almost losing my balance as I tried to disentangle myself from the sheets and blankets. I was back to thrashing apparently.
Today was my first day with the kids. I had the directions to the school and I didn't need to pick them up until 2:30 so that gave me all morning and part of the afternoon to do whatever I wanted. I grabbed a book and curled up on my bed to spend the morning reading. Alice and Jasper were up at their campus getting books since Jasper had to work the rest of the week. Emmett was out looking for a job. Apparently he'd quit the one he had last year, not liking being a waiter almost as much as Jasper. I wondered if his lack of people skills would affect his medical practice.
I was about halfway through the book when there was a soft knock on my door. I looked up and smiled at Edward.
"Hey you," I set my book down. "How'd things go with Rosalie last night?"
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. She forgave me." He settled himself down on my bed. "So are you ready for your job with the kids?"
I laughed. "I sure hope so. We'll see today."
He patted my knee. "You'll do great. I'm sure you're great with kids. You seem to be able to handle us losers pretty well and we're really just a bunch of big kids."
I laughed. "Thanks."
We sat and chatted for a while until he had to go to work. The conversation was somewhat awkward, very shallow. Edward carefully avoided deep topics and all flirting. By the time he was leaving for work, it was time for me to get ready for my job.
I took a quick shower and dressed in jean capris and a red tank top. I twisted my hair up into a messy bun and headed out.
The school was amazing. It had grades K-12 according to the sign. The school looked like a miniature college campus. I was sure it was better than any school I'd ever been to. I parked and headed in, unsure of how exactly this was supposed to go down. I stopped in the office and smiled at a plump redhead.
"Hi, I'm here to pick up Hillary and Todd Bonner," I said with a smile.
She looked at me over the tops of her glasses. "Name?"
"Bella Swan."
She rifled through some pages. "Ah yes. Hillary is in building 3 and Todd is in building 7. You'll be able to pick them up out front in the future but in inclement weather and today you need to go to their buildings."
I nodded and grabbed a map. "Thanks!" I said cheerfully.
She didn't respond to me as I headed out the door. I paused and studied the map before setting off for the closest building, 3.
I knocked on the door hesitantly and a young woman with light brown hair opened it. She smiled at me cheerfully. "Hi, are you one of the moms?"
I shook my head. "No, I'm a nanny. I'm here for Hillary."
"Bella!" I heard Hillary exclaiming. I looked past the teacher and grinned at her. She was coming towards me with a huge grin on her face. She looked up at me. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm ready to go home."
I laughed and looked up at the teacher. "Do I need to sign anything?"
She shook her head. "Nope, have a great day!"
We headed off and picked up Todd, getting much the same reaction. I loaded the kids up in the car and we set off. Tuesdays Hillary had her piano lessons, so I dropped her off, running in to meet the teacher, before heading to the house with Todd. Tomorrow it would be one on one with Hillary while he was at soccer practice.
When we got to the house, I let Todd run around and play with Buster for awhile while I got his snack ready: apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and another Capri Sun. He sat at the kitchen table swinging his legs and telling me about his classes excitedly. Before too long it was time to go pick up Hillary.
Once back at the house, she got a snack and some play time while he sat down to do the homework he'd gotten. I felt for the kids, it sucked to get homework on the first day.
I settled Hillary down with her homework and I resumed my book, helping them when needed. Five o'clock came quickly and Anne came in with a smile on her face.
"How was everything?" she asked as the kids gave her hugs.
"Great," I said enthusiastically. "Hillary made it to lessons, they both had snacks and did some homework and played with Buster."
"They got homework on the first day?"
I nodded. "Crummy, huh?"
"Totally," sighed Hillary dramatically.
I laughed and gave the kids a hug as I headed out the door. I trotted across the yards and up the stairs. "Hey Edward," I greeted him as I came through the door. He looked up with a grin.
"So was I right?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Everything was fine. Since I've only got them for a few hours it's not like we could get into any serious trouble, right?"
He laughed. "I'm sure you could figure it out," he winked at me.
I made a face at him and started cooking. Tonight I was trying something new: turkey bacon turnovers.
Edward kept me company while I worked, watching with interest while I folded the puff pastry carefully and brushed it with an egg wash. I slid the turnovers into the oven and started to clean up.
"Hey, that's my job," he laughed bumping me with his hip.
I laughed and moved out of his way. I set the table while the turnovers baked.
The others arrived, drawn by the smell of the food and soon we were all sitting around the table eating. Emmett hadn't had any luck with the job hunt though Alice and Jasper had lots of luck finding their books, although none that were used.
After dinner, we trooped downstairs to watch a movie. Edward seemed somewhat distant towards me, but as we sat and watched, his arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me against his chest. I sighed softly and snuggled against him. When the movie ended, I sat up and smoothed my hair.
"Anyone up for another movie?" asked Emmett looking around the room.
I shook my head. "No, I need to start trying to get on a regular school type schedule. Classes start next week."
That was met with groans. "Thanks for reminding us," muttered Jasper sarcastically. "I'd almost forgotten."
I grinned. "You're completely welcome."
I headed upstairs to wash my face and brush my teeth before crawling into bed. Hopefully tonight's sleep would be better.
I could hear the others going to bed shortly after me. My door opened and Edward's head stuck in.
"Want a bedfellow?" he grinned at me.
I laughed. "I'm ok with it but are you? You've been a little distant today."
He sighed and sat down next to me. "I'm just trying to establish barriers and keep to them."
I raised my eyebrows. "And sleeping in my bed is doing that?"
"I sleep better with you than alone," he said defensively. "And no one follows their own rules 100% of the time."
I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'll leave it up to you. You decide what barriers you need to keep Rosalie happy."
A few minutes later I was snuggled up against his chest comfortably and shortly after I was fast asleep.
Edward's POV
Staying away from Bella was going to be hard, but I needed to do it. It wasn't right to get all worked up over her and run to Rosalie, even if the sex was amazing that way.
I waited until I heard her stirring before I made an appearance. She was still in her pajamas, curled up on her bed with a book. She looked so damn cute. I hated that word, but it was perfect for her. She was playing absentmindedly with a stray strand of hair when I knocked on the door. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Hey you," she slid a bookmark into her book and put it on her nightstand. "How'd things go with Rosalie last night?"
I rolled my eyes and sat down on the bed facing her. I didn't really want to go into that. "Fine. She forgave me. So are you ready for your job with the kids?" I was pleased with my smooth conversation change.
She laughed. "I sure hope so. We'll see today."
I reached forward and patted her knee. "You'll do great. I'm sure you're great with kids. You seem to be able to handle us losers pretty well and we're really just a bunch of big kids."
She grinned. "Thanks."
"So…how about them Bulls?" I said after a long pause.
She laughed again. "I know nothing about basketball," she admitted. "That's my dad's thing."
I grinned. "Yeah, my dad too. Whenever he had a chance to watch a game, he would. I usually tried to sneak off. If I'm watching sports I want to watch something bone crushing, like football."
She grinned. "So what does your dad do anyway? You said your mom is a piano teacher."
"He's chief of surgery at Mount Sinai."
She raised her eyebrows. "Impressive. Does he work a lot of hours?"
I nodded. "Yeah, but he always made time for me growing up. I don't think he missed more than a handful of my recitals and awards ceremonies. The few years I was in sports, he was at every game and as many practices as he could be. We even tried the scouts for a year and he made it to most of the meetings."
"That's cool. So is he why you want to be a doctor?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I wanna be just like him when I grow up."
She rolled her eyes. "Sounds like a good role model but I don't think you'll ever grow up."
I ran my finger up the bottom of her bare foot. "Watch it, I may someday be treating you. And I will remember this."
She stuck her tongue out at me. I laughed then grimaced when I saw the clock on her bedside. "Is that right?" I asked gesturing to it.
She looked over and nodded. "Yes. Why would I have a clock that was set wrong?"
I shrugged. "Some people set them ahead." I stood up. "I've got to get to work. I'll see you later?"
She nodded and waved as I headed out.
Work was quiet and my boss ended up sending me home a little early. I grabbed my book and iPod and headed to the living room. I really needed to think about getting an armchair and footstool for my room. That and a refrigerator. Of course, if I did, I'd never leave.
I was midway through a chapter when Bella bounced through the door. She smiled at me.
"Hey Edward."
Obviously things went well. "So was I right?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Everything was fine. Since I've only got them for a few hours it's not like we could get into any serious trouble, right?"
I laughed, a million ways trouble could have occurred in just a few hours running through my mind. "I'm sure you could have figured it out," I teased.
She made a face at me and headed into the kitchen to start cooking. I followed her and watched with interest while she pulled some different ingredients out of the refrigerator and freezer and started making what looked like sandwiches with puff pastry instead of bread.
She made quite a pile of dirty dishes and before I quite realized what she was doing, she started washing them.
"Hey, that's my job," I teased her, bumping her out of the way with my hip.
She laughed and moved out of the way. I immediately felt guilty. I'd made that whole promise to myself to stay away from her and here I was looking for ways to be near her and even to touch her. It pissed me off.
I sat across from her at the table so I wouldn't be tempted to bump her knee with mine or worse, reach down and squeeze it. When dinner was done, I helped Jasper and Emmett with the last of the dishes while Alice and Bella hauled the textbooks upstairs.
We all met up in the basement and Emmett popped in a movie, Animal House. I rolled my eyes. The Greek life wasn't really any of our preference, mostly due to the fact we lived so far from our schools.
I noticed Bella keeping her distance from me…or rather, I was keeping my distance from her. I rolled my eyes and sighed. I fucking missed her not being against me, even when she was just on the other end of the couch. I reached over and slid my arm around her waist, pulling her against me. She sighed softly and nestled against me. She fit so well, like we were fucking made for each other. It was like some lame ass song or romance novel.
When the credits were rolling, she pulled away and smoothed her hair, smiling at me shyly as she looked at me through her eyelashes.
"Anyone up for another movie?" asked Emmett expectantly.
I kind of hoped Bella would be, but she declined, citing needing to get on a regular school schedule. She headed upstairs amid groans and tossed pillows.
Alice sighed and stood up. "She's right. We've got to get on a better schedule than we've been on."
Jasper scowled and crossed his arms over his chest like a petulant child. She rolled her eyes and leaned down so her breasts were in full view. "Would sex make you feel better?"
He grinned. "Shit yeah." He grabbed her arm and practically dragged her upstairs.
I laughed and looked at Emmett. "I'm not having sex with you to make you feel better," I warned.
He rolled his eyes. "Thank fuck for that. There's always Bella," he winked at me and I threw a couch cushion at him. He laughed. "Oh that's right. She's yours."
I gave him the finger as I was heading up the stairs. I stopped in front of Bella's closed door and studied it. I headed upstairs quickly and changed, brushing my teeth before heading back downstairs.
I opened her door cautiously and poked my head in. "Want a bedfellow?"
She chuckled. "I'm ok with it, but are you? You've been a little distant today."
I sighed and crossed the room, sinking down onto the mattress next to her so I didn't have to face her. "I'm just trying to establish barriers and keep to them."
She raised her eyebrows. "And sleeping in my bed is doing that?" she called me on my bullshit.
"I sleep better with you than alone," I huffed. "And no one follows their own rules 100% of the time."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll leave it you. You decide what barriers you need to keep Rosalie happy."
I frowned. I guess it was pretty obvious why I felt I needed barriers. I stood up and pulled the covers back and crawled into bed next to her. She gave me a crooked grin and curled up next to me, resting her head on my chest. I stroked her hair until she fell asleep, then let myself drift off too.
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Tali: Edward will not figure this out for a while, people. He's dense. Get used to it.
