Author's Note- I am so, so, sorry about the wait. I hope this long-ish chapter makes up for it. As usual, thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially excrutiatingly.lovely: I'm glad you think I can spell, because I've noticed that in a few other fics, too. I'd also hope I can spell, since I'm a junior in college. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer- I don't own anything. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Soundtrack- "Decode" by Paramore, the new one from the Twilight soundtrack, I listed to it constantly while I was writing this. It's spectacular.

Chapter 10

Studying… Or Not

Edward was drawing circles on my arm. I could feel his fingers brushing slightly across my skin, sending sparks up and down my arm. It was the oddest feeling. Never before had I woken up like this, so happy and pleased.

His fingers paused on my skin. I frowned, but was unable to do much more. My body apparently didn't know I was awake.

"Bella?" he breathed beside me.

"Mm…"

But I realized he was in the same predicament I was. We were both barely awake. That made me smile again.

"Bella, darling!" Alice shouted.

I heard her key turning in the lock as she continued to shout.

"I'm sorry I didn't come back last night. I figured you'd just complain about my trying to baby you…"

I heard the door open and then there was a slight pause in her monologue.

"OH MY GOD! I'M SORRY!"

Suddenly my body was very awake. I jumped up, pulling Edward up with me. Alice's eyes were wide with shock. She spun around and immediately slammed the door. There was a short pause and then another shout.

"ROSALIE!"

I heard a door open down the hall. One of our floor mates apparently wasn't pleased with being woken up by Alice.

Edward was chuckling beside me, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I think we traumatized poor Alice," he said.

I turned to look at him and smiled wider. His hair was slightly messed up from sleeping on his back, and his arm was still hanging loosely around my waist. Even waking up he was perfect.

"She'll get over it," I murmured.

But he was already getting up, and pulling me with him.

"As much as I'd like to stay here all day with you, I'm wearing the same clothes from last night and my friends will also be looking for me."

I frowned, but got out of bed. I crossed over to my mirror and groaned.

"What?" he asked from behind me.

"Bed head," I said, and started to run my fingers through my hair.

He laughed, and replied, "You look beautiful, Bella."

My cell phone started to ring from my purse, and I glanced at the offending object. It was no doubt Alice and Rosalie. Who else would call me at this ungodly hour? That and Alice had just found me sleeping in Edward's arms, in my bed. Oh yes, it was definitely my snooping best friends.

"I'll leave you to answer that," Edward said.

"You don't have to," I quickly said.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close to his chest. I pulled my arms up around his neck, and held him there, as though I could make him not leave.

"How's your head?" he asked quietly.

"I don't feel a thing," I said.

It was probably the euphoria.

He bent down and kissed my forehead. For a moment I felt disappointment, I'd wanted him to kiss me again like he had last night.

Slowly, I reminded myself. We're taking this slowly.

And that's your fault, a traitorous part of my mind retorted.

"I'll see you later, Bella," he murmured, and then released me.

I let go of him, too. He was stronger than I was, and my cell phone was ringing again. If I didn't answer it, I strongly suspected Alice and Rosalie to start pounding the door down. They wouldn't come in; they were both too afraid. But drawing me out was definitely a possibility.

"Later," I promised.

I watched him slip out the door. Once the door was shut behind him, I let out a groan and picked up my cell phone. I had four missed calls in that short time it had taken Edward to say goodbye, and all of them were from Alice.

I checked my voicemail, delaying the inevitable conversation with my best friends.

"Bella! What the heck is going on? Call me back immediately!"

"Bella, it's Rosalie and Alice. If you didn't get that from the number, which I'm sure you did. But you need to call us back. Right away. What is going on?"

"Bella, kick Edward out right now. We're concerned."

"Bella, if you don't call me back in five minutes, I'm banging the door down. It's in your best interests, honey."

I pressed the speed dial, and waited while it rang. It didn't even make it through the first ring.

"Bella? Thank God!" Alice all but shouted.

"Could you be more quiet? I don't think our hall likes being woken up this early," I said.

"Is he gone?" Alice demanded.

I chewed on my lip for a second, not liking the accusation in her tone. Finally, I replied, "Yes."

"We'll be right up. Don't move," Alice said.

That was what I was afraid of. A minute later Alice and Rosalie came thundering through the door without knocking. Alice immediately threw her arms around me, and then pulled back to check my face.

"Oh my God Bella. What happened? Did someone slip you something? I told you not to take drinks from people you don't know!" Alice cried, talking so fast it was hard to keep up.

But I definitely heard the last part, and was immediately offended. Of course I knew better than to take drinks from strangers at bars.

Then I realized something else. She thought I had been on something last night. If she thought the only reason I'd be around Edward was because I was high, I had a problem.

"No, Alice, no. Why do you think I was on something?" I asked, pulling away from her.

She frowned.

Rosalie cut in. "You slept with Edward Masen, Bella."

"I didn't sleep with Edward," I said quickly, "Okay, I did sleep with him, but that's all we did. He didn't want me to be alone in case I needed a doctor."

"And you let him?" Rosalie asked.

"Bella, you hate Edward," Alice said, her eyes wide.

I remembered something else, something I hadn't mentioned to my friends but was now free to.

"That's partly your fault," I accused, "You told him about Jacob. How could you?"

Rosalie waved her hand and said, "I had to give him some reason to back off. What better reason than the truth?"

I thought for a minute. I had almost told her I wished she hadn't, but then things might not have worked out the way they had. I couldn't risk that. I couldn't risk losing Edward, even if I'd only had him for a few hours. I glanced at the clock beside my bed. Eight hours, to be exact.

"You never answered our question," Alice said, her eyes narrowing.

I knew that look. She suspected, and her suspicions were usually right, just like her predictions. Alice was just weird like that.

"I asked him to," I finally said.

Alice opened her mouth, but Rosalie held up her hand.

"Explain please. From the beginning, when he offered to walk you back from the club," Rosalie said.

I looked away, hoping they wouldn't see the heat in my cheeks that the very mention of that caused.

"It starts before that, actually," I said, "In the club. He asked me to dance. When we were out on the dance floor… it was so different. It's hard to explain. It was like I'd forgotten every line I'd drawn between us. We were closer than we'd ever been. Everywhere he touched was like it was on fire. But I couldn't stand it, because I didn't understand it. I didn't understand him. I was frustrated, and so I left him on the floor and went outside. I was pretty much running away. I was so upset I wasn't looking where I was going, and I stepped in front of that truck. Edward pushed me out of the way. And then he kissed me."

Rosalie's jaw went slack. Alice squealed a little bit, very much happy with these turn of events, and not at all surprised anymore.

"So, when we got back here, we talked. He told me everything. We decided to take it slow, because I'm still not sure I'm ready for anything else, even with Edward."

I hesitated, thinking for a second about Edward. Then about Edward leaving.

"Especially with Edward," I amended.

"So, what, are you guys dating now?" Rosalie asked.

I shrugged, then said, "I don't know. He didn't ask me out…"

"But it was understood," Alice guessed.

Rosalie shot her a look, and she shrugged.

"What? He's completely head over heels for Bella. It's obvious," Alice said. Then she turned back to me with a sweet smile and said, "Well, Bella, I'm sorry for interrupting you this morning and kicking Edward out. I thought you'd been drugged or something. But now that I know otherwise, I'm sorry and happy for you."

"Thank you, Alice," I replied.

Rosalie looked pleased, too, and said, "I guess this means we don't have to worry about keeping Edward and Bella apart during our study session today. It was getting old, having to worry about the two of them."

My heart was already beating faster.

"Study session?" I asked.

Rosalie nodded, then said, "It was Alice's drunken idea. She thought she might get more homework done if Jasper were there to help her, for some reason. I know I'll get less done with Emmett there, but whatever."

"Jasper's so calm," Alice said, "He makes me settle down."

"Edward will be there?" I clarified.

Alice nodded, and pushed me towards my closet.

"Yes, and so will you so hurry and get ready so we can go get breakfast. I'm starved," Alice said.

My day had just gotten brighter, so I didn't argue and quickly got ready. I was going to see Edward soon, and that made me happier.

The guys weren't at breakfast. We were pretty late getting there ourselves, so it was nearly empty in the dining hall. Rosalie, who was constantly texting Emmett, explained that they'd eaten earlier.

"If you don't hurry, Alice, they're going to be watching a game when we get there," Rosalie said.

She loved sports, but she knew Alice didn't.

"It's Saturday," Alice said happily, "No football."

"Reruns," I reminded her, "ESPN always has something on. Charlie always has some game on."

Alice frowned, and started digging into her dining hall food faster.

I smiled, and then broke out into laughter as Alice smeared syrup all over her chin. Alice looked up, trying to wipe the syrup off her chin.

"Nice, Alice," I complimented.

My cell phone vibrated in the pocket of my hoodie (put on after Alice left the room), and I quickly pulled it out.

I just found out you guys are coming over to study. Can't wait to see you. I hope Alice didn't kill you. E

She tried, but I fought her off. Can't want to see you. B

"Texting Edward?" Rosalie asked, trying to read over my shoulder.

I snapped my cell phone shut and put it on the table.

"Maybe."

We finished our breakfast quickly, and then went back to our room to grab our books. While we walked to the suite, Emmett called Rosalie on her cell phone to tell her just how much he was looking forward to seeing her. I tried to block it out, but Alice was beside her making kissing faces. Rosalie, of course, hit her in the arm.

The guys had left the door ulocked for us as usual. It was kind of weird – every other time I'd walked through that door I'd been nervous at best. But now excitement trumped everything else, because I knew he felt something like that I felt, and that I was going to see him.

They were waiting for us in the lounge. Edward's face broke into a smile the moment I walked in, and I smiled sheepishly in return.

"Come join me, Bella," he said.

As if I would have sat anywhere else. I sat down beside him on the sofa, swinging my back onto the floor in front of us. Edward put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards him. He kissed my lips, quick and hard.

"Hello," he whispered, drawing back just the slightest.

"Hi," I breathed, unable to do or say much more.

"Ugh, I think I've seen enough of that today, thank you!" Alice called from across the room.

I turned my face so my friends wouldn't see me blush. Edward's hand rested on my cheek, and I wondered if he could feel my cheek heating up. But everyone started laughing, and I couldn't help but laugh myself.

Studying with the guys was definitely different. Usually Alice's short attetion span made her abandon her books and start shopping online within a half hour. But Jasper kept her focused, and they were whispering to each other over their books on the other sofa. Rosalie and Emmett on the other hand… they were "taking a break" and making out in the next room.

Edward and I had moved to the floor. I was lying with my head on his stomach, reading an article for my education class, while he read his own book, leaning slightly to the side. After a while his free hand found it's way to my hair.

I looked up at his face, his green eyes focused on his book. After a second he looked over at me.

I almost forgot what I wanted to say when his eyes met mine. My heart thrummed happily, not only because I could look at him like this without the slightest feeling of guilt or pain, but because he was looking at me. Me, little insignificant, damaged, Bella Swan.

"What?" he whispered, his lips pulling up in a smile.

I wanted to kiss him again.

"That's really distracting, you know," I said, and grinned that I'd been able to put a coherent sentence together.

"Your presence is distracting," he whispered.

Alice made gagging noises from her sofa.

I sighed, annoyed at my best friend, but Edward just rolled his eyes.

"I'm not concentrating very well," he said.

"Me either. I don't remember anything I just read," I admitted.

His eyes lit up with an idea. I liked it when they did that.

"Let's go for a walk," he suggested, "Take a little break. How does that sound?"

I nodded, and sat up, relieved to be putting my article aside. Some people, no matter how educated, just can't write. Of course, it didn't help that Edward was with me. He was entirely too distracting for my GPA.

Edward jumped up beside me, and took my hand to pull me up. He kept my hand and led me out of his suite.

"How's your head?" he asked as we waited for the elevator.

"Fine," I replied, and decided not to mention the bump from where I'd fallen. "Thank you for staying last night."

"Of course," he said, suddenly intense, his eyes boring into mine, "Anytime, Bella."

The way he said my name made my heart jump, and I couldn't help it, I broke out into a smile. The smile bubbled over into a laugh.

"What is it?" he asked, leading me into the elevator.

"Nothing," I replied quickly.

"Bella, please," he said, "I want to know."

I laughed again, with pure happiness, and then said, "Okay. I guess it's just that… I don't know. I never expected this." I tugged on our intertwined hands to prove my point. "I knew how I felt about you, but I thought you hated me, or at least wasn't interested at best. I thought I'd have to work to get on your good side. Even then, I never hoped for this. I keep expecting to wake up."

He ran his free hand along my cheek bone, then said, "Your eyes are beautiful when you laugh like that."

I froze mid-laugh, my grin spreading.

"Thanks," I murmured.

The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped out into the lobby. Silently, because I was still laughing to myself, we crossed the lobby and outside. It was a little chilly, usual for October in Washington, and I was glad I had worn a hoodie, despite Alice's comments. But Edward wrapped his arm around my waist, and pulled me against his side.

"So, Bella, tell me more about you," Edward said.

I smiled, and said, "No, I want to talk about you. Tell me about you."

Edward chuckled, and said, "Fine. I'm from Seattle, born and raised. I'm pre-law."

"I thought you were a music major," I said.

"Both," Edward explained, "My father's a lawyer, and he wants me to join his firm. Masen & Masen."

"And that's what you want?" I asked.

"Since I was very young," he replied.

"What about your mother? What does she do?" I asked.

Edward laughed again, and said, "My mother's a bit… much. She was a stay-at-home mom for most of my childhood. A few years ago she went back to work at The Musician's Weekly. My grandfather owns the magazine, and my mother's one of his top editors. I suppose you could say music's in the family."

Wow. A lawyer for a father and his grandfather owns a magazine, which his mother works at it. It was all rather intimidating. My father was a cop and my mother was an elementary school teacher.

"What is it, Bella?" he asked.

I shook my head, and said, "Nothing."

Edward frowned and said, "It bothers me, you know, when you do that. I know it's not 'nothing'. You always try to hide things."

I looked up at him, confused.

"What?" I asked.

Edward smiled again, and said, "You're very hard to read, that's all. I'm very good at reading people. My father always says that's what'll make me a great defense lawyer. But you always do the opposite of what I think I'm going to do, and you never tell anyone what you're really thinking."

"Oh," I said, and shrugged.

Edward pulled me closer, and said, "That's what hooked me in the first place. Do you remember that stupid movie night? When you got angry with me?"

I nodded, grimacing at the memory. It wasn't one of my best moments.

"Yes."

"Every other girl I've known would've stomped off to her friends to complain, or at least run off. You shouted right back at me, and then just walked behind your friends like nothing was wrong," he said.

"They were having fun. I didn't want to bother them," I said.

He laughed, and said, "You see?"

I really didn't see, but I could kind of see why my being different to him was interesting to him. Being different was good, right?

"What about you?" I asked, suddenly, "Your comment that first night at the bar, when you told me you weren't interested in any of my friends. That's why I thought you were gay, you know. What was that?"

Edward laughed, and said, "I suppose I can see why you thought I was gay. I'm sorry for my reaction, by the way. I overreact a lot."

"I know."

He laughed again, running his free hand up and down my arm.

"I wasn't, I guess. I wasn't interested in any of your friends. I've been very focused on getting my work done, and getting my grades up. I'm very determined to get into a good law school, do my family and the firm proud. Women were a distraction. I only went along with Emmett and Jasper so they would stop irritating me, and because they needed a 'wingman'."

I bit my lip. A distraction?

He saw my face and said, "Don't worry, Bella. I used to tell myself that if I every met a woman I liked, fine. I'd go with it. The only problem was I never met anyone I could see as worth the effort. Until you."

I smiled again.

"I hope I am," I murmured.

"You already are," he said, and started pulling me along the sidewalk again.

Emmett and Jasper looked up from their video game as we walked into the suite a little while later.

"Bella," Emmett called, "Rosie told me I had to tell you to meet her and Alice in Jazz's room when you get back. Something about 'girl talk'."

Being Emmett, he never even looked up from his game. I shrugged at Edward, and released his hand.

"I'll be right back," I promised.

Alice and Rosalie were waiting in Jasper and Emmett's room, sprawled across their beds, reading.

"Why are you guys in here?" I asked.

"Well, we were waiting for you. And the guys wanted to play Halo, so we thought we'd come in here and wait," Alice said, jumping off the bed, "So, what did you and Edward talk about?"

"Is this the girl talk you wanted?" I asked, suddenly grimacing.

Alice nodded.

"Do I have to?" I asked.

Alice nodded again.

"What did you talk about?" Alice demanded.

"Stuff. We talked about his family, mostly," I said.

Alice frowned, then said, "Bella, as your two best friends, Rose and I just want to make sure you're okay. This is your first boyfriend since the-scum-bag-we-will-not-name."

"I'm fine," I said.

Alice didn't buy it, and she was right not to.

"Fine," I edited, "I'm happy, I'm ecstatic. Edward… I never expected him to like me like this. I definitely didn't expect the way it would make me feel. It's like every wound Jacob opened up is gone. When I'm with him, I don't feel like I've had my heart broken. I feel normal, better… happy."

"Aw, how cute," Rosalie murmured.

"But…" Alice said.

"But, I'm a bit worried," I said, "That's why were taking it slow. I'm afraid the only reason I like Edward so much is because he's just a rebound. Isn't that what happens? A girl has her heart broken, and she decides she's madly in love with the next guy that shows even a little interest?"

Rosalie shrugged.

"Technically, I think the 'next guy' would've been Mike Newton," Alice amended.

There was a pause, and then we all burst out in a, "Ew."

"So take it slow, then, Bells," Rosalie said, "If you like the guy, there's no reason for you not to be with him, especially when he likes you in return just as much as Edward likes you."

I nodded, then said, "Yeah, you're right Rosalie."

I hoped they couldn't hear the lie in my voice. Because I still wasn't so sure. Edward did make me feel all those things, but I was afraid my heart was leading me down a road I didn't want to go. I didn't want Edward and I to be brief, meaningless, and ultimately, painful.

Author's Note- So, I hope you enjoyed that. I had a bit of a hard time writing it, and then once I got in the "groove" I had to go off to work! Horrid! But anyway, there it is. I also was a bit distracted, finishing the first chapter of my new fic "Welcome to Camp Granger". I'm not sure if I should post it now or wait until R&W is over… what do you guys think? Anyways, please review. REVIEW!! It only takes like a second, and it makes me feel happy! Thanks again!