A/N: Why yes, you are getting this a day early. I have a friend coming in from out of town, and I'll be engaging in an epic D&D game tomorrow, so you get your update today. Yes, I'm well aware my nerd is showing. I'm okay with that.

So big thank you to all of you for showing this story some love, and a huge thanks to my awesome beta, Heather, for fixing my errors. Speaking of my beta, she's out of town, so next week's chapter might be a bit late. Just an FYI.

It was the week of finals, and we were all feeling the stress. Alice and I were up late most nights, studying for our tests, and I felt like my brain was going to explode. Tossing my book onto the floor next to my bed, I rolled over and let out a loud sigh. I was tired of studying, I was tired of taking tests, and I was just plain tired.

"I need a break," I complained to Alice who was busy studying for some math exam. "I'm going to head off campus for an hour or so. Want to come with?"

She shook her head, focusing only on her books and the end of the highlighter she was chewing on. Getting up, I slipped my feet into my shoes, threw on my coat, and grabbed my keys and wallet. I didn't care where I was going; I just needed away from the confines of my room, or the cubicle I'd confiscated at the library. I decided to make a pit stop first and see if Edward wanted to go with me. I jogged up the stairs to his floor and knocked on the door loudly so I could be heard over the loud sounds of Papa Roach.

"Hey," Edward answered as he opened the door. He looked just as bad as the rest of us. He had circles under his eyes, a wrinkled shirt, and his glorious hair was everywhere.

"I've gotta get out of here for an hour or two. Want to go with me?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"God, yes!"

He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and shoved his wallet and keys into his back pocket before closing the door behind him. He sent Jasper a quick text letting him know he was out with me, and then we made our way to the parking lot. I was glad I'd grabbed my coat. The temperature wasn't that cold, but it was windy as hell, and I was constantly shoving my hair out of my face. We made it to my car in no time, and I unlocked the doors and jumped in behind the wheel.

"Where are we going?" he asked, rubbing his hands together to warm them up a bit.

"No idea," I told him as I started the engine.

"What are you in the mood for?" he asked me as I pulled out of my parking spot.

"Pie. I don't care what kind. I just want some pie and a large glass of milk."

"Then we should go to Pieon Freemont Avenue," he told me and gave me directions on how to get there.

Twenty some minutes later, I was seated in a booth across from Edward with a huge slice of pumpkin pie topped with ice cream in front of me and a large glass of ice cold milk next to it. Edward had ordered a Southern pecan pie, and it looked just as good as mine.

I cut my pie into two halves and offered half of it to Edward in exchange for half of his. He contemplated for a few seconds, eyeing my plate and his own, before finally agreeing.

"If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have done this. The pecan pie is freaking amazing, so consider yourself lucky," he said with a grin as he pointed his fork at me.

"Well, thank you, kind sir, for agreeing to share. I wanted a slice of both, but there was no way I'd be able to eat two large slices of pie. Hell, I'm probably going to gain ten pounds just eating these small slices."

"And those ten pounds will be worth it. Trust me on this," Edward said before shoveling a large piece of pie into his mouth. He let out a moan that had my insides tingling, and I couldn't tear my gaze away from the way his lips wrapped around the fork. Jesus, it was like watching porn … food porn.

Not wanting to get caught staring at him, I managed to avert my gaze and stared down at my plate. I cut a small piece of the pumpkin pie and took a bite, moaning with pleasure as the flavors hit my tongue. Hell, yes. This was some freaking awesome pie.

"I can't eat anymore," I told Edward later, shoving my plate his way where a small piece of pie remained.

"Wimp," he teased as he ate the last remainders.

I glanced at my phone to check the time as Edward finished up the last of his milk, and I let out a sigh. It was later than I thought. I tended to lose all track of time when I was with Edward.

"What time is it?" he asked me.

"Almost ten," I told him, frowning when he handed our waitress his credit card. He told me not to argue, and that he was paying since I drove, but I still didn't think it was fair. He paid for things far too often, and it wasn't that I didn't appreciate it; I did. I just wasn't comfortable with it.

"Guess we should head back. I've got two exams in a row tomorrow morning, but then I'm done," he said, shoving his credit card back in his wallet and standing up.

"Lucky," I told him with a scowl. "I have two exams tomorrow and one on Friday. Then I'll be done and ready for this break. Although, five weeks without you is going to be a long time," I said, my blush covering my face as I realized what I'd said. I'd meant to say without all of them, but that wasn't what had come out.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a gentle squeeze.

"I'm going to miss you, too," he said quietly as we walked out to the car. "But you can always come visit me, or I can visit you. We'll figure something out."

My stomach flipped at his words. He'd said I and not we. I knew that he probably meant to include Alice and Emmett, but he'd said I.

"I'd like that," I said, looking up at him.

"Good," he told me with a wink. "Besides, there's no way Alice is going to go five weeks without seeing you. She's going to have a hard enough time with Jasper being gone for three weeks. We'll make plans to get together. I promise."

I smiled up at him, and he gave my shoulders another squeeze. It felt so natural to be tucked into his side like that. We made it to my car, and I hated the feeling of his arm leaving my shoulders.

Edward walked me up to my room once we got back, and he planted a soft kiss on my cheek as he said goodnight. I stood there, my fingertips pressed lightly against my cheek where he'd kissed it, and I watched him walk away. I wanted to feel those lips against mine more than anything, and lately, it seemed as if Edward was being more affectionate. Not that I was complaining. I certainly wasn't.

Friday afternoon, I practically ran out of the doors of the theater arts building. I was so glad to have my stupid dance final over with. I was terribly afraid I'd bombed the class, and that really bugged me. I prided myself on getting good grades, but that one class had really thrown me for a curve. I just hoped my professor gave me points for showing up every day and trying hard. Jake thought I was overreacting and told me I'd be fine. I certainly hoped so. I'd signed up for an intro to drawing class for next semester, and I figured that it couldn't be much worse than attempting to dance.

Back in my room, I dug out my large duffel bag and began to get clothes out of my dresser and closet. I still had some clothes at home, but not enough to last me five weeks. It took a while for me to pack everything, and it felt weird knowing I wouldn't be back for over a month. It was funny how this small room had become home.

"When are you leaving?" Alice asked, coming into the room.

"In a few minutes. I just wanted to say goodbye to you guys first and give you all your presents."

She threw herself at me in a tight hug and promised we'd see each other soon. A few minutes later, the rest of the crew showed up, and I was given hugs by everyone. I hugged Jasper and Rosalie a little longer than the others since I wouldn't be seeing them for quite some time. They were flying back to Texas first thing in the morning and would be staying down there for at least three weeks. I handed them all their Christmas presents, and I got presents in return and promised not to open them until Christmas day. After getting a hug from each one of them, Edward's being a little longer and tighter; I shot them all one last wave before heading out to the parking lot to begin the trip home.

I played Christmas music the whole way home, grinning when I pulled into the driveway of our house and saw the Christmas lights and the wreaths were hung up. Mom and I loved Christmas, and we tended to go all out. Dad always ended up getting dragged into it because Mom made him hang the lights or put up the decorations in the yard. He usually grumbled the whole time, but secretly, I think he liked it.

I was surprised to find the house empty. Mom was usually home by four. I knew Dad was still at work, but I wasn't sure where Mom was. After putting my bag in my room, I pulled out my phone and called Mom.

"Hi, honey! Are you home?" she asked after answering.

"Yep."

"I'll be home in a few. I just needed to pick up some stuff at the store. What did you want for dinner?"

"Oh, I was planning on making dinner tonight," I told her, terrified of what recipe she might have come up with.

"The fridge is pretty bare. I can pick up whatever you need."

I told her I was planning on making lasagna, garlic bread, and salad, and she hummed in delight. She informed me she'd be home in twenty minutes or so after I gave her the list of ingredients I'd need.

While I was waiting for her, I sent off a quick text to Edward, letting him know I'd arrived home safely, and then I took a seat on the couch and turned on the TV. I got lost in a crime show and jumped when the front door opened, and Mom came in.

"Hi, sweetheart," Mom said, setting the groceries bags down on the counter and coming over to give me a hug.

I hugged her back and then followed her into the kitchen so I could prepare dinner. Mom sat at the table, and we chatted while I prepped. A little before seven, the front door opened, and Dad came in. Mom had told me that Dad loved being back at work, but he hated that someone had to drive him to and from. He would be getting out of his cast next week, and he could hardly wait. Mom told me she could hardly wait either. She was tired of carting him around. It was all said with a wink aimed his way.

"Something smells delicious," he said, hobbling over to me and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Lasagna and garlic bread," I told him and was rewarded with a huge smile.

"Boy, I've missed your cooking. Rennie tries, but we all know yours is better," he said, winking at Mom.

I'd been home for a week when I got a call from Edward wanting to know if I wanted to meet up with him.

"I'd love to, but I have to take Dad to get his cast off his leg today. Maybe we could get together tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we can do that. Want to meet up in Port Angeles? It'll be easier than you having to drive all the way into Seattle."

"That should be fine. I'll let my folks know, but they shouldn't have any problems with it."

As I drove my dad to the hospital, I thought about the best way to approach the subject of meeting up with Edward. I wasn't sure if it was just him or Alice and Emmett as well.

"Uh, Dad?"

"What's up, Bells?"

"If it's cool with you and Mom, I'm going to meet up with Edward tomorrow in Port Angeles."

"Edward, huh?" he grunted, staring out the window. "Are you dating him?"

"No. We're just friends."

"But, you like him?"

I nodded as I pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Yeah, I do. A lot, but for now, we're nothing more than friends."

"As long as he's nice to you and treats you well, we're okay with it. We'd like to meet him though, especially if things change."

And that was that.

The next day, I began the hour drive up to Port Angeles, my stomach full of butterflies. Edward had called me last night to confirm our plans, and it was going to be just the two of us.

We were meeting at a great Italian restaurant for lunch, and then I wasn't sure what we were going to do. I smiled when I saw his shiny, silver Volvo in the parking lot with him leaning against it, doing something on his phone. I pulled into the spot next to his, and he looked up, flashing me a huge smile. Oh, yeah, I was beyond falling for him. I'd crashed and burned.

"Hey," he said, walking over to me and giving me a hug once I was out of the car.

"Hey, yourself," I told him, leaning into his hug and inhaling the wonderful smell that was Edward combined with his aftershave.

"So, what's good here?" he asked me once we were seated. I told him I was partial to the mushroom ravioli, and he made a look of disgust.

"We have got to work on your weird food issues," he said with a shake of his head.

My mouth fell open as I looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"You like to eat weird food. I don't know if I can continue to hang out with you if this is going to persist."

I tossed my napkin at him and rolled my eyes as I told him there was nothing wrong with me or my food tastes.

"Perhaps, you need to broaden your food horizons," I suggested, smiling my thanks to the waitress as she set a basket of breadsticks down in front of us. This place had the most amazing bread sticks ever, and I could eat an entire basket of them by myself.

Halfway through our lunch, I heard someone call Edward's name. Looking up to see who could possibly know him in Port Angeles, I spotted a girl coming our way with frizzy brown hair, and I grimaced. Jessica Freaking Stanley. She had been the biggest gossip at Forks High, Mike's ex-girlfriend, and all-around mean girl.

"Edward! What in the world are you doing here?" she asked, throwing her arms around him in an awkward hug.

"Eating lunch," he said wryly.

"I can see that. And who is thi—" she stopped midsentence and stared at me, her eyes narrowing as she recognized me. "Bella Swan," she hissed.

I mentally prepared myself to do battle.

"Well, you certainly do get around, don't you?" she asked, her hands on her hips and glaring at me. "First, you steal Mike from me, and now you're going after my cousin!"

Her voice was getting louder, my face was getting redder, and people were starting to stare. This was not how envisioned my lunch with Edward going.

"Lower your voice right now, Jessica, or I'll let the world know all about you," Edward told her through gritted teeth.

Her jaw dropped open, and she stared at him like she'd never seen him before.

"Do you know who she is?" she whispered at him, jabbing a finger my way.

"Yes, I do. Bella is my extremely good friend, and I know all about Mike in case you were thinking of throwing that in there."

At the mention of Mike's name, Jessica's eyes narrowed once more, and she let out a hiss. "Don't tell me you bought into her bullshit lies about him? He'd never hurt a fly. Never. She made all that up because he was going to break up with her."

"Bullshit!" I hissed, and it was taking everything in me not to scream at her. "The police have pictures as do the doctors that prove that he attacked me. The fact that he did time, proves that he attacked me, and the fact that you're standing up for him, proves that you're an idiot. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to finish our lunch. You need to leave."

She puffed up, and I just knew she was about to cause a huge scene. Edward must have realized it as well because he stood up, took her by the arm, and dragged her toward the door. He leaned down and said something in her ear that caused her to turn pale and nod. She left without saying another thing, and I sighed in relief.

"I didn't realize you knew Jessica," he told me as he returned back to his seat.

"Yeah, you could say I do. Alice told me she was your cousin. I feel bad for you."

He let out a snort. "Feel bad for her if you're going to feel bad for anybody. She's a wreck and so is her life. I'm sorry she ruined our lunch."

I reached across the table and took his hand in mine, giving it a squeeze. I was positive he could feel my hand trembling, and I smiled when he squeezed back.

"She hasn't ruined anything. It was a minor inconvenience. That's all."

We finished our lunch after I reluctantly let go of his hand, and after the bill was paid, we wandered out toward our cars.

"Where to?" Edward asked.

"Follow me," I told him with a smile.

I waited until he was in his car before pulling out of the parking lot, making sure he was behind me. I'd decided to take him to the marine center. There weren't a lot of places open in December, but the center was open all year round.

"Cool," he said with a grin as he climbed out of his Volvo which he'd parked next to me.

"Yeah, it's a neat place. It's one of the first places Mom and Dad brought me to when we first moved to Forks."

"Wait. You're not originally from Forks?" he asked, confusion on his face.

"Nope. I was born in Phoenix. We didn't move to Washington until my freshman year of high school. My grandma lived in Forks, so we'd visit, and when she died, she left the house to Dad. He was looking for a change from the big city, so we packed up and moved to Forks."

"How did I not know this?"

I shrugged. "It never came up. Anyway, this place is pretty neat. It's small, but it's got lots of tanks where you can touch the crustaceans and stuff."

We spent almost two hours at the marine center, laughing and having a great time. I didn't want the day to end, but I knew Edward had told his mom he'd be home for dinner, and he had a two hour drive ahead of him. So, it was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to him.

"This was fun," he told me as we stopped next to his car.

"Yeah, it was a great date," I said, and then my face turned bright red as I realized I'd called it a date. I hoped the ground would open and swallow me up.

"I'm sorry," I said, so incredibly embarrassed. "I meant to say day. I've had a great day with you. I know this isn't a date. I don't know why I said that," I rambled on.

A finger placed itself on my lips, effectively shutting me up. I stood there staring at the ground until his finger left my lips and placed itself under my chin, forcing me to look up. I kept my gaze adverted until he quietly asked me to look at him. Reluctantly, I did so.

"One of these days, I am going to ask you out on a real date, and I'm hoping you'll say yes," he told me with a sweet smile, and I felt myself blushing even more as I nodded my head; like I would ever say no to a date with Edward.

Taking my hands in his, he gave them a gentle squeeze. "In case you haven't figured it out by now, I like you a lot. I like you more than I've liked any other girl before, and I have to admit, it kind of scares me. I think that's one of the reasons why I haven't properly asked you out yet. I wanted to give myself time to get used to the feelings, and I also felt I needed some time alone to find myself again before starting another relationship."

He paused for a moment, his cheeks a light pink, and I knew mine were a bright red.

"I'll definitely say yes when you ask me out," I told him softly. "I swore off guys after Mike, and I told myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone for a while, but then I met you."

"Well, I'm glad to know that what I'm feeling isn't one sided," he said, squeezing my hands again.

"Please, was there ever any doubt?" I scoffed with an eye roll. "I'm pretty sure it was obvious to the world that I liked you."

"Maybe, but it's nice to have it confirmed. Alice swore you liked me, but sometimes, she only sees what she wants to, and not what's really true."

A ringing of a phone interrupted us, and I barely held back a sigh at the interruption. Edward apologized as he answered it with an eye roll.

"Hi, Mom," he said before pausing to listen to her. "Yep. I'm just about to leave, so I'll be home in a couple of hours."

Another pause, and then, "Yeah, I'll tell her. Love you, too."

He hung up his phone before shoving into his back pocket.

"My mom says hello," he told me with a smile. "She's heard a lot about you from me as well as Alice and Emmett. She really wants to meet you at some point."

"I'd like that," I told him shyly. "My folks want to meet you as well. I mean, I know they sort of did on move in day, but my Dad told me they really want to meet you if we decide to start dating."

"Your dad owns a gun, doesn't he?" Edward asked with some trepidation.

"Several," I told him with a grin. "But don't worry; I won't let him shoot you in any vital areas."

"Ha!" he barked out. "Well, I've got to get going. Mom doesn't like me driving in the dark for long distances."

"Understandable. Let me know that you got home safely."

"You, too," he said before leaning down and giving me a hug. I hugged him back, sighing when he planted a kiss on my cheek.

"I'll talk to you later," he said, and I nodded, watching as he climbed into his car.

I could barely remember the drive home from Port Angeles. My mind kept replaying the conversation we had, and at one point, I let out an incredibly girly squeal. Edward likes me! He really likes me! And not just as a friend, but as someone he wants to date! I knew I'd be calling Angela as soon as I got home. She knew all about my crush on Edward and begged me to keep her informed.

As soon as I arrived home, I sent Edward a text letting him know I'd made it home. I didn't expect to hear from him for another hour, so I was surprised when I got a text back with a smiley face attached. Frowning, I called him.

"You'd better not be texting while driving, Edward Cullen!" I warned when he answered.

"I was stopped at a red light," he said.

We spoke for a few minutes more before hanging up, and the second I walked in the door, Mom was all over me, wanting to know how my date had gone.

"It wasn't a date," I protested for the hundredth time, and I didn't fail to notice the looks Mom

and Dad shot each other. "It wasn't. But, he did tell me that he wants to take me out on a proper date."

"When do I meet him?" Dad asked as soon as I finished speaking.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Chances are, we won't go out until after we get back to school. I guess you can meet him then."

"What do his parents do?" Dad asked, and I settled in on the couch for the interrogation.

"His dad's a doctor, and his mom's an interior designer. They live on Mercer Island. Edward has a twin sister, my roommate, Alice, and an older brother, Emmett. You've met them both. They're also Jessica Stanley's cousins."

Mom made a face at that. "Hmph, well at least they're nicer than she is. That girl is just dreadful."

Of course, that led me to telling them about running into Jessica at lunch. Mom was appalled that Jessica called me a liar, and Dad was livid.

"I always knew that girl was stupid," he muttered, and I let out a laugh. I agreed wholeheartedly with him on that.

A couple hours later, I hugged them and kissed them goodnight before heading up to my room to give Angela a call. She'd known I was meeting Edward for lunch, and she was probably eagerly awaiting the details.

"Spill," she demanded the second she picked up the phone.

I let out a laugh at her eagerness before delving into all the details of the day. She squealed in a very un-Angela like way when I told her what he'd said about liking me.

"I knew it! I just knew he liked you."

"How in the world did you know that?" I asked with a laugh. "You've never even met him."

"Gut instinct," she said smugly. "I knew the minute you told me about all the times the two of you have gone out or eaten together. You're non-dating."

"We're what?"

"Non-dating. You know, a non-committal meet up between hypothetically single people, during non-date-night times."

"Where in the world did you come up with that?"

"Urban Dictionary," she confessed in a sheepish tone, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Fine, we're non-daters then. Although, that's going to be changing soon. I hope."

"It will. I have a feeling Edward means what he says."

a/n: Progress is being made! Yay! I've got to tell you, I'm having a blast writing this story. Feel free to leave me your thoughts! I love to hear what you're thinking.