Sorry for the confusion this past week. I was messing with FF and apparently I messed with it too much because I deleted some chapters! I had to repost and of course you guys received the new chapter alert, thankfully this time it is correct and there is a chapter! (:

Some of you are mad at Alice, others are cursing Bella out! I must say I love the response last chapter received, it's amazing reading all your reviews! All your reviews made chapter 10 the most reviewed chapter so far!

Thank you guys for your continued support and love! I know I haven't responded to reviews in a while, but know this... I read and cherish every single one of them! Even the one's that are cursing ME out! (:

This chapter is UNBETAD, so please ignore any mistakes you might see!

Chapter 11

BPOV

I suspected Emmett to be angry the next day. I presumed he wouldn't speak to me. If the reason not being about my refusal to go to Forks, then the way I spoke to him must have upset him.

It turned out that he was mad, but not at me. He was irritated at Alice. He thought she had handled the situation wrong. He was angry that she had ambushed me in that way. He thought she was above that, and so did I.

I was more than ready to apologize to him. I knew that like Alice I also handled everything wrong, but surprisingly he was the one who apologized to me. About making me feel like a child, about pressuring me about Forks.

I apologized as well. I mostly apologized for my outburst. I didn't apologize to Alice, because like him I agreed that she melded into a conversation she shouldn't have, especially when I had talked to her the day before and told her how I felt. I had told her how I was going to tell Emmett my decision, and yet she went and took things into her own hands.

Alice took it all in stride, though, because she walks around the apartment as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't betrayed me.

She throws bright smiles in my direction whenever she can, and even tries to get a word out of me.

The more time I spent in the same room with her the more annoying it was coming to be. She was acting as if I didn't lash out on her. It infuriated me.

I found myself counting the days down until Spring Break. It was as if I was excited for something. A part of my mind screamed that I was, maybe I was just craving the alone time or maybe I was so pissed at Alice that I was counting down the days until she was gone.

It sounded horrible, but I couldn't deny that that's how I was feeling.

-X-

Another week had passed. Classes were preparing for mid- terms, which were already the following week. That meant that in less than two weeks everyone was heading to Forks, everyone but me.

I knew I had already decided. I was firm on my decision about not going, and right now I was definitely okay with that. More than fine with it. But that still didn't mean that something didn't stir every time Emmett repeatedly let me know that there was room in his car. All I had to do was change my mind about going. It hurt every time I saw Emmett's pleading eyes. I knew he still held hope, but try as I may I didn't.

Yes, I would feel so much better once everyone left. I was just hoping that when I saw everyone leaving I would still feel the same way.

I was in the kitchen, musing what to make for breakfast, when I heard the front door open. I was expecting to see Emmett, seeing how he was coming over more often that not, but seconds later I spotted Rose. She stopped when she saw me, but didn't step into the kitchen, choosing instead to stay in the hallway. She arched an eyebrow in my direction.

"Where's Alice?" she questioned, skipping pleasantries.

Apparently Rose was still mad about my decision of not going to Forks. To her it was as if I was intentionally hurting Emmett. I was more than sure Emmett had already explained things, but this is Rose. Even Emmett couldn't convince her of some things.

I opted to shrug my shoulders as my answer. Anything I said she'd probably take it the wrong way. Again this is Rose.

She pulled out her phone, probably to call Alice, but just then the front door opened again.

"Rose!" Alice's cheerful voice shouted from the front door. She obviously had seen Rose standing in the hallway. I knew she hadn't spotted me though.

"Did you do it? Did you convince him? Please, please pleeease tell me you did!" Alice footsteps were nearing us.

I turned to look at Rose. She was shaking her head violently and her sharp, clear blue eyes glanced in my direction.

"No? Why not? You told me you…" her whine was cut off because it was at that moment that Alice stepped closer and saw me. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw me.

"Hey Bella!" she said brightly.

I ignored her. Even though more than a week had passed I still wasn't in the mood for her cheerfulness. The memory of her throwing me to the lions was still fresh on my mind.

When Alice realized I wasn't going to answer, her smile immediately flattened. She turned to look at Rose. By the looks they were throwing each other it was more than obvious they didn't want me listening to their conversation. I walked passed them and went into my room, all the while wondering about Rose's continued presence in the dorm. It had ridiculously increased since Alice's sabotage last week. Honestly, I didn't understand why. I mean Alice and Rose were close. They've known each other practically their whole lives, but they've never spent all their free time together.

Apparently now they did.

Both of their presence combined brought tension into any room. I wasn't comfortable being here with them. I found myself at the school library more often than I was home, and it worked in my favor, seeing how mid-terms were approaching. I used that time to study or to write my papers.

It was on one of those many days that I met Riley.

He approached me first. Apparently, I stood out because he questioned my being there.

"Been studying here this whole week?"

At first I didn't think of moving my eyes from the notes in front of me. I didn't think the question was directed at me. After a moment the same voice spoke again.

"Either those are some very interesting notes, or I'm being ignored."

It was then that I chanced a glance up, and I immediately turned my attention back to my notes, feeling my face heat up.

"So I am being ignored."

"No," I mumbled.

"She speaks!" he said loudly. It was loud enough to make a couple of students from other tables turn to look at us. They weren't sporting amused looks like he was.

He shrugged his shoulders apologetically and made a gesture to the chair next to me.

"You want to sit down?" I questioned confused.

"Why not?" his voice sounded as perplexed as mine did.

"I don't know you." I said incredulously.

"Do I look like some psycho?"

He gestured to himself and of course I looked.

He was tall and lean and his shoulders looked firm. He had light brown hair and his eyes….they were also light. They were beautiful.

He was dressed stylish, but at the same time it looked like he put on the first thing he saw this morning. He didn't look crazy, he looked anything but crazy.

He looked nice…more than nice. I felt my face heat up once again.

When he never heard a response he sat down.

"I'm Riley by the way." I hesitated, but finally said, "Bella."

I tried to smile since his face was openly friendly, but I'm not sure the confusion could be hidden from my face. I wasn't use to strangers inviting themselves.

"You never answered my question."

I looked at him, at a loss to what he was referring to.

"Studying?"

"Ah. Yes." I said, nodding.

"Mid-terms?"

I internally rolled my eyes. What else would I be studying so much for?

"Finals," I joked.

"Ah, advanced." He played along, which caused me to chuckle.

"You must be a senior if you can convince a professor to give you the final in March."

"Freshmen."

"No, don't tell me that," he played hurt, "I don't talk to freshmen."

Feeling brave or maybe irritated I said, "I don't talk to anyone, but freshmen."

It was his turn to laugh. "I can be a freshman."

I eyed him suspiciously, but he didn't break eye contact.

I shifted around in my chair, trying to break the awkwardness. It isn't strong, but it was there.

He breaks it.

"I work here," he says out of nowhere.

I arch an eyebrow in his direction.

"Work study," he elaborates.

I nod, mostly so he can know I heard him. I go back to looking back at my notes, but of course he doesn't like this.

"I'm not stalking you. If that's what you think, I'm not." For the first time his voice sounds nervous.

"I never said you were."

Then there's silence. He makes a move to stand up, but instead moves his chair an inch closer to mine. "Look, in case you need something, I don't know, help finding a book, internet research, anything- come find me. I'm usually at the front desk, the main one."

"Ok-ay," I say slowly.

"I'll let you get back to it then," he points to the notes and books on the table.

I nod and he stands up.

"If I don't see you before, good luck on those finals," he winks, probably to reassure me that he's joking.

"Thanks." I say through my chuckle.

I do see him again after that though and he comes up to me every single time.

Sometimes I find it annoying, I've never been one for attention. Other times, though, it has been amusing.

-X-

"I feel like I ask you this same question every single time you call, but somehow you have yet to answer it."

"Mmm, w-which one?"

"What made you call here E?"

"I-"

"Just hear me out. I'm not trying to make fun of you or anything. It's just your nice, really nice. You shouldn't be wasting your time calling these types of companies. These type of people."

"D-don't d-do that."

"What?"

"Belittle your-self."

"Well then you don't do that!"

"W-what?" he says, sounding confused.

"Change the topic. This is how you always get out of the question."

"I-I have to go."

I tear the headset off of me feeling frustrated. Why did he always have to change the subject like that every single time that question came up? I knew it wasn't any of my business, but curiosity did kill the cat.

-X-

"What are you in here for today?" Riley inquires.

Unsurprisingly, I'm at the library again. "Biology, it's my last one this week."

"I guess that means I won't be seeing you around anymore…" he lets the sentence hang.

I shrug my shoulders in response.

"Shame."

My face heats up just with that one word. Of course this causes him to laugh. If only my awkwardness wasn't apparent. I guess that's what I enjoyed most about my job. Callers couldn't see me; although I am more than sure many hear the discomfort in my voice.

He pays me no attention after that and soon I get lost in words like Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration.

It isn't until I start packing my things that he makes his presence known once again.

"So I was thinking..." He doesn't go on, but instead looks at me.

"Yeah?"

"We should celebrate."

"Celebrate?" I say the word slowly, puzzled.

"Yeah, you know, you finishing and passing your mid-terms. We should go out."

I might have dropped a book on his foot. A book that is more than nine-hundred pages long. It is also hard cover.

He might have given a cry. I was sure it was due to pain. He said it was due to surprise."Umm. I'm not finished yet. My last one is tomorrow, remember? Plus I don't know if I have passed them." I was listing excuses. I knew that and apparently he did too because he rolled his eyes.

"Friday then." He didn't even bother replying to my second excuse. Although something told me he wanted to go out, whether I did or didn't pass my exams.

I bit my lip, thinking of a worthy excuse. "I work that day." and I did, but I didn't at night.

"The whole day?"

I was a horrible liar, so I didn't even try. I shook my head.

"Great! I'll pick u up at eight!"

We exchanged numbers and I hesitantly gave him my address.

I really don't know how I feel afterwards.

-X-

There is a soft hi on the other line. It takes me less than a second to figure out who it is.

"Hey," I respond.

"H-hi," He mumbles again, which causes me to laugh.

I had never really thought about it before, but a part of me was wondering if after all this time he was still nervous talking to me, or if he just naturally stuttered with some words. I think back to our most recent conversations, sure he sounded nervous, but he hardly even stuttered, if at all. Something must be upsetting him today.

For the first time I let him initiate the conversation. The memory of how our last conversation two days ago ended is still fresh on my mind. He could start off with whatever he wanted. For the first time since I've met him I have no idea how to start.

"Are y-you mad at mee?"

Of course he starts off with this. "No," I respond immediately.

"I'll tell you." And I'm surprised to hear that his voice sounds as determined as it does.

"Tell me what?

He says something, but I don't catch it.

"What?" I say confused, but I don't think he hears me because he's already talking again.

"The first t-time I c-called…"

And I immediately understand. "E, I'm not mad at you because of that. I'm not mad at you at all."

He doesn't listen. "I-I dd-on't have a lot of f-friends…" his voice cuts off, but almost immediately he starts once again. "There was, ugh, this d-dance." He's soon talking in a rush, making it hard to keep up.

I want to interrupt him, tell him that this is unnecessary, but a bigger part of me is intrigued. I let that side win.

"I've never been to one, but a-a girl asked me. I said yy-yes."

I hear a big gust of air being release from his side of the phone. "S-she tells me to pic-pick her up at her house."

"The day of the d-dance I g-go, but her parents tell me she left already."

And I see where this is going before he gets to the end.

"I-go to the dance, thinking that I showed up to her house late. Sh-She's there. Ss-she is um, dancing, with some guy, and ugh…kissing."

And I don't need him to tell me that he left as soon as he saw that. I don't need him to tell me the embarrassment, disappointment, hurt, and anger he felt, because I can hear it from his voice right now.

"E, I'm-"but before I can finish my sentence, he says those words.

"I-ugh, gotta go."

The girls around me turn to stare at me when I let out a scream of frustration, and right after I let another one. Why does he always do that?

-X-

I forget about E's behavior and the conversation I had with him when I am told that Mr. Jenks wants to speak with me. I made it to work on time, so I am more than nervous about what he wants to talk about. Honestly, I am terrified. It has been more than three months that I have seen or spoken to him last.

I knock on his door, but he doesn't respond. I am about to knock again, but suddenly the door swings open and Mr. Jenks is standing in front of me. Impulsively, I take a step back.

"Bella?" the way he says my name is more of a question, as if he is not sure I am the person he is seeking.

Too nervous to speak I just nod my head.

"Good, good. I was about to go looking for you. I thought they didn't give you the message. Come in, please." He steps away from the door and makes his way to his desk.

If only I could move, my nerves seem to have me routed in place.

"Bella?"

I squeaky 'yes?' manages to escape my lips.

He chuckles. "You're not in trouble. Come in, sit please."

Thankfully, my legs move this time.

And as soon as I take a seat he starts speaking.

"How long have you been working for me Bella?"

"Umm, four, five months?"

"How many days have you requested off in that time frame?"

I thought about it, besides the couple of days I asked for finals last semester I hadn't asked for any other days. "Four, maybe?"

"Four?" his eyebrows seem to shoot incredibly high.

"Y-Yess." Was that too many days?

"Don't come in next week. You can have those days."

"What?" I practically screech, confused.

His eyebrows do the same trick.

"I'm sorry sir. It's just that I didn't request next week. I'm already scheduled."

He shakes his hands in the air. "Forget about your schedule. After you're done tonight, that's it. I don't want to see you here at all next week. You resume the following Monday. Are we clear?"

To shock for anything else I only succeeded in nodding my head.

"Alright back to work."

And now here I am mumbling to some guy how I want it harder, all the while paying more attention to my Biology notes, than him. Thankfully he seems to accomplish what he called here for and quickly hangs up.

I get back to my notes. My studying is soon interrupted by the ringing of my headset. The one night I really need to study and it's the day I am receiving many calls.

I hesitate, but reach to answer, but the only thing heard from the other line is a dial tone. Mentally thanking whoever just hanged up, I get back to Biology.

This chapter was suppose to be longer, but I decided to stop it there.

Next chapter will be... interesting, to say the least! There is a puzzle that needs to be solved, and maybe some of you are onto it, if not next chapter will put it all together for us!

Reviews are better than studying...so leave one! :)