Sorry for the terribly long wait

~*~*~ Playing Mommy~*~*~

Isabella Swan

"Bella, are you sure you want to leave?" Alice looked at me with concern, her brows knitting together. I rolled my eyes and taped the top of the box. I was going to leave for Harvard tomorrow and I was doing last-minute packing.

"It is part of the plan," I said simply and hauled the box toward the others I piled up in the living room. I plopped it down and sighed. "There's nothing to do here."

Alice sat on the arm of the chair and tried again. "You could fix this thing with Edward and Renesmee."

I looked at her, my eyes narrowed. "Alice, you're confusing me. When you first found out about the situation, you flipped and told me it was a bad idea. And now when karma got to me, you tell me to relive the whole thing?"

She shrugged. "I just don't feel like you should just run away from this thing," she mumbled. I rolled my eyes then trudged back to my room to get more of my stuff. I grumpily slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and walked back to the living room.

"They're busy," I said lamely. I knew Renesmee was mad at me and it would be wishful-thinking in my part if Edward would suddenly come to fix this thing between us. There was no way that we would see each other again. I was making sure of that.

"How would you know, Miss Harvard?" Alice taunted. I didn't bother to answer.

Edward Cullen

"Bye Daddy," I lifted Renesmee and she gave me a kiss on the cheek. When I put her down a moment later, she walked toward her nanny and they both went out. I sighed then took my suitcase from the kitchen counter. My mom suddenly appeared before me. I didn't have time for this.

"Edward, have you contacted her yet?" she asked—for the millionth time. Her expression showed concern for me and everyone involved. I wasn't on speaking terms with my uncle these days. In fact, I wasn't the best guy to talk with right now. "It's been a week. Her friend and I ran into each other yesterday and told me Bella left."

My stomach lurched. She was doing this to get away from me. I knew she would. "Really," I said, my grip on the suitcase tightening.

"She's gone to Harvard," my mom added, trying to get a reaction from me. "Her friend said that it was her plan to go there in the first place."

"Why does this concern me?" I blurted. When I saw her expression, I pinched the bridge of my nose and apologized. "Sorry, Mom. But can you please let this go?"

"Edward, I will not," she said sternly. "Bella has been good for you and I don't want to see you like this."

I sighed then walked out the apartment, not even saying a word to her.

Isabella Swan

"Gah!" I abruptly woke up from my nap on my desk. I groaned and grumpily pried a piece of paper from my left cheek. I realized it stuck because of my drool. EW...

I blinked a few times, trying to fix my vision, and then let out a big yawn. It had only been a few days since I arrived in Harvard and I was already feeling the pressure. There were so many things to do here—which was good. I needed to get away from emotional stuff.

Then my phone rang. I grabbed it and said to the caller, "hello?"

"Hey, B," it was my roommate Amanda. "I and some of our classmates want to hang out to study in Starbucks. You want to come?"

I rubbed my eyes and did a mute yawn. "Sure," I mumbled then hung up.

I let out a shiver and stuffed my frosty hands inside the pockets of my Harvard sweatshirt. There was a small rock on the pavement and I kicked at it to waste time. When I smelled coffee, I lifted my head and saw the big Starbucks sign straight ahead. A smile crept to my lips as I imagined a warm room filled with coffee aroma and idle chatters.

When I got inside, I immediately saw Amanda and a few of our classmates and went straight toward them. We exchanged polite hellos then I took a seat beside Amanda. She handed me a steaming cup of coffee—she ordered for me—and I gladly sipped.

We studied for a few hours, sometimes straying away from academic stuff and toward personal topics. At some point, they asked me if I was in a relationship of some sort. And I said no. I mean, Edward and I weren't anything but fake parents to Renesmee. But they didn't need to know that.

"Okay," Amanda flipped the book to a new page and she involuntarily adjusted her glasses. "We're done with Alfred Lord Tennyson. Next up is…"

Irina popped a bit of her chocolate chip cookie into her mouth and finished for her. "John Milton, the blind poet."

"Do we really have to analyze all their poems?" I winced at the page, feeling my artistic brain cell popping because of overuse.

"We do," Amanda said, not fazed. She was made for Harvard, I thought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Irina nibble the end of her pencil, also unfazed by the workload. It seemed I was the only one feeling the weight of all of these. "This is due the day after tomorrow."

I sighed then began reading the poem. "Fine," I mumbled.

I was already on my third poem when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I fished it out and scowled when I saw Alice's name on the screen. I clicked ANSWER and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I said in the faintest voice I could muster. Irina and Amanda were hard at work. I tried not to smile at their expressions.

"Bella, please don't hate me!" she suddenly burst out.

"Why would I?"

"Well, I kind of ran into Esme the other day and…"

"You ran into Esme?" the blood drained from my face the instant I heard her utter a Cullen's name. "Which meant you talked to her about..?"

"Yes, we did," she said. "Look. I'm sorry about that. I know you don't want to be mentioned because of it and stuff."

"It's fine, Al," I said slowly. "I'm fine with it," it was only Esme, after all, "really."

"Thank you," she breathed. After a moment, she said sheepishly, "um, do you still want to know what happened?"

I sighed. "Um, sorry, Al," I said and found my self biting my lower lip. I do that when I'm nervous. "I'm not really…"

"Sorry," she apologized again. "I know it's a touchy topic. Well, I just wanted you to know because I would totally feel guilty if I don't. It involves you, after all…"

"Bye, Alice," I said, cutting her off. Then I hung up on her. I looked down at the blank screen for a few moments then I put my phone back in my pocket.

I returned to reading.

Edward Cullen

"Congratulations, Edward," Mister Montgomery shook my hand politely after the trial, the grin on his face as genuine as a plastic container. He hated my father, and he now hated me. "The better man won in this round."

I nodded in acknowledgment then quickly made my way out the courthouse. Outside, I saw a very familiar sedan humming idly. My jaw flexed and I opted to go the other way.

But it was too late. Uncle Aro stepped outside the car and walked toward me, his hands in his pockets. I reluctantly stopped and turned to him, waiting for him to criticize me.

"Did you win?" he asked professionally.

"Yes, Uncle," I replied. "The suspect's taken into custody."

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "I meant with your personal life, Edward," he said. My eyes widened at the odd subject. Well, it was odd because it came out of his mouth. "Did you talk to the woman yet?"

"No, Uncle," I said after a second. "She… left." And the woman has a name

He cleared his throat. "Do you have time to have lunch with me?" he asked out of the blue. "I believe we need to straighten things out."

I looked at him.