Chapter 11 - I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.

EDWARD

I got a text from Emmett, wanting my notes for a test we had tomorrow, and I rolled my eyes. I quickly texted back that he couldn't have them until in the morning, because I needed to look them over tonight.

I didn't see why he didn't just take his own damn notes. He was always bugging me for mine. How he was passing our anatomy class, or any of his classes, with the good grades he had, I didn't know. Hell, I didn't even know why he was taking all pre-med classes. He'd told our parents he wasn't going to be a doctor. When I asked him, he winked at me and said I would understand one day, and then he grabbed some chick's butt.

I showed my sent text to Bella, pouting and letting her know I had to go, but I didn't want to. She scowled at Emmett's message and then pulled me up from the couch, leading me to her truck.

When we arrived at the dorms, I wanted to kiss her goodbye, but she hadn't made a move to kiss me. She said she was my girlfriend, so I should've been able to kiss her, right?

She sat watching me, as if she was waiting for something. I looked nervously at her lips and then to my lap. I liked my nuts where they were, but her lips were definitely worth the risk of losing them. My breathing was increasing with the anticipation of possibly kissing her against her will. She would so kill me, and I didn't doubt that she could. I leaned toward her and used one hand to cover my nuts.

She scooted towards me, smiling widely. Was she letting me kiss her, or was she going to do a surprise attack? She let me close the distance, even though I was on the verge of honking like a freaking goose again. Then, our lips met, and it was heavenly. Her hands tangled up in my hair, and I loved it. She slowly released me, giving me a tentative last kiss and smiled at me.

I was panting hard, trying to stay conscious. "Thank you," I choked out breathlessly.

Her smile widened, and she waved goodbye. I stumbled out of her truck toward my dorm.

Once inside, I took off my pants, because I always studied in my underwear, when I was in my dorm room alone. I picked up the sheet that Bella had washed, with the intent to make my bed, so I could study comfortably. I was holding it to my nose, breathing in deeply, when my dorm room door slammed open.

My brother yelled, "What the fuck?"

I bunched up the sheet I had been sniffing, trying to hide the evidence of my creepy infatuation. I assumed he was complaining about me not giving up my notes until morning, but he was staring at my shorts. I looked down and realized I was still wearing Bella's Strawberry Shortcake boxers.

"Are you going fruity on me or something?"

"Shut up, what are you doing here?" I tried changing the subject. "I told you, I'm not done with my notes yet."

"Now, we both know that's not true. I don't know what you're playing at, man, but we both know you have nothing better to do other than study."

"I haven't had time yet this weekend."

"Haven't had time? What the hell have you been doing?" he eyed my boxers again.

I wished he would leave.

"None of your business. Now, will you please leave? I'm trying to make my bed."

"Why are you so snippy, Bro? You get some fruit up your ass?"

"Will you just shut up?" I snapped.

"Dude, what's wrong? Oh, man, did something happen with that chick you were singing to at the bar?"

"What?"

"You know, that quiet girl you were singing to, some 'Ode to Bella' or some shit like that, going on about how she was a goddess you were not worthy to touch, just before you passed out at her feet." I groaned. "I was going to get you to take you home, but the big dudes said they'd handle it. Besides, that bouncer chick was hot," he said, wiggling his eyebrows. "I got her number."

"If it starts with area code 911, it isn't a real number, Emmett."

"It starts with 411. Ha! Shows how much you know!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Have you tried calling her yet?" He obviously hadn't. Otherwise, he would've known it was also a fake number. Idiot. (In the U.S. 411 is the number for information.)

He shifted nervously. Could he actually really like this girl?

"I'll get to it. I just have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on. So, come on, man, hand over the notes."

"Emmett, I'm not done with them yet. I'll give them to you in the morning. The test isn't until after lunch, and it'll give you plenty of time to skim them over and get a passing grade."

"Fine, but if I fail this test, it's on your head."

"Right, because the fact that you didn't take your own notes had nothing to do with it," I said sarcastically.

"I don't have time to take notes in that class. You've seen all the hot ass in that room. You can't expect me to contain little Emmy, now can you? It's physically impossible. I'm pretty sure that's chapter nine in the textbook," he winked at me and took off.

How we ended up being brothers, I would never know. We were day and night. I had brains, and he had…well, I didn't know what he had, but I was glad I didn't get any of it.

I fell asleep studying in my bed.

The dream I had made me wake up sweating and panicked. It was still vivid in my mind, and I wondered if it was because it wasn't actually a dream, but a memory. I was at the bar, sitting nervously next to Bella, as her friends shoved beer after beer in front of me. One of the guys had asked me if I liked Bella, and I remembered blushing so hard, my whole body heated up.

Another guy had asked if I thought she was out of my league, and in my drunken stupor, I boldly answered that she was out of everyone's league, that Bella was a goddess in a league of her own, and we were lucky she allowed us in her presence at all.

I remembered that comment got a lot of snickering from the guys; Bella, however, looked at me surprised. Of course, in my drunken stupor, I found the need to convince her of the truth of my words.

"Brown-eyed goddess, whose kiss hath sucked my heart and soul from my lips; you slid from heaven on your silver-lined pole. Your wrath is sweet and vengeance clear, as scum tries to taint your untouchable beauty. Your splendor hath blinded me, and I can see no other. Even the mighty oak holds no place in my sight. Your eyes, your smile, your soft delicate hands that hath turned blessed pages; oh, to hold such a hand and to feel the warmth of heaven that shineth in your eyes. I fall at your feet, because I will never be worthy, but you own my soul. I will forever worship at your temple."

The words were clear in my head now, and so was the embarrassment. I couldn't believe she had brought me breakfast the next day and didn't have them drop me off at the loony bin. Sure, I meant every word, but she didn't know that.

How was I ever going to face her again?

Emmett told me to meet him at the library to give him my notes. I didn't want to, but he insisted, saying Bella had been cool at the party Saturday, and he wanted to give it another try. I was going to tell him to bug off and leave her alone, but he hung up before I could. I decided to race to the library and get there before him, in hopes of saving her from my idiot brother.

When I burst through the library doors, she was sitting at her desk reading. The place was pretty quiet, as everyone was still recovering from their crazy weekend.

I looked around and didn't see Emmett anywhere. I decided to go say hello to Bella, but I noticed as I got closer that she was actually scowling at the book she was reading, or not reading, as she flipped a chunk of pages. She was pissed.

I was silently praying she wasn't pissed at me.

Jake walked in, and I noticed she didn't say hi to him.

"Oh, come on, Bells," he whined. She stood up and pointed at her shirt. It read…

When life gives you lemons, squirt them in the eyes of your enemies…

Yes, she was definitely pissed, and by the looks of it, she was pissed at Jake. I breathed a sigh of relief and decided to go see if I could help my girl out.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" I asked, directing my question more towards Jake. Bella pointed at Jake firmly and then made a cutting motion across her neck.

I looked at Jake, worried. "You might want to step back. You seemed to have really pissed off my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Jake scoffed. His eyes darted back and forth between us. Bella was getting more pissed by the minute. She stomped up in front of him. He, being experienced with her, was backing away, until his ass hit his desk.

Then, she did it.

She punched him square in his junk.

He was on the floor crying. "Damn it, Bella, I did it for your own good! Fuck, does your boyfriend know what you're planning?" He said boyfriend like it was a derogatory word. Now, I didn't feel so bad that he got punched in the junk.

She nodded a firm yes at him, spun around, and then she marched back to her desk, plopping down in her chair. I looked between her and Jake, not sure what I was supposed to do.

"You know she's going to let some homeless guy live with her?" he snapped. I nodded my head yes. "What the hell, man? Are you nuts? You really think that's safe?" I rolled my eyes at him. "Well, it's not happening. I told Charlie what she had planned, and he put a stop to it."

"Crap," I sighed. We were going to have to find a place for Tom and fast. I walked over to Bella and knelt in front of her. "Hey, don't worry. We'll figure it out. You know I'll make sure he's taken care of."

She looked up at me, and I noticed her eyes were watering. I quickly pulled her into my arms, kissing her ear, as I whispered that it would be fine, and I would find a way to work things out.

"Holy shit!" Emmett roared.

We both looked up to see his mouth hanging open. Jake had pulled himself together and told Emmett to be quiet. Emmett pointed at us, silently asking Jake if what he was seeing was real.

Jake sneered, "I know, right? Fucking nuts," he growled and went back to work.