A/N: Hello, my lovely readers! Okay, so I have a confession - I'm incredibly obsessed with reviews. As in, I wish you guys could have seen me this week/end, I legit checked for reviews about every half hour. To my dismay, I did not hit my goal of ten reviews. But, never fear, for I am still here to update! I have received about 2,000 hits on this story alone, and over 200 FF members have read this story! HUZZAH! I'm soooo excited about this, it's crazy! Well anywho, I guess... I'll let you read the chapter... :)

Again, my sincere apologies to those of you who've been waiting for this update, even though it was only three days this time around. ;)

This is it, boys, this is war,

What are we waiting for?

Why don't we break the rules already?

I was never one to believe the hype,

save that for the black and white!

I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked,

but here they come again to jack my style!

Some Night by FUN.

Previously on College of Love:

"Bella, don't be ashamed." He smiled softly, while I was just surprised he didn't think I was swatting at flies, or something. "Your laugh is really, incredibly beautiful. It kinda... matches it's owner." He peeked up at me at the same time as I glanced at him, before we both blushed and looked at the floor.

Oh my God. Swoon.


College of Love: Chapter 12 - Some Nights

After leaving my room with many a blush in tow, Edward and I grabbed our coats off of the couch and jogged swiftly out the door, pausing only so I could briefly lock the handle. By the time we made it down the hall to the elevators, Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice, were standing inside the doors, and with a small ding, they began to close.

Edward, with the most swift motion I think I had ever seen, had stuck his hand in between the doors to stop it.

Emmett giggled childishly and grabbed his brothers hand, before waving his fingers and calling out, "Last one to the lobby pays, yeah?" Edward gave no verbal reply, but instead wrenched the doors open, slapped something, grabbed my hand and ran to the stairs. Oh, God.

With a 'go get 'em, tiger!' shouted by Rose, we were off.

"Edward, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... I'm, like incredibly clumsy. I don't know if running down stairs is really the best-"

"Bella, do you trust me?" He questioned, his eyes boring holes into mine. I gulped.

"Well, yes, I mean - of course. It's not you, oh this is so corny, it's-" I rambled

"Bella, stop! You'll be fine - it's just a couple of stairs. Besides, I'm right next to you. Nothing's gonna happen. Plus... I think we may have a little extra time. " He winked, before slightly pulling me towards him, and thus further down the stairs.

Blinking, I realised we had already made it halfway, and might actually have a chance at beating the others.

At a curious look from me, Edward expanded.

"I may... or may not... have hit a few extra buttons in the elevator, before the doors closed." He looked guiltily at me. "Does that consider me a cheater?"

I laughed loudly, although still slightly exhausted from my flight, followed by copious amounts of running. "Not quite, Edward. I think, seeing as you were forced into this little competition, it jusst makes you a team player. And may I say," I looked up at him coyly, trying to follow Rose's sage advice, "I'm so glad we're on the same team."

What the hell, Bella? Where are these balls of steel coming from? And boy, I wish I knew that answer.

Edward stared at me, legitamitely not moving. His eyes widened, and his mouth flopped up and down, making him appear quite akin to a guppy.

"Uhh.. m-me, t-too." He stuttered, looking almost spellbound.

Giggling, I took off down the last flight of stairs, with Edward in tow, stumbling just slightly. He clutched my hand tightly, before moving a touch closer. Score!


EPOV (WOO! A MALE!)

(A/N: Short, but necessary. I may take this out later and just make it into the next chapter... thoughts?)

Oh dear God. I really think Bella was trying to kill me, with this seductive crap. Ugh. Did she honestly not know how attractive she was, as Alice and Rose said?

When she expressed her... joy... at being 'on my team', I seriously thought I was going to blow a load. This girl was insane. One minute blushing and fumbling down the stairs, the next tugging me after her and making me gasp for air. She was spell-binding.

Reaching the bottom, she burst through the door, before looking around wildly for a sign of our friends.

"A-HA! Edward, we did it! We actually beat them!" She exclaimed brightly, laughing and coming towards me. Thinking she was looking for a hug, I extended my arms, and smiled vividly.

It, apparently, was not what she was looking for, as she paused awkwardly, before slowly stepping forward, and embracing me lightly.

I guess I gripped her too hard, or something, because she squeaked loudly and held her breath, before taking a step back.

"Oh, uhh... sorry... I guess it's a little too soon..." I trailed off at her insistant head shaking.

"No, it's not that, it's just-" She was cut off by the sound of the elevator ding-ing, and Emmett charging out, finger pointed and accusations on his tongue.

She chuckled cutely, right before leaning in and swiftly kissing my cheek.

Swoon.


BPOV

'Linner' was delicious, but the walk home was even better. Because, in Emmett's race to get back to our apartments, Edward and I were finally allowed some quiet time - just the two of us sort of basking in each other. We were laughing and joking the entire time, and I couldn't remember ever having a better welcome home.

Reaching our building, I realised that we were, in fact the last ones to make it back, and probably by a good bit, seeing as there was no sign of the others. Tugging on his arm, we slowly meandered to the elevators, with a quiet stillness in the air.

After a sweetly silent moment between us, Edward and I were struck alert by an incredible banging inside of my apartment. Glancing swiftly at one another, we scrambled inside to see what the fuss was about.

It was a sight I swear I would never forget.

The first thing I noticed was the sound of Emmett crying. Not, ya know, manly I'm-crying-but-really-it's-just-allergies - oh no. The man was full-on sobbing.

The next thing I caught was the sight of Alice holding up a small green lizard by it's tail, and smiling brightly at it. Rosalie, next to her, was grinning broadly, while I thought I saw Jasper sneak a shot behind them - of what I wasn't quite sure.

Turning back to Emmett, I noticed, now, that he was standing on the couch, shaking like a chihuaha. Moving one step closer, Edward and I shared a look before attempting to hide our snickers.

"You -" sob "get that" sob sob "that..." sob "THING away from me!" Emmett cried, clutching a couch pillow to his broad chest with one hand, and pointing wildly with the other.

"Uh, Emmett..." I began, attempting to calm him down enough so he would get off of my couch - to no avail.

"STOP, BELLA. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT THING IS CAPABLE OF!" He cried, glaring at us as we all guffawed loudly, Alice shaking the lizard a little closer.

"Aw, Emmy, he's harmless!" Turning to me, she explained, "I found this little guy on our terrace, and I think I'm gonna name his Pascal. He's really small so I thought..." She trailed off, her eyes lighting up.

"You know what, Bella?" Alice questioned, a visible glint in her eye.

"What?" I replied, not knowing where she was leading me.

"Haven't you always wanted a house pet?" She smiled, willing me to catch on. What she said was true, but there was no way in hell that I could sleep at night knowing that there was a lizard inside the apartment. It just wasn't feasable.

"No, Alice." I began, hearing Emmett butt in a victorious 'HA' before finally sitting down on the couch.

"But, Bellaaaaa, he's so small! He's gonna get eaten or something equally as horrifying out there, and it's gonna be your fault!" Alice decreed, shoving 'Pascal' towards my face. I swatted at him a bit, before she turned to Jasper, who was, in fact, downing another shot.

"Jazz, look!" She cried, before sticking the lizard on one of her earlobes, and smiling for all to see. Only I cowered back, while Emmett made a strange choking and gurgling sound, his eyes bugging out at the sight of Alice.

All of a sudden, she screamed.

You know that moment when a loud noise is heard, and there is only deafening quiet afterwards? Yeah, that moment never came. Because, although scientists have claimed to prove that lizards will not, in fact, let go because they knew they would fall to their deaths, this was not true. And although poor Alice claimed to love little Pascal, nothing could come between Alice and her hair. So thus, there was no silence, because Alice never stopped screaming.

Everyone was in motion. Emmett shreaked loudly before dry-heaving, still on the couch. I leapt onto Edward, seeing as no other option seemed to present itself... not that I was complaining.

Rose and Jasper rushed towards our screaming friend, panic on their faces. Alice, in turn, flipped her head over before shaking it wildly around in circles.

Then, the moment was over. A sickening splat! was heard, and Alice jerked her head up in horror. All of turning to face the sound, Allice let out a small squeal, before diving towards the wall.

She reached toward the floor, before slowly turning around and holding up her hands. In them, lay something I never wanted to see.

Emmett guffawed before shouting, "SERVES YOU RIGHT," which resulted in a smack from Rosalie.

Pascal... was dead.

A/N: Muahaha! I guess you'll have to wait and see what happens!

WARNING: Long-ass authors note ahead!

You guys know what I want... I'm not gonna nag you :)

That's a complete lie.

PLEASE REVIEW! I AM BEGGING! I really want to know that there are people out there actually reading this! :)

Also, I have read many, many FF's, and almost all of the AH ones that I read are either entirely unrealistic and incredibly difficult to get through without an eye-roll, or they are so ridiculously focused on everything that's happening that the begining of Edward and Bella's relationship is skipped. (I feel that Twilight, itself, did that, too... but I digress.) We women do not just fall into the arms of men that we meet (although I sure as hell would fall wherever Robert Pattinson wanted me too) - we are REAL! We do not shudder and weep at the sight of gorgeous men... at least in front of them. ;) What I'm trying to say, here, is that I am honestly trying to make these characters as real as possible, and many of their conversations/experiences are, indeed, autobiographical. Please feel free to let me know how I'm doing and what I can improve on! :)

Ten reviews and an update,

Shannon :)

REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! Wham-bam, thank you ma'am :)

UPDATE AS OF 07/21/12: I have nine revies. Nine. That means one more, and chapter thirteen is available for your viewing pleasure. ONE MORE REVIEW AND I UPDATE. Peace and blessins, y'all