I apologise. I really do. As I said in my A/N, there's been a lot of stuff happening in my life (I shan't bore you with the deets lol) and I just haven't had the time.

I'll get better at this guys. That's a promise.

Enjoy! xxx

Previously…

"Go away Edward." I hissed. The hot French boy was still holding my hand, even though we were both already on our feet. My idiotic ex was not going to ruin this for me. So, ignoring him, I smiled at the guy who had just let go of one of my hands to pull my bra off his head. "You're from the other school here? The one we'll be traveling with?"

"Oui."

"Now that we've established that," Edward said grumpily. "can we go? Our class is starting to leave for the hotel and we still have to pick up all of your clothes..."

"That you spilled everywhere." I hissed under my breath. "Piss off Edward." Then to the hottie, in the sweetest/ most flirtatious voice I could manage.... "I'm Bella." He had started to lightly stroke my palm with his thumb.

Swoon.

"Welcome to The City of Love Bella." he said in his sexy French accent, winking at me. "My name is Jacob."

EPOV

Bella and I sat beneath the Eiffel Tower on a picnic blanket, our fingers linked together. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and although there were many people milling around us, we paid no attention to them. In our world, the one we always got wrapped up in when we were together, only the two of us existed.

"You look incredible." I breathed, suddenly noticing that she looked ever more beautiful than usual. Beautiful didn't quite cover it, actually. Sitting there in a little blue sundress, her dark hair blowing gently in the breeze...she looked like an angel.

Instead of speaking (or blushing), Bella cupped my cheek in the hand that wasn't already holding mine. Her thumb slowly stroked under my eye and she moved a little closer. I wound my arms around her waist and brought us both back onto the blanket so that she was lying on top of me. Her perfect lips spread into a smile.

God, I was so lucky to have her. In that moment I had no doubt that Bella was the one. She was one in a million and there was no way that I was ever going to let her go, not for anything....

Just as our lips were about to touch Bella pulled back and looked me right in the eye with a strange expression. "Erm, do you think you could please stop squishing me against the window?"

"Huh?"

"Seriously, I'm beginning to lose ze feeling in my face..."

I sat up and wiped my mouth. "Sorry."

"Thank you." said the boy sitting next to me, moving away from the window and rubbing the side of his face.

I blinked a couple of times and looked around. We were sitting on a bus amongst about sixty kids, some of them dressed normally and some in striped blazers.

Then I remembered where I was.

My date with Bella had been a dream. In real life she hated my guts.

Dammit! Life was such a bitch....

Before I had any more time to brood, I realized that the kid I'd been squishing against the window was holding his hand out to me.

Slowly and in a half asleep state, I shook it and studied him.

The guy was obviously from that St Jean Pierre school that was meant to be guiding us for the first few days in Paris. He was kind of weird looking... not that I judged people by their looks...but he did look a bit...strange. Although he appeared to be around my age, his hair was like...gray, his eyes were a little squinty and he was wearing a pink shirt under his blazer.

A pink shirt.

Still, totally not judging....

"Hello," he said with a toothy smile. "My name is Sean McCabe."

"Edward Cullen." I replied, scanning the bus for Bella, but it appeared she wasn't on this one. Probably purposely ditched me for the Jacob guy....What a douche.

Well, might as well make small talk while we waited to arrive....wherever the bus was taking us.

I really need to start paying more attention when the teacher is speaking...

"So...Sean McCabe isn't a very French name, is it?" I blurted out.

"Uh...zat eez because I am not French." he said informatively. "My fameely travelled a lot when I was younger. I moved to France when I was three but I grew oop in America." he beamed. "Just like you."

"Ah. So-"

"Oh my goodness!" he gasped, clasping his hands together. "My Aunt lives over there! Perhaps you know her?"

"I doubt i-"

"Her name eez Ronel Moore! I think I recall that she leeves in….Chicago? Yes, that eez it! Have you met her?"

"Um...Well, no." I forced a sympathetic smile. "Sorry."

His face fell. "Oh."

An awkward silence followed.

Well.... this trip was off to a great start, now wasn't it?

Apparently, I do not have a future in detective work.

In my 'Bella-Scan' of the bus, I evidently forgot to check the seat right in front of me.

However, being a male, I refused to accept that even in my sleep deprived state I could make such a simple mistake, so when I saw the mahogany curls just ahead of me, I figured I'd check. …just to make sure it was really Bella…..(I mean the idea of me not seeing her the first time I looked around was preposterous! I had eyes like a hawk!)

So, in order to see her face, I just slowly reached out and…..

"SHIT!" she spun around in her sleep and rubbed her scalp, her expression furious. "Oh my God! Edward!" she hissed, eyes blazing. "Did you just pullmy hair?"

"NO! Well…." I looked down sheepishly. "Yes. But only to-"

"That is so childish! Gosh!" she huffed and faced the front again, my time to be graced with her attention apparently over.

Well, at least I knew it was Bella.

And that I needed my eyes tested.

I glanced over at Sean who was slumped in his seat and staring out the window (probably thinking about his Aunt and how tragic it was that I didn't know her) then, since he apparently wasn't going to be of any entertainment, I leaned forward towards Bella's seat, straining to hear her.

"Just an ex." She was saying. "He's kind of a dick sometimes."

I resented that.

"Do not be so hard on heem. Without you as heez girlfriend he moost be heartbroken!" the person beside her replied.

THANK YOU! Finally someone actually GETS it- Wait a second…that was a male voice….

It was Airport Guy! His name was Jacob or something…

I heard Bella laugh nervously "Still, I don't think breaking up with me is really an excuse to turn into asshole of the century. But…let's not talk about him."

"What would you like to talk about then?"

"You!" she laughed again. "You've pretty much forced my life story out of me, now it's time for you to talk about yourself."

"Ah, but you are mooch more eenteresting than me!" he insisted.

"I doubt it. Come on now. Spill!"

"Ok, well as you know my name eez Jacob Noir…"

"Noir…Noir…Why does that word ring a bell…?" she said thoughtfully.

My God….maybe she and I shouldn't have spent so much time writing notes in French class and more time actually listening! But at least I studied the vocabulary! She didn't even know that 'noir' meant….

"My last name actually translates to 'Black' in English," Frenchie explained.

Was I the only one who thought that having a last name like 'Black' is a sure sign that this guy was...like...evil?

No?

Just saying….. Most black things are pretty bad! Black cats, the dark, black pudding….

AND NOW HIS LAST NAME!

"Huh! That's pretty cool!" Bella wasn't catching onto my theory. I'd have to explain it later.

He continued. "I'm nineteen years old," far FAR too old for her. "I love going on long walks," Bella couldn't even handle walking to the refrigerator from the couch and back without tripping (personal experience). They were so WRONG for each other. "And….I'm an Aquarius?" Well…that I couldn't really criticize. But I'd find a way to later.

"Great fact file." Bella approved, a smile in her voice. "And your English is incredible! How long have you been learning to speak it?"

Then something weird happened. It was like his accent immediately got way stronger.

"Oh..Joost sevairel years." He replied. "I eem a fast learner! Ha ha!"

What the hell was up with that? Was-

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

Wait….Why was she saying my name…?

Slowly, I looked upwards to see two faces looking down on me. I moved back into the sitting position and tried my best to look innocent.

"Were you just…uh…how do you say it…. eavesdropping?" asked Jacob, glancing at Bella with a horrified expression, as though he couldn't believe someone could do such a thing.

Yeah, because butter couldn't melt in your mouth, Devil Man!

"I have no doubt that he was Jacob." Bella growled, folding her arms and glaring at me with so much venom that I truly feared death. "God that is so rude, Edward!"

"Eavesdropping is a very, very strong word…" Oh who was I kidding? "Hey, have you guys met Sean?" I gestured to him enthusiastically.

Bella smiled at Sean tightly. "Nice to meet you." Then she turned back to me. "You and I are so having words when we no longer have company."

"Are you sure you're speaking to me?" I shot back.

"No, but by 'have words' I mean I'm going to kick your ass."

There was a lingering silence as Bella and I locked eyes and stared each other down. Jacob cleared his throat and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him hold out his hand (what was it with these French people and shaking hands? Besides, I thought they were the ones that kissed on the cheek or something. Wait, maybe that's the Italians…).

"Bonjour, I am Jacob."

I didn't look away from Bella and made no move to shake his hand. "Hello Justin."

"Wow, really mature, Edward." Bella gave me one last venom glare and turned to the front again.

"Hang on, hang on…." I leaned forward a little, "I kind of slept the entire way here and through all the briefing so can someone please inform me as to where we're actually going?"

BPOV

"I just don't see why the St Jean kids had to accompany us to our hotel." Edward muttered as we waved the other school off in their bus.

"They wanted to welcome us to our country and get acquainted." I explained watching wistfully as the St Jean's and Jacob drove off into the distance.

Jacob…

He was literally the coolest person I'd ever met in my life. He was so funny and nice and so hot it made me hurt to look at him.

And I had this weird longing for him to take his shirt off….

Mmmm…Jacob….Yes I was hoping to spend a lot more time with him over the next couple of weeks….

"Bella, everyone's heading inside….Can we go too?"

I blinked and glanced at Edward who was looking down at me with concern.

"Yes…yeah. Why were you waiting for me?" I muttered, annoyed. 'Twas a sad day when a girl couldn't fantasise in peace. "If you're just going to stick around me the entire trip like a little puppy dog, you can forget it."

He looked hurt for a split second, then his expression went hard. "Yeah, because the brilliant alternative was to leave you out here on the street. All alone amongst the pickpockets and cars and rapists and-"

"Yeah, yeah, you've made your point. Thanks for saving me, superman." I interrupted, stalking off to catch up with the rest of the group.

I wish I could say that we walked into the hotel and it blew me away with its gorgeous interior, luxurious furniture and attractive staff.

I'd be lying.

Not to be ungrateful or anything, because a roof over our heads is a roof over our heads, but…wow. First of all, it was dark and dusty inside with just a lamp burning on the front desk for light, so it didn't really feel very welcoming. The furniture was ripped and this ugly grey green colour. And the people….well one of the cleaners was picking her nose…I think that kind of says it all….

"Children!" Mr Chiron clapped his hands and smiled/grimaced. "You all happy to be here? Yes?"

"Not really." Someone yelled back.

Apparently Mr C had already learnt the fine art of tuning us out. "Well, ze new fun is about to begin! It is time to find out who you will be rooming with for the next two weeks! I've cut all your names up and put them eento this bowl!" he held up the plastic bowl that the fruit salad had come in on the plane.

"Isn't it meant to be a hat?" someone else called out.

"Quiet. Now, it is simple! You pick someone out and that is who you'll be sharing your room with. But if you get someone of the opposite sex, you must put it back and pick out another one who eez the same gender as yourself." He gave this really perverted chuckle and wagged his finger. "I want no hanky panky!"

….

"I'm going to vomit." I whispered to no one imparticular.

"Now…" he put his hand in the bowl, pulled out a piece of paper and read aloud: "Angela Weber!"

I heard a squeak from Angela's direction. "That…that doesn't mean I'm rooming with y-you does it, Mr C?"

"No, no! It means you are the first to pick someone from the bowl!"

"Oh thank God…" she muttered, walking up and quickly taking a piece of paper. She read it and immediately went red. "Ben Cheney."

Wolf whistles sounded from around the group as Ben flushed purple and a very flustered Mr Chiron shook his head.

"Pick another one! Pick another one!" he insisted quickly.

She did as she was told and got… "Alice!"

"Please collect your bags and you will be directed to your room." Instructed Mr C in his most professional tone, gesturing towards the stairs.

More people approached The Bowl. Mike and Tyler were paired together. Lauren and Katie. Edward picked Ben which for some reason, made Eric look kind of sad…And then it was my turn.

The moment of truth. I was now going to find out who I would be sharing a bathroom with….Who I was going to have to get on pretty damn well with otherwise it was going to be hell for the next two weeks…

It sounded dramatic, but it was pretty damn nerve-wracking in real life, ok?

Oh God, please don't let it be that girl with really bad B.O….

"Go ahead, Mees Swan." Chiron held out the bowl to me.

I stuck my hand in, swished the remaining bits of paper around a little and pulled one out.

Slowly, I unfolded it and stared at the name on the paper.

I wonder how much a plane ticket back to Forks is….

"Tanya Denali."

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