Disclaimer:

Twilight is my playground, but it's SM's world. A beautiful, beautiful, wolf-filled world :)

Chapter 25

I was away from home for the first time in my life. Other than Angela Weber, I didn't know anyone at WSU. The first few weeks were atrocious. My course load was ambitious, to say the least. My work-study was spent in the dreaded admissions office. I had also gotten a Saturday job at a local children's boutique. I missed Jacob. And to top it off, I had the roommate from hell.

Hollie was loud and obnoxious. I was certain that she had not attended a single class since coming to WSU. She spent most of her days asleep, and most of her nights partying. She had a perpetual hangover, and I assumed that was why she required an unhealthy amount of rest. And, her behavior was only getting worse as time dragged by. I was barely able to study. On more than one occasion, I had slept in Angela's room to avoid being around her. Hollie had no discretion when it come to boys, and the room the two of us shared had become a revolving door for them. I was completely repulsed by it.

My only hope was that she would soon be kicked out for her actions. I would have requested a room change, but nothing else was available. I checked daily while working in the admissions office. I couldn't afford an off campus apartment, so I was left with no alternative but to tough it out.

I tried to stay away from the dorm as much as possible. I could usually depend on Angela as a safe harbor, but like most weekends, Angela was home visiting her family and Ben. Unlike my friend, I had not been back to Forks since moving to Vancouver. Charlie had visited me a few times. He like to keep me filled in on the goings-on of Forks, and he tirelessly talked about Jacob.

"Bells, you need to talk to him. He's going crazy. He calls everyday to check on you," Charlie urged.

"I don't have anything to say to him," I replied.

"What could he have possibly done to deserve such wrath? He at least needs an explanation," he said, sounding more fatherly by the minute.

"I'm going to call him, I just have to get adjusted," I lied.

I hated to be dishonest with Charlie but I needed him to back off.

I missed Jacob terribly, and I thought of him constantly. I could see him, hear him, and feel him. But, it was all a figment of my imagination.

At least it was Saturday, and Hollie usually was away from the dorm on Saturday nights. I had worked a little later than usual at the children's store. I wasn't in any position to pass up the chance to earn extra money. I didn't necessarily like the job, but is was a viable excuse not to return home on the weekends. And, the pay was pretty good for a college student-ten dollars per hour.

The dorm was busy as usual. As I entered the hallway on our floor I could hear loud music. Once I got to the door, I realized the noise was coming from my room.

I stood outside the door for a moment, while I was deliberated on knocking. I wasn't sure what would await me on the other side. I assumed something painfully unpleasant

It was my room, so I decided to go on in, and that decision was a mistake. My previous assumptions were right. When I entered the room, I saw Hollie without her clothes on. Lucky for me, she wasn't naked all alone. She had two "friends" to keep her company. By the clothing in the floor, I deducted that Hollie's friends were members of the freshmen football team.

"Oh, Hi. Guys this is Bella, my roommate. Bella this is Ryan and Cory," Hollie introduced us as if were old friends.

"Are you going to join our little party?" I briefly glanced up to see that it was Ryan speaking to me.

"Uh, no, I don't think so. I just...I just...I have to get my laptop." After that, I never once moved my eyes from the floor. I made my way through the used condom wrappers and beer cans to the desk, and grabbed my laptop and bag.

"You know...you really should keep that covered up," I said on my way out the door. Hollie had no standards when it came to boys. I was instantly grateful for Jacob, and wished for nothing more than to see him.

Sleeping in my bed was not an option, so I walked out into the parking lot to sleep in my truck. That was a new low. I was getting discouraged with the whole college experience, and part of me wanted to just drive back home to Forks and stay there. After tonight's episode I probably would have went home, but I'd rather sleep in my truck than face Jacob.

Running. I was running again. I was always running. I looked behind me, but saw nothing. The darkness was a sea, ready to overtake me. I ran until my legs stopped working. I was alone in the darkness. I ended up on the forest floor alone. I cried and sobbed and suddenly the ground shifted.

When I realized I was falling, I immediately woke up.

"Ouch," I screamed as my head collided with something hard. I opened my eyes to see that it was my steering wheel, and rubbed my head to stop the throbbing. One quick glance in the mirror revealed that there would be a knot.

I decided to go to the coffee shop on the other side of campus. They offered free WI-FI, and I could at least check my email. Hollie and her friends would undoubtedly be occupying my dorm room for the rest of the day. I made a mental note to buy new sheets.

I ordered my coffee and found a table in the corner. Charlie and Renee had both sent emails, so I sent them each a generic reply. I really didn't have energy to offer a heartfelt response.

After I grew bored with surfing the web, I decided to people watch. It was amazing how easy college kids were to read. The only thing the majority of them thought about was sex, alcohol, and more sex.

I found myself missing home, but mostly, I missed Jacob. I wanted to call him, I wanted to hear his voice, and I wanted to laugh at his odd humor. I wanted things to be normal for us again, and for him to tell me everything was going to be okay.

I had been unfair to just up and leave without an explanation. I knew what kind of pain Jacob was living with, the same black aching hole, that I had lived with when Edward left.

I was on the verge of tears when I began to feel a sense of acquaintance, An unexplained feeling of kinship. Maybe, I had a guardian angel looking out for me. Then, I rubbed the knot on my head. Probably not, I thought. But, when I looked around, I saw it by the coffee shop entrance.

Only I could recognize what this person was. The marble skin. The topaz eyes. The perfect facial features. I was looking at beauty, exquisite beauty, contrasted with danger.

Beauty that I didn't think I would ever see again. Beauty I had missed for almost a year. I moved forward, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. Excitement and joy flooded me.

Was this real?

Was I dreaming?

Was this possible?

End Notes:

Mwahahahahaha. Who is it? Could it be Edward? You better review, or Edward is coming back.