Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 34 Brave New World
RPOV
Ah, college.
Still too many humans for my liking but so much better than high school. And New York State, so much better than Washington.
Char's done an amazing job on the house, we've each got a suite of our own rooms ranged around the shared heart of the house. Of course Bella's puritan roots were showing but she's here now so there isn't much she can do about it. Families and covens pool their resources, what's ours is hers, she'll get used to it.
And in the mean time she might just as well hang a sign around her neck for Pete. Take Piss Here. She's got so much to learn, when he told her she could help clean out the outbuildings to pay for her lavish accommodations she actually asked when he wanted her to start and he'd got her in a set of overalls and carrying a broom before Char caught him and punched his man card.
We didn't discuss her night with Jazz although I did point out that some scents don't wash off in the shower. She didn't even blush. Anyway Alice hasn't been round with a pitchfork and Bella seems perfectly normal so we'll chalk that one up to a lucky escape. I did ring him after she went to her room that first night but he just laughed, he really doesn't give a fuck about anything. Even Em was sanguine about it so after a while I calmed down and Char collected her winnings.
Bad Rose, betting on the sex life of people you care about.
We settled into our new life, new home and college easily. The Balsa Wood Boys got their business off the ground, it helps if you can handcraft a piece of furniture in five minutes a human would take months to make. Em says this is a gross over simplification of the craftsmanship involved but then he would, wouldn't he? I know they spend the time we're at school playing video games and measuring their bits, they're men, what else would they be doing.
Emo Ed's rung Bella a couple of times, she doesn't seem bothered, only giving him skimpy details of what she's doing and asking limited questions about him. I don't know whether it's because she doesn't care or she's just trying to maintain some distance until Nosey gets a new vision and the pressure is off.
We're deliberately trying to stay out of her college career as much as possible, we have a couple of classes together but that's it. She's gradually making her own circle of friends and seems much more sociable here than she was in Forks. She's even come home stinking drunk once, it was funny but it took us a week to get the stench of vomit out of the house.
Em's the one who is struggling. He worries about her all the time and is like a fly with two sugar cubes trying to keep the boys away from both of us. With his size and other worldly menace he's a very effective chastity belt for Bella, making sure to be seen dropping her off on campus from time to time. Pete's almost as bad so perhaps it's just as well she cashed in her v card on Jazz, it will take a human with balls of steel to make a serious move on her here.
If we don't drive in together she takes her motorcycle to school and privately we're all waiting for the emergency room call though she does seem to be getting less clumsy day by day.
For now we've kept our own names and the story about meeting in high school, we'll change all that when Bella's ready. Nobody seems to care, we're the slightly snooty rich kids who live in a mansion off campus, Bella being the only one the humans deem worth bothering with. There's quite a lot of jealousy directed at her but we haven't told her, she wouldn't know if the rest of us were just human so why upset her. She's not completely oblivious and seems to be picking her friends more wisely than she did in Forks.
The once dreaded nineteen passed with little incident. She doesn't like presents so we didn't get her any. Nosey sent her a coat she'll never wear and Emo Ed sent her a priceless Bronte edition which she uses to prop her balcony doors open when she wants some fresh air. Despite feeling the cold she seems quite partial to sleeping with the doors open so Em installed additional security around her rooms.
Ed, Alice and Jazz have all gone away to 'college' and Dr and Mrs Cullen are packing up and preparing to move now the kids have flown the nest. A tour with Medicines Sans Frontiers is the cover story this time. In reality they're moving to New Hampshire and starting high school again.
Angela and Ben are married. Bella was scandalised and I really don't understand her sometimes. Teenage pregnancy is fine but teenage marriage almost requires a pitchfork and a burning torch.
Jessica wasn't so lucky. Over Mrs Newton's dead body was little Mike going to marry her, pregnancy or not.
I don't understand Ed sometimes either, was that the normal human life he was hoping Bella would have. Over my dead body. As time goes on I'm catching up with Em, who had lots of sisters in his human life, boys equal potential trouble and shouldn't be permitted until after she's finished college. The worry, you have no idea.
She has no idea what a beautiful woman she's turning into and nowhere near enough experience to spot a cad when she sees one. I had to explain to her what a cad was, the young these days are extremely ill educated.
BPOV
I wheel my bike into the garage, still undecided how to tell Rose that I have a date tonight.
I could just go out as usual, they wouldn't know, but somehow I can't see that working. She swears blind she doesn't have a gift but I'm not so sure, one look into those hard gold eyes and the urge to tell the whole truth or urinate is nearly overwhelming.
Chucking my helmet carelessly onto the workbench, I'll move it later before Rose sees it, I charge into the kitchen desperate for a hot drink. It's cold out there.
"Careful Bells." Em chides me as I canon off his huge frame.
"Sorry." I mutter flicking the kettle on and rummaging in the cupboards. Coffee, I need coffee, that last lecture was so dull even I nearly fell asleep and I'm usually one of the more diligent members of the student body.
"Rose said to tell you she's gone shopping with Char." He says, hopping up on the counter. "And Pete wants to know if you'll come bowling with us tonight."
"Can't, meeting my friends."
"You went out last night too." He whines, shoving his lower lip out as far as it will go.
"That was a study group."
"Right Bells, I've been to college too you know."
"Yeah and Rose said you flunked out of everything, maybe you should have tried going to study group from time to time."
"Argh." He grips his heart falling backwards and knocking the pans off the rack with a clatter. "You wound me."
I snort and stir some sugar into my instant coffee, a new habit I've acquired.
"You'll rot your teeth." He huffs, tidying up his mess.
"Won't need them for more than a couple of years." I shrug.
"Good point. But you'll want them nice and sharp." He bears his lethal teeth at me. He's absurdly proud of his teeth which are apparently exceptional even for a vampire. He'd certainly make a fortune in toothpaste commercials.
Brush your teeth everyday children or we'll send the vampire round to suck your blood.
"So where are you going tonight?"
"I've got a date."
His eyes narrow dangerously and I roll mine. Here we go.
"It's a date Em, he's taking me to see a movie, I'm not going to marry the guy."
"Who is it?"
"You don't know him."
"Nice try. Who."
"Tom.
"Weedy Tom? The guy with beard?"
I nod, sipping my drink.
"His eyes are too close together, I don't trust him."
"I'll take my panic alarm and Charlie's pepper spray. I'll be fine."
"I'm not sure about this, maybe you should talk to Rose first."
"Talk to Blondie about what?" Pete enquires wandering in.
"She's got a date!" Em squeaks.
"Who with?" More narrowed eyes, god even Charlie was more relaxed than this.
"Beardy Tom, the one whose eyes are too close together. I think we should call Rose."
"Do what ever you need to do." I sigh. "I'm going in the shower."
I've always wanted a big brother and two come along at once, be careful what you wish for blah, blah, blah.
In my room I shrug out of my leathers and relax. I love my room, rooms, even though I still feel guilty about having so much space to myself. And my bathroom is heaven.
Showered I wrap myself in a towel and stretch out on the bed the sound of the rain lulling me off into a bout of narcolepsy.
I wake up refreshed after my nap and curious what my brothers are up to, oh well, I'll find out.
I dress conservatively in jeans. I don't really fancy Tom, he's cute but he doesn't really float my boat, but I feel morally obliged to do some normal things and all my friends are going out on dates. I like him so when he asked I amazed myself by agreeing. Like I told Em, I'm not going to marry him, I'm just going to let him take me out and see what happens.
Downstairs the dynamic duo are looking shifty.
"Can I borrow the truck?" I ask.
"You hate my truck." Em points out.
"I don't and it's raining, too dangerous for the bike, please?"
"Okay." He huffs ungraciously. "You'd better not bring it back with any beard hairs in it."
"What. Is. Wrong. With. Beards?"
"They're unhygienic."
"Okay. I'll squirt him with hand sanitizer before I kiss him, how does that sound?"
"Safer not to kiss him." Em growls.
"Duly noted, I'll see you later."
I scamper out to the garage and start the truck before they can think up a way to mess with my evening.
It starts out really well when I meet Tom for coffee. We've always got on great and so there's no awkwardness as we chat about the movies and books we like. As with everyone else there's curiosity about my 'friends' but no more so than usual so I can't mark him down for it. I'm a dowdy normal girl living with four mega rich super models, that's bound to draw some attention.
The movie is disappointing and we get more coffee after so we can pick it to pieces in comfort and it all feels very grown up and natural. We've a surprising amount in common and he's sort of grown on me over the evening, he really is quite cute.
A gentleman he walks me back to the truck and that's when it gets a little awkward. After a couple of false starts he finally leans in for a kiss and I find my mouth awaiting his almost eagerly.
His lips are soft and warm, his beard a bit tickly but not in a bad way. The kiss is hesitant, our lips moving lightly together, barely touching and it feels strangely antiseptic.
He moves closer resting his hands on my shoulders and injects a little pressure into it. Unsure what to do with my hands I reach up and cup his elbows, still waiting for something to happen.
I press my lips back against his warm pliable ones.
Nope. Nothing. I think there may be a problem with the dating thing. A big one.
As soon as politely possible I disengage pleading tiredness and promising to see him in class tomorrow. Then I drive home with a hint of vampiric lunacy.
Rose takes one look at my face and calls for wine and chocolate, banishing the protesting guys to their workshop.