Welcome back, lovelies! I hope everyone had a great holiday!
Thanks as always to Naelany and wishingforlove.
When Edward got back to campus on Sunday afternoon it was all he could do to not run to Jasper's room. There was little chance they'd make it to dinner if he did. Besides, he needed to find Bella first and see if he could figure out why she'd called and left a tearful apology on his phone.
But before he did anything, he needed to put his things away and take a shower. Spending ten hours on a bus with thirty five teenagers had left him twitchy and frustrated. Though maybe a swim would work better in terms of letting him unwind, Edward thought as he hung his suit bag in the closet. Part of the problem with the bus ride had been his inability to move around, which had made his legs stiffen up. A swim would loosen him up and let him burn off the anxious tension he'd been carrying since he'd gotten the message from Bella the evening before.
She'd called while he was in the shower back at the hotel after the concert and subsequent tour of the campus with the students. All he'd managed to decipher was that she was sorry for something and she was turning her phone off.
Edward changed into his swim clothes and tugged on a pair of sweats and a hoodie. Campus was quiet as he made the trek across to the gym; it wasn't unusual for a Sunday afternoon. Most students were likely studying and the faculty in residence sleeping in or getting a jump on the week ahead.
The pool was empty when Edward waded into the shallow end, leaving his cane, clothes, and towel on the deck. He lost himself in the rhythm of his strokes as he worked the tension out his body. Slowly, the muscles in his legs began to loosen, and the stiff tension in his neck and arms was replaced by a more satisfying ache. When he climbed out of the pool forty five minutes later he felt much more relaxed and rested. He re-dressed quickly after roughly toweling dry and headed back to his room, looking forward to a hot shower.
Edward's phone beeped as he let himself back into his room. He crossed to where he'd left it on the bed and smiled as he opened the text from Jasper.
Welcome home. Missed you. See you at dinner?
He typed out his own message before tossing the phone on the bed and going to take a shower. He lingered as he rinsed the chlorine from his hair and skin. Out of the shower he dressed professionally casual in jeans, a button up and a sweater before tugging on his Chucks. Edward gathered his phone, keys, and anything else he might need, and locked up before starting toward Bella's dorm.
Edward found Bella packing up her belongings, dressed in yoga pants and layered tank tops, her hair pulled back into a messy bun with strands falling loose. He tapped on the open door of her room to get her attention before he entered. "Going somewhere?" he asked lightly.
She gave him a tired smile. "Moving. Alice is going to let me have the other side of her suite; it's the only empty room available right now," she said, waving in him.
He found an empty space on the bed and settled, kicking his shoes off. "Why?"
Bella sighed as she folded another top into her suitcase. "James was lurking around Friday night. He'll have a hard time peeking into Alice's suite since she's upstairs, and he won't necessarily know where I've gone."
"What?" Edward asked. He thought she had a restraining order against him. "He was here? Did he do anything? Where was Jasper? Or Emmett?" Even with the protective order, they shouldn't have let her be out by herself.
"Slow down, Edward," Bella said patiently. "I'd gone out with Alice, Rose, and Emmett, and Alice and I came back together. As soon as I realized he was lurking, I ran for Jasper's room and stayed there. James didn't do anything to me but scare me. He was arrested later and spent the night in jail; I called and reported him yesterday morning."
"He didn't do anything?" Edward clarified.
"James didn't do anything," Bella repeated. "I want to be safe, so I'm relocating. Rose and Alice will be in the same building, so I won't have to walk home alone or make anyone go out of their way. I know it's no trouble," she said before he could interrupt, "but this will be better. Emmett, Rose, and Alice are going to help me move after dinner tonight."
"Jasper and I can help," Edward added.
Bella shook her head. "You and Jasper need some time," she said firmly. "We'll be fine. I don't have that much, really, that has to be moved tonight."
"You're sure?" He clarified. At her nod, he let it go. Edward wanted to ask her about Jasper, but first he needed to find out what had prompted the phone call. "So, I got a voice mail from you last night…" he suggested.
Bella sighed again and nodded, fixing her eyes on the suitcase she was packing. She folded another shirt into the suitcase and reached for another.
Edward leaned over and gently took her hand. "What happened, Bella? I didn't understand much of the message – I must have been in a bad spot for reception," he lied easily. He lightly tugged on her hand so she'd come sit down with him.
"I went to Jasper's last night, since everyone else was gone, and I didn't want to risk James slipping into the building behind me or a student," she explained quietly after she sat down beside him.
Edward nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"It was raining and I was soaked and freezing, so Jas loaned me some clothes and let me stay the night, since we thought James might still be out there. I was scared and really just needed someone to be there, so I wouldn't let him sleep on the floor, knowing he wouldn't let me," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I knew he missed you and I thought we could both use the comfort, and didn't think anything of it."
"Okay," Edward said. So far he wasn't hearing anything worth apologizing over. It sounded completely like Jasper to stay with her through the night; he knew his partner still felt partially responsible for some of James' actions since breaking up their fight in the fall.
"I know he hadn't been sleeping much," she continued in a quiet voice, a blush starting to spread across her cheeks. "And he woke up a bit – confused," she said. "But I'll let him tell you those details," she said, pink cheeked. "I was somewhere between asleep and awake, so I wasn't quite sure what was real and what wasn't, but he was really embarrassed when I asked about it, and let it go."
Edward was confused, but nodded.
"After breakfast, he walked me home, even though James was supposed to be in custody," Bella said, dropping Edward's hand and picking at the afghan over her bed. "I kissed him," she whispered.
That was all? She'd kissed Jasper before. "Why are you apologizing for that, love?" Edward asked softly.
"I kissed your boyfriend, Edward," she answered, sounding exasperated.
"Did he kiss you back?" He had a feeling he knew the answer to that, thinking about their discussion from New Year's.
"No," she said, ducking her head, her cheeks turning pink again.
"Hey, come here," he said gently, shifting to sit up a bit and she reluctantly moved closer so he could wrap his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head lightly. "I'm not mad."
"Why not?" She seemed reassured and relaxed slightly.
"Why did you kiss him?" He asked gently.
Bella sighed again. "I don't know," she admitted. "I didn't really think about it. Jasper was there, and he's been so affectionate with me, and I think maybe I read more into things than I should have." She pinked slightly again. "I know he loves me like a sister, and I crossed a line with him," she whispered sadly.
"We both love you, sweetheart," Edward reminded her. "Don't forget that. And my guess is that Jasper's more freaked out about you kissing him than you are," he said lightly.
Bella choked on a noise that sounded like she was trying to disagree.
"You feel guilty," Edward explained quietly. "Which I'd tell you to stop doing, but I know it's futile. But there's more going on in Jasper's head than you know about. Remember before New Year's when he ran off for awhile to think?"
She nodded silently.
"He had asked me if I was jealous when I found you two curled up together when he was trying to help you feel better. I reminded him of how you and I got started," Edward said with a small smile. "You're a gorgeous woman, Bella, and anyone would be lucky to have you in their life." He paused for a minute, internally debating over whether or not to share the bulk of the conversation with her, and deciding that he had to, for all of their sakes. "We talked about what it meant in our relationship that I'm bisexual, he continued. "And the short of the conversation was that he'd be willing to share me with one person, because that person is someone we both love and trust."
Bella was quiet a moment before she sniffled and asked "Me?" in a quiet voice.
"You," he confirmed.
"But why would he even say something like that?" she asked quietly. "I mean – you two are so clearly in love with each other."
Edward nodded. "He's worried that he won't be enough to satisfy all of my needs," he said simply. "I tried to reassure him that that wasn't the case, and then tried to see if he could understand where I was coming from. Unfortunately," he said dryly, "that's what kicked off his need to walk and sort things out."
"In questioning you, he questioned himself," Bella concluded quietly.
Edward hummed his agreement. "So, it's my guess that when you kissed him, after whatever misunderstanding had happened in the morning, he's completely confused, while you're sitting here feeling guilty for something I don't blame you for."
Bella was quiet again. Edward held her, and felt her deep breath against his arm when she started to speak again. "I love you both too, y'know," she said softly. "It's just…sometimes I wish things were different."
"Different how?" Edward asked.
She sniffed again quietly and shook her head. "It's…never mind. It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me," Edward responded.
"You know the saying 'the good ones are gay or taken'?" she asked. "In this case, both?"
"Sweetheart," Edward sighed softly.
She squeezed his forearm around her waist. "It's okay," she assured him, turning to face him with a sad smile. "I'll be fine. I just want you guys to be happy."
There was something else going on in her pretty little head, but Edward was damned if he was going to get it figured out in the short time they had before dinner, and Bella still had packing to do. There was a lot they were going to have to sort out, and none of their busy schedules were going to help anything. "We want you to be happy too," he said honestly.
"I know," she answered with a nod.
Edward kissed the top of her head again and gave her another hug before releasing her. "Alright, what can I do to help? We've got a little time before we need to leave for dinner."
Bella pointed at another pile of clothes and a suitcase. "Help me fold?"
"Sure," Edward answered, turning his body so he could reach. "You said Jasper hadn't been sleeping much," he started as he reached for clothes to fold into the suitcase. "How was he after I left?"
"Sad, tired, quiet," Bella answered. "I left him one of your gifts Friday and that seemed to help some, but I also just stuck close at breakfast and dinner."
"Thanks for being here for him. Us," Edward said. He knew Jasper would find some comfort in Bella, but he knew it was going to lead to some confusing times for all of them.
"You've both been here for me so much, it's the least I could do," Bella answered, carefully folding a sweater into the suitcase.
"I still appreciate it," Edward said.
The smile he got in return helped him feel better about everything. They continued to chat as they finished getting Bella's clothes packed up for everyone to help her retrieve after dinner. Edward filled her in on how the concert had gone, and reported that he'd been able to deliver her notes to some of her old professors on campus.
Bella changed into jeans and a sweater before they left for dinner. They walked to the cafeteria together, Bella's hand in Edward's. Jasper was waiting for them just inside the building, out of the rain. Bella flushed and stammered when Jasper greeted her, obviously still bothered by what had happened the previous day. Jasper, though, just gave her a warm smile (that didn't quite reach his eyes) and brushed his fingers against her hand as he reached to take Edward's. Bella excused herself and Edward allowed himself to be pulled into a hug.
"Welcome back," Jasper whispered.
"It's good to be home," Edward said softly, taking in Jasper's appearance. He looked worn and tired, his shoulders slightly hunched like he was carrying a heavy burden. His eyes were dull, with dark shadows starting to form underneath. "She really threw you for a loop, didn't she?" he asked softly.
Jasper's eyes widened a bit. "She told you?"
Edward nodded, brushing his lips lightly across Jasper's. "She called me to apologize, which is why I went to see her first. But we can talk about it after dinner?"
Jasper nodded and his arms tightened around Edward for a moment before letting him go.
Edward gave his hand a tug. "Come on. Let's get dinner, and then we'll go back to yours and talk, okay?"
"Yeah," Jasper agreed softly. He looked slightly lost, and Edward's heart hurt a little bit. He had no idea how they were going to endure five more weeks before their lives returned to normal.
Edward led Jasper into the service area and they grabbed their food before going in search of the others. They were seated at a round table, as usual, Bella between Alice and Esme, leaving open seats between Emmett and Carlisle for Edward and Jasper to take.
Jasper was understandably quiet through dinner, though Edward still worried. The Dean's remarks were thankfully short, which allowed Edward to make their excuses and slip away quicker than he had planned.
When they reached Jasper's room, they left the overhead lights out, and Jasper turned on the small reading lamp over the bed. Edward kicked off his shoes and settled at the head of Jasper's bed, propping himself up on Jasper's pillow. Jasper joined him after a heartbeat, settling between Edward's legs, with his back to Edward's chest after grabbing his laptop from the table.
"Tell me what happened yesterday morning?" Edward asked quietly, his cheek against Jasper's temple.
"What did Bella tell you?" Jasper asked in return.
"Just that you'd woken up confused and were really embarrassed," Edward explained.
Jasper sighed and explained in a soft voice how he'd woken up with a warm body and had felt her up before he'd realized that it wasn't Edward that he was in bed with. If Jasper hadn't been so humiliated by the experience, Edward would have thought it was funny.
"And then she kissed you after you walked her home?" Edward asked.
Jasper nodded.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm…I'm really fucking confused, Edward," Jasper stammered. "My head and my heart don't agree, and I can't make sense of anything. I ran myself into exhaustion last night and still didn't get more than a couple hours sleep, and I just don't know what to do."
Edward turned Jasper's face toward him so he could kiss him. "Talk to me, Jas. Tell me what's wrong."
Jasper sat quietly for a moment. "Here," he said, handing over his laptop. "Start by reading this."
Edward frowned as he took the computer, leaving one hand on Jasper's hip as he used the other to balance the laptop and scroll through the word document that was untitled and open on the desktop. He read it through twice, feeling Jasper's conflict through the words on the screen. He shut the lid and slid the computer away, wrapping both arms around Jasper again. Edward took a moment to collect his thoughts before he started speaking.
"You nearly had a psych major, right?"
Jasper nodded.
"Take any classes on human sexuality?" Edward asked gently.
"Not directly, but there were a few sections in various classes. Why?" Jasper asked, sounding curious.
"Do you think sexual orientation is fixed?" Edward posed.
"I don't know," Jasper said. "I've never really thought about it," Jasper mused. "Why?"
"Just a thought," Edward said. "We constantly change and develop over time, right? Our tastes change as we mature; we don't always like the same foods as children as we do as adults. Who is to say that sexual orientation is fixed in one direction? Why can't our sexual preferences develop as we mature as well?"
"It's possible I guess," Jasper conceded. "But I'm nearly thirty-one years old, Edward. Isn't it a bit late for me to be experimenting with my sexual orientation?"
Edward couldn't help but smile at the dry way Jasper asked. "I don't know babe, honestly," he said lightly. "But think about something for a minute." He waited for Jasper's nod before he continued. "You asked me how I knew I was bisexual, and I explained it the best I could, that it's the person I'm interested in, rather than their gender. What if it's not so much that there's a possibility that you have some, I don't know, repressed sexual desire for women, but that it's just Bella?"
He felt Jasper take a long breath and exhale slowly. Edward made circles on Jasper's hips with his thumbs as he gave him the time to process.
"That…makes sense," Jasper said slowly, but then fell silent for a moment. "She still reminds me of my baby sister," he whispered.
"How, love?" Edward prompted. "Physically? Emotionally?"
"In her personality," Jasper said. "Always wanting to make sure everyone around her is taken care of. Always trying to see the best in people. A bright, warm person, who brings life to everyone around her."
Edward hugged Jasper a bit tighter. "Is that so bad?"
Jasper shook his head. "No, but it still freaks me out a little bit." He sighed. "I get what you're trying to say, Edward, and it makes sense, but…"
"It's all coming at you at once," Edward finished.
"Yeah," Jasper said with a nod. He shifted onto his side and nestled against Edward. "I'm tired, and it's all just…" he made a motion with his hand, turning his wrist and wriggling his fingers.
"Your head and your heart don't agree," Edward murmured.
"Yeah," Jasper said again. "I love you so much, Edward, and I care deeply about Bella, but my mind's trying to make me choose, but something tells me I don't have to, and I really don't want to. But I'm having a very hard time reconciling what I know about myself and what I've wanted in the past to what's happening now. And I'm scared."
Edward recalled Jasper's question to himself in his note, about not knowing what he wanted. "What are you afraid of?"
Jasper sighed. "I don't want to ruin things with you or Bella. I want to not be confused by all of this, but I'm afraid to lose you both in the process."
"Jasper, listen to me. I'm not going anywhere," Edward assured him. "We'll get this figured out, the three of us. It may not be right away, but I promise, I'm not going anywhere. You may need to sit down with Bella next week though," he explained. "She's feeling incredibly guilty, but I kind of explained why you reacted the way you did. You should talk to her."
The blonde nodded. "I will. I need to apologize anyway. I'm not sure she got my message."
"Okay." Edward yawned. "Can I stay here so we can both get some sleep?"
"Please," Jasper breathed. "I was going to ask if you didn't."
Edward turned his head so he could kiss Jasper again. "Let's get changed and lie down then, and we can talk some more, if you want?"
Jasper nodded. They untangled themselves and Edward bummed a pair of Jasper's sweats to start the night in. He had little doubt they'd end up with less clothes on as the night progressed. Jasper snagged them bottled water before they curled back up in the bed together. Jasper took his regular position on his back with Edward cuddled up against his side.
"How was your trip?" Jasper asked once they were settled and the light was out.
Edward laughed quietly. Leave it to them to deal with the heavy stuff first. "Let's just say that I have a newfound respect for Mr. Jones, the band director at my high school."
Jasper's chuckle rumbled through both of their bodies.
Edward smiled. "Fortunately, they're all good kids and I didn't have too much trouble with them. I had to break up a couple that got a little…friendly…in the aisle of the bus, but mostly they were all well behaved. Which was good, because I had no other adult supervision for them."
"That really doesn't seem like a good idea," Jasper observed. "I remember high school."
Edward laughed again quietly. "Yeah, well, it's hard to get the parents to help since the kids are pretty far from home, and most of the faculty teaches on Fridays so it's hard convincing the dean to let us steal anyone."
Jasper nodded, his nose brushing against the top of Edward's head. "Still seems like a recipe for disaster."
Edward shrugged awkwardly. "If it were the younger classes, yeah, but with the upperclassmen, they pretty much know what they're facing if they get in trouble."
"True," Jasper agreed.
"But the concert went well," Edward continued. "I didn't screw anything up, and the students were great."
"I knew you would do fine," Jasper said after kissing Edward softly.
Edward smiled and rested his head on Jasper's chest. "You know, if we put as much faith in ourselves as we did each other, we'd be able to take over the world."
Jasper laughed softly and slid his hand up Edward's back. "Yeah, you're probably right," he murmured.
They continued to talk quietly as they exchanged kisses and caresses. Edward didn't lose his pants as he thought he might, though Jasper's fingers had slipped under the waistband to run his fingers lightly over the base of his spine as Edward slid into sleep.
Jasper's alarm woke them early the next morning. Edward groaned and burrowed closer to Jasper as Jasper reached up to silence the bleeping. "I don't want to get up," he whined without opening his eyes.
"Sorry baby, it's Monday," Jasper said. "I don't think the Dean is going to let us take a sick day so we can stay curled up in bed together."
Edward faked a cough and a sniffle. "I think I'm coming down with something."
"Poor baby," Jasper said, completely unsympathetically. He kissed Edward softly. "We can blow off the gym, though, and stay in bed a bit longer."
"Mm, I like that plan," Edward muttered. He shifted his body slightly and dozed back off to the quiet rhythm of Jasper's breathing. He heard voices as he slept lightly, feeling the rumble of Jasper's voice against his cheek.
Edward was gently shaken awake some time later. "Baby, it's time to get up."
"Hmph," was Edward's inelegant response, but he opened his eyes.
Jasper had turned onto his side and was looking down at Edward with a soft smile on his face. "It's after seven," he said quietly. "You've got to get moving to make it to breakfast and get to class on time."
"Is that your way of kicking me out?" Edward asked as he turned over and sat up.
"This is my way of saying that unless you want to spend the day in clothes you wore to dinner last night, you should probably go back to yours and shower," Jasper explained.
"If I wear clothes of shame can I shower with you?" Edward asked innocently.
Jasper sighed in defeat and let his head fall onto Edward's shoulder. Edward laughed softly and kissed his temple.
"Can't blame me for trying, can you? I've missed you," Edward said softly.
"I've missed you too, baby," Jasper answered quietly. Edward felt his lips move against his skin. "But we've got to be responsible adults today."
Edward nodded, knowing it was all true. "I'll see you at breakfast?"
"Absolutely," Jasper answered, lifting his head and kissing Edward softly.
Edward smiled, kissed him in return, and slid from the bed. "I'm stealing this back," he said, lifting his hoodie from the back of the chair. He'd find a way to slip it back to Jasper before he left again on Friday. He tugged it on, not worried about returning to his dorm in the sweats – he'd look like he was coming from the gym.
"Okay," Jasper answered.
Edward stepped into his shoes and gathered his clothes as Jasper handed him a small duffle.
"See you in a bit," Edward said, kissing Jasper softly again before leaving.
Back in his room he showered quickly, not bothering with a shave, and dressed in slacks, a button up gray shirt and black sweater. He tugged on gray socks and laced up his doc martens before gathering his materials and heading back out.
The bus ride had been worth one thing – it meant he'd gotten his grading done so when he'd gotten home Sunday he'd been able to focus on what was important – his relationships with Jasper and Bella.
Edward grabbed a tray when he entered the dining hall and settled on a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar to go with his coffee and toast with peanut butter. He made his way through the building to find everyone else. Bella and Alice were, as usual, already seated.
"Good morning," he said as he joined them, sitting next to Bella.
"Hi," she said softly.
"Morning, cousin," Alice greeted him more enthusiastically.
"Did you get settled?" Edward asked Bella as he stirred his breakfast. As much as he and Jasper had needed to talk, he felt bad for not being there to help Bella move.
"More or less," she responded. "It's livable, and I'll have time to get it sorted the rest of the way during the week and over the weekend."
"What are you doing with your extra stuff, Alice?" Edward asked.
"Taking to Carlisle and Esme's. Esme's letting me set up in a corner of the basement for now. I'll have to rearrange my studio space in town and I don't have time just now."
Edward nodded.
"Mornin'," Jasper said, taking the seat on Bella's other side.
"Hi, Jasper," Alice chirped.
"Good morning," Bella responded, sounding subdued.
Edward watched as Jasper slid something from his tray in front of Bella and leaned in close, brushing a piece of hair off her shoulder. He couldn't hear what Jasper said, but Bella seemed to relax and accept his offering, which Edward soon deduced was hot chocolate. Jasper's arm stretched across the back of Bella's chair and his fingers brushed Edward's shoulder.
Edward understood the gesture. Jasper needed to sit next to Bella to help ease her anxiety over what had occurred over the weekend, and he leaned into Jasper's touch in response. Jasper withdrew his hand so he could eat, and Edward turned his attention back to his breakfast as well.
Emmett and Rosalie joined them a few minutes later, and everyone caught up over a fairly normal Monday breakfast.
Edward's day went fairly quickly. He had a lesson first thing, followed by his theory class. From 10:45 until 1:30, Edward had his physical therapy, lunch, and lessons. The music history class met from 1:45 to 2:45, and he had lessons scheduled until the Wind Ensemble met at 4:15. When the two hour rehearsal was over, Edward made his students clear the rehearsal hall by stacking the chairs and racking the stands before they, and he, could leave for the dining hall.
Jasper was waiting for him when Edward reached the dining hall, his bag draped over his shoulder loaded with the scores he needed to review once again. "Hey," Jasper greeted him with a smile. "How was your day?"
"Long," Edward commented, but grinned. "I'll get used to it." The addition of therapy over his prep period had put a crimp in things, but Edward wasn't ready to sacrifice the promise of progress that he'd already seen after the couple months of treatment with Jane.
"Hm," Jasper said with a nod, his hand skimming up Edward's shoulders and rubbing lightly at his neck. "Well, let me at least feed you, then," he offered, steering Edward toward the service area before dropping his hand.
"Sounds good. I'm starving," Edward commented. They got their food and found the others. Edward enjoyed his meal and the others' company and somewhat reluctantly split from Jasper's company so they could get work done. It appeared that neither of them had managed much prep work over the weekend.
The rest of the week passed fairly similarly. Edward was still adjusting to the new schedule, but by Friday it felt comfortable enough that he thought it wouldn't be a shock to his system come Monday morning.
Edward smacked his alarm clock when it rang Friday morning, jolting him from sleep. The week had gone better than the one previous, and though he'd desperately wanted to, Edward hadn't gone to Jasper's to sleep Thursday night. They'd hung out, but Edward had returned to his room to pack for the weekend and sleep.
Though the bus wasn't coming until 8:30, and they wouldn't be leaving until 9, Edward had a reason for getting up early. He grabbed the bag he'd packed the night before and set off for Emmett and Jasper's suite. He tapped lightly on Emmett's door and was given admittance. He waited as Emmett went through the kitchenette to retrieve Jasper, and left the door open behind him as he and Jasper went out Jasper's door on their way to the gym.
Edward waited a minute in Emmett's room before passing through to Jasper's. He set the bag on the bed and rifled through it, pulling out a few things. First was the hoodie Edward had stolen back on Monday morning. He'd washed it, then worn it as much as possible for the next three days. He folded it up and left it on Jasper's pillow.
He hesitated for a moment before he popped open the disc drive on Jasper's laptop and loaded in the demo CD he'd made over Thanksgiving. Edward set it to play on repeat when the media player opened, and he left the note on the keyboard. He was disappointed to find (as he'd thought) that Jasper's computer was an old enough model to not have a built in web-cam, but he figured he'd manage to come up with another way to talk to Jasper while he was gone.
Next to the computer Edward left a new coffee mug, printed with big bold text 'World's Best Lover' and a small packet of ground coffee.
With a smile, Edward packed up the last few things in the bag and locked the door behind him as he snuck back out. The rest was going over to the office so Bella could help him out. It felt somewhat awkward, asking her to help him be romantic for Jasper, but she'd honestly seemed eager to help. Edward had one more weekend (after his trip to Salem) on the road before he had a free one, and he hoped they could find some way to stay connected until then.
Bella had left her office unlocked the previous evening after her office hours at Edward's request. He dropped the bag under her desk where Jasper wouldn't see it, and placed a box of her favorite tea on her desk as a small thank you before he left. On his way back to his room, he stopped at the dining hall for a quick breakfast that he carried out with him.
Back at his room he pulled his suit bag from the closet; he'd only need it if his group won the high school division portion of the competition at the festival and performed at the evening concert, but they'd been in second and third places the two years previous, so he had confidence it was possible. Edward changed into a long sleeve t-shirt and pulled one of his Forks Academy polo shirts over the top, and tugged on his comfortable jeans. Spending at least seven hours on a bus, he wanted to be as comfortable as possible in his clothes since he knew he'd rapidly grow uncomfortable in his body.
His phone rang on the table next to him and he smiled as he picked it up and read Jasper's name on the caller ID display. "'Lo?"
"World's Best Lover?" Jasper asked.
Edward laughed lowly as he tilted his head to secure the phone on his shoulder. "Yup."
"I'll have to try to not let that go to my head," Jasper said dryly. "Thank you, though," he said, his voice a bit softer. "I appreciate it."
Edward smiled. "You're welcome, lover."
"I'll let you go. I need to get to breakfast, and I'm running a bit behind" Jasper said quietly. "Love you. Be safe."
"I love you too," Edward responded. "I'll see you on Sunday."
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye, Jas," Edward said, and heard the connection end. He tucked the phone into his pocket and finished packing up his laptop. By the time he had finished double checking everything it was time for him to go meet the bus and begin the process of chasing down a few wayward students (there were always two or three who couldn't arrive anywhere on time).
After having to send Susan, one of the trumpet players, to retrieve the rhythm section from the dining hall, the bus was finally loaded with all their gear and personnel and they hit the road at 9:15.
The seven hour drive to Salem seemed to be just as long as the one to Pullman had been the week before. At least Edward had a smaller group to look after on the trip to Oregon – only twenty students. They still had a whole charter bus, so the students were happy they had seats to themselves, and Edward was relieved that the onboard monitors kept them occupied with movies. He only had to settle an argument when they were choosing the first movie.
Edward worked on correcting papers from the music history class, his iPod drowning out the movies the students were watching. They stopped for lunch in Centralia and Edward took the opportunity to walk around and practice a few of the discrete stretches Jane had shown him that week. He also took advantage of the few moments of privacy to call and leave a voice mail for Jasper, knowing he was in class and his phone would be silent or in his office. He grabbed a cup of coffee before herding the students back onto the bus for a head count.
The rest of the drive carried on without problems. A lot of the students pulled out headphones and slipped into their own little worlds, though Edward looked up from his own work every so often and saw conversations going on between some pairs or trios.
The driver pulled over for another quick stop at a rest area just north of Portland and everyone took the time to use the restrooms and stretch. Edward tried to limit the break to fifteen minutes so they could get back on the road and to the hotel at a halfway decent time. They were staying at a hotel with a Denny's in the same parking lot, so they'd be able to grab dinner after they got checked in and unloaded the bus. Edward was supposed to enforce a two-hour study session, but he'd observed enough studying happening on the bus that he wasn't going to make that happen.
Edward was the only one that got off the bus when they first pulled into the lot. Thanks to Angela's planning, he was able to get everyone checked in easily, and the hotel staff had already prepared the keys in sets for each group.
"Alright!" he called when he reboarded the bus. The kids settled down after a moment and gave him their attention.
"It is," he glanced at his watch. "5:18. You have until 6:30 to get your gear off the bus, find your rooms, clean up, whatever. I want to see you all in Denny's at 6:30. We will eat as a group tonight, and for dinner tomorrow before the evening concert. You're on your own for breakfast; the hotel has a complimentary continental breakfast. There's more information about that in your rooms. Questions?"
When no one spoke up, he pulled the room assignment list from his bag. "Susan, Jo, Liz, and Jenn," he called. The group of girls was generally more responsible and he could trust them to stay out of trouble while he sorted out the boys. He knew there were going to be issues with the boys' rooming assignments. There always were.
He handed Susan the four room keys and let them step by to get their bags and horns from the compartments under the bus. The bus driver had opened everything while Edward spoke.
Edward ordered the boys off the bus, and then put them into their groups. Daniel bitched about having room with Quil, and Liam looked scared to death at the prospect of having to share a room with Felix and Demetri. Edward sorted them out best he could, made note of the changes on his roster, and sent them all off to get settled.
He tiredly grabbed his own bags from his front seat of the bus and double checked with the driver that they'd be ready to go at 9 am the next morning. With his bag on his shoulder, Edward grabbed his rolling suitcase and suit bag from under the bus and made his way into the hotel. The elevator was thankfully functioning and easy to find. His room was at the end of the hall, and the students were in the surrounding rooms. As he passed them they were quiet, and he hoped that they'd be as well behaved as the Wind Ensemble had been the weekend before.
It was a quarter to six when Edward dumped his bag on the bed after hanging the suit in the closet-like alcove and parked his suitcase. The hotel had a pool, but he'd be unable to indulge until after dinner. Instead, he flopped down on the bed and stretched out. He had already decided that if he was still Director of Bands the following academic year, he'd be asking for an assistant to travel with him on trips. He needed someone who could focus on the administrative details of the tours so Edward could focus more on the music.
Of course, someone who could help keep the students in line would be a plus, too.
With a sigh, Edward pulled himself up leaving his legs stretched out in front of him as he faced the television. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent Jasper a text, knowing he'd be at dinner with the others. After a moment his phone beeped with the arrival of a new message and saw Jasper's relaying of everyone's well wishes. Edward would call him when he got back from dinner with the kids.
With that, he tossed the phone down on the bed and shuffled to the bathroom to wash his face. He grabbed the department credit card from the paperwork in his bag and shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans so he could pay for everyone's meals. Edward tucked his phone back into his pocket, shrugged into his jacket, and headed back out to meet the band at the Denny's in the parking lot.
Edward spoke to the hostess and let her know what he needed. With twenty one of them, he wasn't expecting them to be served as a party, but if they could sit in the same section and have all their tabs put together, it would make things easier. The hostess assured him it wouldn't be a problem and excused herself to make sure there were enough seats available in one section for all of them.
As his students trickled in, Edward kept a tally, and by 6:28 they had all arrived. Most had changed out of their travelling clothes (which had mostly consisted of pajamas and hoodies), and a couple of the girls had damp hair pulled up out of their faces. They were seated a few minutes later, and the group mixed up, leaving Edward a seat to himself in a booth where he could keep an eye on everyone.
Dinner was thankfully drama free, and Edward used the chance to go over last minute things with the students as they were finishing their meals.
"I need your attention, guys," he called somewhat loudly as he rose from his seat. The kids turned toward him, more or less, while still picking at their plates.
"I know we've been over this already, but bear with me, alright? Same rules apply here as apply on campus. Quiet time starts at 10 pm and lasts until 7 am. I will be keeping tabs on you this evening, so don't think you can sneak out. You may use the hotel pool and lobby, but you may not, under any circumstances, leave the hotel once we return tonight. Any questions?"
The students shook their heads no.
"I'm in the room at the end of the hall if you need anything, and you all have my mobile number. Like I said, you're on your own for breakfast. The hotel has a complimentary breakfast, or you may come over here, but you will be responsible for paying your own tab if you eat over here," he explained. "The bus will be ready for us at 8:30 in the morning; we will be leaving at 9 am. I want you all in uniform, with your music and instrument by 8:45. It's going to be a long day, and we won't be back here until after the evening concert tomorrow night, so make sure you have everything you need. We'll be walking to dinner at a restaurant not far from the college campus to have dinner as a group again. Questions?"
Alec raised his hand. "Lunch tomorrow?"
Edward smiled. "I have passes for you to be able to eat in the dining hall on campus." He was surrounded by groans and he couldn't help but laugh. "There will be an hour break for lunch, and if you wish to go off campus, I'll allow it, but you have to go with a buddy, and you iwill/i be back within the hour. There are a few places near campus where you'll be able to eat; Subway, McDonald's, a couple other places," he recalled from memory. "Others?"
When no one else spoke up, Edward finished. "Alright. Y'all get enough to eat?" He grimaced as they laughed; apparently he'd started picking up on a couple of Jasper's speech patterns. "Shut it," he grumbled good naturedly. "Have a good evening. Back in the hotel by 8:30 please," he said, glancing at his watch. It was 7:45, and that would give them time to hang out a bit if they wanted. "Try to get some sleep, relax. You're not old enough to order porn," he reminded them, "And remember that the hotel receipt will tell me what room it was and I'll have to phone your parents," he said as a warning. "Also, you'll notice I haven't dictated the mandatory homework time," he pointed out. "But that doesn't mean you can slack off completely. That's all," he finished. "You know where to find me if you need anything."
They all nodded and murmured their assents. Edward returned to his seat and the conversations around him picked back up. Their server came back around and did one last sweep for orders. A few students ordered coffee and dessert, and Edward asked for a piece of pie to go. Once they were taken care of, Edward settled the bill at the front counter, and took his pie back to the hotel, trusting his students to not be a menace in his absence.
Back in his room, Edward sent Jasper another quick text and changed to go for a quick swim to unwind, after he stuck his pie into the mini fridge. He swam just long enough for his body to loosen up. He wrapped a towel around his waist after he tried to dry himself off enough that he wasn't dripping as he made his way back to his room. He took a quick shower and changed into flannel pants and a thermal top and made the rounds to check on his students before leaving his door cracked open and calling Jasper as he'd promised.
"Yea-ah," Jasper answered, his drawl extremely pronounced.
Edward laughed softly. "Hey, baby."
"Hi, Edward," Jasper answered. "How's your trip?" he asked.
"Good so far. What're you up to?" Edward asked with a grin.
"Em's trying to get me drunk," Jasper reported.
"Oh, really?"
"Mmhm," Jasper said sagely.
"Where are you?" Edward asked, concerned. He didn't think his brother would let Jasper get drunk alone, but Emmett had more sense than to drink and drive, especially since Edward's accident.
"Mom and dad's," Jasper drawled. "Mom's taking good care of us. Keepin' us in snacks 'n stuff."
Edward smiled and shook his head. He wondered how much of the conversation Jasper would remember in the morning. "Well, so long as you're having a good time."
"We are," Jasper assured him. "I miss you, though."
"I miss you too, baby," Edward said. "Have fun with my brother, and don't let him talk you into anything, alright?"
"Will do," Jasper promised. "I love you. Good luck tomorrow. No, wait, that's wrong. Break a leg tomorrow."
Edward laughed softly again. "Thanks, Jas. I'll see you on Sunday."
"Love you."
"Love you too. Have a good night."
"You too. Bye, babe."
Edward disconnected the call with a smile. He wondered what his brother was up to in taking Jasper home to get him wasted, but he supposed Emmett had his motivations. At least they were someplace safe and he knew his parents would keep them from getting up to some of Emmett's usual tricks.
After 10, Edward did another quick check on his students then closed his door and settled in for the night. He found a movie to watch and tried to relax as he mentally prepared himself for the next day. It wasn't the first time he'd brought the group to Salem and he knew what to expect, but that didn't mean it couldn't still be a bit of a trying experience. There was some debate over whether or not music was a competitive sport, but so far, the festival had stuck to their guns with the judging scheme, and each band would be scored, and the winning band from each division (middle school and high school) would get to play the first half of the evening concert and share the stage with the guest artist before the university's band took the stage.
Edward shut the TV off when the movie was over and retrieved his bear from where he'd discreetly placed it at the bottom of his suitcase. He sent Jasper one last text for the night before shutting off all the lights and falling easily to sleep.
The festival day was long, just as Edward had warned his students. They had their fifteen minute set at 11:15, and once everyone had returned from lunch, Edward had let the students loose with orders to report back to the main hall at 5 for the awards ceremony. He found a quiet spot to sit for a few minutes and go over the performance in his head .
He spent the rest of the afternoon listening to a few of the other groups and letting his mind wander over the next couple of weekends. Edward would be in Yakima with both bands the next weekend, and then he'd be home for the following weekend. Though he'd have work to do, he hoped he'd get a chance to sit down and talk with Jasper and Bella so they could figure everything out. He didn't want to see anyone get hurt, and even though he and Jasper had gotten better about trusting each other and being open in their communication, there was something Bella was holding back, and he was worried that it was too soon after her relationship with James for her to be getting into anything new, if that's the way things ended up going. Edward couldn't say that a long term threesome relationship was something he'd ever considered before, but with him, Jasper, and Bella, it only seemed to fit. Bella was such an integral part of his and Jasper's lives already that it only seemed right. The emotional component of their relationship already seemed firmly in place; the physical was only another step they'd need to discuss, if that's where things went.
For his part, Edward had no qualms. He'd had one other sexual encounter with two partners at once, and it had been a very fun and interesting night. The idea of Jasper and Bella together intrigued (and excited) him; throwing himself into the mix was something he'd really only considered in daydreams. But he wouldn't push the idea on either of them. Jasper was dealing with enough on his own without Edward trying to influence him, and Bella...she would probably need a nudge to know it was alright because she'd be worried about how it would affect him and Jasper.
He found his thoughts wandering further out than they should have, and he shifted his focus back to the bands on stage and the rest of the festival.
At the awards ceremony, the Forks Academy Jazz Ensemble was awarded second place in the high school division. Edward could tell his students were disappointed, but he hoped that when they got the full report on Tuesday (that Edward read while the first place winner was announced) and learned that they'd only lost by one point they might be a bit consoled.
Dinner was fun as they ate together as a group at a little Italian restaurant not too far from campus. The students' spirits were buoyed by the good food and Edward's reassurances that they had performed very well and had nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, he pointed out, it meant that they got to sit back and relax for the evening concert instead of stressing out about having to go on stage again with a jazz legend in front of a packed house.
The evening concert went very well, and Edward enjoyed the show. The guest artist, a trumpet player, was very entertaining and worked well with the younger bands.
Edward's band was fairly subdued when they boarded the bus to return to the hotel for the night. As they drove through the city streets, Edward knelt on his seat to give his instructions for the night. It was basically a rehash of the evening before. Breakfast on their own, be at the bus by 9 for the ride home, quiet hours, etc. There hadn't been any problems Friday night and Edward didn't anticipate any that night, either.
Once he saw the students back to their rooms, he took a quick shower and changed, then settled on his bed with his laptop to check his messages and catch up on a little work.
He smiled when he logged into his email and found a message from Jasper.
Edward, remind me to never, EVER, let your bother take me drinking again. I don't think I've ever had a hangover this bad. Probably because I didn't have anyone to take me out for my 21st
Edward winced in remembrance of his own 21st birthday, as hosted by his big brother. He felt a pang of sympathy for Jasper.
Anyway – at least we had somewhere to stay. Your mom made Em surrender his keys when we walked through the door, so she must've known what he planned. She made cookies, and a huge batch of that cereal snack mix thing.
Though they had been responsible before, his family took driving under the influence very seriously since Edward's accident, so that news didn't surprise him at all. Neither did the fact that Emmett probably advised his parents about what he was up to.
I spent the day at the house since we'd be back for diner anyway. The bed was too big without you, but it was nice to stretch out. Your mom fussed over me at breakfast and scolded Em like a child, but he took it well. It was funny to watch, even with the blinding headache.
Edward wondered if Jasper remembered calling Esme and Carlisle "mom and dad" the night before.
Bella came over early and we had a chance to talk and cleared some things up. I think we all need to sit down together, Edward. I think this is more than the three of us think, and I can't bear to lose either one of you if someone gets hurt. There's more than Bella's telling me – I just can't figure out what.
Edward was relieved to know that he wasn't the only one to feel that way.
Em's jealous that Esme asked what I wanted for dinner tonight, but I have a feeling that's not going to stop him from eating. ;) I'll try to save you some leftovers, but I wouldn't count on there being any. It's gotten really cold here the last couple days, and there's some talk of snow. Hopefully it'll hold off until you're back, if it happens. Anyway, I'd better go for now. Stay safe, and I hope you're having a good time and your performances went well. I love you, and I miss you. See you tomorrow.
Edward adjusted his computer on his lap and started typing.
You drank with Emmett and survived to talk about it the next day? I'm impressed, lover. I think I slept the whole next day the last time I let him do that with me. Glad mom looked after you, though. I kind of hope there's some video of you two together. Especially if you don't remember our phone conversation from last night. I'm glad you and Bella got to talk and sorted things out. As soon as we have a chance, the three of us will talk, Jas, I promise. Our performance went well; we didn't win, but the students had fun. I'm being safe and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you, too.
He sent his reply, and took the ice bucket and his wallet from the room and made his way down the hall to the ice and soda machine. Root beer and ice in hand, Edward returned to his room. He looked up from his lock when he heard a door open down the hall, and watched as Susan slipped through the door, her backpack slung over her shoulder. He cleared his throat roughly, and she jumped.
"Going somewhere?" he asked.
"Just down to the desk, Mr. Cullen," she answered. "The desk clerk is helping me with something."
Edward raised an eyebrow, curious.
She blushed lightly and stammered. "Girl trouble, Mr. Cullen."
Edward nodded. Therein lay the problem with having only one adult along on the trip with no access to vehicles, though he did have a fully stocked first aid back pack amongst his things. "Alright. Don't leave the hotel."
She nodded and took off down the hall. Edward shook his head and stepped back into his room, once again leaving his door cracked open with the privacy long hinge in case any of the students needed anything from him.
He settled back on the bed with his soda and found a new reply from Jasper.
I'm surprised you even remember your last drinking binge with Emmett. I remember bits and pieces about last night. I remember talking to you on the phone, but not the conversation. What did I say? Mostly I remember video games. Bells and I are alright. We're going to hang out next weekend while you're gone. Oh, and Emmett ate all the soup Esme made, so there won't be leftovers, though she did hide a piece of cake for you. I'll keep it safe in my room. ;)
Edward laughed as he replied.
You referred to mom and dad as, well, mom and dad. You know they'd love to hear it; mom especially already considers you one of her sons. If you were drinking with Emmett and there were cookies and snack mix, then I'm sure there were plenty of video games, and probably really stupid movies. What are your plans with Bella next week? Anything I should be worried about ;) Whoo, cake! Yum. Gives me an excuse to come straight to see you when I get home tomorrow.
They continued to email throughout the night, though Edward supposed either of them could have suggested an instant messenger service. Edward made some progress on his lesson plans for the week and after 10:30, closed his door and flipped through the channels until he found something to watch. He dozed off around midnight after setting his alarm for 7 the next morning.
Since he'd showered the night before, Edward dressed in another pair of comfortable jeans, t-shirt, and hoodie for the return trip to Forks. He grabbed a quick breakfast in the hotel lobby and returned to his room to finish packing and double checking that he had everything. At 8:15 he went by and knocked on the five rooms that his students occupied and made sure everyone was up and moving.
Edward dragged his stuff down to the bus and loaded it while he waited for everyone else. He waited patiently, chatting with the bus driver as the students trickled out. He gathered their room keys and told them to get situated on the bus.
He took the elevator back up, swept through the rooms quickly to make sure nothing had been left behind, and then checked out of the hotel. The students were quiet when he boarded the bus and gave the driver permission to leave. Edward figured he had a couple hours while the students dozed before he'd have to break up another argument about a movie.
True enough, as they climbed back on the bus after the first rest stop, Edward moderated a debate over film choice and everyone settled back down. The rest of the drive back to campus was quiet, though the students perked up a bit more after they stopped for lunch. While the students were engrossed in their movie, Edward reviewed his calendar. It was only then that he realized the following weekend was Valentine's Day (it wasn't like he'd been to a store or anything in the last couple weeks), and that he was going to be out of town. He started making notes about what he could do when he got back early Sunday afternoon, and a plan started coming together. He'd need to enlist the help of Bella (and probably his parents), but he smiled as he thought about the reaction he'd get. As he sketched the plans, a larger idea formed, and though he wasn't sure about how it would turn out, he thought he'd give it a try. Things seemed to be possibly going in that direction, and though none of them had talked, it couldn't hurt to give it push, he thought.
When they arrived on campus, Edward oversaw the unloading of the bus and took care of the necessary paperwork before grabbing his bags and heading for his room. He had enough time to grab a shower before he went to find Jasper before dinner.
I should be back to a regular posting schedule for awhile now. yay!