Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I just make it gay.

Chapter 3: on a wednesday in cafe... i watched it begin again

"Excuse me, miss?" I turned around from the bookshelf I was trying to retrieve a book from a shelf that was higher than me.

Why didn't I take one of the stools that were around?

I turned around to find the piercing green eyes of Edythe Cullen.

"Bella Swan?" She asked, her voice smoother than silk.

She recognized me.

I nodded, "Edythe, right?"

She met my question with a blinding smile.

"Yeah, I was just coming over to see if you needed help grabbing that book, I wasn't expecting to run into you until tonight."

My eyes widened. Oh right, the book.

"I was trying to grab the Francis J Gavin book, for this American history class, I'm TAing this semester. We're moving onto the Cold War soon."

Edythe slid next to me and easily grabbed the book from the shelf with ease and handed it to me.

"Are you like six feet tall?" I blurted.

She was way taller than I anticipated, she easily dwarfed my five-foot-three self.

Looking at her properly, I took her in. She was wearing a pullover with a white shirt underneath where only the collar and sleeves were showing.

Paired with plaid trousers and black doc martins, and her hair was in a low french braid with some strands sticking out.

The woman looked more like a model than a Ph.D. student, her face was slim, her nose long and narrow, and gorgeous big green eyes.

Her auburn, almost bronze hair, looked like it glowed under the florescent.

Edythe's laugh brought me out of my analysis, "I'm flattered you think so but, no, I'm actually just five-ten. Maybe a little taller with the docs. How do you like the class?"

My eyes widened, just five-ten. She was a good 7 inches taller than little old me.

That was kinda hot.

Kind of? Are you kidding Bella? You're a slut for a good height difference.

"Well, I'm glad I could flatter you, but you seriously have the height of a model." Too much?

She threw her head back and laughed, a slight blush hitting her cheeks, "Thank you, Bella."

Then I remembered she asked a question, "Oh sorry, the class. The class is awesome, I'm more of a British historian so being able to go back into the US has been fascinating."

I ran a nervous hand through my hair, thanking the lord that I didn't have it in my typical messy bun at the moment.

Additionally, I was happy I made an effort with makeup today. I had a meeting with my advisor earlier and thought I should look presentable for it.

Looking good pays off.

"So what brings you here to the American history stacks?" I asked changing the topic from myself.

Edythe leaned against the shelf behind me, she was peering down at me, only several inches away.

My breath caught in my throat.

She looked absolutely unreal, she should be on the cover of Vogue not talking to me in the library.

"Oh, I'm looking for books myself. I'm doing a paper on US foreign policy before World War I."

Edythe was studying history? Or at least politics.

Another point for Alice.

But I wondered why I never knew this about Edythe.

You didn't ask dumbass.

Escaping from my inner dialogue (yes dialogue cause I was apparently insane in the presence of a gorgeous woman), "So are you studying history or politics? Alice neglected to mention what you were getting your Ph.D. in."

Edythe smirked, "Yeah my sister can sometimes leave out the important things. Like how beautiful you are in person. I'm actually getting my Ph.D. in politics and law so I'll technically have a law degree at the end of it."

Holy smokes.

She just slid in that compliment like it was nothing.

I felt my cheeks burn and ducked my head down giggling slightly.

However, I did compose myself.

"Wow, that's impressive, why the dual-track?" I wanted to hear more and hear her speak more.

And maybe hear more flirting...

She looked down, a little nervous? "I actually added the law just in case I couldn't make it as a political scientist. I wanted to assure my parents I would be ok to provide for myself."

I nodded, "I get that, my folks freaked when they heard I wanted to get my Ph.D. in history of all things, cause academia can be such a hard thing to break into."

Her eyes lit up in agreement, "Exactly! I didn't wanna walk away without some sort of safety net. But I also really wanted to keep being a student."

This had me giggling, "I know what you mean, I've wanted a Ph.D. since I was a freshman in college. I want to stay in academia forever if I can."

All of a sudden a girl with thick glasses came up to us and glared, "If you're gonna talk and giggle, do it outside. This is a library for god's sake."

My eyes widened, "Oh shit, we're sorry."

Edythe delicately snorted and muttered a sorry.

Clearing her throat, Edythe spoke softly, "Bella, would you wanna grab coffee? Instead of talking in the stack and annoying these poor concentrating students?"

The girl stomped off and I chuckled softly, "I'd love to but can we go somewhere with tea? I really hate coffee."

"I'm more of tea gal myself. That's fine by me, lead the way to your favorite spot, you know this area more than I do."

Edythe offered me her arm and I took it leading us out of the American history section.

We decided on Starbucks of all places.

It was unseasonably warm for October so I wanted something cold.

When we sat down Edythe turned her attention to me, "So Bella, before that girl so rudely interrupted us, I wanted to ask what's your field of research?"

I smiled, "My field is eighteenth-century England. I fell in love with the time period reading Jane Austen as a kid and I always wanted to know more about that society."

Edythe leaned forward clearly interested, "Wow, Jane Austen as a child? Sounds like you were brilliant from a young age. It took me until undergrad to deep dive into Austen. Do you have a favorite book of hers?"

"I do! Emma is actually my favorite because of Knightly's line 'If I loved-"

"you any less, I might be able to talk about it more?" Edythe softly finished.

My eyes widened. She knew it by heart as I did, "Is Emma a favorite of yours as well?"

Edythe grinned shyly and looked down, "It's in my top three along with Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility, I just think that is one of the best-written declarations of love I've ever read."

She was a romantic.

"I gotta say I've never heard anyone say that out loud before unless it was in a lit class, and I wholeheartedly agree with you."

Our eyes held one another for a moment before Edythe broke it by looking down, with a slight flush to her face.

When she looked up she began speaking again, "So do you have a dissertation topic or focus yet?"

Shaking my head I replied, "No actually, I just defended my master's thesis last year and that was on gender roles in eighteenth-century England but I kind of want to go in another direction for my dissertation. What about you? Do you have a specific focus for your research?"

Green eyes lit up in excitement, "Yes actually, I'm studying foreign policy, the hope is to be able to focus on British foreign policy or the special relationship between the UK and US."

Her excitement was contagious.

"Did your time in the UK have a big impact on your research interests?"

Edythe sipped her tea before responding, it was classic black tea with a little milk and sugar.

"Actually, I've always been slightly obsessed with the UK, ever since I was a child and I saw What A Girl Wants with Amanda Bynes, I wanted her life, well the studying at a UK institution-"

My vibrating phone cut her off, the screen lit up with Alice's picture.

"Hey, do you mind if I take this? It's your sister calling." Edythe nodded for me to take the call.

"What's up Al?"

I heard a groan on the other end, "Alice are you ok?"

Edythe's green eyes widened in panic.

She looked like she was gonna say something so I put my hands on my lips to signal a 'not yet.'

"Not so good Bell, Jasper brought home food last night from work - someone had brought in donuts and you know how I love donuts. However, they were somehow messed up because everyone in Jazz's office has called in sick with food poisoning - well everyone who ate one. It was like a skeleton crew today in the office apparently." Alice sputtered out.

"Oh Alice, I'm so sorry, food poisoning is the worst. Is there anything I can do? Bring you meds or food?"

Edythe's sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

Her siblings were right, she's a natural worrier.

"No Bell, we're good. You know I always keep this place stocked. But I was calling cause I have to cancel on you and Edythe tonight cause I feel like shit."

I laughed, "Oh Alice, you don't have to apologize, besides, I already met Edythe at the library and we're kinda sitting in Starbucks now."

"Wait what? How did this happen? Do you like her? Was I right?" She rattled off a thousand questions.

Immediately my cheeks started turning red, I should have known Alice would have a million questions.

Edythe smirked at my blush. Alice's loud voice probably carried over to Edythe.

"Alice! Calm down. It's going great, she's great. Why don't I call you later?" My cheeks burned more.

The green eyes in front of me lit up and her smirk turned into a smile. She tried to cover it by taking a sip of her tea.

Alice squealed, "Oh my god, I knew you guys would hit it off! Am I good or what?"

I cringed at her volume, "Alright Al, feel better, we'll call you later. Feel better!"

Before I hung up I could hear, "Bella I have more -"

I put down my phone with a sigh, "So your sister has food poisoning thanks to Krispy Kreme."

Edythe laughed, "Those donuts will always get Alice in trouble."

This made me laugh, "However, the bad news is she's canceling on us for drinks. Obviously, she's in no state to go out."

I suddenly bound my hands very interestingly. Today was going really well, but would Edythe want to go out tonight too?

"Bella?" Edythe brought me out of my musings.

Looking up I nodded at her to speak, "I was wondering would you still want to hang out tonight? Just the two of us? Maybe go somewhere more quiet than a crowded bar?"

A giant smile broke out on my face, "I would be delighted to Edythe."

Author's Note: So you guys have met Edythe! What do you think? Where do you think they'll go on their date? Hope you enjoyed this chapter.