A/N: Hi! So, because I had to replace the note placed as a chapter in the previous version of this story, I don't think you guys got any new story alert. Hopefully, you'll get the chapter alerts from today.

One more thing before we start … wish you a happy Valentine's day. Enjoy!

Chapter-2

Nine Years Ago, Thanksgiving

Still catching my breath from the mad dash to Emmett's parents' house, I look down to make sure my shirt is buttoned correctly and then lift my hand to ring the doorbell. As I am craning my neck to check whether Jasper has managed to park the car or not, I hear a soft creak which signals the opening of the door.

"Hey dude, what's up?" I greet as I'm turning back to face the door. I do a double-take when instead of my beefy best friend, a pretty girl with brown eyes and chestnut hair stares back at me. I blink rapidly; having already met Emmett's high school sweetheart, Rose, I try to figure out who this girl might be. "You're not ..."

She starts nodding even before I can finish my sentence. "Yeah," she points to herself and says emphatically, "As you can see, I'm not a dude."

"I uh ... I can see that," I respond dumbly, locking my eyes momentarily on her chest, despite my best intentions.

She narrows her eyes at me and asks icily, "How can I help you, Mr. Myopic Misfit?"

I feel the tips of my ears heat up at having been caught in the act of ogling her and look away hurriedly. With my eyes resolutely fixed on the doorframe, I say, "Emmett's my friend. He invited me."

"Eddie!" Em's boisterous voice calls out from behind her, and then before either of us can comprehend what's happening, he practically lifts her out of the doorway and opens the door wide for me. "What took you so long, dude?" he asks, greeting me with our customary knuckle bump and ignoring the muttered cursed coming from the girl.

I adjust my glasses on the bridge of my nose and grin at him. "Jas overslept."

"Where's is that hippie anyway?" Emmett asks, looking around me to try and find my roommate.

"Parking the car," I answer, my eyes going back to the scowling girl behind Em.

He must catch me looking because he grabs the girl by her shoulders and brings her forward. He motions toward me and says, "Ed, remember that klutzy twin I always talk about? This is Bells." He pauses to look at her. "Bells, this is my one of my best friends from college, Edward."

I hold my hand out to shake hers. "It's nice to meet you, Bells," I say.

She eyes my hand suspiciously for a moment before placing her hand in mine very briefly. "It's Bella, Eddie." With that, she drops my hand and walks away from us.

Jasper joins us just as Bella reemerges with an elfin girl in tow. One look at Bella's friend and Jasper is talking about how her energy attracts his and making googly eyes at her from across the room.

By the time we've been introduced to Mr. and Mr. Swan and sitting down to dinner, everyone has nicely paired off, leaving Bella and I to be the fifth and sixth wheels.

Once we've been properly stuffed with turkey, Mr. Swan invites us to watch the football game with him. I'm a little surprised when instead of joining Rosalie and Alice, Bella's pixie-look-alike friend, Bella takes a seat on the couch to watch the game. Throughout the game, we watch Alice and Jasper sneak glances, and by the time we're thanking Mrs. Swan for her exquisite feast, those two have their fingers entwined.

It comes as a little surprise when the following week when Alice and Jasper declare that they are in fact dating. What comes as a surprise though, is that Bella decides to switch schools that fall and comes to join us in college.

Soon Bella and I grow to tolerate each other due to our mutual friends always showing up together. After her first semester in UDub, she even refers to me as her friend. While I don't strictly have any romantic feelings toward her, I find myself smiling at her nonetheless. After all, who doesn't want to be friends with a pretty girl?

A/N: So...thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review, please.

Also, I was wondering about the posting schedule. Does Monday and Thursday work for you guys or do you want me to post on Friday and Sunday instead? That way, you can enjoy the updates throughout the weekend. Let me know.

Round 1 voting for the TwiFic Fandom Awards closes on 17th. So do take a look at the nominations and vote. There are so many deserving authors and fangirls there who need our support.

Thanks for reading.

See you on Monday.

Love,

Ann