Enjoy.
Characters are owned and created by Stephenie Meyer.
The name rung bells in my mind, but for the life of me I couldn't place it. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to think about it before she was starting the lesson. With each glare she sent my way it was like realizing my nightmare was actually coming true. How was it the last semester of college I get the one professor that apparently hates me before we even actually meet and to top it off it was one of the classes I had been looking forward to. Opening my notebook I jotted down notes and tried to ignore her scowls that she sent my way.
I glanced up at the clock to see how much longer I had to sit here and wishing that time would speed up. Finally she stated that she would see us on Thursday and that she would be expecting our rough draft of our first paper. I packed my things into my bag and was making a break for the door.
"Ms. Swan, can I speak with you for a moment?"
I stopped and glanced at the door wondering if I could play it off like I didn't hear her and make it out the door before she called my name again. The thought quickly left my brain when I realized she already hated me for some unknown reason and I didn't want to make it worse by ignoring her. Slowly I turned back toward her desk and started to walk against the escaping students back to Professor Denali.
I wasn't sure what she wanted so when I reached her desk I stood there waiting for her to acknowledge me and maybe give me an idea why I was staying after class.
"What is going on with you and Professor Cullen?" she asked practically spitting venom at me.
I was taken back with her question and stood there silently wondering how she even knew about Edward and I and why she thought it was any of her business.
"Not to be rude Professor Denali, but I don't see how that is any of your concern" I stated surprising myself as well as Professor Denali by the look on her face.
"You see that is where you are wrong Ms. Swan, it is very much my business as well as my sister's" she said clenching her teeth as she rested her hands on her hips.
"Well I don't see how what I do when I am outside of this classroom would be any business of yours or your sisters" I said turning and walking to the door. Already my brain was thinking about how I could withdraw from this class and what I could replace it with and still graduate in June.
"You may want to rethink whatever it is that is going on with you and Edward if you want to graduate with your friends come June" she sneered at my back as I walked out of her classroom.
I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and realized that Edward would probably be heading to get Kayson from class by now. Thoughts were running through my head so fast that I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to do. I hit the four key on my phone and waited for it to speed dial Alice.
"Hey B, I am three feet deep in fabric can I call you back?" she asked.
"Actually I was wondering if I could use you car, I promise I won't be long" I said trying to control my tone and not let on that I was upset.
"Sure hun, are you ok?" she asking picking up on my tone. That is what happens when you are friends with someone more that half of your life.
"Yeah I will tell you about it when I get back. Thanks again Alice" I said before hanging up and making my way to her car.
I wasn't sure what I was doing and I asked myself that question about a million times as I drove toward Edward's house. As I sat in his driveway staring up at the house I asked myself that question one more time before I opened the door and climbed out heading toward the front door.
I knocked once and waited, my stomach was flip flopping asking me what I was doing here. I was about to back away after calculating in my head the possibility of getting back to Alice's car before someone opened the door. Before I could take the first toward the car I heard little footsteps coming down the hall. I heard someone's hand on the door handle ready to open it followed my Edward's voice telling whomever it was not to.
"But daddy it's Bella, so it's ok if I open the door" she said before pulling the door open.
"No it doesn't" Edward was saying as the door swung open revealing a little girl with two lopsided pigtails.
"Opps" Kayson said before bouncing up and down. "Are you here to move in?" she asked glancing around me looking at the car. "Where is all your stuff, I helped uncle Jasper move his stuff I can help you too" she said bouncing even more.
"Bella, is everything ok?" Edward asked coming up behind Kayson.
"Yes, well actually no. I need to talk to you" I said pulling my jacket closer around me.
"Come in out of the cold and we can talk. Kayson why don't you go upstairs and get the craft you made for Bella today while we have grown up talk" he said picking her up and directing her body toward the stairs before sitting her back down.
"Ok daddy" she said running up the stairs.
"We can talk in the living room" he said resting his hand on my lower back directing me to the living room. I think I stopped breathing until he removed his hand and I sat down on the couch inhaling a lung full of air.
"Did you want something to drink?" he asked.
"Water, please" I said hoping I would be able to regain my bearings while he was gone.
Handing me the water he took a seat on the couch next to me. "What is going on? You are not having second thoughts are you?"
"No not at all. I should have just called you. I am probably just overreacting" I said feeling stupid that I barged into his house and had him thinking I didn't want to take the job anymore.
"Ok tell me what is going on?" he said staring at me waiting for my answer.
"So I told you about having a journalism class this afternoon" I said as he nodded his head. "Well I get to class and before I even pull my notebook at I notice the professor staring at me like I just killed her dog"
"You killed a dog?" a little voice asked.
Edward and I both looked up realizing be were no longer alone. "Oh sweetie she didn't kill a dog, it is just a figure of speech" Edward said to the little girl that had tears in her eyes.
"What does that mean?" she asked climbing onto Edward's lap and glanced between us holding onto a sheet of green construction paper.
"It is just how adults talk sometimes, but just know that Bella didn't kill anyone's dog" Edward said trying to comfort his daughter.
"That's right I love dogs, I use to beg my parents for one when they wouldn't give me a sister or brother" I said smiling, hoping this little girl believed me and didn't think I was a dog killer.
"Daddy can we get a dog?" Kayson asked turning around to look at Edward.
I reached forward picking up the glass of water and taking a drink.
"Sweetie you know daddy is allergic to dogs" he said.
"Oh yeah, can you and Bella get me a sister or brother then?" she asked innocently.
Kayson's question plus a mouth full of water did not end well. I wasn't sure if more water came out of my nose or mouth and add that to the amount that I choked on it wasn't a pretty picture.
"Are you ok?" Edward asked smirking more than I thought he should be in this situation as he patted my back.
"Yeah, just need a moment" I said whipping the water off of my chin.
"I wanna sister but a brother will be ok too I guess" Kayson said, which took the smile right off of Edward's face.
"Sweetie you can't just go to the store and buy a brother or sister" he stuttered while a look of horror overtook his face realizing what door he may have just opened.
"Where do they come from then if you don't get them at the store?" she asked staring at Edward and then back to me. This time I was the one snorting watching Edward's face become flush.
"Umm well, they come from, babies are made" Edward stammered over his words trying to find the right words to satisfy his curious five year old. Watching his discomfort I started to feel bad.
"What do you have there?" I asked Kayson gesturing to the picture in her hand.
"I made it in class today, it's for you" she said turning to hand it to me before explaining the figure in the picture was me. I went on to ask her a few questions, hoping that the previous conversation would be long forgotten. Lucky for Edward and I both she spent the next ten minutes telling me about the picture and then the next thirty minutes telling me about her day.
"Alright why don't you go upstairs and wash you hands and I will fix something for dinner" Edward said.
"Bella will you help him so we don't have to eat pizza again" she asked bouncing off of Edward's lap before running up the stairs. I couldn't help laughing.
"You think that is funny?" Edward asked.
I squeaked out a yes in between laughs. "I am sorry, it's not your fault that you don't know how to cook" I said trying to get myself under control.
"So do you want to help prevent us from eating pizza again while we talk" he asked. I nodded my head and followed him to the kitchen.
"Since you are helping cook, would you be able to stay and enjoy the meal with us?" Edward asked pulling out hamburger from the fridge. "I was thinking taco night."
"Let me text Alice and make sure she won't need her car" I said pulling my cell phone from my pocket. Alice said I could keep the car all night if necessary followed by a winking smiley face.
After telling Edward that I could stay we fell into a comfortable silence working side by side preparing tacos.
"What happened today?" Edward asked.
"My journalism professor hates me" I stated while stirring the hamburger.
"I am sure she doesn't hate you" he stated while butchering a helpless tomato.
"No she does, after scowling at me throughout the class she asked me to stay after. She asked me what I was doing with you" I said turning away from the meat and looking at him to see his reaction.
"She asked you what?" he asked turning away from the tomato that was completely destroyed at this point.
"She wanted to know what was going on between you and I. I asked how that was any concern to her and she stated that it was not only her concern but her sister's as well" I turned back to the meat before it burned.
"What is your professor's name?" he asked annoyance lacing his voice.
"I don't recall her first name from my schedule, but last name is Denali. Do you know her?" I asked pulling the pan off of the stove and pouring the hamburger into the strainer in the sink.
"Tall, blonde, early thirties?" he asked his voice becoming deeper.
"Yeah" I said turning away from the meat again to look up at him trying to read his reaction. "Do you know who she is?" I asked.
"Yeah she is my ex-wife's sister. Did she say anything else beside what you told me?"
"Well if her threatening me that if I didn't stay away from you I wouldn't be graduating then I would say yes she said more" I said watching Edward's face contort in anger.
"She said that?" he asked his voice clearly showing his anger that matched his face perfectly now.
"Yeah, it is not a big deal I am not going to quit working for you just because she threatened me. I will talk to my counselor and see about dropping the class and transferring to something else" I said pouring the meat back into the pan.
"Bella I can't have you dropping a class to work for me, that isn't fair to you" Edward said laying the knife down and taking a step closer to me.
"I can't just let some crazy Professor intimidate me into quitting a job that I haven't even started because it is for her ex brother in-law. I am sure even if I didn't drop the class she wouldn't be able to follow through with her threat without getting into some predicament with the college. At this point though I don't think that I could spend the next semester listening to her lecture just for the fact that I have no respect for her and clearly she is evil" I said turning my body toward Edwards and tilting my head up so he could see the small smile on my lips letting him know that I was ok with this.
"Well can I say I am sorry that this is probably not what you imagined when you stole the whole flyer off the board. First I burn dinner, then the first day you meet Kayson she has a melt down because of her awful mother, then my sidewalk nearly kills you and now you have to drop a class because your evil teacher is also my evil ex sister in-law. Have you had your head examined because there are a lot of reasons why most would be running for the door" he said as his hand brushed against my cheek smoothly as he pushed a piece of hair that had fallen from my ponytail behind my ear.
My heart stopped for a brief moment and my eyes fluttered closed on their own freewill relishing the feel of his smooth skin upon my face. My mind took me to a place that clearly was not appropriate and it did not return until I heard someone clear their throat.
My eyes blinked open to the most beautiful green eyes. My face flushed, but I felt slightly better when I noticed his face appeared a shade redder also. Slowly we both turned our heads toward the throat clearer.
"Hey bro. Mind explaining why my beautiful little niece told me she might be getting a baby sister or brother from her daddy and nanny Bella?"
I could feel my face get a thousand times redder as I started at this man that shared few similarities to my Edward, but was still completely handsome. He had to be close to six feet tall, his arms weren't huge but were definitely lined with muscles that caused his t-shirt to pull tighter to his body. And what a nice body it was. He had short blonde hair that clearly had been shaved a month or two back. His eyes were a shade darker than Edwards, but still beautiful. He had one of the strongest jaw lines I had ever seen. Which made his lips all the more noticeable. He was blessed with very kissable lips and although I had noticed them there was no thought passing through my head of what they would feel like. Unlike every time I looked at his brother all I could think about is what they would feel like and how they would taste, would he be lovable and gentle or passionate and rough.
"Silly uncle Jasper I told you already. It's because daddy is allergic to dogs. Duh" Kayson said shaking her head like it should be obvious.