A/N: Sorry for the cliffy last chapter. I didn't think it was that bad, but I can see now how it would suck to not know what the conversation between Bella and Renee was about until I decided to update.

To clear up somethings, most people at Bella's school don't know who Edward is. They know he's a college student, they know Bella was kicked out from her home, and they know she's living with Edward. That's it. Some might have spotted her out and about--since Forks IS small--but nothing of consequence.

Your reviews are like gold to my treasure chest. Arg.

"Hello?" I said into the phone and then swallowed immediately to dislodge the lump.

"Bella?" The voice on the other end asked. "Hey… it's Renee, in case you couldn't tell."

"Yeah, no. I mean… I know," I side-glanced at Edward and he gestured to go on, telling me I was doing fine.

"I just wanted to check in on you. Oh, it's probably late there! I didn't even think about the time difference. One minute I was just sitting here watching Wheel of Fortune and then 'Bella Italia' was one of the prize puzzles and I just thought of you." She babbled and laughed at the end.

"I was thinking of you too, mom." I shifted and leaned my head on Edward's shoulder. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday, but I sent you a card if that's worth anything."

"Oh, Bella, it's worth everything." She sighed. "I wish you would have called; Phil kept telling me I was being a baby and to just go ahead and do it, but I don't know… something about it didn't seem right—I know you're busy probably, what with school and everything going on…." She hesitated at the end, venturing into a rough area.

"No, it's fine, really. I wanted to call you, too. But like you said, it just didn't seem right." Edward's fingers rubbed up and down my back to comfort me. "What did you do?"

"Remember that little châteaux I was telling you about before? The little place by the water with the rose bushes and a wine cellar? Phil got reservations there! Oh my goodness, it was so beautiful. And all of our friends were there, grandma and grandpa, too." She sighed dreamily. "I wish you could have come. I feel like I haven't hugged in you in forever."

"I know," I whispered. "But it's only been a couple months."

"Still too long," she scoffed and laughed at the same time. "Tell me about school, are you still holding honor roll?"

"Yeah. I just got my quarter grades last week, actually. If it weren't for trigonometry I'd be on high honor roll."

"Math's never been your strong point. How about English, though?"

"Solid hundred,"

"Really?" she gasped. "I'm so proud of you! Phil, Come here!"

I laughed and looked up at Edward who was smiling down at me, giving me encouragement in generous amounts. His nails raked lightly up and down my back in a soothing motion.

"You okay?" he whispered. I nodded back and he bent down to kiss my forehead before lying down beside me and throwing an arm around my waist.

"So, what else is new?" Renee asked when she was done bragging to Phil.

"Not much," I answered rubbing my hands up and down Edward's arm.

"Well, I take it you're still… living with Edward…" she hesitated. "And I mean, that's fine. I was just wondering."

"Um, yeah," my back straightened and Edward's arm tightened. "I am—we are,"

"Have you… talked to Charlie at all?" her voice dropped a bit.

"No, not since I came here."

"Maybe you should call him, or leave a message. He does care about you, and I know I really have no place to get involved, but… you are my daughter, and Charlie is your father. I don't want you two to fight like this. He loves you, Bella."

"I know mom, I know," I sighed. Edward's lips touched my side and he pulled me closer.

I'm not leaving you… ever.

"Bella, please, just—just hear me out for a moment." I didn't say anything and she continued. "I know you think you're in love—"

"I am."

"Okay, I know you're in love with this boy. But honestly Bella, think about this! I know that you and Charlie didn't have a big knock down drag out fight over this, but you're ruining your relationship with your father! I know you could say that I left Charlie, and I did, but I didn't ever jeopardize my relationship with my parents."

"You married him when your parents told you it was a mistake," I argued.

"I did, I know I did, but I worked on my parents. They liked Charlie and, God, Bella. I know this is immature, but we were both in high school. Honey, this is a college student and I'd hate to say it—"

"Then don't."

"Bella… think about it. You're a barely legal high school student with a twenty something college kid. If I know boys at all—and I do—there's only one thing on his mind."

"You don't understand anything!" I yelled and the barrier I'd been holding to keep in the tears broke. "You just don't get it, do you? I've tried to explain to you so many times and you're still so stuck in your views!"

Edward sat up beside me and caressed my skin, trying to calm me down before I said something I'd regret later.

"Bella, maybe it's time for you to grow up," Renee said more firmly. "I haven't acted like the parent, and I admit to it, but I am now. You may be mature, but you certainly are not an adult."

"Really? Are you really telling me that right now? You can't possibly be serious!"

"I am, Bella! You need to stop this! This is a huge mistake you're making. I know it, I've been there. It's a never ending cycle!"

"Never ending? Then what are you doing with Phil? Is he part of the cycle? Do you expect to wake up in the morning and have divorce papers under your nose?"

"Of course not," she murmured. "But you're young, Bella. You think this guy is great, he's probably giving you the world on a silver platter, but that only lasts so long..."

"You don't get it," I whispered, and for a moment I just focused on Edward. I focused on everything about him, everything that made me get it. "You don't understand it, mom."

"What don't I understand, Isabella? What is that I just don't get, huh?" she yelled.

I looked up at Edward whose eyes were so worried, so gentle and strong and caring—for me. His forest green eyes reflected everything that was passing through his head. He smiled reassuringly at me, trying to convey some sense of normalcy for us.

"You don't get love, mom." I murmured. Edward's hand brushed my cheek while I continued to speak. "You think that just because it didn't work out for you that there's no such thing." I couldn't look away from Edward, not those swirling, bright green eyes that captivated me. "I'm in love, I really am."

"I don't want to fight anymore tonight." Renee growled. "Just think about what I said, Bella."

"Uh-huh."

"Bye, Bella."

"'Night, mom." The dial tone struck me at the end of my sentence and I sighed, pressing the end button. "She hung up."

Edward pulled me down, throwing the covers over us and cuddling our nude bodies together. "Morning comes too soon; let's try to get some sleep."

I nodded my head against his chest and pulled myself as close as possible.

--

Morning did come too soon. Much too soon.

The alarm clock blared, Edward punched the snooze button and after nine minutes of slow groaning and morning breath kisses the clock went off again.

We showered, and while Edward shaved I started to pour the pancake mix into a pan. Ten minutes later he came out in his regular pair of dress pants without a shirt and his hair standing up around his head from being towel dried.

I tossed him a strawberry and he took over my spot at the stove while I got dressed quickly. I grabbed a pair of jeans, a shirt, and his sweatshirt from high school track. Tugging it over my head I smiled at the comfy worn material that felt so soft against my skin.

After breakfast Edward and I went down to the parking lot hand-in-hand and went our separate ways. I watched his car drive out of sight, knowing that I'd see him in six more hours.

School dragged on for those six hours. Pure, unadulterated hell. The entire time I guilt tripped myself about Renee. She had called with good intentions, but we both knew it would end up the way it did. Maybe it was my fault for not explaining it thoroughly, though. It seemed so obvious to me why I was in love with Edward; it had been like that since the first day we met at some stupid party.

We were both the designated drivers for our group of friends, and while my friends mingled with hot drunk college kids and his friends hit on naïve young high school girls, we talked about everything from music to literature to politics and religion. Everything he said had this edge of enthusiasm, like everything uttered out of his mouth was the secret of the universe and he was only too excited to share it.

When I spoke to him I wanted to listen. I wanted to learn and I wanted to know every detail about his past and present and more than anything to be apart of his future.

The gradual drift from my friends didn't happen when we started to date; it started when I realized how much more there was to conversation and life than petty gossip, shopping and beauty products to cover up every line or imperfection.

Edward liked the freckle on my neck and the little dimple in my right cheek and the natural red in my hair when I was in the sunlight. He didn't care if my eyelashes were darker and longer or if I had a layer of powder to cover my skin or make it tanner.

We would speak on the phone every night for hours on end and laugh at stupid jokes we found online or heard. I sighed out loud in the middle of math thinking about it. After assessing that no one was perturbed enough to comment or glance I chose to go back and daydream about Edward instead of paying attention.

Edward's face kept flashing in front of my eyes. Images of us on his couch appeared and I could imagine his voice explaining a problem to me, solving it out on my calculator and laughing at my enthusiasm when I got it right.

I wondered what he was doing at that moment. He was probably serving truckers who were passing up to Canada or maybe going down to California. I wondered if he dreamt about me during the day like I did about him….

I tried not to think about my mom and her words. But how could I not? She was my mother, my supposed best friend and she didn't even try to understand me. She was accusatory and even if she had good intentions she couldn't bring herself to think for one minute that I was really devoted to Edward.

And then my father…

I decided it was time to zone back in and pay attention to the notes on the board and the incessant numbers that were forming out of nowhere.

A/N: Questions welcome with open arms. Unless pertaining to anything pregnancy related.

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