Disclaimer: My name is not Stephenie Meyer and I don't own Twilight. I don't own Edward either *sigh*

"I thought you said that Jacob was the man of my dreams," I huffed. She didn't even let me shower before deciding that we would go out and meet the guys from across the street. Speaking of Jacob, I quickly sent him a text message that I arrived safely. I already called my parents while I was still at the airport.

"Your Washington dreams. New York dreams are totally different," Alice said as she pressed the elevator button.

Since we were little, Alice had always filled my mind with romantic stories and possibilities. It was funny when we were kids, but it got a bit tiresome when we started high school. After freshman year in high school, she went through the pictures in the yearbook and assigned to me whom I should consider going out with. And she didn't know anyone from my high school aside from Jacob and Angela. After sophomore year, she said that things looked good between me and Jacob and that I should consider the possibilities. I considered it a lot, but nothing really progressed between me and Jacob. After the Spring Dance in sophomore year, things went back to just being friends. Jacob showed no interest in pushing our friendship further and all I felt for him was just a little crush so it didn't bother me so much.

Senior year was when things started to become interesting with Jacob. After his absence in my junior year, he said he was busy with his job and basketball games, he was very visible the year after. Angela even thought that he stepped up and became my boyfriend. I laughed when she said that because aside from picking me up and dropping me off each school day, there was really nothing going on. We hang out during lunch, but we always went out as a group. The only intimate moment that we had was the Senior Prom. Jacob asked me to go with him to the prom even though girls lined up to be asked by him. And these were not just any girls, some of them were cheerleaders. When he asked me, it started quite a stir in school but he made it loud and clear that we were just friends.

That actually bugged the heck out of me. If we were just friends, why was he blocking the guys who were interested in me then? Okay, there weren't so many to list, but I knew of at least three. First was Eric Yorkie, he was the geek of the school and Alice would have my head if I went out with him, but he didn't even get to ask me out because Jacob scared the heck out of him when he first asked if I already had a boyfriend. Next was Tyler Crowley. That guy was not your resident jock but he was quite popular with the Football team. If Jacob wasn't so tall, Tyler would've tackled him down so that he could get to me. The last guy was Mike Newton. That guy was the one that Alice would have approved of but Jacob decided that I should focus on my studies rather than go out on a date with Mike. Nice move, Jacob. After Mike, nobody showed any more interest in me in high school, hence my empty love life. I was seventeen and never had an official date. I blamed Jacob.

I would have stayed mad at Jacob for the longest time if I didn't have the best time of my life during Senior Prom. Jacob stayed on my side the whole time and danced with me. He didn't block off any guys who asked to dance with me, but when the music was slow, he made sure he was the one I was dancing with.

"He couldn't keep his eyes off you," Angela said while we were in the rest room.

"Who?"

"Jacob, duh! If I may say so, I think the guy is head over heels," she teased.

"I think you need to get new prescription. Your eyesight's playing tricks on you," I said but my heart was dancing in my chest.

I tried to be discreet while looking at Jacob after that conversation in the rest room. Angela was right; his eyes were on me the whole time and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I was flattered and I started thinking about what Alice said. "You two should try to cross that line," but I wasn't sure if what I felt for him was that strong. I knew I felt something special for him, but the risk of losing our friendship still weighed more in my heart than any romantic feelings I might have for him. I didn't even know if Jacob actually felt something stronger for me, but I didn't have to wait for long.

After the dance, Jacob dropped me home and unlike the other times, he got out of the car and rushed to my door so he could assist me while I stepped out. "Such a gentleman," I teased as I put my hand on his.

"Only for the beautiful lady," he said as we walked to the porch.

"Good night, Jake," I smiled.

He didn't say anything but just looked at me with so much intensity in his eyes. He lifted my chin with his finger and placed a quick chaste kiss on my lips, "Good night." He turned around and went to his car as I stood frozen in place. That was my first kiss.

--

"Pull your hair from that pony tail," Alice instructed before we head out the street.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked but yanked my hair out anyway.

"You look better with your hair down," she winked at me. I practically had to run as she hurried to Starbucks at the end of the block. When we reached the door, Jasper and Adonis were already seated in the corner with four cups of coffee on the table.

"Hey, Alice," Jasper got up and bowed his head. The guy freaking bowed. Who does that?! Adonis got up, too, but at least he didn't bow. "This is my friend, Edward; he's from Chicago. Edward, this is Alice." Edward was it? It sounded classic. It suited him.

Alice shook Edward's hand and introduced me, "This is my cousin, Bella; she's from Washington." She then pointed to the two guys, "This is Jasper and Edward." Jasper extended his hand to me. I quickly shook it and turned to Edward, whose hand was waiting. The handshake with Edward was something else. I shook hands with other guys before, but this was the very first time I felt electricity ran down my spine. Even Jacob's kiss did not make me feel that way. Damn!

"Here's your Chai Latte," Jasper said to Alice, "and Caramel Macchiato for you," he said to me.

"Wow, how did you know?" I asked, intrigued.

"It was a guess," Edward answered with an angelic voice that suited his Adonis-like looks.

"Impressive," Alice chimed. She gave me a quick nudge and mouthed 'good feeling.' I rolled my eyes at her. We sat down across the guys and talked about college. "I'm incoming freshman in FIT. Bella's taking English Lit in NYU."

"NYU? Which one?" Jasper asked.

"College of Arts and Science," I answered.

"We're in NYU Steinhardt. I'm psychology major, sophomore," Jasper said. "Edward here is incoming freshman."

"What are you taking?" Alice asked.

"Public Health major, Music minor," Edward answered. He must have noticed my puzzled look because he continued, "I play the piano." Both Alice and I nodded.

The conversation continued for about a minute or two when my cell phone rang. I knew that ring tone by heart and I was all giddy inside. It was Jacob. "Excuse me," I said and stepped outside. "Hey!" I said with much enthusiasm.

"How's the trip?" Jacob asked. Hearing his voice made me smile.

"It was good. I kinda slept through the whole trip. If there was any turbulence, I didn't feel it," I chuckled.

"You were always a deep sleeper," he laughed. When we were little, Jacob would always jump on my bed to wake me up. He learned that it was the best way to wake me up. A little nudge would not do the trick. When we started growing up and he was no longer allowed to enter my room, he would pound on the door and shout 'FIRE!' so that I would get up and ran for my life. I hated him during those times. He only stopped when dad got mad at him when he heard Jacob one time because he panicked while he was in the bathroom.

"At least I was not one of those people who need to take cough medicine before getting on the plane," I chuckled. "When are you driving to Seattle?" Jacob and I applied for University of Washington in Seattle and both of us got accepted. Jacob was ecstatic that we got accepted, but all the energy left him when I told him that I was going to NYU instead. A part of me wanted to attend UW so that I could be closer to Jacob and maybe move along with the progress we made in senior prom that none of us brought up in any conversation. A part of me, a bigger part, wanted to be with Alice and experience life outside Washington.

"Sunday night. Rachel still needs to clean up the room I'm gonna sleep in. She said that most of Paul's stuff is still in there and he won't be able to clear it out until Sunday morning," he answered. Rachel was Jacob's sister who moved to Seattle when she went to college. She went home every weekend before until she started working full time. After that, she only went home every month. Rebecca, Rachel's twin, moved to Hawaii and they haven't seen her since her last visit two summers ago. Paul was Rachel's husband of a few months and was nice enough to offer their place for Jacob. That way, Jacob didn't have to worry about paying for a dorm.

"Send my love to Rach," I said.

"I will."

He then fell silent. I looked at my screen to make sure we didn't get disconnected. "You still there?" I asked.

"I miss you already," he said with a sad voice.

"Same here," I sighed. I missed him more than I thought possible. Before the conversation became dramatic, we said quick goodbyes. I hang up and walked back to the café while looking at my telephone screen. The glass door swung open and I got hit on the head. "Ow!"

"I'm so sorry, Bella, I didn't see you," Edward said and rubbed my head. He was holding his phone on his ear. "Mom, I'll call you back," he hung up and looked at my head. "That might leave a bump. Let's get you inside and I'll ask for ice."

Edward guided me to the seats where Alice and Jasper seated. Alice looked up and saw me holding my head. "Bella, what happened?"

"I accidentally hit her head with the door," Edward explained. "Just sit for a second, I'm gonna ask for some ice." Not a minute later, he held a cloth with ice on my head. "I'm really sorry, Bella."

"It's not your fault. I wasn't looking," I smiled at him.

"What in the world were you doing when you got hit by the door?" Alice asked.

"I was looking at my phone," I mumbled.

"Who called?"

"Jacob," I answered.

"Oh, okay," was all Alice said. I felt the ice shifted on my head. Edward moved a bit. I wondered why.

"I'll feel better if you're lying down," Edward said. Alice and Jasper got up. Edward helped me up and I swayed a little. "Whoa, careful. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I just stood too fast. I'm fine," I said.

"Maybe you should carry her," Alice suggested.

I shot dagger looks at her, "I can walk." I said and steadied myself. Edward kept an arm around my waist for support while he held the ice on my hand with the other. I felt chills crept up inside me, and the ice pack had nothing to do with it.

--

A/N: How about some cheers for Team Edward?

Team Jacob, settle down – Jacob will have his time, of course XD