A/N: Hey Elle here. So here's the next chapter (finally Elle, I mean god what have you been doing for the past week???) Umm...yea i suck, anyways here is the next chapter! And i love it mucho and I hope you all do too. We promise to post quicker next time, i should really become more organized and less lazy :P I blame summer. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! ~Elle

Bella POV

Only three more classes, only three more classes. The comforting mantra seemed to be placed on 'repeat', calming my frazzled mind and settling my uneasy stomach. I hadn't felt this way in a long time, you know, the feeling of confusion, desperation, anxiety, and fear all wrapped into one. That is how I felt.

I kept my head eye-level with the floor as I shuffled my way to my next class, AP Chemistry. I had been more then lucky today when it came to the 'Edward-encounters' as I had so dubbed them following that disaster of a lunch period.

I cringed.

Sometimes I wish Rose would just keep her mouth shut. But no, she had to go and find out everything possible about the new kids, about Edward and his brother Emmett, about my Edward. I picked up my pace as I rounded the corner into the science building.

What would I have even said to him? What will I say to him? And why was I kidding myself by dragging my feet all day. He expected us to talk, I mean, we were best friends, you don't just forget someone you hold to such a high stature.

Edward had been my rock during my time at the orphanage, and then I had left. What must he have felt? Betrayed, angry, sad, happy? I'd hope he would have been a little bit sad about my leaving, I know I was. Those first few weeks with the Swans had been hard. Not having Edward there, not having that one person who got you. It hurt.

"Afternoon, Ms. Swan." I nodded at Mr. Banner's friendly greeting as I passed by to my usual lab table. I dropped my bag beside my stool, pulling out my textbook, a notebook, and my pencil case.

I opened up to a fresh page of notebook paper and dated the top, writing the name of today's lecture and copying down the notes that had been written out on the board.

I had been so concentrated on my writing that I didn't notice the presence of another person until I had finished. Edward.

He seemed deeply concentrated in copying down Mr. Banner's notes from the board, just as the other students around me were currently doing. He seemed so different now, but yet…exactly the same. He still had the same strangely colored hair, red and orange and perfectly disorganized against his creamy pale face. His eyes seemed brighter now, happier almost. Instead of the familiar forest green I had grown so accustomed to in my childhood, they seemed almost emerald in color; bright and shining. Maybe his time following the orphanage had been as successful as my own experience? I could only hope.

I sighed, fighting myself to remain quiet, to not say anything. My hands wanted nothing more then to reach out and wrap themselves around perfectly sculptured torso and my heart agreed ten fold. I watched with gentle curiosity as his pale pink lips opened and closed with each breath he took and how the tip of his pen seemed to caress the paper he wrote on now with careful yet sure strokes.

What am I doing?

"See something you like?" His velvety voice startled me out of my revere and I dropped my gaze, newly reddened traitor cheeks acting as an unwanted signal of my obvious embarrassment.

"Oh, uh…sorry." I whispered, turning my eyes back to stare un-looking at the black board behind where Mr. Banner sat.

"It's okay. I see you haven't over that blushing thing of yours." My cheeks burned with his comment, and I nodded timidly. He laughed at the gesture.

"Still the same Bella." He remarked, mostly to himself, but it still brought a grin to my face. He remembered me, the little things like my blush. It felt nice.

As soon as the bell rang I, once more, found myself preparing to sprint. I fought with my subconscious to take it slow, that he wasn't mad at me, that maybe he would even talk with more, but my body wouldn't hear of it and I was out of that classroom as fast as ever.

"Bella?" His voice followed me in the hallway, and I cursed my self-protective side in making me run away from him. I felt his warm hand wrap gently around my wrist and pull me to a gentle stop.

"Where are you going?" He asked, his green eyes boring into my own. My mind seemed fogged with his very presence, his intoxicating scent, his tall form commanded the attention of my very being. This new hold was so much more powerful than it had been when I was twelve, and it scared me.

"Umm…gym?" Yes, that was my next class, but yet the statement still came out as more of a question. The Edward induced fog never seeming to dissipate.

"Really? I have Trig." I nodded my head, pulling on my wrist so that he might drop his hold. But he never moved.

"We don't have much time." I insisted, willing my feet to move toward the gymnasium entrance.

"Can we talk after school? Get some coffee or something? I..I missed you Bella." He admitted, turning his beautiful face toward the floor, his cheeks tinting a slight pink in color.

"Umm…okay." His eyes snapped back up to me, and he gave me an all too familiar crooked smile. He's the same Edward. I told myself.

"I'm this way," I said pointing toward the opposite end of the hallway. "You're that way." I pointed to building two. He nodded, dropping his hold on my arm and heading more the door.

"Meet me by the cafeteria?" He asked, his voice so hopeful. I nodded, and with a quick wave raced to the gym locker room.

--

Gym had been a bore, as per usual. We played some sort of sport involving a ball and effort and I fell. Typical day. I rushed off to my locker after class, grabbing my coat and putting some books away before heading toward the cafeteria.

"Bella!" Alice's familiar trill echoed throughout the hallway, and I turned to greet her happy form. She smiled, wrapping our arms together and skipping off toward the parking lot.

"Alice, I'm meeting with someone after school." I admitted, using my weight to stop her silly antics.

"Oh. Who?" Her curious gaze took in my nervous form and my quick looks toward the cafeteria door. I didn't feel like dealing with an over excited Alice right now.

"Umm…Edward." I whispered, moving slowly around her pixie-like form.

"Really?!" She squealed, bouncing with the effort to remain in one place.

"Yes, and I'm supposed to be waiting outside the cafeteria for him right now." Her mouth formed an understanding 'o' and she pushed me off into said direction.

"Have fun, and don't be nervous." She insisted, skipping away toward her car. I sighed.

I reached the cafeteria moments later, finding a pacing Edward. I giggled.

"Hi, Edward." I whispered, taking careful consideration to his reaction to my voice, and how he turned the way I expected him to with a happy grin. It brought back so many memories.

"I was wondering if you were going to stand me up or something." He teased, coming over to me and pulling me into a short hug.

I smiled at the gesture, wrapping my arms around his torso and giving him a tight squeeze.

"Nah, I was talking with Alice." I said, pulling away from his strong body. He smiled down at me, gesturing toward the door.

"So where to?" I asked, wondering where our afternoon was headed. He shrugged, turning his emerald gaze toward me as we walked out the doors.

"Well since I'm the newbie here in town I was hoping you could suggest a few places." He admitted, leading me toward a shiny silver Volvo at the back of the parking lot.

"Oh, well if it's coffee you're looking for, the best place would have to be the diner. It's the only place in town where coffee is sold. Were too cool for a Macdonald's or Starbucks."

He chuckled, clicking the lock on the keys and opening the passanger side door for me.

"Too cool, huh?" He chuckled, heading over to the driver's side and climbing in beside me. "Which way?" He asked, and I directed him to the one restraunt in the greater Fork's area.

We pulled into the diner parking lot shortly after our departure from school, finding easy parking this time of the day and headed inside.

I recognized a few faces from school, but the place was mostly deserted. I headed for a booth near the back where we could talk and waited for Margaret to come take our order.

"So how long have you lived in Forks?" Edward asked once we had taken our seats. I shrugged my jacket of my shoulders, resting my hands in my lap as I stared across the table toward him.

"Ever since I left. So about five years." I answered. He nodded.

"How long have you been adopted?" I questioned just as Margaret came over.

"Esme and Carlisle adopted me about two years after you left."

"Can I get you kids anything?" Margaret asked, pulling out a pad and paper. Edward gestured for to order first.

"Coffee please, and some french fries." Edward raised an eyebrow at my odd order, but proceeded with his nevertheless.

"Just coffee, thanks." She nodded, scribbling the order and heading off toward the kitchen.

"French fries?" He questioned as soon as she was out of earshot. I blushed, glaring at him.

"I like French fries." I stated, crossing my arms over my chest and sticking out my tongue at him.

"Yea, I bet." An awkward sort of pause fell about the atmosphere, Margaret returned shortly with our order and upon receiving my fries, proceeded to drown them in ketchup. Edward looked slightly mortified, but I just shrugged.

"What?" I asked, popping the delectable potato into my mouth and loving its warm salty taste.

"Nothing, you're just amusing is all." He chuckled reaching for the cream and sugar that sat in a small basket at the end of the table.

I watched carefully as he poured about half a cup of cream and added nearly six sugar packets before taking his first sip. Now it was my turn to be mortified.

"Umm…sweet tooth much?" I giggled, a smirk breaking out across his beautiful face.

"I'm not a big coffee fan." I stared at him incredulously.

"You're the one that suggested coffee Edward." I reminded him, throwing a French fri at his chest. He fained hurt at my playful gesture, taking another sip of his sugary drink.

"Eww." I remarked, pushing the coffee condiments as far away from me as possible.

"You can drink coffee black?! But it's so bitter." I laughed at him, drinking more deeply before setting down the white mug.

"It takes great skill." I stated, rather proud of myself for being able to keep up such a playful attitude. Then again, it was Edward. My best friend, my … person, for lack of a better term, he just understood me. He always had.

"I'll bet."

"So, this, it's weird right?" I asked after a few moments. He gave me a confused look.

"This meeting up in the same town, same school after having been friends for so long. It's seems so surreal." I said, taking another French fri into my mouth.

"Yea, weird seems to be an appropriate term." He agreed, resting his hand against his coffee mug.

"Bella, why were you so freaked out this morning?" He asked after a long moment. Great.

"I..I don't know. I was scared I guess, I mean…part of me didn't believe that it was really you, and part of me didn't want to get my hopes up. After I left, it was hard. I missed you, I still do…or did I guess," I laughed nervously, dropping my gaze to the table.

"Bella, do you believe in fate?" He asked me, I was afraid to look at him, I was afraid of his question.

"I think it depends, but for the most part, yes." I felt his warm hand on mine then, reaching to me across the table. I smiled.

"I missed you too, Bella. So, so much."

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A/N: So does Elle get any gold stars? Huh huh huh? :P Review please because we love you all so much! ~Peace out~