Usual disclaimer: I don't care to own anything Twilight. Just borrowing.
Chapter Four
What I remember most about college was the music. Growing up in Forks, my music repertoire was limited to Billboard's American Top 40. But in Seattle, my world opened up. I was assaulted by new sounds everywhere—not just songs but a cacophony of accents, tones and languages from around the world.
Then there was my roommate, Alice. She was a force of nature, full of energy—and always belting out songs, from Puccini's La Boheme to Lady Gaga. She played the guitar, a vintage Gibson, and practiced in the common lounge until the wee hours of the night. The next morning, her singing in the shower would wake us up, bright and early. And what a voice she had! Deep, soulful, and so versatile.
I did not know it then, but meeting Alice changed my life. Sometimes, I wonder how things would have changed, were I drawn to a different residence hall and matched with a different girl. Would I still have met Edward? Maybe I would have figured out Jacob's intentions earlier. And Leah … surely I would have seen that coming. But I get ahead of myself. I was about to tell you about the day it all started.
It was a Friday evening, the end of the first week of classes. I still remember everything, as clear as if it were yesterday. It was an unsettling period: the University of Washington was huge—the campus a massive sprawl that could swallow Forks whole with room to spare, the student body several times that of the population of Forks and La Push combined. Everyone was so brilliant—they played the French horn or Indian sitar, spoke five languages, and/or grew up in London, Cape Town or Singapore. It was overwhelming for a small town girl like me.
"Bells! Over here!" I stepped onto the ledge of Drumheller Fountain, trying to spot Jacob and Leah in the sea of human traffic on Red Square. It wasn't difficult; I soon spied their two tall heads drifting southward from Central Plaza.
I still didn't know what to make of their relationship. As far as I could tell, they weren't dating. But they were keeping something from me, I was sure of it. It was just a little difficult to tease out over the phone. We hadn't hung out together in over three months, since both of them left Forks before me—Jacob in June, for summer camp with the Huskies, while Leah was selected for an elite science program and started in August. For the first time, I celebrated my birthday in September without them. I remained behind in Forks, working at Outfitters' until the week before classes started, trying to save as much cash as possible for college.
Maybe, in the same way, they were wondering about Mike Newton. We saw each other nearly every weekday that summer—after all, we worked in the same two thousand square foot shop. He was far more pleasant company than I initially gave him credit for, once he got past his initial shyness.
But it was difficult for things to develop with Jacob's strange behavior. He wasn't even in Forks, but somehow managed to disrupt every single date I had with Mike. On our first date, Jacob called me three times from Seattle—as I was getting ready, during dinner itself, and the third call came (with prescient timing) just as Mike was about to kiss me goodbye on my doorstep. We went out for dinner a few more times. Each time, the same thing would happen, or one of his friends from the reservation would find a convenient way to disrupt our date. It was kind of hard to get the conversation going with a pesky long-distance friend butting in every few minutes. Eventually, Mike stopped asking me out.
I was more than a little annoyed by Jacob's possessiveness, and wondered if there was anything more to his actions than friendly brotherliness. But our conversation always remained squeaky clean and platonic: about his new teammates, the day's training, my workday at Outfitter's. We would talk on the phone all night, but he never showed any sign of wanting to take things further. So, I carried on thinking of him as a brother, assuming he thought likewise of me.
"Bella Wella!" A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ledge and into the air.
"Jake, you dork!" I didn't like his new nickname for me, Wella being the name of a popular hair salon he discovered off campus. "Let me down!" I flailed my arms, pushing at his shoulders as he spun me around.
"Aww, didn't you miss me?" I caught a whiff of his familiar peppermint aftershave as he lowered me to my feet. At least that hasn't changed. He surprised me on Sunday with a new hairstyle, a buzz cut almost, with sideburns that highlighted his cheekbones and strong jaw. But something else was different … Oh.
"What's with the polo shirt?" I tugged at the edge of his sleeve. It had a neat little button detail at the edge. "Part of the new Husky look or something?"
"No, he's trying to stand out." Leah stepped between us and gave me a tight hug. She draped her left arm around my shoulder as she teased him. "Poor Jakey Blackie. Stuck with all the other engineering geeks at McCarty. Can't you tell? It's part of his new look. I'm Jacob Fierce, hear me roar!" She beat her chest and let out a loud hoot.
"Then why is his shirt still tucked in? Major fail. So uncool, Jake." I raised a critical eyebrow, easily picking up where Leah left off. Oh, how I'd missed our usual repartee.
"Hey … !" Jacob complained. He awkwardly pulled his shirt out of his chinos. Leah stifled a snort, sending both of us into whoops of laughter. I lost my balance, almost falling into the fountain, but Jacob caught me in the nick of time, chivalrously pulling me back onto my feet. He didn't let go, his hand remaining on my arm as we headed for the shuttle stop and boarded the bus leaving campus.
We alighted on University Way, in front of a nondescript concrete building. Jacob led us around back, past a long line of students, and yanked open a heavy metal door.
Before our eyes was a bustling kitchen, each station a hive of activity—flames licking pots, cooks expertly maneuvering pans and spatulas, servers plating food on trays. One of them, a large, well built man with a slight paunch, turned around at the sound of the door slamming shut.
"Black! Welcome back!" The server walked over and bumped fists with Jacob. He wore an apron, his hair neatly tucked under his Huskies cap. "These your two girls? I'm Emmett, by the way." He bent down and gave Leah and me a rather oily kiss.
"Emmett here runs Artie's," Jacob explained. Apparently, the man I mistook for a waiter was once a star quarterback at UW, who injured himself and ended up running one of the most successful restaurants in University Village. But I was more intrigued by the name Artie's, which was short for The Fighting Artichoke. Where did I hear that before?
"So which one of these gorgeous ladies is your girlfriend? This one here?" Emmett batted his eyelids at me outrageously. "So, can I have the other?" He winked at me and slung another arm around Leah's shoulder.
"Neither, but they're both unavailable." Jacob answered over his shoulder as he shepherded us out of the kitchen, leaving Emmet's deep laughter trailing behind.
As the aluminum doors swung open, we entered a dining room that looked like the inside of an old warehouse. It was tastefully renovated with mahogany floors and exposed piping, while huge, framed photographs of what must be famous Husky athletes were grouped by era on the walls. Near the main entrance, there was a small stage. It looked like there would be a live band performing later.
We had a clear view of the entire restaurant from our booth. It was obviously a popular hangout with the student athlete crowd. Jacob gave us a running commentary over dinner, and I could finally put a face to the names of his teammates. "That's Ryan Richardson, second-string wide receiver. Probably won't make it this year either … . Tom Bradley. Tight end. Cos of his size."
"A what-end?" I almost choked on my food. What a weird name for a position. After all these years, football was still a foreign language to me. "You're taller than him, so why don't you take his spot?"
"Bella, Jake's a quarterback—"
"Bells, I'm crushed. All these years of watching me play and you thought I was a tight end?"
"Nooo." Well, okay. In all honesty, I did have difficulties identifying Jacob on the field—the few times I had gone to his games. I usually just copied Leah, echoing her as she cheered and clapped. "That's not what I meant. All I was saying is with his size—" Jacob wiggled an eyebrow, distracting me entirely. "Ugh, forget it." I buried my head in my hands.
"Well, Jake has to earn his position, or his ass will meet a tight end too."
"Leah…!" I groaned. Our jokes were getting more graphic these days, and filled with innuendo. I got it, but it still embarrassed me to no end.
"And who's that?" Leah nudged at a statuesque, well-endowed blonde at the bar. She was perched on a barstool, holding court with a bevy of jocks groveling at her feet.
"That's Rozzie." Jacob glanced behind his shoulder. "Can't remember the rest of her name. Head cheerleader. She thinks every guy on the football team wants to sleep with her."
"Do you?" Leah challenged.
"Fuck no."
"Hell yeah." Leah teased. "Hey, she's pretty hot."
"Yeah, but … " Did Jacob just blush?
"Ooh … freshie Jakey wants to get laid!"
"Fuck off, Leah."
"Okay." I stepped in, afraid of where this conversation was going to end up. "Enough, kids."
"She's got a thing for Emmett." Jacob said, seemingly oblivious to my courageous intervention.
"What? He's like, ten years older?" Leah spoke in a scandalized tone.
"Huh? I thought he was like, twenty-five? She must be a senior or something, huh?"
"Bella, you're so clueless. He must be at least thirty. Right, Jake?"
"He took us to our last Rose Bowl title, which was in 2001, so yeah, I guess so?"
At that very moment, Emmett stepped out of the kitchen and headed in Rozzie's direction. But he walked straight past her, ignoring the amorous glances she threw his way. He leaped onto the stage, commandeering one of the microphones.
"Ahem … " He cleared his throat, instantly attracting everyone's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen!
"As you know, the team at Artie's prides itself on discovering Washington's best musical talent. Now, tonight we've got a very special surprise for you—a band that combines the best of funk, electronic, and Lady Gaga. Let's put our hands together to welcome Seattle's next biggest act, Alice and the Altar Boys!"
An anticipatory buzz filled the hall. In the darkness, four figures took the stage. The spotlight flashed, revealing each band member slowly—stage right was the keyboardist, tall and lanky; stage left was the bassist, who had a shock of reddish blond hair; at the drums—the crowd roared, it was Emmett! He played a sharp, snazzy drum roll and nearly brought the house down. Finally, the light shifted center stage, exposing a tall, bleached blonde with a Gibson strapped around her—waitaminute ...
"That's my roommate!" Alice? What the ... ? I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.
"Bella, you mean you didn't even know your roommate was in a band?"
"No, I mean, I know she plays the guitar." I raised my voice as the music picked up. "But I had no idea ... oh my ... " Alice had invited me to her gig—this very gig at Artie's ...
"She doesn't look anything like you described," Jacob mused. "I thought you said she dyed her hair black."
"Yes, that's obviously a wig. But … whoa, those platforms must be at least six inches. I swear, she's less than five feet." I was astounded by Alice's onstage transformation.
The bass line ended and Alice stepped up to the microphone. Her sultry voice built up slowly to the chorus, which hit fierce and defiant. Before long, the band had half the customers on their feet. Leah was the first to stand up, joining the throng of dancing bodies at the balustrade a few feet away.
"Come on, Bells." Jacob reached across the table for my hand. He pulled me up before I could resist. Their music was infectious—even awkward me started bobbing my head to the beat. I didn't quite know how to classify their style—it was retro, folksy, and pop all at the same time.
Midway through the song, Jacob had somehow slipped an arm around my shoulder. "They're pretty awesome." He pulled me closer as it ended with a dramatic finish. My breath hitched as I caught his fresh, minty smell again. Since when was he standing so close? Shaking my head, I tried to clear the haze that had mysteriously permeated my thoughts.
I looked up and noticed the keyboardist staring in our direction. He was more than thirty feet away, but he was definitely watching us. Weird. I glanced at Leah, who had struck up a conversation with another girl in front, then at Jacob, who smiled sweetly at me. Neither of them seemed to have noticed anything amiss, so I shrugged it off, joining the crowd's applause and letting out a loud cheer for Alice.
The next song started slow, in counterpoint to their first piece. Jacob's arm dropped to my waist, his hand resting on my hip. Suddenly, I could feel his warm breath against my ear. An involuntary tremor rippled through me, all bodily senses running amok. I was terrified to look up, but eventually I raised my eyes— ... his face, his nose, was just a hair's breath from my cheek ... .
But at the corner of my eye I sensed a slight movement. That same pair of queer eyes ... jolted me uncomfortably and I shifted.
"Sorry. You okay?" Jacob dropped his hand away from my hip. I should have clarified it wasn't him, but—did he just try to kiss me?—I couldn't think clearly. Instead, I nodded, giving him a forced smile. He stepped away, keeping his hands to himself for the rest of the set—and suddenly I missed his warmth, his closeness, but it was too late.
"Time to go, babe." A pointy heel nudged my sneaker-clad foot. I had retreated to our table during the encore. "The last bus leaves at eleven."
I was hoping to introduce Alice to my friends as we crossed the stage on our way out, but she was surrounded by a swarm of fans. I called her name, hoping she would hear. "Seeya later," I mouthed as she turned her head towards us.
"Isabella Swan!" Blond Alice squealed. The sea parted as she trotted over in her six-inch stilts. "You made it! I'm so glad you came!" She threw her arms around me, comfortably tucking my head into her now eye-level bosom. Hm … that didn't feel real either.
"I demand an introduction." She stepped back and crossed her arms as she appraised my two companions.
"Uh, yeah, sorry. I was going to come over, but—"
"Excuses, Bella. Well, this must be Jacob—the future hope of the Huskies." She wiggled an eyebrow at him. "And you're Leah," she concluded as she looked to my right. "So, this is the terrible threesome of Forks."
"Bella, I can't believe you gave us such an unoriginal name. You're a writer, for goodness sake." Leah shook her head.
"Oh, tell me about it." Alice rolled her eyes. "This girl is full of clichés." Great. It looked like they were about to start on me.
"You must be my sister's roommate." I whirled around as a cool hand clasped my shoulder; looking up I was met with a pair of mesmerizing cat-green eyes the same shade as Alice's.
The keyboardist was her brother? "I've heard so much about you. Edward Cullen." Yes, Alice had mentioned her brother, but what had she said? I fought to recall.
"All good, I hope." I glanced at him nervously. Up close, I realized he was actually very handsome. It was just his attire that made him stand out. The loafers and tailored blazer were a little out of place for a college town.
"Yes, in fact. She said you write. Poetry, right? And stories for children." Alice told him that? I wanted to sink into the ground. Children's fiction was my secret obsession, something I was too embarrassed to discuss with even Jacob or Leah. It just seemed so immature.
"I used to write, too," he added. "I was an English major, at Yale." Oh ... right. Now I remembered. Edward was on sabbatical in Seattle, taking a break from out east where he was a lawyer at some big firm. My interests seemed so juvenile in comparison.
"Uh, yeah ... " I bit my lip. "It's nothing, really—"
"No, don't say that." I felt his gaze on my face again. "I think it's fascinating. Have you ever thought of writing songs?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jacob tap his foot impatiently. He gestured to leave.
"I, uh, no. Not really." I turned and took a step away from him. "Sorry, we have to run."
"You can't be leaving yet—come, let me buy you a drink." He placed a pale, slender hand on my forearm.
"She doesn't drink." Jacob cut in abruptly and reached for me, meeting Edward's glare with a stare. "Let's go. We'll miss the last bus." He gave my hand a quick tug. I stumbled forward and Edward's grip loosened.
"Why don't you stay? Alice and the rest are heading over to my place." He glanced at Jacob. "Your friends can come too. I'll drop you guys back later."
"Oh, Bella, you should totally come hang out with us!" Alice called over from where she and Leah were chatting. They seemed to have hit it off well. "Em and the rest of the gang will be there. Jake, you too." She winked at him and slipped her arm into Leah's.
"I ... I, uh." I glanced quickly at Jacob and Leah. "Sorry, not tonight. Maybe next time?" I gave Edward an apologetic look.
"Sure, just come over with Alice, whenever." He made to return to the stage, but then stopped to grasp my hand for a brief moment. "Oh, and send me some of your work, I'd love to read it." His fingers slipped from mine as he turned away and disappeared into the crowd.
"Bella, were you flirting with Alice's brother? He's so slimy," Leah hissed as we stepped out into the streets.
"Was not!" I defended myself. Charmed momentarily, perhaps. What interest could someone like him have in someone like me? The cold night air hit my lungs and I shivered. I folded my arms and began following Jacob, who was stalking off towards the bus stop. I suddenly felt a little light-headed. Was it the change in temperature? Or was it love?
Little did I know, that was when everything started to go wrong.
Author's Note: "The Fighting Artichoke" is a real college mascot - from Scottsdale Community College. All credit to my fabulous beta leelator for suggesting the name, and for helping me come up with Alice and the Altar Boys. Thanks for making my writing so much better!