Chapter 3-

I woke up one hour before the alarm clock sounded, I stretched and enjoyed the beginning of a new day, I felt rested and excited to go to school today. I got up and ran to my mother's room, she was still asleep. I had been so out last night that I didn't even hear when she got home. I was very curious to hear all about her date, so I jump to her bed.

"Wake up, I need to know all about your date."

"Bella, the alarm clock hasn't even rang, what time is it?"

"I don't really know, but it's time for you to let me know how your date was. Did you kiss him?"- She rolled over so I could lay down next to her, she opened her eyes in defeat, but with a big smile on her face.

"So did you kiss him?"

"Oh! Bella he is so sweet, and so funny, he took to this little Italian restaurant, we stayed there talking until they had to kick us out of there because it was closing time. We talked about everything, about his family, his work, my family, my marriage to Charlie, about you. It was awesome."

"Yeah, but was there any action?"- She smiled and covered her head with her pillow. She was blushing, so that meant something big. – "You're not answering my question, mom, don't make torture you" – said tickling her.

"Ok, I'll tell you, but there is nothing to tell really. He drove me home, and walked me to the door, and just kissed my cheek and told me goodnight. Isn't that sweet? I was so ready for more, for a lot more, but he just kissed my cheek and that was the perfect way to end a beautiful night."- She sighed. She was definitely in love.

"Uau! I'm happy for you." – And I was, I really wanted my mom to be happy.

"What about you? You're in a great mood today. Anything you want to tell about?"

"Unfortunately nothing as interesting has you, but I do have a new hot English teacher, and I got elected the responsible for the school's paper."

"That so wonderful Bella, I know you love the work you do there. Congratulations. How hot is that new teacher?"

"Really hot, the man underwear commercial kind of hot. "

"Really, let's just hope that doesn't distract you, young lady!"- She said playfully, and throwing her pillow on my face.

"Of course, mom, I will never take my eyes of him during the class, I promise."- I said grinning and we both just laughed, and enjoyed the love and complicity we had.

After a fun breakfast with Renée, I drove to school enjoying another sunny day in Phoenix, it was still very early and the parking lot was empty, except for my truck, I decided to walk to the football field and enjoy the sun quietly a few more minutes before the school was invaded by noisy students. I notice that in the faculty's parking spaces there were only two cars parked, a big shine truck and Mr. Cullen's shiny silver Volvo.

I laid down in the stands and close my eyes, and let the sun warm my skin, it fell so good, I was feeling happy today, I went through my conversation with Renée, she was really happy, and she deserved to be, she had been in love a lot of times, but somehow I had a feeling this time was different.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the loud noise of something hitting the bench just inches from my head. I got up startled and saw a ball; I looked around to see who had done such a stupid thing, I was furious.

"Are you ok? Did I hurt you?" – I recognized that voice immediately, Mr. Cullen. He had an alarmed look in his face. He was wearing a football jersey and sweat pants, his face was rosy, his hair wet and all sweaty, he looked like a model from one of those deodorant commercials, he looked so hot, that all my fury went away, but apparently my with it also went my ability to speak.

"Are you ok?- He asked again, and came closer to me, and I heard someone chuckle behind him.

"Way to go Edward! Second day on the job and you already killed a student."- I looked around Mr. Cullen's shoulder and saw a very tall and muscled guy, with dark curly hair, he had a big smile on his face. I finally gained may voice and said:

"I'm fine; you just startle me, Mr. Cullen."

"I'm sorry about that; I hope this does become a routine."- He said with a crooked smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, Edward what do you mean?"

"Bella, this is my brother Emmet Cullen, he also stared to work here yesterday." – He then turned to Emmet- "Emmet this is Bella, she is in one my classes, and she's the one I shower down yesterday."

"You're the girl from the parking lot?"- Emmet said to me laughing. How did he know about that? Mr. Cullen obviously thought I was some crazy person, and warned his brother about me, or something.- "Edward told me you stood up to him, brave girl. It's really nice to meet you, Bella."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Cullen."- Was all I could say, I was bit stunned.

"Oh. Mr. Cullen is my dad, please call me Emmet. I hope my clumsy brother didn't hit you with that ball, you see, football is not really is thing. He is more the book in a face kind of guy, I always told him that was no way to get girls"- He elbowed Edward in the ribs mocking him. I looked at Edward Cullen and he smiled, rolled his eyes and punched his brother in the shoulder. It was obvious they were very close.

"Thanks Emmet, you just crippled my image as a hot looking teacher." – He smiled sheepishly and I just smiled back, and we looked in each other's eyes, I knew I should look way, but it was like something stronger than my own will, held me there.

"Yeah, right… I have to go get ready, see later bro. Nice to meet you Bella."- I heard him speak but was still unable to look away, but the strange thing was that neither did he and I held his gaze until he spoke, smiling.

"How did the meeting go, yesterday? Are you ready to amaze me with your ideas?"- Bella get a grip! Before you make a fool of yourself. I took a deep breath.

"The meeting went really well, we are all very excited about it."

"That's great. Why are here so early? Having a bad day again?"

"I was having a great day, but it just got even better." – Did I say that out loud? I blushed and looked away, but I could hear the smile in his voice, when he said:

"Do you consider been almost hit by ball a good thing?"

"Well, it would be a lot worse, if it had actually hit me, so it is a good thing, don't you think?"

"Seeing it from that perspective yes, it is a good thing. But you didn't answer my question, why are here so early, I thought for most students school was some kind of modern torture?

"Well I woke up earlier than usually, had a great breakfast with my mom, and decided to enjoy the sun and don't think school is torture, I guess I'm not like most students."

"You're definitely not. Does that bother you, … being different?"

"Not really. Not most of the time, but I am seventeen and mind keeps changing. But I don't see that as a bad thing. I think been different is good, you see, when you look at painting, like a Picasso, all of his work is unique, every piece is different from the other, in its color, in its image, there are similarities of course, but that's just the signature of their creator. So I guess I just want to be unique, I don't want to be just another copy; I want to be an original. I know that sounds a bit conceited, but why settle with normality when you can exceed yourself."-That was probably the longest speech I had ever said, but it just felt so good to talk to this man. I looked at him and he had an astonish look in his face, but then he smiled.

"That's a very profound way to look at things, how old did you say you were?"

"Well my mother says I was born in my mid thirties and that I'm getting older every day."

"She's probably right, what you just said, was… " – He was struggling to find words, that kind of, made me nervous."…you know, most people go through live without ever achieving that kind of profound inner knowledge. That was…it was pure wisdom." – My mouth dropped with surprise, he had just said I was wise. I was speechless again and he smiled.

"So that makes you at least 90 years old, extremely well preserved of course."- I blushed.

"So, you being my teacher, makes you what? 100?"

"Humm…130 give or take"- We both laughed-"I have to go, I should take a shower before classes start, I have to keep my image"

"Oh…the hot looking teacher image? I wouldn't worry about that…"- I couldn't believe I was saying that, but he gave naughty smile and said.

"What do you mean?"- Gave him a naughty smile back.

"I'll tell you about it some other time."He gave me a bigger smile, opened his mouth to say something, shook his head but then turned around and left.

What just happened? Had I just flirted with a teacher? Had he flirted back? I walked to my first class, after I heard the bell, I felt so happy that I felt my feet didn't touch the ground. I had just gone from a 90 year old wise woman, to an infatuated teenager and I didn't care.

The morning just flew by, Jacob kept asking me what I was so happy about, but I just dismissed him with some lame excuse, but he knew me well and knew that I was hiding something. I hardly spoke or ate at lunch because I was so excited about my English class. When the bell rang, I was the first to get my things but Jacob grabbed my hand to stop me.

"What's the rush Bella? You are acting very strange today. What's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean? Can't I just be in a good mood?"- He studied my face with a troubled look.

"I guess so, would you mind if we walk together?"

"Of course not, let's go before we are late."

When we got to class, Mr. Cullen was already there, he now was wearing black jeans and a white shirt, a very different look from this morning. Jacob and I took our seat and after everyone was in the room, Mr. Cullen closed the door.

"I had been thinking about what would be, the best subject for us to discuss in class, what would be relevant for you, what is on your mind. So I came up with a group of connected subjects that go beyond age, beyond time, beyond culture, beyond religion…"- He stopped and wrote on the board LOVE=LUST=SEX, and the rooms was filled with murmurs.-…"I see I caught your attention, so you agree with this?" – He sat on his desk and crossed his legs, like he had done the day before and scanned the room, waiting for someone to answer.

"No volunteers? Don't tell me you are going to force me to call your name out. Come on, I'm sure you all have experienced some if not all of those things, so do you agree with that?"

"I don't think I do"-Jessica said-"I mean you can have sex with someone, and not love that person"

"Ok, so sex does not require love, is that it?"

"Yes, but is lot better when there is loved involved."- Angela said timidly and blushing.

"So what makes it different?"

"It just feels different." – Jessica said

"Why?"-

"I think sex is all about the physical and love is about emotions"- Ben said. Mr. Cullen smiled with enthusiasm.

"So there is sex without love, but is there love without sex? And where is lust in all of this?"

"I think you can really love someone and just be friends." – Jacob said to my surprise. Was he talking about us?

"But doesn't love lead to lust or sex?"- Mr. Cullen asked.

"That depends, if the other person loves you back or not. If she doesn't you can choose to move on, or be patient and wait"- I could feel Jacob's eyes on me; it surprised me that he was talking about this in front of the whole class.

"That's stupid!" –Mike said.

"Why?"

"Well, why waste your time in someone that doesn't you. You should just move on."

"But what if your feelings are so strong that are unable to do that?"

"I don't think people do that." – Seth said

"Not people, guys. They don't do that, they just move on to the next one." – Leah said

"Do you think they do that because that their nature, of because they just didn't love enough?"- Mr. Cullen asked

"They don't love enough; all they want is the sex part."- Jessica said

I was very quiet, I just listened, I had no experience to share, I had never really been in love with someone, so never felt the need to think about sex. The class continued as almost everyone talked about their opinion on love and sex. The time just flew by and the bell rang.

"For next class, I want you to bring me a definition of love, and find an example from a novel or a movie or a song, closer to that definition. See you all on Thursday."

I gather my things, and was kind of confused with all that had been said, it felt kind of strange not to be able to be a part of the conversation.

It was in times like this that I felt the weight of been different, sometimes I wish I was just like all the other girls, like Angela, she and Ben had been together for more than a year, I remembered when she told about the night she had lost her virginity, for me it was kind of gross to hear that, and for a while I couldn't look at Ben's face without seeing flashes of what Angela had told me. But deep down I envied her, she had found someone she love enough to share a moment like that with, someone to go out and share dreams. I wished I had someone like that.

It would be so easy if I just someone like Jacob; we were already close friends we told each other everything, almost everything, it would be comfort, calm, peaceful. The problem was, that, there was no passion, with that thought, I understood the meaning of Mr. Cullen's words, LOVE=LUST=SEX, I loved Jacob but it was not the kind of love that lead to lust, to burning passionate desire, that the great love stories were about. I had never settled for normality in anything in my life, I had always sought what was beyond normal, I wanted more, I wanted the unachievable, I wanted the kind of love that you read in books, and that was why I was so different from my friends.

When I thought of falling in love, I didn't want comfort and peacefulness, I wanted passion, I wanted a Romeo and Juliet kind of love, of course, I knew that kind of love always ended in bad ways, but wasn't it like Tennyson said «Better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all». Was I crazy to seek and wait for something like that? Did a love like that exist? Or was it just the fruit of someone imagination. Would I waste the opportunity of been loved just by waiting for something that wasn't real? But what if it was? What if there was someone out there that could unveil this feeling in my heart?

I was so lost in my thoughts that without realizing, I had walked to history class, which was now over, and I was on my way to the meeting for this month's paper.

"Bella, wait…"?" – Jacob asked me pulling me out of my thoughts.-"Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because, of what I said in class."- I knew immediately about what he was referring to, but I was not comfortable to talk about that.

"Oh, that?" – Jacob looked anxious at the sound of my words.

"I meant what I said…about…the… way I feel…" – I opened my mouth to speak, but he continue before I had a chance to talk.-"I know you don't feel the same, and I'm sorry to have said that in class, I just wanted you to know how I feel and that I value our friendship," – He took my hand in his, and looked in my eyes, his eyes filled with love.-"what I'm trying to say…is that…if you just want us to be friend…I can live with that…I rather have you has a friend and not have in my live."-

I had no idea where all of this was coming from, and what to think about that.

"Jacob, I have to go…we'll talk latter, ok?"- A big smile filled Jacob's face."

"Great…see you tonight; you could help me with my homework?"

"I'll text you."

I turned my back to him, before he said anything else, I was too confused at the moment, and this was definitely not the time to think about these things. I was more anxious and interested in the meeting I was about to have, I had at least on more hour with Mr. Cullen.

When I got there, Lauren and Eric were already inside, I greeted them, and as I was sitting down, Mr. Cullen got in with Angela and Connor. We shared with him all of our ideas, and he love them all, except the one about his interview.

"Como on Mr. Cullen, I mean Edward…I'm sure everyone in this school is died to get to know you a little better"- Lauren said, twisting a lock of her hair in a seductive way.

"You said in class that knowing you, was part of your teaching method"- Angela said, Mr. Cullen's hand went through his hair, he closed his eyes and sighed, the small gesture made me melt in my seat.

"Ok, I got me… I'll do it, with one condition that I have the final word on what will be printed. Agree?-They all look at me, waiting for my response, since I was the one who was suppose the interview him.

"I thought you were giving us freedom, to write what we wanted?" – I asked. I wonder why he had that condition, was he worried what I would be writing about him?

"I 'am, but…are you the one who will be doing the interview?"

"Yes, and they also decided that I would be responsible for all the work, if you agree." – A beautiful smile came across his lips, and his eyes were filled with…with relief?

"I most certainly agree…I must say I'm a bit amazed with the ideas you came up with, you sure you will do a great job, and since Bella is now responsible, you will report to her, and she will report to me. There is no need for me to be here every day. OK?" – I will report to him? That would mean we would have to spend extra time together, without the rest of team. That was fine with me. But Lauren seemed a bit disappointed and pouted.

"So does that mean we don't get to see you after school, what if we need help with something?"

"I'm sure Bella will be capable of helping you, but if she's not I'll be happy to help." – Lauren was a happy camper again.

With that everyone went to their desk to work on their assignments, there was only Mr. Cullen and I sitting around the meeting desk. He came closer to me leaning on the desk. And spoke in a low soft voice, so I would be the only one to hear-"You don't know how relieved I am that you are the one doing this interview, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, I just worried about what kind of article would be if someone like Lauren was writing it. I know this sounds bad, but you have no idea what I have to go through sometimes." – I smiled and remember what he had said about his image, this morning.

"Well, that's the price of having the image of a hot looking teacher."- I gave me a crooked smile that took my breath away.

"I guess you're right." – Our eyes met and that electrical warm feeling that radiated from his body, invade every inch of mine, making me melt into my chair, again I was unable to think or to even speak. It took all of my strength to gain my ability to think, but I wasn't strong enough to look away.

"When do you think, you'll have some free time for the interview?"

"We can do it now if want."

"Now? That's not a good idea; I need time to prepare myself."

"Oh…right. Tell me…if you can…what do you have in mind?"

"Well I was thinking something, like the man behind the teacher, with a little background and plans for the future…since Angela will be doing the piece about Mr. J. around her work has a teacher, I wanted to something a bit different, more about the real you. Maybe even get you brother on it too, something like «The Cullen Brother's, the men versus the teachers»", what do you think?" – He had a pleasured look on his face.

"I like it, do you want do it here in school? I'm afraid I have most of the week full."

"I would really like to do it somewhere else, like in a favorite place of yours, so it is more about you and not the work you do, unless you feel more comfortable doing the interview here at school." – He had a troubled look in his face, like he was debating on the right thing to do.

"I just move here so I don't really have a favorite place, so why don't you choose your favorite place, let me know where it is and I'll meet there…is this Saturday good for you? Maybe in the morning?"

"This Saturday?" – I didn't have any doubts about being available; I was just letting the thought of spending Saturday morning with Mr. Cullen sink into my mind. And I got to choose the place, my heart swell with happiness. I knew I was been delusional, but the thought of being alone with him and being able to ask him about himself was overwhelming.

"If you have any plans, we can do it some other day."

"No I don't have any plans, unless you count homework and laundry that kind of thing."

"Humm…where would you like to meet?"

"Do you know where the Japanese Friendship Garden is?"

"No, but that why GPS was invented, right? What time?"

"At 10 am, that's when it opens, and that way I can still get some things done around the house before that."- He looked at me in a puzzled way, like he wanted to ask me something, but he didn't, he just sighed.

"Ok then Saturday it is."

The rest of the week flew by, Renee went out with Phil every night, she was walking on clouds, I had never seen her like this before. Jacob came over a couple of nights, we did our home work, watched TV, he never mentioned the talk we had and neither did I.

I choose Romeo and Juliet for my English assignment, and tried to come up with an interesting definition for love but was unable to do one that actually satisfied me. Did I even know what love was? I knew that something had change in my live since Monday, I knew the way Mr. Cullen made me feel, but was that love? Or was I just like the other girls, just attracted to his looks. And that according to him was just lust.

At night he haunted all of my dreams, I had never had dreams like that before, they started in different places, but all ended the same way, with my lips on his, with my hands on his body, with his hands on mine, I was going insane.

It was Friday night I had done all of my homework, did the laundry dusted and vacuum the house I was pumped with energy, maybe due to the thought that in a few hours I would be with Mr. Cullen, way from school.

I had written down all the questions for the interview, I already had interviewed Emmet this morning, it had been a lot of fun, he was truly a funny guy. I had learned that he was engaged, and would be getting married during the summer, he also told me they had another sister, and that she was engaged too and that they would be getting married on the same day. He then joked about how Edward would be the only single one in the family. I wanted to ask him if Edward had a girlfriend, but I wasn't brave enough.

I played my favorite calming CD and let my thought run free, until I was finally asleep.