The car ride was awkward. Real awkward.

Neither Edward nor Bella said a single word for the first 10 minutes of the journey and there was still another 15 to go since Edward had silently decided to take the long way. He wasn't sure why but he just longed to spend more time with her. Especially in the confinement of his Volvo.

"So how've you been?" He finally asked, the sound of his voice although just above a whisper was a quiet shout breaking the silence that had trapped them before.

Bella nodded her head and said, "Okay, what about you?"

Her voice was shaking slightly but she prayed that he hadn't noticed.

But of course he had. And he smirked slightly; enjoying the effect that he knew had on her but the voice inside his head was still mentally kicking him for putting himself in this situation and for feeling and thinking this way about one of his students.

"Fine. So how weird is it knowing your teacher personally?" He replied, leaning over and nudging her in a joking manner but the electric current he felt shoot through his arm demolished all humour in his mind.

Bella chuckled, trying to join in what seemed to be a trying casual conversation but the nerves were getting to her every time he glanced in her direction.

"It's kinda weird but to be honest if Ali's okay with it then no one else should really have a problem with it. Besides you're a good teacher." She responded, throwing the compliment in at the end.

Edward's head went back slightly and his eyebrows rose at the comment before smiling and saying, "Really? You think so?"

Again Bella nodded.

"Yeah, I mean I know it was only your first day, but you just have a real way of connecting with us."

With me! Especially with me!

While Bella told her mental desperation to shut up, Edward laughed and seemed pleased with the response.

When they finally arrived outside the Swan residence it had started to rain.

"Wow. Just how I remember it." He said, staring out the windshield in awe of how the house was exactly the same as it was three years ago when he'd showed up to collect Alice.

"Not really a fan of change." Bella replied, laughing nervously, causing Edward to smile back at her.

Her heart stopped beating for about 0.5 seconds.

"Well, thanks for the ride. I appreciate it, I really do." Bella said heart-fully.

As she reached for the door handle, she felt Edward's hand graze her shoulder, making a shiver run down her spine. She turned to face him and was surprised to see him sliding out of his jacket.

"Here, it's raining take my jacket." She was about to protest but he gave her a look that said, 'you're not going to win so just take it.'

"Thanks, I'll give it to you tomorrow, or send it over with Alice tonight." Bella suggested gratefully.

But Edward shrugged her off with a wave of his hand and said, "Don't worry about it Bells, you keep it."

A shock ran through her at the sound of how casually he had used her nickname.

And she loved it.

She smiled at him, earning one of his stunning, crooked ones right back before stepping out of the car and running up the porch steps.

She turned and waved him goodbye but the smile that she'd been wearing slowly started to fade as she watched his car drive off into the distance, but she knew one thing was for certain…

Bella couldn't wait for school tomorrow.