Sorry for taking so long to update! Here's chapter 3!

Edward,

I just received the most amazing news! I was offered an exclusive spot at a local news paper in Phoenix for an internship! Isn't it great! I mean it means I can't come see you but we'll meet each other eventually. I'm just so super stoked. The college has allowed me to go ahead and move into the dorm even though my room mate won't be there until September. I'll live in the dorm and go to work at the newspaper just like in the real world! It's crazy! I leave two weeks after graduation. When are you arriving in Chicago?

Bella

Of course it was another two months before I heard from him making it April but the letter was great.

Bella,

I'm so happy for you! It sucks we won't get to see each other this summer but this is such an awesome once in a lifetime opportunity for you I wouldn't dare try and take away from you. I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you. We've had some minor developments in a cell we've been tracking. We got them which is good but again not without injury. A suicide bomber blew the house up with us about fifteen feet away. We were all knocked back from the blast. I was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and had some minor smoke inhalation but I'm fine now. Others weren't so lucky and I won't go into detail. My paperwork is almost done on my end its just getting the bastards back home to get off their lardasses and do their work. I should arrive at the end of June. I'll be going to New York at the end of August. My plan is to spend the summer doing nothing. I want to sleep all day, stay up all night, and never do PT again.

Edward

I couldn't contain myself and wrote back immediately.

Edward,

I'm so happy you're okay! Was anyone seriously hurt aside from the dumbass that blew up a house? I've done some research on Chicago and while I know you're from there, there are some things I want you to check out. There's a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight on July 7th at the Rockland Theater. There's also going to be an exhibit of Jane Austen inspired art at the museum on August 5th. Promise me you'll check those out? I all ready found my own midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to go to on the same day in Phoenix. You won't have to dress up (I sure as hell won't) but I think it would be hilarious and a normal American thing to do. Hopefully nothing keeps you from writing this time.

Bella

A month later I got my response.

Bella,

I will most definitely check those out and you're right about dressing up. I really couldn't see myself in Tim Curry transvestite fishnets. No, no one was seriously injured in the bombing, thank God, but it was definitely a blow to our ego. I managed to swipe the net from our base camp and found a Byron reading at a coffee house in Phoenix on August 5th. I'm hoping you'll be there as I will be looking at Austen inspired paintings the whole day, not that I mind. I can't wait to get home and have a deep dish. It's been my craving now for four years. I want junk food and daytime T.V. more than anything though. Is Jerry Springer still around? I could really use some bitch slapping. Your prom must be coming up... have you decided amongst your "suitors"?

Edward

I wanted to smack him upside the back of his head.

Edward,

I have no 'suitors'. There's Eric, who works on the paper with me, that has been bugging me about prom. Tyler, who thinks he can guilt me into going and Mike, who still won't back off. I told them I'm going to Seattle with my dad that weekend. I don't do dances. Remember I'm a klutz? Anything higher than a sneaker and I fall on my ass let alone trying to be cute and dance. No thank you. I will be at the Byron reading no doubt. Jerry was canceled so daytime T.V. sucks ass these days but there's always the drama for Sami on Days of Our Lives? I hear she's stuck between the guy who played the cop on that twisted soap with witches and the bad boy millionaire named after Elvis Presley. Jake stayed home from school last week, he had pneumonia, and called to tell me all about it like I actually watched it. I don't do soaps or T.V. really for that matter. I much prefer a good movie.

Bella

I didn't receive anything from Edward until two days before I left for Phoenix but the address was different this time. It was from Chicago.

Bella,

I'm home... I'm actually home. I literally stepped off the plane, grabbed my bag, ran for the exit and kissed the blacktop. Of course this earned stares which erupted into applause and several pats on the back, thank you's, and hand shakes. I was wearing my uniform. My mom has been indulging me in ice cream, deep dish pizza's, Little Debbie cakes, and Reddi Whip since I got home which has been a week. It took a while to get back into the swing of midwestern time along with me getting all my shit straight. I got my car out of storage, a Volvo, and I've spent most of my free time tuning it up and cleaning the inside. I also went and got a cell phone which took me forever to figure out. Stupid touch screen. It's a blackberry or something like that I don't know but I keep hitting three buttons at the same time rather than one. It's driving me nuts but the guy selling it to me told me it was the best he had, it better have been for nearly 400 bucks, and then talked me into a bundle deal. I have the internet on my phone, it serves as its on WiFi, has GPS, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I haven't been out of circulation or anything, I knew these things existed, its just having them at my fingertips is weird. I've been stateside for short trips home before going back for more tours but never for very long. I figured out the whole Sami thing on that soap... she can't decide if she wants the money or the sex from the cop guy. She'll get it or they'll write in another douchebag for her to fall in love with. I guess by now you've deserted prom, you should have went, and have graduated. Congratulations! I should probably say something profound here but I'm just going to give you the same advice my dad gave me when I graduated from high school. Get drunk, get shitfaced, but don't do anything dumb. You can write me back at this address or you can call me... 202-555-1231. I also have texting which I know everyone does so you can do that.

Edward

I had his number... I have the chance to hear his voice. What was the time difference between Chicago and Washington? I ran into the house and grabbed my phone and took a picture of me sticking my tongue out then sent it to him. Moments later my phone buzzed.

I wouldn't have known who it was if I hadn't seen those brown eyes.-E

I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I sent the picture. What time is it there?-b

Noon... it's a cute tongue.-E

Thanks... I think.-b

Can I call you?-E

If you want to.-b

It seemed like an eternity until the phone actually rang its usual ring tone, Kool and Gang. God I needed to change that when I remembered that my ringback tone was Vanilla Ice. Shit! I fumbled the phone in my hand hitting the send button and dropping the phone at the same time.

"Fuck!" I shouted as I flew off the bed and ended up doing a flip trying to catch it causing my ass great injury.

"Bella?" a voice shouted from the phone.

I put it up to my ear, "I'm here."

"You okay?" he asked. His voice was velvet smooth with a little bit of a laugh and little bit of worry.

"I'm fine. I told you I was a klutz. I dropped the phone and when I went to catch it I flipped off the bed." I said rubbing my ass as I stood up.

"You should be more careful." he said laughing.

"Yeah, yeah." I answered back.

"I take it you got my letter?" he said with an obvious smile in his voice.

"Yeah. I got it today. How's it feel to be home?" I asked. Idiot he told you in the letter!

"It's amazing! I sleep when I want to, wake up when I want to and it's raining. I ran outside the house and stood in it for a good twenty minutes. My mom finally made me come in the house but not before making me strip in the garage. She was muttering something about puddles on her marble floors." he answered laughing.

"Marble floors?" I asked laying back on my bed.

"Yeah, its a big house. My dad's chief of staff at Cook County Hospital." he said.

"Like ER?" I asked. I sound so stupid!

He laughed and answered, "Yeah, like ER. It's not the same hospital obviously but its the one based off the show I guess."

"Does your dad look like George Clooney or Noah Wylie?" I asked then smacked myself in the forehead.

"I really don't think so. My dad is blond." he said laughing. "You're pretty funny."

"Yeah that's me, Funny Bella." I muttered.

We ended up talking for three more hours when he had to go to some dinner party his mom had planned. He sounded like he didn't want to go but he promised he'd text me before he went to bed. I reminded him of the time difference and he said he'd take it into account. Later that night just as I was drifting off to sleep my phone buzzed on my bedside table.

Sleeping?-e

Close but no cigar.-b

I'm too wired to sleep. By the way how'd you get that music to play instead of ringing?-E

It's a program. Call me tomorrow and I'll explain it to you. Like my Ice Ice Baby?-b

Love it.-E

BTW is by the way.-b

You're not going to make me talk in text speak are you?-E

Like OMG, LOL, LMAO!-b

HA HA, very funny. It's got to be at least midnight. Go to bed. I'll call you when I wake up tomorrow.-E

K. I leave for Phoenix the after next.-b

Let me know when you leave and land.-E

K.-b

Bella?-E

Yeah?-b

Sweet dreams, ice ice baby.-E

F U.-b

I slept peacefully and woke the next morning to dreams of Edward in parachute pants and a hightop. I couldn't stop laughing. Two hours later I received a text.

Morning.-E

I dreamed about you last night.-b

This could get interesting.-E

You were Vanilla Ice.-b

Dear God!-E

LMAO. I couldn't help it! It was hilarious! I woke up this morning laughing my ass off.-b

I never wore parachute pants in the 80's.-E

You were what 2! How could you have worn parachute pants?-b

I did however sport a mullet when I was ten.-E

Oh. My. God.-b

Don't tell anyone.-E

THAT'S PRICELESS!-b

A few minutes passed and I received a picture of a picture. It was Edward as a child with none other than a full on mullet.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!-b

Told you.-E

Well I didn't grow up in the 80's.-b

You have to have an embarrassing picture of yourself with a bad hairdo or something.-E

Of course I did and found a picture in my album of the year that my dad did my hair for school pictures. He'd tried high pig tails but of course they were uneven and it just so happened to be the year I'd lost my two front teeth within two weeks of each other.

That's adorable not embarrassing.-E

My dad tried to do my hair that year.-b

Well you were still adorable.-E

Thanks.-b

What are your plans for today?-E

Packing.-b

Ah.-E

What about you?-b

Sleep.-E

You need to get off your ass.-b

I need to not be alone.-E

Sorry.-b

Yeah, you had to get that internship didn't you?-E

Well, what did you want me to do? Say no to a what did you call it once in a lifetime opportunity?-b

I know I just wanted to see you.-E

Maybe I'll fly out to New York for x-mas or something.-b

That'd be great.-E

Really?-b

Yeah, my parents are going to the Bahama's with my sister.-E

I didn't know you had a sister.-b

Rose isn't the nicest person.-E

What's that supposed to mean?-b

She's gorgeous.-E

Yeah?-b

She knows it.-E

Ah...-b

She's great don't get me wrong, shes just used to getting what she wants. When Emmett told her no in high school she kicked him in the balls.-E

Damn. Emmett's the one at Notre Dame?-b

Good memory. Yeah, we all went to high school together. Rose and I are twins.-E

That's really cool. I'm obviously an only child. I tried to get my dad to date but he took my mom's passing really hard.-b

I'm sure. Shouldn't you be packing?-E

I am.-b

But you stop every few minutes to text.-E

That's life.-b

You sure?-E

Positive.-b

Good because I love talking to you.-E

Me too.-b

Tell me about your room.-E

What do you want to know?-b

What's it like?-E

Its a room dumbass. Its got a bed and a desk and the rocking chair from my nursery and a book shelf.-b

What's on the bookshelf?-E

I'm doing it now. Bronte, Austen, Hawthorne, Shakespeare.-b

Classics.-b

The best.-b

Obviously.-E

What's in your room?-b

The same.-E

Show me.-b

A few minutes later I received a video message. He was standing from a doorway I assume looking into a massive room. The large king size bed was on the right wall in the center with bedside tables on each side. The far wall held two huge windows letting in sunlight. The left wall held a dresser and above it a flat screen T.V. mounted on the wall. On either side of the dresser were book cases full of books.

That's huge!-b

I guess.-E

My room is pretty small.-b

Let me see.-E

I sent him my own video message showing him the mess of my room stacked with boxes.

I like the bay window.-E

Me too. I like to sit there and read.-b

I'd do the same.-E

I just thought of something.-b

What's that?-E

I hope that you all enjoyed this story. As always, please review even if to say "God stop writing please!". I want to hear what you think and I'm open to hearing any and all ideas for this story. I've had some issues with my medication, for those of you who don't know I'm bipolar, but its all sorted out. I found it incrediably hard to write lately, but slowly its coming back to me. Please be patient with me. I'm also working on some of my favorite stories in my cache here. I'll be removing stories I won't be writing anymore. I'm sorry if this upsets people, but if the story isn't calling me and the characters don't talk then I can't write. Some of these fics I've posted are long gone and won't be coming back. I've written two 'In the Book' stories and posted them here. One is titled 'The Book' and the other is 'A Twisted Reality'. For my loyal readers, I beg of you to please read and review these stories. I really need to know if their worth continuing. Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed reading this. Loves and kisses, Whitney