A/N: So, it looks like I'll be having more time to update…. Yeah I don't really wanna talk about it. I'm going to try to make this chapter really good and I'll might even read over it to catch some of the grammar and spelling mistakes. Aren't you lucky?

PS... I didn't read over it! XD I never do!

Chapter 17

The sounds of the room seemed to be like a mirage in the distance. I could faintly hear the beep of a machine and it seemed to crescendo as time progressed. I felt the feather light touches of someone moving hair from my face and then I was inhaling the familiar scent of Edward.

I willed my eyes open and I saw Edward leaning toward me, an encouraging smile was firmly on his face. His eyes widened with excitement as he reached toward me. "Bella?" He whispered softly at first as if I weren't really awake. "How do you feel?"

I raised a hand to my face and gently placed it on my right cheek. My fingers came in contact with the soft bandage material and then I winced at the searing pain from my cheek. "Ouch?" I clenched my teeth.

Edward leaned toward me taking my hand from my face. "It's going to be tender for awhile." He whispered stroking my hand lightly.

I looked up into his eyes and saw that they were smoldering into mine for the first time in a long time. I hadn't admitted it to myself the fact that our love wasn't like it had always been. It seemed like ever since the letter our love had decreased in passion and emotion. It just wasn't the same.

"Edward." I called his name softly.

He stood coming closer to my side." Yes love?" He asked.

I reached toward him. "Closer." I said inaudibly.

His eyes were fraught with worry. He leaned closer to me until his face was about a foot from mine. "Bella?" He asked in a worried tone.

I leaned up toward him and close the short distance between us kissing him softly. His lips were sweet and tender against mine. I knew that he understood where I was coming from. He also knew that it was different now, the passion was back.

He pulled away slowly and I opened my eyes to read his expression. "You have a letter." He whispered pulling an off white colored envelope from behind his back.

"Can you open it for me?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Sure."

I hadn't told Edward that I was going to Stanford. I hadn't told anyone that in order to cover the surgery I had to spend a lot of my NYU money. I definitely hadn't told Edward that because of this my NYU option was gone. I had but one option now. My only option was thousands of miles away in California.

I focused my guilty conscience on Edward who was running his eyes over the letter. His mouth turned down into a frown and when he looked up he didn't meet my eyes.

"What is it?" I asked grasping for the letter in his hand.

He shook his head. "You've got some trips to take with the writer's program. They're asking that you be there in three weeks."

I groaned. "What? Look at me. I won't be better in three weeks." I felt the tear building up in my eyes and I wondered if it had anything to do with the stress building on my shoulders.

"Yes, I believe it will be more like two weeks before you're out of the hospital." Carlisle's optimistic voice entered our heavy conversation.

I pulled myself to a seated position. "But what about my ribs."

He shrugged. "As long as you're not too terribly active you should be fine to heal."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Sure, anything's possible."

He checked a couple things off on his clipboard and then he strode out the door. Edward sat quietly on the edge of my bed. The atmosphere between us was tense and I didn't need to be some kind of energy reader to know that.

"So you're going to Stanford." It was a statement, not a question.

I nodded slowly figuring I'd better tell him the truth now instead of later. "I spent the NYU college money on my surgery." I stated simply. "It seems like the right choice though."

He nodded. "Good then."

I reached up until my hand found his cheek. I slowly ran my thumb under his eye as I caressed his cheek gently. "I love you I whispered."

He leaned into my hand and crouched forward placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "I love you too."

RPOV

I was pulled into tight hug as soon as I stepped out of the car.

"Oh my goodness. You're okay!" Jordan was talking quickly with anxiety.

I patted him on the back. "Yeah, Bella got the worst of it." I admitted as I glanced longingly toward the cabins.

Jonathan must have followed my gaze because he knocked Jordan aside and gave me a quick hug. "You four must be tired. Go get some sleep."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks. And I am."

Nancy threw my arm over her shoulder and helped me hobble over toward the waiting cabins. Conley and Jake followed behind us a couple of paces and they were talking quietly. With much effort Nancy and I got up the stairs and to my suitcase.

I sat down on my bunk and rifled through the few possessions I had brought. I found the cute pajama set I had gotten for my birthday and awkwardly stood pulling off my shorts and scooting them around my cast. I replaced my shorts with the pajama shorts and did the same for my shirt. By the time I had managed to put stuff in the dirty clothes and get settled on my bed I could already see Nancy soundly asleep.

The door opened and Conley silently stepped in closing the door quietly behind her. She had a grin on her face and her eyes were in a daze. She was obviously in love.

"He's the one." She whispered quietly. I wasn't sure if she had known I was awake until her eyes met mine. "I'm serious. I'm gonna marry him, Rachel."

Studying her face, it was hard to doubt her. "What does it feel like?" I asked bluntly.

The weirdest expression crossed her face. "Hm," She paused and looked up as if thinking deeply about my question. "It like when you're going down the hill of a roller coaster and you're scared to death but yet you love the thrill. It's like chocolate covered strawberries on a warm summer night, sweet and tangy." She paused again. "And it's like the first day of spring when the flowers peep out from hiding and you twirl around falling back into them like you did when you were a child."

I could see the images flash through my mind vividly. My heart leaped with the roller coaster, felt desire for the fruit, and felt the innocence of a small child. I yearned for the love she describes and silently commended her for finding it.

Seeming satisfied with her words, Conley silently crept to her suitcase and shuffled through her clothes. She pulled out a tank top and some shorts and proceeded to pull them on. I glanced over at Nancy who was still soundly asleep. She had her ear buds in her ear as she dozed peacefully. I wondered if every girl struggled with the need to find love.

I had known Conley and Nancy since sophomore year in high school and found I could tell them everything. I remember when we were younger we would discuss wanting to find our "princes". Looking back on it now, I saw that our dreams of fairytale endings were childish. Disney ruined every girl who thought she would find her prince. It seems like, nowadays, all the good guys were either taken or gay.

I found my thoughts trailing back to my junior and senior year in high school. Looking back on it, it had been one of the best times of my life. Jonathan and I were super close and I was utterly in love with him. I was so infatuated with him that I didn't see that he truly was a lovesick puppy over Nancy. Conley had tried to tell me that her brother was extremely dense, but I didn't believe her. After a couple of words exchanged and broken hearts, I began to see that he just wasn't the one for me.

Then there was Jordan. Jordan had moved into our lives the summer before my senior year. He fell for me, hard. He chased me around for the year as I chased around Jonathan. That's when Conley developed feelings for him. They went off on a competition trip while I went off on a trip for class. They started dating that weekend right when I found myself falling for him. Conley was just in eighth grade at the time and I didn't have a date for prom. I invited Jordan although I felt extremely guilty because he was dating Conley. Neither my crush, nor their relationship lasted very long.

"What are you laughing at?" A laughable face was on Conley's face as she tilted her head sideways.

I shrugged apathetically. "Just thinking about how I started liking Jordan when you were dating him."

She scrunched her nose up as if smelling something disgusting. "Yeah, that never happened. I don't know what you're talking about."

I nodded sighing. "Ah, right. Never happened."

She sat on her bed and pulled her feet under the covers. "You better believe it."

A/N: I'm glad you like the different POVs. In light of my recent experiences, I've thought of a good way to end this story. There's only going to be a couple of chapters left of this particular installment then I will soon be starting the last part. This was just a short little interim story between the two big ones. I'm not sure how much you'll like my recent discovery to end it but I'm sure you'll like where I'm headed with the next story. Just trust me and I promise I won't let you fall.

How did you like the glimpse into Rachel's history? It gives you a little more knowledge on the subject and it's vital info… well not really. Anyway here you go!

Kayla XD :o :S