Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, etc…… I just like using them as puppets.

Chapter 22

BPOV

Our Bahamas vacation was truly amazing. We head home to get ready for college.

All six of us move our stuff to campus the same day. Thank God our parents hired movers. I was not in the mood to lift furniture. We are renting a big house with enough room for all six of us to live. Of course each couple paired off into a bedroom. My first thought…I am a little worried about living 24/7 with Edward. What if I completely drive him crazy and he decides dating me is the biggest mistake of his life. STOP STOP STOP…. I cannot think that way….

After unpacking our clothes and other personal items, Rose and Emmett decide they need a break so they head down to the pizza parlor to pick up some dinner for all of us. Alice and Jasper are STILL in their room putting Alice's clothes away. We made sure they got the bedroom with the biggest closet, but it still might not be big enough.

Edward and I are in the kitchen unpacking the boxes. I am putting away the plates and cups as Edward is working on the drawers of silverware and other utensils. We have the little iPod speakers gently filling the kitchen with music as we work. Currently Billy Joel songs are playing. I just love his songs. They remind me of when I was little. My dad always listened to them and even played some of the songs on the piano. So Billy's songs bring a smile to my face, thinking about happy times. An old song begins that I haven't heard for so long. I stand looking out the window as 'You're My Home' plays.

When you look into my eyes and you see the crazy gypsy in my soul
it always comes as a surprise when I feel my withered roots begin to grow
well I never had a place that I could call my very own
but that's all right my love cuz you're my home.

I cannot help but get a little teary eyed as I think of where I am. Standing in our home, mine, the love of my life and our best friends.

When you touch my weary head and you tell me everything will be all right
You say use my body for your bed and my love will keep you warm throughout the night

Softly I feel Edward's arm reach around my waist and he pulls me back into his chest. We slowly rock back and forth with the music.

Well I'll never be a stranger and I'll never be alone
wherever we're together that's my home.

He turns me around in his arms and holds me tightly as we sway while the song continues. I rest my head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart.

Home could be the Pennsylvania turnpike
Indiana's early morning dew
high up in the hills of California
home is just another word for you

Well I never had a place that I could call my very own
but that's all right my love cuz you're my home

I look up to Edward and find his green eyes shining down at me. He leans down and kisses me, silent as a whisper, as the song finishes.

If I travel all my life and I never get stop and settle down
long as I have you by my side there's a roof above and good walls all around
you're my castle, you're my cabin and my instant pleasure dome
I need you in my house
cuz you're my home.. you're my home.

I can't stop a few tears that sneak out from the side of my eyes. He just smiles as he brushes them away with soft strokes of his fingers. The door bursts open to Emmett carrying six large pizzas and yelling "Come on ya bitches…Food Is Here!!!" Edward and I just laugh at our friend. Emmett will never change. He will always be loud and boisterous and the life of the party. And truthfully we would not want him any other way.

Quickly our lives fall into a routine. Classes, homework, meals, everything flying by as if we are in a tornado of activity. Before we know it, the year is almost over. We have not had much time for a social life. All six of us are carrying pretty heavy class loads. But it is nice to lay in Edward's arms every night, falling asleep to his heart beat. Don't get me wrong, we have had time to romp in the sheets here and there, but we haven't really gone out on a 'date' in forever.

It has been about a month since we have been intimate. School has been tough and Edward has been coming home late for the past three weeks. We haven't really talked or seen much of each other. He is working on a project for one of his classes and has been spending each weekday afternoon with his lab partner in the library. HER name is skank….I mean slut… I mean Tanya. Yes, the same Tanya from high school. The same bitch that almost stopped us from getting together. The one he was dancing with at the school dance and I thought my chance was gone. What are the odds she would come to the same college as us and get paired up with Edward? She is still a complete whore and I know she would love nothing more than to dig her claws into my man. I have purposely done my homework all week this week at the library so I can keep an eye on her. I try to keep my distance so I don't look like the obsessive girlfriend keeping tabs on her man.

Today is no different. She is sitting way too close for my comfort and keeps batting her fake fucking eyelashes at him, hanging on every word he says. Edward seems oblivious to the massive flirting. I get up from the table and take a walk. Breathing in deeply the smell of old paperbacks and newsprint. I finally calm myself enough to head back to my table in the corner of the room. Just in time to sit, then see Edward smile at Tanya. I want to smack the back of his head. I know she thinks he approves of her advances. He doesn't…does he? I mean look at them. He doesn't move away when she touches his arm. Does he like it, or is he really not paying attention? I cannot take anymore of the torture and pack up to leave. I feel sick and it isn't like I am getting anything accomplished anyway.

I stand and grab my bag. I look up as I place it on my shoulder and see Tanya kiss Edward's cheek. He leans in and says something in her ear and my heart breaks. My chair scraps loudly across the wooden floor as I try to get away as quickly as possible. It catches their attention and Edward just looks at me with a blank expression on his face. It is taking everything in me not to cry as I see him with her. Tanya is glaring at me like I am interrupting something. I bolt out of the library and the tears start to flow. I am getting pissed as I walk to our house. HOW DARE HE DO THIS TO ME!!!! How dare he rather be with her? I get home completely enraged. I throw my shit in our room...our room, ha... the bag opens and it all scatters across the floor. Fuck it. Alice asks me what is wrong but I try to ignore her. She isn't having any of it.

"What the fuck do you want Alice? Huh? You want me to tell you that I just witnessed your fucking brother sitting with that slut Tanya and she is fawning all over him and he is eating it up. Oh...and I just saw her kiss him on the cheek. SHE FUCKING KISSED HIM ALICE AND HE LEANED IN TO WHISPER IN HER EAR. WHAT THE FUCK!!!"

"Bella calm down" Alice started "I am sure it is not what you think. He loves you Bella. He would never cheat on you."

I snort a pissed laugh. "I have to get out of here Alice. I can't take this. I have barely seen him in almost a month, and then I see this tonight. I gotta go."

I throw some shorts and a t-shirt in my gym bag and run to the campus workout center ignoring what Alice is trying to say to me. I need to do something to get this aggression out. Something to make me forget that my world is falling apart.

I quickly change in the locker room and head into the main workout room. Emmett is there pumping iron and waves to me as I head to the treadmill. He drops the weights and runs up to me. "What is wrong Bella honey. You don't look so good."

"I can't talk about it right now Emmett" I breathe out. I can feel the tears swelling and I don't want to cry here. I walk away from him and get on a treadmill as I put my ear buds in and crank my iPod to Metallica. I don't want to listen to any lovey dovey shit right now. I gotta focus on something else.

I start running, as if my life depends on it. As if I am running away from every feeling of insecurity and self doubt that I have. I am so lost in my thoughts I don't pay attention to the person who gets on the treadmill next to me. It takes him waving at me to snap me out of the scrutiny of my life.

I pull the ear buds from my ears. "I said you need to slow down a bit before you have a heart attack." He shouts.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I got lost in my head for a moment" I reply as I notice I am running like a mad woman. Damn my legs are going to hurt tomorrow. I decide I have had enough and climb off the machine.

He follows and smiles at me "My name is Riley. What's yours?" He reaches out to shake my hand.

I offer mine to be polite "I'm Bella."

"Nice to meet you Bella" he says. I look over and see Emmett staring at me and glaring at Riley. What the fuck is his problem?

"Bella, you want to go play a game of racquetball with me?" Riley asks.

"Um sure, but I don't know how to play." I stumble.

"Not a problem, I'll show you." He grins and leads me to the racquetball room. There are two courts next to each other and I notice a running track in the air surrounding them. Weird.

Both courts are currently taken but a couple on the right court tells us they are almost finished. We decide to wait for them. I am feeling like I want to hit something very hard. Maybe I can imagine the ball is that cunt's face. Yes!!!! Good idea…… Riley and I bullshit about school and classes for about twenty minutes while the couple finishes their game.

Riley walks up to me and hands me a racquet and a pair of eye guards. I look at him like he has lost his mind.

"What" he asks. "Bella you need to wear the glasses so you don't lose an eye."

I shrug as I put them on. Riley starts explaining the rules and stuff and my head is spinning. I just want to beat the shit out of the ball that stands for that bitch's face. He tries to tell me how to hold the racquet and I guess I am doing it wrong, cause he grabs my hand and positions my fingers for me. I am just not into details right now. The more I think about Edward and that slut the more pissed I am. Riley hits the ball into the wall and I miss it. That just pisses me off more. Fucker…little blue bastard ball. After a couple of tries Riley starts laughing.

"Shut it" I threaten.

He holds his hands up in surrender. "Calm down girl. Whatever has your panties in a twist you need to let go of. You are trying way too hard and you are going to hurt yourself." He walks up behind me and wraps his arms around me to show me how to 'work the racket' as he puts it. I swear I hear a growl but ignore it, must be my mind playing tricks on me.

I immediately feel icky. I don't like how close Riley is and I don't like him touching me. I shake him off of me and tell him "Let's play." He starts and I finally connect with the ball. I miss a couple times but overall I do pretty well. After about thirty minutes I am exhausted and tired. I have beaten the ball enough to work though most of my aggression about the Edward/Tanya situation. I am still ignoring the emotional pain.

Riley and I walk back to the main room and I head to the women's locker room. "Thanks for the game Riley, it was fun."

"No problem Bella. Maybe we can do it again sometime. Um, maybe you would even like to go grab something to eat with me after you get cleaned up. I can wait for you if you want."

I look over at him. He has a shy smile on his face. "Sorry Riley. I have a boyfriend." I state, even though my insecurities have decided that this is the perfect time to reappear. I start wondering Do I still have a boyfriend? Is he falling for that skank? I was never good enough for him, does he finally see it? She has big fake tits and lots of makeup. Some guys like that stuff in a girl. Looking all made up and shit. He leaned in and said something to her after she kissed him. If he hated it he would've said something. My heart starts to hurt. The feeling of needing to vomit returns. I can feel my eyes prickling from the unshed tears that are threatening to make an appearance. I need to be alone.

"Are you sure about that Bella? The look on your face doesn't make me believe what you are saying." He smirks.

Before I can reply a deep velvety voice speaks up. "YES…SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND!!!"