I'm back, and I still haven't studied for accounting. Suck on that, accounting! Yeah, I totally showed that textbook whose boss. Of course I'll probably regret this decision when I get my test back and my Prof laughs in my face...if that happens (which it probably will) I'll just go on a drinking binge. Which, oddly enough, I plan on doing this evening because of Rob and Kristen apparently dating in real life?! Soul destroyer says what?! (Kristen says 'What' in background.) Don't even get me started on that crap, that is a whole different bag of issues for me. Same with Kellan and whats-her-face, so yeah the urge to drink is pretty high on my To Do list right now.

I was inspired by repressed urge to study for this Chapter. This, my young padawan's, is how Emmett and Rosalie met. It's not ridiculously original or anything...but I thought it was fitting for the story.

Enjoy...(don't forget to review because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.)

Preliminary Exam #2

2½ years earlier

E POV

I really hate studying. If I could find a way to go back in time and find the asshole that came up with the word 'studying' I would punch him square in the face. Justice would totally be served. My lawyer father would be so proud of me. Not to mention students everywhere!

But seriously, I've been studying for god knows how long for my intern exam tomorrow and my brain feels fried. Like deep fried corn dogs, deep fried. Of course, I could name any freaking disease or surgery that the test can throw at me. But now I'm in a predicament: I can't sleep because I'm afraid I'll forget all the shit I just studied.

So, that being said what should Edward Masen do with his non-studying free time?

Work out? No, just remind me of anatomy.

Watch TV? Nah, god knows Grey's Anatomy or ER will come on or something equally medically relevant.

Watch a Movie? Nope, I'll probably end up picking some stupid medical movie my mother sent me from Chicago to help study...that's the last thing I need. Or her numerous burnt DVD's of 'Medical Mysteries' from TLC. Seriously, you teach someone how to work a computer with Internet Access and a DVD burner and they begin to smother you. Note to self: never help mother with anything ever again.

Oh, how about the bar? Might as well.

I decided not to change and just go out like this; jeans and a scrubby t-shirt with my hair all up in its usual craziness. I mean I'm stressed enough, last thing I need on my plate is worrying about personal hygiene. Jeez, I can only handle so much.

I caught a cab to Harvey's Pub, a famous Seattle hot spot for the young and hip. I made a beeline for the bar, ordering a Budweiser. I then decided to take in my surroundings, last thing I need is for some crazy ex-one-night stand to show up and be all...crazy and stuff.

Thankfully, this bar seemed all clear of crazies. Don't get me wrong, I love women, but I'm not a man-whore per say. I just like to get rid of some unwanted tension from work through the very reliable sources of some beautiful girls of Seattle. Of course half of them can't even speak a sentence without me wanting to gouge my ears out...but alas, that is the problem with picking up loose drunk chicks at a bar.

I should probably settle down sometime soon before mom gets even more paranoid about never having grandkids.

"Edward!" I heard a voice boom over the generic, shitty music the bar was playing. I turned towards the voice to see Emmett Swan walking in with a big grin on his face and pulling along a little pixie girl who looked completely trashed. "Long time no see, dude!"

I smiled and nodded, sticking my hand out to shake Emmett's. Emmett and I had met a couple weeks ago at the bar across from the hospital after my shift. Emmett's company, McCarty Construction, is in talks about building the new cardiac wing of SGH so he just left from a meeting. But that decision is going to take awhile, like a few years awhile.

I eyed the drunken pixie curiously as I shook Emmett's massive bear claw of a hand. Emmett picked up on my stare.

"Oh, Edward, this is my roommate and best friend, Alice Brandon. She's kind of trashed already; she broke up with her douche of a boyfriend today! We're here celebrating...well; I am really...she's already pretty gone from the drinking she did with my sister earlier."

I chuckled and shook my head. Emmett always has a way for making me laugh no matter what shit he gets into.

"Nice to meet you, Alice," I said smiling slightly as she hoisted herself onto a bar stool beside you.

"Yo," she mumbled back, flagging over the bartender and ordering a margarita and a glass of water. The bartender looked at her warily but went on to make her margarita and get her water.

"So how's things, Eddie?" Emmett asked getting on the stool on the other side of Alice.

I rolled my eyes, I hated when he called me Eddie. But he usually did when he was drunk or being annoying. I figured he was just being an annoying drunk this time...best of both worlds.

"Same old, just taking some free time from studying for my intern exam tomorrow," I replied before taking a drink of my beer.

"Big test tomorrow, huh? Good luck, man!"

"Thanks."

Emmett ordered himself a beer once the bartender came back with Alice's drinks, which Emmett ended up paying for since it was a 'celebration'.

"Are you okay, Alice?" I asked softly. She looked so sad and depressed, I felt bad for the little pixie.

"Eh, I've seen better days. I mean, James was a real asshole to me, ya' know? Fuck, why did I date him? I don't know, but know this Edmund," Alice slurred pointing at my face.

"Edward," I interjected for her.

"Whatever," she said rolling her eyes and waving her hand. "Know this, don't trust anyone! Anyone! Because one minute they are all loving and nice and then, like, two and a half minutes later they're grade 'A' assholes! Wouldn't wanna pretty boy like you to get screwed over. Where would the justice be in that?! Right, Em?"

Emmett looked over at Alice eyeing her curiously; obviously not listening to a word she was saying and nodded his head, clicking his beer bottle with her margarita glass. "Right, Al!"

I could suddenly feel my IQ dropping serious points and my need to drink increase with Emmett's genuine cheerfulness over someone else's pain and Alice's love depression.

Thank god the test is at noon tomorrow.

***
Okay, so in hindsight drinking before a test was a really shitty idea. I mean, I rocked the hell of that fucking test, but goddamn did I feel like death during the entire thing. My fellow interns were looking at me curiously, like they were just waiting for me to spew. Thankfully, I didn't. I held that shit in because I'm a real man.

Little did they know that I became best friends with my toilet this morning, and my bathroom floor. I gained a whole new appreciation for my bathroom.

But seriously, I feel like death. I blame Emmett and Alice. Jesus, those who together could take over the damn world! With Emmett's constant nagging for me to drink and Alice's broken expression I was all but driven to drink. And oh boy, did I drink!

7 beers. (That all went down way too easily.)

5 shots of Jaeger. (Insert shutter here.)

1 margarita that Alice couldn't finish. (Okay, so all guys say they are girly drinks but, Merlin's beard that drink was delicious!)

And 2 shots of tequila equal a very hung over Edward.

Thank god I got home by midnight and got at least 8 hours of sleep, because I can barely function without 6-8 hours of sleep...it's a scary scene, trust me. Sleep deprivation Edward sucks. But man oh man, did I feel those drinks come the next morning.

Studying was out of the question since I was puking up everything left in my stomach. But thankfully my brain—thank god for the Masen genes—kept all my valuable information intact.

I think this calls for some celebratory drinking!

If my mother finds out about all this drinking she's going to sign me up for Intervention on A&E, another thing I shouldn't have taught my mother; how to use her TiVo.

I digress.

The first thing I did after leaving my aced exam was text Emmett to ask him to go out tonight, to which he texted back an all capitalized 'Fuck yeah!'. I decided to text and call a bunch of my fellow interns and my cousin, Rosalie Hale, because my mom is always nagging me to hang out with her more. I mean, I know I grew up with her and all but the woman is so narcissistic and bitchy she drives me to drink even more—hence why I invited her tonight. All part of my master plan, which includes getting so drunk that I can drown out the sound of Rose's bitching and whining about how no one is looking at her, or how there aren't enough mirrors in the bar for her to look at herself in. Seriously, she's complained about that...true story. I've been scarred ever since.

Operation, get Edward totally hammered again was now in effect. Taking place at Harvey's, again, at 8:00 pm. I was seriously considering making a Facebook event on my wall...but I figured that would make me look extremely dorky, and would mean I'd have to actually make a Facebook account.

Minor detail.

Plus it would just end up being another thing I'd just have to end up teaching my mother how to use...then she'd just end up spying on me.

***

"So then she goes on this huge tirade about how I have to keep my room clean and shit. I mean, good lord! I'm 24 years young; I can do whatever the hell I want!" Marcus, one of my fellow interns was babbling to me at the bar at Harvey's.

"So, your mom told you to clean your room and you did…what, exactly?" I asked, trying my hardest not to laugh in this geeks face drunk face.

"I cleaned my room," he mumbled hanging his head and taking a sip of his Long Island Iced tea, another thing I was trying my hardest not to laugh over.

"Tough break, dude. Maybe you should…I don't know…move out?"

He looked scandalized. "Leave Doris?! Never! She'd never forgive me!"

And with that, I left him and his mommy issues to wallow.

Practically all of the SGH Surgical interns are present, along with Emmett's construction buddies from his company. The only thing missing is the dreaded Rosalie. I started looking around the crowded bar to see if she showed up yet but I could only pin point 3 blondes who looked like they didn't have Rose's level of personal hygiene and cleanliness, or an overall aura of bitchiness. I figured buying myself another round would be safe as I wait for my favourite distraction to come and make me drink even more.

"Another Bud, please," I said to the bartender—who I just recently learned was named, Alec—and continued on my surveillance of the bar.

I scanned until I heard it, the voice that will singlehandedly push me over the proverbial edge of my drinking intake.

"Edward Anthony Masen…" Rosalie's voice said from behind me. I turned around to see Rose standing there in all her glory; a skin tight red corset on with dark blue skinny jeans and huge, honking heels.

I'm surprised she didn't wear a prom dress.

"Hey, Rose!" I said giving her a quick hug and light kiss on the cheek—I'm not a total asshole.

Rosalie smiled slightly back at me and turned towards a dude who literally materialized beside her out of nowhere.

"Dude, are you a fucking ninja? Where the hell did you just come from?!" I blurted out in my partially drunken haze.

Rosalie and Mr. Ninja gave me stares that were clearly trying to figure out my current mental state, or my overall drunkenness; probably a little of both.

"Uh, no, I'm not a ninja…and I came from the parking lot," the guy responded in a condescending tone. I mean the guy is even dressed in a fucking Armani suit at the bar! I'm wearing a Transformers T-shirt and some comfy jeans, super casual yet still classy enough for a bar.

Mental note: never, ever, dress like that to a college/sports bar; it makes you look like a douche.

"Edward, this is my boyfriend, Royce King. Royce, this is my cousin, Edward Masen," Rose introduced, looking incredibly bored.

"Nice to meet you, Edward," Royce said in an equally bored town as he stuck out his hand for me to shake.

"You too, Royce." Guy's an asshole, I can pick up on these things like I've got a built in sensor. Rose would be dating an asshole, that's basically the only type of guy who puts up with her narcissistic shit.

"Well, take a seat and order a drink!" I said, breaking the awkward silence.

Rose sat on a stool to the left of me and Royce got in beside her. Rosalie ordered a martini of some kind and Royce ordered a scotch on the rocks.

What is he, 80 years old?

"So how are things at work, Rosalie?" I asked taking another pull from my beer.

"Good," was all she said.

That's when things got incredibly awkward, I tried—really I did—to start a conversation with Royce and Rose, but they wouldn't budge. When I asked Royce what he did he replied back with, "Lawyer." I immediately ordered a stronger drink after that little piece of valuable information hit my ears.

We sat there for god knows how long just drinking and not talking, I mean not even Royce or Rose were making conversation with each other. It was kind of weird, Rose said they were dating but it didn't really seem like they were really being attentive or...couple-ly.

I was saved from a seriously awkward night by a large hand slapping me on the back, causing me to fall towards the bar.

"Eddie, I haven't bought you a drink yet!" Emmett said from behind me before sitting on the stool to my right. I saw Rose look up in my peripherals and seem actually intrigued!

"If you insist, Emmett."

"Well I do, why don't you introduce me to your friends while we're at it?" Emmett said raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"Emmett Swan meet Rosalie Hale, my cousin, and her uh…boyfriend…Royce King."

"Nice to meet you Royce, Rosalie," Emmett said with a wink towards Rosalie, who even blushed a little! Royce didn't seem to pick up on it but I could suddenly feel a charge of sexual tension around me.

I looked to see Emmett smirking at Rosalie and Rosalie trying her hardest not to smile back.

I think my brain is going to explode, this cannot be happening.

I called Alec over and ordered a shot of tequila...I think I may have inadvertently created a monster.

God help me.

Ha ha! Oh Edward Masen, how I love your life. So in my mind Rose and Royce date for a little while longer after she meets Emmett...so Emmett and Rose only get together like a year or so later...Rose is trying to work her way up in the firm and Royce can help her to that—so, in true Rosalie style she uses him. Classy, right? I thought so.

SO! I've got another one shot for this story in the works because my brain just keeps these things a rolling. It's actually set in the future, and it should be up sometime this week...so keep on alert for that one.

Stay sweet!

JDH!