Previously:

"Good one Ed. Am I going to be a mango next." She laughed at her own joke and it made me want to explode with joy. Man, I love this woman. "It's late and I have to have the 'talk' with Jake in the morning so, good night Edward."

"Good night Bella call me the next chance you get."

"Okay, love you nite." she said before she hung up.

Chapter 9

Edward's POV

Jake and Bella are on their way over here. My mom and dad are renting us a small two bedroom apartment a little off campus to help us out. My mom decorated it and stocked it with food. Me and Jake are in the same room and Bella gets her own obviously. Their plane will be landing in a little over two hours. I can't wait to see them. We all start at SIUE (Southern Illinois University of Education) in a little over a month. That leaves us with enough time for us to catch up and for me to give Bella a push towards loving me.

I look at the clock. 11 a.m. I grab my keys and head out towards the airport. They will be dropped off at the St. Louis Airport and it will take me like 45 minutes to get there. I will just take off early. I head out towards my graduation present, a shiny silver volvo, and start the engine and make my way towards the highway.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about Bella for more than a minute since I left. The only thing I had to work for was making sure I can get into SIUE, which was easy with my grades. I am going to study pre-med, Bella is studying to be a high school English teacher, and Jake is going to be a mechanic. I don't care what I do so long as Bella is with me.

I arrive at the airport and find out where they are going to get off and find a chair and wait.

Bella's POV

All of our stuff has already been sent to Edwardsville, where our apartment is, and now we are right above St. Louis. "Jake, do you see the arch? It is beautiful!" I look over and he is asleep again. I elbow him to wake up.

"Huh?" he says while rubbing his eyes.

"Look out the window." I say then lean back in my seat so he can look out. Our relationship has gotten stronger since that one kiss. Since then he has actually become my like my brother. There is no jealousy. I love him better this way.

"Wow! Ed says we can go up in it."

"I know. Maybe we can get a tour tomorrow. I just want to go see our home."

"Me too, Bells. Ed said that he and I share a room and you get your own." Then he made a pouting face.

"I am a girl, I can't share a room with a boy!" I say then playfully smack his arm.

"I think we should rock, paper, scissors for it."

"Dream on, dorko." I say then go back to looking out the window as we land. "Do you think Eddy is already here?"

"Yeah, I bet he came here as soon as he woke up."

I see everybody else getting up to get their stuff form the over hang and undo my seatbelt and wait until the isle is clear. Even though Jake already has his things and is impatiently waiting for me. Once I have my bad I interlock my arm with his and we walk out the door together.

Edward's POV

I hear their flight over the overhead and jump up and walk briskly to where the will be coming in. I see lots of people walk past me but no Bella. The hall was empty and I started to worry, until I see her and Jake. As soon as she sees me she drops her bag and runs to me and jumps into my arms. I don't know how long we were hugging until I heard Jake clear his throat and say "We need to go get our luggage before someone steals it."

I put her back on the ground, put my arm around her. "How was your flight?"

"You should have seen her freak out we we first took off." Jake said.

"Shut up Jake." Bella says in her mean, I'm serious voice.

"Why? What happened?" I say to Jake.

"Don't say anything unless you want to feel what it is like to lose a finger in your sleep Jake." Bella said.

"Why don't you ask her? Ask her how much she freaked out when we left the ground?" Jake smoothly said.

"I didn't freak that much. I was scared. I have terrible luck, I thought we was leaning to the side and we were going to crash." Bella said and brought color to her cheeks.

We grab their luggage, which was the only luggage left on the carousel. "Let's go home I say after I grab her luggage from her to carry it outside.

"I can carry it" she whined.

"I know you can but I am here to carry it for you" I reply.

Jake's POV

After the car ride home I was ready to sleep. I don't think I like the idea of Ed and Bella together. I know things between me and her didn't work out but, I feel it was because she didn't want it too. The kiss wasn't hot because she was repulsed by me. I still love Bella, but I wouldn't ever tell her. She isn't ready to love me yet. One day she will.

I lay in my bed in the room Ed and I share. He isn't in here. He is in the living room with Bella. I couldn't take anymore. It hurts to see her and Jake flirt, though she will never know how much. Hopefully I will either get over my love for her or she will return my love. I don't know how much more I can take being here with them.

Bella's POV

Me and Edward are sitting and the couch together in our living room talking. I wouldn't normally think anything about how close we sat together, but now I can't help but notice. I don't know how to take this all in in one day. Edward got hot! He is unbelievably beautiful.

"What's up with Jake?" Eddy asks.

"I think might be sick. He has been sleeping a lot the past few months."

"Huh?...... Has he been eating right?"

"Okay Dr. Edward. I don't know, I don't keep track of what he eats...... Even though he has been losing weight.... But he has been working out a lot. I think they are connected though."

"Maybe...." then it got quiet.. " What's up with you? You look better than I remember."

"Thanks I think? You look good too." He looks so cute when he blushes. "Is this going to be awkward? You and me."

"No, at least I hope not."

"It's just...... I don't know...... different." I blush a little.

"I will try really hard to keep my feelings in tact. I promise that I won't do anything to make you feel weird."

"To be honest I feel weird now." I am fire engine red now.

"I am sorry. What did I do?"

"It's not a bad weird. It's a good weird... I think."

"I am confused." Not nearly as confused as me. I have butterflies in my stomach and I am feeling mixed feelings. I want to hold his hand and kiss him, but I don't want to.

"Me too." I say as I lean into him a little.

Edward's POV

"To be honest I feel weird now" she says as her cheeks turn a beautiful color. A color that I missed so much.

"I am sorry. What did I do?" I ask worriedly. I want her to be comfortable with me, even as a friend.

"It's not a bad weird. It's a good weird.... I think" she says.

What does that mean? "I am confused?" I say. I want to think that she might have have feelings for me but I don't want to get my hopes up.

"Me too" she says then leans her head in towards mine.

I want to kiss her. I think she wants to kiss me too but I don't want to kiss her and her not want me to. "Bella" I whisper to her.

She looks into my eyes. "Yes, Eddy Bear." Then she gives me a cute innocent smile.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" I whisper again. She looks at me closes her eyes and leans in closer..... closer..... her mouth is a finger width away form mine.