Chapter Four

AN: Well, here he is, folks! Enjoy!

I was half convinced that some unseen magical force had brought me to the campus pub at noon the next day. I did not remember making a decision about whether to go. I did not recall telling Rachael and Kelsey that I wasn't worried about it. I did not think twice about not calling Jacob. It all just happened. And, in an instant, the dreadful hour was here.

My heart was kerplunking like the engine of a ship, making my pulse race and my cheeks flush. I caught a look at myself in the reflective surface of the ceiling lights in the pub and tried to smooth my hair out. I felt vaguely like a squirrel on acid and didn't look much better. This was going to be miserable. Positively miserable.

I checked my watch. 12:02. Was it possible he was late? Or even better, not coming? I stole a quick glace around the room, not looking too closely, not really wanting to find anything, and considered bailing out of this whole ordeal.

"Bella."

He was smiling. Really smiling. Big and wide and friendly. With teeth.

"Hi," I was able to whisper.

As I had expected, Kelsey's idea that I would be underwhelmed with Edward's physical appearance was dramatically untrue. He was like the sun after years of rain, even one ray would have been enough, but to get the whole thing all at once was like a miracle. His face was the same—so much the same—with the striking golden eyes and cool, smooth skin coupled with the windblown hair and long, thick neck.

He wore jeans and a gray sweater with a backpack slung over his shoulder: simple, but definitely expensive items. A pang of longing shot through me as I thought of Alice. "Hi," he echoed my sentiment.

I could only breathe.

"We should sit down," he recommended. His long fingers indicated a nearby table and my body all but fell into a chair, as I watched him glide smoothly to a sitting position. He watched me for a few seconds, as I stared at him. He gave a little smile. "Well. There's so much to discuss."

"You're not," I said, "Here to see the campus."

He seemed surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'd love to. Were you looking forward to showing it? I've never been here before. We could do that."

I furrowed my brow. "What are you doing?"

He pursed his lips then smiled. "I'm sorry?"

"What are you doing? Why are you ? I'm just," I struggled for words. For air. For logic. "I'm confused. I thought…" I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. I thought I was never allowed to see you again. I thought I was supposed to think you never existed.

"Bella," he said. "I'm terribly sorry. There's so much I have to explain to you. I-I've realized something incredible."

I just stared.

He chuckled. "Funny, I thought you would be entirely different. I suppose one overestimates change without the experience of it."

"I am different," I insisted.

"Oh, surely," he agreed, indicating the pub. "I didn't mean to insinuate that you haven't grown—matured—undoubtedly, you've taken serious steps to adulthood. But—you—the essence of you—this skin, these eyes, this temper." He sighed. "They are untouched."

My heart pounded loudly. "I'm still not getting what you're doing here."

"I'm sorry," he said. "So sorry, for a million things. I thought it would be obvious. I'm here to see you."

"Why?"

Cautiously, he reached out one of his ice-cold hands and took one of my small warm ones. I jolted the slightest bit at the cold. I had become so used to heat. "Because, dearest Bella, I am unfalteringly, unquestioningly in love with you."

Oh.

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