Yes, we are back again. Can you believe this little summer journey is almost over? We can't either :) 3 more chapters and an epilogue after this one. Enjoy! :)

We don't own Twilight; insert sad faces here.

Chapter song: One Leap by Joshua Radin

BPOV

One little secret about me - when I get sad, I get mean and hateful. I say things that I most definitely don't ever mean. You should hear the things I say when my beloved Tarheels lose to that 'other team'. I don't even care if they lose at fucking ping pong. I don't take it well.

Today is much, much worse than any loss could ever be. Nothing like waking up feeling like somebody was wrenching my heart out of my chest, stomping on it and then taking the cure 1.5 hours away.

I muttered several choice words under my breath as I realized that it had started to get light outside. I refused to open my eyes, but I could hear the birds and I could see the faint hint of pink light through my eyelids.

"Fucking sun. Fucking Sunday. Fucking fuck, fuck, fuck!" I half muttered, half yelled because I didn't want to acknowledge that today was really here. I didn't want to burst my bubble of bliss; I liked it here with the warmth of Edward beside me.

Cue the fucking tears.

No. Fuck that. I wasn't going to do this. Edward lived in Winston, not Zimbabwe. I could meet him for dinner any random Tuesday night I wanted and be back in time for class on Wednesday, because let's face it, dinner with Edward would always include dessert.

I made a mental note to drop my 9:00 class and pick up something a bit later in the day. You know, just in case.

"Fuck."

"Thirty-seven."

"Thirty-seven?" I answered as I felt warm arms wrap around my body. He was warm and sleepy and slow and I melted into him, relishing our last few minutes together before we had to face the inevitable.

The mattress was vibrating with a mixture of his chuckles and his moans as I let my hand trace down his body to a part of him that seemed more awake than the rest. "Mmm." His hips moved a bit forward, letting me know that he approved. "You've said 'Fuck' thirty-seven times since I started counting, which was when I woke up. Talk to yourself a lot, do you?"

His hair was all, well, typical and his eyelids were still droopy as he reached up and started running his fingers along the sides of my face, down my neck and tracing my shoulders. Slowly, over and over again, movements subtle and gentle, matching my own pace. I merely shrugged before leaning forward and captured his mouth with my own. I didn't feel like talking right now, though I did have a lot to say.

Edward got the hint and the next thirty minutes were spent in silence. Well, until he shakily whispered 'thirty-eight' in my ear.

The thumping and clanking of real life started to intrude not long after that and I knew it was time. We showered quickly and went to our respective rooms to gather the last of our things. I threw most of my clothes haphazardly in my bags, since I would just end up throwing them in the laundry when I got home anyway. I started making a list of things I needed to do because I knew that if I let myself think, I'd wallow.

Laundry, grocery shopping, student store. I needed to go to the DMV to change the address on my license. Back to Davis Library to let them know I was back and could start working again.

The key was to keep busy. Busy, busy, busy, and not pay any attention to the clock or the calendar or anything that made me aware of where I was and where I wasn't.

I looked around my, no our, empty room. The sheets stripped and tossed in the corner for the cleaning service and one of Edward's WFU shirts was clutched in my hands, because it was absolutely going home with me. I moved my bags out into the hallway and stood in the doorway looking, remembering, thankful for everything.

Closing my eyes, I pulled the door closed behind me. It was time.

Downstairs, things were crazy. Charlotte and Peter were searching the cushions in the living room and when I asked them what they were looking for, the looks on their faces made me realize that I probably didn't want to know. God, they were so completely perfect for each other it was almost a little scary. Even Kate and Garrett fit together in a way that was both logical and completely wrong at the same time.

Then there was me and Edward. Edward and me. Edward and I. Who the hell knows, that's why I was an art major…there weren't as many rules.

How perfect was it that three girls could meet three guys and find the ying to their yang. What were the chances? What were the odds?

Apparently, my anger had started to evolve into the warm and fuzzies and my cheeks were starting to hurt from the massive smile that spread across my face as I looked around the room.

There were a few towels remaining on the deck outside, left to dry overnight, so I went to go see if they were done or if I needed to throw them in the dryer just so they wouldn't get all gross in somebody's luggage. Specifically Garrett. Something told me he was the type to live out of his suitcase until it was empty instead of actually unpacking.

They were all dry, so I pulled them off the railing and moved over to one of the loungers to sit while I folded them. The waves pounded out their rhythm and I let the sun warm my body knowing that it would be for the last time. Well, at least here…it wasn't like I was going to go live in a cave, but it was different at the beach.

The repetition of my motions were therapeutic and monotonous and allowed me to completely avoid the chaos that was going on inside. I wondered where Edward was and turned to go inside with my pile of towels, thinking that maybe I should make sure that he thoroughly checked his room, you know to make sure he hadn't forgotten something.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something that made me gasp in shock and wondered what Edward would think about one of those for Christmas or a birthday present, or maybe for that random Tuesday. Inside, I told Peter where it was, and high-fived Charlotte.

She and I were going to have to have a talk when we got back to campus about where she got furry handcuffs and a whip and why they were on the deck. Then again, maybe I didn't want to know.

EPOV

I looked at my bags perched on top of my bed. Well, it wasn't technically my bed, but it had been my room for a short time. I hadn't really made it a home in the last two months, especially since I spent more time in Bella's room than I had mine, but I was still going to miss it.

Nostalgia was setting in.

It was with complete and utter reluctance that I stepped forward and grabbed my duffle, swinging it over my shoulder as I grabbed my second bag and headed out of the room. The moment I walked out, I ran smack into Peter, who looked just as sullen as I did.

"This sucks," he muttered quietly before heading forward and going down the stairs with his bags in tow. We had postponed leaving for as long as we could, but real life was now breathing down the back of our necks. I had two days before class began and who knows what I had missed while being at the coast. I had paid all my bills and managed to do some real life shit, but lord knows there would be mass amounts of mail and shit I needed to deal with. I just didn't want to do it.

I followed Peter and when I reached the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't help but notice Garrett and Kate attempting to fuck with their clothes on in the kitchen. Their little hookup was certainly an interesting turn of events. However, only time would tell if Kate had managed to tame Garrett or not. I could sense that we were all going to try and make a go of our relationships. I also knew that it wasn't going to be easy. Senior year was hectic, and combine that with looking for jobs when we graduate, I wasn't sure if we would all make it, but I knew without a doubt, that I would do anything to be with Bella.

"Stop with the mouth fucking already," Bella chimed in as I watched her walk across the living room, her body radiating anxiety. I thought 'thirty-nine' to myself, counting her f-words, but I knew she had been alone for the last forty minutes, so it was probably closer to one hundred.

"For the record, it was more like dry-humping," Garrett replied as he pulled Kate closer to him and we all let out a collective groan.

"It doesn't matter. Kate wanted to be on the road an hour ago and you are making this harder than it has to be."

"Oh, something is definitely hard," Garrett added as Peter smacked him upside the head and Charlotte then tried to soothe Peter by rubbing his ass. I didn't want to know what the fuck that was all about. "Oh fine, let's go. We are still going to follow each other right?"

"Yeah, you can follow us until we get to Chapel Hill, and then keep going to Winston-Salem," Charlotte advised as she grabbed Peter's hand in hers and they made their way towards the door. I guess that was her subtle signal that we should all get going.

I had wanted to drive back with Bella and drop her off at her dorm, but Kate was insistent on all the girls driving together. When I tried to protest, she went on a rampage about how much of Bella's time I had monopolized over the summer. I never even had a chance to make my case because Garrett then insisted that he was coming with me in my car, because he had some things to talk about. He even used cheesy air quotes and winked at me. I was fucked.

We all grabbed our bags and headed out to the car, putting things in a specific order like it was a big game of Tetris. It felt like we had brought so much more stuff with us than when we were leaving though. Then again, I felt kinda empty inside.

When everything was said and done, we each paired off and I immediately pulled Bella into my arms, holding her tight against me as I whispered in her ear. "I'll call you tonight, alright?" She nodded and I could hear the sniffles start. Tears were only seconds away; I could feel it. "And we'll text and email and before you know it, you'll come up to visit me or I'll come down and see you."

"I know," Bella replied through her tears as she buried her head into my shoulder and I could feel my shirt growing damp. "It doesn't make this any easier though."

I turned my head and kissed her soundly on the lips before hugging her tightly again. "You need to remember this isn't goodbye, it's 'I'll see you soon.'" It was getting really hard to put a happy spin on things when she looked so fucking sad. "And don't forget that I love you."

"I love you too, Edward," Bella replied quietly as I reached up and brushed some tears away with the pad of my thumb. I pulled her in for another kiss, this one much deeper and emotionally charged. When we finally separated it was because of the honking of my horn as Garrett sat in the passenger seat looked frustrated.

"Come on lovebirds," he called out as I noticed Peter had already begun to back out of his parking spot and the other girls were waiting for Bella. "Let's make like my pants on Thanksgiving and split."

"I love you," I said again, punctuating each word with a kiss as I opened the door to Kate's car for Bella and helped her in. "I'll talk to you tonight."

"I can't wait," Bella said softly before wiping more tears from her eyes. I closed the door and paused for another moment before Garrett honked the horn once more, officially pissing me off. I ran over to my car and climbed in, shooting Garrett an evil look in the process.

"Don't be mad at me. We're all going through shit right now," Garrett declared as he held his hands up in self defense.

"You're not in love with Kate," I challenged. "You have just been boning her and thought it was an awesome way to get back at Lazer for marrying your sister."

"Fuck you. You know that's not true."

"Do I?"

"This is going to be a long drive if you keep acting like a douche." I grew silent and backed out of my spot, my car being the last in line for our little train heading back to college. Peter was the pro with directions, so it was only logical we let him lead. I never looked over at Garrett, until he finally spoke as we made our way onto the highway. "I didn't know you loved her."

"Love...present tense. I can't imagine my life without her."