The Learning Curve: Chapter 59
Edward Cullen's House
Since, as Edward pointed out, Esme was just downstairs, I found myself tucked into Edward's side instead of straddling his lap. We were lying down, and Edward was incredibly warm, and I could hear his heartbeat with my head resting on his chest. It was perfectly comfortable; I wanted to fall asleep there.
"My parents like you, by the way," Edward told me.
"You think so?" I asked sleepily.
"I know so," he replied, and I smiled, feeling ridiculously warm and fuzzy.
"So…have you worked on your Dartmouth application?" he asked, and suddenly I didn't feel so warm or fuzzy.
"A little," I lied.
"How much have you gotten done?"
"Um…the personal information?"
He sighed, and I knew I was disappointing him. It was an awful feeling. "Why aren't you working on it, Bella?"
I shrugged helplessly. "It's just a little daunting, you know? I never even thought about going to an Ivy League school. I don't know the first thing about writing admissions essays. My mom put herself through community college and my dad never went at all…I have no guidance when it comes to this."
He tilted my face up toward his with a gentle hand on my cheek. "I'll help you," he promised. "I know this isn't something you ever considered, but it doesn't hurt to try. I can totally see you at Dartmouth around all those old buildings. I can picture you curled up under a big tree reading Shakespeare. You'd fit in so well, and you're so much smarter than you think. I want us to be there together, Bella."
I fell captive under the enchanting image he wove of our future. "You'll have to help me think of an idea for my essay."
He grinned, appeased. "I'd love to."
I held up an index finger. "And you'll have to help me apply for a lot of scholarships because I so cannot afford that school."
"It's a deal," he said, kissing the tip of my nose.
"Edward…you do realize that we might not get in, right? Or maybe one of us does and the other one doesn't – what then?"
"We worry about that when we get there," he said calmly, but the possibilities unfolded darkly in my mind. If he got into Dartmouth and I didn't, he would have to go. Could I handle being so far away from him? Would he want a girlfriend across the country holding him down?
"Wanna watch a movie with me?" Edward asked, already back to his usual good humor.
"Sure," I agreed. I would try not to think about the future for now, I decided. If I only had so much time with Edward, I was going to enjoy it.