The Learning Curve: Chapter 61
Forks High School
Days flew by; weeks passed. I spent it all in a haze of Edward-induced bliss, marred only by occasional bouts of anxiety. I still couldn't see myself making it into Dartmouth, as perfect as it sounded, and Edward was piling more applications on my desk every day. I mostly humored him because I really did want us to go to the same school. The pressure was high, though, and Edward was making it worse by refusing to have sex with me.
We were still doing everything we'd been doing. I couldn't count the number of times we'd nearly been caught making out in my truck, on my bed, on his bed... I was loving every minute of it, but every day made me want more.
In November, Edward's basketball practices began again, and we had less time to spend together. I poured myself into my college applications and mailed them all off in plenty of time to meet the deadlines.
After winter break, things were easier. I was nervous about the rejection letters I was going to be receiving soon, but I'd always been good at acknowledging when things were no longer in my power. I just had to wait. In the meantime, life went on.
"Have you seen this?" Edward asked me. We were loitering just outside the cafeteria, and he was talking about a very sparkly poster advertising a winter formal dance.
"Yeah." The existence of a winter formal wasn't exactly news; it happened every year.
"And?" Edward said.
"And what?" I stared blankly at him. Was I supposed to have an opinion on this?
He rolled his eyes. "And, do you want to go?"
I frowned at his naivety. I thought he would know better by now. "Edward, I can't dance."
"So?"
"Sothe winter formal is a dance. It requires dancing," I said slowly. "It's not exactly hidden in the fine print."
"You don't have to dance, Bella. Just think of it as a chance to dress up and go out with your friends," he said a little too innocently. I squinted at his face, taking in his too-wide eyes and careful smile.
"Alice put you up to this."
Edward crossed his arms. "Alice may have told me that it would make her life if she could finally have the chance to dress you up in formal wear, but I also happen to want to go with you."
"Why?" I asked, genuinely in need of answers. In my experience, guys hated these things.
"Because, Bella, we're in our last year of high school, and we'll never have this opportunity again. I want to take my girlfriend to a formal dance while I still can," he told me, clearly exasperated, but all I heard was the part where he called me his girlfriend. Obviously, that's what I was, but he'd never said the word to my face before.
"Okay, fine," I said, unable to argue with him when he was being both sweet and reasonable.
He slung an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. "You'll have fun, I promise."
I wasn't going to get my hopes up yet.
A/N: Trying to get back on track here. Stop telling me to take my time, guys - next thing you know, you'll be waiting a week for a 500-word chapter. Hold me accountable!