Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Rumble

There are some things that even a Cullen can't do, and getting someone into Dartmouth who dropped out of high school so he could run around with a pack of wolves was one of them. At least until said wolf broke down and took the SAT and got an almost perfect score. I was sitting at the table looking at his results, then at him, then at the results again, unable to put the two together.

"Did you fix it?" I asked Edward.

"Hey, I'm smart," Jacob griped, swiping the paper from my hands.

"Your grades weren't that good before you dropped out," I argued back.

"Yeah, but I became a wolf, Bella. You know, hearing each other's thoughts, knowing everything they know, get the picture? It's like, bam, instant education in just a few seconds." He looked awfully smug about this, sitting back in his seat with an arm loosely draped over the back of Marta's chair. "The best part is, if I get in, then each of my packmates will know everything I learn. We'll be the best educated tribe in the country."

Edward snickered, trying to cover his mouth because he was the only one sitting in Charlie's line of sight. "I don't think Dartmouth will be willing to give them all diplomas because you communicate with them telepathically."

Jacob's grin grew even larger. "Imagine if I phased in the middle of a test, one of the tribe could be looking at the book…"

"No fair, no cheating," I said, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Like your leeches don't cheat? Don't you guys have like a photographic memory or something?" he asked, turning to Edward.

"There are humans like that too," Edward countered before looking up sharply to Charlie. "Your dad is looking at a letter from Dartmouth talking about your housing. He'll be in any second."

"Oh, crap," I said. Because of the fiasco with the immigration office Marta had lost her dorm assignment. Alice saw the decision and so hired movers to pack up all of our stuff and move it into the house Edward bought. Since I no longer needed a dorm room, I cancelled my housing arrangement. While at school all my mail came through an on-campus post-office box, so I didn't bother Charlie with the details of my living arrangements.

"Bella?" Charlie called as the foot rest on his recliner came down. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"About what?" I asked as he stepped into the room.

He gave me a dour look. "About where you're going to be living in a couple weeks?"

Marta saved me. "The Cullens have a house there, and you remember when I lost my housing? Well Alice asked me to live with them, and I wanted Bella to come along. They had another room, so we'll be next door to each other still."

Charlie's face grew livid as he listened, his eyes darting between Edward and me. "You're not living with your boyfriend!" he ranted, pointing an accusing finger at Edward.

"Technically I'm living with Alice…"

I began to grow worried as Charlie's face grew even redder. "Technically you're living in the same house as your boyfriend. Now I know you're an adult, Bella, but you have no reason to give up a perfectly good place on campus…"

"Actually, Charlie," Jacob said, interrupting, "I asked her to move with Marta." He was lying through his teeth, but being very convincing.

"You asked," Charlie said, crossing his arms over his chest. "And why, pray tell, did you do that?"

"Because Marta wouldn't be happy without Bella around," he said with a shrug. "Besides, it's not like they're having sex or anything. I think Edward's a Quaker or something."

I rolled my eyes and started to speak, but Edward put his hand on my knee, quieting me. "Charlie, if it makes you more comfortable, the house has a two-bedroom cottage out back. The girls are welcome to it. It will be like they have their own house, just next door to us."

"Where am I…" Jacob started before getting a kick in the shin under the table. "Ouch!"

"The girls are in a separate house." Charlie didn't look convinced.

"Yes, sir," Edward said, the picture of sincerity. Even I believed him.

Charlie's snit was over, but he was holding firm until the rumble from Jacob's stomach drew his attention. "Are you hungry again? You just finished a large pizza a half hour ago."

The tension was broken as Jacob shrugged and reached for the cold half-slice on Marta's plate. With a shake of his head Charlie returned to his game.

"I thought Jacob was staying in the cottage," I said as soon as I was sure my father couldn't hear me.

"He can stay in the barn," Edward said, looking to Jacob to see if that was all right.

"He's not an animal, Edward," Marta said, to which Edward raised an eyebrow. "Well, not all the time."

A knock sounded on the door right before Alice peeked her head in. "Hey Charlie," she called with a wave before joining us in the kitchen. He barely grunted as he waved her back.

"So," she said, looking at each of us pointedly, "who wants to tell me why I'm suddenly redecorating the cottage and refurbishing the barn?"

Sorry so short. I started writing the scenes for an original book that keep floating around in my head. I keep hoping that eventually they'll coalesce into a novel-length story.