Resident Adviser Chapter 23: Serenades and autographs, a twilight fanfic

Stephenie has it all. I just decided to play with her characters and add some of mine.

Pictures of the characters on my web, here: http:/ newdawn-newday-newlife . webs . com/ residentadviser . htm.

As you know by now, remove the spaces. On FB you find me under the name of Cherry Bella. THANK YOU, GUYS! I never expected so many reviews or story Alerts/Favorites or hits. You are great! This is seriously my only story to receive such feedback! I may update every week, I'm not sure yet.

Pre-read by TeamAllTwilight.

PS: For those that don't know, I posted an outtake for this story. It's about Edward when he was little.

For those that reviewed it, thank you so much! I appreciate it. I was really worried to publish that.

I was packing a few things for the upcoming Christmas trip to the Cullens when the door opened and Edward appeared in my room, grinning.

"Do you really wish to go with them?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, shocked.

"I'm…not going back for Christmas. I have to train and Shaw wants me close by." He kept grinning.

I couldn't believe him. He was totally changed since this opportunity had come. Almost like his old self. Almost.

"You know what I think?" I snapped. His eyes widened and he watched me surprised. "You should talk to your parents about this. It doesn't matter how old you are, but honestly…this is your future and they'd love to hear about it."

"You have a point. I'll talk with Dad. I'll drop by to the hospital later."

That was a lost case. My hands stilled on the sweater I was folding. Should I still go? Should I stay? What should I do?

Edward padded to my side and took my hands from the sweater on the bed. "Stay here with me," he whispered.

"If you promise to talk with-"

"I just said that I'll make time to talk with Dad."

"I was aiming for Emmett," I muttered.

He dropped my hands as I said the magic word and his body became rigid.

"Emmett Schmemmett," he grumbled and flopped on my bed. "He won't even listen to me! What should I do, Bella?"

"You went back on your word!" I snapped.

"I…" Edward closed his mouth and looked away. "I happened to see the advantages of this."

"Great!" I applauded. "But it was your brother's dream! You wanted to become a doctor!"

"Are you trying to lecture me?" he hissed, sitting up and narrowing his eyes at me.

"I'm just trying to make you see from Emmett's point of view."

"I know it's wrong of me to do this, but Coach gave me the fucking opportunity, Bella! Not Emmett!"

"Because of a sick reason, the captain always has that opportunity as if he is pivotal to the team!" I yelled back.

"A captain is very important to the team! And must I remind you that I never wanted to be one?" he groaned, running a hand through his hair.

I took a breath, trying to clam down. "You had no idea how wonderful basketball was until Emmett told you! You didn't even want to try out until Emmett singed you up! You weren't very interested until Emmett showed you how to play! You didn't even want the spotlight until you became captain! When you came to college and they kept you captain, you didn't say no, although you knew Emmett would have loved that! Do you see a theme here?"

Edward watched me with huge, dilated green eyes, his lips curled up in a scowl.

"Don't answer," I muttered, dropping on the bed, next to him.

Later that day, when Emmett found out I was staying back with Edward, he stopped talking to me, too. He called me a traitor.

Edward had gone to talk with his Dad while he was in the city, and I was waiting anxiously in his room. Our friends – I still liked to call them that even though we barely talked anymore – were busy packing. I wondered what could happen to make us reunite again. Like it always happens, it would have to be a bad event and I was dreading it.

Edward returned from the hospital around nine in the evening, wearing a huge scowl.

"Hey," I whispered.

He grumbled in response and plopped on his bed.

"It didn't go well," I deduced.

"You can say that again. He is supportive. That's what he said, but…he told me to talk with my father."

"Wait! Who did you talk with?"

"Dad as in Carlisle told me to talk with my father as in Edward Senior. Got it?" he asked with a huff. "Why will he care about this?"

"He's sort of back in your life?" It sounded like a question even to my ears.

Edward chuckled amused and opened his arms for me. I snuggled there before I registered I moved across the room. He had that power over me and sometimes, it was scary.

"Do you think I should call him?" he whispered in my hair, tightening his hold on me.

"Yeah. He deserves to know this." I nodded.

"Okay. Stay here with me. I don't want to do it alone."

We moved to the head of bed, wrapped in the blanket with his phone on speaker. It rang a few times until a gruff voice answered.

"Hello?"

"What time is there?" Edward whispered to me.

"Two hours ahead," I whispered.

"Oh shit," he cursed.

It meant, it was after eleven there. We had probably woken him up.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

"Umm…" Edward started very promising then he cleared his throat. "Hi."

"Yes?" the voice asked quite annoyed.

"Is this Edward Masen?" Edward asked sheepishly.

I slapped him sideways. Like Carlisle would have given him the wrong number!

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"It's me…uhh…your s-so-son, Edward, yo-you know?" Edward stuttered. He looked uncomfortable.

"Edward! Why didn't you say that from the beginning? What's wrong? Why are you calling?" his father asked, growing worried.

"Dad – I mean, Carlisle – suggested I should tell you about this, too."

"What's going on?"

Edward took a huge breath and blurted out about the NBA selecting someone.

There was a pregnant pause and we exchanged a look. Did we lose the connection?

"What do you think?" Edward whispered.

"I think it's great news!" his father answered. His tone reflected how happy he was. "Wait until I tell your mother!"

"Uhh…there's a problem," Edward mumbled. "Emmett wanted this all his life…and I stole it. I didn't steal it, actually. Coach Shaw proposed them that I was the best and I should be selected…"

"And you are fighting with your brother?"

"Uhh yes. He's pretty upset."

I snorted, pressing my face in his shoulder. That was an understanding.

"What do you want to do? Carlisle told me you wanted to pursue a medical career."

"I thought so too until I was given this opportunity. I am afraid to tell them about Emmett." That was news to me. "I am afraid that when they'll see him – really see him – play, they'll want him. I can be a doctor later," Edward explained, squeezing the phone in his hand.

There was a laugh from the other side of the line. "Oh, Edward! Are you sure you always wanted to be a doctor?" his father asked.

"Yeah! Of course!" he said vehemently.

"If you really wanted that, you wouldn't have gone to Washington University, kid! I'm sure Carlisle would have provided the money for a medical college. A good one."

Edward opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it and sighed in defeat.

"Am I right?" his father probed when he didn't get an answer.

"I wanted to be close to them. I never thought of leaving the state," Edward answered.

"What do you like best? Medicine or basketball?"

"Basketball." The answer seemed so natural, falling from his lips.

"There, you have it, so-… Edward."

"If it were that easy."

"You're making it complicated. It's an opportunity. Take it. Maybe Emmett wasn't meant to be there. Life must have thrown this at you for a reason."

"I'll think about it," Edward told him.

"Call me when you decided what to do. I'm supporting you in whichever case."

"Thanks…" I saw his jaw clenching. "Dad." The word seemed to be dragged out by force.

His father's breath picked up and I wondered if he was overcome with emotion. "I look forward to hearing from you, son. I'll let you go now since it's very late here."

"Right. Sorry for calling so late. I didn't realize."

"It's no problem. Good night."

"Night," Edward whispered and hung up.

He let out a huge sigh then peered down at me. "That went well."

Next morning, which meant around noon, when I returned to my room, I was shocked to see Tanya there. She shrugged, telling me she didn't felt like going home. She kept complaining that she wasn't feeling well lately.

When I met Edward for lunch, I found him with Bob at a table in the small pizza house.

"Hey," I greeted them, leaning down to kiss Edward's cheek.

"Hey," he whispered, kissing me back, on the lips. "I already ordered. I hope you don't mind."

"It's okay. I'll eat anything," I admitted.

"Hello Bob! How are you, Bob? Oh, good. How about you?" Bob mock greeted me.

"I said 'hey,' it was meant for both of you," I told him, rolling my eyes.

"You chicks are strange." He shrugged. "Man, is she moving in slow motion! I'm starved!" he complained, eyeing the waitress.

"Why aren't you home?" I asked him, pulling my chair closer to Edward.

"Mom's not home. She went to visit Grandma in Oregon."

"That's not that far away," I thought aloud.

"Yeah…but I wanted to stay here." His eyes shot to Edward and I realized what a great friend Bob was. "What about you?"

"Just visited Dad. And I didn't see the reason to go with the others since Edward was staying here," I explained.

"I told you that I didn't care if you went back with them. I know you had plans with Alice." I didn't correct him that he had told me to stay, just yesterday.

"She has Rose for that and I'm not into wedding planning." I rolled my eyes. "My head hurts only when I start thinking of that."

"Are you sure you're a girl?" Bob asked amused.

My eyes widened. "Are we having this discussion again?" I asked, incredulously.

"Oh, no! Of course not. Just wondering, you know?" He defended himself.

That made us laugh. We were getting a hold of our laughter when the waitress brought us the pizzas.

"I thought you ordered for me, too," I muttered to Edward when I saw only two pizzas.

"We're sharing. I had no idea you could eat this thing by yourself!" He pointed to the huge pizza in front of him.

"Ah…I didn't think of that."

It reminded me of the hospital and when he fed me a slice then I fed him in return – forcedly.

"Why are you smiling?" he whispered, leaning closer.

I shrugged, taking a slice of pizza in my hand. "I just remembered something."

Spending the Christmas break at school wasn't as horrible as I thought. I spent every second with Edward, even when he was at practice, I was in the stands, reading or writing on my homework or just watching him. Bob was usually with him in the arena, but when Coach wanted to talk just with Edward, he came to me. The few hours that weren't spent in the arena, were spent eating in small places or locked up in his room. I loved the late hours at night when we were in his bed, watching a movie or kissing or making love or just talking.

On the Christmas morning, I woke up to something touching my cheek. Edward wasn't supposed to be around and I just swatted whatever it was. I was too tired to open my eyes because we'd stayed up for too long.

"No! You'll kill it!" I heard Edward groan.

I shot up and watched him with wide eyes. "What are you doing here?" I blurted out.

"Good morning to you, too," he said cheerfully. "It's my room, of what I know."

"Yeah but…practice?" I wondered, my voice fading as my eyes dropped to his hands. He was cradling a burgundy red rose to his chest.

"Oh, yes!" he exclaimed softly. "This is for you."

"This woke me up?" I wondered, taking the stream, putting my finger right on a thorn. "Crap!"

Edward chuckled and kissed my lips. "Only you, Bella. And yes, this woke you up. You nearly killed the poor rose."

"Thank you," I whispered, still shocked. "What brought this on?" I wondered.

His cheeks turned pink and his gaze dropped. His hand was moving over the sheet, making invisible patterns. "You probably don't want to remember…but…well…I'd like to consider this…our anniversary." He swallowed thickly and glanced at me, giving me a glimpse of wet green eyes.

"Oh, Edward!" I cried and tackled him, kissing him furiously. "I love you!"

He chuckled, running his hands through my hair. "Really? You appreciate this?"

"Of course! We can keep this as an anniversary since I have no idea on what day we made up in March."

"It was on thirteenth, but if you'd like to keep the Christmas day as-"

I kissed him again, hugging him tighter. "It's so thoughtful of you," I murmured against his lips.

"I love you, Bella." He returned my kiss, which turned into more soon.

Our clothes left our bodies and all too soon, he was moving slowly inside me. He had never acted like this, so loving, so sensitive, but I wasn't complaining. I enjoyed every second of it. Even when we were close to exploding, he kept his unhurried pace.

"I will be right back," I promised, a few hours later.

"Oh come on, I don't want any present. Just stay here," he complained, keeping me pressed to his chest.

"Edward, you'll like my present."

"Later. I have to give you mine, too. But later."

"Didn't you, already?" I asked, puzzled.

"Nope. That was for our anniversary. My present for Christmas is safely away from your prying hands and eyes." He smirked and tickled me.

I giggled, squirming. "You make me sound like a child!"

"Aren't you?" he teased, kissing my nose.

"Right now, you're acting like a kid, not me."

When he finally allowed me to bring his present, it was late at night. I tried to be quiet since Tanya was sleeping, which was unusual. Maybe she really wasn't feeling well.

I had to pull in some strings for his present, and Coach Shaw told me that I am crazy. What he didn't know was that my middle name was 'Crazy' since I started dating Edward.

As I returned to his room, I frowned when I saw the lights out. What was he playing at?

"Edward?" I asked, closing the door.

"Sit here, please," he whispered from the bed.

I walked cautiously to the bed, afraid I'd trip. "You know better than to make me walk through darkness."

"Sorry, love. I'll ruin the surprise otherwise."

"Okay, I'm here," I said, sighting and plopping on the edge of the bed.

He cleared his throat and shifted then my heart exploded in a marathon when I heard the strings of his guitar.

The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting
Could it be that we have been this way before
I know you don't think that I am trying
I know you're wearing thin down to the core

I choked on my tears. Secondhand Serenade? He wasn't real!

But hold your breath
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find

This is not what I intended
I always swore to you I'd never fall apart
You always thought that I was stronger
I may have failed
But I have loved you from the start
Oh

His soft, velvety voice was warm and made me fuzzy inside. It felt surreal to be in his room, in darkness while he sang a love song to me.

So breathe in so deep
Breathe me in
I'm yours to keep
And hold onto your words
Cause talk is cheap
And remember me tonight
When your asleep

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find

I couldn't help myself but join him, barely audible on the last chorus. The second he was done, I attacked him. I was mindful of the guitar between us, but I was relentless with him. I kissed every spot of his face, tugging at his hair, kissing him deeply.

When we finally separated – just a few inches so he could put the guitar aside – there were tears on both our cheeks.

"I love you so much," I whispered. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured against my neck. "And I love you."

"Can we turn on the lights? I want to give you your present."

"Is it black lace?" he asked. I felt his smirk on my skin.

"You never change, do you?"

He chuckled, leaning toward his nightstand and flipping the lamp on. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, but he tried to mask it by rubbing them.

"Why is it so embarrassing for boys to cry?" I asked him, taking his hands away.

"It makes us look like pussies. And I'm not crying."

"Right. Something got in your eyes?" I teased.

He winked and leaned to kiss me. "Where's my present?"

I reached behind me where the box lay forgotten. It wouldn't compare to his present. I was sure.

He grinned and started tearing it open, looking like a kid on Christmas morning. At least, it was Christmas. But he was no kid.

"Holy fuck!" he shouted, looking inside. Edward glanced at me in disbelief then picked the basket ball up. "Is this…? Fuck, Bella!" The ball fell from his hands as he crushed me to his chest. "If I ever upset you again…"

"I'll know you're back to normal," I finished, giggling. "So you seriously like it?"

"Like it? Fuck, woman! I freaking love it!"

I beamed; glad I'd done something to make him so happy. For me it was just a ball with autographs on it. For Edward…well, I had no idea what it was for him. It would go next to his trophy cup he had won.

So they're not spending Christmas with the others. And I have a little surprise in stock for you.

Who guesses, gets a teaser. I think I made it obvious... :)

Review.