Ello!~ Here is the next chapter as promised, and it's long(er)! :D

You can expect the next update around Feb. 28th or March. 1st :)

Bella and Edward are finally getting somewhere here people! :D

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: Hiya! I own nothing except my plot line and characters :)

Walls

Hey there it's good to see you again,

it never felt right calling this just friends;

I'm happy- if you're happy with yourself.

It was the last day before Christmas break started at Townsing Prep and classes were pandemonium. It was last period and I was covering Madison's English A10 class. Madison, Nick and Jamie had left to go spend Christmas in Hawaii last night. As I glanced out the window at the dark, dreary, and cold day; I wished I was in Hawaii too. I looked around at the class and noticed everyone staring at the clock, all mouthing silent numbers, counting down. The time on my laptop stated 3:10, five more minutes to go until the bell would ring and Christmas break would officially start. I heard someone counting from the back of the class; it was Taylor.

I really wish I had Taylor in one of my classes, she was such a sweet girl. I felt very protective of her since she reminded me so much of myself. I suppose another contributing factor is I had seen her grow up since she was thirteen.

"290, 289, 288, 287, 286, 285, 284-" Taylor was counting down.

"What are you counting?" I called to her from my desk.

"The seconds until the bell rings!" Taylor answered cheerily and I grinned at her enthusiasm. I felt wistful looking back at Taylor and her two friends, Alina and Elena talking happily to each other.

I wished I had more friends when I was younger, I was always so introverted. The loud conversation of Taylor, Alina, and Elena drifted up to me and I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped my lips at what they were discussing;

Harry Potter.

"No! The ending was so dumb! Honestly, seventeen years of fighting Voldemort and then BAM, he ends up killing himself? LAME." Taylor's annoyed voice huffed angrily.

"No!" Elena replied indignant.

"No what?"

"That never happened!"

"What?!" Taylor and Alina looked shocked at Elena and her lack of knowledge regarding Harry Potter.

Times like this is when I really enjoy being a teacher, when you get to overhear the simple and somewhat care-free conversations of teenagers. You wouldn't find the topic of vampires, lost loves, engagements, and insane drama here.

"No, I mean, yes! It did happen!" Elena backtracked.

"Well then why did you say no?!" Alina inquired.

"I was nervous!" Elena answered with a bad Swedish accent and shoulder shrug, and the three girls burst into laughter. That line was obviously an inside joke between them. The bell rang and the class was up and zooming out of the door before I had time to blink. The three girls were walking up and by my desk whispering in hushed tones,

"-and what was his name?" Alina asked excitedly.

"I don't know! All I know is that he was gorgeous! I literally couldn't speak. I felt like such an idiot." Taylor muttered shaking her head, obviously disappointed in herself.

"Oh! I think I know who you're talking about! One of the new grade twelve students?" Elena asked. Taylor nodded and I was instantly interested in this conversation, they were talking about Edward.

"His name is Edward Cullen. Hottie-extraordinare." Elena proclaimed proudly at her ability to be on top of all the school's gossip.

"Shh!" Taylor shot at Elena. I stopped her,

"Taylor!" I called hearing Taylor mutter an 'uh-oh' under her breath and elbowing Elena as she walked up to my desk.

"Could you please ask your parents if they'd like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?" I asked and then leaned in closer and added in a over-dramatic whisper,

"And yes, his name is indeed Edward Cullen." Taylor instantly turned bright red and murmured a 'sure' before turning around to shoot death glares at Elena who was cracking up with Alina.

"Don't you laugh Cho! Or I'll send Peeves after you!" Taylor threatened to Alina while they all walked towards the door.

"Bitch I ain't Cho Chang! I'm Lavender Brown! RACIST." Alina giggled and Taylor laughed, obviously not looking where she was going, and collided face first into Edward's chest. I was starting to feel bad for the girl and her somewhat rotten luck in embarrassing herself in front of teachers and peers.

Edward reached out and grasped her arms to keep her from falling.

"You okay?" he hitched up his lopsided smile and unleashed his full-blown dazzling gold eyes on poor, unaware Taylor.

Taylor swayed a bit where she stood and suddenly broke out into a wide smile,

"Great, thanks. I'm uh, sorry for running into you." she nervously looked down at her feet.

"It's no problem. Really." he smiled once more and winked at her and I thought she was going to pass out. Taylor gulped in a breath and Edward released her arms. She walked away talking rapidly with her friends.

I grinned, amused as Edward sauntered over to me,

"You feel pretty proud of yourself don't you? Dazzling fifteen year olds?" He laughed and his eyes twinkled.

It felt good to have this playful friendship banter back.

"I just made her day. No, wait-" he seemed to find her mind's thoughts and listened in for a moment, "-her week."

I merely laughed and shook my head- I too was once young and gullible. I shoved down the unwanted memories and tried my best to smile at Edward as I packed away my things.

"Hey, you okay?" Bloody vampire and his ability to perceive things.

I nodded my head quickly and said a yes as I hitched my laptop bag over my shoulders and grabbed my papers.

"Well then, I am here to announce that we are going food tasting today according to Alice. Yay." I was still chuckling over his tone as I unlocked my office and grabbed my coat and keys. As I was about to step outside of my office with Edward trailing close behind me, I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"We better not go out together. We already walked here together; and it might seem suspicious for a teacher and a supposed student- you know, to walk, talk together so much." I looked Edward straight in the eyes, trying to communicate how important it was that his presence didn't cause me to lose my job. Something about the way I worded my sentence must have upset him; because his eyes abruptly changed from playful and happy to anguish and heartbreak.

"I understand. I have caused you enough problems with my presence in your life." Edward's eyes held uncountable years of sorrow, a century of pain, and recent years of regret and misery.

My heart started panging uncomfortably again. Except this time; I knew what it meant. My heart was still in love with Edward Cullen and it hated seeing him in pain. Unconsciously I took a step forward, Edward took a step forward as well. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't force any words out. The words I wanted to say would break the relationship I had with Nathan; the man who helped me get me back and whom I love. As much as I wanted to say I loved Edward, I couldn't say that without unthinkable consequences. But at the moment, my heart was winning out over my brain.

It wanted Edward, and even as my brain was screaming at my legs to stop moving, they didn't.

My legs kept me walking until I was a foot away from Edward. I looked up at him from underneath my lashes and took a hesitant half-step forward. Edward didn't need anymore convincing.

Edward POV:

She was in my arms again. Bella, my Bella, was in my arms again; and God, did it feel good. If I had my way, my sweet, fragile, little Bella would never leave my arms again. I wrapped my strong, stone arms tight around her torso and buried my face in her sweet, silky hair.

Strawberries and freesia. Heaven.

The moment, which in reality lasted only a few seconds, felt like a lifetime to me.

I knew I had to end the hug; Bella still didn't belong to me, and she wasn't mine. I reluctantly stepped back, but I couldn't stop myself from slowly, sweetly, and softly kissing her forehead. The moment my stone lips touched her warm, smooth forehead my dead heart started beating again.

Bella POV:

My heart had stopped beating all together.

I was in complete and utter shock. I was once again in Edward's safe embrace and he had kissed me.

I didn't know how to respond to anything that had just happened and passed between us so I simply nodded and gestured for him to go out first; and that I'd meet him at La Rou's in half an hour.

As soon as he left my office I slumped over against the wall.

What was wrong with me? Did I like causing other people pain? Did I like causing myself pain?

Emotion bubbled up and into my eyes and I was crying again. Then, amongst all the chaos going on inside of me, my cell phone started to ring. I blindly reached out for it not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" I sniffled into the phone- hoping to God it wasn't Nathan on the other end. If it was Nathan I wouldn't be able to lie to him about why I was crying, and I really didn't even know what I was going to tell him- I had no idea what to think, act, or say anymore.

"Shh Bella, it's okay sweetie," Alice's soft, whimsical voice whispered into my ear, "there's nothing wrong with you."

"But Alice!" I cried desperately into the phone, "What about Nathan? What about Edward? What have I done? What am I doing? I don't know anything anymore Alice!" I was becoming hysterical and I heard the sound of wind rushing past coming through the phone.

"Alice?" I questioned, hiccuping trying to regulate my breathing and not hyperventilate.

"Can I come in?" she asked over the phone, and I looked up to see her small pixie frame bouncing in the window of my door, her eyes wide and sad. I didn't bother replying through the phone, I just closed it and nodded my head in agreement.

A millisecond later I heard the door click open and shut and Alice's small form was on the floor next to me, gathering me into her arms.

It was as if the simple, but meaningful act of being back in Edward's arms tossed everything I knew up into the air and sent it flying in all directions.

"Sweetie it's alright. Everything will work out." Alice soothingly rocked me back and forth and stroked my hair.

"Alice, can't you just look into the future and tell me what I'm supposed to do, what I'm supposed to think?" I exasperatedly threw my hands up and gripped my hair. Alice softly unraveled my hands and put them back down in my lap.

"Bella, you know I can't tell you all that. For now, your path is still set..." Alice's eyes got a far off look and then snapped back into focus. "Your still set on marrying Nathan. Bella, it's been a long day for you- and I probably shouldn't have sent Edward; that most likely didn't help this situation."

"I still love him Alice! I still love him! Why do I still love him?" I sobbed into her shirt while she rubbed my back.

"Love's a funny thing Bell. It does strange things. You're just confused because all these emotions came back full force with the hug. Things will work out Bella, I can see that." Alice's eyes shone with happiness at the fact that I was letting her into my life again and opening up.

"Alice?" I sniffled, trying to regain some composure.

"Yeah honey?"

"You won't let Edward see any of this right?" I asked casting my glance downwards.

"Of course not! Your secret is safe with me. Now come on, we... well, you, have some food to taste for your reception!" with that Alice pulled me up, fixed my makeup and hair, straightened my outfit, grabbed up my things and opened the door of my office before I could blink. I smiled and spoke softly,

"Thanks Alice."

Awh:) I was smiling while I wrote the ending, I'm a sucker for Alice and Bella being best buds:)

So, whadya think? Edward and Bella are getting somewhere! Things are starting to get good c:

Please review!! Just push that little button and let me know what you think :D