BPOV
“Today’s the big day! Are you ready, Little Sis?” Emmett grinned at me, practically bouncing off the walls in his excitement. Today we were going out to test my ability against crowds of people. That’s right; I was finally going to be attending school at Dartmouth. It was only about four months late.
I rolled my eyes at his exuberance. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” I turned to Alice. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”
She shook her head. “I’ve already seen it. You don’t need me. Everything will be just fine. Spend some time with your husband and brothers.” I didn’t really relish the thought of walking into a classroom with three of the most gorgeous guys on the planet. The women would probably be throwing themselves at their feet. Just the thought of it had my eyes narrowing.
“But Alice, the women will be all over them.”
She puffed up and put her hands on her hips. “The most certainly will not. Why do you think I’m entrusting my Jazz to you? If any girl heads in his direction you make her turn the other way. He won’t look twice at them anyway but this is a way to use your power for good.”
“But last time I got jealous…”
She wrapped an arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze. “That was before you knew your power and controlled it. Not to mention you already had a hate on for Tanya before she did anything.” I opened my mouth to protest but she just raised an eyebrow at me. I couldn’t deny it. “Plus these are humans you’re dealing with, not vamps. They’re not a remote threat to you. And you’re gorgeous so I don’t think many women will have the nerve the come up to them with you sitting there.”
I snorted at that. Yes, I was somewhat prettier but I was hardly gorgeous and certainly not intimidating to the Lauren and Jessica types in the world. “Don’t even say it.” She glared at me then, wagging her little finger at me as if I’d been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. “Just you wait and see. I guarantee you’ll have just as much of an effect on the men as they do on the women.” I just shook my head, knowing better than to bet against Alice even if she was insane.
“Come on, Bella, let’s go!” Emmett tugged me toward the front door.
“Oh, Emmett.” Alice called his name in a singsong voice. He turned to look at her and she tossed something at him. He caught it by reflex and groaned when he saw a baby doll arm. “Now you have two pieces. Behave and maybe you’ll get more.” She smiled sweetly as she dashed upstairs to do whatever it was she was up to that made her too busy to go with us.
Emmett’s face was in a comical frown and I gave him a hug. “She’ll give them all back to you eventually.” Piece by piece, of course.
“But he won’t be the same.”
“Sure he will; we’ll put him back together and he’ll be good as new. You’ll see!” I put the doll arm on the dining room table. He still looked down so I pulled him toward the door. “Come on, don’t we have some humans to torture?” His face brightened considerably as he bounded outside. Edward and Jasper emerged from the woods, having gone on a last minute hunt before we sat in a classroom with several hundred humans. Emmett and I had eaten a day ago and Alice said we’d be fine.
“Let’s get a move on, boys; we have a class to attend!” Emmett vaulted through the Jeep window and looked at us all expectantly. Jasper shook his head and got in the front seat. Edward opened my door, of course, and climbed in the back seat next to me. I snuggled up against him as Emmett floored the gas and took off toward the campus.
“What class are we going to anyway?” I asked Edward.
He grimaced. “Psych 101. It’s in Prentiss Hall. Holds 500 students and there are nearly that many registered for the class.”
Jasper turned in the front seat to look back at me, his curls shaking about his head in the breeze. “Have you thought about what you’ll make them do?”
I shrugged. I had a few vague ideas but we’d wait and see what happened in class. “You could make all the girls take off their clothes if you wanted!” Emmett piped up. Since Rose wasn’t around to do it for me I slapped him upside the head. “I was just kidding,” he grumbled.
“You know, Em, we might want to put the top up on the Jeep. It’s nearly freezing to humans; it might look weird if we don’t have it up.” Edward’s suggestion was a valid one. Emmett stopped the Jeep and yanked the top up and resumed driving about thirty seconds later.
“Nobody lets me have any fun.” I grinned to myself as I decided I would make sure to give him some fun today.
“Everybody put on your coats,” Jasper instructed. I shrugged into the stylish red coat Alice had presented me with for this expedition. She’d told me I could not wander around campus looking like some nobody from Forks. When I pointed out that I was some nobody from Forks she went off on a tirade about embracing the real me. I stopped her by taking the coat and thanking her. The coats they’d been forced to wear on the boat still offended her and she wasn’t letting us appear that way in public again.
Emmett pulled onto the road that led to campus and soon we were approaching the building where we’d be attending class. Emmett saw a space opening up in the front row and zipped toward it but another car was already waiting. “Bella…” Emmett pleaded with me.
Jasper laughed. “No time like the present to get started.”
I thought it was pretty mean that we’d take this students parking spot but they were right, it was good practice. I looked into the vehicle and focused on the young man tapping on his steering wheel to the beat of the music he was listening to. You don’t want to park there. You want a space in the back. He stopped drumming and pulled away from the space, heading toward the other end of the parking lot. Emmett laughed triumphantly and whipped into the space.
“That is so cool! We’re never waiting for anything again.” I shook my head, like vampires really had a problem with waiting. We could always physically remove obstacles or terrorize people into getting our way. Still, this was easier and nobody knew I was doing it.
“Very nice, love.” Edward kissed me and got out of the Jeep, holding my hand as I climbed out. Jasper went to the back and got out four backpacks, handing one to each of us.
“Gotta look the part,” he muttered.
“Alice?” I asked.
He grinned. “Of course, she enjoyed shopping for school supplies again. They’re the best money can buy.” I shook my head, we’d only need them once but of course Alice had to outfit us in something ridiculously expensive. I tossed the green bag over my shoulder and grabbed Edward’s hand again.
“Come on, guys, it’s time for class!” Emmett whooped, already twenty feet ahead of us. We hurried to catch up to him and climbed the stairs into Prentiss Hall. We didn’t have to search for the room; it was a big auditorium straight in front of us. We entered into a half full classroom fifteen minutes before the lecture was to start.
Edward’s hand clamped down on mine almost painfully as we walked toward the stairs to find some seats in the back of the hall. “What’s wrong?” I asked him. In front of me, Jasper’s shoulders tensed and he let out a low growl, too low for human ears thankfully.
“Lust,” Jasper muttered over his shoulder at the same time that Edward said “Their thoughts.” I bit back a chuckle at their reactions to being back around humans again. Of course the girls were going to lust after them.
“That’s the price you guys pay for being so very pretty,” I told them in an amused tone, running my thumb along Edward’s hand in a manner I knew he found soothing. Emmett found an empty row in the back and sank into a seat in the middle. Jasper filed in next to him and I went in next with Edward bringing up the rear. He released my hand and immediately put his arm around me, his hand tightening on my shoulder. “What’s wrong with you?”
“The thoughts are not about us, they’re about you,” he informed me, irritation lacing his tone and a frown marring his gorgeous face. I glanced around the room and noticed that there were several boys looking in our general direction. Next to me, Jasper glared and Emmett leaned forward menacingly, causing heads to swivel back to the front of the room.
Huh, that was weird. Were they really looking at me? Why? Mystified I turned to Edward. “Why would they be looking at me?” They must be trying to figure out what I was doing with three very attractive men.
He sighed and ran his free left hand through his hair. “Because you’re beautiful, Bella. Every single male in this room shot straight into fantasy mode the instant they laid eyes on you.” He broke off and smirked. “Well except for that one in the bright yellow coat, he only has eyes for Emmett.” Jasper let out a guffaw and Emmett glanced at his would-be suitor.
“I’m flattered, but I’m totally out of his league,” he deadpanned. I lost it and started giggling uncontrollably. Edward even joined in the laughter though his eyes still showed his irritation.
“Really? What guy here would be in your league, do you think?” Jasper asked with an expression of complete mirth on his face.
Emmett took the question seriously, scanning the room looking for a man that would fit the bill. Finally he shrugged. “Sadly, it would be one of you two bozos. Nobody else measures up.” We all lost it then and more people turned to look at us. I bit my lip and decided to give it a try. Nothing to see here, turn around. Every person that had glanced our way faced forward again and I smiled in triumph.
“Did you do that?” Edward asked me, pride in his voice.
I grinned and nodded. “That was 48 people you just commanded,” Jasper informed me, a look of satisfaction on his face. “I told you it was no different. You just focus on the group instead of on the one.”
I hadn’t even consciously thought about it; I’d just pushed the thought out and it had been obeyed. Edward tensed next to me again. “Who does he think he is, Mike Newton?” I followed his gaze and saw a guy standing near the professor’s lectern, his eyes trained directly on me. He had shaggy brown hair and light blue eyes. He was shorter than Edward, maybe about 5’ 11” and fairly decent looking, though not remarkable like my husband and brothers.
“Maybe Mike has a cousin here,” Emmett remarked helpfully. “What is he thinking?”
Edward growled, “I don’t want to say.”
“Come on, man, you have to tell us. You can’t just get all overprotective mountain man without giving us the reason. We know he’s hot for Bella, but what is he thinking?” I shook my head in automatic denial of Emmett’s words.
“Why do you do that?” Jasper asked me quietly.
“Do what?”
“Constantly belittle yourself. You don’t think that guy, all these guys, could possibly find you desirable, do you?”
“Not all the guys,” Emmett interrupted helpfully. “Don’t forget about the one who likes me!” He sent a bright smile to the yellow jacket guy who abruptly turned red and looked away.
“Well, no, but…”
“But what?
“I’m just me, Bella. I’m not anywhere near as beautiful as Alice or Esme or Rosalie.”
Edward took my face in his hands. “Yes you are. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. When will you see yourself the way I do?”
My heart warmed at his words as it always did. “But you love me, Edward. You’re the one who doesn’t see me clearly. Love colors your viewpoint of me.”
Emmett heaved a giant sigh. “Bella, you are hotter than every girl in this room and I don’t say that easily seeing as you’re my sister and all. But I’m a dude and I know women and I especially know hot women and you are one.”
I didn’t really know what to say but I started to respond until Jasper cut me off. “Are you really going to tell all three of us that we have issues with our vision? I think you know that we all have perfect sight and while we all love you, we do see you clearly. Would you like me to show you the waves of lust coming off the males in the room? It’s time you removed the smudged glasses you’re looking at yourself through. I can feel it when you disparage yourself and I don’t like it any more than Edward does.”
I shook my head and looked over to see Edward regarding me sadly and resolved to try not to let my feelings of inadequacy spill over to him or to Jasper. I had to remember that even though I felt like the same Bella, I really wasn’t. Logically I knew that I was prettier than I used to be but when I saw the beauty that surrounded me in my family every day I still felt like the ugly duckling. “I’ll try not to do that anymore, okay?”
Edward gave me my special smile and leaned forward to give me a quick kiss. I forgot we were in a crowded classroom but heard the whispers start at our show of affection. “Get a room.” “Of course she’s with him; he’s too gorgeous to be single.” “I hate her, why can’t I get a guy like that?” I pulled back, embarrassed at the show we were putting on but Edward looked quite satisfied by it.
“Why don’t you just pee all over her next time?” Emmett laughed.
Edward grinned. “Hey it worked.” Then his smile fell away. “Mostly.” Would-be Mike Newton was still staring at me as if I was a glass of water and he was dying of thirst.
“What is that guy’s problem? Do you need to do her on the floor for him to get the message?” Emmett demanded imperiously. “Maybe I should go have a little talk with him.” He started to get out of his seat but Jasper grasped his arm.
“Leave it be. Bella’s got this.” I do? I gave Jasper a questioning look. “Make him forget about you or think about something else. Do whatever you want.”
I glanced at my husband’s locked jaw and determined to make it easier for him to get through this class. There is nobody sitting in the back row. Forget you ever saw the girl. The boy blinked and looked to a row a few in front of us, walking to an empty seat. He didn’t turn around to look at me again. “Thanks, love,” Edward whispered softly, resting his head against mine.
“That was great and all but can we get to the fun?” Emmett asked, bouncing in his seat like a little kid. A very large little kid, our seats began to shake.
“Simmer down, Emmett.” Jasper warned him with a scowl on his face.
“What?” he demanded. “Bella can just make them forget anything weird that I may do.”
“Maybe I’ll have yellow jacket come over and ask for your number,” I suggested with a sly grin. Emmett stopped bouncing. “I thought so.”
“You guys are no fun. Why can’t I have your power? I would have the best time!” I had no doubt about that but I felt the responsibility that came with my gift. It sounded like fun and often times it was but when I lost control, like I had with Tanya, it was scary. I didn’t want to bring the Volturi down on us and I wasn’t about to do anything stupid. Emmett wasn’t concerned about such matters of course.
I recognized the power inside me now and knew just what it could do in the wrong hands. I would not let that ever happen and that’s why it was important to me that I practice and gain absolute control over myself.
With that in mind, I turned to Edward. “You’re here for a reason, you know, not just to watch me. Get to work, mind reader of mine. Tell me who I should use my power on.”
Edward flashed me a wicked smile that made me want to yank him out of the room and find some privacy and turned his attention to the people below us. “But I’m so good at it!” I laughed and smacked him on the arm while Jasper muttered “stalker.”
Almost all the seats were now filled and we were only a few minutes away from the start of class. “Well, see that girl in the front row, all the way over the left? She’s got on a blue sweater, light red hair?” I nodded. “She has a crush on the guy directly across from her on the other side of the room. She sits there just so she can watch him all through class. He’s the blond with the shaggy hair, kind of looks like Jasper.” Jasper snorted on the other side of me, clearly not buying the comparison.
I saw the guy that Edward was referring to and nodded. “He thinks about her but he’s really shy and won’t talk to her. I think he needs a little push.” I smiled, thrilled to have something good to do with my power. I could bring two people who liked one another together.
Emmett laughed. “This reminds me of you and me helping get Angela and Ben together.” I stared at them, astonished by this news.
“What did you have to do with that?”
Edward brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. “Angela was the one friend of yours that was worthy of you. I knew she liked Ben and he liked her as well but both of them were afraid to take that next step. I just helped them along.”
“How?”
Emmett piped in eagerly. “We were in Spanish and Ben sat behind us. Edward pretended like he was thinking of asking Angela to the dance but that he heard she liked some kid named Cheney. Like he didn’t know Ben was behind us! It was classic, Ben got all tense in his chair and he nearly passed out he was so excited.”
Edward chuckled. “I raised his protective instincts; he seemed to sense danger in me. He didn’t want me anywhere near Angela and he decided to ask her out to keep me away and because Angela was the prettiest girl in the school. His thoughts were just as pleasant to be lost in as hers were. They make an excellent pair.”
I beamed at the man I’d given my heart to, wanting to smother him with kisses; thrilled that he would use his ability to help out my friends; just like I would be able to do now. “You are an incredible man and I love you very much.”
He pressed his lips to mine. “I do.” I kissed him back, thrilled by his simple words, reaffirming his commitment to me, and then broke away, not wanting to be caught making out with my husband when the professor walked in.
“What are their names?” I just wanted to know the couple that I’d be helping get together.
“She’s Lily and he’s David.” Alright then, Lily and David, let’s see what I can do for you. I looked at him. Get up and go talk to Lily, introduce yourself. Tell her you’ve noticed her in class and you were wondering if she’d like to get together for coffee when she’s free. He got up and walked over to Lily, who looked positively petrified as he approached. “Jasper.” He sent something her way and she sat up a little straighter and looked less like a dying fish than she had a moment ago.
“Hi. I’m David Campbell and I’ve seen you here in class everyday and I was wondering if maybe you’d like to get together sometime, if you have time that is, and get coffee or something?” He was utterly adorable, stumbling his way through the invitation. Lily just stared at him, clearly shocked that her crush was talking to her. His face fell and he started to walk away because she wasn’t responding. Tell him yes! I practically yelled at her.
“Wait, David, I would love to. Do you have any place to be after this?”
His face lit up like he’d won the lottery, his gray eyes shining. “No. So I’ll meet you after class then and we can go to Java the Hut?”
She beamed at him. “That sounds great,” she said shyly.
He shuffled his feet. “Well I better get back to my seat, but I’ll see you after?” He still sounded unsure.
“You will,” she assured him.
“Okay then! See you shortly!” He strolled back to his seat, stars shining in his eyes. Lily watched him walk away, still clearly stunned but she looked about to burst with happiness.
“That was awesome!” Emmett exclaimed. “The three of you working together like that? Throw in Alice and you guys would have a heck of a circus show!”
“That was very well done,” Jasper agreed. “You saw when things were not going according to plan and gave a new command to get them back on track. And you even ordered me to get involved.” I was embarrassed at the way I’d done that. “I’m proud of you, that was excellent. Always use what you have at your disposal. You could have just made him ignore her discomfort but instead you asked me to step in so she’d be more approachable. It was a better tactic.” I basked in Jasper’s praise. Edward didn’t need to say anything; he was smiling as widely as Lily was.
“We’d be excellent relationship counselors,” he pointed out with a chuckle.
The buzzing of the class got quiet as the professor strode into the room. Students sat up a little straighter and notebooks and laptops made their appearances. All of us quickly made a show of getting our materials out as if we would be attentively taking notes. I was finally a college girl. It felt kind of weird. Thankfully I didn’t have any bloodlust to speak of, I noticed some interesting flavors in the air but it was nothing that drew me. Jasper seemed more affected by it than I did.
“Are you okay?” I asked him. He nodded tersely. “Need help?”
He shook his head. “I’m alright; it’s just been awhile since I’ve been around this many humans at once. It takes some getting used to.”
I patted his hand. “Well if you need me to do anything, I will.”
He grinned. “The student becomes the teacher? I like it, but I can handle it, thanks.”
Edward nudged my shoulder. “The professor is looking this way and he’s noticed us. He doesn’t think we belong here and he’s thinking about asking who we are.” I looked back at the ginger haired professor with his scraggly beard and bifocals. He was the image of a college professor if I’d ever seen one, from his tweed jacket to his wing tipped shoes. He was definitely focused on us. Start your lecture. We’ve been in this class every day from the start of the semester. We’re excellent students.
He walked to the lectern and started into lecture on the parts of the human mind, the id, the ego and the superego. I noticed Jasper paying real attention to the professor and I giggled, calling him a teacher’s pet.
“The brain is my forte, you know,” and it was quite true. I should probably be more interested than I was but being around this many humans for the first time since my change was far more fascinating than any lecture. I just people watched and stopped the occasional fidgeting student that was distracting.
Edward hissed next to me. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s a kid in the fifth row, near the end, black leather jacket, greasy black hair, over on the left. Do you see him?” I nodded. “He just stole a wallet out of the purse of the girl next to him, the brunette with the pink purse. I didn’t even see it, I just heard him thinking about it.”
I picked out the girl who sat directly behind him, a slightly chubby blond girl. Raise your hand. She did and the professor glanced her way. “Yes, did you have a question?” Tell him you saw the guy in front of you steal a girl’s wallet.
She looked positively terrified, her eyes wide and her hands wringing nervously as she told him what she’d seen. The professor leveled the thief with his gaze and asked if it was true. Admit it. The perpetrator opened his mouth and owned up to his crime, reaching into his pocket and bringing out her wallet and several others. The professor’s mouth thinned into a disapproving line and he ordered a student near the door to go get security.
“He’s thinking about running now,” Edward whispered urgently. Stay right where you are. The boy twisted in his seat but didn’t get up. A security guard came in and took the student’s arm. Go with him. He got up and walked placidly next to the guard.
The professor turned back to the class, a frown on his face, and started his lecture again. Emmett leaned over and clapped me on the shoulder. “We could be crime fighters!” he whispered excitedly. I just laughed and shook my head.
“The whole class,” Jasper reminded me. Right, that was what I was here to do, test myself against hundreds at once. I watched and waited until the professor got impassioned about how synapses in the brain could misfire and when he paused to take a breath I gave my order. Stand and applaud. As one, the entire class got up and gave the professor a standing ovation, us included. His mouth fell comically and all four of us dissolved into laughter.
“He…he’s so excited. He’s never had students applaud before, let alone give him a standing ovation,” Edward choked the words out through his laughter. “I think you should definitely have them do that again because you just made his entire teaching career.”
Jasper took his seat. “I can see why,” he muttered dryly. “He’s pretty boring, even though the subject matter is exciting.”
Emmett rolled his eyes, “Only you would find this interesting.”
Jasper eyed him haughtily. “The better I understand how the brain works, the better I understand myself and my and Bella’s abilities.”
“Whatever, man, you could probably teach this class better than the Prof up there.”
“Undoubtedly,” Jasper agreed with a smug smile.
“Maybe you should make the whole class burst into tears or start screaming or something, Jasper. I bet you’d give the teacher foundation for some paper on mass emotion explosions,” Emmett chuckled. Jasper just shook his head and turned back to the lecture.
Edward played with the ends of my hair. “Aren’t you going to pay attention?” I asked him.
“I’ve taken Intro to Psych more times than I care to count and I have two degrees in Psychology. I’d rather just admire my gorgeous wife.” I snuggled back against him and continued people watching. Edward sighed and rested his head against mine.
“What’s the matter?”
“They’re still thinking about you.”
“Who is?”
“The majority of the males in this classroom.”
I pressed my lips into his riotous hair. “And I suppose none of the females are thinking about you?” Edward shrugged but didn’t answer me. “I take that as a yes.”
“Their thoughts don’t matter to me,” he pointed out, his fingers playing with mine.
“Nor should the males, it’s not like I’m going to do anything with them.”
“It’s just hard when they imagine you in certain ways.” I didn’t ask for or want clarification on that statement; I was pretty sure what he was referring to. Forget the girl and guys in the back row. Think about how exciting this lecture is.
Edward chuckled into my hair. “You are amazing. Thank you.”
“Happy to oblige.”
The professor started to wind up his lecture and a glance at the clock showed it was nearly time for dismissal. As his last words died out, I again had the entire class give him an ovation. His cheeks pinked and his eyes shone as he beamed at the class and thanked them for their attention.
“Oh, man, is it over already?” Emmett whined.
“No, we’ll go out into the quad for awhile.” We ran out of the room before any of the students were even out of their seats. “Hey, let’s just wait here for a second.” I suggested. The boys looked at me but shrugged as we stood outside the classroom. Students began to file out. Give the big guy your keys. They made a beeline toward us and Emmett, Jasper and Edward stood taller, eying them carefully, prepared to act if need be.
A line formed in front of Emmett as one by one, students reached out and gave him their keys. His face was absolutely comical; he looked bewildered and uncertain about what to do as keys began to pile up in his hands. Jasper, Edward and I all completely lost it, clutching onto one another as a small mountain of keys began to form on the floor around Emmett.
“Bella,” he hissed, “cut it out. How am I supposed to get these keys back to these kids?”
He kept trying to hand the keys back to the students but they wouldn’t take them, they just kept thrusting them back him. “Alright, you got your payback, would you do something about this now?” He glared at me and gestured at the ever growing pile at his feet; he had too many to hold so they just threw them on the floor next to him. I decided to take pity on him and sent the remaining kids on their way. We split up the pile of keys and sought out the owners, all of whom promptly thanked us for returning them.
After that was sorted out, we went out to the quad and took a seat at a picnic bench underneath some trees. It was fairly cold out so there weren’t a ton of students around but there were enough to give us something to watch and enjoy. “Ugh, that guy again?” Emmett pointed over where the guy they’d dubbed Mike Newton the Second was trying to talk a poor pretty brunette girl who kept looking around as if trying to find a route of escape.
“At least he hasn’t noticed you again,” Edward muttered, irritation clouding his tone.
“He really is just like Newton,” Emmett chuckled. “The poor sap does not have a clue that she’s not interested.”
“She’s too nice to just walk away but she definitely wants to,” Edward agreed. “Maybe we should help her out.”
I was trying to figure out what to do when the girl shifted and Mike Newton the Second followed her movement. That put me in his eyesight and his eyes lit up again. “Oh for the love of God…” Edward growled. “Here we go again.”
“Well on the bright side, his victim took the opportunity to get away from him,” Jasper said, jerking his head in the direction of the girl. Sure enough she was walking quickly across campus, her brown locks streaming behind her as she hurried to get out of sight. Edward started to get off the bench as my would-be suitor headed in our direction.
“Unbelievable, it’s like we’re not even here,” Emmett murmured, his tone reflecting his awe in the situation.
“Bella has him totally besotted,” Jasper pointed out. Edward’s teeth ground together and his growl started to get a little louder. I put my hand on his knee and squeezed it in silent support. He didn’t continue his ascent nor did he sit back down, he was in a half crouching position. I had to get this under control before one of us did something they’d regret. Emmett’s face showed disbelief, Jasper looked irritated and Edward was furious.
Stop. He stood perfectly still but his eyes remained trained on me. Now what? He was standing in the center of the sidewalk and streams of students were going around him, several turning to see what he was staring at and starting to look at us themselves. I needed a distraction.
Edward choked out a laugh. “Do you know what he’s picturing?” Um, did I really want to? Jasper and Emmett looked at him with questions in their eyes. “He’s picturing you in his dorm room and he’s stripping for you. It’s…oh God, it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. He thinks he’s so smooth!” Edward was in hysterics, sinking back onto the bench next to me, apparently no longer concerned about his thoughts now that he’d seen where they went. He buried his face in his hands and continued to laugh. “He…you…the look on your face! Like you’re aroused by it! Ha!” Emmett and Jasper joined in Edward’s mirth.
I glared over at the boy, irritated that he was picturing me that way and that my very own husband found it amusing. If he wanted to strip, he could do it here. Take off your clothes, just like you’re doing in your fantasy. He unzipped his jacket quickly and began dancing around. I could see why Edward was so amused, the guy’s hips were moving erratically and he even started doing some dance move I had seen in old videos; the cabbage patch or something like that. It was pretty hilarious. The students that had been staring at us turned to watch the spectacle before them, some getting out camera phones and recording the moment for posterity.
“Oooh baby, take it off!” Emmett shouted his encouragement. NotMike’s hands went to the hem of his sweatshirt and he tried to slip it off fluidly only it got caught on his head. He struggled for a few seconds before eventually removing it; still gyrating in time to whatever music he was hearing. The picnic bench splintered as Jasper pounded on it a few times, completely oblivious to the destruction he was causing as he laughed himself silly. Edward was still in hysterics and Emmett was swiveling his head between me and the sight before us, joy all over his handsome face, dimples winking with his huge grin.
“It’s just like he pictured it,” Edward exclaimed. I swear if he laughed any harder he’d get the hiccups. Could vampires even get hiccups? I didn’t think so but I just might find out. “Except for the wardrobe malfunction of course.” He looked over at me and gave me a heart melting smile. “And the fact that my Bella does not look remotely turned on by the sight before her.” I most certainly wasn’t…amused and horrified at the same time would be a more accurate description.
I watched as the kid started to remove his shirt, revealing pasty white skin. It was nothing like looking at Edward shirtless. That was a beautiful sight of tight muscles and tantalizing skin; the boy was doughy and white and decidedly undefined. It was not pretty. Emmett fell off the bench at the vision before him, clutching his sides as he shook with laughter. Edward gasped for air and Jasper’s amusement was flowing out of him and over all of the rest of us. Even I started laughing though I was not nearly as amused as they were.
The students were all staring with disbelief as NotMike reached for the button to his jeans. Stop stripping now. Oh no, I wasn’t letting it go any further than it had already. I felt rather mean but he started it. He looked down at himself and saw his state of undress and turned a bright red hue. Even his chest turned crimson. He snatched up his clothes, gaped at me in horror for a second, and then turned and ran across the quad as fast as he could, shouts of laughter trailing behind him.
It took several minutes for calm to return to the remaining students and us. “That was priceless, seriously. I think we can safely go home now, cause you’re not going to top that.” Emmett slung an arm around my shoulders. “Having you around is just awesome, Little Sis. I wouldn’t trade you for the world.” I just smiled and got up along with Jasper and Edward. Both still had smiles lighting up their handsome faces.
“No wonder Alice didn’t want to see that in person,” Jasper laughed. “The vision must have disturbed her a little bit.”
“She kept it from me. If I’d been forewarned I don’t know if I could have made myself come see it,” Edward allowed. “But it was totally worth it.” He took my hand and kissed it. “I think I could endure more men’s fantasies of you if you promised to make them look like fools every time.”
“Watch it or I’ll do the same to you,” I threatened with a small smile.
“Oh yeah, make Edward strip!” Emmett clapped his hands. I glanced around and saw that a number of girls were looking in our direction, no doubt admiring the view.
“I don’t think so. The only one he’ll strip for is me.” Edward waggled his eyebrows at me and mouthed the word “later.” I felt tingles course through me at the thought. “I could make you dance for them, Emmett; it’d be like watching a Chippendale’s dancer.”
“I have no doubt they’d enjoy the sight but Rosie would get mad,” Emmett shook his head sadly. I briefly toyed with doing it anyway but I didn’t want to irritate Rose any further. We had a semi-truce going and I didn’t want to do anything to disrupt that. Still…I smiled.
A very thin girl with pale blond hair and light green eyes who was watching us from nearby squared her shoulders and headed in our direction. I bit my lip as I waited for her to arrive. She smiled sweetly at Emmett and said, “I heard you could help me find my key?” Jasper and Edward were in immediate hysterics again as Emmett opened and closed his mouth in horror.
“Um, I really can’t do that, I’m sorry,” he stammered, shifting to stand behind his brothers. She followed him as he kept backing away.
I giggled and gave her more to say. “But you’re supposed to be good at it.”
“Bella, stop,” Emmett pleaded. He looked like he was about to take off running and I commanded him to stay still. The girl ran her hand along his arm and Emmett tensed up but didn’t move. She started humming “The Farmer in the Dell” and Emmett begged me with his eyes to make it stop. “I really need help with my key.” Jasper and Edward chortled with glee at her words.
“I can’t,” he said desperately. “Go ask someone else. That guy that ran across campus nearly naked would be more than happy to help you. He went that way!” He pointed helpfully. She kept on caressing him as he looked on helplessly, completely immobile. “Bella, please. No more key teasing, I swear!”
I decided he’d had enough so I sent the girl on her way, though she gave him a few longing glances over her shoulder. It seemed she really had taken a liking to him. “Let’s go home now,” he said desperately, getting out his keys and heading quickly to the car before I did anything else to him.
We arrived back at the Jeep and climbed in, Emmett heaving a relieved sigh. He turned to me and smiled brightly. “That was epic, all of it.” He gunned the engine and we took off, heading home. I heard Edward start snickering and looked at him questioningly. He jerked his head in Emmett’s direction.
“I was totally lying about not teasing you about the key,” Emmett announced, grinning at me in the rearview mirror. I joined in laughter with the three of them, not having expected anything else.
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