Work Text:
Bella didn’t even glance at the name before she hit the answer button.
“Hello?”
“Hi.”
Bella paused her scribbling. She was trying (trying was the keyword) to study for midterms. She had spent the past few hours copying notes. Something she knew the caller knew. “Hi? Is something wrong.”
“No.”
Bella blinked in confusion. Then why… “Kate, I’m studying for midterms right now, if there’s nothing-”
“Just wanted to talk to you.”
Bella returning to scribbling. “Oh?”
“Ate a drunk deer,” Kate murmured. “Tanya says I’m drunk.”
“What?”
“The animals, they can eat fermented fruit,” Kate said. “Makes ‘em drunk. And when we drink their blood…”
Bella’s pen froze. She placed it down.
“You’re drunk?” Bella asked in surprise.
“Yep,” Kate said. Now that Bella focused on her voice, she could hear the slight slur and her accent creeping back into her voice. Her voice grew soft. “I miss you.”
“You missed me? I just saw you a week ago.”
“I know,” Kate mumbled. “But I like being around you.”
Bella smiled at that. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
“I can hang out this weekend,” Bella offered. She shouldn’t. Not really. She felt like she was slowly being crushed under the work that had been thrust upon her. She needed all the time she could get to finish her work. Still, she couldn’t help herself. She was addicted to the feeling she got being around Kate.
There was a gasp on the other end of the line. “You can?”
“I can.”
“Do you want to watch movies? I have sooooo many movies we can watch.”
Bella couldn’t help but giggle at that. “I’m sure you do.”
“I like your laugh,” Kate mumbled.
“You do?”
“It’s pretty, just like you.”
Bella felt her ears turn bright red.
“Kate…” she murmured.
“I’m being honest!” Kate said.
Bella sighed. "I know.
She wasn’t stupid.
She saw the way Kate looked at her. She knew how she felt. Her friendship with the vampire had been… unexpected. After the Cullens’ sudden departure, Bella never wanted to see another set of yellow eyes again. Then Kate came stumbling into her life, stupid jokes and all. Bella had sworn she would never date another vampire.
Kate was making her reconsider that decision.
“I miss you too,” Bella admitted.
Bella heard a giggle from the other end of the line that made her smile.
“I could come see you,” Kate said. “I could be there in two seconds flat.”
“In your condition?” Bella asked. “I’m worried you’ll try to go to my dorm from last year rather then show up at my apartment.”
Kate scoffed at that. “Oh ye of little faith.”
“Seriously Kate, I can’t,” Bella murmured.
Kate sighed. “I understand, my beauty is just far too distracting.”
The woman had no idea just how right she was. Still, Bella played it off. “Yeah right. That’s the reason. Not because you don’t know how to be quiet.”
“I would be, scout’s honor,” Kate said.
Bella could picture her in her mind. Hand over her heart. Three fingered salute. Dopey grin on her face. Still, even with her promise, Bella knew Kate too well. She knew herself too well. It was far too easy to be selfish when it came to Kate.
"So Saturday then?" Bella asked. "Say... 5?"
There was no response, instead murmuring on the other end of the line. Bella heard a “Hey!” from Kate and then Tanya’s voice appeared on the line.
“I apologize Miss Swan,” Tanya said, cordial as ever. “It appears my sister is-”
“She told me,” Bella said, interrupting Tanya. “Is she going to be alright?”
“Of course,” Tanya said. “I’m afraid I tried to dissuade her from calling you but she ran off when my back was turned. I am sorry if she has embarrassed herself or disrupted your evening in any manner.”
Bella couldn’t help but smile at the apologetic tone. “It’s fine. I guess she can’t really sleep it off, can she?”
There was some scuffling on the other end of the phone. The sound was muffled. Perhaps a hand over the microphone? Bella could hear Kate saying “Give me that back! That’s mine! I'm trying to plan a date with Bella!”
“Stop it! Irina get her please…” Tanya hissed. The sound returned to normal. “I apologize. No, she cannot. Which is rather unfortuna-” More muffling. “Katarina don’t you dare shock your si- You come over here and I’m taking your credit cards for the month. No, two months. Katarina-”
Bella heard a yelp and then a very familiar giggle.
Then there was Irina. “Enough Kate! You are not getting the phone!”
There was more muffled discussion.
“I apologize again Bella, Katarina will call you in the morning,” Tanya said quickly, hanging up.
Bella was left to the silence of her dorm. The black screen of her phone staring up at her. Kate wanted to plan a date? With her?
Bella blinked. Did she say yes? She mentally walked through the previous conversation. No. She hadn't. But would going on a date with Kate such a horrible thing? Bella was slightly astounded by the answer being no. No, she did want to go on a date with Kate. She wanted to sit and cuddle with her. She wanted to hear her stupid jokes and hear Kate call her pretty all the time. She wanted all that.
Bella focused on her computer. Right. Studying.
Yes.
Bella left her exam feeling… okay. Could be better, could be worse. Her phone rang as soon as she got near her apartment.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Hi,” A small voice said.
Bella immediately smiled. “Well hello there. Feeling better today?”
There was a groan on the other end of the line. “Bella, I’m so sorry. Tanya said I made an ass out of-”
“You didn’t do anything at all,” Bella said.
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“You gonna pick me up Saturday?” Bella asked, scanning her key card to get into her dorm.
“Saturday?”
“For our plans?” Bella asked. “We were going to watch movies.”
“Of course! Right! Yes.”
Bella smiled. “You don’t remember last night at all do you?”
“The deer ate so much of that fruit!” Kate complained as Bella laughed. “I thought it was injured! I was just putting it out of it’s misery! How was I to know it was drunk?”
“Well then, I won’t hold you to it-”
“No! No,” Kate said. “I would love to hang out this weekend. Seriously.”
“Perfect,” Bella said. “It’s a date then.”
"Y-yeah! Sounds good!"
"That work for you?" Bella ask.
"Yes! Of course!" Kate said, her voice becoming soft. "I would love to go on a date with you."
"Perfect. 5:30. Outside my dorm," Bella said, smashing the elevator button to summon it.
"Right! 5:30. Bye Bella."
"Bye Kate," Bella said, hanging up as the elevator doors open.
Bella smiled, leaning her head against the elevator wall. She could picture Kate’s surprised face in her mind.
She needed to buckle down. Get work done.
After all, she had a date this weekend.