Okay, I'm an idiot.
I may have one of the highest grades in my school, but I am still an idiot. Why, you may ask? Why is Bella Swan, nerd extraordinaire and all around level headed girl doubting her mental capacity? Well, let me regale you. You see, I have this friend, Angela. Pretty, bookish, sorta shy, you've probably seen her around. Well, anyway, she is officially seeing (what the hell does that even mean, anyway?) Ben Cheney. Those two are a match made in an after school special, let me tell you. Anyway, apparently, when your boyfriend is on the hockey team and the hockey team has won a game it is your sworn girlfriend duty to attend the aftermath shindig. Oh, did I also mention that it is apparently your duty to drag your antisocial best friend along lest she stay at home alone, watching the History Channel and eating peanut butter out of the jar? Oh, well, it is.
Right, we were talking about my idiocy. Here I am, attending my first party that did not involve birthday cake and pointy little party hats and I'm standing like a weird little inanimate garden gnome next to the Crowley's damask curtains.
Looking around, I would have guessed Tyler Crowley's house was a movie set meant to depict a stereotypical teenage party. Various liquor bottles, those funny red cups, there was even a keg. Wow, these rich kids don't mess around.
Sighing softly, I cast a glance over to Angela. She and Ben were doing that doe-eyed 'what-light-from-yonder-window-breaks' shtick again (not that I'm bitter or anything). Apparently, I was supposed to mingle. God, I hated that word. I've known these kids my entire life and I can barely hold a conversation with any of them. I'm more the strong and silent type. Actually, that describes my dad, I'm pretty much just silent. These damn spindly arms can barely carry my textbooks. Man, I can't even carry a normal conversation with myself, and Ang wants me to talk to these people!
Oh well, at least it's still pretty quiet, that means Cullen isn't here yet. Now him I'm sure you've heard of, right? Of course you have. Stupid handsome athletic smart popular biology partner.
Yeah, still not bitter.
Anyway, let's not talk about him. Every time I talk about him my face goes red and my IQ drops to Neanderthal levels. Seriously, the kid is that beautiful. It doesn't help that he is funny as hell and even get my stupid biology jokes about phospholipid bilayers. Oh, right, I forgot, we weren't going to talk about him. Check.
I can't keep my next sigh in, one last look at the lovebirds and I mentally slap myself for not bringing my own ride. I can see that they are going nowhere fast and that more people are trickling in the front doors, my spidey senses are a-tinglin' and I briefly consider my options. I glance at the patio doors and my feet automatically move towards them. It's November and the air is chilly, I doubt there will be many people out there. Slipping out as stealthily as I can (only tripping once, may I add), I hear a commotion at the front and some whooping yells. Glancing up briefly, I see the rest of the hockey team spilling in. Instinctively my eyes go towards Edward. He's smiling and getting congratulated, I guess he must have been instrumental in their win. Briefly our eyes collide, his smile drops slightly and he looks surprised. Great, I am the human bucket of cold water, able to wipe the smile of beautiful men at 50 feet! Just perfect. I close the patio door behind me before I can feel any lower.
Well, what did I expect? For him to come running my way, leaping over the bourgeois furniture and confess his undying love for me. Yeah, I can see it now. Oh Bella! How your mousy brown hair and soft little belly doth quake my trousers! Oh, let us run away to an Ivy League school and make little coordinationally challenged babies!
Hmmm... Perhaps this wasn't the best idea. I'm already freezing and all I can hear is the dull thump of the music's bass. Well, I could go back inside and call my dad for a pickup. Of course, he would have to drive down in his cop cruiser and I'm pretty sure that would not get me the label of Miss Popular. Maybe I'll just tough it out for a few minutes and then go pester Angela, my blue lips might garner me a bit of sympathy...
Suddenly I hear the patio doors slide open. Aha, Angela must have seen my stealthy escape and decided to put me out of my misery. I wanted to toss out a wisecrack but my teeth are chattering so I decide to just settle for a sardonic look. Turning around, I can barely contain my gasp of surprise when I meet the beautiful green eyes of my biology partner.
"Hey, Bella," he said, his voice dripping in honey. Okay, no more dime store romance novels for me.
I squeak back at him. Seriously, like a mouse. I blame the cold.
"What are you doing out here?" he asks, looking genuinely concerned.
"Oh, you know... enjoying the view." Yes, because deck furniture covered in weather tarps are veritable Monets. Way to wow him with your intellect. Still, though, his smile seems more compassionate than mocking.
"Too loud in there?" He asks, coming to stand beside me.
"Something like that." I answer, not wanting to admit to the King of Social Aptitude that I would rather chew my own arm off than make small talk with my classmates. Whoa... He's undressing. No wait, he only took his coat off. He places it on my shoulders as my face registers a look of surprise.
"You looked cold." He says, suddenly looking shy, almost bashful. Wow, I revel for a moment as his scent envelops me. Must. Not. Orgasm.
"I haven't seen you at one of these before." He says after a few seconds of me surreptitiously trying to look like I'm not smelling his jacket.
"Yeah, apparently teenage hermitage is frowned upon." I answer, only half joking. He shoots me a quizzical look.
"Angela though I needed to get out, get some Vitamin D." I add, cringing as I remember that it is night and my joke falls flat. Still, his beautiful smile appears and somehow I return it.
"Anyway, I should go inside, I think I've met my social quota for the week, I'll see if Ang will drive me home and I'll catch the last half of the Star Wars marathon on tonight." I ramble, wanting to slap myself. Way to label yourself as 100 percent geek meat, Swan.
Turning quickly, I just want to escape but I feel a warm hand grab my arm. Damn, I forgot, I still had his jacket, of course he wants it back.
"Sorry! I almost stole your jacket. I mean, took your jacket, not stole, then my dad would have to lock me up! Bella Swan, coat thief!" Oh my god, why did my parents not have my mouth sewn shut at an early age.
"No," Edward says, shaking his head, "that's not what I... I just mean, Angela and Ben look pretty cozy. I could... give you a ride home, if you wanted." His tone is questioning and unsure. He almost looks... nervous.
"Oh. That's really nice of you but... Well, you just got here and I'm sure everyone wants to see you." I can't believe I'm turning this offer down but he's just being nice, I'm sure he just wants to see his friends, not drive some socially challenged loon around on a Friday night.
"No, I mean, I kind of want to bail too, you'd be giving me an excuse." He says.
Wow, those puppy dog eyes are lethal and I find myself dazedly muttering 'okay.' His face breaks into a smile and he pushes his coat back onto my shoulders.
"I just have to let Angela know I'm leaving..." I say, not really wanting to look away from him but knowing I had to let my friend know I was going.
"I can text Ben," Edward says, "It's just, if I go back in there I'll never get away."
I nod shyly and watch as he pulls his iPhone out, sending off a short text to Ben. He replaces his phone and gestures that I should go ahead of him, I guess we are taking the path round the house to where the cars are parked. My eyes widen and I almost miss a step as I feel his warm hand press against the small of my back and guide my steps. I know he is just being polite but I can't stop my heart from soaring. For a moment, we were boyfriend and girlfriend. This beautiful, talented boy loved me and wanted me. Yet as suddenly as the fantasy came, it's gone. He is Edward Cullen and I am Bella Swan, these two worlds just never meet. He would drive me home and forget about it, and I would remember it for always, that was how these things worked.
We reach his pretty silver car and he opens the door for me. I try to squash the butterflies in my stomach but it's no use. Oh well, my house isn't far so I only have a few minutes to embarrass myself. I buckle my seatbelt as he rounds the car and smoothly lowers himself into the driver's seat. He gives me a quick smile as he starts the engine and we are off. I stare out the window so as to avoid staring at him, which I'm pretty sure he would find creepy. Oddly, the scenery passes by slowly, his speed is leisurely. That's weird, he is known for enjoying fast speeds and I wonder what made this drive different. Maybe he thought I'd report him to my father? Huh.
My meandering thoughts are interrupted as he suddenly breaks the silence.
"So, you like Star Wars?" He asks, his tone slightly nervous. How strange.
"Um. Yes." I respond. Okay, maybe a little of an understatement, but this boy does not need to know the full extent of my geekdom.
"I will probably be able to catch all of Episode VI, maybe even the end of V." I add, glancing at the clock.
"I haven't watched those in a while." He says. His fingers are drumming a beat on the steering wheel.
"I have the box set, you could come over and watch it. If you want." He adds hastily. His hand runs through his hair in a nervous fashion.
My mouth drops open and I turn to look at him. Did Edward Cullen just invite me, Bella Swan, Nobody Extraordinaire, to his house to watch Star Wars?! Did hell just freeze over?
"I'd like that." I mumble, feeling my cheeks turn red.
And the award for Understatement of the Century goes to...