Chapter One

I swear they were following us.Alice insisted that she couldn't hear anything, but I'm suspecting that she's going over to the dark side herself ; I betcha she's fallen for Jasper. And yeah, he's cute and all, but seriously...
They're retards!
We rounded the corner, Alice giggling softly and hysterically. She keeps glancing behind her to check whether he's there. Her excited squeal told me that they'd shown themselves at last.
"Slow down Bella!" Alice complained, feigning fatigue. I ignored her; she could go for miles if she wanted. And she'd never shown mercy to me. I watched her catch up to me, still looking over her left shoulder. She was soooo loving this.
"Is he looking at me, Belly? Oh my God he's looking at me!" she jumped on the spot. "Look Bells! He's looking at me! Is he?"
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"No, Alice. He's looking at the absolutely stunning girl in front of us. I can see the luuurve in his eyes."
Alice stopped suddenly, then sped up in front of me.
"Oh my God I'm gonna kill her! Where is she? Let me go Bella!"
I grabbed her arm.
"Holy cow Alice, of course he's looking at you. Sheesh."
"Oh, well that's alright then..."
I shook my head; sometimes she was just too much work.

"Slow down Bells."
It was that voice. Honestly, that's the only reason I can think of that I stopped.
"What?" I couldn't believe they had followed us. I mean, what the hell?
"We just want to talk to you."
"Sure you do Edward, sure you do." I turned around to face them. He had a smug grin on his face. It drove me insane. "Either way, we don't want to talk back, 'kay? So we've got to go."
I know I should've started running right then, but I had to hear his answer. We had this thing, me and Edward, sort of like an on-going retaliation thing. It was always him who had the last word, and I wanted to change that this time.
"I don't think Alice really agrees with you, Bella."
I turned around. Unfortunately, it was just too true. Her face was blank and she was staring creepily at Jasper. I groaned.
"Alice! Please!"
No answer, not that I expected one. Why did I have to get the friend who was all for the guys? I changed the subject.
"Where's Emmett?"
The two boys snickered and exchanged looks.
"Where do you think?" It was the first time Jasper had spoken. Edward finished his sentence.
"With Rose. Duh."
I closed my eyes and tried not to picture Rose and Emmett together in some closet somewhere. I sure didn't envy the person who discovered them.
"Whatever. I'm going. Don't let Alice kill herself, okay?"
Not waiting for their answer, I turned and walked quickly away. Honestly. There was only so much retardedness I could handle in one day.
At first I thought I was going to get away. And then, of course, I felt him come up behind me. I sighed and tried to ignore him, but I could almost feel the smugness radiating out from him in waves. I pursed my lips and held my tongue. I wouldn't be the first to speak this time. I felt him slip his arm around my waist.
"Why so eager to run away, Bells?"
I shouldn't have liked the way he said my name, but I did.
"I'm not running away." I shrugged his arm off.
"Sure, Bells. Sure." He put his arm back.
"Edward, there's only so much I can take in one day. You have followed us since first break! I'm going to snap!" I pushed his arm away.
"I'd like to see that." He put his arm back, more firmly this time.
I lost it.
"Lay off, Edward! Please! What is with you?" my hands were balled up into fists and I could feel the angry tears coming. He smiled.
"What?" his eyes twinkled. Why couldn't I do that? "You don't like me hanging around?"
I sighed.
"It's not that, Edward. Okay? I don't mind you 'hanging around', it's just the way you guys are so up yourself. And the way you keep hanging around!"
"You just said you didn't mind that."
"Oh God! I've changed my mind, alright? Deal. With. It."
I wheeled around and stormed off.

"I have decided I really really like you getting mad. It's amusing."
I stopped so suddenly he ran into me.
"So that's all I am," I whispered angrily. "Amusing?"
His long arms wrapped around me, hugging me to him.
"Would you want to be more?" He whispered back.
"Leave me alone, Edward." I said, my voice back to normal. "Get out of my life."
I threw off his arms and walked away, confident he wouldn't follow me this time.
"Not possible." I thought I heard him whisper.
"What?" I demanded.
"Nothing," the smile was back. "Nothing, Bella, nothing."