Camping?

Holy crow!

I could hardly walk two steps with out falling flat on my face, how the heck was I going to survive the nature hike?

"Oh and I have some more exciting news. Since the winter holidays are coming up, I do love the holidays, I would like to enjoy the season by assigning secret Santa's."

Mr. Banner announced but I wasn't really paying attention I was barely realizing the trouble I was in. The idea of me camping was barely hitting hard in on me.

In my stillness of chagrin of the whole situation I hardly noticed Edward starring at me curiously from his same stance as always, still as a statue and leaning over his desk as far from me as possible. Now it was a little different. He stopped trying to sit away from as far as possible but he still gave me his weirdest stairs from afar at times and he still hadn't talked to me after failing to tell me his little secret after the Tyler's van incident.

I was surprised I hadn't noticed him before, since I seemed to be aware of his every moment, which was hardly any, during class.

I didn't dare to face him, I didn't let that problem hit me now, right now I needed to be worried about the endangerment of my physical health because of this camping fieldtrip and not my mental heath by who the person sitting next to me really was.

I slowly raised my hand while trying not to care that Edward was watching me again and kept my eyes wide on Mr. Banner in my horror stricken emotions of camping.

"Mr. Banner?'' my voice shook as interrupted his as he paced in front of the class reading the rules for the secret Santa's.

"Yes Ms. Swan?" He said, not minding at all that I had interrupted him.

"Uh, does the camping fieldtrip count for a grade?" I spoke out loud uncomfortably, struggling to make my voice loud enough, hoping my words wouldn't come out sounding idiotic and restrained.

"Yes, it will count for twenty percent of your grade." My mouth dropped.

It was impossible then for me to rescue myself from the embarrassment and hurt this camping trip would bring. And I doubt Charlie could somehow get me out of this by signing a note.

What would his excuse be? Please excuse my daughter from this trip because she is such a helpless klutz she's almost disabled ?

And even though the teacher, or anyone else in this town for that matter, would believe that, and knew it, it still wouldn't be a strong enough of an excuse. Even though it was a danger to my health.

I doubt I could ask Charlie to use his power as sheriff to some how persuade Mr. Banner into not letting me go or threaten him with some old unpaid parking violations or something that would work.

So I was damned to this camping fieldtrip.

I hope Charlie would be ready for me when I came back with a concussion and probably two broken legs.

I could kiss my ability to walk away for months!

Curse Mr. Banner for having to come up with this bright idea of a camping trip. I was suddenly seeing him in a red rage and everything around me in a red haze.

I realized Edward was still starring at me thoughtfully with one eyebrow raised at my behavior, as if it was somehow strange.

I wasn't in the best mood and didn't notice I was glaring back at him with annoyance.

"What?! What's your problem?" I wanted to tell him curtly. But I didn't have enough guts and as I saw his eyes on me my anger washed away and I turned away cowardly as always and just went back to feeling awkward in my seat and wondering what he really was.

When I got home I did the same routine I always did. After dinner I started to pack for the 3 day long trip which would begin Friday. Charlie noticed me as he passed by my room.

"What's going on in here?" he said as he opened the door and put his hands on his hips.

"We have to go a stupid camping trip for stupid twenty percent of our grade." I said angrily as I tried unsuccessfully to stuff my toiletry bag and zip the suitcase all the way and it was being unneededly difficult.

He starred at me as I struggled with the suitcase to zip.

"And why is that such a bad thing?" He asked insolently with out a clue.

I dropped what I was doing and starred at him annoyed with my hands on my hips.

Then my stupid suitcase flew open and things over spilled and my hairbrush flew out and hit my foot hard.

"Ow!" I cried.

"Oh, right." he said in understanding as his eyes dropped and he let his own hands drop from his hips.

I handed him the permission slip as I limped on one foot were I could feel where it hurt where the new bruise would be forming. I almost tripped and fell into his arms as I handed him the paper.

He steadied me and I held on to the door knob for support as he read it.

"Will why are you packing know when its not till Friday."

" I have nothing better to do." I shrugged.

He nodded weakly and walked away.

The next day in biology we discussed rules and instructions for the camping trip. Then we did our secret Santa's.

We each wrote our name on a small piece of paper then we put it in a matching Santa hat they Mr. Banner wore on his head. Then Mr. Banner shook it up and then walked around the room and we each picked one.

After that Edward was all perky, will perky for him. He sat up straight and leaned back in his chair and kept smiling. And he looked at me more then usual and I wondered why. There was always a hint of a smile on his face.

I wasn't sure what was with him but it made me smile too.

As I caught him starring at me with glowing eyes with a hint of a smile, I looked away and smiled to myself. Even though I was still upset about the camping dilemma, seeing him happy made me unusually content.

D-day…Doomsday…will, for me at least, it was. I'm sure the other students wouldn't have problems hiking, unlike me. They could walk with out tripping over something every other minute.

I was screwed.

The trees and rocks would have no mercy. I would be blessed if I made out alive. I took a deep breath as I boarded the bus.

I walked down the narrow walkway of the bus looking for a seat. The bus was nice. The seats were big and spacious, they had a DVD player screen in every row of seats and there was a restroom with actual running water and it wasn't want of those portal potty toilets.

I was walking slowly, trying not to trip over lose bags on the floor or suitcases, that I hardly noticed I was walking past Mike. I tried walking faster to escape his notice while he was faced the opposite direction. I headed towards the back of the bus all the way. Every seat was filled. And in the very last two pair of seats sat the Cullen's, it was just the boys. And there was only one seat empty beside Edward.

I contemplated for a moment if I should dare, then he turned his head slowly from looking out the window, to my face with a somber expression. His brothers eyes were also on my face.

I gasped as his hard eyes landed on me. I let out a small gasp and hastily turned back around to find another seat.

Before I turned away, I swore I saw his eyes light up and smile. I shook the possibility of that out of my head and dismissed what I thought I saw.

As I walked back down the bus I realized there were no more seats. The seat beside Mike had already been taken so there went my options of people I was close to or new on the bus. I wondered if I could hurry back of the bus and get on the second bus. Then I noticed an empty seat right beside me. I smiled and praised the lord. I quickly sat down with a smile next to the stranger beside me who was fidgeting with her bag. I didn't know her but I prefer a stranger then Edward.

I thought about how close I was to having to sit next to Edward, I thought how I would have loved it but new it would be awfully awkward. I started wishing that I should have just did it and dared to sit beside him.

The girl beside me put down her bag beside her then looked up at me.

"That seats taken." She said, noticing me for the first time I guessed. As she looked up, I followed her gaze to see another girl I didn't know headed our way. I spotted Mr. Banner walking behind her.

"Oh, sorry." I said as I got up. I let the girl pass me and take the seat and take my safe barrier. I noticed the doors of the bus had closed. I started to panic.

"Mr. Banner?" I called his attention from beside me, you could hear the panic building in my voice.

"Yes Bella?" he asked pushing his glasses up from slipping of his nose.

"There's no more seats, can I get on the second bus?"

I hope he wouldn't notice the empty seat next to Edward, hoping someone had taken it. Then at the same time I envied who ever might have taken it. Then I very much started to hope, as I waited for his answer, that there was no more seats on the second bus either and I couldn't go on trip at all and just go home.

No such luck.

Mr. Banner peered behind me and said "There's an empty seat next to Edward." Then he walked away.

My mouth dropped. I could feel the misery building inside of me. I was so mad, I would probably explode at the next person who made my day any worse.

I slowly turned around and kept my eyes on the floor trying to hide the chagrin on my face. Even as I walked slowly towards the back of the bus and kept my eyes on the ground, I somehow managed to trip over the girl's bag who had taken my safe seat.

She glared at me as she brushed of my shoe mark from her bag and the other girl beside her giggled at my stumble. I was still so annoyed and I glared right back a her as I passed them by.

I was a bit surprised at my self.

I tried not to look up at the dreaded seat and kept my eyes down trying unsuccessfully to not fall again.

Once again I started to hope maybe I wasn't the only one looking for a seat and someone else had taken the seat before me and I would just have to stay home. Then I suddenly felt mad I wouldn't sit next to Edward even though at the same time it terrified me.

My eyes flashed up at the thought, what if someone had taken my seat. I looked up only to find it was empty and Edwards eyes were burning on me.

I could tell nothing by his intense stare if he was mad or happy. I looked back down thinking that over, that I tripped over who knows what, air probably, and practically fell into my seat. I herd a chuckle from behind me from one of his brothers.

I sighed and looked away from them.

This was going to be a long drive.