Two – Complications

That first day was a blur, except for him, the boy called Edward Cullen.

I couldn't help but think how strange it had been, the way his fingers had clasped so tightly to my legs like iron, the animalistic look in his golden burning eyes, and his inhumanly perfect face.

After visiting the office again, I got the paperwork from the attendant and drove home slowly; it was drizzling, of course, but I had forgotten an umbrella.

"Hey, Wendell!"

I turned around; it was a boy, his name was Mike Newton. He has saved my life in P.E. when a ball ricocheted off one of the bleachers. He was friendly and cute, with traces of baby fat on his innocent face.

"Um, hi," I said, holding my messenger bag over my head.

He smiled widely. "A few of us guys were going to go get some food; do you want to join us? It would be a good way to meet new people."

I tried to smile, but the thought of a public excursion made me sick. "Um, I don't know. I don't have a cell phone, so I couldn't tell Charlie, and he'd be worried."

"Charlie?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry, my dad," I corrected.

"You call your dad by his name?"

I shook my head. "Not to his face; sorry, that sounded bad. In Arizona, my mom always called him "Charlie", and never "my dad", so, I guess, it just stuck."

He nodded. "Um, I have a cell. You could use mine."

I mulled over the thought in my head. "Okay. Thanks."

Mike handed me his phone, a relatively old model.

After dialing Charlie at the police station, I pressed the phone to my ear and we walked towards shelter.

"Chief Swan," Charlie said.

"Uh, hi, dad, it's Wen," I said.

I could hear him cheer up. "Hey, sport! How was school?"

"School was great," I lied. "Listen, I was just invited to go get some food, and I was wondering if I could join."

"Uh, sure... Who invited you?" he sounded uneasy.

"Mike Newton," I said. Mike lit up next to me, smiling from ear to ear. His blonde hair was slightly damp from the rain that had bled through his hood.

"Oh, Karen and Joey's boy. Sure, just don't be out to late," he said, sounding slightly more assured.

"Thanks, I won't," I said, hanging up.

Mike beamed at me. "So?"

"Where to?" I asked.

"Great! Um, it's going to be me, Eric, Jessica, and Angela," he said. "We were thinking the new Chinese place that recently opened."

"Sure," I nodded.

"Do you need a ride?" I asked, hopefully.

"No, it's fine. I have my car."

He frowned a little. "Do you want me to ride with you?"

"Um, sure."

He smiled, again.

He walked me towards his circle of friends. I recognized all of them from at least one of my classes.

"Hi, Wendell," the girl I recognized as Angela said.

I waved awkwardly at all of them.

"I'm going to ride with Wendell, we'll follow you guys," Mike announced.

The girl named Jessica looked at me a little uneasily. "Cool. Let's go."

Mike and I walked towards my Beetle; his eyes lit up when he saw it.

"Sweet, man! Vintage," he said.

Isn't everything here? I thought.

"Thanks, my dad kind of surprised it on me yesterday. Kind of like a "welcome home" present, I guess."

It was still cold inside the cab of the car. I turned the key and then the heat, letting the car warm up.

"So, how do you like Forks?" Mike asked, throwing his backpack in the back seat.

"It's okay," I lied.

"You sound convincing," he laughed.

I shrugged. "I miss the sun, already."

He nodded. "Yeah, it takes some getting used to. I moved her from California a few years back." He grabbed my shoulder, his fingers loose. "I was the new kid, too, once." He was staring right at me, his blue eyes full of understanding, and something else.

I rolled my shoulders, hoping he'd let go. "Thanks."

He nodded, looking out the window. "So, we should probably get going."

"Yeah."

"Where to?"

"Just follow that green car," he pointed.

And that's when I saw him, his eyes pinned directly to me. He was sitting by a silver car, his arms folded tightly over his chest and his lip pulled to the side. I could see the glow of his golden eyes from here.

We locked eyes and it was still for a moment. My heart went wild in my chest and my fingers felt weak around the wheel.

"Wen? Wendell?" Mike said.

Shaking my head, I turned to him. "Sorry. I guess I must've dazed out."

"Edward Cullen," he said, disdainfully.

I furrowed my brow. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "Never mind, let's just go."

"No, tell me," I said.

"It's nothing," Mike said, trying to smile.

I must have looked confused.

"He's just not the best guy around, okay?" Mike sighed. "He's kind of a dick."

I nodded. "Did he do something to you?"

"Not directly, he just isn't very nice."

"Okay, well... I won't press it. Let's just go eat."

"Thanks. Yeah, just follow Eric."

As I pulled out of my parking space, Edward and I watched each other. Mike talked about how he was freaking out about an upcoming math test, but I wasn't listening; I was transfixed by the mystery of this beautiful boy.

"Can I ask you something?" Mike asked.

I must have not answered.

"Wen?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"I said, can I ask you a question?" he repeated.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said, pulling out of the parking lot, looking at Edward in the rearview mirror.

"I feel kind of stupid for asking..." Mike said.

Taking my eyes off Edward, I looked at him, "What?"

"Well, I heard someone say... Crap, never mind," he said, shaking his head and running his fingers through his blonde hair.

"No, just ask," I said. I knew what he was going to ask.

"Are you... I mean... Let me start over... Are you gay?"

I gave him a light smile. "Yes. I'm gay."

He sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's fine. I'm not embarrassed, so you shouldn't be either," I assured him.

"It's just...well, I don't really know any other gay guys in town...and... This is coming out wrong. Okay... I'm gay, too."

I turned to look at him, still driving. "What?"

"Yeah," he sighed, half-smiling. "I've never told anyone."

"And you told me because...?" I asked.

He raised his arms. "I don't know...I just had to say it. I know you don't know me, and I don't know you, but...I just felt comfortable telling you."

"Because I'm gay, too?"

"Maybe..."

"How do you feel?"

He laughed nervously. "I don't know...weird. I've never said it aloud..."

"And?"
"I feel good...I think. I feel better, relieved."

"Wait, is that why you invited me to come eat with you guys?"
"No! I swear! I wasn't planning on telling you, but I just went for it."

"Okay..."

He adjusted himself on the seat to look at me. "I promise."

I nodded. "I believe you."

"Please...don't tell anyone," Mike said, his expression pained.

"I won't," I said.

"Thanks..."

"No problem."

We had reached the restaurant, a small red building with oriental print in the windows. Eric parked and I took the spot next to him.

Reaching for his backpack, Mike sighed. "Could I maybe get a ride home? You know, after we eat?"

"Yeah, of course," I nodded. "Just leave you backpack in here."

He smiled, ear to ear. "Thanks!"

Inside the restaurant, Mike sat next to me in the booth, Jessica, Angela and Eric sat across from us.

"So, Wendell," Eric started.

"Just, Wen," I said.

He laughed. "Sorry. So, Wen, how do you like your classes?"

I shrugged. "They're okay. I like calculus, but not Mr. Ronan."

"No one does," he said. "You're taking calculus as a junior?"

I nodded. "I'm good at math."

"Maybe you could tutor Mike, he's terrible," Eric joked.

I decided then that I didn't like Eric.

"Eric, shut up," Mike glared, embarrassed.

"It was just a joke," Eric defended.

"How do you like art?" Angela asked, smiling.

"It's fine. You're in that class, too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah; I saw that you're partner is Edward..." she said.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. He didn't really say too much. I don't think he likes me very much," I admitted.

Mike shifted next to me.

"How can you tell?" Angela asked.

"Just the way he looked at me," I said.

"He looks at everyone like that," Jessica interjected. She was scowling at me, her pretty face scrunched up as she took a sip from her soda.

Mike cleared his throat. "What'd you take in Arizona?"

"It was a bigger school, so they offered a larger set of electives. I didn't have to take P.E., so I had three. But you guys don't have a creative writing class or a choir," I said, stirring sweetener into my iced tea. "This is my first year taking art. I'm not very good at it."

"Choir?" Angela asked, her face brightening up. "You sing?"

"Kind of," I shrugged. "I like music, and I play piano."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've been playing since I was five."

"That's so cool!"

"I could give you a couple of lessons," I offered.

"Really? That would be great!"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom," Jessica said, looking at me icily.

She stepped out of the booth and walked towards the end of the restaurant.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked.

"No, Jessica's just a bitch. She gets some getting used to," Eric said, chugging the rest of his soda.

Angela pulled out a notebook and tore out a page. "Here's my number, let me know when you're free so we can hang out."

"Oh, thanks. I was actually thinking of volunteering at the hospital," I said.

Eric narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"I did it in Phoenix and I really enjoyed it. I'm considering going into medicine," I said.

"That's cool," Mike smiled.

After we finished eating, I felt like I had to get out of there. "I think my dad will be expecting me home soon. I should get going."

"Okay, we'll see you at school tomorrow," Angela said.

"Yeah, sure thing."

After paying, Mike and I left.

"I'm sorry about that," he apologized, hanging his head in the car.

"No, it was fun. Thanks for inviting me."

"Jessica and Eric aren't usually like that."

"It's fine, Mike, really. I had a great time."

Mike cleared his throat. "Listen...I was wondering if maybe..."

"Yeah?" I asked, putting on my seatbelt.

"If you wanted to do this again, just you and me," he said, not looking on me.

I stopped. "Like, a date?"

"It wouldn't have to be," he whispered.

My eyes widened. "I've never been on a date before."

His eyes flashed, locking with mine. "Really? Not even in Phoenix?"

I shook my head.

"But...you're so nice...and smart...and cute," he stopped, his face burning red.

"Um...thanks. That would be great," I said, hoping to make him feel better.

He was suddenly smiling with relief. "I know this really awesome spot in the woods we could go to afterwards. Would this weekend work for you?"

This was all happening too fast. "Sure."

He was beaming all over.

Driving Mike home, he rambled the entire time, until we stopped at his house. He sat awkwardly, folding his hands over his backpack.

He turned to me, and quickly pecked me on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" he said, jumping out of the car.

I watched him step inside, holding my cheek the entire time.

I couldn't describe the confusion coursing through my veins. My face felt hot. My second day in Fork, and I already had a "date".

But the only boy I could think about was Edward Cullen.