Chapter 3
Bella and Mike enter a room of black-topped lab tables. Two to a table. Mike takes his seat and points her towards the teacher, Mr. Molina. Birkenstocked, enthusiastic science teacher at the head of the class. As Bella moves to the teacher with her class slip, she notes Edward his back to her, sitting at a front table. But as she passes Edward's table, the fan behind her blows a breeze past her and towards Edward.
He grabs onto the edge of the table, crumbling it slightly. No one notices.
Mr. Molina takes Bella's class slip, "Welcome, Ms. Swan. Follow along as best you can till you get caught up." Mr. Molina gestures to the only empty seat... next to Edward.
But as Bella approaches, she's taken aback when he slowly looks up at her, his eyes coal
black with repulsion, fury. If looks could literally kill..
Bella slinks reluctantly into her seat while Edward jerks away from her to the extreme edge of his chair.
Mr Molina addresses the class, "Today we'll be observing the behavior of planaria, a.k.a flatworms." he starts as he distributes two petri dishes per table and continues on, "We're going to cut them in half, then watch them regenerate into two separate worms.
Bella glances at Edward who averts his face, holding a hand over his nose as if he smells something horrible.
Bella, shrinking, subtly sniffs the air, smells nothing. Then she sniffs her hair. It's fine. She's perplexed. Mr. Molina hands Edward two petri dishes.
"Yes, folks, zombie worms! They just won't die." Mr Molina said excitedly.
Edward takes a dish, then slides the second one across the table to Bella as if she had Ebola. She takes her dish, and makes a dark curtain of her hair between them.
As the class goes on she can see Edward's hands under the table. Clenched into fists. Off Bella, utterly baffled, and deeply insecure.
As the Bell rings, Edward bolts out the door. Other kids and Bella exit a moment later. Bella looks down the hall; he's gone.
She heads down to the Administration office, knowing that's where her sister would be too to hand in their slips. Bella enters, but nearly turns and leaves when she sees her sister walk in too.
Edward was also there sweet-talking the enchanted female Administrator. He doesn't see Bella or Ellie enter.
"There must be something open sixth period. Physics? Biochem?" He asks.
The Administrator is looking at her computer screen and then shakes her head, "No, every class is full. I'm afraid you'll have to stay in biology. I'm so sorry."
Bella shifts her weight onto the other foot and the Administrator sees her and gestures for her and Ellie to wait a minute.
But Edward suddenly straightens as if sensing Bella. He slowly turns to glare at her with piercing, hate-filled eyes. She backs to the wall, hugging herself, suddenly chilled... with fear.
Edward turns back to the Administrator, "I'll just... endure it." and with that he strides out the door smacking into Ellie's shoulder as he went by.
"What was that about?" Ellie asks Bella.
"I'll tell you later" Bella replied as she and Ellie handed in their slips.
Edward climbs into a shiny new silver Volvo with the Cullens, while Bella, upset, hurries to her truck, her sister not far behind her. The many eyes still watching them add insult to injury. ... Finally, they reach the truck and Bella the door. Her eyes well... but she fights it, getting mad.
"Jerk." Bella muttered.
Ellie got in the car also and closed the door, "Ok. spill! What the hell was that?"
Bella sighed, knowing Ellie would not let her get away with not telling her, "Edward! He is a jerk" she started as she started the truck and reversed out to leave the school grounds.
"Yeah… and?" Ellie encouraged Bella to continue.
"In Bio, i walked in and the only spot was next to Edward. For the entire time he covered his nose as if i smelled."
"Are you serious! You do not stink!" Ellie defended.
"Try telling him that! Then as soon as the bell went off he ran out of the room as fast as he could. He was trying to switch classes. That is what he was doing when we got to the office"
"What a jerk! Tomorrow he is going to get a piece of my mind." Ellie said getting pissed off someone did that to her little sister.
Bella looked over at her sister, "I love you for being so protective over me, but I need to do it! I can't have you always fighting my battles and coming to my rescue."
Ellie looked at her sister, "Since when?" she asked.
"I think it's time I start not depending on you so much!"
Ellie crossed her arms, "Fine. But I will be close just in case you need me. And I won't interfere unless it goes down hill" she told Bella.
Bella smiled, "Done" there was silence within the truck before Bella spoke again, "Do you have training tonight?" She asked Ellie.
"Yep. Can't wait." Ellie replied all excited.
"I think Eric and Mike have a crush on you already." Bella said as she laughed slightly.
"Yeah. They can try. It's not gonna happen" Ellie said as she thought of Emmett, "I dont think Jessica likes that fact though when it comes to Mike. She was a bit jealous!"
Bella smiled, "I saw that. I wonder if she will be game enough to say something"
Ellie smirked, "If she was smart enough. She wouldn't. Yes she is the Volleyball Captain, but it won't help her against me"
Bella just laughed as she kept driving. They finally get home to see that Charlie's cruiser wasn't in the driveway but her Mustang is. Ellie jumped out of the truck and ran to her car, "OMG! My car is here. Finally"
Bella laughed and shook her head, "You are nuts" as he went inside.
Ellie ran after Bella, "I'm not nuts, I am awesome!" she yelled as also went into the house.
Bella and Charlie were at the table waiting for their meals and Ellie, who had just pulled into the car park.
A sirloin steak was set in front of Charlie and the waitress places a plate of cod in front of Bella while she beamed.
Several locals at the counter offer Bella welcoming smiles. She shrinks in her seat at the attention. Charlie's oblivious to it all.
"Can't get over how grown up you are. And so gorgeous." The waitress, Cora said.
Bella glances at Charlie, who keeps his eyes on his steak.
The next minute Ellie walks in and towards the table wearing her Taekwondo gear with a jumper over the top, "Sorry I'm late. Training ran late"
"All good El, Bella ordered for you." Charlie informed her oldest daughter.
Ellie turned to Bella, "Chicken Caesar salad with egg?" she asked.
"Of course" Bella replied.
"It will be out in a minute sweetie" Cora said as she as she filled their water glasses.
Ellie smiled at Cora, "Thank you Cora"
A bearded, hippy logger,appears behind Cora,leaning over her shoulder to Bella, "Hi Ellie, how you been? I see that you're still training." she said as he half hugged Ellie.
Ellie nodded, "Of course. Need to keep it up for the competitions" she said as she sat down again after hugging Waylon.
"Great. I will be at your next competition. Can't wait to see my goddaughter kick some butts"
"She would be able to kick yours Waylon" Charlie said proudly.
"I would not doubt that" he said as he turned to Bella, "Remember me, honey? I was Santa one year."
"Waylon, Bella hasn't had a Christmas here since she was four."
Waylon grinned, "Bet I made an impression, though." he said making everyone laugh slightly.
"You always do." Charlie said.
"Let the girls eat their meals, Waylon." she then turned to the girls, "Bella, when you're done, I'll bring your favorite - berry cobbler. Remember? Your dad still has it. Every Thursday. And Ellie, Apple pie is on the way" she said as she placed her meal down.
Bella smiled but she did not remember that at all, Ellie elbowed her sister and smiled.
"That'd be great, thank you."
Cora shoos Waylon away. Left alone now, Charlie and Bella both reach for the salt, knock hands. Charlie goes for the ketchup instead. Silence as they eat. Ellie shook her head at the awkwardness between her father and sister.
Bella wasn't liking the awkwardness so she decided to break the silence, "So... you eat here every night?" she asked Charlie.
Charlie nodded, "Easier than washing dishes."
"Ellie and I can cook," she said as Charlie looks up, "We do the cooking at home - in Phoenix. Mom's not great in the kitchen."
"That's an understatement" Ellie said as she took another mouthful in.
"I remember.." Charlie and they all laugh - recalling an especially bad dinner.
"How was school? Meet anyone?" Charlie asked.
"School was good Dad." Ellie answered.
"Met a few people... Do you know the Cullen family?"
Charlie looks up sharply, "Are people talking about them again?"
"No... well, a little." Bella answered.
"It's just high school gossip, Dad" Ellie added.
"Just 'cause they're newcomers. We're lucky to have a surgeon like Dr. Cullen at our podunk hospital. Lucky his wife wanted to live in a small town. Lucky his kids aren't like a lot of the hell-raisers around here."
"They seem really nice. Emmett is in my legal studies class" Ellie added in.
"...Okay." Bella said.
"I just don't like narrow mindedness." he said as he returns to his food and once again there was silence.
"How was your day Dad?" Ellie asked her dad.
"It was busy. But busy is good. Just a lot of paperwork to be caught up on." he answered and they continued their dinner.
Bella looks out at the fog as she talks on the phone which is on loud speaker so her sister who was sitting on her bed can hear their Mom and talk too.
"If spring training goes well, we could be living in Florida permanently." Their Mom said then came another voice, "Please insert 25 cents to continue."
"Mom, where's your cell?" Ellie called out.
"Ok, I didn't lose my power cord. It ran away. Screaming. I literally repel technology now." Rene explained as Bella gave her sister a 'what the hell look'.
"Classic Mom!" Ellie said as Bella smiles. Both missing their Mom.
"Now, tell me more about your school, baby. What are the kids like? Are there any cute guys? Are they being nice to you?" Rene asks her youngest daughter.
Bella looked at Ellie with a 'help me' look, but Ellie was laughing too much.
"They've all been really.. Welcoming." Bella tried.
"We have met a group of people who are all nice Mom." Ellie added in.
"That's great to hear girls…" Rene said, you could hear her smiling in the phone.
After their conversation with their Mom, Ellie went back to her room to do some homework. She couldn't help that she kept getting distracted by thinking of a certain someone.
Ellie shakes her head of the image in her mind, "Why do I keep thinking of him" she got up and looked out her window. Taking in the beauty of the forest as the sun set which she loved and one of the reasons why she visited whenever she could.
She looked at the time, it was 8.30pm. Still sometime to do homework and then to bed.
Chapter 3 done.
Hope you are liking it. If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know.