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On the Other Side of the World

Chapter 3

A week had passed since my last encounter with Edward. I had seen him in the halls and around, but never talked to him. Often our eyes would meet when we passed, but we never acknowledged each other. I therefore hadn't gotten any closer to knowing him.

However, Jessica had become friends with him. When they were not hanging out, she spent every minute talking about him. Mike soon got tired of being neglected and broke up with her, but she didn't seem to care. Mike was just another guy to her now; she had her eyes on Edward.

I couldn't help feeling down; it seemed Jessica got everything I wanted!

Saturday that week, I walked into Mike right outside of the drug store. We were talking when a familiar figure appeared in the corner of my eye. I would recognize the personage exiting the store anywhere, it was Edward. His bronze hair was hidden underneath a green and blue cap that fit nicely with his eye color.
I noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses, and my heart skipped a beat because of his astonishing looks.

While talking to Mike, I continued to steal looks at Edward. He was wearing a dark rain coat, like any other citizen on this particularly rainy day, and in his hand he had a math book.
I didn't understand why he was outside of the drug store with a math book on a Saturday. I had had my suspicions that he was smarter that he looked, but why he would be doing math on a Saturday was more that I could comprehend.

He seemed to be waiting for someone, walking restlessly from the bike stand on one side of the shop to the tree on the other, crossing the road and walking back again. I was very distracted from my conversation with Mike, turning to look for Edward.

Once, our eyes met when he was on the other side of the road, and I quickly turned back to Mike, afraid I was being too obvious by looking at him. Mike looked at me with an unreadable emotion in his eyes, and I hoped he didn't know what I was so distracted by. I really didn't want him to know, it felt like the amount of people who had come to know of my crush was increasing by the minute.

Edward went into the store, and I decided it was time to go home; I just had to buy today's newspapers first.

I walked into the store, knowing that he would be in there, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. When I walked in, he was just done paying something in the register. He took his stuff and walked towards the door, and I realized that he had to pass me in order to get out.

I looked at his face while he was approaching, looking for any sign of recognition. When he was about two meters away, he met my gaze and smiled. I was very close to him now; I could have touched him if I wanted to. However, the thought didn't cross my mind. The only thing in my mind was him and a word that I was urging my lips to say in return to his smile.

"Hey." I smiled widely at him, so happy that he had acknowledged me. I was sure I was blushing, but I didn't mind.

"Hey," he said, and then he was gone, the door closing slowly and soundlessly behind him.

I walked straight ahead, towards the newspapers, hiding my grin from the cashier. I couldn't stop smiling. This was a step in the right direction. Edward had actually greeted me, on his own initiative!
I was practically in seventh heaven when realization came crashing down on me.

I heard Lauren's voice from a party two weeks ago, telling me something that would very much explain the math book in his hand.

I was invited to a costume party. I didn't really know the hosts, but they had decided to invite everybody from our grade, and it would be rude not to attend. I didn't really feel like going in the first place, but I had a faint hope that Edward would be there.

He wasn't and I was very disappointed. When after a couple of hours nothing exciting had happened, I was about to get my things and go home. I was talking to Lauren, barely being able to keep my disappointment invisible, when I noticed she had stopped talking and was looking at something over my shoulder.

"What are you looking at?" I asked her.

"There's this guy that I kind of like, and his best friend just arrived," Lauren replied with an intent look in her eyes. "They are always together, so I'm hoping he's coming too."
I turned my head and looked at the guy she was staring at. It was Emmet, and that could only mean one thing. Edward was coming. And I had competition.

I didn't know what to say to Lauren. I couldn't tell her that I liked Edward, but I couldn't let her take him either. I decided to stay for a little while more, hoping to see him.
True enough, after a few minutes, Edward walked in the door. He looked smashing in a green shirt that fit well with his hair and eyes. I could see Lauren drooling over him, so I figured I had to take action.

"So, you like Edward?" I asked, frantically searching a way to keep her occupied.

"Yeah, he's gorgeous. But I don't think I have a chance on him, though." She said with her eyes still following him.

"Why not?" I was seeing some hope in the darkness surrounding me.

"Because first: he never dates. And second: he's in love with a girl in his math class. That's what the rumors say, anyways."

My little ray of hope faltered with every word from Lauren's mouth. I did not want to hear this, I wanted to cover my ears and not believe the words she was saying. It wasn't like I hadn't heard the whole "Edward Cullen doesn't date"-thing before, but this girl was new to me. I had to find out who she was.

"No way? I would never have believed that! Who is the girl?" The fake cheeriness in my voice must have seemed genuine, because Lauren turned on her gossip voice.

"Jessica."

My world crashed to pieces when the memory returned. What was I going to do? I had to come up with a plan to get Edward interested in me, and it had to be a good one!