A/N: Hey! Here's a new chapter. Thanks to those that reviewed. I heart you lots! Sia's "Stop Trying" inspired me for this chapter.


Lyrics of inspiration:

"Take a break

You must be tired from the strain

Take a break

I might ask our pain

Please, slow down

You are making my head spin

Please, slow down

You have all I have to give"


So enjoy!


Stop Trying

v.2


Who would have thought that two weeks later Edward and I would be walking down the hall side-by-side, fingers intertwined, as a couple? I could barely believe it myself.

So we rushed a bit into a relationship. That didn't matter. All I knew was that I really liked him, and he seemed to like me back just as much or even more. I didn't love him. No way. But I had a chanced of falling in love with him in the future.

Charlie didn't know that I was dating Edward. As far as Charlie was concerned, I was still the awkward new kid with no friends. Charlie would have to find out some time, though.

I vaguely pondered on whether Charlie knew what had happened in Phoenix or not. Maybe he did, but my mother told him not to mention anything to me. Or maybe he simply didn't know. Either way, I didn't want him bringing anything up.

I'd spent a lot of time with Edward and his family. One day, Edward took me to his house after school, where I met his family. He'd also taken me many other times. Esme, Edward's mother, was completely sweet, but I barely got to see her because she was always working. She was a total workaholic, so engulfed in supporting her family as an interior designer.

Two of Edward's siblings went to Forks High School—Alice and Emmett. Alice was a fresh-faced sophomore with an intense but nice nature, and Emmett was a senior and pretty humorous. He cracked jokes all the time when I sat with the Cullens at lunch or went to their house after school.

Edward had told me about his other siblings, Rosalie and Jasper. They were fraternal twins that were in their freshman year of college. Since Esme and Edward's father, Carlisle, divorced, Rosalie and Jasper had lived in New Hampshire for the remainder of a school year, then they moved to Denali, Alaska until Rosalie and Jasper graduated from high school. They were both currently attending college in New Hampshire, since Carlisle moved back, Jasper was going to be in the military and Rosalie was studying at Dartmouth.

Edward barely talked about Carlisle. I wondered why. Maybe Edward was still hurt over the divorce?

People always stared at Edward and I when we walked to our classes (we shared only two—Biology and Gym—as well as lunch, of course) together. I felt like there was a huge spotlight always shining on me, and it was so fucking uncomfortable. We were only dating. It wasn't like we were celebrities or anything. Those kids acted like they'd never seen two people holding hands before.

When Edward and I reached Mr. Banner's Biology classroom for fifth period, Mike Newton walked up to me enthusiastically.

"Hey, Bella," he greeted me, ignoring Edward.

"Hey, Mike," I said, "but the bell's about to ring so I don't think we can talk ver—,"

"What do you want, Mike?" Edward asked him coldly. I had never seen this side of Edward before. It was quite bizarre.

"I was just going to talk to Bella," Mike said, seeming confused. "What's your problem?"

"She obviously doesn't want to talk to you, so I suggest you back off." Edward's face and voice was so serious. It was scaring the shit out of me. Mike, with a half confused and half scared expression on his face, walked away.

I put a hand on Edward's chest and looked at him straight in his green eyes. "No need to worry, Edward. I'm fine."

He grimaced and then took his seat. I guessed he was over it already. The bell rang shortly as I started walking to my own seat, which was right next to Edward.

"You better explain to me what the hell is going on," I told him right before Mr. Banner got the class started.

We didn't talk the entire period. Not like we could; Mr. Banner put on a movie and we took notes.

I thought during most of the class about why Edward had acted like that. I didn't understand why this wouldn't just blow over for me. Nothing seemed to be all that wrong…but something was wrong, I could tell.

As much as I wanted to, we didn't talk about it for the rest of the day. However, I was glad we didn't. We didn't need any drama between us this early.


He met me at my truck like he always did after school. The student parking lot was packed and barely anybody could get out. I thought someone parked in front of the entrance or there was a fender-bender or something. So Edward and I were stuck in the parking lot longer than I would have liked to be there.

We didn't talk. We were just concerned with what had happened. It seemed to be a big deal. There were many cars around. Finally, we were able to go, but Edward didn't move. He still leaned against my truck with me.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I told him, smiling.

He returned a smile. His beautiful, million-dollar smile that I would die for and be perfectly okay with it. So maybe we were okay now. We hugged, like we always did, but the next thing I knew, his hands were tight at my waist and he was kissing me.

The kiss was slow and intense. I wanted to savor it forever.

So I kissed him back. What else could I have done? Tell him to fuck off and go get a life? No way. This moment was exciting and brilliant and…perfect. This was nothing I had ever experienced before, and it wasn't my first kiss either. Kissing games at my old school could never top this. This was absolutely perfect. I didn't want it to end.

Unfortunately, it did end, but I wasn't too unhappy. Edward Cullen had kissed me. He truly did want me. That was all that mattered.

I was so fucking weak. He had acted so weird earlier and I had forgiven him so quickly. But he had kissed me. He knew my weaknesses already. It was like we had known each other in a different life or something. He was out of this world, and I loved it. Maybe I even loved him.

I kissed him again before he left to go to his car. He seemed to have forgiven me, too.


A/N: So how was it? Review please!