A/N Enjoy!
The period between my next class and lunch went by slower than molasses in the middle of winter in Antarctica. Once I finally got to lunch, I found one of my other close friends. Alice Brandon. This chick was crazy; she was like being around a three year old on a Monster and a five-hour energy drink. She had so much natural energy, and she literally radiated that energy to everyone she was around. She had brown hair, and slightly pale complexion. She presented herself perfectly everyday, I'd like to say even on her sick days, but she never got sick. I started talking to her my freshmen year, I had mastered my more 'girly' look, learned how to do my makeup, hair, and managed to maintain myself in cute outfits almost everyday. In other words, I started looking like a college girl, as opposed to like a college boy, because that's how I looked before. I'd been in a lot of the same classes as Alice since 6th grade, when I'd met Jacob. We didn't like her. She seemed really fake, and we collectively decided she couldn't be trusted. I don't even know what happened freshman year, but suddenly we were friends, and then by sophomore year, we were laughing comparing each other's old thoughts. From then, we just kept getting closer. The summer of our junior year I went to Hawaii with her on her family vacation.
"Bella, over here!" she shouted from a bench by the library.
"Why aren't we in our normal spot? You know, in between the Math and Science buildings where both of our next classes are?" I was honestly confused by this moving of spots. And plus, Alice never alters routine without definite cause.
"There's this guy, and I think he's from somewhere in Europe, and there's a group of people surrounding him, asking him stupid questions. It's super crowded," she looked sincerely annoyed.
I took a deep breath, and tried not sounding like I knew exactly who she was talking about, and that I didn't want to go over and see him again, "Oh, really? That's dumb," Wow, I might as well of said I'm in love with him.
"Liar, you know who he is and you totally like him," she said it without even thinking. She was able to read me too well.
"No! That is not true!" I tried to hopelessly defend myself, but then asked, "Is it really that obvious?"
"I can read you like an open book, Bella. Plus, any girl would like him. The confusing part is, why you do. You're not any girl, in fact, in all the time I've known you, you've been-" she stopped and took a bite of her sandwich.
"Been what!" I didn't mean to yell, but it just came out that way.
"First of all, calm down. Secondly, you just seem, uninterested isn't the right word, but I don't know," she was thinking, and I could tell she was trying to come up with something that wouldn't hurt my feelings, "Okay, I'm just going to say what comes to mind and you aren't going to like it."
"As long as you don't say hopelessly desperate, I'll be fine," I needed to hear this, I had just realized that we don't talk about guys very much. Which is surprising because she even had a boyfriend.
"Hard to please," she didn't even hesitate, but she looked me in the face when she said it. That's why I trusted Alice, no beating around the bush. She was blunt.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I thought you knew. Think about it Bella, how many guys have you gone out with since freshman year?" Oh Lord, we were playing this game. Where she makes me think about things, until I realize she's right, I thought.
"Two. Mike, and Eric,"
"How long did you go out with them and why'd you break up?"
The two relationships I did manage to have, were pretty disastrous. I dated Mike Newton my junior year, he was a soccer player. He asked me to go to homecoming with him, and then we hung out again after that, and then we were a 'couple'. We went out for like three months, and then he became a jerk. All he wanted to do was have sex. That's the only thing he'd ever talk about, when we would, where we would, how amazing it would be because we were each others first. Finally, I'd broke it off with him because I couldn't handle hearing it anymore. I told him it's because I didn't feel the same way that he did for me, and I didn't want to hold him back anymore. He hooked up with a cheerleader a week later. My friends called it a coincidence. I just think he couldn't keep it in his pants any longer. I dated Eric Yorkie at the beginning of my senior year for a month. Then I broke up with him because I just didn't like him very much. I don't even remember why I dated him in the first place. And my high school dating life was pretty nonexistent since I spent my every waking moment getting into NYU.
"Come on, you know these stories Alice," I didn't feel like going over this right now.
"Okay fine, what's a similar theme to both relationships?"
"I wasn't happy,"
"Okay, and you're surprised I said you were hard to please?" She had that 'You know I'm right' look.
"Fine, I'm hard to please. I honestly don't know what this has to do with anything," I folded my arms across my chest, as I felt myself become defensive.
"Because, you're showing interest in this guy. You don't do that. It's always the guys that show interest in you, and you tend to ignore them, the only guy I've ever seen you express affection to or about was that guy in Hawaii that was taking a lit course at the college, and he knew poetry," she paused mid-sentence, like she had some major life-changing epiphany, "Where'd you meet this kid?"
"English," now she knew. She knew why this guy interested me.
"He pulled some crazy poetry scene today didn't he?" I was going to shake my head reassuring that she was incorrect, but her sly smile told me she knew she was right, all she wanted now was the story. I told her everything that happened, and how I was frozen in my spot for a couple seconds there, and couldn't convince myself to move.
"You're completely in love with him, Bella. Period. Point blank," she confidently stated when I finished my rant.
As the bell rang, we walked toward the math and science buildings, "You're crazy Alice, it was just one thing, and I'm sure this kid thinks he's all high and mighty, and better than us because he's from Europe, and besides he's arrogant and likes to correct me all the time I'm just not going to jump in and say I'm head over heels in love with a guy I had one confrontation-"
"Um, excuse me?" A familiar British accent asked from behind me, and I instantly turned around to try to apologize, but he kept talking realizing he had my attention, along with my guilty conscience, "So you think I'm arrogant, better than all of you, and annoying huh?"
"I never said annoying." I tried to counter argue, as I looked for more words.
"She's really into you!" Alice exclaimed, and walked off.
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath as she left me with this guy.
"You know, I'm kind of flattered. You seemed more irritated this morning," he smirked at me, and there went my heart again, I was completely taken again. I was unaware that one person could cause that much damage to my basic actions.
"Ha, well she can't figure out how to keep her mouth shut,"
"So it's true?" He looked at me like he had won a game. He didn't have to say anything, and just won.
"I never said that! I just said-"
He looked like he was going to start laughing, "You said, and I quote, 'She can't figure out how to keep her mouth shut' and generally, that would imply that you told her, at some point, that you indeed were and/or are 'into me' just generally speaking of course," he was so amused, and could tell that I was extremely uncomfortable.
"No, what I mean is, that, it's not that I don't. I just have, it's like I can't make this," I was stuttering, and couldn't process a thought right. My entire brain had shut down on me, and I couldn't figure out what I was trying to say.
He gently touched my cheek, and looked me in the eyes, "Bella, calm down, if you think your petty insults would hurt my self-esteem then you're in for a huge surprise." he smiled, and dropped his hand, then ran his fingers through his hair.
"Sorry. Wait what do you mean petty they were pretty straight forward and if I do say so myself true." I was starting to get all riled up again, but my heart was still pounding, purely from the rush of him touching me. It was like tingling throughout my entire body. The bell rang, and I looked at him and didn't know what to do.
"What's your next class, I'll walk you. I'd love to hear how much of a pompous ass I am." He smirked.
"Uh, American- Hey wait, no. I don't want to continue this I'd like very much for you to just leave me alone," I couldn't help but feel like that was super close.
"Kind of hard to do since we already have two classes together." He smirked again. God that was going to end up killing me. I tried walking away, and faster ahead of him, but I couldn't help but feel his presence behind me. I ignored it and walked on.
"Mr. Betton, American Government. Lecture hall 187." I heard him say behind me and then got this annoying gut feeling that he wasn't going to be leaving me alone.
He started part walking, part prancing, "Convenient don't you think?"
I stopped dead in my tracks, and he ran into me, "Why are you following me?" I said.
"My dear saying I am following you, would imply that you were something worth following," he said in that arrogant tone.
"Ugh," I moaned, "You're an ass. So if you're not following me, then what are you doing here?"
Then I heard the worst news I could've received, "This is my next class." I wanted to yell 'YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME' but I feel like one embarrassing argument with Edward Cullen is good enough for one day. Not that I wanted to make a habit out of it.
Before we walked into the class, that we apparently shared, he leaned over did the most unexpected. He kissed me on my lips so softly, yet ever so suddenly that I didn't have time to protest. Afterwards, he whispered in my ear, almost inaudibly, "Bella, I think this will be fun," and then he walked into class and sat down. I wanted to scream, kick, yell, and damn this man to the gates of hell for making me feel like this. But then I thought about it for a little bit, and came to one conclusion. If this guy likes to play games, well then I'll play. But it just so happens I've never lost a game in my life.
A/N Ok who saw that coming? Ya that was unexpected right. Anyway the more reads the more we write. Thanks, the new chapter should be up soon but come on 3 chapters in one day don't want to spoil you now do we? ;D See you soon.
