Chapter 4:

EPOV:

There was a question, did I mind if she stayed? Technically it shouldn't bother me, she was just a girl in the art room working late, and I had planned to be holed up in the dark room for a few hours so she wouldn't be in my way or disturb me. But she had her sketch book out; the one I, rather uncharacteristically and very Alice like, had been through whilst said girl was unconscious. I would love it for her to actually show me her work and explain the thoughts behind them, the inner angst artist in me desperate to get to talk to some one about this side of my world, beside Esme.

Here lie the dilemma, if she stayed I would more than likely want to talk to her and that would go against my plans to stay clear and not cause her any more trouble. It would also mean I would get even further behind on my own work. If I asked her to leave I would look like a jerk.

I sighed deeply; I could let her stay and hide like I had planned no big deal just exercise some self restraint.

'No stay, do your work, I'm going to be in the dark room any way so I won't disturb you.' I smiled for added friendliness.

'You're into photography?' She said it like it was the most amusing thing she had ever heard, I think she even chuckled, smiling widely. The look on my face quickly changed that, and her expression altered to a rather worried and sheepish one. She stuttered as she tried to explain herself but I wasn't overly happy at this, I could feel my features close down and shut off, my lips pressing together heavily, my eyes had narrowed.

'It's just; I mean, I didn't know, it's kinda weird.' She breathed in deeply; I made her nervous, good how dare she act like she knows me, judging me

'I didn't expect someone like you to be into arty stuff, cause well you're a classic jock really, and normally they are too obsessed with their sports for other hobbies.'

She at least had the decency to look ashamed for her little outburst, but she was blushing an absurd amount, her head was turned down and she was playing with her sleeves. It was almost comical if I hadn't been so wound up in the first place

'Nice stereotyping you have there. I'm allowed to have a life outside baseball, just cause I'm a 'jock' as you oh so eloquently put it, doesn't mean I can't appreciate a great shot as much as the next guy.' I could feel myself getting up on my soap box again like I had had to do in the past when I told people about my other hobby, was everyone so impossibly narrow minded?

Her head was still down and the blush only got redder, her breathing increased but I was on a defensive role and didn't think I could stop, not that I really tried.

'Look not everyone has to put out a tortured artist routine just cause you do, we don't all go around isolating ourselves so you can draw grey scale sketches .'

Shit, did I just admit that I looked at her sketch book? Fuck did she notice? Maybe she'd think it was a lucky guess…..

Her brown eyes darted up to meet my own narrowed stare, we glared at each other, and she clearly had noticed my gigantic slip up.

Fucking idiot, you couldn't just leave it, just because you haven't said these things to other people you take it out on the harmless new girl who doesn't know you from jack, and it's only the third time you've spoken to her!

'You looked in my sketch book yesterday didn't you?' it defiantly sounded like a rhetorical question I wasn't getting out of this one easily, the redness was still in her cheeks but this wasn't a blush, no it was anger.

'How dare you, first you get me sent to the hospital then you completely invade my privacy by going through my stuff, then you have the nerve to shout at me for judging you, when your doing exactly the same You god damned hypocrite, just cause you're the big man on campus does not mean you get to use me as your personal kicking object!!!' She had stood up, I tried to say something to defend myself, to argue back, explain, hell, anything other than stare at her dumbstruck that she had actually raised her voice and was yelling at me.

She had started to take steps towards me as she was shouting and I could feel a huge wave of tension in the air as her angry figure had gotten closer. When she was in arms reach she had stopped her rant and was glaring at me again before mumbling

'See how you god damn like it, Jackass.'

Her small pale skinned hand reached out to the messenger bag hung loosely on my shoulder; it was opened where I had dug around to find the key. She grabbed it off my shoulder and slammed it down on the desk, pulling my earlier prints out of the bag and looking at them.

Bella's tension suddenly fell away and her eyes widen, I was mesmerised by her sudden changes, no one besides Alice had spoken to me like that in ages, Bella didn't even know me. I certainly didn't think she had the balls to go through my bag right in front of me. Normally I would have snatched the prints back, I didn't show my work to any one until it was ready, but the look in her brown eyes deepened as she flicked through the prints, her interest in them interested me in a strange and unfamiliar way.

She pulled a stool out and sat down to continue.

'These are really good Edward, I'm really impressed. There great like an early Humphrey Spender or something Oh look at the light in this one……..' she trailed off but continued looking through.

I pulled out the stool next to her, and watched her look at my photos, I had never seen someone go through them like this before, and I didn't even have to explain the concepts to her.

'You know Humphrey Spender?' I finally enquired after ten minutes of her flicking through my work.

'Not well photography isn't my thing, but I saw some of his work at an exhibit back in phoenix I liked how he captured everyday activities and people, you do that well, was this one taken at the baseball pitch?' She had turned the full force of her brown eyes to me now.

How did this happen I was worried I would be talking about her work and here we are going over mine. What the hell is wrong with me, why don't I just take the prints back and walk away, like I normally would?

'Yeah, from the dugout a few months back, I'm a bit behind developing, cause of training and stuff though.' I was a little embarrassed having to show my work so raw but she seemed to really like them and hell it had stopped her shouting at me. I figured while she was in a calm mood I should apologise, again, twice in two days this wasn't a good habit to be making.

'Look I'm really sorry about before, I get wound up when people underestimate me, and you just kind of got a pent up blow-out aimed at you, I shouldn't of shouted at you and accused you of judging me, cause I did the same thing to you. I'm really, really sorry at going through your sketch book too, although I think your works pretty awesome, I only looked quickly I promise.' I tried to use my charm by opening my eyes wide and putting on a small crooked smile that girls seem to like hoping to clear the air.

'Truce' I held my hands up and pretended to wave a white flag, 'forgive me?'

Bella held my gaze and appeared to think it over before finally answering in a quite voice and getting that damn blush again. I guess the smile still works?

'You think my works awesome, really? Thank you. Truce.' She gave a small nod to emphasise the last word.

'Sorry I shouted at you and judged you, I think I got you all wrong, I'm not sorry I called you a jackass though, it was justified at the time' she half smiled at this comment.

'Apology accepted. So do I get to look at your work properly some time?' it was worth asking, because I needed to know what her work was about. It was so strange to have someone I could potentially talk about this with though, so I tried not to push her too much, for the time being anyway.

'Maybe another time? I'm still adjusting to this new place and my pieces aren't very good yet, mainly tree's, as that all I ever seem to see here.'

'I'll hold you to that. So where are you from any way?'

BPOV:

I couldn't believe that I had shouted at Edward Freaking Cullen. I mean he totally deserved it, but still, I shouted and I never shout. He had invaded my privacy, and with that crossed a line. I had initially been willing to sit there and take his crap; after all, I had rather unfairly judged him. I knew what that felt like. People had been doing that to me since I arrived here and I knew it was wrong to do it to him, but my sketch book was like my visualised soul I guess, it contained things that occupied my thoughts. Even if what occupied my thoughts were just trees, those trees were drawn through my eyes, not for anyone else's. He had looked at them, without even asking, hell I wasn't even conscious.

But as I got up to confront him, I felt a huge amount of tension between us, it was so strong and with each step forward I felt it grow and pull me closer until I snatched his bag from him just to stop myself from walking right up nose to nose with him,.

I'll admit by that stage I was being childish but he just stood there with his jaw hung slack and his green eyes wide, so I kept pushing. I wasn't about to stop and give him the satisfaction that I had gone too far, and realised it. I couldn't possible back down, I would of looked like an idiot, and embarrassed myself even further, I had, had to keep pushing, even just to prove a point that I couldn't be kicked about like a verbal punching bag

The wind was completely taken out of my sails when I actually saw his work though. I had expected it to be crappy and half arsed, but it was beautiful, he had been able to capture amazing light and real people looking well, real. That soon put me in my place.

I couldn't show him my work after seeing that it was so bland and immature. My sketches were limited since moving here, I had lost some of my sparkle and they generally reflected my low mood. I couldn't tell him that, it was too depressing to verbalise.

When he asked about seeing mine, even though he had technically already seen them, I felt I strangely owed him as I had taken some thing from him with out asking by looking at the photos in the first place and he had sat and explained his work, briefly to me, I on the other hand had been unconscious and didn't have this opportunity before. I didn't like inequality very much.

After that I realised he actually started a conversation. This took me off guard as he had nothing to feel guilty about, or to pity me for this time, so I was curious as to where this friendliness came from – the pessimist inside me never giving in. It was then I realised it had been several minutes since he last spoke, and it was my turn.

'Well you probably heard through the rumour mill that I'm from phoenix, so the good weather automatically puts me in a better mood, so I could see things differently. Since I came here the dark and damp have kinda made my outlook the same I guess.' I paused to judge his reaction, I look at him through the veil of my thick wavy hair; he nodded as if to continue, I shifted on my stool in order to actually talk to him instead of into his bag which still lay in front of me.

'The way the sunlight changes ordinary objects into something beautiful, with shadows emphasising the shape and texture, I just love it, it brings things to life. I don't just draw random objects, although I did spend like a month and a half on this fountain that they put up in a small shopping district, it was amazingly detailed and I just couldn't seem to get it right until one day it just clicked.'

I felt a huge smile spread across my face as I stared past Edwards leather clad shoulder, it had been an amazing day when I had finally got the look just right, I walked away and didn't go and see the fountain again as I knew I had mastered it and wanted to move on to the next thing. When I came back to this day Edward was smiling at me and I realised that I had just totally over shared to a really simply question. You are such a geek Bella; he doesn't really want to know he's just being polite; you're keeping him from his work.

'God I'm so sorry, I'm keeping you from your work.' I had turned away and started packing his prints away back into his bag. He reached out and grabbed my hand as I was putting his prints in.

'Don't worry about it; it's nothing that won't keep. Why did you come here then if you hate it so much?'

I stared at his hand touching my hand, god his hands were so soft I swear I felt an electric spark between us on contact, not like a static shock you get if you drag your feet around on carpet wearing socks, but something, I cause couldn't describe it.

He let go of my hand as I was staring at it and started to stand clearly taking my mental thought process as I sign to leave me alone, so I just blurted out the whole story about Renee and Phil and Charlie and he sat back down and listened to it all never interrupting or asking questions. It felt great getting it all off my chest I was mentally a small elephant in weight lighter. When I was done, the realisation that I had just poured my heart out to a practical stranger dawned on me and I felt the familiar blush spread up my neck and cheeks. Yet again, an over answer to a simple question. Why did I feel the need to completely over share with this boy?

'Don't be embarrassed' he all but whispered to me looking at me concerned with his gorgeous green eyes never moving from my face.

'You've not had it easy lately, and coming here isn't great for you, obviously, and I haven't made it the smoothest transition either.' His thumb idly stroked the back of my hand,

Oh my god, was he still holding my hand throughout all of that?

He was leaning in really close to me, the electric feeling got stronger, which was really stupid as he probably had a girlfriend, that Jessica cheerleader girl, and I was reading way too much into this. I had seen him talking to earlier and her snide comments at the locker where a bit of a give away.

Just as that thought ran through my mind, a sing song voice floated in, interrupting it.

'Err Edward, Sorry to……….. Well interrupt, Mum told me I could find you here. I've just finished Cheerleading practice and wondered if I could get a lift home…….. when you done of course, I could wait out in the car???' the voice of Alice Brandon had entered the room, Edward and I immediately pulled away from one another, he dropped my hand and turned to see her standing in the door way still in her uniform, looking near perfect.

I had just swallowed rather heavily and Edwards eyes had darted back to mine and then travelled down to my throat immediately causing me to blush again, was he looking at me for too long, I swear he gulped? God Bella get over yourself, girlfriend remember! '

As neither of us spoke up she continued 'Jazz said he would pick me up, but he and Em have gotten into a massive Xbox session and Rose won't be back for like another hour or so from some beauty appointment or something like that, so I'm kind of stranded.' Her words per minute slowly increasing.

Edward smiled, 'What's it worth?' He appeared to be enjoying making her uncomfortable, I on the other hand, sat in silence playing with my sleeves looking down, not daring to look at Alice. She was bound to tell Jessica I had been alone with Edward, being team mates and all. I would have to wait to see how many bruises I would get in gym for this.

'Come on Edward I'm not playing dumb games with you, will you drive me home or shall I just use my spare key and take the car myself and you can walk home?' She reached into her bag and pulled a shiny car key out, waving it around on one finger, a triumph smile spreading across her face.

'Fuck Alice is nothing off limits to you? Don't you dare take my car, I swear I'll fucking ring the police and report it stolen if you do. Damn it. Can you wait for like half an hour while I get my stuff sorted, or will you go Thelma and Louise on my Ass with Bella here?

At the mention of my name, my head snapped up to look at Edward grinning at me then looking towards Alice. He stood up, grabbed his bag from in front of me and casually strolled away from me toward the dark room; before he went inside he turned around.

'Hey Alice try not to disturb Bella please.' And closed the door before she could respond.

'I'm sorry he can be a total jerk, some, who am I kidding, all of the time. He gets all high and mighty and cause he's the schools golden boy and no-one puts him in his place. I hope he hasn't been disturbing you, I asked him to play nice after what happened yesterday.' The sing song voice had gotten closer and closer with each word until she was at my side she was smiling and looked like she was being genuinely friendly, that was strange as no one had really treated me like that yet.

'Err no he was fine, just talking shop' I had lifted my hands from my sleeves to wave them at the room to show we had just been talking about art I didn't think I could explain how I had just completely opened up to him. 'No lasting damage done.' I pointed towards the large bump on the side of my head.

That's when something clicked into place.

'What do you mean you told him to play nice, is that the reason he was speaking to me?' I realised as Alice had begun to answer that I had said that out loud rather than in my head as I had intended.

'What?? No don't be stupid, Edward doesn't listen to a word I say, he does what he wants, I don't know why he spoke to you honestly, not that he shouldn't though, just he doesn't normally venture far beyond his friends.' She sighed a little at her own words but the friendly smile remained on her face.

She was very pretty, very elfin features, delicate yet prominent at the same time, I felt utterly inferior, if Edward only associated with this type of girl, I was definitely below par and could only assume that he still felt guilty about yesterday's incident and was talking to me out of pity.

Great, I wish I had gone straight home now and could have avoided this situation, it was not helping my already dampened spirits.' I should have just kept away from Edward.'

Alice must have sensed the change in me as she swiftly changed topic.

'What do you think of Mr Varner? He's such a tool, thinks no one notices his hair is fake.'

Realising she was talking about my English Teacher I chuckled in agreement, it was awful. Alice made me feel at ease almost instantly, she was natural and picked up subtle changes in quickly, making her easy to like in a moment.

'Yeah and his suit jacket is far too small, the sleeves have all but run away.' I added in reply. We sat in silence for a few minutes; Alice was clearly trying not to push me into too much conversation.

'How was your practice then?' I tried to be nice and start a conversation with her as she had made a real effort and this was one person I didn't want to alienate.

She had spoken to me voluntarily twice now, and that was a close second behind Edward at this point. I had struggled for something to say and her sat there in uniform had prompted me to ask even though I knew nothing about cheerleading or particularly wanted to.

'Well if these girls actually had good posture and where able to follow direction it would of gone better, honestly I think Jessica is only a cheerleader so that she can wear a short skirt around school, despite the weather and not look like an idiot.' She answered easily like we had been friends for years, I was definitely warming to her until she mentioned Jessica, I flinched at the sound of her name, apparently not so slyly.

'Oh so you've meet little Miss Sunshine of Forks, she's something else. Just ignore her the next time she starts ranting and raving, she doesn't represent the majority of us, trust me. She is unbelievable, she's followed Edward around for months, who knows why, and although she clearly doesn't get it, he isn't interested but that hasn't stopped her. She's obsessed; it's rather tragic if you ask me.' Alice sighed deeply, but her face wore a little smirk.

I really was starting to like Alice, partly as she had just ruled Jessica out of Edwards's life, meaning I wouldn't be getting beaten up tomorrow and partly as Alice wouldn't have told her, besides the fact she had no need to know in the first place. I had perked up immensely.

My phoned buzzed in my bag across the room, I apologised and got up to get it, damn, it was Charlie, I had missed the call but looking at my phone I knew why he had called it was later than I had thought, the time talking to Edward had been longer than I had realised, I needed to get home.

'I've got to go, that was my Dad, I hadn't realised it was so late, I had better get going.' I smiled as I wanted Alice to know I meant the next bit. 'It's been really great talking to you.' I picked up my bag and started to walk towards the door.

'How are you getting home?' Alice enquired with a very mischievous grin on her face.

'Walking home, it's not far really, twenty minute walk.' I shrugged as I took a step outside the door; I felt a surprisingly strong arm tugged at my own.

'Oh no you don't it raining and dark, I'll drive you home.' She had the same smile again only this time waved a shiny key from one finger in-between us.

'He'll be so engrossed he won't even notice were gone for like ages yet, I'll be back before he knows it, so don't worry.' She let go of my arm and was walking off towards the parking lot.

'You coming?' came from over her shoulder, I kind of froze, did I want her to get into trouble? Did I want to annoy Edward again? She was right it was dark and raining I didn't fancy the walk home and Edward would never know. I had made up my mind and ran to catch her up, I didn't want to upset Alice more than any thing, I would like to try and be friends with some one here and the only other people who had spoke to me were doing so out of pity, so I had to keep up with Alice.

She walked right over to a very nice looking shiny silver Volvo in the empty lot and told me to jump in, she clearly enjoyed what she was doing, and I think the thought of getting caught was half the fun, especially after the way Edward had reacted earlier.

We drove in comfortable silence back to my house, she was easy to be around, I smiled as she turned up a song I liked on the radio, we both hummed along until we pulled up at my house.

Alice had stopped outside my driveway, and there sat behind dad's old mustang was a 1960's red Chevy truck with matching red ribbon sat on the passenger's cab, I was awe stuck. Oh my god is that for me?

Alice must have reached the same conclusion, 'I guess you don't need a ride to school tomorrow then? How about we sit together in English?'

'Err sure that would be cool, see you tomorrow.' I answered rather absently minded I was totally focused on the red truck and needed to know how it got there, I was out of the car by the time I had finished talking to Alice and headed inside.

'DAD?' I called out upon opening the front door, no answer but the TV was on, he was waiting for me to come to him. I followed the glow of the light from the TV into the small yet cosy front room. Charlie was sat on the sofa watching, you guessed it baseball.

'Dad are you kidding me, is that actually for me?'

'I know its nothing fancy, but its reliable and sturdy, it's not like what Renee would of gotten you but.' I cut him off right there I wasn't going to let him feel bad about the fancy presents Renee had brought me from other peoples money.

'I love it, its perfect and totally me, Thank you so, so much dad, you rock.' I smiled and bent down to hug him right there on the sofa, it was way too much emotion for Charlie to handle so he started coughing and I pulled away.

'Well err, good then, glad you like it, but your late home so you can't drive it until tomorrow now. I got Pizza, help yourself.' That was that, present time over, I had pushed Charlie with the hug but I had wanted him to know how much it meant to me.

I went back to the kitchen and grabbed several slices and put them on a plate, taking them up to my room to work on my home work, and some sketching as I hadn't actually done much after school thanks to Edward.

I decided that today wasn't so bad after all, yeah the school part sucked, but I had made a potential new friend, a cute guy had similar interests to me and I had some freedom back, the truck meant I could go any where at any time. Now I just needed some where to go any time.