Bella shrieked at the mention of her name in the crimson puddle that lay on the ground. She squeezed Edward and buried her face in his shirt. She started to sob. Who's ever blood was on the floor, was also on her hands.
Edward drove Bella to school the next day. He acted like he was a fearless beast, but Bella could see he was scared too. They reached school pretty fast, seeing as Edward drove at 100 miles per hour. As usual, Edward walked her to her first class: English. She sat down, just as the teacher was doing attendance.
"Francis Jackson?"
"Here!"
"Jonathan Lawrence?"
"Here!"
"Mike Newman?"
Bella waited for him to crack one of his jokes, like he usually did during attendance, but nothing came.
"Mike Newman!"
"He's absent Mr. Williams."
Bella suddenly became felt very sick." She raised her hand.
"Mr. Williams, can I use the restroom please?"
"Yes Ms. Swan."
Bella got up from her seat, and casually left the room. She didn't go to the bathroom though. She went to the History class, Edward's first class.
She walked up to the door, and knocked. Mrs. Cattlewjoski opened it for her. She staggered as she said
"Mrs. C? Uh, Principle Harris would like to see Edward in his office, please."
"Alright. Edward?"
She gestured for him to follow Bella. When they left the room, Bella slammed against a wall.
"I'm guessing I'm not really needed in the office, huh?"
Bella looked at the floor.
"Come on. Let's go somewhere to talk so they think you actually went."
Bella and Edward walked into the store room.
"Okay. What's up?"
A couple of tears ran down Bella's cheeks, as she looked at her feet.
"Hey."
Edward mumbled as he lifted up her chin.
He pulled her close and held her in his arms.
"What is it?"
"Mike was absent today."
"So?"
"He hasn't missed one day of school yet this year!"
"So he got sick! Why did this qualify as a 'Pull-Eddy-Out-Of-Class-And-Lie-To-The-Teacher' situation?"
Edward joked.
Bella looked into Edward's, hoping he would understand, since she couldn't bring herself to explain.
He looked a but confused at first, but then all expression cleared from his face.
"Oh."
Bella started sobbing into his t-shirt.
"This is all my fault! One of my best friends is dead because he liked me!"
"Bella! Bella! It's okay. We don't know that yet."
"But it is sort of obvious."
Edward held Bella close, as she continued to sob. When he let go, Bella looked deeply into his eyes and muttered
"What would I do without you, my angel?"
"Who knows? But what I do know is that we both need to get back to class."
Bella nodded and they parted, walking to their classes.
When school was over, Edward was waiting for her by her truck.
"Hey, Bells!"
he yelled, gesturing for her to come over. Bella walked to her truck and leaned against it beside him.
"How 'bout you come to my house. You drive in your truck, I follow in the Volvo."
"But what do I tell Charlie? He may like you, but I don't know if he'll let me."
"Say your having a sleepover with Alice, like last time!"
"Well, okay."
Edward kissed her on the cheek and walked to his Volvo. But when Bella opened the door, something unimaginable tumbled out.
Edward was almost to his car when he heard Bella let out a shrill scream from her parking space. He bolted to her. As soon as he was at her side, she ran into him, sobbing, and squeezed him so tight, his ribs might have broken. Edward looked down, at Michael Newman's dead, lifeless, corpse, lying on the cold pavement of the school parking lot.
