Upon seeing a darkly dressed, mysterious looking teenage boy reading in a tree, the first instinct would be to run. Although the thought had crossed my mind, the forest green eyes disabled me from moving from my frozen position. I knew it was Edward, I knew several things about him from Emmett, and he was the cousin of my best friends, yet I simply could not formulate a simple greeting. I had seen his blurred face from the tinted window of Esme's car, but never had I imagined him to look like...this. The small bit of stubble on his jaw and large, wild eyebrows casting shadows on his eyes gave him a very matured essence.
"I'm Bella." Wow Bella, smooth. "I'm friends with Jasper and Emmett. I've heard a lot about you," I said with a smile.
His more than intense stare didn't falter one bit as he muttered a greeting. "Hello." I fumbled with the pocket of my jeans, waiting or him to say more, until I realized that certainly wasn't happening. His eyes drifted back to the book in his hand, and mine followed.
"1984? Great book. I read it for required reading my freshman year, but I've read it twice since then. It's absolutely incredible," I said, ranting on about the book.
Edward waited a few seconds, slowly flipped a page, and then clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "Yeah, it's fine, I guess."
There seemed to be an impenetrable layer of ice between us, and it was obvious I would be the one breaking it. "So, have you read anything else by him? George Orwell is a genius." He snapped his book and looked up at me, the annoyance very clear. "No. I haven't."
I could tell that this was definitely the cold shoulder he was giving me. As hard as I tried to conceal my anger, I could help to mutter something under my breath as I turned to walk off. "Great; the school has it's very own Oscar Levant."
I was heading back to the front entrance of the school when his voice rang out. "You know, most people considered Levant to be not only a complete and total hermit, but a psychopath," He called to me. I turned around, completely startled that he even knew who I was referring to, and even more startled when I saw the smirk on his face and detected light humor in his voice.
"Well, I like to think that I'm not most people."
After the more than awkward encounter with Edward, I had completely forgotten to finish my lunch, and went on to the library to renew a book before the bell rang.
Lunch was in fifth period, so I gritted my teeth through the last class of the day, with Jasper in the desk directly behind me. The fifty minutes of class time seemed to drag on for hours with Banner's incessant lecturing and Jasper himself being a nonstop distraction. I swear tears of joy almost fell when the bell rang. I quickly shuffled out the door and met Emmett in the parking lot. Jasper was staying late to make up a test in biology, and I had the opportunity to ride in the Jeep, something I would never pass up.
"Buckle up," Emmett said playfully, knowing I was extremely conscious about vehicular safety. "Oh come on Belly, no snappy comeback? What's up, boo?"
I cracked a small smile, but I knew Emmett could tell something needed to be said, and chances of him dropping it were slim to none. I also knew his friendly attitude was about to be swept away.
"I met Edward today."
I watched anxiously as Emmetts jaw visibly locked and he ground his teeth, nostrils flared. "Emmett?" I asked. Anything was better than the awkward silence hanging in the car.
"Bella," Emmett started slowly. "You realize you're the most danger prone person I know, right?"
"Emmett, it was completely acci-"
"Let me finish. Talking to him was completely stupid and moronic. BUT. Its really not my place to be angry with you or him."
"What?" I asked in disbelief. Anger was always Emmett's place.
Now Emmett was widely smiling as he started the jeep. "Nope, it's my place to punish you by calling you Belly, Boo, and Bizzle for as long as I want. Blind rage and extreme violence against Edward; that's Jasper's place."
