A/N - Thank you all for the reviews so far. Please keep them coming if you are so inclined.
"Strawberries."
"Excuse me, What?"
I wondered of he had some weird sort of turrets that caused him to spontaneously burst out names of varied fruit instead of swearing.
Then I saw his ears turn pink. I never saw anyone blush just on the ears before. It was strangely endearing and kinda cute.
"I said that out loud, didn't I?" He said sheepishly, ducking his head with an embarrassed grin.
I nodded, still focused on his pink ears.
How does he do that?
"It's um…I was just having a craving for strawberries"
"Hmmm, do you often blurt out your cravings in the middle of class?"
I didn't notice the innuendo until he started choking back a bark of laughter. Could the earth just open up and swallow me now? I could feel the heat of my blush creep up my neck and onto my cheeks.
"Only when there's a pretty girl to listen to me." He said then quickly turned away.
Mr. Banner's lecture on one celled organisms suddenly became very interesting even though I already knew the information.
He had to be playing me. I wasn't pretty. Nor was I deserving of being called that.
"So," Mr. Banner clapped his hands together with more enthusiasm that I thought possible considering the topic of discussion. "You will all find slides on your desks next to the microscopes. You and your lab partner will have the task of identifying these fascinating creatures."
Edward grabbed the microscope and slid it over to his side of the table.
"May I?" He asked politely.
I shrugged. "Knock yourself out."
He bent his head over the microscope, moving the knobs expertly to bring the image into focus.
"Paramecium." He stated a a little smugly and began to write in his notebook.
"May I?" I asked.
Not that I didn't trust his identification but I had done this lab before.
He gave me a one sided grin and slid the microscope over to me. "Knock your socks off."
"Paramecium." I agreed making a notation in my fresh new notebook.
"Kind of looks like an anchovy, doesn't it?" He whispered conspiratorially.
I had to admit, it did and was glad I hated anchovies because after he said that I didn't think I'd ever be able to look at one the same way again.
"You're not having a craving for anchovies now, are you?" I asked him suspiciously, raising my brow.
What was it about Edward Cullen that made me relax enough within my own guilty skin to crack jokes like any other teen?
"Now that's just gross."
He gave me a look of such horror that I laughed.
I. Laughed.
When was the last time I did that? I could't remember.
And he laughed with me.
That's when I realized I couldn't do this...couldn't be this normal person that joked in class that began to feel something I couldn't want with a boy that I couldn't have.
And my smile died. Just like that.
So did Edward's and I felt horrible for it.
He had a beautiful smile. He should always be smiling.
"Is something wrong?" He asked me, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as he scrutinized my tense profile.
I fought the urge to look at him. I didn't want to see the perplexed look in his eyes that I knew was there.
"We're going to get in trouble." It wasn't completely untrue, which made the lie roll off my tongue a bit easier.
I had never been a good liar.
Our conversation through the rest of the lab remained stilted and focused on the assignment in front of us.
"What's your next class?" Edward asked me as I packed up my books when the bell rang.
Pulling the class schedule from my front pocket, I scanned the computer printout and made a face.
"Gym." I said with a scowl.
I hated gym.
"Not one of your favorite subjects?" His green eyes were sparkling.
He found me amusing. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.
"Definitely not."
I had ended up in the ER on more than one occasion because of gym class.
"My sister is in your class then. Alice Cullen."
"You should warn her to stay away from me if she values her limbs in tact."
"Oh really." His eyebrow shot up and he smirked.
I nodded. "I should come with a label that says "Warning: Attempting to engage in physical activity with this human may be hazardous to your health."
I cringed when I considered how true that was...and unfortunately it wasn't only in regards to sports.
Edward threw his head back and laughed uproariously. Other students turned to us in shock and surprise, whispering as they rushed out of the room.
That was...strange, I thought as I watched them leave the room. You would think they never saw anyone laugh before.
"You are one of a kind, Bella Swan." He said when his laughter faded and he turned his green eyes, full of mirth, back to me.
I think that's when I started to fall for Edward Cullen and it saddened me to know I had to stop it before it ever started.
Standing there in my jeans and borrowed shirt, I stood out like a beacon among my classmates; all identically dressed in their standard issue gym uniforms.
Many of their faces now recognizable as students I had shared classes with through out the day. Next to me in the line was Mike Newton who had situated himself next to me as soon as he saw me and next to him stood Jessica Stanley.
Of course.
As I scanned the other faces, I wondered which one belonged to Alice Cullen; Edward's sister.
Ms. Bernard, the gym teacher, called out attendance much like a drill sergeant would. She was a scary looking woman with short dark cropped hair like a man and a bullish face.
Did Ms. Bernard used to be Mr. Bernard?
She turned that face on me and I gulped.
"Who are you?" She said eyeing me up and down, frowning when she noticed my non-gym attire.
"Bella Swan."
"Right." She nodded. "New girl. See me in my office after class and we'll see about a gym uniform for you."
Wonderful.
Would that mean I get a reprieve from playing to today? The volleyball nets set up side by side across the waxed wooden planked floor hadn't missed my notice.
"Obviously, we can't have you playing when you're not prepared." She added answering my silent question.
My relief was visible and as I would find out, short lived. I turned to walk towards the bleachers content to just sit there for the rest of the period and maybe start on the homework I had received from my other classes so far.
Apparently, Ms. Bernard had other ideas.
"Where are you going Ms. Swan?" She called out to me.
I stopped short and turned around aware of a few nervous snickers. "Um, since I can't play..." I motioned towards the wooden bleachers.
She shook her head. "Physical education implies some sort of physical activity. Since you are unable to participate in volleyball today, you may walk around the perimeter of the gym for the rest of the class."
Wow. Ms. Bernard obviously took her job very seriously.
Besides being picked last for someone's team, could this be any more humiliating?
"Ms. Bernard? I could walk around with Bella so she doesn't feel so isolated and I could tell her some of the things you have taught us so far this year."
I looked down the line of students to see who my savior from complete embarrassment was. A girl whose dark head looked like it could barely clear the bottom of the volleyball nets turned towards me and winked.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Mike muttered under his breath beside me causing Jessica to make a face like she just sucked on a lemon.
I reminded myself to tell her I had no interest in Newton, whatsoever.
Ms. Bernard's face was thoughtful. "Good idea, Miss Cullen. Okay then, the rest of you line up in the teams we started last week."
Cullen? Alice Cullen? That must be Edward's sister. I would have never guessed this little pixie looking girl that was walking towards me was related to Edward. They looked nothing alike.
"Hi I'm Alice." She said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.
"Thank you." I whispered. "I think you just saved me from a walk of shame."
She already knew who I was so it was pointless to introduce myself.
She waved her hand in dismissal. "No worries, I'm not much of a volleyball player." She pointed to the top of her head. "Obviously."
"Neither am I." I admitted ruefully as we began our walk around the gym.
"But you're not that short."
"No." I said looking down at her. At 5'3", I was anything but tall but next to Alice I felt like a giant. "However, I am that physically challenged at least where sports of any kind are concerned."
She laughed. "So am I. Unless you consider marathon shopping a sport. Then I am gold medal material." She cast a curious sideways glance at me. "Do you like to shop Bella?"
Me? Like to shop? No. Now, even less. Fluorescent lights and dressing room mirrors were so unkind.
"No." I told her.
She looked surprised and tapped her finger against her chin.
"Hmmm, well maybe I can change your mind. We should go shopping sometime soon. Not in Forks though." Her face scrunched in distaste. "The stores are atrocious here."
It wasn't a completely horrible idea, I thought shocking myself. Most of my wardrobe was for warm weather temperatures. Forks was downright arctic compared to what I was used to.
In the face of what I lived through, buying cold weather clothes was not even a thought.
My mind went back to the day I threw all my short sleeved shirts out in a rage, knowing I'd never be able to wear them again.
It had scared the shit out of Charlie to find me violently dumping all my clothes on the floor having a panic attack as I did so.
I remembered him sinking down on the floor next to me, grabbing me into a hug and rocking me back and forth while I saturated his shirt with my tears.
It was the first time he hugged me in years.
"Bella?"
I snapped back to the present. Alice was watching me with wary eyes.
"Are you okay?" She placed her hand on my arm in concern.
I flinched.
She withdrew.
"I'm fine." I tried to reassure her with a small smile.
I didn't know how to do this.
"You don't want to go shopping, do you?" She sounded a little uncertain and a lot deflated.
It made me feel horrible. I wondered what she had seen in my face...what I let break through the wall that I so meticulously built.
I shrugged. "I guess I could use some new clothes."
Where did that come from?
She looked so ridiculously happy. It was like I told her she had won ten million dollars. I couldn't change my mind now. Not unless I wanted to feel like a complete heel by hurting her feelings.
"Oh, I know Rose will probably want to come too. We could make a whole day of it. Just us girls…"
Rose? Who was Rose?
"…maybe we can get massages too. I know a great place…"
Massages? I started to feel panic. What was I committing myself too? I couldn't get a massage. I didn't even know if I could go shopping.
"…I'm starting to overwhelm you aren't I?" Alice said sheepishly.
She must have noticed the deer in headlights look on my face.
"Yeah…a little bit." I admitted. "You're very…um…enthusiastic."
"Sorry. I've been told it's a fault of mine."
"No, it's okay really. It's my fault. I'm not a big fan of having strangers touch me."
Alice gave me an odd look and I wondered if I said too much. But then she shrugged it off.
"It's okay. We'll save the massages for another time."
By the end of the class Alice and I exchanged phone numbers and never once in our entire conversation did the topic of her brother come up.
Doing that might have revealed far too much.
English was my last class of the day.
It was right after my Spanish class.
Someone with a twisted sense of humor must have put my schedule together.
The teacher did the obligatory introduction of me to the class and gave me the reading list. I really couldn't imagine anyone not knowing who I was at this point. Even the sophomores and seniors knew me by name.
I sat in the seat I was directed to and looked over the book list. I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that I had read most of these before.
"So I heard you made my sister's day."
Frowning in confusion, I looked up to see Edward Cullen sitting at the desk next to me.
"I did?"
I couldn't image me having much of an impact on anyone for anything…well unless it was something bad.
"You agreed to go shopping with her." He explained as if that had made all the sense in the world.
"It's no big deal." I shrugged, uncomfortable with his praise.
Edward smiled. "To Alice, it is a big deal and very nice of you. She told me you weren't big on shopping. So thank you."
Weird. What else did they discuss about me? Why were they discussing me?
And why was he thanking me?
"You don't have to thank me for being nice to your sister. She seems like a very genuine person."
His ears turned pink…again.
"Oh she is." He agreed. "Just not many people "get" Alice. She can be a little…er…overzealous" He explained. "But don't tell her I told you that." He added quickly as if he realized he said something he shouldn't have.
Translation – Alice didn't have many friends. Sadly, I could relate to that.
"So how was your first day of school?" Charlie asked me.
We were on our way to the grocery store. He had eagerly relented in giving up control of his outdated kitchen to me. Otherwise, I would have a future filled with such culinary delights as chef boyardee, hungryman dinners, tuna mac and cheese and let's not forget hamburger helper.
"Um...fine." I answered him as I grabbed a metal cart.
He sighed. Charlie hated my monosyllabic answers. "Did you make any friends?" He prodded.
A lot of people tried to make friends with me or should I say acted like I was a curiosity they wanted to figure out.
"It was only my first day."
"So, I'll take that as a no then." He sounded so disappointed.
As I tossed a head of lettuce in the cart, I decided to throw him a bone.
"Well, I may have made plans to go shopping at some point."
"That's great Bells, really great." His whole face lit up. "With who?"
"Why? Planning on doing a background check?" I teased.
He probably would do it too.
He laughed. "I might."
"It's Alice Cullen."
"Cullen, huh?"
The way he said it wasn't encouraging.
I didn't know if it had to do with Alice or the fact that I just tossed a bunch of green vegatables in the cart.
"Is something wrong with Alice Cullen?"
"No, all the Cullen kids are great. Never gave me a lick of trouble."
Huh. It must be the green vegatables then.
We passed by the fruits and my eyes caught on the strawberry display.
"I was just having a craving for strawberries."
Before I was even aware of what I was doing, the strawberries made there way into the cart.