Chapter Four

When I looked back over at Edward timidly, he wasn't looking at me. Instead, his eyes were narrowed on the road ahead, his hands gripped tightly onto the steering wheel. Even though he wasn`t looking at me, I could tell he knew I was watching; his eyes would shift every now and then towards me.

"Listen," I said, sighing. He still wasn't looking at me. "I don't want to have to deal with this right now. I've got too much on my plate."

He just seemed to ignore me. "I just want to know why you feel that way, strongly."

"It's not that I feel that way, completely. It's just...I'm mad at you, Edward. And can you blame me? Look at everything you've put me through in the last while; it's been torture. And I don't want to get hurt again."

He turned to me now, his voice low. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I looked down at Mason, shaking my head. "I've heard that before. I don't want to risk my heart again. Now, please, let me out here. I can walk."

And he didn't argue with me this time, which surprised me just a little bit. Instead of demanding that I stay until we got to school, he pulled over and let me get out. But not before reaching behind him and pulling out a large parka.

"Here, put this on. It'll keep you warm," he told me, sticking the jacket out towards me.

"I'll be fine. School is just around the corner."

He sighed. "Just take it, please."

I reached in, grabbing the jacket from him. "Bye."

He nodded, closing the door. "Bye."

I waited until he was out of sight before shrugging on the jacket and curling Mason up tighter in his bundle. He was still awake, his eyes on me as I walked along the sidewalk. In the distance, I could see the school, and the other students in the lot, talking and laughing among each other.

When I reached the lot, everyone kept on doing whatever it was that they were doing before I got there. The phase of me arriving back at school had worn off, and everyone just sort of let me be. Of course there were still people like Savannah, who made it their goal to annoy me each day. But I tried my very best to ignore her, hoping she would lay off. And she did, but only a little, and that was good enough for me.

By the time I had dropped Mason off upstairs to the daycare, I realized I was much later than I had anticipated and that maybe walking for those few minutes wasn't such a good idea. But it was done and over with, so now all I had to do was get to homeroom.

When I got to homeroom, the bell had already rung, meaning I was officially late. In his seat, I could see Edward sitting, his eyes directly on me.

I turned to the teacher. "I'm sorry I'm late, it's just that..."

He cut me off. "I don't need your excuses, Isabella. Just take your seat and we'll discuss your punishment later."

I hung my head. "Yes, sir."

Then there was another voice. "That isn't fair." It was Edward's voice that was floating through the classroom and into my ears. When I looked, he was standing up, looking at the teacher now instead of me, his eyes narrowed.

"Mr. Cullen, that is enough," the teacher bellowed. "Take your seat."

"Bella doesn't deserve to be punished if she was only taking care of a responsibly that she has. She shouldn't have to pay for doing the right thing."

"Doing the right thing," I heard Savannah say, "would have been having an abortion while she still had the God damned chance."

I turned to her, my face red. "Why do you have to be such a bitch?"

"Isabella. Out. Now."

I didn't listen to him, instead, I kept my eyes firmly on Savannah. "You don't have a clue what it's like to be a mother, to have to care for someone else. You wouldn't know that because you're such a social climbing bitch!"

She seemed to take this smugly. "At least I'm not a slut."

I turned around abruptly, and burst out of the classroom, down the hallway, tears blurring my vision. I knew I shouldn't let stuff like this effect me, but I just couldn't stand to be called that name, when I knew that it wasn't true. As odd as this sounds, I knew what I was doing the night I slept with Edward, and I still remember every single detail to this very day, much to my dismay.

When I reached the back end of the parking lot, where a spot of wet green grass was, I collapsed on my knees, shaking. This was such a weird thing for me to do, just leaving like that.

"Bella!"

When I turned around, Edward was coming towards me.

"No," I said when he reached me. He was kneeling down in front of me, but my head was ducked. "I just want to be alone, okay?"

"Don't listen to them, okay? They don't know what it's like to have a baby."

I looked up at him, my eyes red. "Neither do you."

He nodded, and then softly said, "I know."

And then it got silent, and when I looked up again, he was just sitting back there, leaning against the same tree Mike had been leaning on all those months ago. Then, out of nowhere, he said, "You don't hate me..."

"Yes, I do. Why is that so hard to understand?" I asked, rolling my eyes in frustration. I mean, surely he couldn't have expected me to run back into his arms. I wasn't as weak and fragile as he thought I was, and I was going to make sure he knew that.

"You just, you can't hate me." His tone was flat, raw, almost. It was like nothing I've heard before.

"I can, and I do, Edward. You just have to face the fact that you are no longer a part of my life anymore."

"But I am a part of your life," he said. "Mason is my son, too."

I shook my head. "No," I told him. "He's not. To be a father you have to be there from the start."

"I didn't know..."

I stood up. "Goodbye, Edward."

"Bella," Edward said, pleading. "don't go."

"Why?" I asked, getting up slowly as I regained my composure. "Give me one reason why I should stay here." I demanded.

"I love you. That's why." he said this as he walked over to me slowly.

I took a step back absent-mindedly. "No, no you don't." I said firmly.

He nodded. "I do. You think you've got everything figured out Bella. Everyone. What are you going to tell Mason when he gets older? What are you going to say when he comes up to you, asking you why all the kids at school have a dad and he doesn't? What's your solution to that?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"He's only a baby." I snapped.

"Answer the damn question, Bella." he said fiercely.

I sighed. I never had an answer for this and he knew it. I racked my brain for a simple, logical answer for this question and getting irritated, I spat out the first thing that came to mind.

"He doesn't have a father because his real dad left. Without warning. Just got up, and left. After sleeping with his mother," I said sharply.

He looked hurt by my words. "That wasn't what I intended."

"Well what did you intend on that night?" I demanded.

"I wanted you to know I cared... care about you." He hung his head gloomily.

"By getting me pregnant?" I asked.

"I didn't think it was possible. Carlisle said it wasn't..."

"Obviously he was wrong." I decided to leave out my surprise that he had talked to his father about this manner of behaviour. It surely wasn't something I would think about going to my father about.

Before he said anything, Alice came out of the school doors swiftly. When she caught my eyes, she jumped in realization, and rushed towards us.

"I heard there was something wrong, Bella," she said, stopping immediately when she seen who was next to me.

"Everything's fine," Edward said, tightening his fists. I was looking back between him and Alice, my eyebrows narrowed.

"Come on, Edward. Let me and Bella speak for a little while," Alice said, gesturing for Edward to get up. He looked at her, and then at me, before finally getting up. As he walked towards the school, his hand drove into his pockets, his head down, I sighed. Then, just as I was about to look up, he stopped for a moment and looked back, his eyes sorrowful.

"Let me take you to Carlisle," he said.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Edward," Alice said, encouraging him to leave.

"No Alice," he paused. "Esme lost her baby, don't you think it would be nice for her and Carlisle to know their grandchild? They already know about Mason." He said this hopefully and I was silent as was Alice for many long moments.

A pang of guilt washed through me. This was Edward's doing, not Esme and Carlisle's. They should know their grandson. I sighed as Alice spoke.

"Bella?" she asked, searching for my opinion.

I nodded. "Let's go," I murmured.

"Go get Mason," Edward said, expecting to come along as well.

Alice read my expression.

"Edward, you should stay here," she said. I made a mental note to thank her later.

He drove his balled up fists into the pockets of his jacket once more, head down and walked into the building. I sighed and put my head in my hands. Alice decided to not acknowledge this.

"Let's go get Mason," she said softly.

I just nodded, and then stood up, wiping my pants off of any grass that obtained on them. Then, I turned to Alice, who was standing patiently next to me, and said, "Let's go."

Joan was understanding when I said I wanted to take Mason home, and that I wasn't feeling well. Which wasn't a lie, but a far stretch from the truth. Either way, we got out after grabbing one of Joan's car seats, headed toward Alice's car. My stomach was in a knot, and I suddenly wondered why I had agreed to this.

"You know," she said as she started the car, "Esme and Carlisle will be fascinated with Mason. I mean, you know... considering the circumstances."

I nodded. "Fascinated," I agreed. "But Alice... I'm nervous."

She laughed a strong musical laugh. "Don't be nervous! It's only Carlisle and Esme."

I sighed, looking out the window. "I guess you're right."

I was more than nervous as we pulled up to the large mansion, which was once abandoned. I felt my stomach twist and turn uneasily, my face draining of any colour it once had. I was suddenly a mix of every emotion imaginable, and Alice seemed to sense this.

"Just relax, Bella. They won't judge you."

I sighed, getting Mason from the backseat. I quickly took him into my arms, and wrapped in the blanket so his face wasn't exposed. He looked so different than he did when he was only a newborn...his face was a little more defined, even thought he was still young.

"Come on, Bella," Alice said with her normal, happy voice. When I looked up, she was already half way up the porch steps, gesturing for me to come. I took a deep breath, and walked up the steps.

Alice didn't knock; instead, she just walked on in, like she should. I hesitated at the door, one foot in, one out. Then, just as I was about to step back, Carlisle and Esme came around the corner.

"Ah, Bella," Carlisle said, clasping his hands together. "Nice to see you again."

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A/N- This was a quick update because of my very talented real life best friend Becca (DramaticField). She co-wrote this story with me, and for that I am very grateful. You must check out her stories. So, I am going to make you a deal...

Go to her account and read a story of hers. In a review or PM say that Shaunna sent you. If she gets at least 7 people to do this, I will get the names of those who did, and they will have a shout out in the next chapter. So, read and review this chapter, then go over to her account and check out some of her amazing work!