My dream was bright. The sun glowed and sparkled off of Bella's skin. Every time I tried to speak to her my throat would go dry and clench up and Bella's eyes would go wide as if I had just eaten a brain. She'd start screaming and running away from me. In my dream I could hear everyone's thoughts. Everybody said that I was a monster. I didn't know why. I tried to call to Bella to save me this one last time, but instead of saving me, she watched my death.
Just as I said, my blood was splattered everywhere on the man's car. I was dead. I can see my mother killing herself. I woke up in the middle of the night. I didn't sleep after that. I had been in Forks, Washington for only a month and already my father has died, my mother has gotten gravely sick, and I met the most beautiful angel. Good or evil.
To my grave disappointment, all anyone could talk about was me. I was the center of attention. Some said that guy swerved because he saw my father's ghost at the funeral, some say it was ice, some even said he was a crazy guy who madly jealous of my baseball skills. Most people asked how I got out. A lot of the guys said congratulations on finally talking to Bella without getting hurt. I scowled at everyone. Drama and gossip is all they're looking for in this small town.
No one seemed concerned about Bella. I guess any gossip about them was already old news. I wondered to myself why nobody else didn't see her so far away and then all of a sudden she's laying on top of me.
During lunch, nobody swarmed the Cullens or Hales. They sat amongst themselves. During class, Bella sat as far away from me as possible. She ignored me completely. Which was even more convenient for her, Mr. Banner had no more labs for the class to work together with. Lauren, Jessica, Eric, Newton, and Crowley swarmed me everyday.
Jessica seemed even skankier than before, if that's even a word. She pulled down her shirt in front of me. She seemed to be pole-dancing everywhere she went. I wasn't quite pleased with her. I don't think she knows that I don't like her at all. She seemed absolutely content that my lab partner and I were starting to become more distant. It meant she could talk to me all she wanted.
"So Junior," Newton started as I walked to the cafeteria once again.
"Don't call me that."
"Junior, want to come to the beach with us, in a few weeks? It's in La Push. La Push..." Newton started thrusting his hips towards the table.
" Yeah sure, I'll go. Who's coming?" I asked.
"Us." Newton gestured to everyone at the table. "And some other people. We don't know who yet, but you can invite whoever you want. That's what the rest of us are doing."
"Mason!" Eric called and tossed me an apple. I caught it swiftly and bit into it. Lauren and Jessica swooned. I've got to stop doing stuff they like. I thought to myself as I swallowed.
I came to Biology class early to try and escape my 'friends.' I starting to just doodle random music notes on the back of my notebook. I could hear clearly the seat next to me move as more kids bustled around the classroom. I set the notebook down on the desk in front of me and looked at Bella, expecting her to be on the other side of the table. Instead she was much closer. This is called for. She was a mystery and did random things. I couldn't figure out her pattern. But instead of doing what I expected she stayed and stared at me instead of moving away. I was trapped in her eyes, she was glaring. I didn't know why she was glaring, all I was doing earlier was drawing. Was I supposed to annoy her as much as she was aggravating me? Mr. Banner caught us and asked for the question that I was deaf, too.
"The Krebs Cycle," she whispered so quietly. I repeated it louder and blushed before looking away. I wrote 'thanks' on the notebook's back cover like I did with the music notes. She looked at it and nodded with a monotone look on her face.
I was chilled to the bone by Bella staring at me like that. It made me angry that she could ignore me like that for weeks and then all of a sudden start looking at me as if I was the only one in my room. I hated how it took effect on me, but somehow I liked the effect. When the bell rang, I gathered my books as fast as I could.
"Edward," I heard Bella say. I stacked my books on the desk before turning to her and looking at her through my lashes. She stared wide-eyed at my face before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Edward, we shouldn't be friends. Trust me when I say that I'm just trouble," she said nonchalantly, still not looking at me. I sighed. Her eyes flashed open as she heard my loud exhale.
"Then why'd you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Save me? You saved me! You could have just let that car hit me! Would've saved you a lot of regret," I mumbled the last part. She stared at me oddly.
"Regret? You think I regret saving you? I'm glad you're still alive. I- You should just stay away from me please. I saved you so you could live, not just for the glory of it. I could give my whole house to charity. I can donate all of my money, my father's money, my mother's money, my whole family's money to the poor. No one would care! Did you see but one person approach me? No." She clenched her jaw before slinging her book-filled bag over her shoulder and dashing out.
After school, I walked a little slowly. I watched Bella go to her car and she looked at me panicked at something behind me. Jessica had caught up with me.
"So, Edward. I was kinda' thinkin' that maybe you'd want to go to the girls' choice spring dance coming up, with- with me. Maybe. I don't know, do you want to go with me?" She asked hopefully.
"Oh, um. Sorry, Jessica. I'm-uh- I'm going into Seattle, to-uhm... Yep, I'm going into Seattle that day. Sorry. But, you should ask Newt- I mean, you should ask Mike. He seems to kind of like you," I apologized one last time before dodging her and heading to my car. I flashed my eyes towards the Cullens and Hales and they were all snickering, except for Bella.
I zoomed away in my car, almost hitting the Cullens, and sped down the highway. I knew my father was dead and he couldn't help me anymore, but it's not like he'd help me anyway. My phone starting blowing up with texts.
When I got home I stayed outside on the porch swing. I checked my new messages.
Will you go 2 the spring dance with me? -angie
Sry, I'm going 2 Seattle that day. -edward
I might as well go into town that day. I've got nothing else to do. I checked my next messages. Relating to the same topic.
Hey Edward! Wanna go 2 the SD with me? 3 -L
Sry Lauren I hav 2 go 2 Seattle -edward
There were two other messages asking me if I wanted to go to the spring dance with them. I declined, first reason I wanted to go to Seattle, second reason, I don't even know these girls! How and when did they get my number? After responding to their messages, I went inside.
I prepared dinner for myself and made a simple sandwich. As I ate, I finally let it relish in me what Bella said. What was the meaning, she doesn't think it's safe for us to be friends? She must notice how depressed I am with my mother in the hospital. Therefore leading that she didn't want to be friends with a downer. She said she didn't want attention. Would that mean that she thinks I'm popular? She must not be interested. Of course she's not interested, I'm a depressed teen who could possibly be losing his mother to some kind of disease. She was brilliantly beautiful, mysterious, smart, funny, and over all perfect.
Well that was fine. I could leave her alone if she really wanted it. The problem was, would I leave her alone like she really wanted? What if she doesn't want to be left alone? What do I do then? I would be disappointing her. I could be her super hero, but I could also be the villain if it ever came to it.
I found myself sitting at my piano again, my inspiration returning. I repeated the first notes before moving on. This composition is beginning to sound a little more happy, despite my bad luck in this small town.
The next morning, I took Bella's advice seriously and parked as far away from the gigantic red truck as I could. When I exited my car, I missed my back pocket and my keys fell directly into a puddle. I sighed before bending down to pick them up, but a snow white hand had already come to my aid. I grunted, before swiping them out of Bella's hand as fast as possible.
"How do you do that?" I asked, trying to sound irritated. Truly, I was happy as ever that she didn't ignore me, but confused as to why she said that she didn't want to be my friend and yet, here she was helping me, again.
"Do what?" She asked, a smirk on her face.
"Appear out of thin air!" I exclaimed, amused by her ignorance.
"I don't," she said in all seriousness. She flashed her eyes around the parking lot where everyone was staring at us. We were walking side by side to the school building. She walked a bit closer to me and smiled up at me.
"I thought you said you didn't want to be friends," I said, puzzled.
"No I didn't. I didn't say that. I said that we shouldn't be friends. I never said that I didn't want to be friends. Pay attention," she played. I smirked while holding the door open for her. She nodded her head in thanks before walking in. I was about to walk towards Jessica where she usually waited for me for Spanish, my first class, but Bella grabbed my arm forcefully. I was surprised at her and froze. Always, doing what I least expect, she didn't let go until I finally became alert of her hand on my arm and how cold it was. I didn't feel cold, I was paying too much attention on how my skin felt on fire at her touch.
I looked down at her hand before trailing the arm to the owner. Bella looked into my eyes intensely. I was trapped in her gaze and couldn't move, frozen by her beauty. Also afraid to ruin the moment, Bella slid her hand down slowly until it flopped down to her side. Still staring into my deep green eyes, she said with her angelic voice, "I was wondering, if you weren't planning anything, of course, if you wanted to go someplace with me the week of the spring dance-"
"Are you joking?" I interrupted, ruining our moment. Something I hoped we could return to later, but now it was time to speak.
"Will you let me finish?" She asked patiently, surprisingly calm. I nodded with a crease in my brow.
"If you weren't busy the night of the spring dance, then maybe-" she looked up at the ceiling before looking back down at me, "I heard you were going to Seattle that night, and I was just wondering if you would, maybe, if you would want a ride." At this moment, Bella seemed so vulnerable. As if my rejection would break her.
I didn't even know what to say. I stared at her for a second, still trying to read her. Every time I see, I always have to mentally check if I could read her, but yet again I'm thinking that she is a mystery. An unexpected mystery that I wasn't ready to investigate.
"I'm sure that my Volvo could make it to Seattle by itself. The question is, would you like a ride to Seattle?" I said, using my shoulders to tower over her. I was as nervous as hell, but by basic instinct, I continued to stare her down. I wasn't flirting, just intimidating. She chuckled and pushed me away lightly. I wanted to hear her musical chuckle forever and lightly pushed her back with my elbow, though she didn't seem to be pushed, but rocked on her heels as if to dodge me as I was about to touch her.
I waved it off, slightly offended, but didn't show it.
"No, it's okay. I can pick you up," she said with a smile on her face.
"No, I'll pick you up, I insist!" I said, in seriousness. She looked up at me a bit troubled.
"Eh, I guess. You'd have to pick me up at the... at the Diner, Jasper likes to eat there," she said. It was an obvious lie, but I pretended not to notice it. I nodded, not knowing what to say now, disappointed that she was hiding something from me. Her golden eyes sparkled as she blinked, the bell rang, cueing everyone to get to class quickly. She smiled widely, revealing her perfect white teeth before turning walking away.
"See you in class! Can't wait 'till Saturday, Edward!" She seemed to skip as she said my name and I smiled before going to Spanish not minding walking to class with Jessica and being late. Jessica was oddly quiet for the rest of the day with a scowl on her face as she walked with her arms crossed. I would ask why, but at the moment, I was too happy.