Chapter Six

Just as Tsukune had suspected, it took a few days for the furor over his and Edward's forced kiss to die down. Poor Edward had to endure a few more days of being looked at suspiciously whenever he walked in a room. He was subjected to listening to giggling girl's comments when they thought he wasn't paying attention, and the suspicious gaze of boys who feared that they might be next on his list. He also had to deal with Ms. Nekonome's glaring at him (she didn't believe Tsukune's explanation and still thought that her student had been molested).

Fortunately for him, four days after the incident, a first-year boy walked in on a second-year girl and a first-year boy engaged in, well, each other. The incident involving Edward and Tsukune was old news, and the entertainment of choice was creating theories about what was going on between the two who had been interrupted.

"I heard that it was all about money... supposedly she had some blackmail photos of him, and if he didn't want her to leak them out all around the school, he had to sleep with her," Mizore explained.

"Miss Mizore," Edward said, trying to be polite. "I would really rather not hear this gossip. You know it's terribly unladylike to spread rumors."

"Hey, Tsukune, what's with your roommate?" Yukari asked in response to Edward's admonishment. "He doesn't like to hear all the interesting stories, he refuses to eat anything in front of us but juice, and he speaks so strangely. Why does he use such strange metaphors?" Tsukune just shrugged.

"I'm not a mind-reader, Yukari," he replied. "If Edward wants to tell us, he'll tell us." Mizore let out a short laugh.

"Don't count on it, Yukari. This one's a strange ranger, I'll tell you that."

"Strange ranger?" Edward muttered. "The one who's strange is you!"

"Did you say something?" Mizore asked sweetly, taking the lollipop out of her mouth and regarding Edward with a scarily innocent expression.

"Uh," Edward replied.

"Let it go, Mizore," Yukari said quietly. Mizore nodded.

"Yeah, Moka will show him anyway. She still hasn't forgiven him for touching Tsukune."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Tsukune asked irritably. "Nothing happened. It was all Hata-san's fault. She just doesn't know when she's crossed a line."

"Try telling that to Moka," Mizore replied. "She doesn't think Hata-san had anything to do with it. She thinks it was all Edward. Besides, she and Hata-san have always had this sort of understanding between them- Moka overlooks Hata-san's faults, and Hata-san overlooks Moka's faults. It's just how things are. Nothing personal, Edward, but you picked a bad person to get on the wrong side of."

"I can tell," Edward muttered.

That afternoon, Edward decided that he was going to go study in the library, alone. Tsukune just shook his head. By now, he had gotten used to the eccentricities of his roommate, and if Edward wanted to go study in a big dusty old room full of books, that was his prerogative. But what Tsukune didn't know was what Edward really intended to do in the library. Study? No. Over 100 years of life had acclimated Edward to school life, and the majority of the things taught he already knew. He didn't necessarily know much about monster history, but he was able to take in most of what the teacher said. What he really wanted to do was write to Bella.

My Dearest Bella, he wrote.

Life at Yokai Academy is very different from life in Forks. Here, I am around other monsters all day, every day. My roommate Tsukune Aono is a good person, but he seems weak and allows himself to be pushed around by the strangest young ladies I have ever met. There's a young lady here named Hata, who has an absurd infatuation with something she calls "boy's love", and thanks to her, there have been some strange incidents. There is a girl here, Yukari. She is 11 years old and a very precocious child. She seems to be taking lessons in behavior from Hata, as she seems to pick up on the slightest things that could be interpreted the wrong way. There are many other students here, but the only person I worry about more than anything is a young lady known as Moka. She seems to have a strong attachment to Tsukune and seems to view me as a threat to their relationship. Miss Moka has threatened to kill me if I lay a hand on Tsukune. She apparently thinks I am her rival in love! Can you imagine anything more preposterous? I love you, Bella, not Tsukune, another man. Do not worry, my love. I will be out from this place as soon as I possibly can, and I will be back with you in our town like nothing has happened. I miss you very much, and think of you always. Until the day I can see you again, you will be on the forefront of my mind.

Your devoted lover,

Edward Cullen

"You're despicable," a female voice hissed into his ear. Edward jumped and turned around, coming face-to-face with a very angry Moka. "You think it's funny to lead on some poor girl back in your hometown? You think it's funny to lie to her about your relationship with Tsukune, and you think it's funny to lie about me and the others to someone we don't even know? I knew you were scum the first time I set eyes on you, but I didn't realize exactly how scummy you were."

"No! You don't understand!" Edward shouted in response. "And what gives you the right to read my personal correspondence anyway?"

"I wouldn't have to read your personal correspondence if you weren't so suspicious about your motives! Mizore told me that you were acting very strangely about going to the library today, and I can see that she was right! You were sneaking off to send a letter to someone in the human world! I hate humans."

"What gives you the right to speak so badly about my Bella?" Edward was starting to get angry now. "You don't know her!"

"No, I don't know her, but I know you," Moka replied, acid creeping into her voice. "And now I've seen enough. I know what kind of person you are, you two-timing bastard!" Her features hardened into a scowl, and she regarded Edward with a measure of distaste. Edward had heard quite enough.

"I don't need to stand here and take abuse from you," he snarled. Moka smirked.

"I haven't even started yet," she replied calmly, fiddling with her rosario. At that moment, the librarian noticed what was going on.

"You two! Outside! I won't have you fighting in the library!"

To Be Continued

Author's Comments-

I'm heading out on vacation in a few days, and I'll have sporadic Internet access, if I even have Internet access at all, so this might be the last update for a while. I will do my best to update once before I leave, but things are getting a little crazy around here, so that might not be possible. Right before you leave, something always has to be done...

-Kaboom