7

I woke up groggily to the sound of my phone's alarm. It was Tuesday; two long days had passed of constant yellow roses and giggles in the corridors. Naturally Alice had lapped it all up and even Rosalie smiled wistfully at her blood-red roses.

I took my morning shower, grabbed my clothes and got dressed quickly cursing myself for that ten minute lie-in. I rushed downstairs, taking a poptart from the cupboard and ran out to my car.

Luckily for me, I managed a sneaky fast drive to the school and got there fifteen minutes to the bell. I got out expecting little Ally to run into my arms as usual but to my surprise, it was Edward. I tried to keep my cool...ha, cool indeed Bella.

Edward nodded his head to me.

"Where's Ally?" I asked him.

"Ill." By now, I was used to his one-worded answers and even worse, his answers ending in questions.

I instantly felt concern, "what's wrong?" It was then I noticed our group by Jasper's truck and I noted that Emmett was missing too.

He shrugged, "woman's thing, I tend to keep out of those things."

I smiled a little at that, periods were normally taboo around guys. "Emmett?"

"Looking at colleges up north." I vaguely remembered Em mentioning something about colleges, lucky for him getting the day off.

Edward bobbed his head to the group, "shall we?"

We walked towards them and I gave Rose a small arm squeeze. "Missing your rose today?"

She had the courtesy to giggle at least. "It was on my pillow this morning."

She didn't blush whereas I did, making them all laugh.

"Uh oh, Bella the virgin's blushing?" I whipped around facing Edward, an instant flame eloping my mind making my hand twitch. How dare he?! The look of anger caused him to step back. I knew I had started making a scene and I didn't want to finish it so I walked away, Rose on my tail.

She stopped me at my locker. I ignored her and tore off my rose, shoving it in my bag like I always did. I felt her arm on my back.

"I'm sorry Bella." The sound of her voice made me turn around.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I shouldn't have said that." She bit her lip showing her worry.

I took a deep breath to force myself to stop remembering. "It's a perfectly natural thing to have sex when you're seventeen Rose." I hoped she would drop it.

"Just ignore the man-whore, I do." My eyebrow rose at her calling Edward that but I chose to ignore it.

I knew Rose could tell something was up but I wasn't ready to tell them everything yet, it was too soon and too new. I linked arms with her and we made our way to our first class knowing there was much more needed to be said and that in her own little way, as she hugged me briefly for the first time, it was her way of telling me she would wait.

Lunch was...interesting. I think in the two weeks of knowing them it was too quiet. Jasper was reading a book on what looked like the American civil war, Rose was moping and obviously missing her big teddy bear and Edward was most likely smoking his life away outside. I had noted that Jacob Black was constantly surrounded by girly bimbos and their nattering and girly swooning bugged me every damn day.

I had causally asked my Dad the other day why he was like that but I didn't get anything good off him, just that he had "changed" when I didn't come back. I knew something was definitely up there and I knew it was up to either Alice or Rose who would tell me the all the grimy details. All I knew was that Jake was certainly not like that before I had stopped coming to the US.

I knew then it was up to me to start the conversation.

"So what's up with Jake?" To be honest, I knew I had to ask one day. Rosalie looked up from her salad.

"Local playboy of Forks high" she answered and Jasper snorted. I looked at him with a questioning eye.

"You don't wanna know."

I looked back at Rose for a further explanation and she shrugged. "You must have heard of Edward being his little sidekick once upon a time."

Ah, I certainly do remember Angela mentioning it to me on my first day. "So my little Jakey has turned bad then?"

Rose looked at me in complete confusion, "Jakey?"

I had to laugh at her tone of her voice, as if finding that name hilarious. "We used to be friends when we were kids, our Dads are friends. Last time I saw Jake he had plasters all over his knees."

They both laughed. "Plasters?" Jasper laughed using an English accent and I scowled.

"Oh sorry, I forgot." I replied using sarcasm and Rose had to throw her apple at her brother to stop him from laughing. He frowned at her and rubbed his head. Rose turned to me.

"You knew Jake before he was like that?" she pointed at Jake who had a blonde bimbo on his lap.

"Hard to believe I know, but trust me, he was innocent and sweet enough to be called Jakey last time I saw him." Rose gave me a disbelieving look.

"So, what stopped Edward being like him?" I tried subtly to ask hoping she wouldn't catch on.

"After that talk with Carlisle," she whispered to me. I felt a sudden lump in my throat, to be honest, I wasn't expecting that answer. After a few minutes of silence, I told them both I'd see them after lunch and headed towards the math building...again.

Edward and I hadn't really talked much since Sunday, he was a man of few words and I only caught a rare glimpse of him talking nineteen to the dozen to either Em or Jazz about the baseball team they were all on (playing for Forks High), games consoles or American Football. Alice always tried to involve him with our conversations but to no avail. He was silent and on occasion, moody. You can only guess how much I hated him sitting at the lunch table just...staring. Sometimes he read intense-looking deep novels or scribbled things down on his notebook. Biology was the same, that guy wrote way too much and barely says two sentences to me, on a good say, four.

So I knew deep down as I walked out of the building this was either a mistake or I was doing something good. I didn't dare ask myself or think too hard on it. Yet again he was leaning against the wall taking long drags of his cigarette. As he did this I couldn't help myself but think that Cullen made smoking look hot and that's a huge thing for me to admit to that.

I didn't bother asking him if I could sit beside him as I knew what he would say. I threw my bag next to his and sat a little distance away from him, I didn't want to get close if you know what I'm saying.

"I'm sorry."

My head whipped up from staring at the grass, shocked to hear him say those words. I wasn't expecting it to be that easy. I felt a little awkward as he was doing that staring thing again.

He sighed deeply. "I shouldn't have said that Bella." His dark eyes bored into mine and I was lost for words, as usual being around Edward.

"I'm not a virgin." I blurted out and instantly regretted it, me and my big mouth. Edward eyes widened a little and I knew I had to explain and fast. "I don't want to talk about it, it was a mistake and I hate him so end of story."

We were quiet for a while, I nervously plucked the grass and he kept on smoking.

"Sorry." His voice was rough as if he was nervous around me, so I wasn't the only one.

It was my turn to sigh. "Look, don't tell the others okay?" I needed to ask him that. Edward nodded and shyly tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. I swore my breathing had stopped, this boy was trouble. I managed to find my voice somehow after his brief contact. "Apologising a lot lately aren't you?"

He had the decency to look away from me. "Yeah, I can be a right asshole when I wanna be." A tone of regret echoed in his words. I wasn't planning on forgiving him so fast this time around, once was enough for a week. Yet when a guy says something like that with no pride I think it's the rules to forgive him.

I lightly touched his warm, slender hand and I was a little touched that he didn't pull away. "It's fine Edward although, somewhere deep down, I'd like to think that you're not."

He looked at me and gave me a small smile. The bell rang as if reminding us where we were. He got up and I followed. He put his arm around my shoulders again and I was glad to know we were back to normal, well, a weird normalcy but a normalcy that was good enough for me.


Wednesday's were always good days for me, one because gym was replaced by study hour and two because it meant me and the girls had that one good hour of chatting endlessly about our lives and their boyfriends for a good hour. It also meant that I got to sneakily look at Edward from time to time reading his deep novels whilst Alice and Rose made googly eyes at their said boyfriends. Although today was different, Rosalie needed a good hour "alone" with Emmett and Alice needed to study on the computer for her French test. Which meant, for once, I was stuck on my own...that is until a dark, handsome guy sat in front of me.

I looked up from my notes and found Jacob Black sitting opposite me. I instantly smiled, I hadn't had the chance of speaking to him, ever, and now here he was nine years later. "Jacob Black."

He grinned. "Isabella Swan."

"Ergh, you know I hate being called that." I frowned and he laughed quietly.

"I know Bells. So, long time no see. I can't believe you're here. You!" He laughed again and I did the same, we always made each other laugh. I had to refrain from hugging him though, it had been too long and we weren't eight and nine no more. "Yeah, it has been long. So, anything good happen in those nine years?"

"Not much really. You know my Dad had his accident and in a wheelchair now. God that sucked man."

My smile faltered a little and I covered his hand with me. He smiled at the touch. "I've missed that smile." It was true; Jake's smile was like the sun, always bright and warm.

Jake looked down. "I've missed you Bells."

I stopped short at that, yeah it had been long but I wasn't expecting new, playboy Jake to go all emotional on me. I tried to make light of the matter and to try and bring him back to reality. "With all of those girls, how can you miss me?"

He looked up, sharply with darkness in his eyes. "You think they mean anything?"

I was taken aback at his words and his dark look and didn't know what to say. He took my silence to mean something else, stood up quickly and stormed out of the library. I then noticed Edward in the corner sitting alone on the table giving me a quizzical look.

I couldn't handle Edward either at the moment so I headed back out to my car with tears stinging my eyes.

After a long half an hour of quietly crying to myself I looked up waiting for Alice. Sometimes she hitched a ride with me to catch up on our day and to have a good chat to ourselves. I rubbed my eyes quickly and prayed she wouldn't notice how red they looked.

True to form, she did notice although it took her long enough to mention as soon as we were right outside her house. I sighed.

"It's nothing Allie."

I felt her hand on my shoulder. "It is though," she replied softly.

"I talked to Jake today." I didn't want to add anymore.

"And?"

"He kinda snapped at me...he said he missed me, which I couldn't believe with all those girls hanging on him every day so I jokily brought it up." I paused for a minute. "Then he snapped at me, saying they don't mean anything and stormed out." I looked at Alice wondering what she would say to that, after all, she had seen him a lot longer than me and could offer some harsh criticism.

"I always wondered why he acts like that." She rubbed my shoulder. "Just try and get to know him again." She then frowned a little.

"What?" I dared to ask.

"But Bella, try and not fall for him okay? As they say, leopards rarely change their spots and sometimes it's just not worth it..." She faltered on her words, as if she would upset me but I knew she was only looking out for me. I smiled at her.

"It's alright Alice, I understand what you mean. Just don't worry about me okay?" She nodded and gave me a quick hug before she got out and walked up to the door. She turned and gave me a quick wave as always then went inside.

Driving home, I realised two things about Jacob Black. One, he had changed and not for the better and two, somewhere deep inside of me knew he would never change no matter what I did to try and alter that.

At last Friday came and just one more week of those silly roses. Although I was starting to dread it, I didn't want to find out who the guy was and I was starting to try and plan on how to miss that day. Jake had tried to talk to me constantly which I was a little flattered about, I remembered how stubborn he could be and was a surprised too that he was the one apologise first. It was nice to chat to him for a couple of minutes through the day but true to form, he would go off chasing some Lauren, Jessica, Fay and Michelle as if he was on a hunt hence the only few minutes.

I was at my locker, hurrying as usual to get my trig book when as soon as I shut it, there was Jake leaning against the lockers with a knowing grin on his face.

"Late for Trig again Bells?"

I grinned back, "as always Jake."

Jake looked behind my shoulder and his grin turned to a frown. I turned to find Edward standing there awkwardly by his locker. "So you and Edward are friends then?"

I frowned at his question, why was he asking me that? "Um yeah, I'm friends with the whole group."

He quirked an eyebrow, "the Hales too?"

"Well duh," I laughed.

"So you, err fancy Cullen then?"

My laugh suddenly stopped at his question, what the fuck? I tried not to blush but I could already feel it creeping up my face. I closed my eyes for a brief second. "No I do not." I heard him scoff and I opened my eyes to see a smirk on his face. I clenched my fist. Ever since that kiss with Edward, I tried to keep my emotions in check where he was concerned.

Jack chuckled to himself. "Yeah, sure Bells. I can spot that blush a mile off."

I groaned in utter frustration with him and walked off, his laugh echoing in my ears. Someone touched my arm out of the blue and I lashed out, throwing it off thinking it was Jake. "Wow Bella." I turned around seeing Edward giving me a sheepish look. "You're tougher than you look."

"I'm sorry, I thought you were Jake." I rubbed his arm shyly where I had grabbed it. I dropped my hand after a second; body contact with Edward was a bad idea.

He scowled at my assumption. "He should leave you alone." I was surprised that he was saying this; it wasn't like Jake hurt me or anything.

"It wasn't that bad Edward."

"You shouldn't have to defend him though. What did he say?"

I did not want to repeat what Jake had asked me, it was too personal. "It doesn't matter; he just pissed me off with his assuming shit."

Edward gave me a crooked grin. "That's two swearwords in a sentence Bella; he got on your nerves that much?"

God, he was so...so annoying! So what I swore? I could swear like a trooper on some days and only now he decided to question it? I walked away, not looking back. Now, I was definitely late for trig, stupid boys!

I looked up from my salad when I heard the cafeteria's doors open, hoping it was Alice. Emmett was scoffing his face and so far, none of our group had shown. I huffed in impatience. "It's been twenty minutes Em, where are they?"

He shrugged at me, his mouth still full. That boy could eat and eat fast. I took a small bite of lettuce still watching the doors. Lunch had come fast and normally Alice and Rosalie were the first ones here as their French class was nearest to the cafeteria. I was surprised to have only found Emmett, halfway through a burger already.

I heard the doors bang open, causing several students to look up.

It was Alice, running in, her bag in hand. She was huffing and puffing and all I could hear through it were "Edward" and "Jacob". Those two words together were not good in the same sentence, at all. She took hold of my hand and dragged me out of the cafeteria towards the English building. As soon as we entered the front doors I could hear loud voices saying "fight, fight!" and I knew it was worse than I imagined.

We ran for about a second when we suddenly stopped short in front of a large group of students, still shouting and raising their hands as if to try and egg the fighters on. I shoved my way through, elbowing people's sides not caring if I hurt them or not. I froze as soon as I got to the front. There was Edward and Jake scrambling on the floor like a pair of angry wolves. Jake had a black eye forming and his lip was bleeding where Edward seemed unhurt, at least, on the outside where it showed. I then noticed Alice screaming at them to stop, her hands clutching her face in fear, tears starting to stream down her pale face.

I felt instant worry for her, after all, this was her brother, blood related or not, she still cared for him.

I was suddenly pushed aside and I saw Emmett and Jazz run to the two boys, pulling them apart. Jake and Edward were glaring at one another, complete darkness in their eyes. Mr Greene, the principal followed by Coach Clapp pushed past and barked orders for Em and Jazz to take the fighters to Greene's office. Emmett went first, Edward still in his strong arms and I caught a couple of words from Em as he walked past, I only heard two- "crazy" and "you shithead."

Principal Greene followed them yet Coach Clapp stayed behind, he was starting to question the students as to what had happened. I froze as I heard Tyler say my name. As if he could sense my stare, Clapp turned and ordered me to the Principal's office. I felt Alice's hand on my arm and I turned to her. "What happened Allie?" I hissed, I really didn't want to be involved in all of this, especially if my Dad found out.

"They were fighting over you," she whispered, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"What?"

"All I know is that Jake said something...uncivilised about you in front of Edward and he flipped out and punched him."

Before I could ask anymore, Coach Clapp came up and reminded me I was needed in Greene's office. "If I get expelled Allie, I'm taking you down and your idiotic brother too."

I was mad, absolutely mad. I was sitting opposite Edward. He was holding an ice pack against his forehead and I felt no pity for him whatsoever. I heard heavy footsteps echoing down the hall and my shoulders slumped as my Dad came through the open door.

I stood up to try and explain before seeing the Principal. "Dad, it's not like how it sounds, whatever they've told you."

Charlie frowned. "I heard you go involved with a fight." He looked over my shoulder at Edward. I sighed getting his attention again.

"Like I said, just whatever I say in there, please go along with it okay Dad? For your only daughter?" I didn't want to pull the only child card but deep down I knew Edward wasn't at fault here...I had to use a lot of faith here, especially for him.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Alright Bells, but only for you and not for anyone else." I knew he meant Edward.

Greene eventually called us in; Jake was already sitting there looking sullen. We all took our seats and I knew I had quickly come up with a good enough speech which sounded believable.

"Chief, I called you here as a precaution only and I was concerned for your daughter," Greene started off with and I wanted to scoff at his words, he knew I wasn't actually involved with the fight, how much of a dumbshit was this guy?

He continued giving a little speech as to why fighting was not tolerated in his school and how today's society does not accept fighting of any kind. I felt my Dad shift beside me and I could only guess what he was thinking, two of the town's delinquents in the same room.

Greene then asked Edward what had started the fight. Edward shifted awkwardly. "He insulted Bella."

Greene clearly wanted more of an explanation by the look on his face. Edward took a minute, as to taunt him and then went on. "He came up to me as I was headed for the cafeteria; he brought up Bella asking why I was hanging around with her. When I didn't answer him he said something...disgraceful about Bella and sex." He looked away and I noticed a slight blush on his cheeks and I knew why he defended me.

My Dad was going purple and looked straight at Jake. I knew then it was my turn to speak, before any of this got way out of hand. "Principal Greene?"

I could feel all of their eyes on me and I instantly blushed but I knew I had to keep my focus on why I was saying this. "Yes Miss Swan?"

I cleared my throat. "May I ask who will receive the punishment for this?"

Greene looked a little confused. "I haven't decided as of yet, although it seems they are both to blame."

I knew he would see it like that. "Well, surely you see this as an act of defending ones honour?" Greene did not answer, luckily as I needed this to hit home. "Edward was defending my honour," I raised my hand before he could interrupt. "I am fully aware that fighting is against the rules, and that in itself is immoral yet when do you ever see these days, men defending women? Years ago it was considered imperative to fight for others. When can you say where a man stands up for himself and women and has the courage to fight for it?"

It was silent for about three minutes before Greene looked at my Dad as if asking for his opinion.

"I think she's got a point," he answered the silent question and I had to stop myself from grinning. Greene asked me and Dad to leave. As I stood I gave Edward a quick glance for reassurance, he looked up at me for a second then turned away. Shit, did I make myself look like a total ass just then? God, I hope I sounded believable like I did in my head.

As soon as we left the office, my Dad rounded on me. "Please explain all of this when you get home Bells?"

"Of course Dad, I'll see you late okay?" He nodded and started to walk away. I called him back, wanting to just say this as it was important more than everything. "Dad, remember you told me that Edward did some bad things before?"

Charlie was still quiet, probably not knowing what to say.

"Well, he's kinda changed now...he had some really bad things happen to him and I know from experience that if you bottle things up long enough, it tends to make people do wrong things." I looked down praying he would understand.

I looked back at him when I heard him say my name. "We'll talk at home okay hon?"

I nodded and waved a goodbye to him, watching him leave.

I sat back down, waiting for Edward and praying he wasn't having hell in there. Jake came out first, storming out and down the corridor, thankfully not noticing me. Edward soon followed and his eyes went straight to me, a crooked grin forming. I took this as a good sign, got up and walked to him.

"Okay, before I say anything," he started, "can I ask why you did that for me?"

I shrugged; trying to make it look like it wasn't a big deal when it bloody was. "I was a little right in there, you did defend my honour."

Edward raised his hand slowly and lightly touched my cheek and let it linger. I tried to control my breathing and to remind myself to try and breathe. "That's the thing though Bella, you're worth defending."

I was this close to swooning right in front of him and not giving a damn.

AN

I am back online, thankfully. My laptop is well and truly fixed. I'll probably update Wednesday by the latest. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I kinda left it on a cliffe as there's a lot more to what will happen after this between Edward and Bella!

Please, please review! Thanks guys. BMx