S. Meyer owns Twilight.

A/N:

Thanks to grtchn, Twilightobsessed09, Dolphin4442, SeekingJamestown, dreamngo4it9, clancy119, and Snikerz610 for reviewing!

Oh, and if you guys haven't read 'Inked' by ARenee363 you should. That story's fucking awesome! Trust me, tattoo Edward, sigh, hotness!


Chapter 7: Green Eyed Meets Jealousy

"You're very strange." The words flew easily from his lips.

The boy faced me as we sat alone inside the classroom. The dark clouds that hung from the sky made the already dim room even darker, and as I continued to stare into his eyes, I had the slightest urge to insult him right back.

I held my breath and recollected my thoughts, then slumped my shoulders, and laid my head into the cool desk.

Maybe it wouldn't have been harder if it had been someone else, but to be stuck with him inside this forsaken room – with the power out, mind you – well that just puts the icing on the damn cake.

"Maybe fate's playing one of its sadistic games…" I muttered to myself but apparently he heard it.

"Aw, that's not nice Bella." He grinned sweetly, "Why don't you like me?"

"Because you're so damn irritating!"

. . .

(Edward)

I woke up to the annoying sound of the alarm clock and someone's body extremely close to mine. I held the sheets over my head with a hopeless attempt to ignore the person beside me, already knowing who it was.

"Eddy!" Alice screamed loud enough to wake up the entire house. "It's 7 and your lazy ass better get up because it's your day to drive!"

"Damn it, ask Em I'm not getting up yet!" I yelled from under the covers.

I seriously love my sister but I just can't stand the fact that 'privacy' was just an imaginary word in Alice's mind. Ever since we were younger, I could never recall a memory where she left me the hell alone.

Alice tore the sheets away from my hands and then leaned forward, "I'm not asking twice Edwardo! Besides Em already left with Rose."

Ugh, of course. He probably left early to fuck that bimbo.

"Give me a few minutes then. And Alice?" I mumbled staring at her with one eye open while the other hid behind the messy mop that was my hair.

"What?"

I gave a sheepish smile as she threw the blanket back in my direction. "Get the fuck out."

. . .

The drive to school felt agonizingly slow because as Alice continued to blabber about some awesome so-called party going on tomorrow, I was busy tailgating some asshole who apparently like to drive the speed limit. Okay, so I wouldn't have been so peeved, so damn early in the morning, but ask me the one thing – ONE THING! – I fucking hated, it was people who drove the speed limit.

I mean come on, push the fucking pedal to go at least ten miles faster gramps! I tapped my thumb irritatingly against the leather cover of the steering wheel wanting so badly to honk the horn.

Beside me Alice finally stopped blabbering, "You know who drives a red pick-up?"

"I don't give two shits but if this guy can't drive any faster, we might just have a little accident."

"Ha! And ruin your precious paint job? You wish Eddy!" She taunted, "Besides whoever he is, he's turning right into the school's parking lot."

"Well, I guess I can settle this verbally then."

I parked the car quickly near the curb not caring, and I guess absentmindedly forgetting, about Alice to run towards the rusty, old pick-up. I had a bone to pick with the damn driver and as I raised my hand to tap on the driver's window, my eyes immediately collided to a set of familiar brown eyes.

Did Alice say it was a 'he' driving the car?

Bella twisted the knob to lower the window, then she popped her head out squinting slightly as raindrops ran down her face. I'd never noticed her hair as it was now, soft curls and small waves framing her cheeks down to her chest.

For a moment I couldn't think of anything to say and as I unclenched my fists my anger dissipated. Bella said something, her mouth moving slightly and her eyes staring at me listlessly, but I couldn't hear anything over the roar of the car.

I shrugged my shoulders, reaching inside the truck to take the key out of the ignition.

"What?" I questioned as Bella stepped out, "I couldn't hear a damn thing you were saying."

She snatched the keys out of my hand. It felt strange to hear the quiet around us, I guess, even stranger than the awkwardness a moment ago. Bella's eyes shifted to the side, staring at someone behind me that made her cheeks turn a faint pink. Then I realized we must have been attracting too much attention.

It was safe to say that the only time Bella and I spoke to each other was when it'd been part of a huge argument. Other than that we would normally ignore each other.

She held her head down murmuring something as she passed by me and into the school's entrance. My eyes followed her beeline movements. I had the sudden urge to chase after her, well, at least until Tanya grabbed my arm out of nowhere.

Ugh.

Alice and Jasper stood by her side with Emmett and Rosalie on the opposite end.

I was still looking towards Bella's direction, watching as her hair swayed back and forth against the small of her back. But Tanya, geez, turned me to face her as she practically jumped into my arms for a hug. Emmett's whistle and Jasper's laughter came close after.

I seriously would've wanted nothing but to drop Tanya flat on the ground, preferably one with a humungous puddle. Her cool hands held my cheeks as she forced me to face her way, her pale blue eyes staring me down with confidence.

"Edward!" She squealed with that annoying high-pitch, school girl squeal. "I so can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

I released her from my hold, "Come again?"

"You're kidding right?" She pouted, "My party I told you beginning of the week? My parents are going to Alaska this weekend so I have the whole house to myself. So sleepovers are definitely okay."

"Damn Tanya can you be anymore upfront?" Emmett bellowed in between laughs with his hand gripping his stomach for emphasis. "You might as well say, 'Hey you want to have sex afterwards?' "

Rosalie rolled her eyes as she smacked Emmett's arm, "Can you act your age? Please! I think were a little too old to hear that crap!"

"Cool it babe, I'm just saying what Edward wants to say."

Thank you Emmett.

The final bell shrilled above us at the same time Tanya opened her mouth and flipped a birdie towards Emmett. I couldn't feel anymore relieved as I jogged to the school's entrance, ignoring the fact that it had been the second time I left without saying goodbye.

From behind I could hear Tanya calling, or should I say fucking screaming, my name.

I pushed the door wide open, looking both ways for even the slightest sign of a certain brunette, only to find her cornered into the arms of Mike Newton. He had a smirk on his face as he cradled a strand of her hair against his fingertips. I held my hands firmly to my sides, as I continued to walk – with each agonizing and what felt like slow motion steps – towards them.

I knew that it wasn't my battle to fight, or was it my business to even ask, but the way Mike stared at Bella just pushed my buttons the wrong way.

It wasn't long before she saw me approaching, eyeing me head to toe, before focusing on Mike again. I couldn't figure out why she wouldn't fight back, regain that fire in her eyes that always seemed to be visible every time our eyes met.

"Newton." I said in a low and irate tone that caused Mike to step back. I held his collar a little too tightly because the damn guy actually had the audacity to pull Bella towards him.

"Cullen." Came an almost strangled reply.

Okay, damn this Mr. Nice-Guy façade. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing Bella's against and for that matter, it's none of your business."

Bella's cool hand held mine lightly, without looking my direction, and then gingerly pushed it away. The smirk on Mike's face resurfaced, obviously thinking that he'd won the internal battle between us.

"He's right." Bella explained, "We're just talking. What's the problem?"

"You really have to ask?"

Around us I could see a couple of people stopping, eyeing every movement we made. Oh, so now I see, Mike's newly found confidence had only been as strong as the attention concentrated around him. I sighed, gripping the strap of my book bag out of hopelessness. There had been too many people watching and by the way Bella continued to hold her head down only indicated the fact that I wouldn't be able to win this fight.

But damn, what I wouldn't do to wipe that smirk off his fucking face!

"What's Edward doing?" Lauren whispered to Jessica, who evidently didn't know I could hear her perfectly well. Damn girls and their fucking instinct to gossip at the dumbest things.

"I don't know, but did you see him practically snarl at Mike?"

"Yeah what was that about? I don't remember them ever having any confrontations, right?"

Jessica shook her head, "No way! You think it's about Bella?"

"That quiet freak?" Lauren mentioned sarcastically, "I wouldn't hold my damn breath!"

I paced back to where Alice and Jasper stood, but not before giving the two girls a deathly glare. Jessica took a step back as she held her hand to her chest, feigning an innocent puppy-eyed look, while Lauren flipped her hair to the side ignoring my existence altogether.

Those two had been what others, meaning people outside my social group, referred to as my friends. In fact, I'd known Lauren my entire life. Her mother was a physician who worked closely with Carlisle and always insisted to put us at the same daycare as toddlers. Jessica, well not so much. I'd known her solely for the fact that she'd been Lauren's best friend since grade school.

But as far as friendships go in my life, it's about the same as relying on a damn shadow. Because that was what they where – a hollow piece of nothing intangible against my grasp – but I've come to accept that fact and so long as I knew this, then I knew full-heartedly that I wouldn't be lying to myself.

No, more importantly, it meant that I wouldn't be deceived as easily.

I would force myself to grow up and see people with ignorance. I would be selfish and quiet in the background, so that I no one would ever take advantage of my kindness and virtue.

Alice waved her hand right in my face, "Earth to Edwardo?" She joked, bearing the warm atmosphere around us as she smiled. "Whatever you're thinking, snap out of it! We're already late as it is for homeroom."

"You and Jaz go ahead. I don't feel like hearing Tanya's grating voice so early in the morning, well I guess, not as much as I already had." I held a fake smile, while motioning for both of them to continue and disregard my anti-social attitude.

Alice gave a worrying look to Jasper, who in turn held her shoulders against his chest and pushed her gently away from me. Jasper gestured a goodbye before eventually turning the hall, I returned it with a flick of a hand before walking the opposite direction.

. . .

(Bella)

If it had been anyone else! Damn it!

I swear to whatever God up there in the heavens, if it hadn't been Mike Newton who pinned me against the wall then they would've been down on the ground by now. In a fetal position. Possibly bleeding. No scratch that last part, definitely bleeding.

I sighed, closing my eyes momentarily before staring back into his arrogant eyes and sly smirk. Mike's hands were placed flat against both sides of my face.

"My mother told me about your little predicament." He whispered in my ear. "Tell me, a job at my place?"

"Yeah." I said simply with bored eyes. "Just part-time and I could use the money."

Mike had always had this helpless crush on me ever since I met him in middle school. Throughout the years his feeble attempts to gain my heart became even more ridiculous and somewhere along the way I just never paid attention. But as soon as I saw that 'help wanted' sign glaring at me through their shop window, then I knew I would have to succumb to actually talking to this damn guy.

"Isn't Charlie like the Chief of Police, or something?"

"And your point?"

"That he makes money." Mike took a step back but he didn't shift his hands away from my face.

Yeah, but that doesn't stop him from blowing it away selfishly.

"It's my own business if I want to get a job, and I don't really think Charlie would give a fuck." The words that left my lips felt heavy but comfortable to say nonetheless.

I could feel a smile slowly forming, the type of disillusioned smile that always surfaced from my face whenever I thought of my father. I held my head down, eyes downcast staring straight to the floor. I hated the effects Charlie had on my inner most thoughts, because I knew he was the only one capable of manipulating such things.

My thoughts were truly something I could call my own, and to have anyone tamper with them just made me feel so utterly weak.

I knew I needed Charlie and that I'd owe him a great amount of gratitude for having the backbone to raise me by himself. I had nothing but the upmost respect, don't get me wrong.

But that was it.

Outside from what people knew, Forks, or whatever – Charlie was just a name.

"I have a better idea Bella." The smirk on Mike's lips grew wider curving at the tip as he tilted his head.

I cocked my eyebrow silently implying for him to continue.

"If we dated I could buy you whatever you needed with no problem, no questions asked." He proposed with a tone of voice that sounded a little too sweet, it made me want to vomit. " What do you say?"

I was ready, definitely fucking ready to retaliate that dumb comment. This guy was a piece of work alright, was it really okay to buy a girl out and call that a 'relationship'?

My hands trembled at my sides as Mike cradled a strand of my hair against his fingertips. My vision was clouded with so much pent-up anger that it took everything I had to not catapult Mike's body to the opposing wall. I couldn't see straight as the eyes of on looking students and their whispering gossips, flooded the background.

Then out of nowhere Edward's face came into view and at that moment I couldn't tell why I was able to see him much clearer than the others. I averted my gaze as soon as he made it to where Mike and I stood.

"Newton." Edward muttered warningly. I caught my breath for a second because it had been the first time I'd ever heard him sound that way.

Mike shifted his position pulling me away from the wall and closer towards him, at the same time Edward held him by the collar.

"Cullen."

Edward didn't wait long to retaliate, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing Bella's against and for that matter, it's none of your business." The smirk on Mike's face didn't falter as the ever growing audience surrounded us. In fact, I think, it might've even inflated his already huge ego.

There was only so much I could take standing here at the main pedestal, with the harsh spotlight burning from above, while everyone's eyes continued to judge me. I hate attention with a burning passion, and although I knew that it had not been me purposely but Mike and Edward people had been whispering about, I just couldn't help but feel so damn self conscious.

I reached out to cup Edward's hand unknowingly my scatter-brain taking control of my body. The first detail my mind registered was the cool sensation of his skin. I could feel Edward's eyes on me immediately after, but I didn't return the gesture – my eyes still focused on the floor.

"He's right." I explained calmly, "We're just talking. What's the problem?"

"You really have to ask?"

I want to know – why now?

After all this time, you act like an angel as soon as everyone starts to watch.

Why not just leave it alone? – leave me alone?

Edward's next action took me by surprise simply because he just walked away, without any hassle and without any further questions. I had to wonder for a minute what went on inside that mind of his, with my eyes trained to his boyish, bronze hair and the tense hand that seemed to settle there and then immediately to his side.

"About your suggestion…"

Mike grinned, "Well?"

"Not in a fucking million years." I smiled sweetly.

. . .

I thought I was focusing on Ed/Bells too much, so I added some other characters! Hope you guys like. Tell me what you think so far.