Thank you all so much for your reviews. I really, really appreciate it. This is another short chapter, but I'm starting to get stuck on where to go from here.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer


What the hell am I doing here? Edward thought as he got out of his car. He slammed the door shut behind him and looked at the brick building he hated. Might as well be jail.

Edward was going to play the sick card that morning, but Esme had pulled her motherly guilt trip on him so here Edward was, at school. On a Monday. He never went to school on Mondays. Stupid women and their guilt trips. How did they all know how to do that, did they all go to a class or something and learn how to trick guys?

"Oh my god, Edward Cullen is here on a Monday?"

Edward turned around and glared at Alice's condescending grin. "Thought I'd make an appearance." He replied, putting his sunglasses on the top of his head.

"Wow." Jasper chuckled. "To what do we all owe this pleasure?"

Edward shrugged. "Esme."

"Awe. You're such a softy." Jasper said, patting his shoulder.

"Bite me." Edward replied.

"I saw her giving you the guilt trip this morning." Emmett chuckled.

"Yeah she's good at it."

"That she is." Emmett agreed.

"We better get in there." Rosalie said.

"Suck up." Edward chuckled.

Rosalie glared at him before flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and turning to Emmett. "Come on, Emmett."

Edward made whipping sounds as Emmett followed his girlfriend. Jasper chuckled as he and Alice followed behind them with Edward after them.

"You're just pissed cause no girl wants to get close to you." Rosalie said over her shoulder.

"Oh how'd you know, Rose? You just know me oh so well." Edward said sarcastically.

"You're such an ass." Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.

"And you're a bitch."

"Okay let's go to class." Emmett interrupted, leading his girlfriend down the hall.

"What the hell did I ever do to him?" Edward heard Rosalie say as she walked down the hall. He smirked, satisfied, and leaned against the lockers as Jasper grabbed a book.

"You really should be nice to her, Edward." Alice said to him.

"And why is that?"

"Because she never did anything to hurt you."

Edward shrugged. "Don't care."

"This is why no one wants to hang out with you ever. You don't care about anything."

Edward rolled his eyes and pushed off the lockers. He headed outside to smoke a cigarette and smiled when he saw a familiar beat up truck pull into a parking spot. Edward watched from his spot as Bella got out of the truck, only to drop her book on the ground. He chuckled as she leaned down and picked it up, her backpack falling off her back and almost making her lose her balance. He shook his head, she was quite a mess.

The smile disappeared off Edward's face as he saw Jessica Stanley walk up to Bella. Bella smiled at her, but Edward could tell it wasn't a real smile. He sighed and shook his head as Jessica prattled on about something pointless he was sure, and discreetly walked behind them as they headed into the school

"So do you remember what happened? You never called me to tell me!" Jessica all about squealed in a high, whiney voice. Edward was sure the cats down the street probably heard that.

"No, Jess, I don't really remember." Bella replied.

Edward frowned, wondering, and hoping, that was true.

"Awe that's too bad! I still think Cullen probably did something to you. I wouldn't trust him."

Edward clenched his fists at his sides so he wouldn't grab her by the neck and strangle her. He was certain, if any judge knew Jessica Stanley, they would never convict him. Hell, they'd probably praise him for doing it. He could picture it, the mayor would shake his hand and they would throw a parade in his honor for getting rid of her.

"Yo Edward!"

Edward snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Jasper. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bella look at him, surprised. She blushed and turned away quickly and Edward hid his smile. Adorable He thought. God she was making him soft.

"What do you want?" Edward asked as he walked up to Jasper.

"You just looked like you were completely out of it, thought I'd snap you out of it." He chuckled.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Where's Alice?"

"In class already."

Edward nodded and looked down the hall for Bella. He spotted her at her locker with Jessica still talking away. He wondered if she ever shut the hell up and then figured that was probably a big, fat no.

"What are you looking at?" Jasper asked, looking down the hall.

"Nothing. So hey what are you doing after school?" Edward asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I don't know. Alice's got some study group or something like that."

"I need to get drunk, man."

"I'm not surprised. Where are you going to get some?"

"I can get some. You coming over then?"

"You're going to drink at the house?" Jasper asked, surprised.

"Yeah." Edward shrugged. "Esme's running errands and Carlisle's at work."

"Alright." Jasper said with his own shrug.

"Cool."

"I better get to class."

"You have fun doing that." Edward said with a chuckle.

"Aren't you going?"

"I might. But I'm not going on time. It's bad enough I'm here on a Monday."

"Yeah I guess. Later man."

"See ya." Edward replied. He walked down the opposite side of the hall, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rolling his eyes at the kids running past him to get to class on time. He walked out behind the school and leaned against the brick building as the bell rang for first period. Oh well. He thought as he lit his smoke.


Bella flushed as she walked into the lunch room and saw Edward and his friend talking. She had, unfortunately, remembered everything that had happened the night she got drunk. Including the stupid kiss. And she had been the one to initiate it, which made her feel even more stupid. Edward probably thought she was another stupid girl from their school. She kept her head down as she made her way through the lunch line and walked over to her table. Sitting next to Angela, she picked at her food as everyone chattered around her.

"Hey Bella, I got a great video of you falling over the coffee table." One of the Senior football players said as he passed. He and his friends laughed and Bella flushed red, slinking down a little in her seat.

"Aw, come on guys, lay off." Mike said.

"It was great. Who knew Bella was a party animal." One of the other boys said, the others laughing again.

"I think you should go sit down." Angela said.

"Oh the quiet dork speaks?"

"I think you should." Mike told them.

Bella looked up and flushed when she saw the people at both tables in front of them were now watching intently. She lowered her head, staring at the table again.

"Who the hell is that much of a lightweight that they get drunk off of three beers?" The first guy said.

"I know, Bella!" The second one said and the guys all erupted with laughter again.

"Leave. Now." An angry voice said.

Bella looked up, surprised when she saw Edward Cullen standing near the boys.

"What the hell are you going to do, Cullen? Beat us up?" One boy asked. His friends snorted.

"I will beat the shit out of each and every one of you if you don't leave right now." Edward said slowly and between his teeth.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Don't test me." Edward replied, getting closer.

"Is there a problem here?" Mr. Williams, the principal, asked.

"Not at all, sir." One of the guys said with a smile. "We were just leaving."

"I think that's best." Mr. Williams replied.

"You got lucky, Cullen." The guy said, purposely shoving his shoulder into Edward, causing him to falter a couple of steps.

Edward clenched his hands at his side as he watched them walk away. He turned back around, his body relaxing as he saw Bella still not looking up from the table. He noticed everyone else watching him with surprised expressions before heading for his own table.

"That was weird." Mike said.

"Yeah." Jessica agreed, as she watched Edward leave. She turned to Bella. "Are you alright?"

Bella looked up, plastering a smile on her face. "I'm fine." She said, trying to blink back the tears and keep her voice from cracking. She cleared her throat. "I'll be right back." She said.

Bella stood up before anyone could say anything and ran out the back doors to the outdoor patio. She kept running until she couldn't see through the tears anymore and slid down the brick wall, bringing her knees to her chest as tears streamed down her face.

Bella jumped when she felt a hand on her back and looked up quickly.

"Sorry." Edward said, retracting his hand quickly.

Bella sniffled and wiped at her eyes before laying her chin on her knees.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked.

"'M fine." Bella mumbled.

"Cause people usually cry when they're in a good mood." Edward said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"If you're going to be a jerk, go somewhere else." Bella snapped.

Edward sighed and sat down in front of Bella, crossing his legs Indian style in front of him. "I'm sorry."

Bella shrugged, looking down at the grass. Edward sighed as he watched her.

"Those guys are idiots. You shouldn't listen to what they said."

"But it's true. I'm a lightweight. You said it too."

"Yeah but I wasn't being mean, I was joking with you."

Bella shrugged again. "What does it matter? I'm the laughing stock of the school."

Edward frowned. "No you are not."

Bella looked up at him, frustrated. "Yes I am! All day everyone has laughed at me as I walked by or said something. I pretended I didn't hear it, but it's hard not to hear that."

Her voice was sad, defeated, and Edward hated it. He sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault." She replied, picking at the grass.

"No but I'm sorry we go to school with a bunch of heartless assholes who have nothing better to do than make fun of people." Bell was quiet, still looking down when a thought struck Edward. "Um, so do you remember what happened?"

Bella flushed and tried to hide her face in her knees. "Yes." She mumbled.

Edward shifted nervously. "Oh. Um, everything?"

"Yes." Bella mumbled into her knees, making it hard for Edward to hear. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything. And for, you know, what happened."

"It was just a drunken kiss, Bella, it didn't mean anything."

Bella was glad her face was down so Edward couldn't see the disappointment on her face. She felt sudden wetness behind her eyes. "Right." She said, trying to keep the tears from her voice.

"So don't apologize to me, it was nothing." Edward shrugged.

"Nothing. Yeah." Bella said softly. She looked up and smiled slightly at Edward. "I better get back inside."

Edward was surprised to see the hurt in her eyes that she was trying to mask behind a fake smile. Fuck. I hope I didn't upset her more. He thought.

"Uh, yeah." He said.

Bella got up and brushed off her pants. She gave Edward a sad smile before heading inside when the bell rang.

Edward sighed as he watched her go and ran his hand through his hair. Way to go.


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