Chapter 7

Edward

January 1998

I stand at the door with Emmett and Jasper grunting and groaning behind me. We're going to be late for school.

I don't care.

When it opens, I say, "Good morning, Mrs. Swan. Is Bella awake?"

Mrs. Swan looks at me with cautious eyes, but smiles to disguise it right away. "I tried waking her up, but I think she's sick. I'm not sure if Bella will be making it to school today, Edward."

My face falls all the way to the porch. I hate it when Bella doesn't come to school. Jasper and Emmett pull and tug on my shirt, telling me we gotta go—we're going to be late. We can't be late because we'll get detention!

"How about you try. Go up there and see if you can wake her. I bet you can ... she's always so happy to see you," Mrs. Swan says.

My face lifts all the way back to normal. "Okay."

Jasper and Emmett tell me they're out of here. They can't wait because girls take way too long to get dressed. They each have mothers who spend all day getting ready, so they know if they wait for Bella, they'll be late for school.

I tell them to go ahead before stepping into the Swan home.

Emmett makes kissing sounds at me.

I take the steps to her bedroom; she's on the right past the bathroom. I'm never allowed in her room. There have been a few times Mrs. Swan allowed the rule to slip when the chief wasn't around, but the door had to stay open. If the chief knew, he would arrest me.

He said, "Boy, if you want a quick trip to jail, you'll go into my daughter's room. If you enjoy your free will, you'll stay out. Got it, boy?"

I'm risking prison time, but I hate it when she doesn't come to school.

Mrs. Swan encourages me to hurry. I open her door and see the form of Bella's body under her blankets in the dark room.

"Bella," I whisper.

I open up her blinds just enough to let a little gray light in. She's sound asleep, so I shake her. Shake her softly, then harder and harder.

"Bella, you have to get up. Come on."

Her eyes open. She smiles and starts to point to where her clothes are: jeans on the computer desk, a sweater in the hamper, and her turquoise heart sunglasses are in the pocket of the jacket she wore yesterday. Socks in the drawer, and shoes down the hall in the bathroom.

"Grab my brush while you're in there," she says while crawling out of bed.

So while she dresses, I brush her hair, and I don't look. I never look, just like I said I wouldn't.

Together we stomp, stomp, stomp down the stairs. We say goodbye to Mrs. Swan and fly out the door. Bella has that confused look on her face. She usually rollerblades to school, but we don't have time.

"Jump on my handle bars, Bella. We have to ride fast."

I pedal fast—really fast. I'm sweating, but Bella is laughing loudly. Her arms are extended out at her sides, and her head is leaned back. She loves the damp air on her face. My best friend's hair is blowing in my face, but I don't care. It smells good.

Making it fun, I swerve my bike to the far right and to the far left. Bella screams, but laughs louder.

"Faster, Edward. Go faster!" she yells.

I try—man, do I try. Hearing her laugh does something odd to my insides. Bella's laughs causes them to twist and turn and burn. She looks down at me, and I look up at her. When she smiles, so do I.

I pedal into school. Bella holds on when we go over the speed bumps. We're damp-air-wet, but we're not late. Together we run to class, and when we get there, Bella writes me a small, private note.

You make me so happy.