CHAPTER 6

"Wow! This is unbelievable!" Jeff exclaimed.

"Shut up!" I grumbled as I swallowed my breakfast.

"This definitely calls for a celebration. One day's makeover and you're changing already" Jeff teased me.

"Don't get used to it" I warned as I got up.

Jeff was happy because today I'd chosen to dress with care. Yes. I wore black trousers with a golden top and a matching golden scarf to hide the awful handprint. As I'd suspected, it had gotten redder than last night and now looked more menacing.

Thank god Jeff wasn't suspecting me otherwise the consequences would have been disastrous. Either he would've gone to punch Edward in face or he would've packed our bags to leave immediately.

I rode to school as I kept on bracing myself mentally for the new challenges I'd to overcome. But the strange thing was, I was excited and nervous. In my old school, I'd become used to being the punching bag of all the bullies. I'd stopped feeling. I used to fight and try to defend myself but all the cruel treatments had stopped making me nervous. And I was never excited to get a new cut every day.

But I didn't know why, I was excited to fight with Edward. He wasn't going to play fair, I knew. But, I don't know, I was going to enjoy. Maybe because this time, I had a cause. Earlier, my fight had been for survival and had I lost it, it wouldn't have really mattered to me. But now, I was going to fight for my home and for my right to live.

And when I fought, I fought to win.

"You look stunning" Alice breathed as I sat next to her in the class. My glare made her laugh. Within two days she'd gotten used to my scowls and glares. I didn't know what sort of bond we had. The one in which I had told her absolutely nothing about my past, where she was continuously lying to me and keeping things from me, yet, we trusted each other and were together.

Mr. Richards, our geography teacher entered in the class and automatically the class became quiet. He had that certain aura that automatically made everybody fall silent. Whenever I was around him, I felt a certain pressure on my mind, like if I didn't listen to him, the consequences wouldn't be good. Durango was beautiful but in some ways it was really freaky, like in terms of people.

"Alright students" Mr. Richards said in his deep quiet voice. "Today we're going to have a combined geography class with the college students in the map room " A new excitement rippled in the crowd as the girls started checking their looks though this was the first class and guys started flexing their muscles. Really? Were they going to study or take off their clothes?

"The college students have already reached the map room. I want you all to do the same."

Uncomfortably I began to walk towards the observatory that was right behind the school with Alice. I was prepared for the worst case scenario. I could get anyone. A nerd was my top preference. We reached the observatory and Mr. Richards handed me my number. I had to go to table number 10. I walked towards the table as I mentally prepared for my partner. It could either be a bully or a nerd or a bimbo or a hottie. I was prepared for anyone.

But I wasn't prepared for Edward.

I stopped when I saw him bent over the world map searching for a place. Damn, damn and triple damn! There went my geography class into ruins. I took a step further and saw him getting tensed. Slowly he got up and turned around.

My heart strings got entangled as I saw him give that devilish smile of his. Darn! He had a plan already. I walked forward and didn't leave his gaze the entire way. I wasn't backing out and I wasn't scared. I stood next to him.

His cologne hit me hard and once again I was reminded of the smell of pine. Seriously, how did this guy manage to get such a fresh smell every time? I didn't look at him but I could very well make out his red shirt, occur yellow pants and black shoes. Angry or not, he was mouth watering with his messy hair almost covering his eyes.

"You know, if you would've left then I would have been really disappointed" he murmured as he stepped closer to me. "I've never had a girl stand up to me before. I kinda like this new challenge" he was behind me now. "I was half hoping that you would give up" I could feel his body heat mix with mine. "But then" he ran his fingers over my shoulder blades and I balled my fists to stop myself from turning and hugging him "where would've been the fun in that?"

I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck despite the scarf. I knew he could hear my heartbeat crashing against my chest but I was not going to give in. Alice had been right. Edward could get through the walls no matter how hard they were. But I couldn't let him cross through mine. He would hate what he would see, just like I did.

This seductive side of Edward, it wasn't real. This was all a part of his act. He wanted me to become weak and give in. So I cleared my throat and boldly turned towards him. I didn't care if we were standing with the distance of only a few inches between us. I wasn't going to lose, and that was that.

"I'm glad I could be the source of your entertainment, Edward Cullen" I said in what I hoped was a confident voice as I looked in his eyes. Hah! Take that Cullen!

He was surprised...and impressed. I could see it in his eyes as the devilish spark in them lighted up. But at the same time, he was pissed off. No doubt because he'd lost this round. At least now he knew that with me, the softy softy approach wasn't going to work.

"Alright students" came Mr. Richards voice that made me turn away from him. After a moment I felt him move beside me but closer than before. "You all have the world maps on your table. I want you to write the capitals of all European countries on the given blank paper then continue with the other continents. You've thirty minutes to finish the task."

I quickly took out my pen and began to write the capitals without looking at the world map. I knew most of them. The constant need to move from one place to another had developed my interest in geography long time back.

I got so engrossed in finishing the task that I forgot I had to be on a lookout for Edward. He would attack the moment I let my guard down. And that's exactly what happened. One moment I was writing the answers, next moment I found myself viciously turn around and felt something wet thrown at my face.

I closed my eyes. First I thought it was water, then I smelt it and tasted it as some of it went in my mouth. Shocked, I opened my eyes and saw Edward smirking at me. I angrily wiped my hand across my mouth in order to stop the ink from going inside it which dirtied my hand as well. Other students had started noticing it and within seconds, I became the laughing stock of the entire class as Edward continued to grin devilishly.

"You rascal!" I spat out the ink angrily and lunged to attack him. He was prepared and dodged my attack with ease but I wasn't leaving him so easily. I jumped sideways and crashed into him but the guy was a bloody thick wall. He didn't even stagger and pushed me away as if I weighed nothing. Berserk, I jumped on him but he stopped my jump mid air by holding my upper arms tightly. I smirked as I'd been hoping he would do that and kicked his most sensitive part.

Edward yelled in pain and let go of me immediately as he bent and joined his legs to control himself. Meanwhile a circle had formed around us and the students were booing at me and cheering for Edward. But my dirty trick had silenced them and many of them were staring at me in wonder. I didn't get distracted though.

For a human, Edward was uncharacteristically fast and I had noticed this before, like yesterday when he'd flipped me in the air but had caught me before I fell on the ground. And right now a minute back when he had turned me with a jerk, stepped a good distance away and then thrown the ink at me. How he had managed to do all that, I don't know. But I knew I couldn't take him lightly.

After them, perhaps he would be my most dangerous and powerful enemy.

Edward stood straight and glared at me. He looked almost mad. I braced myself as I knew that now he wouldn't be lenient because I was a girl. He was going to get rough, very very rough.

And he did.

He ran towards me and I jumped aside to dodge his attack but the moron had been prepared for that. He held my waist and sent me crashing on the ground. I banged my head against the floor and stars danced in front of my eyes.

Groaning, I turned and held my head as the pain became intense. I could hear the faint sounds of booing and laughter and I knew I'd lost this round. Then suddenly, I felt my back being supported with extremely gentle hands as I was lifted up and I found my head resting against a warm but a hard chest. My eyes were closed but the smell of pine had told me who it was.

Slowly I opened my eyes and found Edward looking at me. His eyes were...glittering. A strange storm appeared to be going in them. They were lightening and darkening continuously. That made me realize that I was in the warm cocoon of his arms. A sudden burst of electricity made me gasp as I was hit by his proximity and the way his eyes darkened at my gasp assured me that he felt it too.

I forgot the people around us as my focus became only on Edward. His black hair was actually quite reddish brown which I hadn't realized before. His eyebrows were perfect and there was a tiny mole near his right eye. I couldn't help admiring the absolute perfection and the beauty of his face. He really was gorgeous. What explanation had I given myself that I shouldn't be attracted to him...that there were many handsome men on this planet. Bullshit! Edward was the most handsome of all. There was nobody like him.

"Kiss the girl!" a sharp sound broke my trance and I looked around. People were whistling and hooting for us. Startled, I looked back at Edward and found a faint smile hovering on his lips.

"I think I deserve a winner's kiss" he whispered. No, no, no...no kissing. If he kissed me, no. I couldn't let him get so close. He wanted to torture me so that I left Durango. I was just a plaything for him. He wouldn't give a damn about me after having his way with me. He was a heartbreaker. He wanted to squash my heart, nothing else.

Edward leaned and I felt his breath on my face. My resolve shook. One kiss wouldn't hurt now, would it? But no, I couldn't let him do that. For him, it would be nothing but for me...it would mean something. I couldn't get so weak. His face inched closer as he cupped my face with his other hand.

"You really are an ugly bitch Isabella Marie Swan!" a sharp voice echoed in my ear. "Do you really think you can attract anybody with this body of an elementary school girl?" That laughter, that bone chillingly ridiculous laughter.

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm giving you the real pleasure of life, otherwise with this kind of face even a street dog wouldn't cast a second look at you."

My breathing became uneven. Edward's face was less than an inch away from mine.

"Come here, you bitch!" he cried. "Stop being a bloody tease or else I swear I'll make you pay."

My nose touched with Edward's. Sharp, piercing pain filled my wrists as nails got dug in it and I thrashed wildly.

My back head hit the floor hard and I opened my eyes in shock. There was a deadly silence in the room. I looked around and saw everybody looking at me in shock. I got up and saw Edward glaring at me furiously. I gasped when I saw a deep red gash that ran all the way from his eye to his nose. I couldn't believe it. I had done this. I'd scratched Edward, so badly that it was bleeding.

Guilt and pain warred heavily inside me as I looked at the wound I had inflicted upon him helplessly. Yes, I'd been mad at him but I'd never ever wanted to hurt him.

Because hurting him...hurt me.

I wanted to apologize. I wanted to scream that I was a freak. I wanted to tell him that I didn't want to hurt him but I didn't. Maybe this was better. If Edward continued to hate me, then he wouldn't try to kiss me or come close to me next time. That would be safe for him as well as me. Because it didn't matter how much I hated him, it didn't matter how much I was attracted to him, it didn't matter how much I wanted to be with him, it didn't matter how much he hated me or how he was the ultimate playboy, the truth was I didn't want him to get hurt...at least not by me.

Edward stepped forward with the obvious intention of strangling me but just then I heard a voice.

"May I know what's happening here?"

Within seconds the entire class dispersed as Mr. Richards came and stood between me and Edward. He looked at both of us then turned to me.

"Ms. Swan" he said quietly, "Please go and wash your face"

That reminded me that I still had ink all over my face, and still Edward had been ready to kiss me. "Yes sir" I said as I tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach and rushed out of the classroom.

I ran towards the washroom as I battled between my guilt and conscience. I'd hurt Edward but it wasn't really my fault. I had been defending myself and it was going to be better for both of us to stay away from each other. But still, I'd hurt him. Now he was filled with more vengeance than before. I'd insulted him publicly. He was definitely going to take revenge.

How was I going to stay away from him?

I opened the door of the washroom and was rooted to the spot as I watched a shocking sight in front of me.