Okay, finally have this chapter edited. It took me a while, mostly because my computer was being mean. Anyway, like with the previous chapters, the editing was done with having it being rewritten in a slightly better way than before. It's also longer, but about three thousand words, not including author's notes. Again, I believe that this version came out a lot better. Hope you enjoy it.


Invitations and Blood Typing


Bella's Point of View


I was quick in discovering what Alice's warning meant, on the very next day, in fact.

It was very interesting, following the accident. I had people asking if I was okay right and left, though that didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. This was mostly because I had ended up doing the one thing I hadn't meant to do: place Edward Cullen in the spotlight that I didn't want to be in. I was finding it humorous to watch people flock around him, though they tended to stay away if his family – particularly Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett – were around him. Most people ended up leaving me alone by the time lunch came around the following day. I watched him deal with these same people during the next three weeks.

Of course, just because I wasn't in the spotlight didn't mean that I didn't acquire a new admirer. Tyler seemed not to understand hat I didn't want anything to do with him, having him join my table at lunch uninvited until I stopped going there for two days, giving him a huge hint. Of course, this was only after telling him to leave and not having him listen to a word I said. He now sat at a table close to the one I had made mine, pining away for my attention with my other admirers. Angela was still the only person I actual let stay at my table.

I got to know Alice a bit better. We ended up meeting at least twice a week, for an hour each, as they were the only times that she could get away from Jasper. However, during that hour, we talked a lot. I even learned a few things about vampires, like the fact that they used scent to hunt. That was, in truth, how Alice had been able to keep up with me when I'd ran from her that first time, because I was a bit too fast for her, about 'Edward's speed', according to her. She also told me about the one rule that all vampires had to follow, a rule that actually broke down into many facets. It was the same rule that I myself had to follow as well. Do not tell humans.

She did ask, at some point, if I'd ever gone to Seattle to feed. I shook my head no, wondering why she wanted to know. My answer seemed to disappoint her, as if she was hoping I would. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me about the missing people there, and how her family was worried that it was another vampire, but she couldn't see anything. I bit my lip, having a feeling that I knew who it was, and even told her. She was fascinated to actually learn that there was another like me, even if it was causing her family some unease. I told her that, when I saw Ashanti again, I'd tell her to hunt somewhere else, something which made her thankful.

However, even with all these good things, there was some bad ones. The worse one, which made me a bit bitter, and hurt me a lot, was the way Edward was acting. He was completely ignoring me, acting if I wasn't there. I'd tried to talk to him, several times, but I never received an answer. It was almost like I wasn't there. Only the small clenches of his fists, as well as the sparks of hunger he'd feel, even told me that he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to me. So, after the first three days of this, I decided to return the favor, ignoring him as well. I concentrated on Angela a lot, so that I didn't feel the hunger he inspired. And I was miserable because of it.

The other bad thing that happened was that Mike, who somehow got it into his head that my anti-social behavior wouldn't include him anymore, had begun to hang around the lab table, trying to make small talk with me in the few moments before class would start. And, for some reason, it seemed that, no matter how much I ignored him, he would still come over to try and speak with me. It was like clockwork. Luckily, he was smart enough to not try and sit at my table during lunch.

The ice was gone after that one dangerous day. It had been just over three weeks, Valentine's day having passed rather quietly, though there were a few pouts from some of the more gossipy girls at school. Angela later informed me, when I had inquired about it, that there was usually a dance the weekend before it, but that they didn't have the money to do it this year, and keep all the other dances planned as well. The committee in charge of events like that decided to cut it out instead of combining the junior and senior proms together, as they would have had to do if they'd tried to keep it in. I, for one, was glad that they had to rid of it, as I knew that several of the guys at the school would have tried to ask me out to it.

However, I didn't bother to check to find out if there was another dance that was to take place anytime soon as well, so I was completely blindsided when Jessica Stanley – who I didn't know very well – called me out of the blue on Sunday to ask my permission, of all things, to invite Mike as her date to the dance. That had been an awkward conversation, where I'd told her that I wasn't going to almost twelve times before I'd hung up on her, getting tired of her asking the same damn question over and over again.

The next day, when I told Angela, she'd looked apologetic to me, explaining that he Sadie Hawkin's dance was coming up, in two weeks, from her words. I groaned when I heard that, though it helped make the call Jessica had given make sense. As she was on the dance committee, she would have known just when it would be mentioned, and, therefore, when girls could start asking the guys to it. And, all over the school, it became clear that today was the day it was going to happen.

I wasn't all that surprised over the fact that Jessica was giving me the evil eye for hanging up on her the night before. However, I didn't think much of it, as it didn't really bother me all that much. After all, I'd given her an answer – twelve freakin' times – so she couldn't complain to me about it. I figured, once she asked Mike, the evil eye would stop. I ended up wrong when, at lunch, I noticed an awkwardness between the two when they'd almost ran into each other as they headed to their respective tables. I frowned, wondering what that was all about, then shrugged, not really caring.

Instead, I asked Angela who she would ask to it. She shrugged, but I saw her eyes glance towards a table to our right. I looked over, trying to figure out which of the boys she liked. I recognized most of them, but couldn't see who it was that interested her. I frowned. I guess I'd have to wait until she decided to say, if she did, who it was. I wouldn't pry if she didn't want to tell me, though. It was her business, after all. However, I did say this to her.

"Well, if you have someone in mind, I suggest you ask him, because if you don't, you'll probably regret it for a long time." I could tell that my words got to her, for she nodded her head, and I could taste her resolve as she stood up. I smiled to myself, glad to have been able to help, as I watched her go up to the guy she'd taken a glance at. It was Ben Cheney, one of the guys in my English class. I had to admit, she had some good taste. Ben was one of the few guys that didn't make me uncomfortable in any way, and, from the way he was looking at her – as well as his emotions – he was attracted to Angela just as much as she was him.

When she came back to the table, she was smiling, and I took it as a sign that he'd said yes, which she confirmed.

"Good for you," I told her.

When I entered Biology, I felt a sense of foreboding enter me when I saw Mike standing at my table. He look nervous, and also had a bit of expectancy in his manner. Sitting down, I tried to ignore him until he cleared his throat, several times, and I knew that he had something to say. As much pleasure as it was to ignore him, I figured I'd get rid of him faster this time around if I let him say whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"What?" I said, not looking at him but actually giving him my attention. I thought I saw Edward shift lightly from the corner of my eye, but when I turned to look, he was in the same position that he was in when I first got there, leading me to think I imagined it. Even his emotions seemed to tell me that I had imagined it, for they were the same as they'd been the last three weeks.

"So," Mike started, getting my attention once again. I looked towards him, seeing that he wasn't looking at me. "Jessica asked me to the spring dance."

"Great," I quipped, not really understanding why he felt the need to tell me. "You'll have fun together."

"Well..." He floundered at my words, not at all pleased by them. "I told her that I had to think about it."

I rolled my eyes, hearing the hidden I want you to ask me between his words. "Go with Jessica. I really have no plans of going at all, and, if I did, you wouldn't be the guy I would ask."

I knew I probably sounded harsh, but I really wanted Mike to leave me the hell alone, for good. Between Edward's ignoring of my existence, and Mike's not realizing that I didn't want him near me, I wanted to scream. Pus, I was beginning to feel the same withdrawals that I had felt after the first time I'd fed and not done so again. They had started over the weekend, by body's demand that I feed. Being around Mike's attraction and desire was doing me no good in control of not giving in to my need to feed.

Mike left after that, feeling embarrassed and angry, and I was left alone again, As I moved to pull out my book, however, I felt eyes on me – eyes that I immediately recognized, despite not having felt them for days. I turned my heard towards Edward, finding him looking at me curiously, frustration in his black eyes. As always, though, when we made eye contact, the frustration disappeared as desire took its place. I should have looked away then, knowing that he would most likely try to kiss me next, but I didn't. In fact, it wasn't until I heard the teacher in the background – after he'd slowly started leaning in, his eyes on my lips – that I looked away, breaking the spell while answering the question Mr. Banner had asked me. Not wanting to chance eye contact again, I shifted my hair to form a curtain between us, trying to forget what had almost happened.

It was pretty much impossible, particularly as Edward kept looking at me, and his confusion over the matter dominated my tongue.

Luckily, the class passed by quickly, and, when the bell rang, I turned my back to Edward, quickly gathering my things so that I could escape. Just as I was about to head through the door, he spoke up.

"Bella?" His voice shouldn't sound so familiar I thought as I slowly, unwillingly, turned. I would have to be careful to really not look him in the eye, otherwise what had happened last time would happen again.

"What? Are you speaking to me again?" I asked. I heard an unintentional note of petulance in my voice. But there was some hope in me that he would.

"No, not really," he admitted, and the hope that he had cause to flare in me died. I frowned, closing my eyes as I took a deep breath. Gritting my teeth while keeping my eyes close – this was a so much easier way to keep from looking in his eyes – I waited for him to explain what he meant. I lasted about thirty seconds before I couldn't wait anymore.

"Then what do you want, Edward?" I asked, sounding exasperated.

"I'm sorry." He sounded sincere, as were his emotions. "I'm being rude, I know, but it's better this way, really."

"I don't know what you mean," I said, my voice guarded.

"It's better if we're not friends," he explained. "Trust me."

I balled my hands into fists as anger rushed through me.

"Wow, you must really regret saving me from the van," I snapped, my eyes opening out of instinct to glare at him. He was astonished, staring at me in disbelief.

"You think I regret saving your life?" he asked, mad.

"Well, what am I supposed to think," I said, getting a bit worked up. I forgot that I shouldn't look him in the eyes, and, while I didn't quite do it, I did get close to it. "Treating me like a pariah after saving my life doesn't leave me much room to think otherwise. Unless that thank you kiss I gave you had something to do with it, in which case, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was so disgusting to you that you would want to avoid me." My eyes started stinging a bit, a prelude that marked the fact that I was just getting a bit too worked up.

"You don't know anything," he hissed. I glared at him, straight in the eye, too anger to really care.

"No, it's you who doesn't know anything," I hissed back, grabbing my back and sweeping rather dramatically to the door, something I wouldn't have been able to do without tripping or falling in some way when I was a human. I paused before I got there, turning to look back at him.

"I know a hell of a lot more than your giving me credit for. Perhaps, if you stop acting like an ass, you just might be able to find out just how much more I know than you do yourself," I told him. I left the room as he stirred on my parting words.

As much as I wanted to leave, I knew that I shouldn't skip Gym, so I stalked to the class, not bothering to change out. You had to be in your PE clothes in order to participate. It wouldn't be safe for me to do that today. I wouldn't have been able to concentrate, my mind too filled with thoughts about Edward. Coach Clapp gave me a disappointed look when he saw that I hadn't dressed out, but set me over to the bleachers to sit.

It was as I was sitting there, wondering if I'd given too much away to Edward or not, as well as what he would do now, that I realized something I hadn't when it happened: when I'd looked him in the eye, I hadn't felt his emotions shift like they usually did. I'd been able to look him in the eye without making him desire after me. A small smile flitted across my face at that realization, and I finally calmed down. Of course, now I had to figure out how to do that without needing to feed regularly and without being as angry as I'd been. Maybe Alice would let me practice with her tonight...

I was relieved when the bell rang, as it meant I was closer to when I could meet Alice so I could ask her for her help. I hurried to my truck, wishing I could go at full speed. However, as I rounded the corner, I was startled to see someone standing next to the driver side door. It was Eric, and I groaned when I tasted that his emotions were much like Mike's had been when he was trying to ask me out. I had a feeling Eric was going to do the same thing.

"Eric, I'm not going to ask you to the dance," I said shortly, irritation evident on my face, as I came closer to him and he noticed me. Eric's face showed his surprise and disappointment, but I didn't let it bother me that much as I opened my truck door and got in. Eric moved away as went to start my truck. Just as I got the key in the engine, I heard a low chuckle. I looked up just in time to see Edward pass my the front of my truck, a smile on his face and humor evident in his emotions. I narrowed my eyes at him as I started my truck, then pulled out, acting as if I couldn't see him.

It didn't work all that well, as I kept him in my peripheral vision. I saw as he got into his Volvo, which was parked a few spots down from us. I was taken a back when I saw him start up the car, and then start to pull out. The rest of his family wasn't even near the car, so I knew that he was pulling out just to block me for some reason. That knowledge kind of drove me not to bother tapping my breaks in time to stop me from ramming into the half pulled out Volvo.

I stopped my truck fully, before anymore damage could happen, and got out of my truck. I saw that I didn't have to worry about people thinking it had been done on purpose. It clearly looked like an accident, as if he hadn't seen me already heading out, and I just hadn't hit my breaks in time to stop. I think Edward realized that wasn't true, though. He was livid when he got out of his car, and I tool a bit of guilty pleasure from hitting his car. That's what he got for pulling a dick move that he tried to do.

Before he could come to me – probably planning on yelling at me – Tyler appeared at my side from what felt like nowhere. Apparently, when I looked, he'd pulled out behind me in his borrowed car, and was no stuck until Edward and I could manage to figure out the damage done to our – well, his, now that I looked at it – car.

"Go away, Tyler. You'll get to leave once I talk to Edward," I said, moving away from him. I didn't get far before he stopped me again, grabbing my arm.

"Actually, I wanted to ask if you would ask me to the spring dance," he said. I tasted a shot of humor from Edward when he heard that, I realized now why he had tried to block me. Somehow, he knew that Tyler wanted to ask me this, and he hadn't wanted to miss the show. He probably even watched when I blew off Eric as well, which was why he must have been chuckling. Bastard.

"No, go away," I said, wrenching my arm from his grip. I walked up to Edward, who, now that his humorous moment was over, was back to being pissed.

"Sorry," I said innocently, sounding as if I meant it. The smirk on face, however, told him a different story, and he glared.

"What the hell were you thinking? Why didn't you stop?" he asked me, irritated. It was obvious that he knew I would have been able to stop earlier. I rolled my eyes at him anyway, ignoring that little fact.

"I was thinking that you would've noticed that I was already near your car before you pulled out," I snapped, pretending to be angry at his accusations. "You should have at least checked to make sure no one was coming before pulling out as you did. It's not my fault you were an idiot."

He narrowed his eyes at me while I bit back a smile. It was kind of fun irritating him right now.

"Pull back in so we can see what the damage is," I told him. He gave me another glare, but did as I said, pulling up enough to allow space between our cars so that, when it came to it, I could drive off without a problem. The damage wasn't too bad, just a dent, broken tail light, and scratched paint, something that shouldn't cost too much for him. My truck only sported the scratched paint his Volvo had.

"It's not too much," I told him as he got out of his car to look himself. I offered to exchange insurance information, but he told me not to worry about it. I saw his siblings arrive at that time, seeing their faces range from incredulous to straight up amusement. The only one who wasn't like that was Rosalie, who was glaring at me once more. The phrase 'if looks could kill' ran through my mind at it. I had no doubt that, had I'd been human, I'd feel like I would be six feet under. As it was, I just rolled my eyes at her.

"Bye," I told Edward as I headed to my truck, hopping in to head to the store. I needed to pick up a few items for tonight's dinner.


I was about to leave for my meeting with Alice, for today was our scheduled night, when I received a text from her. Curious as to what it said – she hardly ever text me – I quickly opened it. Can't come tonight. Edward coming over to see you. Pretend to be asleep unless you want to tell him what you are.

She had to be kidding me! Why would Edward be coming here, especially after what happened today? Sighing as I realized that I would actually have to lay down and pretend to sleep – I wasn't ready to tell him – I changed from the clothes I had left on into one of the Victoria Secret nightgowns that my mother had talked me into buy. I figured that, if he was going to spy on me, I'd make sure he was as uncomfortable as possible.

With that plan in mind, I grabbed by CD player, popping in the earphones to help calm me down enough so that I didn't ruin anything, and got fully into bed, though I didn't pull all the covers up. I placed the CD player next to me on my pillow, pressed play, and let my senses run a bit wild, so that I would know when he was coming.

It wasn't long after I heard Charlie go to bed that I tasted Edward arriving. I tried not to stiffen as I tasted them, working to keep my breath low and steady so my heart didn't start beating too fast. Oh, this is going to be fun I thought, actually feeling...happy and content, despite the fact that I was very hungry, and not for regular food. I let myself analyze the flavors that crossed my tongue, mentally matching the emotion to them. Unfortunately, the tastes kept shifting on my tongue, confusing me quite a bit. I shifted, discontent, and let him get a peak at what I was wearing. I was immediately aware of his embarrassment, but, instead of leaving or anything like that, he came closer.

I heard my music turn off, and felt him try and remove the earphones without disturbing me. I couldn't help what I did next; I said his name. He froze, surprised, but then became content and happy from it. He continued to try and remove my earphones, and I eventually grabbed his arm. He froze, suddenly afraid, and I pulled his arm to me, snuggling it like I would a teddy bear.

"Edward," I sighed again, unintentionally, almost feeling as if I was asleep. The electricity I'd felt that one day was back, thrumming from him into me. He was embarrassed again, but still content and happy. Then, a small hint of sadness crept into him. I didn't know why, and I didn't like it all that much. I was, however, rather comfortable, so when he tried to take his arm back, I said, "Stay. Don't leave."

I didn't even know why I said that, but it seemed to be some kind of magic word to him. His happiness bloomed on my tongue, mixed with other tastes of positivity. However, what got me the most was the one emotion I least expected from him. It was a crème brûlée taste, a taste I hadn't expected to get from him, particularly towards me. His other hand came up, brushing my hair. He stopped trying to free his arm, which I snuggled into some more.

And I was glad for that. More than that, though, I was saddened. I was saddened because he'd fallen in love with a girl who he didn't actually know. I knew then and there that I couldn't continue to lie to him as I'd been. I would have to tell him, soon, that I wasn't human. I needed to stop lying to him, tell him everything about myself: Why I had told him more than I meant to the first time we actually talked, how I looked forward to seeing him every day, even if it hurt me as it had when he didn't talk to me; and, more importantly, what I'd meant earlier after class, when I'd said that he was the one missing things. I was falling for him, not quite in love yet, but definitely on the way to being in a position where I could love him. Lying to him, however, wouldn't help me in the department. I wasn't going to be able to let myself fall for him until everything was out in the open.

I just hoped that he would give me the chance, both to tell him what I was, and to let me fall for him completely.


I knew I didn't need sleep, yet, with him there, holding him as I was, it almost felt like I had. I'd felt at peace the entire night, basking in his love, able to ignore the burning of my mouth so easily it was almost scary. He stayed until Charlie woke, and I actually lazed around him bed for a few moments, slowly pushing myself up and acting, for all the world, as if I'd just woken up like a normal human. Sitting up and grabbing a robe, I headed down stairs. I was already 'up' and feeling a bit restless at the moment about my revelation last night, so I decided to be productive by making Charlie breakfast, which didn't take that long.

Charlie was a bit surprised to see me awake already, but he didn't say anything about it. I placed a plate of food in front of him, eating through my own before heading upstairs, deciding to take a long shower. By the time I got out, Charlie had left, and it was about the normal time I would 'awaken'. I took my time, drying my hair completely before getting dressed. I had trouble choosing what to wear – I felt a need to look nice today. I shook my head at myself, grabbing a dark blue blouse that had slightly deeper than appreciated v-neck that showed a tasteful amount of cleavage. I paired it with a pair of dark wash jeans, and put on a sweater before grabbing my bag and heading downstairs.

I frightened myself a bit when I realized I was humming as I grabbed by truck keys. I'd obviously gone insane. I wasn't suffering from it, though; in fact, for the first time since I'd been turned, I was actually enjoying myself. Driving to the school,I was slightly relieved to see that the parking lot was semi-full when I arrived, as I felt as if I'd left too early. I saw the Volvo, and deliberately chose a spot farthest from it, not wanting another accident to happen. I cringed a bit when I realized that they hadn't gotten around to fix the damage that happened to it. Now, I actually felt guilty for having done it. In fact, I couldn't believe that I had enjoyed causing it in the first place.

I was definitely insane.

Getting out of my truck and closing the door, I went to lock it, but accidentally fumbled with my keys, dropping them into a puddle at my feet. Sighing, I went to reach for them when I felt a burst of emotion on my tongue that signified Edward. I watched as his white hand flashed out, grabbing them as I jerked upright. Edward was standing right right next to me.

"You really need to stop appearing out of thin air," I said, holding my hand out for the keys. He dropped them into my palm, and I turned to lock my truck, shoving them into my pocket.

"Bella, it's not my fault you're so unobservant," he said, his voice muted velvet. I rolled my eyes, frowning at him

"You know, it's not nice of you to insult me," I said. "Oh, and what were you thinking yesterday, when you decided you wanted to try and cause a traffic jam?" I already figured I knew, but I wanted confirmation.

Lucky for me, he didn't bother to try and act as if he hadn't done it for a specific reason. "I wanted to give Tyler a chance to ask you his question." He snickered.

"Somehow, I think you just wanted to see my reaction to it," I mumbled, then cleared my throat, speaking louder. "Then you must've loved my rejection." I turned and began to walk away.

"Wait," he said, and my body, the traitor, stopped, waiting for him. "I came over here for a reason," he stated.

"You mean that annoying me wasn't it?" I asked, pretending to look and sound shocked. I gave him a small smirk to show that I was joking. "So, what was it that you... Wait, actually, " I said, holding up a hand so that he didn't speak. An idea just came to my mind, and I hoped that he didn't shoot it down, as he was very likely to do. "I want to ask you something first."

"Go ahead," he said.

I gave him a small smile, bit my lip, then plunged ahead. "Will you go to the spring dance with me?"

The smile I received dazzled me.

"And here I was, about to take a page from your admirers' book," he said, shaking his head. I let out a small laugh as I realized that he had been planning to ask me himself.

"So, will you go with me?" I asked again as I realized that he hadn't answered. He nodded his head, smiling briefly.

"Wow, that went better than I thought," I said. "I thought for sure that you would say no, especially after what you said yesterday. I mean, about the whole 'it wouldn't be good for us to be friends' thing."

"I said that it wouldn't, not that we shouldn't," he said. His face was serious. "And, you know, I wasn't kidding when I said it wouldn't be a good idea. It would be more prudent for us not to be friends, but I'm tired of trying to stay away from you. Plus, I have to admit, I'm a bit curious about what you meant yesterday as well."

I shook my head at him, a smile on my face. He returned it with a brief one of his own.

"You really should stay away from me, though," he warned. "I'll see you in class."

He left so abruptly that I didn't have time to say my reply to his face. So, instead, I said it under my breath.

"Perhaps your wrong," I muttered. "Perhaps I'm actually meant to stay near you." Shaking my head, I stalked my way to English, barely making it through the door before the bell rang.


When lunch came around, my eyes were automatically drawn to the Cullen table. I was confused and disappointed when I only saw that there were four of them. However, I knew that Edward was somewhere in here. I could taste him on my tongue.

"Did you invite Edward to sit with you?" Angela asked as I was looking for him. I finally looked over to our table, seeing that he was there, being glared at by Mike, Tyler, and Eric.

"No," I said, sounding confused. "I'm not going to complain, though."

I shared a laugh with her – Angela was the only one, at the moment, who knew that I'd asked him to the dance.

"Well, I'm glad that he'll be there," she said. "Ben asked me to sit with him earlier today. I wasn't sure about it, though, because I didn't want to leave you alone. No offense, but the bullies in here tend to go after those who sit alone."

"I know. I have the feeling that it's like that at any school you go to. But you don't have to worry about me. If you want to sit with him, even if Edward wasn't there, I'd have no problem with it. I can take care of myself pretty well. I mean, I didn't manage to do that back at Phoenix, and I didn't sit with anyone else," I said. "Maybe, tomorrow, you could invite him to sit with us at our table."

She laughed at the way I said the last bit, as if it would be a great honor for him to do so.

"You know, that's pretty much what everyone else thinks about it," she told me. "That you need an invite to sit there, and it's a great honor to do so. At least, that's what I heard."

It was my turn to laugh.

"Go have fun with Ben," I told her, still chuckling as I grabbed a lemonade and a sandwich – ham and cheese with no mustard, and extra mayo. I let the smile that I'd given Angela fade from my face, so not to let Edward know that I happened to like the fact that he was there. I walked over as everyone seemed to quiet down, waiting to see what my reaction would be. It was well known that I hadn't been all that friendly towards anyone other than Angela who sat there. I supposed they either wanted to see what I'd do, or – for the guys, at least – wanted to see me boot Edward from there.

"Well, this is different," I said as I got closer to him, and sitting down. "You know, normally, if anyone other than Angela sat here, I'd tell them to go away."

"I've noticed," he said dryly, as the cafeteria exploded with sound once more. It seemed they realized that I wasn't kicking him from the table, and I could hear Mike, Eric, and Tyler wondering why I didn't do so. "And I've decided that, as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to speak. I didn't need him to elaborate what he meant about that, though I didn't see how having anything to do with me had to do with hell, unless he knew what I was. Of course, I knew he didn't. He would have mentioned if it he did...wouldn't he? I shook the thought from my head.

"So, if your sitting here with me, then does this mean that you've decided that we can be friends?" I asked, opening my lemonade bottle up. I could taste his dissatisfaction over my wording. It seemed that he was wanting more. However, he really didn't say anything about that.

"Well, we can try, I suppose. But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you." He smiled as if to take away any sting the words may have, but I knew that his warning was very real.

"Perhaps your mistaken, though," I said. "Perhaps your the exact kind of friend I need." I gave him a tight lipped smiled as I tasted his curiosity, looking away towards Angela, who looked as if she was having a nice time with Ben.

"So, anyway, tell me something. Have you figured out why you saved me yet?" I asked, pulling his attention away from what I had just said. I ended up rolling the bottle cap towards him, and he grabbed it before it fell off the table.

"No, not yet," he said, a little too quickly.

"You sure you don't know why you suddenly turned into a superhero?" I pressed. He shook his head, but his eyes were looking away from me. "You know, speaking of that, I do hope you realize that I will figure out what you are eventually." I didn't tell him that I already knew; I only said that because I wanted him to know that I wasn't just going to forget about it.

"I wish you wouldn't try," he pleaded, looking serious.

"Because..?" I started, making it a question as I wondered if he would ask. I was also curious to know just how he thought of himself, and I had the feeling that his unwillingness for me to know didn't actually have to do with the one rule he had to follow so much as the way he thought of himself.

"What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?" He smiled playfully at that, his eyes impenetrable when I glanced at them. However, his emotions told me that he wasn't kidding about that, that he honestly believed it to be true. I couldn't help it; I started laughing as I rolled my eyes at him.

"You'll never be the bad guy," I said, my tone leaving no room for arguments. "The brooding one, maybe, but not the bad guy. If you were the bad guy, then you wouldn't have saved me."

He was surprised at my words, and we lapsed into a long silence after that, just sitting there as I ate my sandwich. After finishing it, thought about another topic to talk about, when I thought occurred to me.

"Is there any color preference you want to see me in?" I asked him. His face was comical after hearing my question. He was completely confused, unsure of why I was asking that. I rolled my eyes. "For my dress?" I added. "Any color you want my dress to be?"

Behind me, where Mike, Tyler, and Eric all sat, I heard them gasp as they realized who I'd asked to the dance. They started talking amongst themselves, wondering what Edward had that they didn't.

"Oh," he said. "Um, dark blue."

I raised an eyebrow at that, for, as he said that, his eyes started looking all over the place. It didn't take me much to realize why he'd said that – dark blue was the color of the nightgown I'd worn last night.

"Okay," I said, and then realized that the sound level in the cafeteria had dropped rather dramatically. I looked around, seeing that it was almost empty. In fact, at the moment, Edward, myself, and the table that Angela was sitting at with Ben were the only ones left, and, even then, they were starting to get up to leave at the moment. Angela started walking towards me as I check the clock.

"I think we better get going," I said, getting up. "We'll be late if we don't."

"I'm not going to class today," he said. I frowned.

"Why not?" I really didn't want to sit alone. Angela arrived then.

"Are you two ready to go?" she asked. I looked at her.

"Edward's not coming today," I said, turning back to him, "and I really want to know why?" I even gave him a puppy dog face that caused both him and Angela to laugh at seeing.

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then." He smiled up at me, still playing with the bottle cap, but his eyes were troubled, which, in turn, troubled me. I knew that there was something that was actually keeping him out of the class, but what, I had no idea.

"Well, as much fun as ditching with you would be, I'd rather not give the people of the school another thing to talk about after our wonder lunch today, which ditching with you would do, so, I'm off to class," I told him, gaining a real smile after mentioning how fun ditching with him would be. Angela and I left him there.

"So you'd gladly ditch class with him, huh?" Angela said teasingly.

"If Ben had said that he'd be ditching, wouldn't you go with him?" I countered.

"Oh, yeah," she said.

"And it would most likely be easier for you, since you have different classes," I added in.

"True," she said. "Until it got around that we were both missing."

"True," I said.

"I do have to wonder why Edward's ditching today, though," Angela said.

"Don't really know," I said. We arrived at the class then, and saw that Mr. Banner wasn't there yet, which gave us a few more moments to talk, something I kind of wanted to do, especially seeing that Mike was standing next to my table. I groaned, which caused Angela to laugh when she saw why. I followed her to her table.

"So, when are you planning on going dress shopping?" I asked. I knew that she was planning on going, just not when. She didn't ask why I wanted to know – I'd already told her that I'd asked Edward to the dance.

I'm not actually sure," she said. "I'll call you when I know, though, okay?"

"Yeah," I said. Mike was gone from my table by then, so I headed over, sitting down and pulling out a notebook. I ignored the resentful glare Mike was giving me; it seemed that he hadn't liked the fact that I had not only let Edward sit at my table today, but the fact that he was apparently my date for the dance that Mike had wanted to go with me to. I also had the feeling that he wasn't used to rejection, either, particularly when it came to having another guy be the reason why.

Mr. Banner walked into the room then, carrying a few small boxes with him. He headed for the front of the room, where he placed them down on Mike's table, telling him to start passing them around the class.

"Okay, guys, I want you all to take one piece from each box," he said as he produced a pair of rubber gloves from the pocket of his lab jacket, pulling them on. The sharp sound of the gloves snapping into place against his wrists seemed ominous to me, and my head popped up fully, a suspicious look on my face. "The first should be an indicator card," he went on, grabbing a white card with four squares marked on it and displaying it to everyone. I really don't like the looks of this... I thought.

"The second is a four-pronged applicator –" he held up something that looked nearly like a toothless hair pick, "– and the third is a sterile micro-lancet." He held up a small piece of blue plastic and split it open. The barb, which I could clearly see despite not being anywhere near it, was like a huge neon sign, and my stomach flipped.

Immediately, I realized that this was why Edward had ditched today. He'd somehow – probably from Alice, who had this class second period – knew that what we were going to be doing today. Of course, considering that he'd just brought the boxes in, I could be wrong, since I didn't think he'd run out that quickly, plus people would have been talking about it in between classes...however, I couldn't think of just how... My eyes widened a bit as I realized that, like Alice, Edward had some kind of gift. I honestly couldn't believe that I hadn't thought about it before. I guess, because Alice never mentioned others having a gift, I'd assumed that they didn't.

"I'll be coming around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards, so please don't start until I get to you." Mr. Banner's voice broke through my thoughts, bringing me back to the matter at had, and the fact that we were apparently blood typing today. I felt panic filling me. I'd always hated blood, not because of sight, but because of smell. I'd always had an extra sensitive nose when it came to smelling blood, even as a human, which had been horrible when I was in the hospital – something I ended up visiting almost weekly when I was in Phoenix, for various reasons. And now, of course, with my sense of smell heightened – not quite to the level of vampires, but near there – it was bound to be worse.

However, my dislike of blood aside, I also couldn't participate in this activity. I knew that my blood would most likely raise questions if I participated. I think it would raise questions to anyone if they noticed that my blood was a lighter color than their own. Also, I didn't really think that the micro-lancet would actually be able to pierce my skin. While my skin wasn't as tough as Alice's was, it would need something a bit bigger and and with more force behind it to be pierced.

Luckily, as Mr. Banner began using Mike as a demonstration of what we needed to do, and jabbed the top of Mike's middle finger, it didn't look like I'd have to do much in order to get out of the class. Moisture had immediately broken across my forehead as the smell of rush and salt made it's way to me, as did it's taste. It was a strange thing, leaning that I could taste blood on my tongue at that moment, which confused the hell out of me. I mean, why would I be able to taste the blood, as it wasn't an emotion?

I laid my head down on the table, now feeling completely nauseous thanks to the blood. I didn't hear a word of what else Mr. Banner might say, concentrating too much on not puking. I did, however, know when he reached my table, his concern a welcome relief from the blood for a moment.

"Bella, are you all right?" he asked, sounding alarmed.

"I already know my blood type, Mr. Banner," I said, my voice sounding weak. I didn't raise my head, as the taste of blood began to grow once more as everyone's squeals as they pierced their fingers sounded around him. It took all my concentration not to heave at the moment.

"Are you feeling faint?" Mr. Banner asked. I rolled my eyes, thinking that the I looked should answer the question for him.

"Yes, sir," I muttered, keeping any other comment I wanted to make to myself.

"Can someone take Bella to the nurse, please?" he called. I inwardly groaned, hoping that Angela would the one to volunteer. I even heard her start to speak up when Mike quickly answered over her. I groaned silently as Mr. Banner gave him permission to do so.

"Can you walk?" Mr. Banner asked. I nodded, standing up while grabbing my bag, and the notebook I'd been doodling in just moments before. Mike seemed eager as he tried to put his arm around my waist, hoping to press me against him. I grabbed his arm instead, using it like a walking stick as I wobbled out of the classroom. Immediately, I felt the difference, as I was no longer surrounded by the scent of blood. My head began to clear, and I no longer felt like puking. Unfortunately, because Mike was still bleeding a bit, there was a small taste of it on the back of my tongue, and the scent was still invading my senses due to his close proximity.

I waited until we were out of sight of the classroom, in case Mr. Banner was watching, before I stopped, pushing Mike away from me. I didn't like being near him at all, his desire growing the more I was near him.

"Just let me sit here for a minute, please?" I said, not waiting for an answer from him as I lowered myself to the ground. I even went as far as laying my cheek against the cold cement, loving how it helped cool me down. I'd worry about hygiene later. I heard Mike bending down, presumably to pick me up so that we could continue the journey.

"Back away from me," I told him, before he could touch me. The venom in my voice warned him to do as I said, and he quickly moved away from him, scared.

"Wow, you're green, Bella," Mike stated, sounding nervous.

"Go back to class, Mike," I said, but, before he could say anything, another voice entered our conversation.

"Bella?" I wasn't sure if I was relieved or not to hear Edward's voice. On one hand, I didn't want him to see me as weak as I was at the moment; on the other, it meant that Mike would have no choice but to leave, especially since I would rather have Edward's help over his. Plus, it also meant that I would have some more time to spend with Edward, since he was ditching, and therefore, did not need to go back to class.

"What's wrong – is she hurt?" His voice was closer now, and he sounded upset. I felt a small smile start to cross my face at that, but I quickly erased it. I didn't want him to realize that I was glad to see him. The reminder that he'd somehow knew what was going to happen in class helped me with that.

"I think she's fainted. I don't know why it happened, she didn't even stick her finger," Mike explained, but I got the feeling that he wasn't listening.

"Bella." Edward's voice came from the side that Mike wasn't at. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," I groaned. "Take me to the nurse?"

He chuckled, before turning towards Mike – at least, I presumed he did. "I'll take if from here. You can go back to class."

I was slowly sitting up at this point, and I leaned into Edward, who was kneeling at my side. He was just as cold as the ground, but definitely more comfortable to lean against.

"No," Mike protested. "I'm supposed to –"

"Go away, Mike," I bit out, wrapping my arms around Edward's neck as he stood, me in his arms. It seemed almost natural for him to carry me like he was. He began to walk, a bit quicker than I was ready for, and I quickly said, "Slow down unless you want me to vomit on you."

He slowed down instantly.

"So, you faint at the sight of blood?" he asked, amusement coating my tongue. I shook my head.

"No, the smell. It smells like salt and rust mixed together," I said.

"Humans can't smell blood, Bella," he said.

"Not true," I told him, closing my eyes as I rested my head against his shoulder. I don't know how he managed to open the door while carrying me, for he didn't jostle me one bit before it was suddenly very warm. I knew we had made it to the office. The soft female gasp of Mrs. Cope told me that I was right.

"What happened?" Mrs. Cope asked.

"She sort of fainted in Biology," Edward explained. I felt him carry me into the nurse's station, placing me on the vinyl mattress. He told the nurse about the blood typing, and I wanted to hit him when I heard him covering up a laugh with a cough after the nurse mentioned that there was always one who did. I opened my eyes then.

"You can go back to class now," the nurse said.

"He's supposed to stay with me," I told her, before he could say or do anything. The nurse looked skeptically at me, but didn't argue.

"I'll go get you some ice for your forehead, dear," she told me before leaving the room. I wasn't given a chance to tell her not to bother – I was already feeling much better. Sitting up, I looked at Edward.

"You know, I'm really upset with you," I told him. "Had you told me what was going on today, I would have taken the gossip. I think I would rather be thought of doing something with you instead of having to deal with Mike Newton's grubby paws on me," I said, standing up. "And I told you that you couldn't be the bad guy. You really are my hero now," I added, the last bit being sarcastic. He smile at my statement.

"You did scare me for a minute there," he admitted after a long pause. His tone made it sound as if he was about to confess something humiliating. "I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods. I was afraid I'd have to avenge your murder."

"You're giving Mike a little too much credit there," I commented. "He wouldn't of tried to hide my body, he would have ran like a coward and hidden himself."

I said this in a matter-of-fact voice, which caused Edward to laugh at me.

"Was Mike mad?" I asked him, once he calmed down. Since he had been there, I'd mostly had Edward's emotions on my tongue, coating over anyone else's emotions, so I didn't know if Mike had been upset or not. Edward nodded. "Good. Maybe he'll leave me alone now."

"I don't think he'll do that," Edward said. "Although he absolutely loathes me now." He sounded cheerful at the thought, and I couldn't help but wonder how he knew that exactly. Did his 'gift' tell him that in some way?

The nurse returned then, surprised at the fact that I was standing up already. She came towards me – her intent to make me lie back down obvious – when the door opened and Mrs. Cope stuck her head in. I mentally groaned as the scent of blood entered the room, and moved to Edward's side, trying not to breathe too much. I could tell that I was scaring him a bit with my actions, for he didn't quite understand my trying to not breathe at the moment, even though I'd told him that my nose was sensitive to the smell of blood.

"We've got another one," Mrs. Cope said. I waited until whoever it was that was bleeding came through before slipping out of the room, Edward following behind me. When we were in the main part of the office, I turned towards him. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it, and closed it again. Mike came towards us again, seemingly to have forgotten that I didn't want him near me. There was only a small scent of blood around him, not enough to make me feel sick. He glared at Edward for a moment before turning towards me, looking sulky.

"You look better," he accused. I rolled my eyes at him. Obviously, he didn't realize that me getting fresh air and resting would be a helpful in making sure that I didn't look sick. What an idiot I thought to myself.

"Just keep your hand in your pocket," I warned coldly, knowing that was the only reason why there was only a small scent of blood from him.

"It's not even bleeding anymore," he murmured before asking, "Are you going back to class?"

I stared at him in disbelief for a moment. "Are you kidding me? I'd just have to turn around and come right back."

"Oh, right," he said, shaking his head. I expected him to leave then, but he stayed, looking at me. "Well, I, huh, I actually wanted to invite you to join me and the others at the beach this weekend. You can ask Angela to come as well, if you want." By the glare he flashed to Edward, and the way his body language was positioned, I got the feeling that he was only extending the invitation to one person: me. I was a bit angered at the way he was being rude to Edward, and I knew that the only reason why Mike was even inviting me was because he was either hoping this would turn into a date, or that he was hoping to have another chance at asking me on a date.

I looked towards Edward with a speculative gaze in my eyes, once that had him immediately wary.

"Hmm, I don't know. Edward, did you want to go to the beach for our date?" I asked innocently. I had to work hard on keeping my expression schooled so that I didn't show my amusement at the twin looks of shock I received. I begged, with my eyes, for Edward to play along in the small space of time that Mike started to turn, looking from me to him. Edward wiped the look of shock from his face, settling into a neutral look as well.

"Which beach are you going to?" he asked, though I got the feeling that he already had an idea about it. Mike, still shocked, mumbled out, "First Beach, in La Push."

I saw Edward's face chance almost imperceptibly, before he walked over to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I don't think we'll be making it. I already had a plan on where I would be taking Bella," Edward said smoothly. Mike looked at us for a minute, probably waiting for me to shove Edward away like I had done to him and several other guys who had tried this, and then he wilted like a flower when he saw me do nothing except leaned into Edward.

"I'll see you in Gym," he mumbled, moving out the door. I waited until it had closed all the way before moving away from Edward, turning towards him as I groaned.

"Gym," I huffed. I really didn't want to go.

"I can take care of that for you," Edward said. "Go sit down and look pale.

I did as he said, sitting down as I called up the remembrance of the salt and rust smell and taste. My stomach turned as my face drained of color. I rested my head against the wall, closing my eyes just as I heard Mrs. Cope coming back from the nurse's room. I heard Edward speaking softly to her, and could taste her attraction to him, which turned into concern as she – I assumed – caught sight of me. I didn't have to really listen to know that this ploy that Edward was planning would work. It was obvious that Edward could probably get almost any female to do anything for him.

"Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you again?" he asked. While his voice was soft, his expression was sarcastic, and I knew that he expected me to say that I would walk. I surprised him again, though, by weakly holding out my arms.

"Carry me?" I said, my voice weak, and I heard Mrs. Cope murmur "Poor dear," under her breath. Edward, however, was looking at me in shock, not moving for a few moments until he seemed to shake himself from his thoughts. He quickly – but carefully – picked me up, my arms limply wrapping themselves around his neck as I leaned against his collarbone.

"Feel better, Bella," Mrs. Cope said. I didn't answer or do anything to indicate that I could hear her, knowing that, if I did, I'd break my character. I waited until the door had closed behind us before perking up immediately, wrapping my arms more securely around his neck. "I'd say you could put me down, but I'm a little too comfortable here," I told him, in my normal voice. He was shaking his head.

"That was quite the performance," he told him as he walked. "You really had Mrs. Cope concerned for you."

"Well, if I'm to be going home sick, I expect that I should at least look the part." I told him. "Now, if we could please get me to my truck, I'll be so happy. I've got an extra hour to spend at home, after all."

I looking up to see how far we were from my truck. However, I was surprised when I saw that he was heading to his car instead.

"Hey, didn't you hear me. I said to take me to my truck, not your car," I said, finally going to move myself from his arms. He held me a bit tighter, and I decided not to fight. I was really comfortable, and I could just make a break for it for my truck once we got to his car anyway.

"Didn't you hear me promise that I would take you home safely? Do you think I'm going to let you drive in your condition?" His voice was full of laughter, and I scowled at him, knowing that he knew there was nothing wrong with me.

"And what about my truck?" I asked.

"I'll have Alice drop it off after school," he said, still carrying me to his car. He only lowered me to the ground after we had reached the passenger door. I contemplated on running to my truck, but didn't think my chances would be good, considering that Edward was standing right next to me, holding opened the door for me like a gentleman. Sighing, I got in, just in time, as the skies – which had been threatening to do so in the last hour or so – finally opened up, pouring down. I had to laugh as Edward got drenched in seconds.

"Thank you for opening the door for me," I said, trying and failing to sound sincere. It was just too funny to see his expression at how quickly he'd become drenched. He gave me a glare, knowing that I was laughing at him, though he wasn't upset at all. Then, he shut the door and hurried over to the driver's side. I pretended not to notice how fast he actually moved.

He turned the car on, fiddling with the controls to turn the heater up and the music down. However, when I noticed what he was listening to, I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice.

"Clair de Lune?" I asked.

He looked at me, surprised that I had known what the song he was listening to was called. "You know Debussy?"

"No, not really," I admitted. "I'm not a huge fan of classical music, but my mom is, and she plays it around the house a lot. This was one of the few songs that I actually liked that she played."

"It's a favorite of mine as well," he said. I listened to the music, relaxing against the leather seat. It was impossible not to respond to the familiar, soothing sound. The rain, which was pouring even harder than before, blurring everything outside of the window into green and gray smudges. I realized that we were driving very fast, the car moved so steadily, so evenly, though, that I didn't feel the speed. Only the town flashing by gave it away. So long as I didn't look at the speedometer, I wouldn't panic.

"What's your mother like?" he suddenly asked. I glanced over to see him studying me with curious eyes.

"She looks a bit like me, only with blue eyes, and slightly lighter hair," I said. "She's more outgoing than I am, and a bit braver. She's also irresponsible, slightly eccentric, and an unpredictable cook. She's more of a best friend than a mother, or more like a child, actually." I stopped. Talking about her was making me a bit depressed, especially when I had no plans of ever seeing her again, unless I wanted her to get suspicious about my mom-aging. Renée might be a bit like a child, but she was rather perceptive, just as Charlie was. I knew she'd know something was different about me if she saw me several years later. I mean, she even knew that something was different after the accident.

"How old are you, Bella?" He was frustrated for some reason that I couldn't imagine. He'd stopped the car, and I realized that we were at Charlie's house already. The rain was so heavy that I could barely see the house at all. It was the car had been submerged under a river. I was not looking forward to leaving the car, and welcomed the distraction of talk to stay out of the downpour.

"Six... Seventeen," I answered, quickly changing what I was originally about to say as I turned my head away from him, hoping he didn't catch my almost slip. I had been sixteen when I'd been turned, and, sometimes, I found it hard to remember that I was supposed to be a year older than I actually really was. I knew it was going to be hell when several more years had passed.

"You don't seem seventeen," he responded, and I could only assume that he hadn't caught my almost slip. Then again, he could just be ignoring it, because he assumed that I wouldn't answer him if he asked about it. I wasn't sure. His tone was reproachful, though; it made me laugh a bit.

"What?" he asked, curious again.

"My mom always said I was born thirty-five years old, and that I get more middle-aged every year." I laughed, then sighed. "I honestly don't think that's why I sound older than I am, though. It's just that, well, with Renée, one of us had to be the adult. I wasn't kidding when I said that she was more like a child than anything. Where she says I have an old soul, I always have said that her soul is a young one." I paused for a second. "You know, you don't seem much like a high school junior yourself," I noted.

He made a face before changing the subject.

"So, why did your mother marry Phil?" he asked. I wasn't surprised that he remembered the name of her husband. Alice had explained that they had photographic memories.

I thought for a moment, gathering my thoughts so that I could make sure what I said made sense.

"Because my mother...doesn't act her age, she's attracted to those who are younger than her, in a way to help make her feel younger than she actually is even more. Phil does that for her, and she's crazy about him." I shook my head. The attraction was a mystery to me. I may be able to feel their emotions, but I didn't know their minds.

"Do you approve?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter if I did. While neither of us act like it, I am the child, and, therefore, she is allowed to be with whoever she wants," I said. "And I'd rather have her happy than sad, and he's what makes her happy. I will say this, though: I couldn't think of anyone better for her. He's young, and acts young enough to give her what she needs, but he's also mature enough that he can make sure there's no problems – basically, he can my job, and well at that."

"That's very generous of you... I wonder," he mused.

"What?" I asked.

"Would she extend the same courtesy to you, do you think? No matter who your choice was?" He was suddenly intent, and I turned my head to keep him from making the eye contact that he was about to make.

"Well, it's a little different. I mean, she is the parent after all," I said. "Though, I would imagine so, because she's more a best friend to me than a mother. But, like I said, I would have to respect her decision if she told me that I couldn't see a certain person."

"No one too scary, then," he teased.

I grinned in response. "I think she might be a little worried if they had multiple face piercings and extensive tattoos, but I really don't think that's what you mean by scary, is it?"

He ignored my question in favor of asking another. "Do you think that I could be scary?"

"Oh, I think anyone can be scary, if they really wanted to be. But, of your actually asking if I think you are scary, or if I'm frightened by you at all, then...well, no. Sorry. I don't think anyone could be scared of you unless you did something on purpose, like threaten them," I told him. "Now, your one brother – Emmett, I believe – and your one sister – Rosalie – now they definitely have the ability to scare people straight off the back. I mean, your brother with all those muscles, and your sister with that glare...they'd have people running away form them quite easily."

I shifted in my seat as he chuckled at me, though I could tell he was a bit put down that I couldn't see him as being scary.

"So, you going to tell me about your family now? I mean, it's got to be a much more interesting story than mine," I said.

He was instantly cautious. "What do you want to know?" he asked.

"The Cullens adopted you?" I verified.

"Yes," he told me.

I hesitated for a moment, knowing that here was where I needed to be careful not to say something I shouldn't. After all, I couldn't give away the fact that I knew what he was quite yet – I wasn't ready to tell him what I was, after all. "What happened to your parents?" I asked.

"They died, many years ago." His tone was matter-of-fact. I noticed that he didn't actually tell me how many years ago.

"So, when you were young," I mumbled. "I'm sorry. That had to suck, losing your parents as a kid."

"I don't really remember them that clearly," he told me.

"Then that has to suck even more," I told him. "I mean, the fact that you don't even have any clear memories of them..."

"It's okay," he said. "I think this way, I don't miss them as much. Plus, I kind of consider Carlisle and Esme to be my real parents. After all, they have been my parents for a long time."

I'll bet I thought, but said," And you love them." I didn't really need him to answer; it was obvious in the way he spoke of them.

"Yes." He smiled. "I couldn't imagine two better people."

"You're very lucky," I told him.

"I know I am," he answered.

"And your brother and sister?" I asked. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

"My brother and sister, and Jasper and Rosalie for that matter, are going to be quite upset if they have to stand in the rain waiting for me," he said.

"Is that my cue to apologize for keeping you, and step out of the car," I said. "I see how it is."

I smiled, letting him know I was joking. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my truck key.

"For Alice," I said, handing them to him. "Tell her to just enter when she drops off my truck. As unlikely as it is for someone to steal my truck, I would feel better if I was actually handed the key back. Also, let her know not to try and go over fifty in it – I don't want it to end up ruined because she wanted to go faster than it would go."

Opening the door, I said, "See you tomorrow?"

He shook his head. "Actually, no. Emmett and I are starting the weekend early," he said. I fake pouted.

"Ah, your breaking our date already?" I said, my pout turning into a frown. "I'm hurt." The frown fell away as I shrugged. "Oh well. At least your nice enough not to just stand me up."

I gave him a smile, showing him that I was just kidding, as I knew that the date wasn't real to begin with. He laughed.

"What are you going to do, anyway?" I asked. I tried to keep the disappointment from my voice, not wanting him to know that I didn't like the idea of him not being at school.

"We're going to be hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier," he said. I had to work to keep the frown from my face. Charlie had drilled into me where the safe hiking trails were in Forks, and Goat Rocks Wilderness wasn't one of them. Bears often roamed around there. Then, I remembered what Alice had said about their feeding habits. If he knew that I knew what he was, I would have mentioned that bears were not in season at the moment.

"Well, have fun," I said instead, trying to sound enthusiastic. I don't think I pulled it off, though. A smile played around his lips, and I knew that he knew that I wasn't happy that he'd be gone.

"Have fun this weekend," he said, looking out of the window at the downpour. "Just promise me something?"

"Depends on what it is. I'm not going to make a tape of me stripping for you, if that's what you want." I said this completely straight-faced. If he was drinking something, he would have spit it out. As it was, he turned to me, his shock visible with his mouth hanging open. I couldn't keep my face blank after that, and broke into laughter.

"I'm joking, I'm joking," I said, laughing. It took me a few moments to calm down. "What is it that you want?"

He shook his head at me. "Promise me you'll be safe," he said, smiling crookedly.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure. I'll try not to fall into the washer. Or down the stairs. Or slip on the floor. Or get hit by lightening," I said, listing one disaster after another. He looked really worried now, his eyes wide as the emotion danced on my tongue.

"Don't worry, Edward, I will be careful," I told him, shaking my head at him. I grabbed my bag, and jumped out of the car, hurrying to the porch before I could get soaked. It didn't work all that well, as I had to be careful not to run faster than a human would, though I may have gone a bit faster than I should have. I wasn't as soaked as I should have been. Grabbing he key from under the mat, I unlocked the door, walking in. Turning, I waved to him before closing the door.

A smile crossed my face as I noticed that he was now smiling as he drove away.


All right, there you go. Now, if you've read this before, you'll be able to tell what was changed. The biggest change was to the Edward visiting in her room part, as, when I was rereading how it originally went, I realized that I didn't quite like it. I love this version, though. Also, I hope you love the way Bella acts in the office, showing off her 'acting skills'. Unlike the book Bella, she's a better actress. Oh, and I hope you laughed when I had Bella mention that she wasn't going to make a strip tape for him. I couldn't help but keep that in, because it cracks me up to just magine what Edward's face would look like if she said that to him, sounding completely serious as well.

Anyway, Please, Please, Please Review, I really want to know what you thought of this rewritten chapter.

Hearts In Strangeness