A/N: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer
Thanks to everyone for all the reviews!! I L-O-V-E all of them!! Thanks again to my Beta – JennBell and all those that have read the story so far. Does anyone even read the a/n? Haha. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and if you have time please write a review. Oh, and don't worry, the cabin is the next chapter. I promise. =) Just a little friendly reminder, Hailey is Bella's friend that lives in Arizona. She was in the first chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 7
BPOV
"How about Cullen and you in the school library?" Hailey giggled.
I knew I should never have told her about my crush on Edward. I didn't want to discuss any Edward related fantasies with her.
"The library?" I questioned.
Hailey burst into laughter. "You know… one of those study rooms?"
No, thanks.
"I think I'll pass on the library." I almost snorted at her.
I heard a little huff coming from the other line. "Well, you're no fun."
I hadn't figured out how to even be his friend yet let alone anything more than that. Anyways, Edward was taken. By the biggest bitch in school. And there was nothing I could do about it.
I needed to switch the topic. I had enough of Edward Cullen talk for one day. And I knew the one thing Hailey liked to talk about more than my dumb crushes; hers. "How is Chris?"
"Hot!" She almost yelled over the phone. "We are going out on Friday."
"That's great." I tried to sound enthusiastic for her. But honestly it made me feel even worse. She was getting the opportunity to go out with her crush while mine wants nothing to do with me.
I think Hailey knew I was a little depressed too. "Just give it time… Cullen will come around."
"Yeah, right." I said while rolling my eyes.
"Bella…" She paused then continued. "…You're way better than Rosalie."
Way better than Rosalie? Maybe in the not being a bitch category but not in the looks.
"Sure…" I slowly said. "On that note I think I'm gonna call it a night."
We said are goodbyes and I hung up the phone. I turned off the light and made my way over to my bed. Quickly, I got under the covers and closed my eyes.
My dreams were the only place Edward Cullen and I were together and I couldn't wait to get to that place.
---
I woke up at 6:30 making sure it gave me plenty of time to get ready. I didn't want to start the day out like yesterday.
At 7:30 on the dot I walked out my front door. Edward was already parked in the drive way. I quickly made my way to the passenger side back door. I got in and put my seatbelt on.
I looked up at Edward. He looked nervous.
Great.
He was still probably mad at me for talking to Jasper.
Slowly, he pulled out of the driveway. Once we were driving down the road he looked thru the rearview mirror at me. I didn't mean to, but I was staring at him.
His hair was still a little wet, most likely from taking a shower this morning. Remembering what Jessica had asked yesterday, I nonchalantly took in a deep breath. There was a faint smell of some kind of aftershave but I couldn't be certain what type it was.
But Jessica was right. He smelled really good.
Perfectly Edward.
Then I internally slapped myself for being so pathetic.
Edward broke the silence first. "You know…" He paused while taking a deep breath. Great, here it comes. "…If you had a boyfriend then he could drive you to school."
I didn't even know what to say. I knew Edward didn't want to drive me but I didn't think it was that bad. "Oh."
I think my face was bright red at this point. I slowly shifted my gaze up. Edward was picking at the steering wheel with his finger. "I mean…" He paused again. "…Then you wouldn't have to deal with Rose."
So, he was looking out for me? From his girlfriend?
"I can just walk." I blurted out. There was no one I really wanted to ride with and I wasn't about to discuss my nonexistent boyfriend with him.
Edward stopped picking at the steering wheel for a moment. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not going to make you walk."
"Then what do you want?" I asked him. He knows I don't have a boyfriend. And this conversation was becoming very embarrassing.
There was silence for what seemed to be minutes until he finally spoke up again. "You know, Mike Newton has a thing for you." He spoke so quickly I almost didn't catch what he had said.
Well, duh, but gross.
"I'd rather walk." I said in a disgusted voice. There was no way in hell I would ever get in a car with Mike Newton.
I heard a sigh coming from him. "What's wrong with Mike?" He asked me.
He's not you.
I rolled my eyes. What's right with Mike should have been the question. "Why aren't you friends with him?"
I knew Edward didn't like Mike and he couldn't deny that.
He let out a defeated sigh. "I see your point."
It was silent again. I waited until we were only a block away from Rosalie's house before I finally spoke up. "Do you want me just to walk then?" I felt stupid even asking it.
"No!" He yelled. "I'll just have to deal with it."
Deal with what?
I thought he was trying to protect me from Rosalie so why he was the one having to deal with it was beyond me.
I grabbed my iPod from in my backpack and quickly put on the headphones while Rosalie walked to the car. I wasn't about to just sit here like yesterday while she talked crap about me.
Rosalie hopped into the front seat and put on her seatbelt. I was expecting her to grab him like last time but she wasn't even looking at him.
I glanced at Edward. He looked pretty upset. And the only thing I could think of was how I must be involved somehow.
"Rose…" He quietly said. I turned the volume down on my iPod to hear what he was saying. "…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" He paused and looked thru the rearview mirror at me. I quickly turned the other way. "…you know."
Whatever it was, he didn't want me to know about it. And now I was really curious.
Rosalie looked at him and rolled her eyes. "I'm over it."
Edward frowned. "Please, I'm really sorry."
The way he apologized to Rosalie was the same way he had apologized to me in biology class. Then I had to smile knowing it was a genuine Edward apology.
"Eddie, it's fine." She whispered while turning to him and smiling.
He gave her a crooked smile.
It was perfectly Edward.
I wanted to die. Whatever their fight was about seemed to be over or at least over for the time being.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the cabin with me this weekend?" He asked her. "I'm sure I can sneak you there."
Please say no!
Please say no!
Please say no!
"I can't. You know that." Rosalie explained while looking out the window.
Edward let out a loud growl. "I really want you to come. Please?"
Please don't!
Rosalie looked a little annoyed now. "Edward, I can't." She paused. "It's only for two days anyway. You'll survive."
Thank you Lord!
"Yeah, I guess." He responded.
And I couldn't help but feel bad. He looked so depressed at the thought of being without Rosalie for two days. Or maybe he was depressed at the thought of being with me for two days? Whatever it was, he was pretty upset.
When we reached the school Edward stopped the car before getting to his normal parking spot and I jumped out. This time I didn't say anything and I practically ran into the school.
---
I spent the morning avoiding the halls where I knew Edward or Rosalie may be. I knew it was making Edward uncomfortable with me around and I didn't want to do that to him.
When it was time for biology I picked up my pace in hopes I would beat Edward to class. Of course I didn't, again.
Edward looked up from our table when I walked in. We locked eyes. And for some unknown reason to me, I smiled at him.
And I was horrified. You don't smile at someone that hates you. My smile dropped at the thought and I froze.
Edward quirked an eyebrow at me. But then he did the weirdest thing, he smiled back.
I'm pretty sure my face turned bright red. Then his smile dropped and he looked down at the table.
Okay, no idea what that was about.
I quickly made my way to our table and threw my backpack down. I looked from the corner of my eye at Edward, he was still looking down. Somehow I upset him.
Just then Mr. Banner came into the classroom. He announced another class would be using our room so we would be going to the library for independent study.
Just great.
Once we all got to the library Mr. Banner told us to spread out and start studying by ourselves or with a partner.
Mike Newton walked right over to me and I pretended I didn't see him. "Want to study with me, Bella?"
No!
Before I could answer I heard Edward from behind me. "She's studying with me today." He quickly grabbed my hand and led me to the other side of the library.
Okay, Edward was acting really weird today.
"Do you want to work in one of those rooms?" He asked me pointing to all the study rooms on the side.
My face turned bright red again.
There is no way this could really be happening to me.
"Okay." I choked out while following him in one.
He closed the door behind me and pulled out a chair for me.
Perfectly Edward.
Without saying anything else he grabbed his science book from in his backpack and started flipping thru the pages.
"What was that about?" I had to know.
Edward looked up and closed his book. "I felt bad for this morning…" He paused while opening the book again. "I didn't want to leave you with Newton."
He felt bad.
"Thanks." I quickly said. He half smiled at me then looked back at his book.
I grabbed my book and flipped it open to a random page. I knew I wouldn't be getting much studying done today.
A few minutes later I looked up. Edward was reading. I looked out the little window to the main part of the library. I saw Alice at a table writing.
Huh.
"You don't want to invite Alice in here?" I asked him.
His eyes shot up at me and then towards the window. "If she wants to come in she will."
"Okay." That was weird. But I shrugged it off and started reading.
Edward didn't say anything else to me and I didn't say anything to him. Once the bell rang he opened the door for me and we went our separate ways.
---
I quickly made my way towards the girl's locker room with my own uniform in hand. Before I could reach the door I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I spun around. Rosalie was standing there glaring at me.
Shit! This can't be good.
"Don't talk to Edward!" She spat at me. "Don't even fucking look at Edward!"
I didn't know what to say so I just stared at her.
She continued. "If I hear anything about you doing either of those things again I'll fucking make your life hell!"
And I bet she would.
"Okay." I quietly whispered.
A large smile appeared on her face. "He'll never like you." With that she walked away.
I stood there in shock for a few minutes.
"Don't listen to her." I heard a voice coming from behind me. I quickly turned. Alice was smiling at me. "That's what I do."
I tried to smile back. "She's such a bitch."
Alice laughed. "He's a really good friend to have, you know."
Friend. I'm not even his friend.
"Then why's he dating her?" I asked while opening the locker room door.
Once we were both in the locker room she turned to me. "Just one of the many mysteries of Edward Cullen."
We both laughed. And I knew I liked Alice already.
---
On the way home from school I didn't say anything to Edward. The following three days I kept our talking to a minimum. Edward didn't seem to mind and Rosalie appeared to be pleased because she went back to her normal routine of grabbing him when she got in the car every morning.
---
Friday afternoon when Edward dropped me off from school I didn't expect him to say anything to me about this weekend so it surprised me when he did.
"Are you excited about this weekend?" He asked while I was gathering my stuff and opening the door.
Honestly, no.
"Not really." I told him while stepping out of his car.
He laughed. "Me either."
Of course, we both had completely different reasons for not looking forward to the trip.
I closed the car door and made my way to the house. Once I walked in I turned around. Edward was just pulling out of the driveway.
Perfectly Edward.
That night I fell asleep thinking about Edward.
---
"Bella!" I heard my mom yelling from downstairs. "Bella, its 5:00! We are leaving in 15 minutes!"
