Edward's Point of View

I felt extremely tired the next morning, and it took an extraordinary amount of effort to make myself get out of bed. When I reached the school, everyone was overjoyed about the snow covering the ground. I saw Isabella Cullen wrinkle her nose in distaste from where she stood on the sidewalk to her first period. Suddenly, she ran over in my direction, making several people ogle at her. I wanted to hiss at them in warning to stay away.

"Edward," she said calmly once she came to a halt. She was talking to me? I thought she didn't want to be friends! "It's snowing," she said simply, and I suppressed a grimace at the reminder. Apparently she saw something on my face, because she let out a lilting laugh.

"I thought you weren't going to be my friend," I told her bluntly.

"I'm tired of keeping away from you. I don't care anymore about it. I'm giving up."

"Giving up?" I was confused.

"Giving up, quitting, stopping caring, surrendering... whatever you want to call it. I'm tired of staying away." I couldn't understand what made her change her mind, but I didn't care too much. She was speaking to me. I didn't understand what she was talking about either.

"Oh, I was wondering," she interrupted, breaking into my thoughts. "If on Saturday, you know, the night of the dance-"

I cut her off. "Are you trying to be funny?"

She grinned. "Let me finish." She waited to make sure I was listening. "If you wanted a ride to Seattle."

"Huh?"

"I was wondering," she spoke slowly, as though to someone with a mental handicap, "If you wanted a ride to Seattle."

"With who?"

"Me, of course." Her eyes melted, and her upturned lips made me unable to speak. I just nodded, and her smile grew. "I'll see you." With that, she waltzed off, waving good-bye. Everyone stared at me when she called back, saying, "Bye Edward!" I watched, then suppressed a laugh when her graceful gait was cut off by her tripping.

I flew through the day, happier than I'd been in a long time. Ben Cooper noticed my uplifted mood, and asked me if I was all right. "Yes. I'm fine," I said with a grin. Jessica stared at me from across the room, and I was accompanied by Angela and Mike to lunch, Jessica trailing us before catching up. Apparently she'd suddenly gotten over my rejection. We got our food and sat down.

"Isabella is staring at you," Mike said. I looked up. She smiled at me and waggled a finger for me to come over. "She means you?" Mike asked, and I could detect and undercurrent of jealousy. His thoughts were plain. "Why not me?"

"I should go see what she wants," I said, and stood, taking my tray over to her. "So," I began as I sat down. "This is different."

"I told you I was tired of avoiding you."I tried to understand what she was saying.

"What?"

"I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly." (OOC: Note: I do not own that line. It is from Twilight on page check copy of Twilight 87 Nor do I own the next few lines, which are also spoken on page 87) I waited for her to say something else.

"You know I don't have any idea what you mean," I pointed out.

She smiled, and said, "I know." Then, she looked over her shoulder, and blushed.

"What?" I asked, curious.

"Your friends are upset at me."

"Why?"

"For taking you away from them."

"They'll get over it."

"What if I don't give you back?" The question was rhetorical, I knew, but the look in her eyes made me swallow.

"Afraid?" she asked, quietly amused.

"No. Just surprised really. What made you change your mind about," I waved my hand around vaguely, "us?'

She looked deadly serious as she answered. "I told her. I'm tired of avoiding you, so I'm giving up."

"Giving up?"

"I'm not trying to be good anymore. What I want to do- I'm doing it, and whatever happens will happen." Her voice was no longer light, and I thought I detected an undertone of pain and something else. It was so hard to decipher her thoughts, when usually I could tell what anyone else was thinking from their face and actions.

"I'm lost again."

The smile was back, shy and small, but it was there. "I know. I'm counting on that. I always say too much whenever I'm with you." She frowned, and I was stuck trying to keep up with her mood swings.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it. I never understand... So are we friends now?"

"Friends?" she asked, seeming to weight the words. Or not, I supposed. "I guess so. We can try. I'm still going to say that I'm not a good friend for you." For me? What did she mean? I could read her tone, even if I couldn't tell her thoughts. She was serious. It was a warning. Not a good friend for me? Why? Just me?

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because." I waited. "You don't ever listen to me." I shrugged. I couldn't listen to her warning; not when it told me to stay away from her.

"What are you thinking?" she asked quietly, so much so that I almost couldn't hear her. I looked up from my tray, to find see her realize that I'd heard, and turn her face away to hide behind her hair. She shouldn't hide. Her beauty shouldn't be wasted behind her silky hair.

"I'm trying to figure out what you are." Beautiful, smart, an enigma. I still couldn't shake the memory of her lifting the van. How could that be possible? Yet, how could I just make something like that up?

"Any ideas?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"Yes," I said, instantly regretting saying that.

"What?" she demanded softly. Her eyes melted, and I had to look away or else blurt out my ridiculous ideas. Wonder Woman, Catgirl, and some sort of alternate-universe Peter Parker turned Patricia Parker had been my theories. No way was I admitting that. "Won't you tell me?"

"No," I said, and I had to stop there and bite my tongue; her tempting smile threatening to make me spill my guts to her.

"Please?" I just shook my head, not looking at her.

She moaned. "Do you have any idea how frustrating that it?" she asked.

I looked up at her, finally having something to say back. "No," I informed her. "I couldn't know what you mean. How could that me frustrating when someone won't tell you what they think, even though they make all kinds of hinting and enigmatic statements that are probably specially designed to keep you up and wondering about what they mean."

She winced. I ignored it.

"Or!" I continued, "what if that same person did many, contradictory, things. Say they go from hating you the moment she set eyes on you to saving you from death to treating you like a disease. Say she never explained, even though she promised." I paused for a deep breath. "No, that would be very non-frustrating.

Bella's Point of View

I stared, shocked by his outburst.

Should I go stop them? He looks angry. Probably upset he's not sitting with me.

He looks upset; I wonder what they are talking about.

I laughed then, loud for me, and then harder when Edward just stared in confusion.

"You girlfriend is angry. She thinks I'm being unpleasant and want you back." I explained as well as I could through my laughter, which quieted after a moment.

"I don't know who you are talking about," he told me. He sounded upset, and I felt upset with myself for making him so. I also hating the idea of him having a girlfriend, even though they were my words. "I'm sure you're wrong though."

I shook my head, back to my more reserved, natural, self. "No. I'm not. It's easy to read people." He seemed to agreed, but I remembered my frustration with him for not speaking his own thoughts. The one exception

"Except me, right?" he pointed out.

"Yes," I replied, frowning. "Why is that?" I mused. Then I noticed his uneaten food. "Aren't you hungry?" I asked, indicating the food before him.

"No," he said. "Aren't you?"

"No, I am not hungry." I couldn't help but smile then. The idea of me being hungry. I hadn't been hungry in... too many years to count.

"Can you do something for me?" he asked, and I was instantly wary.

"What?" I asked, not agreeing immediately.

"Tell me next time you decide your not a good friend for me. So I'm expecting it," he explained. The wry smile was back on my face.

"I never changed my mind. I'm not a good friend for you. But yes," I continued, "I suppose that's reasonable." He nodded. "Can I have one thing in return?"

"Sure." He shrugged. How could he be so casual and perfect? I wondered. "One thing." He stressed the one.

"Tell me one theory?" My turn to stress the one.

He groaned. "You said one," I reminded him. "I won't laugh."

Edward's Point of View

Yes, she would.

I couldn't keep up with her mood swings. One second she was happy, laughing, and the next she was brooding or upset. And sometimes she seemed to be breaking out of some shell or wall she'd put up before drawing herself back in. And she spoke sometimes like she had an inside joke that I would never get. Not hungry? She sounded amused by the idea.

"I'm waiting," she said somewhat impatiently.

I coughed to earn sometime. Time up.

"Well, hates dogs? Wears a costume with cat ears?"

She laughed despite her promise. "Not even close. That's it? Not very imaginative, are we?"

"No cats?"

"Nope. And before you ask, I'm not hurt when near Kryptonite either."

"Shoot." She laughed again. "I'll keep trying until I figure it out," I told her.

"I wish you wouldn't." She was serious again.

"Why not?" I demanded

"Because... What if I'm not the good girl? What if I'm not the superhero of the story?" Her smile looked forced, and her tone held real anxiety.

"Oh." I frowned. "I get it."

"What?" She looked afraid now.

"You're dangerous." She'd tried to tell me, and I was just getting it. I wasn't afraid though.

Her eyes looked sad and regretful? She hid behind her hair again.

"But not bad." I said this to comfort her, but I knew it was true the instant the words were out of my mouth.

"Yes, I am." The whisper came so softly, I didn't know if I was meant to hear. She gazed into my eyes with a sad intensity. I was lost in her gaze. She never blinked, and I couldn't look away. How could someone be so captivating? Her face, her actions, her feelings, they all drew me closer, despite her warnings. How could she think she was bad? It was an unanswerable question. There was something about her. When she seemed afraid, or upset, I just wanted to shelter her. When she was happy I could feel my heart swell and an grin spread across my face. At this moment, I could feel my throat swell.

"Breathe," she finally whispered, not looking away from my green eyes. I let out a gasp for air when I realized the swelling of my throat was a desperate call for oxygen. "Breathe, Edward." I reluctantly glanced around us, and saw that the commons was almost empty. We were the only ones sitting. Looking back, she hadn't moved.

"We're going to be late," I said, standing up. Bella didn't move.

"I'm not going."

"Why not?" There was no way I could deny the disappointment I was feeling.

Her smile returned, but accompanied by a faint blush. "It's healthy to ditch every once and a while."

I considered going with her, but the thought of Charlie's face when he found out stopped me. He'd find out too. The school was too small for him not to.

"Okay, I'll see you later then," I told her, and her face seemed pained. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch her face, and turned to walk away. When I'd taken several steps, I looked back. She was already gone.