The Learning Curve: Chapter 7

Forks High School, Parking Lot

Dear God, I had to sit by him in Biology today, I realized with horror. After the break-up, I'd convinced Angela Weber to trade seats with me in Bio so I wouldn't have to be partners with Mike anymore. I'd forgotten, until I'd mentioned the class out loud, that Angela sat with Edward.

Well, I had timed that all wrong. I was such an idiot.

I couldn't face going to lunch after my encounter with Edward, so I went to the biology lab and buried my nose in a novel I'd already finished. After a long time of agonizing and lip-biting, I heard students begin to trickle in. Stiffly, I waited for Edward to arrive.

I was distracted quickly by Mike, who walked past me with a harsh glare in my direction. He hadn't been pleased about the break-up, or the manner in which it had happened.

I'd gone over to his house after school yesterday to tell him. Of course, he assumed I was coming over to make out. When he'd invited me to sit on the couch with him, I should have said no. He was immediately all over me. I was so shocked by his kissing, groping assault that I shoved him, and he tumbled to the floor.

"Ow! Bella, what the hell?"

"This! This is why I came over to break up with you!" I blurted out. "All you care about is sex, isn't it? And I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't want to have sex with you."

He looked wounded. "I never said anything about sex, did I?"

"Not to me," I acknowledged, looking down at him. He seemed so pathetic, sprawled on his mom's ugly rug with the tulips on it. "But you did tell Jessica Stanley. Really, Mike? You told your ex I was a virgin?"

"But you are," he said obliviously. I had to refrain from kicking him in the head.

"That's not the point. But it doesn't matter. You're not the kind of guy that's ever going to be right for a girl like me, so I think it's best to just end it now."

"I knew I never should have asked out the school prude," Mike grumbled.

Shocked, I stared at his unrepentant face for a long moment. Then I did kick him – right between his spread legs. Hard.

He was still howling when I backed my truck out of his driveway.

A hand touching my shoulder jolted me from my thoughts, and I looked up to see Edward standing by his seat.

"Why, Angela, how you've changed."