Chapter 9

Edward POV

Jasper was waiting at the end of his driveway when I turned into his street. He jumped back from the curb when I slammed on my brakes. He slung open the door, looking at me with a frown on his face.

"What's with you?" he asked, plugging in his seatbelt as I slammed my foot down on the accelerator.

"Nothing man" I assured him. It was a total lie. There was something wrong; I couldn't shake the image of Bella from my mind.

"Yeah, right. You had a bug up your ass last night at practice and now your driving like a crazy person and there's nothing wrong." Jasper said sarcastically. He knew that when I drove like this something was definitely up. His face studied mine. I kept my eyes locked on the road ahead.

I had been a bit snappy with everyone yesterday; I was just so…frustrated at myself. I couldn't concentrate; I dropped passes, let people get round me. it was so unlike me. And it pissed me off. She was getting into my head.

"Don't forget we've got practice tonight, coach is going to bust our balls. The games next Friday."

"Shit" I mumbled.

"What?" Jasper asked.

"I can't make it to practice tonight man" I had totally forgotten that coach had kicked up our number of practices this week.

Jasper frowned "why not?"

"Its...complicated" I said quietly

"Oh really, this doesn't have anything to do with a girl does it?" he asked grinning.

I grinned back unconsciously

"I knew it, who is she then?" he asked rubbing his hands together.

I was silent for a few seconds unsure if I should tell him about our whole partner thing. He was my best friend but he could be a jackass sometimes.

"Bella Swan" was all I said.

"Holy shit, Edward!" Jasper almost shouted.

I looked back at the road, my cheeks burning. I sighed as Jasper stared at me.

"Don't be a complete asshole about this; we're just partners for our art project. I'm meeting her after school to discuss stuff. "I glanced and at Jasper then back at the road, his expression was blank.

"Christ, how the hell did you end up with her as a partner?" he asked chuckling

Iwasgladhewasfindingthisfunny.

"Her desk had the only spare seat in class, and Mr Albert decided that whoever we were sitting with was our partner for our final projects."

"Shit" he mumbled

"Exactly".

"Can you not change partners? I mean she can completely fuck this up for you. And we all know what happens if you don't graduate."

"I can't change partners and I know what the deal is Jasper, believe me" I ran my hand through my hair.

"But you're not into her or anything right?" he asked me

Shit

"No, of course not, she's my way to an A" I tried to brush of his question

"So you're actually going to try and be nice to her? Are you sure she's going to buy that?" Jasper flashed me his worried eyes.

"Of course. I'm Edward Cullen remember?" I chuckled. Hoping that he wouldn't see straight though me. I just didn't want him knowing about the crazy things that my head was saying about the girl I had been torturing for almost a year.

"I don't know man, she has busted your balls before, I don't think she's going to buy your bullshit." he said matter of factly.

Jasper was right, of course he was. I was going to have work harder than I ever had to get her to trust me.

"She won't even see it coming" We had reached the school now and I pulled into my normal parking spot, noticing that Bella's truck was already here

"Are you fucking kidding me? Of course she will! She's not Jessica Stanley, who I might add was asking about you again, eurgh" he shuddered

I winced, Jessica Stanley, my crazy ass stalker. We had one date, I didn't even sleep with her, it was the worst date of my life, and she now thinks I'm into her and continues to pop up out of no where every other hour. Good job she has no idea where I live, else she would properly be camped out on my front lawn.

"Listen don't worry about Bella, a couple of hours with me and she will be eating out of my hand" I pulled the keys of out the ignition and got out the car

"If you say so man, just don't come crying to me when the shit hits the fan" Jasper said sarcastically, putting his coat on.

"Jasper I'm telling you, this will -"I clamped my mouth shut as I spotted Bella walking past the back of my car.

Jasper shot me a look and began talking again but I couldn't hear a word he was saying. Her brown eyes were on me while she walked. And I couldn't take my eyes off of her, I was completely transfixed.

I only realised a few seconds before it happened that she was about to have to take the stairs. And I watched in horror as she fell, her books flying in several different directions as she put her hands out to try and stop herself.

"Hold that thought" I pointed at Jasper as I began walking towards Bella

I put my arm around her shoulders and a hand on her elbow, steadying her as she rose.

She lifted her head and looked at me, he cheeks turning a light shade of pink, and then her eyes darted down to the floor.

"You okay?" I asked after a few silent seconds, she had fallen pretty hard.

She nodded her eyes till looking at the floor.

I took hold of her small wrist and slowly ran my fingers over it. I really don't know what came over me. Why I wanted to make sure she was ok. But I couldn't stop.

She winced.

"It's not broken, but it'll be sore for a few days" I told her, she was looking at me now, her brown eyes staring up at me. Her cheeks flushed red as my fingers still moved over her wrist.

"That was quite a, err, trip" I said lightly, chuckling.

After a few seconds her face fell. And she frowned at me.

"It's not funny" she pulled her injured wrist out of my grasp.

I didn't think it was funny. At all. I felt sick as I watched her fall, I couldn't stop her and that made me feel worse.

She began picking up the books that littered the steps; I spotted one close by and picked it up. It was her biology book

She spun around several times and stopped when I held the one I had out to her.

She took it from me, without looking at my face.

"You should be more careful" I told her. She really did, because it made me feel uneasy to think that she'd fall down and there would be someone else there to help her up. Like that boy. Mike.

"Wow, thank you. I sure will try." She turned away from me and walked up the stairs

I watched her until she walked through the doors and stood where I was for a few seconds.

"Come on, were gonna be late" Jasper stood at my side, and we stated up the stairs.

I took them two at a time thinking of Bella's brown eyes, and the way she looked at me when my fingers touched her skin

I was defiantly doomed.