The rest of the morning passed in a blur. It was difficult to believe that I hadn't just imagined what Edward had said, and the way his eyes had looked. Maybe it was just a very convincing dream that I'd confused with reality.
Sadly, that seemed more probable than the fact that I might appeal to Edward Cullen on any level.
I was impatient and frightened as Jessica and I entered the cafeteria.
Disappointment flooded through me as my eyes unerringly focused on his table. The other four were there, but he was absent. Had he gone home?
I followed Jessica through the line, somewhat crushed. I'd lost my appetite again and bought nothing but a bottle of lemonade.
"Edward Cullen is string at you again." Jess said, managing to break through my abstraction. My head snapped up. I followed her gaze to see Edward, smiling crookedly, staring at me from an empty table across the cafeteria.
Once he'd caught my eye, he raised one hand and motioned with his index finger for me to join him. As I stared in disbelief, he winked.
"Does he mean you?" Jessica asked with insulting astonishment in her voice. Oh right, like she totally didn't know that I was gay...
"Biology homework." I muttered for her benefit, reddening. "I'll go see what he wants."
I could feel her eyes on me the entire walk over to Edward's table. When I arrived, I hovered behind the chair across from him, trying to play it cool.
"Why don't you sit with me today?" he asked, smiling. I obliged, then just sat and watched him. He watched back. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something.
"This is different." I finally said.
"Well..." He paused, and then the rest of his words followed in a rush. "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."
If that wasn't some sort of pickup line, I had no idea what was. I played dumb.
"You know I don't have any idea what you mean." I pointed out, opening my lemonade.
"I know." He grinned, then changed the subject. "I think your friends are angry that I stole you."
"They'll survive." I threw back, resisting the temptation to flick my hair casually at him.
"I may not give you back, though." He said with a wicked glint in his eyes.
Oh. My. God. Was this happening? This had to be a dream... A dream about a gay fanfiction.
"You look worried." He laughed.
"No," I said, but ridiculously, my voice cracked. Damn puberty. "Surprised, actually... what brought all this on?" I swear my voice jumped an octave.
"I told you. I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up." He was still smiling, but his ocher eyes were serious.
"Giving up?" I think I knew where he was going with this...
"Yes. Giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now, Beall, and let the chips fall where they may."
"Dude, you so lost me," Uncool, Beall... Uncool! "In plain English, are we friends now?"
"Friends..." He mused, dubious.
"Or not." I added quickly.
"Well, we can try. But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you." Behind his smile, the warning was real.
"It's cool, man. I heard you the first bunch of times you said it." I replied.
"Yes, but you're still not listening to me. I'm still waiting for you to believe me. If you're smart, you'd avoid me."
"I think you've made your opinion on the subject of my intellect clear too, Bucko."
Edward stared, unable to comprehend that I called him Bucko. For lack of a better, or cooler, follow-up, I swigged more lemonade.
"What are you thinking?" Edward asked after a few minutes of silence. I looked into his golden eyes, became befuddled, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"I think I'm just tryign to figure out what the hell you're doing..."
His jaw tightened, but he managed to keep his smile even.
"Are you having any luck with that?" he asked offhandedly.
"No." I admitted, causing him to chuckle.
"Any theories?"
A fantasy of his being either Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark ran through my mind, making me guffaw awkwardly out loud. I quickly stilled myself and made some excuse about being embarrassed to admit anything.
"That's really frustrating, you know." He complained.
"No," I disagreed quickly, my eyes narrowing, "I can't imagine why that would be frustrating at all. Just because someone refuses to tell you what they're thinkings, even if all the while they're making cryptic little remark specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean... now, why would that be frustrting?"
Edward grimaced.
"Or better," I continued, the pent up annoyance flowing freely now in what was quickly becoming a ranting feelings barf. "say that person also did a wide range of bizarre things - from saving your life under impossible circumstances one day to treating you like a pariah the next, and he never explained any of that, either, even after he promised. That, also, would be very non-frustrating, am I right?"
"You're got a bit of a temper, don't you?"
"I don't like double standards."
"You're gay." It was a statement. My jaw dropped.
"W-what?" I managed to stammer.
"Your boyfriend seems to think I'm being unpleasant to you - he's debating whether or not to come break up our fight." He snickered.
"I don't know who you're talking about, or what you're talking about." I said icily. "But I'm sure you're wrong."
He looked like he very much wanted to tell me how wrogn I was about saying how wrong he was, but he thought better of it. We lapsed into ugly silence.
"Can you do me a favor?" I asked.
"That depends on what you want." He replied warily.
"It's not much." I assured him. He waited, guarded but curious.
"I just wondered... if you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good. Just so I'm prepared." I fiddled with my lemonade bottle.
"That sounds fair." He replied.
"Thanks."
"Then can I have one answer in return?" he demanded.
"One."
"Tell me the theory you have about me."
"Not that one." I mumbled, Ironman and Batman running across my mind's eye.
"Well, just tell me any one then. I won't laugh."
"Yes, you will."
He looked down, then glanced up through long black lashes, his ocher eyes scorching.
"Please?" he breathed, leaning in ever so slightly.
I blinked, mind blank. How the hell did he keep doing that?
"Um, what?" I asked, dazed.
"Please just tell me one little theory you have about me." Um, conceited much?
"Fine. Either it's the Batcave and cool gadgets or a playboy philanthropist with a shiny metal body suit."
"That's not very creative." He scoffed.
"Well, forgive me for being a comic buff." I replied, miffed. "You know I'll figure you out eventually."
"I wish you wouldn't try." He was serious again.
"Because...?"
"What if I'm not a superhero? what if I'm the bad guy?" his eyes were impenetrable, but he managed to smile playfully.
"Oh." I said, and went back to screwing and unscrewing the cap of my lemonade.
"You know, I don't believe you're bad." I continued after a drink.
"You're wrong." He replied, reaching out and stealing my bottle lid and then spinning it between his fingers.
I looked around the cafeteria, and saw that it was nearly empty.
"Aw, shit. We're going to be late!" I jumped to my feet.
"I'm not going to class today." He replied, spinning the top again.
"Why?"
"It's healthy to ditch class now and then."
"Well, I'm going." I told him. I was far too big a coward to ever skip class.
I wanted to say something else to him, but the ring of the bell sent me scurrying off to class. I was lucky; Mr. Banner wasn't in the room yet when I arrived. At least the rain had stopped.
I settled quickly into my seat, aware that both Mike and Angela were staring at me. Mike looked resentful, Angela shocked and awed. I resisted the urge to facepalm repeatedly.
Mr. Banner entered, juggling a few small cardboard boxes which he distributed.
Oh god.
We were blood typing.
I had very very few weaknesses, and blood was one of them. Clammy moisture broke out on my forehead. I swallowed convulsively, stomach heaving.
I put my head on the desk as Mr. Banner ran through the instructions with everyone.
"Beall, are you all right?" He asked, noticing my blob-like behavior.
"I already know my blood type, Mr. Banner." I said weakly.
"Are you feeling faint?"
"Yes, sir."
"Someone take Mr. Swan to the nurse, please." he called. I didn't have to look up to know that Mike volunteered instantly.
I got up and woozily wandered to the door. Mike was eager enough to put his arm around my waist and support me down the hall.
He towed me slowly across campus. When we were around the edge of the cafeteria, I begged to sit down. He helped me sit on the edge of the walk.
I was still so dizzy that I just slumped over onto the freezing concrete with my eyes closed.
"Wow, you're green, man." Mike said nervously.
"Beall?" a different voice called from the distance. Oh god. Not him...
"What's wrong, is he hurt?" His voice was closer now, almost sounding upset. I wasn't imagining it. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to die. Or at least not throw up on Edward Cullen's shoes.
Mike seemed stressed. "I think he's fainted. I don't know what happened, he didn't even open his kit yet."
"Beall." Edward's voice was right beside me, relieved now. "Can you hear me?"
"No." I groaned. "Get out of here, asshole." He chuckled.
"I was taking him to the nurse," Mike explained in a defensive tone. "but he refused to go further."
"I'll take him." Edward said. "You can go back to class."
"No!" Mike protested. "I'm supposed to do it."
Suddenly the sidewalk disappeared from beneath me. My eyes flew open in shock. Edward had scooped me up in his arms, just like a princess or something.
"Put me down!" I yelled. I was so not cool with this.
"Hey!" Mike called, already ten paces behind us. Edward ignored him. "You look awful." he told me, grinning.
"Put my ass back on the sidewalk." I spat back. Not only was I totally uncomfortable being carried bridal style by a guy, but the rocking motion was making me even queasier. He ignored me.
"So you faint at the sight of blood?" he asked. This seemed to amuse him. This time I didn't answer and just closed my eyes so I could focus on not vomiting.
I don't know how he opened the door while carrying me, but it was suddenly warm, so I knew we were inside.
"Oh my..." I heard a female voice gasp.
"He fainted in Biology." Edward explained to the startled nurse. "Blood typing."
The nurse nodded sagely. "There's always one."
He dropped me on a bed and then retreated to a chair nearby. The nurse didn't argue when he said he was supposed to stay with me, and bustled off for some ice.
"You were right." I groaned. "Ditching is healthy."
"You scared me for a minute there." he admitted after a pause. "I thought Newton waas dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods."
"Ha ha." I replied sarcastically.
"Honestly. I've seen corpses with more color. I was afraid I'd have to avenge your murder."
"How'd you see me? I thought you were ditching."
"I was in my car, listening to a CD." Such a normal response for someone so bizarre.
The nurse returned with a cold compress and laid it on my forehead. I instantly felt better.
Just then, another kid from Biology staggered in, looking even worse than I had. I instantly hopped off the bed to make room for him.
"Go out to the office, Beall." Edward said. I scooted out the door.
"You actually listened to me." Edward said, stunned.
"I smelled the blood," I said, managing the ugliest face I could think of.
"You can't smell blood." Edward contradicted.
"Well, I can. It smells like rust and salt." Edward's expression was unfathomable.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing."
Mike came through the door then, the look on his face confirming his hatred for edward.
"You look better." he accused. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Out of sight, out of mind, Mike."
"Going back to class?"
"Hells no."
"Well. La Push this weekend? Meet at the store and ten sharp." His body language made it clear that the invitation was for me alone.
"I'll be there, man." I pushed. I needed to get away from him. Right now.
"I'll see you in Gym then." he said, awkwardly moving to the door.
"See you."
A swell of sympathy washed over me at his disappointed face. Why was this happening to me? Was I seriously the only gay in the village?
"Gym..." I groaned.
"I can take care of that." I hadn't noticed Edward moving to my side, but he spoke now in my ear. "Go sit down and look pale."
That wasn't hard. I still looked peaky, so I used my acting skills and flopped in an office chair.
I listened to the two minute exchange between Edward and the office Lady. He worked her like putty, his voice all silken with honey. We walked away from the building with two excuse notes.
"Thanks." I said.
"Anytime." He was staring straight forward, squinting into the rain.
"Are you going Saturday?" I asked casually, already knowing the answer. There was no way Edward would cowboy up with the rest of us and go to the beach.
"Where is it?" He asked.
"La Push, First Beach, I think..." I replied. His eyes narrowed infantismally.
"I don't think I'm invited." He said.
"I invited you."
"Let's you and I not push poor Mike any further this week. He might snap and actually come out to everyone." Edward's eyes danced.
"Gah. Mike-Schmike." I growled.
We meandered into the parking lot, and I turned to go down to my truck. Something caught my jacket, halting my progress.
"Where do you think you're going?" Edward asked.
"Home?" I tried, confused.
"Uh-uh. Do you think I'm going to let you drive in your condition? Did you even listen to me tell the office lady I would take you home?"
"Wait, what? What about the truck...?" I flo9undered.
"I'll have Alice drop it off after school." He was towing me effortlessly to his car by my jacket now. It was all I could do to keep from falling backwards on my ass. He'd probably just drag me along anyway if I did.
"Let go!" I insisted. He ignored me until we got to the Volvo, where he deposited me at the passenger door.
"You are so pushy" I grumbled.
"Just get in." He replied.
I mentally calculated my chances of getting to my truck before he could catch me.
"I'll just drag you back." he threatened, guessing my plan. I got in, and we took off towards my house. We were silent most of the way except for my directions and some classical music he had in the CD player. Debussy, I deduced after a while.
"How old are you, Beall?" Edward asked, breaking the silence. I was surprised.
"Seventeen, why?"
"You don't seem seventeen."
"Neither do you."
That shut him up until we got to the house.
I got out, pulling my hood up against the rain.
"Um, well... Thanks." I said. "See you tomorrow?"
"No, my family is starting the weekend early." He replied. I nodded, then shut the door and proceeded to the house. He rolled down the window and called my name.
"Beall? Do me a favor this weekend." He said. I waited.
"Don't be offended, but you seem to be one of thoe people who just attract accidents like a magnet. So... try not to fall into the ocean or get run over or anything, all right?"
I nodded once more then shuffled up the porch steps. I swore as he drove away I could see Edward Cullen smirking at me.
