Slightly short, I apologise. But either an extra long chapter is coming or at least two or three chapters at once. Not sure which way to cut it...

xxx

Chapter 10

Max POV

The next day, Edward was waiting for me in the parking lot before school. Why is he always waiting for me? Has he nothing better to do than work out what I am.

"Hey," he smiled walking up to me. I suddenly had a thought.

"Why can you come out during the day?"

"What happened to 'Hello Edward, how are you'?"

"Hello Edward. How are you?" I repeated after him, "Why?"

"I'm fine thank you, and yourself?" He smirked.

"Stop dodging the question!"

"Okay, tell you what. I'll answer your questions if you answer mine." We started walking to the school and I realised everyone was starring. It made me feel uncomfortable, and I distanced myself from Edward.

He noticed, "What's wrong?"

"I hate it when people stare at me. I'm not a zoo exhibit." I muttered.

He nodded, "they'll get over it. They're just jealous."

"Of what?"

He looked at me as if I asked the stupidest question ever. "Well, all the guys hate me because they want to be walking you to class, and all the girls hate you because they want me to be walking them to class."

I shook my head, "you're unbelievable."

"The mind never lies."

We met again at lunch and this time I could hear the whispers,

"Are they going out?"

"This is the second time."

"I'm so jealous."

"Why does it have to be her?"

I guess the staring and whispers are part of the deal of being friends with Edward. I didn't know how it happened but suddenly I thought of him as a friend despite me ordering myself not to get too attached to anyone.

"Hello again," he said. He looked strange and was staring at my arm.

I sat opposite him and glanced at his family, who were doing their best to ignore me except for Alice who was actually waving at me... I weakly waved back knowing that the confusion was plain on my face. I could see Rosalie glare at Alice.

"Okay..."

"Alice...is...happy to have someone new to talk to."

"Ah...right."

To my surprise she came over and sat beside me. She said nothing and stared at me. I raised an eyebrow, "you're trying to get a vision aren't you?"

She looked away, "maybe."

"Right."

"Alice, do you mind?" Edward eventually said, they shared a look and then Edward shook his head. Alice then turned to me again. "See you later Max." She went back to her table.

"What did you tell her?" I asked

"You noticed?"

I gave him a look that I hope said 'could-you-have-made-it-more-obvious? I-raised-a-mind-reader!'

He seemed to get it.

"Right, yeah, um...I just told to go away."

He was editing I could tell. I didn't push him on it.

"So are you going to tell me why you come out during the day?"

"Only if you answer this question: where did you get the scar on your arm from?"

I glared at him. "What scar?"

"The one on your arm. It isn't that noticeable unless you have raptor vision. I saw it when you were carrying your books."

That one. The stupid chip. I pulled my sleeve up to look at it. Mom, Ella, Fang...the beach, blood...

I must have been staring it for a while because Edward quickly said, "I'll ask something else...how did you shock Rose?

I sighed. "I can control most raw forms of energy, mostly electricity."

"You can control electricity? I could smell you had a high level of iron in your blood but..."

"It's not iron. It's a special type of metal that is dissolved in my blood. It was created especially for me." I let the memories wash over me. Nudge dying while I get injected with this shit...I did my best to shake it off. I continued quickly, "now you."

"It's a myth."

"So nothing happens?"

"Not unless it's direct sunlight."

"Then what?"

"I'll show you sometime."

He let me eat in silence then. Once and a while I'd look up and catch him staring at me. When the bell went, he didn't say anything until his family had left.

"I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"Do you trust me, yet?"

I paused for a moment.

"Yes," I said and walked away to class. It was true; I knew that the moment he asked me about my scar because when I thought about it, I desperately wanted to tell him everything.

That afternoon when I came home I went straight to my room, and turned on my walkman as loud as it would go. Lyrics were screamed over crashing drums and loud guitar riffs. I locked my door and lay on my bed. I knew this would worry Total but I didn't care

God dammit! Trust no one except your family! And don't even trust them the way you trust yourself or Total. Especially don't trust a vampire that you met only a few weeks ago! Dammit!

Edward POV

She trusts me. She actually trusts me. No one could bring me down from the high I was on. Not even Rosalie and her sneering thoughts.

When I came home I went straight to the piano, and brush my fingers along a couple of keys. My thoughts were filled with her as I sat down to play.

It started out with just a simple left hand melody as I thought of her sad face at lunch, then slowly I thought of her laugh and a high right played a twinkling melody to contrast my left.

'Edward is playing again?' Esme thought and quickly ran downstairs to listen. She loved to hear me play and felt I guilty that I hadn't touched the piano in so long. Soon the household was in the living room.

'Edward. Is .Composing . Again?' I heard Rosalie jaw snap together. Suddenly I found why Rosalie hated Max so much and why wanting to kill her hadn't bothered her at all. It wasn't just about the fight. With Rosalie it was all about vanity. She was jealous that I was giving her so much attention where as I gave her none when I first met her.

I couldn't help but bark a single laugh, and Rosalie stalked out of the room, mortified that I'd found out.

"Keep playing Edward please?" Esme asked watching Rosalie leave.

I did and didn't stop until the end; it flowed out of me so easily when I thought of her. The melody got stronger and stronger to match her personality, until finally I went back to that sad beginning but with the laughter dominating this time.

"Has it got a story?" Esme asked.

"No...It's just her..." I whispered. I stopped playing, embarrassed that it had slipped out.

"It'll work out, Edward. She is a bright strong girl. Strange I'll admit but we both know she isn't human so..."

"Total told me, that she has been through a very hard life. That she has seen horrible things, that she's been scarred..."

Esme's thought filled with pity for her as I went on, "would she really want to be with a monster like me after everything?" I was talking more to myself rather than to Esme.

"You aren't a monster. You are a wonderful person." She hugged me, "and quite a catch." She added.

Her words cheered me to the cloud I was on when I came in. "I'm going out, not sure when I'll be back." I told her.

" Might be soon if she turns me away." I said to myself as I walked out the door.