A/N: So, I've had over 1100 hits for this story since midnight, which sort of makes me feel like the great and powerful Oz. Once again, this plotline is getting away from me, and I'm trying to be more thoughtful, do some planning… I don't want another half-finished story on my profile.
In any event, here's some nice Edward/Bella action. The bulk of you have been lovely and reviewed, but I've had 45 people add me as a favorite or sign up for story alerts today, and you guys should be reviewing as well. I don't get paid, here, and this isn't the most social of hobbies, so a nice comment or a critique goes a long way towards making me feel less geek-ish… though I'm so totally a geek.
Anyway, SM owns this and, thanks to writing my two stories, I can proudly say that I've been Twilight free for a month now. On with the show… : )
Chapter Ten
The bell rang all too soon, signaling the end of a class which had previously seemed too long but, since Edward's sudden appearance, had become entirely too short.
Since taking his seat next to me and dealing with Mr. Banner, he hadn't acknowledged my presence or spoken a word, and I found that this had suited me just fine. I was nervous and guilty and horrified at my behavior. I have never shown disrespect to anyone before, let alone a teacher, and now, here I was, acting irresponsibly and then talking back to boot. This place was changing me. This… boy… was changing me.
His posture for the remainder of class had been tense and, to be honest, more than a bit off-putting. He had maintained a rather pronounced distance from me, moving his stool to the very opposite end of the table and leaning as far away from me as possible. His hands had drawn themselves into tight fists, his already pale fingers going whiter around the knuckles from the tension. His face, when I dared to steal glances at it through the curtain of my hair, had been drawn, blank, impassive, but his eyes told a different story. They burned the deepest shade of amber I'd ever seen, an invisible fire sparking behind the golden orbs. He looked tormented. Maybe he was. I would find out.
Shuffling out of class with the rest of the students, Edward having darted out of class with almost inhuman speed the moment the bell rang, I paused to speak to Angela in the hallway.
"Well aren't you a rebel?" she asked, winking at me and raising her eyebrows in the most absurd manner.
"Bad to the bone," I replied sarcastically, shaking my head. "Seriously, Angie, what the fuck is wrong with me? Why did I do that back there?"
"You know why you did that," she responded earnestly, all humor gone from her face, "and, Bella, you need to know that it's alright that you did that. Really. Don't feel bad."
"Yeah," I scoffed, "it's totally alright for the Chief of Police's daughter to get detention on the second day of class in a new school in a new town. No big deal."
"You're not just the Chief of Police's daughter, and you can't live your life going by someone else's standards. Really, Bella, it's not like you ripped your shirt off and ran screaming around the room. You were reading a book in class, and you explained to Banner why you'd chosen to do it. There's nothing earth shattering about that. Lighten up."
I just shook my head and looked at her, unable to discuss it any further. There was nothing to be done now. I had detention. I, Bella Swan, have detention this afternoon.
"Thanks, Angie," I said, smiling at her as warmly as I could manage before idly flipping open my cell phone to check the time. "Now get your ass out of here. You'll be late to class."
"You, too, James Dean," she smiled, waving as she turned. "Try not to get arrested on your way to gym."
I smiled and spun towards the door, moving to walk outside, but ran into something quite solid.
"Did I hear the word 'gym'? Because I have gym this period."
Mike Newton was smiling down at me, clearly happy for me to run into him any time I pleased. Still, I was a bit uncomfortable about the proximity, accidental or otherwise, and so I took a step back before returning his smile.
"Awesome. You can show me where it is, cause I obviously didn't make it there yesterday."
Grinning like a fool, Mike led the way, holding the door open for me and giving a slight bow, ushering me through ahead of him. Laughing at his mock formality, I hurried through the door and into the damp, cold air outside, wondering, for a moment, about the flash of copper hair and white skin I thought I'd just seen out of the corner of my eye as I left the hallway, but brushing it off as an illusion.
Obviously I just had Edward Cullen on the brain.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For the record, gym sucks. Of course, gym sucks even worse when your wrist is in a brace but your teacher won't let you get out of doing calisthenics with the rest of the class. Sit-ups? Seriously? Can someone explain to me how a grade can fairly be formed based on sit-ups?
In any event, I got my slip signed from yesterday, finally, and dropped it off in the office, trying extra hard to be nice to Mrs. Cope in the process. For some reason, she didn't like me. Maybe it was my correcting her at that first meeting. Maybe it was because Edward had talked her into helping me, even though she clearly hadn't wanted to. In any event, it was something. I was sure of it.
I met up with Angela in the parking lot by her car, looking for a little pre-detention pep talk and some quick, friendly advice. I am not generally one to feel helpless, but I was finding it more and more difficult as the day progressed to fight back against it. Other people are volatile, unpredictable, irrational... but I'm not. At least, I didn't used to be. I hate not feeling in control, and Edward made feel too far out of my element to be comfortable.
Of course, this detention, this hour with a boy I was simultaneously fascinated by and terrified of, was all of my own doing. It was my fault. I suck.
"Relax, Bella," Angela said for what must have been the hundredth time. "Just go get it over with. It'll be fine. You'll be fine."
I took a deep breath, sucking in the freezing cold air through my nostrils and letting it escape slowly and deliberately out of my mouth. In and out. In and out. It will be fine. I will be fine.
"Just talk to him… or don't. Do what you're comfortable with. But, whatever you do, don't let him railroad you again. Don't let him make you feel uncomfortable. You'll do great. You'll see."
"Yeah," I said quietly, "I'm sure. I'll talk to you later, Angie. Have a good day."
Surprisingly, she pulled me into a much needed hug, giving me a quick, encouraging squeeze before pushing me gently back towards the school.
"Call me afterwards," she said, smiling at me and holding up both hands, crossing her fingers. I laughed at the gesture and returned it. "Oh, and Bella!" she called as I walked away, pausing to turn at the sound of my name. "Try not to throw anything this time!"
She collapsed in on herself in hysterical giggles, finding herself hilarious, and I blushed slightly before doing the same, shaking with silent laughter as I walked back to the Science building, back to my fate for the next hour. My ironic smile held as I pulled the door to the building open and stepped inside, held as I walked into Mr. Banner's classroom…
And then it vanished rather abruptly, my face arranging itself into an entirely different expression.
The room was empty, but for one person, now sitting stonily in his seat at our table, gorgeous eyes focused on something out the window.
Edward Cullen.
He was perfect. I hadn't gotten a good look at him earlier in class, and, unable to help myself, I took the opportunity to drink him in. He was wearing a deep indigo long-sleeved t-shirt that clung to his chest and arms in a way that made the room suddenly warmer. His jeans were dark and expensive looking, travelling down his legs and gracefully skimming the tops of his black, square-toed shoes. He looked like a model. He looked like a movie star. He looked like…
My heart dropped into my shoes, and I suddenly became very aware of the fact that we were alone in this classroom, possibly alone in this building.
He must have heard me come in, heard my sudden halt in motion, but he did not acknowledge my presence, and I decided that, rather than stress over this situation, I would let his treatment of me determine my treatment of him. He would define our relationship, and I would just take my cues from his behavior. It seemed much easier than putting myself out there. It seemed much safer.
Right now, he's ignoring me, so I'll ignore him.
Right.
Got it.
Move, Swan.
Damn… I had frozen in this same spot yesterday, too. Two bouts of temporary paralysis in as many days. Hopefully this wouldn't become a habit.
I walked back to our table, unsure of where I should be sitting since Mr. Banner was not yet here to guide me. Edward was in his assigned seat, and I assumed that I should be as well. Once again, I mirrored his behavior.
I took about four steps… and then I tripped.
Yeah.
I know.
Fucking fantastic.
My foot caught a table leg this time, and I flew forward once more, managing to catch myself on the edge of the table in front of me, and suffering only a small jolt to my elbow.
I straightened myself, blushing furiously, sensing a pair of very serious eyes looking in my direction. I dared a peek up, hoping I would be wrong, but I wasn't. Edward was staring at me, his mouth open as if to speak… but he didn't. At least, not yet.
Pulling my shoulders back and holding my head up with as much dignity as I could muster, I walked as confidently as I could to our table, keeping my eyes straight ahead, refusing to look at him.
There.
I made it.
No serious injuries this time.
I didn't throw anything.
That wasn't so bad.
I climbed gracelessly onto the stool next to him, pulling my backpack onto the table in front of me, yanking on it rather hard when one of the straps got caught on a corner of the table and, incidentally, punching myself rather hard in the chin as the strap to the bag gave way suddenly.
"Ouch!" I yelled compulsively, rubbing my chin and wincing. "Shit that hurt!"
"Bella, are you alright?" asked the Adonis seated to my left. He was leaning towards me slightly, a concerned look in his eyes, his face etched with confusion. I met his worried gaze and blinked once, twice…
That was it.
That was too much.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I burst out laughing.
Deep, body shaking laughter that made my cheeks ache and my lungs burn. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, I couldn't think… I just laughed. I laughed so hard that I lost my balance and nearly fell off my stool, causing me to laugh harder still.
Really, today was ridiculous. This was ridiculous. This was insane. What could I do but laugh?
I struggled to regain my composure when a shift in Edward's posture reminded me of his presence beside me. I turned quickly, locking my eyes with his, still shaking and grinning like a psych patient.
"Good lord, Bella, maybe you should consider wearing a helmet," he said quietly, shaking his head and looking at me like I was crazy.
Well, that was understandable. In that moment, I was crazy… but, in all fairness, it was either react this way or go curl up in the fetal position in the hallway, and I much preferred this way… at least for the moment.
"I'd never do it," I gasped in response, my body still quaking as I fought for control. "I don't look good in hats."
He looked at me a moment, unsure, it seemed, about whether he should smile at my insanity or back away slowly.
"I find that hard to believe," he said, almost inaudibly, shaking his head and seemingly talking to himself. I don't think he had meant for me to hear that, and his brief monologue snapped me out of my delirium.
I sat quietly next to him, a small smile still playing on my lips, unsure of whether I should acknowledge his comment or not. I had just decided against it when Mr. Banner walked in, looking around the room and appearing startled that we would have selected our assigned seats in an empty classroom.
"Ms. Swan, Mr. Cullen," he called, waving us forward, "I have assignments for each of you. There is a staff meeting this afternoon which I had forgotten about, and so I am afraid your detention will be a solitary one. I trust that will be alright with both of you," he narrowed his eyes at us, and I wasn't sure if he was implying that we would prefer for him to be there or not. "In any event, I have a packet for each of you regarding the material you both chose to miss today. Please be thorough in their completion and leave them on my desk when you are finished. Your work will be graded and I urge you to take this seriously. You may leave when you are done. Goodbye."
He handed us both rather thick white packets of paper before offering a curt not and leaving the way he had come in.
"Asshole," I muttered as we listened to Mr. Banner's footsteps retreating down the hallway. Edward eyed me in mild surprise at my language, and I clapped a hand over my mouth, slightly horrified that I'd just said that out loud.
Seriously, who am I and what have I done with Bella?
A/N: So… this should be longer but I don't have the time to finish it today and I hate to keep you guys hanging. In all likelihood I'll update again tomorrow. Besides, you know you love the suspense.
Review, please. You know how much I love it, want it, need it…