I crept out of Edward's room when his heart began to speed up as he began to wake.
I ran all the way back to my house. my brothers and sisters had already left for school and I was grateful not to talk to them. I ran up to my room and changed my clothes. I bumped into Esme on the way out the house. she looked at me curiously at my erratic movements and shook her head. she then sniffed and caught Edward's scent. the look of happiness on her face was catching. I grinned at her and ran to school.
I arrived shortly after my siblings and went to stand with them. Rosalie ignored me and looked in the other direction. Jasper & Emmett looked at me curiously their thoughts bombarding me with questions.
Alice simply grinned at me. she showed me the vision she had seen last night of me in Edward's room. I nodded confirming it and she grinned wider.
I heard Edward's truck's engine from a few miles away. I made a quick decision. as Edward's truck pulled in I muttered to Alice to wait for me and walked over to him.
as he was getting out, he didn't see me until he turned around. his heartbeat stopped and then started and his eyes grew wider.
"hey Edward." I said quietly, smiling at him being careful not to show my teeth.
"um, hey Bella." he said looking confused. I could understand why. after months of my silence, just coming up and talking to him might be a bit confusing. I felt bad about this.
"listen Edward, I'm sorry about the way I've been acting. it was rude and pointless" well now it was. " it's just better, safer, if we're not friends." I told him sadly. the bell rang. "I'll see you in biology." I said and turned away.
Alice was waiting for me at the doors. she looked at me.
why did you say that? I thought you were going to talk to him now-
her thoughts cut off as her eyes glazed over and she saw my decision.
you're sitting with him at lunch?!
I smirked at her obvious excitement and walked into the class-room.
about half-way through the class her eyes unfocused and I groaned as I saw what she had seen. Mr banner was teaching blood-typing today. on the days that the blood would be spilt, it was a good idea for the vampires to ditch. I would have to give up my hour with Edward.
I waited impatiently through the classes for lunch. in my class with Jasper he started to bounce up and down from my impatience. he looked so funny I giggled. he looked at me annoyed and I shut up.
the bell went for lunch and I ran to the cafeteria. I sat at an empty table and waited. my brothers and sisters walked in looking unsurprised at my sitting at a different table. Alice must have told them.
she's crazy poor kid. yeah. Emmett's thoughts were really encouraging.
Rosalie's weren't any better -could ruin everything. I'll kill her if she does.
I tuned them all out. I did not want to be swayed on this.
I waited until the cafeteria was almost full up. then I saw Edward standing, buying just a drink. I looked at him until he began to sense my eyes on him and he turned his head.
once I caught his eye, I beckoned to him. his face looked shocked. I decided to have some fun and winked at him. his jaw dropped before he gathered himself. I giggled. I caught onto mike newtons thoughts.
yeah I knew she couldn't resist me. she so obviously wants me to go to her.
I snorted at his mislead thoughts and cleared them up.
"Edward." I called. my voice carrying easily across the room. mike's shocked and upset thoughts made me giggle again.
Edward walked over to me uncertainly, and sat down.
"hey" I said smiling.
"hey," he replied looking even more confused than this morning. "what's with this then. I thought you said you didn't want to be my friend."
"I said it would be safer for you not to be my friend. not that I didn't want to be." I clarified.
"right. safer?" he asked. I stifled a groan. he was too observant.
"yes." I left it at that. he rolled his eyes.
"you're not going to tell me what that means are you?" he asked sounding slightly annoyed. I giggled again at his tone.
"no." I told him, still smiling slightly.
"sooo, in real terms... are we friends then?" he asked hesitantly. I scowled a bit at the word friend. it wasn't enough.
he misinterpreted my frown.
"okay not friends." he murmured.
"we can be friends, but if you were smart you'd stay away from me." I told him. he needed to get this message. if he did and still wanted to be with me I would stop trying.
"okay, but if I'm being un-smart, we'll be friends right?" he smiled at me.
"right." I smiled back at him. I would try again later.
the bell rang pulling us out of our conversation. he drained his drink and stood up.
"biology. you coming?" he asked smiling. oh how I hated to disappoint such a face.
"no. I'm skipping. it's good for the soul." I joked.
"okay. I'm going though. bye." and with that he turned and headed off to class. I sighed. this was one of the times I really hated what I was.
I stood and went off to sit in my car. I placed a random c.d in the stereo and cranked it up loudly.
after 5 minutes I heard a worried thought reach me.
oh no – is he alright? what's going to happen. I can't carry him!
I looked and saw Jessica Stanley standing over Edward, who had lain down on the pavement. I was out of the car immediately.
"Edward!" I yelled. I saw Jessica look up and groan at my appearance.
stupid Cullen. what's she going to be able to do to help? she just gets in the way.
"is he alright?" I asked her, ignoring her hostile expression.
"yeah he passed out in biology." she told me reluctantly. blood typing. I stopped. did he stick his finger? I couldn't handle it if he did "it's weird though he didn't even use the needle. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued towards them.
"Edward? are you alright?" I asked him, bending over him. his eyes were closed and his face was a greenish color.
"yes, I'm fine." he told me quietly.
"go back to class Jessica, I'll take him." I told her and I pulled Edward into a standing position. she turned around in a huff. as soon as she turned the corner. I placed his arm over my shoulder, wrapped my arm around his waist and lifted him a tiny amount of the ground. his eyes were still closed. I took off running at my speed. we arrived at the office in 5 seconds and he opened his eyes. he looked around disoriented at where he was.
I set him down in one of the seats and went to fetch the nurse. I saw him looking at me with a curious expression on his face.
once the nurse saw Edward she made him walk into her office. I followed quietly.
"He just passed out. they're blood typing in biology." I offered as an explanation. the nurse rolled her eyes and went to fetch an ice-pack.
he sat up looking at me.
"so you faint at the sight of blood." I said chuckling. " and not even your own."
"it's not the sight it's the smell. it makes me sick." he explained.
smell?
"humans can't smell blood." I blurted out realizing too late my mistake of the word humans. luckily he didn't seem to notice.
"yeah well I can. it's disgusting." he said defensively. at that moment the nurse came in with the ice-pack and I withdrew to the wall. his face seemed be losing the sickly green color
at that moment the door opened and I caught the scent of the flowing blood. and so did Edward by the look on his face. time to leave.
"Go." I instructed and turned for the door.
Jessica followed out after. she had been the one to escort the other student in.
"are you alright now Edward?" she asked, in what she intended to be a flirty voice. it failed.
"yeah I'm fine." he told her.
"You going to the beach this week-end?" she asked using the same voice. a flash of jealousy went through me. they were going out some-where?
"Sure. I told Mike and Angela I was in." he said.
"Oh okay. well see you in gym." she said, leaving, disappointment heavy in her thoughts.
"Gym. I can't do gym like this." he mumbled to himself. he was right. he couldn't. I got up and whispered in his ear.
"Just sit there and look ill." I walked over to the school secretary.
"Mrs cope. Edward has gym next. I don't think he would be able to participate. could you please excuse him from the lesson?" I asked in my most human-pleasing voice.
"Of course Isabella. do you need to be excused too?" she asked. I accepted and waited for the slips. she handed them to me and I walked back to Edward. he stood up and I gave him his slip. we walked out the office into the drizzle.
"Are you going this weekend?" He asked me as the rain began to soak through my jumper. "To the beach, I mean?"
"No. And I doubt Jessica would ever invite me," I laughed.
"What about if I invite you?"
I stared at him for a few seconds, processing his words. "Where are you going?"
"La Push. You know it?"
Ah...
The Treaty that the Quileute Dogs had coerced us into lingered at the back of my mind.
Should a Vampire of the Cullen Coven ever set foot across the designated Treaty Line and into Quileute lands, all rights that they may have shall be negated and they shall be destroyed.
"Actually, this weekend my father is taking me and Jasper to one of his conferences," I lied smoothly. "We both have an ambition to be a doctor and he's opening some doors for us,"
"Oh." He frowned slightly. "Okay,"
"Besides, it's best that you and I don't upset Jessica anymore than necessary." I smirked.
"I'm sure she wouldn't be that upset,"
"I'm sure she would. She loathes me," I laughed and he joined me.
He started walking over to his car and I grabbed his arm as instinct.
"where are you going?" I asked him.
"my car." he said it like it was obvious.
"you aren't in any state to drive alright. friends make sure friends don't die in terrible car crashes. I'll drive you. Alice will take home your car." I told him, slightly worried about staying in a confined area with just his scent and nothing to dilute it.
"is there any point in arguing?" he asked defeated. I grinned and shook my head.
"absolutely none." I said cheerily and we walked over to my car. I opened the car and got in. he slid in beside me. the rain was running of his hair making his top wet. I laughed a bit but stopped as I caught his scent. he smelled better in the rain. how was that possible?
I quickly reversed out and drove away. he was silent for the journey. I pulled into his drive and turned off the engine. he looked a bit shocked at how quickly we had gotten there.
he got out the car and I joined him, an idea coming to me. I walked with him to the porch and looked up at him.
"hey Edward. I heard you say you were Seattle on the week-end of the dance. I was wondering, do you want a lift?" I asked suddenly anxious for his reply.
"what...who with?" he asked. what?
"um...me" I said
"why?" he asked.
"because I was planning to go any-way and-" I teased him "- your truck won't make it there very easily." I smirked.
"my truck works well enough." he said. he wasn't impressed with my teasing about his truck.
"sooo...will you go with me?" I asked looking up into his green eyes.
he blinked seeming dazed, and nodded.
"thank-you." I said. turning around. "see you tomorrow" I called before driving off. I looked at the car key I had just picked from his pocket and laughed.
I drove all the way back to school to pick up my brothers and sisters. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I jumped as Alice hopped in the front laughing at making me jump. she held her hand out for Edward's key. of course she would have seen it.
she was laughing, heading for Edward's truck. I was feeling in a strangely happy mood after today and set off for home with a genuine smile on my face.