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storyline - "Race"
prompt - hostile
"Yeah, I mean… I thought you were sick or whatever," I stammered, grabbing a second spoon and using my hip to shut the utensil drawer.
"I am. Well, I was, but I'm okay now. I'll be in school tomorrow… which sucks," he said stretching his arms over his head.
The funny tingling in my stomach intensified. I stared dumbly at him, wishing I knew what else to say, wanting him to say something else, feeling the awkwardness creep in like fog.
"Bella!" Alice called from upstairs. Thank God.
"We're studying," I explained, walking across the kitchen.
"Have fun," he said, disappearing again.
Well, that wasn't so bad. At least he wasn't ignoring me.
I felt crappy as I climbed the stairs to join Alice in her room, though. What was wrong with me? I could never think of anything to say when he was talking to me – he probably thought I was either a bimbo or just incredibly boring.
"What took you so long?" Alice asked as I closed the door behind me.
"I'm like, two minutes behind you," I retorted, sitting next to her. "Edward was talking to me."
"What did he say?"
"The usual, I don't know Alice – I totally clam up around him it's so annoying. I feel like he knows this other version of me that doesn't really exist…. I'm never this quiet!"
"Don't worry about it," Alice shrugged, slathering an Oreo in Nutella. "The more you guys talk, the easier it'll get."
"I guess…"
I hoped she was right. I mean, she certainly sounded like she knew what she was talking about.
Then again, she was obsessed with Jasper Whitlock.
"So are you cool with Jasper now?" I asked casually, licking my fingers.
Her cheeks pinkened nicely. "Actually, he's super easy to talk to… so yeah. I think he could tell I was nervous though."
"I know Edward knows I'm nervous. He says it's cute, but I don't know. I think he just likes getting a reaction," I sighed, putting my spoon down. I wasn't in the mood for all that sugar like Alice was, and especially not for that damn Nutella.
Alice emptied her purse on to the kitchen table, looking for her car keys. "I know they're in here. I always put 'em in the same pocket…"
"Aren't they right there, on the counter?" I asked, pointing.
"Oh. Yeah." She quickly scooped everything back into her purse and swiped the keys up. "Ready?"
"Yep."
Edward appeared. "You're taking the car?"
"To bring Bella home."
"I'll bring her," he said, snatching the keys from Alice's grip.
"Why?" she asked, frowning.
Kicking her would have been too obvious and just a little hostile so I settled for mentally willing her to shut up.
"I need to go to the store anyway," he said, nodding at me. "Come on."
"But you don't even know where she lives," Alice insisted.
"Forks isn't that big, I can show him," I said, hugging her before she could say anything else. "See you tomorrow."
"Okay…"
Edward had already walked outside, leaving the front door open. Swinging my backpack onto one shoulder I hurried along behind him, giving Alice one last wave before getting into the car.
"She always does this," he muttered, adjusting the seat so his long legs would fit.
Resting my bag between my feet, I quickly put my seatbelt on and wracked my brain for something to say.
"So where do you live, Bella?"
"Over on Pine? The opposite end of town, basically."
"You'll just have to show me."
"Okay."
We eased on to the street, at which point Edward sped up. Like, really sped up.
"Where's the fire?" I asked, laughing nervously.
"Why go slow when you can go fast?" he asked, eyeing me with a little smile on his face.
Heat coiled down through my belly. I looked away, trying to un-fluster.
"Sorry, my dad's a cop so going the speed limit is like, ingrained in to me."
"Ha, yeah I forgot." He slowed down a tiny bit.
"So where'd you go the other night?" I asked, digging my fingers into the fabric of my jeans.
"Friday?"
"Yeah." I snuck a glance at him right as he was sneaking one at me. He grinned, making me blush.
"There was another party," he said. I wondered if he'd found a girl to make out with there, too.
"Oh…turn at this light."
We were in front of my house a few minutes later.
"Thanks for the ride," I said, grabbing my bag and opening the door.
"No problem."
"Hope you feel better."
"I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow," he answered.
I shut the door and had begun to walk away when he called my name.
I spun around so fast my brain probably dislodged itself. "Yeah?"
"Do you want us to pick you up tomorrow, for school?"
"Yes."
"Okay then," he said, laughing a little. "Bye."
"Bye."
My phone vibrated right as I polished off the rest of my eggs and toast.
Alice had texted me: be there in 5
Even though I'd already brushed my teeth I went and did it again for obvious reasons.
The ride to school was fairly quiet, except for music. Edward was out of the car the second we'd parked, striding quickly into the school while Alice and I lagged behind.
Not wanting my time with Alice to be dominated by Edward-talk, I ignored his hot/cold routine and asked her instead about our Spanish homework.
So imagine my surprise when we finally walked inside and saw Edward up ahead with Emmett, their respective heights making them easy to spot in the crowd.
Emmett was sucking face a blonde named Rosalie from the cheer squad. And Edward?
Was leaning against his locker with Katie Cooper draped all over him, her perfect little face partly hidden by her chin length blonde hair.
In fact, the way they were standing reminded me of how he and I had been when he'd kissed me.
Ugh. What had I been thinking?
I made a beeline for my locker, trying to listen to Alice and forget about whatever Edward was or wasn't doing. If that's the way it was, then so be it.