A/N: I have a Beta! *happy dance* Thanks to coconutjelly596 for answering my neurotic e-mails in the middle of the night!
I don't own this.
Chapter Thirteen
Wednesday morning arrived without the aid of my alarm clock, and it took me a few moments to realize that the blame was to be laid on the brilliant rays of light that were streaming through my window, shattering as they met my partially opened blinds. The sun was out. It had stopped raining.
I was elated.
The mood held through my morning routine, and I reflected my excitement in my outfit, opting for a strappy lavender tank top under my usual layers, praying that it would get warm enough for me to shed my winter skin at some point during the day.
Skipping down the stairs, and only stumbling once, I threw Charlie a brilliant smile before grabbing a piece of toast and heading out the door, practically dancing to my truck, drinking in the sunlight. It's amazing how quickly you can grow to miss something, and even more amazing how you can never fully appreciate something until it's gone. I had taken the sun for granted in Phoenix. Here, in Forks, it felt like a gift.
I hummed cheerfully as I drove to school, the weight of the night before dissipating with every breath I took, every beat of my heart. Today just felt right. I couldn't wait to get to Forks High. I couldn't wait to see Angela, to laugh and be sarcastic and act my age. I couldn't wait to see Edward, to feel those butterflies that swarmed in my stomach come to life at the sight of him before me, at the sound of his voice.
Edward.
Yes, today was going to be a good day.
I pulled into the student lot and parked in my now-usual space towards the back, stepping lightly out of the cab and closing the door with an enthusiastic "thud," leaning back against the cool, worn metal and tipping my face towards the sky. It was a cold day, but still the sun shone warm and bright, defying a thin blanket of grey clouds in the distance to ruin its good time. Eager to feel less bulky for once, I dropped my backpack on the asphalt and made quick work of my heavy coat and the black hoodie underneath. I would probably freeze my ass off, but who knew when I would get a chance like this again?
"Hey, Swan, are you crazy?" asked an incredulous Angela as she approached me from a few cars down, having parked in the midst of my sun worship.
"No crazier than usual," I murmured contentedly, still angling my face towards the warmth above.
"You're going to freeze," she said, fingering the thin white cardigan and the lavender tank top that served as the last of my layers.
"There are worse ways to go," I replied dreamily.
"Seriously, Miss Bella, you need to put something else on. It's 30 degrees."
"Is it?"
"Bella."
"But the sun's out, Angie. The sun," I pouted, slumping back against my truck and sticking out my lower lip. "I may never get another day like today. I just want to enjoy it."
"Enjoy it with a jacket on."
I glared at her but she held her ground and, after a rather violent shiver made its way up my spine, was forced to concede that she had a point.
"Fine. But I won't like it," I grumbled, yanking warmer layers back on and instantly feeling better.
"Whatever," she laughed, turning towards the school once I was more sensibly clothed. "Are you coming, Miss Whiney?"
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
In spite of the extra layers, my mood held along with the weather, and I walked into the cafeteria with a spring in my step. This was the time I had been waiting for all day. This was the time I would get to see Edward.
I rushed through the lunch line, grabbing an apple and a tea, too distracted to eat anything substantial, and made my way towards Jessica Stanley's table, settling down next to Angela and ignoring the conversation around me.
My eyes were fixed on his usual table.
But he wasn't there.
None of them were.
I waited.
They didn't show.
I glanced at the clock. Lunch had only started ten minutes ago. Maybe he was held up.
Fifteen minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Thirty minutes.
No sign of him or his family.
No Cullens.
My heart sank lower and lower, along with my spirits.
"He wasn't in my English class today, Bella," Angela said quietly to me when only a few minutes of the period remained, following my gaze to his empty table.
"He… he said he'd see me today," I said dejectedly, hating the way my voice shook, hating how much I was hurt by his absence. "Where is he?"
Hating how much I missed him.
"Who?" Jessica asked, catching my tone and turning towards me.
"Edward Cullen," I responded without thinking, regretting the reflex instantly when her face lit up.
"Oh yeah," Jess said, smirking, "I heard you two got stuck in detention yesterday after school. Did some talking, did you?"
The entire table went quiet, along with every other table within earshot.
"I… uh… we… we talked a little. Mr. Banner assigned us some work, though, so we were pretty… busy…"
"Yes, well obviously you didn't talk that much, or he would've told you that his family goes hiking when it's nice out."
Jessica's face was nothing less than triumphant, and I had to wonder how she had grown to dislike me so quickly. She seemed to revel in my disappointment, and was clearly enjoying the fact that she knew things about Edward that I didn't.
"Really?" I asked, trying to seem disinterested, trying to bring the situation back within the realm of my control.
"Why yes, Isabella. Dr. Cullen takes the day off from work and everything. They're quite outdoorsy. It's some sort of family bonding thing. Everyone knows about it." She gave me a significant look before continuing. "Funny. It seemed like you two were becoming quite chummy. I would have thought he'd have mentioned it."
"Yes, well… as I said before, we were busy. And, in case you need reminding, Jessica, I've only been here three days." I was going from hurt to uncomfortable to annoyed very quickly, and the more Jessica spoke, the more danger I was in of saying something that, while fun in the present, I would definitely regret in the future.
"Yes," she said with a significant look, "it's funny. It feels like you've been here forever. Now, Mike, tell me about that movie again?"
She turned her attention to the boy sitting next to her and it was over. For now.
"She's just jealous, Bella. You have to know that," Angela whispered to me, placing a hand reassuringly on my shoulder before gathering up the remnants of her lunch on her tray. "Now, come on. The bell's about to ring. Let's get to class."
"Is it true what she said?" I asked Angela as we approached the Science building a few minutes later. "They go hiking on nice days?"
"That's the pattern," Angela said. "It's really only noticeable because the sun doesn't shine here that often. "
"That's odd," I commented to myself, turning over something Edward had said to me yesterday.
"What is?"
"Well, it's just that Edward told me—"
"Angela!" called a male voice when we entered the classroom, and we both turned in surprise.
"Ben," she replied with a shaky smile, her eyes lighting up. "What's up?"
"I'm working on this article for the school paper and I was wondering if—"
"Later," I mouthed to Angela before walking back to my table, listening amusedly as Angela and the boy chatted about some sort of series he had proposed about the Quileute high school. From the nervous way they were laughing and the eager way they were appraising each other, it wasn't difficult to see that they were both smitten… and too embarrassed to do anything about it. Maybe there was something Angela could use my help with after all…
The class dragged, the empty space next to me seeming to mock me with every passing moment.
Where was he?
I kept my eyes trained on the door, waiting for his casual entrance, his flippant reply to Mr. Banner. I wanted a repeat of yesterday. I wanted him. He promised.
Well, did he promise? No… not really. He hadn't promised. He had just implied. But, still… he got my hopes up…
But no Edward. He just didn't appear. I wanted to cry.
So much for my perfect day.
The bell rang and I trudged off to gym class, barely registering Mike Newton's eager offer to walk me there and only half-heartedly returning Angela's wave as I followed him out of the building.
Today sucked.
I hate the sun.
……………………………………………………………………………………..
"Seriously, Bella, you look like someone just told you the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist. You need to cheer up. What about the sun?"
"Fuck the sun," I muttered, following Angela into the parking lot after the school day had mercifully ended
"No. I'm saving myself for Saturn."
I looked up at her, taking in her wry smile, and immediately burst out laughing.
"Thank god," she sighed, watching me double over. "I was beginning to think I'd have to put you on a suicide watch."
"I know, I know," I gasped, catching my breath. "It's just… I was looking forward to…"
"I know."
"Yeah."
"Hey, what were you going to tell me in Biology before? Something about Edward telling you something?"
"What? Oh," I said as I realized what she was talking about. "Edward had told me that he preferred to hike in the rain yesterday. He'd told me that was why he missed class. I found it odd that the family makes a point of going hiking when it's sunny out… it goes against what he told me yesterday."
"Huh," Angela nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty strange. Who hikes in the rain?"
"Edward Cullen," I replied with a heavy sigh.
"Well," she declared after a pause, "there's a freak in every family"
"I'm an only child."
"Let your freak flag fly, kid."
"Wait… aren't you an only child?"
"Sorry, Bella. I have a brother at Washington State."
"Does he hike in the rain?"
"No. He collects stamps, though."
"Goodbye, Angela. I'll call you later."
"See you, Bella," she called, opening her car door and dropping into the driver's seat.
I took my time on the way to my truck, a mere handful of spaces down from where she'd parked, trying to collect my thoughts before I was faced with the claustrophobia of my tiny house and my tiny life. Everything seemed much bigger out here, much more expansive. My school in Phoenix had been surrounded by suburban sprawl, an oasis of glass and concrete surrounded by an ocean of mini-malls and middle income housing. Forks High seemed much purer, much less oppressed. While the school itself was situated on the main drag, it was cornered by mountains and trees, much like my house, and that afforded it a much more organic feel. I had hated it a few days ago, but I was growing to appreciate it with each passing minute.
Reaching my baby, I thought for a moment before dropping the tailgate and climbing into the bed of the truck, stripping off my coat and balling it up behind me to use as a pillow before laying back against the rusted metal and staring up at the sky. From here, my problems weren't so oppressive. In relation to the vast stretch of mountains and trees and sky around me, Edward Cullen was nothing. Just a drop in the bucket. Meaningless, really.
I don't know how long I was laying there, but after a while my back grew sore and I sat up, stretching uncomfortably and looking around. The parking lot was, for all intents and purposes, empty, except for a handful of younger boys skateboarding at the other end. I stepped carefully from the back of the truck and approached the woods that began a few yards back from the parking lot, feeling the need to take a walk after all that time lying down.
I have never been a hiking kind of girl. Swimming I can handle. Days at the park I can handle. Hiking… well, hiking generally means falling. The sun was still high enough in the sky for me to safely navigate any errant roots or branches, and Charlie was working later than usual tonight so I didn't need to worry about dinner quite yet… it was time to see what all this fuss was about. Time to see what was keeping Edward away from me, what was so special about a bunch of stupid rocks and plants and trees.
I was jealous of a forest.
How ridiculous can you get?
I was halfway between the parking lot and the tree line when a rather loud and annoying noise, something akin to a rather large lawnmower engine, made me turn. The skateboarders in the parking lot were now crowded around a red… dirt bike? Motorcycle? It had two rather fat wheels and lots of ridiculous white stripes running down the sides, it's front fender splashed with what looked like mud. One of the boys was standing proudly astride it, clearly enjoying the fawning attention being paid by his peers over his possession. There was a bit of cheering from his small crowd of fans, and then the boy mounted the bike, revving the engine absurdly and taking off entirely too fast across the empty lot, racing an invisible opponent.
He began making wide circles, accelerating every few loops to the cheers of the other boys and leaning more heavily into every new arc. He was trying to impress them. It was ridiculous.
I turned away from them, tired of the distraction, hoping for some quiet, and began my trek towards the woods again.
The engine revved louder, closer.
I kept walking.
The engine faded, then came closer still.
I kept walking.
The engine became louder, drowning out my thoughts with its obnoxious buzzing sounds, and, frustrated, I turned around and began walking back to my truck, intent on telling the boys off before heading home and perhaps giving the woods by my house a chance.
I had only just stepped off of the curb into the parking lot when I heard it…
The squealing of breaks…
The dull, horrible sound of rubber spinning wildly against the pavement…
I looked up.
The boy was no longer on the bike…
The bike had spun out of control, hurtling erratically across the parking lot…
I watched as the blur of red and black and white skidded aimlessly, wondering when it would stop, if the boy was alright…
And then I froze…
The bike was coming right at me…
The bike would hit me…
And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.
I closed my eyes and waited for it to be over.
Little did I know, it had only just begun…
A/N: Sooo…? I'm not going to lie… I was offended by the lack of response to the last chapter. I know it was more of a character study than anything else, but come on, kids… don't you like me anymore?
PLEASE review. My ego took a major hit on the last chapter. As well as the response to DandL. I LIVE on feedback. I know how many of you have favorite or alerted this story, and it has gotten 6000 hits this month. It doesn't feel real unless I get reviews. I'm needy. What can I say.
Don't make me hold the next chapter hostage. Click the damn button and say something!!!
Love you. : )