Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Ignoring Ms. Denali was much easier said than done.

School was fine since all I had to do was stick to my classes and leave right away. By Tuesday I had the system all figured out. I arrived at school about five minutes before school started and raced to my first class. Once class was over I would race to the next one, stopping for nothing…unless I tripped of course. During lunch I sat next to Grace and talked with the group; I went to the cafeteria with them and left with them.

During math class, I avoided as much eye contact with Ms. Denali as possible. I always did my homework and even had Jake and Charlie (not that they were much help) check it over for any possible mistakes. If I did my homework perfectly Ms. Denali would have no reason to keep me after class. When school was finally out, I raced to my truck and left school grounds.

Just because I had a way to ignore Ms. Denali didn't mean that it was flawless. Starting Tuesday I noticed that Ms. Denali seemed intent on making the whole ignoring her thing a somewhat difficult task. At school it seemed that just as I was slipping into a class, Ms. Denali was half way down the hall walking towards me. Her eyes held a type of determination that I've never seen before.

I always just avoided her. I'm sure if there weren't any other humans around, she wouldn't hesitate to use her vampire speed to get to me. It was like that all week long, I was always just barely one step, or stumble in my case, ahead of her.

Work was another matter. Throughout the week I worked mostly with her. Monday I worked with Kate. Which let's just say Kate makes Emmett and Alice seem tame when excited. I swear I bruised my lungs from gasping from trying to catch my breath so much because of all the laughter she caused.

I was actually looking forward to working on Tuesday to be entertained by Kate, but when I got there it was only Ms. Denali working. She tried several times to start a conversation with me, but I just said that I had homework to do and I couldn't talk because I had to concentrate. Naturally being a vampire that's lived several hundreds of years with a flawless memory and being a teacher, she offered to help me. I declined immediately and probably a bit rudely.

Work with her was awkward. She always had her eyes on me. Not in a creepy way of course, but more in a way of trying to figure me out. She was confused, she didn't understand how we could have had such a good time over the weekend and then now I'm ignoring her. To be honest, I can barely understand it myself.

Every time I think about I should just stop being stupid and talk to her again, since I do like talking to her, I stop myself. I hear what Edward told me in the woods, I heard him break me. Everything he said just keeps popping back into my head every time I try to talk to Tanya. I wish I wouldn't think about it, I wish I could just forget about it; but I can't.

I'm afraid. I'm absolutely terrified. Edward said he was my soul mate and I believe him. We were so close to each other. We shared everything with each other. We got to know each other so well. I got close to his family; except Rosalie who hated me and Jasper because he was too new to the diet; but they all said I was family. They looked at me, a human, and only saw what I did for Edward, that I made him happy and vice-versa.

Then they left.

They all left me and didn't even think to say goodbye to the human. I can't let that happen again. The Cullen's showed me how easy it is for them to get close to a human and then leave them. It nearly killed me if it wasn't for the pack. I can't let that happen again. I can't give my heart up that easily; it's too fragile to break again.

From Tuesday on, whenever I worked with Ms. Denali, she tried to talk to me and when she realized I still didn't want to talk, she stuck to just watching me. I worked with her the most. The only other Denali I worked with was Kate. I was told that the others sometimes work, but not as often as those two.

My routine continued on though in making sure I stayed away from Ms. Denali in not only school but also out of school. I hung out with Jake all the time; although I was going to anyways since he is only visiting. He's a good vampire detector. After work or after school when I didn't work, I went straight home. I did my homework, made dinner then afterwards Jake and I would do something. This something was usually just a walk in town, but it was still nice.

It was during one of these walks, on Wednesday, Jake told me he would only be here another week before he had to get back. He said that wolves really aren't meant to be lone creatures, so he was really missing the pack. To say I was relieved would be an understatement when he told me. Even though he calmed down a lot since we talked on Sunday; he still made snide remarks about Ms. Denali and her family. Even though I'm trying to ignore her it doesn't mean I like hearing someone bad-talk her.

Even with all the time we spend alone together, Jake never once tried to make a move on me. He treated me like a friend. It was nice. We talked about a lot of things and joked about everything else. We both had a good time. Sometimes I would catch a sad look in his eyes, but as soon as I saw it, it was gone.

This week dragged on, but soon enough it was Friday. I had a short shift at the bookstore to I think stock some books that just came in and then I was going to see a movie with Jake; not as a date but just as friends. I got to the bookstore just as my shift was starting. Since a vampire was working whenever I started and ended; I didn't have to sign in or out for pay roll, they simply remembered when I got there and left.

I was surprised that instead of Kate or Ms. Denali working it was the only male of the coven: Eleazar. I had expected to see Carmen or Irina before I saw Eleazar.

"Good afternoon Bella; it's an honor to finally meet you." Eleazar said as I walked into the store.

I paused for a second in the door at the surprise of seeing him before I actually went inside. I made my way over to the counter and put my backpack underneath it and sat down in the lone stool there.

"Hi, you're Eleazar right?" I asked since I technically haven't been introduced to him before.

"I'm sorry, where are my manors? Yes my name is Eleazar. I assume someone has spoken of me to you then?" Eleazar asked.

If his looks weren't a give-away, his slight accent made it clear he is of Spanish decent.

"Ya, Ms. Den- Tanya told me a little about you guys." I answered. I'm not in school; I should at least call her by her first name to her family members, especially since they all have the last same name.

Ms. Denali didn't tell me too much about her family, but I at least know their names.

"I see." Eleazar said.

The next hour was spent in silence, he read a book and I did my homework. There was one person who came in, but they left soon after they saw Eleazar. I almost laughed when I saw the terrified looks he gave Eleazar. He was sitting quietly on a chair he pulled out from the office and looked like a college student cramming for finals because of all the books he had laid out on the back counter. I think it's fair to say that woman won't be coming back again; or at least any time soon.

"So, is there anything for me to do today. I thought I was going to do stock, but I don't see anything to stock?" I asked as I packed up my homework. I wasn't done with it, but it is Friday, so that means I have all of Sunday to actually finish it.

"Not today." Eleazar answered, not looking up from his book.

I settled back onto my stool and started to think about what book I wanted to start reading. It was maybe five minutes later that Eleazar spoke up again.

"I hope I don't seem rude, but I have a question, actually more of a request, for you." Eleazar said.

The way he talks is so polite that it almost reminds how Edward was when we first met. Once we got to know each better he became more…twenty first century. I wonder if that will happen with Eleazar if he spends more time with humans, will he talk more like this century or is he too old and set in his ways?

"Sure, what's your question?" I asked quickly, happy to not be in silence anymore. I'm a little bored of books, weird I know, since I work in a bookstore. It's actually somewhat sad that I'm not in a mood to read right now.

"Has Tanya told you of my gift?" He asked.

"You can tell if someone else has a gift and what it is, right?" I answered with a question. I'm pretty sure that's what it is, but there's still a slight chance I could be wrong.

"Correct. I had learned of Edward not being able to read you; I was wondering if I might try and see if I can?" Eleazar asked.

The look in his eyes right now remind me a little of Carlisle. His eyes, not so much his face, seem to hold some excitement at the prospect of learning something. I'm sure he wants to know if he's able to figure out why Edward can't read my mind.

"I guess. How do you, um, use your gift?" I asked a little nervously.

You can never tell with vampires. Some have more control over their powers than others. Like Kate, when she touches you, she doesn't automatically electrocute you. She can choose not to and can even pick the degree in which she electrocutes you. I learned that the hard way. Kate seems to think it's funny to shock me when I'm not paying attention, which scares the crap out of me and Kate seems to love it.

Then there are other vampires, like Edward. He can't turn his power off. He will always read everyone's mind around him. I wonder if when he gets to be as old as Kate if he will have more control over his gift, or will he always have to read everyone's mind. Would he even want to stop reading people's minds all the time?

Some vampires' gifts are more intrusive than others as well. Like Kate has to physically touch you, where-as the gifted Cullen's do not have to touch you. They of course have to be in a certain range, but they don't have to touch you. In fact Alice doesn't even have to be in range to get a vision of you. So I wonder how Eleazar's gift works.

Eleazar gave a light chuckle before he answered my question.

"It's nothing to worry about. All I have to do is touch you, like a hand shake, and then I will know. Would you allow me to do so?" Eleazar asked, his voice sounding hopeful.

I have no reason not to. In fact, I think it would be kind of cool to know if I have a gift or not and if that's why Edward can't read me.

"Sure." I answered.

Eleazar held out his hand as an offered hand shake. He was giving me a chance to back out if I decided I didn't want him to see if I have a power or not. As kind as that is, I don't see the big deal in it. It is nice though that's he's giving me the choice and not just demanding me to pick one way or the other.

I grasped his hand and he gave a brief shake of my mine and let go. I looked at him confused. He had a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Just as I had thought." Eleazar said with a small smug grin. "You are a mental shield." He told me.

A shield? No, a mental shield. To me that sounds really boring. I was hoping for something more exciting like the ability to move objects with my mind or something. I felt my face fall a little in disappointment.

"Why do you look so sad? A shield is a powerful gift. You can protect your mind and possibly when you are a vampire, you might be able to do so much more. You might be able to create a physical manifestation of your shield to help protect you physically. That's a strong gift to wield." Eleazar said; his eyes once more alight with all the new knowledge he just received.

The way he says that actually does make the gift I have kind of cool. The fact alone that I have a gift should make me happy since some vampires don't have any gifts.

Wait.

Did he say when I become a vampire? I can't become a vampire, there's no reason for me to become one. I was actually starting to think that I would have a normal human life. What does he mean when? That had to be a slip of the tongue; he couldn't have meant to say that. It had to be a mistake on his part.

"When I become a vampire?" I asked hesitantly.

He then seemed to catch the mistake he made. His eyes widened slightly and then quickly went back to his always calm appearance. He seemed to be thinking over something, something to tell me.

"Has Tanya told you why she started teaching at the high school?" Eleazar asked.

A/N: I hope this clears up a little more about Bella's thought process and reasoning as to why she's ignoring, or at least trying to ignore, Tanya.