alrighty, here's the long chapter: (i swear its long, 11 pages) :D

Chapter 14:

BPOV:

"Edward?" I muttered, half asleep, searching the bed for his cold form.

"Yes, love," he said in a low voice. "I'm right here."

He took my hand gently, leaving that electric current passing through it.

I hid my face to smile, but apparently he saw the corners of my lips lifting, and he chuckled under his breath.

"Are you willing to go to school today?" Edward asked.

I moaned. "I guess so. Does anybody know you're back?"

"No." He said quietly. "I guess they'll find out."

"That'll be wonderful," I complained. "We'll walk into school, holding hands – do you know what that will do? I was miserable on Friday. Now they're going to see me coming back to school all happy, holding hands with Edward Cullen. That's going to create some serious talk. Serious talk that anybody in Forks or La Push will hear."

He seemed speechless, but after a few seconds, said something. "You're right."

He dropped my hand, and I could barely hear him lift himself off my bed.

"I didn't mean it like that, Edward," I pressed. "Come on. I'm just saying…"

"I know what you mean, Bella," he said, standing before me, looking into my eyes. "It's just that I don't want to cause such a disturbance."

"Yeah," I looked down at the slightly crinkled bed-sheets. "How are we going to plan this?"

His eyes blinked slowly, exaggerated – for him – and his topaz eyes smoldered. "We're going to go to school."

"Edward!" I jumped out of bed. "That's not going to work"

"Bella, please. This will work out." His eyes pleaded, and I couldn't resist.

"Fine." I was surprised I'd accepted so easily, but then tried not to dwell too much on what was going to happen at school today. "Give me about ten human minutes, please."

He smiled and left the room. "Your wish is my command."

I sat in bed, on the edge of hyperventilating, debating whether he truly loved me.

Edward had said sorry so many times, he'd pleaded so many times; his face was always full of guilt, self-hatred and remorse whenever I brought up something that merely suggested having to do within the time period of his absence.

It was hard to believe, but by now, I was sure he wasn't going to let go again. I wanted that. I needed it.

I picked out a pair of jeans with a yellow polo – a bit better, considering how Alice would pick on me nonetheless. I made my way downstairs to the kitchen table, where Edward was perched perfectly on the wooden chair, his eyes expectant.

"Ready to go?" He asked, grinning.

I shut my eyes and bit my lip. "No."

A cold arm wound around my waist within a second. "Everything will be fine." He whispered into my ear.

I shivered, hoping he wouldn't notice and release his grip.

But he did.

"I apologize," he said, gliding over to the closet to retrieve my raincoat.

I shrugged it on and did it up tight. Once I did that and felt the least bit warmer, I hugged him.

"We can go now."

He laughed again, and led me out the door, towing me by the waist.

But I should have known.

A shiny silver Volvo was parked in the driveway behind my red truck.

Now everyone would know.

They would know that the Cullens were back, and that Bella Swan was riding with them.

I didn't even try to picture what problems this could create.

"Edward," I groaned. "Everyone's going to know."

"Do you want me to carry you on my back as I run?" He mocked, smiling his crooked smile.

"No," I blubbered. "I'm fine. Let's go."

As soon as we were strapped in tight, I realized something.

"Where are Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie?"

"They're taking Emmett's jeep."

"Oh."

Did the Cullens want to create a fancy way to welcome themselves back to Forks High School?

I could only imagine the countless faces gawking at the cars, realizing who was in them.

And why Bella Swan didn't have a ride from Jacob.

School started in fifteen minutes; I didn't quite realize why we were in the car so early. We could be at school in two minutes with the Cullens' reckless driving.

"Jacob," I breathed, remembering how he would pick me up in five.

Edward looked perplexed. "What is it?"

"He picks me up at every morning at 8:20. That's in five minutes. What if he comes here and sees my car there, and me not here?"

"That's a problem," Edward agreed.

I just nodded. "Should I go with Jacob this morning, and then meet you at school?"

"That sounds good." He didn't sound too happy with this, but he nodded and agreed anyway. "I'll be waiting," he said as I got out of the toasty Volvo reluctantly.

I waved and smiled, standing in the icy driveway, waiting for three more minutes until he came.

Once Edward had waved one more time and successfully gone around the corner, a single tear escaped my eye. I didn't know what was going to happen between Jacob and Edward, and I didn't want it to be bad. I wanted them to resolve it easily, to move on. I knew Jacob wouldn't let up that easily, and that's what troubled me.

My deep thoughts were interrupted by a slight screeching of tires against ice as Jake and his Rabbit came barreling down the street. He pulled into my driveway at the last second, threatening to hit my truck.

"Jake!" I yelled, starting to walk towards his car.

I saw him in the front seat and couldn't help but smile. He was grinning so wide that I thought his face might be frozen like that.

I climbed in the front seat and instantly found the warmth that was his car. Of course it was two things; the heat that was on full blast, probably just for me, and Jacob's natural body heat.

"Hey, Bells!" he sounded happy.

I tried not to think that he was going to be very unhappy in just a few minutes.

"Hi, Jake," I said quietly, quieter than I'd hoped for. "Let's go."

"Sure thing," he kept grinning as he backed widely out of my driveway, not really looking. I tensed as he sped up out the ice-laden streets.

So, once we got to school, Jacob would drop me off at the regular spot. At the student parking lot. The building containing my lockers, and surprisingly, Edward's locker, was right there. So surely Edward would be waiting here, outside his car.

This was not going to be good, especially since Jake didn't even go to school here. The principal could come out yelling, depending on what happens. Jacob goes to the Quileute Community School, and seeing him here fighting with a seventeen year old wouldn't be good.

I had to stop this somehow. I couldn't let them kill each other.

My stomach churned and I was feeling dizzy as soon as we entered the student parking lot.

"Jake…" I glanced over the parking lot, finding Edward's silver Volvo standing out near the front. Damnit. Why didn't he park at the back?

Jacob took a glance over to where I was looking, and he stopped the car.

"Who the hell is that standing there?" Jake's voice was incredulous.

I didn't have anything to say. I just sat there, staring at Edward and the way he leaned so easily against his car. I guessed that as soon as he heard Jacob's thoughts, he looked in my direction. It was visible even from here that his eyes tightened and his jaw clenched.

I took a deep breath.

"Jake, don't be mad. I can explain. He can explain."

I stole a look at him, and that was a mistake. His face was of sheer hatred and distaste.

"Jake – really, don't be that way," I pressed, my voice starting to turn pleading. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

He didn't listen to me.

Instead, he parked the car, and shut it off. Then he opened the door and started to walk over to where Edward was standing.

I shut my eyes, but then quickly realized I'd have to do something. I opened my door as quickly as I could and scrambled out, slipping on the icy blacktop once or twice. But I didn't care who was looking, or who saw that Edward Cullen and his family were back in Forks.

There was only a few feet between Edward and Jacob now, the look on their faces both insanely angry.

I started to run, begging in my mind for nobody to hurt anyone.

"Jacob," Edward began. His tone was calm and cool. "There is no reason to do anything you'll regret. If you even try to, I could break your neck in a fraction of a second."

Edward's voice was patronizing, dark, and the look on his face was the same. It reminded me of the first day I'd seen him, sitting in the biology lab, me beside him. His fists were clenched, white, tendons sticking out under his pale skin. He looked like he wasn't breathing. And the glares he gave me. I remembered them so clearly.

"Edward, please!" I found my own voice, wavering. "Don't do anything!"

By now, at least twenty people had gathered around us, not so close as to actually tell they were watching the fight, but just a few cars away, walking very slowly past the cars, all eyes on us.

Jacob shot me a condescending look, showing that I shouldn't say anything. But I couldn't let this happen with me standing right here.

"You expect to be welcomed back to Forks?" Jacob was yelling so loud. "You think Bella wants you back? After what you did to her? You think that anyone in this town would really like the Cullens back?" He spat the word Cullens, emphasizing his revulsion to them.

"Jacob," Edward was firm. "I understand what you are trying to say. But I have already talked to Bella about this and – "

"What?!" Jacob shouted. "You already talked to Bella?"

"Jake, I'm not your girlfriend," I said weakly, stepping in a bit.

But clearly, that was the wrong thing to say.

His face grew even more red, his teeth grinding together. "You're not his girlfriend!"

I didn't say anything, and just looked down.

"Listen, Jacob," Edward said, his voice rigid. "I've already talked to Bella about this. She doesn't feel any differently than I do."

"Oh, how do you feel?" He threw his arms in the air, looking as if he'd gone crazy.

"I feel that if Bella is ready to accept me back into her life, then I will come back. Only under her wish, though. And she has wished that."

I could tell Jake was about to lose it now.

"Jake!" I screamed, not knowing what to do, so I thrust my hands outwards.

But it was too late.

Jacob had taken a swipe for Edward's face, but of course Edward wouldn't have any of that.

He quickly took his arm and pinned along with his other arm around his back, and pushed him down onto another vehicle.

It was silent except for Jacob's faint growling. "Let me go, Cullen."

Edward glanced at me, and I could only nod my head softly.

Jacob was freed at once, and he took another elbow for Edward's face, which of course, didn't work.

Edward simply pushed his elbow back down with a shove, chuckling.

This was the angriest I'd ever seen Jacob before.

He looked at me, and immediately I wanted to hide behind Edward and be protected.

My sunshine had turned into cloud. Big, red, mad clouds.

"Jacob…" I whimpered, then stopped, hearing how pathetic I sounded.

"Leave it, Bella," he fumed. "You accept him back into your life like that. You do that. You wait until he hurts you again."

And with that, he walked back to his car, started it, and sped off – literally.

The people who were watching started to leave, realizing it was over.

Of course, there were a lot of things they could talk about. How I was 'going out with Jacob', how I'd dumped him for Edward, how the Cullens had come back so suddenly, how Edward was still with me, how Jacob and Edward had a disagreement. There were a lot of things bored high school students could conjure up.

I glanced at Edward, who looked resentful. "I'm.. sorry, Bella."

Those words nearly sent me to ears. "No, it's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Bella. This was all mine. I should have never left you, never, and now look what it's done.. I'm so sorry. I don't know how to apologize."

"Edward, stop it," I urged, not wanting to hear him say those words anymore. "It's fine. He's just overreacting. I'll talk to him later or something."

Edward looked up at me this time, his eyes turning cold. "Not by yourself."

I rolled my eyes, moving a step closer to him. "Let's go to class."

He nodded, and then said, "You don't know what sort of crazy rumors all these foolish high school students have."

"I don't really want to know," I reminded him, taking his frigid arm. "They're all stupid, anyways."

He was silent for a second. "You're absolutely right," he agreed, his tone low.

My heart beat at least fifty times faster when we entered the school, having every single face turning to look at us, eyes wide, staring like we were unicorns, some sort of oblivious mythical creature.

There was a mythical creature, I reminded myself, by my side. But he wasn't a unicorn.

Edward dropped me off at my locker. "I'll see you at your next class."

And with that, he left, striding off down the hall, looking so perfect that anybody in the same hall was put to shame.

I smiled and gathered my books, heading off to first period English. I tried to ignore the gaping faces, and entered quickly, apparently surprising everyone.

All the kids were in groups around the classroom, huddled together in intense gossip, but that stopped abruptly when I came in.

They looked up at me with innocent faces, but I could see beneath them.

I tried to ignore it and just sat down at the back of the class. But, I also hadn't got rid of my golden retriever friend.

"Hey, Bella," he said, smirking. "Cullens are back?"

"Yeah, I guess," I replied, shrugging.

"You're back with him, too?" He seemed skeptical.

I didn't even answer, I just shrugged again.

Mike shook his head and turned his attention elsewhere. I felt bad.

But I knew I shouldn't, because the only thing that mattered right now was Edward and I.

It didn't matter what anyone else thought. It didn't matter. I had to chant this at least twenty times until our teacher came in the room, demanding silence.

I sat by myself, which I was grateful for, and pretended to listen to the teacher drone on.

By the end of the class, I was sure everyone had prepared their vicious rumors for the next people to be heard. That wouldn't be such a problem, getting them around, because this school was so small. That wasn't necessarily a good characteristic.

When something happened, everyone heard about it.

And I bet nobody would be able to accept our relationship, or the odd fact that the Cullens were back.

Jacob certainly wouldn't.

As far as I was concerned, he would be mad at me forever.

My personal sunshine; my troubled clouds.

howwww was that? that took me a long time to write haha. it was 11 pages on word, so yes, i am quite proud of myself lol.

keep reviewing and more will come :)