BELLA's POV

On Monday, I arrived at school feeling like I hadn't slept for the past three nights.

I felt heavyhearted. I felt completely disoriented. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I didn't know where I was supposed to go.

I felt lost.

A giddy little vampire skipped toward me in the parking lot. I smiled at the view of my best friend. But I knew my smile didn't reach my eyes.

"Hi Bella!"

"Hi," I mumbled. Her big grin worried me. What did she have plan? I hoped it wasn't another makeover session. I would not sit another 3 hours while she pulled my hair in all directions and swamped my face with all kind of stinky products. "What's going on?"

"Rose and I are going to the mall after school to shop for a dress for prom. Wanna come?"

"I'm not going to prom." I replied. There was no way I would step in a social event that involved any kind of dancing. I wasn't that insane to humiliate myself in front of the whole student body.

Alice just looked at me with her brilliant gaze, a confident knowing gaze. And that made me nervous.

"I am NOT going to prom," I repeated clearly.

She came closer and whispered in my ear. "You forget I'm clairvoyant." She tapped her little head and giggled.

I shook my head. "Nope, there's no way you will convince me to go."

"Fine. I won't. But you have to come with us to the mall anyway."

"I hate shopping."

"But it's with me," she sang, batting her golden eyes. "You always have fun with me!"

I started giggling with her. She had a way to make me forget my worries. She had so much positive energy pouring out of her.

"Ok, ok. I'll come to the mall with you."

"Yay!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

After school, we all gathered in the parking lot. Alice, Rosalie, Angela, Jessica and I were heading to the mall. Everybody kept on talking about the prom, boys, and dresses. The type of conversation that I did not enjoy. I could talk about literature, the world, or history for hours. But when it came to teenage talks, I was speechless. There was nothing intelligible I could say about fashion and even less about boys and dating. I had never been with a boy.

"Guess who asked me to be his date for the prom?" Angela said shyly.

"Eric Yorki!" Alice exclaimed.

"How do you know?" Angela asked.

"I've noticed the way he looks at you," Alice explained.

Angela's face lit up and we all laughed.

"That's great, Angie. You'll have so much fun!" I said to her. I knew she'd had a crush on him for a while. I was so happy he finally realized how great she was.

"And guess who finally asked me out?" Jessica added. "Mike Newton!" She bursted out.

I hadn't told anybody about Mike asking me to go the prom with him. He'd been so arrogant when he approached me. I suppose he was sure I would say yes. It had been a big shocker for him when I said no. I told him I wasn't going to prom anyway. And I informed him how much Jessica cared for him. I guessed he listened.

We were on the escalator, heading towards the mall's cafeteria.

"So Bella, who are you going with to prom?" Jessica asked, a malicious smile on her face.

"I'm not going to prom." I stated.

"Oh Bella, come on. You'll miss all the fun! And we'll all go as a group so it doesn't even matter if you have a date or not."

"I don't like dance events. There's no way I'm venturing to the prom."

Jessica replied to me but I didn't hear what she said because my world momentarily stopped.

He was there, his back turned to me, talking to Jasper and Emmett. Against my will, my heart danced in my chest. No matter how many times I reminded myself that he didn't care about me, my heart refused to listen. It pounded louder at his sight.

I didn't care he despised me. I wanted to see him. I wanted to be near him.

Emmett and Jasper noticed us and grinned widely. Alice and Rosalie mirrored their expressions and glided elegantly toward their loved ones. Jessica, Angela and I followed behind.

I really didn't care that he wanted nothing to do with me because at this exact moment, I felt like I could breathe again. My lungs that had tightened all through the weekend loosened up simply by his presence. Content and relaxed.

Edward turned around and our eyes locked. The intensity, the shivers, the electricity. I tried to control it all. But my body reacted to him regardless of my wish and command.

His superior senses noticed my pathetic behavior. He smirked. I lowered my eyes, utterly embarrassed by my complete foolishness. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

"Edward!" Jessica exclaimed. "You're back."

I felt his stare move away from me. I took a deep breath, trying to get my blush to fade.

"Jessica," he responded in his velvet voice. "How are you?"

I looked up and saw him, beautiful him, talking to Jessica who was babbling away about everything that happened in school since he left. He was listening to her, nodding and smiling.

A pang of jealousy surged through me.

Edward's head turned rapidly toward Jasper, who looked at him in silence. Jasper slightly lifted his eyebrows and Edward ever slightly shook his head.

I watched the interaction enfold. I remembered other similar occurrences. Edward looking at Esme in the backyard as if she were talking to him. Alice and Edward silently staring at each other on more than one instances.

I frowned, confused by the meaning behind those nonverbal communications.

Edward glanced toward me, almost as if he were examining me. I felt naked under his gaze and quickly looked at Angela, who was listening to Jessica who was still talking about school gossip.

"Okay boys, it was a nice surprise to see you here, but us girl have a lot to do!" Alice interrupted.

"Do you really have to go now!" Emmett whined, wrapping Rosalie in his arms and kissing her.

"Yes, we do." She replied. "If you want us to look decent for the prom, you better let us go."

Jasper kissed her softly and her face lit up.

"See you later, babe," Rosalie said to Emmett once they were done kissing.

I noticed a quick eye exchange between Alice and Edward before she headed toward the store of her choice. Jessica, Angela and I said bye to the boys as well before turning around to follow Alice and Rosalie.

"Uhm, Bella," Edward called after me. For an instant, I forgot how to breathe. His velvet voice had said my name. I felt lightheaded.

I slowly turned around to see him standing right behind me, his eyes locked on me. I returned his gaze, speechless.

"Could I talk to you for a minute?"

I nodded, still not finding my voice to talk.

"Bella, we'll be inside the store trying dresses. Meet us when you're done." Alice told me, smiling brightly, before leading the girls inside the store.

"Well, we're going to go to GameStop, Ed. See you later." Jasper said.

"See you later, Bella," Emmett added grinning from ear to ear. Edward glared at him before they both left us.

"Bella," Edward started, making my heart to skip a few beats. " I just wanted to apologize for the other day. The way I behaved was unacceptable."

I looked at him, his honey eyes soft like a melted pool of gold. I felt dizzy again and closed my eyes momentarily.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I thought I heard concern in his voice but I knew I was imagining it. And suddenly, I felt angry. He probably apologized because Alice forced him to. I looked back at him ready for a confrontation.

"You don't have to apologize."

"Yes, I do. I made you cry."

I blushed at that reminder. How pitiful I must've appeared to him.

"Well, that wasn't your fault."

His brows furrowed. "My words hurt you. And that was not my intention."

"You can't help how you feel." I mumbled, swallowing tears that begged to come out. "You don't want me near you and your family."

He kept silent, scanning the mall, his eyes distant.

"You're wrong," he hissed. "What I want is for you to not want to be near us."

I looked away as well, leaning over the ramp to look at the people entering the mall and going up the escalator. I felt a warm drop slide down my flushed cheek.

Suddenly, Edward stepped forward and lightly dried my tear away, his frozen finger relieving me from that burning feeling, leaving behind a magical trail of tingles. He was so close I could smell his beautiful fragrance. I inhaled and felt weak in my knees. His face was a few inches away and I could feel the cold generate from his body. My heart sped like madness. I felt like I'd been taken to a different dimension, a different world, where only he and I existed.

When I lifted my eyes up to his, I noticed his eyes turning dark. I examined his features, his smooth white skin suddenly tensed and contorted. His jaw was clenched tightly. His black eyes stuck on me, intense and dangerous.

"Edward," I whispered.

His eyes, still glued on me, softened, the color shifting back to gold. He stepped back a little and relaxed. His eyes still locked with mine.

"And here I am making you cry again."

"It's not your fault," I muttered weakly.

His rigid face broke into a smile. He shook his head, amused.

"So what can I do to make it up to you?" he said playfully.

I didn't know what to think. Did he not dislike me? Did he want to be friend? Or was he just feeling pity for this weak human girl who cried every time he was around?

"Why don't you let me take you to prom?"

"What? No!" I exclaimed, terrified. I already embarrassed myself too many times in front of him, I would not make a fool out of myself in purpose.

"Oh, I'm sure you already have a date, how arrogant of me to think you might be free."

"No, I don't have a date. I... I'm not going to prom."

He looked at me and gave me a crooked smile.

"Bella, would you please let me take you to prom. All your friends will be there and you wouldn't want to miss all the fun."

I felt defenseless against him. His soft honey eyes dazzled me, making me forget who I was. His crooked smile sent goosebumps all over my body, making me feel invincible. His velvet voice, tender and seducing, pronouncing my name with fervor made my body lit into bright fireworks.

I could not deny his plea. I would go anywhere for him. I would do anything for him.

I was irrevocably in love with him.

I sensed his eyes still on me. I looked up at him and smiled instantly, feeling the happiest I'd ever felt. Edward was right here, in front of me, asking me to go to prom with him. No matter if it was due to pity, pressure by his sister, or actual desire, I couldn't resist this incredible feeling bursting through me. Edward was standing here, with me, making me feel alive at last.

"Okay," I whispered.