Chapter 21: School Daze

A/N: I own nothing. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations. This is unbeta'd so apologies for any & all mistakes. Please take the time to leave some words if you really loved it or really hated it!

*****

I remained by Bella's side in bed until the dying night was just about to give way to the first grey streaks of daylight. Then I gently woke her with a kiss and wished her good luck. As I was climbing out of the bed to get dressed, she reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me back towards her. She pressed her mouth onto mine and pushed me back onto the bed. In theory I could easily stop her and leave like I should, but in practice tearing myself away from her lips and naked skin was proving to be difficult.

She lavished kisses on my throat and worked her way down my body, licking and caressing with her tongue and lips. She claimed me in her mouth and I growled. My hands found their way into her hair and I traced small circles there. I looked down and caught her eye as she smiled back up at me and swirled her tongue around, eliciting a groan of pleasure. She worked her magic quickly and climbed back up my body when she was done.

"Now, you can go," she laughed.

"No. I really don't think I can." I wrapped my arm tighter around her.

She pulled herself up and out of my grasp. "You have to, it'll be light soon. You need to get home."

"I know."

"What's going to happen today, Edward?"

"I wish I knew, Bella. But I think it would be best if I waited until the last minute to come into the room. We should spend as little time together as possible."

"It's not going to be easy is it?"

"No, it's going to be a unique and horrific form of torture."

She laughed. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"We'll be fine though, just a few weeks and then you'll be able to leave for good. We'll move somewhere new and everyone will know we are together."

"Mmm, sounds good."

I kissed her again and climbed out of the bed. I pulled on some clothes, kissed her cheek one last time and left through the back door, calling a good-bye to Jacob as I went.

I arrived home with just enough time for a quick shower and change before I climbed into the Volvo with Alice and Jasper. Rosalie and Emmett were going to take her car. Alice put her hand on my shoulder. "It's going to be a long day, Edward, but I think you'll both be fine."

We arrived at school and Alice led us to the spot which disappeared in a few minutes and we waited for Jacob and Bella to arrive. I watched as the Jeep pulled up and Jacob climbed out and opened her door.

"Do you need help with anything?" he asked her.

Bella shook her head.

She's going to do pop quizzes all day, Alice thought, amused about something but she wouldn't tell me what.

I watched as Jacob comforted Bella, wrapping his arms around her and dipping his head to meet her eyes. I wanted to be the one comforting her but I couldn't I needed to keep my distance. I briefly wondered if I'd done something unforgivable and had ended up in hell. "Just remember why you're doing this," he said. "You'll be fine." He dropped his voice lower, "Two weeks remember. Two weeks."

Bella nodded and took a deep breath to steady myself. "I can do this," she said to herself.

Jacob kissed her cheek. If I hadn't been so fond of him now I may have ripped off one of his limbs. I heard Jasper reading her anxiety, and mine. Should I help her? He asked. I nodded and heard him releasing calming thoughts at her, and surreptitiously trying to calm me as well.

Alice called out to Bella, "Hi, Ms Swan."

I managed to stifle a moan at the name. She was Mrs Cullen now. She was mine and I wanted everyone to know that fact. I noticed a vision coming to Alice and in the instant before it hit I braced myself for the worst, thinking it was going to be about me revealing our secret because I knew I was close to doing just that. Instead I saw Bella gliding around the classroom, calm and assured with Jasper sitting near her.

"Whoever thought of that, it's a great idea!" Alice said.

I was grinning at the vision – I don't know why we hadn't thought of it sooner.

What's going on? Jasper was clearly out of the loop, which left Bella as the mastermind of the idea.

"Was that you, Miss?" Alice asked.

"Yes, I think it would be easier to get through today and it shouldn't be too difficult to arrange."

Bella walked closer to the three of us. I longed to grab hold of her, or at very least press my lips against that soft, warm cheek of hers. As our eyes met I could see the same longing echoed within hers. I was reminded of last night, of our stillness and complete fulfilment as we sat on the chair in each other's arms.

Jasper sighed, "Please, Miss, unless you want Alice and I disappearing for the better part of the day can you try to keep that emotion in check?"

"Sorry." Bella and I said at the same time.

Jasper rolled his eyes then asked, "So what was this master plan anyway?"

Bella answered him, "Well, I could use some assistance today. The kind only you can offer. I was thinking I could ask June, sorry Mrs Davis, to arrange for your schedule to be cleared today, and maybe tomorrow, to help me get by. Of course we'll tell her it's so that you can make up for my inability to use one of my arms. And only if it's alright with you."

Jasper smiled. "Anything you want ma'am."

"Thank you." Bella met my eye again. Then the paperwork she was holding 'accidentally' fell to the ground. I knelt down at the same time as Bella. I gathered it all up and handed it to her. Our hands brushed each other's and a jolt of electricity passed between us.

"Bella!" Jasper growled, too low for anyone else nearby to hear.

"Sorry." Bella blushed a rich shade of crimson and her scent filled the space between us. I inhaled deeply, wishing I could get away with not talking today so I could hold the flavour in my lungs.

Jasper sent out a new wave of calm and I took it in. I wasn't sure how I was going to get through the next few weeks. The worst part was that I hadn't even faced the classroom yet. The thoughts in the boy's heads had declined noticeably in Bella's absence but I was sure that now she was back they would be worse than ever.

My fear was realised long before I even reached that dreaded room. I saw a multitude of boys licking and stroking and caressing my Bella. A low growl was buidling Alice linked her arm tightly into mine. Ignore them. Focus on me, listen to the thoughts of your family. You can get through this.

I nodded and tried to do as she asked. But as I got near the classroom and every male thought was turned to Bella and how hot she looked despite the bruising I began to wonder how long it would take me to kill every one of them. Alice gripped tighter and I saw why. I tried to block out the vision but all I could focus on was the look of disappointment on Bella's face as I worked my way around the room.

I entered into the classroom and sat at my usual seat next to Alice. My thoughts were being tugged in fifteen different directions as Bella took command of the classroom. I remembered how she was before being put on probation. She had ruled the classroom then and no one spoke or took advantage of a distraction. Now she seemed to lack a little confidence, seemed a little broken and every boy in the room wanted to fuck her senseless.

I grabbed at my hair and leaned forward against the desk. I felt like banging my head against it, anything to get rid of the thoughts in my head before they drove me mad but I knew in my current state of mind that would just leave the desk in a crumbled heap on the floor and do nothing to provide me with any relief.

"Edward?" Bella's voice saying my name was about the only thing that could cut through the haze I was trying to surround myself in.

I raised my head and looked into her eyes. She was imploring me to answer a question, I saw what she was doing. She couldn't be seen to be ignoring me or playing favourites. For the I-don't-know-how-manyth time I wished I could read her thoughts. She could just give me the answer and I wouldn't have to embarrass her. "I'm sorry, miss, can you please repeat the question."

I hated doing this to Bella. It made it seem like I wasn't paying attention, which made the other students less respectful. I heard a titter pass around the classroom and I worked desperately to suppress a growl.

"Perhaps if you could pay a little more attention, Edward." Bella's eyes were full of apology as she reproached me. I understood the reason, she needed to have the respect of the class. "I asked if you could please describe one of the plot points in Wuthering Heights."

I heard the words but with all the screaming in my head, and the vision of thirteen boys with Bella in different positions, put a damper on my ability to create an answer.

"Um, plot points?"

"Of Wuthering Heights." Bella prompted, her voice soft. She could obviously see the struggle for me.

Alice answered for me. "Heathcliff and Catherine's struggle to find a way to have love with one another despite the class distinction which leads to a tormented love for both of them."

"Thank you, Alice." I whispered in a hushed tone none of the class would hear. She patted my arm.

Bella moved on again, asking the next student a question.

Finally the torturous hour was over and everyone was packing up.

"Edward, could you stay behind please?" Bella's voice rang out over the din.

I was worried she was going to be mad at me for embarrassing her throughout the class but relief washed over me when I saw the look on her face, it held such compassion and love. I found myself chuckling. "Sorry. That was just a little bit more difficult than I anticipated."

"Yeah, I noticed."

I dropped my head in shame.

"Can you do me a favour?" Bella whispered her voice full of elicit promise.

I raised my eyes to meet hers.

"When you see those thoughts of all the other boys," Bella said, breathing the words out so quietly only those with supernatural hearing had a chance of hearing. "Put yourself in their place. Because you are the one who gets to do all those things to me. All those things and more."

I pictured what she was asking me to and felt my lips curling up into a smirk. I winked at her. "I'll hold you to that, Miss."

Bella blushed. She never failed to amaze me with how bold she could be and then just as suddenly she would become embarrassed. "You'd better go or you'll be late for your next class. But you'll try to do what we discussed won't you?"

"Definitely," I said, already seeing the images in my head. I was in a daze with a grin on my face as I walked out of the classroom. So much so that I almost ran into Jasper.

Hey! he thought. Then he sensed my mood and groaned before punching my arm. Emmett and Bella both laughed at our exchange.

He's in a better mood than I would have thought, Emmett thought. He walked straight to Bella's desk. "How was it, Miss?"

I paused outside the door, listening to her response. She spoke in that same low voice. "The lesson or watching Edward debating whether or not to rip off the head of every male in the room?"

Jasper and Emmett laughed. I wondered whether I had really been that obvious or was it just that Bella knew me so well. I was halfway to my next class when I heard a vision Alice was having. One of Jasper's teachers wouldn't give him clearance for tomorrow so Bella would be alone during the day. I wasn't sure whether I would be a help or a hindrance but I couldn't bear the thought of her having to get through a day alone at the moment. She was being fairly strong but I still noticed her occasional extreme reactions and flashbacks which indicated she may indeed be suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Mrs Davis looked up in surprise when I opened the office door. "Edward," she said, "shouldn't you be in class?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs Davis. I just noticed that Bella was struggling today and she mentioned that Jasper was helping her out today, but I wanted to volunteer for tomorrow."

"I'm not sure, Edward. After the rumours about you two."

"Only the faculty know that the rumours were about me. And as my father explained to Mr Anders, I have been friends with Bella for many years. Please? I hate to think of her having to cope with extra difficulties just because of a prejudice against me." I smiled as politely as I could and maintained eye contact.

Mrs Davis looked abashed. "Absolutely. Of course I'll have to clear if with your teachers."

I nodded and smiled wider.

"And, Edward, don't worry, there's no prejudice against you or any of your family."

I resisted the eye-roll that threatened instead squeezing out a polite, "Thank-you."

For the rest of the day I tried to do what Bella said whenever I heard the boys picturing her naked from every angle. I began to notice that so many of them got fundamental details so incorrect it was almost comical, which made it easier to hear their thoughts. Then there were those who got fairly close but I managed to put myself in their place and saw the scenes playing out that way. Some pictured her bent over the teachers desk, an image which would haunt me forever. Others saw her standing behind them while she dished out discipline. There were a few who imagined being romantic with her, gentle caresses and all-over mutual worship, they were few and far between but by far the hardest to see.

I refused to dwell on the names or faces of everyone thinking about Bella because she was right. I was the only one who got to do those things to her.

Those things and much more.

*****

At the end of school, I drove Alice and Jasper home and went for a quick hunt, grabbing whatever wildlife I could find closest to the house. Then I convinced Alice to drive me back down to Bella's. If I ran I would have to wait for night.

I could smell the putrid scent of warm food and knew that I was interrupting dinner. But then I saw how tired and worn Bella looked through Jacob's thoughts and I was in the house before I thought twice about it. She was already dressed in pyjamas.

"Geez, you ready for bed already?" Jacob asked as he helped put her sling back on.

"I just can't seem to shake this lethargy."

I laughed. "I should have warned you that can be a side-effect of being calmed by Jasper for a whole day."

"Edward!" Bella threw herself at me. The shock of her scent hit me instantly but it aroused rather than hungered me now. Bella kissed all over my face. I was about to kiss her back more passionately when Jacob's thoughts interrupted.

Jeez, get a room would you. "Looks like you might manage to shake the lethargy after all, Bells," he said, laughing. "Hey, Edward," he greeted me.

I nodded in response. Bella finally took one last wistful look at me and then turned back towards her share of lasagne on the table. I sat in the chair next to her. It just happened to be the same chair we had used last night. I sat recalling every perfect detail of our time, my hand finding Bella's thigh and stroking along the length of it. I decided that I was going to risk trying the one thing I had resisted until now – the one thing I wanted more than anything else at this point.

Jacob caught my attention as he turned on the TV and turned the volume up as loud as it would go. He noticed Bella was staring after him in disbelief. "What? I figured you two would want some alone time again." There you go Edward, plenty to distract me now. Go. You know you want to.

I picked Bella up and raced to the bedroom. I pulled Bella tightly to me and kissed her the way she had just kissed me – repeatedly. I was making up for the time lost today. Each time I saw her I should have been able to kiss her, but I couldn't so I was making up for it now. I should have been able to show everyone in school, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was mine. I spoke between my hurried kisses, "You...would not...believe...what...those boys...were...thinking...about....today."

"Mmmm?" she hummed against me.

I kissed down the length of her neck. "They weren't being very gentlemanly."

"Did you do what I asked?" Her hands came up into my hair.

I leaned forward, pulling her upwards so that our mouths could meet in the middle. I kissed her hard, pressing my tongue forward and relishing in her taste. I finally released her mouth and growled into her ear, "You don't know how much I wanted to bend you over your desk and take you from behind."

Bella gasped but I could tell by the shifts in her hormones and heart rate that she was excited by my admission. I thought about it and it was the first time I'd been that forward and abrupt in my desires. I was glad that it pleased her rather than making her think I was being forceful.

She pulled away from me and pulled off her bottoms, leaving her pyjama top on. She kissed me gently before walking over to the dresser and leaning forward against it. She leant her weight forward over her arm, spread her legs and angled her hips backwards, giving me a perfect view.

"Like this you mean?" she asked, her voice almost but not quite coy.

I grunted in desire. I undressed myself and was behind her in an instant. I pressed my body against her legs. I pushed my hands up along her back, relishing the silken texture beneath my fingers. I pushed further and swung my hands around to cup underneath her breasts. She shivered to my touch eliciting a moan. Then I pulled my hands back over her stomach and rested them her hips. "Oh, god, Bella. I want you so bad."

"Then take me." Her voice was thick with desire, she definitely wanted this as much as I did.

She angled her hips back even further, pressing herself into me. I dipped my legs and little and once I was positioned at her entrance I urgently sought entry. I was as rough and forceful as I dared be. Bella mewed and groaned and began to scream out with pleasure. She moved in time, anticipating my thrusts and responding in kind. It was raw and primal and oh so sexy. She screamed a little louder as her climax came hard and fast pushing me to release almost instantly afterwards.

I was satisfied but I hadn't had my fill yet. I spun her around so that she was sitting on the dresser. I gently removed her sling, Jacob had put it on over her pyjama top – which actually relieved me after the day I'd had. I didn't want to think about him seeing her naked. I unbuttoned her top slowly, drinking in the exposed skin as it was revealed. I tried to steady my breathing as I leaned her back into the wall and pressed my mouth to the hollow of her neck. My hands explored her skin, leaving trails of goose-bumps in their wake.

My tongue traced the trails my hand just took, the mixture of our scents once again balancing my hunger for her blood. I started to form a plan in my head and moved back up to Bella's mouth. She ran her tongue along my top lip and then gave me a chaste kiss in the same spot and another, slightly more lingering one on my bottom lip. I groaned and she claimed my mouth, kissing me with a passion I knew only existed between the two of us. Bella's breathing was ragged she broke off the kiss again, but she moved quickly and began to explore my body with her mouth. She trailed kisses across my face and down my neck, running her tongue over it.

I rubbed a small pattern with my hand against an erogenous zone on her hip. I ran the other hand along her body and into her hair. She brought her mouth to my ear, her breath warm against it and I closed my eyes in response. I felt her teeth scrape gently against my earlobe and felt it in the pit my stomach, my muscles clenching.

She ran her hands across my body and pulled me closer to her, pushing her hips forward at the same time. That was the permission I needed. I moved my hand from her hip to her thigh. I circled it around the and then ran it higher. I pressed my fingers into her and groaned at the feeling of her warmth surrounding me. I kissed her as she rocked against me to the rhythm of her choosing. I timed my thrusts to match her. As her pace sped I shifted my thumb to caress her clit and she came hard around me.

Now was the perfect time to test my resolve. I hoped that the mixture of our scents would still be enough to keep the monster at bay. I picked her up and carried her to the bed. I pinned her undamaged arm to the bed with one hand, using the other to run circles from her fingertips to her knees. I wanted to make sure she was ready for me to try but I wasn't sure how to ask her without scaring her, considering the reasons I had offered when I'd told her I would I would never be able to do this for her while she was human. I kissed her cheek. "That's two – you want to try for three?"

She grinned at me, "You trying to set the world record or something."

"Something like that."

I shifted so that I was resting between her legs, and began to kiss my way from her face downwards. Each inch I gained my apprehension grew but I beat it down. I wanted to experience this pleasure, more than that though I wanted to give it to Bella too – I had ever since she'd asked me to return the favour.

I found myself positioned against her thigh and I ran my tongue along it. I could smell the sweetness of her. I'd had little tastes on my fingers but wanted to experience the sensation of my tongue lapping up that taste, I knew it would send my desire soaring.

"Oh, god," Bella panted and I knew I was making the right decision. Her heart was pounding, but I couldn't sense an ounce of fear. In fact she seemed to be silently urging me on. I smiled at her to reassure her that I would remain in control. I paused and assessed the situation with the monster inside. He was quiet for the moment. I would do this. I ran my tongue down the outside of her lips and my breathing stopped. The taste was even more glorious than I could have anticipated and almost made me come undone – it brought back memories of the taste of her blood. "You taste so good."

Bella gripped the sheets beside her with her hands. I could tell she was trying to remain as still and compliant as she could. It was helping. I eventually had enough control to press my tongue forward again. As I ran it across her lip she moaned a long low moan filled with urgent need. I couldn't help but chuckle that I was causing that sound. "Do you like that?" I whispered.

"Oh, god, yes!"

I pressed my tongue forward more, running it across her clit briefly and felt her shiver and try to stop herself from bucking against me. I ran my tongue down towards her entrance and pushed it as far forward as I could. My teeth were rested close to her skin now and one false move by either of us would cause a cut and risk the venom entering her bloodstream. I ran my tongue up and down, using different parts to experiment. I worked my tongue around inside her and up and down across her clit. Bella started to buck and I could smell the blood pumping through her skin, it was so warm and close and smelled so sweet I longed for just a little taste. The monster cried out in triumph, begging me to take that last step, to push forward with my teeth and devour her in the truest sense.

I ran.

I pushed myself against the door, trying to put as much space between us as possible. I held up a finger silently begging her to wait across the room. I could taste her and smell her still. She filled up my senses and it was so hard to gain back control. But finally I did.

I crossed the room back towards Bella and ran my tongue up along her body, proving to the monster that I could taste her without losing control. "I'm sorry, that was dreadfully rude."

I kissed my neck and she started to laugh.

"What was rude, wanting to kill me or stopping what you were doing?"

"Both. But god that was good."

"Mmm-hmm, you're telling me."

"I promise I'll try again another night, I don't want to push it too far. And once you are one of us, don't think I won't do it again."

I kissed her neck, "and again."

I kissed her undamaged collarbone, "and again."

I ran my tongue across her nipple, "and again."

She laughed. "I get the point. And so long as you don't leave me unsatisfied I'll forgive you."

"What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?"

She laughed "The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine."

I smiled at her, glad she was playing the game because I wanted to alleviate the sloght tension I still felt. Being wrapped around her was helping to calm my desire for her blood – the desire for her body was taking over. "I gave thee mine before thou didst request it. And yet I would it were to give again."

She laughed again.

I grabbed her hand in mine, wondering if she would get the next line, although suspecting she would, she knew this play so well. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

I looked deep into her eyes I could see desire and love within their depths. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." I could tell my words were affecting her so I smiled widely.

Bella giggled. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." I kissed her deeply. I could hear her heart flutter.

I broke off the kiss, waiting for her next line. She could speak Shakespeare better than any actor on a stage.

She smiled. "Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

I gasped and gave her a look of mock horror. "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."

I kissed her deeply again. I was hard and ready to go again. Bella broke off the kiss and I moved my lips back to her neck.

"Are you ready for round two yourself?" She asked me. I found my way into her in response.

After we finished, we lay against each other breathing rough and heavy.

"So what was the inspiration for the little trip downstairs?" Bella asked.

"Well, it was one of the things a lot of the boys imagined doing to you. In their illusions your face was always filled with such ecstasy. I didn't want what I am to be the reason you never experienced that. I know I said I never could because of the blood but I didn't know the taste could be so..." I couldn't finish the sentence without reminding the monster of how close we had come.

"As good as my blood?" She joked.

If only she knew. I didn't answer her, simply kissing her again.

She pulled away and sighed. "I've got lessons to plan."

I laughed, but helped her to get it finished as fast as she could.

I was ready to go back to bed.