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Thanks to everyone else as well.

Read and Enjoy.

CHAPTER 18:

CHAOS

Part 1

Edward kissed me and I fear it's the only thing I'll be able to think about for the rest of my life.

I can't recall how or when I fell asleep, but I know I dreamt about Kirkland all night long. It's hard waking myself up when the morning comes because the last twelve hours have felt like a dream to me. My alarm blares through my slumber and snatches me out of my dream realm, placing me right back into my newly distorted reality.

There's a slight knocking on my door that furthers my awakening. I sit up in bed and coerce my consciousness back into reach. My arms stretch horizontally on each side, and my neck cranes to banish all of the creaks and sore spots. I squint my eyes towards the clock beside my bed.

It's time to rise for school.

A familiar rhythm pounds through the wood, reminding me of the years Charlie would wake me as a child. I'm pleasantly surprised that he hasn't left for work yet, but I'm also curious to learn the reason for that. It's been almost a week since we've been in the same room with each other for longer than ten minutes.

"Bella, can I come in?" His gruff voice travels into my room from the hallway, causing my bedroom walls to quake.

I nod my head before I realize that he cannot see the gesture. "Sure."

He comes into my room wearing his work uniform. I can't tell if he just put it on, or if he's getting ready to take it off. I hope for the latter. That way I'll know that he's granted himself some time to rest. I'm not sure he's slept in his bed at all this week.

His arrival takes me back to yesterday, but my revist is not a cheerful one.

Charlie reminds me of the plan I'd put together to get answers. My head is clear enough now to hold a coherent conversation. I think last night's sleep whisked away the stupor. I need to talk with Jacob and Edward too, but since the opportunity is presenting itself, I prepare myself to engage with Charlie for the time being.

"Good morning." He says amiably. The warmth in his voice fizzles before it reaches me. "Did I wake you?"

I shake my head. "No, the alarm clock woke me."

"You look tired."

I observe his tone and pitch, discerning the lack of suspicion in his words. The way he regards me is casual and conversational. Charlie rarely enjoys small talk, which is why I can't help questioning his motives. This is something I catch myself doing often.

I don't know if it's a trust issue or paranoia.

The last month or so has changed me drastically. Both my circumstances and my personality have altered and adapted. I'm less judgmental but more suspicious. I overthink absolutely everything that people around me say and do. It's my attempt at staying cautious.

The two worlds I exist in calls for calculation, especially Kirkland.

I agree with his remark, keeping my reply easy. "I stayed up all night to study."

Charlie does not know that I am lying because he spent his entire night at work. When I finally made it home last night, there was nothing but silence waiting for me at the door. I should be relieved that Charlie hasn't caught me disobeying his orders, but I'd rather him focus on me than the crime that's been circulating between Kirkland, Forks, and La Push.

"Well, it's a good thing today is Friday." He states. "You can rest during the weekend."

I can't keep my face from screwing up. I'm not sure what it is, but idle chats with Charlie unnerve me. "Did you need something?"

Charlie releases a gust of air as if he's going to deny my assumption, but the expectancy in my expression causes him to scratch his head and chuckle bashfully.

I sit up even straighter, pulling my legs back until they are close enough for me to rest my chin on my knees. I wrap my arms around my calves and peer at Charlie with a slight smirk. I'm not a hundred percent sold on his coy act.

I know he isn't upset, which is the only reason I'm not dying from the suspense.

"Yeah, I need to ask you for a favor."

My eyebrows lift at his admittance. "What is it?"

"Today is Billy's birthday but I'm going to be too busy at work to celebrate with him. I was hoping you could go over to La Push after school and cook him a dinner or something. I think he'd be happy to see you."

My curiosity quells and settles directly behind my ribcage. It is exchanged for relief. Charlie's permission to venture around in La Push makes my plan to talk with Jacob a lot less stressful. Not being worried about getting caught takes a huge load off of my shoulders. My wariness has had a blast rattling my nerves for the past couple of days.

While sneaking around may give birth to thrill; it lays my peace of mind down to rest.

A smile splits my lips in half. "I thought I was grounded?"

"If you can help Jacob give his dad a good birthday, consider this the end of your punishment."

My relief manifests into full-blown excitement. I missed having my freedom, no matter how limited it might have been. I try not to let Charlie in on how happy this news has made me. I want him to think I'm impartial to his preposition. If he doesn't know I'm eager to get out of the house, he probably won't feel the need to always question my whereabouts.

"Of course I'll go visit Billy."

"Thanks Bells." Charlie seems to shine with relief himself. I'd bet my last dollar that missing Billy's birthday is something he feels low about. I've never known him to miss an event that included Jake's dad. "It means a lot."

I watch his intention to retreat as it crosses his face. This prepares me to take my chance with getting into his head. Charlie has been unpredictable lately. If I don't speak with him today, I don't know when or how I'll be able to get him in such a convenient predicament again.

"When are you going to take a break and get some rest?" I quiz, tucking my need-to-know beneath my tongue.

Charlie frowns and tilts his head so that he's looking at me in an angle.

Hot air is dispensed from my chest. It slips into the bottom of my belly, making me feel uncomfortably full. The painful part is that my stomach is completely empty.

His reaction makes me rethink my inquiry. Should I have worded it differently? Should I have paid more attention to my expression as I said it? I can't read Charlie's mind but I can tell that something about my question has disturbed him.

My back straightens even more, making me look a little too rigid. I berate myself internally and focus on relaxing. Charlie probably frowned because my curiosity threw him off guard. Maybe he didn't expect for me to notice his absence from home.

Maybe he hasn't even noticed his absence from home.

His deliberate grunt says otherwise. "I can't rest until someone is behind bars, Bella."

My mouth wants to droop. In fact, my lips want to disintegrate and fall off of my face completely. It's extremely challenging to hold my expression together when this news has all but shot a cannon through my composure.

I know Charlie has been busy trying to solve these cases, and I've tried calming myself down about the possibility of him actually succeeding. Every time he speaks about his duty; it sounds like his dedication has rooted itself deeper. That undying persistence will be the thing that either drives him crazy — or ensures his victory.

I try my luck questioning him again, taking on the persona of a concerned daughter. "Have you found out anything new?"

Nothing changes about Charlie. He wears the same frown on his face, and he keeps his head tilted at the same angle. He's looking at me but there's no suspicion in his gaze. There's nothing about him that makes me think he's agitated by my interrogation.

If anything, his quarrels seem to be in his head.

"Not really." He says dismissively, although I'm not so sure that I believe him.

After all the time he's spent at the station he has to have some new knowledge. There have to be more leads, more suspects. There's been too much happening in the community for him not to have gathered fresh intel.

I mean, Felix just got bailed out of jail by someone other than his parents. How could that not have struck some chords within Charlie's brain?

The more I ponder the unlikeliness of him not having advanced in these cases, the more I think he's withholding information from me. Charlie's never been particularly open about his discoveries at work, but for a while it seemed like he was enjoying my willingness to be a listening ear.

Now, he's being stingy with what he knows.

That makes me nervous.

I'm thinking of something to say when Charlie resumes his previous intention of leaving. I can't come up with the right words, and somehow his silent departure tells me that the decision to end the conversation was not negotiable. Obviously, his professional life is not something he's willing to discuss with me anymore.

Knowing what brought about this change would certainly ease my mind, but this is another mystery that I will not easily find the answers to.

I wait until I hear his bulky footsteps disappear down the hallway. The floorboards creak in the opposite direction of his bedroom. The exhausted wood carries his weight all the way down the stairs and out of the front door. I'm not able to breathe until I hear the cruiser sparking to life outside of my window, and even then, the air is tainted.

The rest of my morning is filled with ignoring all my silent questions. I'm a little annoyed that I have more of them stacking against my cranium than I did before I talked to Charlie. Unfortunately, he didn't let me in on anything useful. If anything, I'm only more bewildered.

The only two people I can seek understanding from now are Edward and Jacob.

On the way to school, I let myself wonder if Kirkland will make an appearance today. Last night, I hadn't gotten the chance to ask Edward if he would be at school. I was preoccupied. My cheeks fill with fire as I am taken back to the kiss.

The thought of facing Edward is the only thing that makes me more nervous than Charlie's distance. We crossed so many lines last night that it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where we stand now. I wouldn't be such a wreck if Edward's reactions weren't unforeseeable, but there's no telling with him, ever.

He kissed me last night and he could be totally cold to me today. His moods are unstable. Therefore, you can never really predict what you're going to receive from him. I'm concerned that he's going to push me away because of what happened between us. That's what I don't want to happen, but I also don't want to pretend like the kiss never transpired.

That's another thing I'm worried about.

Edward is really good at brushing things off of his shoulders. He has this impeccable skill which allows him to glide past anything he feels may hold him back. Instead of struggling to overcome obstacles, Edward always conquers them. It's something that troubles and inspires me equally. I don't want to be deemed another obstacle in his life.

He revealed some extremely interesting feelings to me last night. I at least know that he cares about me and values our friendship. He did not specify whether he considered me to be more than a friend, but the way his lips captured mine did all of the talking for him.

Then again, I just don't know what to think about Edward.

He's an enigma.

I enter the school building in a state of confusion. This whole time I've been questioning Edward's feelings about the madness that happened last night, but I haven't once stopped to decode my own feelings. My heart pounds like a snare drum when I think about what the kiss meant to me. It was the most thrilling thing I'd done in my entire life.

I'd felt fireworks in my stomach.

The sensation has yet to fade away. It's like sparklers are infused into my guts, causing all of my vital organs to combust. I can feel my heart and lungs sizzling. The occurrence isn't as unpleasant as it sounds. It's a great feeling … amazing actually.

I wish I could fill my entire body with this pleasure, but the only place it exists is inside my rib-cage. The other crevices of my body are hollow and stuffed with uncertainty. I can't convince myself that Edward's feelings are the same as mine, and I understand that I'll never know the truth unless I ask him directly.

With all that's been going on, I'm not sure if he's going to let himself focus on the trivial issues between us. I'm not sure if I should even be focusing on them, but if I don't settle this thing with Edward I'm not going to be able to think about anything else.

All of this stuff is just so confusing and it happened at the worst possible time.

Everything in my life is a baffling mess.

I just want to have something figured out, anything — just one thing.

It's Friday so the halls are buzzing with everyone's upcoming plans for the weekend. I pass a small group a girls on my way to class and hear something about a kick-back at Eric's house tomorrow night. This rumor not only surprises me. It annoys me.

I've never known Eric Yorkie to host parties at his house. He attends them but he never throws them. I think extra hard about what could have sparked such a change in his habits, and over-thinking is the last thing I should be doing in school. The objective for today is to clear my head, not fill it with more madness.

I keep my ears alert and open for information, but for the sake of my sanity I order myself not to read too much into it. My first four class periods revolve around the same chitter-chatter. Everyone keeps mentioning Eric's name. It's confirmed that there's an event happening on Saturday. It's also confirmed that everyone who is anybody will be attending said event.

There's no motive or insight weaved into all of this excited gossip though.

No one else appears to find it odd that Eric is hosting the kick-back. They're only grateful that he's decided to give them something to look forward to this weekend. I question myself as the afternoon bell rings to commence the lunch period.

Am I being too leery again?

Is Eric just throwing a party for the hell of it?

His threat from the other day catapults from the back of my mind and sinks into my psyche, voiding my halfhearted intention to relax. It can't just be a coincidence that Mike met with the Wolves in La Push, then out of the blue Eric decided to hold a get-together. There has to be a correlation somewhere between these two affairs.

I decide to add the impromptu kick-back to the list of things I plan to discuss with the boys.

Thinking of my upcoming talk with Edward causes a surge of electricity to strike my heart. I put my books away in my locker and glide down the corridor that's to the left of me. This hall does not lead me in the direction of the library. I head to the cafeteria to see if I will find the familiar face that has been stuck with me since last night.

As I get closer to the cafe, I begin to hear whispers that sound a lot like my name.

Confusion assembles an armor around me. I had not heard my name spoken all morning. I'm not vexed that the attention has suddenly shifted onto me. I just want to know why the change has happened so abruptly. I haven't done anything particularly noteworthy in the last few days. I doubt my peers know about the trip I took to Kirkland yesterday.

If that were so, I would have heard about it as soon as I stepped into the building.

I push past some sophomores who have gathered outside of the cafeteria. They look at me peculiarly, but I block out their surveillance. My legs carry me beyond them, transporting my body into a completely new world.

It doesn't take long for me to determine the cause of my classmate's new and improved interest in me. The first thing my eyes seek out is the secluded table in the back of the lunch room. There are members sitting inside of the plastic seats today, but not all of them are present and accounted for.

I spot Emmett's dark, curly hair. He sits taller than everyone else who surrounds him. He's leaning back in his chair with a dimpled smile. There seems to be an amusing conversation going on between him, Peter, and Garrett.

Rosalie's next to him. Her golden hair is braided around her head like a halo. She's staring into a tiny, jeweled compact-mirror. Her violet eyes are focused on her startling appearance. She isn't talking to the three animated boys, neither is she talking to Victoria. The two girls are in their own little world, while the boys laugh and guffaw beside them.

They look at ease in their element but not quite complete.

The Denali sisters are not present.

I almost conclude that Alice, Jasper, and Edward are absent as well. Emmett however, raises his eyes to mine when he notices me lingering near the entrance door. His chocolate, brown irises liven with recognition. I spot sentiment in them. There's no longer an aloofness or indifference in the way that he regards me.

There's kindness in his smile, as if he actually likes me.

He cocks his head slightly towards the right, causing my attention to veer away from him. I look towards the direction and three more Kirkland members come into my view. Alice, Jasper, and Edward are sitting at the table in the corner; the same one I took for myself the last time I sat alone in the cafeteria.

Alice has half of her hair pulled up into a ponytail. The other half whisks across her neck, barely touching the top of her shoulders. She's sitting beside Jasper. I note that his arm is slung around the back of her chair. His fingers aren't touching her skin, but Alice's fingers are touching him. She runs the tip of her them along his jawline and around his ear, smiling when he turns his head and looks at her.

Edward is sitting at the other end of the table. There's no hat on his head today, and his hair is sticking in every direction. The rusted strands look more reddish than brown underneath the cafe's lights. He's leaned back in his chair much like Emmett, but one of his feet are planted on the ground and the other is rested on top of the chair that's one the other side of Jasper. His eyes are low and focused on his cell-phone.

I'm stuck still until he raises his head and finds me standing near the doors.

The expression he wears for me is informal. It's welcoming but it's detached. Edward is good at constructing believable straight-faces. I can't seen anything underneath, below, or above the friendly gleam inside of his eyes. That's all there is, friendliness and nothing else.

I take a quick glance around the cafeteria. Everyone is staring at me. They are all judging me, wondering how I've managed to split up the Kirkland Crew. They've never sat at different tables before. Now, three of them have removed themselves from their group to dine with me.

I can already feel the room shaking with rumors.

"What are you guys doing?" I ask curiously, as I take the only empty chair at the table.

Jasper, Alice, and Edward all offer me their full attention. They look at me with a quiet mindfulness. There's something reposeful about their disposition, as if they're making a conscious effort not to intimidate me.

Edward naturally speaks first. His voice is tuned with ease. "We're sitting."

I don't know whether to chuckle, grin, or roll my eyes at his laconic reply. My torso is jam packed with dismay. It's not profound but I can feel the internal panic steam-rolling through my contentment. It's difficult to sit beside him and resume our normal roles with each other.

We just kissed each other last night, so it's odd even being near him.

I know this isn't the correct time to talk about what happened, but the fact that he's acting so nonchalant stresses me out. It adds fuel to my assumption that he's going to ignore the occurrence from last night and try to continue our friendship like it's no big deal.

I bite the inside of my cheek to prevent my leg from shaking underneath the table. I can't lend my attention to my issue with Edward. Otherwise, my qualms will manifest themselves through my actions. I swallow some fresh oxygen, and blow all of the thoughts from my mind.

"I can't believe you actually came to school today." There's a sarcastic accusation in my tone that none of them miss.

"Well, I just had to hear the rumors." Edward says playfully. He flashes an emerald gaze through his thick eyelashes. "We're supposed to run away together, Princess." His voice lowers and so does the softness in his taunts. "Are you ready?"

I have to command myself not to blush. His words are purposeful. They always are. I'm astonished by how easy it is for him to behave like his usual self. I don't waste my time searching his expression. If he's feeling anything other than impassive; he's hiding the evidence very well.

I ignore him as best as I can, deciding instead to focus my energy on the golden-boy who sits crosswise from me. "Did Alice force you to come over here, Jasper?"

I accept Alice's and Edward's decision to seek out my company. It isn't that far-fetched. The three of us have been on a personal level for a while now. I'm finding it difficult however, to fathom Jasper's existence at this table.

He has never been fond of me, and he has never felt the need to hide his distaste.

I would expect to see him sitting at a table by himself before I expected to see him sit across from me. Him and his twin shared their concern with allowing a stranger to infiltrate their lives. The last time we were face to face he was sizing me up as a threat.

Today, he holds no bearings of the boy who'd refused my rapport.

"Jazz came on his own." Alice says this to my surprise.

My eyes immediately fly in Jasper's direction, looking to him for some type of explanation. His top lip stretches to the right just a smidge. The result of it looks more like a simper than a smile.

"I heard what you did for Masen." He says simply. "You didn't have to do that."

From his reasoning, I decide that Jasper's not a man of many words. It isn't an off-putting quality when it's describing him. He's sincere, straight-to-the-point, and soft spoken. I actually like that about him. I always thought that he was rude and antisocial, but he's just a reserved person by nature.

He extends his arm across the table, inviting me to engage in a fist bump with him. His admittance helps me realize that he accepts me now. "You're alright, Swan."

I'm beaming from ear to ear when we retract our arms. Jasper and Alice both get a kick out of my enthusiasm. They chuckle lightly. Out of my peripheral, I catch a glimpse of Edward's smirk. He seems satisfied that Jasper and I have such an amicable energy wafting between us.

I'm ready to relax and enjoy their company, but there's a voice in my head that tells me this is not the time. I sigh and shift into my seat, preparing myself to launch into this conversation. I don't want to tarnish everyone's mellow mood, but the tranquil atmosphere is bound to change.

It's inevitable.

I shake out my hair, letting the brown waves curtain my face. "I have to talk to you guys about something."

Their attitudes shift immediately. It's instinctive to them. They know when it's time to be serious. It's like their minds snap right into focus. I'm taken aback at first. Their combined intensity burns through me like a laser.

But their heated gaze does not feel threatening.

Edward shakes his head briskly. "There's too many people here."

He's telling the truth. The cafe is full of listening ears. Eric's kick-back has been rendered secondary gossip. It hasn't flitted anyone's minds, but it's no longer priority. The only thing people want to know now is what Kirkland's move is going to be, and how Bella Swan is going to tie into those plans.

I lift my head and glance around the room. I can't locate a single table that doesn't have at least one member gawking in our direction. Mike's group are less subtle than everyone else, but even they look out of the corner of their eyes.

"What are you doing after school?" I wonder, sending all three of them an individual offer to mingle.

Jasper is the first person to decline. "I have to make some runs."

My initial thought is to respond by questioning him. It would be amazing if he could explain his runs in detail. What is he going to be doing? Where is he going to be? How long is it going to take him to get done?

Of course, I'm smart enough to know that it doesn't work that way.

"I'll be busy too." Alice says begrudgingly, flashing her cousin a look that obviously means something between the two of them.

Edward speaks just as I begin to ponder it. "I'm free until later tonight."

I forget about Alice's ominous look within seconds. Edward is usually always occupied with his duties, so I'm more than thrilled that he has some time on his hands today. I keep my cool thoroughly well. If the the three of them can sense the urgency of my excitement; none of them let on.

"Can you come by Jacob's house so we can talk?"

He begins nodding his head, just as the bell sounds above us. They raise from the table in synchronization. Their fluidity is hauntingly graceful. Jasper and Alice move to dump their untouched trays, leaving Edward and I alone in the corner.

"I'll be there around six." He promises, refraining from staring at me directly. "Let Jacob know that I'll have the dank he wanted."

Edward doesn't wait around for me to respond. He shoves his hands into the pocket of his jeans and trudges forward, meeting the other members of his crew at the door. I watch them take their exit in silence.

My heart drops into my stomach and erases my excitement.

I lift my foot to take a step in the direction of the doors, but something hits me from behind before the maneuver can be completed. The force causes me to lose my balance. I stumble over my feet but am able to keep myself from plummeting against the greasy, tiled floors.

My eyes zero in on the culprit who jeopardized my trajectory. Mike and my former friends are just beginning to move past me. Jessica Stanley is on the outskirts of the horde they've created. She's the closest to me, and her face is gnarled with dislike.

When she catches me glaring; her head falls back with laughter.

Mike chuckles as well, wrapping his arm around her waist and tugging her into his side. He glances over his shoulder to send me a menacing look. It isn't a scowl or a frown. His eyebrows are relaxed and his mouth is set in a straight line. The only part of his face that exudes any type of emotion are his eyes.

There are threats scripted all the way through them.

A thick, solid lump forms in my throat. I do not try to swallow it down. It's too large. My oxygen can barely fit past it. Strings tighten in my chest, causing my lungs to quiver and whine.

I duck my head and look away from Mike, exiting out of the door furthest from where he stands. I don't listen to the noise in the halls. The only thing I want to do is get to class. I plan on using the last few periods to plan my talk with Jacob and Edward.

I've already decided that I'm going to talk to them together as an unit, and then separately when I am able to get them both alone. I want to bring up the upcoming kick-back, the warning I received from Eric two days ago, and the news about Mike's meeting in La Push.

I'm still contemplating on telling them about the changes I've noticed in Charlie, but they always write me off whenever I try to talk to them about the chief.

Sitting next to Eric turns out to be easier than I thought it would. We still don't speak to each other, but his silence is less alarming than Mike's narrowed eyes. A couple of people travel to the back of the classroom to ask about his event. Apparently, it starts at 9pm and there is no guest list.

That means everyone is invited.

I turn my mind into a mental notepad, jotting down every piece of information that may be valuable. When school finally lets out, I have an archives of records in my head.

A text to Jacob is the first task that I complete. I give him a heads up on my plan to swing by so he can expect my arrival. I stop at the grocery store to pick up a birthday cake and some ingredients for dinner. Billy and Jake both love anything that's greasy, unhealthy, and full of carbs. I figure that a few homemade pizzas will suffice for a meal.

I'm on the road to La Push by 3:30. That gives me time to cook and celebrate with Billy. Edward won't arrive until six. By then, Billy should be sated and Jake should be ready to get down to business.

He's sitting on the trunk of the Rabbit when I pull into the driveway. I marvel at how amazing the car looks now that it is finished. It was just an empty body and a bunch of parts when I first started coming to La Push. Now it's a complete work of art.

"Wow, Jake. It looks great." My eyes fill with pride. I'd never be able to tell that a teenage boy took part in the mechanical construction. "Your expertise shines through."

"You're just buttering me up." He laughs boyishly and hops down, landing on the pavement with an audible thud. "Do you think it'll win me the scholarship?"

"It should win you an apprenticeship with Ford Motors." I wink at him even though I am being entirely truthful.

Jake is way too talented to be stuck in La Push for the rest of his life. I pray that he gets the scholarship so he can continue his education and refine his skill. He could own a chain of mechanic shops one day, or better yet, he could manufacture his very own brand of car. With a gift like his the sky's the limit.

"You're too kind." He says, inviting his modesty to become one with him.

As we carry the shopping bags inside; we discuss the different schools he's been looking into. Our conversation is light and airy. Jake is optimistic which makes my desire for him to succeed even more profound. We talk back and forth while we set things up in the kitchen.

Billy has already purchased beer. It's the first thing I notice when I place my bags onto the counter. I smirk and tease him about having to get drunk without Charlie. Their dependency of each other has only gotten worse with old age, and it's easy to see that this day is missing something without my father being here. At first, it's only a harmless joke.

As I begin to think about it, I start to feel bad that Charlie couldn't make it.

I make a serious effort to take Billy's mind away from his best friend's absence. The only reason Charlie ungrounded me is because I promised to give Billy a fun birthday, so I dedicate my time to adhering to that promise.

I turn on some old school music in the kitchen, and get him and Jake involved with the preparation of the pizzas. The two of them pop open a couple bottles of Corona and before I know it the room is filled with laughter and cheer.

Each of us make our own personal pizza. Jake covers his dough with three different meats and cheeses, Billy slathers marinara sauce on half of his dough and barbecue sauce on the other half, and I take the safe route by just sticking to sauce and cheese.

Somewhere between Jake's second beer and third piece of pizza I remind him that Edward's supposed to be arriving. This causes him to slow his roll so he can at least be coherent when Edward shows up. For the rest of the time, we sit with Billy in the living room and watch football on the flatscreen television. He's acting like Jake and I are good company. I can't be so sure but his mind seems to be unconcerned about Charlie's absence.

That's all that really matters.

I hear Edward's Volvo when it rolls up the driveway. Butterflies burst out of their cocoons and flutter inside my stomach. Something about his presence puts me on edge, and it's not just because there's a dilemma between us. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop myself from reacting this way. He plagues my skin with goosebumps.

I'm surprised when he walks straight through the front door.

He doesn't ring the doorbell or call to announce himself. He waltzes into the living room without an invitation and is smothered with greetings from Billy. I watch him offer Billy a hug, implying that the two of them are acquainted on a personal level.

I'm puzzled but I don't say anything about it. I assumed that Jacob was the only person who secretly congregated with Kirkland. When I asked Edward to come to La Push, I thought we'd all go in the garage to keep him a secret from Jake's dad. That does not appear to be necessary however.

The way Billy regards Edward is astonishing, considering the fact that Charlie despises everyone from Kirkland. I know Billy has heard Charlie complain about Edward on numerous occasions. It's one of the only things he ever talks about.

I guess I'm not the only one who keeps things from Charlie.

"Hey dad." Jake says, pulling the attention away from Edward. "I'm gonna go show Bella and Edward my next project real quick."

"Oh, the one out in the garage?" Billy wonders. "They're going to get a kick out of that one."

Jacob nods his head, smiling at his father's support. He glances at me and Edward knowingly. The three of us share a look of understanding. "Hey, why don't you two head out there? I'm going to use the bathroom first."

My heart detonates inside of my chest as my head snaps in Jacob's direction. He doesn't catch my state of alarm because he's already retreating towards the hallway. Billy turns his attention back to the television, forgetting me and Edward.

I take a chance by raising my gaze. I am met with a forest green. The shade is quite dark, almost as dark as the black circle within it. I would compare both colors to an abyss before I attributed them to eyes. Edward stares at me questioningly, but does not speak. He walks to the front door in silence … And I follow.

Our trek to the garage is a long one. It probably only takes us a matter of seconds to cascade down the porch stairs, but it feels like our journey lasts for an eternity. The only thing I can focus on is his gait. He has a dancer's walk. It's like he floats rather than steps. It's like he waltzes rather than walks.

He leads the way to the garage. I can't read his emotions through the way that he moves. I'm desperate to hear his thoughts. I haven't been able to understand anything about him since last night. I feel like I might explode if I am not able grasp just a little bit of what's been going through his head.

Edward slides through the door of the garage, but he does not travel far into the room. He leans his back against a shelf that's positioned right beside the entrance. I carry myself a few paces ahead of him, inhaling the harsh fumes that have resulted from spilled gasoline and motor oil.

It's quiet.

I can hear the familiar sound of a bug flitting around the room, disguised behind the rusty shelves and hardware tools. I can't tell if it's a cricket or a grasshopper, but it makes its own distinct sound. In this small space, the noise is earth-shattering.

My eyes can't help landing on Edward's form. He almost blends in with the dark interior. Everything in this room is a shade of gray. The shelves, the floor, the automatic door ; all painted in a cloudy, gray mist.

He sees me staring at him, but he doesn't utter a sound. He hasn't said anything to me specifically, not since we left each other in the cafeteria earlier today. The way he's been acting is prompting my heart to beat out of control. It's thudding so violently that my blood is rushing in my ears.

"You're the one who kissed me." I finally say, fighting to keep the accusation off of my facial expression.

My voice reaches Edward's ears in slow motion. They slither into his ear canals and rest there. I'm irritated that they don't travel further into his head. I want them to stick to his brain like Velcro. Maybe then he'd expel some of the indifference he's been harboring.

"So…" His reply is lazy and slow. He smirks crookedly. "You wanted it."

I scoff at his predictable display. My irritation is beginning to transition into the first stage of anger. "You don't know what I want."

"I could think of a few things."

He doesn't pay attention to the ardor in my words. Edward keeps rolling down the nonchalant path. Heat floods my being, leaking into my chest and cheeks. I don't even care that I am blushing. I'm too upset by Edward's confusing behavior to try and stop it. I allow the blood to turn my face red, which is the only color I can see right now.

I stare at him for a long time without knowing what to say. I want to accuse him of being bipolar, but he'd just tell me that I'm over-reacting. The patience on his face is a direct mockery to the way that I'm feeling. He's so unbothered by this situation that it almost hurts my feelings.

I nibble my bottom lip to keep myself from blurting out my disappointment. Instead, I decide that he's not going to pull a reaction out of me this way. That's exactly what he wants and expects.

If he wants to continue our friendship like everything between us is order, then the both of us gets to play the detached role.

"Are you gonna give them to me then?" I ask lightly, causing his brows to furrow.

I take a step towards him but he shakes his head. "Don't."

It's clear that he had not expected me to agree with his impassive nature. He thought that I'd keep arguing with him, but I'm not going to beg him to face this problem with me. He can pretend like our boundaries are still intact if that comforts him. It's not going to get us anywhere in the end.

We'll always be stuck right in this spot.

I shake my head too. "We can't go back, Edward."

This time my words seem to reach him effectively. His expression changes subtly. The green in his eyes brighten up enough for me to spot hesitancy. He tries to blink the evidence away, but I catch it before his eyelashes sweeps it up.

Edward opens his mouth. I hold my breath and wait for him to speak. I cannot predict what his response will consist of. I'm leaning towards a small ounce of acceptance, but I'm expecting another display of carelessness.

Jacob walks into the room before he can say anything however, causing the hot-air balloon in my chest to deflate into a sunken mess.

"Hey guys." He says flippantly. "What's the word?"

I'm disappointed that the moment has been interrupted. Edward was just about to say something when Jacob's voice rushed into the atmosphere. I am able to contain the downfall of my mood. Jake's presence is not a nuisance. I'm actually glad that he can serve as a distraction. This will give me and Edward more time to think about what needs to be said to each other.

Like I said before; we're here to have a discussion.

"I didn't know Billy approved of your friendship with Edward. He's never said anything about it to Charlie." I say drolly, arching my eyebrows at the irony.

"Yeah, he knows I buy my weed from Kirkland." Jake and Edward both laugh. Their amusement takes over the empty space in the garage. "And my dad doesn't tell Charlie everything. He knows how uptight your old man can get."

The joke does not tickle me the way it tickles Jacob. It doesn't offend me either. I feel guilty about betraying Charlie's trust, and I feel anguished that I'm not the only one. Every person that Charlie has allowed to get close to him have turned out to be unworthy. I don't think of Billy any differently, but I think Charlie would if he knew the truth.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Princess?" Edward asks, pulling a baggie of weed out the kangaroo pocket of his pull-over.

I regard him closely as he hands the bag to Jacob. He doesn't hold his hand out to receive money in exchange. I'm guessing Edward is giving Jake a freebie this time. It must be compensation for the effort Jake has put forth as their ally. A free bag of weed hardly seems comparable to the stunts Jacob pull for Kirkland's benefit, but there's probably more going on between Edward and Jake than I know.

They don't tell me everything.

Jake slides his finger into the bag and pulls some of the green crumbs out. The aroma is incredibly intense. It escapes from its plastic confines and absorbs all of the fresh air, making my head swim with dizziness. Jacob grins and holds the weed directly to his nose, inhaling the potent scent with satisfaction and praise. I don't particularly favor the smell of marijuana, so I can not share his enthusiasm.

"Where do you guys get this shit from?" He is clearly impressed with the quality of Edward's drugs. This isn't the first time he's mentioned Kirkland's high-grade weed. "It just smells so damn good."

"The Volturi." Edward says easily. A dark glint flashes across his face. "Always The Volturi."

Jacob reels at Edward's reveal, shaking his head in an awe like fashion. "I bet Kirkland's cocaine is pure white."

"White as snow." Edward agrees, though he is less enthused than Jake.

I still don't see how the two of them can stand around and talk about drugs so casually. It doesn't make me nervous anymore. I just can't shake the feeling that someone's listening. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong place could be the end of Kirkland's operation. I guess Edward has a good enough reason to feel safe here.

All of La Push isn't as amicable as Jake, however.

"Hey Jacob." I say firmly. "Have you told Edward about Mike yet?"

Remembrance crosses Jake's face and he perks up, allowing his intel to rest just below his quirked eyebrow. Edward looks between the two of us with interest but not much curiosity. Mike is another one of those matters that he likes to write off. I think it'll be in his best interest to actually listen this time. It's no longer just about Mike. The threat is bigger than just one person. It's an allegiance now.

"What's the deal with Newton this time?" Edward wonders boredly, tugging his cell-phone out of his back pocket.

"I went to First Beach with Leah. I think it was Tuesday." Jacob's warm, brown eyes flatten as they become serious. "I saw Mike with Embry, Felix, and Sam. They were gathered on the parking lot talking ... like it was a meeting or something."

This disclosure invites a crease to rest between Edward's eyes. His forehead wrinkles up, resulting in a crease in his mouth as well. His lips do not formulate a frown, but there's nothing happy about the way they are positioned. Jacob has successfully snagged Edward's interest. I see evidence of the defenses that arise within his eyes.

"Did they say anything to you?"

"Nah." Jacob's face hardens as he recalls the incident. His boyish persona transitions into something disturbingly mature. "They were acting real aloof when I approached them." Jacob balances his gaze between my chocolate-brown one and Edward's mossy-green one. "Do you have any idea why they might have been meeting up?"

"No." Edward says sharply. "I would say that Mike could have been buying dank."

"But which one of them actually sells drugs?" I ask, remembering what Alice said about Felix once being a part of their crew.

"Felix and Embry sell." Edward replies. "Uley's parents are stacked."

Jacob wears a pensive expression on his face, mentioning Sam's parents only seems to deepen his annoyance. By now, everyone has to know that Jacob had something to do with the raiding of Sam's house. There is no proof but people must have suspicions.

Unlike Forks, La Push hasn't completely cast him away for his relationship with the Kirkland inhabitants. I think that their refrain from exiling him is a part of a ploy. They don't want Jake to realize that his decision to not pick a side has ultimately compromised him.

The Wolves have picked a side for Jake and it's not with them.

Jacob drags a hand through his cropped hair. "I would think that after being released from jail, Felix would have better things to do than sell petty dime bags."

His voice sounds meaningful to my ears, but it's not hard to understand that Jake is insulting Felix. I pick apart the short smile that drifts across his face. It's only there for a second before it vanishes. His mouth settles back into a straight line, but his eyes have become noticeably brighter.

"Yeah." Edward scoffs. "La Push doesn't move weight."

Edward and Jacob both laugh at what is apparently La Push's expense. I don't know much about weed or any drug for that matter. I'm also not updated on street slang. I feel incredibly ignorant standing next to these two boys. I can't even laugh at the joke with them because I don't get what they've found amusing.

I risk the teasing that I'll receive from being uninformed, tilting my head with a striking desire to learn."What does that mean?"

The laughter dies down and they both glance at me. Amusement is still alive in their eyes. Edward cocks his eyebrow at me. His bottom lip trembles, as if he wants to laugh at my naivete. I narrow my eyes and dare him to mock me. Sensing my impending wrath, he folds up his amusement and tucks it away. The taunting gleam is banished, but the smirk remains in tact.

"They only sell grams." He explains plainly. "The most they sell are quads." The smirk sharpens into a sneer, adding just the right amount of ridicule to his words. "Chump change?"

"How is it chump change?" After seeing all the money Edward carried in Seattle, I can only imagine what he considers as 'chump change'.

"Okay, let me break this down to you real simply."

Edward tucks his phone back into his pocket and rocks on his feet, watching my expression through thoughtful eyes. I am grateful that he's willing to enlighten me. I usually have to ask him a million questions just to pull a three-word explanation out of him.

Despite the troubling news he just received, his patience and softness remain intact. My heart almost becomes flattered, but I remind myself of how unconcerned he's been acting today. I exchange my heart for my brain and flattery for humbleness, settling for a vague appreciation for his acquiescence.

"A gram of weed is the smallest amount of dank generally available for purchase." His voice remains clear and smooth.

I nod my head to let him know I am following him. "Okay."

"An eighth is 3.5 grams." He talks with a conversational tone, which is funny considering the degree of seriousness that encompasses this matter."Which makes a fourth 7 grams." Edward looks at me pointedly. "A fourth is a quad."

"A gram usually costs between 15 to 20 dollars." Jacob chimes in, earning a nod of approval from his bronze-haired counterpart.

"La Push probably sells about three or four quads a month and a few dime bags a week." Edward's voice has returned to its scornful undertone. He closes his eyes for a second but his mouth moves. I realize immediately that he is counting in his head. Before I can even attempt to do the math; he's already gathered the calculations in his head. "Their revenue can't be any higher than seven hundred a month."

"That's not bad." I say, lifting my shoulders. It's more than Charlie gives me.

Edward is still not convinced. His derision leads the last of his explanation. "You have to take into account that dealers split their profits with their dope-boys and their middle-men."

"And the supplier." Jacob chimes in a second time, humoring me with his sarcasm.

"How does Kirkland make so much money then?"

"We push weight." He says this in a modest manner. Edward admits that this is nothing worth bragging about. "Kilos." His voice quiets as his specification furthers. "And we sell more than weed."

Jake blows out a gust of air, imagining the unmentionables that Edward and his crew distributes to their clients. "That's why Forks his Felix with a misdemeanor charge and not a felony."

"If they would have caught me with a kilo of weed in my car..." Edward trails off, unable to finish his sentence.

But I know exactly what he'd been thinking. "We would have never seen you again."

He looks at me with apprehension. I barely ever witness Edward let his guard down. I can spot where his fear accumulates and bubbles. It fizzes until it spills every square inch of his being. I wish I knew what to say to comfort him but I do not.

Instead, I change the subject. "How much is a kilo worth anyway?"

"That's a conversation for another time." Edward smirks, shaking away his moment of vulnerability. "We're off track here."

"Yeah, so I don't think Mike was meeting the wolves to buy weed."

"It's unlikely." His features band together to showcase his confusion. "I still don't understand though."

I take this chance to bring up the threat Eric left me with the other day. I can tell that our train of thoughts are crashing and burning. There isn't even a track for us to keep ourselves steady on. I'm hoping that this can tie up some strings, or give the three of us a direction to follow in.

"Eric came up to me again and warned me about steering clear of Kirkland." My announcement grasps every ounce of Edward's attention. He turns his body completely in my direction. I try not to wither underneath his scorching gaze. "He was really frightened too. He couldn't even tell me why he felt like I should stay away." My own fear decides to rejoin the party, asking for permission to serenade my nerves. "The only thing he said was that Mike's planning something dangerous."

"Fuck." Edward rakes his hand through his hair roughly. "I have enough shit to worry about already."

I want to ask him what else he's worrying about. This could be a great opportunity to question him about Kirkland's most recent mission, but I told myself that I would have that conversation with him when we were alone.

It takes every fiber of my being to remain patient. I'm itching to get into his head. It seems to be overflowing with thoughts now. I wonder for the briefest of seconds if one of those thoughts maybe have something to do with me.

"Did you ask him what Mike was planning, Jellybean?" Jake reminds me that this situation is most prevalent. His question causes my concern to replenish.

"I practically begged him to tell me and he almost did." I talk over the dread that's staking claim on this conversation "... but the bell rang and he just ran away."

Edward's voice is devoid of hope. He tilts his head back, shuts his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose. Him and Carlisle have this habit in common. It never appears to calm them though. "They're definitely setting us up."

The room goes quiet. It's crazy how the three of us are wrapped up in this one predicament. I can't walk away from this situation and be relieved that it's out in the open. It affects my life just the same as it affects Edward's and Jacob's. A few months ago, I could have heard a rumor about Forks and La Push targeting Kirkland. I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought.

Now, my life is right in the middle of all this tumult.

"This fucking blows." Edward groans. "Was there anything else?"

Unfortunately, I have to nod my head. "Eric is throwing a kick-back tomorrow night."

"Yorkie?" He asks incredulously.

"Yeah." I nod again. "Everyone is going."

"The Wolves will be there for sure." Jacob says, looking to Edward to make the next move.

Edward squares his shoulders and reclaims his composure. The worry is wiped off of his face, the apprehension is mutilated, and the fear is disposed. Every negative emotion that clouded his expression is now morphing and transforming into determination.

His eyes darken and harden, hitching my shallow breaths. A shiver begins its descent down my spine. It rolls not just beneath my coat but beneath my skin as well. I feel the thrill coming alive in my bones.

"We're gonna make an appearance too." Edward glances at me and Jacob when he says this, lowering the volume of his voice. "We need to get to the bottom of this before..."

There's another pause and more silence.

"Before what?" I ask hesitantly, preparing myself for whatever Edward will say next.

"Before the chaos is unleashed."