CHAPTER 25

By the time the school term ended, it was like that episode in Port Angeles never happened. Weirdly, Jessica was still being inexcusably nice, even after I had pushed and turned her down the way I had that morning. I asked Edward why that might be and he was silent for a second, and then said, "She thinks you might be her ticket to Mike." I laughed and playfully slapped him on the arm.

"Edward Cullen! I cannot believe you would break into somebody's mind for me!" I mock yelled at him. He kissed me and whispered,

"Oh, I'd break into a thousand minds for you." Christine was an angel when Edward was looking but when he turned his back I swear you could see a pair of red horns coming out of her head. I didn't like her. She had half of the boys that weren't salivating after Rosalie, head over heels for her.

She was the devil in human form. Rumour had it that she'd been caught kissing Todd Jefferson by Lauren. Todd loved the attention. Who wouldn't? Christine was the second hottest girl after Rosalie. And man, was Emmett jealous of her. Rosalie, I mean. Not Christine.

When Edward told me that nothing had happened between them, I believed him, but I wasn't so sure now. He hadn't looked me in the eye when he said it. What was there to hide? It must've been years ago when anything could happen. When I didn't exist. Why did he feel the need of protecting me?

I was kept awake at night by the thought of me being stronger than him. How was that possible? The only way that could happen was if I was one of them. A vampire. An immortal being.

Christmas was always nearer and when time passed, I felt more and more helpless for no reason. I would be down for days on end sometime, and other times feel like I wasn't even in my body. Edward was worried sick, thinking he might've done something to reduce me this way, but actually it was my entire fault. I was scared of Christine and her friend Tanya. I was scared of what they might be able to do. There was no denying it. Christine adored Edward, and thought of me as a liability.

Maybe what I was doing was wrong. Maybe keeping Edward for me could turn out to be the greatest mistake of my life.

"Edward? Do you think I'm an idiot?" I asked. We were lying on my bed, like any other night, talking about nothing and kissing for ages.

He laughed and replied, "Yes, I do."

"Seriously, Edward."

"Why would you ask such a stupid thing? You know how I feel about you, and if I thought you were being an idiot, I would tell you."

"It's just something Christine said . . ." I trailed off. He stiffened, his arms tightening around me.

"Go on."

"Er, she said that what I was doing was wrong. That you should be able to choose what you wanted, that I shouldn't offer it to you on a silver plate. She said that maybe you would choose someone your own kind if I wasn't so . . . clingy, I think is the word she used." I waited, trying to understand what Edward was thinking by the way he breathed. Trying to understand what Edward was thinking was no piece of cake. Looking up, I met Edward's gaze, his topaz eyes stared at me in confusion.

"You are crazy." He muttered softly. His lips found mine and he kissed me. It wasn't his soft kiss that I had enjoyed but a hard one, a kiss that drove all other thoughts from my human mind. As I broke away from his kiss, I gasped, "Me? Crazy? Why?"

"You are crazy enough to believe Christine? I thought you knew better than that, Bella." I sighed and kissed his neck and jaw line. He groaned and sat up.

"You'll be the death of me, Bella." It was already dark outside and it was late.

"Go to sleep, Bella. And don't listen to Christine. She's stupid; she'll do anything to hurt you, OK?" I nodded and he smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Won't you stay tonight?" I asked.

"Not tonight, love." He disappeared out of the window before I could open my mouth.

Sorry guys if this chapter is short, but I had no other ideas for this particular chapter.

Keep reading! I swear the best part is coming up . . .