Chapter Twenty-Five—How to ask a vampire if you're dating

Later that night, as I doing my homework, I came to a frightening realization.

"I need to call Jessica," I said, eyeing my cell phone as if it was ticking time bomb.

Edward looked at me from the foot of the bed, placing my Wuthering Heights book on the mattress. "Why?"

"I can't remember what the Trig assignment was." I flipped through my math book. "And I forgot to write it down."

"That page," he said, pointing at the one I turned to. "Problems twenty-eight to thirty-six."

"So you were watching," I said accusingly, tossing my book aside. "Don't you have better things to do?"

He shrugged. "No."

"How about your own class?"

"Bella, my mind can concentrate on many things at once."

I sat back against my headboard, processing that. "It's kind of strange, Edward. It's a little like spying, you shouldn't do that."

"I can't make any promises," he said softly, averting his gaze. "When I'm bored—which is quite often, as this is not my first time going through high school—I have a tendency to look for you." I stored that away for later, because my mind was so full of questions, I was having trouble focusing on one thing. "I did, however, find out something else. Fourth period was quite interesting."

As I shifted back to sit the middle of the bed with my book back on my lap, he offered his help.

"Let me guess, you speak a dozen languages," I whined as I fell back on the mattress. It was our third night of working on my homework, and Dad hadn't returned from his night shift yet.

"I didn't hear you complaining when I informed you of the Spanish quiz Mrs. Goff has planned. But incidentally, I'm fluent in—"

I stopped him from continuing, frustrated with the level of homework I had and now studying. "That's nice, C3PO, but unless you know what she's going to ask me, I can't really study for it."

"It would be cheating."

"You're right, and I wouldn't ask you anyway." I ignored the look of surprise on his face, softening after only a moment. I wasn't even sure it happened. "The warning is good enough. It's just that, why are they all testing us at the same time!"

I'd been studying all week and it now appeared I would be for the rest of it, as well.

"Spring Fever is setting in, the staff at Forks High knows that between that and prom, the students will start to lose focus." He appeared to be ready to ask something when my phone rang.

Concerned that it might be my dad, I answered without looking at the caller id. "Hello."

"Bella!" It was Jessica. I knew I couldn't avoid her questions forever, but I was a terrible liar. I wouldn't even be able to fake casual, and even less with Edward sitting right in front of me. My eyes clenched tightly, noticing that he had stilled, too.

"Hey, Jessica. What's up?" Edward shook his head, smiling a little.

"What's up? What's up? Are you kidding me?" I held out the phone, her voice still clear. "Let's see, there was Edward's arm up on your shoulder. Then, his fingers were up on your cheek at least four times today."

Edward was obviously not going to give me privacy, so I released my hair from the rubber band it was in. It seemed that Edward wasn't the only one prone to spying. I felt my face heat up as I responded to Jessica.

"We're just friends, Jess," I said softly, even though I knew Edward could hear me anyway.

"Friends don't do that," she reiterated her earlier statement, and I let my head fall back to look up at the ceiling. She continued on with how it seemed to her and most of our friends. That Edward and I were dating, but it simply wasn't true. We had a working relationship that slowly allowed us to become friends.

"Despite all that, we're just friends." It was the truth, after all. Edward hadn't indicated he wanted to be more than that, and I had no clue on how to broach the subject. Did I even want more? Before I could linger on that question, I realized it was not the time for it. I was on the phone and had Edward sitting on my bed. Curious as to what he was thinking, I peeked from beneath my hair and saw him watching me intently.

His eyes, a golden hue, held me immobile. I couldn't look away from him. Jessica's words started to blend together. A heavy but almost sweet weight closed in around me, tension filling the spaces. It was pleasant in a way I'd never felt before. What to make of it, I had no clue. I seemed to be tethered there, in that moment, to him.

I mouthed the word to make it, the connection, more tangible. Is that what I want?

"What?" he asked. His voice and confused expression broke the connection. The silence on the other end had me nearly cursing. Jessica had heard Edward. At that point, I couldn't even look at him.

"He's there!" Jessica nearly screeched at a level not meant for humans. "What is he doing there?"

It was none of her business, and I didn't want to answer her; I knew she'd blow it out of proportion. As if she's not doing that already.

"We're doing homework and studying." I tossed my math book aside and rose from bed, cringing at the creak of my mattress as I stood and began pacing. "Look, Jess, I have to go."

"You can't tell me that you're just studying. Alone. In your bedroom. Chief's not home. So tell me, is he a good kisser?"

My face felt like it was on fire. "Gotta go," I said again, and that time, hung up. I'd probably regret it later, but it was for the best. I had no doubt that Edward heard every word as I tentatively glanced at him. I was only a tiny bit disappointed to find him reading from my book.

"Remind me again why you love this book so much," he said, not looking up from my tattered, well-loved copy of Wuthering Heights.

I wasn't ready to analyze what had happened over the week, or even just moments before; there would be time for that later. As I snatched my book from him, I told him exactly why and he definitely made some valid points in our discussion; it served as a healthy distraction from the earlier tension.

~oOo~

This rollercoaster ride with Edward is going to eliminate the remainder of my sanity, I thought as I walked out to his car again Thursday morning. All the strain that still lingered in his features as I fell asleep the night before had seemingly vanished in the hours since. I was glad for it, but at the same time, it also made me feel completely clueless.

His anger was simple enough to respond to, especially when there didn't appear to be a definitive cause—I'd just get twice as mad. Yet, while there were times his anger did make sense, none of the pieces fit together the night before, and now, it was as if nothing had affected him at all.

I had no idea how to approach him when he switched gears so drastically.

"Morning," I greeted him and he smiled with a nod in return as I settled into the car, and he closed the door behind me. His silence once we were on our way unnerved me more than usual, but he was so uncharacteristically calm, I couldn't keep quiet myself. "Can I ask you a question?"

"If I said no, would it stop you?" Edward replied with a grin, and I narrowed my eyes at his teasing, which only made him laugh. "Of course you can, Bella."

I thought for a moment before speaking, pondering how to bring up the topic on my mind without disrupting his mood. "Not that I'm complaining, but you've seemed more relaxed this week. Is it getting easier to be around me?"

Edward cleared his throat and his smile fell a little—damn it, wrong approach, Bella. "I will not lie to you and say that it is, because it really is not. However, the options I have left to me otherwise are wholly unappealing. So, it is a matter of trying to focus my attention elsewhere. I am not always successful, but that part is at least getting a little easier."

"Well, that's something, I guess," I replied, giving him a forced smile but lowering my eyes to my lap.

"Not away from you, exactly. Only from where I am the most tempted," he added, and then sighed and released a rough chuckle. "You were right. I really do suck at this."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, even to the point of snorting; that was a very non-Edward Cullen-esque thing to say. Yet strangely enough, it really did make me feel better. When he had his awkward, far from perfect moments, it reminded me that underneath the flawless exterior, there was just a guy. He was equally as confused and trying to figure out his path through life as I was, and that made the gap between us as individuals seem that much smaller. "You're better than you think, and more than I gave you credit for."

Edward's smile brought with it the wrinkles at the corner of his eye, though not quite as pronounced as I'd recalled from the past, and I could tell something else was on his mind. "So can I ask you a question as well?"

"And if I said no?" I teased and he rolled his eyes playfully at me throwing his own words back at him. "You know you can, Edward."

He hesitated for a moment as he pulled into the school lot and glided into his normal spot, but didn't cease the engine immediately. I found myself sympathizing with his frustration when he couldn't read my mind—even without the normal ability to do it, I really wished I could with him at that instant. His face gave nothing away and he was unnaturally still, and it seemed like an eternity had passed before he spoke again. "You said you didn't mind what I did yesterday. Did you mean that? Or were you trying to spare my feelings?"

"Have you ever known me to do that? Especially with you? I drove my truck into your car, for crying out loud. I don't think anyone could accuse me of holding back when it comes to you after that, and most of them haven't even heard our verbal exchanges at times," I answered with a laugh, and his mouth curved upward slightly as he nodded. But it wasn't the full smile I had been expecting, and he still wasn't looking at me. "I meant it, Edward. Considering everything, even before, you've found ways to be as honest with me as possible, even when you know I might not necessarily like what I hear. I owe you that same respect. So no, I didn't mind, and I even kinda liked it."

Finally, he glanced over at me, just in time for me to block my view of him with my hands as they covered my face. That was beyond embarrassing and I could feel the heat rising throughout my entire body. I knew that if it was getting uncomfortable for me, it was most likely on the brink of causing Edward physical pain. I mumbled a quick apology and exited the car before I began blushing too much for him to bear, yet still waited for him to join me. When he reached for the bag strap on my shoulder, I prepared to relinquish it as I had between every class the day before—I'd gotten used to the fact that it was just part of the whole friendship chivalry thing he had going on. However, when he didn't immediately pull it from its position and merely wrapped his fingers around it, I was surprised and lifted my eyes to meet his.

"Please, don't apologize for being candid. I have found that complete honesty is an extremely rare trait in humans. Your kind rarely ever says what they are truly thinking. So you really are a refreshing change," he said with a smile, finally taking my bag from me and hooking it over his shoulder before draping his arm around mine once again. "More confusing by the minute, but refreshing all the same."

I relaxed under the weight of his arm and even shifted a fraction closer to him, fighting the unexpected urge to wrap mine around his waist. Somehow, it felt like it should have been a natural movement, having seen it done many times by others, including my mother with Phil. But they were couples, dating—Edward and I were just friends. What counted as "normal" between friends? And he accused me of being more confusing by the minute.

As we were passing through the doors, he suddenly gave a heavy sigh and groaned, "Alice."

My eyes scanned around and behind us, until I spotted her still yards away in the parking lot, and then turned back to look at Edward. "What is it?"

Edward's hand curled a little more around my shoulder for a moment before it fell once we reached my locker, to hand over my bag. I waited for him to explain, but he didn't say a word until Alice passed us, exchanging looks with him on her way by. He finally met my expectant gaze as he leaned back against the lockers, his lips tight in some kind of contemplation. "Aside from her usual meddling, she asked me to invite you to join us at lunch."

"'Us'? As in, your family?" I asked in a startled voice, shifting nervously in my spot.

Edward nodded. "Yes. She insists that I need to stop being greedy by keeping you to myself all the time."

Does that mean he wants to keep me all to himself?

"I'm sure they miss you, too," I mumbled, and he actually laughed. "Why is that funny?"

"If you knew my siblings, you would understand," he replied cryptically, shaking his head and looking back to me again. "You are not obligated, if it is not something you wish to do. I know I have been keeping you from your other friends even more lately, as well. I have no problem with telling Alice to butt out if you would rather—"

"Stop," I interrupted Edward, turning to face him more directly, and an amused smile touched his lips with his raised eyebrows. "It's been my choice to sit with you this week. Unless you've got some mind control ability that you're not telling me about, it was my decision, and I wanted to be there with you. I still do, whether it's just the two of us or with your family. So yes, you can tell Alice that I will join you."

My answer seemed to make Edward genuinely happy, his smile actually reaching his eyes. "Thank you."

I was fine until he left me at my first class, and then the realization of what I had just agreed to kicked in. I really did prefer sitting with Edward at lunch and having at least halfway intelligent conversations with someone that extended beyond boys, sex, and sports. However, I'd had such limited interaction with his family in the past, and even less since the revelation of what they were, so I had no idea what to expect. Alice seemed nice, if not a bit exuberant at times, as did Emmett, though his size was a little intimidating, but it was the other two siblings that made me the most nervous.

Rosalie had never made a secret of her disdain for me. While Edward told me just to ignore it, I couldn't, especially since it had seemed to intensify with even harsher glares of late. And Jasper … I had never been able to figure him out at all. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't exactly welcoming, either. How would they feel about a human joining them at their table?

To his credit, Edward did his best to calm me between classes after I'd voiced my concerns, while assuring me that I could change my mind at any time. For a fraction of a moment, I would admit, I actually thought about it, but that would have been entirely selfish. As annoyed as he seemed to get with his siblings at times, particularly his sisters, there was no doubt left in my mind by the rest of his words and actions that his family meant the world to him. My agreement to sitting with them had made him so happy that morning, and I wasn't about to take that away from him. And if I intended to have any kind of place in Edward's life, I couldn't ask him to give up his family so he could spend time with me.

Yet, a surprised smile still crossed his face when I entered the cafeteria, spotting him already seated at his family's table, and crossed the room toward them without reservation after I'd gotten my lunch. Edward stood as I approached and pulled out the chair beside his, but as I sat down, Rosalie immediately shot up from hers.

"Excuse me. I seem to have lost my appetite," she seethed, her gaze locked directly on me before turning on her heel.

"Rose," Emmett murmured under his breath, taking hold of her hand, only for her to snatch it away just as quickly to storm off. He gave an apologetic smile, first to Edward and then to me, as well. "Don't worry too much about it, Bella. She's just concerned."

"About what? I mean, to be honest, even if I was to tell everyone in ear shot, who would take me seriously and not think I hadn't actually just gone off the deep end?" I asked, genuinely curious, but even Edward and Jasper, who seemed to take nothing lightly, were fighting amused smiles.

"She really is going to be fun to have around." Emmett laughed as he spoke and gazed over at Edward.

"It's not so much about what you might do," Edward added, tensing beside me and I didn't need any more elaboration than that. I was a single human girl in a collective of vampires—it was about what they might do.

I wondered for only a moment if there was something I could do to make my scent less potent. Maybe rub something on me, like a little perfume or something. Though it would be unappealing to me, since I didn't like wearing it, I would do it if it made it easier on him to be around me. It was something I could ask Edward later, in private. The topic of my blood and scent was a touchy enough subject.

"We're so glad you decided to join us today, Bella. I've been thinking about asking you for days, but Edward always beats me to the punch and keeps you all to himself," Alice chimed in, effectively breaking the tension, and then leaned forward on the table toward me to whisper, "Living with a mind reader really sucks sometimes."

I laughed and glanced over to Edward again, catching the roll of his eyes, but he couldn't entirely hide his amusement. Yet, it was short-lived and he began stabbing the pointless food on his tray with the plastic utensil in his hand. He was growing anxious and uncomfortable, even more so around his siblings, which I found odd. "What's wrong?"

Edward shook his head in response to my hushed inquiry, but his gaze shifted over to the table across the room where Jessica, Mike and Eric were huddled together on one side. Angela sat on the other, appearing annoyed—strange. "Jessica is going to be asking you to be her partner for your Spanish project. She is certain that you are hiding something, and even more so now that you have come to sit with my entire family."

I groaned, shaking my head. "I wish they'd move onto another topic. Isn't there something more exciting than the Chief's daughter and emo boy talking to each other?"

"Did she just call you…" Edward leveled Emmett with a glare, stopping him continuing with his question.

"I'm just repeating what I heard when they thought I wasn't listening," I grumbled, tearing my own food apart.

Edward rolled his eyes at Emmett, who appeared thoroughly amused with my outburst. It made me wonder if teasing the human was something they all found to be a form of entertainment.

"As I was saying before I was interrupted," Edward said, cocking an eyebrow. "The other topic of conversation seems to be the irrelevant nature of that Spanish project of yours."

I groaned and rolled my eyes, as I would if it were just me and Edward at the table, but then caught the fascinated stares of the other three occupants. "For once, I have to say I agree with the general consensus. Some of our parents aren't even old enough to remember Woodstock, and we know even less about it, aside from pictures and all that. And some of that stuff is hard enough to describe in a language I've spoken all my life. So this should be interesting."

"Well, it was an interesting time," Edward commented, but it wasn't until Emmett snickered that my gaze locked on the roll I had been unconsciously picking apart and my breath froze in my throat.

I had been wanting to find a way to ask Edward exactly how old he was, but could never seem to find the right words. I had always assumed that he was quite a bit older, based on his mannerisms and way of speaking alone. Yet, exactly how much, I could never seem to figure out. Was he actually Woodstock old? More than that? Had he even become a vampire yet by then? There is no way he wasn't, I thought to myself, running my eyes over him. He'd talk like a hippie otherwise, and nope, not even close. His eyes finally met mine after several moments of prolonged silence, with that tentative look within them. "You were there?"

Edward nodded subtly to my whispered question. "Yes, I was."

My lips parted a little in shock, but just as quickly closed, with questions circling relentlessly in my mind. But the first one to roll off my tongue was the last one I would have thought. "Did you get stoned?"

A loud belting laugh sounded beside me and my head spun to look at Emmett in surprise—apparently, he is very easily amused, I thought, until I looked back at Edward to find him narrowing his eyes at his brother. "You don't know that."

The comment increased Emmett's laughter, and I noticed that even Alice was giggling and Jasper was stiffly shaking his head. "What?"

Edward leaned toward me, while keeping his eyes on Emmett, whispering as he spoke again. "It is a unanimous opinion amongst my family that, even if I were human, I wouldn't have done anything like that."

"Straight laced," Emmett snickered, though his voice had lowered significantly.

"It does seem a bit hard to imagine," I muttered softly, but my thoughts were already too busy spinning to register anything else that was happening around that table, or for the rest of the day, for that matter.

If he was at Woodstock, that would put him at forty years old, at least, I mused to myself on the way home from school that afternoon, but then even that train of thought was interrupted. Edward would have had to be old enough to attend and he had clearly stated, "even if he were human." Numbers and dates began flickering in my head, and from the frequent sighs and Edward's fingers gripping the steering wheel too tight, I knew my preoccupied mind and silence was frustrating him. Every time I tried to say something, I wanted to blurt out, "How old are you?"

I already knew it wouldn't sit well with him so I remained somewhat silent. As I exited the car when we arrived at my house, I paused before closing my door. "Will I see you soon?" I asked.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Yes."

He offered me a small smile, widening slightly as he looked at something behind me. "Your father is wondering why you're taking so long."

I winced. "We're supposed to have dinner at the diner tonight," I replied, but he said nothing else. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

He only smiled a little. "I'll be by later to help you study."

"See you soon."

Dinner with my dad was simple, though I noticed that I would need to add more vegetables to his diet. The man ate the steak and potato dinner as if it was his last meal. It made me realize that for him, it was normal to eat at the diner, likely every day, until I arrived. It seemed rather lonely to me, even though everyone greeted him when they came in.

I watched as he cut into his steak and realized once again that I was happy to be home.

~oOo~

"Your Spanish is fine," Edward assured me as I answered the last question in the language.

Rolling my r's wasn't as difficult as I first thought. "Thanks for your help," I said honestly, smiling at him. "I feel a little more confident for my test questions tomorrow."

"You'll do fine."

I grabbed a book, since I hadn't been able to look him in the eye since his arrival over an hour before. Dad had been in bed for the last twenty minutes, after he checked on me, and Edward hid in my closet again.

Unaware of the long silence, since my mind was still processing our lunch earlier, Edward's drawn out sigh broke it.

"Just ask me, Bella." He ducked his head enough to capture my attention. Our gazes met and I couldn't deny the level of concern in his eyes.

"I knew you were older, but," I paused, curling some of my hair behind my ear. He seemed relieved that I was talking to him, but the look didn't last long. The subject matter made him nervous. He still expected me to run for the hills. "Exactly how old are you?"

"Seventeen." I gave him a look that clearly stated that his answer was not acceptable, making him sigh. "Carlisle changed me in 1918."

I stilled for a moment, my jaw dropping a little as my muddled thoughts began to process what that meant. "So, you were born…"

He nodded as I trailed off, and finished my statement for me. "In 1901."

"Oh." I released my breath and the book I'd been holding fell on my lap, slipping through my fingers. I froze; I wasn't proud of it, and from the grimace he made, he was waiting for the inevitable he expected, that I knew would never come.

I held up my hand, finally gaining the use of my limbs. It was a simple gesture, but one I hoped would quell his flight response. I saw it in the way he averted his eyes, the nervous tick of his jaw and the way his hand clenched on his thighs.

"I'm just trying to process what you've told me," I whispered.

His head snapped back up to look at me. "And?" he urged, seemingly desperate. Poor Edward, but he had to understand that his answer was just…wow.

"You're older than my great-grandfather." Before he could say something to that, I shook my head. "I mean, I knew from our discussion at lunch that you were older than my father, maybe even my grandfather." I tugged on my hair slightly, allowing my fingers to run through it. The motion helped give me some time to get my thoughts in order. "It makes so much sense now."

"What does?" he was quick to ask, his voice rising a bit. His frustration had reached the end of the line, it seemed, and I did not want Mr. Hyde to make appearance again.

He wasn't any fun to be around.

"Everything. But mostly… chivalry died a long time ago." I grinned. The incredulous look on his face lasted for a few moments, morphing slowly into an amused expression. Soon, I had to remind him to quiet down as we laughed.

"Edward," I said, hiding my still twitching smile under my hand. "You're over a century old."

"I'm aware of that, thank you."

"And Edward?"

"Yes," he said, picking up my Spanish notebook.

"You look good for your age."

He groaned, but a small smile peeked through on his features as well.

I chased away Mr. Hyde again. Instead, the sweet boy I'd come to know remained, and we continued my homework. Occasionally, I asked questions about historic moments in the last hundred years and what he thought of them.

Some events, he had attended, witnessing Woodstock for one, especially since it rained most of the time, and even when it didn't, few noticed the difference between the mind altering drugs and the mud, he explained. Many, they skipped simply because there were so many people around and the weather. He was a wealth of information, and though he seemed more at ease, his doubts lingered.

When he thought I wasn't looking, I noticed that he was watching me closely.

That night, my dreams consisted of Edward through the last century, then they centered on my growing feelings for him. It left me more confused as ever.

~oOo~

"I thought you'd take longer this morning," I said as I climbed in the car. The pensive look on his face was getting old. I wasn't going anywhere just because he was over a hundred years old.

"Why?" he asked clearly confused as he climbed inside the car.

"You know since you're so old, it should take longer to get ready." I kept my face as neutral as possible, but didn't last long.

"You're a laugh a minute," he said, shaking his head and pulling away from the curb. "Of all the things to discuss, you're going with joking about my age."

"Thought it would help lessen the tension," I said, shrugging. "You were worried that the age thing would bother me, I could tell. And though I will honestly admit that having a friend over a hundred is only slightly disturbing, it's not for the reason you would think."

He mumbled something under his breath, but I only caught the word "again."

"And what is the reason?" he asked, somewhat warily.

"How are you not bored to death talking to me?"

He looked at me as if I'd gone crazy, and perhaps I had. Who knew, maybe I was lost in some alternate universe in my mind, where mystical beings actually existed. I wanted to ask if werewolves and unicorns were real, too, but thought it was too sensitive a subject to bring up.

"You're forgetting that I can't read your thoughts. I never really know what you are going to do or say next," he said as he pulled into the school parking lot. Our discussion during the ride distracted me enough that I hadn't realized he probably broke the speed limit. It was something I needed to get used to—I knew that.

"And because of that, you don't find me boring," I said, watching him carefully. He kept his expression controlled, but soon he offered me a smile.

"Not in the least."

Though still a little confused by his answer, we exited the car and headed to my locker. It was the same as it had been in the last few days. He took my bag and walked closer, occasionally brushing his arm against mine. It didn't seem intentional, but it was Edward. He was too aware for that, so why did he do it? All the questions about our association that I had pushed back since the "age" thing came up, rose again to the forefront of my thoughts.

It was hard not to think too much of it. However, since Jessica made it clear that his arm around my shoulder was more than friendly or that the way he touched my cheek after walking me to my class was not normal "friendship" behavior, it was damn near impossible.

I thought about it all, the past week in great detail.

Lunch was interesting. Edward hadn't asked to have lunch together or if I'd sit with his family again. Yet, when he sat alone at our usual table, his smile was wide. "I'm being greedy again." Those words, the boyish grin, all added to my confusion.

Biology was something else entirely, and yet, so welcome. We sat beside each other as usual, and I tried to listen to the lesson while Edward watched. I felt his eyes on me, but my telltale blush barely rose to my cheeks. I was getting used to it, but it flushed my skin the second I felt his finger brush my pinky.

My breath caught.

My heart raced.

My throat was suddenly dry.

How could such a tiny touch overload my senses?

Then he did it again.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, so much so, I wasn't sure it was real. Only when his finger stopped stroking did I utter a sound of protest. Unable to stand it, I looked at him. The moment I did, I felt him move again. It was so subtle, so feather like that I pushed my finger closer. The thin line of his lips softened, the grin I loved so much made another appearance.

I needed answers, and I thought back to lunch the day before. No one knew him like his family, and of anyone at that table, his sister had seemed to be the most likely ally I could have among them. Emmett was great, but didn't seem to take much seriously at all, and this was beyond serious. I needed to talk to Alice.

~oOo~

Distracted by thoughts of Edward and wondering how I was supposed to talk to his sister without him around, I hadn't seen it coming. During gym, a ball hit my hip hard enough to send me sprawling onto my backside. My teacher excused me when I asked for a hall pass to go to the bathroom. I needed a few minutes to gather myself.

The halls were clear of other students and I was thankful. I hoped that Edward was sufficiently distracted in his own class, and hadn't seen my spectacular fall. How embarrassing, nosey, spying vampire— I would have to talk to him about that again.

"Hello," a voice said as I stepped into the bathroom. "Careful."

I jumped in complete surprise, catching my elbow against the wall. Alice stood near the sinks with her hands clasped behind her a back and a Cheshire-like smile on her elfin face. I looked around me, hoping no one else was around.

"We're alone," she said.

"How?" My eyes narrowed. "Can you read minds, too?"

She shook her head. "No. Not like Edward, but it was pretty obvious you were looking around for someone else."

It was my chance to talk to her. Edward had said that he and Alice shared a connection and understanding of one another that was unique to them. If anyone could help me decipher him, it would be her.

She held a finger to her lips, again shaking her head, tapping her ear. "He can't hear our thoughts, but he can hear our words."

"But he said," I started, remembering that Edward had told me that I was the first person he'd encountered that he'd been unable to hear. Then a conspiring grin appeared on Alice's face, and the twinkle in her eye clued me in. "You can block him out?"

"Not without difficulty," she said.

"You're just as cryptic as your brother," I grumbled, rubbing my elbow. "How did you know I was here?"

"You made the decision to come here," she said and offered a smaller smile. "Just as you made the decision to talk to me somehow." Her head tilted to one side and she waited. She wanted me to figure out what she wasn't saying.

"You can see what I plan to do, based on the decisions I make? Like, the future?" She nodded and as I did with Edward, I decided to test it. If all I had to do was make the choice to ask a question and she'd see it…

I need help to figure out how to ask a vampire if you're dating?

Apparently, even a subconscious decision to ask her for help in figuring it out, worked, because she suddenly laughed and shook her head. "That's something you need to talk to Edward about."

I groaned, since she was technically right. "Fine," I huffed. "But it's not exactly easy…" she interrupted me with a sound, tapping her ear again. She smiled as I recalled what I did before to respond. Despite this strange conversation, another thought popped up.

I want to know what she sees for my future.

Gone was her wide smile, replaced by something softer. "The future is not set in stone. It's constantly changing." She rubbed at her temples and closed her eyes. "Especially around you and Edward."

"And that's because," I prompted, waiting.

"It all depends on what you want, and decide, when it comes to one another. Both of you."

Instantly, I knew the answer, or at least a part of it. I wanted Edward in my life. Her smile returned, but she offered me nothing else. Only a reminder that I would need to talk to Edward and there was nothing to worry myself over.

"Says the vampire that can see the future," I groaned and splashed water on my face.

"Emmett's right," she said brightly. "You are going to be fun to have around."

"Edward did say I was a laugh a minute."

She told me to go since my teacher was wondering if I was more hurt than I implied and planned to send someone to check on me if I didn't return within a couple of minutes. "I'll see you soon," she said enthusiastically.

"I better go," I said, feeling more confused than ever.

Yet, I knew she was right. It was time Edward and I had a talk.

~oOo~

"You're very quiet again," Edward sighed, leafing through another one of my books. It was a collection of Jane Austen novels in one volume, and he would stop occasionally at the dog-eared pages.

From the cues I had gotten from Alice earlier while we were talking, I was pretty sure that he knew we'd spoken and had even heard most, if not all, of it. And in that case, he was aware of the fact that I had something pressing on my mind that she insisted that I needed to discuss with him. A quick glance at his face as he spoke and seeing the set of his features also clearly displayed that he was waiting for it—there was no way he was that fascinated by my book.

Where did I even start?

"I've just been thinking," I said nervously, and he nodded as he closed the novel, setting it back on my bedside table. I took a deep breath while watching his fingers fold together in front of him, and his eyes rose to meet mine. "This week has been… different. I mean, not bad different, but I'm not quite sure what to make of it, either. You seem more, I don't know, comfortable around me, even though you say it's not really getting easier."

"That is a fairly accurate assessment," he replied in a soft tone, but didn't contribute anything else. Thanks for making this so much simpler, Edward.

"I guess what I'm trying to get at is… we've been spending a lot of time together. Both in school and here… like this, and even our trip to Seattle. But it doesn't take a genius to see that some things are just not normal, by any definition," I stammered, my breaths shaking a little and my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I pulled my pillow into my lap to give my hands something to do, and began picking at the seam. "What exactly is this, Edward?"

"I know what I would like it to be." His eyes focused on his hands for a moment when I chanced a look up, before one came up to rub the back of his neck. He was nervous, shy, and visibly just as awkward as I felt, which was somewhat of a relief. It was one moment where Edward Cullen and I were absolutely equal. "Perhaps I have been too subtle. In my time, I would have crossed over the boundaries of inappropriate a long time ago. Taking you to Seattle, unescorted. Touching you so openly. Being in the confines of your bedroom or mine, alone, regardless of how innocent the circumstances. I simply do not know how to go about this with you. This is a fairly unique situation, and I really have no basis for comparison."

I was so caught up in the rare instance of watching Edward ramble, so unsure of himself, what he was actually saying barely registered for a moment. He really was no more experienced in this realm than I was, and we seemed so equally confused but it all.

"Please say something," he spoke suddenly, his eyes meeting mine again in an expectant gaze.

"Oh." Yeah, Bella, a response would be nice, as well as polite. The poor guy looks like he's dying all over again over there, I thought to myself as I took in Edward's anxious expression. I quickly began to run what I could recall from his previous statement through my mind and I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "So, with all those things considered, we're dating, then."

Edward sat very still for an instant and then slowly began to nod, his eyes lowering shyly again. "I would like that. Yes."

I set the pillow back in its place and scooted closer to him on the mattress, my knee barely brushing the side of his thigh. "Usually, a girl is asked first. I don't think that much has changed."

That boyish smile I loved returned to his lips and he shook his head. "No, I don't suppose it has." He paused and I caught the movement of his hand between us, and watched as his fingers slid around mine, bringing his gaze back to me. "Would you like to go out with me, Bella?"

A jolt of excitement shot through me, and I actually giggled at how perfectly normal he sounded at that moment, only for it to increase when he raised his eyebrows at me in surprise. So I decided I should put him out of his misery. "Yes, Edward. I would."