Yeah, this chapter is downright tiny. I considered procrastinating for another month but then decided I might write more if it came in short, attention span-sized blurbs. Here you go!

Intox 37

Esme was less than thrilled about the marshmallow fluff than about me eating the entire contents of the cupboards. The kitchen looked as if a mortar had exploded… if the mortar were made of chocolate and honey.

The island was a muddy battleground. Spoons were cementing into the quicksand surface, colors and textures mixing into an unsightly gore. Bread bag left alone, abandoned, empty save for the final heel.

I froze mid bite, watched her survey the wreckage, watched her watch me with a hand frozen over her mouth as we sat in our corner. Alice was scrawling furiously with the hand of God, creating two dimensional universes.

"I buh ungry," I explained with my mouth full. " I'm forry."

"No, no!" she recovered herself, turning on the kettle before she sat down with Alice and me. She kissed my sticky forehead.

"I hope there's something healthy in that," she said.

"There's not."

"There is." I elbowed Alice, who scowled, though I was sure she wasn't sketching, and said proudly, "Bananas."

"Calories," she retorted.

Esme smiled and began breakfast. I licked my fingers and hopped up to clean up my mess. The morning silence was peaceful, just sound effects and background noise. Not too busy at all. Perfect, really.

Edward and Carlisle joined us eventually and chatter renewed in a million small conversations. We had breakfast together even though Carlisle had a patient to consult and Alice had an early meeting with her art teacher. I suspected it was because of me but remained silent. The sentiment was embarrassing but reassuring; it meant they weren't about to kick me out.

I didn't want to be too obvious, so I chain smoked my way across the school parking lot until I was positioned near Bella's lunch group. They were gossiping. Apparently, they'd forgotten that humans could hear or that I still attended school on occasion.

"Do you think he beat her up?" Mike was saying. His tone was unnecessarily defensive; I hadn't done shit.

"Doubtable. Chief Swan would've made him disappear so far into the court system and there's no way she'd be near him." Lauren.

"They went to Seattle on Saturday-" Jessica "-and she never called when she got back to fill me in… maybe they got mugged."

"Maybe they got a little rough on Saturday night."

"Lauren, ech!"

"C'mon, Mike. Learn to joke!"

"Nah," protested Mike, "she wouldn't. Not with him. He's institution-style mental."

Well, he'd pegged me on that one. I'd been committed twice. At least the second time I'd brought back Alice.

Bella's orange truck rumbled into the lot, and their conversation ceased. Heads turned in anticipation. I waited, too, for a glimpse of her over-bundled frame and awkward smile. She saw her friends first then looked beyond them. We made eye contact; I jerked my chin and patted the space beside me. She smiled and came my way.

"I need to go to my locker."

"I'll walk with you." I flicked my cigarette toward a scandalized Mike and hopped up, dusting my pants. I kept pace as we walked. She stopped at her locker; I waited and began to chat, keeping an eye out for her pseudo-suitor.

"It's supposed to be sunny this weekend."

"Yeah," she sighed wistfully. "So?"

"So you look as if you haven't been on a rainforest hike yet, is all." I studied my fingernails. "We should discuss this over lunch."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I quirked my eye brows and leaned in close enough to hear her breath catch. "Skip with me. We'll be back for class."

She bit her lip. I could see the wheels turning, weighing my charm against what everyone else had been telling her. It was cute to see her so flustered.

"Look, don't judge me based on hearsay, and in turn I'll forget you're a glorified police informant. It's not fair to judge, Bella. You said so yourself."

"That's not it," she said, blushing under my gaze. "I was going to do homework over lunch; I'm trying to find time to do it now." She toyed with her hair. "I'm such a dork."

I couldn't help but chuckle; I leaned in to whisper. "Dorks are so underrated these days. I'll catch you here before lunch."

She nodded, but I was already walking toward class. I was determined to be cool - as nonchalant as the wind, my dad used to say – but the dumbass grin wouldn't leave my face. It was best she didn't see the look, which I tried and failed to tame when I saw Edward scowling at me from the stairwell. Let his grimace, let him sputter with rage, let him try to take this away from me today, I thought, laughing to myself as I passed him.

He can't have her.