Jasper, Emmett and I sat in our usual practice room in the idle music store. I called them for an "emergency meeting" even though none of us were working today. They agreed since tomorrow wasn't a school night.

"So what have you got to share bro?" Emmett asked excitedly, punching his open palm as if it were a baseball mit. "We need some answers here!"

"You look so excited," Jasper commented with a grin himself. I laughed, looking down at the ground. I wish it were all good news, too. If only.

"So," I started, not quite knowing where to begin. "The girl from my dream was real?" Both of their jaws dropped and they began howling, yelling like banshees, "WET DREAM GIRL WAS REAL!!!"

"I KNEW IT! YOU OWE ME A FIVER!!"

until I said "but," they both stopped, mid-cheer. "She absolutely hates me." Both of their jaws dropped again.

"What the fuck do you mean she hates you?" Emmett boomed. "You're like, the nicest guy out of all of us!"

"That's not possible man. You literally have everything going for you. You have music school lined up, literally all the girls at school are crawling by your feet for a chance with you, and you're telling me she hates you?" Jasper shook his head with vigor. "Nuh uh. Not possiblé."

"Oh it's possiblé." I said with my eyes wide. I narrated the entire interaction at social studies class, and how at biology, the next period, when I tried to sit beside her, she stood abruptly and moved to the farthest table away from me.

Both of them sat, dumbfounded after my story ended. There was a bout of silence.

"Well?" I prompted. "She hates me or she hates me not?"

"Uhhh," even Emmett sounded nervous.Jasper had his brows furrowed; he always tried to see the deeper meaning in things.

"Wait a minute Edward," Jasper pointed out. "We don't know anything about her. For all we know, she might have some sort of social anxiety or a disorder that makes her feel reallly uncomfortable near strangers. Separation anxiety, claustrophobia, who knows what she's going through? And who are we to assume until she tells you herself." Emmett nodded, serious for once in his life, when it came to the well being of his friends.

"Jasper is making some sense, man. Let's hear it from her. Maybe she just needs to warm up or something, let's give it some time."

I nodded with my lips pursed tightly and sighed through my nose. "Yeah. Yeah I guess you're right."

"It's a fucking Friday night man. What are we doing here? Let's go get pizza, I'm starving." Emmett complained, effectively changing the subject. His humor never failed to lighten my mood.

"Mortal combat. My house." Jasper announced, already putting Pacific Pizza on the line.

I definitely had mixed feelings about all that had happened today. But even though I was disappointed, especially after placing this girl I didn't know high up on a pedestal to be shot down, I knew the guys were right. I had to give it a chance.

The rest of the Friday night was filled with pizza, a few missing beers from Jasper's father's stash of Rainer, and video games. When I woke up on jasper's couch with the controller still in my hand, I was disoriented, rubbing my eyes awake. Jasper was on the floor, asleep with his head against a fallen pillow from the couch, and Emmett was across from me, snoring with his large limbs spread out on a lazy boy, I realized something foreign. The sun was streaming in?

Holy shit. This was my first time in weeks sleeping in until morning. And did I feel spectacular.

I decided to dedicate this Saturday to the small things I'd missed out on form the sleep deprivation. When I got home, I found everyone was out. I wandered into the kitchen.

"Went out to the park, be back soon. Love, Mom" there was a incomprehensible scribble beside it and I knew it must've been Rosie who was going stir crazy. I smiled and set the note down.

I sat down by the grand piano in the foyer, and decided to experiment. I let my fingers flow to match the melody that I heard in my head. I played over and over, trying to perfect the song. I slowed down my tempo in the chorus, then found a comfortable transition that pulled the piece together. It sounded like a lullaby.

Bella's lullaby. I let the music dance around me another time, this time I kept my eyes closed, forcing the muscle memory into my fingers, making certain I wouldn't forget this piece.

When I opened my eyes, my mother was standing in the door way. Her eyes looked teary.

"You're back, son." She gave me a watery smile. I nodded. She didn't mean back home from Jasper's and neither did I.

"Yeah, I am." I offered her a grin I truly felt from within.

The dreams I had over the weekend were finally normal. Of mundane things, or none at all. So strange that my mind decided to stop torturing me as soon as she appeared in my mind.

When I returned to school on Monday, I finally was able to comprehend what Jasper and Emeett were saying. I needed to give Bella space.

That didn't mean that every time I saw her in a hallway, I didn't smile towards her anyway. If she ever passed by me in the library, (where I noticed she spent the majority of her breaks) I forced myself not to say hello despite feeling my face flush near her presence.

I counted the seconds until second period, social studies, and I sat in my usual seat in the back.

When she walked into the classroom it was as if the world has moved in slow motion. Her dark hair that seemed tinted with red in the sun, moved gently with each step she took. Her brows were always arched, as if she were angry or upset but her eyes were always present, scanning the world around her. I noted how observant she was. It was an admirable quality. When she sat beside me in her seat, i smelled her perfume and nearly lost my shit, and asked for her phone number.

I sat on my hands so I wouldn't be tempted to do anything. I noticed she had a hand in front of her face; nonchalantly resting her small face in her long hands. But I knew she had done this to cover her nose.

I cocked an eyebrow and, as subtly as I could, performed a smell check. Nope. Still smelled like aqua Fiji. Didn't have any caffeine today either; so coffee breath was also out of the question. Was it my pheromones? How did I smell so bad to her?

She'd taken every opportunity to exit the room in every class we had together in the morning, asking permission to use the restroom multiple times, and as I began to get my hopes up, I saw her stand up and speak to Jessica Stanley, whispering something about trading seats with her. Jessica nodded eagerly and told Bella too loudly, "Your loss."

It took all I had not to groan. Not Jessica... come on, Isabella! Don't do this to me.

Isabella swiftly moved her things to the opposite corner in the back. I wished silently I could grab her hand, and ask her to stay, like they did in movies.

Something dawned on me in that moment.

Was I frustrated by her actions, or because I simply couldn't have her? I'd grown up so fortunate because of Carlisle and Esme. I'd have everything I'd ever needed, wanted for nothing. Perhaps this one thing, no, this person I wanted was the first time I'd ever been denied. Maybe I just liked the hunt; I always was unexplainable goal-oriented.

On the other hand, I'd never had someone go this far to avoid me. I considered everything in my head; unable to focus on anything related to class.

Perhaps she was allergic to my deodorant? Maybe not. Unless she was serverely allergic.

Maybe I reminded her of an old ex. That one wouldn't surprise me. With her obvious beauty and mysterious mannerism, interest from the opposite sex was clearly inevitable. And, it was just as plausible that someone could've hurt her, too.

Maybe the detergent or farbtic softeners my mom washed my uniform with was overpowering?

Am I going crazy?

Can't make a horse drink. I reminded myself solemnly.

It had been a painfully long hour at social studies, being so aware of Bella's presence all the way across the room.

I glanced at my watch. 1:19. Only one minute until lunch break was over and biology was to begin. I sighed, and rested my weary eyes against my fists. I had quite a few homework assignments to catch up on.

Should I ditch?

It wasn't a usual practice for me, but I knew if any day I were to make an exception to my perfect attendance, it was today. I ended up going to the library. A little ballsy considering the building faced the door to biology, but books had always been my timeless safe haven, even when I wasn't reading them. I found a loveseat against a window on the second floor, that proved to be empty. The librarian couldn't even see me here. During my excursion from class I comptemplated several things.

I was still technically not late. Was it worth it to go to class if this poor girl was already so uncomfortable to sit beside me? It wasn't as if I had trouble with the material, and who was I to do a disservice to her, who clearly didn't want to be near me? I glanced out the window; to the door of the biology class. I couldn't see inside it; but I noted a teacher's assistant wheeling in a cart full of yellowed rats in plastic bags. Ah, dissection day. Nothing I could learn there; courtesyof Doctor Dad. I shook my head at myself. I knew what I was doing; simply trying to distract myself from the only thing I could ever seem to think about.

Bella.

Leave Bella Swan alone. The conclusion my mind decided to draw was not the one I wanted but I knew it was for the best. I felt compelled to clock into the music store early today. Fuck this. I pushed open the door to the library, and stopped in my tracks at the biology door. The voice in the back of my mind was clear,firm in its intent. Forget about her. Turn away now.

Plot twist: Edward was a creation too?? Dad works for volt? Inner voices were to ward him away from Bella? Because him and Bella were the only ones more powerful than VOLTURI combined.

I already began the motion of turning my body away when I saw a terribly green Bella stumble out of the classroom. Mike Newton was behind her, his hands flailing as if he wanted to help but didn't know what to do.

Fuck it. Maybe it was meant to be.

I took long strides to reach her. I watched as Isabella touched a wall as if to stable herself, but her knees buckled from under her and she slid down against the wall. Her balance sliowly crumbled and she tilted over. she laid on the concrete and closed her eyes. I could vaguely hear Mike fucking Newton losing his shit, but I was focused on her. As if she were Snow White and I could kiss the poison out of her body, I knelt down beside her and bent over to speak to her, softly. "Bella? Can you hear me?" Whoa. Did I already nickname her? She's going to think I'm a total creep.

"No. Go away," she groaned. I chuckled at that. Although I was certain she meant it, what a cute response.

"You look green," I mused, teasing her. Mike who was on the sidelines, dropped his jaw. I heard him mutter something along his breath of "this fucker is flirting with her?"

"Everything alright Mike?" I asked coolly, raising an eyebrow at him. What a numb nut.

"I'm supposed to help her!!" Mike exploded incredulously. I would've snorted had Bella not looked so ill.

Bella

"Go away," I moaned. Of course the only boy in school who scorches my throat would find me. I almost choked on my words from the ridiculously potent smell he was emitting.

"You look green," he commented. Please stop talking to me. I heard an angry murmur and heard him snap to mike, "everything alright Mike?" He turned back to me, as if I were a great priority to him. His eyes were focused on me.

"Can you walk?" He asked. I hesitated before I answered, and he nodded once, as if I had said something in response. "Very well." His arms slid under my back and thighs carefully.

"No!" I exclaimed, but he'd already pulled me up as if I were a rag doll, with a surprising strength from a boy his age. I saw his eyes widen at me as if he were surprised by the lack of body weight. I turned away.

I was so nervous to be this close to him. close to his body I could feel the intensity of heat coming off of it. It felt as if I was lying in the sun. It might've been pleasant, had I not been starving and incidentally nauseous from smelling the dead lab rats. His heart was thudding loudly in his chest. I could hear it from here.

What was he trying to pull?

"Go back to class Mike," I heard him say sternly. "I'll take care of Bella. It's my duty as student body president to ensure our classmates are safe under my watch." His words and tone made it clear there was no room left no room for argument.

"But-but—" Mike stuttered, trying to find an appropriate response. Edward arched an eyebrow at him, pointedly. He looked annoyed.

"I appreciate your concern Mike, but I promise I'll take good care of her. If you could inform Mr. Mason I'm taking her to the nurses, I'd appreciate that." A dumbfounded Mike who was muttering curse words under his breath began to walk back the direction we came. "Quickly please, Mike." Edward nearly growled at him. Mike jumped and seemed to scurry away. I heard a soft sigh of relief from Edward as he walked away.

Goddamn. Even his breath smelled edible.

"Why did your do that?" I groaned mostly to myself, trying to focus on anything other than the heat he was emitting.

Edward

"Do what?" I asked her bluntly. I hope I didn't sound annoyed. I was at a turmoil with myself. I knew I was making her uncomfortable, and I knew I had no business helping her, but when Mike insisted on helping her I wanted to physically push him aside. What an Idiot.

Wow. Where did that hostility come from?

Bella

"Why are you helping me?" I finally asked.

"I wasn't going to let you faint on the sidewalk, if that's what you're asking. What happened in there, anyhow?" He sounded kind, but something about his tone was different. He sounded more reserved, less eager to speak to me.

I barely recalled the events. I remember being so relieved that Edward wasn't there filling the room with his scent, I thought it was my lucky day. Then the dead rats were rolled in, filling the classroom with the smell of formaldehyde instead. There were dead rats everywhere, two on all 28 students. All of the rats were shriveled, dried of blood. Yellowed by chemicals. Lifeless. It made me feel sick, it pushed flashbacks of the bodies I'd seen being zipped up each time there was a runaway.

I simply remembered feeling nauseous and running out of the classroom. The rocking motion he was making made me feel instantly ill. He must've taken notice; his large hand steadied my upper arm.

Edward's instructions were firm yet had a soft honey tone to them.

"Put your hands around my neck." I wanted to argue but I couldn't. I didn't want to risk vomiting on him. But I was immediately wary. It would bring me closer to his neck. "It'll make you feel better," he continued. "You'll feel less rocking if you stabilize yourself against me."

Was this a trick? Was he a scientist in disguise? He looked young but he could've been of age to be an intern... Was he part of VOLT, trying to send me back to a lab? Was there something in his hand that would sedate me? Why did he burn my throat even unchanged? A sudden chilling thought occupied my mind with an icy voice, followed by a deathly cold smirk. Aro.

You will destroy everything you touch.

I felt the same fury, same fire that was set ablaze when I was in the lab, after remembering his taunts. I felt emboldened, empowered even, to prove Aro wrong. It was only then that I decided to reluctantly wrap my arms around his neck. His skin was so hot to the touch, and his scent burned. He cautiously readjusted his grip around me.

"Thank you." I muttered against his shoulder, trying not to use my oxygen. I realized my eyes must've looked black to him, and I focused on staring at the floor, despite the unsettled vertigo I felt along with the combination of bloodlust, and the sheer warmth that his hands brought to my legs, right hand side of my body that was in contact with him and the burning associated with him. If he noticed my cold body, he didn't say anything. There was a certain way my body seemed to respond to his bare skin on mine. As if there were electric currents; I felt instantly aware of everywhere we touched.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, breaking the silence. "Is the nausea going away?"

I could feel his eyes trying to search me, and I suddenly felt threatened under his worried gaze. Surely he was just trying to send me back. Is he undercover? No. I would've recognized him, had I known him as part of Demetri's team. I forced myself to breathe in to speak, my throat lit like the fire in a hot air balloon, in a punishment to my foolish actions.

Every breath is a risk.

"I'm... yes. I'm fine." He appeared to be relieved, his chest depressed from what must've been his breath held in his chest, being let out in a sigh of relief. His shoulders even relaxed a little under my hand. He was a a suspiciously good actor... it gave me more reason to worry about him.

"I'm glad you're okay. Is there anything I can do for you though? I'd hate to think you are uncomfortable needlessly." Who planted these lines into him, ans what was he implying? The fact that I avoided him like the Black Plague? Or the fact that I didn't breathe as much as I could in his presence.

He can't possibly be a normal—I shook my head, and suddenly felt foolish being carried around like this. I needed to keep low on the radar. Not bump into what I was avoiding on the radar. The less people knew me, the better.

I had to know, just one thing.

I hesitated before I asked.

"Do you... does 1906 mean anything to you?" I asked gravely. I tensed my body and watched carefully for his reaction. Any sudden change in body language, a shifting of eyes, swallowing saliva, any tell tale signs of lying, I was ready to rip his throat out, and run to fight for my life. But Edward was still as a statue. He'd only raised a brow in confusion.

"No. Is it supposed to?" I felt flustered, realizing perhaps my paranoia about him being associated to VOLT was needless. Perhaps he simply was a good Samaritan trying to do what was right at the end of the day.

"No. I was just wondering." I said lamely. He offered a non committal hum in response, but didn't press me about it.

"We're here," he said and began to open the door. A flood of panic rushed through me--I realized that I'd said too much to him, and that having a nurse asking questions was the last thing I needed.

"Wait." I said in a small voice. I had his attention immediately. Can you take me elsewhere? Other than the nurses office?" I asked in a small voice. He immediately turned around, changed his direction in walking.

"Of course, Bella." He looked down at me again and paused for the first time before speaking to me. A soft, grassy green that reminded me of fresh cut grass met my black eyes and I knew I had said too much. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." I said dimissively, turning my head so he wouldn't try to read my face. Edward's voice sounded careful as he formed his words.

"Did someone hurt you, Bella?" Someone? Far from it. All I'd known was a team of people who'd hurt all my life.

"It's not your business." I said quietly, to the sky, although there was a small part of me that wished I could confide in him.

"We're here," he informed me. We were in front of a silver Volvo. "Hang on." He shifted me easily to a single arm before unlocking the car. He set me inside the passenger seat so swiftly I was surprised by his grace.

"Watch your head."

He closed the door on my side before getting into the drivers seat. He turned on the car, and the music that filled the small vehicle was calming, a drifting piano song; the title read Debussy, yet I was instantly nervous, my hands tingled as if they could sweat. We both sat in silence, the tension hung in the air around us like ornaments.

"You know what... I'm feeling better." I awkwardly tried to open the door, and he appeared puzzled for only a moment before finding the words.

"Bella, if you're afraid to see a nurse for any reason, my dad is a doctor. You can come in as a Jane Doe; you don't have to tell him who you are. He'd gladly check you out, no strings attached, knowing you're my friend."

"A friend?" I asked quietly. A chuckle that held no humor in it escaped my chest, and the piano music in the background suddenly seemed too loud. The irony. "Is that what we are? Friends?"

"I don't see why we couldn't be—" He began to muse but I cut him off iceily.

"This is why we couldn't be," I gestured down myself, my being, my demons. He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"I don't follow." He said in response.

"You don't know anything about me, Edward. You don't know who I am, where I'm from, not a single goddamn thing about me. Stop pretending like you do." I sucked in a breath, realizing I'd said my piece in one breath. The air was perfumed by Edward's thudding ventricles and the air I sucked in burned like fire, and only fueled my frustration for the situation. I put my head in my hands, as if that could've comforted me. Edward appeared stunned, at a loss for words, and finally convalesced in a murmur,

"You're right Bella. I don't know you. But I wouldn't have to pretend to know you, if you simply told me who you are." The song had ended and the silence was as deafening as the truth in his words. I softened my tone, feeling so weary from the crushing weight of my secret.

"Why should I?" He didn't hesitate to answer me.

"Because you can trust me." I looked away. I startled when I felt his hand against my cheek, turning my eyes to his. As his eyes gazed onto mine, I was aware of the electricity that seemed to silently course through us with his hand gently touching my face. This time it ran through my face and lingered, tingling in my lips. I heard his heartbeat stutter in his chest, and I wondered if it wasnt only me who could feel that.

We were so close I could count every lash on his almond eyes, every eyebrow hair that was curved up in his concerned expression.

"I truly mean that, Bella, you don't have any clue." I almost wanted to believe him as I stared through the clear, pure green, knowing he'd be staring into deathly black pits; his own grave. We were so close, only inches away, I felt venom flow greedily into my mouth.

You destroy everything you touch.

I swallowed back the venom thickly. I chose not to use anymore oxygen than necessary. I couldn't take it anymore; I wasn't as strong as I thought.

"That's the problem," I hissed, forcing myself to look away from the depth of his irises. "That you want to have my trust. You're mistaken. You shouldn't trust me."

I opened the door, and stepped out of the car. As I shut the door angrily, I caught a glimpse of his face. Through the glass Edward appeared lost for words. Hurt. It was clear as we stared at each other for only a brief moment. This will not work. Not as a friendship or whatever else you want to call it. I'm sorry Edward. It's for the best. I forced myself to tear my eyes away from him, and walk away.

I forced myself to walk away. Without turning around, to the nearest restroom. I hid myself in a stall and bolted the lock on the door before my knees crumbled and I started fo tear; a stinging sensation I'd never felt before. I wanted to crumble, to sink into the earth like sand.

How long could I keep pushing away the only person who'd ever cared about me?

And if I can trust him, how could I go about this?