Chapter 6
Gym Class Hero
Bella
I'm not really feeling up for school the next morning but I force myself up and out of bed anyway. I can't miss anymore classes or Jake will be right and I really won't graduate. I take a long hot shower, knowing I'm stalling but letting it happen anyway. I'm not worried about being a little late, just not showing up at all. I get dressed, throwing on some baggy jeans and an old t-shirt, I still don't wanna risk messing up my nicer stuff. My shoes unfortunately didn't survive my shift yesterday so I'm stuck wearing my gym shoes until I can drag myself to the store. I make my way down to the kitchen and pull a new bottle out. This is a bad new morning habit and I know it, but I need a little extra help until I can figure everything out. Liquid courage as they call it. I take a couple swigs, brush my teeth again, and head out the door. My stomach is in knots, worse than it has been since all of this started. Everything is different now. I know this to be true but I don't know why exactly. I know it has something to do with the tiniest Cullen, but I can't figure out why my wolf acted so weird when I saw her yesterday. She's pretty yeah, all bloodsuckers tend to be for some sick reason, she looks like an angel but she's not. She's a vampire, I'm a wolf, we're natural born enemies. She's a bloodsucker, she may be a "vegetarian" but that doesn't change who she is. It doesn't change what she's made for and what I'm made for. My wolf wants to rip her whole family apart, it's been trying to burst out of me for days, but it doesn't seem to want her. My wolf doesn't want to harm her, I don't want to harm her. Why?
When I pull up to the school I park quickly and make my way inside. I move fast enough that no one has a chance to try and speak to me, I'm not ready to be normal Bella yet. I make it into math class in time, though the bell rings as I'm walking through the door. I've got my eyes trained on the floor and, I won't lie, I'm not paying much attention to my surroundings. This is probably what leads me to walk straight into Rosalie's desk, although some might just call it destiny. My eyes shoot up and lock with hers, it crosses my mind once again that I'm lucky looks can't kill.
"Are you blind dog?" She hisses too low for the humans to hear.
I know I shouldn't say anything but I've never been one to hold my tongue and, I mean, she totally started it.
"Sorry Aphrodite, I must've been blinded by these damn florescent lights hitting that pale skin of yours." I shoot out with a smirk.
It's not exactly an insult but I'm sure she'll take it that way. There's nothing wrong with pale skin, especially on her, I mean the chick looks like she should be walking the runway right now. And the whole Aphrodite thing is definitely a compliment, but I don't know this blonde vampire well enough to know if she'll take it like that. She just stares at me, almost like she's at a loss for words, and I swear I see the edges of her lips curl up in the beginning of a smile before the teacher walks in and tells me to take a seat. I do as I'm told and plop down in the far back corner of the room, I'm shaking slightly but it's manageable. I pull a notebook out of my bag and doddle on it, the teachers words floating right over my head as she talks about sin and cosign and all sorts of stupid things I'll never need to know. I feel the blonde ones eyes drilling into me a few times but I don't look up, I don't think another one of her death stares is gonna help my wolf calm down. After about 45 minutes and 10 different stares though I do look up. When my eyes meet hers I'm pretty surprised to not find pure rage and hate there. She looks confused, like she's trying to figure me out but isn't getting too far. She looks away immediately and is out the door the second the bell rings.
Second period drags and in third I earn myself more curious stares from the Cullen clan. Jasper and Emmett give me about the same amount of sideways looks as Rosalie did and I'm getting kind of nervous. Are they planning something? Are they gonna come after me? The looks don't seem malicious though, they merely look like they're trying to decode me, like I'm a puzzle they lost some of the pieces to. It makes me uncomfortable but I try my best to just ignore them. I won't let them think they scare me. I don't go to lunch, instead I slip off into the forest behind the school and shift. I run laps until I have to change back and go to fourth period. The run relaxes me some and it's pretty satisfying to feel the wind in my fur. I'm feeling a lot better as I enter my biology class and slide into my assigned seat. My peace is shattered pretty quickly when I smell a leech and look up to find the one called Edward walking towards my table. It occurs to me then that I'm the only one in this class without a partner, with the odd number in the room I scored a table to myself. It seems that wasn't meant to last. The tussle-haired vampire finishes his walk to me and pulls the seat out beside me. He seems tense, he keeps his eyes trained on the desk but I can feel him glancing at me from his peripherals. I'm shaking again, I haven't really been this close to any of them before and my wolf reacts the way I would expect, with pure rage. It's trying to claw out of me, trying to force a shift on me in this crowded high school classroom. I start up my chant; in through the nose, out through the mouth. Breathe breathe breathe. I'm trying my best to hold myself together when a soft voice drifts into my ears.
"Hello, I don't think we've met yet, I'm Edward Cullen."
His tone is gentle and it throws me off for a moment, I wasn't expecting anything but hate from him and his family. I was expecting another Rosalie, but that doesn't seem to be the way this is going.
"Yeah I've been out a sick a lot the last few weeks." I give a weak laugh. " I'm Bella, Bella Swan."
Out sick, what a silly thing to say. He must know the truth, I know he can smell me just as well as I smell him. Out sick. Pathetic. Though, in hindsight, the multiple forged doctors notes sitting in my school file would back up my words if they decided to snoop. I can't imagine there'd be any reason to, I think we can coexist, I've givwn them no indication that we can't.
"Pretty name." He says thoughtfully and I'm once again thrown off.
What a confusing bunch.
"Thanks. How are you and your family liking it here? I believe I have a few of your other siblings in my other classes but we haven't had a chance to chat yet."
He gives a knowing smile and I know he picked up on my double meaning. He's the first to actually speak to me and I'm sure he knows it. I know what he is just as surely as he knows what I am, our kind don't typically mix unless it's a fight.
"Yes well we're a rather private kind of family."
I give a brief snort through my nose and he gives another knowing grin.
"It's nothing personal, just habit." He tells me.
"I understand, don't think I expected anything less." I give him a brief smile.
At that moment Mr. Banner walks in and the class is called to order. Edward doesn't speak again though I can feel his eyes on me a few times. He seems confused by me, much like the look he gave me that first day in the cafeteria. I'm not sure why exactly, there's not much to wonder, but I keep my own eyes trained on my notes and when the bell rings we part company without another word. I know I should go to English but even though bio wasn't horrible, my wolf is clawing to get out. I know all this skipping will probably bite me in the ass later, there's no doctors note that can cover that, but I'm too restless to really care too much at the moment. I head down into the gym locker rooms and stuff my backpack into my gym locker. I make my way out the back door and head off into the woods to spend my English period much like my lunch period; free. I run laps around the school as far as I can while still staying hidden in the trees. It's pretty easy, most of Forks is covered in dense woodland, the perfect place for someone like me in hindsight. Maybe the world had a reason for me to be raised here, maybe some force out there knew that someday I'd need all these trees. I don't dwell too much on it, just let my inner wolf take over. By time the bell rings I've made my way back to the locker room, just in time for gym class. I change quickly into my gym clothes and make my way out onto the floor. Coach Clapp nods to me and checks off my name on his list.
"Good to see you again Swan, start with some warm up laps."
I nod and make my way to the little track that runs around the gymnasium. There's other people already jogging, I see Jessica and Mike up ahead of me but I make no move to get closer to them. I'm enjoying my solitude, just focusing on my legs and my breathing, I'm in my element. My whole cool is thrown off when a strange mix of earth and bubblegum scent hits my nose. I stop in my tracks and my wolf screams to be let out so that it can hunt down the source of this intoxicating smell. My eyes zero in on the door leading out from the locker rooms as the tiniest Cullen walks out with the largest Cullen right behind her. I want to run to her, I want to stand beside her and ask her name. I want to bury my face in her hair and inhale that scent for the rest of my life, but I know I shouldn't. I shake my head hard in am attempt to clear it and turn around, back to my jog, back to reality. God dammit Bella. A vampire. You want to talk to a vampire. Your natural enemy. What the fuck is wrong with you? I throw on a burst of speed, turn my jog to a full out run and I know I shouldn't be making a spectacle of myself like this but the harder I run, the easier it is to block out my thoughts. I want to talk to her. God I want to talk to her. Run run run. I focus in completely, I think of nothing but my feet hitting the ground, and I think I'm doing pretty well until all I can smell is grass and rain and bubblegum and I realize the tiny Cullen is running beside me.
"Hi I'm Alice." She's not in the least bit short of breath and for a moment it irks me as my air come out in pants.
"Bella." I say shortly.
In that moment my wolf hates me, and I kind of hate myself for being so unfriendly. I know this is what needs to be done though, so even as my heart sings, Alice Alice Alice, I throw on another burst of speed to pull away from her. It doesn't work, as I should have expected, she keeps up with me easily.
"You know, if you're trying to appear as a normal teenager you should probably slow down." Her voice is music to my ears, god I want to dance with the devil.
I take a glance around the room and see that she's probably right, everyone is watching us and it's not just because of her. Clumsy Bella Swan running faster than the entire class, why didn't I think of the attention that would bring? This tiny Cullen has made my brain mush and I've only spoken a single word to her. I slow my roll, and she slows with me while a smile plays across her pixie like face. A moment later the sickly sweet smell hits my nose and I find the biggest Cullen jogging on my other side. Boxed in by vampires. What would Jake say? Pathetic.
"Hey there speed racer, names Emmett. Looks like my sister has taken an interest in you, I'm feeling the same. We definitely need to have a race sometime." His easy grin is hard to hate, he seems like someone I could get along with.
"Maybe some day, though I heard vampires tend to cheat." I say with a raised eyebrow.
He gives me a fake indignant look and throws his hands up to his chest.
"Me? Cheat? Never." He gives a booming laugh and I feel myself relax the tiniest bit.
"So I was thinking, do you maybe want to hang out sometime?" Alice's voice swirls around me and I'm finding it difficult to find my own voice.
"Uhh well like yah know uh…" My elegant response is cut short by Coach Clapps whistle.
He pairs us off into groups for badminton, I end up with Jessica on my team and Mike and Eric as our opponents. I sense Alice more than see her across the room on a team with Emmett. I can still smell her, her scent is stuck inside my nostrils and even though it doesn't burn like her sibling's scent, it's still driving my wolf insane. I want to run to her, stand next to her, hold her hand maybe. I know it's nuts but I can't control these feelings, it's like they're coming from deep within me. The flood gates have broken and I can't rein it back in. I feel Alice's eyes on me more than once and it leads me to show off a lot more than I had originally planned. Jess, Mike and Eric are pretty shocked by the sudden change in me, I can see it in their eyes when they congratulate me at the end of the match. Me and Jess won, 17 to 1, and I know Alice and Emmett saw 99% of it. I'm proud of myself, but I also know that I shouldn't have done all that, it's going to cause people to be suspicious but I think I can play it off. As I make my way to the locker room to change, I smell Alice coming towards me with Emmett on her heels.
"Solid game there wolfy, we'll have to play sometime." Emmett's booming laugh echoes around me as he heads into the boys locker room.
"He's right, you were quite the star out there Bella." Alice gives me a small smile and I feel my heart thudding out of my chest.
What is wrong with me?
"Thanks." It comes out gruffer than I expected but Alice takes it in stride.
"You never answered about hanging out." She says.
We're in the locker room now, conveniently hers is right next to mine. I wonder briefly if she did that on purpose, but I don't see why she'd be that interested in me, I'm nothing special. Not like her. I open my mouth to answer her question but clamp it back shut just as quickly when she pulls her shirt over her head. Alice Cullen is standing in front of me with no shirt on and, as I gape at her, she pulls her shorts down too. I try to form words but my mouth just hangs open stupidly while she looks at me with a twinkle in her eye. She looks like she's trying not to laugh and I can feel my cheeks burning but good god she is gorgeous.
"See something you like Bella?"
I can hear the smile in her voice and I force myself to turn around, back to my own locker. I clear my throat rather loudly and try to piece my thoughts together while quickly changing. What were we talking about? What did she ask me? Hang out? Do I want to hang out? God I want to do everything to her. With her. To her?
"Uh yeah we can hang." I try to make my voice casual but it's definitely a couple octaves too high.
"Great! Let me get your number, we can text and figure it out." She sounds so excited I can't do anything except pull my phone out and allow her to punch her number in.
She sends a message to herself off of my phone to get the number and then, seemingly satisfied, she hands my phone back.
"I'll be seeing you soon Bells, this was fun."
With that she twirls around and leaves me standing there dumbfounded. What a curious, wonderful, gorgeous creature. What have I gotten myself into?
That night I spend a long time out in the woods behind my house, just running. The running centers me, helps me keep my racing thoughts in order. When you're in wolf form there's no need to think too much, you can drop into the mind of the animal and let it run the show. The wolf always knows where to go, what to do, and how to be. It's pretty wonderful, the most pure form of freedom I've ever experienced. When I get home I'm exhausted and I fall into bed fully clothed. When I sleep, I dream of Alice, but by time the morning sun drags me awake I can't remember exactly what I dreamt. I'm not too worried about it, I'm more concerned with another day of dodging vampires.
In first period Rosalie only gives me a brief glance when I walk in, I can't help but be a smartass and wink at her. To my utter shock, she winks back, and when I fall over a desk because I'm not paying attention, she gives a small laugh that is almost as musical as Alice's. Almost but not quite. I don't look up for the entire class once I get to my seat, but I feel Rosalie's eyes on me more than once. In third period Emmett greets me with a grin and a high five that would've shattered a normal persons hand. Jasper looks bewildered, like no one let him in on the joke and I must say I feel pretty much the same. I shift and run at lunch again to prepare for the rest of the day. When I get to bio Edward is already seated.
" Hello Bella." He always sounds so formal.
"How's it goin' Edward."
"My sister says you two chatted yesterday?" He's got this knowing smile that I can't quite figure out.
"Oh yeah we have gym together." I say offhandedly.
"She's quite taken with you."
Before I can ask what he means the class is called to attention and he's out the door the moment the bell rings. Damn cryptic pain in the ass bloodsuckers. I'm feeling a little annoyed but still, I make my way to English and slip into my customary back row seat. I lay my head down on my desk and close my eyes for a moment. Edward's words keep playing over in my head; she's quite taken with you. Quite taken with you. Quite taken with you. What does he mean? Like she wants to be friends? Or does she have these same weird feelings that I do? Is that possible? My thoughts are interrupted by the oh so familiar smell of earth. My head shoots up off the desk just in time to see Alice walking down the aisle towards me.
"I didn't know you were in this class Bella!" She says as she sits at the desk next to mine.
"I've missed a few classes." I say weakly.
My wolf is howling inside me again, I want to move closer to her. At the same time I want to jump out the window next to me and just run. Run for miles and miles, days and days, anything to get me away from all this confusion. I know that I wouldn't run from her like that, it would hurt even thought it shouldn't. I shouldn't feel anything by leaving this vampire that I barely know but I know for a fact that it would hurt. I'm losing it. Fucking losing it.
"Aren't those your gym shoes?" Alice's voice brings me back to reality.
I glance down at the raggy running shoes on my feet and grimace.
"Yeah well my regular shoes got…ruined and I haven't had a chance to get up to the stores yet so…" my voice trails off as I watch her smile widen to impossibly lengths.
"We can go shopping Bella! When we hang out! We could do it this weekend!" Her excitement is evident in her voice and I wonder briefly if I should be worried.
"Uh yeah we…we could do that." I manage to mumble out.
My tongue feels too big for my mouth and I can feel myself blushing but Alice just keeps on smiling.
"Great! We can figure out the details later, I'll text you tonight."
"Sounds like a plan." I tell her.
God that smile is breathtaking. She's breathtaking. At that moment the teacher walks on and begins the lesson. We're reading Lord of the Flies which is a personal favorite of mine but I can barely pay attention. I feel Alice look over at me more than once and every time she does I feel my stomach flip. My heart is thudding so loud in my ears I can barely hear anything else. This girl is driving me insane. When the bell rings I pack my things away slowly but Alice stands and waits for me. It makes me happy, even though it shouldn't.
"Want to walk to gym together?" She asks as we make our way to the door.
I want to say yes, the word is already on my tongue but my wolf is restless and I'm thinking it's best if I just leave.
"I'm uh actually not feeling too well, think I'm gonna head home." I tell her.
She looks so disappointed I almost change my mind right then and there. This girl could ask me to walk through flames with my bare feet and I think I would happily do it just so I never have to see that look on her beautiful face again.
"Fine I guess, I'll be texting you tonight to talk about our date though, you'd better answer. Feel better Bells!"
She turns and heads down the hallway, leaving me staring after her with my mouth hanging open. Our date, she said our date. Did she mean it like date date? Or like friend date? Does it matter? I shake my head roughly, trying once again to clear it and make my way to the parking lot. Date. Our date. I really like the sound of that, but I know I shouldn't read into it too much. A vampire wouldn't want to date a wolf and I shouldn't want to date her either. What would the pack say? What would Jacob say? It would be a betrayal, it would be a crime against nature. But friend date? That's fine right? Can vampires and wolves just be friends? Are there rules for this kind of thing? My head is spinning by time I make it home and I only throw my backpack inside before I head out to the forest and shift. I run as fast as I can and let the trees close in around me. I run until Bella vanishes and the wolf takes her place.
xxxx
AN: Hey guys sorry for the late update, things have been a bit hectic. Finally have some Alice/Bella interactions, and I have a pretty solid idea of where I'm going with all this. Should be some action in the next chapter, see you all then.
Thatdamnyank: All your reviews made me smile, thank you so much.
And to everyone else who reviewed or followed, I'm so glad you guys actually like this, I'm super excited to get back into fanfiction and you all make it so much better, thank you
