Chapter 8

I relish Sunday before Momma comes home, planning for Spirit Week coming up before our Homecoming game against Greystone.

My school pretty much treats this pageant like it's their own, so instead of a Homecoming Court, they offer to "host" us at the game. It's really just a way of parading their money and influence in town. Most of the girls who enter and almost everyone who wins is from my school. It's just the way it is.

I'm on the phone with Edward late Sunday night, whispering after Momma went to bed, and fall asleep with it on my pillow.

Monday morning I wake up late, which is so unlike me. Thankfully it's Pajama Day, so I don't need to do much to get ready.

When I get to school, I throw my bag over my shoulder and run inside.

The hallway is still bustling with people, but I swear the moment I walk in, the crowd lulls into hushed tones. Eyes follow me as I make my way to my locker and I feel smaller and smaller as I go.

My heart stops when I see my locker, and I know why they're all staring at me. They're waiting for my reaction.

SLUT and DUMPSTER DIVER are scribbled across in thick, black marker.

I don't breathe. I don't move. Tears start to sting my eyes, but I push them back. I push it all back.

I hear a snicker behind me, and find Mike and Jessica huddled with a small group across the hall. It all makes sense now. Mike lives a few houses down from me. He must have seen Edward leave my house. I guess at this point I should be thankful it hasn't gotten back to Momma, but it could still happen.

As I fight the hurt, the humiliation, another emotion rears its head. Anger.

I throw my bag down on the ground and rummage around for a sharpie. I know I must look crazy, drawing on my own locker beside those words. If they want to label me, I might as well add everything else I know they've called me.

Bitch. Priss. Conceited. Prude. Looks strange sitting next to Slut but all of it is bullshit. It's only what they think of me. Not me. Not really.

"Bad, bad girl, Isabella," Mike hisses.

"Fuck off," I pick up my bag again and head back toward the door, the entire senior class an audience.

I jump in my car and drive. I don't go home or to my dad's place. I find myself sitting outside of Edward's school.

Hi, I text.

Rebel Bella, texting at school? ;), he replies.

Can you meet me? I'm outside. I'll wait.

What's wrong?

I'll explain.

I put my phone down and expect to have to wait until next period, or when he has study hour. I'm surprised to see him walking out of the front door, barely five minutes later.

I didn't think I was going to cry, but the moment he slide inside the car I collapse into him, sobbing.

"Bella…" He holds me, unaware of what or why I'm an absolute mess. "We should go somewhere…Let me drive."

He gets out of the car and walks around to the driver's side as I scoot over. He doesn't ask me any questions or make me talk, we just drive for a little bit, him holding my hand and holding me together all at once.

We end up at the park, normally bustling on the weekends, completely empty right now. And we just sit. For a long time.

"They wrote on my locker," I finally say. "Horrible things. Everyone saw and…"

"What?"

"Mike must have seen you leaving my house this weekend. They, they called me a slut."

His hand grips the wheel so tight, his knuckles nearly turn white.

"I just had to get out of there, I'm sorry, I didn't know where to go," I say.

"Don't apologize." He rests his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. "I'm here."

"The worst part is I need to go back." I wipe my eyes. "I have a test today and it's Pajama Day and…"

"It's what?"

"Pajama Day. Spirit Week. I have obligations being a member of the pageant."

"You mean you get to wear pajamas to school and not get in trouble?"

I nod.

"Fuck, I'm going to the wrong school." He smiles and leans down to kiss my head. "You sure you want to go back?"

"Yeah." Do I want to? No. Do I know that I need to? Yes. "I can take you back, I'm sure your study hour is almost over."

"I don't have study hour."

"What?" I sit back. "How did you leave?"

"I...got up out of my desk and walked out?"

"Edward! Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

"Probably," he shrugs. "You needed me. It was a no questions asked kind of thing."

"Was it, now?" I move closer to him and tilt my lips up to meet his.

"If that's what I'm going to get for skipping class, I should do it more often."

We drive back to his school and I drop him off.

"Hey, remember. They don't matter."

"I know. I'll call you later." I pull away, leaving him on the curb.

When I get back to school, I avoid my locker and head straight to class.

I eat lunch alone.

I spend time between classes hidden in the bathroom to keep away from the stares.

On the last break before the end of the day, I'm closed in a stall when I hear the door open.

"It's not right, Jess," Angela says, more forceful than I've ever heard her speak. "You know it's not." I can barely see them through the gap in the door.

"She's made her choice," Jessica responds, stopping in front of the mirror to check her makeup.

"And she deserves this for it?"

"There are rules around here, Ang. A Pinehurst girl going with someone like him? It's disgusting."

"I don't want any part of this anymore. Isabella is our friend."

"Fine." Jessica looks her up and down. "Guess you've made your choice too." She's trying to bully her. I've been on the wrong end of that stare before. It makes you cower.

"Guess I have."

Jessica scoffs and the door squeaks as she leaves. Angela lingers behind, probably trying to prepare herself for whatever Hell she's just unleashed on herself.

I slowly step out of the stall.

"Oh!" Angela starts. "I didn't know you were in there."

"Better than spending the breaks out there," I laugh nervously and look down at my feet. "It's a hard hallway to walk down today."

"Isabella, I'm so sorry. I should have stood up to them, I don't think any of those things about you. Can you ever forgive me?" She throws her arms around me.

Can I forgive her? Part of me wants to tell her no. The other part knows any ally I can have in this school right now is a win for me. She'll need me just as much as I need her. And so as much as my head wants me to push her away, I wrap my arms around her shoulders and smile. "Forgiven."

I make it to my last class just in time and take my test, and when I'm done all I want to do is leave.

"Isabella Swan," my teacher calls, as the minutes tick down to the last bell. "They need you for the Spirit Day photo in the gym."

Positives: I can get out of this class and hopefully avoid the crowd that's about to fill the hallways. Negatives: Jessica. That's it.

I grab my things and head toward the gym, going the long way around to avoid my locker.

"Isabella! Come, come!" Mrs. Webber greets me, the last to arrive. I notice Rosalie isn't here of course, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone but me. A Pinehurst girl always wins. No one else exists. "Why don't you stand next to Jessica?"

I begrudgingly take my place, my entire body tingling with absolute distaste for the person next to me.

Jessica sniffs and turns briefly toward me. "Ew, what's that smell, Isabella? Is that garbage?" She asks, her voice low but condescending all the same.

"Probably your twat, Jessica." I smile big as the camera flashes.

I grab my bag again and make the walk back to my locker. The hallways that usually empty pretty quickly after the day is over, are still filled with people.

"Did you see him?" One girl asks another. "I can't believe he's here."

A small group is gathered close to my locker and I dread the thought of having to push through them.

"Excuse me," I mumble, stepping around them.

Once I see what they're crowded around, I stop.

Edward is on his knees in front of my locker, bucket of soapy water beside him, scrubbing the marker off my locker. Those words, so harsh and hurtful, are already faded. He's erased them in more ways than one.

"What is the meaning of all this, school's over, people!" Principal Teddy pushes through. "Young man, you don't attend this school." He huffs. Everyone knows Edward, unfortunately. "I need to ask you to leave."

"I'm not done yet," Edward says, working on the last bit of marker.

"Young man. You are done. Leave immediately or I will call the police and have you arrested for trespassing."

Edward throws the rag into the bucket and stands. "You should teach your students that art belongs in a studio and not on my girl's locker. As long as it doesn't happen again, I won't be back, capiche?" He leans down and kisses me.

The crowd parts for him and he walks away.

"Show's over, let's get going everyone!" Principal Teddy claps his hands and everyone disperses, leaving me alone.

I open my newly cleaned locker and slide my books inside before heading out to my car. I drive right over to his house and find him working in his garage.

I linger in my car, watching him work. When he notices me, he walks to my car and sits in the passenger seat.

I grab his hand and hold it close my heart. "You're a good person, Edward Masen."

"Don't tell anyone." He smiles.

I lean over and kiss his cheek. "Thank you," I whisper, moving my lips across his skin and down to his lips. They part and I taste him, all of him.

His hand falls from mine and finds my thigh, gripping and pulling me toward him until I'm in his lap, straddling him in the seat.

The world around us falls away, and it's nothing but me and him and my body against his. Every inch of me feeling like it could burst into flame at any moment.

He runs his fingers through my hair, grabbing a fistful and gently pulling my head back, exposing my neck. He devours it, biting and kissing and tasting my skin. I wish I could melt into him, just disappear until I only see and feel and want him.

I push my hips against his and he groans, hands traveling up to my chest.

I don't feel like me. Not the girl I used to be. I feel grown. I feel like a woman. I feel...wanted. And wanting.

For a moment, I forget where we are, until a knock at the window reminds me. Even though I would have been embarrassed regardless, the person standing at the window is the second to last person I want to see there.

I sit back on Edward's legs and straighten my shirt, as Edward rolls down the window.

"Chief," he nods, wiping at his lips.

"Are you finished?" Charlie snaps.

Edward smirks. I know that look. He's about to make a joke and granted Charlie's question, I couldn't let him say whatever he was about to say. I put my hand over his mouth as he starts to talk.

By Charlie's annoyance, I can tell he had a good idea of what Edward was about to say. "Bella," he huffs. "House." He points back to his house. "Now."

I crawl back over to the driver's side and Edward exits, throwing Charlie a salute before heading back into the garage.

I wish I could have made the drive across the road to my dad's driveway last longer. Because I wasn't sure that I was ready to have the conversation we were about to have.

He could ruin my world with one word to my mom about what he saw. And I hope with everything I have that he won't.

So I park the car, skip up the front porch steps, and after a moment's pause at the door, walk inside.

A/N: Apologies for the small break, got a little busy! Hope everyone is staying safe!