Chapter 3. Boyfriend?

EPOV.

The next morning, I put a little more effort into styling my unruly hair than usual. I even got a compliment from my mom, who used to always try to comb my hair. I actually felt excited to go to school, and that scared me. I was in a very ambiguous mood, on the one hand, I was in anticipation of a new opportunity to talk to Bella, on the other hand, I was extremely nervous. Probably, this was the first time when a girl intrigued me so much, and the fact that she was so beautiful and mysterious did not interfere at all.

When I got out of my car at school, I saw Angela and Ben, and the first thing I did was go to them.

"Hey, man. Is it true that you stole Bella Cullen from Mike yesterday?"

I was taken aback by Ben's question. What nonsense is he talking about? Firstly, I didn't steal anyone, and secondly, since when did Bella become Mike's girlfriend?

"Ben, did you hit your head while driving to school? Or did Jessica's illness become contagious?"

Angela started laughing at my words. It was evident that she, too, found this situation absurd. Ben just looked insulted.

"I didn't get anything from Jessica. Mike, on the other hand, talks all morning about how he had great communication with Bella until lunchtime yesterday and that she almost agreed to go on a date with him, but then after talking with you she refused him. And I'll explain to you, everyone who saw you yesterday in biology heard that you even laughed at something together! Mike is sure that you told her something about him in order to steal her."

His speech did its job. I started laughing like crazy. Why do people in this city always come up with something out of thin air? This time, Mike's lies didn't even make me angry. It all sounded so ridiculous. As soon as the fit of laughter was over, I turned to the disgruntled Ben.

"I'm sorry, but that was too funny. I really talked to Bella yesterday, but we just got to know each other. I asked her about the move, and she asked me about mine. Not a word about Mike. Well, to be honest, I don't think a girl like Bela would like to have anything to do with Mike. Moreover, to go on a date with him."

Angela, who was next to me, nodded her head in agreement.

"This is true. I spoke to her yesterday during the history lesson. She looks like a smart girl, and she's also a Cullen. Not Mike's level at all."

I silently agreed with Angie's statement. Something white caught my eye, and I turned around. That's when I noticed her. Isabella Cullen was leaning against the front door of her Mercedes and was staring intently in my direction. When she saw my gaze directed at her, she smiled slightly and waved her hand at me. Then she straightened up and went into the school building, but I seemed to freeze watching her slowly go to class.

"Dude, it's rude to stare at people like that." Ben's loud comment brought me out of my personal trance.

"I wasn't staring at anyone." Even to me, my answer didn't sound convincing.

"Yeah of course. As you say."

"Ben, stop mocking Edward. Bella is really pretty, even I stare at her sometimes." Angela jokingly hit Ben on the shoulder and winked at me.

I took a deep breath and left without waiting for my friend.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur as usual. To be more specific, I haven't met Bella since morning. So I was impatient as Ben and I entered the cafeteria. I wanted to see her face again, maybe she will smile at me again? My dreams were interrupted by Ben's jocular voice.

"Ed, I think you should start hiding. Big and angry Mike is coming."

I rolled my eyes and looked towards the Cullens' table. None of them were looking this way. They were clearly enjoying each other company. The largest of their family was clearly saying something, while everyone else was laughing at him. They kind of looked like a scene from a movie. Since I was not afraid of being caught, I continued to look in their direction for longer than usual.

As usual, my attention was drawn to their unusual behavior and their appearance. Why did they look completely different, but at the same time so similar? What united them if it wasn't blood ties? Was it possible that Dr. Cullen used certain parenting techniques and taught them to move so smoothly and to behave in an unusual way? Or was the incredible grace and beauty the consequences of some disease that united them all? The longer I looked at them, the more I was annoyed by the number of questions in my head and the lack of answers to them. This was the first time I had such a hard time understanding people.

With a sigh of displeasure, I turned my attention to Ben, who was enthusiastically talking about some computer code he had written. Perhaps his only faithful listener was Angela. Eh, love.

A sharp push on my shoulder distracted me from my thoughts. Behind me stood an annoyed Mike. I took a deep breath.

"Mason, didn't I make it clear yesterday that Isabella is mine?"

I blatantly rolled my eyes at him, showing my irritation.

"Newton, first of all, I didn't take anyone away from you, stop lying to people. And secondly, you have the same chances with Bella as with the Queen of Great Britain. And that is zero." My words had an effect on him, and his hands clenched into fists. I obviously hurt his ego.

He might have done something rash, but Tyler stopped him, roughly placing him on a chair, and whispering something about the football team. The whole scene discouraged me from eating, and I got up with my half-eaten lunch.

"I think I'm not hungry anymore. Bye, everyone."

I didn't have a single desire to listen to all these complaints and gossip, so I decided to head straight to the classroom. The room was almost empty, so I calmly sat down at my desk and put my head on my folded hands.

My thoughts spontaneously returned to my life again a little over a month ago. Everything was so usual and calm, I was surrounded by ambitious people who didn't care about your personal life until you tell them something yourself. I missed the evenings that my father and I spent listening to my mother playing the piano. She always made us listen to the works that she was supposed to play at the next concert. Everything was normal and familiar, and what a pity that I didn't appreciate it then. Then my whole life was planned and clear, but now all my plans were ruined. All my castles in the air collapsed before my eyes.

Looking up, I was surprised to catch Bella's worried look. I absolutely didn't hear when she came here.

"Are you okay?" She sounded really concerned with my condition. Did I look so sad from the outside? Was it possible that she, like everyone else, asked about me just out of curiosity?

These unpleasant thoughts made me only nod dryly in return.

"I'm really sorry about what happened in the cafeteria." Bella's words shocked me. Is she really now apologized for Newton's act or did I miss something?

"What exactly are you apologizing for now?" My eyes were probably round with surprise.

"I heard your fight with Mike. He has a pretty loud voice. And well, the things that he said during the day were just awful. I'm sorry, you got into a fight with your friend because of me." She looked genuinely regretful. Her golden eyes looked sadly into mine, and a wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows on her perfect forehead, which I immediately wanted to straighten.

I couldn't believe my ears. She just apologized for what Mike did and called him my friend. The last thought made me laugh and I forgot about all my sad thoughts.

"Did you just now call Newton my friend? I am insulted to the core." I tried to imagine us as friends and laughed again. Bella's eyes narrowed at my laugh.

"I'm glad I could make you laugh. But aren't you in the same company as him? You are definitely sitting at the same table during lunch."

"Bella, trust me, a lump in your throat is nicer than Newton's company." After my phrase, an amused expression appeared on her face. " You have nothing to apologize for anyway. This is Mike who, for some reason, decided that you were his girlfriend and that the only reason for your refusal could only be me. It turns out that yesterday the whole lesson I was telling nasty things about him, and you were laughing."

Bella just shook her head in displeasure.

"To be honest, I'm used to it. People were always talking about our family. I've already heard a lot of gossip about my family. But I'm still sorry that I got you involved in this."

I sighed involuntarily and smiled lightly at Bella.

"You don't have to worry about it. They lied and talked about me and before you. This is Forks, I'm used to it. I hardly even pay attention to it." I sent her a sad smile, trying to show that she had nothing to apologize for.

"Edward, why did you really move from Chicago with your family?" Her unexpected question caught me off guard. Her molten gold was filled with genuine interest and concern.

To my surprise, I realized that I didn't want to lie to her at all.

"We all liked Chicago very much." I began cautiously. "But my family was forced to do this. I mean moving. I cannot go into details; believe me, this is the best for everyone. But I will say one thing, you can be sure that none of my family did anything wrong. We just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Bella, who had been listening attentively all the time, nodded her head in response to my words.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about our conversation. I know how to keep secrets."

I had no doubts about the sincerity of her words. There were too many secrets hovering around her family.

"Thank you, Bella." At this time, I realized that this is a good moment to ask about her move. I was absolutely sure that there was more information in her story than she shared last time. " But I'm curious to know what really made you leave England. Few change schools in March."

After I voiced my question, Bella seemed to freeze in place. My question unsettled her, and her face showed signs of internal war. As soon as she averted her gaze, I immediately regretted doing it. I realized that I might have lost the opportunity to talk to her. All my stupid curiosity. I was about to take my words back, but Bella got ahead of me.

"This is partly my ex-boyfriend's fault." Bella lowered her eyes in embarrassment. "Because of him, I almost started to hanging with the wrong people. At one point, I realized that the only way out of this situation was to escape. Which I did. "A strange expression appeared on her face, something between anger and embarrassment. "But I wasn't lying when I said that I was just better with my family."

This information shocked me. What kind of people surrounded her ex, that she was forced to flee to another country? In response to her words, I simply nodded my head, making it clear that I was grateful for her revelation. But within me doubts raged, I just didn't know what to answer to her confession. The answer that should have clarified something about the Cullens only confused me more. And the strangest thing is that the thought of her ex-boyfriend left behind a very unpleasant feeling. I was almost certain that it was the first time in my short life that I felt jealousy, even though it was irrational. It was almost to be expected that such a beautiful girl had boyfriends in the past. But it is one thing to suspect it, and another to know it for sure. Fortunately or not, Mr. Banner began teaching his lesson and my thought process was interrupted. Isabella no longer looked in my direction, but I still couldn't get the thoughts of her ex out of my head. Silly unnecessary jealousy.

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