Chapter Two: Skipping

I awoke to the sound of him repeating my name, over and over again.

"Bella, Bella, Bella… Bella, wake up," he persisted. There was grimace on my face before I could even open my eyes. Why did he have to be so darn persuasive? I just wanted to sleep.

Wait…why was I sleeping? What about school?

Memory returned in a flash as I recalled Salina Johnson and her handshake and Edward picking me up as I passed out and running out of the room and him snarling and her chuckling…

Now I really had a headache.

I forced open my eyes to the sound of his smooth, soothing voice.

"Just lay still, Bella," he told me gently. "Carlisle wants to look you over and make sure you're alright."

I frowned. Carlisle? What was Carlisle doing at the high school? Somehow I suspected that superhuman running had been involved. "What…" I began, but Edward tapped his index finger against my lips, thereby stifling all other comments. He leaned very close to me and kissed my jaw, his touch feather-light. My heart started doing flips.

"Bella?" It was Carlisle's voice and he leaned into my view. "Do you remember what happened?"

Yes, I did, but it sounded ridiculous when I put it all together, even when it was just in my head. How could Salina Johnson make me pass out by shaking my hand during class? I suddenly realized that Edward was watching me with a dark frown.

Maybe he knew more about this whole thing than he was telling me.

Carlisle examined me quickly, but he could find nothing wrong. However, upon discovering that the thought of returning to class made my head spin, (and with good reason too) he advised me to go home and forego on the rest of the school day. Edward picked me up without a word and carried me outside into the light rain.

Apparently someone was taking me home whether I liked it or not.

For the record, I do like it. I like it very, very, very much. Edward would say that I like it too much for my own good, but whenever he says things like that, all I can think about is how much I love him and how little I care about the danger of being associated with him.

No one ever said that teenage girls in love are the most levelheaded creatures. Mostly likely no one ever will.

The drive home was silent. Once we pulled into my driveway, I turned in my seat and looked at Edward, raising a brow. It was so obvious to me that he knew something I didn't know, and it was bothering me a great deal. He returned my look, eyebrow for eyebrow and I ended up smiling so widely that I couldn't maintain the look.

The smile that touched his lips at my reaction didn't quite make it to his golden eyes, and that's what worried me.

"Edward, this is the second time today that you've tried to keep secrets from me," I said, protesting this unfair treatment.

"How do you know that it's only the second time?" he inquired provokingly. I scowled at him.

"You're mean." But of course, it was almost pointless to try and be angry with him. He leaned over to me, golden eyes staring into mine, sparkling and shining and catching the light, and…dazzling me, naturally. It's what he does best.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, no doubt knowing full well that the sound of his voice alone can send shivers down my spine. Good shivers. Delicious shivers, the kind you get when you're truly ecstatic. "I didn't mean it."

"I forgive you," I murmured back, totally captured by his eyes. The satisfied smile he gave me snapped me out of it…somewhat.

"Thank you," he replied cheerfully, chuckling low in his throat. I shivered again and his look became one of concern. "You're cold," he stated. In a flash, he was out of the car and standing in front of my door, opening it and picking me up out of the seat while I protested, snatching up my bad before he was carrying me up to the front door.

"Edward, I can walk," I told him.

"Bella, considering your history with tripping over things on a regular basis, not only just after you've passed out, I think it would be best if I carried you." In truth, it didn't matter, for we were already inside the house and up the stairs to me room.

The cold kiss he pressed against my forehead as he set me down on my bed made my head spin.

"I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

I let out a contented sigh.

It looked like I would definitely be skipping PE after all. I very much doubted anything could pull me away from my angel now.

(A/N- Sorry the chapter is so short! I'm having a mental block on this particular fic; the purpose of this chapter was to try and dislodge that mental block slightly. I hope you'll review anyway! -C.A.)