Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews!
Many thanks to Fran for Beta'ing (any mistakes you see are my own!)
Huge thanks also go to Mr G and Me and Monica03 for pre-reading. Go check out their fics!
SM owns everything Twilight.
Reminiscent of our first encounter, we stand in a showdown, glaring at each other like we're in some cheesy western my father loves so much.
If we were in one of those movies, I imagine Edward's hands would be twitching at his sides, ready to grab his gun and shoot me dead, all the while saying this town isn't big enough for the both of us … in an exaggerated southern drawl, of course.
At this image, I can't help but laugh.
Edward stands straighter, his jaw jutting forward defiantly as he clenches his teeth, his lips pressed into a line so thin they almost disappear.
"What's so funny?" He grinds out.
"Nothing," I reply, matching his tone.
"Sure it is. Just keep your remarks to yourself if they're nothing."
Is he ever pleasant?
"Oh, yeah?" I state, stepping closer to him. He exhales heavily, taking a step backward until his back is against the steel-looking exterior. I step as close as I can, leaving no room between us and poke his hard chest with each word. "Why don't you take your own advice?"
Instead of cringing away like I thought he would, he leans forward, his head tilting toward me. My hand gets trapped between us, and I flatten it against his chest, so I don't hurt myself.
"Maybe you should watch where you're going."
I roll my eyes, trying to refocus my gaze on something other than his face.
"This argument again? Listen, it was an accident, okay? It wasn't done intentionally. Plus, I did apologize. Both times, actually. Something you haven't done, you jerk. Now, I don't know what your problem is, but back off," I seethe.
He swallows audibly, and a pained expression comes over his face as he opens his mouth to speak.
"Hey, take that inside! There are kids out here," someone scolds.
Jerking my head to the right, I see an older man staring at us disapprovingly, shaking his head once before moving along. I'm sure he's probably lamenting my generation and how we're all wild, uncouth, and heathens, just as my grandmother Beth does.
I look back at the position I'm in, noting how close Edward and I are; my hand on his chest and our faces so close together our noses are practically touching.
Glancing to my left, I see we're in front of an apartment building.
Meadows at Twilight Apartments.
The meaning of the man's words, the position I'm currently in with him and the building we're standing in front of clicks in my head.
Oh, hell no!
Jumping back, I clear my throat, unnecessarily straighten my clothes, and narrow my eyes at the humor on his face.
Having enough of this interaction for one day, I attempt to walk past him, but he takes that exact moment to move as well, and we run into one another again. With matching glares, we attempt to walk once more, but end up with the same results.
"Stop it!"
"Oh yeah, I'm doing this on purpose. I just can't get enough of you!" I retort sarcastically, resisting the urge to flip him off yet again.
His eyes narrow slightly, the strange orange color burns bright, standing apart from the brown. It's an amazing color if I'm being honest; deep brown with multiple flecks of orange lava ready to burst.
Clearing my throat and purposely looking away, I focus on his eyebrows instead, meeting his glare with one of my own. He takes a step back, waving his arm for me to go forward.
"Go."
"You're such a gentleman. Don't use those manners too much or women everywhere will swoon!"
Marching away from him, I lose myself in the crowd, and when I look back, I'm satisfied to see he's completely obscured from my view.
Good. Who does he think he is, talking to me as if I'm a dog? I may be a bitch, but I'm not a dog you give orders to.
Muttered curses escape me as my irritation transfers from Edward to the people surrounding me, bumping into me without a second glance or an apology. It's not surprising; their cell phones are glued to their hands or ears, shooting off texts or shouting out orders to some poor chump.
Up ahead a few feet, I spot someone standing still as a statue in a sea of movement. He stands tall and confident, his hair hanging in dreadlocks down his back and over his shoulders. His light brown, leather coat gleams brightly against the yellow fluorescent streetlight, putting a spotlight on him.
My feet slow down a bit, hoping to catch a better look at the guy, but as a wave of people make their way across the street, I lose sight of him.
Shaking my head, I continue on.
Even though Edward is a complete dick, he's right on one account. I do need to be more vigilant, so I take extra care to observe my surroundings instead of being lost in my head. There's time for that later.
As I push myself through the crowded sidewalk, the skin on the back of my neck tightens with a sharp prickling sensation. I resist the urge to bring my hand up and rub at the skin; I won't show weakness.
Grasping my phone in a tight grip in one hand, I place the keys in between my knuckles in the other as I hurry to the parking garage. I'm glad I decided to park here, where there are security guards and a parking attendant. It's well worth the five dollars, in my opinion.
Locating Rose's car, I get inside and lock the doors immediately, looking in the rearview mirror, trying to see if anyone had followed me in, but there's no one.
My cell phone, still in hand, vibrates violently, the screen illuminating the shadowed interior of the car. Rose's name, along with a picture of the two of us from Mom's birthday dinner last month shines on the screen. Our faces are pressed close together, wearing matching goofy grins as Mom stands behind us, her chin resting on top of our heads.
I smile, sliding my finger across the green phone icon.
"Hello?"
"Are you okay?" She questions before I can get the word out, her voice laced with concern.
"Yeah. Why?"
She blows out a small, slow breath. "Nothing, nothing." She laughs lightly. "I just had a bad feeling, that's all."
Idly, I wonder if she's psychic; after all, what are the chances she gets a weird feeling just as I run into Edward again?
For a moment, I debate mentioning my encounter but decide against it. She'll just want to fight him, and I don't want that. I can take care of my own problems. Besides, either way—win or lose—I'll still win. No matter how things end, I obviously piss him off in a big way, so I'll be in his head every day. In my eyes, it's a victory all around.
"I'm fine. On my way home, actually."
"You're not driving now, are you?"
From her tone, I know she's frowning at the thought, but I ease her worries.
"No. I'm sitting in the parking garage. I was about to leave when you called."
"Okay. Hurry, but be safe. Uncle Charlie's dinner smells so good. I think my stomach is going to eat itself if I have to wait any longer."
"That would be a mess," I remark with a fake grimace. "Not to mention painful. Would you cough up blood? I think you would cough up blood. Or something at least. Can you imagine? It would be seen from The Exorcist, but red and chunkier."
"Ugh, that's disgusting. Where do you get these ideas?" Before I can answer, she continues. "Never mind. I think those horror movies are rotting your brain," she mumbles. "Be safe."
I murmur a goodbye and back out of the parking space, heading toward the highway that will take me back home.
Coming to a stop at the red light, I glance over as a car slowly pulls up next to me.
Groaning, I bang my head against the headrest. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Edward turn in my direction, the skin of his knuckles turning snow-white as he grips the steering wheel. I keep my head firmly forward and fully intend to slam my foot on the gas as soon as the light turns green.
Apparently, Edward has the same thought; before I can move my foot, Edward's sleek, black, Volvo S90 takes off, turning right instead of going straight. The tires squeal harshly against the pavement, leaving dark trails against the asphalt.
Good. I didn't want to share the road with you while I went home anyway. With my luck, you'd follow me to my house and hack me into little pieces … or kidnap me and torture me for years, rendering me insane. Well, newsflash! I'm probably already there!
Shaking my head to clear my wacky thoughts, I head onto the highway, cursing the person who claimed the world being small was a good thing. I'm not sure who it was or if they even did make such a claim, but I'm sure someone did, and I curse them for it.
8*8*8*8*8*8*8
The energy in the hall changes from sluggish lethargy to tense excitement. The ten or so people loitering in the halls bitching about their teachers come to a standstill, stiff and quiet as the Cullens waltz in from the parking lot.
Emmett leads the trio, smiling and waving at those who stare too long. There's a twinkle in his eye as people gasp, caught off guard by his acknowledgment. I have no doubts he's enjoying the discomfort he gives them.
Alice is a step behind him, her eyes briefly gazing over the groups of students staring and whispering as the three of them pass. Her eyes land on Jasper and me standing at our lockers as we make the small spaces our own.
She moves to Emmett's other side, so she's closer to us, a bright smile on her face.
Jasper gives a tense smile, focusing his attention on putting the finishing touches on his locker. I watch as Alice's expression falters slightly before she glances at me and waves.
I limply wave back, trying my best not to look at the third person in the back of their group, lingering behind, looking like he's not sure whether he'd be welcome.
It makes me extremely curious; does he feel like he wouldn't be welcome or is that of his own doing? Based on what I've seen, I'm going with the latter; if Alice didn't want him around, she wouldn't have been looking for him in PA the other day. Thinking back to yesterday, I think the same would apply to Emmett. He looked thrilled talking to Jasper and Edward; if they weren't brothers, I would have thought he was in love with the dude.
If they weren't related, Emmett could do better.
Before I can look away, I meet Edward's eyes, which instantly narrow upon seeing me. I roll my own and turn away, not wanting to have anything to do with him at the moment.
I busy myself with putting the finishing touches on my locker, organizing everything to my tastes. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alice step up toward Jasper, a soft smile on her face. There's a brief moment of awkward silence as the pair exchange stilted hellos.
"How was your day yesterday?"
"Oh, uh … it was … nice?" he replies, sounding more like a question as he shuffles from left to right, his eyes darting from Alice to anything and everything within a five-foot radius.
Realizing how awkward he sounds, he attempts to correct himself, clearing his throat. "I mean, it was fine. Mainly, it was overviews about the year to come, expectations and such." He rolls his eyes at the absurdity of it, knowing what the teachers said won't be remembered past today.
"Yeah, it's the same speeches everywhere. I think it's a guide all teachers get or something." She laughs softly and Jasper nods, his eyes falling to the floor.
Most likely sensing the uneasiness of the situation, Emmett jumps in and introduces himself, though I know his name.
"I'm Emmett."
"Bella."
He smirks, leaning toward me. It doesn't escape my notice that Edward is glaring at his brother like he wishes he could burn him alive.
"So, you're the one who has my brother's panties in a twist, huh?" He quietly remarks.
Did they have a meeting about me or something?
"Panties, huh? Tell him to switch to boxers ... might put him in a better mood."
Emmett laughs, nudging an irate Edward with his elbow, murmuring something to him. Whatever he says doesn't help his attitude, if there is such a thing.
Jasper, most likely sensing the tension, changes the subject again and questions Emmett and Edward about their favorite video games while I block the conversation out and focus on the task at hand.
A second later, there's a delicate tap on my shoulder; if I hadn't been paying attention, I would have assumed it was my clothes rustling or a muscle spasm.
Alice hesitantly smiles, her hands gripping the strap of her book bag as she steps closer to me. "Hi, Bella."
Behind her, Emmett and Edward watch the exchange carefully, but the former smiles when he catches me looking. Edward pointedly looks away, his jaw clenched and his face twisted in a scowl.
"Hey. How are you?" I question, hoping my tone is polite enough.
"I'm good, thank you," she says, looking relieved.
We lapse into a tense silence, each of us looking expectantly at each other. The air is filled with excited chatter from Emmett and Jasper, and surprisingly, Edward as well, as they discuss their favorite games. I do a double-take as Edward absorbs himself into the conversation.
I'm completely baffled at the change in his appearance. The tightness in his shoulders and the tension in his jaw is gone, his body somewhat relaxed. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his jeans, and his shoulders are slightly hunched inward, but his face is bright and boyish-looking.
It's a massive change from the slight serial killer vibe he had been radiating.
I want to be upset that Jasper seems to be getting along with them—especially Edward—but I can't. It wouldn't be right for me to dictate who he can and can't be friends with. If he gets along with him, then that's great. I don't have to spend time with him.
Thank the heavens for small favors.
Inevitably, my name is brought up, and the attention is on me. Emmett and Edward stare at me with wide eyes, though Edward looks away as soon as he realizes I've been brought into the conversation.
"What? Jasper, what did you spill?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
He smirks. "Nothing. I just told them you beat me on Zombie Outbreak."
I blow out a breath, wondering why Edward and Emmett seem so surprised. Do they think girls don't play video games?
"Yeah, I did. Twice," I say, chuckling lightly at his scowl.
"Beginners luck," he mutters.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
He mumbles something else too low for me to hear and I decide to make my exit. I bid my goodbyes to Jasper, but it's Emmett who answers.
"Bye, Bella. Have a good day."
With a laugh, I wave back and head toward my first class, dreading the fact I'll be in the same room with Edward.
Oh well. At least I can ignore him.
"Bella!"
Turning, I see Alice sprinting toward me, her book bag bouncing against the top of her thigh. Once she's close enough, she walks slowly, her hand grasping the strap hanging off her shoulder.
Smiling shyly, she clears her throat delicately, her body slightly swaying from side to side as her fingers twitch.
"Can I walk with you? My class is on the way."
I nod. "Sure."
We walk in silence, and I ignore the stares and whispers from the people we pass, and it seems Alice does as well. For now, anyway.
"What do you like to do for fun?" She questions.
I shrug a shoulder. "Nothing exciting. I like to read, watch horror movies … I do a little dabbling in art. Nothing serious or good, for that matter."
"I love horror movies too! Plus, I love art. I love photography; I take pictures."
"Cool. We'll have to discuss our favorite movies, then."
Her eyes light up at my answer, and she nods.
"That would be fun. Also, if you wanted, I could show you my pictures."
I say nothing, but I nod, wondering if my first impression of her was wrong. She seems to genuinely want to hang out and possibly be friends. It's too soon to tell, though.
We come to a stop outside the class she went into yesterday, and I smile politely, saying hello to Jess as she shuffles past me.
"H-hi, B-Bella," she greets with a smile and a wave.
As she looks at Alice, her smile falters a bit, and she freezes, her eyes wide.
"S-s-speak, Jessica," Lauren taunts from behind me. "It's r-r-rude to i-ignore p-p-people."
Jessica's eyes cloud over with tears, and she bites the inside of her lip to keep herself from crying.
I spin around, narrowing my eyes at Lauren. "How was your visit to the free clinic? Did you get that anti-herpes medication you needed?"
Students snicker as her face turns red. "Oh yeah? Well, at least I have one hair color and don't look like a rainbow freak."
"What a stellar comeback!" I exclaim in an exaggerated tone, clapping my hands slowly. "Go screw yourself; you know, to give the guys a break. But be sure to come back when you have a real insult."
She opens her mouth to say something else, but I raise an eyebrow in response and watch with humor as she stomps away, glaring at anyone who laughs.
Alice is gently speaking to Jessica, who is huddled against the wall, clutching her books to her chest. Jess is listening though; I can see her eyes briefly flit over to Alice more than once while she's consoling her.
"Can I have a moment with her, Alice?"
"Sure," she murmurs with a soft smile, waving goodbye as she heads inside just as the warning bell rings overhead.
I lean against the wall Jess is huddled against, gently bumping my shoulder against hers.
"Hey." I wait until she looks at me, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Don't let it bother you, Jess. You're more than she'll ever be."
"I d-d-don't kn-kn-know about th-that."
"I do. Have I lied to you? Ever? I mean, I may have exaggerated about being a badass super-villain, but really, all I'm missing is a kick-ass costume and some money for the gadgets." She shakes her head, a small smile on her face. "Then why would I start now?"
"Th-th-thanks, B-B-Bella."
"No problem, Jess. No more tears, okay? She's not worth it."
"O-okay."
"I'll see ya."
Pushing myself off the wall, I come to a halt as I spot Edward standing a few feet ahead, staring at me with a puzzled expression on his face.
"What?"
He does a combination of a head shake and a shrug of his shoulders, smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Nothing. It's just … funny."
I don't ask what he finds funny. Instead, I give him a sarcastic laugh, and spotting the teacher casually watching us, I scratch my forehead with my middle finger and walk in without another word.
I can't be sure, but I could swear I heard Edward laugh.
8*8*8*8*8*8*8
"Hey, loser."
"You got me, Lauren. That really hurt. I don't know how I'll ever recover," I retort, walking past Lauren without glancing in her direction.
Out of nowhere, an arm blocks my path, and I jump back to avoid contact. Luckily I did, as Royce King stands in front of me, a slimy grin on his face.
"Hey there."
I make a noise of disgust and attempt to walk around him, but he steps in front of me, blocking my exit.
"That isn't very nice," he tells me, sucking air through his teeth with a sad shake of his head. He reaches forward to touch a strand of my hair, but I dodge him quickly with a disgusted look. "You know, I'm beginning to think you have a problem with Lauren and me."
I laugh shortly. "Lauren come crying to you again? I'd tell her to borrow your balls, but I know you don't have any. Now move." I try to step around him, but he counters my move with one of his own, blocking my way.
"Don't you want to talk to me?"
"As much as I want an ice pick in my eye."
"You're feisty," he says with a chuckle. "Just like Rosie."
I grit my teeth and ball my hand into a fist, ready to punch it in his face. I can get away with it, too. The hallway is empty, so there are no witnesses, not that it matters. I've already punched and junk kicked him before and gotten away with it, so I can get away with it again.
He chuckles. "Struck a nerve, did I? Lauren did say that was the quickest way to light your fuse, but I'd like to try another way." He leers, and I swallow back the bile threatening to rise.
"You sure I'd be able to feel it?"
He takes a step toward me, but I anticipate this and jump to the side, watching as he stumbles and falls to the floor in a heap.
I bite my lip to hold in my laughter, watching as he attempts to rise from the ground with almost, drunk-like movements.
Rose turns the corner, raising an eyebrow at the scene in front of me, her face turning to stone as Royce rises, brushing his hands down his front.
"Well, hello, my Rosie."
She sneers, saying nothing as she comes to stand next to me.
"You know," he says conversationally, eying both of us with a gleam in his eye. "I've never been with cousins before. I'd love to compare." He not so subtly adjusts himself, and I surmise it's nothing larger than a tube of lipstick. If he's lucky.
Rose sneers in disgust and looks as if she's about to throw up. I'm not that far behind her, to be honest.
Royce clicks his tongue against the roof his mouth. "Such a nasty expression on a pretty face," he coos, reaching forward and grabbing a lock of her hair. She bats his hand away with a glare and takes a step back, pulling me along with her.
"So rude," he says, slowly shaking his head, a look of disappointment on his face. "I thought you learned your lesson. Or perhaps, it's been too long, Rosie? Don't worry, you'll get a refresher course. I'll show both of you."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rose's tough demeanor crack a little; subtly, she flinches, her eyes glazed and far away as thinks back to that night in freshman year.
It was supposed to be a date, though not one of us Swans or Whitlocks would call it that now. None of us liked Royce, and we weren't fooled by his wide, white smile, nor were we fooled by his 'manners.' We all knew he was a slime, and nothing we said would make Rose see reason; she saw the charm and the show he put on. She didn't see the subtle ways he used to control her; the phone calls at all hours of the night, the visits to our house 'just to see her,' or the way he would manipulate her when she wanted to do her own thing.
The more we tried to get her to see what a dirtbag he was, the more she pushed back, determined to prove us wrong.
That night, he had decided they needed to take their relationship to the next level. Being the pig that he was, he brought her to First Beach after dinner— which Rose paid for—and took her to a secluded spot near the woods where most teenagers go to make out.
When he went farther than what Rose was willing to go, he tried to force himself on her. Luckily, Sam Uley, from the Quileute Reservation, was close by and heard her screams, coming to her rescue, and beating the crap out of him before helping her home.
I'll never forget her bruised and tear-stained face as she held her ripped shirt together while rushing into the house and locking herself in her room. For hours, Mom tried to get her to open the door, crying along with her as Rose sobbed behind the door. Dad, having been told what occurred from Sam, had turned an odd shade of purple as he started for his gun, only to be stopped by Sam's firm hand. Whatever he said to him had calmed him somewhat, but it wasn't enough then, and the scars he received from Sam's fists aren't enough now.
Unfortunately, the paperwork for the case Dad was building against him mysteriously 'disappeared,' pissing Dad off to no end. We all know Royce and his father's connections to the mayor had something to do with it, but it could never be proven. Now, it's simply a waiting game for him to screw up and let karma bite him on the ass.
Rose's flinch stirs my anger; heat slithers up my spine and my entire body trembles. Stepping forward, I ball up my fist, punching him square in the nose, hearing a loud crack as I make contact. Immediately, he cups his hands to catch the blood pouring out of his nostrils and looks at me in shock.
"Yes," I whisper with an evil smile on my face. "There's blood … so much blood," I say gleefully, and Royce's eyes widen with alarm.
"You bitch! I'll end you for this," he hisses, rising to his feet.
He backs away slowly but runs into Emmett who rounds the corner, clapping a hand down on Royce's shoulder.
Ordinarily, it would look like a friendly gesture, but the buckle in Royce's knees and the glare on Emmett's face tell a different story.
"Whoa, there; what was that? Why are you threatening this lady for no reason?"
"Wha-what?"
"You took quite a spill there," Emmett continues. "And you're threatening her? Doesn't make sense."
"I didn't—"
"Now, now, don't be embarrassed," he interrupts. "We all saw you fall."
Royce's scoff turns into a whimper as Emmett tightens his grip on his shoulder, his knees, once more buckling under the pressure.
"Unless, of course, you were bothering these ladies. Then it would be self-defense if she hit you and you'd have to tell people what happened and what was said. So tell me, which is it? An accident? Or were these ladies merely protecting themselves?"
"Accident," Royce grits out through clenched teeth.
"Then you best be careful," Emmett warns. "You wouldn't want another accident to happen, would you?"
Royce shakes his head, and Emmett releases his hold, smirking as he staggers back, putting as much space between them as possible before sprinting down the hall.
"How are you two today?" Emmett questions. Even though the inquiry is for both of us, his eyes are fixated worriedly on Rose.
Rose stares at him, her eyebrows pulled together, and her lips turned down in confusion. She looks as if she's never seen him before, which is confusing as hell.
It's obvious she isn't going to answer, so I decide to do it for her. "We're good. Thanks."
Emmett nods, eyes still on Rose. "You look beautiful today, Rosalie."
Her eyes flick over to him and focus back on her nails. "Thanks," she says dryly.
"Can I escort you to lunch? A pretty woman like you should walk with someone gallant," he says with a wink.
"I'll pass," she replies, her tone cold. However, I can see a spark of something in her eye. Is she … impressed?
He shrugs, unperturbed, as always, by her refusal, and gives her a big grin. "One day, Rosalie. One day."
With those parting words, he walks into the cafeteria and Rose groans loudly, her head falling back.
"He can't seem to take a hint. Is that going to be a problem?"
"Hmm?" She questions distractedly. "No. I'll be okay." Then, she changes the subject. "You know, Royce could have you arrested for that stunt you pulled," Rose says, trying to sound stern, but it's negated by her smile.
"For what? Hitting himself? You heard him, it was an accident," I smirk when she nods.
"I think you talking to yourself frightened him more than a girl half his size possibly breaking his nose," she muses.
"I wasn't talking to myself. I was talking to the voices in my head. Why does no one believe me when I tell them I hear voices? It's not my problem you can't hear them."
Rose shakes her head in amusement but then groans when she peers through the window of the cafeteria door and sees Emmett sitting at the table she normally occupies during lunch.
"You're looking awfully thoughtful over there," I say, breaking out of her musings.
She jumps and gives me a nervous smile. "Yeah. It's nothing. I'll see you later, okay?"
"Later."
Since my locker is close by, I decide to grab the books I'll need for my afternoon classes because I know I won't have time to eat lunch and get my books after I'm done eating.
Thanks, Royce. You slime-ball.
Unfortunately, I pass by Edward, who is standing by his locker. I plan on carrying on my way, not giving him another glance, but another student comes barreling by, hitting my shoulder and subsequently knocking me into Edward. Instinctively, his hands reach to steady me and pull me close to him as the student shouts his apologies as he runs further down the hall.
Edward's hands grip my hips, holding me to his front, where I feel exactly what the girls wish they could feel; he's fit and toned, but there's a strange coldness emanating from him, just like I remember.
I expect him to release me at any moment, but to my surprise, he keeps his eyes and hands on me, making no move to let me go.
In fact, his hands move down slightly, his fingers coming into contact with the sliver of skin between my shirt and jeans.
The chilly touch makes me shiver, which brings me even closer to him. As if on reflex, he tightens his hold and breathes in deeply, beginning to speak, but his eyes squeeze shut, and he shakes his head, groaning as another student comes running down the hall.
I immediately recognize him—Austin Marks—another jock and one of Royce's friends. His eyes widen when he sees how close Edward and I are standing together and he laughs loudly.
"Wow, dude. You must be desperate. You know, there's a queue of girls you can use to get your rocks off, right? Lucky bastard."
I start to retort, but Edward surprises me.
"I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole. Get lost," he says, growling the last two words.
The look of rage on his face makes me a tiny bit of afraid; there's something lethal and dangerous in that glare … almost predatory in a certain way. Despite the small sliver of fear, I also feel a greater sense of satisfaction for him saying such a thing about me.
Weird. Where did that come from?
Austin swallows thickly, backing up and running in the opposite direction as fast as his legs can take him. I turn back to Edward, who looks a bit calmer. I begin to tell him he didn't have to defend me, but as the first word leaves my lips, he tightly grasps my hips, pulling me even farther into him. Pain flares and my flesh starts to throb. I push at his arms and wince as his grip tightens even further before he shoves me away. He takes a huge step back, his jaw clenched as he breathes heavily.
"Are you always such a jackass?" I grumble, all thoughts of satisfaction over his actions gone. "And you know, you've pushed me a couple of times, asshole. If I wanted to be manhandled, I'd ask."
"Maybe you should watch what you're doing," he snaps.
"He bumped into me, remember? You didn't have to catch or manhandle me. You could have just let me fall on my ass. In fact, I would have preferred it."
Okay, maybe not. I mean that one moment wasn't too bad. Not that I'll admit it.
Edward sighs harshly, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I'm … I'm sorry," he rushes out.
He takes off toward the exit and not more than a second later the door to the parking lot slams shut, causing me to jump.
Through the tiny window on the door, I see his figure stalking away, most likely retreating to his car. I shake my head in frustration. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the sun peek through the clouds, and I think I see something shimmery on Edward's neck. I do a double-take as the sunlight becomes muted again and Edward's form disappears from view, sans sparkles.
Did I just see …? No, not possible. I think. Right?
Shaking my head, I quickly gather my books, going into the cafeteria, heading to my regular table.
Upon entering the room, I pass by the jock table, hearing them whisper frantically both my name, along with Edward's. So now I know Edward's display of defense is the topic. I roll my eyes, not even acknowledging them.
I scan the line, groaning at the length of it. At this rate, I know I won't have enough time to get my food and eat it.
Deciding to skip lunch today, I head to my table, ignoring the lunch monitor's glare. Mrs. Adams has hated that I sit here because she had to move the kids who serve lunch detention out into the hall. Honestly, I don't see why she's so upset. From my perspective, I solved a problem; before I took over the table, the kids who sat here would never behave and be quiet the way they were supposed to. They were always talking with other students from another table, and now they can't talk to anyone because they're alone in the hall.
I guess Mrs. Adams doesn't see it that way, though. Oh, well.
Collapsing in the seat, I blow out a breath and reach for a book to distract me until it's time to head to class. Five minutes later, a figure to my left has me looking up at a hesitant Alice, gripping her lunch tray like a life preserver.
"Hi, Bella."
I smile lightly, nodding. "Hey. Need a place to sit?"
Before she can reply, another girl walks by, and stops. It doesn't escape my notice—and tickles my funny bone—that she's studiously keeping her eyes on Alice to refrain from looking at me.
"You ... you can sit with my friends and me, Alice."
I fully expect Alice to take her up on her offer; after all, she seems so nervous and hesitant with me. It's obvious she's uncomfortable in my presence. Not that I blame her; I'm sure by now she's heard all sorts of sordid stories … many of which I'm extremely proud to confirm are true.
In private, of course.
To my surprise, however, she shakes her head, a friendly smile on her face. "Thanks, but I think I'll sit here."
The girl rushes off, no doubt to gossip.
Alice looks back at me, biting the inside of her lip, looking unsure. "Unless you'd rather be alone?"
I wave a hand toward the empty seat. "By all means."
She sits, her movements lithe and graceful. She turns to me with a smile, her face bright and eyes twinkling.
"Thanks. It's hard being new at a school, no matter what time of year it is."
I nod, even though I don't really know. I've lived in Forks my whole life.
"It seems like you're getting along fine." I gesture toward where the girl had walked off. "You won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to sit here, you know."
She cocks her head to the side, a puzzled look on her face. "Why do you say that?"
"You seem … nervous around me. That's all."
She looks away, bowing her head toward her chest. An anxious chuckle escapes her as she looks back at me, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
"To be honest … I'm used to … knowing how things will go. It's a gift of mine. My intuition is very strong, but I can't seem to know how things will go when I talk to you." Her voice drops to a whisper, the tone defeated and somewhat despondent as her eyes drop to the table. "I don't want to say or do the wrong thing. Finding friends, real friends, is tough … especially for me. I don't want to upset you."
Reaching over, I nudge her arm once, noting the similar temperature she and her brother share.
Is it a genetic thing or an illness? It's very odd …
I tuck the thought away for now, knowing it isn't the time or place. Instead, I focus on Alice's statement.
While the pessimistic bitch in me wants to shout that she's using me to get closer to her crush, the other half of me is telling me to give her chance.
The look of sincerity and honesty in her face has me believing she's telling the truth, but maybe she's just a good actress like Lauren was.
Until I know for sure, I'll be nice, but I won't go out of my way.
"I'm not delicate," I tell her. "If you say something I don't like, I'll tell you. Just be yourself; anything else isn't true."
She nods, a happy expression on her features once more, pushing her tray toward me. "Are you hungry? I see you didn't get lunch."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm not a big cafeteria food person. Take whatever you'd like."
"Thanks," I reply, snagging a few fries.
"We didn't get a chance to talk much earlier. What are your favorite—"
A shout across the cafeteria cuts her off and silences the cafeteria. "What the hell?"
Looking over, I see Lauren standing in front of Royce, her hand on his chin as she forcefully turns his head back and forth, examining his face. Her lips move as she speaks to him and whatever she says he shakes his head to and she sits down with a huff.
Lauren's gaze goes to me, and her lips disappear into a thin line. I happily wave back, eating fries and apple slices.
"She's pissed," Alice notes, moving some food around on her plate but not eating it.
"What else is new? What were you saying earlier?"
"What are your favorite horror movies?"
This begins our discussion. Surprisingly, we have a lot in common; we both love ghost movies, slasher flicks, and creature features. Our dislikes are the same too; we despise gory films and those that show too many hospital asylum scenes.
From there, we delve into our favorite books, and this is where we reach our first impasse; she doesn't like Edgar Allen Poe, where I happen to love his works.
"If everyone like everything the world would be dull," she says with a shrug of her shoulders.
Strangely, her face goes blank, and just before she closes her eyes, I think I see her eyes take a strange, light milky quality to them. However, when she looks at me again, all that remains is the golden butterscotch color of her irises.
"Sorry. I just remembered something; I have to go to the library and pick up a book for one of my afternoon classes. Maybe we can talk later?"
"Sure."
I wave goodbye and pick up my book, The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe, and begin reading, swinging a foot to the notes of Moonlight Sonata and humming it quietly. Before I know it, the bell rings, and I jump in surprise, hitting my knee on the table.
"Damn it, son of a bitch!"
"You really are a lady, Bella. Using such beautifully colorful language," Jasper says, sidling up next to me.
"Get bent, Jasper."
He chuckles and picks up my stuff, offering to carry it like the southern gentlemen he wishes to be.
"Alice Cullen was sitting with you today."
"Observant. Using your eyes, huh?"
He shoots me a disgruntled look. "Ha, ha."
"What's the deal?"
He shrugs. "I don't know," he murmurs. "It's like I said. I just have a weird feeling with them. I don't know what it is, yet."
"You just have this feeling with Alice, apparently."
"What makes you say that?"
"You're chummy with her brothers. If you had this feeling with all of them, you wouldn't be friendly with them. I think it's just because it's obvious she has a crush on you."
He starts to reply, but Lauren rushes up behind me, shoving me in the back, her face red.
"I know it was you."
I stumble, causing Jasper to reach out and steady me. He scowls at Lauren, moving forward, but I grab his arm and pull him back. Instead of standing off to the side, he steps up next to me, his shoulder maneuvering in front of me slightly, so I have no choice but to take a stride back.
"Throwing down the gauntlet, huh? You sure that's wise?"
She ignores me, her eyes narrowed into slits. "I know you punched Royce. You might have broken his nose!"
"First of all, he'd know if it were broken. It's kind of cut and dry. He's just being a baby. Second, you have no proof I punched him. I think he punched himself."
"He did not!" she shouts, her fists balled at her sides. "You punched him, I know you did!"
By now, we have a small group surrounding us, most likely itching for a fight. They've all waited years for one of us to hit the other and give them a show, but I won't be the one to start it. If it's going to come to blows, she's going to have to hit me first and not do that lame pushing crap she just did. Once she hits me, then I'll finish it.
Just like Dad always told me to do. He's awesome that way.
Outside the crowd stands Edward, looking between Lauren and me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looks worried. But that can't be it. I'm positive he could give a rat's ass what happens to me.
"How do you know? You weren't there. He might have fallen, or he might have punched himself. Either one is very likely. Dude's got issues," I state solemnly, focusing on the problem in front of me.
Lauren sputters as the crowd laughs. "I'll get you back," is the last thing she says before she stomps away, her heels loudly clicking against the floor.
"Yeah, that's worked out well for her in the past."
"Bella, please be careful. I know you're not scared of her, but she's not all there, and Royce is definitely off the sanity scale. Be careful and keep an eye out, huh?" Jasper says lowly, worry in his eyes.
"You worry too much."
"It's a curse. Did you really punch him?" he asks then, his lips twitching.
"Me? I would never."
He stares at me for a long moment before his laughter breaks through. "Right. Get to class."
"Yes, sir!" I salute.
8*8*8*8*8*8
When the last bell rings, Jasper comes running up to me as I stand in front of my locker, a slightly nervous look on his face.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I'm going over to the Cullen house."
I stare at him, confused. "Okay. What's the problem? You don't want to go?"
He mumbles something, which sounds like "I don't," which I can only guess means he doesn't want to go over there.
"If you don't want to go, just tell them. Since when are you afraid to say no?"
"No, I—can you—"
"I'm not doing your dirty deeds for you again, Jasper," I snap, slamming my locker shut and marching toward the door. "Just tell them you don't want to go."
He grabs my arm, pulling me out of the way before I can make it outside. "No, it's not that. It's—"he pauses with a groan, his head falling back on his shoulders before he looks back at me, his eyes wide and unblinking. "Alice is going to be there."
I want to laugh because Jasper being afraid of Alice is slightly comical, but I refrain. I practically feel the nervousness rolling off him in waves. Alice isn't exactly subtle when she stares at him or talks to him. It's obvious to anyone around that Alice has a major crush on him.
It's also obvious that Jasper doesn't know how to react to Alice's crush or the weird feeling he has toward her. Unfortunately, I don't know much to say besides what's painstakingly clear.
"You're going there to spend time with Emmett and Edward, right?" I try not to grimace at Edward's name, but I don't accomplish it. I don't want Jasper to feel bad about being friends with him. When Jasper doesn't acknowledge my grimace and nods, I continue. "Okay, then. I doubt you'll spend any time with her."
"But—"
Raising a hand, I stop him before he can start. "If you find yourself alone with her for some reason and she makes you uncomfortable, tell her to knock it off."
"I don't want to hurt her feelings though."
I roll my eyes. "I'm not telling you to scream it at her or tell her that verbatim, just say something similar in a more polite tone."
He nods and continues to nod as he mulls over what I've just told him. "Okay. Okay. Sounds good. Yeah, I'll do that."
"Okay. You good now?"
"Yeah. Thanks." He looks at his phone and curses softly. "Hey, will you tell Rosalie? I've got to go. Emmett and Edward are waiting for me."
He's running outside before I can answer, and while I'm a little pissed he's leaving me to deliver the news to Rose, I laugh for two reasons. One, because I'm sure he doesn't realize he'll be riding with Alice in the car and two, he hasn't been afraid of a girl since he was five and was chased by Mary-Ellen Thomas around the playground, proclaiming they were married.
I'm still laughing as I get in the car, which prompts Rose to look at me curiously.
"What's got you tickled?"
"Jasper is nervous being around Alice."
Her lips quirk, and she gives me a knowing look. "Really now? Picked up on the crush she has?"
"You know?"
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Please. The girl has it bad." She snickers. "So, why was Jasper nervous about Alice today?"
"He's going over to the Cullen house this afternoon and was freaking out over being in the same space with her."
Rose's jaw clenches. "He waited until the last minute to tell us? Unbelievable. And if Emmett thinks this is going to get me to say yes to his constant requests for dates, he has another thing coming. I won't allow him to use my family to get me to say yes to him."
"What if he just wants a friend?"
"Friends with Emmett and Edward?" she says with a disgusted huff. "There are better options."
"Maybe, but everyone Jasper trusts, he's already friends with, and you can never have too many friends. At least that's what Mom says. They seem all right so far." I pause, watching her carefully. "Rose, do you have a problem with Jasper being friends with them?"
Personally, I don't have a problem with it; I could learn to ignore Edward, and I don't think Emmett is that bad … but then again, he isn't interested in me.
She sighs, bringing a hand to her forehead. "Of course not. I'm glad he's made new friends. I just … I wish Emmett would give me a break. He's nice and all, but he's cocky, arrogant, and sure of himself. He reminds me …" she stops for a moment, a haunted look on her face before she shakes her head. "I just don't like his behavior. It makes me feel like I'm a prize or something."
Sympathy for my cousin washes over me. I know she's irritated by Emmett's flirting, but I had no idea she feels like she isn't a real person with real feelings.
I think it might be time to have a serious talk with Emmett.
"I'm sorry, Rose."
"It's okay. Well, it's not. But it's not your fault. I hope he'll get over this fascination with me soon and leave me alone. There are plenty of other girls he can pick from," she trails off, a look of disdain on her face. "It's disgusting. They throw themselves at him as if he was the last man on earth."
To me, it seems like she's bothered by this, but I don't dare voice my thought out loud. I rather like my head where it is.
"I just want to get the rest of school over and done with and go off to college."
I nudge her. "Hey, don't forget, you still have to come home and visit us low lives you call family."
She smiles, shaking her head and reaching over to grab my hand. "Bella, I could never forget you. You're my family; you're more than my cousin, you're my sister. I love you to ends of the earth, and I'll always be here for you."
"I love you too … and you know, you say that now, but just wait until you have a high paying job, a fancy house, and a husband. Oh, let's not forget your bushels of children. We'll see how many visits we get then," I say jokingly.
She smiles, shaking her head as she turns into the driveway. When we're inside, Rose mentions to Mom that Jasper is with the Cullen boys for the afternoon and Mom nods, smiling pleasantly.
"He called a little bit ago and told us."
"Good. I'm working on homework upstairs."
Once she's gone, Mom turns to me, her head tilted toward the stairs. "She's troubled. What's going on?"
"She's having a hard time, that's all."
"Emmett?" she questions, surprisingly perceptive.
"Yep."
Mom sighs and shakes her head. "I hope things between them will resolve one way or another. I hate seeing her like this."
"It will, once I have a word with him."
"No. That's not a good idea, Bella."
"Why not?"
Mom takes my hand, leading me to the kitchen table. "Sweetie, I know you're protective of your cousins, and I love that about you," she says, brushing her hand across mine. "But you can't fight every battle for them. Some things, you have to let them fight on their own."
"But—"
"Bella, I know that the three of you take care of each other and have one another's backs; that's wonderful and admirable, but sometimes you have to know when to back off. Just like I've told Rosalie and Jasper: you can't protect the people you love from everything."
I give her a questioning look. "When did you tell them that?"
"I gave them that bit of advice when you were having a rough time in school, remember? When you first dyed your hair? People treated you horribly." I nod, remembering the disgusted looks, the harsh words, and the occasional shove. My peers treated me like a monster that escaped from the lab. "You should have seen them," Mom says with a laugh, continuing. "They were angrier than wet kittens! They both wanted to take on everyone that said a bad word against you. That's when I told them they needed to let you handle things yourself. They argued, of course, but your dad and I firmly told them they needed to back off. Now, look at you." She smiles proudly. "Not caring about what they say and becoming a stronger person because of it. Now, that's what you need to do. Let Rosalie sort out her own problems."
"I get that, but she's feeling like an object, and I think she's comparing him to Royce. Shouldn't I warn him this behavior of his isn't doing him any favors?"
She shakes her head. "If he's smart, he'll figure it out on his own. If not, then your father and I will step in. Just stay out of it. Let things progress naturally and let Rose handle it. She needs to do this on her own. If she needs to rant, then be there for that, but don't step in on her behalf. It won't end well."
I sigh heavily, knowing she's right. "All right."
"I know it's hard, but it has to be done." She pauses for a moment, letting everything sink in. "Let's talk about something else now. What happened today?"
"Nothing much. Royce tried to mess with Rose and me."
Mom's happy look turns sour fast. "What happened?"
"He just tried messing with us, that's all," I tell her, waving a hand. "I scared the crap out of him by talking to myself and punching him. I mean," I say, rushing to correct my story. "He fell. Such a strange occurrence."
She tries to have a stern expression on her face, but her lips twitch as she holds in her laughter. It gets to the point where she can't hold it in anymore, and her loud laugh reverberates throughout the kitchen. Under the sound of her humor, the front door closes, and my dad's boots shuffle along the floor.
"What's so funny?" he asks, coming into the room, kissing my forehead and giving my mom a quick peck.
"Tell him the truth," Mom warns through her laughter.
"I punched Royce and scared the crap out of him, talking to the voices in my head."
"That's my girl."
I smirk, and once Mom's laughter dies down, I tell her about my day. Her eyes light up when I mention Alice, and she claps her hands, grinning up at my father.
"She's your friend?"
I laugh at her hopeful expression. "You'd think I don't have friends."
"I know you do," she replies, patting my hand. "But you can never have too many friends. Is she nice?"
I do a shrug and nod combination, making her frown. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know." I sigh heavily. "She has a crush on Jasper. It's really obvious."
"And you think she's using you to get close to Jasper?"
Again, I do the shrug and nod combination because, in all honesty, I'm not really sure.
Mom places her hand on mine, squeezing it once. "Don't assume the worst. If she's just using you, it'll come out, sooner rather than later. Until then, be nice and welcoming. The Cullens are nice people."
"How do you know? Do you know them?"
"Crap, we're going to be late for the show, Ren," Dad curses, glancing at his watch.
Mom shoots up from her chair, scrambling to get her purse. "I'm ready!" She comes rushing back into the kitchen, a bright grin on her face. "It's date night for your father and me. Money for dinner is by the door. We'll be back around eight or so."
I bid them goodbye and head upstairs, wondering how my mother knows the Cullens are nice people. As soon as I think it, however, the answer comes.
I'm sure they were the first to introduce themselves when they moved to town. It's the most logical thing, since Dad is the Chief of Police; then why doesn't it feel right?
8*8*8*8*8
The next day, I'm feeling the effects of last night.
After Mom and Dad had left for their date night, I had retreated upstairs to work on my homework and read "scary" legends.
To be honest, they weren't even remotely frightening. In fact, they were rather comical, but my subconscious made them into horrifying images that had me waking up feeling paranoid every hour.
Stupid dreams.
Alice waves hello and stops at my locker to chat, making short friendly conversation. When the warning bell rings, she departs for her locker to retrieve her books, and Jasper finally comes to his locker after stopping in the parking lot to talk with Emmett and Edward.
He gathers his books and walks next to me toward our respective classes, looking pensive, his attention elsewhere.
"What's up?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking."
"Does it hurt?" I joke, hoping to get him to smile. He does.
"Yeah, terribly."
I laugh but quiet when I reach my class. "Seriously, is everything okay?"
"It is, I promise. I must be tired or something."
I eye him skeptically for a moment before letting it go. "All right. See you later."
He waves goodbye, and I enter, heading past Edward, who is already seated, his hands clenched into fists on his desk, his jaw taut. I ignore him as I sit, wondering if his teeth will still be intact by the end of the day if he keeps grinding them like that.
"All right, pay attention," the teacher barks just as the final bell rings. "Today we're going to crack open our history books and dive into the first section. That means this is going to be the first project of the year. For this project, you will work in teams of two, and before you can stake a claim on someone, please know I have already chosen your partners and the chapters you'll be working on."
A collective groan is heard throughout the room, and a feeling of dread bubbles in my gut. I close my eyes and pray I'm not partnered with someone I'm choosing to ignore as the teacher begins calling out partners.
"Okay, at random!" The teacher claps. "And there will be no switching! If you ask me to switch I will automatically take fifteen points off your grade; that starts you with a low B. Now, Eric Yorkie, you'll be working with Mary Johnson on section four. Mike Newton, your partner is Tyler Crowley, working on six."
Oh, that should be interesting … Lauren's ex-boyfriend working with the guy she cheated on him with? Very interesting, indeed.
While the teacher goes on down the list, I cross my fingers and repeat my chant of not working with he who shall not be named, but as each student is paired off, my hope dwindles. Finally, my name being called gathers my attention and my hope crashes and burns.
"And working on section three is Bella Swan … and your partner will be Edward Cullen."
I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thanks for reading!