Sorry for missing last week's posting. There was a family emergency.

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews! I appreciate your support so much!

Fran, thank you for fixing my mistakes (and there a lot!) Mr G and Me and Monica03, thank you for pre-reading. The three of you are awesome! (Any mistakes you see are my own.)

SM owns everything Twilight.

When the last bell rings, I can feel dread weigh down on me if I've been encased in concrete. Every step toward the door drags until I'm outside. I have a bad feeling about this afternoon, and normally, my feelings are pretty spot on.

Honestly, I think I'm wasting my time going over there; Edward was noticeably absent from the rest of our shared classes, which didn't help my feeling much. Plus, Alice obviously isn't well, so she probably doesn't want company.

There's always Emmett to hang out with, I suppose. He seems like a pretty cool guy, though I'm sure Rose would disagree.

Scanning over the parking lot, I look for Edward, but come up empty. He's not loitering around the parking lot like the rest of the students are, nor is he brooding by his car. He could still be inside, but that's highly unlikely.

I guess I'll have to see when the school finally empties.

With a heavy sigh, I start to trudge through the crowd, but I notice a guy standing near the front steps, wearing a burnt orange button-up shirt and black jeans, with black-rimmed glasses covered by his shaggy, medium brown hair.

As I walk by him, he holds his hand out, as if to stop me, but drops it back down, shaking his head and mumbling under his breath. Pausing, I stare at him for a moment, wondering what he wants. I've never seen him around here before, and I doubt he's a new student; Jasper would have told me if someone new was starting school this week. Plus, as I take a closer look, I see he's a little older than I am, but not by much.

"Can I help you?"

He blinks a few times, his mouth popping open slightly. Looking around with wide eyes, he finally realizes I'm speaking to him. Chuckling nervously, his cheeks turn pink as he turns his gaze to the ground before looking back up at me through his hair and glasses. "Uh, yeah. Do you know Lauren Mallory?"

Automatically, I grimace, and to my surprise, he laughs, pushing the hair out of his eyes. Now that the obstruction is gone, I notice his eyes are a deep sea green that's such a vibrant color it takes my breath away. "Yeah, that's the most common reaction I get when people hear her name."

"I can imagine."

"Do you know where she is?"

"No. Thank heavens for small miracles." I give him a suspicious look, wondering why this seemingly nice guy is looking for Lauren.

He snorts humorously, brushing his hair away from his eyes again, but it's of little use; it flops back into his eyes the second he moves his hand, holding it out for me to shake. "If only we could all be so lucky. I'm Arthur, Lauren's cousin."

My eyes move from his hand to his face, wondering if he's serious. But the longer he remains expectant, the more I see he is. Placing my hand in his, I shake it once with a smile.

"Cousin, huh? My condolences."

"Yeah. It's been wonderful being related to her," he says dryly.

"I bet. I'm Bella."

"Arthur," Lauren hisses, marching up to us, her eyes darting around the parking lot. "What the hell are you doing here, loser? I thought once you moved to Seattle, I wouldn't have to see your ugly ass face anymore!"

"I'm here to visit my mother, your aunt, who's in the hospital. Did you forget that tidbit of information, you selfish brat?"

Lauren rolls her eyes while my own widen. Arthur may seem like a nerdy pushover, but obviously he can take the punches and get in a few hits of his own.

"Oh, fuck off. I'm not going to see that bitch or spend time with that asshole of a father of mine. As far as I'm concerned, they can both disappear along with you."

I wish I could say I'm shocked by her words, but I'm not. This seems like typical Lauren behavior.

Arthur doesn't seem shocked either. He simply rolls his eyes and shakes his head, but I don't miss the wince when Lauren wishes her aunt and father would both disappear.

"Yeah, your dad and I thought you might react this way, so he told me to tell you this, and I quote: 'if you don't get your ass in the car right now, you'll be doing volunteer work for the hospital and spending the summer at Aunt Michele's in Wisconsin.'"

Lauren's mouth pops open comically, and I can't hold back the laughter that erupts. Lauren's furious gaze turns at me as her jaw clenches.

"What in the hell is so funny, freak?"

She takes a step toward me and grabs my arm, digging her nails into my skin, but two things happen simultaneously. Arthur grabs my free arm and pulls me behind him, and Edward appears out of nowhere, scaring both Lauren and Arthur … and startling me in the process.

Damn him and his ninja feet.

Recovering from his shock and looking at Edward nervously, he addresses Lauren, speaking tightly. "Lauren, get your spoiled, bitchy ass in the car. We don't have time for this."

She glares at him and huffs, stomping off to his beat-up car and folding herself down in the passenger seat so she can't be seen. I shake my head at her behavior and glance between Arthur and Edward, the latter focusing intently on the hand still on my arm.

"You okay?" Arthur questions, twisting my arm slightly so he can observe the damage.

It's not bad; the indentations from Lauren's acrylic nails are fading already, with no sign of bruising or bleeding.

"I'm fine. She's done worse, honestly."

Arthur frowns and shakes his head, sucking in air through his teeth. "I keep telling my uncle she's out of control. Maybe one day he'll do something about it instead of hoping she'll change."

Someone clearing their throat interrupts, and I look over at Edward, whose eyes dart from me to Arthur's hand still on my arm.

"We should get going, Bella."

Arthur's face reddens as he quickly snatches his hand away from me, taking a step backward.

"Sorry. I, uh, I didn't realize …" he points between the two of us, swallowing loudly as he takes another step back, shaking his head.

My eyes bug out of my head as I catch his meaning and I have to wonder how he came to that conclusion? There's no chemistry between Edward and me … nor do we even look like we'd date. We hate each other … doesn't that show ... or emit some kind of energy? If it doesn't, I'm deeply disappointed.

Before I can tell him his assumption is wrong, he takes another step backward, and his eyes shift everywhere except for my face.

"Right. Anyway, I'm sorry about Lauren. It was nice meeting you."

Arthur spins around and jogs over to a beat-up, four-door car that's seen better days and quickly drives out of the lot, Lauren glaring at him from the passenger seat.

Across the lot, Alice is standing beside her brother's car, waving enthusiastically and hopping on her feet, like she's afraid I'll miss her or something. I blink in shock, surprised she's moving so heartily when hours ago, she looked like she'd keel over at any moment.

Beside me, Edward laughs lightly, his eyes on his sister.

I stare at him, noting how strange it is to see him smiling; not because of how little he does it, but because of how different he looks. The hardness that is usually present when he's looking at me is gone, replaced with a youthful, carefree face and sparkling eyes that hold humor and secrets. He looks more like a kid, rather than a psycho who wants to dump someone in the well he has in the basement.

Sensing my stare, the happiness fades, replaced by indifference. He clears his throat, a hand going to his hair as he shuffles to the side, looking at his sister—and now, Emmett—making fools of themselves as they wave at us from across the lot.

"Let's get going and get this project done. Come on."

Without another word, he strides across the parking lot, exchanging a quick word with his siblings, who ignore his words and continue waving. Edward scowls at them, sliding into the driver's seat, leaning his back with his eyes trained on me.

His eyes narrow and he brings one hand to rest on the steering wheel, his long fingers tapping rhythmically on the dashboard while his other hand impatiently waves me forward.

My own eyes narrow; I can't help that he has long, speedier legs than I do.

Briefly, I debate about whether or not I should purposely slow my steps just to piss him off.

Although I'm tempted, I don't want to piss him off when he's driving me somewhere. He might leave me in the middle of nowhere for dead; I'm too young, and I have too many people to piss off to die just yet.

With a heavy sigh, I start heading over toward the Cullen's, when Rose calls my name from behind. She jogs up to me, her eyes flashing over my shoulder for a moment before returning to me.

"You okay? I saw you with Lauren."

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Good. Do you have a minute?"

"Not really, but I'll take one anyway."

Her lips quirk in a smile, but it quickly vanishes as she gives me a hard stare. "Did something happen today? Between you, Royce, and Edward?"

For a brief moment, I wonder where she heard about that. I know all it takes is one person to see something, but as far as I know, no one did, and I highly doubt Lauren or Royce would say anything.

Jasper.

I close my eyes and grit my teeth, knowing it had to have been him. Sometimes he's so overprotective it's annoying. I know he means well and probably thinks I need another girl to talk to, but honestly, nothing happened with Royce and Lauren, so why would he worry her unnecessarily?

"No, why?" I ask, plastering an innocent expression on my face.

Rose's eyes narrow as she stares at me in silence. "That's not what I heard. Jasper told me what happened ... and I also heard Edward threatened Royce after lunch today … over you."

"What?" I ask, confused. I expected her to relay the events I had told Jasper, not that Edward of all people had threatened Royce because of me. It's just silly to think about. Why would he do such a thing, if he had? It's clear Edward isn't my biggest fan, and there's no way he would track him down, and tell him to leave me alone.

No way in hell.

"No," I say with a laugh. "That didn't happen, I can tell you for certain. It's just a stupid rumor."

Seriously, who came up with that one? Whoever it was, they have a good imagination.

"You sure?"

I give her a "duh" look, which she doesn't appreciate. "Pretty sure. Edward wouldn't defend me."

She hums under her breath and looks at something over my shoulder before looking at me again. "All right. I'll let you go; Edward looks like he's losing his patience. If you need to, you call me, and I'll come get you, okay?"

I nod, and noting the worry in her eyes, I promise to call if I need to. Behind us, a car horn blares loudly, once. A few other students jump and scream before trailing off in nervous laughter. Rose's eyes narrow at something over my shoulder, and following her line of sight, I see Emmett and Alice frowning at their brother, both of them speaking and gesturing wildly.

Emmett smacks Edward hard on the shoulder, sending him flying toward the steering wheel while Alice flicks his forehead, shaking a finger at him. Edward doesn't look happy but looks thoroughly reprimanded and apologetic.

When I turn back toward Rose, preparing to tell her I'm leaving, I notice a combination of a smile and a smirk on her lips as she stares at the scene unfolding behind us.

Sensing my stare, her face goes neutral, and she leans forward, giving me a quick, but tight hug.

"Don't take any shit from him. Bye."

Waving goodbye, I narrow my eyes at Jasper, who pales and looks away, avoiding my gaze. I'll be talking to him later, for sure.

Once Rose pulls out of the parking lot, I feel dread slither up my spine and send a feeling of a thousand needles through my body. Now, I have no choice but to leave with the Cullens. Sure, I could walk home, but that would be exercising. Blah.

"You look mighty excited," Emmett teases as I walk up, heaving my backpack strap up on my shoulder, tightly holding on to the rough material.

"I'm thrilled," I reply, no enthusiasm in my voice whatsoever.

Emmett laughs, picking me up and twirling me around once. When I'm back on my feet, and the world stops going around in circles, I give him a dirty look, trying to fight my smile at his goofy, dimpled grin.

"What was that for?"

"I wanted to make you smile. It worked," he says, pointing and poking me in various places. "Don't deny it. You can't can you?"

I shimmy myself away from him, laughing and squirming. "How old are you? Four?"

"Ah, come on! I'm the master at making people smile. Admit it!" he bellows.

"I will admit nothing without a lawyer."

Emmett laughs, leaning toward me with a sneaky grin as he shoots a quick look toward his brother. "Don't worry about jackass, there. If he needs to be sorted out, just holler for me. I'll pull the stick out of his ass."

My lips twitch, but the smile that's fighting its way there falls when Edward's voice irritably calls out through the open window. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, your pleasantness."

With the way things are going so far, maybe being left for dead won't be such a bad idea, after all.

"It's going to be great!" Alice trills, clapping her hands once.

I force a smile. "You look better."

She nods. "I just had a bad headache. All is good now."

I give a barely-there a nod, sparing a fleeting glance at Edward, who looks at me with a puzzled expression, but quickly masks it when he sees me looking.

"By the way, did you honk at me?" I question once I slide into the passenger side back seat.

"No, I—"

I raise a single eyebrow, and he brings his hands down from the steering wheel, looking at them intently for a moment before turning in his seat, looking directly into my eyes.

"It was an accident. My hand slipped, honest. Nevertheless, I'm sorry."

There's a moment of brief heavy silence; out of the corner of my eye, I see Alice gaping at her brother and Emmett doing the same in front of me. I would turn to look at them head-on, to get the full picture of shock on their faces, but there's something in Edward's gaze that has me frozen, unable to look away.

Like them, I'm completely shocked he's apologizing for the second time. I never thought he'd be able to say he was sorry for anything, considering he still hasn't apologized for our first encounter in Port Angeles … so what makes this situation so different? Both times he was rude and aggravating, and this time, it's not even as bad as before, so why apologize for this?

My brain comes up with two articulate responses; one being very polite and thanking him for his apology while the other is the complete opposite and very me: sarcastic and a little bitchy.

Instead, all that leaves my mouth is, "Uh …"

Despite this, Edward looks expectant, waiting for me to finish my thought, though I can see humor dancing in his eyes.

"Yeah, it's all good," I eventually say, clearing my throat.

Edward smiles a little, turning forward and starting the car, speeding out of the parking lot almost as fast as Rose has done on occasion.

Instantly, my head is full of images of the two of them street racing in the dead of night, the sound of engines roaring and cheering being the only thing you can hear. I would never admit this verbally, but I think the race between them would be evenly matched.

"So, Bella," Emmett begins, turning his head, a mischievous smile playing on his face. "Who was that guy you were with? New boyfriend?"

Edward's hands grip the wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.

Watching him curiously, I wonder if he's one those people that has a no talking policy in his car.

"No. I just met him."

"There were sparks between you two," he teases.

Beside me, Alice nods enthusiastically, a huge smile on her face as she stares at the back of Edward's head, strangely enough.

"I think you're seeing things," I reply

Emmett shakes his head before winking at me. "Naw, there was some chemistry."

"You were too far away, and besides, why does it matter to you? It's not your concern."

Emmett pretends to wince, holding a hand over his heart. "Ouch! Right in the feels, woman! But honestly, good point. It's none of my business … but you know what? I like you. You're feisty, and you're a pretty awesome chick. I'm just giving you a hard time. It's my duty now."

"Is it?" I ask with a light laugh.

"Yes! You're my friend and hard times must be given at random, uncomfortable times. It's in the rulebook."

Once more, I laugh.

In all honesty, I'm not bothered by his teasing. I know Jasper would do the exact same thing, so it's actually somewhat of a comfort. Besides, Emmett is a pretty decent guy, despite his tendency to act like a little kid sometimes.

Case in point, Emmett leans over the console to whisper something to Edward, a smirk on his face that I've come to learn means nothing good. My suspicions are confirmed when Edward sends him a scathing look.

"Can we have silence for the rest of the drive?" He barks, making Emmett chuckle.

Alice sighs with a shake of her head and starts up a quiet conversation about an upcoming movie she saw the trailer to this morning.

Five minutes later, we're at their house.

Their driveway is mostly made of grass, with worn tire tracks leading the way and framed with thick trees, creating an enclosed atmosphere that would make normal people feel as if they were heading into a horror movie. To me, however, this is great.

The lining of trees gets thinner as the ground below turns into a concrete path, and before I know it, their house comes into view and takes my breath away.

The structure is large, framed in dark wood and stone in a beautiful charcoal color. The windows are large enough that, I imagine, they bring in a lot of light but aren't too large where you can look inside and spy on the occupants. The concrete path leads around to the back of the house where the garage probably is. On the other side of the house is a glass enclosure with thick, lush plants lined around the windows, which looks to be a greenhouse.

The yard in front is mildly decorated with more bushes and a few scatterings of colorful flowers that must not require much sunlight to grow.

"Wow," is all I can say as I stand beside the car, looking up at what the Cullens call home.

Edward clears his throat gaining my attention as I stand entranced, marveling at his home. I'm surprised he's standing so close to me, close enough that if one of us were to turn, we'd come into full contact with one another. I try not to let my surprise show and look at him questioningly.

"I have something to do really quickly before we get started. I won't be too long, okay?" He softly says, looking into my eyes. I don't think he's ever looked at me this long before, especially when he was speaking to me.

"Uh, sure. Yeah. It's fine."

"Okay." He nods once. He's inside before I can ask him exactly where we'll be doing this project. I guess I'll have to ask someone else or just pick a spot.

Emmett grins, eyeing me with a mischievous twinkle.

"What?"

He shrugs. "Nothing. It's just … amusing."

"So glad I can entertain you," I sarcastically drawl. "That's what I was put on earth for."

"I don't know about that. I think you might serve another purpose."

"Don't you have homework?" Alice questions her brother before I can reply. I wonder what he thinks my purpose is. I have my own theories, but it's always nice to hear someone else's. "Go inside."

Emmett raises his hands and slowly backs away toward the house. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted. Hey, Bella! If there's plenty of time afterward, you're gaming with me. No backing out!" He shouts, pointing at me before running into the house, yelling my arrival.

"I swear he was raised by heathens!" Alice mumbles as she entwines her arm with mine. "Ready to go in? It's going to rain soon."

Just as we step on to the porch, I hear the first pings of water hitting the ground and the car a few feet away. I stare at Alice with wide eyes, wondering how she knew it was going to rain. Granted, this is Forks, and it rains a lot, but how could she tell at that exact moment? It's been overcast since the sun came up, the gray clouds threatening a downpour ever since.

She ignores my shock and waltzes into the house, calling for her mother.

I follow behind. "How'd you know it was going to rain?"

Alice shrugs, smiling, though it seems off. "What can I say? I'm psychic."

Unable to help myself, I laugh. I wish it were possible to see the future; it would certainly make things easier in my life.

I'm even more in awe of the interior of this beautiful house. The first thing I see when entering is a staircase, lined with a dark cherry rug, leading up to the landing. My eyes scan the wall along it, taking in the photos that line the walls.

"This is the living room," Alice starts, waving her arms around. I take in everything, from the dark stained floors, the colorful paintings hanging on the off-white walls, the plush couch, and armchairs that are situated in front of the large, flat-screen television. There's a long hallway that reveals a dining set, and I surmise it also leads to the kitchen and eating area.

'Cause I'm knowledgeable like that.

On the same wall where the television sits is an open doorway, where I can see more couches and a partial bookcase filled to the brim with books. "That's what my parents call a 'reading room.' It has a sliding door for more privacy." Alice shows me the frosted glass door hidden between the walls as she leads me through the warm room, painted in a soft beige with a fireplace on the outside wall. I stop in the middle and gaze around with wide eyes, knowing if I could get away with it, I would move in here permanently and never leave … if only a person who hated me wasn't living here too.

Alice laughs at my expression, and I shrug my shoulders, not caring that I'm probably making a fool of myself. I love books and small spaces to read them, and I'm not ashamed.

Alice walks over to another door, sliding it open, revealing a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. I walk through the space, thinking my kitchen at home can fit in here twice and still have room left over.

"Over here is the garage." Alice points to a door with two deadbolts and skips over to another door with a single lock a few feet away. "This is the enclosed pool." She opens the door, revealing that the structure I thought was a greenhouse is actually a pool, complete with a small waterfall that echoes beautifully in the space.

"The next level is my mother and father's office and library and a few bedrooms. The third level is more bedrooms."

"You have a very cool house," I tell her, appreciation and awe in my tone.

"Thank you," a new voice says behind me. I turn around, seeing a woman in her early to middle thirties walk in, her caramel hair lying in waves on her shoulders. Her eyes—the same color as her children—are emanating kindness. She reminds me of those pictures of housewives in the forties and fifties, looking very prim and proper, but radiating a motherly feel. "With three teenagers, everyone needs their own space, and we have plenty of it. I'm Esme Cullen." Her smile is soft and welcoming. I feel completely at ease around her, which is strange, because I'm often somewhat tense around adults, but for some reason, Esme Cullen gives off an easygoing vibe that makes me feel comfortable.

"Bella Swan. You have a kick-as—great home, Mrs. Cullen," I say, remembering my manners.

"Please, call me Esme."

I nod. "Okay, Mrs. E."

She laughs and gestures behind her. "I think the dining room will be the best place to work in. There's plenty of space," she says, pointing toward the large table.

"Thanks."

I quickly set my things out so I can get started on this project as soon as he's here. Hell, I may even start before he's here. Anything to get this done as quickly as possible.

Before I can sit, Alice is waving me toward her.

"I have to show you something."

"Not right now, Alice. She's here to work with your brother on their project," Esme says, giving her a pointed look.

"I'm just going to show her really quick. I don't think I'll have time before Emmett snags her for video games."

"Alice," she replies, using a tone all mothers have perfected in making their children stop what they're doing.

"He's not even down here yet!"

"He'll be down in a minute."

"But—"

"She's right, Alice. I'd rather get this done."

Before the sentence is out of my mouth, Edward comes strolling in, his light golden eyes meeting mine for a brief moment, our history book and laptop under his arm.

Edward sets his things down on the opposite side of the table and looks up at me, looking more relaxed than he did a few minutes ago. Honestly, it makes me more relaxed too. "Let's get started."

"Edward, don't be rude," Esme scolds. "You haven't even offered her something to eat or drink yet. Where are your manners?" Edward mumbles an apology, and Esme shakes her head, giving me her attention. "I apologize for my son. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you."

"All right. If you change your mind later, please help yourself to anything in the kitchen. You're more than welcome to anything we have. Alice, come on. Let's leave them to do their project."

I want them to stay, because if there are witnesses, then there's a less likely chance of me going missing, plus it's less likely I'll lose my temper and tell him where to shove his attitude, but it's really childish for me to do so. Instead, I keep silent and take a few breaths as Alice follows her mother out of the room. Just before she disappears through the doorway, she sends a wink, which confuses the hell out of me.

Taking the seat across from him, I wait for him to speak, wondering if he's going to mention my outline. I don't have to wonder long.

"Okay, your outline was good, and we can definitely use some of your ideas. I also started the project last night, though. Since our section is the growth of industry and automobiles, I think a mock sales-pitch-like presentation would be good, as though we're from the future, selling the people of the past on the merits of growth in the car and industry sector. We can put together a slide show and an informational packet. As for the paper, I've found some good information online and in our books, so you can start writing the sources down, and I'll start working on the paper."

My jaw pops as I clench my teeth and begin tapping my fingers rhythmically along the wooden surface. I count each drum of my fingers and each huff of breath, hoping the action will calm me, but it doesn't. The longer I stare at him, typing away at his computer, repeating his words in my head, my anger surges.

How dare he? How much of a control freak can he be to do this? Does he not understand the meaning of a joint project? Obviously not, as he thinks taking control, doing what he wants to do, and telling me what to do is the best bet.

Sensing my stare, his eyes meet mine from over the laptop.

"Problem?"

"Yeah, and I'm looking at it." His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Don't be so shocked. Do you not understand that we were supposed to do this together? That we're supposed to decide on what to do together?"

"You started an outline."

"Yeah, a rough outline, meaning it's just ideas and scribbles, not a guaranteed how-to of our project. And for the record, I'm not some dog you command. We should talk about this instead of you telling me what to do."

He sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair. "You're right. I'm sorry."

I need to get a recording of that. No one will believe he's apologized to me this much.

He continues, oblivious to my thoughts. "Was there another way you wanted to do this?"

Since he's already done another layout, I figure I'll look at it, and if I don't like it, I'll tell him so. I grab the sheet of paper with his notes and look over it. I hate to admit it, but it's good ... really good. Even better than mine.

I'm not going to let him know that though.

"This will be okay. We can tweak it along the way and add in my ideas."

He nods, and I open the history book, eager to get this done.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8

The clock in the living room chimes, telling me in a ding-dong-ding pattern we've been working on this project for two hours now, and in those two hours, we've gotten a lot done.

During this time, we've worked together flawlessly, which is surprising. There was no hostility, no snarky comments or glares, just hushed exchanges of information and questions to help one another. It was nice, actually, and it made me begrudgingly see why he's a close friend of Jasper's. When Edward isn't busy being a rude, controlling asshat, he's actually quite pleasant and calming to be around.

He is now working on his side of the paper, but for my part, I'm finally done, and I sit back with a heavy, relieved sigh, rubbing my temples in hopes that the dull throbbing will alleviate.

"You finished?" he questions, not looking up from his writing.

"No, I thought I'd write telepathically," I retort.

Shockingly, the corners of his lips curl up, and he laughs heartily. "How's that working for you?"

"Brilliantly. By prom, I should be able to pull a full-on Carrie."

Once again, he laughs, his face free of anything other than humor. "Thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to skip the dance."

"It's probably for the best, anyway. Last year was pretty wild, though it was standard stereotypical stuff; someone spiking the punch, pulling pranks, destroying school property all wrapped up in a cheesy theme with an underlying tone of poor decisions later on in the night."

"Sounds fun," he says his tone droll. "If you're finished, may I read it? I'll give you mine when I'm done. I just want to add a few more things."

Unfortunately, my headache isn't getting any better, but I do have painkillers in my backpack. On my way to the kitchen, I slide my paper over to him before getting a glass of water, feeling eyes on my every movement. I ignore him as best I can, but it's hard when I see him blatantly staring at me from the corner of my eye.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," I reply, curiously watching him for a moment.

He nods. "I'm almost done here, and then I'll look at your section. It shouldn't be too much work to put it together and have everything done."

"Cool."

While I'm up, I decide to make a quick trip to the bathroom, needing a moment to myself. I tell Edward I'll be back shortly, and head down the hall to the guest bathroom, where he directed me.

There, I see my headache was not just an ordinary headache, but a PMS headache. I sigh harshly, thankful I'm prepared and have what I need with me, but this is a big sign I need to go home.

Being here is the last thing I need right now.

"What are you doing?" He questions as I quickly pack up my things.

"I think I'm going to head home. It's getting kind of late, and I should be home for dinner."

"Are you sure? My mother can call your parents and ask for you to stay." He sounds concerned and somewhat despondent, but I doubt that'd be the case.

"No, that's all right," I tell him, shaking my head, as I shove the rest of my things into my bag. "I don't want to impose, and I'm sure my parents have already made my dinner."

Ripping out a piece of paper from my notebook, I scribble down my email address and place it on top of his book. "Here's my email. I'll type up my section of the paper and send it to you. Email me the brochures you've made, and I'll look at them tonight."

Shouldering my bag higher, I pull out my phone, my finger settling on Rose's number. "I'll talk to you later, I guess."

"Bella," he says, catching my arm and stepping in front of me. "We should get—"

He stops suddenly, swallowing so loud I can hear it clearly. He takes a huge step back, his eyes dark and his lips slightly curl over his pearly teeth.

Feeling tense and uneasy, I shift, inching toward the exit. I hope I'll be able to rush past him without an issue because from the hard look on his face, I'd say his mood has shifted. "I'm just gonna wait outside."

"No," he growls, stepping toward me.

His nostrils flare as I ignore him, making a quick move to walk past and for a brief moment, his hands come toward me, and I think he's going to grab me again. I ready myself for it, my body tense and rigid.

A loud thud from upstairs makes both of us jump, and he steps away, his eyes locked on the door.

"You're not going outside."

I want to make a snarky comeback at his controlling words, but he continues speaking before I can.

"Do you have a ride?"

"I'll call Rose."

He nods. "Fine. If she needs directions, find my mother. Be sure to look over everything tonight."

Edward quickly leaves the room, flying up the stairs at lightning speed, leaving me alone with my heart in my throat.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!