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Diclaimer: Only one person is lucky enough to not have to write disclaimers and unfortunately, I'm not that person.

Chapter Two - Unsatisfied

I cant tell you how happy I was that Edward didn't ignore me in class. I had angered him, but he still seemed to feel guilty so I was unofficially forgiven. My right hand was in his, as he trailed his cool fingers over it. The way he moved his fingers could be considered a work of art... the way he did anything was art. He was listening intently to the lesson, which confused me because he knows it all already. His notebook was filled with notes, and I spent the hour with my chin resting on my jealous left hand, watching him create his elegant script. The words 'be safe' stuck to my mind.

My mind was so distracted by his writing, I didn't even notice the bell ring. The scuffle of feet and chairs were out of focus, dull as if it were just a memory. It was only when he closed his notebook did my brain realize something was happening, and when my chair was pulled away from the table did I know what it was. I felt chilly wind on my ear when I heard his voice.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked in a voice only I could hear, his lips close to my ear that my shoulders shivered in delight.

"Better than alright," I replied, but my euphoria was short lived because second hour was the only hour that Edward and I couldn't fix our schedules to match - he had taken all the history classes that were required for graduation last year. I stacked my notebook loosely in my binder and Edward took it in his own arms before I could grab it myself.

"I'm not that weak, you know," I gave a mock-glare at him, but he only replied with his foolishly lopsided grin and put his free arm around my waist. He did this quickly, and I felt dispatched from myself for a moment, and right there in the classroom he kissed me. My heart fluttered for a moment and I looked up at him in confusion.

"What's with the sudden P.D.A.?" I asked, with a smile. We headed towards the door and the person standing in the doorway was my awkward friend, Mike.

"Newton's been getting ideas again," he replied, happily. "Marking my territory."

"Oh. Well, good. Lets keep it with kissing, I wouldn't want to have to clean up mysterious yellow puddles."

Edward looked at me with a ridiculous expression, as if I were insane, before chuckling, "Like a dog? Oh, wait, should I be worried about your friend, Jacob?"

"Hush, I don't talk about your friends the way you talk about mine," I turned my nose up and waved at Mike as we walked out and back to his locker, which held my backpack.

"Well I have to two valid points to back up my reasoning," he told me as he turned his combination lock quicker than any human could and opening it, "One, my friends aren't out to find reasons to kill you and two, my friends are your friends and they wouldn't appreciate any badmouthing coming from you."

"Still, lighten up," I sighed. I wanted to add that Jacob was there when I needed him most, but I realized that wouldn't bode well for Edward's self esteem. Guilt was too heavily clouding him as it is. He handed me my history stuff from his locker and I felt sad when I said, "See you later then."

"Bye," he smiled, "Don't trip or anything."

"You're funny," I replied dryly, with only a shadow of amusement on my face.

Second hour was lonely without Edward, but at least Alice was there. She didn't need to be, because, like Edward, she had already taken the required courses. No, she was here to tutor the students who weren't doing well in the class. Namely - me. For some reason the teachers were concerned with my lack of attention in the past few weeks.

Eventually, it was lunch time and we were sitting at our usual table. I wasn't hungry because of the breakfast I had, so I nibbled.

"So, Alice, what's the secret?" I asked, seriously. Alice smiled widely.

"I don't know, Bella, big bad Edward might crush my keys," she pouted, with a smile.

"You bet I will."

"What if I hid them first?" Alice raised her prefect eyebrow, but there was no crease marks on her forehead. A pang of jealousy shot me once again. Why couldn't I be that pretty? Two more months...

"Then I'll read your mind and find them," He grimaced.

"Well then," Alice adopted a new level of perkiness. I grinned, knowing what was coming. "I suppose it was a good idea I gave them to Bella to hide."

"Bella?" He questioned in disbelief. I giggled. His face was contorted into an expression I've never seen before. It worried me for a moment, but I pushed my feelings aside so I could get the answer out of Alice.

"Spill," I stared down Alice.

"As I said, Victoria is coming," she looked at me sadly. It was a wonder how anyone could change moods so quickly. "It doesn't look good, but since we know where she decides to be when she tries to... well, attack you, we'll be there to stop it."

"But her decision can change, right? Nothing's written in stone?" I felt the fear in my voice. Edward's hands were clenched tightly in his lap and his teeth were grinding.

"Precisely, but that's not all."

"Oh?" I muttered.

"She's swimming over," she continued. "She's completely shunned human technology recently, so planes are out of the question. She really, really hates you."

"That makes me feel better," I swallowed another bit of pizza.

"Sorry. Anyway," she went on. "The time it takes to get from Italy, swimming, and then making it across the United States to Washington... is going to take a day or two. But, she's not going to stay in Washington for that long. She thinks Laurent might have gone back to Alaska to stay with the Denali coven, because she hasn't gotten word back from him."

I was wondering why Edward wasn't speaking or trying to stop her, but I didn't say anything for fear he might change his mine because of it.

"She'll be even angrier when she finds out he's dead," I shuddered and grew cold.

"Quite. We figure - this means Edward and I - oh, Edward, stop moping," she shot at him and he glared up at her, but then distracted himself by drumming his fingers on the table and I could feel it pulsating under my elbows. "We figure that the amount of time to get back to Forks and try to carry out her plan... would take four days, give or take."

My spine locked in place. Four days. Enough time...

"Edward..." I turned to him, spreading my eyes wide in a beg.

"Don't, Bella," he refused to look at me.

"It's four days..."

"I know it's four days."

"We can stop any threat right now," I turned my entire body to face him, and I scooched over on the bench to get closer so my 'singer' scent could overtake him.

"Alice and I will stop her before that even happens," he looked away from me, opting to stare at the clock.

"What if you can't?"

"You're doubting us?" he turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying," I defended, "that if something happens, something changes, and she sets up a trap... it might be too late."

"That's why we have Alice, she can spot that before it happens," He said, bluntly. He buttered a roll he bought from the lunch line and set it in front of me. "Satisfied?"

"Completely unsatisfied," I glared. "If you would just listen -"

"I still wouldn't give in. You have two more months and you are going to live those months. Unless, of course, you accept my proposal," he looked at me warmly, but not without a smirk on his face. I glared at him, red faced.

"Oh! A proposal?" Alice's eyes glowed tawny. "Tell me more."

"She said no," Edward spoke dully.

"What?" Alice looked at me in wonder and surprise. I didn't want to talk about it.

"You heard," Edward sighed. "Bella, you're not eating."

"You aren't either," I defended myself. He gave me an exasperated sigh. I decided to lighten the mood by adding, "Besides, I had a large and wonderful breakfast.

"You didn't accept? Why?" It was not like Alice to be surprised.

"I just didn't, okay?" I grumbled and took a bite out of Edward's roll, even though my stomach protested. A full mouth says no words. Edward sunk back into his gloomy state of looking at the clock.

"Are you planning on saying yes eventually?" Alice pressed.

"Eventually? Sure, just as long as it's an actual proposal and not a bargain," I avoided looking at Edward, but I knew he was looking at me, startled. There. It was said. Why did I feel so guilty because of it?

"You think I don't want to marry you?"

"I didn't say that," I sniffed.

"Bella, I want to marry you," he turned to me and cupped my chin in his hand.

"I know you do," I looked into his eyes, and felt my eyes grow wet. Oh, gosh, not now. "But a girl only has one wedding, and I want it to be special for eternity."

"Rosalie has one every few years," Edward told me in a melodic voice that always seemed to calm me down.

"I don't want to be like Rosalie," I pouted.

"Fine, one wedding. If I prove it to you that I truly and deeply want you to be my wife, will you reconsider?"

"I will become your wife, eventually, yes," I murmured, but my eyes stung once more.

"Then why not now?"

"Because," I was crying now. "I don't want to stand up in my wedding looking like a bum next to you! Edward, can't you see? You're an angel! You don't wonder everyday thinking 'how can he love someone so ordinary?' I'm not stupid, I know everyone else is thinking the same thing! For the one wedding I'm going to have in my life, I want it to be remembered, and you said it yourself - " I lowered my voice so nobody at the nearby tables could overhear, but it was still shaking and my ears becoming a waterfall, "human memories are the first to go, and I don't want to forget it, Edward! I don't want to forget!"

"Oh, Bella," Edward pulled me into his arms and I cried on his shoulder. Alice was looking worried and shocked at the same time. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"Well, I do," I sniffled and pulled away.

"And Bella?"

"What?"

"You are far from ordinary."

Because you're holding up my world, so I need you

So I Need You - 3 Doors Down