4: Bella gets an invitation and I get a cold shoulder

*Alice runs over to you and hugs you* There you are! Do all your readers smell this good?*

*I cringe* Alice, back to business.

*Alice dances over to the laptop* Alright, here you are my lovelies, new chapter!

Special shout out to my first ever reviewers: inuyashademons14 & Irokoutlol1

You guys are awesome and thanks for taking time to make note of this story. You will always hold this special place in my Writing Path.

The weeks after that one incident were downright depressing.

After the first night of pathetic sobbing on my part and no help from the universe, I'd still woken up under the overly warm covers in the Twilight world.

Bella had hovered incessantly for the first few days, acting as if I was going to have a fit any second. Charlie was still behaving like a kicked Rottweiler, all bowed down and…well kicked. Besides, that was just at the house.

School was nearly impossible.

People flocked to me. People; I had no idea who they were asked me exactly how I'd found Tyler's body. You'd think they would have some courtesy to spare me the grisly detail reliving but nope, they interrogated me like I was a suspect in some third degree cheesy cop show.

Tulika, was he hurt much?

Do you think he suffered?

Was the van salvageable?

Can you sign this shirt saying RIP Tyler?

Ok, maybe one of them was not actually asked but I'll leave that for you to figure out.

Another strange thing was that Edward was suddenly being very odd towards me. Ok, he was always odd but now he was being downright cold.

I'd barely sat down beside him the first day and said a feeble 'hey' and he'd actually turned his face completely away, looking distinctly sick. Ah, if only vampires could get sick, I might've let him off the hook. After looking at him surprised, I'd turned the other way too and that had been the last we'd actually talked.

Nowadays he seemed overly focused on Bella.

Lunch passes with me mostly squashed between Jessica and Bella or Angela and Bella. Normally I'd have sat with my back to the Cullens but it seemed that both Bella and Jessica had a distinct urge to sit facing them. I would quietly eat, making conversation with Angela while Edward and Bella made goo-goo eyes at each other…I think, I never really saw that happen.

Lauren had drastically mellowed down and I found myself walking by mostly with her and Angela, leaving Bella to the mercy of Jessica, Eric and Mike. She didn't seem to mind, even though I caught her giving me worried looks at home.

It wasn't until a chain of tests were announced at school, when I realized that a full month had passed by.

I had gaped at the calendar in my phone in dawning horror.

How could this happen? How could a month go by and I not notice? How could I let this happen?

I would've liked to say that I pulled up my socks after that. Sadly, no, if anything I became more languished. And by languished I mean I became more zealous in going with the flow. You would be surprised but I'd already decided that doing nothing would get me back home so I decided to give it one more week.

To Bella's surprise, I completely backed off.

This was Bella's story. I had promised myself to 'go with the flow' and by trying to keep Bella away from Edward, I'd been doing the exact opposite. So I let her be her own glorious self and left her to it while I practically joined the nunnery.

It didn't seem to faze Jessica somehow as she jovially announced another event looking us in the face. The spring dance which happened to be a girl's choice, not that we were going to be having much choice in the matter if the book was anything to go by.

She insisted I ask someone and I didn't have to be a mind reader to know she was trying to indicate a certain Cullen.

I jokingly mentioned this to Bella who turned an odd shade of blue. "You know I can't dance!" she huffed. "I'm sure he can, besides all you've done is staring at each other for ages," I reasoned.

She blushed, of course, Bella Swan can blush enough for an entire range of newly wedded brides and I took my cue to leave.

The next day, Jess seemed to have lost her own bit of shine.

"Jessica," I asked softly in Trigonometry, looking over at her. "Yeah," she said. "Are you ok?" I asked, feeling dumb. Obviously, she wasn't fine.

"Yeah, I'm great," she said, biting her lip as she smiled softly at me then ducked her head.

I didn't pry.

After Trigonometry, it turned out our loving Bio professor had a little bit of a held up at home so Biology was free and I decided to check out the library, a practice I religiously held onto. Ok, more like I clung to it like a koala bear but we all have our quirks.

I left Bella with our lunch group while I went up and introduced myself to the librarian, a tall freakily thin guy named Sorenson. I idly wondered how he managed to carry heavy books, not that this library had much to offer. I slowly roamed the aisles, looking around for something good when I saw Mike.

"Hey," he said, leaning against a bookshelf.

"Hi, what's up?" I asked.

"Just browsing," he said glumly, looking over my head when I felt the pang of unease. Jessica's mood and now Mike's meant only one thing, she'd asked him and he'd turned her down for Bella.

"That's great, here, walk me," I said lightly, trying to distract him and handed him my two Agatha Christies. He nodded and began leading the way out.

"Great, looks like Cullen's stalking you." He said when we emerged near the reception desk. "What do you mean…?" I trailed off when I saw the tall lean back and next to it, the willowy dark headed girl. Hmm, that must be Alice…

I carefully wiped all thought from my mind and saw his back stiffen.

"…and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to ask me…"

I turned to Mike. "Huh?" I asked.

"I said that Jessica asked me to the dance but if maybe you…or Bella wanted to ask me…" he trailed off again.

I glanced around wildly for a solution. I was pretty damn certain that Bella would run me over if she found out I'd told Mike to personally ask her. She was not good with confrontations so I invented along the way. "Mike…that is not possible," I said.

His face fell but my eyes were already drifting to the pair at the table. Sorenson was nowhere in sight so maybe they were waiting for him but Edward's head was tilted towards the girl and she was muttering something.

"Why not?" he demanded and I turned back to him. "Oh, err…Bella…I, we are going to Seattle," I blurted out. That's what happened, right? In the book, Bella did say Seattle, or was it Washington? Well, too late now.

"You can't go sometime else?" he pressed on and I frowned. "It's important. It was planned even before they announced the dance." I said before quickly adding. "You should say yes to Jessica. She might find someone else and leave you hanging." I warned.

The prospect didn't seem very appealing to Mike so he quickly beat it.

Rolling my eyes, I turned my gaze back to the vampires to see Alice gone and Edward facing me.

Oh, holy black eyes…

"Not the smoothest liar, are you?" He asked quietly.

I quelled my urge to snort at that. While he may be able to read my mind, he had no idea just how much I was keeping back from him and also just how good a liar I really was. Mike just happened to catch me by surprise. He was supposed to ask Bella to the dance and if he had, she would've told me.

My face must've twisted slightly since he raised his eyebrow. Damn, wish I could do that.

I saw Sorenson slip back into the reception and Edward moved to the desk to get his books checked out. I glanced at the Christies in my hand then back up, biting my lip. I had already read these two and I really saw no reason to dawdle with Ice Prince over there but if I left, it would be like running away.

Ah, what the hell…

I moved forward and roughly thrust the books in Sorenson's bony hands, he raised an eyebrow but mercifully scanned the barcodes and handed them back.

When he was finished, I made a quick turn and made to beat it. I'd reached the doors when he caught up with me. "Are you practicing sprinting for the Olympics?" he asked, cheerfully enough.

I shot him a sideway glance. Why was he being friendly? He'd avoided me like the plague for a month, not that I minded, all the high school tests had rather kept me busy, but now he was hanging by me as if none of it happened.

"No, I just want to get back." I said, as politely as I could.

"Listen, I know we haven't been the friendliest -," he began and I stopped to gape at him. "We…? What we…? You were the one who stopped talking to me," I said, frowning. He stopped too. "You never tried to talk to me either." He pointed out.

Ok, so I hadn't…but still, he was the one who cut off. I didn't even know the guy…no pun intended, plus I wasn't all too keen to chat up a 100 over white glitter rod.

"Well, we were doing fine for a month, why are you talking to me now?" I demanded.

"I thought we were friends," he said lightly. I nearly laughed. Wow, the heartthrob of my world thinks we're friends. "You clearly did not consider me worthy of your greatness a month ago." I said.

"I had things on my mind." He said, coldly, beginning to lose his patience. "Yes, my best friend," I said snidely. His eyebrows shot up again and I could almost hear his male ego clogs roving.

No talking leads to best friend attention to…obvious conclusion: Jealousy! I let him hear that thought.

"Don't even try to think it," I warned. "I wasn't thinking anything. I was just wondering why you were being so hostile." He said.

That cut me off. Why was I being so violent towards him?

Maybe because he's a creep who stalks your best friend and watches her sleep? Yeah, but I'm not supposed to know that. Well, you do, so there.

I kept my mental conversation cloaked while shrugging.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out." I said and turned around, walking away hurriedly.

I contemplated calling Bella to tell her that I'd be in the truck but goody two shoes must have her cell off. I called Angela instead and told her to pass on the news.

While crossing the lot, I had a sudden memory of the book as I watched early students file out. Wasn't Eric going to ask Bella…or me…to the dance? Chances were Bella was cornered by now or he was waiting for me in the lot. Well, better not risk it.

I tiptoed past the silver car and ducked behind the white hatchback, peering over it. Sure enough, Eric walked out, looking around the lot as if looking for someone. I saw him walk around the truck a little until Bella walked out. He smiled and waved at her but didn't say anything as she paused, looking around for me.

Good, coast clear…

I jumped out and rushed over, pulling the door open and jumping in.

"Drive woman, before another testosterone pumped boy wants out attention." I said. Bella got in with a sardonic smile. "You too, huh, just so you know, even if I was born with two left feet doesn't mean you shouldn't go to the dance." She said as she pulled out of the school.

"Are you kidding me? I either go with you or not at all." I said and looked at the window.

"Tulika…" she began and I could just tell she was going to give me an 'I'm worried about you,' speech so I cut her off.

"I told Mike that we're going to Seattle during the spring dance." I told her. She nodded brightly. "I said the same. He looked down." She agreed as she pulled into our driveway.

That night, Bella decided to make the usual spaghetti dinner. I figured that since Edward hadn't irritated her enough to go all out with food just to distract her, we wouldn't be having Mexican.

"Can't we make Chicken Enchiladas?" I asked, attempting to pout.

She gave me a wide eyed look. "Enchiladas…? You want enchiladas?" she asked. "Yeah, come on, I'll help you." I hopped off the counter when the phone rang. She rolled her eyes. "Go take the call; I'll get the stuff out." She said.

I pulled the phone off the hook and pushed it under my ear, trapping it with my shoulder.

"The Swan Residence," I said in a butler-like voice.

"T, hey, guess what happened today! Mike said he'd go to the dance with me!" Jessica nearly deafened my left ear. "Oh, that's great; you and Mike would look great together." I told her and made a motion of a knife at my throat to Bella. She smirked, chopping chilies and onions in a pan while I celebrated with Jess some more.

"So, who did you ask?" she asked.

"No one, Bella and I are going to Seattle that day." I said.

"Oh, but if you change your mind, let me know." She said and hung up.

Bella and I talked about a few things as we cooked together, her dicing the chicken and me frying the vegetables. I suddenly thought how strange my life had become.

Here I was, having a conversation with one of the most beloved fictional characters of the 21st century and I hadn't even liked her. Well, that was before I met her. I was also beyond irritated by another character and if anyone from my world found out, I'd be a dead girl walking. How dare I be rude to the high and mighty Edward Cullen? Well, Cullen could go and –

"Are you listening to me?" I jerked and looked at Bella.

"Yes…no, sorry, I was a little preoccupied, what did you say?" I asked.

"I'm saying that we should tell Charlie about going to Seattle." She said. "Oh right," I tilted my head as I heard Charlie open the front door and come in.

"Why don't you go do that while I set the table?" I asked.

She nodded and walked off into the living room.

The next morning, I made Bella park right at the back of the parking lot. She looked amused as I searched the parking lot. Just because Eric had missed his chance yesterday didn't mean he could be put off again.

"He's not here," she coaxed as I trailed after her. "You never know," I said and stumbled as the heel of my boot caught into a small hole. Yes, I was wearing heeled boots in Forks. I was short and I needed the extra height.

I grabbed at the side mirror of the nearest car but the book I was holding fell out of my hand. I lunged after it before it could hit the puddle but another hand was there, white and quick, saving it just at the surface of the water.

I straightened up and as I expected Edward loomed over me, watching me with an unreadable expression.

"Easy there, clumsy," Bella called teasingly and glanced shyly at Edward. I nearly rolled my eyes. Hark, who talks…

"Thanks, nice save," I said. I wasn't really going to pretend I was surprised by his mysterious appearances. I knew exactly how he did it. He nodded and handed me the book back. "I suppose you have not yet figured out your reasons for being mad at me," he said, leaning against the car.

I smirked. "You're right, I haven't," I said.

The answering smirk was much better than mine. "May I ask why you were creeping around the parking lot yesterday?" he asked. My eyes widened. "You saw that?" I asked, feeling heat creep up into my cheeks.

I didn't embarrass easy, but the idea of this guy watching me prowling the lot like an idiot was enough to make me blush. "Hard not to, you weren't being all that inconspicuous. You would make a terrible spy," he mocked.

I glared at him and swiveled away, walking off from the 'greatest love story of 21th century'.

"Tulika, he was just joking…" I heard Bella come after me.

"I didn't mean to be rude," I heard him say. Why was he following me?

I spun around to face them. "I think I kind of liked you when you were ignoring me," I said, furiously. He actually had the audacity to roll his eyes at me. I so badly wanted to hit him but I knew it'd just hurt me. He turned his head to look at Bella.

"I was wondering if you girls needed a ride to Seattle." He said.

Bella looked surprised while I just crossed my arms. I already knew he was going to ask her that. "With who," Bella asked. "Whom," I corrected automatically.

They both ignored me, looking into each other's eyes. "With me, of course," he said.

"The truck works just fine." I gritted out.

I was ignored again.

"Will you go with me to Seattle?" he asked his voice intent.

I knew I was being childish but I actually made a 'humph' sound when Bella nodded.

His eyes flickered to me triumphantly and he smiled briefly. "I'll see you in class."

Turning away, he walked off.

*Alice still at the Laptop* How did you like that?

My brother is a little out of whack sometimes, don't mind him!

Don't forget to let us know if it was good or bad and if you'd like another chapter! Love you all!