Blurry Lines: Chapter Five

Isabella

Yesterday I was stunned and very appreciative of Edward. The way he protected me, got me out of there before I completely lost my cool. It reminded me of old times. The days where he would swoop in and save me from whatever predicament, I found myself in. He was always there for me and I'm glade that at least he kept that promise.

Today however…I don't really know what's going on today. It's like I woke up in a parallel universe.

I saw Edward after I exited my first period class, he was walking down the hall, not five people in front of me so I called his name and he heard me. I know he did because he turned to face me. He stared at me for two long seconds, and then he walked away from me.

I saw him again at lunch. I was sitting at the same table with the same people from yesterday when he entered. Emmett called him over and he started to walk towards us, that was until his eyes scanned the table and landed on me. His steps faltered and then he just turned and walked away. I sunk further into my chair because I just knew I was the cause for his weird behavior.

And if the incident in the cafeteria didn't prove me right, my missing professor finally showed up for class today. So the class was certainly taking place as every other class of mine has been doing all week.

I was among the first five people to enter the class, our teacher Mr. Eleazar, explaining his absents to us. He was half way through his story when I looked up and saw that the class was nearly full. So he cut his story short, got to the point and began telling us what to expect for this year.

He told us twenty-five percent of this class was lab, twenty-five percent was attendance, twenty-five percent was homework and the other twenty-five percent was tests. He told us to pick a lab partner and say hello to our best friend for the rest of the year.

I was nervous as I watched the student's pair up, that was until someone I knew entered the class, Edward. Mr. Eleazar admonished Edward on his tardiness and told him to pick a partner. I waved at him, and he looked at me. I smiled and waved him over, but he lowered his head and sat where he stood; next to a short guy with glasses and brownish hair. I was so confused, but I had to hide my feelings as a girl, tall and brunette came up to me.

"Hi, my name is Angela Webber. Do you think you would like to be my lab partner?"

I smiled warmly at her and motioned to the seat next to me. "I'm Bella Swan, nice to meet you."

Angela was a pleasant girl, smart and very beautiful. She didn't consider herself to be any of the things that I considered her to be, and I was interested to know why. She wouldn't tell me though, so I filed it away for later.

-~~'\\%/'~~-

Class ended an hour later and while I was walking out I had the best idea I'd had all day concerning Edward. I was going to wait for him by the door and drag him somewhere to demand that he tell me what his problem was.

So I waited, and I waited. After fifteen minutes I was about to give up, but that's when the door opened and you know who walked out. He looked around, searching for something, or someone, not seeing me standing against the pillar. When he thought the trail was clear he exited the class and that's when I moved in.

I grabbed his arm and dragged him as he protested. My grip was firm though and I refused to break it. He was being really rotten and I wanted to know why. When I came to an empty corridor I let him go and I turned around to face him head on.

"What is going on Edward? I'm so confused, did I do something wrong yesterday? Was it what I talked about at lunch with your friends? If I embarrassed you I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Running his fingers through his hair, and pinching the bridge of his nose he groaned loudly. "Look Isabella," he said as he looked down his nose at me his tone making me flinch. For the first time in Edward's presence I felt small. "It's not what you did, it's not what you said, it's not you at all, it's me-"

"Don't, don't you dare use that preposterous line on me. 'It's not you it's me?' Can you even use that line on someone you're not dating? God Edward, how could you be doing this right now? Just when I thought I had you back in my life you do this. What, is it that you don't want your screwed up past to interfere with your perfect little present in more than just one way? Am I not good enough to be around such sovereigns? You know what, just don't answer that. But let me tell you something Mr. Edward Cullen. Not too long ago, you were just like me, the only difference is you got out and I was shoved aside like some basket case. So don't you act all mighty and moral like you're better than me because you're not.

"I can't believe I actually waited five years for someone like you. You turned in to the very people I scorn. You know what; go on, snub me like I don't exist. I'll stay out of your way and you'll stay out of mine. It shouldn't be too hard. We went without each other for five years, what's a few more."

I stormed away, knocking my shoulder into his as I went. The bastard has some nerve. I can't believe I bought into his lies yet again. What kind of idiot am I? God, I hope I never have to see him again.

-~~'\\%/'~~-

So much for me wishing.

It seemed like everywhere I went for weeks Edward Cullen was there. We continued to fail to acknowledge one another, our friends noticing our tenacity about keeping a distance. When we're anywhere near each other, others could easily pick up on the animosity and I was sorry for that, but I refuse to talk to that asshole.

James seemed to be beyond ecstatic about the hostility between Edward and I. He supports my decision to stay away from him even though he doesn't know one detail about why I'd come to make that decision.

He and I were actually doing really good these days. When I wasn't spending time with Alice or Rose- which wasn't often because Alice was seeing Jasper and Rose was getting chased by Emmett- I was spending most of my time with James.

He'd brought me to the frat house a few times, introducing me to more of his 'brothers' and showing me around his room. We'd always end up making out on his bed, but we never went further than that and he seemed to respect my decision to wait.

One afternoon when I was at the frat house with James, we'd just walked out of his room for a break from our usual make-out session and ran directly into Edward and his fiancée Tanya. I tried to go around them, ignoring them like I've been doing, but James felt the need to spring up a conversation. I walked away with a; 'I'll be in the kitchen babe' over my shoulder.

When James finally joined me in the kitchen he appeared to be quiet, a little nervous, and too remote. "What happened?" I had asked him. Usually he'd be wrapped around my body by now.

"Um, I sort of agreed to something you might not agree with." He murmured so low I nearly missed it all.

"And what would that be?" I asked cautiously.

"A triple date with your friend Alice and my boy Jasper. She also invited Tanya, and Edward." He stilled himself, awaiting my rebuke.

"Why James? I've gone weeks without talking to him and you're going to put me in a position where I have to talk to him or hear him talk. I don't want to go. I'm sorry, but no."

"Babe," he cooed. "if I had my way you and I would be doing something a lot more fun than going to dinner with Cullen and his chick, but Alice is in control of this outing. You might want to talk to her." I melted into him, pouting as he hugged me tightly to his frame. Why me?

-~~'\\%/'~~-

Alice was not relenting.

That's what I learned from begging her for nearly two hours. Alice didn't seem to care about my issues at the moment. She was so wrapped up in making this night perfect for Jasper that she refused to let me even tell her what I wouldn't weeks ago about why Edward and I were fighting. She seemed to be on this 'I want everything to be prefect trip' and for the first time since meeting Alice she was really pissing me off.

"Alice!" I yelled coldly, my tone catching her off guard. "Would you just stop and listen to me. I don't want to go to your dinner. I don't want to sit there and have to pretend to like someone that I don't. Why didn't you just ask me instead of going behind my back and asking James?"

"Because you would have said no, and he wants to get on my good side. Look B. I know something is going on between you and Edward, something you don't want to talk about, but this is a good idea. You can show up to this dinner in something that will make him drool, and sit right across from him and show him that no matter what he say's you are not phased by any of it. You could go there and show him that you are and forever more will be the better person. Come on B, what do you say?"

-~~'\\%/'~~-

Don't ask, just know that Alice did a damn good job in dressing me and I looked damn good tonight. If Edward Culling doesn't drool, James sure in hell will and so is every guy, except Jasper of course, in that restaurant.

Alice dressed me in a deep dark forest green dress that falls to mid-thigh. The dress hugs my backside, my hips and my thighs. The top half is loose along the back, the back neckline scooping in and making a u-shape. The front of the dress hugs my chest, but opens in a v-shape that shows off an appropriate amount of cleavage; my earrings black, long and daggling, matching my open toe heels. I looked great and I felt even better.

-~~'\\%/'~~-

"Wow babe, you look stunning." James complimented as Alice, Jasper and I stepped out of Alice's Yellow Porsche.

"Thank you." I whispered, blushing as I accepted his praise.

"Are you guys ready for this?" James asked, looking only at me. "Edward and Tanya are waiting inside for us." he revealed, squeezing my hand as he said it.

With a deep breath, and every once of my courage I squeezed James hand back, and gave him a warm smile. "I'm very ready." I assured him, my words followed by a light kiss to his lips. He smiled, twining our fingers and pulling me gently behind Jasper and Alice.

The restaurant it self was beautiful, very intimate and classy. Alice, who was dressed in an all black number, was right on with our clothing. We fit right into the ambiance of our surroundings almost flawlessly.

Alice prattled off our party's name and the host, who was straightforwardly eye fucking both Alice and myself, showed us to our table that was in fact occupied by Edward-fuck bag-Cullen and his fiancée, Tanya Denali.

They stood as we neared the table, greeting us politely. To show him that his little tactics didn't bring me down, I acted maturely towards him and his fiancée, greeting both of them with polite smiles, and small kisses on the cheek. I think the kisses were a little too much, and so did Alice, who very subtly shook her head at me. I nibbled my lip in apology.

All the guys held out their respective girls chair before taking a seat themselves. The first few minutes were awkward, no one knowing what to say, but Alice quickly broke that what a few compliments to Tanya on her red dress. Then both girls got into wedding talk, a conversation that held no interest to me.

I turned to start a conversation with James, but he was preoccupied with talking sports with Jasper, a conversation that semi held my interest, but sports were the last thing on my mind. The only other person who was available was Edward and I straight out refuse to speak to him. I stood, all three guys following my lead. I looked at them all confusingly, until James spoke up. "Where are you going love?" My eyes enlarged at the endearment, the word taking not only me, but it seemed like Edward was right along with me, by surprise.

"Um…" I stammered looking around the table. Alice was smiling and Jasper looked contemplative as he looked between James, Edward and me. Tanya just looked indifferent. "I need the powder room. Excuse me." I stammered out before I practically sprinted from the table.

What was he thinking? Does he really feel that way about me, or is it just something that fit the environment? Can this night get anymore out of hand? I can't believe I agreed to this, never again; never again.

After minutes of pacing I finally freshened myself up. I washed my hands while giving myself a pep talk and walked out of the bathroom door with a new kind of determination. I was determined to get out of here and go home. But what I wasn't expecting was to run into Edward as I walked out of the bathroom. But I should have, because I am very unlucky.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Oh, Bella, it's just you."

"Yeah, just me. Plain old Isabella."

"I didn't mean it like-"

"Whatever, Edward." I tried to walk away but I was quickly turned back by my wrist. "What are you doing Edward?" I demanded.

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"Don't, because I don't want or need your apologies. You made yourself perfectly clear where I stand to you."

"No, god Isabella just no. Would you just listen for once? You don't understand anything that's going on. What kind of pressure I'm under."

"Pressure, Edward? Is this really about you being under pressure? Because from where I'm standing it's about you walking over the people who, after so long and with no substantiation to believe in you, thought you were still, a decent human being."

"You don't know Bella." He stated angrily. "If you would just-"

"I don't know? You know what I don't know, Edward?" I sniffed, shaking my head. "I don't know why I came here. I don't know why I held you so close to my heart all these years knowing that in the end my heart would be broken.

"God Edward, you don't even know how hard it's been for me from the moment I saw you with her. How hard trying to be your friend has actually hurt me. And then for you to do what you did, for you to treat me like crap for no reason at all. What happened to you Edward? What happened to the boy that promised me the world? What happened to the boy who would get so defensive if you quoted his favorite movie wrong? What happened-"

I was quickly cut off by the most intense pair of lips I'd ever felt in my entire life. And I knew they belonged to him, no one else could or would ever compare to his strong full lips. They were always firm and smooth at the same time, and I'd know them from anywhere, but that wasn't how I knew it was him. It was the electricity that ran from his lips to mine that gave him away. If my eyes weren't open then that spark between us would have certainly given him away.

"He's still here." He whispered as his forehead found mine. "He's still here Bella. He just had to grow up is all. I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't. I just can't."

"God, we've been around each other for what, a month and a few weeks? And look at us, our lives are so complicated already. I think…I think it's really time to put the past in the past Edward. I think one of us should leave. Yeah, I think I should be the one to leave."

I grabbed his hands, from my neck, bringing them down to his sides and walked away from him. I think this is going to be my best idea yet, I think I should leave.