Chapter Seven: From A Distance

BPOV

While Edward is away, I go to Ohio. Our mutual Seattle departure wasn't exactly planned, but I'm entirely relieved. With Jake at a training camp and Alice still away; I didn't want to be in Seattle without them all. My mom booked the tickets, and my parents fought about it. I didn't hear what it was actually about, but I imagine this is yet another nail in the coffin that is slowly becoming my parents' marriage.

So, my mom takes the boys and me with her to Columbus. It isn't as if anyone knows we're here, because I've decided I won't leave the house. At all. I've come to see my family anyway; why would I have to leave the house?

I end up doing it anyway, and it's a mistake. A big, big mistake. My mom asks me about it, but I can't bring myself to talk about it. It's just a thing that's happened, and I won't let it ruin my time with my family.

The days fly past and, before I know it, we're headed back to Seattle, and Edward is coming back.

My time in Ohio is eye-opening, to say the least, and I was able to talk to my grandmother about my boy situation. Of course, I tended to gloss over most of the details, because I didn't want her to think that I'm unhappy in my relationship.

Because I'm not.

I'm just not happy. There's a difference, right? It's not all of the time, but it's most of the time.

Jake and I, somehow, we work. He isn't constantly there, which is something I appreciate. Also, he knows, and the fact that he accepts it for what it is, means something to me. Well, right now, it kind of means everything because it's impossible to know if anyone after will accept it as much as he does.

Edward and I, the logistics are just too much. I mean, we can barely be friends without our entire school having a problem with it; how could we possibly -

No.

Just, no.

I guess I just really miss Edward, and I need to see him. I'm even tempted to go to the airport to pick him up, but I reason it isn't the best idea. I'd probably embarrass him with the strength of my hug or break out into a happy dance to rival all happy dances.

I've missed him. And my time in Ohio has me seeing relatively clearly about this entire situation for the first time.

But.

Well. You see.

It catches me off guard.

Maybe I've been so used to his attention being solely on me that I don't quite know what to think about it. Because, when Edward casually mentions a girl, it catches me way off guard.

Wait. What?

I look away, and then look back at him, trying to settle the churning in the pit of my stomach. He landed early yesterday, and I had to get my mom to drop me off because Edward didn't make any active plans to see me. I guess that should have been the first sign.

"I'm sorry," I say; "what did you say?"

He frowns slightly, his eyes on me as he sits across the kitchen nook from me. Maybe he's decided to just push through, and see how we come out of it. "I said her name is Kate."

"Kate," I echo.

"The girl we sort of discussed but not really," he continues, and I remember. Oh, I remember. "We're trying."

I blink. "You're trying."

"Granted, she is across the country right now, but I like her, and we're willing to see how this thing goes."

"How it goes."

He leans forward. "Bella?"

I'm so caught off guard, and it takes me a moment. There's a girl. Edward has a girl.

Oh.

It's for the best, right? Everything I was feeling was just because I was missing my best friend. It isn't as if I actually like him or anything.

Jesus. Who am I kidding?

"She's also a swimmer?" I force out.

I must do a good job of acting normal because his face breaks out into a grin. "She is, yeah," he says. "Her specialty is breaststroke." Despite himself, he giggles, his cheeks turning red. "Sorry," he says, shaking his head. "The boys can be dogs sometimes. I'll be back to normal soon."

This whole thing is so weird. It's like he came back from Singapore an entirely new person and it's throwing me for a loop. I want to go back. I wish I could rewind time to before I went to watch him train.

No.

To before that night at The Lizard Room.

He went away liking me, and he came back liking another girl.

It's for the best.

It is.

It has to be.

The thing is that I was actually considering breaking up with Jake when he gets back from training. I tell myself that it wouldn't be for Edward, but for me. It's partly a lie, I know, because now I know I won't go through with it. Oh God, just, what is happening?

"Bella?"

"I'm happy for you," I blurt out, because I am. I want him to be happy. Of course, I do. It's selfish of me to want to be the only one who makes him that way, and I'm just going to have to accept whatever this is.

He regards me carefully, looking for something. Maybe he finds it, or maybe he doesn't, because he moves on anyway. I feel so unsettled. Maybe I should go home.

He clears his throat. "So, I have to tell you about the night we went to the nightclub."

"Oh wow, you actually went to that little room?"

He laughs, and my heart stills. I really have missed him. So much.

"It was actually quite cool," he tells me, his eyes shining. "Of course, we had to sneak out to go because, even after we were done, Abe was still acting the warden. Sasha was also being a real princess, so we left her behind." He looks guilty for a moment, but still smiles. "It really was quite cool, with all these flashing lights, and the people. The people, Bella! But, really, it was the music. It was epic."

I just watch him become increasingly animated, and an automatic smile spreads across my face. This is my Edward.

"So, we get there, and it's me, Seth, Garrett, Kate, Carmen and some others, and it's literally pumping. The walls are shaking, and people are jumping. They played a lot of American stuff, and a lot of House, but they really like their EDM stuff. The trance music, as they say."

I nod for him to continue, because this story is forcing me to stop thinking about the other thing he just told me.

"So we're there, and we're jamming, and Seth spots this girl. She's pretty. Like, stop-what-you're-doing kind of pretty, and he's totally gunning her. She can't speak a word of English though, but he's still going for it." He laughs at the memory. "So he's there, attempting to chat her up when this bulk of a guy comes out of nowhere and just shoves him.

"I didn't even see it coming, and it took Garrett and me a moment to get moving to back up our guy, you know? I mean, this Hulk guy looks like he wants to punch Seth, and nobody even knows why. I get between them, and try to calm everyone down before somebody gets punched, you know? He spoke Spanish apparently, and I'm trying to remember how to say 'Back off, bro,' but all I can remember is how to order food. I take French, you know?"

I laugh out loud, and his eyes meet mine.

"I try to get the words out, but I'm failing miserably, then the pretty girl steps out from behind the Hulk man, and says 'Let me explain.' Can you imagine? She could speak English the entire time. Seth was heartbroken."

I shake my head in amusement. "Was he her boyfriend?"

"Twin brother, apparently." He shudders. "They looked nothing alike, by the way."

I smile at him, and he smiles back.

For a moment, I forget.

But then I remember.

Edward runs a hand through his hair. "You're lucky you caught me," he says casually. "I'm actually headed out to meet Rose and Emmett."

I blink. "Oh?"

"And then training," he says, bouncing slightly as if he's excited about it.

"But didn't you just land?"

He shrugs. "It never stops, Bella," he says. "This is who I am, you know? I'm a swimmer."

I want to tell him that he's so much more, but I don't have the words. This feels like a dismissal. Also, I try not to think about the fact that he obviously made plans with Rosalie and Emmett, but not with me.

"I've tasted what it feels like to win," he continues, "and I want more. I want so much more, Bella."

I just nod. I can see it in his eyes. There's renewed drive there. Maybe it has nothing to do with his mother after all.

He smiles once more before he downs the rest of his water. I did something to us when I made it weird. We've talked about it, sure, but we've never really talked about it. He told me that he could make it go away, and he has.

So why does the mere idea that he was able to do it make me so uncomfortable?

Whether subconsciously or not, I pay closer attention to my relationship with Jake until things start to settle down again. I like the idea of a mundane existence, just for a few days.

Like a breather.

Just a moment to gather myself, given all the emotions going on inside of me.

It's almost a relief when school draws near. I miss the routine of it all. And, frankly, I miss seeing other people too. I miss Angela, and I miss Alice and Jasper. I miss Ben too, but I think he's given up on us.

Well, he's given up on Angela.

I just need school. Some sort of a distraction. Just, something other than the boy with green-grey eyes and bronze, unruly hair.

Edward is intoxicating without even trying.

Jake is overwhelming because he tries to be, and succeeds.

I have half a mind to call Eli and tell him that I'm ready to play again. There's so much inside of me, and I'm ready to let it out. Eli always says it's the tortured souls who make the best music. It's twisted, isn't it? Taking pain, and turning it into art. How messed up is that?

The day before school actually starts, Alice and Angela come over, and we discuss the classes we're planning on taking. It's almost a waste of time because Waite Academy is rude, but we're still going to try. We'll be lucky if the three of us can get into even one class altogether.

I suspect Waite knows who's friends with who, and they actively try to keep people apart.

Maybe it's a good thing they don't know about Edward and me.

Or a bad thing.

Alice tells us about her trip to Europe, detailing her travels through Italy, Greece and Turkey. It almost makes me jealous, but then she talks about the political unrest and the extreme heat.

But still.

I would have liked to go that far away. Actually, I would have liked to go to South Africa.

While she was away, jet-setting and all; I could only watch the World Cup along with the rest of the world. Ohio was as far as I went, while so many people flocked to South Africa to witness Spain take the title in quite the football final. It was ugly and beautiful at the same time. We watched it as a family, all five of us, which was actually rather nice.

Alice tells us about the boys she met, and reiterates that Jasper is definitely the one for her. Even at just sixteen years old, she sounds so sure. I'm glad, because at least one of us should be not unhappy.

Angela's borderline miserable most of the time, though she perks up when Alice reminds her that she's going to get to see Edward in the morning. So am I, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. School will be good for us. I'm sure it will.

I shoot a glare at Alice when Angela starts on and on about Edward, but Alice just looks amused. Maybe she missed Angela's rambling, because I definitely didn't. Particularly when it's about Edward Cullen, who is a boy I'm learning is so much more than what she thinks. One day I'll tell her, but that day isn't today.

Angela is the first to hear home after she receives a call from her mother. Alice and I tease her, of course, but she leaves us in her wake, Edward Cullen on all of our minds. Well, he's definitely on mine. He usually is.

"So..." Alice starts, as soon as Angela has left.

I look at her. "So... what?"

"Do you want to tell me what has my dear Bella Swan all tense?"

Of course, she would pick up on it. She's almost as perceptive as Edward is - or he used to be. I don't know what's happening with him, to be honest. It's as if he's trying to be distant. Maybe he's punishing me for making it weird or something like that.

Alice just has this way about her, and I'm trying not to be annoyed. But I am. "I don't know what you're talking about," I say.

"Sure you don't," she sing-songs, as she rolls over onto her stomach, to look at me from my bed. "Bella?"

"It's nothing," I say.

"Is it about Jake?" she asks, and I look away. Part of it is about Jake, but I don't want to talk about that. "About Ohio then?" she asks.

My eyes snap towards her. "What?" I practically bark.

She looks alarmed by my reaction, and I don't blame her. "Uh, it's just, well, you've always been so against talking about Ohio, and I was just worried because you don't really seem the same as before you left. Or I left. Whichever."

I swallow audibly. "It's not about Ohio."

"Then what is it?"

I want to tell her. I want so badly to tell her everything, but the words won't come. "I guess I'm just thinking about my birthday," I say, deciding that it's the safest thing to say. It's also a safe bet at a distraction when it comes to Alice Brandon.

Her face breaks out into a wide smile. "Oh, right," she says. "What are we doing for your birthday?"

"I don't know," I admit.

"I'm guessing you don't want anything big, so maybe a small dinner the Saturday after," she offers. "Just your friends and family."

It kind of makes me uncomfortable that Edward probably wouldn't be at the dinner. Because he's my friend. Really, he's one of my best friends.

"I can do all the planning," she continues. "I promise I won't go too overboard."

"Do you even know what that means?"

She laughs. "I've toned it down, I promise. We're juniors now, Bella."

"I don't know what that means."

"This year is going to be different," she says. "We're upperclassmen now. It's going to be different."

I still don't know what that means, but it almost feels as if she's trying to tell me something important. I suspect that she knows something, but even she doesn't know what that something is. I don't know either.

Okay. That's a lie.

It's Edward. Edward is the thing.

When Alice leaves, I spend some time making sure my uniform is properly pressed and lay it out over my desk and desk chair. I pack my schoolbag and take a moment to gather myself.

This year will be a good one.

It better be.

Before I fall asleep, I text Jake, and get a quick reply. I'm surprised, though I don't say so. He's going to be a senior this year, and I suspect that something will be expected of me, given that I'm now a senior's girlfriend. It's some kind of club that a person joins, particularly since I'm not a senior myself.

Anyway, with school starting, my curfew's back. It's ten thirty during the week now, eleven on Friday and Sunday, and midnight on Saturday. Party nights are open to negotiation, though I don't see many of those occurring.

I'll save it for Mike's end-of-year bash.

I fall asleep pretty quickly, and it feels like only a second passes before my alarm goes off, and I'm ripped from a dream about a boy with green-grey eyes. It's easy to get through my morning routine, and then I head downstairs for breakfast, ready to face this day I'm not entirely sure that I want to happen anymore.

I was so sure, but now I'm not.

"Mom?" I ask as I enter the kitchen and find my mom staring into space, a cup of coffee clasped between her hands. "Is something wrong?"

Her eyes meet mine. "No, Sweetheart."

I don't believe her, and it must show on my face.

"Just the first day of school is all," she says. "Don't get me wrong, I do love you kids very much, but I can't wait to cart you all out of here so I can finally have some peace."

"Oh, well, thanks," I say sarcastically, but she barely reacts. "Maybe you should have a spa day," I tell her.

She laughs. "Oh, definitely."

"I'm serious," I say. "Maybe call Esme, and see if you two can make an entire occasion of it."

She raises her eyebrows. "Esme, huh?"

I blush lightly. "Uh, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Mrs. Cullen," she echoes.

I take a breath. "Do you not like her?" I ask.

"What?"

I blink. "You just seem..." I trail off, reading her facial expression. "Wait. Do you not like Edward?"

She frowns. "Now, Bella, he's just a boy. Why would I not like him?"

"Then what is it?" I press.

She looks at me for a long moment, before she asks a question that catches me off guard: "Have the two of you ever fought?"

"Excuse me?"

"You and Edward," she says. "Have the two of you ever fought?"

I frown. "Umm, no," I say. Not really. "Why?"

She looks elsewhere for a moment. "I just don't think that my mixing with your father's boss' wife is a good idea," she says.

"Is that what you think about Edward and me?" I ask, my tone bordering on incredulous. "That I shouldn't be friends with him because his dad is Dad's boss?"

"Of course not," she says. "I just worry. I'm a mom, and a wife, and it's my job to worry."

"But - "

"I worry about the day that you two do fight, and how that will affect your father's - "

"Dad's what?"

"His promotion, Sweetheart."

I frown. "What does Edward have to do with that?" I ask. It takes me a moment. "Do you really think that Edward would say something to his dad if we did ever fight?"

Her silence is answer enough.

"Oh, my God, Mom," I say, shaking my head.

"Can you honestly say that he wouldn't?" she questions, and it stumps me for a moment.

"Edward and I have things to worry about other than the fact that our dads are workaholics," I snap in irritation.

Her eyes meet mine, and her entire body deflates.

"Just call Esme," I say, looking and sounding equally defeated. "She gets it, or whatever. She's nice, Mom, and maybe you need a friend, seeing as you refuse to interact with Alice's mom."

"She tried to give me a makeover the day we met," she says, smiling at me.

I'm just glad that we've moved on from Edward. She doesn't know him, and I don't want her talking about him as if she does. Something protective roars to life within me, and it throws me. Since when is he mine to protect?

"Esme isn't like Janice," I say. "I can assure you of that."

Before she can respond in the affirmative or negative, Riley comes tumbling in. "Toast, I want toast."

"Where are your manners?" I ask.

"The same place as your good looks, apparently."

I fake indignation. "Idiot." I punch his shoulder. "I have the power to make your life a living hell, you know that?"

"What are you going to do? Sick your boyfriend on me."

For a terrifying moment, I think about Edward.

"Jake doesn't even go to our school, remember?" he reminds me, but it does nothing to curb my racing heart. What is wrong with me? Seriously.

"Okay, okay," my mom says. "We can continue this lovely conversation later. Where's your brother?"

Riley and I exchange a look. "I don't know," we say at the same time.

She says. "I know we've been out of practice for a while, but it can't be that difficult to get back into the swing of things."

"But I'm ready," I point out.

"So am I," Riley says. "I mean, after I have my toast, of course."

"Make it yourself," I tell him.

My mom just nods, and then rushes off to find Max.

The morning gets off to an okay start, I reason. It could have been worse. I'm not yet licensed, so my mom has to drop us all off, though she's probably relieved that she now has to go to two schools instead of three. She's cursed whoever decided that Waite Academy needed separate campuses to the nines since we got to Seattle.

Riley's a high school freshman this year.

Admittedly, I'm a little worried. Emmett McCarty has a thing for fresh meat, and I sincerely hope that he doesn't pick on my little brother. I don't know what I'll do, and I don't want to put Edward in a position where he'll have to -

What?

What will he have to do? Strategically steer Emmett away? Stand up to Emmett? How can I ask him to do any of that?

The parking lot at school is busy when we arrive, and Riley quickly rushes off to find his friends. Without saying goodbye, might I add. I just watch him go, trying not to care, and then I go looking for my own friends. I find Ben first, but he's hanging out with other people now, so our conversation is quick. Just, hi, how are you, how was your holiday, and then I'm off again.

I find Angela at the registration desk in front of the reception, and we both pick up our registration packs. As expected, we don't have homeroom together, but we're trying to get Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry and AP English together. We'll be lucky if we can get at least one.

I have Mr. Coulson for homeroom, and I'm relieved when I find Jasper in the corner talking to Jared. I get a bear hug out of the blond stallion, and then I hear all about his summer spent down south, with Jared temporarily forgotten.

Apparently, it's okay for Jared to be friends with other people, but Edward Cullen could and would cause a frenzy. It's sad that they're at different levels of - what? Popularity? Expectations?

"So I've decided something," Jasper says.

"Oh, boy."

"One day, I'm going to marry Alice Brandon."

I just look at him. "Okay, what happened?"

"Nothing," he says. "Everything."

I wait.

"Do you ever just know, Bella?" he asks. "Like, one day, you wake up, and the world makes sense, because there's this person in your life, who sees you, and knows you, and loves you regardless of who you were, are, and will be?"

Even though we're still so young, I realize that I probably have that with Jake. I've had it for a while, really, but it's Edward who comes to mind. Maybe if I told him about Ohio, he would walk away, and I would let him.

Then all the weirdness would go.

But then, so would he.

Ahh.

"Bella?" Jasper prompts. "Oh my, you do know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

I don't say anything.

"Is it Jake?" he asks, and the fact that he actually has to ask me the question means something. He probably doesn't see Jake and I lasting much longer. Either.

"Okay, okay," Mr. Coulson says, interrupting our conversation, and we all turn to look at him. "Welcome back, yay. You're juniors now, and you probably think you're important and blah blah blah. I don't care. I'm going to take register. If you're here, good for you. If you're not, then that's not my fault."

Jasper leans in to whisper to me. "He had a good summer then, didn't he?"

"Apparently."

"Maybe he found out the Clapp is back."

"What?" I squeak, and several heads turn to look at me. I can barely pay them any attention, my eyes on Jasper. "What did you just say?"

He lets out a laugh. "Apparently, they asked the old flounder to come back," he says.

"But why?" I ask, my voice slightly panicked. "Why would they do that? He's five seconds away from death. What are they trying to do to us? What are they trying to do to me?"

"It's your own fault you refuse to play a school sport," he says smugly. "If you did, you could use that period for something else."

"Shut up, Mr. I'm-Going-to-College-for-Baseball."

He shrugs. "Like I said. It's your own fault."

It is my own fault, and I realize that I'm going to have to do what I swore I wouldn't. Oh boy. I want to say something more to Jasper, but Mr. Coulson calls out a name that makes the hairs on the skin of my forearm stand on end.

"Cullen, Edward."

There's silence for a moment before I hear his voice. "Present."

"Smartass," Mr. Coulson comments, before he moves on.

I stare at the back of Edward's head, because he's sitting in front of us now, with Jared.

Wait.

Edward is here. In my homeroom.

Sweet Jesus.

How on Earth am I supposed to survive this year with him right there?

He must have seen me when he walked in, and I didn't see him. Is this part of the thing he's doing where he's acting distant, or is this, hey, we're at school and we're not actually friends, remember?

I mean, I can't blame him for acting distant. I'm the one who ignored him when I found out that he liked me. Which he doesn't now. It was nothing, just like he said it was, and I can't keep myself from hating it. It's selfish of me, or cliché or something else. Something bad. Something wrong.

If he can get over it, then so can I.

"Swan, Isabella."

"Present," I say automatically.

"Har har," Mr. Coulson fakes a laugh, and Edward looks over his shoulder at me, a mischievous grin on his face.

I return it before I drop my gaze, and the moment passes.

Maybe we'll be okay after all.

"Wang, Jared," Mr. Coulson calls out.

"Here."

"Whitlock, Jasper."

"Present," Jasper says from beside me.

Mr. Coulson sighs dramatically. "Oh good, you're all here," he says sarcastically. "Now, hand in your registration forms and get to assembly. You'll come back here afterward to pick up your schedules."

That's all he says.

Jasper puts a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, let's go before he pulls out an atomic bomb and obliterates us all."

I laugh as I stand and stretch. I can feel Edward's eyes on me. And I thought coming to school would give me an escape from the whirlwind of thoughts that accompany the mere idea of him. Silly me.

Jasper takes a moment to pack up his things, and I lead the way out of the classroom, but I trip over myself on my way and end up bumping into someone in front of me.

Edward turns to look at me and grins.

"Sorry," I say, blushing.

"If you wanted a hug, all you had to do is say so," he whispers, and I blush that much more.

"Shut up," I whisper back, and he pinches my forearm, making me yelp.

Jasper is suddenly at my side. "You okay?" he asks.

"Fine," I say. "Just tried to bowl over Edward here."

"Unsuccessfully," Edward adds, and Jasper just looks between us.

An awkward and uncomfortable moment later, Edward turns and walks away. I don't look at Jasper as I start to walk again. I don't need his curious eyes, and I sure as hell don't need him to ask me unwanted questions.

The Hall is packed when Jasper and I arrive, and it takes us a moment to spot Alice and Angela. And Ben.

"What the - " I say, and look at Jasper.

He shrugs. "I don't know."

"Is this part of your plan?"

"No," he says. "Really, I just wanted to get him jealous enough to take action."

I frown.

"Jared expressed interest," he says.

My eyes widen. "Jared?"

"He's no Edward Cullen, I know," he says with a wink, and I flush instantly. "She'd probably walk all over him, wouldn't she?"

"And ask questions about Edward until his ears started to bleed."

He eyes me again, and I look away. We should really stop talking about Edward. I can't seem to hide my familiarity with the boy. Maybe I should revert to calling him by his name and surname when in the presence of my friends. "Come on," I say, heading towards Alice and Angela. We shuffle through the row and find seats next to them.

The assembly goes quickly, or slowly, because I'm watching Edward. He's sitting a few rows in front of us, and he's constantly looking around, as if he's looking for someone. He stops when his eyes meet mine for a moment, and I realize he was looking for me.

I drop my gaze and fight a blush.

This is going to be a long year, isn't it?

At some point, Angela gasps. "What's this I hear about you and Jasper having Edward Cullen in your homeroom?"

I look past her at Jasper, who's grinning madly. "Jasper and I have Edward Cullen in our homeroom," I echo.

"Why didn't you tell me immediately?"

"I'm trying to pay attention to the assembly," I whisper, and she shakes her head.

"Liar," she says.

I sigh. "There's nothing to tell," I say. "It was like ten minutes."

"But you'll get to spend so much time with him."

If only she knew.

After assembly, Jasper and I head back to Mr. Coulson's classroom. The man, who's notorious for being rather brazen, just grunts and gestures to a pile of schedules on his desk. I search for mine, bypassing Edward's. I'm tempted to swipe it, but I don't. I grab mine and Jasper's, and then move to the back of the classroom so we can study them together.

Almost a minute later, I get a text from Alice with a picture of her schedule attached.

"What classes do you have together?" Jasper asks.

"AP Chemistry, World History and English," I say. "Better than last year, I guess. Three instead of two."

He nods. "You and I have Physics and English together," he says.

I'm about to say something when my phone buzzes again. 'Edythe' shows up on the screen, and Jasper's eyebrows rise.

"Edythe?"

I blink. "A friend from Ohio," I say quickly, my face flushing. What is wrong with me?

I turn my phone away from him, and open Edward's message.

Edythe: Biology after lunch?

Beaufort: You know it, Nemo.

Edythe: Be my partner?

My breath catches in my throat. Wait, what?

Beaufort: What about Rosalie?

Edythe: The frog did her in. She's bailing on me. She doesn't love me.

Beaufort: And I do?

Edythe: You know it, Beau.

I can't help my grin.

Beaufort: If you can make it look like an accident, I'm so in. Angela may or may not freak out and die.

I hear a chuckle somewhere in the classroom, and my heart warms. We are going to be okay. I believe it.

Edythe: Is it worth it? ;)

Beaufort: Oh, definitely.

Edythe: I love your priorities. I'll make it happen. You just wait and see.

"Bella?"

I look up from my phone at Jasper. "Hmm?"

"Anything from Angela?"

My eyes widen before I check my messages. "Right here," I say, and open it. She also sent a picture of her schedule, and I freak out. "Hmm, Pre-Calc first period and World History. Oh my God! We didn't even try for World History. This is awesome!"

"Oh, boy," Jasper says. "God help Mrs. Lowe having the three of you in her class."

I laugh. He's right, of course, because Angela, Alice and I haven't been in the same class since Geometry in our freshman year. We've been dying for this moment. I text them both, and I imagine I hear their squeals of excitement from their respective homerooms.

My phone buzzes again.

Edythe: Wait. Am I going to have to fight Mike for you?

Beaufort: You'd win.

Edythe: That's a no-brainer, but I wouldn't want to hurt my dainty little hands unnecessarily.

Beaufort: I thought you were tougher than you looked.

Edythe: Don't you forget it.

I glance his way because I can't help it. I'm not surprised that he's already looking my way, but it still does something to me. Is this flirting? I mean, seriously. I'm burning hot.

Jasper nudges me. "Ready to go?" he asks me.

I nod before I rise to my feet. We walk out together and head towards our new lockers. Swan and Whitlock aren't that far from each other, but his locker is still around the corner.

Cullen is even further away, but I don't look.

I gather the books I need, and then make my way to class where Angela immediately waves at me from her seat in the third row. I have no choice but to move towards her. I sit and take out my books as she talks at me. One would think I didn't even see her yesterday. Apparently, she didn't get it all out of her system.

I want this day to go well, but it feels as if everything Edward and I have been trying to hide is just going to unravel. And I can't help thinking that it won't be that bad. Surely, it won't. We can be friends, can't we? We can make it work.

Ms. Lewis gets us started right away, and I do my best to pay attention to what she says. Our first assembly of the year and homeroom ended up cutting into her lesson, and she looks irritated about it.

Angela is one of those who talks a good game, but she's very work-oriented. Like me, she has quite the course load, though hers is filled up with literature and language, while mine is ambitiously rooted in the sciences.

I still haven't decided if I've kept doors open for the future, or if I've closed them.

Edward always balks whenever we discuss it, and I get it. It's intense. I'm ready for it though. If I want a decent future; I'm going to have to work hard for it. And now, this year, I've made a decision that I hope will go a long way towards my college applications. It's just a relief that Angela and Alice are both on board.

"Okay," Angela says when the lesson is over. "Is it too late to drop this?"

"And take what instead?"

"Multiplication."

I laugh as I get to my feet. "Perk up, Ange," I say; "it only gets worse from here."

She glares at me before she addresses an invisible audience. "My friends, people."

"I'll see you in World History," I say, and I leave her as I head to my next class. I want this day to go well. I want this year to go well, but I don't know if it will. Am I going to have to deal with all these mixed feelings for the entire year?

While Alice and I are in Chemistry, we keep getting texts from Angela, counting down until we're in our first World History lesson. She's definitely excited about it. And the way that Alice is bouncing next to me, she's excited too. Again, I wonder how I fit into this crazy trio.

When the bell rings, Alice darts to her feet, and I barely have time to pack up my things before she's dragging me to our next class.

In World History, Angela, Alice and I sit in a line and decidedly don't move.

"This is the greatest day of my life," Angela says, and Alice agrees with her. I want it to be, really, but this day feels strange.

We get through the lesson easily enough, and then I head to AP Physics with Jasper. He doesn't wave me over, but he does shift his bag out of the way, and I sit down next to him. The decision to sit together is unspoken but profound.

"Are you ready for this?" he asks, and I'm not. I'm definitely not. You know how I said I wanted school to start; I take it back. I take it all back.

"It's going to be one hell of a year, isn't it?"

He shrugs. "Bella, you're the one who's doing AP Chemistry, AP Physics and AP Biology in the same semester. It's definitely going to be one hell of a year for you."

I think of Edward, and the way he always looks at me in wonder whenever he's reminded of my ambition. It just makes me think about what I look like when I look at him. Is it so easy to see on my face how wonderful I think he is?

"How were A-squared in World History?" he asks, referring to Alice and Angela. He refers to all three of us as 'ABA,' which is sometimes cute when you can forget that he's a sixteen-year-old boy.

"Excitable," I comment, as I take out my hardcover. Jasper and I are new to Mrs. Graham's AP class, now that we're Juniors, but we've heard the stories. She's good. Really good.

And very particular.

I secretly think that we'll get along just fine.

By lunch, I have a headache.

I don't actively try to find Riley, but I do bump into him in the food line. I want to embarrass him so badly, but I don't. The poor kid. It's his first day.

"What are we getting?" I ask him, and he glares at me. "Avoid the tuna, whatever you do."

"I'll bear that in mind," he says through gritted teeth, and then I leave him alone. Shame. He wants to look cool in front of his friends.

It feels good to be back in the dining hall, at our table, with my friends. I missed this part. It's just been an up and down day, hasn't it? Maybe I'm going crazy. It wouldn't be the first time.

When the end of lunch nears, Angela looks at me for the longest time, before she lets out a squeal.

"What?" I ask.

"Why is Edward Cullen looking at me?"

I swallow, absently looking over my shoulder at Edward. He's not really looking at any of us, but rather at some point beyond us that doesn't actually exist. "He's not looking at you, Angela."

"He should be," she says, sounding defeated. "I spent extra time getting ready this morning."

I look at Alice for help, but all she does is shrug.

When I look Edward's way again, he's gone. It's a good thing too because Angela was five seconds away from devolving into another Edward Cullen monologue. She notices that he's gone too, and she begrudgingly gathers our trays like a toddler. I just watch for a beat, before I stand up and retrieve both our bags.

"See you guys later," I say, and then I head to the doors.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I don't look at it as I meet up with Angela. We're definitely getting back to routine now, and I'm finding comfort in it. She chats about Alice's plans for my birthday as we head to our lockers.

It's kind of annoying, really. My friends are at either end of the class list, and Swan isn't near either. Brandon, Cheney and Cullen, and then Weber and Whitlock.

Anyway.

Angela bids me farewell, and we head in separate directions. I use the time to check my phone and, unsurprisingly, I have two messages from Edward.

Edythe: ARE YOU READY?

Edythe: HOLY SHIT! THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!

I'm smiling as I reply, my feet carrying me to Mr. Banner's lab from muscle memory, because I'm definitely not paying attention.

Beaufort: Someone's excited. What's happening?

Edythe: JUST YOU WAIT, BEAU!

Edythe: Okay, in all seriousness now, tell me: do you want to sit on the left or on the right?