"High School was great when it ended."
Jennifer Stone

4. High School

(Edward's POV)

Every once in a while you'll be lucky enough to come across a teacher who makes you appreciate being able to attend school. Miss Brown truly is one of a kind in the teaching world, and I actually found myself feeling genuinely distraught at having to leave. It was one of the downsides in moving to Banger's class on Monday. However, she kindly offered her help should I ever need it in the future and I was thankful for that.

Emmett was not impressed by my sullen mood. "Crack a smile, Edward."

"How about I crack your skull instead?" I offered, sighing when the cafeteria doors came into view.

"I'd love to see you try," he said, cocky as ever. I'd love to see me try as well; I'd probably shatter every bone in my arm.

I rolled my eyes. "I'd need a sledgehammer to even put a dent in—"

"Hey, I just remembered something," he interrupted, sending me a sideways glance. "So, I was thinking about that girl who walked into Riley's locker..."

"Bella?" I asked, the nickname Alice had used sticking with me.

"Uh, yeah, her," he muttered, frowning. "She has really pretty eyes."

I froze in the middle of the hallway, finally realising where he was going with this.

"How'd you know about that?"

"Alice and I happened to be on the second floor when we heard a voice that sounded a lot like yours on the stairway," he said, stopping a few feet away from where I had. "We're professional eavesdroppers. Did you bump into her or what?"

"Something like that," I replied, shrugging at the memory. "She does have nice eyes."

"I'm sure." He laughed, patting me on the shoulder. "Have you seen her since then?"

"Um, now that I think about it, no I haven't seen her at all," I said, pursing my lips thoughtfully.

"She's probably avoiding you and your lack of muscle," he joked, dragging me towards the cafeteria. "Dad actually asked Alice about her on Wednesday, I forgot to mention it to you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he seemed like he was digging for info."

"You don't think..." I raised my eyebrows in silent question.

"She could be," he replied, nodding. "Although, dad tends to deal with more troubled patients so I've heard. I doubt he'd be taking her on."

"I don't know," I muttered, throwing open one of the doors. "You've heard the stories, Emmett. Are they true?"

"I don't doubt the deaths," he said bluntly, shuddering. "The how is the part the town will never know for sure," he added, jerking his head towards the room full of students.

We trekked through no man's land, responding to the occasional sup with the head-nod that every guy does at least once in his lifetime. It comes naturally, it's almost instinct, and I have to stop myself from cringing every time. It truly was like walking through a minefield in this place; one wrong move and the whole room would explode. I guess that's just what high school is like. Similar to a real war zone, the best bet is to keep your head down.

Our usual table was pretty much right in the centre of the cafeteria, an occurrence that ended up being the beginning of a string of cliches. The seats there were always filled by my siblings and I, the way we preferred. The tables around us, however, consisted solely of bleached hair, six-packs and good old Riley Biers in his natural habitat. Even thinking his name agitated me, partially because of the scene he caused in the hallway with Bella the other day. I already had some justified hatred towards him and it had only been enhanced because of the way he spoke to her. It wasn't my place to feel defensive, yet it was something I found myself unable to control. Nonetheless, looking at him now, I could picture him lounging beside Satan in the pits of hell.

I lowered myself into a chair between my brothers and as if he heard my thoughts, Riley's fire-y gaze met mine. I didn't look away because I wasn't a coward. Not making eye contact was a sure sign of fear and I certainly wasn't afraid; not of that asshole. The way he raised a single brow made me blisteringly aware that my face was probably as fierce as my thoughts. I had no idea what it was that angered me about the expression he wore. Perhaps it was his smugness, or maybe the challenging look he was now giving me.

Fucking try it, I thought.

"Edward," Alice whined impatiently, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

At that, I looked away from him. "What?"

"I asked you a question," she said, huffing dramatically. "Jasper and Emmett both said no, but I know you love me more than them, so can I please join your guys night tonight?"

"Uh, well, you see—"

"Please?" She pouted across the table, making me feel instantly guilty.

"Don't do this to me," I said, looking away from her face and right at Emmett, who was warning me with his eyes not to concede. There was no winning in this situation.

"You're my favourite brother," she said, her pout turning into a knowing grin. "You're the nice one, you don't break my bones like Emmett does."

"Eh, that happened one time!" he defended, folding his arms over his broad chest.

"Emmett, you gave me a vertebral fracture," she deadpanned, sending him a glare. "Do you even comprehend how bad that could have been?"

"Well, yeah," he admitted, pursing his lips. "Still, though, it's in the past."

Alice rolled her eyes, looking back to me. "Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? C—"

"Fine!"

"You're a fucking traitor, Edward," Emmett muttered, shoving my shoulder so hard I nearly went straight off the other side of my chair. "You're supposed to be one of the guys, you know? It's like an unspoken r—"

"Edward, why the hell is Riley staring at you like he's about to backhand you across the room?" Rosalie asked, finally joining us at the table. "Sorry I took so long, I was talking to Tanya."

"I don't know," I mumbled, absentmindedly whipping out my cell to see a missed call from our dad. "Why are you still involved with her?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she fired back, raising her eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"Edward and I aren't together yet," she said, a perfect imitation of Tanya's irritating, ear-piercing voice. "But we will be soon. I can just tell."

Emmett snorted, reaching up to touch my cheek. "Is it love?"

"Shut up, idiot," I snapped, swatting his hand away. "I can't stand the girl."

"Do you actually even talk to her?" Rosalie asked, snickering.

"Chivalry makes it impossible to ignore her," I said, letting my head fall to my hands. "I don't speak to her more than courtesy absolutely demands."

"I honestly aspire to be that much of a gentleman," Jasper said, speaking up for the first time. "I don't have the patience for it."

"Jasper, you're literally the most patient person I've ever met," I argued.

"He kind of has to be, especially with Alice as a girlfriend," Emmett said, laughing at himself before anyone else had a chance.

"Emmett, people can't sit in the same room as you for more than five minutes because you're so loud and irritating so I don't know why you're being so smug," Rosalie muttered, instantly on the defensive. Of course, the girls always stick together. It's why us guys tend to back down from an argument almost as soon as it begins.

"I need to call dad back, I'll be back in a minute."

I left them then, heading out to the hallway in hope that I could find some quiet. As I exited, I felt Riley's stare burning into the back of my head. I'd unintentionally made an enemy. Sure, I'd had a couple of unpleasant encounters with him but it was never anything that resulted in conflict. The way we were trying to murder each other telepathically made me fear that another explosion of drama was in the near future at Forks High School.

Luckily for me, the hallway was in fact deserted.

My dad answered on the second ring. "Edward?"

Who else would it be?

"Yeah, dad, it's me."

"I need a favour, son. I'm asking you because I know you won't complain."

I should have known. It's quite rare that my parents call us for anything other than when they need something. I suppose it's perfectly understandable. Nine times out of ten, the only reason we call them is because we want something. What's a small favour in comparison to giving life to three kids, and offering two more a loving home?

"What's up?"

"Remember when you came into my office to tell me you were moving class?" he asked, his voice strained. He was clearly stressed about something. "I was reading a sheet of paper..."

"Oh, yeah, the mysterious patient."

"That's the one," he confirmed. "I'm meeting her this afternoon but I've left that document at home and—"

"You want me to bring it to you after school."

"Please."

"It's Friday anyway," I said, shrugging even though he couldn't see me.

"Any chance you can get it here before half three?"

"I have a free period at the end of the day so that's fine. I'll see you then."

"Bye, kid."

He was gone before I could return the goodbye. Working twelve hour shifts, by day or by night, means he's absent from our lives fairly often. We'd often lived in small towns, the kind of places a doctor like my father was cherished. Forks was no different, and he was needed here. As much as he inspires me, and as much as I want to be like him, his selflessness has it's downfalls. What he sacrifices to take care of others is precious family time. I'd like to think that when I have my own family I'd be able to create a healthy balance between them and work.

I didn't realise someone was standing beside me until I turned to leave and almost walked straight into him.

"Riley," I said, voice hard.

"Do you have a problem with me, Cullen?"

"Not at all," I assured him, smiling wryly.

"Sure about that?"

I didn't like the way he was standing there, all high and mighty. It just pissed me off even more. Something in my expression made him straighten up, as if he was trying to make himself look threatening. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I'm not sure about anything," I replied curtly. "Since you followed me out here, it seems that you're the one with a problem... discounting your need for anger management."

This triggered him. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"You heard me," I said, shrugging. "It wouldn't look good on your record to be arrested for hitting a girl."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you an asshole because you're a coward? Or, are you an asshole because you think it makes you better than everyone else? I'm failing to see."

I knew he would snap eventually because I'd definitely been pushing my luck. However, I didn't think he would take a swing so quickly. How little it took to work him up. Thankfully, I'd been expecting it so his fist didn't get a chance to make contact with my face. I dodged him swiftly, meaning the lockers behind me took the impact. Before he could try again, I shoved him hard enough that the sound of his back hitting the lockers rattled through the entire hallway.

"Don't fuck with me, Riley."