This chapter is twice as long because I couldn't find a good place to stop. It is two days early because I couldn't wait. See you again Tuesday.

I don't own Twilight, I do own a bag of freeze dried turkey cat treats with multiple fang marks puncturing it.

Chapter 14

Bella just stared at Edward. He really had no clue, did he? She turned around and sat on the couch.

Edward didn't know what to do. Should he leave or what? He had made a mess of things. He didn't want her to find out that he orchestrated everything that happened at school. But he had thought that if she found out she'd be more accepting of his help. He figured he'd get a hug or maybe a kiss on the cheek like she gave Tyler. He didn't think she'd beat him with a bunch of flowers. His jacket was covered in little bits of foliage and there was pollen in his hair.

He had been struck with the realization that Bella was quite beautiful in her anger. When he wasn't protecting his head he had noticed how her long hair whipped around her face, the bright spots of colour on her cheeks and the gleam of rage in her eyes. Why had he thought her cute when she was clearly glorious when angry? Like a superhero meting out justice or an avenging angel. She just needed a skin tight costume to complete the picture. He shook his head, this was not a path his thoughts should be following. But there was something about an enraged woman, this woman, that really appealed to him.

"Just sit down, Edward." Bella said defeated as he stood there like a mannequin. Even covered in flower detritus he was too handsome, standing there looking like a chastised little boy, naughty but repentant. He slowly walked over to the couch and took a seat on it as far away from Bella as possible.

"Why do it that way? Why get Tyler involved? Did you even think of the ramifications for him? I just don't understand, Edward." She was so confused. What she really didn't understand was why he even cared. They weren't friends, even when she made the effort, he refused her. What had changed for him to do this and in that way?

"I noticed that you were always alone and I asked a few students about it. I just couldn't let them ignore you any longer. Not for such a stupid reason. It wasn't fair. I probably should have gone about it a different way but... And I didn't think that anything would happen to Tyler. He has too much support for that. He has me for that, to make sure no one bullies him or treats him badly." Edward paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Some one needed to stand up for you. Tyler seemed like the best person. After I read that note I wondered if it was going to escalate, if whoever wrote that note would try something meaner than just a note." He couldn't think of anything else.

"I didn't need your help. I didn't ask for it. And really, you are the last person I need to worry about me. I mean, you've been ignoring me for the better part of four years. Over a stupid note, too. Can you see the irony of that?" Bella chanced a look at him. He sat stooped over, his head hanging down, and his hands gripping his legs so tight his knuckles were white.

"I knew what they were doing, Edward. I'm not stupid. That note just solidified the reason. But, to be honest, I really didn't care. It's no skin off my nose to be treated badly. I don't care what others think of me. While I may have been lonely at times it wasn't new to me. I coped and survived long before you turned up, and I would have continued to survive if you hadn't stepped in." Bella sighed, she knew his heart was in the right place and as much as she loathed to do if after the way he treated her, she knew she would have to thank him for trying.

It was a fine kettle of fish they were in now. Edward Cullen coming to her rescue. Tyler the prankster standing up for her against all his friends. Mike Newton, the idea of his interest in her made her want to shower, too scared of her to take action. What was next? What cosmic joke was up to bat? Was someone going to invite her to a dance and pour pig's blood on her now? Her staid, boring life was becoming surreal. Bella wanted a rewind. To go back to the day before and let her life be normal.

"Thank you for what you did. Even if I don't agree with your method I do appreciate the gesture. I don't understand why you did it though. I mean, why you, of all people, should care that I'm being ignored. We are not exactly friends, Edward. I mean, well, I don't know what I really mean, so I'm just going to say thank you." Bella didn't want to get into more of a discussion with him about how he treated her. While she didn't care about the kids at school, her past history with Edward made what he did so much worse than what the kids at school did. He had hurt her more than they did.

Bella stood up hoping that Edward would get the point and leave. She had had enough. She just wanted to make dinner, go to bed and with any luck get over the events of the day before Monday arrived.

The idea of having to go to school and face all those other kids terrified her. It wasn't going to be pleasant. They were going to stare at her and talk about her. She didn't want to live out the rest of the school year under their constant scrutiny. The less than sincere ones would probably try to ingratiate themselves with her, fawning over her until they made their guilt go away. She would have to put up with it until they found something else to entertain themselves.

"Wait. Bella, I'm sorry." Edward didn't want to leave this conversation so unfinished. He stood up and followed her over to the door.

"I know you're sorry. Its not like this will even happen again, so don't worry. I won't tell anyone your part in this. Tyler can go on being the hero and hopefully, everything will be back to normal soon." Bella put her hand on the doorknob and opened the door.

Edward stood just behind her looking at the open door. He knew he should leave but it just felt unfinished. There was still a lot on his mind and he didn't want to leave this way.

"Could we try?" Edward asked as Bella looked up at him.

"Try? Try what?"

"To be friends." He could do that, he could offer her friendship as part of his atonement. Although the idea of just being friends was unsatisfying. He was starting to want something more.

"Friends? No, I don't think we can be friends, Edward. We can be friendly but not friends."

"Why not?" He didn't understand why she didn't want to be friends with him. She was friends with his little sister, she used to have a crush on him, and she had almost no friends at school, surely Bella, of all people, needed all the friends she could get.

Bella reached up one hand and plucked a flower petal out of his hair.

"This is why we can't be friends, Edward." Bella squeezed her eyes shut tightly for a second to stop the prick of tears. Edward just stood there, confused.

"Alice went through a huge floral phase when she started dating Jasper, did you know that? We memorized the meanings behind different flowers. Do you know what pink variegated flowers mean, Edward?" He shook his head. He had no clue where this was going.

"Refusal or rejection. I know you have no idea but I think subconsciously it means something. Every time I tried to be friends with you, you've rejected me. There is only some much one can take before it's too much, Edward. I think I've reached that point. So, thank you. I'll see you at school on Monday for your lunch break. Good night, Edward." Bella dropped the flower petal to the floor to join the others. She smiled at Edward, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, just like she did with Tyler. Except this time with Edward, she was saying goodbye with her thank you. Goodbye to the boy who had broken her heart. Goodbye to the possibility of anything more with him.

Edward was feeling very uneasy. He felt dismissed and he didn't really know why. Why would she want to get rid of him now that he was just starting to see her in a different light? Of course she would have no idea that his emotions were changing. But he didn't know what they were changing to. He just knew that he didn't want to end things with her, not before they even had a chance to start. Maybe there could never be anything between them but friendship. Maybe his new found interest in her was just hormones and being away from all the pretty girls on the college campus. But right now Edward did not want to let her walk away from him. She had said she loved him once, maybe he could make her remember how she had felt before. Maybe he could make her see him differently too. He did the only thing he could think of. He snaked his arms around her waist as she started to pull back from him, holding her close to his body. He slid one hand up until it was at the back of her neck under her hair and kissed her. Not on the cheek like she had done but full on the lips with intent. He kissed her hard so that she would know he meant it.

He held on to her tightly, not letting her get away. Not that she was trying to, she was stiff, her muscles locked. He tried to coax a response out of her by moving the fingers that held the back of her neck, trying to massage the stiffness out of her. He kissed her over and over again, moving his lips against hers, not daring to introduce his tongue yet but really wanting to. For him this kiss was solidifying his want. He wanted her to kiss him back, he wanted her to want him. He wanted to slip her his tongue and feel more of her. He just plain wanted.

Bella was shocked. What the fuck was he doing? Why the hell was he kissing her? She was trying to let him go and he was kissing her? It was a hell of a kiss too. She could feel it in her toes. She could feel it everywhere. This was not good, she was letting go and he was hanging on. But she was enjoying this so much more than she should. It felt good to have him kiss her, to have him want her. It was like a vindication of her previous feelings. But it was too little too late for her. She didn't want to kiss him back, to start to hope or give him hope.

She moved her hands from his back around to his shoulders and gave him a push. He released her from his grip but not from his kiss. She backed away from him.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Edward. It doesn't change anything. Go home. I'll see you Monday." She pushed him out the door before he could realize what was going on. She shut the door behind him and locked it. She ran into the kitchen and flung herself into her chair. She didn't know what to think, which thoughts to let in first.

Edward just stood on Bella's porch, not understanding how the hell he got there. One minute he was kissing a pretty girl the next he was freezing his ass off on the porch.

AN: ?