"I'm sorry." Edward forced his head to look away, although his heart was tearing at the thought of upsetting Bella. Maybe he just needed a new hobby to get away from the distraction. Like that 100 that he had received on his report.

Bella pulled away sadly. "Oh. Well, come back soon, ok?" That last part seemed like a plea to him.

"Sure."

Edward blinked furiously by the time he had stepped outside. Maybe it was only karma that god had cursed him with this girl, the same girl that haunted his thoughts and dreams.

Wait.

She wasn't that important to him, just some super smart philosopher wannabe who just happened to help him with a dumb book report.

But her wrenched face was there every time he closed his eyes. The same oak eyebrows drawn together, the same large, sad eyes, the way that she would nibble on her lip whenever confused.

Edward lowered his head and laughed quietly to himself. After a few seconds of dark chuckles, they increased until he was holding his stomach as tears welled up in his eyes. A few people that were passing by exchanged glances with a hysterical Edward and then hastily moved on.

"I..I... haha! Haha! N-never…ahaha! Ha!"

Hysterical tears finally broke and he was soon sobbing to himself. Edward tried to wipe the tears away but more would just take their place.

"Bella…"

Karma had an evil way of working on unsuspecting people. Or maybe it was just some kind of twisted bad luck.

"Edward Cullen?"

His head snapped up at the sound of his name and he squinted. "Bella?"

He wanted to go to the library today. Jasper and Emmett, masterminds at teasing (especially the big one), had ridiculed him until he had slammed the door on their noses. It was time to get a library card, Edward's poorly formed idea decided.

Middle Creek Public Library was three stories tall with huge glass walls overflowing with books and millions of soft chairs to relax in. It was the kind of place that didn't make you feel nerdy and foolish for entering.

Bella smiled down at him before settling down in a nearby chair, her arms overflowing with books. Edward recognized most of them to be by Shakespeare.

"How have you been? It's been what, a week?" Her hair was held by a plain black headband and donned a matching necklace. A yellow sundress completed her outfit with flip-flops.

"A little over I think. How have you been?" The corners of his mouth twitched.

Bella shifted the books and sighed. Edward had just noticed the dark purple coloring underneath her eyes, like she was a zombie who never slept. Even with those, though, she was still beautiful in his opinion.

"Same old same old I guess. School can really wear a girl out." She laughed weakly and grimace at her feet. She just looked so tired and miserable underneath all those smiles.

"Are…" he hesitated, "are you ok? Are you getting enough sleep Bella?"

Her eyes snapped open. "Eh? Sleep? Yeah yeah! Lots and lots!" Her head began that 100 mph bob and Edward laughed. "It's just…"

An older lady cleared her throat behind them, her expression kind. "Bella Swan, the children are waiting." She turned away as Bella gasped and looked at her watch.

"Oo oo! I almost forgot!" She whipped out a child poetry book for her huge stack and nearly tripped over a chair as she stumbled to her feet. Edward grabbed her arm before a remake of the bookstore incident could happen again. "Eh… thanks. I read to the kids here once in a while when I'm not too busy with other kids. I promised them that I'd come today. Wanna sit in with us?"

Edward found himself agreeing, even though a children's reading seemed a little too childish for him. Bella's enthusiastic happiness at his "yes", though, was totally worth it. He helped her with a few books as she made her way to the second floor.

"Beeewa!" A tiny blond girl smashed into her thigh and buried her face in her with joyful squeals. Two other little boys joined the girl and hooted in happiness, hugging her with excitement. "We miss woo!"

"I missed you too Kitty," Bella giggled, tousling her curly head. Edward couldn't brush away that strange feeling of jealously as kids came out of nowhere to tackle Bella in swarms of hugs and kisses as he was pushed out of the way by the crowd. They all ignored him except for one girl, picked her nose and glaring at him.

"I don't like you," she snorted. He grimaced, afraid that she would wipe her nasty fingers on him. "Are you a vampire?"

"Don't be silly. Vampire's aren't rea-" The girl kicked him in the shin and stabbed him with a miniature cross before running away, screaming and yelling. Edward, in pain, groaned and bent over, his shin throbbing and his arm in fire. "What just happened?"

Bella gasped and ran over to Edward, gingerly touching his arm. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Michelle is a little mental in the head. She hates people in general."

"I can tell."

She glanced quickly at Edward before taking a few small hands and leading them to the corner where she had a chair set up for her a few stacks of books.

There weren't just little kids there. Edward recognized a few guys from his school, including Jacob. His arm was around a curly-haired brunette, Reneesmee. She leaned into him, a contented smile on her face. He said something to her and she nodded as they walked away, held in each other's arms like hell itself couldn't pull them apart. He also noticed Bella's longing look as she stared at this couple, her eyes sad and depressed. Her face pulled on a fake smile and she picked up Despereaux.

The reading was nothing like he expected. Her voice changed into the different characters, as smooth as a pebble or a rough as sandpaper. Her gentle way of reading enchanted and invited, making it not hard for Edward to see why so many loved her.

Including him.

At that thought, he snarled at himself. He was Edward Cullen, not Romeo, a status that he gladly denied at more than a few times.

When Bella finished an hour later, most of the children where crying due to emotion. Parents thanked Bella and wrenched screaming children away, begging for more. She was smiling when she found her way back to Edward.

"So, was I really boring?"

His eyes snapped open. "No no! I love the way you read. It's perfect."

A blush spread across her cheeks and she turned away, trying to hide it. "Thanks. I love reading to kids. They're so much easier to talk to because they're not selfish. They'll listen to anything you say with an open heart and take any praise with over enthusiasm. I can't imagine life without them."

"Well, let's take you home then. Do you have a ride home?"

Bella jumped to her feet and Edward followed, picking up her books. "No, I live a block down." After a moment of consideration, she grinned. "Can you walk me home? Yesterday, there was a kidnapping in my neighborhood and I don't want to be alone."

Edward nearly died at that. "What?! You walked here by yoursel-"

"No. I took the bus. I always feel better after a walk, though."

He wasn't about to pass a walk with her and he led the way down the stairs, feeling her stare on his back the whole time.

Bella was right, it was nice outside. Birds chirped happily as a soft breeze caressed the skin. She danced outside, twirling until she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. Edward was about to throw her books on the dirt and help her up when she waved him away and got to her feet. "What comes up must come down. I'll be fine."

Their walk was talkative, mostly on Bella's side though. She talked about random things every once in a while, making Edward suddenly laugh often. In her discussion, he found that she hated the color brown, wished that she had wings and accidentally smooshed her first pet goldfish in a horrible attempt to walk him. When she paused once to breath, Edward threw in a question that had been eating him from the inside.

"Do you wish that you were in a relationship?"

She blinked at him, her mouth half open. That same blush returned and she looked down at her toes as she walked.

"Sort of. Reneesmee, my first cousin, got together with Jacob last week. I'm really happy for her, even though…"

"You liked him," Edward finished painfully. That simple fact cut deeper than any knife.

Bella laughed weakly. "A little. We grew up together and he became sort of my brother. I'm glad that he found his happiness though, and I pray that it lasts."

Edward shook his head slowly. Here she was, crushing on a guy her whole childhood only to find that it was a doomed relationship when her cousin crushed her dreams. That would explain the eye bags, Edward thought, more sad than angry. It seemed to him that she hid so much pain underneath all of that happiness.

Without thinking, he placed the books on the ground and hugged Bella. She stiffened and then relaxed, tears sliding down her cheeks. Reluctantly, she wrapped her thin arms around his shoulders, crying into him. Edward let her cry for the longest time in his life, this tiny broken girl. Even though it crushed him to see her affections thrown uselessly onto another man, it killed him to see her cry. He brushed the tears away but more still poured, all of the cooped up sadness that had been bothering her for the longest time.

Eventually, her sobs quieted down and she pulled away, wiping away her tears. She smiled at him, a true genuine smile, and touched his arm. "Thanks Edward. You're a good friend."

"Anytime." He felt better himself. He was about to pick the books back up when a screech of tires interrupted him.

Two giant thugs stepped out of a red convertible, heading towards a shaken Bella. Edward stepped protectively in front of her, his face twisted in fury and his fists clenching.

"Step aside, buster. Looks like you have a really pretty girlfriend."

"Mind if we borrow?" The thugs chuckled to themselves as they advanced on the two. Edward had no weapon but excelled in many forms of martial arts and self defense. He stepped towards them.

"Leave now before I call the police."

"Edward!" Bella hissed behind him. "Let's make a run for it!"

"They'll kill us!"

The first guy rushed towards Edward, a pocket knife flashing in the sun. He sneered as he dodged out of the way, grabbing Bella before he grabbed her. He snagged his arm and twisted it backwards until it cracked. The man screamed and toppled to the ground.

In the commotion, the other guy had snuck up behind them and grabbed Bella's shoulders. She shrieked and flailed her arms and legs, kicking and scratching with all her might. A few met with skin, but not enough to cause serious injury. The man just grunted and hauled her away.

Frantic, Edward clawed at his thick arms, trying to pull them apart. This man was bigger though and tougher. He just brushed him aside and pulled Bella away. Desperately, he reached down for the closest thing and charged at him.

With a roar, the thug pulled something out of a pocket as Bella screamed. He jammed it into Edward's stomach and pulled back. Edward, staggering, leaned forward and sunk his teeth into the man's arm with as much force as he could muster. Blood spurted into his mouth but he held on, biting until teeth hit bone.

Screaming with Bella, the man threw her onto the ground and flung Edward off. Grabbing, his buddy and shoving him back in the car, he drove away with another screech of tires.

Soaked in blood, Edward gasped and lay down, covering his stomach with a book. Horror-stricken, Bella crawled over to where he was, sobbing loudly.

"Oh god noo. Edward! Please don't die!"

"Bella…"

"You were my best friend in the whole world and I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"Bella!"

"You saved me and… and…" She leaned over him and kissed his lips. He stifled his gasp and sat up.

"Bella, I wasn't stabbed."

She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He threw an arm around her waist, relieved and in pure joy. He would've crawled though hell for her.

"Heh, you taste like blood. It tastes funny."

He chuckled, wiping his mouth and holding up the book that had saved his life. A knife protruded out of Romeo and Juliet, the shield that had saved him from death.

"You were right. Best book of my life." He laughed with her, happy that he hadn't met the same fate as the star-crossed lovers, but happy that it had saved him another chance at love.

THE END!!!

OoO~OoO

Ehehe, inspiration in desperation as uncle Jeb would say. Please tell me if it sucks!! Love you all! I wouldn't write if there was no one to write for!!!!

PPS- Am I the only one that HASN'T seen Twilight?!?!? ARG! I'LL KILL SOMEBODY!!! Eh, was it as bad as everyone says it is? It shouldn't have been THAT terrible. What do you expect from a movie based off of a book?