The Desire Box
Chapter 4: New Student
Bella crunched on a spoonful of Cheerios. She has been home for three days now. Edward had to go to town for some groceries, after much persuasion. He refused to leave Bella home by herself and when Bella said she would go, he insisted that she stay home because she was still 'ill.' It still bugged Bella that she was lying to Edward, but she didn't have the guts to face Lauren yet. Bella stuck her tongue out at her reflection on the spoon. She hated being so weak.
"Bella!" Edward sang happily as he walked into the kitchen.
"Oh, hey," she greeted taking another bit of Cheerios.
"How are you feeling?" Edward asked, placing the two bags of groceries on the table. He also had a bag full of clothes he bought for himself, using Bella's allowance money.
"Better," Bella replied staring out the window. "I think I can go to school tomorrow."
"Fantastic... I mean, oh, that's cool," Edward said, looking oddly nervous.
Bella decided not to pry, so she shrugged it off.
"I better go finish my homework and rest for-" she swallowed. "-tomorrow."
"Okay. Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," Edward cooed, smiling down at Bella.
---
The next day, Edward told Bella he had forgotten something at the store and left to pick it up. Her morning was slow without Edward there to make it interesting. She gripped the shoulder strap of her backpack, turning her knuckles white. She had left early, not wanting to say in the stale house by herself. Bella was in deep thought and didn't realize that her feet subconsciously took her to where Madam Sulleman's Fortune Store once was. She glanced up and blinked a few times. Is this where that gypsy's place was? She asked herself. She looked at the familiar barbershop to the left and the same apartment building to the right. It is! What happened to it? It's gone! The feeling scared her and with one last glance at the dilapidated building, she headed to school, oblivious to the surprise she will receive there.
Bella saw the front of Forks high and sighed to herself. Gripping the books closer to her slim body, she walked through the doors ready for anything or at least that's what she thought. She went to her locker and noticed the unoccupied one next to it was now occupied. New kid. The new kid slammed his locker closed and leaned on it, staring at Bella. Bella grew impatient, knowing his eyes watched her every move.
She turned to the new kid. "Hey, are you are going to…" Her voiced trailed off as she saw his face.
"Hi Bella!"
"Edward, what in the world are you doing in my school?"
"I'm Forks High's newest student!"
"You're what?"
"I'm For-"
"I got that part, but why?" Bella interrupted.
"I wanted to protect you from that Mike guy. I don't like him," Edward growled. "And, plus, staying home alone is boring and I get to be with you twenty-four seven!"
"Oh great, I have to deal with you here and at home. Joy."
"Ouch. Stab to the heart!" Edward said dramatically, placing a hand over his wounded heart.
"Eh, get over it."
"Okay!"
Bella rolled her eyes. "That was fast." Edward only smiled.
---
"Oh, look at him," a passing girl whispered to her posse. "How handsome is he?"
Edward smiled.
"Oh, but the girl next to him is an eye sore," another one whispered.
Bella frowned. "I was nobody before you came, now I'm an eye sore," she whispered harshly to Edward.
"Oh don't listen to those girls. They're jealous," Edward said, draping an arm over her shoulder. She shrugged it off again.
"Would you stop?"
"No."
Bella growled, not wanting to start an argument, especially in public. "Good thing class is over for today and tomorrow is Saturday!"
Edward nodded. "Um..."
"What?"
"That box in your room," he said, hesitantly.
"What about it?"
"Is that how-" he lowered his voice, "-I got here?"
"How do you-?"
"I don't know how to explain it," Edward started. "I just have a feeling about it, I guess you could say."
"Oh. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering."
Edward suddenly took a sharp intake of breath. Bella curiously looked up at him. "What is that?"
"What's what?" Bella asked, following Edward's gaze. "Oh, are you looking at that sign for the annual town fair this weekend?"
"Town's fair what?"
"What?" Bella gave Edward an odd look.
"You said the town was fair. Fair about what?" Edward asked, stopping to look at the flyer.
Bella giggled. "Not that kind of fair."
"There is more then one type?" Edward asked, astonished.
"Just call it an amusement park," Bella said, shaking her head slightly. "I can't believe you have never been to one."
"A park of amusement. Sounds fun... Can we go? Please," Edward begged.
"Eh, I'll think about it," Bella said.
"Yes!" Edward jumped, thrusting a fist into the air. Bella smiled at him. How can that seventeen year old act so childish?
Bella and Edward reached the driveway and Bella noticed a familiar car parked in the driveway. Oh no, Mom and Dad are back early! Bella thought.
"Has that always been there?" Edward asked curiously, pointing to the car.
"No! It's my parents!" Bella exclaimed. "You're going to have to sneak in through the back, go to my room. My parents have no idea about you!"
Edward nodded and hurried to the back, while Bella entered through the front door.
"Mom? Dad?"
"Oh! Bella-dear! In the kitchen," her mother called. Bella hurried into the cooking area.
"How was your trip?"
Bella's mother, Renée Swan, smiled at her daughter. "Oh, bonjour," she mused, "Paris was magnifiques and we finished our business early. How was your stay here? Any troubles?" Bella looked up at her breath-taking mother. Her long chocolate hair fluttered on her back, her dark brown eyes curiously watched her daughter.
"No, Mom, everything is and was great," Bella responded. "Where's Dad?"
"In the bedroom packing."
"What? Why?"
"We have to leave to Chicago tomorrow," Renée declared. "You know Mr. Crosse; he loves to be on top of things." Mr. Crosse was Bella's parent's stingy, old boss. Bella never liked him and she has only met him once, seeing that he hate kids. The only thing Bella remembers about him was his aroma: smelt like cigars and rotten cabbage. How, Bella wondered, my parents could work for him is a mystery to me.
"Oh," Bella sighed. "Alright." She quickly grabbed some food Edward enjoys and hurried upstairs. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Bella wished that her parents would stay. She missed them so much, but they seemed to always want to work. What right does Bella have to take that way from them? Bella opened the door to her bedroom and saw Edward sitting on her bed.
"Great you're here. It was getting... Hey, what's wrong?" He stood up and hugged her. Bella tried with all her might to hold back the tears, but they won and freely fell down her rosy cheeks. "Sh," Edward cooed, "Everything's okay."
"I'm just-" she hiccupped, "-going to miss my parents when they leave again."
"They'll come back soon," Edward said, trying to comfort her. She nodded into his chest.
"Yeah."
"Don't worry; I'll always, always be here no matter what!" Edward vowed, squeezing Bella tighter.
Bella nodded again.
"Even if I have to beat Mike up with an umbrella," Edward joked, leaning his cheek on the top of her head.
Bella choked out a laugh. "Thank you," she whispered, closing her eyes.
"My pleasure," Edward replied, quietly. Edward laid Bella on her bed and kissed her cheek. "My princess." Edward hid in the closet that night, not wanting to be discovered by Bella's parents.
---
"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Bella waved to her parents as they backed out of the driveway. "Be safe!"
"Alright! You too, dear, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!" her father, Charlie, called. The wind blew through the open car window messing with his curly brown locks. His crystal eyes locked with Bella's. "I mean it." Bella nodded her head, giving him a thumbs up.
"Bye. Love you!" Renée called, head sticking out the passenger window.
Bella smiled. "Love you too!"
Within a minute, Bella's parents were out of sight. She sighed to herself. Gone again, but I have Edward now! She walked back inside to see Edward sitting on the couch.
"So what are we going to do?" Bella asked, plopping down next to him.
"The amusement park!"
"Not now."
"Tomorrow?"
"Maybe," Bella said, thoughtfully.
"Yippy!" Edward cheered.
"Wow, that was the most childish thing I have heard you say so far and that's saying something," Bella laughed.
Edward smiled, knowing that he could make her happy.
-EC4prez