This is just a bit of Bethany and Mike fluff. Its cute. And the lovely Elephantian wrote a sisterstory to this called Bitten Edward GO READ IT!! RIGHT NOW!! THEN COME BACK AND READ THIS!!

Leelo77: Hah, thanks. Yes, I'm updating, right now!

KatreinB: You'll See!!!!!

Elephantian: You're amazing and I love you. I say that every chapter but its true!!

alwayssmile877: hah, thanks for not bugging me about the fangs. I'm glad you're into it; I try really hard to keep my readers reading.

Love me some Edward: You'll see.

Sweetly Sarcastic: Glad you liked that line! It's one of my personal favorites, too!

Edward Lover for Life: Well, first off, I'm glad you like it. I'm sure Edward wouldn't have told Bethany, but she guessed. And any man (Even a vampire man) would have to prove himself if a girl told him he was wrong!

Snaps for whoever gets where the chapter title is from. Enjoy!

Chapter Four: Love and Fear

For the next few days I avoid Edward Cullen like the plague, which seems to make Mike very happy.

"Close your eyes!" Mike whispers. It's our one-month anniversary, which I keep trying to tell Mike is no big deal, but he doesn't want to listen. All the times I have told him not to get me anything must have formed into assorted bills. Which in turn have gone into buying me a gift. Go figure.

"Why do you do this to me Mike?" I sigh, "I told you not to get me anything!" He knows I don't want anything, but I guess he will use any excuse to make me feel like a princess.

"You are my gift." he says smugly. I make a disgusted face he laughs. Mike swiftly leans foreword and places a quick kiss on my forehead. I open my mouth to protest but he just looks at me and I shut it again.

"Now close your eyes" I sigh and do as commanded. I don't wait for more than a second before he speaks again

"Ok, you can look!"

Mike's lips stretch into a huge smile. In his hand is a tiny black box. He opens the lid and I gasp. Inside is the most beautiful necklace I've ever seen, but its beauty mostly comes from the fact that the boy I'm head over heals for bought it for me.

A single white-gold heart with a small diamond at the bottom hangs crooked from a delicate silver chain.

Mike!" I cry, sounding like one of the women from the Soap Operas my mother watches, "It's gorgeous!" I run up and hug him around the neck. "I just hope you didn't spend too much on me."

"Never too much" he whispers in my ear, "Hold your hair up, I want to see how it looks on you."

It takes him a few tries, but eventually he clasps the necklace around my neck. He stands back to admire his gift.

"Beautiful." He says smiling.

"What?" I twist the chain around my fingers, "The necklace or me?"

"Both."

I giggle. Ugh, I'm such a sap! He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into him.

"Happy one-month anniversary." He sings

"You're horrible, I hope you know that." I mumble into his chest

"Just doing my job." He walks me to my next class, kissing me on the cheek before leaving. I blush vibrant red and keep my head down. I hate it when he does that!

I walk into the science room and take my seat.

"It says that Bethany and Edward didn't finish the experiment." The new sub says, squinting at the sheet of paper in front of him. "Who are Bethany and Edward?"

I stand up, dejected.

"Yeah, that's us" I mumble. I walk slowly to the lab, trying to keep my heart rate steady.

Edward sits across the table. I keep my eyes on the test tube in front of me, fingering the heart around my neck. We don't talk, except to tell each other measurements. My throat is tight and I'm having a very hard time trying to keep myself from crying.

Edward looks up, asking me if I'm alright. I don't answer, attempting to keep a lid on the hysteria that is currently threatening my grade in both Math and Science. I didn't lie to him when I told him he doesn't scare me. Because he doesn't, he terrifies me.

"You're easily frightened," He looks at me sadly, like he just read my thoughts. Wait… Vampires can't read minds, can they?

"Well not all of them" he answers, measuring the temperature of the water in the beaker, "but I can."

I can feel the color drain from my face. The fear builds up in my chest. You can hear everything I think? I don't bother saying it out loud. People are already beginning to think I'm insane.

He nods "Only when I'm listening." His voice is barely a whisper, which creeps me out even further.

And how often is that? My hands are shaking so much I can barely hold the test tube.

"Eh, it depends on the day. I listen to you mostly when you're drawing or daydreaming," He looks up, as though trying to remember some of the things I've thought, "You have the most interesting way of looking at the world."

I begin to feel sick again. Holding my head in my hands I mumble an assortment of profanities.

"Don't be embarrassed!" he chuckles, "It's not like you don't vocalize most of your thoughts anyways."

If looks could kill Edward Cullen would be a pile of ash at my feet.

"How far away do I have to be before you're not to be able to read my thoughts anymore?" I hiss quietly. My heart begins racing faster. I'm not sure it's such a good idea to snap at a vampire.

He smiles smugly "About four miles. Give or take."

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

I spend the rest of science class trying to keep my self from having an anxiety attack and staying thought free. This is an extremely difficult task, especially when you're thinking about not thinking. Every once in a while my mind begins to wander, and I can feel Edward probing my brain. I think about going to the bathroom to try and get a little privacy, but then I remember he would still hear me.

I am relieved once class is finally over. I rush out of the room, leaving Edward to clean up the lab. Eh, he'll survive. I rush out of the school to find Mike leaning against my silver Impala.

"Hey, babe." He smiles, and pops his collar.

"Oh, aren't you hot." I mumble glumly, not in the mood for any of Mike's absurdity right now.

He immediately stops and grabs my hand.

"What's the matter?" He asks, tilting my chin up so I'm looking into his eyes.

I look away, fumbling with my keys.

"I wanna go home." I sniff. As much as I hate crying in front of people, I can't help it now. Fear is eating me from the inside out, beginning with my sanity. He looks at me for a second, then smiles.

"Okay, I'll meet you at your house."

Either everyone decided to walk home today, or I am paying more attention to the road then I think I am. Because I make it to my street without a scratch. I pull up into the driveway and sit, unable to unbuckle myself, let alone actually get out of the car and walk to the front door.

I hear a car door slam behind me. Mike runs up to my window to find a trembling mass of flesh where his girlfriend sat a moment ago.

"You okay, honey?" he asks, helping me out of my car.

I shake my head. "I don't feel so good" I lie. "I think I may be getting sick."

"Let's hope you aren't getting what I had" he says, helping me into the house.

"Hey Mrs. Johnson, Bethany says she's not feeling too good. So is it okay if I stay here a while to make her comfortable?"

My mom likes Mike more than she liked any of my other boyfriends. Probably because he's the most civil.

"Of course you can!" She smiles "What's wrong, Angel-face?"

My mom insists on asking me this whenever I feel ill. She seems to think that by asking me this she can actually do something to help.

"Head, stomach, chills, the works." I mumble. Leaning on Mike

"Go up to your room and sleep," she advises.

"On my way." I'm not much of a talker when I'm going insane.

Mike puts me on his back and carries me up the stairs and into my room.

"Your so small!" he says, jumping a bit to make sure I don't slip off.

I don't bother arguing that fact. I think 5' 2" is a perfect height, but some people seem to think that makes me very small.

He sits me on my bed and pulls the blankets over my trembling body. I can't help it; fat tears begin rolling down my cheeks. I shiver, despite the warmth of his hands on my face. I

"What's wrong with you today?" He laughs, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "Don't tell me its 'that time of the month' again."

I shake my head and almost smile.

"No, nothing like that. I've just felt pretty gross all day. I'm sorry we can't go out to dinner like you planned." I roll onto my side and rest my head on Mike's chest, listening to his heart beat. My favorite sound in the world.

"Well, we're still spending time together aren't we?" he asks, kissing me softly on the lips. I am okay with it now, because no one can see us. Unless, of course, Edward is slithering his way into my privet moments too.

"You're bed is huge!" Mike muses. I look at him and laugh, but nothing really comes out

"You look exhausted." He says, stroking my hair. "Take a nap. You'll probably feel better when you wake up."

I close my eyes and relax. The fear of being eaten by Edward still gnawing at the edges of my mind. I didn't ever realize I had fallen asleep until Mike wakes me up.

"Mmm, what?" I mumble, opening my eyes wearily.

"Dinner time." He answers, helping me out of my bed.

My mother made me a bowl of cambells chicken noodle soup, and ordered a pizza for her and Mike. I eat slowly, enjoying the way the soup feels in my empty stomach. Mike leaves after dinner, kissing me goodbye right in front of my mother. So now I'm alone, with nothing to distract me from Edward, again.