CHAPTER EIGHT

"You're not seriously going to do this, are you?" Emmett asked as we pulled into the school's parking lot.

I huffed in displeasure. "I'm not having this discussion again."

"We're only concerned for you, Edward," Alice sighed. "No need to get snappy."

I didn't appreciate her accusation that I was the one being snappy about the situation, but I wasn't in the mood to argue about it anymore. I had spent most of the morning quarrelling with my family about my decision and the potential dangers of the situation I was going to put myself in. I knew them all, as I had warred with myself all night, so I found it immensely aggravating that they felt the need to remind me of the risks I was taking.

It took me but a few seconds to glance around at the other cars and realize that Bella hadn't arrived at school yet. My family climbed out of the car and quickly started for the school, trying to avoid the rain, before they noticed I wasn't following them. One by one they turned around to cast worried looks at me.

Aren't you coming in?

Don't do this, Edward.

Are you sure you can resist?

Don't let it go too far.

I shook my head at them. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine once I talk to Bella."

Four sets of eyes looked as if they didn't believe me before turning away and leaving me alone to wait for my date with destiny. I was glad for the solitude of the moment. It was the first time since I returned to the house last night that I hadn't had warning thoughts shouted at me. Now all that surrounded me were the trivial inner ramblings of children and the wet splatter of rain.

My attention was immediately drawn to the familiar red truck approaching the school. It passed my car and didn't come to a stop until it reached the other end of the parking lot. I chuckled to myself at Bella's obvious attempt to put as much distance between the two of us as possible. She was probably still angry with me for preventing her from escaping from Tyler yesterday. She would get over it, though.

I walked up behind her, taking in the gentle way her hair fell down her back. A breeze carried her delicious scent to my nostrils and I inhaled slowly. She clumsily dropped her keys into a puddle, scowling. She was completely unaware I was even close to her. Making my presence known, I retrieved the keys and leaned against her vehicle.

She jumped. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked, dropping the keys into her outstretched palm.

"Appear out of thin air."

"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant."

She grimaced at me and then suddenly glanced down at the pavement. "Why the traffic jam last night? I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death."

I found the comment slightly discomforting, but laughed nonetheless. "That was for Tyler's sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance."

"You…" Her mouth went wide as she choked on the vile word caught in her throat. Her face was turning red with anger and I could feel the heat from her body even at this distance.

"And I'm not pretending you don't exist." Not anymore, at least.

"So, you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler's van didn't do the job?"

I glared at her, distressed by her repeated suggestion that I wanted her dead. If only she knew the truth. "Bella, you are utterly absurd."

With clenched fists and a face displaying her fury, she spun on her heel and stalked away from me seething. I hadn't meant for this to go badly. She wasn't supposed to be angry with me now that I was a willing participant in her survival. It wouldn't do for her to be angry with me if I had any chance of convincing her to allow me to escort her on her trip.

"Wait," I called out, easily catching up to her and falling in step with her small stride. "I'm sorry, that was rude." She maintained her silence, ignoring me. "I'm not saying it wasn't true, but it was rude to say it, anyway."

"Why won't you leave me alone," she grumbled in reply.

"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me." I laughed at the very idea that Bella, and only Bella, had the ability to make me lose my train of thought, thanks to the fact that I couldn't hear her thoughts to know what was coming next.

"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?" Her voice was harsh and her body rigid.

"You're doing it again," I accused.

She expelled her breath and again my senses were inflamed. "Fine then. What do you want to ask?"

"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday — you know, the day of the spring dance - "

She rounded on me so fast that even I was a bit startled by the movement. "Are you trying to be funny?" Her face contorted with so much anger as she looked up at me I very nearly laughed.

"Will you please allow me to finish?"

In a pointed display of being forced to impatiently wait for me to continue, Bella huffed and clasped her hands together.

She was beautiful when she was angry.

"I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride."

She blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Do you want a ride to Seattle," I repeated simply.

"With who?"

"Myself, obviously." I articulated the word slowly to make sure she hadn't missed the meaning again.

She made a face of total confusion…or was it disgust? I wasn't certain. "Why?"

"Well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if your truck can make it." I had come up with the excuse early that morning when Jasper pointed out how Bella would never believe I just wanted to escort her with no ulterior motives.

But she wasn't convinced. "My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern." She walked away from me, still angry.

"But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?" I persisted, matching her steady gait.

"I don't see how that is any of your business."

"The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business."

"Honestly, Edward," I nearly gasped at the sound of my name coming from her lips again, reminding me how very much I enjoyed hearing it last night. "I can't keep up with you. I thought you didn't want to be my friend."

"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be," I corrected.

"Oh, thanks, now that's all cleared up." The sarcasm was dripping from her voice.

We stopped under the canopy of the cafeteria where the rain couldn't hit us and she looked up at me with those deep, chocolate eyes that so captivated me. "It would be more… prudent," I stressed once I'd found the most appropriate word, "for you not to be my friend. But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella."

Her eyes lingered on mine, boring deep into my soul. Her face softened as a glorious blush rose to her cheeks. I could stare at that face forever.

"Will you go with me to Seattle?" I asked softly.

Hesitantly, she nodded her reply. A surprising warmth spread in my chest upon seeing that nod, but the lingering blush on her face reminded me how very human she was. "You really should stay away from me," I stated. Not trusting myself to stay with her longer than necessary just yet, I finished the conversation by saying how I would see her in class and then turning around and forcing my feet to carry me away from her.

I traveled the halls of the school hoping to find some sort of distraction from how affected I was by Bella's subtle reactions. I had a few hours before I would see her again and I needed to use that time to clear my thoughts and ready myself to sit close to her for an entire hour. It would be tricky, but deep in my soul I longed for it.

I was lost in my thoughts, about to enter my first period class room when Emmett broadsided me and pulled me around the corner to a more secluded area. His voice was loud in my mind.

Don't go down the biology hallway. Stay away from there at all costs.

"Emmett, I'm not having this discussion with you again. I told you that - "

They're blood testing today.

I stilled, uncertain I had heard his thoughts correctly. "What?"

Blood tests. "Just a finger prick, but still…" Open blood.

"You're certain?"

"They're having a blood drive next weekend in Port Angeles. So, today they're doing the blood testing in case someone wants to donate."

I swore under my breath. Just the thing to add to an already complicated situation. Open blood… no matter how small the wound, I knew I wouldn't be able to handle sitting in a closed room with twenty odd bleeding fingers — one of which would be Bella's. The temptation to taste would be too great.

You can't go to biology today.

"I know that, Emmett. Thank you very much."

"Well, you looked as if you were trying to decide what to do."

"I am," I admitted.

"But Edward - "

"I'm not going to risk it, so you don't have to bother with convincing me to stay away."

"We're all planning to ditch class," he explained. "Jasper wanted to go home right now and avoid the situation all together, but Alice wouldn't let him."

"Good for her."

"So then… you're going to ditch as well."

"I don't see how I have much of a choice. I worry though…" I let the sentence go unfinished, not wanting to put my feelings towards Bella out for examination again.

"You can't see her today, Edward," Emmett declared as if he could hear my thoughts. "I know you want to, but you can't."

I eyed him with determination. "You want to bet? If I don't see her, she'll think I'm angry with her again. I just managed to make a little progress and I'm not going to let that go to waste."

Emmett sighed, his eyes forming slits. I don't believe you. You can't just ignore —

"Lunch," I said, stopping him mid-thought. "I'll talk to her at lunch. That way I can tell her I'm skipping class and she'll know that it has nothing to do with her."

Even though it has everything to do with her.

I smirked at him, but didn't comment. "We'd better get to class."

He nodded and left me alone with my thoughts, again. It was a good thing we had classes apart from one another, for it would certainly look suspicious if we all decided to ditch at the same time. It was difficult enough having reasonable explanations for where we were on sunny days. But if we had biology all together and left four empty seats when we had been at school all day, someone would be bound to ask why. It was for possibilities like this that Carlisle insisted we take separate classes.

Rosalie didn't like it, for she never wanted to be left alone in a group of humans without a member of the family. Jasper was the same way, but for different reasons. Rosalie, was always worried that she would draw too much attention and that someone would grow curious enough to approach her about it. As much as she liked attention, she didn't enjoy speculation over what made her different. If she could have her way, she would be human again in a heartbeat. Jasper, on the other hand, simply didn't trust himself enough yet. He lived by our rules for Alice, but he didn't necessarily have any trouble drinking human blood. He'd grown up surviving on humans, and he would do it again if he were given no other choice.

I struggled through the school day, not because of the blood testing, but because it seemed to me that time was going very slowly. I longed for the opportunity to see Bella again, hear the soft melody of her voice, see the lovely tint of her skin, inhale the lush fragrance of her blood. After having been denied it for so long, knowing that I had a chance to be in her presence again stirred something deep within me. Lunch couldn't come fast enough. I found myself laughing at the irony of the thought.

Once lunch did arrive, I took a seat at the opposite end of the cafeteria away from my family. Rosalie shot daggers at me, but I could hear Emmett's mind as he tried to soothe her anger. Alice had apparently already worked her magic on Jasper, as I didn't hear many hateful comments from his mind, only words of caution. I made a mental note to thank Alice for helping me out, even if her motives may have been suspicious.

My senses alerted me to Bella's presence the moment she entered the lunchroom. Her eyes fell on my usual table, and I felt a thrill from the look of disappointment on her face once she realized I wasn't there. She was looking for me. How gratifying it was to know that she wanted to see me. I willed her eyes to search for me on the other side of the room, but her with regretful eyes she blindly followed Jessica through the line and over to her seat.

I very nearly shouted at her to look up at me, but I knew that it would only draw more unwanted attention. Since my mental powers thus far had proved to be useless on Bella, I turned my attention to Jessica and sent a silent command for her to notice me. She did. It was almost too easy.

Edward Cullen is staring at us… no… at Bella. BELLA?!?!

And he's alone? Why isn't he with his family?

Bella's eyes met mine in a flash. Beautiful. Not wanting her to be confused about my wishes, I wiggled my index finger at her, suggesting that she come and join me at my table. The surprise on her face was intoxicating.

No way. He doesn't mean you, does he?

Biology homework, my foot! He wants something. Oh, wow.

Her footsteps were soft as she tentatively approached the table and stopped behind the chair opposite from mine. Her face held so many questions and it pained me that I couldn't hear them so that I might ease her discomfort. Instead, I offered her a seat.

"Why don't you sit with me today?"

To my surprise, she sat down without arguing with me. I was almost disappointed, as I had some very good comments to counter whatever objections she might have had. As it was, she just watched me with open curiosity. Her eyes lingered on my face, and I offered her a smile.

"This is different," she said after a moment's pause.

"Well," I sighed, "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

It was the honest truth, and yet she squinted at me in disbelief. "You know I don't have any idea what you mean."

"I know," and it was a good thing, too. For if she did have an idea, I'm sure she would run away from me in an instant. Maybe she should run away from me.

From the corner of my mind I heard the distant comments of Mike and Jessica.

Why is she with Cullen?

I don't know either. I would be so nervous.

I don't like it. She shouldn't be with him.

I wish Mike would pay that kind of attention to me rather than to Bella.

"I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you," I informed her.

"They'll survive." She very nearly turned around to look at them, but I held her eyes locked with mine.

"I may not give you back, though." Even though I meant for the comment to sound like a tease, Bella undoubtedly heard the honesty behind my words and visibly swallowed, hard. "You look worried," I laughed.

"No," she squeaked. "Surprised, actually… what brought all this on?"

She still didn't believe me. "I told you — I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up."

"Giving up?" she echoed.

"Yes — giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now, and let the chips fall where they may." Fate be damned.

"You lost me again."

Oh, how she made me smile. "I always say too much when I'm talking to you — that's one of the problems."

"Don't worry — I don't understand any of it."

"I'm counting on that."

"So, in plain English, are we friends now?" There was uncertainty to her voice that I could only hope meant she wanted to be more than friends. But then, I was probably hearing what I wanted to hear, rather than the truth. I would never know as long as I couldn't access her mind.

"Friends…" I said with a slow hiss, ruminating over the word.

"Or not," she mumbled under her breath.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth again. I found it impossible to resist smiling at her fully, regardless of the uncertainty of the conversation. "Well, we can try, I suppose. But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you."

I noticed that she shivered slightly and her skin paled. "You say that a lot."

"Yes, because you're not listening to me. I'm still waiting for you to believe it. If you're smart you'll avoid me." But I knew that she wouldn't be able to. If she so much as tried, I could easily coax her back into my life. I had started down a path from which there was no turning back.

Apparently, I had said the wrong thing again, for Bella's eyes turned to slits as she bit out, "I think you've made your opinion on the subject of my intellect clear, too."

I could only smile, yet again, in contrition.

"So, as long as I'm being… not smart, we'll try to be friends?" She made the most delightful face as she tried to work out the details of our conversation.

"That sounds about right."

Her eyes fell to the lemonade bottle in her hands. Her lips were pursed and I knew, I just knew, she was trying to think it all through. I couldn't hold back the question from escaping me. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm trying to figure out what you are."

Once again, she caught me off guard for that wasn't what I assumed she was thinking about. "Are you having any luck with that?" I hoped she would say no and was more than slightly relieved when she confirmed that she hadn't. "What are your theories?"

The blood rushed to her cheeks bringing the most charming tint of pink to her skin. Her teeth bit down on her luscious, pouty bottom lip and very nearly sent my head spinning as I imagined what it would feel like to have her lips between my own teeth.

I forced the thought from my head.

"Won't you tell me," I pleaded.

She shook her head no, sending her scent wafting through the air. "Too embarrassing."

"That's really frustrating, you know," I grumbled.

"No, I can't imagine why that would be frustrating at all." The heavy sarcasm was back, as was the narrow look. "Just because someone refuses to tell you what they're thinking, even if all the while they're making cryptic little remarks specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now why would that be frustrating?"

My breath hitched at the mention that she couldn't sleep for thinking of me.

"Or better," she continued bravely, all inhibitions slipping away with the release of her animosity, "say that person also did a wide range of bizarre things — from saving your life under impossible circumstances one day to treating you like a pariah the next, and he never explained any of that, either, even after he promised. That, also, would be very non-frustrating."

Was it mad of me to find her even more attractive when she was angry? The way her blood pumped through her veins was mesmerizing. "You've got a bit of a temper, don't you?" I observed.

"I don't like double standards."

Our eyes locked as I tried to surmise her true feelings for me. I reached out with my mind, desperate to touch hers, but again was met with a blank. The only mind I was able to pick up on clearly came from the direction of Bella's normal table.

He's bothering her. She's mad at him, I can tell. Maybe I should go over there and tell Bella to come back and sit with us. I wonder what Cullen would do.

What would I do? I dare you to come and find out.

"What?" Bella asked.

"Your boyfriend seems to think I'm being unpleasant to you — he's debating whether or not to come break up our fight." It was laughable that he would even think such a thing.

"I don't know who you're talking about, but I'm sure you're wrong, anyway." Her voice was cold, but the heat rose in her body.

"I'm not. I told you. Most people are easy to read."

"Except me, of course."

"Yes, except you." I considered her for a moment, wondering if she knew at all the struggle it was for me to manage a coherent conversation with her. Perhaps that's why we had a tendency to argue. I didn't quite comprehend her words as well as I could. It left me baffled. "I wonder why that is."

She pulled her eyes away from mine and took a drink of her lemonade. For the first time since she joined me, I noticed she hadn't brought any food over with her. "Aren't you hungry?" I asked out of concern.

"No. You?"

"No, I'm not hungry." Oh, the irony of the question! The prey asking the hunter if the target was ready to be hit. Immediately, I scolded myself for referring to her in such a way.

"Could you do me a favor?" she hesitated.

I was cautious to say yes, even though I knew I would do anything she asked of me, even if it was to stay away. "That depends on what you want."

"I just wondered… if you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good. Just so I'm prepared."

I fought back a laugh and said, "That sounds fair."

"Thanks," she replied.

But she had opened the door and I simply couldn't resist taking the invitation. "Then can I have one answer in return?"

"One."

"Tell me one theory." From the wide-eyed expression on her face, I must have taken her by surprise with my question, but I simply had to know.

"Not that one."

"You didn't qualify," I countered, "you just promised one answer."

"And you've broken promises yourself." She was trying to distract me again by changing the focus of the discussion. It wouldn't work.

"Just one theory — I won't laugh."

"Yes you will."

She was right; I probably would laugh, as I sincerely doubted she could ever work out the truth. I gazed at her, willing her to tell me, but when no response came I resorted to begging. I leaned in close to her and muttered a simple, "Please?"

She blinked, appearing to be in a daze of some sort. "Er, what?"

The charm must have worked somewhat this time. Not wanting there to be any further confusion, I articulated my request very slowly. "Please tell me just one little theory."

"Um, well, bitten by a radioactive spider?" She stammered out her far-fetched conclusion.

I had to admit, it was a first, even if it wasn't very original. "That's not very creative."

She scowled a bit. "I'm sorry, that's all I've got."

"You're not even close." Thank God.

"No spiders?"

"Nope."

"And no radioactivity?"

"None."

"Dang." She looked slightly disappointed.

"Kryptonite doesn't bother me, either," I finished, unable to get in one last tease.

"You're not supposed to laugh, remember?"

I forced my face into a solemn expression, but found that the struggle was unnecessary when I heard her next comment.

"I'll figure it out eventually."

All humor was set aside at her warning. "I wish you wouldn't try."

"Because…?"

"What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?" Even though I was being as honest as I could with her, I tried to maintain a smile.

"Oh, I see."

I could see the wheels turning in her head, and I grew fearful that she very well did see. "Do you?" I asked, wishing with all my might that I could know what was going through that lovely head of hers.

"You're dangerous?" she asked, as if she were working out the full measure of all my comments leading up to this moment. I forced my body to remain still and not give away how nervous I was that she might reach an unwanted conclusion.

"But not bad," she resolved, her voice no more than a whisper. "No, I don't believe that you're bad."

"You're wrong." I swiped the bottle top from her and began spinning it on the table as a distraction. I was bad. I was very bad for being drawn to her. It was wrong of me to desire her the way I did. Even talking to her could be considered as breaking the rules. But I couldn't just give up now. I had to protect her. I cared for her too much to see her injured in any way. But how would I ever protect her from myself?

Suddenly, she jumped to her feet. "We're going to be late."

I almost forgot we were in school; I was so distracted by her presence. "I'm not going to class today."

"Why not?"

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then." And the Devil only knows what I would do to you if I came that close to your blood.

"Well, I'm going." She said it, but she didn't make any motion to prove it.

"I'll see you later, then," I promised, letting it be known that I desired further contact with her.

She stood still, waiting for something and just watching me. It was maddening that I couldn't know her thoughts. She didn't move until the sound of the bell snapped her from her unidentified thoughts and she ran from the lunchroom.