Chapter 3

I wanted to deny the fact that I was sore and exhausted the next day. Physically, I was sore all over. Emotionally, I was drained completely of the energy I needed to get through the day. I debated whether or not skipping would be a good idea, and quickly decided against it after all of what happened last night.

I'd made the bastard angry.

I'd made my parents angry.

Edward's algebra…

And Alice. I couldn't forget about poor Alice. I couldn't leave her to those idiots while I was being self-centered and lazy lounging at home because I would be choosing to be a coward, again.

So I hopped in the shower, combing through my tangled curls (I really needed to get my hair cut sometime soon) and dressed in some faded jeans and a light grey sweatshirt. I never applied any makeup, seeing as how it wasn't a complete necessity, and let my hair air dry to its natural curls.

I grabbed my bag on the way out and noticed that as I took a look at my wrist watch that I was a little behind schedule this morning. I didn't bother with a coat and bounded out the door.

Boy was it a mistake not to grab a coat. See, I'd forgotten we were in the dead of winter through the hassle of getting ready this morning. I shivered, jumping when a honk sounded from the drive.

I squinted through the morning fog – completely befuddled.

Edward emerged from the fog visibly out of thin – or in this case thick air. I scowled at his dark figure, leaning against his Volvo, his hands in his pockets. He had one foot rested against his front tire. A casual pose. But what I couldn't see even if I squinted my hardest was his expression, and you never knew what emotion lurked in those striking green eyes.

I grumbled to myself under my breath as I cautiously – avoiding ice – made my way down the porch steps. I stopped in front of his murky figure. The fog was thicker than I'd thought.

"Bella," he said lowly once he'd spotted me close.

I tried to remain a few feet away, but a few lopes from his long legs had brought him right in front of my face. I flinched away from his expression.

He showed no mercy in his piercing, dangerous gaze.

"What?" I whispered in response. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, so I avoided using my usual attitude. I was also intending to walk to school, but Mr. Arrogant seemed to have different plans.

He answered me only with silence as we starred meaningfully at each other. I was intent on winning this time. It was always a game to me, these starring matches. Always. Every time, and I think he knew, and took pride in beating me every single time. No, not today, Mr. Arrogant.

No.

No… I sucked in a breath full of air as my eyes stung without the relief of a blink. Still, I starred. He wasn't glaring at me, but there was an edge to his eyes. That dangerous one.

The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile. Finally, he relaxed his features. "Get in the car, Isabella."

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from bursting out in laughter that I had won. Or maybe he let me win. I didn't care. I'd won, either way. A forfeit was a forfeit and I won.

Just keep telling yourself that, Bella, I thought bitterly. You'll never win...

He messed with the radio stations with his long fingers as I got in. He was already seated, seat belt secured.

"Don't call me Isabella, ever," I unintentionally pouted, crossing my arms.

He smirked, but didn't comment. "Where's my algebra?"

I tossed it to the floor from my arms. I didn't care that the book landed down on its spine and the contents of his homework spilled from the pages and that his folder flew wide open and papers scattered all across the car's floor. I was in a particularly bad mood this morning from being sore and exhausted. I'd thought that the walk to school would give me a breath of fresh air, but he had to show up. He had to be the ass that he was. I just never knew I had the capability of hating someone so much.

His already firm grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white with the force. "You'll be picking that up when we get to school," he said through clenched teeth. His anger was seeping through his carefully composed structure he glued together for his school appearance.

Good. Let him be pissed.

"And, don't think that I've forgotten about last night. There's going to be hell to pay for that." He smirked at the thought, and my weak stomach churned. He was just a sick bastard. He deserved something terrible. He was so blessed, and he had to be so mean. It just didn't make sense. His family was so rich and he was so spoiled, but he had to be this way.

My hate for him was other worldly.

My curiosity did at some point kick in as he pulled into the school parking lot. "What kind of Hell are we talking?" I murmured with no hint of emotion, doing well at hiding the curiosity in my tone.

Or so I thought.

He chuckled. "I knew your curiosity would get the better of you." He drummed his fingers across the steering wheel before pulling the key out of the ignition after he pulled into his normal parking space. "Honestly," he said, pointing to the algebra strewn across the floor of his car. I bent to pick it up resentfully, shoving papers into his folder without looking and closing the book, shoving it at him. "I haven't decided yet. But I talked to some buddies of mine last night." He laughed loudly then, as if remembering some inside joke.

I'm not sure why my heart pounded at the sound. It made me sick to my stomach again. It scared me that I wasn't sure why, so I ignored it.

"They offered some pretty nice ideas." He opened his door, getting out and I did the same. He came around, still not finished talking. He shoved me against the hood of the car and I winced as I came in contact with the hard metal. His eyes strayed elsewhere, eyes scanning the parking lot as he bent to murmur in my ear. "I admit that they were pretty cruel, even for me."

"Too cruel for Edward Cullen?" I scoffed.

His eyes flashed to mine. They darkened and I tensed. Why did I always feel the need to go mouthing off like that? He was so close that his nose was not even an inch from mine and his disgusting, delicious-smelling breath was blowing against my dry lips. I resisted the urge to shiver.

"Maybe not," he smirked at me. What a cock. "Probably a little harsh for what you did. It wasn't too terrible. But still, I didn't appreciate it." His eyes flashed with sudden hostility. I shrunk underneath him. "My friends agreed that they didn't like the idea of a nerd making a fool of someone like me."

I huffed in his face, bewildered and completely exhasperated. "I just said you can't come in when you invited yourself in without permission! Jesus!"

I shouldn't have screamed that. A few kids passing by turned to look.

Edward went rigid when they looked to him, then back to me. They had heard.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

A sharp pain crushed my wrists immediately and I was being pushed into an ice patch on the ground. My head cracked against it and I screamed, startled. The pain didn't kick in until I reached up to feel the damage, noticing that blood was running down my forehead. I trembled and looked back up at my pursuer.

Did the kids passing by notice? I panicked as I saw the look in his eyes. He was coming undone. I had released him. The one I feared. Why here? In the parking lot of the school? How, why? No.

It seemed like nobody ever did notice though. But how could they have not heard me scream? Why did they always ignore it? I felt the tears collecting and it took everything in me to keep them contained as a pounding headache suddenly fell from the sky.

I wasn't sure when, but somewhere along the line I must have lost all control and succumbed to unconsciousness.

-

I woke up to find myself strapped embarrassingly to a gurney. I was being hauled into an ambulance. I looked around, finding that the parking lot was thankfully vacant of any of my classmates. I'm pretty sure they could see from the windows of the building though if they wanted. I cringed. The last thing I wanted was any sort of attention being drawn to myself.

"Wait, stop," I told the paramedics who were placing me into the ambulance. They didn't hesitate. "Hey," I called. "Stop. This is completely unnecessary," I said, trying to lift my arms. My brows furrowed as I looked to see they were strapped down to the gurney. I groaned.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you to stay still. Looks like you took a pretty bad spill. A kid standing by said you slipped on some black ice and hit your head pretty hard. Your principal said you were out for a good five minutes."

Slipped? More like pushed. I gritted my teeth.

Where was the idiot anyway? I bet he bailed.

My assumption was confirmed as the doors to the ambulance were sealed. The ride to the hospital was quick and silent, and ever embarrassing. I knew my face must have been twenty shades of red.

"Who got the principal?" I asked curiously.

"Edward Cullen did. He's a fine young man. Doctor Carlisle Cullen's son. He's got that same charm," the lady said admiringly.

I pursed my lips to keep from throwing up everywhere. Metaphorically of course…

"He wanted to come along, but your teachers told him to get back to class." She smiled to me, her eyes appraising me to her approval. "He must like you. He was practically begging to stay by your side."

I blushed unwillingly. He was probably petrified I'd tell them what really happened. After all, he's got a reputation to keep, especially with the adults. I said nothing to her though. I wasn't going to say anything to anyone. I was just that much of a coward. And plus, wouldn't it be sort of silly to bring attention to myself when that's the last thing on earth I would ever want? I tried to avoid situations that involved people at any cost. If I chose to tell, it would start a whole bunch of crap that I just did not feel like dealing with. I was more content with doing Edward's algebra and buying his lunch and being bullied.

The ambulance came to a stop then, and they lowered me out. I sealed my eyes shut so I wouldn't have to watch the people stare as they brought me in. I was already embarrassed enough.

I was strolled to the ER, blushing so badly that my face felt like it would get sun burnt from the heat.

A tall, honey-blonde haired man came in after the nurses left, and he was smiling generously. He had the same cool green eyes, but his held a kindness I'd never seen in Edward's. He was just as handsome, too.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Cullen," he said, coming forward, his cool hands brushing my locks aside so he could examine the place on the side of my head that bashed against the ice. I winced as his fingers brushed across the sensitive spot.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly. "There's blood. We should probably take an x-ray, just to be safe." He said, writing something down on a clipboard. "Your father is outside in the waiting room, I'll go let him know you're all right."

I sighed and thanked him. He nodded, smiling again before he left.

I rested my head carefully against the back of the bed they'd placed me in, sighing deeply. I hoped that Charlie wouldn't freak out on me once we got home. He was one of the reasons I hated attention. Any attention that was brought on me was brought on them and they preferred to keep the pitiful lives they led private. I'd already suffered enough humiliation today anyway; I didn't need to deal with my mother's unnecessary worries or Charlie's fury. It would just add to the list of things I'd rather not deal with, at least not for the time being.

I drummed my fingers across the bed as I held my breath and waited for Doctor Cullen to return. He did eventually, and I was escorted to the x-ray room by another nurse. It turned out that I had a minor concussion, but it wasn't anything serious and I was allowed to go home with Charlie.

I frowned as Charlie met me in the waiting room. Instead of looking grateful I was all right like most parents would, he looked thoroughly pissed off.

I groaned as my father escorted me from the hospital. It wasn't going to be the best night of my life tonight.


Sorry, I had to cut it short here.

Minor writer's block. :P

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