Part Ten:

"I know you're lying."

"Well, I did learn from the master."

- Noah, Claire (Building 26)

"Claaaaaaaiiirrrrreee! Huuuuurrry uppppp!"

I chose to ignore my brother's ceaseless whining. Thank God for bathrooms with actual locks or I'm sure he would have come bursting in here already not caring if I was decent or not, which I was by the way but that was hardly the point.

"Stop you're primping! You've been in there foreverrrrrrrrrrr!"

Lyle starts banging on the door. Ability or no I was pretty sure I could feel a headache coming on. My, the kid has quite the pair of lungs. Someday I'd have to get him and Jessica in the same room.

"Lyle, could you shut up for like a minute!" I rub my temples. Seriously, when he is in here he practically sets up camp. It is not like he needs that much time he is only a teenage boy who…. Never mind, I'm not going there.

Unfortunately for my sanity and Lyle's soon to be endangered well being, he didn't shut up. My so called 'primping' was cut to a minimum. I hurriedly finished my activities, headed out into the hall, purposefully banging the door into Lyle then making my escape down stairs while ignoring said Lyle who was using said lungs to holler at me. My jaded mother ignores our not unusual antics as she clears the breakfast table where Mr. Muggles takes pause from his search of fallen munchies on the floor to cock his head to the side and look up the stairs to where the odd sounds were being omitted from.

I grin, stopping to pet his head while wishing my mother a pleasant day. I grab my school bag, coat and keys, making my way outside. I go down the steps and driveway. After entering my truck I sigh forlornly at my radio stereo. I knew my truck didn't have a built in CD player and normally I was fine with that but it was times like these when I really wished my truck was a little more modern. Even with Lyle's obnoxiousness I was in a surprisingly good mood and naturally I wanted to play the Yiruma CD I had received to bolster it along.

Regardless, I don't miss a beat; turning the radio on to my regular station, putting my truck in gear. I arrive to school on time as I pull into my regular parking spot. I climb out of my truck, slinging my bag over one shoulder. I see Edward's Volvo parked a few spaces away. Of course he is already inside. Typical, he is not one to push the clock.

I make my way across the lot, climbing the school steps. Two familiar persons draw my eye at the opposite end. Jessica exits Mike's car looking quite pleased with herself. While Mike is fumbling with his keys she surveys the lot, watching the new arrivals find spaces to pull in and students begrudgingly head towards the doors where I am.

That's when her eyes come upon me and a certain light sparks in them that make me uncomfortable. There was a reason for this I know but I just can't place it. What was it again?

Jessica takes a few decisive steps in my direction, a look of fierce curiosity sprung to life on her face. I'm hurriedly reaching for the doors that I had been dawdling in front of moments before.

An oblivious yet content Mike catches her wrist before she is out of arms reach, drawing her in. Being momentarily snapped from her inlaid mission she lets him, practically melding into his side. Mike tilts her face up to his, planting a rather passionate kiss on her unsuspecting lips, directly claiming her in this public place.

Mike, grinning broadly like an idiot, released a shocked, tomato red, Jessica, throwing his own back pack over one shoulder. He grabs one of her hands in his and guides her to the front of the building, Jessica for once, meekly following behind. Even when Mike passes me and calls out a reminder about our group trip to La Push tomorrow Jessica doesn't even notice me; she puts one hand to her lips, feeling where his lips brushed hers, a smile blossoming across her face, the rest of the world no longer existing to her.

"Wow," Says Angela who while I was distracted had sidled up beside me, also apparently witnessing the same scene as I. "From Mike… She must really like him."

I nod. "She does seem to be in a good mood." We also walk into the school building, merging into the crowd.

Angela looks at me critically from behind her glasses. "I was actually going to mention something along similar lines about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah you! You seem different. Does it have anything to do with sitting with the Cullens yesterday?" Her eyes sparkle with inner mischievousness.

I balk. Oh crap, of course people are going to bring it up? Did I expect anything different? The whole school was there, they all saw. Damn, why am I such an idiot? Why can't I think anymore? The consequences of my actions from yesterday just slipped from my mind like grains of sands held in one's hands. This explains Jessica…

"You were very fortunate that Jessica has something else occupying her monetarily. But I expect she'll recover soon so don't expect it to last." We both look through the sea of people, locating the happy couple who had just said goodbye to one another as they moved to go to their own classes. "Three, two, one…."

On cue Jessica stops, the person behind bumping into her but she doesn't take notice. Immediately she whirls around, looking through the crowd of bustling students for someone. I have a feeling I could accurately guess as to whom.

Angela gives a sympathetic look, placing one hand on my arm. "Out of sight out of mind...maybe…? Good luck!" I give her grateful smile, for reminding me, for watching my back, for not interrogating me herself. She disappears out of the line of fire and off to her own class.

Jessica is making her way toward my direction though it doesn't seem that she has spotted me yet again. I throw the hood of my sweatshirt on even though I'm inside and stoop over when I hurry down the hall. Sometimes it helps to be short.

I get to my class just before the bell rings. I take my seat, dropping my bag on the table with a sigh of relief. That was one unseen bullet that I had dodged for now. I'd probably have to take it later though. I definitely was not looking forward to that. The urge to just let my head fall against the desk was strong.

"Is the sprinkler system malfunctioning again or is now raining inside?"

I snap out of it, shooting Edward an incredulous look and flipping my hood back as I shake my mussed hair from my face. I take my textbook, notebook and pencil out, situating myself. A muffled chuckle makes me spin over at him. "What's so funny?"

"Y-you!" He ducks his head slightly to cover his laughter.

"I didn't realize I was so amusing." I stiffly turn back to my open book, staring hard at the text, trying to make sense of it, brow furrowing. Edward's laughter becomes more pronounced as it washes over him afresh. I look back at him confused. This was unlike him, even for one so odd. Edward just lets his laughter settle into a good natured grin on his face as he then reaches over and flips my textbook to right side up.

I feel heat rush to my cheeks and not just from the slight embarrassment. It takes a great amount of effort to keep a straight face. I can't help it, something about the whole thing and with Edward too, it is just too funny.

My sudden laugh breaks into the quiet as the class had started and the other students had just quieted down. Though the saying is overused, it definitely applies now for one could hear a pen drop in that moment.

My hands fly to my mouth to stifle the laugh. It was most definitely noticed however, some nearby classmates turn to look at my direction as well as for me to earn a disapproving glare from Mr. Banner. Then Mr. Banner goes back to the lesson.

I draw my book closer to me as I sink down into my chair. I purposefully do not look at Edward again or I know my brain will hold an instant replay and the laughter that is currently damning up inside me making my cheeks ache will burst into a torrent of giggles that will make my peers question my sobriety and deduct my unwritten good conduct marks from Mr. Banner's internal ledger.

Don't draw attention… was the whole world conspiring against me?

I'm not concentrating. My eyes are drawn by their own accord, peeking through my veil of hair at him as I bite my lip. Edward is the picture of the perfect student beside me; seemingly diligent and ignoring my outburst from minutes before. But I see it; just a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips, barely detectable, just enough to give him away to me. Though we are faced toward the front where Mr. Banner is currently writing on the board, his eyes slide to meet mine, his own smile widening.

It was like stretching a rubber band just a bit too far. The laughter escapes me in torrent even though I valiantly attempt to staunch the flow with my hands as I duck down, hiding behind my hair. I hear a faint chuckle to my side. It strikes me as pleasant sound, Edward's laugh that is. I'd like to hear more of it.

I'm biting the inside of my cheek to halt my disruptiveness and attention drawing. I begin to peek out from behind my curtain of hair that I had allowed to fall into my face. I cannot make eye contact with him. Really, did he have to encourage me? We were going to get in trouble! If he tries it again I swear I'm going to kick him….

Oh…

Edward is respectfully silent, not even looking at me, his features schooled blank. It is the man who is standing in front of my desk staring down at me though who has my attention. I straighten up in my chair.

"Is there something amusing about my lesson Ms. Butler?"

I place my hands neatly in my lap. "No sir."

"Really, you of all people I expected better from. Were you even paying attention?" He looks almost excited to having caught one of his top students red handed. Granted I could be misinterpreting, taking this the wrong way but this irks me nonetheless. This really gets under my skin and I feel defensive. Why come after me when Edward and I are on the top of our class (okay, okay Edward is on top and I'm a far second but still…) respectful, always participating in labs and homework, even helping other students when they get stuck and we finish early. I didn't mean to disrupt class… But now he is only drawing more attention to it and disrupting the class further…

"Yes sir," I say, attempting to sound contrite, playing the role of submissive student well. My hands clench into a fists under the table though. I keep my eyes downcast like a scolded child. I order myself to let it go. Why the hell am I getting so worked up for? It is no big deal.

"Well then I'm sure you can explain to the class what we were just discussing. Please give me a definition for evolution."

A definition for evolution… oh please, we'd only been studying it for what, at least a couple weeks now? Anyone in the class who had been paying any attention at all could give some half acceptable answer to this. I could easily do that too and get this all over the quicker, get all the eyes that are watching me now to look somewhere else, anywhere but me…

A few seconds tick by. To the outside this may look like a student struggling to come up with an adequate answer this is more than that, so much more. It feels like there is more at stake here than some pride. To back down here… that's what I'm always doing… I know that is what is required of me, what I need to do but… if I keep doing this when will it stop? Who can really live this way?

Like a mantra my father's words echo in my head, law: Act natural, blend in, and above all don't draw attention to yourself.

But then a warmly sincere voice speaking hidden truths echoes in my head: You should wear color more often. You're vibrant; don't wash yourself out to fade in. There is enough darkness. …Remembrance of the sudden warmth blossoming in my chest…

You don't have to be embarrassed or afraid to be yourself. People are more interesting when they aren't faking. ...Cheeks that are hot for a reason besides the heat…

All have the ability to break forth from their mold, but do they? Only but a few do. No, most would rather blend in to the point of invisibility… A challenge…

I'm going to regret this, no wait, I already am, but I can taste it for this moment and it is so sweet. I'll probably have to super glue my lips together for the rest of my life to make up for it but…

In a professional voice I answer him, looking him directly in the face.

"Evolution is the change in a population's inherited characteristics, or traits, from generation to generation. The information used by the organism to produce these traits is stored on a complex molecule known as DNA. Smaller parts of this molecule that hold the information for one or more of its functions are known as genes. During reproduction, these genes are copied and passed on to the offspring. Random changes in these genes can produce new or altered traits, resulting in differences between organisms. Evolution then occurs when these modified genes become more common or rarer within a population."

There is some nearby sharp intakes of breathes and I can hear someone give a low whistle from across the room. Mr. Banner's authoritative look has melted off his face at my unexpected, even for me, college level Edward like answer.

The corners of my lips curve upward into a knowing smirk even as I'm digging my own grave. It feels like every eye is trained on me. Yes Mr. Banner, I may play the blonde part a little well around my "friends" and always seem second to Edward, making the space between our intellectual abilities seem vastly wide (indeed they are but not quite as wide as I make myself out to be) it is not quite so the case. Just as I'm sure Edward doesn't let on how much he really knows neither do I. Maybe in another life I would more fitting to people's expectations but I'm changed now and have new interests that I feed from my changes. Would be rather hard to keep it completely under wrap…

My instincts, the ones that have become almost second nature to me in this past year are screaming for my attention under the surface telling me to stop, to hide. My hands clench tighter under the table but for a different reason this time.

My eyes flick out of habit to Edward. His expression is politely interested but the energy that radiates off him tells me he is just as fixated on me as the rest of the class. But there it is though, a slight nod of the head, urging as well as challenging me to continue.

I open my hands, laying them flat against my jeans, smoothing the creases out as I drop kick the inner instincts into the far corners of my mind for the time being. My face hasn't given any of this away, the slight smirk still frozen on my face as my eyes once again go to Mr. Banner's face. After all, he hasn't given any indication that he had accepted or rejected my answer. Might as well continue…

"This happens through a mixture of the random changes of genetic drift and the more deterministic changes of natural selection, which are based on the reproductive value of the traits produced by the interaction of genes. Which process dominates depends on the effective population size, with smaller populations tending to be more influenced by the random variation of genetic drift, and the relative difference in reproductive success between competing genes, which determines how strongly natural selection acts on them. Genetics can even determine a species definition of and level of attractiveness-"

Several beads of sweat shine from the top of Mr. Banner's forehead. He holds up a hand. "Thank you Ms. Butler. That will be all." He shuffles to the front of the room again, rummaging through his notes to find where he had stopped the lecture at. The show is over. The students turn back to the monotonous work.

I let out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in. I want to bury my head in my arms on my desk and not acknowledge any one or anything for the rest of class. Probably wouldn't get much out of the rest of class today anyway with the way my head feels like it is spinning. I don't know whether to applaud myself or call myself every synonym for idiot in the dictionary. It'll probably be the latter later.

I act as if nothing had happened and to many in class nothing really did happen, nothing so drama filled as it does feel like to me. Though it only lasted for a minute or two at that it felt like a long time coming. Should I be relieved or even more anxious now? Regardless, I had to keep my guard up. Oh if my dad knew… What Edward said in class that one time about people accepting actions at face value rings true to me now.

To distract myself I go back to my textbook. I pick up my pencil again to write in my notebook only to have Edward slide it across from me to him. He pulls out his pen and in elegant script, writes:

What's your favorite color?

Though I'm sure my face speaks for itself I nevertheless slide my notebook back towards me and write in reply:

What kind of question is that?

Edward extends his long arm out to my notebook again while simultaneously positioning his seat closer.

It is self explanatory, rather straightforward.

Would he ever tire of pushing my buttons? I condescendingly retaliate.

Shouldn't we be paying attention? Do you want us to get in trouble again?

You mean you get in trouble again. I don't recall myself being scolded. Anyways while I doubt that Mr. Banner will be so eager to catch either of us in the wrong in the future I am being sneaky, non disruptive aren't I? We're not talking; we're note passing, that's what normal teens do right?

Was he seriously from this planet? He made about as much sense as my brother. No, just being his strange, sarcastic self.

Edward moves his pen to the original question and underlines it twice then looks back up at me expectantly. Fine, I'd play his game. With a sigh, I lean my head over next to his as I place my pencil right after the question mark.

A few seconds pass by and my face begins to grow warm. What an easy question, my favorite color, come on…. I tap my pencil as I consider. My mind drifts to the hot Texan days under sun; practicing our chants in our bright uniforms that clung to our bodies like a second skin from the heat as we moved on the baked earth feeling so alive.

I hadn't worn that color for a while, feeling it a bit too attention drawing but perhaps that wasn't the only reason. Maybe it was just a bit too close to home, too much like the old me.

Nonetheless I write: Red. What about you? Might as well ask him in return…

His eyes don't waver from mine. Without hesitation he writes: Green, emerald preferably.

Well that answers that. I move to take my notebook and go back to paying attention to the lesson but his hand snakes out like a blur snagging the edge of my notebook, stopping me. Then he writes another.

What's your favorite type of music?

What is this, twenty questions?

Hardly, the objet of that game is to discover a specific answer by asking a series of questions and currently I am only asking uncorrelated questions with no main objective in mind.

He could have just said that he wanted to get to know me more. Really, it is like he is purposefully trying to seem enigmatic and just…different.

We can play twenty questions though if you so desire…?

Edward smirks slightly and the urge to kick him under the table for his teasing is strong. I think we both know that there is more to the other than we let on. It is a silently mutually unsaid fact that hangs between. It is a line that we try to steer clear of though at times one of us dances across it, sticking a toe over for a rise.

Well I won't rise to his bait now, mostly because I don't think my stomach can take the knots that will be tied within if I do. Anyways, though I do like having Edward around for this reason I also enjoy being light hearted around him or just being together and not having to say anything at all, just being us. I like to keep that for now. We can save the heated verbal exchanges for another time.

I scribble out a response: A wide variety, though I'm sure you can guess as to some of my tastes. I insinuate to our time in his Volvo.

"Then I hope I've guessed correctly." His voice cuts through the quiet, breaking the silent conversation but still quiet enough for my ears to hear only. He smiles at the look of confusion I bestow upon him and reaches into his bag pulling out a plain CD case and holds it out to me.

I stare blankly at it as he sets it in my hands. "What's this?"

"Just a mix I made of some personal favorites of mine. I figured you might like them as well." His voice is relaxed as well as his smile and I can only match it as I accept another unexpected gift with wide eyes. I open it and there is a plain burnt disc. On the inner panel written in Edward's now familiar elegant scrawl is the track listing with the song names and artists.

Wow.

"Thanks." I breathe. This time I don't I let my emotions threaten to overwhelm me like last time. Now I simply smile, truly touched as well as surprised.

"You can tell me what you thought of them on Monday."

The bell rings. Students exit the classroom. Edward turns to me at the door, his expression still warm, a little more open than it has been in days past. "See you later Claire."

I made it here alive. Thank God, or whoever or whatever decided to help me give Jessica the slip between classes. My luck will not hold I know but I'd rather put it off for as long as possible. I myself don't fully understand why I did what I did the other day. I really wouldn't know what to tell her.

I push open the cafeteria doors and walk inside, the noise from the student body echoing through out the room, assaulting my senses. I'm just one body in the mass, unnoticed. I quietly slip over into the line as I covertly look over the cafeteria room locating my friends without making eye contact.

I see Lauren, Tyler, Eric, Angela and Ben at the usual table. They haven't noticed me yet. They joke and converse amongst themselves, looking comfortable and at ease. Thankfully Jessica is not there yet though I know she will be eventually. Then the group will be complete, with or without me.

Rosalie and Emmett are at their usual table and again, as usual, nobody else dares occupy a seat there. Seems no one else has decided to follow in my foot steps from the other day.

"Are you going to keep holding the line up?" His voice whispers next to my ear. I stiffen from surprise, not having heard him come up, which in all this noise is not exactly hard to do though. But really did he have to act like some sort of ninja, sneaking and being stealthy and whatever ninjas do?

I roll my eyes at Edward, taking one big, exaggerated, step to cover the space between myself and the person in front of me because, you know, it was just so big. "Right and you're so eager to sample the cafeteria's mystery special today why?" I grab a tray and Edward smirks, following suit.

I crinkle my nose at most of today's selections. I can tell many are leftovers from the rest of the week to be served on good ol' Friday. I head for the salad bar hoping that it might guarantee more freshness.

When I by chance look behind me I have to pause to make sure my eyes are working properly. Edward takes the unused ladle beside the container and dips into the Mysterious Mixture, basically a dish the cafeteria ladies make of all the unused leftovers to reintroduce to the students as a new dish in hopes of getting them to eat it this time around. It should go without saying that this method is less than effective; hence the sudden blinking and slight squinting of my eyes.

"Is that really any good?" My voice is laced with doubt. He has got to have an iron stomach.

Edward just looks at his tray with neither interest nor disinterest. He pokes the gelatinous pasty like food with his spoon. I don't ask again, allotting it to him being either really daring or not having any sense of taste at all. It is just Edward. I was right to call him weird. I smile and shake my head as I continue dishing myself up. Fortunately the rest of Edward's selections after my comment are normal; so maybe not too weird.

By the salad bar is a limited fruit selection set out to supplement the meal. I reach for an alluring bright red apple. I'm about to take hold of it, it being partially within my grasp when I'm jostled by a rushing, burly senior making me loose my footing and my partial grasp.

The floor is rushing up to meet me when it stops. The years of cheerleading kicked in making me instinctively balance my tray with my right hand in my very awkward position preventing any of my salad to topple. But it wasn't those instinctive moves that saved me however.

I find a cool muscular arm encircling my waist, taking the momentum of my downward motion and stopping my descent easily. And if it wasn't strange enough to be in such a position, myself practically bent over his arm as he balances us both brilliantly; he also somehow managed to secure my hold of the red apple which had been just about to slip with his other hand, his cool pale one covering over my decidedly smaller one, at the heart, between our entwining fingers, the apple.

And because good fortune just always smiles on me cause I'm just so lucky that way as proven again just now, the electric impulses that like to swamp my senses whenever a certain someone is around decide that now of all times is definitely the best time to make an appearance; once again making the air crackle and feel alive with tension and quite a few other feelings, concentrated where are bodies are flush against the others and where are hands are skin to skin.

Dropping the apple like it was burning me I break the heavily charged atmosphere. Lurching forward somewhat gracefully I regain my own feet. I don't face Edward, my left hand over my rapidly beating heart as I try to slow my breathing.

On autopilot I walk to a small unoccupied table across the cafeteria and take a seat, my eyes down. I open my drink and pick up my fork, needing my hands to do something, for my mind to have something to concentrate on.

It takes me a moment to realize he is standing right there. I look up. He has set his own tray across from mine. I'm drawn to those enigmatic intense eyes. They say something to me, non-verbally telling me something, no perhaps asking me…but what I have no idea. Unable to hold his probing gaze my eyes travel down on their own accord. Then I freeze.

Contrasting with his albino white hands sits the blood red apple like a precious gem, an offering, to me. It strikes me at that moment how very odd it is that it is apples that are so commonly used to symbolize a choice and often the bad one if Snow White and the story of Adam and Eve is any thing to go by. The whole analogy triggers a shiver down my back even though the image of Edward's eyes and the apple meld together on my retinas as my hand creeps forward to accept this ….?

Is it really poison, will I prick my finger?

My hands form a cup of their own, halfway scooping the apple from his hands while lingering for a moment to feel the tingles races across our finger tips. Then-

A smaller set of pale hands cover my eyes.

"Guess who!" A voice sing songs.

Slightly startled I don't even pretend to think it over, blurting my reaction. "Alice?"

The hands fly then clasp in front of the small girl's body as she smiles impishly to my right. Jasper more to her right just gives me an apathetic nod of acknowledgement, his eyes looking a little skittish but other wise coolly composed, though, kind of dark... Directly across from me Edward has lost his intenseness, looking like a mix between annoyed and amused. It looks like he wants to say something.

I think of inviting them to sit with us. It might relieve some of this heaviness that has come upon us. Today especially, I just want to retain that lightness from earlier and companionable company from the day before. Strangely Edward's body posture tenses for a moment when I think this. I note Alice and Jasper's empty hands. "Not having lunch?"

Alice critically looks at Jasper, almost like she is assessing him. Thoughtfully she puts a finger to her chin as she tilts her head to the side. "No, neither of us is all that hungry and we have a chemistry test we need to study for anyways."

Edward seems non-chalant "Well, you better get to it then. We wouldn't want to keep you."

Alice slides in to the seat next to me, her smile cheeky. "Oh, I think we could visit for a little bit." Alice smiles prettily at me swinging her thumb at Edward. "We'll have to have some girl time, just the two of us without this bit of sunshine. I'm thinking-"

Edward glowers at Alice whose own light hearted expression narrows for a moment then smoothes out. He must have read something in her face because he frowns and looks away. When he looks back again his face is its normal neutral self.

Alice stands back up to join Jasper who never sat down. "Bye Edward, Claire." She does a little wave and winks, actually winks at me then sashays off surprising both Edward and myself.

"How could someone so small be so annoying…"Edwards mutters lowly so I barely catch it.

For some reason I find this highly amusing. Apparently siblings know all the right buttons to push, related or not. The perfect unapproachable Edward becomes just a little more human to me. My image of Edward shifts, a little shadowing here, a bit of flushing out there, my image of who he is becoming clearer.

"I think you're going to be ambushed later." Edward dead pans.

"What?"

He nods his head to indicate behind me. I turn in my seat, looking over my shoulder. Mike and Jessica have joined the usual lunch table. Eric slaps Mike on the back and he retaliates by punching him back in the arm, laughing. Jessica only shows mild interest in the banter, that in itself unusual. Her eyes flick over to where I'm sitting, away, then back again, burning with curiosity.

"Oh," Is all I say and I take a bite of salad automatically. If I wasn't sitting with Edward right now she'd probably march right over here. Thank the universe for small favors.

Jessica has great drive. She should be a reporter someday; she'd be perfect for the job. She was very Lois Lane like in that way. The comparison in my mind scarily enough kind of makes sense. So would that make Angela Jimmy Olsen with her too uncanny accurate eyes that notice shadowed details all too well? She already is the photographer for the school newspaper….

Okay, this line of thought is getting really weird now…

"Who's your favorite superhero?" Edward asks, coinciding with my thoughts out of the blue.

"Superman," I answer almost immediately. For a second I almost consider saying Batman. I like the idea of not having to have superpowers to fight crime. He was just an average (well, besides being rich, in good shape with awesome gadgets at his disposal…) guy who decided to do something about the situation in Gotham.

But Superman, there is something that lingers in my mind when it comes to him. Yes, he is invincible with kryptonite being his only weakness and with an array of amazing powers but that is one of the reasons that I admire him and at the same time relate and sympathize with. He has this gift or curse, depending on which perspective a person wants to take, and he puts it to good use. He hides his identity yet still lets his true self shine out. But because of his powers he is also separated from his peers because he is different. He doesn't have a choice, cannot ever truly walk away; cannot leave that part of himself behind.

"There is something comforting in the thought of a man having such incredible powers yet using them for good instead of a self serving agenda, someone like that who is looking out for the well being of humanity forever."

"Forever, that's a long time." Edward muses.

"I don't think I'd want to live forever. It'd get very lonely."

"Really?" He sounds interested.

"I suppose I understand why people have been obsessed with the idea of immortality, the fountain of youth but really, would it really be all that great?"

"How so?"

"Think about it. Because we have a limited time on this Earth it gives every moment meaning, making it precious and irreplaceable. If one lived forever existence would loose meaning, become monotonous. If one lived forever what would that person live for? That person would outlive there family, friends and their time, everything and everyone once familiar to them would be gone."

Edward watches me with an almost entranced look, really listening to my words, giving value to what I had to say. It was nice to be listened to, even for something small such as this; like he is really truly seeing the actual me and I find that I do in fact want him too. I feel…accepted with Edward. I know I can't actually be but…

"You really are really something Claire," The way he says my name makes an excited shiver race down my spine. "Something special…"

I don't know what to say to such a straight forward compliment so I just lower my eyes and finish off my salad hoping my face wasn't giving away my thoughts. Of all the things he could say… I should expect the unexpected when it comes to Edward.

Edward's face loses its light expression and settles into serious contemplative look. Edward runs his pale finger up and down the table, making invisible marks and patterns. His brow furrows.

"Have you ever read the book Activating Evolution by Dr. Chandra Suresh?" He seriously asks.

I was not expecting that. I silently curse myself for asking that question in class. I knew it would come back to bite me and who knows when it will again from my actions today.

I take a drink from my bottle to give me a moment to fortify my nerves. I know how I have to answer. He can't know. This isn't just about me but the safety of my family as well. I must take every measure I can.

"No, never heard of it." I shrug my shoulder disinterestedly though it feels like my muscles have been stretched taut as if expecting a blow any second. I hate to outright lie to him. I want to be honest with Edward, I really do. But he is smart. If I don't he'll eventually put the pieces together. Then I'll loose this, him completely. As much as I'd like to meet him on equal terms I just can't… I wish there was some way I could tell him that, let him know without really actually letting him know.

Edward presses on. "It is a remarkable book. I found it quite fascinating. I think you would as well."

My mouth has gone dry. I unscrew the cap from my bottle and raise it to my lips to find that there isn't anything left. I slowly set it back on the table. "Oh?"

"I believe it may address some of your questions you asked in class a few days ago." He is looking at me with an unreadable expression.

Why does it always come back to this? Can we even be around each other without trying to dig into the other? Does he have to push so much?

"Really?" I say, feeling like my throat is going to close up.

"Would you like to borrow it?" He asks.

And here I go again, boarding up one of the opening I've made with him, barring him entrance. "No thanks," I respond. "I already have a lot of homework. I'm pretty stretched thin as it is." Probably not the most plausible lie I've ever told.

Edward just nods, as if confirming a fact to himself. He seems distant. I feel a pang of memory, of how he used to be towards me when I first met him, closed off brooding, shutting me out. I feel a tiny rush of panic an urge to smooth everything over, to fall back into the easy going mood we had earlier. We can't though, he ruined it by crossing the line, pressing forward again and I for retreating further back.

We sit in silence for a few minutes. Edward hasn't touched his food. I don't blame him, besides his obvious lack of taste even I wouldn't have eaten anything more if only for the fact it kept my hands moving, something to do. I had zero appetite. Really, our atmosphere had been bouncing all over the place from intense to electrifying then interrogative.

My legs are getting that itching to move so I stand, knowing that this meal is finished. Both Edward and I drop off our trays. We leave the cafeteria walking down the empty halls. We stop at a fork, one way leading to his class the other branching off to the gym, P.E. class.

"Hey Edward, here, you'll want this later." I hold out my untouched apple to him giving him a small smile. In my own way, somewhere in my mind I chalk it up to as an apology of sorts, for what specifically I cannot pin down, for the whole situation and the circumstances that force our hands I guess.

Edward's guarded look slips for a second, just one second. His eyes turn molten, mouth opening as if words are wanting to leap off his tongue but he adverts his gaze and seals his mouth. He takes the offered apple with gentle care like he doesn't know what to do with it, something foreign.

"Well, see you later I guess." I say, using his catch phrase.

I start to turn to walk off but he catches my wrist. I look over my shoulder back at him. "Edward?" He spins me around back to face him, not even a foot apart; his eyes searching my face. His breathe hits my face, smells of winter, evergreen and something distinctly Edward. Instinctively my own hand grabs his wrist, my other one is braced on his chest. Up against him I'm very much aware of the differences in our sizes, how small I am compared to his muscular frame.

As a spark on my skin his fingers alight on the side of my face like a feather wisp. Tantalizingly slow they trace down to cup my cheek and I can't help but lean into it ever so slightly. Then they stop beneath my chin tilting it upwards to look upon his face.

People say that the eyes are the window to the soul. What then can one make of eyes that hold such an intensity yet obvious tenderness in his movements? It feels as if he wants to drink up every detail to the point of absolute memorization. Then they close, like the premature snapping shut of a book when the end has not yet been read.

I feel the loss of his hand. He steps back, putting a significant distance between us. "See you later Claire." He leaves, not once looking back.

Though I know I'll see him on Monday I can't help but feel that a significant change has happened in our relationship. Even though it was his usual farewell it was different this time. His voice was resolute with a sense of finality. Why couldn't I shake the feeling that he was saying goodbye?

A/N: Hey there! It has been a while! I had a bit of writers' block. This is not my favorite chapter I've written. I know Edward may seem a little OOC but it should make more sense in later chapters. I'm already working on the next. It should be posted no later than the end of this month but maybe sooner. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for reading! As always if you have questions, comments or concerns let me know! I like hearing from you all.

Oh, how did everyone like the Eclipse film? Has any one else read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner? Personally I think I enjoyed reading the novella more than seeing the movie.

Until next time…