Chapter Four

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are."

*

Mr. Banner was explaining to our class a project that we were going to be doing over the next couple of weeks. It was experiments with plants and such, we would need to work outside of class. And we would need to work with our lab partners.

"So Bella," Edward Cullen turned to me, after Mr. Banner completed his explanation of our project, "What brings you to Forks?" It was a simple enough question, and much different coming from him, than from when Jessica and Mike asked me the first day they met me. It sounded genuinely curious, and I was scared of that. It was also so light-hearted and casual, I wasn't used to any of these things, and I wasn't sure how to sound like a human being, to be completely honest.

"It's sort of a complicated story," I replied, not looking up at him and remained writing down the assignment that was on the board.

"I understand complicated," he replied, and I could tell he was still staring at me as intently as he had that first day. "Try me."

I hesitated before I looked up into his eyes and then back down again, being too afraid to make eye contact with his piercing golden eyes.

"Um… My mom remarried, and…" I couldn't come up with a lie fast enough, "And I just needed a change." I brilliantly finished with. A very open, mysterious answer…

"A change of what?" he asked, catching on to my generalness, how I wish he wouldn't have.

"Um," I started again.

"The weather?" he asked. He almost got me to laugh, I smiled, which was close enough.

"No, definitely not," I said, the smile still lightly on my lips. He mumbled something under his breath, and I looked up, wondering what he said.

"You don't like the cold?" he covered up quickly, more quickly then I would imagine.

"No, no cold, or rain, or snow. The weather was fine," I said… I figured I couldn't lie about that, I wore long sleeves in Phoenix, so being in Forks where it constantly rained, was even more extremes.

"Not the weather, and you liked your step-dad?" he observed somehow.

"Yes, Phil was nice," I replied like a dead person. "Him and my mom were just busy a lot of the time… My mom worried a lot. So I figured if she didn't have me to worry about, she could go about her life."

This sentence was the most I'd said to anyone, and even though it wasn't a complete lie, I was shocked at how much I had just told this… guy, so much about me when I barely knew him. Until ten minutes ago, he reminded me of James…

I glanced at him and he seemed pretty surprised too.

"That is pretty selfless of you," he said, a corner of his lip starting to go up in a smile.

"No," I replied, looking down again. I had never been described as selfless before, and I knew I didn't deserve that compliment.

"No? You move to somewhere cold, rainy and snowy, so your mom and step dad can live without any worries?" he questioned what I had just said to him, and the way he said it, did make me sound pretty selfless. He also didn't know the whole story.

"What are you hiding from me Isabella?" he whispered in a soothing question, getting closer to me. He didn't mean for it to sound scary, or threatening, and it didn't. But I had a flashback in that tiny instant, and I instantly went into a panic. I immediately felt uncomfortable and wanted to shrink inside myself. I shied away from him, trying to make my move inconspicuous as possible, but he noticed, and backed away immediately. The bell rang at that moment, and I was saved. I nearly jumped out of my seat, running into Mike.

"Woahhh there girl!" Mike exclaimed, and I felt his arm around my waste. I felt bile rising up, and I half moaned. I pushed him off me and moved as fast as my two shaky feet would allow me, to my truck. I was breathing heavily by the time I got into the cab, and had to rest my head on the steering wheel so I wouldn't feel as dizzy.

"Who the fuck are you texting!" James screamed at me, as my phone vibrated in my purse.

"I don't know, James!" I shook, I wasn't texting anyone before he came over, I don't know who would be texting me now on their own free will.

"ISABELLA WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU HIDING?!" he screamed, as I tried to get my phone out and check it. "I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME! BUT YOU'RE FUCKING HIDING THINGS FROM ME?!" He started to shake me and took my phone.

"My best friend? That's a fucking low blow, Is." I had no idea what James was talking about, but my ears started to ring.

"James, I have no idea…"

"'Bella, thanks for the help the other day in English cutie;)'," James read off for

me. I had no idea what Laurent was talking about, I let him see a couple of my vocab terms, and he was nice, but I had never talked to him beyond that classroom. But I guess that was too much…

Before anything brutal happened, I blacked out.

My breathing evened out as I started the truck.

Bella, you're not in Phoenix anymore. James is nowhere close to you. YOU'RE FINE!

I was trying to convince myself of all these things, when I didn't know if they were true. I was so sick of living in fear of my every move, but I didn't know how NOT to. James haunted my every nightmare, I had no choice but to fear everything, but today I had my first glimpse of hope. While it was a stretch, and I was afraid that developing hope meant getting hurt. It wasn't like I could get hurt any more than I already was. I was hoping, and praying with everything in me that this glimmer I saw, was true.

Edward Cullen was a good person, and he was nothing like James.

Even after my little episode, I was kind of excited to wake up tomorrow and go to biology.

Because at this point, I had no idea what to expect.

*

I woke up the next morning at six AM. By choice. I knew I didn't have to, no one would care if I wore baggy clothes or didn't wear makeup. But there was a difference about me waking up at six on this particular day. I wanted to.

I don't know what compelled me, but I had a scary feeling in the pit of my stomach it had something to do with the bronze haired angel I had a dream about last night.

I took a shower, blow dried my hair and put some makeup on. I used brown eye liner and mascara, keeping it minimal. It wasn't the way James liked it, he liked it black and dark. I liked it this way more.

I went downstairs, having the same feeling I had the night before, before I went to bed. Praying that the hope wouldn't go away.

"Hey kiddo," Charlie said as I was rummaging through the cupboards. I jumped slightly, I hadn't heard him come in and sighed to myself trying to calm down.

"Hi," I replied, "do you want some cereal?" I asked, attempting to be polite. Charlie and I hadn't talked much since I arrived a couple of weeks ago. Simple hello, good bye and goodnights were enough. Back before James I couldn't remember if it was ever different between us. We were both very similar in our introverted ways. Back then, I think I used to be able to handle small talk... God I was a freak.

"How has school been?" Charlie asked me cautiously. I paused for a moment, pondering.

"It's been all right..." I tried to think of some lies, "I've made a couple friends." Lame. I knew it was stupid of me to tell these lies, but I did know it was something he wanted to hear.

"Oh really?" he did sound someone excited at the thought, but very wary at the same time.

"Well, they're more of lunch buddies than anything," I said, trying to be honest. I didn't want to give him false hope, and he just nodded in understanding, being indifferent. We continued to eat in silence until we said our morning farewells, and I jumped in the clunker.

It was raining out, freezing before it hit the ground making it very slippery. I was staring to fear the walk up the slippery steps to school, deciding I would wait by my car until all the students left the parking lot. I parked as far away as I could from all the cars, just in case I fell simply getting out of my truck, which would be plenty more embarrassing than going up the steps inside. I felt a little bit of a blush creep into my cheeks, which I wasn't used to. I wasn't used to having emotions come to the surface as often, I touched my cheek just to feel the heat. I shook my head before I read too much into this and opened my door. I did a quick 360 making sure no one was watching before I exited. I hastily hopped to the ground, as quick as an uncoordinated person can, feeling very successful on the landing.

Landed on my feet, not my ass, great start to the day.

I slammed the door, smiling quietly to myself when I caught my reflection in my window. What an odd sight... me... smiling? First blushing, than smiling? While I was glimpsing in the window, the smile quickly vanished from my face as I saw someone else from a distance in the window. I could sense it was him, he was watching me from across the parking lot. I looked over my shoulder just to make sure. Even from where I was standing, I could see and feel the way his gold eyes smothered me. I quickly turned back to lock my car, trying to forget the way he was staring, trying to forget what it reminded me of.

In the split second I turned around I faintly heard tires screeching on dry pavement. I looked up in my window seeing a huge can coming right toward me. It all happened so fast as I waited for the van to crush me, but nothing came. I felt an arm wrap around my waste and felt myself fall. I hit my head on some part of my truck and yelped, but other than that I felt no pain. I heard a loud crunching noise and was hyper aware of the arm around my waste. I felt it relax and the commotion stopped.

"Bella?" a very concerned velvet voice questioned. I opened my eyes slightly and edward was much closer then I anticipated. I automatically tried to move away, hitting my head again on the truck. I yelped- AGAIN- and wanted to move. I struggled to get away from him, but he wouldn't let go.

"You can't leave me! You can't ever fucking leave me!"

The words still echoed in my mind, but another voice broke through.

"Bella, it's okay. It's just me," I could faintly hear, but I felt like I was still under.

Calm yourself down, I tried telling myself. This is Edward, HE JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE!

My shallow breathing was evening out and I opened my eyes I didn't realize I had shut.

"Edward?" I asked, slightly confused, now the only question was, "How... how did you..." I trailed off looking at a dent in the van that should have squashed me. I looked back at him my eyes mirroring his wide ones. I was very aware of his proximity to myself in that instant, or maybe it was because he took his free hand and touched my cheek. I cringed away, acting on auto pilot.

"We need to get you to a hosipital," he said calmly, as I noticed noises, most likely people, coming toward us. He was avoiding my question and I didn't understand why.

"I don't want to go," was the only reply I had, getting sort of drowsy, but fighting it. "I'm fine!" He smirked slightly.

"Did you know that's the most commonly used lie?" he stated rather then asked me. He started to stand up, bringing me with him. My head hurt as we stood up, and I felt a little wobbly, his arm was still around me for support but all I could think about was how to get it off of me...

"I can walk by myself," I said trying to push him away as I looked in the van. Tyler was passed out on the steering wheel and people were suddenly all around us, calling 911, ambulance lights flashing everywhere and suddenly, I was in one with Edward. As I sat there, all I could think about was this whole situation was impossible.

I should be dead.

I turned my head to the right where Edward was sitting, with a look I can imagine to be described as confused; it only got more so when he noticed my stare and looked back with sheer agony and complication written on his face. I had so many questions, and needed so many answers.

He leaned over, slowly, his scent intoxicating me and whispered, "Later."

I looked at him shocked.

"Promise?" I asked. I don't know what compelled me to know the answer to this mystery, I just knew I had to know. I needed to. I knew from the first day I saw Edward Cullen, something was off. Something was different. Now my suspicions were confirmed. I had no idea what to think and I could draw no conclusions. I was bewildered and more curious then I should have been. I wasn't being cautious and I didn't understand why.

I just stared back at him waiting for an answer. He looked me straight in the eye.

"I promise."