Chapter 3: The Beginning.
March 7th Wednesday 2012.
43 days. That's how long I had been in this crummy town. It had been raining since the almost accident and my mother was having trouble adjusting to her new life. Mike Newton was still acting like a labrador retriever, Tyler had been trying to make up for the almost accident by irritating me to death (A.K.A- kept asking me out) but worst of all, Edward Cullen had been ignoring me since the accident. It had been half a dozen weeks (and a day) since I last heard his heavenly voice, at the time I tried my best to convince myself that I didn't care.
That day I wore a light blue off-the-shoulder t-shirt with cute sweat pants. My hair was in piggytails. I didn't care much about my appearence that day because we had a field trip, we were going to some eco thing. All I really cared about was that Edward Cullen and his other sister, Alice and one of his brothers (Her boyfriend) Jasper were coming along too, with other students obviously. See, I had become rapidly obsessed with Edward Cullen in the past half a dozen weeks (and day). But more had happened during that time too. I fixed up my old bedroom and Phil sent me down my furniture. I cleaned out my dad's small basement and made it into my own living room slash music area (That's right I'm a singer and I play the guitar and the piano). I had just finished my living room slash music area the day before though, and Phil had yet to send me down my instruments (They were on their way). So yeah, that's it. And also I had, and have been dreaming of Edward Cullen since the almost accident, every- single- night (Don't worry nothing dirty). Just annoying! I had not read his mind since the day he got back to school from Alaska, so I didn't know what he had been thinking at the time in case you're wondering. It was annoying! He sat as far from me as possible everyday in biology, he was right there beside me every- single- day and he did not talk to me at all! All he did was his work and claw the hell out of the desk! So annoying, right?
I was getting out of my car when I saw Mike walking towards me.
Oh no! This can't be good! I thought.
" Hey Arizona!" he called me the nickname he came up with for only me and smiled.
A confident, flirty, annoying smile!
" Hi Mike" his face fell at my obvious non-excitement to see him.
" I just wanted to talk to you about something..." he continued nervously running his hand through his hair and looking at a puddle that was between us.
Oh no! So SO NOT good! " Yes?" I replied pleasently, trying not to show him my obvious annoyance. Bad idea.
He looked at me with an EVEN MORE confident, and no longer nervous smile,
" I know it's like two months away, but I was just wondering if you wanted to go to prom, with me?"
OH MY GOD! was all I could think before I finally went into rejection mode.
" Oh um... I'm sorry Mike, but uh... it's May 11th, right?" I asked.
" Yes it's May 11th, which is a Friday"
" Oh I'm sorry, but..." I bit my lip trying to be convincing, " I'm going home, to Phoenix for that week"
" Can't you go another week?" he asked.
" Non-refundable ticket"
" Oh ok... that's okay than, bye"
I still can't believe I actually felt bad!
" Mike wait!" I called after him before I could stop myself.
He turned around with a hopeful look on his face.
" I really am... sorry, you know? You know, you should go with Jessica. I know she really wants to go with you"
" Yeah, thanks Arizona" he said turning again.
I watched him go still feeling terrible, but it had to be done, I don't feel that way about him. There is only one man who has a place in my heart... and he had currently been watching me... intently... with a smirk on his face. I stared back at him, he smiled, rolled his eyes and walked towards the bus that people were filing up on. His brother and sister followed.
When I filed onto the bus, I made sure to sit in the seat in front of Edward Cullen and his siblings (Second last row). Then Tyler came and sat beside me.
" Arizona... Arizona... Isabella!" I heard him calling me.
I know it was rude, but I decided to pretend I couldn't hear him, after all I was listening to my ipad.
" I do not think she can hear you Tyler" I heard Edward say.
" Well I need to talk to her" he replied.
" Isabella!" Edward said, I saw him stand up out of the corner of my eye.
" Mr. Cullen sit back down please" Mr. Banner called from the front of the bus.
" Yes, I am sorry Mr. Banner" he answered politely.
" It's alright" Mr. Banner smiled.
Edward leaned forward in his seat and tapped my jacket lightly (I was wearing my light brown rain coat). I pretended not to feel it, but for once in a half dozen weeks (and 2 days) I let myself read his mind. He could tell I was ignoring Tyler and he was hoping I caught on to his attempts of grabbing my attention, he was trying to help me! He must have known what Tyler was thinking, I never do because I am too scared to read any of the boys minds that I hang out with (Mike, Tyler, and Eric) just because they all seemed to think very... HIGHLY of me if you um... know what I mean.
" Sorry Tyler" I could hear the smile in his voice, " She must be listening to something really cool"
I giggled, the fact that he had just said the word 'cool' was and still is funny to me. I didn't know what time he was from because I hadn't read his mind enough, but I had guessed that he was at least 80 years old. He was just too... what's the word? Civalized.
" Or she is listening to something funny" he added.
Tyler waved his hand infront of my face and I knew I couldn't ignore him any longer.
" Yes Tyler?" I asked fakely confused, I looked at Edward. He looked amused.
" Can we talk?" Tyler asked.
" Why not?" I smiled as I sat back into the seat, putting my ipad away as I did so.
" You know the 16th of this month is the day of the big Spring dance, and I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me?" he said confidently.
Oh my God! was once again what I was thinking.
" I'm sorry Tyler, I'm doing something that weekend. I'm going to Seattle, there's a mall I totally want to check out called The South Centre"
" Oh that's okay, we still have prom" he said with a wink.
During the field trip Edward caught up with me.
" Are you really going to Seattle and Phoenix during those times?" he asked.
" I really do not see how that is any of your business, were not friends or anything, besides you never answer any of my questions" I answered rudely.
" Listen okay? I am sorry for that, I truly am. It is the best way, trust me"
He was referring to the fact that he was a vampire, I would've known that even had I not read his mind.
" Yeah sure it is,
" You really should have just let Tyler kill me and save yourself all this regret"
At that he was upset.
" I do not regret saving your life Isabella" he stated firmly grabbing my arm.
" Yeah sure" I tried not to smile because I could hear the truth behind his words and it touched me.
" Listen, I do not regret saving you. But we should not be friends, really"
" Really? Why not?" Tears filled up my eyes as I asked.
" Because I am dangerous, I am not good for you Isabella"
" I do not believe that, it is just a lie to keep me away from you and keep the others away too" I looked around the room at the others as I said the last part,
" It is just a mask, but I need you to take it off. At least for me, because I know-"
He cut me off then, " You know nothing!"
He banged on the bus window (We were beside the bus having walked together back to it) and walked on, leaving me alone and in silence.
When I got home, I was horribly distraught. I ran into my room, slammed the door and cried. For hours! It was 11 by the time I finally was able to get off of my bed, my dad was staying at the station tonight because of some murder of a secruity guard (They suspect it was just an animal, but I know better). I got up and went to my mirror that is full lengh and was, at the time beside my bed. I think I'm pretty attractive I've never had many insecurities (Until I met Edward).
I don't know why does he doesn't want me? I thought.
There was no doubting from that moment on, no second guessing. I knew right then that I was, and still am in love, with Edward Cullen.
Maybe if Phil changed me, maybe then he would want me. I thought.
I convinced myself in that split second that I must be very unattractive to vampires, especially ones as Greek god-like as him.
So what am I going to do? I wondered aloud.
Before I could think anymore I heard the phone ring, it was Angela.
" Hello"
" Hi, I just needed a friend" she answered, I could tell she was upset.
" That makes both of us, what's wrong though Ang?" I didn't mean to call her that, but it slipped out.
It was the only nickname I could think of, and I always have nicknames for my bestest friends.
" You have a nickname for me?" she sounded touched.
" I always have nicknames for my girls" I smiled into the reciever even though she couldn't see, " Now what's wrong?"
" I keep on waiting for Eric to ask me to prom, but he never does, what do I do?"
" Ask him, take control. Your an independent young lady, you do not need a guy to ask you to Prom. That is what the idea of the Spring Dance is, I think"
" You really think I can?"
" Yes" I answered firmly.
" Thank you, bye"
" Bye Ang"
I hung up the reciever and headed to bed, wishing I could stay there for the rest of my miserable life.
March 8th Thursday 2012.
The next morning I realized something, very, very important. I was being a hypocrite! Which was strange because I usually did take control as I told Angela she had to do with Eric, but yet when it came to Edward, I wouldn't? I decided I wasn't going to let Edward change the strong independence in me. I was going to take control like I usually did.
After all, what's so different about this situation? I asked myself.
Just because it's revolved around the only one I've ever been in love with. It doesn't mean I can't take control, it's just a completely new situation. I know I can handle it!
I decided to wear a light blue mini skirt and a long sleeved light blue shirt. I even curled my hair (My best look). Then I headed to school, feeling well, confident.
At lunch I decided to take extra long getting my cafeteria food ready because I knew Edward was contemplating coming up to talk to me. It was when I stopped expecting it (Annoyed from waiting and reading his mind) that he did.
" Hello Isabella" he said.
" Your giving me whiplash with your mood swings, you know that, don't you?"
" I am sorry I am rude all the time-"
" Are you really?" I asked.
" Yes"
" Tell me the truth about what's really going on with you and your family then"
" I can not do that"
I rolled my eyes and walked past him trying not to smile.
" Can I hear your theories?" he asked.
" I have considered... kryptonite and radioactivity" I answered quickly, I know I already knew, but I needed him to tell me himself. I needed him to trust me.
" That is superhero stuff, right?" he paused,
" What if I am not the superhero? What if I am the bad guy?" he stood before me looking straight into my eyes.
Trying to presuade me to believe him I guessed.
" Okay, I'll bite. So what? What are you?"
" Arizona!" I heard Mike call.
" Your boyfriend is calling you, I think he and your friends are mad at me for stealing your attention. Goodbye" he said as he walked away.
I walked back to my table only to find out that this Saturday my friends were going to La Push to celebrate the March Break and wanted me to come to.
" Please" pleaded Angela.
" It's LA- PUSH Baby" said Eric seductivly (Kiddingly, Eric already understood that we are just friends).
" I will if you stop saying it like that" I answered smirking.
" Yes!" Mike added jumping up onto the table like a surfer.
" Oh Mike we all know you can't actually surf" Jessica said to him flirtatiously.
I tuned myself out at that and watched Edward, he was getting up from his lunch table to leave, but it didn't look like he was going to class like his siblings. Was he skipping biology because of me?
" Arizona?" Mike pulled on my arm, " You coming to biology?"
" Umm, actually I think I'm going to ditch, you go ahead"
" I'll come with you"
" No really, go to class. I might catch up with you" I smiled at him and twisting my hair (Again flirtatiously).
Man there is a lot of flirting today! I thought, At least I'm faking.
" Okay, see you in class" he said with a smile and a wink.
I didn't bother to watch Mike leave. I just ran outside, without a jacket, without my bag. Without anything. I felt the cold wind whip around my legs. And I wished I had gotten my jacket before hand, but I didn't turn around, I just ran to the place I thought he would be. I was right, he was in his car, looking through C.D.s.
" Edward" I said quietly, I knew he would hear me.
Surprisingly he didn't even pretend like he hadn't, he looked at me and put his C.D.s on the passenger side before getting out of his car.
" Isabella, should you not be in class?"
" Shouldn't you?" I answered quicky and breathlessly. I was breathless because I had ran here (In my hot pink heels).
" It is healthy to ditch every once and a while" he said with a smile (Which made me more breathless).
" Edward, I know..." I stopped, I couldn't bring myself to tell him.
Not here, not where he can easily kill me, or convince everyone that I am crazy. Besides, what if he thinks I am using him? I thought,
Maybe I shouldn't tell him about Phil.
He looked at me and I noticed something different in his eyes, his eyes were gentle and... I couldn't bear to think it... loving. I walked up to him slowly, when I was standing right in front of him I looked into his eyes.
" What do you know?" he asked gently.
" Never mind"
The next thing I knew, I couldn't concentrate. The way he was looking at me, with so much intensity, so much love. I believed it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but yet he had never looked at me that way before or at least I hadn't noticed. That was when I decided.
" Edward, I need to tell you something" I told him nervously.
I could feel my heart beat speed up. I knew he could tell and hear.
Does he know why though? Will it matter? I asked myself.
" Yes Isabella" he said gently.
And then I couldn't breathe, I fainted right then and there. The last thing I remember is his cold arms catching me.