Chapter 3: Intensity

BPOV

"Don't worry Bella, I wont get high." Okay well there's a load off my back, sarcastically speaking. Does he seriously want to come with me? He is actually talking to me, and I don't want to look at his face because then I will get lost in his eyes, looking like and idiot. So I did what I do best and nodded. He smiled his crooked smiled, and we headed outside. The walk was awkward to say the least, so when we got to the wall I decided to say something.

"So where are you from?"

"I'm from Chicago, that place was the fucking shit." Okay so he liked to cuss a lot, but whatever.

"That's cool, I've never been there before, but I guess I would like to go one day, I don't like being stuck in this little town." He looked at me and nodded in agreement.

"So why'd you move here if you love Chicago so much?" He hesitated, for a while before he answered.

"I was forced to come here for 'inappropriate' behavior." If what happened yesterday was anything like he acted in Chicago then I knew why he was forced here. "Oh" was all that I managed to say. He grabbed a cigarette box out of his bag.

"Want one?"

"Uhh… no thanks I don't smoke." Yeah I didn't really do anything 'bad', I guess being the chief's daughter made me responsible? That was more of a question but whatever. Okay so what do I say?

"Bella? Listen I'm really glad you helped me out yesterday, it's just I don't know what got into me and I just decided to do stupid shit because…." He trailed off and I looked at him intently. "I don't know," he said. "Just thanks."

"You're welcome Edward. It's fine."

We were silent for a few minutes before I gathered enough courage to ask him something I really wanted to know.

"Why do you do that to yourself, Edward?" I was scared he would snap at me, so I just looked down.

"Do what?" He said calmer than expected.

"Why do you harm yourself like that? You know the cigarettes, the weed, the alcohol?" And then he snapped.

"What are you my mother? Mind your own damn business." There it was, the anger that instantly made me regret the question.

"I-I'm sorry." I said and I felt the tears welling up. Why are you about to cry Bella? Grow up. I tried to think about something else.

"You want to know why Bella? Why? Because I fucking hate myself, I hate my life, and I hate everyone in it. You want to know why I do this to myself? It makes me forget everything! I forget about my father, and I don't have to think about his sorry ass. I don't have to think about my mom dying and screaming in pain in front of me!"

Oh my god. He was tearing up. I felt so bad for him, why did I have to ask so man questions, Edward was breaking down in front of me.

"I don't have to remember him. All the blood, and it was all my fault!"

"Edward, don't say that." He was crying, his face covered in tears. So I decided to give him a hug. That's all I could think off. He was really tense, and flinched as I approached him, but I kept going. I held him against my body, and he went limp in my arms. He looked so vulnerable, and so hurt that it broke my heart. I wasn't too strong, but I managed to bring us down on the floor, so we were both side by side against the wall. I didn't know what to do next. He kept murmuring, "It was my fault, my fucking fault."

"Edward, it wasn't your fault. I know I don't know the whole story, but I know that it wasn't your fault." He looked up at me, and quickly looked back down. I grabbed his hand, and started massaging his palm with my thumb, in hopes of relaxing him. I didn't know Edward that well, but I knew enough to say that he was hiding the real him inside. He just needed to know that someone cared and wanted to help, and that that someone was me.

I don't how long we sat there, but when the bell rang, I knew it was time to go to class. We spent our whole off period and lunch sitting here. I started to get up, but Edward just stayed there.

"Edward, come on, we have to go or we'll be late." He didn't respond.

"Edward?" He looked up, and I stretched my arm out so I could help him up. He took my hand and finally stood up. 'Thanks," he murmured. I really hoped he wasn't embarrassed about what just happened, because it was nothing to be embarrassed about. This was serious.

"Listen, Edward, if you need someone to talk to, I just want you to know that I'm here. And I know that you don't know me, and I don't know you, but I think we could really help each other." I ripped out a piece of paper, and wrote down my cell phone number. I wasn't trying to get with him or anything, but I knew that he was lonely, and even though I didn't know if he would call, it made me feel better knowing that he knew someone was there. I handed him the paper, and then he walked away.

I didn't see him for the rest of the day, since I didn't have any classes with him.

"Bella, where were you during lunch?" I heard Alice coming behind me.

"I was just doing some stuff, no worries I'm fine." She looked at me strangely but then she said, "Okay, good I thought you went home sick like yesterday."

"No, I'm fine Alice, let's go. "

"Okay," she said while handing me her car keys. "Wait for me in the car, I'm just gonna go get Jazz."

That night Alice asked me if I wanted to go out and eat with everyone, so I accepted. We went to eat at this sushi bar that was actually pretty good. The whole time I was there, I was spacing out, thinking about Edward. The dinner was actually pretty fun, besides the weird and worried glances I would get from Alice though. The drive home was fast, so I went into my room, and started doing some work for Spanish and history. I had to answer some questions in 'espanol' and read a few pages in the history textbook. It only took me about half an hour, so I decided to shower. Before I knew it, I was already in bed on the verge of falling asleep, so I gave in.

What time is it? My phone was ringing on the nightstand and the sound was annoying me. I looked at my alarm to see that it was 12:47 at night. Ughhh. Who the heck calls at this time? I picked up my phone, and answered it. It was already pitch black outside.

"Hello?" I said in a drowsy tone.

"Bella," said a voice that sounded like they were crying. A man's voice.

"Who is this?" I couldn't recognize the voice. I was clueless.

"It's Edward. Bella I need your fucking help."