A/N: The title of each chapter will be the song I listened to while writing it. You're not obligated to listen to them, I'm just shit at titling chapters.
La Mer – Nine Inch Nails
the morning hits me across the head like a steel frying pan. the sun seeps through the windowpane like a sick slime, oozing through the frame, sliding down and across the floor and layering thick over my eyes.
i'm already off to a bad start.
i sit up slowly and work out the kinks in my shoulders and neck, groaning at the idea of getting out of bed. my body is sore. i've been pushing myself too hard at the pool.
still, i've got to go to school otherwise i'll be the topic of discussion during tonight's argument. i head to the shower, shaking my head the entire way – attempting to rid my mind of the haze surrounding it. it's now too quiet here at home. sometimes i can't ascertain whether i'm disturbed by the noise my parents make or comfortable with it. the silence brings forth the sounds of my feet creaking across the hardwood, the wind rattling the trees outside… it's actually annoying.
or maybe i'm just grumpy today.
after showering i skip breakfast, get dressed and head straight for my truck, unsure of whether or not i'm late. i close the front door behind me and lock it before turning towards the driveway.
"fucking unbelievable." i growl. edward cullen is parked in my driveway and leaning against his silver volvo, smiling at me like his presence on my property is the most natural thing in the world. from the porch stairs i take him in – his confusing copper hair, his illuminated ivory skin, his shining black shoes. but what's more is that i take in the situation. edward cullen has parked his volvo right behind my truck and effectively blocked me in.
"what the fuck?" i march down the stairs and to my truck, opening the door and throwing my things in the cab. calm down bella. it's too early to be this disconcerted. part of me wants to call the police and watch him be hauled away in cuffs but my father would just be upset at having to come back home for something so frivolous. i walk slow and deliberate to him, glaring daggers into his moss green eyes. he's the color of the earth and i'm besotted with water, the irony is not lost on me.
"good morning bella," he says cheerfully, "may i offer you a ride to school today?"
"no." i spit at him. "get out of my driveway, you're blocking me in."
"ah, seeing your cold brown eyes this beautiful morning really gets my heart racing." he sighs dramatically and places his hand over his heart, smiling all the while. i'm nauseated.
"you're making me sick, are you a masochist or something?" edward laughs sweetly, as though i'd uttered a hilarious private joke.
"come, i've bought us bagels and coffee."
"i'm not hungry and i don't want your roofie laced coffee. please just leave so i can get to class."
there is a long moment where edward simply stares at me as if i've said nothing at all. the sounds of the birds whistling in the trees become more apparent, as does the sound of my teeth grinding against one another.
"i don't think i've ever seen your hair dry bella swan." he reaches out to tug on a lock but i dodge him swiftly and walk to the passenger side of his car.
"hurry up and drop me off at the parking lot entrance." i slide into the volvo, slamming the door after me. the smell of cherry scented car-freshner mixed with leather wafts into my nose. i look at the backseat and then at the large paper brown bag sitting on the dashboard.
"relax, this car doesn't run like your behemoth. i'll have you at school faster than your truck can turn a corner." i open the paper bag and grab one of the soft cinnamon raisin bagels, taking a huge bite while he stares at me from the driver's seat. "you were saying something about not being hungry?"
"drive." i order in between mouthfuls.
the drive is silent and uncomfortable. i look through the window the entire time, gnawing on the bagel and listening to the sound of the water from my hair hit the smooth leather seat. i can see from my peripheral vision that edward glances at me every so often but i've no interested in becoming his play thing for the week. i just want to get to school early enough where i can sit by the pool and meditate by the water. once i finish my bagel i drink the coffee from the cup holder, burning my tongue a little as the caffeine slides down my throat. it's good, sugared and creamed just right. it's alarming how carefully crafted this breakfast is.
"how'd you know where i live anyway?" i ask, continuing my train of thought out loud.
"this isn't new york city bella," edward chuckles, "in a small town like this, it's easy to know where everyone lives."
"how long were you waiting outside?"
"only about an hour. i'd actually expected you to leave earlier, perhaps to get in an early swim session at the school pool." i set my coffee back in the cup holder, now completely creeped out.
"what's with the dedication to driving me to school and giving me breakfast?"
"you know, most women find this sort of thing charming."
"what's your ulterior motive?"
"i care about you going to school on an empty stomach bella. you know how the saying goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." he throws me a glance and a sharp smile, his eyes thick with coyness. i look him up and down, trying to figure him out but nothing seems to be computing. edward stops just short of the forks high school parking lot and turns to me. i watch as his smile grows wider and wider until finally, he starts laughing.
"please fill me in on what the hell is going on right now." the entire situation feels surreal. before yesterday, i'd never even spoken to the boy. i had no idea he even knew my name or was aware of my presence. and now he was plaguing me with his presence, hovering around my life like a gnat.
"aren't you forgetting something?" edward raises a thick eyebrow and stares me down, his entire face imprinted with mirth.
"what are you talking about?" i take a sip of coffee because i didn't sleep well and it's just too damned good to pass up.
"don't you feel a bit light?" i look down at my lap and then over my shoulder. staring at the backseat of edward's volvo, i realize i've forgotten my backpack in the cab of my truck. my face gets hot.
"i can't believe this." edward roars with laughter before taking the cup of coffee from my hands and swallowing a large gulp. "what are you doing?"
"this coffee was mine the entire time, yours is still inside the paper bag." he jerks his chin to the dashboard before chuckling again. "you're a mess this morning."
"did you know this whole way that i was forgetting my backpack?"
"of course i did. but i needed some incentive for you to skip school altogether. afterall, that was the plan from the start."
"what?" i snatch the coffee back from edward and drink the rest of it as quickly as i can. he's to blame for my inconvenience, for my tardiness, for my irritation. had he not showed up like the fucking chickenpox i wouldn't be in this predicament. "i'm not skipping school, especially not with you."
"what's the point of going without a backpack? all your important textbooks from the night before are in there aren't they?"
"you're driving me back home where i'll get into my truck and drive myself to school, backpack accounted for."
"oh am i? bella, i don't know if you've noticed but i have my backpack. why should i miss class because of your absent mindedness? i am a productive member of this academic society, unlike a certain wet haired girl beside me."
"oh fuck off," i hiss. "what is wrong with you? you've never spoken a word to me before but suddenly you've got quips and suggestions to skip school? we're not friends!"
"but i'd like to be," he murmurs. edward unbuckles his seatbelt and leans across the car console, his face close to mine, his breath fanning coffee across my nose. "these past couple of days have been very nice. seeing you outside the school everyday during sunset. shivering under that icy stare you reserve just for me. last night while i drove lauren home i thought 'bella swan just might be the girl for me. she might just really be the one.'" his eyes lower to my lips before flitting back to my eyes. "skip school with me. if you do i'll show you something real nice."
i press my hand to his chest and roughly shove him back, grunting at the force i had to employ. he's really quite strong.
"that shit may work on the other girls in this school but your coffee is more impressive than you are edward." i blink at him as he gives me an intense gaze from the other side of the car. it's weak really. "loving someone from the surface of your soul is so absurd. no one wants something shallow enough to paddle in." edward runs his fingers through his hair before putting his seatbelt back on.
"you're very frigid. but it's so refreshing. i feel invigorated just from being rejected by you." he flashes me a wide crooked grin and then presses his foot on the accelerator. "i'm still going to show you that real nice thing though."
we speed past the school and down the winding road.