Dammit. I broke my promise, didn't I? It is official now that you can hate ME. But not my story, okay? Sigh. I can't believe all the activities going on after my exams! I have my o levels Chinese coming up on the 31 October and on 2 November, I'm flying to Japan and will only be back on the 13th. Why is it so sucky? I can't even concentrate on my beloved fanfiction!

Thanks for all the guesses, but nope. Nobody guessed it right yet. Let me give you another clue, which may actually kill the whole atmosphere. But yes, my name. It's in the credits of Eclipse. I know, so anti-climax. But, sorry! I didn't know that everybody would be so enthusiastic about this.

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Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Mine is nothing.

Chapter 14

bPOV

"Let me down." I said in a voice which I could hardly recognise. I had gave up trying to open my eyes, but it was getting easier since the light seemed to be less bright now. "No." Mike replied as he continued walking.

"Let. Me, Down." I repeated with gritted teeth, extremely uncomfortable that I was in his arms. I didn't like the feeling of being weak, even though I am. Or maybe I just didn't want to be carried by Mike. I don't want to give him any wrong ideas; I am perfectly fine by myself.

"Bella," Mike called me, the firm edge in his voice a second ago had disappeared. Goosebumps broke out on my skin as I shuddered inwardly. I remained silent. "Bella," he said as softly. "Do you have any idea what you look like now?" I fought again to have my eyes opened. What did I look like? Finally, my eyelids fluttered open and a burst of light entered my eyes. I found myself looking at Mike Newton's face. Quickly, I looked away.

He smiled, in a sad way. "You're covered in scratches and blood, Bella. Can you imagine how I felt when I found you on the floor in this state? I'll bet you don't. But let me tell you, I felt worse that any other times you brushed me off. I was suddenly angry at myself for letting me get brushed off by you. And I've decided, no more of that. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you don't get hurt anymore, you hear me, Bella?"

I couldn't even lift my hand to wipe my tears away, and they slowly travelled down my face. Why was I crying?

The rest of the journey was quiet. I let myself get carried by Mike and didn't ask where we were going.

mPOV

I looked down at Bella, and my chest tightened once more. The blood was so dark, so red against her white skin and it pains me to know that she was in pain. I increased my pace and hoped that we were nearing her house. I had to clean her wounds up before they get infected. And there were many wounds to clean, Another knife pierced my heart.

As my eyes focused on the long stretch of road before me, I thought about Bella and me. I wondered if she would ever accept me. What have I done that wasn't enough? When would she look at me the way I look at her? Why can't she notice me?

A dot became a figure and Bella's house came into view. I kicked open the door and hurried up the stairs. Gently, I placed her on her bed and watched her face. "Bella?" Her eyes opened and I could see the warm brown eyes of hers again. She looked around her surroundings, but when our eyes met, she looked away again. My shoulders slumped.

I stood up, "I'm going to find a towel. Something to wash you up with. Stay here and don't go anywhere. I won't take long." Shoving my hands into the back pockets of my jeans, I retreated out of the room dejectedly.

Maybe we just weren't meant to be.

bPOV

I closed my eyes as the familiar scent of home hit me. It soothed me and I slowly drifted away to sleep until something cold came in contact with my skin.

No!

My eyes flew open in fear and I jerked. "Don't come near me!"

Mike looked back down in shock. "Bella! It's me, Mike. I'm just cleaning up your wounds, I swear. Nothing else." The fear which paralysed me for a moment subsided and I closed my mouth. Nodding, I turned my head and looked out of the window. Mike came back to sit beside me, wiping the dried blood off my skin. I let the sunlight blind my eyes.

The next blink, and it was evening. The window showed me a rosy glow from the evening sun and I felt somehow better. I tried lifting my hand and found that I could do it. I wriggled my fingers and smiled in amusement when they wriggled at me. I turned my head away from the window and found Mike. He had laid his head on folded arms and was breathing deeply, obviously asleep.

Mike.

He was a good guy, I could affirm that in a minute. How many times have I wondered why he likes me? In the beginning, I told myself that it was infatuation, that he probably got bored with all the girls in school and wanted something new. But a period of time has passed already. Shouldn't the new have become old by now? Of course, it can very well still be infatuation. But--

Mike stirred in his sleep and shifted his head into another seemingly more comfortable position. I held my breath and then frowned, leaning forward for a closer look lest my eyes deceive me. Realization hit me and I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying not to wake him up with my coming laughter.

Mike Newton was drooling in his sleep!

I sighed and looked at him again. When will he give up? Will he ever?

His eyes opened drowsily. I smiled. He jolted up and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, hey. I, eh, was tired. How are you feeling now? Better? No?"

I nodded my head and hesitantly pointed to my mouth. He looked at me, confusion swimming in his eyes before he understood and swiveled around. Hastily, he wiped his mouth clean and turned back to face me. I laughed freely this time and he grinned sheepishly at me. Mike's face changed and he looked at me seriously. My heart skipped a beat and I looked away, uncomfortable that he was looking at me that way.

"Bella," he said while he laid his hands gently on mine. I pulled back immediately. "Is there anything bothering you lately?"

"No." I replied too quickly and could feel Mike smiling.

Sighing, I turned back to face him. Indeed, so much has happened and I wondered if my heart could continue taking it in. It was never like this back in Phoenix. I only got into my emotional rut so little times a year, because Andrea was always helping me empty it. She was like a friend, a sister and a parent all mashed into one. My eyes teared up, just thinking about how I had to leave such a friend like that. I must've broken her heart. "Bella?" Mike called out my name again while shaking my shoulders gently. "You can always tell me, you know."

Can I? Would I ever allow myself to replace Andrea with Mike? Or has she already been replaced by Angela and Jessica?

"Look, Bella. I know you think I'm just this stupid, annoying guy who bugs you all the time. I also think you would have known, and felt, by now that I like you," Mike paused and cringed visibly by his blunt confession. He forged on. "Maybe you encounter guys like me all the time back in Phoenix or maybe you don't quite acknowledge my existence. But that's not the way you are to me." Mike looked into my eyes. "I knew you were special, Isabella Swan, the first time I met you. I didn't know why, either. To strangers, you looked like just an ordinary girl who bumped into me. But I knew it wasn't like that. It was as if Fate had come and I just knew it. Like, you know, you're The One."

Mike cut off and groaned, burying his head in his hands. Was it an reflex action that I immediately asked him if he was hurt?

"No, no, I'm fine." He looked up. "That was just about the crappiest and lamest thing you've ever heard in your entire life and I had to be the one to deliver it to you."

I laughed.

Realizing that he was staring at me in surprise, I tried choking back my giggles and explained, "No, it isn't you." That was all I could manage before I found my shoulders shaking in silent laughter. Finally, I took a deep breath and told Mike seriously, "Mike Newton, that was the nicest thing anyone have ever said to me before, and you had to be the one to deliver it to me."

His eyes lit up, like the Christmas lights on a Christmas tree on Christmas. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"...Wow." He whispered to himself before suddenly giving a whoop of joy and pumping his fist. "Good job, Mike Newton. Good job!" He studied my face for a moment and smiled to himself again. "Wow."

I hit his arm. "Shut up."

He smiled at me. But I continued on, "Don't get any wrong ideas, Mike Newton, because I'm not looking for any relationships to be in. Not now, and maybe not ever. But, friends. Will that do?"

I looked at him, hoping that I haven't hurt him in any way.

His smile became slightly strained, but it was gone in a flash. "Yeah, sure thing, Bella. But in case you change your mind," he interrupted me before I could say anything. "I'm not saying you would, but in case it happens, yeah, just know that I'll always be here for you. And that, at any point of time, feel free to come to me and ask 'Mike Newton, will you be my boyfriend?'."

I stared at him.

He slapped his forehead. "Okay. Rewind and delete. I did not just say that. Oh my god, Mike Newton, you officially outgayed yourself."

Shaking my head amusedly at him, something suddenly occurred to me and I called Mike. "Hey, how well do you know Ed-- I mean, Cullen?"

"Hm, not very, but there was a very short period of time when I was his biology partner. But then, Mr Cleft suspected that I was just leeching off Edward's answers and had me switch seats. Oh, which reminds me. Has he been bothering you? I could always ask him to stop if you want me to."

"No, he isn't--" Why am I still defending him? Why am I still standing up for him? "Actually, there is this one small thing which has been bothering me."

"And?"

"And it isn't his fault, at least I don't think it is. You see, it's this story which somebody told me and I don't know whether to believe it. I'm not sure if you've heard about this story too."

"A story? What is it about?"

"Well, the bottomline was about Edward and his family being--" The doorbell rang.

"Oh, hold on. Stay where you are. I'll go get that. It may be your father."

Distracted, I nodded my head and stared out of my window. The view of the forest was beautiful from here and I wondered how Mike would react to Edward being a vampire. Would he already know? Would he laugh it off? Or would he stare at me and believe me, like how I believed Jacob?

A flash of white caught my eye and I frowned.

Then my blood went cold and I gripped my blanket. I felt the life draining from my face and I stared on in horror. My heart didn't know what to do; should it beat faster for my brain to receive enough oxygen?Or should it just give up and not move? I blinked slowly and opened my eyes again.

Edward Cullen was still there, black eyes staring from afar straight into mine. Those very same black eyes I saw before.

Did I faint?

Okay. Not exactly a cliffhanger, but I hope it's long enough. I will be writing chapters throughout my trip to Japan and when I come back, I should be prepared with a new chapter already.

Review me, dears. Because I have sinned. Forgive me!

Review my story. PLEASE. And I will learn from my lesson.

I will reveal my name if nobody guesses it by this chapter. You will all groan at the lameness of it and proceed to hate me even more. Telling you this, so you know, you can prepare yourself mentally.

PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! ):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):

okay. and i think there might be a need for me to clear things up a little because some of my precious readers are confused. so, the dream, which you all knew was a dream, happened when bella slept in class. yes, which also meant that she ran out of the class, screaming her head off like a madwoman. and because she had a sprained ankle, she couldn't run properly. thus, it led to her falling down on stony granite. it hurts like hell because i've fallen on granite before. okay. so mike newton was let off early and he happened to see bella laying on the floor in the middle of a huge carpark. what would a normal person do when he saw his crush, injured on the ground? he will do the heroic act of picking her up and bringing her to safety! and this kickstarts a series of actions which mike newton will continually do in order to win bella's heart.

i really hope you understand now. anymore doubts?

don't worry. bella-edward moments coming up next.