Thank you for the positive reviews y'all left on Chapter 1! Here's Chapter 2. Please let me know if you're continuing to enjoy it. The song for this chapter is "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry. Thanks also to my best friend and beta BittenEV for her help on this.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to SM.
Chapter 2—Hot and Cold
I reluctantly got out of bed the next morning for my second day at Forks High. I could see the snow flurries outside my window, and I groaned. I missed the warmth of Phoenix and wondered if I'd ever see the sun again.
Charlie had left for work early, so I ate a quick breakfast alone once I was dressed. There was no sense in lingering around an empty house, so I headed off to school. I was glad to see that I wasn't too early.
"Bella!" I heard someone call as I got out of my truck. I looked up to see Alice standing next to a flashy yellow Mustang and waving wildly. I was definitely not a morning person, and I couldn't understand how Alice had so much energy so early. Part of me wanted to get back in my truck or just go off to find a quiet place, but I couldn't do that to Alice. She had been too nice to me, and there was no way I'd be rude to her.
"Hey, Alice," I said as I joined her next to her car.
Alice began assaulting me with questions. "How was your first day? Did everything go well? Do you like Forks High? Did you meet my cousin?"
"Whoa, Alice, slow down!" I laughed. "My first day was OK."
"Just OK?" Alice seemed outdone. "What about Edward? Did you meet him?"
I sighed in frustration because I really didn't want to say anything negative to Alice about her cousin. "I did. He's my lab partner."
Alice suddenly seemed angry. "I can't believe it! He did it again! Why does he always have to be such an ass?"
I laughed again. "It's OK, Alice. Yes, he was an ass. Yes, he made me angry. I'm just going to ignore him, though. I won't let him get to me."
"I'm sorry, Bella. He wasn't always like this," Alice apologized. "It all started when my aunt and uncle died."
"What happened?" I asked.
Alice began to explain, but she was cut off by the bell. "I'll tell you all about it this afternoon," she said as we headed to class. "I hear you and Charlie are coming for dinner this evening. Why don't you follow me home after school? We can do our homework and hang out."
"Sounds like a plan," I said as we got to class.
The morning went by quickly, and it was soon lunch time. Once again I joined Alice and her group in the cafeteria. Everyone talked and laughed, and I enjoyed myself. I truly felt like I could finally have some close friends.
All too soon, though, lunch ended and it was time for biology. Even though I had decided to ignore Edward Masen, I still got a knot in my stomach knowing he would be there. I was surprisingly disappointed, then, when I saw that Edward was absent.
I listened to Mr. Banner's lecture and took notes, but Edward's absence affected me. Where was he? Why hadn't Alice told me he was out? More importantly, why did I care? I didn't like Edward; I shouldn't have been worried where he was.
School finally ended, and I met Alice next to her car. "My house is pretty difficult to find. You'll need to follow me closely," she explained. Then she looked from her little sports car to my truck. "Try to keep up," she added with a wink.
I shook my head and laughed as I got in my truck to follow Alice. Thankfully, she didn't drive too fast and I was able to keep up with her. Alice was right about her house being difficult to find. I never would have found the turn off if I hadn't been following her. The drive was magnificent, though. The snow-covered trees looked like something from a postcard. They were gorgeous. I imagined it must be even more beautiful in the summer when everything was lush and green. It had to be fun for Alice and Emmett to grow up in such a great place. I felt like I'd been driving forever when I finally saw the huge white house.
Alice motioned for me to park in the driveway as the pulled into the massive garage. I got out of my truck and just stared at the huge house that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.
"So this is home," Alice said as she joined me. "It's big, but it's comfortable."
"It's amazing," I breathed out as I followed her up the front steps and into the house.
"Mom, I'm home!" Alice called out.
"In the kitchen, sweetie," a woman's voice called out.
We went into the kitchen, where we were greeted by a small, pretty woman with long caramel-colored hair. She smiled and came over to use when she saw us.
Alice handled the introductions. "Bella, this is my mom, Esme Cullen. Mom, this is Bella Swan."
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," I said, extending my hand.
"Oh please, it's Esme," she said, pulling me into a hug. "It's been forever since I've seen you. You're all grown up," she added, releasing me.
"Thanks so much for taking care of Charlie. I don't know how he's survived so long on his own," I said.
"Charlie's like a member of the family. We love having him here," Esme assured me. "We're also thrilled to have you here."
I began to blush, which unfortunately happened a lot. I didn't like being the center of attention at all. Alice apparently noticed my discomfort and changed the subject. "How's Edward feeling?"
"He's feeling much better," Esme replied as she went back to cooking dinner. "His fever broke around noon, and he's been resting all day."
"Good. I got his assignments for him. I'll bring them up to him and then Bella and I can get started on our homework." Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the kitchen. I heard Esme laughing behind us.
"So, Edward is sick?" I asked casually as we made our way upstairs.
"Yeah. He woke up with a fever this morning. It was weird because he doesn't have a cold or anything," she explained. "Must be some sort of bug."
"Must be," I muttered as Alice stopped and knocked on a door.
"Come in," a male voice called out. Alice bounded into the room, but I just stood in the doorway.
Edward's room was immaculate. It was tastefully decorated in various shades of gold. One wall was covered with bookshelves that held a stereo along with tons of CDs and books. Edward was sitting in the middle of the bed propped up against a mountain of pillows and playing on his laptop.
"Hey, Mom said you were feeling better," Alice said as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"I am, but I felt like crap this morning," he replied. "It just came on all of a sudden."
"Well I'm glad you're better," Alice said as she pulled Edward's work out of her school bag.
Edward finally looked up and saw me standing in the doorway. "Hello, Bella," he said formally.
I couldn't find my voice to reply. I just stood there like a mute. I couldn't believe that Edward was being polite to me. I also couldn't believe that someone sick could possibly look that gorgeous. Even his bedhead looked amazing. I continued to just stand and stare. No wonder Edward had been so rude. He probably thought I was mentally challenged, although that was no reason to be rude.
Edward looked at me intently, and I couldn't tear my eyes away. Alice looked from me to Edward then back to me. She sensed the awkwardness and thankfully broke the tension. "Come on, Bella. Let's go to my room," she said, getting up and heading towards me. "See you later, Edward."
Alice dragged me to her bedroom, but my mind was elsewhere. Edward had actually been nice to me, and I had acted like an idiot. We quietly got out our books and started our homework until Alice, sensing something was on my mind, broke the silence.
"Edward grew up in Chicago," she began, "but he, Emmett, and I have always been extremely close. He would spend part of his summers with us in Forks, and Emmett and I would go to Chicago the rest of the time. We'd even sped holidays together. My mom and my aunt Elizabeth were sisters, and really close with one another. Last summer, Edward, Aunt Elizabeth, and Uncle Ed came out to visit. Edward was spending the whole month of June with us, but my aunt and uncle only stayed a week. They had been back in Chicago for only three days when we got the news. They were in an accident, hit head on by a drunk driver. They were killed instantly. Edward was just a mess. He was basically catatonic until we got to Chicago, and then at the funeral he just lost it." Alice paused for a moment, no doubt thinking of her cousin's pain. "Edward came back to Forks to live with us, but he hasn't been the same. He's just a shell of a person, not really living, just existing. That's no excuse for him to be rude to you or anyone, but that's just how he deals with things."
I sat for a minute and tried to process what Alice had just told me. I couldn't even imagine going through what Edward had been through, but Alice was right. It was no excuse to be rude.
"Has he talked to anyone about it?" I finally asked. "You know, a professional or something? This can't be healthy."
"He does see someone once a week," Alice admitted. "It's helped a little but he's still not the same Edward. I miss the old Edward. He never laughs or smiles anymore. I want my cousin back."
Alice looked so sad that I just had to lean over and hug her. She hugged me back tightly, and we just sat like that for a few minutes. When she sat up, she wiped a few tears away. "Thanks, Bella. I needed that."
I wanted to smile for making her feel better but decided against it. I didn't want Alice to think I found any pleasure in her pain. The truth was that I had never had a friend like Alice. I had only known her for two days, but I felt as if we'd been friends forever. Alice seemed to have that effect on people.
We got started on our homework and kept the conversation on lighter topics. When we were finished, we went downstairs to help Esme. Carlisle was home, and he greeted me as warmly as Esme had.
"It's so good to see you, Bella," Carlisle said. "Charlie's happy to have you here."
"I'm glad to be here," I replied, only lying a little bit. I really was happy to be living with Charlie. I just wasn't happy that it was in Forks.
Charlie arrived a short time later, and Esme called everyone to dinner. It was definitely a lively affair. Emmett and Alice somehow managed to eat while talking nonstop. Charlie and Carlisle discussed fishing while Esme just listened and joined in when she could. Edward and I were the only ones who didn't have anything to contribute. I was basically in my own little bubble, eating and tuning out the conversation around me.
"Edward, are you feeling poorly again? You've hardly touched your dinner." It was Esme's voice that brought me back. I looked up and noticed that Edward was just playing with his food. I wondered too if he was still sick. Why, though? Why did I care?
"I'm really not very hungry. May I be excused?" Edward ran his hands through his hair as if he was frustrated.
"Of course, dear. I'll be up in a bit to check on you," Esme told him. Edward nodded and swiftly left the table. Esme looked concerned and leaned in to Carlisle to whisper to him. "Carlisle, I'm worried about him."
"He'll be fine. I'm sure it's just a bug or something," Carlisle assured her.
"It's more than that," Esme insisted. "I feel like I'm not doing enough to help him through everything."
Carlisle reached over and squeezed Esme's hand. "You are. I promise you are." He obviously sensed that I had heard his and Esme's conversation because he turned to me. "So, Bella, how are you enjoying Forks High so far?"
It was a simple question, but I knew I was turning 20 shades of red. I hated to have the attention turned on me, but I'd never be rude to Carlisle or anyone else. "It's good so far. I've met some great people thanks to Alice."
Alice perked up and gave me a big smile. "Awww, thanks! It's great having you here."
The rest of the meal went by quickly as we all engaged in small talk. I began to feel more comfortable and joined in the conversation. I tried to help Esme clean up after dinner, but she shooed me away. Alice, Emmett, and I went into the den to play video games. It was hysterical watching the two of them. You'd have sworn they were in the Super Bowl. They were so intense and totally into the game.
Charlie came in about an hour later. "Bells, I'm heading out. I'll see you at home."
"OK. I'll be right behind you."
"You don't have to leave if you're not ready. You can stay if you'd like," Charlie said with a smile. "Don't rush home on my account."
"No, it's getting late. I don't want to overstay my welcome." I really was having a good time, but it was getting late. I wanted to shower and get to bed before it got too late.
I turned to Alice and Emmett. "Thanks so much for a fun evening. I had a great time hanging out."
Emmett grabbed me in a huge bear hug. "Anytime, Bellaboo! Don't be a stranger!"
I managed to get free from Emmett's grasp only to have Alice squeeze me like a boa constrictor. "Oh Bella, I'm so glad you came. Please tell me you'll be back soon."
"Of course I will," I assured her. "I never really had close friends in Phoenix, so this was really fun."
Alice's eyes got wide. "Really? How could you not have close friends?"
"If you haven't noticed, I'm pretty shy. I just never fit in with anyone back home," I explained.
Alice grabbed me in another bone-crushing hug. "Then I'm honored that you've allowed me to be your friend. I know I'm hyper sometimes, but I can't help it. I'm just glad you don't mind."
I laughed and hugged her back before heading to the kitchen to say good night to Carlisle and Esme. They both hugged me as well.
"I'm so glad you joined us this evening," Esme said warmly. "You are welcome anytime, and I hope we'll be seeing a lot more of you."
"Thanks, Esme. You definitely will," I replied honestly.
I managed to find my way down the Cullens' long driveway and get back to the highway. From there it didn't take long to get home. Charlie was already settled in front of the TV watching a basketball game when I walked in.
"Hey, Bells," he said. "Did you have a nice time with the Cullens?"
"I really did. I had fun hanging out with Alice and Emmett. They're great." I smiled at the idea of finally having some close friends.
Charlie smiled as well. "They are great. I'm glad you like them. I know you're pretty quiet like your old man here, and I was worried about you being alone too much."
I was surprised. Charlie was a man of few words and didn't express his feelings much. I was touched that he worried about me in that way.
"I hope you don't mind me hanging out with Alice after school. I promise I'll get my chores done and dinner ready—"
Charlie cut me off. "Bella, you're not here to be the maid or to take care of me. I want you to have fun. Don't worry. I've been taking care of myself for a while now."
"That doesn't mean I don't worry about you," I insisted. "Besides, I'm used to taking care of Mom."
Charlie smiled. "Your mom is a great person, but we both know she's a little flighty. I'm a big boy. I can handle it."
"Thanks, Dad," I said. "Well, I'm going to head upstairs for the night."
"Sleep tight," Charlie called out.
School the next day was even better. I still hadn't come out of my shell completely, but I felt comfortable at Forks High. Everyone seemed to accept me for who I was.
I headed to biology after lunch and stopped dead in my tracks when I reached the classroom. Edward Masen was back, and I immediately found myself becoming frustrated. I was in a good mood, and I knew any interaction with Edward would ruin it. Then I wondered yet again why on earth I was letting Edward get to me like this. Sure, he was the most beautiful male specimen I had ever seen, but he was still a jerk. I walked to my lab table, grabbed my notebook out of my bag, and let my hair fall in my face as a shield from Edward.
"Bella," a velvety voice said, and I knew it was Edward. I ignored him and continued to flip through my notebook. "Bella," he said again. I continued to ignore him. He sighed. "I guess I deserve it for the way I've treated you. I'm sorry, Bella. I know I've been an ass. Maybe it's just better this way."
His comment caught me off guard and I spun to face him. "Better this way? Being an ass is OK?"
Edward sighed again. "That's not what I meant. I meant that it's probably for the best if you continue to ignore me. I'm not really a very good friend."
"So I've noticed," I retorted.
Edward looked as though he wanted to say something else, but Mr. Banner began class. I was grateful because I really didn't feel like talking to Edward. We were both quiet as we took notes and did our classwork. When the bell rang, I didn't even look at him. I joined Angela, and we walked to gym together.
I was getting in my truck at the end of the day when I heard Edward calling my name. I was tempted to just get in and drive off, but for some reason I decided to hear him out so he would stop annoying me.
"What do you want, Edward?" I asked as he jogged over to my truck. "You tell me it's best to ignore you, but you won't leave me alone. I wish you'd just ignore me."
Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bella, I'm really sorry about the way I've treated you. I said I wouldn't be a very good friend. That doesn't mean I don't want to be friends."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.
Edward sighed again. "It means I don't know if I'd be a very good friend, but I could try. Alice and Emmett love you already."
"That's because they don't go hot and cold like you do." At this point I considered running over Edward with my truck.
"I know, and you're right," he replied, looking at the ground.
"I'll think about it." I started my truck to let him know the conversation was over.
Edward took the hint. "Sounds fair. I'll see you tomorrow."
As I drove out of the parking lot, I replayed the conversation in my head. Could I actually handle being friends with Edward? Could I handle his mood swings? I found myself more confused than ever by the enigma that was Edward Masen.
