SONG: Plain White Tees - Hey there Delilah (but change Delilah to Isabella)

Chapter 24

Green

EPOV

I got back to Forks on Saturday around four.

I had left Seattle a lot later than I originally planned because my mom didn't want me to leave. She kept stalling me by making me breakfast, then asking me to set up her new DVD player with the TV, then asking me to watch a DVD on it with her to 'make sure it was working fine.' Eventually she had run out of ways of stalling me and just outright asked,

"Can't you leave tomorrow instead honey?"

I had internally groaned because I hated saying no to her, but I really did want to get back to Forks.

I sighed and said, "I can't mom. I'm going to have a ton of schoolwork to catch up on; I want to start some of it today."

She had looked so disappointed that I had actually ended up staying another hour.

I had wanted to leave at nine that morning but instead I ended up leaving around one. My mom had cried when I was leaving, hugging me tightly, and I couldn't help the few tears that trickled down my cheeks too. I wanted to go back to Forks but, of course, I was going to miss her again. I promised her – and myself – that I would visit every other weekend and she finally let me go, watching from the doorway as I drove away, until I could no longer see her in my rear view mirror. I had taken a few more of my stuff from my room, including my guitar, because I figured that there wasn't really a point in leaving them there anymore.

I drove back to Forks very quickly, not stopping for anything and surpassing my usual already high speed. It was pure luck that I wasn't stopped by cops, at the speed that I was going. It only took me about three hours to reach Forks, and when I passed that quaint little, 'The City Of Forks Welcomes You' sign, I couldn't help smiling a little, realising how much I had missed the dull little town. It felt like home now. I mean, Seattle had felt like home when I first got there, but the longer I stayed, the more it didn't anymore.

Forks wasn't the only thing I'd missed. I'd missed Jazz and uncle C and aunt E and even Rose. I'd also missed Emmett, Alice, and for some weird reason, even Jessica Stanley's shrill voice.

But most of all, the main reason I was glad to be back in Forks, the main reason I was speeding down the highway like a lunatic, the main reason I wanted to leave my mom's today instead of tomorrow,

Was because I'd missed Isabella Swan.

So I got to Forks around four and I didn't go home right away. Instead I drove around town for a bit, pondering whether to follow through with a crazy idea I had gotten while driving down.

I was pondering whether I should go to Bella's house or not.

It was a crazy idea, I mean, I'd just gotten back in town, not even seen my family yet, but I wanted to see her. She didn't even know that I was back and I didn't know whether she was out or busy. Plus, her dad might be home seeing as it was a Saturday and what would I say if he asked me why I was at his home?

What would I say if she asked me why I was at her home?

I didn't have the assignment as an excuse anymore. I didn't have any excuse whatsoever for going there. So I had driven around town, burning up my gas, and deliberating whether to do it or not and I knew that I only had the balls to do it now, that if I had gone home first and thought about it some more I wouldn't have done it.

And I really wanted to see her.

So I made my decision, made a U turn and started driving over to her house. It was funny, but I remembered how to get to her house perfectly, even though I'd only been there once.

I reached her house quickly, and parked on the road in front of it. I sat in my car, peering at the house. I knew she was home because her truck was parked in the driveway. I also guessed that her dad wasn't home because they didn't have a garage and there was no other car on the driveway, and I'm sure her dad had a police car. This gave me a little relief and I started getting up, opening my door and stepping out of my car. I walked up to the front door slowly and stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted it.

A black Honda DN-01 Sports Cruiser stood parked next to Bella's truck.

I hadn't seen it at first because Bella's truck hid it from the angle I was in when I was sitting in my car. I knew the model of this motorcycle because a friend of mine in Seattle had had the same one in red. I couldn't forget this one of course, because it belonged to that guy. The 'Motorcycle Guy' as I called him. The one who had pathetically showed up at our school. The one who had asked Bella for her number. The one who wore a leather jacket and probably thought he was a badass.

The one that annoyed the fuck out of me.

What the hell was he doing at her house?

My jaw clenched involuntarily and my eyes narrowed as I stared at the stupid bike. What was the point of having a bike anyway? You could barely fit two people on it. I turned and swiftly walked back to my car. I scowled as I sped away, glaring at the bike as I drove past it, wishing I could drive over the fucking thing and crush it – preferably with the annoying asshole attached to it.

Under all of my anger and murderous thoughts, I was also asking myself why the hell I was so mad. I mean, it was ludicrous because, firstly, I didn't even know what the guy was doing there, he could have just been there fixing a leaky tap for all I knew. Secondly, it was none of my goddamn business what he was doing there anyway. I mean, whether he was there to see Bella or not had nothing to do with me. She wasn't dating me. In fact, I hadn't even asked her out.

Still, no matter how irrational my anger was, I couldn't help it. I didn't want that guy at her house; in fact, I didn't want that guy – or any other guy for that matter – anyway near her.

I was dying to call her all of Sunday.

I had gotten home on Saturday around six, after driving around a little more to calm down. My petrol tank was flashing empty by the time I had gotten home but I didn't care, I couldn't even be bothered to stop at the gas station to refill. I checked my face in the mirror before I left my car and saw that I was still scowling. I didn't want to raise alarm from Esme and Carlisle and have them thinking that my scowl had something to do with my mom so I had forced the frown off my face and tried, unsuccessfully, to smile instead.

There was the usual fussing and questions about my visit from Esme and Carlisle; then I had unpacked my suitcase and put out the things I had brought with me in my room. I'd wanted to just stay in my room moping afterwards, but Esme had dragged me downstairs for dinner, Carlisle had wanted to talk to me in detail in his office about how I thought my mom was coping, and then Jazz had requested a rematch of Pro Evolution Soccer on the PS3.

So on Sunday, I had only come out of my room for food, telling everyone that I was starting to do all the work that I'd missed during the week. But all I was really doing was pacing my room, then laying back on my bed, then picking up my cell and holding it for ten minutes, mulling over whether to call her or not, then putting the phone back down on my bedside table and repeating the actions. No one bothered me all day, probably thinking I was hard at work.

Except Jazz of course.

He knocked on my door, calling out,

"Ed it's me, can I come in?"

I grimaced because I really wasn't in the mood to talk. Jazz probably knew this and that's why he was asking if he could come in, instead of knocking and then barging in without awaiting a response like he usually did.

I sighed. "Yeah, come in."

He opened the door and walked in warily, as if expecting to see something unexpected. After closing the door softly, he turned to me. I was lying on my bed, arms behind my head, frowning at the ceiling.

"Dude, what the fuck is up with you?" he asked me, "I mean, the visit to Aunt Liz was fine wasn't it? You weren't lying to mom and dad were you?"

I shook my head.

"Of course I wasn't lying."

"Then what's wrong? You've been acting like a moody bitch ever since you got back."

I sighed, not really wanting to tell Jazz the reason because I felt so stupid.

"I went to Bella's house yesterday. Before I came here after I got back from Seattle. I don't know; I just wanted to see her..."

Jazz waited for me to continue.

"Well, when I got there...remember that guy that was in the parking lot talking to Bella before, the one with the motorcycle?"

Jazz grimaced, then tried to hide his grimace and quickly nodded. Strange.

"Well, I saw his motorcycle parked outside her house." My brows furrowed deeper as I said this, getting pissed off all over again.

Jazz grimaced again and this time he didn't bother trying to hide it.

I eyed him suspiciously.

"What's up with you?" I asked.

Jazz hesitantly met my gaze. He sighed.

"Dude, I didn't really want to say anything, you know, just in case it was just a rumour, but apparently Bella and that guy are dating."

His words hit me like a slap in the face and I stared at him incredulously.

He nodded glumly, "Sorry man. The whole school was talking about it last week; it would have probably died down by tomorrow though. He came to meet her after school on Monday, and for the rest of the week she rode to school with Alice and the guy met her after school. She would get on the back of his bike and they would drive off."

I found my fists clenched as I listened to Jazz. She rode on his bike with him? Didn't she know how fucking dangerous that was? I bet she didn't even wear a helmet.

"Dude got her a pink helmet and everything." Jazz said.

Oh. Damn it.

"Do you know his name?" I asked through clenched teeth.

I don't know why I even wanted to know that.

"Alice told me it was Jackson I think? No, that's not right...Jack or Jake or something. Fuck knows."

"Stupid name. Whichever one it is." I muttered, scowling at my clenched fists.

Jazz stared at me for a moment questioningly, and then burst out into laughter.

"Dude, you're fucking jealous!" he said, surprised and amused.

"I am not." I mumbled. But it was a feeble attempt at lying because I clearly was. Jasper knew it. And I knew it.

"Bullshit." Jazz said, "If you could see your face right now..." he trailed off, and continued snickering as he left my room, shaking his head.

I was anxious to see her, yet I was also dreading sitting next to her on Monday. I sat in biology, listening intently for her footsteps.

I heard them after a while, soft and graceful, and she pulled out her chair and sat down. I looked at her and saw that she was flushing, as usual, and that same damn involuntary smile reappeared. She tried to avoid my eyes as I smiled at her, but I kept trying to hold her gaze and eventually she looked into my eyes, flushing deeper. I stared into her beautiful doe eyes for a while, and she stared back, staying a deep shade of red.

Eventually, I said, "Hey." Which was lame but I couldn't think clearly at that moment as I got lost in her brown gaze.

She looked away first, mumbling a "Hi." And looking down at her notes.

I noticed her hair was in a low ponytail today and she was wearing black jeans and a pink hoody.

The thought occurred to me that she may have been wearing the pink hoody to match the pink helmet that Jazz had told me she wore when she was on the bike with him.

I suddenly hated the colour pink.

And I was also pissed that he might turn up after school today. I was glowering now, my lips set in a hard line as I stared towards the front of the class, so aware of the presence of Isabella Swan; it was like she was the heat radiating from a raging fire next to me. I couldn't help myself from glancing at her. And I so wanted to talk to her, to hear her cute musical voice...

"So, what did I miss?" I asked her, my frown dissipated instantaneously as I looked at her pink cheeks.

She turned to me – avoiding my eyes – and reddened.

"Sorry?" she asked, looking startled.

I smiled.

"I said, what did I miss? I mean, I wasn't here the whole of last week..."

"Oh." She replied, "Um, well we've moved on from cell division now, as you probably know by now if you were just listening to Mr Banner."

I didn't know because I wasn't listening.

I nodded anyway and she continued.

"We're studying the organs now. Last week we did the lungs, this week I think he said we're doing the heart."

Very ironic, I thought, seeing as my heart was pounding away rapidly in my chest this minute.

"Thanks. Do you mind if I borrow your notes?" I asked.

She flushed again and I very nearly reached out and touched her face to feel the warmth no doubt radiating from it.

"Erm, I don't think my notes would be very clear, you know, for you to read, I mean, my writing isn't very neat."

She was probably right. Her writing wasn't very neat, but I couldn't help smiling at it.

"Hmmm, you're probably right." I said.

"I could...I could maybe type them up for you if you want?"

I turned to her quickly, startled because that was really sweet of her to offer.

I shook my head though.

"No, thank you but I wouldn't want you to go through all that trouble. I'll get the notes from Jessica or someone else, it's no big deal."

Did I imagine it or did her lips start pouting at the mention of Jessica? Or was she already doing that? And damn her lips were so...full...and the way she was pushing them out looked perfect for someone to just lean over and kiss them...

"Why don't you come over to mine." Her voice broke through my thoughts.

My mouth dropped open slightly as I stared at her.

"What?"

She was red again.

"I mean, I err, could like, help you study, you know, help you catch up....I mean, I've got to catch up on a few things myself..." she stuttered.

My heart leaped in my chest as I realised what she was saying.

"Sure." I said, "When do you want to do it?"

"Um, how about tomorrow?" she said, glancing at me quickly.

"Ok."

The Motorcycle Guy did come to pick her up after school.

And I was right about the sweater because it was the same shade of pink as the helmet. Jazz came over and patted my shoulder sympathetically as I watched them speed off around the corner.

But for some reason, I wasn't as mad and jealous as I had been.

Because she had asked me to go over to her house. She had offered to help me catch up on my work. She had even offered to type up some notes for me. I mean, I didn't know if she liked me, but these things showed that she certainly didn't hate me.

And that Motorcycle Guy? Well, she'd apparently only been dating him a week, he couldn't mean that much to her already.