Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight. Just this little story!
Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing! It means a lot and makes writing both more enjoyable and flow faster (if ya get my drift... heh heh.)
I'm glad you guys are enjoying it! Bella told him off, huh? Haha, it was a long time coming... Now let's see how her new plan goes.
Chapter 7- Avoidance
I was still steaming mad when I arrived at home. I fumed the entire way, not even the calming strains of classical music managing to cool my ire. What was worse were the tears that kept blurring my vision as the words that he'd said and the callous way that he'd been treating me repeated in my mind. In the end, I had to stop a few blocks from home to let out some of my tears so I could compose myself enough to avoid mom asking me any questions.
I opened the door to my house tiredly, feeling myself coming down with a mild headache from all the emotions swirling around inside of me. My mom came around the corner as soon as she heard the door close behind me.
"You got off work early," I said, making my way to the staircase leading to my room listlessly.
"And you're late. Where were you?" she asked me, coming to block my way. I stopped, taking a breath. I really wasn't ready to deal with her right then.
"I had to take care of something," I said, not looking at her.
"Take care of what? You're not in a club," my mom asked, her voice full of suspicion.
"Just something to do with school, mom."
She blocked me again, standing in front of me resolutely. "It's not a boy, is it?"
"No, mom," I said tiredly, resigned that this conversation was going to happen. Again.
"I told you to stay away from boys, didn't I?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You have to focus on school. I don't want you ending up like me. And you know what happened last time you got involved with a boy," she said threateningly, the tightly-pulled back bun she always wore shaking a little with the force of her words.
"It's not a boy, Renee, okay?!" My voice had risen and I stopped, swallowing to get a hold of myself. I couldn't afford for us to argue, not with my emotions so close to the surface. Taking a deep breath, I looked her in the eye. "I promise it had nothing to do with a boy. I had to ask my English teacher about an extra credit project." I knew that sounded plausible; she knew that I loved English.
It was quiet for a moment, then she said, "Okay. Go upstairs and do your homework and study. I'm going to cook dinner."
I nodded, heading upstairs, feeling her eyes on my back.
I went in my room, setting my backpack down on my bed and then flopping down on it on my back, taking a deep breath and shutting my eyes. My mind replayed Edward's words over and over again.
"You haven't had a thing to fight for in your life, have you? You're arrogant, frigid, and bitchy."
"You think just because you got in on a scholarship that you're the shit? You think just because you can do a few equations and write an essay that you're better than everyone else? You're just like all the other pretentious fuckers who walk around and let daddy-"
I opened my eyes and caught my breath, the sound of that slap and my words still so fresh in my mind. I'd never hit a person before. I'd never yelled at or argued with someone before, not even mom. I had always thought that I was logical and not really that emotional- I had to be to live with my mom. But Edward seemed to bring out that side of me, a side I never really knew that I had, and I didn't like it. It was best for me to stick to what I knew. I needed to avoid him at all costs. Tomorrow, I would ask mom if I could get a job.
That decided, I resolutely pushed all thoughts of Edward Cullen out of my mind and took out my homework, spending the rest of the night in the comforting company of equations and words.
~*TEM*~
"No."
"But, mom-"
"I said no, Isabella. You need to focus on your grades and school, and a job will only detract from that. I give you an allowance, and you have everything you need, as well as some things you don't. The answer is no."
With that, she walked away, leaving me hopeless and angry. I drove to school that morning dreading seeing Edward, knowing there was no way I would be able to pay him back. I could only stay as his slave, but I wouldn't allow it to be like before, simply for my own sanity and self-respect.
I was already seated when he got in class and I looked straight ahead as he came in surprisingly early. As soon as he spotted me he sauntered over to me, and just the sight of his cocky gait and smirk made my hackles rise.
"How's that job hunt going?" Edward asked, throwing his backpack down on his desk, and I sighed, swallowing back my immediate anger.
"I can't get one," I said stiffly.
"What was that?" he asked.
I took a deep breath before I looked at him steadily. "I said I can't get one. I'm not allowed."
He was silent for a moment before he shook his head with a sigh. "Princess, Princess, Princess. After all that shit you were spouting yesterday you can't pay up?"
I kept my cool, turning to him. "I'm sorry, Edward," I said evenly. "No, I can't. I'll just have to keep being your servant until you say I'm done. I need to learn to work hard, after all." I wasn't going to let him get to me. I couldn't afford to have him under my skin because he'd only be a distraction, and he'd only hurt me. I could tell that he was trying to rile me up, and I wouldn't let him win.
His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something just as the teacher walked in. I turned back to the front without another word and took notes, having already gotten everything I needed out before he came. During the class, he purposely dropped his book three times, and I leaned down and picked it up before placing it on his desk. I could feel his gaze on me but I didn't look, and he didn't do anything for the rest of the class.
As soon as the bell rang, I packed my things and walked over to his desk silently. I packed his things and then picked his backpack up, turning on my heel and walking out without another word.
When he arrived in the next class, I already had his books out on his desk and was sitting at mine, my books and papers out. I felt him looking at me weirdly but ignored him once again. He didn't bother me the entire class, and when it was over, he packed his backpack up on his own, slamming the books in, then getting up and walking out of the classroom huffily. He ignored me totally in fourth period, slouching extremely while staring at the board with a glare the entire class period. As soon as it ended, he got up again and left, almost stomping down the hall.
"What's wrong with him?" I heard some of the classmates say, shooting glances at me. I felt my face heat with their attention but ignored them studiously. I knew what was wrong with him- I wasn't taking his bait. And it was making my life a lot easier. Suddenly, I was confident. I could do this.
Edward Cullen would not get the best of me. Never again.
~*TEM*~
A week passed, and then two, with Edward trying to get on my nerves everyday and me ignoring him unless it was to give him his completed homework. I answered everything he said with no more than one sentence and didn't say anything when he made a snide remark. Of course, he still angered me, but I never let it show to him, and each day, he got more and more tense.
The Thursday of that week, I sat down at my lunch table with a sigh of relief. He'd stopped making me come with him to lunch a few days ago and I had never appreciated my table as much as I did right then. I got one of my favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, out and opened it to where I'd placed my bookmark, digging into my chicken soup with a sigh of contentment. I was so absorbed that I didn't realize anyone was sitting at my table until they spoke.
"To Kill a Mockingbird, seriously? God, you really are a nerd," a deep voice drawled.
I almost dropped my book in surprise. I looked up to see the same tall blonde-haired boy I'd seen with Edward sometimes. He was really quite handsome and his bright blue eyes were twinkling and kind. I suddenly felt shy for some reason.
"Um... hello?" I said, and he laughed.
"Oh, right. I'm Jasper. Jasper Whitlock, Edward's cousin," he said.
I felt my eyebrows rise in surprise. I didn't know that Edward had family in this school. "I'm-"
"Isabella Swan, school's number one student and now Edward's slave. I know who you are," he said, and I nodded, dropping my eyes and feeling my cheeks flush. I felt like he was mocking me just like Edward had, and I was suddenly defensive.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. No one ever sat at my table, and I had never seen him during lunchtime before. Furthermore, I didn't really know him, nor did he really know me. And he was related to Edward. That was enough reason to be cautious right there.
"Eating lunch," he said brightly, and I groaned inwardly. That was the same kind of thing Edward would have said- they were definitely cousins. I had a feeling he liked to get a rise out of people too, and I wasn't in the mood.
"Enjoy your meal then," I said, picking my book back up.
"Hey," he said, pulling the book out of my hands and setting it down on the seat beside him. He pouted at me. "You really don't have table manners."
"What do you want?" I asked him, annoyed. I just wanted to eat my meal and read my book in peace.
"I was just seeing what was wrong with you."
"Do you even know me well enough to ask that?" I asked him pointedly, looking down to start eating. For some reason, I felt at ease around him, even though I was on my guard because he was related to Edward.
"Probably not," he answered nonchalantly, making me look up at him in annoyance again. "Stop looking like that. If you frown to much your face will get stuck that way." He smiled at my rapid blinks before he started eating his soup. He let the silence build until I huffed in annoyance.
"Did Edward send you here?" I asked, setting my spoon down and staring at him. "I've never even met you before."
"He didn't send me," he said, not looking up from the food he was shoveling in his mouth.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I'm tired of him being all emo because of you," he said, stopping eating and looking at me.
"Being emo? Because of me? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" I was surprised. What would he have to be emo about? He was the one who'd attacked me. And now I was doing everything he asked, doing what he said without asking questions or talking back. I could tell he was mad he wasn't getting a rise, but I didn't think it affected him that much.
"Are you mad at him about something?" he asked. I pressed my lips in a thin line.
"No. If I were, it's none of your business" I said shortly, paying attention to my soup.
Jasper just laughed. "You're a horrible liar. It's kind of cute, really," he said. I gaped at him before snapping my mouth shut, feeling my cheeks heat despite myself. No boy had called me cute before. It was silent again as we both ate.
"You know, the thing about Edward is, he's kind of a bastard," Jasper said suddenly a few moments later.
"Well that's obvious," I said sarcastically, stabbing a piece of meat with my fork viciously.
"He also not really a people person, and he doesn't let anyone talk shit to him," Jasper continued, raising his eyebrows when my eyes widened. "Yea, I know about you telling him off. He was ranting about it all day. I was tired of hearing about it, honestly."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Look, Jasper. You have never tried to talk to me before this. I just want to eat my lunch in peace, and it's no concern of mine if Edward is upset. If anything, he upset me. So what is your point?"
"My point is that there must be something special about you," he said. I looked at him again. I couldn't tell if he was serious or not; he still had that smile on his face.
"Yeah right," I said skeptically.
"It's true. He never lets anyone stay beside him as much as he does you. Not even me, and I'm his one and only amazing cousin." He glared at me playfully as he said the last phrase.
I processed the thought. But Edward said that he hated everything about me, basically. And anyway, I didn't need to think about him in any other way but the bastard he was. "I don't think so," I said, dismissing the thought and putting the piece of meat in my mouth.
"What, that I'm amazing? I am. It's just that you don't know m-"
"No, not that," I said, unable to stop a smile from coming on my face. I found myself liking him despite myself, and something about him made me keep talking. "When you said that I'm special… I'm just a person that has to pay him back for something I lost. Besides, apparently I'm just a stuck-up princess that can solve some equations and write some essays. He said so himself."
"Did he? He might not think that way though," Jasper said speculatively. I just looked at him skeptically.
"Even if that were true, I don't care. He made it quite clear how he feels about me that day, and the feeling is completely mutual. Frankly, I don't care now. I just want to pay him and get it over with." It was silent between us for a moment before Jasper shrugged.
"Well, believe what you want. But I know him really well. Maybe you should try doing the same. You are special, whether you know it or not. I think he really-"
"Jasper," I heard Edward's voice bark angrily from behind me, and I stiffened. I hadn't known he was there, and the fact that he overheard any part of that conversation made me uncomfortable. I didn't want him to think I was entertaining any thoughts about him. I didn't turn around to face him, though I was painfully aware of him standing behind me.
Jasper just shot Edward an easy smile, standing up with his now empty tray. I hadn't even noticed he'd eaten it all. Where did he put it?
"Well, I've gotta go finish some homework before next class. See y'all around," Jasper said, nodding at Edward and giving me a smile.
"It was nice talking with you, Bella." He turned and walked away, whistling as he did.
It was awkwardly silent for a long while before Edward said, "Come with me."
I stayed seated, not acknowledging him even though my heart was pounding and Jasper's words were ringing in my ears. After a second, he gave out a low curse and then grabbed my wrist, pulling me up and grabbing my backpack. Immediately, everyone quieted, looking over at us curiously.
"Let go of me," I hissed as I felt a twinge in my wrist. He ignored me, turning and stalking out of the lunchroom, pulling me behind him. And once again, the buzz of speculation and excitement began as the doors closed behind us.
I wondered what he wanted to talk about this time.
Ah, Edward. Will he never learn? I think the tides will be changing soon... and we'll get closer to the mystery surrounding Edward!
How'd everyone like Jasper? And the chapter? I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading.
