All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

The next few days seemed to race by. It was Friday before I knew it. Edward had picked me up for school every day. It had been wonderful. I was in my last class before lunch with Jessica. She had been quiet all week. I wasn't sure why, and when I asked her what was wrong she would only shrug her shoulders at me. I couldn't imagine what I had done to her to upset her so much.

As the bell rang I quickly gathered my things eager to see Edward again, but was stopped by a soft tap on my back. I turned back around to find Jessica still in her seat with an annoyed look upon her face.

"Yes Jessica?' I asked.

"You didn't have to lie to me Bella."

"What are you talking about?" I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

She flipped her curly hair over her shoulder. "About you and Edward. I mean you could have just told me the truth. It's clear you two are more than just friends." She said in an accusing tone of voice.

"Is this what has been bothering you? You think I lied to you about Edward and me?"

She nodded curtly. "I don't like being lied to. I thought we were friends."

"We are friends Jess. When I told you Edward and I weren't friends we really weren't…but things…changed." I felt my skin getting warmer. I didn't know how to explain my relationship with Edward. I didn't even know what we were.

I sighed. "To be honest Jess I don't really know what we are anymore."

She pursed her lips and I could tell she didn't really believe my explanation. "So you're not dating?" She asked incredulously. "Because it certainly seems that way."

Did it? I didn't think it possible but I could feel my face getting hotter. "No, we're not dating."

She eyed me suspiciously. "So he hasn't asked you out at all?"

I shrugged. "He offered to take me to Seattle to go to some books stores tomorrow, does that count?"

Her eyes lit up as she finally got the information she had been searching for all along. "Yes. When did he ask you?"

"A few days ago."

She frowned. "Weren't you both sick then?"

I bit my lip nervously. I couldn't tell her he had spent all that time with me at my house, alone. I would never hear the end of it. "Yeah…I mean he called to see how I was doing and asked if I wanted to go."

Her eyes widened. "Let me get this straight." She said pointed the palms of her hands out to me. "He called you, when he was sick, to see how you were feeling, and then asked you out?"

I shrugged as I felt the blush on my face spread further down my neck and up to my ears. When she put it that way it did sound like something more than friendship was going on.

She shook her head in disbelief. "And you're not sure what you two are."

I shrugged again biting my lip.

I glanced up at the clock on the wall and noticed that lunch was almost half over. "Jess I think we should go to lunch now or we're going to be late."

"Ok, just tell me one last thing and then we'll go."

I nodded as I waited for her question. I had a sinking feeling I was going to regret this.

"Has he kissed you?"

As soon as her question left her lips I could feel my face ignite again as it turned crimson.

"No."

"Do you want him to?"

I swallowed hard. "That's more than one question." I hedged. "We need to get to lunch."

Her face fell and I could see the disappointment in her eyes. "Yeah, ok."

We walked into the lunchroom together, and my eyes on their own accord, searched the room for Edward. Jessica could see I was distracted and she mumbled a quick goodbye to me as she made her way to the lunch line.

I spotted him in a far corner sitting alone with a tray full of food in front of him. I caught his eye shortly thereafter and he smiled warmly at me. I smiled in return as I made my way to his table.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up? I was about to send out a rescue party for you." He joked.

"I wish you had." I mumbled to myself as I took a bite of the pizza on his tray.

He chuckled with a knowing look in his eye. "So, why were you so late?"

I took a sip of juice to clear my mouth before I answered. "I got stuck talking to Jessica."

"Hmm." He nodded. "How did that go?" His eyes twinkled with mirth.

It hit me just then, he knew. He must have been listening. My face flushed as I narrowed my eyes at him accusingly. "You weren't listening were you?"

"So things have changed between us?" He asked mockingly.

I scowled at him dropping the piece of pizza I had in my hand and got up from the table. I walked away from him without another glance and stormed out of the cafeteria. How dare he use his ability to spy on me? He had no right. More than anything I felt mortified. He had heard and probably seen my every reaction to Jessica's questioning. I just wanted to curl under a rock and disappear.

I stomped into biology and sat with my head down on my desk as I waited for class to begin. I clearly heard when the seat next to me moved, and Edward sit down. I was too miffed to even look at him.

The teacher came in and announced that we would be working on worksheets together with our lab partners. They were to prepare us for the upcoming test. I grabbed one of the worksheets and began filling in the blanks without consulting Edward. He certainly wouldn't need the review. I had learned many things about him in the last few days. Besides having the ability to read minds he had super hearing, speed, and strength. He also had a photographic memory. The last thing he needed was a review.

"Bella." I heard him whisper my name but I kept my eyes on the worksheet. I knew if I looked at him I would loose my resolve, and I really wanted to be mad right now.

He sighed. "Please, won't you look at me? I'm sorry for upsetting you."

His voice pleaded with me to believe him. He sounded so upset and his words were very sincere. I bit my lip deciding. I sighed, I was entirely too weak when it came to him. I rolled my eyes as I turned to look at him.

He smiled warily at me and I couldn't help but smile in return. "Are you still very angry with me?"

"Yes." I tried to sound angry, but couldn't quite manage it.

"I truly am sorry. That was wrong of me to listen in on your private conversation like that. I got worried when I didn't see you right away." He justified.

My determination was all but gone. No matter how much I tried I couldn't feel angry. I sighed heavily. "So how much did you hear anyway?"

He smiled hugely knowing he was off the hook. "Not that much."

"How much is not that much?" I persisted.

He reached out and gently stroked my arm soothingly. "Enough to know that Jessica is a busy body."

I wanted to press further but the teacher approached our table silencing all my questions. I hunched back over my worksheet feigning to work diligently. This was not a conversation I wanted to have in front of all my classmates, so I chose to wait until later to bring it back up.

Edward and I worked on the worksheets together for the rest of class without another word about Jessica and his ease dropping.

Edward walked me to P.E. and said a quick goodbye before looping gracefully off to his last class. I sighed as I gazed after him before turning to take my place on the bleachers.

I was a little surprised to see someone already sitting on the top row smiling at me. I cursed silently in my head as I smiled back ascending the rows to a very happy looking Mike Newton.

I sat in the row in front of him. "Hey Mike. Why aren't you participating in gym today?"

"I am. I just wanted to talk to you really quick before class."

"Oh." I said lamely.

"You never did get back to me about going to First Beach. We plan on going this weekend."

I bit my lip. "Sorry Mike. I kind of already have plans. I'm going out of town this weekend."

His face fell slightly. "Are you going with anyone special?" I did not miss his emphasis on the word special, and I knew instantly whom he meant.

"I will be going with a friend." I supplied.

"You're going with Cullen aren't you?" He asked glumly as he looked at his feet.

"I will be going with Edward." I answered, stressing Edward's name. For some reason it irritated me that Mike was using Edward's last name to refer to him.

"Have fun." He mumbled as he got up and left to change his clothes for gym.

I sighed covering my face with my hands. At least he finally got the hint that there was no chance for us, though I still felt guilty.

I couldn't wait for class to end. I kept catching Mike sending glum looks my way. It was more than I could handle. I just wanted out. As soon as the bell rang I was up out of my seat and half way out the door before everyone had made it into the locker rooms.

I was shocked to find Edward waiting for me outside the gym doors, though I shouldn't have been. He smiled upon seeing me and all my frustrations melted away as I smiled back. It was almost impossible for me to be anything but happy when around him.

We walked silently to his car and he helped me in. We were the first ones to leave the parking lot. I was in a slight hurry, because I had a doctor's appointment. Doctor Spencer wanted to do a check up on me after Edward's dad told him about my little adventure in the woods. I reluctantly agreed.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning." He muttered as I got out of the car.

I smiled euphoric at the idea of spending the entire day with him. "See you then."

I carefully made my way into the house not wanting to trip, and prepared myself to leave for the hospital.

I arrived with about ten minutes to spare. Doctor Spencer's last appointment had been canceled so they took me in right away.

"Miss Swan." Doctor Spencer greeted me as I entered his office.

"Hi."

"I hear you had quite the adventure a few days ago."

I looked down fiddling with my fingers guiltily. "I'm fine now."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" He waved me over to his examination table and proceeded to look me over.

"Have you given any more thought to the treatments we discussed?"

He was persistent if nothing else. I sighed. "Yes, and I will not be taking them."

He frowned slightly. "Are you sure Isabella?" His face was grave. "I must be honest with you, it's you're only chance. It could prolong things, at the very least a few months."

I shook my head. "I've made my decision."

He sighed. "Very well I won't bother you again. If you should change your mind, do not hesitate to call."

"Thanks." I replied sincerely as I got off the table.

"I'm increasing your pain medication. Other than that you are free to go."

I thanked him again and swiftly left his office with my new prescription in hand. Usually I hated all the drugs they put me on, but I was in need of more pain relief and was happy for the new prescription.

I gave a quick goodbye wave to the receptionist as I left the waiting area. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going and bumped into something very cold and hard. I felt arms wrap around me and steady me. I stiffened as I realized whose arms were around me.

My mind raced with questions. Why was he here? Had he followed me? How long had he been here? Did he hear anything? How much had he heard?

Reluctantly I looked up to meet his gaze and was caught off guard by the anger I saw in his eyes. It was silent between us as we stared at each other. The air grew more uncomfortable as time stretched on.

"Why Bella?" He breathed breaking the thick air that had formed between us. He almost sounded hurt.