Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
A/N: So, I'm posting early again because I can't get enough of your reviews!!
Floridian Girl: this chapter is for you and your 'pleases' ;)
Chapter… Eight? I think… I don't feel like checking right now- Bella's POV (age seventeen)
After a few more hours of awkwardly ignoring the whispers, I rushed to the office. The red-haired woman took my signed slip and waved me away.
To my relief, it had stopped raining and I raced back to my truck. Unfortunately, the ground was wet and my feet slipped out from underneath me. I braced myself for the impact and, sure enough, I fell forward to the wet pavement. I watched as soft hands flicked out in front of me, catching my bag before it slid into a puddle of muddy water.
I stood up and looked at the girl who had saved my bag.
"Hi, you're Isabella, right?" she asked, smiling genuinely at me.
"Bella," I corrected automatically.
"Thanks," I added as she handed me my bag.
"It was nothing. I'm Bianca, by the way."
I was still a little dazed from the fall, and couldn't find my mouth to answer.
She looked at me, waiting for my response.
"Well, I should be going," she finally said, giving up. "Welcome to Forks,"
I watched in embarrassment as she walked away. Why did I have to make a fool of myself everywhere I went?
"Bells, stop scaring the innocent students." Emmet scolded, coming up behind me.
"Huh-? Oh, yeah…" I muttered, my cheeks burning.
"I've taken the liberty to invite myself over tonight. Mum, Dad, and Edward are sick and you wouldn't want me catching whatever they have, right?" he chuckled.
"Right. I would never want that." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.
At least we would be able to talk in private…
-- Later That Night, Dinner with Emmet --
"Bells, you're not eating." Charlie commented at my lack of appetite.
I was moving the food around on my plate, my mind on the inevitable conversation coming up with Emmet.
"I was picking a lot out of the pot while I made it," I lied, turning my face away so he couldn't tell.
Dinner passed quickly, and soon Charlie was shuffling into the living room to watch whatever game was on. Emmet, thankfully, followed him. As I washed each of the dishes, I could hear their loud cheering and ranting at the television.
Soon, I was finished cleaning up and wandered into the living room in time to see Emmet rising from his chair as the game ended.
"Thanks, Charlie." He laughed, giving him a light wave.
I followed him out to the front porch. We stepped out and closed the door behind us.
"Look," he started, sitting down on the front step and motioning for me to join him, "I'm not going to pester you with questions, but there's something I want to clarify."
I nodded. I knew this was coming.
"You didn't come back for five years, with no explanation, and now you're here again, to stay, still without an explanation?" he asked, leaning back onto the post of the railing.
"Well, one might look at it that way,"
"Oh? And how do you look at it?" he asked, his voice rising slightly.
I opened my mouth, but couldn't think of a proper response.
"I see." He let out a big gust of air, his shoulders slumping.
"Emmet?"
He looked back to me.
"Yeah?"
"Are you mad at me?" I asked in a small voice, afraid of the answer.
He paused for a moment, thinking.
"No, I'm not. You're still my little sister," he assured me, wrapping a huge arm over my shoulder.
We sat there for a few moments, looking out into the street.
"Is… Edward?"
He chuckled, "No, Edward could never be my little sister."
"Ha ha" I said sarcastically. "Seriously."
He looked down at me and sighed.
"No, I wouldn't say mad. More… disappointed. The first summer that you didn't come back, he was pretty depressed. Charlie told us that you had decided to stop coming to Forks. He shut himself in his room and stopped talking to people. It didn't last for too long, after school started up again he joined the baseball team. The kid is fast." He laughed lightly, "He hangs out with Alice and Jasper now, but sometimes, when no one else is around, he looks really lonely. He misses you."
I swallowed back a lump in my throat and I pulled the small necklace out from beneath my sweater. As I twirled it around in my fingers, it caught the light from the street lamps and cast a dull shine onto my legs.
"He's been sick for about a week now," he began again, "Dad caught some flu at the Hospital and gave it to the others. He hasn't gone to school, so he hasn't heard about you yet. I'm not going to tell him if you don't want me to, but he's gona find out sooner or later."
He stood up and offered me a hand.
I took it and paused for a moment while I made sure I had my balance.
"How is he?" I asked, tucking the chain back under the fabric.
"He should be back in the next few days, maybe tomorrow. He'd better get well soon, I'm tired of avoiding my own house," he chuckled, ruffling my hair and walking across the lawn towards his house.
"I'll save you a seat at lunch, don't get lost." He called over his shoulder, waving the back of his hand.
I slowly made my way back up to my room. I had a few days to prepare.
-- Two Days Later, Lunchtime at School --
"Oh, Bella! We have to go up to Port Angeles next weekend! Rose and I will pick out the perfect dress for the dance next-"
"I don't dance." I cut Alice off in the middle of one of her shopping rants.
Everyone else at the table looked up at me with odd expressions. I blushed and looked down at my hands.
"I don't dance," I muttered again.
Jasper gave Alice a hopeful look.
"If Bella's not going, do I still have to?" he asked.
"Of course!" she glared at him.
He sighed and gave me an 'at least I tried' look.
"So, Bella, how are you liking Forks?" Rosalie suddenly turned to me.
"Oh, um, it's nice." I said.
"Have you met any guys?" she asked, leaning closer and smiling at me.
"Not really." I mumbled, blushing some more.
"What about Mike Newton? He walks you to class almost every day," she pressed.
"She's been here three days." Emmet said, saving me from Rosalie's piercing stare.
"Right," she said, turning back to Alice.
Lunch passed quickly and I soon found myself hurrying to get to class before the bell.
I stumbled into the Biology classroom as the generic ringing sounded out. I quickly rushed over to the desk I had been assigned. I hadn't had a partner since I moved here, Mr. Banner said he had been away for a while. I had gotten through my assignments alone, but I was hoping to be able to share the work soon.
Mr. Banner stood up, about to start the class, when the door swung open and a boy jogged in, looking flustered.
"Mr. Cullen, you're late. Please take a seat so class can begin."
My heart stopped.
Cullen?
I slowly turned my head around and my eyes locked with the familiar emerald ones I had dreamed about for years. They were wide with surprise.
"We've found you a partner," Mr. Banner continued, "this is-"
"Bella,"
A/N: HA! Hahahahahaha! I'm so evil! But you can't get mad, because Edward IS in it. I said he would be here, and here he is :D
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