Just a note of clarification for the time line of the story. Renee's day of conception is November of 2006. Her due date is Late August, 2007. Edward moved to Forks before Christmas, Bella saw him on his first day, the first day back from winter break.
This is just a short chapter, if i included everything I wanted to, I would never get it posted. Next one will be longer!
Super important A/N at the bottom. Please read!
I turned my head away from Rose, only to see the Volvo dangerously peel out of the parking lot. I let my eyes linger once his car was out of sight.
"Do you think he heard me?" I asked Rose, my lame attempt at a joke. Truth be told, I could feel my eyes begin to mist. I don't think I'd ever felt like a bigger bitch in my life.
Rosalie rolled her eyes at me. "I've never seen you act like such a bitch."
"Thanks, Rose." She didn't bring up Edward for the rest of lunch. Instead, we sat in Rosalie's car, eating our brown bagged lunches in silence.
As I figured, Edward didn't return to school the rest of the day. He wasn't in biology Tuesday, either. No one else seemed to notice him, but I I wanted to call, email or something. I'd even settle for tweeting him. How can I express my apologies in 140 characters? I couldn't do any of these things; I had no way of contacting him. I briefly considered going to his house, but I didn't know if he had told his parents. I figured either way I wouldn't be very welcomed.
0-0
I was laying on my bed Tuesday night, unable to focus long enough to do any homework. My cell phone was on the bed beside me and I couldn't help but check it every few minutes to see if I had a missed call or text, although the ringer was as loud as it would go. Edward didn't even have my phone number.
My cell rang at 8 and I only glanced briefly at the called ID before answering.
"Hey, mom." I cringed, hearing the tone of disappointment in my voice.
"Bella! Is that any way to greet your mother? You sound so disappointed." Renee's voice was teasing.
"I'm sorry, mom." I apologized. "Just in a weird mood I guess."
"Hey, i'm the pregnant lady. There's no room for two moody women in this family." Renee joked, laughing. "It's a boy. Isn't it?"
"What are you even talking about?" I asked her, feigning ignorance. The last thing I needed tonight was the infamous 'Bella you've never been anything but a blessing but you don't want to end up eighteen, knocked up and pregnant like me' lecture.
She sighed, "Bella, I know you. I know that tone of voice even though I've never heard it from you. There's a boy. Tell me, who is it. All the details."
Renee was entirely in her element when it came to gossip. More often than not, I was her friend first, her daughter second.
"It's really nothing. There was a guy, sort of. But now there's not. I did a really bitchy thing," I admitted to her.
"Oh honey, tell me all about it." Renee's voice was sympathetic. Her main concern when I moved to Forks was that I would 'fall into the wrong crowd.' Apparently, when she was a teen nearly everyone was hopped up on drugs. Now, not so much. At least not in Forks.
I took a deep breath before I spoke. It was like the floodgates had been released, it felt ridiculously amazing to just rehash the events.
Surprisingly, mom listened with rapt attention, nearly silent the entire time.
When it was over, she let out a huge gust of wind.
"Wow, sweetie that sure is tough. That really doesn't sound like you though. What are you going to do?"
I sighed, " I don't know. He left school during lunch yesterday and he wasn't in school today. If he's there tomorrow I'll talk to him."
"Isabella…is this boy the reason you're so hesitant to move to Jacksonville? You're the same age I was when I first met your father. I don't want you putting your life on hold just because some boy comes along. I just think you should do what you have to, to make amends and then come here. I'd hate for you to be trapped just like I-"
"Mom! Stop." I hissed, "I really, really don't want to argue with you. Just know that it's not like that, okay? Edward isn't factoring in this decision. Just... let's change the subject."
"Fine, Bella. I'll drop it…for now."
"Thank you," I huffed, slightly annoyed.
"I went to the doctors last Friday. Baby Dwyer has a good, healthy heartbeat."
"That's great, mom," I told her. I couldn't help but feel guilty about not being around and missing out on something so major.
"Yes. Thank God there was only one heartbeat though. You know Phil has twins on his side of the family. We found a great house and put an offer on it. You'd really like it, sweetie."
I sighed, her subtle guilt trip working. "I know, mom. I'll come visit soon. Spring Break is in a couple weeks and I can visit again near your due date."
"That's perfect, Bella. I'm due the beginning of August. You'll have a month to spend here before you have to go back to Forks for school. Unless..." Renee trailed off. She could be really unrelenting when she wanted to be.
"Mom, I have a lot of homework to do and it's getting late. I'll check flights tomorrow and i'll email you when I book one. Okay?"
"Okay honey. Goodnight, love you," Renee replied, letting out a yawn.
"Night. Love you too," I answered before hanging up.
0-0
The next morning before school I checkout flights and booked a round-trip from Sea Tac to Sky Harbor and sent a quick email to my mom to let her know the plan. I had to admit, a week away from all the crazy going on around here would be good. Very good. I think.
"What are you looking for?" Lauren asked me at lunch that day.
"What?"
"You're looking for something. Or someone. Tell me," She demanded. Rose kicked me under the table and rolled her eyes. In return I shot her the nastiest look I could muster.
Jessica caught on to our silent conversation and glared.
"Okay. You guys are keeping something from Lauren and me. Secrets don't make friends, Bella."
I honestly felt like I was back in elementary school. Secrets don't make friends? Please. While that may be true, Jessica and Lauren confided in me with their own secrets, including those about each other. Pot; meet kettle.
"It's nothing," I told her, mentally cringing at lying yet again. Lying, I had come to find out, is very easy once you start. It comes almost naturally, these half truths and blatant lies.
"Fine. Whatever." Jessica relented. "Anyways. That freaky Cullen kid has been missing a lot of school lately."
"Has he?" I asked, earning another kick from Rose. I didn't even bother acknowledging her this time.
"Yeah," Lauren answered. "I heard he has some disease. Like an STD that he got from some chick and that's why he moved here. Cause everyone found out about it and no one would go near him. So he's in treatment for it. I think either syphilis or gonorrhea."
I almost choked on the sandwich I was eating.
"That's such bullshit, Lauren." Rose said, shaking her head. "A lot STDs can be treated with meds. It's no reason to move halfway across the country to this place."
Lauren should know better. Last June she had an STD/pregnancy scare where she was convinced her vag would either rot off or she'd gain fifty pounds and be a teen mom. It resulted in the four of us taking a trip to the planned parenthood in Port Angeles and a lengthy lecture from one of the counselors there about practicing safe sex.
"Yeah. I heard that he's like, schizophrenic or bipolar or some shit and goes all crazy and has to be locked up in his room. The only reason he's not committed or anything is because his dad's a doctor and treats him.
The idea that kids were sitting around gossiping about someone they didn't even bother to know and saying such harsh things about him sickened me. It wasn't fair to him. But who was I to judge my peers? My actions weren't any better. I was pretty sure that I was the reason that he wasn't in school. Meaning that I was partly to blame for the spreading of these heinous rumors.
A very dizzying and nauseating feeling fell over me. I sat, practically shell shocked at my revelation for the rest of lunch.
In biology, we had been working on group labs. Of course, Edward was supposed to be my lab partner. I ended up completing the lab on my own and walked up to Mr. Banners desk with my finished worksheet.
"Oh thank you, Bella. I'm sorry you have to take the workload on yourself. It seems that Mr. Cullen is ill. His mother emailed me to let me know he would be out the rest of the week," Mr. Banner informed me.
Out the rest of the week? Ill? "If you like, I can drop off some homework for him." I said before I could shut my mouth.
"You would? That would be great, Bella. You're such a good student," he complimented.
When class let out, I had a stack of work for Edward. But still no real plan.
0-0
The rest of my classes passed by in a blur. As soon as the 7th period bell rang, signaling the end of school, I shot out of class and headed to my truck.
Of course, Charlie was still at the station when I got home from school. So I paced. Back and forth in the living room, trying to come up with some sort of solution. Hoping that some sort of answer would just drop from the sky.
I couldn't take it anymore. This shouldn't be bothering me this much. Jessica and Lauren do this shit all the time to other kids. It was just a few months ago that they had Victoria in tears in the girls bathroom because they commented that it looked like she had gained a few.
I didn't have any of the ingredients for chicken noodle soup, so I had to make do with the canned stuff. I rummaged through the cabinet, searching for a pot big enough to heat the soup up in. I stirred the soup as it began to simmer, wondering what I would say to Edward. Hi, sorry to hear you're sick? Hey Edward, I know I was a royal bitch to you on Monday?
None of that would work... would it?
0-0
I parked my rusted Chevy outside the Cullen's house. I had emptied out my backpack of all my school stuff and it was now filled with Edwards schoolwork, two thermos' of soup, a thermos of honey lemon tea and a bag of the oatmeal cookies I had baked a couple days ago. I had brought enough for two with the bold assumption that he would let me join him.
All three cars were parked out front. I hesitantly walked up the path to the front door. I stood there, index finger hesitating over the doorbell. As if on it's own, my finger pushed forward, causing the bell to chime.
A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Esme. She was wearing an apron smeared with flour and was wiping her hands on a towel.
"Bella, dear. What a surprise!" She greeted me. Her smile was tight.
"Um…hi. Is Edward here? I have his schoolwork."
"Of course, he's in his room. Why don't you go see him. Do you remember where it is?"
I nodded. She stepped aside, letting me past her. She gave me one last tight smile before retreating back to the kitchen. I went up the stairs, feeling the slight panic rise, realizing that my peace-offering and half thought out apology wasn't enough.
His bedroom door was closed and there was no noise coming from behind it.
I brought my fist up to the door and knocked lightly.
"It's open," Edward's voice sounded different to me, foreign almost from how he sounded Friday night at dinner.
I took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. He was lying on his bed above the covers. His glasses were on his nightstand and his arm rested over his eyes. He was wearing a white t-shirt with grey sweats.
"Hi," I squeaked out.
All relevant thought went out the window.
It's my birthday today. I'd love me some reviews!
So, i'm sure you all know about the earthquake in Haiti and the devastation it's left. Now, you can help! If you donate a $5 minimum, you can receive a compilation of various works from a ton of authors (myself included!) by simply emailing a copy of the receipt of your donation by 1/24 to the email address listed in the website I provided below. Not all of the stories will be Twific, some will be original works. However, i'll be doing something Twilight related. Pierced and parka'd peenward, anyone? Just a note, these stories won't be found anywhere else. The authors are doing this as a special thank-you for your donation!
Here's the link to find out more about the compilation and donation: http:/mskathyff(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2010/01/haiti(dot)html Just replace the (dot) with a period.
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