I sincerely apologize to my readers for the very, very late update. Between my laptop being away for repair for almost 8 weeks, and a death in my family updating has been near on impossible. That said, I will do my best to make it up to you all. I'd like to thank my incredible beta, who puts up with me writing entire chapters in past tense, when my story should be in present *smacks head* Thanks Boo's Cliches, you are a little Aussie Champion :)

~16~

Avoidance, it's the bane of my life, and something that Edward is very good at.

Three weeks, three weeks it's been since the fateful morning in his bed. The best friend I once knew is gone, and in his place is a staunch, unfeeling, pig of a man that refuses to acknowledge me at all. He doesn't return my calls, ignores my emails, and is mysteriously "out" whenever I drop by his house. I'm not stupid, far from it in fact; Edward Cullen is shutting me out. If I could turn the clock back to that stupid morning in his bed, I'd do it, ten times over. I miss my friend.

With a shuddering sob I look away from the cosy scene he is making on the balcony with the new girl, Sarah. If looks could kill, the girl would be dead and buried, exhumed, burned then possibly buried again – depending on how much charity I could muster.

"Who the fuck does she think she is anyway, doesn't she realise that this group is by invitation only?" Rosalie, our resident bitch spits venomously.

"It's not her fault, Rose," I tell her dejectedly.

"Maybe not, but I'd like to knock the snot out of her just for touching your man, B," she says, loud enough that they both hear.

I stand up then, dumping my left over lunch pack in the trash. "He isn't my man, Rose. Never has been," I tell her sadly and make my way to my next class.

It's the end of the semester, last day of term, and I'm itching for my holidays to start. I sit in my chair meticulously taking notes on the phases of mitosis. The subject is boring, and more than a little beneath me—it's no secret that I have a knack for science.

The moment the lecture is let out, I'm out of my chair and bee-lining for my car. I need to get the fuck out of the place before I'm faced with Edward and his girlfriend sucking face in the front seat of his car I really thought that this time would be like all the others; the shiny new toy should have lost her appeal days ago, but, no, Edward seems to hang on every word she says.

A violent surge of bile rises in my throat at the thought. Something has become painfully clear to me in these last few months of solitude from Edward. I've realised that I no longer think of him as my best friend. I'm in love with him – or at least, I was. With not so much as a glance from him in more than three months, I've given up hope. I no longer sit with my usual crowd in my breaks. Resigned not to appear like the pathetic ex-girlfriend, I make excuses that I need to study for my finals, that I'm so far behind I will be spending all breaks in the library. It gives me a welcome respite.

So, on this last day of term, I'm thankful for my waiting car and a short drive home.

Haphazardly, I dump my backpack in the bed of my truck, then turn the lock and let myself into the ancient beast. Seat belt secured, I stick the key in the ignition only to be met with a series of halfhearted clicks.

Great, just great.

I try again, once, twice, three times, and still the piece of shit won't start. I roll down the window, and release my door from the outside, scanning the car park to see who in this crowd might own a set of jumper cables. Thankfully, before I have to resort to total embarrassment, a dark skinned boy grins at me widely and holds up the red and black cables I so desperately need.

"Need a jump?" he asks brightly, slowly advancing over to where I stand.

"Oh, thank God," I mutter more to myself than to the saviour with the cables.

"I'm Jake." He grins again. I can't help but notice the smile lines around this boy's face.