Alright guys, here's the next chapter, I hope it won't disappoint! ;)

To those of you asking, check my profile page for more info about my other stories.

As always, thanks for reading and please, please comment!

Much love, W.

Your heart, I'll carry it with me …

Bella Swan moves to Forks where she meets Edward Cullen. But this is not your typical Bella and this is not the story you know.

Twilight fanfiction; I own nothing.

CHAPTER SIX

Freezing temperatures apparently disabled part of my brain, the centre for recognition, to be more exact. As I saw Edward on the porch, I didn't think of what the hell he was doing there, nor I wondered how on earth it was possible for a human to look so beautiful and I surely wasn't thinking of inviting him in. My mind was blank; not only that I had completely forgotten of his existence, I also lost good manners.

"Hello, Bella," he smiled at me with that smile that would make Mount Everest kneel. Maybe I really do suck at volleyball, basketball and anything else that includes a stupid ball, but I might just become an Olympic winner in weightlifting. I was apparently strong enough, since his smile had no effect on me.

"Just a second," I mumbled and closed the door. I leant on it and caught my breath that had also mysteriously disappeared.

Edward was there, I somehow managed to comprehend. He probably came to get his coat back; that wasn't the problem; dreadful memories of the evening when I got that coat sucked the sunshine out of me and I was once again standing the rain without an umbrella. But miraculously, all those emotions didn't come pouring onto me! It probably really had been only a concussion; I was perfectly sane this time! So sane I could just break the world record for Rubik's cube had I known how! Shame there was no polka playing anywhere near; I was so happy I wanted to dance!

I took a deep breath and I was ready.

I opened the door again.

"Sorry about that," I said. In a moment I became the best host this town had ever seen. Think Stepford Wife, I could even bake a pie!

"I am sorry to come so unexpectedly," he apologized. "I came to get my coat back."

"I figured you were," I nodded. "I'll…"

"And ... not just that … I was wondering … would you have some time for … maths?"

Maybe I was fine but the situation had to be re-evaluated. He was not only there but wanted to come in. I know my hatred for him still allowed me to talk to him, even help him when extra credits were involved but letting him inside my house? Hmmm ... I didn't think mixing personal life with the work one was a good idea.

"I gotta …"

"Oh, I understand …"

But he did give me the coat the other night to stop cold from killing me. Edward just might be a reason I wasn't lying in hospital bed, coughing pneumonia out of my lungs.

That was the ONLY reason why I ended up inviting him in, I swear.

I sent him to the living room with textbook while I opened the fridge and wondered what to cook. Not that the fridge was empty; it was my mind that was slightly impaired. Ah, I was a human version of food processor; you threw the dozens errands and I'd take care of all of them. There might be a mess but a very delicious mess.

I guessed Charlie would pay the price of Edward's unexpected visit. Skipping lunch would do any harm to me, of course. Which girl doesn't dream of slim figure, after all?

I just started chopping some vegetables when Edward walked in.

"You done already?" I frowned. I thought I gave him enough examples to solve that would keep him occupied till the next Christmas Eve.

"Does giving up counts" he whined. "I … Nice pictures you're got hanging on the wall."

You see, this is what you get for being kind. Someone sees the embarrassing pictures of your childhood and you are never the same again. Thank god Edward was not a social butterfly in school. I knew I should have thrown those pictures into the box and lock it in the basement. Charlie didn't need any reminders of how I looked anymore; I was there in flesh and blood.

I let out something that even I didn't understand. Don't think it was a word found in Merriam Webster.

"You broke your leg as a child?"

The way he asked me … as if he was truly interested. It reminded me of old people from the neighbourhood where I had lived in Phoenix. All they did was sit on their porches all day, telling everyone who happened to walk by, mailman, social services woman, me selling cooking for fundraising, of how their hips hurt and their knees were forecasting the heat wave again.

Apparently this world had become so gloomy even teenagers have nothing else to talk about than health! Or especially, its none-existence.

"Yeah … ballet in its worst form."

"You were learning ballet?"

Solely the thought was hilarious to me; I don't know why he too didn't find it so excruciatingly funny. Did Ashton Kutcher start Punk'd for everyday people? This guy couldn't be serious!

"I don't understand it any more than you do, trust me."

"Why did you quit?"

"Seriously? Having a cast for three months is not enough of a reason?"

"What happened?"

"I fell off stage."

"How long did you dance?"

"Look, Edward, I know Maths is not fun but…"

"No, I really want to know."

"Trust me, you don't!" I laughed.

It shut him up but sadly not for long.

"So why did you leave Phoenix?"

"Is this some sort of an interrogation? I thought I was helping you with maths not … with whatever you're doing?"

Please applaud to this incredible magician! I don't know how he did it but his eyes somehow enchanted me and made me tell. No, it wasn't the eyes; it was his smell, this incredible fragrance!

"My mom remarried – and no, it is not what you think it is. I like Phil just fine … it's just that … he travels a lot and my mom got torn between us. She always felt bad about leaving me alone so I came here to relieve her of that. Plus … I really need to focus on school if I want to get scholarship for college … and concentration can be quite difficult when there's a neurotic woman running around you …"

Of course I didn't tell him about Dave. Really, there was nothing to tell. Dave was my ex, basically an ancient history … and I did leave because of me, not because of him … never seeing him again was just another great aspect of my decision.

I don't know what was so fascinating about me peeling the potato but it must have been something. Edward's look was locked on me. Cooking, like any physical activity, really, is not something I master unconditionally. Being stared at just adds the pressure and I knew it would not end well.

"What are you making?"

"Just … oh, I'm such a bitch. I haven't offered you anything to drink."

"Oh, no, I'm fine, thank you, don't bother!" he quickly exclaimed.

"No, no, I insist …"

There was some Coke in the fridge so soured him a glass of that. I took an advantage of this epiphany so I ran upstairs to get Edward's coat, hoping it would make him leave before I would cut off my arm. His glass was half empty when I got back. Not just that; he had even gone to the living room to retrieve the maths book. Now he was staring in it.

Well, the dim spotlight was better than nothing.

"Bella … if you could pick three things to experience in life, what would you choose?"

"I don't remember telling you to answer that question in the book …"

"I would like to visit Tuscany in summer. I would like to have a traditional Greek lunch. And I would like to dream once. My sleep is always so deep, I never dream."

"Well, you are one modest man! Alright … I want to go to New Zealand and run barefoot … see aurora … and I want to cuddle a panda."

"What about three goals you have in life?"

"Get scholarship, have family … no, wait, instead of panda, I want to learn Arabic."

"Arabic? What for?"

"Edward Cullen, didn't you ever just want something so crazily, so irrationally that you couldn't stay away and you could not understand or rationalize it no matter how hard you tried?"

"I did … out of nowhere it appeared … and I wanted to stay away but I was intrigued …"

Seriously, dude had some serious emotional issues. He was smiling one moment, now he was bleak. Still, he had that smooth voice and all I could see was honey, honey all around me and me paddling in it, resisting the sweetest form of death known to man …

And it happened! Me doing something with my hands + audience can only end in one way, whether I'm in kitchen or on tennis field. Surprisingly, I didn't chop off while finger. Actually, I didn't chop off anything. There was just blood, not that much of it but enough to feel my stomach doing somersaults. And one very nice potato went to waste.

Edward was such a gentleman. The moment I screamed he jumped to me, probably ready to catch me if I fainted which was definitely a possibility. The guy just knew what to do to make me like him more! It was probably his magical eyes that made me self-destructive in the first place.

I cursed so I was still remarkably composed. He noticed it too so when I turned around to grab a cloth, he just … transported himself to the other side of the kitchen. No, not transported, he was faster than any means of transport I had ever seen … it was more of a speed of email. Yeah, something like that.

He turned around and covered his mouth with his hand. Oh boy, I was so happy I wasn't the only one so intolerant to blood! I would totally join him if blood wasn't ruining my favourite sweater.

"I'll be right back …"

I ran upstairs, straight into the bathroom. I let cold water use its healing powers and indeed it succeeded in stopping blood from oozing uncontrollably. I was just about to put plaster on when Edward appeared. He is about as pale as I am but now he was … I heard somewhere that Eskimos have 30 words for snow. Well, whatever the word for the most pure, the most clean and the whitest snow of all is, that how white he was. I never imagined someone could be this ale and alive at the same time.

"I am sorry to just … I can't stand blood …" he said with regret in his voice. I would love to study his facial expression as I knew there was something beneath the regret but it was really hard to attach the plaster properly with my shaky hands.

"I … have to go now."

"Don't forget your coat …" Screw Stepford wife, I was bleeding! I was so close to dying, the closest I've been in weeks. I just couldn't be a good host at the same time!

I guessed I could kiss those extra credits goodbye. Edward ran downstairs so swiftly I doubted he would ever want my tutoring again. First time it was concussion, now blood; the next time I might end up needing liver transplant and I don't think Edward wanted to know if he was a match.

It took me half an hour to feel strong enough to descend the stairs and clean the mess in the kitchen. As I walked to get Edward's glass, I passed the only pot plant that managed to survive being roommates with the Swans, most likely because it was in the kitchen.

It smelled kind of funnily so I just had to lean closer. Thank god I was so weak from blood loss; indeed it was a liquid of life and sanity; had I been perfectly healthy, I could have sworn the plant smelled like Coke.

To Be Continued.

Broughttoyouby:::winter.