Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.
A/N: I know, I know, I suck. I took too long and I hated it. But, time was not on my side; vacations, starting school, work, homework, my mom's birthday, getting my bedroom together, etc, etc.
So, finally I have a chapter. Again, I don't love it, but I guess is not that bad. I'm still waiting for the plot to take off from the actual book and I think in this chapter lies the seed to some changes...
I hope you like it and please let me know what you think and any thoughts or ideas you may have are always welcome!!!
The month following the accident was uneasy and tense.
I became the centre of attention for the rest of the week. Everybody was asking me how I was feeling every two minutes, especially Jessica and Lauren who was obsessed with making amends to me somehow. I told her that I was fine, that no harm was done and that she should just forget about it, but she was way too persistent about it.
No one seemed to care about Bella, but I still tried to cover for her, though I really had no idea why. She had decided to ignore me completely and she never once looked my way. When we were in Biology class she acted as if I didn't exist and sometimes I could sense her anger coming back. A part of me knew she would have preferred not to pull me out of the way that day, but I couldn't possibly understand why.
I really wanted to talk to her and I tried the day after the accident; I said hello to her when I sat down at our lab table, but she turned her head slightly acknowledging she had heard me and then turned away quickly.
It was strange, but a part of me got sadder every day that passed and she did not say a word to me or even glance my way.
I did watch her though, and saw her beautiful golden eyes grow darker every day. I was miserable. And the dreams continued.
My depression didn't go unnoticed by Alice who was constantly trying to cheer me up unsuccessfully and I tried to hide it and smile so that she would be happy.
Everyone else seemed to be settling in nicely, for the first time in a long time a place felt like home for my siblings and I was very happy for them, but as for me, though I knew I wouldn't want to go somewhere she wouldn't be at, I was hurting.
As the snow washed away, Mike proposed a trip to La Push beach once the weather allowed.
Angela soon made me aware of the girls choice spring dance coming up and proposed that if neither of us had dates we could go together and at least hang out a bit.
I wasn't too keen on the idea of going to the dance, but I knew she was so I agreed as long as she wasn't able to find a suitable date. If she had a date, I wasn't going to go at all.
At some point I found out that Ben Cheney wanted Angela to ask him and I knew she had a thing for him so I pushed her for it. I got off the hook and made a match while I was at it. I could swear that when she told me he had said yes I saw Bella smile.
The next day Jessica followed me to Biology class, much to my dismay. She kept on rambling about nothing all the way and walked me to my seat. Bella was already there.
The moment I sat down I saw a look on Jessica's eyes that made me dread for the worst.
"So…" she said grinning widely. "You know the spring dance is coming up." I could see what was coming and I didn't like it one bit.
"Yeah, you should ask Mike, I think he really wants you to."
"Oh, well, I was thinking about asking you..." She said trying to sound sexy, but not really managing. I could feel Bella tense up next to me.
"Well, actually, I'm not going, I…" I knew I needed to come up with an excuse because otherwise she wasn't going to let it go. "I'm going to Seattle that weekend." I was lying through my teeth, Jessica looked deeply disappointed, but Isabella certainly did not.
"Are you going alone? I know your brothers and sisters are going to the dance… " She stated as if trying to catch me in the act, but I wasn't having it.
"Yeah, I miss the city, you know and I prefer to go alone so Alice won't drag me shopping or something like that." I said trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Oh. Ok." And then Mr. Banner walked in. "I'll better get to class. Bye!" All her confidence had washed away.
I sighed as she walked away and suddenly I noticed Bella was staring at me curiously. I stared back at her thinking she would soon look away, but she didn't and I was mesmerized. She suddenly looked away to answer a question the teacher had asked that I hadn't even heard and I looked away. I understood less and less every day.
Once the class ended I started gathering my things and suddenly I heard her angelic voice.
"Edward?" She said sweetly, her eyes once again filled with sadness. I turned slowly, but she didn't say a word.
"What? Are you speaking to me again?" I said slightly annoyed with her continuous mood swings.
"No, not really."
"Then what do you want, Isabella?" I said her whole name knowing it will annoy her slightly. I kept my eyes closed because coherent words seemed to come out easier that way.
"I'm sorry." She sounded sincere. "I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really."
I opened my eyes to see a very serious look on her face.
"I don't know what you mean."
"It's better if we're not friends." She explained. "Trust me."
"Too bad you didn't figure that out earlier." I said angrily. "You could have saved yourself all this regret."
"Regret? Regret for what?"
"For not just letting that stupid van crash me."
She looked hurt and stared at me in disbelief.
That then turned to anger and she looked away. This only increased my anger, all the things I wanted to scream at her crossed my mind. I gathered my things and headed to Gym without looking back.
I had a hard time concentrating in class. I kept thinking about what she had said and how every day I understood even less of the way she acted.
Once the bell rang I left very quickly just wanting to get to the house.
When I was reaching my car I saw a thin, trashy figure leaning against the side of it. Lauren. I really didn't fell like talking to her right now.
"Hey, gorgeous!" She said trying to sound alluring as I approached the car.
"Hey." I answered coldly, but she didn't seem to notice.
"So, I was wondering if you would like to go to the spring dance with me?"
Great! Just what I needed!
"Actually, I'm not going to be here to go. I'm going to Seattle." She looked very disappointed. Maybe this way she would get the point.
"Oh. Okay. Maybe next time!" She said smiling and winking at me. These girls just wouldn't give up!
I said nothing and got in my car as Lauren walked away. Then I saw her, walking to her truck with a hint of a smile on her face.
I saw my siblings coming out through the cafeteria doors and decided to pick them up from there, I just couldn't stay there waiting, I needed to move.
When I was reaching the cafeteria Bella cut me off as she was leaving her parking space very slowly, an odd thing I thought since as far as I could tell she was a very good driver.
Suddenly, I got distracted by this redheaded girl that I did not know who was stepping out of her car which was behind mine.
"I'm sorry, Isabella Swan is cutting me off, I can't move." I told her as she leaned on my window.
"Oh, it's okay. I wanted to talk to you actually." Hell no!
"I was wondering if you had a date for the spring dance, it's girls choice you know." She was pulling all she could to convince me.
"Actually, I'm busy." I said coldly.
By then, Bella was finally out of her parking spot and I stepped on the gas and headed for my siblings. When I stared to the front I thought I saw her smiling, almost holding back laughter. I was getting madder by the second.
I finally picked up my siblings and headed home without saying a word. I could tell they all noticed my anger, but knew I was better left alone.
I was glad Esme wasn't home when we arrived. I went straight to my bedroom and put on a CD to calm me down.
I started thinking about what Isabella had said earlier, I couldn't fully understand the meaning of her words. Maybe she just wasn't interested in me in any way and decided it was better to gently push me away.
The truth was that I was simply mesmerized by her. She was beautiful, strong, brilliant and mysterious. My head was more than ever filled with questions.
I finally decided that if she wanted to be left alone I would let her.
I eventually went downstairs for dinner, somewhat resigned and not angry anymore.
I didn't listen in on much of the conversations that went on while we ate, but I definitely think I heard Alice bring out a shopping trip to Port Angeles for the upcoming dance.
The next morning, when I arrived to school I parked my car as far as possible from her truck. I'd rather see her as little as possible and be the furthest away I could. If she did not want me around I would not bother her in the slightest.
As always my siblings rushed out of the car – they were getting more and more excited about going to school with each passing day.
As I got out of the car I accidentally dropped my keys which fell at my feet. I was bending to get them, but a white hand grabbed them before I got a chance to. I jerked upright to see Bella right next to me.
"How do you do that?" I asked slightly irritated.
"Do what?" She said smirking. She handed me the key without touching my skin.
"Appear out of thin air."
"Edward, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant."
I noticed her eyes were light again today, a deep, golden honey colour.
"Why the traffic jam last night?" I wasn't having poor driving skills as an excuse, I knew better. "I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death."
"That was for Shelly's sake, not mine. I had to give her her chance."
"You…" Anger washed over me once again.
"And I'm not pretending you don't exist."
"So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Lauren's van didn't do the job?"
Suddenly anger reached her as well, her smile gone completely.
"Edward, you are utterly absurd." She replied coldly.
I turned back extremely angry and started to walk away.
"Wait," she called, with a slightly worried tone. I kept walking but she was next to me in no time, easily keeping pace.
"I'm sorry that was rude." I ignored her. "I'm not saying it isn't true, but it was rude to say it, anyway."
"Why don't you just go?" I grumbled.
"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me." She was suddenly smiling, recovering her good humour.
"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?" I asked severely.
"You're doing it again."
I sighed. "Fine then. What do you want to ask?"
"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday – you know, the day of the spring dance –"
"Are you trying to be funny?" I interrupted getting more annoyed.
"Will you please allow me to finish?" She asked laughing.
I nodded, not saying a word.
"I heard you were going to Seattle that day, and was wondering if you wanted some company."
My eyes wend wide in shock. Did I hear her correctly?
"What?"
"Do you want company on your trip?"
"Whose?"
"Mine." She was giggling now.
"Why?" I still had a hard time with the concept.
"Well, I was planning to go to Seattle sometime soon, and, to be honest, I would prefer not to go by myself." She sounded sincere.
"Honestly, Bella. I can't keep up with you. I thought you didn't want to be my friend."
"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be."
"That certainly clears things up." I said sarcastically. We had stopped walking by now, being under the cafeteria roof.
"It would be more… prudent for you not to be my friend," She explained. "But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Edward." Right then I was mesmerized again, I couldn't speak. She looked hesitant somehow.
"Will you go to Seattle with me?"
I nodded, I was lost for words.
She smiled and walked back the way we'd come.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!!!
From now on I will most likely update on weekends and my intentions are to get a new chapter each week, but sometimes it may take two (I really hope it doesn't).