AN: My school starts back tomorrow. What this means is that my updates will not be as frequent as they have been this past week. I'm sorry for this, I really am. I enjoy writing my stories. I am updating all of them today so each one will be around 1,000 words or so (BUT this one will be longer because I feel like it). I needed to give each story something before I get to a point where updates won't be so often.

Disclaimer: I don't need to fill this space, honestly.

I realized it then. I realized that I was becoming friends with this family. "I'm sorry," I said. I looked at each of the Cullens' faces, Carlisle's too, and I made eye contact. I tried to get them to realize that I couldn't do this, be their friend. I hoped that they would understand. They didn't try to stop me. As I walked out of the room, I made a pact not to talk to any of the Cullens, at all. This would be the last time.

I found Charlie and he took me home. I went to sleep in my bed and had a dream about Alice, and in the dream, she could see the future. It may have been my subconscious putting pieces together… It may have been just the freakiness that all my dreams have, but it really didn't matter.

I was done with the Cullens; I was done with Edward.

4. Trying and Failing

I woke up the next day and I went to school. Eric walked me to my second period class. Jessica and Angela talked to me in the classes they had with me. Angela, alone, noticed that something was different with me.

"What's wrong, Bella?" She had asked earlier in the day.

"I'm fine," was my reply. I thanked her for being the friend she was and she told me that if I ever needed to talk to anyone about anything that she would be there for me, ready to help. But she wouldn't know the first clue as to how to help me. Vampires and half-vampires aren't exactly a topic you bring up to humans unless you want to be thrown into a mental asylum, and that wasn't where I wanted to go. Though, I was fairly sure I would be able to escape if I stopped time and found a way out my window and started it up again once I was out and far away enough and…

"Bella!"

"Huh, Jessica?" I was stuck in my daydream and she was rolling her eyes at me. She was smiling at something but she also looked annoyed.

"Edward Cullen is staring at you, again, Bella," she said.

"Okay," I said. She looked at me like I had lost my mind. She was incredulous. I saw her wave at Edward from across the cafeteria. It was hard not to laugh.

Then, something happened. For a split second, I could hear Edward and the other Cullens laughing. Then, it was gone. It didn't stop because they stopped laughing. I looked up and I saw a slight shaking that could only be noticed if you were looking for it. What had just happened? They were all the way across the cafeteria. How could I have heard them? More importantly, why did it go away?

I was staring at the Cullens, but I couldn't help it. Alice looked up at me and winked. I looked down. This was against the pact I had made.

I had to stick to it.

In biology, Edward said, "Hello, Bella."

My only reaction was a nod. I didn't even turn my head to his direction. Thankfully, Mr. Banner came in then. But he said we would be watching a video today.

About five minutes into the video, Edward tapped me on the shoulder. I ignored him, pretending to be engrossed in the video and hadn't felt it. It was a long shot, but I had t stick to my pact. Edward put his finger under my chin, lightly. I didn't jump or show any reaction, but I knew he knew I had a reaction. My heart jumped up and down; it was an electric current of happiness.

"Bella, will you look at me?" he said with his finger still under my chin. He wasn't trying to move my head or anything. He just had his finger there. I shook my head and pointed it in the direction of the video.

"Come on, Bella. I know you aren't paying any more attention to this video than I am," he tried. I was being stubborn; I knew this, but I couldn't, I wouldn't talk to a Cullen, especially this one.

Edward took his finger off my chin and turned his attention back to the video that I had no clue about. He whispered, "When you are ready to talk to me and my family again, we will welcome you with open, understanding arms."

It was killing me, not looking at him. The class ended and Mike walked me to gym class. I was hit with the volleyball about a dozen times and then I drove home.

I decided to make a very complicated dinner so that all my attention would be focused on the food instead of Edward and the Cullens. It worked for a few minutes while I chopped the mushrooms and onions, but when I put them on the steak, I found that I didn't have anything else to do while it cooked. I decided that it needed sides so I made mashed potatoes from scratch. My mind strayed so I made some other things. You could never have too much food. Desert, that's what was missing. I made a chocolate cake from scratch, but when I finished, I saw that I had made enough food to last me and Charlie a few days.

The steak was done so I took it out.

"Wow, Bella; that is a lot of human food. It smells awful; how can you eat that stuff?" I knew that voice. This wasn't going to be pleasant. I decided to ignore her. I set all the food on the small table.

"Come on, Bella. Please, don't ignore me," she said. I continued to be stubborn and went upstairs to do my homework. Charlie pulled up as I sat down to do it. She was standing at my door but I walked past her without a glance. I was getting good at this.

"Hi, dad; how was work?"

"A friend of mine from across town was attacked by some kind of animal yesterday," he said. He looked so sad.

"What kind of animal?" I asked suspicious. Could the Cullens be hunting in the area now? It didn't seem impossible to believe, but then again, I didn't want to believe it of them. It seemed that they wouldn't do something like that…

"We thought it was a bear, but that seems unlikely. The bite marks look more like sharpened human teeth… It's a really hard case for me, Bell," Charlie replied. I wouldn't allow myself the image of Carlisle's teeth on another human. Shiver.

"This is a lot of food, Bell; what's the special occasion?"

"There isn't one. I just had a lot on my mind so I cooked this for you and me. I admit that it got kind of out of control," I said as I looked at the table full of food.

"It's good," he said. I nodded. We ate the food, but not all of it. Charlie appreciated it and that made me happy.

As I walked up the stairs, I hoped that she would be gone. My hopes were wasted on this, though, because she was lying on my bed, waiting for me. It was a long shot, but I went right beside my bed and picked up my bathroom things so I could take a shower before bed.

She stood in front of me so I couldn't go out the door. I looked at her. "You know, Bella, we don't eat humans. It wasn't us who killed your father's friend; it was others. We eat animals, silly!"

It made sense, but it could have been a lie. I really didn't feel like talking about it so I slid out my door and she let me. The shower wasn't long enough and the hearing thing came back again. I could hear her in my room, "She likes the same music as Edward…" Then it cut out again. What was the deal with that?! What was it? How was I able to hear them across the cafeteria and then just now, her in my room?

Wait. Why is she going through my stuff? I quickly jumped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me; it was only her in my room. When I got to my room, I saw her sitting on my bed again. I glared. "Why were you going through my stuff?"

"How did you know?" She was scrutinizing me.

I didn't talk anymore. I dropped my towel, pretending she wasn't there, and dressed in my holey sweats for pajamas. I lay down in bed next to her and she didn't move. "Goodnight, Bella," she said without moving.

"Night, Alice," I replied.

AN: I hope you enjoyed it. I just want to apologize again for the future. I've no clue when I will be able to update. I'm sorry…

YOU know you want to REVIEW.

~Sylvia