Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight; it is the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are mine. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my lovely Beta Biddy429 !!!

Chapter 14

Mural

The next three weeks flew by and with each passing day I seemed to become more and more frustrated by Edward. Since the day of the accident when I was almost killed, he hadn't spoken a single word to me, he hadn't even made eye contact. I had kept my promise I stuck to his story but he still gave me the cold shoulder.

When I confronted him two days after the accident he was hostile and angry. It felt like things had gone back to the first day we met. His only comment was a simple "I hope you enjoy disappointment" when I asked him for the truth. Why was I lying for a guy that was currently treating me like dirt? Oh yeah he saved my life and I owed him hugely, it had nothing to do with the massive crush I had on him. I don't know when it happened but my best guess is the day of the Kelsing event. For all his posturing and avoidance all he did was confirm my theory that he was other, and now I was hunting for the answer as to what exactly. The current theories were vampire and some sort of immortal being, vampire was winning.

Alice and Jasper were pretty much the same after a day or so of awkwardness but I guess they just wanted to be sure I wouldn't say anything. Things settled with us, Alice and Jasper seemed to have no lasting issue with me. It made sense to be cautious, I felt that Edward on the other hand was overreacting and I was going to really yell at him if he didn't stop it soon.

Charlie's surprise was the best ever, he had bought me some painting supplies, I would go with him when he went fishing and he fished and I painted. It became a regular thing on the weekends, as long as Charlie was not working. We would sometimes spend the day between two different places and Charlie would catch our dinner!

It was good having these "bonding sessions" as I called them, we would talk about when I was little and how often we visited Forks during the holidays the rest of the time we would just have fun and enjoy the quiet time together. These weekends spent with Charlie were the only thing that made Edward being an idiot tolerable.

We had just returned from one of our trips and were sitting on the back porch watching the sun go down, I was so lost in my thoughts I did not hear Charlie say my name "Bells?"

I looked over at him and said "Oh, sorry Charlie, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that you seem to be coming home from school in a worse mood. Is there something wrong?" he asked leaning towards me in his seat I was sitting on the porch steps and raised my head to look up at him. . Should I tell Charlie the truth? It wasn't my secret to tell but I could perhaps tell him the basics?

"You know Edward saved me from the accident with Tyler's van?" I asked and he nodded grimly, "Well since then he hasn't been talking to me at all and he won't even look at me when I sit next to him in Biology. It just really bugs me, I mean it's not like I'm pushing myself on him but he treats me almost like a leper" I said sighing.

"Do you like this Edward?" Charlie asked looking uncomfortable and I thought about his question.

"Yes I do" I answered, I liked him a lot, vampire or not. "But I know he doesn't feel the same. Alice and Jasper treat me the same but I just don't understand why he feels the need to be so mean" he really mustn't like me knowing the truth about him and his family. Would they move to avoid me telling their secret? I never would so it's a moot point but does he want to leave? Alice and Jasper obviously trust me not to tell or else they would be acting like Edward.

"Maybe he likes you too." Charlie said and I looked at him like he was nuts. "Just a thought, sometimes boys are meanest to the girls they like" I thought about it but shook my head. Not only did it smack of grade one school behaviour but it didn't make sense at all for Edward to like plain old me. The mere thought of that was almost ridiculous!

"No way Charlie, if he does like me then why would he treat me like this, ignore me, I think he is just being stupid. All boys are stupid if that's the case!" I scoffed shaking my head at Charlie.

"Some boys are just like that Bells" He said chuckling and I rolled my eyes and stood up.

"Come on lets order dinner, I don't feel like fish or making dinner now, how about Pizza Delivery?" I said and he nodded following me into the house.

As I made my way over to the phone I decided that I was going to talk to Edward tomorrow whether he liked it or not! It was time to face the music!

****

The next morning I all but bounced out of bed when my alarm went off, thankful for my ribs not aching. It was lovely to just be able to move again without pain all the time. Every once in a while my body would remind me it wasn't completely healed yet but I was still overjoyed. I grabbed my black jeans and long sleeved deep blue shirt and my long brunt orange vest and headed to the shower. As I stood under the shower, the hot water jets seemed to soothe away my concerns of confronting Edward and I began to feel more positive about the day ahead.

Running a brush through my hair I tried to tame the wildness into some sort of order but failed so I caved and pulled the front of my hair back and walked down stairs. I was halfway downstairs when I realised that I had stupidly forgotten my socks so ran back up the stairs and quickly fetched them.

"Morning Bells" Charlie said, whilst reading the morning paper and eating his breakfast of toast and eggs.

"Morning Unc" I replied. Since my arrival I had been trying to get Charlie to eat healthier and without him realising I had managed to swop his usual white bread to whole wheat! I grabbed a bowl and gave myself a huge helping of Raisin Bran, at least it was sweet and crunchy, but I ate it as quickly as I could because it certainly did not look all that appetising, oh well, need to do the health eating!

"When's the final doctor's appointment?" I asked knowing it was today or tomorrow.

"Today at 4" Charlie answered and I pondered who I was going to beg to take me. Probably Ange but if she's busy with Ben then maybe Erik. "I can give you a ride if you want."

I shook my head and said "No, your too busy, I can get someone from school to take me so don't worry." My car wasn't ready yet and I really wasn't into the temporary car I was given, a bit grubby and not really my style at all, if I had a style that was! Well something that could make it to school was definitely my style. Needless to say I left the car there and let Charlie drive me to school. It was less embarrassing.

Charlie dropped me off nearly an hour too early for school but it had become routine and was actually beginning to enjoy the free time to sketch and finish any homework I hadn't the night before.

Sometimes I worked ahead but I had realised that for some classes it just made it harder, well harder to stay awake. If it wasn't raining then I would sit on one of the benches and enjoy the changes in the light as the sun rose over the trees. Even through the clouds it was pretty most mornings.

Today I had brought some chalk and was going to begin my outlines for the mural. It had taken me a fair bit of time to come up with something appropriate and neat. Eventually I just contacted an artist online that I knew and asked her if she had any suggestions.

She told me to just draw whatever I felt and it would be right. I had no clue what I was going to do but I knew that it wouldn't have too much colour to it. I didn't want something that students would see and be reminded how little the sun shines here.

I sat down and thought, yes, rain, the mural would have rain... the image of a girl standing under a structure trying to avoid the rain with her umbrella and gum boots on came to mind. Maybe a more futuristic setting, colder with the only colour being the greyish blue of the umbrella, yes that would work.

I picked up the chalk I had brought with me and began to sketch my idea on the wall. Working on the girl and the umbrella first, I made her boots stand out more by having her coat and white dress end above her knees. Her skin was pale and striking against the darkness of her coat and the environment I imagined. I was unable to fill the full wall without the use of a ladder so I stuck to mapping out what I could reach and as I drew I liked the dark circle that seemed to surround her and made the rainy industrial background brighter.

Once I had finished all that I could do I stood back to look at my work. Mmmmmmm, I thought, not too bad for a rough sketch although it was a bit too basic for me but it would be better when I had the correct paints and better tools. I moved further away so that I could test how the image would look from a distance and I was pleased that it drew the eye but disappointed that it wasn't overwhelming.

"You are very talented" His velvety voice said from behind me and I turned startled that I knew the sound of it so well and yet hadn't heard it in nearly a month. Blushing I looked back at the piece, I felt it was rough and good but really not deserving enough for his compliment.

"It's just a draft" I said trying to sound nonchalant and also trying to ignore my stomach which was doing cartwheels. Looking around I noticed quite a few students standing around looking at my draft. I pulled out my cellphone and realised that there was another 15 minutes before school started. Lots of people were here early today, must be something in the air!

"Beautiful, drawn only in chalk and yet it looks as though it could be a finished piece" He said and some of the others nodded and my blush deepened.

I quickly packed my things and moved to put my bag over my shoulder when I felt it being taken gently out of my hands. "Wh…..what are you doing?"

"Bella, I thought you had sore ribs, I am carrying your bag for you" he answered simply.

"Oh" I said, "thank you" and let him take the bag. As we walked towards the school building quite a few people stopped me and told me that they couldn't wait for me to finish the piece. I was overwhelmed by their reactions and merely nodded my thanks.

We reached the lockers and Edward handed me my bag. I felt him staring at me intently, I could almost feel his eyes on my skin, he moved closer to me. I could almost smell his scent he was so close and I felt safe for some strange reason having him so near. I opened my locker and placed my bag inside and removed my books.

"I wanted to apologise for being rude to you." He said and the sound of his voice sent a shiver up my spine, thankfully my heart managed not to stumble.

"You merely said that I was talented" I said playing dumb as I composed myself to look less like a girl drooling over her crush. Even I knew it was impossible to not react to him in some way. He chuckled and seemed hesitant.

"I was apologising for my behaviour towards you before today" He said and I nodded at him as I rearranged my books in my arms.

"Ah" Was my great come back, "You could grovel and beg" I said attempting for humour until he actually dropped to his knees and looked up at me like a cute puppy. I blinked a few times and tried to understand why he was on his knees.

"Please forgive me?" he said and he smiled the most breathtaking crooked grin I have ever seen. Most of the time his smiles didn't seem to meet his eyes but this one did. Blinking rapidly like a moron I nodded and he stood again. "Good" He smirked and I felt like melting into the floor. My blush was so deep I was certain my face would remain bright red forever. I noted that no one else seemed to notice us and was thankful for one less embarrassment.

"Okay" I said trying to understand what was going on. "So why the turnaround with the mood swings, cause I am way passed confused" deciding on the truth rather than wrongfully amusing someone. Edward smiled and chuckled leaning against the locker next to mine.

"I have decided that I'm not going to stay away from you any more" He said as if that meant he had made a decision on a major thing in his life. I cocked an eyebrow and gestured for him to continue.

"Have lunch with me today" He said and I looked at him as if he had grown another head.

"Right so according to the laws of Edward Cullen we are friends now?" I asked hoping he would say yes. He smiled his crooked grin and nodded again as I watched him, shifting my weight back and forth. From silence to friends, it was what I wanted but it confused me no end as to why now he decided to be friends. "Why? Why now?" I voiced my thoughts and he looked at me with shame and sadness in his eyes.

"I was being unfair to you, my family brought it to my attention last night" he said though it wasn't the whole truth I took it as the new beginning that it might be.

"Good, It was bothering me that you go from hating me, to being sweet to saving my life to being an ass" I said and he smiled at my last comment. "Though I really think your dad should get you tested I think you might be bipolar" I comment and he actually laughed at this. It filled his eyes completely with joy.

"Definitely bipolar" I said shaking my head with a grin on my face.

"Perhaps but will you still join me for lunch?" he asked and I shrugged.

"Maybe, it depends on whether or not you stay happy sweet Edward or if you change into meanie Edward" I answered truthfully. I would not have lunch with him if he was going to brood. He nodded and looked over my shoulder and turning to follow his eyes I found Erik smiling at me. I waved to him and he grabbed Angela and towed her and Ben over to me. Giggling at him I leaned into the lockers. "Hey guys! Oh I need a huge favour!" I said smiling happily. Erik rolled his eyes but Angela and Ben looked confused.

"What now slave driver!?" Erik replied and I giggled like a loon. Angela realised that it was a joke and laughed with me, Ben just cocked an eyebrow.

"I have a doctor's appointment today at 4pm and I was wondering if one of you guys could give me a lift?" I asked.

They all rolled their eyes and Ange said ""Yeah Bella the slave driver rides again!" Edward chuckled from behind me and it took more effort than necessary to not look at him.

"Sorry Bella we would but Ben is picking up the twins from school so that I can get the gift for the party their going to tomorrow" Ange answered looking at Erik pleadingly.

"Sorry, Bella but I have the newspaper today until 6pm, unless you could move your appointment to later?" he asked looking hopeful and sadly I shook my head.

"Nope, sorry it's at 4, can't change it" I said wondering if there was a bus that went to the hospital, surely there had to be one.

"I could take you Bella" Edward offered from behind me. I turned to look at him and noting his offer as genuine.

"That's really nice of you Edward but I'm sure there's a bus that can take me" I said not wanting to force myself on the boy before we were really friends.

"There isn't a bus that will take you to the hospital in time, and I wouldn't mind in the slightest, I'll just visit my dad" he said.

"He's my doctor" I answered and he shrugged, "Fine, but let me pay for gas?" I said pushing out my bottom lip and he smiled shaking his head no.

"It's the least I can do to apologise for my pervious meanie-ness." He said and I caved and nodded as Erik and I moved towards English and Mrs. Jacqueline, our replacement teacher. It only took two days to have her replace ALL of Mr. Kelsing's classes. Erik was practically singing when some other students told him that Kelsing was gone. We took our seats and the bell rang moments after.