CHAPTER 6

The next day I sat in my truck in the school parking lot staring at the lucky normal people freaking out about normal every day stuff. If I said I didn't envy them I would be completely lying. How did my life turn into a Sci-Fi movie? The supernatural has always appealed to me, being a freak and all, but this was just insane!

I heard the bell ring in the distance and I slowly and unwillingly got out. The only thing that kept running in my head was that my "mate" was most likely here somewhere and if I was being honest with myself it that scared the heck out of me.

Over this past month I had developed the biggest crush on Edward Cullen. Even with all the crazy things I had just found out, he was the biggest chunk of my thoughts. I didn't know how this whole mating thing worked but if for some cosmological mistake Edward turned out to be the guy I would not complain at all. The chances of that happening though, were probably smaller than Jessica's attempt to stay quiet for an hour.

"Blahhh, just shake it off and get to class Bella." I whispered to myself. Sometimes I needed to tell myself what to do when I was being ridiculous.

"Do you always talk to yourself in empty parking lots?" I immediately recognized that silky voice and froze. He had been ignoring me for weeks and he decides to spark a conversation when I am giving myself a pep talk!? Can someone strike me with a car please? Why am I so weird?

"You know, its rude to interrupt when someone is having a conversation!" Great Bella! That was probably the stupidest thing you could of said!

He chuckled the cutest chuckle I had ever heard and looked directly into my eyes. Two things I noticed right away were that his eyes were a light topaz color, which were a complete 180 from the pitch black they were the last time I really looked at him. And two the over whelming need to jump on him and have my way with him right here while screaming "MINE!" was almost impossible to ignore. I dug my nails into my palms as an attempt to stop myself.

"I didn't know if the same etiquette applied to someone who was conversating alone." He flashed a crooked smile at me that I wanted to lick right off his face.

Hmm, my mom told me to go with my instincts. If I actually listened to her, Edward would be on the ground right now screaming rape so maybe she didn't mean literarily but this might mean that he's the one! Thank you to who ever made this happen up there!

I was about to start doing my happy dance when I realized I had been standing there staring at him while he waited for my response.

Great, he probably thinks I am slow on top of being weird and moody. I am most definitely getting the better deal out of this situation.

"Yeah, well you shouldn't sneak up on people like that anyways. You need to respect peoples privacy space." I couldn't believe what was coming out of my mouth! Instead of being charming so when I dropped the news on him he wouldn't be so disappointed I was antagonizing him. In my defense, its hard to break the habit. I had been doing this whole "Edward is a prick" routine for weeks now.

"I'm sorry Bella I actually came here to apologize to you. I have been completely rude to you these past weeks and I had no reason for it. I guess its just hard to start your last year of high school in a new school and all." He pouted the same pout Alice gave me that first day and I almost turned into a puddle of goo!

"Umm, its okay?" Great now you cant form coherent sentences like a normal person. I tried not to roll my eyes at myself.

"No it's not. I would like it if we could be friends. Maybe I can make it up to you eventually?"

Why would he want to be my friend? I wouldn't want to be my own friend. This is some sort of trick right?

I looked around to see if maybe someone was playing a cruel joke on me or something.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" What I said didn't register into my brain until it was out of my mouth.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG BELLA! WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!

He flashed the biggest smile I had ever seen on him and did a little shrug with his shoulder. "I was going to wait in asking you on a date until you didn't hate me as much but if you would have me now I sure as heck would not object."

"Wait, no. I didn't mean it like that. I'm not usually so forward! My word filter just seems to shut itself off when you're around for some reason. If you want to be only friends then that's super fine with me. Not that I wouldn't like to date you because you are a good looking boy and all but I know we got off on the wrong foot and I am just a big mess when it comes to the other gender soo…" I covered my mouth with my hand. I can't believe I just went on a rant like that. Good looking boy? What is he FIVE Bella?

I tried to sneak a peek at him through my hair. He was just standing there looking completely hot and amused.

"You know what?" I said. "I am making a complete ass out of myself right now. And I would appreciate if you could be a little bit more sensitive and not laugh at me!"

"Bella I think its adorable that I fluster you." He winked at me and I saw red.

"You do NOT fluster me! I just didn't sleep well and I am tired. Maybe we should continue this conversation when I am well rested! Good day Edward!" I strode away like a child.

Edward seemed to keep up with me effortlessly.

I will not talk to this pretentious man even though he was right and he flusters the heck out of me. He doesn't have to know that though. I am not going to fill up his elephant sized ego.

"Bella you can ignore me all you want but I am going to do everything in my power to make up for my behavior and win your respect."

"Well I am a pretty good ignorer." I don't even know if that is even a word and at this point I did not even care.

"Then it's a good thing I don't give up on things that I want right?" I shot him a surprised look and he smiled and turned to walk down the hallway. I didn't even notice I was already in front of my class.

I had become so good at blocking Alice mentally and even physically that when she threw an eraser at me I almost yelped out loud.

"Bella I have been calling over to you for that past five minutes!"

"I'm sorry Alice, I didn't know you were done ignoring me now." Alices' face dropped and I could swear I saw her tear up.

"I know and I am sooooooooo sorry about that! Just know that it wasn't my idea. Edward has trust issues and he…he thinks everyone is out to get us?" She pouted and a little wrinkle formed in the middle of her forehead.

I sighed out loud and got up and sat on the desk next to Alice. "Its okay Alice. I knew it wasn't your idea. Just don't do it again okay? I can't explain it but I don't make friends easily and you are one of the few people I feel I can be myself with."

Alice through her little body at me in a tight hug.

"Thank you Bella! We are going to be best friends!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Alice was just too sweet to stay mad at.

The rest of the day was just weird. Edward came to walk me to all my classes, he even carried my books to my utter embarrassment. During lunch he pulled out my chair and bought my lunch. He was slowly but surely breaking into my shell. I couldn't even remember why I was ignoring him in the first place!

I managed to keep the silent treatment up for the next couple of days but after endless nights of thinking and rethinking how I was going to tell him we were somehow bound for life, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to give him the impression that his future partner was a moody crab. I still had not worked out how I was going to tell him about my heritage but I needed to do it soon. The panther side of me was emerging faster than I thought. A couple of days ago I had transformed half ways. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I looked down at my hands and noticed they were claws!

The more the beast came out the more I felt the need to claim Edward. Part of me wanted to ignore him longer just to keep him safe.

The days after I decided to cut Edward some slack were simply wonderful. Alice and I got extremely close. I felt so comfortable around her! Well, only on days when she wasn't using me as a doll anyways.

We were attached at the hip at school and she came over after school everyday. Rene and Charlie fell in love with Alice as soon as they met her. I don't think I would ever find someone who wouldn't find her charming.

Edward had been a complete gentleman. He kept his word and was stubborn as a mule. He walked me to every class, it became sort of like a routine. The girls at school were going crazy. They couldn't understand why Edward was paying so much attention to me and I was right on that same boat too.

I decided that today I was going to forgive Edward.

When I got to school Edward was already waiting for me in my usual parking space.

"Goodmorning Edward!" I yelled over my loud trucks engine.

He looked shocked for about a second but he then returned the greeting.

"Morning Bella. I see you're in a good mood today." I could help but smile up at him.

"Yeah well I decided that your punishment was unfair. You had your reasons to stay away from me and although I don't understand them I respect them."

"I promise you Bella, one day ill tell you everything." He was almost glowing.
"Alright then! Lets get to class." For once in a long time everything seemed okay. Well I was turning into a cat but that's just a minor set back right?

That day after school when Alice came over we were doing our English homework when Alice invited me over to her house.

"You need to meet everyone Bells! Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie are down here from college and this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce you to them!"

I couldn't help but get teary eyed at that. I had never had a lot of friends since I always kept everyone as far away as possible so I never really got invited over to peoples houses. How pathetic right? Angela had always been my closest friend but it never went past school hours.

"Oh Bella! What's wrong? You don't have to if you don't want to!" She walked around the table and embraced me in a tight hug.

"Of course ill come Alice. Don't mind me." I smiled at her. I realized that Alice was my first best friend ever. At the sad age of 18!

"Alice I need to tell you something…" I was already letting all my walls down with her so I decided that might as well help the process along and knock the last big one on my own.

"What's wrong Bella?" She asked with so much concern it melted my heart.

"I can read peoples' thoughts" I closed my eyes and waited for her to laugh at me. When I didn't hear anything, not even breathing I opened one of my eyes and looked at Alice. She had the funniest shocked expression I had ever seen.

"Are you okay Alice? I know it's hard to believe but its true. I've been able to read thoughts since I was a toddler. You're actually the first person I have ever told. Not even Rene or Charlie know."

After a couple seconds Alice got herself together and looked straight at me.

"Bella this is really important. What have you heard me think?"

"Alice it's not like that. I actually try to block everyones thoughts at all times. Like right now for example I can't hear anything you're thinking. When I first meet someone their thoughts are loud and I have to get attuned to them so I can eventually learn to tune them out. I only heard your thoughts the first couple of days and I promise I didn't hear anything embarrassing although…"

"Although what?" she screeched.

"On the second day I heard you say something about Edward coming to watch me through my window? I thought you were crazy for a little bit."

Alice started laughing hysterically and hugged me.

"Oh Bella Bella Bella! I am going to go home and let my parents know you are coming over for dinner! Ill see you in two hours?" she looked at me expectantly.

"Uh, sure? But Alice I am still waiting for you to call me a freak and to storm out of here running. You do believe me right?"

"Bella you are my bestest friend ever! If you grew a second head I would still love you. Being different isn't a bad thing. Just remember to embrace the weird stuff yourself. Not everything you think is normal is in fact normal." And with that cryptic message she walked out of my house. No wonder I felt so comfortable with her. The girl was as weird as I was!