A/N: Thanks once again to project team beta! And also to everyone who reviewed! You guys are all awesome! It's nice to know people are taking the time to read what I write. I know my writing isn't the best. =/ So thanks again!

Disclaimer: All Twilight Characters are owned by Stephenie Meyer.

I looked back at the photo and then at Edward, one last time.

"I… I don't know," I said.

Edward groaned and placed his head back in his hands in frustration. "You don't believe me?" His voice was muffled.

It wasn't like I had trouble believing him. Wait no, that was a lie; I did have trouble believing him. He just looked so normal, but then again people just don't disappear out of thin air like he had. Then of course there was the part where only I could see him, which seemed even stranger. I mean, why me out of all people? It was just all too weird, but somehow I knew he wasn't lying; no matter how much I didn't want to believe it, this was real.

The proof was in my hands, no matter how much I wanted to deny that this wasn't actually happening.

So I made up my mind and decided it was best to just go with it rather than deny it any longer. "Yes… I believe you," I said softly.

Edward lifted his head from his hands. "You do?" His brows raised in surprise.

"Yeah." I couldn't believe it myself. I was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door.

"Bella?" I heard Charlie call from the other side.

I stiffened as I felt a sliver of panic. I looked at Edward and then back at the door. Charlie wouldn't be too happy if he found a boy in my room. No matter how much he wanted me to make friends.

My panic must have shown on my face because Edward said, "Only you can see me, remember?"

I felt slightly relieved at the thought, but I wasn't entirely convinced. I closed the journal in my hands and placed it on my dresser before opening the door. I opened it just a crack and stood in the doorway. Even if Charlie wasn't able to see Edward I didn't want to chance it. "Yeah, Dad?" My voice was slightly squeaky.

Charlie rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I just got back from fishing with Billy and Jake. You got my note, didn't you?"

He must have left a note on the fridge, like he always did when he was out late. "Um, yeah," I lied.

"I was going to have you come with us, but you didn't come home after school." He wanted me to explain where I had been. He probably thought it was odd considering that I never came home late after school.

"I ah… I…" My mind went blank.

"Tell him you were with Angela." I heard Edward say from behind me.

He startled me and I looked back at him. He was no longer sitting by the window, but was roaming around my room once again. I wanted to tell him not to look at my things, but I couldn't very well do that in front of Charlie.

"Is something wrong, Bella?" asked Charlie. He craned his neck to look past me.

On instinct I stepped a little further out into the hall, so he wasn't able to see past me.

"Uh, no. I was at Angela's house after school. We had a project to do together for history." I was such a horrible liar. With all my stuttering it made it so obvious, but Charlie didn't seem to notice. I felt guilty for lying, but I couldn't very well tell him the truth.

He frowned. "If anything is wrong you know you can tell me, right?" He was always uncomfortable when it came to talking about feelings. I could only imagine how difficult it must have been for him to even say that one little sentence.

I was a lot like him in that way, which was why I wasn't going to tell him the truth. I couldn't tell him that I hated school and wished we had never moved here. So once again, I lied. "Dad, everything is fine." I smiled, trying to make myself believable. "Would you stop worrying?" The last part sounded like the old me. I even rolled my eyes for effect.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm sure."

The corner of his mouth curved up slightly. "Okay. Well, next time you are out with your friends, call me?"

"I will." I doubt I'll ever need to.

After what seemed like forever of awkward silence he said, "Well, there's pizza downstairs if you want some."

"Okay." I nodded. "I'm not really hungry, but thanks."

"Alright, just thought I'd check up on you. Well, goodnight," he said before walking away.

I waited until he was completely out of view before shutting the door. I sighed in relief and clasped my hand on my head. Every time I talked to Charlie I seemed to feel even worse about myself. I hated being a disappointment to him. He wanted me to go out and act like a normal teenager, but for some stupid reason, I just couldn't do that. All I wanted to do was hide in my room all day from the world and hope that I would just get better in time.

I heard a soft thud from behind me, reminding me that I wasn't alone in the room.

I turned around to see Edward standing by my old paintings. They had been leaning up against the wall in the corner. I was planning on putting them away, but had never gotten around to it. Edward crouched down and looked at the painting that had landed on the floor. "Hey, this is really good," he said. He looked impressed as his eyes scanned it.

It took a moment for me to register what was going on. Edward was looking at my things. He was looking at my paintings! My anxiety shot up and I rushed over, pulling the painting off the ground. I placed the painting back against the wall. "C-could you stop looking at my things?" I stuttered nervously.

He ignored me. "You're really talented."

I blushed and mumbled, "Thanks."

"Why'd you stop?"

"What do you mean?" I shuffled through my paintings, not wanting to look at him.

"Why don't you paint anymore?"

I snapped my head up. "How did you know that?" It was a little creepy how he knew. Do ghosts have telepathy or something?

God, I hope not.

Edward shrugged and rose from the ground. He placed his hands in his pockets. "I saw your Dad talking to a neighbor about you. He told her how much you loved to paint, but that you had stopped."

It came as no surprise, Charlie once again bragging about my art. I felt a twinge of annoyance at the reminder that he seemed to be so proud of me now that I wasn't doing it anymore. "I just don't feel like doing it," I lied.

One minute Edward was standing beside me and then the next he was sitting on the window seat in the blink of an eye. "Why?" he asked, as if he didn't just disappear and then reappear.

"Could you not do that?" I asked, blinking a few times.

"Do what?" He frowned.

"Disappear randomly… it's weird."

"Sorry, I'll try not to," he replied. He glanced at my paintings then back at me and raised a brow. "Now are you going to tell me why you don't paint anymore?"

"I already told you, I just don't want to." I sat on the bed across from him and pulled a pillow on my lap.

Edward was sitting Indian style on the window seat. I still couldn't believe that he was sitting in my room. He looked so relax and at ease, while I was tense and nervous. Never had I before even talked to a guy that looked as good as him and here I was sitting with him in my room.

Only because you're the only one who can see him, otherwise he probably would never have talked to you.

"You're lying," Edward accused.

It took me a moment to remember what we were even talking about.I was caught off guard by him being so blunt.

"You're a horrible liar, you know that? Your Dad may have believed you, but I don't. What's the real reason?" He seemed interested and I couldn't figure out why. What did he care?

I didn't want to tell him. I couldn't stand people feeling sorry for me. "Why do you want to know?" I asked defensively.

"I'm just curious." He shrugged. His eyes locked with mine and I was once again lost in his gaze. My cheeks flushed and my heart beat faster in my chest. What the heck was wrong with me? Why couldn't I calm down?

"I already told you; if you don't believe me, that's your problem." My tone was harsh, but I didn't care. I didn't want to talk about it.

Gripping the pillow in my hands; I tried to calm my nerves.

Edward seemed amused by my reaction because he smiled. "Are you scared of me or something?"

"What?"

"Are you scared of me?" he asked.

"No, I'm not." Which I wasn't, surprisingly. After all I was in a room with a stranger that happened to be a ghost. Maybe it's because I still couldn't believe all this was real. Just about an hour ago, I didn't believe in ghosts and now here I was talking to one.

"I can't hurt you, just so you know," he spoke quietly.

I raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I can't touch people."

I waited for him to elaborate.

"I can't physically touch anyone. I may be able to touch objects for a second or two, but actual living things, it's impossible." He looked toward his hands. I couldn't help but note the slightest change in his voice. He seemed sad.

My nerves seemed to ease at that moment and I let go of the pillow and placed it beside me. I believed him. If he said he wouldn't hurt me, then I believed him.

He kept staring at his hands and I wondered if he had forgotten that I was in the room. He looked lost in his own thoughts.

"Edward?" It was the first time I had said his name aloud. It felt weird saying it.

He snapped his head up.

"Are… are you alright?" I hated it when people asked me the very same question when it was obvious I wasn't, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. He just looked so lost and alone.

"Yeah." He smiled slightly, but I knew it was fake. I had used that smile all too often.

Of course he isn't alright.

He's dead.

He rose from the seat. "It's getting late, I should leave." He looked toward the window.

I hadn't even realized how late it was. I glanced at the clock on my dresser and saw that it was nine. My eyes then drifted to his journal sitting beside the clock..

"Would you mind putting it away for me?" asked Edward.

He must have seen me staring at it. "Uh, yeah no problem." I shot up from the bed and walked over to the dresser.

Without another word I put his journal away back into the crawl space. I put the board in place and shut the closet doors. When I was finished, I turned around and saw that Edward was no longer there. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that he had disappeared, but I knew it wouldn't be the last time I'd see him.

The next morning Edward was on my mind the whole time so much that I had almost forgotten about the incident in the parking lot yesterday.

Well, almost.

As soon as I walked into the classroom I saw Jessica and Lauren and everything came rushing back. I winced at the memory.

I ducked my head down and rushed to my seat hoping they wouldn't notice me. When I sat in my seat, however, I knew I had been spotted because Jessica turned toward me slightly, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. She then proceeded to tap Lauren on the shoulder and whisper in her ear. They both began to giggle and looked back at me.

I forced my head down, looking at my books on my desk and trying to do my best to ignore them.

Ugh, this was going to be a long day.

The bell rang shortly after and class began.

I tried my best to pay attention and to keep my mind away from Jessica and Lauren, but I couldn't. My brain wouldn't let me. I could have sworn everyone was staring at me and whispering. I didn't know if it was just me being paranoid or if they were actually talking about me. They must have all thought I was crazy. I'm sure by now Jessica and Lauren told everyone that would listen about what happened.

I looked at the clock every two seconds waiting for the bell to ring, so I could get out of here. My stomach was twisting in knots.

When the bell finally rang, I gathered my things as fast as I could and ran out of the room. To my horror, I rammed my shoulder right into Lauren's.

"Bitch!" she shouted from behind me.

I ducked my head down the whole entire and kept walking.

I didn't even care that I was early to my next class I just didn't want to be here .

This was usually the time that I would wait by Angela's locker, but I thought it was best that I didn't. She probably wouldn't want to be seen with someone crazy anyways. I saw her in the hallway, but ignored her and ran straight into the classroom.

Luckily I had no more classes with Jessica or Lauren, but that didn't cause my paranoia to subside.

I really need to stop worrying before I really do make myself crazy.

When lunch rolled around I knew there was no way I could sit at usual table, so I picked a table that was in the far corner away from everyone. I wanted to avoid sitting alone, but that seemed impossible now. I tried to tell myself that it was no big deal and that it had been this way before, but the lump in my throat was still there.

When I sat down, I got a view of my old table. Jessica and Lauren didn't seem to notice that I wasn't there anymore, as they talked and laughed to one another. Mike glanced at me a few times at me didn't seem to care either.

I caught a glimpse of Angela who looked slightly hurt when she saw me sitting by myself, but I pushed it away. It was just better this way.

"Sitting by yourself?" I jumped back in my chair and saw Edward sitting beside me.

"Wha-"

He placed his fingers over his lips. "I wouldn't talk if I were you." He looked over at my old table. "They're watching."

My cheeks flushed as I glanced over; they were indeed watching me. It was probably my chair skidding across the floor that drew their attention.

"Well, if you would stop scaring me," I mumbled.

"I really didn't mean to. I guess it just comes with what I am." A crooked smile crossed his lips. "So, why aren't you sitting with Angela?" he asked.

I shrugged a shoulder as I looked back up. No one was looking at me now, but I didn't want to chance it.

Edward seemed to see my dilemma. "Get out a piece of paper. You can write, while I talk," he suggested.

I pulled out a piece of paper and pencil.

"Why are you sitting here alone?" he asked.

I sighed and wrote a reply on the piece of paper. Because I was seen in the parking lot talking to myself. I wrote down bluntly. I moved the paper toward him so he could see what I had written.

Edward grimaced and nodded. "I should have known. I'm sorry about that." He seemed once again genuinely sorry. "If it helps I can make it up to you…"

I frowned and wrote, What do you mean?

He smiled wickedly which caused my heart to skip a beat. He looked at Jessica and Lauren. They were once again staring at me and whispering.

"People can be assholes," he said.

"I know." I blurted.

Edward chuckled beside me.

I looked over at him, his eyes shined as he smiled. I noticed that this was the closest that I had been to him. He was only a foot away from me and I could now see his eyes in more detail, there were little gold flakes in his irises and I even noticed a few freckles on his nose. He looked so unbelievably gorgeous. His smiled brightened up his features, making my heart soar.

Why was he talking to me again?

Oh right, the whole ghost thing…

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" I replied.

"I asked why Angela isn't sitting with you. She seems nice."

"Oh." I blushed and pulled out the piece of paper. I thought over my answer for a moment. Should I tell him that I don't want her to be pulled down with me?

I just didn't want her to, I wrote.

Edward read it and looked back at me and shook his head slightly. "Even when you're writing you are a terrible liar."

"Wha-" I stopped myself before I could say anymore. The last thing I needed was being caught talking to myself again. I took the paper and wrote, What makes you think I'm lying?

"You took far too long to answer and…" he paused as he scanned my eyes. "I can just tell," he muttered softly.

I knew there was something he wasn't saying, but I couldn't bring myself to ask.

I took the piece of paper and wrote my next question down.

"Are you going to keep following me around?" Edward read it aloud. His brow furrowed. "Why, am I that annoying?"

My heart sank slightly, worried that I had offended him. I took back the paper. No, it's just that I was wondering and I thought that maybe you had better things to do or something. I mean I'm not the most exciting person ever. Ifelt like I was rambling as I was writing. I had to stop myself before I wrote anymore.

He looked amused as he looked at the paper. "So you don't think I'm annoying?"

"No." I was about to shake my head, but stopped myself. It was nerve-racking talking to someone no one could see. I had to think twice about what I said or did. I whispered the next words, not feeling like writing them down. "But don't you have anything else to do?"

"Honestly, no," he shrugged. His eyes looked sad just like they had last night. This time however, it only lasted a second. He was looking back at my old table again. "Why did you even bother being friends with them anyway?" He changed the subject.

I wanted to ask him what he did with his time, but I had a feeling he didn't want to talk about it.

I put my pencil to the paper and thought about my answer. This time I decided to be honest.

Because I wanted to fit in, I guess.

He nodded knowingly and then again there was that sadness in his eyes. "Now that I know all too well. Trust me, it's not worth it. Like I said, people are assholes." He looked at them once again. "Especially those people."

And then, just like all the other times, Edward disappeared without warning.

I blinked a few times and felt annoyed.

Did he have to keep doing that?!

I sighed and turned back to my food on my tray as looked down at my food I noticed I didn't just feel annoyed, but disappointed as well. I actually kind of liked talking to him. It was nice not sitting by myself.

I picked up my sandwich and was about to take a bite when I heard a high-pitch scream echo through the cafeteria.

"Oh, my god!" Lauren was shrieking at the top of her lungs.

I looked up to see that she was covered head to toe in food.

"Did you do that on purpose?!" she yelled at Mike.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" he snapped, outraged. "I didn't do anything!"

"You threw your food at me!" She accused, as she shook her hands at her side. She was covered head to toe in various foods. It didn't look like just Mike's food had been thrown at her, but the whole table's.

"Mike didn't do it, Lauren," Tyler said, looking bewildered as he looked at her and the table. "All the food just flew at you."

"Someone had to have thrown it, you retard!" She was whining as tried to comb the food from her hair. She stopped mid-way and her face paled. "Tell me that's not gum?!"

Jessica rose from her seat and looked closely at Lauren's hair. "It's gum."

Lauren tried to pick it out, but it only made it worse. "My hair!" she squealed.

Teachers began rushing over to see what was going on. They were trying to calm her down, but she just kept shouting about her hair and pointing at Mike.

"I swear, I didn't do it!" he shouted.

"Think she will look good with short hair?" asked Edward.

This time I didn't jump.

Edward was sitting beside me with a smirk on his face.

"What happened?" I asked him. It was safe to talk to him aloud. Everyone was too focused on Lauren's little tantrum to notice me.

"It seems all the food just magically jumped out at her, along with Jessica's gum, which happened to be sitting on her tray."

"Who threw it?"

Edward had that wicked grin on his face again and that's when it clicked. "You did it? Didn't you?" I gaped at him.

"Maybe?"

"You did!" I said, a little too loudly as a smile broke across my face.

He shrugged innocently as he leaned back in his seat, smiling smugly as he watched his handy work.

Everyone looked around puzzled at one another at the table accusing each other of throwing the food, but everyone denied it. I was worried for a second that they might blame Angela.

I found her no longer sitting at the table, but sitting with Emmett and Rosalie. She was laughing along with Emmett while Rosalie just rolled her eyes in disgust, but there was a slight smile on her lips.

I looked back at Lauren and also started laughing. The scene was by far the funniest thing I had ever witnessed. Lauren was jumping up and down as a teacher tried to examine the damage to her hair.

"Get it out, get it out!" she shouted, wailing her hands up and down.

"Hold still!" The teacher was scowling at her, frustrated.

"That's it, everyone to the office," Instructed another teacher.

"I don't have to go. Do I?" Mike asked.

"Yes, you too Newton. Let's go!"

"But I-"

"Go!" he roared.

Mike grumbled, glaring at Lauren as they walked out of the cafeteria.

I felt bad for Mike, but I couldn't stop laughing. It had been a long time since I had laughed this much. I had to clasp my hand over my mouth, so that no one would hear me.

I spoke when I finally managed to calm myself down. "That was mean," I told him between laughs.

"It's hair, it'll grow back. Plus she deserved it." He shrugged.

"Thank you," I whispered. The cafeteria had grown quieter. I didn't want to risk being heard.

He didn't say anything for awhile and I wondered if he even heard me.

"You should smile more, Bella. Life's too short."

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