I thank everybody for their advice on Bella's POV or Edward's. I have decided to alternate between them. This chapter is written in Edward's and the next one will probably be in Bella's.
High school troubles
Edward had never liked the necessity to repeat high school over and over again, but this time it was not so bad. The sole reason for this was the presence of Bella. Every moment he could steal with her, he enjoyed. Bella was the one person that made high school bearable for him, but at the same time she inspired the persons that made it unbearable.
His gift to read minds had never been this much of a curse. Everywhere he read the undiluted thoughts of boys that were all concentrated on one thing. Teenage boys had a very impressive imagination when it came to intimacy and it drove Edward nuts.
Newton was his newest topmost annoyance, driving Sam from his well-deserved first place. The boy was always around her and his crude fantasies drove his killer instinct to the limit. The boy was lucky to be alive. He wondered why his brothers were not as irritated with all the boys as he was. They couldn't read their minds of course, but Jasper could feel the desire they emitted around Bella. It did irritate Jasper and he glared repeatedly to Mike or any other boy that had those feelings, but Edward seemed to be the most affected by the situation. He knew he was overprotective when it came to Bella, but this was not entirely caused by overprotectiveness. There was another reason for his annoyance and he didn't fully grasp what it was.
Bella was sitting in class and a boy named Tyler tried to talk to her. It was the only class she wasn't with either Alice or himself and her classmates took that chance. Edward followed closely in Tyler's mind.
How can she be so beautiful, sexy and mysterious at the same time? What I wouldn't do for a day with Bella. The hell with Newton, I don't care if he saw her first.
'We have a great movie theatre in Port Angelus. If you want, I will show you and we can catch a movie.'
Bella looked up at him and smiled. Tyler's mind went blank in response.
'Thank you very much for the invitation Tyler, but I am afraid I have to decline.'
She didn't give him a reason and that made Tyler confused and hopeful at the same time. He wondered how he was going to proceed. Edward chuckled when he saw Bella's determined face through Tyler's eyes. There was no offer he could make that was going to inspire Bella to accept. It made him happy, there was no way Tyler, or Mike for that matter, could deserve a girl like Bella. Edward was distracted by some thoughts close to Bella. Many girls were jealous of Bella and the attention she received from so many of the boys, but this was different. The girl was viciously unhappy with Bella.
Look at Tyler drooling all over her! Who died and made her queen! I wish she had stayed in Finland where she belongs!
She practically glared at Bella. If looks could kill, he was pretty sure Bella would be dead now. He didn't like it. Bella had done nothing to deserve the girl's wrath. She had been nothing but kind to everybody. He wished he was in her class so he could give the girl a taste of her own medicine. He would glare at her until she was running away screaming.
It didn't took him long to understand that the girl was named Lauren and that many only pretended to like her. They were somewhat afraid of her.
Look at her arrogant face, I wish she would fall down or something. Anything to wipe that smug smile of her face!
He was going to watch out for this girl and never let her near Bella. He should get Emmett and make her profoundly afraid of them, to ensure she would never place herself within one hundred feet of any of them. Like some sort of restraining order, issued by fear.
The bell rang and Bella hurried out of class, before any of the boys could ask to be of any assistance to her. The only one who hurried after her, was Lauren. Edward was up from his seat immediately. If this girl was going to hurt Bella, she would regret it. He was a few halls away from her and had to use all of his restrain to not run full speed to her side. Lauren caught up with Bella and grabbed her arm. Bella turned around surprised.
'Stay away from Tyler, Freak. He is mine!'
Edward gritted his teeth and walked through the halls as fast as possible without attracting attention. Bella was completely calm. She stared straight in Lauren's face without blinking. Lauren was intimidated by Bella's lack of terror. Normally people shied away quickly from her threats. Lauren released her arm and walked away. Edward was close now and battling between two feelings. He wanted to make sure Bella was alright and he wanted to punish Lauren for threatening Bella.
He rounded the corner and saw Bella standing stiffly in the middle of the hallway, her eyes sad. All his feelings of revenge dissolved into his care for Bella. He hurried towards her and placed his hand on her cheek, caressing the hair out of her face. She looked up, but before he could ask if she was alright, something strange happened. He heard her heartbeat speed up a little bit, hardly recognizable for anyone but him. He was sure his brothers wouldn't have noticed, but he was so attuned to Bella that every little change caught his attention. He stared at her surprised. This was the second time a touch of him ignited a strange reaction in Bella. He didn't know what to make of it. It was so natural for him to touch her, so normal. What could have changed? He walked with her to her next class, handing her in the care of Alice, who was waiting for her at the door.
Edward walked towards his own class and sat down on his seat. He couldn't help but watch her from Alice's mind. He had a lot of trouble leaving Bella alone during the entire school day. He kept repeating to himself that it was just to keep her safe, but he knew it was an excuse. Everything Bella did interested him. Bella was clearly somewhere far away with her thoughts and Alice studied her curiously.
'Earth to Bella!' Alice said, waving a hand in front of her eyes. 'You are very quiet this morning. What are you daydreaming about?'
Bella's dreamy look went away quickly.
'Nothing important.' Bella answered.
Alice checked her surroundings to see other dreamy looks on teenage girls. She knew what they were thinking about.
'Is it maybe about a boy?'
Bella blushed and cast her eyes down.
'It is, isn't it?' Alice said excited.
Finally! Someone has caught her interest. I wonder who it is?
'Which boy is so lucky to gain your admiration? Don't tell me it is that Mike kid.'
Bella blushed again and Alice chuckled.
'No boy.' She stammered.
Strange, maybe I was wrong. Let's see what her future tells me.
Alice watched the future, but saw nothing. Bella was still turning down all attention from boys whatsoever.
I guess I was wrong, but what else can make her this preoccupied? Maybe she has decided to ignore her feelings.
Alice felt sorry for Bella.
She is not a normal human girl. It must be hard for her to deal with this together with everything else.
'I am always here for you, sweetie. For everything you need.'
Edward left Alice's mind, giving them some privacy in their intimate moment. He struggled with the same questions Alice struggled with. What was on Bella's mind?
Edward joined their lunch table quickly, balancing his lunch tray. Alice and Bella were sitting at one end of the table, talking amiably. Emmett and Jasper were talking about a new fighting technique Emmett had conjured and Rosalie was quietly comparing herself with every other girl she could spot in the lunchroom, content that none of them held even a glimmer of her beauty. He joined the conversation between Bella and Alice. They were laughing, having fun, just like any other group of high school kids. Lauren and Jessica walked in late and picked up a tray to get some food. Edward followed them with his eyes, he really disliked both of them. Jessica had some unpleasant fantasies about him every time she saw him. Alice and Bella continued their conversation unaware of Edward's preoccupation, until they suddenly both stared blindly towards the line, towards the two girls.
Edward followed the vision they both had in Alice's mind.
Lauren and Jessica walked in between the tables, looking for the table that included Mike and Tyler. They couldn't see the ground because of the trays and they weren't paying attention in their hurry to find the right table. A stray bag lay exactly in their path and Edward saw Lauren tumble over it in an unlucky fall. Jessica was just in time to stop and balance her tray. Lauren on the other hand crashed into the floor and scattered the food and drinks on her tray all over her body. The cafeteria turned around in shock first, until a few seconds later they all burst out in a fit of laughter. Lauren pulled herself up and ran from the cafeteria crying.
Alice and Bella both stared at Lauren, who was paying for her lunch.
Knowing her, she deserves nothing better. Alice thought and she shrugged, uncaring.
Edward couldn't agree more. What did the self-absorbed girl wish for this morning? He was almost happy she would go through the same thing she wanted Bella to go through, maybe she would learn a little bit more sympathy towards other people.
Yes, karma is a bitch! He thought content.
Bella frowned when Lauren turned around with her full tray and began to walk the aisle. He shouldn't be surprised, but he still was when Bella jumped up from her seat next to him and walked hurriedly towards Lauren.
We should have known. Alice thought grouchy.
Bella reached Lauren before the guilty bag caught her feet.
'Hi Lauren,' Bella said smiling, 'can I ask you something?'
Wow, why is she talking to me? I thought miss perfect was too good to talk to the normal people.
'What do you want?' She answered rudely.
Oh, this girl so deserved to fall on her face, but Bella walked with Lauren and shoved the bag out of her way with her feet, guiding Lauren towards the table she so desperately wanted to reach.
'I wondered if you know some good places to shop around here. Alice and I will want to go shopping soon.'
Yes! At least she will have to go shopping with me now, Bella never lies.
Alice bounced in her seat excited.
She is asking me for shopping advice? You wouldn't think she needs it, she is the most stylish dressed in the room, together with the other Cullens of course. Well, I will point her to the worst shopping area around here. She will get no help from me.
Edward could barely hold the growls that rumbled in his throat. The only reason he stayed in his seat was because Bella would want it that way. Lauren gave her directions and Bella thanked her, turning around before the boys at the table could ask her to join them.
Unbelievable! Bella saves the girl from public humiliation and she ends up thanking her for some rubbish shopping advice.
Edward could have known Alice already knew every shop in the neighbourhood and therefore could see through Lauren's falsehood easily. Bella reached their table, followed by several piercing stares from Lauren's table.
'Bella sweetie, why did you do that?' Alice asked. 'Her life was not in danger, you didn't have to save her.'
Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie had caught up with the situation, through Alice's explanation, and joined the conversation.
'Yes, she is unkind to you, she deserves everything that is coming for her.' Rose added.
Rosalie wasn't the one to leave an offence unpunished.
Bella was silent, uneasy under their confused looks. She took a deep breath, relaxing in her chair.
'I know she is not a nice person, but does that mean I should just let that happen to her, even though it was so easy for me to prevent it?'
She looked at them questionably.
'Didn't you see her tearstained face, Alice? I simply couldn't...'
Is it possible for someone to have too much empathy? Jasper wondered.
Edward shook his head, but with a smile. She would probably save her worst enemy if that person was in need of saving. They might not have done the same, but this was who Bella was and he loved her for it.
It is a good thing she has us, because she really is too good for this world. Alice thought.
Yes, she was too good and this world would destroy her for that quality.
Hey Edward, maybe it is time for some famous Cullen acting skill, we should play out something to make sure Lauren stays away from our girl. Emmett grinned to him and he nodded back.
They would think of something, they were always going to be there to prevent that destruction from happening.