Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the universe S Meyer created. There may (or may not) be strong language or subjects in this chapter...

I Suck at Math
Chapter 7

It was Friday again before I knew it. Everyday I had waited for Quiet and Grouchy Edward to return, but I hadn't seen him. Instead Edward's been really... nosey. At first he'd asked questions about my curse like "Will I die in the ten years?" which I hope I didn't, but now he has moved on to questions like "What's my favorite color?".

Making my way to the cafeteria, I noticed a delightful scent around me. Woodsy-cinnamon. Edward appeared next to me with a thoughtful expression; no doubt calculating his next question.

"Have you ever been pregnant?"

"What? No!" I felt like my eyes were going to fall out, they were opened so wide. That was not a "What's my favorite color?" question.

Why did he ask that question? The question had so many hidden objectives. Did he maybe think that Emmett's adoption and possibly me-giving-up-a-baby was related at all? Did I look I like a kind of a girl who's had a baby? Or a girl that even has sex? I can't even see me, Bella Swan, having sex, but unfortunately I've experienced it. It's weird and awkward and uncomfortable, at least from what I've seen. But it's not like I was going to have sex any time soon. It's not like the boys (and a few girls) aren't lining up outside my bedroom door. Even if I wasn't the Crazy Bella Swan, guys would still be afraid to come near me because one: my father is the Chief of Police and two: I was the result of the Baby Swan Scandal. If it could happen to my parents, it was going to happen to me.

Still, most kids my age have already had sex especially the beautiful ones. It's like a mathematical proof. If you're a beautiful person, then you're going to have a lot of sex. Edward must have had loads of sex back in Chicago. He's too beautiful to not have been offered. I know the girls of Forks have been working on it, trying to gain his attention. So far I haven't heard who he's been sexing up with, but it'll come out eventually.

When we got to lunch, I pulled out a small bag of cookies. Today was Mrs. Cope's birthday, and as usual, I made her favorite– pumpkin cookies with raisins. I made an extra batch for me with walnuts because it wasn't everyday that someone wanted the pumpkin cookies.

"What are you eating?!" Jessica asked in a disgusted tone. I looked up to see everyone staring at me.

"A cookie?" I held one up.

"It looks like a pile of orange shit," she frowned.

"Are those pumpkin cookies?" Emmett looked at me with wide eyes. "Raisins?"

"Walnuts?" Edward asked hopeful.

"Walnuts," I nodded offering them one as their hands shot out at me.

"Mmmmm," Edward moaned. "Ffank fou. Soff gooffd."

"Yeah thanks so much; they taste better than Mom's," Emmett chewed spitting out tiny crumbs.

I watched them too stunned to say anything. The recipe had been Tilde's that I'd gotten from an old cook book. I'd never met anyone else who made them, let alone liked them. Rosalie and Jasper wouldn't even try them.

"Hey guys, guess who just got us invited to a senior party," Lauren squealed sitting down at the lunch table, waking me out of my trance.

"Who?" Jasper looked at her blankly.

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes at him. "James said that they're having a party at First Beach and they want a bunch of people to come so the Wolves can't kick them out."

"Wolves?" Emmett looked her with wide eyes. "You have to scare off wolves on the beach?"

"No it's just a group of La Push kids, but Wolves is like a gang name," Jessica explained as she leaned onto Edwards arm. I gave him a weary smile when Edward glanced at me, turning back to my lunch.

"Oh man, I haven't been to First Beach since last year when that Mark-guy roofied his own drink and puked everywhere," Alice grimaced.

"Yeah that's kinda why they don't want us going down there," Jessica started. "If we'd just clean up after ourselves, we wouldn't have a problem."

"Fine then. You can stay after everyone leaves and pick up all the trash. That is if you're not too drunk," Eric smiled smugly at her.

"Hey I clean up after myself," she defended herself.

I tuned them out not listening to their perfect banter. La Push had been a second home for me especially after Tilde died. I had friends there who made me forget everything – almost everything. Not the curse. It's why I had to leave them behind when I was fourteen, and it's why I only see them on special occasions - the last being Dad's birthday.

"So are you going tonight?" Edward asked me as we walked to Mr. Banner's room.

"Where?" I looked at him confused.

"The party at First Beach?"

"Oh no, I don't usually go there."

"Is there something wrong with that beach?"

"No."

"There ARE wolves there, aren't there?" he grinned, his eyes light.

"No, it's just I try to stay away from La Push altogether," I shook my head as we sat down in our seats.

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ah… another clue to add to the list," he mumbled jotting down something on a piece of paper.

"What list?" I asked trying to peek at what he'd written.

"The list of clues to your secret."

"You won't give up, will you?"

"No," he smiled crookedly at me.

"I wish you would," I murmured to him as Mr. Banner started the lesson.

In gym, Coach Clapp made us sit on the bleachers as he talked about the fitness test we were taking next week. He even made the point of glancing at me when he said that everyone had to participate. By the time he was done, we only had ten minutes left of class.

"Hey Bella, why aren't you coming tonight?" Emmett asked me right away.

"Why did you get him involved?" I glared at Edward who looked up at me innocently.

"I don't know what you mean."

"I'm not going and I'm not talking about it," I huffed ignoring everyone until I got into Rosalie's car.

"Hey, you wanna go to Aro's later?" Rose asked pulling out of her space.

"Sure. Is Jaz coming?"

"Nah, he's with Alice."

"Oh…" I muttered. I hadn't seen Jasper that much lately, but I guess that's what normal people do when they start dating someone new.

After dinner we headed to Aro's, which was basically our community center in Forks. It was actually called Aaron's Gym, but half the painted letters on the sign were faded leaving A R O. Dad used to take me there when I was little on rainy days or Sundays when he didn't have to work. One of my favorite memories was when Dad woke me up in the middle of the night and took me to Aro's to teach me how to ride my bike. Nowadays Rose, Jaz, and I take it upon ourselves to renovate it between games of ping pong and pool.

My eyes flicked up from my lap to the old building… and watched as we drove by it.

"Rose, you missed the turn," I said watching it disappear behind us.

"Did I?"

"Wait, where are we going?"

She stayed silent as we turned onto the highway that led us out of Forks to –

"La Push?! We're going to the Rez? Why are we going?" I asked appalled. "You of all people understand why I do NOT want to go there!"

"Come on, we both need a little social interaction," she told me.

"Oh and who on Earth are we socially interacting with?"

"People," she mumbled. Looking at her closely, I realized that she was wearing more makeup and her hair was wavier than usual.

"You look really pretty," I told her sincerely. I hoped it was for Emmett.

"Thanks," she bit her lip. She parked along the road careful of the others cars and we sat in silence after she turned off the ignition.

"Rose, there's something I never told you," I started, thinking of Emmett. "Emmett sort of found out about the curse."

"I know."

"You know?" I whipped my head at her. She traced over her steering wheel with her car keys with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"One day he called and asked me if he could come over to talk to me about you for a few minutes. I wouldn't have agreed if he hadn't mentioned your curse."

"What did you talk about?"

"He wanted to know if there's something he should be doing to make things easier on you."

"He wanted advice on being my friend? I'm not that much of a handful, am I?"

"No you're a pain in the ass," she smirked.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked meekly, staring down at my lap.

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because Emmett knows…"

"No… he said you were kind of embarrassed about it."

"He said that?" I looked up at her.

"Yeah," she nodded as we both fell silent.

"So Emmett, huh?" I smiled smugly at her.

"Shut up," she blushed smacking my arm.

It wasn't hard to find the party. There were two large bonfires with coolers and kegs in between them, crowds of people sporadically standing around. We steered clear of the alcohol and found places to sit at the farther bonfire with familiar faces. Eric and Mike were already halfway drunk, and Jessica was walking around with a trash bag. In high school, I've discovered that beautiful people plus alcohol equaled popular kids. I jammed my earphones in trying to block out everything. We didn't do drugs or alcohol; we were part of that mythical 2% that didn't partake in it. This was why we didn't come to these things. The buzz that guys had gave me migraines, and when they've had too much they try to hit on Rose. Also I was afraid that they would actually help me; I didn't want to take the chance to become an addict.

A woodsy-cinnamon scent pulled me out of my trance, and I found Edward behind me shaking his head at Mike who was giving him a red cup. He turned away from him and smiled at me as I pulled out my earphones.

"Hey I thought you weren't coming?"

"I thought I wasn't either," I muttered.

"I don't understand why you don't like it here... well except maybe the company," he grimaced at the large crowd of people around the beer kegs.

"I actually used to come down here all the time when I was little especially in the summers before Rose and Jaz moved to Forks," I told him as he sat down next to me.

"Uh… do you want this?" he asked holding out his cup.

"No, you don't drink?" This wasn't fitting into my equation. He was probably the designated driver.

"No," he glanced behind me. I looked behind my shoulder and saw Emmett, Rose, Jaz, and Alice laughing at a dancing Tyler.

"Oh, you don't drink because of Emmett?" I asked surprised.

"He told you about that too?" he said in a soft voice referring to Emmett's past.

"He showed me," I nodded as he tipped his cup, pouring out the beer.

"So why don't you come here anymore?" he asked changing the subject.

"My friends imprinted on me," I grimaced.

"You know, I have no idea what you mean," Edward tilted his head at me confused.

"How do I explain this right without sounding so…pretentious?" I said raising an eyebrow at him. "You know when a baby duck is born it becomes attached the first thing they see?"

"Yeah."

"So usually it imprints on its mother."

"Okay…"

"Okay, so you remember that first girl you fantasized about all the time when you hit puberty? You probably still do sometimes?" I asked weakly.

"Hell yes, Annie Finch-Kitchens," Emmett appeared next to me.

"Emmett – what – are you," Edward stuttered at him.

"Well I was basically the only girl hanging out around them at the time so they sort of imprinted on me… in a sexual sense."

"So you're saying their dicks are baby ducks?" Emmett asked making us laugh and easing the awkward tension.

Rose, Jaz, and Alice joined us and I fell silent, listening to their stories. More people gathered around us, and Edward was shoved up against me by Jessica. She was giggling hysterically falling into his side as he tried deciphering her words. Twenty minutes later my head was starting to pound and I was planning a way to steal Rose's keys so I could take a nap in her car.

"Oh hot shit, look at those hotties," Lauren gaped at something behind my shoulder. I glanced behind me noticing the large group of boys standing by a smaller fire. They definitely were boys from the Rez. Tanned skin. At least 6 feet tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. And I also knew them.

"They look a little old Lauren," Alice commented.

"Yeah they gotta be at least... twenty-three," Jessica agreed.

"Oh please, I bet I can at least get one phone number," Lauren smirked pulling up her skirt two more inches as she stood up.

"Oh my god," Alice groaned as we watched Lauren strutted awkwardly toward them. Someone in the group noticed her walking over and he even did a double take, his mouth open.

"Looks like she's getting his number," Mike snorted.

"Holy crow! Bella Swan, is that you?!" Embry Cal's voice startled everyone on the shore. I waved feebly embarrassed as everyone looked my way. Familiar faces pushed passed Lauren, and suddenly I was being mauled by the wolves.

"Bella Swan?! At a party that she wasn't forced to come to?"

"Oh no I was still forced," I muttered lowly to them.

I was passed around as they teased me and I tried taking them all in. Embry the loud mouth, Quil the smart one, Jared the joker, Paul the mute, and Jake the sweetheart. And even little Seth who wasn't so little anymore.

"What did I say about those steroids?" I joked feeling Jared's arm.

"Please Bella, you know we are au naturale," he said holding out his arms, flexing them.

"How's Pretty Boy?" Embry asked playing with a piece of my hair.

"Pretty Boy is just fine thanks," Jasper jumped up from his seat next to Alice and shook hands with Jake. I turned to see the rest of the group staring at us with stunned expressions.

"Where's Blondie?" Quil looked around me. "Oh hello there," he waved winking at Rosalie who gave him the bird. "She still wants me."

"Right, uh, guys these are my friends from school - Alice, Emmett, Edward, Jessica, Lauren, Mike, Ben, Eric, Tyler and you already know Jasper and Rosalie." I pointed out everyone.

"No that's too many people Bella," Jared whispered loudly. "You don't have that many friends, which ones are you're real friends?"

"Shut it," I blushed as they looked them up and down. "And this is Embry, Quil, Seth, Paul, and Jake..."

"These are your baby ducks?" Emmett laughed coming to stand next to me.

"Ducks, Bella?" Jake narrowed his eyes at me. "Really? You know we're wolves, or do I need to remind our little vampire?"

"No, oh no, we're not doing that." I backed away from them tripping on the log behind me. I felt hands on my butt steadying me, and I blushed when I looked down at Edward. I sat back down as the two groups intermingled.

Damn Bella is looking…

I wish I could hit that…

Does he still like her? …

I glanced at Paul who was staring longingly at Jacob and ignoring Seth's chatter. He winced when he looked at me, and his eyes flicked away quickly. He was heartbroken … but not over me. Jake had been using me as a cover to hide his secrets from himself and everyone else. And everyone else thought Paul was just quiet and shy; they hadn't really considered that he might be gay.

"Are you okay?" Edward's velvet whisper sounded in my ear.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled turning back to the group.

Emmett was trying to teach Rosalie and a few other people how to roll their tongues. Rose blushed as Jasper teased her about sounding like Chewbacca, and Emmett was being cute by encouraging her. Alice squealed as Jasper pulled her into his lap and purred into her ear. She made a few attempts sputtering until she rolled her R's. Rose pouted as Emmett high-fived her.

"Nice!"

"Thank you! I have a very talented tongue which Jaz can tell you," Alice giggled loudly.

"Yeah and half the guys of Forks," I scoffed. It would have seemed almost funny if I had said it in a lighter tone, but I hadn't… Alice popped up from Jasper's lap with tears in her eyes and disappeared into the large crowd behind her.

"What the hell is your problem? You don't even know her," Jasper turned to me with an angry expression.

"I sure as hell know a lot of stuff that I don't want to know about. I know what guys think about her."

"Yeah and they think with their dicks. They don't know her. I think you're just jealous," he shook his head at me.

"I am. I know I won't be able to ever have what you can, but Jasper, when you fall for someone, you fall hard. You're just too loyal, and I don't trust Alice enough to do the same."

"Bella it's not your job to trust her. It's to trust me," he said getting up to find Alice. I love you Bells. You're my best friend…

"Try Emmett's jeep," I told him as he nodded getting up to follow her through the crowds.

I stayed in my turned position away from Edward; I had just insulted his own cousin and I didn't want to see that disappointed look on his face. Fortunately, only the three of them heard me, so I hadn't insulted Alice in front of everyone. Honestly, I did feel bad for saying it and I regretted it. Teen snobbery is part of the problem in today's society and I added fuel to the fire, but I still didn't trust her. I hesitantly looked back at Edward and found him staring at me.

"Hey Bells!" Jake sat down next to me as Quil sat next to Edward.

"Jake," I warned him. I didn't need any more heartbroken looks from Paul.

"You're Edward, right?" He leaned over to look at Edward. I sat rigid feeling really uncomfortable sitting between them as they talked. He's really pretty…

"Could I talk to you for a minute Jacob?" I gave him a glare before getting up.

"Sure sure," he followed me.

"What are you doing?!"

"Following you."

"Why don't you just tell him?" I asked referring to Paul.

"Tell who what?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

"Bella, you don't understand. I – I can't loose him. What if hates me and tells everyone I'm a freak?" His voice was low as he bowed his head.

Now I regretted never telling Jake about my curse. Dad told his dad, Billy, about it when I was little, but for some reason they never told Jake. I'd almost told him once when Jake had told me he was gay and that I kinda had to force out of him since he'd already, unintentionally told me through his thoughts.

"But you'll never know, if you don't try," I encouraged.

"I'll think about it," he mumbled.

We turned back to the bonfire where Quil was talking Edward's ear off.

"Be friends with Bella, she makes cookies for your birthday. And it's like magic! She always makes what I want and I don't even have to ask. It's like she's reading my mind!" Quil jabbered loudly. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett and Rosalie whip their heads at us and hurried over.

"Quil, why don't you show us how many push ups you can do in a minute? Emmett doesn't believe me that you can do 100," Rose suggested to him. Jake and Emmett stood up to follow her.

"Anything for you Blondie!" he jumped up from his seat leaving Edward and me alone.

"I'm sorry I said that about Alice; I'd understand if you didn't want to be my friend anymore," I hurried my words staring down at the sand.

"I wouldn't end our friendship over something stupid like that," he said so softly that I had to look up at him. "And I don't really blame you for saying it."

"But she's your cousin! Shouldn't you be mad at me?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Alice isn't my real cousin; we're not related at all. Actually the first time I met Alice, she kissed both me and Emmett," he joked. "Plus we don't even really know the same girl. The Alice I know is cute and shy, and the girl you know is… just not," he shook his head. "She's one of those popular kids who Emmett and I always hated back in Chicago, and we tease her all the time for it."

"Oh…" I mumbled. It was the only thing I could say. What did he mean that he and Emmett hated popular kids? Were they not popular back in Chicago? Because they definitely were in Forks... It seemed impossible – they were beautiful, smart, and funny. How could they not be? Edward never seemed to be what I expected; he'd never fit any of my equations.

I really sucked at math, both academically and socially.

AN: Arg, really short chapter. Sorry about that. It's my least favorite chapter. : (

Oh and I'm so so so sorry about the other day. I'd posted a small AN about something non-important that didn't effect me or this story, but then I took it down right away so I think maybe 8 people saw it in total. Don't worry about it.

Fact: I can't roll my R's and I think it's impossible for me to learn.

I really hurried this chapter so much because I felt bad about the fake update – so probably many errors.

Next chapter is a big reveal– I think… except that it won't be a big deal because I think everyone is expecting it. So we'll see. : )

THANKS FOR READING!!