A/N: I have a twitter account now, in case you guys are interested about my updates (or not!).

/ScienceGeek91

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all Twilight characters.

Stuck here
In the middle of no where
With a headache
And a heavy heart

Oh well nothing
was going quite right here
and I'm tired
I can't play my part

Come on Come on
Oh what a state
I'm in
Come on Come on
why won't it just
sink in
The help is just around the corner
for us

Help Is Around The Corner by Coldplay

Bella

So another Thursday arrived. I was a little scared to face Edward at the same time I was looking forward to do so as well. I finished my class while being distracted the whole time. As I was exiting the classroom, I was met with a huge dimpled grin.

"Look who's here!" Emmett said in his booming voice. I swear he had grown since the last time I had seen him. His arms looked like he could squash me to a pulp within seconds. Yet, now that I had come to know him, I knew he was a sweetheart. I realized once again that you really cannot judge someone from their appearance.

"Hi, Emmett. What's up?" I asked, out of politeness.

He tried to appear nonchalant as he flexed his biceps up and down. "Nothing much, except that someone got lucky with Ms. Stuck-Up."

I pretended to be surprised. "Emmett! You didn't!" I said, trying to look awed.

"I sure did. 'Rose' agreed to go out with me…" he trailed off, his voice losing the initial confidence.

"So, when is the big date?" I inquired.

He bit his lip, suddenly looking like a nervous child. I felt bad. "Well, she said sometime in the near future, but not now," he replied, looking downcast at once.

"Aww, poor baby! Do you need a hug?" I said, trying to lighten the mood. To my surprise, Emmett came forward and wrapped his cylinder-sized arms around my shoulders, crushing my fragile bones.

"She thinks I am fooling around with her, Bella. She thinks I am some kind of a stupid jerk who won't treat her well. Is that what I look like?" He sounded like he was almost on the verge of tears.

Since my hands were locked under his embrace, I tried to comfort him with my words. "I am sure she will see what a great person you are. Give her some time."

When he pulled back, he already had one of his goofy smiles back on his face. I sighed happily. Just a few kind words had the power to make Emmett smile. He really was a wonderful soul, pure at heart. He deserved his share of happiness.

I playfully punched his arm and like the last time regretted it. Forcing back the cry of pain, I muttered, "Go get your girl!"

He forced another smile, flashing his adorable dimples again. "I will, definitely."

As soon as he walked out from my vision, I was face-to-face with the one person I was trying to avoid, who also happened to be the person I was desperately eager to see.

I was still standing outside the classroom, in the middle of the corridor, while he stood at the end of it which led to the exit. We had several metres distance between us, yet I could see each and every expression with absolute clarity. As soon as he saw me, he stopped walking and froze where he was standing. Neither of us moved. I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible, while he looked like, well, like he was glaring at me. He wore a plaid shirt today with blue jeans and his hair looked like he had pulled the strands multiple times and yet he looked like a sight of perfection. It was impossible to look away from his gaze but in spite of that, my mind begged me to run. Run and hide from all the probable pain he was likely cause, save myself from the tears I would be shedding. However, my legs felt frozen as well, like they were made of ice. Even though all my senses screamed that he was nothing but trouble and waved red signals at me, I stood there, as motionless as him.

After an eternity, or so it seemed, he broke the eye contact and strode towards me. With his long legs, he reached me within no time. Once he had closed the space between us, he stood there, facing me squarely. I didn't look away either. We had a few inches gap between us and I could already feel the electricity again, sending tingles through every cell of my body. Before all that could distract me, he broke the silence.

"Can we talk?" he asked, in a barely audible voice.

Impulsively, I looked around me and saw all the kids sitting at their desks in the classroom while we stood outside the door. Before they could see us together, I turned and lead the way to the yard outside.

Edward followed my lead like I had expected him to. I kept my strides small so that he didn't need to keep up but that wasn't necessary because he kept walking at a fast pace, occasionally getting so close that I would feel those prickles again.

Once we had reached the soccer field, I could tell he had stopped on his tracks but I kept walking until there was a few metres distance between us again. I couldn't think clearly if those sparks kept me distracting me all the time. I stopped at a few arms' length from the goalpost and turned to face him.

"I was horrible to you the other day," he began, looking down at his feet, his hands immersed deep in his pockets.

"Yeah, well, I am not going to disagree on that," I snapped back bitterly.

He looked up to meet my gaze and I, against my wish, felt my insides churn at seeing the sadness in his eyes. "The thing is, Bella," I tried not to gloat at the way my name rolled out of his lips, like it was poetry. "Before you came along, I haven't really had someone who took it as their sole purpose of their life to make me feel better, in a really long time."

How dare he, that arrogant, self-righteous man? He thinks that is the 'sole purpose' of my life?

Well, he got that one wrong.

Or may be not, a second voice inside me spoke up.

I closed my eyes hoping to tune out all those voices in my head.

"What is wrong with you?" I screamed, not being able to help myself. "Why on earth are you so full of yourself? One moment you yell at me for some unknown reason and the next moment you….you…." I trailed off, not exactly sure what I wanted to say.

"I think we both know why I snapped at you," he said in a calm voice now, crossing his arms over his chest.

I felt my entire body shake with rage. I felt so angry that it seemed like my bones would fall apart from the violent quiver. My teeth rattled and snapped shut my jaw to hold them in a piece. I could feel the pent up tears threatening to burst through my tear glands but I controlled myself. I could not let him see me as a vulnerable being. I started taking deep breaths as I suddenly started feeling suffocated. All these reactions shocked me completely. I never lost my temper that easily. Hell, I didn't even remember being that much angry, ever, in my whole life. Yet, at that moment, I felt like I could crush something with my own hands. At that instant, I had a fleeting image in my mind of scenes from movies where characters would crush wine glasses when they got furious. I truly understood those instances now.

He saw the change in my expression and practically ran towards me. He placed both his hands on my shoulder and shook me feverishly.

"Bella, what's happening to you? Are you okay?" he asked, with concern in his voice. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

However that contact completely shattered me. His first touch evaporated the shivers and brought those tingly feelings back again, except that now they were four times as powerful as before. My breathing accelerated again but this time, it was not like there was a lack of oxygen – it was like there was a surplus amount of it and that my lungs were too small to take in all those air. The feeling was not completely unpleasant.

As the tears started welling in again, I, having no other option, wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face into his chest. Once I was there in his arms, I took the first-time liberty of smelling him from the closest proximity possible. It was the same vanilla smell I had gotten a hint of that other time at my office, when I had hurt myself and he had to carry me. This too was much more potent than that last time. His smell, his body engulfed me and then he was everywhere – I could see him, feel him and smell him. I was very much aware that his arms were swinging limply at his side but I didn't let that bother me. I tried to relish in that closeness with this distant man as long as it lasted.

Gradually and very awkwardly, I felt him place his arms around my shoulder very lightly and a single teardrop slid down my cheek. It was not precisely the response I had hoped for but it was better than nothing.

"Bella, from the moment we had met, I had done nothing but make you unhappy. I still don't know what made you stick around for this long. You should have stopped caring a long time ago.." he murmured softly.

"Oh yeah? I myself am having second thoughts about that," I replied, still a little angry, but not as much as before.

He chuckled. It was a deep, throaty noise and I felt his chest heave as he sighed. Subtly, he removed his hands from my shoulders. I understood the sign and disentangled myself from his embrace, feeling my cheeks burn. What if someone had seen us like that? I swiftly took one long look around the yard and spotted no one. I really hoped Sister Charlotte did not have a sudden desire to peer through her windows.

Edward noted what I was doing and took a few steps backwards so that we looked like two colleagues discussing work matters and nothing personal.

"That day I had such a good time and yet I let it end so terribly. Not to mention, I let you go feeling so awful. I cannot tell you how much sorry I am for my behaviour." This time, he did look like he was regretting his previous actions.

I didn't reply back. I bit my lip and looked away from his remorseful face. "I want to make it up to you, Bella. I owe you that much for everything you had done for me."

This infuriated me again. Did he think I wanted a refund of all my love I had spared for him?

"You don't owe me anything!" I spat back.

He looked slightly taken aback by my reply and blinked twice. Then he shook his head and said, "Of course, I didn't mean it that way. I just.." he seemed at a sudden loss of words. "I just wanted to let you know that how much you have helped me, Bella, to get through…." He didn't need to finish his words.

He paused for one moment. After taking a deep breath and not meeting my eyes, he managed to utter, wringing his hands nervously, "I need that help, Bella."

"Oh," was all I could say.

"So," he began, flashing one of his breathtaking crooked smiles. "Will I see you on Sunday?"

I could not help but smile back.

Once I got back home, I hunted down Renee and found her in the living room, reading the day's newspaper.

"Um, Mum? You know how you keep telling me I should learn how to cook? Well, I thought if today would be a good day to start…" I trailed off.

She removed her glasses, set aside the paper and looked at me curiously.

Edward

That day, I could barely concentrate on my work. I had a sudden urge to stifle a laugh when I realized that I was nervous about being confronted by Bella. I tried to console myself saying that I would just apologize and leave her alone because that would be best for her.

As soon as I was done with the day's work, I drove my way to the loft as usual, parked my Volvo in the garage and changed my work clothes. Next, I hauled a taxi and reached the orphanage before three o'clock.

I waited for a couple of minutes before the kids finished their classes. Then I spent an hour coaching the kids and they enthusiastically kept going till they all were sweating profusely. That was when I ended the day's practice session and at that exact moment, my phone buzzed.

"What's up, Alice?" I said as I waved at the kids.

"Jasper came back," she replied.

That news shocked me. Jasper Whitlock used to be one of my favourite people but he had changed that after he had left Alice all by herself.

"Really?" I asked, with acid in my voice. That jerk had to pay for all the misery he had caused. "What did he want?" I snapped, already losing my temper.

"The same thing he wanted before," she said calmly, not sounding as agitated as I did. "He wants me to consider our relationship."

"What relationship, Alice? He left you, remember? How can you even think about this?" I asked, not believing my ears.

"Okay, first of all, he did not leave me. He got a better job and I let him go. Then I deliberately shifted houses so that he wouldn't find me. And secondly, I am not thinking about anything. I am merely telling you about this since I figured you had already seen him the other day," she said, sounding a little annoyed now.

"Seen him? I certainly haven't otherwise I would have crushed his bones by now," I almost screamed.

"Edward, you really need to get control of that temper of yours. It is not really helping anyone. On the contrary it is annoying the hell out of me!" It was her who shrieked this time.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself. "Sorry, I-I…." I couldn't find any words.

"Save all those stuttering for someone who cares!" Alice was starting to get on my nerves now. I didn't speak at all.

"Okay, that was a bit out of line," she murmured, sounding embarrassed.

"Yes it was," I replied coolly, but not saying anything further.

"Look, will you listen to me or would you keep interrupting every time?" she asked and I immediately felt bad. It was not her fault that I was in bad mood. As a matter of fact, things weren't looking so bright on her side either. So that is why I continued my silence.

She sighed and began again. "Jasper was the photographer that day at Central Park. He was the one who took my pictures."

Now she really was not making any sense. "What are you talking about? I was there. I saw the photographer. It was some skinny-looking guy with really short hair and…"

"Yup, that was him. Even I couldn't recognize him at first. But then he smiled when I finally saw him and I knew…." She sounded sad.

"It doesn't matter if he's back or not. You will not let him have his way, do you understand what I am saying, Alice? Do what you want," I said, hoping that she would make a wise decision like she always does.

"That is the problem, Edward. I really don't know what I want," she sighed again.

We both remained silent for quarter of a minute. Then I spoke up, "Can I do anything?"

"Yes, you can. Just try not to snap at every single person who goes out of their way to make you feel better," she said, her voice sounding bitter again.

I was astonished. What was she talking about? Was it about Bella?

Before I could ask her about that she spoke again. "Listen, I have to go now. I'll talk to you later."

After hanging up the phone, I thoroughly thought about what Alice had said. Was it possible that Bella was coming up with ways to make me feel better? Is that what she had been trying to do the previous weekend?

I smacked myself at the back of my head. It had been pretty obvious all along. She had been so nice to me from the very beginning yet I had only made her feel dreadful. She did not deserve that, just like I did not deserve being treated so well from such a warm-hearted person.

I was thinking about all of this as I walked through the corridors, not really looking where I was going. That was when I spotted Emmett standing outside a classroom. He shifted a little and I saw Bella standing before him, patting his arm and saying something. I smiled inwardly. That was so like her, always comforting others. As soon as Emmett walked away, she saw me standing there. I realized that since she was already there, it would be better if I apologized then and there. So with that thought in mind, I made my way to where she stood, unmoving, with her eyes locked on mine. Once I was close enough, I asked, "Can we talk?"

She didn't reply. Slowly, she shifted her gaze towards the classroom. Thus, when she turned and started walking, I knew that she didn't want to do the conversation inside. I followed her outside to the soccer field. I stopped at the middle of the field, while she kept walking until she stood a little distance away from the goalpost.

I decided it was going to be harder the more I delayed it. Putting my hands inside my pockets, to keep them from trembling, I said, not looking at her, "I was horrible to you the other day."

She replied with hostility in her voice that was completely alien to me. Bella had never used that tone with anyone, not even me. "Yeah, well, I am not going to disagree on that."

I gulped as I realized I had indeed made a big mess. I lifted my head and decided it will be less cowardly of me if I looked at her while talking.

"The thing is, Bella, before you came along, I haven't really had someone who took it as their sole purpose of their life to make me feel better, in a really long time." I grasped that I felt tremendous amount of relief as I said those words out loud.

In spite of that, she didn't look too pleased at my admittance. She closed her eyes and screeched, "What is wrong with you? Why the hell are you so full of yourself? One moment you yell at me for some unknown reason and the next moment you….you…." she didn't continue, seeming like she unable to do so.

"I think we both know why I snapped at you," I said, trying to sound composed while she was obvious angry.

However, at the next moment, I noticed visible change in her features. Her cheeks turned bright red and I saw her look fiercely at me, while her shoulders shook like she was caught in some vicious earthquake. I panicked and rushed towards her wondering of she was getting sick or running a fever.

"Bella, what's happening to you? Are you okay?" I asked, shaking her shoulders, wondering why she was shaking so hard. Nevertheless, before I could force a reply out of her, she surprised me by jumping into my arms, burying her nose deeper into my chest. In one whirlwind instant, I felt like my body had been set on fire. Every part of me ached to hold her even closer, so that she could feel the fast pace of my heartbeats. Yet, I forced my hands to stay at my side as her scent fogged my mind and made me dizzy. Sudden, mysterious emotions caused turmoil inside me and I had no idea what name to put to them because I hadn't felt them in a long time. After a couple of seconds, I couldn't help myself but put my hands gently on her shoulder blades, fully aware that anything else would make her painstakingly uncomfortable. She was just a person seeking comfort and I couldn't take advantage of that.

After I had calmed myself down, I managed to utter the words, "Bella, from the moment we had met, I had done nothing but make you unhappy. I still don't know what made you stick around for this long. You should have stopped caring a long time ago.."

"Oh yeah? I myself am having second thoughts about that," she remarked, sounding still a little angry. This made me laugh and I suddenly became conscious of the way were clinging to each other. Slowly, I removed her from me and I tried not to ponder at the abrupt loss I felt. As a safety measure, I walked a couple of steps backwards because I did not really trust the amount of self-control I had.

"That day I had such a good time and yet I let it end so terribly. Not to mention, I let you go feeling so awful. I cannot tell you how much sorry I am for my behaviour," I said.

She remained silent and didn't meet my eyes. Since she had not replied, I continued, "I want to make it up to you, Bella. I owe you that much for everything you had done for me."

I noted the change in her features once more. With all her rage back in her voice, she shouted, "You don't owe me anything!"

I was baffled at that reply. How could she jump to that conclusion? Didn't she know me at all? I realized I had kept myself so isolated that she didn't really see what she had done for me. Or may be, I had not let her see it. That is why I chose to tell her the truth if hiding it was causing that much misinterpretation.

"Of course, I didn't mean it that way. I just.." I trailed off, unsure as to how to put it into words. "I just wanted to let you know that how much you have helped me, Bella, to get through…." I hesitated for a second. Finally, I muttered, "I need that help, Bella."

She looked at me with understanding in her eyes and I knew I was successful in explaining myself. She opened her mouth, closed it and reopened it. She replied with a soft, "Oh."

"So, will I see you on Sunday?" I asked, still not sure if I had handled the situation in the right way. But her answering smile, that almost blinded me, wiped away any confusion I had had.