Chapter 3 – Rumors

Sometimes I wondered if I was in high school, or stuck in some wildlife show on The Animal Planet. When people weren't acting like sheep and stupidly following the leader, it was survival of the fittest where the weak were pushed aside and left for dead. But nothing brought out the odd animalistic tendencies of the male teenager more than having someone new enter the territory. Edward's very presence at the school seemed to threaten the boys, and it wasn't long before they started acting aggressively.

I was walking to class after lunch one day when I heard a loud crash behind me, so I reflexively turned. I wasn't exactly sure how it started, but Edward was standing there against the lockers with Mike and the entire varsity starting lineup surrounding him. There was a mess of books lying on the ground, and I could almost swear threatening growls were rumbling from each of their chests.

"Watch where you're going, Cullen!" Mike shouted at Edward.

"That's not my name," Edward replied evenly. "But since you're obviously illiterate, I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"What did you just say to me?" Mike asked menacingly.

"Did I stutter?" Edward asked unconcerned.

Mike stared him down for a moment, and then he snapped. He shoved Edward hard against the lockers and the rest of his team moved in to back him up, but before anymore blows could be thrown, Mr. Molina came running out of the science room to break it up.

"You're lucky," I heard Mike say.

"I said that is enough!" Mr. Molina yelled at him. "Now go to class before I have you suspended. Or do you actually want to miss the big game on Friday?"

"No sir," Mike replied while looking down.

"Well the tardy bell rings in two minutes, you better hurry," the teacher insisted. "You too, Mr. Masen. We don't want a repeat of what happened at your last school, now do we?"

Edward didn't respond, he just turned and walked in the opposite direction, but when Mike and his posse walked passed me, I overheard them talking about jumping him after school. As much as I didn't like Edward, I couldn't just sit back and let him get attacked by the football team, so I decided to go to the principal to tell him what I heard.

But football was a big deal in Forks, so I wondered if the principal would do anything at all to prevent the afterhours brawl. Thankfully the next day Edward showed up to art class looking unharmed, and unfazed by the previous day's minor altercation.

Of course, that was nowhere near the end of Edward's brush with the in crowd.

"Hey Bella, did you hear about the new kid?" Jessica asked that afternoon.

"Hear what?"

"That he was expelled from his last school for stabbing someone."

"Where did you hear that?" I honestly didn't know where people came up with such garbage.

"Everyone is saying it."

"Jessica, if he stabbed someone he'd be in jail, not forced to go to another school," I told her irritated.

"I heard his biological parents ran a meth lab in Chicago and were grooming him to take over, but then they got killed in a raid," Lauren said, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Of course, I wasn't surprised; Lauren was always at the center of any kind of gossip spreading. "His family made a ton of enemies in the drug world, and the Cullens are scared to death that someone is going to come looking for him and kill one of them instead," she added.

"Every time I see him here he's always just staring at the wall or talking to himself," Jessica said anxiously.

"Yep, he's got multiple personalities and he's schizo," Lauren explained.

I rolled my eyes at them. "Seriously guys? That's some of the most absurd bull I've ever heard."

"Oh, Bella has a crush on the new guy," Lauren teased unexpectedly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Jessica defended me. "Bella would never go for someone like Edward."

"Why, because he's schizo, or because he's nothing like Jacob?" Lauren said mockingly. "If I just ended a long term relationship, I'd go for the exact opposite. Jacob is hot, athletic, sane, and friendly, whereas Edward is cold, artsy, crazy, and antisocial - Perfect for Bella's rebound."

Jessica glared at Lauren. "Well, unlike you, Bella's not a slut and only after some cheap thrill. She has standards."

"Oh don't give me that standards bullshit," Lauren said scornfully. "Everyone knows you pounced on Edward Masen the moment he arrived at this school, and you're just bitter cuz he turned you down."

Jessica huffed. "It's obvious that Edward is good looking, and I'm not the only one who tried to befriend him, but that was before we all found out what kind of person he really is."

"Befriend him?" Lauren said with a cruel giggle. "Is that what you're calling it now?"

Jessica was about to hit her with some kind of comeback, but I interrupted her. "The truth is, no one seems to know anything real about Edward, so to judge him on rumors is just wrong."

"You do have a crush on him!" Lauren shouted.

"Whatever," I said under my breath. I seriously didn't understand why I wasted my time with either of those girls. Anytime I took a walk through Popular Lane I'd get a migraine, so I quickly retreated to my corner of the school with the other wannabe artists. Things were calmer there, and I didn't have to constantly worry about what everyone else was saying or doing.

I took out my camera and decided to use the rest of the lunch period to snap a few pictures of the flowers around the area, but that was when I was faced with another unwelcomed confrontation.

"Edward?" I said, surprised to see him outside of class; usually he disappeared around lunch time. "Can I help you with something?" I asked with unintentional attitude…and maybe a little bit of butterflies.

"I don't need you to defend me," he said, making my stomach drop. Did he somehow overhear my conversation with the girls?

"Defend you from what?" I played stupid.

"I was in the office to drop something off when you went in there yesterday," he began to explain, so I immediately felt relieved. I certainly didn't want him getting the wrong idea about my defense of him the way Lauren did. But then he continued and things got much worse than I feared. "I heard you telling the principal about those Neanderthals plan to jump me after school, so now I'm telling you to mind your own damn business," he said sharply before turning to walk away, but like the last time he was rude to me, I couldn't just let it go, so I followed him…

"Hey, wait a minute; I was just trying to help you."

He refused to stop, but he did answer me as he walked. "I don't want or need your help."

"Well, sorry, but I would never just let something like that go on."

He chuckled humorlessly. "Big Bad Bella, out to save the world, huh?"

"I never said that, but if there is something I can do to help someone, I'm going to do it."

"Like I said, I don't need your help."

"Well, obviously you do. You would have ended up in the hospital if I didn't say anything."

"I can handle myself," he said unconcerned.

"I don't care how tough you think you are, no one could 'handle' themselves when up against an entire football team."

Finally he stopped walking, and his eyes burned into mine. "You have no idea what I'm capable of," he said intimidatingly.

My heart jumped, but then I stiffened my shoulders and narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm not afraid of you."

He stared at me for another minute, and then he shook his head before walking off again; this time I didn't follow.

I had met a lot of people I didn't like before, but Edward was different. Edward was strange and secretive, and I had a strong need to somehow peek through his barriers to see how he ticked. The fact that he seemed to be keeping everyone at a distance only made my curiosity for him that much stronger, so when it came time for partner work in art class, I found myself secretly asking the teacher to pair us up together.

"You sure you want to work with Edward?" Mrs. Geist asked surprised. "I was actually going to let him work alone. He's a bit…different. "

"I like a good challenge," I told her honestly.

"Well, I'm sure you're going to get one with him. Okay, you and Edward will be partnered."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Good luck."

But the moment our conversation was over my stomach twisted in nervous anticipation. Edward and I were set to be partnered on a huge project, which meant we'd be spending time together, alone, afterhours. As much as I was eager to figure him out, I had to admit, all the rumors were getting to me and I was a little freaked.

What the hell did I just get myself into?