That night I had a strange dream about Edward Cullen. He was sitting on a van, eating a taco. I walked towards him and asked him for some, but he flipped me off. I was mad, but only till I noticed that the taco had blood on it. Edward didn't seem to mind. Maybe this is why he has stomach problems.
When I return to school everyone is concerned, asking if my head still hurts. Tyler receives similar attention. I tell everyone that Edward's the real hero but they're a bit less enthusiastic about asking him if he's okay. Mike and a few others try to congratulate him on his bravery but he just kind of squint-glares at them like he's trying to read the eye chart for an eye doctor he hates, so they walk away.
Edward decides to start ignoring me completely in biology, a fact I do nothing to change. I've already thanked him; I have nothing more to say. As for his family being apparently angry that I survived, well, let them solve their own issues. Maybe they do hate me, but I can't just walk up to them and demand to know why, so I do the next best thing and ignore them.
I don't miss having someone to talk to during biology, because Mike always comes to my seat before class and we have P.E. together after. The snow doesn't look like it's coming back but Mike is excited for the La Push beach trip. He tells me about this cool rock formation on the beach. Apparently three huge rocks lie in a triangle. I ask Mike if he'll show me the tri-rock, and he promises he will.
At lunch Angela tells me that a girl's choice spring dance is coming up, do I know who I'm going with yet? I say I'm not sure, but I do have someone in mind. She tells me she's planning to ask Ben, who's currently sitting three seats down and attempting to catch air borne grapes in his mouth. I confess that I'm a bit nervous about asking the guy out, and she says so is she. We decide to ask them at the same time, sort of like a double-ambush.
Jessica walks me to my truck after our book club meeting, a lot quieter than usual. I realise she isn't replying anymore so I shut up about the ending of Allegiant being unnecessary. "Jess, are you okay?" I ask her.
"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just…" she says, looking down. "Who are you asking to the spring dance?" she asks abruptly, looking at me closely.
"Um… I was thinking of asking Mike, actually," I say.
"Right. Of course," she says with a sigh.
"…Is that a problem?" I ask.
"No, no, listen, Bella - you're a good friend which is why I want to clear all this up. The truth is I've liked Mike for a while now, but he's never really shown much interest. He dated a few girls on and off but it was never serious, you know? And even though he didn't like me he didn't seriously like anyone else either, so I kind of held out hope, that he might like me someday. But then you came, and he seems to really like you, and I don't want to mess anything up for you guys. Don't worry about me though, I'll get over it. I just didn't want this to ruin our friendship. I didn't want you to get the vibe that I was jealous of you and Mike." She says all this in a rush.
"Oh…well…" I'm not sure what she wants me to say.
"So, it's cool now," she says. Then in a very cheerful voice - "So yeah, I totally hated the ending of Allegiant."
She carries on with our earlier conversation about books and I give really lack-lustre and short answers. I don't know what to make of what she just told me. On the surface it looks like she's telling me she doesn't have a problem with me asking Mike, but she could be one of those girls who says they don't have a problem when they clearly do and they want you to do something about it.
By the time I've said bye and climbed into my truck I've reached a decision. Jessica's kind of right when she says that Mike seems to like me too, and if he hasn't shown interest in Jessica so far I doubt he'll want to confess his undying love to her anytime soon. I'm going to ask him. Angela and my plan is still on.
The next day in biology Edward surprises me by deigning to talk to me. "Bella?" he says.
I wait for him to go on but when he doesn't, I say, "What? Are you speaking to me again?"
"No, not really," he says, half-smiling.
What? What's that supposed to mean? Is he trying to play hard to get or something? Attract my attention by alternately ignoring and getting to know me? And why is he always smiling? This guy acts like he just remembered a really funny joke, only it's all the time (even when someone has almost been flattened by a van).
"Then what do you want, Edward?" I ask wearily.
"I'm sorry. I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really," he says.
One part of me is glad he has the decency to apologise for his rude behaviour but another part is annoyed by the last sentence he spoke. He literally just started talking to me to tell me that it's better if we don't talk. It would've been better to just continue ignoring me and let me forget about it.
"I'm not sure what you mean," I say slowly.
"It's better if we're not friends. Trust me."
Wow. He must be playing hard to get, being this cryptic. He probably wants me to ask why or spend a lot of time wondering why. I'm not going to ask him to explain because he'll probably give me an even more cryptic answer. Hell, he might even spout a prophecy if I press him. I'm not going to spend time wondering either because I won't buy into his hard-to-get-mysterious-boy act.
"Okay, cool. See you around," I say as I start gathering my things. He'd been standing there, staring at the floor morosely like the lead singer of an emo band. His jaw falls open when he hears what I said. He quickly recovers and opens his mouth like he has more soulful dialogue to share with me but I've already left the room.
That afternoon as I'm leaving the school parking lot I'm forced to see Edward again. He's in his shiny car, cutting me off from the line. He then proceeds to wait there for his family. Can't this jerk pick up his family before he gets in line and blocks everyone? His siblings are walking towards the car like they're taking a leisurely stroll in a park. They act like they own this school. At this point I'm glad Edward and I 'can't be friends'.
When I get home I decide to start making chicken enchiladas. Jessica calls in the middle, sounding perfectly normal (thank god). She wants me to email her the details of our book club assignment. The conversation turns to the library and I tell her about my disappointment at the small number of books they own. She brightly suggests that we go to this bookstore in Seattle. She's been there loads of times – "You'd love it there." We speak for almost twenty minutes before I hang up, which isn't very good for the enchiladas.
I'd firmly (and rightly) decided to not care about what Edward said earlier, but my mind couldn't help wandering as I chopped bell peppers. Maybe Edward's an elitist and this was his way of telling me Volvo owners can't be seen with rusted-fifty-year-old-second-hand-truck owners. Maybe he is a cop and doesn't want me to get in the way of his investigating and general undercover cop-ping.
Dad comes home before I can think up any more ridiculous theories. I decide to ask him if I can go to Seattle this weekend, explaining that I want to buy some books and clothes. He has the usual dad-concerns – can I afford the gas? Am I going alone? Won't I get lost? I assure him that – I have money saved up, I'm going with my friend Jessica, Jessica's been there before so I'll be fine.
Dad conversationally asks about the upcoming dance. I tell him I'm thinking of asking someone and thankfully he doesn't demand to know who it is. I'll tell him when I actually ask Mike. I don't have to worry about dad's approval either because he already told me that he thinks Mike's a good kid.
As I lock my truck in the school parking lot the next day I end up dropping my keys in a puddle. Edward's there in the blink of an eye, retrieving it for me. "How did you do that? And why did you do that?"
"What?"
He seems genuinely confused. "How did you appear out of thin air, and why are you doing me favours less than 24 hours after telling me that we're better off ignoring each other?"
"It's not my fault if you're exceptionally unobservant," he says.
Edward honestly talks like someone from the 1800s. I don't fail to notice that he didn't answer the second question. I'm starting to seriously consider that this guy may be obsessed with me. He manages to show up wherever I am, without explanation only to deliver some dramatic and bittersweet message about not being friends.
"Listen, I don't know if you're playing hard-to-get or what, but I'm not interested. Sorry," I tell him.
"Hard to…?" His voice trails off and a look of confusion appears on his face. Then he composes himself and says, "I wanted to ask you something. I heard you're going to Seattle this weekend-" What? How does he know this? Who all did Jessica tell? "-and I was wondering if you wanted a ride."
"Well, if you heard I'm going to Seattle, you probably also heard that I'm going with Jessica, who knows the way, so I'll be fine."
"Yeah, I know, but your truck… I'm not sure it can make it. And I have to go to Seattle, anyway."
"My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern." I retort. I'm not getting into a car with this wishy-washy, entitled jerk. I push past him and into the school building. Rude, I know, but I don't want to stand around as he tries to make me his charity case.
I'm no damsel in distress. Jessica knows the way, I know how to read maps, and if need be we can take her car. There's really no need for Edward to play hero to two girls he doesn't even know. I put him out of my mind and head to my first class.