The Learning Curve: Chapter 13
Forks High School cafeteria
By lunch, everyone had heard the rumors. Mike had worked industriously to spread his version of events which involved Edward going crazy and attacking him out of the blue, but all the witnesses had a different story to tell.
Mike had insulted me, and Edward had retaliated with his fists.
I couldn't understand it. Edward barely knew me, and he certainly didn't seem the type to react that way on general principle. From all accounts, Mike hadn't said anything worse than what had been scrawled on my locker this morning.
"Are you still going to his house today?" Alice asked me. It was a welcome distraction from the stares that were currently directed at me from all corners of the cafeteria.
"I think I have to, don't I? Otherwise I won't be able to talk to him for the next three days."
"Are you going through with it?" Alice asked. "He's a juvenile delinquent, after all."
I rolled my eyes. "One incident is not a history of violence."
"He's still a step up from Mike. What a vindictive bastard."
"I don't want to talk about him."
"Don't tell me you're upset over him," Alice groaned. "He's not worth it."
"I'm not upset," I snapped, then moderated my tone. "I'm embarrassed that I was ever associated with him, that's all."
"Hey, we all make mistakes. At least you didn't have sex with him. Then you'd really be embarrassed."
"Shockingly, Alice, this is not making me feel better."
"Well, hey, maybe Edward will," Alice said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.
"Can we stop talking about me now?"
"No," Alice said instantly.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to talk about me."
I frowned. "Alice, have you been having dreams again?"
"A couple," she admitted. "But they're not like before. Just little things."
"Bad things?"
"No. I'm just afraid they'll turn into bad things. Don't tell anyone, ok? My parents will totally freak out."
"Of course I won't. But you need to tell me if it gets worse."
"I will, Bella, I promise."