Happy Thursday! Keeping it short!

Enjoy!

Can't Get You Out of My Head- Kylie Minogue

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Chapter 20: A-B-C-D….E

BPOV

La pelota es grande y azul.

Por favor, dame tu zanahoria.

My brain was mush, and trying to translate was just not possible.

Balls and carrots had me thinking about other things.

Spanish class was like a dirty interpretation of my thoughts of Edward. After finally gaining enough sense to shut my locker and shuffle to first period, I stared at the pop quiz in Spanish for five minutes before trying to translate.

I was sure to fail it.

Did I care?

How could I when I could still feel his breath against my ear?

I felt a shiver run through my body and because I could, I slipped his sweatshirt over me, although the shiver was not from the cool room. I took my test to the teacher, wondering if I was the last one to do so. A number of people were staring at me as I walked back to my seat.

Was I that slow at doing it that they were all waiting for me?

Whatever.

I wanted to get through this class, and the other four as soon as possible.

The wait was maddening.

My mind was stuck in Edward mode.

He had been so possessive, and his eyes drilled into me with such intensity, I could feel it down to my toes. I replayed his rescue in my head again and again, the sweatshirt providing me with a bit of him as I fantasized what could have happened if the bell hadn't rung.

Since last night when he brushed my knee, my head was full of imaginary moments with him.

And the locker incident now played on repeat.

Pushed against the cold steel of the lockers, his hands roaming.

Not caring who saw as he kissed me good and hard.

The idea of that made me slow to answer the teacher's questions in History.

I let out a long sigh and tried to pull myself together.

I was obsessing over this guy.

Who was maybe, possibly, more than likely not interested in me.

His body seemed interested.

My body was very interested.

I didn't see Angela as I came out of history, and looked around to see if maybe I was just overlooking her as I walked to my third period. She was nowhere to be found. I frowned at the idea that maybe she was home sick. She was the only person I could possibly talk to about my feelings and not feel ridiculed. And without her, it would make lunchtime awkward with Jessica and Lauren. And Mike Newton.

What was he thinking anyway, cornering me like that?

And then my thoughts went back to Edward and I found myself smiling into his sweatshirt as I walked into class. Eric was staring at me as I walked in so I looked behind me to see if maybe Angela had come in with me.

Nope. Just me.

I supposed I looked idiotic in a sweatshirt that was five sizes too big for me.

But it made me warm in so many ways, so I ignored Eric and tried my best to concentrate in class. It was another long period, and fourth period didn't pass any faster.

The world was against me getting to sixth period.

Finally, as the fifth period bell rang, I tossed my books into my bag and dashed off to lunch, praying that it wouldn't be too weird with Mike sitting across from me. Again, Angela was absent, so I walked in alone, grabbing an apple and a bottle of water so that I could pretend to eat.

My stomach was far too fluttery to actually eat anything substantial.

I saw that Jessica and Lauren were already seated, their heads pulled together for what was sure to be the latest gossip. I mentally braced myself to have to endure it. As I neared the table, Jessica pulled her head up quickly and gripped Lauren's hand as if to stop her from talking.

Ok, weird.

"What are you doing here?" Jessica asked, her voice a little high.

"Um, eating lunch?" I replied, confused.

Lauren turned in her seat and eyed me from head to foot before scowling.

"Yeah, but why at this table?" she asked, her voice acidic and her glare hostile.

I blinked and looked between the two of them.

What the hell?

"Um, is this because Angela isn't here?" I asked, hurt that they would turn on me like that.

So much for friendship.

Jessica snorted and looked at Lauren, the two of them having a silent conversation between them. I glanced around and started to see we were gaining an audience. Several people were watching our interaction, leaning into one another and talking quietly as they watched our drama.

"What did I do?" I asked, getting frustrated.

If this was how it was going to be, I'd just as soon go sit at a table by myself.

"Don't you mean who'd you do?" Lauren shot back.

What?

I opened my mouth to ask, when Mike slid in to sit next to Jessica, his face unreadable. But he didn't acknowledge me in the same gooey way he usually did. He didn't even look at me.

"Is this about this morning?" I asked, staring at him.

What had he said?

Lauren let out a bitter laugh and turned around, her back to me.

"More like last night."

I was about to ask what that meant when I felt a hand on my elbow, drawing me away. I looked up in surprise to find deep green staring at me. Edward held my elbow lightly, not trying to force me, but with him there beside me, the tumblers in my befuddled brain clicked into place.

Oh.

I glanced back at Jessica and Lauren as he gently guided me towards the far tables. They were back to being huddled together, their eyes trained on us as we left. Mike had turned to watch us with a glower to his face. As I turned to look back at Edward, to ask what was going on, I felt several more eyes on us.

I knew about small town gossip, but this was ridiculous.

He sat me down so that my back faced the gawking spectators, but I felt like turning and telling them to mind their own business. I realized then that what they must have seen at my locker in the morning had been completely misconstrued, even if I had wished it to be like they thought. Mike probably hadn't helped the rumor mill either. I was sure he probably said something.

"You're wearing my sweatshirt."

I blinked and looked down to see that I had forgotten to take it off. Blushing I straightened it out a little and nodded.

"I was cold earlier," I mumbled and then moved to take it off.

"Keep it on," he said softly, and when I looked up at him he was watching me cautiously.

Where had the bravado gone?

"Everyone is looking at us," I whispered, leaning forward so he could hear me.

He glanced past me and smirked before leaning in a touch.

"They're looking at me, and wondering how you managed it," he replied and took a long drink of his soda.

"Managed what?" I asked, the frustration clear in my voice.

He swallowed hard and looked down at his sandwich.

"Um, I'm not the most popular person, Bella," he stated. "I'm sure they have all sorts of ideas about us, especially since you're wearing my sweatshirt. And how I probably corrupted you."

He looked up at me, his eyes framed by his long eyelashes, and all I really wanted to do was reach over the table and see if he tasted like cola.

Him corrupt me? I wanted to corrupt him in the worst way.

Of course I had no idea if that was such a great idea, what with the whole cafeteria looking at us. So I sat there trying to come up with something witty to say.

My mind was an utter blank. Shocking. He stumped me completely looking at me in that almost bashful way.

I thought I was the shy one.

I sat there watching Edward while he tapped on the tabletop in a nervous musical rhythm.

He was strange on so many levels. Brave one second, quiet the next.

"I'm sorry."

"About what?" I asked, wishing he'd look me in the eye.

"About them thinking we're… you know," he mumbled, his cheeks a little rosier than I had ever seen.

I wondered if maybe he was embarrassed because it was false, or because it was something he wanted. Or maybe he was perturbed because he had no interest.

But this morning at the locker, he seemed very interested.

Was he afraid of what people would think?

"I don't care what they think, Edward," I said, his eyes finally snapping up to capture mine.

"I don't want them spreading lies, Bella," he said.

Me neither.

So get on that, Edward.

"I suppose it was bound to happen, after this morning," I replied, frowning when his eyes shot back down to his sandwich again.

"I wasn't thinking this morning," he murmured. "I just couldn't let Newton wriggle his way in like that. He looked at you like you were…"

"Something to eat?" I asked, laughing when he looked at me strangely.

Funny that everyone thought that of Edward.

But the way he was looking at me now was a lot more cautious. Fearful almost. Like perhaps I was something dangerous. I looked away and turned my apple by the stem.

A-B-C-D…

I may have pulled it a little hard so it pulled off at E.

When I glanced up, he was fighting not to smile.

"I never got to thank you for rescuing me from Mike," I said softly.

"I'm glad I came to school early," he replied and took a bite of his sandwich, his eyes softening.

We sat there in companionable silence as we ate, ignoring everyone around us, just eyeing one another.

Edward finished off his sandwich and leaned down to his bag, pulling out my sweatshirt for a moment before I realized something was wrapped up in it. He rested it on the table top and chuckled.

"We really need to do something about Junior," he said, slowly unwrapping until I saw that it was our flour child.

Junior? Who was…oh. Flour Child.

"You put FC in your backpack?" I chided.

"It was swaddled, and like those carriers parents have, you know?" he mumbled awkwardly.

It was obvious he felt weird carrying it around with him.

I took the bundle, shaking my head at him and tried to be upset. But his nervous hair pulling was very distracting.

"How about I take it during the day and you at night?" I suggested. He nodded and smiled, seemingly happy to have that responsibility lifted from him.

The bell rang, and as I stood up, I felt Edward's hand brush by mine. It was only a second, and then he was wrestling with his pockets, hands shoved in deeply like he was suddenly cold. We walked together to class, and as we neared the door, he slowed, glancing from me to the bathroom across the hall. He seemed to be thinking hard, his jaw clenched once again in what I was learning was his frustrated face.

And then he turned back to me and followed me into class, an amused glint in his eye.

Yeah, he was a little odd.

I certainly hoped he didn't share his brother's thoughts on bathrooms.

I thought about it for a second.

Nope. Not even. I wasn't that perverted.

~~oo~~

AN: you thought I was gonna end it with another cliffy didn't you?

Nahhh. More tomorrow! I mean it this time! LOL!

MWAH!

steph