'Nutha chapter. Too much caffeine. Ugh. Thought I'd add that fun little part with the volleyball in there. Surprised? It seems like whenever I write about the mall, the chapters become super long. Read on!
Some Edward lovers may hate me for this chapter-but don't worry, (insert character's name here) won't be a big part of the story.
Disclaimer: I'm working on it, give me a few days to put my plan into action. It involves a marshmallow bazooka, some raw potatoes, and a chunk of venison. Oh, and it also involves Edward in my basement. He's already lived down there once before, but I'm not that good under pressure. Or in hostage situations. Or walking across a flat surface.
My first week at Forks High could only be described as amazing. First of all, I successfully evaded any people who wanted to walk me to class-which is a major accomplishment once you take into account how many people tried. Secondly, I was almost flattened by a van and saved by Edward. Also, I now know my family is made of vampires who drink animal blood. Finally, I avoided Mike Newton's requests for a date and successfully tuned out any gossip involving me.
Weirdest week ever.
Currently, Mike Newton was asking me something, but I hadn't been paying attention to him. He was sitting on the edge of my lab table, and Edward was looking a bit annoyed.
"Bella?" Mike said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Huh?"
"I asked if you wanted to go to First Beach with us next weekend."
I didn't want to go-I already knew my family wouldn't be able to go out in the sun. They hadn't explained in detail, but it sounded like something happened when the sun hit their skin, although I hoped it wasn't burning, as the legends say.
"No thanks, I'd rather stay home. I don't really do that well in the water." Sure, I knew how to swim. But water was cold and wet-just like the rain that was currently falling against the windows.
"Oh. Well, are you sure that tonight-" Mike started. I sighed. Could this boy not take a hint?
Edward interrupted, "I'm sure that Bella has better things to do tonight, Mike, seeing as I am a part of them. And how many times are you going to ask her to go on a date with you, before you realize that she doesn't actually want to go?"
Mike turned red in the face at both the statement and the question, muttering, "As many times as it takes.", as he walked back to his table and sat down.
"That was a rhetorical question, Mike." Edward whispered.
I smiled, glad that Mike had finally been told what I was too shy to say myself, and laughing silently at him.
Mr. Banner had started talking about chromatids, so I took out a piece of paper and began writing down random things, trying to make it look like I was paying attention.
Edward was taking actual notes, although I was sure he didn't need them. Another prop, just like the kitchen had been until I came to live with the Cullens.
"Next week on Wednesday, there's going to be a lab on mitosis. Just identifying the stages, so it should be easy enough." Mr. Banner announced. I didn't understand why he was explaining this to us the Friday before we had to do the lab, so we would have the whole weekend to forget, but I got the impression that Mr. Banner was missing a few marbles. He said something about the first people to finish the lab getting an onion.
The bell sounded, and I trudged unwillingly off to gym. On Wednesday I had nearly demolished my whole team(accidentally, of course), but yesterday I had only tripped a few times. Thinking it was going to be another one of 'those days', I headed to the locker room to get changed.
Coming out of the locker room, I walked over to my team's side of the net. As soon as Coach Clapp blew the whistle, the ball began flying back and forth, while I tried desperately to keep out of the way.
The ball was coming straight for me. "Hit it, Bella!" I heard Mike yell. I closed my eyes, and swung my arms upward, wrists crossed, palms facing up. I didn't expect to hit anything, so I was surprised when I felt my wrists connect with the ball, and I opened my eyes to see the other team diving to hit it back, not having expected me to hit the ball. They missed, and my team got the point.
Coach Clapp blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game. "Green team wins by one point." We were the green team. Did I just win the game? Everyone cheered, and Mike came over and fist bumped me. Some people looked genuinely surprised, and I'm sure I looked exactly the same. When I finally left the gym, Edward was leaning against the outside wall again.
Smiling, he said, "Good job. I didn't know you had that in you."
"Me either," I replied, still amazed that I had hit the ball. And without hurting anybody in the process.
He just chuckled. I only slipped once before we got to the Volvo, and I was definitely ready to go home and spend the weekend vegetating on the couch.
But as soon as I climbed out of the car, Alice ran over and began pulling me to Rosalie's car.
"Not again!" I complained, realizing she was dragging me along on another shopping trip.
"Oh, you'll be fine."
Rose was already in her car, which she had driven to school today with Alice. I gave her a dirty look as I slid into the passenger seat.
We pulled into a parking space and ran into the mall, me because I was eager to get it over with, and them because they just couldn't wait to start shopping.
They were in a dress store fingering a silky, dark green floor-length, and I was standing just outside the door, waiting for them to finish ogling the dresses. I wandered a little farther away from the store to sit on a bench, and was still watching the store when someone sat next to me.
"Hey, darlin'." the man slurred. Did they let drunk people walk around in the mall, or did they just miss this guy? I didn't think he had much control over his mouth.
I just stared at him for a moment, and he smiled.
"How er ya?" he asked. I still didn't say anything, deciding silence was my best defense. "Are ya ignorin' meh?"
He seemed to be getting angry, so I stood up to leave, but he grabbed my arm. This man was scary.
"Let me go!" I growled, trying to rip my arm from his grip. Despite being intoxicated, he was strong.
"Honey, why don' you stay wit' me? I cou' make you real happy." he said, smiling again.
I was about to yell for Alice and Rose when a fist connected with the side of the man's head, snapping it back, and making him let go of my arm.
"I believe the lady asked you to let her go." I turned, and a dark-skinned boy who looked to be about sixteen was standing over the drunk man on the bench. The man jumped off the bench to stand, wavering slightly, and got in the russet-skinned boy's face.
"Mind yer own biznuss," he said, aiming a punch at the boy's face. The boy quickly sidestepped it, and I yelled, "Stop!" Why were these people fighting over me?
When I yelled, the man turned towards me. He reminded me of Damien in that moment, with crazed eyes, and I stood frozen to my spot. His fist hit me in the stomach, and I was sent flying to the ground. I laid there for a second, stunned, until Rosalie and Alice came into my line of sight. They crouched over me, and I heard a yelp, before the dark-skinned boy crouched over me also.
"Bella, are you alright?" Alice asked, frantic.
Suddenly, I could speak again. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got the wind knocked out of me. He...he looked like Damien when he's drunk."
Two people from Security rushed over to us, and one of them came over to me. "What happened?" he asked.
I made my statement, and the security guard turned to Jacob, expecting his side of the story.
"I was walking towards the food court, when I saw that man holding her arm. She obviously didn't want to talk to him, and I heard her tell him to let her go, so I walked over to where they were. Didn't seem like he was agreeing when he said she should stay with him, because he could make her happy. The rest of the story is the same."
The man turned to Alice and Rose. Alice spoke.
"We were in that shop over there, and when we came out we saw the man hit Bella, and then she was on the ground. We rushed over to make sure she was okay, and here you are. That's all we saw."
"I assume you're under 18?" the guard asked, turning to me.
I nodded, and he got up to talk to his partner. My assailant was no longer on the ground, and I was sitting up. I rubbed my arm, thinking that there were going to be finger marks on my arm again, something I thought I would never have to think about again.
"I'm Jacob," the boy said. "Does this always happen to you? You seem to be taking it pretty well."
I winced. It used to happen to me a lot, starting about three months ago and ending just last week. I had become used to it by halfway into the second week.
The security people came over and told us we could leave if we wanted, or just keep browsing. I decided I wanted to keep browsing, much to Alice's surprise. The only reason I would even consider that option was to forget what had just happened.
Jacob joined us as we walked, and I was glad for the non-shopaholic company. We ended up talking about school, and I mentioned that some of my classmates were going to First Beach next weekend.
"Really?" Jacob said. "I live near First Beach, on the res. Are you going with them?"
"Sorry, no. The person who invited me I'm not all that fond of. He's been asking me out since the first time he saw me."
Jacob chuckled. "Well, tell him to back off."
"I did. He said he would do whatever it takes." I replied, rolling my eyes.
He laughed, saying, "I have to go. I'm meeting up with a friend in a few minutes. Maybe I'll see you sometime?"
"Yeah," I nodded. It was different from when Mike Newton or Eric Yorkie said it. When they said it, it sounded like I was lunch. When he said it, it sounded like he just wanted to be friends.
Jacob left, and we continued methodically through the mall, stopping every once in a while. I decided that the drunk man from the bench was just another idiot, as were Mike and Eric. Damien wasn't as much, but he certainly played the part sometimes.
Idiocy is a gift.