*August 13, 2015 – Chapter rewritten from the original*

This chapter goes to PureSilverLining for this random quote, "'And yet, you don't see the fish trying to plant a kiss on the eagle. You never see that.'"

I had to go look this up to see which book it came from, I knew who said it but couldn't remember which book it was from! Any more quotes you love?

Chapter Five
Fever

The bed covers were sticky. I rolled over, but my eyes refused to open. Strands of hair clung to me like it did when I got out of the shower, before I had a chance to brush out the knots. I lay still for a moment, a wave of fog refusing to lift away the heaviness of sleep.

Untangling myself from the sheet and peeling them away from my skin, I managed to stand. But the room was moving, though I was still. My body swayed as the edges of my vision dotted black.

Blinking, I willed my sight back and when the room stopped moving, I grabbed my toiletry bag before stumbling into the shower. The dizzy spells plagued me twice more in the time it took to get ready for school. I was moving slower the usual, as if at any moment I was about to crash to the floor unconscious.

I sucked it up, trying to ignore the nausea and dizziness, and headed down stairs. I wasn't going to let a little sickness stop me from going to school. I needed the distraction of mundane life. But a little part of me knew that what I really wanted was to see the Cullen's again. I wanted to know if they would appear any different now that I believed Ryan that they were vampires.

But I was wary. Edward could read minds. I couldn't be sure he couldn't actually read minds. I needed to see him again to see if what Ryan said was actually true.

I was too nauseated for breakfast so I headed straight out. Charlie had stuck a note on the door:

Bells, if you still feel sick go back to bed. No point in over doing it. Call me at lunch time and let me know how you're feeling. Feel better soon - Dad

Despite leaving early, the student lot was still pretty full by the time my noisy truck pulled in. The rain from the night before had subdued into a lighter drizzle, but the air was still cold. Despite that, however, my thick winter coat was making me sweat and instead of blasting the heating, I put the air con up full blast, blowing it in my face.

I felt myself drifting asleep when I suddenly jerked up right. I could feel eyes on me, but this time, these belonged to the exquisite golden eyes. No ghost's insight. So far.

Edward Cullen was staring at me from the hood of his shiny silver Volvo. Walking away from the car were the rest of his family, while Edward shamelessly stared at me, just like at lunch the day before. I tried to hold my nerve by staring back, but even with the distance between us his gaze was unnerving and I had to look away after a few seconds.

I jumped out of the truck. I needed fresh air and I was determined not to be late for class again. No spirits were going to hold me up today.

I was glad that I had somewhat memorized my schedule and the map that was given me to me yesterday so that I didn't have to look too obvious that I was still a new girl in town by having my eyes trained on the bits of papers that I were stuffed inside my jacket pocket. If I managed to make it to all my classes without referring to my schedule or the map, then I would deem it a successful day. If I went the entire day without seeing a ghost, then the day would be deemed perfect.

"Hello." Edward Cullen caught up with me. I had been trying to ignore him and even though I wanted answers, I was hoping he wouldn't follow me. I wanted my head clean of him and his family, at least for my first class.

"Hello yourself," I said. Suddenly, I was very aware that I may be inches from a vampire. An actual real vampire. A vampire that wasn't supposed to exist.

And he supposedly read minds.

Except mind. Apparently.

My face flushed at the thought.

"Are you feeling any better today?" Edward asked as we walked toward the English building.

As it happens, I was feeling worse. I had faked an illness to get out of class in biology. Now I felt sick for real. But I was a good liar. "A lot better thank you," I said. "Not sure what came over me yesterday."

"Maybe you should have milked it and took today off," Edward said.

"I like school," I said, which was true.

"Really? I feel it's more like purgatory," he said. "My own personal hell." This made Edward laugh. A dark laugh, with some private meaning behind it that I couldn't figure out.

I wanted to then ask him something, anything that would give him away. That would reveal if he was vampire or not. But then I remembered that he could read minds.

I know you are a vampire…I know you are a vampire…I know you are a vampire…

Nothing. Either he was very good at hiding things. Or my mind really was a closed book to him, as Ryan said.

Or he simply was human and more normal that I was myself.

"Bella?" Edward was right in front of me, holding the door to the English building, staring at me with concern.

I blinked. "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts," I said quickly, embarrassed. "Did you say something?"

Edward was still holding the door open. "I asked if you would like to have lunch with me today."

I could feel the shock and slight panic flood my face. He was asking me to sit with him? Why? Did he want to fish out what was wrong with me? Did he know that I knew about him?

I closed my eyes and tried to smooth away the shocked expression. Get it together, Bella, I told myself. Paranoia didn't suit me.

"Lunch? With you? Um, yeah. Sure. I guess. Why not?" I was talking fast. My mom always said I talked fast when I was flustered.

"You don't have to if you'd rather eat with your other friends?" Edward was still holding the door as I hadn't moved an inch. I took a few steps into the building and he followed just as the bell rang.

"No, I can sit with you today," I said. Did vampires eat food?

Edward stopped outside my classroom. The door was open and students flitted by us to hurry in before the teacher arrived. Some were giving us odd stares as they went by and the ones already in the room were staring at us from their desks.

I was used to stares back home. Have been most of my life. But as I took note of Edwards's demeanor, I realized that the stares have no effect on him either.

"I believe I don't have you in my class until the second hour, Mr. Cullen." The English teacher arrived, looking between Edward and I.

Edward smiled pleasantly. "I guess I will see you at lunch, Bella." He laughed softly at something, a smirk on his face. He shook his head and turned in the opposite direction that Mr. Mason had appeared before I could say goodbye. I hurried to my seat just as the teacher was settling in for his first lesson.

Sitting down, I realized that people were still staring at me. Could they know about my craziness already? Suppressing a sigh, I tried to keep up with the new assignment that Mr. Mason was going on about, but now that I was seated and somewhat less occupied with a rush of thoughts, I was beginning to feel the effects of whatever the boy had left me with. I really needed answers to what had happened to me the night before.

Although I had not vomited again, I was feeling like I was in a sauna and the nausea hadn't subside since the night before. But at least I could breathe. That was what got me through the morning classes. I wasn't sure what I was going to do if the boy turned up at school. Would he try and hurt me again? What did he want? Who was the 'he' that he wanted for himself?

There I was with the questions again. But the most frustrating thing was not having anyone to vent these questions to. Even if they didn't have any answers, it would have been great to have someone to off load to.

I missed my mom. She was my person who I off loaded too. She accepted my gift more than Charlie had.

By the time I got to my Spanish class, I was exhausted and every bone and every muscle in my body seems to ache, all the way from my head to my toes.

As I was leaving Spanish, I realized something was wrong. My head was spinning and I could barely see straight. I made it to the bathroom and no more before I vomited again. With very little in my stomach as it was, I brought up a lot of bile. Gross.

When I was sure I was done, I got up slowly, flushed and staggered over to the sinks. Alice Cullen was standing by the hand dryer. She was watching me carefully; a look of concern etched on her face.

"You really are sick," she said. She sounded surprised. We both knew I was faking being sick in biology the day before.

I shrugged as I washed my face with cold water. The cold felt very welcoming over my skin, but I could still feel I was burning up. I was tempted to skip my lunch with Edward and go home, crawl into bed and hope that I was better by dinner time. And pray I really did just have the stomach flu and it wasn't the boy who really made me sick.

But I wanted to see Edward again. I wanted to try and catch him out and have my own proof of what he may or may not be.

"I hear you have a lunch date with my brother," Alice said, making conversation.

My heart jolted over the word 'date.' I tried not to look like a gushing twelve year old girl. "It's not a date," I said. "It's…well, just lunch?" It sounded like a question.

Alice shifted a little so I could get by her to dry my hands with the automatic hand dryer. But I had to hold onto the sink for support as a searing pain shot through me. I winced.

"You really don't look well, Bella," Alice said. "I can get Edward to take you home. You probably shouldn't drive."

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine." I took a breath. "Let's go find Edward. He probably thinks I've changed my mind."

The cafeteria was teeming with students when we arrived. I scanned the sea of tables until I spotted Edward sitting on his own not too far from his brothers and Rosalie, who were sitting in the same spot as I saw them at yesterday. Alice gave me a small wave then went to join her family.

I walked over to Edward who stood up, pulling a chair out for me. I sat down. "Chivalry isn't dead after all, is it?"

"I am old fashioned and my mother taught me to have manners." Edward smiled a new smile, a crooked one, which had an odd effect on my heart, making it flutter in my chest. "I got food for you, but I didn't know what you would like so I got you a selection." He gestured to the two trays of food in front of us. I gulped, looking at the food. My face dropped. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, as if he had done something to upset me.

I shook my head closing my eyes. "Just a second," I said as a wave of nausea flushed over me.

"Are you okay?" Deep concern rifled through his voice.

"Yeah," I replied quietly. "Yeah, I am fine. I am so sorry, I…I don't feel like I can eat, even the thought of it makes me feel sick."

Edward was silent for a second. He glanced over to where I knew his family were sitting. He nodded once then reached over and with the back of his hand he touched my forehead. It was something my mom would do to check my temperature. His hand was ice cold. I noted that for two reasons. One was because I didn't want him to take his hand away as it helped with the fever I could feel firing through me. But the second was because of yet another question: was his coldness a vampire trait? Or did he just have poor circulation.

"I'm taking you home," Edward said and somehow managed to get me on my feet before I could protest.

I felt wobbly as I stood, the dizziness taking over again. As Edward picked my school bag up from the floor, the little spirit boy appeared to Edward's left, unknown to him. The boy watched me for a second then disappeared completely.

I could feel myself shaking and the room looked all blurry. I wanted to sit down, but something cold and firm caught hold of my arm. "Let's get you home." It was Alice. She led the way outside and I was grateful; I was barely able to keep standing by myself.

Alice kept hold of me as she guided us across the parking lot, but suddenly the pain got too intense again and I had to stop. I tried to get out of Alice's grip but she seemed to know what was about to happen and she led me to the side of a building, before I lost all of my dignity by vomiting over the grass. Someone pulled away my hair and a cool hand rubbed my back in soothing strokes until I stopped.

"Sorry you had to witness that," I said awkwardly, as I wiped my mouth. Edward didn't look at all fazed. Instead he looked worried. Alice handed me a bottle of cold water.

"Drink," she ordered and I gladly obeyed.

"Better?" Edward asked as he took the bottle from me once I was finished. I nodded. "Then let's get you home."

"On one condition," I said as Alice steered me back to the parking lot. Edward waited for me to give my condition. "I will let you take me home, only if you pull over the second I tell you to."

Edward looked confused. "I don't want to make a mess of your car," I explained, glancing back to where I had just vomited over the grass.

Edward smiled. "I don't care about my car," he said. "I only care that you get well as soon as possible."

"I feel like I'm being very dramatic," I said softly. "Especially since it's probably just the stomach flu."

The stomach flu that I contracted from a ghost, apparently. But I didn't tell Edward that. Although I had a feeling he would be believe me even if I said that the boogie man gave me the sickness.

Alice still had hold me of me as we approached their silver Volvo. My legs began to waver; like they were made of Jell-O. The pain in my abdomen was reaching a point where I was on the verge of doubling over and yelling out. My head was spinning and everything just ached. I just wanted to lay down and close my eyes right there on the side walk.

"Something is wrong, Edward," I heard Alice say, but her voice was distant.

I was shaking, the buildings were shaking, the cars were blurring. I heard my name being said several times, but I couldn't seem to reply.

Then the ground disappeared from beneath me. It took me a minute to realize that I was in someone's, probably Edwards's arms, and we are on the move. I could hear words being said, but I didn't understand them.

My head rolled to the side, facing away from whoever had me. I forced my eyes open and Ryan was there, walking fast to keep up with Edward.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked me. He sounded concerned as well.

"Yeah," I muttered.

"You look awful," he told me. "Really awful."

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. The little boy appeared again. He stood behind Ryan, watching me carefully, disappearing before Ryan could notice him. I had an odd feeling about the boy. And somehow I knew he was linked to my sudden illness. A few days ago I would have said that it was impossible; ghosts didn't have a physical effect on me, but then a few days ago I didn't believe in vampires. "Can they make you ill?" I asked Ryan. "Can they have physical effects of humans?" I didn't care that I knew Edward and Alice could hear me. But I wasn't sure that I even made sense.

Ryan opened his mouth, as if to answer, but before he could, the outside disappeared. I was laid over the backseats of Edward's car and before I could sit up, the engine was purring under me and we were moving.

I tried to stay awake, but I could feel my body shut down. Eventually, the purr of the engine lulled me into a calm and I closed my eyes and prayed that the pain would have disappeared when I opened them again.

Next chapter is going to be from Edward's POV! Hope you have enjoyed so far, thank you so much for the reviews! You guys are awesome and you keep me writing!