Crust

"I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life or anything, but . . . it really just doesn't make sense to me," Lauren says, her seriousness almost disguised by how humorous she finds the situation. "I mean . . . The unbearable pain wasn't enough to make you change your mind about Edward but a present was?"

I don't know what to say.

"Bella!"

"I know!" I exclaim but I really don't.

"You don't even know if it's going to be any good."

"Lauren," I say, "I never said that it made sense; I just said that I invited him to dinner. And I haven't changed my mind about him either."

I look over to Angela.

And then I look down at the food-crusted table.

Study hall in the cafeteria sucks.

And then I look back at Angela. "What's it like?"

"Hm?" She hadn't been paying attention.

"Having a mate? Being a mate?"

"Effortless."

"I don't feel that way."

"That's because you're a difficult person," Lauren says knowingly.

"Hey!"

"Well, it's true."

I look to Angela but she's no help, "It is."

"Don't you ever get sick of Ben?" I ask, "I mean . . . you live with him. He drives you to and from school. He's in six out of eight of your classes. He walks you to every class. He takes you on dates."

"Bella . . . you can't get sick of the person who is your reason for living."

See? I told you that's how these mates are. "I want more in my life then Masen."

"You're still calling him Masen?" Angela asks.

"Yes."

"Then clearly your life isn't changing that much."

My jaw drops, "He's transferred into every single one of my classes, and he expects me to just let him move into my house!"

"Into your house?" they both say at the same time.

The male never moves in with the female's family.

"Why not?"

"Do you really want to put your father through you screaming as you're riding Edward?"

"Lauren!" I flush, "What the fuck is wrong with you - that will never happen."

"Don't you want to have children?" Angela inquires.

"Someday," I shrug.

"You do realize that you'll never be able to have children with anyone but Edward, right?" she presses.

"What?"

I didn't know that.

"Have your parents taught you nothing?"

Lauren scoffs, "Bella never listens to her parents."

Angela shakes her head, "The nurse probably has a pamphlet or something on mating that you can get."

I grimace. "Yeah she gave it to me."

"Have you read it?"

"Bella doesn't do informational reading," Lauren says.

"Lauren!"

"What?"

"Shut up!"

We glare at each other for a moment before she starts laughing. "Oh, relax."

"I'm going to cry," I drop my head into my hands.

"That'll just make Edward come running here," Angela informs me.

My head snaps back up, "I'm definitely not going to cry."

Lauren starts laughing again.

"Where is Edward, anyway," Angela asks.

"In the bathroom."

"Try again," Lauren says, looking behind me, probably at the cafeteria doors.

"Coming towards us."

"Yup."

Maybe I can convince him to tell me what he's getting me and I can make something up as to why he can't come to dinner . . .

A/N: This might end up being the last one for tonight.

You know what to do.

;)

~ Madison ~