Author's Note: So…! Let's get the show on the road!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 12

I hadn't slept a wink last night, thinking about Alice's words. And Edward's words. How can he just expect me to ignore what she'd said?

This was about our seventeen-year old friendship. I couldn't disregard it. This was something new. This was something bad.

And what about Tanya? I understood now why Edward had been so unhappy with me for hooking them up together. What was I supposed to do now? I was stuck in a freaking love triangle.

As I drove to school, I wondered if I was going to avoid him. Should I? Would I? Was it necessary?

I didn't want anything to change, if possible. I'd always been satisfied with being Edward's friend. I'd been happy to be standing one step back from him, and let him have all the popularity and attention. I'd accepted long ago that that had been my place.

Now?

I didn't even know. I had no intention of becoming Edward Cullen's girlfriend. No way. People in this small town would never shut up about it.

I parked in my usual place, thankful that the Cullens and Hales weren't here yet. Sighing in relief, I slid out and reached back in for my backpack.

"Hey, Bella!"

I was so startled that I bumped my head on the roof as I came back out. Grimacing and rubbing my sore spot, I turned to see Tanya leaning on my car, looking amused.

"Clumsy as usual," she said, winking.

I gave her a weak smile. "Hey, Tanya."

"I was just thinking," she said. "I hope you aren't too upset that Edward's taking me to Homecoming. After all, you're the one that pushed me to go after him."

I stared at her blankly. "Why would I be upset about that?"

"Well…" Tanya looked uncomfortable. "I heard what happened yesterday. In fact, the whole school knows now."

"What?"

She nodded. "Edward's loved you from childhood, right? I was thinking that maybe it was also vice versa as well."

"How does the whole school know?"

Tanya frowned. "I'm not sure, actually. But I hope you don't mind." She watched me carefully.

Although I was making a face, I shook my head. "No, no. I don't mind. Go have fun with him." I smiled at her weakly.

When Tanya flashed her eyes, there was something in them that made me want to look again. It scared me. It was as if…she was contemplating to kill.

But I must have been mistaken, because she smiled brightly. "Good. I'm glad. Do you have a date for the dance, Bella?"

"No, I'm not going at all." I began walking toward the buildings.

"What?" Tanya sounded surprised as she followed me. "You're kidding, right? Did no one ask you?"

"No, they asked me. I'm just not going. I never go."

"You should come!" Tanya enthused. "It'll be so much fun!"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I doubt it."

"If you don't want a date, why don't you just come alone? There are a lot of people who are coming with their friends."

I wished that she would just leave me alone. "I'll think about it." Anything to keep her quiet about the dance. I was getting a headache.

"Great!" Tanya said, smiling. "Maybe you can become Homecoming Princess or something."

I laughed. "Right." As if.

Tanya looked back at the parking lot. "Oh! Edward's here. Bye, Bella!"

I kept walking and didn't look back. Edward and I had classes together. I was never going to get away with avoiding him. Acting normal would be the right answer. But I didn't want to meet him so early in the morning.

Sighing, I resigned myself to an awkward relationship with the boy I'd been friends with since forever.

Edward's Point of View

"Edward!" Tanya's shrill voice pierced through my ear as soon as I got out of the car.

I winced slightly and tried my best to ignore her.

She pouted as she flounced by my side, following me. "Come on, Edward. At least say hi to me."

I paused next to Bella's car. She was here already. Why hadn't she waited for us like she usually did? Did this mean that she was going to ignore me?

"Edward," Tanya insisted. "Look at me! Are you listening?"

"Tanya," Emmett said, looking annoyed. "It's barely seven-thirty in the morning. How about you tone it down a little?"

Tanya blinked back at him. "Huh?"

"That's a good idea," Alice chimed in. She glanced at her distastefully. "Why don't you wait until lunch before you decide to be obsessive over our brother?"

Tanya let out a shrill laugh. "Oh, you two! You're so funny, as always! Come on, Edward. Let's go!" She linked her arm with mine.

I tore my gaze away from Bella's car and looked at her sharply. "Let me go."

She pouted. "You're not being very nice. What's the matter?"

"I have no intention of being stalked first thing in the morning," I said coldly. I yanked my arm away and began walking away. Of course, she still wouldn't give up easily.

"Edward," she whined as she trailed behind me like a little puppy. "What's wrong with you? You might as well pay attention to your date to the dance."

I could almost see my siblings rolling their eyes as they followed two feet away from me.

Resisting the urge to cover my ears and sing loudly to drown out her annoying nasal voice, I walked faster. She still followed me.

Students who had already arrived were by their car with their friends, looking excited as they gossiped about something.

"…what she said!" a cheerleader was saying to her friends eagerly. "Alice told Bella that Edward's loved her ever since they were young!"

I stopped dead, and turned my gaze to them, shocked. How did they know?

"Ah, jeez," Emmett said from behind me. "It looks like the whole school knows."

I turned around to glare at Alice. She shrugged helplessly, looking guilty. "I can't help it if some people overheard it and told everyone."

"Oh, about that," Tanya said indifferently. "I asked if Bella minded me going to the dance with you this morning. She said that it's fine and to go have fun with you."

Incredulous, I looked at her. "Why would you do something like that?"

"She's my friend," Tanya said loftily. "I care about what my friend thinks about."

I was a fool if I believed that. I laughed in disbelief. "You, Tanya Denali, are the most fake person in the entire world. Do you think I'll see through that? You don't consider Bella as a friend at all, do you? You only befriended her to get into the cheer squad and become popular."

Tanya looked surprised. "Of course not! I care about Bella!"

"Cut the crap, Tanya," I said angrily. "You're not going to get away with whatever you're planning." I glared at her ferociously before walking away quickly with my siblings flanking me.

"It's too late!" Tanya called. "I'm already getting what I want!"

I was getting angrier as each second ticked by. What was it that Tanya wanted? Did she want Bella away from me? Our friendship to break apart?

What did she want?

Bella's Point of View

I managed to avoid Edward in the first class that we had together. We sat at different places, thankfully, and I sat near the door, so I was able to escape quickly when the bell rang.

Facing him was inevitable because we had Biology together, but I wanted to avoid him as long as possible. So I headed toward the library during lunch.

I was sitting alone in my favorite spot, studying, when two shadows blocked the light. I looked up to see Alice and Rosalie looking down at me disapprovingly.

"Were you planning to avoid him forever, Isabella?" Alice chided reproachfully.

I sighed. "It's your own fault, Alice, so I wouldn't talk."

"You don't understand!" Alice said, plopping down in front of me. "I did you two a favor! Why can't you understand that?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to avoid him forever. I'm not stupid. I have to sit next to him in Biology next period, so-"

"Then will you come over after school?" Alice demanded.

I hesitated. "We can talk it over in class."

"No, you can't," Rosalie contradicted. "There isn't enough time. I'm sure Edward would want to give you a proper explanation. You deserve it too. Why don't you come over to the Cullens after school?"

"I can't," I said, grateful for an excuse. "I need to go down to La Push to see my father. And tomorrow, I promised to go see Renee. Though reluctantly," I added under my breath.

"So, basically, you aren't free until Friday?"

"Basically," I agreed. "And on Friday, you guys won't be free because of the dance."

I was feeling rather triumphant with my reasoning. After all, they weren't lies at all, but the truth. But, of course, pixie and beauty queen had to wreck that.

"Fine," Alice retorted. "We can't do anything about today and tomorrow, because that's your personal, family business."

"But," Rosalie chimed in. "We can make you attend the dance." They smirked.

I glared at them. "Not a chance."

"We'll see," Alice said smugly. "We'll give you a full makeover after school on Friday, and you'll be coming to the dance with us. We can ask Emmett and Jasper and Edward to meet us here."

"I don't have a date."

"You don't need one because Edward will make sure that you are not alone," Rosalie said dismissively. "It's obvious."

"I won't go. You can't force me."

Alice stuck out her tongue at me before she and Rose flounced out of the library happily.

Why did I have such good friends that got on my nerves constantly?

AN: So! What do you think? Leave your reviews on your opinions!