A/N: the 411 on Edward.
Chapter 4
Bella
Edward's POV
I was usually exhausted after drill—usually, I was freaking shattered, but today I was on edge.
Walking through the back door into the kitchen, I dropped my sports bag on the tiled floor with a loud thud, before rubbing the dried sweat from the back of my neck.
I didn't know what the fuck I was feeling so uptight about, but it was beginning to bother me.
Actually, I did know what was bothering me, I was just still in denial about it. So, shrugging it off, I reached for the refrigerator, suddenly famished, when I noticed the note that was stuck on the door:
Em, Edward and Alice,
I am meeting Carlisle after work for dinner; we'll be home about 9 o'clock. Clean up after dinner, and Rose and Jazz are to be home by 8!
Love
Mom x
I only scoffed to myself. Mom was convinced we were all going to freak over her marriage to Carlisle, as if we were still in grade school. I was happy she'd stopped being so neurotic about it, at least.
Grabbing a clean plate from the dishwasher, I began filling it with food, and was shoulder deep in the refrigerator when I heard the back door open and footsteps tread across the tiles; alerting me to the fact that the little rat was home. I ducked my head around the refrigerator door; Alice was leaning up against the breakfast table with an easy going smile on her face. Throwing her a quick grin, I went back to stacking my plate.
Obviously she's gotten over the bullshit that happened today, I thought absently to myself, just as my whole mindset shifted; reminding me instantly why I was so on edge. All it did was piss me off, and make me impatient with myself.
What did it matter anyway? Another day at school and another bullshit incident with Swan. The last thing I needed in my life at this point was another one.
I gripped the door of the refrigerator while my irritation quickly peaked before it gave way to confusion. As much as I hated to admit it, I wasn't entirely convinced she was like her dickwad cousin, and I had nothing whatsoever to back it up with. Instead, I made a disgusted kind of noise that echoed through the inside of the refrigerator. She'd told Alice to 'go fuck herself' in the middle of the cafeteria; what other evidence did I need to prove that she was just another Swan asshole?
"Hard practice, Edward? 'Cause you look kinda … funny," Alice observed like the pain in the ass she was.
I glanced over to her; her expression was slowly giving way to curiosity.
"Yeah, same as usual, I guess." I shrugged, ignoring her "funny" comment before I went back to piling food on my plate.
"Not that hungry today, huh? I guess the fifty pound steak you ate last night must have filled you up," she added, her tone dry; eyeing my plate of food as I sat down with it at the breakfast table.
Looking over at her I flashed her a quick grin, my mouth crammed full of food. Her eyebrows knotted together in obvious disgust before she shook her head to herself.
"Well, pixie-stick, since I didn't stop growing at three foot six, I need a lot more nutrition," I teased her after swallowing past the first mouthful.
She threw me a quick scowl. "Ha-ha, very funny, Edward. I'm five foot two, thank you very much!"
"If you say so," I replied, laughing when her expression turned indignant, before turning my attention back to my food.
Alice was my twin sister, younger by only a couple of minutes, but she was at least a foot shorter. And as much as she was vertically challenged, she was just as scrawny.
"What are you so happy with yourself for, anyway?" I asked her casually.
"I went to see Bella and explained everything. I'm so glad she listened, because I've been feeling really shitty ever since lunch today," she answered with a sigh.
At the mention of Bella's name my throat closed up, and it took several moments of fucking choking and spluttering before I was able to reply, "What did you need to explain for?"
She gave me an odd look. "Isn't it obvious?"
I paused for a moment in thought, but came up blank, shaking my head in answer.
She scoffed. "Were you in the cafeteria today, Edward? Didn't you hear what Jessica said to her?"
Beginning to feel agitated again, I shook my head; slower this time.
Alice huffed at me, rolling her eyes. "Jessica was a complete bitch! She practically yelled out to the entire school that Bella was abandoned by her parents. Bella was so upset—not that I could blame her—and since Jessica was supposedly my friend, she thought I'd set her up."
My pulse began racing.
"W-why would Jessica say that?" I asked awkwardly, my throat feeling restricted again.
Alice shook her head, her expression turning dark. "I don't know, but it was a really shitty thing to do. I'm so over Jessica."
I nodded, but had already stopped listening. With the realization that I'd got it completely backwards, an edgy panic began to rise slowly in my chest. While I attempted to keep my expression neutral, for Alice's benefit, I wracked my brain for reasons why I should even give a shit. She was Jacob Swan's cousin. The fact that she shared his last name bothered the fuck out of me, but even that hadn't stopped me from thinking about her all afternoon.
I'd met her in the hall just before lunch. She'd stood beside Alice, only fractionally taller than her, looking so completely lost and self-conscious that I immediately felt myself drawn to her. Of course the little rat decided to introduce us, and when she turned to gaze up at me, it was with these deep, dark brown eyes that looked like they contained a hundred years of sadness. She didn't hold my gaze for very long, before she went back to staring at the ground, but then, out of nowhere, she flashed me this huge fucking beautiful smile that it left me surprisingly dumbstruck.
Normally, I would have checked her over, while trying to get a good gauge on her tits. Sure, she was pretty cute, but there was something about her, and those eyes of hers were haunting. She didn't fucking start battering her eyelashes at me like most girls would have done. She only tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up at me, her expression completely unreadable. In fact, she kind of looked at me as though I were making her uncomfortable…
My body temperature had shot up in that instant, and I began to feel so overheated and flustered that I had to leave, and quickly!
And as my thoughts returned to her, I started having the same freaking reaction.
By the time this supposed crap went down at Alice's table, I was rendered to a fucking stupor, while Jazz eyed me, with his forehead knotted up like I'd lost the plot. It was then I heard her voice, strained and full of anger. In the next instant, I noticed Jacob and lunged from my chair. The great big fucking ape had taken a single threatening step towards Alice, glaring at her. With my mindless logic, I came to the conclusion that he'd recruited his cousin in his bullshit against me.
It wasn't long after this that I found out she was my new freaking Bio partner, and to put it bluntly, I had not treated her very warmly.
I suppressed the urge to groan out loud. The fact was, I'd been a complete fucking prick.
Alice started snapping her fingers an inch from my face.
"Hello? Edward? Are you even listening?" she demanded, her brow bunching with impatience.
"Yes—what? I'm listening!"
Biology… Fuck!
With a sigh that quickly expanded into a groan, I dropped my head to my hands and ran my fingers through my tangled hair; hoping I was coming off as nothing but exhaustion from baseball practice.
Alice remained gazing at me, looking completely unconvinced; her expression quickly turning suspicious. "If you didn't know what happened in the cafeteria, what did you think the whole parking lot incident with Jacob was about?"
At the mere mention of Jacob Swan, my back stiffened involuntarily. "Who knows with that asshole, but he's really beginning to piss me off."
Alice merely raised her brow. "Uh-huh, and about what happened…"
Jesus, here we go, I muttered under my breath. I was expecting a lecture, and I was actually surprised she didn't just rip into me the moment she walked through the door.
"I just wish you would stop getting involved, Edward," she said with a sigh, beginning to sound irritated. "I can take care of myself."
I shrugged, and her eyes narrowed impatiently.
"Look what your butting in created today? You were going to get into a fight with Jacob all because he was rightly sticking up for Bella!" She was sounding frustrated, but it didn't move me. The fact that bastard rose from his chair to threaten her was evidence enough that I had it exactly right about him.
"Is that what he was doing?" I didn't bother to keep the sarcasm from my voice.
"Yes!" Alice exclaimed, going from irritated to pissed off.
I shrugged indifferently again and her expression darkened, making me feel more uneasy than I was willing to admit.
"You do the same thing all the time, Edward—you know you do!" she snapped.
She was right, but then again she usually was. Emmett and I had a silent agreement never to admit it to her.
As brothers and sisters went, Alice and I were close. I was protective of her; I always would be. But when she got sick ... well, I guess I'd become slightly overbearing.
I let my thoughts wander back to Bella again at lunch in the cafeteria. Whatever had happened with Jessica slut-bag Stanley, Bella had been pretty upset...
Okay, so I was ready—at the barest minimum—to acknowledge that maybe Jacob was only sticking up for her. This was regardless of the fact that I presumed he only did shit just to piss me off.
But it made sense.
"All right, you have a point," I admitted, reaching out to scratch the back of my head, distracted.
"I just wish you'd ease up a little bit, Edward," Alice replied, serious this time.
I took a long breath and released it with mocking exaggeration. "Okay, okay."
She smiled, looking satisfied, before adding, "And I wish you'd let go of this whole Jacob thing too. I mean, it's so old now."
"What exactly am I holding onto?" I replied, indignantly. He was the one who'd started this shit, after all.
She rolled her eyes but continued anyway, "Would you believe that he was really sweet and polite to me when Bella and I sorted everything out? Though, when he first opened the door he told me to 'piss off'." She laughed to herself.
"Yeah ... that's great, Alice. I'm happy for you," I muttered, dryly.
I did not want to listen to how sweet Jacob was. The thought of it made me want to fucking hurl! Sweet was the last thing that bastard was, and if I ever saw him threaten Alice again… I forced these thoughts from my mind. I could feel my face going tense, while the little rat only stared at me with increasing impatience.
"Okay—all right have it your way then!" She huffed at me.
I continued eating, feeling more and more fucking edgy; shoving the food down my throat, but no longer having the appetite for it.
"Where is everyone anyway? Is Mom out with Carlisle?" Alice asked, after a moment of studying me. I ignored her—or tried to, anyway.
"Yeah." I motioned with my eyes to the note that was stuck to the refrigerator.
Alice plucked it off and read it.
"Thank God for that. I thought she'd never relax. Honestly, does she still think we're going to go off the rails about her marrying Carlisle?" she exclaimed, scoffing to herself.
My replying smile was tight; I shrugged.
Her attention soon switched back to me. She walked back over to where I was sitting, still busy eating, sat down opposite me and folded her arms; all with deliberate emphasis.
"So, what's really bothering you, Edward? It's not this whole thing with Jake Swan, is it?" Her brow knotted as she studied me closely in that way she often did that unnerved the fuck out of me; when she was seeing straight through me.
"He doesn't bother me, Alice. I'm fine," I replied lowly. It was true, he didn't bother me, but the fact that Bella was his cousin bothered the fuck out of me. The reason for that was another matter entirely. That, I had no answers for.
Alice continued gazing at me, her eyebrows coming further together the longer her eyes stayed on me. I only waited with bated breath, my fucking hands beginning to shake; which was really fucking pathetic, all things considered.
"You might as well spill it, Edward. I know something's up with you," the little rat concluded.
I sighed beneath my breath, and thought about just admitting it to her. Why did I have to hide it? Would it be so hard just to confess, "Your friend Bella is pretty. Too bad she's related to that fuckwit, Jacob Swan."?
Common sense quickly reminded me that in disclosing that information to Alice, Jazz would know about it in less than an hour. I went with a different angle.
"Honestly, Alice, I think you've been snorting the pixie dust again, 'cause there's nothing wrong with me—really."
She snorted, obviously unconvinced. "You can joke all you want, brother dearest, but you know I'll get to the bottom of this sooner or later."
She fucking would.
I stood up a little too quickly, jolting the table as I did. I was trying to remain indifferent to the little ferret, but I knew I had to exit and fast. If I remained alone with her a minute longer, she'd crack me.
We both knew it.
"I'm going to have a shower. Is Jazz coming over later?" I was too casual and on top of it, I was suddenly feeling all flustered and overheated.
The same fucking way I had in Bio today.
"You know he is! Stop trying to get out of this, Edward!" Her curiosity was beginning to make her impatient.
"I'm fine, Alice—Jesus. I'm just tired," I insisted, thinking if I sounded pissed off it would get her off my back.
She only gave me that cynical eyebrow shit.
The pain in the fucking ass stuck her nose into my business way too much.
I had a shower, but I was so freaking on edge that it—or the idea of jerking off—did little to ease it. Afterward, I remained upstairs for as long as I could without increasing Alice's suspicions that I was avoiding her. Besides, she couldn't work out what was up with me when I barely knew myself.
Yeah, that was bullshit. I knew exactly what was wrong with me; her new little friend had gotten under my skin, and I was finding it increasingly harder to keep her from my thoughts. Even when I thought she was just another Swan asshole today—as brief as that was—she'd still plagued my mind in a way that didn't seem fucking rational to me.
The only thing I was positive about at the moment was that I had to apologize to her for being an asshole in Bio, and as soon as possible. As fucking ridiculous as it seemed, the thought of Bella's opinion of me based on my actions today bothered the crap out of me.
When I went back downstairs, Jazz, Emmett, Rose and Alice were all eating pizza at the kitchen counter. Alice flashed me a smug, sarcastic look as I walked in the room, but didn't say anything, before going back to feeding Jazz his pizza like he was a fucking decrepit.
Ignoring them, I reached over Emmett, taking a slice out of the box.
"Oh my God, Edward! You're still hungry?" Alice exclaimed, turning from Jazz just to be a wise ass.
I only continued to ignore her.
"So, elfling, spill the beans on Bella Dundee. I saw you hanging with her today," Emmett inquired sounding only partially interested; his mouth full of pizza.
I felt my body instantly go tense, and immediately fucking over heated. I quickly shoved the pizza down my throat.
Emmett attempted to speak again, only Rose immediately slapped him in the back of the head. "Are you capable of eating with your mouth closed?"
Emmett only chuckled before grabbing Rose and attempting to kiss her, with his mouth still full of pizza, but Rose whipped a nail file out of her purse in lightning speed and held it to Emmett's face.
At this point I forced myself to look away, rolling my eyes to myself at how lame-assed they were.
Alice lightly laughed, turning to Emmett. "Em, Bella Swan is very nice. She's quite funny actually. I asked her what her and her friends did on the weekends in Australia. She said they mostly bludged, then she laughed. I laughed too, but I have no idea what she meant."
"Bludged? Is that … like a sport?" Jazz asked; he was serious. I almost laughed; though, I had no idea what it meant either and I was curious—more than I wanted to admit.
"Did she bludge the kangaroos, or bludge the snakes for dinner?" Emmett asked, like the fucking comedian he thought he was.
Alice rolled her eyes. "I really doubt it, Emmett, and if you ever say anything like that to her, I'll bludge over you with my car."
"She's nice enough, but a little odd," Rose spoke up simply, looking up from grooming her nails with the nail file she'd threatened to stab Emmett with a moment before.
"She's not odd!" Alice insisted. "She felt really self-conscious today with everyone looking at her and stupid kids coming up to her and asking her to say 'g'day mate'."
"Does she say that?" Jazz asked, wrapping his arms around Alice again, and I was forced to look away and pretend I didn't notice where the asshole had his hands.
"I never heard her say it. She says bloody a lot, though," Alice answered, chuckling.
Emmett cocked an eyebrow. "Bludging and bloody? So, ah, does she carry around one of those big ass knives as well? That ain't a knife, this is a knife." Was his attempt at impersonating Crocodile Dundee, because my brother really was that much of a dickhead.
Jazz laughed—but of course that moron would—while Rose only rolled her eyes.
When I looked up again, I caught Alice's gaze. She was smirking at me the way she often did whenever Emmett said or did anything that was so typically idiotic of him, but the instant her eyes locked onto mine, I knew I was in more trouble than I was before.
"You still tired, Edward?" she asked after a moment, with a mocking display of concern.
"He's been acting like this all day." Jazz snorted.
"Jesus—how many times do I have to freaking say there's nothing wrong with me?" I demanded, annoyed that fucking Jazz had decided to jump on the bandwagon. "I-I feel like I'm getting a cold or something, that's all," I added, my voice hitching at the back of my throat, wishing I'd just kept my fucking mouth shut.
I was screwed regardless, because from the little rat's expression I knew she'd dug herself a huge chunk of interest.
...
It was just after eight, when Alice decided to push me again, knocking on my door.
"Edward, can I come in?" she called.
I groaned loudly, for her benefit, running my hands down my face in exasperation. "No!" I called back shortly.
She came in anyway and sat down on my bed, turning to me. "Okay, out with it!" she demanded as though it was my duty to obey her.
"Are you going to get it through your gerbil brains, Alice, that there's nothing up with me?" I answered dryly, while knowing full well that teasing her wouldn't get me immunity.
She ignored me and folded her arms. "You've been acting strange ever since the parking lot. If it's not Jacob, then what is it?"
"Okay then, how have I been acting strange?" I challenged her.
She raised her eyebrows with a wise ass fucking expression on her face. "Oh please—do you really want me to answer that?"
"Look, Alice, I don't know what to tell you"— I didn't—"but there's nothing wrong with me." I attempted to sound sincere, even if it was for my own benefit, before laying back on my bed and covering my face with my palms.
"I know there is, Edward. You might as well tell me. I'm not leaving till you do," she said stubbornly after a brief silence, where I knew the evil little rat was staring at me.
I groaned, exaggerating my frustration and pulled myself half up, resting on my elbows. "You know, you're the biggest pain in the fucking ass on the planet."
She only smiled at me smugly.
"Get out! I'm going to bed!" I grumbled, flopping myself back down and running both my hands rigidly through my hair, staring up at the ceiling.
"Nu-uh, not until you say the magic words," she drawled arrogantly.
"Get out before I throw you out?" I cocked my head to look at her.
She scoffed but before she could properly reply, I sprung up and grabbed her around the waist in one motion, taking her by complete surprise. Lifting her off the bed, I hauled her ass over my shoulder and carried her to the door.
"Edward, put me down! Stop being so juvenile!" she protested loudly, struggling against me.
Kicking open my bedroom door, I dropped her down on the other side of it.
"Goodnight, Alice!" I said, emphasizing the finality in my tone.
She propped her hands on her hips stubbornly. "This isn't over, Edward. We both know I'll get to the bottom of this!"
I only shrugged back at her, before she whipped around and headed toward her bedroom, grumbling to herself.
I didn't get much sleep that night. I was anxious for it to be morning, so I could get to school and apologize to Bella for being such a prick to her. Trying to work out why I was so anxious to do this was the reason I couldn't sleep. I mean, let's face it, one look at Bella and I knew she wasn't the kind of girl who'd throw herself on her back like that skank-whore Stanley; she was the sort of girl you got invested in.
And investment was a place I never went to.
. . .
I was the last person to come down in the morning for breakfast.
"Sleep well, Edward?" Mom asked, smiling warmly when I walked in the room.
I shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah."
She passed me on the way to putting her dirty dishes in the dishwasher, leaning on her toes to kiss my cheek, before wiping my face clean of her lipstick.
"You don't look like you did," she observed with a slight frown, while Alice snorted to herself.
I closed my eyes momentarily, deciding to keep ignoring the little rat. It was better that I didn't attract Emmett's attention, after all.
When I sat down at the table, Alice looked up and flashed me an all too knowing fucking grin. Rolling my eyes at her, I grabbed the box of cereal a little too aggressively, squeezing half the contents out onto the table.
"Steady, Eddie." Emmett glanced up at me, his eyes narrowing with sudden curiosity.
It took me forty-five seconds to eat my breakfast that morning.
Surprisingly enough, Alice didn't say a word to me through breakfast. It wasn't until we got in my car for school, and I turned to her asking, "What, no interrogations this morning?" that she let her intentions be known.
She shrugged a shoulder and smiled to herself, secretively. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I'll find out on my own."
This fucking scared me more than anything.
I cleared my throat, more nervous than I was willing to admit to myself, and started the engine. My hands were beginning to tremble—it was fucking ridiculous—but I kept them tightly clamped around the steering wheel to disguise it, and pulled out of the garage.
Alice pissed me off the entire way to school, with a permanent look of smug over confidence on her face, not to mention the chirpy fucking humming she began the second I'd started the car—making me wish I could open the passenger side door and shove her out on the road.
"You sure you don't want to tell me what's going on, Edward?" She turned to me once we'd exited the car at school. She was only half teasing me this time.
I huffed out the air in my lungs, frustrated with the little rat. "Alice—I don't know what the fucks going on!"
I regretted those words the minute they left my mouth.
What the Fuck was wrong with me?! I only had a fucking hard on for her friend?!
Locking the car, I headed inside before she had a chance to reply.
...
I spent the morning hours distracted, both dreading and anticipating seeing Bella, but when I hadn't caught sight of her by third period, my nerves were shot and I went looking for her.
I found her and Alice straight away, heading toward their next class. Alice was blabbering away as usual, while Bella only walked beside her, her books hugged to her chest, as she nodded in reply intermittently, smiling with uncertainty.
My heart immediately faltered and I had to exit in the direction I'd come quickly before the little rat spotted me. Alice knew my schedule, and if she saw me so far out of my way, she'd put two and two together in a fucking heartbeat.
I headed to English, unnerved. I figured when I finally saw Bella I'd realize I was attracted to her and nothing more. She was pretty; there was nothing more to it.
Why then did the very sight of her make me so fucking overwrought, while making me practically break out into fucking hives?
Yeah, I was attracted to Bella; as for the rest of it? Easy, I was coming down with mono.
As usual, I was accosted by Jessica-whorehouse-Stanley the minute I walked into English. I wasn't in the mood to put up with her bullshit; especially, since finding out that my asshole behavior toward Bella yesterday was because of hers.
"Hey, Edward," she said in the same over-used flirty tone, before leaning against my desk in a way that made her already skimpy skirt ride further up her legs.
Jazz dropped down in the chair next to me at that moment, glanced at Jessica's naked thighs and winked at me, his expression fucking suggestive.
"Hi, Jessica," I replied dryly, rolling my eyes at Jazz.
"So, did you hear about what that psycho new girl did to Alice yesterday? What a total freak-show, huh?"
I froze for a moment, instantly annoyed.
Thankfully, it was Jazz who answered, with a shrug. "The way Alice tells it, you were the psycho, Jessica."
She was undeterred. "Alice is too forgiving. I can't believe she's still friends with that freak."
I almost flinched, and was fast becoming pissed off. I could feel the scowl penetrating my expression and was on the verge of telling her to fuck herself over a cliff, when the teacher entered the room. He threw Jessica a measured glance and she went to her own table, taking her seat.
I only scoffed to myself loudly.
"I see you're still a space cadet today," Jazz observed, a smirk creeping across his face.
"Fuck me, she's such a whore," I muttered in reply.
"Isn't that what you look for in girls?" the asshole added.
"Fuck you, Jazmina."
He grinned to himself and scoffed before going in another direction. "You know Alice hates you fighting her battles for her."
It wasn't Alice's battle I was fighting, though, and hearing Bella being bad mouthed made me angrier than I would have been if it was being said about Alice. It didn't make an ounce of sense; who the fuck was Bella to me?
"I think Alice wants you to sit with her at lunch today, by the way," I said to Jazz with feigned indifference. It was bullshit and I was a terrible liar.
Jazz turned to face me, observing me for a moment, his eyebrows coming together in confusion. "I thought we vetoed the girls at lunch."
We did, normally. It was my idea. Either that or I sit with Jazz and Alice as they gaze starry eyed at each other. Not to mention the fact that Jazz seemed fucking incapable of sitting with my sister without all but feeling her up in the middle of the cafeteria.
"I don't know, it's just the impression I got," I answered him with a shrug. Keeping my tone casual was not an easy thing to pull off.
"Why, is she upset or something? What did she say?" Jazz asked again, his voice rising.
Jesus, couldn't he just agree to it and be done with it?
I exhaled loudly; I wanted to shove him off his chair with the frustration that this conversation was causing me. "She just said to come and hang with her—Jesus!"
"Okay, okay. Don't lose your shit."
A wave of uneasiness came over me, and I immediately regretted opening my mouth at all. What the hell was I doing? I was supposed to be avoiding Alice, not hanging out with her, and my track record at lying to her was dismal at best. I might as well write it across my forehead, in big bold letters: I am frustratingly hung up on Bella Swan.
"I wish you'd get over whatever it is you're so stressed about! It's driving me nuts!" Jazz exclaimed in a harsh whisper, a moment later.
"What do you mean?" I asked him, blankly.
He scoffed. "Every two minutes you're reefing you're hair out and sighing like your granny just died."
The bell for lunch saved me from having to offer up a bullshit excuse that would only dig me into a deeper hole.
As I walked out, it suddenly occurred to me that it was probably more catastrophic for me bringing Jazz and Alice together at this point, when they were both aware that I was acting like a freak. Not that Jazz really gave a shit, but if Alice guessed...
Fucking idiot!
"Hey," I said to Jazz as we entered the cafeteria, "don't tell Alice I told you to sit with her. You know what she's like."
Lame.
He shrugged, distracted, already scanning the room for her. "Yeah, sure."
I spotted Alice, Bella and Rose almost straight away. They were all lined up in the lunch queue. And again, as my eyes rested on Bella, I could feel heat start to prickle over my skin. Tearing my eyes away, I walked over to Alice's regular table and sat down, already fucking sluggish and hot. Jazz paid me no attention as he made his way over to Alice.
I watched fucking repulsed as he approached her from behind, circle his arms around her waist, whisper something in her ear and then bury his face into the back of her neck. Cringing impulsively, I fought the urge to throw my full can of cola at him.
I forced my eyes away, before focusing them on Bella. She was looking at the food dubiously, clutching her tray tightly in her grip, before leaning toward Alice and speaking something to her. Alice surveyed her, tilting her head to one side in obvious thought, before she replied in laughter, shaking her head and shrugging simultaneously. Bella's face immediately flushed, before she looked down at her tray.
I think I uttered some fucking star struck sigh, realizing I was smiling to myself like an idiot, without being fully aware of it. She was fucking mesmerizing, and all by doing nothing but looking as self-conscious as she had the day before.
I snapped myself out of it, tearing my eyes away, just as Rose sat down at the table next to me.
"You joining us today, Edward?" she asked, sounding like she didn't give a shit, either way.
"I guess so," I replied casually, clearing my throat, before cracking open my cola and taking a huge gulp.
"So, why the change of heart?" she inquired, opening her can of diet coke.
I doubted she cared, but I motioned towards Alice and Jazz, hoping I didn't have to elaborate on it any further. Rose followed my gaze, then groaned loudly.
"So long as they remember that some people will be eating."
I was about to agree when the words died on my lips and my heart fucking lodged in my throat. I found myself staring into Bella's eyes, with Jazz and Alice standing just behind her.
She immediately faltered and came to a standstill, looking at me with uncertainty.
"Hello, Edward," Alice drawled, flashing me a wiseass smirk as she sat down.
What the fuck was I thinking?
I contemplated making a quick get away, but realized that it was all too late to escape now.
I threw Alice a forced, sarcastic grin, and glanced deliberately past her. Bella was still gazing at me, but she hadn't moved. Her eyes shifted to Alice before back to me, looking more and more apprehensive, and the longer her eyes remained on me, the darker her expression became until it was an all-out frown.
With Alice scrutinizing me, it didn't take her long to notice the tension between Bella and me. More so the indignant look on Bella's face as she stood there, unmoving, clutching her tray of food and looking at me as though I had fucking Ebola.
"Are you okay, Bella?" Alice asked her with concern.
Severing her eyes from me, Bella turned to Alice. "Yeah, I um—I just remembered, I have to go to the library … and study."
Study? On her second day of school?
And with that sentence she completely gave me away.
Very deliberately Alice turned to me, folding her arms angrily and arching a demanding fucking eyebrow. I sort of sheepishly shrugged, and she huffed impatiently before turning back to Bella, who had already taken a step away from us.
"Are you sure? Want me to come with?" Alice offered.
Bella's eyes flickered to me again, before returning to Alice. She nodded. "It's fine, Alice. You stay. I'll see you in gym."
She walked away then, only she didn't go to the library; she went and sat next to her asshole cousin—making it even more fucking obvious she was bullshitting in order to avoid me.
I continued watching her as she put her tray on the table and took a seat, before suddenly my eyes met with Jacob's. I felt my expression immediately harden. He was glaring at me with an unmistakable message on his face regarding Bella.
I held his gaze, and determined to piss him off, I looked deliberately to Bella before back to him, throwing him a smug grin.
The idiot looked like his head was about to explode.
"Edward!?" Alice snapped impatiently.
I turned back to her; she was staring at me with wide, angry eyes, her expression half way between dumbfounded and furious.
"What have you done?" she demanded.
"Yeah, dude, she seriously hates your ass," Jazz added, snorting.
"I…." I paused to rub the back of my neck, "I was probably a bit rude to her yesterday in Bio," I confessed.
"Why the hell were you rude to her?!" Alice's voice rose, turning fucking screechy and making me want to flinch.
"Well, I heard what she said to you yesterday, and I thought Jacob..." I attempted to explain, but abandoned it. It sounded like bullshit now.
Alice continued to stare at me, her forehead creased with obvious pissed off frustration. "What the hell has Jacob got to do with this?!"
"He…." Fuck it. Realizing the futility in it, I let it go.
"That was about the Bella thing?" Jazz broke in, before the asshole started laughing.
"Don't worry, his girlfriend pulled him away, as usual," I muttered.
"Oh, and your point is?" Alice demanded.
I shrugged and offered her an awkward smile.
"See, this is what happens when you stick your big, fat nose into everything, Edward!" she screeched out again, and this time I did fucking cringe, but I couldn't blame her for being pissed. Ever since she'd got sick, she found it hard to feel comfortable around most people. Something Jacob Swan's cousin obviously didn't bring out in her.
"Okay, okay…" I sighed.
"Fix it, and next time butt out of my business!" she snapped, fuming to herself; though, it was pretty fucking poetic considering she spent most of her fucking life in mine.
She looked past me then and her face warmed with an apologetic smile. I followed her gaze.
Bella had caught Alice's attention and was smiling back, but when her eyes met mine the smile instantly fell from her lips. She broke our gaze hastily, her expression darkening again.
Obviously I bothered the hell out of her, but all I could focus on was the fact that she had really fucking kissable lips...
"Jeez, douche bag, as if you needed Jacob to have any more ammunition against you," Jazz said with obvious amusement, while effectively snapping my attention back.
I mumbled something about Jacob jumping off a cliff under my breath, when I realized Alice's attention had suddenly zeroed in on me.
She'd been watching me watching Bella...
"If you were so rude to her yesterday, why did you decide to sit here today knowing full well that…?" The words instantly died on her lips as her eyes shone with immediate realization. You could practically see the cogs turning in her brain, as a huge knowing grin slowly broke across her face.
Fuck me sideways, I muttered under my breath.
I wanted to groan, but I also wanted to crack my head into the table for being a complete fucking idiot. What the hell was I thinking sitting with Alice?
"I-I was going to apologize. I figured here would be like common ground," I mumbled hastily, but it was all too little too late. Alice had worked it out just as the pain in the ass said she would, and I could only fucking blame myself.
"Well, I hope you're still going to apologize to her, Edward," she replied, her tone full of self fucking satisfaction, as her expression fucking beamed.
I huffed with irritation. "Of course I'm going to!" I glared at her, my expression making it very clear I no longer wanted to talk about it, while Jazz stared from Alice to me, and back again; his brow creasing with sudden curiosity.
All I needed now was that asshole to find out…
She changed the subject and turned her focus back to Jazz, but continued to glance at me periodically, smiling so smugly to herself that it was all I could do to not choke the little ferret to death. Instead, I suppressed a loud groan, and raked my hands through my hair; the effects of my frustration no doubt contributing to the state of it.
"There he goes again," Jazz blurted in exasperation, turning to Alice. "Tell me, Alley, did your granny just die or something?"
"No," Alice answered, while that egotistical grin nailed to her face blatantly told me: I told you I'd figure it out.
Just as I was contemplating walking out to beat my dumb ass head repeatedly into the wall of the gym, the bell rang. I was no longer as confident about Biology as I had been that morning. Bella's reaction to me was hostile at best, and any confidence I'd harbored about making peace with her was extinguished in that instant.
I figured she wouldn't exactly be impressed by how I'd acted yesterday, but I wasn't prepared for how pissed off she appeared.
I thought back to Biology again, and immediately recalled how badly I'd treated her. I'd sat annoyed that I'd have to share my table with her, while at the same time, attempting to ignore the fucking elation. I had to keep reminding myself that she was Jacob Swan's cousin and probable accomplice, and this was when I lunged into another round of asshole behavior.
She'd sat next to me timidly, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, revealing to me her flushed, blotchy face. I was immediately fucking stonewalled by her again, and went back to questioning why I was even angry at her. I kept telling myself repeatedly that she was related to that pissant, Swan. Reminding myself again how much I couldn't fucking stand him, but by the time Bio ended, I was ready to concede defeat and was pissed off at myself all over again at being so fucking pathetic.
I had to accept that from Bella's point of view, I'd acted like an asshole. I'd treated her exactly like she'd just treated me; the only difference was I deserved it. Not only that, but I'd chosen the worst possible timing to unleash my over protective ignorance on her. She had every right not to want anything to do with me.
Now the only thing I had to do was figure out why the very idea of that made me feel so fucking anxious!
When I got to Biology half the class was already at their tables, including Bella. She, on impulse, looked over at me when I arrived, but then looked away almost instantly. Without deviating her eyes from the front of the classroom, she deliberately seemed to shrink into her jacket. She didn't look angry so much as she looked uncomfortable; as if I was some sleazy guy in a bar that she feared would spike her drink.
Since she was sitting closest to the aisle, she had to pull her stool in to let me get past—something she did roughly and with impatience, huffing shortly to herself. I only broke into an immediate grin, knowing I was probably coming off as arrogant, but I couldn't help it.
I sat down beside her with my body temperature climbing. Her sudden proximity was compromising me, and this was before I caught the scent of her. She smelled like flowers, and that body spray shit girls put on, but fuck me, if it wasn't the most alluring thing I'd ever smelt.
This energy—or whatever the hell it was—I was feeling was making me suddenly confident, as if I was drunk. I cleared my throat. "Umm … Bella?"
This seemed to surprise her. She turned her head without facing me squarely, her forehead remaining knotted with the remnants of indignation.
"Yes?"
"I-I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to be such a jackass," I stammered, but didn't beat myself over it too much. I figured it would help prove my sincerity. She opened her mouth to reply, but I interjected quickly, "That reminds me"—I reached down into my bag and pulled out a ball point pen—"peace offering?" I held it out to her, smiling warmly and hoping I was putting together some kind of charm—but considering the uncomfortable degree my body temperature was climbing to, I was probably coming off as fucking sweaty.
She continued to gaze at me, her brows pulling together slightly before her eyes flickered to the pen. For a split second it looked as though I had won her over; the irritation in her expression relaxed a fraction, and a ghost of a smile slowly curved on her lips. But before I could convince myself of it, her face clouded over again.
"No thank you. I brought extras today," she replied flatly before turning back to face the front of the class again.
She was stubborn!
I sighed shortly under my breath and rubbed the back of my neck. I was starting to feel ridiculously fucking over heated. I thought the day before was a one off and had something to do with being pissed off at Jacob, but as I sat here again next to her with my entire body burning, I knew it was becoming a trend. Still, I glanced around the class quickly, checking to see if anyone else was complaining about the heat.
No one but me seemed bothered by it.
Taking a measured breath, I stole another glance at her; she was looking uncomfortable again, tugging on her lower lip. Her eyes flitted in my direction catching my gaze, before she tore them away again, her expression convincing me even more that I creeped her fucking out.
I took off my jacket and placed it on the back of my chair. It didn't give me any relief at all, so I pulled my sweater over my head. I was still fucking hot, and dragging my fingers through my hair in frustration, I exhaled heavily.
Bella turned toward me then, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Why are you taking your clothes off?" she asked incredulously, immediately turning beet red before looking hastily away.
I broke into a grin, almost laughing; needing to cough it into my hand. I understood what she was getting at though, because she seemed to be in a permanent state of hypothermia. I glanced at her briefly, confirming that her irritation with me had returned. It didn't help that Thomas Knight, who was sitting in front of us, heard and turned around to face us.
"Way to go, Cullen!" He winked and nodded his head like the fucking pervert he was.
From beside me, Bella huffed and rubbed her forehead with her palm in an agitated way. Her expression had gone back to pale and hostile.
I leaned toward her, lowering my voice as the teacher, Mr. Banner, walked in the room. "I understood what you meant, Bella. It must be a bit of a climate shock for you here, huh?"
She threw me a fleeting glance before turning away and shrugging half-heartedly. "I'm getting used to it." She didn't look at me as she spoke.
I was close to giving up.
The class started and Mr. Banner began a lecture on the appalling outcome of our test results as he handed them back one by one. I was only half listening; I was feeling defeated and that fucking anxious feeling was rising within me again.
"The only exceptions were Edward and Bella's results," he announced, stopping at our table to place our test sheets in front of us.
I'd gotten my usual mark in the high eighties, and Bella had gotten even higher with a mark of ninety-one. She picked up her paper and turned it over quickly, looking irritated and uncomfortable again. Then, biting down on her lower lip, she turned her head even further from my direction.
I was contemplating this reaction from her, when I became suddenly aware that Mr. Banner was eyeing me with suspicious looking concern.
"Are you feeling all right, Mr. Cullen? You look feverish."
Fuck me sideways…
I cringed as every pair of eyes in the room fell on me with sudden curiosity—including Bella's. A ridiculous part of me thought that Mr. Banner, along with Alice, and in all honesty, probably Jazz too, had worked out what Bella Swan was doing to me and was about to announce it to the class.
"I-I'm fine," I replied, stammering and clearing my throat awkwardly.
He didn't look convinced; he only eyed me for a moment longer then glanced at Bella before going back to handing out test papers.
I sighed inwardly, turning back to Bella.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, Bella, really," I said, my tone beseeching.
I was resorting to fucking pleading.
"Okay," Bella replied simply, without turning to look at me again.
"Don't you believe me?" I pulled on the collar of my shirt, becoming aggravated by this fucking heatstroke I was having.
She looked over at me this time, her deep eyes locking with mine, and again I thought I saw her expression soften momentarily. "Yeah, I guess so."
I opened my mouth to respond.
"Shh!" she cut me off, motioning towards the front of the room where the teacher was standing, beginning a new topic on the fucking "Endocrine System".
I begrudgingly gave up and half listened to the teacher's monotonous sounding voice, dejected and pissed off at myself that I was unable to crack her.
I didn't bother her for the rest of the class and she deliberately ignored me. It was awkward as all fuck! Her eyes glanced everywhere but in my direction, while the irritation she was obviously feeling about being next to me remained firmly fixed on her face.
At the end of class, she quickly gathered her books and headed out the door, well in advance of me. I had to practically run to catch up with her.
"Bella, wait up!"
She turned to face me slowly; she didn't look annoyed this time, just resigned. "What do you want, Edward?"
I paused for a moment, reveling in the sound of my name being spoken in that quirky accent of hers. Never mind that it wasn't said in the warmest of tones.
"Look, I feel really terrible about yesterday. Will you please accept my apology?" I continued to plead with her, keeping my tone sincere.
Obviously, I had no fucking self-respect, at all.
She huffed shortly to herself, before blurting impatiently, "Okay—I accept your apology. Are you happy?"
"Not really," I muttered under my breath.
"Look, I have to go. I don't want to be late—I've got bloody gym," she mumbled, her forehead creasing with annoyance.
Whether she was annoyed at me or by the prospect of going to gym, I wasn't sure. I was willing to bet it was both, but still, it didn't prevent the grin that broke across my face before I could stop it.
Hell, I don't know. The way she said "bloody" was funny to me; though, she obviously didn't share my humor over it.
Scowling at me with a look that clearly said, "Go fuck yourself, asshole" she stomped off toward the gym without looking back.
I just stood staring after her, before I scoffed out loud in complete frustration and awe. She had to be the most stubborn person I'd ever met, but I knew from that moment on that I was fucking gone.
...
Alice was waiting for me by the car at the end of the day. When she spotted me, she raised her eyebrows in anticipation. I only shook my head in reply to her silent question, and she immediately frowned, taking a deep annoyed breath.
"What happened?"
"I don't know—she won't accept my apology," I replied, frustrated that Bella had completely defeated me. I might have deserved it but—fuck me!
I unlocked my car and opened the door to get in.
"Why not?" Alice demanded, folding her arms across her chest.
"How the fuck do I know? You could have told me she was so stubborn!" I retorted, my frustration completely giving way to irritation.
Alice quickly cleared her throat and motioned with a covert shift of her eyes that Bella was no doubt approaching. I felt myself tense before I glanced over my shoulder. She was about ten feet away, walking toward us with her ass-shit of a cousin and his girlfriend.
Jacob openly scowled when he spotted me. I glared back at him, before tearing my eyes away and allowing them to rest on Bella. She'd slowed down as she approached Alice and me, but didn't stop, and when her eyes met mine, it was fleeting. She still looked irritated by me, but when she turned to Alice she broke into a warm, genuine smile. My chest swelled; it was the second time I'd seen her smile and just like the day before, it jarred me. I just stared at her, blinking fucking blankly, wishing she'd direct that smile at me.
Alice grinned back broadly. "Hey, Bella. How was your second day?"
"Heaps better. Thanks, Alice. I'll see you tomorrow," she replied. Her voice was warm and it created a surge of frustration to fill me.
As Jacob passed me he snorted mockingly, but offered Alice a half-hearted smile. "See ya, Alice."
Alice looked almost amused. "See-ya, Jake."
Jake?
He turned back to me, flashing a cocky smirk in my direction, as anger immediately flooded my senses, my hands clenching into fists impulsively.
Asshole!
"Edward, stop!" Alice suddenly demanded.
I turned to her, huffing my breath with pissed off frustration. What I wouldn't do to wipe that fucking smile from his face!
"Don't let him get to you," she said with a sigh, half rolling her eyes.
"He doesn't," I mumbled stubbornly, throwing myself into the car.
"You could have told me, by the way," she added, turning to face me squarely, her expression earnest—almost.
"Told you what?" I asked her, starting the engine.
"That you've got a serious thing for Bella."
A/N: I tried to portray Edward as being likeable, but at the same time being a bit of a douchey manwhore. It was hard to find a balance. Let me know if I think I did ok, and spank you for the faves :D