A/N: Edward, Mr can-get-any-girl-he-wants Cullen, realises that Bella isn't like any girl, this chapter.

Chapter 6

Pink Pens part 2

Edward's POV

As I drove Alice to school the next morning, she warned me that Bella would probably be keeping an eye out for me. I'd figured that would happen and was already beyond planting pens in her pockets. I was armed with three boxes in my bag, and I expected to put every single one of them to use.

When I glanced at her, she had a slight smile on her face. I definitely didn't want to get into another girlie talk with her regarding Bella, so I decided to play it cool.

"Yeah, thanks for the heads up," I mumbled, though a grin twitched at my lips threatening to give me away. Not that Alice was in the dark about anything when it came to me these days.

She scoffed under her breath, rolling her eyes for added measure, but didn't reply. Anything she'd say wouldn't deter me from this point anyway. I cracked Bella yesterday; today I was going to completely break her.

The plan involved me being late for a few classes, but it was the only way I could pull it off without her noticing me.

I waited around after the first bell rang for Home Room, under the pretense of getting shit from my locker, until the halls were almost completely empty. Then, making absolutely sure that neither Bella nor Alice were anywhere in the near vicinity, I went over to Bella's locker and pushed a dozen pens through the air vents.

I ended up having to run to first period, fighting the urge to snicker to myself and probably looking like I had a freaking screw loose.

It was a bit of a gamble, but I figured Bella probably wouldn't need to go to her locker until after first period. To make sure, I arrived well before she did, practically shoving everyone out of my way to get there before her.

Once there, I hung by my locker pretending to be preoccupied as I sorted through my books, with my stomach freaking twisting with anticipation. She came by a couple of minutes later, and I blew out my breath in relief. Only I almost lost it then and there and burst out laughing. As she approached she looked edgy and paranoid. She kept glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, even spinning around to confront whoever bumped her in the crowd. She, no doubt, expected to see me lurking near her.

I swear, if she wasn't so funny, a part of me might have felt bad for torturing her.

Sighing with what looked like frustration, she reached her locker and noticed me by mine. I immediately broke into a wide, deliberately cocky grin and waved. She just stared at me for a moment, her mouth slightly agape, before she smiled awkwardly back. When she turned back to her locker again, she looked irritated; as if changing her mind on what reaction to have to me, before she unlocked and opened the door.

My pens immediately spilled out everywhere, scattering and rolling around her feet.

Clamping my hand over my mouth, I snorted my laughter through my nose, while it took every ounce of my self-control not to succumb completely to it.

She stood frozen for a moment before she brought her palm slowly up to her forehead and rubbed it with obvious exasperation. In the next instant, she whipped her head in my direction and glared at me. She still didn't trust me, that was evident enough, but I suspected she wasn't as angry as she wanted me to believe.

I walked past her with a completely mocking look of innocence on my face, having to seriously fight off the grin as I did. I didn't look in her direction, because her expression would have been the freaking end of me. Instead, I heard her draw in her breath and huff loudly, before she slammed her locker with a loud bang.

When I rounded the corridor, I let it go and laughed to myself all the way to my next class.

The next time Bella went to her locker was after third period. I hid from her view this time and watched as she opened the door with apprehension. When she was satisfied no pens were going to fall out, she hastily grabbed her books before heading to her class, continuing to scan the hallway suspiciously.

I was biding my time before I used the next box of pens; I needed her to let her guard down again.

...

"If you don't get over this bullshit with Bella and screw up in the game today, I'm going to tell her you have a serious hard-on for her!" Jazz threatened during English, his eyes narrowed as they surveyed me. He was only half-joking—as far as I could tell.

I remained indifferent, though I couldn't deny that the very possibility of it made me want to break into a sweat.

"Just worry about your own game today, dickhead!" I replied shortly, sounding too defensive.

"I'm not the space cadet these days remember, douche-bag. You are."

"No, but you're a nagging bitch," I retorted, snorting beneath my breath when his brows shot up, offended.

Mr. Cox cleared his throat loudly, cutting off Jazz's next remark.

"Motherfucker," he muttered so only I heard him.

"Ouch."

As the bell for lunch signaled and everyone piled into the hall, heading to the cafeteria, I went in the opposite direction.

"Where the hell are you going now, asshole?" Jazz asked, his forehead creasing with impatience.

"I've got to do something; I'll be two minutes," I replied over my shoulder as I made my way towards the lockers again.

I was hoping, since we had Bio after lunch, Bella would need to get her books—thinking the locker incident this morning was a one off.

Opening two boxes of pens, I pushed all twenty-four of them through the vents, grinning to myself slyly before I hauled ass back to the cafeteria. I didn't want to blow it by arousing Bella's suspicions if she saw me arrive late, after all.

Jazz had just entered the cafeteria when I caught up with him, while Alice and Bella were just ahead. As I watched her, I realized she wasn't as on edge as she had that morning, but there was still something about her that made me worried that I'd never be able to crack her. That she was a lot different than the other girls—and not just the fact that she was from another country.

Jazz suddenly nudged me. "Aww Bella, she's so hawt!" he mocked me, snickering to himself.

This was five seconds before Emmett walked past me, shoving me as he went and commenting loudly, "Edwina, are you BLUDGING?"

I bowed my head, groaning only fractionally beneath my breath as asshole Jazz turned up his laughter.

If Bella heard, she made no indication of it.

I steered Jazz onto the subject of our game during lunch, and it worked enough to stop the pissant from saying the word 'bloody' every time he opened his mouth. It worked both ways in that it kept Bella from my thoughts for the most part. I needed the practice, and with the next batch of pens waiting in her locker, it was threatening to be detrimental to my game.

I glanced over at her once, subconsciously. She was sitting at the table with Alice and Rose, not talking but chewing on her lower lip, looking lost in her thoughts.

I felt myself smile almost involuntarily, while Jazz groaned loudly. "Back to the game, Cinderella."

"You worry about your own game, asshole," I retorted with an impatient sigh, looking down at my folded arms with irritation. I didn't give a shit how much Jazz thought he owed me. I was no longer seeing the humor in it.

...

"I'll meet you after Bio," I mumbled to him after the bell rang for sixth period. Distracted, my eyes trailed after Bella and Alice as they left the cafeteria.

We had to skip last period to make the game at 3:15.

"Remember what I said," Jazz warned me, following my gaze and over exaggerating his fucking sigh.

I needed a new strategy with this asshole, so I called his bluff. Turning to him, I half shrugged. "You can tell Bella whatever you like. I'll just tell Alice about you and that girl from Arlington High last year."

He immediately paused, an anxious look creeping into his eyes as he stared at me, gauging the seriousness of my threat.

The night before Jazz finally grew a spine and asked out Alice, he got together with some random girl from the baseball team we'd played. She threw herself all over him, and he just went with it, all without ever knowing her name. Now, the moron lived in fear everyday of Alice finding out. It wasn't as if he'd technically done anything wrong—not that I was going to tell the prick that anyway.

"Stop being such a pussy, Jazmina. Worry about your own game." I headed out of the cafeteria without another word.

Bella was chatting with Alice beside her locker by the time I caught up with them. I pulled my locker open and fumbled for my biology textbook, my eyes not swaying an inch from her. She was dialing in her combination, still casually chatting with Alice, and when she pulled the door open, without any of the apprehension she'd had previously, all twenty-four of my pens dropped out and scattered around her again. Twice as many as this morning.

"Oh my bloody God!" she exclaimed impulsively.

I turned to close the door of my locker, barely able to contain my laughter, snorting and choking it out with my back to her.

"Your brother is driving me nuts!" she blurted to Alice before I turned back around to her again.

She closed her locker, her shoulders rising then falling as she took a deep breath, before slowly turning in my direction.

She held my gaze for a moment, her eyes narrowing with suspicion, and irritation, but her expression was reflecting something else; something I doubt she wanted me to see, because I seriously suspected Little Miss Stubborn was coming around to me—and she knew I knew it.

So fuck it, while I had taken back the advantage—even if it was just for a moment—I was going to push her.

I winked at her, and of course to completely contradict me, her expression turned cynical again, having absolutely no effect on her at all, then rolling her eyes, she turned her back on me.

That's how long my advantage lasted.

When Bella entered the class, her general demeanor cemented the fact that she was more annoyed by my attempts to charm her than anything else. She had a faint smile on her face, but it had gone back to looking forced. I had a feeling it was some kind of fucking obligatory response, and I was close to giving up.

Then, as she sat down in her seat, she turned to face me and flashed me a wry smile. She wasn't charmed, she wasn't flattered; it was a 100% I-can-see-right-through-you-asshole reaction, but there was something almost teasing about it at the same time.

As if she was challenging me...

But then masochism and me were one and the same these days; what the hell did I know...

She plonked her bag on her lap and unzipped it to grab her textbook. I noticed it sitting among a sea of my pink pens, and on impulse I laughed softly, needing to smother it behind my palm.

Her eyes flickered in my direction before she shook her head with the barest of movement. Her smile reappeared only fractionally on her lips before it faded, and she turned her attention to the front of the classroom just as Mr. Banner entered.

This girl was totally owning my ass.

The class began and Bella went back to her natural stance of neither ignoring nor acknowledging me. I just sat completely fucking deflated, and about to admit defeat, when suddenly, her head snapped up and her gaze locked onto the pen I was using for several seconds before her eyes slowly rose to meet mine.

I was using one of her pink pens. I didn't even realize...

I only gazed back at her questioningly, because let's face it, I had no idea how to engage her, and I was tired of her completely squashing me.

She continued to stare at me, her forehead creasing in a bewildered kind of awe. "Are you trying to drive me crazy, Edward?"

Releasing my breath, I broke into a grin. I couldn't help it; it was the way she'd pronounced my name. Edwud.

"I'm just trying to get you to forgive me," I replied honestly, with half a shrug.

"I already said that I forgive you," she stressed, her eyes analyzing me more, as if I was confusing her.

"Then you'll hang out with me this weekend to prove it?" I asked, raising my brow with questioning emphasis.

She sighed a little too loudly, and Mr. Banner's scrutinizing gaze fell on us.

"I don't have to prove anything," she whispered in irritation, and if this was any other girl I'd take it as flirting, but not her…

"Okay, then, have it your way," I said with a sigh, conceding defeat, before turning my attention back to the open textbook in front of me.

Forcing her breath through her nose, she turned away from me in an angry motion. I was about to ask her what the fuck I'd done this time, but as her long hair whipped out, I was engulfed by the fucked up scent of it. It immediately flooded my senses, making the blood in my veins run even hotter; threatening to give me a freaking boner.

I had to admit it, I was completely out of my depth. I only sat beside her wondering if I should continue to attempt conversation with her, realizing that what I was doing was not working. But I had no idea what else I was supposed to do. I tried telling myself that I shouldn't give a shit, and it was better in the long run that I didn't pursue her—especially since her asshole cousin was taking a massive exception to it, but I knew it was bullshit. I wanted to work her out—if only because she was a girl unlike any I'd ever known.

Plus, she really was cute, and what made her more appealing was that she didn't have any idea just how much.

As it was, Bella decided to ignore me again for the rest of the lesson, seemingly completely oblivious—or indifferent—that it was actually her that was driving me nuts.

At the end of the lesson, I turned to her; she was shoving her book back into her shoulder bag, still looking flustered.

"I'll see you Monday, Bella," I said, my tone reflecting just how uncertain I was feeling.

She stared at me for a moment, her forehead furrowing in confusion. "Are you going home now?"

"I've got a baseball game in an hour. You should come and watch; it'll get you out of gym," I offered, before biting down on my lip, frowning to myself lightly. Bella being at the game was probably not a good idea.

Fuck!

I swallowed, then quickly cleared my throat and hoped she didn't notice how much that one sentence had my stomach in knots.

"Uh . . . maybe," she replied awkwardly, but offered me up a smile, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

I nodded, putting my jacket back on with clammy hands despite the fact that I was still overheated. I couldn't make up my mind whether I was disappointed or not. Bella watching me play baseball was something I'd need more than an hour's preparation for. If she came at that point, I would more than likely completely screw up, and Jazz would be pissed enough to act on his threat.

"Well, if I don't see you there, have a good weekend," I replied, my voice too soft, before throwing her a conceding smile.

She nodded, looking suddenly distracted. "You too, Edward," she mumbled, before her eyes rose to meet mine, just as a wry, almost warm smile lit up on her face, "and thanks for the pens."

And with that said, she walked out of the classroom, leaving me staring after her in complete bewilderment.

She'd honest to God made me a lost cause, and it suddenly occurred to me that it was the most she'd ever spoken to me.

All at once I got it.

She responded to me only when I wasn't acting like a cocky prick...

. . .

I noticed Alice and Rose immediately. They were close to the barrier fence behind the dugout—noticeably without Bella.

It was probably a good thing; this girl drove me completely crazy, I'd be too overwrought. I tried to convince myself it was for the best, but my heart still sunk like a fucking rock to the pit of my stomach.

"Hey, douche bag, heads up!" Jazz called to me from his position on first base.

I caught the ball a second before it struck me in the head.

We were warming up, the game about to begin, and I knew that I had to shake Bella from my thoughts, but I was failing miserably.

"Come on, Edward. Snap out of it!" Jazz called in frustration.

I threw the ball back with as much strength as I could manage. Jazz caught it, but I knew I hurt his hand.

"Arlington High chick, Jazzy pants!" I mocked him, slyly, using the term of fucking endearment my sister used.

Chuckling and shaking his head, he turned back to home plate.

The game with Rochester High was almost three hours long. We took the lead in the fourth inning and won the game by a single run. Jazz hit a home run, and I almost killed myself stopping a ball from going over the boundary, but I'd successfully kept Bella out of my mind for the majority of the game.

Afterwards, Alice came onto the field and threw herself into Jazz's arms. I walked past them cringing, eager not to have to witness more of them than I already had over the last couple of weeks.

"Hey, good match, dude!" Jazz said to me as I passed.

I turned back to him; he was smirking at me knowingly, and grinning to myself, I replied. "I told you not to worry, didn't I?"

"I would've made good on my promise," he added, his smirk turning sly.

"So would I," I replied without a pause, inclining my head fractionally towards Alice, and snorting as his eyes widened in sudden fear.

I left him to explain to Alice the meaning behind it and went to have a shower in the locker rooms.

After the game, Alice dragged me along with her and Jazz and a couple of other guys from the team for Pizza as a kind of celebration. I really wasn't in the mood for the two of them, but she'd indicated that she wanted to talk to me—about Bella I could only assume. Not that I'd enjoy that any better. Alice seemed to think that just because I had some kind of thing for one of her friends, that I was now a part of her girly clique to gossip with while getting our freaking nails painted.

And it was fucked up that I had to rely on Alice with Bella.

As we sat in a booth reading the menus, Alice leaned over to me and quietly said, "You know, I think Bella was going to come and watch today, but in the end she didn't because of Jacob."

I felt myself stiffen, but I wasn't sure I really believed her. Alice had been insistent the pen thing with Bella was working, but from my point of view, it was becoming an abysmal failure. Besides, all the shit with the pens would probably get me nowhere since she went home every afternoon with that fucking prick, Jacob.

I let go of my breath, but didn't reply, and Alice continued, "She keeps asking me what happened with you two."

"Tell her," I said with a shrug, not really caring anymore; at least, that's what I was telling myself…

Alice paused, gauging me skeptically. "What's going on with you, Edward? You're over her already?" Her eyes suddenly narrowed.

I laughed sarcastically. "Over her—she thinks I'm a piece of shit."

Rolling her eyes, Alice huffed out her breath, sounding impatient. "She does not."

Shrugging again, suddenly feeling restless and on edge, I reached up to rub the back of my neck, if only to avoid the little rat's accusing gaze. "I don't want to talk about this, Alice."

I'd known Bella a week—that was it. I'd put myself through less shit over a girl for a lot more, but it wasn't like I could admit it to Alice, so I let it go.

There was silence again, and when I glanced back over at the little rat her eyes were widening, looking fucking flabbergasted. "Holy shit, she's done a real number on you, hasn't she?"

. . .

Saturday morning, I was driving back to Port Angeles. I enjoyed the drive; the monotony of it helped me think. In addition, the stationary shop had ridiculous amounts of pen things as well as endless reserves of boxed, pink pens; which was the reason I was going back again.

My freaking sister was right—not that I'd ever tell her that—Bella had done a number one me, and it only made me more determined. I knew how to engage her now, but I was still completely thrown by her that I needed the pens as a platform.

An hour later, the stationary bag in one hand, a coffee in the other, I was heading back to my car.

As I threw the bag on the front passenger seat and got behind the wheel to drive home, I noticed the receipt from the stationary store had fallen out of the bag. I wouldn't have bothered with it, except there was something written on it. I reached over to grab it, examining it more closely. There was a phone number written on it and the name Lyndsey followed by the words call me inside a love heart. Feeling my face flame, I desperately tried to recall the sales person—who obviously suspected that all my visits to the store were because of her—or him!

Jesus.

I was at a loss. I had no memory of Lyndsey—male or female—mainly because every time I was in the store, my entire thoughts were of how to crack Miss Stubborn.

Laughing lightly to myself, I started the car.

I didn't see Alice again until Sunday morning at breakfast. I asked her if she remembered the sales assistant from the stationary store in Port Angeles. She shook her head blankly, and when I told her about the receipt, she burst into laughter.

"You might have to come with me and get the pens for me next time. I don't want to give this poor girl the wrong impression," I said, rubbing my chin wryly.

"What's with the pens anyway?" Alice asked, her brow creasing as she surveyed me. "Just talk to her."

"I can't talk to her," I replied, mocking her, "because she looks at me like she thinks I'm going to slip a roofie in her drink."

The little rat seemed to find this amusing. "Would you believe me if I told you the fact that she even speaks to you is momentous compared to how she is with the other guys at school. You should have seen the way she looked at Newton Friday—I don't think she's comfortable with guys in general."

I only gazed her for a moment, contemplating it, before asking, "What's that all about, anyway?"

Alice shook her head, a troubled look etching across her forehead. "I don't know. . . I don't ask her about Australia or anything, because she immediately changes."

"What do you mean 'changes'?" I prompted her.

"She gets this ... traumatized look in her eyes," Alice answered, her voice dropping, her eyes holding mine seriously.

"But she seems pretty comfortable around her asshole cousin," I pointed out, my thoughts drifting back to her on Friday. I'd tried flirting with her, and she'd shut me down instantly, but I couldn't say she was still uncomfortable around me...

"He's about the only one," Alice said, breaking me from my thoughts, and when I glanced back up at her, her grin grew sly, "along with you—considering how much she talks about you..."

My initial reaction was surprise, before I found myself smiling—completely involuntarily.

Alice only rolled her eyes at me before they rose to glance over my shoulder just as I received an almighty whack to the back of my head that had me seeing stars.

"JESUS, EMMETT! ARE YOU TRYING TO FUCKING KILL ME!?" I roared in exasperation.

He sat down at the table and grinned at me with satisfaction before saying, "I heard you had a good game last night, Edith."

"Yeah, didn't see you there," I muttered, running my hand to the back of my head where the asshole had just punched me.

"I was there, but I had to leave around the fourth inning." He shrugged simply. "I saw Little Miss Down Under there, though. I think she might have a bludging crush on you—Jesus, what!?" he suddenly exclaimed, no doubt by the complete, fucked up look of, suddenly horny, shock that I could feel transforming my expression.

"Bella was there?" It was Alice who replied while I pulled myself together. I was suddenly roasting, and rock-fucking-hard.

Emmett nodded. "She was with the girl with the weird-ass name. Jacob's chick."

Alice threw me a small encouraging grin while the heat plateaued to my freaking ears. All the while, Emmett was noticing the exchange between Alice and me, a canny grin spreading slowly across his face.

"Edwina…" he drawled with a triumphant fucking grin on his face. "So you do have a bludge for Miss Dundee..." He winked.

I sighed to myself under my breath. With Emmett knowing, my life would officially suck for the next twelve months.

. . .

The next morning and for the first time in an age, I drove to school without Alice. Jazz had come to pick her up that morning, blocking me in the driveway while I was stuck behind them as they said their hellos. It lasted ten fucking minutes.

Becoming impatient, I honked my horn, watching through their rear view mirror as they pulled apart. Jazz waved to me briefly before pulling away.

I overtook them a minute later. I couldn't get to school fast enough, which probably wasn't such a good thing considering how on edge I was getting. The heat was already prickling to the surface of my skin, making me uncomfortable enough to want to rip my pants off.

I avoided Bella for most of the morning. I felt like a fucking firecracker, and I was sure I looked as fucked up as I felt. I saw her by her locker before first period as I was gathering my books for my first few classes. She was gazing at the door of her locker, looking as though she was contemplating whether to open it or not. I only smiled lightly to myself, before closing mine and walking to class before she had a chance to notice me.

I didn't put any pens in her locker that day; in fact, I completely left her alone. It was obviously lost on her asshole cousin, because when I was heading to fifth period, the prick fucking ambushed me, shoving me sideways with so much force I was sent colliding with the wall.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, Cullen!" he snapped at me before disappearing into the crowds.

I was immediately fucking rigid with anger as I glared after him. It was coming to a head with Jacob; I was going to have to have it out with him. Every time he passed me lately, he went out of his way to shove me, and every time he shoved me, he did it with more force. This time he took it too far.

There wasn't going to be a next time.

"I don't envy you over that fight," Jazz said lightly, coming up behind me.

"He's really getting on my fucking nerves now," I said lowly, fuming.

"Dude, he's taller than Emmett these days, and we've seen what he does to you," Jazz replied, cocking a brow at me.

I jerked my shoulders in aggravation. "I'm not worried about Jacob."

I wasn't.

I sat in English, one part listening to Jazz and Mr. Cox, another part fuming over fucking Jacob Swan, and the last part trying to avoid whorehouse Stanley. But at the end of the lesson, as she was walking past my desk, she paused and dropped a folded piece of paper in front of me, winking like a prostitute before continuing out of the class. I picked it up with a sigh while Jazz hung over my shoulder, leering at what was written. I didn't give a shit, to be totally honest, and was almost tempted to throw it straight in the trash.

But I didn't.

Unfolding it, I glanced at it, reading it quickly:

Edward,

If you'd like some company at Rob's party, I'm definitely going and would love to hook up.

Jessica X

Snorting, I screwed it up in my palm and tossed it in the trash on the way out of the classroom.

"You're seriously gonna throw away a sure thing?" Jazz asked, almost incredulously.

"Unlike you and Miss Arlington High, Jazz? How's that working for you?" I rolled my eyes at him. Just because slut-bag Stanley fucked anything with two legs didn't mean I wanted to be one of them.

"Well, technically, Alice and I weren't together then, so I'm totally in the clear," he replied with a cocky grin.

"Well technically," I imitated him sarcastically, "you've got nothing to worry about then. Just do me a favor, and make sure you tell her when I'm around, would you?" And at the thought of Alice's reaction, I broke into a smirk—not to mention the way Jazz was turning five shades paler.

Grumbling some shit under his breath, he shoved me as we entered the cafeteria.

I caught Bella's gaze just as I was sitting down, and before I had a chance to react, she broke into a smile. It was kind of in greeting—something that was more courteous than anything—but it still threw me. In fact, I was so surprised by it, by the fact that she was openly acknowledging me, that for a moment I wasn't sure if she was actually smiling at me. I almost looked behind me—I didn't know how much of a loser that would have made me.

It took a moment for me to find my balls and smile back at her, but on instinct I was a complete asshole about it. I had to keep reminding myself that it didn't work on her … only this time it seemed to.

She blushed—and fuck me, my hands started shaking.

"Jeez, douche bag, whatever you did seems to have worked," Jazz spoke up, looking almost impressed.

I shrugged, trying to pull off a pretense of indifference, but the asshole wasn't even close to being convinced, and halfway through lunch, he started groaning loudly. "Jesus, Edward, could you be any more gay? You look like you're about to break out into a fucking serenade!"

...

By the time I arrived in Biology, Bella was already seated at our table. This surprised me. As I approached her, she looked up at me and smiled in a shy kind of way before pulling in her stool to allow me to pass. As I did, my hand disturbed her hair, immediately releasing the scent of it making me feel almost drunk for a moment.

But fuck me … it was so soft.

Hastily sitting down, I cleared my throat, trying to force down my rapidly building body temperature, before I turned to her. "Hey, Bella."

"Hi," she replied, her tone soft before she drew up her shoulders and turned away from me.

Jesus, this girl...

I only gazed at her for several seconds, completely stumped by her, before shaking my head to myself, I reached inside my bag for my text book, grabbing a box of pens as I did.

Without a word, or without looking at her, I placed them in front of her.

I heard her immediately sigh shortly to herself; only it almost sounded like it was in amusement, and when I turned to face her a wry kind of smile was pulling on her lips.

"Why…?" she asked, in good humor, before her eyes met with mine and her smile inched wider.

"You don't know?" I asked her, raising my brow teasingly.

She rolled her eyes slightly, the smile not fading, though a cynical edge was creeping into it. "If I say no, I mean."

"Are you going to say no?"

"You haven't answered my question first." She sounded fractionally exasperated, but in a light hearted way.

"Well, there are a few months yet before summer vacation, so..." I said with a grin that I fought to keep from turning cocky, because that was the last thing I felt around her.

She scoffed at first, before surveying me closely, a dubious look flickering in her eyes. Obviously trying to gauge whether I was serious or not. "I don't believe you."

My brows shot up. "You don't?"

"Not really," she said simply, half shrugging—and the stubborn little vixen didn't.

Refusing to give in, no matter how much doubt she put in my mind, I took off my jacket, and pulled my sweater over my head, revealing the t-shirt I'd bought in Port Angeles on Saturday. In big, bold letters on the front, it said 'I Have a Big Pen'.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" I finally replied with deliberate over confidence.

Her eyes fell to my t-shirt. She only stared at it dumbfounded for a moment before she looked back up at me; her expression was incredulous, but not as much as it was skeptical.

"You are completely mad!" she stated matter-of-factly, her brow quirking the longer she gazed at me.

"What? It's true, I do. You want to see?" I teased her, keeping up the charade.

Her eyebrows bunched doubtfully; though, her expression almost grew surprised. I wanted to laugh; she was freaking adorable, but every time I thought I'd gained ground with her, she snatched it straight back.

With my hands beginning to freaking shake again, I bent down and grabbed the stupid big novelty pen that came with the t-shirt out of my bag.

"See?" I said, holding it up.

She stared at it, her expression growing more cynical the longer she did, before her eyes drifted back to mine.

"You're a dag," she murmured, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

I was baffled, and it was as if she instantly understood why, because a frown immediately knotted her forehead before she looked down.

"I ... I'm sorry?" I asked.

She only shrugged, without looking back at me, not answering.

Fuck, she really was wired tight; the little rat wasn't kidding.

"Is that Aussie speak?" I teased her, against my better instincts, because for a moment her expression turned almost hostile.

"Don't mock me, Edward!"

And in response I broke into a grin. It was beyond my control, and I knew it was going to piss her off, but I still couldn't help it. It was the way she pronounced my name, and the way, even when she was pissed, her sentences rose at the end.

Of course by this point she was scowling at me, the hostility well and truly back.

"I'm not mocking you, Bella. I promise you. Look, can we start over—let's just pretend that first day in Bio never happened. Yeah?"

Slowly, her expression relaxed, though she continued to survey me with suspicion.

She opened her mouth to reply when I interjected by holding my hand out. "Hi, I'm Edward. I'm Alice's brother."

She looked at it for a moment, glancing back up and meeting my gaze apprehensively, and in that one instant, all my confidence was shot.

She didn't want to fucking touch me!?

I was about to pull my hand back, my ears feeling like they were being freaking barbecued, when she placed her hand in mine. "Hi, I'm Bella, and I already know you're Alice's brother, because she introduced us in the hall before lunch."

And I couldn't tell this time if it was her who was mocking me, or whether she was teasing me, or just freaking playing along.

I had to face it; this girl was owning my ass.

I squeezed her hand lightly before releasing it quickly, my hands immediately going clammy, and with that Bella turned away and focused her attention on the front of the classroom.

She had the smallest hint of a smile on her face, but in no way was she fooled; it almost seemed as if she was thinking what a fucking dickhead I was. She was completely controlling me, whether she was aware of it or not, and I was starting to become annoyed. Annoyed at her; annoyed at how pathetic I was; and annoyed that I had no more layers of clothes to remove.

"Mr. Cullen?"

I snapped my head up, my heart jarring. Mr. Banner was suddenly before us, test sheets in hand as he scrutinized me.

"Interesting t-shirt," he commented dryly, peering at me over his glasses.

I grinned sheepishly, feeling my face flood with heat. I seriously suspected he was on to me.

Bella's eyes darted in my direction, a fleeting smirk crossing her face, before she picked up the box of pens I'd just given her, opened it, and took one out.

Let's face it, I needed to concede defeat.

. . .

At the end of class, instead of leaving the room well in advance of me, which was her usual habit, she hung behind and walked out with me. And because I wasn't even close to the point of understanding her, I just went with it, letting her lead me to the gym; even though my Spanish class was in the opposite end of the school.

"E-Edward?" she suddenly stammered, breaking the silence between us.

I turned to face her, her expression was uncertain before she reached up and tugged on her lower lip, her eyes breaking from mine.

"Yeah?" I asked her, curiously.

"What's the story with you and Jacob?" she asked, her eyes locking back to mine, her expression suddenly serious.

Sighing deeply, I almost subconsciously reached up, running my hand through my hair. "It's ... it's stupid, Bella. Don't worry about it."

Her eyebrows knotted in contemplation for a moment, before she asked, "Did you really beat him up?"

"It ... it was a few years ago," I admitted, shoving my hands in my pants pockets and taking another heavy breath.

"What happened? Jake said you blamed him for something he didn't do." She seemed genuinely troubled by it, enough that it put me on edge.

I opened my mouth to respond but shut it again. Telling her her cousin was a lying sack of shit probably wasn't the best course of action at this point. "I-I don't even remember anymore. It was a while ago," I mumbled, knowing it was bullshit and she wouldn't buy it, before shrugging apologetically, as some kind of half assed consolation.

Nodding a little to herself, she sighed. "I'm sorry—about the other day..." Her voice trailed off, her brow bunching.

I could only assume she was referring to her first day of school, when her asshole of a cousin threatened Alice; though, I wasn't sure why she was apologizing for it.

"It wasn't your fault, Bella. I let ... I let Jake get the better of me sometimes..." I admitted.

She nodded again, looking suddenly lost in thought, before snapping herself out of it, she broke into an easy going smile. "Anyway, see you tomorrow, Edward. I'm late for gym." She screwed her face up momentarily, before adding, with an almost sly grin, "Oh, and I like your t-shirt."

I could only smile back, scoffing it softly to myself, and knowing that while I was winning the war with her, it was me that had been conquered.

As corny as that fucking was…

But in less than twenty-four hours, though, Bella would hate me again.

...

I knew Jacob was going to step in at some point where Bella was concerned, and I should have been more prepared; I shouldn't have allowed him to provoke me. Because when he did, I effectively did what I'd confessed to Bella the day before: I let him get the better of me.

And I totally fucked everything up.

I was coming across the field headed to sixth period. We'd had a lunchtime baseball meeting, and I had about five minutes before class started. I was late and in a hurry, and I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't notice Jacob approach me.

If I had, I would have taken measures to avoid him.

But obviously, seeing his opportunity, the asshole walked straight over to me and openly shoved me. I stumbled backwards, almost losing my footing, and when I looked up, knowing full well who it was, Jacob was standing in front of me, holding his ground, fucking sneering at me.

"If you think you have any hope with Bella, you're kidding yourself! You'll have to get through me first!"

I was immediately fucking pissed, my muscles turning tense as I instinctively clenched my hands into fists.

Righting myself and, without another thought, I lunged at him, grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, and pushed him backwards.

"If you want to do this, asshole, we'll do this!" I challenged him.

He stumbled back several steps, and when he recovered himself, his face was red and rigid with anger. He came at me, and as just as I was preparing myself Emmett grabbed him from behind.

"Okay, guys! That's enough!" Emmett said gruffly, taking all his strength to restrain Jacob, who was trying everything to free himself from his grip.

"Yeah, that's right, hiding behind your family again, Cullen! The lot of you are the same! Bella is too good for you—and there's no way I'm gonna let you near her!" Jacob spat back, becoming more pissed off the longer Emmett held him down.

Emmett let him go, and Jacob angrily shrugged him off, straightening himself and rising to his full height.

"Good thing Bella doesn't share your opinions, dumbfuck!" I retorted, "But who the fuck do you think you're kidding? I could get into your cousin's pants in my sleep, and there's nothing you can do about it." I knew immediately it was a stupid, asshole thing to say, but I was too fucking pissed to think better of it.

Jacob's reaction surprised me at first, before it slowly filled me with dread. He glanced past me over my shoulder, his eyes flickering with an emotion that I didn't catch, and when he met my gaze again, his expression was fucking triumphant as he folded his arms across his chest with self-satisfaction. "Wanna make a bet?"

My heart immediately stalled, before it began thumping with panic in my chest. Turning around slowly, reluctantly, my eyes immediately locked with Bella's, and my heart fucking sank.

She'd heard everything.

She only stood rooted to the spot for a moment, an injured look ingrained in her face, but as she caught my gaze her expression hardened with absolute fucking disdain.

"Bella, I..." I blurted, shaking my head, my tone pleading and apologetic, but ignoring me, she spun around and disappeared in front of the gathering crowd.

My eyes then met with Alice's. She just shook her head at me slowly in anger and frustration, but with a trace of pity, before she turned and went after Bella.

Feeling like I'd taken a blow from Jacob and had the wind knocked from my lungs, I whipped back around to face him; he was continuing to sneer at me fucking triumphantly. "What's the matter, Cullen? Not so sure any more?"

I opened my mouth to reply, to retaliate, and with my hands balled tightly into fists, I took a step in Jake's direction when Emmett suddenly grabbed me this time.

"Let it go, bro."

"I'm okay!" I insisted angrily.

He reluctantly released me, and without another word, or glance in Jacob's direction, I headed to class.

I was angry at myself—fucking pissed—and raking my fingers stiffly through my hair, I expelled the air from my lungs deeply with regret; knowing that no amount of pens was going to save me this time.

When I got to Biology, I paused at the door before continuing inside; Jason Michaels was sitting in Bella's seat.

He looked over at me as I approached and smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Cullen. Bella wanted to sit with Mike, I guess."

Sighing heavily beneath my breath, I glanced at Bella. She was sitting next to Mike Newton three rows back from me, quite obviously fuming to herself. Her face was flushed, but at the same time, she looked hurt and embarrassed, as she completely ignored idiot Newton as he tried to engage her in conversation.

I looked back over to Jason knowing it wasn't his fault, yet the thought of him sitting in Bella's chair immediately pissed me off.

"No problem," I muttered, pulling my stool out angrily and sitting down.

"No wonder he kicked me out, though. Mike's got it bad for Bella." He snorted, as though I'd find that piece of information interesting.

I had the sudden urge to walk over to Newton and rip his cocky, little head off. Instead, I just flashed Jason an angry, sarcastic smile and otherwise ignored him.

I had no chance to catch up with Bella after Biology. I was kept back by Mr. Banner to discuss my uncharacteristically abysmal test score.

Bella left the classroom swiftly with that weasel, Newton, following closely behind. He was making a complete ass of himself as he practically fell over his feet to keep up with her.

She didn't glance over to me as she passed; in fact she turned her head further away as she did. I was almost glad for it; I felt like a fucking prick and I couldn't bear to see it reflected back at me through her eyes. Though, she did allow me to see one thing. That wall of hers was completely back around her, with no hope of me cracking it again.

But I had to speak to her; I had to tell her I didn't mean a word of it. I couldn't stand the thought that she believed it, but she did; I knew by the look in her eyes. I'd meant to sound convincing—how else did I expect her to take it?

. . .

When I walked to the car that afternoon, Alice was waiting for me, her expression somber. I was expecting her to get angry and yell at me, but she just sighed in a resigned way. "You've screwed it up badly, Edward—just when she was starting to trust you."

I nodded, taking a heavy, resigned breath, before rubbing my forehead with my fingertips, wanting to rip my skin off. "I know…"

"Why would you say such a shitty thing?" Alice pressed me, her tone reflecting her bewilderment at my abject fucking stupidity.

I only shook my head, because I really had no idea, before unlocking the car and sliding dejectedly into the driver's seat.

Alice got in beside me.

"Not riding with Jazz today?" I asked her, starting the engine.

"Nope, my stupid big brother needs me more."

You idiot, Edward!