OOOO

After the encounter with Victoria, I'm over it. I'm more determined than ever to get the answer; I can't stand the thought that someone is possibly laughing at me behind my back or thinking that they got the better of me, but it's not fun any more and I just want the whole thing over with. So when Bella tells me that she couldn't eliminate Irina, I decide immediately that I'm just going to confront her. It couldn't go any worse than questioning Victoria.

I walk over to where she is sitting with a group of girls including Jessica and stop just behind her chair. "Irina?" I ask politely and I'm slightly startled by the way she spins around and jumps out of her seat. Two seconds later she is practically pressing against my chest, she's standing that close. It's uncomfortable to look at her from this distance, so I move back slightly. "Irina, can I ask you something?" I'm trying to use a no-nonsense sort of tone here, but I might as well forget it because she responds with a breathy "Of course, Edward. You know you can always ask me anything."

Although I've moved away a couple of centimetres, she's moved immediately into the gap. I move away a bit more and she does it again. With a timelapse camera, it would look like we are drifting across the room. A quick glance at the table shows a number of girls staring at us with their mouths hanging open and clearly doing their best to listen in. I cringe at their probable thoughts about my motivation and take a step or two further away. Irina follows me as if she were glued to my front. I wonder if she takes ballroom dancing or something?

Well, here goes. "Can you remember what you were doing at lunchtime two days ago?" Unsurprisingly, she appears a bit taken aback. "Edward? Why this interest in my lunchtimes?" she parries. "I'm not interested in your lunchtimes, Irina" I say, still trying to sound very matter-of-fact and unemotional. "I'm just interested in that one specific lunchtime. After you left Jessica with the Nurse". Irina blinks a bit which makes her look a little half witted. I actually think she might be trying to "bat her eyes" at me, either that or her very thick mascara is causing her problems. "I'm not sure I can remember…" she begins. Bugger it, I'm going to have to plead a bit. "Come on, Irina, you said I could ask you anything…" I do my level best to look plaintive but I'm not sure I get it right because she just continues to look at me with her eyes half closed. Is she thinking or going to sleep?

"Irina?" I prompt her again and she gives in with a bit of a sigh. "Well, I was upset about Jessica's accident of course and that little idiot, Bella." I can feel myself tense at the mention of my sidekick. What does Irina have against Bella? If this vapid cow is giving Bella shit, I'll have to set her straight. I'm not sure what I could do though. I'd have to ask Alice and Rose to sort it out.

"I was supposed to be attending a meeting about the dance but I was so flustered, I think I got the room wrong and the others weren't there, so then I caught up with Mackenna who had offered me some new nail wraps. Look, here they are" she fluttered the backs of her fingers at me, showing off her shiny red white and blue nails, nearly flicking me in the nostril in the process. I took another step backwoods. This all sounds hopelessly vague to me. It couldn't be her, anyone wearing star spangled banner fingernails surely couldn't possibly be capable of the subtle seduction of my cupboard siren but I've got one last confirmatory test that would be final proof. She's wearing some sort of cardigan with lots of stuff around the edges so I can't completely see her neck but I can see that she's wearing a necklace with a medal of some kind. "Thanks for that Irina, that's all I need to know. By the way, I've never noticed your necklace, is that an allergy notification disc? Are you allergic to something?"

I know I sound like a madman but like I said, I'm getting fed up. Much anger and impatience in him, like Yoda said, and this whole thing has been almost as difficult as mastering the Force. Irina gives a little squeal and grabs for her pendant, pushing her hair back and pulling her pendant forward as I suspected she would. She's also trying her best to give me a view of her tits. I have to take a quick look because otherwise it would be very odd. Okay more than a quick look. They're not bad as tits go. If only their owner would shut up for a second.

However, my main purpose is to get a good look at her neck and as I expected, there's not even a hint of a mark and no evidence of covering makeup either. Irina is raving on about the charm which turns out to be something about a patron saint of something or other. I don't really listen and through the whole tirade, I'm just edging away from her, glancing towards the doors to the lunchroom, wondering if I see any of the guys who could rescue me and considering just making a run for it. I can see Bella and the others making their way out, if I leave now, I can catch up with them. As an added inducement, I can see Tanya walking towards us. If I don't move soon there'll be two of them and then in another few minutes I'll be surrounded. Irina takes a slight breath and I spot my chance. "I didn't know any of that, Irina. Glad you're not allergic. Thanks, I gotta go" and just like that I'm off and away.

No time for revisions here so there may be some continuity problems over the next couple of chapters. If anyone spots any, let me know.