VI. Bamboozled by a Meddlesome Mind-Reader

"Morning, Ange," I mumbled behind the lid of my styrofoam coffee cup.

Once she settled into the seat beside me, Angela looked to me with concern. "Are you okay, Isabella?"

"Wow, I must look terrible." I rubbed at my eyes, trying to sooth away the sleep. "It's been kind of a long morning. I ended up staying over at Jessica's last night."

"And yet, you guys had time to go buy coffee," Angela smiled, digging through the bag in her lap.

"We weren't running late! Jessica had a meltdown because she realized she didn't finish her study guide for her physics test today," I explained, eyeing the neat, hand-written essay she'd pulled from her folder. "I had to remind her Lauren probably finished her's, and she has until lunch anyway."

"Yes, well unless Jess gets a hundred on that test, she won't be happy," Angela giggled.

I took a long sip of coffee, the bittersweet drink warming me from the inside. "And then I ran into Tyler a few a minutes ago. That conversation couldn't be over soon enough."

Angela grimaced sympathetically. "Did he ask you out on another date?"

"Yes, but I set him straight," I shrugged, slouching back into my chair. "I don't think he'll be a problem anymore, and maybe Lauren will hate me less."

"Oh, she doesn't hate you!" she was quick to defend. "She's just...frustrated."

"It's whatever," I waved off her concern, turning to face forward as Mr. Mason called the class to order. I busied myself with pulling out the essay on Wuthering Heights I'd finished Friday night, pretending my messy, slanted handwriting didn't bother me. Mr. Mason hadn't made typing it up mandatory, but I hadn't realized I'd find the sight of a hand-written essay so bothersome.

Slowly, the espresso in my coffee brought me to life, and I was able to pay enough attention to realize Mr. Mason was discussing next week's field trip to the natural history museum in Seattle. I wonder if that's near a commercial area. Could I sneak out long enough to buy that damn book? It was a bit reaching. Our junior class was so small, but it probably depended on the amount of chaperons. I shelved the thought for later.

I was looking at the permission slip when Ange whispered, "I'm going to help Mike study for our bio exam in the library during lunch period. Would you like to join us?"

I shot her a grateful smile, "Sure, Ange. Some last minute cramming sounds perfect."

She gave me a thumbs up as I shoved the permission slip into my backpack.

The rest of my classes passed in a blur. Jessica assumed it was the lack of sleep that kept me from paying attention, but in reality, I couldn't stop thinking of that small passage I'd read from that book. The words "life after death" kept bouncing in my skull like a heated game of pinball. Is this purgatory? The thought didn't compute. It all felt real enough to me, and if I didn't get answers soon, I knew I was going to lose it.

"Hey I know you're tired, but cafeteria's this way," Jessica obnoxiously waved her hand in my face.

I half-heartedly slapped it away. "Angie and Mike are cramming for bio in the library."

"Oh! Good idea! I'll grab Lauren and meet you there!" Jess didn't give me a chance to reply as she bounced off in the direction of Lauren's class.

In the library, Mike looked like he was ready to die. "Angela, I can't do this," he cried.

I went unnoticed, even when I sat across from the duo. I dumped my textbook and accompanying notes unto the table with a loud thud. "Quit blubbering Mike. You'll be fine."

"You don't understand, Isabella," he groaned, burying his face into his hands, "If I bring home another C, mom's gonna kill me."

I stifled a laugh. "Well then, get studying."

He glumly agreed while Angela and I exchanged an amused smile.

I was reviewing the study guide (although my efforts were rather lackluster) when Jessica and Lauren joined, giggling like maniacs. "You're all idiots," Lauren whispered, "Skipping lunch is so not a good idea before a test!"

"We brought snacks, but you have to eat them quietly," Jessica grinned as she began to distribute the goods.

"Thanks!" I enthusiastically ripped open the bag of licorice she must have gotten from the vending machine.

"Aww Jess, you're my hero!" Mike shot her a grin that had her cheeks turning pink.

"You're welcome," she smiled.

I decided to do her a kindness and not tease her. Instead, I turned back to my notes, but the words blurred. I'm not sure how long I stared at the same question before Jessica suddenly elbowed me and hissed, "Edward Cullen is staring at you."

"Huh?" I said stupidly, blinking back into awareness. It took me a moment of looking around before I made eye-contact with a pair of tawny brown eyes a few tables across from me.

"You should go talk to him," she whispered excitedly.

I looked at her weird, but it didn't deter her. She was practically vibrating in her chair and I had a feeling there was no arguing with her. I sighed. "If I go, will you focus on finishing your study guide?"

"Scouts honor!" Jess flashed me a cheeky grin.

"Uh huh," I muttered dubiously as I gathered my things. I was too tired and confused to be bothered by Edward. If anything, he could quiz me some more and maybe I wouldn't completely butcher Bella's grade point average. I shuffled down the opening between the library tables and unceremoniously dumped my things across from him. "Hey Edward," I said, hand shooting up to conceal a yawn. "Wanna help me study?"

"Sure." His smile was a little too wide―more menacing than attractive.

I slumped into a chair and thrust my pile of loose sheets, notebooks, and textbook into my backpack, figuring he wouldn't allow me to use my notes anyway. "Ready when you are," I said, plucking up a stick of licorice.

Maybe he was being considerate of my obvious exhaustion, or perhaps he was in a nicer mood, but Edward didn't fire questions at me like he had yesterday. He was a little more patient when it took me longer to answer him, and seemed satisfied that I'd studied the questions I'd gotten wrong in the first round.

"You're prepared," Edward decided sooner than I expected.

"Really? That's it?" Then again, this is the kid who's repeated high school a dozen times. Who knows better than him?

"That's it," he repeated, lips curling into a crooked grin.

I cast my gaze down when I realized I was getting caught in his predatory charms again. "Thanks," I muttered and distracted myself with chewing on my candy. When I caught him staring at the licorice in my hand, my lips twitched in amusement. "Would you like some?"

"No, thank you," he seemed just as amused. "Wouldn't want to deprive you of your...lunch."

I rolled my eyes. "It's just one missed meal. I think I'll live."

Edward parted his lips and then abruptly closed his mouth, grin dropping.

And that was the crux, wasn't it? He couldn't be himself around me. This wasn't the first time he'd stopped himself from speaking his mind. It's what kept our conversations from progressing beyond small talk. I hadn't noticed at first―we were strangers; what else was there to talk about? But then his non-answers and abrupt silences stopped implying the end of a conversation, and instead became an awkward rift that he couldn't bridge without endangering his secret.

"Are you available this Saturday?"

His abrupt question had me reeling. I was suddenly more awake than I had been all morning. Edward was leaning across the table, his gold-toned eyes freezing me in place and scattering my thoughts. "What? Why?" I was eventually able to stammer, my face twisting with confusion.

"I was wondering if you would like to...hang out." The words sounded silly on his tongue; he normally spoke like an old man. And then his words registered.

My heart thudded loudly. I'm not Bella. This is wrong. This is all wrong. I couldn't fathom what Edward wanted with me―because I had read Midnight Sun. And although it had been a long time ago, I vividly remember the intensity of his attraction to Bella. Edward had admired her―her bravery, maturity, and kindness. I wasn't any of that. It hadn't been an instant thing like imprinting, but even from the beginning the pull to Bella had been undeniable. A supernatural type of love that I had no business being involved in.

And then another thought occurred: Has he given up? Given into the monster? I'm not Bella. He may have no reservations about killing me.

"Isabella?" Edward intoned, pulling me from my thoughts.

I cast my gaze down. "I'm sorry Edward, I don't think that would be a smart idea," I finally said. I felt slightly ashamed. It wasn't fair of me to make those assumptions, but I couldn't be too careful.

Edward smiled reassuringly, but the strain around his eyes spoke of somber. "I can't deny that you're right," he chuckled darkly.

The ring of the bell kept me from having to respond. "That's our cue," I laughed nervously. I stood, but before I could grip the strap of my backpack, Edward had already swung it across his shoulder, his own notebook already in hand―which, if I had to guess, was more of a prop. His smug face challenged me to make a stink of it. I refrained from rolling my eyes. What is this? A courtship?

"Thanks, I guess," I huffed. He matched my smaller stride as we walked in the direction of Mr. Banner's classroom. Outside, there was a light drizzle. I pushed up the hood of my coat, but that didn't stop my fellow students from gawking at me. It's always something with these kids.

"What are you thinking?" Edward peered curiously down at me, lips twitching up to match my smile.

"It's just...these kids are so easily impressed," I snickered, gesturing towards their shocked faces, "New girl, car crash, running down my purse thief, and now this." Although I guess I'd stare too if I saw a girl walking around with the town's resident vampire.

His expression became thoughtful. "You don't sound like a high school student," he admitted.

I laughed. Oh the irony. "Well, for all you know, this isn't the first time I'm repeating this dreary experience."

Anyone else would've laughed my comment off. But for someone like Edward, who could relate all too well, it was a red flag. I'm getting too comfortable. Yikes, what happened to laying low?

To my surprise, Edward continued the so-called joke. "And what was your first time like?"

I pursed my lips. I wasn't generally a good liar. Finally, I said truthfully, "It was a different time. But teenagers are the same regardless." Fuck, I could've made that sound less dramatic. It was like 2010.

"I don't doubt it," he chuckled. When I met his gaze again, I suddenly regretted everything I'd said. He was fascinated.

Edward held the door open when we entered the building, and soon we were in class. Mr. Banner didn't allow any dallying. Within a few minutes, our study guides had been collected and we were sitting at our stools, tables cleared except for a pencil or two. "As soon as you receive your test, you can begin."

The rush of anxiety I got whenever an exam was set in front of me was familiar. But what was more familiar, were the questions on the first page. You're kidding me. For a whole minute, the tip of my pencil hovered frozen over the first question. I knew the answer. It was how I knew the answer that made me want to smack Edward upside the head. Even if I hurt myself, it'd probably be worth it. That idiot! I didn't ask him to quiz me just so he could pluck the damn test questions from Banner's head!

The nudge against my leg broke me out of my stupor, but I didn't bother glancing in Edward's direction. I filled out each question with painstaking precision, my face frozen in a deep scowl. Despite my steady progression, I was one of the first done. I set my pencil down and placed my hands in my lap to hide my clenched fists.

The bell couldn't have rung soon enough. Backpack strap clenched in one hand, I dropped my test off and hurried off. I had only just put in my locker combination when Edward appeared beside me. "You're upset."

"No shit, Sherlock," I scowled up at him and dug out my biology textbook from my bag. "I didn't ask you to help me study just so you could give me the damn test questions," I hissed while I jammed the textbook into my locker, knowing it would gather dust until the next exam.

Edward released a frustrated sigh, a hand disrupting his already chaotic hair. "I'm sorry. I couldn't be certain which questions he would choose―I'm just adept at guessing. This isn't my first semester with him."

I rolled my eyes. "And you couldn't have warned me?" I demanded quietly, aware that eyes were on us. "If I'm going to cheat, I would at least like to be made aware of the fact!"

Edward's face twisted into a scowl that matched mine. "You didn't cheat. You're brilliant. You hardly required my assistance."

"Yes I did," I argued, slamming my locker door shut with a resounding bang, as though to emphasize my point. "Studying the test questions counts as cheating."

The warning bell brought our dispute to a standstill. "We'll discuss this later," I hissed and stalked in the direction of the gym.

I was fuming. Like Edward, I was a bit of a control freak, and I certainly didn't appreciate being on the receiving end of it. To my chagrin, the gossipping in the girls' locker room quieted as soon as I entered. I scowled at them and made my way over to my locker. One of the braver girls, Whitney, sidled up to me. "Is it true you're dating Edward Cullen?" she whispered excitedly, although it was quiet enough that everyone heard her regardless.

I looked at her weird before bending down to unzip my boots. "That's a bit of a jump."

"But he likes you, right?" she insisted.

I shrugged off my coat. "If he does, he hasn't said so."

A girl in our aisle―Jennifer―groaned loudly, clearly eavesdropping, and called out, "Don't be oblivious, Swan!"

I glared at her. "I'm not oblivious―he's standoffish."

It was uncomfortable having everyone's keen attention while stripping myself of my clothes―or, to be more accurate, Jessica's clothes. She'd let me borrow a knit sweater and a pair of jeans this morning. Another girl―June―piped up, "We already know he's a reclusive freak. I guess if you didn't know that, you wouldn't realize that he never talks to other girls."

"And because he talks to me, everyone assumes that he likes me," I concluded. Everyone nodded eagerly while I quickly pulled on my gym uniform.

Jennifer butted in again, "What were you guys arguing about right now?"

Of course they already know about that. "Just a difference of opinion," I said dismissively, balancing on one foot, jamming my other foot into my tennis shoe.

"You're really not going to tell us?" Whitney pouted, folding her arms across her chest.

I didn't know whether to laugh or roll my eyes. "Sorry, girls. But the last time Jessica told someone what I did, everyone spread the most ridiculous rumors," I said dryly.

Around me, the girls exchanged guilty gazes. I'm sure some of them had even made up a few of those silly stories. "But you'll let us know if you are dating?" Whitney insisted with a hopeful gaze.

I settled on rolling my eyes. "Yes, Whitney, if I date Cullen, you will be the first person to know."

The sarcasm was heavy on my tongue, but Whitney was either oblivious or chose to ignore it. "I can't wait!" she giggled.

The sudden pounding on the door caught everyone off guard. "What's the hold up ladies?" Coach Clapp shouted.

That was enough to get everyone moving. I crouched down to tie my shoes and listened as the girls shuffled towards the doorway, giggling and chattering excitedly, speculating about my potential relationship with Edward Cullen. Once the last group walked by, I stood, flung my locker door shut with more force than necessary, and followed after them. As soon as I was back in the gymnasium, I was accosted by Mike.

"Isabella, are you okay?" he demanded.

"Um, yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I huffed, my mood still sour.

"I saw you and Cullen arguing," he admitted sheepishly. "I can deck him for you if you want."

I snorted. "Worry about yourself, Mike."

I didn't have time to feel guilty over his dejected expression. Coach Clapp was ushering us outside to the track around the football field. It had stopped drizzling, but the frosty air bit at my bare legs and arms. I stood towards the back, pulling my hair back into a ponytail as Coach Clapp explained that we would be doing the mile run today. Once he started the timer, I waited for the more eager students to take off, before settling into a steady jog. Mike, ever the loyal one, ran at my pace even though I knew he could've easily kept up with the athletes who'd fallen into a sprint.

We were half-way through the first run around the track when Mike suddenly asked, "Is Cullen bugging you?

"No, Mike," I answered shortly. Bella's body wasn't the most fit and I was struggling to keep my breathing at an even pace, the frigid air burning in my lungs.

"But you'll tell me if he is?" he insisted, not at all out of breath.

"Now's really not the best time to be giving me the third degree," I huffed, my face flushing with exertion.

"You want me to carry you?" he offered.

I shoved him without missing a beat. Seriously, Mike? Flirting when you already have a date with Jessica? Idiot. Mike didn't seem at all deterred by my violence and simply jogged beside me with a cheery grin.

When we made it around the track for the fourth and final time, Coach Clapp glanced down at his timer and clocked our time at nine minutes and thirty-six seconds. "I expect you won't hold back next time, Newton," Coach Clapp said with a pointed look in my direction, before turning to the next group approaching the finish line.

"I would've been fine on my own, Mike," I said, a little nicer, trying to catch my breath.

"I figured the girls wouldn't make very good company," he admitted. His cheeks were flushed red but he didn't seem all that out of breath.

"Astute observation," I muttered dryly as we headed back to the gym, briefly pausing by the drinking fountain.

I spent the remainder of the period playing a game of basketball with the guys. I wasn't very good but they were nice enough not to say anything. Once class ended and I had changed out (after being accosted by June and her conspiracy theories regarding the Cullen's), I told Mike to head out without me. "I'm Jessica's ride today," I explained outside by the gymnasium doors, "But I think she has volleyball practice."

Mike suddenly became flustered. "Is she looking forward to our date?"

"Of course," I grinned and then glared, "You better not ruin it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he sighed.

"Where are you taking her?" I asked.

He suddenly shushed me. I looked over to see Jessica heading our way. "Hey, Jess," I said once she reached our side with an enthusiastic bounce to her step. "How long is this going to take?"

Mike surprised me when he offered, "I could give you a ride if you'd like. My group is meeting in the library to work on our project today, so I'll be here a while."

Jessica and I exchanged a wide-eyed gaze, and she tried in vain to conceal her excitement. "Yes, that'd be great Mike!"

"Perfect! I'll catch you guys later," I hurried off, knowing Jessica would want a moment alone with him.

My enthusiasm for her waned when I caught sight of Edward leaning against my truck on the far end of the parking lot. With an irritated huff, I picked up my pace. When I reached him, I shooed him away from the driver's door. "If we're going to argue," I retorted while clambering into my truck, "We'll do so while I'm being productive. Get in."

With the most bewildered expression I'd ever seen on Edward's stupidly beautiful face, he climbed into the passenger seat as the engine roared to life.

A/N: Haha this was fun to write! Edward's an idiot x) Please let me know your thoughts! :D

Also, just want to give a quick shoutout to my guest reviewers! I can't personally reply to your reviews, but thank you so much for the support! It means so much! :)