Luckily, when I got to class, Mr. Banner wasn't there yet. I quickly settled into my seat, accepting that I would have to spend the rest of class alone.
I felt Michelle and Alex's eyes on me, both wearing confused expressions. I didn't know what I was going to tell them and to be honest I wanted to avoid any conversation about it.
I kept my head down until Mr. Banner came in, balancing a stack of small cardboard boxes in his arms. Carefully placing them on Michelle's table, he instructed her to distribute them to the class.
"Okay, everyone, look inside the box," he said, pulling out a pair of rubber gloves from his lab coat. The snap of the gloves made me shiver.
"First, an indicator card," he displayed a white card with four marked squares. "Second, a four-pronged applicator," he held up a toothless hair pick. "Lastly, a sterile micro-lancet." He revealed a tiny piece of blue plastic. Though I couldn't see the barb from my seat, a foreboding sensation crept over me.
"Wait for me to come around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards," Mr. Banner instructed, starting at Michelle's table and carefully adding a drop of water to each square. my stomach churned.
"Then, prick your finger with the lancet..." Suddenly, he grabbed Michelle's hand and swiftly jabbed the spike into her finger. I covered my mouth.
"Put a small drop of blood on each prong," he demonstrated by extracting blood from Michelle's finger. I tried to swallow but my throat was dry and tight.
"And then apply it to the card," he finished, holding up the crimson-streaked card. The room faded into a mess of colors and lights. I closed my eyes tight and I still felt like I was spinning in place.
"The Red Cross is hosting a blood drive in Port Angeles next weekend, so I want you all to know your blood type," Mr. Banner explained, his voice tinged with pride. "Under eighteens need a permission slip from your parents. You can find them on my desk."
As Mr. Banner circled with the dropper, the chorus of my classmates squealing, complaining, and giggling filled the room. I focused on slow, uneven breaths, desperately trying to maintain composure.
"Swan, are you okay?" Mr. Banner's voice felt clear and impossibly loud, I raised my hand for him to stop.
"I already know my blood type, Mr. Banner," my voice was weak and distant, I regretted not skipping class with Edward.
"Do you feel faint?"
"A bit," I muttered, struggling to concentrate on his voice.
"Can someone help him to the nurse, please?" he called out.
I didn't need to open my eyes, I could smell Michelle's perfume when she helped me up. She smelled like a rose dipped in alcohol, soft from a distance but overwhelming up close.
I hated the smell, like I hated all strong smells. It made me gag, but she was helping me and anything was better than the smell of blood.
I leaned on her shoulder, her arm wrapped around my waist. Her support felt more like guidance, leading me in the right direction away from Class.
She maneuvered me slowly until we reached the cafeteria, where we were shielded from Mr. Banner's sight.
"Can we sit for a minute?" I begged, the open air helped with her perfume but it was still too much for me.
She gently lowered me down, helping me perch on the edge of the walkway.
"Are you okay?" Michelle asked, her voice was soft and gentle.
"Bela?" A male voice echoed from a distance.
I attempted to shift slightly, desperate to appear normal, but my sickened body overpowered my embarrassed mind.
"Is he okay?" The voice, now apprehensive, drew closer. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing him to disappear from my reality along with the nagging nausea.
Michelle, sounding distressed, explained to him, "He just passed out. I don't even think he saw blood."
"Bela," Edward's voice reverberated in my mind as he sat beside me, "are you okay? Can you hear me?" His voice made me feel warm, I unconsciously moved towards it before putting my hands out and weakly pushing him away.
"No…" My voice was whiny and slurred like a toddler.
He chuckled softly, as I felt a cold hand compress my cheek.
Michelle cleared her throat, "I was taking him to the nurse." She hesitated before adding, "he's not getting up."
"Don't worry about it, I'll take him," Edward offered a smile that lingered in his voice. "You can head back."
"Are you sure?" Michelle asked confused, "I don't min-"
She was cut off as Edward effortlessly picked me up as if I weighed nothing. "I am sure."
I jolted awake when he lifted me and started pushing against him, pleading, "No! Dude! Put me down!" I desperately hoped my stomach would hold it together so I didn't throw up all over him. He ignored my cries and continued walking.
"Feel better Bela!" Michelle yelled out, already giving up.
Edward grinned at me as he kept walking. "Someone's feeling better," he laughed.
"Just put me down," I groaned weakly.
My body twisted and whined more in his arms, he held me against his chest. I could feel his chest through his shirt, it was hard and cold like a wall. I leaned into it, he smelled like honey and flowers, subtle and warm like a sunny day. I unconsciously moved into it and almost forgot about the nausea entirely.
"So, Hemophobia?" he asked in a soft teasing tone.
I looked up at him, he didn't look like he was holding anything. His arms never shook or bent. And his face was calm and tender.
He looked down at me and I closed my eyes tight, not answering.
"And not even your own blood," he continued, causing me to groan.
"Shut up…"
He laughed.
I had no idea how he opened the door while still carrying me, but as soon as the warmth hit me, I knew where we were.
"Oh my," a feminine voice gasped.
"He fainted in Biology," Edward explained.
I forced my eyes open. We were in the office, and Edward swiftly moved towards the nurse's door while Ms. Cope, the redheaded receptionist, hurried ahead to hold it open. The nurse, a sweet looking little old lady, nearly jumped out of her seat as she saw me. Quickly folding up a small erotica and slipping it into her drawer door.
Edward gently placed me onto the paper-covered cot with its crackling brown vinyl mattress.He positioned himself against the wall, as far away from me as possible, he was nearly trembling with what I could only assume was amusement.
"He just fainted and is having trouble staying awake," he reassured the bewildered nurse. "It was blood typing day in Biology."
The nurse nodded knowingly, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Ahh…There's always one."
Edward suppressed a snicker.
"Just lie down for a few minutes, Honey; it'll pass."
"I know," I sighed. The nausea had mostly disappeared in Edward's arms.
"Oh… happens a lot?" She attempted to distract me.
"Sometimes," I admitted. Edward coughed, trying to conceal another laugh.
"You can go back to class," she told him.
"I was asked to stay with him," he asserted with unwavering authority, causing the nurse to furrow her brows, but not push further.
"I'll go get some ice for your head," she whispered, patting me on the arm before rushing out of the room.
"You were right," I moaned, closing my eyes again.
"I usually am," he responded dryly then paused, "But about what specifically this time?" His voice sounded curious and leading.
"I should have ditched," I muttered, focusing on maintaining my breathing.
"You startled me for a moment," he confessed, his voice was gentle and melodic, but lacked its usual smoothness. "I thought Newton finally snapped and killed you."
"Funny." My eyes remained shut, but with each passing minute, I gradually felt more like myself.
"Honestly, you looked worse than most corpses I've seen," he moved closer, his tone growing warmer. "I was concerned I might have had to avenge your untimely demise."
"She is going to ask me so many questions…" I whined under my breath, too much happened today. Too much with Edward in particular, I didn't know how to write off my own careless behavior let alone Edward's.
"She truly will," Edward chuckled softly, "she has some ideas of your character, thinks I'm trying to get between you two." He added with a cheerful tone that bordered on flirting.
"You don't know that," I argued, I didn't like the way he would assert things about my friend. Even if he was right, he didn't have the right to talk about her.
"You didn't see her face," he added. I could hear the smile on his lips.
"What are you even doing here? I thought you were skipping?" I asked, changing the topic. I felt more like myself. I probably would feel better if I had eaten lunch, but I was grateful that my stomach wasn't full earlier when he was carrying me.
"I was listening to music in my car," he said nonchalantly.
I don't know if it was the way he answered or the simple fact that it was so normal.
I never thought of what he would do when not in school. Him sitting and watching tv felt just as unreal as him just standing in a corner unmoving until his alarm went off.
Everything about him was unreal.
The door swung open, eliciting an involuntary jump, and there I was, face to face with the nurse brandishing a cold compress.
"Here you go, dear," she said gently, placing the compress on my head. "You're looking better already," she added.
"Thanks, I think I'm okay now," I said, sitting up. My head still rang a bit, but the dizziness had subsided. I focused on the pastel green walls until I could actually see them clearly.
The nurse tried to gently push me back down, her hands were boney and sharp, and surprisingly strong. She nearly got me down before Ms. Cope peeked her head into the room. "We've got another one," she announced.
I slowly got up and moved for the next patient, handing her the compress. "Yeah, I think I'm fine, thank you."
Michelle came in holding another girl from our Biology class. Edward and I stepped aside, leaning against the wall to give them space.
"We should go," Edward muttered, guiding me out of the door by my shoulders. I looked at him, confused. "Trust me," he whispered through his teeth.
I simply followed his lead and allowed him to steer me out of the infirmary.
"You actually listened to me," he said, appearing stunned.
"I could smell the blood," I explained, wrinkling my nose.
"You can't smell blood," he rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I can. It's like a rusty, salty smell, and it makes me sick."
He stared at me with a mysterious expression on his face.
"What?" I asked, touching my face.
"It's nothing," he replied with a shrug.
Michelle slipped out of the room, and looked over at us. Her eyes seemed to shift between us before finally landing on me.
"You look better," she noted.
"Just keep your hand in your pocket," I warned her.
"It's cool, no blood," she muttered waving her hand. I could smell the salty traces. "Are you coming back?"
"No way, it would be a waste of time," I said, with no intention of going through that again.
"Yeah, you're right." She glanced over at Edward before continuing, "So, are you coming to the beach this weekend?" She seemed uncomfortable with Edward being there.
"Yeah?" I raised an eyebrow, I already promised weeks ago.
"Cool," she said, hesitating as she moved towards the door. With a quick "see you at Gym!" she left.
"See you," I replied. She looked at me once more, her round face slightly pouting. As she slowly walked to class, her shoulders dropped, clearly upset about something. I wasn't looking forward to finding out what it was during Gym.
"Gym," I groaned.
"I can take care of that," Edward said, suddenly by my side. I hadn't even noticed him move. "Go and sit down, look sick," he whispered.
That wouldn't be a challenge for me, since I was already sickly pale. Plus, my skin was still clammy from earlier. I settled into one of the creaky folding chairs, resting my head against the wall with my eyes closed. I actually needed this break; the recent events had left me exhausted.
While sitting there, I overheard Edward speaking softly at the counter.
"Ms. Cope?"
"Yes?" I realized she had returned to her desk.
"Bela has Gym next, and I don't think he can handle it. Is it possible for him to be excused?" Edward's voice was soothing and warm, like hot chocolate. The old lady didn't stand a chance, and honestly, neither did I.
She let out a loud giggle, giving in to his flattery. "Oh, do you need an excuse too?" I wasn't sure if I was jealous of his charm or embarrassed to be falling for it myself.
"No, I have Mrs. Goff. She won't mind."
"Okay Bela, tell Charlie I said hey," she called out to me. "Feel better now!"
I weakly nodded, exaggerating a little.
Edward walked over to me and purred at me, "Do you need me to carry you again?"
"I'll walk."
I stood up carefully and felt fine. He held the door open for me, his smile polite but his eyes mocking. We walked out into the cold mist that had just started to fall. It felt nice washing away the feverish heat that still lingered on my skin.
"Thanks," I said as he followed me. "Gym wasn't an option."
"No problem." He looked forward, squinting into the rain.
"Did you hear about Saturday?" I said hoping he was the type to join in on a random outing.
"Yeah, what beach?" He continued to look into the rain.
"LaPush I think," I tried to see his face, his eyes narrowing.
He flashed me a weary smile as he looked back at me, "Sorry but I don't think they want me there,"
"I want you there."
"Let's not bully the poor girl, you might not believe it but Michelle hates me." His eyes seemed to dance at the idea.
"You don't know that." I muttered childishly
As we were closing in on the parking lot, I started to head towards my truck. Something grabbed my jacket, pulling me back.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, sounding outraged. He held onto my jacket tightly.
I was confused. "I'm going home."
"Didn't you hear me promise to take you safely home? Do you think I'd let you drive in your condition?" His voice still held indignation.
"What condition? And what about my truck?" I complained.
"I'll have Arthur bring it after school." He started pulling me towards his car, still gripping my jacket. I tried to keep from falling backward, but he probably would have dragged me along even if I did.
"Let go!" I insisted, but he ignored me. I stumbled sideways on the wet sidewalk until we reached his Volvo. Finally, he released me and I stumbled against the passenger door.
"Why are you like this!" I grumbled.
"The door's open," was all he said. He got into the driver's seat.
"I can drive myself home perfectly fine!" I stood by the car, fuming. It was raining harder now, and I forgot to put up my hood so my hair was getting wet.
He rolled down the window and leaned towards me. "Get in, already."
I didn't respond. I thought about how quickly I could reach my truck before he could catch me. I had to admit, my chances were slim.
"I'll just drag you back," he threatened, guessing my plan.
I tried to keep my dignity as I got into his car, but I wasn't very successful. I looked like a half-drowned cat and my boots squeaked.
"You're a jerk," I said stiffly.
He didn't answer. He adjusted the controls, turning up the heater and lowering the music. As he drove out of the parking lot, I prepared to give him the silent treatment, but then I recognized the music playing and my curiosity got the better of me.
"Élégie?" I asked, surprised.
"You know Tchaikovsky?" He sounded surprised too.
"Not really," I admitted. "My dad plays a lot of music at home - I only know my favorites."
"It's one of my favorites too." He stared out through the rain, lost in thought.
I listened to the music, relaxing against the light gray seat. It was hard not to respond to the familiar, beautiful melody. The rain blurred everything outside the window into gray and green smudges. The ride was smooth and comfortable with the only hint of speed, being the barely visible town blurred into incomprehensible shapes and colors as we passed them.
Finally he broke the silence.
"What is your father like?" he suddenly asked me.
I glanced over to see him studying me with curious eyes.
"He's a lot like me, just a bit less lame," I joked, and he raised his eyebrow. "I've always taken after Charlie; I guess she had to give me something." I continued. "He's more of a free-spirit, outgoing, adventurous," I added under my breath, "Everything I'm not."
"How old are you?" His voice seemed frustrated, but I couldn't imagine what was bothering him. As he stopped the car, I realized we were already at Charlie's house. The rain poured down relentlessly, making it feel like we were in a submarine deep in the ocean. Only the loud crashes of the rain against the car kept me grounded in reality.
"Seventeen," I raised an eyebrow.
"You act like an old man." His tone was light, with a hint of mocking disapproval. It was hard not to laugh.
"If you ask my parents, I have an old soul." I chuckled before adding, "Someone had to hold it together." My voice trailed off into a sigh. "You also seem a bit old yourself," I jokingly noted.
He made a face and changed the subject.
"So why did your Dad marry Paula?"
I stared at him, stunned that he actually remembered something from our first conversation months ago - my stepmom's name, something I may have mentioned once.
I paused to think, "My dad never really grew up, that's why we get along so well." I chuckled at my own joke. "He needed someone who could match his pace and keep him in line, and I guess
that's Paula." I shook my head, it was embarrassing to say it out loud.
"Do you approve?" he asked.
"Does it matter?" I countered. "It's his life, and it's not my place to control it. I just need to stay out of his way."
"You are very generous," he said in a musing tone.
"Really?"
"Do you think he would do the same in your position? No matter who you chose?" He suddenly became intent, his eyes searching mine.
"M-maybe," I stuttered. "He can be stubborn and nagging, but he always comes around."
"Even the scary ones?" he teased.
I grinned in response. "Depends. Do you mean facial piercings and tattoos? 'Cause I think he would be into that."
"No, a different type of scary," he said.
"That depends. What's your definition?"
He ignored my question and simply asked, "Do you think that I could be scary?" He raised one eyebrow, and the faint trace of a smile brightened his face.
I thought for a moment, wondering whether the truth or a lie would go over better. I decided to go with the truth. "I think you could be."
"Am I scary now?" The smile vanished, and his heavenly face turned serious.
"No," I answered too quickly. The smile returned.
"So enough about me, what about your family?" I asked, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'm sure it's more interesting than mine."
He instantly became cautious. "What do you want to know?"
"The Cullens adopted you?" I verified.
"Yes."
I hesitated for a moment. "What happened to your parents?"
"They died a long time ago." His tone was matter-of-fact.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled.
"It's fine," he quickly responded. "It was a while ago. I've been with Cora and Ezra for a really long time."
"You really love them," I stated matter-of-factly, as it was obvious from the way he spoke about them.
"Yes," he said, smiling. "How could I not?"
"It's kinda cute," I said teasing.
"Aren't I always?" He raised an eyebrow.
"And your siblings?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "They're going to kill me. I'm sure they're currently waiting for me in the rain."
"My bad, I guess you have to leave," I said reluctantly, not wanting to get out.
"And you probably want your truck back before Chief Swan gets home, so you don't have to tell her about Biology," he grinned at me.
"She probably already knows. Forks isn't great at keeping secrets," I sighed.
He laughed, a sharp dry laugh that sounded almost painful.
"Have fun at the beach... It'll be sunny, relatively speaking," he said, glancing out at the pouring rain.
"Graduating to skipping school altogether?" I jokingly questioned.
"Yes. Emma and I are starting the weekend early."
"What are you going to do?" I asked, hoping I didn't make him uncomfortable again.
"We're going to be hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."
I remembered Charlie had mentioned the Cullens went camping frequently.
"Oh, well, have fun," I tried to sound enthusiastic, but honestly, it sounded boring.
Of course, he noticed this, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Will you do something for me this weekend?" He turned to face me directly, his captivating golden eyes meeting mine.
I nodded, feeling a bit helpless.
"Please be careful. It seems like bad luck follows you. So, try not to go too deep into the water and watch out for cars, okay?" He spoke to me in a somewhat patronizing manner, his crooked smile still intact.
"I'll try," I rolled my eyes feeling embarrassed. I quickly jumped out of the car and slammed the door.
The grin never left his face as he drove away.