I walked to english in a daze, not realising that when I walked in, class had already started. I rushed in, a flush over my cheeks as I sat in my seat. Mike was eagerly chatting to Eric next to me during class, their hands visibly animated as they spoke. Apparently the weather was meant to take a break.
The rest of the morning passed by in a fast blur and before we knew it, it was lunch. I walked with Jessica, Angela and Lauren as they spoke about their plans to go dress shopping in Port Angeles. I looked up while we were in the line, and saw only four out of five of the Cullens at their table. A wave of disappointment rose over me as I realised Edward was gone. I just grabbed a bottle of lemonade, my appetite gone with his absence. We sat down, and Katherine joined in with their dress plans.
"Bella? Will you come dress shopping with us? On Monday?" Jessica asked me. I flicked my head up to her and nodded, attempting to put a smile on my face.
"Yeah of course. Constructive criticism only though" I reminded her before looking down to my hands. A few minutes went by before Katherine nudged me.
"Edward Cullen is staring at you" She said, lowly. In the corner of my eye I saw Matthew's head spin around to look at me. "I wonder why he's alone?" I looked up, and saw Edward smiling his crooked smile over at me from an empty table, across the cafeteria from where he usually sat. He caught my eye and waved his finger, as if for me to come and join him.
"Does he mean you?" Katherine asked, looking back over to me. I knew my facial expressions were somewhat readable. She sounded shocked, probably thinking about this morning's argument she witnessed.
"Maybe he needs help with his biology homework," I muttered quietly at her. "I better go and see what he wants." I stood up, taking my drink with me and walked over to the table in which he sat. I stood behind the chair, unsure what this was about.
"Why don't you sit with me today?" he asked, smiling at me in response. I looked at him suspiciously.
"This is different," I said, still standing behind the chair. He motioned for me to sit with his hand. I eyed him, before pulling the chair out and sitting down. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be real, and that he might just disappear in a puff of smoke.
"Well…" He paused, thinking of words before he continued. "I decided that as long as I'm going to hell, I may as well do it thoroughly"
I waited for him to say something that would make sense of what he just said. After a couple of seconds, I decided to speak.
"You know I have no clue what that means right?" I pointed out.
"I know" He smiled, looking over towards the table in which I just came from. "I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you"
"They'll survive," I responded.
"I might not give you back though" he said, looking at me. His eyes sold a hidden meaning. I looked at him for several seconds before he decided to speak.
"You look worried," He laughed.
"No," I said, my voice breaking. "Surprised. What brought all this on?"
"I told you. I'm sick of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up" His eyes were serious, even with the hint of a smile gracing his lips.
"Giving up?" I repeated, the confusion lacing my tone.
"Yes. Giving up. Trying to be good and letting the chips fall where they may" He was serious now, his smile fading as he spoke, his tone hard and cutting.
"You've lost me" I admitted, taking a sip of my lemonade.
The breathtaking crooked smile reappeared against his lips. "I always say too much when I'm talking to you. That's one of the problems."
"Don't worry, I never understand any of it"
"I'm kind of counting on that" He admitted, looking at me.
"So in plain english, we're friends now?"
"Friends…" he mused hesitantly, seeming to think of something else to say.
"Or not" I muttered looking away
He grinned at me, obviously finding the humour somehow in the situation we were in. "Well, we can try, I suppose. But I'm warning you, I'm not a good friend to have" His tone made the warning real, bringing a sense of seriousness to his words.
"You say that alot" I noted trying to keep my voice even.
"Yes, because you are not listening to me. If you were smart, you'd stay away"
"I guess my intellect is clear too" I replied dryly, narrowing my eyes at him. He smiled apologetically at me. "So if I'm being… not smart, then we're friends?" I attempted to sum up the confusing exchange.
"That sounds about right."
I looked down at my hands that were now wrapped around my lemonade bottle, thinking about what to do now.
"What are you thinking?" he wondered aloud, his head tilting to the side as he looked curiously into my eyes. I looked into his deep gold eyes, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"I'm trying to figure out what you are?"
His jaw tightened but he kept smiling, and by the looks of it, it took some effort. "Are you having any luck with that?" His voice held an offhand tone, and his eyes burned into mine.
"Not much," I admitted.
"What are your theories?"
I blushed violently. They were embarrassing. The last month I had gone between Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker.
"Will you tell me?" he asked, tilting his head to the other side and placing a smile on his lips that tempted me to reveal.
I shook my head. "Too embarrassing"
"That's really frustrating, you know," he complained.
"No" I disagreed quickly, narrowing my eyes as my anger bubbled below the surface. "I can't imagine why it would be frustrating, just because someone refuses to tell you what they are thinking, even if they are making confusing remarks that are designed specifically to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now that would be frustrating?"
He grimaced, eyes still looking at mine.
"Or better" I continued, the rant flowing freely from my mouth and less from my brain. "Say that person does a wide range of unexplainable things such as saving your life when it should have been impossible, one day ignoring you the next and all that never being explained even after it was promised. That would also be very non-frustrating" I huffed after I was finished and leaned back in my chair.
"You have a bit of a temper, don't you?"
"I don't like double standards"
We stared at each other, unsmiling. He glanced over my shoulder to look over at my normal friend group. He snickered. "Your boyfriend's debating whether or not to come and break up our fight" he snickered again.
"I don't know who you're talking about. But you're wrong… again."
"I'm not. I told you, most people are easy to read."
"Except me, of course."
"Yes. Except you… I wonder why" his eyes shifted along with his mood, brooding at me.
After a second, I spoke hesitantly. "Can you do me a favour?" I asked.
His face turned wary as he answered. "That depends."
"Next time you decide to ignore me for my own good, can you give me some sort of warning? Just so I'm prepared." I asked him, looking down at the lemonade bottle as I spoke.
He nodded. "That sounds fair" He admitted, his perfect lips pressing into a line to retract a laugh as he spoke. "Can I get one answer in return?" He demanded.
"One"
"Tell me one theory"
"Not that one"
"You didn't qualify. You just promised one answer" he reminded me
"You've broken promises yourself" I reminded him back.
"Just one. I won't laugh"
"Yes you will"
He looked down and then glanced up through his long lashes, his eyes burning into mine. "Please?" he breathed towards me.
"Wha?" I asked, dazed.
"Please just tell me one little theory"
"Umm. Well bitten by a radioactive spider?"
"That's not very creative" he scoffed at me.
"That's all I got" I rolled my eyes.
"You're not even close" he teased.
"No spiders?"
"Nope."
"And no radioactivity?"
"None."
"Dammit." I sighed slightly sarcastic.
"And kryptonite doesn't bother me either," he chuckled.
"You weren't supposed to laugh," I reminded him, frowning. He struggled to compose his face so that he wasn't laughing.
"I'll figure it out eventually" I warned him, smiling slightly.
"I wish you wouldn't try" he said, serious now with a frown gracing his perfect lips. "What if I'm not the hero… what if I'm the bad guy?" He smiled playfully, but I could detect a hint of seriousness behind his eyes, as if what he was trying to convey was crucial.
"Oh" I sighed. "I see."
"Do you?" He asked, his face severe as if he accidentally said too much.
"You're dangerous?" I guessed, knowing what he was trying to portray all along. His eyes stared into mine with some emotion that I couldn't comprehend. "But not bad. I don't believe you're bad" I said quietly.
"You're wrong" He whispered, looking down and grabbing the lid of my bottle, spinning it around between his fingers. I stared at him, wondering why I wasn't afraid, as I could tell he meant what he was saying. I strangely felt comfortable and safe around him. I more felt anxious, or on edge and strangely fascinated.
Everyone around us slowly started to pile out of the cafeteria, I looked around and then realised that I was going to be late. I jumped up to my feet, and looked back towards him.
"We're going to be late," I announced.
"I'm not going to class today" he shrugged, smiling that crooked smile at me. His fingers were twirling the lid so fast it was a blur.
"Why not?"
"It's healthy to ditch class now and then" He smiled at me, but looking at his eyes I could tell he was still troubled.
"Well, I'm going" I hesitated, torn, but then the first bell went and I turned over to face him again. "I'll see you later"
I half ran to class, my head spinning faster than the bottle cap. Little questions had been answered, but more had been asked in comparison, spinning my mind all over the place. I looked over to Mike and Angela. Mike looked angry, and Angela looked surprised and slightly awed.
Mr Banner walked in, juggling a few small cardboard boxes in his arms. He put them down on Mike's table, instructing him to hand them out to the class. Ge grabbed a piece of glass as he spoke, putting in gloves from the pocket of his lab coat. "The first should be an indicator card," He continued, grabbing the white card with four indicator squares on it. "The second should be a four-pronged applicator and the third is a sterile micro-lancet" he held up something that looked like a toothless hair pick and a small piece of blue plastic where he split it open. The barb was invisible from where I sat, but my stomach still did flips.
Blood typing.
My head went fuzzy as he continued to talk, walking over to Mike's table and jabbing the spike into the tip of his finger. Moisture broke out on my forehead. "Put a small drop of blood on each of the prongs" he demonstrated by squeezing a drop of blood onto each drop of water. I swallowed and my stomach heaved. "And then apply it to the card" he finished, holding up the dripping red card for everyone to see. I closed my eyes and tried to hear through the ringing that started in my ears.
He continued around the room, speaking as he went. Everything became a daze and the ringing kept going in my ears, making it near impossible to concentrate.
"Bella, are you okay?" Mr. Banner asked me, his voice close.
"I already know my blood type" I said in a low voice towards the table, afraid to look up.
"Oh that's right," he sighed. "I forgot you become faint at the sight of blood" I nodded slightly. He gestured to Mike to come over. "Can you take Bella to the nurse please?"
"Sure," He agreed. "Can you walk?" Mike asked me. I nodded but he still put his arm around my waist and walked me out of the classroom. When we were near the office and at the edge of the cafeteria, I stopped.
"I need to sit down for a moment" I said, slumping myself over the edge of the sidewalk, he helped much to my dismay. I was still dizzy, and I slumped over to my side, resting my cheek onto the freezing pavement below me.
"Bella, You're green," Mike said nervously.
"Bella?" A different, velvet-like voice called from a distance. I groaned and shook my head against the pavement. Please let me be imagining that familiar voice. "What's wrong? Is she hurt?" He asked Mike, his voice closer. He sounded upset.
"I think she fainted" He said, "She gets faint at other people's blood. She didn't even prick her finger" he stated, his voice stressed.
"Bella?" Edward's voice said into my ear right beside me. "Can you hear me?"
"No" I groaned, pressing my eyes together tighter. "Go away."
He laughed lightly.
"I was taking her to the nurse but she wouldn't move any further" Mike explained to Edward from behind me.
"I'll take her," Edward offered. I could hear his smile through his voice. "You can go back to class." I heard Mike's footsteps leave the area and head back the way we came. Edward's footsteps came closer to me before stopping.
"Do you mind if I carry you?" he asked. "You don't look well enough to be walking"
I nodded, confident in the fact that he could not lift me. I was wrong as the sidewalk flew from underneath me, my eyes flinging open in shock. He was holding me so easily as if I weighed ten pounds instead of a hundred and ten. I was silently praying that I wouldn't throw up on him.
"You look awful," he commented with a grin.
"Put me down" I groaned, "I don't want to be sick." The rocking movement was not helping my status. Even as he held me away from his body, supporting me just using his arms. He didn't seem bothered by my weight. He ignored me.
"So, you faint at the sight of blood?" he asked, entertained. I didn't answer him, and just shut my lips together. "And not even your own blood" he continued. I closed my eyes.
The air around me was suddenly warm, and I knew that we had somehow managed to get inside.
"Oh dear! Bella?" Mrs Cope gasped. I opened my eyes back up and looked at her.
"She fainted in Biology," Edward explained. I was placed on the bed which held the white paper that cracked. As soon as I was on the bed, he moved to stand against the wall as far across from me as the small room could possibly allow. His eyes looked over at me, bright and excited.
"She's just a little faint" He reassured the startled nurse. "They're blood typing in Biology"
"Yes. I assumed so," the nurse admitted. "Bella comes in frequently for fainting in Biology. At least once a year"
The nausea was starting to fade as she spoke. She stood up, going to grab some ice as she normally would.
"You were right," I admitted once the nurse had left the room. He looked at me suddenly, intensity and curiosity in his eyes. "Ditching is healthy."
There was a pause before he decided to speak. "I was worried about you for a moment," He admitted."I thought Mike was dragging your corpse off to bury it in the woods. Honestly, I've seen corpses with better colour"
"Poor Mike" I said quietly, a small smile on my lips. "How did you see me? I thought you were ditching?" I asked.
"I was listening to a CD in my car. I have to take my siblings home" he shrugged.
The nurse came back with the ice and handed it to me. I stood up, my ears weren't ringing and the walls stayed where they should be. The door opened then, and another person with Mike stumbled through the door. I handed the cold compress as Edward spoke for me to leave the office. I spun and darted out of the door, Edward following behind me.
"You listened to me," he said in surprise.
"I could smell the blood," I said, wrinkling my nose in disgust.
"People can't smell blood" he contradicted my statement.
"I can," I admitted. "It's what makes me sick. It smells like rust and salt."
He stared at me with an expression I was quite not able to understand.
"What?" I asked.
"It's nothing"
Mrs Cope came back through the door then, looking at me with a faint smile. "No gym today sweetheart?" She asked me.
I nodded gently with a small smile. The whole school knew how much I detested the gym, and each year when they were blood typing, I'd always end up at the office from being faint. "Yes please"
She wrote it down on a piece of paper before handing it to me. I handed over my car keys, as per usual for my siblings to drive home. I looked over to Edward with a small smile. "Are you able to take me home?" I asked him.
He smiled, and nodded. "Sure. Plus I don't think you're in a good enough state to drive"
We exited the building and walked towards the parking lot where the shiny volvo sat. He unlocked it and climbed in, I followed, climbing in the passenger seat. He started the car quietly, and the music started playing through the speakers. I recognised it — surprisingly.
"Clair de Lune?" I asked him, smiling.
"You know Debussy?" He sounded surprised.
"Not well… My mother plays a lot of classical music around the house when she cleans. It drives Charlie up the wall. I only know my favourites" I admitted.
He stared through the rain as he drove, lost in thought. The rain blurred past us, and I realised we were driving fast enough that the town blurred past us into smudges.
"What's your mother like?" He asked me suddenly.
I looked over to him to see him looking at me curiously. "She's my best friend. She looks a lot like me but I have too much Charlie in me, but she's prettier. She's more outgoing and spontaneous than me, even when in Forks she loves to travel. We're been on so many family holidays at this point it's not even funny. She's slightly irresponsible and braver than me, but all of us keep her in check when she gets slightly out of hand," I stopped talking and looked over at him. He could probably sense the pure happiness from talking about her.
"How old are you Bella?" He sounded frustrated for some reason. The car pulled to a stop out the front of my house.
"I'm seventeen," I responded confusing.
"You don't seem seventeen."
I gave a little laugh, and he looked at me curious and confused. "My family always say I'm too mature. Like I get more middle aged each year" I looked out the window and barely saw the house through the thick wall of rain surrounding the car.
"What about your family?" I asked trying to distract him.
"What do you want to know?" he asked curiously, a hint of cautiousness in his eyes.
"The Cullens adopted you?" I verified.
"Yes."
"What happened to your parents?" I asked.
"They died many years ago." His tone showed it was the truth. "I don't really remember them that clearly. Carlisle and Esme have been my parents for a long time now."
"And you love them." It wasn't a question, it was clear through the way he spoke about them.
"Yes," He smiled. "I couldn't imagine two better people."
"You're very lucky."
"I know."
"And your brother and sister?"
He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "Will be very upset if they have to stand in the rain waiting for me."
"Oh sorry." I muttered, not wanting to get out of the car. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
"No. Emmett and I are starting the weekend early."
"What are you going to do?"
"Camping and hiking up near Goats Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."
"Oh well, have fun" I said, trying my best to be enthusiastic. I didn't mention that I knew about the reputation of bears there. It was odd to go camping and hiking there.
I exited the car, and he drove away with a smile still on his face.