Edward doesn't show for school the next day...

Or the next.

In fact, none of the Cullens do.

Apparently they do this a lot. Often when the sun is out and it's actually nice weather.

Of course there are rumors around the school about where they go.

"They return to their cave as bats to feast on human flesh for a day."

"They're all actually superheroes and they leave to fight crime."

"They're a cult based on a religion that doesn't allow fun."

"They're robots."

"They have blood sacrifices in the forest for their demonic rituals of black magic."

"They're all secretly aliens trying to blend in with humans but they only consume battery acid and live otters and they have to return to their mother ship routinely."

(Yeah that last one was just Mike's headcanon)

But I stick with what Jessica tells me: That Dr. Cullen (the alleged father) takes them all out of school for hiking and camping when the weather is nice.

Lucky.

My new pals are awesome but I don't get much time to hang with them because of school work (catching up to where they are and all... and since I'm a perfectionist who always needs to have perfect grades) and I often zone out during lunch because my mind does that when I am overworking it.

Jacob gets busy too. So I don't talk to him that much. Which is fine, but I would be lying if I said I didn't kinda miss him already.

Saturday is homework all day and Charlie takes me to the diner for dinner. Apparently it's one we used to go to when I was like five... and honestly it's probably the only diner in the whole town.

"So you gonna tell me about school?" he asks in his usual half caring tone and always set brow. The marshmallow.

"If you ask," I retort with sass.

"How's school?"

"Good."

"Okay, how about: what are your new friends like? What are their names? What subjects do you like the most or the least?"

I stuff a french fry in my mouth after dipping it in my chocolate milkshake. (saw it on Kim Possible and now I'm hooked) "Hmmm... actually you only get two questions per meal. There's a fee for additional."

He sighs—

"I'm kidding! Geez." I take a gulp of my milkshake. "Okay there's Jess, Mike, Angela, and Eric. Jess is too popular for her own good, bad at Spanish, and once told the whole school that Lauren Mallory stuffed her bra in eighth grade. Mike is just a golden retriever who hates being called that, can get you discounts on camping supplies, and is a star on the very small football team that loves to regurgitate the same story of the one game winning touchdown he made. Angela is a quiet mannequin-come-to-life that was the most pale girl in school until I got there, had a crush on Ned Bigby when she was twelve, and is better at photography than any of the other girls who claim they love it but only like to pin sloppily taken polaroids on their cork boards because it's cool. And Eric is the most outgoing and happy person I've ever met, a chess champion, and cries when he watches any adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

As for subjects, Science in general has always been my favorite subject but Chemistry makes me want to blow my brains out. Math is something I've been pretty decent at for the most part but Calculus is giving me hives. History is pretty interesting as well but my brain has issues remembering dates and names and likes to scramble them. Lit is alright. I admit as much as I love stories, the ones they make us read are hard to get through sometimes and the essays after kind of ruin the experience. Volleyball is awesome. I've only hit two kids with the ball so far." I take a bite of my burger. "So as for the answer to your question for my favorite... ... ... ... ..." I look into the air comically with thought. "I'd like to use my lifeline."

He snickers and rolls his eyes.

"Hey Bella!" an older gentleman about Charlie's age (like forties) says to us when he comes to our table, happy and surprised to see us here. "You remember me?" he asks with a bit of humor, knowing I'd be put on the spot since I clearly don't. "I played Santa one year."

"Oh so you're a pedophile? That's awesome," I say way too immediately, a smile on my face like it's a good thing.

Charlie chokes on his meat.

The man has a good sense of humor though and laughs it up, not expecting to hear that.

"She's kidding," Charlie clears up, interrupting me before I say just that. "Bella, this is Waylen. Who apparently forgot you haven't had a Christmas here since you were four," he says with sass to him. No wonder where I got my attitude from.

"Oh but he made his reputation as butt-crack-Santa by then," the waitress says when she comes to refill Charlie's drink.

"One time—" he starts.

She hits him lightly on the arm. "Go back to your table and stop harassing them, Waylen."

He chuckles and leaves as Charlie shakes his head with an amused look.

"Although I also have to comment on how grown up you've gotten, and how beautiful," she adds.

"Thank you, that's so nice," I say genuinely with a smile. I'm not too good at receiving compliments because yuh know, teenage insecurities and all that, but it's still so nice for people to go out of their way to say kind things. And that needs to be encouraged as much as possible. Plus I am genuinely flattered even if it looks like I'm being fake sometimes. Freakin Regina George ruined that for the rest of us.

"After you're done, I'll bring you your favorite berry cobbler, you remember that? Your dad still has it every Thursday," she gives him a smirk.

"That would be so great, thank you," I tell her.

She takes Charlie's empty glass and leaves.

I am staring at him for a long time before I grin, trying to keep it from getting too wide. "So... she's nice—"

"Stop," he cuts me off immediately while he cuts his steak.

I shut my lips and look away with laughter just trying so hard to get out.

"Okay, okay, okay. You have to tell me everything so far. How were your first few days of school?" My mom presses with excitement. I got a mix of her personality and Charlie's. The sarcasm and attitude from Charlie, and the general positivity and bubbliness from her.

"Well it was a lot, I'll tell you that," I reply with the phone against my ear, sitting Indian style on the steps of the house to enjoy the cool evening air and listen to the frogs. I would have talked to her sooner but apparently her cell phone broke from a hiking accident and she just got a new one.

Oh yeah I got my clumsiness from her as well...

"Tell me everything." I think she's doing dishes by the sounds in the background.

"Okay so I met this guy Eric when I walked in—"

"Oh boys! Was he cute?!"

"Mom! I'm not gonna marry the first male with a pulse that I meet."

"Sorry, just go ahead."

"Okay so he was really nice and he helped me find my locker and everything—"

"Ooo—"

"Mom."

"Sorry."

"And so the classes were a bit overwhelming but Eric introduced me to his friend group and I've gotten to be pretty decent pals with them now, being lunch buds. And I also have a couple of classes with them which is cool. Apparently there's this cult group that's pretty much just the Adams Family with crazy rumors surrounding them throughout the school. They're super anti-social and gloomy yet like amazingly beautiful which is why there are model rumors... along with immortal rumors but that one's courtesy of Mike. But I had Chem with one of them and he was super weird. Just stared at me the whole time. Maybe because he's hot he thinks he can, like, just be super creepy and it's okay. I told Jake all about it—Oh I met Jacob Black from when I was a kid remember?"

"Oh Jacob is so cute now—!"

"Mom, what did we talk about?"

"Well come on, there's gotta be someone you're crushing on by now."

"It's a bit too soon to talk about that when I hardly know anyone. I mean sure, Jake and I have known eachother since like pre-school but there was a huge gap in the middle. But I promise you'll be the first to know when I am crushing, okay?"

"Alright, fine. I concede. So how's everything else? Is Charlie glad to have you back?"

"In his own way, yes." I look over my shoulder towards the living room window where I can see the TV. "He's been really great. He took me out to the diner tonight."

"Oh the 'cobbler place'?" she quotes what I used to call it when I was a kid but I forgot I even called it that.

I blush with embarrassment and put my face in my hands. "Yes!"

She laughs. "You used to love that place! You'd beg us to take you every single Thursday."

I watch fireflies begin to scatter over the grass in the distance as another chilled breeze blows the thick tree limbs, the leaves rustling in a soothing sound before I look up at the moon peeking from behind the clouds that move to reveal it... "I remember," I say with nostalgia, warmth in my heart. I miss Mom already... I didn't realize how much I would but it makes sense. I'm a mama's girl. I stuck to her side like velcro my whole life. And when I'm away from her like this it feels like a part of me is missing.

Hearing her voice again... it just makes me want to give her a hug so bad.

"I hope you're happy, hun. I miss you so much."

I shut my eyes and swallow, trying to not let myself get emotional. "I miss you too, Mom," I say with a half cracked voice.

The first few weeks will be the hardest to spend away from her. Hopefully it will get better after that. I'm not sure if I can stick it out long term but... we'll take it day by day.

The next day makes me feel a lot better. I wake up bright and early and get ready with a somewhat fancy outfit. I wasn't sure of the dress code but I figured a casual mid-calf length dress and jacket combo was pretty safe. The dress is actually one of my favorites. Navy blue which looks great with my hair color and it's super comfy.

But I obsess over my hair and makeup until I get the text that he's here. I practically throw myself down the stairs but unlock and open the door quietly as to not wake—

The coat rack falls over with a wood-on-wood sound.

"Freakin crab cakes!" I say angrily but in a whispering voice before I put it back upright and leave out the door, shutting it behind me and locking it again with my key.

Jacob stands there with a super cute grin on his face, dressed in pretty casual clothes but knowing Jake, he'd wear flannels to a wedding.

"Hey!" I greet with a wide smile.

"Hey ghost girl," he replies with an equally wide smile showing those perfect teeth, and referencing what I called myself when we talked on the phone (which I find adorable).

We take his car and enjoy the morning drive. But since my hair is fixed I don't roll down my window this time. But we almost forget to play the radio at all because we're talking so much. And then when we get there I notice a stage with huge speakers and super cool bleachers with curved concrete behind the stage that band members gather on. It's so cool because it looks like a legit outdoor concert. They have a building beside this for the rainy weather and because Forks has a wonderful mosquito population.

But what catches my eye when we park and walk over to where people (mostly teens and young adults) are heading down to take a seat, we see...

"Erik?" I ask with surprise.

He's greeting people who are walking by him and handing out pamphlets with worship song lyrics on them. I am just dying right now. My freaking comment I made about him in my head when I first met him? This is just too much.

"Bella!" he says with a massive smile when he sees me. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Ditto," I reply and give him a hug. "Oh, Eric, this is Jacob," I introduce. "An old family friend." 

"Hi, nice to meet you," the lovable Asian says and shakes his hand.

"Same to you," Jake replies kindly.

"You guys better find a seat. The good ones are filling up fast," Eric tells us.

"Alright, see you after service," I say and the two of us head down to find a pretty decent seat near the front.

Service is really refreshing. And not just because it's outside. The worship is better quality than my megachurch one back home, and everyone is so passionate with their voices it really does move me. I catch Eric with his eyes shut and face lifted towards the sky, legs moving in rhythm with the music and hands clasped together at his heart. Jacob's posture is similar and it makes me feel full again.

This was what I needed to feel better this morning.

The sermon is great, and during it, the pastor talks about evangelism. And the idea of being the hands and feet of God. I think about that during service and shut my eyes. I say a silent prayer to myself that I would be able to do this. That God would let me meet unlikely people and give them a chance to change, to show them love they've never met before and a purpose like that I chase.

This makes me also feel more protected myself, remembering that I don't need to be so afraid when I have my own guardian angels here on earth.

The next day (Monday) is school again. And after the cafeteria meatloaf incident, I decided to bring a sandwich for lunch every day.

I don't think Kevin ever made it back to school.

The first three classes aren't super noteworthy. So we'll skip to lunch.

"You're actually a complete troglodyte, you know that?"

"I will knock you unconscious right now."

"You'd get winded just trying to ball your fist you marshmallow."

I sit down between Jessica and Angela. "Whaaat are they fighting about so heatedly?" I ask, referring to the stressful debate with Mike, Eric, and Spencer (this kid on Mike's football team with brown hair).

"Pizza sauce," she answers plainly.

"Does anyone know what Hamlet's main conflict as a character is?" Ange asks with her pencil tapping on her notebook, some stuff written but she's not sure how to put it exactly is my guess.

"I don't know, he's got butt lumps or something?" Jessica says with zero cares given before taking a bite of a leftover burrito from home (def not one from here... we don't want that ER trip again).

"He lost his son and had to go searching for him all over the world, battling villains and emotional trauma with only a girl with amnesia to help him," I answer.

There is silence as they both think about my response and then Angela finally says, "That's Finding Nemo."

"Yes."

She snickers and goes back to her notebook.

"Oh, hey do you guys want to go shopping after school? I need to redecorate my room and Charlie gave me some cash to spend on it," I ask before taking a bite of my ham sammy.

"I can't, I have to babysit tonight," Angela replies. "I'm sorry."

"I can go," Jess says. "I actually need to get..." I drown out what she is saying because my eyes catch someone back at school that I forgot about.

Edward sits with his clan-mates at their table as they just mess with their food and take a couple of uncomfortable bites that look forced. Alice seems to be telling the blonde girl a story with animated hand gestures and she just looks so bored with her. The blond boy is staring (ah staring runs in the tribe I see) into space like he doesn't know how to blink and the boy with dark hair is saying something to Edward who hasn't yet noticed my wandering eye.

He seems to be okay. I'm not sure what that whole thing was about and it was weirdly timed with the hiking trip right after but that was probably just a coincidence.

Maybe I'll ask him about it. Yeah—no that makes me uncomfortable to think about... well maybe I can like just ask him with concern if he was okay last week. 

Gosh they're all so pretty. I wonder what makeup company paid them to advertise.

"...I just don't know why he said that about capybaras, you know?" Jessica is staying. "They're such gentle, loving creatures."

I pretend I was paying attention the whole time and look at her with eyes slightly wide.

"So what do you think? Should I say yes?"

There is a long pause as I panic internally and my eyes get a tad wider while I stare at her. "................................. Yes."

She sighs, knowing I wasn't listening.

I stare at my feet the whole way to Chemistry, thinking about what is gonna go down this time. Will he still hate me? Will he be cool? Will he apologize? Will he even be there?

But what will I say to him in all these scenarios?

I bite my lip in thought but then I realize I did it again.

"I'm actually asked to be in charge of the music for the prom," Eric is saying.

I perk up and try to pay attention. I feel bad. Whoops. "Oh yeah?" I ask with a smile. "What are you gonna play?"

"Well we gotta decide on a theme first so I'm waiting for that but I can promise you this: it will be dope."

"Okay you've been hanging around Mike too much," I sass him.

He laughs and prepares to head to his class which is the next door down. "That would be a problem," he jokes before heading inside.

I smile but then when I go through the door of the Chemistry room, (luckily the fan isn't on this time) I lock eyes with Edward almost immediately. But I don't let my eyes linger, walking over to the seat beside him because he's now my lab partner. And I take a seat, my palms getting moi—uh not dry. Idk moist is such a gross word.

We listen to the teacher tell us what to do and it's honestly hard for me to pay attention (I mean I'm ADD already) because all I can think about is trying to look like I'm not thinking about if I'm being watched by the dude beside me...

"I want you to work with your partners on the experiment in front of you. You will do a comparison of the solubility of carbon dioxide in water at various temperatures. After that there are some questions on your worksheets and a good written report—"

The whole class groans.

"It's only a paragraph!" he defends. "And the team that gets the best grade wins..." he grabs something to show us, "the Golden Onion." He holds up a painted onion. Is that a real onion? 

I look down at my book when we all begin our work, analyzing the instructions.

"Hello," my partner's voice cuts into the silence.

I instantly look at him with a little surprise.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself last week."

As I listen I just stare at his freakin perfect cheekbones, trying not to let his eyes make me nervous. "Uh, yeah you seemed a little ill, was everything okay?" I downplay it. He basically looked like he was giving birth to a porcupine through his butthole.

"Uh," he seems to almost chuckle, a hesitant smile on his lips as he glances down. "Yeah I was a bit sick... in more ways than one," he lets out a very brief chuckle then.

"Well I hope I didn't cause that," I remark since he basically looked like he was repulsed by me.

He seems to smirk, eyes not looking away from mine. "Maybe you didn't... maybe you did... but that doesn't mean it was in a negative way," he says smoothly.

Wha—is he flirting? I can't tell. Was that line cheesy or clever?

I avert my gaze immediately, taking in a breath to regain my senses. I try to act like I wasn't affected by that but... I actually don't know how I feel about that line. Is he actually the quiet and thoughtful guy or is he pretending to be that guy (and be mysterious) to get women?

"I'm Edward Cullen, by the way," he says with the same tone.

"Bella," I say politely and hold out my hand to shake his.

He just seems a little skeptical and looks like he either doesn't know what to do with my hand or is avoiding me because he finds my hand disgusting or something.

I quickly pull back when it's clear he's not going to shake my hand and I look back at my book. Okay, then. "We have to use this beaker and measure out eight thousand milliliters... wait what?" I frown at my book. "Oh. No, it's two hundred."

He works on taking water from a pitcher and measuring it out while I light the beaker. "So you enjoying the rain?" He asks while he works.

"Um, I actually don't like the rain. I mean the sound is soothing but I don't want it coming down on me—are we discussing weather? That's probably the worst small talk you can go with," I chuckle.

He lets out a laugh disguised as a breath as he writes something down on his paper. "I guess the wrong kind of small talk is my thing."

"Hm," I smirk. "Then uh how about the game last night? You enjoy it?"

He frowns a little with a brief glance to the left and back at me. "What game?"

"...Any of them," I stutter and clear my throat. "Okay maybe not sports. I guess another small talk topic is... the stocks—no screw that. Uh... Oh! How about your biggest hopes, fears, dreams, and regrets? That's pretty surface level," I say with a confident look.

He manages another half nervous chuckle before he looks at me. "You first," he teases.

I hold back a grin of amusement and look down at my book, but I don't read anything because of this dude beside me. "Hm, why don't you ask me a question straight up and I'll answer, yeah?" I give him a snarky look.

He glances down and thinks but then nods, straining to not show a grin himself. But his eyes show it, and he looks at me again. "Alright what is your biggest hope then?" he uses my question against me.

I actually have to think about that. "Well... if you wanna get deep... I think my biggest hope is something that already happened, really. I don't really have hope for something better than reality. Because death and evil have been defeated already and God's plan wins no matter what so. And the silly answer? I hope for my dad to eat something other than steak. Or else I'm gonna start calling him Uncle Rico."

"Is that some kind of a reference?" he asks with confusion, trying to understand.

"Uh, yeah. Never seen Napoleon Dynamite?"

He shakes his head in a way that also looks like he's disinterested.

"Just not a comedy person?" I tease him.

"Is that your official question?" he retorts like we're playing a game.

I put my mouth to the side. "...Yeah."

"Well... I'm not really a movie person but... I guess if I had to pick a genre it would be something that makes you think and opens your eyes to something you didn't know before."

"Hm, how insightful. I can get behind that. I guess it just wouldn't be something I'd pick on a fun movie night," I give a hint of a chuckle in my tone.

"...Maybe not," he adds with a smirk. Why does he pause so long when he talks? I'm using way too many periods to describe this man.

"Okay my turn for a question. What's the deal with like the sibling thing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you guys like actual siblings or just roommates or something?"

His thick, yet perfectly groomed, brows furrow. "Um, we're not related. My dad just likes to open his home to people who don't have their own."

"Like orphans?"

He nods.

"So has he adopted everyone or are you guys remaining legally orphaned and living together like friends would?"

"Uh—we have just been staying together. Carlisle is... a bit attached," he says in a way that I feel like should mean something else.

"Did he never have kids?"

He shakes his head.

"Why didn't he adopt you guys?"

"...Um..." he is keeping his brows tensed. "Hand me that thermometer," he tells me.

I do so, but then I remain looking at him and waiting for an answer.

But he's just going back to working on the experiment. "We should probably finish this if you wanna get that onion," he changes the subject.

"I don't think we're gonna get that thing," I say honestly because I haven't even been working.

"We'll get it." He seems amused.

"I bet you five bucks we won't."

"You're on."

I fumble through my wallet. "Okay here," I tell him and grab a five dollar bill.

He takes it with a smirk as I shove this painted vegetable into my locker. "Great. My locker's gonna smell like Shrek's swamp," I complain. But then I turn to him. "I hope you're happy."

"Ecstatic," he says with a smolder, leaning against the little metal doors. His eyes are brighter today. They're almost gold-brown instead of void black-brown like they looked before.

Dude he's so hot, what even?

It's like unreal. Like it doesn't feel like I'm talking to a human at all. He's like a Lord of the Rings elf or something but just with short hair...

He's certainly alluring to say the least but like I can't help but feel uncomfortable and nervous. I feel like he's going to judge me if I say something stupid or do something stupid. And his presence kind of makes my palms sweat. I can't tell if that's just jitters or if there's something actually negative about him that I'm sensing.

Yo that being said... what would he look like with that elven hair though?!

OMG you're staring at him. Stop.

I blink a few times and tuck some hair behind my ears nervously. "Uh, well I guess I should get over to the gym—" I attempt to put my Chemistry book in my locker but it falls—

He catches it immediately before it can hit the floor and hands it back to me, his eyes staying on me intensely.

I am taken aback and I blink but then stutter, "Oh, thanks. Nice reflexes."

He doesn't change expressions at all as he just gazes at me thoughtfully. "I'll see you later, Bella," he says smoothly with a voice like a freakin river, man. And he turns to walk away from me.

I am sitting there catching my breath (figuratively) and trying to figure out if we just had a moment or was he just trying to be polite with all that talk?

Maybe I can just forget the whole first meeting thing and start over with him? He seems to be fine now. Still has a bit of a socially awkward thing but what teen doesn't? Plus he doesn't blink a lot...

Either way, that dude is so hot. I mean he's like a celebrity so like not a real person.

Well... celebrities are real people but like...

Nevermind.

I smile to myself and look down at my book still in my hands—

The five dollar bill I gave him is tucked into the pages like a bookmark.

How did he...?

Okay he is smooth...

Dang...

Oh crap I'm late!

I try to catch Jess up on what went down but we don't get a proper moment to talk very much without others hearing me until afterwards.

"Wow... he seems kinda into you," she says honestly as we walk to the parking lot.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean... do you like him?" she asks in a more hushed tone.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "We had one conversation. I mean he's hot. Like clearly. But there's a difference between 'hot' and 'attractive' you know what I mean?"

"So Edward's not attractive?"

"W... eh... I mean okay let's be real. He's attractive but for me being attracted to a guy personally, takes more than just good looks and seeming somewhat decent at the start. I know it sounds cliche but I need to click with someone emotionally and frankly spiritually before I can really be attracted to someone." My thoughts go to Jacob but I dismiss that as if she can read my mind and find out that I think he's cute or something.

"Okay but like... I'd let him stick his tongue down my throat at the first chance—"

I gasp and hit her arm to quiet her, a look of appallment on my gaped mouth before she starts to giggle and I do the same as we continue to walk to our cars.

"I'll drop this stuff off at home and meet you there?" she tells me about our shopping trip.

"Yeah!" I call back with a smile and face my truck to unlock the door. But I have to fumble for my keys because I'm holding so much crap. I need a bigger backpack.

While I'm doing this, I feel watched and I look up to see the Cullens over by their Jeep across the lot and a silver Volvo parked beside it that Edward leans against. He is watching me with his grey pee-coat (hehe) buttoned tightly over him. And I look away immediately.

But I do envy his coat. It looks warm. I don't like how cold it is right now. I don't think my jacket is doing enough since the temperature drop during school. Especially since it was doing a bit of freezing rain before everyone got out.

I sling my backpack onto the bed of my truck so that I can stick my key into the car's keyhole—

I hear the loud sound of skidding wheels and turn to see what's making the sound.

But to my alarm, I don't have time to react when I see a large black car sliding on the charcoal ice that lays on the equally dark cement, the driver unable to slow his vehicle down or turn out of the way before the side of it comes to me so fast that all I do is drop and put my hands up like an idiot.

Even though, all of this happens in like a split second. So much so that I can't even process any of this information when it happens. All I see is a car and then black.

But... it's black because my eyes are shut tightly. But I feel pressure around me, like something hard yet soft is wrapped around me.

I open my eyes immediately as the grip around me loosens and the first thing I see is a hand on the passenger door of the black car a foot to the right of my head, a crater in the door around the hand as if this person was able to stop the car with his palm...

I turn to see a face right in front of mine as he stares at me with wide eyes and my expression mirrors his.

Edward Cullen.

His honey brown eyes stay locked with mine as he processes what just happened and I do the same. My mind is moving a hundred miles an hour and I gasp for air when I realize I was holding my breath. I am on the ground on my butt with my knees bent so that my feet are planted on the cement but his right arm is curled around my back and a strange sensation of being held by a statue hits me when I attempt to break free in panic, my heart racing.

He lets me go and looks at his hand that's still on the car door. Removing it, he gives me an intense look and simply hops over the bed of my truck and out of the scene.

My hands are propping me up on the cold wet concrete now and I am still trying to process what the frick just went down. I think I saw my life flash before my eyes.

People are yelling and running over in alarm and I don't notice them until they're right next to me and a guy I don't know gives me his hand.

I take it and let him help me to my feet, everyone asking if I'm okay.

I nod and the guy driving the car that almost hit me jumps out and runs around to see me. His forehead is bleeding pretty bad but his eyes are wide. "Bella! I'm so sorry! I—"

"It's okay," I breathe, sincerely meaning it because I know it was an accident but that answer is probably not gonna do much for him right now. Shutting my eyes, I try to get back to a state of normality but my fingers are trembling.

I almost died.

"Bella, I've got nine-one-one on the phone!" someone says.

But I just shut my eyes again and mutter to myself, "Thank you, Jesus... thank you Jesus..." because I could have certainly bit the dust but I was saved and I'm here unharmed...

I open my eyes and look at the door, the hand mark there around the bent metal.

Jessica is beside me now and Mike as well.

"Hey, you okay, oh my G*d," Mike is saying with wide eyes of concern and surprise. Jessica's face matches his. He also asks the driver (I'm not sure what his name is but he's been to lunch with us before) if he's alright too since he looks banged up.

"I should call my dad—" I start to say.

"Let me call him," Jess offers. "Mike, get your car. We can take them to the ER—"

"I'll take Tyler," one of the boy's friends says as some people help him, making sure he gets in the car. He might have a concussion but I hope not.

God heal him and make sure he's okay.

"I'm okay—" I say but they are insisting and I go ahead and accept their help.

As they hurry me into the car, all I can do is glance back at that spot on Tyler's car where Edward's hand had been...

When I look behind me, the Cullens have all vanished including Edward...

I hop into Mike's car in the backseat with Jessica there beside me. They act like it's more serious than it is but I guess better safe than sorry.

Mostly I think I'm just in shock. My hands are little roughed up from the concrete but not even enough to create scabs. I just keep thinking of Edward's arm around me and... how...

"How the h*ll did that car not hit you?" Jess asks with immense interest as Mike pulls us out of the parking lot.

"Edward. Did you not see him?"

"No, I was looking at my phone when I heard the crash and then saw you there on the ground with the back bumper of Tyler's car against the back of your truck. Wait what do you mean, Edward? It looked like a boulder stopped that car."

"He had his hand on the car when I opened my eyes—did you not see that massive dent?"

"Well yeah but I just assumed that was there before, I guess."

"No it wasn't, I saw the car before it hit us. It was totally fine. And the dent was in a hand shape." So many thoughts are running by in my head that my mind is kind of just trying to focus on one thing at a time to catch my breath.

"So like did he have a robot arm?" she asks incredulously.

"I told you—" Mike starts.

"Can it, Wizowsky," she shuts him down with annoyance.

"Just saying," he adds.

She sighs and I manage a small chuckle.

Charlie is having a cow at the small Forks hospital and I mean that in both ways. Because he comes barreling in here like I'm on life support. And starts demanding answers from the nurses that they couldn't possibly know.

"Charlie, I'm fine," I try to calm him down.

"What happened?" he asks me with urgency (I'm paraphrasing because he is actually cursing a lot right now). "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay, just a little shaken."

"Any bruises, broken bones, scratches, head injuries?"

"No. Nothing, really, I'm fine."

He looks behind me at Tyler who is being bandaged up right now. "You and I are gonna talk later," he adds with a finger pointed angrily at him.

"Dad!" I scold him. "It was an accident."

"His driver's license is the accident."

"I'm really sorry, Bella," Tyler keeps saying.

"It's okay," I reassure him again. "Really." I don't blame him for something that was even an absentminded mistake. I mean I could do the same thing.

I have a blanket wrapped around me but the shaking has stopped pretty much, thankfully. And Mike and Jessica are still here for support, texting Angela and Eric about it. I just picture Eric showing up with flowers and overreacting like Charlie did. He seems like that type.

Which isn't a bad thing. I think it's cute. Shows that they care.

As if reading my thoughts, Jessica sighs with, "Eric is freaking out, he's probably gonna call me."

And he does. So Mike takes the phone and goes to talk to him.

"Hey, you guys can go," I tell her. "Thank you so much for driving me, really. And I think I'm fine now, especially with Charlie here."

"Well I'm gonna email the school and tell them to set your homework due date back a day, then. Cause that's the last thing you need to worry about today and they can kiss my hairy—"

Charlie clears his throat.

"Thank you, Jessica," I tell her as sincerely as I can. She's so sweet. I really think I hit the jackpot with her as a friend here.

"If you need anything or you want to hang out still, just give me a call or a text, okay?" she tells me.

"I will for sure, thank you."

She gives me a hug and heads out to find Mike.

"That was nice of them," Charlie says.

That's when I hear a voice say, "I heard the chief's daughter was here," from somewhere behind me where the entrance is.

"Hey, Carlisle," Charlie greets him grimly.

The man comes into view and immediately I think of the Cullens because he has incredibly flawless porcelain skin, features that look like artwork with how perfect they are, with amazing cheekbones, amber irises, almost bleach blond hair in a sophisticated style, and a general appearance of refinement and grace. He has a face that smolders even more than Edward's actually and—holy... wait Edward mentioned his dad's name was Carlisle. This guy is not the image I had in mind when Edward talked about his adopted father. I thought the guy would be like at least fifty or sixty but this guy can't be over thirty. He has, like, no wrinkles!

"She almost got hit by a hooligan in his car—" Charlie is saying while Dr. Cullen is looking over my medical charts.

"I'm so sorry Bella—" Tyler says again but Charlie angrily yanks the curtain between us closed.

"That doesn't sound like a pleasant experience at all, I'm so sorry, but I'm glad you're okay," Carlisle says when he looks at us both. Gosh his voice is like butter. It's so smooth. He's like one of those dads in a rom com that is, like, way too hot to be single and ends up falling in love with a ditsy farm girl or something and they get married and she raises his one daughter with him.

"Let's see if everything is working alright," he tells me and sits down across from me on a stool so that he's eye level with me.

We go through the procedures of things that I don't really take notice of since I know nothing about medical... stuff. Why do I feel like these procedures are the same no matter what kind of "unwell" a person is? Idk maybe that's just me.

"Well, Isabella, your vitals look good. And there doesn't seem to be any signs of head trauma. I think you'll be just fine."

I nod and look down.

Okay like, I would never be attracted to someone that much older than me in practicality but to be honest, just from a looks standpoint, I can't decide if Edward or Carlisle is more hot. But like... again I'm not into dads. But like... just saying.

When I think of Edward, I remember what he did again. "I'm only here because of Edward."

"'Edward'... your boy?" Charlie asks him.

"Yeah he literally stopped the van from hitting me, it was insane. I mean he got to me so fast but like I wouldn't be alive now if he didn't."

Carlisle seems to only be looking at the chart but not actually reading anything, something in him a little hesitant and he has a pretty good poker face for whatever he's thinking when we just told him that. But he seems to avoid it altogether when he smiles politely and says, "Seems like you were very lucky," to me and then addresses us again before he leaves...

...

Alright...

That was odd.

Suddenly Mike's conspiracy theories don't sound so crazy after all.

Yes I knew it. Edward Cullen is a Jedi.

After we are okay to head home, Charlie is walking me out but I catch a glimpse of a familiar peacoat and I stop. "Um I'll be right out."

"You okay?" Charlie seems confused.

"Yeah I'm just gonna say 'thank you' to Edward really quick."

"Oh he's here? I should probably thank him too, to be honest—"

"No just go get the car warm. I don't wanna be an icicle."

"Fine." He gives up and leaves.

I breathe and then turn around to head down the hall where Edward left to but when I do I stop at the corner because I overhear a conversation.

"What was I supposed to do? Just let her die?" he is saying very quietly but with frustration.

"This isn't just about you. It's about all of us," a female voice is arguing back at the same volume.

Maybe I shouldn't interrupt.

"Hey there, you need anything?" a nurse asks me, blowing my cover.

"Oh, um, no I'm okay, thank you."

She leaves and I look over to see Edward, Carlisle, and the blonde Cullen girl standing back where no one would normally be able to hear them. But they're all looking at me now.

"Sorry, uh—Hey, Edward, can I talk to you?" I ask politely. Do they think I was eavesdropping? I hope not.

Dr. Cullen excuses himself and the girl and I walk over to where he is, away from other ears.

"Hey, um thank you. I mean you saved my life," I begin.

He seems to be waiting for me to get to the point but he does say, "You're welcome, Bella."

"Yeah I mean that was incredible. How did you get over to me so fast?"

In his eyes I see panic but he doesn't blink until he begins an act, saying, "I was standing right next to you, Bella."

I hesitate for a moment. Is he really trying to lie to me? Why? "Uh, no, you were across the whole parking lot by your car," I defend. This is majorly suspicious.

"No I wasn't," he snickers, as if I'm crazy.

"W... yes. Yes you were. Why are you lying to me? Just tell me the truth, what's the big deal?"

"Bella you hit your head, I think you're confused."

"I didn't hit my head, Edward. You should know, you kept that from happening. What's the big secret?"

He is lost for words and behind his cool composure he's scrambling. "What secret?"

"You got to me within three seconds of that car hitting me and you stopped it with your hand. How did you do that?"

"Well... no one's gonna believe that," he says, which admits he's hiding something. But now he's trying to gaslight me? What is up with this guy?! Is he Spider-Man or something?!

"What...?" I ask with shock. "So, there is a secret and you just won't tell me?"

He's pissed now and he's looking around to think of something to say back. "...Yeah. And I'm doing that for your own good. So don't ask me again," he practically threatens and walks past me so aggressively I expect him to hit my shoulder with his on the way but he doesn't. And he is gone just like that.

What... on earth?

Normally I would say he's trying to be mysterious or something but that talk with his "dad" and "sister" disproves that one...

  There are tons of whacked thoughts in my head as I leave the hospital and head over to Charlie's car and hop in. But those thoughts are cut short when Charlie begins to ask me if I'm warm enough and if there's anything else I need and if I want something to eat and... lots more.

To be honest, Charlie seems like a pretty uncaring person but that's only until something happens to (or almost happens to) the ones he loves. Then he overcompensates and flips out. He almost got into a fist fight once with this guy who said something rude to Mom once back when we were young...

As soon as we get home I see Jake's car parked by the curb across from our house and I frown. We pull in and park and as soon as we do, I hop out of the car and Jacob does the same thing from his vehicle.

"Bella!" he calls and jogs to me as I walk slowly towards him. He pulls me into a hug immediately.

I hug him back with a hesitant smile on my face. "Jake? What are you doing here?"

He pulls away. "Your dad told my dad you got hit by a car. It wasn't until I was halfway to the hospital in a panic that he called me and said you guys were already on your way home." He seems to be surprised at my state which is completely unscathed.

"Classic Charlie. Spares the details," I say with a nod.

"What happened?"

I sigh with thought but then put my mouth to the side. "Come in and I'll explain. It's freezing out here."

I grab his sleeve and pull him towards the house where Charlie doesn't get to talk to him much before I drag Jake right past him and into the house. When we come in, the coat rack falls over but I'm able to catch it and put it back up before it hits the ground. Then I lead him up the stairs to the left to my room. But before I open the door I stop and face him. "Okay before I take you in there I need to disclose that all this stuff is from when I was a kid and I haven't gotten new stuff for my room yet."

He nods with slight amusement imagining the scene he's about to see.

I open the door and we both come in. I just wait for the laughter at my bedspread with kittens on it.

"Yeah, I know," I comment when he sees it.

"What do you mean—this is perfect," he replies with a total straight face and looks at me seriously.

I burst into laughter.

"Okay so I'm gonna start from the beginning," I say as I pace back and forth while he sits on my bed. "So Edward was there today in Chemistry right? And I didn't really know what to say but I planned to ask him if he felt okay last time I saw him. But he made small talk with me about whatever. He looked a little pained still but it wasn't as bad. Probably just constipation this time. But we worked on our class project while he told me about his family situation which is pretty interesting to say the least. And then I think he was trying to flirt with me but I'm not sure. That was a little weird. But normal experience over all. And then in the parking lot I was by my car and he was at least eight cars' length away from me. And Tyler's van is sliding on the ice and comes right me. I don't even have time to blink before I'm on the ground and I open my eyes and there's Edward with his arm around me protectively and his hand is on Tyler's car. It makes a dent." I look at him with emphasis in my tone. "His hand dented a metal car and stopped it from hitting me. He's shocked. I'm shocked. And then he just peaces out."

He is frowning now. "What, some kind of adrenaline rush?" But he also seems shocked that Edward could even do that.

"That's what my guess almost was but then..." I grab a bag of sour gummy worms off my desk and sit Indian style on the center of my bed, facing him (and he turns to prop one leg on the bed in order to face me). "Then when I went to the ER, I talked to him. He basically told me I was crazy for thinking he wasn't standing beside me. And proceeded to lie and say that he didn't stop the car with his hand. He said I was confused because I hit my head which I did not. Dr. Cullen made that clear." I stuff some worms into my mouth and offer him some.

"Okay so he's trying to cover something up," he clarifies before taking a couple gummies.

"Yeah that's sure what it seemed like. If it was an adrenaline rush he would have said so or even said he didn't know how he did it. But he lied instead. Which means something is clearly up."

"A robot arm?"

"That's what Jessica said!" I say with worms in my mouth.

He laughs at my goofiness but not in a way that is making fun of me.

"It's totally weird!" I say honestly. "Like is he a superhero? A Terminator? An alien? Like what is this dark secret?"

He is shaking his head. "I don't know, Bella. That's kind of... more than strange. But we all know the Cullens have that reputation."

"I'm just waiting for the cameras to come out that I'm being 'Punked', yuh know?"

He laughs and looks down. "Well we might be close to Seattle but I don't think a camera crew for anything has ever been here."

"What, they don't like cold weather and humidity at four hundred percent?" I ask incredulously.

He laughs louder. "Don't forget the wildlife."

"The mosquitos?"

"Exactly."

I laugh this time and then he follows my lead with one of his own. This is the first time I've genuinely laughed like this in a while. I mean, yeah I laugh with my mom, Charlie, and my idiot friends but this kind is more of an I-can't-actually-help-it laugh instead of an everyday laugh. Does that make sense? Anyway...

When I stop finally, I notice him looking at me with a gaze of adoration, smiling not only with his lips but with his eyes as well—and maybe even more—and when I notice this I become a bit flustered and lower my gaze.

"Well I'm glad you're okay, bumblebee. You really had me worried," he says sweetly to me.

My cheeks flush as I feel a smile tug at my lips. I look up again. "After all these years you still reference Halloween of ninety-seven?"

"How could I forget you kicking me after I spilled punch all over your bee costume?"

"I did not kick you—!" I say defensively.

"Yes you did—!" he argues back with amusement.

"It was hardly a tap—!"

"I think I still have a slight limp—"

I hit him in the arm and he starts laughing.