Delayed by the holiday! Thank you for the reviews.

Fourteen

I held Alice's cell phone over my head, which, given I was a full foot taller than her, meant it was out of her grasp. "Edward, come on!" her voice was caught between a whine and a shout, her small hands balled into fists at her sides as she glared up at me.

"We have to practice, Alice."

"I know!" she exclaimed, nearly stamping her foot.

"Not makeovers. Not cooking homemade dessert pizzas. Not browsing bargains on Sephora's website."

"I was just joking!" Alice growled between gritted teeth. At my dubious expression, she insisted, "I was!"

Esme appeared from around the corner, likely having overheard this entire exchange from the kitchen. "Alice, I only promised to go to Port Angeles with you to pick up snacks with the expectation that this was for a study group." Her voice was a gentle warning.

Alice spun on her heel, her exasperated sigh accompanied by sagging, defeated shoulders. "I know!" A plaintive note entered her voice, "But I always had a feeling Bella and I were going to be friends!"

Esme crossed to Alice's side, a patient smile on her lips. "I trust that's possible regardless of the fact that her first visit here is for schoolwork rather than socializing." Her gaze shifted from Alice's pouting face to mine; I was trying to convey my gratitude without saying anything—forgetting that I was supposed to be holding Alice's phone out of reach.

But my sister spun on her heel again and snatched the cell from my hand, a triumphant, "Ha!" bursting from her lips as she sprinted towards the kitchen.

"Alice!" I growled, striding after her.

The phone was already at her ear as she danced around the kitchen island, her voice a bright burble that gave away none of the argument we'd been having only a moment ago. "Hey, Bella! Just calling like I said I would to make sure you can come over this Friday so we can all run through our scripts for English class!"

I glared at her, refusing to chase her around the island, my brows low over my eyes as I listened to her rattle on. "It'll be so exciting—and fun! I can't wait to—" She paused, her blue eyes briefly losing focus as Bella presumably spoke. "Sure, totally understand you gotta check with him first!"

A moment later, her lips parted in a huge grin at Bella's response. "Great! Great—so great! We can pick you up Friday morning!" I frowned at Alice. In all of her excited plotting and planning in the car on the ride home, that hadn't been a detail she'd mentioned. "That way, we can take one car after school." She narrowed her gaze at me, as if daring me to contradict her. "The house is kind of hard to find and it'll be easier that way."

She paused again to give Bella a chance to respond, and her answer must have affirmed the plan because Alice gestured excitedly, her free hand flailing as she spun around on her toes. "Great! Sweet! We'll see you then!" She punched at the phone, her expression transitioning from glee to mutinous exasperation as she turned her full attention to me.

"I don't know why you don't trust me!"

I just rolled my eyes.

I wouldn't have admitted to anyone that I woke up long before my alarm on Friday morning—but forced myself to stay in bed, certain I'd get shit from Emmett if he found me skulking around the living room at six a.m. I stared at the ceiling, fighting the feeling of anticipation—trying to tamp down the excitement I felt with the reminder that this was for school. It wasn't a big deal that she'd agreed to come over—it didn't have to mean anything.

I finally got out of bed with the alarm and lingered in front of my closet. I didn't usually struggle over what to wear but it suddenly felt oddly important. Squinting at the neatly arranged hangers, my gaze lingered on a canvas button up Alice had bought me at some point in the past year. But with a groan of frustration, I finally just grabbed a black hoodie and white tee, knowing that I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself than I already was.

I quickly showered, suddenly worried I was going to be late to pick up Bella given I'd dawdled over what to wear. But as I swiped at the steamy mirror, I found myself frowning at my reflection, considering the appearance I never usually gave much thought. Green eyes stared back, narrow and suspicious. My hair was a mess, sticking in nine directions—and I couldn't blame having just gotten out of the shower. It always looked like that, no matter how many times Alice insisted a little mousse would help. Shrugging, I turned away from my reflection, unwilling to admit there was a gleam of something like hope in my expression.

Alice breathlessly directed me to Bella's house from the back seat of my car, insisting she didn't want to sit up front even though Emmett had driven over to the Hales to give Rosalie and Jasper a ride to school. Low fog had drifted in from the coast, giving the streets a ghostly feel that made the unreal morning feel even more dream-like.

But I didn't wake up in the darkness of the bedroom when I shifted into park in front of Bella's house, the reality around me disappearing into a frustrating mist. Instead, I peered up at the small, clapboard house partly concealed by the black-green branches of pine trees, wondering which of the small curtained windows was her bedroom.

"It's getting late," Alice piped up from the back seat, startling me from my thoughts.

"So?" I replied, glancing to the clock in the dashboard. We were close enough to school that I wasn't worried about running late. If anything, it might be better if we arrived after the first bell and didn't draw a bunch of attention by showing up at school together. Even if Bella claimed she didn't care about the rumors, there was no way arriving at school in my car wouldn't get people speculating again.

But Alice leaned over my shoulder and jammed a small hand at the horn. "Hey!" I turned around, frowning at her. She just grinned, her blue eyes dancing with anticipation.

"Don't act like you weren't wanting to do that."

"I wasn't," I sharply replied. "You have the patience of a toddler."

Alice stuck out her tongue at me but my eyes swung back to the house at a swing of movement. I took a deep breath, denying the anticipation and anxiety curling in my gut, and climbed out of the car to open the passenger side door.

She was tripping down the porch steps, her messenger bag slung over her shoulder, her olive coat open—as though she'd rushed out of the house at the sound of the horn. But she was brightly smiling, teeth flashing, brown eyes almost sparkling. It was impossible to keep from smiling in response.

As she dropped into the passenger seat I noticed she was wearing corduroys instead of her typical jeans, and I wondered if maybe she'd been contemplating her closet in frustration the same way I had been that morning.

My step felt lighter as I crossed back around the car and settled into the driver's seat, resisting the urge to stare at Bella like a creep, soaking in the sight of her in my car—and not as a result of a freak accident this time. Not even Alice's barrage of chatter could sour my mood, quietly listening as she rattled on about the snacks she and Esme had bought for that afternoon. Bella was equally quiet, but it didn't seem like she felt awkward or uncomfortable, her posture relaxed as she lifted a hand to tweak one of the vents, turning her head to listen to Alice babble on.

I was pretty sure it wasn't just my anxiety giving me the sense that she got a little tense when we pulled into the school lot, though, her shoulders lifting away from the seat as she scanned the parking lot still milling with students. I wasn't sure if it was a little more crowded than usual, everyone reluctant to head inside on the last day before the weekend.

"You alright?" I quietly asked as I pulled into a parking spot. I would have been willing to turn around and drop her off a block away if she'd asked.

But her brown eyes were determined when she turned to me, her voice firm as she replied, "Yes."

If it was possible, my heart somehow felt even lighter. And I couldn't help grinning as I crossed around the car to open the door for her.

Even though I knew she was just coming over because of a class project, and even though I was still filled with a million doubts and uncertainties…I couldn't help feeling like I'd bagged the biggest prize as I opened the car door for Bella Swan.

She climbed out, her gaze darting around the lot as a predictable pink flush stained her cheeks. I followed her gaze, and was unsurprised to see a few open stares…and an unmistakable glare from Mike Newton.

I turned back to Bella, certain my smile might have been a little gloating as I asked, "You ready?"

She just nodded, tugging her messenger bag higher up her shoulder before falling into step at my side.

"I'm going to wait for Jasper to get here!" I barely heard Alice's bright voice, vaguely nodding as I crossed the Forks High parking lot with Bella at my side.

As we passed into the school, it suddenly felt like all of the excuses and reasons and context didn't matter, our mutual silence loaded with a meaning I couldn't have defined in that moment—but I knew it was there. We turned to face each other at the same time as we came to the junction where we would part ways for our respective classes. She looked up at me, her brown eyes wide, her lips slightly parted, her expression oddly vulnerable. In that moment, had she asked me, I would have confessed everything. I would have admitted how much I looked forward to the one class a day that I shared with her. I would have told her how it suddenly felt painful to know she was headed off to Spanish, overcome with the sudden desire to pressure her to skip class with me—to spend the day together just bumming around—the feeling so overpowering that I had to swallow to keep from speaking the words aloud.

Instead, I lifted a hand, as if physical touch could somehow communicate the things I couldn't say, my fingertips just skimming the back of her hand. She didn't speak, long lashes briefly fluttering over brown eyes as she softly exhaled.

Not trusting myself to hold back the thoughts and impulses rioting through my mind, I swiftly turned, striding away as my hand curled into a fist at my side.

Her skin was so soft.

The morning passed in a haze of lectures, exercises, and labs that I couldn't have recalled if someone had held a gun to my head. By the time I passed into the cafeteria, I felt like I was buzzing with the anticipation of the coming English class…as well as the afternoon I'd get to spend with Bella.

But Alice's face was unusually clouded as I crossed to our table, her blue eyes troubled as she tugged at the label on her bottle of iced tea. "What?" I asked, glancing to Jasper, who sat at her side. Emmett and Rosalie were still in line, grabbing food.

"Bella got in a fight with Jessica Stanley this morning." At my confused expression, she quickly added, "Or, at least, it sounds like they got in some kind of shouting match." She shook her head, her dark hair wisping with the motion, "I mean, you know how it is—they were probably just arguing and the rumor mill turns it into a cat fight by second period." Her mouth twisted, blue eyes falling to the mangled label on her drink. "But in any case, I overheard Lauren and MacKenzie gossiping in biology—talking about how the rumors were true even if Bella keeps saying they're not—and Lauren was insisting she was going to ask Bella about it directly."

"Fuck."

"Hey, Romeo," Emmett called as he approached the table, his tray piled high with food, his brown eyes amused as he took a seat. Rosalie wasn't far behind him, her expression one of typical disdain.

"Whatever," I muttered, glancing around the cafeteria. Angela Webber was in the process of sitting down next to Jessica, who did seem to look put out, her brow furrowed with a frown as she tore at the sandwich on her plate. Mike Newton was in line behind Tyler Crowley, and they were bumping shoulders and screwing around, their voices loud. But I didn't see Bella.

"Looking for your girlfriend?" Emmett asked as he took a bite of his burger.

"She's not my girlfriend," I glowered at him.

"And people jumping to that conclusion is part of the problem," Alice sighed, shaking her head at Emmett.

I glared down at the piece of pizza on my plate, the food completely unappetizing as I realized that while I'd been floating on cloud nine the entire morning, Bella had likely been navigating a maze of bullshit and confrontation. I closed my eyes, resisting the urge to bang my head on the table.

Instead, I turned, glancing to the clock over the cafeteria doors. It was nearly ten minutes past the hour, and Bella still hadn't appeared, taking a seat at her usual table…or anywhere else for that matter.

I abruptly rose, pushing my plate of pizza towards Emmett. "I'll see you guys later." I didn't offer an explanation as I turned away, hiking my backpack up my shoulder as I headed towards the cafeteria doors. I glanced at the table where Bella usually sat, just making sure she hadn't materialized in the short time I'd been wrestling with the decision to go look for her. But she wasn't there—though Mike Newton had sat down on the other side of Jessica, his expression murderous as he watched me push through the cafeteria doors.

I didn't have to guess what that was about, but Mike's bruised ego had never concerned me. Turning down the empty hallways, I first headed towards the English classroom, where I'd once found Bella before, seated outside the door as she avoided the chaos of the cafeteria at Halloween. But I quickly turned away upon seeing the corridor was empty, my mind racing as I tried to figure out where she could have gone. She didn't have her car, but that didn't mean she couldn't have walked home, avoiding the fuckery of this stupid school…

But as I passed the library doors, it hit me that Bella could have taken refuge there. I wouldn't have been at all surprised if the library was a place she typically enjoyed…and it was almost guaranteed to be empty at the lunch hour.

I frowned as I pushed through the heavy door, scanning the book-filled shelves, desks topped by ancient computers, and the counter where the librarian usually sat. I didn't see Bella, but I couldn't think where else she could have gone, so crossed further into the space, frowning as I scanned in between the shelves—

I nearly tripped when I spotted her, halting in my tracks at the sight of her small figure, sitting on the ground in the farthest back corner of the library, her knees drawn up to her chest. She didn't see me, her forehead resting on her knees—and I worried for a split second she was crying, my teeth grinding so hard I could feel the muscles in my jaw jumping with the motion.

But her shoulders were rising and falling with even breathing and I briefly wrestled with bothering her at all. After all, I was pretty much the source of all of her problems. I exhaled as my gaze fell to the beige carpet beneath my feet, realizing that I couldn't walk away, leaving her alone in that moment. God knew, she had every right to want to avoid me—but I could always offer to leave her to her thoughts once I figured out if she was okay. My decision made, I slowly approached, certain the sound of my footfalls would alert her to my presence. But when she didn't lift her head, I softly called, "Bella?"

Her head jerked up with surprise—but the surprise instantly transformed to pain as her head cracked against the bookshelf behind her. "This is not my day!" she exclaimed, lifting a hand to rub the back of her head.

I couldn't help smiling slightly at the indignant look on her face, but it faded quickly as I slowly crossed to her side. "You're tough to find when you're not with the usual suspects."

"I don't know if the usual suspects would have much to say to me," she grumbled, her gaze falling to her hands.

I inhaled as I settled onto the floor next to her, nervously running a hand through my hair as I considered how to ask her about everything I'd overheard from Alice. Ultimately, I tried to be direct. "Why is that?"

But she used one of my tactics, re-directing the conversation with a question of her own, "Did you tell Rosalie to threaten Lauren Mallory?"

Shit. I physically froze, gaze fixed forward, staring as if hypnotized by the books on the opposite shelf. Of Mice and Men. East of Eden. The Grapes of Wrath. I blankly absorbed the titles as I struggled to think of a lie…or a reason that wouldn't sound asinine. Finally, closing my eyes, I exhaled, "Rosalie owes me."

I felt her turn to look at me, but couldn't meet her stare, my gaze finally falling to my hands as I waited for her to say something. A dozen dark fantasies rapidly passed through my head, imagining her swearing at me in anger. Or berating me for doing something so stupid. Or just getting up and walking away.

Instead, she finally said in a soft, wry voice, "I think it back-fired."

I was so relieved, I just grinned down at my hands—then started as she slapped my arm, her voice mock-indignant, "It's not funny!" But she was grinning, too—and then laughing.

She was beautiful when she laughed, brown eyes alight, lips parted in an appealing, open smile. But my own smile faded as I thought of Mike Newton's murderous stare as I'd left the cafeteria. Her own laughter faded at this shift in my expression and I admitted, "I'm probably making it worse by being here." We were both absent from the cafeteria. If the rumors had gotten going again because I'd given Bella a ride to school, I could only imagine what people would say about both of us being together now.

But after a moment of stillness, Bella exhaled in exasperation, her voice firm as she spoke, "It doesn't matter."

I tried to interject, to offer to go back to the cafeteria without her to try to dampen the rumor mill, "Bella—"

But she cut me off, her voice insistent. "It doesn't matter what people say. You're my friend."

I couldn't help staring at her wide-eyed, unable to conceal my surprise…and relief at her words. Her gaze fell to her lap, slim fingers plucking at the wale of her corduroys. "You're my friend," she repeated the words softly and a bloom of pink crept up her throat at the words. "And that's more important than a bunch of gossip and rumors."

In that moment, I wondered if she would let me kiss her. Instead, I joked, "Or Lauren Mallory telling everyone you tackled me in the woods?"

She looked up, brown eyes filled with mock-indignation again as she slapped my arm. "Do not tell me the things she said! I won't be able to keep from tackling her in gym if I know the details."

"Emmett would probably pay good money to see that."

"I'm sure most of the boys here would," she rolled her eyes, snorting.

I waited a beat, then admitted, "Mike is definitely unhappy with me."

"Good for him," she immediately replied, her voice dismissive. Then, her eyes narrow with curiosity, she asked, "How do you know?"

I lifted a brow. "I saw his face when I left the cafeteria. I don't think he was glaring at anyone else."

She suddenly chuckled, her brown eyes amused as her gaze fell back to her lap. I couldn't help asking, "What's so funny?"

Her gaze rose, her lips still curved with a small smile. "I used to call you Captain Death Glare."

Given I'd never heard her—or anyone else—use that nickname, I surmised it was something she'd called me in her head, a private reference for no one else. I laughed at the thought that my family would probably agree with her. "Should I ask why?"

"Oh, I think you know why!" she exclaimed, shaking her head.

I risked leaning into her, nudging her shoulder with my own. "I want you to tell me what you thought."

"You hated me!" she explained, brown eyes wide at the obviousness of it. "I challenged you on the second day of class, and from that moment on, it was all death glares and scowls."

I had to look away, unable to bite back the words of admission as I dragged a hand through my hair. "I never hated you."

But she didn't respond as the first bell interrupted our conversation, leaping to her feet at the sound. "We should get to class," she spoke in a hurried voice, snatching up her messenger bag. I rose to my feet more slowly, unsure why it suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe, gaze fixed on the floor as I followed her out of the library.