Desired Destruction • Edward Cullen [1]

[6]

While scholastically, Colton knew she should have been glad that Edward hadn't decided to take a page out of his brother's book and skip school day after day, but sanity wise, Colton really wished that she could trade places with Bella and not have to be anywhere near him. And yet, despite all of her quiet wishing, on her third day at Forks Highschool, Edward still remained draped in his usual seat, looking just as ready as ever to belittle Colton's opinions.

"You know Cole," He drawled out the nickname she had so foolishly given him permission to use, "We're going to have to meet outside of class if we're ever going to get this essay done."

"Or," Colton began, attempting to keep her tone icy instead of the full on heated rage that had began to brew in the very pit of her stomach, "I could write the essay myself so all you have to do is write your name at the top and we can be done with each other."

Edward let out a small gasp and Colton clenched her fist so that it wouldn't go flying towards his infuriatingly perfect face. Anyway, it would probably do more damage to her hand because he seemed to be cut out of marble or at least something to that extent. "Are you suggesting that I simply give you my trust without knowing anything about your previous academic scores? What if you don't know anything about the topic and I sign my name to something that gives me less than an A? Or worse, what if Ms Christoff finds out and penalises us both, which would also bring down my average."

Colton always assumed that 'seeing red' was simply an expression, but as she sat there, listening to the most irritating person she had ever met ramble on and further belittle her intelligence, a rogue haze coated over her vision and suddenly strangling seemed like a lot more of an effective punishment than a simple punch. It was staggering, the amount of anger that swelled like a balloon in her just waiting to explode. But she had to make this work, not only to spit Billy but to also prove to herself that she had the slightest bit of control.

"Saturday, Carver Cafe, 3 pm." Colton gritted out after sitting in Edward's smug silence for almost a moment too long.

"I beg your pardon?" He questioned, looking subtly bewildered as Colton turned her firelit gaze over to him.

"If you are a second late I will write this essay by myself, forge your name and you won't get to say a damn thing about it." And just as she finished, the bell rang and she shot up into a standing position. She paused for only a moment, turning to face him. "And it's 147.."

"What?" He simply blinked.

"My IQ, so I doubt I'll be tarnishing your straight A average anytime soon."

2:57. Exactly three minutes, and counting, until Colton could successfully declare Edward late and be on her merry way.

When Colton had first stepped into the cosy diner that sat nestled deep in the heart of Forks, she had been both relieved and slightly irritated that there was no trace of Edward Cullen to speak of. Of course, there was something to be said about the fact that he still had two minutes and 32 seconds, if you ever wanted to be perfectly on time for something, you had to be early. The lack of his presence just further confirmed Colton's suspicions that he was just another Ivy League bound jackass who probably saw the reveal of her IQ as a blessing and would now leave her to do all the work herself.

Not that Colton minded much, she actually preferred it. Because now she would achieve a perfect A and be able to rub both Edward, and Billy's nose in it. Her uncle needed proof that not only was she not going to let petty prejudice get in the way of her school, but that getting expelled from La Push had been a wake-up and she was ready to put in the work to redeem herself.

Not that she would ever admit that out loud to the old fool.

2:59. Colton's lips curled up in triumph as she began to gather her stuff as the seconds ticked down and the hand skittered as it wavered towards the 12 on the clock.

Her victory was cut short as the bell rang at the door at the strike of 3 and an ever smug Edward Cullen came strolling into the diner. Colton felt as though she had been doused in ice water and lit on fire all at once. Every time she went a short period without seeing him, she forgot just how deathly good looking her was and every time she saw him again, she was hit with the reality in a never ending wave of surprise.

He glanced over at the clock on the opposite side of the diner as he reached her booth and gave her a crooked smile that mimicked the one she had plastered on her face seconds before he had come and ruined everything. "Just on time."

Colton seethed, staring him down with a blatant hatred that made the waitress that approached their booth from behind him cower away. "I see that."

"Don't tell me, Cole," He began as he unbundled the grey scarf that Colton could only guess was designer from around his pale neck, "That you were actually hoping that I would be late and that you would then be able to write our essay by yourself."

The little shit.

Colton continued to stew in her hatred as she continued to glare at him. "Of course not," She finally gritted out before giving him a sugary smile that was like honey covered razor blades. "Shall we begin?"

They were causing quite the scene. 45 minutes they had been causing a racket in the once charmingly peaceful diner that was now filled with the raging rants of two teenagers.

Colton was close to snarling as she repeated for what felt like the hundredth time, "The only reason why Castro even considered turning to Khrushchev for aid was because of the Bay of the Pigs, which if you had any space left in that big head of yours, you'd remember was orchestrated by Kenndy."

He scoffed, an action that Colton was ready to strangle him for, "Castro would have made a deal with Russia even if the Bay of Pigs hadn't happened. It was inevitable."

"Only because Kenndy was all but openly campaigning against him and there was so much hostility against communism in the US that Castro would have been foolish to not search for allies with such a large threat so nearby."

Silence fell. There was no point left to be made besides the war that raged between topaz and brown as they waged a wordless argument against each other. Colton's brain felt like it was going to split open with frustration and all around irritation. It wasn't good for her sanity to keep going around in circles with someone who was obviously never going to shift their beliefs no matter how many times she enforced her with hard facts.

The same could be said about Colton though, who was like an unwavering bolder whenever Edward had attempted to crash his wave of opinions onto her surface.

They were quite the pair.

"I think," Edward began after a long moment, "That it's safe to say that we will never come to an agreement on the matter. So, I propose a compromise of sorts."

Colton subtly titled her head in surprise, "I'm listening."

"We each have our opinions, along with the facts and apparently, matched IQs." Colton rolled her eyes but remained quiet, "I propose that we each write the paper we want to hand in and on the day, we let fate decide."

"Fate?" Colton quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

Edward's crooked smile returned while leaning forward and resting his chin on his palm, "A coin toss. We'll let chance decide. What do you think?"

"I think," She started, brown eyes darting up from her fist that had her pen clenched tightly within in, when they met his topaz orbs that stared at her in expectation, her lips pulled back in a coy smirk. "That you're going to wish you'd begged Ms Christoff for a different partner."