Surviving High School

Closer I Get To You

Just earlier this week he had said he wasn't ready to start dating again, so should I just assume that this was a friendly kiss? And who kisses their friends? Oh man, I was starting to give myself a headache trying to figure it all out.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I pulled into the school parking lot which was mostly full. A quick glance at the clock on my stereo told me I had five minutes to make it to homeroom. Well, crap. I climbed out of Chuck and ran toward the front doors. Flinging the door open, I dashed toward homeroom. I had almost made it when my wet shoes slipped on the floor, and I started going down.

"Whoa, Bella!" Edward's warm voice said, as he reached out and caught me before I fell. "In a hurry?"

"Thanks, Edward," I said, feeling flustered. "I totally forgot to set my alarm this morning, then Charlie wanted to talk, and by the time I got to school, I realized I was running late, which meant I had to run to class -- and you know how good I am at running," I rambled as my hand gripped his upper arm in an attempt to steady myself.

He looked down at me and shot me his signature panty-dropping grin. "No problem. But you do realize that you have plenty of time, right? Homeroom doesn't begin for another ten minutes."

Huh? I reached over, grabbed his left arm, and looked at his watch. His very fancy, expensive watch. Well, what do you know? He was right. I had just endangered myself for no reason.

"Chuck's clock must be fast."

"Sure. Blame Chuck," he said with a chuckle.

"I'm not blaming Chuck; I'm just stating a fact. His clock told me I had five minutes before class started."

"Uh huh. I think you just wanted to run and slide across the floor in hopes that I would catch you when you began to fall," he said, smirking at me.

My mouth fell open. Conceited jerk!  "Whatever, Cullen," I told him with an eye roll.

"It's true. You can't resist me or my sexy arms."

And they were sexy arms, indeed. I still had a hold of his arm, and I gave him a quick squeeze as he flexed his bicep for me. "Am I that transparent? I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby."

"Did you just quote Ten Things I Hate About You to me?"

I shot him a grin as I reluctantly removed my hand from his arm. "Perhaps."

He shook his head at me. "Come on, Swan. Let's get you safely to class."

...

The week flew by quickly, and I found myself becoming even more enamored with Edward, if that was at all possible. I didn't know if it was his beautiful smile and small glances that he sent my way, or the sweet and casual touches that he would give me. Whatever it was, it made my blood pump and my heart soar. I had to keep reminding myself that he wasn't interested in dating at the moment and to just be satisfied with the playful banter that we had. And I was. I enjoyed seeing that playful side of Edward and was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

That was how I found myself agreeing to go to a dance club in Port Angeles on Saturday. It was Friday at lunch, and Alice was going on about some new dance club that had just opened up.

"We should totally go! It'll be so much fun!" she exclaimed, in true Alice fashion. Rose quickly agreed and, much to my surprise, so did Angela.

"How about it, Bella?" Rose asked me.

"Um . . . you all know how I feel about dancing. A place like that would be a disaster for me."

Edward leaned over and said in a soft voice, "Come with us. Please? It'll be fun, and I won't let anything happen to you."