CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
“So why aren’t you at the cafeteria?”
I blinked. “Um, what?”
“The cafeteria. You never eat there. Why?” Edward asked.
“Are you kidding me?” I exclaimed, “we just kissed and that’s the first thing you say?” Edward’s expression turns apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Bella, it’s just… I have so many questions and I’m so used to being able to just hear the answers.” I frown.
“What do you mean?”
“Well… you see… I can hear people’s thoughts.” Edward admitted, in a voice that sounded sheepish.
“What?” I gasped, my eyes widening, panic racing through me. Oh my god! What had he heard?
“Relax!” He quickly intervened, lifting up his hands in an ‘I surrender’ position, “I can read people’s thoughts- all people’s. Except for yours.” I relax, immediately.
“Thank god,” I sigh. Edward’s mouth twists into a wry smile.
“You have no idea how frustrating it is. You’re the first person I’ve ever crossed paths with whose mind I can’t hear.”
Hmm, I muse, I wonder why that is? Is it a natural defense Wizarding kind have against vampires? I’ve never read anything about it- I’ve read about how when a vampire is Turned, some of them gain Gifts, special abilities. Super powers, I guess you could call them.
“So am I going to get my answer?” Edward’s amused voice breaks my thoughts. I jolt slightly and give him a sheepish smile, my cheeks heating up slightly.
“Sorry, what?” He chuckles, softly.
“Why don’t you eat in the cafeteria?” I pull a face.
“Urgh, with all the others? They drive me crazy.” I admit. Edward laughs, again.
“They are very-” he hesitates, searching for a word.
“Small-minded, hypocritical, bitchy, nosey-parkers?” I suggest.
“Well… yes.” He concedes, with a small smile.
“I can’t stand them. Well, most of them. Angela’s nice. I don’t know why she hangs out with that awful Jessica and Lauren. They’re the cliché Mean Girls of the school. Sugary sweet, backstabbing bitches. Real Slytherins.” I mutter the last part under my breath, forgetting that I’m talking to a vampire, and he can hear every word.
“Slytherins? What are Slytherins?” Edward asks, tilting his head.
“’Or perhaps in Slytherin, you’ll make your real friends, those cunning folk use any means, to achieve their ends’.” I quote. Edward doesn’t look any less confused, and I laugh. “Never mind, private joke.”
“You are so strange.” Edward muses, looking at me with a type of intense emotion that makes my eyes widen slightly, at my cheeks flush. I clear my throat.
“So… um…”
“Come to lunch with me. You need to eat something.” Edward says, suddenly. I open and shut my mouth several times, not sure what to say. He fixes me with a pleading look, his eyes like melted butterscotch. “Please Bella?”
“Uh! You’re so infuriating!” I grumble, hauling myself to my feet with a pout. “Fine!” A beautiful smile graces his face.
-
-
Walking with Edward through the crowded lunchtime rush was a lot like my first day here; everyone stared.
He led the way straight to the counter, his eyes flicking to my face very few seconds, their expression speculative. I fidgeted nervously with the galleon in my pocket, studiously ignoring all the stares I could feel burning into the back of my head.
As he started to fill a tray for me I stepped forwards. “What are you doing?” I objected, under my breath, “you’re not getting all that for me, are you?” He shook his head, as he stepped forwards and paid for the food.
“Don’t be silly. Half is for me, of course.” I raised an eyebrow.
He led the way to an empty table, and I played oblivious to the attention we were getting. Edward pushed the tray toward me. “Take whatever you want.” He smiled.
“I’m curious,” I said, as I picked up an apple, turning it around in my hands.
“Mm?” he asked, a small smile playing on the corner of his mouth.
“Why the bloody hell are you putting me through this ridiculous, embarrassing social spectacle?” I keep my tone calm and polite, even as my eyes narrow dangerously. His lips twitch.
“And here was me thinking you were going to ask me something like what would happen if I ate food.”
“Last thing on my mind,” I remarked, dryly, “I’m kind of distracted by the gazillion pairs of eyes glued to us. Or, to be more specific, the gazillion pairs of eyes glued to me. Everyone’s too scared to stare at you.” Edward chuckled, pushing the plate of pizza toward me. I pulled a slight face at the smell.
“The reason I’m putting you through this ‘ridiculous, embarrassing social spectacle’ is because you need to eat.”
“Ah.” So he’d noticed my less then stellar health, and rather lacking appetite. I wasn’t exactly surprised.
“You’re not denying it.” He sounds slightly surprised, and I frown slightly.
“Was I supposed to?” He gave a sheepish sort of smile.
“I’m not sure. I’ve heard that women don’t like having their weight commented on.” My lips twitch into a smile.
“You’re quite the gentleman, aren’t you?”
“I try.” We were inclined toward each other across the table now. He had his white hands folded under his chin; and I’d leaned forward, my right hand cupped around my neck. It was easy to forget that we were in a crowded lunchroom with many curious eyes glued to us, when we were wrapped up in our own private little bubble.
A thought strikes me, and a mischievous smile works its way onto my face. “Hm, I don’t know. Letting me get ambushed by Tyler, now that wasn’t very gentlemanly.”
“Oh, he would have found a chance to ask you without me- I just really wanted to see your face.” Edward chuckled. I gave him a mock-glare.
“Hilarious.”
His face remained amused for a few moments, before turning a mixture of serious and curious. “If I’d asked you, would you have turned me down?”
I thought about it for a few seconds, before answering honestly. “Probably not, but I would have canceled later- faked an illness or a sprained ankle.”
“You really don’t like dances, do you?” he chuckled. I pull a face.
“I used to be the world's biggest klutz when I was younger- I couldn’t walk across a flat surface without finding something to trip over.” I half smile, half grimace at the memories, “I grew out of it to an extent, but when it comes to dancing I’ve got two left feet.”
“Hence, the going to Seattle story.” Edward finished for me.
“Exactly.” I agreed, “I even got Charlie onboard my evil master plan. Well, he blackmailed me. I had to agree to let you tutor me so I wouldn’t fail Biology.” I grumble at the memory.
“What about we actually do it?” Edward suggests. I widen my eyes at him in horror.
“Where you not listening to a word I said? There is no way I’m ever setting foot in a school dance again in my life!”
“Not the dance,” Edward laughed, “Seattle. Why don’t we actually drive in?”
“Huh,” I say, surprised by his suggestion. “Um… I suppose that could be fun.” Edward laughs again.
“I don’t know whether I should be insulted by how insincere you sound.” I fight my blush.
“Not the being with you part, the actual driving up to Seattle. I’m not a fan of long drives.”
“How about we do something different then?” he asks.
“Are you… asking me out?” I accuse him, while fighting my blush.
“Yes.” He admits, also looking a touch embarrassed. “Will you?”
I take less then a second to think it over (yes!) then narrow my eyes at him.
“I have one condition.” He arranges his face in a pretend-serious expression.
“Name your terms.”
“I drive.” His eyebrows draw together in confusion.
“Why?” he asks, sounding genuinely surprised.
“Your driving frightens me.” I admit, and he rolls his eyes.
“Of all the things about me that could frighten you, you worry about my driving.” He shakes his head in disbelief.
“What? You don’t just break the speed limits- you obliterate them! I don’t care how good your reflexes are- if your stupid shiny car wraps itself around a tree, you’ll just walk away. Me on the other hand- well, that’s not exactly how I plan to die.” Edward rolls his eyes, and I’m about to poke my tongue out at him, when I remember where we are. “I hate this high school,” I mutter under my breath, before shaking it off. “Where do you want to go then?” I ask.
“Well, the weather will be nice, so I’ll be staying out of the public eye… and you can stay with me, if you’d like to.”
“I think I can manage to force myself to suffer the horror of your presence.” I tell him, keeping my face as straight as possible. He chuckles, eyes light and dancing with mirth.
“I’m glad.”
The bell goes off, and I stand quickly, making to pick up the tray with the half eaten pizza, but he beats me to it. “Allow me.” He says, and I roll my eyes, waiting as he glides over to the bin.
As I wait, I glance around the room and an surprised to catch the eyes of his ‘sister’, Alice, staring at me. Her mouth curves into a smile and she mouths the word ‘hi’.
“Hi.” I say, quietly, knowing she can hear, smiling back at her. And then Edward is next to me, smiling.
“Let’s go test the pure brilliance of my tutoring.” I laugh, and elbow him, "well, let's go find out if you're getting that extra credit."