888A/N: Thanks so much for the support after the first chapter, guys! Definitely feeling the love, and basking in it since I might just be hated later on. ;)
Much love to my favorite ladies Pinkaquaclouds and lyleslove294 for looking this over and making sure it wasn't stupid.
Now, say hello to Edward.
Chapter 2: Wandering Vine
Monday morning brings with it the gray, gloomy weather that is typical of Forks. The darkest raincloud seems to hover above Forks High School, though those around it are oblivious to its presence. Teenagers huddle around each other in front of the building and in the parking lot, their jackets zipped up high and their boots wet with rain that's just a few minutes old.
Charlie Swan pulls up in front of the school, carefully watching his daughter's face as he puts the car in park.
Bella is staring out the window in silent unease, the nerves beginning to take over at the last second.
As she watches all the students, she forces herself to take a deep breath. It's like all the butterflies in the world now inhabit her stomach, fluttering maddeningly and coaxing nausea.
She reaches up and starts twisting the stud in her left ear, biting her lip. What if no one likes her? What if she doesn't make any friends? What if she embarrasses herself somehow? What if it's so obvious that she's new that people pick on her?
"You'll be fine, kiddo," Charlie says, patting her awkwardly on the knee.
Bella shrugs, suddenly wondering if she's dressed okay. The night before, she'd spent nearly an hour trying to put together the perfect outfit. Three piles of clothing and one big mess later, she finally settled on green colored jeans and a white and pink t-shirt. The ensemble is completed by a purple hoodie that matches her sneakers. It's a bit of an eyeful, but it's Bella.
"Well, go on," Charlie urges impatiently. "You don't want to be late, do you?"
Bella shakes her head and takes another deep breath, giving herself an internal pep talk.
It's going to be okay.
It's going to be okay.
It's going to be better than okay; it's going to be awesome.
"You're making me late for work, Bella," Charlie sighs, and Bella throws the car door open.
"Sorry!" she squeaks. "Have a good day, Dad!"
"Don't forget to sanitize often," he reminds her before she shuts the door. "And avoid shaking hands unless necessary!"
The second the car pulls away, Bella slowly starts making her way to the front doors. She's self-conscious of every step that she takes, every glance that she makes, and every second that she spends trying not to look as anxious as she feels.
After she survives the long walk to the massive building, Bella easily locates the main office and gets her hands on her schedule, a map, and her locker number.
A bell rings shrilly and she feels her stomach twist.
Bella stands in the middle of the hallway, already lost. Hesitant to look at the map for fear that he newness will be painfully obvious, she opts to stand and pretend that she's looking for someone when, in fact, she's looking for the right way to go.
A couple people bump into her, glaring over their shoulders at the girl dumb enough to stop in the middle of a crowded hallway.
"Lost, neighbor?"
A voice speaks up from behind her and Bella turns, her shoulders sagging in relief when she sees the "troubled" girl next door.
"Alice!" Bella gasps.
Alice smirks and takes Bella's arm, pulling her toward the lockers and away from the center of the teenage chaos.
"Are you trying to get trampled?" Alice asks, one thin eyebrow raised. "Never stand in the middle of the hallway. You'll become a target like that." She snaps her fingers, a somber expression on her face. Thick eyeliner emphasizes the seriousness in her hazel eyes.
Bella nods, her own eyes wide and attentive. It's best if she has someone to guide her through her first day.
"Let me see your schedule," Alice demands, holding out her hand. It's not covered in a fingerless glove today.
Bella fumbles around in her bag and finds the beige colored card, handing it over to her new friend. "I think my first class is on this floor…"
Alice purses her red lips at the paper, shaking her head slightly. "This is one hell of a schedule for a sophomore. We have the same lunch hour, though. No classes. Come on, I'll show you where your Trig class is."
The girls walk down the hall in a companionable silence, and Bella can smell the lingering scent of cigarettes from Alice's clothes. It doesn't bother her, though it does remind her of her mother's warning to stay away.
Nevertheless, this is one thing Bella won't let her mother control. She gets to choose her own friends, and it's not like her parents have to know who she hangs out with.
"This is you," Alice says, stopping outside a door at the end of the hall. "When you go to your next class, take that staircase in the middle of the hall." She points one fingernail, painted in black. "Don't take any of the back ones. That's where people make out and give their boyfriends head."
"No back staircases, got it," Bella says, nodding.
Alice smirks. "I like your pants. See you at lunch."
She turns and walks away, ignoring the snide comments that come from a couple of seniors. They snicker at her, but she seems oblivious as she walks away with her head held high.
Bella frowns at the passing students, wondering about their bullying attitude towards Alice. One of them, a tall, lean, blue eyed young man with a shock of jet black hair, stares back at her, raising a brow and smiling slightly.
Flushing a little, mainly because he's so handsome, Bella ducks her head and enters the classroom just as the final bell rings.
She doesn't hear him chuckling behind her.
Most of Bella's classes go by with ease. Her classmates seem friendly enough, though "friendly" by Bella's standards is anyone that isn't outwardly rude to her.
Her level of optimism is at a decent level by the time her class before lunch, Biology, rolls around.
Bella gets to class earlier than she thought, and once she hands the new student slip to the teacher, Mr. Banner, she searches for a seat.
Her eyes land on a familiar head of hair, a unique copper color that she's only ever seen on one person.
Sitting in the back row, her neighbor from the yellow house has half his face hidden behind a book.
Bella smiles to herself, glad that she sees someone else she knows. Well, someone she kind of knows.
Grinning, she walks over to the young man, who is slouched over in his seat with his glasses resting on the center of his nose.
Plopping down in the seat next to him, she smiles to herself and hopes that he'll take notice of her presence.
He doesn't.
Trying to be as discreet as possible, Bella tries to glance at the cover of his book. Seeing that his long, pale fingers are covering the title, she sits back in her chair and decides to examine him instead.
He's tall, that much is certain. He's got legs that could go on for days, stretched out under the seat in front of him. Bella takes in the dark blue sweatshirt and the jeans, appreciating his physique. Her eyes land on his lips, how they're pursed in a concentrated pout as he reads.
He's actually pretty easy on the eyes, she decides. A little too pale and slightly dorky, but he's fairly attractive nonetheless.
The light streaming in from the window next to them bounces off his hair, a color that reminds Bella of burnt embers in a fireplace.
Finally, Bella's subject of observation stops reading with a sigh. He nods to himself and then leans back in the chair, pushing his glasses up.
Then, he stiffens. It appears that he can feel her eyes on him, and he can probably even see her smiling at him from his periphery.
He looks at her from the corner of his eye, keeping absolutely still as though he's the prey to her predator.
After a beat, he finally turns his head.
Bella sees the color of his eyes for the first time; deep, vibrant green, the color of dampened leaves.
It reminds her of one of her most favorite nail polish colors- a rich viridian called Wandering Vine.
The boy raises his brows so that they disappear into the bronze flop on his forehead. There's recognition in his eyes, though most of it is overpowered by surprise and a great deal of wariness.
"Hi," Bella says cheerfully.
"Hello?" His voice cracks in question.
"I'm Bella," she says, smiling wide. "We live next door to each other."
He nods slowly, evidently unsure of what to make of her. It's clear that people don't really approach him in such a manner.
"Edward," he finally mumbles, so quietly that she almost doesn't hear him over the sound of Banner beginning the class.
Bella nods and smiles again, turning to pay attention to the lesson. Still, a part of her mind is pondering over his name.
Edward.
It's not the kind of name she'd expect from a teenager, really. It's old, something she'd imagine from a middle aged man, or even an elderly one.
Yet, Bella still thinks that he looks like an Edward.
Throughout the lesson, Bella is oblivious to the glances she receives from the boy that sits next to her. Unbeknownst to her, he throws her a fleeting look every five to eight seconds.
In the middle of the lesson, he huffs and clenches his defined jaw, glaring ahead at the blackboard. Bella catches him slowly shaking his head. He picks up a pen and starts studiously taking notes, shoulders hunched once again.
"You okay?" Bella asks in a whisper.
Edward's entire body is tense, but he doesn't look at her as he nods curtly.
Bella frowns at him, but doesn't say anything else.
Not everyone will want to be your friend, Bella, she internally reminds herself. Leave him alone.
Disheartened, she tries to turn her attention back to the teacher. It doesn't really work. The boy sitting next to her is too much of a distraction, and she can't even pinpoint why.
Edward's posture fluctuates with time. With the passing of every minute, he seems to finish a thought, which in turn changes the way he sits.
Brows furrowed, brooding pout, hunched shoulders.
Brows relaxed, brooding pout, leaning back in chair.
Frowning, slouching in seat.
Neutral expression, sitting up straighter.
By the time the bell rings, he has a rueful smile on his face, one that's just for Bella.
It catches her off guard, causing her to stop in the process of gathering her things.
Edward awkwardly rises to his feet, his eyes shifting back and forth between Bella and his books. He collects them in his arms and grabs his backpack as she watches, already knowing that he has something to say.
Once he's swung the backpack over his shoulder, he shoves his hands into his pockets and towers over her, standing stiff. She notices how his body is tilted a little to the side in a crooked way.
Palm tree, Bella thinks to herself. He stands like a palm tree.
"Um, you said we're neighbors?" he asks, eying her cautiously. His voice is low, quiet, deep like the rolling of thunder in the distance.
Bella nods, smiling."Yeah. I saw you yesterday. Our rooms are actually right across from each other, so..."
They both blush at the same time, though for very different reasons.
Edward looks down and away. "Right… So, um, where are you off to next? If you don't mind me asking, of course…"
They start walking out of the classroom together, and Edward never releases his hands from the safety of his pockets.
"Lunch," Bella informs him. "You?"
"Equivalent," Edward says nodding. He doesn't say much else.
"Will you show me where the cafeteria is?" Bella asks hesitantly. "I'm supposed to meet Alice there."
"Brandon?" Edward asks as they stop at Bella's locker.
"I don't know her last name," she admits regretfully. "I met her like two days ago."
Edward nods, staring at his shoes. He pushes his glasses up. "I think Alice is the only Alice here," he mumbles. "Caliginous clothing? Odorous of alkaloids in the form of nicotine?"
Bella stares at him, confused.
Edward's cheekbones become tinged with pink and he clears his throat before rephrasing. "She dresses in dark clothes and smells like cigarettes?"
Bella laughs. "Yes, actually. Why didn't you just say that?"
"That's just how I talk," he murmurs, but Bella doesn't hear him.
"Shall we?" she asks.
He nods and jerks his head towards a pair of double doors, showing her the way.
"So, I generally just wait for her here…"
Edward has stopped at a small round table at the back of the noisy cafeteria. He gestures for Bella to sit with two long arms, and she complies with a small smile.
"Who else do you sit with?" she asks once he's seated across from her.
"Just Alice," he replies, eyes searching the crowded room.
They sit in silence again, and Edward stares at the table. Bella searches her mind for small talk, deciding to play safe and keep it school related.
"So, what year are you?" she asks casually.
"Junior," he replies. "And you would be a…?"
"Sophomore," Bella replies, "which really makes me feel small in comparison."
Edward shrugs. "High school is inconsequential."
Two older girls pass by their table and throw Bella curious glances. Feeling a little awkward, Bella smiles in response; the action is only being reciprocated by the blonde.
"They seem nice," Bella chuckles nervously, twirling the stud in her ear. She looks over her shoulder at the two girls. "They're really pretty, too."
Because her attention is not on Edward, she doesn't notice how he watches her and then shakes his head in disagreement, so briefly and so minutely that no one within more than a two foot distance would have noticed.
"A mosquito is more likely to bite a blonde than a brunette," he says distractedly. He's watching the back of Bella's head, eying her dark waves.
Bella turns to look at him, brows furrowed.
"What?" she laughs.
He nods towards the two girls. "Rosalie Hale, the blonde? She'll probably be bitten by mosquitoes more often than you. Blonde hair catches the light, gets their attention. Mosquitoes are attracted to contrasts, so…"
Bella stares at him, an amused smile on her face. She can't help but wonder what exactly his point is.
Edward, sensing her amusement, keeps rambling on in a nervous and hopeful manner.
"And Victoria? If she was living in Ancient Greece, they'd think she'd become a vampire when she died. Some may even have thought that she was a werewolf or a witch." He has Bella's full attention now, so he keeps going. "It's not exactly clear, though a theory of why they believed this is that their fears stemmed from bad relations with the Celtics, which had a high percentage of redheads amongst them…."
Bella laughs in disbelief. "Wow, that's… How do you even know this stuff?"
"I read a lot."
"Me too," Bella says, sitting up straighter.
"What do you read?" Edward asks in interest, leaning forward.
"Are you boring her yet, Edward?" Alice's voice comes from behind Bella, and she turns to see her other neighbor walking over to them.
"What took you so long?" Edward asks, frowning. He gets his answer when Alice plops down in the seat in between them and they get a strong whiff of lingering cigarette smoke.
"Alice," Edward says in a disapproving tone. "Didn't we discuss quitting?"
"Yeah," Alice says. "So?"
Edward rolls his eyes. "How many disgusting smoking-related facts do I have to tell you?"
Alice ignores him and turns to Bella. "So, Bella, I see you've met my walking, talking Encyclopedia of Useless Facts. That's why I call him Cyclo."
Bella doesn't know what to make of that. She just watches them in bemusement.
"They're not useless," Edward argues. "They're perfectly functional in many situations, such as getting your pertinacious friend to stop turning her lungs black. For example, did you know that urea, a chemical found in your urine, is used in cigarettes to enhance flavor?'
"Gross, Edward!" Alice cries, grabbing a nearby straw and throwing it at him.
"It's true," he insists. "Think about that the next time you're puffing your way to self-annihilation."
"He's annoyingly passionate about the subject," Alice informs Bella.
"He also likes to use some big words," Bella adds, though she smiles so Edward knows she's not picking on him.
Alice groans. "You shouldn't have said that."
Edward is smirking now, his eyes alight with excitement.
"You don't have hippopoto-monstroses-quipped-aliophobia , do you?" he asks, grinning. He says it so fast, Bella's not sure he's speaking English.
"What?" Bella asks with a laugh as Alice puts her face in her palms.
"It's the fear of long words," Edward chuckles like he's just told the best joke ever.
"That can't be a real phobia," Bella says in disbelief.
Edward nods. "It is, believe it or not."
"That's insane! But no, I don't have hippo… that phobia."
"It's better than anatidaephobia," he continues. "That is the fear that somewhere, a duck is watching you."
Bella bursts out laughing. "You're making this up."
Edward laughs as well, and Bella vaguely realizes that she likes the sound. "I'm not. You can Google it all. It usually starts in childhood, with trauma relating to some species of water fowl. "
"Are you done, Edward?" Alice asks, raising a thin brow.
"Not quite, Mary," he teases, and Alice gasps.
She smacks his arm. "Take that back, asshole."
He shakes his head, grinning. "Did you know that it's illegal to be a prostitute in Siena, Italy if your name is Mary?"
Alice stares at him like he's the biggest idiot she's ever seen. "Get the fuck out."
"I'm very serious."
"But prostitution itself is perfectly legal?" Bella asks with a laugh. "How does that make sense?"
"Most Italians in Siena are Roman Catholic," he explains. "The name Mary is obviously very sacred to them. It could also be in correlation to Mary Magdalene, who was said to be a prostitute."
"Change of topic, please," Alice snaps, glaring daggers at Edward.
The mood abruptly changes.
Edward looks abashed and mumbles a soft apology. Alice keeps a straight face, but shrugs it off. Bella is entirely confused, not understanding the exchange.
"So, is anyone else taking Spanish?" Edward asks timidly. It's clear he's trying to lighten things up again. "Learning a second language delays the onslaught of Alzheimer's disease…"
No one says anything. The tension at the table thickens, and Bella doesn't understand it.
"Hi, Edward." A new voice speaks up, and the trio glances up to see a tall, gawky, curly haired brunette. She's smiling shyly at Edward, who's now wearing a polite smile.
"Hey, Angela," he says softly.
"Did you start that English paper yet?"
He shakes his head. "Negative."
Angela nods, her eyes falling on Bella. "You're new, right?"
Bella nods, smiling. "Bella."
"Angela."
More awkward silence.
"So, I guess I'll see you later, Edward. Text me if you want to talk about the paper."
She quickly turns on her heel and walks away, stumbling a little.
Alice snorts. "You need to put that poor girl out of her misery, Edward."
Edward is frowning, but otherwise doesn't respond.
Bella is frustrated with her lack of knowledge on the lives of her new friends.
"Does she like you… or something?" she asks Edward.
"Like?" Alice repeats. "Please, that girl is fucking obsessed with him. They were lab partners last year and she's absolutely smitten. I keep telling him he should give her a chance."
Edward looks frustrated, glaring at Alice from under his lashes. "Drop it, please."
"Are we eating or what?" Alice abruptly changes the topic. "I could eat a goddamn horse right now."
After that moment, the tension dissipates. They're back to their lighthearted banter. Edward offers Bella a potato chip, but she declines with the argument that she's not hungry.
She's really not. There's excited energy pulsing through her, the kind that makes you lose your appetite. She feels strangely rebellious about becoming fast friends with these two.
At the back of her mind, there's a flicker of doubt about what Renee would say about her easy friendship with the atheists/sexologist's son and the "disturbing" girl from next door.
Bella wants to take the risk, though.
She knows it's worth it.
Later that night, Bella finds herself distracted as she gets ready for bed.
Her eyes keep going to the window, watching the room next door. It's dark.
She sits in the window seat and grabs her new journal, eager to start writing about her first day. She's tired, though that doesn't hinder her because she writes best when she's exhausted.
Bella opens the journal to the first page and runs her fingers over the crisp, lined paper. She leans down and inhales, reveling in the scent. Nothing smells better than virginal paper, free from the sharp scent of ink.
She suddenly sees something bright from her periphery and turns to see that the light in Edward's room has turned on. He passes by the window, though he's too tall for her to see his head.
He disappears for a moment and Bella keeps watching, waiting.
She doesn't even know why.
A moment later, Edward plops himself down on that computer chair and turns the monitor on. As he waits for it to load, he swivels the chair around and around.
Finally, he glances out the window and sees Bella watching. He abruptly stops moving and stares warily, smiling a little.
She smiles and waves and he returns the gesture, though his wave is a little less enthusiastic.
Bella turns to the last page in her journal and rummages through her backpack for a thick black marker. Once she finds it, she writes him a message in big, bold letters.
DON'T FALL :)
Once she catches his eye, she holds up the book so he can see what she's written.
He squints at it, pushing his glasses up, and then rolls his eyes. Smirking sheepishly, he grabs his own notebook and writes a reply with a big blue Sharpie.
I WILL ENDEVOUR NOT TO.
Bella laughs and gives him the thumbs up, going back to the first page of her journal and picking up her pen.
Edward has turned back to his computer, though he throws her a glance over his shoulder every now and then.
Bella stares at the blank page, suddenly experiencing the empty mind that is writer's block. She frowns, knowing that it shouldn't be so hard to write about her day.
After a good twenty minutes of staring at the blue lines, she huffs and decides to write the only words that choose to push themselves through the block in her head.
Leaves.
Ducks.
Mosquitoes.
Burnt embers.
Palm tree.
Vines.
A/N: Yup, enjoy the cuteness while it lasts, y'all.
Wandering Vine is a pretty emerald-ish green by ORLY.
I forgot to mention that "between the soil and the sky" comes from this song called 'Between' by the band Courrier. The song itself is just a little irrelevant to the story, but when I heard that line I got excited because it fits perfectly with what the moral of the story will be.
Okay, shutting up now. Let me know what you thought! See you next week! :)