His Mermaid || Edward Cullen

by MerLynn97

Summary:

Edward Cullen was left devastated by Bella Swan's infidelity, having found her tangled up in the sheets with her best friend, Jacob Black. Nearly two decades later, and he was still reeling from the effects. He was numb, speaking only when spoken to and counting leaves in his spare time, which, according to him, all his time was 'spare'.

But what happens when the Cullens find themselves moving to the Gold Coast of Australia? What happens when Edward notices a certain blue-eyed, golden-haired girl who shares the same name as the girl that broke his heart all those years ago? What happens when he finds himself drawn to the charming, mysterious girl, despite his best efforts to steer clear of her?

What happens when he comes to find out that Bella Hartley and her friends share a secret of their own?

What happens when vampires and mermaids collide?

***

"You're so... secretive," Edward mumbled bitterly, shaking his head in obvious annoyance.

I narrowed my eyes at him on reflex, growing tired of his sour expression and biting comments.

"You're one to talk," I quipped, folding my arms across my chest and resorting to staring out the window, ignoring his incessant, curious stare.

Chapter 1: Characters/Info

Edward Cullen was left devastated by Bella Swan's infidelity, having found her tangled up in the sheets with her best friend, Jacob Black. Nearly two decades later, and he was still reeling from the effects. He was numb, speaking only when spoken to and counting leaves in his spare time, which, according to him, all his time was 'spare'.

But what happens when the Cullens find themselves moving to the Gold Coast of Australia? What happens when Edward notices a certain blue-eyed, golden-haired girl who shares the same name as the girl that broke his heart all those years ago? What happens when he finds himself drawn to the charming, mysterious girl, despite his best efforts to steer clear of her?

What happens when he comes to find out that Bella Hartley and her friends share a secret of their own?

What happens when vampires and mermaids collide?

***

"You're so... secretive," Edward mumbled bitterly, shaking his head in obvious annoyance.

I narrowed my eyes at him on reflex, growing tired of his sour expression and biting comments.

"You're one to talk," I quipped, folding my arms across my chest and resorting to staring out the window, ignoring his incessant, curious stare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabella "Bella" Hartley

Age: 18

- Mermaid

- Hydrokinesis, Hydro-Thermokinesis, Aerokinesis, Atmokinesis, Cryokinesis, Pyrokinesis, Electrokinesis, Telekinesis, Gelidkineses, Substanciakinesis.

"If you have been brutally broken but still have the courage to be gentle to others, then you deserve a love deeper than the ocean itself.."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen

Age: Antique

- Vampire

- Telepathic

"..People often mistake numbness for nothingness. But numbness isn't the absence of feelings; it's a response to being overwhelmed by  too many  feelings.."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William "Will" Benjamin

Age: 18

- Human

"You're the one that I wanna be with. You always were."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleo Sertori

Age: 18

- Mermaid

- Hydrokinesis & Aerokinesis

"I'm a mermaid.. If I want a fish, I can just go grab one."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rikki Chadwick

Age: 18

- Mermaid

- Hydro-Thermokinesis & Pyrokinesis.

"You get the attention of every guy in like a 5K radius. I bet you only like him cause it's a challenge."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lewis McCartney

Age: 18

- Human

"See! That's why I hang around with you guys, 'cause all the other girls at school are like, 'Oh no, my makeup'."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zane Bennett

Age: 19

- Human

"Couldn't keep away, huh?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice Cullen

Age: Antique

- Vampire

- Psychic

"No one dressed by me ever looks like an idiot."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emmett Cullen

Age: Antique

- Vampire

"I have to step out for a second. Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jasper Hale

Age: Antique

- Vampire

- Empath

"I can feel what you're feeling now - and you  are  worth it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosalie Hale

Age: Antique

- Vampire

"If we had happy endings, we'd all be under gravestones now."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlisle & Esme Cullen

- Vampires

- 'If Carlisle was the soul of our family, then Esme was the heart'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

||INFO||

Bella Hartley possesses 'all' of the 'mermaid abilities' due to having undergone the transformation at the young age of nine. She has strengthened her abilities over the years and discovered how to develop new 'powers'. Not to mention, she went through the transformation 'alone'. Cleo, Emma, & Rikki went into the moon pool together; hence, why their gifts were 'shared' among them. Bella discovered a moon pool in Ireland by herself; hence, why she possesses more abilities than Cleo & Rikki. I hope that explains a few things...

As we all know, vampires can't go out into the sun without 'sparkling, right? Well... In this story, Carlisle (being the genius he is) was able to create a 'serum' that prevents their crystalline skin from reacting to direct sunlight, so they are no longer forced to live in the rainiest towns to ever exist. Hence, how they're able to move to sunny Australia. :) YAY!

Obviously, our precious Edward (love him so much) is a mind-reader. However, he isn't exactly able to read the mermaids' minds. The frequency is 'fuzzy'. He has no problem reading Lewis's mind (of course), but there's something blocking Edward from reading his thoughts when it comes to Bella, Cleo, and Rikki. This will all be explained as the story progresses.

This story won't be in 'chronological order' of the show H2O: Just Add Water. I will be tweaking things quite a bit, just so you all are aware. I LOVE writing crossovers, and I am super excited to merge our beloved Twilight characters into the magical world of H2O!

WARNING: This will be a MATURE story (which is why I aged up the characters a smidge). There WILL be SEXUAL content, so read at your own discretion. I'm a big fan of writing smut, so if you're not into that sort of thing, please don't read. :)

*Also, I don't own any of the characters. Those rights belong to Stephanie Meyer and Jonathan M. Shiff.*

I'm going to do my best to not make this story 'cringey', but we shall see...

Since I have several other stories in the works that require a great deal of my time, I'm not sure how soon I'll be adding this story to the mix, so for now....

HIS MERMAID || EDWARD CULLEN / H2O IS COMING SOON!!!!!!

 

 

Chapter 2: 01. Welcome To Australia

 

||The Cullens' P.O.V.||

The sun beat down on the beach, warming the sand that slipped through their toes as they walked along the shore. The group of vampires basked in the sunshine amongst a sea of people for the very first time since their transitions.

"Wow." Alice grinned, admiring their porcelain skin that wasn't shimmering in the sunlight. "I'm still in a bit of shock that it works.."

Carlisle, the genius scientist that he is, was able to perfect a serum that enabled them to walk in the sun unnoticed. For decades, the family was forced to live in the rainiest of towns, only attending school in the safety of dreary, overcast skies. Now, that had all changed.

Rosalie smiled in approval as she admired her flawless skin that seemed to glow white against the blinding sun.

"Thank God it does," she commented, her usual bitter demeanor ceasing entirely as the sun warmed her face. "I'm so ready for a wardrobe consisting of shorts and flip-flops in every color."

"Hell yeah," Emmett bellowed, wrapping his arm around his mate.

Edward rolled his eyes at his brother's thoughts. The goofy, burly vampire was always looking for an excuse to run around without a shirt, showing off his 'bulging biceps' and reveling in the admiring stares. The mind-reader was quite the opposite of Emmett in that regard. As a matter of fact, as of late, he was the opposite of his optimistic brother in every regard.

Since leaving Forks nearly two decades ago, Edward was severely lacking in the 'emotion' department, and he owed it all to a certain brown-eyed human that had chosen to lie in bed with a 'mutt'— Isabella Marie Swan. Bella.

The human girl had quite literally ripped Edward's heart clean out of his chest and shattered it into a million, unrecognizable pieces, leaving him with nothing but a hollow shell where his heart should be. Over the years, he grew accustomed to the numbness. He welcomed it. The forlorn vampire hadn't so much as cracked a smile in ages, and he only spoke when spoken to. Even then, he never said more than two to three words.

Given his mindreading abilities, he was all too aware of how worried his family were regarding his mental state, but he took their concerned thoughts with a grain of salt. His adoptive parents were hopeful that the move to sunshiny Australia would ease his brooding spirits. Edward couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed at their hopeful optimism. Luckily, they were used to disappointment when it came to his unchanging 'catatonic' state.

Edward wore his usual solemn expression as he trailed behind his siblings along the crowded beach. Why he agreed to go for a walk with them, he'll never know. Perhaps he felt a tad bit guilty for pulling down their joyful spirits?

The Cullens were beyond ecstatic to have moved to the Gold Coast, and Edward found their giddiness almost catching. Almost. Safe to say, he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of guilt knowing that his 'brooding' was putting a damper on their excitement.

So, for whatever reason, the mindreading vampire had agreed to tag along with his siblings for a casual walk on the beach, almost enjoying the feel of the sun on his face and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. He inhaled a deep breath, allowing the salty air to fill his lungs.

That's when it hit him— An intoxicating aroma of vanilla... and honeysuckles? Lavendar? The scent immediately reminded him of... she-who-shall-not-be-named, but this was.. different. Whereas her scent had caused him to be overcome with bloodlust to the point of nearly taking her life, this scent... ignited something else within him entirely. It was a visceral reaction. His mouth watered, filling with venom, but it wasn't the burning in his lungs that disturbed him— It was the fire in the pit of his stomach that caused him to take pause.

His entire body stiffened, resembling a granite statue in all his glory as he stood, frozen, in the middle of the beach, stunned to his core as he subconsciously searched for the owner of the delectable scent.

His siblings paused mid-step, glancing at him from over their shoulders. Jasper, ever the empath, picked up on the array of emotions coursing through the mind-reader and was thoroughly surprised and intrigued.

"Hey! Come over here!"

A group of rambunctious teenage boys caught Edward's attention. They were out in the surf, resting on surfboards, wearing smug smiles as they ogled at someone along the shore. Edward followed their line of sight and felt his eyes grow wide when he took note of a petite girl in a white bathing suit that offset her sun-kissed skin in a mesmerizing sort of way. She had honey-blonde hair that hung down her chest in waves and the most piercing pair of blue eyes that he had ever seen.

She was... undeniably gorgeous, he hated to admit. So, it was no surprise that the pod of rowdy teenage boys took notice of her.

"Hey, babe!" The leader of the group called out, repeating himself, "Come over here!"

The rest of the Cullens appeared to take notice as well, watching the scene unfold with amused and curious gazes. Edward found himself quite annoyed with the hormonal boys' perverted thoughts and was unable to stifle an eyeroll at their expense. Judging by the blue-eyed girl's attempts to ignore them, they were not going to get anywhere with her.

Edward watched as she paused, glancing at them with a wary expression.

"Scared of the water, are ya?" One of the boys taunted, grinning like the devil.

She remained unfazed, simply staring at them with a look of utter annoyance, much to Edward's amusement.

"Aw, we'll look after ya!" Another arrogant boy shouted, winking her way.

The blonde girl's indifferent demeanor slipped, rolling her eyes at the group of rambunctious teens.

"What's wrong with ya?" Another idiotic teen called out.

The girl frowned, pulling down her delicate features, Edward couldn't help but notice.

"Snob!" The leader bellowed, laughing amongst his friends.

A wave of anger surged through Edward, much to his surprise. Was this sort of behavior common here? He wondered bitterly.

He stole another glance at the frowning girl, taking note that her frown had transformed into a scowl that seemed so out of place on her feminine face. She narrowed her eyes at the group of boys, appearing to focus.

"What the hell," Emmett muttered, snickering to himself.

Edward tore his gaze from the girl, following his brother's line of sight and watching as the aggravating boys' eyes filled with bewilderment. The water surrounding them appeared to be... bubbling?

"What are you doing?!" One of the boys shouted to his friends.

"I don't know!" Another one yelled back, sounding panicked.

Then, out of nowhere, the leader's surfboard flipped over, dumping him into the water and earning cackles from his two friends. Edward almost cracked a smile at the sight. Almost.

He was curious as to what caused the commotion. Dolphin, perhaps? But neither he nor his siblings noticed one of the mischievous mammals in the surf, and given their enhanced supernatural vision, surely, they would have picked up on it. Then again, perhaps they were simply too invested in the encounter to take notice.

His siblings laughed in amusement. Even Rosalie was grinning ear to ear.

"Serves him right," Alice spoke up, lifting her chin.

"I love the Gold Coast." Emmett chuckled, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Edward's eyes unknowingly trailed towards the blue-eyed girl once more, catching sight of a victorious smirk that slithered across her lips, her cheeks blushing a rosy hue. He couldn't help but be a bit caught off guard by her beauty.

He shook his head, attempting to pull himself out of the odd trance he seemed to have fallen under. The solemn vampire blamed it on the heat. He was used to the cold climate of Alaska, and he assumed that his body was just struggling to adapt to the vast difference in weather. The blinding sun beating down on him was blinding him; that's what it was. He was like a bear waking up from hibernation, starved. That's why he took notice of the smirking girl in her little bathing suit that showcased her hourglass figure.

His siblings were still chuckling to themselves when they resumed walking, bending down to gather random seashells scattered throughout the sand every few steps. Edward placed his hands in his pockets and forced himself to lag behind them, continuing to watch the blue-eyed girl from afar.

She was staring out at the sea, wearing the softest of smiles, the annoying trio of boys all but forgotten. He tilted his head to the side, curious regarding the source of the look of fondness that seemed to have washed over. That's when he realized— He wasn't reading her thoughts.

His breath hitched, his mouth falling open as he processed that information. His gasp earned him several confused looks from his siblings. Alice, of course, was the one to follow his gaze, her jaw joining his on the ground when she realized that he was staring at a girl. His psychic sister's thoughts went haywire as she looked at Edward once more, a knowing smile spreading across her face.

Edward's eyes snapped towards his sister, shooting her a half-hearted glare. "What?"

She arched a brow. You know what. "You're staring."

Her comment caused the rest of his siblings to crane their necks to stare at the golden-haired girl across the beach. Emmett smirked devilishly, wagging his brows at Edward. Jasper was unfazed, picking up on the confusion that was rolling off the mind-reader. Rosalie, however, was immediately annoyed, her thoughts taking a more negative turn (as to be expected).

"Not for the reason you think," Edward was quick to say, the seven syllable sentence being the most he has spoken at a single given time in two decades.

That fact alone was enough to make the rest of them take notice. Edward simply shook his head, frustration coursing through him.

"There's something off about her," he stated sternly, his jaw clenching.

What made him realize that he had no idea. It was nothing more than a gut-feeling that took hold within him the moment he realized he was unable to read her thoughts. Perhaps he was just being bitter. Perhaps her hushed mind was just another reminder of a love that was lost to him.

Regardless, for whatever reason, he was convinced that 'something was off' about the girl, but he didn't have the mental energy nor the desire to speak any more on the subject.

"Is there?" Jasper chuckled, a giddiness spreading through him when he picked up on the vague emotions rolling off the usual numb vampire who hasn't felt much of anything in ages.

"Yes." Edward snapped, shooting them all warning daggers.

He was determined to drop the conversation, taking it upon himself to bypass his siblings and continue walking alongside the beach, trying to ignore the fact that with every step he took, he was getting closer to the mysterious, smiling girl. What he couldn't ignore, however, was the slight breeze that blew through her golden curls, sending a concentrated wave of her scent his way and smacking him square in the face. He stilled, visibly gulping, when he realized that she was the owner of the erotic scent that lit his entire body on fire.

Could his luck get any worse?

Little did he know... It most certainly could. And would.

||Bella's P.O.V.||

I cursed myself internally when I noticed the sprinklers were clearly turned on and, as luck would have it, directly in my path. Don't get me wrong— Being a mermaid has many perks, but it also has its downsides. Popping a tail within ten seconds of touching a single drop of water being one of those downsides (of course). Luckily, there were ways around the obstacle of 'avoiding water'.

Glancing around to ensure that none of my fellow classmates were watching, I focused on the sprinklers and attempted to direct the flow of water elsewhere. Unfortunately, my 'powers' have been acting up lately, so I found myself accidentally creating a wind funnel instead, sending the water spraying on several nearby victims.

A girl shrieked as she got drenched by the sprinklers. My mouth fell open in horror as I rushed over to the group of students, taking note that I didn't recognize any of them. The two girls in front were both completely soaked. The petite one wore a small smile, but the blonde was visibly vexed.

Amid my frantic state, I was still able to pick up on the fact that they all had exceptionally pale skin that nearly resembled porcelain and the same piercing shade of golden eyes. The two boys in the back hovered over the girls like shadows. The burly one wore a broad smile as he glanced at the fuming blonde with a look of endearment and amusement, while the other guy wore a slightly pained expression as he draped an arm around the petite, pixie-like girl.

I had to do a double take when I noticed a third guy. He was looming behind them with a solemn frown, a vacant expression decorating his haunting features. His bronze-colored hair contrasted against his porcelain skin in an eerie yet mesmerizing sort of way.

Tearing my gaze from the sullen boy, I looked back and forth amongst them with frantic eyes, feeling mighty guilty that I caused them to have an awful start on their first day.

"I am SO sorry," I blurted out, a blush rushing to my cheeks when I realized just how drenched the five of them were, particularly the fuming blonde.

The pixie-like girl chuckled airily, offering me a reassuring smile. "Why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault."

I stared at them, blinking rapidly when I realized my faux-pas.

"Right!" I breathed out, my blush intensifying. "Yeah.. There's some really strong winds around here.. The.. trees.. create some sort of wind tunnel. And... those crazy sprinklers. They're.. crazy.."

Did that even make sense? I cringed internally when I realized just how 'crazy' I sounded.

"Anyways.." I shook my head, offering them a bright, friendly smile. "I'm sorry that.. that happened to you guys."

"No harm, no foul," the broad, smiling guy commented. "It's just a bit of water. We ain't made of sugar, so we won't melt. Right, babe?" He nudged the blonde girl, earning himself an eyeroll from her.

I chuckled softly at that, studying each of them. "You guys aren't from here. Your accents.. You're American."

The three of them nodded, while the blonde girl narrowed her eyes at me. The frowning boy in the back, however, refused to so much as look at me.

"Well, welcome to Australia." I said to them, smiling genuinely. "I'm Bella."

The blonde girl snorted and rolled her eyes once more, earning a stern look from the petite girl. I pursed my lips in confusion, wondering what I could have done to offend her in such a short amount of time. The solemn boy in the back shook his head in what seemed to be annoyance, his frown turning into a full-blown school. What the hell?

The petite girl turned her attention to me, offering me a small smile in return. "It's nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Alice. Alice Cullen. This here is my sister, Rosalie; her boyfriend, Emmett; and my boyfriend, Jasper." She tilted her head back, frowning when she took note of the scowling boy whose name wasn't mentioned just yet. "And.. That's our brother, Edward." She smiled apologetically, lifting a shoulder in a partial shrug. "He doesn't talk much."

"Well, it's a pleasure meeting all of you. Really. I just moved here a few weeks ago, so I know all about 'being new'." I chuckled dryly, placing my hands in my pockets.

They stood there, three out of five of them smiling.

"Bella!" The sound of Lewis's voice came from over my shoulder.

I glanced behind me and noticed that he was darting in my direction, immediately coming to a standstill at my side and staring at the new students with a strange expression.

"Morning to you too, Lewis." I smiled at my friend who was continuing to stare at the newcomers.

"What happened to you guys?" Lewis asked them, quirking a brow when he took note of their drenched appearances.

"Incident with the sprinklers," Alice responded, smiling up at him.

Lewis pursed his lips to keep from smiling, giving me a pointed look. "Sprinklers, eh?"

I shook my head and breathed out a laugh. "Yeah. I was telling them about the weird winds we have here. Aren't they weird, Lewis?"

"Super weird." Lewis nodded, unable to fight back a smile.

"Right..." I trailed off before proceeding to introduce them, surprising myself by actually remembering their names the first go round.

"It's nice to meet you guys. How're you all liking the school so far?" Lewis, ever polite, asked them.

"It's... great." Emmett nodded once, appearing thoughtful.

Alice grinned and added, "We'd like it even better if we could find the music room."

"Oh, it's at the center of campus. Right beside the library. Weird place for the music room, am I right? But they have the best acoustics, believe it or not. I can show you if you want—"

"That won't be necessary," the bronze-haired boy spoke for the first time to interrupt me mid-sentence, his voice low and firm.

My brows flew up my forehead, surprised by his tone. Alice shot him a stern look before offering me an apologetic smile.

"Don't mind him. We'd love for you to show us if you have time," she told me, looping her arm through Jasper's.

Edward narrowed his eyes in my direction before directing his glare towards his sister. "It's not necessary, Alice," he repeated sharply, a deep frown pulling down his already somber features.

I blinked rapidly, at a loss. Lewis placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze before trying to ease the sudden tension in the air.

"...Speaking of 'not necessary', Bella... How about that brutal exam in Spanish? Mrs. Cortez had no right making it that difficult."

I quirked a brow at Lewis, knowing fully well that he aced that test with flying colors. He always does. Before I had a chance to speak on the subject, he took it upon himself to continue, clearly eager to escape the awkward exchange.

Taking a quick glance at his watch, he said, "Well, would you look at the time? We better hurry, Bells, or we're going to be late."

I pressed my lips into a thin line before meeting the Cullens' curious gazes. Edward was staring at me with a look of pure disdain, as though my very presence was somehow offending him. The sight had me knitting my brows in confusion, but I chose to brush it off. Perhaps he was just having a bad first day. I knew first-hand how nerve-racking it was to be new, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Yeah, I guess we should get going..." I reluctantly agreed with Lewis, taking the hint. A small smile flitted to my lips as I locked eyes with Alice and continued, "Like I said— The music room is at the center of campus. It's a straight shot from here. You can't miss it."

She nodded in understanding, returning my smile. "Thanks. It was nice meeting both of you."

"We appreciate it. I'm sure we'll see ya'll around," Emmett spoke up from behind her, offering me and Lewis a boyish-looking grin.

Lewis draped his arm over my shoulder in a friendly manner and flashed the Cullens a smile of his own. "Oh, I'm sure we will. Best be watching out for those sprinklers in the future, yeah?"

A blush rushed to my cheeks as Emmett, Alice, and Jasper chuckled in response. Rosalie frowned and smoothed out her damp skirt, still frustrated by those 'sprinklers'. Edward, however, was completely stoic. It seemed to me that he would rather be anywhere but here.

As Lewis and I were turning around to head in the opposite direction, I locked eyes with the brooding boy for the briefest second. My heart skipped a beat under the intensity of his gaze. It was as though he was looking straight through me. The phrase 'If looks could kill' drifted through my mind.

I shivered involuntarily as I forced my eyes from his. A strange feeling settled in my stomach that refused to leave. I couldn't resist glancing over my shoulder as we walked away and stealing another glimpse at him, taking note of the stern set of his jaw and midnight irises. How odd... I could've sworn his eyes were golden like the rest of them.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

The first chapter is short because I'm still trying to figure out where I'm going with his. I know the direction I want to take, but I'm not sure if I want to include the 'water tentacle'. I always thought that seemed a bit ridiculous lol! 😆 Some things will be the same as in the show, but I may come up with my own main plot instead of strictly focusing on the 'water tentacle'. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! 😊

So, Edward is going to be a bit stand-offish in the beginning (if you haven't noticed HA!). I think this is going to be an 'enemies to friends to lovers' situation. 🤭

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Love you, mean it!!! 🥰💕

 

Chapter 3: 02. Too Blue

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

A smile flitted to my lips as I arranged my highlighters in neat little rows beside my notebook— blue, pink, yellow; arranged in alphabetical order, just as it should be. I stared down at the highlighted sections in my Chemistry textbook. Everything I knew to a T was highlighted in yellow. The things I was starting to understand were highlighted in pink. And the stuff that I still had no clue about was highlighted in my favorite color— Blue.

A frown replaced my smile when I counted all the lines of blue staring back at me. I inhaled a deep breath, not allowing myself to panic. After all, I was a straight 'A' student, so I was confident that I would quickly catch up.

The sound of Mr. Kimbro's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Class, we have a new student joining us today," the teacher gestured towards the bronze-haired, solemn-faced boy standing to his left.

I immediately recognized the stoic individual as Edward, one of the new students I had met in the courtyard that morning. His features were pulled down in a frown, oddly reminding me of a depressed marble statue, courtesy of Michelangelo.

Mr. Kimbro stared at Edward with a plastered-on grin before gesturing for him to speak. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class? Tell us where you're from."

Every student stared at the new boy in awe, their open mouths reminding me of a bunch of dying fish. I breathed out a quiet laugh when I saw Miriam adjusting her bra, ensuring the 'girls' were on full display as she batted her lashes at an oblivious Edward.

Edward scanned the classroom, appearing quite bored and unenthused. When his gaze locked with mine, his eyes narrowed, his calm mask slipping for a mere second and revealing utter irritation, much to my dismay. Surely, his frustration wasn't directed towards me, right? I was being paranoid.

I watched as his jaw ticked before forcing his eyes from mine, the boy staring blankly straight ahead as he spoke in a dull voice that was surprisingly smooth, "Edward Cullen. Alaska."

Hushed whispers echoed around the room, the female students looking him up and down with hungry eyes. I almost felt sorry for him but knowing that he probably reveled in the attention prevented me from doing so.

Mr. Kimbro arched a brow at Edward, evidently expecting him to speak further, but the golden-eyed boy wasn't having it. His jaw was set, his gaze never leaving the poster covered wall at the back of the classroom.

"...Okay. Well, welcome to South Coast High. You can take your seat," Mr. Kimbro instructed, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Once more, Edward's wary eyes scanned the classroom, stopping at the empty seat next to me. I looked around the room, taking note that I was the only one without a lab partner, due to the fact that I was also sort of new.

I couldn't help but notice how his jaw ticked, his eyes flashing in obvious annoyance as he stalked towards me. Still convincing myself that he was just having a rough start on his first day, I remained optimistic, offering him a kind smile as I scooted my belongings out of the way to make room for him at our shared desk.

He sat down beside me and immediately scooted his stool as far away from me as possible, leaving him at the very far end of the desk, the feet of his chair slightly sticking out into the walkway. He dropped his textbook on the desk with a loud 'thud', causing my highlighters to roll to the floor.

I simply stared at him, waiting for an apology that wouldn't come. Great... The negativity was rolling off him in waves. Just as I was preparing to hop out of my seat to fetch my highlighters, he grumbled bitterly, reaching down and picking them up one by one before rolling them towards me with a frown.

I blinked rapidly, studying his solemn features. "...Thanks," I spoke softly, reorganizing my highlighters accordingly before offering him a smile.

Smiles are contagious. Or at least they're supposed to be. But that didn't seem to be the case for my new lab partner.

"That was quite an introduction you had there," I joked, trying to ease the tension between us. "A monolog, if I say so myself."

He simply stared straight ahead, not saying a word. I, however, wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"I was wondering if you were ever going to shut up," I jested, breathing out a laugh. "You just kept going on and on... I was like— This guy..." I trailed off when I realized he was paying me no mind whatsoever.

"...Right..." I whispered to myself, staring down at the desk before looking at him once more.

My brows knitted when I admired his flawless skin. Not a blemish in sight. Resisting the urge to ask about his skincare routine, I chose a different approach, still hoping to get him to open up a bit. I mean, we were lab partners, for crying out loud. We needed to get along. Making friends has always come easy for me, and I hoped now would be no exception.

"I'm Bella," I chose to introduce myself again, pulling my lower lip between my teeth.

He grunted in acknowledgement. Finally, I got a reaction out of him, albeit not one I preferred.

"I know," he spoke dully, staring up at the ceiling.

"...Right." My shoulders slumped forward, not used to his dismissive behavior. Still, I was undeterred.

"So, you're from Alaska." I flashed him a smile. "Must be acclimating then.. The weather here is much different, huh? We certainly don't get much.. snow.." I trailed off when he arched an unenthused brow at me.

My nerves were starting to get the better of me, as evidenced by my rambling.

Desperately trying to fill the awkward silence, I continued, "That was a joke. I mean, cause we never get snow. It's... too warm for that here. Which I'm sure you've noticed..."

He released a deep sigh, pressing his lips into a thin line as he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.

Not one to take a hint, I said, "You're safe from blizzards here," chuckling nervously.

He breathed out a dry laugh that was void of humor. "You don't say."

This conversation was not going how I hoped... Before I could respond, Mr. Kimbro started the lesson, putting an end to the one-sided conversation. With my highlighters at the ready, I focused intently on the words spewing out of the teacher's mouth, highlighting as I followed along.

Every once in a while, I could feel Edward's gaze drift towards me. Once, I locked eyes with him and offered him a small smile that he refused to return.

After lecturing for a good thirty minutes, Mr. Kimbro said, "Alright, class. There's a beaker at each desk filled with nitric acid, along with pieces of copper. The water pitcher is going around the classroom. Be sure to fill up your extra beakers. You and your partner are to take notes regarding the changes in the solution once the water is added."

My heart dropped to my stomach when I realized Edward and I would be working together for the assignment. He seemed to be as pessimistic as they come, while I was the exact opposite. Still, I refused to allow the storm cloud that hung over his head to rain on my parade.

Stealing a glance at him, I took note of his downturned frown, no doubt dreading the 'partner work'. I couldn't help but wonder if it was just my company he found distasteful. Would he prefer to work with someone else? Racking my brain, I couldn't think of anything I could've done to have offended him in the short time I had known him. I had been perfectly friendly to him and his siblings in the courtyard, so I was at a loss.

"Guess we're stuck with each other, huh?" I spoke up, trying to make light of the situation.

His frown somehow managed to deepen, much to my surprise. "Seems so."

My brows knitted of their own accord as I looked at him. It was a shame he was such a grump. He was a good-looking guy. Exceptionally good-looking. Despite his brooding demeanor, I had a feeling girls would flock to him like a moth to the flame. No doubt, he was used to that.

Speaking of— Miriam, who was sitting at the table in front of us with her friend, Tiffany, turned around in her seat and looked Edward up and down. A smirk flitted to her lips before she leaned towards Tiffany to whisper in her ear, giggles escaping both girls as they continued to steal glances at the frowning boy from over their shoulders.

A deep sigh escaped Edward, his eyes narrowing into slits at nothing in particular.

"Looks like you've already got a fan club," I teased, speaking quietly so the two girls wouldn't overhear.

He rolled his eyes at my comment but said nothing. At that point, I expected nothing less.

When the water pitcher made its way to our table, I automatically shifted away from it as Edward filled our beaker. Only when he passed the pitcher to the student behind us did I relax.

Wanting to get started, I grabbed the copper fibers and placed it in the beaker filled with nitric acid, watching as the solution turned green. The silence that hung between us was heavy, and I found myself wanting to fill it.

"So..." I chewed on my lower lip, a nervous habit of mine. "..How are you liking Australia so far?"

A moment passed, and I figured he wasn't going to respond. But then he opened his mouth to mumble, "It's too blue."

My brows furrowed. "Huh?"

He slowly turned his head and locked gazes with me, his eyes peering deeply into mine in a way that made my mouth run dry. Everything about him was intense, including his gaze.

His lips parted as his eyes continued to hold mine hostage, several heartbeats passing before he scowled and said, "They're too blue."

Now, I was even more confused. "What? What's 'too blue'?"

His eyes widened, a look of horror falling over his face for a reason unbeknownst to me. The falter in his stoic persona was short-lived, however.

His usual indifferent frown slipped back into place as he spoke in a strained voice, "I meant— It's too blue here. Here as in the Gold Coast."

I breathed out an airy laugh at that, focusing on the solution in the beaker as it turned into a brownish-green.

"And what's wrong with 'blue'?" I wondered, quirking a brow as I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

He narrowed his eyes at me, grumbling bitterly, "Everything."

I chuckled at his vague response. "I think you're the first person I've met that has a vendetta against the color 'blue'," I couldn't resist saying, my amused smile never wavering as I continued, "The ocean's blue. And the sky. Are you not a fan of either of those?"

He tore his gaze from mine, turning his attention to the beaker as he spoke in a voice above a whisper, "I'm used to clouds. Rain."

"...And snow, right?" I smiled softly.

He nodded once. Curtly, I might add. Would it kill the guy to smile?

I, too, chose to focus on our assignment, gesturing towards the beaker of water as I said, "You should probably go ahead and add the water."

He arched a brow at me, his expression solemn (per usual) as he asked in a droll tone, "You don't want to do the honors?"

At that, I smirked, lifting my shoulder in a partial shrug. "Well, I can't have all the glory, now, can I?"

I'd prefer to steer clear of the H2O for obvious reasons... He glanced at the water with a bored expression.

Once more, I nodded towards the water-filled beaker, saying, "Go on then."

He huffed in response before slooowly reaching for the beaker, as if to taunt me. Was he doing this on purpose? Was he trying to annoy me?

His lips twitched at the corners, as if preparing to smile, but it happened so fast that I thought I had imagined it. He continued inching his hand towards the beaker in an agonizingly slow manner, wrapping his hand around the glass object and lifting it up, hovering it over the beaker filled with nitric acid and copper.

"Are you going to pour it or not?" I blurted out, playfully rolling my eyes.

He simply looked at me, stone-faced, before adding the water to the experiment. I watched in fascination as the solution went from a muddy green to a beautiful shade of blue as the copper interacted with the liquid.

A small smile flitted to my lips before I commented, "Now that's blue."

All I got in response was an annoyed grunt. A reluctant sigh escaped me at his unenthusiasm. I could only hope his negative energy didn't rub off on me... With that in mind, I forced yet another smile his way, determined to make it the other way around. Maybe my positivity would rub off on him.

I was unfazed when he didn't return my smile, not taking it personally. Clearly, Edward Cullen was just broody by nature.

"It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile, you know," I said to him, grinning from ear to ear as he took it upon himself to write out our notes regarding the experiment.

He grumbled something beneath his breath that I couldn't quite catch, but the stern set of his jaw gave me a pretty good idea...

My smile turned upside down as I stared at his side-profile. "...You know what?"

He stopped writing, releasing a sigh that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul before meeting my gaze with a deep frown and speaking through gritted teeth, "What?"

I shifted in my seat, refusing to back down from his intense stare as I muttered, "..You're too blue."

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Hi, loves! So, I've decided to try something different with this story. Usually, the chapters I post are anywhere from 4k to 8k words, meaning it takes me a while to update. With this story, I'm going to see how I fare with making more frequent updates consisting of 2k-4k words. Hopefully, I'll be able to update more frequently :)

Chapter 4: 03. Peculiarity

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

Oh, I'm too blue, am I? I narrowed my eyes at the golden-haired girl, a scowl slithering across my lips. Despite my dislike for her, I couldn't deny that she had a point. I was well aware of my 'brooding' tendencies, and I didn't see my behavior changing anytime soon. If ever. You try losing the love of your existence to a mutt, and see how well you fare... That's what I wanted to say.

Looking at the perky blonde, I had a feeling she knew nothing about heartbreak. From what little I've seen of her, I could tell she was sunshine incarnate. The bubbly girl hasn't experienced such pain.. such loss.

As I studied her, I was reminded once more of the fact that something was... off... about her. I wasn't sure what it was. To be honest, I hadn't an earthly clue why I even thought such a thing. I would blame it on her eerily silent mind, but she wasn't the first human whose thoughts have been lost to me. No, it was something else. Try as I might, I just couldn't shake that feeling...

When she met my gaze and offered me a soft smile, my hand clenched around the pencil, snapping it in half. What was it about her that irked me so? That drew me to her? Was my disdain and interest due to her sweet scent that lit my lungs and body on fire? I had never experienced such a.. visceral.. reaction before, and certainly not due to a scent! 

Did I loathe her because my mouth watered due to her proximity? Because every muscle in my body was coiled tight with tension, resisting the urge to lunge towards her and sink my teeth into that pretty little neck of hers?

Did I despise her because her eyes are painstakingly blue? Perhaps because she's surprisingly chipper and smiles far too much?

Or...

Perhaps I hated her for the simple fact that she was a reminder. A heartbreaking reminder of what was lost to me— Rather who was lost to me. The way my lungs burned in her presence was a brutal reminder. Her silent thoughts were a brutal reminder. Her very name was a brutal reminder.

You put all those ingredients together— her name, scent, eyes, smile, body... And what do you get? The perfect recipe to drive me insane. Was I being tormented? I believed I was. The universe just loved to play cruel jokes on me, it would seem.

I was all too aware of the fact that she was sitting less than three feet from me. Honestly, I could've sworn there was an electrical pulsing through the air between us. A fact that she seemed to be entirely oblivious to. Yet another reason for my unjustified hatred towards the girl.

  As I finished up with the lab notes, I begrudgingly shoved them towards her, allowing her to read them over before I would turn them in. I watched in frustration as her light blue eyes scanned the pages, another soft smile flitting to her lips as she met my gaze.

"Your handwriting is... gorgeous," she said to me, breathing out an airy laugh as she organized the papers. "It's like calligraphy."

I arched an unenthused brow at the compliment, rolling my eyes. Much to my annoyance, her smile never wavered. It was as though it was permanently etched on her lips, making her appear to almost glow. Her damn smile...

When she finished reading over the notes, she slid them back towards me, nodding her approval. "Looks good."

My eyes zeroed in on her necklace as she bent over to dig through her bag. What sort of stone was that? I mentally ran through a list of known stones and was coming up blank. Much to my chagrin, my curiosity got the best of me.

Unable to stop myself, I blurted out, "Where'd you get the necklace?"

She stiffened, slowly looking up from her bag and locking eyes with me. I took note of the stuttering of her heart, causing me to quirk a brow at her.

"..Oh, um..?" She chuckled, but it seemed forced to me. "I, uh. I made it."

She made it herself? Crafty little thing... I pursed my lips, even more curious as I studied her nervous expression.

"That's quite a peculiar stone," I commented, cutting right to the chase as I nodded towards her necklace. "What kind is it?"

Was my curiosity actually going to force me into having a conversation with the blue-eyed girl? It would seem so.

She knitted her brows, wrapping her hand around the stone in question. Her pouty lips pulled down in a slight frown that only lasted but a moment.

She was quick to force yet another smile my way and say, "Not sure. I just thought it.. looked nice."

Yet again, her heart stuttered, piquing my interest.

"So, you have no idea what it is?" I challenged, my voice low and firm.

She breathed out a dry laugh, responding with, "..Do I look like a Geologist to you?"

Her little quip almost amused me. Almost.

"How'd you come across the stone?" I asked, growing more curious by the second.

I swear I was a cat in another life.

"I found it," she said without missing a beat.

Her heartrate remained steady. She was telling the truth.

"Where?" I questioned, studying her with intent.

To my surprise, she narrowed those blue eyes of hers at me, starting to look a bit annoyed. Ah, the 'little ray of sunshine' has a breaking point after all.

"What's with the twenty questions?" She retorted, shaking her head in obvious annoyance.

My lips twitched at the corners, fighting back an amused smile. I was getting under her skin. And enjoying it.

"I only asked five." I deadpanned.

She tore her gaze from me, staring straight ahead as she mumbled to herself in a voice that she believed wouldn't carry to my ears, "..Five too many.."

My supernatural hearing picked up on every syllable, however. I scoffed lightly at her comment, feeling a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"You've been trying to get me to talk this whole time, and now that I am, you're annoyed?" My voice sounded a bit strained.

She looked at me with wide eyes, her breath hitching. "What? I'm not 'annoyed'."

"Yes, you are."

Her mouth fell open as she folded her arms across her chest in a defiant manner. "No, I'm not."

"You're being defensive," I accused, my eyes holding hers hostage.

She shook her head. Her heartrate picking up was like music to my ears, and I hated it.

"I am not."

"You are too."

She looked at me incredulously, blood rushing to her cheeks in an alluring manner. The sight forced me to cut off all breathing, not trusting myself not to lunge at her if I tasted her blushing cheeks on my tongue.

"..Are you deliberately trying to push my buttons or does it just come natural for you?" She questioned, her lips pulling down in a delicate pout that had me clenching my jaw.

I loathed that I was attracted to her. Damnit!

When I was able to tear my eyes from her pouty lips, her little comment caused me to smirk.

"I could ask you the same thing," I quipped, arching a brow in challenge.

She looked taken aback, a gasp escaping her. "I didn't even do anything."

And just like that, any and all amusement vanished, my usual irritation taking its place.

"You've done plenty," I spoke dryly.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out, the bell rang.

Ah, saved by the bell.

She narrowed her fiery blue eyes at me before gathering her belongings without saying another word. My eyes followed her form as she stalked out of the classroom. I grumbled bitterly beneath my breath as I, too, made my exit.

As luck would have it, we were heading in the same direction, so I begrudgingly followed behind her at a distance, trying in vain to focus on any scent aside from the delectable blood swimming in her veins. It was easier to distract myself when I wasn't in such damn proximity to her.

I watched as she hurried down the walkway, dodging oncoming students with a gracefulness that actually surprised me. Her elegance was short-lived, however, as she collided with some unlucky student, sending his books spiraling to the ground.

I came to a halt, breathing out a dry laugh at her appalled expression as she frantically started apologizing as they both bent down to pick them up.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz—"

Yes, she is. I mused to myself.

  The boy cut her off mid-sentence, "Bella, right?"

Her mouth fell open as she finally looked at the boy for the first time, realization falling over her face. She blinked slowly as they rose to their feet in sync, holding each other's gazes.

The boy had wavy dark blonde hair and light blue eyes— appearing to be the exact definition of a 'surfer boy'. I couldn't resist rolling my eyes at that as I dove into his thoughts, his mind replaying images of Bella, along with two other girls, in a cave of some sorts.

"Uh.. Yeah.." She offered him a soft smile, shyly tucking her hair behind her ear.

"We met in that cave," he said to her, trying to trigger her memory.

But judging by the light blush that coated her cheeks, she knew exactly who he was. I narrowed my eyes at her and clenched my fists as I tasted her blushing cheeks in the air, setting my lungs and entire body ablaze.

"I-I remember," she stammered, her blush deepening. "It's um, it's good seeing you again, Will."

Will. So, that's his name. Simple. Bland. I expected nothing less.

"So, you do remember me," he grinned from ear to ear, casually clutching his backpack strap. "Your friend, Rikki, didn't seem to."

She licked her lips in a nervous manner, drawing my gaze from afar. I closed my eyes in frustration, shaking my head. For whatever reason, I was drawn to the golden-haired girl, and I despised both myself and her for it (If I hadn't made that obvious already). Was I broken record or what?

"Of course, I remember you," she spoke in a sweet-sounding voice, tilting her head to the side. "How's your head?"

"Oh, it's fine," he was quick to say with a dismissive wave of his hand, his thoughts scattered. "..I actually remember something about that cave."

She knitted her brows, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. I picked up on the sound of her heart skipping a beat, piquing my interest.

The overly joyful thoughts of my adoptive brother filled my head before he clasped his hand on my shoulder and greeted me with a jovial smile, "Sup, bro? How's it going?"

I released a deep sigh, not in the mood to converse with Emmett of all people. Luckily, he was used to my never-ending foul mood, so he didn't take it personally when I continued staring straight ahead at the unfolding scene.

"Fine," I responded in a clipped voice.

His eyes followed mine, a low chuckle escaping him when he caught sight of the blue-eyed girl conversing with the 'surfer boy'. Cue yet another eyeroll.

"Any reason in particular why you're staring?" Emmett asked, his tone mocking. Aside from obvious reasons...

"I'm not attracted to her," I lied through my teeth in response to his rampant thoughts. "She's just... odd."

Odd? Is that the best I could come up with?

He laughed at that, clearly not buying it, before tuning into the conversation as well.

"..The cave.."  The 'odd' girl mumbled after a moment of silence, staring blankly straight ahead, seeming to avoid eye-contact with the boy all together. "Um.. What do you remember exactly?"

He wasted no time in blurting out, "Something.. weird.. knocked me over."

Her eyes widened to that of saucers. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, but no words came out. Her heart was flying in her chest. I would've been amused by her reaction had I not been so distracted by 'Surfer Boy's' thoughts; or shall I say— lack thereof.

Before he mentioned being attacked by 'something weird', his thoughts were as clear as a bell. But now it was as though there was something interfering with the frequency, preventing me from getting a clear reading. I was... stunned. Perplexed.

Emmett took note of my puzzled expression. "What?"

"Later," I mumbled, not wanting to discuss it with him just yet.

Right now, I was far too focused on the conversation.

The flustered girl's face proceeded to redden to that of a tomato, forcing me to shut off my breathing so I didn't drown in that intoxicating scent of hers. She simply stared at him, saying nothing. I could tell she was at a loss for words.

However, she didn't need any. 'Surfer Boy' took it upon himself to continue.

"I'm really wanting to get back into that cave," he said to her.

An agonizingly long ten seconds passed before she found her voice, shaky as it was.

"...What for?" She asked, inhaling a deep breath before continuing in a much stronger voice, "I mean.. You were pretty out of it when we found you, you know.."

He ignored her comment, instead asking, "What were you guys doing there?"

Nosy, isn't he? I wasn't sure why that bothered me so much. Perhaps nosy humans in general just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Her heart hammered loudly in her chest, picking up tempo as she spoke slowly, "..We.. like... exploring.."

"In party clothes?" He quirked a brow in challenge.

Emmett snickered from beside me, founding the scene far too amusing. I stifled an eyeroll at my brother's expense as I waited for the girl to respond. Why was she exploring a cave in party clothes?

This time, she chose to ignore his comment. Her heart was still racing, much to my curiosity.

"Look, Will..." She trailed off, shifting her weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. I watched as she chewed on that lower lip of hers, clearly nervous. "...You're lucky we found you when we did. Anything could have happened to you.. I mean, you fell.. You hit your head. You-You could have had a concussion.."

She blinked rapidly, staring at him as the words continued spewing from her mouth, "Did you have a concussion? Did you even go to the doctor? I bet you didn't.. You probably should've been checked out, in all honesty.. Yeah, you definitely should've been. It's not too late. Sometimes—"

She was rambling. Obviously.

But 'Will' cut her off by saying, "How'd you get there?"

The chattering girl stumbled over her words, getting tongue-tied before saying, "..Pardon?"

"How'd you get in the cave? Obviously, you found another entrance, right?"

"Oh." She blinked once, chewing on her lower lip. Yet again. Seems to be an anxious habit of hers. "Um, yeah.. Another entrance. We found another entrance.."

His eyes grew in excitement as he asked, "Will you show it to me?"

I swear her heartrate was all over the place. The girl was a mess. Why? Was it simply due to her attraction to the stereotypical 'good-looking' boy? Or was there more to it?

I narrowed my eyes at her and him both as I continued to study them. Emmett leaned against a locker in a casual manner, studying me studying them. I had to tune out his taunting thoughts in order to focus on the duo. My nuisance of a brother had it all wrong.

The blushing girl chuckled nervously, saying, "..Oh, I-I probably couldn't find it again. It was.. dark."

His face fell, the hope and excitement fading from his eyes. "Well, that's too bad..." He started backing away from her, offering her a half-hearted smile before spinning around and calling over his shoulder, "Guess I'll see you around."

Her shoulders slumped forward, a look of dejection falling over her face as she released a deep sigh. The further the boy got from her, the clearer his thoughts were becoming. How peculiar...

My gaze drifted to the frowning girl once more, tilting my head as I took in every detail of her features. Her down-turned lips. Her faint freckles that scattered her cheeks. Her bright, blue eyes that reminded me of the sea. Her long, golden waves that flowed down her back.

Obviously, she was attractive. I could admit that much to myself. And obviously, I was drawn to her (as much as I hated to admit it). But as I continued gazing at her, a strange feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. It was... warm.. pleasant, but the intensity of it chilled me to the bone.

That's when I realized that my previous theories had been wrong. I wasn't drawn to the girl based on her looks. Or her scent. Or her shielded mind. Or her name. No, it went much, much deeper than that. The weight of that knowledge came crashing down on me, and I found myself wanting to flee the scene entirely, feeling desperate to put as much distance as physically possible between me and... her.

As if on cue, she turned and locked gazes with me from afar, her piercing eyes of sapphire holding me hostage. My breath was stolen from me. She furrowed her brows before ripping her eyes from mine, and I hated the emptiness that gripped me when she did.

Balling my hands into tight fists, I banished the unwanted 'feelings' trying to wreak havoc within me, burying them deeply in the dark crevices of my mind, refusing to acknowledge them or the sentiment that came along with them. Anger took their place.

And it was all directed towards the peculiar, golden-haired girl whose eyes were following 'Surfer Boy's' every move as he meandered down the walkway.

"..You good, bro?" Emmett's voice pierced through my thoughts.

I fought back a snarl, huffing through my nostrils before I ground out the words, "I'm good."

But I was far from it.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

What do you guys think so far? :)

So, I decided to include the 'water tentacle' in the story after all... But things are still going to be WAY different. Obviously, I've changed around the plot quite a bit. I'm what they call a 'pantser' writer, so I'm flying by the seat of my pants with this one (as I always do). The characters write themselves, so I always trust the process.

I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend and a Merry Christmas! I should update before then, but in case I don't- HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Love you, mean it!!! :)

 

Chapter 5: 04. Glares, Stares, & Dimples

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

"Ready for English?" I asked Rikki as I approached her and Cleo in the courtyard.

Rikki responded with a huff, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "If we must."

I shifted my weight on my feet before saying to them, "Um.. Will was asking me about that cave."

Rikki rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he asked me about it too."

"What'd he say?" Cleo asked, knitting her brows.

"He's going back out there," Rikki responded, shaking her head in annoyance. "I couldn't talk him out of it."

I chewed on my lower lip, my thoughts going a mile a minute. Will was determined. There was no doubt about that.

"We need to go with him," I blurted out.

Rikki looked at me incredulously. "I don't think we should be encouraging him to go out there again."

Before I had a chance to respond, Cleo backed me up, saying, "Rikki, he's seen the water attack us. We need to find out what he knows before the next full moon."

"Agreed," I was quick to say.

Rikki quirked a brow, folding her arms across her chest. "And how are you going to do that?"

I pondered that for a moment before suggesting, "One of us could distract him.."

"..While the others reexamine the moon pool," Cleo added.

My face heated up at the thought of being the one to 'distract' Will. He was an exceptionally good-looking guy... with those baby blue eyes..

Clearing my throat, I was quick to say, "I volunteer as tribute. I'll, um.. keep Will distracted."

Rikki's brows flew up her forehead, her eyes narrowing. "He wants a guide. You've been there once. That was underwater. At night."

A smirk flitted to my lips as I said, "Ah, but who better to lead him astray than someone who has no idea where they're going?"

***

"I swear— if we get paired up with Miriam and Tiffany, I will lose my shit," Rikki mumbled bitterly as we sat down at our table in English.

"Fingers and toes crossed," I said with a sigh, dropping my bag to the floor.

"If Mrs. Robins goes by tables, we're screwed," she stated, leaning back in her seat and frowning in frustration.

She was right. Most of the students were seated five to a table, but it was only me and Rikki at ours. Miriam and Tiffany were the only other students whose table wasn't filled, so it wasn't looking good.

Students spilled into the room, taking their seats and chatting amongst themselves. For the most part, I paid them no mind. Instead, I read through the textbook, hoping to get a head start on today's subject. Only when I felt a pair of eyes burning a hole through me did I falter in my focus. A shiver shot down my spine when I looked up and locked with a pair of honey-gold eyes that belonged to none other than Edward Cullen.

He and his sister, Alice, were standing in the doorway, evidently looking for seats. Knowing firsthand how difficult being the new kid is (due to having moved around countless times growing up. Thanks, dad), I took pity on them. Alice was perfectly sweet, so I wasn't about to let her brother's broodiness prevent me from befriending her.

If they didn't sit with me and Rikki, they'd be forced to share a table with Miriam, and Alice was far too kind to deserve such a fate. So, I lifted my hand to wave them over, but just I was about to do so, Rikki piped up.

"What are you doing?" She hissed in a whisper.

I turned to her and whispered back, "Inviting them to sit with us."

Obviously.

She squinted her eyes at me and mumbled beneath her breath, "Yeah. I can see that. The question is why?"

"Because they'll get stuck with Miriam if I don't..."

Which would be 'a fate worse than death', according to Rikki.

"So? Better them than us," she responded in that dry tone of hers.

I released a small sigh and gave her a disapproving frown. "..Rikki.."

She narrowed her eyes further before exhaling sharply and giving in. "Fine."

Looking towards the Cullens once more, I offered them both a smile (which was NOT returned by Edward, of course) and continued waving them over. The two siblings were speaking in hushed tones as they approached us. The brooding boy was wearing a frown like a fashion statement as he very begrudgingly sat down across from us, along with his sister.

"So good to see you again, Bella," Alice greeted me with a chipper grin, folding her small hands on top of the table as she turned to Rikki. "And it's nice to meet you...?"

"Rikki," my aloof friend introduced herself with a polite smile, albeit forced as it was.

From the few short weeks I've known Rikki, I was well aware that she wasn't too fond of change. She didn't enjoy meeting people, and she was slow to open up. Heck, she was still getting used to me and we had matching tails, for crying out loud.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Rikki. I'm Alice, and this here is my brother, Edward." Alice took it upon herself to introduce him, knowing he wouldn't take the initiative himself.

I was curious whether he would be just as rude to Rikki as he had been to me. Neither she nor Edward chose to comment. Rikki cast me a side-eye glance before flipping through her textbook, feigning interest in the subject of English like never before.

Not one for extended silences, I spoke up, asking Alice, "How are you liking it so far?"

She perked right up. "Oh, I just love it here! It's so different from anywhere we've lived before. And the school is just fabulous! I mean—"

Her words fell on deaf ears when I noticed Will appear in the door, wearing a sheepish smile as he stepped into the classroom. I found myself staring into those pale blue eyes of his and subconsciously pulling my lower lip between my teeth as I debated whether to wave him over or not. The thought of him sitting with Miriam and Brittany didn't sit right with me..

Alice glanced in Will's direction as well, a knowing a smile slithering onto her lips as she quirked a brow at me. Rikki and Edward followed her gaze, wearing matching frowns. Edward narrowed his eyes at Will before turning his glare on me full force, which I chose to ignore. The brooding boy was lucky his sister was such a doll.

Rikki shook her head and leaned towards me, speaking in a stern whisper, "Don't even think about it."

My mouth fell open as I tore my gaze from Will long enough to take note of my friend's annoyed expression.

Her annoyance rivaled Edward's, believe it or not.

Before Rikki even had a chance to respond, Edward spoke up in that grumbly voice of his, "I second that."

Now, I was just plain mad.

"No one asked you," I quipped, squinting my eyes at him in frustration.

He clenched his jaw as he stared at me, a shadow falling over his face.

"What's the big deal about him sitting with us?" I asked Rikki, ignoring Edward's incessant glare.

She looked at me in disbelief, appearing appalled. "Are you serious??"

"Rikki..." I made my disapproval known, holding her vexed gaze.

I was sensing a theme here. In more ways than one.

"I don't like him," she was quick to say, leaning back in her seat and folding her arms over her chest.

Once more, my jaw dropped. I was surprised that she had no problem voicing her dislike for the innocent boy in front of Edward and Alice, but then again... this was Rikki we're talking about.

A faint smirk tugged at Edward's lips as he studied my shellshocked expression, much to my chagrin.

"Why not?" I asked my prickly friend.

Aside from being curious about Mako, Will had done nothing wrong. And who could fault him for him being curious anyway? I mean, he was attacked by a 'water tentacle', for crying out loud...

Rikki scoffed, not missing a beat as she said, "Well, let's see... For starters, he's a walking, talking cliché. Oh, and he may be the nosiest person I've ever met! Need I say more?"

My frown deepened when Edward's taunting smirk grew, clearly trying to goad me. His sister was simply looking back and forth, curiosity evident in her features as she remained impartial.

"Well, I like him," I stubbornly stated, lifting my chin.

Rikki rolled her eyes and mumbled, "You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her, arching a brow.

She shook her head in obvious annoyance, ignoring my question before saying, "Go on. Wave him over. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Realizing that this conversation was going to get me absolutely nowhere, I didn't let another second go by before waving at Will, much to Rikki and Edward's dismay.

Don't get me wrong— I understood Rikki's reservations. She was just being overprotective of our secret. But what was Edward's excuse? I guess he just couldn't stand anyone. Looks like I wasn't the only person he disliked for no apparent rhyme or reason.

Will perked up, nodding in my direction with a half-hearted smile as he made our way towards our table and sat down beside me, sandwiching me between him and Rikki.

"Hey, Bella," he greeted me, leaning forward to look at Rikki, his smile growing by a fraction as he said, "Rikki. We meet again."

She plastered on a sickly-sweet smile that was so obviously forced that I visibly cringed.

"Lucky me," she mumbled bitterly.

Will's blue eyes glinted with amusement before he tore his gaze from her, glancing at Edward and Alice.

Alice, of course, was offering him a friendly smile, but the opposite could be said for her grouchy brother.

"Will, this is Alice and Edward. They're new here as well," I introduced them, hoping to ease the tension in the air.

Will flashed them both a charming smile, extending his hand for a handshake that Alice was quick to provide. When it came time for Edward to shake his hand, the grouch simply stared down at it with a scowl on his face before turning his cheek. I was mortified by his blatant rudeness.

However, Will was unfazed, his smile never wavering as he withdrew his hand and joked, "Germophobe, eh?"

His comment earned a quiet chuckle from me as I smiled fondly at the blonde-haired boy.

Edward's eyes flashed, his jaw ticking. If looks could kill, poor Will would be six feet under.

"Pleasure meeting you, Will. It's nice that we're not the only new students. Right, Edward?" Alice gave him a pointed look.

Edward grumbled something underneath his breath but refused to acknowledge us.

Before anymore could be said, the teacher called the class to attention, putting an end to the awkward exchange. As the minutes ticked by, I found myself struggling to focus on the lecture, my eyes continuously trailing in Will's direction. Luckily, he seemed completely oblivious to it, staring straight ahead at the board with a blank expression.

Edward, however, was all too aware of my lingering stares. Every time he caught me stealing a peek at Will, he would roll his eyes and slightly shake his head. I wanted to wring his neck. Never in my life had someone been able to get under my skin so quickly and so effectively as the golden-eyed boy.

Choosing to ignore Edward and his 'eye-rolls', I pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a note to Will— Do you still need help finding that cave? :)

My stomach was in knots as I slid it towards him. He quirked a brow as he read the note, looking up and meeting my eyes with a small smile and a nod.

The knots in my stomach unraveled, butterflies fluttering about as they do. I was unable to hide my excitement as I quietly whispered to Will, "It's a date."

When I realized what I had said, I immediately backpedaled, not wanting to scare him off. The blush that rushed to my face only added to my embarrassment as I stammered in a hushed whisper, "I-I.. I didn't mean.. I-It's not a date date, I mean.. I-I just—"

Will breathed out a subtle laugh, flashing me a reassuring smile as he whispered back, "I know what you meant."

Despite his reassurance, my blush remained. I couldn't bring myself to look away from him, my eyes locked on his dimples that were on full display. In fact, I was so enthralled by those darling dimples that I failed to notice Edward snapping a pencil in half for the second time that day.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Sorry it took so long to update. I've been struggling with motivation to write here lately 😬 Not a fan of this chapter, to be honest. It's a bit of a filler, but I wanted to get something posted for you guys.

What do we think about Will? 😅 I'll be honest— I was never a fan of him and Bella as a couple in the series. I always felt that they lacked chemistry. 🤷‍♀️ But maybe that's just me.

 

Chapter 6: 05. Fish Out Of Water

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

"This island is absolutely beautiful!" Alice beamed as she meandered through the trees, skipping about like a ballerina. "If they just cleared it out a bit, it'd be a great spot for a resort I bet."

Jasper smiled fondly at her as he leaped from a boulder jutting from the earth, landing directly in front of us.

"I disagree," I said to Alice, a frown pulling down my lips.

My bubbly sister had overheard several students at school talking about the 'oh so mysterious Mako Island' and wanted to check it out for herself. I chose to tag along with her and Jasper in the hopes of lingering out in the jungle in solitude for the weekend. Having an entire island to myself would be a much-needed reprieve from my family's incessant thoughts and well-meaning banter.

I inhaled a deep breath, and when I did, my entire body went rigid. The intoxicating scent lit my lungs and body on fire— a homage to a certain blue-eyed girl that frustrated me to no end. In that moment, I feared I had lost my mind. Was I experiencing olfactory hallucinations? Was that even possible for my kind?

Just as I had the thought, Alice and Jasper picked up on the scent as well, much to my surprise.

"Bella," Alice stated, her eyes widening before she and Jasper took off towards her scent, their thoughts going a mile a minute.

I grumbled beneath my breath before begrudgingly following after them. What in the world could the infuriating human girl be doing on a remote island? From what I had heard from most of the students, Mako Island tended to be avoided at all costs. There was a bit of a stigma surrounding the place, so why in God's name did the current bane of my existence find herself here?

When we emerged from the trees and stepped foot onto the beach— There Blue Eyes stood in all her glory. She was standing on the shore, staring out at the sea with her hands on her hips, a thoughtful expression decorating her features.

"Hey!" Alice called out to her, causing the golden-haired girl to stiffen, her heart stuttering before she slowly turned to face us.

Her brows knitted in confusion as she looked at each of my siblings before meeting my annoyed yet curious gaze.

"..Uh.. Hey.." She responded, approaching us. "What are you guys doing here?"

The wind blew through her hair, causing a potent wave of her sweet scent to hit me directly in the face. I nearly stumbled back from the sheer force of it, my throat and lungs instantly igniting like fire. It was impossible for me not to shoot daggers at the girl when the burning sensation settled in the pit of my stomach, a forbidden desire engulfing me.

"Exploring," Alice responded with a beaming smile. "Same as you, I assume?"

Her big, blue eyes widened, a delicious blush coating her cheeks. "Oh, uh.. Yeah. Yeah, exploring. For sure."

My sister tilted her head, her thoughts filled with concern for her new human 'friend'. "Alone?"

Blue Eyes blinked slowly, her lips parting as her blush deepened. Luckily, I wasn't breathing. Breathing in her presence was a recipe for disaster. Jasper sensed the unease rolling off me, the turbulence of emotions that I disguised as anger. When he sent a calming wave my way, I instantly relaxed, but the giant knot in my stomach didn't lessen.

"Um.." Blue Eyes stole a glance of the sea from over her shoulder before continuing, "..I'm waiting on my friend, actually. He should, uh.. He should be here any minute."

Friend. Surfer Boy, no doubt, given their prior conversation that I was privy to. It was a struggle to stifle the jealousy that threatened to surface at the thought of him. Instead of letting it engulf me, I focused on my anger towards the blue-eyed girl, hoping to continue to disguise the emotional maelstrom I was currently experiencing in Jasper's presence.

My empath of a brother didn't so much as bat an eye, his thoughts unsuspicious as he stood silent beside me.

"Your friend? Will, I assume?" Alice smirked, a knowing glint in her eye.

I couldn't stifle the eyeroll as I was forced to bear witness to Alice's imagination, envisioning her new friend and Surfer Boy hand-in-hand. She thought they'd make a 'cute couple'. I, for one, didn't see it.

At the mention of 'Will', the blood pooling beneath Blue Eyes' cheeks spread to her neck, turning her the most delectable shade of red. I watched as the sweet-smelling blood swirled beneath her sun-kissed skin, fresh venom filling my mouth. Jasper stiffened beside me, looking at me out of the corner of his eye as he picked up on the bloodlust that gripped me.

I met his leery gaze for the briefest of moments.

You good? He mentally questioned, quirking a brow in concern.

I gave him a curt nod in response before turning my attention back to the scene before me, glaring at the girl from my place on the bank.

"..Y-Yeah.. Will.." She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, catching my eye.

Alice studied her, grinning from ear to ear. My psychic sister loved sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. She was concocting an elaborate scheme to play 'matchmaker'. Just as she was preparing to speak, a thought occurred to me.

"Where's your boat?" I found myself asking, despite myself.

Curiosity always got the best of me. Jasper smirked at me, shaking his head in amusement. I resisted narrowing my eyes at him as I waited for Blue Eyes to respond.

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, resembling a fish out of water. I breathed out a wry laugh at her expression, watching as that delicious shade of red proceeded to deepen on her cheeks.

A moment of silence passed, the sound of her heart fluttering away filling my ears, drowning out the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

"..Bella?" Alice spoke up, worriedly eyeing her friend as her heart continued to race.

The girl reluctantly met my gaze, gracing me with those sapphire orbs of hers.

"Your boat?" I repeated, folding my arms across my chest before flashing her a derisive smirk. Her nervousness amused me, so I couldn't help but tease her. "Or did you swim all this way?"

She stared at me, unblinking, before forcing a laugh. "Yeah, I totally swam here," her voice wavered; sarcasm wasn't her forte. She dropped her gaze to the ground, mumbling, "..No, um. Some friends dropped me off earlier."

I narrowed my eyes at her. The thought of her being left on a strange island all by her lonesome didn't sit right with me. Where my sudden protectiveness came from, I had no idea, nor did I want to know. That was, yet again, another feeling I would be forced to bury regarding the nuisance of a girl.

Regardless, I found myself asking, my voice clipped, "So, they just left you here then? Alone?"

Alice gave me a stern look. Mind your business... And be nice.

My lips twitched at the corners due to my sister's scolding.

"Well.. Yeah.." Blue Eyes breathed out a dry laugh. "Like I said— Will will be here any minute now.."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. The distant sound of the boat cutting through the waves filled my ears, his obnoxious thoughts loud and incessant. A frown slithered across my face that deepened as he grew closer. By the time he made it to shore, my frown had turned into a full-blown scowl. 

Surfer Boy looked at each of us, knitting his brows in confusion as he climbed out of the boat. Looking at Blue Eyes, he asked, "Having a party?"

As if on cue, she blushed, her heart skipping a beat when their gazes locked. What she saw in him I had no idea. He was rather dull, if you ask me. The only thing on his mind was 'a cave'. His eyes barely grazed the golden-haired girl's figure, not even bothering to look twice. He was here on a mission, and that mission didn't involve 'checking her out', which suited me just fine.

Suited me just fine? I mentally slapped myself. Why should I care if his eyes linger on her curves? I don't.

Blue Eyes chuckled nervously, flipping her braid over her shoulder. It was Alice who came to her rescue.

"We were just leaving." She offered Surfer Boy a friendly smile before looping her arm through Jasper's, preparing to walk back into the jungle. "We'll leave you two to it.."

My sister gave me a stern look as she and Jasper walked back into the woods. Come on, Edward.

I shot Blue Eyes and Surfer Boy another glare before begrudgingly following my siblings back into the jungle. Given their thoughts, they were ready to head back to the mainland, preparing to make a quick sprint for the boat on the other side of the island.

"I plan on hanging out here over the weekend," I told them, earning wary expressions from them both.

What can I say? I wanted to be alone. Don't get me wrong— I love my family. But for years, I lived in solitude, reeling from heartbreak and wallowing in my misery. Safe to say, I needed some 'me' time, and what better place to do so than on an almost isolated island?

"..You sure?" Jasper gave me a pensive look, arching a brow as he sifted through my emotions.

I nodded.

Alice, not one to dwell, was quick to say, "Well, we're taking the boat. I am not ruining this outfit. Do you want us to pick you up Sunday?"

"That won't be necessary. It's not a far swim," I said with a shrug.

My kind could easily swim in excess of a hundred miles per hour, so it'd be no problem getting back to the mainland without a boat.

"Suit yourself," my chipper sister chuckled before taking off at a run, the plants rustling behind her. And leave the two lovebirds alone! I mean it, her thoughts rang out.

Jasper simply shrugged, saying, "See ya," before taking off like a bullet, catching up to his mate in no time.

I tapped my chin in thought as I stared after them, waiting until I heard the boat's engine before setting my plan into action.

Leave the two lovebirds alone? Not a chance.

||Bella's P.O.V.||

When the Cullens vanished from sight, I was able to focus on Will, watching as he hopped out of the boat.

He looked at me from over his shoulder, saying, "You haven't got a boat?"

I smiled softly, my face heating up under his curious gaze. "Some friends dropped me off earlier," I repeated the same lie I had told Edward.

For some reason, the lie rolled off my tongue much easier with Will.

He said nothing as he put his back to me, grabbing a large backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. My eyes widened when I realized how much gear he was toting.

"Wow, you're really serious about this." I smiled, slightly amused.

"Yeah. I need to know what happened to me." He wasted no time in grabbing the other gigantic backpack, meeting my gaze as he continued, "Anyway, thanks for coming."

He walked towards me, offering me a faint smile that made my heart flutter. "It'll be a big help having someone that knows the island."

I couldn't help but blush. "That's me.." Wanting to be helpful (since my sense of direction was literally going to get us nowhere, per the plan), I extended my hand towards one of the large backpacks and said, "..I can help with that if you'd like.."

A shiver shot down my spine when I felt a pair of eyes on me. I stole a glance behind me, scanning the trees. Despite not seeing anything, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Were there any predators on Mako? I certainly hoped not.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Will said, "Thanks," before handing the heavy bag to my unprepared, awaiting arms.

Despite the large size, I hadn't expected the backpack to be that heavy. I grunted in surprise before nearly collapsing under its weight, dropping it to the ground.

"..You alright?" Will arched a brow, watching as I managed to sling the backpack across my back after collecting myself.

"Yep.." I mumbled, adjusting the bag and clutching at the straps. "..Yep.."

I looked around once more, expecting to be met with a pair of hungry eyes courtesy of whatever predator that was stalking us. Will simply stood there, waiting for me to take the lead.

Clearing my throat in a nervous manner, I pointed straight ahead, bracing myself to brave the jungle. "Um.. This way."

***

We had been trekking through the dense jungle for half an hour, and I could tell that Will was starting to get impatient.

Pushing aside a plant, he asked, "You sure we're heading in the right direction?"

I nodded, lagging behind him. I still couldn't shake the feeling that we were being followed. "Yeah, yeah. It's over here somewhere."

Honestly, I had no clue where we were, but that was kind of the point. It was my job to steer Will away from the moon pool (wherever that may be). I just hoped I wasn't getting us too lost.

When the sound of running water filled my ears, and we came to a stop in front of a large stream, my heart dropped. My eyes widened when I realized that the only way around the stream was through it. From what I could see, the stream stretched on for what could have been miles.

Will walked to the edge of the giant stream and said, "After you."

I was quick to shake my head, panic setting in. "Oh, no.. You.. You go first.. I'll just.. take my shoes off."

He casually shrugs as he starts walking through the stream. "A little bit of water won't hurt."

"..I don't wanna wreck them," I explained, my voice wavering as I shifted from one foot to the other, trying to figure out how I can get through the stream without popping a tail.

When he made it to the other side, he turned around, tilting his head. "Thought you were taking your shoes off?"

I blinked rapidly, my heart picking up tempo. What. Do. I. Do?

"I need a minute alone," I told him, clutching the strap of my oversized backpack.

"What?" He furrowed his brows.

Racking my brain for something, anything, I blurted out, "There isn't a bathroom around here, is there?"

Immediately, a blush to end all blushes rushed to my cheeks as he stared at me with a blank expression before turning around and starting to walk towards the trees.

"Yeah, you just keep walking, and I'll catch up with you," I called out to him, still trying to calm my racing heart as I stared at the daunting stream in front of me.

When I saw him starting to turn around, I panicked, shouting, "NO LOOKING!"

He shook his head before walking into the jungle, disappearing in the foilage.

I released a deep breath I hadn't realized I was holding, my shoulders slumping forward. Allowing myself a moment to gather my thoughts, I continued staring at the stream, listening as the water flowed over the rocks, as though taunting me.

When an idea popped in my head, I inhaled a deep breath, holding out my hand and preparing to create a make-shift path for myself.

But before I had the chance, a smooth, velvet voice came from over my shoulder, "...Nice shoes."

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

I finally updated! Sorry... 😬 Sometimes I get so caught up in other stories. I'm trying to get on an 'update' schedule, but it's easier said than done. 😅

Anyways... Thanks for reading! Love you, mean it! 🥰

 

Chapter 7: 06. Into The Jungle

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

A frown staked a claim on my face as I turned around, coming face to face with a smirking Edward Cullen.

"You.." I narrowed my eyes.

What was he doing here?

"Me." His smirk grew as he leaned against a tree in a casual manner.

I blinked rapidly before blurting out my suspicion, "Have you been following us?"

Was it his eyes that have been burning a hole through me for the past half hour, hidden within the trees?

His eyes widened before narrowing into slits, scoffing loudly. "Don't flatter yourself.."

I had to stifle an eyeroll at this tone, trying not to let him get under my skin. The sound of the rushing water behind me was a reminder of the obstacle I was facing— The obstacle that the honey-eyed boy was currently distracting me from.

He nodded towards my feet, quirking a brow. "So, you going to take off your shoes or..?"

A sigh escaped me, absentmindedly fiddling with my braid as I debated my options now that I had an 'audience'. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Should I just turn around and go back? A part of me was tempted to do just that, but Will...

"..I.. Uh.. I was planning on it," I said to Edward, hesitantly meeting his gaze.

He looked at me with a blank expression. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

I turned to look at the stream, the flowing water taunting me.

Edward breathed out a dry laugh. "What? Afraid of a little water?" He quirked a brow in challenge, his voice smug, "You're certainly not made of sugar. It's not like you'll melt."

This time I didn't stifle the eyeroll. "Ha ha," sarcasm dripped from my voice.

He smirked, his golden eyes gleaming as he folded his arms across his chest. "What's the problem, Blue Eyes?"

I quirked a brow at the nickname, a bit taken aback. Knowing that it was another ploy to get a reaction out of me, I chose not to comment on it.

Instead, I looked at the stream and mumbled, "I.. If I take off my shoes, then I might.. step on something.."

Yeah, that sounded perfectly believable.

I mentally patted myself on the back as I continued, pointing at the stones in the bed of the stream, "..I mean, those rocks look awful sharp, am I right? Very.. pointy. A-And there could be a.. a crab.. or something.. I just—"

A squeal flew through my lips, cutting myself off mid-sentence as Edward scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"What are you doing?! Put me down!" My voice went up an octave, gasping in horror when I realized he was walking towards the stream. "Edward! Don't you dare!"

I was half-expecting him to throw me in, causing my heart to race as he stepped into the water, carrying my weight and that of the heavy backpack slung across my back with seemingly no effort on his part. When he took another step, I gasped, fearing the worst.

Amid my panic, I was still able to process how solid he was, and also... cold? How wasn't he burning up in this humid weather? Shaking aside that thought, I focused on the problem at hand, terror gripping me as he took yet another step into the stream.

"STOP!" I shouted, slapping his back, grimacing as I did so.

It felt like hitting a solid piece of granite, my palm stinging with pain.

"Would you calm down?" He grumbled bitterly, adjusting me on his shoulder like I was no more than a ragdoll, causing me to yelp in surprise.

My heart was in my throat, my stomach churning anxiously as he continued wading through the stream, the water now up to his knees. My entire body stiffened, saying a silent prayer. One drop of water is all it would take, so, obviously I was a bundle of nerves.

When he was halfway across the stream, I heard rustling coming from the woods. Looking up, I was surprised when I caught sight of a headful of white-blond hair, locking eyes with a shellshocked Rikki. My cheeks reddened in embarrassment when I realized how ridiculous I must look— slung over Edward's shoulder with the giant backpack across my back in a comical fashion. I imagined I closely resembled a disabled turtle, in that moment.

To my relief, Edward made it across the stream without intentionally throwing me in. I came out unscathed and without a tail. Well, I was mostly unscathed anyway— My dignity may have taken a hit, but I'd survive.

Edward made quick work of setting me to my feet, flashing me the smuggest of smirks as he took note of my blushing cheeks. The second I touched solid ground, I breathed a sigh of relief, shrugging the heavy backpack from my shoulders for a much-needed break.

"You're welcome," he spoke in a mocking tone, his amusement obvious. "Oh, and just so you know.." He leaned towards me, dangerously close to my face as he whispered in my ear, "..There's a stone path behind those boulders that will lead you straight across the 'scary' stream."

My mouth fell open, the blush spreading to my neck. I looked behind us and saw Rikki carefully scaling the path as we spoke, her head barely visible over the boulders as she did so.

I turned back to Edward, stunned. "..And you didn't tell me that because?"

He could have easily mentioned the convenient stone path before slinging me over his shoulders like a ragdoll and toting me across the stream, saving me the embarrassment!

He chuckled lowly, a mischievous glint in his eye. "..Well, for one.. This was much more amusing."

I narrowed my eyes at him, my face heating up by several degrees. "You're... unbelievable," I mumbled, unable to come up with a proper word to describe him.

His shoulders shook with silent laughter, clearly pleased with himself.

Before anymore could be said, Rikki waltzed towards us, looking at Edward with furrowed brows before turning to me, her voice firm, "A quick word?"

I blinked slowly, glancing at Edward before following behind Rikki, walking several meters away from the smirking boy so he wouldn't overhear our hushed conversation.

She spun around on her heels to face me, opening her mouth to speak, but I beat her to the punch.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her, folding my arms across my chest.

She frowned, quirking a brow in challenge. "What's it look like?"

I shook my head in frustration, breathing out a scoff. "It looks like you don't trust me..." My frown mirrored her own. I studied her expression, my face falling as I continued, "..You don't, do you?"

I was genuinely hurt by her lack of faith in me. She didn't trust my ability to keep our secret a.. secret? It was mind-boggling to me, especially given the fact that I had been a mermaid since I was nine. I've had years to master the art of discretion, managing to keep the fact that I'm half fish a secret for nearly a decade.

Rikki's frown deepened as she nodded in Edward's direction, who was watching us from afar with a blank expression.

Disregarding my question, she said, "Well, it looks you have a captivated audience." She rolled her eyes, pressing her lips into a thin line as she gestured towards the golden-eyed boy with staring problems, saying, "Seriously, Bella?"

My mouth fell open. "I didn't invite him. He just showed up."

"Sure, he did," she mumbled, clearly not believing me.

I was taken aback. Before I had a chance to collect myself, the sound of rustling leaves pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced towards Edward, noticing him stiffen as Will emerged from the jungle.

Casting a stern look at Rikki, signaling for her to 'be nice', I walked towards Will, who was staring at Edward with furrowed brows. Edward met his curious gaze, shooting him a not-so-subtle glare that caused his eyes to widen.

Will frowned, briefly meeting my gaze before nodding at Rikki and asking her, "What are you doing here?"

Before she could respond, I spoke up, saying, "I asked her to come."

Edward quirked a brow, pursing his lips. I knew he knew I was lying, but he remained silent. Thankfully.

Will stared at Rikki, unblinking. "Why?"

Rikki held his gaze, not missing a beat as she responded, "Hey. Any excuse to come hang out in a bug-infested jungle."

He pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes narrowing into slits as he glanced at Edward, saying, "And what about him?"

Edward's eyes flashed, his golden irises darkening, like a midnight sky trying to pierce through a sunset. He took a small step towards Will, arching a defiant brow.

"What about me?" His voice was as smooth as velvet, but there was an underlying threat hidden in his tone that I picked up on.

Will's eyes widened, taking a step back and looking at me as he asked, "Did you invite him too, Bella?"

Not wanting him to get the wrong idea, I was all too quick to shake my head. "N-No," I blurted out, my face heating up under the intensity of Edward's gaze and Will's curious expression. "He just.. sort of showed up?"

A faint smirk flitted to Edward's lips; I couldn't help but notice. Will quirked a brow at me and shrugged

"..Alright then," he murmured, staring off into the trees.

The awkward tension hanging in the air had my stomach churning. Rikki, however, appeared entirely unfazed.

"Well, that's that solved then. So, what's next?" Rikki questioned with a faux smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Will looked at her and said, "I'm still looking for that cave entrance."

"..Which is this way.." Rikki stated, pointing in the opposite direction that we were heading.

I glanced back and forth between them before meeting Edward's mildly amused gaze. Why was he still here?

"Bella said it was on the other side of the island. And that's..." Will trailed off, pointing straight ahead," ...this way, right?"

I was quick to nod, smiling as I said, "Absolutely," just as Rikki was saying, "No."

She shook her head, giving me a stern stare. "I don't think so.."

To my surprise, Edward spoke up, staring directly at me as he spoke in that smooth voice of his, "I don't think Blue— Hartley has the slightest clue where she's going."

A blush coated my cheeks as I narrowed my 'blue eyes' at him. "No one asked you.."

I couldn't help but feel embarrassed in front of Will, and I had a feeling that that was exactly what Edward was going for. His smirk grew only grew in response, confirming my suspicion.

To my dismay, Rikki agreed with him, further adding to my embarrassment as she said, "He's right."

Despite knowing that she was only trying to lead Will astray, I was still a bit taken aback. She wasn't even supposed to be here. And neither was Edward!

"You said you couldn't remember where it was.." Will said to Rikki with the faintest of teasing grins as he stepped in front of her, starting to head in the direction that I had suggested. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he asked, "You coming?"

I couldn't stop the smile that stretched across my face as I locked eyes with his piercing blue orbs for the briefest of seconds before he tore his gaze from mine, walking into the jungle.

Just as I was reaching for the oversized backpack on the ground, Edward beat me to the punch. He slung the backpack over his shoulder with ease, wearing a solemn expression as we locked gazes.

Rikki's eyes flickered between us before she followed behind Will, releasing a deep sigh as she disappeared into the trees.

Edward slid his other arm through the strap, adjusting the bag on his back as he held my gaze.

A feeling of dread washed over me when I realized...

"..So, you're coming too then I take it?" I arched a brow at him, already knowing the answer.

Without saying a word, he simply shot me a glare and sauntered towards the jungle after them.

I exhaled sharply, running my hand through my hair in frustration. Today was not going how I had hoped...

"..Guess so.." I mumbled before following in his footsteps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Short chapter, but I'm trying to update more frequently. Soooo, that's why. :) 

 

Chapter 8: 07. The Cave

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

Why was I tagging along on this 'adventure' through the jungle with three fellow classmates that I hardly knew? Good question. I'd like to blame it on good old-fashioned curiosity. Surfer Boy's obsession with the cave piqued my interest, and Blue Eyes' obsession with him further added to my... curiosity?

Okay, maybe she wasn't exactly 'obsessed' with him, but she was certainly crushing on him, as evident by the longing glances she cast in his direction and blushing cheeks that set my throat and lungs ablaze.

I followed closely behind Blue Eyes, trying my best to avoid stealing glimpses of her form as she trekked through the trees. Her friend, Rikki, was lagging behind us, her thoughts just as silent as the golden-haired girl in front of me. It was the strangest thing...

The soft sound of Blue Eyes' voice caused my eyes to snap to her.

"So, what were you doing diving into that cave at night?" She asked Surfer Boy, pushing aside some vines.

The curiosity in her voice was undeniable.

Will glanced at her from over his shoulder. "I followed some fish in from the reef."

Sifting through his thoughts, I found the memory in question. He did, indeed, follow some fish inside an eerie-looking underwater cave. What sort of human in their right mind would do such a thing?

She smiled, causing her sapphire eyes to dance as she stared at the boy in front of her. "You really like your fish, huh?"

"I get sea creatures better than I get people," he responded casually.

Her reaction, however, was anything but casual. The sound of her heart skipping a beat filled my ears. Her grin widened, a delicious blush coating her cheeks for the umpteenth time in the past ten minutes.

A light scoff escaped me at his cliché response. He 'likes' sea creatures better than people? Yeah, okay. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Rikki rolling her eyes at Will's comment. At least I wasn't the only one seemingly annoyed.

Blue Eyes chuckled airily before saying to him, "..Isn't it kinda risky diving into caves though?"

"Yes," I blurted out, unable to stop myself. "It's reckless. Even with extensive training, it's considered the most dangerous form of diving. One in three-thousand two-hundred and eighty-six of dives result in death on average. So, yeah, it's 'risky'."

She knitted her brows, mumbling in a voice that wouldn't carry to human ears, "..That's an oddly specific number."

My lips twitched in amusement, despite my best efforts. I knew my presence was less than desirable as far as she was concerned, and that fact alone greatly amused me. She was a typical 'bubbly ray of sunshine', but I could tell I got under her skin.

A wave of annoyance flickered through Will's thoughts as he looked at me from over his shoulder before saying, "Not for me. I'm a free diver. I can hold my breath for a long time."

It was a struggle to bite back another scoff. "Oh, yeah? Even so—"

I was cut off mid-sentence as Blue Eyes stared at him in clear awe, smiling shyly as she said, "Cool.."

Rikki and I exchanged a glance, rolling our eyes in sync. I found it interesting that she was choosing to leave herself out of the conversation. Judging by the stern set of her jaw, she was just as annoyed as I was for whatever reason.

Will returned Blue Eyes' smile as we continued walking through the jungle. "Yeah, it's part of my training. And I'm very careful where I dive."

She tilted her head to the side, skipping a bit to catch up to him. "..But you didn't know what you would find in there."

"..No.." He murmured, furrowing his brows as he pushed aside a thick patch of leaves. "..But I saw something strange. Some sort of shimmer in the water."

As he said that, his mind went completely blank, as though a forcefield was shielding his thoughts. What in the world? Why did that keep happening? Was I losing my touch?

I noticed her smile waver, a small frown taking its place as she followed behind the nuisance of a boy in silence for a moment before saying, "..A 'shimmer'?"

His thoughts were still eerily silent, causing my brows to furrow in frustration. A shimmer? Really? The idiotic boy probably saw the sun's reflection in the water. I was willing to bet he couldn't tell his head from a hole in the ground.

Surfer Boy glanced back at her and sheepishly spoke, "..You think I'm weird.."

YES. But of course, the blue-eyed girl was all too quick to assure him otherwise.

"No.." Her gentle smile returned, quirking a teasing brow at the boy and saying, "..Are you?"

I was almost amused. Almost.

He breathed out a dry laugh. "If you ask me, going to school is pretty weird."

What? Where in the world did that even come from? All of a sudden, the floodgates of his mind opened up once more, allowing me to sift through memories of his frequent travels.

I was pulled from his thoughts when the clumsy girl stumbled over a tree root, a gasp escaping her as she started to fall facefirst. Before she had a chance to hit the ground, I instinctively reached out to steady her, a jolt of electricity shooting through me as my arm lingered around her slender waist for a bit longer than necessary.

When her piercing orbs of sapphire met mine, I yanked my arm back as though I had been burned.

Despite my emotions being all over the place, I found myself asking in sync with Surfer Boy, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she was quick to say, staring at me with a blank expression before hurrying to catch up to Surfer Boy.

Once more, I was back to being ignored. I couldn't help but narrow my eyes in their direction as they walked side by side.

"..It's my first year there too, and it always takes a while to settle in," she said to him.

He wasted no time in saying, "I wouldn't know. It's the first one I've been to."

I quirked a brow at that. Judging by his thoughts, he was telling the truth.

"Yeah right.." Blue Eyes mumbled, appearing thoughtful before asking, "..Really?"

"Yeah, I mean it. I've been at school one week," he responded, skipping over some small rocks.

"You're kidding," she spoke in disbelief, her brows flying up her forehead.

He started taking off his oversized backpack, his shoulders sagging with relief. I had all but forgotten that I was toting a backpack as well, having not noticed the weight in the slightest. Surfer Boy had no problem letting the petite girl carry it before I came along. The thing was bigger than her! Chivalry is dead as far most teenage human boys go.

"The rest of my life, I've been homeschooled," he stated, digging through the backpack.

She looked at him, her eyes glinting with curiosity. From behind us, I could hear her friend, Rikki, trekking through the trees, in no hurry to keep up.

"How did you manage that?" Blue Eyes asked him.

He shrugged, entirely nonchalant. "Parents always lived on a yacht..."

Ah. Typical rich boy. Of course. His mind displayed a series of memories, alerting me to just how 'well off' his family was. Don't get me wrong— My family and I were quite well off ourselves. We've had decades to accumulate a vast amount of wealth, but I would certainly never use my 'riches' in a bid to impress a girl.

But as I sifted through his thoughts, I realized he wasn't trying to impress her in the slightest. Was he not interested in her? He was aware of her beauty; there was no denying that, but he wasn't outright flirting with her.

She simply stared at him, evidently sensing there was more he was planning to say.

He unzipped his backpack, pulling out a bottle of water and taking a sip. "..My whole life I've never been anywhere long enough to make it worthwhile starting school."

She tilted her head to the side. "That's kinda freaky.. My dad's in hotel management, so—" She cut herself off, shaking her head 'no' as he offered her a drink of water before continuing, "—We've lived all over the world, and I've never had two years in a row at the same school."

Interesting. I turned my head to look at her, but her eyes never strayed from Surfer Boy.

"Yeah. You never know anyone long enough to make friends with," he responded, looking at the girl with fondness.

In that moment, he took note that her eyes were the exact shade of the sea. For some reason, that bothered me way more than it should have.

The girl in question nodded, smiling softly. "..Yeah.." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, hope evident in her voice as she shyly spoke, "..Might be different this time."

The hopeful look she gave him would've brought many a man to his knees, but he simply offered her a faint, half-hearted smile before he resumed walking.

"Might not," I quipped, narrowing my eyes at her.

She ignored my comment, not so much as glancing my way before following after the boy.

***

Thirty more minutes passed, and we were still wandering aimlessly through the jungle. I was beginning to think that Blue Eyes was sending her crush on a wild goose chase. But as quickly as I had the thought, I dismissed it. She wouldn't lead him astray on purpose; not her precious 'Will'.

The humans were getting ate up by mosquitos, much to my amusement. Rikki smacked one on her arm, scowling as she trailed behind us in silence.

Surfer Boy glanced at Blue Eyes, finally asking, "..Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yeah. This way," she responded without missing a beat, that same carefree smile lingering on her lips, as was custom.

We came to a pile of boulders that the outgoing duo wasted no time in attempting to scale. Surfer Boy reached out his hand for the blushing girl to take, and she wasted no time in doing so. The moment she placed her hand in his, I gritted my teeth. The wave of annoyance that coursed through me was unmatched.

They were both... agitating. Every little thing they did got on my last nerve.

I hadn't been paying any mind to the sound of rushing water that had filled my ears miles back, too lost in my own thoughts to realize that the humans' terrible hearing was finally able to pick up on it.

When we rounded a thick patch of vines, the culprit of the rushing water stood in all its glory— A waterfall.

Surfer Boy's eyes lit up with excitement, his thoughts going a mile a minute. "I think this is just behind the crater."

Blue Eyes responded with a simple, "Right," appearing unenthused for once as she stole a glance at a frowning Rikki.

"So, the entrance to the cave has gotta be around here," he stated, leading the way.

Once more, his thoughts were radio silent, causing me to run my hand through my hair in frustration.

The golden-haired girl furrowed her brows. "It does?"

He turned around to look at her, quirking a brow.

A blush rushed to her cheeks, flavoring the air her delectable scent. "It DOES," she was quick to say.

I couldn't help but breathe out a laugh when I realized my earlier theory had been correct— She was leading him on a wild goose chase. But why?

Rikki walked up beside me, wiping the sweat off her forehead as she looked me up and down with a frown.

"Why aren't you sweating?" She finally spoke.

At that, I simply shrugged. My kind weren't capable of 'sweating', of course.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Blue Eyes inspecting her surroundings, walking around the giant boulders.

Hoping to escape from her curious friend, I walked towards Blue Eyes, asking her, "What exactly are we looking for?"

"..Um.. Some kind of opening in the ground.." She responded, staring off into the jungle as she walked around the large boulders aimlessly. The absentminded girl glanced over her shoulder, saying, "It was pretty dark when we found it—"

She was cut off mid-sentence, disappearing into a giant hole in the ground. Immediately, I was on the move— moving towards the cave opening with inhuman speed. Luckily, Surfer Boy and Rikki were too busy with their own explorations to notice. Hell, they hadn't even realized that their clumsy friend had all but vanished.

I heard Blue Eyes grunt as she hit the bottom. Staring down into the large opening, I could see that she was visibly unscathed, but I was still holding my breath, unwilling to take the chance of smelling her sweet blood if she had injured herself.

Before any words were said, I was jumping in after her, landing gracefully on the balls of my feet as I towered over her sitting form. She stared up at me with furrowed brows, appearing stunned.

"..Are you okay?" I asked, trying to hide the concern in my voice.

Three heartbeats passed before she nodded. "I'm fine."

My eyes roamed over her, from head to toe, doing my own assessment. When I was content with my findings, I held my hand out for her to take, wanting to assist her to her feet. She stared at my outstretched palm before narrowing those piercing sapphires at me and scraping herself off the ground without my assistance.

Only when she was on her feet, was I able to divert my focus from her. It was then that my vampiric hearing picked up on the sound of two other hearts beating up ahead. Instinctively, I stepped in front of her, putting myself between her and the potential unknown threat around the corner.

I could hear her two friends shuffling on the ground above us before Surfer Boy peered into the opening and called out, "You all right?"

Blue Eyes wasted no time in responding, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"What's it like down there?" He asked, his curiosity undeniable.

"Too dark to tell. It's big though," she said to him, paying me no mind to me whatsoever.

 I was sensing a theme here...

Surfer Boy turned to Rikki, speaking in excitement, "She found it."

Her voice was heavy with sarcasm as she mumbled, "Great," before saying to Blue Eyes and me, "Don't worry, guys. We'll get you out."

"It's fine," I was quick to say. "I've got it."

Obviously, I could easily scale the steep tunnel while toting the clumsy girl. Piece of cake. No 'rescue' needed.

I moved towards Blue Eyes, preparing to scoop her up in my arms for the second time that day. She must've known my intention, for she took a giant step back and shook her head.

"Oh, no, you don't," she whispered to me, her eyes widening.

I quirked an amused brow, a smirk flitting to my lips when I took another step towards her, causing her to take a step back. I repeated the action. As did she. Again and again.

Surfer Boy spoke from up above, his curiosity overriding any sense of preservation he may have had. "Forget that. I'm going in."

Before anymore could be said, the idiotic boy slid down the tunnel, colliding with Blue Eyes as she backed away from me, causing her to fall into his lap. Immediately, my jaw clenched. I had to fight the instinct to yank her from him. The delicate blush that coated her cheeks when she realized the intimate position she was in only worsened matters.

Surfer Boy's thoughts revealed the fact that he enjoyed the feel of her warm little body against him, causing me to grit my teeth. Luckily for him, he was quick to peel himself off the ground and assist the blushing girl to her feet. My eyes zeroed in on his hand that clamped around her waist as he ensured she was steady.

Her blush deepened as she shyly spoke, "..Thank you."

A wave of annoyance rushed through me. Anytime I tried to assist her in any way, she wanted no part of it, and the fact that I was bothered by that only added to my frustration.

He simply smiled, dropping his hand from her waist and saying, "You did good," as he looked around the cave.

"Look out below!" Rikki called out, sliding/tumbling into the cave in a very ungraceful manner.

She landed on her backside, narrowing her eyes at Surfer Boy.

"Thank you for not breaking my fall.." She mumbled sarcastically, standing up and wiping off her shorts.

He ignored her comment as he got down to business, walking ahead the rest of us amid his excitement.

"Okay. Pool ought to be behind here," he stated, heading towards the eerie-looking corner.

"Yep. That's right," Blue Eyes blurted out, staring after him with starry eyes.

I stifled an eyeroll at her obvious infatuation.

Rikki looked at Blue Eyes, giving her a sickly-sweet smile that was laced with derision.

Surfer Boy started scaling over a stone ledge, saying, "Is this amazing or what?"

"Will! Be careful up there!" Rikki called out, her eyes widening.

Blue Eyes was quick to follow after him, and I wasted no time in following after her.

I caught up to the golden-haired girl and leaned towards her, my gaze automatically drifting towards her carotid, watching as her sweet-smelling blood flowed beneath her sun-kissed skin. Despite holding my breath, my mouth filled with venom. A wave of disgust rocked through me— I was disgusted with myself. And her.

My repulsion intensified when I felt myself being drawn to the warmth that radiated off her, and I found myself inching just a little bit closer. This was ridiculous. The entire situation was downright ridiculous! There I was— in a cave, lusting after a pathetic, weak-minded human girl as she traipsed after a dim-witted boy who didn't know his head from a hole in the ground! LITERALLY.

It was laughable. Is this really what my, quote on quote, 'life' has come to?

When we rounded the corner, we came face-to-face with two familiar faces. I recognized them from school, having seen them hanging around Blue Eyes. Lewis and Cleo.

"Hey, guys," Cleo smiled sheepishly with her hands behind her back.

Lewis offered us an awkward wave as the duo stood in front of a pool of some sorts. I could taste the salt in the air, so I knew that the pool led to the ocean.

***

"—And Cleo told me about this cave, so you know, I just wanted to check it out for myself, but I can tell you though.. It's a plain old, everyday boring volcanic crater.." Lewis said to Surfer Boy as they inspected the rock walls.

Lewis's increased heartrate led me to believe that he wasn't being entirely truthful. I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion, wondering what exactly he was trying to hide. The boy's thoughts were radio silent, however. As were Surfer Boy's.

Surfer Boy quirked a brow at him. "You think?"

"Yep. Yep.." Lewis nodded fervently. "I think it probably formed about seventy to a hundred million years ago.."

When the two boys started droning on about Surfer Boy's 'scientific equipment', I lost interest in the conversation. I was leaning against the rock wall, entirely disinterested in my surroundings. Or at least I tried to appear that way. In all actuality, my attention was centered around a certain blue-eyed girl who was speaking in 'hushed' tones with the two other girls.

"This was not here before," Cleo whispered, gesturing towards the small trinkling waterfall.

Rikki's expression was stern, per usual, as she said, "That's definitely not what attacked us."

What? They were attacked? I was surprised by the concern that gripped me at the thought of Blue Eyes being in peril— Her friends too, of course.

Blue Eyes looked at her friends, her pouty lips pulling down at the corners, a frown replacing her usual care-free smile as she quietly spoke, "..Guys, we need to work out what he remembers.."

My interest was piqued. How was Surfer Boy involved in this exactly?

Rikki's frown deepened as she turned to the boy in question, quirking a brow at him and saying, "So, is this what it looked like?"

He turned around, shrugging. "I don't know."

How vague.

He walked towards the over side of the cave, approaching the trinkling waterfall (if that's what you'd even call it. It was certainly the smallest waterfall I'd ever seen).

"..It's not what was in my mind.." He responded, his brows furrowing as he stared at the flowing water.

Blue Eyes seemed to study him as she asked, "What is in your mind exactly?"

"Well, I only saw it for a moment.." He stared at the waterfall with a curious expression. "The waterfall was.. massive."

I breathed out a scoff at that. "Yeah? And where was it?" I couldn't resist speaking up, his idiocy grating my last nerve as I gestured towards the 'massive waterfall'. "..Because this is a tiny little trinkle."

Surfer Boy was taken aback as he met my annoyed gaze.

"Yeah, I know.. But it-it filled the whole place," he mumbled.

"Um.." Lewis spoke up, his arms folded over his chest. "..That's impossible."

His heartrate picked up once more, signaling that he was lying yet again.

Surfer Boy's eyes widened as he started pacing. "It felt alive! And it had energy shooting out of it!" He placed his hands on the rock wall, staring up at the waterfall.

Blue Eyes knitted her brows. "What do you mean 'energy'?"

"It was flying through the air in all directions!" He exclaimed.

"That doesn't make any sense," Rikki spoke firmly.

He ignored her, approaching the pool. "There was a shape. In the pool. It seemed so real.. I-I wanted to touch it.."

He seemed to get lost in a memory before jumping back, exhaling sharply. His eyes wide and alert. His steady pulse and even breathing made it seem as though he was telling the truth. At the very least, he truly believed what he was saying.

Blue Eyes looked at him with concern, asking softly, "..Are you okay?"

The softness of her voice seemed to echo in my ears, causing me to clench my jaw.

Surfer Boy stared blankly straight ahead, whispering, "..I don't know.."

"You know what I think?" Rikki spoke up, her voice stern and dripping with annoyance. "I think you hit your head, and you had a crazy dream."

Her heartrate spiked. She was lying. But why? What's with all the lies?

"..Rikki." Blue Eyes tried to speak, but Rikki cut her off, saying to Surfer Boy, "You're delirious. You don't know what you saw."

"You think I imagined it?" He asked, sounding insulted.

"Show me one thing in here that would make me think otherwise," Rikki challenged, gesturing to the cave.

"..Rikki.." Cleo tries to cut in, but the hot-headed girl continues, her voice going up an octave, "Because it all looks pretty serene to me, and we were there too, remember? Do you remember that? WE didn't see anything! So, go on! Show me!"

"That's enough!" Blue Eyes spoke firmly, shooting her friend a stern look.

Leave it to her to come to his rescue.

A moment passed before Surfer Boy spoke. "I..I don't know.. I.. I need some fresh air.."

Without saying another word, he grabbed his backpack and made a hasty escape. I couldn't stop the small smirk that staked a claim on my lips at the sight of his retreating form.

Blue Eyes turned to Rikki and spoke in a firm whisper, "Are you happy now?"

Rikki mumbled back, "Look, it had to be done."

I was listening to the 'hushed' interaction intently, finding the entire ordeal to be humorous as I continued leaning against the rock wall like a permanent fixture. I was watching Blue Eyes, taking note of the faint freckles that scattered her blushing cheeks when I noticed water from the puddle start to... rise? What?

Before I could fully process what was going on, Lewis spoke up, saying, "Guys."

The girls continued bickering in whispers, paying him no mind.

My eyes grew to the size of saucers as I watched the water continue to rise, unable to wrap my head around what I was seeing.

Lewis, however, didn't seem to have that issue as he shouted, "GUYS! BEHIND YOU!"

The trio spun around, staring at the rising water that was in the shape of a small tentacle with wide eyes before jumping back. Immediately, the water's strange form collapsed, making a  splash on the ground. For a long moment, all I could do was stare at them in shock.

"...What.. was.. that?" I finally managed to speak, gaping at the four of them.

Blue Eyes locked gazes with me, her sapphire orbs holding me hostage. Her heart was racing, fear evident in the depths of her pupils. I was surprised by how much the sight of her fearful eyes bothered me, something stirring deep within me as I studied her terror-filled features.

"I-I don't know," she whispered, her voice wavering.

The steady beating of her heart told me she was telling the truth.

***

After the cave, I was feeling desperate to get off the island. In reality, I was desperate to escape her. My curiosity was eating away at me, driving me insane. Clearly, she was hiding something. Her and her friends. Something was up with that cave. Something they didn't want anyone to know about.

Despite planning on spending the weekend on the remote island, I found myself wading out to sea, planning on making my way back to the mainland. It had been ages since I had a proper swim. Just as I was preparing to dive into the water, I noticed Surfer Boy loading his boat in the distance. It wasn't long before Blue Eyes emerged from the jungle, rushing towards him.

I ensured I was hidden by a stone formation, peeking my head over the boulder to catch a glimpse of the unfolding scene.

"Will, wait!" She shouted, coming to a stop in front of him and speaking softly, "I was worried about you..."

Worried. Of course, she was. I didn't stifle the eyeroll. Her crush was so painfully obvious.

The frustrated boy took off his shoes, throwing them into the boat as he mumbled bitterly, "I must be crazy— Coming all the way out here to search for something magical. I'm just psycho."

He hadn't witnessed the strange water formation that appeared in the cave after he left. I was curious whether it was related to what he claimed to have seen. Whatever it was, it was certainly strange— But magical? Unlikely.

"You are not," she spoke firmly, pulling her lower lip between her teeth.

Even from afar, the sight of her nibbling her lip sent a wave of heat through me, and I cursed myself for having the reaction.

He looked at her, meeting her gentle gaze as he asked, "..Did I really imagine all that stuff?"

She sighed softly. "Look.. The truth is.. When.. when we found you, you were pretty out of it.. You were muttering all sorts of things that didn't really make sense," she trailed off, her heart skipping a beat.

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was the unsteady tempo of her heart due to lying or was it simply her body's reaction to being near the idiotic boy?

"..I guess you hit your head pretty hard," she continued, watching as he put his back towards her to load the anchor.

He turned back around to face her, speaking softly, "I'm sorry for dragging you all the way out here.. There's nothing in that cave."

"Don't be!" She was quick to say, blood pooling beneath her cheeks in an alluring, delicious manner. "I.. I had a good day.."

He looked at her once more, his mouth tugging up at the corners in a half-hearted smile. "Did you?"

While his thoughts had been off-limits in the cave, now, they were loud and clear. He felt touched by the kindness she had shown him, having never had an actual friend before.

She nodded, her blush deepening and spreading to her neck. I couldn't resist inhaling deeply, allowing myself to drown in her delectable scent. My throat and lungs screamed in protest, but still yet— I drowned, practically panting as I savored the lingering taste in the air.

Surfer Boy stared at the sea for a moment before saying to her, "..I can take you back to the mainland."

His offer was entirely innocent. To my surprise, he didn't seem to consider her a potential love interest, despite her obvious beauty. Considering that the boy had never had so much as a friend, of course, he had yet to have a girlfriend either. He was simply ignorant when it came to girls, but any goof with common sense could see how interested she was in him. He, however, was entirely clueless.

I could tell she was debating his offer, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"..Um.. I should probably get back to the guys.." She sounded entirely apologetic.

I was surprised by her refusal. Given how infatuated she was with him, one would think she would have jumped at the offer. How peculiar.

"..But.." She trailed off, peering at him from beneath her lashes as she joked, "Look, if I fall in a hole again, I'll be sure to call you.."

Her blue eyes danced as she stared at him. I could feel my stone heart clench in my chest, feeling as heavy as lead as I watched the pair.

"..Yeah." He smiled— A genuine smile that reached his eyes. "I'll see you later."

With that, he pushed the boat out to sea. I watched her watching him. The girl stared after him, a longing evident in her eyes. I could feel a growl building in my chest before tearing my gaze from her and diving under the waves, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

So, I basically stuck to the TV show's script for this chapter, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I felt limited with my creative freedom lol! Not to mention, it took WAY longer to write. 

 Regardless, hope you guys enjoyed! :) Love you, mean it!!!

 

Chapter 9: 08. Enemy

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

I was beyond frustrated as I walked onto campus, trekking across the courtyard and coming to a stop in front of Rikki. Out of the corner of my eye, I took note of Edward's piercing gaze. Stealing a glance in his direction, I saw that he was leaning against the brick wall on the other side of the yard and staring blankly straight ahead.

When he locked eyes with me, his casual stare turned into a fierce glare, glowering at me with a look of pure disdain. I shook my head at him and turned my attention to Rikki, who was quirking an unenthused brow at me.

"What's your problem?" I asked her point blank.

"What are you talking about?" She responded, knitting her brows.

My feelings were a bit hurt, if I was being honest. I believed that Rikki was upset with me for encouraging Cleo to take the job as assistant dolphin trainer at the Marine Park.

"..I know you fired the band to make a point at me." I frowned.

Rikki rolled her eyes and started walking towards her locker. I, of course, was right on her heels.

She cast me a side-eye glance and spoke firmly, "I fired the band because Nate can't sing."

I was taken aback. "Well, that's your opinion."

"Well, it's my café, and I book the bands. Doesn't my opinion matter?" She shot back, her stern features pulled down in a frown.

She had a point, but still. I felt that the entire situation was unfair. As I walked alongside her, I could still feel Edward's unwavering gaze. He was practically burning a hole through the back of my head, but I refused to so much as acknowledge him. The guy had some serious staring problems.

When we reached Rikki's locker, I blurted out, "I know what this is about. You're mad at me because I encouraged Cleo to take that job."

She sighed and shook her head as she opened her locker. "Don't apply for any job at the psychic hotline, alright? You're way off the mark. I fired the band because the band sucks. End of story."

My eyes widened. "Well, I disagree. Nate has been working really hard to get our song list together."

Rikki breathed out a sarcastic laugh, grabbing her textbook and saying, "Oh, Nate's certainly been working very hard for something. But it's not the band.."

I furrowed my brows, confused by her comment. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Stick around," she smirked, closing her locker. "..You'll see."

***

||Edward's P.O.V.||

As I was walking alongside Emmett in the courtyard after my first class, her all-too-familiar scent filled my lungs, causing venom to fill my mouth and my jaw to clench. The visceral reaction I had every time I was within her vicinity was getting old— and fast.

Emmett was blabbering on about an upcoming hunting trip he and Jasper were partaking in, but I blocked him out entirely when I saw the blue-eyed girl sitting on a bench as an irritating boy with a voice like nails on a chalkboard was in the middle of 'serenading' her.

My brother and I came to an abrupt halt, watching the unfolding train wreck from afar. Emmett chuckled lowly, folding his arms across his chest as he looked on with amusement. I, however, was too disgusted by the singing boy's perverse thoughts to be amused by the ridiculous song.

"—If you wanna get with me, you better line up, ladies. Line up, ladies.." He smiled excitedly, dancing around the stunned girl as he continued to sing off-key, "..If you want a love letter from me.. You better sign up, ladies.. You better give me your address!"

The golden-haired girl stared up at him with wide eyes, her mouth falling open in disbelief. What I'd give to hear her thoughts right about now.

Emmett snickered quietly, whispering to me, "Is this guy for real?"

I nodded once, frowning as the boy continued to dance in front of her, placing a hand on his chest and singing, "I can't wait to meet your parents.." He placed his fingers on top of his head, mimicking dog ears and dropping his voice a pitch. "I can't wait to meet your dog—"

At that point, even I couldn't help but crack a smile as Blue Eyes interrupted him, saying, "UH, Nate.. Nate.. Um, Nate."

Ah. So, 'Nate' was his name.

I watched as 'Nate's' face fell, his fingers still pointed on top of his head like dog ears in a comical fashion as he looked at her.

"That's horrendous.." She said to him with furrowed brows.

Her brutal honesty had me biting back a laugh at the boy's expense. Emmett, of course, was still chuckling to himself, clearly enjoying the show.

Nate blinked twice, looking around nervously. "..Yeah.. Yes.." He breathed out, his thoughts going a mile a minute as his face flushed. "That's what I said to Rikki when she tried to force me to add it to our set list."

Lie. His thoughts gave him away. The boy was downright full of it. I couldn't resist glaring at him as he lied through his teeth, but he was entirely oblivious to everyone except the disinterested girl in front of him.

Blue Eyes sighed, staring down at the ground. "..I still can't believe she fired us.."

Obviously, I had 'accidentally' eavesdropped on her conversation with her friend earlier that morning. Evidently, Rikki had fired 'the band'. I wasn't even aware that Blue Eyes was in a band— A fact that intrigued me to no end, despite myself.

Since our little 'adventure' at Mako, I had been trying to distance myself from the girl, but that would be difficult to do considering I shared several classes with her. Not to mention, I was exceedingly curious about what went down in that cave. I had done loads of research regarding strange water formation phenomena but nothing I found could explain what I saw.

My gut feeling told me that Blue Eyes and her friends knew a lot more than they were letting on, but getting answers would require 'playing nice'— a feat that I wasn't sure I was capable of. I would have to make a decision— Was befriending the blue-eyed girl worth satisfying my curiosity? I didn't think so.

"Me neither.." Nate's annoying voice pulled me from my thoughts as he moved to sit beside her. "..But hey.. Look on the bright side.." He paused, looking at her. "We're in this together."

My jaw dropped when he wrapped his arm around her waist and stared straight ahead with a smug smile before leaning his head to rest on her shoulder. My frustration grew to exponential levels as I glowered at the irritating boy who couldn't take a hint. Emmett, once more, laughed, throwing his head back in the process.

The second Nate touched her, she stiffened, staring at him in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

Yes, indeed— What was he doing?? I didn't need to be a mindreader to see how smitten he was with her. The boy's raging hormones annoyed me to end, his head completely in the gutter as he enjoyed the feel of her warm body against his side. Despite myself, I couldn't help but wonder how he would look without his head on his shoulders..

"Uhhh... Comforting you?" Nate spoke unsurely, grinning.

An awkward half-hearted smile flitted to her lips. "Okay.. Well, could you try comforting me without touching me?"

Thank God. I had my suspicions that she wasn't interested in him, but her request confirmed it. Not that I cared who she was interested in, of course. I didn't. I didn't care whatsoever. But even she could do better than the horndog of a boy beside her.. Besides, the girl was head over heels with Surfer Boy. How could Nate be so clueless to that little tidbit?

"..Oh.. Yeah.." he mumbled, his smile wavering as he removed his arm from around her waist.

Oh, good. He gets to keep his arm. I rolled my eyes at my internal monolog. Despite my dislike for the girl, I wouldn't stand idly by if she was getting harassed by an unwanted advance.

"Okay.." She breathed out, clearly uncomfortable with the situation as she stared down at the ground.

"I understand," Nate nodded, unperturbed by her dismissal. The guy wholeheartedly believed she was 'playing hard to get'. He smiled as he stared off into the distance before looking at her and saying, "We can take this thing slowly, babes."

"Babes?!" I blurted out, stealing a glance at my amused brother who was grinning from ear to ear.

Emmett nodded in amusement, repeating, "Babes."

"What thing?" Blue Eyes asked in confusion as she continued looking at Nate in disbelief.

The poor girl was lost. Was she really clueless regarding the effect she had on the opposite sex? Surely not.

"You know.." Nate gazed at her, leaning towards her and whispering breathlessly, "Us.."

My brows flew up my forehead. Blue Eyes jaw went slack the exact moment mine did.

"No fucking way," Emmett laughed as we watched from afar, too invested to see how the whole thing would play out to walk away.

She leaned back from the infuriating boy, obviously in a state of shock. "Um. Okay, I think.." She adjusted herself to face him, speaking firmly, "I think we should get one thing straight here.." She held his gaze, her tone clipped. "There isn't an 'us'. What we have is a strictly professional relationship, you know what I mean?" She breathed out a laugh, trying to let him down gently.

I admired how she was putting him in his place in a delicate yet stern manner. Clearly, she didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings, but she also wanted to get her point across.

However, his smile was unwavering, only growing as he nodded once, evidently unfazed. "Okay."

The boy was daft. Hopeless and in denial. Anyone with eyes could see how uninterested she was in him.

"..Good.." She forced an awkward smile his way. "Alright.. I'll see ya later."

Before anymore could be said, she stood up and walked away, not so much as glancing in my direction as she waltzed right by me.

"See ya," Nate called out, watching her leave.

Hate to see her go.. But love to watch her leave.. He thought with a smirk, causing me to forcefully roll my eyes.

The boy tore his gaze from her as Emmett and I walked by, smirking as he said to himself, "She wants me."

Once more, I rolled my eyes and was unable to resist spinning around to face him, walking backwards alongside my brother as I blurted out, "No, she doesn't."

Nate quirked a brow, and Emmett nearly blew a gasket trying to stifle his laughter.

The insufferable boy was unperturbed, however, looking away from me and quietly singing, "Line up, ladies... Line up, ladies.."

At that point, I wasn't sure who I disliked more— Him or Surfer Boy.

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

It was a struggle to prevent my smile from wavering when I claimed my assigned seat next to Edward in Chemistry. His brooding demeanor was contagious, what can I say?

I didn't say a word as I dug through my bag and pulled out my textbook, laying it on the table with a soft 'thud'. As if on cue, his eyes drifted to me, and I hesitantly met his gaze, offering him a polite nod that he didn't return.

Somehow, I managed to stifle a sigh at his brooding expression. I absentmindedly flipped through the pages of my textbook, ignoring how his eyes drifted in my direction every few seconds.

Several minutes passed as our classmates filtered in. All the while, I found myself thoroughly invested in the blue highlighted sections of my textbook, trying to make heads or tails of the material.

My fragile concentration was interrupted when his smooth-sounding voice rang through my ears as he said, "..Your friend was telling the truth."

My brows knitted on their own volition as I tore my gaze from the textbook, meeting Edward's eyes of gold.

"What?" I asked, blinking slowly.

What on earth was he talking about? Had he been spying on me or something?

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in the chair, wearing a bored expression like an accessory as he said, "Your friend— Rikki. She was telling the truth. She didn't fire your 'band' to get back at you."

My mouth fell open. So, he was spying on me. Immediately, my face heated up in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Who does he think he is? Normally, I liked to consider myself a patient, kind person, but the golden-eyed boy was certainly testing my patience.

"..Is that right?" I forced the words out, my voice clipped.

He quirked a brow, a smirk flitting to his lips. "Yep," he chuckled lowly. "She fired the band because Nate sucks— Like she said."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "And how could you possibly know that?"

"Anyone with ears can attest to it. I heard him in the courtyard. Pretty sure everyone did."

I rolled my eyes. "You know that's not what I'm talking about. I mean— How do you know that Rikki was telling the truth?"

He shrugged in nonchalance. "I have my ways. None of which concerns you."

"Doesn't concern me?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Tell me— How doesn't it concern me when you were clearly eavesdropping on my private conversation?"

A scoff escaped him as he rolled his eyes. "I'd hardly call it 'eavesdropping'. You were in the middle of the courtyard. Tell me— How is that private?"

It was my turn to scoff. "You know what? You just need to mind your own business, Edward. Really."

A low laugh rumbled through his chest. His amusement only added salt to the wound.

"Hey, don't be mad at me because your band sucks," he retorted, grating my nerves.

My eyes flashed, instantly going on the defense as I shifted in my chair to face him. "The band doesn't suck."

Once more, he laughed. "Well, Nate certainly does. So, my statement stands. The guy couldn't carry a tune in a bucket."

"I'm the lead singer. Not Nate," I pointed out. "And you haven't seen our band perform. So, your opinion is moot."

His smirk grew, much to my chagrin. "Is that an invitation?"

"What?"

"You're inviting me to see your band." His eyes glinted mischievously, knowing I did no such thing.

"Yeah, right." Sarcasm was heavy in my voice.

Another deep chuckle echoed in my ears, taunting me.

"What is it with you?" I blurted out, earning another quirked brow from him. Before he had a chance to speak, I continued, "One second, you're shooting daggers at me and refusing to so much as speak. And the next, you're a chatterbox, hellbent on getting a rise out of me."

His mouth fell open, a moment passing before he shot me an all-too-familiar glare. I arched a brow at him, waiting for a response that didn't come.

I shook my head in annoyance and turned my attention to the textbook once more. Miriam and Tiffany waltzed into the room and took their seats in front of us, giggling quietly as they looked at Edward before whispering to each other. He, however, was unfazed. I didn't miss his discreet eyeroll as the two girls continued giggling.

After an extended silence, he leaned towards me and asked, "So, what's up with Mako?"

I stiffened at his proximity, his cool breath fanning across my neck sent a shiver down my spine. Shooting him a stern stare, I leaned away from him and said, "What are you talking about?"

He gave me a disbelieving look. "Oh, come on. Don't play dumb, Blue Eyes. You know as well as I do that there's something.. strange.. about that island."

I felt my pulse quicken, unsure how to respond. Instead of answering his question, I asked one of my own. "Why do you call me that?"

"Huh?"

"Blue Eyes.." I arched a brow. "Why do you call me that?"

He breathed out a scoff and rolled his Golden Eyes as he retorted, "Well, you have 'blue eyes', do you not?"

I blinked slowly. Is this guy for real? "Yes... But I also have a name.."

He pressed his lips into a thin line and said nothing, tearing his gaze from mine as he stared blankly straight ahead. Miriam and Tiffany turned around in their seats, flashing Edward sickly-sweet smiles as they leaned forward. Could they be any more obvious?

"..We couldn't help but overhear you asking about Mako," Miriam said to him, her voice low in a bid to be sultry, no doubt.

Edward's blank expression never faltered as he looked at Miriam. "Yes. And?"

"And you should know that.. if you ever want to do some.. exploring.." She looked him up and down, pulling her lower lips between her teeth. She couldn't be more obvious if she tried. "..I'm more than willing to be your guide.."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. As far as I knew, she had never so much as stepped foot on Mako. Miriam wasn't exactly the 'outdoorsy' type, to say the least.

Edward quirked a brow, appearing unenthused by any standard as he firmly spoke, "Thanks. But I don't need a 'guide'."

I had to bite back a smile when her face fell. The popular girl wasn't used to rejection, so this was a blow to her ego. She was quick to recover, however, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and flashing him another sickly-sweet smile.

"Perhaps I should warn you then.." Her voice dropped an octave, leaning forward and 'unintentionally' pulling her top down a bit to expose some cleavage. Yet Edward's eyes never strayed from her face, much to my surprise. She continued, narrowing her eyes, "That place is infested with sharks. And reefs..." She pursed her lips, adding as an afterthought, "And mangroves. No one with a brain in their head would be caught dead there."

She gave me a pointed look, smirking devilishly.

I closed my eyes to keep from rolling them, refusing to show that she was getting under my skin.

"..You literally just offered to join me on Mako? Are you implying that you, yourself, lack a brain?" He quirked an unenthused brow at Miriam.

I watched on in amusement as her face flushed. "No," she spoke firmly, trying to appear unfazed by his lack of interest, but I could see the sting in her eyes. "I was just giving you a chance to get to know me. What's that saying?— Throw a dog a bone?"

She smirked once again, batting her lashes.

Edward's fists clenched on top of the table, his knuckles turning white as he ground out, "I am not a dog."

Even I was surprised by his sharp tone. Miriam and Tiffany both looked taken aback.

"..Geez, take a chill pill," Miriam mumbled, rolling her eyes before she and her friend turned back around in their seats.

It was Edward's turn to roll his eyes, rolling them so forcefully that there for a second I thought they might get stuck in his head. I looked back and forth between him and Edward, debating on saying something to him.

"Um.." I leaned towards him to whisper, noting how he stiffened and gave me a side-eye glare. Still, I continued, "Word of advice.. Don't get on her bad side.."

Although I hadn't been here long, I knew enough about Miriam to know how cruel and callous she could be. Cleo and Rikki had warned me about her, so I felt it was only right to pay it forward.

Edward simply scoffed at my warning, clenching his jaw as he leaned back and scooted his seat as far away from me as the table would allow.

"I don't need your advice, Hartley," he sneered, refusing to look me directly in the eyes.

I quirked a brow at him. "So, now we're on a last-name basis?"

The negativity rolling off him was catching, and I was soaking it up like a sponge.

His head snapped towards me, shooting me a spine-chilling glare that caused my heart to drop to my stomach. His eyes were as black as coal, glinting animalistically. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, as though I was staring a wild animal in the face.

A drawn-out silence extended between us. You could quite literally cut the tension with a knife before he finally spoke in a low, rough voice, "..You'd rather be called by your name, would you not?"

I blinked rapidly. Was this guy for real?

"By my first name— Bella," I responded, looking at him in apparent disbelief.

His jaw ticked, his knuckles turning white as his eyes of midnight pierced right through me. When he said nothing, a feeling of dread settled in my stomach. His dislike for me was obvious. No, not dislike— Hatred. He hated me. I knew he did. Yet I had absolutely no idea as to why. I hadn't done a single thing to the scowling boy.

Trying to be the bigger person in a feeble attempt to make peace with him, I softly spoke, "Look... Whatever I did that's.. offended you.. I'm sorry, okay?"

His eyes briefly widened before a blank expression fell over his face. Still yet, he said nothing.

My shoulders involuntarily slumped forward, unable to hide the fact that I was bothered by his behavior. Honestly, I had never had an 'enemy' before. But as I stared into his eyes that resembled a dark abyss, I realized that I had one.. Edward Cullen considered me an enemy; I had no doubt. 

 

Chapter 10: 09. Good Company Is Hard To Come By

||Bella's P.O.V.||

To say I was dreading walking into English would be an understatement. I knew that Mrs. Robins would be assigning a group project today, and since she went by 'tables', I would be forced to work closely with Edward. Not only that, but I knew that I needed to make things right with Rikki.

After hearing Nate's song, I understood why she chose to fire the band. My change of heart had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Edward claimed that she was 'telling the truth'. I didn't trust his word in the slightest, but I did, however, trust my instinct.

When I walked into the classroom, I was disappointed to see that Edward was already seated at our table. His chipper sister, Alice, looked up and offered me a sincere smile that I was quick to return. Edward wore his signature scowl as our eyes met, but I refused to pay him any mind. I wasn't going to allow him to get under my skin so easily. Doing so would mean he was winning.

Rikki was already sitting at the table as well, hurriedly typing out a text on her phone with a bored expression.

I walked over, ignoring Edward's glare as I gestured to the empty seat next to Rikki and said to her, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Granted, I always sat there. But it still felt right to ask given our bickering earlier that day.

"Whatever," Rikki mumbled, not looking up from her phone.

Well, it was a start. I sat down beside her, putting me directly across from Alice with Edward to her left. As much as I genuinely liked Alice, I disliked her brother even more, so I was starting to regret inviting them to our table. It would've served Edward right if he had been forced to sit with Miriam and Tiffany. But it wouldn't have been fair to Alice.. So in the end, I suppose I made the right decision.

I turned to Rikki and quietly spoke, "So.. I, um.. I heard Nate's song."

She nodded, quirking a brow. "And?"

"Bleh.." I stuck out my tongue, pretending to gag.

Rikki breathed out a dry laugh. "My thoughts exactly."

I felt beyond bad for jumping to conclusions earlier. "..You really did fire the band because of him, didn't you?"

Once more, she nodded, popping the 'p' as she said, "Yep."

"It had nothing to do with me.." I chewed on my lower lip anxiously, feeling guilty.

I could feel Edward's eyes shift in my attention, and I hated it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him opening his mouth to speak, but Alice elbowed him, keeping him quiet. Thanks, Alice.

Rikki shook her head in response to my question. "Nope."

I sighed. "I.. jumped to the wrong conclusion.."

She nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Yeah, you did.."

More than anything, I wanted to rectify the situation. Despite only knowing Rikki and Cleo for a short time, they were both like sisters to me, and the thought of being at odds with one of them was unbearable.

"Rikki, I'm.. I'm so sorry. You were completely right.. And I was wrong.." I whispered, feeling as though a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

She looked at me with a deadpanned expression, and there for a second, I feared she wasn't prepared to forgive me. Then, a taunting smirk flitted to her lips, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she asked, "Did he hit on you yet?"

I squeezed my eyes shut and laughed airily, admitting, "..Yes.. Yes, he has.."

Edward scoffed, but I refused to let him ruin my mood. Alice shot him a stern stare that he chose to ignore. All the same, I offered her a grateful smile.

Rikki looked at me, grinning as she said, "You poor thing. Don't worry. The nightmares will stop in a day or two."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, pulling out my notebook from my bag and flipping through the pages, landing on one of my musical compositions that I had been walking on. I noticed Edward trying to peer over the table, as though he was trying to catch a peek, causing me to place my arm over my work to shield it from his eyes.

As I was studying the musical notes, Rikki's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"..So, about that gig.. Did you still want it?" She asked, taking me by surprise.

I chuckled. "I thought we were fired."

"Eh, what can I say?" She shrugged lightheartedly. "We're really desperate."

Once more, I laughed, not taking offense in the slightest. "Alright. Tell me what you really think," I joked, still chuckling.

My laughter faded when Will walked into the room, and I locked eyes with him. His eyes were so blue. Like very blue. And his navy shirt made them pop all the more. I straightened in my seat and nervously ran a hand through my hair as he approached the table.

||Edward's P.O.V.||

It both amazed and annoyed me how quickly she melted into a puddle the moment he showed up. She offered him the hugest of smiles, exposing her perfectly white teeth. He returned her smile halfheartedly, his thoughts focused entirely on prepping for an upcoming dive as he sat down beside her, putting him directly across from me.

I narrowed my eyes at the boy, a bit puzzled by his apparent lack of interest. Every other guy in school was basically drooling over the blue-eyed girl. She could have her pick of the crop, but for some reason, she had her sights set on the only boy who seemed to be romantically indifferent towards her. I guess the age-old saying 'You always want what you can't have' is true in her case.

Despite my disdain for the girl, I couldn't help but discreetly admire her features. By any definition, she was beautiful. Stunning, even. And despite being a centurion immortal vampire, I was still in the body of a seventeen-year-old boy and had the hormones to prove it. I seemed to be a bit too aware of said hormones in her presence more than I cared to admit. And I sound like a broken record...

Alice was scribbling away in her notebook, thankfully paying me no mind as she lost herself in a series of visions regarding upcoming fashion events. So, she didn't notice how my eyes lingered on the blushing girl for a bit too long. Her sweet scent hung like a thick curtain in the air, setting not only my throat and lungs ablaze, but my body as well.

"..H-Hey," she greeted Surfer Boy, all but forgetting how she was trying to prevent me from catching a glimpse of the composition she was working on.

I couldn't help but be intrigued by the fact that she was a composer, stealing a glance at the piece she had written and finding myself a bit impressed despite myself. To my dismay, I was all the more interested in that 'band' of hers, curious to hear the musical notes on the page come to life.

"Sup." Surfer Boy responded, his tone casual as he leaned back in the chair and dug through his backpack.

She stared at him, pulling her lower lip between her teeth in a distracting manner.

Rikki looked back and forth between the two, a thoughtful expression falling over her face before she leaned towards Blue Eyes and whispered in her ear, "You're drooling."

Her jaw hit the floor, blood pooling deliciously beneath her sunkissed skin, causing venom to fill my mouth and my muscles to tense.

Alice was quick to pick up on unease, quirking a brow at me and asking via her thoughts, You okay?

I nodded once in response to her silent question, but I was far from it. I wasn't 'okay'. None of this was 'okay'.

A fresh wave of frustration washed over me, causing me to clench my fists. This has to stop. My fascination towards the blushing, blue-eyed girl has to stop. What reason, other than her silent mind, did I have to be so drawn to her? Her two friends' minds were also eerily silent to me, and yet, I wasn't sitting there counting the freckles on their faces! I mean, sure, she was a beautiful girl. I had no problem admitting that. But whatever my deal was— It went far beyond her looks; a fact that I was still refusing to acknowledge.

If my fascination was simply due to her beauty, I could just close my eyes.. Avert my gaze.. But that wasn't the case. Even when I wasn't looking at her, I was oddly aware of her presence; I could tell you every minor movement she made, every breath she took, and I could tell you, in detail, the exact rhythm of her heart.

I ran a hand over my face, feeling as though I was nothing more than an insane man with a few screws loose in the head. Crazed. That's the word for it.

As I was admiring her quickened pulse, watching her carotid pump her sweet-smelling blood, my eyes trailed down her neck, locking on that strange stone necklace she wore every day.

It should come as no surprise by now that I have done a fair amount of research on varying blue stones and the like. But so far, I have nothing to show for it.

Topaz. Lapis Lazuli. Kyanite. Labradorite. Tourmaline. Fluorite. The list goes on and on, but none of them matched the description.

My curiosity couldn't be quelled, and I hated it. Why should I care what sort of stone she wore around her neck?

The blue-eyed girl tore her gaze from Rikki, focusing on Surfer Boy once more. No surprise there. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she stared at him, that delicate blush continuing to stain her cheeks.

"..What?" She quietly spoke, evidently forgetting what the boy had even asked to begin with.

This was borderline painful to watch. Almost as bad as watching 'Nate' attempting to serenade her, sounding every bit like a dying whale.

Surfer Boy quirked a brow at her, his thoughts cool, calm, and collected. A sharp contrast to her flustered expression and flushed cheeks.

"I just asked 'what's up'," he simply responded with a casual shrug.

Her heart stuttered as that blush of hers deepened, the blood pooling deliciously beneath her tan skin further igniting the flames in my throat despite the fact that I wasn't breathing.

Once more, her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, resembling a dying fish before she stammered, "..R-Right. Yeah, um.."

Before she had a chance to properly respond, Mrs. Robins called the class to attention, displaying the assignment on the board. I groaned internally when I realized we would be working in groups on an informative speech.

The teacher went over the key points before clapping her hands and saying, "Alright, class. Chop, chop. Best get started. It's due next week." What she said next sealed my fate. "To make it easier, you'll just be working with your table mates."

My hands clenched into fists, narrowing my eyes at 'Hartley' and the insufferable William Benjamin.

Alice, sensing my frustration, silently said, Be nice. Please.

I just rolled my eyes in response, barely stifling the urge to continue to glower at our 'table mates'.

"Great.." Rikki grumbled bitterly, annoyance rolling off her. "Group projects. My favorite."

The sarcasm was heavy. Looks like I wasn't the only one less than thrilled by the little arrangement.

Hartley discreetly nudged her with her elbow, giving her a pointed look and mouthing 'Be nice'. I almost laughed at the irony; as did Alice.

"I've never done a group project before," Surfer Boy spoke up, leaning on the table and peering around Bell- I mean Hartley.. to look at Rikki. "It sounds like fun."

I didn't miss how his eyes lingered on Rikki for a bit too long, the smiling boy's thoughts a bit chaotic as he studied her solemn features. I couldn't help but smirk. Up until now, I hadn't realized his apparent attraction towards Hartley's stoic friend. Interesting...

To my amusement, Rikki flat out ignored him, staring straight ahead with that same bored expression with her arms folded across her chest.

Hartley, however, beamed at him, her blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh, it's loads of fun. Especially when you're in good company.."

An unbidden scoff escaped me at that, earning a sharp glare from the blue-eyed girl that genuinely surprised me. She was usually so 'smiley', so seeing her with a deep frown seated on her face had me a bit taken aback.

"Of course, good company is a bit hard to come by nowadays; it would seem," she mumbled, those piercing sapphires of hers never leaving mine.

My entire body stiffened when a strange tingling sensation jolted through me as she held me captive in her gaze. I clenched my jaw at the feeling, my hands curling into fists.

"Likewise," I ground out through gritted teeth, returning her glare in full force and then some.

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Happy Easter!!! 🐣

Yeah, this is a bit of a filler chapter. Sorry 😬 I just wanted to get something published for you guys. I'm still trying to work out an 'update schedule'. Ideally, I'd like to update every week on the same day, but that has yet to happen 😅 It's a work in progress...

Chapter 11: 10. He's Not Into You

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

Will's baby blue eyes locked with mine, causing my breath to hitch as he offered me a lighthearted smile and pulled out his notebook.

"Any ideas for the speech?" Alice spoke up, poising her pencil above her paper, preparing to jot down notes.

Rikki was absentmindedly scrolling through her phone, so I knew she'd be of no help. Group projects weren't really her 'thing'. For a fleeting moment, my eyes met Edward's. Per usual, he was wearing a frown like an accessory, his eyes never leaving my face. I quirked a brow in response to his stare, holding his gaze and refusing to look away. I wasn't about to allow myself to shrink back, not wanting to give him the upper hand.

Edward's lips twitched at the corners, as though preparing to smile, before his glare intensified. The faint shadow of a grin happened so quickly that I believed I had imagined it.

"We could do it on the ocean," Will's voice distracted me from my little staring contest.

Blinking rapidly, I tore my gaze from Edward and looked at the smiling boy sitting beside me.

"The ocean.." I offered him a soft smile, pulling my lower between my teeth. "That's a great idea, Will."

Rikki looked up from her phone, arching an unenthused brow in our direction. Will noticed her solemn expression, causing his smile to falter.

Edward exhaled forcefully, shaking his head in obvious amusement.

"Yeah. Splendid idea, Will. But I think you're going to have to narrow it down a bit," Edward spoke in a condescending tone, flashing him a snarky smile that had me shooting him a well-deserved glare.

Alice looked at her brother, giving him a pointed look. Rikki snorted a dry laugh, her snarky smile matching Edward's. Taking a page out of Alice's book, I shot Rikki a stern stare. What is going on with everyone today?

Will looked back and forth amongst us, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "Oh, um.."

"You put him on the spot," Alice said to her brother, twirling the pencil in her hand.

Will rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish expression decorating his face. I could tell he was struggling to come up with something at the drop of a hat, so I decided to help him out.

"We could..." I trailed off, racking my brain. "..talk about how the role of the ocean regulates climate?"

Alice was quick to nod, her pencil flying across the paper as she wrote. "Perfect."

Edward released a deep sigh. Here we go...

"Something you'd like to say?" I challenged, lifting my chin in defiance.

Usually, I would never choose to 'rock the boat', but I was fed up with his passive aggressiveness.

Edward's eyes widened, locking with my heated gaze. He appeared to be taken aback, but he wasted no time in collecting myself.

A faint smirk flitted to his lips as he tilted his head to the side and said, "Oh, I just wanted to point out that your suggestion is excellent. Riveting. Bravo, Hartley."

He was mocking me. Clearly. I narrowed my eyes at him, my lips pulling down at the corners. Rikki looked back and forth between me and Edward and smirked like the devil. Whose side was she on anyway?

"Condescending much.." I mumbled beneath my breath in a voice that wouldn't carry to his ears, forcing my eyes from his golden gaze.

Edward breathed out a laugh, a smile flickering across his face for the briefest moment before he schooled his features and went back to his usual stoic demeanor.

Will pursed his lips, staring blankly straight ahead and saying, "Regulates climate... Maybe we could mention how Mako has been at the epicenter of several freak storms over the past year?"

The second 'Mako' left his lips, Rikki and I stiffened in sync. She whipped her head towards Will, leaning forward on the table and leering at him from across my shoulder.

"Seriously?" Her voice was clipped, her eyes flashing. "What— Are you obsessed or something?"

Will's eyes widened, his brows flying up his forehead. "..No?"

She shook her head in obvious annoyance, her face flushing. "Well, I think you are. Sorry, Will, but your 'obsession' isn't healthy. You ought to let it go."

My mouth fell open at her harsh tone. Edward and Alice exchanged a look, watching the interaction intently. I, of course, was right in the middle of it. Will leaned forward as well, craning around me to meet Rikki's vexed gaze. I couldn't help but involuntarily shrink back in my seat, wanting to disappear.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward pressing his lips into a terse line, clearly fighting back a smile. I wanted to strangle him.

"Obsession? Really? I'm fascinated. There's a difference," Will quipped, his usual joyful, carefree expression all but vanished without a trace. "And what's it to you anyway? You're not the gatekeeper."

Oh, God...

Rikki's jaw went slack before slamming shut with an audible click. Her face was every bit cherry red, and I feared steam was going to start coming out of her ears.

"Excuse you?" Rikki ground out, staring at him in disbelief as her voice rose an octave, "Who do you think you are, 'Yacht Boy'? I'm trying to do you a favor! You're making a fool of yourself by talking about that island at every turn! Let it go!"

"You know what? This doesn't concern you," Will spoke firmly, blue fire sparking in his eyes as he held her heated gaze. "I'm done with this conversation. You guys can do the speech on whatever you want."

Without saying another word, he rose from the table and started gathering his belongings. My heart lodged in my throat as I stared up at him.

"Wait, Will," I called out to him, quickly springing to my feet. "Don't go."

He hesitantly locked eyes with me, his expression entirely solemn. "..Sorry, Bella," he mumbled before slinging his bag over his shoulder and rushing out of the classroom, earning curious stares from our classmates.

Alice offered me an apologetic smile but said nothing, seeming to know better than to get involved. Edward, however, was struggling to hide his amusement. It was strange seeing his features almost glow with unjustified joy.

I whirled around to face Rikki, standing over her with my arms folded across my chest. "Really, Rikki?" Disapproval dripped from my voice, but she was unfazed. "Are you happy now?"

She lifted one shoulder in a partial shrug, mumbling, "I say, 'Good riddance'."

Now, I was the one in disbelief. "You're unbelievable. Why were you being so rude?"

She gave me disbelieving look, quirking a brow. "You're kidding, right?"

All I could was stare at her, at a loss for words.

"What? He called me a 'gatekeeper'!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"After you called him 'obsessed'!" I pointed out.

"Yeah, well.. If the shoe fits," she retorted, unashamed.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Likewise."

Without saying another word, I spun around on my heels and fled the classroom in search of Will. I sped-walked down the walkway, my eyes scanning the courtyard for a head full of blonde hair. When I felt a presence behind me, I assumed it was Rikki.

"You need to apologize." My tone was firm, not bothering to turn around.

I was surprised when a velvety smooth voice came from over my shoulder. "For what exactly?"

My hands curled into fists as I whirled around and locked gazes with a pair of topaz orbs. "What are you doing?"

He shrugged in faux nonchalance, taking a step back. "Came to offer you a piece of advice."

I shook my head in annoyance. "I don't need your advice, Cullen."

Pretty sure he said the exact thing to me earlier that day. 

His brows flew up his forehead, a crooked smirk slithering across his lips. "Oh, so now I'm 'Cullen'?"

I didn't bother trying to stifle the eyeroll as I turned around and resumed walking, not giving up on my search for Will. When I didn't hear Edward's footsteps behind me, I assumed he decided to leave me be, but that was only wishful thinking. He fell in step beside me, his footsteps eerily silent as he quirked a brow.

"I asked you a question," he spoke dully.

My jaw clenched. "You call me by my surname, so it's only fair that I do the same."

What's good for the goose is good for the gander, am I right? His constant mood swings were giving me whiplash.

"Touche.." He muttered, having no difficulty keeping up with my quick pace due to his long strides.

He tilted his head to the side, appearing to study me intently. "May I ask you something?"

"You're going to ask either way," I mumbled, pausing mid-step to stand on my tiptoes, peering over a tall hedge in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive Will in his usual 'hang-out' corner.

My shoulders slumped forward when I saw that he wasn't there.

Several heartbeats passed before Edward asked in a surprisingly soft voice, "..What do you see in him?"

I was taken aback by the question, my face heating up by several degrees as I locked eyes with him. This close, I was able to decipher the varying shades of gold swirling in the depths of his irises— Like a sunset catching fire.

"..What?" I forced myself to speak, my mouth running dry.

In that moment, the sun filtered through the trees, making him almost appear to glow; hand to God. If I looked closely enough, I could've sworn I saw his cheek shimmering.

"You've got some glitter.." I pointed to my own cheek, saying to him, "..right here."

His eyes widened in what seemed to be alarm, placing his hand against his cheek and knitting his brows before grumbling, "..Oh, uh.. Must be from Alice or Rose."

Before I had a chance to respond, he whipped his head away, popping the collar of his polo shirt and leaning his 'glittering' cheek against his shoulder in an awkward manner. The sight was almost comical, to be honest. I breathed out a dry laugh and resumed walking, not paying him any mind as he did the same.

"You didn't answer my question."

My blush returned. I didn't see why it was any of his business. Inhaling a shaky breath, I mumbled, "..I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play coy," he was quick to say, darting under the shade of an awning and blocking my path.

It was then that he stood up straight and tall, the glitter on his cheek all but forgotten about as it no longer glistened in the shadows. God forbid someone see him 'wearing glitter', right?

A moment of tense silence passed before I found my voice, staring up at him indignantly. "..No offense.. But it's really none of your business.."

With that, I sidestepped him, wanting nothing more than to put some distance between us. But before I even so much as stepped out from under the awning, he was speaking once more.

"You're wasting your time, you know.."

His voice sounded.. almost forlorn. Maybe a tad bit apologetic. Despite myself, that piqued my interest.

I looked at him from over my shoulder, arching a brow in confusion.

He pressed his lips together, forming a thin line before blurting out, "He's not into you."

Once more, I was taken aback. I was sensing a theme here...

"I beg your pardon?" I stared up at him, stunned.

His eyes of liquid gold pored into mine. "He's not into you, Hartley," he repeated, his voice firm.

I blinked rapidly. Was this guy for real?

I folded my arms across my chest, never breaking eye contact. "First of all, how could you possibly know that? You and Will don't exactly see eye to eye, do you? And secondly... What makes you think I care whether he's, quote on quote, 'into me' or not?"

He rolled his eyes, leaning back against the brick wall in a casual manner. "You aren't exactly discreet. You blush anytime he's within the vicinity."

"I do not," I blurted out, instantly on the defense.

What would he know? As if on cue, my face started heating up.

He chuckled lowly, though it lacked humor. "Like I said— You're wasting your time.."

Now, my face was heating up for an entirely different reason. I like to think that I'm slow to anger, but the golden-eyed boy was pushing every button I had; and even some I didn't know I had!

"..Just mind your business," I quipped, straightening my shoulders.

 What else could I possibly say?

He simply shook his head, grinning like the devil before saying, "..Your eye candy is behind that hedge over there."

I turned to look in the direction he gestured towards and saw tufts of blonde hair fluttering in the breeze, barely visible over the tall hedge.

"..Thanks," I muttered begrudgingly before making my leave, feeling desperate to escape his all-encompassing presence.

A chill shot down my spine as I hurried towards Will, all-too-aware that Edward's burning eyes were glaring a hole straight through me. I hated this. Rikki and Will were bumping heads.. And Edward seemed to hate me and Will equally.. Why can't we all just along?

Just as I was preparing to tap Will's shoulder, the bell rang. Before I even had a chance to open my mouth, he was hightailing it out of the courtyard. All I could do was stare after him, Edward's words ringing in my ears— Taunting me. 'He's not into you'.

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Okay, so I'm thinking about possibly creating an 'update schedule' for this story. Maybe every Thursday? I plan on updating In This Life on Fridays (hopefully), so this story could be updated either on Thursdays or Saturdays. Or Mondays? I know Mondays always suck, so maybe that could give us something to look forward to? Thoughts? :)

 

Chapter 12: 11. Own Personal Fan Club

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

Was it cruel of me to be so blunt with Hartley regarding Surfer Boy's lack of interest in her? Possibly.. But I honestly felt as though I had done her a favor. At least now she knows not to waste her time, right?

Regardless as to how I tried to justify it, there was no denying the wave of guilt that coursed through me upon noticing her crestfallen expression as she stared after the fickle boy. A part of me was half-tempted to console her. To provide a listening ear. Perhaps a shoulder to cry on. But as quickly as I had the thoughts, I banished them. It was quite ridiculous of me to even consider such things. Besides, I had a feeling I was the last person she'd want to find comfort in.

But to my dismay, my feet seemed to have a mind of their own as I made my way towards her, coming to a stop directly behind the forlorn girl. Despite myself, I couldn't resist inhaling deeply, allowing her sweet scent to fill my lungs. Although her scent left a fire in its wake as it blazed down my throat, I found it almost addicting.

When she hung her head and stared down at the ground, I could've sworn I felt my heart clench in response. I didn't like that feeling. Not one bit. And although I didn't like the girl (not one bit), I could hardly stand idly by and do nothing, knowing I had possibly hurt her feelings by being brutally honest.

So, I found myself blurting out, "I'm sorry."

She stiffened before oh-so-slowly turning to face me, staring up at me with those big blue eyes of her that closely resembled sapphires.

After a moment of very tense, very awkward silence, she asked, "..For what exactly?"

A deep sigh escaped me, her warmth radiating off her and wrapping around me like a blanket. Every nerve in my body was aware of her proximity, so I found myself taking a much-needed step back, putting some distance between us. When I no longer felt as though I was being sucked into her orbit, I was able to think more clearly.

"..For.. saying what I did," I ground out the words, tasting bitter on my tongue.

She blinked slowly, her long lashes framing her eyes in a delicate manner. The girl radiated femininity, beautiful and demure as she is. Honestly, I wasn't sure why Will wasn't particularly interested in her. Every other guy seemed to be.

"Why did you say what you did?" She questioned, her voice wavering with emotion. The girl dropped her gaze to the ground, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as a light blush coated those cheeks of hers, flavoring the air and setting my lungs ablaze before asking in a voice above a whisper, "..Did he.. say something to you?"

There was no denying how hurt she was. That fact caused my guilt to grow tenfold. I should've kept my big mouth shut.

"No," I was quick to blurt out, clenching my jaw as I racked my brain for the right thing to say. "..No, he hasn't. I just.." I ran a hand through my hair out of frustration, debating how honest I should be with her. "..I know how.. painful.. unrequited feelings can be, and I thought I'd spare you the heartache. I can see now that I overstepped, and I do apologize."

That was pretty damn honest. As honest as I could be without saying 'Hey, I'm a mindreader, and I totally read his thoughts'. I could only imagine her reaction to that. Ha.

Her blush deepened, the blood swirling beneath her sunkissed skin an all-too-tempting sight. "Ah. So, you just assumed then." Her voice was clipped. "You know what they say about that, right?"

Of course, I did. When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.

I frowned. "I'm pretty good at reading people, Hartley."

She rolled her eyes, saying nothing as she turned around, preparing to walk away.

Before she could take the first step, I called out, "Did you miss the part where I apologized?"

I was trying to make amends here, for crying out loud.

She tensed, glancing at me from over her shoulder. "..No. But I don't think it's genuine."

  My eyes widened. Why was she making this so difficult?

I breathed out a scoff, growing immensely annoyed at the blue-eyed girl.

She narrowed her eyes and mumbled, "See what I mean," before walking away.

I pursed my lips, involuntarily scouring her figure and counting each step she took. Of course, my eyes lingered on her toned thighs, admiring the soft, tan skin. Her shorts hugged her backside like its life depended on it, my mouth filling with venom and muscles tensing in response to the sight.

A low growl rumbled deep within my chest before I tore my gaze from her, feeling absolutely disgusted with myself.

  I needed to stop. I needed to stop seeking her out in a crowd. I needed to stop even acknowledging her presence. Allowing myself to even be near her was dangerous. Reckless. Considering the fact that I don't even like the girl, leaving her be shouldn't be an issue, right? I should just leave her alone.

But that's not what I did.

||Bella's P.O.V.||

After school, Rikki, Cleo, and I met up at the café. Cleo was telling us all about her first shift that she had worked yesterday as 'Assistant Dolphin Trainer'. Her eyes danced with glee as she relived every detail.

"—Well, I couldn't have done it without Will's help," Cleo said to us, giving Rikki a pointed look.

Rikki's eyes narrowed, looking back and forth between me and Cleo. I couldn't help but sigh, already knowing where this was going.

"We're supposed to be keeping our distance from him," Rikki spoke in a firm voice.

Cleo simply smiled, saying, "Well, he saved my job, and he's not that bad. In fact, he's pretty nice."

I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face. At least Cleo didn't have an issue with him.

Rikki frowned, but her features softened. "..Just be careful."

She was still leery about Cleo taking that job, but she seemed to be coming around.

"I will. I promise," Cleo assured her.

Rikki then looked at me, her frown deepening as she said, "You too, Bella."

"Me?" I quirked a brow.

Before I could ask for elaboration, I felt an all-too-familiar shiver shoot down my spine. I knew that feeling all too well. Lifting my head towards the entrance, I immediately locked with a pair of honey-gold eyes. What was he doing here?

"..Great.." I mumbled bitterly.

Rikki and Cleo followed my gaze.

While Cleo looked a bit confused, Rikki was just amused, nudging me with her elbow and grinning mischievously as she teased, "Looks like your own personal fan club is here."

Fan club? What did she mean by that? From afar, I noticed Edward's mouth twisting into a taunting smirk.

No. I refused to even acknowledge him. Every time I so much as speak to him, he ends up being nothing but rude. So, I was fed up.

Cleo looked at Edward before wagging her brows at me and saying, "He's really cute."

My jaw hit the floor. I could feel my face heating up at the insinuation. Of course, I wasn't blind. I was aware that the infuriating boy was good-looking. But his rotten attitude ensured that I was blind to how 'cute' he was.

"He's a jerk is what he is," I responded, shaking my head and not so much as even glancing his way.

Out of my peripheral vision, I noticed him take a seat in the far distant corner of the room, isolating himself at a table set for two like the loner he is. I was still at a loss as to how I had gotten on his bad side, but I was starting not to care. Usually, I made it a point to try to befriend everyone, but he had proved that task to be all but impossible.

Instead of dwelling on it, I offered my two friends a smile and took a sip of my juice, trying to finish it before the set.

As if on cue, Nate walked into the café, immediately walking towards us and smirking at Rikki. "Ahh.. Soo.. I hear you want us back.."

My eyes widened as I shook my head and signaled for him to cut it out. "Nate, no.."

"Bella. Please, babe," he mumbled to me, causing my mouth to fall open for the umpteenth time that day.

At that point, I was going to start catching flies. All I could do was sigh, unable to hide my annoyance as I looked at Cleo and Rikki.

"You know.. I knew.." Nate held up his finger, pointing at Rikki as he continued, "..you would come crawling back. But I'm not prepared to set up until you offer us a pay rise."

I facepalmed, mortified by my bandmate. Rikki simply stared at him with a blank expression, not amused in the slightest. Cleo pressed her lips into a thin line, fighting back a smile.

Nate appeared thoughtful before saying, "Fifteen percent feels fair."

Rikki stood up, standing directly in front of him and saying, "Nate. Set up. Or get out," before walking away.

Nate wasn't fazed, a grin spreading across his face as he said, "Worth a shot, wasn't it?"

***

As the band and I were setting up on stage, it felt like my entire body was on fire. I stole a discreet glance in the far-right corner of the café and saw that Edward was still sitting there in the shadows, looking as solemn as could be.

In general, I was a happy person. Very happy, actually. But when Edward was around, his negative 'vibe' seemed to rub off on me, putting a damper on.. everything. Is that why he's here? To spread sadness like a pandemic?

I didn't realize that the band was ready to get started until Nate tapped on the mic, saying to the crowd, "Hi, I'm Nate. And this is a little song I wrote about—"

My stomach churned nervously. Usually, I never get stage fright. But right now, there was no denying that I was a bundle of nerves. Regardless of my uneasiness, I couldn't possibly allow Nate to embarrass himself and the band by playing that 'song' of his.

So, I was quick to rush over to the mic, interrupting Nate with a small smile as I said to the audience, "..Um, hi.. I'm Bella.. And this is one of Nate's original songs that I have.. modified.. a little bit."

My stomach was rolling, but I refused to show my nervousness. I've sang at the café dozens of times, so why should this night be any different?

Just as the music began to play, a familiar head full of blonde hair caught my eye just in time to see Will enter the café. My heart jumped to my throat, my nerves increasing tenfold. Edward's words from earlier that day rang through my mind once again, like a mantra— He's not into you. He's not into you.

He's not into you.

Involuntarily, I glimpsed in Edward's direction, taking note of the stern set of jaw. Even in the lighthearted atmosphere that was the café, he still managed to brood. Was he aware that his little comment earlier had actually hurt me? I hoped not. Being 'weak' in his eyes was the last thing I wanted, and I wasn't sure why.

When it was time for me to sing, I gripped the mic and tore my eyes from him, focusing on a blank space on the wall and hoping my voice didn't waver.

"Everything you do, it sends me
  Higher than the moon with every
  Twinkle in your eye
  You strike a match that lights my heart on fire.."

My nerves eased as I lost myself in the song, a smile spreading across my face as I continued to sing.

"When you're near, I hide my blushing face
  And trip on my shoelaces
  Grace just isn't my forte
  But it brings me to my knees when you say.."

My smile grew, thoroughly enjoying myself.

"Hello, how are you, my darling, today?
  I fall into a pile on the floor
  Puppy love is hard to ignore
  When every little thing you do, I do.. adore.."

I was so lost in the song that I didn't notice Edward make his exit. I did, however, notice Will hovering near the back wall, wearing a glorious smile that made my heart flutter as we locked eyes.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

So, why do you guys think Edward left in the middle of the song? Hmm... 🤔

By the way, the song Bella sang is 'I Do Adore' by Mindy Gledhill. Most of the songs that Bella sang in the show were... mehh (in my opinion). So, I've concocted a list of different songs that she and the band will perform instead. Don't worry— She'll still sing 'Ordinary Girl' eventually. ☺️

On a side note— The next 'episode' is supposed to be the one about Valentines Day, and I don't think this story is ready for that particular holiday just yet LOL! So, I'm going to center the next chapter around an episode from season 2 with some major adjustments. Can you guys guess which episode that will be? 🤭

Chapter 13: 12. Ambergris Is a Myth

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

Her sweet, melodic voice lingered in my ears long after I left the café. I hadn't been able to withstand listening to those cheesy lyrics for a second longer, so I made a hasty escape after the first chorus. That song of hers was proof enough of her innocence. She was untainted by the sorrows of the world. She had yet to know heartache. Pain. Agony.

Each word she had sung was like a knife twisting in my heart, reminding me of my woes. Taunting me. Despite myself, I was able to admit that I envied the joyful girl. Her spirit has yet to be broken, and I found myself hoping that it remained that way. Isabella Hartley was... good. That one simple word summed her up quite nicely.

The next day, I walked onto campus with a solemn frown, my same blank expression etched on my face as I noticed said girl absentmindedly flipping through a book. She was sitting on a bench, her golden hair fluttering in the breeze, causing her delectable scent to waft my way. Involuntarily, I inhaled a deep breath, savoring the way the taste of her scorched my throat.

To my chagrin, Nate approached her with a guitar in hand, wearing the goofiest of grins I've ever seen. I was getting a sense of deja-vu here... Was he going to try to serenade her once again? Recalling her amusing reaction last time, I leaned against the brick wall and watched the scene unfold from afar with a small smirk playing on my lips.

The idiotic boy started strumming the guitar, catching Hartley's attention. As if on cue, her face fell as she locked gazes with him. Clearly, he didn't mind the annoyed glances he was receiving from his fellow peers. All his attention was focused on the unenthused girl in front of him.

"Who's in the mood for a song?" He grinned from ear to ear as he continued playing.

I had to admit, he wasn't terrible at the guitar. A fact that surprised me immensely.

Hartley released a quiet sigh as she closed the book, begrudgingly giving him her undivided attention. Her eyes on him were all the incentive he needed to continue.

"So, Bella.. Listen to this." His fingers worked over the strings as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, appearing lost in the 'music'.

Finally, he sang, though it was only two words. "..Ooh.. Ooh.."

After his 'performance', he stopped playing and clicked his tongue. "Well?"

Judging by her bemused expression, she was anything but impressed. But I knew her well enough to know that she'd never say as much. I had a feeling she'd rather die than intentionally hurt his feelings.

"..Very good.." She mumbled, offering him a sheepish smile that didn't reach her eyes as she stood up and prepared to walk away.

I could sense her discomfort. Her unease. And a part of me was tempted to rush to her 'aid'. Perhaps she'd be grateful for my interference? As quickly as I had the thought, I banished it. Bella Hartley wasn't my biggest fan. And I certainly wasn't hers.

Nate's thoughts went rampant as he stared at the blue-eyed girl, taking note how her white dress showcased her hourglass figure and sun-kissed skin in a way that left every male student (myself included) drooling.

"..So, what do ya say?" He asked, his intentions finally floating to the surface. "You, me, your place? First lesson's free..."

The audacity! I involuntarily clenched my fists and ground my teeth. He was relentless! Clueless! I had never seen someone so blind in all my years. The boy was so full of himself that he couldn't begin to fathom the idea that she wasn't 'into him'.

Hartley's brows flew up her forehead as she folded her arms across her chest, looking at him in mild disbelief. "..You wanna give me a guitar lesson?"

He was quick to nod. "Yeah. Absolutely. Why not? I'm really good at it." He winked, wagging his brows. "..Besides, you are in a band. My band. Wouldn't hurt ya to know how to play an instrument, am I right?"

He couldn't be serious. Despite knowing she would turn him down, I was on pins and needles as I awaited her response.

She simply said, "Who says I don't know how to play an instrument?"

Ah. Of course. Not only does she have the voice of angel, but she's an instrumentalist as well. My curiosity only grew, and I couldn't help but wonder about her instrument of choice.

Nate looked at her, frowning. "Can you?"

His confidence slightly wavered but only by a minuscule amount. He still firmly believed that he had 'this one in the bag', much to annoyance.

"Yeah.." She responded, pressing her lips into a thin line.

I could tell that she wanted nothing more than to escape the conversation.

He furrowed his brows, never missing a beat as he countered back, "Well, is it the guitar?"

She paused, the faintest of frowns pulling down her pouty lips. "..No."

So, I could mark that particular instrument off my list. My eyes traveled from her face, to her fleshy neck.. her collarbone.. her.. chest.. Forcing myself not to ogle too long at the round curvature of her breasts that her scoop-line dress hinted at, I dropped my gaze to her hands, admiring her slender, delicate fingers. I tilted my head to the side, wondering what sort of music those hands were capable of... among other things, much to my chagrin.

Obviously, that was the answer Nate was hoping for. His grin returned with a vengeance. "Well, what do ya say then?"

She seemed to contemplate for a moment, to my curiosity. Was she seriously considering it? Several heartbeats passed before she finally responded, saying, "I don't think so, Nate. But thanks for the offer," and walked away, leaving him standing there dumbfounded.

***

||3rd P.O.V.||

Lewis was sitting in his boat beside the dock, taking advantage of the fact that school had been shut down due to some electrical issues. He was organizing his tackle box when Zane approached.

"Lewis." He spoke his name, sitting on top of the cooler and cocking his head before asking, "..What do you know about something called 'Ambergris'?"

Lewis looked up at him and breathed a dry laugh, shaking his head in obvious amusement.

Zane furrowed his brows. "What's so funny?"

Lewis simply shrugged. "Ambergris is a myth."

"It doesn't exist?" The dark-haired boy questioned, his tone challenging.

Lewis was quick to say, "Oh, it exists. Though it's very rare.."

Zane pursed his lips. "The internet said it was—"

Lewis interrupted him to say, "—All that stuff about its scent supposedly having magical effects over mermaids is rubbish."

Zane placed his hand on his chin, appearing pensive as he watched him continue to sort through the tackle box.

Lewis quirked a brow, meeting his intrigued gaze. "You do know what it actually is, don't you?"

The clueless boy lifted a shoulder in a partial shrug. "..Well, it's some sort of perfume.."

"It was once used in perfumes.." Lewis explained, talking with his hands as he tended to do when discussing such 'scientific' facts, "Okay.. Ambergris comes from whales. It's like a solidified ball of oil that whales deposit in the ocean."

Zane's confusion was as plain as day. "Deposit?"

All Lewis could do was look at him, his expression deadpanned. "Through droppings.." He mumbled as he climbed out of the boat and grabbed a towel.

Zane nodded, pondering. "Droppings.. You mean as in, uh—"

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah." Lewis leaned towards him and continued, "Droppings.." He tilted his head. "So.. Why are you asking?"

Zane licked his lips and shook his head as Lewis climbed back into the boat before saying, "I-I go out with a mermaid. I'm interested in this sort of stuff.."

Lewis looked up at him, sorting through his tackle box once again with newfound vigor.

Before the fisherman had a chance to speak, Zane continued, "..And,, If it does have some sort of mesmerizing effect on mermaids, it.. Well, it could be useful in certain.. situations." He winked, smirking like the devil.

A deep frown overtook Lewis's features, looking at him in disbelief before speaking, his voice stern, "Please give me one example."

The thought of Zane using the ambergris and taking 'advantage' of one of his friends didn't sit right with Lewis, for obvious reasons.

Zane quirked a brow, unfazed. "Come on, man. You gonna make me spell it out for you?" He rolled his eyes before standing up and walking away.

Lewis's frown deepened, hurrying to call out to him, "Whatever you're thinking, Zane, forget it. Ambergris is a myth!"

***

Several hours later, Lewis wandered over to the café, hoping to meet Cleo for lunch.

The second Zane caught sight of him, he rushed towards the bewildered boy, holding an antique-looking perfume bottle in his hands and calling out, "Lewis! Lewis!"

The subject in question turned around to face him, a curious expression playing on his features. For the most part, Zane tended to keep his distance from the amateur scientist, so he was at a loss as to why he had approached him twice within a twelve-hour period.

"What's up?" Lewis asked him warily.

A small smile flickered across Zane's lips as he held the bottle in front of him, as though putting it on display. "I found it. Pure ambergris."

Lewis's brows flew up his forehead in astonishment before taking the bottle from him, inspecting it. "..How did you find it?"

His curiosity had a never-ending appetite and now was no exception.

"On the internet." Zane responded. "A local antique dealer had some. He said it's over a hundred years old."

Lewis glanced down at the bottle before looking at Zane and asking, "Zane, don't you think you've crossed a line here?"

Zane frowned, snatching it back from him. "I bought this out of scientific curiosity. You should understand that," he spoke firmly.

Lewis narrowed his eyes at him before stealing another glimpse of the glass bottle. He had to admit he was curious.

Zane took note of his intrigued expression and sprayed the bottle, squeezing the pump twice. The two boys leaned in, taking a hesitant whiff and instantly grimacing.

"Oh!" Lewis exclaimed as they proceeded to cover their mouths and gag.

The smell was horrendous, staining the air—

"Oh, yuck! It smells like rotten squid." Zane waved his hand in front of his face, trying to dispel the putrid scent to no avail.

Lewis was still trying not to gag as he pointed out, "Well, it is a hundred years old and made from whale excrement."

That done it.

"Take it away." Zane all but demanded, shoving it towards Lewis's unsuspecting hands.

The unwilling victim was quick to shove it back, saying, "Nooo."

Zane wasn't going to give up so easily, wanting nothing to do with the disgusting concoction, shoving it towards him once again. "What—? Take it!"

Lewis repeated the process, shoving the bottle a bit more forcefully, saying "No!"

Amid Zane's frustration/panic, he accidentally squeezed the pump, inadvertently spraying Lewis's shirt.

Now, he truly was a victim. Lewis's mouth fell open in shock and horror, his voice dripping with annoyance, "Great, Zane! I'm supposed to be meeting Cleo for lunch any minute."

"..Looks like you'll be eating alone," Z mumbled unapologetically.

Before any more could be said, three of the Cullens appeared out of nowhere, approaching the café with varying expressions. Edward and Alice were scheduled to meet Bella, Rikki, and Will to work on their group speech due to classes being canceled. And of course, Emmett chose to tag along, wanting to do some proper exploring of the seaside town.

The trio of vampires were instantly bombarded with the gut-wrenching smell, their noses crinkling in disgust. They could've smelled it from miles away, not only due to their supernatural senses— The scent was just that rancid.

Edward paid no mind to the two bickering boys' thoughts, blocking them out entirely. He quite literally wanted to be anywhere but here, lingering behind his chipper siblings with his signature scowl on display. Seeing Bella Hartley was the last thing he wanted to do. As a matter of fact, he had half a mind to flee the town. Hell, to flee the country. But he was hesitant to put his family through any more undue heartache. After all, he had just recently rejoined them.

The brooding vampire was pulled from his wallowing when Alice and Emmett approached the frowning duo. Edward glanced around, half-expecting to see a decaying whale washed onto the pier.

It was Alice that asked the burning question, "What's that smell?"

Lewis's eyes widened. "Um.. I can explain."

Edward simply rolled his eyes, attempting to tune out of the conversation entirely. He placed his hands in his pockets and cut off his breathing, refusing to inhale the horrendous scent for a second longer.

"You've been gutting fish?" Emmett spoke up, placing his hand over his mouth in a dramatic fashion. Edward saw the gesture for what it was— His brother was trying to appear more 'human'.

"..No. It was his fault! He squirted it on me." Lewis pointed to the dark-haired young man, his voice going up an octave as he said to him, "It is a myth. Now, get over it."

Zane scoffed, placing the glass bottle on the table in front of them and stalking away.

Running on autopilot, Edward simply walked into the café with a blank expression, his two siblings hot on his heels. Once inside the packed establishment, the vampires didn't notice the infamous Nate walking by outside.

The uniquely shaped bottle instantly caught Nate's eye. Never one to pass up an opportunity to satiate his curiosity, he picked up the perfume and sniffed it, finding it to his liking for some unbeknownst reason. Nate's always had questionable 'taste' when it came to some things...

A small smile spread across his face as the scent engulfed him. "..Ooh."

He then proceeded to squeeze the pump several times, squirting the 'perfume' on his neck and patting it in. Tucking the bottle away in his pocket for safe keeping, he walked into the café, intent on getting a much-needed refreshment.

The second he stepped inside, the scent encompassed every square inch of the place. The human patrons all ran out like their lives depended on it, coughing and gagging, desperate for some fresh air. The vampires exchanged a wary look before staring at Nate in disbelief as they stood in front of the bar. The culprit himself was entirely unfazed as he sat down at a booth and took a long sip of a random juice.

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

Ignoring the dread churning in my stomach, I told myself that the group assignment would go off without a hitch. Everyone would get along. Rikki and Will. Me and Edward. Edward and Will.. I, for one, was certainly going to do my part to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible. No matter what Edward said or did, I wouldn't let him ruffle my feathers. I was determined.

With that in mind, I walked towards the café with my head held high, my brows furrowing when I noticed a dozen or so people coughing and gagging as they ran out of the place like bats out of hell.

I paused mid-step for a moment, my thoughts going a mile a minute before forcing myself to walk into the café. Immediately, I locked gazes with the last boy I wanted to see. Despite my stomach twisting into a giant knot at the sight of him, I managed to flash him a smile. It was half-hearted, but it was a smile, nonetheless. To my surprise, his solemn mask faltered for a split second, but it slid back in place almost immediately. Still, I almost called it a 'win'.

Alice was standing next to him, her lips pulled down at the corners. That's when I noticed that Emmett was there as well, his frown matching his sister's. I approached the three of them, albeit hesitantly. As I've stated countless times, the only Cullen I had any sort of issue with was Edward, so the smile I offered his siblings was sincere.

The café was nearly empty— A rare sight. So, I asked them, "What's going on?"

It was Emmett that responded, pointing towards the far corner and saying, "Ask him."

My eyes followed his finger, landing on Nate. Oh, no. What's he done?

I opened my mouth to speak, to ask for clarification, but Edward chose to speak up, grumbling bitterly to me, "Your friend smells like something crawled up in him and died."

My mouth fell open in shock. Sure, Nate could shower a bit more, but I've never noticed him having an intolerable odor. I mean, he was a teenage guy, so he didn't exactly smell like roses. But smelling like roadkill? Never.

"Seriously?" I quirked a brow at Edward, frowning at his rude comment. "That's not a very kind thing to say, you know."

Per usual, I was met with an eyeroll.

To my surprise, Alice looked at me, her tone apologetic as she said, "..He's right. Maybe you should talk to him.." She gestured towards Nate. "..Before someone else calls him out on it.."

When she gave Edward a warning look, I knew exactly who she was referring to. No doubt, her brooding brother wouldn't broach the sensitive subject delicately.

Emmett nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah. Convince him to take a bath. For real. Don't get me wrong— Humans can be smelly, but not that smelly."

Humans? Funny way to word that, but okay. Regardless, they were right. If Nate was having hygiene issues that he's unaware of, it'd probably be best if he heard the news from a... Well, I wouldn't exactly call him a 'friend'— Bandmate. Yeah, bandmate.

Knowing that, I forced my feet to move in his direction, still not noticing an odor. But I knew Alice wouldn't have brought it up if there wasn't an issue, so I pushed forward, coming to a stop in front of him.

Nate looked up, removing the straw from his lips and smiling at me. "Hey, Bella."

"..Uh, hi.." I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, not knowing to approach the topic.

He quirked a brow at him. "Something the matter?"

My cheeks heated up in response. "Oh, um, no.. I mean— Yes. Yes, there, uh.. is.."

His smile never wavered as he said, "Well, go on then. Spit it out."

I could feel three sets of eyes practically burning a hole through my back— One pair in particular.

Wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible, I forced myself to blurt out, "You, uh.. You need to, um.." Come on, Bella. Just say it. "..When was the last time you.. took a shower?"

There.

His grin only grew, clearly unfazed. "Dunno," he shrugged, smirking as he wagged his brows. "How about you join me for one?"

My jaw went slack, my face heating up in a mixture of anger and embarrassment. He was unbelievable. "Nate.. We've been over this. Now I really don't want to be.. hurtful. But.. I want you to—"

I trailed off midsentence as Nate held up his hand. That's when it hit me. The most erotic, delectable scent I've ever encountered... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Updated on Monday as promised. :) Let's see if I can keep it up lol! I'm not exactly a 'schedule' type of person. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants, so we'll see how long this schedule lasts. 

 

Chapter 14: 13. The Twilight Zone

||Edward's P.O.V.||

The rotting smell was enough to make any human's stomach roll. My siblings and I held our breath, unwilling to breathe in the foul stench that was the irritating boy. He had managed to clear out the entire café, aside from my family and myself, so I was genuinely surprised that Bel— Hartley had yet to turn around and flee like the rest.

I watched their interaction with a look of disgust, glaring at a clueless Nate as the blue-eyed girl tried to ease into the subject.

"You, uh.. You need to, um.." She stammered, blinking rapidly. "..When was the last time you.. took a shower?"

Finally.

Emmett snickered, amused by her blushing girls. Poor girl. "We shouldn't have sent her over there, man."

Alice was quick to pipe up, saying, "She's got this."

I forced my siblings' commentary to the backburner, focusing entirely on the interaction occurring across the café. The second Hartley mentioned the word 'shower', the foul-smelling boy's thoughts were in the gutter. I gritted my teeth at the perverse images that drifted through his mind.

Nate's grin only grew at her question, unfazed. "Dunno," he shrugged, smirking as he wagged his brows. "How about you join me for one?"

Unbelievable. My jaw went slack the exact moment Hartley's did. As did my siblings.

"I gotta hand it to him— The dude's got balls," Emmett commented, chuckling lowly. Smelly balls, but balls all the same.

There was no stifling the eyeroll at that.

"He can't take a hint," Alice added, frowning at the boy from afar.

"Not at all," I mumbled in annoyance.

Did he really think she'd ever give him the time of day, especially while he reeks of rotting fish?! Judging by his thoughts, he most certainly did. He found the horrendous stench to be 'musky'. Heaven only knows how he found the God-awful scent appealing. Even a mind-reader such as myself couldn't wrap my head around it. Clearly, he had a few screws loose in the head.

Hartley's blush proceeded to spread to her neck, her expression a mixture of thinly veiled anger and frustration. "Nate.. We've been over this. Now I really don't want to be.. hurtful. But.. I want you to—" She trailed off midsentence when he held up his hand, her eyes widening as she inhaled deeply.

I watched in confusion as her pupils dilated, drowning out her sapphire irises. A dreamy smile flitted to her lips, causing me and my siblings to exchange a curious glance.

She rushed to his side, sliding into the booth beside him and batting her lashes as she said, "—To never leave my sight..."

At that point, my jaw came unhinged. I couldn't help but look around the café, half-expecting to find some hidden cameras.

"..She's kidding, right?" Emmett asked, arching a brow.

I was far too stunned to respond. And it seemed as though Nate, himself, was astonished as well. He looked at Hartley in disbelief, staring at her intently.

Her smile only grew as she continued, "I wanna be with you all the time and do whatever you say.." She pulled her lower lip between her teeth in a seductive manner.

Her heartbeat was steady. She was being serious. I froze up like a statue, not believing my eyes or ears. Never in a million years would I have seen this plot-twist coming. The foul-smelling boy wasn't her type. Right? Does she not have a sense of smell? I mean, she never expressed any interest in him before. As a matter of fact, I've heard her turn him down in the past! Was I in an episode of The Twilight Zone? Had to be...

"...What?" Alice whispered in disbelief, her mouth falling open.

Emmett was struggling to stifle his laughter. I could see my bewildered expression via his thoughts, and if I was in the right state of mind, I was certain I would have found my flabbergasted features to be a bit humorous. But that wasn't the case.

Nate's perverse thoughts intensified tenfold as he registered Hartley's comment. Whatever I say? Hot damn! He grinned from ear to ear, smirking as he asked her, "But.. But you don't think I stink?"

That was the question we were all wondering. Were her olfactory senses malfunctioning?

"Oh, no. I think you smell manly and attractive and.." She booped his nose before finishing the sentence, "..good."

My bewilderment turned to blatant horror. I was thoroughly appalled. It took a great amount of willpower for me to stay rooted in place. My gut was telling me something wasn't right. This wasn't Hartley. Her blown pupils led me to believe that she was under the influence of some sort of drug, but that didn't make sense? Nothing made sense...

"Okay. I'm a little bit freaked out right now.." Alice commented, her brows knitting as she stared at Hartley in complete and total shock. "I was under the impression that she wasn't into him. Like at all."

"Yeah." Emmett was quick to agree, studying the golden-haired girl in confusion. "And doesn't she have the hots for that Will guy?"

The second he spoke his name, another wave of frustration coursed through me. Despite my vexed state, I still responded, saying, "You're both correct."

"Then why is she hanging onto the guy that reeks of whale guts?" My brother wondered, curious as ever. Does she have a nose?

"Good question," I ground out the words, my eyes never leaving the girl in question.

She giggled like a schoolgirl, smiling up at the boy with lovesick eyes as she snuggled against him.

"Should we do something?" Emmett asked, his thoughts unsure.

We were each at a loss, but the second the possibility of intervening was mentioned, I prepared to spring into action. But before I could so much as take a step in Hartley's direction, Alice wrapped her tiny hand around my arm, stopping me.

"It's not our place," my adoptive sister blurted out. We need to stay out of it.

I stared at her with wide eyes, struggling to hide my panic. But why was I panicked? This was too much. After not feeling anything for two decades, the turbulence of emotions I've been dealing with recently were simply too much. I felt overwhelmed.

"She's clearly not in her right state of mind, Alice," I spoke firmly, shaking my head in aggravation as I cast another glance in Hartley's direction, taking note of the delicate blush that dusted her cheeks as she stared adoringly at Nate. "Something's going on."

"Like what?" She wondered, lifting a brow in challenge as she dropped her hand from my arm. "She's making literal googly eyes at him, Edward."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, my voice going up an octave. Did she not realize how wrong this is? "She's never so much as spared him a second glance before."

Alice pursed her lips, her thoughts going a mile a minute.

Emmett felt the need to put in his two cents, saying, "Eh, you know how humans can be. They're fickle."

Truer words were never spoken, as evidenced by the 'fickle' human girl who broke my heart all those years ago. A fresh wave of despair gripped me at the reminder, further adding to the chaos churning within me.

The owner of the establishment, who I knew to be 'Zane', walked into the café, his face pulled down in disgust. Given his thoughts, he believed the stench was simply 'lingering'. He hadn't an earthly clue that the owner of the scent was sitting in a booth next to a certain giggly, blue-eyed girl.

He glanced around the café, taking note of the lack of the customers. His brows furrowed in confusion, a moment passing before he shrugged and walked behind the counter while mumbling to himself, "Quiet day.."

All the while, I couldn't tear my eyes from Hartley, watching in horror as she put a straw to Nate's lips, allowing him to sip juice. The infuriating boy was lapping up the attention, licking his lips in a sensual manner as he looked her up and down.

So help me if he touches her...

  A girl that I recognized as Hartley's friend, 'Cleo', waltzed into the café, approaching us with a small smile.

"Hey. Bella about?" She asked casually.

The whites of my knuckles threatened to pierce through my granite skin as I glowered at Nate. "Ask him," I ground out, nodding towards the idiot.

Emmett and Alice quirked a brow in unison at my harsh tone, their minds going blank. I was half tempted to forget about the stupid speech all together and flee the scene. But the demon on my shoulder won out— Forcing me to stay and bear witness to the train wreck before me.

Cleo opened her mouth to speak, but before she had the chance, the sound of Nate's voice caused her to turn around. When she saw her close friend with the fool, her mouth fell open.

"You know I would love another drink. Do you want one?" He asked Hartley, that smirk of his never wavering.

"Yeah!" Hartley blurted out with pure excitement, reaching for his arm as he prepared to stand up. "But, please, let me get it.."

I couldn't stifle the eyeroll as his smirk widened. He was beyond pleased with himself.

She was quick to hop out of the booth and approach the counter beside us, barely sparing me a glance.

"Hi, Cleo," she casually greeted her friend, briefly locking eyes with me as she walked by. "Alice. Emmett. Edward."

The scowl on my face deepened at the sound of her chipper voice saying my name. She spoke it in the same connotation as she had my siblings— Carefree.

She placed her hands on the counter, catching Zane's attention before handing him the empty cup. "Two more, please, Zane."

He met her gaze with a look of disgust, still struggling with the horrid smell that seemed to occupy every square inch of the space.

He took the cup from her with a frown and asked, "Don't you smell that?"

She didn't bat an eye. "Smell what?"

He blinked slowly before shaking his head in frustration as he began to prepare the drinks. I expected Hartley to give us the time of day, but I should've known better. Even as she was standing right beside us, her eyes never left Nate.

Cleo pressed her lips into a thin line, moving to stand directly beside Hartley and asking quietly, "..Bella, what's going on?"

That was the million-dollar question. Has the girl gone off the deep-end? What she spoke next led me to believe that she had...

Leaning towards Cleo, she quietly spoke, "Just between you and me... I think love is in the air."

I was floored. You could have tipped me over with a leaf. She had to have joking. Was she messing with us? Given her steady heartrate, it didn't seem so, but I could be wrong. If only her thoughts weren't eerily shielded. Oh, what I'd give to catch a glimpse of the inner workings of her mind and see for myself what in the hell was going on.

Cleo's wide eyes matched mine and my siblings, each of us at a complete loss.

Hartley placed her hand over her mouth in a bashful manner and giggled airily. The sound would have been endearing under different circumstances. Wait— Endearing?! Pfft. More like 'enduring'...

"It's like I'm seeing Nate with new eyes," she explained with that same faraway look playing on her features, giddy as she walked back to Nate with a pep in her step.

To my horror and dismay, instead of sitting beside him, she plopped down on his lap without a second thought. I absolutely despised that I saw red at the sight. Especially when Nate's thoughts took an 'oh-so-expected' turn, reveling the feel of her warm little body against his. Was I seriously... jealous?! Was I jealous of the pathetic excuse of a boy who had a starry-eyed Hartley atop his lap? Surely not. I was just... annoyed. The entire situation was.. well, it was pissing me off!

"I don't get it.." Cleo said to Alice. "She can't stand Nate. None of us can."

My sister shrugged. "Guess she changed her mind?"

My jaw ticked. There was more to it than that. She didn't strike me as the type of girl to do a full one-eighty out of nowhere.

Cleo pursed her lips, appearing deep in thought. "Something's not right."

That we could agree on.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she walked towards the 'duo' with a look of frustration. Hopefully, she could snap her friend out of it. Or at the very least, run Nate off.

When he saw her approaching him, he flashed her a huge smile and waved. Suddenly, she came to an abrupt halt as she inhaled deeply. No doubt, she was finally assaulted with his horrendous stench. But to my dismay, instead of gagging or appearing even somewhat disgusted, her pupils dilated and a dreamy smile flitted to her lips— That same glazed-over look befalling her that Hartley was sporting.

"Hey, Nate. You look good today." Cleo smiled sweetly and sat down beside him. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure." He grinned, eating up the attention. His thoughts went rampant— Wow. Two hot girls swooning over the Nater.

He was ridiculous.

Hartley narrowed her eyes at her friend, her heartrate spiking. She was jealous. That knowledge caused my own jealousy to increase tenfold.

"What are you talking about?" Cleo asked, batting her lashes.

"Oh, um. Nothing. I was just letting Bella look at me." He stated as he went back to reading the magazine in faux nonchalance.

I was this close to stalking over there, grabbing that stupid magazine, and ripping it to shreds. Emmett and Alice were stunned as they watched the two girls fawn over the dumb boy.

Hartley flashed him a seductive smile that would send any man to his knees as she nibbled on her lower lip. Oh, God.

"Can I do that too?" Cleo questioned, never taking her eyes off him.

"Sure." He shrugged, wagging his brows at the two girls.

If I wasn't certain that something was up before, I certainly was now. Hartley's friend was dating that Lewis fellow, and from what I understood, they were pretty serious. So, why was she awestruck by 'the Nater'? Why would anyone be awestruck by him?!

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Zane's jaw drop when he saw that Nate was surrounded by both girls. What the hell, he thought.

***

Minutes passed as we waited for Rikki and Will to show up to the café so we could work on our speech, and I was quickly losing my patience. My siblings noticed my tense posture and clenched jaw, but they didn't comment on it. They were used to my never-ending foul mood, so they didn't think twice about it. And they certainly didn't attribute it to a certain blue-eyed girl who was sitting prettily atop an idiot's lap.

When Will waltzed into the café with a cheeky smile, my sour mood worsened. Then, I was struck with inspiration. If anyone could snap Hartley out of whatever trance she had fallen under, it was her 'crush'.

A look of utter disgust fell over Will's face, struggling to resist the urge to gag as he covered his mouth and nose.

He came to a stop in front of me and Alice, asking, "What is that horrible smell?"

My siblings and I immediately pointed to the culprit, Will's jaw going slack when he took in the scene. His thoughts were scattered as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

"So... Let me get this straight.." He trailed off, pausing as he tried not to gag. "..Nate reeks, and Bella and Cleo are.. doing what exactly?"

"They find him.. appealing," Emmett chuckled lowly. "Lord only knows why."

I couldn't believe I was going to ask for Will's help, but I was at a loss. Hartley would never listen to me, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand there and resist the urge to toss her over my shoulder and get her as far away from Nate as physically possible.

"Could you try talking to.." I couldn't bring myself to say her given name, so I opted for my go-to," ..Hartley.. and see what's going on?"

Will's brows flew up his forehead, his thoughts giving away just how shocked he was that I was even addressing him.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, looking from me to Hartley and back again. Why me? He silently wondered. "Um.. Sure?"

He held his breath, thanking his lucky stars that he was a freediver with 'lungs of steel' (his words, not mine), and walked over to the trio. Hartley had her arms wrapped around Nate's neck, running her hand through his hair as Cleo leaned against his shoulder.

"Uh, Bella?" Will addressed her, still refusing to breathe. "Can we talk for a sec?"

I waited on pins and needles for her response. To my surprise, she looked up at him with a blank expression, the usual 'heart eyes' she had around Surfer Boy nowhere to be seen.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" She retorted, turning her full attention back to a smirking Nate.

"Yeah, man. She's busy," he practically purred in her ear, causing her to shiver and giggle.

This was worse than I thought. If Will, the boy she normally fell over herself for, couldn't get through to her, who could?!

Will's mouth fell open, a bit taken aback by Hartley's sudden lack of interest. He considered her an actual friend, and his feeling were a bit hurt that she was brushing him aside. Without saying a word, he spun around on his heels and marched back over to us.

Shaking his head, he mumbled, "She's 'busy'."

I gritted my teeth, fighting against every instinct that was telling me to rip her from Nate. Truly, I wasn't sure where these urges were coming from.

Alice frowned. "So, do you think we'll get to work on our speech or..?"

I rolled my eyes. Surely, she realized that there was much more at stake here than a simple high-school assignment.

Zane was wiping down the counters when he caught another whiff of the 'stench'. It was then that he realized it was coming from his oblivious friend, Nate. When in the hell did he last bathe? He thought bitterly to himself before grabbing a clean towel and holding it over his face as he approached their table.

"Nate. Nate, we need to talk," Zane stated sternly, his voice muffled through the towel.

The two girls never tore their eyes from Nate as he looked up at Zane.

"Uh, about what?"

Zane begrudgingly removed the towel from his face, struggling not to show his disgust as he said, "It's delicate. Let's do it in private."

Nate smirked. "Whatever you've got to say to me, you can say right here in front of these fine feminatas."

Hartley and her friend giggled joyously, hanging onto his every word. I've never seen such a sight in all my years. It was like something straight out of a movie.

"We're all friends, right?" Nate grinned from ear to ear, staring up at a very annoyed Zane.

"Okay." He shrugged carelessly, throwing the towel over his shoulder before saying point-blank, "Nate, you stink."

I applauded his straight forwardness. As did my brother, who was snickering to himself.

The two girls whipped their heads towards Zane, their eyes flashing as they furiously stared up at him.

Zane paid them no mind, saying to Nate, "You've driven out all my customers, and I want you out."

"WHAT?!" The girls shrieked; aghast.

Emmett's quiet laughter grew louder. Even Alice was biting back a smile. Will and I, however, were far from amused. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have something in common with 'Surfer Boy'.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Hartley firmly spoke, removing herself from Nate's lap and standing up, shielding him in a protective manner as she squared up to Zane.

The sight would've been comical under different circumstances— The petite girl 'protecting' a clown of a boy.

"Well, it's the truth," Zane quipped, unfazed. "He smells like a tuna with hygiene issues."

She glowered at him. As did Cleo. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under.

"I'd watch your words if I were you," Hartley warned, her nostrils flaring and fists clenching.

"I don't believe this," I mumbled bitterly, shaking my head.

My comment earned a chuckle from my siblings. How were they finding this humorous?

Will's face brightened when Rikki walked into the café, her expression solemn as she saw her two friends squaring up with her boyfriend. Surely, Hartley's spitfire of a friend could talk some sense into her. Rikki wasn't the type to sugarcoat anything. No doubt, she'd tell them both how downright foolish they were being.

Furrowing her brows, she walked over to them and asked, "What's going on?"

Zane opened his mouth to speak, but before he had the chance, Hartley smirked as she reclaimed her position on Nate's lap, saying, "Let's ask Rikki, shall we?"

Cleo grinned and nodded, standing up and grabbing Rikki, leading her to the table.

"..Hey, Rikki. Does Nate stink?" Bella asked, tilting her head as she ran a hand through Nate's hair.

God Almighty, help me. My jaw ticked.

Rikki looked at her two friends in disbelief, rolling her eyes and scoffing. "Are you kidding?!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, my shoulders slumping forward. Finally.

"Nate's the most—" Rikki cut herself off as Nate waved flirtatiously. Her mouth fell open as her pupils dilated. Like the flip of a light switch, she exhaled sharply and rushed to his side. "—He's the most... Ah, he's just the most.. man I've ever met.." She proceeded to pet his hair, sporting that same starry-eyed expression as her friends.

For the umpteenth time, my jaw literally hit the floor. As did my siblings'. And Will's. And most definitely Zane's.

Hartley and Rikki started shoving each other, clearly fighting for Nate's attention. I had stepped foot into an alternate reality. That was the only explanation that made even a lick of sense.

Zane's face flushed with anger as he stared at his girlfriend, his thoughts going a mile a minute. The word 'Ambergris' was forefront in his mind, as though the pieces were falling into place.

I was somewhat familiar with 'Ambergris'. It was often found floating at sea or washed ashore— A rare byproduct of the sperm whale's diet, specifically from the beaks and other indigestible parts of squid they consume. Historically, it used to be used in perfumery as a fixative for its 'unique' scent, and in some traditional medicines.

But what in the world did Ambergris have to do with any of this? As Zane stared at the trio of lovestruck girls, his thoughts became eerily silent before he bolted out of the café.

Alice turned to me and said, "Well, it doesn't look we'll be working on our speech today." With a shrug, she walked towards the exit, followed closely by Emmett. You coming? They both called out via their thoughts.

I forced myself to tear my gaze from Hartley, but I knew I couldn't bring myself to leave. Something within me wouldn't allow that to happen. I had to be here. Clearly, the three girls weren't in their right minds.

I walked towards the exit, peeping outside but refusing to leave the establishment as I said to my siblings, "You guys go on. I'll catch up."

They furrowed their brows. "You sure, man?" Emmett asked.

I nodded, clenching my jaw when Hartley's delighted giggle filled my ears. Via Emmett's mind, I could see that she was rubbing her nose against Nate's.

"Eskimo kisses," she cooed, giggling once more.

  I stiffened, running a hand through my hair and causing it to stand up on end.

"..I'm sure," I ground out the words. "There's some things I need to tend to."

My siblings knew better than to question me. They were used to my 'strange, solitary' behavior by now. So, without saying another word, they made their leave.

A moment passed before I looked outside and saw Zane scouring the tables in front of the café. He locked eyes with Lewis as he approached.

"Lewis. Did you take the bottle from this table?" He asked him, sounding frantic.

Lewis shook his head, coming to a standstill.

Zane's face flushed for the second time in a matter of minutes. Still yet, his thoughts were radio silent. Was I losing my touch? It seemed as though there was some sort of interference with my ability, and it only seemed to be getting worse. I brushed aside that particular worry for another time, well-aware that there were more important issues at hand.

"Uh... We might have a problem," Zane said to Lewis, his eyes wide.

My interest was piqued. The sound of shuffling coming from behind me in the café caused me to turn around, my jaw going slack as I saw Nate begin to strum the guitar. When the girls started dancing around him, I knew I could no longer be a bystander. I had to intervene.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Would you guys prefer the next chapter to mainly be in Bella's P.O.V. or Edward's? 🤔 I'm leery to write in Bella's because it's basically just going to be her 'fawning' over Nate, but it'd be interesting to get a look inside her mind while she's under the influence of Ambergris 😅 Or would you rather have a front-row seat to Edward's jealousy? Which is going to get so much worse in the next chapter haha!! 🤭 I'll probably just go back and forth between the two.

Chapter 15: 14. Mesmerized

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

The three girls had towels in their hands as they danced around the guitar-strumming fool. I stared at Hartley in complete shock, studying her mesmerized expression as she danced like her life depended on it.

Just as I was preparing to break up the ridiculous scene, Will approached me. His hands were in his pockets as he watched the train-wreck unfolding.

"..What am I witnessing right now?" He mumbled in disbelief.

I gritted my teeth, saying nothing as I stepped forward, closing the small distance between me and Hartley. She nearly collided with me, weaving around me at the last second and never missing a step, paying me no mind whatsoever. None of them were.

"Hartley," I forced myself to speak, my voice sounding rougher than I would have liked.

She didn't so much as bat as bat an eye in acknowledgment, continuing to twirl around Nate with her two friends.

Lewis and Zane hurriedly stumbled into the cafe, their eyes widening in horror as they took in the sight of their two girlfriends dancing it up for Nate. Their thoughts were entirely chaotic; jumbled. And I didn't have the patience to sift through him. Certainly not as Hartley leaned in and kissed the imbecile's cheek, giggling as she did another twirl. The girl has lost her ever-loving mind...

The two frustrated boys exchanged a wary look before Zane addressed Lewis, saying quietly, "You know what this is, don't you? The ambergris."

The ambergris. What is it with them and 'ambergris'? What does it have to do with anything?! Did they not care that their significant others were putting on a show for another man?!

"No, no. What, you figured that out all by yourself?" Lewis responded sarcastically, clearly at his wits end.

I forced my gaze from a dancing Hartley, focusing on the two boys as they bickered back and forth.

"Well, Mister 'ambergris is a myth'." Zane quipped, using air quotes. "What are we gonna do?"

What do they mean by that? Ambergris is a myth? In what world? Sure, it was exceedingly rare, but a myth? Surely, they aren't that clueless. As a matter of fact, from what I've picked up from Lewis's thoughts, the young scientist seemed to be a bit of a genius. The café owner, on the other hand...

Per usual, my curiosity was getting the best of me. I took a slow step towards them and asked, "What's going on here?"

As if on cue, their thoughts were eerily silent. Not even so much as a 'buzz'— You know that staticky 'snow' channel on old TV's? Yeah, there was none of that.

They exchanged another look before shifting their focus to the girls, ignoring my question entirely. If I wasn't already annoyed, I would have been now.

Zane scoffed in disgust, gesturing at Rikki and saying to Lewis, "How can she touch him, let alone dance for him?!"

A scowl crawled across Lewis's face as they approached the guitar-strumming boy, squaring up to him. Of course, I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to do so as well. Nate was clearly taking advantage of the three girls. I wasn't sure how, but he was.

"..Rikki." Zane firmly spoke in sync with Lewis as he said, "Cleo."

I didn't say a word. Instead, I involuntarily reached for Hartley, gently wrapping a hand around her forearm, stopping her in her tracks as she was mid-twirl.

Her bright blue eyes flashed with undiluted anger as they snapped to mine, staring up at me like icy fire.

"What?!" She hissed along with her friends, the three girls in perfect unison.

Seeing the look of raw fury on her face, I immediately released her, not wanting to enrage her further. Lewis and Zane took a quick step back from the girls, their eyes widening in what appeared to be.. fear?

"Um.. Can you come outside for a second?" Zane asked timidly, earning a sharp glare from Rikki.

The three girls rolled their eyes and resumed dancing around Nate, who was clearly on cloud nine. The giddy boy never stopped strumming the guitar, and I was half tempted to snap it in half.

Lewis licked his lips in a nervous manner, his heart skipping a beat. "Yeah, girls. Let's, uh.. Take a break and go outside for some fresh air, yeah?"

He was trying to reason with them, but it was all for not.

"We're dancing with Nate," Rikki responded, her voice clipped.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Will casually leaning against the wall, watching the scene unfold with a solemn expression. Given his thoughts, he was just as perplexed as I was.

When Hartley shifted her position and started dancing closer to Nate, my jaw clenched. She smirked sensually before pressing herself against his side, starting to sway her hips. My jaw went slack, pure fury coursing through me. Does she have no shame?!

My face twisted into a scowl before I grabbed her by her waist and swiftly removed her from the smirking boy. I couldn't help but relish the feel of her warm body tucked against mine, but I forced that particular thought to the back of my mind. I was far too frustrated to be lusting after her. Her and her friends' behavior had thrown me for a loop.

I was quick to drop my hands from her waist, not trusting myself enough to touch her in such a way. Instead, I wrapped my hands around her wrists, acting like shackles as she struggled against me. Normally, I would never condone such measures, but she clearly wasn't in her right state of mind, and I wasn't about to let her 'grope' the foul-smelling imbecile. 

 She glared up at me and continued to try to free herself to no avail.

"Yeah, we can see that.." Zane trailed off as he studied his girlfriend. "Don't you think it's a little strange?"

Why wasn't he and Lewis taking the same precaution I was? Why were they allowing their girlfriends to shamelessly dance for a boy they, quote on quote, 'can't stand'?

"Nate's hot," Rikki states as though it was obvious.

Hartley and Cleo nod in agreement. The blue-eyed girl's struggle didn't ease against my vice-like grip. No way in hell was I going to let go.

"..SO hot," Hartley practically purred, making dreamy eyes at Nate as she continued to struggle.

I narrowed my eyes at her, looking at her in disbelief. "Would you stop?"

Of course, she ignored me, too busy staring longingly at Nate who was the making the stupidest of faces as he continued his guitar solo.

"..Yeah.. Yeah.." Zane mumbled, covering his face and mouth and stepping back.

"Let me go!" Hartley raised her voice, shooting daggers at me as she tried to break free once more.

At that point, I feared she was going to hurt herself. The look in her eyes was animalistic, and I was reminded of a wild animal that would chew its own leg off to free itself from a snare.

I stepped closer to her, loosening my grip a tad to prevent her from injuring herself as I whispered, "What is going on with you, Hartley?"

She lifted her chin in a defiant manner, her eyes glinting with determination and fury as she spoke, her voice firm and unforgiving, "..Don't make me hurt you."

My brows flew up my forehead in surprise. The thought of her 'hurting' me was downright laughable. Despite the situation, I breathed out a laugh, shaking my head in mild amusement.

"Uh.. Dude.. You should probably let her go," Lewis said to me, his voice wavering.

I tore my gaze from Hartley to look at her anxious friend. His thoughts were still jumbled and staticky, but his wide eyes were wary— Revealing just how anxious he was.

Stealing another glimpse at Hartley and seeing the fire sparking in her fiery blue eyes, I reluctantly released my hold on her for the second time. When I did, like the flip of a light switch, her mood did a complete one-eighty. Her lovestruck smile returned with a vengeance as she rejoined her friends in their ridiculous 'dance circle'.

A part of still believed I was being punked.

Zane and Lewis stepped back several paces, watching the unfolding train wreck before them.

"We've gotta fix this," Zane said to him before they rushed out of the café, trying not to gag.

I was torn. Do I stay and keep an eye on Hartley and her friends? Or do I follow after the fleeing boys and demand answers? They seemed to have somewhat of a clue as to what was going on. Unless I wanted to throw Hartley over my shoulder and drag her out of the café (which I was still tempted to do), then the only chance I had at putting a stop to the whatever the hell this is would be to get some answers.

With that in mind, I forced myself to follow after them, quickly catching up as they stopped outside of the café to catch their breath.

"What in the hell is going on?" I blurted out without warning and was met with dumbstruck looks from the two boys.

It was Lewis that spoke up, clearing his throat before saying, "Oh, um. Nothing. I-I mean, what are you even talking about?"

Was he being serious? I looked at him incredulously, watching as his face reddened to that of a tomato. His thoughts were still guarded, revealing nothing. I couldn't tell you how frustrated that made me.

Zane frowned, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at me. "What he means to say is— 'It's none of your business'."

My brows flew up my forehead, a bit taken aback by his tone. Then again, should I be? From what I knew of Zane Bennett, I was aware he was... an acquired taste. Then again, look who's talking, am I right?

My jaw ticked in annoyance. "Your girlfriends are in there all over an idiot that reeks of whale guts. So, why aren't—"

Zane cut me off with a scowl, speaking firmly, "Exactly. Our girlfriends. You don't have a horse in this race. Now, if you'll excuse us."

My eyes narrowed into slits as I clenched my jaw. Lewis looked back and forth between me and Zane, visibly anxious.

"Yeah, um. We just.." Lewis trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. "We have this under control, mate. No worries."

From what I could make of his thoughts, I knew he meant no offense. He cared deeply for all three of the girls and appeared to have their best interest at heart.

Zane, however, was a loose cannon. Sure, he cared about his girlfriend, but he was indifferent towards Hartley and Cleo. Every time I caught a glimpse of his thoughts, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. Zane was selfish, and his mind wasn't a pleasant place to be in. Plain and simple.

Turning my attention from Zane, I focused on Lewis. If I wanted answers, he would be the one to provide them.

"..Why are they behaving so strange?" I asked him, folding my arms across my chest. "You must know their behavior is abnormal."

Just like that, their minds went blank. I was in disbelief.

"Yeah," Lewis blurted out, his face flushing. "I, uh.. I think they may have eaten something.. a-and it's not agreeing with them. Must have been some bad.. pizza.. yesterday."

His erratic heartrate gave away his lie (if it wasn't already obvious). Was he really trying to blame this on food poisoning?

"You mentioned something in there about 'ambergris'?" I quirked a brow.

Lewis's mouth fell open before snapping shut with an audible click. He exchanged a wary glance with Zane, who was shaking his head in annoyance.

Zane turned to me, his eyes flashing. "Did we not just tell you to mind your business? Take a hint."

I huffed, my nostrils flaring. The human boy was proving to be a pain. Before I had a chance to collect myself enough to respond, Nate emerged from the café with the girls on his arms.

Hartley was hanging all over him, tucked beneath his arm with hers wrapped around his waist. Cleo was on his other arm while Rikki had his hand clasped in hers. The nuisance of a boy was on cloud nine, his thoughts beyond perverse. I had half a mind to march over there and toss him off the pier.

"I have an idea," Zane whispered to Lewis before calling out, "Nate!"

They ran towards him, their eyes honing in on their girlfriends for a split second before focusing on Nate.

Zane continued, saying, "I.. really need your help, man. Trouble with the Zodiac, and you're the ace with boats."

Despite it 'not being my business', I followed after them, determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Um, I'm a bit busy here, mate." Nate smirked as Hartley traced his collarbone with her fingertips.

I stiffened at the sight, glaring a hole straight the smelly imbecile. What is wrong with her?! Every other human, aside from her two friends, were repulsed by his stench!

"Yeah, I know." Zane spoke firmly, his voice clipped. "And I wouldn't ask if it wasn't an emergency."

The three girls eyed Nate with sensual smiles, as though silently pleading with him.

And, of course, he said, "Maybe some other time, eh?"

Zane, Lewis, and I exchanged a look. I could hear the wheels turning in their minds.

Zane's eyes lit up before saying to Nate, "What if I offered you free use of the Zodiac, um.. for a week?"

Nate pulled his lower lip between his teeth, debating. "...Well, I guess I could spare five minutes."

The girls proceeded to pout, grabbing his shoulders.

"You'll wait, won't you, ladies?" He smiled at them.

"Awww.." They whined in sync. "Don't go."

"Please?" Hartley batted her lashes in a sultry manner that had me gritting my teeth.

Nate clicked his tongue and sucked on his teeth, looking at us with a pensive expression. At that point, I was desperate.

"Two weeks," Zane, Lewis, and I said in sync.

Under different circumstances, perhaps I would have been amused.

Nate smirked. That's more like it, he thought before saying, "Allow me a second," and turning to the girls, putting his back towards us.

"...Why don't we just hook up at the beach later on?" he whispered, leaning towards them. "..Then I can give you all my attention."

I was seconds away from snapping when he looked the girls up and down; Hartley in particular. If his gaze had lingered on her breasts for one second longer...

Hartley grabbed him by his shirt, her eyes glinting desperately. "Promise?"

Hot damn. I'm getting laid tonight. Internally, he was bouncing up and down, much to my chagrin. 

 God, I hated him! Getting laid? Over my dead body!

"Sure." He nodded, playing it cool. With a shit-eating grin, he gestured to all three girls and said, "See you then," before backing away slowly.

A sigh of relief escaped me the second the blue-eyed girl was no longer touching the foul-smelling idiot.

The three girls blushed and grinned bashfully, waving at the 'lucky duck' (as he was calling himself).

"..Bye.." Rikki grinned, wagging her brows.

"Bye, Nate." Cleo twirled her hair.

"Ciao, Natey." Bella sighed dreamily.

Natey? The girl has lost her mind. It's official.

Zane and Lewis coughed as Nate walked by, his putrid odor gagging them. Now that's the expected reaction to the disgusting human. They visibly grimaced before following after Nate, heading in the direction of the pier.

I stood firmly rooted to the spot, watching the girls as they clutched at their hearts, wearing that same glazed-over expression as they watched their 'Natey' walk away. 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

I really enjoyed writing this chapter LOL! In the next one, we'll catch a glimpse of Bella's crazy thoughts (which should be interesting and quite entertaining) :D

 

Chapter 16: 15. Guitar Playin', Karate Choppin', Big Wave Surfin' Love Machine

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

"Wow.. I feel really good," I said to the girls as we walked around outside the café.

A warm, fuzzy feeling had engulfed my entire body. I felt as light as air. Butterflies lingered in my stomach, fluttering about in a way that had me grinning ear to ear.

"Yeah, me too." Cleo smiled.

"Yeah!" Rikki nodded, grinning like a possum.

I inhaled deeply, waiting to be hit with... what I wasn't sure. A feeling of disappointment flooded through me as the three of us sniffed the air.

All of a sudden, the fog that had evaded my mind cleared entirely. We exchanged curious looks with each other, our brows furrowing in sync.

"..Why is that?" Rikki wondered aloud.

Yeah.. Why did we feel so.. high? I had never done a drug in my life. I've never so much as drank alcohol, but I had a feeling that what we had just experienced was close to euphoria.

A moment of silence passed as we shook off the lingering effects of... whatever.

  "What time is it?" Cleo asked.

I looked at my watch, my mouth falling open in shock. "It's two o'clock already."

Where has the time gone?

Their jaws dropped just as mine did.

"..What have we been doing all day?" Cleo questioned, a look of befuddlement falling over her face.

Rikki shook her head in disbelief, staring off into space. As did I. What in the world...

I was pulled from my puzzled thoughts when Edward seemed to appear out of nowhere, rushing towards us with a solemn expression.

He came to a stop directly in front of me, scouring my face with piercing eyes and a clenched jaw. "Hartley, may I please speak with you?"

My brows knitted of their own accord. What on earth could he possibly want to speak with me about outside of school? I exchanged a look with Cleo and Rikki, who appeared just as lost as I was.

I was tempted to refuse; if anything just to see his reaction. But the stern set of his jaw led me to believe that he wouldn't take 'no' for answer.

So, begrudgingly, I followed him as he walked towards the pier.

When we were a good distance away from my friends, he spun around on his heels, his eyes wide and somewhat frantic as he blurted out, "What's going on with you?"

If I wasn't mistaken, I could've sworn he sounded almost... concerned? My brows furrowed in confusion for what felt like the umpteenth time as I stared up at him.

"Uh.. What do you mean?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"Seriously?" He looked at me incredulously.

I quirked a brow, waiting impatiently for him to continue.

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up on end as he stared at me in seeming disbelief.

"I.." He trailed off, his tongue darting out to moisten his lips. "..I don't know, Hartley. You just didn't strike me as that type of girl."

I blinked slowly. Was he talking about Will? Of course, I was still lost.

"Excuse me?" I placed a hand on my hip, staring at him indignantly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He exhaled sharply, gripping his roots with both of his hands. He looked... flustered. I was almost amused. Almost.

To my surprise, he leaned towards me, putting his face dangerously close to mine. My heart skipped a beat at the sudden proximity. Instinctively, I held my breath, waiting for him to step back. But he didn't. And I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of doing so myself. So, I stood my ground.

His eyes darted all over my face, as though he was picking me apart. I didn't like how self-conscious I felt all of a sudden.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he broke the tense silence, asking in a low voice, "..Did he do something to you?"

Now, I was beyond lost. What in God's name is he talking about? Amid my own bewilderment, I wasn't able to maintain such close proximity to the confusing boy, so I took a quick step back, breathing a sigh of relief when my heartrate returned to normal. Being close to him made me feel.. nervous? Uneasy. That's the word for it.

"..What?" I asked, not bothering to hide just how confused I was. "What are you talking about?"

Did something to me? What the—

"Are you serious?" He blurted out, shooting me a sharp, unenthused glare.

I rolled my eyes, wanting more than anything to put an end to the conversation. 

His eyes flashed in frustration as he firmly spoke, "You and Nate."

"Me and Nate?" Did I hear him correctly?

"You and Nate," he repeated, holding my gaze with intent.

I looked at him in disbelief, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He had to be joking. But then I realized— This is Edward we're talking about. He doesn't have a 'humorous' bone in his body. A humerus, yes. But humorous— Nope.

His stern expression showed just how serious he was.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Are you crazy? There is no 'me and Nate'."

His mouth fell open, an appalled expression falling over his usual solemn features. "Me? 'Crazy'?" He used air quotes. "You're the one throwing yourself at a malodorous boy that you completely dismissed mere days ago."

"Malodorous?" I quirked a brow. "I'll admit Nate's hygiene leaves a bit to be desired, but I wouldn't go that far." A frown staked its claim on my face as I continued, "And I haven't thrown myself at anyone— Let alone Nate. Get your facts straight.."

Where was this even coming from? I've never shown a romantic interest in Nate whatsoever. And even if I had, it was hardly any of Edward's business.

  His stunned expression never wavered. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" I stared up at him, refusing to break eye contact.

This guy, I swear...

He tilted his head to the side, appearing to study me with scrutinizing eyes. I hated the way it made me feel insecure— Like I was ten inches tall.

Ater a long, drawn-out silence that seemed to stretch on for eternity, he finally spoke once more, "..You were all over him literally moments ago, and now you're telling me to get my facts straight?"

Okay, this was getting to be too much.

My jaw hit the ground. I could feel my face heating up in well-deserved anger. Who was he to question me? Who was he to accuse me of such nonsense, and who was I to care?

Like the flip of a light switch, my jaw snapped shut with an audible click as I ground out the words, "I beg your pardon! I've never—"

My words were cut off as Nate approached, my frustration only growing at the sight of him.

"Hey, Bells. What's up?" He smirked, looking me up and down in a way that made me want to recoil.

I couldn't resist narrowing my eyes at him. In hindsight, it was rude of me to take my frustrations with Edward out on Nate. But in my defense, my bandmate never failed to 'undress' me with his eyes, and it was past the point of getting old.

Edward shot Nate an annoyed glare, rolling his eyes. His reaction to Nate's presence had me shooting daggers his way as well, glaring at the two boys with equal fervor.

"Not now, Nate," I spoke through clenched teeth, my eyes never leaving Edward's.

Nate breathed out an amused laugh, causing me to turn around and focus my stern stare on him.

But... Just like that— All of my anger and frustration evaporated, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading throughout my body and settling in my lower stomach as Nate waved his hand, sending the most delicious of scents wafting my way.

I inhaled deeply, getting high off the erotic aroma. I could vaguely feel a hazy fog rolling through my mind, clouding up my thoughts, but I didn't care. As I stared at Nate, I realized that he was... perfect. He was the sexiest guy I had ever laid eyes upon. No— He was the sexiest guy to exist. To ever exist. Period.

If I knew nothing else, I knew that I wanted him. Needed him. Desperately.

Mine. Mine. Mine. The word was on repeat in my head as I stared into those gorgeous eyes of his, drowning in them.

An involuntary smile flitted to my lips as I drank in every little detail of his perfectly perfect face. God, he's beautiful. Acting on instinct, I launched myself in his arms, needing to be close to him. But even as he wrapped an arm around my waist, I felt like I wasn't close enough. I could never be close enough.

I could hear my heart beating in my ears as I ran my hand along his clothed stomach, yearning to feel every square inch of his sexy body.

"You've got such a great body.." I purred in his ear, watching as a sensual smirk spread across his face.

Did I say how perfect he is? Because he is...

Out of the corner of my eye, I barely noticed Edward's jaw hit the ground.

"I don't believe this," he blurted out, the words hardly registering amid my lust-stricken state.

"Yayyy!" Rikki's and Cleo's excited voices came from behind us before they grabbed Nate as well.

I hardly paid them any mind, too focused on Nate's delighted expression as he looked at us. He was so happy to see us. That made me very, very happy. His happiness was all that mattered.

"Did you miss me?" The dreamy boy asked us, his eyes dancing with joy.

I did more than 'miss' him. Without him, I just knew I wouldn't be able to breathe.

"Yeah!" We nodded, grinning and giggling. "Yep!"

"Who missed me most?" He asked in that suave voice of his.

"Me!" Rikki raised her hand

And Cleo. "ME!"

I elbowed Rikki out of the way, practically shouting, "No, I did!"

The sound of Nate's joyous laughter caused my heart to flutter.

"Oh, girls, girls, girls. Come on, let's not fight." His smirk was ever present. "There's plenty of Nate to go around. Who's up for a swim?"

"Me!" The three of us blurted out in sync.

Oh, to swim with him! I couldn't imagine anything more wonderful than that.

I was pulled from my lovely thoughts when a low growl came from behind me. "That's enough," Edward's voice seemed to echo.

Of course, I paid him no mind. None of us did. Why would I when Nate was standing in front of me in all his glory? To spare Edward so much as a glance would be too big of a waste— That would be one less second that I could admire the perfect boy who owned my heart.

A dreamy sigh escaped me when Nate's eyes locked with mine. Our passionate gaze was broken, however, when I felt someone grab me from behind.

Before I even realized what was happening, I was tossed over someone's shoulder. And not just anyone's shoulder— Edward's. The pure fury that coursed through me at the realization should've been illegal. How dare he interrupt my special time with Nate?! How dare he?!?!

Immediately, I began flailing my fists against his back, bruising myself in the process, no doubt. For a fleeting second, I took note of just how solid he was but quickly collected myself once more. After all, Nate was standing right there... watching me with those precious eyes of his. I had to get back to his side. I had to.

"Let me go! I want Nate! LET ME GO!" I shouted furiously, continuing to pound my fists against his back. But it was like hitting stone. He didn't so much as flinch.

||Edward's P.O.V.||

I couldn't believe this. No, really— I couldn't. She actually had the nerve to tell me to 'get my facts straight', only for her to melt into a puddle the moment he shows his smug, putrid-smelling face?

I kept waiting for this to make sense, but the longer this peculiar situation went on, the more lost I became. It was like she was hypnotized in his presence, reminding me of a cobra dancing for a snake charmer. Except she was far more innocent than a cold-blooded reptile, of course. Then again, the way she was 'hitting' me as she tried to escape my grasp left me wondering..

I couldn't even feel her futile efforts as her fist repeatedly collided with my body of stone. However, I was a bit concerned regarding the bruises she'd be gifted with in vain. This was the second time we've found ourselves in this position— With her tossed over my shoulder and using her little fists as a 'weapon' in a bid to escape. If the situation was different, I would've been slightly amused.

All I knew was that I needed to get her away from the imbecile, and that's exactly what I planned to do. She could try to 'escape' all she wanted. I turned around, putting my back to said idiot and took a step towards the café's exit. That's when the sound of nails on chalkboard pierced my eyes.

"Ah, come on, man. Put my girl down."

My entire body stiffened, going into statue mode when I processed his comment. His girl? I oh-so-slowly turned around to face him, paying no mind to Hartley's continued thrashing as I locked gazes with the dimwitted idiot.

"Your girl? You really believe that? " I arched a brow in challenge, my voice firm. "If I recall correctly, she's turned you down countless times."

The audacity. His thoughts gave away just how naïve he was. He truly did believe that all three girls had 'the hots' for him all of sudden. How could he see that it didn't add up?

"What can I say?" He smirked devilishly as Cleo and Rikki giggled, hanging on his arms. "The girls have finally come to their senses and hopped on board the Nate train. You're just jealous."

I almost laughed out loud at that as I carefully adjusted Hartley on my shoulder, earning another 'punch' from the fuming girl.

"The Nate train?" I quirked a brow, shaking my head.

"The Nate train," he repeated, his voice firm as he wrapped his arms around the two girls.

"..You're a fool," I mumbled to myself, shooting him a sharp glare when he ogled at Hartley's backside.

I was quick to turn back around and head for the exit, desperate to get her out of his vicinity.

But of course, the dunce wasn't done just yet. As I walked away, he went on to say, "The reason the girls dig the Nater is because he's a guitar playin', karate choppin', big wave surfin' love machine."

At that, I did throw my head back and laugh. As narcissistic as he was, he truly believed that.

"Yeah, sure," I chuckled sarcastically, not even sparing him another glance.

He just had to call out, "Face it, man! You're just outgunned."

Outgunned. Ha! With those toothpicks he calls arms.. I didn't even dignify that with a response as I finally exited the foul-smelling café and headed straight towards the pier. Only then did I set Hartley to her feet.

She stared up at me with blue fire flickering in her eyes and flushed cheeks. The furious girl was panting heavily, her chest heaving up and down. She was livid. I mentally prepared myself for her to let me have it. But to my surprise, the fire dissipated and her brows knitted, a look of confusion falling over her features.

"...What's going on?" She asked, blinking rapidly.

I stared at her in disbelief. Her even heartrate and bewildered eyes confirmed that she truly was at a loss. None of this was an 'act'. The poor girl didn't have a clue as to what was going on. And of course... Neither did I.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Happy Memorial Day!! 😊

Sorry if this story is dragging a bit. If you guys have read any of my other stories, then you already know that I liiiiive for slow burns lol! 😆

Here's a question for you guys cause I'm curious: How do you think Edward will eventually discover Bella's secret? 🤔

 

Chapter 17: 16. Lovesick Puppies

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

I stared up at Edward in complete confusion. My head felt like it was swimming yet sinking at the same time. I furrowed my brows, scanning my surroundings. When I saw Cleo and Rikki hanging all over Nate, my jaw dropped.

Meeting Edward's incessant gaze, I asked once more, "..What's going on?"

His golden eyes seemed to harden, pressing his lips into a stern line before saying, "I don't know."

Blinking rapidly, I stole another glance at my friends, watching in horror and bewilderment as they giggled and whispered in Nate's ear.

"Am I missing something here?" I blurted out, not bothering to hide my shock. "Why are they up close and personal with Nate?"

Edward's eyes narrowed into slits. "Jealous?"

My brows flew up my forehead at the assumption, my face flushing with both anger and embarrassment. How dare he.

"I beg your pardon?" I breathed out a scoff. "We've been over this, haven't we? In no world would I be, quote on quote, 'jealous' regarding Nate in any way, shape or form."

My bandmate was hardly my type. Far from it. Deep down, he may very well be a nice guy, but on the surface, he seemed... shallow, for lack of a better term.

"Could've fooled me," Edward mumbled, bitterness dripping from his voice.

I didn't bother stifling an eyeroll before turning around, preparing to confront my friends about their 'flirty' behavior, when I felt Edward's hand wrap around my upper arm. His hold was gentle yet firm, stopping me in my tracks.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, his voice clipped.

I shot him a glare, gesturing to my friends who were making googly eyes at Nate. "I'm going to see what in the world is going on."

"No," he blurted out, his eyes widening as he shook his head.

I was aghast. "Excuse me?"

Who does he think he is?

He clenched his jaw, not saying a word as he stared at me with a dubious expression, his hold on my arm never lessening. I glared down at his hand before yanking myself free.

Glowering at him, I said, "What's your deal?"

"You're my deal," he quipped without missing a beat, returning my glare in full force.

I breathed out a scoff. He has already made that abundantly clear numerous times.

"Yeah. Pretty sure we've established that," I mumbled beneath my breath, rolling my eyes before turning away from him once more.

"Wait!" He called out, darting in front of me and blocking my path.

I stood on my tiptoes, peering over his shoulder at Cleo and Rikki who were both hanging all over Nate. Still.

  "Listen." My voice was clipped as I stared up at Edward, who was proving to be more of a nuisance than usual. "I'm not in the mood for your little games right now, alright? I need to speak with my friends."

His eyes flashed. "If you get any closer to that bumbling idiot, you'll be swooning over him too."

At that, I actually laughed, and it was actually genuine. "Do you hear yourself?"

He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up on end in a comical fashion. He looked... flustered. It was rather amusing; I had to admit. He's usually so 'stoic'.

"Just.." He trailed off, pressing his lips into a thin line as he held my gaze, speaking firmly, "Trust me."

I opened my mouth to speak— To tell him to stay out of it. But his next word stopped me.

"Please.." He added, his topaz eyes seeming to melt, liquid gold swirling in his irises. 

My mouth fell open, a bit stunned. I felt myself softening at his sincere expression. Sensing my wavering conviction, he was quick to continue.

"Look, I don't know what's going on. I haven't the slightest clue. But I can tell you that anytime you or your friends come within six feet of that putrid-smelling imbecile, you..." He trailed off, knitting his brows as he visibly struggled to find the right choice of words. "..You.. go into some sort of mesmerized state. A trance, so to speak."

I looked at him incredulously. "A trance? That's ridiculous."

He quirked a brow in challenge, gesturing towards Rikki and Cleo. "Oh, yeah? Explain that then. Unless— Your friends are always fawning over Nate like lovesick puppies."

I blinked once. Twice. Thrice. He had a point. Rikki and Cleo couldn't stand Nate, so why were they 'hanging all over him'? But what he said didn't make any sense. A trance. Mesmerized. Edward Cullen was full of it.

"Whatever's going on, I'll handle it," I spoke firmly, holding his annoyed gaze like my life depended on it.

He rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah. Cause you've done such a great job of 'handling it' so far."

I narrowed my eyes at him before walking towards my friends, paying Edward no mind as he groaned in frustration.

"Cleo, Rikki—" I called out my friends' names as I approached them but was stopped dead in my tracks when I was hit with the most erotic, sinfully delicious smell I've ever encountered.

And just like that... My eyes were opened, and I realized just how perfectly perfect Nate truly was.

***

||Edward's P.O.V.||

I don't know why I do this to myself. Truly, I don't. According to Alice, I'm as masochistic as they come. And frankly, she was right. Why else would I discreetly follow Hartley and her friends as they prance after Nate on the beach?

What in God's name is wrong with me?! I don't even like the blue-eyed girl! She's far too chipper and carefree. Her bubbly attitude grates my nerves, adding salt to the wounds of my own misery. Yet, despite myself, I'm drawn to her. Like a moth to the flame. Maybe with said flame, I'll set myself ablaze and burn.. and burn.. until nothing's left of me but ashes. I doubt I could ever get so lucky.

Hartley's delighted giggle filled my ears, pulling me from my self-loathing. She was a good hundred feet away, but even then her sweet scent managed to fill my lungs. I hated it. I hated it so much. I hated her.

I gritted my teeth as I stared at her, noting how her golden hair seemed to soak up the sun.

Nate (the dimwitted imbecile) took off his shirt and tossed it in the sand, smirking like the smug fool he is as he picked up an antique-looking perfume bottle and doused himself with it. The putrid smell engulfed me from afar, and I visibly recoiled. Does he really think that smells pleasant?!

Judging by his thoughts (as empty as they were), he most certainly did. And judging by the dreamy smiles on each of the girls' faces, so did they.

As Nate ran by a couple sitting in the sand, their faces twisted in disgust before they rose from the ground and made a run for it, covering their mouths and noses as they did so. At least they had some common sense... How peculiar that Hartley and her friends didn't seem to. How downright strange that they relished the putrid odor that resembled a decaying whale.

Nate's cheeky grin grew as he ran towards the girls. Hartley was waiting with open arms that she wasted no time in wrapping around him while Cleo and Rikki clapped in excitement.

I was still in a state of disbelief. Were they drugged? I couldn't detect any scent of chemicals permeating off them, but being 'drugged' was the only conclusion I could come up with. If he had done such an atrocious thing, it was hard telling how I would retaliate. Normally, I wasn't a violent man, but I could already feel the raw fury building within me at the mere thought.

"You sure you don't wanna go and get your swimsuits?" Nate asked them, looking the three girls up and down with hungry eyes.

My stomach churned uncharacteristically when his gaze lingered on Hartley's thighs, taking note of how tan and tone they were. When he envisioned her legs wrapping around his waist, a growl rumbled from deep within my chest. It took a great amount of self-control to stop myself from charging towards the perverse boy and throwing him out to sea.

He draped his arms around all three girls, allowing Hartley to tuck herself against under his arm, placing her hand on his chest with a dreamy smile.

"We don't wanna leave you," she purred, proceeding to rub his chest.

This was ridiculous. If my family could see me now— Watching from afar as the girl I loathe is taken into the arms of a putrid-smelling human boy with a less than average IQ...

"Oh, I know the feeling.." Nate chuckled as they started walking towards the water. His eyes lit up when he came up with a 'brilliant' idea. "Hey, the first one to swim out to that buoy and back gets to kiss me."

"I'll do it!" Cleo blurted out.

"I'm faster!" Hartley and Rikki spoke up in sync, shoving each other.

Wow. That's all I can say. At this point, I shouldn't even be surprised.

"Ladies, ladies, settle. We can all swim together." Nate smirked before running towards the water.

The girls smiled in sync, staring after him before following suit, taking their time to admire him as they walked towards the surf.

That's when Lewis and Zane came from over the hill, heading in the direction of the girls with solemn expressions. Their eyes widened when they saw the three girls walking towards the water, their thoughts going eerily silent. Okay, I had to be losing my touch. I made a mental note to speak with Carlisle regarding the issue. 

"Stop!" The two boys shouted in unison, running towards the girls.

They glanced back at Lewis and Zane in clear annoyance just as Nate was diving under the water. The boys picked up speed, their expressions frantic. Why they were so panicked, I wasn't sure. Over the many, many years, I had grown to depend on my mind-reading ability. Safe to say, I hated being in the dark. And upon arriving to the Gold Coast, it seemed as though I was 'in the dark' more often than not.

As the girls narrowed their eyes at the two boys, Nate came up for air and threw his hands up in an impatient manner. Zane and Lewis both placed themselves in front of the girls, blocking their path.

"Come with us right now, or you're gonna regret this." Zane's voice was firm.

I was tempted to approach them but thought better of it. They had said it was none of my business, and they were right. Regardless, I couldn't bring myself to leave, nor did I plan to. I wanted answers.

"Hey!" Nate shouted, rushing out of the water with a look of anger. "You guys really need to get over this whole jealousy thing, and face the facts. The girls JUMP for the Nateroo! Don't you, ladies?"

The girls looked at them before proceeding to sniff the air. That's when I noticed their glazed-over eyes clearing, their pupils constricting to their original size.

"..What are we doing?" Cleo asked, knitting her brows in confusion.

Harley studied her surroundings, her lips parting. "Why am I here?"

Interesting.

"The salt water must have washed it off him," Lewis spoke quietly to Zane.

Bingo. So, it was the horrid 'perfume' in that antique bottle that was to blame for their erratic behavior? But how? Why?

"Guys, what's going on?" Hartley questioned, looking to Lewis and Zane for answers.

Zane frowned, immediately wrapping an arm around Rikki before saying, "Uh, it's hard to explain, but.. you've been attracted to Nate. You all have."

The girls' mouths fell open, exchanging disgusted glances amongst each other.

Nate clearly didn't get the memo, smiling as he gestured to the waves and said, "Just forget those losers. Let's go party! Party.."

They frowned at the smiling boy, looking at one another before walking away without saying a word, leaving Nate standing there dumbfounded.

Lewis and Zane looked at Nate, their faces etched with frustration.

"Nate, if you actually think they like you, you really are an idiot." Lewis stated, shrugging before following after the girls.

Indeed. A smug smile spread across my lips when Nate's face fell.

Zane shot him an annoyed glare, looking him up and down and scoffing before scurrying away, eager to catch up with his girlfriend.

Nate cursed beneath his breath and kicked the sand, shaking his head. His dejection lasted all of six seconds, however. When he caught sight of a group of girls in bikinis up ahead, his perverse thoughts took hold once more before rushing after them, wasting no time in looking for a 'rebound' as he called it.

I watched from afar until Hartley vanished from sight. Only then did my feet seem to have a mind of their own, moving a bit too conspicuously to be human towards the bottle of aged perfume that was lying in the sand, all but forgotten.

Glancing around, I ensured that Nate was distracted before I pocketed the bottle and made myself scarce. I was going to make beeline for home, yearning to get to the bottom of said perfume that was labeled 'Ambergris'.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Excuse me while I 'fangirl' for a moment... So, I met Alice and Emmett on Saturday, and now I'm not right LOL! Kellan Lutz (Emmett) was SUCH a sweetheart, ughhh!! He is truly the real-life Emmett, and I'm not exaggerating. Some of you have probably already heard me fangirl about it, so forgive me but AHHHH!!! He gave me the most amazing BEAR HUG EVER!! I was crushed against his chest (quite solid, might I add)!! 🤭 And he was charging $80 for photos (I just got in line to say 'hi'), but he legit grabbed my phone and took several selfies with me, saying it was "his treat", and then... HE WINKED AT ME!!!! 😩 My heartrate hasn't been right since HAHAHA!!!

On a side note— I also met Eli Roth (Love him and his wonderful weirdness) 🥰 My best friend is obsessed with him, so she unabashedly asked if he'd give us a hug, and he DID!! LOL! AND I spoke with the Ancient Aliens guy (you know the 'Aliens' meme guy with crazy hair lol); I got to tell him about my alien encounter (true story btw) 😆 I met a ton of other people too, including Skeet Ulrich. The girl in front of me was literally SHAKING when she met him. Understandable.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry for my rambling 🤣🤣 If any of you live near Kingsport, TN, I highly recommend attending the Smoky Mountain Terror festival next year! 💕💕

 Also, SUPER IMPORTANT, I'm going to try my very best to update next Monday as scheduled, but where I'll be working the Renaissance Fair from 2-10 on Saturday and Sunday next weekend (It's my first real gig as a mermaid), I may not be able to since I usually spend my weekend working on this particular story. But I promise to try!! 

Chapter 18: 17. Gills & Tails

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

Cleo, Rikki, and I were gathered at the moon pool, rehashing today's events to the best of our ability.

"I can't believe we almost blew it because we were attracted to Nate.." I mumbled, shaking my head in disbelief.

There was still much I couldn't remember. None of us could. The Ambergris ensured that. But from the bits and pieces I was able to piece together, I was downright horrified by my actions.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Rikki commented, frowning in disgust.

Cleo's brows knitted in worry.  "You don't think we.. you know.. kissed him, do you?"

I visibly shuddered at the very idea.

"I need to disinfect my mouth just in case," Rikki grumbled.

I pursed my lips in thought. "If we had, I'm sure Lewis or Zane would've told us."

Surely.

Cleo nodded in agreement, breathing a sigh of relief.

Rikki looked at me, a mischievous glint springing to her eyes as she said, "Or Edward."

I rolled my eyes at that. "If he did, it'd only be to rub our noses in it."

Rikki breathed out a mixture between a laugh and a scoff. "I doubt that."

"I don't," I was quick to retort.

She shook her head in obvious amusement, drawing abstract shapes in the sand with her forefinger as she said, "Well, from what I recall, he seemed pretty adamant about keeping you away from Nate."

I looked at her incredulously.

Cleo shifted in the water, leaning against the edge of the moon pool and offering me a small smile. "..Yeah. I noticed that too."

"Don't be ridiculous," I blurted out, furrowing my brows in frustration and running a hand through my damp hair. "He was just trying to put his nose where it doesn't belong."

"Like Will," Rikki quipped, quirking a brow in challenge.

I frowned at that. What she had against Will, I had no idea. That's when I remembered—

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, looking at Rikki with wide eyes. "We were supposed to meet Will at the café to work on our speech!"

Rikki deadpanned, saying, "We were supposed to meet Alice and Edward as well. Funny how you left them out."

I smacked my forehead, feeling like the biggest idiot in history of idiots. "We've made complete and total fools out of ourselves."

Cleo chuckled, lightly bumping me with her shoulder. "Yeah. We did."

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, my face heating up in embarrassment at the thought of Will seeing me behave in such a way. Would he think I was actually into Nate? I mentally slapped myself for being so bothered by it. Edward's previous statement rang through my head once more— 'He's not into you'.

Well, he definitely wasn't after witnessing my embarrassing display. A part of me wanted to just sink down in the moon pool and stay there. Sometimes I felt like I was a better mermaid than I was a human. This being one of those times.

Rikki studied me, her lips twitching up at the corners. "Relax, Bella. It's no big deal."

"How is it not?" I blurted out, my blush spreading to my neck. "Will probably thinks I'm crazy now and rightfully so ."

"Who cares what he thinks?" She was quick to retort, lifting a shoulder in a partial shrug.

"I care," I responded without a second thought, not realizing how it sounded. "I-I mean.. I just don't want him to think I'm straight of a looney-bin, ya know?"

Rikki rolled her eyes while Cleo offered me a sympathetic smile.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I don't think he saw much," Cleo said to me. "Lewis said he left shortly after your two other friends did. Alice and Emmett, was it?"

I breathed a sigh of relief at that. Still though, he saw enough. 

Rikki pressed her lips into a terse line before putting in her two cents once more. "I wouldn't dwell on it if I were you. He certainly wouldn't."

My brows knitted at her comment. Before I could ask for elaboration, she continued on her own volition, "I'm willing to bet he won't so much as bring it up."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief, breathing out a dry laugh. "He saw the three of us throwing ourselves at 'the Nater', and you don't think he'll even mention it?"

She pursed her lips, pretending to be in deep thought before saying, "Nope," popping the 'p'.

All I could do was stare at her, not convinced.

Rikki shrugged once more. "Bet he'll bring up the cave though."

Before I could form a proper response, a sarcastic smile flitted to her lips.

"Just saying," she mumbled before sinking under the water, proceeding to exit the moon pool.

***

||Edward's P.O.V.||

"Ambergris," Emmett read the computer screen from over my shoulder before taking note of the mountain of papers scattered everywhere. "What's with all the research?"

A reluctant sigh escaped me as I spun around in the chair to face my curious brother. "No reason in particular."

His gaze traveled to the antique perfume bottle sitting on the desk beside me, nodding towards the item. "You stole that."

I frowned at his accusation; however true it was. Given his thoughts, I knew that he recognized it as the same object that Lewis and Zane were bickering over in front of the café.

"I didn't 'steal' it," I used quotation marks, my frown deepening. "It was.. left lying on the beach, and I found it. Simple as that."

He arched a brow, folding his arms across his chest. His thoughts gave away just how amused he was by the fact that I 'didn't steal' the bottle of horrendous perfume.

"Okay... Well, why did you 'not steal' it?" He chuckled lowly. "Is it a case of Finders Keepers?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, not finding the slightest bit of humor in the situation as I grumbled, "Something like that."

He laughed once more, picking up the bottle and inspecting it. "Ambergris, huh? Isn't that like whale guts or something?"

"It's produced in the digestive system of sperm whales," I explained, carefully snatching the bottle out of his grabby hands. "It's formed from indigestible parts of the whale's diet, primarily the beaks of cuttlefish and squid."

Nerd, he teased via his thoughts, sporting a mischievous grin. "You have waaay too much time on your hands, bro."

And don't I know it.

"So, why the sudden interest in whale poop?" He joked, sifting through the pages of my research.

Instead of answering his 'humorous' question, I asked one of my own, "Don't you find it strange that Hartley and her friends were all three fawning over Nate?"

At that, he shrugged. "I don't know. I guess?"

"You 'guess'?" I quirked a brow in disbelief. "Emmett, the human boy smelled atrocious!"

Yes, he did. "Maybe some human girls are attracted to that sort of stench? Musk? I don't know, man."

"Literally every other human fled the scene," I pointed out, shaking my head.

He pursed his lips in thought, studying me. A moment of silence passed before he voiced his thoughts aloud, saying in jest, "If I had known that all it would take was a bunch of fish guts to get you out of that decades-long funk of yours, I would've fileted a whale carcass ages  ago."

I frowned at that, knowing fully well that I wasn't 'back to myself'. The 'me' from twenty years ago was long gone. My kind were unchanging in every sense, meaning I wasn't capable of healing. Not properly anyway.

My brother's thoughts alerted me to the fact that he picked up on my melancholy, so he chose to correct himself a bit. "I mean.." He shrugged in faux nonchalance, continuing, "This is a step-up from just.. staring out your window and counting leaves, bro."

While he found the subject of my 'research' rather odd and immensely amusing, he was all on board for it. I wanted to bite back; to lash out at him and his joyful, casual demeanor. Or should I say— I wanted to want to. While it had been my instinctual reaction to do so for the past two decades, I suddenly found that I.. no longer had that initial urge.

Instead, I looked at him with a blank expression before begrudgingly agreeing with him. "..Yeah. I guess you're right."

He quite literally beamed at me, grinning ear to ear before grabbing the other computer chair and rolling it towards the desk, plopping down beside me. "Need some help?"

I held my brother's excited gaze for a moment before releasing a quiet sigh. Knowing how disappointed he'd be if I said 'no', I nodded. "Sure."

He giggled quietly. Giggled. The thought of doing a deep dive into the subject of 'whale poop' amusing him greatly.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I turned back to the computer, scrolling through the countless articles with a solemn expression. Emmett silently read the contents along with me, humming to himself every so often as though as he was actually interested.

"So, you're going through the trouble of researching all this because Hartley and her friends found that stinky guy attractive?" He quirked a brow in amusement.

I frowned. There was far more to it than that... Right? But on second thought, I guess there wasn't.

"Pretty much," I responded, my voice lacking any emotion whatsoever.

He chuckled in response. "If you're that curious, why don't you just ask them about it? You share several classes with that Bella chick. Just come out and ask her why she has the hots for him. Dive into her mind."

Dive into her mind. As if. But I wasn't about to admit to him that her thoughts were a mystery to me; along with those of her two friends. That would raise questions I didn't know how to answer. His comment reminded me that I needed to speak with Carlisle regarding my 'wavering abilities'. Yet another thing to add to my list.

"It's not that simple," I was quick to say, clicking on another article.

"How isn't it?"

My frown deepened, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. "For starters, she doesn't remember being attracted to him. When she's not within in his vicinity, it's like... it never even happened."

He furrowed his brows in confusion. What? "That makes zero sense."

"Tell me about it," I grumbled beneath my breath.

  Just as he was preparing to speak once more, something in the article caught my eye— 'Ambergris is a real substance produced by sperm whales, and its unique scent and appearance have contributed to various myths and beliefs about its properties'.

"Myths and beliefs?" Emmett arched a brow, skimming the article along with me.

When I jumped down to the first myth, I almost laughed along with Emmett.

The article read: 'The most prominent myth centers around ambergris as a powerful love charm. Some folklore claims that using ambergris and making a gesture towards a mermaid will cause her to be bewitched and fall under the spell, as long as the scent remains'.

Emmett snorted in amusement. "Yeah, that Wiki sure is a reliable source."

"I'll say," I actually breathed out a laugh of my own.

However, it went on to say, 'It's important to note that these are just myths and folklore, and there is no scientific evidence to support the magical properties of ambergris or its ability to attract mermaids'.

"Well, from the research you've gathered so far, either Hartley and her friends are fish, or they just have very strange taste in men," he joked, shaking his head in amusement. "While the first option is much more interesting, I'm leaning towards option number two." He held up two fingers for dramatic effect, grinning ear to ear.

Fish. Mermaids. Ha. Then again, we live in a world where vampires and werewolves 'secretly' roam, so one would think my brother and I would be a bit more open-minded; am I right? But mermaids? Come on... If such a creature existed, we would know about it.

"Yeah, they are missing gills," I actually managed to joke back, much to his delight.

He threw his head back and laughed. "And tails."

I laughed along with him, feeling lighter than I've felt since... Since you know when.

"And tails," I repeated, exiting out of the browser and putting an end to my silly research. For now.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Short chapter, but I wanted to at least post something on schedule. 😊 What do you think about Edward's 'research'?

For the next chapter, I'm actually thinking about a couple episodes from season 1 and 3 together maybe? We'll see. 💕

 

Chapter 19: 18. Not Exactly 'Normal'

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

Cleo and I were casually strolling along the boardwalk at the Marine Park, watching the dolphins in the distance when we heard the familiar sound of flip-flops flapping against the wooden planks as someone hurriedly approached us from behind.

We stole a glance over our shoulders and weren't the least bit surprised to see Lewis rushing towards us, grinning ear to ear. Cleo lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw him, as was custom.

He planted himself directly in front of us, excitement dripping from his voice as he asked, "Hey, guys! What would be the most important scientific discovery of the year?"

"Um... What's up with the water tentacle?" Cleo guessed, quirking a brow.

Good guess.

His smile wavered by a barely discernable amount, though he could still hardly contain his excitement. "Well.. how about the second most important scientific discovery of the year?"

  I couldn't help but chuckle. His giddiness was catching.

  It was my turn to guess. "Hmm.. Somewhere to hold our school dance?" I joked.

"Incorrect," Lewis said with another show-stopping smile.

"Correct," Cleo was quick to say, explaining to her overjoyed boyfriend, "The Marine Park double-booked the function hall we hired, and now we don't have a venue for the dance."

We started walking once more, and Lewis was quick to follow.

"Relax. Someone else will look after it," he said to us, studying Cleo's worried features.

If only...

"That someone else is us," I pointed out, gesturing to me and Cleo. "We joined the organizing committee."

We had to do something to get extra credit for missing 'swim class'... It was either that or play volleyball. And I was so not gifted in sports.

"Well..." Lewis's grin grew, rubbing his hands together as he blurted out in a whisper, "I'm working on a scientific way that'll make it easier for you guys to be.. you know."

I was zoned out, racking my brain for ideas.

"Maybe we could have a street party," I suggested, not fully processing Lewis's comment. "We could cordon off the roads around the school and have dancing in the street."

As soon as I said it, I realized how ridiculous I sounded.

  Lewis furrowed his brows before suggesting, "How about the café?"

"Can't," Cleo responded with a deep sigh. "Rikki and Zane are doing some renovations."

We walked towards the dolphins, nearing the edge of the walkway and watching as Ronnie swam towards us. All of a sudden, I felt a shiver shoot down my spine. I stiffened before turning slightly and locking gazes from afar with none other than Edward Cullen. He was leaning against a wooden post, his golden eyes narrowed into slits in my direction.

I tried to ignore him. Truly, I did. But that was difficult to do when he was boring a hole straight through my back. Over the past few days, he has been.. somewhat tolerable. And by 'tolerable', I mean he hasn't so much as spoken a single word to me— Not even when we were working on that group speech. Every time I tried to strike up a conversation with him, he would simply grunt in response, not so much as sparing me a glance.

Well, he was certainly 'sparing me a glance' now, much to my chagrin. I tore my gaze from him and knelt in front of Ronnie, tilting my head as he started splashing around excessively.

Another sigh escaped me as I studied the dolphin, saying to Cleo and Lewis, "He senses we're upset."

"A mind-reading dolphin?" Lewis chuckled.

At that, I managed to smile despite being glared at by a certain scowling boy from a distance. "A lot of sea creatures are empathetic, you know. It's like a.. kind of magic. I mean, not the kind where you make things disappear." My smile grew, laughing airily as I joked, "They'd need a wand for that."

Cleo laughed along with me, of course. Lewis, however, was entirely serious.

"Fortunately, there's a thing called 'science' to help the magic along," he said to us, getting back to the subject. "Hence my scientific discovery."

Cleo and I exchanged a glance.

"You really think that'll work?" She asked him, sounding skeptical.

I was leery. Could science and magic actually mix?

"Well, it might not let you 'mind-meld with a jellyfish', but it will give you guys a chance to live a somewhat normal life," he responded, his eyes dancing.

Somehow, Edward's glare seemed to intensify. Hesitantly, my gaze drifted in his direction, offering him a reluctant smile. They say 'smiling is contagious', but that didn't seem to be the case for Edward Cullen. His eyes were narrowed into slits, and his head was tilted to the side, as though he was silently studying me. I didn't like it.. Not one bit..

I looked at Ronnie then back at Edward. Maybe he was just trying to look at the dolphin? Maybe I was in the way? This was a Marine Park, for crying out loud. He didn't come here just to shoot daggers my way..

With that in mind, I stood up and backed away from the edge, hopefully allowing him a better view of the playful dolphin.

"Well, no one can 'mind-meld' with a jellyfish," I said to Lewis, deadpanned. "They're jellyfish.." I pursed my lips in thought. "And... We're not exactly 'normal', you know. Not really."

"Sure, you are." Lewis's smile returned with a vengeance. "Now I know you guys don't think science is the 'cure-all, end-all', but... Just you wait."

  Cleo hummed in response, appearing wistful as she asked, "Can science explain why whales sing?"

"Yes. Yes, it can." His grin grew, gingerly booping her nose.

A moment of silence passed before I found myself asking a question of my own, quirking a challenging brow, "...Can it tell you what they're singing about?"

Lewis furrowed his brows at that, clearly stumped.

"Anyway..." Cleo chuckled, looking at me. "Looks like we've got a dance to organize."

***

Alice squealed in excitement as she flipped through a list that seemed to be a mile long. Unbeknownst to me, turns out Alice was also part of the planning committee. As a matter of fact, she was the head of it. Upon finding out about the Marine Park double-booking the venue, she was all too quick to step up to the plate, offering her family's beach house as a substitute.

She was hovering over a table outside the café; along with me, Cleo, and Rikki.

"It's going to be perfect. Trust me!" Alice beamed at the three of us, twirling the pen between her fingers. "My family and I have been dying to do something like this since moving to the Gold Coast!"

I stole a glimpse of the list in her hand, my eyes widening when I realized just how full it was. "I have no doubt," I said to her, offering her a smile in return. "But it looks like we have our work cut out for us."

"I'll say.." Rikki mumbled, her features pulling down in a frown as she eyed the mile long list.

Cleo shot Rikki a warning stare, silently pleading for her to 'be nice'.

Out of the corner of my eye, I subconsciously took note of a head full of bronze hair walking along the pier. As if on cue, that familiar burn spread through me, courtesy of his heated glare. I turned slightly and saw Edward and Emmett walking along the pier, casually strolling towards the café. But Edward's vexed expression was anything but casual.

"That we do," Alice giggled, her eyes lighting up as she thrust several copies of the list into my unsuspecting hands. "Best get started then!"

Before anymore could be said, she flitted towards her siblings and proceeded to start chatting away as she flipped through her list. I took note of Edward's grumpy expression as he looked at his sister, a deep sigh visibly escaping him. No doubt, he wasn't happy that their home would be the venue. From what little I've gathered about him, I knew that he was an introvert through and through.

Just as Edward's frown was deepening into a full-blown scowl, Will rounded the corner and plopped down at one of the tables. Given the thin sheen of sweat that covered his face and biceps, he had been training. Biceps...

I didn't miss the indiscreet glance that Cleo and Rikki shared as I approached him. Nor did I miss how Edward's glare seemed to intensify (if that was even possible).

"Hi," I said to Will, my voice slightly wavering.

He looked up at me, running a hand through his damp hair as he placed his water bottle to his lips and took a drink. "Hey," he responded, nodding towards the papers in my hands. "Whatcha got there?"

"Oh, it's a list for the dance. I'm, uh.. part of the organizing committee, so.." I explained, my face heating up as I offered him a sheepish smile.

I hated how easily flustered I was.

He looked at the list, arching a brow. "Looks like a lot of... organizing."

"Yeah," I laughed nervously, folding up the lists and placing them in my back pockets. Curiosity got the best of me as I stared into his sky-blue eyes. "So, um.." I dropped my gaze to the ground, fearing I'd lose myself in those irises. "Are you going? To the dance, I mean."

He shrugged, standing up and breathing out a dry laugh. "Not sure. I've got loads of training to do."

I felt myself deflate, though I tried to hide it.

Will glanced at Rikki and Cleo before meeting my gaze once more. "Then again, I don't see how I couldn't with all the work you're all doing."

Hope ignited within me, my blush deepening. I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, a nervous habit of mine, as I stared up at him. A part of me was seriously considering asking him to the dance. The only thing that gave me pause was Edward's previous comment— 'He's not into you'.

Then again, what did he know? I strongly believed that the honey-eyed boy had it out for me, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had just been trying to sabotage me. Okay, maybe I sound a tad bit paranoid, but can you blame me?

"Great. So, um..." I trailed off, still debating whether to ask him or not.

"So, I'll see you there," he said with a polite nod and walked away before I had a chance to say anything else.

||Edward's P.O.V.||

I watched as her smile vanished, leaving no trace behind that it was ever even there. Hartley was sunshine incarnate, so a frown on her face seemed so out of place. Over the past several days, I had managed to keep my distance from the bubbly girl. Or should I say— I had managed to appear to keep my distance.

In the classes we shared, I hadn't spoken a word to her, refusing to so much as meet her gaze every time she offered me a polite greeting, as was custom. Despite her cordialness, I knew the girl couldn't stand me, so I wasn't sure why she forced herself to smile my way every day without fail. Even curiouser— I wasn't sure why I had come to rely on those wavering, tight-lipped smiles.

Despite not acknowledging her to her face, anytime I was within her vicinity, every nerve in my body became aware of her presence. Even now as I gazed at her from afar. Since her little incident with 'the Nater', I knew it was imperative that I kept away from the blue-eyed girl. The emotions she brought out in me.. almost frightened me. For years, I had been numb; not so much as speaking unless spoken to, staring out my bedroom window to count leaves and insects in my spare time. Safe to say, the turbulent emotions ignited within me had been very much unwelcome.

She appeared entirely crest-fallen as her precious 'Will' walked away, leaving her standing there with blushing cheeks that set my throat and lungs ablaze. Damn him. Damn her.

Emmett knitted his brows and asked me, "Is that guy like... clueless? Or just disinterested?"

Even my brother couldn't deny Hartley's beauty, so he was at a loss as to why the human boy was immune to her 'womanly wiles'. Every other male on the Gold Coast seemed to be in awe of her, apparently (given their perverse thoughts that I was forced to bear witness to).

"Both," I forced myself to speak, feigning disinterest with a shrug. "All he cares about is 'diving'. Oh, and that oh-so-mysterious cave at Mako Island, of course."

Alice wasn't paying us any mind whatsoever as she went over the list, checking it twice. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute, and I had no interest in even attempting to keep up. Mostly because my attention was drawn to a certain blue-eyed girl whose lower lip was pulled down in an enticing pout amid her dejection.

Emmett breathed out a dry laugh as he looked at Alice's list. "Guess we'll be put to work," he mumbled.

I simply hummed in response, checking out of the conversation as he and Alice started bouncing ideas off each other. Instead, I listened in on Hartley and her friends.

Rikki walked towards her, quirking a brow. "Why didn't you just ask him, Bella?"

"I don't know?" Hartley's blush deepened, causing me to inhale deeply.

My eyes threatened to roll to the back of my head as her sultry scent engulfed me. I almost felt like I was getting high off it.

Hartley looked at her friends, continuing, "I mean, in the movies and stuff, the guy always asks the girl, so I thought.."

Old-fashioned, was she? Or simply shy? I believed it to be neither. The girl didn't have a 'shy' bone in her body. She was just afraid of rejection. Given her natural beauty and the fact that she radiated charm, I had no doubt that she's never known 'rejection' before. As a matter of fact, I was willing to bet that Will's lack of interest was the sole reason she was attracted to him. He's a challenge.

I was both intrigued and annoyed by the revelation.

"Well, welcome to the 21st century," Rikki responded without missing a beat.

Hartley knitted her little brows, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, resembling a fish out of water. The sight was almost comical.

Her friend, Cleo, came to the rescue by saying, "Don't worry, Bella. You still have plenty of time to snag him as your date."

Date. I rolled my eyes at the word.

As I watched her and her friends, I was reminded of my eavesdropping at the Marine Park. I know what you're thinking, and no, I wasn't 'stalking' her. Believe it or not, I had stumbled upon her by chance and chance alone. Alice and Emmett, the most outgoing of my siblings, had managed to convince the rest of us to make a 'fun day of it' by going to the Marine Park. I, of course, broke off from the group and wandered around aimlessly as soon as we arrived.

That's when, as luck would have it, I found Hartley and her friends hovering near a very vocal dolphin.

'Ronnie', Hartley had called him.

Evidently, Lewis was an avid science-enthusiast, and he had made a 'scientific discovery' that would enable Hartley and her friends a chance to, quote on quote, 'live a somewhat normal life'? What had he meant by that? Usually, Lewis's mind was an open book, but when it had anything to do with those specific three girls, he went radio silent. It was the strangest phenomenon.

That leaves the question— What was abnormal about Hartley and her two friends? From the moment I laid eyes on the girl, I knew something was off about her. But what? The evidence thus far left me even more confused.

Her eerily silent mind. The three girls' thoughts were all a mystery to me.

The unexplained incident in the cave. Despite the vast amount of research I've conducted, I couldn't find a logical explanation to explain the strange water formation. 

And don't even get me started on her unexplained attraction to that of the putrid-smelling boy. The trio of girls had been tripping all over themselves at the sight of him. Their abrupt attraction to him seemed to have ended as quickly as it began. Since then, they hadn't so much as batted an eye at 'the Nater'. Ambergris... They were the only humans who weren't downright disgusted by the scent of that expired 'perfume' that he had doused himself in.

Now, I had heard it with my own ears that the three girls weren't, quote on quote, 'normal'. But I was still left with more questions than answers. After all, they could have been talking about anything. But how could a scientific discovery made by a high-school student enable them to be 'normal'?

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize that Alice was asking me a question.

"Hellooo?" Alice waved her hand in front of my face, pulling me from my trance.

My sister pursed her lips, looking from me to Hartley, who was walking into the café with her friends.

"What?" I turned my attention to Alice, trying to ignore the frustrating turn her thoughts took. "And no, I wasn't staring."

Whatever you say. "Anyways. I was telling Emmett— Since we'll be hosting the dance, I think it's imperative that we get started with the decorating right away. And I know you'll probably be opposed to this, but you know that we moved to the Gold Coast in the hopes of fully integrating ourselves into society. That being said, I was thinking that, um.."

She was rambling. In that moment, her thoughts were too chaotic for me to even attempt to decipher.

"Just spit it out, Alice," I mumbled, releasing a deep sigh.

Whatever she had planned, she already knew I wasn't going to like it. She looked up at me with a hopeful expression, a small smile spreading across her face as she wringed her hands.

"..Well, I was thinking.. I'm aware that we could all get the decorating done in no time, but I think it would be a whole lot more fun if we.. sort of took a step back, ya know? Approach the situation like any other person would."

Huh? I looked at Emmett, seeking clarification, but he simply shrugged. Don't ask me, man.

Alice continued on her own accord, "I think we should dive in head-first to the 'human experience', don't you? We came here in the hopes of living a normal life, so that's what we're going to do." She lifted her chin indignantly. "Which is why I'm going to invite the entire planning committee to assist with preparations. All hands on deck."

When I processed her statement, my mouth fell open. Has she lost her ever-loving mind? She wants to invite a group of humans into our home to decorate for a ridiculous dance?! It was one thing volunteering to host the silly event; now, she's going to have half a dozen humans gallivanting through our sanctuary simply to prepare for it? Given our vampiric speed, we could have the place decorated in no time at all with very little effort. She was choosing to overcomplicate matters, and for what? To 'blend in'? To have the 'human experience'?

Given my brother's chipper thoughts, he was all in. "That sounds like it'd be sorta fun," he chuckled lightheartedly, more than willing to put on a normal façade.

I scowled at the notion. It was difficult enough trying to blend in at school. I wasn't about to put on a show at my own home in a bid to keep up pretenses. No way.

"We're not human," I spoke firmly, unable to hide my frustration. "You can throw all the dances you want, but it doesn't change that fact. And if you want my opinion, what you're doing is reckless."

My siblings furrowed their brows in unison.

"How so?" Alice wondered, tilting her head.

I clenched my jaw as an array of memories hit me like a freight train— The surprise birthday party we had thrown a particular human was at the top of the list.

"Well, for starters— Something as simple as a papercut could expose us." I was surprised when my voice didn't waver.

My sister was taken aback by my comment. Emmett, however, understood where I was coming from.

But Alice wasn't one to back down when she got an idea in her head. She folded her arms across her chest and said, "We're going to take every precaution. And if you haven't noticed, Jasper's control has significantly improved over the decades. We can't live life in the shadows for all eternity. That's no way to live."

I knew where she was coming from. Of course, I did. But that didn't change my opinion. It wasn't just the fact that I found the whole plan to be reckless— I also couldn't stand the idea of Hartley stepping foot in my home. The moment she did so, she would encompass every square inch of the space. Her sweet scent would linger for days to come, possibly weeks. I'd be tormented by her even in solitude. No, that certainly wouldn't do.

"This is downright foolish, Alice." My tone was a bit harsher than I intended it to be, but I had to get through to her. "You'd be putting everyone at risk— Not just our family, but the lives of half a dozen teenagers as well."

Her lower lip wavered with emotion, her thoughts giving away that she was actually hurt by my words. "We're not a bunch of savage animals," she retorted, her eyes flashing. "And no one's forcing you to pitch in. If you don't want to join in on the fun, you don't have to."

I looked at her incredulously. "Fun? You call having a bunch of rowdy teenagers gallivanting around our home 'fun'?"

She shot me a half-hearted glare. You wouldn't know 'fun' if it smacked you right in the face, her thoughts read.

I returned her glare and rolled my eyes. Before anymore could be said, she all but skipped away, off to tell Hartley and her friends all about her 'fun little plan'.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Hmm... How much longer until Edward and Bella actually become friends? 🤔 Enemies to friends to... lovers? 🫠 Any guesses?

Chapter 20: 19. Sunshine Incarnate & Darkness Personified

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq40QlNZJ3E&list=RDVq40QlNZJ3E&start_radio=1

 

 

||Bella's P.O.V.||

The girls and I were hovering in the courtyard, digging through our bookbags when Lewis approached us with a beaming smile.

"Do you guys remember my research?" His was voice was dripping with excitement.

Ah. His 'research'. His research that would enable us to live a somewhat normal life somehow.

The three of us nodded in response, curious as all get out.

"Well..I can now reveal that I am this close to a formula.." His grin grew as he held his thumb and forefinger together, nearly touching. "..that'll make you guys waterproof."

Our brows flew up our foreheads in sync. Waterproof? No way. That sounded way too good to be true. A thousand questions were running through my head.

"..Really?" Cleo asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"It looks that way," Lewis smirked, leaning in to peck her on the cheek before making his leave, calling from over his shoulder, "I'll catch ya later."

The girls and I exchanged curious, shocked looks as he walked away.

"Wow.." I breathed out. "If he's able to do that, then.. Wow. Our lives will change forever."

"Yeah— If. That's a very big 'if'," Rikki was quick to point out, ever the pessimist. Or realist. However you want to look at it.

Cleo frowned, coming to Lewis's defense, "If anyone can do it, Lewis can."

I nodded in agreement, smiling. Lewis was a tried-and-true genius, in my opinion.

My smile was wiped from my face when a shiver shot down my spine. Immediately, I knew what that meant— I was being glared at by a certain golden-eyed boy. I stole a glance in his direction from over my shoulder and frowned, quickly tearing my gaze from him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him digging through his locker. But every few seconds, his eyes would drift towards me; only long enough to shoot daggers my way.

Cleo seemed to be pick up on my abrupt change in demeanor, for she asked, "What's wrong?"

A quiet sigh escaped me as I stole another glance at Edward, my stomach churning when he locked gazes with me and scowled from afar. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to voice my 'woes' to my two friends. But at the end of the day, we shared everything. For the most part.

So, I found myself nodding in Edward's direction and mumbling, "He.. He hates me."

As much as I tried not to be bothered by his obvious dislike for me; deep down, I was. I had never had someone just flat-out despise me for no apparent rhyme or reason. At times, he acted like my very presence was a nuisance to him.

My friends followed my line of sight. When my eyes met Edward's for the umpteenth time, his scowl seemed to soften by a minute fraction. But he was still scowling, all the same.

"..I don't think that's true," Cleo softly spoke, trying to reassure me. Still, I knew better.

"Believe me; it is.." I trailed off, dropping my gaze to the ground.

Rikki tilted her head to the side, quirking a brow at me. "You know... Boys have been known to be mean to girls they like."

My mouth fell open at the insinuation. I was quick to dismiss that idea entirely. "Yeah. Maybe grade-schoolers."

I had flashbacks to a cruel boy named 'Angus' when I was nine. He would sit behind me in math class just to pull my ponytail. At the end of the year, he had passed me a note, professing his 'love'. At the memory, I almost laughed out loud. Edward Cullen is no Angus Short. That's for sure and for certain.

Rikki shrugged at my comment, a small smirk slithering across her lips. "Some boys never grow up."

Cleo chuckled, nodding in agreement. "She has a point."

I shook my head, adjusting the strap of my bookbag on my shoulder. "No. For whatever reason, he hates my guts.

"I don't think anyone could hate you, Bella." Cleo offered me a sincere smile.

I returned her smile to the best of my ability, ignoring Edward's lingering stare.

Rikki pursed her lips in thought before saying, "You know— Zane and I weren't each other's biggest fans at first. Not even close."

Cleo breathed out a laugh, playfully rolling her eyes. "You two really did hate each other."

Rikki's smirk grew. "Yeah. We did. I thought he was just a pompous, know-it-all rich boy living off his daddy's money."

Cleo and I looked at Rikki, fighting back amused smiles. From what I've gathered about Rikki and Zane, they still bumped heads quite frequently.

Rikki snorted a dry laugh, speaking in jest, "Now, I know he's a pompous, know-it-all rich boy living off his daddy's money."

The three of us laughed at that.

Smiling, Rikki went on to say, "Kidding. Sorta."

Luckily, Edward's glower was interrupted when his brother, Emmett, walked towards him. I felt myself instantly relax when his attention was drawn elsewhere. My relaxed state was cut short, however— Because that's when Nate decided to approach.

"Hey, Spunky," he greeted me, looking me up and down.

I fought strongly against the urge to recoil. That instinct was intensified when I felt the familiar burning of Edward's gaze once more.

Before I had a chance to return the greeting, Nate continued, asking, "Have you moved house lately?"

I furrowed my brows. What kind of question was that? Cleo and Rikki exchanged a glance, watching the awkward exchange in silence.

"..Um, no?" I responded, confused.

"Cool." He grinned. "I know where to pick you up from then."

My jaw dropped. I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment, knowing exactly where this was heading. "Does this have anything to do with the dance, Nate?"

"Can be if you want it to be," he winked, leaning towards me to whisper. "..Where have you been, babe? You and your friends were all aboard the 'Nate Train' the other day."

My blush spread to my neck at his comment. I looked at the girls, who looked just as horrified as me. I wasn't sure what to say to that, so I opted for silence, choosing to stare at him with wide eyes.

Nate was unperturbed as he continued on his own accord, flashing me a devilish smirk, "..You know— I'm in the market for a chickie to take to the dance."

Chickie? I frowned, resisting the urge to shudder. Regardless as to how much the thought of being his 'date' didn't appeal to me, I didn't want to hurt his feelings. So, I simply offered him an apologetic smile and said, "Um.. No, thanks, Nate. But thanks for asking. Really."

He nodded, his smirk never wavering. "Well.. I'll leave you to think it over then." That smirk of his only grew as he backed away, snapping his fingers at me and clicking his tongue, "Catch ya."

All I could do was stare after him in slight disbelief. For a split second, my eyes locked with Edward's. I was surprised to see that he and his brother were both snickering to themselves, as though they had shared a very humorous joke. I had never seen him smile before. Not genuinely. All I've witnessed up until now was an occasional smirk. Taunting smirks, nonetheless. Seeing a tried-and-true grin spread across his face was a rarity. The sight was... unnerving? Is that the right word?

I tore my gaze from him and looked at the girls, who were both smiling in amusement.

"You are so lucky," Rikki's voice dripped with sarcasm, grinning ear to ear.  "Chickie."

***

I inhaled a deep breath as I walked into Chemistry, pausing mid-step when I saw Edward already seated at our table. My heart dropped to my stomach, not mentally prepared to deal with his silent glares just yet. The moment I sat in my assigned seat next to him, he stiffened, oddly reminding me of a granite statue.

A frown tugged at the corners of his lips as he stared straight ahead, refusing to so much as acknowledge my presence. I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, studying his side profile as I debated trying to speak to him. Don't ask me why I keep trying to get on his good side, because I have no clue. Does the brooding boy even have a good side?

After contemplating for several awkward seconds, I blurted out, "Good morning."

Somehow, he managed to tense up even more.

My face heated up when I realized my faux pas. "I mean— Good afternoon."

I glanced up at the clock, seeing that it was twelve o'clock exactly. "..Or shall I just say good 'noon'.. Since it's not after.. after noon.."

His features remained solemn.

"At least not yet anyway," I was quick to add, stealing another glance at the clock. "..Isn't that weird? Like.. You know.. I, myself, consider 'morning' to be anywhere from.. I don't know, six to ten. Ten thirty. Eleven, maybe." Words just kept spewing out of my mouth. "..Then you have that time from eleven to noon. What would you call that? 'Good morning'? Just doesn't seem right to me.. And definitely not 'Good afternoon'.. because it's not after noon. You know—"

He cut me off midsentence, narrowing his eyes at me and saying, "It's after noon now, Hartley."

For a moment, I simply stared at him, unblinking. Upon glancing at the clock once more, I saw that he was right— It was now one minute after noon.

I turned back to him, offering him a faint smile and saying, "..Well, in that case— Good afternoon."

He released a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping forward before dropping his gaze to the blank piece of paper lying atop his desk.

"That was the first time you've spoken to me in days," I pointed out. Tilting my head to the side, I continued, "..I still don't know what I've done to you. I wish you'd just tell me so I could—"

He cut me off once more, his eyes flashing as they snapped to mine, speaking in a low voice, "So you could do what, Hartley? Bat your eyes and smile my way in a bid to make me fall all over myself for you like every other drooling male within the vicinity?"

What? My brows knitted in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes, breathing out a bitter laugh. "Oh, don't play coy. I know you're not blind to the effect you have on the typical male species."

I stared at him in disbelief. He's got to be kidding.

Before I had a chance to form a coherent response, he continued, "Do you realize how many guys are vying for your attention? Or are you simply too blinded by your precious Will to notice?"

While I felt a bit offended, his words (surprisingly) weren't laced with derision. He just sounded... curious? Regardless, I wasn't sure how to respond.

"..I'm not 'blinded' by him," I mumbled, my face heating up in embarrassment. "And why are you even bringing him up?"

His eyes flashed. "Why are you bringing anything up?"

I frowned, my positive mood turning sour. He had a way of sucking the joy right out of me, it would seem.

"Maybe because my lab partner hates me for literally no reason," I retorted, holding his heated gaze.

He breathed out a scoff, his scowl softening by a barely discernable fraction. Several heartbeats passed before he responded, his voice clipped, "..I don't hate you. I simply dislike you."

A dry laugh escaped me. "That's for the clarification. Really." My voice dripped with sarcasm.

I tore my eyes from his and started digging through my bag in a bid to ease the tension. What was I looking for in said bag? Nothing at all. I was just trying to distract myself from how much his comment affected me. It was one thing to think I was disliked— It was something else entirely to have it so blatantly confirmed.

A lump formed in my throat, but I refused to show just how hurt I was, not wanting to appear weak in front of him. I could feel him studying my face like a book, and I hated it. A part of me wanted to snap back— I wanted to express my dislike for him as well. But I refrained. Hurting his feelings in return wouldn't make me feel any better. Then again, I wondered if his feelings could even be hurt. Certainly not by the likes of me, I assumed.

His eyes never strayed from my face; I could tell. Was he searching for a weakness? For a crack in my fortitude? Per usual, I felt myself growing self-conscious under his gaze.

"..For the record.." He started to speak, his voice causing me to pause amid my random digging. "..I dislike everyone. Not just you."

When I fully processed his words, I shifted in my seat and locked gazes with him once more. His features were still entirely stoic, but they seemed less.. hostile?

"Not 'just' me.." I trailed off, nervously chewing on my lower lip. "But 'especially' me, right?"

His lips twitched at the corners, and for a second, I believed he was going to grace me with a smile. Obviously, that didn't happen. His smiles were rare. An endangered species.

"Well.." He pursed his lips in thought before continuing, "I won't say you're wrong there."

Once more, I frowned. Trying to be cordial with him was a difficult task; let alone trying to befriend him.

"It's nothing personal, Hartley," he went on to say, his voice lacking any emotion whatsoever. "We're simply opposites, you and I. You're everything I'm not, and I.. I can't help but dislike you for it, if I'm being honest."

My brows flew up my forehead in surprise. Now, I felt like we were getting somewhere.

"Everything you're not?" I looked at him, his golden eyes flickering to meet mine. "How so?"

He inhaled a deep breath, and I watched in fascination as his irises started to darken. It was the oddest, most bewitching sight. I've never seen eyes that could go from honey-gold to the color of midnight in a matter of seconds.

"Well, for starters— You're.." A shadow seemed to fall over his face. "You believe that everyone is inherently good. You see the good in people; even when there is none, I bet. You're bubbly, chipper, and..." He narrowed his eyes, holding me captive with his icy stare. "..happy. You're sunshine incarnate."

As his words washed over me, I almost laughed, but he was being a hundred percent serious. He doesn't like me because I'm a happy person? Am I hearing him correctly?

"Sunshine incarnate?" I repeated, quirking a brow. "And you say you're the opposite; so what does that make you? 'Darkness personified'?" I used air quotes, the faintest of smiles flitting to my lips at his stern expression.

He clenched his jaw, tearing his gaze from me and staring blankly straight ahead as students started trinkling in. "Something like that.." He mumbled bitterly.

I tilted my head. Now, it was my turn to study him. He says it's 'nothing personal', but disliking someone due to their 'happiness' sounded pretty personal to me...

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Did Edward just open up to her a little bit? Or...? 🤔

It's going to be interesting when the girls go to the Cullens' home to help decorate for the dance. I can't wait!! 😄 Hope everyone has an amazing week!!

Chapter 21: 20. Counting Freckles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCDPpHLOw6A&list=RDpCDPpHLOw6A&start_radio=1

 

||Edward's P.O.V.||

"This is ridiculous," Rosalie grumbled, rolling her eyes as she stared at our living room that was cram-packed with various decorations and supplies. "In what world is inviting a whole slew of humans into our home a good idea?!"

It was a rare occasion that Rose and I agreed on anything. Yet there we were— Begrudgingly watching from the sidelines as our siblings pranced about in preparation for the humans' arrival.

"Don't be a spoilsport," Alice said to her before narrowing her eyes at me and silently adding, The same goes for you.

Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes.

Emmett chuckled lowly, draping an arm around Rosalie's shoulders and saying, "Yeah, babe. Don't be a party-pooper. This'll be fun."

Quote on quote, 'fun', isn't the word I'd use. Not even close. Despite disagreeing with the sentiment, I bit my tongue, choosing not to comment. Alice was practically glowing with excitement as it were, and the thought of raining on her parade didn't sit right with me. See? I'm not that heartless.

Jasper smiled fondly at his mate as he brought in several more boxes of miscellaneous items. Carlisle and Esme followed behind him. My mother, for all intents and purposes, was practically beaming as she approached Alice.

"Oh, I'm so excited to meet your new friends," she said to her, her eyes dancing with joy.

Given my mother's thoughts, she was beyond ecstatic that we've had an 'easy go' of blending in thus far.

"They're not friends," I blurted out, unable to resist correcting her. "They're all part of the planning committee. It's their responsibility to prepare for the dance."

My parents ignored my comment, instead scurrying away to the kitchen to prepare some snacks for the 'guests'. For some reason, my family seemed to be treating the entire situation as a social gathering of choice, but that simply wasn't the case. Those on the committee would be here out of obligation; not friendship.

And just like that, a certain blue-eyed girl flitted through my mind, knowing that she and her friends would be arriving any minute. As if on cue, the sound of tires squealing on pavement filled each of our ears. I stiffened, mentally preparing myself to be bombarded with the sweet, sultry scent that would fill every square inch of space in my home in a few measly seconds. Jasper picked up on my unease, for he sent a calming wave my way.

Turns out, his empathetic gesture wasn't needed. Because it wasn't Hartley and her friends that had arrived. The shrill, shallow thoughts I was being privy to alerted me of that.

Wow. Of course, he's filthy rich. The thoughts rang out. "Hot and rich? I must be dreaming," the girl I've come to know as 'Miriam' whispered to her friend, Tiffany, as they rang the doorbell.

Great... As if having Hartley here wouldn't be bad enough. Now, I'd have to deal with Miriam's incessant thoughts and longing stares. I wasn't even aware she was on the planning committee!

Alice grinned, all but skipping to the door. "That would be Miriam and Tiffany. Our first arrivals."

  Before anymore could be said, my giddy sister swung open the door, wearing the hugest of grins as she welcomed her 'guests'. The two girls wore matching smirks as they stepped through the threshold, taking in their surroundings with awe-struck eyes.

Given the blonde's thoughts, she had chosen to join the committee on a whim upon finding out that the dance would be taking place in my home. Apparently, the only thing she was planning on doing was 'get close' to me. I had to bite back a scoff at the ridiculous thoughts running through her head as she looked my way. If she knew of my monstrous nature, she wouldn't want my lips or anything else anywhere near her.

"Hi, guys," Alice greeted them, holding up her list and scanning it as she said, "There's loads to do. The others will be shortly, but in the meantime, we could—"

Miriam raised her hand, cutting her off and speaking in a voice that reminded me of nails on a chalkboard, "Oh, I don't think so. No offense, but I didn't come here to be 'bossed around', so you can put that—" She pointed to the list in my sister's hands, her voice firm, "—away..."

Alice's jaw dropped. In that moment, I didn't need to be a mindreader to know how vexed she was; she practically had smoke coming out of her ears.

Who does that girl think she is? A scowl crawled across my face at the interaction. I knew this was a bad idea, and we hadn't even gotten started yet.

A sickly-sweet smile slithered across the smug girl's lips as Alice gripped the list, lowering it with a frown.

"Thanks." Miriam smirked, once more glancing my way.

Her friend, Tiffany, remained silent. Truly, she didn't want to be here, but she was never one to 'rock the boat' as far as Miriam was concerned. I almost felt bad for the villainess's sidekick.

Emmett snickered to himself at Alice's fuming face as Miriam side-stepped her, immediately setting her sights on me.

"Oh, no.." I grumbled beneath my breath, quickly turning around and putting my back towards her.

Now, Emmett could hardly contain himself. He placed a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter as Miriam approached me.

"Hi, Eddie," her voice dropped an octave in a bid to be 'alluring'. "Fancy seeing you here.."

Eddie. I so loathed that nickname, and it was even worse coming from her. A frown etched itself on my features and wouldn't leave as the acidic smell of her perfume engulfed me. My back was still to her as I responded, my voice firm, "I live here."

Of course, she was well aware of that little tidbit. That's the whole reason she was here— A fact that annoyed me to no end.

"Right," she breathed out, meandering around several buckets of paint to peer at me. "Nice place you got here. How about you show me around?"

She nibbled on her lower lip, hoping to 'tempt' me. Believe me when I say... I was anything but, quote on quote, 'tempted'.

My siblings were watching the interaction with wary eyes, silently pleading with me via their thoughts to 'keep my cool'. I felt Jasper send yet another calming wave my way, but it did little to ease my frustration with the pushy girl.

"No," was all I said in response, not so much as sparing her a glance as I grabbed a paintbrush and dipped it in a random bucket of paint.

Her mouth fell to the floor, her thoughts a chaotic, furious mess. Still, she was unperturbed, believing I was simply playing 'hard to get'— A fact that seemed to make her want my attention all the more, much to my chagrin.

"Some other time then," she forced out the words with a half-hearted smirk, cocking her head to the side.

She wasn't finished trying to win me over. Not by a long shot. But before she had a chance to continue her fruitless pursuit, an all-too-familiar sultry scent filled my lungs. Immediately, my entire body stiffened as I was bombarded by the sweet smell. I didn't have to steal a glance over my shoulder to know who had just arrived. Every nerve in my body became aware of her presence the second she stepped into the room.

Hartley. I shifted slightly, locking with her piercing blue orbs as she and her friends walked across the threshold. My home was now officially tainted by her very presence; by her scent.

The blue-eyed girl offered me a half-hearted smile from afar, and I hated how affected I was by it. A dull ache ignited in my chest, the strange sensation taking me by surprise. The feeling was entirely unwelcome, and yet... almost comforting somehow. My lips almost twitched up at the corners in response to her proffered smile, but I quickly composed myself before it came to fruition.

Hartley was all too quick to tear her gaze from mine, approaching my sister with her three friends— Rikki, Cleo, and Lewis. While Alice was happily reviewing the list with the small group, I found myself counting the faint freckles that scattered the smiling girl's sunkissed skin. I've always found counting to be a 'comfort' of sorts.. Whether it be counting leaves. Insects. Raindrops. Or in this case— Freckles.

She had nine freckles on her left cheek; freckles that would go unnoticed by a pair of human eyes; freckles that I mentally traced, connecting the dots over and over again and subconsciously admiring the abstract shape.

Out of the corner of my eye, I barely noticed Miriam following my line of vision. When she did, she, too, 'connected the dots', though in an entirely different sense. A wave of anger mixed with raw envy gripped her as she glowered at Hartley, believing that the blue-eyed girl was to blame for my 'lack of interest'. I almost rolled my eyes at the turn that Miriam's thoughts took. Her assumption couldn't be further from the truth. My lack of interest had nothing to do with Hartley, and everything to do with who Miriam was as a person. Her mind wasn't a pleasant place to be in, by any standard.

Not only that— But I had zero desire to forge a relationship. Least of all with a human. The face of Isabella Swan flickered through my mind, a reminder of my past heartache; a reminder of my failings. If I had learned anything in my twelve decades, it was that humans were fickle. Their feelings can change at the drop of a hat. Whereas my kind were the exact opposite— We were unchanging in every sense.

Miriam was mentally hurling insults Hartley's way, shooting daggers at her that went unnoticed by the victim in question. I almost found myself amused at the situation. Miriam absolutely despised that I was giving Hartley 'the time of day'.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, guess who else joined the party?

Surfer Boy. Will.

What in the hell was he doing here? Now, I was the one shooting daggers as he made his entrance. His thoughts gave away that he wasn't by here by choice. Extra credit. His rigorous 'training regime' left little time for his academic studies, and the boy was severely slacking.

My annoyance skyrocketed due to his presence, and Jasper was quick to pick up on it. My empath of a brother wasn't sure why I disliked the human boy to such an extent, and I was in no mood to explain myself.

Hartley turned slightly, her eyes growing to the size of saucers upon noticing her little crush. I watched from across the room as blood deliciously pooled beneath her cheeks, setting my throat and lungs ablaze. Despite cutting off my breathing, venom filled my mouth at the sight. And, of course, Jasper sensed my bloodlust, causing him to eye me with thinly veiled concern.

Will met Hartley's blushing gaze, offering her a small smile that she returned without hesitation, beaming at the boy and all but swooning. From beside me, Miriam pursed her lips, her eyes shifting back and forth from Hartley, to Will, then to me. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute as she concocted the most ridiculous of plans.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Well, this should be interesting. 😅 What sort of plan do ya'll think Miriam is 'concocting'?

 

Chapter 22: 21. Untouchable

||Bella's P.O.V.||

"..Okay. So, the theme is 'Under The Sea'. Isn't that just marvelous?" Alice was reviewing the 'to-do' list, her golden eyes dancing with glee. "We have our 'sunken ship'—" She squealed in excitement, pointing to the distant corner of the extravagant space and continuing, "—over there, which needs to be painted. And we have-"

I stole a glance at the sunken ship, taking note of the containers of paint that lined the tarp-covered floor and accidentally locking gazes with Edward Cullen, stoic as ever. To his left was a red-faced Miriam.

I was quick to focus my attention elsewhere, seeking Will out amongst the chaos of decorations. He was leaning against a wall with his arms folded over his chest, looking far from enthused. What was he even doing here? Don't get me wrong— I'm happy to see him, but I figured he'd be far too busy training to help set up for a dance.

"Bella," the sound of Alice calling my name pulled me from my thoughts.

Tearing my gaze from Will, I turned to Alice. "Hmm?"

"Are those clothes 'paint friendly'?" She asked with a small smile, glancing at my attire.

I was in a pair of shorts and a plain T-shirt. Nothing I was concerned with ruining. 

"Oh, uh. Sure," I responded with a shrug of my shoulders.

Her grin grew. "Great! Then, I'll have you get started with the painting if that's okay."

When her eyes trailed in the direction of the sunken ship, my heart sank. Edward was already painting away, but he paused in his actions and cast me a look from over his shoulder. I was surprised to see that his features weren't etched with derision. He simply wore a blank expression— A far cry from his usual hateful glares. However, I didn't miss how he visibly grimaced when Miriam scooted closer to him, flashing him a flirtatious smile.

Oh, God. I did not want to be trapped in that corner with both of them.

"Excuse me," Lewis spoke up, gaining Alice's attention. "Is that paint oil-based or water-based?"

Excellent question, indeed. Leave it to Lewis to be looking out for us. The girls and I exchanged small smiles at that.

Alice furrowed her brows, her eyes flickering to each of us before saying, "..Um.. It's oil-based. Why?"

"Great!" Lewis beamed, rubbing his hands together before looking at me, shrugging as he said, "Well, there ya have it."

I offered him a grateful smile. Leave it to Lewis— Always looking out for us.

Alice blinked slowly, glancing back down at her list. "Okay? Well, Bella, you can go ahead and start with the ship, if you don't mind. And the rest of you can..."

My shoulders slumped at my assignment, not wanting to work with Edward and Miriam. As if on cue, I felt a familiar pair of eyes burning a hole straight through me.

Alice must've sensed my reluctance, for she offered me a smirk and wagged her brows before leaning forward and whispering, "Don't worry. Will's going to be working on the ship too."

My face heated up at her comment. Was I that obvious?

Rikki rolled her eyes while Cleo bit back a smile. Lewis, however, was too busy looking through his bag to notice.

Alice winked at me. "I got you, girl."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward shooting his sister a glare to end all glares. But Alice was entirely unfazed, a glorious grin spreading across her face.

Just as I was fixing to walk towards the ship, Rikki asked Lewis, "Why are you digging through your man purse?"

Lewis gasped in faux offense, clutching at his 'man purse'. "This is a satchel. As a matter of fact, it's my 'emergency preparedness satchel', Rikki. I'll have you know—"

I couldn't help but laugh as he started going on a tangent, walking away from my three friends and heading straight for the lion's den. My smile vanished in an instant when Miriam shot daggers my way, causing me to pause mid-step. Don't get me wrong— I knew she wasn't my biggest fan. Miriam wasn't anyone's biggest fan. But I've never had her wrathful glare pointed directly at me quite like that before.

Edward casted me a glance from over his shoulder, the usual ire in his eyes missing as he kneeled on the floor and started stirring the bucket of paint. Miriam stepped forward, positioning herself in front of him and folding her arms across her chest as she continued to stare me down, oddly reminding me of a predator claiming its territory.

That's when I realized— She was staking her claim on the brooding boy. The sight was almost comical. A stone-faced Edward Cullen cornered by the 'IT' girl herself, who was practically foaming at the mouth. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating a bit... But was I?

I averted my gaze from the glaring girl, choosing to mind my own business as I moved to the far end of the ship, hoping to keep the peace. God forbid if she thought I was trying to 'steal her man', knowing better than to get on her bad side.

Edward glimpsed at me out of the corner of his eye and nodded once in my direction— A simple greeting. As mundane as it was, I was taken aback by the gesture. He actually acknowledged my presence all on his own? And not to passively-aggressively insult me? For a moment, all I could do was stare at him with my mouth agape.

Just as I pulled myself out of the stunned trance and grabbed a paintbrush, the sound of Lewis's voice came from over my shoulder, causing me to startle and drop the paintbrush into the bucket of white paint; inadvertently covering the bristles, handle, and all as the paint swallowed it up like quicksand.

I heard Miriam mumble under her breath, "Klutz", and I had to resist the urge to narrow my eyes at her, not wanting to give her anymore ammo.

Edward's face was a blank canvas as he looked from me and to the bucket of paint, breathing out a dry laugh that was void of humor when he put two and two together. Miriam flipped her hair over the shoulder, flashing me a sickly-sweet smile before grabbing the smallest paintbrush available and lightly dabbing it in Edward's bucket of paint.

Turning to Lewis, I quirked a brow at him, curious regarding his sudden appearance. He wore a sheepish grin, mumbling, "Sorry," as he bent down and tried to fish out my paintbrush with a wooden stirrer.

A quiet laugh escaped me, stopping his futile efforts as I grabbed another paintbrush and said, "Don't worry about it. What's up?"

At that, he stood up from his kneeling position and proceeded to dig through his 'emergency preparedness satchel', pulling out a folded-up piece of... plastic? With a cheeky grin, he flicked his wrist, causing the plastic to unfold, revealing....

"A poncho?" I knitted my brows at the item, scanning the room and seeing that Cleo was already wearing one. Rikki, however, was not.

Edward shifted slightly, stealing a glance at the clear poncho and pressing his lips into a terse line.

Lewis simply smiled, extending it towards me. "I got these babies for less than a dollar. Figured they'd come in handy, right?"

While it certainly wasn't 'runway ready', the excited look on his face had me grabbing the poncho, even though I didn't feel it was really all that necessary. I understood where Lewis was coming from, and I so appreciated him trying to look out for us, but I've been dealing with my secret for nine years now. Safe to say, I've mastered the art of avoiding water and related 'fishy' incidents pertaining to h2o.

Knock on wood.

Still, I offered him a grateful smile and donned the ridiculous-looking item that made me feel and look like a translucent hot air balloon. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it!" He said with a smile before flitting in Cleo's direction, reminding me of a bumblebee buzzing about.

As I kneeled once more to carefully dip my brush in the oil-based paint, I overheard Miriam saying to Tiffany, "Why would she wear that ridiculous thing? It's not like her outfit demands to be protected. I mean, look at her." She gestured towards me. "She looks like she just grabbed the first baggy T-shirt she could find off the rack at Goodwill."

I couldn't help but feel slightly hurt by her comment, feeling my lips pull down at the corners as I absentmindedly stirred the paint. Still, I said nothing, not knowing if she meant for me to overhear the insult or not. Knowing Miriam, she probably did.

Edward's eyes flickered between me and Miriam, his familiar frown deepening. I tore my gaze from his and turned my attention to painting, placing the brush against the wooden structure and getting to work. 

"So.." I heard Miriam say to Edward, leaning against the wall beside him after 'shooing' Tiffany away. She cocked her head to the side, wearing a smile that was meant to be seductive, no doubt. "Have you given any thought about who you're gonna to take to the dance?"

Wow. I had to hand it to her— She had guts. Not many girls would have the confidence to blatantly flirt with a guy like him. He was... standoffish. Rude. Brooding. And yet Miriam flocked to him. When he didn't so much as spare her a passing glance, I could see why— He was 'untouchable'.

My back was towards them when she cleared her throat, but she did it so loudly that I found myself stealing a peek.

Miriam folded her arms across her chest, blinking rapidly and speaking in a faux sweet voice, "I don't think you heard me, Eddie. I asked you a question."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him stiffen, slowly turning his head to face her. "I heard you loud and clear." His voice was firm yet lacking any emotion whatsoever. "Let me cut to the chase— There are plenty of eligible guys more than willing to take you to the dance, but I am not one of them."

My jaw went slack just as Miriam's did.

Her face reddened to that of a tomato. "And why not?" She looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing into slits before she asked, her tone flippant, "You gay or something?"

His ever-present frown deepened, a moment passing before he responded, his voice clipped, "..Or something."

Honestly, I felt a bit offended on his behalf. If he is gay, it's certainly none of Miriam's business. Despite myself, I couldn't help but watch the unfolding train wreck before me, painting all but forgotten about as Miriam huffed in obvious frustration. Heck, I half expected her to stomp her foot.

For a long moment, she just stared at him, red-faced and wide-eyed. And I just watched, curious how this was going to play out. When Edward's gaze trailed in my direction and we locked eyes, my brows flew up my forehead. An embarrassed blush rushed to cheeks, knowing that I've been caught eavesdropping. Immediately, I spun back around, but in my haste to do so, I bumped into the bucket of paint, causing it to slosh over the sides and onto the plastic tarp that lined the floors.

"Shoot," I mumbled beneath my breath, falling to my knees and grabbing the roll of paper rolls, trying to wipe it up the best I could.

With my peripheral vision, I could see him watching me make a fool of myself.

"Wow.." Miriam quipped, rolling her eyes.

I sighed at that. 'Wow' was right. I didn't so much as look up as I grabbed more paper towels. Just as I was fixing to dab the paint puddle for the tenth time, I noticed a pair of pale hands laying down several newspapers, effectively covering the mess I had made.

When I craned my neck and locked with a pair of honey-gold eyes, I was a bit taken aback by the lack of hostility in his pupils. Once again.

He nodded towards the mess and said, "You can stop painting the floor."

I blinked rapidly, my face heating up. "I-I.. I wasn't. I mean, there's a tarp there. It was an accident. I didn't mean—"

He cut me off mid-sentence, completely deadpan as he spoke, "It was a joke."

A joke? From what I knew of the grumpy boy, he didn't, quote on quote, 'joke'. So, once more, I was taken aback.

"...Right," I breathed out, peeling myself from the floor and standing up in a very awkward fashion, the plastic poncho sticking to my legs. "Um, thanks."

"For what?" He quirked an unenthused brow.

I pointed to the newspapers that concealed the giant glob of paint. "For that."

He breathed out a dry laugh, shaking his head and mumbling, "Don't mention it."

It was strange having a somewhat normal interaction with him. I dropped my gaze to the floor, and when I did, I saw that my converse were now covered in paint, courtesy of my little spill.

"Oh, no.." I said to myself, grabbing another paper towel and trying to scrub the paint off to no avail.

Miriam hummed, a smirk slithering across her lips as she uttered, "Pity."

My mouth fell open as my gaze locked with hers, taking note of her scrunched-up nose and deep scowl. She was looking at me like she was quite literally disgusted by me. I racked my brain, trying to figure out what I had done to offend her so, but I was coming up blank. Then again, she wouldn't be the first person to dislike me for no apparent rhyme or reason. Edward had already beat her to the punch.

"Here," his low voice pulled me from my thoughts.

  I tore my gaze from Miriam's scowling face and looked to see Edward opening a bottle of water, fixing to pour it over my paint-covered converse. A gasp flew through my lips, my heart jumping to my throat as I took a giant leap back just as the water was fixing to make contact with my shoes.

In leaping back, I collided with something (or someone), causing me to stumble for the second time that day. A blush to end all blushes rushed to my cheeks when I realized that Will was my unwilling victim. He wrapped his arm around my waist, steadying me and allowing me to regain my footing. All the while, my blush was spreading to my neck.

Edward was staring at me with a look of utter confusion, holding the now half-empty bottle of water in his hands.

I stared up at Will with wide eyes as he dropped his arm from around my waist and asked, "You good?"

"Y-Yeah!" I was quick to say, blinking rapidly. "I'm great."

His blue eyes flickered over my face, causing my cheeks to heat up even further (if that's even possible, at this point). So blue...

Will nodded, offering me a half-hearted smile. "Alright. Care for a painting partner?"

Partner. Will.

"Absolutely," I blurted out, the hugest of grins spreading across my face.

On the other side of the room, I noticed Alice watching from afar. When I met her gaze for a brief moment, she winked, and I made a mental note to thank her later.

The blue-eyed boy got to work without hesitation, grabbing a paintbrush from the floor. As he did so, he and Edward locked eyes. It seemed Edward's tolerable demeanor had all but vanished, replaced with his usual frown and glower.

Will, however, was unfazed by the obvious glare directed his way, shrugging it off as he set to painting the ship alongside me. We painted in companiable silence for a moment as I struggled to think of something to say. Something interesting. Meaningful.

As we painted, I could feel Miriam's beady eyes flickering from Edward. To me. To Will. On repeat. She was the only one out of the four of us that wasn't painting. When a smug smirk spread across her lips as she locked eyes with me, I braced myself for whatever taunting remark she was going to toss my way.

But she didn't say a word. Instead, she folded her arms across her chest and quirked a brow, a silent challenge brewing in the depths of her pupils as her gaze drifted to Edward... Then to Will.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

So sorry about the late update! Unfortunately, for the next few weeks, I won't be able to stick to a regular posting schedule. My husband and I buying our first house and are set to close on July 29th (if everything goes as planned), so until then I'm going to be a bundle of nerves! 😬 My writing suffers when I'm super stressed.

With that being said, I should be back to regular scheduled updates in August 🤞 Hope you guys have a wonderful week!!! 🥰💕

 

Chapter 23: 22. The Holy Grail of Seashells

||Bella's P.O.V.||

The silence that stretched between me and Will wasn't exactly comfortable. Not for me, at least. I was never one for extended silence. So, trying desperately to ignore the way Miriam kept her eyes narrowed in my direction, I cleared my throat and looked at the blue-eyed boy beside me.

"So, um.." Trailing off, I dipped the paintbrush in the bucket of paint and continued painting the bow of the boat, my shoulder nearly brushing Will's as I did so. "..What made you decide to help out with all this?"

I thought for sure that he'd be too busy training to help decorate for a dance. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward glancing towards us, but I didn't allow myself to meet his gaze, not wanting to infuriate Miriam even more. The glares she kept sending my way had me ill at ease.

Will simply shrugged in response, saying, "Apparently, I'm already behind in Chemistry. So, extra credit."

I pursed my lips in confusion. How would this count as extra credit? Then, I remembered that the Chemistry teacher was also over the planning committee.

"Ah," I say with a nod. Then, an idea struck me, a blush rushing to my cheeks as I continued, "You know.. If you're struggling, I could totally tutor you sometime."

His brows furrowed, glimpsing at me before slapping on a particularly thick glob of paint onto the boat. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Maybe sometime."

Maybe sometime? That didn't sound very promising to me. Still, I didn't let my disappointment show on my face. It's like I said before— He's busy training and stuff. After all, being a freediver isn't exactly 'easy'. Not for humans anyway.

"Okay." I offered him a small smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Just, um.. Feel free to reach out. Ya know, whenever.."

"Thanks," was he all said, returning my smile as he proceeded to paint in messy, careless streaks.

Meanwhile, my method was methodical, knowing that if I applied the right amount of pressure and angled the brush so, there wouldn't be a need for an additional coat of paint.

Evidently, Edward (of all people) had the same idea. His brushstrokes matched mine, practically moving in sync. When Will slapped on another glob of paint, I noticed Edward's jaw tick.

His head snapped towards Will's, speaking firmly, "Must you paint like a caveman?"

My eyes flickered back and forth between the two.

Will, of course, was unbothered, saying with a shrug, "It's just painting. A solid color, for that matter. There's no right or wrong way to do it. You can't mess it up."

Edward's eyes narrowed into slits, his voice clipped, "Yes, there is. And you are."

Will just looked at him with a blank expression, still entirely unfazed. At first, I considered saying nothing, not wanting to agree with Edward. Especially not as far as Will is concerned. But the sloppy streaks of paint that were globbed up on the ship had me speaking up.

"Slow and steady wins the race," I softly spoke, locking eyes with Will and offering him yet another smile. "At least that's what they say."

Before Will had a chance to respond, Miriam wasted no time in voicing her opinion. "Hmm.. I prefer things to be a bit.. sloppy.. myself." Her words were laced with a sensual undertone that genuinely surprised me. She stepped towards Will, twirling her paintbrush between her thumb and forefinger as she all but purred, "..There's nothing wrong with rushed and messy.."

My jaw dropped, quite literally hitting the floor. Was she for real right now? She was flirting with Edward mere moments ago, and now she was making sensual innuendos to Will?! Does she have no shame?!

"This..." She gestured to the messy streaks of paint. "This just screams 'passion'."

What? Edward and I exchanged a glance, our stunned expressions mirroring one another, no doubt.

Even Will looked a bit taken aback. "Uh.. Thanks?"

I could tell he was a bit uncomfortable. Who could blame him?

Miriam wasted no time in saying, "No problem," and flashing him a wink that he missed entirely.

She went back to pretending to paint, wedging herself between Edward and Will in the process. I couldn't wrap my head around the situation— Who was she trying to go after? Edward or Will? Or both?

Will, once more, dipped his brush in the paint, but he was now painting a bit more carefully— No more 'passionate' painting.

Several awkward seconds passed before his eyes lit up upon noticing a seashell situated on top of ship's stern.

He pointed to it with a cheeky grin, looking at me and saying, "That seashell there is actually pretty rare."

I looked up, trying to get a good look, but I was far too short. Will simply laughed as I stood on my tiptoes before he grabbed the seashell and held it out in his palm, allowing me to admire it.

"It's really pretty." A small smile flitted to my lips, admiring its unique shape. "What kind is it?"

"Well, it's known as the 'Holy Grail' of seashells, but I can't think of the scientific name for it off the top of my head," Will said with a chuckle.

That's when Edward spoke up from the other side of the boat, his voice firm yet lacking its usual harshness that I've come to expect, "Glory of the Sea Cone. Also known as 'Conus gloriamaris'."

Will glanced in his direction, his lips pulling down in a slight frown before meeting my curious gaze. Meanwhile, I was still inspecting the shell, unable to resist picking it up to get a closer look.

"Wow.." I breathed out. "The Holy Grail, huh?"

Will nodded, his eyes shimmering with pure excitement before casting another glimpse at Edward and asking him, "Where'd you get this anyway?"

Edward paused in his painting, his ever-present frown.. well, present. "..The ocean," he deadpanned.

I almost smiled at his vague response. Almost. If Will hadn't been the one asking the question, perhaps maybe I would have.

"No shit..." Will breathed out a scoff beneath his breath, reaching out to pluck the seashell from my fingers and rolling it in his palm before speaking up once more, "Did you buy it from someone?"

Edward released a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping forward. Even from here, I could see his jaw ticking with thinly veiled annoyance as he gruffly responded, "Found it."

"Where?" Will wasted no time in asking once more, resembling a broken record.

I already knew what Edward was going to say before he could so much as open his mouth to speak. Hoping to keep the peace, I beat him to the punch—

"Let me guess— the ocean?" A tight-lipped smile spread across my face.

A dry laugh escaped Edward, flashing me a taunting smirk that was borderline teasing. "Nothing gets by you, does it?"

My lips twitched at the corners, but the lack of amusement on Will's face prevented my smile from fully coming to fruition.

I nodded towards the 'Holy Grail' of shells in Will's hand, saying, "Perhaps you'll find one washed up on the beach if you're lucky."

His brows flew up his forehead. "Definitely not. It's far too rare for that." He appeared thoughtful for a moment before looking at Edward, releasing a quiet sigh and asking, "..How much would you want for it?"

"It's not for sell," Edward wasted no time in saying, not so much as sparing him a glance as he continued painting.

Will's lips pulled down in a disappointed frown.

I tilted my head to the side, studying the frowning boy before asking him, "You a collector?"

He nodded, reluctantly placing the shell atop the stern once more. "Yeah. It's a hobby of mine."

I couldn't help but smile. "That's really neat.. Of all things to collect— Why seashells?"

"Why not?" He offered me a lopsided grin as he resumed painting. "They're a product of the sea. Anything that comes from the ocean is... well, sort of amazing."

My heart stuttered in my chest. Amazing. The way he spoke of the sea caused butterflies to flutter about in my stomach.

"Yeah," I say in a voice above a whisper, my cheeks heating up under his blue-eyed gaze. "..Pretty amazing."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward's head snap in our direction, but I was so used to his incessant glares that I hardly noticed. However, this time, it felt less like a glare and more like a stare. Progress.

Will quirked a brow at me, his crooked grin never leaving his face. "Fan of the big blue sea, I take it?"

My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, absentmindedly fiddling with the less-than-flattering poncho that was swallowing me whole. "Oh, yeah. For sure."

If he only knew the half of it...

"You ever been scuba diving? Snorkeling?" He wondered, holding my gaze as we both painted side by side.

"Oh, um.. No." It wasn't a lie, technically.

"Really?" His blue eyes lit up with appeared to be excitement. "Ah, man— You've gotta try it."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Luckily, I didn't need any. Because Will continued— "You should come with me on my next free dive. I really ought to have a spotter anyway."

My eyes widened, nearly growing to the size of saucers. He.. was inviting me to go with him. To do something after school together that didn't involve trekking through a bug-infested jungle in search of a cave. Amid my giddiness, it took me a moment to fully process what he was suggesting— Me. In the ocean. With him. My heart sank like a stone at the realization that the only answer I could give him was 'no'.

But before I had a chance to form a coherent response, Edward narrowed his eyes at Will and said, "Are you crazy? Freediving requires extensive training. You can't just expect someone who hasn't so much as snorkeled to just.. dive headfirst into the ocean. That might be one of the most reckless things I've ever heard."

Will looked taken aback, his brows flying up his forehead. "Obviously, I know how much 'training' goes into freediving. And I wasn't suggesting she 'dive headfirst into the ocean'." He then turned to me, saying with a small smile, "You could just watch from the boat. But afterwards, snorkeling wouldn't be totally out of the equation. If we have time, of course."

I could feel my face heating up by several degrees. Under normal circumstances, I would've jumped at the opportunity. But, alas, the circumstances weren't 'normal'. Because I wasn't normal. And in that moment, that was the first time that I ever wished that I was...

Several heartbeats passed as I opened and closed my mouth repeatedly, looking for words that wouldn't come. Out of the corner of my eye, I picked up on Edward furrowing his brows in a confused manner. Of course, I could understand his confusion— He wasn't oblivious to my 'crush' on Will, so it was no wonder that he found my hesitation to be a bit puzzling.

"You're wasting your time," Miriam blurted out, sauntering over and making it a point to brush against Will's side as she did so. "You won't catch her or her friends anywhere near the ocean." Her eyes locked with mine, a smirk curling across her lips when I stiffened as she said to him, "Some sort of phobia, I reckon."

Will quirked a brow, looking from me to Miriam. "..What?"

To my surprise, Edward spoke up, narrowing his eyes at Miriam. "That doesn't seem accurate."

I folded my arms across my chest, never breaking Miriam's stare. All the while, her taunting smirk never wavered.

"It's true," she chuckled dryly, placing her hands on her hips, all but forgetting about the wet paintbrush she was holding.

"You don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, shaking my head.

She batted her lashes in faux innocence, practically cooing, "Aw, it's okay. We're all afraid of something. Nothing to be ashamed of." Of course, she turns her gaze to Will, a smirk slithering across her lips. "Right, Will?"

Will glanced back and forth between us, appearing less than enthused. "Um.. Yeah, sure."

I stiffened when Miriam's gaze flickered back to me, unable to resist narrowing my eyes at her. Her motives were transparent to me— She was trying to make me look bad in front of Will. And I didn't appreciate it. Not one bit.

Edward released a quiet sigh, shaking his head in a solemn manner as he absentmindedly went back to painting. I, too, wanted to resume the mundane task of painting the ship, but I couldn't bring myself to do so just yet.

"Will," I spoke his name softly, brushing shoulders with Miriam as I moved closer to him. "..Maybe we could.. do something else instead? Grab a juice or something?"

Was the hope in my voice that obvious? I hoped not. Miriam discreetly rolled her eyes, her smirk never faltering as Will locked eyes with me.

"Oh, uh.. I'm pretty busy with training and stuff," he said to me. For what felt like the umpteenth time... "Like I said—You're welcome to join me on a dive, but if you've got some sort of phobia..?"

Normally, I'd like to think that I'm a patient girl. Slow to anger. Cool, calm, and collected— All that jazz. But in that moment, I had half a mind to strangle Miriam where she stood.

"I don't have a phobia," my voice was clipped, breaking on the last word as I stole a glimpse of Miriam's smug face.

"You don't?" Will quirked a disbelieving brow. 

It was then that Lewis appeared out nowhere, holding two cups of fruit punch. One which (of course) had a lid and straw. Amid my frustration, I barely acknowledged his presence, simply offering my thoughtful friend a half-hearted smile before focusing my full attention on Will.

"No," I was quick to say in response. "Like I said— I love the ocean."

Lewis furrowed his brows. "..What'd I miss?'

Edward shifted slightly to face us, his puzzled expression mirroring Lewis's and Will's, though the three of them seemed to be confused for varying reasons. Miriam, of course, was still as smug as ever.

"Funny way of showing it," she mumbled, chuckling dryly before batting her lashes at Will once more. "..I, however, have always had an affinity with the sea."

That did it— The last thread of my patience snapped.

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||
I'm backkkkk!!! 🥰🥰🥰 Kinda, sorta. My husband and I are officially homeowners. We have a TON to unpack and will be spending the next couple weekends getting everything out of our old house and into our new HOME 💕💕

Right now, we don't even have WiFi, so I wrote this using my hotspot 😆 Hopefully, things will go back to normal soon, and I'll update more frequently again 😊

 

Chapter 24: 23. As Changing As The Tides

||Bella's P.O.V.||

"You?!" My voice went up an octave as I stared at Miriam in disbelief.

I could feel my face heating up by several degrees. The fact that she was claiming to have an 'affinity' with the sea was downright laughable.

"That's a joke," I blurted out, shaking my head in frustration. "If anyone has an affinity, it's—"

Before the words could tumble from my lips without abandonment, Lewis nudged me with his elbow, giving me a sharp look that had me biting my tongue. Normally, I was so careful when it came to my secret. Our secret. So, I was surprised by own recklessness.

Edward's eyes flickered from me to Lewis, his expression as blank as the canvas hanging beside the boat. Miriam, however, was still just as smug, smirking and batting her lashes at Will.

"It's true," she all but purred, stepping closer to him. "I so love the ocean. I even won Miss Sea Queen in the beauty pageant last year."

Lewis took a sip of his punch before saying, "Actually, that was two years ago. And pretty sure Tiffany won."

My eyes widened at his correction. Given how Miriam's eyes flashed, she was not happy about it. Imagine that...

"It was so obviously rigged, it's not even funny." She proffered Lewis a sickly-sweet smile that was dripping with derision. "Tiffany was a friggin' sea urchin, for crying out loud. And your girlfriend was a jellyfish. A jellyfish! Whereas I... was a mermaid."

A mermaid. I barely stifled an eyeroll before looking at Lewis and silently mouthing, 'Seriously?' He simply nodded once in response, pressing his lips into a thin line to hide his amusement.

Edward released the quietest of sighs, appearing to be thoroughly exasperated and just 'over it' in general. And for once, I couldn't blame him.

Will was the only one who seemed even somewhat interested in what Miriam had to say.

Of course, she continued of her own fruition, "If that doesn't scream 'rigged', I don't know what does." A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she locked eyes with Will. "..One of the judges even claimed that I was the prettiest mermaid he's ever seen. Guess staying up all night to work on my handmade costume really paid off.."

Unlike me, Edward didn't bother stifling his eyeroll as he resumed painting, removing himself from the conversation.

Will arched an unenthused brow before mumbling, "Guess so."

I locked eyes with Lewis, who was casually sipping his fruit punch, grinning ear to ear.

Miriam glanced at Edward, a frown falling over her features for the briefest of moments before schooling her expression and smirking at Will once more.

"..But obviously, I'm much better looking than an actual mermaid." She folded her arms across her chest, subtly pulling down her blouse a bit to expose some cleavage. "Have you seen those documentaries? They're absolutely hideous."

Despite the fact that she was so obviously fishing for compliments, her comment rubbed me the wrong way. For obvious reasons.

"Those 'documentaries' are fake," I blurted out, unable to resist speaking up.

Lewis quirked a brow at me. He was the only one that appeared to be paying attention to what I had to say, all too aware how correct my statement was.

Miriam chose to blatantly ignore me (of course), saying to Will, "I imagine if you see one during one of those dives of yours, it'd be something straight out of a nightmare."

Despite believing that she was just trying to make conversation, I found myself gritting my teeth.

To my surprise, it's Edward that spoke up, saying from over his shoulder as he painted, "There are plenty of creatures that reside in the ocean that one could consider 'nightmarish'." Turning around to face us, he continued, "..But I highly doubt a mermaid is one of them."

My lips twitched at the corners— An almost smile.

Lewis was quick to put in his two cents as well, nodding as he said, "I have to agree."

Miriam's gaze lingered on Edward, and the way she looked at him didn't sit right with me. She looked at him like... like he was a piece of meat.

A smirk spread across her face, lifting her shoulder in a casual shrug. "Who knows?" Clearly, she didn't want to flat-out disagree with the brooding, golden-eyed boy. But still yet, she turned to Will and said, "Regardless, I'm sure you could handle yourself. You must be such a strong swimmer."

This was painful to watch. I inwardly cringed at how obvious she was being.

It was Will's turn to shrug, "Be that as it may, I wouldn't want to take my chances against something like that. I mean, I don't breathe underwater."

"Neither do mermaids," I piped up, immediately regretting it when Lewis looked at me like I had three heads. Me and my big mouth... Of course, I was quick to backpedal. "I mean, not that there's any proof to suggest that. But I'd reckon..." Trailing off, I racked my brain for something to say, but words evaded me. "Never mind."

Edward quirked a brow, locking eyes with me for a brief moment before saying, "They'd likely be mammals. Like dolphins or whales. So, I'd imagine they'd have to come up for air at some point."

Spot on. But I'd never say that.

Lewis pursed his lips, meeting my gaze before taking a long sip of his fruit punch.

Miriam's smirk only grew as she stared at Edward. "Wouldn't doubt it."

Because, of course, she'd agree with him.

"Manatees." Will blurted out, blinking rapidly. "I mean— Sailors often mistook sea cows for 'mermaids' way back when. Random info 101."

I breathed out a laugh before taking a sip of my fruit punch and setting it on the floor, choosing to resume painting alongside Edward. Manatees... That had me thinking— Do I actually resemble a manatee underwater? The thought made me feel a bit self-conscious. Surely not, right?

"Manatees.. Wow." Miriam beamed at Will. "You know—"

I forced myself to tune out their conversation, not wanting to listen to the unfolding train wreck a minute longer. Besides, I believed that Will had better taste than that. She didn't strike me as the type of girl someone like him would go for. He was... a 'go with the flow' kind of guy. Easygoing. And Miriam was anything but.

With that in mind, I chose to strike up a conversation with Lewis, hoping to distract myself from the 'flirting' going on behind me. But when I turned to look for him, I saw that he was already on the other side of the room with his arms wrapped around Cleo. The way she was smiling and giggling gave away the 'sweet nothings' he was (no doubt) whispering in her ear.

My heart warmed while simultaneously clenching at the sight. They were very lucky to have each other, and I couldn't help but feel a bit envious. Up until moving to the Gold Coast, I had been entirely alone with my secret. Friendships evaded me, and relationships were definitely out of the question because I could never allow myself to get close enough to someone to the point of... trusting them.

So, I could allow imagine the connection Cleo shared with Lewis. To have someone be there. So attentive. Trustworthy. It seemed.. almost magical to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward following my gaze as he was bending down to dip his brush in the paint.

"..Love is fickle, you know," he mumbled beneath his breath, catching my attention.

I paused mid brushstroke, frowning at his comment. "That's not true."

He arched a brow in challenge as he rose from the ground, staring me down. "It is though. It's conditional and undependable." A dry laugh escaped him, lacking humor. "It's as changing as the tides, Hartley. Best to remember that."

My frown deepened. How could he say that? All it takes is one look at a couple like Cleo and Lewis to see how false that statement is.

Nodding towards my two friends who very much 'in love', I say to Edward, "..They're lucky. They understand each other. There's nothing fickle about love when it's true."

Key word being 'true'.

Now, it was his turn to frown. He narrowed his honey-gold eyes at me and resumed painting in silence, his jaw ticking with every stroke of his brush.

Despite the negativity rolling off him in waves, I didn't sense his usual hostility towards me. Annoyance? Yeah, sure. I seemed to stay on his last nerve 24/7. Everyone did.

Just as I was turning around to gather more paint, I couldn't help but tune in to Will's conversation with Miriam. The two appeared to have forsaken painting entirely. When she glimpsed my way and noticed I was staring, a smug smile spread across her face.

"You know, Will..." She trailed off, flipping her ponytail over shoulder as she batted her lashes. "Since Bella's too afraid of the big, bad sea to be your dive spotter, I'd be more than happy to join you.."

My grip tightened on my paintbrush in frustration. "I am not afraid."

I knew she was just trying to get under my skin, and I couldn't help but let her. What game was she playing?

"Is that right?" She placed a hand on her hip, holding my gaze. "So, you refused to be his spotter out of principle then?"

Will's brows flew up his forehead, turning to me with an expectant expression. Meanwhile, my mouth opened and closed repeatedly, at a loss for words. She had me right where she wanted me it would seem.

And as if the situation couldn't get any worse, Edward shifted to face me as well, appearing invested in my answer as much as Will.

I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment. No matter what I say, it's a lose-lose situation.

"N-No. Of course not," I stammered, locking with Will's deep blue eyes. "That's not— No."

A victorious smirk slithered across Miriam's lips. "So, you are afraid. Like I said."

This girl was seriously starting to upset me.. My eyes snapped to hers, my jaw clenching. My pulse picked up as I stared at her, imagining how vexed she'd be if the can of paint somehow managed to 'magically' explode all over her run-way ready outfit.

Edward's gaze flickered from me to Miriam, his brows knitting. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed several of his siblings casting glances in our direction as well.

"Yeah, well.." I spoke through gritted teeth, a sinister smile of my own spreading across my face as I said to Miriam, "You never know when something might drag you under.."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

||AUTHOR'S NOTE||

Short chapter, I know.. But I wanted to get something published for you guys, and I really needed to get back on my usual posting schedule. So (fingers crossed) from here on out, I should be back to updating this story every Monday. :)