Aria's Twilight

Fieldtrips and Friends

Aria's pov

I took a seat next to Angela for the bus ride to the community college greenhouse. Almost immediately, she started talking about The Chronicles of Nick, her eyes lighting up as she rambled about her favorite parts. I told her I was reading it too, and that was all the encouragement she needed.

Bella had taken a different bus, but it didn't really matter. She wasn't much of a talker anyway.

I tried to stay focused on Angela's voice, I really did, but the gentle rocking of the bus and the warmth from the heater made my thoughts drift. Her words blurred together, fading into soft noise, and before I realized what was happening, my eyes slipped closed.

It felt like only seconds later when someone shook my shoulder.

"Aria, we're at the college. You've got to get up now."

I blinked, her face fuzzy at first before slowly coming into focus.

"Thanks for waking me, Angel," I mumbled.

She blushed instantly, smiling before rushing off the bus.

I sighed. As much as I wanted to curl up and go right back to sleep, I knew I couldn't. Mr. Molina would never allow it, and if my dad found out I was dozing off in public, he'd have me stuck in bed for days "to recover."

I stepped off the bus and searched for Bella. I spotted her almost immediately—surrounded by a group of boys, with Jessica beside her and Lauren lingering nearby, looking as unpleasant as ever.

Yeah... no thanks.

I decided to stay on my own instead of getting pulled into whatever attention-seeking chaos was happening over there.

Inside the greenhouse, Mr. Molina and the tour guide, Thomas, started explaining the scientific names of different plants. Warm, humid air wrapped around me, thick with the smell of soil and leaves.

And then I saw him.

Edward Cullen stood near the front with his siblings, his bronze hair catching the light filtering through the glass ceiling.

My steps slowed without me meaning to.

I hated that I noticed him. Hated that my mind instantly drifted to our last conversation... and the accident before it.

I still didn't understand how he had moved that fast. If it had been adrenaline, he could've just said so. If he didn't know, he could've admitted it.

Instead, he'd gotten defensive. Angry.

Like I'd accused him of something horrible.

"...Eric, push the roots deeper, just like that."

Mr. Molina's voice snapped me back to reality.

I realized I had fallen a few steps behind and hurried forward just in time to see Tyler trying to drink something from a paper cup.

"Don't drink that!" Mr. Molina yelled.

And then I heard it.

"Hello, Aria."

I could feel my irritation crawling back to the surface, hot and sharp, bringing every unanswered question with it.

So I crossed my arms, kept my eyes forward, and pretended Edward Cullen wasn't standing behind me at all.

Edward's pov

I had been watching her since the moment she fell asleep on the bus beside Angela Webber.

Even unconscious, Aria drew my attention as naturally as breathing. She looked peaceful—nothing like the fragile, frightened girl from the night before. The contrast unsettled me.