Strange Creatures | Rewriting

(3) Stalkers Equal Pain - Present

I arrived back at the Cullen's minutes before I would have to leave to return to school to see a very displeased Edward waiting for me. Looks like someone knew when I was returning or had been waiting until they figured I'd be returning.

"Lovely morning, Eddie." I greeted, stepping out of his car before tossing him the keys. "It sure drives like a beauty. Wanna make a wager with it?" I asked, amused to see him.

"What gave you the right --"

"Edward.. Edward," I said, raising my hand while shaking my head. "It's too early to hear you complain about my dazzling beauty and ability to do whatever I please without your say so in the matter. Now if you excuse me I gotta get me another hour of beauty sleep."

I walked past him ignoring the pain that stubbed me in the heart.

"You can't be friends with him." Edward words stopped me cold. "If you really want to be part of this family then you would stop trying to expose us. You'd realize that you're doing more harm then good by bring that person into our lives and telling him about us."

Turning, I tried to figure out the mixed emotions and which ones were stronger. Anger, hate, pity, love. It was a whirlwind that I couldn't stop.

"What did you just say?" I asked, trying to find some composure.

It's been less then 24 hours since we returned to Forks and he was already trying to take some sort of control. Wasn't having Bella enough for this vampire. What more could he possible hope to have before it was enough?

"That you need to leave Mike alone and not expose us even more then we already are," Edward repeated, not looking away from me. "He's nothing but trouble."

I bit my lip before shaking my head.

"Whatever," I mumbled, walking into the house.

I glanced up to see Alice bouncing down the stairs with a wide grin on her face. A sigh escaped me as I passed her to change and find what I would need. The sound of Edwards car starting up had me looking back at the door.

I stared, listening as the car disappeared down the driveway and away from the house. I stared at the door knowing that Edward wasn't going to come back through and show me that smile that made him more dazzling then before because that smile was only for Bella.

The human Bella.

A hand fall on my shoulder bringing me back to the cruel reality that I lived in. Turning my head I saw Jasper with a deep frown on his face.

"What?" I asked, frowning at him. "I'm pretty sure Edward just ditched me to go to school. Now I gotta find my own way." A forced smile appeared on me. "Or I get to skip it. I'm okay with that option."

"I'll drive you, Bell," Jasper said, taking his hand away.

"Oh yay!" I mumbled. "Give me five and I'll be down."

Why did Jasper have to offer a ride? I could've just hitched one with Alice. Unless this was all part of her plan to make me go shopping with her.

I needed to find a way to not go shopping with her. I also needed to find a way to make the lie that I did go shopping with her believable.

I should've came up with a better lie for Mike.

No, I should've just erased his memory of me and started anew.

I shouldn't have even came back.

No I should've came back and made it seem that I didn't care what Edward and that human did.

5 minutes later - and not a a second past what I said - I appeared at the front of the Cullen's house with a bag over my shoulder. Jasper grinned at me as drool dripped from my mouth.

"When did you get that?" I asked, looking at his beauty of a bike.

"I've had it," Jasper said, shaking his head.

"No way!" I disagreed. "Impossible! I would've taken that instead Edwards car if that was true!"

"No you wouldn't have."

I chuckled. "Ya you're right," I agreed. "But I so wanna have it. It's not fair that I magical lost mine.. don't give me that look. It's confidential on what really happened to it," I lied, amused. "How fast does it go?"

"Get on and I'll show you."

This was why Jasper was my favorite. Alice was a close second -- well she was tied with Emmett at least for the close second position.

Getting on I wrapped my arms around him and lead my head sideways on his back so that I could watch the scenery pass us by. Jasper kicked the bike to a start and started down his driveway, a wide grin forming on my face.

Edward might have his boyish charms but I'll get over him.

He might be able to read minds but he's not the smartest or the cleverest.

He might have hard skin that sparkles... well he can keep it.

I'd rather have a beating heart. I rather be human. I rather not fool people into falling for me.

We were close to the school when Jasper finally broke the silence. Taking my mind away from thoughts about Edward and his cruelness.

"You loved him." I could hear the pity in his voice.

I knew there was no point in lying. In those months I never could hide my feelings from Alice and Jasper. I never denied the real reason that I was with him.

I never told them that I only looked at him as family.

Alice knew I loved Edward but she also warned me that Edward would never return my feelings.

"I was a fool to fall for your brother who fell in love with a human." I flinched in pain at my own words. "A fool to think that there was even a slight chance that I'd win. An even bigger fool for falling for Mike."

He didn't say anything as the bike came to a stop outside of the school. I stepped off the bike and looked around spotting Bella with Edward. I should've known they would've been together.

"It's not love that you feel for him." I cracked a small grin at Jasper. "Mike's not a good rebound."

Like I didn't know that but I needed to get over Edward.

"Maybe, maybe not." I agreed, pulling my backpack higher onto my shoulder. "Thanks for the ride, Jasper. I'll make sure to catch one with Alice, or Edward though I'm pretty sure he'll be with Bella until the last possible second."

I had to act like everything was normal and that I hadn't fallen for a vampire that was off limits. I needed to make it seem like Edward wasn't anything special and that I thought nothing more of him then I would the others.

I needed to make myself forget about him.