The Outlier

TWENTY

I stood by my locker, loading my books into it, hoping to lessen my load. Approaching me was Jessica trying her best not to run and Bella following shortly after.

"Tell. Me. Everything." Jessica squealed.

Bella stared at the stained linoleum tiles in front of my locker, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Nothing worth mentioning, really," I shrugged.

Jessica frowned at me, her eyes clouded with scepticism.

"I mean, seriously, he wasn't into the whole thing." Bella's shoulders straightened out of their former sulking slouch at my revelation.

"Well, was it like a date?" Jessica demanded.

"Hardly."

"Did you tell him to meet you there— did he tell you to meet him there?" Jessica interrogated.

"No, it wasn't that complicated," I chuckled nervously, "he saw me lost and felt bad so he bought me dinner and drove me home."

The initial expressions the two girls wore seemed to have switched. Jessica's shoulders were now deflated, her lips pouting in disappointment. Bella's stance heightened as she struggled to hide a smile on her face.

"Please, Kai, I need more— did something interesting happen in the restaurant?" she prodded.

"Er," I scanned my memories for something interesting, "the waitress kept flirting with him."

"It was kind of annoying, to be honest."

"Oh. My. Gosh," she split up the phrase into three separate parts, "you are so jealous."

"No, Jessica," I shut her down, "it's a bit annoying when you're trying to order and the server is focused on him."

"Felt a bit like talking to a wall," I quietly remarked.

"What else happened?"

"There was a hostess," I added.

"Was she pretty?" Jessica demanded, hoping for a more interesting story to pass on than the simple answers I've been giving.

Gorgeous, ethereal, marvellous, beautiful and of course— pretty.

"Yeah, I guess," I shrugged.

"I don't know how you're brave enough to be alone with him," she sighed out heavily.

I snorted, "what?"

"He's so... intimidating." Her face involuntarily phased into a frown, remembering her dazed reaction yesterday.

"Good morning, Jessica," a silky voice announced from behind me. I turned around to face him.

"Bella," Edward stiffly nodded, acknowledging her presence.

An awkward silence blanketed all four of us. Jessica gaped at his face while Bella's eyes stayed down at her shoes, avoiding his eyes as she did with mine. I shot him a look, pointing my head in Bella's direction. He nodded in understanding, though too discreet for anyone other than me to see.

"Bella," Edward repeated. "Would you mind if I walked you to your next class?"

"Um—" she glanced around at us, looking for some kind of help, meeting my eyes for the first time. I nodded encouragingly.

"Yeah. Sure. Mhm."

Edward turned his attention back to us with an apologetic smile. "I hope you two don't mind me stealing Bella away."