Starving for the sun

Wine

Fluorescent lights are bright and glaring, making the tile flooring shine as she walks to her locker, seemingly so much brighter than the slowly darkening sky outside.

Past those doors, there is no one she has to face. Just the smell of rain and the sight of sky reaching trees and clouds obscuring the view above. She remembers the sight of the full moon when she was driving, pale like pastel in the sky. A faded reminder of the wolves she calls friends, a night under the stars with someone whose heart doesn't beat.

Every bone in her body doesn't want to be here, at school surrounded by people only interested in themselves. People who don't have to worry past missing homework and test notes that weren't taken in time.

A hand on her shoulder causes her to spin around faster than she should have, jumping back from the touch in shock. Her heart is beating as if she's just finished a mile race and her grip on her bag tightens enough that her hand hurts.

Edward is standing there frozen, his hand still extended out like she hadn't even moved. An easy smile on his face as he looks at her. "The bell's about to ring." He says softly as if not to startle her. "Are you okay?" The smile fades to a frown when she can only stare at him.

Shadowed eyes glance over her face as if there was any physical evidence to find that would out her without consent. If he finds anything he doesn't let her know.

"I'm fine." She says automatically, stepping back to widen the space between them, needing the distance to let herself breathe. She just wants to be left alone. "I'll walk you to class." He tells her as he steps closer, caging the breath in her lungs in a challenge before she can exhale. "You have a pop quiz in English." He tells her as he nudges her down the hall, hand on her shoulder as if she can't remember where her first period class was. "Only 10 questions." He adds as the sound of the last bell rings out through the emptying halls. "It should be easy."

The remaining walk to her class is in silence, unspoken words linger between them and she refuses to be the first to speak. She doesn't want to talk to him, not when he's leading her around like a blind sheep, not when she avoided the whole family in the parking lot.

She only speaks when he stops next to the door, a tight smile on his face when she thanks him before entering the class without giving him time to respond.

The test that's passed out to everyone doesn't help her feelings towards this class. Of course, Edward was right. Invading someone's privacy is second nature to him and, apparently, he doesn't see how it's wrong.

Bella does her best to ignore the growing ache of her ribs as the hours tick by, but the pain is coming back at a slow pace, a familiar discomfort settles in her chest as a reminder that she can't run away from this.

Even if she wants to.

When the lunch bell rings and everyone files out of their classes to head to the cafeteria, she decides to slip away. Giving a poor excuse to Jessica who isn't happy about her skipping lunch because she had some big news that she was going to tell everyone.

But she knows that she's pushing it if she sits with her friends; if she sees them at their table. So she gives Jessica an apologetic smile before turning and walking the opposite way.

The girls bathroom is empty and silent as she closes the door behind her and her backpack is dropped where she stands.

A breath is caged in her lungs as she grips the cold porcelain of the sink, refuses to release itself without the evidence of her pain. She squeezes her eyes closed and swallows despite the burning pain. She doesn't want this to happen now. Not at school. Not now.