The Lies that Bella Swan tells

Chapter 04: Conversations with a new friend

Ella's POV
Bella straightens, girding herself. Then strides to my seat, and confidently drops her books down, ready to address him.

Only to be stopped when Mr. Molina calls out "Ms. Swan? Your seat is now in front of Mr. Cullen" she scowls and reluctantly went to her seat.

I hesitantly walk over to him and sit in the seat next to Edward. I ready myself for the glared and cruel looks but I'm pleasantly surprised when he looks up at me and smiles "Hello" I stop, stunned. He is direct, precise, as if every word is something that he's been waiting to say to me "I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. My name is Edward Cullen."

I'm too shocked that he's talking to me to answer, but then he promptingly says "... You're Ella Swan" I blinked out of my stupider and say "I'm... yes. I'm Ella" while blushing. He seems delighted that I'm talking to him. He abruptly moves to the extreme edge of his seat. Sitting closer to me. Bella and I are even more baffled now.

"Onion root tip cells! That's what's on your slides. Separate and label them into the phases of mitosis. The first partners to get it right, win... the golden onion!" Mr. Molina says as he excitedly holds up a spray painted onion. Everyone just looks at him. He's disappointed by their apathy "Come on, people. Tick tock."

Everyone sets to work. Edward pushes the microscope to me "Ladies first" he says not taking his eyes off of me once. I grab the microscope defensively and snaps the first slide
in, adjusting the lens. I curtly address him now that I have a better grip on myself "You've been gone...." I can't help but since as the weird chest pain comes back at the memory of his departure.

Edward winced as well and hesitantly says with some reluctance "Out of town. For personal reasons" I glance at him but he just averts his gaze, his face tight. I look back into the microscope "You can just say that you don't want to talk about it or you're not ready to talk about it. You don't need to lie" I say then announce "Prophase" and I begin to remove the slide only for Edward to say "Thank you for understanding. May I look?"

I slide him the microscope. He glances through the lens. He crookedly smiled and says "Prophase" I smirk and say "Like I said" He writes it on the worksheet. Then he takes a breath, as if trying calm himself, and turns to me and asks "Enjoying the rain?" I huff out a laugh and say "Seriously? You're asking me about the weather?" Edward seems flustered as he says "It appears so..." I smile and say "Yeah, I'm loving it and so are my younger siblings" Edward looks at me slightly confused "Siblings? I thought you only had sisters."

I wince and explain "Mika, the youngest, is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and gender neutral terms" Edward nods and mutters "They/them and gender neutral terms, got it" I smile as he makes a mental note to respect my siblings gender identity.

Bella speaks up and says "I don't like the cold. Or the wet. Or the gray. Or parkas. Or turtle necks" we ignore her and continue our conversation.

I observe him. He seems more intrigued than agonized by me than he does Bella. He studies me. I still can't tell if he despises me or not. It's infuriating "What?" I ask and he shakes his head and turns to the microscope, switching out the slides. I look at him. And keep looking...His cheekbones, his lips. So perfect, like a sculpture..
I'm snapped out of my thoughts when he speaks again "Anaphase" "May I?" I ask politely and he immediately passes me the microscope.

I look through the lens "Anaphase" and Edward repeats my earlier words "Like I said" I glance at him, and this time sees a smirk. I simply hold out her hand for another slide. Edward hands me the slide "If you love cold and rain, why didn't you move to the wettest place in the continental U.S.?" I sigh and say "It's complicated" and Edward says "I think I can keep up."

He actually seems interested. I look into the microscope as I explain " My grandmother died and then my mother remarried" Edward's face grows grim "Very complex. I'm sorry for your loss, do you not like your mother's new husband?" I shook my head "Phil is fine. Young for her, but nice enough. He is Mika's father so I care about him" I look at the slide "Interphase."

After class I exit holding the golden onion, and practically run into Edward, who's directly in front of me. 'I though our conversation was over...?'

"Why didn't you stay with your mom and stepdad?" He asks making me sigh. He waits for my answer, studying me, as if trying to decipher me. I'm drawn in by his attention, oddly compelled "Alright, Phil's a minor league baseball player, so he travels a lot. My mother was forced to stay home with me and my siblings but it made her unhappy. Knowing her she'd do something stupid, so I decided to spend time with my father" "But now you're unhappy..?" He asks.

I blink and look at him bewildered "What? No... I -- I just.." I turn away embarrassed, vulnerable "I'm just trying to figure you out. You're very hard to read" Edward explains. He's clearly trying to read me now... our eyes meet again. But now I look more closely at him "Did you get contacts?" I ask him "... no" he answers confused "Your eyes were black before, now they're this golden brown or-" "It's just the fluorescents."

He abruptly turns and walks away. I'm utterly bewildered, both intrigued and frustrated. I note that Bella is glaring at me from the other side of the hallway.

'Great....' I think as I put the onion in my locker.