Broken Soul • Emmett Cullen

chapter two

Alaina tried to pay attention in biology. She really did. She probably could have. Unfortunately, Mike seemed absolutely determined to make this impossible. His questions were relentless, coming rapid fire in an endless stream. Alaina had to grit her teeth as she struggled to keep from telling him to just shut up and pay attention. Not too long ago, Alaina probably would have. She was actually pretty infamous at her old school for mouthing off and using her wit to sting and perry whenever she felt the inclination, but Alaina really wasn't that way anymore. Not since... well...before.

So Alaina smiled. She answered his questions. She bit back her frustration even though his whispering voice in her ear was really starting to grate on her nerves.

"How was the weather in Detroit? Rainy?" Mike asked quietly as Mr. Banner droned on, lecturing on the stages of mitosis. You're asking me about weather? Seriously? Why are people so damn obsessed with the weather here? After powering through the onslaught of questions regarding her old school - no. Everyone at an all-girl school are in fact not lesbians - , she had really hoped he'd back off. But nope. Nearing the end of her rope, Alaina pretended she didn't hear, hunching her shoulders as she copied Mr. Banner's notes off the blackboard. Mike soldiered on, either not noticing the distress he was causing or blatantly uncaring. Alaina's handwriting was becoming reduced to a barely legible scribble as she clenched her pencil in irritation.

"- mean I guess I really don't mind the rain all that much, but it would be nice to li-"

"Hey Mike?" Alaina ground out.

Mike jumped at Alaina's interruption, tilting his head in question.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really not all that good at biology so I kind of just need to focus. Is that ok?"

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry."

Alaina sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Alaina returned to her notes.

"It would just be nice to live somewhere where it wasn't always raining-"

Alaina dropped her pencil and barely suppressed a growl in frustration, crossing her arms and raising her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose between her fingers. Dear god. If he and Jessica ever got together and had kids, the world would come to a screeching halt, one meaningless conversation at a time.

All but giving up on actually learning anything, Alaina let her attention wander, settling almost immediately on Bella and Edward across the room.

It was clear that Bella wasn't even trying to pay attention to the class. Alaina would have bet money that she probably had forgotten what the subject even was judging by how closely tuned she was to the boy to her right. And honestly? Alaina couldn't blame her. Edward was... beautiful, as weird as that is to think about a boy. Although he was dressed plainly, she could tell his clothing was expensive and tailored perfectly. She thought of the phrase "money talks, but wealth whispers," and she was certain that this was written about Edward. How is it possible for someone like that to actually be real? Alaina thought to herself in bewilderment. Edwards head suddenly twitched in her direction, and she swore she saw him smirk.

"So?" Mike intoned. Alaina tore her eyes from across the room and returned back to good old Mikey. Apparently he had asked her another question because he was looking at her expectantly.

"What?" Alaina asked in exasperation, resting her head on her hand as she met his eyes. She was officially irritated to the point where she no longer cared if it showed.

"You didn't answer."

"Answer what, Mike?"

"Detroit. Was it as rainy as Forks?" He repeated. It was almost sad how much he seemed so oblivious to her annoyance.