Through the Mirror

Twilight - Seven

I'm proud to look at the small but significant changes I've made to the house. It's clean. Feels more like a home than a house to sustain life. Getting back to my life has left my mind. The small details of my own life getting mangled with life here. My life here- Bella's life has pulled me in further than I thought possible. Giving the front a look over and grab Charlie's fleece jacket to fold and keep the area clean. "Dad, I'm heading out." 

Geez. I should've looked out the window before I got dressed but it's too late now that I have to leave before I'm late for school. The rain is coming down hard and I wish I had on some thicker clothes. Then I see Charlie pulling into the driveway in the truck. How did I not realize he wasn't in the house. I definitely need to learn to be more observant. 

I don't want to be an inconvenience Charlie. "Dad, I can drive myself to school." 

Moving down the steps I forgot about the ice and slip. Charlie is fatherly in helping me up and checking to make sure I didn't hurt myself. "You okay, Bells?"

"Need to watch where I put my feet. Ice doesn't help the uncoordinated."  

"That's why I got you new tires. The other ones were nearly bald."

"I didn't even think about that. Thanks, dad."

"No problem, Bells." Charlie moves to his Cruiser. "I'll be late for dinner. I'm heading down to Mason County. A security guard at Grisham Mill got killed by some kind of animal."

"An animal. Must have been one big thing to do that."

"You're not in Phoenix any more, honey. They've been hunting it for a week with no luck. Thought I'd lend a hand."

"Be careful."

"Always am." I look over the car with appreciation that Charlie took his time to get this done.

Walking to biology class I find myself talking or more accurately listening to Eric talk. "...and yeah, prom committee is a chick thing, but I gotta cover it for the paper anyway, and they need a guy to help choose the music- so I need your play list-"

Mike slips between us fast and shakes out his wet baseball cap over me. "Come on, Arizona. Give it up for the rain."

"Thanks for that." I try to get the water off before it sinks into my hair. Wait. I haven't thought about what has been happening today before. The fall. The rain. Ice. Edward.

There he was right in his place, the second seat. Setting my books down on the table. I prepare to hear his voice again. "Hello." The force behind his one word makes me grin. "I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. My name is Edward Cullen." I sit there think of a reply. "...You're Bella."

"Yes, strange though because people usually use my full name, Isabella, the first time we meet." I give him a look. "And you would have know that last week if you weren't a complete jerk." When I sit, I still edge away and notice Edward is also sitting as close to the opposite direction as he can.

"Onion root tip cells!" What a way to begin class. How can someone have that must enthusiasm to teach high school biology. "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." When he holds up the onion no one really reacts besides me when I giggle to myself. Edward's posture shifts slightly and I probably wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't looking so closely. "Come on, people. Tick tock."

Edward pushes the microscope my way and says, "Ladies first." Ah, playing the part of the gentleman.

"Have a good vacation?"

"Sorry?"

"Well you've been gone."

"Out of town. For personal reasons."

Looking into the microscope I identify the phase. "Prophase." As I start to remove the slide I hear Edward ask to see it and confirms it. "Like I said." 

Hogging the paper he writes down the answer. His face looks odd as he turns to continue the conversation. "Enjoying the rain?"

"Seriously? You're asking me about the weather. I'm not a meteorologist."

"It appears."

"No. It's rather cold and I don't exactly have the right clothing. I have an aversion for the cold. Or the wet. Or the gray. Or parkas. Or turtle necks. Not too fond of the name." Edward looks rather amused with himself. "What?"

Edward takes a minute to study the slide as I study him. "Anaphase." I ask to check and see he's correct. "Like I said." I don't acknowledge his smirk I simply hold out my hand for the next slide. "If you hate the cold and rain, why move to the wettest place in the continental U.S." 

"I didn't say hate. I said I have an aversion. And it's complicated."

Edward perks up at that work 'complicated.' "I think I can keep up."

"Well look at you being nosey. You have your personal reason for being out of town who'd think you would pry. If you must know my mother remarried."

It feels mockingly when me he replies, "Very complex. So you don't like him."

"Phil is a nice guy. A bit young but nice." Looking to the slide I tell him, "Interphase." 

Leaving the room with my new golden onion I almost run into Edward. "Why didn't you stay with your mom and step-dad?"

Like his adoptive sisters' stare his is a bit unnerving. I attempt to satisfy his curiosity. "Alright, Phil's a minor league baseball player, so he travels a lot. My mother stayed home with me but it made her unhappy. So I decided it was time that I spend time with my father."

"But now you're unhappy."

"I wouldn't say that. I am adjusting."

"I'm just trying to figure you out. You're very hard to read."

I want this conversation to end quick. "Wow, your eyes sure change significantly. They were black before, now they're this golden brown or-"

"It's just the fluorescents." Edward turns abruptly and is walking away. Got him. The rain stopped but that didn't make the walk to the truck any less hazardous with the patches of black ice. 

I wanted to hit my head at the moment I got to the truck. Looking up I clearly see Edward across the parking lot and remember what's about to happen. The loud sound of the van barreling down heading right in my direction. I brace myself for Edward to knock me down. I open my eyes after and see Edward on top of me. He looks so afraid. Everything seems to move fast as people try to help me and Tyler. 

As the scene unfolded completely I look toward the Cullens' cars. The four Cullens left standing on the other side of the lot were staring at Edward upset at what he'd done to save me from the van. Leaving the scene of the accident my last thought was about how sad I was to see my golden onion smashed on the ground.