Old Soul

Chapter Three: Complete 180

Later that week at school, Bella still hadn't ditched her crowd of worried fellow students. When she walked into English, she looked like she wanted to die rather than continue to deal with all the unwanted attention.

"I know they have the best intentions, but I really wish they'd just let me be at this point." She sighed as she plopped into the chair beside me.

"If you need me to plan a life-threatening situation so they'll leave you alone, let me know," I say with a half-smile, "have you noticed anything weird with the Cullens' behavior?" I ask. Emmett and Edward seem to ignore me in Spanish now, Edward especially, considering we're supposed to work together on classwork.

"Edward's gone back to pretending I don't exist." Bella drops her chin into her hand.

"It's not just me then." I say, feeling validated.

"I just wish he would make up his mind. Either he likes me or he can't stand me. I hate the back-and-forth of it all."

"Oh yeah, totally. We're supposed to work together in Spanish, and he just does the assignment in record time and begins brooding. It's maddening. I mean I'm more of a solitary worker myself, but it feels like he just wants to get out of there. And don't get me started on Emmett." Bella suddenly perks up.

"Oh, do tell." Propping her elbow on the table, plopping her chin into her hand, and smirking, Bella's clearly enjoying my frustration.

"When I first came here, he was friendly. Now, he's avoiding me like I have the plague," It seemed as though every time I entered a space that Emmett was in, he immediately looked the other way, refusing to look in my direction at all. "I hate that I actually care. I barely know the guy, but for him to suddenly decide that I'm not worth even a second of his attention stings." I rub my left arm with my right hand to soothe myself.

"You don't need his attention, Raquel. I think it sucks that both Emmett and Edward have done a 180, but no guy that acts like that is worth your time. Or mine, for that matter." Bella reaches over and squeezes my shoulder.

"Thanks. I think I needed to hear that. And you too."

✧❉✧

Upon my arrival at lunch, Angela and Jess look up at me with excited expressions.

"What's going on?" I ask, immediately suspicious.

"Oh, nothing. Are you asking anyone to the dance?" Angela asks while Jessica leans in, eager for my answer,

"There's a dance?" My genuine confusion shows plainly on my face.

"Yep, it's girl's choice, too. Is there anyone you're going to ask?" Jess asks, furtively glancing at Mike, frowning, then back to me.

"I barely know anyone here, to be honest." My mind briefly wonders if in any world Emmett would go to the dance with me, but I quickly strike it from my mind. The guy can barely stand to be around me, why in the world would he subject himself to torture by spending an evening with me. My eyes must wander over to the Cullen table which Jess doesn't miss.

"Don't bother. You've noticed how they barely interact with others. And besides, they're all together together. Or at least, it seems that way. Alice and Jackson totally are, and Emmett and Rosalie are just a little too close to each other to be adopted siblings, don't you think?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." I hadn't noticed it before, but Rosalie and Emmett do look to be at the very least incredibly close. I look down at my lunch, disappointed but unwilling to acknowledge it.