in the eye of a hurricane (j.h.)

chapter seven

2018: forks, washington

It's been a month since the incident with Bella and we've been carefully avoiding not just Bella but everybody at school. More having to do with my need to hunt more because of having to keep Bella from coming up to us and questioning what happened and sending every student in school her way rather than towards Edward. Nobody believes Edward was there and nobody claims to have seen him.

    It's been a month since I heard Bella's thoughts for the first time and I've yet to hear them again, no matter how hard I try. Once, I might have been trying too hard because she suddenly flinched, claimed a headache, and left the cafeteria. That day, I had to take down two deer to be able to suppress my thirst.

    "This has got to stop." Jasper was using his Major voice on Edward and me after school one day. "She's been keeping the entire school from us for a month. This has got to stop. Now."

    "Jazz, I'm fine." But he shook his head, his eyes glaring down at me. "Jazz-"

    "No. Carlisle is worried about you too. He's been sending thoughts your way for a week now, waiting for you to reply either out loud or projecting your own thoughts but you're a zombie." Jasper turned to glare at Edward. "This ends now."

    Edward stopped the car before we could exit the parking lot. Edward had been replaying the conversation with Bella in his head since his Biology class. And faintly, I could hear Tyler Crowley, who still felt guilty about almost killing Bella and subsequently following her around like a puppy, wanting to ask Bella to the spring dance, the ladies choice spring dance.

    "This should be good," Edward muttered. Jasper and I didn't turn around in our seats to watch but we heard Tyler ask Bella to ask him to the Sadies Hawkins dance.

    "I'm not going to be in town, Tyler." She sounded frustrated.

    "Yeah, Mike said that." I let out a quiet laugh at Tyler.

    "Sorry, Tyler. I really am going out of town."

    "That's cool. We still have prom." He was away from her window in a second, heading back to his car. Edward started laughing and Alice darted in the front seat, shutting the door behind her. Then he sped away

    "Edward," Jasper said between clenched teeth. "Promise me this ends?"

    "Fine," Edward replied. "But do you think her truck could get to Seattle? We're going hunting when we get home, vampire zombie." Jasper snarled but leaned back in his seat.

    The next morning, Jasper, Alice, and I were commanded (as best as Edward can) to stand by the car and watch him interact with Bella. Make sure he acted utterly human as if we were the experts as the three newest vegetarians.

    She parked far away from us, making Edward walk slightly faster than a normal human to get to her key as it fell to the ground. Another muted thought floated my way but I couldn't figure out what it said.

    "How do you do that?" she asked, obviously irritated.

    "Do what?" Edward responded, holding out the key. He dropped it in her palm and returned his hands to his pockets.

    "Appear out of thin air."

    "Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant." She scowled at that. I laughed at Edward's terrible attempt at flirting.

    "This is going to make my entire lifetime," I said to Jasper, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Watching Edward fail at something."

    Edward's mouth twisted into a frown as he sent some harsh swears in my direction but otherwise stayed silent.