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Bella POV
Coming back to school after the accident was, honestly, torture. From the moment I walked through the main door, I felt every pair of eyes on me like I was some kind of circus attraction. Whispers. Murmurs. Some tried to hide it, others didn't even bother. And there I was, with a bandage on my forehead (which Charlie insisted I keep on even though I didn't need it) and a strained smile.
I headed straight to my locker, pretending not to hear anything, when a familiar voice caught my attention.
"Bella! Wait, please…"
I stopped in my tracks. Tyler Crowley was hurrying toward me, a medical neck brace around his neck and a look of guilt and anxiety on his face. His crutches hit the floor awkwardly with every step.
"Tyler…" I sighed, turning to face him. "Are you okay?"
He laughed nervously like I wasn't the one who almost died.
"Me!? You're the one who nearly died because of me! Bella, I'm so, so sorry. It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention… and by the time I tried to brake…"
"Tyler," I cut in, my voice tired. "We already talked about this at the hospital. It was an accident. You don't have to keep apologizing."
"Yeah, but…" he insisted, looking down. "I just… wanted to make it up to you somehow. I thought… maybe I could take you to prom."
I blinked. What?
"Seriously?" I asked, incredulous. "Tyler, you nearly crushed me with a truck yesterday and now you're asking me to prom."
He shrugged with an awkward smile.
"I thought… it could be a way to start over."
I took a deep breath. I was not in the mood.
"Thanks, but I already have a date."
His face paled.
"Oh? With who?"
Honestly, I thought after the incident with Mike in the cafeteria, everyone knew I was going with Nate. But I guess, with everything that happened, prom gossip took a backseat.
"Nate," I replied flatly. "I'm going with Nate."
He went quiet for a few seconds. His eyes widened slightly.
"Nate Winter?" he asked like he needed to confirm the obvious. "The same guy who punched Mike and knocked him out cold?"
I nodded, crossing my arms. Looks like it wasn't just Jessica exaggerating that fight—some people were even saying Nate attacked Mike for no reason now.
"The very same."
"Oh…" he muttered. "Well… I guess that's… fine. I'm glad you're okay." He said it in a slightly uneasy tone. Without even trying, Nate was turning into a great deterrent for anyone thinking of asking me out. Another reason to be grateful to him…
I turned without adding anything else. It wasn't Tyler's fault, but it wasn't his moment either.
Classes dragged on like a gray, rainy day. Everyone stared, and everyone whispered. I felt out of place again, like a stranger. Without Nate around, everything felt duller, harder, and more… lonely.
I caught myself thinking about how much he had become a constant in my life. It didn't matter if we talked about music, books, or just shared silence—everything felt easier when he was near.
When Biology class came, I took my usual seat, not expecting him—Edward Cullen—to already be there, leaning against the table with his arms crossed. He was looking at me with an unreadable expression.
"Hi, Bella," he said in his soft voice, like the rest of the world had faded away.
"Hi," I replied, feeling that absurd nervousness only he could trigger. "I didn't expect you to be here." I immediately felt dumb—it was obvious he'd be in class.
He smiled faintly like he found that amusing.
"I'm glad you're back. You look… better," he said with a small smile, those amber eyes watching me, almost golden in the light.
"Does it hurt much?" he asked, glancing at the bandage on my forehead.
"Not really. I'm only keeping it because Charlie insisted I wear it for a few days."
There was a comfortable pause while the teacher talked about the day's experiment.
Edward offered me one of the samples.
"Wanna work together? I'm a bit rusty when it comes to plants."
"Sure," I said, surprised at how natural it sounded. "I didn't think… you'd talk to me."
He frowned, curious.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well…" I hesitated. "After the accident and how you reacted at the hospital, I thought you'd be avoiding me."
"Bella, the last thing I want is to stay away from you." He said it so quietly I barely heard it, but my heart skipped a beat.
The class went on calmly, filled with notes and quiet smiles. He was the one to break the silence when he noticed I was deep in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, in a tone that sounded… too interested.
I took a deep breath.
"About what happened the other day. How you stopped the truck… I don't want to sound crazy, but…"
"Bella," he gently interrupted, locking eyes with me. "Have you talked to Nate since the accident?"
I blinked, caught off guard.
"Not much. I haven't seen him since yesterday. I was planning to visit him after school. He's suspended, and… I don't want him to feel alone."
His eyes darkened just for a moment.
"Right," he murmured. "That makes sense."
He seemed lost in thought for a few seconds, then looked back at me, this time more deliberately.
"Do you think you could… give me his number?" he asked casually like he was asking about the weather.
"Nate's number?" I said quickly, instantly regretting it. My tone sounded more disappointed than I meant it to.
"Yeah," he nodded. "It's for my sister, Alice. She's… a little shy, but she seems kind of lonely since she can't talk to him because of the suspension," he added, glancing casually through the microscope.
That made me smile. It was nice to hear. Nate had that effect on people. I remembered how he'd mentioned Alice Cullen to me, how they shared a class. I suspected he liked her… he sounded pretty interested whenever he talked about her.
"Alright," I said, pulling out my phone. "Here."
I showed him the number, and he carefully copied it into his notebook. I don't know why, but it felt like a strange moment—like I was unknowingly tying together two opposite worlds.
We kept talking a bit more: about classes, teachers, and books. His voice was becoming more and more captivating. I felt at ease, floating in his gaze. It's almost magnetic…, I thought.
When the bell rang, Edward stood up, grabbing his backpack.
"I'm glad you're okay," he said, looking at me with that mix of tenderness and gravity. "And… I was thinking… I'd like us to be friends."
"Me too," I replied honestly.
But part of me hoped it wouldn't stop there.