How It All Goes Down
- During the next week at school, everyone is curious about the accident, and Bella is in the spotlight:
Tyler Crowley was impossible, following me around, obsessed with making amends to me somehow [...]. Mike and Eric were even less friendly toward him than they were to each other, which made me worry that I'd gained another unwelcome fan. (4.3) - The only person who isn't paying attention to Bella is Edward – he's back to not talking to her again.
- To Bella's horror, a school dance is coming up. She's a major klutz and is determined to avoid going. Which doesn't prevent Mike from asking her to go with him, and making Jessica horribly jealous. Bella tells him that she'll be out of town in Seattle that weekend.
- Edward finally talks to Bella in Biology class:
"I'm sorry." He sounded sincere. "I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really."
[...]" I don't know what you mean," I said, my voice guarded.
"It's better if we're not friends," he explained. "Trust me." (4.53-56) - After school when Bella heads to her truck, she finds Eric waiting for her. Nervous, he asks her if she'll go to the dance with him. She rejects him, repeating that she's planning on being in Seattle that day.
- Annoyed and eager to go home, Bella tries to back out of her parking spot, but Edward's shiny, silver Volvo blocks her exit. He seems to have done it on purpose. Tyler takes advantage of the opportunity to ask Bella to the dance. Completely impatient at this point, she rejects him too, with the same lame excuse that she'll be in Seattle.
In his rearview mirror, Edward's eyes were on me. He was unquestionably shaking with laughter, as if he'd heard every word Tyler had said. (4.96) - The next morning in the parking lot, Edward seems to have decided that he wants to be friends with Bella after all:
"I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you want a ride."
"What?" I wasn't sure what [Edward] was getting at.
"Do you want a ride to Seattle?"
"With who?" I asked, mystified.
"Myself, obviously." He enunciated every syllable, as if he were talking to someone mentally handicapped. (4.148-153) - After bickering about whose car to take, Bella asks why he's being so friendly all of a sudden. Edward responds,
"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be. [...] But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella." (4.162, 164)