CHAPTER 4
NANCY DREW

THE inevitability of spring prom was upon the small high school of Forks, and though they were only just hitting February, students were already buzzing. Just about every boy was ready to ask out Isabella Swan, especially the ones in her supposed "friend group." Melinda, surprisingly, hadn't been asked yet, which Margo found quite perplexing. Margo, on the other hand, didn't plan on going to prom, and no, it wasn't because she knew no one would ask to be her date. Prom was dumb.

After a week and a half, Edward Cullen had shown up out of nowhere to school. Margo watched his car speed into his usual spot as her car sat in her own parking spot (finally). She was sipping on lukewarm coffee in a bright blue thermos when she spotted his personalized silver Volvo, with his siblings' cars parking right beside his. He was never usually like this – leaving for days during the school year. It was rare that any of the Cullens disappeared for more than a week, although everyone knew that Doctor Cullen liked to take them out camping on days with good weather. Still, the absence of Edward left Margo curious. What was his problem with the new girl?

The shock on Bella's face when she saw her lab partner in his seat was pretty hilarious. Edward had been gone for so long that Mr. Molina had forced Margo to be her partner a few times, allowing the two girls to get to know each other. Although, Bella wasn't exactly an open book, so their conversations normally consisted of their class' topic for the day or Margo just rambling.

"Onion roots – I'll have you all know – are extremely important," Mr. Molina started his lesson for the day. "And I know you've all been reading your textbooks regarding the topic for this week. So, separate and label the root samples into the phases of mitosis, and the first partners to get it right will win –" Mr. Molina picked up a painted, dried onion from his desk "– the Golden Onion."

This would be easy for Margo. She'd be the first one no problem. She was already looking into her microscope at the first sample, identifying it as prophase. Margo scribbled down the answer in her notebook, as well as a sketch of how it looked for extra credit. The assignment was simple for her, but she ended up getting distracted without knowing it. She found herself listening in on Edward and Bella's conversation, curiosity getting the best of her. Courtney – her mind – was so lost in the gutter that she was on the last sample when Mr. Molina declared the winners of the assignment. They were Bella and Edward.

Margo's mouth dropped as she stared at the two lab partners. She couldn't believe her own stupid intentions to find out the sudden mystery of her classmates cost her the prize. Mr. Molina threw the golden onion towards Edward, who caught it quickly. Their teacher than walked up to Margo with a confused expression. "I guessed that I'd be giving you the Golden Onion. What happened?"

"I ... I don't know," Margo choked out, turning her head to see Edward tossing the trophy between his hands. "Maybe I just wasn't fast enough."

Margo almost didn't hear the bell ring, and cautiously packed her things while watching Bella and Edward walk out talking. She spotted Melinda waiting outside for her, who was greeted by Angela Weber as she passed. Margo walked out the door with a furrowed brow.

"What's wrong?" Melinda asked.

Margo viewed to the side, seeing the two winning lab partners walking down the hall together. "I ... I didn't win."

"I know this is a shock to you," Melinda said, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder, "but you can't win every academic excellence award."

"That's not the point," Margo sneered, turning to her friend. "I guess I ... I got too caught up in thinking about something. That's all."

Margo said her goodbyes to Melinda once they were outside in the parking lot. Melinda waved and got inside her new car, a 2005 Audi Sedan, that she cherished with her entire heart. Margo threw her book bag in the passenger seat of her minivan before hopping inside the car. As she tucked the key into the ignition, she frowned at her actions from today. She shouldn't have eavesdropped on Bella and Edward's conversation – not that she heard anything that were answers to her theories anyways. If she hadn't done that, she wouldn't be feeling as guilty as she did right now, and she also would've won the Golden Onion, but that's beside the point.

She shook her head, almost shaming herself. Margo carefully backed out of her spot and headed out of the perimeters of the school. She planned to go to the hospital, seeing as Jenny told her she'd be getting off her shift at six and they could then go out to Sully's for burgers. Margo was completely unaware that as she sped down the narrow streets, Tyler Crowley was losing control of his own car, and crashed it into Bella Swan's old truck. But someone had saved her. Someone had pushed the van out of the way.

•••

Margo sprawled herself over three chairs in the waiting room of Forks hospital. She sat in the corner, leaving the secretary nurse to her business. A book for English class resided in Margo's large hands. She hung her legs over the side of the chair, humming to herself as she read Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf. With the low vibration of old show tunes in the waiting room, sitting there was pure bliss, but that moment was interrupted fairly quickly.

Out of nowhere, people started to fill the waiting room. Margo jumped from her spot, eyeing all the familiar faces from her school with confusion. They were practically lifting Bella Swan from the ground and into the hospital doors, completely ignoring the secretary, who was screaming at them to leave. The teenagers slowly dispersed, but Margo did catch the faces of Bella and Tyler be escorted into patient rooms. Some of them looked over at Margo, laying herself out on three seats, but they either looked away or ended up leaving the hospital. Margo didn't really bother asking them what happened, knowing this would probably be a front page story in the Feature tomorrow morning.

Minutes later, Edward Cullen, along with his adoptive sister, Rosalie, walked swiftly into the hospital, waved to the secretary, and strode straight through the patient doors. Not even Margo could do that, and her aunt worked there too. Margo lofted a brow, but stopped her big brain from formulating yet another theory as to why Edward Cullen had been acting weirder than usual. She needed to focus on homework, and not become Forks High's own Nancy Drew.

It had been another hour, and Margo was on page one hundred and three of Orlando. Only thirty-one more pages to go of her short book. She was leaning her chin in her hand when she heard the patient doors open, and out walked Bella and her father, Chief Swan. She made eye contact with Bella, and both exchanged a wave before the new girl exited the hospital. Not only minutes later did Edward then walk out, tailing Rosalie in small steps. Now was Margo's chance.

"Hey, Edward," she called out.

The bronze-haired boy stopped in his tracks and turned to Margo in the waiting room. Rosalie gave him a look before leaving the hospital. "Do you need something?" He asked while walking towards her.

Margo's brow lifted. "Do I need something?" She repeated. "Yeah, Edward, I need an explanation."

"And explanation to what?" Edward snarled. "Did you see the accident today? No. Do you know me? No. Stop sticking your nose into everyone's business."

"I'm a professional nose sticker, I'll have you know." She replied with a smirk. A thought then dawned on her. "Wait, there was an accident? Is that why Bella Swan was escorted to the hospital?"

Edward looked away. He had never been an open book, and he never struggled with coming up with a lie. But his whole life was caving inside itself, and lately, he was struggling to do a lot of things. Keeping up with a web of falsehoods was tiring.

"Tyler Crowley was driving out of control," he explained a moment later. "He swerved and hit Bella's truck. He could've killed her."

Margo's mouth dropped. "What?!" She put her hand out then. "This is what I'm talking about, Cullen. Why is it that after this new girl moves here, everything is so out of place? There's weird investigations going on. Animal attacks are now suddenly happening. I don't know. It's just really freaking me out, and no one around here is thinking it's odd."

"Who are you? Nancy Drew?"

Margo frowned. "I'll take that as a compliment," she said with a hint of sarcasm. "Besides, you already know me, Edward. I was your lab partner for the first day in September, when you refused to say a word to me. Remember? Margo Richards, the big brain."

"Okay, this conversation is over," Edward said, waving his hand towards Margo and walking away.

Margo stood and dropped her book to the ground. "My Nancy Drew inside of me is saying that you're looking particularly guilty right now!" She whispered loudly as Edward slammed the entrance doors in her face.

So much for finding out answers. Instead, Margo Richards just made herself look like a psycho in front of the suspect.