I only have 3 secrets in lifeā¦
I hate my physics teacher
I cheated on my AP English test
&
I, Bella Swan, am in love with my best friend.
Chapter 1
I woke up to the annoying beeping sound of my alarm clock. It took me a few minutes to get my thoughts together. My body groaned in protest as I sat up on my bed. I glanced at my calendar, the 18th of August, the first day of my junior year in high school. I looked at my clock it read 7:15. I knew I couldn't delay the inevitable any longer. I got out of bed and went to brush my teeth.
When I came back into my room I picked the first outfit I saw, faded jeans and a long sleeve purple shirt. I quickly added some cover up to a zit that had strategically placed itself right in the middle of my forehead. Then I drew a quick black line of eyeliner around each eye and added a bit of mascara to make my eyelashes stand out. I wasn't the hottest thing at Forks High but I wasn't the ugliest either.
As I ran down the stairs to grab a bagel I heard a car horn honk outside my house. I smiled to myself, knowing exactly who it would be. I decided on an apple instead, grabbed my backpack and ran out the door.
My heart literally stopped as I saw what was awaiting me in my driveway. There stood my best friend, Edward Cullen, standing nonchalantly against the side of his silver Volvo. He wore a white long sleeved button down shirt with the sleeves pushed up past his forearms and a pair of dark blue jeans. His copper hair was in its usual disheveled look.
"Earth to Bella. Seriously it would look bad if we were late the first day of school." He said as I stood there like an idiot admiring his godliness.
"Um yeah right sorry." I mumbled as I walked to the passenger side of his car.
The drive to school with Edward was quiet but never awkward. He knew how I hated thinking too much in the mornings. He knew me so well. But then he should considering we've been best friends since about kindergarten. I still remember the day we met like it was yesterday.
My parents and I lived in Phoenix until they got a divorce. My dad received custody because my mom said she was too busy to deal with a kid at the time. I guess it should have hurt me that my own mother rejected me but I was too young to understand. My dad was really hurt by my mom so he decided to move away from everything that reminded him of her, which was everything Phoenix and everything warm or sunny. I'm not exactly sure how but some way or another we ended up in Forks, Washington and we have stayed here ever since.
On my first day of kindergarten I had been introduced to the class and we were all drawing our favorite animals when a blonde boy, who I later learned was named Mike, started drawing all over my picture and ruined it. I obviously started crying. Then a boy with messy hair that looked like a penny came up and pushed Mike out of his seat, who then ran away crying. I smiled at the stranger.
"I'm Edward Cullen. What's your name?" He had asked.
I sniffled a little before answering. "Isabella Swan, but you can call me Bella."
"Do you have a best friend?" He questioned.
"Not here." I said a little sad.
"Me either. You can be mine if you want." He was too cute to say no.
"Ok." I smiled. And from that day on Edward and I were inseparable. We did everything together. All through middle school he was there for me. Every time Mike tried to hit on me freshman year he was there for me. It was just how things were. Although everyone knew we weren't dating, the girls at Forks high hated me for consuming all his time.
I don't know when I fell in love with Edward. It might have been the day we met but I can't be sure. Neither of us has ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend but I'm desperately hoping that he will open his eyes this year and see me the way I see him. One can hope right.
When we pulled into the parking lot I saw Mike and his group of friends standing by their cars. I groaned out loud. Edward saw what I was looking at and groaned too. All the girls in Mike's group were obsessed with Edward and were never afraid of hiding it. I looked at their apparel and couldn't believe they could have gotten any sluttier from last year but they continue to exceed my expectations.
As we walked by them their leader Lauren "accidentally" ran into Edward and stayed pressed up against him a little too long for my comfort and his.
"Oh my gosh Jessica I can't believe you made me run into Edward. I'm so sorry Eddie." She giggled.
Edward just pushed her away and rolled his eyes.
"Oh come on Eddie." I teased him.
"For the love of god please don't call me that."
I laughed at his expression. "Jeez chill, it's not like you never tease me about Mike."
"I know I'm sorry I got angry she just bugs the crap out of me." He apologized.
"Who doesn't she do that to?" I smiled.
My attempt at joking seemed to work because he lightened up instantly. We compared schedules and were very disappointed that we only had one class together, newspaper.
We said our goodbyes and headed off in different directions. Time seemed to fly by and before I knew it, it was lunchtime. I ordered a salad and some fruit and then found Edward reading a book at our usual table. He smiled as I walked up.
"So how were your classes?" He asked putting his book down.
"Oh you know the usual. Going over rules and stupid stuff like that. How about you?"
He groaned. "In AP Lit Mr. Paris already assigned us 5 chapters in this book." He said holding up the book he had just been reading.
"Ouch that's harsh."
"Yeah tell me about it." He sighed and went back to reading.
I was almost finished with my salad when a female voice interrupted the silence
"Is it alright if I sit here? I'm new."
I looked up to whom the voice belonged to and my mouth nearly dropped. The girl was gorgeous. She had to be about 5'9 with strawberry blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. I was too busy wondering why she would want to sit with us when I realized neither of us had responded.
I looked over to Edward and my heart dropped. He was staring at her in a way
knew all too well. It was the way I know I would look at him sometimes whenever I was sure he wasn't looking. I would kill to have him look at me like that.
I tried to pick up some of the pieces of my heart that had just broken because I knew that I couldn't be sure if Edward really liked this girl. I mean maybe he was just as amazed as I was that this girl wanted to sit with us.
I found my voice eventually though. "Um sure go ahead. But if you want to be considered at all cool I wouldn't."
She smiled and set her tray down. "I really don't care about that stuff and that Mike guy really creeps me out."
I laughed. "It seems we have something in common. I'm Bella by the way and this is Edward." I said gesturing to him before I noticed that he was still staring, so I nudged him under the table and he came to and cleared his throat.
The girl smiled. "I'm Tanya, it's nice to meet you. I just moved down from Alaska with my parents."
"Wow that's really cool." I said and smiled again. Tanya seemed like an exception to all the beautiful bitchy girls in our school. She smiled back and pulled out a book.
Edward finally decided to join the conversation. "What book are you reading?" He asked leaning slightly more across the table toward Tanya.
"Um, In Cold Blood, the AP Lit teacher assigned all his classes this huge assignment."
"I'm in that class too. What hour do you have it?" Edward smiled, seemingly more interested in conversation than he had been when we were sitting alone.
She smiled too. "No way! Um 2nd hour. How about you?"
"Oh dang, 1st. I guess I should know that because I think I would've noticed a beautiful girl like you in it." His lips turned up into a heartbreaking crooked smile.
Was it just me or could the whole lunchroom hear my heart shatter at that sentence?
She giggled and turned her head away blushing. She then changed the subject and I was glad that we never approached that topic again at lunch. By the end of lunch we learned that we all had newspaper together. When the bell sounded we all got up and dumped our trays in the trash.
"I'll see you guys later in newspaper." Tanya smiled and waved at us before she disappeared into the crowded hallway.
"Tanya seems really nice." Edward said as we made our way back to our lockers.
"Yeah, I'm honestly surprised she is. I expected her to be more like Lauren."
"Yeah me too. But I'm glad she isn't." Edward said and I inwardly groaned, this was not how I wanted my year to start out.
In some ways I was dreading newspaper because I would have to watch Edward practically drool over Tanya. On the other hand I really liked that class but life just sucks sometimes.
When I walked into newspaper I didn't see Edward or Tanya so I just sat down at a random computer. After a little while I began tapping my fingers impatiently on the desk. As I was looking out the window I felt someone slide into the chair next to me.
I turned my head so fast I got dizzy. Dizzy and disappointed to see that it wasn't Edward or Tanya. It was Jacob Black, another junior guy at our school. Jacob seemed like a really nice guy but I have never gotten the chance to know him because we don't hang out in the same crowds.
He's also extremely hot. He's really tall, like 6'5 with dark russet skin, black hair and dreamy brown eyes. I would be head over heels for him except that he's no Edward.
"You're Bella right?"
I was shocked a little because nobody ever calls me Bella unless I've known them for a long time. Everyone just assumes I like the name Isabella.
"Um yeah. You're Jacob right?"
"Yep that's me, the one and only." He said with a big grin.
I was about to respond when I heard my favorite voice in the world come into the room. A smile began at the side of my mouth. I turned and saw Edward come through the door with Tanya and that smile instantly fell. Edward saw me and waved, then Tanya waved too having not seen me yet due to their intense conversation.
Jacob got up from his seat. "I'll leave so your friends can sit with you."
I felt bad. "Oh you don't have to do that. Really."
"No its fine. Trust me. Just save me a seat tomorrow." He said with a smile.
I smiled, which was kind of contagious with Jacob. "Ok, it was nice talking to you."
"You too." He said and then went to go sit at another desk.
"Hey Bells." Edward said as he sat down in the chair that was previously occupied by Jacob.
"Hey guys. What were you talking about?" I asked.
"We were just discussing some of that AP Lit book." Tanya said with a smile while looking at Edward.
"Oh that's cool." I replied with less interest.
We didn't have much time to talk the rest of class because even though it was only the first day we were already behind schedule. When class ended Edward and I walked with Tanya to our lockers and then out to her car.
The drive back to my house consisted of Edward gushing about his classes and Tanya. I just added a "mmhmm" or a nod when it was appropriate. But I wouldn't have been able to get a word in edge wise even if I tried.
That night before I went to sleep I had a lot to ponder. Like how Edward and I's relationship had been broken down by one beautiful, nice, smart girl. The truth, even though I didn't want to face it, was that Edward was falling for this girl fast and hard. And I might not be able to stop him.
