Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. Any other copyrighted or trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners, all other content belongs to me. No copyright infringement is intended. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

Living in this bum-town already sucks.

To be honest I don't think I've ever thought the same thought as many times as I thought this one. Not that I'm counting or anything. 67 times today...ahem. It's not even in my nature to just repeatedly think the same negative things. I'm usually known for being a kind person and for looking at the bright-side.

With my best friend, Alice, it's incredibly hard not to look at the bright-side. It's all she's ever known - all that the girl ever does!

Anyway, back to the point, my main thought of the week. Of my life. The one about the stupid, bum-town that I have found myself living in now. Working in now. All thanks to my Mother and her job.

It wasn't until I had started middle-school that my Mother's job began requiring new locations. Of course by that point I was old enough to have settled down and hadn't learned how to just pick myself up and move all the time. But I was forced to move, and learn through it, and learn one thing in particular.

That I hated moving.

Every single little, tiny aspect of it just sucked and made me hate it even more. I have finding out, I hate packing, and I hate leaving; I hate moving in, I hate un-packing, I hate settling down and I hate having to meet new people only to be uprooted in three months anyway. And I do not use the word hate lightly.

I could only feel a little happier about this one though. Mom - because she knew that I really was not looking forward to this location in anyway - let my best friend move with us.

Mary-Alice Cullen has been my best friend since the first day of Kindergarten. We are easily polar-opposites and yet so alike. Alice is short, she's got short, black hair, she has green eyes, tanner skin, and an incredibly bubbly personality to top it off.

We often referred to her as the energizer bunny.

Alice's parents only agreed because they wanted to get away too. She'll be staying with us for about half of the year and then she's going to move in with her Mom and Dad when they move here. That'll be next year though, when we start Junior year. We're starting as sophomores in a few weeks.

In a few weeks. I'm still working here at the local Mal-Mart anyway. I don't think that I could dislike a job anymore than I do this one. The pay sucks, I'm too shy to talk to the people, I don't have the muscle to lift boxes, and then I go and embarrass myself in front of costumers and other employees.

It's a little bit unnerving.

At least Alice tells me that I've always looked good in the shade of blue that we have to wear.

Someone cleared their throat pulling me from my unending thoughts. This reminds me of another problem. It's so boring! I hate just standing here in the checkout aisle all day waiting for the next person to come through. The next person to come through and have me give them a reason to laugh at me.

Like right now, for instance.

"Sorry..." I felt my cheeks heat up as they began putting things on the belt and I turned it on.

I had yet to look up at them but when I did, I was astounded. He was gorgeous! He couldn't be that much older than me, but then again, I've never been all too well at judging ages. I shook my head trying to get out of the daze that he'd easily sucked me into.

It was a guy, in case you haven't picked it up yet, and he was completely gorgeous. His hair was shorter on the sides, but longer and tousled on top. Sex-hair, as Ali would refer to it. His body was amazing, I rarely pay attention to guys might I add, but I really just wanted to touch what looked like abs under his v-neck shirt.

And then you see the eyes. They were emerald green and deep as possible. I've never met anybody in my life with eyes like that - other than Alice Cullen herself. There's no way that they're related though - she has one brother, and that's Emmett.

Off-topic.

"It's rude to stare," He smirked at me, showing off the single dimple on his right cheek, and I felt my entire body heat up with a blush this time.

"Sorry...again." I muttered and looked back down at what I was doing.

"I'm only teasing," He stood on his tip-toes to see over the register. "Isabella Swan."

"I prefer Bella," I coughed without realizing it. He raised his eyebrows and I sighed. "I'm sorry. I know. Personal shit, whatever. Forget that I talked at all, okay?"

"Nah, Bella. I like it." He winked and I sighed under my breath and went back to checking out his items. He sure had a lot of things here. How much does a guy his age need? Unless he married young.

No ring.

"So, Bella, I haven't seen you around here and I've lived here all of my life." Edward spoke confidently as he leaned on the edge of the machine and kept on adding items to it.

"I'm new - I moved here yesterday."

"And you already have a job?" He raised one perfect eyebrow and I licked my lips.

"Well...yeah..." I stopped and sighed. "I applied before we moved. You know, using that crazy thing that they call internet."

"Nice," He laughed softly. "Well thought-out. I have trouble thinking ahead - ever."

"Well, you learn to after a while." I began scanning things faster as I remembered my situation. I get angry when I think about it. That's when a strong hand pressed down on my forearm.

"Bella, could we try and not smash my bread?" He asked me and I glanced down at one of the bags of bread, which I'd slammed into a bag, completely ruining it.

"Aw shit, I'm sorry sir," I ran my hand through my hair, which I'd thankfully left down today, because of my habit. "I'll go grab you a new one. Hell, I'll buy you a new one. I was being reckless - just...sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It was merely extra anyway - I don't need it." He pointed out and I sighed softly.

"Are you absolutely sure? I really don't mind, sir,"

"I'm fine. And I'm Edward - sir makes me feel old. I'm only nineteen!" He laughed and even for a guy's laugh, it sounded like bells. Velvet and bells. A terrific combination on the ears. And I'm being completely serious when I say stuff like that.

I frowned when I realized how unprofessional, and possibly annoying, that I was being. I crossed my arms and looked down at my black tennis-shoes feeling completely embarrassed with myself. I can't believe I acted that way on my second day working. I've never made myself feel so little in front of somebody before.

Maybe it was just the somebody that was making me feel smaller because I've done plenty worse than this before. That thought wasn't really helping my situation since this was what's happening now.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I...I dont' know...embarrassed you or something." Edward spoke and I looked up a bit, going back to bagging everything.

"What time is it?" I looked up, praying that my shift was almost over.

"Like, two-fifty, why?"

"Nothing, I just want to leave." I sighed as I finished tying the sacks and helping him place them back in his basket.

"Oh..." His face dropped a little and he seemed less smug as he quietly paid for everything, in cash.

"You did not buy five-hundred dollars worth of things." I muttered as he handed me the bill.

"I know, keep the change anyway," He shrugged.

"No fucking way! Get me the actual amount, or something close!" I hissed as I tried to shove the indecent amount of money back at the guy. He repeatedly shook his head and pushed it back and into my hands. He then closed my fingers around it.

"Believe me, Miss Bella, you'll get more out of it than me. I get way to much to spend on myself. I try to be generous." He shrugged completely not caring about the money.

"First of all, I am not a charity case!" I leaned in and whispered. "Secondly, I don't think you should go around blowing your money on pointless people! It's completely stupid and a waste - find something useful and send it there."

"Bella, you aren't pointless." He smirked and was already cocky again.

"You know what? Just...go. I'll take the change but if we ever, ever see each other again...you damn well better have the correct amount of money." I told him and he laughed loudly again.

I love making him laugh.

Wait...what?

"I'll see you around, Bella," He winked as he walked out of my life just as quickly as he'd entered it.

I sucked in some air and focused on breathing for a second before turning to grab my purse and leave.

I was so happy to be leaving work. I hate that place so much...it's boring, as I already said this morning. So, when I began making my way to my car, I was beyond happy with myself. I made the day go by quicker by dazing off and into space.

I'm such a good employee.

When I got to my truck I started it and sighed with relief as I switched on the A/C and pulled out of my space. I pulled out enough to see if anyone was approaching on my sides and pulled out some more when I gave myself the all-clear.

Things seemed to happen quickly from there. Not in slow-motion like they do in the movies. I heard the screeching of the tires just about at the same time as I felt my truck shake and my head slammed into the hard-ass steering-wheel.

"Fucking-hell!" I moaned as I pulled my head back and off of the wheel.

"Bella? Bella! Oh hell, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Sit still!" I recognized Edward's voice as he ran around, away from the silver Volvo that'd hit me. He came to my door and pulled it open with ease. I hissed as my arm, which had weirdly twisted in between the door and my body when I slammed up against it.

"Edward...please..." I grumbled as he picked me up bridal style and carried me out to the pavement.

"Hey, don't worry," he whispered as he sat me down carefully and tilted my head back to see if I was okay.

"I'm fine, Edward." I whispered with my eyes closed. I wanted to look at him but the sun was shit-bright and my head was pounding enough as it is.

"Really, then explain the blood running down your face and staining both of our clothing and the parking-lot!" He whispered as I felt some type of cloth being pressed to my forehead, right at the hairline.

"Crap...am I really bleeding that much?"

"Yes...God, I'm so sorry, Bella."

"No, it's not a problem." I sighed as I opened my eyes, wanting to roll them, but not wanting to flare up the headache again.

I looked and realized that he was pressing his nice, green shirt to my cut. I gasped and told him not to but he told me that cuts need to have pressure applied to them or I'll bleed out. Especially with the significant loss from my head. Something about not wanting me to pass out while we're at it.

Concussions do suck.

He was still wearing a shirt though. I really almost wish that he hadn't put a wife-beater on under his shirt today because damn, if I wasn't sure earlier, I'm damn sure now that he's got some muscle going on.

Shit, Bella, since when do you think like this? Honestly?

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital, or call an ambulance here?" He asked me and turned so that he could catch my eyes. I frowned unsure.

"How are our cars?" I asked him, completely off of the topic that he'd just asked.

"Well, mines doing worse than yours, but it's still driveable. Don't worry, I'll pay for yours too." He whispered as he re-folded the shirt and re-applied it to my illness.

"I have three hundred extra in my pocket today...I'll help." I attempted at a smirk but I'm sure it only resulted in a grimace.

"That's your money. You weren't the moron who whipped out of a parking space...backwards! That was me!" He tried to keep the conversation light as he assessed the damage with his green eyes.

"You know what?" I asked him and he quirked an eyebrow. "You can drive me to the hospital. I'm getting light-headed and I really don't want to go into a coma. My Mom's going to have a fit enough as it is. Oh God! Alice! I need to call her too!"

"Calm down, I'll let you call them while you're getting stitches." He sighed. "You'll definitely need them."

"Great."

Ed carefully reached under me and lifted me into the passenger side of his now dented Volvo. He kept apologizing as he buckled me in and showed me where to hold the cloth as he ran around and got in on his side. I had my purse and the keys to my car so I wasn't worried about it being stolen.

Not that I'd be worried about the chunk of metal anyway.

Along the way to the hospital he called the tow-truck company and asked them to take my truck for me. I wanted to chastise him for his reckless driving but I almost felt rude because at least he was kind enough to drive me. Well, drive me very quickly, considering he was speeding his ass off too.

When we pulled in he quickly ran around and picked me up, attempting to carry me into the ER.

"Edward, I'm a little bit heavier than your average backpack," I sighed as he lifted me from the seat. "Besides, it's not my legs that you've injured."

"I practically ran over you, Bell, it's the least that I can do." He laughed with a sigh. "Besides, you aren't very heavy. Light as a feather."

"Whatever, Edward."

We got into the ER and Edward was already freaking out. He was like, pacing, and running around yelling for help. I merely rolled my eyes and limped over to the desk and asked for the paper-work that you fill out. Yeah, I know the routine, I'm a clumsy person.

"Yes, here you go miss, and could you please calm your boyfriend down?" The little, older woman at the reception desk asked me and I sighed.

"He's not my-...you know what? Yeah. I will." I smiled fakely and turned to find Edward. I then grabbed him by the ear and practically dragged him back to one of the plastic chairs. He whined the entire way over but I chose to ignore his pleas.

"Edward, calm the fuck down or you can leave. I don't need to be kicked out of the closest ER in town. I'm in here too much for that!" I hissed and he sighed, nodding and sitting back while I moved to fill out the paperwork.

It was getting hard to do with only one hand, as the other was holding the shirt up.

"Ugh, here," He sighed and moved over to my other side. From there he held the cloth up for me, and even played with my hair a bit. He was trying to comfort me?

When I finished filling it out he got up and took it to the counter. I sat and looked around the bland room. There were two other people. One was a woman who was holding ice to her hand and the other was a man who had a wrapped up foot. Boring.

The walls were this pale, ugly off-white color and they were really beginning to annoy me. I've never been the biggest fan of hospitals. It doesn't help that I'm clumsy and tend to be in here all the damn time. Not to mention the God-awful smell. It's like...the smell of sterilizer and death all in one room.

It makes me feel claustrophobic.

"You okay?" Edward asked as I closed my eyes and tried to hold my breath.

"Just don't like hospitals." I whispered.

"I'm sorry..." He apologized for the sixty-seventh time today. I just shook my head for a second before attempting at relaxing. "Here, let me hold the rag for a while."

"You don't mind?"

"Nah, I did this to you, it's the least I can do - again." He had a point there. I don't like to be the blamer, but this entire incident was strictly his fault. I triple checked before pulling out of that space. He's the idiot who backed out quickly and tried to drive backwards through a damn parking lot.

"Isabella Swan?" A voice called and a female doctor approached us.

She was tall, had dark hair, brown eyes, and a gorgeous smile. I thought that doctors were only pretty on TV? The ones back in Phoenix and Jacksonville were very ugly. She smiled at me as she lead us over to the cots. I'd figured that Edward would leave once a saw a doctor but nope, he followed us back there.

"My name is Dr. Carmen Salazar, you can call me Carm. Alright, wanna' tell me what happened, Miss Swan?" She asked as she pulled out a wash-cloth and began cleaning my face.

"Well, I was in the Mal-Mart parking lot, and I pulled out of my space only to have him back out with his Volvo and hit me." I shrugged with a sigh. "I smacked my face on the steering wheel. And I also think that I dislocated, or at least pulled, my shoulder."

"Ouch, car-accidents suck. Did you call a tow-truck?" She asked as she put a gauze over my cut and moved to examine my shoulder.

"Yeah, Edward did." I smiled sheepishly at Edward, who was patiently seated on the stool beside me.

"Good," She smiled before frowning and pulling my short-sleeve back down over my arm. My rather swollen arm. "You'll probably need to take the top off for me to get a good look at your shoulder. I need to determine if we should get X-Rays done or not."

"Right...um, Ed could you...?" I looked at him and he hopped up, his cheeks turning pink.

"Yes, sorry, do you want anything?" He asked me and scratched his head. "I could go pick you up something to eat, or coffee...or anything?"

"I'm fine. You can go wait out there, or even go home if you want." I told him and he rolled his eyes.

"You know I'm not doing that," He huffed before looking at the doctor. "Is she going to be okay? Her head I mean?"

"She'll need stitches but she's not showing signs of a concussion, so I think she'll be okay. May want some Tylenol though." Carmen shrugged and he let out a deep breath of relief. Jeez, he's acting really worried for only having met me today. It's actually king of...I don't know, nice.

"Oh...okay. I'll be out here if you need me, Belle." He smiled crookedly before walking out and into the waiting-room again.

"Your boyfriend is very nice, Isabella. He's a keeper." She smiled at me as I took off my top so that she could look at my shoulder.

"Oh...he's not my boyfriend. We just met today." I told her as she prodded at my arm. There may or may not have been a few uncomfortable hisses in between. My shoulder hurt like a bitch too. Not helping.

"Is that so? Where'd you meet?" She asked trying to take my mind off of my arms, I'm sure.

"Mal-Mart. And then again in the parking-lot when he ran into my car with his stupid, shiny, silver Volvo." I smirked and she laughed slightly before apologizing. "He's an interesting character."

"He's already smitten for you, sweetheart, don't let this one go." She smiled as she handed me a clean, plain white shirt from a drawer. "Here, you can wear this. I'll get you a brace for your shoulder before you go. Looks like you pulled some muscle, and possibly a ligament."

"I'll be lucky if I ever see the guy again," I told her with a slight sigh. Okay, so maybe I was beginning to like him, but I mean hello! The guy offered to drive somewhere and get me some food while I was getting stitchess. If he's not a keeper then I don't know who is.

"I don't know," She shrugged. "Forks is pretty small."

"Right..." I suddenly got some hope.

She quickly moved on to cleaning my cut. Edward showed up not to long later, checking up on me, and was happy that I was doing better. When she stitched it up, even though it was numb, Edward held my hand.

When she finished she explained to me how to clean my cuts and how to wear my shoulder-brace before releasing us. I was just beyond happy to be allowed to go. Even though Carmen, and Edward, are nice...I hate the hospital so much. Every silly, little thing about hospitals gross me out.

"Feeling better, Bella?" Edward asked me as we walked out of the hospital. He was still holding my hand.

"Much," I smiled genuinely for the first time today. "Thank you...for everything."

"You need a ride home?"

"That'd be great, if you could." I nodded. He could be a serial killer. The worst part is that if he was - then I wouldn't mind. If I'm going to die, it may as well be because of somebody gorgeous as him.

"Great, hop in." he smiled and helped me into the Volvo.

I rode with him back to my house. This time we kept silent as we approached our end. I really didn't want to have to tell Edward goodbye - he was so nice to me, and others. He may not be very skilled in the driving area but maybe I could teach him. Though I really just figure that this won't happen because he's older and not like me.

Not a hormonal teenage girl who met a nice guy who's three years older and probably not willing to date her. We always want what we can't have. It's a rule, I guess. A rule that really, really sucks.

When we pulled up onto the curb beside my house I sighed at the sight of both Alice's and Mom's cars. Terrific. This means that they've probably been here for a while and probably have reported me dead and missing - all the while having everyone they know out on a search for my body.

"I'm happy I met you, Bella." Edward broke my worries as I slowly turned away from the window and moved to unbuckle my seatbelt with my good hand.

"You know...me too, Edward. You were a great gentleman, after you ran over me I guess," I smirked playfully and he rolled his green eyes at me.

"Right, well, hopefully we'll see each other around and I'll be able to make it up to you." Edward told me and I nodded quickly and opened the door.

"Definitely," I stepped out and into the breeze. "Thank you so much for taking me to the hospital, and the ride home actually...I really do appreciate all of the things you did today. Even if they were a bit serial-killer-ish."

"You're welcome, have a nice night Bella."

"You too." I closed the door and got one last look at his eyes, savoring the green color, and turned to walked back and into the house.

I got up the steps and just as I went to unlock the door his car slowly pulled out of the street and drove away with a honk.

I finished turning the key and pushed the door of my new house open. It shouldn't be weird walking into your own house the way that walking into this place is. I hardly can consider it home ate all. All I can think is that the moment I get comfortable I'm going to be picked up and dragged to a new one.

And who wants to get all homey only to have to start over somewhere else? Not Bella Swan!

"Bella Swan!" Alice's voice shrilled through the hallway and I whipped my head around to find her, terrified of what I was about to face.

"H-Hi Alice..." I smiled sheepishly as her green eyes scanned over my clothing.

"Oh my God! What the hell happened to you?" They narrowed as my cheeks heat up bright pink.

"It's a crazy...just long story." I sighed as I hanged my purse up on the coat-rack and kicked my shoes off.

"A crazy, long story that you will be sharing with me!" She added as she followed me into the kitchen.

Mom was in there washing the freshly unpacked dishes. She gasped when she saw me and pulled away from the sink. I groaned in annoyance as she dried her hands off and ran over to check on all of my injuries. Now I had two panicking women hovering over me. Not at all what I need right now.

"Baby, what did you do?" Mom practically cooed as she brushed my hair, gently, off of my cuts.

"Don't worry about it, Mom. It's fine."

"Stitches are not fine, Isabella!" Alice shot and I rolled my eyes at her. Mom had me sit down at the island. Alice happily pulled a seat out for herself. She then turned to face my Mom, betraying me with her words. "Bella's car isn't here, Renee!"

"Alice, could I at least tell my story before you rat me out for shit?" I asked her and Mom gave me her 'no bad words' look and I just gave her a nod, telling her I'd try to cut back.

"Sorry," Alice rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I was at work, right?" They both nodded.

"Oh my God! You were held up, weren't you? A robbery! Oh, Bella! I'm so sorry!" Alice began wailing and I felt my jaw drop. Psychopath!

"No, ADHD queen!" I rolled my eyes at her and she huffed, all of the sudden not crying, and sat back in her seat. "What I was going to say is that I was with my last costumer. He was being nice and actually talking to me. We-..."

"Oh my God!" Alice squealed at the top of her lungs. "Did you get his number? Was he hot? Oh, you found your one! You guys can go out and be in love forever, and ever, and ever, and then you ca-..."

"Jesus Christ, Alice!" I yelled and fisted up my hands. Alice silenced and frowned, suddenly quiet. "No! He was a cenile, old man!"

"Oh...sorry. Was he really, Bella? I mean, gosh, you-..."

"No, Alice." I interrupted her pleas with a sigh. She may be my best friend, practically a sister, but damn she can be annoying! "Listen...he was nice, only a little older than me, but he was way out of my league. Anyway, that's beside the point."

"Bella, like, nobody is out of your league." Ali rolled her geen eyes at me and Mom shrugged, claiming that Alice was right.

"Well, he was, okay? Off-topic. We were talking and stuff, and then he left. I went, got my purse, and when I was pulling out of the lot I got hit."

I told them this and tried to be nonchalant about it. They both reacted crazily, gasping and running over to re-check and see if I was okay or not. Didn't we already do this when I walked in the house? Because I'm getting this crazy sense of Deja Vu. Or should I call it, memory! Why did I move in with a bunch of drama-queens again?

Because you're underage and can't live anywhere else! My responsible side told me and I could only roll my eyes at them too. Being underage sucks! If I weren't, I'd by a house near-by, but far enough that I have a sense of privacy and normalcy. I can't chang that and it still sucks.

Isn't that right, irresponsible side?

Yep!

"Guys, chill," I pushed my hands out as if I were going to shove them away. I wasn't going to but it got them a little farther away and out of my personal bubble. It's a tight bubble. "All he did was dent up the back of my truck. And his Volvo. Anyway, I smacked my head on the steering-wheel and twisted some things in my shoulder."

"How did you get to a hospital, Isabella?" Mom looked sternly at me. Here it comes.

"Well...the guy that hit me sort-of did..." I murmured.

And then the yelling started, from both sides of my face.

"Isabella Marie, what is the matter with you?" My Mom cried just as Alice yelled.

"Bella! Are you fucking insane? What if he were a serial killer? Huh? He could have driven right past that hospital!" Alice smacked me on my good shoulder.

"And then you'd be dead!" Mom continued.

"I can't believe how irresponsible you were, Missy!" Alice crossed her arms and shook her head in disappointment, her shoulder-length, dark hair moving with her. She hopped off of the stool, standing shorter than me, even when I was seated on a stool. "You made some dumb desicions today, Bella!"

"Very dumb! I can't believe you, Bella!" My Mom gave me her sad, you're in-trouble look. "Alice is right, that was very reckless, and dangerous, and anything else that you could find in a thesaurus! What if he'd have taken you away from us? What would we have done? I don't know what I'd do without you, Belle!"

Look were you got me, irresponsible side!

"I know, and I apologize, Mom!" Alice cleared her throat. "Alice. But...you have to understand, he was being so nice, and he seemed normal when I was checking him out-..."

"Was he the guy that you mentioned at the beginning?" Alice asked me, her eyes growing wide.

"Why else would I have mentioned him, Alice Cullen?" I asked her and she threw her hands in the air.

"Well, I thought you were mentioning him because he was nice to you. I mean, did he mention your eyes?" I shook my head at her. "Well, that's usually a pick-up line, or a conversation starter with people for you. He was different."

"I know, and that's the point!" I groaned. "Alice, he was being normal. The most normal I've had since Mom got this stupid job before we started sixth grade. So, I let him take me. And he spent the entire time there with me, he paid for a tow-truck, he offered to get me food, and then he drove me home."

"Oh. Wow...he did sound nice!" Alice was now grinning. I was about to let out a sigh of relief, but then Mom cut in, ruining the moment.

"Alice! Bella! That's beside the point! I don't care how nice someone is to you - if it's a stranger, it's a stranger!" She put her hands on her hips. Oh, terrific, now we're both in trouble!

"Mom, really, it was all just a crazy, weird moment. It will not happen again." I told her calmly and she rolled her blue eyes at me.

"Oh, believe me, I know it won't! Because you're both grounded! Bella, you get three weeks for actually doing all of this. Alice, you get two for saying that you'd have acted the same in the situation." She told us and we both groaned, trying to figure out how Mom could ground us during our last week of summer.

"Mom! That's totally unfair, I'm practically an adult!"

"You're sixteen, you live in my house, you live by my rules!" She contradicted. "I wouldn't be this strict on any other occasions, but when it comes to stuff like your safety, and abduction. Do you girls understand that? Don't think that I won't be calling to explain to Esme too, Ali."

"Yes, Mom." We sighed in unison. Alice as a half-joke, me in complete seriousness.

Miss Responsible thinks that serious is the key to life; I think that it's the key to my Mother when she's angered.

"I'm serious, now, go unpack your rooms while I finish up in here. Try and think about why what you did was wrong, okay?"

"Of course," I hugged her with my good arm, Alice hugged her, and then we walked up the stairs to the room that we were going to share.

When we got into the room I plopped down onto my king-sized bed, which was directly twelve feet away from Alice's bed. Same bed.

We had the option to take two different rooms, or to take the master bedroom on the top floor. The master was at least twice the size of the other two put together, so, we gladly decided to share. Rosalie took one of the others, Mom took a room in the basement, and the extra room was the office.

The room that we were in was gorgeous. Half of the walls were just glass, and open, and you could see out and into the forest with it. I was in love with it. Alice was in love with re-decorating the rest of the room. She chose the furniture, colors, all of it.

It looked pretty good. It was a mix of a lot of colors, but they somehow still matched. It was definitely us. Alice is so going to be a designer of some-sort when she grows up. She's so natural at all of it!

"I can't believe he didn't start with your eyes!" She groaned as she plopped back onto her bed. I snorted as I sat on mine, beginning to open another box.

"I know right?"

Okay, one thing I never mentioned. I was born with heterochromia. It's basically a condition where my eyes are two different colors. The main side-effect is that they're extra sensitive to light - which is why I bring sunglasses everywhere. The one on my left is brown, and on my right is blue. Brown for Dad, blue for Mom, and they're a very common conversation starter.

It gets unoriginal, and annoying, very quickly.

Anyway, I forgot mine today, and even if I had remembered the glasses, Mal-Mart doesn't allow them. Something about how they have to be able to recognize people in an emergency.

Like I'd rob fucking Mal-Mart!

Edward didn't start with my eyes though. And I know that we made enough eye-contact enough for him to have noticed. But he didn't stare, he didn't ask, he didn't do anything. He just acted like it was completely normal and that everyone has it. It's nice to feel normal every once in a while.

And believe me, when you have an eidetic memory and heterochromia...it's hard to feel normal. Ever.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm eidetic? No, that's not where you're blood sugar's low - that's diabetic. I'm eidetic. I remember everything I hear, see, and feel. Of course, this has caused some problems, and annoys the hell out of me. There are just some things that a girl doesn't want to remember.

Like potty-training. Yuck.

This is another reason why having to go to new schools is obnoxious. I'm not only starting over at a new school, but I'm always starting ahead, with older kids. And if you think that the seniors in a high school are going to welcome me open-armed...well, then you're sadly mistaken because they're usually a bunch of bullys.

No thanks to my sister, Rosalie. She rarely helps. Mom says that she's jealous about me being so smart, and everything, but I don't see how Rose could ever be jealous of somebody like me.

I'm the one who's jealous of her. She's the blonde-bombshell prom-queen, blue-eyed, average, beautiful, nice person who everybody loves. And by everybody, I mean everybody. All guys ask her out. I'm sure that Edward wouldn't have just talked to her today, he'd probably have given her his number and flirted too.

Didn't do that with me, that's for sure.

"Bella, why aren't you unpacking?" Alice spoke in a sing-song voice as she turned to face me, her box already empty and cleared out of the way. I frowned down at my still half-opened box and then shook my head.

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About what? Oh! You were thinking about stranger-man, weren't you? Ooh! Did you get his name? And don't say that you forgot young-lady, because you know better than that! Maybe, was he like a Seth? Or maybe a Sam! Ooh! Was he a Brady? I be-..."

"Alice, please." I sighed. "No, I didn't get his name. Um. I was just thinking about everything. I tend to have a lot to think about with some of the things I remember. Sorry."

"No...um...that's okay." Her brow furrowed.

"Right." I sighed, to myself, as I finished opening my box.

That's when Rosalie walked in, her hair dark now, and smiled at us. She wanted us to compliment her hair. How could I compliment her when she was probably just getting back from meeting someone like Edward! What if she did meet Edward? That's so not fair! I can't control how freaky I look!

"Rosalie! I like it! Did you color it while you were shopping?" Alice squealed and ran over.

"Yep!" She smiled and I got up, and made my way in that direction. "What do you think, Bella?"

"I think I'm going to go see if Mom needs help with dinner," I muttered as I brushed past her, my shoulder bumping her, a little less than on-accident too.

"What's her problem?" Rosalie asked Alice in a hushed voice as I rushed down the stairs feeling upset.

"Hormones, I think it's almost her...T-O-M!" Alice giggled and they both began laughing.

I know that I'm being moody, and girlie...but sometimes a girl can't help how she feels. And on most occasions I automatically let Rose have the guy. Either they're an ass, or they are out of my league, and Rose is happy to have them either way. Though with Ed it's different. I'm completely territorial.

He was mine first! Even if he did ruin the tail of my trunk - he paid for it! In a few ways. So, I feel that I have every reason to be upset about it. I sighed and shook my head, realizing that I was being immature.

It's not like she actually met him yet.

Damn, I need to find him again! Before she or Alice do!

And if I do...well...let's just say...

Living in this bum-town may not always suck...

A/N: What did you guys think? First chapter of a new story, and I like it! Some things are going to be similar to other stories, but I'm learning as I go, and I look at a lot of my 'new stories' as second chances to old ones in a way.

Don't worry, it'll have a lot of difference though.

Review and tell me if I should continue! I have a plot-bunny written out for this one, like I did with Hurdles, and I can definitely see it continuing if that's what the readers would like!

Review if you want more!

- Em