Chapter 1: Chasing Bella Swan

Why me! I whined internally. Why had Lauren and Jessica chosen me!? I hadn't done anything to them intentionally. I started to think back to my first day here and got lost in my thoughts- not the smartest thing to do for the clumsy type like myself. Oh who are you trying to kid?! You're far past clumsy. I'd put you at a complete klutz, said that stupid little voice in my head that always seemed to have something wonderful to tell me. SHUT UP! I yelled back at it. I had been trying- however unsuccessfully- to beat that voice down so that it wouldn't bother me anymore.

So any ways, being the klutz that I am, I went and tripped on my own feet just when I was starting to head them off and ran strait into someone. "Oh! Sorry! I wasn't watching were I was going and I trip…" I looked up to find Mike Newton staring down at me. Oh shit! I thought. Mike hadn't left me alone since I got here. I think the score stands at: times asked out: 6 Dates accepted: 0. That's right, he had asked me out 6 times and I had only been here 4 days. Talk about not taking a hint! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jessica turn red when he smiled at me. "Hey, Bella! I was just looking for you. I wanted to ask you-" I cut him off. "Listen Mike, I'm in a bit of a rush. I got lost and my next class is on the other side of campus. Don't want to be late. I'll see you at lunch. Bye." And with that, I took off down the hall again in a sprint because as much as I wished that what I had told Mike was a lie, it wasn't. Except that I hadn't gotten lost- more like chased around the school by two psychotic girls.

I ran all the way (again not a smart move- I tripped five times) to my next class- Math. I reached my seat just in time. My best friend, Angela Weber, turned around to look at me. "What happened to you?" she asked, concern in her voice. I wondered what I looked like after all that running in the rain. Probably like a drowned cat! scoffed the voice again. See what I mean about all those wonderful comments. Thanks for the ego boost. I retorted sarcastically. "Well?" Angela pressed. "You know Lauren and Jessica?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Queen Bitch and Clone Barbie? Yeah, of course. Why?" she asked.

We had come up with those names after our first day here. Lauren was walking around the school like she owned the place and Jessica was copying her every move. So their names became Queen Bitch and Clone Barbie. Jessica was really deserving of her title. She wasn't a natural blonde. Angela and I had gone trough last year's middle school yearbook and found out that Jessica had died her hair to match Lauren's over the summer. She had had black curly hair with lots of blonde highlights in it. Now it was strait as straw and blonde with not a hint of her natural colour.

"Bella!" Angela whispered, class had started and she was waiting for her explanation. "Well, they have been following me around since first-period and I think I know why now." I finished. She looked at me with pleading eyes, as if this theory was vital information. I let out a small giggle at the look on her face, because only Angela would think something like this was vitally important. I've known her for a long time and I know that the only reason she would act like this would be if she thought I was in danger. Well, to be honest, I might be. With both Lauren and Jessica, the gossip queens of Forks, after me, I could be in big trouble when it came to gossip.

"Well?" Angela pressed when I didn't answer her questioning look. "Well what?" I asked back to annoy her. "You know perfectly well what!" she said in an annoyed tone. "I'll tell you after class." I bargained. This was the longest I had ever gotten away with talking to someone in class and I wasn't going to test my luck, especially today.

So for the rest of class we sat in silence paying attention to Mr. Varner. It seemed like I had picked the perfect time to stop talking because a few minutes later he said that we would be having a test on today's material on Friday.

The bell rang and Angela waited for me to get my things. We had lunch next period and our lockers were next to each other, so I would have time to explain my theory. Angela let out a sigh as we reached the hall leading to our lockers. I could see that she was getting more impatient as time wore on so I started my story. "Okay, so do you want to here my theory or what?" I asked sarcastically-only because I knew the answer would be a 'yes'. Angela nodded her head enthusiastically. "Ok, well I think that they are jealous." She looked at me for a moment with one of those 'are you serious' looks. "You know how awesome I think you are, but why do you think they are jealous?" I nodded my head in understanding- she wasn't trying to offend me, she just didn't understand what they could be jealous of. "I get it- 'they have everything we do, what could they possibly be jealous of?'" I answered her with what I thought she was trying to say. "Yeah, that's what I meant." Angela answered sheepishly, bushing a little.

We had reached our lockers and were putting away our books for our last class when Mike came around the corner, followed closely by Tyler Crowley. He looked like he was looking for someone. Shit! I thought as Mike spotted me and smiled. Suddenly Angela caught on. "Oh my gosh, it's because of Mike and Tyler isn't it?" she asked, the excitement of understanding my theory clear in her voice. I rolled my eyes at her. "Who else?" I asked. She had witnessed all the incidents with Mike and Tyler and she still had to ask- it was probably to get me back for not telling her what I meant right away.

"Hey." Mike said. "Hi," was my reply. Angela looked at us both and laughed, probably at my tense posture. There was only one reason Mike would come looking for me in between classes for.

"So about lunch…" "What about it?" I interrupted his sentence. "Well. I was thinking we could sit at our own table, you know like a lunch date." he finished with a hopeful expression. "No thanks Mike." I said in an annoyed tone. When is this boy going to understand that you don't like him! The voice in my head said, and for once I agreed with it. "Oh." he mumbled, dropping his gaze to the floor. Great! Here comes the gilt. I thought.

"Mike..." I said in a sad tone. Push over!, scoffed the little voice. Oh, back to enemies I see. "No it's ok. I get it. You just want to be friends…" I let a small smile cross my lips. Maybe he was finally getting it. But he still had that lustful look in his eyes when he looked at me. Or not, said the voice. I let it slide, not like I could do anything about it.

He looked back up, smiled and said bye. Angela and I waved. Tyler finally spoke up. "Um, Bella?" he said in a nervous voice. Oh joy! I thought sarcastically. "Yes Tyler?" I said, trying to hide my grimace. Tyler wasn't as bad as Mike. He had only asked me out once. Unfortunately, it had been in front of Lauren. I swear, I saw her snap a pencil in half when he asked me.

"Do you want to go out this weekend?" he asked, his voice getting more confident with every word. "Sorry Tyler, I have plans this weekend with Angela. We're going to Seattle to shop for some dresses for her cousin's wedding." We both turned to Angela, who looked like she was holding in laughter, which, to be honest, she probably was.

I pleaded with my eyes for her to back me up. Tyler was looking at her questioningly. "Um… Yeah, she's… helping me find a… dress this weekend." Angela managed to say trough a fit of giggles. Tyler left looking a bit deflated. I turned to a still laughing Angela "It's not funny." "Yes it is," she replied, still giggling. "It's damn right hilarious!" I scowled at her, but then remembered that she had just gotten me out of a date with Tyler this weekend. "Thank you for that." I said. "You owe me." Angela shot back. "Deal." I laughed.

"Ok, so back to the theory. You think QB and CB are jealous why again?" She knew perfectly why, she just wanted me to admit it out loud. I glared at her and she let out another laugh. "I think Lauren and Jessica are jealous of the fact that the guys they like, like me and not them. So, they are trying to get back at me." "You know what? That's a reasonable theory." "You think?" I asked incredulously. I had only thought of it after seeing the look on Jessica's face when Mike talked to me this morning. "Bella, seriously, you need to stop doubting yourself all the time. It's a really reasonable theory." Angela said in a reassuring tone and with that she convinced me.

I had always said she should join the debate team. She had this way of saying things that made you really believe her. Whenever I brought it up she would shrug and say it only worked on me, but I think the real reason is because the boy she likes, Ben, is on the team and she always gets tongue tied in front of him.

We turned around and started heading for the lunch room when I spotted blond hair turning the corner. I didn't think about it until I heard the dreaded click-clack of high-heeled shoes.