Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried." - Mulan

Chapter 1

BPOV

August 2008

I walk in to Forks High School for the first day of sophomore year with my head down low, just trying to blend in with the crowd. My goal in high school has always been to get it done as quickly as I can and without notice. I prefer it that way. The rest of the school seems to prefer it that way too, seeing as though they have made nominal efforts to interact with me.

I walk into the guidance office to pick up my schedule for the year. Many students are in the line in front of me waiting to see what kind of torture will be inflicted upon them in the form of classes this year.

I ignore the constant stares and snickers from my peers. Oh great, I thought, the constant laughing and teasing is already starting up. I frowned. They don't know me. They don't know about my life or why I've been through. They don't care, no one does. I've never fit in here. I don't fit in anywhere. It's not without lack of trying because I do. But when people take one look at you and decide you're not worth it, you kind of stop finding reasons to try.

Ever since the first day of freshman year when my first period teacher, Mr. Banner, called my name out during roll call and got pissed that I didn't answer verbally, I have been shunned by nearly everyone. He kept asking why I wouldn't answer him, to which I still wouldn't answer. This just made him angrier and angrier, for reasons I have no idea why. When he finally gave up he, being the dickheaded teacher that he is, not so subtly called me a freak under his breath. Lucky for me, the jackass in the front row, known to the rest of the school as Tanya Denali, repeated the nickname to the entire school until it stuck. Now, everyone calls me Freak because I won't talk.

I've always been quiet. I don't think I can even remember a time when I spoke. I can't help it. It's not that I can't talk, I just choose not to. People only talk because they have something to say. I've learned from past experiences that it's best not to say anything at all, that way you can't get hurt from it.

I'm broken out of my inner monologue when I walk straight into a rock hard chest that would have knocked me to the ground if said person hadn't of caught me on my way down. I look up to find a boy with the most beautiful green eyes staring down at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked while looking me up and down for any signs of injuries.

I nod my head, completely mesmerized by his simple act of kindness. Anyone else in this school would've let me fallen and laughed as I did. But this unfamiliar boy didn't.

We just stood there, gazing into each other's eyes for another minute. I was curious as to why he was treating me like a human being. He obviously didn't know about the Freak and to avoid it like the plague like everyone else did. Of this, I was completely thankful for. He must be new here. No one I knew would've helped me stay upright, let alone ask if I was okay.

Completely unaware of our surroundings, we stood there in the middle of the guidance office for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a few minutes. Still in the same position, his arms around my torso, holding me up even though I had already regained my balance seconds after I nearly fell, we just stood and stared. We were finally interrupted by the guidance counselor, an elderly lady named Mrs. Pope, who was telling us to keep moving up the line. We both snapped out of it instantly. He looked down at me as he ran a hand through his wild bronze hair.

"Sorry Ms. I didn't see you there." He said and started to walk away. He glanced back at me and smiled.

I was in a daze. I got my schedule and managed to find my first class even though I was still completely mesmerized by the boy.

I walked in the class and sat in the very back. As seats started to full up, I was brought back to reality when I noticed Tanya in the seat in front of me.

I groaned.

The bell rang and the teacher walked in. I hadn't even bothered to look at my schedule until now. I had AP Biology with Mrs. Wilson right now.

I sighed in relief. Mrs. Wilson was my physical science teacher last year and I loved her and the subject. As she started to explain the syllabus, the door opened and the boy from the guidance office walked in. He just stood at the front of the classroom as Mrs. Wilson looked over his papers.

I just stared at him. So he was new here. This was the first time I got a good look at all of him, not just his face. Holy shit was he hot. He was about 5'11 and thin. He had a tall strong build. He was muscular but not overtly so. His brown hair and green eyes made him look young. He had a jawline that could give someone a paper cut. He wore a dark blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows and jeans. He made such a casual outfit look completely extraordinary.

The teacher introduced him to the class as Edward Cullen. Mrs. Wilson told him to take any seat that was left. I glanced around the room and noticed all the seats were taken except for the one next to me. I gulped.

He looked up and his eyes found mine instantly. I blushed and had to look away. He made his way to the back of the class to the seat next to mine. I didn't look up as he sat down. Mrs. Wilson started going over our syllabus again. Edward turned and faced me and said hey.

I looked up. I was in shock. He was actually trying to talk to me. I didn't know how to answer him, so I didn't. I just stared at him instead. He's new here and he doesn't know anyone, of course he's going to try to talk to the first person he sees. He doesn't know what he's doing.

He tried to make a conversation with me for a few more minutes, but he eventually got tired of me not speaking back to him and quit. I sighed. He was done with me already.

About five minutes later, I saw him scribbling something on a sheet of paper. He slid the paper over to me.

You don't talk much do you?

I looked up and shook my head no. He grabbed the paper again and wrote some more.

Okay then. I guess I'll talk to you here. I'm Edward.

Bella. I wrote back.

Hi Bella, it's nice to meet you.

I smiled, like actually smiled, for the first time who knows how long.

The bell rang and I got up to get to my next class. To my surprise, Edward also showed up to my next class, Pre - Calculus with Mr. Molina. He didn't sit by me this class though. I was disappointed for a fraction of a second until I realized that I didn't even know the guy.

I sighed and watched as Edward goofed around with a bunch of football players for the whole class period. I wondered if he played football because he acted as if he already knew the guys when he went to sit down with them.

My next two classes pass by quickly and I am only bothered by a few kids in the hallway while changing classes. I don't see Edward again either.

The lunch bell rings and I wait until everyone else has cleared the room to get up and go to the lunch room. It's crowded when I walk in. I finally find an empty table in the corner of the room to sit down at.

I don't eat the school lunch mainly because it's disgusting, but also because my foster parents never give me any money for lunch. They just assume that I can do without. Not that they cared if I was hungry or not anyway.

I hear footsteps coming my way. To my surprise its Edward and two tan skinned boys I don't recognize coming my way. The three boys sit at my table. Edward sat beside me and the other two across from us.

"Jacob and Seth, this is Bella. Bella, this is Jacob and Seth. She doesn't really talk much." Edward introduces us.

Jacob is a big guy. He's got muscles on muscles and looks like the kind of guy you would see on a wrestling show. Seth on the other hand is small and lanky with an innocent presence around him. He's got a giant grin spread across his face.

I glare at both of them. I feel uncomfortable. I've never had anyone sit with me at lunch before and I don't know what to do, or how to act.

I snap back to the present when I hear Tanya's high - pitched voice. I narrow my eyes at her as she approaches my table.

"Edward, what the hell are you doing sitting here with that thing?" She asked sounding annoyed.

Edward looked confused for a second. He turned to me, looking for an explanation as to what she was talking about, but I was staring at my hands in my lap. Here we go. Here's the end of line for any possibility of making a friend this year.

"I'm sorry Tanya, but what is this 'thing' you're talking about?" Edward asked confused.

"The Freak Bella Swan, of course. Surely you've heard the rumors about her. They're all true too. I mean just look at her, she's ugly and disgusting and smells. She looks like she got her clothes out of the garbage can and she doesn't even talk. Like seriously who doesn't talk?" Tanya rambled.

Edward turned to look at me, but I couldn't make myself look up at him. This is it. I told myself. Say goodbye to the only person that's ever been nice to you in at this school.

I heard Jacob and Seth shuffle out of their sets with their food. I looked up and expected to see Edward starting to leave, but instead I found him staring at me intently.

He turned back to Tanya and said, "I don't see or smell anything wrong with her. She seems nice to me. A hell of a lot nicer than you are actually. Why don't you go find someone else to bitch on for a while, Tanya?" What I heard shocked me. No one had ever stood up for me before, let alone stood up to Tanya for me.

I wasn't the only one shocked at Edward's little speech either. Tanya stood completely still and just glared at him. Edward, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by his words and resumed eating. After a few more minutes of glaring, Tanya finally gave up and walked back to her table, not even noticing she had Seth and Jacob right behind her.

Ten minutes passed and Edward didn't say anything to me; he just sat and ate his food. The bell was about to ring and I knew I had to thank him for what he said. He stood up to go throw his trash away, but I grabbed his arm. He looked at me expectantly so I mouthed 'thank you'. He half - smiled. He started to walk to the garbage can, so I took this as my chance to leave. I didn't want to have to face him again.

The rest of my day was pretty uneventful. I didn't see Edward again which was a little disappointing, but Tanya didn't make any more snide comments to me for the rest of the day which was something new to me. Maybe having the hot new guy stand up for you in the cafeteria wasn't such a bad thing.

The bus ride to my house doesn't take long enough. I'm not ready to see them. I can live with being ignored and ridiculed by my peers, but I can't take what happens at home.

I get off the bus and walk to the front door. It's locked. Great, just what I needed. This only happens when Phil, my foster dad, thinks I did something wrong with his breakfast this morning. He thinks this is an appropriate punishment for accidentally making his coffee a little too hot or cold or some stupid shit like that. I walk around to the back of the house only to find the door back there is locked too.

Having no other option than to just wait outside until he or Renee, my foster mom, get home, I go sit down on the grass against the house.

I sighed. I guess it can't get much worse than this. But, the universe seemed to hate me too because as soon as that thought crossed my mind, it began to pour down rain. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though, this is Forks after all, the rainiest place in Washington.

I sit outside for three hours while I wait for someone to get home. When Renee finally gets home, I'm relieved. Maybe I can make it to my room without adding more bruises to my collection.

I wait about five minutes after I hear Renee walk in the house before I head in. She doesn't give any inclination that she hears me as I walk in. I try to hurry to my room before she notices me, but I don't make it.

"Where do you think you're going?" She inquired.

I stop and stare at her. She knows I won't talk back to her, so she just smirks.

"You know the drill," she continued, "chores before you go to your room, useless bitch."

I look down and try to rush to the laundry room hoping to avoid any more of Renee. She expects me to do everything around the house - laundry, dishes, cleaning, and cooking because I have to live with them. She sees foster kids as free labor. If I don't work, I don't eat, according to Renee, not that they feed me anyway.

Renee works at the only local day care in the middle of Forks. She changes jobs almost every year because she doesn't like to be bored with her life.

I do the laundry and I wait until Renee leaves the kitchen to start cooking supper. I look in the freezer only to find fish and some rotten looking hamburger meat. Fish again tonight. I sighed. I start cooking when I hear Phil's police cruiser pull up in the drive way.

Shit. He's off work early. He's going to kill me if his food and beer isn't ready when he walks in. Shit. Shit. Shit. He walks in and immediately seeks out his food. When he sees me still cooking it, he gets pissed. "Bella! Where the fuck is my food at? I've had a long day at work and all I ask for you to do is to cook me my damn food! Did you not learn your lesson this morning when you made me burn my tongue on my coffee?" He fumed.

I turned around so he knows I heard him. I point to the almost ready fish, but that does nothing to appease him. "Do you even know how to speak you worthless piece of shit?" He raises his hand up and smacks me across my face.

I just stand there and take it. I don't flinch or cry or even make a sound. I've learned the hard way that that only spurs him on more. "Stop being such a waste of space and get me my damn food."

I nod and turn back to the stove. I quickly put his and Renee's food on the table and scurry off to my room before I can get punished again. I know better than to make or get food for myself. I only get to eat dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays because that's when Phil works the late shift at the police station. Renee lets me eat then, and only then, as to avoid suspicion that might arise at school.

I wait until I hear Phil and Renee head to bed before I step out of my room to take a shower. I'm grateful that Renee decided to take pity on me and not lock me in my room tonight.

I quietly go to the bathroom and start the shower. I step in and immediately cringe at the freezing temperature. Great, no hot water again. I scrub myself swiftly and soon I'm out and drying off.

I see my face in the mirror. I gasp in shock as I see what my reflection has become. I'm eerily pale and so skinny that I look anorexic. My hair used to be thick and beautiful chestnut brown, but now, with the lack of constant nourishment to my body, it's too long and raggedy. But what surprises me the most, is the hand shaped mark on my right cheek. Shit, how am I supposed to cover that up for school tomorrow? Phil is normally very careful about where he leaves his marks on my body. He's always avoided my face during school time. Now I've got to find something to cover it up. Maybe I can steal some of Renee's cover up and pray that nobody feels like screwing with me tomorrow.

I sigh and head back to my room. I lay down and try to go to sleep. I dream about Edward Cullen. I let myself dare to imagine him becoming my friend. I know it's foolish to hope for something so ridiculous, but it's the only decent thing going for me right now. Gah, I'm so pathetic.

A/N: Thoughts?