Originally this was going to be a oneshot, but I think it reads better as short chapters. The rest will be up within the next day or so.

Story was inspired by a prompt from famouslyso at http: // community [.] livejournal [.] com/forkshighschool

Thanks to lts929 for the pre-reading and suggestions.

I remember the first time I laid eyes on Edward Cullen.

It was 1998 and I was in the seventh grade at Forks Middle School.

I don't remember it was sunny or overcast, but let's be honest it was Forks so it was probably raining, or what clothes I had on. But I can vividly remember what it was like to look into those brilliant green eyes.

It had been the second week of school and I stood waiting by the flagpole to be picked by my sister, Bree.

Perfect in every way Breanna. With her beautiful flowing locks of chestnut hair and perfectly straight blinding white teeth, she put my short dull brown hair and metal filled mouth to shame every day of my life.

"Bella! Over here!"

I looked up from the ground, what I usually did when I waited so no one would bother trying to talk to me.

"Bella, come on, I got us a ride home!" Bree shouted out from down the sidewalk, attempting to be heard over the noise of dozens of kids impatiently ready to get away from school.

I pulled the straps of my backpack up on my shoulders and hurried to meet her.

"Where's Victoria?" I asked after glancing around and not seeing the two-toned beat up station wagon that her best friend drove.

"Oh she went home, we're going with Edward."

"Edward?" I questioned. "Who is Edward?"

"That's Edward," she sighed dreamily as she pointed across the lot to the silver car that looked newer than the one our father drove.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me up to the car.

"We're not supposed to ride with strangers," I hissed at her as she reached for the door handle.

Bree rolled her eyes at me and dropped my hand and climbed into the front seat.

I stood there contemplating for a few seconds before I hesitantly opened the back passenger door and climbed in.

"Edward this is my little sister Bella. Bell, this is Edward."

When I finally looked forward I let out a small gasp as I stared directly into the face of the cutest boy I had ever seen. Cuter than Michael Newton, who everyone in my class had a crush on. Even cuter than Leo in Titanic.

"Hi," managed to squeak out of my mouth before I blushed and glanced out the window.

"Hi," he replied with a smile before turning forward and starting the car.

I watched the cars out the window as we made our way out of the parking lot.

"Bella, we're going to the diner for ice cream first," Bree explained as I noticed we had passed the street that would take us home.

"Fine," I mumbled as I tried to take a surreptitious look at Edward.

"But you can't tell dad."

"What?"

My brows furrowed as I tried to understand what she was saying.

"You know dad won't let me date, and he'd never let us go in a car with someone he hasn't met…"

I nodded at her words and waited for her to continue.

"So I'll buy you a ice cream as long as you keep your mouth shut, k?"

I thought about it for a second before nodding.

"Thanks Bell!" she cheerfully exclaimed as she turned back in her seat.

I watched her turn up the radio and listen for a second before punching buttons on the radio. When she reached her favorite station she squealed in delight and turned the volume up. Bree was so preoccupied with her lip synching that she didn't notice Edward's cringe at her choice of music.

When we got to the diner, with Bree chattering a mile a minute about something that happened at school, I kept my eyes on Edward. I was paying so much attention to him that I didn't notice a chair right in my path and I managed to stumble.

A warm hand reached out and grabbed my arm before I could fall to the ground.

"Thanks," I murmured as Edward looked me over to make sure I was okay, before dropping his hand.

"Don't worry Edward," Bree laughed. "She does that all the time."

My face flushed red as I climbed into the booth to sit by the window.

Once we had ordered, I pulled my backpack up beside me and grabbed my book.

"What are you reading?" Edward asked curiously as he leaned across the table for a better look.

"Romeo and Juliet."

He sputtered. "Isn't that ninth grade reading?"

I nodded. "So?"

"So… aren't you in middle school?"

I nodded again. "Yeah?"

"Bella likes to read," Bree explained with a shrug. "Edward, Victoria said we could all get together at her house this weekend to have the movie marathon. We were thinking of renting My Best Friend's Wedding and Clueless of course…"

With a roll of my eyes, I tuned her rambling out and focused on the words in front of me but couldn't help smirk when I noticed the bored look on Edward's face.