Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Myer. This is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 1

"You are going to love him," her mother gushed for about the millionth time since Isabella got home from school.

Renee recently started dating, again, and she couldn't stop talking about her boyfriend of a month and a half. Isabella thought it was somewhat odd that her mother has a boyfriend what with Isabella not ever having one herself. Yet she could not be at all surprised because Renee always has a boyfriend. That fact did not keep it from being odd nonetheless.

Isabella slipped on some mitts and deftly pried the oven open. She poked and prodded at her handiwork before pulling it out and placing it on the counter to cool. She had always enjoyed cooking, which was good because if she didn't she would starve. Her mother had always been awful in the kitchen. There were countless occurrences of food poisoning and almost burnings.

"He's smart, funny and oh so handsome," Renee continued from her spot on a kitchen stool. She rarely kept her daughter company when she made dinner but tonight was special. Her boyfriend was coming over for dinner. Being there made her feel like she contributed to the dinner, a fact she would never admit to her daughter.

"Are you listening to me?" Renee screeched at an obviously aloof Isabella. "Ugh! Sometimes talking with you is like talking to air. I swear you have the attention span of a speck of dust."

Isabella was about to inform her that she was in fact listening but she was cut off as Renee got up from her perch on the stool.

"I'm not even sure why I have conversations with you. You're too dense to fully understand much of anything. You got that from your father. You're both a bit on the slow side."

She always brings up my dad Isabella thought bitterly.

Renee strode out of the kitchen as Isabella rolled her eyes. Her mother always accuses her of being dumb. Sure she was a bit absentminded at times but that didn't equate to being dumb. Even though she always told herself her mother was wrong, it didn't stop her from thinking that maybe she was stupid.

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After Isabella finished preparing dinner she trudged up the stairs to her bedroom. Before she got to her door she was stopped by an agitated Renee.

"Isabella, get in here and help me!"

She strolled down the hall to Renee's bedroom.

"How's my -" Renee turned around stopped mid-sentence, "You're not wearing that are you? At least put on some good jeans. God! Do I have to tell you everything?"

"Well what are you waiting for? Go change," She screeched dismissing Isabella with a forceful wave of her hand.

Isabella did as she was told and went to her room to change into some of her better clothes. She put on one of her best Jeans and a white V-neck blouse. She even went as far as to brush her hair and put on some light makeup.

She heard the doorbell ring as she slipped on some ballet flats.

"Isabella, get the door!" Renee shrieked from her bedroom.

Isabella took one last glance in the mirror and hurried down the stairs. She flung the door open and was met with a pair of piercing eyes.

She was stunned at how beautiful the man before her looked. He was a tall man. There was hardness in his mouth and his eyes proclaimed no gentleness. His jaw was perfectly angular and he wore an arrogant smirk. He was also noticeably younger than her mother.

She looked away from his eyes and noticed what he was wearing. He had on dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. He matched her.

He was looking at her with a look that could almost pass as admiration, but there was a bit of hostility to it. Hostile admiration.

He looked at her from head to toe and then back up until his eyes stopped at her crossed her arms, feeling uncomfortable and was about to speak when she heard Renee coming down the stairs.

"Isabella what are you doing?" Renee screeched coming to the door. "Don't just stand there let him in."

She shoved Isabella lightly to the side, "Go check on dinner." Isabella turned and quietly made her way into the kitchen. "Come on in, babe," she heard Renee purr as she rounded the corner.

She started setting the table and pulling out all of the food she prepared. She felt proud of her work because cooking was something she was good at and she wasn't good at a lot of things. Like speaking, for example.

After she deemed everything perfect she went out into the living room to call in her mother and her new, much younger boyfriend.

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"Oh by the way I didn't formally introduce the two of you," Renee said coming out of a long discussion in which none of the other two at the table were paying attention. They were all enjoying Isabella's pork chops and scalloped potatoes.

"Isabella this is Edward and Edward this is Isabella my daughter."

Edward looked at Isabella with eyes shining with mirth as she blushed deeply. "It's nice to formally meet you Isabella. This food is excellent by the way."

"Oh yes, Isabella is an excellent cook. It's one of the few things she's good at. She's not very bright, not very pretty and not very graceful, but she is an excellent cook," Renee cackled, as Isabella blushed even more and wished the ground would open and swallow her.

Edward chuckled and shook his head. "She is," he said wiping his mouth, "This is one of the best dinners I've had in a long time."

"So Edward, how is your work coming along?" Renee asked changing the subject.

"It's better. Things are picking up now that I'm in Seattle. I'm currently working on a portrait for a rich housewife with too much time on her hands," he chuckled.

Isabella looked at him as he spoke with her mother about his work as an artist and photographer. All traces of the earlier hostility were gone. He seemed friendly and energetic as he gestured with his hand while telling a joke that made her mother giggle like a school girl and playfully hit his arm.

They continued dinner with Isabella lost in her own world and the two lovers chatting and laughing with each other.