January 18 started out just like any other day. Edward was waiting outside of school until the last possible second before school started. He had no need to socialize and talking to people just made things... complicated for him.
Hearing the warning bell ring, he threw the hood of his jacket over his hair, shadowing the side of his face he desperately wanted to hide from everyone. He then slowly began walking to the front doors.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see an old, rusty truck approaching. He paused for a moment, not recognizing the car or the passenger. In his surprise, this person chose to park in the part of the parking lot that was the most dangerous due to the black ice often found there.
Cursing to himself he glanced at the school doors and to the girl climbing out of her truck. He just had a feeling that she had no idea that she was about to walk straight across ice that would undoubtedly cause her to fall on her face. Why wasn't anyone around?
Making a decision that he would remember for the rest of his life, he shuffled over to her. Realizing that he wouldn't make it to her in time to tell her to avoid the black ice, he called out to her.
In horror, he watched her whip around and begin to fall. With speed he did not believe his legs were currently capable of, he caught her right before she hit the icy ground.
Breathless, she stared up at him, but his face was disguised by the shadows of his hoodie.
It took them a moment to release each other from the very awkward embrace.
The girl was bright red, obviously embarrassed and Edward was certain that she had seen his limp or his face he was desperately trying to hide.
In an attempt to distract her he decided to deflect, gruffly barking out "you know, you shouldn't park here. it's not safe."
Bella, stunned by his tone tried to catch his eyes, but saw that he was purposefully avoiding eye contact, slinking back into the shadows of his hoodie.
"Oh. Ummm... well..." she stammered.
Edward desperately wanted to run his fingers through his hair in vexation, but then he would reveal his face to her. Unable to form words he mumbled "new here?" Realizing that his stammering wasn't a complete sentence, he decided to try again, this time leading her slowly to the front doors "I mean, you must be new. There's black ice there. You shouldn't, well you just, I mean I'm Edward, sorry, but yeah..."
Bella flustered by both his anxious behavior and by the fact that he hadn't let go of her arm yet began walking with him very slowly to the front doors. She looked confusedly down at his leg which was shuffling at an odd angle. Not realizing that he was favoring his leg due to his pronounced limp she tried to lessen the tension through a joke "I AM new and my name is Bella. Also, I would say you're a little overly concerned with falling there Edward, what with your shuffling. I think we're in the clear now"
Edward dropped her arm suddenly and Bella's heart dropped. If anything, the tension increased tenfold. Edward had never been more mortified and Bella had never been more confused.
The final bell had rang and to Edward's eternal gratitude, Alice appeared at that very moment. "Edward! I see you've met, well you must be Bella, right?"
Bella couldn't help but be thankful that Alice interrupted the most baffling exchange she'd ever had with a person who she still could not fully see. In a daze, Alice pulled Bella along, chattering on about her first day at Forks High and how they were going to be the very best of friends.
Edward stared after them blankly, debating whether or not going to class today was worth the hassle. Deciding that he couldn't let Esme or Carlisle down after all they had done for him, he slowly shuffled his way to his first class of the day.
He knew that no one would count him tardy, No one ever made a big deal when the deformed cripple of the school took longer than the others to get to class.