Chapter 1
"Is this seat taken?", I asked and pointed towards the chair next to his. He jerked his head, looking as he had been in deep thought and then just stared at me for a brief moment. "Eh... Of course! You can sit here", he blurted out and pulled out the chair. "Okay, great", I said awkwardly next to him and slipping my bag onto the back of the chair. I looked around and noticed that the whole class was observing us curiously and I felt my face getting warm. But as being saved by the bell literally the teacher entered the classroom and stole the attention of the class by announcing that there would be a group project coming up which would make for a good part of this semesters grade. While the other kids in the classroom were moaning and complaining over the assignment the teacher walked around handing out the assignment.
"I'd like you to pair up, and please try to think outside the box and work with someone you don't usually work with", the teacher said and handed me the paper with the assignment. Edward was still just sitting next to me, not moving a muscle. I was starting to get really uncomfortable with the silence between us so I decided that I had to be the bigger person here and make an effort. I turned to him and stretched out my hand. "So... I'm Bella Swan." Yet again he flinched and looked at me a bit startled and then he took my hand. "Um, yeah, I know. You're Sheriff Swans daughter, Isabella. My dad and your dad go fishing together from time to time."He kept holding my hand, looking uneasy. Then suddenly he let go of my hand and looked as if he did not know what to do next. "Oh okay, so your dad knows Billy. Cool. And by the way, I prefer to be called Bella instead of Isabella." Still he was looking at me, in a perplexed way and I started to wonder if I had something on my face. He just kept looking at me with his big dark eyes and I myself was at a loss of words. "Okay then, Bella it is", he said and suddenly smiled at me, "Do you need a lab partner, Bella?"
All of a sudden his awkwardness was gone and he had remained his regular confident posture, the way he'd been the first time I'd seen him in the cafeteria. He was ridiculously good-looking when he was smiling and I caught myself blushing once more. "If you don't mind, yes, please!", I blurted out and smiled a bit abashed,"This try-to-find-a-new-partner-guideline Mr. Simons just gave us doesn't really provide me very much help seeing as I don't know anyone here. And I'm actually not that hopeless when it comes to biology, so I promise I won't be a burden." I realized how utterly pathetic and needy I sounded and blushed even more. Why don't you ever just shut up in time, Isabella Swan? But Edward just laughed and shot me a killer smile. "I never doubted it for a second, you have a sharp look about you, Isabella Swan", he said and laughed an odd laughter, as if he knew something that I did not.