**Disclaimer**

I am not trying to steal Stephanie Meyer's characters for any kind of profit.
I am however going to play with them for a little while… but I promise to return them to their proper places, fully intact, once I'm finished… maybe *grin*

I was absentmindedly staring out the window watching the rain bounce off the grass outside my English class; we were supposed to be reading, something the entire school had implemented a few years earlier when the staff realized just how little high school kids read on their own. I had already finished the book I was reading and since we only had five minutes left I decided not to start a new book until the following day.

It was mostly quiet in the classroom, except for a few guys towards the back who were looking at a dirty magazine stuffed inside a newspaper they were using as a cover. I rolled my eyes and stared back out the window. I was daydreaming about this coming summer and maybe taking a trip to New York with Jake. We were getting more serious and I wanted to take things to the next level, but I didn't know how. I hoped a trip out of town would push things in the right direction.

I was smiling to myself thinking about Jake and his big brown eyes when I heard the door open. I looked up curiously to see a boy unlike any I'd ever seen in Forks. He was not so much a boy as he was a man. He was tall, broad shouldered and absolutely gorgeous. He had long reddish brown hair and clear pale skin. He was dressed in designer jeans and a dark blue sweater that I thought might also be designer, a messenger bag was slung over one shoulder and he was holding a dark grey pea coat and a piece of paper in his hand.

He handed the paper to Ms. Kostalnick, who we all just called Ms. K, who smiled and whispered something to him. She then pointed at the empty desk next to mine and I met his gaze. His eyes were aqua and unlike anything I'd ever seen. I inhaled sharply and tried to look back out the window at the rain, but I couldn't help watch him walk towards me.

He was so graceful and perfect looking I couldn't take my eyes off him. He settled in the desk next to me and I turned to face him, unable to stop myself from staring at him. He was putting his bag under his desk and looked up at me; it felt like he was studying my face. I half smiled back at him and then fully felt the intensity of his gaze. I couldn't look away even though I could feel the hot blush that was spreading through my body. He continued to stare back at me, a curious look overcoming his face, but neither of us could seem to break the contact.

Finally the bell dinged and Ms. K started collecting homework from the night before and jabbering about a test we'd have on A Tale of Two Cities on Friday. I was snapped back to reality and turned to the front of the room and groaned under my breath. I hated that book with a passion. Dickens was a great writer and I know it was a classic and blah, blah, blah, but did sophomores really have to be tortured with Dickens?

I heard a low musical sound next to me and looked over to see the new boy's shoulders shaking with laughter. I shot him a look out of the corner of my eye and he grinned back at me. My palms got sweaty and I heard my heart speed up. I quickly looked away and took a deep breath trying to steady my heart. Why was this happening? I didn't even know this guy and he was making me feel like I'd been hit in the stomach with just a look.

Ms. K was done collecting homework and she stood at the front of the class waiting for our attention.

"We have a new student with us today, his family and he just moved here from Alaska." I smiled to myself knowing what was coming next, I hope the new kid wasn't shy; Ms. K was not one to let you sit quietly in her class. "Would you please stand and tell us your name, your favorite color and your favorite novel?"

She looked at him expectantly as everyone in the class shifted to look at him. He stood up immediately, obviously not shy at all, and cleared his throat turning to address the class. I did the opposite and turned my eyes to the ugly indoor/outdoor carpet trying not to look up at him.

"My name is Edward Cullen, my favorite color is blue and my favorite novel is a tie between The Great Gatsby and A Tale of Two Cities." At his words I looked up in surprise and saw his eyes flick in my direction with that grin I'd already seen too many times. He sat back down and looked straight ahead, the grin still in place.

Ms. K clasped her hands together and said "Well isn't that wonderful! As I'm sure you heard, we're in the middle of A Tale of Two Cities right now! I'm glad you've read it before, I've been trying to convince these monsters for the last two months how good it will feel to have read a literary classic but most of them just complain about Dickens's writing style" She smiled a wide smile at him and he grinned right back at her.

Sheesh. Teachers pet much? What an ass-kiss. I bet he hated A Tale of Two Cities and just said that because he knew we were reading it. I looked back down at the carpet my head reeling with emotions, not listening to Ms. K at all.

"Bella?" I started at my name hoping she hadn't asked a question because I had clearly not been listening to her.

"Y-y-yes Ms. K?" I stuttered out. I heard a few snickers from the boys in the back and I shot them an evil glare.

"Would you be kind enough to help Edward catch up in here? Show him the ropes and warn him about me?" she grinned at me.

"Of course! I'm always up for warning new students about you" I replied

I saw Edward shift in his chair looking uncomfortable for the first time.

"Perfect! Now I want you all to take out your books and turn to Chapter seventeen and explain to me what the heck Mr. Dickens was talking about…"

I busied myself looking through my book and re-reading my careful notes trying to ignore Edward who was openly staring at me with that damn grin in place.

"Bella?" I jumped again, the way my name sounded when he said it was impossible. His voice was sexy and manly and not squeaky like every other guy in our grade, well, except my Jake. "Yes?"

"Would I be able to look on with you today? I don't have a book"

"Of course"

"Thank you"

So he's polite on top of being the sexiest man I'd ever seen not in a print ad for a fashion magazine. He pushed his desk closer to me and I turned to look at him. "I guess I should officially introduce myself, I'm Bella Swan"

I extended my hand to him.

His hand moved across the desk and I took it in mine. It was like an electrical current passed between us and the look of shock on his face told me he felt it too. I blushed scarlet and quickly turned back to my book.

"It's very nice to meet you Bella, I'm Edward Cullen"

A/N

This is my first time actually writing/ posting on FF! I have been lurking in the shadows reading all of your fabulous stories, but I have decided to stop being a lurker and start contributing!

I've had this story rolling around in my head so I'm throwing it out there. Let me know what you think!

Special thanks to my Beta and the reason I'm doing this at all, ImaTwitard, who is a supermegafantasticly talented writer and also **edit** my sister wife *grin*

Stay tuned for Chapter 1!