Bella sat down heavily on her desk chair and twirled round to look at her two best friends. It had been a long day.

"I've got it," she announced. "I've got the solution to all my problems."

"Really?" Alice asked, leaning forward slightly to rest her chin in her hands. "What is it?"

"Does it pay off debts?" Rose interjected.

"And make dinner?" Alice added.

"And write essays for you?"

"And pick out your outfits?"

"Cause you should really market that."

"Fine," Bella snapped. "Maybe not all my problems. Okay?"

"Oh, thank God." Alice said dramatically. "I thought I was out as fashion coordinator for you."

"You guys," Bella whined, irritated at the lack of interest they were showing in her new idea. "Come on."

"Go on, Bella. We're paying attention. Honest," Alice assured her, glancing at Rosalie for confirmation, who nodded back. "Tell us your plan."

Bella smiled, in spite of herself. "I have come up with..." She paused dramatically. "The No-Boyfriend Rule."

There was a moment of silence before Rose asked, "Um, what?"

"The No-Boyfriend Rule," Bella repeated. "The NBR. No more boyfriends for me."

"Like...ever?"

"Not for the foreseeable future," Bella clarified.

"But..." Alice started, with a puzzled expression. "Why?"

Bella sighed. She should have known that her two best friends wouldn't understand. Alice, perfect and tiny, had met the love of her life, Jasper, in her first year and they'd been together ever since – which would make it almost four years now. They were probably going to get married, have lots of kids, and stay together forever, because they were perfectly matched. And everyone could see it. Rose, every bit as lovely as Alice, if not more so, was the opposite. She was the heartbreaker in the relationships, and even though everyone knew it, it didn't stop boys throwing themselves at her. She had a trail of shattered hearts behind her. The only one who had ever got close was Emmett. He was exactly what she wanted, and it annoyed her no end.

The truth was, they'd never experienced the pure torture that was getting dumped and having your heart broken.

"I'm tired of it. I'm tired of having my heart broken. I'm tired of thinking that this one might be the one only to have him drag you to a party that a) you didn't want to go to and b) sucked anyway where he downs a bottle of WKD and sticks his tongue down someone else's throat!"

Unfortunately, this wasn't a hypothetical scenario. After even just a month together, Bella thought that maybe this time it would be her chance – her happy ending. But then last week, Mike had done exactly that and went home with that skank Jessica instead of her. She hadn't left her room for three days. It had been worse when she'd gone to school that morning to find Mike and Jessica, apparently attached at the mouth, by her lockers.

That's when Bella came up with the new plan – The No Boyfriend Rule.

"Honey...is this the best way to deal with it?" Alice asked gently.

"Yes! Yes. I've already decided. Boys are just a waste of time. I'm gonna focus on friends, and school, and finding good universities. I don't need a boyfriend," Bella insisted. "I don't want a boyfriend."

"What is the new boy's cute?" Rose pointed out. They had all heard about the new boy. In a small town like theirs, any new residents were a big deal. Tomorrow, the Cullen family was moving in. It was big news.

"It won't matter."

"What if he's super cute and into you?" Alice suggested.

"I won't care."

"What if he's super cute, really into you, and ridiculously rich?"

"It won't make any difference."

"What if he's super cute, really into you, ridiculously rich, and plays an instrument?"

Damn her for knowing about my band member fantasy, Bella thought. But replied anyway, "Still no."

"What is he's super cute, really into you, ridiculously rich, plays an instrument and....picked Squirtle as his first Pokémon?"

There was a pause.

"Don't be stupid, Alice. No one is that perfect!" She stood up suddenly. "Want more snacks?"

"You got any Munchies?" Rose asked, examining her empty Minstrels packet.

"Girl, how do you eat so much crap and still stay that thin?" Bella exclaimed.

"It's a gift. Now go get my Munchies."

"Coming right up." As Bella left the room to replenish snacks, she was unaware of the conversation going on in her room.

"I give her two months," Rose stated. "Less if the new boy is cute."

"Give her more credit than that. She's definitely stubborn." Alice answered. "I give her three and a half. Three if the new boys cute."

"Fine. You're on." They must have heard Bella approaching, because their conversation stopped.

"Here's your chocolate," Bella said, throwing the packet at Rose.

"No time for that! Let's see what you're wearing tomorrow." She stood and moved to Bella's closet, pulling out tops and throwing them on the bed.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Shut up you," Alice ordered. "We have work to do."

The girls stayed for a further two hours while they picked out what they deemed was the perfect outfit. Alice had won in the end, when Bella refused to be seen in the tiny cut off top and skirt that Rose was forcing on her. She bid them goodbye, and sinking on the bed, thought about the super-cute-really-into-her-ridiculously-rich-plays-an-instrument-didn't-chose-Pikachu-as-his-first-Pokemon boy that she wasn't entirely sure existed.

Meanwhile, across town, Edward Cullen was helping his father unpack the last few boxes from the moving truck. He dropped a box of books on his new bedroom floor and headed back out front.

"Is there anything else?" he asked his father.

"Just a few more boxes for my study – medical journals and such. I think your guitar might still be in the car, as well."

"I'll go grab them it then. You ok to move these?" he asked.

"Of course. Go on – go explore the house," Dr Cullen answered.

"Thanks, Dad," he said with a grin. He grabbed his instrument quickly out of the car. Although he'd been to see the house before, he hadn't had the chance to explore it fully, as well as the area. That would probably start tomorrow, when he started his brand new school.

That should be fun.