Chapter 1:

Good morning Washington! It's fifty five degrees today on this blustery Monday morning...

Bella groaned as she got up hearing the radio turn on for her alarm for school. She dreaded Mondays, probably more than most people. Then again, it wasn't just Mondays that she dreaded. Everyday that counted as a school day for her, she dreaded. She had exiled herself to this town of Forks over a year ago during her tenth grade school year. She was now a senior at Forks high school, it was the only thing that kept her going every day knowing that this was the last year she had to deal with this hell hole. That and her small group of friends that were always going to be counted as the rejects of the school. There was a huge difference between temperatures, the structure of the buildings and even the volume of students in this school compared to her past high school back in Phoenix, Arizona. There was however, one thing that would never change. The cliques.

No matter what school you went to or how invisible you wanted to be, you were noticed here. Maybe it was just the fact that she had came to this school in the middle of the school year and that her father was the chief of police. Either way, she didn't care. She was always stared at, and never in a way that made her feel good. She used to raise her hand for most of the answers in her science lab classes. Now she sunk in the back of the class along with her only friend in the class, Mike Newton. It wasn't easy for her or for her small group of friends. They got along with certain cliques of course like others normally did. Bella never cared for groups but when she tried to fan out and meet other people at school it had always gone awry.

It never helped that Lauren Baker, one of the most obnoxious girls in the school with her red curled hair and designer jeans, always tried to pull Jessica Stanley away from the table that Bella and her friends had always occupied in the back of the lunchroom. She always felt that Jessica never belonged with any group really. She was known as a floater, or that was what Eric and Tyler called her. She'd be a friend to you one day, then the next she'd gabble on to someone in Lauren's richie group and it would just be chaos from then on out. But Bella was forgiving unlike most so regardless of what she had said or did, she never felt that Jessica deserved to be opted out of their group. So there they sat every day at twelve-thirty in the back of the lunchroom. There was Tyler, Angela, Eric, Mike, Jessica, and Emmett.

The richie clique consisted of the kids of the richest parents in Forks. Some of them being widely known like the Hales for example. Their children were Rosalie and Jasper, two of the most attractive children in all of the school. Rosalie brought any vain woman to her knees with her looks. Bella wasn't sure if Rosalie got out of bed always looking so perfect but could imagine that being the case. She always pulled it off so well. Jasper on the other hand, Bella knew from experience from talking to him. He was a grade A asshole. He always tried to get into a woman's pants no matter how meek they may seem to any of the other groups just to add to his list of girls that he had slept with. He was one of those guys that made you feel slimy just thinking about him. So many girls including Jessica at times she saw grovel at his very feet. Even if he ever would offer (which he had in the past) a night with him, she would turn him down. She only knew of the Hales along with a few others that seemed to enjoy picking on her or Bella's best friend at school, Angela from time to time.

Bella checked her face in the side mirror of her truck for the small amount of make up she wore. She had mascara and a silver color for her eyeshadow just on her eyelids. Her lip gloss smelled like vanilla. Her hair seemed to be fine. Thick waves of pure brunette brown colored hair with a few highlights of red showing in the rather dim morning sunlight. She looked down at her outfit she was wearing today. A pair of black jeans with a small flare at the bottom along with her regular sneakers. Her top was one of her new creations. She had cut the collar of her black tee shirt out and made a few small rips. She added a few safety pins to the rips to attach the pieces of fabric back together. She had also spray painted the name of one of her favorite bands onto her shirt in some form of glittery silver color. Her black nail polish was beginning to crack and peel. She would have to get Alice to reapply another layer onto her nails after school when she saw her at work.

Bella got into her truck and was about to start the engine when she heard another sputtering engine behind her truck. She looked into the rear view mirror and smiled. It was Jacob Black, her child hood friend from when she would visit her dad here on summer vacation. He was the first friend she had really made here when she came back. Even though they went to different schools, she still saw him enough to make up for it. What now she thought watching him from her rear view mirror. He made the engine of his small black motorcycle sputter to a stop and then put the kick stand up. He walked up to the drivers side window as she attempted to roll it down. She only got it halfway down until she gave up.

"Hey Bells." Jacob said leaning against her truck door.

"Hey Jake. I wish I could talk but I have to get to school." She looked behind her in her mirror to see his bike parked right behind her truck.

"I see you're having trouble rolling the windows up and down again." He grimaced.

"It's okay, you can look at it later." She said. She studied him as he leaned against the cab of the truck. The morning breeze was blowing his long black hair over his shoulders. He looked at his watch then looked at her wide eyed.

"Holy crap Bells, I'm sorry I didn't realize how late it was. I better let you get to school." He said. Bella smiled at him.

"It's alright Jake, I'd lose track of time too if my classes didn't start til ten in the morning." She looked as he was already sprinting over to the bike and moving it out of the way. Bella backed the truck out til she was face to face with Jacob again. He walked back up to the window for a moment.

"You know, I don't mind stalling time or missing class for that matter. I'm so far ahead of everyone, not trying to toot my own horn or anything." She looked down at the small carpet square that was at her feet.

"You're such a bad liar Bells." Jacob chuckled. "You just don't want to deal with school today is all. You should just transfer and go to school on the reservation with me." She cringed at that thought.

"Jake, don't you think I don't fit in enough already?" She asked. Jacob smiled at her.

"No worries Bells, you know me, your man on a white horse and all that. I'd kick any person's ass that hurt you or even looked at you the wrong way." She rolled her eyes at his words.

"Oh my hero.." She said sarcastically.

"Oh you love it.." He smirked at her and saw her laughing.

"Thanks for cheering me up Jake." She said backing up slowly and pulling out fully of the driveway now.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for." He said to her.

"I better get going. Don't want to be late for my date in hell." Jacob rolled his eyes at her remark as she waved and drove off towards the main road. He got back onto his bike and took off back towards La Push.

When she got to the school all the students were beginning to assemble into the small brick buildings for their classes. She had made it almost right on time. She hated being in a rush to get to school. One reason was that she hated running to her classes to cause more stares from people than her usual stroll but also the fact that her truck could only go up to seventy and that was on a good day. Normally the truck like this morning, groaned as she tried to make it go as fast as it could. If she wasn't careful she'd have to either get on Jacob's bike for school until he finished working on the old Volkswagen Rabbit he was rebuilding. That or the other option was her dad could take her and in the instant she thought it, she erased it being an option. Her father, the chief of police no less. Picturing him driving her in the police cruiser to her own form of torture wasn't her idea of a good morning.

She grabbed the knob for her window and tried with all her strength to roll the window up. Finally after fighting with it for a few minutes it finally got all the way up. She grabbed her backpack and her books next to her in the seat and jumped out of the cab of the truck. She slammed the door shut and locked it, having her composition book and English book tucked under her arm. Just as she heard the first bell ring, Bella began to bolt into the small brick building labeled building 3. She turned a corner almost too quick and slammed into someone. Hard. She toppled to the ground landing on her ass and her books fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry." Said the voice of the person she had ran into. She was already scrambling to pick up her books, not even looking at the person.

"No, I'm sorry. I should've looked when I turned the corner." She said and suddenly froze as she saw a hand touch her marble composition book as she did the same. She looked at the person and realized it was a guy but much more a man with his stature. She felt her cheeks begin to flush crimson as she took the book carefully from his hand.

"Thank you." She said as he held his hand out to help her back up.

"No bruises or broken bones right?" The guy asked. She stared him over idly for a moment. He had such nice hair. A pretty bronze color that was tousled in all directions and his eyes were a beautiful emerald green. His jaw was chiseled and his features almost made her hold her breath. He stared at her for a moment longer than waved a hand in front of her face.

"Maybe I crashed into you harder than I thought." The guy said. Bella shook her head which had stopped her from staring.

"No, no I'm fine, really." She said smiling at him for a moment. His eyes almost seemed to light up as he smirked a smile at her. He put his hand out towards her.

"My name is Edward." He said, his voice calm and almost smooth as velvet and silk.

"Bella." She said lightly grasping his hand. He held her hand in a weird way almost like he was going to bend down and kiss it. A reenactment of Mr. Darcy kissing Miss Elizabeth's hand played in her head in that moment but suddenly was brought back to reality as the warning bell rang.

"It was nice meeting you Edward, but I can't be late for class." She said wrapping her arms around the two books in her arms.

"Of course. It was nice meeting you too Bella." He said giving her a smile that could've easily made her forget her class she was going to be late to all over again. She then turned and headed towards her class.

She got into the door of the classroom just as the late bell began to ring. She moved over towards Angela who was staring at her as she sat down in her seat.

"Miss Swan almost late?" Angela said raising an eyebrow.

"It wasn't my fault, Jacob came by this morning, totally stalled me." She said. Angela rolled her eyes at her.

"You mean your Quileute childhood friend that stalks you?"Bella rolled her eyes at Angela's remark.

"He doesn't stalk me, he's one of my best friends." Bella said defensively.

"Ah, puppy love.." Angela swooned in her seat, pulling out her copy of Sense and sensibility. Bella pulled out her copy as well and turned to the chapter that the class would start with today. She already knew this book inside out but it never hurt to reread stories you enjoyed.

"Ah, shut up." Murmured Bella as Angela gave out a small giggle. The English teacher Ms. Riley, came into the room then.

"Turn to chapter sixteen in Sense and Sensibility please. We are going to cover chapters sixteen to nineteen today. There will be a quiz on this information tomorrow. The class gave out a small groan as a whole. Least that was one thing everyone could agree on regardless of the groups and differences aside. Everyone here hated quizzes. Angela looked at Bella with worried eyes.

"You have something else on your mind." Angela said to Bella as they were writing down the answers from a list of questions that were written on the board covering chapters sixteen and seventeen.

"What makes you think that?" Bella asked curiously.

"Because you haven't turned a page in the last fifteen minutes and I know how fast you read Bella Swan. Something is up." Angela stated. Bella quirked her lips into a half smirk.

"I ran into some good looking guy this morning. He seemed really nice." Angela held her book to cover her face so no could see her talking. She turned her head to Bella as Bella did the same thing with her book.

"What guy?" Angela asked.

"I don't know, I haven't really seen him much before. Maybe a few times here and there around the school. Then again, you know how I don't pay attention." Bella said. Angela nodded.

"Was he cute?" Angela asked. It was the first time Angela had acted like a real school girl. Her outfit of course made her seem her age. Her acid washed jeans along with a crimson red top that went with her ruby necklace that was big and was obviously costume like jewelry. Her lips were a bit redder from the red lipstick she had used today, which was too much red to Bella. She also had a small red bow in her hair to tie her hair back. Her glasses were square shaped but accented her thin featured face.

"A bit more than just cute. He was gorgeous." Bella saw Angela look at her in disbelief.

"You sure you aren't making this guy up?" Angela asked silently snickering.

"No, I didn't make him up. His name is Edward..." She trailed. Angela's eyes got a bit wide. Was there something she wasn't telling her.

"What is it?" Bella asked her.

"Did he dress nice?" Angela asked her cautiously. Bella had to think for a moment. She had studied his features more so than his outfit. Now she was beginning to remember his blue button up oxford shirt with the collar pulled up with a black leather jacket over top and nice looking jeans that couldn't have fit him better unless they were suited just for him.

"Nice is probably an understatement." Bella said. Angela sulked for a moment in her seat.

"What is it Angela?"Bella asked again. Angela turned to her friend and grimaced.

"You met Edward Cullen. He's in my psychology class." Angela said sheepishly.

"What's wrong with that? He seems nice." Bella said looking cautiously into Angela's eyes. There was something else she wasn't telling her.

"He keeps to himself a lot Bella. Not only that, but he's one of Jasper Hale's best friends...you know what that means." She trailed. Bella began to sink into her seat. How did she not realize that someone as perfect as somene as Edward hadn't been a richie?

"I'd stay away from him if I were you." Angela said to her as she went back to her book.

"Yea, totally." Bella agreed nodding her head. She turned her eyes back to her book as well. She wasn't reading the book like she knew Angela was. Bella was just staring at certain words that were in the book. Then all she could think about after that was the small amount of electricity that she had sworn she felt when she had her hand held by Edward Cullen.