Chapter One – Unexpected

The long gravel roads of Forks, Washington where lined with cars and commuters dashing to work and school as they did every day. I yawned. Not because I was tired (how could I be tired?) but out of boredom. Alice shot me a concerned glance at that point as I focused my attention on her to read her mind like a book.

Are you okay?

I nodded.

Just bored? Where hunting tonight anyway, probably give you something to focus on.

I gave her a small smile and then turned my attention to the road. I did this sometimes, let my mind wander into someone else's, however, today; they seemed to be the same. The same picture cropped up in every mind everywhere. The face of a human girl.

Alice was the most observant of all of us by far. Although her talent was to read minds she had an uncanny ability to see right through us and whether there was a problem and as she looked at me again she frowned at the unusual look on my face.

Seriously, Ed, what's up?

I shook my head slightly to right and back again.

Something's up, Edward Cullen, and your not telling me, what's going on?

I couldn't help the creeping smile on my face as Alice's mind began to become frustrated.

We approached the school's car park and pulled in next to a dark-red truck while I smirked at it – where was that from the seventeen hundreds? We all got out of the car as Rosalie began checking her reflection in the wind mirror brushing her hair behind her ears. I walked to my first class, Spanish. Which, like nearly everything, I was good at.

I sat down next to Angela Webber a nice girl who in all the time I had been at Forks had never had a wrong thing to say or think about anyone. We had never spoken to each other, ever. Partially because no one ever did and partially because Angela Webber was a timid, shy girl who rarely did comment about anything.

Spanish went so fast it was vampire-speed and in not time at all I was sitting back at the familiar table with Alice, Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett each 'being human'. My eyes began scanning the room – and minds. My eyes finally rested on a group of babbling seventeen year olds. Each one of them talking about trivial nonsense that mattered nothing to each and every one of them except one or two.

My eyes then focused on the girl on the end of the table. Her skin was quite pale and it was noticeable. She could have been half-vampire. She had straight, dark brown hair that fell just past her shoulders that matched the colour of her eyes. She was concentrating or shall we say pretending to concentrate on her lunch to probably block out the idle chatter of the girl opposite.

The girl opposite was none other than Jessica Stanley. My mind began to open like a file. Jessica Stanley, tall, curly hair, chatterbox, shallow-minded, not liked, had an infatuation with me. I listened closely to hear her thoughts and I herd some mention of 'Isabella Swan'.

And then I remembered. Isabella Swan was the daughter of the town's chief, Charlie Swan. Originally from Phoenix (although she didn't look like it) she was the daughter of a divorcee and was now part of an agreement between the parents. I listened into the conversation a little more now (both in the mind and vocally).

'Oh, that's Edward Cullen,' she said with a little bitterness, 'He doesn't date though.' she added and I could feel the thought of myself turning her down only weeks before flooding her mind and then the annoyance of Isabella asking. I listened more, ignoring Alice's anxious voice calling me in her mind like a ringing cell phone. I couldn't hear the new girl's thoughts upon that. Why? I was curious now. Nearly everyone had an opinion on my family.

I listened harder now trying to bore into her mind all I could hear was Jessica's laughing in her head as she tried to imagine Isabella with myself – the image was annoying me. Finally, I glanced at Alice confused and annoyed, she read my expression.

Edward, seriously, what's up with you today?

My eyes trailed to the new girl and Alice turned around in a move that was too fast it couldn't have possibly been noticed.

The new girl? She asked confused as I nodded slowly.

Pretty? I thought about it for a moment, she wasn't bad.

I shrugged.

Alice smiled kindly and then nibbled on the rest of her pizza. I stared at the Swan girl this time. Maybe she was some sort of life form I had never come across before? Werewolf? She looked up from her lunch and met my eyes. She quickly looked away and I saw her cheeks fill with red. I turned away myself and smirked but in reality I was scared. I could read anyone's mind! Why not this stupid little human girl?

'Ready?' asked Rosalie. It seemed like the whole table had been starring at me for the past five minutes. I nodded and we filed out the canteen to our next class. The new girl didn't look up as I walked past her. But I could smell her. And I nearly dropped the tray I was carrying.

Her smell was incredibly sweet. It was like chocolate and some type of sweet flower. It was truly beautiful. I shook slightly and my breathing rate picked up faster. An ache burned in my throat – it wanted her blood only. I could see the media coverage the next day. The papers showing shocking images of Isabella Swan, the girl who died in the school canteen only days before coming to Forks.

I could see the funeral procession as her still corpse lay in the wooden coffin. Every single drop of blood drained from her body. I poised myself to attack, venom pouring into my mouth. It was Alice who made me leave the situation. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled. For someone who was small she was incredibly strong. Isabella Swan had survived for five minutes at least. The rest went to class while Alice dragged me to the Volvo and took the keys from my pocket. She opened the door and pushed me in.

'Edward,' she said anxiously, 'What went on? You looked like you where about to rip the girl's head off.'

'Her blood…' was all that left my lips as Alice wound the window down. The smell was leaving my system. The fire was extinguishing, but still burning.

'What about her blood?' asked Alice her eyes inquisitive, 'I didn't smell anything in particular about it –'

'That was the sweetest blood I have ever smelt in my whole life.'

'Really?' she asked, whispering now.

I nodded and continued, 'Alice, if I don't kill her now, I don't think I could help myself in front of anyone.'

'Edward,' she said, her eyes tight, 'You, apart from Carlisle, are the best at resisting the smell, you have to do this, I have faith in you.'

'But, Alice, you don't –'

'Don't I?' she said with a smile, 'I was in Isabella's situation once you know? Edward – you're strong. Don't kill her. If you're that desperate change your classes and never ever go near her again, we don't even have to eat in the canteen.'

After that note, we headed off to class, I assured Alice around thirty-three times I would be fine and could control myself in Biology. Inside, I began to question, could I? I entered the class just in time and sat down sat down next to Isabella Swan. Why did Mr Banner have to put me next to her? I could smell her. And it was killing me. I sat down in a position and knew I wouldn't move until the end of the lesson.

The fumes where teasing me now. It was testing my strength. My hands gripped the edge of the desk and I exhaled. I ground my teeth together to stop me even trying to speak. I listened intently to Mr Banner drone on. This had to be the third time I had herd this same speech from him however Isabella seemed to be more restless than I was.

She caught my gaze I began to glance around the room she looked at me with shock and confusion in her expression and then swept her hair over her face so I couldn't see her. I knew for a fact she was probably turning bright red and trying to concentrate. The lesson thankfully ended sooner than I thought. I suppose I spent so much time thinking about the Swan girl.

I left the Science Wing and headed for the Main Office Building. I leant over the counter to where a middle-aged secretary sat at a computer stabbing at the keys with one finger with a great deal of force. What on earth was she typing up?

'Mrs Davies?' I asked smiling as she wheeled to face me and rose up on her gas-lift chair to see me.

'Yes, Mr Cullen' or should I call him Edward, I herd her thinking.

'I was wondering whether I could drop Biology with Mr Banner.'

'Is there a problem?' she asked shuffling papers that had already been shuffled – anything to distract her from me.

'No, it's just that I covered all the topics this semester.' I could hear her considering.

What's the big deal? It's only a couple of hours a week. That can't be too hard to sit through.

'I'll just go check on the computer, okay?' I nodded.

I could hear the clicking of the keys as she tapped in through the school's system class lists and available seats. There all full up and I know it. I could hear her think in her head as she moved the mouse roller wildly up and down the page. 'None, sorry.' she said smiling sympathetically. None unless you like Food Technology I could hear her think.

'Are you sure there's nothing else you could do?'

'No, sorry, I could speak to Mr Banner for you, see if he doesn't mind taking you on but that's highly unlikely.' I herd some rustling behind me and I inhaled. The smell nearly made me send the secretary through the computer screen. It drove me wild. Isabella Swan had been listening for most of this time, with a slip in her hand leaning against the back wall.

'Okay,' I said smiling, 'That's fine.' And without a glance I turned and left the building. I approached the Car Park with an angry expression. Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie all glanced up at me. However, Alice threw me the car keys from earlier and said 'Edward, get out of here, we'll be okay, hurry!' And so, I did.