Bailey's POV

"Okay, now look. Even though Mom says that I have to show you around doesn't give you the right to act like a total tool and just so you know. My friends are not in any way, sort, from, or fashion your friends. Got that?" My cousin, Mike, lectured me from the drivers' seat of his beat up old truck. It may look roughed up, but it was a good car. I'll give it that much. I give Mike an incredulous look as he parked in an open spot in the school parking lot. He wanted me to not act like a tool. Man, he is one to talk. I opened my door and grabbed my back pack before meeting Mike at the back of his car. Three of his friends had already found him and they looked at me and smiled when I walked up to stand beside Mike.

"Hey man. Sup? I'm Tyler." He held his hand and I gripped it into my own. "Bailey." He nodded and gestured to the two guys behind him.

"Eric and Ben." I shook their hands too. "Your Mike's cousin right?" I nodded nervously after catching the look on Mikes face. Needlessly to say, it wasn't pleased, but what was I supposed to do? Ignore them. Yeah right. I am more scared of my Aunt Mae than I am of him because between you and me I could totally take Mike. He may look somewhat tough but when it comes down to it he is all talk.

"First day?" Eric asked me. I nodded and ran a hand through my hand. "Don't worry man. I'll help you. It may look big but everything connected. You just got to learn the patterns." His words assured me and made the butterflies in my stomach cease… for now. A bell rung out from school and Mike locked up his truck before the five of us walked up to the school. Mike, Tyler, and Ben all went to their first periods and Eric and I went to ours: Math with Mrs. White. The class was easy enough and I found that I already knew how to do everything they had already studied so I was able to jump right in. The class passed smoothly and with directions, a smile and a wave Eric was gone and I was somewhat lost.

Busy looking at the directions Eric wrote out for me I wasn't watching where I was going so when I completely ran into someone I was more than startled.

"Ow!" The person complained as their stuff went everywhere.

"I am so sorry! I'm new and I was trying to find my class… Are you okay?" I stumbled over my words as I picked up some loose leaf papers and some books. I looked up to hand the back to the person, but I froze still as I looked into the most gorgeous deep chocolate eyes I have ever seen.

"It's okay! Just be careful next time." The goddess warned me seriously and I finally got my shit together and opened my mouth.

"Yeah totally! Gotcha. I am really sorry…" I trailed off fishing for her name.

"Bella." She smiled and when she did I died and went to Heaven. "Well, it's been fun but I have to get to class. Mr. Malone hates it when someone is late." I grinned like a fool.

"That's my next class too!" I must have sounded like a little kid at the candy store. She grinned and said, "Greeeaatttt." I looked at her strangely and fell into step beside her.

"So what grade are you in?" I asked casually as we walked down what I found out to be the foreign language hall.

"11th." She said disinterestedly. I didn't get to ask another question because she walked a classroom and I followed behind. I looked for Bella all through my classes and at lunch. Heck, I even asked a few people about her and no luck. By the end of the day when I met up with Mike and his group at his car my hopes were not high. I slowed when I saw the look on Mike and Tyler's faces. Glares.

"What's up guys?" I asked hesitantly. Mike and Tyler didn't look at me still glaring into the distance. Eric and Ben sighed and turned to look at me.

"They are having their weekly pity party." Ben rolled his eyes and Eric followed his lead.

"What? Pity party?" Eric grabbed me by the shoulders and pointed to something across the lot. There were three Chevy Camaros across the lot exactly the same. One blue, one yellow, and one red. Shit! I been wanting one of those since they came out. I wonder who owns them? Maybe they will let me have a look. I scanned over the car and saw four girls between the yellow and blue one. There were three of them. A tall blonde, a brown head and a small pixie black headed girl on the other. Wait a minute… My eyes lit up when I saw who the brown headed one was. It was Bella!

"That's her!" I said excitedly and immediately threw my bag into the back seat of Mike's car. I had to go talk to her before she left! I walked away from the car, but two hands on my shoulders pulled me back.

"Where are you going?" Eric talked to me slowly. Like I was losing my mind. I looked at them both strangely.

"To talk to Bella?" I said it like a question. They both looked at each other.

"Should we tell him?" Eric asked Ben. Ben looked in deep thought for a moment.

"Naw, let him learn the hard way and besides he won't listen." Eric shrugged and took his hand off my shoulder. I smiled at the two boys who looked worried for my safety. What was wrong with them? I pushed it to the back of my mind and walked over slowly to where Bella was standing and laughing with her friends. I was quite proud of myself when I was breathing steadily by the time I got there.

"Hey Bella." I tapped her on the shoulder. She paused in mid laugh, but she was still smiling when she answered me back and it took my breath away.

"If it isn't the guy who tried to take me down in the hallway." She grinned and I smiled back.

"So, can't we move past that?" Her eyebrow pulled together and her lips puckered. She looked so darn cute.

"To what?" I shrugged and leaned against the blue Camaro.

"To you getting to know me." She shook her head and bit her lip. Oh my God! I think she just got sexier.

"I don't think that is a good idea." I was shocked. Was she serious?

"Why not? I like you and you like me. I don't see the problem." She scoffed while the other two girls snickered. She shot them a look.

'I hardly think us crashing into each other is claims to a dying romance." She rolled her eyes. I chuckled at her sarcastic comment and moved closer so she was pressed back against the yellow Camaro and I was leaned up against it so she was trapped.

"Admit it." I breathed. "You like me. It isn't a crime." She scrunched up her face like she smelt something bad. I gripped her shoulders and shook her a bit.

"What is your problem?" I spat kind of harshly. A clearing of a throat alerted me to the fact that someone was standing over. Someone quite large and buff. I swallowed thickly and turned as slowly as I could.

"I don't know about you, but I say we have a problem." I nodded mutely and distanced myself from Bella so that I stood not so much in touching distance. Turning around I looked at who had stood over me. He wasn't smiling but glaring at the distance I had put between Bella and I. When he moved to stand beside the blond I had spotted earlier I saw behind where he was standing. I noticed that the another blonde went to stand by the black headed girl, but the one with copper-colored hair stayed and just stared at me.

I swallowed thickly and as quietly as I could when I looked over his appearance. To say the least… it wasn't a friendly one. His top left eyebrow was pierced and when he licked his lips I saw the his tongue was pierced too. He had sleeves on both of his arms which I could see clearly because of his short-sleeved shirt. Meeting his eyes again I saw that they were still blank; no expression. Gathering my senses I fixed a glare on my face and spat at him, "What is your problem?" He chuckled humorlessly and I saw the muscle in his jaw jump when he clenched his jaw lightly.

"I was just wondering what you were doing to my girl." I rolled my eyes and threw my arms out around me in a grand gesture. His arms crossed threateningly over his chest which made his tattoos more pronounced than before.

"Your girl?" I said in mock laughter. "I don't see your girl anywhere around." He grinned in genuine amusement like his was in on some private joke that I didn't know about it. Shaking his head I saw him uncrossed his arms and walk past me. In confusion I turned around and watched as he walked to where Bella was standing. She turned to him and grinned before kissing him on the cheek and wrapping her arms around his waist.

My eyes widened as it hit me. "Bella is your girl." I felt like a complete idiot as he clapped mockingly and said, "He gets it!" I glared at him, not amused in the slightest.

"I don't see what that has to do with me and her." Bella's eyebrows left her face while Edward grin fell from his. Pushing himself off the car he walked until he was so close I could faintly feel his hot breath. It smelt like mint.

"It has everything to do with Bella and you." He snarled nastily. "You see, no one hits on my girl because if she gets any unwanted attention from assholes like you who don't know how to take a hint then I have to make sure they get the point and I am sure no one here wants you to get the point." He titled his head and raised his eyebrows. "Do we?"

I took a step back and looked at the group of people around me who were less than pleased with me at the moment. Backing up slowly I turned and walked back as quickly as possible to Mike's car. Throwing my stuff in I kept my gaze steadily forward as Mike drove out of Forks High.

-X-X-X-

The next day when I approached Bella's locker with a determined expression and was pleased to see her alone and sorting through her books. I cleared my throat when I stood beside her and she looked up from her bag. She rolled her eyes for a moment and I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was annoyed.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice echoing faintly because her head was placed somewhat in the front half of her locker.

"Why didn't you say something?" I got straight to the point. I didn't know how much time I had before her "back up" showed up. I wasn't afraid to fight them. I mean… not really, but that did not mean I wanted to go looking for trouble? Did you see the buff one? He was freaking HUGE!

"Say something about what?" She finally said after she had closed her locker and was now leaning against. I swallowed thickly.

"When Edwin said something about how you didn't want my attention?"

"Edward" She said abruptly. I stared at her.

"What?" She sighed and stood up from her locker. Let me tell you: It didn't help her height problem.

"His name is Edward and if you know what's good for you then you won't call him Edwin." I silently filed her advice away for later.

"So, why didn't you?" I asked again, not wanting to be distracted. "Does he have something over you? Blackmail? Because if he does -" Her laughter cut me off short.

"Hardly!" Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Did it ever occur to you that I love him?" I stared at her.

"Love him?" I asked dumbfounded. I have to say… that thought never crossed my mind. She nodded and walked away. I let her go without a fight, still reeling over what she had said.

-X-X-X-

When lunch came around I had decided that Bella didn't really love Edward and it was more a desperate cry for help than the truth. I was going to help her! If it was the last thing I did! I walked into the lunchroom and immediately spotted Bella sitting with Edward, a blond male and a short black headed girl. I walked over without pausing in my step. I marched straight up to them and sat down beside Edward. He stopped drinking his soda to look at me and look at me then looked at me some more. Eventually he cleared his throat.

"Can I help you with something?" I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I was just wondering what you have over Bella to make her want to stay with an asshole like you?" I stated it casually. Like it was something I ask him everyday. He smirked a little and his expression became amused.

"Is that what you think? That I am blackmailing her. Let me tell you something kid. If Bella wanted to leave she could, but she doesn't and why she stays and puts up with my shit I will never know. You want to know something else? I'm damn glad she does because, honestly, I don't know what I do without her. She's the most important thing in my life. The most important thing to me ever. I'd die for her. Do you know that? Hell, I doubt you do and I doubt she does either. Do yourself a favor. Go find another girl because as far as I am concerned my girl isn't going anywhere with a douche like you who just can't take a hint."

He leaned back into his chair from where he had leaned up to be in my face when he was talking. I let my gaze fall to the hands that were tracing random lines on the table and when I looked back up from the table. Bella was grinning at Edward as she leaned over to kiss him lightly on the lips and even I couldn't deny that love that shined from her eyes. It was as bright as the sun and clear as day. Who was I to mess with something like that. I smiled at the two of them and stood up from the table and just walked back the way I came.

I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't watch where I was going and before I realized what was happening milk was running down my shirt and a sweet voice stuttering her apology.

"I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was -" I cut her off with a deep chuckle.

"Ditto. Don't worry about it." I looked up into a pair of bright green eyes and when I did I was stuck.

"I'm Bailey." I smiled. She gave me a shy smile back and I couldn't help but notice how innocent she looked when she did.

"I'm Angela."

That was the last day I ever spent alone.