FELICITY FOWLER TAKES IT ALL IN STRIDE. So even though she'd much rather be at her posh boarding school in Massachusetts, she makes do with what she's got. She'd known she wouldn't be returning about two months ago when she overheard a secretive phone conversation between her brother and the Financial Aid office. Three weeks after that, he sat her down at the dining room table to explain that the school's budget cuts included her scholarship. And considering tuition is like forty grand a year, Felicity knows there's no way in hell to afford it. But, to be fair, Forks High School isn't that bad. It's got fewer students than her old school, actually, but that's hardly due to exclusivity. She doesn't have to wear a uniform either, which is cool, but she also admits that it does make for a little more work. All in all, she thinks she'll be okay. This way, at least, she gets to see her hometown friends every day rather than just during holidays and summer.

When people ask her if she misses it she smiles like tells them no, missing it won't take me back. But the truth is, Felicity does miss it. She misses being head of the debate team and she misses her AP French teacher, who told them stories of her journeys abroad. Forks High doesn't have a debate team, or really any team that's not football, and the closest to France that Mrs. Oswald has been is the Eiffel Tower replica in Las Vegas. So, yes, Felicity does miss it, but she's not going to let it show. It's not as if she isn't happy (she's always happy, after all), but just that she could be happier.

At the very least, Felicity is pleased that everyone else is pleased, which they are. Even Lauren Mallory, who's hardly pleased at anything not regarding herself, seems measurably happier than usual. Smiles are wider and brighter, eyes seem to sparkle, and everyone that passes greets her with a gleeful hello. No one is really surprised by it, either, because that's just the effect of Felicity... sunshine personified. Forks may rarely see the real thing, but perhaps she's a suitable substitute.

Felicity would be lying if she said she didn't like the attention. It made her feel warm and fuzzy knowing that people were excited for her to be back, and it certainly takes her mind off the fact that her friends at her old school are probably moving back into dorms without her. Instead of focusing on what she misses, though, she focuses on the present; having lunch with the people she's hardly seen the past few years. Angela excitedly tells her about newspaper, encouraging her to sign up, and Jessica tells her about all the drama she's missed. Mike's chatting about the oncoming football season, and Eric is gleefully explaining the best movies that are out. Felicity smiles at all of them as they talk in rapid succession, and she realises that she hardly feels like she left at all.

One moment they're still chatting excitedly, and the next they're distracted. Lauren is the first to zero in on a group of people that Felicity doesn't recall ever seeing before, and then Jessica too. Felicity understands why they all seem so distracted. There's no denying it, the group is gorgeous. They remind her of great Greek statutes, chiselled in marble and crafted to perfection. In a way they also remind her of the rich kids from boarding school, dressed in expensive clothing and walking with an unattainable nature. Huh, she thinks, just like Massachusetts.

"They're the Cullens," Jessica supplies before Felicity even opens their mouth. Something about the way she says it makes Felicity think they aren't well-liked. "They moved here from Alaska like two years ago."

"Oh," says Felicity, "they're pretty."

"And totally uninterested," Lauren says, and for a moment Felicity thinks it's a snide comment. "Two of them are dating each other, and apparently no one here is good enough for the rest of them."

The Cullens, who have since claimed a previously empty table, don't look like they're interested in anything but themselves. Had any of them looked over, they'd have been greeted by a signature Felicity Fowler smile, but they didn't bother. Felicity notices that Lauren seems to be a little bitter about it, but she doesn't think it's any big deal. Some people are just like that, after all, and they certainly aren't worth any worry if they're going to act so pretentious. So, Felicity just keeps on smiling.

Angela says, "They're not so bad, really. They just like to keep to themselves."

"I think it's a foster kid thing," Jessica says. "They were all adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. Apparently she can't have kids or something."

"That's nice of them," Felicity says, "to take in people who don't have anywhere else to go."

"I guess so," says Lauren, but it doesn't seem like she really means it.

Felicity, on the other hand, feels a rush of respect for both Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, even if she doesn't know them. She's reminded of her own brother, who'd dropped everything to care for her when their parents passed. Then she thinks again about the Cullens sitting at the table not far from the exit. Well, she thinks, maybe that's why they're so distant... they've all lost their parents. But she says nothing. She's learned over the years that people no longer want to talk about her parents, they just find it too awkward. People don't like to be reminded that she's an orphan, she supposes. But Felicity hardly minds it, she's come to terms with it all, really, and she doesn't think people need to feel sorry for her.

"Dr. Cullen is nice," Mike says. "He saw me after I got that concussion during the game last year."

"The tall one with dark hair is Emmett," Lauren explains, "and that blonde girl is his girlfriend Rosalie. I think it's totally weird, but no one ever says anything about it."

"Because they're not actually related," Angela says.

"It's odd," Felicity admits, "but I doubt they grew up together if they're foster kids."

By now, a few of the Cullens have looked over, almost like they know they're being talked about. Which, to be fair, wouldn't be a surprise considering the fact that Lauren and Jessica are not exactly being discreet. The small girl with dark hair looks particularly interested as she nudges the one beside her. He, a boy with reddish-brown hair, looks rather uninterested in the whole ordeal.

"The blond guy is Jasper, he's Rosalie's brother. Like, actual brother," Jessica continues, picking up where Lauren left off. "He's the one that looks like he's in pain all the time."

Truth be told, Jessica's description couldn't really be much apter. Jasper looks much like how Felicity's brother looks when he gets migraines. Every blink seems to pain him, and his face gives it all away. As it happens, he looks over just as Felicity's gaze turns sympathetic. Something must be going on, she thinks. But she realises that, also much like her brother, he probably doesn't want to be looked at all sympathetically. So instead she flashes her typical smile, all bright and happy, no pity or sympathy to be found.

She doesn't know it, but her happiness hits him in waves which he hadn't expected. It spreads like a warmth throughout his body, unlike anything he's felt in years. All Jasper's ever felt since dying is cold. Which, to be fair, makes sense for someone who's a walking corpse. Now he feels like what he vaguely remembers sitting in the Texas heat to feel like. It's intense, but not necessarily unpleasant. The next thing he feels is shock, his own shock.

Felicity unintentionally drowns out Jessica's rambling. She should be listening, even if only out of courtesy, but she can hardly seem to focus on the fact that now all the Cullens are looking at her. It's something no one else at her table has noticed, but she's sure they will soon. She thinks it's a bit funny, in all the oddity. Why on Earth would people like them be so fascinated with her? Well, it actually has a little bit to do with the fact that they've all just seen Jasper relax in a way that he hasn't ever done in the presence of humans. Felicity doesn't know that, of course, but it's true all the same.

"Felicity," says Angela very suddenly, interrupting Jessica's rapid speech. "You alright?"

"Huh?" Felicity says, snapping back to reality, her head cocked slightly to the side. "Oh, sorry, I was just—"

"Staring," Lauren supplies, "it happens. Which one?"

"Um," Felicity begins, "well, they were all sort of looking over here. I think they know we're talking about them."

Hardly anyone at the table seems fazed by the fact that they've been caught. Something tells Felicity that they've done this before, probably often. Mike sums it all up by simply saying, "That happens too."

Then the explanation resumes. The little one is Alice, whom Lauren hypothesizes may be dating Jasper (Jessica makes a clever quip about Dr. Cullen being the "Love Doctor"), and the remaining one is Edward. Felicity gets the impression that he must've rubbed Jessica the wrong way somehow, because her nose scrunches up in what is probably annoyance or disgust at the mere mention of him. They're ultra-smart, super cute, unattainable, rich kids... yadda yadda yadda. Honestly, Felicity doesn't care all that much. In a town like Forks, the Cullens are something odd and worth gossipping about, but where Felicity had been for the past four years they're pretty much the same old thing.

What she does care about, though, is the fact that they keep looking at her. Like, not at her table, or in her general direction, but at her. It's so odd that Eric picks up on it too, and then the rest of her friends follow. The Cullens leave shortly thereafter, throwing away their trays of relatively untouched food, filing out much in the same fashion that they'd entered. Felicity's table is silent for a few moments, almost like they're in shock.

Then Jessica scoffs and says, "That was super weird, right? Like, they were just staring."

Mike nods. "It was creepy. But I guess if they were going to stare at someone it would be you, Felicity."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Felicity asks, looking at Mike a bit like he's grown a second head.

"Everyone here likes you," he explains. "So, I guess they'd probably be more likely to be alright with you than anyone else."

"Oh," Felicity says, grinning, "thanks. But, um, Cullens aside..."

Then, just like that, they all return to talking about other things, almost like the Cullens had never walked in at all. Felicity tries her best to keep her mind off of the odd encounter. The bell rings what feels like a few minutes later, but Felicity is pretty sure it's been longer than that. She takes a peek at her class schedule only to discover that she has to go all the way across campus for her art class.

"What do you have next?" Eric asks. "I can walk you."

"Just art," Felicity says, giving him a kind smile. "But I've got a map, so I'll be okay. Really, I wouldn't want you to go out of your way."

"Only if you're sure," Eric says politely, "because I really don't mind."

"Swear it," she responds, holding her palm in the air.

Eric nods and walks in the direction of his class, leaving Felicity alone. The brief solitude gives her a moment to think, but it's soon interrupted. Suddenly, in front of her stands a girl several inches shorter than herself (a feat, really), and Felicity recognises her as Alice Cullen. She wonders what it is that brought the girl back to the cafeteria, especially after the family had left so abruptly. Felicity almost hadn't expected to see any of them again today, but she supposes it's stupid of her to think that in such a small school.

"Hi," Alice says happily, before Felicity can even open her mouth. "I'm Alice."

"Felicity," she introduces, "hi."

"I overheard that you have art next period," Alice says, "and I do too, so I thought we could walk together."

"Oh," Felicity says, a little shocked, "I thought you'd left before I mentioned that..."

Alice answers patiently, "I forgot my phone, so I came back."

"Right, duh, I mean that's totally... I wasn't thinking."

Alice just shrugs it off. "So, how about it?"

Felicity smiles a little brighter. "Oh, yeah, totally."

The pair then sets off down the hallway, although Felicity notices that Alice is so graceful she seems to glide more than walk. She also notices that people look at her a little differently when she's with Alice than they do when she's alone. But, then again, she probably should've expected something like that considering all that Jessica and Lauren had said about the Cullens. It's only when they pass Alice's siblings that she realises that this really must be odd, because even they look shocked. If Alice had expected anything differently, she says nothing. In fact, she only waves at the blond boy; Jasper.

Jasper's expression is unreadable, at least to Felicity. He doesn't necessarily look in pain anymore, as Jessica had mentioned he always did, so Felicity supposes that's better than nothing. She smiles at him, although it's not nearly as dazzling as her usual expression. It seems to work well enough, though, because she swears that she sees his lips twitch. Unfortunately, the other Cullens don't look nearly as taken with her smile. Edward looks like he's analyzing everything she does, Rosalie looks like she wants nothing more than to leave, and Emmett doesn't seem to be paying attention at all.

"I don't think your siblings like me very much," Felicity says, realising how odd of a feeling it is for her to be disliked.

"I don't think so," Alice replies. "In fact, I think we'll all be great friends."

Felicity laughs despite herself. She doubts it, really, but Alice's hope is at the very least amusing. "I guess we'll see about that."