Chapter 1: Proving a point

Bella's POV

I love my bike. Ever since my parents, Renee and Charlie, bought it for me three years ago, I've got on it to go everywhere. DK Cygnus BMX 09. I once made a twenty-mile journey on this baby. And I loved every minute of it; you're not cooped up inside some contraption mis-named as a "safety cage". They got the cage bit right. On a bike you can feel the mechanisms moving; you can feel your legs burning with the exertion, but you keep going; you can feel the wind stroking through your hair. And then you jump. And the feeling of flying…indescribable. The sound of the frame scraping along some random metal bar…well, okay; that isn't so great. But hey, you should see people's faces when they see what I am capable of on this baby.

I love so many sports: BMX, snowboarding, tennis, basketball, dancing (mainly hip-hop), skateboarding, ice-skating, swimming, surfing, wind-surfing…I think that's it. I can never even remember myself. It's pretty ridiculous, that's what my parents say.

My name is Isabella Swan, but everyone calls me Bella. It's so much nicer. Anyway, I've lived with my mom, Renee, in Phoenix, Arizona, since my parents split up when I was ten. I'm now seventeen, but my mom has a new boyfriend, Phil. So I decided that it was time to give the happy couple a bit of space. I suggested that I went to Forks, Washington, a small, raining town where my dad lives. They both agreed, and my dad was secretly overjoyed; he tries to act calm, but sometimes his voice just betrays him. Plus, he hasn't seen me in a year and a half.

So, whilst most of my snow-sport stuff was at my dad's (it's never cold enough in Arizona), I still needed to bring my water-sport and city-sport gear: I bet there are good skating places somewhere in Forks, and my dad has told me there are a few places where you can get to the sea in the surrounding areas. I used to think Forks was boring, but I think I could like it here. As long as I can do my sports, whilst enjoying the amazing landscape around, I'm happy.

So, considering I told you before that I would go anywhere on my bike, what's the bet that I'm on my Cygnus right now, cycling, flipping, spinning, flying, and grinding (the non-dirty version) to Forks High?

And what's the bet that something amazing happens on the way there?

Trust me; I don't see it coming either…

Edward's POV

The summer holidays have gone. Where? I have no freakin' idea. It was fun while it lasted though; late-night beach parties, game after game of basketball with my brother, sister and our friends, Jasper and Rosalie Hale. Rosalie is Emmett's girlfriend, and Emmett is my older brother. Jasper is Alice's, my little sister, and those two are inseparable. I always leave them alone at parties, knowing that they'll be making out within minutes. Me? No girlfriend. Sure, I've got loads of girls chasing after me. I'm going to sound cocky, but I know I'm pretty damn hot, and loads of people say I'm really kind and gentlemanly. But I'm waiting for her, you know? The one who I think I won't be able to live without.

So I'm driving my Volvo back to Forks High, with my brother and sister laughing along with me about the embarrassing stories of ourselves and other people over the summer. I stop in a little lay-by, as is my family's daily tradition, so we can gaze at the surrounding scenery. Evergreen trees smother the slopes, their viridian reflected by the rare sun that kisses Forks presently.

In the usual tranquillity of this personal paradise, a sound reaches my ears that I haven't heard much around here. Something moving fast over the ground, some mechanical clicking sound, and an angel's voice humming and laughing. I turn my head to the source, and freeze. An angel, in black jeans, a hot pink top, and black and white hoodie with matrix lines on, is floating towards us, her mahogany waves streaming behind her like melted chocolate, her matching eyes entire vats of the sinful substance. Her glistening smile is enough to blind the sun, which is struggling in vain to match her radiance. But she isn't travelling on wings. She's on something even better…a DK Cygnus. Oh, my God. I'm in love. God, look at those legs.

"Hey, um, are you guys lost?" Oh, jeez, I'm screwed. Her freakin' voice!

"Nah, it's just a family tradition to stop here every day before school," Alice saves me from embarrassment by answering for us all.

"Oh, school? You guys go to Forks High?"

"Sure thing. We're the new kids from Alaska," Emmett replies. "I'm Emmett Cullen, this is my baby sister, Alice Cullen, and goldfish over there is my little brother, Edward Cullen."

I snap my mouth shut and glare at Emmett, trying not to let it drop open again when the angel giggles quietly.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Bella Swan." Bella. Such a beautiful name. It fits such a beautiful, stunning, amazing –

"Wait, Swan?" Alice interrupts my train of thought (good thing too). "Oh, my God. You're Chief Charlie Swan's daughter, aren't you?"

"Oh, jeez, has he been talking about me again?" Bella complains.

"Only the good things," Emmett insists.

"Hold on a sec," I say finally.

"Ah, so you do know how to speak," she jokes, and I try my hardest not to blush and to ignore the snickers coming from my siblings.

"Is that…a DK Cygnus?"

She pauses, then grins wider. "You know you're bikes. I'm impressed, Copper Curls. Damn straight, it's a Cygnus." She holds her fist out and I tap it with my own, forcing myself not to jump when I feel shocks.

"I've heard you guys are pretty fast with wheels," she continues. "Care for a race?" I gape at her again, but she carries on. "First one to Forks High gets ten bucks from the other?"

Emmett's bass guffaw bounces off the surrounding trees, and I smirk at Bella, suddenly my confidence returning (about freakin' time). I hold out my hand, still desperate to feel her skin on mine again. She takes it, but instead of withdrawing immediately, she holds it firmly, staring directly into my eyes, as if challenging me, or reading my mind. I don't dare pull back, nor do I have the inclination to, and I drown, willingly, in the deep bottomless pits, like a moth staring at a flame. Suddenly, she smirks at me, glancing down at our connected hands…and she winks at me. I swallow loudly – oh, God; she knows – and she finally releases me. She tells us that she'll follow once we've set off, so we climb into my Volvo again. I pause behind the wheel, resting my head on it, making sure I won't hit the horn. As soon as the doors are closed, Alice and Emmett are cheering and patting me on the back.

"Shut up, guys! She'll hear you!"

"I think she already knows!" Alice laughs. "Awww…I'm proud of you, big bro."

"Jeez," I groan, turning to Emmett. "She's the most amazing creature I've ever met, and I've known her for all of three freakin' minutes! God, what's wrong with me, Em?"

He claps a hand on my shoulder in a brotherly gesture and grins. "Nothing. You're in love, little brother, and from the way she was looking at you, she doesn't mind, to say the least."

"Yeah, Edward. Just start the car so we can kick her ass. I bet she'll be really impressed if you beat her. In fact, I bet she's really impressed already, and thinking really positive thoughts…"

Bella's POV

Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it! He's just so…ugh! God, his hair! I freakin' adore his hair! I just want to run my fingers through it forever. Amazingly red, almost bronze; thick, curly locks. Oh, God, his eyes! I can just stare into those emeralds and get lost. They're greener than the trees in Forks, which is quite an achievement. He even has a Volvo C30. Fucking hell. I'm head-over-heels and I've only just met the guy. Jeez, he must think I'm a slut after my little stunt back there. I freakin' winked at him! Thanks, Horny Bella, for making a complete twat out of me. God, he looked really uncomfortable back there. Fantastic, B; you've just ruined your originally anorexic chances with him by trying to be a girl. That's why you should stick to your sports. Ah, speaking of which, I have Cullen-arses to seriously kick.

I spot them about a hundred metres ahead, them on the road, me trying my luck through the woods. I grin, and speed up, realising we're just reaching the inner areas of the town. That means that there will be more things for me to do tricks off. Hmmm…I wonder if Edward will be impressed. Oh, for God's sake, shut up and win.

I force my legs to power faster, my tires sort of fizzing against the now-present tarmac, and I realise we are near the school. They would beat me if I only followed behind, which is why I'm not going to follow behind. Following has never been my forte. So I swerve rapidly down the pedestrian stairs, leaping up and twisting, scraping the centre of my frame down the hand-rail to maintain my speed. I jump off just before the rail ends, and when I come back up the other side, I'm just in front of the Cullens' Volvo, but they would still beat me. So I decide to show off a bit, and leap over their bonnet, back into the forest. I catch a glimpse of their stunned faces at my daring stunt, and I smirk to myself.

There's plenty more where that came from, gentlemen, I think. Oh, and you too, of course, Alice.

Edward's POV

"Did you see that? Did you freakin' see that? She's incredible!"

"Wow, Eddie; I never knew your voice could go that high," Emmett drawls dryly, mildly irritated – mostly amused – by my incessant worship of the denim-and-Nike clad goddess on the Cygnus.

"Don't call me Eddie," I shoot back, more out of reflex than of actual present annoyance of the ghastly nickname – I'm paying much more attention to Bella.

"C'mon, baby bro," Emmett continues. "You're losing ten bucks."

"Oh, shit, yeah," I mutter, hauling the car into gear and spin-wheeling back down the road, way too fast obviously.

We round a corner, just two short corners away from the entrance to Forks High's parking lot, and Bella is nowhere in sight. I can't stop the confident grin from splitting my lips, and we all cheer as I pull into the parking lot. My angel is still nowhere to be seen, and so we start looking around for her whilst pulling up to our usual parking space. All cheering and grinning cease as we see Bella, on that fucking Cygnus, icepick-standing on the edge of the wall of the raised hedge, right in front of our usual space, a devilishly tempting smirk on her face.

I pull into our usual parking space, still staring open-mouthed at her, and getting ready to leap out of the car and praise her to the stars. Before I can do that, she leaps down gracefully from her spot, locks her Cygnus around one of the bike supports in front of us and walks over to us. Instead of stopping outside the car like I think she will, she walks right past, sticking a Post-It to the windscreen. Once she is passed (and I've gotten out of my Bella-induced stupor) I scramble out of the Volvo, snatching up the Post-It. I laugh out loud when I read it, and Emmett and Alice do the same when I hand it to them.

It says:

Don't worry about the money; I was just proving a point.

Hey, everyone. I hope you like this story. I actually have no idea where this is really going. There isn't going to be a lot of action, but plenty of romance and probably at least one lemon. Never written one before, but I hope it'll be okay. If you don't like the sound of this story, don't read it. Life's too short to read things you don't like. But if anyone could give me some help with maybe how this could be a little more action-y it might help. Thanks,

Fly on,

NitnatRide