CHAPTER ONE
"Bella! Get your lazy ass out of bed, girl!" My Father, Charlie's voice called from the kitchen. "It's a school day"
"Go away!" i groaned, pulling my sheets over my head. "10 more minutes....or hours."
The two of us had this conversation every morning before school. I definatly wasn't a morning person, well, at least not at 6am.
"If i have to come in there..." Charlie threatened; he was the only one brave enough to.
I was what most parents liked to call a 'wild child'. I caused hell and havoc everywhere i went, mostly fights at school. At one stage i had gotten into the 'five finger discount' scene but that was short lived. My reputation had softened over the years but i was still a girl that you never wanted to mess with. Even the older, bigger kids at my school knew that. It was hard for my dad to handle me. As i got older i began to realise how hard it would have been for a single father to raise a brat like me. That was one of the reasons i didn't act up at home but that never stopped me from arguing with Charlie.
"I'm not going today." i whined, not noticing Charlie next to my bed.
"Yes you are." he hissed, grasping the edge of my mattress. My dad was thin as a stick but he was strong! Lifting my mattress he flipped it, sending me tumbling out of bed onto the cold timber floor.
"now." he glared. "Get up."
"No!" i hissed back. "Leave me alone!"
"Don't you dare talk to me like that!"
"What are you going to do? Get my mum to punish me? Oh, i forgot. She doesn't know i even exist anymore!" i yelled back, slamming my door in Charlie's face and locking it before he could charge in after me.
"Isabella Marie Swan!" Charlie banged on the door. Uh-oh. He used my full name. I'm in trouble. I thought to myself as i quickly got dressed, tying my long brown hair in a high ponytail. I ran to my dresser, shoving a fistful of cash into my school bag for lunch and pulling on my fingerless gloves and necklace. I never went anywhere without that necklace. It was a heart with wings each side. Cheap? Maybe. It didn't matter. It had sentimental value. I shook my head as Charlie continued to yell.
"Open this door right now, young lady!"
"Or what?" i yelled, opening the door. "You'll tell her what a bad daughter i am? Tell her how i shame her? Try finding her first." i pushed past him, running out the door without another word.
"Hey, Bella. Are you ok?" Embry asked.
Embry was one of my best friends and one of the few people that had stuck with me my whole life. Even through the worst times, he was had my back.
Embry, Jasper, Rosalie and Eric were waiting outside the school gates for me as i slumped up to them.
"Hey guys." i sighed, hanging my head low.
"Uh-oh. I know that look. You had a fight over your mum again, didn't you?" Jasper shook his head, glancing over to his sister. Jasper and Rosalie were twins, not identical in personality but almost in appearance. Both were as stunningly beautiful as the other.
"Yeah, sorta." i admitted, walking into the gates with them close behind.
"Bella" Embry grabbed my shoulder, keeping me where i stood. "It's not your fault."
"Whatever, Embry."
"I swear you're more hormonal than my brother sometimes. That's saying something." Embry groaned.
"Shut up. Keep Jacob out of this." i bit back fiercely.
"Ohhhh, someone has a soft spot for Jacob." Jasper teased as the five of us walked into the school.
"No way. Even she has better taste than my brother." Embry stood up for me. If we were talking about anyone else i would be thankful but the truth was. I did like Jacob.
Jacob was Embry's younger brother who i had known as long as i had known Embry. The three of us had met when we were 5 and had been friends since then. Although Embry and Jacob were only a few months apart, Jacob acted his age. He was more mature than Embry at times.
"Hey boys." a voice came from behind us. "Plus one"
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Embry groaned, turning to face his brother who was walking up behind us.
Jacob was cute in a way. Well, to me he was. His skin was a silk russet colour, a strange contrast to my light pale skin and he had a deep warm brown eyes and long black hair like his brother.
"Hey Jacob." i grinned, ignoring my mates now.
"Oh, hey Bella." Jacob's grin mimicked my own as he stared at my face.
"Um....guys?" Jasper waved a hand in front of our faces. "No lovely-Dovey here. Let me get a bucket before you go all mushy."
"Shut up, Jasper. We're just friends." i growled, punching his arm playfully.
"Bullshit." Embry said between coughs as Jacob and i turned to glare at him.
"So...Bella" Eric said, turning my attention away from Embry. "It's ten past eight."
"So?" i shrugged.
"Clearwater" Eric smiled. "You're late for practice."
"Oh crap!" i gasped, shoving my laptop bag in his hands. "Take this. I gotta go."
As quickly as i could, i ran to the gym, waving to the boys as i left. Mrs Leah Clearwater was my fight teacher. Every morning before school at eight, i had a session with her. The principal had thought it was a bad idea for me to learn how to fight properly when i had already gotten in trouble for fighting at school but i had convinced her otherwise. There was a reason why i took these classes with Mrs Clearwater. A few years ago i was attacked walking home. 'A pretty young girl at the wrong place at the wrong time' as Mrs. Clearwater had put it. Since then i was one of Clearwater's best and most dedicated students. It was kind of sad considering i was one of only two girls she taught in a class of 100 boys.
I ran into the gym's changing rooms, putting on my favourite grey tank top and my sweat pants. I didn't bother taking off my gloves or necklace. There was no need for fashion when i was training, unlike anywhere else.
I walked in to find Mrs Clearwater sitting against one of the kick bags talking with some guy that i had never met before. She occasionally brought in guest to help with my training as i got better but never him.
"Whose this." i hissed, disgusted at the guy as Clearwater finally noticed me.
"Oh Bella" she smiled, standing up to walk to my side. "I'd like to introduce Mr. Cullen. Edward Cullen."
"Why is he here?" i whispered, not even looking at him.
"He's your new teacher, Bella"
"What!" i exploded. "But...but....what about you?"
"I got offered another job. In London. It's a big opportunity." she tried to explain.
"But...but...." i mumbled, "Oh this is bullcrap!"
I kicked the closest thing next to me - a large wooden bag rack - that split in half with a loud snap.
"Bella" she scolded me, taking hold of my shoulder. "Listen, i could have just left and not given you a teacher. Mr Cullen is very good at this. Better than i am."
"Mrs Clearwater...." i groaned. There was no fighting against her, no matter how hard i tried.
"Are you done now? Finished your tantrum?" She raised an eyebrow, squeezing my shoulders comfortingly.
"Yes. I'm sorry Miss." i bowed
It was a sign of respect that not many under stood. It was weird to do in the playground as she walked by but we kept it for training.
"Now. Come." She said, leading to where the guy sat patiently. His face was unreadable as he watched me. I was pretty sure i had made a good impression already. Not.
"Edward. This is Isabella. The student i was telling you about. Call her Bella, she get mad if you say Isabella" Clearwater introduced us. If this had been any other situation i would have thought this guy was cute. Even cute enough to top Jacob. That was saying something. He only looked a few years older than me, about 20 or 21 and was really tall. He had messy bronze hair and bright green eyes.
"Your top student is a girl?" he scoffed, an English accent clear in his voice.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that" i hissed.
"Bella. Practice is cancelled today. I have to sort out things with Mr Cullen. It's on tomorrow." Clearwater told me turning her back as Edward quickly followed. I could tell this Edward problem was going to be hell.
"You're finished early." Jacob noted as i walked up to my group. By now my other two friends had shown up. Jessica and Angela. Jessica, Angela and i were the only girls in our group but were treated like one of the guys.
"Stupid....stupid.....Urgh!" i groaned, kicking the bench where Eric and Embry sat. Both boys flinched.
"Calm down, Bella." Embry hissed as i threw my bag on the floor, ignoring him.
"I take it you had a bad session." Jasper smirked.
"Clearwater got replaced. I got this new guy....Edward Cullen."
"Oh, oh." Jessica hopped up and down in her seat eagerly. "I saw him go into the gym this morning. He's cute."
"Shut it, Jessica." i groaned, pacing in front of my friends. "He scoffed when Clearwater told him i was her best student. 'Oh a girl?' He scoffed at the thought! Such a jerk."
"Calm down, Bella" Jessica laughed, walking to me. "It's not that bad."
Not that bad. Not that bad. Not that bad... but bad enough.
I sat down between Alice and Rosalie in English. Embry and Jessica were in a higher class along with Jacob. Eric was in front of me beside Angela and Jasper was behind us by himself. When i took my seat, I didn't bother saying anything to Rosalie or Alice about Clearwater being replaced or Edward Cullen. They were part of the gossip group so they probably already knew. I didn't talk to my friends like i usually would have. My mind was wandering away from me to -regrettably – Edward Cullen. I didn't even know him and yet i hated him more than anyone.
"Are you ok?" Alice asked concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I said as I fumbled around looking for my pen in my bag.
Rosalie chimed in, "Are you sure?" When I nodded she shook her head, not believing me. "Then why is your hand shaking like that?"
I looked down at my hand, but could not make it to stop shaking, so I put down my pen, scrunching my hands to fist in my lap. "Too much caffeine." I said, remembering the 3 bottles of coke I just had before class.
Rosalie and Alice both looked as if they wanted to protest, but the teacher walked in and began the lesson before they could.
I soon gave up trying to take notes. My handwriting was incomprehensible due to my hand shaking. We were learning about Jane Austin's Wuthering heights - which I had already read so many times I had almost memorized it –and I lost interest in the lecture.
I let my eyes begin to wander the room, bored. Then my eyes fell on someone at the back f the room. Edward. What the hell was he doing in here?
I looked back and watched him, I could feel my hand shaking again, but this time it wasn't because of caffeine.
His green eyes met mine so suddenly that is knocked the breath out of me. My stomach gave an involuntary lurch as my heart skipped a beat, or two. A large crooked smirk formed on his face, as if he knew exactly what effect he had on me. I looked away, biting my lip, hoping that I wasn't that easy to read and knowing that I was. More importantly, i wondered why he had made me react like that.
As i turned away from Edward i felt Alice slip a piece of paper under my hand.
Why are you looking at the new guy Cullen like that? She wrote.
I looked up at her curiously before replying.
What do you mean? I didn't look at him like anything.
Out of nowhere, I saw Rosalie's hand come out, grabbing the paper from the space between Alice and me. It was a few seconds before she passed it back.
Staring up at them was Rosalie's neat scrawl. I talked to him before. He's keeping tabs on you. Clearwater told him to keep an eye on you in case you act up in class because she's leaving.
I don't know why. Alice scoffed as she wrote more. Bella is a good student. No matter how pissed she is she wouldn't do that. Would you? Oh wait, you would.
"Alice." Rosalie scolded her in a whisper.
"It's true" Alice smirked. Rosalie did too.
"Thanks guys." i groaned
"Sorry." Rosalie apologized.
"Yeah. Thanks"
"Cullen is still looking at you. Staring actually." Alice faced back to me after looking over to Edward
"Stop looking!" I hissed, taking the paper.
Alice would make a perfect couple with Edward. Both annoying as hell. I passed Rosalie the note behind our chairs.
Soon, she was laughing so hard that she had tears streaming down her face.
"What?" Alice whispered. "What's so funny?"
Rosalie nodded, handing her the note.
How's he annoying? You met him for 10 seconds. She wrote, glancing back over at Edward.
He stole my teacher. It's my law. You take someone away from me. I hate you. I shrugged.
Jasper turned around, snatching up the paper before Alice, Rosalie or I could write anymore.
I have a feeling this is going to be a whole new paper ball war. He wrote as a large smirk covered his face.
And apparently it was. Jasper, Angela, Rosalie, Alice, and I spent the rest of the class doing that, just passing stupid notes. It was stupid and childish...but it was fun. The fact that my whole day sucked so far was completely washed away in one hour.
When the bell rang, Angela and I were let out first. Apparently we were the only ones doing work in between passing notes so the rest of them had to stay behind to finish. As the two of us waited I felt a hand rest on my shoulder from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to find none other than Mike Newton; the school jock. I despised him like most of my friends
"So, when can I expect you tonight, Bella?" a smirk formed across his face as he held me to his side.
My stomach lurched and I covered my mouth with one of my hands. "Sorry, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."
Angela burst out laughing but I wasn't finished yet.
"Let me think, how about never? Does that sound good to you?" I then shrugged his arm off of me and dusted off my shoulder. I didn't want to catch a disease.
"Don't be like that baby. You know you want me." Mike moved closer to me, and touched a strand of my hair. Did he not get the meaning of unwelcome? Was he really that thick? Actually....he probably was.
"I don't want anything to do with you, Mike, unless it involves hurting you. I could go for that any day." I smiled. The expression that formed on his face after that was almost as hilarious.
"You can't deny this fire between us. It's undeniable." He tried getting even closer to me, but this time I pushed him away. He was so disgusting it was nauseating.
"That's not fire you jackass. That is pure hatred." God he still wasn't getting it. "Here let me dumb it down, so you can understand, and don't worry I'll go real slow. I. hate. You. So. Much. And. You. Will. Never. Have. A. Chance. In. Hell. With. Me. As. Long. As. I. Live. Because. You. Make. Me. Sick." I smirked at him. "Get any of that? Oh, and don't fantasize about me because even your fantasy of me is not interested. You can leave now." I said, waving my hand in dismissal.
For once, Mike listened, looking extremely pissed and I couldn't help but fill with glee that the thought it was me who had caused his anger. I turned my attention back to Angela who looked awestruck before she began to clap.
"Bravo. Bravo. I'm so proud of you." she couldn't help but laugh as she clapped, "I don't think I have ever seen any girl stand up to Mike like that."
I shrugged my shoulders. "I refuse to be a damsel in distress. I was always taught to fight back. Plus, it's only Mike. I am not intimidated by him at all; he's weaker than a six year old girl... or Embry"
Angela and I broke out laughing as we headed to the cafeteria.
Of course, Eric wasn't there with our group when Angela and I arrived. It was lunchtime now, and I knew where he'd be. The same place he was every lunch time.
"He's not here. He's where he always is." Embry sighed as he caught me looking around.
"I know. Tell the others I'll see them in class." I took one last look at the cafeteria, certain that he wasn't in here. I walked out of the cafeteria, and made my way towards the library. I knew he'd be there; it was the only place he'd go.
The library was massive. Book aisles towered up over me, ladders at each shelf. There were two floors to our library. The one large room and a smaller one at the top of the stairs. I stood on the top level looking over the railings to the larger room. I could see Eric moving around in one of the aisles down below as I ran down the stairs to find him.
After a while, I finally found him. Reading a book that was practically half my size, Eric was sitting in the corner of the aisle with his iPod on. I looked at the cover of the large book, and saw that it was one of the many books that our teacher had given us for our history assignment. I sat down next to him, moving a few books that scattered the floor around him.
"Hi," I whispered but considering that he had his iPod so loud that I could here it sitting next to him, he didn't hear me. I removed one of the earpieces, but instead of talking to him, I just plugged it into my own ear. He was listening to Count your last blessings by Sum41. It was one of my favorite songs. I couldn't help but notice the Title. Fitting for that's how i felt for my new fight teacher. Eric looked from the corner of his eye to me, smirking. Eric knew me well enough to know what i was thinking. He removed his headphone, and grabbed the one from my ear too, and turned off the iPod.
"Yes, Bella; is there something I can help you with?" He smiled as he closed the book.
"I wasn't done listening to that." I said as Eric playfully rolled his eyes at me. "Listen I want to talk to you. It's important." I whispered
Eric just shook his head. "I'm not going to help you kill Cullen."
Both of us cracked a smile.
"How do you know me so well?"
"It's a talent." he shrugged
"You know, i really hate this" I whispered to Eric for the hundredth time
"There's not much you can do." Eric answered, not taking his eyes off the books in front of him. "Clearwater's leaving. You're getting Cullen. End of story."
"Thanks for the backup here." I groaned. "Do we really have to spend lunch in the library too?" I asked, gesturing disgusted at the place around me.
"No one said you had to stay with me."
"You did." I smiled, punching him. I scanned my eyes over the book shelves and smiled when I turned back to Eric. He was so deeply involved in the book in his hands as a wide grin formed across his face.
"What?" he looked up at me.
"You want a table?" i suggested, covering my laughter.
"Yeah, yeah." he nodded, paying not attention to me as he buried his nose in the book again. "I'm over here ok?" he threw his hand in some direction but i didn't pay attention.
Some thing caught my attention, surprisingly a book. The black book spine was easily seen against the brown, white and colored spines of the other books around it. Of course, it was on the very top shelf. I cocked my head to the right, as I did every time I was curious. I was one to be very curious. And definatly one to give in to curiosity. In the middle of the isle there was a sitting stool. It somewhat looked similar to the isles of a shoe store, but without the mirrors and all. I walked over to the stool and dragged it across the floor and pushed it tight up against the shelf. Taking in a large breath, i stepped on. I reached my hand up as far as I could, my fingers clutching at the book, pulling it free. The book was called, 'Twilight'. It was about vampires and werewolves; let's just say everything that I was not interested in. Not unless it had some form of fighting in it.
That i could relate to. I laughed to myself. I grunted, feeling like I just wasted a good 'exploration' moment, and stretched out my arm to place the book back. I stepped on foot backwards to get higher, but i made my balance on the stool very uneven. The stool took a hard jerk backwards but I grabbed onto the bookshelf and planted my feet firmly on the stool again. For a minute I had skipped a heart beat. This made my nerves feel lovely...
I breathed in then out and this time reached to put the book back up more carefully.
But the only way I could get it back was to step a foot back on the stool and go on my tippy toes. So I tried to do that as carefully as I could, but with my luck, the stool once again jerked backwards, falling to its side on the ground. I felt the pull of gravity on my body and braced for a hurtful landing, 'cause underneath me was the stool tilted on its side. So I though for sure there would be bruising.
That was until I felt two arms come from behind and grab me by the waist, pulling me into them. Just in time before the weight in my body made me go sideways.
I stumbled in the persons arms for a minute but they held me stable as i ran a hand through my hair and straightened out my shirt. The persons arms quickly let go of me when i steadied myself and I looked up for the first time into my rescuers eyes.
Edward Cullen was at my side, smiling at me for a minute, I could tell he was probably thinking how dumb I was to have fallen off a stool but his face softened. Oh, he was cuter up close. No...I didn't like him. He's evil. He's replacing Clearwater. He's evil. EVIL!!!! I repeated that in my mind but it wasn't really helping.
"Th-thanks." i stuttered out, slapping myself in my mind for having done so.
He gave a small laugh "What? Was i meant to let you fall?"
"Can't you just say your welcome and not be a smartass?"
"You alright?" he asked, ignoring my question. Bringing his hand to the side of my head, his finger tips grazed my brown hair. For some weird mental snap moment, I looked him with a sort of amazed and adoring expression. There was something about him that could've caught a girl's attention 70ft away. Something that could make you speechless. It was weird.
"I'm fine, thank you." It sounded more like a whisper if anything. But he was close enough to hear it.
Edward began to show a small crooked smile on his lips again before suddenly a voice came from around the corner of the isle,
"Bella? Is everything alright here?" Eric asked, eyeing Edward.
"Oh, hey Eric, everything is fine. I just fell. But he caught me. Everything's fine." I stated pointing a hand towards Edward behind me.
"Uh huh, well thanks. You know, you look a bit too old for a student. What's your name?" Eric asked, folding his arms across his chest
"Edward. Edward Cullen."
"Wait...your Cullen?" Eric raised an eyebrow before flickering his gaze to me. Edward didn't miss it.
"He's my new teacher." i nodded.
"And you said that he was a je-" Eric began as i ran to cover his mouth.
"Say a word and I'll kill you" i whispered to low for Edward to hear.
"I was a what?" Edward smirked; he was obliviously very interested in this. He wanted to know how much i hated him already.
I gave Eric a quick glare, squeezing his shoulder tightly enough that Eric winced.
"A new teacher and that she can't wait to see how you match up to Clearwater." Eric answered, briefly looking at me for approval.
"I'm sure." Edward nodded, no where near convinced. "See you around Isabella"
"Oh, he called you Isabella" Eric laughed but he soon shut up, bouncing on the spot holding his hurt knee that I kicked.
Eric and i breathed out a collective sigh of relief as we were left alone.
"close." i sighed, placing my hand over my heart to steady it.
"Why didn't you want me to say that you thought he was a jerk? What do you like him now or something?" Eric hissed, eying me suspiciously.
"Gross Eric, i'm 16 and he's like...22 or something"
"I'm honest." he shrugged. "Most girls would kill for a guy like him."
"No way. Okay, I'll admit he's not ….completely misfortunate looking but i hate him." i promised as the two of us left the library. I only hoped that i could keep that promise to myself.