Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any other recognizable characters.

Never Far Behind

Chapter 1: Put a Smile on Your Face

Playlist: Smile by Vitamin C

I walked through the crowds, thinking about the new year. I was finally a senior and it was surreal. Jessica was at my side babbling as usual, but if I was being perfectly honest I had become a pro at tuning her out and giving her the minimal response she needed.

"Hey Bella! How was your summer?" Tyler Crowley appeared next to me with a bright smile on his face.

"Hey Tyler, it was good, how was yours?" I said and smiled at him.

"It was boring, I'm glad to be back"

Apparently Tyler had gone to California for the summer to visit a cousin or something like that.

"I'll talk to you later I have to go get my schedule" I said as I left him and Jessica, who had turned her attention to Tyler's arrival, and was now trying to get his attention.

"Yea hopefully we'll have some classes together" he yelled at me as I turned the corner.

Suddenly Alice Cullen, my best friend walked up beside me.

"I think you just made his year." She said to me.

I gave her a 'okay what are you talking about' looks.

"Tyler" she clarified, "you should have seen his face when you smiled at him."

I laughed out loud at her statement.

"Okay. You have officially lost your mind Alice."

"Please Bella, are you blind? That guy has been crushing on you since freshman year, actually most guys have."

I laughed again.

I guess you could say that I was part of the 'popular' crowd, but I didn't like being labeled. I mean how can you judge a person you don't even know.

According to the Forks High 'social ladder' Me, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Edward were at the top. We were all best friends and no one ever got into our group. We were like a big family. Then you had our other friends, not quite as close to us which included Angela Weber, Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, Tyler Crowley, Mike Newton, Eric Yorkie, all though I think Jessica and Lauren only talk to me because they like Edward.

Edward was the most desired guy in school, and he just happened to be my other best friend. It had been that way since sixth grade when I moved here.

It was my first day and I had forgotten my lunch, I was sitting outside and reading a book trying not to think about my growling stomach when a cute boy with bronze hair came and sat down next to me and offered me part of his ham and cheese sandwich. We sat in silence the whole time but after that we became best of friends, we told each other everything, and we were always there for each other no matter what.

Alice and I walked to the office together to get our schedules and headed to our lockers, which were next to each others.

When we got to our lockers we saw Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie.

Jasper was Alice's long time boyfriend, and Rosalie was his twin sister. Emmett was Alice's adopted brother, and everyone knew he and Rosalie had a thing for each other, but they were both too stubborn to make the first move.

"Hey guys" I said as we reached them.

"BELLA!" Emmett yelled so loud I though my ear drum was about to bust. " I missed you!"

He picked me up in a suffocating bear hug.

"I just saw you last night Emmett." I said while gasping for air.

He laughed and set me down after realizing that he was choking me.

"I know but I was just so used to waking up to your cooking, my breakfast sucked this morning." he said pouting.

I had been staying over at the Cullen's house a lot this summer because my dad had been out of town at police conventions. So in the morning I would often get up and make everyone breakfast, my way of saying thanks for them putting up with me.

"Haha. Sorry Em. How about I come over this Saturday and make your breakfast?" I asked and his frown turned up into a smile.

I smiled back at him.

We all talked for a few more minutes, then I said goodbye to the gang and got my notebook for my classes, so I could write down everything I would need for the year and headed down the hall.

I was about to walk into my class when Mike Newton passed me and grabbed my arm.

I reluctantly turned to face him. It wasn't that I hated Mike but the was so obvious about flirting with me when I had made it clear time and time again that I did not like him in that way.

"Hey Mike" I said with a forced smile.

"What no hello hug? I didn't you hardly at all this summer."

"Sorry Mike I was busy" I answered trying to avoid having to touch him anymore that he was already forcing me too.

"Hey Bells! Come on we're gonna be late" a voice said as an arm draped over my shoulder.

I turned in relief to the voice of my personal savior.

"Edward. Hey!" I said and smiled brightly at him. "Sorry Mike, Edwards right, I want to get a good seat in the back of the classroom, but I'll see ya later." and with that Edward and I walked into the classroom.

"Thank you times infinity" I said to him as we sat down.

"No problem:" he said laughing " Alice told me she thought you would need to be rescued this morning".

I laughed, Alice had this uncanny ability to know when things were going to be happen, especially to me.

The rest of the day went by without incident, probably because Edward was in every single one of my classes again.

After school our group decided to head out for drinks at the local drive thru. Edward and I were walking toward the parking lot together, everyone else had already left.

"It's amazing how we had the exact same schedule…. Again." I told him giving him an suspicious glance.

"Yeah, guess we're pretty lucky." he replied , too casually.

" Luck or persuasion?" I asked.

He laughed.

"Oh come on Edward, no one is that lucky to have the exact same schedule as their best friend EVERY single year."

Ever since freshman year Edward and I had been in every class together. Except for the first day of freshman year, but the second day he appeared in all my classes.

"Well apparently we are. Race you to Inn and Out!" he shouted and ran towards his Volvo as I turned and ran towards my truck. I knew he would win, his car went faster and he drove like a maniac.

I jumped in my car and shook my head laughing. He was a mess, but he was my mess of a best friend.

A/N: Okay, so this is my first story, and thats the first chapter. Let me know what you think, good, bad, anything to help. I have a couple other story ideas bouncing around in my head, so I am going to try to put up the first chapter of some of them and see what people like the best, then I'll concentrate on that story first. Soooo let me know and thanks a bunch!