BELLA

[PROLOGUE]

Edward Masen.

I couldn't escape his name even if I jumped off a cliff. I was learning about him before he even arrived in our pebble sized town of Forks. I was learning all the basic things that made up Edward Masen. He was seventeen years old and he lived in Chicago with his father. He was also the son of Elizabeth Masen, a divorcee as well as a writer for the Peninsula Daily News. There was gossip of father son disputes that drove Edward to leave the city, which was probably true considering Elizabeth Masen mentioned that her child could sometimes be dramatic.

Personally, I couldn't blame the bleeding hearts of Forks. This town was gray, wet, and most of all as boring as baseball on TV. Anything new coming to town was a treat to the locals. Me, I couldn't care less. I was never a person who was drawn to anything that resembled a soap opera. The arrival of the newcomer, I didn't care about. Even as a human I minded my own business, kept to myself.

My new family and I have resided in this town for the last two years and I have yet to feel settled. Then again it was impossible for me to feel settled just about anywhere. When I was human I was raised with the backdrop of the red sun and jagged mountains, more commonly known as Arizona. As a vampire anywhere we traveled had to have a blank sky. It was about the only draw back to this life. Yes, I missed my family, but the truth was that I loved being a vampire.

One of the things that made my secret life so great was my adoptive parents and new brothers and sisters.

Vampires. It sounds fake. We're not though.

We exist We lead lives that never end. We make others stop and stare at our beauty. Our strength is no match for anything. We're poisonous and our blood diet would send any human into cardiac arrest. Humans didn't believe we existed and that is how we were bound by our laws to keep it.

I'm considered a newborn to our life, saved by my sister Alice. After I was bitten I went into a hungry rage. At the first delicious scent of blood nothing else existed and I reacted like an animal...

With this life comes a gift.

Everyone was in awe when they learned I could hear the thoughts of others.

At the moment, here in Forks, all thoughts were directed at a Edward. I found it annoying that he was all anyone could speak of. I was grateful he was finally here. Maybe now the town could get their fill of the exciting mysterious newcomer and he'd finally be yesterday's news. I could finally go a day in peace without hearing about him.

I soon realized that peace wasn't meant for me at the moment. This dawned on me in Biology class.

Mr. Banner strolled into the room with a stack of papers in his arms. He placed them on the desk with a light thud and rotated towards his students.

"Alright. Take your seats. I have two things to run by you before we get started on these labs," he tapped the stack behind him. "Number one. I will not be here all next week I'll be having too much fun serving as a juror in a courtroom. Number two. We have a new student. Edward Masen. He'll be in this class next week. So introduce yourself, be nice, make him feel welcome and all that."

I knew these two things before he opened his mouth and I wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the last one. It wasn't fair, but a small dislike for this Edward guy had grown in me.

I must have not hidden my feelings well enough. Mr. Banner poked me with a pencil.

"Who crossed lines with you Culllen?"

I smiled right away. "No one."

He didn't believe me. He smiled back anyway and said, "Edward Masen will be sitting in the seat beside you for the rest of the year."

Just my luck.

"His records show that he was an exceptional honor student. I thought you would like to work on your labs with a partner who might be at the same level as yourself."

Mr. Garrick looked at me as if he were expecting me to be pleased.

I was anything but. This meant I would be in close proximity of a boy I've never glanced at and already found to be a thorn in my side. I tried to do what Alice and Rosalie did when they wanted something. I made my voice as sweet as candy and my lashes flit like the wings of a butterfly.

"I don't mind completing the labs solo. In fact, having a partner so late in the game might throw me off."

Whoa. How did she do that?

I wanted to slap myself. Mr. Banner looked intimidated and unsure. I rarely pulled that trick out of the bag and didn't know if I did it right. Maybe I batted my lashes too much?

"I don't need a partner but thank you."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Funny. Never did recall her working or speaking to the other students in class.

The reason for that was because I was unapproachable as were the rest of my family... and race.

"I appreciate the idea though."

"Of course," he nodded and started to turn but stopped and looked at me.

Why?

"Masen still sits next to you."

Maybe she'll be forced to converse with the kid.

Oh boy.