CHAPTER 1

I was sitting with my friends at our usual lunch table looking out the window like I always do. There was a new girl at school today who was apparently a geek. She was 15 in grade 11. She skipped fourth grade. This is what I heard from my buddies. Tyler, Brad, Ben, and Justin were sitting with me.

I was supposed to be a jock. One of the cool people who can get any girl he wants all focused on becoming a professional football player when growing up. But that was only my cover up. My name was Edward Cullen, I hated football I had a 4.0 grade point average and I absolutely hated keeping up this fake identity. But I had to. When I was in elementary, everybody knew I was a geek and I was made fun of for it. I got pushed around and called names. I had big glasses and I wore overalls. When I went into grade 9 I knew I had to change. So that's what I did.

I now hide my grades from everyone of my 'friends' I wear what my sister tells me to. My dream is to go to Harvard to become a doctor, but no one knew that. Not even my brother. Now my name is Cullen or Eddie. I despised the name Eddie but I put up with it. Girls liked me now, I guess. But they didn't like me for who I was. They liked me for the football player. The one who has 'awesome clothes'.

I wish someone knew the real me.

I was in Grade 11 now and I was one of the most popular guys in school. And I hated it. That's why I was surprised when I saw the new student. She was now the smartest girl in the school. She always fell down and she blushed a lot. She always had a book in her hand and had glasses. Not big dorky ones though. But what surprised me the most was that she didn't mind. People would stare at her and she would just keep reading. People would trip her and she would keep on walking. She was herself. I liked it.

Right now she was sitting by herself eating an apple reading a book, of course, with a small smile on her face. I smiled too for some reason; she looked so peaceful, until I really looked at her face. She had bruises. Everywhere. She had cuts and scrapes all over her arms. What was wrong with her? These marks on her couldn't be from falling down. There was something deeper.

Other than the scars all over she was probably the most beautiful girl in the school though no one would look past the 'dorky glasses' and scars. For some reason I needed to know this girl. I felt this weird connection. I'm probably just hallucinating. I don't even know her. I turned back to my friends who were planning something for after lunch.

"Hey what are you guys talking about?"

Tyler explained. "Oh were planning to ambush the new girl. She's such a dork. She has biology next so were clearing the halls and embarrassing her. I brought a camera." He snickered evilly. I knew it was wrong. And I knew I should stop them from doing that. But I didn't and that's just how selfish I was.

I noticed the swan girl again. She stood up from her chair wincing as she stretched. She always kept her face down. I had never seen her face and I doubt anyone else has either. I wonder why she was hiding.

As the bell rang for 3rd period I walked to the biology room with my friends. We saw Bella walk around the corner and I looked at her pleading with my eyes for her to turn around. But she didn't she just kept her face down stumbling through the hallways until Tyler stopped her.

"Yo Isabella! Where do you think you're going?" he asked. She looked so small.

"To class. Could you please move?" she asked in a small voice. Even her voice was beautiful. It sung like bells.

Tyler scoffed "No" he laughed.

"So I hear you're the new geek in school" Justin stepped in. Bella remained calm.

"I would not call myself a 'geek' but you may if you like. I will not stop you." She said politely.

Why isn't she fighting back? She is just going to let them make fun of her. Toss her around. Where is her self-preservation? Thankfully Ben asked her first.

"Why aren't you fighting back, midget. Too scared" he said menacingly. I felt so guilty right now. Not doing anything to help her. I waited to hear what she would say.

"I am not stupid. I will not make fun and use violence to cover up who I am. My mother taught me how to be better than that" she winced when she said mother. Her life sounded difficult.

Tyler got sick of her attitude and grabbed her arm. She winced again. How many bruises did she have? I finally spoke up.

"Guys, go to class. The bells going to ring any second." I told them. Surprisingly they listened. Tyler had to have the last word though.

"Don't think were done with you" he warned and through her against the lockers. She fell down and spilt all of her books on the ground. I had biology next and the rest of them had English. I ran over to Bella and helped pick up her books. She stopped me.

"You do not have to do that. I am fine" she said trying to stop the tears from coming to her eyes. She looked so fragile. I felt like I was going to cry watching her wince as she got on her feet. I hated seeing her in pain.

"I want to" I told her.

"No you do not. You do not want to be seen with me. It will ruin who you are. I do not want that to happen to you" Wait what?! I was just in the group who made fun of her and pushed her to the ground and she doesn't want me to help her because it will ruin my reputation! How selfless is this girl?! She was the nicest girl I had ever met.

"It's fine. I don't care what they think. Why didn't you stop them? They just hurt you." I asked trying, and failing, to keep the question in my mind. She was still looking down. I so badly wanted to see her face. To see if it was as beautiful as everything else about her. She hadn't answered me yet.

"Like I said, I will not act like them. I will not change who I grew up to be because someone who I do not know or like thinks little of me" She was so smart. It made complete sense. Why should she care what we think? Why should she change who she was to stop being made fun of? She didn't. So why couldn't I accept that for myself.

"That's very smart of you. I'm sorry for what they did to you, I really am. I tried to stop it. Not hard enough. Hey will you do something for me?" I asked her selfishly. Who am I to ask her for a favor? I just helped make her life hell.

"Of course. Just do not hurt me, please." She pleaded. She thought I was going to hurt her!? I wouldn't hurt her. Ever. It killed me to watch them.

"I would never hurt you. Just" I paused not sure if I should ask her. "Can you show me your face?" I asked. I'm sure I sounded stupid but I needed to see why she was hiding it. She just hung her head further.

"Why?" she asked me. "I am sorry to sound rude but I am truly curious." She fixed her sentence. She felt guilty for protesting my question. How?! It should be impossible for a girl to be this kind.

"I don't know. I've been watching you and you always hide it." I felt so stupid. 'I've been watching you' yah that doesn't sound stalkerish at all. Nice going Edward! I mentally kicked myself.

"You will not make fun of me?" she checked.

"Of course not" I reassured her. I would never make fun of her.

She looked up at me and my eyes met the most beautiful deep brown eyes. But her eyes were covered in black and it was not make up. A tear was falling over the rim of her eye. Who had hurt her!? I felt a sudden rage to whoever had done this. HOW COULD THEY!? SHE WAS SWEET, INNOCENT. Who would want to do this to her.

"Oh my gosh" I said shock written all over my face. Bella turned away again. I lifted her chin up.

"Bella, who did this to you?" I asked completely serious. I needed her to be safe. For some reason I felt very protective of this girl. Why? I had never been interested in a girl before. But I was. Without even knowing, I had developed some sort of crush on Bella Swan. This made me smile inside.

"I must not tell you. I am sorry. We have to go to class now. It is beginning" I was not letting her go to class like that. I had to find out about this girl.

"Bella. I'm not going to force you but please come with me. You do not have to go to class today we are just watching a movie that we watch every year. They won't mind." I told her hoping she would come with me.

"I told you that you should not get caught with me. I will ruin your life." She warned "But I will come"

"I told you I didn't care what those people think" I paused again. I really wanted to tell her who I really am. I didn't want her to think I was like those guys and think low of me. I made my decision. I continued "And that is definitely not who I am." I don't know why but it felt really good to say those words. I didn't have to fake around her. I could just be myself.

I brought her outside and we sat down on one of the picnic tables. I was dying to know who hurt her. The rage was still in my body. I waited for her to answer my question. She looked up at me again. Stalling.

"I shall tell you my story if you tell me yours." She bargained. My story. Could she see through my fake identity? No she thinks I'm just some jerk that is pretending to be nice to her out of pity. I could see it in her eyes. I thought about it for a minute. For some reason. I wanted her to know my story. I wanted to tell her everything about me. I wanted her to know Edward Cullen.

"Deal" I said smiling. I waited for her to start.