PROLOGUE
She
was sitting alone, playing with dolls when he first saw her. Long,
dark, shiny hair pulled into a ponytail, big brown eyes, pink dress.
Her appearance meant nothing to him at the time. He was the new kid.
He had no companions. She was the perfect candidate.
They were six.
After a few moments, she brought herself out of the imaginary lives of Barbie, Ken, and Kelly to find the strange boy with the wide green eyes and oddly-toned hair staring at her.
"Hello," he said, an unintended question in his voice. Would she allow him to speak with her? Was he accepted by his kindergarten colleague?
"Hello," she answered nervously. She was shy by nature.
"I'm Edward. What's your name?" he replied. He was a curious child, excited to meet a potential friend almost immediately after his move to the small and rainy town called Forks.
"Bella." She said quietly. She liked the strange boy. "Where did you come from?"
"The big truck took me here from Chicago. My mommy and daddy said it's an adventure." He bit down on his lip, as though he was now unsure of his parent's reassurances.
"Do you live there?" she said, a little louder now. She pointed a stubby finger at the house next to her own, where no one had ever lived.
"I don't know. That's where Mommy put my Legos. So maybe we live there now."
"That means we're neighbours!" she hopped up in delight. A friend living right next door! She imagined them playing together every day. "Do you want to see my room? I got an Easy-Bake Oven, we can make cookies!"
"Okay!" Edward said.
He followed the girl with the big eyes and the pink dress to the front steps. She tripped over the stair. Edward leapt forward, catching her arm and holding her up before she hit her nose on the hard cement.
Bella looked back at Edward in surprise. He was just as surprised as she was by his actions, but he smiled anyway. She grinned back, and the two new friends ran together into the house.
______________________________________________________________________
Bella walked up to the imposing door of her class room. It was the first day of grade one.
She glanced down at the outfit her mother had laid out for her that morning. Jeans, a pink t-shirt with a smiley face, and her favourite hot pink sweater.
She
took a deep breath and, her hands wrapped tightly around the straps
of her backpack, she stepped into the classroom.
panic flooded
through her as she searched the faces in the room, looking for the
only one that would calm her down.
She shrieked as she was suddenly bathed in darkness.
"Guess who!" someone yelled. The person tried to disguise their voice, but Bella knew who it was. She always knew.
"Edward!" she exclaimed, prying his hands off of her eyes and turning around to look at him. He smiled crookedly at her, his green eyes shining.
"Hi, Bella," he said, "Are you excited for grade one or what? We're gonna have so much fun this year! We have Mrs. Cheney for a teacher! You know Benny's mom? She's real nice! And we're gonna learn to read right, and we get to play with ALL those toys over there!" He pointed enthusiastically at the piles of toys on the other side of the room.
"I know! I'm so excited! My daddy told me everything. He said we get to sit at desks, and we each get our own books and we get playtime EVERY day at lunch time!" she exclaimed, hopping up and down with delight.
As the two best friends marveled over the wonders of grade one, someone grabbed Bella on the shoulder and spun her around.
"You're Bella Thwan, right? You're the one with the Mommy who ran away. My mommy thayth your mommy was a thpank 'cause she didn't love you or your daddy! Ith that true?" said a girl with long blonde hair, her lisp causing spit to fly out of her mouth.
"What are you talking about? My mommy loves me! She didn't leave, she calls me every week, she's on an adventure!" said Bella, uncertainty colouring her tone.
"Mommy thaid that the poleeth chiefth wife didn't want him, and that she wath in Phoenix, thleeping around! She thaid your mommy's bad!"
Bella's bottom lip started to wobble. The blonde-haired girl stared at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. Bella burst into tears. She didn't like the blonde girl.
"Lauren Mallory, you stop being mean to Bella!" yelled Edward, stomping up to her.
"I'm not being mean, I'm jutht telling the truth! Not my fault she'th a little crybaby," replied Lauren indifferently. She turned with a sniff and walked away while Edward hurried to comfort his friend.
"Bellie, she's just being stupid. Who cares what Lauren Mallory says? Everyone knows she's dumb as…as…a dumb monkey! Plus she looks like a piggy. A really ugly one!"
Bella giggled despite herself. Edward always knew how to cheer her up.
"You're my best friend, Edward. I love you," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I love you too, Bellie."
_____________________________________________________________________
"He's so cute!" screeched Angela Weber, who was walking to the park with her two friends, Alice Brandon and Bella Swan.
"Who, Edward?" said Bella, confused. She didn't know Angela thought Edward was cute. She didn't know anyone thought Edward was cute!
"No, Bella, we're talking about Mike Newton," said Alice sarcastically, "What do you think? Of course we're talking about Edward! Everyone knows he's the hottest guy in Grade 5!"
Bella had noticed lots of girls staring at her best friend lately. They were all so shallow! Edward was more than good looks…he was crooked smiles and beautiful music and silly jokes and popcorn fights in the living room and rants about math homework and dancing in the rain and…too many things! And they cared about his looks?
"His eyes are so green! And
that hair! What colour is it? Like, auburn?" said Angela, staring
dreamily into the cloudy sky.
"It's bronze," said Bella,
absentmindedly.
"So you do
notice his looks!" yelped Alice.
"No! I just know his hair colour! Am I not allowed to know my best friend's hair colour? You know what colour my hair is, don't you?" argued Bella.
"Well…yes. But whatever! He's still adorable, you have to admit that!"
"Um, okay. Maybe he does have
super green eyes and pretty hair and really nice, pale skin and four
sweet little freckles on either side of his nose…but he's
Edward!"
Angela
shook her head and chuckled.
"So what, Bella? Haven't you ever
seen one of those cheesy romantic comedies? The best friends always
end up together!"
________________________________________________________________
"Why me? Why her? Why would he choose her?"
Tears soaked Bella's pillow from the last two hours. Alice comfortingly rubbed her back, but kept silent as her best friend sobbed and cried over the guy she hadn't even figured out she was in love with. Alice knew. She had always known that Bella would end up here. She wished she could have stopped it.
"Bella, Bella. It'll be okay," whispered Alice. Bella had never specifically told her why she was crying…but she knew.
Bella sat up and grabbed a few tissues from the box on her night table. She used one to blow her nose, and another to wipe the tear stains from her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Alice. I should never have called you. You didn't have to come over here to watch me cry for hours…"
"No, Bells. This is my job. This is what girlfriends do for each other!"
"I didn't even tell you what was wrong. I've been a terrible friend."
"Bella, stop right there! You have never been a bad friend to me. If there is anything that I can assure you of, it's that."
Bella smiled sadly and hugged Alice close. She pulled away and studied Alice's short, spiky black hair, pale skin, and her small face. Her wide brown eyes were sheltered by thick black glasses with small rhinestones on the arms. Despite the sophisticated eyewear, Alice still looked like a small child. Bella hugged her again before she let out a deep sigh.
"I don't even know what it is, Al. I just…I found out that Edward asked Tanya out…and I just snapped! I don't know what's wrong with me. There's this…this feeling in my chest. Like I've been ripped open. It's not like I have a crush on Edward! He's my friend! My best friend. No offence," she said, glancing at the small girl comforting her.
"None taken. Continue," replied Alice, concern in her voice.
"Oh, I don't know Alice. How can he even think about liking Tanya? She's horrible! I guess she's pretty…but…but…UGH!"
Bella threw herself into the pillows again. Tears spilled from her eyes as she stared out the window at Edward's adjacent room. His blue curtains. She could just glimpse his bed through the space between them.
"I miss him…I want him to be with me. I need him here. What's wrong with me, Al?" she whispered between sobs.
Alice let out a small sigh.
"Just think for a second, Bells. You've known Edward since forever! Maybe…your heart finally figured out he's a guy. A hot guy. A really sweet, hot guy who knows you better than anyone! And…the heart wants what it wants."
"What are you saying, Alice? That I…I'm…what? In love with Edward?"
Alice shot Bella a pitying look. Bella's hand flew to her chest, and a fresh wave of tears filled her eyes.
"Oh, Bella…everything's going to turn out right. You'll see."
