- Chapter 1 -

Edward

"Welcome to your home for the next two years," the woman said while giving me what I could only assume was a welcoming smile. "This is the best decision you could've made, you'll see." This smile was meant for my mother, who smiled in return and began asking questions about the installations.

Fucking great.

I sighed and glanced boringly at the big statue that was posed in front of me. An old man with thick glasses and a protruding stomach stood proud, it wasn't a big statue yet it held some kind of sense of empowerment. You could tell this man was no joke when he was alive. I looked down and found a tablet with something engraved on it. I came closer and it read:

Faber est suae quisque fortunae

I had studied Latin in my other school but I hadn't really paid much attention. I could vaguely recognize some words, like 'is' and 'fortune', but I couldn't quite decipher it all. I was about to give up when I felt someone standing beside me.

"Every man is the artisan of his own fortune."

I turned. Standing with a smirk on his face was a blond guy, about my height and probably my age too. He was looking at the inscription, eyes squinted and hands in his pockets.

"That's bullshit."

He laughed. "What? You don't believe a man's success or failure is determine by his actions?"

"Oh I do, but you've got to admit, sometimes fate is a bitch," I said taking a deep breath.

"A cold-hearted bitch," he agreed, extending his right hand to me. "Name's Jasper."

I shook it. "Edward."

"You're a junior?"

"Yeah, you?"

He grinned, "Today's your lucky day."

I laughed at that and realized I kind of liked this motherfucker, and for that I was relieved. I find it really hard to like people in general.

"Where you from?" He asked suddenly.

I sighed. "Chicago."

"And what trouble got you here?"

The impending question. Why the fuck am I here? Is it because I'm a complete and utter idiot? No, that can't be. I'm positively sure that I'm fucking smart.

Then why?

Because of that bitch.

That fucking, disgusting and insatiable bitch.

Artisan of my own future my ass. Fate's what got me here. Destiny, providence, fucking divine will, whatever you want to call it. This wasn't my fault, I was just a victim of bad timing, that and the vendetta of a fucker against me.

I was trying to decide how to answer. I gave up. "Long story."

He smirked. "I bet. You'll find only those in here."

By here he meant Livingstone Preparatory Academy. A boarding school for rich fuck ups, like me. Whenever the progeny of a senator or CEO of an important company did something to get himself into trouble, they ended up here. One of the most expensive schools in the nation that assured our dear old parents two things:

1. Your kids will stay out of trouble for the remaining of their high school (Fat chance).

2. An Ivy League education is almost guaranteed (For what we pay here it sure as hell must be).

That was enough for our paternal units to send us off from wherever we were to attend Livingstone. I've been in private schools my whole life, but fuck if a boarding school wasn't going to be a big adjustment. I didn't know how well the security was in here, but I really hoping hope it wasn't as good as they pictured it on the brochure.

"Edward honey," I turned to find my mother walking towards me, she had a sad expression on her face. "I have to go now, everything's set."

I nodded and introduced her to Jasper, who suddenly became the most charming motherfucker in town. He even kissed my mom's hand. She of course couldn't be more delighted.

After saying our goodbyes and her making me promise to "please, please be good this time baby", my mom left.

Jasper then took out a cigarette and offered me one. I glanced to see if someone was watching, I didn't want to get fucking suspended after just getting here, although I did need a cigarette. Fucking badly.

"Chill, they usually start bothering after classes start." That was enough for me.

"You've been here long?" I asked.

He exhaled smoke and nodded, "Since freshman year."

We stayed quiet for a while, I wasn't one to talk a lot and apparently neither was he.

"Come on," he said after a few minutes. "We're gonna be late."

I was confused. "Late? For what?"

"First meeting of the year." What the fuck? The assembly for the new students was supposed to be tomorrow, and it was too fucking early for the welcome dinner.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

He started walking and fucking pissed but resigned, I followed.

He guided me towards an old looking building. It seemed as if no one had gone inside for years. Instead of going towards the front door Jasper walked to the side of the building. Still very much fucking confused I decided to keep playing along. I had to fucking admit it, I was curious. Jasper strode directly towards a door behind some bushes, that I would've otherwise overlooked. He produced a key and opened the damn thing. He went inside and motioned for me to follow.

Once inside I realized we were in a big dirty hall, barely lighted and that smelled of humidity. He then marched towards another door about 8 feet from where we were standing. This one wasn't locked.

Once I crossed the door I found myself in a big room, it sort of looked like a library. It had a bunch of bookshelves and a row of study carrels. There were a lot of oil paintings on the walls, and from a lot of them I recognized the old man from the statue outside the main building.

"Rudolph Livingstone," Jasper said, nodding towards the painting I was watching. "The founder of Livingstone Academy."

"What is this place?" I asked, even though my actual question was: Why the fuck you brought me here?

"An old neglected library. A place were they could store all the oil paintings of past headmasters and board presidents after they got tired of staring at their ridiculous and pompous grandeur if you ask me."

I chuckled at that but stopped when I heard another voice.

"And all of them are men. Isn't that ridiculous? As if there hadn't been distinguished female leaders at this school. Chauvinistic pigs."

The voice belonged to a tiny girl with long dark hair. She was standing by the door we came from with two other people. A blonde tall girl and a huge, husky guy.

"Hey guys, right on time." Jasper said, smiling at them.

I frowned. "I though you said we were gonna be late."

"We were going to be late for being early," he explained, as if it was the most normal thing to say.

"He always wants to be the first on everything- he thinks it gives him the upperhand in the situation," the tiny one said, coming over to stand in front of me. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Jasper laughed and sat on one of the tables, his feet propped on the chair in front of him. "My bad, darling. Edward, the little angel in front of you is Alice Brandon, daughter of a jewelry-store magnate and editor of the yearbook and the school paper."

Alice giggled and took a little bow.

"This," he said, gesturing to the blonde girl, "is Rosalie Hale, daughter of a high-profile lawyer. She may be blonde but may no mistake, she's a straight-A average and class president for two years in a row, we are vouching for her this year too.

"And finally we have Emmett McCarty." Emmett nodded at me with a grin on his face, "Son of the CEO of an exceedingly profitable power company. Captain of the lacrosse team and the star of any other sport you can imagine."

"Come on Jazz," Emmett said. "You know I suck at chess. I don't appreciate the fake press."

Jasper went over to Emmett and socked him on the arm. "I'm sorry man, you know you're my blood brother, I wouldn't want to do something that displeases you."

"Yeah, yeah, just watch your mouth. My rep can't be tainted." Emmett answered. I was beginning to like him too. I appreciated people like them, people who didn't give a shit, they didn't need to put up a front.

"And what about you Jazzy dear?" Alice asked. "Your introduction is missing."

Jasper winked at her. "Be my guest."

Alice beamed at him. "Jasper Whitlock, heir to a very successful international oil company. President of the Livingstone History Society and founder of the Loyal Order of the Dragons."

What the fuck? "What is the Loyal Order of the Dragons?"

"We are, nimrod." Jasper said, clearly amused by my ignorance. "I founded it my freshman year with the Black Swan, then Rose got in. Last year Alice and Emmett were initiated."

Black Swan? Initiated? Again, what the fuck? "Hold on," I said. "What is it that you do?"

Jasper grinned and I would later find out that was the expression he would wear after he thought of something that would stir up trouble. "We hijack the school's golf carts, organize late-night parties and co-ed sleepovers, we are the masterminds behind the disruptions at this school and proud originators of multiple mal-doings. We are the rebellious who can't stand the carefully immaculate running of this patriarchal establishment. We live to riot."

I was left speechless.

"You've never been caught?" Was the only thing I could come up with.

Jasper shook his head. "We've been close, but no. Being part of the Order has its risks, and we welcome them willingly." With that he rolled up the left sleeve of his light blue button-up and showed me a tattoo on his inner forearm.

Fortes fortuna adiuvat

"Fortune favors the brave," He said. "Our little motto of sorts."

I let out a deep sigh. "Fucking hell, fortune's never been on my side."

"Maybe you've been a pussy." Rosalie quipped. I instantly felt my anger rise. Who the fuck did this bitch think she was?

"Watch your fucking mouth." I answered instead.

"Hey both of you, chill out." Emmett said, while throwing an arm around Rosalie's shoulders. "Chill."

Alice, who had been typing on her phone, suddenly spoke up. "She's coming now."

Jasper shook his head and chuckled. "Always late."

Emmett laughed and looked at me. "That's the first thing you should know about the Black Swan. She's always late, its quite an unnerving talent of hers."

At that moment the door opened and I heard a voice say: "But a talent nonetheless."

I turned to look at the newcomer and found myself staring at the most captivating eyes on the fucking planet. The biggest set of honey eyes, and even from a distance I could tell they had flecks of green in them. I knew I seemed like a fucking creep but I couldn't look away. Even if I wanted to, which I didn't.

She spoke up again and fuck, her voice was breathy and it was kind of making me squirm. "Who's this?"

Jasper walked up to her and threw an arm casually around her shoulders, pulling her to his side before kissing the side of her head. "This my dear is our new recruit." He gestured from me to her. "Edward meet our Swan."

She was fucking beautiful, in her jeans and oversized sweater. Her hair was light brown, long and wavy. I swear to God it was the sexiest hair I've ever seen. That, combined with those full pink lips, was going to kill me.

As if on cue, she bit her lower lip and I had to stifle a groan. "Nice to meet you Edward..."

I realized she was waiting for me to say my last name. "Uh, Cullen. Edward Cullen."

She smiled and looked at me from under her eyelashes. "Bella Swan."

Fuck me.

She then looked up at Jasper and I felt something weird all over. She looked so at ease with him, and he did too. Maybe they were good friends, but I noticed the way Jasper was staring down at her. That wasn't how you looked at your friends. No, no, the bastard liked her.

"Are you sure about this one?" She asked.

He smiled at her. "When have I ever been wrong?"

I was sure they were talking about me. It pissed me off that they were doing it like I wasn't even in the room.

"I'm fucking here, you know?" I said, running a hand through my hair in exasperation.

"Okay then," Bella said, "then let's get on with the initiation." She smiled directly at me and I felt a shiver run through my spine.

Fuck.