A new start in a new school might be a good thing, I thought driving to school in the car Charlie had bought for me. In the office, I was given a school ID and my schedule for the day.
"Remember, Miss Swan, bring back a copy of that schedule with each teacher's signature on it," Mrs. Cope said I was walked through the door and back into the chilled mid-winter air.
People watched as I passed them to each building. I was new. I was an anomaly. But, because I clearly wasn't going to be "cool" material, I was a pariah. In class, I spoke when spoken to by my class mates and answered with a nod of my head otherwise.
Lunch was tricky. We were forced to sit in assigned seats. My assignment left me at a table of seven with one empty seat. When I sat down, a blonde with a clear agenda gave me "the look." I had gotten it every day from most of the girls that Tobi hung out with. And here come "the words."
"Nice shirt. Who made it? The Ohio Tent Company?" then the giggling started. I tried to hide my eyes. I could feel the tears burning behind my eyelids. Please don't cry now, I thought. What I wouldn't give to shrivel up and die right here in the middle of Forks High School. Maybe I could leave school? Just drop out? I was seventeen. I could do it legally. I would get my GED and begin my life as an adult.
A tall girl with brown hair and dark eyes sat next to me. She was silent but I felt her hand move under the table and slip around my own balled fist. I was taken aback. Was this girl really being nice to me or was she just looking for another way to humiliate me when I least expected it?
"I'm Angela Weber," she said in answer to the question in my eyes. "This is Ben. That's Lauren, Jessica. Tyler, Erik and Mike." Lauren. Bitch. Check.
"Isabella Swan. Please call me 'Bella'," I asked her.
I sat silently as talk resumed around me. "Where's your lunch?" Mike asked. "You're not just going to sit there, are you?"
I shrugged my shoulders, noncommittally. I did not eat at school. Heck, I didn't eat in front of anybody but Charlie, Renee or Phil. "No, I guess I'm not hungry."
"You still have time to buy lunch if you want," offered Angela. She pointed towards the lunch line. My eyes darted to the line and then across to a table of students nearby.
"No…" my answer trailed off.
"Ah," Angela caught my line of sight. "I see you've discovered those that are the Cullens and Hales."
For lack of a better word, these five striking students were …. gorgeous. A leggy blonde sat with her feet propped against a formidable looking boy with curly dark brown hair. His muscles bulged from his skin tight shirt as he reached over and bumped fists with a skinner but still well built blonde boy. The blonde male smiled as a tiny black haired pixie took his hand in hers. The four looked bored to be in school but glad of the mutual company.
A fifth boy sat away from the other four at the table. His arms crossed upon his chest, he sat slumped in his chair staring straight up at the ceiling. I could see a flash of bronze hair hanging from the back of the chair but not much else. "The blonde is Rosalie Hale. The big guy is her boyfriend, Emmett Cullen. The tiny one is Alice Cullen and her boyfriend is Jasper Hale. Rosalie and Jasper are siblings and so are the other three. Their father, Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted his sister's kids, that's the Cullens, and, then, took in the Hales, too. You should see Dr. Cullen. Talk about handsome!"
"You want to talk about handsome? Have you seen Edward Cullen, yet?" Jessica whispered leaning across the table to me.
"Edward is out of her league," Lauren answered, pushing Jessica back into her chair. "He's a finely aged wine and you … you're lucky if you're watered down grape juice."
"Edward Cullen?" I asked looking back at the table of beautiful siblings. Slowly, the head of the bronze haired boy righted itself. He scanned my table almost as if he could hear me saying his name. His eyes momentarily stopped on each of the table before darting to my own.
"Yeah, he's Alice and Emmett's brother," finished Angela. "They're nice to look at but not too friendly."
Edward's eyes had locked on to me. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. It was always the most beautiful people in a school that had to single me out. And, if there was a group of them, the worst torture came from the most beautiful male in the crowd. Edward Cullen fit the mold exactly.
The lunch bell sounded suddenly and Edward's eyes left mine. Along with his siblings, they rose and silently began filing out of the lunch room. Edward's posture was perfect. His clothing was pristine and the few garments he wore probably cost more than the car Charlie had purchased less than 24 hours ago. His hair moved in the wind he created as he walked.
I was drunk off the sight of him. He was a god amongst mortals. Leaving the cafeteria, I knew this boy, Edward Cullen, might just hurt me worse than everyone ever has.