AN – A huge massive thank you to my four reviewers – A is for Angel, lilangel, KristenStewartFan & hippigirl88.

Bella –

I had been walking for a mere few moments when tiny droplets of rain started to descend from the sky.

I rolled my eyes and sighed knowing the berating Angela was going to give me when I arrived at school, once again soaking wet:

I would have picked you up, why is it you never ask for a ride Bella? I really don't mind taking a detour past your house in the morning or after school. You shouldn't have to walk around school soaking wet for most of the morning.

I mimicked her voice in my head, I wasn't being unkind, at least I wasn't meaning to be. I should be glad someone worries about me I know that. And I don't even think she knows how much I would love to accept a lift from her, I hate getting wet. I hate the way my clothes stick to me, the way they seem heavier as they cling to my body and the fact that I always end up teeth chattering and shivering throughout English and History.

As I continued to walk to my destination the rain started to plummet to the ground faster and faster, bouncing of the pavements with force. I could feel my hair sticking to my neck. Today was seemingly going to be a very long day.

"Bella, you're soaking." Was Angela's exclamation as I met her by the side of her car. She hastened to my side throwing her umbrella over my head.

"A little after the horse has bolted don't you think?" I smirked gesturing towards the umbrella she was now carefully balancing above my head.

"If you insist on walking to school why can you never bring an umbrella?"

"Because, I find them pretty useless, your bottom half still gets wet anyway and I lost three umbrellas last week, the wind blew all three inside out and snapped the metal prongs. The remnants of all three are in that bin" I pointed towards the bin in question as she rolled her eyes and steered me towards the shelter of the cafeteria roof.

"The Cullen's are at school today." Angela commented, her eyes gleaming.

"And the Cullen's are?" I questioned, a little puzzled at the sudden change in subject.

"The new family, they arrived last week, Bella did we not talk about this?"

"Ummm…Possibly."

"Well, we did by the way. But that is not what I wanted to tell you. I was talking to Jessica this morning - or should I say she was talking to me – and she told me all about the Cullen's."

"Angela, since when did you gossip?"I stared at her pointedly.

"OHHHH, I don't gossip, I definitely do not gossip, this is simply sharing information that I unwillingly obtained from a third party."

I looked at her waiting for her to speak and after a few moments of silence…..

"Are you going to share this not gossip? Or do I have to guess?"

She giggled before proceeding….

"Carlisle Cullen is a doctor and he started at the hospital last Friday, Esme – his wife – is an interior designer, and according to Jessica they are both very beautiful and young looking. They have three children: Emmett, Alice & Edward – I think Alice & Edward are both twins…."

She paused for a moment and I took the opportunity to interject.

"I thought there was going to be five of them enrolling at Forks High School?"

"Yes….Yes…Let me finish!"

"Sorry."

"Rosalie & Jasper Hale are living with the Cullen's while their parents launch their now worldwide company across Europe, apparently they felt that their children shouldn't be up-rooted across the globe so near to the end of their school education and Carlisle and Esme being very good friends of the Hales decided to look after them."

"Angela, how in God's name do you know all this?"

"I told you Jessica informed me."

"And Jessica would know this how?"

"Her mom works at the hospital and news spreads…..fast. This is Forks…you should know that by now Bella."

I smiled solemnly before I noticed her gaze shift past me and into the crowd behind us; I turned around wanting to see what she was distracted by and saw Ben Cheney smiling and shyly waving. We both waved back – even though I got the distinct impression he only had eyes for Angela.

I turned towards Angela and couldn't help but grin when I saw the longingly adoring look she was wearing.

Angela likes Ben and Ben likes Angela, however they are both to shy and awkward to approach each other. So they admire each other from afar when they both think the other isn't looking.

…The five minute warning bell shook us both from our reveres with a start.

"I better run to class, I have music with Miss Shelton and you know what little tolerance the woman has for tardiness." She quickly hugged me and rubbed her hands up and down my arms in what I could only presume was an attempt to warm me up.

I smiled but I don't think it quite met my eyes, I had English first this morning and as much as I adored the subject, my fellow pupils always took the opportunity to be nasty to me when I was alone .

I had never really fit in, my mom always claimed it was because I was born middle-aged , that I was far too mature for my age, which may very well be the case, I was the Forks High School freak and not many people in this school liked to let me forget it.

I trudged on slowly making my way towards the stairs, my clothes, though not soaking were now damp and I shivered feeling slightly cold and ill at ease.

The hallways were littered with students making their way to class, one of the girls from my English class – Lauren – pushed past me on the stairs, roughly brushing my shoulder as she passed, muttering the words:

"Move it freak!"

She then carried on walking as if the exchange of words had not taken place, not that I was complaining she was normally far more overbearing and cruel when she wasn't alone, therefore the reality of it was I got off lightly.

At least I thought I had got off lightly until my foot caught on the very top stair and I went sprawling to the floor, the contents of my unzipped school bag flying in all directions.

I blushed scarlet as Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley burst into hysterics. I felt small and humiliated as they laughed and watched me struggle to gather my belongings with a look of enjoyment and amusement – I was going to be late for class at this rate.

"Here" a voice whispered, it was soft and velvety and for a moment startled me.

I lifted my head slightly and noticed two pale white hands were reaching out towards me, one hand was holding my pen and a ring binder and the other hand was reaching out towards me.

I bit my lip before taking his outstretched hand it was soft and very smooth, and I couldn't seem to help but notice how perfect my hand seemed to fit with his.

He lifted me slowly and carefully to my feet….

"Thank you" I whispered, my eyes slowly travelled up towards his face. He was…..breathtaking….I think I sucked in a large gulp of air but I hadn't managed to exhale yet…until his gentle voice reminded me to breath.

"You're welcome" he smiled attentively… "I'm Edward Cullen, I just moved here with my family."

I smiled and nodded my head like an idiot, "I know…..Bella Swan….I mean, that's me…..I mean my name is Bella Swan."

I flushed bright red yet again at the lunacy of what I had just said, expecting him to bolt thinking I was no more than an incompetent little girl. To my surprise he just chuckled and smiled wider.

"I would shake your hand but I think we have that covered." He then gestured to our entwined fingers and once again my cheeks flushed a darker shade of red."

"I'm sorry." I ducked my head in embarrassment, dropping his hand. I immediately felt the loss of his warmth.

"Don't be, I'm not, I am however a little lost. I have English with Mr Mason and I have no idea where that is."

I smiled to myself "you just walked straight past it."

"Really?" He moved his head from side to side almost as if he was searching for something. "Please don't tell anyone…but I have a really bad sense of direction, I wouldn't have found my way to school this morning if my friend Jasper hadn't been back seat driving."

I laughed and motioned with my hand to Mr Mason's classroom –

"Mr Mason's classroom is just there and that's where I'm headed so…." I reached towards him to retrieve my pen and ring binder he was still holding in his hand.

Our fingers brushed as he passed them to me and I coyly fixed my gaze on my shoes as I stuffed them into my bag.

"Thank you" I murmured.

I started to walk towards the classroom door and he gracefully sauntered by my side in silence. As I entered I noticed Mr Mason had not arrived yet – something of which was not unusual, he never had been the most punctual of teachers, often arriving at least fifteen minutes late to lesson.

I walked towards my usual seat in the corner of the classroom; I was the only student who sat in the corner of the room with two empty desks surrounding me, purposely isolated from the rest of the class. It wasn't of my own doing; it was just that nobody wanted to sit with me and to be perfectly honest I could never really bring myself to mind.

As I was approaching my desk, I didn't notice Lauren stick her foot out until it was too late and once again this morning I was sent spiralling forward towards the ground.

This wasn't unusual, I spent most of my time on the ground and mostly it wasn't due to other people, I was a naturally clumsy person and from experience I knew it was probably best just to shut my eyes and let myself fall and NOT try to stop myself.

Although this time was very different, I never made it to the floor and Edward's arms were wrapped around my waist. My stomach started to churn with feelings I couldn't even begin to describe, it just felt so…..right here in his arms….In his arms….

It was then that I noticed the horror of my situation, his arms were wrapped tightly around me and the entire classroom was staring, even Lauren, with her beady eyes as black as coal boring in to me.

"You did that on purpose." Edward growled. His dazzling green eyes no longer sparkling like they did in the corridor.

I think he was about to say something else, because his mouth opened and he started to lean even further towards Lauren's face with a look of pure disgust only Mr Mason chose that moment to enter the classroom and Edward was forced to unwrap his arms from my waist and guide me to my seat.

I was elated when he sat down beside me and discreetly pulled his desk a little closer to mine. His eyes sparkled and he smiled brightly at me all the while brushing a lock of hair behind my ear.

My breath hitched in my throat and I realised in that moment I had completely fallen for Edward Cullen in the space of five minutes….I smiled back but it didn't meet my eyes, Edward Cullen was breathtakingly beautiful and he would never be interested in someone as plain and as boring as me….Bella Swan.

AN – Please review, I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. I would also just like to make a point, the first few chapters will be a rough ride for Bella, I am not going to drag this out for nearly half the story but there will be abuse featured within the first few chapters before Bella will be able to move on.

Please, please review!