I slammed my locker door shut and nearly screamed at the gorgeous face it revealed

Disclaimer: We all know I am not good enough to think up these characters…but I am evil enough to do this sort of stuff to them! Mwuahaha! Stephanie Meyer is queen!

BPOV

I slammed my locker door shut and nearly screamed at the gorgeous face it revealed. There was Edward, leaning against the locker next to mine, and grinning broadly. I threw daggers at him with my eyes, but the blush now throbbing on my cheeks from my fright must have spoilt the overall affect, because he just chuckled. "You're supposed to be deadly afraid, you know?"

"Bella, 'deadly afraid' is technically the only type of fear I am able to feel." He threw me a dazzling smile and I stopped breathing. "But why am I afraid, again?"

He moved his hand up to stroke my still bright red cheek, all the while smiling that breathtakingly gorgeous crooked smile. My heart thudded in my ears, and I felt a tense knot in my chest – I'd stopped breathing. I exhaled deeply, and gasped for more air – it really was unfair that he should dazzle me like that. I blinked rapidly in an attempt to shake off the affects of his perfect gaze and regain my composure. "Why didn't you warn me about today?"

His cold fingers continued to stroke my cheek as he replied, "How was I to know you had forgotten?" He tapped my temple lightly. "I can't hear your mind."

"Yes, but if you had warned me, I could have chucked a sicky!" I complained. He snickered, and then held my gaze.

His tone turned serious for the second time today. "Bella, it's part of going to school. You only get to do this once as a human, and I'll be damned – no pun intended – if I be responsible for you missing out."

I scowled. "Well it's not like I can have a 'normal' human life like this either, can I? Not with a bunch of vampires picking out what I can and can't do, and deciding what is best for me. Oh yes Edward, that's completely normal!" I was edging towards hysteria. I was so sick of Edward wanting to give me only what he thought was best for me – and not what actually was. I wanted control over my own life again.

He frowned at me. "Bella, this isn't over the careers test anymore, is it?" I gave him a withering look. He sighed, and stopped stroking my cheek. I inwardly groaned, but didn't let him know I had been enjoying that. "Bella, please, we have been over this a thousand times. You may not think any of this is important now, but once you become a Cullen, there is no going back. You have to do this stuff now, so that you don't have the chance to regret it later."

I scoffed at him. I knew there was no point continuing this argument right now – he wasn't going to back down, and neither was I. Plus it would be highly inconvenient for me to push it and start crying in the middle of the hall. "I am trying to do what is best for you, you know that Bella, don't you?" I saw the love in his eyes and my heart melted.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, I'm just really worried about this test." A smile replaced the frown on his pale face. At least he thought this was amusing.

"It's really nothing to worry about. I have completed a few of them – it's not hard. Just a bunch of silly questions about your interests, your strengths, weaknesses…all it is really is a self-evaluation course." It didn't help. He gave me an encouraging look. "It's not bad, I promise. The only terrible part is actually going out and trying your assigned career. Though it does make a change from sitting in a classroom and being pumped with facts you have already learnt thrice over."

He reached for my hand, and I grabbed his tightly. He rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand, and it helped some. "Come on, let's go determine our fate." I declared.

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care what our fate is." He cooed. I blushed again at his words, and nodded in agreement. He grinned at me and led the way.

The test was to be taken in our first hour classrooms, so Edward and I wandered over to building three for English. We saw Alice on our way, and I glared at her as evilly as I could manage. "I am going to dye my eyebrows pink, and my hair orange. Then, I am going to wear bright magenta sweaters for the rest of my life."

She looked truly horrified by the fashion nightmare that I had planted inside her head. I felt Edward shake with laughter beside me, and from across the yard, I heard the booming laugh of Edward's burley brother, Emmett. I grinned at my devious behaviour, and passed a still stricken Alice. Behind me I could here Jasper's worried voice. "Alice? Are you ok – what's wrong sweetheart?"

We entered the classroom and took our usual seats in the back row on the left. I could feel the butterflies fluttering around my stomach, and my hands were starting to tremble. Despite my earlier mockery of the idea, I was still nervous at what the result would be. Oh crap, I thought. What if I am destined to be a checkout chick at the local Wal-Mart for eternity? I let out a groan, and I felt Edward's soothing touch on my shoulder. I then thought about all the magnificent jobs the Cullen kids were most likely to be assigned. Engineer, lawyer, doctor, actor, model. I glanced at the bronze haired beauty that was watching me with amused eyes, and cringed. I couldn't compete with that.

My heart raced as Mr Berty – our English teacher – entered the room. "Morning class." He was met with an unusually cheerful and enthusiastic greeting from the class (Edward and I exclusive), which very plainly shocked him. I could see him pondering why he didn't receive such positive energy during normal classes. He hastily began handing out the canary yellow test papers amongst the students. "As I am sure you all know, today we are conducting an exam which we hope will open your mind to other career pathways that you may or may not have considered. You may begin as soon as you receive the test booklet. I expect no talking. You have until second hour."

He lazily dropped the lemon sheets before me on my desk. I stared at them, willing them to disappear, or maybe catch alight? I heard Edward address Mr Berty politely, "Thankyou, sir." I rolled my eyes. The Cullens were such suck ups.

After two minutes of staring, I was pulled from my reverie by a gentle nudge from beside me. "Bella, it's not going to disappear" – stupid mind reader – "so you should just get it over and done with, Love." I sighed. As always, the angelic voice that was my conscience was right. I flipped over the paper, reached for my pen and began my reading.

Careers Personality Test

Forks High School

I glanced over the basic instructions of the test. It was nothing too major or complex, but it still caused my stomach to quiver. I began to fill out the basics of the exam. Name, age, gender…all too soon, my favourite part of the test was over with. Damn. I glanced to my side to see how Edward was doing, and took a double take. His pen was resting neatly beside a closed booklet, which was no doubt filled out in immense detail, unintentionally explaining to the assessor that he was perfect in every way, shape and form, and should hence be given the job of President of the United States. I wondered if that was a possible outcome of this test?

I scowled at his perfection, and those topaz eyes turned to look into mine. "What?" he mouthed. I rolled my eyes, and then looked pointedly at his exam paper. He followed my gaze, and grinned. I scowled again and he chuckled silently next to me. I turned back to face my exam and read the top question. The first 20 were multiple-choice.

I look forward to coming to school everyday.

A – I strongly agree with this statement

B – I agree with this statement

C – I disagree with this statement

D – I strongly disagree with this statement

I blinked. What a stupid question. I moved to circle C, then hesitated. Edward was in almost every single one of my classes, and since being grounded, school was the longest amount of time I got to spend with him during the day. I circled A. Next question:

When it comes to future goals, you like to:

A – Plan them out carefully to ensure success

B – Have a general idea of how you will go about the process of achieving goals

C – Know what they are, but put little work into them

D – Keep my options open rather than commit

These questions were stupid – why had I been worried again? I quickly went through a list of my personal future goals. It seemed I only had two; become a vampire and spend an eternity with Edward. I looked over option D, and was reminded of my earlier discussion with Edward about what was best for me, and hastily circled A for the second time.

I whipped through the multiple-choice questions, pulling faces at some, laughing at others and biting my lip for a few. Then came the 20 'rating' questions. Here, we were given a statement, then had to rate its accuracy on a scale of one to five.

I don't keep my emotions under control. Accurate – though Jasper's presence helps a lot.

I keep my thoughts to myself. Accurate. I smiled a little as I thought of Edward.

I get upset easily. Accurate.

My own happiness and success are more important than the happiness and success of others. I paused, remembering Jacob, and the pain I put him through. I then remembered Charlie, and the worry I put him through. And finally Edward…and the suffering he went through everyday just to be with me. Very Accurate.

Finally, came the questions I had to find answers to myself. The 10 most horrid questions of the exam, where my dull, and dreary side could really shine out. Time to prove my worth – or lack there of. I sighed, and skimmed over the questions. They weren't really bad – but bad enough.

I hastily wrote out answers, explaining what I thought my strengths were (needless to say, that was a very short list), my weaknesses, my motivations, my current career path, a general overview of my marks at school and how I coped under pressure. Once finished, I dropped my pen and flexed my hand. I had been in such a hurry to get it over and done with, that I had caused my hand some serious strain. I shook out the pain, and then closed my booklet.

I glanced up at the clock – I still had ten minutes left of first hour. I turned to face Edward. He was staring lazily into space, not even twitching. A tribute to a long forgotten Greek God, smack bang in the middle of the English classroom. Was I the only one who noticed the splendour that was now seated at the back of the room? He caught my eye, dropped his bored expression and winked at me. I grinned back. He cocked an eyebrow at my closed booklet, and I gave him the thumbs up. He grinned crookedly.

He picked up my sore hand with his cold one, and started to gently massage his thumb into the back of my hand. I sighed, content. I leaned into him, and watched the seconds tick by. This was not bad – I could get used to lessons like this. Eventually though, the bell rang, though it was soon drowned out by the sounds of chairs scraping and students chattering amongst each other.

"See, wasn't that bad, was it?" An angelic voice whispered in my ear.

"It's not over yet. I still have to get the results – the truth will be in the tasting." He chuckled. "The wait may just kill me." As Edward leaned down to collect my things, a thought occurred to me. "Hey, can't you tell me what I end up getting?"

He gave me a puzzled look, before it finally clicked. He grinned slyly. "Carlisle has given Alice strict instructions to not look into the future to see how this pans out. He has assigned me" – he tapped his forehead – "to make sure she doesn't cheat this time round. You will have to wait like everyone else in the form"

I scowled. "Well that's just great!" What's the point of having a bunch of vampires as your future family if they aren't even useful? I stormed towards the classroom door, hitting my knee on the edge of a desk on my way out. I winced as I passed through the doorframe, stumbling over the threshold.

Edward quickly caught up to me. "Bella, are you ok?"

"Yes." I was still a little cranky.

He observed my hobbling. "I think you should sit down."

"No." I limped forward. Stupid, clumsy me. Hitting my knee on a desk – who does that?

"At least let me help you walk? Come here." He tried to wrap his arm around my midsection, but I wouldn't have it. It would probably just bruise anyway, nothing too major. I pushed against his arm and he dropped it back down. He sighed. "Bella, don't make me do something I don't want to." I ignored his threat, and continued on.

Big mistake.

My feet were suddenly swept out from under me, and before I knew it I was being cradled in his arms like a child. I struggled to break free, but his iron arms weren't letting me go. I crossed my arms and pouted up at him. He just laughed at me. "I did warn you, did I not?" He squeezed me too his chest and carried me on to next class – trigonometry.

By the time we reached the classroom, I was bright red from blushing at the passers by who pointed at us. Still he insisted on carrying me through the door and to my place in the back. Using his foot, he pulled out my chair for me and sat me delicately in it. He swept my hair over my shoulder once I was seated, and traced his fingers over my throat. "That wasn't so terrible, was it?"

"Of course it was." I snapped, but he just smiled lovingly at me. Mr Varner stalked into the room then, and Edward gracefully took his seat beside me. Trigonometry, the bane of my existence. At least Edward was here with me for it. I gave him a quick smile, and his responding one was heartbreaking. I breathed deeply, and then turned to face the board.

So, what do you think of the second chapter? It was a pain to write, but now I can start really having some fun with this story…! Please read and review guys – positive and negative words are always welcome!