A/N: Here it is – Chapter One. Time to take it back. See you on the flip side.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any other things in this story from various pop culture references which you might recognize.

Chapter One -

-Two Years Earlier-

Bella's POV

I blame all of this on my irresponsible and flighty mother.

If it hadn't been for my mother leaving, I never would have felt the need to take on the "parent role" and such an early age. However, you can't change the cards you are dealt with, so she DID leave and I DID grow up far too quickly.

Maturity wise, I was years ahead of my peers. Charlie swears that I was born 30 and I get a little older every year. This would usually be considered a good thing. However, my maturity also led to me skipping a grade and graduating high school at the age of 17. It's not that rare, but its just enough to screw you over – Especially if your field of instruction is teaching.

High school came and went. I graduated and, like the good little girl I am, I immediately went to college to continue my studies. As far as my major went, to say it was shocking was a little exaggerated. I majored in Music Education. It actually made a lot of sense if you thought about it considering I was in Advanced Choir all eight semesters of high school, attended multiple state honor choirs every year, and all of my siblings were teachers. Technically, my eldest brother Riley is a principal, but he was a teacher at one point in time. To me, I was merely continuing the family business. To my dad, I was going to end up a starving artist. He finally relented when I explained to him that the "Education" factor was there for the sole purpose of me having the opportunity to be gainfully employed.

College was a different experience for me. I wasn't kidding about the whole "good little girl" thing. I really am kind of a bore. I've never been to a party – It's really not my scene. I've never drank, smoked, or did drugs (Duh), and I actually like school. So while the rest of my collegiate counterparts drank away their tuition and frantically wrote last-minute term papers, I dutifully gave 100% to all of my classes. When I wasn't in class, I was researching. I worked as an undergraduate research assistant for one of my professors for nearly three years. I attended several research conferences to present and completed a thesis to graduate with University Honors. This wouldn't be such a big deal if I weren't a music major. Classroom Teachers can bitch all they want about music teachers having it easy, but we definitely make up for it in the whole college realm. On average, music students have about 11 classes a semester, sometimes more. Each one of them valuing at about zero, one, or two credit hours. I would get so annoyed with other majors standing in line at the bookstore waiting to collect books who would complain about having four or five classes that semester. Give me a break. Sure, my classes have less credit hours, but it's really just so that they can fit more classes into the major without going over the total limit set by the state. In other words, I have a two hour class that really should be a three or four hour class.

So fuck you.

I digress.

In my last semester on campus, I presented at three different research conferences, learned to play a new instrument, completed my honors thesis, AND drove a one hour commute from Charlie's house to campus three days a week. It was not a pretty time in my life. Needless to say, I was very excited to begin my student teaching semester. Sure, there was a lot of paperwork and it was complete bullshit but at least the teaching part would be a blast.

I knew going in to student teaching that I would have a hard time. Not only was I only 21 (only three years older than a lot of my students), but I could definitely blend in with my surroundings. I looked to be around seventeen years old. In fact, looking back now, it took half a semester for the office staff to stop calling me out for being in the office as a student. Annoying, I assure you.

December rolled around, and, since I had pretty much finished my semester at college, I decided to drop by and meet my cooperative teacher. His name was Mr. McCarty. I was supposed to meet him earlier in the semester at a conference, but we never ended up crossing paths. I had heard stories from my professors about him. Apparently he was an anomaly in music teachers. Built like a truck, the man was a football coach who was married to one of the math teachers at the same high school.

I emailed him beforehand to figure out a good time to meet with him, where I should meet him, etc. Pulling into the parking lot, I parked my Jeep Liberty in the small lot off to the side. Apparently the music room is in it's own corner of the school away from everything else. I pulled on my jacket and opened the door, making sure to push the lock button. You could never tell with unfamiliar high school students.

Walking up to the big green door, I took a moment to collect myself and calm my nerves before reaching forward, grabbing the handle, and giving it a strong tug.

It's locked.

Of course.

Pulling out my phone, I began to search for the email containing Mr. McCarty's number when, all of a sudden, the door flew open, nearly knocking me on my ass. Looking up, I saw the face of a giant.

"Hey there! You must be Bella!" He exclaimed entirely too loudly for the short amount of distance between us. Reaching forward his hand he offered, "My name is Emmett. Choral director hear at West Falls High. It's great to finally meet you!"

Shaking his hand in return I eyed him warily, "Thanks, it's nice to meet you too. I've heard many things about you from my professors." Mainly that he was a very laid-back personality and that we would probably get along like oil and water, but I wasn't about to mention that to him.

"Cool, cool. Why don't you come inside and I can show you around and whatnot?" He gestured to the dim hallway.

I followed his lead into the door and looked around at the green and yellow walls. To my immediate right were two double doors that I could only assume led to the choir room since it was the only door around. Reaching forward I pulled, and this time, it opened.

As far as schools in the middle of nowhere go, the room was actually pretty nice. Built in risers, huge conductor's stand, a nice L-shaped desk up front, and what looked like a storage closet straight across the room. That's when I noticed all the instruments that littered the top step of the riser.

"Is this the band room as well?" I questioned. To say I wasn't prepared to deal with conducting a band was an understatement.

"Yeah, but they only have class one period a day – First Period, which is our planning. The rest of the day is blissfully band-free"

I raised an eyebrow at his comment, "Not a big band fan?"

"Oh, you know how it is. Playful, bitter rivalry and all that. Any-who, in here is the office." He reached to my left and opened a door I had not previously noticed. He walked in to a very tiny room with two desks shoved up against opposite walls. "The Mr. Newton and I share an office."

"Doesn't it get a little crowded?" I asked, surprised that the two grown men could actually fit into such a small space.

"Nah, we made it this way on purpose." He opened up yet another door on the opposite side of the closet space and stepped through. This room was about the same size as the one we had just exited but it was infinitesimally more interesting. A mini fridge on a table sat behind the door while the rest of the room was taken up by a giant screen TV and a futon. "We decided we would rather be cramped in desks that we never use and convert the other office space into a Man Cave. He beamed at me as if expecting me to give him the Nobel Peace Prize or something similar.

I smiled slightly and nodded my head. It really was a good idea.

"Well, technically, I suppose it was my idea, but Mr. Newton couldn't be bothered to interfere. He's never here anyways." He said with a shrug. He walked across the room to yet another door – Seriously, how many doors does this place have? - and opened it. Turning on the light, he stepped to the side and offered me my first glimpse of choral literature paradise.

Multiple filing cabinets lined the walls and one large music storage unit stood to my immediate right. I could not iwait/i to go exploring.

"The storage unit is new" he said gesturing to the before-mentioned cabinet. "I've got some girls in fourth period who are taking Vocal I just to do some secretarial work for me. "In reality, they sing in third period, Vocal III/IV. They will be going through all the music, relabeling the pieces, and placing them in the storage cabinet in alphabetical order."

If I were still a high school student, I would have jumped at the opportunity he was offering these girls. But I'm a total nerd.

"This is quite a bit of music," I add looking around.

"Well most of it is inherited from the previous chorus teacher. I've only been here about six years." This made sense to me as he didn't look that much older than me.

"I'm so excited to get started!" I smile genuinely at the tasks set before me. I've always wanted to be a choral conductor. Choir was my solace in high school and my mentor, Mrs. Cullen, was a pseudo mother of sorts. When my mother left us, my dad really had no idea how to fill his parent role, much less hers. When I got to middle school and auditioned for chorus, I was introduced to the world of choir. Esme Cullen was the queen of that world in this state. Well, she was. She retired this Christmas. They were forcing her to teach both middle school and high school choir this year. She was going to wait and retire at the end of this semester so I could, possibly, have her job, but she couldn't handle the workload at her age. She's not ancient but she is older, and I completely understand. I can't imagine undertaking something so large as that and I'm only 21.

"I'm excited you're here!" Mr. McCarty smiled, bringing me back to the present. "It's going to be a fun semester. We've got several choral festivals coming up as well as the production of 'Hairspray' that we're planning on doing. We just had auditions last week."

Now that caught my attention. I loved musicals. I had never really had the opportunity to participate in them growing up due to living in the world's smallest town. The fact that I would have the chance to work behind the scenes on a production had me even more excited.

"We will have time to look through some music later, but for now let's step into the choir room and talk about some things that are coming up." I followed Mr. McCarty into the large room where we sat at his desk and discussed all the different dates coming up in the following semester and which ones I wanted to attend. Of course, I informed him that I wanted to go with him to all the festivals and various class trips. Why would I miss out on such great opportunities?

Toward the end of our conversation, the door to the choir room opened and a man I hadn't met stepped inside. He had shiny blonde hair, and by shiny I mean that it was literally gleaming under the fluorescent lights thanks to the huge amount of gel smudged through it. I think he was going for the whole "I just rolled out of bed look" and failed. Miserably. He was dressed in khakis and a collared shirt. Normally, this would be appropriate but considering today was a workday, I found it a little odd that he was dressed so... not casually. Finally, I looked at his face and realized he was smirking at me. Did he think I was checking him out? Dear God, this has got to be the band teacher, and, judging by his smug attitude, I would say his primary instrument was the trumpet. They're all the same. Trust me. I've dated more than one.

"Well, hello there." he greeted in what I'm sure he felt was his suave voice. "Mike Newton. And you are?" he asked, reaching out his hand for me to shake.

"Bella Swan" I answered shaking his hand and immediately and very discreetly wiping it on my jeans. "You're the band teacher?"

"That I am. Came here fresh out of college four years ago." he said with a smile. A smile which, had I been a lot more blonde and a lot less intelligent, I probably would have found to be attractive. Not that all blondes were lacking in the intelligence department, I just figured two blondes would look better together than the alternative. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my prejudices.

I looked to my cooperative teacher who, for the first time that day, looked positively bored. However, he was very good at masking it. I hid my giggle as I realized that Mr. McCarty here did not care for the company of Mr. Mike Newton.

"That's neat. Mr. McCarty and I..."

"Please, Bella, call me Emmett." he interrupted briefly.

"Yes, of course. Emmett and I were just discussing the upcoming semester.

"Sounds like a lot of fun. It seems like only yesterday I was toughing it through my student teaching." he regaled, leaning against the table.

Deciding that I wanted to be rid of this... person... I turned to Emmett and expressed my need to return home, seeing as I lived forty five minutes away.

"That's cool, Bella. So I will see you the first day of school?"

"Sounds good," I replied. We had agreed that even though I did not start my semester until two weeks in, I should come by the first day of classes just so the students could see my face and be introduced to the idea of having a guest conductor for the semester.

"I'll see you then!" he told me with a smile. This guy just seemed so genuine. Even with his laid back personality, I felt like our similar snarky personalities would be a good match. This semester just kept looking brighter and brighter.

I smiled slightly at the band teacher, "I will see you soon as well, Mr. Newton."

"Bells! Call me Mike. I'm definitely not old enough to warrant Mr. Newton from you." he said with a wink.

I quickly walked from the room and out the school door to my Jeep and didn't breathe again until I was sitting in my driver's seat. Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my cell phone to call my father and let him know I was about to leave school for home. Commuting forty five minutes sucked ass, but free board with my parents made it worth it. I definitely didn't miss bills.

Taking one last look at the school, I breathed deeply and smiled a sideways smile.

January couldn't come soon enough.

Then again,

You know what they say about wishing your life a way.

End Note: What has Bella gotten herself into? Next time, we will meet some of the students... and maybe even a certain sexy, reddish-haired man.

P.S. These are un-beta'd. I'm afraid I'm far too busy with RL to read over twice. At least I use spell check.