(Next chappie! Wow that was stupid. Anyway. This chapter is the true foundation. Also there's some of our boy, Edward's POV ;) Bella's badass side comes out here, too)

I pulled my hand back slowly but we didn't break eye contact.

He looked as astonished as I'm sure I looked so he had felt it too.

The silence was long as we stared at each other, yet not awkward. It was as if we were just letting each other think.

He broke the silence first.

"Um…we should…probably get to class." But as he spoke, the bell rang.

"What the hell?" I mumbled watching as kids started pouring down the hall. "Since when are classes 30 minutes long?"

Edward's beautiful face lit up into a smile. "Pep rally," he said. "Cut classes short to fit it in."

"And what exactly are the mighty Spartans of Forks "pepping" for?" I made air quotations around the word and even I could hear the mocking tone of my voice.

Edward smiled a crooked smile at my tone. "There's a game tonight with La Push. Big rival of ours. Football. It's a big thing around here."

I arched one eyebrow. "Oh? That's kind of sad. That a team called the Spartans is so into sports. Seems to me that a name like that would be the schools that hates and or sucks at sports. Or you know, doesn't really give a shit. Get what I'm saying?"

A small smile was playing around that sinful mouth of his as I talked. I looked at him questioningly until the smile became full grown.

"Oh we give a shit. Its something to do on Friday nights. And I get what you're saying. Name's lame, but I make it work."

"Meaning…?" I asked, hoping he wasn't gonna go all cocky bastard on me, talking about how he makes everything work.

"Team captain and q.b.," he said, pointing to himself. "Q.b means-"

"I know what it means," I said, rolling my eyes. "Quarter back."

"Sorry, just didn't take you for a sports girl." His eyes ran over my expensive clothes as he said it.

I didn't try to apologize for basically insulting his team or say something for his judging me. Instead, I just shrugged and said "whatever".

He laughed at my nonchalance, and I was wondering why the kid was laughing so much. It was still too early for me to do that.

"We should probably get to class. I'm already gonna have to sweet talk to Mrs. Cope to get this morning excused," he said before laughing and mumbling "I wish" under his breath.

Good. So he didn't think he was all that. Well not that I could tell yet.

He turned around and started walking, throwing a "come on, Bella, I'll show you where to go" over his shoulder. I walked after him, my boots clapping on the faded yellow floor. I was looking for my schedule, shoved somewhere in my now disorganized bag, when his voice pulled my head up.

"How do you walk in those things? They look deadly." There was humor in his voice as he nodded to my leather stiletto boots. They made me look taller and my legs looked better. I had worn them 'cause they were my favorite shoes and matched my shirt and coach bag. I had no trouble walking in them, so to answer his question, I merely shrugged.

I finally found my schedule and pulled it out, studying it.

"English with…Mrs. Jordan."

"No way! You have Coach J? She's awesome. Come on, I'll show you." He paced down the hall and I almost had to run to keep up with his long-legged strides. I heard him chuckle and turned to glare at him, but didn't break pace.

We finally got to a door, Edward slowing to a stop then proceeded to waltz into the room. We had interrupted a woman in her early thirties, with red hair that came just below the chin, and green eyes bright with excitement as she talked about God knows what.

She broke off mid-sentence and looked at Edward disapprovingly. "Edward, dear, I already counted you abs- well who's this?" She asked as she saw me behind Edward.

He moved to the side and opened his mouth but I cut him off. Like I was too much a cream puff to introduce myself? Damn. What kind of girls lived here?

"Bella Swan." I told the teacher.

"Oh my goodness! Yes, well I'm Mrs. Jordan, but everyone calls me Coach J because I'm the girls' basketball coach. Here, let me sign your schedule." I handed her the schedule. "Well why don't you tell us something about yourself? Edward you can sit down now." I turned to look as he made his way back to an empty seat near the back. He didn't say he was in this class.

I turned back to Coach J who's pretty face was excited. I turned to the class, and was met by 20 stares. Some were appraising, some were anxious, some were already filled with dislike, and some full of downright bitchiness.

I cocked one hip at one hateful glare in particular at a brunette in a gesture of don't-even-try-to-screw-with-me and started talking.

"My name is Bella, I moved here from Phoenix. I'm into music and I read a lot." Simple enough. But apparently, not enough for Coach J.

"Why did you move here?" The question made me hesitate. I didn't want to think about the answer so I came up with one.

"We just needed a change and we wanted something small. I live with my mom."

"Oh how wonderful!" She clapped in delight and I wondered if she was smoking a little too much happy dust. "Does anybody have any question for Bella?" She asked the class and was rewarded with a lot of hands. "Yes, Mike?"

"What kind of car do you drive?" I should have known they would ask questions like that and I was relieved they were this simple.

"A Mercedes," I said, and was rewarded with envious mumbles. "Yeah," I said pointing to a cute guy in the back.

"Well since Coach J didn't say it, I'm Jason. And what kind of music do you listen to?"

"Alternative, rock, whatever I'm in the mood for." I shrugged. "My favorite bands are My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and Paramore."

Coach J called on the next hand. "Edward?" I followed her gaze back to him, to find him smirking at me.

"What do you think of the school mascot?" He was trying unsuccessfully to cover his small laugh with a cough and I had to fight the smirk that threatened to show on my face.

"It's very interesting. Spartans. Original." He finally lost it and nearly fell out of his chair laughing. I had a better control over myself, half managing to keep the smile from my face. Coach J stared between us before motioning that I should sit down.

I walked to the only seat open, the one next to Edward's. He smirked at me and I "accidentally" kicked his shin with my boot in passing. I heard him grunt and threw a sideways smirk at him as I sat down. This should be interesting.

* * *

By the end of the day I figured out that mostly all of my classes were with Edward. He told me about the school, the kids to avoid and the teachers to get on their good side.

We were walking to the pep rally, laughing about some kid that had accidentally walked into the girls' restroom, when I was pushed from behind. Hard.

All of my stuff went flying. I managed to right myself before I slipped and turned around.

There stood a tall girl with long, wavy, strawberry blonde hair. She had penetrating sky blue eyes and a skinny model's body. She was dressed in a black and yellow cheerleading outfit and was glaring at me with her eyes, but her face maintained a fake pleasant expression.

"You ran into me," I pointed out, not bothering to move my shit out of people's way in the hall. I'll be damned she was going to pick it up or at least apologize. Instead, she pulled an innocent act.

"Oh, did I? I'm sorry. I thought I ran into something big." I glared at her. Did she just call me fat? The bitch was the same size I was. I glanced at Edward who had a nervous look on his face as he stared at Beauty Queen. She noticed my looking at him and smiled.

It was full of something…I'm not sure what though. Until she wrapped her arms around Edward.

Then it clicked. She was gloating.

"Edward, baby, showing the new girl around?"

"Yes." His tone was curt as he figured she was trying to make me jealous. And to be honest, I kind of was.

But I wasn't going to tell her that.

"Maybe you shouldn't waste your time anymore. You're still coming over tonight, right?" He nodded. "Good. Then don't give the newbie any ideas. Let's go. It's not like she's worth showing around anyway."

I wasn't about to give her a comeback. Even from the bitch, the words kind of hurt. But I wasn't going to say anything, 'cause she wasn't worth the effort either. I bent down to retrieve my stuff when a white hand reached out.

"I got it," I snapped. I knew who's hand it was and I didn't want his girlfriend's germs on me from where he touched her. "Sorry no one taught you to take out the trash," I spit in Bitch's direction.

His eyes were apologetic but all he did was nod at me and turn to walk away. Queen B threw a smirk over her shoulder before they disappeared around a corner.

I stood in the hallway long after the pep rally started, just thinking.

This is why you don't make friends. They all want too much from you or turn out to be two-faced. I had started liking Edward. Not in the let's-go-out-I -freaking-heart-you shit, but in the you'd-be-a-good-friend-for-me kind of way. And he was just like the rest of them.

I don't know why it hurt more than others. I'd had plenty of people act like that but it never bothered me as much.

I was opening my car door when the pep rally ended, when something hit my arm. Now I was totally pissed and sooo was not ready for a repeat of earlier. I spun around, throwing my stuff into my seat and slammed the door. I looked around at the kids in the parking lot but no one was close enough to have just hit me. Then I looked down.

There was a football rolling around on the ground. I picked it up and noticed the silver sharpie. GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

I smirked. It was like they were trying to pull the cliché bullies of the new girl. Sending threats. I smiled wider. They needed to watch better movies.

I was tossing the football up expertly, something Charlie taught me, when I spotted a group of girls in cheerleading uniforms walking down the sidewalk with about five or six jerseyed football players. Edward was with them, with a very slutty looking Queen B wrapped around him.

His eyes found mine and I gave him a mock salute with the football. "Lose this?" I called to him. The entire group stopped walking. The guys looked at each other in confusion but the girls broke out laughing.

I strode over to them, spinning the ball on my palm. I refused to put up with this shit all year. If they had problems we were gonna duke it out Bella style.

Queen B, looking like she was ready for a slap fight, strode forward across the drive confidently. Honey, I hope you know how to do more than slap and pull hair. One thing Charlie caught me that was forever valuable, was street fighting.

"I see you found me gift?" Her voice was sugary sweet, and she smiled when her comment caused a round of giggles and "you tell her, Tanya" from the watching cheerleaders. Oh so Queen B had a name. The football players remained silent, except for the biggest guy to say "my money's on the new girl" to a very tense Edward.

My attention returned to Tanya. "Yeah I got it. But I thought you might want to keep your balls. It seems you're sorely lacking." And I thrust the football at her chest. It bounced off with a thud, and she glared at me as she stumbled a step back. She took a step, swinging her open palm toward my cheek. I caught her wrist and pulled her towards me, stopping when our faces were inches apart.

"If you ever try to hit or screw with me again, I will take the extremely expensive Italian leather boot I'm wearing and shove it up your ass. Understand, Beauty Queen?" She glared at me until I shoved her back with enough force to send her sprawling. Not taking my eyes from hers, I picked up the football rolling on the ground and threw it spiraling to the group on the sidewalk. The girls squealed like it was a snake but I heard it hit someone's hand.

I looked up and found myself looking into green eyes. Edward had the ball in the position he caught it, and was staring at me intently. "Nice," he supplied, talking about my throw I imagine. I smiled bitterly. "Yeah. Wish I could say the same," I spit, jerking my chin at Tanya, who was now rubbing her butt. She was playing the hurt victim, but her hands were moving provocatively.

He looked at me like he wanted to say something but stopped. I turned around and was walking to my Mercedes when Tanya's voice pulled me to a jerking halt. "You're going to regret this, bitch! You don't want to mess with me!"

I put as much acid into my expression as possible as I turned slowly to face her. I was gratified by her shirking back a little.

"I beg to differ, Tanya. I think it'll be rather amusing." I smiled at her sweetly and looked over her shoulder. The cheerleaders wore identical bitch-out glares but the guys were wearing looks ranging from impressed to awed to trying not to laugh.

Except Edward.

He was staring at me with a weird expression on his beautiful face. It was slightly amused and almost like he was giving me praise. My brown eyes met his piercing green ones for a second, and knowing Tanya was watching us, I very deliberately winked at him. He gave me small smile in return before I turned to my car.

My hand was pulling on the handle when I felt a presence settle behind me. I looked over my shoulder and it was the football player that had bet on me with Edward. He was staring at me, looking adorable as his approximate 6'7" frame shifted shyly from foot to foot.

I turned to face him completely and smiled warmly at him. He bet on me to kick Tanya's ass and looked as amused as hell when I told her off, so this far he was in my good graces. "I'm Bella?" I supplied offering my hand though I knew he knew my name.

He grinned hugely at me and ignored my hand, sweeping me into a bear hug. "Emmett McCarthy! Damn, girl, you told her! You're my new hero!" He finally sat me back down with a huge sarcastic grin set on his features. "I know Edward's waited for someone to put that bitch in her place for a while." He settled himself on my car.

I was about to tell him to get his monster form off my car when his sentence processed. "Wait, what? Aren't they dating?" Emmett nodded, and seeing my confusion, explained.

"Edward's and Tanya's mothers have been friends since they were kids. Went to school, college together, bought houses within miles of each other and had their kids 3 months apart. Edward and Tanya grew up together but Edward's always hated her. But that's what their parents want, for them to date, and Edward being the guy he is, wont object."

There was silence. I finally broke it. "That…is extremely sad." Emmett and I stared at each other for a second before uncontrollably laughing. Edward was dating queen b to please his parents!

"What's funny?" a voice murmured from behind Emmett and I looked to see a gorgeous girl with long blonde hair and a friendly face smile lovingly at Emmett, who was trying to control himself. Next to her stood a small girl with short dark hair and a boy behind her that had to be related to the blonde girl. Emmett composed himself and put an arm around the first girl.

"Bells, this is Rosalie, Alice and Jasper," he said, nodding to each one in passing. They smiled warmly and I returned it.

We stood in a comfortable silence for a while until I heard Alice whisper, "Yes, she's perfect."

I looked at her and she was talking quietly to Rosalie. They both jerked away from each other when my eyes landed on them but my tart "what?!" set Alice to explain.

She furrowed her brows for a second, looking me up and down. When she made her way back to my eyes, she smiled. "Bella. How would you like to help us with something big? Something we've been wanting to happen for a while?"

"What does it have to do with?" I asked cautiously.

Her elfin face lit up with a devious smile as she replied:

"Edward."

(Well, what's going through your head? Bella's secrets wont come out for a while but Bella and Edward will be soon)