Chapter Two: Groundwork
BELLA
The next few weeks seemed to crawl by. My life continued to hum along, and though I kept mostly the same demeanor at school and with Charlie, in private, I was a different person. I wouldn't say that Jacob's declaration made me sad; bitter was a better way to describe it. I felt like my frustration due to Jacob deciding on the split and because I could not help him was starting to boil over – I felt like I would not be able to hide it from those around me much longer.
It wasn't until Valentine's Day that my life seemed to snap back into focus. When I parked in my usual spot and shut the heavy door of my truck, I began to notice the subtle differences that February 14th makes to a high school campus. Almost every girl carried a flower, or a teddy bear, or a heart-shaped candy box, or a pink balloon. Some had all four. There were some guys, looking timid and out of place, that held these things as well, and it was obvious by the way their eyes twitched from every angle that they were anxiously awaiting the recipient. I walked slowly to where I usually met up with Angela and the gang, trying not to think about any tall, dark-skinned boys who wouldn't be waiting to present me with a rose.
"The big one would be intimidating if he wasn't so handsome."
"I need to ask her where she buys such chic clothes."
I walked silently to Jessica's side, curious at their strange conversation.
"Whose clothes, Jess?" I asked her, letting out a laugh when all of my friends jumped at my sudden presence. They were really distracted with something.
"Oh goodness, Bella! It's the rest of Dr. Cullen's family. The tiny girl in the awesome outfit is Alice Cullen," Jessica motioned to our right to a group of five pale students – I suddenly noticed how stylish they all were.
"The big dude is Emmett Cullen," Mike chimed in, sounding a tad green with envy as he spoke the name. I swear, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ben have the same look.
"And the hot one is Edward Cullen!" Jessica squealed, and Angela let out a giggle at her enthusiasm. I smirked, and looked back over to the five new students.
I really looked at them now, as none of them were looking my way. Rosalie and Jasper were there, both unnaturally beautiful, standing with excellent posture. To Rosalie's side was Emmett. He was big – football player big – with short, curly black hair. He had his arm snaked around Rosalie's waist. So they were a couple, I presumed. I shook my head at the thought, then realized what I had heard before – they were all adopted. There were no bloodlines between them, so no harm, no foul.
Jasper's long arm held, at the end of it, the small hand of Alice Cullen. Her short black hair was styled expertly, jetting out in multiple directions. She looked lithe, as if she could break out into a dance at any second.
The third new addition had his back to me, talking to his family. The one they called Edward Cullen. He was about Jasper's height, but a bit more filled out, it seemed. His tousled hair was golden bronze, and his black denim jacket certainly looked expensive. The Cullens definitely dressed to impress.
"So those two and those two," I motioned to Rosalie and Emmett, then Jasper and Alice, respectively. "They're couples?" I directed my attention toward Jess, as she already seemed to be in the know on as much information as was available.
"Yes," she piped, "But guess what? Edward is single! What do you think, Bella? I can totally get with that, right?" She winked at me, and I heard Mike sigh.
I turned back to look at the Cullens. At that moment, Edward turned to look in our direction, and our eyes locked for an instant. I couldn't make out their color from where I was, but they looked lighter, and definitely not blue. He seemed to bend his lips into a slight smile as he turned back toward his siblings. He couldn't have heard us, could he?
"Umm, Jess, you're really going to ask him out? You don't even know him," I pointed out, futilely, I knew already.
"Psh! Know shmow, I will. Just you wait, Bella!"
Well, this will certainly prove to be an interesting day.
-SSS-
The bell sounded then, and I began to walk to first period, though my peers made it difficult. It was a teenage traffic jam, though instead of ogling at the sight of a fire or an accident, everyone kept their eyes on the Cullens and Hales, insatiably curious and frustratingly persistent. I felt bad for them.
I sat down in my usual seat, taking the usual suspects out of my backpack and stifling a yawn. I began to casually take inventory of all of the girls carrying gifts, and what they were. What a joke of a holiday. All it did was make Hallmark and Hershey's rich and incite ridiculous, gender-specific expectations. I bit my lip as I realized I might have actually been upset if Jacob had given me chocolates. What kind of person does that make me?
"Good morning, Edward. Welcome to Forks High. Please, take a seat," Mr. Mason's voice interrupted my escalating internal dispute. So the bronze-haired single one was in my class – Jessica's next mark. I held back a giggle as he sat next to me, which I didn't expect but also didn't really ponder.
I only peeked at him a couple times. The first time, he seemed bored to all hell, and weirdly stiff, as if he either smelt something so terrible he couldn't breathe, or he was practicing for some role as a statue. I noticed, being this close, that his skin was smooth – not just unblemished, but like marble, carved by the greats. This unnerved me, so I only glanced at him again near the end of class. This time he seemed to be in deep concentration, his amber eyes fierce. For a moment, I wished he would look into my eyes; I felt that, if he did, there would be some sort of tangible sensation. I felt my pulse quickening as I imagined that, and was instantly embarrassed and shameful of my strange, intimate daydream involving the new kid. He swallowed then, and blinked, as though whatever he had been concentrating on became more difficult. I looked away, and let out a breath when the bell rang.
Lunch hour seemed to come quicker than normal, and it felt like the hype of Valentine's Day had completely simmered out, with only the pink and red trinkets still in the hands of some girls left to remind me what day it was. As I sat down at our table, I took a glance over at the far table where the Cullens, it turned out, sat with their blonde siblings. The hype over their arrival had definitely not faltered, and you could tell that most of the cafeteria was buzzing with gossip and quick glances toward the curious family that kept to themselves. One thing that really stood out, though, was the fact that no one actually spoke to them, just like I had noticed with Rosalie and Jasper before. Unlike when I arrived, no one felt inclined to talk to them. It was the same as it was before school started, earlier in the quad. It was a strange phenomenon, and I did understand it, to an extent. The Cullens were certainly different, and a bit frightening. Something about them was just too perfect, and they simply did not look as if they fit in here, or at any suburban public high school.
"So, I'm going to go, and there's no way any of you can stop me!" Jessica proudly proclaimed from our lunch table, holding her fist in the air. "Edward Cullen won't be able to resist!"
"Don't you think he's already been asked out today?" Angela tried to put in her two cents, but Jess wouldn't budge.
"Fine, Jess," I smiled, waving my hand in the Cullen's direction. "Do what you need to do."
"Alright, guys. Wish me luck, though I won't be needing it!" She stood up and began walking over to the far table. I felt every pair of eyes watch Jessica as she bravely made her way over, stopping in front of where Edward sat. He glanced up at her, turning an apple over in his hands. I almost thought he was going to throw it at her, when he did yet another thing I was not ready for. His answering smile – it was overpowering. I felt a light gasp escape my mouth – I did not think humans were designed to look that appealing. I thought back to first period, and how his eyes captured my attention and his stillness gave me chills. Talk about mixed messages.
"Can I help you?" Another surprise – his voice, audible only because the entire cafeteria was dead silent, was extraordinarily smooth. I watched Jess falter, hit by the same shock of awe, and then regain her stance. She leaned over toward him – I could only assume that she was glad to have worn such a low-cut sweater today – and tossed her soft curls over her shoulder with a swift movement of her head.
"My name is Jessica," She crooned, "I just wanted to offer myself as a guide of the campus, or as a shoulder to rely on. Anything you want." Her words warranted a bigger smile, and she continued, "I'd be happy to go out for coffee after class, if you'd rather something more private."
I heard the cafeteria buzz with ooh's and oh my god's. I watched carefully for Edward's reaction to Jessica's brave and reckless proposition.
"Thank you, Jessica, but I have already acquainted myself well with the campus. I have previous engagements later today, as well. Perhaps another time," He continued to smile that jaw-dropping smile, and waited for Jessica to walk away. I didn't notice that she had frozen in place until whispers started to fill the empty room again.
Without fully realizing what I was doing, I stood, the only student in the room aside from Jessica that wasn't glued to their seat. I felt a hundred pairs of eyes shift to me as I strode carefully over to the far table, my heart starting to race. I felt my cheeks heat up with the stage fright as I finally reached the table. Keeping my eyes on Jessica the whole time, I placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Jess, come on, let's get something to eat. Please," I tugged at her, finally soliciting a response when she shoved my arm off of her. I stumbled, and Jess turned to me, tears streaming down her face.
"Get out of my face, Bella! Don't you dare say it!" As she moved to stalk past me, she shoved me to the side, and this time, I lost my footing. I barely had time to let out a nervous squeal before I felt something wrap around my waist mid-fall. Though my brain began to register that it was Edward that had caught me, my hand reflexively shot up, grabbing the nearest thing – his shirt. The force of my grasp caught him off-guard, and it pulled him nearly off the chair he was still sitting on.
After the second or two that had just conspired, I catalogued the aftermath. I was half on the ground, held up only by Edward's right arm, and I had pulled his face to within inches of my own. I couldn't hear any reactions from the other students – the sound of my racing heart was overwhelming. I re-focused my eyes – my sense of touch was the first of the five to resurface – and found a pair of profound golden eyes staring widely into mine. I inhaled a gasp, and found another sense – taste. The air here was sweet, inviting and crisp, the way a perfect January morning would seem. With another short, ragged breath, my sense of smell regained itself. The smell matched the taste, only amplified, and made my heart beat impossibly faster. Finally, sound returned to me, and I heard the murmur of concerned and curious students behind me.
Only a few seconds had passed. Edward seemed to hesitate for a short moment before he finally heaved me back up so that I could stand. I removed my hand from his shirt and found the edge of the table, using it to prop myself back upright and on my feet. Now that I was safely standing and no longer in physical contact with him, I kept my eyes strictly off of him, or anyone else, for that matter.
"I'm so sorry…" I mumbled a too-quick apology, and turned to find the exit. The sea of students seemed to part for me, and I'm not sure if it was because they wished to help me or because they were stunned by what had just occurred. Once outside, I stumbled over to the nearest tree, grasping it to steady myself, and took a deep inhalation of cold, misty air. I closed my eyes, focusing on nothing but my breathing for what must have been a full minute. I opened my eyes suddenly, feeling like I was not alone.
I whirled to look behind me like a paranoid freak – and there he was, Edward Cullen, alone, looking at me worriedly.
"Bella, isn't it? Are you alright? I thought I might as well see if you were okay," He hesitated, clearly not wanting to come to close. I spun – was I really spinning? I shut my eyes, grasping the tree harder. I felt the blush return to my face in full force.
"Thank you," I stammered, "I just feel dizzy…no big deal. Please don't –" I had to catch my breath – "worry about me…" I opened my eyes, and, though I may have been imagining it, it seemed he had moved in a little closer. We locked eyes again for an immeasurable moment, and my mind struggled, the impossibility of him being here warring with the strange sense of calm this brought me.
After a few seconds of examining me, he smiled curtly and nodded. "Very well then," he breathed, icy and distant, turning to walk toward the History classrooms.
I blinked, the confusion and irritation overwhelming any amount of dizziness and embarrassment I had. Angela and Ben walked out of the cafeteria, my eyes finding them in the crowd, and I gave them a nod. They acknowledged me as well, and I noticed that in front of them was Mike trying to reason with a very peeved Jessica. I smiled grimly, feeling intensely sorry for Jessica. She had wanted to ask the hottest boy in school out, and ended up getting shut down by what turned out to be a cold, arrogant jerk. I stormed off to Geography, sitting at my usual seat next to a girl I barely knew named Danielle.
Mr. Frank began class, but after just a few short announcements, he let us work on our workbooks in pairs. Danielle wasn't as bad a gossip as some girls, and I was hoping that she'd avoid any questions about the crazy confrontation in the cafeteria.
"So, Bella," Danielle began, and I held my breath – there goes my hope. "You just made every girl in this school completely jealous, girl…so really, how was it?" She spoke low, but quickly, with too much enthusiasm.
"What?" I responded, not looking up from my workbook, though I was just drawing circles in the margins.
"I mean, Bella, you touched him! He caught you in his arms, like a prince or something! I know he's only been here a day, but he's definitely the hottest guy in school, and…"
I felt my face redden as I finally looked up at Danielle. "I thought everyone was afraid to even go near him, aside from Jessica. So you're saying that every girl in school is going to try their hand now?"
She just shrugged, saying, "Well, pretty much. I mean, he's super intimidating, and they all kind of weird me out. But still, hard to pass up on that."
"Whatever," I muttered.
Danielle gasped at my nonchalance. "Geez, Bella, you see it too, right? Or are you blind?"
"Of course I see it," I muttered as quietly as I could manage, and turned to look behind me reflexively. I pictured Edward, two classrooms over, and I could imagine him smirking. He not only got under my skin because of his attractive-this and his creepy-that, but he also radiated arrogance. I began to review the events of today in a new light, like how cocky is smile was when Jessica walked up to him, and how false and smooth his retort was, and how he checked up on me out of some sort of implied duty, forced and robotic. My irritation arose in swift abundance. "I just don't get the hype. Let the masses fight over him. Join if you want, Danielle, but I don't want anything to do with Edward Cullen."
