***The beloved Twilight was not written by my hand***
I managed to make my way to my first period just before the late bell rang.
"Err, Hi. I'm Edward Cullen; I'm new student here," I said as I passed her the slip for her to sign. Of course, she couldn't sign it. Oh no, she was too busy staring at the little bundle I held in my arms. I looked down at my schedule to make sure I had the right class, which I did. "Mrs. Hammonds?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry, what did you say?"
"I'm Edward Cullen. I'm new here. Where should I sit?" She signed the paper quickly before pointing to a seat right in front of her desk. I guess it would be harder for the other students to stare openly at me, much like Mrs. Hammonds herself just finished doing.
"We are starting chapter seventeen of Huckleberry Finn today. I need you to sign here for the book," she pointed to a line on a sheet of paper filled with messy teenage writing, then handed me a book. I had already read to book, and had it at home, but I followed her instructions, "And here is the pack for the whole book. You'll have the chance to turn it in periodically to boost your lowest quiz grade. And if you don't do the reading, just write it at the top of the quiz and I'll give you a twenty instead of grading it. Of course, you can't change that grade if it's your lowest,' she finished. I briefly wondered if she did this for everyone, or if I got special treatment. I looked in her eyes and nodded my understanding. She didn't seem to be the type to do that.
The class had been talking before hand, even though the announcements where on. The pledge came on and the older women who said the announcements sped through the pledge, leaving most of the class behind, and the moment of silence, which was surprisingly silent.
"Hey, we need to start now if ya'll don't want homework. Chapter eighteen needs to be read by tomorrow," she pressed play on a CD player in the front of the room and a deep voice started talking, playing the part of Huck. Ell, who had fallen back to sleep in my coat, stirred at the loud voice and gave a loud little baby yawn. A few of my neighboring students looked over at the sound, and kept staring when they saw what made it. I ignored them as I took her out of my jacket and set her on my lap. She wasn't ready to sit up on her own yet, so I leaned her against my chest and laid my arm on her lap. As stupid as I may have looked with it on, I wore a little bracelet with large charms on it. It worked just as well as any toy, and I didn't have to go across the room every five seconds.
Ell looked at me up-side-down and smiled before playing with the little baby charm. I heard the girl closest to me aw and I looked over. She was staring at Ell with her hand on her stomach. Either she was expecting or wanted to be expecting.
Mrs. Hammonds paused the tape and started asking questions. Some people would raise there their hand to answer, but only a few. I decided to put in my two bits and raised my hand. Mrs. Hammonds seemed surprised to see it, but called on me anyway. "The Grangerfords think that Huck might be a Shepherdson," she nodded and continued playing the tape. The rest of the class went on much the same, only, as time passed more people noticed Ell. And the more people who noticed Ell, the more she tried to hide in my shirt. I laughed softy as she buried her head in my chest.
"Silly little girl," I whispered as I planted a kiss on the top of her head. She looked up at me and made a kissy face, which I just couldn't resist. What dad, in his right mind, could resist the angelic face of his daughter? "I'm such a pushover," I whispered to her. She just giggled innocently and smiled up at me.
The bell rang. I wrapped Ell back up in my jacket before picking up the rest of my stuff. A quick glance at my schedule and map told me I needed to go out this building, down the stair, into the building I was in earlier and up the stairs in there. I hated this school already.
When I was ready to leave, only two other students were left in the classroom. Oh great, I thought to myself as I saw the scantily dressed girls standing by the door, a welcoming committee. I started walking towards the door.
"Hello," screeched the one with frizzy, curly, brown hair that was covering half her face, the other half being covered in a pound of makeup. The other one, an unnaturally blonde girl with the same amount of makeup, was glaring at her.
"Um, hi," I said, trying to get around them. I think she was the same one from the parking lot. Ell was acting the same way she did an hour ago, and I was not happy about that. I move to go out the door and the other one stepped in my way.
"Where are you going, hansom?" the blonde one asked.
"To class," I answered slowly, like talking to a little kid who just didn't get it.
"Well, I have a better idea. There is a comfy little closet down the hall. The three of us could have a little ball," she got closer to me and started running a finger down my chest. I didn't take long for her nasty finger to come too close to Ell for both of us. I stepped back and she started crying.
"What is going on here?" Mrs. Hammonds asked. She had been ignoring our conversation, but once Ell's heart breaking cries filled the room, she took notice.
"What is wrong with that thing?" the blonde one asked, glaring down at Ell "Is it broken?"
I glared at her, "No she is not 'broken' she just doesn't want your grimy fingers anywhere near her," I spat. Ell was still crying in my arms as I looked down at her. I shushed her lightly and rocked her gently. I heard two sets of heels walk into the hallway and the door shut lightly behind them.
"Is she going to be alright?"
"She'll be fine. She's just a spoiled little princess," I cooed at Ell, though my words were directed towards Mrs. Hammonds.
"Already?"
"Since the day I laid eyes on this angel," I cooed again. She had stopped crying, but was still whimpering. I looked up at Mrs. Hammonds and she had a look of longing on her face, with her hand on her stomach, where I noticed a bit more than a slight bump. "Expecting something?"
She looked up, her shock written in theoretical sharpie on her face, "How?" I just smiled, not answering her, and turned back to Ell, "yeah," I heard in the background.
The bell rang and a few students came into the room. I looked up at the noisy box and frowned.
"Do you need a note?"
"Please," I answered, smiling at her. I heard a student gasp, but paid no attention to it until I heard my name.
"Edward?" the musical voice of the angel from last night sounded. I turned and felt my smile grow.
"Hey!" I greeted. Ell perked up at the voice too, and then reached her chubby little arms out to her. I laughed as the angel before my giggled.
"May I?" she asked shyly.
"Be my guest," I answered, as I handed Ell over. It was the first time she's been out of my arms since the car this morning, and she seemed perfectly fine with it.
"Oh, Bella, would you mind showing Edward to his next class?" Mrs. Hammonds asked, eyeing the calm baby in her arms with a smile. I silently thanked Mrs. Hammonds for the gift of her name and the gift of the extra time with Bella.
"Yes, Mrs. Hammonds." I got my note, and Bella's, and we left.
"So, Bella," I said, trying to start up a conversation.
"Yes, Edward," she replied.
"Ell looks really taken with you, huh?"
She blushed and nodded slightly. We had just gotten to the steps when Bella handed Ell back to me, "I'm clumsy," she explained, "don't want to risk it."
"Ah," I replied. The stairwell was too quiet, it was kind of eerie, so I filled it Ell's laughter by tickling her. Of course, that got a look from Bella, "What?" I asked, "It was too quiet!" I defended. Her laughter joined Ell's in the air and I couldn't help but to join in.
"You are an odd one, Edward," she said, trying to speak from the giggles still trying to escape from her mouth.
"How so?" I asked, trying to sound offended. I don't think it work, because she just started laughing even more. I huffed when we reached the last step, and Ell copied the noise I made and I couldn't help but to smile down at her.
"HA! I knew you weren't mad!" Bella was still giggling next to me.
"What? How could anyone be mad at you? Especially after Ell let you hold her. You are one special person if Ell lets you hold her. She wouldn't even let her own mother hold her," I whispered the last part and handed Ell back to Bella.
"What happened with her mother exactly?" she asked quietly, obviously trying not to anger me again, but the curiosity over riding the fear all the same.
I looked over at her. Yes, I liked her, and I'm sure that she likes me too. But, how would this knowledge change our relationship. Would it be a good or bad thing? Would she look at me with pity or would she treat me just the same? I hope she treats me the same, but you never know. I hoped that, no, I will not compare Bells to that. That just would not be fair to Bella.
I looked back over to the two of them, and they just seemed to fit together. But something seemed off. They were missing something.
I stopped walking at the bottom of the steps we were suppose to go to for my next class and pulled her to me. She stiffened slightly, but calmed after all I did was hold her to me, my little girl in between us. We stood there for a moment before Ell interrupted the random hug with her sweet little voice, "Dada," she said squirming.
I pulled back from Bella with tomato red cheeks, "Sorry," I whispered to her, not entirely sure why I was whispering.
"It's okay," she whispered back, her cheeks as red as mine.
"I should get to class so that you can back to yours," I was still whispering for some unknown reason.
"But, you never answered my question," she complained, handing Ell to me.
"I will, Bella, but that answer is going to take up more time then what we have left, I'm sure."
"Do you know where you're going?" she asked suddenly.
"I have a vague idea, yeah," I smirked at her.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because, you said yes," she looked at me for a second, instead of the steps. She was right about her clumsiness. She missed the next step and started to fall forward, putting out her hands in hopes to stop herself from face planting. I reached out my arm and caught her around the waist without a thought. Surprisingly, I didn't jerk forward, like I had been expecting after I realized what I did. Of course, I didn't jerk her up either; I don't have vampire strength after all. "That was a close one," I laughed and helped her stand.
"Yeah," she laughed with me.
