"…so, then I said, 'You are such an asshole!' and then I was like 'Wait, do you really think I'm fat?' and when I turn around he's laughing at me. Like, doubled over."

I rolled my eyes. Alice was probably the skinniest human being I'd ever seen. The only reason why I had yet to call someone professional was the fact that she was always hungry. And really, always eating.

"Uh-huh. So. When are you finally gonna realize that he, hmm…well. How do I put this? WANTS. ON. YOU." I say, already knowing how she's going to reply. Life is tortuous that way.

"Bella, we've been over this, he thinks I'm like, his best friend, or something. He says he feels like he can tell me anything…I mean, he was totally just kidding about me being fat…"

She's currently stuffing her mouth full of potato chips daintily, which I'm not entirely sure is possible. And I move my train of thought onto something else before I start killing brain cells with the logic of her eating habits and her femininity.

Alice doesn't understand that despite popular belief, not everyone wants to hear about her recent adventures with Wonder Boy Jasper Whitlock, the retard with an abusive girlfriend and a major case of lust for his new best friend, Alice Brandon. She's my friend too, but only when she really wants to put in the effort. Oh, and also when I pretend to care about her pining desire for the dude-who-so-wants-in-her-pants-but-instead-pulls-the-friendship-trust-crap.

She'll settle for anything he'll give her.

I let the cafeteria noises drown out anything else she has to add. I'm normally pretty empathetic towards her drama, I don't enjoy being rude. But I've had a lot on my mind lately.

I glance at their table. I watch Angela gush in response to Alice's retelling in the corner of my eye. And let my focus be drawn completely to the table in the center.

Like the freaking center stage or something. Emmett and Jasper arm-wrestling, while Jasper attempts to flick potato salad in his eyes. I watch Edward laugh at them, his shoulders shaking and his eyes crinkling. He's sharing a headphone with Rosalie, his hair wild and perfect, his long fingers drumming on the table top. Rosalie, blond hair piled into a ponytail, draws circles with her fingers, staring at nothing. I notice her nail polish is black.

The rest of their posse looks on, knowing that though they may be a part of the top, they are not what makes the top.

Edward's laughter fills the cafeteria. I continue to watch, ignoring the tingle in my stomach at the sound.

Rosalie fidgets with the bottom of her shirt. Traces the lining on the side of her jeans. Reaches for her bag. Starts rummaging through it without seeming to know what she's even looking for. The headphone slips out, but she doesn't bother to put it back in.

They are all beautiful. But she does not glow.

Edward never even glances at her.

I'm scared for her. She looks…lost.

"Hey guys…" I'm hesitant to share this with the committee.

Nobody stops talking. Angela looks at me mid-sentence. I roll my eyes. Again.

"Anyone got a smoke?" I say, a little bit louder this time.

The silence is so abrupt that I have to remember what I wanted to say in the first place.

Heh. "Just kidding. Jesus. It's like I just announced that it was the end of the freaking world. Calm down."

They continued to stare at me. Oh my. I didn't realize what couple of idiots my friends were.

"What's up with Edward and Rosalie?" I nonchalantly ask while taking a huge bite of my apple.

Alice groans. "Bella, we know you've been obsessed with Edward since you had eyes, but seriously, it's time to move on. He's with Rosalie. The end. They have, they will and they do live happily ever after. God. It's like, ordained by the gods, or something. Can we get back to what I was saying?"

I have to snicker at the irony. There was no break-up riding on her horizon either. That hypocritical swine.

Angela attempted to help. After all, they weren't all idiots. "I don't know, remember that one time they came into class late? Her mascara was running down her cheeks and Edward couldn't even look at anybody."

"Yeah, I remember." I did. It had been a couple weeks ago. Alice and I had joked about what she had been crying about.

"Oh Edward why can't you just be happy that I wear strawberry flavored lip-gloss? It's like the best in the world. I know that you're allergic but you'll just have to get over it. Even when I get it all over your face."

"Rosalie, if you want me to be happy in this relationship, you're gonna have to quit wearing it. You don't want me to be unhappy, do you Rosie?"

"But, but, Edward. It makes my lips all big and pouty. Don't you like that?"

"Uh, yeah. Hey, you're right. It does work pretty good. But, uh. That's not the point."

And on and on. You get the idea. Yeah, well, har har. We laughed at the time. But I wasn't laughing anymore.

Angela continued, "And remember when Emmett tried to ask about it, Edward almost punched him in the face? Emmett. Who picks a fight with that guy?"

"Yeah." I answered. To all of the above. The couple wasn't just a rich and stupid pair of picture-perfect Barbies that everyone made fun of but secretly wanted to be.

They were…intriguing. To say the least. There was more going on here. I just knew it.

And suddenly, high school got interesting.