Sorry for the lateness!!! I feel so bad, but I got so busy with the holidays, and, svhool and I kept getting sick. Yeah, I know excuses, excuses. So I hope y'all had a great holiday season :)

When an idividual, a sect, a clique, or a nation hates and despises another individual, sect, clique, or nation, he or they simply do not know the objects of their hatred. Ignorance is at the bottom of it.

Summary

Outcast, Bella Swan gets paired up with the popular and handsome Edward Cullen for a school projec.t Cliques are formed and sides are taken. The project: Write a love song. Will the project bring them together or break them apart forever.

Chapter 3: Get To Know You Better

Angela Weber, Ben Cheney, and I sat at our usual table in the very back corner of the caffeteria. Well, just us and one tiny addition. And by tiny I mean tiny. Alice Cullen's petite frame sat across from me, in all of her spiky haired course the first minute she sat down I interrogated her on why on Earth she would want to sit here with us, but every time I asked she would brush it off and say that she wanted to get to know us better. Total Bullshit. One of the most popular girls in school -Second only to Lauren- Just 'wanted to get get to know us better'. Yeah. Right. She did surprise me though. She didn't insult us or sneer at our 'fashion sense'; Although she did propose a makeover, which I quicky-and politely- turned down. Makeovers were not my style and she seemed nice, but it would take me a while to really trust her.

"So Alice, what's your brother like." I asked. Her head snapped up toward me and she stopped mid- way through her sentence which appeared to be."And then he walked me to the door like a true southern gentleman and said 'Alice you are such an amaz-'

"What about my brother?" Alice asked causiously.

"I-I dunno during class when it was just us he was being so nice but when Lauren came around h-he was totally different, he was cold and mean." I stuttered under her intense gaze. She nodded soberly.
"You're doing a project with him I'm guessing?" She asked. I nodded, waiting for her answer.

"Well I think he likes you. I can tell you two are a lot alike."

"'A lot a like?'" I asked incredudously as I watched him punching some guy on the back and laughing as the guy dropped his pizza that sailed across the floor. She met my doubtful gaze. Her magical, tinkling laughter mixed with Edwards deep throaty chuckles, before she calmed down and looked me right in the eye again.

"He's completely different at home. He's quiet and reserved, but can still make us laugh. Not to mention he's always respectful and wins over everyones' heart in a second." Her eyes were bright and her smile was happy but sad. That doesn't make any sense, but it's like when you leave the amuesment park and your sad that your leaving, but you're happy you had fun.

"What changed?" I asked, very interested in 'the two sides of Edward Cullen'.

She shook her head and corrected me, "Not changed, hidden." I stared at her blankly, not comprehending what she was trying to explain. She sighed.

" He puts on an act for his friends at school, although Rose, Emmett, and Jasper have been with him outside of school so they know what he's really like and they stilll love him, but he's afraid of what other people would think of him if he dropped his 'cool, tough guy' facade." Then she hesitated as if not sure if she should tell me something else. She searched my face and whatever she was looking for she seemed to find because she continued.

"Did you know that Edward and I are adopted?"

"Yeah, I assumed since you guys don't look anything alike." I answered. She smiled

"Yeah, I forgot that I was talking to someone smart for once," She rolled her pretty blue eyes, "I'm so used to hanging around Lauren." A grin appeared on my face before I could stop it. So, Alice Cullen hated Lauren just as much as me. Score one for Bella.

"Anyway, so why were you adopted?" I asked geniuly curious. Alice was such a sweet girl, I don't know of many people who would give her up.

She looked down and bit her lip. "They, well my parents thought there was something wrong with me so they disowned me." I didn't press any further because it was obvious there was something she couldn't or didn't want to tell me yet.

"And what about Edward?" I asked softly. She looked back up at me and spoke again.

"His parents died of-of a disease." There was that look again. That look that made me think she wasn't telling me the whole truth. But this was a difficult matter to speak about so I let it go. I felt bad for Edward, it must have been horrible for him to lose his parents.

Suddenly Alice stood up and exclaimed, "Ohmygoodness! We are going to be so late!" I checked the clock to find out that she was right. Only one minute untill the final bell rang. Suddenly Alice surprised me by pulling me into a hug and saying, "It was so nice to meet you Bella!" She pulled away after I replied with a soft "You too, Alice."

I watched her walk in short strides toward her brother who was waiting patiently at the door. Edward met my gaze and I noticed how pretty his green eyes were. Of corse I could tell he had nice eyes before but now that I looked closer I could see emotions. Like right now I cold see worry and impatience. And way down at the bottom of his deep eyes I sould see a hint of ancient sadness. Then I noticed Alice's expression as she talked hurredly to Edward. She had gone from happy, hyper pixie to sad, devastated girl. As she seemed to finish what she was saying, Edwards expression mirrored hers, if not even sadder. I wondered what could have possibly made them so sad. Edward's devastated expresion suddenly turned to one of pure determination. He noticed me looking and he look at me in the eyes, I could see the amazing strength smoldering under the surface of his friendly look.

The bell rang and I gasped loudly. I had never once been late coming back from luch in my entire life! I'm starting to think they are going to become a bad influence on me.

"Bella, do you mind if I walk you to your next class? I think we have biology together." Edward asked politely when I reached the door where he was waiting . And he unknowingly proves my statement wrong. How does he do that? Can he read minds?

He chuckled and said, "No, acutally I can't read minds, but I would like to know what's going on in yours half of the time." I blushed bright red. Had I said that out loud?

"Yeah, you did." I gaped at him. I was sure I had said that last part in my head. I narrowed my eyes.

"How did you know that I was thinking that?" He rolled his eyes.

"Well, you did say 'how does he do that? Can he read minds?' out loud, but I could tell that you were wondering if you said it out loud, because your face looked embarrassed and questioning." I stared up at him in shock.

"Have you ever thought of having sociology as a major?" He laughed loudly. Not his usual small chuckle, a full-blown laugh. I had to laugh a little too. We were nearing the biology classroom a full 10 minutes late and I was feeling pretty badass. I was usually always on time.

"It's not hard for me to read people, although I find you more difficult. You seem to have a lot of layers of emotion." I smiled and replied.

"Maybe it's because your so used to looking into Lauren's cold, shallow eyes." I teased. If Alice was right and he didn't like hanging out with Lauren and her group of ho bags-except for Alice and Rose, of course, because they are two very classy ladies- he wouldn't get offended. He smiled a strange crooked smile, that I immediatly found cute.

"Your only half right, lauren's eyes are cold and shallow, but it doesn't affect how I see the depth in yours." I flushed again and he did his crooked smile. So I guess what Alice said was true, he really was just hiding his cute, charming personality under insults and cliques.

He held the door open as we walked into the classroom 15 minutes late. This did not go over well with Mr. Banner.

"Bella! Edward! Why are you interrupting my class coming in 15 minutes late!" He asked.

I tried to explain. "I'm sorry Mr. Banner. We were talking and lost track of time." Edward suddenly cut in.

"Yeah, I had to talk to her for our project." While Mr. Banner processed what we were saying, I wondered why Edward felt the need to add in the last part. Then it dawned on me. Edward didn't want anyone to know that we had been hanging out together. And once again, Alice was correct. As soon as we were in front of people, his mask came back on he was the same Edward I had grown to detest over the years.

"Well, since you haven't been tardy in my class before I will let you off with just a warning, Miss Swan." I breathed a sigh of relief. Charlie would kill me if he knew I got detention. Mr. Banner continued, "But as for you Mr. Cullen, a 15 minute detention afterschool." Edward nodded indifferently. We sat down at our usual lab tables. Mr. B played a boring movie that I tried to pay attention to, but my eyes kept flickering back to Edward's face to see if he changed back yet. Nope still cold as ice. We were nearing the end of class and I felt a small poke on my shoulder and looked dow to find a note in Edward's elegant hand writing.

Wait for me in the parking lot. I know where you park your truck. I have to ask you something about the project.

~Edward

I wrote back in my loopy, girly script.

Okay. I 'll be at my truck, but how do you know where I park it? Stalker.

He smirked as he read the message and soon the note was on my desk again.

See you there. Oh, and I know where your car is because it's always two spots over from mine.

Huh. I had never noticed that we parked so close together.

Alright if you say so.-heavy skepticism-

He rolled his eye when he read it, but didn't have time to write back because the bell rang. Next I had Spanish, and luckily I was aware that Alice was in that class. Atleast someone I could talk to. Our spanish teacher Senora Iglesias flew into the class room like a Mexican whirl wind. I like her, she was a little too hyper for my tastes and it was obvious why Alice was her favorite student, but I still like her. She was short, only a little taller than Alice, and had very curly hair.

"Buenas tardes classe!" She exclaimed . We all stood up to show our respect.

"Buenas tardes Senora Iglesias!" Alice shouted above everyone else.

"Muy enthusiasmo!" Senora Iglesias said/shouted approvingly toward Alice. Alice beemed, and I giggled at her. We did our 'Activedades de la semana' (activities of the day, for those of you who haven't learned spanish) Next she had volunteers come up and act out what they saw for television practice (which is where we watched shows in spanish). Jacob, a tall tan kid known for being very funny came up to the front of the class. He took and expo marker and scribbled on a mustache that curled up at the tops. After he finished with the mustache he dropped dramatically onto is knees and screamed to the heavens,

"POR QUE GABRIELA!!!! POR QUE?!" We all laughed, because a lot us had seen the infamous spanish soap operas with erm -over the top acting. Okay you caught me, bad acting. The rest of Spanish passed by in a blur and soon the bell rang and I fled to my truck calling my good-byes to Alice. I was almost about to start up my truck when I remembered that I promised I would wait for Edward after school. I stepped out of the truck and almost slipped on ice, but caught myself on the door of my truck. I waited near the end of my truck. Almost 15 minutes later I heard Edward's voice call out my name.

"Bella!" My head whipped around and I found him waving from across the lot, he was already jogging toward me. I was about to holler back, but I was cut off by a terrible screeching noise and a few students yelling, "Watch out!"

But it was too late.

I turned just in time to see a blue van coming straight in my direction, sliding on the ice.

I felt pressure before I felt pain. The van slammed me down onto the pavement and I felt my head crack onto the pavement,

I was vaguely aware of a sticky liquid oozing into my hair.

And just as I let my mind drift off into nothingness I heard a tormented cry.

"No! BELLA!"

His voice sounded so musical and...so...familiar...

And then all I knew was blackness.

A/N Please refrain from throwing things at the author, I repeat, please refrain from throwing things at the author. lol, yeah I know I'm evil. Reviews make me SO happy. Thanks to all of you who reviewed/alerted/favorited this story. I heart you! Make em happy!

Love,

Jacky