A/N: Chapter Four, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Twilight. Surely you figured that out by now?

Chapter Four--BPOV

Most kids don't like school. In fact, I bet you don't. Most schools give out tests and have grumpy teachers and mystery meat in the lunch. School doesn't sound good, not even to me, and I've been through a lot.

But when there's this weird guy who seemingly despises you for no reason as soon as he sees you, school gets a bit worse. Then when he doesn't show up for five days after he saw and despised you, school gets unbearable.

And I'm not talking hypothetically. I'm talking from experience.

Edward Cullen didn't show up for five days after The Biology Incident (as I was now calling it) so when he showed up on Monday, you can't blame me for feeling a little faint.

I was feeling confident, walking into the lunch room, sure that Biology would be no big deal, what with Edward gone the past week.

Then I counted the heads at the Cullen table. There were 5. I couldn't miss the messy bronze-haired head that was there.

There went my good day.

"So what do you want?" Jessica asked from the lunch line.

"You know what? I think I'll just drink the soda I have in my pack, I'm feeling a little sick," I answered.

It hadn't escaped their attention that I didn't eat the food the school provided. When they'd asked, I had joked that it was poisoned. They had no clue that it really could be poisoned.

We all sat down and Mike asked with unnecessary concern if I was feeling all right. I just brushed him off. While everyone was involved in a heated debate, I snuck a glance at the Cullen table.

All of them were laughing, looking more like models at a photo shoot than high school students. Suddenly, Edward's eyes flashed up and caught mine. I dropped my head, but in that one second I was sure that his eyes weren't full of anger. They were full of curiosity.

Weirdo.

To pass the time, I pulled out a photo of Percy and tried to forget what had happened in that horrible nightmare of mine.

Jessica leaned over my shoulder to look at the picture. "Ooh, he's cute. Is he your boyfriend?"

"Ewww, boyfriend, Jessica? He's my brother, Percy," I protested.

"Yeah, I can see that, just look at his eyes, they have that green color yours do," she agreed.

Lunch passed much too quickly and I was soon debating whether I should go to Biology. Suck it up, Bella, I told myself. It's not like Edward can hurt you.

So, like the extremely courageous person that I am, I entered Biology, only to find him not there yet. Oh well.

I sat down and pulled out a piece of scrap paper and a pen. I drew the sea on a cloudy day: waves crashing against the shore, sea gulls circling overhead. I was too engrossed in my drawing to notice that someone had pulled out their chair and sat down.

"Hello," a muted, velvet voice said.

My eyes snapped upward and took in Edward Cullen's face. Beautiful, messy bronze hair, alabaster white skin, and golden eyes. As I was too shocked to speak, he nodded his head towards my drawing.

"That's a beautiful drawing," he told me. Yeah, like I can't see that! "What is it of?"

"Riptide," I whispered. "The current that takes one by surprise, and, before you know it, you have been swept out to sea." A/N: Sound familiar? ;)

Dang! I was not supposed to make myself seem any more un-normal than usual! He'll know something's up!

As I was silently berating myself, I remembered that I wasn't the one who acted totally abnormal then didn't come to school for 5 days and I sighed with relief. Compared to him, I was completely normal.

So I turned around and got ready to take notes. Edward Cullen apparently had other thoughts.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce myself to you last week. I'm Edward Cullen," he said in that musical voice of his.

"I gathered that," I muttered, a bit put out. He hates me one day then talks to me the next. Stupid guy needs to make up his mind. Louder I said, "Bella Swan, nice to meet you."

I glanced up at his face again and realized that there was something different about him. His striking black eyes which I so vividly remembered were now a strange ocher, a bit darker than butterscotch.

"You got contacts," I blurted out, not thinking.

"No," he disagreed, turning his face away from my view.

"Your eyes are different though," I protested.

"Must be the lighting," he replied.

"Maybe I should tell Mr. Banner to change the light bulbs then, don't you think?" I retorted.

"Maybe…" he muttered, then continued, "Why did you move to Forks?"

"Why all the sudden interest in my life history?" I countered.

"No reason, I could Google you, but it's more interesting to hear you say it," Edward told me.

Urgh! If he Google's me he'll know that I'm not from Phoenix! Life has a big grudge against me, doesn't it?

"What do you want to know?" I asked, not willing to give out more information than needed.

"Why did you move to Forks?"

Ouch, that's a hard one. Obviously requires some cover story. "It's… complicated," was my only answer.

"I can keep up," he pressed.

"My mother got remarried." Completely true.

"And you don't like him?" Edward assumed.

"Hah! No, Phil's fine. Maybe too young, but fine." Also true.

"Your mother sent you here so she could spend time with him?" he guessed again.

"In a way," I agreed grudgingly.

"You don't like it here," he kept on guessing.

I wasn't going to answer that one so I turned around to face Mr. Banner.

"I'm willing to bet you're suffering more than anyone knows," Edward continued.

"Will you stop that?!" I finally burst out, annoyed.

One more thing to add to the growing list of Edward Cullen's qualities: annoying.

"Stop what?" he asked, a crooked smile on his face so beautiful that I couldn't breathe.

So I shook myself out of my daze and answered sarcastically, "Breathing?"

He just shook his head and mouthed 'No can do' so I muttered; "I could kill you right now."

Edward heard and chuckled deeply, the sound resonating in my head. "Oh, you couldn't kill me if you tried."

That struck a nerve. I had killed more monsters than he ever had. Actually, he hadn't killed any monsters at all. My eyes got that hardened, guarded look in them and I sneered, "Wanna bet?"

The bell rang and for the second time, I was out the door faster than ever.

***

I don't know about you, but when you're eating dinner at 6 o'clock fuming over Biology and someone rings the doorbell, how do you feel? I was pissed.

I stormed over to open the door, but when I did, my mouth dropped open in surprise.

Apparently, a pink poodle had rung my doorbell. Just, you know, a normal day in normal Forks.

"Hello?" I asked uncertainly.

"The name's Gladiola," the poodle—Gladiola—replied.

I never knew that I spoke dog, but I had more pressing matters. Gladiola? Where had I heard that name before?

Oh yeah. Percy had told me all about the year he had to bring Zeus back his lightning bolt. He, Annabeth, and Grover had met a poodle named Gladiola.

So I took the pink talking poodle in stride.

"Gladiola, huh? Did you ever meet someone named Percy?"

"Percy? Yeah, looked kinda like you, but he had no manners. Refused to believe that a poodle could understand English." Gladiola sniffed and I had to laugh at the sight.

"Why are you here then?"

"Have to get you away from this house," he warned and started running towards the road.

"Wait! Gladiola, what do you mean?" I started to jog, trying to follow him. He wouldn't answer so I gave up.

He led me to a white house in the middle of the forest some distance away from the road. It was a beautiful house I suppose, but Gladiola still wasn't telling me anything.

I went up to the house and rang the doorbell. Maybe I could get use a phone from the people who lived here and call here.

Who do you think opened the door? Probably not whom you suspected.

Rosalie Hale.

"What do you want?" she sneered.

"Can I, uh, use your phone?" I asked in return.

Edward appeared behind her and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I need to use your phone," I replied to his unasked question. They led me inside and I called for Gladiola to follow.

"Is that your poodle?" Edward questioned.

"Nope," I stated, but I wouldn't give out any more information.

While I was dialing Percy's number a blond haired man appeared who looked to be in his thirties; Dr. Cullen I presumed. A caramel haired woman came from behind him, she was Mrs. Cullen, I thought. Both of them were just a beautiful and pale as all of their children.

Percy picked up. "Bella? What's wrong?"

I sighed; more questions.

"Percy, did you ever meet a poodle named Gladiola?"

"Yeah," he answered. "A couple summers ago."

"Percy, I can't say much, it's loud here, I doubt you'd understand, but Gladiola is here," I informed him.

It was actually very quiet in the Cullen's house, but I couldn't have them overhear what I needed to say to Percy. 'It's loud' was code for there are mortals here and I can't tell you the whole story.

"Okay, sis, but you're okay, right? And you'll call me later?" He sounded like the worried, overprotective fool that he was.

"Yes, yes, and if you call me 'sis' one more time, Seaweed Brain, you'll be dead," I threatened.

"Your head is full of kelp," Percy muttered.

"Hey! I heard that!" I protested.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell Gladiola hi from me, okay?"

"Will do and I'll call you when I get home," I said and hung up.

I turned around to face all of then Cullens. And when I mean all, I mean all. Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen, Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper were there. How'd I attract this audience with noticing?

"Isabella Swan, am I right?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"Yes sir, but I've got to be going so if you'll excuse me," I replied. "Gladiola, come on!"

"You're going to walk all the way to your house?" Edward interrupted. I tried not to stare into his beautiful golden eyes, but it was in vain.

Caught off guard, I snapped, "What'd you expect? That I just happened to bring my car my along while I got lost?"

"You got lost?" he sounded angry for some reason.

"That's completely beside the point," I protested. "Now, I really need to get going."

"I'll drive you," Edward decided.

"No, no! That won't be necessary!" I didn't sound polite but that was the least of my worries. I had to question Gladiola about what he meant when he said "have to get you away from the house." If Edward found out that Gladiola could talk or that I could speak dog—I wasn't sure which one it was yet—that would be a disaster.

"I want to," he insisted and trained his topaz eyes on me, so that I found it impossible to resist.

"Stupid, pushy mor—" I cut myself off. If I slipped up again, the whole town would know my secret.

"What were you going to call me?" Edward asked, an undercurrent of humor in his tone.

Did he have really good hearing or was that just me?

"Uh… a mongoose," I stuttered.

A mongoose? Where did I come up with these things?

The drive back was quiet but not uncomfortable. I was lost in my thoughts.

Wait one sec—I should explain something. I don't like surprises. Why? Because usually, the surprises aren't good. Which brings you to when we pulled up beside my house.

Or should I say what used to be my house?

'Cause my house was burnt down to a crisp. There was nothing left.

"Styx!" I cursed.

Edward looked at the site. It was the only time I'd seen him dazed. Even dazed he was an angel. An enigma.

"We'd better call 911," his beautiful voice said and he pulled out his cell and started dialing. While Edward called the police, I got out of the car.

This wasn't just an accident. No, this was much more. And I knew exactly who had burned down my house. Starts with a K, ends with an S. Guessed yet? Kronos. Or one of his followers.

Lucky me.

A police car pulled up and 2 cops got out.

"Miss, is this your house?" one of them asked.

"Yes, sir," I answered, putting on an innocent expression.

They continued questioning, but they didn't find any answers. Not that I expected them too—I had more answers than they did.

"Miss, do you have anywhere to stay?"

Dang! "No I don't, sir."

"She could stay with my family, sir. We have extra room," Edward answered.

WHAT?! I can't! Just imagine how much danger they would be in if I stayed. Kronos would mind killing them with me! How do I get myself out of this one? I mean, there are only that many sticky situations a girl can get herself out of.

Then I remember the Mist.

I snapped my fingers. The sound was sharp and loud. A gust of wind erupted from my hand and traveled throughout the entire area.

"Oh, but sir, I can rent a hotel room for a couple of weeks. I'll be perfectly fine. Besides, builders can have this house up really soon." I used my most persuasive voice.

The cops blinked like they had just woken up from a trance. I glanced over at Edward to see how he handled the Mist, but I found him staring at me quizzically. He didn't seem to be under the spell of the Mist at all.

Styx. If all of the Cullens were like this, I could be in trouble.

"Say, Paul, that sounds like an okay idea. A levelheaded person like Miss Swan here wouldn't be any trouble. Why don't we let her rent a room at the nearest hotel?"

Paul looked like he was going to agree, but Edward apparently had persuasion skills that surpassed the Mist.

"Bella would be much safer at our house, though," he argued.

After some debate—without my consent, might I add—it was decided. I would stay at the Cullen's house until mine was up and running.

Yippee. I might as well send an invitation to Kronos:

Please send all of your most terrible monsters to the Cullen's house. I'm sure that they'll appreciate the tasty snack of a demigod and 7 mortals. The meal's on me.

Sincerely,

Your mortal enemy.

The Cullens had no clue what they were getting into. As it turned out, neither did I.

So I blamed it on the pink poodle.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think. This was a longer chapter than usual, I hope you appreciate it. I had so many ideas, I just had to update even though I'm not feeling that great. So I don't know when my next update is going to be, okay? REVIEW!! What did you think of Edward?