Sorry that this chapter took me so long, but it's finally here! I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think! Oh, and to anyone just starting to read, this is the second half of Edward's and Meg's story, to get the background of their relationship you'll need to read 'Singer'. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 4 – School, Shakespeare, and Another

The Cullen family was of course big news in the small town, but the word of the six new students first day spread like wild fire. The mystery that hang around the pale teens, their beauty, how they seemed anti-social outside their own little group. The list went on and on and that was only after first block was over.

Edward seemed uncomfortable for the most part, and Meg could easily guess what was running through most of the girl's here minds. I wonder what they would think if- "Meg that's not funny." He said firmly. "Besides, I'm used to what the girls think…" At first she had not understood his comment, but after he had glared at a pair of jock-looking guys walked by, she almost felt stupid for realizing that what the boys were thinking about her was what was causing his discomfort.

"So," She said with a slight laugh. "That's why you've been sticking very close to me." At the moment Edward had his arm around her with his hand resting on her hip, so there was no logical way that he could deny it, which was probably why he did not answer her statement. "Always over protective." She mumbled.

Meg wondered what Edward was going to do when they finally got to third block, the only class that she did not have with him. Her unasked question was answered when he walked her back to the hall that all the sophomores' lockers were on and Alice was waiting smiling brightly next to Meg's locker.

Edward smiled down at Meg smugly. "I promise that I'll stop all of this after a week or two." He kissed her forehead. "Besides, Alice did this on her own."

"Yes, and if we're late to class we're going to get a lecture on not being tardy." Alice said grabbing Meg's arm and pulling her on down the hall.

"See you at lunch!" Meg said waving back at Edward as he watched the two of them disappear into the crowd. "Have you been having a good day?" She asked looking down at Alice.

The little vampire sighed, "Not really, I've just been busy watching Jasper. You can call me paranoid, but I always worry about him when we switch schools." A gentle smile touched Alice's lips, as if she had just seen something rather pleasant in the future. As much as Meg wanted to ask what she had seen, she held back thinking that it might be something personal. "I see Shakespeare in our futures." She said a few moments later.

"I beg your pardon?" Meg asked a little confused, since they were heading to American Literature, though she did like the sound of it.

"I'll explain after class." She whispered excitedly as they entered the classroom.

Third block English was going to be so boring! Meg had already read all of the books that they were going to read in class twice, if not more! The Scarlett Letter, "The Crucible," and an assortment of poems from Emily Dickenson, Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, and several other American poets were the main reading material. It wasn't that she didn't love all of these works, but she honestly wanted to be in school to learn since this was her first time ever being in a real school. Carlisle had taught her to read and write, and after that her want for knowledge was all but unstoppable. Sadly, she was starting to think that there was nothing that she could learn in a human high school that she hadn't already read about in the vast library back in Volterra; still she was happy just to be free of that place of darkness and to be back in the light.

By the halfway mark of the 90 minute block, Meg was about ready to fall asleep, but had managed to at least look like she had been paying perfect attention to the teacher. Alice had easily led the way to the table that the others were seated at for lunch. Meg leaned on Edward's shoulder as he chuckled lightly at her thoughts about her class.

"It was really all that boring?" He asked his amber eyes dancing with a bit mischief.

"Yes. You could have warned me at least that I would know everything we're reading."

"Well, teachers seem to like to focus on the classics"

Meg dropped her voice to where only the other vampires would be able to hear. "It's not a classic if you were alive when it was written."

"You have to give her that, Edward." Jasper said from across the table, a small smile creeping onto his pained face since he was just about the same age as Meg. Alice smiled brightly up at him. It appeared that even she hadn't realized that he was paying attention to what the other couple was saying.

Edward nodded. "Alright then, but on that account much of the last 300 years is not 'classic' by Carlisle's standing."

"Fair enough."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, where is this Shakespeare that you spoke of before?" Meg asked Alice on the way back to the boredom of American Lit.

Alice skipped over to a black and white poster tapped onto the wall, and smiled up at Meg smugly. "I found our extracurricular activity." The poster was rather simple, but it announced that the drama department would be having auditions for the winter prediction of 'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream' this Friday after school. Smaller print at the bottom showed a reminder that by October every student needed to be a part of an after school activity and that if acting was not you field they also needed help building sets, props, and they needed as many stage hands as they could get. No experience necessary.

"Alice, you're a genius!" A sly smile crossed Meg's face. "Think we can get the boys to join too?"

"Do they really have a choice?"

"Nope."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Meg had been expecting Edward to start complaining the moment she and Alice came up to him and Jasper in the hall before fourth block, the last class of the day (thankfully), but he was looking at the ground as if the tile at his feet was a puzzle that refused to fit together right. Meg stepped forward and took one of Edward's hands in hers. "What's wrong?" She whispered. He simply shook his head. "Is it Victoria?" That was really the only thing that she could think of that would upset him at the moment, but he once again shook his head. 'Say something! You're starting to scare me.' She all but demanded.

"I found another." Edward said as he absentmindedly started to mess with a loose strand of Meg's golden hair with his free hand.

"Another singer?" She asked growing more concerned.

"No. Another person's whose mind I can't read."