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BELLA

"Darn it, I left my laptop in the car, Edward. I'll meet you at my locker, okay?" My darling husband nodded and I raced out the door towards my car. Most of the students were staring at me like they did when we first got here. The guys looked liked they wanted to eat me in a good way while the girls looked the same only in a bad way.

I ran back up the steps and went back inside to find my locker. Locker number 214. "Woah! Would you look at her?" I heard someone say. I turned abruptly to see who it was. It was a tall and lanky blond boy who was standing beside his friends. He saw me looking at him and started walking towards me. "Watch and learn, gentlemen." He turned and said to his cohorts.

I started to walk briskly away and that seemed to send out a message that I didn't want to acknowledge him. "Oh, burn!" I saw a long-haired boy exclaim. His blond friend didn't seem to enjoy his taunting which made him run after me. I couldn't very well run away. I would look like a complete idiot and risk exposing my superhuman speed. He caught up to me and walked beside me.

"Hi there," he said. I smiled meekly and looked forward trying to send him another message that I wasn't interested in talking to him. "You're new here? Aren't you?" Duh! Unless there's some other inhumanly beautiful person that looked exactly like me here, then you wouldn't be asking. I nodded curtly to answer him while still walking. I was starting to think that my locker didn't exist. Where the heck was it anyway?

"My name is Reid. Reid Garwin." He held out a hand to shake. I was reluctant to take it lest this boy thought I was giving him the wrong kind of attention. He was handsome in a way but held no candle towards my beautiful husband. I hoped that Edward wouldn't see this boy walking with me or else I would have to find out what Carlisle would do to my husband once he broke a rule.

"Isabella Swan. Call me Bella. Nice to meet you. I have to go." I hope that did it but no. This persistent human wasn't one to be dissuaded.

"I'll walk you wherever you're going then." He offered. "I noticed that you're heading directly to the cafeteria. I think it's safe to say that you're locker isn't anywhere near the buffet." I mentally slapped myself as he said this. He was right. I had no idea where I was going.

"I'm looking for my locker," I told him. "Do you know where 214 is?" It wouldn't hurt to get some use out of him. Edward must be worried why I'm not there yet. When Reid sees him, I doubt that he'd even come near me ever again.

"That's in the next hall," he said. "Would you like me to carry your stuff? They seem awfully heavy." He sounded very sincere with his help. But judging from what I heard earlier, I was sure he had ulterior motives.

"Okay then," I told him sweetly. I dumped my book bag and my laptop case on him. He grunted slightly at the weight of my things.

"You must work out!" he observed as he took better hold of my things. "Anybody can see that." I rolled my eyes as he looked me up and down. Typical hormonal teenage boy. I was wondering if we had another Mike Newton in our hands. We turned in the next hall and I immediately saw Alice standing near her locker with Jasper.

"Hi Bella." said Alice. "Who's your friend?" There was a glint of mischief in her eyes as he looked over at Reid.

"Reid Garwin," he said confidently as if his name had any other glorified meaning.

"These are my siblings, Alice and Jasper." I introduced them quickly. "I have to go to my locker guys. See you in class, Alice." She nodded and whispered something to Jasper that made him smirk. I didn't want to know what my sister had in mind.

"Good genes run in the family, huh?" Reid mused. "It's no surprise that you guys are related." I chuckled to myself thinking if he only knew how we got to look this perfect.

"We're not blood-related. We're all adopted." I told him. I saw Emmett and Rosalie near her locker. They looked at me with mischievous grins as I passed and nodded to them. I was running late already and I had no time to explain to them who Reid was. "Those are my other siblings, Rosalie and Emmett." I told him.

At the end of the hall I saw Edward, leaning on my locker. He did not look amused at the smug-looking blond boy walking next to me and carrying my things. Before I could acknowledge Edward Reid spoke up.

"Hey buddy, you're blocking this lady's locker." He said roughly. Edward smirked menacingly at Reid and walked over to me and put his arm around my shoulder. Reid's eyes almost popped out of his head. I shook my head and whispered for Edward to behave. I shrugged off his arm discreetly and took my things from Reid.

"Edward, this is Reid Garwin. He helped me find my locker and politely offered to carry my things." I saw that both boys were engaged in a staring contest. I was a bit surprised at how Reid didn't react like most boys did. It was as if Edward's presence didn't scare him in the least. Weren't we vampires supposed to have some beautiful yet terrifying aura around us?

"Reid this is Edward Cullen, my adoptive brother." Edward looked at me disbelievingly for a second and turned back to Reid. Reid's glare turned into a look of self-satisfaction. I assumed it was because I told him Edward was my brother. I didn't even know why I didn't say he was my boyfriend.

"I'll see you later then, Bells." Reid said before turning to leave. I was then immediately reminded of Jacob. He called me Bells too. I turned to my locker and started stuffing my things in it. Edward was still staring at Reid until I finished with my locker.

"Let it go, Edward." I told him. "He's just a clueless boy." He chuckled morosely as he herded me towards our class.

"You would not believe what he was thinking of doing to me before you told him I was your brother." I winced a little at his hint of how I introduced him.

"Enlighten me," I urged only to satisfy my curiosity.

"He wanted to throw me against a wall," said Edward. "With as much force as Emmett would have dared to do. Such wishful thinking." I chuckled at my husband as we entered our class. I looked around and saw that we did not have any chance of fitting in here. Every student here looked much younger than we did. I couldn't believe how easily this school believed the "early puberty" excuse Esme gave them. Alice was already there saving us two seats near the middle. I sat between her and Edward as we waited for class to start.

"So Bella, tell me about your new friend," started Alice. Edward growled slightly beside me and I rubbed his hand to calm him.

"He's not my friend, Alice," I told her then looked pointedly at Edward. "He just offered to help me."

"Fine, if you won't say anything I'll just look into it." I laughed at my sister's persistence. "Honestly, I saw that he was coming on to you but I guess when he saw Edward he changed his mind."

"That's quite disturbing, Alice," I told her. "If you haven't noticed he looked ridiculously like your husband."

"Jasper's much hotter!" said Alice proudly. The teacher entered the classroom and started the lesson immediately after introducing himself. I heard the hushed whispers emanating from the students. I pitied my husband because he was subjected to hearing their thoughts as well.

"How old are they?" I heard one ask. "They look like models!" "I'm gonna ask for the guy's number." I growled slightly as I heard this. Edward laughed quietly and rubbed my hand this time. Carlisle was right to warn us girls also about keeping our temper. If I knew what these girls were thinking, I don't doubt that we'll have to move once I'm through with them.

We had four classes before lunch and I had a free period but Edward and Alice didn't. I decided to spend time in the library so I wouldn't have to talk to anyone. I took out my map and followed the directions towards the library. I stared in awe at the massive building that kept hundreds of year's worth of books. It was five times larger than the library we had in Phoenix. Not only that, but it didn't look like a library. It looked more like a museum. There were leather armchairs and couches scattered around. I found one that was situated at the back so no one would see me.

I took a random book from the shelves and plopped down on the couch. I started reading and immediately smelled someone. I heard his or her footsteps coming nearer. I stiffened at the sounds and tried not to breathe. It was dangerous for me to stay her in this isolated area. Even the musty smell of these old books weren't enough to keep me from inhaling the metallic smell of blood which immediately increased the venom in my mouth.

I didn't feel the bloodlust in public places partly because someone is always with me, but in this private little alcove where no one would be the wiser, I could easily lure my prey and end his life. Not only was bloodlust a downside to being a vampire but also our inborn killer instincts. That was why when we hunted we needed to do it as far away as possible. If a human was anywhere within miles, our senses would lead us to him rather than to an animal. It was inevitable, but controllable.

I prepared to leave but I wasn't quick enough. A short-haired brunette boy stepped into the little alcove and had a look of surprise and embarrassment on his face. I remembered thoughtfully at how I had blushed like that when I was still human.

"I'm sorry," he said as he looked down. "I didn't think anyone was in here." He turned to leave but accidentally bumped one of the shelves which sent several books to fall down. I heard the shushing of the librarian but knew that this boy didn't hear it. I didn't know why but I went against my better judgment and bent down to help him pick up the books.

"No need to leave on account of me," I told the boy as we got up and returned the books in their places. "I'm Isabella Swan. Call me Bella." I knew it was wrong of me to initiate any kind of friendship with the humans but I felt a bit of compassion for this guy. He kind of reminded me of myself when I was still human.

"Tyler Sims," he said meekly.

"Pleased to meet you," I said as I smiled. He looked like he was looking at a goddess. That's when I realized I must have been dazzling him. I retracted my smile enough to make him stop staring. I sat back down on the couch and he sat down on the armchair across from me and took out his notes.

"So what year are you?" he asked. I looked up from my book and saw that he'd put his notes down on the coffee table in front of us.

"9th grade." I answered. He looked incredulously at me and laughed. "What?"

"You don't look like a freshman," he explained. "I would have thought you were a junior."

"Early puberty," I said as I pretended to laugh. "So what about you?"

"Oh, I'm in tenth grade," he answered.

"Really?" I asked. "But you're taller than most sophomores."

"Early puberty," he repeated. I laughed heartily at his joke.

"Do you have any new students in your class?" I asked him.

"Um, yeah. A big guy, a pretty blonde girl and her twin brother. I didn't catch their names."

"Those are my siblings, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper." I told him.

"Really? No wonder!" he exclaimed in awe.

"We're not blood-related," I corrected him. "We were all adopted."

"Wow, it must be cool having brothers and sisters," he said thoughtfully. "I'm an only child and so are my friends. But they're like brothers so I guess I'm not missing out on anything except sleeping in the same house."

"You would think differently if there were six of you under the same roof." I chuckled.

"You have two other siblings?" he asked. I nodded.

"Edward and Alice. We're the same age." I told him. Suddenly the bell rang and it was time to go.

"It was nice talking to you, Tyler," I told him before disappearing behind the shelves.