"Mom, MOM!" the screams echoed through the room, shadows casted over my room trying to swallow the light. Charlie's snores unexpectedly halted and the bed shook underneath me as I shot up upright. The confusion came first, like a misty cloud of fog; it took me a moment to come back to reality and see clearly again. Then followed the pounding headache, I shivered frantically and buried my head back into the pillows.
After lying in that position for over half an hour I felt myself calm down, my breathing became steadier and the tears subsided. The red light on my alarm clock blinked 7 o'clock and reminded me that I had to drag myself back to school.
Glancing towards the window I noticed was peeping through my curtains, a long slit of light painted across my wall. A small smile played on my lips as I rolled over the bed to get up. It was one the very rare days that the sun actually shone and I'd be damned if I didn't enjoy it.
The thought of the sun had melted the memory of my nightmares from last night out of my head and I felt suddenly lighter. After a pop tart, I went out and I stared up to the sky. The sky was so lonely, not a cloud or a plane or even a bird fluttering across it. The blue was pure and clean, the sun crawling up it slowly, shooting out long rays of light through the trees.
I got in the truck and as usual it roared to life, throwing me back into the seat in its wake. As I drove down the road I actually had to squint because of the sunlight and at this I couldn't help but smile.
It was the one of the few times it hadn't rained since arriving in Forks, the sun was a little reminder of my happier times in Phoenix. It was like my mother was smiling down on me from heaven, making me feel warm and light.
As I pulled up to the school I noticed that the students had the same predicament as me and were enjoying the sun while it lasted. The crowds didn't seem so daunting today, and everybody wasn't staring as much. I raked a hand through my freshly washed hair and the strawberry scent became apparent. Just as I was about to escape into the classroom I heard a voice call me name.
I turned to see a small girl with sandy blonde hair scraped back into a high ponytail walking towards me. She was dressed in a small pink strappy top and denim skirt to match that showed a bit too much leg. She walked with a confident demeanour and an air of coldness.
"You're Isabella right?" she asked chirpily, her eyes looked me up and down judgingly.
"Bella." I replied slightly confused by the girl approaching.
"I'm Jessica Stanley," she said smiling. It clicked then suddenly, she was Edward's Jessica
"So where are you from?" she asked and began to walk with making me feel uneasy, I was overpowered by a strange feeling in my stomach, causing me to feel queasy.
"Phoenix." I replied in a quiet voice. I was very unwilling to give her more information but this didn't seem to faze her.
"Oh cool! I've always wanted to go there, you know for the good weather and all. Hey aren't people from Arizona supposed to be really tan or something?" she asked but she didn't give me a chance to answer her question as she started to rattle on again.
"Well if you've got any questions about Forks high school just come to me." She said smiling brightly and I just nodded.
As she was about to leave she turned to ask me one more thing,
"So you got anyone to sit with at lunch?" she asked but by her facial expression I knew she had been one of the eyes watching Edward and me yesterday.
"Yeah I do." I answered curtly, feeling slightly protective of Edward and I noticed her nose wrinkled up slightly. There it was, her hidden motive, and all of a sudden I was angry at this snooping girl, prying her nose into my business.
"Well if you need some better company you can always sit at my table." She hinted but I sure as hell wasn't going to take the bait.
"No I'm sure-" I began but she cut into me,
"No really I insist." She said sweetly and paced off to her next class leaving me standing in the middle of the corridor.
Damn.
EPOV
"Damn!"
I cursed loudly in my car as I tried and failed to pass yet another slow driver. It was like slow drivers' day today and they were all conspiring together to make me later for school.
I thought I'd be safe for another fifteen minutes in bed but with the traffic today, I doubted I could even make it by the skin of my teeth as I felt my eyes pull back to clock for the fifth time in the past two minutes.
Finally the road cleared and I sped up, watching the dial on the speedometer move more and more to the right. I quickly swerved into the school car park, barely missing a shiny red car. Their horn was now blaring and the blonde haired driver was shouting profanities at me out her window, causing me to smirk in spite of it all.
Parking haphazardly, I ran out as quickly as I could and sprinted up the corridors which were nearing to empty then I finally reached Mr. Banner's banged up classroom door with a faded gold sign reading 309 Biology. I took a second to catch my breath before knocking on the door and entering.
The whole class looked up as if a bright green alien had just walked in and Mr. Banner turned from the board and narrowed his eyes. He sighed slightly as I tried to give him my most apologetic look,
"Sit down Edward." He muttered and turned back to the board.
I passed by the intrusive students and took my seat beside Bella. She turned round and smiled at me, her big brown eyes lighting up slightly.
"Hi." She said quietly and turned back to board, her brown hair flowing round her face and I was hit by a strong scent of strawberries.
"Hello." I heard myself reply, the word tumbled out awkwardly of mouth and I saw her smile slightly as she scribbled down a couple more notes. I'd say that word again and again to see her alluring smile.
I couldn't understand this girl at all; she was extremely hard to read. Usually I could pick off a person's character at a first meeting, but Bella was different, she seemed more reserved, like she was hiding something. A couple of people had turned towards us, noticing the exchange between us and watched with judging eyes. They all thought they knew me so well, that I was some sort of villain, a monster.
I glanced round at Bella again. I didn't want to drag her into this mess, she seemed too fragile. But part of me was telling me I could protect her, protect her from the judgments and rumours. Protect her from my past.
What was I thinking? I barely knew her, she was just some girl.
No she's not, a small voice in my head said and I sighed frustrated because I knew it was right.
"We're going to do a project!" Mr. Banner announced loudly breaking me out of my thoughts. There were a few moans and the chatter in the class increased. "Everyone will pair up with his or her lab partner and I want at least two essays, minimum 2000 words on our last topic. Any questions?"
The bell rang loudly and I felt disappointment overwhelm me, I wanted to sit next to Bella for longer and now I had to sit beside the Cullen boy in history while he very obviously ignored me.
Just as I was about to get up I saw Mike Newton prancing over towards the table and my eyes narrowed on his idiotic face.
"Hey you're Bella aren't you?" he asked in a super friendly voice, his eyes tracing up and down her figure suggestively, I clenched my fists tightly, after everything he'd done, he wanted to take Bella as well. She just nodded, not bothering to answer him and continued to pack up her things.
"I'm Mike Newton," he said smiling but obviously his ego had been taken down a notch from her lack of interest and I smirked slightly. He noticed that and glared at me, which only made me smirk even wider.
"Anyway I'll see you around Bella." He said and winked at her but to be honest he just like he had a nasty twitch. At this I started chuckling loudly as he walked off.
"What?" hissed Bella, her cheeks flaming red at Mike's obvious and unsuccessful attempt to flirt.
I just grinned at her and jumped off my seat.
"I'll see you later." I said naturally, then realised I'd just given her an invitation to lunch.
"I'm nearly as bad as Newton." I muttered under my breath as I rushed off to next class.
BPOV
Embarrassed didn't even cover it. Stupid Mick or Mike or whatever his name was. Why did he have to flirt with me right in front of Edward? I knew by his laughing that he'd noticed it and it had made me feel even more awkward. The morning classes had dragged and I just wanted one moment of peace.
As I walked through into the lunchroom I headed straight to the table. I'd learned from my mistake yesterday and brought my own lunch. I looked down and saw Edward sitting in his normal spot, he saw me and smiled which encouraged me to continue towards him.
Out of the blue Jessica appeared at my side with her huge false smile plastered on her face, acting as a barrier between us.
"Bella!" she said happily, "our table is over here, aren't you coming?"
I looked at her and suddenly felt ill at ease because I knew my answer and she wouldn't appreciate it.
"I'm sorry Jessica, I've already got a place to sit." I answered quietly and she caught me looking towards Edward who in turn was watching us intently.
"Are you serious? Come on Bella, no one sits with Edward. He's no good. Did you not hear what he did last year –" she started jabbering on but I interrupted her, not wanting to hear anymore, my blood was boiling and her clear disdain for Edward and I felt an instinct to defend him.
"-Thanks for the offer but I'm sorry, as I said I've got someone to sit with." I said, my tone a colder.
"Fine," she said angrily, "Your loss. Just don't come crawling to me whenever Edward hurts you." And with that she stalked off to her table while throwing a dirty look towards Edward.
It took all my strength to not run after her and knock that pretty face into the ground, instead I paced towards the table feeling furious. I yanked the chair out violently and thrust myself onto the chair without looking near Edward.
"Bella?" I heard Edward's soft voice mutter and I looked up meeting his sparkling green eyes, my resentment melted partially.
"Why did you do that?" he demanded, his tone sharp.
"What do you mean? I don't want to sit with her and her clone friends." I glared at him, this was the last thing I'd expected from him.
"She'd be far better to sit with, more sociable. I don't know, just better for you." He muttered and dug a fork into his gloop but didn't lift it near his mouth.
I stared at him for a momentarily shocked,
"Edward do you honestly think I'd rather sit with her, judging me, always prying and questioning. I don't know how you stuck it! If you don't want me to sit here just tell me. I didn't know my company was such a burden." My sudden outburst caught some people's attention and I was steaming with rage. Embarrassment swept over me and the heat flooded to my cheeks as I pushed out of my chair and stood up to leave.
Then I felt a warm hand wrap itself around my wrist gently causing small tingles.
"Please don't go." He said quietly looking up into my eyes pleadingly. I felt my legs weaken and I sat back down again as my resolve faded.
He leaned closer to me, close enough that I could feel his breath fanning my face.
I could see his face very clearly now, strong eyebrows, a dark fringe of eyelashes, beautiful green eyes, perfectly chiselled nose and pinky red lips that I had a sudden desire to kiss.
I stopped myself there and I felt a blush rising again on my cheek as I became aware that I'd been staring too long, but he'd been staring too.
"You're not like anyone I've met before Bella Swan." He said in a low voice but watching my eyes. My breath caught in my throat and I said the only thing I could think of.
"I could say the same to you Edward Cullen."
