Disclaimer: Twilight and everything in it belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I suppose I'll get over it one day.

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Bella's POV:

Shock rippled through my frame. Vampires didn't exist — they don't exist. And yet… I had no other word for Edward Cullen. Everything made a bit of sense now… in the most insane, nonsensical way.

All of these thoughts passed through my mind in an instant. I was brought out of my disjointed mental ramblings by the sight of Edward. He was hunched over, every muscle in his body tensed and his hands clenched so tightly that it must be painful. And he was pining me in place with a malicious glare, and — were his eyes black?

My physical shield came up. I had no doubt that this Edward was dangerous. Almost as soon as I had done so, he relaxed ever so slightly, and his glare turned to horror. He looked away, seemingly unnerved.

"Isabella?" said my teacher — Mr. Banner, according to the plaque on his desk. He said it curiously, and his tone made me realize that the silent confrontation had left me standing there, in the middle of the isle, looking at Edward, for almost a minute. I flushed a deep shade of crimson. "Bella." I contradicted quietly, passing him the slip I needed signed.

"You can take a seat by Mr. Cullen there — if that's all right," he said, looking concerned. I nodded my head. I knew nothing could hurt me with my shield up. Besides, it was the only seat left. And somehow — impossibly — I still felt intrigued with Edward. The mind reader. The… vampire. The bronze-haired Adonis — but that was neither here nor there. He tensed again as I took my seat next to him. After a while, though, he relaxed.

I was about to dive into his mind when I stopped. I realized what an invasion of his privacy that was. When I was trying to figure out his secret, fine— but I couldn't go rooting through his thoughts every time I was curious. How rude that would be. Maybe I could just talk to him.

"Hi, Edward. Remember me from lunch?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Hello." he said briefly in his velvet-like voice. He angled his chair away from mine, discouraging any more conversation.

I sighed, a little hurt. God forbid that it would be that easy to get answers. Still, I could probably figure it out myself. I reclined back in my chair, preparing to go through a class period of very concentrated thinking.

He was a vampire. So what did that imply? I made a mental list.

Movies: immortal, pale, sleeps in coffins, fanged, blood-drinking, killed by garlic, the sun, wooden stakes, holy water, etc.

I shook my head, barely holding back a snort/chuckle. Edward looked as if he was going to glance at me, then stopped himself. None of that fit the vampires in question. Which raised the following problem; what did? Another list…

What I Know: immortal — maybe — , pale (so maybe that fit). Special talents, not too unlike me. Enhanced eyesight, possibly smell. Gorgeous. Actually, Edward had seemed to imply with his thoughts at an aversion to sunlight, so maybe that fit too.

On to the next question. How come Edward had been perfectly fine sitting with me at lunch, then tensed up during biology, and now no longer seemed bothered by my presence? What had been the instigator? I reflected that Edward's thoughts had been focused on bloodlust during our strange encounter. But why didn't he feel bloodlust now? I realized the difference: my shield. During lunch, and right now, it was up. Was this interfering with his sense of smell? I wondered if I dared to test it. Then I shook my head, realizing that I would do anything to figure out this little mystery, however reckless.

I flickered my shield just once.

The reaction was immediate. Too fast for the eye to see, he was hunched over in the same position as in the beginning of class, looking as if he was hiding from the weight of the world. I felt horrible for doing that too him, yet added incredible speed to my list of vampiric qualities. He was already relaxing, and his eyes flickered to mine with shock and confusion. I hoped my expression gave nothing away, and yet, I knew I was an open book. He turned away.

Now I knew that it was crucial for me to keep my shield up whenever I was near him. I had to wonder. Not everyone in the school had physical shields, but he didn't look like he was in pain all the time. Did this mean that I smelled somehow different to him then everyone else? I realized I had a lot to potentially fear from Edward. There was every chance that he hunted humans, and was waiting until school was over to go on a massacre.

So why couldn't I bring myself to care?

I sighed. I knew I was silly sometimes, but this was plain stupid. Not to mention reckless. Possible suicidal. And yet… I couldn't leave. I couldn't just ignore Edward and stay safely out of harm's way. I flinched at the thought.

That being the case, what were my options? I really had only one.

I could find out more about the Cullens. I could be stupid, and reckless, and suicidal. Because the other option — ignoring them — was too difficult to bear.

Mind made up, I spent the rest of the hour chancing glances at Edward in between listening to the teacher drone on about prokaryotic cells.

Edward's POV:

How could one person possibly be as… Bella-ish as Isabella Swan?

Yes, Bella-ish. I truly had no better word for it. None that I had come across in my century of life, that is. She was confusing, and intriguing. She was somehow stubbornly, yet subconsciously, refusing to let down her mental guard.

And apparently, she had a secret of her own.

Only a few seconds after she had entered my biology class, I had caught a scent that was unlike anything else I had come across in my 87 years since I had been changed. I could focus on one thing only. I had to hunt her down and drain the life from her. It was the only logical reaction to the incredibly intense burning in my throat, to the need.

And then it was gone.

My expression must have revealed shock and horror at what I had almost just done in front of a classroom of witnesses. Then it turned to extreme confusion.

How had I not noticed that devastating aroma when Bella sat with us at lunch? My eyes followed her up to the front desk. What was her role in this? Could it be possible that the disappearance of the scent was something that she had a role in? Or had it been in my imagination?

I shook that thought off. Vampires were incapable of being mentally unwell, and I doubted that I could have imagined something that strong.

I noticed Bella walking towards me… towards the only empty seat in the room. Oh.

Waiting for her scent to hit me again, I tensed up, trying to prepare. I smelled nothing but the same far-off smell I had picked up at lunch. She smelled good, but it was so much weaker than it had been that it was no effort at all to brush it off. I relaxed slightly.

Concentration on Mr. Banner was made impossible with her sitting next to me. She tried to make conversation once. I cut her off, remembering how her sent had affected me. It was better that she had nothing to do with me or my family, really, and I realized what an oversight it had been, letting her sit with us. It was better that she had nothing to do with our world. And yet… her disappointment when I ignored her almost made me want to take it back, to invite her into the life of me and my family. How selfish of me.

Throughout the class, I watched her from the corner of my eye, getting steadily more frustrated as emotions flickered across her face and I had no idea what was causing them. Within a few minutes, she went from disappointed to amused to contemplative to slightly curious. I would have cracked and asked her what she was thinking right then and there, if not for what happened next.

The scent flickered back. It was only for an instant, but it was enough to make me want to lunge for Bella's throat. Once I had gotten control of myself, I glanced at her. She seemed as unsettled as I was, though you could be certain it was for a different reason. More than that, she seemed a bit… guilty? And it looked as if she had just figured something out, though I couldn't begin to guess what. Aside from my behavior earlier in class, she had no indicators of what my family and I were. I went back to watching her as her face settled on contentment, or satisfaction, or something similar. She truly was an odd human.

At the end of class, she turned to me. "So, I was wondering if I could come over sometime after school? It was fun hanging out with you and Alice at the rest of your family during lunch." This jolted me out of my thoughts. It didn't seem at all like she was trying to invite herself on a date with me, like so many other girls at this school. I wondered for a second, though, if I would want to turn her down if that was the case.

Berating myself mentally, I replied to her question. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe that would be possible," I replied, intentionally not giving a reason, hoping that she would pick up the message and stay away from my family, for her own good.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, before composing herself. "Alright then, just thought I'd ask," she said, failing to keep the hurt out of her voice. As she left the classroom, Newton (who appeared very upset at my conversation with her, however short) caught up to her and struck up a conversation. I suddenly wished I had accepted her offer. Shaking my head, began walking to Spanish.

…

After the bell had rung, I started walking to my Volvo, parked in the lot. Before I reached my destination, I encountered a currently very pissed black-haired pixie.

"Why the hell do I see you forcing our family to stay away from a certain girl who doesn't seem to show up in my visions — the only girl who doesn't show up in my visions?" demanded Alice.

"You must see how wrong — how selfish — it would be to get her tangled up with company like us." I replied smoothly, anticipating this reaction from her.

"To hell with that!" she screeched. "It doesn't matter that I can't see her, we're supposed to be best friends, I know we are—"

"Alice!" yelled a voice, her voice. "Wait up!"

Alice paused to grin at me smugly — not that I didn't know exactly what she was thinking — before rushing off to meet Bella.

"Hi!" she said enthusiastically, finally reaching Bella. "How was your first day?"

"Oh, it was good," she said conversationally, while looking contemplative. They started walking towards the lot. "But what I really wanted to know was if you were still up for the shopping trip that you mentioned at lunch."

Alice's mouth dropped. Her eyes bugged out. Then she exploded.

"Oh, OF COURSE, Bella! Oh my gosh, you have to come over to my house later today, we'll plan it all out! It'll be so much FUN!"

By now they were standing outside the Volvo, and Alice was very pointedly ignoring the daggers I was shooting at her with my eyes. My family was approaching as well. Mostly they were curious, although Rosalie was fuming.

"Of course, Alice." replied Bella, looking a bit amused.

Just then, a booming laugh echoed around the now filling up parking lot. "Girlie, you have no idea what you just signed up for," roared Emmett, shaking with laughter.

A corner of Bella's mouth twitched. "Oh, really? Pray tell me."

"Well," began Emmett, eyes shining with mirth, "At least six hours of tromping around various malls, possibly a few hundred miles away. Enough clothing purchased to clothe many small countries. A serious hit on your funds, and a more serious hit on Alice's."

Bella feigned horror. "Alice, you wouldn't subject me to that… would you?"

Alice stuck out her tongue at Emmett playfully before addressing her. "Maybe," she replied, giggling.

Putting a hand to her heart and taking a step back, Bella gasped. Then she sighed. "Alas. 'Things without all remedy should be with out regard: what's done, is done.' " While I was standing shocked at the direct quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth, she continued, smiling playfully. "So, I forgive you."

"You haven't been on one of her shopping trips, obviously, or you'd know forgiveness is neither wanted nor deserved." interjected Jasper softly, a smile playing around his mouth.

"Shut up," said Alice, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Then she turned back to Bella. "So, come over sometime after dinner? Around six?"

"Sure." replied Bella easily, heading back to her truck. "See you later!" she called over her shoulder.

I stood there for a minute, glaring at Alice. She shrugged, grinning broadly.

'Ha! Take that, Eddie!' she thought triumphantly, in direct contrast to her actions. I rolled my eyes. My family piled into my car and I took the driver's seat.

How was it possible that such a small person could be so hugely irritating?

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Oh, you guys must hate me by now. I've been terrible about updating. It's been like, what, five days? Six? I hope this chapter was worth it. I've been sitting at my computer for almost four hours now, typing this up. And, yes, I did steal that last line in the story from BD, but hey, it fit. Edward is trying to go all martyr here, sacrificing his and his family's happiness for Bella. Get with it, Edward. She loves you and you love her. Let's skip the drama.

I'm not going to, of course. What, did you think I'd go and be all boring like that? The story wouldn't be very long. Besides, we have Alice to prevent Edward fro up-and-leaving Bella. Also, she'll doubtlessly try to push them together. She's not going to let her brother be an idiot.

Anyhow, next chapter is going to be Bella meeting Esme and Carlisle. And… I'm not going to say much more than that, I think. Partly because I want to keep it a secret, partly because I haven't decided what I'm doing yet :)

Thanks for sticking with me over the weekdays!

-Anna