Thanks to Stephanie Meyer for her marvellous characters. I enjoy putting them in impossible situations.

Thanks Tawny, you are the best!

Chapter 4:

Bella once again began her impersonation of a gaping fish while the guy looked as disgusted with her as he would with a child with his fingers in his nostrils. He brushed past her and walked down the hallway with loping grace.

The guy swore at you and all you can think of is his grace?

As was becoming the trend for her, Bella sat down absentmindedly at her desk, only to find herself quickly flanked by Jessica and Lauren. Internally, she groaned.

If there was anything worse than petty schoolgirls, it was idiotic petty school girls. While Rosalie and her Barbie gang were the shallowest people she could ever think of, at least they were smart at their academics. That was a slightly redeeming quality as far as Bella was concerned. Jessica and Lauren on the other hand were the poster girls for dumb bimbos.

And Lauren's not even blonde, Bella thought wryly.

"So," Jessica began in her fake patronizing voice which irritated the crap out of Bella. "What were you and Alice Cullen talking about so intently in there?"

Her face was scrunched up; red with the breath she was holding in anticipation. It really made her look quite constipated in Bella's humble opinion.

"She said something about shopping," Bella muttered, suppressing a shudder at the thought of going shopping with the chirpy, bouncy Alice.

There were twin gasps of astonishment from around her.

"Why would she want to go shopping with you?" asked Lauren, her tone dripping with disdain. "Doesn't she have eyes?" she wondered, not bothering if Bella heard.

Bella saw red. She knew she was nothing to look at and she never made an effort, not that she could afford to spend a lot on her looks with her father's humble policeman's salary. But that didn't mean people could be rude to her.

She put on the sweetest, saccharine smile she could manage while swallowing down her bile and turned to Lauren.

"Why don't you let her know that you're interested in going shopping with her? I am sure she'd appreciate the company since I already declined?"

The smile that lit up Lauren's face could be compared to that of a drunk when standing in front of a tankard full of rum. A significant look passed between her and Jessica as they stood up.

"I think we'll do just that," she said, neither looking back once their purpose was served.

Bella smiled a bit, but instantly felt a bit guilty when she thought of the evil witches surrounding Alice. She didn't want to cause Alice any problems. Alice was new in town and the thought of her trusting them made Bella worry. She didn't hate Alice, she didn't even dislike her. It was just Alice's unusually happy behavior that made Bella a bit uncomfortable. She decided to drop in a word of warning later on in the day.

"Is this seat taken?" asked a smooth velvet voice.

Bella found herself looking into vibrant green eyes similar to Alice's and getting distracted with the mop of bronze hair on the top of Edward Cullen's head.

And the fun begins!