Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga

BPOV

"Dad, what do you know about the Cullens?" I ask, picking at the sesame seeds on my garden burger. Even though I can cook, we've been eating at the only diner in Forks almost every night. This diner is one place I remember from Forks. The waitress is even the same and happens to remember me. She even told me I had grown up into a beautiful young woman.

Charlie swallows the piece of steak he had popped in his mouth. "Dr. Cullen is a very respected doctor at the hospital, even though he's only been working there for a year. He and his wife have five adopted children and they all go to the same school as you." He raises an eyebrow. "Why? Have you met them already?"

"Well, sort of," I say. "I saw them in the cafeteria. Angela was the one who told me about them."

"They're good kids," Charlie says, taking a sip of his water. "They've never gotten into trouble. Dr. Cullen and his wife have taught them well."

I don't want to point out my suspicions about them. Charlie is the chief of police after all, and I don't want to get them into trouble. So instead, we eat dinner in comfortable silence.

Edward finally came back to school after two weeks of being absent. This time when I walked into the classroom and he was there, he didn't cover his mouth or scrunch up his face in disgust when I sat down at my usual seat beside him. Instead, he spoke to me. Which actually surprised me.

"Hi," he said in a musical-like voice. "I'm sorry about my rude behaviour a couple of weeks ago. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Isabella Swan, right?"

"Bella, yes," I told him.

And that was it. We didn't talk while we worked on assignments, but at least he spoke to me and apologized for his rude behaviour. That was enough for me.

When class ended and I walked out to my locker, Edward followed me. He was being discreet, but I could still make him out in the throng of people in the hallway. When we made eye contact, he just waved and walked in the opposite direction. I had a creepy feeling like he was still following me even as I got home from school.

At least Jessica wasn't in P.E. class. I didn't even see her in the halls, which was a relief. What wasn't a relief was that Angela and Eric had some sort of meeting with their newspaper staff, and Tyler was out sick. So it was just me and Mike at our usual table in the cafeteria during lunch.

"So Bella, I was wondering, would you like to go out to dinner with me on Friday night?" he asked. "There's this really fancy restaurant in Port Angeles that has amazing food. It's pretty pricey, but we can go Dutch and split the check."

If there weren't any witnesses, I would've slapped Mike in the face. Or even punched him for that matter. I've never been on a date before, but I'm pretty sure it's usually the guy who pays for dinner because it's the gentlemanly thing to do. And Mike is not being a gentleman if he's just going to pay half for the food.

Instead, I say, "That's really sweet of you, Mike, but I'm not interested in dating anyone right now." Also, he must know Jessica's crush on him; what he doesn't know is that she threatened my life if I keep talking to him. I don't want to tell him though. Even if I did, Mike would just shrug it off, saying there's nothing to worry about when there actually is.

Mike's face falls, but he doesn't push it further. Instead, we both eat our lunch in awkward silence.

Billy and Jake have been coming over to Charlie's a lot. Most days, it's because Jake would not stop talking to his dad about me so they have to come over so he can see me and we can hang out. We've become best friends, much to both our dads' happiness. But I could tell they wanted us to be more.

"He likes you," Charlie pointed out one day while I making sandwiches for Jake and I. He was standing in the doorway separating the kitchen and living room, leaning against the frame, a bottle of beer in one hand. "Why don't you two go out on a date or something?"

My back turned to him, I said, "Because I just got here. And I don't know him that well."

"You can try to get to know him," Charlie said. "I know you guys haven't seen each other in years, but he's a good guy, Bells. At least give him a chance."

I sighed and turned around to face him. "Is this you trying to get me to date your best friend's son?"

He put his hands up in defeat. "I just think you'd make a nice couple." He left to go back to watching the baseball game with Billy in the living room. I could hear them chatter about me and what sounded like laughter.

I put the sandwiches on a plate and brought it out to the backyard where Jake and I were hanging out. I didn't say anything as I handed one to him and we ate in amicable silence.

Thinking back to what Charlie said, I found myself staring at Jake, who was staring straight ahead at the trees while he ate his sandwich. Sensing my stare, he turned his head toward me and smiled that same smile he gave me when we first met, the corners of his eyes crinkling. At that moment, I started to question my feelings for my best friend.