Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight (the characters), Hana Yori Dango or Boys Over Flowers (their awesome storylines!).

Boys Over Flowers

Chapter Seven ll First Buds


"What are you doing here?"

I struggled to maintain a grip on my unbalanced emotions as I looked up in alarm, an apology on the tip of my tongue. And because fate had a grudge against me, I saw the perfect, angular features of Edward Cullen.

Really, what was with my luck today?

He looked at me strangely, one hand still holding my arm from stopping me bowling him right over. My apology disintegrated and instead I made wild actions for him to move back in the opposite direction.

"Nothing - now go, go, go!" I hissed, trying to push against him; he didn't budge and peered over my head instead to where Leah and Jacob were.

"Ah," he said, a smirk crossing his face, "I understand why you're in such a hurry. It's about time," he said wonderingly, "Did Jacob finally confess to Leah?" His smooth, velvet voice carried across the grounds and I cringed.

"Keep your voice down!" I whispered, but the damage had already been done. Leah and Jacob looked around and saw us. I gulped; Edward remained supremely unconcerned as the two made their way to us, arm-in-arm again. Leah's eyes were red but she still smiled brilliantly at me, while Jacob's expression was impassive, albeit a little wooden, especially when he saw Edward. I noticed the two boys avoided each other's eyes.

"Hi, Bella! I was wondering when I'd see you again," Leah said amiably, "Is school finished already?"

"Oooh!" I said, trying to be just as cheerful and only succeeding in sounding awkward, "Yes."

I felt Edward snicker beside me.

Her face brightened, "Then did you want to come with us? Jacob and I were going to go catch a movie. It's been awhile since we've hung out. Come along, it'll be fun. You too, Edward."

"O - ooh," I stuttered, tongue-tied. To be perfectly honest, after everything I'd just witnessed, spending time with Jacob and Leah was about the last thing I wanted to do right now. I might just spontaneously combust with all the tension and emotion in the air; emotion that I had no part of. They needed time alone.

But I couldn't refuse outright, either. That was just rude.

Thus, my embarrassing speechlessness as Leah looked eagerly at me.

And then, out of the blue, Edward spoke.

"Actually, we were going to go somewhere else together."

Every single one of us was taken-aback. I blinked several times, looking sideways at his content little smile; Jacob's dark eyes darted to Edward despite their ignoring of one another, a faint frown creasing his brow; and Leah repeated blankly, "'We'?"

"I mean Bella and myself," said Edward smoothly, throwing me the tiniest of looks. And then I cottoned on.

"Oh, yeah! We... were... going somewhere... together," I said, nodding enthusiastically, "Well then, Leah - Jacob - have a good time and see you later. Bye!"

"Oh, goodbye," said Leah, sounding slightly perplexed but amused.

"See you later," Edward replied, then turned to me and said significantly, "Let's go." He put an arm around me and I allowed myself to be pulled away for our audience's sake.

Edward sounded highly amused as he murmured into my ear, "My debt has been repaid."

"What?" I whispered back fervently.

"You saved me from that vase."

"And this is how you intend to repay me?"

He stopped in his tracks, eyebrows raised, "Did you want to go back then?" He started to tug me back to where Jacob and Leah were still standing, but I grabbed his arm and dragged him onwards.

"No, no!" I said frantically. "Okay, fine. You've repaid ten percent."

"Fifty percent," he insisted.

What were we now, negotiating our terms? No wonder why he was the heir of a financial group.

I narrowed my eyes as we continued to struggle back towards the school; his arm was still around me and I had a feeling he was enjoying this much more than he should.

"Thirty percent," I muttered firmly, "Take it or leave it."

"I think I'll take it," he acquiesced, "Nice doing business with you, partner. Just another sixty percent to pay off, then."

"When did you pay the other ten percent?" I wanted to know, nonplussed.

A crooked smile unfurled across his face. "That snake in your locker, remember?"

I chewed hard on my tongue.

"How could I forget?" I muttered.


On the main street there was a very popular Japanese restaurant that wealthy people frequented. Dad had taken our family there only once and the place had been crowded.

So I could not understand, as I sat at a table across from Edward Cullen, why we were the only ones in the entire restaurant.

"It's a bit empty tonight, isn't it?" I commented, warily looking around.

In contrast to my fidgety and alert composure, Edward was completely relaxed, achieving a casual elegance while he lounged on the other side of the table. In the soft yellow light, he was unfairly beautiful - even more so than usual. His bronze hair was tousled in an attractive way and his emerald eyes were softer and lighter this evening.

"That's because I bought the place out tonight," he said nonchalantly.

I started, "What? Was that really necessary?" I looked at him in disbelief, wondering if I'd ever get used to his outrageous actions - and if I'd ever understand the reasons behind them.

"Well, don't you want to scream and shout and cry? I didn't think you'd want an audience for that," he said innocently.

I furrowed my brow, "But why would I want to scream and cry?"

Edward hesitated, choosing his words carefully, "After seeing Jacob and Leah like that... doesn't it hurt?"

My heart juddered to a stop.

"Wh - what?"

Oh, please don't tell me I'm that obvious.

But his eyes remained piercing and I glanced away, flustered. "You like Jacob, don't you?" Edward said, but there wasn't much question to it. "Even if he's in love with Leah, you still like him, right?"

I would have been mad at his prying questions if I wasn't so agitated with myself. "I - I don't see how that's any of your business," I muttered, eyes on the table.

"How is it not?" he retorted, still watching me closely, "Jacob's my friend."

"A friend whom you're ignoring right now," I pointed out, some of the heat dying down in my face.

Edward grimaced rather childishly, "He started it, he didn't have to punch me - "

"And you didn't have to yell at Leah," I countered. "It's one thing to talk to me in that way, but not Leah Clearwater. She's someone you actually need to respect."

"I don't see how you're in any position to lecture me," he muttered, now looking grouchy, "Especially since I just saved you from a very awkward situation. And you shout at me all the time."

"You still owe me sixty percent, remember?" I said, only a bit spitefully.

He scowled and I actually smiled a little. Who would have thought I could perform such a feat in the presence of Edward Cullen?

"Hey, commoner. Why aren't you smiling yet?"

"How can I smile?" I snapped unexpectedly, making him recoil.

I was vaguely surprised by how things had turned out now. Life was certainly temperamental.

"You know," Edward began seriously, "If Jacob had met you first, he would have liked you for sure."

This startled me into looking back up at him. His expression was surprisingly mellow, mingled with a trace of remorse. What shocked me most was that he wasn't even joking.

"How could that be?" I protested at once, flushing again, "It just doesn't make sense. I - I mean, I'm not pretty or - or smart, or rich..."

"Your temper's not that great, either," he added helpfully.

I shot him a look.

"Exactly!" I snapped, "So you can stop talking nonsense."

Edward chortled quietly while I folded my arms in a huff.

"But," he continued, a little louder, "You're also the first girl that caught my attention. So in that case, what I said makes perfect sense." He gave a nod of affirmation while I stared at him, completely taken-aback.

In that one, tiny moment, I felt like I could see him, truly see him, and my heart drummed out its own little rhythm the longer we looked into each other's eyes.

What. Is. Going. On?

Absolutely unnerved, I chuckled, blurted out, "I need a drink!" and lunged for the bottle on the table. Unfortunately, I knocked it right over (of course) and the clear liquid spilt all over my lap.

"Oh, no!" I gasped, jumping up at once.

Edward was exasperated as he threw napkins at me, "How can anyone be so clumsy?" he groaned.

"It takes practise," I returned icily, scrubbing at my uniform. A strong whiff intruded my nose and I took a sniff of my clothes. I looked up at him, horror struck, "This isn't water, it's sake!"

He just looked at me, amusement mingling with his irritation. "Come on, you klutz, let's go. I'll get the bill."

I was hit by a remarkable sense of deja vu when we were standing outside the restaurant. I was, once again, shivering in the cold in sodden clothes. I'd lost track of how many times this had happened.

"Can't you just let me go home?" I wailed through chattering teeth.

"Drenched in alcohol? I'm sure your parents will be thrilled," Edward said sarcastically, standing a little to the side with his hands inside his pockets. I scowled, but he was right. He struggled with himself for a second before turning to me, "Look, can't I just buy - "

"You are not buying me new clothes!" I spluttered firmly. The boy never thought twice about where he was throwing his money. It was infuriating.

"Then what can I do for you?" he demanded.

"Nothing."

"You can't expect me to just watch you stand here and do nothing about your present condition. You know," he started his tirade, "If you hadn't been this clumsy - "

"But you're the one who dragged me out here in the first place - "

"I was doing you a great favour!"

"What favour? I could have dealt with Leah and Jacob just fine on my own!"

"I doubt it," he muttered, turning away from me and pulling out his phone.

"What was that?" I asked loudly, although I'd heard perfectly well.

"Never mind," Edward replied haughtily, eyeing me as if I was a ticking time bomb. "Just stay still and don't run away, okay? I'm calling my sister. She'll know how to help you."

I was a bit flabbergasted, "You have to call your sister for help?"

"What else can I do?" he asked, brow furrowed, "You refuse to let me buy you warm and dry clothes, and I'm not letting you go home like that. Tell me, is it a general rule of thumb that common people are unbearably stubborn?"

Instinctively, my mouth opened to argue, but the concern and responsibility in his tone made my protests die in my throat. Instead, I humphed, "Fine," and consented to stand there while he dialled the number. I was still shivering when I inconspicuously stole a look at him - and blinked rapidly when I saw him eyeing me back in bemusement.

Bella Swan, if you don't stop staring at him he's gonna think the unthinkable -

But no arrogant, self-proclaiming comment came out of Edward Cullen's mouth. Instead, he just asked, "Are you cold?"

"Not at all," I murmured, teeth still chattering.

Still keeping his phone at his ear, Edward pulled off his jacket and single-handedly draped it around my shoulders. I was startled by this action, but as if he could read my mind he said sternly, "Don't even think about giving it back. Hey, Sis?" Esme must have picked up on the other end.

I stood there as he talked, snuggled in his too-big jacket, finding myself revelling in its warmth and breathing in his scent. At the same time, my heart was going haywire again - sort of like what it did whenever Jacob was around, but more erratic and unpredictable.

Because this was Edward Cullen. And Edward Cullen had just given me his jacket to wear.

I'm getting a headache from all this, I thought drearily, When will the madness end?

"Okay, we'll be right there. Thanks, Sis!" He looked happy as he hung up and I waited for the verdict, somehow feeling smaller than usual in his coat. "Come on, let's go. She's not too far away from here." Seemingly without even thinking about it, Edward took my hand and pulled me along.

"Wait! Where are we going?" I puffed, struggling to keep up with his long legs, "Can you slow down? Cullen - argh, you are so pushy!"

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Edward wondered out loud, taking no pains to slow down his pace.

"I wonder!" I scoffed loudly and breathlessly, and then tried to dig my toes into the ground, "SLOW - DOWN!"

"Do you want me to carry you instead?" he asked in his compellingly smooth voice. Grr. He didn't play fair.

I paused.

"Okay fine, I'll run there!" I yelped, throwing off his hand and taking off in the general direction. I heard him chuckle.

In a couple of minutes we reached a function hall. I fell behind warily as Edward took the lead through the courtyard; it was like Leah Clearwater's party all over again. But I felt safe deep inside Edward's jacket and - though I hated to admit it - with the boy himself beside me. I counted myself lucky that he, for some inexplicable reason, was taking it upon himself to look after me.

"Why is Esme here?" I asked in a whisper as we walked through the foyer. It looked like something was going on; there were many people - wealthy people by what they were wearing and by their general demeanour - talking and laughing.

"She's helping to organise a charity auction," Edward murmured. I noticed he kept inclining his head to several important-looking people who hailed and waved at him. "Don't stare and just stay close to me," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

He didn't need to tell me twice. I was already attracting odd looks as I trailed behind Edward like a shy child behind their mother. Suddenly, he became alert and took long strides to the corner of the room.

"Sis, we're here," he announced while I hurried after him.

Esme turned her beautiful head around. "Edward!" she said in relief. Her brown eyes found me and she beamed, "And dear Bella. So we meet again, earlier than I expected! But what's my silly brother done to you this time?"

She ruffled him hard on the head and he jerked away, disgruntled.

"Ugh, get off, Sis!" Edward made a face and eyed me disparagingly, "It was her own fault."

A mystified Esme sniffed at the air around me, "Have you guys been drinking?"

Blushing, I very quickly explained what had happened with the conniving sake bottle. She looked dubious by the end of it, "Wow, you are clumsy."

"I told you," Edward said smugly.

"Who asked you to comment?" she shot at him, "It's rude."

He frowned, "Sis - "

"Anyway, Bella," Esme continued, ignoring him and smiling brightly at me. "This is what we're going to do about your clothes."

And while she outlined the procedures, I noticed something that I'd missed earlier this afternoon. Despite their bickering and teasing, you could tell these two siblings really loved each other - a lot. It was obvious by the unconscious affection that coloured Edward's tone whenever he addressed Esme - and really, how many people still called their sister 'Sis'? Even little Nessie had broken out of that habit.

My eyes lingered on Edward for a moment. There was something of a smile on his face as he watched his sister and me interact.

"...and after that you can change back into your - "

It took about two seconds. One moment I was still standing beside Esme, the next Edward had grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me behind the pillar.

"Wha - "

I'd barely caught my breath when I heard the clicking of high heels on marble approaching us - the sound was ominous and I cowered behind the pillar, making sure I was completely concealed. Instinct told me that much.

"Edward!" called a woman's voice full of authority, "You're here."

"You're back already?" was Edward's reply. I winced at the stoicism and indifference in his voice. I'd almost forgotten what it sounded like.

There was a slight pause. Then -

"Is that your greeting to your mother whom you haven't seen in two months?" the woman asked in a voice of entertained austerity.

My heart, already having been through much, stopped again.

Mother?

"And whose fault is that?" Edward retorted, his voice still frosty. "It doesn't make a difference whether you're in the country or not. Either way, you're never around."

"I see you're as melodramatic as ever," remarked his mother, chuckling in a condescending manner. "Well then, Edward, I hope you can contrive to enjoy yourself tonight. How are the preparations going, Esme?"

"We're almost ready to start, Mother," she answered, and there was something off in the way Esme spoke, too. Her usual benevolence and warmth was distinctly lacking.

"Very well, then. I'll see you both at dinner tonight. Yes, you are coming, Edward."

The high heels clicked away and I chanced a tiny peek around the pillar. She was tall, of course, and must undoubtedly be stately and beautiful like her daughter was.

Edward and Esme joined me behind the pillar; Edward was frustrated.

"What is the witch doing here?" he hissed at his sister.

"It's her charity auction," Esme whispered back, "Didn't you know?"

He groaned, glancing at me with evident concern in his eyes, "Then why did you tell me to bring Bella here? Don't you realise what she'll do?"

Esme bit her lip, also glancing worriedly at me. "I didn't think about that," she admitted in a murmur, clearly thinking fast while my shock slowly turned into fear; what was going on?

"Okay, time for my contingency plan then," she said decisively, "We can't sneak Bella out, that wouldn't achieve anything - and we can't hide her either, someone'll just find her. We're going to have to lie about her." She looked at her brother seriously, "You ready for it, Edward?"

He seemed uncertain, "Will it really work?"

"Yes, trust me," his sister said emphatically, patting him on the shoulder before taking my hand and leading me away, "Come with me, Bella." Esme seemed to be in rather of a hurry as she took me out of the hall and into a dressing room. The sense of deja vu was becoming crippling at this point.

"Esme, what's going on?" I asked fearfully as she rummaged through a rack of dresses. "Was that woman really - "

"Our mother, yes," she said shortly, pulling out a dress and throwing it at me, "Take off your uniform and put that on."

I obeyed wordlessly while Esme continued to explain.

"Our mother is an avid believer of the saying, 'Birds of a feather flock together.' If she sees a strange girl with Edward, there is no doubt she will want to find out who they are. Edward's never hung out with anyone else apart from F4, so it hasn't been a problem before. When she learns you're not exactly the daughter of an aristocrat..."

I felt a ripple of fear as she handed me a pair of shoes to go with the dress.

"Is she really that scary?" I asked hesitantly.

Esme chuckled darkly.

"You haven't met cunning, manipulative and cold till you've met our mother," she said grimly, "Elizabeth Cullen, Madam President of Meyer Group. You have to tread carefully around her, Bella. If she singles you out, there's no telling what she'll do."

My breathing grew shallow and the room around me seemed to blur around the edges. I sank down into a seat, trying to maintain a grip on myself.

"Bella? Bella, are you alright?"

Esme crouched down in front of me in concern. I looked at her desperately.

"I don't belong here," I whispered.

Her smile was so kind and understanding. "Don't talk nonsense, Bella," she said softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear, "You belong wherever you choose to. Don't worry too much about it. Edward and I are both on your side, and however terrible 'the witch' may be, she's not a complete monster - she's still our mother."

Esme smiled encouragingly at me and I nodded.

"This works out well, actually," she said amiably, "By the time the auction is over your uniform will be ready."

Within ten minutes my 'disguise' was complete and I stepped back into the hall, feeling less like a sore thumb but even more anxious about it. I was sure everyone could see through all the extravagant things I was wearing to notice the average, common girl residing underneath.

I was left with Edward since Esme had to help with the auction. We stood together in the hall as it started, and I was just beginning to relax when I had the uncomfortable feeling someone was watching me.

I looked around warily and drew a sharp intake of breath when piercing green eyes met mine.

"Your mother's spotted me," I muttered, shrinking closer to Edward.

He looked over as well, stiffening up a little. "Just relax," he murmured out of the corner of his mouth, "Act natural and keep your mouth shut. I'll do all the talking."

"What if she asks me a question?" I whispered, panicked, but already the President of Meyer Group was striding over. She certainly was an intimidating figure; dressed in a well-cut business suit and her hair the same bronze shade as her son's. I imagined she must have looked just like Esme when she was younger, only with redder hair and green eyes.

"Why, this is a surprise," she remarked with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She was still surveying me carefully, "Edward, why don't you introduce me?"

"She's my guest, so it doesn't concern you," Edward answered bluntly, still standing close to me.

President Cullen's smile widened; she seemed too used to his cold attitude. I felt awed. If Seth ever tried that on Mum, he'd be flayed to within an inch of his life.

"Well, since she's at my function, she must be my guest as well," she said pleasantly, but I didn't miss the burning curiosity in her eyes as she looked at me. I tried to smile, twisting my hands together nervously.

"She's a friend from school, alright?" Edward said as if this closed the matter. "The others know her as well."

President Cullen raised an elegant eyebrow, "The others meaning... F4?" She scoffed, "Don't tell me you're still playing around with those kids."

I glanced up at Edward. He was staring right back at his mother, expression solid and unreadable, but I could tell he was angry at her comment. "It's none of your business," he said in a low voice.

"But surely this new friend is," the president said sleekly, her eyes trained on me once again. "Whose family are you from? What does your father do?"

My mouth went dry underneath her expectant gaze. "Uh - um - "

"Her father's a businessman in the fashion industry," Edward answered curtly; her eyes darted back to him. "As you can see, she's wearing a number from the new spring collection."

Both President Cullen and I looked down at the dress I was wearing. So this was why Esme had to dress me up.

"Is that so?" President Cullen said softly.

I tried to appear as though this knowledge wasn't new to me.

She still didn't look completely satisfied, but fortunately one of her henchmen arrived at that moment, bowing and saying, "The auction is about to begin, Madam President," and she took one last glance at us, saying, "Well, enjoy the evening then."

Her eyes were still sharp on me before she walked away and I swallowed, my palms sweaty. Beside me, I felt Edward exhale in relief. But I was far from feeling relieved.

"She knew," I said bleakly.

"No she didn't," he said swiftly.

"Yes she did. She knew we lied. She knows I'm not a daughter of a fashion designer. As if a fashion designer would ever have a daughter that looked like me - I should leave now - "

"Calm down, Bella," Edward said, rolling his eyes but keeping a steady hand on my arm all the same. "The witch doesn't know anything. For now, she's none the wiser, and hopefully she won't feel compelled to investigate you further. And if you walk out wearing that dress," he added, eyeing the gown, "Sis will kill me."

The auctioneer began talking.

"So just stay put, okay?" he murmured, releasing my arm, "You're with me."

And even though those words might have once been cause to run out of the room screaming, I felt oddly comforted by them.

The auction was no ordinary one - they were auctioning off goods that had once been the possessions of famous celebrities, otherwise items of clothing that were unique in the world and designed by some famous Italian or French man. What shocked me most were the bids themselves - going well into the ten thousands, sometimes reaching the hundred thousand dollar mark. I gaped at the people around me, wondering if that woman with the funny hat really was the wife of a billion dollar hotel owner. She looked so ordinary.

All in all, I was actually enjoying the night and I knew Edward noticed, because once or twice when I gasped aloud or applauded enthusiastically for the winning bidder, he would shoot me a funny little smile. I pretended not to notice, because I knew my heart would perform one of its fits if I looked back at him.

"Next, we have a very special item indeed," announced the auctioneer as Esme wheeled out a notebook, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have here the very book in which violinist Natasha Korsakova composed her own pieces - the original, first copy! I've been informed that there are some compositions in here that have never been performed before. Who will be the lucky winner of this unique item? Do I hear... five thousand?"

My heart leapt to my throat in excitement and I spluttered, "Natasha Korsakova's own book!"

Edward turned to me. "You know her?" he asked.

"Yes," I said reverently, trying to get closer to look at the notebook. "She's an incredible violinist from Russia. I love her pieces."

I watched in awe as the bid went higher and higher, and I couldn't take my eyes off the book. This was something she'd actually touched, poured her heart and soul into. Just being able to see it with my own eyes was a wonderful treat in itself.

"We just had a call in for ninety thousand dollars!" the auctioneer said enthusiastically, and my mouth dropped open. "Going once... twice... sold!" He banged his mallet and I clapped feverishly with the other bidders.

"I'm back. What did I miss?" Edward's voice said in my ear and I looked up at him.

"You left? Where did you go?"

"The bathroom."

"You missed out!" I groaned, "It was sold for ninety thousand dollars. Can you believe it?"

"Oh," he said.

I furrowed my brow, "That doesn't mean anything to you, does it?" I sighed, turning back to look at the next item. "That's the problem with you rich people, you miss out on the value of little things. Money ceases to mean anything after awhile."

"Probably," agreed Edward, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth, and I gave up on him.

By the time the auction was over, I was feeling all flushed and excited. I guess this was the effect of something so exhilarating. Definitely something I should only attend in moderation - as if I'd ever have the opportunity to go again, though.

Esme came to collect me as soon as the auction was over and I changed back into my freshly washed and dry clothes, grateful that Mum would never know that sake had tainted my extremely expensive uniform. I went back outside to the foyer where Edward was waiting. All of a sudden, I felt bashful - and uncertain of how to act around him. The events of today had really jumbled out how we related to one another.

Edward didn't seem perturbed by any of this.

"Alec will drive you back home, he's waiting outside," he told me in his usual, 'I-am-superior-and-in-control' manner.

I nodded, unable to look him in the eye. "Well..." I muttered, more to the ground than anything, "Thank you."

"What did you say?" he asked.

A blush rose to my cheeks, much to my chagrin. "Thank you," I repeated a little louder, embarrassed that I was... well, embarrassed.

"I still can't hear you - " he taunted, clearly enjoying this.

"I said, 'THANK YOU'!" I snapped, now able to look up at him to see that he was snickering. My face went still redder, but not only from being embarrassed. I grit my teeth. Edward Cullen was absolutely insufferable. I made a vow that I would never feel embarrassed in his presence again. It was wholly unnecessary.

"There goes your temper again," he commented lightly.

"I'll be leaving now," I declared haughtily, turning around and stomping towards the doors. I didn't care if I was being childish.

Edward's voice was laced with amusement as he called me back, "Hey, Fender-Bella."

"What?" I asked vehemently, spinning back around to face him - and he tossed what looked like a book at me. The pages ruffled as I caught it clumsily, clamping it between my hands.

It was Natasha Korsakova's music book.

"What - how?" I spluttered weakly after five seconds of staring at it, dumbstruck.

Edward regarded me intently, his hands in his pockets.

"You can accept a thoughtful gift this time, can't you?" he chided, then said in a solemn voice, "Make sure you don't spill things on yourself unless I'm around." And with that he walked away.

Leaving me there, clutching Natasha Korsakova's book with my heart beating an irregular pattern again.

Only one thought made itself coherent amidst the scrambled mess that was my mind right now.

Did he just call me Fender-Bella?


President Cullen sat at her desk, an image of rigid perfection and authority. The part of the sky visible in the window behind her was growing steadily darker as twilight fell. Seemingly as something came to her mind, the scratching of her pen halted and she looked up, frowning.

The doors to her office opened and a middle-aged man walked in, inclining his head respectfully. "Madam President," he said, holding out a folder, "Here are the papers you requested."

President Cullen gave a single nod. "Leave them on the table."

He bowed his head again and set the folder down on the table.

"Alec?"

"Yes, madam?"

She was still gazing at the desk in front of her without seeing it. "The girl with Edward last night..." she said torpidly, "Have you seen her before?"

"Yes, madam, I have."

Her attention was piqued as she looked swiftly at him. "And who is she?"

"Her name is Isabella Swan," Alec answered after a moment's hesitation, "She attends St. Meyer with the young master and his F4 friends. She is in the year below them."

"Family?" enquired the president.

Alec hesitated longer this time. "She is from a middle-class family, madam," he answered at last. "Her father is a police officer. Her mother is an elementary school teacher."

President Cullen was silent for a long moment.

"How in the world did such a girl get into the school?" she finally asked in a voice of cold fury.

"Do you remember when you set up those scholarships after the public complained that St. Meyer wasn't focusing enough on the arts?" President Cullen nodded once and Alec continued, "Miss Swan is here on the musical one."

It was hard to tell what she was thinking as she sat still, absorbing this information.

"Very well," President Cullen said crisply, picking up her pen, "I've heard enough. You may go." Then she looked up again, an ominous flash in her green eyes. "Wait a moment, Alec."

"Yes, madam?"

She narrowed her eyes, gripping her pen harder than necessary.

"Keep an eye on Edward's activities from now on."

"As you wish, madam."


A/N: Oooft, enter in President Cullen! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I actually found it difficult to write. But yay for Edward/Bella bonding! And yay for readers who know the joys and delights of this drama. :)

So now a concensus of opinion - how is Edward Cullen faring at the moment? Hehehe.

Aw, thanks guys! Hope you had a happy new year as well. :D - msq.