A/N: Merry Christmas Eve! As your Xmas present, or holiday present if you don't celebrate Xmas, here's a new chapter! hope you like it! :)

Eleven.

"Hey," Mel greeted me, as I placed my lunch tray on the cafeteria table across from hers. Lunchtime had finally arrived on the first day of school. I was more than thankful for a break from my brand new classes, but what I really wanted was a break from all of the stares that came from my fellow students, who were all eagerly gossiping about my meltdown yesterday. It was truly a great day to be me. Not.
"Hi," I said, idly picking at my honey mustard fries, and absentmindedly watching the Cullen family conversing over at their table across the way. There was definitely something about them that was off… Something strange. But it was that same thing that drew me to them, which was something that both excited me and terrified me at the same time.

"How was your night?" Mel asked me, noticing the fact that I was fairly engrossed in whatever the Cullens were doing, and had been all day.

"Great… after I fell asleep," I told her honestly. Oh God, was the first night with Alice as a roommate awkward. She kept asking me about my life as if I could remember any of it. Then she kept replying with cryptic remarks, making me think she knew something I didn't when she couldn't possibly know.

Could she?

I fixed my stare on the back on the Cullens' table, without even blinking. Edward and Alice were laughing about something that Jasper had said, and the other blonde rested her head on the large burly one's shoulders. Jacob sat alone among them, as if he was excluded. He just sat there eating his hamburger, staring down at his tray with some kind of a worried look on his face.

I watched him finish, and then stand to dump his tray. Without even thinking I stood with him, and picked my uneaten food off of the table. Mel looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "You're done? Already?" She asked, in awe, "You didn't even eat your honey mustard fries! You love your honey mustard fries!"

It was true. Honey Mustard fries were one of the only foods I actually found edible and the truth was that I did want them. But as it turned out, my fascination with Mr. Kismet was a lot stronger, overpoweringly so, and I didn't know why. I just made my way to the trash cans in the corner as if we were the north and south poles of a magnet.

I made it in time for him to let me go first, like a true gentleman. "Thanks," I told him with a smile, and dumped my tray.

I looked up to see him staring at me, which made my heart race. "I-I wanted to say how sorry I am about last night," I told him uneasily, preoccupied by the way he was looking at me. He took a second to reply, seemingly lost in thought.

"You didn't need to apologize," He told me gently, "You couldn't help yourself,"

I laughed, still uneasy as we moved away from the trash barrels. "Yeah," I said, "True, but you must think that I'm insane now," I told him, chuckling to mask my embarrassment as my face turned beet red. "I hope you know that I'm not," I told him, "Or at least I don't think I am,"

He smiled. "I don't think you're insane," He assured me. "You've just had a hard past,"

"What's a past?" I joked in a monotone voice, "I seem to have lost mine,"

He didn't laugh. I fruitlessly tried to explain that this was a joke, but it was no use. I smiled awkwardly, then began to walk away. "Hey!" He called after me, "Where are you going?" I turned around, my face still red from embarrassment, to face him.

He seemed like he was generally concerned, and though it scared the living daylights out of me, in the same breath, I loved it. I couldn't remember a time when someone cared for me like he seemed to. It was unique. "Uh, erhm…" I stammered.

"You should come meet everyone," He told me, "I mean for real this time," He laughed at my horrified expression. I thought about making a break for the door, but for some reason I trusted him. I nodded once, and followed him to the table where the Cullen family was seated.

When I arrived, I literally wanted to scream. This was almost too much for me, and I didn't know why. It made me feel like I did when I fainted… Although that was the last thing I needed to think about. I couldn't help but notice that my face was still red. "Uh, hi," I said generally, then I spoke directly to Alice, my roommate, who surprisingly wasn't confused. "He said that this was a good idea," I joked, pointing at Jacob who shrugged.

"I told her she should meet everyone for real," He explained, and I took a deep breath. "It's not a big deal," He told me. "You're having an anxiety attack!"

"What an observation," I muttered to myself as he laughed at his unfunny joke.

"Please," Edward spoke now, indicating an empty spot at the picnic-style lunch table, "Sit down."

I silently did what I was told without really knowing why. I was running on a gut feeling. I was now seated between Edward and Jacob, as uncomfortable as ever. Not because they were particularly intimidating, but because I felt as though I was about to drift back into my past which was never a good sign. Usually, it caused me to faint.

I felt a wave of calm fall over me… like it had in my room last night. I immediately looked toward Jasper, and we locked eyes. He nodded once, as if he was silently confirming that he was messing with my head. I refrained from saying anything to keep from sounding crazy. I just looked away.

"I don't think we formally met," The other blonde said, from across the table, "I'm Rosalie," she said, extending her hand, "and this is Emmett." Uneasily, I shook her hand. She smiled sweetly at me, but her eyes seemed to tell a deeper story. She looked at me like I was someone she used to know. I stifled a shudder.

I waved to Emmett, not expecting him to speak. "So…" He mused, "I heard about you," He told me, almost as though he was about to interrogate me.

"Really?" I asked him, confused.

"You have quite a reputation," He continued, with a sly smile, "It's a wonder you haven't been expelled…"

Rosalie punched him in the arm. "Emmett, stop!" She chided, "She's already nervous as it is!"

"I was just joking!" He told her in response to her reaction, then turned to me. "I wasn't judging you," He explained, "Just sharing a mutual hobby of practical jokes…"

It was like the whole table rolled their eyes. I smiled. "Glad someone appreciates it," I joked lightheartedly.

That was when the bell rang. I stood first, almost as though it was a reflex. "Can't be late to music class," I told them, "Especially with my reputation," I joked.

"You have music next period as well?" Edward asked me, "I'll walk with you,"

I sighed, and faked a convincing smile to conceal my nerves as we walked to class.

A/N: If you guessed that this was Nessie's POV, you are correctomundo! :) Although you probably should be getting used to her voice by now... But don't worry... I'll be switching it up soon! -Sarah