Hello, my awesome readers! Okay, I'm not even gonna make excuses for the lateness of this chapter, and will instead just apologize. Sorry! However, that doesn't mean that I'm not going to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: , Wragziez, JessTalksAlot, ZzDejavuzZ, Engelhaft Albtraum, xxDancing-With-Starsxx, Supernatural freak 36, EdwardLover402, nobody you would have heard of, Valentina, and Knowledge is a powerful tool. You guys made my day(s) with your words, and I really can't describe how honored I am to have you as my readers. Thank you.

Also, a huge, ginormous thank you to my beta, Christine Writer. You are amazing. :D

While I own a portrait of Johnny Depp drawn in pencil, I do not own Edward Scissorhands. Enjoy!

My palms were sweating.

Profusely.

Gross.

But, hey, could I help it? No.

As Sarah held the door to the office open for me, I took in a shaky breath. The two-second walk here had been accompanied by- surprise, surprise -open stares, hushed whispers, and one hardly suppressed giggle. The slightly cramped office had a decidedly tenser atmosphere, as Sarah led the way to the front desk. A pristine white, it currently sat unoccupied. A small hallway was located behind it, where I assumed the principal's and vice principal's rooms were.

Please, don't make me go in there. Ever. I thought, looking around the room. Various picture frames displayed the school's achievements on every pale wall, while a small, fake tree stood in a nearby corner. Dang- even the tree looked sad. I frowned, rubbing at a faint stain on the floor with the toe of my shoe. Something about the neutral color scheme reminded me of a hospital, but without the sick patients.

An obviously new telephone sitting at the edge of the desk rang, effectively smothering the silence. Sarah looked to me and rolled her eyes as someone down the hall coughed. Okay, scratch the sick patients.

I heard shuffling just before a head of red hair stepped out of the principal's office.

No. Freaking. Way.

Clad in a loud, pink blouse and matching skirt, June Baker looked more equipped to go to a tea party than answer telephones all day. Her heels clicked noisily against the grey tiled floor as she sauntered over to the desk, not looking up from the stack of papers that were nestled snugly in her arms. Plopping them down as quickly as possible, she reached for the still ringing phone.

"It's a great day at Suburbia High School! How can I help you?" June greeted, crossing an arm under her chest as she leaned against the desk. I mentally willed her not to look up as she twirled the cord around a perfectly manicured finger, nodding in response to whatever the person on the other line was saying.

From the corner of my eye, Sarah was trying not to laugh at her over the top greeting.

Her expression forced me to suppress a chuckle, as well. I don't know if it was nerves kicking in, but it seemed to take more effort than usual.

As June continued to chatter, my thoughts drifted to Edward. What was he doing? Was he scared? I hoped he wasn't scared. His expression this morning only hinted at it, though, as I pulled the door to my room mostly closed behind me. It still stood open a crack, because I honestly didn't know if Edward would be able to get out otherwise. Thankfully, if he needed to escape, the back door was a sliding one, and didn't rely on fingers as much as it did force.

Escape. It made him sound like a prison inmate. Picturing him now, I couldn't think of a more opposite image. Edward was kind, gentle…yet so familiar with violence and horror.

He shouldn't have been. No one deserved that.

I was yanked back into reality when June replaced the phone with a loud click.

"Can I help you?" she asked, perfectly lined eyes roaming over Sarah. She stepped forward, bringing me with her. June's focus, naturally, drifted to me next. A wide smile broke out over her face as she recognized me.

"Why, if it isn't little Lucy Monet!" she said. I felt like a preschooler. "What can I do for ya, sweetie?"

Sarah- sweet, sweet Sarah -spoke up. "She needs her schedule, please."

A ghost of a frown flitted across June's features at Sarah's response, as I remained silent. Still, she nodded, turning to the computer just behind the desk and typing quickly.

"Monet…Lucy. Yep, here it is." she murmured, clicking a button which sent the printer into action. I suppressed a flinch at the sudden noise, as Sarah raised a confused brow at me.

"How does she know you?" she whispered, the printer offering much needed cover.

Glancing nervously at June, who watched the large machine impatiently, I answered, "She saw us in the grocery store and pounced."

Snickering quietly, Sarah nodded. "She does that."

With a last wheeze, the printer expelled my schedule. June lifted it carefully, fearing for her nails, then turned back to us.

"Alrighty, here ya go!" she grinned again, handing it to me. I took it with shaky fingers, offering her a small, thankful smile.

"Thanks." Sarah voiced my thoughts, escorting me from the office and out into the main lobby. Groups of teenagers huddled together, talking loudly about their summers and plans for after school today. Many of them turned to look at me as I passed with Sarah, eyeing me not harshly, but curiously and critically. Well, I hadn't had anything thrown at me yet, so that was a plus.

"Ugh, I don't get why they feel the need to stare." Sarah muttered, waving at a group of friendly looking girls as they walked by. Some of them turned to look at me, raising curious brows. I tried to ignore them, hoping that I wouldn't make an enemy within the first five minutes. After all, silence is neutral, right?

We turned a corner, and I found myself staring down a long, less crowded hallway. Dark, wood doors lined it on both sides, separated by rows of bright blue lockers. Sarah leaned against one of them, swiftly removing her backpack and placing it on the floor.

"Here, lemme see your schedule." she said, bending down and digging through her bag. Sifting through a few folders, she finally came up with her own. I handed her mine, chewing my lip.

"Luce, chill. It's gonna be okay." she rubbed my shoulder soothingly, glancing from me to the papers.

I smiled humorlessly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yep." she grinned, handing the schedule back. "We have three out of five classes together: Pre-Calculus, Chemistry, and English."

I glanced down at the remaining two, realizing that I would have U.S. History and Art alone. Well, at least I enjoyed the second one. Frowning, I opened my bag and dropped the schedule in.

"Hey," Sarah spoke up, noticing my distress. I sighed, raising my head. She leaned forward, chuckling. "If I could meet Edward without dying, then you can make it through one day of high school here."

I had to smile, despite myself. "And they're related…how?"

She shrugged. "No clue, but still." Silence, and then, "Oh! And if worse comes to worse, just tell them that you have laryngitis and can't talk."

My eyes widened at the realization that at some point, I would have to introduce myself to the class. "I'm going to have to talk." It was a whisper, more to myself than anything. Every expletive I had ever heard was exploding in my head as I put my full weight against the locker beside me.

"Not necessarily…" Sarah mumbled, concern evident as she watched me. Then, an embarrassed smile broke across her face. "Do you know what I just realized?"

Curiosity reared its head as I looked up. "What?"

Now she laughed. "If you had laryngitis, you wouldn't be able to tell someone. Wow. I failed on that one."

I chuckled, some of the fear rolling from my shoulders. "Nice job."

I had barely gotten the words out when the bell rang, loud and obnoxious. Students began rushing past us to get to their classes, some shoving others aside in their frenzy. A few turned to look at me as I stood there with Sarah, feeling like an idiot. Where was I supposed to go?

Catching my hesitation, she grasped my arm tightly. "Follow me."

Before I could protest, we had dove into the hectic group of pastel-clad highschoolers, bumping into person after person.

"Hey, Sarah." someone beside me said kindly. I looked to the left and up (dang, I was shorter than some of the freshmen), catching a glimpse of caramel skin and a strong jaw line.

"Hey, Ezra." Sarah nodded once in his direction, arm linking with mine. Dark, warm eyes didn't miss it, sliding down to me. I looked down, willing the attention away.

"Oh, who is this?" Ezra asked, an accent faintly gracing his soft voice. I couldn't really place it. Definitely not from around here; I knew that much. I also knew that the attention had most definitely NOT gone away. Well, so much for telekinesis.

Nudging me with her elbow, Sarah replied with ease. "This is my cousin, Lucy."

I lifted my head reluctantly, noting that we were headed toward a door at the end of the hall. Turning, it occurred to me that Ezra could be in this class, as well. He offered me a welcoming smile, and I was pretty sure it was genuine.

"Very nice to meet you, Lucy." he held out his hand. I gulped, hesitating before reaching out and taking it briefly. A nod followed, and, if I had anything to say about it, would be the most verbal response I would give. Sorry, Ezra. You seem nice, but I'm not a talker.

Okay, not a PUBLIC one.

From my side, Sarah was pulling out her schedule mid-stride. Looking from it to the room number next to the door a few feet away, she nodded.

"Room twenty-one thirteen. Yep, this is our class."

Ezra's eyebrows rose. "You have Pre-Calculus first period, too?" Sarah and I nodded in unison. "Awesome."

I got the feeling it wasn't a word he used often, but it made me feel a little better all the same.

At least I'll know some people here. I thought briefly, following Sarah through the doorway. The teacher sat at her desk, watching us from the other side of the room. I felt her eyes linger on me, but made no move to meet them.

"I am so tired." Sarah yawned, as we scooted into one of the middle rows. Few students had gathered in the room, and more were still coming in. They kind of reminded me of a bag of colorful marshmallows, but personified.

I nodded my agreement as Ezra voiced his. "Ditto."

Sarah plopped into her seat, which sat next to an identical, slightly graffiti-laden desk. I claimed it gladly, not because of its appearance, but because it sat next to a window. The first few rays of sunlight had already begun to peek through the trees just outside. Normally, I would've watched this beauty in fascination. Now, all I could think about was Edward and how the leaves of these darn things made it impossible to see even remotely close to my street. Thank goodness the school was built on a slight hill; perhaps, in another class, I could catch a glimpse of my house.

"You okay?" Sarah's voice made me jump. I could see her looking over my shoulder out of my peripheral vision, trying to figure out what I could be staring at.

"Yeah." I mumbled.

There was a pause, before she gasped. "Wait, he spent the night, didn't he?"

I nodded, frowning.

"Did anything happen?" she asked, taking notice.

"Ellie found him." I murmured, trying to keep our conversation as quiet as possible. No sense in making people think I keep guys in my house just for the fun of it. Then again, everyone else was chatting as loudly as they pleased, and I doubted that any could hear our voices if they wanted to.

Sarah made a sound between a squeal and a gasp. "Are you serious? What happened?"

I opened my mouth to reply as the bell rang. Sarah grimaced, sitting back down in her desk.

"We'll discuss this later." she whispered, as the rest of the students shuffled back to their seats. A glint of concern shone in her jade eyes. I smiled faintly, surprised by her fear for Edward after knowing him for only one day. But hey, was I complaining? Nope.

From the front of the room, the teacher spoke. "Okay, guys. Before the announcements start, I'm going to take roll. So," she rose from her desk, a clipboard in hand. "Jenica Arcos?"

No response. I used the pause to take in her appearance. Before, I had caught only a glimpse of dark, curly hair. Now it was directly in front of the room, accompanied by a sun bronzed face and brown eyes.

"Jenica Arcos?" she repeated, frowning. I suppressed a sigh; it was going to be a long day.

From my side, the sun brushed comfortingly across the desk. A few rays managed to warm my arm, golden and cheerful. I risked a glance outside, seeing nothing but trees and cars speeding along the road in front of the school.

A knock at the door made me jump. I may or may not have heard a chuckle or two as the teacher made her way to it, sighing softly in the process. Turning back to the window, I tried to take in as much of the scenery as possible. No clue why. I guess a big part of it was stress relief; after all, I was pretty sure that some of those laughs had been directed at me.

"Are you Jenica?" the teacher asked quietly to the newcomer.

Silence.

Okay, that was a first. Turning, my eyebrows rose at the sight of a girl my age, wearing baggy jeans and a partially zipped hoodie. She carried no expensive handbag, no pastel colored clothing or backpack. Oh, and her hair was blue- dark, dark blue. Was it possible that I had just seen the first example of diversity? Or did she just feel like playing a joke on her friends? Okay, that last one sounded a bit far-fetched, but if you were in the same boat, you would be in disbelief, too.

Jenica, as she confirmed seconds later, fidgeted with her sleeves. "Yes."

"Okay then," the teacher scribbled something on the clipboard, then gestured offhandedly around the room. "Take a seat."

Glancing around the room, I didn't see any empty seats. Apparently, Jenica was thinking the same thing. However, as her eyes moved in my direction, they lingered. I didn't risk a glance over my shoulder at what was surely an empty seat behind me.

Shuffling past the front row of desks, Jenica nearly tripped over a few outstretched legs. I glanced at Sarah, who rolled her eyes.

"Jerks." she mouthed at me. Ezra, who had been watching the exchange, nodded in agreement. I slumped forward in my desk, moving my stuff aside when the poor girl passed. The teacher continued to call out names from her attendance list.

I raised my hand when called. That set off a few conversations, but I ignored them. Another good thing about Edward- even in my thoughts, he offered me a safe haven. I dove into it headfirst, resting my chin on my palm as I stared out of the window.

Please, be safe. I willed him to hear me, even from a few miles away. But, seeing as how I wasn't Professor Xavier, that didn't seem likely.

A folded piece of paper landed near my elbow. I frowned, studying it before picking it up. Quietly unfolding it, I figured out that it was a note from Sarah.

It's later. So, tell me what happened.

I glanced over at her. She smiled, making a sort of writing gesture with her hand. I suppressed a laugh, rolling my eyes and fishing through my backpack for a pencil.

It was impossible to resist a nervous glance around the room before I started writing.

Well, Ellie walked into my room without knocking and found me and Edward talking. She didn't scream or freak out, but we did end up sitting together for a couple of hours while she asked all about him. I made her promise not to tell Mom, and so far, she hasn't.

There. Short enough to be considered a note, and vague, in case a teacher or someone found it.

Tossing the note onto Sarah's desk, I pretended to pay attention to the teacher's introduction speech. Well, at least I was doing better than some; a few students across the room weren't even trying to look interested, huddling together to talk instead.

The note landed in my lap this time.

And what about Edward? Is he okay?

I thought her concern for my best friend was touching. I mean, she had just met the guy, and already she was asking about his wellbeing.

I don't think Ellie scared him nearly as much as those jerks who invaded his house did. He hasn't said it, but I know he's afraid that they've torn everything up. It makes me sad to see him like that.

I wiped at the ghost tears gathering in my eyes, handing the note back to Sarah. She frowned at its contents. I turned my focus back to Ms. Thompson, catching a glimpse of the clock above the door. We had about five minutes left in class.

Yay.

A rustle near my feet forced my eyes downward. I raised a brow as Sarah sheepishly withdrew her hand from my messenger bag.

"The note," she mouthed, making a square with her hands. "is in there."

I nodded in understanding, suppressing a chuckle.

"Okay, guys, I guess that's it. We'll start on your first assignment on Monday." Ms. Thompson concluded, offering us a smile. Did she notice that hardly anyone had been listening? I couldn't be sure.

The bell rang shortly after, and I stood with my bag in tow.

"Luce, what's your next class again?" Sarah asked, rummaging around her backpack in search of her schedule. I quickly pulled mine out and handed it to her.

"Oh, yeah, U.S. History." she mumbled, practically throwing it back at me. "My next class is on the next floor, and I've only got about two minutes to get there."

Tossing her backpack over her shoulder, she shuffled noisily toward the door. Then, turning, she added, "Did you need help finding your next class? I can get a pass or something."

I shook my head, offering her a small smile. It wasn't like I couldn't walk in front of people I didn't know. Plus, she shouldn't have to go with me to every single class…not that I didn't want her to.

"Okay, then. See ya in third period." she winked at me, then scurried out the door. Ezra, who had been packing up himself, looked up from his stuff. I gulped.

Sarah, come back. I thought, as he opened his mouth to speak.

"You have U.S. History next?" he asked. It was a half-statement, half-question. I nodded. "Me, too. Do you want to walk together?"

I hesitated before nodding again. He didn't seem to have any ulterior motive, other than getting to class. Plus, I knew him…kind of.

"All right. Let's go." he grinned, leading me from the room.

Okay, what did you think? By the way, one of our two newest characters can be credited to the awesome Engelhaft Albtraum. Can you guess which one it is? :D *cough* JENICA *cough*. Thank you for thinking her up!

I'm thinking of doing a question of the day type deal at the end of each chapter. You guys up for it? Okay, then! Today's question is: what is your favorite sick-day movie?

Would you be so kind as to leave a review? Thank you so much for reading!