bPenname/b: Babette12
bOriginal or Derivative (fanfiction)/b: DERIVATIVE
bRating/Warning(s)/Note(s)/b: T, Alternate MS/Twilight

bDisclaimer/b: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.
bPrompt/b: Pond

[spoiler]

School was interminable until lunch when I would see Bella again. They had all started talking amongst themselves like clucking hens when she had emerged from the front seat of my car, expressed shock when Alice had hugged her, and gone silent when I had come around and taken her hand, earning a blushing smile. Now she was the talk of the school for a wholly different reason than just her arrival. The girls were all wondering how she had snagged me, the boys how they could snag her back.

I had chuckled at that. Like they stood a chance. She was my mate, even if she didn't know it yet, and when the time was right I would make it so she would be with me forever.

Now I was waiting outside of her Spanish class where the girl Jessica was already thinking about all the questions she wanted to ask. Looking through her eyes I could tell that Bella was pretending to pay close attention to Mrs. Goff, but the blush on her face gave her away.

The bell had rung thirty seconds ago, allowing me to rush across the school, going down passages the other students were unfamiliar with. However, Mrs. Goff was still calling out what the assignment would be, and Bella was carefully writing it down.

"Bella, it's lunch, let's go," Jessica whined, "or are you planning on eating with Edward?" Her face reddened even more at that and my heart soared at that response. Hmm, she certainly looks hopeful Jessica mused, and I was hopeful she was right.

"I don't know," she responded quietly, before getting a small smile on her face. "He doesn't seem to eat very much."

I would need to do something about that, and cringed at the thought. My reaction caused some of the students who were skirting around me to look around to figure out what I was reacting to, since I was normally so unflappable. I could hear Alice laughing in her thoughts, sending me images of me hunched over, expelling the vile stuff teenaged humans considered sustenance. To keep Bella in the dark, it would be worth it. The last thing I wanted was the Volturi finding out I was courting a human.

Her scent billowed out in front of her as she neared the door of the classroom, having finally been released from class. I dared not look in her direction, not wanting to appear too eager, in spite of the fact that I was standing here, waiting for her. Only at the sound of her gasp at seeing me did I turn and smile at her.

"Mrs. Goff held your class," was all I said in greeting, smiling down at her. Her eyes seemed to gloss over for a moment and her breathing stopped. "Bella?" I called, somewhat alarmed by her reaction.

She shook her head as if dislodging a thought as Jessica giggled in hers. No wonder she seems dazed, that smile would take me out. Ah, so that was the problem? My smile grew larger at that, especially in combination with taking her hand.

When we arrived I was surprised to note that Emmett's mind was in turmoil. Normally he was like looking into a clear pond, nothing hidden, but now it was as if he were hiding something from me. Cocking an eyebrow in his direction I waited for him to notice me, knowing it wouldn't be long. Sure enough, seconds later he glanced toward me and winced. It's Rosalie, bro. She's not too happy about this. I just nodded in his direction to let him know I understood.

Loading the tray with food I kept an eye on her. She was looking down for the most part, but whispered conversations and pointing fingers drew her attention, causing that warm flush of blood to heat her face, in turn causing the venom to pool in my mouth.

Edward, do you need help? I heard Alice's thought call across the room, before being followed by a I guess not as she saw me swallow the venom down. Then she laughed, Don't break the tray! With a sigh I glared over at her but was returned to the girl at my side by the touch of her warm, fragrant hand.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly, her brows drawn together in concern.

"Fine," I smiled. "Alice is being annoying."

"Maybe you shouldn't listen in on her thoughts then," she said so quietly that she couldn't have expected me to have heard, but I had. Shock went through my body, pinning my feet to the floor in such a way that had never occurred since my transformation. She glanced up to me then with a knowing smile. "Hmm, so I am right?"

I just shookd my head as my siblings started laughing amongst themselves, taking bets on how long it would be before we had to kill the girl to protect our secret, or change her. Alice was busy trying to convince them we were safe, but Rosalie wasn't buying it.

"I don't know why you're buying so much food, it's not like you ever eat it," the girl continuced, still speaking under her breath, but now I was sure she was positive I could hear her. Her eyes came off of where she was staring into the distance and fixed me with a knowing look. "What I'm wondering is how long it will be before you tell me what you really are."

That silenced my family as they waited for my reply. "I'm a hungry boy, Bella," I told her, the words not really a lie since I hadn't told her what I was hungry for. "That's what I am."

Her eyes narrowed as we stepped up to the cashier, and I found myself having to reach over her to pay, eliciting another huff of frustration from her. "I'm also a gentleman, so please?" She just shook her head and walked toward an empty table, and I happily took the seat beside her.

In an attempt to keep up the charade I picked up a piece of something slimy with grease and popped it into my mouth. It was truly horrible as I chewed, and my stomach was already clenching in preparation of ridding me of it. She just smirked. "You look like someone just forced you to eat brussel sprouts." Her giggle was infectious.

Looking down to ascertain what I had eaten I grimaced. "Well, I'm not a big fan of pizza."

"Sure you're not, because you're not human." She picked up the food I had discared and took a bite, raising an eyebrow as if inviting me to challenge her statement.

"What you really should be worried about is if I'm really a gentleman," I told her, drawing forth that blush I was growing to adore.

For the record, I love brussel sprouts!