A New World Full of Strangers
Disclaimer: All the characters in the story are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I have borrowed them for my entertainment and (hopefully) your reading pleasure. I make no profit from their use.
Chapter 26: Lunchtime at the High School
Once we get out of the guidance counselor's office, Alice and I walk quickly down the hall so that we won't be late for class. We pass by Edward, who rolls his eyes at us.
"I can't wait to hear what she was thinking at lunch," says Alice.
We arrive at the math classroom and grab a couple of seats next to each other. No one even looks at us. The classroom is humming with chatter about summer vacations and plans for fall events. Because it is the very first day of school, the kids are so absorbed in themselves that they don't give a second glance to the two pale vampire girls sitting by themselves. But our anonymity doesn't last long.
The teacher of the class, M. Gardner, calls everyone to order and demands that we stand up around the room while he seats us in alphabetical order. Alice and I look at each other and shrug. There's nothing that anyone can do about that. Like everyone else, we obediently take our seats, Alice in the very back seat in the first row where she has to sit up on her knees to see, and I in the very first seat in the front row where I slouch down.
Since it is the first class, he hands out a list of assignments due in the next month, and more papers with class rules and suggestions for study, all in French of course. In fact, it takes me a few minutes to realize that he has been speaking French the entire time. My vampire brain has simply been processing the meanings of the words without translating them.
About halfway through his lecture, he begins to call on students for answers to simple math questions. That is when I discover that many of the students are stumbling through their French, with relatively poor pronunciation. However, I keep my face expressionless until he asks me a detailed question about coefficients.
My answer raises his eyebrows. I not only know the answer, but I also find myself speaking in flawless French.
"Mlle. Swan," he says. "Have you lived in Quebec or France before?"
"No, Monsieur," I reply. "I have lived in Alaska all my life."
There are some giggles around the room.
"How did you learn to speak such perfect French?" he asks, looking puzzled.
"On the Internet," I reply truthfully, glancing back at Alice, who slides down in her seat and puts her hand on her head.
There is now some laughing in the class, which he silences with a glance. M. Gardner does not call on me again, but gives me a few odd looks. I listen carefully when he calls on Alice and discover that she is speaking more slowly and hesitates before some of her phrases.
I also become aware of a couple of the boys looking at me with interest. Rosalie warned me about this. As soon as the bell rings, Alice flits over to my side and drags me into the hallway.
"What did we tell you about not sounding too smart?" she asks.
"I was just answering . . . normally," I reply. "I mean, I barely realized that he was teaching in French. I understood every word as if it was English. And the question that he asked was easy."
She rolls her eyes.
"Not for a ninth grader," she hisses. "Next time try to look like you are thinking before you answer. We will have to warn Edward. If they try to advance you in math, then Esme will have to come up with some excuse for why you may be a little ahead of everyone else."
"Okay," I say. "What do we have next?"
"History," she says looking at our schedules. "Good, it's Canadian history. You don't know anything about that, do you?"
"I don't think so. Look I'm sorry, but I'm not used to being one of the smart kids in the class," I apologize. "Especially in math class."
"Okay," she says. "I wonder if this teacher sits everyone alphabetically too. I need to sit next to you so that I can poke you, if you're messing up."
"Thanks a lot," I mumble as we enter the room.
But this teacher and the science and English teachers also sit everyone in alphabetical order. It doesn't really bother me too much. It's more disconcerting that the teachers like to "cold call" the students instead of waiting for hands. When I am called to answer on the spot, I get nervous and talk too fast.
Just like at Forks High School, the tendency is to see pretty the same kids in all of your classes. By lunchtime I can see that there are at least two boys who are trying to work up the nerve to say hi to me. Luckily, we get to the cafeteria early, so that we reach the lunch table with the others before anyone else can try to sit down with them. Edward gives me a big grin.
"Mr. Varner would be proud," he comments, smirking.
"Thanks a lot," I reply sarcastically. "Were you watching me all morning through Alice?"
"No," he says. "It's the first day, so I had to pay attention in some of my own classes. By the way, those two guys over there are arguing about which one of them should try to talk to you first."
"Oh, great!" I groan. "The blonde one was staring at me for the last two classes."
"Not bad, Bella," says Emmett. "Two in one morning."
"You better watch out yourself, Emmett," replies Edward. "You've got a cheerleader who wants to jump you in the parking lot after school."
"Really?" he asks. "Where?"
Rosalie gives him a slap upside the head and he says, "Just kidding, Rose. Can't you take a joke?"
"You better watch out, Emmett," answers Edward. "The captain of the hockey team has his eye on her."
"Can't we be just a little bit scary?" asks Emmett facetiously.
"Let's just go with acting indifferent for now and see what happens," says Edward. "By the way, Bella, that guidance counselor wants to get you away from Alice so that she can talk to you alone."
"Great," I groan. "What does she think? And don't spare any of the gory details."
"She has a vivid imagination," he says. "She thinks that it is possible that your mother was prostituting you to pay for drugs."
"Lovely," says Alice. "How did she come up with that?"
"Some of Jasper's handy work with the court documents giving Carlisle and Esme custody had redacted parts to it," he replies. "I told you that she has a creative mind. She was just filling in the blanks."
"Well, if necessary," Rosalie says. "Carlisle can just tell her to bug off. He is a doctor after all."
"I'm not done," says Edward. "She thinks that Alice has an eating disorder because she's so skinny."
"Alice does have an eating disorder, at least to the Volturi," says Jasper drily. "She only drinks animal blood."
We all begin to laugh. Emmett throws part of a bagel at Jasper's head and he flicks it to crumbs in Rosalie's direction. Quick at lightning, she slaps him upside his head.
"Let's just try to act our ages," she says.
"We are," answers Emmett with a shrug. "Fourteen and fifteen, remember? Guys are supposed to be jerks that this age."
"Some guys are jerks at any age," Rosalie mutters.
"Oh, come on," says Alice. "This is kind of fun. I mean, it's not the usual boring school day. What is gym like, Edward?"
"Soccer," he says. "Lots of running to get in shape. Remember Bella . . . "
"I know, keep pace with Alice and if I get the ball tap it," I grimace.
"Man," says Emmett. "I wish that I was like Edward and could see that. I wonder how many miles she could kick the ball if she tried."
"I wonder how many miles she could kick the ball, even if she didn't try," says Jasper. "Are you interested in a little wager?"
"You know, we're laughing over here so much that a couple of kids are going to come over in a minute to see what's so funny," says Edward.
"So?" says Alice. "It's not like that hasn't happened before. Trust me, nothing's going to happen if they come over. Besides, we're the new kids. I'm surprised that no one has come over here yet."
"Right now, they are mostly intimidated by how good-looking we are," replies Edward. "And they are trying to figure out if they have a chance at hooking up with any of us. They are hoping that none if us are dating each other."
"Do they think that that would be weird?" I ask.
"No," shrugs Edward. "Just disappointing. The people here are much more open to differences than those in the United States. It's kind of fascinating really."
"Incoming," says Emmett under his breath.
I look up from the salad that I have been shredding and see two freshmen girls from my science class coming over. Automatically, I smile at them and two people kick me under the table.
"Bella!" hisses Rosalie.
"Hi!" says one of the girls. "Are you like the Cullens, or something?"
"Or something," mutters Emmet so rapidly under his breath that they can't hear him."
"Not all of us," replies Edward smoothly, but coolly, so as not to encourage conversation.
He is too subtle. Even without the ability to read their minds, I can tell that the girls aren't going to give up. Their curiosity has gotten the better of them. I'm glad that we are all together.
"Okay, whatever," says the other girl. "Is like Dr. Cullen your Dad or something? My older sister broke her arm and he set it for her. She said that he's the most gorgeous doctor. She might even try to break the other one. He could like be on a soap opera or something."
Rosalie and I look at each other and roll our eyes.
"My mother thinks so too," she says archly.
Both girls look at each other and start giggling again. Now a couple of boys join us. One of them pulls up a chair and sits down next to me.
"Hi!" he says, "I'm Jed and this is Kai. If there's anything that you need to know about Whitehorse, we can help you."
"I think that we're good on that score," says Jasper, speaking for me. "Thanks anyway."
I look down, letting my long hair fall over my shoulder so that half my face is covered. I can see that Edward's hands are balled up in fists under the table. Oh brother! How can he be jealous of a fourteen-year old child? Then several more kids come over. Apparently, the first ones have made the others feel brave.
Alice moves more closely to me and whispers, "This happens sometimes. It's not a big deal."
"I'm afraid that Edward might take one of them apart," I whisper back.
"Edward won't touch any of them," she giggles. "I would have seen that."
I look up at her and we both giggle again. She and I obviously have the whole giggling girl thing down, very human. Rosalie looks bored. Emmett looks around at them like he is trying not to laugh, while Jasper looks like he's trying not to look scary. Edward, who is our spokesman because he knows what they are thinking, relaxes.
"Yeah," he says, as if he has gone back to the original question. "Dr. Cullen is our Dad. I guess it must be weird for you guys to have such a big family move to town."
"Kind of," replies a dark-haired girl. "I mean we have some big families in town but not with so many adopted and foster kids . . . "
Her voice trails off and she blushes a deep red. Alice casually lays a hand on Jasper's arm.
"I guess that we are a little . . . different," replies Edward. "Don't worry. We won't cause any trouble."
He flashes her a smile and she practically swoons. Thankfully the bell rings. The cafeteria begins to slowly empty, as students reluctantly return to their classes. Alice and I dispose of our trays and drift towards to exit, with the other behind us.
"Good work, Edward," says Emmett. "But I think that they will be back."
"They are all too curious not to be back," he admits. "But so far none of them have even come close to suspecting anything. They all just figure that we are naturally pale from living so far north. A lot of them are pale too."
"Not as pale as us," says Jasper. "But I would be a lot more comfortable if they would stay farther away."
"Don't worry baby brother," says Rosalie. "I'll take care of you."
"Why am I the baby brother?" he asks.
"Because in Forks, I was the baby sister," she says. "Besides it's only by five minutes."
"At least no one asked anything that was too personal," I comment.
"Don't worry," says Edward, "They will get around to it. But we've got to keep it low key. The humans around here like to take care of each other. If you sound too troubled, they will turn you into the guidance office."
By now, the cafeteria is almost empty, as the crowd has moved into the hallway.
"Okay, guys," says Emmett when we get to the door. "Show time!"
As Alice and I traipse off to our next class at human speed, I can't help but wonder how different I would have felt if I had been going to a high school like this one in Forks. I understand why it's a pain that everyone is trying to be friendly, but something about these kids seems to be more genuine. Of course, it's a lot easier to start school at the beginning of the year rather than in the middle.
As Alice and I take our time moving down the hall, I notice a tall, Native American girl walk up to Edward to strike up a conversation. Without my vampire hearing, I can tell that he is being polite, but she is not easily discouraged. Then they turn into a classroom door. Alice rolls her eyes.
"Poor Edward," she says. "The girl is going to follow him around for the rest of the day. Then before the bells rings for the end of the day, she's going to slip a note with her name and phone number on it into his binder."
"What is he going to do with it?" I ask.
"You'll find out later when he opens his binder while you are doing your homework and he discovers it," she says smiling.
"It's that good?" I wonder.
"You'll see," she replies. "It will be more fun for you if you don't know."
I shake my head as we turn into French class. The teacher's eyes light up when she sees me. No doubt M. Gardner has already filled her in on what a "brilliant" French student I am. My two little puppy dogs, Jed and Kai, are waiting for me. At least their last names are nowhere near mine in the alphabet. I sigh. I don't see how the others could possibly have ever thought that high school was boring.