XII. Fork High's Newest Couple Makes Headlines

A whole hour left me with plenty of time to shower, blow dry my hair, get dressed, and have breakfast. I was putting my dishes in the sink when Edward came knocking at the door. I ambled out to the hall and allowed him in. "Morning," I smiled with relief, suddenly finding it easier to breathe.

"Good morning, Isabella," he greeted, standing closer than strictly necessary. I could feel my ears getting hot so I busied myself with pulling my coat from its hook, but then he was there again, helping me pull the sleeves over my cashmere sweater, hands lingering, and buttoning it up faster than my eyes could keep track of.

I slapped his hands away, my face burning. "Damn it, Edward, knock it off," I scowled, "You can't just do stuff like that. It's embarrassing!"

Edward laughed and prodded my cheek. "Is that why you're blushing?"

"You don't have to sound so smug," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"I'm sorry. You get flustered so easily," he chuckled, leaning over to hoist my backpack from where it had laid abandoned since Friday.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, shooing him back out the front door, "Let's go before I change my mind."

My threat didn't phase Edward at all, his grin not dropping once as he lead me down the driveway and opened the passenger door for me. "Thanks, love," I patted his cheek teasingly, but his unexpectedly dazed look shot a trill of satisfaction through me. I settled into the leather seat, surprised when the bittersweet scent of coffee wafted across my nose. "That for me?" I checked once Edward sat beside me on the driver's side.

"From Alice," he nodded. While I eagerly sipped at the still hot drink, Edward dug out a small, pale tube from his coat pocket, "And this too."

"Oh! Bless your sister!" I cheered, setting the coffee back down and taking the concealer from his hands. Bella didn't need makeup, but I'd done some damage to her eyes in the past two nights. The shower had freshened me up, but until I got some decent rest, I'd be sporting the under-eye bruises.

Edward watched me curiously while I pulled down the sun visor to peer into the mirror. I spent a few seconds delicately blending the concealer around my eyes before I decided I looked human again. "Okay, I'm done, we can go," I said while I twisted the tube close.

"Actually, I have something for you too," Edward said and reached towards the backseat.

"Is it my birthday?" I chortled, accepting the paper he handed me.

"No… When is your birthday?" he asked.

My mind blanked. "No idea," I shrugged and turned to the paper he handed me. I could remember some of Edward's innermost thoughts, but I couldn't remember Bella's birthday. It was definitely in September, but the exact day escaped me. As I glanced over the slanted writing that eerily resembled my own, I frowned, "Wait, this is―"

"You said I could no longer help you with biology. You said nothing about trigonometry," Edward grinned.

I narrowed my eyes long enough to unnerve him, before I shrugged and tucked it into my backpack. "Thanks." With everything that happened over the weekend, trig homework had completely slipped my mind.

"Ah, you're not upset?" he checked, much to my amusement.

"Please," I scoffed, "I could do these problems in my sleep. Biology, on the other hand, is a different beast."

Edward chuckled as he put the car into drive, "Oh, good. According to Alice, Mr. Varner will be particularly temperamental today, so best not to forget your homework."

I was slightly surprised at his casual mention of Alice's precognition, but then shrugged it off. "He's so cranky all the time," I groused while sipping my coffee, "Almost tempts me into a career change."

"Career change? You want to be a math teacher?" Edward asked, eyes focused on me rather than the road.

Was a math teacher, I thought glumly, before shaking away the sting of disappointment. "Maybe," I shrugged, unsure if I wanted to work through earning the same degree. I swallowed another sip of my drink before continuing, "I also wanted to be a physicist, but working towards a doctoral sounds like a pain."

"Where do you want to go to school?" he asked.

"Considering the out-of-state tuition rates, I'm definitely staying in Washington," I huffed. "And dorms are expensive, so I'll probably attend Peninsula College first and then transfer." The problem with running away was that I didn't have anything to my name. This was a more realistic plan, even if it would prolong my time with Charlie.

"And if money wasn't a problem?" he suggested with a displeased frown as we pulled into the high school parking lot.

"It is," I said factually, and then shrugged, "Don't know. Haven't thought about it."

"You should," Edward muttered.

I stopped him in his tracks before he could start throwing money at me, "I'll think about later. Right now, we're about to face the barbaric reality that is teenage girls. You better shield me if Whitney comes anywhere near me."

Edward parked the car before turning to stare at me with the most entertained expression. "And why is that?"

I scoffed, "As if you don't know! Because of you, I've been dealing with all these romance-crazed girls. They want a love story, Edward!"

Not one bit phased by my complaints, Edward leaned over and smirked, "Then let's give them one."

"W-what?!" I spluttered, but by then Edward had already turned off the ignition and disappeared. And a second later he was opening my door and helping me out of the car, taking my bag from my hands.

"Oh, you are evil," I hissed as he pressed his palm against my back, fingers curving around my waist. Edward almost seemed to bask in the attention as he lead me through the parking lot full of gawking teens.

He shot me a dazzling grin. "Just giving the people what they want."

"Oh please," I sniffed, "Since when do you care―" I cut myself off with a squeak when he pulled me closer until I was flush against his side. "Evil," I grumbled, knowing my face was red.

Edward laughed a delighted sound that had my lips curving into a silly smile. Up until his next statement, "Does that mean I get another point?"

"Ugh, I forgot about that," I complained as we entered the building to my first class. I had arrogantly told Edward I'd get revenge for his meddling with our bio exam, but with all the drama last week, it'd completely slipped my mind. "Embarrassing me like this in front of my classmates isn't very original, though. Don't think it's worth a point."

Edward wasn't bothered. "It's at least worth half a point."

"Fine," I allowed, "But watch your back, Cullen."

"I can't," he shot me a cheeky smile as we reached the door to my classroom, "I'll be too busy watching you."

"Oh smooth," I rolled my eyes and took my backpack, cheeks flushing again when he casually pressed his lips against the top of my head.

"I'll see you after class, love," he called, sauntering down the hall with a cheery wave.

Ignoring the tittering of my classmates, I marched to my seat with a huff, only to be met with Angela's knowing grin. "I'm so happy for you, Isabella!" she whispered.

"Thanks," I mumbled, red face buried into my hands. Ugh this is so embarrassing. I hate PDA.

Fortunately, Mr. Mason dragged everyone's attention back to the front and I got a small respite for the next hour.

In my rush to escape English, I nearly slammed into Edward outside the classroom door. Icy hands held me by the shoulders, steadying me. "Miss me?" Edward teased.

"Yes. I just couldn't wait to jump into your arms," I said dryly.

Snatching my backpack from my hand, Edward pressed a hand against the small of my back and lead us in the direction of my next class. "You're not blushing any more," he noted with a hint of disappointment.

"Yes, well, I admit you caught me off guard this morning," I sniffed. An hour away from Edward had given me the chance to pull myself together. Now that I knew to expect his antics, I was mentally prepared.

"I did. Not an easy thing to do with you," he chuckled. His next question was a little more sobering, "Could you sit with my family and I during lunch? They'd like to meet you."

I scowled. "Jasper isn't still planning my murder is he?"

"Of course you know about that," Edward cursed under his breath.

"Duh. Why do you think I outed him as a serial killer?" I reminded him. "As soon as you came up with the idea, I knew it'd be good revenge. And the irony certainly didn't escape me."

At this point, Edward wasn't shocked, just resigned. "Naturally."

I briefly contemplated his idea. I imagined it'd be uncomfortable, but I also wasn't that keen to sit with my friends―an interrogation was in the least of my interests. "Fine," I allowed once we neared Mr. Varner's class, "As long as Jasper isn't playing family executioner, I don't see why not."

Edward grimaced. "Sorry, it's just―I…don't need to explain this, do I?" he belatedly realized.

"No," I said, retrieving my backpack from his grasp. "You're learning."

Edward's eyes danced with amusement. "I'll meet you before lunch. I'm sure you and Jessica have some catching up to do," he teased, tucking an errant lock of hair behind my ear before ambling off.

"Evil," I hissed, and was abruptly tackled from the side.

"Isabella~!" Jessica squealed, clinging to my side like a baby koala.

"Jess! What did I say about the squealing," I scolded her, untangling her arms from around me. She followed closely after me into the classroom. We paused long enough to drop off our homework, but as soon as we'd taken our seats in the back, Jessica was vibrating in her chair.

"When did it become official?" she demanded. Our classmates weren't even trying to be discreet. The other girls especially had turned in our direction eagerly.

Although I'd known to expect this, I was surprised by how unbothered I was with the idea of dating Edward. Despite my reservations, I knew it was easier than pulling the "just friends" card. Maybe I would stay with him, or maybe I'd run away. But for now, I needed him. "I guess we made it official this morning when he picked me up," I finally answered.

The girls broke out into gleeful whispers, but before Jessica could dive into her next question, Mr. Varner wrangled the class back to order. And Alice hadn't been wrong―he really was in a bad mood. It meant Jessica was unable to get away with asking me any more questions. Although, going by the heckling from some of the guys in my class, I realized the outcome of yesterday's game had something to do with Mr. Varner's disposition.

The walk between trig and Spanish gave Jess the opportunity to continue her line of questioning, and the huddle of girls behind us wasn't the least bit subtle.

"Did he take you out on a date this weekend?" Jess shot me an accusing look.

"No, nothing like that," I placated her. "We ran into each other on Saturday and we hung out."

Jessica's face split into a grin. "It's like fate!"

"Sure," I rolled my eyes. "Listen Jess, how about you call me later today and I can tell you everything."

This immediately caught her attention and her eyes began sparkling. "I'll call you as soon as I get home from volleyball practice," she cheered as we entered Spanish class.

"Buenos días, Señora Goff," we greeted before taking our seats. Spanish went by quicker than I hoped, and like I expected, Edward was waiting for me, leaning against the row of nearby lockers, stunning as ever.

"I'll call you later," Jessica reminded me pointedly before hurrying off.

I scowled when I noticed Edward's smug face. "Evil," I reminded him.

"So I've heard," he grinned, taking my bag and wrapping his arm comfortably around my shoulders as we walked towards the cafeteria. "And rumor has it we're dating."

"Yeah? Well rumor has it Jasper's a serial killer," I shot back.

"And yet, both rumors came from the same source," he needled me.

"Doesn't sound like a reliable source," I snickered. "How will we ever separate the truth from the lies?" Oof, that hits a little too close to home…

"How indeed," Edward mulled as we entered the lunch room. He expertly maneuvered us around crowded tables until we reached the far end of the room, where his family already sat.

"Sit next to me, Isabella!" Alice demanded with an exuberant smile. She was the only one who appeared remotely enthusiastic. Rosalie and Jasper were stone-faced and Emmett was simply at ease.

"Sure thing," I agreed, sliding into the seat beside her. Edward dragged a chair close to mine and draped his arm across the back of my chair, shooting the blondes a warning look.

"Here! Our mom made you lunch!" Alice eagerly pressed a paper bag into my hands.

"Oh. Thank you," I said with a softer expression.

"Yes. How nice," Rosalie sneered.

I could feel Edward rearing to come to my defense, so I looked Rosalie in the eye and suggested, "If there's something you'd like to say, go ahead. It's not good to keep things bottled up." There was something so satisfying about bating Rosalie. Her high strung nature made it so easy.

The glare she shot me was fear inducing. But I only offered her a mild grin. She wouldn't snap my neck in such a public setting. In the case she lost control and did kill me, well… Been there, done that.

"Why don't you quit it with the mind games," Rosalie hissed, leaning forward in an openly threatening manner, "And tell us what you know?"

I pursed my lips and then heaved a sigh, leaning back against Edward's arm. There really wasn't any way around it any more. It was obvious that I knew more than I should. Ultimately, I shrugged while I rummaged through Esme's homemade lunch. "Just assume I know everything," I said.

The air became tense, and around me, they argued in low, hissed voices that my human ears had no hope of picking up. I didn't pay them any attention while I bit into a chicken and avocado sandwich. "Oh that's good," I hummed and happily ate away. I had polished off the sandwich and was pulling out a container of apple slices when Jasper suddenly turned to me, ochre eyes blazing.

"'Everything' is a very broad term," he rolled the words across his tongue, southern tang adorning his honeyed voice.

"Yes, it's also rather arrogant," I noted casually, "Of course I don't know everything. But it's a way to put it in the simplest of terms." I blew out a loud sigh and leaned back again, abandoning my lunch and crossing my arms. "Contrary to what I told Edward, the decision to come to Forks was out of my hands. I knew about you long before I saw you." I shrugged. I was too familiar with them―their nature, their pasts, their dynamics. "I know―it's an invasion of privacy, but I didn't ask for this anymore than you did."

The small bit of honesty was enough to sober them up. I stood to my feet. "Well, this has been perfectly awkward. Send Esme my thanks for lunch," I said and was relieved when no one argued with my departure. Edward sidled up to my side and we quietly made our way out and began the walk to biology.

"I'm sorry," Edward grimaced.

"Don't be," I said, reaching over to tangle my fingers with his. "I'm the one who showed up and made a mess of things." I'm sorry, Bella. This was meant for you, not me.

Edward's lips twitched. "You are a magnet for chaos. Sometimes, I think you enjoy it."

"Depends," I smiled, "On whether I'm the victim or the perpetrator."

"Yes, well, perhaps riling up Rosalie isn't one of your wiser choices."

My smile turned sheepish. "Hah. Yeah, you're right. It's just funny how easy it is to get under her skin."

"Because you're not the one who has to deal with the aftermath," he pointed out, pausing outside the classroom and turning to face me, peering down with amused eyes.

"Oh, I didn't realize," I winced, and reached up to pat his cheek sympathetically. "My apologies, babe."

Edward caught my hand and brushed his lips against my fingers. "I forgive you―but only because it's you."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special," I laughed, pretending the blood wasn't rushing to my face. "I guess we have even more to talk about now, huh?"

Edward tilted his head in thought. "If you'd like." My brow furrowed with confusion, and he elaborated, "I told you, I don't mind waiting."

"Oh, uh...I didn't mean my secrets," I explained. "I meant yours. Since what I know is kind of out in the open now."

Edward's eyes darkened. "Yes, my family is certainly frustrated. We've come across gifted individuals before, but nothing so confounding as yours. They don't know what to make of you."

I cast my gaze down. Everything was unraveling faster than I could keep track of. "It was never my intention. But you refused to stay away from me."

"I know. I'm sorry I've made things more difficult for you," he murmured.

I stepped closer to him, pressing my forehead against his chest. "It's the opposite. You made things difficult for yourself and your family. You've helped me more than you know." My thoughts flashed back to Tacoma―wet and cold and my lungs on my fire until Edward brought me to myself and kept me from drowning within my own memories.

Edward wrapped his arms around my small frame and held me.

When the bell finally rang he pulled back and curled his cold fingers along my cheek. "Would you like to come over, after classes?"

I held back a sigh. I knew his family couldn't just let this go. It didn't mean I had to tell them about my death―I wasn't ready for that. Everything else was fair game. Because if I was relying on Edward to keep myself from falling apart, then they deserved at least this much. So I smiled and chirped, "You want me to meet the parentals already? My, my! I really feel special now," I teased, strolling into class.

"That's a yes?" Edward checked.

"Of course," I smiled, hopping onto my stool.

His eyes were tender when he said, "Thank you." And I knew I'd made the right decision

"There you are!" I hissed, rushing forward and clutching Edward's arm. "Let's go!"

Edward laughed. "How was gym?"

"Don't pretend you don't know! They're vultures! All of them!" I cried, quickly marching forward. "Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry," he said, but couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice.

"Whatever," I huffed, "Where are your siblings?"

"They've already gone ahead," he replied as we reached his car. "It's not too late to change your mind."

"No sense in avoiding the inevitable," I said, keeping my tone flippant. He opened the passenger door on my behalf and watched me. I paused. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

His lips twitched. "I thought you knew everything."

"Obviously not," I rolled my eyes and flung my bag into the car. "Rumors of my capabilities have been greatly exaggerated."

"People really should stop spreading such lies," he teased.

"Yes," I sighed, "I really should." I stepped into the car before he could comment, and within minutes we were off.

The drive to his house was silent. I knew I was trying to gather my wits about me, but I couldn't imagine what Edward was thinking so hard about. I let it be. I had enough to worry about on my own without also trying to pick at Edward's brain.

I must not have been paying attention, because when I looked up again, we were approaching a gorgeous white mansion. As soon as Edward parked, I moved to open the door, but he beat me to it using his freaky vampire speed.

"I am capable of opening my own door," I informed him, allowing him to take my hand and help me exit the car.

"I know," he flashed me a charming grin and began leading me across the driveway and up the porch. We stepped inside, into the vast, open space. Esme and Carlisle stood near the grand piano on a raised platform. Carlisle was a familiar sight―I'd briefly met him after the van incident. Despite his young age and devastating beauty, he could certainly pass for being closer to thirty―I suspected this discrepancy was due to the harsher conditions of the seventeenth century. Esme was just as striking, but in a softer, lovelier manner.

"Carlisle, Esme, this is Isabella," Edward introduced me.

"You're very welcome, Isabella," Carlisle moved forward with small measured steps.

"S'nice to see you again, doc," I smiled, reaching to shake his hand, hoping my awkwardness wasn't too obvious. I'd put them in an uncomfortable position―I wasn't sure whether to apologize or be irritated. It hadn't escaped my notice that there was a certain wariness in their eyes.

"Please, call me Carlisle," he offered.

"Sure," I agreed easily enough. Esme stepped forward and I felt a stab of guilt when I met her cautious eyes. Did she see it too? Perhaps I'd deluded myself into thinking I could stand beside Edward and fool everyone into believing I could be anything more than the fraud I was. Esme was his mother―surely she saw it too.

"Isabella." Rather than shaking my hand, she gently grasped both my hands in her stone-cold ones. "Thank you," she said, voice lovely and sincere, "Truly. You've made Edward the happiest I have ever seen."

The guilt stabbed deeper.

I laughed nervously, cheeks red. Beside me, Edward hissed, "Mom."

"You're welcome," I smiled, keeping my snarky remarks to myself. Esme was kindhearted and gracious―it felt wrong to be anything less around her.

But the calculating look hadn't left Esme or Carlisle's eyes. For once, I was unsure. I knew there was still a lot that was left unsaid between me and their family, but it was as though they expected something of me. So far, I'd held somewhat of an advantage, but I was starting to suspect there was something I was missing.

Before I could voice anything, we were joined by the rest of the Cullen clan. First, Alice flashing down the stairs, followed by a more cagey Jasper, and then Rosalie and Emmett attached at the hip. The tension hung in the air, until Alice skipped forward and clasped my hands in her own.

"Alice," Edward warned. Doubt colored his tone. I couldn't imagine why.

But Alice didn't spare him a glance. She locked her honey eyes with my own, intense. "Isabella," she began, voice tight, "Do you know? About me? My past?"

Everything clicked and I finally understood why everyone had watched me so closely, so wary.

"Ah," I said unhelpfully. And then nodded, once.

A/N: I don't care how cliché it is, I love Alice, so she shall get to know all about her human life! :D Actually, I think I've hit just about every cliché in this story already, but the whole thing is pretty self-indulgent, so who cares, right?

Anyway, hope you liked the chapter! Thank you for reading! :) Until next time~!