Edward's pov

As the sun rose slowly over the mountain tops, I could not help but be thankful for my life. Over the past 6 years we have all been trying our best. For some of us it was a dream, for others it was harsh reality that was almost impossible to face.

6 years ago, half my family disappeared. Reduced to atoms.

Those left of us; Rosalie, Jasper, Esme and myself…we had to pick up the pieces. The glue that held us together was gone. I had always been an outcast of sorts, but I'd never felt more alone without my sister, brother, and father.

Rosalie lashed out a lot, at first it was normal. She had always been sensitive. But then she just stopped. She just…stopped existing. Her eyes were lifeless, her movements were automatic. It was so painful because she was never supposed to be like this.

And her mind.

Oh GOD her mind was more torture than it had ever been. She was devoid of any hope.

Jasper was at least more alive if that's what we are. He would raise all hell up to the Earth just to find where Alice went. He knew she wasn't dead. He could feel it. But he couldn't find her and it was driving him mad. Where Rose's eyes were lifeless, Jasper's were brimming with insanity. As for his mind, well it was teeming with ideas. One of them being rising an army against whatever force took his wife.

We had had that argument already. No need to damn anyone to this endless life.

My dearest mother Esme was the most heartbreaking. A woman who had died once already forced to continue with more and more loss. She had lost 3 children in her life now and had also lost her whole reason for existing.

I remember one morning I had found her standing on a cliff ledge at the border to La Push. She was looking woefully at the water, longing that it would kill her this time since she knew her handsome doctor was not there to save her. She had known I would see her intention. She had known she could not die and that is what made it the most heartbreaking. She could not find a will to try. Not even a will to try to die.

So you would think that would make everyone's return much sweeter, right?

Well, if I had thought this life was unbearable before I had been very wrong. It was sweet, too sweet. They were all welcomed with open arms and suddenly I wasn't the strong one anymore. I was the one who felt displaced now instead of the billions of people in the world who just came back.

I now sat in the treetops watching as the sun rose, trying adamantly to ignore the new lovers in the Cullen mansion, but also grateful for my new resolve. I would no longer be a hinderance on my family.

Even if that meant parting ways for a while.

It was around 7am when I got a text from Alice Are you joining us today?

My response was quick and playful. How could I miss another monotonous day?

I stuffed my phone in my pocket and jumped between the trees until I saw the mansion in my line of sight. I then launched myself from the tree and landed with a thud just inches before the stream directly parallel to our house. Leaping gracefully over the stream I darted in the house and to my room where I dispelled of yesterday's clothing.

Leaving in 15. Rosalie thought to me. It didn't warrant a response, but I still nodded to myself.

In that 15-minute time frame I was ready to go. Where, you ask? But of course, the most trivial and unimportant waste of time there will ever be. High school.

The car was silent as we drove to school, this was the same as any other day.

Rosalie was staring lovingly into Emmett's eyes once again vowing to make him feel appreciated. Jasper was clinging helplessly to Alice who once again was worried about me instead. I mentally sighed.

She was worried because she'd been seeing little trickles of futures where I am not around. And though I made it a point to not make any conscious decisions to leave, Alice somehow knew.

She always knew.

We arrived in our typical 20-minute fashion and parked as far away from the humans as possible.

Everything was normal, well apart from the addition of a scandalous new student. From the news I'd heard from the human minds she was an illegitimate daughter to the good police chief of Forks.

According to the rumor mill she would be arriving today. I steeled myself for the onslaught of repetition in everyone's mind. It was unsurprising to see the men already imagining themselves in love with her. And the women all thought they were so different. THEY would get to be the one who is her best friend.

I rolled my eyes. How trivial the human mind can be.

Walking to my homeroom I caught my first wind of everyone's excitement. People pushing past me running in the opposite direction to be the first one to see this girl. I just kept on walking. I was glad to know my siblings also expressed my same disinterest, for they had just gone to homeroom as well.

After a few minutes people started filing in and their thoughts assaulted my mind.

Oh my GOD she's GORGEOUS!

I'm so jealous. My parents would never let me ride a motorcycle.

How did her hair stay so nice from the helmet?

That ass is thick like an encyclopedia.

Omg I can't believe everyone is staring at her. She's not even that pretty.

I wanted to gag from the perverse thoughts. Thankfully Alice saw my discomfort and started thinking about a 911 turbo Porsche she'd had her eye on.

By the time the morning announcements were done I knew the inner workings of this German made car.

My morning passed much like this. The students and faculty were obsessed with this girl and often my siblings would throw me a bone and think of anything other than this just so I could focus on their thoughts.

As it came closer to our lunch period I prepared myself for my one true duty to this family; To detect any possible threats of exposure.

I walked through the cafeteria doors and noted that eyes didn't immediately shift in my direction. This was one of the benefits to having a new student. All the attention would be on them and we were officially in the background.

I wondered how long this would last. It depended on how the new student reacted to the attention.

"Just Bella" I heard her say as I sat down with my family. I settled into my seat and tuned in to this Bella girl.

Nothing.

That was strange. 90 years and I had yet to encounter a mind I couldn't hear. Perhaps it was how knew she was. My head whipped in the direction of her voice as I heard her speak again.

"And the bronze-haired one? Who is he?"

Ah she was inquiring about us. A natural reaction. Her voice seemed timid though her body was opposite. She looked relaxed, fluid in her motions. Her hair was long and mahogany. I couldn't see her face though she must have seen me.

I tried to hone in on her thoughts. I huffed as I was without success.

Her neighbor who she had been speaking to, I recognized her as Jessica Stanley, giggled and said

"That's Edward Cullen. Gorgeous of course. But don't waste your time. No one here is good enough for him."

Ah Jessica, still full of misconceptions and self-centered gratification. I rolled my eyes and smirked.

Bella turned around at Jessica's comment and locked eyes with me. She seemed to look me up and down. She gave a forced laugh and turned back to Jessica saying "Wasn't planning on it."

What the hell could that mean?

My eyebrows bunched together in frustration and I tried harder to penetrate her mind.

Nothing.

I swallowed the growl that was beginning to erupt in my chest.

Who was this girl? This insignificant ordinary girl with a heart shaped face and chocolate eyes.

Any news on the new girl? Emmett thought to me as I stewed on my frustrations.

"I can't read her mind." I barely breathed to the table.

4 collective internal gasps sounded in my head and Emmett threw me a quizzical glance.

I gave him a reassuring look. This had never been a problem for me before but there was no nut I could not crack.

I would figure you out, Isabella Swan. Just you wait and see.

Author's note: So as you can see we'll be switching perspectives a bit. I plan on turning the tables a few times. I'm hoping we can get something relatively good out of this. Please review, leave suggestions. I haven't found another story like this yet so I am trying to be as original as possible while still having fun. Thank you for your support! ~Cat