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All Eyes
"You look nice." Edward smirks from the driver side. I turn sticking my tongue out and crossing my arms. I woke up this morning to a whole ass outfit gently placed at the end of my bed, shoes included. My first instinct was too knock it off, turn on to my side and sleep for another twenty minutes before really committing to getting up, but it was at that exact moment that Edward knocked on the door that connected our two rooms and peaked his head in,
"Privacy?"
"She spent all morning trying to pick something you'd both like." I looked down to the outfit made up of a skirt, sweater, tights and ridding boots, funny. I didn't mention liking any of that. I peaked up at Edward,
"Do you think she'll be mad if I swap out a few things?" Edward smiled at this,
"Yes."
"I'm going to do it anyway," He nods,
"We know." And with that he closed the door.
The day before Esme and I spent doing last minute errands, mostly school related things, buying supplies all of which were not on sale or second hand like I asked, everything was full price and new. Esme shushing me every time I tried to object, at some point I just acted tired so we could leave. Esme responded my telling me she would send Carlisle to pick up the rest, and sure enough that night after setting my dishes in the sink, Carlisle came in bags in hand.
"Let me guess," I start, taking one of the bags from his hand and peaking inside, "You guys don't know about coupons," Carlisle chuckled taking the bag from my hand,
"Afraid not," I shake the memories of yesterday from my head and turn to Edward,
"Are the kids here nice?" Edwards leans back, shrugging,
"Were they nice in the book," I turn towards him eyebrow raised, Carlisle's number one rule is don't talk about the book...well since Edward broke it first I guess it's okay, he is Carlisle's favorite.
"That was Bella, this is me."
"So your afraid their going to hate you vs someone you haven't meet yet?" I sigh and lean back into my seat,
"Well when you put it that way." I honestly don't know how we got here, it feels like only yesterday Carlisle was driving me to his house to meet his wife for the first time and now here I am going to school, it couldn't have been that fast could it? I reach down to pull at my denim jeans, these are too new, too nice. I wish I would have picked out something different, but Alice was right when she said I would really like these two days ago, but now they feel restricting.
"Stop fidgeting."
"I'm sorry, you have nerves of steel and I don't," Edward chuckles,
"I don't, I've just done this enough times," I sighs and begin tugging at the sleeves of my jacket,
"Sorry for the miscommunication grandpa," This earns yet another chuckle,
"You know you cant talk to me like that in school,"
"Oh, I plan not to talk to you at all." My luck I wont have to, Edward and Alice are sophomores the others juniors, we won't see each other at all if I'm careful about the routes I take during breaks.
"Really don't like us do you?" Edward asks and I could stab myself in the eye, I'm still not use to living with a mind reader,
"Of course not. It's all about staying under the radar and being seen with the most pale and attractive kids in a small rainy town in Washington isn't going to help me stay under the radar. Make sense?"
"You're going to hurt Alice's feelings."
"I've already hurt Alice's feelings." I jesture down to my clothes. Alice laid out a nice black skirt with an oversizes grey sweater and tall brown boots, I'll never forget her face when I came down the stairs wearing ripped jeans, a white tank top, and maroon hoodie. I though that by wearing the same shoes she picked out, she'd be happy,
"What. Are. You. Wearing?" She was not, and if Esme hadn't stepped in she would have probably walked me back upstairs to change me herself. Edward shrugs,
"You didn't hurt her feelings," He comforts, "You made her mad." Comfort gone, I shrug and look back out the window. Turns out the Cullens live pretty far away from the high school, the price they pay for privacy. Although by the speed Edward decided he's going to drive, the time is cut in half.
"Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?" Edward smirks,
"Never."
"Hmmmm" I observe, "surprising, I though chief Swan would be all over here, waiting for teens like you to speed by him,
"Chief Swan isn't the only cop in this town, their also not out here this early in the morning, it's easier to catch teens speeding after school than before it anyway." I shrug, looking down to the new North Face backpack between my feet and resist the urge to kick it. It was in one of the bags Carlisle brought home yesterday night and I want so badly to like it, but I know how much he paid for it and for that I hate it,
"Marceline," I turn quickly. So far I'm leaning both Edward and Carlisle only call me by my full name when they mean business or I seem to be in trouble. "Carlisle's rich." I'm caught off guard and nod awkwardly,
"Okay."
"No matter how much money he spends on you, he's still going to be rich. He's lived for a long time and has made and invested his money very, very well, so this whole thing you have with money needs to end." He's reading my mind, because of course he is.
"Do you know what it's like not to have any money?" To my surprise he nods,
"Mar-"
"You know how bad it makes me feel when someone has absolutely no problem spending a grand on one pair of jeans. For god sakes you people don't even know me, I could stake you through the heart when you're not paying attention and here you are spending 100 dollars on a backpack-" Before I can continue Edward starts laughing cutting off my speech...laughing...why the hell is he laughing. "What's so funny?"
"Staked through the heart?" He questions, almost unable to get the words out from behind his own laugher. I scowl,
"Yes." I sit up straighter, puffing out my chest, "I'm strong." Edward laughs harder, "STOP LAUGHING!"
"Shoving a pointed stick into the heart isn't going to stop a vampire, it's just going to make them angry. It will however speed up your death."
"What?"
"A stake through the heart is a myth Mare, it's not going to do you any good." I deflate back into my seat.
"Oh...garlic?"
"Won't repel me."
"Holy water?"
"Won't burn me."
"Exorcism?"
"All fake."
"How can I kill you?"
"The best way? Decapitation and fire." I clap my hands together,
"I was going to say to fire next. I'll could cut your head off and set fire to you." Edward smiles and shakes his head,
"Mare, there is no way you could even remotely get close to cutting off one of our heads and setting fire to our bodies, but I am going to tell you something you can not repeat alright?" I like secrets, I'm good at making them and I'm good at keeping them, more importantly I'm good at collecting them,
"It won't cross my lips,"
"Carlisle and Esme can't have children. Alice, Jasper, Rose, Emmett and I are the closet thing they will ever have unless another vampire comes around-"
"Bella-"
"Quiet. The point is your the closet thing Carlisle and Esme have to spoiling a child, and when they go overboard you need to just let them and I know thats hard for you, but think of it this way. If you suddenly have to go back home tomorrow, my guess is you won't be able to take anything with you, so why not enjoy it while you have it, and stop being selfish and let Carlisle and Esme baby you." I bite my cheek and look to my lap,
"I'm not selfish." I mumble,
"Complaining about gifts given to you with good intention is selfish," I purse my lips and turn towards the window thinking about rolling it down and throwing myself out. I take a breath,
"Harsh," I push out quietly knowing Edward can hear me,
"What did we learn?" I take a slow breath and turn back towards Edward,
"I'll tryyyyyy" I stress, "To stop complying about everything you guys do for me and slowly learn to accept it." Edward glances at me, "Thats the best I can do." He turns back towards the road and smirks,
"I'll take it."
"Good.
"Now buck up were here." The car turns and sure enough he's right and suddenly it's like I'm having a heart attack,
"I can't do this. I change my mind." Edward lips perk up in a half smile,
"You'll be fine." No, I won't! I swallow and push myself harder into the drivers side seat,
"I don't think I will." Edward parks,
"You have to be." He turns raising one eyebrow,
"Would you like me to stay with you?" Both yesterday and this morning I said no, told him I didn't need him or the others and I could do this myself, now I'm changing my mind, because when faced with the reality of walking into the school and navigating by myself, I'm terrified. I look down playing with my sleeve,
"Would you?"
"Of course Mare, any of us would." Not Rosalie, "She'll come around, I read her thoughts everyday and each morning their less and less about disliking you." I push out a sarcastic laugh,
"Well thats a relieve." Edward smirks and opens his door,
"Come on, theirs no time like the present." He steps out and closes the door leaving me alone, I place my handle on the door, but before I can push it, Edward on the other side, "Can't stay in there all day." I grab the backpack and sling it over my shoulder stepping out,
"You didn't give me a chance." I argue reaching forward to slam the door from his grasp. Edward smirks at my defiance, although he does that a lot. I stare right back until another car pulls in to the spots next to us. The others are here and I turn away from Edward to find Rose, Emmett, Alice and Jasper climbing out of the large hummer, it's only then that I notice all the eyes. Almost everyone lingering in the parking lot has stopped to stare, Edward places his arm around me and turns me away towards the front entrance of the school.
"They always stare, you'll get use to it."
"They weren't staring at you," I mumble. "They were staring at me." Even as Edward keeps me close and leads me to the school, everyone we pass, stops to either stare obviously or catch a quick glance. I feel like an animal, a new discovered species that no ones ever seen before,
"You are," Edwards voice has a playful hint to it, "Cullens are a breed of their own."
"But I'm not really a Cullen." I hiss, Edward only tightens his arm around me,
"Hush." I take a second to look around, back home my high school was one large grey building with different sectors for different grades. Their was multiple parking lots and several businesses and restaurants within a miles radius, the McDonalds down the road was the most popular among us students at lunch. Here the school is made up of small buildings with dark red bricks and nothing but foliage all around it, the differences are amazing.
"Afraid Esme's lunch is going to have to do." Edward whispers, if I could I'd push him away I would,
"Stop reading my mind, and I never had the money to eat there." I relied on free lunch. Edward doesn't say anything, but even if he did it doesn't matter. We weren't really poor, mom just new how to play the system. If she didn't have to pay for school lunch, she could simple use the extra twenty bucks a week on a bottle of whiskey. Another body is suddenly next to me,
"This is so exciting, you're first day of school." Alices practically squeals, I roll my eyes and stay closer to Edward,
"Keep drawing attention to us Alice." Edward chides, but Alice could care less because she proceeds to do it again,
"I wish we were in the same grade-"
"Alice, calm down." Rosalie steps up next to Alice, threading her arm through Alice's elbow,
"I'm calm," She informs Rose, letting her pull her away, "Good luck Mare!" I lower my head and Edward chuckles beside me, his arm still tightly resting around my shoulders,
"She's excited," he smirks, I sigh,
"Someone should be."
…
Edward takes me to the font office, a small office with a waiting room outside. Theirs a large counter in front with different containers, holding paper and pens, Edward takes the lead walking up the counter, where behind it sits three separate desks,
"Hello, Ms. Cope," A women with red hair and a plump figure stands, a smile on her face as she makes her way closer.
"Edward, how can I help you?" I can't help but notice her eyes as they look down and then trail Edwards whole frame carefully. If Edward notices he doesn't let on to it,
"This is Marceline, she's here to pick up her class schedule," She looks over to me, just now noticing their's another body in this room other than the two of them. She smiles with a bit of disappointment and I match her energy,
"Marceline," she tilts her head to the side, sounding out my name slowly like everyone who hears it for the first time does, "What a pretty name."
"I go by Mare." She nods,
"Much easier, give me a second here and I'll print out your schedule. Edward deer I'm assuming you'll be happy to show the newest member of your family around and point her in the direction of all her classes?"
"That's why I'm here." I think we should leave, Edward turns a playful smirk on his face, "She's really excited to be here."
"Well thats good." Ms. Cope nods towards me, reaching down before popping back up a piece of paper in her hands. "We're so excited to have you Mare." Edward grabs the schedule from her hands and gives her one last smile,
"Thank you, Ms. Cope."
"You're so welcome Edward, and Mare," She glances at me, "Good luck."
"Thank you," Edward can't help the cocky grin on his face and he turns and hands me the schedule, before pushing me out the door, I wait till it closes before speaking,
"She's in love with you."
"Most of the women here are."
"You're over confident," he purses his lips with a shrug, "It's not a good look." he frowns and begins pushing me down the hallway,
"Alright, alright lets get you to class." I look down at the paper,
Homeroom- Mr. Johns 8:00-8:20
English- Mr. Johns 8:20-9:10
Geography- Miss Smyth 9:15-10:05
Study Hall 10:10-11:00
Lunch 11:05-12:05
Algebra 1-Mr. Cowan 12:10-1:00
Gym-Mr. Roche 1:05-2:05
Biology 1- Ms. Moore 2:10-3:00
These are the same classes I took back home, although I forwent a study hall for art, but otherwise, it's the same classes different times,
"Mr. Johns, Ms. Moore, and Mr. Roche are all pretty easy teachers, you shouldn't have a problem with any of them have, Mr. Crown can be a little difficult, but if you pay attention and do the homework, you'll be fine. Miss Smyth is perpetually upset over her failing marriage and will take it out on anyone in her class so just try to stay in the back."
"No one in this school has any privacy do they?"
"Alice and I have both had her and she seemed to take a liking to Alice especially so she should leave you alone once she reads your last name, although I'm sure that everyone already know who you are." He's not wrong, when I finally take my eyes off him and down to the hallway, all eyes and whispers are directed towards us, just perfect. "You'll be fine," Edward encourages, stopping in front of a classroom door,
"I don't feel fine." The corners of his lips pick up,
"What's the saying? It gets better." I roll me eyes,
"That's what ever after school special tells me,"
"This is Mr. Johns class, you'll have both homeroom and your first class here, He's one of the students favorite teachers, so you'll be fine. I'll come pick you up after class." I reach forward grabbing the sleeve of his jacket before I can even think about it,
"Promise?"
"Promise." I swallow a nervous lump looking through the window into the classroom. Already half the desks are full, full of people I don't know.
"All day?" I raise an eyebrow,
"Alice or I, her math and history classes are close to yours, so their in the same building. Right before your lunch I'll take you to your locker, you'll get your books along the way." I take a breath, "Mr. Johns doesn't have assigned seating so you can sit where ever you like," I nod,
"Thanks." Edward places the palm of his hand on the top of my head,
"You'll be fine, alright?"
"I always am." I reach up and push his hand off my head, "see you later?"
"You know you will." He reaches for the handle opening the door for me with a pout. I could punch him, instead I step into the room and do my best not to stop, not to stare or acknowledge the stares and find the first desk and drop into it, keeping my head down. The loud conversations that had been circulating the room when I first walked in start up again, although I can't ignore some of the whispers,
"That's her"
"That's Dr. Cullens niece?"
"She looks nothing like him."
"I never thought I'd see the day when I'd see an average looking member of the Cullen family." Oh god, bell please ring,
"I heard she was doing drugs in the abandon mill,"
"That's where Chief Swan found her."
"My mom said she hitched hiked here from New York,"
"All the way from New York?"
"Ya, my mom was working the night he brought her into the hospital, she works at the front desk."
"Your mom told my mom!" PLEASE ring!
RING
Oh thank the good lord,
"Bells rung, everyone shut up so I can take roll call, you know the drill, once roll call is taken you have twenty minutes to do whatever you want, quiet conversation, last minute english homework Mr. Benson. I don't want the excuse that you didn't have time."
"Why do ya gotta call me out!?"
"You make it too easy." A youngish looking man strides through the door, closing it with a loud thunk before heading over the the small corner desk in the front of the room. He reaches down grabbing a notebook and releases a large sigh. I'm guessing this is Mr. Johns,
"Alright, lets see."
"Mr. Johns!" A girl raises her hand, and with dramatic flair,
"What Ms. Blair, this is homeroom you don't have to pretend to ask questions and pay attention for another 19 minutes,"
"Theirs a new student." I bite my cheeks hard as all eyes move immediately to me, and it's easy for Mr. Johns to seek me out,
"Ahh so there is, yes lets see," He pauses searching out something on his desk before pulling out a small index card, "Yes, here is is. A Miss Mar-Ce-Lean-"
"Just Mare." I cut him off before he can continue,
"Much easier for me, everyone this is Mare Cullen, Mare Cullen this is everyone," I bite my cheeks harder and nod, this is more attention than I want. "Do you have any questions about your schedule." I shake my head,
"No thank you."
"Alright, well I'm Mr. John, I'll be both your homeroom and your english teacher. As soon as roll call is finished meet me up front and I'll give you the book were currently reading and we can kinda see where you're at academically alright?" I nod, "Perfect, alright lets start Angelo's?"
"Here." I keep my head down aware that as Mr. Johns runs down the list of students last names, everyone continues to stare in my direction, I can't wait for this day to end.