I emerged from a gas station restroom feeling odd. I attributed the sensation to whatever Alice had stuffed into my boxers. Even feminine underwear was banned to me now, but I did wear plain cotton panties beneath the boxers, so the thing in my pants would not really touch me. So weird. I think it was a warm, rectangular gel pack down there.

My hair lay flat against my scalp under a thin, flesh-colored cap Alice procured from a professional costume artist she knew. The perfect wig Alice found was attached securely to the cap. Thankfully, Jasper wore his hair short, so it would not be too much trouble to wear a swim cap atop the entire mess. Hopefully, my speed would not be too affected either. My breasts were bandaged so tightly, I knew even a fierce hug would not betray my new secret. In addition, my eyebrows looked slightly bushier, my face was scoured clean of makeup, and my male clothes were quite baggy. I knew I looked like exactly Jasper. The thought made me nervous and consequently nauseous.

Although to be fair, Jasper did have a slightly thicker neck and broader shoulders. But looking at me, you would only assume I was a slightly thinner Jasper. My arms and legs were well-muscled and toned from swimming, so I could definitely pass as a lean male.

Walking towards the car, I tried adjusting my gait to match the way Jasper instructed me to move my legs and hips.

"Why are you limping?" Alice asked from behind me.

I turned to face her. "Huh?"

"Are you trying to walk like a dude? If you are, you suck."

I was about to answer, when I spotted a chipped billboard that had the words "Chipiwa High" in bold letters. A random thought occurred to me.

"Oh, crap! Alice, what about my regular high school? I'm still enrolled!" I clutched my hair and felt surprised somewhere in the back of my mind that there was so little hair to tug.

I continued, "And there will be parent-teacher nights and progress reports sent home, too. Fuckity fuck. How did I not realize?"

Alice watched me panic for a few minutes while sucking on a push-pop.

"Bella," she called. "Bella!"

I paused my ranting and raving. A small crowd was staring at me from behind Alice.

Alice shook her head. "How could you doubt me?"

Three weeks ago:

APV

"Hello, Angela Campbell?" I said over the phone. "My name is Alice, and I think you should cancel your plans to see Despicable Me. The Twinkie minions are on vacation today. Go shopping in your favorite store instead. Take a friend."

I didn't wait for an answer. Instead, I just hung up with a grin.

The next day, I sat in front of Ms. Campbell in a tiny high school seat. I pasted on my signature sly smile and waited for her to speak. I knew my current expression always unnerved adults.

Angela's eyes darted nervously everywhere. They looked like a pair of panicking fish inside a recently shaken bowl. Angela's fingers tugged at her cuffs, and she shivered slightly behind her massive desk. I would have pitied her sweet, shy nature, but today it would come in handy for Bella and Jasper. Those two were the first people besides Edward to remain willingly by my side for any considerable amount of time. Shuffled around to different families all my life, I valued loyalty more than any other personal trait.

I was forced to learn at a young age that words are meaningless without emotion just as emotions grow meaningless without action. If I cared for someone, I knew I would do anything to see him happy. Even if it drove him far away from me.

Angela finally looked at me. "How did you know?" she whispered. Her body leaned in towards mine, and her eyes widened slightly. She didn't blink. She didn't move. Her skin was so pale I worried for her blood pressure and circulation.

"I just knew," I answered slowly.

"Why did you warn me then?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

She shivered. "Okay. Um. Thank you. I don't know how you could have possibly seen that coming. But I sense there's something you want in return?"

I knew she was clever, and I admired her for it. "Something small. Isabella Swan is my friend, and she is no longer enrolled here. She is eighteen, so her parents are unaware she will be attending a different high school this fall. Just let us know in advance of any school functions and events that parents must attend, and help me copy some grade reports to send home to her parents. If they must come here for something like a conference, just pretend you're her AP English teacher and inform them that she's doing well. Is that alright? I know it's a quite bit to consider, but if you help her, I will watch out for you."

Angela stared at me. She leaned in again. "What do you mean by that last statement?"

"I'll look out for your future and let you know if I see anything you might wish to avoid."

I could almost see her mind working furiously to reach the correct choice. Her eyes flickered with the light of refusal, frustration, determination, and then decision.

My information was much more valuable than hers, and she knew it.

"Okay," she said with a sigh.

BPV

Alice said she had it all sorted out. Again, I decided to leave it at that.

I had once asked her how she managed to get my parking ticket taken care of when she told me not to pay it. I was suspicious that she had covered the cost with her own allowance.

However, when she refused to answer, I called the number on the parking ticket, and the man who picked up put me on hold. When he came back, he said, "The ticket was issued in error, and we take full responsibility for such mistakes. Would you like a theme park voucher?"

I declined, and he offered me a paid trip to the Bahamas.

Yeah, I don't ask Alice many questions anymore.

So, I trusted her assurance that she dealt with the issue of my old high school. By the time we were back in the car, my panic had subsided and was replaced with a block of cement in my stomach. This block was so heavy it could only consist of nervousness.

Within twenty minutes, the high stone walls of Coldridge came into view. It was still early morning, but we had to sign in by noon. The sun's rays cast a sweet glow, and I felt nostalgic although I didn't know what I was longing for. Surprised, I noticed that the small city in which the academy was situated currently teemed with life. Little stores had already awakened. Children played almost carelessly in the streets outside of the old-fashioned shops, adults sat with their friends by café windows, and the sidewalks were crowded with students in uniform.

"Most people arrived yesterday," Alice said. "But I wanted to stay with Jasper as long as possible." She glanced at me with a sad smile, and I pretended not to notice her voice crack as she said his name. My heart still twisted with the knowledge that Jasper would not be around as often, but I was accustomed to seeing him only a few times a year. Alice, on the other hand, rarely spent a week without him.

I occupied myself with ogling the view past the iron gates we were passing through. A long dirt drive paralleled the south side of campus, and as we drove along, Alice pointed out different buildings in the distance. I had memorized them all through the interactive map available online, but they were much grander in reality. Constructed of grey brick and black stone, the buildings exuded a gothic feel. I noticed plenty of arches and pillars that reminded me of early Roman architecture.

The area itself truly looked like a massive forest clearing. Vines crawled artfully along walls and structures. Stunning trees grew so large their multicolored leaves often touched rooftops. So many birds were chirping, I thought my head was ringing. We passed a large fountain, and Alice parked in a small parking structure nearby.

As the man in the relationship now, I grabbed our luggage and dragged it across campus. I felt like grumbling about the injustice but the butterflies in my stomach flapped too wildly for comfort. Speaking coherently, even just to whine, seemed like a chore at the moment.

Coldridge had two dormitories facing each other at the northernmost end of campus. Brandon Hall was for women and Cullen Hall for men. After signing in, Alice and I dragged our luggage to our respective rooms. She waved and disappeared in her building as I stared up at mine.

With a sigh, I made my way up a few flights of stairs. This place was too old-fashioned for elevators. I had even spotted a few turrets.

On the third floor, I looked for my assigned room until I found it. Nervously, I used my key to enter the door labeled 3C. It led into a circular common room furnished with sofas, armchairs, and even a television. The common room connected to three single-person bedrooms. I was the first person here, so I picked the room on the left and plopped atop the bed.

My rest was short-lived.

"Assper!" someone bellowed.

I shot off the bed.

A golden-haired boy walked into my room with a grin. Thanks to Alice, I had everyone's photos and their transcripts memorized. Well, thanks to Alice and my photographic memory. This guy's name was Mike Newton. He had a 3.1 GPA as of last semester, he was a senior on the Lacrosse team, and his great-grandparents paid for the renovations made to the science building fifty years ago.

"So we're roommates this year, huh? Awesome." I thought his enthusiasm was faker than the Pillsbury Dough Boy's giggle. He flopped on my bed.

This place was so small that Jasper said he knew everyone, so I said confidently, "Hi, Mike."

I smiled casually. Would he notice something wrong with me?

He crossed his arms behind his head, and looked at me seriously. My heart beat in fear, but I cocked my head in what I hoped was a nonchalant way of asking, "What the hell are you staring at?"

That's when he got up in my face.

"I've heard the stories, drama boy." He poked me in the chest. "But fuck Alice Cullen like a porn star while I'm next door and there will be hell to pay."

Whoah.

He continued, "In your quest for pussy, you will find that other men don't take kindly to listening to you orgasm, you sick bastard. If I detect any sexually related pounding, groaning, whimpering, or shrieking, then I will show you what it's like to be properly fucked."

He abruptly left the room, and I was left wondering things I would never want answered.

What the heck did Jasper do to Alice last year? And why did Mike touch my hip when he said "properly fucked?"

Alice knocked on my door an hour later, and I pulled her into a hug. I really needed a friend right now. Something about finally being here and unpacking my belongings had unhinged me. The lie had truly begun and I consequently felt like a certifiably fool for believing this plan would work. But I knew this type of thinking would only lead to disaster, so I fought the tears and hugged the shit out of Alice.

She sensed my fear and held me fiercely close in return. After a moment, she nuzzled my neck, and I almost pulled away in slight disgust before I realized that Mike had entered the room.

He sneered and said, "Hey, Alice, wait until you're in Jasper's room before you dry hump him to hell."

I stepped forward to deliver a snarky remark, but Alice gave me a pointed look and placed her hand in the crook of my arm. "Sure," she said to Mike pleasantly. "Jasper can take better care of my needs tonight anyway."

That's when the demon pixy wrapped her arms around me and lovingly stroked my collarbone. I tried not to squirm and mostly succeeded. Mike glared and left the room while muttering about restraining orders and "illicit fucking."

I stared at Alice in shock. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Mike Newton is gay."

"What?" This could explain so much.

"Yeah, and he's been in love with Jasper forever." My mouth dropped open, and Alice actually looked miffed and bitter. "Don't be surprised if I take every opportunity to freak him out with our love." She rubbed herself against me, and I laughed. This could be seriously interesting if done the right way.

I said, "Sure, Alice, I'm going to hell anyway. Might as well go the whole mile."

"Don't be silly. You're not going to hell. You're going somewhere worse: a high school full of snobs and gossips. Now get in uniform, so we can be on time for the assembly. My dad is giving his annual speech." She looked so proud, my heart warmed. Alice truly deserved a loving family, and Carlisle Cullen had given her just that without any expectations or reservations. Wealthy and single, he ran the academy like a captain runs his ship, and according to Jasper, his concern for his students was evident despite his famously stern demeanor.

I followed Alice's instructions and donned my new uniform. I stuffed the room key into my pocket after pulling on my black pants. Then I tucked in my newly ironed, long sleeved white shirt and straightened the black collar, which had Coldridge's gold emblem on one corner. The final touch to the mandatory uniform was a royal blue tie striped with black, which I struggled with. Alice tightened it properly, and we headed towards the main lecture hall in the biology building. Her uniform consisted of a royal blue skirt with slight ruffles on the edges and a black, long sleeved shirt. Her shirt bore the academy's emblem slightly above the breast.

In the lecture hall, we picked seats towards the back. I took an aisle seat. A few people stopped by to exchange pleasantries with us, but we were mostly left alone. Jasper's main friends from the drama club said hello, and I recognized them all from their visits to our home.

So far so good.

I heard a sharp intake of breath beside me.

"Crap."

"What's that, Alice?" I asked.

"I forgot you're going to have to act."

"What? Isn't that what I've been doing?"

She shook her head and spoke in whisper, "I mean the drama club will obviously think you'll be in their productions. Jasper's almost always the lead!"

My heart took off then. It beat so fast, I thought the world was spinning into a blur of gooey Crayola colors. "No, no, no. I can't, Alice! They'll figure me out in a millisecond."

She looked me sternly in the eye and said, "We'll deal with it. Relax. Smile."

She leaned back in her seat, and pretended the world was not about to come crashing around us.

I took a deep breath and looked around the hall to focus my attention on something other than our impending doom.

Edward Cullen walked through the large double doors to my left, and any thoughts about doom went tumbling out the window.

The blue of his crisp shirt highlighted his beautiful skin and flushed cheeks. Now, I could finally see that his hair was a stunning mixture of bronze and copper. Cut short on the sides, his striking locks were long on the top. When he opened the doors, the moment seemed frozen as the sun shone like a spotlight on his head and shoulders. The rays made the tips of his hair appear honey-gold.

But the moment was ruined when a leggy blond wrapped her arms around his neck and began sucking on his neck right in the doorway. She even slung a leg around his waist for an instant before stepping away.

With a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realized she was the reason Edward looked flushed.

The slut remained glued to his side as the two searched for seats. She waved at the world like she was its queen, and I had an uncharacteristic urge to tear off her nails.

Alice sighed softly. She leaned her head on my shoulder and rubbed my arm comfortingly. To anyone else, she was a girlfriend in love, but in reality, she was soothing my heart.

Alice simply said, "I hate that Tanya."

I knew I possessed no right to feel jealous, but something acidic and nasty was blooming in my stomach, and my heart hurt. Considering that I knew next to nothing about Edward, my feelings were surprising, and for me, they were unprecedented.

I simply felt connected to this man. His meltingly warm green eyes turned my legs into sticks of butter, and after all the gushing Alice had done these past days about his swimming talent, I couldn't help but imagine us in a pool together. I had never shared that part of me with someone, but now I wanted to do just that.

Alice nudged my shoulder with hers and nodded her head towards the raised platform at the front of the long hall. "That's my dad." Her eyes shone with admiration, and not for the first time, I thanked the world for stripping away the traces of loss that once clung to her large blue eyes. Ironically, only fulfillment was left.

Carlisle Cullen was tall, blond, and gorgeous. He stood proud and strong, and his eyes seemed to pierce the room. He reminded me of an eagle who was viewing his kingdom from the skies. The pride in his gaze was unmistakable, but for all the ease he exuded, he definitely did not seem like a man to cross. Somehow, that served to make him more attractive. The girls around me all appeared ready to swoon, and I understood the feeling now that I had met Edward.

Carlisle stepped up to the podium, and the entire hall quieted instantly.

His deep voice flowed coolly through the room. "Hello, students. My name is Carlisle Cullen. As principal of Coldridge Academy, I welcome you to a new year with us. We have many exciting events slated for this semester, and we hope you enjoy your time here as much as possible. This institution is one of the best in the nation, and our strength lies not only in our academics, but also in our unity."

Principal Cullen's head lifted slightly, and he continued, "Most significantly, we house a family. From our professors to the janitorial staff, we are all children of the academy.

"Having said that, I wish to remind the returning students as well as inform the freshman that we adhere to a certain standard of excellence. This is a high school, but you will act with the decorum exhibited by the most prestigious university students. Any misbehavior or failure in the classroom will be taken as a slight to the academy, and I will personally address any serious issues swiftly and, I assure you, severely. Keep your grades up, seek assistance when necessary, and make us proud with your dedication."

Principal Cullen continued his speech for another fifteen minutes, but my attention was directed away from him towards his adoptive son. His seat was positioned in a dark corner a few rows ahead of me. Edward sat with an arm draped across the back of it. I could only see his profile as he whispered something dirty into Tanya's ear. It had to be dirty. Otherwise, the slut wouldn't giggle like that and lick his earlobe.

They progressed into a tongue-fucking session, and I watched feeling both disgusted and immobilized as they groped each other. The world continued moving around me, but I was lost. All I could see was his hand at the nape of her neck.

Finally, Alice pulled me up at the end of the speech.

"Time for dinner," she announced. "You're going to love the cafeteria."

She babbled a bit, but I remained dazed and uncomprehending. Suddenly, she squealed and my mind returned to Earth.

The hall was practically deserted, and Alice was hugging Principal Cullen like he was her favorite teddy bear.

"Daddy, I can't wait until the Annual Winter Dance Competition. Has there been any word on the judges for this year yet?" she asked.

Carlisle patted her back. "No, Ali, but I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything." He turned to me, and I gulped. Those gold eyes were unnerving when directed straight at a person. "And how are you doing, Mr. Swan?"

"Just fine, sir," I answered, deepening my voice. Was I imagining the sudden chill in his tone?

"And have you decided on the universities to which you will be applying, or do you still wish to pursue acting?"

Okay, I was sure he was sneering.

Alice came to my rescue.

"Jaz is keeping his options open, Dad. You know how brilliant he is," she said cheerfully.

Carlisle's gaze finally switched to Alice once more, and he smiled, but his lips were tight. "Yes, well, have a good night, little one. Get your full eight hours of sleep before classes tomorrow."

He kissed her on the forehead and walked through the nearest double doors.

Alice looked at me. "I know what you're thinking, but you have to remember that his aversion is to Jasper and not you. Don't take it personally. He's only looking out for me."

I sighed. "Yeah, I need to remember that when people look at me, they're not really seeing me."

That thought grew more depressing the harder I tried to internalize it.

On my way back from the cafeteria to Cullen Hall, I was breathing in the night air, and a light smile touched my lips. After mingling more with the students, I felt my confidence growing. I could do this. I would do this. I really believed it. But the greatest test would come tomorrow in the classrooms. I clutched my schedule in my hand and glanced at it every now and then even though my memory already had the page neatly documented into a file in my brain.

As I turned a corner by a building, I heard odd noises floating outside from the nearest window. Concerned, I pressed my face to the glass and squinted. The room was dark and full of chairs. I couldn't see anything, so I opened the closest door with an odd sense of foreboding. In retrospect, I knew I should have continued walking, but a magnet pulled me forward, and my eyes were assaulted with the vision of Tanya on her knees in front of a gasping Edward—head thrown back, body shuddering.

Tanya's head was bobbing so fast it made me dizzy.

I felt sick to my bones. The air had turned solid and was constricting around me. My eyes were burning. My heart was shattering. And my brain was freezing. But my legs were pumped with adrenaline.

So I just ran.