Chapter Nine – Punching Someone Doesn't Create a Good Impression

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just my original characters Ella & Adrian and anything else you don't recognise.

AN: Apologises for day late posting, was unable to post yesterday due to things that had happened. I'd like to say thanks to: SabinXTobi, missyouforever, silentmayhem, The. Teal. Rose, frenchgurl25, and all the guest reviews this story has so far.

Now that the phone call with Renee had long past, I was more myself again. I don't know what it is about Renee, there was just something that boiled my blood and turned me into something else. I hated it.

Why was it that the people we wanted to ignore the most were the ones that caused the most disruption to our lives? Renee was a poisonous black spot on my life and I was coming to realise that no amount of actions would change that. Renee would always be who she wanted regardless of what I said.

Anyway it didn't matter, I'd decided to blast Renee from my life, I didn't need her negativity soaking up any part of me. Today was a day of excitement, for a school that never gets transfer students, it was about to have its third in a few months. Tyler's cousin was due to arrive at school and once again the rumour mill was doing its best to spread all sorts of gossip about him before he'd even arrived.

I was excited to meet this new person but more so for my sister. I had high hopes for her after all, yet so far she'd taken to slapping my arm every time I set her up with someone. Perhaps this time would be different.

It was clear that Tyler was annoyed by all the gossip if the scowl on his face was anything to go by. He jumped out of his truck with a grimace on his face. The passenger side door opened and I heard rather than saw a pair of feet stomping round to meet Tyler.

All of us, Bella, Angela, Ben and myself had crowded around Tyler and his cousin, to give them some privacy against the throngs of school. I could already see Lauren and Jessica preening themselves, reading for an attack.

Tyler's cousin was attractive, no doubt about that, he just wasn't my type. He introduced himself as Adrian and I was struck with the thought that I wouldn't have to help my sister at all. The polite starring contest turned awkward for the rest of us in a matter of seconds but Bella and Adrian seemed completely oblivious to it. When they did break contact, Bella blushed while Adrian smirked.

Adrian was tall and muscled, he said he used to play basketball at his old school. He had blue eyes and dark hair. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and though Adrian was physically very appealing, you could tell that he was by no means an idiot. There was an intelligence hidden behind his eyes, waiting to burst forth. There was also a sense of something else, I don't know quite what it is. It wasn't a dangerous thing, just different and I couldn't quite put my finger on why.

It seems that Adrian had arrived on a bad day, as far as avoiding the female population. I'd heard rumours of the upcoming dance but hadn't put much thought into it. I like dances, I like the glamour of getting dressed up and dancing the night away but I'd never been asked to a dance and never been to one that meant anything. Considering I couldn't stand half the people I'd met so far in school, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to go or not.

It was the girl's choice anyway, so it made it easy for me not to ask anyone.

However, I'm pretty sure I've given myself a new reputation today.

I got angry, very angry.

Here's why:

We were queuing up for our music class, the teacher was late and she always locked the door when she wasn't in the room – hence the queuing outside.

I was standing next to Edward, we were talking about my singing voice and how comfortable his family. It had gotten to the point where I was comfortable around the Cullen's. Before I'd only been comfortable around Bella and Dad, putting up a front for others so they wouldn't see the real me.

I felt that I was becoming more confident the longer I spent my time with the Cullen's.

My new found confidence was what got me into this mess. Honestly it was tragic, I should learn to control my emotions in a better way. Sure people were amused by what I did but still, the detention I earnt wasn't particularly great and knowing Dad, things would get much worse when he found out.

Lauren, that bitch who doesn't know how to close her mouth cornered Edward while we waited for our teacher. She purposefully stood so that her back was facing me, blocking me completely from Edward's view. That was her first strike.

"Hi Edward, have you been working out? Your top is so tight against your chest; I can practically see everything."

I've never really thought of myself as an animal but I almost growled when Lauren uttered those words.

Though Edward seemed to ignore her, it didn't put her off her mission.

"So there is this dance coming up, I'm sure you've heard. It's the girl's choice and I think you deserve to go with the prettiest girl in school…so I was wondering if you'd like to go to the dance with me?"

Prettiest? Yeah right.

"No."

I snorted, granted I wasn't the only one to chuckle over Edward's blunt answer, but I was the only one to be on the receiving end of Lauren's glare.

"What do you mean no? Don't you want to go with me?"

"No."

"You won't get an offer like this again you know. I'm practically doing you a favour asking you."

"I'm not going to the dance with you Lauren."

Flushing beet red with embarrassment, Lauren turned from Edward to me and I felt the full blast of her hatred.

"You put him up to this didn't you? You pathetic creep, I wish you'd never come to this school. He won't take you, if that was your plan. The ugly duckling never gets picked. Know your place Cinderella, it's in the attic with the cobwebs and mice!"

She was inches from my face, breathing heavily down on me. I did my best to show an unaffected face – though inside I was a little worried – as she ranted on about me.

She seemed quite pleased about her Cinderella insult. Please, like I haven't heard that insult before. I let her have her moment, in her pathetic high school life, this was probably one of her better moments. I watched Lauren storm down the corridor, the students parted like the red sea to let her through. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of her anger. It wasn't a pleasant place to be.

"You alright?"

I nodded, dazed as I looked at Edward.

The encounter with Lauren was just the tip of the iceberg. It had awakened something within me that I didn't know was there. Though I was attentive though music and did what I was supposed to do, I didn't talk much. I knew Edward had taken notice of it but like a good friend he said nothing. I suppose he was waiting for me to talk to him.

I couldn't admit that I was jealous of Lauren. I didn't like Edward in a romantic way but I was rather possessive when it came to the Cullen's. I was only just realising how possessive I was and the fact that bitchy Lauren had tried to woo Edward didn't sit right with me. Edward was off limits, as were the rest of the Cullen's but there was just something about Edward that made him more so.

Lunch it seemed was where everything goes wrong for me – a fact that Bella would definitely agree on – I don't know what made the cafeteria special but it was the place where most of my verbal scuffles with others took place.

I supposed I should have been trying to present myself in a favourable light because of Adrian's arrival. It should have been my first port of call to deliver a good first impression but my mind was too busy grumbling about how horrific the ordeal with Lauren had been. She'd seen the smirk on her sister's face and known what she was thinking about but it wasn't true. She thought of Edward as nothing more than a friend, a very good looking friend…

I'd just finished eating, my airways were clear and my mind was focused – I mention this because had the incident happened but five minutes earlier, I'd be telling a different story.

Someone taped me on the shoulder, I turned and groaned to find Mike standing there. What was it about some guys who just didn't get that you weren't interested in them? I mean what did I have to do to get him to realise that fact? Dance on the tables? Sing to him? Ignore him? I honestly didn't know.

"Hey Ella, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the ball with me?"

"It's the girl's choice," said Bella bluntly.

Mike coloured a bit at her words but refused to break eye contact with me.

"No thanks."

"No? I-what?!"

"I means I don't want to go to the ball with you."

"But why? I mean It's not like guys are queuing up waiting for you to ask them. You aren't exactly pretty, your eyes are too close together, your body isn't all that and you're a social outcast."

Mike's voice was rising in tone the longer he spoke, if he had wanted to keep this conversation a secret, he'd failed as once again all eyes in the cafeteria were on the table I sat at.

"If you think insulting me will get me to accept your offer then you're sorely mistaken."

"It's not insulting to point out the truth. Lauren said you'd be easy, just get you out of the way— "

"Lauren said what?"

Mike paled as my anger pushed forward.

"To get rid of you so she'd have Edward to herself."

I was literally shaking with the amount of anger that was running through my veins.

"Mike, why do you want me to go to the ball with you? Do you like me?"

"God no, I think you're ugly and annoying. I can't stand the way you've made a name for yourself. What makes you special enough to socialise with the Cullen's when the rest of us are ignored? I don't see anything special, in fact I…"

There was blood everywhere and Mike was groaning on the floor.

I didn't mean to but he just got me so angry so I punched him.

I noticed the Cullen's leave as soon as the first drop of blood was spilt…interesting.

A teacher walked up behind me.

"Yeah, I know," I grumbled. "Detention."

I looked at Bella who looked equal parts embarrassed and proud. It was then I remembered that it was Adrian's first day and the first impression I'd given him was of me knocking someone's lights out.

Oh well…could be worse.

My hand throbbed but it was alright, I knew how to correctly throw a punch so wasn't in too much pain. No doubt when Dad found out what I'd done I would be in pain. Not physical pain mind you but I wasn't prepared for emotional pain I knew would come from Dad being disappointed in me.

My last class for the day was World History. This was usually a boring class; however, it was made even more boring due to the fact that we had a substitute teacher today. It was basically a total piss class. We were just chatting, doodling and some people were even throwing paper. Zero work was being done in this class today.

I was partnered with Rose in this class. Rose was an interesting character. To most she appeared aloof and bitchy. They saw her for her outward appearance and didn't bother to get to know the person that lay beneath. It was true that Rose was an incredibly vain person, she knew she looked good and she flaunted it.

However, underneath her tough exterior was a lovely woman, who had a big heart and a lot to give the world. I bonded with her over the treatment I received from Renee. Before coming to live at the Cullen's, Rose's home life was – in part – similar to mine. We bonded over the mutual treatment of people who should have treated us with love and respect.

Rose still didn't like my sister; I suppose their personalities were just too different. They were like chalk and cheese but I was pleasantly surprised that the animosity Rose felt towards my sister, didn't pass on to me either.

"You can throw a good punch you know. I'm glad someone finally put Mike in his place."

"How many times has he tried it with you?"

She smirked, "at least twice a week, it's infuriating."

"I don't like guys like him. They're worse than guys who think they are god's gift. Why would he think that insulting a girl and alluding to the fact that he was doing her a favour, make said girl want to date him?"

"I wouldn't worry too much, it's clear that he has a small brain."

"It just annoys me so much."

"Are you going to the dance?"

"Haven't really thought about it."

"Anyone you wanted to ask?"

I knew she was fishing for answers but she was fishing for answers that I didn't have.

"I don't know. Whether I end up going to the dance or not, I'll go to have fun, not to be worried about who my date is."

"You're really getting riled up aren't you? I'll stop now, I promise."

I smirked back at her and bumped shoulders with her. While others might only see the sarcasm, I saw the person that lay hidden underneath.

It was only much later in the evening when I was cuddled up on the sofa with Dad, watching Supernatural, that I had an epiphany if you will. Obviously the Cullen's were different from everyone else but I never put much stock into that, they had every right to be different, to be anonymous objects in a sea of people who ignored them.

According to Dean off Supernatural, Vampires came in many shapes and sizes. If you looked close enough, you could see the flaws in the people they were. Their attention to staying still, their aversion to blood, the way they never ate and how they were cold to touch.

You could say that that particular episode of Supernatural that I watched had sparked the seed of doubt in my mind but I pushed it away. Vampires didn't exist, the Cullen's were just the Cullen's and I needed to get ready for bed.

Up Next: Chapter Ten – Can Myths become Reality?