Hey lovelies! I'm on choir tour this week, so instead of your usual Secrets chapter you're getting this mini-chapter/sneak peek. I've written much of Secrets from Bella's POV for characterization purposes, and it's taken on enough of a life of its own that I'm seriously considering publishing it. So let me know in a review or PM how you liked this mini chapter and whether you'd like to see more of Bella's POV!

The Cullens were definitely weird. The way they kept away from other students reminded me of shifters, but they couldn't be. I would know if there were other shifters here. And we never had so many going to the same school. But then what could it possibly be that they -

I shut my mind automatically because I felt it. The last feeling I'd expected to have after I was left here alone. But I couldn't be wrong - someone was in my mind.

I had been looking toward the table of Cullens when I felt it, and a moment later one of the boys looked up. Our eyes met, and I blushed - I hated how easily that happened - and looked away. Was he the one, then? Or was it just a, a, what was that word? Coincidence?

Jessica was still talking about the Cullens. I hadn't been paying attention, but she noticed my blush. She glanced over her shoulder and giggled. "Edward is looking at you."

"Which one is he?" I asked softly.

"He's the youngest, with reddish-brown hair."

"Oh." Yeah, the one who I thought had been in my mind. I peeked through my hair, saw him still staring, and quickly looked away. But Jessica was still looking at their table. "Quit looking at him," I said, though maybe it was too late for him to not pay attention to me.

Jessica turned back to me and started trying to get me to talk about Arizona again. But I couldn't answer her questions, especially without her mind to read. And I had something more important to think about.

If he could read minds, and he and his siblings kept to themselves, and they were pale, and not eating... there was only one thing they could be. I didn't know how it could be possible, but it had to be true.

Vampires. I had been sent to a school that had a whole coven of vampires.

Finally the bell rang, shaking me out of my thoughts, and Jessica asked what class I had next. I looked at my paper. "Biology," I said, feeling worse. I was not good with science. Well, I wasn't really good with any high school subject, but in science classes I always got lost really quickly.

"That's my next class too." A tall, blond girl, whose name I didn't remember, gave me a small smile. I knew I had been introduced to her, but the beginning of lunch felt like it was hours ago. "I'll walk you."

I nodded. She seemed kind. And she certainly hadn't been asking a million questions like Jessica, or staring at me like the blond-haired boy at the table.. He looked sad now. I didn't know why. Without minds to read, I was lost.

I followed the girl out of the cafeteria, toward another building. "Hey," I said quietly, with as much courage as I could find. "I'm sorry, but I forgot your name."

"No worries," the girl said. "I'm Angela."

"Bella," I said automatically, then blushed again. "I guess - you probably remember my name."

Angela smiled at me.

She held the door open for me when we reached the biology room, giving me a little wave as I headed past her. I faced front to head toward the teacher's desk at the front of the room.

Seated by himself in the back of the room was Edward, just now turning as if to look away from me.

My heart dropped to my shoes, but I took a deep breath and walked forward. As I passed him, the heater blowing my hair over my face, I couldn't help but glance at him.

He was staring at me, his eyes black, his face twisted.

That confirmed it. He was a vampire. He was a vampire, and he wanted to kill me.

I hurried forward now, trying to put distance between me and him. I nearly tripped over a chair but I kept going, barely breathing, and presented my paper to the teacher to sign.

He gave me a kind smile. "You must be Isabella Swan," he said.

"Bella." I could barely speak.

"Bella," he repeated as he signed the paper with a flourish. "I'm Mr. Banner." He handed the paper back to me and gestured to the back of the room. "The only free seat I have left is in the back, next to Edward."

Things were going from worse to awful. My stomach twisted. I couldn't move.

"It's about time for class to start," Mr. Banner said encouragingly.

"Thanks," I managed to say. There was nothing else I could do. I had to turn around and walk back to the back of the room.

Edward turned his head away as I turned around, and looked at the other side of the room the whole time I was walking. The heater was still on, and I held my breath as I walked into the air again. As if that would help. I pulled the chair as far away from Edward as I could and sat on the very edge of it, getting out my notebook while trying to move as little as possible. Maybe if I was very small he would ignore me. At the very least, if he wanted to remain a secret, he couldn't attack me while we were surrounded by humans. He'd have to wait until later. I could handle later later.

I listened carefully, just to confirm, but couldn't hear a heartbeat. He didn't even seem to be breathing. Well, that made sense. If he was trying to not kill me, he wouldn't want to smell me. Hopefully he could hold his breath for a long, long time.

Class started and I started taking notes. As I expected, I had no clue what was going on. I tried writing down what Mr. Banner was saying as best I could but I didn't understand half of it. Hopefully I'd be able to read the textbook quickly enough to fill in the other half before class again tomorrow. (Like that was going to happen.) For now, I took notes as well as I could.

We were about halfway though class before I noticed Edward again. He'd sat so still, and I'd been so caught up in trying to take notes, that I'd kinda forgotten he was there. But I was suddenly aware as I felt him - felt his mind touch mine. Again.

My block was still up, but even then I could always tell when someone was trying. I guess I should have expected him to try again? Completely distracted from class, I clenched my pen in my hand. Couldn't he just leave me alone?

A dangerous thought struck me. Maybe I could make him leave me alone. The heater wasn't still blowing, but I could distract him anyway. I could almost hear Jacob yelling at me for taking such a risk. But Edward wouldn't attack me now. I was sure. I peeked through my hair at him - yes, he was looking at me. All right then.

I had left my hair down between us as a guard. I now made a show of sweeping it behind my back. I knew this would expose my neck to Edward's eyes, and possibly throw my scent at him as well.

It worked. Immediately the touch of his mind was gone. When I glanced at him, he was looking away again, his body tense.

Still, knowing he was there, and unable to open my mind, I barely got through the rest of that class. I held myself to a mostly human speed as I packed up my things and got out of there, on my feet before the bell finished ringing. I nearly ran from the room and headed straight outside.

I ran around to the less-used side of the building, facing toward the parking lot instead of the rest of the buildings, and leaned against a wall. I was shaking. I was crying.

This wasn't fair.

This new school, that was supposed to be a new start for me, was worse than my where I was before. There were vampires here. Vampires who could read minds, forcing me to close mine. I had to keep my mind closed while I faced vampires, alone.

But I couldn't waste much time on tears. I had one more class that day, and I groaned when I remembered what it was. Gym. And with my luck, probably one of the vampires would be in that class too.

But before I could start on my way, I saw something. Something confusing but also relieving. While I could hear students talking as they passed between buildings behind me, there was one student who was walking away from the buildings. I recognized him, of course. Edward strode past me, not seeming to notice I was there, and headed straight out into the parking lot.

Once Edward ducked into a silver car, I made myself move, walking slowly to my next class. I did feel safer, knowing that I wasn't going to see him again today. But why? If he wanted to track me, I was right here. If he wasn't going to track me, why not go to his next class?

How could there be an entire coven of vampires in this small town?

Maybe I should have remembered then that curiosity killed the cat, and that it could probably kill wolves too.