A/N: It's not my playground, just my slide.
I have no beta except for Grammarly Premium.
EPOV
I wasn't quite sure what to expect regarding Isabella Swan. Since Alice came home from her shopping this weekend, she's been reciting the Harry Potter books, all seven of them, repeatedly so that I couldn't read her thoughts. She knows I hate when she does that.
Even while telling us about the time she spent with Bella Swan, she went out of her way to block her thoughts from me. I couldn't even get a clear picture in her thoughts of what Isabella Swan looked like. The pixie's ability to block her thoughts from me has gotten pretty good. I hate it!
All of us were eager to get to school for once just to meet the now-infamous Isabella Swan. By Alice's description alone, you would think Isabella Swan was the personification of perfection. However, if you look past the supposed shopping addiction, Alice could be on to something.
"Let's hit the road, Edward. I have a new bestie to see," Alice's thoughts shouted at me. "And stop trying to look into my head!"
Without complaint, I grabbed my things and sped on out to my Volvo. Even Rose seemed to be eager to get to school a little earlier than usual. Of course, she's never eager for anything that the rest of us, apart from Emmett, are gunning for. She must be as intrigued with Isabella Swan as the rest of us are.
As predicted, we arrived at the school before Isabella Swan did. A few students were in the parking lot and milling around just to kill some time. It would seem that the rumor of the new student starting today was making the rounds. The guys wanted to know if she was hot, and the girls were hoping she wasn't.
I backed into a spot and threw the car in park. We all climbed out while Alice decided to sit on the hood to get a good view of who was pulling into the parking lot. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long for Isabella to arrive. When she drove in, Alice's hyperactive personality went into overdrive. Poor Jasper couldn't get her to sit still. She just jumped down and kept hopping up and down in one place and waving like a lunatic.
Alice's self-proclaimed new best friend parked her very stunning Nissan and climbed out to make her way over to us. The moment our eyes met, I felt like I got hit with a bolt of lightning. My God, she was breathtaking. Finally, after nearly a century of loneliness, I have found my mate.
"Hi there, Alice. How are you?" Isabella cheerfully greeted my pixie sister.
Alice walked over and threw her arms around Isabella, giving her a tight squeeze. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, Bella," Alice replied happily. "I want you to meet my family. This is Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward," she said while gesturing to each one of us.
"Wow! It's nice to meet all of you. Alice has told me a lot about you. All of it was good. I promise," Bella jokingly assured us with a sly wink.
"Nice to meet ya, darlin'," Jasper said in greeting while tipping an invisible cowboy hat to her.
Bella looked him up and down and then flashed a grin at Alice. "You're right, Alice. Your Jasper is a fine piece of man-flesh."
We all laughed along with Bella while Alice patted herself on the back. "I told you, Bella. I'm one lucky girl."
"If he treats you half as well as you claim he does, then you are beyond fortunate," Bella said with a soft smile. Jasper winked at her and then placed a loving kiss on Alice's cheek.
We continued to chat on our way into the school. I volunteered to take Bella to the office so that she could grab her schedule. We all made plans to sit together at lunch so we could get better acquainted with Bella.
Unfortunately, I only had one class with Bella, and that class was after lunch. So, after receiving her schedule, I walked her to her class and headed on over to my Trigonometry class. While on my way there, I was making plans to rearrange my schedule to match Bella's. Immediately after the final bell for the day, I would make a beeline to the office. I wanted to switch my schedule as soon as possible.
BPOV
I have to say it. Alice's pseudo-family is pretty cool. Her man is fine as frick. I thought she was exaggerating his hotness, but she wasn't even close. The only guy I have ever seen who is hotter than Jasper is Alice's brother, Edward. Good Moses, he is fly. When he kissed the back of my hand, I all but creamed my shorts. If it were anyone else, I would have thought it was too old-fashioned. However, Edward's sexy grin mixed with the hand kiss was hot as hell.
What are the odds that five people who are all adopted would win the gene pool jackpot? That level of hotness cannot be legal. I have got to learn their secret. Maybe I can get in on it.
My morning droned on and on, and my boredom grew to new levels. The work here is so dull, so repetitive. After all, I already did all this work. Since Forks High is in such a small town, the state sees no reason to give the town the money for AP classes. It makes me wonder if I could just take my tests and graduate this year. Would Charlie ever allow that? I made a mental note to look into the matter later.
Another reason why my morning has sucked so much is that the male population, or at least those of the male population I have met, has been hounding me all morning. I feel like the sideshow in the freak circus. Regardless of what I am doing, their eyes follow my every move. That is some freakish stalker behavior.
One of the biggest Forks High stalkers is Mike Newton. I swear he pants when I walk past him. It's disturbing. Just seeing his eyes bulge while his tongue hangs out of his mouth has my guard up. Some dogs are ugly. There I said it.
Don't get me started on Jessica Stanley's and Lauren Mallory's attitudes toward me because of the guys all stalking me. They have been talking smack in front of my back all morning. I don't know what those two bimbos think, but I certainly have no control over the male population, and neither would I want to. The guys here are too childish for my liking.
Now, Edward, he was a different animal, so to speak. He was mature and sexy. From what I can tell, he doesn't act like a jackass the way the other guys I have met so far do. He's also a gentleman, which just adds to his allure.
Glancing at my cell, I see that I've got forty-five minutes to go before the lunch bell rings. I need to get my mind out of the Edward-induced gutter and pay attention. While I do know the work, if I get called on while not paying attention, I could land myself in detention, a place I have never been before and never planned on going to.
The moment the bell rang, I grabbed my books and darted out the door, making my way down to my locker. I unloaded my backpack and placed the books and notebooks I needed for my afternoon classes in its center pocket. I abhor rushing, so grabbing my books now will cut down on it. With a quick glance in my locker mirror, I ran a brush through my hair and declared myself acceptable.
I tried to walk casually to the cafeteria, not wanting anyone to see my excitement. Lord knows the males would think I was excited for them while the girls would think I was trying to steal their males. I cannot stand teenagers. I don't consider myself a teen since I had to raise my mother.
When I entered, I saw that Alice and her family were already seated in the far corner of the cafeteria. She waved at me, and I waved back. I shook my head, still not used to Alice's brand of enthusiasm. That girl doesn't have an off switch.
I grabbed a tray and loaded it up with a juicy cheeseburger that was just dripping with grease, french fries smothered in cheese, and a large bottle of spring water. What can I say? I love my meat and my cheese. Besides, I could eat junk all day, every day, and never gain a pound. I don't eat like this normally, but I felt the need to indulge, or should I say reward myself.
After I paid for my meal, I made my way over to the Cullen table. Angela waved as I passed her, and I smiled at her. That Angela Webber was a genuinely lovely person. She seems so out of place with the rest of the idiots here.
As I approached the table, Edward stood up and pulled my chair out for me. His gentlemanly manners had me going all girly inside. He wasn't annoying or overbearing like most guys get when they hold a door or pull out a chair for you. He wasn't expecting anything in return which was something I greatly appreciated.
I smiled in thanks and sat down. After placing my backpack on the floor by my feet, I took a quick bite of my burger. Chewing slowly, I noticed Emmett scrunch up his nose at what I was eating.
"Is there something wrong, Emmett?" I asked with a quirk on my brow.
He jumped, frantically shaking his head. "Uh, no, there's nothing wrong," he stammered.
"If nothing is wrong, then why do you look frightened of my cheeseburger?" I teased him as I leaned forward to wave it under his nose.
"Nothing's wrong. It's, uh, it's just that I thought girls didn't eat fattening food anymore. Aren't you concerned about your figure?" he asked as he leaned as far away from my burger as possible.
I stared at him for a minute, not believing his answer. I'm not sure what the big deal is, but his lame answer was as transparent as the cafeteria windows would be if somebody cleaned them. He's trying to cover up something. I'll let him have his secret for now.
"My figure, Emmett, is quite safe. I am rewarding myself for dealing with a mass of morons today. I think I met only one person, apart from all of you, who was down-to-earth and genuine," I replied, annoyance coloring my tone.
"Angela Webber is a very kind girl," Edward added, automatically knowing who I was referring to.
"Yes, and I actually like her, and I don't usually like people," Rosalie admitted with a shrug.
Everyone turned to look at Rosalie. Their shocked expressions gave away the fact that Rosalie liking anyone was a rare occurrence. There's a story behind that. I'm going to find out what it is. That's now two mysteries I planned to unravel.
"Well, I'm just glad my assessment of the student body that I have met so far is correct. I have been dodging a few males that can't seem to pick up what I've been putting down," I said to break up the silence. I took another bite of my glorious burger and chewed for a moment. After swallowing, I continued, "I was asked out eight times today. Three of those times were from the same person."
"Let me see," Emmett replied with a chuckle. "Mike Newton has been all upon you, hasn't he?"
I chuckled. "How did you ever guess, Emmett? One would think this is something Newton is known for."
"Newton is known for being a tail chaser," Emmett replied with a laugh.
"Whenever there's a new chick, he chases them around and begs them to go out to the movies and then to go back to his house."
"Let me guess. He then makes some comment about dessert being at his place," I surmised. It was so cliche.
"Yes!" they all replied at once.
"Typical," I sneered, not at all impressed with that sort of attitude. It never seemed to fail. The guys at my old school always pulled the same game as well. Teenage boys are so predictable.
I finished my burger and began to eat my fries. I took my sweet time eating them. I did it for no other reason than to annoy Emmett. His squeamishness was going to be fun to mess with. If he weren't so brawny, I would have accused him of being a pansy.
"How do you like your classes, Bella?" Alice asked to break the silence.
Usually, I despise small talk. However, Alice seemed to be genuinely interested, so I went along with it. "Meh," I said with a shrug.
"What does "meh" mean?" she asked in confusion.
"Meh means that I have already done all the work in every one of my morning classes. If the story is the same this afternoon, then this school is beyond boring," I explained while picking up a particular french fry that was smothered in glorious cheesy goodness. I eyed it in appreciation and then took a huge bite. Ahh… Satisfaction at its finest!
"Were you in AP classes back in Arizona?" Edward piped in with his customary crooked grin.
I looked over at him and sighed to myself. Temptation, thy name is Edward. "Yea, I was," I grudgingly admitted. I braced myself for the inevitable teasing that always accompanied that particular admission.
"So you're smart," Emmett declared in his distinctive booming voice.
I rolled my eyes. Emmett was such a kid at heart that I found it difficult to be angry with him. "I guess that would depend on your definition of smart."
I finished my lunch, noticing that none of the Cullens had even touched their lunches. I wish it were because I had the ability to put them under my thrall, but I am not that entertaining. If one or two of them hadn't eaten, I would not have given it a second thought. All five of them not eating is a bit of a mystery.
With the notable few exceptions, or dare I say, mysteries the Cullens brought with them. Lunchtime was fun for once. I enjoyed our conversations as well as being treated like I was a member of their family. Even Rosalie, whose nickname was the Ice Queen, seemed to like me.
The warning bell went off, and we scrambled to go on our different ways to our next classes. Edward and I had Chemistry together, which made me quite happy. I just knew I wasn't going to be bored in that class.
I followed Edward into the classroom and stopped by the teacher's desk for him to sign my slip. Once he finished giving me his John Hancock, he gestured for me to sit down in the empty seat next to Edward. I thanked him and went to sit down.
Mike Newton's eyes trailed me the entire time as I made my way down the aisle to mine and Edward's table. He even turned around in his seat, which was across the aisle and one table up. He wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was stalking me. What a creep!
As expected, I already did the work in this class as well. Thankfully, Edward and I sped through our work which we just happened to ace. We even managed to snag the win for Mr. Banner's golden onion award. It's by far the dorkiest trophy I have ever won. Edward refused to take it home, and I refused to leave the school with it. I just ended up chucking it in my locker for later.
After Chemistry, I had gym class. It's a cake class, but one that I do enjoy. I love sports. I love anything athletic. Getting my blood pumping cranks up my endorphins and makes me happy.
After changing into the Forks High gym uniform, I made my way out into the gym. Our coach was gathering everyone around and splitting us all up into two teams. We were playing volleyball, and I was psyched.
Volleyball is one of my favorite sports. I was on the team back in Phoenix, and I was a pretty decent player. What I lacked in height, I made up for in speed and accuracy.
The first set started as highly energetic. Angela and I were the only girls who were playing that really put in an effort. Thankfully, she was on my team along with Tyler Crowley, Eric Yorkie, Greg Boyce, and a few others I didn't know yet.
Mike Newton, Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, and a few more students I didn't know were on the opposing team. Jessica was serving first and aimed the ball toward our center. Angela called the ball. She hit it with a bump toward Eric, who set it up for me to nail it with a spike over the net. Mike dashed forward to save it but missed it entirely.
It was now our serve. We quickly rotated, and I was currently serving. I spun the ball in my hands as I eyed the other side of the net, looking for any holes. After spotting a good place to aim the ball, I took a few steps back, lifted the ball, and slam the ball with one of my best jump serves. It went sailing over the net and landed directly where I had aimed it. The score was ours.
"It looks like Ms. Swan here has played before. Were you on the team back in Arizona," Coach Clapp asked after seeing my form going into my jump serve.
"Yes, ma'am, I was," I grinned. Tyler clapped, and Angela jumped up and down.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Angela chanted excitedly. "I'm gonna be on the winning team, finally."
I smiled at her enthusiasm. Angela was too cute. Eric definitely agreed with me if those lovey-dovey eyes were anything to go by. I just might want to help get those two together. They would make an adorable couple.
Coach Clapp blew her whistle, and the game continued. I served again, and we volleyed back and forth a few times before the ball hit the ground next to Lauren, who was not paying attention. That didn't stop her from calling me a cheater and sneering at me. I just rolled my eyes at her pettiness. Her issues are not my problem.
The game continued like that a few more serves before Mike managed to block a shot, and the ball landed on our side. His team rotated. Now it was some kid named Kevin who was getting ready to serve.
He served the ball underhanded but didn't have a lot of power behind it. It was barely airborne before it hit the net on their side and then landed on the floor in front of Jessica. She just continued to stand there inspecting her nails. She really didn't care about the game. Mike yelled at her for not paying attention. Her only response was to shrug her shoulders.
The game continued for another ten minutes before Coach Clapp called it quits. She ended class a little early in order for us all to get cleaned up. I was so hot and sweaty that I practically ran to the locker room to take a shower.
I stood under the hot spray for as long as possible and then got out and dried off. I dressed quickly after noticing there were only eight minutes left before my next class would begin. There was no time to blow dry my hair, so I ran a comb through it and pulled it back into a ponytail.
I almost made it out of the locker room until the nasal voice of Lauren Mallory decided to harm my ears. "Well, look who it is, Jessica, Forks High's newest skank."
"Uh, I know. She's so plain-looking. Where does she get off chasing after our guys?" Jessica responded.
I turned around and laughed in their faces. "You two are pathetic. First, I have no interest in 'your guys.' Second, you should look into having your eyes checked. Finally, it's no wonder why the guys here refuse to give either of you the time of day. You're both snobby bitches who think too highly of themselves. No worries, though. The boys in this school are too needy. When they need free entertainment, they'll be looking for the two of you. Now I have a class to get to, and I don't feel like wasting anymore of my time on your childish attempts at bullying," I said succinctly as I walked out and made my way to English class, leaving the two idiots to stare at me with their jaws dragging on the floor.
Thankfully, the last class of the day seemed to go by quickly. The next thing I knew, I was walking out to my truck. Alice and Edward were both standing there waiting for me.
I smiled as I neared them. "Hey," I said with a grin as I happily greeted them.
"Hey, yourself, oh volleyball queen," Alice replied with a laugh. "It's all over the school. Jessica and Lauren have been complaining about you cheating during gym. Mike, Tyler, and Eric all defended you and put the two self-absorbed bitches in their places. They told everyone that you were on the team in Phoenix and that you had some mad skills."
I was a bit surprised that Mike would be defending me since my team and I wiped the floor with his team. At least he's a good sport. "Jessica and Lauren are pathetic. They spent half the game staring at their nails and the other half rubbing up on the guys on their team. It was sickening to witness," I clarified for them.
Both Alice and Edward scrunched up their noses with that tiny bit of information. "That is a disgusting image you planted in my head," Edward said with a look of horror on his face. I couldn't help but laugh at his facial expression.
"If I had to suffer through it, then you do as well, mister," I teased. I then opened my door and tossed my backpack over to the passenger seat.
"Other than the drama, how was the rest of your day?" Alice asked.
"Let's just say that gym redeemed it. I don't know where my head would be if I didn't have gym class to break up the monotony," I said honestly.
"Well, we were wondering if you wanted to come over to our house for a little while," Edward asked as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair.
"I wish I could. I have to get home, clean up, and then make dinner for Charlie, not to mention getting my homework done. Can I have a rain check?" I said, wishing I could just drop everything and head on over to their place.
"Sure! Why don't we plan it for tomorrow? We get out early because it's teacher in-service day," Alice suggested eagerly.
"That would be perfect. I'll have enough time to visit without having to rush," I happily agreed.
We said goodbye, and I was heading home a moment later. I was still getting things settled at home. I planned on finishing it all up tonight.
Once I finished cleaning the house and throwing a load in the washer, I started to cook dinner. Charlie was afraid my cooking would be as bad as Renee's. I get it. Really I do. I can't tell you how many times my mother gave me food poisoning. That is why I took cooking classes. If I wanted to live, I was going to have to learn how to cook for myself.
For dinner, I made my dad a grilled New York strip steak, a hassle back potatoes, and a wedge salad loaded with crisp turkey bacon. I made myself a grilled chicken Caesar salad. Dad didn't know it yet, but he would be eating more healthy foods than he was accustomed to eating. I was also going to be limiting his red meat intake. Tonight was a treat for him. Hopefully, a juicy steak will soften the blow of the new diet I was putting him on.
When dad finally got home, he was so excited over his steak dinner that he never protested the healthy food. I didn't ban steak altogether. I just told him that I would be limiting it. Surprisingly enough, he agreed with me.
"Bells, that was one hell of a steak you made. It practically melted in my mouth. If you cook that well all the time, I'm going to be very well fed," he said as he stood up and brought his plate to the sink. "I'll do the dishes. You can head on up if you want," he offered.
"Thanks, Dad, I'm going to do just that. I'll see you in the morning," I said on my way out of the kitchen to make my way up the steps and into my room.
My first day at Forks High was in the books. I met Alice's family, gained a new addiction to Edward, unwittingly attracted a large amount of the male population at school, and played a decent game of volleyball which my team won. Tomorrow promised to be a good day. Okay, it's more like tomorrow will be a good day because I am going to the Cullen house. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
