Sorry, I do a lot of POV jumping in this chapter. Wanted to get a lot of different angles on the story.


Bella POV

As I settle into my art class my mind is trying to catch up with the whirlwind of events that just happened. In the span of just an hour I went from having no friends, being a total outcast and social leper to having a new friend and possibly more. In just the short time I spent with Alice, she made me feel better about my life, I mean yes there is still dealing with Charlie and the ass hats here at school. But if I could at least have this, then maybe just maybe my life could be a bit brighter. Just as I start to feel a smile creep onto my face one of my constant tormentors; Jessica Stanley, came up to me "What the hell do you think you were doing talking to the new girl, freak? You know the rules, you are the freak and you talk to no one and have no friends. I don't want to see you talking to Alice or any of her siblings again, especially her brother Edward. He is mine. Alice was probably just talking with you so she can mess with you later, who would want to be friends with you" With that she turns to head back to her seat, but not before tipping a container of paint over and spilling it on a paining I had been working on.

I could care less about the ruined picture, I was more focused on what Jessica said. What if she was right? Was Alice just pretending to want to be my friend so her and her siblings could mess with me and bully me around like everyone else. It would not be the first time some one did that, gained my trust only to turn around and hurt me. The more and more I thought about it the more I began to believe that it was true. 'I wonder if I can slip past her when class is out' I thought to myself. If I could get past her I could head to the woods on the north side of campus and wait for lunch to be over. It may only be a solution for today; but I was in survival mode, I'll deal with what is to come later. Looking up at the clock I see that the bell is about to ring and I quickly gather my things and ready myself to bolt out the door. As the bell rings I hurry out the door only to run into what felt like a wall. I start to fall backwards but a cold, stone like pair of hands steady me. I look up to see that the hands belong to the wall I had ran into. But it's not a wall but probably one of the tallest and strongest guys I have ever seen. Fearing that he was going to hurt me I start to try and move back from him when I hear Alice call my name.

Emmett POV

This class is so boring. I'm not even sure what the teacher is even talking about...what was this class again? Math, no...oh yeah English. While siting in class I kept overhearing some guys talking about someone they kept calling the freak and how they were going to pull some epic prank on them. I'm all for pranks, but its not cool to call someone a freak. I wish this class would hurry up and be over so I can meet Bella. I wonder if I could talk the teacher into letting me go a bit early so I can meet them outside their class and that way I can walk them to lunch. Raising my hand I tell the teacher that I had left something important in the office and ask if I can go get it. I through in a large smile to seal the deal and she excuses me. Finding Alice's class was no issue because I was able to track her scent and then I remember her saying that Bella's class was right across the hall. So, standing in front of the door I wait for the bell to ring. Moments later it rings and as the door opens a small figure comes running out and strait into me. I reach out to steady the person who was starting to fall backwards before looking down at them. This had to be Bella, she looked like what Alice had described. She looks up at me and I can see fear in her eyes. It kills me to think that we are meeting for the first time and she is afraid of me. I am about to say something to her to take her fear away when I hear Alice's voice call out "Bella..."

Alice POV

History class was so boring and just a bit laughable to listen to some of inaccurate historical information the teacher was spouting out. After what felt like forever the bell finally rang and I sped out the door so I could meet up with Bella. When I got out into the hall what I saw was Bella running headlong into Emmett and almost falling backwards. What was Emmett doing over here, I told him to wait with the rest of the family in the cafeteria. Sometimes he can be so impatient. I could see from the look on Bella's face that she was instantly afraid of Emmett, and who wouldn't be with his size. Ok, time for operation save Bella. Putting a smile on my face I call out to her "Bella, there you are. Emmett, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to wait in the cafeteria with every one else" Bella looks over at me as if confused to who I was talking to before Emmett speaks up "Well my class is right down the hall and I though I would walk my little sis to lunch so I was waiting here for you when this one came barreling out of that class and ran right into me. So your Bella? Alice was texting us like crazy during the last class saying that she met her new best friend already and wanted to introduce us to her at lunch" Smiling I say "Bella meet my brother Emmett, Emmett Meet Bella" Emmett says "It's nice to meet you Bella" as he gathers her up in a hug and I can see her finch as if in pain again. Emmett must have noticed it too because he instantly let her go and started to apologize. "I'm a so sorry Bella, did I hurt you" Emmett asked frantically. "N..no you just took my by surprise" Bella says. I can tell that she is lying, but I let it go for now. "It's nice to meet you Emmett" Bella says with a small smile, but I can tell that she is still a bit afraid.

"Well ladies, how about I escort you both to lunch" Emmett says as he holds out an arm for both of us. I instantly hook my arm with his, but I can see Bella hesitate for a moment before lightly taking Emmett's other arm. I can tell that Bella is getting a bit nervous from the looks that we are receiving from the other students, but before I can say anything to her about it we arrive at the cafeteria. Once we are inside, Emmett leads us to the lunch line. Both Emmett and I pick up our trays to get our customary prop 'lunch' and start putting random things on our trays. Thats when I noticed that Bella was not getting anything, but just following us. "Aren't you going to get anything to eat, Bella?" I ask. She shook her head and said "No, I'm not really hungry. I had a big breakfast" I knew she was lying again, I could even hear her stomach growling in hunger. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" Emmett asks her as well. I can see the concern in his face and I know he is already going into big brother mode. "I'm fine, but thanks anyways" Bella says. Letting it go for now, both Emmett and I pay for out food and lead Bella to the table in the back of the cafeteria where the rest of our siblings and waiting.

Jasper POV

I can feel all the rampant emotions coming off all the students as I enter the cafeteria. Scanning the crowd I instantly spot Edward and Rose sitting at a table in the back as far away from everyone else as possible. Quickly after grabbing a tray and placing a few random things on it I make my way back to were my siblings are. Noticing that Emmett was not there yet I turn to Rose and say "Where is Emmett?" "He said something about waiting for Alice. You know him, he probably was too impatient to wait for Alice to bring Bella to us so he probably went to got get them" Rose says. Just as I was about to say something else I am hit with a powerful wave of pain. Both physical and emotional pain like I have never felt before. Looking around for the source of this pain I see both Alice and Emmett enter the cafeteria with the source of this pain standing between them. That had to be Bella. But how is it that she is even functioning yet alone standing and walking when she is in such pain.

Edward POV

I was listing to rose's explanation for Emmett's absents when I saw Jasper wince as if in pain. "What is it Jasper? What wrong?" I ask. "Pain. Someone is in excruciating pain. Physical and emotional pain" I see him scanning the crowded cafeteria looking for the source of the pain. Quickly he zeroed in on an area in the direction of the door and both Rose and I turn to see what he is seeing. Just as I turn I see both Alice and Emmett enter the door with a small, frail looking girl standing between them. Was that Bella? She looked almost nothing like the Bella I saw in Alice's vision. Alice was right, there is definitely something wrong here. Turning back to Jasper I ask "Is the pain coming off of her?" Jasper nods and says "Yes, I don't even know how she can be standing when she is in such pain". I can see concern painting both Jasper's and Rose's faces. "What is she thinking?" Rose asks me. Turning back to look at her I try to listen in on her thoughts, but it is like there is a wall. I can sense her mind, but there is this wall blocking me from hearing anything. "I can't hear anything. I can sense her mind, but it's like she is blocking me from her thoughts. How is that possible?" I ask Jasper. "I'm not positive, but she could be a shield. A powerful one at that if it's manifesting this strong when she is still human" Just as I was about to say something else I can sense that Alice, Emmett and Bella were approaching our table.

Bella POV

After both Alice and her brother Emmett finished getting their food they started leading me to the back of the cafeteria. I'm glad they didn't question me anymore on why I was not getting anything to eat. The last thing I need is for Charlie to somehow find out that I was eating at school, somehow he always knew what was going on here. I knew if I was caught eating the punishment would be sever. Both Alice and Emmett started to slow down as they led me to a table that held three other people. Jeez, how many siblings be they have! Oh yeah, now I remember. She said that there were 5 total, including her. They all look so alike, they even have the same color eyes. Wait, didn't she say that they were all adopted. This does not make sense. Just as I am thinking this, Emmett takes a seat next to a tall, statues blonde girl and Alice sets her tray down next to a guy with warm, honey colored hair before turning to me and saying "Bella, I would like you to meet my family" Pointing to the guy with the honey colored hair who seems to have a pained look to his face, Alice says "This is Jasper. He is my boyfriend. I know its a bit odd, being adopted siblings. But the heart is a strange thing. Next to Jasper is Rosalie. She is Jasper's twin sister and she and Emmett as dating as well. You met Emmett already, so lastly is Edward" she says as she points to the last occupant of the table. Looking over at him I could swear my heart just skipped a beat. He had to be the most gorgeous guy I have ever see, with his wild and haphazardly combed bronze hair, chiseled facial features and his lean, long body.

Someone clearing their throat broke me out of my revelry and I quickly blushed before saying "Hi, it's nice to meet you all" Their answering smiles made me blush even more. Feeling odd just standing there I decide that it is best to sit, noticing that the only open seat it next to Edward I take off my sweater before slowly slip into the chair. There is a bit of an awkward silence before Emmett speaks up "So tell us about yourself. What do you like to do? Games, sports, pranks? Have you always lived in Forks?" Everyone turned to me as if waiting to hear all about me. Great. I hated being the center of attention. "Umm there's not much to tell. I'm kinda boring and tend to stick to myself. I don't really have any friends. I used to play games, like video games. But I haven't for a while. I'm not good at sports at all. I can hardly walk a strait line without tripping over my own feet. I'm usually the one that people pull pranks on, not the other way around. So usually I just sit and read or draw. I also like to play the piano and I have written a few pieces too" I see Edwards face light up when I say that I like to play the piano. "I like to play too and I have written some piano pieces too" Edward says with a smile. "What about the other question, have you always lived in Forks?" Rosalie asks. I was hoping that I would not have to answer that question, but might as well get it over with. "No, I have only lived here for about a year. Before that I lived in Phoenix Arizona with my mom and step dad Phil" I say. "So what made you move from one of the sunniest cities in the US to one of the cloudiest?" Jasper asks. Refusing to look up at any of them as I could feel tears starting to well up behind my eyes I say "There was an accident. A drunk driver. They said that it was a miracle that I survived, but my mom and Phil..." I am cut off when I solid, cold pair of arms wrap around me. I looked up to see that Alice had pulled me into a hug. It hurt a bit, but I didn't care.

"I am so sorry, if I had know I would have never had asked" Rosalie says. I look up to see a look of sympathy and caring on her face. In fact everyone has the same look. Maybe they do truly care. As Alice lets go of me and returns to her seat I was about to ask them to tell me more about them when I hear someone shout out "FREAK" Closing my eyes I wish that they would just go away. I knew that this was too good to last. Once they find out that I am the school freak, the outcast, the leper, they will not want to be friends with me. Opening my eyes and turning to see who shouted out at me, I see my worst nightmares coming towards the table. Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, Angela Weber, Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie. They were all walking towards me and I knew that I was going to get it now. "What are you doing in here freak. I thought you were told that you could not come in here" Lauren says with a sneer. "And I thought I told you to stay away from the new kids. They are not interested in being friends with a freak like you" The other three just agreed with various 'yeahs' and called me 'freak' a few more times. Just as I was about to run from the table I see the Cullens stand and for a moment I think that they are going to join in on verbally beating me into the ground. But then both Rosalie and Alice pull me into their arms as the three Cullen boys stand in front us. Emmett was the first to speak up "WHAT DID YOU CALL HER?" Emmett shouts out and with that getting the attention of the entire cafeteria. I can see fear suddenly fill my tormentors faces. "How dare you treat her like that, who are you to say what she is allowed to do or be friends with" Jasper says in my defense. "Do you even know who she is or did you just decide to pass judgment on her before getting to know her? From the little time we have spent with her I can see that she is a bright, beautiful woman. She is kind and caring and a whole lot more interesting that all of you combined" Edward says. What he says makes me want to cry. He thinks I'm beautiful? "No get out of here and leave her alone" Alice says. "and if we hear that any of you dare try and mess with her or call her a freak again it won't end pretty for that person" Rosalie says.

As my tormentors going scurrying away we return to our seats. I can see that all the Cullens still look pretty mad. "Thank you, but you should not have done that" I say in a whisper. Edward was the one to respond "What do you mean we should not have done that? We weren't just going to stand by while they treated you like that and called you those horrible things" "I just meant that now its going to be hard for you all to make more friends here, but standing up for me. Plus now they might start to target you guys too and I hate the idea of you guys being bullied just because you tried to help me" I say. "Don't worry about us, we have you and we have each other. Thats enough friends for me. And we could not let them say those things to a friend of ours" Emmett says. I can't believe that they not only stood up for me, but they still wanted to be friends with me.

"How long has this been going on, them treating you like this?" Rosalie asks. Shrugging, I say "Since my first day here" They all seemed a shocked that it had been going on for that long. "What started it, if I may ask?" Jasper asks me. Looking down at my hands I tell them about my first day, about what Mike did. I could have sworn I heard someone growl when I told them that. I also told them about what happened after gym and that every day since the whole school has been treating me like that. Once again I feel a cold, hard set of arm pull me into a hug, but this time when I look up it's Edward I see hugging me. At first it's a bit awkward, but then it just feels right. A few moments later he lets go and settles back into his seat. I was about to ask him something when my stomach growled embarrassingly loud. Blushing, I look away trying to hid my embarrassment. "Are you sure your not hungry, Bella?" Alice asks. But before I can say anything Emmett says "Wow that kinda sounded like a bear growling. I think that's what I'm going to call you now Belly-Bear" To that I just blush even more, which earns a laugh from everyone at the table. Even I laughed, it felt good to laugh. "So I know your hungry Belly-Bear, you want one of my slices of pizza? I ate too much this morning and if I eat this it will just make me sick (and it really would, but she didn't know that...hehe)" Emmett asks while dangling a slice of pizza around. I look at it for a moment, considering if I should or not and decide to throw caution to the wind and nod my head yes. Standing, I go to reach for the pizza slice. But several things happen at once. When I reach out, the sleeve on my right arm gets pulled up exposing the bruises on my arm. At the same time the bottom of my shirt rides up showing off a large bruise on my side. I hear gasps come from everyone at the table and I quickly pull back my arm and straitened my clothing.

"Bella, what was that? Were those bruises on your arm and side?" Asks Alice. Fearing that they are going to start asking me questioning about the bruises I started to panic. "Ther...there nothing" I say as I quickly grab my bag and hoodie. "I..I got to go" I say as I turn around and start running towards the door. I can hear them calling my name from behind me, but I don't stop. I almost trip while going out the door, but I catch myself and continue to run. Heading towards the parking lot I consider just leaving school. Just getting in my truck and going home, but I know that the school would call Charlie and I would get it bad. Turning back I decide to just head to my next class and hope that I can avoid the Cullens for the rest of the day. Once I reach my Biology class I notice that the door is unlocked, but I'm thankful that the class is empty. Once inside I head to the back to my normal seat and try and relax.

Alice POV

We all just sat there in shock of what just happened. "Those bruises on her arm were not nothing, those looked like hand prints" Jasper says almost in a hiss, I could feel the anger rolling off of him as he feed off of all of our anger and in turn it was making everyone at the table even more angry. "And the one on her side looked like it was in the shape of a shoe" Edward says. "Someone is definitely hurting her and we will find out who it is and make them pay. No one messes with my little sister" Emmett says. "We can't push her, you saw how she reacted if we do, she will just keep running" Rosalie says. "Rose is right. She will run and will never trust us if we do. We need to just talk to her, but don't demand or pressure her into talking about it. I saw her schedule. Edward, you have Biology with her next. See if you can get her to talk a little. After that she has gym with all of us but Edward, we will do what we can" We all nod in agreement just as the bell rings.

Edward POV

As I enter my Biology class I can see Bella sitting in the back with her face buried in a book. I hand my slip to the teacher, I believe his name is Mr. Banner. He tells me to sit were ever there is an open seat, so I make my way to the back and sit down next to Bella. "Hello again" I say to her and she must had been fully engrossed in her book, because I startled her a bit when I spoke. "I..." We both started to speak at the same time. "Ladies first" I say. Nodding she says "I want to apologize for acting like that and running out of the cafeteria the way I did. It was rude of me, but I was embarrassed. I'm really clumsy, a total klutz and I'm always falling and getting bruises or breaking things" I know that she is lying. Those were not caused by falling, but I am not going to confront her yet. We need to gain her trust. "There is no need to apologize or be embarrassed either. I'm sorry we made you run" I say. She smiles slightly and says "You don't need to be sorry either" We continue on with a little bit of small talk until Mr. Banner calls the class to order. By the time the class was over I found that she is very quite smart and that used to be in an advanced Biology class back in phoenix, but they don't offer that here. "May I walk you to your next class?" I ask as the bell rings. "Ummm sure, I have gym" She says. As we start making out way down the hall I reach over and take her hand. I had half expected for her to pull her hand away, but she just let me keep a hold of it. As we slow to a stop in front of the girls locker rooms she says "Thank you for walking me here" Still holding onto her hand I use it to turn her to face me and say "You are most welcome Bella" Before raising her hand to my lips and kissing the top of it. For a split second her scent made the beast inside we want to come out but I easily pushed it back down. I could see that she was having a hard time breathing from just me kissing her hand so I gave her a crooked smile and dropped her hand before turning to head towards my class.

Bella POV

I can't believe that just happened! Not only did Edward walk me to class, but he held my hand the whole way here and then kissed my hand. And how the hell did he make me so breathless just by kissing my hand. I was in my own little world as I entered the locker room but was quickly brought out of it when I was both Alice and Rosalie standing there with smirks on their faces. Alice giggled and said "So you and Edward huh..." I start to blush, but I am rescued by Rosalie who says "Oh leave her alone Alice. Can't you see your embarrassing her" I whisper "Thank you" To Rosalie before grabbing my gym clothes and changing in the bathroom. Lucky for me Coach Clapp lets me wear a long sleeve shirt under my uniform so then I don't have to worry about anyone seeing my bruises. I join both Rosalie and Alice as we head to the gym. Once we enter the gym there is a booming voice that shouts out "Bella!" I turn to see both Emmett and Jasper sitting on the bleachers. Jasper is shaking his head and looks almost as embarrassed as I do at Emmett's actions. Once we reach the bleachers that they are sitting on Rosalie slaps Emmett on the back of the head and I can't help giggle. "Ouch, what was that for?" Emmett asks. "For embarrassing Bella" Alice says. Emmett looks over at me and says "Sorry Bella, I just got excited to see you" With a smile I say "It's ok, I'm happy you too. All of you" I was about to apologize for running out of the cafeteria the way I did when Coach Clapp called the class to order. We were playing basketball. I managed to only trip over my own feet twice and hit someone with the ball once. I even made a basket. It had to be my most successful gym class yet.

Once gym was over and I had changed back into my normal clothes I saw that Alice and Rosalie were waiting for me. As we walked out of the locker room I found that the rest of the their sibling were waiting for us outside. Together we walked towards the parking lot and once again Edward held onto my hand. I had already guess that the shiny new Volvo and jeep belonged to them, so it was no surprise when they stopped in front of them. I knew that I could not linger around at school and I had to get home and do my chores so I said "It was great meeting you all and today was probable the best day I have had at school in a long time. Thank. I got to get home, see you all tomorrow" I can see Alice's face fall and she says "But I was hoping that you could come over and hang out with us" "I'm sorry, but I can't today. I have chores and my father is really strict and I would have to ask him before hand" I say as I pull away and head to my truck. Not daring to look back at them because if I did I might be tempted to stay longer, I pull out of the parking lot and head home. As I pull up to the house I see that charlies cruiser is already there. This can't be good.


Bit of a cliffy there for you...hehe Please R/R