As always, thanks go to Fire1 for letting me adopt this story!
I had every intention on getting back to rewriting this story and getting chapters out to you after Christmas, but my dad passed away very suddenly, and my family has been dealing with EVERYTHING that comes with that. But I have some time to get this chapter out to you, and I am hoping to have the next one out soon as well… Please be patient, as I don't think I will be able to get the chapters out as quickly as I had hoped before, as I have a lot to deal with.
~~~~~~NoT~~~~~~
Bella's POV:
Thanks to Jacob's tour of Forks, I had no problems finding the school, like everything else; it was just off the highway. The fog was thick as I drove down the road. And as I drove, I wished that Jake went to school in Forks, instead of on the Reservation. It would have been nice to know at least one person. It was also nice to be kind of friends with him, since he didn't seem to notice anything odd about me, nor did he shy away from me, like most people did.
I had always hated being the center of attention, but I knew that because I was new here, I would have to endure it, at least for a little while. Forks High was a small school, so there would be no 'blending into the background' for me. I was really hoping that since I did not look like a girl from Phoenix should, that everyone would just be disappointed and leave me alone. Instead of tan, blonde, and sporty, I am very pale, so pale in fact I almost look translucent, but my skin is clear, no blemishes. I am very slender, maybe to the point that I look anorexic, but soft. This did not fit well with my long brown hair, and large, deep brown eyes.
I knew my 'differences' were not just physical. I have never fit in, and I probably never would. I knew if I could not find like-minded people in a school with over seven hundred in my junior class alone, what were the chances of finding them here? I had no chances of finding a niche in a school with only three hundred fifty seven, now fifty-eight students. I have never related well to people my own age, actually, I've never really related well to people period. That included my mom, we were never in harmony, and I am closer to her then I am to anyone else.
Maybe it was due to my mother never really letting me be around other people until a year ago. I never really had the chance to be around other children when I was young.
I pulled up to the building that had a sign that said 'Front Office' over the door. I looked around quickly at the 'school', which wasn't just one building, but several. All the buildings looked more like houses then school buildings. They were all brick, with trees and shrubs in the front. Where were the chain link fences, and metal detectors? Everything was so open, like the trusted the students to actually stay on the school grounds.
Leaving the warmth of my truck behind, and feeling myself get colder just from stepping outside; I made my way to the office. There was a few spots that were covered with ice, so I was diligent in walking slowly so I wouldn't slip and fall, and crack my head open on the pavement.
When I entered the brightly lit office it was very warm inside, more warm than I anticipated. The first thing that struck me was all the plastic pots with more greenery growing in them, sheesh, wasn't there enough green on the other side of the windows?
The room was cut in half by a long counter that was cluttered with wire baskets that were filled with random papers and flyers. I could see three desks behind the counter, an older woman with red hair occupied one desk, and she wore glasses.
"Hello there! How can I help you?" She asked kindly, with a knowing smile.
Oh yes, this is a small town, and she must have been expecting me. I wondered briefly what gossip was circulating about me, but let the thought go for now. I'm sure I will find out shortly. When I started school back in Phoenix, I wasn't the only new student, so it wasn't a hassle, and everyone just left me alone. Here however, I am probably the only new student that has arrived in the past few years, if ever.
"Hi, I'm new here. My name is Isabella Swan." I replied as politely as possible, I had to check myself before I rolled my eyes at her. It was obvious that she already knew who I was.
"Oh! Of course! I have your schedule and a map here." She was already scrambling around her desk as she began speaking to me. When she was done, her desk was in such disarray that I was sure it would take the better part of the morning for her to organize it again.
She walked over to the counter and handed me two sheets of paper. Then she grabbed a third from under the counter.
"You will also have to have all of your teachers sign this paper here, then bring it back to me at the end of the day." I nodded at her and said my thanks.
"Well, I hope you have a wonderful first day dear." I smiled at her, glad she had some hope that today would be good for me, I however was just hoping that the day wouldn't be that bad.
Mrs. Cope directed me back to the student parking lot, so I hurried through the cold and back into my semi-warm truck, and drove around the building. When I got back to the student lot, I noticed that it was already filling up with cars. All of the cars seemed to be older, some as old as mine, some a little newer. Then there was one car that really stood out, it looked like it was brand new. It was a silver Volvo.
Instead of getting right out of the car, I looked over the students that were still hanging out around their cars. They all seemed harmless, and didn't seem to notice me sitting here, so I turned my attention to the papers that Mrs. Cope gave me. I quickly memorized my schedule and the map of the school, so I wouldn't have to pull it out all day, or have my nose stuck to it.
I finally left the truck and headed to my first class, English, in building three. I entered the classroom and went straight to the teacher who was at his desk in the front of the room. Mr. Mason, the schedule had read, was a balding man, and a little pudgy. I handed him the paper that needed to be signed, and as he read my name his eyes widened, and he looked back up at me and just gawked.
The open staring made me blush. He finally caught himself, and signed my paper. As he was handing me back the slip, other students started to file into the room. He also handed me a copy of the book the class was currently reading, a study guide, and a reading list for the rest of the year. He then directed me to an empty seat in the back of the room.
I was thankful that he didn't ask me to introduce myself; I have never enjoyed public speaking. As I made my way to my seat, I took in how much smaller the classrooms and even the class size seemed to be in comparison to my old school. I didn't pay any mind to the students as I was distracted by the small size of this school.
When I took my seat, and got myself situated, I looked up to find the other students trying to get a look at me. Also, thanks to my over sensitive hearing, I could hear all the whispered conversations breaking out throughout the room.
"I thought she was from Arizona? She's not tan at all! She's almost as pale as the Cullen's." A girl with short red hair in the front row commented to her friend who was sitting directly behind her.
A boy with bad skin looked my way, and whispered to himself, "she's breathtakingly beautiful." I heard him mutter.
A girl with long, bleached blonde hair, and a pinched face made a snarky remark about all the boys staring. All the whispers were the same, either saying I was beautiful, or wondering why I wasn't tan. I had to tune them out. The comments finally died down once the teacher started class. But there were still lingering comments about the Cullen's, whoever they were. And that I was pretty; did I ever mention that I thought I was just an average person? Someone who wouldn't stand out in a crowd? So I thought these people were pretty delusional.
Class went by in a blur, and the bell rang signaling the end of class. Just as I was putting away my things, the boy with bad skin walked up to me. He looked like the helpful nerdy type.
"Hi! You're Isabella Swan right?" I hate when people call me Isabella. I groaned internally when I went to correct him.
"Just Bella, please." I corrected him.
"Okay, sure. What's your next class?"
"Government with Jefferson, in building six." Everyone within hearing distance was listening in. Is it really that boring around here?
"Oh! I am going in that direction, can I show you the way?" Sure, overly helpful guy, I'd love that. Ugh!
"Sure, I guess, if you're heading that way." I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell him, I had already memorized the school map. So I'll just boost his ego, and let him lead the way.
"I'm Eric, by the way." I smiled.
"Okay, Eric then."
"So, what is it like in Phoenix?" He asked, breaking the silence.
"Sunny, and hot." It was the best I could come up with. And he looked up to the sky, while rain hit his face.
"It doesn't rain much there, then?"
"Only three or four times a year."
"So it's really sunny?" Yes, Mr. Genius, I just said that. "You don't look very tan though."
"I'm half albino." Was my snarky response.
"That would have to be from your mothers side right?" Lord! Could he really not have gotten the sarcasm in my tone? Apparently clouds and humor don't mix.
Finally, we arrived at the classroom, and Eric had walked me right to the door.
"Well, good luck. See you 'round."
~~NoT~~
The rest of my classes went by much the same. The teacher would sign my slip, give me my books, direct me to today's assignment, and tell me where to sit. And the whispering, it never ended, and it would seem that people were starting to let their imaginations get the best of them.
I had both Trig and Spanish with a girl named Jessica, she was overly talkative, and a huge gossip. She's a bit shorter then I am, and she had dark hair with wild curls. She invited me to sit with her, and her friends at lunch, which was after Spanish. I agreed, just so I didn't have to be the weird loner new girl. Lunch was one of my least favorite time in school. That and P.E..
When the bell rang, Jessica walked me to the cafeteria, and she went on and on about the teachers, the male student body, and so on, I wasn't sure if she would ever stop talking. I was reaching my breaking point of social interaction by the time we entered the room.
I went through the line, only picking up a small salad, and iced tea. Then Jessica led me to a table full of people, and introduced me to everyone. There was a shy looking girl named Angela, an unfriendly girl named Lauren, who I realized was the girl from English with the pinched face, and bleached hair. A boy who stared at me unapologetic lustful eyes named Mike, I made a note to stay away from him, when I noticed that Jessica couldn't keep her eyes off him. Another boy named Tyler, who was also checking me out. And two other boys named Ben and Connor, so seemed friendly enough, and weren't staring at me like I was a piece of meat.
After all the introductions were made, people started eating, and I drank my tea, leaving my salad. When the chatter picked back up, I tuned it out, and scanned the cafeteria. When my eyes reached the back of the room, I saw them. Five of the most beautiful people I have ever seen. I had to blink. It was like looking into the sun. They looked more like angels then people.
They did not really look alike, but they were similar, they all had the same exact pale skin, even paler then I am; and I am really pale. The same black eyes, with deep purple shadows under them, like they all needed a good nights sleep. I looked at the three men, admiring their perfect structures. I say men, because two of them looked too old for high school.
One of them was huge; he was built like a bear. He had dark curly hair, and some of the biggest muscles I have ever seen in real life. A lot like the body builders you see on T.V.. The other one was tall, and had some defined muscles, but not as big as the first. His hair is a lovely shade of honey blonde. But his most dominate feature were the scars that covered his body, they were gently ridged off his body, and descended down from his jawbones, to his neck and went under the collar of his shirt. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, so I couldn't tell if the scars were anywhere else.
The third and youngest looking of the men seemed leaner, and less bulky then the other two, he had an unruly mess of bronze hair. He was breathtaking, and had to be the most handsome man I have ever seen. I've never really paid much attention to boys; none of them have ever drawn my attention like this one has. I almost didn't want to look away, but I knew if I didn't, I would get caught staring.
The two girls looked like exact opposites, one was tall, and statuesque. Her long flowing blonde hair supple body was perfect for a swimsuit model. Just looking at her would destroy a girls self esteem. I felt mine go down just a bit, not that I had much anyways.
The other girl… okay, was she a girl or a pixie? If you asked me what a pixie looked like, she would have been what I would've described. She has cropped hair that was the deepest shade of black I have ever seen on a person. She is thin in the extreme, and has tiny features. She looked like she was about to sprout wings and fly away.
They were all looking away from each other, and looking away from everyone in general, so it was safe for me to look at them for a while. They all had food in front of them, but they weren't eating, much like myself, I realized. I always tried to mind my own business, but I was using my hearing to actually try to hear what they were saying to each other. Between the loud cafeteria and that it seemed that they were whispering to one another I could not pick up on what they were saying. I watched as the pixie girl placed her hand on top of the hand that belonged to the guy with the honey blonde hair, and smiled at him when he looked at her; she had so much love in her eyes.
Just as I was about to look away Jessica caught me staring at them.
"They're the Cullen's." she whispered in my ear. The Cullen's? Oh, the ones people were saying I was like. Were they insane? I was not even in the same league with them. I was plain, and they were god like.
Just then he looked over at Jessica, but then shifted his gaze to look right into my eyes. I blushed and looked down, startled and embarrassed. But then I looked right back up; there was something in his eyes that made me want to look into them. Sadly, by the time I looked back up he was no longer looking our way. When he had looked at us, he looked bored, like he was just looking because someone had called his name.
"That was Edward Cullen." She informed me. "The biggest one is Emmett Cullen, and the tiny black haired girl is Alice Cullen. The one who looks constipated, with the blonde hair is Jasper Hale, and the girl with the blonde hair is his twin sister Rosalie Hale. They all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." As Jessica was telling me this, I watched as Edward began whispering to the others, but they did not even look at him, they just kept staring at nothing in different directions.
"They're all very good looking." I commented to her.
"You could say that again. But they're all 'together', Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And get this: they all live together." Her voice held all possible kinds of condemnation and criticism.
"Edward, Emmett, and Alice don't look related though." I mumbled to her. I wasn't really interested in all the town gossip.
"Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen and his wife are only in their late twenties or early thirties. Alice, Emmett, and Edward and all adopted, and the Hale twins are their foster kids. I guess they're eighteen now, but they have been with the Cullen's since they were eight, from what I've heard. I think Mrs. Cullen is their aunt." I smiled at the thought; Mr. and Mrs. Cullen must be very kind people.
"They sound like wonderful people to do so much for those kids." I felt the need to add in a positive, when it seemed like Jessica just wanted to reflect on her perceived negatives.
"I don't think Mrs. Cullen can have kids." Jessica stated, as if that lessened their kindness in some way. I looked away from her them, and my eyes automatically went back to the table with the Cullen's and Hale's. I was surprised to meet Edward's penetrating gaze. He no longer looked bored; in fact he looked frustrated and confused, there was kindness there as well. I blushed, but could not bring myself to look away. I felt trapped by his gaze.
Jessica giggled next to me, breaking the trance, so I turned my eyes her way.
"Edward is attractive, but don't get your hopes up. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good enough for him." I briefly wondered if the sour tone in her voice was because he had turned her down at some point. I decided it probably was, she seemed like a self-confident girl.
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Just then he turned and looked at Alice, his pixie sister. I watched as her eyes glazed over, and she became very still, almost impossibly so. She looked like she was in some kind of trance. It only lasted a few seconds, I almost wondered if she was having a silent seizure. When she blinked, she looked right at Edward, and they just looked at each other, and then abruptly stood up and left the table together. The others looked on with confusion. They were so graceful when they walked; I wished I could just float across the floor like that. But oh no, I had to be blessed with dizzy spells. Those alone made me the world's biggest klutz.
Shortly after they left their table, an all too familiar feeling hit me. Damn, I should have known it was time for my monthly friend to arrive.
"Sorry Jessica, I have to go, girl things." I whispered to her and shrugged.
"Oh, do you want me to come with you, to show you where to go?
"That's okay, I know where it is, thanks though." I picked up my uneaten salad and empty bottle, to throw away. As I was walking away, I heard Jessica talking to Lauren.
"Did you see that? She didn't eat a thing! I wonder if she has an eating disorder?"
"Well, she is awfully skinny, if you ask me. God, I don't see why all the boys were staring at her, and even Edward was looking at her. She's not that pretty." Lauren responded in a prim tone. I was going to have to stay away from her, and possibly Jessica too; I don't think she will be a true friend to me.
I made my way out of the cafeteria, when I was just outside the door; two of the loveliest scents hit my nose. I breathed in deep through my mouth so I could taste it. The stronger of the two was a mix of honey, cinnamon, and pine; the other also had notes of honey, lilac, and sunshine. The second scent moved away, towards the classrooms, while the first one seemed to be nearby still.
The scents had distracted me from going to the bathroom, but my body soon reminded me of the reason why I was out here in the first place. Just as I rounded the corner of the hallway, a wave of dizziness hit me, and hit me hard. I ended up tripping over my own feet, and flying several yards before landing on the floor with an uncomfortable thump. I was surprised when I found myself helped up by someone. But I was even more surprised that the person helping me was the owner of the honey, cinnamon, pine scent.
"Are you alright?" Asked a voice like wind chimes, the surprise and anxiety did not detract from its general attractiveness.
"I don't think I have ever seen anyone fall with quite so much elegance before." Astonishment went through me as I looked up into the black eyes of Alice Cullen.
"Yes, thank you." I stated as I stood up blushing and righted myself.
"My name is Alice Cullen, and you must be Isabella Swan." She said with a warm smile. "Are you sure you're alright? Would you like me to show you where the Nurse's office is?"
"Please call me Bella, and no, I'm fine, just clumsy." Mom always told me not to let anyone in the medical field to look me over.
"Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush, sorry about falling on you, are you alright?" I asked while blushing furiously. I could also feel the urgency to get to the bathroom creeping back up on me.
"Oh, I'm fine." She stated with an amused smile on her face.
"Well, I should go, and… well… you know." Gah! I hated talking about girl problems!
~~NoT~~
After leaving the bathroom and heading to biology, I came across the other scent, the one that smelled like sunshine. It smelled amazing, even mixed with all the other scents in the hallway. It was strong and think, and it seemed to only be getting stronger the closer I got to the classroom; I followed it right to the door of my advanced biology class.
Whoever owned the scent, was in this class with me. What a wonderful coincidence!
I stopped at the entrance of the classroom, trying to pinpoint whom held such a delicious scent. Scanning the room with my eyes, I noticed that there was only one table that held one person, and that person was none other than Edward Cullen. I walked into the room, taking the path that would allow me to walk closest to Edward, and just under the heat vent.
Two things happened simultaneously as I set foot under the airflow from the vent. I realized that Edward was the owner of the scent I was looking for, causing me to look in his direction, and as I did, he went rigid in his seat, and when our eyes met he looked hostile, and furious.
Looking away as I made my way to the teacher, Mr. Banner, to get my slip signed as I have been doing all day, I was bewildered by the hateful glare he had given me.
Why would he be so angry with me? Usually people would avoid me, and I would hear them whisper that I gave them the creeps. But no one has ever been angry with me for just entering a room before.
My thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Banner handed me my signed slip, a book, and the years assignments. He then sent me to sit at the only available seat; next to Edward. I was now not so excited to be sitting next to him.
Making my way to the seat next to Edward, I was filled with sadness. He seemed like a nice person when I had looked at him in lunch, and his sister was really nice too. I did not want to cause him any unease. I also did not want to admit to myself that the sadness was because I was drawn to him and I knew better. I needed to stop whatever this attraction was; I could not let people know I was very different.
I took my seat, and Edward stiffened and moved his seat as far away from me as the table would allow. Did I smell bad to him or something? I had always liked my scent, it's flowery, and smelled strongly of freesias, and I liked what my strawberry shampoo added to it. I let my hair fall between us as a shield. I tried to pay attention to Mr. Banner, but I already knew the material, as I had already gone over this at my old school, so I knew it perfectly.
The entire class Edward never relaxed his stiff position, I couldn't ever hear him breathing, though he must have been, or he would have passed out by now. I peeked at him occasionally through my hair, and noticed that his fists were clenched on top of his thighs, and he was not nearly as small as he'd looked sitting next to his brothers.
The class seemed to go on forever, I looked at the clock frequently to see how much time was left, until there was only about three minutes left. I decided to look over at Edward, and immediately regretted it. I was met with an icy glare staring down at me, his eyes, if possible, looked even blacker and filled with even more revulsion then at the beginning of class. I looked away, feeling bad that I had somehow caused this. Just then, the bell rang loudly and Edward was out of his seat like he was shot from a cannon. He was even taller then he looked sitting down. I don't know why I couldn't stop examining him; he was out the door and gone faster then I could have imagined.
Edward's POV:
I wish Alice wouldn't have been so cryptic with her vision! I now knew what her vision was about during lunch. I wish I had been better prepared. Who was this person? Why was she here? She was like a demon sent here to torment me. And I knew I couldn't let the monster in me win, so I knew I was going to have to run from this temptation.