Hey friends,

Welcome back! I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter, I'm sorry this one took longer then expected, my laptop decided to die on me. Explosive die. I'll be slower uploading for a few weeks until I can get my laptop fixed (or a new one for x-mas!). Anyways, thanks everyone for your reviews! Keep them coming. Now, on with the show!!!

.. Avey

Chapter 2 ~ The Difference Between Want and Need

Want is a selfish word used only to describe something that has no useful purpose in life. If you want something, it merely means that you wish to possess it for the sake of calling it yours; it has no purpose in life other than to satisfy your whim. At least, that is how I have always felt.

When the sun rose that morning, I never thought much about how that day would turn out, just that it was another day of our semi-existence. I should have stayed home, I should have gone hunting, and I shouldn't have gone to school.

"Today's going to be interesting." Alice commented lightly as all us 'kids' climbed into my shinny silver Volvo. I love my Volvo, it's so fast and shinny and just perfect for a teenage vampire.

"I'm sure it will." Rosalie muttered with little enthusiastically from the backseat. It didn't take thirty years for us to figure out that Rosalie despised our lot in life. Emmett was the only one who was ever able to cheer her up, I often wonder how Emmett could put up with Rose, but he always managed it.

"Welcome to another day in Hell." I grumbled darkly, what can I say, I have my bad days too. Pressing down on the accelerator, we sped towards Forks High School. When you have better reflexes than a cat and eye sight superior than an eagle's, there is no need to worry about trivial things like speed limits. Not to mention Alice could tell us if we were about to get a speeding ticket.

Parking in the school lot, I felt a buzz coming from the collection of teens that milled about the campus. Climbing out of my Volvo, it didn't take me long to catch the whispers that were being passed around. Oh, did I mention earlier that vampires also have amazing hearing?

"He's Chief Swan's kid." One girl said in a hushed tone as she gazed around, no doubt trying to catch a glimpse of an unknown face. New students always cause a stir in this town. "Kicked out of his other high school." One of the boys commented. "Nah, I heard that his mother kicked him out of the house." Corrected another.

I didn't give it a second thought until lunch. Lunch was always a wasted period for us. Vampires don't eat food like humans do. Forget pizza and ice cream, just some nice, fresh blood. I'm sure you could imagine how well it would go over if we brought one of our meals to school. 'I'll take a bloody Mary please, with a side of a bleeding John.' Ya, maybe was a time for us to listen in on the gossip of others, or simply lose ourselves in thought. Sitting at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria, today's lunch started out no different.

Vampires are, by nature, curious creatures. We have no fear, no sense of dread. Any abnormal occurrence or new addition to our environment must be explored. So naturally, when I heard a voice I didn't recognize, I was immediately drawn to it.

"Who are they?" It was male that was for sure.

"Oh, they're the Cullen's. They're all adopted by Dr. Cullen and his wife. The one that looks like he's always in pain is Jasper Hale, and the model over there? That is his sister, Rosalie Hale, they are Mrs. Cullen's niece and nephew. The little one is Alice, and the big guy is Emmett." A girl answered, Jessica.

"Who is that?" the boy asked again, obviously indicating someone else.

"Isabella Cullen, but she doesn't date." That was Mike, an annoyance that happened to be in my grade, a proverbial golden retriever, one of the few humans that tried to get closer to a vampire.

"Oh." Again the boy, I could feel his eyes on me.

Turning in my seat, I spotted the source of the voice. Vampires aren't supposed to be drawn to humans, humans are supposed to be drawn to us; unfortunately it seems my mind wouldn't accept that because I was drawn to this boy. He had a gorgeous head of golden hair that fell about his face in an untidy mess. You wouldn't call him hot or sexy, he was lanky, almost boyish looking with tanned skin, probably from the sun. However, his eyes where a startling shade of green that swam with intelligence and kindness. Still, it was all this and his scent that held me. Even from half way across the room I could smell him. Not in a bad way, I assure you, quiet the opposite actually. He smelt like the Amazon. That is the best way I can explain it. He smelt of rain and crushed leaves, of dew and sunlight and humidity. It took a great deal for me to tare my eyes away from him.

"Do you see anything, Alice?" Rosalie asked. Alice has the uncanny ability to see the future. Its not exact mind you, more or less she can see what path someone is on at that time.

We needed to know if this new kid was a threat to us, if his curiosity was more then just that of a new student getting acquainted with the school. If Alice saw anything out of the ordinary, if he showed too much curiosity, we needed to ship out. Few humans could tell that we were so different, but some could. We needed to spot these humans before they spotted us.

Alice was quiet a moment, looking at me, almost searching my face for the answer. "I think we'll be fine, for now." Was her answer, short and simple, but her golden eyes never left my darker ones. I had to wonder if she saw something to do with me, if she could read the interest from my face.

"I'm going to class." I hissed to my siblings. Grabbing my tray of uneaten food, I cracked the plastic with the force I was holding it with. Throwing the whole thing in the garbage, I stalked off to my next class, Biology.

This was not good, not good at all. I could deal with the rest of the human population, but not him, not when he smells so damn appetizing. I growled and punched the painted brick wall, leaving an imprint of my fist. Taking deep breaths, I tried to expel the mouth watering aroma.

Taking my seat at the back of the biology class room, I gave a sigh of relief, knowing that Edward Swam was in an entirely different building. Closing my eyes, I relaxed back in my chair and waited for class to begin. I paid little attention as the room slowly filled up with over enthusiastic seventeen year olds.

"Class! Can I have your attention?" The balding biology teacher fought to be heard over the student's voices. "I would like to introduce you to Edward Swan." If my heart was still beating, it would have just stopped. "Mr. Swan, why don't you take a seat?"

Of course, the only open seat happened to be right beside me. God either didn't want this boy to live much longer, or He wanted to punish me. Which ever it was, the chances that Edward was going to make it home tonight grew slimmer and slimmer as he took his seat beside me.

As subtly as I could I held my breath, pushing myself as far from him as I could, I waited for class to end. Another great thing about vampires, we breathe out of habit rather than necessity. "Hi, I'm Edward." He gave me this crooked half smile, and suddenly I felt my body relax slightly.

"Bella." I offered, still not moving from my position at the far side of the table. It was unusual for a human to seem so comfortable around us. Usually humans feel something wrong about us, something not right and though they are curious and drawn to use, they are often apprehensive and weary.

Clenching my hands into a fist, I watched the clock tick off the seconds. My nails dug into the cold skin of my palm, leaving small, crescent moon impressions. This class couldn't go any slower if time stopped. A slight breeze blew through the class room as a student came in late. Edward's enticing sent blew over me and my mouth began to water.

I could ask to show him to his next class, then drag him into the forest. I could dump that water bottle of his on his pants, force him to leave the class room, then throw him into the car. What if I said I was feeling sick and get him to take me to the nurse's station? We're in the back of the class; I could take him when the teacher's back is turned. If I'm quick I could feed and be done before anyone knew what had happened. I'd have to deal with the rest of the class though afterwards. If I'm lucky, Alice would see what I was up too and help me with the clean up.

Beside me, Edward shifted, I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to acknowledge him. Maybe if I ignored him long enough, if I fought hard enough, we could both get out of this alive. I wanted to cry out, to scare him off, bolt from the room myself, but his scent was too overpowering. My mouth watered at the thought of his warm blood flowing threw through his veins, into my awaiting mouth. The crimson liquid pouring down my throat, all I had to do was turn, flash a smile.

"Hi, I'm B-"

The bell rang, sparing the boys life. I had almost gone threw with it, I had almost taken his life. I suppressed the urge to bolt from the room. Restraining myself considerably, I moved only as fast as a panicked human and raced from the room. I couldn't stay in that class, I needed to switch class, switch schools, move to a different planet for God's sake! Anything to get away from him.

Bursting into the office, I startled the receptionist. "I need to change classes." I demanded, holding her eyes with mine in an attempt to bend her to my will. "Fourth period biology, change it to anything else."

"I-I'm sorry." The lady stuttered, looking at her computer screen, "There aren't any classes with a free space at that time."

"What do you mean?" I almost yelled at her, "I can't stay in that damn class." Can't she understand? This is a life or death situation, literally. I have never had such a strong reaction to a human before, not in over two hundred years.

The door opened behind me, a gust of wind carrying the exact sent I was running from. Whipping around, I came face to face with my own personal Hell. "Never mind." I snapped at the receptionist before stalking out. I should have stayed home.

In the parking lot, my siblings lounged around my car, waiting for me as if nothing had happened. Only one of them appeared to be phased.

Alice's worried face told me she had at least one disastrous vision regarding me and a certain boy. "Did you . . ." she couldn't even finish the sentence as I slid into the driver's seat.

"Does it look like I did?" I spat back. It wasn't fair of me to snap at Alice like that, but frankly, I was in no mood for idle chit-chat.

"Did what?" Emmett asked from behind me at the same time I felt a wave of calm try to settle over me.

"Screw off, Jasper." I snapped, ending all hopes of any conversation as I pulled up to our house. How was I supposed to tell them that I had almost let our secret become public knowledge? Stalking into the house, I didn't even bother greeting Esme or Carlisle as I made my way upstairs to my bedroom.

My room wasn't anything spectacular. The walls where plastered with photographs and posters of the Amazon, London, India. Every place I have ever been is represented in some way. A small Buddha statue sat on my dresser beside a soapstone native carving of a whale. Next to a Japanese painting hung a native mask. This was my home, my family, and I was going to have to leave it all behind.

Grabbing a small shoulder bag, I shoved the appropriate clothing into it. Snatching a wallet from one of the dresser drawers, I headed back downstairs.

"Are you sure?" I herd Carlisle long before I saw him.

"Yes, that's what I saw." That was Alice, anxiety showing through in her voice.

The whole family stood in the living room, and six heads turned my way. "I have to leave for a while." I stated plainly, there was no need to explain myself; Alice had obviously told them what she saw.

"Bella," Carlisle spoke sternly, his eyes locking with mine. "We can get through this, as a family." That was Carlisle; everything could be fixed so long as we stayed together.

I shock my head. "No, not this time. I'll be back though." I promised, giving Esme a quick hug, she was really going to worry over this one, that was a given. "I'll be fine; I just need some Bella time." I told them, though I'm sure it was a lie.

With that, I turned and left my family watching as I climbed into my Volvo and drove away.

Need is far different from want. To need something is to be unable to live without it. It is something that is essential to survival. Need is a word of both strength and weakness. Strength to show you know how to survive in this cruel world. Weakness to admit you can't live without it.

My situation was a want. I wanted Edward's blood; I wanted to drink every drop up. I wanted to taste him, to allow his scent to over whelm me. I wanted to stalk him, hunt him and feed off of him till the end of time.

What I needed was to run. Run as fast and as far away as I could. There was no other option; there was no way I was going to force my family to move simply because I wasn't strong enough to resist. I wasn't going to be that selfish, at least not yet.