Here we go again.

I stared dumbly at Jessica who was crying her eyes out beside my locker.

Lauren was trying to soothe her.

"Get over it, Jess. Every girl goes through this," Lauren reminded her using her awful nasal voice.

Every girl except me. I crinkled my nose.

Jessica sniffed exaggeratedly. "I thought what we had was different. I thought I can make him rethink his ways. I thought we were more that this."

Lauren rolled her eyes heavenward—without letting Jessica see that, of course. She was trying to make her feel better remember?

"I know, Jess. I've been with him first, right?"

Or not.

I raised my brow, recognizing the smugness on Lauren's voice. I knew Lauren dated him during our junior years. She was head over heels to him since, well, since I was and that's like, thirteen years ago.

I was five. I was on kindergarten. And he was so cool riding his bike.

Lauren flaunted their relationship like there's no tomorrow. She had been waiting far too long for her chance. But like any other of his relationships, his and Lauren's ended seven days later. She looked like hell the next day.

Now it's Jessica's turn. I knew how much Jessica liked him for every girl did, but she's far more discreet on her feelings for him. And she's far too scared of Lauren to express them. Hmm. Scratch that. Lauren's far too egotistical and a control freak to give Jessica her chance on him. After their break up, Lauren began talking shit about Edward, but I knew better that she was only doing so to dishearten Jessica, and the rest of the girls who're still hoping for their own opportunity to snag him. It became an unspoken competition between girls as to who'll be able to effectively 'straight him out' and to finally renounce his ways. It was a challenge every girl was willing to take. The funny thing was that they never put much thought on failing on their self-imposed endeavor. The Break Up never failed to catch them off guard.

I giggled.

Just then, Lauren and Jessica turned to me, only to recoil upon recognizing me. Their expressions mirrored disgust. Well, the feeling's mutual.

"What do you want?" Lauren asked. I can see on her face that she was regretting asking me while she was actually doing it. No one talked to me. Her face then distorted hideously.

I sighed. "Can you move over? I need to get a few things in my locker."

The two immediately scampered away, not wanting to be caught in the same hall with me.

Heh. I popped my lock open and began rummaging my locker for my books. Honestly, I felt bad for Jessica. And for Lauren. And for the rest of his ex-girlfriends. I may love the guy since I was on a sandbox but really, they didn't deserve to be treated that way.

On second thought, maybe they do. They knew what type of person he was and how cruel their relationship will turn to but they still went for it.

That's why I've resorted to just watching him from afar. That's far better that having him only to lose him after a week. I knew I stopped stalking him last year and tried so hard not to steal his schedule (not from him, but from someone else) but that didn't really change anything. I still hang out in the diner where he always brought his new girl every week. I then learned to suppress the resentment of seeing another girl in his arms as time passed. I can placate my frustration by keeping in mind that that wouldn't end well… for the girl, that is.

Then I'll feel bad for her, whoever she was.

I huffed and slammed my locker shut. The bell rang and I skipped towards Biology, my books tucked under my arm. Mr. Banner will be, should be, starting the formal discussion today and I was stoked. I read and reread the chapter he'll be discussing today last night. I grinned, excited, before I tripped.

I bit my lip as I fell right on my face, groaning.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I looked up. I knew that voice.

"Um, yes," I replied, blushing.

"Here are your books. Be careful next time."

I nodded meekly before I turned to her.

"Thanks… Alice."

She smiled, exposing her pearly white teeth, before she pranced towards her class.

I stood up, dusting my pants, before I gave her another glance. She turned right to a corridor and disappeared after a few seconds. God, she's just so nice. She's the only one who doesn't cringe or sneer or leave immediately when I am within the vicinity. She talked to me when she should and she nods to my direction when she catches my eye. She's just like that. She's the only one I can actually associate myself to since she's the only one who acted like I wasn't some person with leprosy. And she's so cool she never let anyone look down on her.

But I can't be friends with her. Not even in my dreams. She's so high and I'm just Bella.

Besides, she's a Cullen. She's his adoptive sister. She's just… untouchable, unreachable.

I shook my head and ran to class. I beat Mr. Banner as I reached our classroom on time. I walked towards my seat and opened my book. I heard a low grumble beside me and saw Lauren glaring openly at me. Wow. It seemed like I could be worth her time. But I chose not to so I ignored her. I turned back to my book, taking in the highlights on its paragraphs and the notes on its margin. I can't get anymore excited.

I pushed the book away from me to reach my pen from my pocket when something caught my eye.

I tilted my head sideways, brows furrowed.

I recognized the nasty vandal I pulled yesterday, the one that says 'why can't Banner cut his crap for his own good? My brain cells are dying', but what really caught my attention was an arrow I knew I didn't draw yesterday. Besides, it's on black ink. I used blue. I always use blue. That arrow was so not my working. Besides, I was absolutely positive it wasn't there the last time.

Just then Mr. Banner walked in. I can tell from the smile on his face that we will be starting our formal lessons today.

But then I couldn't help but to look down, back on my table.

The arrow was pointing to the left. It might be pointing to the edge of the table or out to the window but I didn't care. I shouldn't because the class's about to start.

I took a deep breath, trying to focus and to be attentive. And I did. I was able to answer all of Mr. Banner's questions and while my classmates rolled their eyes in boredom upon my excessive participation, I wasn't fussed. I so like Biology. They should know that by now. We were in the middle of the discussion (well, it was a review of what we took in Biology last year since this is advance stuff. But it's still Biology!) when my hand caught something under the table.

It better not be gum. That's just gross.

I frowned, retracting my hand. I saw that arrow sign again before I finally looked down. Well, now that I took time to think about it, the arrow's actually pointing under the desk, where an unsuspecting piece of paper was stuck. I pulled the paper, thanking the heavens that it wasn't held by gum and opened it.

I looked up and realized I missed a question. Damn it. Even Lauren shot her ridiculously thick brow up and stared pointedly towards my direction. I never let a question go to waste. But I just did. Mr. Banner was already writing the answer of his question on the board.

I huffed and opened the folded paper. My mouth popped open.

—Banner wasn't even discussing anything, thank god for that. Just the freaking syllabus. But yeah, it's still killing me. He can make out with a flatworm and I'd still be bored.

I choke back a giggle. Eric thought I'd gone crazy and scooted his chair away from me. I guess I wasn't the only one bored yesterday. Here's another soul that was… someone who writes so legibly I may add. I shook my head, ignored everyone else as I usually do and spread the paper I then noticed was torn from a spiral notebook. I jotted down my reply.

That's just the point. I wanted him to discuss anything other than the syllabus—which is just what he did yesterday. Hah! I would love to see him make out with a flatworm. That's better than setting his hair, or his Golden Onion, on fire.

I folded the paper and tucked it right back under the table.

Just then the bell rang. I frowned. Goodbye Biology. Hello, Literature.

I took one look back on my desk as Mr. Banner cleared the board for the next class. The students from the next class began filling in so I walked towards the door, books on my hand. Mr. Banner patted my back for answering most of his questions and I just nodded to him. He knew how much I love Biology and how I plan to take it as a pre-med course—it's just a given that I'll be putting more effort on this subject that anything else. I was on my way out when I collided onto something hard and big that I nearly fell flat on the floor.

Nearly, since someone yanked my arm to prevent my fall.

"Are you okay?"

Oh. My. God. My heart skipped at the sound of his velvety voice.

I looked up, face burning, before I nodded and dashed out. I didn't stop running until I reached my next classroom along the Literature hallway.

I grinned.

So he's on Mr. Banner's other class, the one after mine.

Nice.