A/N: Not Stephenie Meyer. :)
"So you moved here last week, right?" Edward asked me. He was certainly irritating, but something in me wanted to talk to him for hours.
"How do you know so much about me?" I asked, trying not to let my annoyance show.
"Well actually, I'm" He started.
"Isabella Swan?" Mr. Frank finally got to my name.
"Here. And, I go by Bella, if you don't mind." I responded, hoping it was the last time I had to explain how much I detested my full name.
"Sure thing." He smiled pleasantly at me, before changing my name on the roll sheet.
After Mr. Frank took roll, he handed me a textbook to add to my ever-growing pile. I thanked him, and took out my notebook to copy what was on the board. It seemed that Biology was going to be fairly easy today. No group projects, no labs, just good old fashioned reading from the book.
"So, um. can I borrow a pencil?" Edward's attention diverted back to me, which I was hoping wouldn't happen.
Yet, I was flattered at the same time that someone that amazing looking was taking an interest in me.
"You have one right in front of you." I noted, as I rolled my eyes at him.
"Oh, right." He said nervously. He was obviously just trying to find some excuse to talk to me. Which didn't make any sense. It was weird enough that Rose was nice to me, but at least it made sense, seeing as how she's Emmett's girlfriend, and she wouldn't want to be mean to his long lost sister, right?
Edward however, had no excuse. He belonged across the room next to Lauren and Jessica. Not near me.
"I like your hair." He gave me that same crooked grin.
"Are you trying to win a bet?" I spat at him. A look of complete shock overcame his face. It was either because he truly just wanted to talk to me, or because he never thought I'd find out.
I had to go with the latter.
"No, why would you say that?" He asked, horror stricken.
"So, what are the stakes?" I asked, ignoring him completely. "Do you have to make me prom queen so you can have your buddies pour pigs blood on me?" I continued my rant. "Well I hate to break it to you, but I don't dance, and I'm not telekinetic." I finished, slightly proud of myself. I never had problems sticking up for myself before. It seemed almost as it I was getting my old self back.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Mr. Frank interrupted him yet again.
"Mr. Cullen and Miss Swan, If you're having problems understanding the material I would like it if you addressed me instead of your lab partner. After all, today is a book assignment." He smiled.
Lab partner? What did he mean by that? I didn't even care at that point, I just wanted to leave.
Just as that thought crossed my mind the clouds parted and the sun shone from the heavens making the bell ring. Just one more class, and I could go home.
My last class was Gym. I wasn't terribly excited, but at least I didn't have to deal with pretty boy pestering me for another hour everyday.
For some reason, the thought that Edward was only nice to me because he wanted something from me really hurt my feelings. I liked him. He seemed genuine, but I was smart enough to know that's not always the case.
I made my way into the locker room where I put on the nasty gym clothes.
"Not the most fashionable, are they?" A short pretty girl with spiky black hair took notice of the disgusted look I gave to the outfits.
I had to giggle a little at that. "No, they most certainly are not." I conceded before taking one last look at myself in the mirror.
I started walking out toward the area where we did our warm up exercises when I noticed the spiky haired girl still next to me.
"I'm Alice." She smiled at me, but never extended her hand. She must have heard about me. It was nice that she just respected my weird peculiarity, instead of making fun of me for it.
"I'm Bella." I told her. She just kept smiling at me in an I already knew that sort of way.
We lined up on our number when the gym teacher came out and had us begin our warm ups. I didn't mind this part of physical education. I don't usually fall.
After we finished, the teacher announced that we would be starting basketball. I was terrified. I couldn't do any sports without falling on my face.
He told us that we probably wouldn't start playing until the next day, because he had to explain all of the rules.
"Boring boring boring." Alice giggled as she moved to sit next to me.
I smiled a little bit at her reaction. I liked Alice. If it were possible for me to actually make a friend in this town, Alice seemed like a good candidate.
"It's better than playing. The last thing I need is to fall on my face in front of everyone." I retorted honestly. I would have sat through that introduction a hundred times if it meant I never actually had to play.
"You don't like sports?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, I guess it doesn't run in the family." I stumbled a little over the word. "Apparently my brother Emmett is good at everything. He has football practice today." I told her, slightly proud. I had feared that I would find out that my father and brother were a bunch of low-lives.
But my father is the chief of Police, and my brother is a football star who isn't snobby and is actually pretty cool. The last thing I suspected.
Alice just smiled at me. "My brother plays football, too. The games are really fun. First one is Friday, we should go together." She said to me. I hadn't planned on going out so soon, maybe never again. But Alice seemed nice enough, and it was already killing Charlie how quiet I was, and I had only been there four days. I think it would be good for everyone if I got out.
"Yeah, sure." I told her probably a little too quickly.
I wanted to be miserable. I told myself over and over before getting to Forks that I would just live the next 14 months in seclusion. That I wouldn't have any friends, and that my father would resent me. My brother would think I was a burden, and everyone would hate me.
But I actually couldn't be miserable. After just a few days here I could already tell that I would do fine. As much as some of my classmates did hate me, Emmett could take care of them. I really liked Charlie, too. He was quiet, and nice. He seemed sad when he talked to me sometimes. I could tell he felt like he had missed out on my life.
"It'll be fun. My boyfriend is on the team, too. Maybe after the game we can all go out." She smiled as she went over the plans in her head. I could tell that Alice was easy to excite.
Just as I was about to respond a balled up piece of paper with nothing on it flew over and hit me right on the head. I looked over to the one and only Lauren, who was giggling uncontrollably as if she were the first person in history to think of throwing a piece of paper at someone. She was about to get on my last nerve.
"As long as 'us all' doesn't include her, or her." I growled when I pointed to Lauren and then Jessica.
"Good God no. I hate them." She snarled before shooting daggers at them. I didn't think someone so small could be so intimidating, but she nearly made me fall backwards with her glare that wasn't even directed at me. "They're the snobbiest girls in the school. Lauren dated my brother for all of like one month. He couldn't stand her." She shuddered.
"She doesn't exactly seem like a one man sort of woman, I feel bad for your brother." I told her. She really didn't. It was freezing outside and she wore a miniskirt, and her sweater was zipped halfway down to reveal her extremely low cut top. Even her gym clothes were cut up provocatively.
"Yeah. He went on one date with her, because she wouldn't leave him alone. And then she went all stalker on him. Then after all that she started spreading all these rumors that my brother and her did all this stuff that he would have never done. He's far too much of a prude, if you get what I'm saying." She nudged me. "Not that it's a bad thing." She quickly defended her brother. From what she said, he seemed just as nice as she was.
Sadly, the bell rang. I was actually enjoying myself. Alice and I went into the locker room, got changed, and walked out together.
As soon as we were out I felt a small raindrop hit my cheek. "Oh great." I muttered. "Well it was really nice meeting you Alice, but I need to hurry home before the downpour." I shrugged. When Emmett had practice I had to walk. Charlie said he would get me a car as soon as I got a license.
"You're going to walk home? In this?" Alice looked mortified. I really didn't mind walking.
"It's not that far." I told myself more than her. It wasn't the distance to the house that bothered me, it was walking alone that did it.
"Let me drive you." She shrugged.
"Oh. That's okay, you don't have to." I tried to convince her.
"No. I want to. Plus, you said it's not that far, so it's not like I'm going out of my way." She used my own words against me. She was good.
"Only if you're sure." I told her, feeling slightly guilty. I had only known her about an hour.
"Of course I'm sure! Now let's go!" She jumped up excitedly before leading me to a black Audi.
"Nice car." I complimented, slightly in awe. I hadn't seen a lot of new cars over here, especially not luxury vehicles.
"Thanks." She smiled before hopping in the drivers seat. I slid into the very comfortable passenger seat.
"Okay. You just take the freeway for about two miles headed North, and then turn off onto Breckonridge." I told her.
She just giggled at me. "I know where you live. My brother, your brother, and my boyfriend are best friends." She told me.
"Oh." I smiled, slightly embarrassed as if I should have known that.
"I was excited to meet you today. Emmett said you'd eat lunch with us, but you never showed." She said with mock anger as she wagged her small finger in my face.
"Sorry. I wasn't having a good day." I looked down.
"Yeah, I heard. You should really just ignore Jessica, Lauren, and Mike. They're mean to everyone." She shrugged as if it were no big deal. Perhaps it wasn't.
"Yeah. They seem like the type." I agreed. I suppose there were Jessicas, Laurens, and Mikes at every school.
The ride was only about 5 minutes, so before I knew it we were pulling up to the house that was growing on me as a home every second.
"Here we are. I would love to stay, but I'm going to go get my hair done." She smiled.
"Thanks for the ride." I told her as I got out and went into the empty house.
I didn't like being home alone. But Emmett was right, no one knew where I was but my aunt. I wasn't even under the same name.
I decided I would just start cooking so Emmett would have something to eat when he got home.
I went to explore the fridge and pantries. Charlie had stocked up on groceries this weekend while I was captivated by my book. I hadn't cooked for them, or really even eaten anything but pizza.
He did a fairly good job. He bought a lot of ingredients, as opposed to most guys who would just buy hot pockets, and TV dinners.
I decided I would put some brownies in the oven, and just make a sandwich for Emmett when he got home.
The brownies took 45 minutes, and just like Clockwork Emmett walked through the door. "Bella! I'm home!" He yelled so I would know it was him.
It didn't take him long to find me in the kitchen. I turned around and saw Emmett with none other than Edward Cullen. I thought he was probably Alice's boyfriend.
I just stared at him in shock. I felt horribly guilty for the way I treated him earlier. Emmett wouldn't be friends with someone like that. I should have just given him the benefit of the doubt.
"Bella, this is Edward. Edward…..Bella." Emmett introduced us.
"Hello." He said politely, making me feel even worse.
"Hi." I said to him as a blush that I hadn't felt in a while crept up on my cheeks.
"Well. I'm going to take a shower, this little one didn't work up much of a sweat." Emmett said as he nudged Edward. "You don't mind making dinner for one extra tonight, do you?" Emmett asked me, as if I would say no.
"Does he eat as much as you? Because I don't think we have enough food." I retorted, making Edward laugh.
"This lightweight? Nah. He probably doesn't even eat as much as you." Emmett obviously liked to tease Edward, which I thought was funny.
"Well then it shouldn't be a problem." I smiled at Emmett before he headed upstairs.
As soon as he was gone awkwardness overtook the kitchen. "So." I started. "I should really apologize to you about what I said to you in biology. I was just having a bad day, and kind of took it out on you." I told him, hoping it would be enough.
"It's fine. I don't blame you. Mike is a jerk, and Jessica and Lauren are just as bad." He rolled his eyes.
"I'm just glad to see that you're okay. All of practice Emmett wouldn't shut up about you having to walk home in the rain." He smiled that crooked grin that irritated me just a few short hours ago. Now it just melted my heart.
"Actually, Alice, in my gym class drove me home. She knows Emmett apparently." I told him, knowing full well that he knew who she was. I was positive they were going together.
"Alice? Yeah. She's my sister." He answered. I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
I started thinking that if Alice was dating Edward, even if they broke up…he would probably be off limits. I was getting way ahead of myself.
"She's really nice." I nodded at him before cutting up the brownies and handing him one on a napkin.
"Yeah. Everyone in my family is like that." He teased. I had to giggle at that. "These are good." He told me after taking a bite of the brownie I handed him.
"They came out of a box." I giggled. I really couldn't take credit for adding an egg.
"Some people would have burned them." He smiled at me, and I smiled back.
I picked up a brownie for myself. And walked over to the fridge. I decided I would make enchiladas for dinner.
I started taking out ingredients. "Can I help with anything?" Edward asked suddenly behind me. I jumped and nearly fell backwards. But Edward caught me. He steadied me with his arms around me.
I quickly freed myself. "Sorry. I'm such a klutz." I giggled nervously.
He just smiled at me. "That's twice now. How many times did you fall today when I wasn't around?" He asked me with a smirk.
"None, actually." I blushed.
"Perhaps I'm bad luck." He shrugged.
"Maybe." I said before returning to the cutting board.
Or perhaps he dazzles me too much to stand.
A/N: Wow. When I started writing this I was like "Dang! It's too short!" Now….it's almost 3000 words, which isn't super long….but it's the longest so far. Review?