A/N: Sorry its taken so long to repost, believe me I had good reasons. I swear. Anyways, here's the next chapter and I hope to post another soon. Thanx to everyone who has reviewed so far. Music for this chapter:

"A Little Help From My Friends" by The Beatles

"Something So Strong" by Crowded House

JPOV

The faint rays of morning light landed directly on my face, waking me up just shy of my alarm. Stretching myself out, I got up to close my window which had opened slightly more during the night and get ready for school. With my initial first day over with, I wasn't dreading my return to Forks High, but I wasn't jumping for joy either. Ginger on the other hand, was dancing around the house singing ridiculously happy songs.

"What has got you acting so damned perky?" I asked once inside her car.

"I'm not sure. I just feel really good about everything. You know, like us being here, life and all that stuff," she replied smiling, "Don't you feel it too?"

"A little, I guess," I answered with a shrug. I did feel less weight on my shoulders. Like my life wasn't completely doomed and gloomy. I wasn't sure why I was starting to feel this way, but I didn't bother to dwell too much on it as we pulled into the school parking lot. A few kids walked over to Ginger and me as we exited the vehicle. Ginger of course was smiling ear to ear and chatted easily with everyone. I stood slightly back feigning interest with my own small smile plastered to my face.

I managed to make small talk with a few of the kids in my classes that I had met yesterday. One class I found myself enjoying more was English. Not only did I actually like talking with Angela and found we had a few common interests, but we were going to start studying poetry for the rest of the quarter. Now if only my other classes could brighten my day like this. One could if you got over yourself, my inner voice whispered. I pushed the voice back into the dark corner of my brain and dragged myself to Math class. I was in the early stages of loathing this class and I knew I would soon dread stepping in here before the semester was over. One of the problems was that I was actually good at the subject, it just bored me to tears. I had managed to be good enough to be placed in an advance math and science program back home that they didn't have here. So instead of moving forward to at least something slightly less mind-numbing, I was repeating Advanced Algebra 2 once again. Not only that, but I was now sandwich between Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton. Its not that I hated them, they actually had small moments of sincere niceness, it was just they had very small and few moments of sincerity. Such a shame because they both seemed like deep down Jessica and Mike were actually good people. Despite this little bit of sympathy I had, it didn't stop the annoyance I felt listening to Jessica drone on about the latest gossip or Mike's obvious crush. His constant brushing against me in the hall after class and in the lunch line had aggravated me enough for the day so I didn't feel bad when Mike went to sit next to me and fell because the chair had moved just enough for him to miss it. Laughter erupted at our table and even I broke out into a grin, but stopped when I saw the intense frown Ginger aimed at me. I shrugged my shoulders and picked up my burger acting like it was no big deal.

Mike made a couple of lame jokes then kept his eyes focused on his tray of food that sat in front of him. I tuned out the conversations of the impending football game in two weeks and focused on eating my lunch in quiet. I did out of curiosity look over to the table where Edward had been sitting the day before only to find it empty. Disappointment seemed to fill me as I stared at the table. I sighed deeply causing Ginger to look at me with a hint of worry. I gave her a reassuring smile before going back to my meal. Chemistry was dull and I kept glancing at the vacant seat next to me out of the corner of my eye while working on yet another worksheet much too easy for me. I was grateful when Gym ended so I could go home and relax. There were too many things that were trying my patience and that was never a good thing. Ginger and I drove home in silence so I could take deep breaths and calm myself. Once home, we settled at the kitchen table to do homework.

"How was your day?" Ginger asked casually not looking up from her book.

"A cross between totally stressful and completely boring," I replied while writing down the answers to my history assignment.

"I noticed Edward wasn't in school today. Is that why today was so boring?"

I glanced up to glare at Ginger's smirking face before going back to my work.

"Fine. Don't talk about him. There are plenty of other guys, like that Mike guy. He's pretty cute. I'm sure he's not so bad that you had to embarrass him like that."

"Please, that boy is annoying as all hell. He keeps touching me and staring at me. It's sorta creepy. I'm scared I'm gonna wake up one morning and find him sleeping on the front lawn with my name tattooed on his chest."

"He can't be that bad," Ginger laughed out.

"Yes, he is. Mike is five seconds away from becoming my own personal stalker. Next thing you know, he's going to offer me candy to get me into his van. It's freaky!"

Ginger was in tears now from laughing so hard that I immediately joined in. After a few minutes we were gasping for air and trying refocus on our homework.

"Why don't you just tell him to back off, before I see him running through the halls with his letterman's jacket on fire," Ginger said after overcoming her laughing fit.

"Because we're still in that weird "friends" phase since he hasn't actually asked me out. I say something now, he'll turn it around to save his own ass and say I'm the psycho. I'm waiting till he says something so I can turn him down. Hopefully he won't be too much of a pain in my ass afterwards."

"Mike does seem a bit obsessive. Maybe you could find someone he could be obsessive about that wants to be obsessed over. Ya know?"

Ginger was right in a way. Mike just needed someone who didn't mind being a constant source of attention. I knew no one better at vying for that title than Jessica. It would be a match made in heaven or hell, depending on your point of view. The rest of the night was peaceful with Charlie in a good mood since he busted some guy who had been robbing summer cabins in the area now in jail. He went to bed the minute I switched 90210 on. I once again cracked my window open and noticed the sky once again clouding up. I was asleep soon after I lay down.

EPOV

I had been driving the family crazy with my restlessness all day. Usually when the sun made an appearance, we left for a few days to hunt further north. However, Alice had a vision that this would be the only sunny day for a week or two, so there was no real point in leaving. My father Carlisle called us in sick to school saying all three of us had food poisoning. This elicited laughter from the rest of us. None of us were going to get a case of salmonella anytime soon. I couldn't stay focused on one thing long enough to settle down. Alice was once again reorganizing one of her many closets with Jasper helping. Carlisle was in his study going over patient files while my mother Esme was deciding if she wanted to redecorate the master bedroom. She was going over different themes and color patterns in her head. I steered clear of what Alice and Jasper were thinking. Nothing good ever came from their thoughts when left alone together in a room. I stared blankly at the television for what felt like an eternity, only to realize it had been two hours. I wandered aimlessly through the house trying to keep my mind occupied, but it did no good. I kept having scattered visions of Jillian and of what she was doing today.

I finally gave up around noon and went up to my room. I turned on my stereo and lay down on my couch. Putting my hands behind my head I stared up at the ceiling for awhile before closing my eyes and let my thoughts of Jillian dance around in my mind. Even though I couldn't actually sleep, I could slip into something of a meditative state if I needed to focus on one thing in particular. Usually I did this when writing music, something lately I hadn't done in several years, but right now all my attention was on Jillian. I brought back all the details I remembered of her. I imagined what it would be like to hear her laugh, to look at me and whisper my name like she had last night, to bury my face in the side of her neck and breath her in. All these things and more played in my head, and while I let myself wonder I began humming. Jillian was the one inspiring this tune that was causing my fingers the need to play it out. I got up and walked downstairs to my piano. I sat down and began playing, my hands moved swiftly over the keys as I put the pieces together. I played it over and over fine tuning certain runs and bridges. I only had about half of it done when I stopped. I was unsure where to go because of my source of inspiration. I realized how little I still knew of Jillian and of how much more I wanted to know. But was it possible to love someone so deeply so fast or was I confusing myself. I needed to speak with Carlisle.

I rose from the piano and made my way up the stairs to Carlisle's study. He invited me in before I even knocked. I sat down in the dark leather chair in front of his desk as he cleared the papers he had been working on away. I leaned slightly forward, my elbows resting on my knees.

"Edward, what can I do for you?" Carlisle asked.

"Well, there is a certain girl at school that I've recently become…enamored with," I said. I heard Carlisle's mind telling me to continue. "Her name is Jillian and lately she's become everything I think about. Its maddening and I feel completely torn."

"How so?" he thought.

"My thoughts are divided which in turn has somehow divided my feelings for her. Mostly I think what it would be like to hear her laugh or hold her hand, things of that nature. However, I'm also having thoughts that are…less than gentlemanly. I feel I love her, deeply but then I'm feeling things that are more carnal in nature," I said wringing my hands together.

"Well, you shouldn't be so harsh with yourself Edward for the latter half of your feelings. You forget that even though you're over a hundred years old, you've been frozen at the age of seventeen for those hundred years. I'm still not sure what exactly has you so upset though," Carlisle said in a calming tone.

"I'm upset because what if I'm not really in love with her? What if I'm just letting perverse teenage hormones take over and instead of being a better person, worthy of loving her, I'm becoming a deviant of some sort," I explained slightly panicky.

"I see. You're afraid it's not love but something more primal I assume. You are in fact a vampire, so your most basic and primal instincts are always right on the surface Edward. I know that you are quite capable of keeping these less then admirable desires under control. I want to point out that just because you experience feelings like that, doesn't diminish what love you do feel. Emmett and Rosalie are perfect examples," Carlisle spoke, a smile graced his lips.

I leaned back and thought over the things he said. They did make sense and made my uneasiness over the situation dissipate some. But I still wasn't sure which emotion was stronger and if it wasn't love I felt I didn't want to put her and my family in harms way because my urges became out of control. Carlisle spoke before I was able to.

"I am curious as to one thing. Not once in our entire discussion have you mentioned her blood. Has it no pull on you?"

"No. It has a definite hold on my senses. Her blood constantly calls to me, even now at this distance my mind relives the scent. It's so strong I had to use all my willpower not to drink from her in the middle of the cafeteria," I responded shamefully. I wasn't proud of how weak I had been the day before.

"What stopped you?"

"The thought of Jillian dead or in pain from it. Just knowing what I would be doing to her, the ones her love her made me stop. I don't want her dead. I want her to live as long as she's able. Her life is more precious to me than anything," I answered in a more serious tone.

Carlisle looked at me and sort hmed to himself. I received his thoughts with clarity and was both excited and relieved at what they said. I smiled and thanked him for listening before returning to my piano. I played Esme's favorite song to pass the time a bit more before deciding to go for a quick hunt and a visit to Jillian's home. On my way out Alice began descending the stairs and smile at me.

"I know where you're going and why. Don't worry, tomorrow you'll get your chance to start a life with her," she said happily before heading to the living room.

I finally felt satiated enough around mid-night and headed straight for Jillian. I was growing more anxious with every step I took in her direction. Tomorrow I'd be in her presence again but now I found myself terrified. What do I say? I'd spent the better part of my existence keeping humans at a distance and rarely engaged in conversation with them. Now I'm going to have talk to the woman I'd fallen helplessly in love with. I made up the tree and onto the ledge without realizing how fast I had arrived outside her window. Again it was unlocked and open. I quietly pushed the window aside and stepped into the dark room. Jillian was lying on her side facing the window and her beauty made me pause to gaze at her. Her hands were curled up under her pillow and a few strands of her hair had fallen across her face. I knelt beside her and softly to the hair in my fingers and moved them back. I closed my eyes and committed another sensation to my growing memory bank of all things Jillian. Nothing felt softer than her hair and it took all my restraint to pull my hand back before the urge to run my hand through her hair and wake her took over. I watched over her sleeping form and thought back to my earlier conversation with Carlisle. I did indeed love her. Love had to be the only thing strong enough to keep my teeth from sinking into her pale skin. I admitted to myself as I looked at Jillian resting quietly that I did lust for her, but I knew even that feeling would never diminish with time. I would always burn and ache for her in every capacity I knew. I only prayed that someday she could feel at least an ounce of the same overwhelming emotions I was feeling now.