The night was uneventful in the sense that I had no recollection on what movie we had watched. Emmett had babbled all night about the incident at the Thai restaurant and how he knew that the Cullens and we would become great friends in this summer. I had not told anyone, including Jasper, about my meeting with Edward Cullen at the bookstore, as if I almost believed that if I didn't talk about it, it would disappear. If Jasper noted my space out, he did not make any comment on that.

I looked out from Jasper's Audi. It was a picturesque night. The cool wind was blowing softly against my skin and a full moon was shining splendidly overhead in the darkening indigo skies. I remembered, it was a night such like this that all things had started.....

"Mom, I am going out to buy some drinks and should be back in half an hour." I took the car keys and went out without waiting for Renee's response. Almost as a routine, our fridge would stood empty on the day after Phil and his colleagues spent the night at our house, watched whatever ball games on show in TV and ravished every food and drink that they could find in the fridge. Living with my mom for so long, I knew that if I did not take up the trip for replenishment, the fridge would stay empty till the world ended. Moreover, it was a clear and warm night and it would be nice to go out and take a break from the suffocating presence of the two lovebirds - Renee and Phil.

Most of the shelves were wiped clean when I reached the supermarket. I ran my finger through all of the labels of canned food as I paced up and down each aisle. "Blueberry jam…. blueberry jam…. Come on, where are you?..." I continue to swing over and start in the next aisle, not paying attention now to the few patrons around me.

"Blueberry jam…. Blueberry jam….— Yeah!!" I jumped in the air and almost slipped as I grabbed the dented can and pumped my other fist in the air. I was doing my own private victory dance when I heard my name escape from the unrecognizable voice.

"Is it Bella?"

I froze. The only sound echoing in the aisle was the squeaking sound my shoes made as I turned around. Standing in front of me was the Adonis personified – Jacob Black who had just joined our school a month ago. He was wearing a tan leather jacket that accentuated his lean torso. I didn't have any class with him and only saw him once in a while in the school canteen.

"It's so good to see you here! I don't think we have been introduced. I am Jacob Black." He held out his hand and there was humor in his eyes. I'm sure he was entertained by the spectacular performance I made just a moment ago.

"Jacob…hi." I forced my jaw to move and ordered my hand to take his outreaching one.

"How are you? How do you know me?" Feeling like an idiot, I uttered.

"You are famous in school. Who doesn't know Miss Clumsy?" My face couldn't be more red when my famous nickname was threw at me by the antithesis "Prince Adonis". Who didn't know Prince Adonis in school?

He dropped his hand and I had to remind myself to breathe. It was impossibly hard to focus on anything when he was smiling so warm and friendly; I could feel my body start to unfreeze.

"So what are you doing in a grocery store on a Friday's night?" I was grateful that I could finally start acting more like myself, and not like a broken robot.

"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" Jacob chuckled. "Some of my friends are going to my house tonight and we kind of come in to pick up something to eat for the night. How about you?"

I rolled my eyes and gave him a sheepish smile. "You'd be surprised how the house chore stuff could drag you down when you're the only daughter in the house."

There was an awkward silence as we stood there. My mind was searching for the next appropriate thing to say when Jacob gave me embarrassed grin.

"Actually, I have been wanting to ask you for quite some time…." A loud cheer was shouted over from the next aisle.

"Sorry, those are them." Jacob mused and continued after a pause. "Bella, will you go out with me this Sunday? Maybe just have a lunch and watch a movie?" He said while running a hand through his hair. His eyes stared at his black Converse and his cheeks were a ruddy pink color.

My eyes went slightly wide in panic. Jacob Black asked ME out on a date!!! I just stood there speechless but my insides were jumping up and down. After a few minutes of silence, he looked at me and saw that I was bewildered.

"It's ok Bella; I know it is a bit too odd for this…" Misinterpreting my silence, Jacob stammered.

"No, I mean…ok, I think so." I hastened to correct him.

"That's great. So, shall I pick you up at your house, maybe around 11o'clock?" His face split into a wide grin. Just then, the store manager announced they would be closing within the next ten minutes.

"No, let's meet at the Café 21 direct." I smiled at him shyly. I didn't think it was a good idea to let Renee know about this. She would pester me endless for details and might ruin every chance I might have with her well-intended but often disastrous actions.

Another bout of laughter burst out near the checkout counter.

"I think I have to join them now. So, I will see you on Sunday?" He seemed quite hesitate, as if he believed I would go back on my words at any moment.

"OK! See you." I couldn't believe I had agreed to this either.

"You look great tonight, by the way." He dropped the words before walking in the direction of the checkout counter.

"Hey, where have you been? Back on earth, please. We are almost there." Jasper announced when we reached my house almost midnight.

"Alright, I hear you, you don't have to yell." As if he knew, he let me a moment to compose myself before turning off the engine. Jasper, always a gentleman, would walk me to the front door every time he took me home. I unlocked the door and was about to step out from the car when I noted that the door lamp outside the house next to mine had been switched on.

"So my neighbor has moved in today finally. I just saw several workers come and go these past few weeks. Don't know whether they have kids." The house, or rather, the mansion opposite was left vacant for over a year after the Smith had moved out. I still missed Jenny whose bedroom was right opposite to mine on the second floor, with just an old oak tree blocking in between. While we were too small and too short to make use of the tree as a transport to get into each other's room, we were still able to chat away into the night by our own invented means of communication – whiteboard, tin-cans, walkie-talkie and ….. Our friendship didn't falter when I moved to Arizona five years ago. We were able to stay in touch through emails and Facebook. When I moved back to Forks in July last year, her family had just moved on to Washington.

"I think so. Wow! Look at the cars parked over there. They certainly brighten up the roads of Forks. Rosalie will be shrilled to have a look at those." He was eyeing longingly at the vehicles which were parked in the garage – a silver Volvo, a yellow BMW and a black Mercedes.

"They must be very rich to own such pricey brands, hope we won't get another Lauren on the horizon." I contemplated and continued the walk to my house. Just then, the front door of the mansion opened and two figures emerged. Curios to know who my neighbours were, I turned around and placed a welcome smile on my face.

"Oh..my…God!" I soundlessly exclaimed. My new neighbours were nonetheless the Cullens and it was Alice and Edward who had come out, attacking the bucket of ice-cream which was holding jointly in their hands. I immediately shied behind Jasper and tried to fish out my keys from the now all too large bag.

"Barney or Big Bird?" a musical voice carried in the sweet warm night.

I found that Alice was looking at our way but her eyes were not on me. She was addressing the blonde hair boy who I was hiding behind. Glad that she didn't notice me yet, I slide further into the shadow and stole a look at Jasper. He was standing frozen on the spot. His eyes were dreamily focused on the black hair petite and I could almost literally see pinkish heart-shaped balloons floating between them. Not wanting him to look stupid in front of his dream girl, I elbowed Jasper in the back.

"What?" Still lost in the dream, Jasper walked toward Alice like a man in a trance.

"Hey, you can't leave me, Jasper!" I whispered urgently and grasped his T-short before he went any further. However, the unexpected yank made Jasper lose his footing and stumbled backward. I couldn't even be able to muster a shout before my breath was knocked out of my body and I was crashed beneath Jasper's six foot and one hundred and sixty pounds frame.

I heard rumbling sound drawing near and then, felt the lifting of the dead weight off me. It took me a moment to comprehend what had actually happened. Infernal heat spread across my cheek when I realized how embarrassing the situation was. To be the mattress of my best friend certainly scored a new height in my history of clumsiness. To have it witnessed by Edward, it was beyond mortification. I really outdid myself this time. I covered my face with my hands, stupidly willing my guardian angle to make them all disappear.

"Are you alright?" a familiar velvet voice uttered anxiously. "Oh, it's you, Bella?"

I peeked gingerly through my fingers and immediately regretted it. I was staring straight into the brightest pair of emerald eyes. Edward was just inches away from me that I could get a good glimpse of his perfect face - the chiselled jaw line shaded with faintest hints of stubbles, high cheekbones glowed with healthy shade of pink and messy bronze hair perfected by its still damp ends softly clinging to his neck. He leaned down closer to me and I could feel his sweet breath against my face.

"Bella, are you okay?" He asked, waving his hand in front of my face. By the time I could phantom a response, Edward had already been pushed roughly aside by Jasper. I could see a circle of three faces bending over to look down at me.

"I am so sorry, Bella. Did I hurt you?" Obviously fighting the urge to grin, Jasper hovered over my body to ascertain anything was broken. I could feel a lump started to form on my forehead where Jasper's head contact mine during the fall. With nothing more seriously hurt than my pride, I let him help me up into a sitting position.

"Stop pattering, I am fine." Embarrassed beyond measure, I sat up quickly and felt a sharp pain in my head.

"Ow!" I said as I placed my hand to my forehead.

"You are definitely a damsel in distress in need of a Prince Charming." Alice smiled and put another spoon of ice-cream into her month.

Oh GOD! How embarrassing! I hid myself behind my hairs which must resemble a bird nest right now. I was waiting for the laughter to come but didn't hear anything.

"Let me have a look." Edward stepped forward and kneeled by my side. Incredibly gentle, his hand lifted up my bang and messy hairs which had fallen in front of my face. I could feel the tingle shoot through my skin at his touch. I winced at the pain as he pushed on the sensitive spot.

"It must hurt a lot." Edward suddenly turned around and ran back to his house.

"Don't worry, we can use makeup to cover it up and it's a good thing you have bangs." While talking to me, Alice's eyes were straying to the direction where Jasper was standing.

"Oh! Alice, this is my friend Jasper. Jasper, this is Alice." I belatedly made the introduction. They both smirked, obviously happy about the situation.

Edward came out of the house, with a tube of lotion in hand.

"It should help relieve the pain." He gently applied the lotion to the lump which had been formed in the past few minutes. Mesmerized by his closeness and the intimacy of the moment, I stayed frozen. My heart was pounding loudly against my chest, reminding me of another night another time, alerting me of the transience of love and what's more, lecturing me of the untrustworthiness of my own feelings.

I pushed away his hand and struggled to stand up. Avoiding his puzzled look, I picked up my bag and announced to no one in particular.

"It's late. Jasper, thanks for the ride. Alice and …Edward, welcome and goodnight for now." I quickly walked to my house and dare not look at anyone because my eyes were already swimming with tears.

"Bella…" Edward called after me.

"No, I won't go out with you." Despite the silent tears falling on my cheek, I spoke with determination. There was no way I could let myself be hurt again.

There was no sound while I found my keys and stumbled with the lock. I turned back to steal a look at Edward before closing the door.

His smile was frozen and he looked sad.

I want you to want me

I need you to need me

I'd love you to love me

(I Want You to Want Me - Letters to Cleo)

A/N So Edward and Bella has got a rough start. What do you think what had happened to Bella? Give me some feedback, it is a nice thing to do :)