Actually, the school day flew by; normally it drags on. But before I knew it, I was in English, some reason. I'm not sure why, the school felt it needed to change the schedule around, therefore classes we normally have 6th period we would have last and our last period would be first. I sometimes, ok, most times, question the Forks educational board, their idea about sending eighth graders to the high school for a shadowing program is intelligent, but the rest of the stuff they do is random and frankly stupid.

But even that wasn't the reason my bad day turned into a better one. Mrs. Brown decided to hold off on us reading our memoirs, and instead we had to present what we have for our researched area of the book. Basically we each had to choose something based on a story or poem or a significant event mentioned in the book and research it.

For example, Patrick took an interest in the stories of Cuchulainn that Frank McCourt's father told him about so he researched that and presented what he had completed.

As Patrick took his seat, Mrs. Brown scanned the class, I could read her body language… I was next.

"Chris, how about you come up next?" I grinned at myself and headed up to the front of the class. "Well Chris, what do you have for us?"

"Um, if you guys would turn to page 196 in chapter 8," I paused for a second as the sound of ruffling pages filled the class. "This is the chapter where Frank gets Typhoid fever and is in the hospital. While he's in the hospital he becomes friends with a girl who has diphtheria and she tells him stories and poems that she is reading. One of the poems is called the Highwayman and it is widely known as one of the most famous yet forgotten poems in the English language."

Sara raised her hand, none of my classmates (Marie and Sara excluded) are overly friendly to me, but we all tolerate each other in this class and we treat each other as acquaintances if nothing else, Mrs. Brown demands a friendly and family type atmosphere in her class and we all try to give her that.

"Wait, Chris I'm confused about something, if it's one of the most famous poems in the English language, than how can it be forgotten as well?"

I nodded, understanding her confusion

"It's one of the most recognizable poems, but no one really knows that much 'bout it or the author. This was the best selling poems Alfred Noyes ever wrote, but he himself isn't remembered. Of course in regards to the poem I still have more research to do on Noyes himself, but the Highwayman is a story basically one that could be compared to Romeo and Juliet, the story hidden in the words of the poem tell the story of a couple in love, how they're love was doomed from the start, and how they were betrayed by people close to them."

"Chris would you mind reading the first part of the poem, of course you will be reading the entire piece for your final report, but I know we would all enjoy hearing it." Mrs. Brown asked.

I nodded and reached into my folder, I know the poem by heart, but seriously….two words, teachers pet.

"The wind was torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, the road was a ribbon of moonlight looking the purple moor, and the highwayman came riding, riding, riding. The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door."

I looked up from the paper and grinned at my class, everyone was leaning on their desks listening to me, hanging on every word I said.

This was something I had never experienced before, 'pecially with my classmates in Forks. Marie had this dreamy look on her face and I held back a chuckle.

"Excellent Chris, thank you. Now would you explain to us how you plan on approaching your report?"

"The poem is a really deep story, so I figured I'd research the actual story in the poem itself and retell it from a story perspective as opposed to a poem form. I also figured I'd do more research on Alfred Noyes himself and see if I can find his inspiration for it and maybe figure out as well why this particular poem stuck out to Frank McCourt, so much so that he would not only remembered it, but include it in his memoir."

"An excellent idea." Mrs. Brown paused and scanned the class "now, lets hear from Sara."

I headed back to my desk and slide into my seat, Marie looked over at my shyly and smiled her approval.

"I like that," was all she would say.

When the bell rang fifteen minutes later, I headed to my locker with Marie tailing me.

"Sup Marie?" I asked, knowing full well that she wouldn't instigate her question.

"Well, I mean, could I hear the rest of the poem?" I reached into my bag and pulled out a copy of it, but she shook her head. "Can you read it?"

Ah, I got it, it wasn't the poem itself, groaned silently, Marie liked me…I mean really liked me at least I think she does, I'd hafta ask Edward if he could tell me what was going through her head, but I had a feeling and they have yet to disappoint.

But I knew the others would be waiting and 'sides Edward, Emmett, and I have our drive to Tacoma, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Your just going to have to wait like everyone else." I replied mysteriously, with a grin. Just as I hoped she believed me "One show a day is all I do."

"No exceptions?" she reached for my hand I hadn't expected that…and I winced as she touched my skin, her hand jumped back as our skin touched.

I hate it when people catch me off guard, because I'm so used to knowing what people are plotting, most people have their reactions and moves written on their face or in their body language, before they actually go through with the actual action, so its rare for someone to get me, very rare, but unfortunately it does happen. Like I've tried to get my family to realize, my ability is not flawless, it is possible to be very wrong about someone's body language…but like Alice's ability they depend on it way to much to believe that it's infallible.

"Marie…I…"

"Chris, your…your hand is so cold. It's like ice, are you sick?"

Busted…big time.

"Uh, yeah…it's freezing in here…" I lied "I haven't been feeling well, my parents think I caught whatever my…brother had, kept him out of school for almost a week."

I faked a cough, but I knew she wasn't buying it, but lucky for me, Marie is way to polite to really pry, curiosity was written all over her face and concern was fighting for first place there, but she was not going to push this even though she obviously wanted to.

We were at the front doors now; I could see the Volvo waiting. Marie reached over again for my hand and this time didn't flinch as our skin touched, but I could see the discomfort in her eyes.

"Will you be in school tomorrow?"

"Depends on what my dad thinks, if he thinks I'm contagious I'm under house arrest."

"I hope you feel better, um…if you're not in school tomorrow can I call you and find out how you're feeling? I can let you know what you miss too."

I blinked, this was getting way to weird for comfort. In the sixty-five years I have been a vampire I have never had a girl act like this 'round me, sure they may fall for the lure of the attraction that I and the rest of our kind put out naturally, but this was much more than that.

Marie really liked me and as much as I know I should let her down as gently as possible, I couldn't, least not yet, because deep down, a part of me felt the same way.

"Sure, that be cool, how about Monday? If my parents do think I'm sick that'll mean no phone or anything but rest all weekend, but if I'm not back by Monday, sure I'd like that." I replied pushing the door open and holding it for her.

She nodded her thanks and smiled at me, which I returned, before she headed to a small Toyota waiting behind the Volvo.

I ran my hand through my hair sighing. As I walked to the car, I read Edward's body language, and my instincts told me not to get my hopes up about going to Tacoma, it would happen, just not right after school. Not that it bothered me; I wanted to check on Charlie and talk to Esme or Carlisle 'bout Marie.

What really surprised me however was the lack of Alice, I followed Edward's gaze to the old Chevy pickup idling just outside the drop off/pick up area and saw my sister sitting in the driver seat.

Edward saw the confusion written on my face as Rosalie pushed open the rear door for me, but he didn't give me an explanation, probably because I could figure it out on my own.

I was hit with a scent the minute I slide into the seat, I breathed in deep, confused at the new scent.

Then like some kind of animal; I sniffed the passenger seat where Emmett now sat. He started laughing, but Edward shot me a look a warning look and growled under his breath, which actually made me dig deeper into the scent.

The scent, it was a sweet smell, definitely human and at the same time, intriguing, it made my mouth fill with venom and my throat tighten with interest and anticipation.

My eyes went wide with recognition, even though I had never before experienced this smell. It was hers it had to be. She had been in the car, less than an hour before; I couldn't help my shocked expression as we headed down the road.

Suddenly I could read her, even though I had never seen her nor met her, I knew enough about her through her scent alone what kind of person she is, her personality, stuff like that.

She cares immensely for others and wants to take care of people she feels lack the ability to do so themselves this wasn't a selfish assumption that she alone was capable of doing so, it was from her personal experience that she had been raised with; she hates being the center of attention and is more adult than some of the adults in the school, forget the school in the town… she's martyr like…wanting to put the happiness and safety of others far before her own.

Deep down she does fancy Edward, but since she can't figure him out isn't going to admit her fondness for my brother.

She's the kind of person I can respect, admire even; she was not someone to fear because she's human, completely and my mind told me not to fear her.

Despite all this information wheeling around my mind, I found myself still cautious and even suspicious of her, but this was slowly faltering, meeting her would confirm all I had learned from her scent alone and any fear or mistrust I had towards her would be gone and I couldn't help but groan aw man.

At that thought Edward gripped the steering wheel tight for a moment as my thoughts and my profile of her swarmed his mind he had been trying to prevent me from reading her just as much as I had, though our reasoning was completely different.

I also saw a flash of jealously on my brother's face, he was jealous that I was able to understand so much of her in a single profile based on her scent alone.

More than he had managed to obtain in all his questioning her and in all the time he had managed to spend with her.

Edward was jealous that I knew more about Bella Swan than he did, which technically wasn't true, because Edward himself had seen my profile so now he knew everything I did. But that didn't change the fact that since Edward couldn't read Bella's mind and I could read her profile, my brother was not only jealous of this fact, but a little angry at both himself and me.

I held my breath, shaking my head, trying erase this from my mind, this was the only the second time I had ever read someone with so much detail through their scent alone and I was not comfortable with it the first time it happened and I was definitely not comfortable with it now. It told me one thing; Bella Swan's allure isn't potent only to my brother.

I clenched my fists tight, allowing my mind to recite the beats of Rammstein's Du Hast, trying to extinguish her scent from my mind, but it would not go away, and not even the beat that usually helps calm me down could chase it away.

Tired of me leaning over her, Rosalie gently pushed me back, her face was stone, set in a glare towards Edward not me, she was still pissed at him and the Swan girl's former presence in the car did not help.

We pulled to a stop in front of a small house where Alice parked the truck and danced over to the Volvo.

I slide myself as close to the window as humanly possible I wanted to get as far away from Bella Swan's scent as possible, the sweetness of her scent worried me, for it to hit me shows how strong it is.

I understood now, how Edward was so affected by her, it wasn't hitting me like him, but I now understood more in depth my brother's pain, that and the fact I know had a better understanding of who she is, and had done what I had hoped to avoid and well I had to get rid of the scent and that thought.

Quickly, I pressed a button to roll down the window and allowed the cold air to fill the car, Edward looked back at me almost like he wasn't happy about what I did, I shook my head at him get over it Edward I thought you want to endure it go for it, I'm getting car sick so either pull over an let me run home or deal with the window refreshing the bloody air.

I could read his body language. If it had been just him and I in the car he would have pulled over and I would've been walking home. But he knows that Esme would never let him hear the end of it and neither would Alice and Rosalie for that matter.

Unfortunately, the Volvo has automatic windows. He rolled the back window up with a touch of a button and locked it.

I growled my frustration at him, but didn't say anything. If he wanted to stay mad at me for something I had no control over, then fine I see nothing wrong with angering him further. If I was already on his bad side, might as well do something to deserve it.

I whipped out my headphones, flipped through my ipod until I found Rob Zombie's Dragula and blasted it, hoping to annoy him with my thoughts and my quote on quote heavy metal junk.