Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.
In Six Months I Lost My Mind But Found My Heart
Chapter Two: Show Off
January 8th
5 Months 3 Weeks & 6 days Left
Alice's POV
Edward was being a royal pain in the ass the whole car ride up here. I felt like leaving him at the rest stop two miles back and making him walk the rest of the way. I don't think realisation actually hit him that he was going to go on this exchange until we had left.
At first he remained quiet and sulked, then he decided to get angry and berate me about signing him up, and finally he threw a complete hissy fit and it now sulking. I feel sorry for the poor soul who's going to be hosting us.
I know from firsthand experience that Edward can be rude when he wants and I have a funny feeling he's going to turn into the complete snob he is once we arrive. Things are obviously going to be different here, that's why the school offered the exchange.
We may not be travelling that far away but the school and life we're entering are going to be really different. For starters we're not attending a private school, I'm not sure if my brother knows that yet, I have nothing against going to a state school but he might. Then our living conditions will be rather different to what we're used to.
The family is not poor and in squalor but they are not as wealthy as us, and I 'm glad, I want a break from all that every now and then. It gets rather stuffy trying to live the life of a perfectionist. Sometimes I just want to let loose and relax but in normal standards that would be regarded as unladylike and ungraceful.
The car finally pulled up in a suburban street. The houses were of adequate taste and they looked rather pretty, much cosier looking than that ghastly castle we live in. The sneer across Eddie's face told me he was not happy and I felt truly sorry for the young girl heading towards the car to greet us.
I stepped out and walked round to introduce myself as Edward brushed the creases out of his pants. He hadn't noticed the girl before us and I doubt he would. She was pretty but hid it well, give me a few months and I'll change that. She was nervous, that much was obvious, and I realised this must be totally uncomfortable for her as no one has said anything.
"Hi, I'm Alice Cullen. You must be Isabella Swan." I said cheerfully reaching out to shake her hand, I would have given her a hug but I thought that it was too soon and I might have scared her more.
"Hi, you can call me Bella." She said politely then looked at Edward. At this point I thought he would have introduced himself but he was staring at the house behind her.
"You'll have to excuse my brother Edward he's tired from the journey." I said. He finally caught on that I had introduced him and he just nodded then turned away to get the bags from the driver. "Sorry about him."
"It's fine. Do you two want to come inside?"
"No we'll just stand on the street." I heard Edward mutter, Bella missed it, thank God.
"That would be lovely thanks." She helped us carry in our luggage and took it upstairs to the guest bedrooms as we freshened up before we would head off to school for afternoon lessons.
"Be nice, she's done nothing wrong." I warned him as he took in her home.
The house was actually very nice on the inside, to Edward's surprise. I think he thought we would be living in slums from the way he was raving about how ridiculous and dangerous this exchange is. From what I could see, the lounge was off to the side after entering the hall from the main door and it led on to a dining room at the back of the house which was open plan with the kitchen.
Everything was warm and comfortable, unlike our home where it felt cold and impersonal. Pictures and photos lined the back wall, ranging from Bella as a baby straight up until very recent, quite a few had her with some kind of injury in them.
Bella came back shortly afterwards and we were dropped off at her school by the driver, that would be our last journey with him for three months. I wasn't bothered much but Edward wasn't happy. In the car I sat in the back with Bella and Edward was in the front.
He wasn't saying anything and being completely unresponsive when Bella or I asked him any questions so we just decided to stop talking to him. We chatted about the usual things, shopping, school, music, friends etc. and managed to fill the silence until we arrived.
The sneer and look of disapproval on Edward's face was far worse this time. Bella noticed aswell and bit her lip nervously. He's making this impossible for her and I was starting to get annoyed. He was being the snob I always feared he would become and I know for a fact that his attitude will not go down very well here.
From the second we entered the school we had nearly every pair of eyes on us. Edward ignored it but I was a little more self-conscious of it. Bella escorted us to the main office to pick up our timetable them walked us, with the headmaster, to our first class of the day. Since it was after lunch we only had another two hours but it seemed wiser to come to school today and start the whispering and gossip than wait until tomorrow to experience a full day of it.
"It's an honour to have you both here. If you need anything at all please don't hesitate to ask. We'll do whatever we can to accommodate you. Now I know you two hold very prestigious titles and I was curious about how I refer to you. How would you like to be introduced?"
"Our titles are in place therefore we must be introduced with the correct usage of it." The headmaster nodded, Eddie had already found a great disliking in him.
I personally hated having my title as I always felt like it segregated me from everyone else. I will never just be Miss or Mrs, not even when I marry. Nope, I'll always have a title and so will Edward. He likes his though, only because it makes him more distinguished.
"Right well I'll try my best, shall we?" We entered the classroom and I dreaded it. These had to be some of the most hated looks I've received to date. "Class I want to introduce the two new exchange students. We have Lady Alice Cullen and The Most Honourable The Marquees of Cambridge Edward Cullen."
With that Edward nodded and smiled at the room. Nearly all the girls swooned at that moment, my brother has charm, there's no doubt about that. The only girl who didn't look like she wanted to jump him was Bella. This girl is pleasantly surprising me.
Of course with Edward practically charming the pants off most of the girls in the room with his smile the guys in the room felt this as a threat. They did not look pleased. I can just tell there's going to be problems.
We sat down and tried to watch daily class proceedings. Once the headmaster saw us settled he left then the teacher pounced. Edward and I were the only two in the back row and every time the teacher asked a question he would pick one of us. We didn't have our hands up but had to answer anyway.
It now looked like we were showing off. And of course matters were not helped when we got every question right. Edward only made things worse by correcting the teacher aswell. We are defiantly far away from home.
For the last lesson of the day we had P.E. For some reason Bella was dreading it but I don't really know why. P.E. is fine if you just let the sporty people take over.
The female coach gathered us round and told us we would be doing athletics outside on the pitch. We were going to be put in groups but luckily she allowed us to pick who we wanted. Therefore Edward and I were with Bella and a group of her friends. They all introduced themselves when they came over.
There were nine of us in total, Edward, Bella and myself, a really tall guy named Jacob, two girls who got on my nerves instantly- Jessica and Lauren, one of Bella's close friends Angela, her boyfriend Ben and a guy called Mike who was glaring at Edward for no apparent reason.
To get us warmed up we all had to do two laps of the pitch then some stretches. The entire class huddled round for the first event. Each group was competing against each other. For every event a team member had to compete and whoever wins gains points. The team with the most points at the end of the lesson gets to leave ten minutes early and doesn't have to clean up any equipment.
According to Bella, the reason most want to leave ten minutes early is because the coach likes to do intense sprinting and exercise that leave your muscles aching for days. Even the lazy students try hard to win as they don't want to stay for those activities.
First up was sprinting. We all gathered round in our group and looked to see who would do it. I knew secretly that Edward would love this but he's probably not going to say anything. I stood next to him and gently nudged his arm when they were about to pick.
"I can do it if no one wants to do." Jacob suggested.
"So yeah, Jake you'll do it?" Ben said. I knocked Edward's ribs this time, and rather hard, causing him to cough and interrupting them. "Yeah?" They all looked at him to speak.
"If you don't have any problems, would you mind if I gave it a go?" He asked politely. They all looked between them then shrugged and nodded. The coach called the runners to the line and before she blew her whistle Edward winked at me.
"Oh my god did you see that Jessica? He just winked at me. Oh wow!" I heard Lauren squeal. Bella started sniggering and I noticed she was laughing at them, clearly she knows that he did not wink at her.
When the race started Edward didn't move. The other runners were sprinting there fastest and half the guys in our team were screaming at him to go. He looked at me and I nodded my head. That was it, he was off. It was a two hundred meter race and he gave them about a seventy five meter head start.
He still won though.
Half the guys had no idea what had just happened. They thought he wasn't running before he raced passed them. Just like usual, Edward was showing off and loving it. He takes pride in his sport and likes to make the most mundane things challenging. He realised a few years ago that he could beat most people with up to a one hundred meter head start so now every time he races he gives them a head start. That way he doesn't embarrass them too much, well that's his excuse anyway.
When he crossed the line and won he didn't look out of breath. Our team cheered for his victory, they were now ahead. Most of the girls started swooning over him again. He was turning the charm on and being Edward the athlete.
"He likes attention." Bella mumbled, not impressed with his antics.
"You have no idea." I said shaking my head.
Our team did win that afternoon. Since there wasn't a rule saying you couldn't use the same person for each race Edward did them all. Lauren and Jessica were practically drooling over him after that. He's been here less than three hours and already he's found a group of girls ready to join the 'I Love Edward Cullen Clan'.
"He do that a lot?" A voice asked as I walked out of the changing rooms, Bella was leaning against the wall watching her fellow students hit on my brother.
"Yep. You'll get used to it with us staying here."
"Don't you find it really irritating, him showing off like that?"
"Yeah but what can I do? He won't change." She nodded and we glanced and each other. "He's going to be rude to you for no reason and I want to apologise beforehand. Edward's used to living the life of luxuries and anything he's ever wanted has been handed to him on a silver plate so don't take it personal if he acts like a snob. Just come tell me and I'll put him in his place." She smiled and we walked over to where he was.
"A few words of advice for him."
"Go ahead." I said smiling.
"Tell him to stop showing off to the girls who have boyfriends, they won't take kindly to it." Fair point.
"Thanks, hopefully I'll save him a few bruises." She smiled back and we collected Edward from the fan girls who were already obsessed with him.
Bella walked a few feet in front as I hung back with Edward.
"She doesn't like me, does she?" He asked looking at her.
"Nope." Said shaking my head.
"Oh well good start huh?" I nodded and walked faster to catch up with her. If I'm not mistaken, I think he sounded rather disappointed that she doesn't like him.