Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Authors Notes: And I'm back – thanks so much to all the new readers who added this story on finding my completed story – My Facebook Reunion. Thank you so much for all the reviews on the prologue and first chapter.

Thankyou as always to my team, my amazing ficwife and super-beta – LisaDawn75 and the lovely Tammygrrl

A little bit of exciting news, my fabulous ficwife; LisaDawn75 and I have written a collaboration oneshot for a contest. It's anonymous, so I can't tell you which one belongs to us but please go ahead and check out all the entries. Voting starts on 13th May.

http : / www . fanfiction . net / community / Showers_to_Flowers_Pick_a_Pic_O_S_Contest / 89608/99/0/1/ Remove the spaces

Don't Ever Look Back

Chapter 2

"Mommy, can I come with you?"

I laughed and shook my head. Of course, it was a delight that Sam loved school so much that he wanted to go back after hours, but it wasn't common practice for a kid to attend a parent-teacher night. "Sorry little dude, no can do. It's going to run pretty late, and I don't think Mr. Masen is going to want to talk all about you when you're sitting right by me. Right?" I asked him.

Sammy slumped his shoulders forward, let out a puff of air, and pouted. "Awww. I guess."

"Anyway, Grandpa Charlie is going to come watch you, and I think he promised that he was going to bring a pizza."

At this statement, his eyes lit up, and he grinned. "I like having pizza with Grandpa."

"I know you do; save me a slice, ok?"

"You'll be lucky, Mom."

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and ran into the classroom after his friends, which left me standing alone in the playground. A small group of the other moms were standing in front of the entrance, blocking my view, but I could hear them clearly, as could – I was sure – the rest of the yard, plus some of the nearby faculty.

"No, well, I don't agree with it. He looks far too young to be a teacher. Honestly, this is a good school, so how did we wind up with someone who is barely a kid teaching our kids?"

"Oh, I dunno, Liz; he's easy on the eyes, you got to give him that."

"Oh, my God, you're kidding, right? He's hot. I'm sure he has a few things to learn, as well. I could teach the teacher a lesson or two."

"Oh, I bet you could... I bet he's hung like a fucking horse... and those glasses... and that hair. Oh, my God; that's sex hair if I ever did see it."

They giggled loudly – okay, it was more of a cackle, if we were being honest. I rolled my eyes and slung my bag back across my shoulder. Honestly... If this guy was as young as they thought he was, they had no right to be talking about him like that. I tried to figure out in my head how old Mr. Masen could be. If he was super smart, he could have graduated high school early. So, if this was his first job – which I'd heard it was – then he wouldn't be any older than twenty-four.

I looked at the women in front of me – all in their early thirties, wearing their suits, heels, and carrying their designer bags – and then down at myself. Skinny jeans, my ratty, but favourite, hoodie and my ancient, and much loved, Converse. I lived in a totally different world than them. They knew it, as did I.

Snooty fucking bitches, judging me for being so young and having a six year old. At first, when they thought that I was the nanny, it seemed like just a genuine question of interest. When I told them that no, I was Sam's mother, they started to look down their noses at me. I was blocked out of that circle right away. Who said that just because you grow up and become an adult that the playground bitchiness and belittling stops? It so does not. The school pick-up zone was a dangerous area. I always got the fuck out of there, as soon as possible.

I jumped into the car and headed off to work. They were pretty good to me at the Thriftway. I was one of their longer serving members on staff and had recently been promoted to supervisor of fresh produce. It came with a small pay raise, and I was able to keep my Sammy-school-friendly hours. It wasn't what I wanted to do. Ideally, I wanted to go to college and actually do something – anything – with my life. I wasn't stupid – far from it. Learning was great, and I was thankful that so far, my son seemed to think the same thing. Education was important. One day, I would go back.

My shift ended at two-thirty, and I collected my things from my locker. Dad had texted me to say that he'd gotten off of work early, so he would just go ahead and pick Sam up from school. Charlie loved spending time with his grandson. I never had seen him as a paternal type of guy, but then again, I only saw him for a couple of weeks a year when I was Sam's age, after my mother had hauled us all over the country when they had divorced. He was great with Sam, though, and was keen to start to take him fishing on the weekends, once the weather improved. They had a great bond.

I folded my apron and placed it back into my locker, before pulling down my hair and running my fingers quickly through it. I was done for the day and didn't even have to head over to the school. Charlie was taking Sam back to his place for a while, grabbing pizza to take back to my apartment, and then he would put Sam to bed. I thought of all the things I could do without having a hyper six year old in tow.

I clocked out and headed home to my eerily quiet apartment. I liked to keep our small space tidy, so there weren't even toys to pack away, and I'd cleaned the kitchen prior to taking Sam to school that morning. I puttered around for a little while and grabbed a can of soda from the fridge.

A bubble bath! As a single mother, it wasn't something that I was able to indulge in as regularly as I would have liked. Sam liked to take a bath, too, and even if I took one after his bed time, he'd hear the sounds of the running water and get up, demanding to have one, as well. And sharing with a six year old, who liked to ask questions – a lot of questions – was not to fun. Then there was the splashing.

I clapped my hands together in excitement as I practically skipped to the bathroom, before realizing that I probably looked very stupid. Luckily, I had no one there to see me. I ran the water and added my special rose scented pink bubbles. I filled the tub right up, grabbed my iPod from the kitchen, and put it on the dock, pressing shuffle. I placed my soda on the side and stripped off quickly, sinking into the deliciously hot water. Bath time – quiet bath time – was total bliss.

After spending far too long almost dozing in the tub, I emerged from the bathroom, looking rather prune-like and very pink. I combed and dried my hair, then ran into the kitchen in my underwear to grab some toast for dinner. I dressed once again – my darker skinny jeans, newer Chucks, and a pale blue tank top. I thought it best to meet the teacher looking a little like a parent and not a sixth grader. A little mascara and lip gloss finished my look, and I ran out of the door and back over to the school.

With fifteen minutes to spare before the appointment, I was told to head on along to Sam's classroom and take a seat outside with the other waiting parents. There was an older, married couple ahead of me and two of the bitchy moms were whispering at the end of the row of uber small chairs. Honestly, you would think that they'd maybe rent some adult sized seats, not the ones that the half pints used. I sat in one chair across from the couple, and they both smiled and nodded. I blushed and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

"So, Bella, isn't it?" a voice asked. I looked up, and it was one of the other mothers. I didn't realize that I'd never told them my name. I'd said little more to them than informing them that I wasn't a nanny. I nodded politely and slipped my phone back into my jeans. "Where is Daddy tonight? Sam is your boy, right?"

I cleared my throat and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Yes, I'm Sam's mom... and no, his father isn't in the picture right now. It's just us." I smiled.

The woman raised an impeccably plucked eyebrow. "Oh, yes, I thought that was the case. Such a shame. That boy needs a good, male role model in his life."

"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing sweetie... it's just good for kids to be around men, as well – older men. Gives them some sense of what they're supposed to be. It must be hard for you."

I chose to ignore the snide comment. While I was used to the looks, it had been some time since I'd gotten any. People in Forks had begun to get used to the fact that I had a six year old. I didn't know if she was just clueless and had no people skills, or if she was trying to get a rise out of me.

She was looking at me, her head cocked to the side, waiting for my response.

"We are doing just fine, thank you. We make the best of what we have." I smiled sweetly and turned slightly in my chair, hoping to make it clear to her that the conversation was over.

"Charlotte, that wasn't very nice!" the other girl hissed to her friend.

"I just needed to clarify; she never speaks to us. I'd like to know what our children are associating with. She's a kid; how can she raise a child?"

I closed my eyes. Those fucking traitor tears were threatening to sting.

"Shhh, she can hear you," The brunette whispered. I saw her elbow her friend from the corner of my eye.

"I mean, what is she? She can't be much older than twenty..."

I couldn't take it. I stood up and glared at the pair of them. "Actually I'm twenty-two. Yes, I had my son when I was barely sixteen years old. I got pregnant; I had to leave school to take care of my child. When he was older, I went back to work, which I still do now, so that I can provide for the two of us. Is that a problem?"

The women looked at me in utter shock. I waited for them to say something or stay quiet, when a throat clearing behind me startled me. I spun around and came face to face – actually, it was more like face to crisp, white shirt – with a man. I took a step back and met green eyes and strange hair.

"Ladies, I'm sorry to cut in," the man said. "But I'm looking for Ms. Swan – Samuel's mother?"

I took a step to the side and raised my hand. "Yeah, that's me."

The man's eyes widened a little as he took me in. "Hi... Ms. Swan, I'm sorry, but we've not met before. I'm Edward. Edward Masen, Sam's substitute teacher. Would you like to come in?"

I looked at the other waiting couple. "I think they were before me," I whispered.

"It's okay," Edward – I mean Mr. Masen – told me. "They don't mind waiting; you can come in first."

I looked over at the couple, and the woman smiled at me, nodding. There was something sympathetic about her action, and I realized that maybe she'd suggested that I go before them. That was nice of her.

"Okay... erm... thank you." I smiled at the couple and nodded in thanks.

"Follow me, Ms. Swan; come on in and take a seat. We'll have a chat about Sam and what we've been doing."

Mr. Masen opened the door of the classroom and held it open for me. I stepped inside, and he shut it quietly. Sam's classroom was decorated in bright colors, and the walls were full of paintings and collages. The alphabet was hanging on strings from the ceiling, and several sentences were written carefully onto the chalkboard.

"Please, have a seat."

"Thanks." I sat down in an adult sized chair in front of Mr. Masen's desk.

He sat around the other side and quickly pulled a bottle of water out of the pocket of the jacket that rested on the back of his chair. "Sorry," he apologized. "I've done nothing but talk all afternoon. I'm starting to sound a bit hoarse."

For the first time, I really studied him. Okay. I could totally see what all the fuss was about. There was no doubt about it. My son's teacher was definitely a very attractive man. I put him to be twenty-five, at the most. His green eyes were clear behind some fashionable glasses, and he wore his shirt and tie with the top button undone and the knot loose. I could see a small amount of bonze hair adorning his neck and upper chest. I moved down his body and to his hands. His fingers were long and a little rough looking. Yeah. He was hot.

I swallowed and met his eyes. He was looking right at me, and I knew that he had just caught me taking a good look at him. I blushed and pushed my hair out of my face. "So... Sam; how's he doing?" I asked, trying to get him to stop smiling at me.

Mr. Masen screwed the cap onto his water bottle and leaned back into his chair.

"Are you okay, Ms. Swan? You seemed uncomfortable out there."

Damn. He'd noticed that one.

"Yeah... I'm fine. You get used to it after a while. I just never expected the questions and comments, that's all. I'll get over it." I smiled at him, trying to show him that it really was nothing – that I didn't care what they'd said to me.

He nodded in understanding and picked up a few papers in front of him. "So, that's good. Onto Sam, then. He's a great kid. He's always interested and asks a lot of questions."

I grinned at him. "Yeah... sorry about that."

"No, it's really a good thing. An inquisitive child is often an intelligent one. He always raises his hand and the rate he's taking information in and recalling is astonishing. If there is something he doesn't quite understand, he isn't afraid to ask for help. He is doing very well. He is at the top end of the class, and I've found that sometimes, I've had to set him a little extra task because he's finished the activities before his classmates."

"Wow... I had no idea. He always seems to do okay on his homework. I don't often have to help him out on anything other than the odd math problem, but I always struggled with that when I was at school, too," I admitted. I didn't tell him that I was dreading having to help my kid with the more complicated problems later on in life.

"There aren't any points that I need to go over where I have concern. He plays and interacts well with the other children. That's the good thing about six year olds – they don't judge like their parents do."

His eyes met mine once again. "Wait till they're older," I joke. "Girls in particular."

He smirked. "Why do you think I opted for first or second grade?"

I nodded in understanding.

"What I'm trying to say – and please, forgive me if you feel I'm prying as I don't mean it like that – but I can tell that you've been judged. I get that, too. Being young... and being in a position that deals closely with children... some people have funny ideas about what exactly is right and wrong. Especially in a small town. I've not been in Forks long, but it seems to be a tight knitted community. Ignore the comments. Let them pass over your head, and please, don't let them get you down."

I took a few moments to take that in. I could see where he was coming from. He was clearly young... and a teacher. Not to mention male. I couldn't comprehend how hard it must be for male teachers – particularly with how easy it was now a days to point a finger and yell pedo at someone. He was the only male teacher at the school and had a difficult age range to deal with.

"Thank you... Mr. Masen."

"Please, call me Edward."

"Edward. I guess you do understand, to an extent. You're right; people don't get it. Even though I've lived here all my life, the comments still fly at me. I guess people heard rumors and built up opinions about me. I deal with it, though. I have to – for Sam."

Edward leaned forward onto his elbows. I could almost smell him. "Ms. Swan."

"Bella," I breathed.

"Bella... if you ever want to talk about it, or if Sam comes home with any problems, please do not hesitate to come and see me. Perhaps I could help you sort it out?"

I nod and looked away for a moment as I tried to compose myself. "Thank you, Edward. That's very kind. Sam really likes you. He does nothing but talk about you on our car rides home. He doesn't spend that much time with men, so it's great he's settled with you so well."

"I'm glad you think so. I aim to please; I love my job."

We sat in silence for a few moments, and Edward quickly went through all of the different things the class had covered since his start at the school two weeks before, along with what he was going to be working on with them over the next couple of months.

It was soon time to leave. He opened the door for me, and we stepped back out into the corridor. The kind couple and the snooty bitches were still waiting.

Edward reached out and took my hand. When he touched me, I almost jumped. His skin was hot, and it sent a jolt up my arm and through my body. It was like a static shock but without the uncomfortable feeling.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Bella," he murmured to me as his fingers slipped gently against my own.

"You, too, Edward. Thank you."

He smiled brightly at me, and I nodded before turning away and walking slowly along the windowed hallway. I snuck a glance at the bitches and smiled happily at them. I would bet anything that they wouldn't be on first name terms with Mr. Masen.

I didn't take a breath until I was back in the car. I closed my eyes, resting my read onto the steering wheel.

Shit. I was totally fucked.

I had a crush on my son's teacher. I didn't have crushes. I didn't trust men. I didn't want a relationship... but something about the way he was. No. No, no, and no again. He was just totally hot and had paid attention to me. Men were pigs. End of.

I laughed at myself and turned the ignition, driving the short distance home in the hopes that my boys had saved me a slice of pizza.

What do you think of their first meeting and Bella's reaction to him – and her reaction to men in general. You all agreed with her in the previous chapter – that Riley is a huge douche. Any other parents have problems with bitchiness in the school yard? Press review and let me know.

Story Rec this week is:

Cullen's Anatomy by LisaDawn75

Summary: Bella Swan is a down on her luck, single mom whose son suffers from an extreme medical condition. Edward Cullen is a medical student who is assigned to help Bella and her son find affordable medical care as an ethics project. Needless to say, he's not too happy about the assignment as he would prefer to focus on what he feels is important, and Bella is not thrilled with a snobby medical student butting into her life. Will they be able to get along so Edward can get his project done and Bella's son the medical attention he needs, or will they end up hating each other on the way?

http : / www . fanfiction . net / s / 6924081 / 1 / Cullens_Anatomy