Chapter 6: High School Hell

Emma POV

I woke up to the alarm beeping shrilly in my ears. I tried to fall back asleep but the noise was a nuisance. I got up and crossed the room to turn off the alarm.

Hoping that by placing it so far away that I would be awake by the time I turned it off.

It didn't work.

I dove back into bed enjoying the silence. A knock came at my door.

"Rise and shine!" It was Charlie, why was he so happy so early in the morning. I peeked at him; he was already dressed in his uniform ready for work.

"No…" I moaned. Sleep.

"Come on, I'll send Bella in next," he laughed and took a sip of his coffee.

The memory of Bella dragging me out of bed yesterday woke me up.

"Fine, fine, I'm up," I replied to his threat.

"Alright good, I'm off to work, I'll see you girls later." He closed the door behind him.

I got up and headed to the bathroom, thank goodness I beat Bella. I took a quick shower and hurried back to my room in my towel.

I went through the bags that Alice gave me and picked out a pair of designer jeans and an ivory cashmere sweater. I opened one of the shoeboxes to find a delicate pair of gold ballet flats I slipped them on and admired the look in the mirror.

It was a little fancy but I looked good. I couldn't believe how well everything fit; it was if they were tailored to fit me.

How did Alice do it?

I combed my hair out leaving it down.

I put on a bit of gold eye shadow, it shimmered in the light. I added some pale pink lip-gloss and headed downstairs for breakfast.

I was surprised to see Bella sitting on the counter finishing a bowl of cereal. I grabbed another granola bar.

"Can we talk about last night?" she asked. I sighed. I really didn't want to.

"Bella, I don't care, you love him, sure it is a little weird and I will definitely be watching what I think around him, but other then that I decided it doesn't really bother me." She nodded in understanding.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome."

"We have to take my truck to school, Edward's taking his new brother to school today," she said between bites.

"Oh, I heard Carlisle mention him in the office yesterday, should we go?" I asked.

"Sure." She slipped off the counter and rinsed her bowl in the sink. She grabbed her keys and we left for school. We arrived early and Bella parked the truck. I saw Mike Newton heading in our direction.

"Come on let's go." I grabbed Bella and pulled her out of the truck we ran to the nearest building and into the girl's bathroom. Bella was laughing.

"You can't hide from him forever," she said between gasps.

"Oh, yes I can and I plan to," I replied. Bella laughed.

"Okay, well, I am going to go find Edward, I'll see you later at lunch," she said as she left the bathroom, as she opened the door she laughed.

"Hello Mike, how are you?" she asked. I froze; he was waiting for me out there. Damn!

The door closed and I couldn't hear their conversation. I waited another ten minutes until the bell rang. I didn't care. I was willing to be late to class.

I waited another ten minutes and slowly opened the door checking the hallway. The coast was clear. I snuck out of the bathroom tiptoeing to my class. I really did not want to see Mike. I stepped inside my classroom and hurried to my seat.

"You're late Miss. Riley!" said the teacher, all eyes turned to me, I gulped, I really didn't want to get in trouble.

"I'll excuse it this time, but next time you'll get a detention." I nodded and opened up my book. I sat taking notes on the lecture until someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked behind me to find a tiny pixie-like girl that had the same colored eyes as Edward. She had short spiky black hair and was smiling widely at me.

"Hi Emma, I'm Alice," she whispered over my shoulder. My eyes widened. This was Alice? She was gorgeous just like her brother. I smiled.

"Hi, thank you for the clothes," I whispered back.

She looked over my outfit.

"You look great," she said barely containing her glee.

"They fit perfect, how did you know my size?" I asked still confused as to how she found clothes that fit me so well.

"Oh, I have my talents," she said with a grin. Talents? Like Edward's freaky mind reading talent. What could she do?

"Is it like Edward's mind reading talent?" I asked curiously. She looked shocked. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

"What did you say?" she asked as if she misheard me. I knew she heard every word clearly. I indulged her and reiterated what I had said.

"Is your talent like Edward's mind reading talent?" I said it a little louder so that she couldn't ask me 'what' again.

She looked frightened, almost terrified.

"Shh! People are looking," she said through her teeth. I looked around, even though the teacher was droning on most of the students were watching our conversation.

I turned around and ignored her. She had a talent. But what was it? I knew she couldn't read my mind because if she could she wouldn't be so confused.

I returned to my note taking until the bell rung. Alice grabbed my stuff off of my desk and pulled me into a deserted classroom. She locked the door behind her and turned to stare at me.

For some reason her eyes had changed color, they were no longer the beautiful topaz color, they were now a flat solid black. Her features were etched with fury.

"What did he tell you?" she shouted.

"Who?" I asked slightly frightened of this tiny girl standing before me. I hovered over her but I knew somehow that she had more strength then she was willing to display.

"My stupid brother, what did Edward tell you?" she asked again.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Don't lie to me," she fumed. "He is such an idiot, it isn't his place to tell, how could he?" she mumbled to herself. I felt bad, whatever this secret was she didn't want anyone to know.

"He didn't mean to, it was an accident," I whispered. She flipped around and stared at me. Trying to decide whether or not to believe me.

"What happened?" she asked, her demeanor calmed as she took a few deep breaths. I decided to explain.

"Last night, the pizza delivery guy was being obnoxious. Edward dragged him away and Bella got mad, she said that we could take care of ourselves but he argued back saying that she didn't hear what he was thinking," I explained. "He forgot that I was there."

Her fury was back, "He didn't, how many times must he do this, it wasn't his right to tell her, he should know better…" she continued ranting to herself.

"What else did he tell you?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing, why? What are you hiding?" I asked suddenly suspicious, if he could hurt Bella she needed to know.

The bell rang; great I was going to be late to another class.

"It's not for me to tell either," she turned back to me smiling, "what's done is done." She grabbed my hand with her icy fingers.

Her mood had done a complete one-eighty. She practically skipped out of the building pulling me with her. She dropped me off in front of my classroom and continued on down the hallway. Strange, these Cullen's were definitely strange.

I entered the class and sat down next to Angela as the final bell rung. She looked at me curiously and scribbled on a piece of paper, she slid it across the desk and I opened it.

'What was that about? Alice was giving you the death glare…'

I shrugged and wrote back, 'she was mad at her brother for telling me something, but she seems fine now'

Angela nodded. We continued writing back and forth; it made the time fly by. My next two classes passed by without incident. The bell rang for lunch and I was half grateful and half ungrateful. I was glad to escape the confines of the monotonous classroom but I was fearful that Mike would be waiting to barrage me with corny pickup lines.

I opened the door to the cafeteria and headed straight for our table. I saw Edward and Alice arguing with each other in low voices nearby, most likely about our conversation this morning. Someone else was with them but I didn't see his face, his curly hair reminded me of Jackson. I pushed the thought away, I was just imagining things.

I plopped down between Bella and Angela; Bella was watching the exchange between Alice and Edward with keen interest.

"It's about their talents," I whispered to her. She raised her eyebrows wanting more details.

"She knows that I know and she isn't very happy," I explained. She mouth 'oh' to me and turned to her food. "She seemed rather mad at me though."

Bella shook her head smiling, "Trust me she isn't mad at you, her and Edward fight like this all the time, siblings," she explained.

"Want a bite?" gesturing at her salad with her fork. I shook my head. I wasn't hungry.

"Bella told me all about your bathroom stakeout this morning, is that why you were late to class?" Angela asked smiling, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Bella," I groaned, "You told!" Bella started to laugh.

"I am sorry, you should have seen your face when you realized he was in the hallway!" Angela and Bella broke out into a fit of giggles.

I slapped them each on the arm out of frustration but it only made them laugh harder. Soon I felt myself being pulled in. It really was rather hilarious. I thought about how I had tiptoed to class like a spy, I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I laughed along with my two closest friends.

Jackson POV

---- rewind to the beginning of the day----

As I left my daze I realized that I had missed a call from Emma. I didn't feel the phone vibrate. She called around 10. As I listened to her message I could tell her voice was weak, she was giving up hope. My heart broke hearing her sadness over me. I realized then that she truly loved the human me, but could she love what I am now? I didn't have to wait much longer. Today was the day that I would see her in person.

I hurriedly took a shower. I put the contacts that Carlisle got for me in my eyes. I didn't like the effect; they made my eyes an ugly brown. I actually preferred my frightening red eyes. At least they held life.

I stepped into the closet trying to decide what to wear. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a pulled on a white t-shirt with a screen-printed logo. I zipped up a green hoodie and slipped my cell phone and my new ipod from Edward in my pocket.

I grabbed the backpack that Esme prepared for me and headed downstairs. I felt butterflies in my stomach, but it was unlike any other first day of school. I passed Jasper on my way to the front door.

"Calm down, why are you so nervous?" he asked.

I shook my head not wanting to tell him. He just shrugged and went back to the book he was reading. Alice came floating down the stairs; she kissed her husband and ran out the front door.

"Edward! Jack! Let's go!" she screamed from the passenger seat of Edward's Volvo. She honked the horn twice as I stepped onto the porch. I could hear Edward laughing behind me.

"I don't have a clue why she needs to get to school early," he said to me. I shrugged my shoulders.

We sped to school in silence. Alice was giddily bouncing up and down in her seat. She kept changing the radio station; she couldn't sit still.

We pulled into the parking lot and I noticed Bella's truck was here already, but I saw no sign of her or Emma. Edward gave me directions to the office so I could get my class schedule.

Alice skipped away, "I'll see you at lunch!" She sang with a strong suggestion of knowledge. As I walked towards the office I saw Bella exit a building nearby and run to Edward. He picked her up and kissed her. Oh, how I wanted to do that with Emma. I looked behind Bella but Emma was not trailing behind her. I walked into the office to get my schedule. I was greeted by an over excited secretary.

"Oh, hello! You must be the new Cullen!" she smiled at me and her eyes headed south.

"Yes, I need my schedule." Her eyes glanced up. I was not comfortable being ogled by anyone especially someone that was probably older then my own mother.

"Oh, yes, here it," she said as she handed me a pile of paperwork, "Just have each teacher sign this sheet and return it at the end of the day." I nodded in reply and raced out of the main office away from her obtrusive gaze.

My classes were boring; my mind was stuck on Emma. I was disappointed that I didn't share any classes with her. I received stares from most of the students.

The girls seemed to be admiring me while the boys seemed to be glaring. I ignored them and focused on my thoughts, Emma. The morning passed by quickly. The bell rang for lunch. This was the one place that I was guaranteed to find her.

As I walked through the double doors I saw Edward and Alice off to the side, I joined them as I checked the room. Still no Emma. I could tell that Edward and Alice were arguing as I got closer the words 'Bella's new friend', caught my ear.

They were arguing about Emma.

"Edward! How could you slip? She knows that we are different! She asked me what my talent was in the middle of the class!"

"Alice!" Edward sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "it was an accident! She didn't really freak out. I talked to Bella this morning and she said she was fine with it! She doesn't care that we are different!"

"Edward! It doesn't matter if she cares or not!" Oh, but it does matter I thought. It matters so much. "You have no right to tell her anything! It isn't your place, leave her alone!"

Alice was angry, but she wasn't angry that Emma knew she was angry that Edward was telling her instead of me.

She was saying it was my place, I needed to tell Emma.

Edward shrugged. He didn't understand. But I was still intrigued.

Emma didn't know what they were but she didn't care that they were different, maybe she wouldn't care that I was a vampire. Maybe.

I didn't even realize that she had entered the room. But I heard her laugh. I recognized it. It was so sweet and hypnotizing I could listen to her laugh all day.

Memories began flooding back; all of them of Emma.

The first time I saw her and the immediate crush I felt.

The years of longing that passed before we confessed our true feelings.

Our first kiss. Her silky lips on mine.

The smell of her hair as she ran past me laughing, she smelled sweet like peaches.

Us cuddled together under the stars sharing our inner most secrets.

Hushed 'I love you's' shared in private.

The feel of her bare skin on mine.

The first time that we declared our love for each other without words.

Everything about her blossomed out before me.

I knew everything her favorite color: apple green. Her first turtle's name: Scooter. I knew that she had a tiny scar on her left knee from falling through a glass shower door.

Everything about her was there.

My mind was so full of wonder I was knocked back to reality when the girl next to her spoke.

"Uh oh, here comes Newton," the girl said with a stifled laugh.

Emma groaned, she wanted nothing to do with this person. I eyed him menacingly, he had pale blond hair and he was barely taller then Emma.

He was watching her every move. I didn't like the way he was looking at her. He threw his tray on the table trying to draw attention to him, but Emma still looked in the other direction. But he was undeterred.

"So, Emma, it's Friday night, why don't we step this," he gestured between himself and her, "up a notch." He grinned, my jealously flared. Was there something going on between them like he suggested?

"There is no us!" she said, people began to look in her direction. Thank goodness she didn't like him, by the looks of her she loathed him. But he didn't see it.

"Why not? I think you're hot, I'm not too bad myself," he replied. How dare he hit on her like that! Before I could attack him she replied scathingly back.

"Why not? Seriously? Why not? Because I am not interested!" she said it slowly, I chuckled she thought he was challenged, classic. "And not only that but I do have a boyfriend." She does? Wait, that's me isn't it?

"Well, it doesn't seem that you do? Where is he exactly?" he said it casually but her face was shocked as though he had stabbed her in the heart.

I was here, I was right here.

I started to step forward but someone else attacked him first.

"Screw you!" A hand slapped him across the face hard the sound reverberated through the now silent room.

It was Bella, she was absolutely fuming, and I had never imagined that she could have such a temper.

Mike looked shocked. Everyone in the cafeteria was frozen trying to figure out what was going on. Angela wrapped her arms around Emma. She looked as though her heart had broken in two.

She stood up, trying to escape but something made her jump. She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out her phone. The exact phone that she had called me on over and over. Why hadn't I answered?

She looked at the caller ID and whimpered. She didn't say anything but her fingers were shaking as she opened the phone.

"Hello?" she asked in a weak voice. I could hear everything from where I stood, even sounds that people surrounding her couldn't pick up.

"Emma, is that you?" The voice on the other end sounded so familiar. For some reason hearing it made me angry. The woman was crying I could hear that clearly.

"Yes…" Emma said struggling to get the word out. I waited for the woman to speak as she sobbed into the phone.

A single tear trickled down Emma's cheek. I wanted to wipe it away. But she didn't know me anymore.

"The police found his car in Seattle," she sobbed. Oh, no. Please anything but this. "But that's not all, they found his t-shirt in an alley, it was covered in his blood it was everywhere; too much," she cried. No! Emma! No! It isn't true. Don't believe her.

"Emma, he's dead," the woman said shortly into the phone. I knew she meant me.

"No! Stop lying!" Emma shouted into the phone. The room was quite, everyone was watching her. Alice grabbed my arm but I shook her off.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it is all my fault," the woman sobbed.

Emma screamed and dropped the phone.

I couldn't stop myself any longer. I ran to her as she fell. I wrapped my arms around her warm waist and held her to me as she cried. I heard Bella scream next to me. She hit my arm over and over again.

"Put her down!" she screamed. I refused and pulled Emma closer and ran out of the cafeteria.

Edward shouted at me to stop. He didn't understand. I love her. I growled at him as he ran at me. He stopped and stared at me dumbstruck. I ran faster. Carrying Emma with me deep into the woods that surrounded the school.

I looked down at Emma her tears were flowing freely. She looked destroyed. I had done this to her.

She screamed in anguished and I held her closer. She grabbed fistfuls of my shirt and buried her head in my chest. Her warm tears were soaking through my shirt and onto my chest. Her body rocked with grief.

I stopped running and held her close. Her eyes opened but she didn't look up at me. She was so beautiful even when she was so sad. I ran my hand along her back in slow circles trying to calm her breathing and erratic heartbeat.

I bent down and whispered in her ear. "It's okay, it's not true."

Her breathing calmed but she shook her head disagreeing with me.

"Nothing is okay, Jackson is dead. It has to be true, they have evidence. Jackson is dead," she shook her head as she mumbled to herself. "He is dead," she argued.

I ran my fingers through her golden hair, her mermaid hair. I smiled at that thought and instinctively kissed her forehead. A memory popped into my head. I had promised to protect her, to love her forever. But she thought I was dead.

"It's not true I promise. I promised and I am here," I whispered into her ear.

She looked at my face and jumped back. I held her tightly, not letting her fall.

Emma POV

"It's not true I promise. I promised and I am here," the strangers voice was filled with sadness. I continued to cry. What did he promise?

I looked at his face and jumped back. But he held on tight not letting me fall.

He face was so familiar but so different. It couldn't be true. His eyes were the wrong color but the intensity was familiar. His nose used to have a bump where he had broken it in the sixth grade, but it was perfectly straight. His skin was pale when it had been a golden brown. His brows were furrowed in sadness. It couldn't be him.

He looked so different.

But his hair, it was exactly the same. A curly mass of untidy dirty blonde hair. I wrapped a curl around my finger.

"Jackson?" I asked hesitantly, it wasn't possible. Why did he look so different? So much like the Cullen's?

He nodded. I gasped. No! It wasn't possible.

"How?" I asked surprised. "They think you are dead."

"I am," he answered sadly. No he wasn't! He was right here. I touched his cheek, it felt so cold. But he was solid, he was real.

"Don't lie to me," I whispered. Searching his face for answers.

"I am…" he hesitated. Unsure of how to go on. Whether or not to continue.

"I am a vampire," he said it so quietly I barely heard him as his head dropped, he was ashamed.

For some reason I believed him. He wasn't lying to me.

I tilted his chin and made him look me in the eye. His eyes were so wrong, they weren't meant to be a muddy brown.

He was so sad. I couldn't stand it.

I pressed my lips against his.

They were cold but I didn't mind. He froze beneath me. I twisted my fingers through his hair and pushed my chest against his.

He finally kissed me back and pushed himself on top of me, we crashed to the earthy floor.

His lips felt so familiar against my own. Finally I had found my other half.

He had one hand placed gently on my neck his fingers resting just over my pulse point and the other drew tantalizing circles on my hip. We continued to roll around on the mossy ground until I was nearly out of breath. He kissed my neck as I breathed in deeply.

"I love you," he whispered into my ear. I shivered as his cool breath caressed my skin.

"I love you, too," a tear spilled down my blushing cheek. He wiped it away with his cool finger.

"What is wrong?" he asked concerned, sadness washing away the lust that had previously filled his eyes.

"Nothing," I smiled. "I am just so happy." He smiled back and his lips crashed to mine. His hands ran over my stomach and I couldn't help but laugh. I was so ticklish under his touch. He laughed back as I tried to squirm away.

"You're not going anywhere," he whispered as he held my body down with his.

"I don't plan on it," I replied kissing my way along his neck trying to calm my laughter.

"I have missed you," he kissed my cheek. As I continued to giggle. "Did you miss me?" he asked.

"You have no idea," I pulled his lips to mine enjoying the feel on him against me. It had been too long since I had felt his touch.

------

"Tell me what happened, where have you been?"

He looked serious.

"I honestly don't remember," he sighed and twisted a lock of my hair around his finger.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Before today the only things I could remember happened after I was changed."

"What did you remember today?" I asked still unsure of what he was telling me.

"You." He said it so simply like it was the most apparent thing in the world. I waited for him to continue, I could tell by the way his brow furrowed that he had more to say on the subject.

"Before today I had no human memories, everything of my past was completely blank when I woke up. I was in an alley covered in blood, my clothes were torn and the only memory I had was of the pain. The pain that turned me into this."

His face was so sad. I squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"After that I roamed the forest. I hunted," I froze. What did he hunt? Vampires were supposed to attack humans. He laughed and pulled me to him. I relaxed at his touch. "Don't worry. I hunted animals." He kissed my temple and continued on with his story.

"I moped around the forest for weeks, I wasn't counting the days. I eventually ran into a boy, that turned out to be a werewolf," I looked at him disbelieving.

He laughed again; it was so nice to hear his laugh. "What you believe in vampires but not werewolves?" he asked.

I shrugged, "I believe in you." I kissed him and he kissed back.

"So, this werewolf…" I prompted.

He smiled, "So, this werewolf told me that I was violating a treaty and wasn't supposed to be on his land, he pointed me in the direction of Forks. Then Edward picked me up off of the side of the road and his family adopted me. I have been with them for the past few days." I looked into his eyes. He had been through much more, he was holding back but I didn't push him for details, he would tell me eventually.

"Where do I fit into all of this?" I asked.

"You fit in everywhere," he kissed my forehead and continued, "The first time that I saw I had missed your call I was a mess. I couldn't remember you but I knew that you were important to me. You kept calling, and I was tempted to pick up-"

I cut him off.

"You knew I had been calling?" anger was creeping up to the surface. "Why Jackson? Why didn't you answer?" I tear slipped down my cheek.

"Please forgive me." He looked as though he could cry. "I wanted to but I didn't know what I was or who I was and once I figured out that you loved me I knew that there was a chance that you wouldn't once you found out what I had become."

I was heart broken all over again. How could he think that? I was his, forever and always. I had promised; he had promised.

"I will always love you Jackson, no matter what or who you become."

He looked at me with hope. "Really? Even if I am a hideous animal killing beast?" he asked.

I laughed, "Of course, if you have forgotten I do eat my fair share of cheeseburgers."

"It isn't the same Emma," he groaned.

"I beg to differ," I kissed him before he could argue back. We continued to make out on the forest floor, enjoying each other. I felt the warm sun shine down on my skin. I had seriously missed the sun. A slight glimmer shined in my eye. I broke from our kiss and caught the object that was shining at me. It was Jackson; a small square of sunlight hit the back of his neck. He was shimmering in the light; it was as though a thousand diamonds had been embedded in his pale skin.

I ran my fingers over the spot it felt the same, yet he glittered.

"What are you looking at?" he asked breaking me out of my daze.

"Look," I sat up and held his hand in the sun. His skin twinkled brightly. He gasped and pulled his hand out of the light.

"Did it hurt?" I asked surprised.

He shook his head. And stared at me.

"What happened? Is that normal?"

"I don't know, I haven't been in the sun." He stuck his hand back in the sunlight.

"I sparkle!" he groaned in agitation.

"Real men sparkle!" I replied unable to hold in my giggles.

He pounced on me, pushing his lips against mine.