"Why hello, I'm Jasper Cullen. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. you're Isabella right?" he said as soon as I sat down.

He was actually talking to me. He was actually at school. Both things struck me as odd. Truthfully they shouldn't. But the main thing that was odd was his voice. It sounded like velvet, with a twist of breezy holiday bells and acoustic guitar. Only it was a voice, not any of those beautiful things. Suddenly, he interrupted my train of thought by talking to me again.

"Hello? Anybody in there?" he said waving his hand in front of my face with a laugh in his voice.

"Um, yeah. Uh, hi. It's Bella. Hi Jasper." I stuttered like an idiot.

"Hi. May I ask why you don't like to be called Isabella? Or would you rather not answer that? You don't have to if it's personal."

"Oh! No that's not personal. People ask me that all the time. I'm really used to it." I told him, feeling like an idiot still

"Alright but you never answered my question." he stated

"Isabella just sounds too fancy for a freak like me and it's too long anyway."

"I think it's a beautiful name, but what you prefer to be called is your choice." he said almost admiringly

Then we got to work on our project and before I knew it, the day was over. My thoughts decided they needed to be about Jasper. He was all I could think about. But I had never liked anyone before, so I didn't know what it felt like. In the middle of my thoughts, someone pulled into our driveway, and Charlie was already home, so I went to go see who it was.

My dad was already greeting Billy and Jacob Black when I got down the stairs.

"Hey Bella. You remember me Jacob right? We used to play in the mud when we were little. That ring a bell?" he introduced himself and questioned me

"Yeah I remember! How could I forget! You were my only friend here when I came to visit! It's great to see you Jake!" I exclaimed throwing my arms around him

He hugged me back seeming glad that I remembered him. How could I forget though, really? When you're a little kid with no friends and you suddenly get a friend for a few years you don't just forget them!

"I figured you'd remember. You always beat me at our mud pie building races. Those days were fun." he said with a smile

"Yeah they definitely were."

Cool, so I have a friend in this town. Or at least one that I hadn't just met. It felt good knowing that.

"I actually insisted on coming up here from the reservation to see if you wanted to hang out. You know, as friends. I am a little bit young for you. So yeah, wanna hang out?" he asked eagerly

"Sure, I don't see why not. Any places or times in mind?"

" I was thinking the beach on the rez, and the time doesn't matter."

"Ok, yeah um, how about Saturday?" I suggested

"Sure, I can pick you up right after noon."

"Sounds good! That can work. And that thing you said about being too young for me, how old are you anyway?" I questioned him

"Just turned 16 last month."

"Hey I'm only 17! Sure I will be 18 in a few months but I'm not that much older!" I exclaimed

" I know but most girls want guys older than them."

"Well I am one who doesn't think that matters." I informed him

"Nice, but I have to get going. I'll see you Saturday."

"Bye, see ya!" I said following him and Billy to close the door behind them.

So, not only did I reunite with an old friend, but also made plans with him. Pretty cool. I think I do need a friend. The beach sounds like fun, even if it is cold and I am a klutz. I don't care. I'll be with Jacob, that should be fun enough.

So the rest of my week went by slowly, probably caused by my need (or what felt like one) to see Jacob again. The only things that happened that really mattered were, Jasper and I finished our project and got an A. Besides that nothing mattered, except that my liking for Jasper only got stronger.

Why was I feeling like that? I had never liked a guy before. Why now? What was different? I can't stand having one thing to think about, even if that one thing is Jasper, but luckily right now I have Jacob too. But the weird thing, is that I think I like Jasper, but yet I know so little about him. The only things I know are his family members, his name, and that he's insanely smart.

Finally, after a long, boring week of high school, Saturday came. By the time Jake picked me up, I had eaten breakfast, showered, and gotten dressed. While I waited for him I just watched out the window. The feeling I got when his truck pulled in was all happy and excited. I think. I'm really bad at explaining things. I was outside before he even shut his truck down.

"Hey. I'm glad you made it." I said happily, opening the passenger door to his truck and climbing in.

"I'm glad I did too. You ready for La Push?"

"Yeah, I've been ready since you first brought it up on Sunday. You're not going to try to get me to swim, are you?" I questioned hoping he'd say no

"Not if you don't want to, but I suggest you do. The water is warmer there than the air is out here. By a lot. And I'm not just saying that."

With that being said, he pulled out of the driveway and we were on our way. Pulling up to the beach was awesome. Something about it was extra fun looking. I got out and ran straight to the water, stumbling twice. I stuck my hand in the water and sure enough, it was warm.

"So you swimming?" he eagerly asked

"Yeah just don't expect me to go far enough that I can't touch the bottom."

"Ok I won't."

As he said that, I slipped off my sweatshirt and jeans to reveal my beige colored bikini. Jacob seemed to be looking at me, and he was clearly trying not to. What was interesting? It was cold out and I was all huddled up and nearly shivering. But I was in a bikini. And most guys do stare at girls in bikinis. Oh well.

"Sorry Bella, I don't mean to stare, but you're hot, you know that right?" he questioned, trying to hide his admiration

"It's fine, I know guys can't help staring, and you're joking right?"

"Not at all, I mean it in every way." he replied

"Maybe that's why Jasper acted like that." I said, starting to figure him out

"Jasper... You mean that Cullen guy?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"In a way." he said

"Are you guys friends?" I questioned

"No, Quite the opposite actually. The Cullens don't come here."

"What? What does that mean? They don't come here why?" I asked, totally confused

"Well, Quiletes are supposedly descended from wolves. The Cullens are descended from an enemy of wolves. Or so it's said. And apparently there's a treaty that says they can't come on our land and we can't defend on their land. But its just a story and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it." he said reluctantly

"Ok, but what enemy? And what does that have to do with this at all?"

"I really can't tell anymore Bella, but I would if I could." Jake said sadly

"Oh, that's ok. I understand."

It was sad that he couldn't say any more, but he was pushing the limits as it was, so I would just have to leave it alone. But I was hot. I had never heard that before in my life. What did hot even mean? Or more likely, what did it normally describe? When I heard people say hot, it was normally about porn stars and strippers, and occasionally a model. But never about me. If only I had the guts to ask Jasper his opinion.

For the rest of the time I was at the beach with Jacob, we didn't bring up the Cullens. We just ran around the water for a while, then chilled out and got to know each other. He drove me home when it got dark. Then I had to stand the fact that I would see Jasper in less than 48 hours. That was bad because whenever he came around I got nervous. I guess I just had to find out what to say.

Monday morning came by before I knew it. There Jasper was, at school, by his siblings. I stood by my truck a few minutes, sorting through my back pack, when all of a sudden, Jasper came up to me and started talking.

"Hello Bella. May I ask you an odd question to be asking this soon after meeting you?" he asked me carefully

"Uh, yeah. I guess so. What is this odd question?" asked him back jokingly

"Bella, do you want to go on a date sometime? Like, tomorrow? Or any day that would be a better option for you?"