Okay note on the story since I failed to post it up the first chapter. Apologies in advance.

1. ALL are human in this story - I added that in the summary for the story already

2. This is happening in the year 2005 because both Edward (in my story) and Bella are born in 1987 and in this year 2005 they will both turn 18

3. Bethrothals are not necessarily only in olden days. Many still adopt this traditional culture but now in a more modern perspective :) This is just an idea for the story - hope you guys will still like it.

This chapter is based on Bella's POV all the way. I'm not sure if I'm going to do other chracter's POV but we'll see as the story unfolds.

Disclaimer - Don't own it. Only inspired by it.

Playlist - None

When Bella sees Edward for the first time, there is no music, just pure silence that makes it even more romantic and dazzling right? Or if you want you could always just slip in the track -

Paint the Silence by South

The New Beginning

Bella's POV

Flashback

The minute the warden walked into my dorm carrying a white sheet of paper, I knew it was for me. She was gone and there was nothing I could do about that. I was prepared though, always was and always will be.

"Child, you will be transferred back to the city. The school has arranged everything so you are now under the care of Mr. Billy Black. Transport will be here in fifteen minutes so I suggest you get packed up now."

The warden's voice had no trace of sympathy in it. It was the cold harsh bitter truth, my parents were gone and within those twelve hours while I was asleep, my mother, Renee Higgenbotham Swan died from a heart attack.

The journey to the Blacks house didn't feel long, my mind was preoccupied with other things. When the door of the Black's house opened, the boy that stood before me had met me with a frustrated expression on his face. He had a cheeky sparkle in his eyes that reminded me of those junior boys that used to play pranks on the warden.

The rest was history and finally I was shown to my room. I admit I was rather hostile at first; always answering when asked a question but never really offered to start up the conversation. Jacob was rather friendly and a nice guy so I'd say I wasn't in for a really bad family to stay with.

The room he gave me was more than average. I had never been allowed to have such a big room in my entire life. Their house was amazing – some people were truly blessed. There was even a window and since my dorm had not an inch of window in the damn rooms, I had to take that opportunity to peek out of it.

""Tomorrow is first day of school! Excited?" I heard him ask.

I walked over to the window to have that little peep and I replied, "Yeah, I guess so."

I found myself staring at the most beautiful property I had ever seen in my life. The Blacks house could not match up to its antique exterior of the hand carved white columns outside. There was a pebble path leading all around it with a pond and a fountain in the front lawn that was freshly cut.

Then, something moved out of the corner of my eye and my first instinct was naturally, to turn to it. I found myself staring at a garage porch at the side of the house and it was big enough to fit four cars. There was one car parked outside though – perhaps there was no more space in the garage?

It was a kind of car you normally saw in those car commercials that I sometimes saw in the eating halls' television before a program began. It was sleek and shiny with silver twinkling in the sunlight.

I began to narrow my eyes at something moving around the garage but couldn't quite make out what, or who it was. Was it a boy?

"How about a little tour? Of the house?" Jacob's voice cut into my thoughts.

Before he could walk over to take a look at what I was seeing, I turned around and shrugged, "Sure – hey, I'm sorry I don't seem very friendly. I take time to get warmed up to people."

The sun on my skin was actually fine – bearable at least and I was dreading the fact that I would have to stay in doors all the while. My pale skin was really sensitive to intense sunlight, sometimes I could get a little red rash but it goes away after awhile.

But nobody wants to walk around with a poppy coloured prize on their body.

The garden was surprisingly bigger than Jacob pointed out. The porch was a little smaller than the Masens' though, whose house was right next door to the left from the front of the house. The place was like a suburb, those places that are almost like an area of a smaller city or town in the larger city itself.

Thank God it was peaceful – I couldn't stand the congested and noise pollution of large cities. The air was rather cool and quiet here, just my type. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.

Each house was separated from each other by a hedge that ran along the sides. I went over to the hedge at the edge and brushed my hands against it. Back in the boarding school – we were hardly allowed to go out into the open because of all the safety regulations etc.

Suddenly, something snapped me out of my thoughts when I heard the beep of a car locking up. I peeked over the bush and I found myself staring at the front yard of the Masens' house once more. I looked over to the garage again and I saw the silver car once more (probably the Aston Martin V12 Jacob was referring to?) but this time, I saw something that made my heart flutter.

There was a boy leaning against the front door of the two-seater car at the driver's side facing towards me. He didn't see me (yet) though, his eyes were looking at the book that he was flipping through intently. His head was tilted forward in a way that would make any girl sigh. He was rather tall and lanky, but not as tall as Jacob – perhaps a slightly bit shorter. But the way his collared shirt was clinging onto him, he probably had a body that would give even Jacob a run for his money.

I couldn't help noticing that he was extremely good looking and he was one of those rare gorgeous guys that were only models with that flawless beautiful face of his. His skin was paler than mine but it suited him compared to mine that just made me look like I was sick. His hair was a strange shade of bronze I had ever seen that was messy and fell into his face with a sort of elegance that not many guys could achieve easily.

The sunlight that shone on his hair making it even more prominent. You'd think I've never seen a boy before but this was unbelievable. He looked like a Greek God in this light. This was probably the boy, the Masens' only son that Jacob was talking about –

The Mummy's boy?

The pampered jerk?

A short soft laugh escaped from me when I thought about this but it was short lived as suddenly the beautiful boy's head suddenly looked up. I quickly ducked down but I could swear he saw something moving from the corner of his eyes – which I noticed were piercing green.

He looked rather bored as he looked up but his eyes were just as beautiful as him and they were scanning the hedges. When his eyes came over to the spot I was hiding, I had a feeling he lingered there a second too long before he looked back down to his book – like he knew I was there.

I couldn't help myself – it was like I was being drawn by a magnet. I slowly got up again and this time I was only allowing my hair and my eyes to be peeping over. The boy yawned and ruffled up his hair behind as he stretched against the car – it was taking my breath away.

Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat when I heard Jacob's voice called, "Bella! What are you doing over there?"

The boy's eyes immediately looked up and narrowed towards me. I flinched - his eyes were so intense and powerful, like it was locking me into frozen state just by staring at me. I could see him better now, his lips were perfectly full and it was drawing me in.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I knew it was Jacob so I didn't bother to turn around. I was still gazing into his green eyes that were holding me still.

"What are you -" he began but then he looked across the lawn and then his face hardened.

"Oh – I see."

"No – no, it's not like that…I – I was -" but the words weren't coming out right from my mouth as my head was still clouded and blocked.

"Masen," Jacob nodded curtly.

The boy finally broke his glance from me. The feeling after he looked away was strange – I felt extremely light and dreamy.

He sighed indifferently and looked back down at his book before replying, "Good day, Black."

The sound of his voice stiffened me – it was deep like Jacob's but it had a velvety touch to it that would mesmerize even the most emotionless ones.

"Come on," Jacob said and he took me by both my shoulders and led me into the house.

That night after dinner…

"Are you mad at me?" Jacob asked as he stood in the doorway.

"No, why would you think that?" as I looked around to room to find my pajamas.

"I don't know – because I embarrassed you or blew your cover or…whatever I don't know! You tell me!" he urged.

"When?" and I must say I pride myself at pretending at times, but not always. I'm a pretty bad liar – or so that's what I've been told.

"This afternoon. I mean when I brought you in, you didn't say a word to me and you just went back up. During dinner just now you didn't even speak…"

"Er – your dad was talking to you, Jacob. Apparently, it's impolite to interrupt when someone is having a conversation," I rolled my eyes.

"That's not the point. Anyway, why were you peeping at him?" Jacob sounded annoyed.

"Is it really necessary to know?" I grumbled.

"Kinda – I told you not to get into trouble!"

I nibbled my lip, "I did say I was going for a minute peek…"

"Yeah, but I told you there is nothing to see! It was just the Masens house over the hedge!" Jacob pointed out.

On the contrary, there was definitely plenty to see.

"Why are you turning red?" Jacob suddenly said.

"Huh? No I'm not!"

He just stared at me for a moment before I shrugged, "Maybe it's the heat."

"It's freaking chilly right now, Bella. I don't think the heat has anything to do with that shade on your face."

"So what can you tell me about that boy next door?" I tried to change the subject.

"The what?"

"You know – that boy we saw this afternoon. The one I was – err…"

"Peeping at?" Jacob replied sourly.

I looked at him strangely, "Yeah – if you consider it that way. The one you referred to as Masen, the boy with the bronze hair against that car."

"Who?" he grinned.

I frowned, "The – the Mummy's boy!"

"Oh right, Edward Jr. Masen. But his dad's dead so don't bother bout the junior part. He's a freak, that's all you need to know."

"Jacob!" I threw my pillow across at him. I couldn't believe his remotely blunt way of informing me about someone's parent's absence.

"Alright! What you want to know then!" he laughed, catching it perfectly.

"Who is he? How old?" I asked and tried as hard as I could to show a lack of interest.

"I just told you who he is. His dad was my dad's lawyer so that's how we know each other briefly, I guess. He's same age as us," he rolled his eyes, indicating like it was really obvious.

"Well I'm sorry, he sure didn't look seventeen," I shook my head.

"What? How old did you think he was?"

20? A college senior maybe? A celebrity? A model – somewhere around there and I smiled thinking about it but quickly wiped it off my face as Jacob frowned at me.

"No clue," I shrugged.

"Well, he goes to our school just to let you know that. He drives around that car of his like a fancy royalty and just because his family is loaded doesn't mean he has got to flash it all around," Jacob said sourly.

"I don't know – he doesn't seem like that type…"

Jacob stared at me again for a long time before shaking his head, "You don't know him yet then. He hangs around with this bunch of guys that are no better. And all three of them walk around like they own the place."

"Really?" although I guess I didn't sound that convincing.

"Yeah, but lucky me and my buds are here too to make sure they remain in their place and don't put anyone outta' line. Bossing around people like a bunch of -"

"Okay, Jacob. I get the idea but I still find it hard to believe though," I interrupted.

"Fine, you will soon. You can hang out with me and my gang, Embry and Quil is loads of fun really. Embry is so big that I swear he could probably take on that big brawny guy that hangs around with that freak."

"The who?"

"Emmett something. I don't really care about their last names, Bella."

"Okay well you know what? I gotta hit the sack and tomorrow's my first day so I wouldn't want to create the impression when I fall asleep in class," I yawned.

"Sure. See you tomorrow!" and he tossed me back my pillow.

"Goodnight Jacob."

He grinned at me before closing my door. I washed up and pulled on my clothes and just as I switched my lights off, I had that inquisitive feeling again and I quietly crept to the window. I tried to remain as low as possible as I peeped out.

The Masens' porch was empty but the night lights that were shinning made the house look like a palace. The silver car was no longer parked outside, instead it was replaced with another silver car but I had no clue what it was – I never really understood people's infatuation with cars.

There was no one outside so I gave up and climbed into my creaky bed.

I looked up to the dark ceiling and said, "Goodnight, Mum…"

The next day would come too soon, and that I to endure not only a new school and a whole new beginning with a couple of new friends, it would be my second sighting of Edward Masen.

My heart fluttered again. Now that is something I could look forward to.

There you go. What'd you think? Hate it? Snooze all the way? Will try to keep you guys updated asap for every chapter. I'm actually pretty stressed up thinking which chracters to add and which chracters to not add.

Jessica over Angela?

Mike over Tyler?

Quil over Embry?

Ben over Eric?

or even...

Emmett over Jasper?

OR

Rosalie OVER Alice?

Yikes...Imagine that huh? READ AND REVIEW GUYS! Review for an UPDATE:) Till then!

-Akanay