CHAPTER 2

ElizPOV

As I scrape my plate into the garbage disposal, two swift honks sound from the driveway. I look up just in time to see the police cruiser pull into our driveway in the window over the sink. Campbell climbs out of the car and hurries through the rain to get inside. Despite the brief journey, he is almost sopping wet when I meet him at the door.

"Hey, Cam," I begin softly, crossing my arms.

"Morning."

He trudges past me and throws his soaked coat on the arm of the couch, as always, and I grab it and hang it on the coat rack, as always. I follow him into the kitchen and begin heating up his plate while he washes his hands. I can't quite remember when it was established, but this has become our morning ritual now. I set the plate on our small table, and Campbell kisses my forehead quickly before sitting down to help himself. I wait patiently against a counter while my brother cleans his plate, knowing he is always in a better frame of mind after a warm breakfast. He downs the last of his orange juice and sighs heavily. His tired eyes meet my expectant gaze.

"How's granddad?" he asks, leaning back into the chair.

"Fine. He's still asleep."

He nods thoughtfully. "You sleep okay?"

"Yeah."

He looks at me a moment longer. "Alright," he says, "What is it?"

I look down at my hands. "Did you talk to Chief about your hours yet?" I ask carefully.

He shakes his head. "Not this again."

"Well, all I'm saying is that you don't need to work so much," I try. "I mean…we have everything we need."

He takes of his uniform cap and ruffles his messy black hair. "How many times are we going to argue about this, Liz? I'm not in the mood to fight you this morning."

"I don't want to fight, I want to talk."

"Well, this conversation's over," he concludes, getting up and stalking out of the kitchen.

"No, it's not," I call. He doesn't stop. My anger flares. "You promised you would stop working so much, Campbell. When are you going to do something about it?" I demand, following him.

He turns quickly and I almost crash into him. We are only inches apart and his advantage in height over me is suddenly much more apparent. "I'll do something about it when the hospital stops charging us for Gran's medication, or when I can stop saving for your college education. Maybe I'll stop working when the world stops running on money. Until then all you have to worry about is getting to school on time, cleaning your room, and making sure Gram doesn't drown in his bathwater. Is that too much to ask for? Can you do that for me, Elizabeth?"

He backs away, breathing hard. I am taken aback, and then angry again. "Don't talk to me like I'm a child, okay? You wouldn't do that if Mom was still here." I pause. He glares at me in disbelief. "And you don't have to stop working…I just wish you'd spend more time at home, Cam. It kind of feels like the station's your second family, and I don't want to be replaced," I say, my voice softening.

He turns away and stands at the foot of the stairs.

"You're going to be late for school."

Later. I tap the pencil on the desk absent-mindedly, gazing out of the window. In AP Psychology, concentrating on Mr. Motta's lecture is no simple task. My incessant tapping distracts Taggarty from her notes. She looks at me pointedly.

"What are you stressing about?" she whispers.

"Nothing," I whisper back, trying to look honest.

She pouts. "Must be a big nothing…"

I know how guilty my face must look. Taggarty was my first and closest friend at Forks High, and there isn't much we keep from each other. Before I can consider spilling my beans, the bell rings. Daniel is waiting at the door and falls into step with me as we make our way to my locker.

"Still jumpy?" he asks, taking my hand.

"Not really," I reply. "More…I don't know, on edge or something. I just need to relax for a while."

"Then spend the weekend with me," he murmured, smiling. I sigh because he has me cornered. It is an arrangement we've been debating for weeks.

"I don't know, Daniel," I say reluctantly. "Campbell and Gram…they need me. You know Cam. He wouldn't know how to boil water."

Daniel laughs. "No arguments there. But c'mon, Liz, it would be really nice. The weather's going to be great. We could sit in the sun, or hang by the pool…or just stay inside, if you don't feel up to it. We can do whatever you want."

Despite myself, I smile. "Well…that does sound nice."

"So are we doing this?" he asks hopefully.

I see him long before Daniel does. He is leaning against my locker, looking around anxiously. Before I can look away, his eyes snap up to mine and catch me off guard. I flush, aware that we are quickly approaching the locker. His eyes flick over to Daniel and his jaw tightens minutely.

"Earth to Elizabeth Swan."

I blink and turn back to Daniel. "Um, hey…can you…"

Before I can finish, we are already there. Daniel reaches for my locker and pauses when he sees who is leaning against it. He looks back at me, confused.

I clear my throat. "Daniel, this is…" I turn back to the beautiful stranger.

He does not look pleased. "Edward Cullen."

"Daniel," Daniel offers.

Edward nods, but his eyes don't leave mine. The tone for this scene is set when Daniel, decidedly losing interest, glances at his watch though the bell has just rung. Edward's gaze is relentless and I can't seem to look away. I almost don't notice when Daniel's arm slips around me protectively and Edward's eyes darken, because very suddenly, I recognize Edward from a long-forgotten memory.

"Bel…I mean, Elizabeth," Edward begins.

His eyes are an ocher shade I've never seen before. I study him intensely, almost certain that his is a familiar face. The contours and angles of his entire countenance are exactly as I remember. He scrutinizes my face with the same carefulness.

Daniel sniffs and holds me a little closer, suddenly looking very bored. I quickly look down, blushing again. He looks down the hallway and starts, "We should probably get going, Liz."

I swallow hard. "Actually, Daniel…can you give us a minute?"

He is silent for a while. Then: "Should I wait for you?"

I shake my head. "Probably not…" He doesn't look happy about this. "I mean, I know you have to be at practice soon, and I can just catch a ride with Taggarty. You don't mind, do you?"

Finally, he sighs. "No. Of course not."

Daniel leans down and lands a slow, warm kiss on my lips before I can stop him. Hesitantly, he pulls away and brushes a hand against my cheek.

"Bye," I whisper, a little breathless. I do not notice that Edward has turned away, or that his back looks tense.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I respond, pecking his cheek lightly. He nods, satisfied, and makes his way out to the parking lot.

After a moment, I touch my fingers to my lips. They still tingle from Daniel's kiss. Edward coughs slightly. Gathering myself, I turn around. He considers me for a minute.

"Walk with me?"

I take a deep breath. "Let's go."

EdPOV

We begin walking down the halls of the AP building, which is one of the things that have been added since I was here last. She gives me several anxious, sidelong glances. I have the strongest urge to smile, but that has become an unfamiliar notion. I've had no reason to smile in the past four decades.

"I think we should be properly introduced," I begin, holding my hand out formally. "My name is Edward Cullen…and you look remarkably like someone I used to know."

"Elizabeth Black."

Hesitantly, she takes my hand and jumps slightly, most likely from the coolness. I look away. This was an eventuality that soon became irrelevant after I'd shrunk for so long from human contact.

Still gazing curiously at my hand, she asks tentatively, "We haven't met before, have we? Before yesterday, I mean."

I consider her for a moment longer, unsure what to make of this. "No," I finally decide on, "I don't think we have." If only she knew.

She nods, though her eyes are still doubtful. Unfortunately, I do not have the advantage of knowing her mind to help me decipher her expressions. "I must apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was…not quite myself." I hadn't fed in a while, and after going so long without it, the scent of freesia had been almost as unbearably strong as it was the day I'd first met Bella.

She accepts politely. We pass the library. Through the glass of a window pane, I note the grumbling clouds. "Looks like a good one," she muses, following my gaze.

I don't reply, and the weather is no longer on my mind. She looks back at me to find my eyes on her, and immediately, her face and neck begin to flush. She turns back to the windows, but it is obvious that whatever is outside isn't holding her attention.

Though I know it will only make her more nervous, I can't help but stare at the beautiful girl beside me. Her blush is exactly as warm as I remember it, and I find it difficult to believe that this is not the same body of the woman I'd once loved. But now that I am able to look even closer, I notice several slight differences. The muscles in her arms and legs are more defined, and I can easily tell that she is athletic. Bella's porcelain white skin was spotless, but this girl…Elizabeth, has a small beauty mark under her left eye, and her skin is a couple shades more tan. She is also an inch or two taller. Her eyes are exactly the same, but her hair is not as long and has light brown and blond streaks running through it. Despite all of this, there are more similarities than there are differences, the strongest of which being that I have absolutely no access to her mind, and her scent is perilously identical. Against my best instincts, I am fascinated by this girl who holds a dangerous resemblance to Isabella Swan.

She stops abruptly, and looks back at the door that her Daniel went through. "Listen, if this is about what happened in the hallway yesterday…it's cool. I mean, it was just a misunderstanding."

"Yes, it was," I agree, somewhat bemused. "I did want to make amends, but that's not the entire reason I wanted your time. I'm…new to this school, and I don't really know anyone here."

Mulling over this, she bites her lip. It is such a 'Bella' habit that I have to swallow and hold my breath.

"Alright," she says finally. "Are you new to Forks?"

"You could say that."

She peers at me, and I suddenly remember how Bella once thought my mannerisms and replies to be cryptic.

"Yes, I am new here," I clarify, beginning to feel wary.

"Well, welcome to the city of Forks, Washington," she announces with a small smile. "Founded in 1945, major exports are salmon and rainbow trout, and population? …Inconsequential."

I am tempted once more to smile. There is a cleverness about her that I don't expect.

"For starters, I am Elizabeth, Liz, sometimes Lisbeth, and never Lizzy. I'm not…Bella," she says firmly.

Among other things, I note that she isn't shy. I nod. "I see that now."

"How are you getting along?" Elizabeth continues, this out of the way. "The weather usually bothers most newcomers, but I get the feeling that you don't mind it."

All seriousness returns to my mind. The more time I spend with her, the more similarities are revealed. She is just as perceptive, if not more. "What makes you think that?" I ask, watching her features closely.

She blushes again and looks down. "I'm not quite sure. It's just…a feeling."

The door to the gymnasium is pushed open, and a tall, blue-eyed blonde walks out, obviously deflated. She looks up, and her face brightens.

"Hey, Liz. Coach just chewed me out for missing practice yesterday and…" she trails off, as if noticing me for the first time. Her mind goes completely blank, and I can't even pretend that this still amuses me.

Elizabeth clears her throat. "This is Edward," she says quietly, motioning to me. "Edward…Taggarty." I nod to acknowledge her.

My god, he is gorgeous. The things I could do with that body…

"Don't worry about Coach," Elizabeth reassures her friend. "He'll calm down…he just wants us to get past regionals this year."

"Aye, aye Captain. I guess that makes sense," Taggarty nods. Her eyes still haven't left me and I can tell that Elizabeth has noticed. Her thoughts are getting increasingly vulgar.

Elizabeth turns to me but her eyes remain on her friend. I can feel my time with her diminishing quickly. "Edward, I really have to go now…huge test in AP Psych, so…"

I nod, very reluctantly. "Can you find your way?" she asks impulsively, almost as a last thought.

"Don't worry about me."

She waves. "So I'll see you…around."

"Goodbye, Elizabeth." She leaves quickly with Taggarty, who immediately begins interrogating her motives in walking with me.

I have to suppress the intense desire to follow her, but it is almost pointless, because I know that soon enough, I'll be outside of her window or following her home or waiting at her locker. Always there, always watchful, but always from a respectable distance. I can already sense that trying to stay away from her will be an act carried in vain. It is much too late. I am already desperate to know her more, to be closer to her, even though this is not necessarily healthy, or even advisable.