Hope you enjoy this chapter! I enjoyed writing this one, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Remember to R&R so I can see what you think of it. I need a certain number of reviews before I can continue. :P Just kidding. But please make an effort. They make me so happy to see what you guys like and maybe even dislike, if you want to say that. Criticism always helps a writer. LOL. 33 Thx.

Bella's POV:

I cut the engine in my truck with a sullen sigh. The cold weather would never ease up, would it? I looked at the icicles that were now my windows, covered in frost from the cold morning air. It was snowing. It was bad enough that I had to drive in Forks when it was raining. Now I had just experienced that snow was much harder to drive through. I never thought I'd say this, but I wanted the rain to return. Snow was just mushy and…gross.

I put my hands in my pockets, bracing myself for the cold gust of air that would blow through my open truck door.

The wind hit my cheeks like daggers, each bit of cold cutting at my skin, making my cheeks pink and numb. I rubbed my glove covered hands over them and then quickly headed towards the school building, trying not to slip and make a complete fool out of myself in front of my peers on the way there.

I had decided to come to school a little over half an hour early—what was there to do at home with Charlie gone?—and even though I was early there were a few familiar faces running around in the snow, throwing balls of slush at each other. I felt my nose scrunch as I watched their immaturity, the snow splattering over the heads in globs of white mush.

I sighed. Edward Cullen. I was surprised to find his shiny Volvo in the parking lot already, being as school hadn't nearly started. I searched for his face; trying not my make myself look too frantic and anxious. I felt a slight tap on my shoulder—not even a tap really, but merely a brush—as I jumped around, stumbling on my feet. As soon as I regained my balance from the slick ice beneath me, I looked up and was greeted by a pair of bright topaz eyes—the color of honey and gold.

Edward's eyes widened—from shock or pain, I wasn't sure. Why would he feel pain?

"I am so very sorry if I frightened you," he said in a soft voice, clearly way out of our time period. A sweet fragrance came from his breath as he spoke one foot away from me. My head spun.

I looked down from his eyes and shook my head abruptly. "I'm fine. You just…surprised me."

He chuckled quietly and looked up curiously. His laugh was like music, perfectly composed and sounded.

"I'm Edward Cullen. You must be Bella Swan. I did not get to introduce myself earlier."

I blinked in shock as he said his name and mine, referring to my name as Bella, rather than Isabella like everyone else had and still did occasionally. His voice was nothing as I pictured it would be…it was better.

"Yes," I said, my voice shaking a bit.

I noticed his teeth clench, although he probably thought I hadn't seen. Had he been trying to keep it hidden? His jaw set and he looked towards the building. His sister…Alice, I believe her name was…was watching us with a look I couldn't quite comprehend. The way he looked at her…it was almost as if she had called his name aloud.

He slightly nodded towards her, unaware of my searching eyes. "It was nice meeting you," he said quickly without meeting my eyes as he hurried off towards his sister. She gave him a short look of disapproval and then they headed around the corner of the building, out of sight.

"Bye," I whispered.

6. ALICE CULLEN

Alice's POV:

Edward, you know that wasn't the best choice ever.

Edward sighed and looked at me, his expression annoyed. It usually was when he spoke with me.

Please just make good decisions.

"I'll be fine," he whispered. "I know what I'm doing."

My eyebrows creased in the middle, my arms folded across my small chest.

"I don't know, Alice."

I stared past him, my eyes wandering into another place, far from here. There's a meadow, located in a forest not too far from here. The sun is shining, the weather warm. It's a meadow of color, bursts of vibrant light and flowers. It's beautiful.

My eyes fluttered as the vision changed. Two figures, both sitting not too far from each other, one sparkling with small shapes of diamonds over his skin. I focused closer, recognizing the faces. Edward. Bella Swan.

"Alice, what is it?" Edward muttered, realizing what was happening. "What are you seeing?"

Shh, I said quietly in my mind, trying to concentrate on the scene that was playing across my golden eyes like titles on a movie screen.

I looked up at Edward. "Bella," I muttered.

"Swan?" he asked questioningly. I sighed in frustration. Who else?

Of course Bella Swan.

"What happened?"

Everything is okay. I saw you two in a meadow. The vision was so clear, it'll probably happen soon.

"A meadow?" Edward questioned suddenly.

"Yes." I looked around and then pulled Edward to our class. "School will start soon. We'll discuss this later." Will you be okay in Biology today?

Edward sighed. "I won't let her die. I will not be the one to cause such a horrible thought," he replied in a sullen whisper.

Be careful.

Edward nodded once and then quickly sped down the hall. I only hoped that he would return without a trace of human blood in his system.

Bella's POV:

Biology was going to be uninviting. With Edward sitting in the spot next to mine (it still gaze me chills to have him a foot away from me), I just wasn't sure what I was going to say to him. Should I talk to him since he said something to me this morning? Or will he talk to me? I sighed as I opened the classroom door.

Mr. Mason sat in front of the big classroom, his expression stern and tired from his old age.

And there sat Edward Cullen sat, looking perfect in every way, his face in the opposite direction of mine, towards the open window on the right hand side. I looked around the room, only to be greeted by Mike's grin. Luckily, the news of me being in Forks had died down, as did the millions of stares.

Jessica next to him today, I noticed. I wasn't sure how she had persuaded Mr. Mason to allow herself to switch seats with Mike's old lab partner, Melanie Lopez—a short girl with blonde hair and fair skin. Somehow, it seemed, she always got her way, one way or another.

My chair screeched against the tile as I set my books down and took my seat. I stared towards the front of the room, not wanting to allow myself to see if Edward was watching me.

I finally gave in and stole a glance—just one—at his face, his perfect features calmer than usual. How peculiar.

He met my gaze with the weirdest expression—almost confused with a slight look that almost made him anxious. He was leaning away from me, but still looked as if he was going to say something. His mouth opened slightly to speak…until Mike walked over to our table, standing right next to me, Jessica watching from the across the room, clearly unhappy. Nearly scowling with rage, as her lips pulled down at the corners.

"Bella," Mike greeted me without looking away from Edward. "How are you? I didn't get a chance to talk to you today."

"I'm great, Mike," I assured him, watching Edward also. Edward was watching me.

"So listen I was wondering…if you had a date to the homecoming dance coming up next week?"
"Actually I don't."

"Really? Would you maybe…wanna go with me, possibly?" His hands shook a little as he asked, like a scared little Chihuahua in the presence of a Great Dane (the Great Dane being Edward). I couldn't help but laugh—just a little.

I frowned—realizing that I had to give him an answer—and searched for an excuse. "I'm going to…be out of town that weekend."

"Do you have to be out of town that weekend? What are you doing?" he asked almost too urgent to know. It wasn't his business.

"Well I might go to Port Angeles or Seattle and then I have so much to do; laundry, stuff around the house…I don't think I'd be able to make it. You should ask Jessica."

His eyebrows rose, completely forgetting his disappointment about homecoming. "Jessica?"

"Well, yeah," I nodded. "I hear she wants to go with you. You should ask her."

"Um…okay. So I'll…see you later than, Bella?"

I nodded and tried to smile.

He nodded in return and through a scowl at Edward before returning to his seat. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Edward grin.

"Nice excuse," Edward noted, catching me off guard as I almost fell back in my chair. He chuckled quietly.

"How do you know it was an excuse?"

"You're a terrible liar."

"Am not," I scowled folding my arms and staring towards the front of the room.

Moments passed without a word shared between us before Mr. Mason called the class to his attention.

He got a little more than half of the room looking his way.

Edward was suddenly straightening in his seat, turning slight towards my direction after not meeting my eyes for the longest moment. "Did I upset you?" He almost seemed amused as he considered this.

"No, I'm naturally annoyed." Although I felt like I should be mad from annoyance, I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit at edge. Edward Cullen was talking to me for the second time in one day. I couldn't help but feel anxious and overwhelmed with surprise, fear, and happiness. I wasn't sure which one was more visible over my own words that were spoken aloud.

"I'm sorry I didn't upset you then," he grinned leaning away from me and looking towards the window again, his chest rising slightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked leaning towards him to look at his face that was so distantly turned from mine.

Edward didn't turn to look at me as he spoke. "Never better," he said in a strained voice.

I raised an eyebrow and then leaned away from him, putting a shield between us with my long, brown hair, wanting to see if I would actually pay attention to Mr. Mason's lecture today on human life.

So, what'd you guys think? Pretty good? R&R!