Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Some lines were taken directly out of the book.
Chapter 1: First Sight
I woke up especially early the next morning, beating my alarm clock by an hour. It usually took both my alarm and my parents to get me up in the morning, but I was too excited about school today. I tried to hide my enthusiasm when my parents came in to find me eating breakfast. It was a small town and they would know what I was excited about.
"Mike, I've never seen you wake up so early! You must be excited about something!" my mother exclaimed. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment as I gulped down a bite of toast.
"Mom, I've got a project due today and I have to meet early with the teacher to see if I did it right. I don't want to get docked points if I can help it," I lied. I wasn't very convincing, but she went with it and headed for the fridge to make herself breakfast.
In order to play out my lie, I had to wait at home a little while. I couldn't show up at school before the gates were open! My parents would never believe my little made-up story.
I spent longer than usual perfecting my looks. I didn't want to look like a disaster on her first day of school!
When it was safe enough for me to leave the house, I started up the car and pulled out of the driveway. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I got it out, keeping one eye on the road. It was Jessica. She was saying how excited she was about the dance coming up, and how cool it was we were getting a new girl in the school. I responded half-heartedly, a little annoyed at her petty remarks. All I could think about was Isabella Swan. My heart thumped as I thought about her name.
You're being foolish, Mike. I told myself. You haven't even met her yet…
For some reason, I didn't really care. I parked my car rather carelessly in a random spot. I had basically every spot to choose from, for the parking lot was empty. I saw an unfamiliar red old Chevrolet truck.
Maybe that was her car! It was really old fashioned, and probably really slow too, and didn't really seem to fit the personality for her that I imagined her with.
Hmm…I had a lot to learn from this new girl…
I jumped out of the car and locked it, half-running out of the parking lot. I decided I would be the first one to introduce myself to her.
I spent most of the morning circling the school, looking everywhere for this strange girl. Where was she?
When the bell rang, it completely caught me off guard. I finally noticed a crowd of people all around the campus. Crap, I thought to myself. I'm going to be late for class.
All my classes passed very slowly. I thought I was growing a beard and sprouting white hairs by the time the lunch bell finally rang. She was in none of my classes so far! I ran out the door and scurried to the cafeteria. I didn't see her, so I waited in the lunch line, and purchased the first things I touched. I was hardly paying attention o anything anymore. After I bought the food from the lunch lady, I turned around, and there she was with Jessica!
She was walking hesitantly, as if trying to pay attention to Jessica's babbles, but unsuccessfully. I tried to suppress a giggle while trying to catch her eyes. I basically could have taken a trip to fail town for the amount of attention I was getting from her. None…
She kept glancing at the Cullen table. Who else would she be staring at than Edward Cullen? Who was I to be so cocky that I actually believed I could stand a chance? He looked at her absently and then turned away as if he was acknowledging someone who was calling his name. What the hell was that about? The nerve!
If he was going to steal all the attention, he might as well be thankful for it! But then another thought came across my mind. What if he showed her no attention? What if she gave up like Jessica did, and settled for me? I smiled, knowing that he wasn't really into girls that way. Sometimes I had to wonder about his sanity.
I thought about going over and introducing myself, but I could never bring myself to do it. I decided to wait until Cullen rejected her. Then trustworthy Mike could save the day. The bell rang and I let out a moan. I hated biology.
I saw her walking with Angela, who was in my biology class as well. I dared to hope that they were headed for the same place.
I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead as I gulped and stood up. It was a lot of effort to keep moving one foot in front of the other. You're confident! I kept telling myself. I was waiting for my reassurances to have any meaning.
I didn't know how it happened, but suddenly I was in my class, sitting in my seat without even realizing it. I searched the room for Angela, but didn't see her there. Had I really beaten her here? Maybe she was taking Isabella to her class first… My heart sank and I realized I probably wasn't in any of her classes.
I peeked up at the clock and realized the bell was about to ring. I turned to the front of the classroom and took out my homework, stealing quick glances at the door every few seconds.
Angela walked in, and to my bewilderment, so did Isabella. Yes! I silently said to myself. Today was going to be a good day. I would finally have the chance to introduce myself. I looked back at Cullen to give him a sneer, and I noticed the seat next to his was the only empty seat in the room. Damn, now I'll never get a chance to talk to her, I mourned.
The class finally started, and I was forced to turn my attention to the mundane teacher. Did he really expect me to pay attention? I wished with all my might that I could be in Cullen's seat. Life was so unfair!
I slyly took a peek behind me to see if Edward would be competition. Isabella's eyes looked frightened, and she looked like she was trying to hide under her hair. Edward looked tense and fierce. And I had to admit that it frightened me a little too. I was very relieved that things didn't seem to be going well between the two of them, but I couldn't enjoy the look he kept giving her.
He looked like he wanted to kill her. A class rolled by, I kept an eye on him, making sure he didn't do anything stupid. I hated the way he made her brow furrow and her eyes worry. It made me want to punch him into a wall or something. I smiled slightly out of the idea. It would be a lot of fun…
The bell finally rang, and Cullen practically jumped from his seat and strolled out of the classroom. I saw Bella collecting all her notes and putting them in her backpack. She looked rather distressed. This was my chance.
"Aren't you Isabella Swan?" I asked her, knowing the answer already. She still looked frightened, and I had another urge to kick Cullen in a not so friendly area.
"Bella," she responded, looking up. She looked distracted. I had to get her mind off of him.
"I'm Mike," I said lamely. I've been waiting to meet you all day. You're really hot. Will you go out with me?
"Hi Mike." Hearing my name from her voice filled me with excitement.
"Do you need any help finding your next class?" Please say yes. Please, please, please, please, plea-
"I'm headed to gym, actually. I think I can find it." SCORE! SHE'S IN MY CLASS!
"That's my next class too," I responded quickly, poorly disguising my excitement. She is in two of my classes! We could walk over together from lunch…and make out during passing period to gym…and make out in my car…and I can drive her home…
I thought she looked excited to be walking with me, and I hoped it wasn't just because she was happy with any kindness after her encounter with Cullen. I told her a lot about me. She didn't seem kike much of a talkative person, which was a nice break from Jessica. She seemed interested in the fact that I came from California. We both came from hotter places. We had something in common!
I had to make sure that the Cullen kid was out of the picture, otherwise, my making out plan would never work. So I asked the first thing that came to mind. "So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that." She cringed, and I wondered if I asked the right question.
"Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?" Even better! She doesn't even know his name! Oh I am so going to make out with her…
"Yes, he looked like he was in pain or something." Again, wondering If I said too much.
"I don't know. I never spoke to him."
I saw that we were at the girls' dressing room, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I had one more chance to say what was on my mind. "He's a weird guy." I deliberately lingered by her, making sure she wouldn't go in the dressing room yet. "If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you."
I turned around, feeling my cheeks flush. Had I gone too far?
In Gym I played volleyball, my mind on Bella the whole time. I was trying to recall the conversation we had earlier, analyzing it and looking to see if what I said was too much. She didn't play because it was her first day. I wondered if she was any good at sports. The girl I imagined was good at volleyball, like on the beach and stuff. But Bella wasn't anything like I imagined. She was even better.
The bell rang and I was forced to go change. I tried to run through it as fast as I could, so I could catch up to Bella afterwards, but she was faster. She didn't have to change back into her clothes so she had left.
I walked to my car and absentmindedly got in and put the key in the ignition. I looked out the windshield to check if I was safe to pull out, when I saw Edward Cullen stalking angrily out of the administration's office. The look on his ace reminded me of the Biology incident. Could that mean that Bella was in there?
I decided not to pull out just yet, but to wait and see if Bella would come out. I told myself that I just wanted to make sure Cullen didn't murder her. She walked out finally, her face sunken and distressed. I was considering going over there and comforting her, but by the time I had worked up the courage, she was in her truck and driving away.
"At least I don't have to worry about him," I murmured to myself. I started the car and headed home myself.