Well, you guys should be proud! I have now made this story my second most important story (the first being FD&GU II, of course.). To those who liked The Man Who Can't Be Moved, I'm sorry, but I really have lost inspiration. Details are in the AN. But for now, this chapter will be called Fireworks, Emmett! Because, well, this is the meeting of Bella and Edward. And of course Emmett will love it. Enjoy.

Fireworks, Emmett!

Edward

Ugh. Who in the world decided to invent the concept of torture? Because really, there wasn't exactly anything worse than having to sit in a cramped, overcrowded, stuffy room because some smart person decided to set fire to Building 2. I really hoped the authority caught up with that prick. He was pissing me off. First flooding the toilets, now arson? Really, he needed to get a life. No doubt it was the same vandal, the modus operandi was precisely the same. Do whatever it was he wanted to during the night and let the school find it in the daytime. What a coward.

Thanks to Emmett getting tangled in a mess involving him distracting Rosalie and the front of the car getting dented, we were late to school. Thankfully Rose worked her magic on the car. The paint job still looked bruised, though, and Emmett sulked in the back as Rose drove to school.

And since I had found a scramble of students wondering where to go on account of the fire instead of teachers waiting to pounce on any latecomers, it was easy to blend into the crowd and pretend I had been on time. As if the teachers would have noticed regardless; I could almost taste the confusion.

Well, this was a fine impression to make for the new girl. Welcome to Forks High, home of the Stallions-and oh, yeah, a sick vandal that goes around setting fire to anything combustible. She was going to love this place…if she was a sadistic, egoistical moron like yours truly.

Not that I was sadistic, but I sure was a moron for hitching a ride with Emmett and Rosalie. But then again, the alternative-Alice and Jasper-would be just as bad.

See, this was why I urgently needed my car back. I was always the wet blanket. Better to sulk by myself than revel in others making out in my presence. Disgusting.

Finally the teachers managed to sort out the scrummage and that was how I ended up sitting in this lousy room in Building 4 with fifty other people cramped in a room that used to be a janitor's lounge. The school administration really didn't organize worst-case scenarios very well. What would happen if the school collapsed due to a building malfunction? Would we be sitting in the police station listening to lectures on no drugs and all that?

I grimaced at the image. The teacher glowered at me. "Is there a problem, Cullen?" he asked brusquely. I shook my head and he continued his incoherent mumbling.

How did teachers become teachers? Did they have to take an impatience potency test or something? Every teacher I knew were either impatient, stubborn or just thick. And they called themselves educators. Hah.

I didn't get a chance to see the girl the first few periods, though Rose and Alice had spotted her in English and had described her as 'mindblowingly beautiful'. They must be coming down with something. How could Charlie Swan-the grumpy, plain police chief-have a 'mindblowingly beautiful' daughter? Either Charlie's wife was a supermodel or my sisters were just exaggerating.

I preferred to believe the latter. If Charlie Swan could clinch a supermodel, the sun rose on the west and the Earth would stop revolving around on its axis.

Lunch came too soon and Alice couldn't stop rambling about her. It was really pissing me off and I was about to explode at her. Thank God Rose lost it first, or I would've done something Jasper would murder me for.

"Damn, Ali, would you shut up about the girl? I know she's drop dead gorgeous, but you don't exactly have to keep mentioning it every three words!"

Rosalie had a temper to rival that of St Helen's. Alice was unfazed. "Touchy, are we? I just thought it would be appropriate to warn Edward so that he doesn't jump her at first sight. That wouldn't be pleasant, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. Just because Alice had stumbled on me with another girl-Jane, I believe it was-didn't mean I was some sex-deprived, horny teenager. Plus I had already promised myself not to continue with my ways. Everyone started laughing when I said that.

"Yeah, right, Eddie," Emmett said. "I bet you'll last a week."

"Two days," Jasper jumped in.

Alice laughed. "Five minutes!" she half-screamed, half-giggled. I stared at her, my jaw dropping. Who was she kidding?

"Thanks so much for the vote of confidence, guys," I said, sarcasm dripping. They just howled harder. What did I do to get stuck with such a family?

And then I saw her.

Her long mahogany hair brushed the base of her ribcage-I got the strangest feeling that she didn't have the guts, or heart, to cut it save for a few mandatory trims. Her eyes, a deep brown that warmed my heart, sparkled amazingly. Her complexion was creamy without being pale and blemish-free. She moved with grace, poise and utter confidence.

She was gorgeous.

Now I knew what beauty meant. She wasn't just beautiful, she was beauty in its raw form.

God, they were right. She was an angel from Heaven. I sure as hell needed her. Now.

A dim voice in the back of my head whispered about the promise I had reminded myself about barely five seconds ago, but I brushed it off. This was a golden ticket. If I didn't take it, then I would live to regret that decision.

She turned suddenly, as if feeling the warmth of my gaze. Her eyes met mine, brown meeting green, and an instant spark flew. I felt almost electrocuted, but at the same time something warm was seeping through my fingertips. There was something between us. It was meant to be. I got up and walked towards her, ignoring the surprised mutters of Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rose.

I thought I heard something along the lines of, "I win!" from Alice, but I ignored it and kept going. There was practically an electric charge between us that got stronger with each step I took. My knees literally shook. Crap, Edward, what's wrong with you?

Her perfectly groomed eyebrows rose skeptically when I was about four arms length away. I stifled a grin. She was just so adorable. I hesitated half a beat before smiling at her.

"Hi. You must be the new girl. I'm Edward…uh, Cullen." Suave, Edward. Way to make her think you're a charming guy. What's with the name?!

She smiled at me charmingly. Damn, she was hot. "Nice to meet you, Edward Uh Cullen." I narrowed my eyes. "I'm Bella Swan. Now, if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be."

And then she walked off, leaving me behind. At the door, she turned ever so slightly to look at me and wink. I swear she almost made me faint.

I stumbled back to the table, feeling as if she had rammed me over with Emmett's monster Jeep. I probably would've been in a better state if she had.

"That was interesting," Jasper remarked, scrutinizing my face. I looked up.

"Very," I agreed, taking a bite of the salad.