A/N: Okay, before reading this I suggest you read back over the other two chapters because I'm such a terrible terrible person and didn't upload in months but I had exams and so on and so forth. Anyway, this is kinda short. It was longer but then on the advice of my beta Twilight-is-lovee I split it in two. The ending for this chapter suits it better than what I wrote after it. The second half is better of as a chapter on it's own.
Chapter Three: New Students Aren't Friends of Mr. Banner
As soon as the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, the students of Forks High exited the canteen in drips and drabs. Some of the groups could be heard groaning because they had trigonometry next and didn't have their homework done while others were yelping with excitement because they had the hot new teacher for Art. I, however, was silently jumping for joy because I had biology next. It's not because of a love for the subject that I was so happy. No, it was because biology is the only class that I have Edward all to myself and we also happened to be lab partners.
As Kate and the rest of our group moved on to their next class, Edward came up to me and rested his arm on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. He smelled so good, like spearmint, but there was a sweetness from his aftershave blended in with it. I breathed in deeply again, trying to memorize the freshness of it for later. While doing that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, which is how I ended up nearly meeting the floor with my face. I had tripped over an abandoned schoolbag in the corridor, but thankfully, before I hit the floor, Edward's strong arms found their way around my waist and soon settled me upright on the floor. When I looked up to thank him, I was met by a pair of chocolate brown eyes. Those weren't Edward's eyes.
"Hi, I'm Jacob Black. I just moved here."
"Oh. Hi! I'm Bella Swan. Thanks for helping me. I think I have enough bruises from falling down all the time to last me a lifetime."
I stood back a bit so that I could get a better look at him. He was tall, very tall. I mean he was about 6'5, if not taller. He was extremely good looking; dark skinned, obviously from the Quileute reservation, shaggy black hair that fell to just above his shoulders, strong, slightly muscled arms that were accented by the white t-shirt he was wearing and a kind face with shining eyes and a friendly smile."Hi, I'm Edward Cullen." Edward offered his hand in a friendly gesture. Jacob took it and then there was an awkward silence as each of us thought on something to say next. I just said the first thing that popped into my head.
"So, Jacob, what class do you have now?"
"I'm supposed to be in Biology with Mr. Banner, but I got a bit lost." He looked to the floor and scratched his head in embarrassment as he admitted his mistake.
"You're in luck, mate, that's where Bella and I are heading now," Edward said. "Shall we?" Edward gestured for me to go in front while he lagged behind with Jacob. The two fell into conversation about cars and something or other which I had no interest in.
When we entered the classroom, our teacher, Mr. Banner, had already started the class. As soon as he spotted us, he stopped mid-sentence and with his hands on his hips glared at us with his beady grey eyes. The saying "if looks could kill" came to mind.
"How nice of you to join us, Miss Swan and Mr. Cullen. Please apologize to your classmates for disrupting the class and then quietly take your seats."
It was then that he spotted Jacob lingering at the door of the classroom.
"Excuse me, but I don't think you should be in this class. Please leave."
Jacob looked embarrassed again and then mumbled something that even I couldn't hear and I was standing less than a foot away from him.
"Excuse me? Speak up!" Mr. Banner snapped.
"Sorry, sir. I'm the new student, Jacob Black. I got lost on my way here. It's my fault that Bella and Edward are late."
"Hmph, well be that as it may, you will do well to remember that I don't tolerate tardiness in my class. Now, please take a seat down the back beside Ben. I'll sign your slip after class."
As Jacob passed me to take his seat beside Ben Cheney, he smiled and winked at me. I don't know what came over me but I started grinning like a fool and tried my hardest to stop the tiny outburst of giggles that threatened to take over me. Unfortunately, I didn't succeed.
"Miss Swan! Will you please control yourself!" Mr. Banner barked at me. I sneaked another peak at Jacob, which was a bad idea. The huge grin on his face only made me laugh even more.
"THAT IS ENOUGH! Get out of my class. NOW!" At that, Jacob burst out laughing, and Mr. Banner turned on him. "You, too."
The stunned look on his face only made me break out into another fit of giggles. I picked up my schoolbag, having had not enough time to even take my books out of it, and walked to the door. With Jacob behind me, I turned to see what Edward thought about this kind of thing, but he just looked a little confused at what exactly had gone on between Jacob and I.
We went to sit outside the principal's office. Jacob cracked jokes the entire way there. After a brief lecture from the principal on "how this is our final and most important year and we can't afford to be messing around in class, blah, blah, blah," she also explained that Mr. Banner may have been a little harsh on us, but it's only because he is under a lot of stress right now due to personal problems. Everyone knows that he's in the middle of a nervous breakdown. If you come in early to class, you might just catch him holding his head in his hands and all those visits to the bathroom between and during classes might have something to do with the hip flask in the back of his pants pocket.
In those few minutes spent together, I found out quite a bit about Jacob's family. His dad lives in the Quileute reservation. He was born in La Push but moved to California with his mom seven years ago when their parents divorced. He decided that it's about time he moved back to live with his dad, whom he only got to see once or twice a year.
"Oh, right, I see. So, what's your dad's name anyway? I might know him. My dad is the police chief in Forks so he pretty much knows everybody in the surrounding area. He probably knows your dad. Chances are I know your dad too."
"Oh, yeah? Is Charlie Swan your dad then? Cool. Then you definitely know my dad. He's Bil—" He was cut off by Edward coming towards us and yelling my name.
"Bella! What the hell? Were you possessed in that class or something? I've never seen you act that way." He sounded a little angry.
"Jeez, Edward, haven't you ever seen me laugh before?" There was no need for him to be acting this way. I mean, it's not as if I got up on the table and started to strip for Mr. Banner. I was only laughing.
"Okay. Well, listen, is it alright if I come over to your house later on? I want to talk to you about … you know … earlier this morning and lunchtime."
"Edward you know you never need to ask to come over. I'll be in my room anyway so just yell across and I'll put the kettle on."
"You guys live that close together, huh?" Jacob asked.
"Oh yeah. We live practically on each other's doorstep. Edward is like a pest that just won't go away. You see, he's madly in love with me but just doesn't know it yet. That's why he can't go ten minutes without talking to me or seeing me."
I wish.
"Oh, yes, Bella. You are my one true love, in your dreams," Edward quipped back.
If only he knew how true that was.
A/n Okay so please review and tell me what you think, even if it's just one word, I don't care. :)
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