DISCLAIMER: Not mine… but my dream inspired the plot line. Lol.

-EPOV-

"Be nice." Alice instructed from the back seat of the Volvo as we drove to school.

"Try to remain calm." Added Jasper.

"Don't mention her impending demise."

I shot a look to the passenger seat and Emmett shrugged.

"I believe I can handle speaking to the human on my own." I scoffed indignantly.

My siblings shot each other skeptical glances and I rolled my eyes.

"Speaking of which." Rosalie spoke for the first time and I glanced warily at the rearview mirror so I could see her.

"Have you gone hunting recently?"

"Yes Rosalie." I scowled. "I went hunting last night."

"You did say she smelled better than the others and we all know how hard it is to maintain control normally."

I winced as Jasper began thinking of his own bloodlust.

"Sorry." he grumbled, catching himself.

I knew it was going to be a challenge conversing with this human girl for multiple reasons. For one she did smell better than all of the others; better than anything I had smelled in over a hundred years of my existence as a matter of fact. The first time I had seen her in the cafeteria I was so consumed by my bloodlust that I was convinced she was my own personal demon, tempting and torturing me. To my further frustration I had not been able to see inside of her mind; I still couldn't.

As infuriating as I find this I can not deny it did play a big part in saving her life as I battled with myself. She intrigued me immensely and as the days progressed I found myself studying her from across the cafeteria or out of the corner of my eye as we sat in Biology until the only mind that was concealed from me was the only one I desired to hear.

Conversing, making sure I was close enough to her at all times to protect her from this dire fate, was going to be difficult also because she had already graced the dreary halls of Forks High for a month and I had not said one word to her. I may have acted ungraciously towards her in the past, when I was still under the impression she was my personal demon sent to earth to ruin me. Sitting beside her every day on Biology had done something to help the bloodlust. It never lessened in intensity, she still smelled as tempting as that first day, but as I rigorously attempted to decode her thoughts I noticed it less. Although every time I though of speaking to her now I would remember the shock and hurt as she met my gaze of pure hatred that first day. She was definitely going to be confused, perhaps even angered, when I tried to befriend her today. But as melodramatic as it sounded, keeping a close eye on her, being around to protect her was a matter of life or death. And for once I was complete in my confidence that I would not hurt her because during that one fateful second yesterday I saw the world without her through my sister's eyes and I had an epiphany: I was not going to be her demise. I was going to be her savior.

Isabella swan was average height with masses of brown curls and chocolaty eyes that seemed to melt slightly when she laughed. Even before I had seen her with my own two eyes I had seen her beautiful face repeatedly in the human minds of every male in the student body. Every time I saw her I was reminded that those first glimpses I was allotted did not do her justice.

Edward. I heard Jasper call my attention from the building beside the biology room, where I was trying to convince myself to take to the human girl beside me.

The feelings of indecision are pouring out of that room. You will be fine.

"Thank you Jasper." I whispered too low and too quickly for any humans to hear.

Bella seemed to notice my lips moving though. I had noticed she was much more observant than most humans. She seemed to be watching me out of the corner of her eye with a certain level of curiosity.

I took a deep, unneeded, breath.

"Hello Bella."

Her head shot in my direction, her eyes wide with shock.

"Did… did you just say something?" she stuttered, looking unsure.

I cleared my throat.

"I said hello." I repeated, digging my nails into the palms of my hands as another wave of her delectable scent hit me.

She pursed her lips, her brow furrowed. She looked adorable. She had every reason to be wary of me of course but I found myself growing anxious as I awaited her reply.

"I believe I owe you an apology." I said finally, as it didn't look like she was going to reply. "My behavior towards you has been reprehensible but I assure you it was nothing personal. It is… complicated but I'd like it very much if we could begin again."

In the silence that followed a confused expression clouded her features and she glanced down at her hands, seeming deep in thought. I would give anything to hear her thoughts at this exact moment but I would have to be satisfied with anticipating her reaction although it was almost a guarantee nothing I would guess would match her real reaction. I couldn't figure her out.

She looked up from her hands, gazing at me with unabated curiosity.

"Why did you hate me so much?" she finally asked.

Hate? She thought that I hated her? I was grieved beyond belief to see the hurt she was trying to hide.

"I never hated you Bella."

She didn't look convinced and I tried to convey all of sincerity in my eyes, trying to diminish some of her doubt.

"Did I do something to upset you?" she asked and I was shaking my head before she had even finished her sentence.

"No!" I said with more volume than I had intended. I sighed and shook my head.

"No. you didn't do anything. It was all my fault."

She looked as if she was going to question me further but I cut her off. Questions from Bella wouldn't lead to anything good. Not only was I a vampire tempted by her blood more than any other in my 103 yrs of existence but I was trying to solve her murder before it happened because my psychic vampire sister saw her death. That was not exactly something I could, or even wanted, to explain to her.

"So can we start over?" I asked hopefully.

There was an immeasurably anxious moment as she sat there in silence, chewing on her lip thoughtfully, before she nodded hesitantly.

I grinned.

"Hello." I said. "My name is Edward Cullen. You must be Bella."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please read and review! Thanks. =D