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Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Oh lordy lordy, thank you all so much for your reviews! I honestly grinned like a maniac while I read them. Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter!

LOOONGGGGG author's note at the end to answer some questions and ask some of my own.

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Bella

I padded down the hallway in my slippers, brushing my teeth and listening to the wind woosh against the house. The only sounds were the creaking of the floorboards and the steady sound of my brushing. I sighed, looking at the picture frames on the wall. A lot of them were of Charlie and me. Some were of me and my mother. One was of all three of us. Charlie used to have the wedding picture up.

He took it down a few years ago.

I hummed to myself, a nonsense tune, walking back to the bathroom. I could hear the low sound of Edward and Charlie talking downstairs. Discussing ground rules, probably. Poor kid. Taken out of his school and home…

Well, because he did something bad, Bella. God.

I cringed at myself when I found myself rationalizing. I glared at myself in the mirror, spitting out my toothpaste. I wiped my mouth with the back of my sleeve, pausing the movement to look at my confused looking face.

Stop it.

Edward had claimed he wasn't hungry, but Charlie insisted on giving him food, so Edward ate a cheese stick and a slice of bread. Probably just to show he was being a good, obedient child and he wasn't on a hunger strike. Or becoming anorexic. Unless being anorexic would make him want his parents to send him home…oh no wait, they'd probably send him to a rehab. Not sure Forks is any better, but hey, at least there are no padded rooms in the house.

Yet.

I ran a comb through my slightly damp hair. Charlie never walked in during my showers, because, well, he was Charlie. It felt weird this time to lock the door when I took a shower. Maybe I was being too precautious.

Or maybe not. Better safe than sorry, right?

No. Charlie knows what he's doing. He wouldn't put himself or you in any danger.

But he's getting old…maybe his head is…

I groaned, resting my forehead against the mirror. Just two days before school started. I had friends to catch up with, school work to get into the swing of, that icky feeling of growing up to get used to. Not to mention teenage angst.

Right. This Edward kid is the least of my problems. Consider him a random foreign exchange student living in the house that doesn't speak any English. Just don't talk to him and keep your doors closed.

Locked, even.

I sprang up when I heard unfamiliar, very non-Charlie footsteps coming up the stairs. I burst out of the bathroom and yanked my bedroom door open, bolting inside and maybe closing the door a little bit too hard.

I listened against the door, hearing the footsteps stop. I could have sworn I heard a chuckle, but the footsteps started up again, followed by the sound of a door closing. I sighed and walked to my bed.

Yeesh.

This was going to be weird.

Edward

I glanced at Bella's closed door, smirking to myself. She was funny. And cute. Oh, and deathly afraid of me. That made it easier to keep my distance. I had an excuse. Can't be sociable if the one receiving the sociable-ness is an unwilling participant. Or if you scare the shit out of her.

I shut the door to my room, walking to my suitcase and pulling out a toothbrush and toothpaste. I pondered walking out and having a rather awkward confrontation with the cop or Bella….

I could do without water. Or a toilet. I'd go once they were sleeping because God only knows I'd get no sleep without the sound of the ocean.

I brushed my teeth dry, sitting on my bed. Then I realized the issue of spitting.

I opened the window because, well, there really was no use in ruining the cop's nice floor and linens. I leaned my head and spat. Then I jumped up so quickly I almost hit my head on the window frame.

Would spitting be considered defiling Forks?

"You will leave Forks as if you were never there, understand? No vandalizing anything at all," Carlisle had said as he put his hand on my shoulder. He smiled a little and said, "California's already got enough of you, and Forks is a lot smaller. Take it easy on the little guy."

Whatever. The cop didn't seem to notice and he told me our neighbors were an old couple who slept all day and a grumpy, middle aged man who didn't believe in sunlight so he covered up all his windows.

Sounds like party central here in Forks.

I was making an effort. If Carlisle was here, he'd say the same thing. I'd almost blew it when the cop insisted I had food to eat, because being snarky and attitude-y is what I do when I don't want to eat, but I kept my cool. Maybe the spoiled brat in me is on his way out. That'd make things so much easier. He's such an asshole.

Just be good.

Good. What is that anyway? Doesn't it depend on your terms?

'Good' for an assassin is a nice easy kill.

'Good' for a monk is morally right and holy.

'Good' for me is…

I looked at the candy bar I bought at the airport. I already ate some of it, but I unwrapped the rest and took a bite.

Candy bars are pretty good.

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Bella

"Is he still asleep?" I asked Charlie in a whisper.

It was morning. Though, you couldn't really tell because Forks is a consistent grey color at almost all hours of the day. Charlie was sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. He looked up at me and shrugged.

"Why? Do you want me to wake him up?" Charlie asked, casually turning the page of his newspaper.

"No," I said too quickly, lowering my tone and adding, "I was just wondering…"

"Bella…" Charlie warned.

"What?"

"Look," Charlie sighed, "If he makes you uncomfortable, just keep your distance."

"I know that," I said, shuffling to the refrigerator, "It's just…weird."

"You'll get used to him."

I hope not.

"Do you want some more coffee?" I asked, walking by the coffee pot.

"No thanks, I'm trying to cut down," Charlie said with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes and took a bite of a banana.

"So is he going to pay for his own food?" I asked, chewing.

"Yeah, he's getting a job today. Carlisle also told me that he was supposed to do chores around the house. You know, part of punishment and all."

"Are you comfortable with him touching our stuff?"

"Bella…" Charlie warned again.

"Sorry, sorry."

"He'll just be vacuuming and doing dishes anyway, from what Carlisle told me. And if he steps one foot out of line, I'm supposed to send him home."

"And then what?"

"Then Carlisle said he'd be off to military school."

"Why didn't he send him there first?"

"Carlisle believes in second chances. Plus, he thinks the poor boy just needs a change of environment and a slap of reality."

I scoffed and Charlie chuckled.

"So what are you going to do today? I heard Angela's back from Hawaii."

"Yeah," I said, sighing, "I'll probably meet up with her. We'll go back to school shopping or something like that…"

Charlie inspected my face for awhile as I drummed my fingers on the kitchen counter.

"Just pretend like he's not here, all right?" he said at last, patting me on my head as he put his dishes in the sink, "If he's good, he'll be gone in no time."

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Edward

I looked at the dingy little supermarket in front of me as I stepped out of the cruiser. I crossed my arms and set my jaw. So this is what making your own money looks like. A tattered sign, windows with signs advertising sales on foods, and a line up of green shopping carts.

"The manager of this place owes me a favor," the cop said, locking his car and glancing at me, "So you'll probably work here pretty much every day after school. To pay for food and such."

I nodded, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans and chewing on the inside of my cheek.

"It's a walk-able distance from school and home," he continued, "About a mile and a half or so."

I didn't say anything.

"I just couldn't get this old body to walk that far today," he joked, chuckling a little. I fake smiled out of politeness. I was going to be an expert at being someone I'm not by the end of this exile.

"All right, let's go," he said, clearing his throat and walking towards the sign that said Speedway Market. I sighed, tipping my face to the sky and shutting my eyes.

Just be good.

I braced my shoulders and set my jaw. Let's get this over with.

Bella

"You look so tan!" I gushed, hugging my friend as she laughed.

"Thanks, I tried," Angela said tucking her hair behind her ear. I closed the door behind her and we walked up the stairs to my room.

"So did you meet any romantic vacation lovers on the beach?" I teased, flopping on my bed once we got into my room.

"Don't try to change the subject, Bella, where is he?" Angela accused, crossing her arms.

"Who?" I asked innocently.

"The stray criminal you took in!"

"First of all, I did not take him in, and second of all, he has a family, you know. He's not a stray. He's simply…serving a jail sentence."

"Fine. So where is he? Does he have any tattoos? Does he do drugs? Does he smoke? Drink? Is he scary? Or-"

"He's got a scar…" I said, remembering the scar on his temple.

"Really?" Angela asked, awed, "Where?"

I pointed to my temple. She raised her eyebrows.

"Were you looking that closely?" she accused.

"No! It's pretty visible," I said, but my blush gave me away. Angela pondered for a moment and hopped onto my bed next to me.

"Bella," she said, sighing in mock disappointment, "Is he pretty?"

"What?! Why would you think that-"

"You're bright red."

"Yeah, well-"

"Is he?"

I chewed on my lip and felt the heat on my face. Angela started giggling and I smacked her with a pillow.

"You'll just have to see for yourself, all right?" I muttered as she laughed.

"No, I'm pretty sure I trust your judgment. And your blushes."

"Shut up."

Angela laughed again.

"You still didn't answer my question, Ms. Weber," I accused and it was Angela's turn to blush now.

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We spent an hour or so catching up with each other. Summer crushes (my lack thereof), summer embarrassments, pretty sunsets, bug bites, and everything else there was to tell. We decided to put off shopping for tomorrow and lounged around in my room, eating chips and drinking sodas. I showed her the necklace I found in the beach at La Push, she showed me a picture of her at luau.

Angela and I had been friends since freshman year. We were both kind of shy, kind of boring, kind of average, and we were perfectly okay with admitting it. We got good grades, didn't get in trouble much, and stayed away from trouble mostly.

We were the 'good kids'. The 'obedient daughters'. And lately it'd been only me that's had uneasy thoughts about those titles. I brushed the thoughts away, usually, and didn't give them much more of my time and energy.

Suddenly Angela hopped off my bed and I sat up from my spot on the floor.

"What?" I asked as she ran to the window.

"Is that him!?"

"They're back already?" I asked, scrambling onto my feet.

"Him and your father?"

"Yeah, they went job hunting."

I saw Charlie's cruiser pull into the driveway and I held my breath. I was worried what Angela would say. The last thing I needed was hearing anything someone had to say about my new housemate.

Charlie got out and Edward followed. I let my breath come out in a woosh involuntarily. My heart pounded and my fingers tingled.

My reaction frightened me.

It felt like adrenaline. And it was scaring me. I shook myself out of it.

He was wearing a loose red, flannel button down shirt with the sleeves ripped off so the sleeves ended in the middle of his upper arms, the threads fraying where he had ripped. He wore it unbuttoned, a white shirt underneath. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans and the light caught what appeared to be a gold chain around his neck, the rest of the chain tucked into his shirt.

The muscles of his arms were lean and strong and I could hear Angela's voice, but I couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Bella!"

"Huh? What?"

Angela gave me a peculiar look.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked, looking my eyes.

"You look a little pale."

"I'm fine," I insisted, shaking myself out of it with a practiced grin, "Not all of us get beautiful tans at beaches, you know."

Angela rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, did you even hear what I said?" she asked.

"Um…depends…what exactly did you say?"

"I said you're blushes didn't do a good job of describing him," Angela said, smirking at first before becoming shy and awed again, "He's gorgeous. Like an angel."

"Yeah, a fallen angel," I muttered, looking at Edward as Charlie chatted with him, "Like Lucifer…"

"Tell me how the whole sharing a bathroom thing goes," Angela added softly, her mind elsewhere as she admired my new housemate.

We stared a while longer before I saw Charlie tip his eyes up to our room. I quickly shut the curtains.

"I think they saw us!" I exclaimed in a whisper.

"Calm down," Angela said, mimicking my tone before her smile dampened, "Only your father saw us, anyway….are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," I whispered back as my fingers shook strangely.

We heard the door open downstairs and we scrambled to look normal, even though the door to my room was closed and I knew Charlie would always knock first.

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Edward

Twenty two dollars.

I sighed, tossing my green Speedway employee vest and chipper "Hi! My name is Edward!" nametag inside a drawer.

Twenty nine dollars in cash is all I had left after Carlisle took my bank card. It was just the money under my mattress I had been saving there to keep me from spending it. Now I spent two dollars on the candy bar in the airport, and now five dollars on a sandwich for dinner. I ran a hand through my hair, missing sun and warmth and freedom.

When I had walked up the stairs to my room, I saw the door to Bella's room was closed. There were voices though, and I was curious, but I didn't dare knock to find out.

I flopped down on my mattress and covered my eyes with my arm.

Life sucks.

Mine, in particular, sucks pretty hard.

And I still hadn't said more than one word to this beautiful housemate of mine.

I looked at my hand and grabbed the sharpie from my pocket, writing on the inside of my forearm in small letters, the word:

'talk'

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I stayed in my room doing nothing.

Honestly.

Nothing.

I sat on my bed and dozed off a couple of times, but mostly I just laid there with my hands behind my head, my eyes on the ceiling, and my thoughts someplace far away from here. I thought about sun and heat. I thought about what kind of hellishly boring classes I would have to attend in two days. I thought about Cassius, Brutus, daggers and the Senate. I thought about Elizabeth. I turned on her fan even though it was freezing in my room.

I put the fan on the foot of my bed and stared at it. Spinning steadily and thrumming a whipping noise in the air. It tossed my hair up and I shut my eyes, imagining Chicago and tall buildings and cars.

I wasn't going to survive this year if I was alone with my thoughts this long every day.

I sat up when I heard a knock on my door.

"Wanna bring your dinner down and come eat at the table with us, Edward?" I heard the cop ask through the door.

Not really.

But you all seem like better company than my tortured brain.

"Sure," I called out. I hopped up and swung my door open. I turned and grabbed my sandwich off bedside table and shut off the fan.

The cop was waiting for me outside the door and I followed him downstairs with my sandwich in my right hand. I wondered if he and Bella would give me food if Carlisle hadn't so forcefully told them not to. The cop might. He seemed reasonable enough. Not sure about the girl though…nah, she'd give in eventually. She looked like the type that got guilty easily.

Bella was setting the table when we got downstairs. She turned her head when she saw us coming but then quickly dropped her eyes. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed the pitcher of water as I sat down at the end of the table.

Bella sat at the other end, Charlie between us. She looked up at me once more before glancing back down at her plate. Her cheeks were a wonderful red color. She was wearing her hair up in a messy bun with strands hanging down, a baggy t-shirt, and jeans.

I sighed internally, deciding to embrace my procrastinating soul (because I had the whole year to talk to this girl) and ignoring the screaming little note I wrote on my arm earlier.

Naturally, we started eating in silence.

Bella

"So," Charlie said, clearing his throat as Edward picked some lettuce out of his sandwich. He didn't like lettuce?

"Uh…how's Angela, Bella?" Charlie asked, sipping his beer.

"She's tanner," I said, "But the same."

"That's good," Charlie said.

More silence. I accidentally crossed my legs and my foot hit Edward's leg. I wanted to go die in a hole the moment I realized I did it, but Edward didn't seem to notice, keeping his eyes on his plate. I planted my feet so I didn't give the criminal the idea I was playing footsie with him.

I pushed food around on my plate and listened to Charlie's clanking silverware and the sound of Edward putting his glass of water down every so often.

Stupid idea bringing him down here, Charlie.

Stupid, stupid, stupid idea.

"Are uh…are you two going shopping tomorrow?" Charlie asked.

Poor Charlie. Trying to do Carlisle a favor, keep me sane, and have a conversation at the same time.

"Probably," I said, even though all I really wanted to do was sleep until two in the afternoon and stay in my pajamas all day.

"And are you starting work tomorrow, Edward?" Charlie asked, turning to Edward. Edward nodded silently.

"So I guess we'll all be pretty busy," Charlie said slightly to himself, probably deciding trying to have a conversation just wasn't worth the awkwardness.

Edward and I didn't hold eye contact for the remainder of dinner.

And I'm pretty sure if we can keep that up, we just might survive.

But then a staggering thought occurred to me:

I had one more day of summer left before junior year of high school.

An even more staggering thought followed:

How are my classmates going to feel about the new student? And, more importantly, how would they react when they hear the news that he's living at my house?

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Trying to build things up slowly. Don't be frustrated by the lack of answers, for all shall be revealed (mystical music here). I'm taking the wrapper off the present slowly, if you will, and I might even go so far as to say that neither of us knows what the surprise inside will be.

I'm just running with this one.

One thing: All of the "Rules" Carlisle gave Edward were on purpose. Enough said.

QUESTION: Should I do the sequel to Maria at the same time I'm doing this story? I tend to get a little woohoo and weird when doing two stories, but maybe y'all think it's worth it?

Reviewsies because God only knows how much I need them.

(Yes, I did say 'need')