Bella wanted to just sit down next to Alice and try and blend in, but the teacher was at her desk and so she went up to get her form signed and introduce herself. In exchange she got a book she'd never pick up to read voluntarily. It was probably as old as Alice was.

"Guess it was too much to hope for Huckleberry Finn." She muttered as she sat down next to Alice.

Alice gave off a bell like laugh, but it was brief. Still it earned them a few astonished head turns from the other students that came a little early to class. "You like Twain?"

"Actually, I do." Bella did remember actually liking those stories, even though she didn't tend to like old books too much.

"You say that like you're surprised." Alice gave her a teasing smirk that was distracting Bella from her thoughts. "What do you read, since you say you do it for fun?"

"I really jump around a bit. Some fantasy, some non-fiction, once in a while I might pick up a comedian's book." Bella answered vaguely hoping to not really have a discussion about her reading habits.

"No romances?" Alice's yellow eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled.

"God no, stupid women falling all over themselves to land a man that doesn't respect them. Not my cup of tea." Bella shook her head and Alice tilted her head to the side to study her. Bella started to blush and then focused her attention back down at the blurb on the back of the novel she was just given. There was no way Bella was going to admit that she also occasionally read internet porn, not the cheap stuff, she hunted for good stories, but they were porn, or she used to since she didn't have a computer now. Her sex life was on hold, and she had teenage hormones. She couldn't tell yet if teenage hormones were worse than the 'height of her sexual peak' years that she'd just started before bodysnatching or whatever she did. Luckily class was clearly getting ready to start, ending any further conversation on the topic. While the class discussed the novel in front of her, Bella spent the class period trying to speed read the damn thing so she could catch up.

After class, while Bella was shoving her binder and new book into her backpack she felt something cool and soft wrap around her neck. She turned to have Alice staring at her neck, which might be a bit dangerous, but Alice was tying on the fashionable scarf she'd been wearing herself. "You're outfit needed a little something." Alice smiled up at her once it was on, and she'd adjusted it. "You can borrow that for the day."

Bella frowned a little, and wished there was a mirror, because she dressed up a little for the first day of school, she'd forgone just a t-shirt, and did have a button up shirt, but it wasn't that nice. "It looks okay?" She asked doubtfully.

"It helps, but you really need to work on your wardrobe." Alice shook her head.

"It's on my to do list, but that list is kind of huge right now." Bella admitted and then her eyes widened when the little vampire seemed to start to glow from the inside with energy as she started to smile widely.

"I could take you shopping." Alice's words were almost easy to predict.

Bella sighed. "I don't know if you'd like shopping with me. I heard you're well," Bella grimaced. "I am a bargain hunter. I'll spend three hours and come out of the mall with two shirts. No one likes shopping with me." Bella used one arm to sling her backpack over one shoulder, but Alice quickly leaned in to take her unoccupied arm.

"If you need money, I could help you out." Alice spoke as they started for the doors, ignoring the fact that there was a lot of whispering going on.

"It isn't that." Bella spoke quickly. "I have a thing about wasting money, it really bothers me." Normally as part of that explanation she'd tell someone she grew up in a family that barely had enough, but she wasn't supposed to have a history anymore. Instead she thought about all the things she needed or wanted to buy. "And I have to make mine stretch. I need more than just clothes. I need furniture, I can only dream about a computer at this point." She sighed heavily, while she walked, but she was also debating about shaking her arm a little, to see if it would make Alice let go and just walk along beside her normally. Perhaps Alice thought friends walked around like this, but Bella had never been one to hang off of other people and Alice's scent was probably distracting her as much as hers was distracting Alice. Bella was stunned by how good a vampire smelled. Alice's fingers were cold, but that only served to make Bella even more aware that she was being touched. People just didn't touch Bella. "And I need to save for a car, because until I have a car I'm trapped at the house unless I have Charlie taxi me around. There is no way it is possibly legal for me to drive his squad car, and he doesn't have a regular car for me to borrow."

"Let's try shopping together." Alice spoke just a little more calmly, and she moved to walk backwards in front of Bella. Bella did not miss the confidence Alice had in walking that way either, they didn't slow down. Some students moved out of their way, but it wasn't really that many that did that. More were just staring at the girl a Cullen was willing to talk to, the new girl. Bella was aware of it, she'd learned to be aware of a lot in high school hallways. Alice smiled. "Out of my family I'm your best bet for a shopping partner."

"I hear you throw money around like it means nothing. I might actually develop an ulcer if I see you do that." Bella spoke flatly, imagining that waste and the arguments that could happen with a spendthrift and a shopaholic in the mall. "I don't think you could shop like I do." Alice's eyes narrowed a little and Bella saw she'd hit a nerve and smirked. She might have a way to control the little vampire. "I have gone shopping and come out with bags of clothes for a hundred dollars, and they all work together so I have several outfits out of it." She let her smirk become larger and more obvious and Alice started to pout.

"I could do that. I'm practically a professional shopper, I've been shopping for," And the pause was a little too long. "A long time and I am amazing at it."

"Only because your dad is rich." Bella was starting to have fun teasing Alice. Alice stopped walking backwards and moved to walk beside her.

"We'll see. You and I are shopping this week." Alice told her and then pointed to a door. "That's your classroom. I won't see you until fourth period Art. I'll have a shopping plan all ready by then."

"No, actually I'll have the shopping plan." Bella countered with a raised eyebrow. The black haired vampire gave her a sexy challenging smile, before turning as if it were a dance they were doing and walking off gracefully.

Bella turned to see a few people in the US History class were glancing out at her as she stepped into the room. She had no Cullens with her for this class. It wasn't until she was sitting down that she remembered she had the scarf on. Bella tugged a little of it away from her enough to see it. At least the color went with her shirt. It was an age inappropriate accessory for a teenager, scarves were something that went better with business clothes and your thirties.

The history book was a thick textbooks that smelled of dust. Bella went to the front, picked it up from the teacher and had her form signed, while doing her best to ignore the stares she was getting. Bella moved to take an empty seat, and those were all towards the back this late in the school year. Once she asked her new tablemate if the seat was opened she sat down heavily and plopped the heavy textbook down on the table.

The boy in the seat in front of her swiveled around to face her as soon as she'd sat down. "New Girl." He smiled at her in an overly friendly way. "How are you finding Forks so far?" He had a bit of energy in him, Bella thought as she considered her answer.

"I like it so far." She gave him a small smile back. "And I'm Bella, not New Girl."

"Well, Bella, I'm Eric." He spoke and then held out a hand for a shake, unusual for high school, but she did it. "I'm on the school newspaper and still I didn't hear we had a new girl until this morning. You slipped in under the radar." Bella was a little surprised that she had to pull her hand away from him, he didn't let go like normal.

"I decided to short circuit the rumor mill by moving quickly." She gave him a fake smile he didn't appear to detect at all.

Class was started and it forced him to turn around. Bella took good notes during class, as she attempted to figure out where they were in the book and what she'd need to cover to catch up before the next test. It wasn't too bad, but it also wasn't too interesting. She flipped through the book and the syllabus to see how far it went and sighed heavily when history apparently stopped in the 1980's. There went the easy grade, if they'd gone further she'd remember things she'd lived through more, which was probably how the Cullen's dealt with this class.

Once class was over Bella tried to stuff the large textbook into her bookbag, and when she slung it over her shoulder again she decided she'd have to visit her locker, which she'd been assigned but didn't go to, before lunch. She wasn't carrying all her books all day long. "So Bella, what class do you have next?" Erik turned to face her with a helpful look on his face, one that was a bit too eager. Bella decided that tomorrow Charlie was going to drop her off when it was much busier, so more people saw him. Perhaps she could ask him to glare around the parking lot too. He'd probably love to do it.

"I've got Algebra." She muttered and watched his smile dim a little.

"Oh, damn, well, I could still walk you to class. It isn't too far from my journalism class." He offered, and remembering the need to make friends, or at least make friendly, Bella accepted the help. "My homie Mike is in that class." He said as if it made sense for an obvious geek to talk like that. "Jessica too, I'll introduce you."

As they walked through the crowded hall, Bella easily noticed how it was more crowded when you didn't have a vampire parting the humans for you. She got a little jostled, but everyone was getting jostled so it wasn't personal.

"You so have to sit with us for lunch." Eric told her while he was pointing out the door they were aiming for. "I'll save you a seat." Bella gave him a grateful smile, because then she wouldn't need to hunt down a place to go. It kind of upset her that she had friends, but because they didn't actually eat they didn't want her at their table. She at least hoped that was why they didn't want her there. Maybe if she could prove oblivious enough in this week to anything she saw they might ease up on that rule.

The Algebra teacher actually had to kick Eric out, he was determined to continue talking with Bella. Once he was gone and she'd gotten her slip signed and added another book to her collection she reluctantly took the seat next to Jessica.

When Jessica attempted to ask her questions about her move, or the rumor she'd been seen talking to a Cullen, Bella whispered to her. "I really need to concentrate in this class. It's my worst subject." She didn't volunteer that by worst subject she meant she tended to earn 'B's' in it. In her efforts to not listen to Jessica, her Algebra grades might just improve on their own.

As Bella sat watching the example being done on the board she considered the Twilight book, and really wondered if this was the group of students she wanted to be a part of. Jessica was a backstabber, she knew that already. Hell, without the warning of that book, just looking into Jessica's eyes was enough to know she was motivated by jealousy.

It wasn't a surprise that when Mike offered to help her find her next class, Jessica was quick to point out that Bella was going in the opposite direction. It didn't matter, because Bella had a map and wasn't eager to be drilled about herself and her move, or her walk through the halls with Alice, on her way to drawing.

In the end it really hadn't mattered, because she was only halfway to the art room when a small vampire slid up next to her to show her the way.

…..

Emmett POV

"Did you see the new girl?" Emmett could overhear some boy saying as he made his way to lunch. "I've got to tap that." Her eyes moved to glare at the back of the head of Mike Newton, and his fist clenched a little.

"If she pays him even the slightest bit of attention, we'll warn her." Rose told him in a whisper, while wrapping his fist in her hand. He looked over at Rose to say something, but then noticed the tension in her eyes. His hand opened up and he twisted his wrist to capture her hand in his, before squeezing it gently. "She's not equipped to deal with teenage boys."

"Rosie, you didn't see her deal with Mrs. Cope. Somehow I think she's a little stronger than you think she is." He told her, but there was no hint of Rose actually listening to what he was saying. His Rosie was giving the back of Mike Newton's head a death stare that would have him pissing himself if he turned around to see it.

They were walking in a little late, after dropping off the morning textbooks and Emmett glanced around the lunchroom as if he hadn't found Bella the second he stepped into it.

"Yep, those are the other Cullens." Jessica's voice easily reached them as they made their way to their table. He glanced their way and noticed with a little amusement how Bella's eyes had widened upon seeing Rose for the first time. "Jasper and Alice are a couple and that," Jessica nodded toward them, "is Emmett and Rosalie." He could hear the long drawn out sigh even as he moved to sit down beside Jasper at their table. "They are together, together, and they are brother and sister. It's disgusting."

"Bella's actually more quietly violent feeling than I thought." Jasper muttered.

"Look who she's sitting with, I think Jessica would make Mother Theresa consider violence." Rose muttered.

"They aren't actually related, Jessica." Angela spoke up, but Emmett was dying to see what was happening at that table. He shifted his seat so he could watch. Angela talked with Bella. "Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted them all."

"Still, they all live together, it isn't right." Jessica muttered angrily and it wasn't the first time they'd overheard her talking about them like this.

"Like you'd turn any of them down if they lived with you and were interested." Bella spoke up and Emmett started to grin.

"I know, they are beautiful, aren't they?" Angela quietly agreed and Emmett turned his grin to Jasper, ignoring the slap to his chest Rose gave him.

Alice laughed suddenly and then turned to grin at Jasper. Emmett hated when she did that, but listened harder to see if he could find out what was so funny.

"Which one wouldn't you turn down Bella? The only single one isn't here today, and he doesn't date." Jessica's voice was irritating and it was clear she was baiting his Bella Bear.

Emmett looked over again to see Bella smirking at him. "So you mean I'd get two for one if I picked one of these?" He laughed as she said that. "I love a bargain."

"What, oh gross." Jessica turned away from Bella, but he didn't miss how the girl studied their table for a moment.

"Bella's amused now, she was irritated before." Jasper told them.

"Well, Bella Bear is funny as hell." Emmett grinned big at his brother.

These kids kept asking her stupid questions, especially Erik, and knowing Bella only had maybe nine months of memories, she was doing amazing at trying to hide that. Maybe this was part of why Bella didn't have friends. He did smile once in a while when the kids teased her about 'bargain hunting', and enjoyed how Jessica bristled every single time, but Bella was laughing it off easily.

"Come on, it's almost time for class." He told Rose as he moved to stand up and held a hand out for her to pull herself up as well. "She's in our class."

"It's a junior level class." Rose turned to look at him. She hadn't been there when Alice and Emmett saw Bella's schedule.

"She took it early at her last school, so she's in Junior Biology now." He was happy with that. It was his only class with her, but at least he had one. The class was full, and everyone was partnered up, so he was going to see if the teacher would give Bella two partners for the price of one. He smirked at his own thoughts there, as he planned to move a chair up to their table for Bella. For this one human, he didn't think Rose would mind.