Chapter Twenty Seven

Bella

Well my first day at Forks High had gone as well as I expected, possibly a little better if I were honest with myself. Renee rang as soon as I got in the door wanting to know all about it, not so much the classes as the other students and staff.

"So any hot teachers?"

"Mum! No there aren't."

"OK, what about the other students? Were they friendly?"

"They were fine, I made a couple of friends and I almost knocked out one of the boys in games."

"Oh, they gave you a ball to throw? Didn't you tell them how dangerous that could be?"

"We were playing volleyball."

"I see, well I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"He already did. His name is Mike and his parents run the sporting goods store."

"Oh, money?"

"Mum."

"Bella stop Mumming me. I kept the best question for last, any hot guys?"

I didn't answer her but I thought about Edward Cullen. As soon as I saw him I felt the attraction and I know he was watching me although he tried not to. He was handsome in a mysterious kind of way with the most unusual bronze colored hair and the strangest golden hued eyes. He was in a lot of my classes along with his more approachable sister Alice. At least she was his foster sister and he had another two foster siblings in the year above us, Emmett who was an amiable seeming giant and Rose the ice queen blonde who scowled at me over lunch, what for I had no idea, I hadn't even met her!

My dad finally stopped checking if I was OK after two weeks by which time Edward Cullen had decided to speak to me at last which was a relief because his constant staring was making me really nervous. He'd disappeared after our first science class during which he pretty much ignored me, or at least made it clear he didn't like the way I smelled. Maybe he had a strawberry phobia, who knows?

Anyway when he returned he had changed totally and my new friends seethed with jealousy, all the girls at Forks High wanted to attract the hot single Cullen, I had done so without even trying.

We talked a little and he walked with me to class which was nice except that his older foster sister made it very obvious she disapproved. I could feel her unfriendly eyes on me all through lunch and tried to avoid her as much as possible, thankful she wasn't in our year. Alice on the other hand seemed much more friendly, in fact, she seemed to be bending over backwards to be my best friend. I was a little overwhelmed by this, I wasn't the best friend type, more the loner, but she was a friendly face which only served to make her sister more anti me if that was even possible.

When I was invited to the Cullen house for the day one Saturday I almost cried off, I'd heard they never invited folks out to their house and the thought of a whole day in Rosalie's company was enough to put anyone off. When I first heard her nickname, the Ice Bitch I felt sorry for her but that soon wore off, she could freeze the Sahara just with a glance! Of course Dr Cullen just happened to mention to my dad about the invitation and Charlie was like a dog with two tails, both wagging at once. The idea of me having real friends cheered him no end although if he'd known Edward was interested in me personally he might not have been so pushy. He still saw me as his little girl, not a teenager with her own life just beginning.

Anyway I was more or less bullied into going once Charlie told Renee besides which I liked Edward…...a lot. At school he and I got to talking and I found him fascinating if a little strange. He almost seemed out of place here in the twenty first century. The way he spoke, his mannerisms, all harked back to a time when girls were ladies to be treated like delicate flowers and his manners were impeccable! I asked him what was happening on Saturday but he just shrugged.

"I would like to spend the day with you and I thought your father would be more comfortable if he thought we were going to be with my family. They would love to meet you Bella."

"I already met your foster dad remember?"

I couldn't forget, I'd only been at school two days and I slipped on the monkey bars in gym and wrenched my ankle. I had warned our teacher I was lethal off the ground but she insisted I try. As a result I spent an hour with Dr Cullen at the clinic having X-rays and then having my sore ankle strapped up.

Dr Cullen had also struck me as out of place, he too felt like he should be in a Bronte novel or striding through the streets of London with Charles Dickens, it was the oddest feeling. He had the same strange coloring as all his foster children and the same icy touch as Edward. There was something very odd about the whole Cullen family. On the Friday morning it was sunny and the Cullens, including Edward, were absent from school. When I looked for them Abigail, a friend from History class told me the Cullens were always absent if the weather was good.

"How do they get away with that? Doesn't the school complain?"

"Nope, but with their grades who is going to say anything? They are all straight A students Bella. Dr and Mrs Cullen take them on a hike or go camping whenever the weather is good. Which of course isn't."

I wondered if I would find a note though my door canceling my visit the next day and found I was really upset at the thought of that. I was very much looking forward to spending the day with Edward, despite his sister Rosalie's impending disapproval. In the event there was no note and I had great fun.

I found Emmett was like a naughty kid, always pulling pranks and as he took notice of me I had been relieved to find Rosalie absent because his treatment of me would have made me even more unpopular with his girlfriend. He and Alice did their utmost to entertain me much to Edward's obvious annoyance. I think he would have preferred my attention exclusively but I had been brought up better than that. Esme and Carlisle made me feel very welcome too, they had a barbecue in the back yard which was actually a meadow leading down to a creek. There was something strange I noticed though. Although the food was excellently cooked and presented I seemed to be the only one who ate anything. The others put food on their plates and later the plates were empty but I never saw anyone else actually eating.

Edward drove me home that evening and when we pulled up he seemed very anxious to hear if I'd had a good time.

"We don't entertain very often and I just wanted to make sure you enjoyed yourself."

"I did, I like your brother Emmett, he's a little crazy."

"Yes he can be a little boisterous but he doesn't mean anything by it."

I thought Edward sounded a little pompous and I couldn't help smiling but he turned to me,

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to."

"What?"

He shook his head looking uncomfortable,

"I just realized I must have sounded a little pompous to you, I don't mean to."

"Oh right."

It seemed a strange assumption to make even if it were true but I forgot all about it as he leaned across and touched his cold lips to my forehead.

"I very much enjoyed you being there Bella. I guess what I mean is would you consider going out with me? I mean as a girlfriend."

"I know what you meant Edward, yes I would like that."

This time our lips met and I found the feel of his lips on mine took my breath away. I would have sat "talking " longer but just then Charlie appeared on the porch so with a last lingering kiss Edward got out and walked round to open my door for me which seemed a very quaint gesture although Charlie looked at him approvingly.

"It's nice to see a youngster with manners Edward."

"Thank you Chief Swan. I'd like to take Bella out for a drive tomorrow afternoon, if that's acceptable of course."

What could Charlie say? He nodded and I walked up to the front door then turned to see Edward wearing a strange look as if he'd heard a private joke but couldn't really react to it.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow about three Bella. Bye for now."

I waved and followed Charlie inside aware I was about to get a grilling.