Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter five of "Into the Shadows." This chapter has some Edward/Bella, Emmett/Rosalie, Jasper/Alice, Mike/Jessica, and Eric/Angela. The Cullens and Eric are introduced as well. Stay tuned for chapter six.

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Chapter 5: Hallway Conversation

Edward waited next to Bella's locker that happened to be located in the middle of the hall on the left side. It was the tenth door on top. He had his hands in his pockets. Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice were talking not far behind him. He looked around carefully. Students passed him both ways. They chatted and laughed loudly. He touched his temple while scoffing annoyingly. He heard so many thoughts, including some naughty ones. He placed his hand on the locker before blinking three times.

Edward clicked his tongue as he glanced at the ceiling. He wished he could not read people's minds sometimes. He did not want to know about naughty things they wanted to do to their spouses. He understood it was part of being human, but he hated when they projected such thoughts so loudly. He felt tempted to go over and punch them out at one point or another, yet he resisted it.

His thoughts shifted to Bella. He believed she was chatting up a storm with Jessica and Angela outside. He wondered if she had told them about last night. He did not mind that one bit. Of course, he hoped she did not go into intimate details as it would give the girls ideas about naughty things they could do to their boyfriends. He prayed Mike did not find out because he knew it would make him quite jealous. He was aware of the boy's crush on Bella. He had heard inappropriate thoughts from him a time or two.

Edward shook his thoughts out of his head. He didn't want anyone to become worried for him if they saw him staring off into space, especially Bella. He groaned annoyingly as he touched his temple. He glanced over his shoulder to see Emmett whispering inaudible words into Rosalie's ear. She tried to hold back a giggle, but she could not help herself.

"Emmett, you have some really naughty thoughts about Rosalie," Edward whispered, narrowing his eyes at the couple. "The same goes for you regarding him, Rosalie."

"We're sorry, man," Emmett apologized while holding up his hands.

"We didn't mean to project so loud," Rosalie added and looked away. She leaned toward Alice with a smirk on her face. "I have no doubt he has similar thoughts about Bella. I mean, they were really busy last night."

"Heh, heh, heh," Alice snickered.

Edward glared at the girls. "I heard that, Rosalie. You're not off the hook either, Alice."

"Hey, I was just making a comment," Rosalie retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Besides, it's true you have such thoughts about Bella," Alice added and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I may not like her very much, but I do not care if you think such things. Do whatever you want with her," Rosalie said in a low voice.

Alice nodded in agreement. "There is no shame in thinking of really naughty things to do to your girlfriend."

Edward inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. He had to admit Rosalie and Alice were right. He had been thinking of naughty things he wanted to do to Bella ever since last night. He knew Aro would be laughing if he found such thoughts with a touch of his hand. He was aware Aro could find people's deepest secrets due to his ability to read every thought a person has had in his or her life. It did not matter if they were human or vampire. He leaned close to his sisters.

"All right. I do want to do really naughty things to Bella," Edward whispered and pulled back. "You happy?"

"Very," Alice said, giggling to herself.

"Maybe I should project my really naughty thoughts about Alice," Jasper threatened playfully as he came to Alice's side. "She can do the same with hers about mine."

"Don't. I've heard enough naughty thoughts to last me an eternity," Edward responded with a shake of his head.

"Okay," Jasper said, his eyebrows raising. "We won't."

Edward sighed in relief. He ran his fingers through his hair before slipping his hand inside his pocket. Jasper looked away for a minute. He turned back to him, swallowing hard.

"Edward, I just want to say again how sorry I am about what happened last night," Jasper apologized in a quiet yet guilty voice. "If I had not been there, Bella would not have been hurt."

"You don't need to apologize anymore, Jasper. Bella does not hold it against you. She never will," Edward assured.

"I understand what you are saying. Still, I became so overwhelmed by everyone's thirst that I could not control myself," Jasper commented.

"No vampire is in control one hundred percent of the time. It is just not possible," Edward responded softly.

Alice looked up at Jasper. "Edward is right. You shouldn't kick yourself in the foot when you find yourself losing control. It can happen, no matter how much practice you've had. Besides, you were removed from the situation. You calmed down."

"I was thinking of talking the entire family into leaving Forks to keep Bella safe, but she managed to talk me out of it. The observations she spoke of made so much sense. I changed my mind. Then one thing led to another," Edward murmured with a chuckle.

"You can spare us the details. We heard enough this morning," Jasper said, shaking his head fast as Emmett and Rosalie joined Alice's side.

"One thing is clear. Life can come at people so fast that they do not have time to blink," Edward pointed out matter-of-factly.

Jasper sighed. "That is true."

"Very much so," Alice agreed. "Anyway, why do I get a feeling I will have a vision of someone falling for another prank at some point?"

"People always laugh you off when you try to warn them. Then they become victims of the pranks," Jasper added, trying to hold back a laugh.

Edward stifled a snicker. "We've seen the victims fall for water buckets on top of doors, deflating whoopie cushions, pies hitting them in their faces, etc."

Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice laughed to themselves. They became quiet after ten seconds. Edward was about to say something else when footsteps diverted his attention. He spotted Bella coming his way. Jessica and Angela were right behind her. She stopped before him, as did they beside her.

"It took you to get here longer than I thought," Edward said, a smirk forming on his face. "Were you three chitchatting about girl stuff?"

"Yeah," Bella admitted and tickled his chin. "No, we are not going to tell."

"If I did not know any better, I'd say you read my mind," Edward said, kissing her cheek.

Bella blew a raspberry as he pulled back. "Maybe I did."

"Hey there, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie," Jessica greeted in a warm voice.

"Hey," Rosalie said softly.

"It looks like it will be another boring day at school," Angela grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Jessica crossed her arms. "If only something exciting would happen once in a while."

Angela blew in a hard manner. "Yeah."

Alice spotted Mike and Eric coming up behind Jessica and Angela. They shot glances at her while putting their fingers over their lips in a shushing moment. They stopped behind the girls and squeezed their sides while growling as if they were lions. Jessica and Angela screamed in fright and turned around to face them. They smacked them in their shoulders.

"You two are mean!" Angela yelled in annoyance.

"We are proud of it," Mike shouted, a big smile crossing his lips.

"Do not try to change us," Eric added with a laugh. "It won't happen."

"Oh, shut up," Jessica retorted. "You two need zippers on your mouths."

Mike and Eric chuckled and kissed their girlfriends' temples. They put their arms around their shoulders and glanced at Bella.

"Hi, Bella," Mike said cheerfully.

"Hi yourself, Mike," Bella greeted with a smile.

"It is nice to see you five," Mike added quietly as he turned to the Cullens.

"Mike, you can speak a little louder to them and with more enthusiasm," Jessica scolded. "They are nice, even if they are a little weird. Almost everyone has weirdness in them."

Mike sighed heavily. He really did not want to speak as Jessica asked, but he could see she was right. People should not be shunned just because they might be a little weird. He believed he had a little weirdness in himself. He just wasn't about to let it out.

"It is nice to see you five," Mike said rather warmly.

"Thank you, Mike," Alice responded while nodding at him.

Edward narrowed his eyes at Mike, who looked up at the ceiling. He read a few inappropriate thoughts about Bella and emitted a quiet yet irritated grunt. He hated it when the boy projected those thoughts more than he did any others. He wished he could smack them out of him, but he didn't want to raise suspicions. He breathed deeply in which he released the tension within himself. Mike noticed him and raised his eyebrows.

"You okay, Edward? You appear to be tense," Mike said in concern.

"I am okay. I am just a little nervous about that chemistry test coming up next Monday. It is supposed to be a big one," Edward admitted.

"You're not the only one," Bella said, glancing up at him.

"The rest of us are just as nervous," Eric agreed. "That is why I suggest Mike, Jessica, Angela, and I get together at my house to study on Friday night. We can order a pizza for dinner."

Angela laughed excitedly. "That is a great idea, Eric."

"I agree," Bella added.

"Just don't let Mike hog all the pizza like he did last time," Jessica warned, glaring at her boyfriend.

"Hey, I can't help if I get really hungry," Mike insisted, holding up his hands. "Besides, I am as healthy as a horse."

"That's what Dad said when we had dinner together after our encounter in that parking lot," Bella pointed out.

Mike snickered. "That was a nice encounter."

"We are studying for the test while we go camping this weekend," Emmett commented.

"You're going camping?" Eric wondered.

Edward touched the back of his neck. "It is for family time. We want to see nature up close as well."

"Whatever you do, do not get close to any animal," Eric warned sternly.

"Don't worry, Eric," Jasper assured a little annoyingly. "We won't do anything stupid."

"Unfortunately, young people are known for doing stupid stuff," Mike said, rolling his eyes. "We think nothing bad will happen to us. We think we are invincible."

Jessica clicked her tongue. "Then something bad does happen. We get hurt. Sometimes, it is badly."

Bella swallowed hard. She felt the memory of being thrown into the table at the Cullen residence flow through her mind. She wished she could push it out of her mind, but she knew she couldn't. It would be ingrained there for the rest of her life. She was lucky she was not hurt worse than she was. She smacked her lips twice.

"It is just three months until Christmas Break. I can't wait for it to come," Jessica said in a bit of excitement.

"Maybe we will get an early heavy snowfall around that time. I want a White Christmas and participate in snowball fights," Eric added, eagerness lining his voice.

"Count me in. I am the king of throwing snowballs," Mike said, forming a fist and pumping it.

"What you are really the king of is being a jock," Angela answered, a snicker coming from her.

"Eh. That's true," Mike agreed while looking away. "At least I am a nice jock with a fondness for playing harmless pranks."

"Like putting a whoopie cushion in my chair," Jessica said in mock annoyance.

"Exactly," Mike said as he turned back to her and ruffled her hair. "It is fun tricking people into thinking they have passed gas."

Jessica slapped Mike upside the head twice. He retaliated by tweaking her nose and ruffling her hair again. They smiled at each other. He looked at his watch, letting out a loud whistle.

"We better get to class before the bell rings," Mike suggested.

"That is a good idea, Mike," Bella said warmly. "See you later."

The Cullens and Bella headed right while breaking into quiet chatter. Mike, Jessica, Eric, and Angela went left. Mike proceeded to talk about the time he put a realistic-looking rubber frog in Jessica's bed.