Originally posted in 2014-15, I decided to try reworking it cuz I like the idea of how odd and steamy it could be. Take a moment to imagine the first few scenes in the movie/book; I thought it'd be annoying to read the beginning for the umpteenth time. The title of this story listing will be changed to The Underground in time.

Disclaimer: I want this to be dark, have Bella give up her humanity in a way. Consent isn't obtained in this chapter, though nothing bad happens, and it'll likely be implied or vague for the most part throughout the story. So, if explicit consent is desired at every turn or for the most part, as this is an experiment, please search elsewhere for darkward.

Soviet Soviet- Change With the Sun

Dancing Plague- Cataracts

The Underground

Chapter 1 First Day

"W-who's that?" I asked Jessica. Her strawberry blond head turned to look where I was looking and turned back.

"Don't even think about it. That's Edward Cullen. He thinks he's too good for everyone." She said curtly but looked at him longingly. Her expression stuttered when she realized he was looking over at us with an intense gaze. Over at me.

"Did you meet him or something?" she asked, almost accusatory.

"N-no! Not at all," I said.

"Huh. 'Cause it kinda looks like he wishes you were dead," she said, double-checking. She laughs.

"Guess that's how he looks at all of us,"

I looked away, refocusing on my lunch. I didn't understand. I never met him. I only noticed him when I scanned the parking lot and avoided his and his family's gaze as I walked past. I didn't understand how they could be so beautiful. How could he have already decided he hated me so much?

She prattled on about them. They were all adopted by a local doctor and a kind wife. And they were all together.

"Like, 'together', together. I'm not even sure if that's legal,"

"Man, it must be nice to have already found the one," Angela sighed.

"Who's to say they'll even last? I wish the doc would adopt me," Jess lamented,

"Yeah..." Angela concurred.

I glanced at them again. For a small, crowded cafeteria, they still looked like they were sitting at an isolated island. And they shared similar features despite being adopted. I wasn't sure how possible it was to select specific kids like that.

While I had my eyes squinted and zeroed in on them, Edward looked up and glared. I turned around, embarrassed. I didn't exactly want to be one of those who stared, but they were a little ostentatious.

Mike Newton walked me to my class, blabbering happily along with the others at the table that shared our biology class.

I stopped short when I entered the classroom and saw him sitting next to the only empty seat. He seemed equally as happy about our fate. I've never been looked at with such hatred.

"Damn, good luck with that," one of the guys muttered.

I got my stuff and slip signed and begrudgingly made my way to the desk. I did my best to completely ignore him, not look at him directly at all.

He didn't speak to me. Thankfully it was a lecture-style class, meaning I didn't have to speak to him either. My body stiffened and remained that way. It started to ache. I sighed. He fidgeted, moving away from me, almost letting out a low growl. I was mortified. I suppose it was a big sigh. Did my breath smell like my lunch?

I tried to smell my breath, trying to hide that, but it didn't seem to smell. I smelled my hair. Nothing.

I decided to brush it over my left shoulder to shelter myself from him and heard something like a loud punch. I was too scared to look.

It was like that. Whatever small move I made, he reacted like it was volatile. It almost hurt. Looks like I found the person that could see right through me. Maybe the others would follow once they realized I wasn't interesting at all. Their interest was only because I was from a state they've never been to.

It's gonna be a long year...dammit.

...

I was grateful to be saved by the well. So was he. He stormed out before anyone else was packed up and ready to go.

"What's up with Cullen?" Newton asked, suddenly materializing.

"I have no idea," I answered, getting my stuff. I was a little annoyed. It should have been me who stormed out.

"What's your next class? I'll take you,"

"Gym, I think,"

"Ah, that's in the basement. There's only one way into the girl's locker room,"

I decided to trust him since he had been at this school longer than me. If it was as he said, then I'd definitely need the help.

"I feel bad for you, having to sit next to Cullen all year," he said as we walked.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered out an answer, still tense from the experience.

He continued chatting me up in an inclusive manner, which was nice, asking more about my life in Arizona and allowing me to learn more about the way of life here. I was right that there was nothing to do or many places to go. There was Port Angeles and La Push on the Quileute reservation. It'd suit me just fine but strangely I liked having options.

"So, uh," Mike started.

"Uh, yeah?" I asked. I looked at the locker room door, anxious to get in and get changed for gym class before I was late.

"We're heading out to the beach this weekend, you should come,"

"Oh. Bit cold for swimming, isn't it?" I asked.

"Maybe for you- but you could just hang out. We're gonna go hiking and roast marshmallows after,"

"I see. I'll think about it. I gotta go," I said and rushed inside.

...

A more awkward conversation happened later with Charlie trying to fulfill his fatherly duties in making sure my first day went well. I asked a little about the Cullens and he made it clear that they were good people.

"It's awful how they get treated based off gossip, or assumptions. Carlisle is a good man."

I was hoping the next day would be better. I'm not sure why I believed such a thing was possible. I spotted him through my truck's window, trying to hide behind the frame. He was here. Of course, he was.

He moved as I did, stepping closer to the side entrance, keeping his distance. It wasn't much relief because I could feel the hate radiating off of him. The other students who were also heading inside must have felt it too, because they too gave him a wide berth.

Throughout the day, I swore I could see him in the crowd. Or just the top of his head, and then it'd be gone. I didn't have any other class with him, so I shouldn't have seen him around. Perhaps I didn't. But that tuft of red hair was unmistakable.

He sat on his own at lunch today. I wouldn't have known if it weren't for the others letting me know he was shooting daggers at me with his stare. When I looked, he wasn't looking my way anymore, but the others swore they saw him do it. I had to explain to them again how I had no idea what his problem was. I could have said something presumptuous about him, but I didn't want to resort to judgmental statements they all made about them. Not yet anyway. If I could find a way to figure out what was wrong...

At the sight of him when it was time for Biology, I found it hard to believe I could ever speak to him to begin my investigation.

Unfortunately for me, today we had to rearrange a box of slides into the proper order of Mitosis. We'd have to talk. It didn't seem like it'd go well with how he inched away from me just like yesterday. I wondered just how rude he would be.

He spoke tersely, and as little as could, just about managing to be respectful to the teacher when he came by to check our work. He seemed to chuckle when I explained to the teacher that I was already familiar with the phases. As if I couldn't be smart?

We finished up early, giving us time to do whatever we wanted. I'd draw circles, over and over, creating a layered border around my page. While he slammed a book or pen down from time to time and sighed harshly.

He escaped as soon as he could but didn't leave for his next class. I caught him outside while Newton and I started our walk.

"You don't have to walk me to the gym again. I remember where it is," I said.

"Oh. Well, it's a bit of a pain to do a U-turn here. I can take the stairs next to the door and still make it there," he said.

I snuck a look behind him and caught Edward following us a few feet behind. I furrowed my brows.

"So, about La Push. You coming?"

"Y-yeah, sure. Why not." I said.

"Great! We're going this Saturday. We're going to meet at my parent's store, then carpool there. Should I come get you?" He asked.

"N-no, I can find it," I said, finding it odd he was inviting himself to my house already.

"Then let's switch numbers so we can keep tabs,"

I became increasingly shy. I wasn't the least bit interested in him, but he was still a boy. Thankfully, I've already obtained Angela and Jessica's numbers, so it wasn't inappropriate to get his. However, I had the feeling Jessica was open to him and I wanted to keep my distance.

The next day was...not quite more pleasant. I still felt like I was being stalked. I'd catch those eyes through the crowd of students. I'd catch him staring during lunch and class.

He'd ask questions today, that elaborated what I remembered mentioning to Mike or someone else. His tone wasn't much kinder. In fact, it sounded like it took great effort. I wondered if someone put him up to this.

I wasn't brave enough to ask my own questions except for those class-related. His answers were always short. At some point, he gave up and returned to hating me silently. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

I noticed his sister Alice had smiled at me at lunch today. I thought she was being nice but maybe it was out of pity.

...

It continued this way for the next two days. The staring, stalking, and short answers. It was a little uncomfortable; he clearly didn't like me. Then he was…gone.

I looked around like a lost lamb without it's sheppard. But I wasn't. I may not be able to see him, but I still felt like I could have been watched. I shook my head. It's ridiculous really, to think I might have grown accustomed to his animosity. I wasn't a masochist at all.

I almost considered asking what was up with him next time, but maybe I should just change periods.

It was nice, to not feel scared to enter biology class. I got into my seat and noticed that the other corner of the table was chipped off. I traced the somewhat rounded edge. It had to be grounded with something to end up like this. Why would the rest of the table be perfectly fine?

I distracted Newton by pointing my chin at his friends as if they were looking for him.

"What?" he said.

"What?"

I quickly made my escape to head to the gym alone. Jessica was already getting a bit distrustful of me. She didn't know I also looked forward to not being the most interesting thing that's happened to Forks in the last 3 years. I think she likened me to a shiny new toy.

...

I went into the backyard to read a classic while the potatoes were in the oven and the steaks were marinating in the fridge. I didn't read for long before wondering where he was. I had hoped to make friends here, have a different experience, but if this was the kind of attention I'd get, then I change my mind about wanting things to be different.

I closed my eyes hoping that I would shut him away, but when I opened them, he was there. Was he?

His palms were at the sides of my head, his knees at the sides of my thighs. His face was close. Too close. If I moved, our lips would touch. He gently blew on my face, causing me to close my eyes. God, that smell... It was like sweet heaven.

I freaked out. He couldn't possibly be here right now?

"uh…" I stuttered. He observed my reaction.

"Edward?" Was he really here?

He gave a timid smile. He was really here. I couldn't believe it.

I was going to ask what he was doing but first thing first:

"You're... too close." I said. I expected him to move, but when he didn't my heart beat faster and stress sweat started to-

"I've only been gone for a few hours, but I couldn't stay away for any longer," He said.

It sounded sweet, but...he wasn't speaking to me. He was hardly focused on me.

My eyebrows scrunched together. To my horror, he leaned in. I turned my head to avoid the unwanted kiss, but he was aiming for my neck anyway, and I had just made it easier for him.

He brushed his cheek against me, then his nose and lips. As if my heart wasn't already racing, it accelerated, and my breathing was just as labored.

My body's behavior seemed to affect him too; an odd sort of animalistic sound rumbled in the back of his throat.

His nose skimmed my collarbone and down the middle of my chest towards the valley of my breasts. I could feel his cool breath. It sent me into overdrive.

My breaths came in gasps and my eyes were just about out of my eye sockets. Did I want this? I wasn't sure.

No. I don't think I want someone who hated me having me.

I heard the earth protest when his fingertips forced themselves into it. His breathing became erratic, and he trembled like he was in a frenzy.

I started to fear the worst. I screamed and flailed. He took my wrists in one of his hands and covered my mouth with the other. My eyes bulged out of my skull in fear. I was still trying to get him off, but he was much, much stronger.

He chuckled sheepishly. His eyes were no longer as light as they used to be and held something other than hatred in them. Something just as dangerous.

"I'm sorry. It seems I am to be in constant control of my flower. You haven't a clue how heavenly you smell…" The old english cadence made the possessiveness of his words more terrifying.

"Mmmm!"

"Are you going to be quiet?" He asked. His eyes had softened and demanded a genuine promise. I was confused.

After a second he backed off and I immediately took my opportunity to hightail it to the house. He grabbed hold of my arm before I got out from under him, quickly catching onto me.

"I give you my trust and this is what you do?!" He snarled. I couldn't believe he was actually surprised. And that his gold-ish eyes turned completely black. I screamed with the same force I was using to pull away.

"Don't touch me! This is private property, and my dad is Chief of Police!"

He wrestled me onto the ground and held my face to make sure I paid attention to the rock in his hand.

"Do you see this?" He asked more calmly. I looked at him, then at the rock, not seeing the connection.

"Imagine this was your father's bones," He gripped it in his palm. When he opened his hand, 'sand' fell from it. I jerked in his grasp, horrified, but silent.

"You get the picture. I'm a gentleman. I'll be 'nice'. So, when I ask you nicely the first time, I expect full obedience. Follow me down the road. Do you think you can do that?"

I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go! I screamed in my head.

His eyes were gradually getting darker again.

"O-okay."

He took his hand off my face and backed off slightly when I moved forward. I started to push off the ground when he grabbed my arm to help me up. I guess chivalry isn't dead.

The way he held my hand and had his arm around me, he made us look like we were a couple and that there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Ahead I saw his car and my fate was confirmed.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Your blood is- perhaps we should wait for when we're alone." He continued pulling me forward, guiding me to the passenger door and opened it. I didn't want to go.

"Bella…?" He was daring me to test him.

"Why are you taking me far?" I asked. He sighed.

"I'll tell you but right now, do as I say." He pushed my hip and I lowered myself into the car.