CHAPTER ONE: Edward

Jasper and I walked across campus and into the school. The overcast sky left an eerie wave across the sky and ground. I looked down at the stones in front of me as I entered the school. Dodging students and teachers, books and science projects, it was if I didn't even exist. I liked it this way. This was how it always was.

My family and I arrived here in Olympia, Washington shortly before the 7th grade. I was a rowdy know-it-all back then, with the ability to figure out exactly what people were thinking—short of actually reading their mind. It came in handy sometimes. I was never popular growing up. I had my brother and sister and that was it. Emmett was a bear of a brother, who could work his way through any situation coming out laughing. Alice was-. Well Alice was herself—annoying most of time, and damn good at getting on my nerves, but she was my little sister, and I loved her.

Shortly after the 8th grade, right before high school started, a couple of new kids showed up in our neighbourhood. They were well off, like we were, and we ended up becoming great friends. Especially me and Jasper. Now Rosalie, his twin sister, was a different matter, but you'll find out soon enough. The only thing those two have in common is the colour of their hair.

Just because I chose to be invisible, did not mean that I went unnoticed. For one, my brother Emmett was dating Rosalie, who was one of the most popular students at school, which meant when I was with him, people saw me. We were also the 'rich kids' the ones that got whatever they wanted. The ones with the nice cars, the nice clothes. I couldn't help that I chose to spend my money. Was I going to let it turn to dust? I liked to be comfortable. It's who I am.

Anyway, back to my story. I stopped in front of my locker, unlocking it quickly. I already had my belongings inside by the time Jasper had opened his. Like me, Jasper chose to watch things from afar. He could pick up on everything, every emotion, very quickly. It amazed me sometimes. Yet, as always he used this against him too. I knew he had a thing for my sister. He always has, and for some reason he hasn't pounced upon it. He chooses to glance at her from the corner of his eye. Ah love, sometimes it worked in the strangest ways. Right then the warning bell rang.

"Let's get another day over with." Jasper sang sarcastically, grabbing a textbook full of paper with his writing all over it. Jasper has barely used a binder in his life. He's always just packed his papers inside the front and back covers of his books. This meant that most of his loose leaf came from me. I smirked and pulled out my own books. I turned around quickly and headed up the hall towards my English class. Jasper and I parted ways at the intersection and then I was on my own. I wasn't the last person to enter the classroom; everyone was coming in late. Even so, I hurried towards an empty desk at the back. My usual seat. Someone came up behind me and almost knocked me off my feet. Apparently she was walking too fast. I turned and looked at her as I was sitting down. Bella Swan, another of the most popular students—probably the most popular student—and Rosalie's best friend, was standing there. She looked down at me with those brown eyes. I stared right back. With a breath, she turned her head. I noticed that she had gone a little pink.
It's not what you're thinking.

Bella and I have not been on speaking terms in quite some time, if ever. She was the most beautiful girl at school, and would be where ever she went, and she was also quite smart. I had seen her raise her hand to answer questions multiple times. She knew what she was talking about. But, for reasons unknown, she disliked me. I could read it all over her face. This was the only thing I could read, but it was enough. Because we both enjoyed learning, it was only natural that we bonded on the first day. She and I were partners a few times in middle school, but no friendship actually formed. She had her friends. From what I knew of her from just those sparse moments of communication, she was a good girl. Or at least that's what she made out to be. I wasn't quite sure anymore.

She took a seat near the front of the class and did not look back once. I didn't really expect her to. She had an image to live up to. Yet, although we came from different worlds, I still smiled when I saw her stick up her hand when the teacher brought up the topic of Hamlet.

Alice waited for me outside the classroom when the bell rang. She looked excited about something.

"Guess what?" She asked once I was in hearing distance.

"You grew an inch?"

"Funny. No, I got a B in advanced physics!" Her face was bright. I couldn't just let her down.

"Cool. You can tell me all about it on the way to History."

Her face brightened. It was probably the happiest thing I was going to see all day. Because history was all business. I devoted my time to ignoring Alice's questions and writing as many notes as possible.

"What was that he said?" Alice whispered from beside me. "Franklin Roosevelt likes running?"

"He said Rummy; the card game. It's not important anyway." I whispered back, starting a new line on my page.

"Oh. Okay. Oh and Edward?"

"Yes, Alice." I sighed impatiently.

"I think that Lauren girl is looking at you." She ended it with a short giggle. I looked up and proved to myself that the obnoxious Lauren was looking back at me. The second she saw me watching, she turned again to the front. Could this day get any weirder? It could.

At lunch I caught Bella's eye. She was chatting with Rosalie and Emmett. Emmett had looked back at me and then whispered something to Rosalie. Rosalie then whispered into Bella's ear, and then she looked at me. She gave me a look as if she was contemplating something, and then she was gone. It didn't take anything less to feel it. The pull. The desire. The need to go to her and… stop it Edward! You've known her for almost 5 years. You've seen her bloom and have never thought of her in that way. She's not even your friend. I dropped my apple, stood up, and left the room.

"What did you say to Rosalie about me?" I asked Emmett as we changed for last-period phys Ed.

"What do you mean?" His voice was muffled from pulling his shirt over his head.

"I saw you talking to her, and then looking at me."

"Oh at lunch?"

"What else was I talking about?"

"I don't know." Emmett, being dressed already, started heading towards the doors. "Look." He said. "I just kind of mentioned to Bella that she should think about not dating the… popular… guys all the time." He smiled as if he already knew that I knew what he was talking about. "She mentioned that she wanted someone who actually wanted to get to know her. So I mentioned you. She seemed pretty taken aback about it too." I didn't answer him until we were out of the changing room. I nudged him on the way to my favorite spot on the bleachers.

"Next time, don't talk about me."

I sat in my room later that night studying. I had nothing else better to do. My mother and father had a banquet to go to. A charity that donated to the hospital. Rosalie and Emmett had run off to a movie. I was all alone, and this was what I liked most. I had almost dazed off to the tranquilizing sounds from my stereo, when I heard something hit my wall. From the outside. Thinking it was only a bird; I got up and looked out through the glass. No one was there. As I was about to turn around, I saw it. Someone was standing on the road looking up at my house. For a second I thought I was imagining an angel, but then I saw her face. Bella's face. Just then she glanced up at my window and saw me. Or maybe she didn't, but she turned around and walked down the street into the darkness.

It wasn't until later when Emmett came into the house yelling "Someone egged our front door!" Oh, I did realize the true reason for her arrival.