Dear Bella Swan, You're Playing with the Big Boys

Summary- All Human. One day in gym class, Forks High learns that Bella Swan can kick. The football team needs a kicker. The result of that: Bella makes the football team. The problem: None of the guys want a girl on their team.

Disclaimer-I don't own Twilight. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are property of me, Dobber17. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Also, this story was partially inspired by Liz Tigelaar's Playing with the Boys. After reading it, I still couldn't stop the thoughts and ideas swimming around my head in regards to how I envisioned a girl making the football teams and the guys not being happy about it. Thus, Dear Bella Swan, You're Playing with the Big Boys was born.

This chapter has been edited by CherryBerry12.

Original Publish Date: May 17, 2009

Updated Publish Date:June 20, 2020

Rating: T (Teen)

(As per fanfiction: Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes)

Chapter One: New School

"Passengers, please sit back in your seats and buckle your seat belts. We are about to begin our landing to Port Angeles Airport," the flight attendant shrilled over the PA system.

Forks was too small of a town to have an airport so Charlie, my father and the Police Chief of Forks, was going to pick me up in Port Angeles.

After my parents got divorced my mom and I moved to Phoenix, but I would spend every summer in Forks with Charlie. The summer before I turned fourteen, my mom wouldn't let me go to Forks, claiming Charlie wouldn't be able to handle a teenage girl with mood swings and hormones, even though I felt like I had surpassed my own mother's level of maturity years ago. Even though she agreed and had told me so countless times before, she still thought Charlie wouldn't be able to deal with me.

Now that my mother had remarried, I decided to move to Forks and live with Charlie so my mom and her new husband Phil could have some time alone. I definitely wasn't a huge fan of all the rain, but I missed my father so much it actually hurt—not that I'd ever admit that to him. We both scored high on the socially awkward scale. It had been almost four years since I had last seen Charlie. Of course, we had talked over the phone during the years but it still hadn't been the real thing. Charlie wasn't much of a talker so our conversations never lasted long.

I was jarred out of my thoughts when the wheels of the plane hit the ground. I wrestled my carry-on out of the overhead compartment and patiently waited my turn to get off the plane. Once I reached the baggage claim area, I quickly found Charlie; someone in a police uniform really stuck out in a crowd. I couldn't hold back my smile when I walked over to him.

Knowing him, I was expecting an awkward one-arm hug or pat on the back. To my surprise, Charlie wrapped me in a bone-crushing bear hug.

"I've missed you, Bells."

I smiled at the nickname he had used for as long as I could remember. "I missed you too, Dad."

Charlie released me and we waited for the conveyer to start bringing out luggage.

"How's Renee doing?" Charlie asked casually. It was no secret to me that Charlie had never stopped loving my mom. It was heart-wrenching to see how happy my mom was with Phil while Charlie stayed heartbroken with no one there for him.

"She's doing good. Same as always."

I saw my two black suitcases rounding the corner, each dressed with a piece of duct tape on the front and back. Renee thought I was crazy for putting the tape on even after I explained they would be easy to spot. Charlie helped me grab them as they got closer, and we each took one as we made our way to the parking lot.

We left the airport in Charlie's cruiser—sans the lights and siren—and quickly made our way to Forks. The drive had minimum conversation, but I wasn't surprised. Our silence was comfortable—I stared out the window and watched the setting sun as we cruised down the highway.

"I was planning on ordering pizza tonight so you don't have to be subjected to my cooking. Is that okay?" Charlie scratched the back of his neck as he checked the rearview mirror.

"I guess you didn't miss my cooking that much," I teased. Charlie's bad cooking was no surprise. Between both my parents' lack of expertise in the kitchen, I had taught myself at a young age. "But pizza sounds great."

"Ham, green peppers, and extra cheese fine with you?"

"Ugh," I mock groaned. "I suppose I can deal with that." The grin on Charlie's face was the equivalent of a full-body laugh. Our tandem love of pizza made it simple and easy. We ordered the exact same thing every time. We pulled off and picked up a medium pizza, cracking it open with absolutely no will-power as soon as we were back in the cruiser. We turned onto our street well after darkness had fallen. In a way it was nice. Forks was always so… green, and I welcomed the darkness to ease my transition into town.

"Welcome home, Bells," Charlie said as we pulled into the driveway. He made the turn with one hand, his other holding the last bit of crust from his slice of pizza. I waited until he finished it before climbing out. We grabbed my bags from the back of the cruiser, and I stepped into my home for the first time in almost four years. It was too dark to take in my surroundings, but I had a feeling nothing had changed. Charlie flicked on the hallway light and we brought my bags up the creaky old stairs that I bet Charlie would never fix. As I was opening the door to my room, Charlie cleared his throat.

"Bells, I repainted your room and added some furniture in there. If you don't like it just let me know—I'll change it." It was impossible to miss how nervous he sounded.

I pulled open the door and flicked on the light. Though Charlie had made some updates, my room felt undisturbed. The vibrant purple walls from my childhood were now a beautiful shade of rich turquoise. There was a desk with an outdated computer in one corner, and the wooden rocking chair that had always been in my room in another. There was a fair-sized bookcase next to the desk with a few lingering books from years ago. A twin-sized bed made with simple beige sheets beckoned my tired body.

"It's awesome. Thanks, Dad," I told Charlie. I walked into my room and flopped onto the bed. It felt like utter bliss.

"As you know, you're starting school tomorrow. I always leave early in the mornings so you're going to have to walk." Charlie hesitated. "Is that okay? It's not far."

"No problem." As long as it didn't rain. "I am not getting up at the crack of dawn just to bug you for a ride." Charlie grinned, knowing full well I was not a morning person. "I'll just unpack a bit before taking a shower and going to bed." I got up to give him a hug. "Night, Dad."

Charlie left me with my bags after another tight bear hug. I started unpacking my suitcases, planning on only doing enough to get me by for the first few days, but I ended up unpacking both my suitcases. It turned out I packed even less than I originally thought. I cringed as I surveyed my meager closet and half-empty dresser. At least I had enough underwear.

I had a quick shower to wash of the airplane grime and begin my fresh start in Forks. I crawled into bed trying to convince myself my upcoming first day of school couldn't be that bad.

~!~DBSYPWTBB~!~

Walking the halls of Forks High made me feel like I was a new exhibit at the zoo—everyone was watching me with curious eyes. Even the secretary who handed me my schedule couldn't keep her wide eyes off me. I made it to my first period class just as the bell was ringing, no thanks to the locker I'd been assigned on the other side of the school. It didn't help that when I had tried to close it, the locker wouldn't shut. As much as I tried, I couldn't get it to close properly. One of the teachers from a classroom nearby had poked his head out of his door and told me to try kicking it shut. I had taken his advice, given my locker a good kick, and it'd obediently closed.

"Ah, Miss. Swan. Welcome to Forks High. Please take a seat next to Miss. Brandon so we can begin class," Mr. Smith, my English teacher, welcomed me. I didn't even have to introduce myself . . . the blessing and curse of being the new kid in a small town. He pointed to the only empty seat in the room. It was next to a girl with deep black hair that was cropped short and pointing in every direction like she'd been in a rush this morning. Her bright yellow sundress was the last thing I'd expect to see in Forks.

I ignored everyone's stares as I made my way over to the pixie-like girl. I dropped my bag on the ground and fell ungracefully into my seat. It had to take skill to be able to trip on the strap of a bag as you're about to sit—a skill I unfortunately possessed.

Mr. Smith cleared his throat loudly. "Now if you're all done staring at Ms. Swan, please turn your attention to the board and copy the questions you will need to answer after reading the second act of Macbeth."

Mr. Smith had been walking towards me as he spoke. He placed a well-worn copy of Shakespeare's Macbeth on my desk before he returned to the front of the classroom. I pulled out a piece of paper and began copying the questions. I wasn't even done writing out the first question when the girl beside me spoke. "Hey, I'm Alice."

I looked to see her holding out her hand, a kind smile on her face. "Bella," I replied as I shook her hand.

She leaned back in her chair, flipping open a copy of Macbeth that should have been retired years ago. One false move and the thing would turn to dust.

"What class do you have next?"

My pen slid across the paper as I turned to look at her. "Um, sorry?"

"Sorry! I don't mean to be so forward." She cringed before giving me a sheepish smile. "First days suck. Two years ago, I was in your spot. It was less than a fun experience."

I shook my head. "It's okay. I was just surprised." I felt the heat seeping up my neck to my cheeks. I dug my timetable out of my pocket to distract myself.

Alice gave me a knowing smile. "Didn't think anyone would stop staring long enough to be nice?"

I nodded as Alice took the timetable from my hands. It was already heavily creased from all the times I had unfolded and refolded it in my attempts to memorize it. Alice scanned it slowly and looked as if she was making mental notes. She nodded to herself before she returned the piece of paper to me.

"Lunch plans?"

"I haven't thought that far in advance to be honest. I don't have any."

"You do now."

Alice was full of light and spunk. In the span of five minutes, I already liked her. I smiled, realizing I had just made my first friend here in Forks. I was too young when my mom and I moved to Phoenix to really remember any of the friends I had, and my summers spent in Forks were mostly spent in La Push, a nearby Native American reservation where Charlie's buddies lived.

"Miss Brandon," a deep voice warned. "You are well aware you aren't supposed to chat during class time. Don't start teaching anyone your bad habits."

Alice made a face and we turned our attention back to Mr. Smith before we got in further trouble for not paying attention. Though I was making quick work of Macbeth, a crumpled piece of paper flew across the class, landing in the middle of my desk. I looked around the room in confusion and slowly unfolded the paper. Alice snatched the note out of my hands before I had the chance to read a single word. Her eyes quickly scanned the paper before she angrily scribbled something down and crumpled it into a ball. She whipped it across the room and it hit a cute boy square in the chest before falling to the floor.

Alice's victim had pale blue eyes, blond hair, and even with a baby face he was altogether good looking. His athletic build and letterman jacket screamed jock. He reached down and grabbed the paper off the floor and quickly unfolded it. He turned sharply and glared at Alice, who easily returned his glare. After a few long moments, he turned his attention to me. Instead of glaring, he puckered his lips in my direction and gave me a wink before returning to his book.

What was going on? I shook my head slightly, trying to sort through the confusion swimming around up there.

"Mike Newton. He's bad news, stay away from him," Alice explained in a whisper.

I frowned, wondering what the note had said and what Mike had done to be considered bad news. "What did his note say?"

She grimaced. "Trust me, you don't want to know," she said, her tone final. A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the open window behind me.

When the bell rang at the end of class, Alice's hand shot out as I reached for the school map from my bag. Though it wasn't a big school, I had no clue where I was going. "I'll walk you to Biology since it's close to my Chemistry class. After that we have Gym together so just wait outside the class for me," Alice told me as she began leading me through the halls. It was a quick journey—only two short hallways away. I thanked Alice as she disappeared into the door across the hall.

I took a deep breath before I walked in the classroom door. There were only a few students in the classroom but they all stopped what they were doing and stared at me. My teacher, Mr. Banner, welcomed me and told me I would be sitting at my own lab table at the back of the classroom. I hurriedly made my way to my seat and prayed Biology would pass quickly.

I suffered through an entire hour of stolen glances by nearly everyone in the class before the bell rang. I could only pray that all the staring would only last a day. Not paying attention, I accidentally bumped into one of the girls in my class on my way out the door.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized as I helped her pick up the books scattered on the floor. My body was burning with embarrassment—leave it to me to draw more attention to myself.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean to."

I gave her a grateful smile and she stuck out her hand.

"Angela Weber," she introduced herself.

"Bella Swan," I replied as I shook her hand. We finished picking up the books and walked out of the classroom. Alice was waiting outside of our classroom and gave us a cheery smile.

"Angela! Want to walk with us to Gym? Bella's in our class too," Alice said.

Angela nodded and the three of us moved through the halls. I relied on Alice and Angela to lead me since I had no clue where I was going. The school was far smaller than my old school, but the hallways were still a maze. Once we were safely in the change room, I stopped watching my feet and raised my head. Alice beckoned me over to where she stood with a tall, blonde-haired girl who had her back to us.

"Rose, this is Bella. Bella, this is my best friend, Rosalie Hale."

Rosalie turned to face us when she heard Alice's voice. Taking one look at her face made my self-esteem plummet so far it was having a tea party with Satan. She had piercing blue eyes that were framed by impeccably long eyelashes. Her cheekbones were sharp and her skin looked soft and flawless. She had curves every girl killed for and every boy dreamed of. Even in a revolting gym uniform that consisted of a grey shirt with Fork's Phys. Ed on the front and a pair of black shorts, she looked like she was ready for the runway.

"Hi, Bella," she greeted, flashing me a blinding smile as she put her hair in a ponytail, an elegant silver charm bracelet on her wrist. Throughout my years at school I had learned to always beware the pretty girls, since they were usually the meanest. I couldn't help but feel that Rose was different—her smile and face seemed sincere and genuine.

Alice and Rose shared a look before they gave each other shallow nods. A half beat later they turned to me with large smiles plastered on their faces. I tried not to think about it as I changed into the gym uniform the secretary had given me that morning, folded nicely under my timetable as she slid it across her desk. The shirt fell like a potato sack around me and the shorts were two sizes too big. I tied the drawstrings as tight as I could and hoped the knot would hold.

I left the change room with Alice and Rosalie, my eyes quickly scanning the gym. I spotted Angela holding hands and talking with a cute guy next to the folded bleachers. Rosalie slowed her steps and followed my gaze. "That's Ben. He and Angela have been dating since sophomore year," she explained with a content grin.

"They're cute together," I commented before I felt warm air against my ear.

"You know who else would be cute together? Me and you." I turned around and involuntarily took two steps backwards when I saw Mike Newton standing with a feline smile on his face.

"Leave her alone, Mike," Rosalie commanded, casually positioning herself between us.

Mike raised his hands in surrender, laughing lightly as he took a few casual steps away. "Oh, by the way, nice legs, New Girl." He gave me a wink and slowly turned away.

"Bastard," Alice and Rosalie muttered at the same time.

Seeing as I was so shy myself, it may have been odd that I liked guys who had confidence … but I was slowly getting the feeling that Mike was well past confident and deep into cocky territory. My eyes followed Mike as he made his way to the opposite side of the gym where a group of guys were standing. After seeing him up close he was definitely cute, but I couldn't help but wonder what he had done to piss off Alice and Rose. Given how he'd acted towards me, I could take a few guesses.

The three of us made our way to the middle of the gym where most of the class was stretching. That's when the questions began.

"Where are you from?" Rose asked as she stretched her arm across her chest.

"Phoenix," I replied as I sat on the floor and reached forward to touch my toes. I welcomed the slight burn in my legs and back. I was by no means out of shape, but flexibility was not my strong suit.

Alice laughed and shook her head as she made circles with her arms. "What made you move to the little town of Forks?"

"My mother remarried. I decided to move to Forks and live with my dad so my mom and her new husband could travel around for his work and not have to worry about me. My mom always goes with him on his business trips anyways and it was lonely being left at home. I was planning on being here for the start of the school year but my mom somehow bought my plane ticket for two weeks into classes, on a Thursday night, no less." I rolled my eyes and couldn't stop my rambling. "At the airport, my mom tried to convince me to stay, saying my father wouldn't be able to handle me since he hadn't seen me in four years. I kindly reminded her that it was her fault I hadn't seen him in so long and that I wasn't going to change my mind. She told me that I wasn't old enough to make my own decisions and her husband and I both assured her that my leaving was going to be for the better. She reluctantly agreed once we had calmed her down enough." I smirked at the memory. Renee could be a handful.

"Aren't you eighteen? You're legally able to make your own decisions." It was easy to hear the curiosity burning in Alice's voice.

I shook my head. "Nope, seventeen. My birthday is in a few weeks." Once the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted it. Alice and Rose had devious smiles plastered on their faces. When they noticed me looking between them, they smoothed their expressions into neutrality.

"I'm guessing I shouldn't have told you that?" I asked, my heart rate increasing as they shamelessly shook their heads.

"Nope," they answered simultaneously.

Luckily, I was saved from answering more questions when the gym teacher, Coach Clapp, walked into the gym carrying two mesh bags filled with soccer balls.

"Today, we will be playing soccer. Guys, please go easy on the girls; we don't want them to hurt themselves or break a nail." Most of the guys let out a chuckle while some of the girls glared at them and the teacher.

"Our teacher is sexist. He doesn't believe girls can play sports or that girls can do anything better than guys," Rose explained bitterly.

"To see who will be the captains, you have to kick a soccer ball as far as you can. The two people that have the furthest kicks will become the captains. Guys, only take a few steps back. Girls… just try not to miss the ball."

We followed Coach Clapp outside and made our way to the soccer field that doubled as a football field. Coach Clapp emptied the two bags of soccer balls and people started lining up to take their kicks.

Most of the balls didn't make it very far. It was obvious some of the girls weren't even trying – whether it was because of Coach Clapp's words or a lack of interest, I wasn't sure. It didn't help that the field was caked in wet mud that prevented the balls from rolling far once they hit the ground. The guys, of course, took their set-up and execution very seriously.

Mike and I were the only two people left to kick. He decided to be cocky and only took one step back. When he pulled his leg back and kicked the ball, he made it look as if it was the easiest thing in the world. His ball landed a few feet ahead of Tyler's ball that had previously been the furthest kick.

He had a cocky smile on his face as he sauntered towards me. "I'm the place-kicker for the football team. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're on my team." He shot me, yet another, wink before strolling over to where Tyler was standing, most likely assuming he would be the other captain.

I grabbed a ball out of the bag and placed it on the ground in front of me before taking a few steps back. After a few deep breaths, I ran forward, planting my left foot beside the ball as I swung my right foot back. I kicked the ball as hard as I could and watched as it flew in the air with a nice arc before landing next to Mike's ball. As far away as we were, it was hard to tell whose was actually the furthest.

I turned around to face the class, sneaking a glance at Mike who was absolutely livid compared to the shocked looks on other people's faces. Alice was the first to recover from her shock. "You can kick, girl!" The rest of the class took a few more moments to register what had happened.

The surprise on Coach Clapp's face was priceless and it took him the longest to recover. "Well, I guess that makes Michael and Miss. Swan the captains," Coach Clapp stated apprehensively, looking back at where my ball landed to reconfirm.

Mike and I picked our teams, him stacking his team with most of the guys while I awkwardly pointed at classmates whose names I didn't know yet. Luckily, Rose took pity on me and helped me out. The game began, and though I might have been good at kicking, I failed miserably at trying to play the actual sport of soccer. I learned quickly that if I was passed the ball, I should just nail it down the field, as close to the other team's net as I could manage, and hope someone from my team got to the ball first.

My new classmates quickly got over their awe and confusion. I had no ball handling skills, and my team agreed to move me back to defense after watching me try to play.

Mike's attitude seemed to do a total one-eighty from when I had first kicked the ball. I was lingering back on defense and he was playing forward for the other team. He stood near me even though the ball was nowhere close. When I tried moving away, he moved with me, hovering too close for comfort. "Like I said before, you have nice legs, New Girl."

"Bella," I corrected quietly, wondering just how much longer I had until class ended.

"What? Oh, right. Anyway, if you ever want to see how flexible they can get, gimme a call."

In that moment, I more than understood why Rose and Alice didn't like him.

I sighed in relief when Coach Clapp told us it was time for lunch. I walked back to the change room flanked by Alice and Angela, Rose only a few steps behind. Alice told me to put my books away and go straight to the cafeteria to meet her and Rose. I went to my locker and finally got it open after the third try. I put my books away and grabbed the lunch I had hastily made myself that morning.

The cafeteria was the only easy room to find. I stopped just inside the cafeteria doors and scanned the room, trying to find Alice and Rose—a difficult task since the cafeteria was absolutely packed. I finally spotted Alice waving at me, trying to get my attention from one of the tables on the far side of the room. I began making my way towards the table Alice was sitting at when I noticed that her and Rose were sitting with two guys.

The one sitting next to Rose had black hair that curled softly around his ears, and blue eyes that were the exact same shade as Rose's. He wore a pair of simple, black-framed glasses, and I had to admit he was one of those guys who made glasses look sexy. Even though he was sitting down, I could tell he was tall and built. The other guy who was sitting next to Alice had honey-blond hair and hazel eyes. I could tell he was tall and lanky but I could easily see some muscles peeking out under the sleeve of his t-shirt.

"Bella, this is Jasper Whitlock, my boyfriend." Alice gestured to the blond boy sitting next to her. "And this is Emmett McCarty, Rose's boyfriend." Alice gestured to the guy sitting next to Rosalie.

"Bella, nice to meet you! Come sit." To emphasize his point, Emmett patted the empty spot on the bench seat beside him.

I hesitated for a moment – overwhelmed by the drastic kindness between this group of friends compared to almost everyone else who had made me feel like a social outcast.

Rose misinterpreted my hesitation and lightly slapped Emmett's arm. "Be nice," she hissed.

"I am being nice!"

"No, you're being pushy. She's like a scared kitten right now."

Emmett's face turned serious. "Should I offer to let her curl up in my lap instead?"

My cheeks flared up as I stood awkwardly near the table, a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach. My eyes flash to Rose before I could stop myself, feeling relief when I saw her amused expression.

Jasper noticed and gestured to the empty seat beside him. "Don't worry. This is completely normal and you'll get used to it."

Once I was seated, Emmett and Jasper both started asking me questions. I figured Alice and Rose had told them where I was from and why I moved here because they didn't bother with any of those. Apparently, Rose and Alice had also told them about my upcoming birthday, since Emmett asked me if I was excited to become a legal adult. I glanced at both Rose and Alice, both of whom looked back at me with innocent looks on their faces. They were definitely planning something.

I was trying to figure out what Rose and Alice could possibly be planning when I heard a smooth, velvety voice behind me. "Sorry, I had to finish the last few questions on my history quiz."

I turned toward the voice. I heard my breath hitch and my eyes glazed over as I looked at the most handsome man I had ever seen. Even handsome didn't seem to be a strong enough word. Godlike seemed more like it. I was immediately drawn towards his green eyes that seemed to shine like emeralds. His hair, oh man, his hair was tousled and just begging someone to run their hand through it. His hair was an interesting shade of brown but with how the light was currently hitting it, I could see there was a little bit of red in there too. He was muscular, but still lean. His broad, muscular shoulders tapered down into a narrow waist.

I felt the urge to lick my suddenly parched lips.

Alice's voice broke me out of my daze and I quickly averted my eyes. "Edward, this is Bella Swan. Bella, this is Edward Cullen."

"Pleased to meet you, Bella." Edward held his hand out toward me. I shyly brought my hand to meet his and a tingle travelled through my hand and up my arm. I gave him credit for not recoiling from my sweaty and clammy hand.

"Hi," I managed to squeak out once I found my voice.

We both held onto each other's hand longer than a normal handshake would be. At least, I thought it was longer and not just my imagination. Once our hands left each other, my hand still tingled the slightest amount, buzzing as if it was waiting for more.

Seemingly unaffected, Edward sat down in the empty seat across from me. He pulled a wrapped sandwich from his bag before looking at me. "Where are you from?"

"Phoenix." Knowing the next question would be asking why I moved here, I kept talking. "My mom got remarried so I decided to move here with my dad to give them some alone time."

Edward nodded in understanding before asking his next question. "How do you like your new school?"

I had to think about that for a second. I wanted to say I liked it so far because I had already made friends, but I could see Mike Newton sitting at a table behind Edward's shoulder.

"It's okay," I told Edward with a tiny shrug.

Edward's eyes narrowed as he turned to look over his shoulder. I followed his gaze only to realize he was looking at Mike. Once Mike realized we were looking at him, he blew me a kiss.

"Bella, is Mike in any of your classes?" Edward's voice sounded tight.

"English and Gym," I answered. "So far, anyways."

Edward turned with a look of horror appearing on his face before slowly shifting to frustration.

"She's going to have Math with him too," Alice added.

Edward looked at Alice for a few moments before Alice answered his unspoken question. "He was hitting on her in English and at the beginning of Gym."

"Please, please avoid him as much as you can, Bella," Edward nearly begged.

"What's so bad about him?" The question rolled off my tongue before I even knew what was happening. Yes, Mike came off as an ass, but there had to be something deeper.

"He," Edward hesitated, then sighed. "He's very much a . . . conquest type of guy who loves bragging and hates losing. And you're the new girl. The top prize in his eyes."

"Bella, try your best to stay away from Mike. If he wants something, he will try his hardest to get it. If you piss him off in any way, he'll make your life a living hell," Emmett told me in a serious voice.

I silently wondered if what happened in Gym was enough to piss him off and if I should be prepared for the worst.

"He hates that Jasper got me when I was the new girl, and he hates that Rose is with Emmett because, well Rose is a smokeshow and who wouldn't want to be with her."

"And you?" I asked Edward.

Surprisingly, Edward grinned. "Mike's hated me since middle school when I made the basketball team and he didn't."

Alice clapped her hands together. "Well, on a happier note, you have Math with Edward and History with Rose and Jasper."

"Man, why don't I get Bella in any of my classes?" Emmett wined and pouted like a five-year-old, causing our table to erupt in grins and laughter.

Alice waved off his antics, turning her attention back to me. "Alright, Bella. Spill. How are you so good at kicking?"

The guys looked confused and Alice quickly explained the events from gym class.

I took a quick sip of water from my water bottle before I began. "My parents got divorced when I was four and my mom and I moved to Phoenix. Back then I would spend the summers with my dad. The summer I was six, I was playing in the park with my doll, and a little boy stole it and I chased him around the park to get it back. He eventually gave it back after I started crying and my dad came over to see what was wrong. Even though I was happy to have my doll back, I was still mad he took it in the first place so I decided to kick him in the shin.

"My dad immediately took me home and reprimanded me. The next day, he called me into the backyard and I saw him holding a football. He told me he was going to teach me how to kick a football instead of kicking people. It turned into a tradition. Every summer, he would work with me so I could kick the football higher and further than I had the previous summer." I was smiling by the end of my story, remembering how my fun I had with Charlie during my summers in Forks.

"Well, speaking of football, we three lovely men are on the football team," Emmett told me with a grin. "I play center, Jasper is the quarterback, and Edward is a wide receiver."

I grinned. "Cool."

Lunch continued smoothly after that, with many questions being tossed around. Most of the questions were directed at me, but I was able to ask a few of my own.

Alice tapped her hands on the table. "I hate to break up our little bonding session here, but Edward and Bella, the bell is going to ring soon. You two should probably go now so you'll have time to get to both of your lockers."

Edward and I stood up from the table and threw our garbage away. We exited the cafeteria and Edward gestured for me to go ahead of him. "Lead the way."

A sweat broke out on my brow as we walked. I tried not to think of the ridiculously good-looking boy walking next to me, but my mind was going crazy trying to make sure I wasn't walking too close to him and that I was moving at an acceptable pace. We wove through halls until we reached my locker that was in the middle of nowhere. Literally. Apparently, that was the price of coming to a new school two weeks into the school year . . . a crappy locker located nowhere close to any of my classes.

I grabbed my books out of my locker and tried to shut it. When it wouldn't close, I gave it a hard kick. The locker closed and I quickly put my lock on it. When I turned around, Edward had his eyebrows raised and a smile tugging on the corner of his mouth.

"It doesn't like to close," I explained with a shrug.

I started to walk back the way we came, but a spark sang through my body when Edward gently rested his hand on the small of my back, leading me down a different hallway. My skin felt like it was on fire, but Edward's touch was warm and comforting as he led me through the halls.

"The only seat left in Math is next to Newton but I can get Mr. Wilson to move you beside me if you want," Edward offered, turning his head to the side to look at me.

"Yes, please," I answered almost too enthusiastically. Any seat that wasn't next to Mike would do.

Edward chuckled and stopped us in front of his locker. As he was grabbing his books, I noticed the only things he had hanging up in his locker were his football schedule and a picture of him, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice huddled close together somewhere outside. It could have been anywhere in Forks as the background was all green.

Edward shut his locker and it closed with ease. Surprisingly enough, he replaced his guiding hand on my back and we began walking.

As we neared our classroom, I suddenly felt nervous. "How exactly are you going to convince Mr. Wilson to let me sit beside you?"

"Easy. Mr. Wilson is the football coach and he likes me more than he likes Newton." Edward winked and gave me a crooked smile. I felt my face flush and Edward chuckled lightly.

Only when we stepped into the classroom did Edward drop his hand from my back. He went up to the teacher who appeared to be in his early thirties and had short, black curls that stood out everywhere. They talked for about a minute and Edward returned smiling.

"Jessica, please go sit next to Mike. That is going to be your new seat." A girl with brown hair stood up, slamming her books onto a desk that was three rows up from her original seat.

Edward led me to the seat that Jessica had just vacated. "Rule number one," he whispered, "don't get on Mr. Wilson's bad side. He's a fun guy but you don't want to piss him off."

Class started and I immediately decided Mr. Wilson was the best teacher ever. If someone was confused, he would stop and take the time to explain it fully until everyone got it. He was so unlike the math teacher I had last year in Phoenix. My previous teacher would hastily write a note on the chalkboard in his awful chicken scratch handwriting, give us our homework questions then leave the room for the rest of class. If someone in our class actually understood what he'd written, they would have to explain it to the rest of the class.

"Miss Stanley, I suggest you stop writing that note unless you want it to be read to the entire class." Everyone turned to look at a wide-eyed Jessica, who had her hand protectively covering up the piece of lined paper on her desk. Mr. Wilson continued on with his lesson after she ripped up the note and threw it in the recycle bin.

Once we finished scribbling down the notes from the board, Mr. Wilson handed us a worksheet that would be homework if we didn't finish it during class. I stared at the sheet for a few brief moments before I began struggling my way through it.

"Need help?"

I glanced over at Edward and nodded.

He scooted his chair closer to me. "What part don't you get?"

"I understand the basic concept. I just suck at actually using the equation to answer a question." I explained how my math teacher in Phoenix would never take up the homework we had so we would have no idea if we even did the questions right.

Edward did the first few problems on the sheet and walked me through each question step by step. It slowly started making sense and I tried to do the next one.

"Almost right. You just need to watch your signs." Edward fixed up my question and showed me where I misplaced my negative signs. I tried the next question, checking it over when I was done before handing it to Edward. Edward grinned and held up his hand for a high five. I hit it, but in the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Wilson looking at us with an amused expression. I blushed as I realized Edward and I probably looked like idiots.

I tried to regain my composure and started working on the next problem, handing it to Edward once I was done. He gave me an approving nod and I worked on the next question. For the rest of the class, after every question I would show my paper to Edward who would either nod or explain what I did wrong.

We finished our questions with only minutes to spare. When the bell rang, I gathered my stuff and dug my map out of my pocket. A hand snatched it away before I could take a good look at it.

I looked up to see Edward smiling at me. "I'll walk you to your History class."

"You don't—" I began before stopping myself. He was being nice. "Thank you," I amended.

Apparently walking me to class consisted of walking across the hall and one door down. I tried not to look mortified at how I almost used my map for such a small distance. My History teacher instructed me to sit next to Angela, who was seated behind Rosalie and Jasper. I greeted the three of them and took my seat. It really was a good thing I made friends on my first day. With how small the school was, it was impossible to avoid people.

Everyone was silent as we copied a long, tedious note that spanned across three chalkboards and made everyone's hands cramp. Everyone let out relieved sighs when the bell rang.

I walked to my locker, grabbed the books I needed to take home, kicked my locker shut, and headed out the school doors. I made my way through the maze of cars in the parking lot and started my walk home. I had just left the school property when a red BMW pulled up beside me.

Alice rolled down the passenger side window and stuck her head out. "C'mon, Bella. Get in. We have to get you ready."

My steps faltered. "Ready for what?"