Chapter 6: Open Book Part 1

The next day was better… and worse.

"How could a day be better and worse?" Brady asked confused.

"Maybe it was better because she realized that her first day of school was all a dream and when she woke up it is actually her first day of school!" Quil exclaimed excitedly.

There was a moment of silence where everyone looked at him like he lost his marbles while Quil Sr. rolled his eyes at his grandson and wondered not for the first time if this was the result of when he accidentally dropped him when he was a baby.

Edward snorted at Quil Sr. thoughts and privately agreed with the old man because from what the wolf was thinking he thought that is what happened.

Tanya who was still pissed about the last chapter blinked at the wolf and was suddenly calm as she thought of that explanation and the fact that if it was a dream then Edward never got his hooks in her. Though she knew better she could pretend for just a second that her mate was not being dazzled into loving Mr. Control freak.

Jacob chuckled at his friend and though like Tanya he was worried about his imprint he knew Bella was a fighter and stubborn as hell and even in a thrall she could fight it so he wasn't worried. He knew that this is about the future and as she wasn't here yet they could change it.

Leah rolled her eyes at the idiot she calls a pack brother. Like her mates she was worried and pissed at what was happening to her imprint but like Jacob she knew they could change the future so she wasn't worried. What she was worried about was that now that the Cullen's know about Bella and her 'relationship' with Edward they would keep Bella from her and her mates and that was just unacceptable. So she resolved to keep an eye on them throughout the books.

Irena simply raised a brow at the blushing teen wolf and rolled her eyes before she returned to the book to finish reading about her sister's mate.

It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was funny.

"Ha that must be funny having those two fighting over you" Kate snorted showing how little sympathy she had for the girl. Well being a succubus why the hell would she show anything other than pride or admiration for having more than one guy fight over you. Tanya, Jacob and Leah growled at the mention of anyone other than them showing interest in her. With Edward they had to hide their growls to not start a conflict and as they knew they could and would kill the jerk if he became a problem. With human boys however they cannot kill them so there is that.

People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it.

It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer.

"What an asshole!" Leah growled glaring at the book in Irena's hands causing Irina to growl in warning before she continued. Irena just wanted to get this over with without so many interruptions. In fact she is surprised Kate hasn't interrupted as much and is suspicious about it but won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Ignoring her sister's she wolf Irena continued while keeping a wary eye on her sister and the wolf. Thank god for vampire reflexes as having to keep an eye on two people and reading a book, it would be impossible without it.

It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it.

"GO B! HIT THAT HEAD!" Emmett shouted while laughing as he wiggled his brows suggestively causing the female population to eww in disgust while the guys laughed. Though everyone laughed at Emmett getting smacked on the back of his head five times by five different people.

Once by Jacob, Leah and Tanya for speaking about their mate like that.

Rosalie for speaking like that about woman in general.

Kate just because she felt like it.

Pouting at the people responsible for his headache and rubbing the back of his head he sunk lower into the couch to sulk ignoring the snickering of everyone in the room.

And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all.

At that Esme turned to look at her son with worry in her eyes why aren't you in school Edward?

"I don't know as it hasn't happened yet but it might be that I left so I won't kill her" Edward said softly.

Tanya, Leah and Jacob growled at Edward speaking about killing their mate and resolved to keep an eye on him and if necessary kill him in order to protect their mate.

All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator.

But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica — trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely — I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them.

Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false.

He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense.

"It seems she has it pretty bad for you Edward" Emmett teased causing the other Cullen's to laugh.

"Or she senses how dangerous he is to her and is tense because she knows he will return and being absent one day doesn't mean she won't see him elsewhere." Leah said through gritted teeth at thinking she was in his thrall already by just being in his presence for just one day.

I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class.

"I can so see that" Kate and Emmett said simultaneously before they looked at each other for a second before laughing hysterically

I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach.

He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys.

"Well, we're going to have to fix that," Tanya declared determinately as she thought of all of the people interested in her mate and getting their hopes up because she is too nice to say no. Leah nodded her agreement as she fantasized ways to teach Bella how to say no to a guy

Leah was at the Bonfire teaching Bella how to say no to a guy "This Bella is how you say no to a guy." Leah walked up to Sam and kicked him as hard as she could in his nuts dropping the howling Alpha to the ground crying in pain. Turning to face Bella a triumphant grin spread across her face as she saw Bella looking at her in adoration and lust.

"Any questions?" Leah asked smug she made her mate look at her like that and got to kick her ex and her Alpha.

"What if I need to say no to a girl?" Bella asked voice husky with desire as she looked at Leah in hunger and anticipation. Leah gulped as she caught those sultry eyes and thought of a way to answer the question and get some action. After thinking about it she couldn't think of a reason/ Screw it!

"Let's go to my house and I will show you, this might take a while-to get the technique."

With that I dragged her to the car to get home to have my wicked way with her.

Leah was broken out of her fantasy at the pointed clearing of a throat from Deadward who had seen her thoughts and was cringing the entire time. Edward was honestly horrified at what he would have seen if she had not snapped out of it. That girl is a worse pervert than Emmett and Kate and that is saying something!

Glancing questionably at their mate with a raised brow Leah shrugged and pointedly looked away from her mate's darkened gaze. Leah knew they had probably smelt her arousal but she will be damned if she tells them with everyone in the room.

A moment of awkward silence later Irena continued.

I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true.

"Poor girl" Esme and Rosalie said sympathetically.

"It's true!" Emmett and Kate said in sync grinning at their apparent twinness.

When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed.

Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon.

So I requested that I be assigned kitchen detail for the duration of my stay.

"Oh come on that stuff is grosses how she can eat it" Emmett said while making a face and the other Cullen's nodded in agreement

"hey don't knock food! Its sacrilege!" yelled Brady in mock outrage.

"Yeah what he said!" Collin cheered in agreement with his pack brother.

"No that's what she said!" Quil said stupidly pointing at Emmett who nodded in agreement before he realized he was called a girl.

"Hey!" Emmett yelped indignantly as everyone laughed at the idiots in the room.

He was willing enough to hand over the keys to the banquet hall. I also found out that he had no food in the house. So I had my shopping list and the cash from the jar in the cupboard labeled FOOD MONEY, and I was on my way to the Thrift way.

I gunned my deafening engine to life, ignoring the heads that turned in my direction, and backed carefully into a place in the line of cars that were waiting to exit the parking lot. As I waited, trying to pretend that the earsplitting rumble was coming from someone else's car, I saw the two Cullen's and the Hale twins getting into their car. It was the shiny new Volvo. Of course. I hadn't noticed their clothes before —

"WHAT!" Alice shrieked in horror at the thought of not noticing clothes. Jasper patted her sympathetically on the back as everyone snicker at Alice's horrified- near traumatized face.

I'd been too mesmerized by their faces. Now that I looked, it was obvious that they were all dressed exceptionally well; simply, but in clothes that subtly hinted at designer origins. With their remarkable good looks, the style with which they carried themselves, they could have worn dishrags and pulled it off. It seemed excessive for them to have both looks and money.

But as far as I could tell, life worked that way most of the time. It didn't look as if it bought them any acceptance here.

No, I didn't fully believe that. The isolation must be their desire; I couldn't imagine any door that wouldn't be opened by that degree of beauty.

"That is true" the Cullen's agreed much to the Packs dismay. Unlike the Cullen's who were well off and would want for nothing, the Pack while not poor was not nearly well off. Everyone member of the pack- no every member of the tribe had to work in order to make ends meet and with the wolves there had to be so much food and many clothes purchased in order to accommodate them.

They looked at my noisy truck as I passed them, just like everyone else

"I don't think it's only the truck we were looking at, but at her as well seeing as she drove away our brother" Rosalie said regretfully hoping that this time around she doesn't treat Bella like crap. There was no interaction between them yet but Rosalie knew she would give this human a really hard time.

I kept my eyes straight forward and was relieved when I finally was free of the school grounds.

The Thrift way was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be inside the supermarket; it felt normal. I did the shopping at home, and I fell into the pattern of the familiar task gladly. The store was big enough inside that I couldn't hear the tapping of the rain on the roof to remind me where I was.

When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie wouldn't mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge.

When I was finished with that, I took my book bag upstairs. Before starting my homework, I changed into a pair of dry sweats, pulled my damp hair up into a pony-tail, and checked my e-mail for the first time. I had three messages.

Bella," my mom wrote…

Write me as soon as you get in. Tell me how your flight was. Is it raining? I miss you already. I'm almost finished packing for Florida, but I can't find my pink blouse. Do you know where I put it? Phil says hi. -Mom.

I sighed and went to the next. It was sent eight hours after the first.

"Bella," she wrote…

Why haven't you e-mailed me yet?

What are you waiting for? Mom.

The last was from this morning.

"Wow, worry much" Kate said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

Isabella,

If I haven't heard from you by 5:30 pm today I'm calling Charlie.

I checked the clock. I still had an hour, but my mom was well known for jumping the gun.

Mom,

Calm down. I'm writing right now.

Don't do anything rash.

Bella.

I sent that, and began again.

Mom,

Everything is great. Of course it's raining. I was waiting for something to write about.

School isn't bad, just a little repetitive. I met some nice kids who sit by me at lunch. Your blouse is at the dry cleaners - you were supposed to pick it up Friday. Charlie bought me a truck, can you believe it? I love it. It's old, but really sturdy, which is good, you know, for me.

At that everyone laughed

"Then Tanya is going to be really good for you!" Kate said suggestively wriggling her up and down at Tanya who if she could would be blushing right now.

"KATE!"

I miss you, too. I'll write again soon, but I'm not going to check my e-mail every five minutes. Relax, breathe. I love you.

Bella.

I had decided to read Wuthering Heights — the novel we were currently studying in English

"God I hate that book" Edward said with a grimace

"Hey! What's wrong with that book?" exclaimed Bella's two female mates staring at Edward like they were going to attack him for daring to insult their favorite book.

"Nothing," Edward grimaced at the thoughts ranging from the girls from smacking him to how they would role play with Bella and Jacob

Yet again for the fun of it, and that's what I was doing when Charlie came home. I'd lost track of the time, and I hurried downstairs to take the potatoes out and put the steak in to broil.

"Bella?" my father called out when he heard me on the stairs.

Who else? I thought to myself

"It could be vampire" Emmett said with a laugh.

"Or a werewolf!" Seth joked

"Or an alien!" Quil shouted excitedly causing everyone to look at him like he was the biggest moron in the room-which might be true.

"What the hell?" Embry looked at his best friend incredulously.

Seeing the looks he was getting her shrugged and said what he thought should have been obvious.

"What?! Vampires are real, so are werewolves! Why not aliens?"

Everyone was shocked, not because they have never thought of it like that before but because Quil said something smart. Embry concerned for his friend felt his forehead as if checking for a fever much to Quil's dismay.

"What?" Quil whined as he tried to escape his friend's grabby hands.

"Due are you alright?" Embry asked in concern.

"Yeah I feel fine. Why?"

"Because you almost sounded smart," Embry answered causing everyone one to laugh and Quil to pout.

"Hey dad, welcome home."

"Thanks." He hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as I bustled about the kitchen. As far as I was aware, he'd never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready.

When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose.

"What's for dinner?" he asked warily.

My mother was an imaginative cook, and her experiments weren't always edible. I was surprised, and sad, that he seemed to remember that far back.

"Steak and potatoes," I answered, and he looked relieved.

He seemed to feel awkward standing in the kitchen doing nothing; he lumbered into the living room to watch TV while I worked. We were both more comfortable that way. I made a salad while the steaks cooked, and set the table.

I called him in when dinner was ready, and he sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the room.

"Smells good, Bell."

"Thanks."

We ate in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of us was bothered by the quiet. In some ways, we were well suited for living together.

"So, how did you like school? Have you made any friends?" he asked as he was taking seconds.

"Well, I have a few classes with a girl named Jessica. I sit with her friends at lunch. And there's this boy, Mike, who's very friendly. Everybody seems pretty nice." With one outstanding exception.

"Aww she's thinking about you again Eddie-kins" Emmett said while his brother groaned and Tanya, Leah and Jacob growled.

"That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid — nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here."

Do you know the Cullen family?" I asked hesitantly.

"Dr. Cullen's family? Sure. Dr. Cullen's a great man."

"He truly is" Esme said with a warm smile as she looked at her mate causing the girls to coo at how cute they are and the boys to roll their eyes

They… the kids… are a little different. They don't seem to fit in very well at school."

Charlie surprised me by looking angry.

"People in this town," he muttered. "Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here," he continued, getting louder. "We're lucky to have him — lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they're all very mature — I haven't had one speck of trouble from any of them. That's more than I can say for the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should — camping trips every other weekend… Just because they're newcomers, people have to talk."

"Wow I never thought anyone would talk about us like that" Jasper said seeing as the family was stunned into silence

It was the longest speech I'd ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people were saying.

I backpedaled. "They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed they kept to themselves. They're all very attractive," I added, trying to be more complimentary.

"You should see the doctor," Charlie said, laughing. "It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around."

Esme growled in jealousy and wrapped a possessive arm around her mate

We lapsed back into silence as we finished eating. He cleared the table while I started on the dishes. He went back to the TV, and after I finished washing the dishes by hand — no dishwasher — I went upstairs unwillingly to work on my math homework. I could feel a tradition in the making.

"And how tragic that is" Kate said in mock sadness

That night it was finally quiet. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted.

The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In Gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step quickly in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stayed out of their way.

Edward Cullen didn't come back to school.

Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullen's entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, and I had agreed to go, more out of politeness than desire.

Beaches should be hot and dry.

By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed.

My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, worked most of the weekend. I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and wrote my mom more bogusly cheerful e-mail. I did drive to the library Saturday,

but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got… and shuddered at the thought.

The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well.

People greeted me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I waved back and smiled at everyone. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike took his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy.

All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here.

When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white.

"YAY! SNOW!" Kate said excitedly bouncing up in down in glee

I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose.

"Wow," Mike said. "It's snowing."

I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face.

"Ew." Snow. There went my good day.

"Wh...Wh…. HOW CAN SHE NOT LIKE SNOW" Emmett shouted

"She really is weird" Carmen said

"That she is" Eliezer agreed

"I think Blondie's is broken," Quil pointed out bringing everyone's attention to Kate who sat there staring ahead blankly looking indeed broken.

Irena looked at her usually immature and lively sister, then she got up and hugged Tanya and her mates and said in a serious voice.

"You girl deserves a medal. I approve" Before she promptly returned to her seat and continued reading ignoring the snickers in the room.

He looked surprised. "Don't you like snow?"

"No. That means it's too cold for rain." Obviously. "Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes — you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips."

"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?" he asked incredulously.

"Sure I have." I paused." On TV."

That caused everyone but a whimpering Emmett and a still broken Kate to laugh

Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We both turned to see where it came from. I had my suspicions about Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us — in the wrong direction for his next class.

Mike apparently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush.

"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" I kept walking as I spoke. "Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside."

He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure.

Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the New Year. I kept my mouth shut. Sure, it was drier than rain — until it melted in your socks.

I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary.

Jessica thought I was hilarious, but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself.

Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we got in line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table.

Jessica pulled on my arm.

"Hello? Bella? What do you want?"

I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong.

"What's with Bella?" Mike asked Jessica.

"I wonder if she's sick" Jacob asked worried

"Nothing," I answered. "I'll just get a soda today." I caught up to the end of the line.

"Aren't you hungry?" Jessica asked.

"Actually, I feel a little sick," I said, my eyes still on the floor.

With that Irena marked her spot and closed the book much to everyone's confusion. Seeing everyone's confusion she rolled her eyes at the apparent slowness in the room. It is bedtime for the humans and hunting time for the vampires.

Glancing in surprise everyone noticed it was indeed bed time for the humans. Well, dinner first than bedtime. With that everyone begrudgingly agreed to read more tomorrow and everyone headed to bed after dinner.