Now that I know who she is, I notice her everywhere. It's like the blinders are off and I can finally see. She's walking down the hall in front of me on the way to her first class of the day, and I can see she's got in headphones. Her body sways to the music, and she's unaware of anyone else around her. If people try to talk, she nods hello and keeps walking, fully secure in herself.

After class, I see her again, only she's going the opposite direction. I hope for our eyes to meet so I can see if she recognizes me, but she's lost in her own world. Again, she waves if someone acknowledges her, but she doesn't stop to talk to anyone. At lunch, she sits with the same two people, who I figure are Angela and Angela's boyfriend. No one else approaches the table, and they don't seek anyone out. She seems to be invisible, just as I was four days ago.

Jasper is sitting with us, and Alice is beside herself over his changes. I haven't told her those changes were for her, but she knows anyway. She listens to him blather about his sci-fi books and the Renaissance festival and all the other stupid things he does. Of course, I don't add my own regard for sci fi to the conversation. I know better than that.

Instead, I sit and stare. I get some more nudges from Emmett, and I know I should take his advice. What do I have to lose? I know I'd be heartbroken if she didn't remember me.

Without making the conscious decision, I follow her from the lunchroom to her next class. She doesn't see me, which kind of solidifies the doubt in my mind. When the bell rings, I have to hoof it to the next hall over, and I'm late, like I always am. I'm shocked when the teacher actually calls me out for it, too. Never before has anyone even noticed, but it seems I'm not quite as invisible anymore.

The slap on the wrist turns out to be detention after school - a sentence I will gladly serve. It's a small price to pay for finally being noticed. I'm not surprised to see Emmett there. He has a problem with tardiness like I do, but he gets caught a lot more often. We pass notes and laugh silently through the thirty-minute joke of a punishment and then make our way to the parking lot together.

Emmett stops at the curb and elbows me sharply. I look away from my car, where Jasper is waiting for his ride home, and see Bella Swan kicking the tire of a beat up, black Chevy truck. We're not close enough to hear her, but I know she's swearing. Jasper follows our gazes and sees her, too. The three of us converge upon the poor girl with the intent of helping.

Bella looks up with surprise when we approach, and her eyelids flutter as she looks over me. I know she recognizes me, but she doesn't acknowledge me beyond a slight reddening of her cheeks. I want to smirk at the reaction I inspire, but I'm too busy hyperventilating over being so close to her.

"Having trouble?" Emmett steps up and starts the conversation like a man.

He walks around the truck to the open driver's side door and pops the hood without asking first. We all stare as he fiddles around for a minute.

"You're out of luck. Rosalie's already gone home, and I know she could fix this. Can you leave it overnight? I know she'll look in the morning."

My blood freezes in my veins when she speaks. It's the voice-the voice that's been running through my head for four days. Soft, yet strong. Sweet, yet a bit husky. I'm convinced there is no other voice like it in the world.

When she says, "I can call my dad," all I hear is, "Christ, you're beautiful."

I want to say it back to her, but my subconscious tells me that she didn't actually say what I think she said. I'm able to stop myself in time. Elbows from both guys prompt me to speak up, and I stutter when I do.

"I-I can give you a ride." I have to pat myself on the back for getting the words out.

They're the first I've said to her. I wish I had something a little more profound, but she seems happy enough with those. A smile that eclipses all other smiles before it crosses her face, and she nods.

"Perfect," Emmet says, rubbing his hands together. "Jasper, I'm in the Jeep. We'll see you guys tomorrow."

Before anyone can say another word, the guys are gone and I'm left with the prettiest girl I've ever seen. She's fidgeting a little, and the sight of her discomfort is completely incongruent with the carefree girl I've been watching for half the week.

"M-my car is the Volvo." I curse myself for stuttering again, but she doesn't seem to notice it.

We climb in and buckle up, and then no other words are spoken, save for the directions she gives me to her house. I can tell when we're getting close, because she gets even more agitated. Finally, after what seems like a million years in one tiny second, we arrive in front of a small white cottage in the middle of town.

A picket fence surrounds the yard, and a rose garden sits right behind the whitewashed slats. Somehow I know the girl next to me is responsible for the blooms. I want to compliment her, but the words won't come.

Bella looks at me one last time and then opens the door. I hear a small sigh as she exits the car, and it's enough to kick my ass into gear. She's already through the front gate when I get my door open.

"Bella, wait!" I call, probably too loudly.

She freezes and turns slowly. "You know my name?"

It never occurred to me that I shouldn't. We didn't actually exchange information the first time we talked. I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment, but I shrug it away.

"I might have asked."

A slow smile crosses her face and she steps a little closer to me. I can almost feel a pull between us, and I wonder if it would be stronger if she were nearer. I decide to test my theory, taking two more steps. Immediately, the magnetism multiplies, and I know. I know this girl is meant for me.

"You turned me inside out on Monday," I whisper. "I'd never seen you before, and then there you were, all crazy hair everywhere and these big brown eyes. That would have been enough to hook me, Bella. I still would have tried my damnedest to find out who you were. But then you saw me. I mean, you saw me. Nobody's seen me for years, but you did."

At this point, my forehead is against hers, and I can't stop myself. I don't even want to. My left arm slides around her back, and my right hand lifts her chin so that I can look into those warm, deep, amazing brown eyes. Her breath catches, and I know I have her.

Slowly, so slowly that I don't even feel like I'm even moving, I cover her lips with mine. Softly-so softly and sweetly, she welcomes me. I allow myself only a moment in heaven before pulling away. My heart is thrumming, my mind is begging me to kiss her again, and my body is telling me to drag her into the house and mark her as mine forever.

"I was so mortified," she whispers. "I knocked you down and then couldn't say anything. And when I did… Jesus. I couldn't even introduce myself or anything. Instead, I said the most embarrassing thing possible and ran away."

I open my mouth to correct her-to let her know that her words changed my life, but I can see she wants to say more, so I stop.

"I saw you again everywhere. I didn't know who you were, either, but then I saw you with Alice and Emmet, and I figured I didn't even have a chance. I said goodbye to you before I could even properly say hello."

Now. Now is my time to speak. "You opened up my whole world with those words. I'd never talked to Alice before Monday, and my first words were to tell her about you. She's been helping me find you."

"Really?" Her incredulous expression is so full of hope that I can't hold myself back anymore.

"Really."

With that, I cover her lips with mine again and kiss her with a week's worth of longing. She wraps her arms around me and pulls me even closer, allowing me to taste her tongue before gasping for breath.

I lean my forehead against her temple and sigh with more happiness than I can remember feeling in years. I can't think. My thoughts are everywhere, all over the girl in front of me and our future. Carefully, I put together the words I have to say.

"Christ, you're beautiful."