2 Welcome to Forks High!

The rest of the day was quiet; Charlie only came up once around lunchtime to see if we were hungry but didn't linger long once he knew neither Bella nor I were going to eat. Bella stayed in her bedroom, repeating that she wasn't hungry when I told her I was headed down to the kitchen to get started on dinner around five-thirty; since Charlie couldn't cook anything more complex than fried eggs and bacon, whoever else was left in the house when mama worked late had kitchen duty, an easy enough arrangement since she'd been teaching the twins and I how to cook since we could walk and we each had varying schedules due to clubs/sports after school. At least the family wouldn't have to worry about a late meal or having to live off TV dinners. 

Tonight was my turn to cook since Geoffrey had a student council meeting that ran until 6 and Henry had a math tutor he met with twice a week. 

Mama and Geoffrey got home just as I was putting the final touches on our dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread; mama, noticing my stepsister's absence at the table, asked if Bella was okay. I told her Bella was just tired from her long day and that she'd wanted to just rest in her room for the night; though she dropped the issue after that, my mother still left me with the distinct impression that she knew better. No doubt she was just as worried about Bella as Charlie and I were, though all three of us knew her well enough that pushing the issue would do none of us any good in the long run. Even if we didn't like it, we had to let things lie and give Bella the space she needed to cope with things her own way. Forcing her to talk to us would only make her want to push away even more. 

At breakfast the following morning, though, mama was sure to let Bella know she at least had someone she could turn to if she ever needed to. If nothing else, it was with the hope that that reminder would stick in her mind, so she knew she wasn't quite as alone here as she thought she was. Bella, for her part, just gave my mother a faint, grateful smile in reply and nodded after her as she and Charlie left for work, with Charlie wishing Bella luck on her first day at school. Bella remained silent through the rest of breakfast, silently watching as Henry, Geoffrey, and I talked, reminding one another about our schedules and things we might have forgotten among a handful of quips that were normal in our everyday routine. Once or twice, Geoffrey tried to include her in the conversation, but she was still obviously distracted, not as with us mentally as she was physically. I kept an eye on her, debating whether she was ready to start school right now or if she might still need another day to get her bearings, which I'd been contemplating since we'd woken up. 

It'd been obvious as soon as I saw her that Bella hadn't gotten that much sleep the night before, something easily recognizable from her summers here when we'd been kids. The tears she'd shed the day before had left her eyes blotchy and puffy, and she carried the faded scent of salted water, usually undetectable for those without a sensitive nose. Neither mama, the twins, nor I had wanted to bring it up, though, knowing it would only upset and/or embarrass Bella, and add onto her already full plate. It'd always been hard for her to fall asleep here, since she was far more used to the sounds of Phoenix than Forks, whereas the rest of us were able to fall asleep quite easily to the naturally composed lullaby the quaint little town created each night. 

"You sure you're up for school right now, Bells?" Pushing away from the table, I collected my dishes together and brought them to the sink to wash. I could feel her warm gaze on my back, "I'm sure mama and Charlie would understand if you wanted to stay home and settle in a little more. You look like you could use some more sleep." 

Her answering sigh was wary, resigned, "I'm fine..." Glancing over my shoulder, I caught Geoffrey's quirked brow while Henry was distracted by his cereal box, "Really, I...there's no point putting it off." She ducked her head, hiding her face behind her curtain of brunette hair as she collected her dishes together, too, and brought them to the sink; setting them next to me, she moved around to my other side to grab a dish towel and dry what dishes I'd finished. "And, even if I wanted to, just thinking about staying out of school too long will make me anxious and I wouldn't be able to relax, let alone sleep. I just need to bite the proverbial bullet." 

I sighed in defeat as I handed her the last dish and turned off the faucet, drying my hands on the dish towel we kept slung over the edge of the sink, "Fine...but if you start feeling tired or overwhelmed, you tell me, got it?" I gave her a serious look, letting her know I wasn't joking around, "I'll bring you back here to rest." 

Bella turned her back on me to put the dish in the cabinet and close the door behind it, "About time to head out, isn't it?" She dodged, glancing up at the old-fashioned clock on the wall. I peered at it out of the corner of my eye, seeing it was only about 6:35 AM. I didn't usually head out until twenty of 7 since the high school was a ten-minute drive away, but it'd be better to get Bella there early on her first day so we could get her schedule from the front office, and I could show her around a little. 

"Yeah..." I murmured, clearing my throat, "Right, c'mon, we don't want to be late." She hung her towel on the handle of the oven, and I ushered her around the kitchen island toward the front hall, pausing briefly to address Henry and Geoffrey before we left. They told us to have a good day, wishing Bella good luck as we 'suited up' for the rainy weather, shrugged on our bags, and headed out into the drizzly morning. She hurried as quickly as she could down the front path to the driveway, flinching at the sloshy sound of the wet, foggy grass underfoot as she made a beeline for my Camry. We'd agreed before she'd moved here that we'd carpool to school until she got her own car, but I'd thought that agreement had been negated since she had her truck. 

Bella noticed my raised eyebrow as I rounded my car to the driver's side, shivering in the cold, January air as it pressed in on her from all sides, "I thought we could still carpool, at least for the first day." Her smile was sheepish, as though she was apologizing for the fact that our plans had had to change so quickly. "It'll give me a chance to figure out where it is without getting lost." 

"Are you sure that's what you want, though, Bella?" I cock my head and give her a gentle smile, "We don't have to carpool, if you want to drive your truck, it's completely fine with me, you can just follow me to school. My car isn't exactly as indestructible as yours'." I joked, hoping I could make her smile more genuine, relaxed. It worked, to some degree, as she shrugged her shoulders, now a little less tense than they had been a minute ago. "Still rather carpool for the first day. Now can we get in the car? It's freezing out here." 

I compiled without further argument and let us into my Camry, where I cranked up the heat to help warm Bella up again as I turned around and drove out to the main road. It was easy to find the high school, since it was one of the many things in town just off the highway, even though it might not have looked like a school at first glance. Unlike most schools, Forks High was not one big, connected building, but a collection of smaller ones that looked similar to small houses built out of maroon-colored bricks and dubbed with a sign out front that announced its' status as an academic institution. It wasn't overly large, which made it easy to navigate, especially for new students, though I would still want to make sure there would be someone around to show Bella where each of her classes were since I knew we wouldn't have the exact same schedule. 

Pulling up to the first building to park momentarily, since most of these spaces were usually reserved for teachers and staff, I led Bella up the little stone path between the rows of low, knee-high bushes and inside. The front office was well lit inside and comfortably warm to combat the chilly weather, an achievable feat since the room was small, with a waiting room decorated with padded, folding chairs off to the right of the door. Most of the walls held corkboards and were, otherwise, decorated with notices and awards, the familiar clock hung on the wall above the door ticking out the minutes loudly into the otherwise quiet room. Potted plants took up space on the orange-flecked commercial carpet where other furniture couldn't fit on this half of the room, while the other was partially blocked from view behind a long counter in the middle of the floor. Every inch of the counter was covered, if not by brimming wire baskets than by multi-colored flyers announcing things from dances to sporting and academic events. Two of the three desks behind the counter were still empty, while the one in the middle was occupied by the red-haired receptionist, Ms. Cope. She peered up at us through her thick black glasses as we came into the office, raising her eyebrows a bit in surprise as I led the way toward her desk. 

"Good morning, Dawn," She offered a friendly smile all the same; it wasn't often I came in here unless I needed something important, like the enrollment papers Charlie had asked me to get a few weeks prior for Bella, "What brings you here, sweetheart?" 

"Morning, Ms. Cope." I greeted her warmly as I leaned an arm on a stack of papers on the counter, "I thought I'd come in with my stepsister to get her schedule and everything." I gestured to Bella, who hovered near my right shoulder; she gave the receptionist a weak smile, "Bella, this is Ms. Cope, Ms. Cope, this is my stepsister, Isabella Swan." 

Recognition sparked immediately in Ms. Cope's eyes as she turned her attention to Bella; her arrival hadn't exactly been a secret, since mama and Charlie had let the news slip as soon Bella herself had made her decision. Naturally, such news had travelled fast in our small town, especially since it'd concerned the chief of police and the head nurse at the local hospital. 

"Yes, of course." Ms. Cope dug through the multiple stacks of documents that littered her desk and laid a copy of Bella's schedule and a map of the school out on the counter for us to see. The three of us went over Bella's classes and Ms. Cope helped me map out the best route to each of them before she handed both to Bella, along with a slip of paper she would need each of her teachers to sign before it was to be returned here at the end of the day. Once we had everything, Ms. Cope wished Bella a good day and told her she hoped she'd like it here in Forks. Bella nodded silently and I thanked Ms. Cope as we left. 

The rest of the student body was just starting to arrive as we climbed back into my Camry, and I pulled out to follow the line of cars around the school toward the student lot. Thankfully for Bella, she wouldn't have to worry about her truck sticking out much since most of the students here had older cars just like hers, with one exception: the shiny silver Volvo I parked alongside, just as always. 

Cutting the engine once more, I double checked to make sure I had everything and told Bella I would wait for her before I stepped out of the car to give her a couple of minutes to collect herself. A few classmates waved on their way past and I smiled in return as I leaned against the hood of my car, promising I'd catch up later when they asked how things were going; even they knew about Bella's arrival, so I knew they were eager to meet her, same as the rest of the town. Though my absence yesterday was a rare occurrence, I'd at least been able to forewarn my teachers and collect most of the schoolwork I would have missed, so I wasn't behind. 

Once she was ready, Bella and I joined the crowd on the sidewalk and I led the way toward building three, which was just around the cafeteria. It was easy to spot, labeled on a white square on the east corner with a large, black number '3'. Bella was starting to get anxious now, her breath shallow and uneven as we drew closer to the door; putting a comforting hand on the small of her back, I gently guided her through the door after a couple of our classmates. 

Nodding to the blond and brunette in greeting, I showed Bella the long row of hooks hung up just inside the door for our coats before directing her toward Mr. Mason's desk at the front of the room. The tall, balding teacher told me to drop my homework in one of the baskets on his desk before turning his attention to my stepsister, who I introduced. His eyes widened, mouth hanging open in astonishment as he stared at her, not unlike someone staring at an animal at a zoo. Bella flushed and ducked her head in embarrassment, and I had to clear my throat loudly to snap him out of it as I took the slip of paper from her and held it out; Mr. Mason immediately signed it and handed it back with a copy of this semester's reading list before I directed Bella to a seat in the back. Though she'd escaped the awkward introduction some teachers might force newcomers to make, the rest of our classmates were already whispering amongst themselves as we passed, trying to crane their heads around to see her without getting into trouble where I sat her in the empty seat in front of me. Bella kept her head down throughout the lesson, no doubt reading through the list Mr. Mason had just given her, though I knew she'd likely already read most, if not all, of these books already. She'd always been something of a bookworm. 

The usual nasal buzz of the bell announced the end of the lesson and, as Bella and I were packing up to go, one of our classmates, Eric, came around his desk to join us. He smiled as he swept a couple of wayward black bangs out of his thin brown eyes, his face pockmarked and covered with bad ache; he was one of the more academically inclined students who was a part of the chess club and held a position in the student council, with more of that awkward, lanky build indicative of teenage boys. 

"Hey Dawn," He nodded to me as I got up, slinging the strap of my messenger bag over my shoulder; he gestured to Bella, "So, this is the infamous stepsister, huh? Isabella, isn't it?" 

"Bella." She and I corrected together as she stood up with me, shrugging on her own bag; anyone within a three-seat radius turned to look as she spoke and Bella glanced away, shifting her weight uneasily. Eric glanced at her in understanding, ignoring the others. 

"What's your next class?" 

"She's with Jefferson in six." I'd memorized Bella's schedule while we were going over it with Ms. Cope, so I knew where she'd be throughout the day; I only hoped she'd be able to find someone helpful, like Eric, for when I wasn't there, "Since it's right by our next class, why don't you walk with us? Oh, Bella, this is Eric, we have Trig together next. Maybe if we can later, we'll introduce you to a couple other people in our classes." 

Eric beamed and Bella nodded, grateful, as we donned our jackets and headed out into the, now pouring, rain. We rounded the cafeteria again, heading toward the south buildings, near the gym. 

"So...being here must be a lot different than what you're used to in Phoenix, huh?" Eric asked conversationally, peering at Bella out of the corner of his hood. She nodded, squinting as the cold rain bit at her cheeks, though her expression only made Eric chuckle, "Doesn't rain much there, does it?" 

Bella shrugged, pulling her hood lower on her head, "Only about three or four times a year." 

Eric's eyes widened and he gazed dreamy off into the misty distance, "Wow, what must that be like?" 

"Sunny. Very sunny. And hot." I scrunch my nose, feeling just as uncomfortable with the heat as Bella was with the cold. Eric hummed, thoughtful, as though remembering the times when I'd return home with a tan before eyeing Bella out of the corner of his eye, "She doesn't look very tan." 

"My mother is part albino." Bella quipped sarcastically; I snorted while Eric eyed her, obviously missing the joke. Bella simply sighed in disappointment. 

Eric and I walked Bella to the door of her next class and Eric wished her luck, voicing aloud that he hoped the two of them would have more classes together. I told her to come find me after this class if she couldn't find her next one and promised we'd sit together at lunch before she disappeared through the door, casting Eric and I a vague smile over her shoulder. 

All Eric could talk about as we headed for Trig was how pretty and nice Bella was, a topic I was quick to pick up on in many of our other classmates' conversations throughout the rest of the morning, especially among many of the male students. This thought brought a smile to my lips, knowing that meant I wouldn't have to worry as much about Bella when it came to settling in or making friends. Hell, anytime I saw Bella that day, she was accompanied by another Junior brave and/or kind enough to show her where her classes were. It put my mind at ease, knowing she at least had other people to help her when I had my hands full. 

Especially knowing she wouldn't have to alone at lunch on her first day when I was kept behind by my Spanish teacher to make up a pop quiz. Even if it only took me about ten minutes to do, I still didn't like the idea of leaving Bella alone for too long, knowing how anxious she got in an unfamiliar place. Thankfully for me, though, I spotted her through the windows of the cafeteria at a busy lunch table as I hurried through the rain toward the back door; my relief, however, was short lived when I saw the short, curly-haired girl sat beside her, chattering her ear off. Ah Christ... 

"Jessica Stanley, interesting choice for a friend." A soft, silvery bell like voice caught my attention, drawing my eye away from the window; a warm smile graced the soft, heart-shaped face of the petite young woman walking (or should I say gliding) toward me, her large, coal black eyes bright even marred by the bruise-colored shadows that were prominent against her pale white cheeks. Her cropped, spiky black hair swayed attractively with her movements, even heavy with rain as it was now. I turned to face her more fully, wrapping my arms around her small frame to return her hug; her scent was cold and sweet, matching the rock-hard body under my hands, with undertones of designer fabrics and cosmetics. "But don't worry, she doesn't mean more harm than to get in on the attention your stepsister is receiving from the guys, especially Mike." She reassured as she broke the hug, her eyes twinkling. It was then I noticed the food in her hands, which she offered to me; when I quirked a brow, she just shrugged, "We knew you'd be late since you missed the surprise pop quiz in Spanish yesterday. I figured you could do more with this than me." 

"Thanks, Alice." I sighed, grateful, as I took the tray from her; it was usual for Alice and her siblings/husband, who were all still seated at a table in the corner of the cafeteria by themselves, to get food that they didn't need to eat. Even posing as normal humans, none of them had any use for it past props. What vampire did, when all they needed was blood to survive? Not human blood, of course; the Cullens, Alice's family, and I were what the vampire world called vegetarian vampires, i.e. we only consumed animal blood. It made sense, considering we could blend into the human population without fear of temptation every time a neighbor or classmate gave themselves a paper cut. 

Alice and I moved to a table near the entrance, where we would be sheltered by the cafeteria's roof as I returned my attention to where Bella was sitting with Jessica and six other students. There were a couple of them I was happy to see her making friends with, like Angela Weber, who I knew would be a better friend for her than Jessica since she'd always seemed more genuine and caring. Someone I knew would at least be loyal and want to hang out with Bella because of her character instead of because she was popular. I inclined my invisible ears toward their table to better hear what they were saying, curious; though not entirely easy through the glass wall or over the chatter of the other students, knowing both Bella and Jessica's voices as well as I did did help separate them from everyone else's, so I was able to pick up what they were saying. 

Bella's attention had been caught by the rest of the Cullens, who had yet to move from their table; from here, I could see Edward, the smallest of the three boys, with his messy, bronze-tinted hair, was speaking quietly to the others while he picked apart his uneaten bagel with long, pale fingers. Alice's other brother, Emmett, was the biggest, looking closer to a bear than a man with dark, curly brown hair, while her husband, Jasper, was leaner, his honey blond hair combed back neatly. Alice's only sister, Rosalie, meanwhile, had the figure of a model, tall and curved in all the right places, with golden colored hair that fell in gentle waves to the middle of her back. 

Their cover story was that they had been adopted by Dr. Carlisle, who worked with my mom at the hospital, and his wife, Esme. The only ones of the five who were believed to be blood related were Jasper and Rosalie, who looked the most similar and passed themselves off as the 'Hale' twins being fostered by their aunt (Esme). Just like Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie were a couple, which left Edward as the only one in their family without a mate. 

As far as everyone else was concerned, the Cullens had only been native to Forks the last two years, when they'd 'moved' here from somewhere up north, in Alaska. No one else knew what their family was except mine (minus Charlie, of course) and although they were unbelievable attractive to anyone who saw them, most people tended to give the coven of vampires a wide berth. Maybe it was some kind of natural instinct, something in their mammalian brains telling them the beautiful thing in front of them had a hidden danger they needed to steer clear from, but whatever the case, the Cullen/Hale children were pretty much left alone by everyone else. 

Except me. 

I mean, c'mon, another supernatural family moves into town with 'kids' my age? No way was I passing up an opportunity to make friends with people I could talk to without having to hide who I really am. Even if they hadn't quite expected it, the Cullens easily accepted me into their fold, probably just as relieved to find someone outside their own family who could understand them. And, with my mother working with Carlisle, it had brought us all closer, to the point where even my brothers hung out regularly with the vampires outside school and we'd all become closer to siblings than just friends. 

"That's Edward," I could hear Jessica explaining to Bella after she'd asked which of the three boys he was. "He's gorgeous, of course, but I wouldn't waste your time." Jessica's voice was tight, irritated, at the memories of her crush on Edward freshman year. "None of the girls around here are apparently good enough for him. Except maybe your stepsister." 

"What?" Bella sounded surprised as she turned to face Jessica again while I groaned to myself and Alice giggled beside me, obviously having heard the conversation, too; here we go again with that stupid rumor someone (Jessica) had started after getting turned down by the vampire. Honestly, just because Edward and I were both single and I hung out with them all the time, it didn't mean we were dating for crying out loud! We never even did anything to make it seem like we were a couple...even if we maybe, probably, entertained the idea, just to freak some people out. If we were really being honest, there was nothing more between us than sibling like affection. 

"You didn't know?" Jessica was caught between surprised that Bella didn't and giddy at the prospect of sharing some gossip. "It's been a topic around school since last year! No one has ever been able to get close to the Cullens or Hales since they started here, they always kept to themselves. Your sister's the only one who's ever been able to change that, she's the only person they've ever let into their private circle. It's obvious she'd end up with the one who's still single." Jessica paused, as though thoughtful as I rolled my eyes, (Yeah right.) "But then, it really isn't all too surprising. Dawn's...nice," She was fishing for something nice to call me. Great. "I mean, sure she's someone who could make friends easy, but I gotta tell you, Bella, your sister's always been kinda strange..." 

"Dawn's strange?" Bella murmured, curious, with a hard edge just beneath the surface; skeptical, if not a bit protective, "How so?" 

"Well, she is always polite and friendly." Jessica wrinkled her nose, as though the thought was repulsive to her, "She has a lot of friends, but I've never seen her being as open with anyone as she seems to be with the Cullens. She's like a completely different person with them and she never invites anyone else to talk to them. Even though she knows some of us," Subtle, real subtle, "Would be just thrilled to be friends with them, too. I guess she just wants to keep her boy toy to herself or something..." 

"She still thinks you're a selfish bitch, if you're curious." The rest of the Cullens had joined us outside now and I looked up into Edward's grinning face as he watched Jessica and Bella through the windows while Alice skipped over to her husband. I shrugged my shoulders, indifferent to the names Jessica called me in her head as I shoved away from the table and brushed myself off. She'd been calling me names since I'd started hanging out with the vampires, so it wasn't anything new. If it made her feel better about herself, then so be it, I wasn't going to get my panties in a twist over it. Oh, boo hoo, I'm so sad someone doesn't like me. Whatever. 

Edward chuckled to himself at my train of thought, though I hadn't opened my mouth to speak. He was a special kind of vampire, born with the supernatural ability to read other people's thoughts as easily as though they were speaking to him verbally. 

"Eh, who cares." I sniffed, pushing the hair out of my face with my claws, "Now, when she comes up with an original idea in that shallow puddle of a head of hers', you let me know." 

Edward chuckled once more and nodded, turning his attention fully to me; I tilted my head to look up into his face, taking in his lanky frame and coal black eyes; the Cullen's eyes were only like this after they went a long stretch of time without hunting and, once their thirst had been satisfied, their eyes were often varying shades of gold. Despite the rumors, Edward was one of the Cullens I was closest to, although he was more like the protective older brother I'd never had than someone I was really attracted to. 

"Just about time for class, isn't it?" I took out my phone for a glance at the time, "I'd better get inside to grab Bella for Biology II." 

"I think she's taken care of." Edward was looking through the windows again as I turned to hug Alice and bump fists with Emmett before the two left with their mates; I turned to see what he meant, feeling a sense of comfort to see Angela striking up a conversation with Bella, tilting my ears toward them in time to catch her offering to walk her to their next class. Good, get her the hell away from Jessica, please. Edward turned back to me, "Shall we get going, too?" 

I nodded and turned away from the window, relieved to see my stepsister in much better hands as Edward and I made our way through the rain toward the science building. 

"So, your sister's day seems to be going well so far." I glanced up at him from under my hood, nodding, "You must be relieved. Jasper could sense your anxiety from the other side of the school." He chuckled as I pulled a face, nose scrunching and eyebrows furrowing, "It was actually something of a help today, Jasper was having some problems with his control." 

I hum in understanding, knowing Jasper was one of the vampires in their family who was still getting used to the Cullens' way of life; he had a hard time just being around the twins and I for long periods of time, "Yeah, well...if you knew Bella as well as I do, you'd understand...she isn't exactly happy about how things are right now...I just wanted to be sure she could settle in and find some nice people she could hang out with when I'm not around." 

"So, this isn't you trying to dump her off on someone else?" Edward grinned crookedly at me out of the corner of his mouth as I glared at him, "Look at you being a responsible big sister." 

"We're the same age." I told him with a frown as we walked into Biology II and hung up our coats; Mr. Banner was the only other person in the room, and I flinched at the high-pitched squeal of the erasable marker against the surface of the whiteboard as he wrote out the day's lecture. Edward hummed as he took his seat at the black-topped lab table in the back of the room, "Doesn't mean you were both born at the same time, though, does it?" 

"Of course not." I frowned as I set my bag down in the seat to his left, "I was born in May and she was born in September." I paused to think about it and then sighed as Edward grinned at me again, "Oh shut up." I growled as I walked up to Mr. Banner's desk to hand in my late assignments and Edward chuckled quietly behind me. Putting the work on his desk, I stopped to talk to Mr. Banner while the rest of the class started to trickle in from lunch. 

The shift was sudden; like a dark cloud descending on the room, the air around us thickened, prickling at the hair at the nape of my neck and the back of my arms, so palpable I could practically taste it on the back of my tongue. My muscles locked in response, my body readying to spring into action as my ears swiveled around, searching for the source of the impending danger. Something fumbled behind me, unsteady feet scattering books across the polished tile floor while one of the girls giggled. I whipped around, Mr. Banner's no more than white noise now. 

My gaze fell on Bella standing in the aisle between my row and Edward's, steadying herself with a hand on the table in front of him while she tried to regain her footing. She propelled herself forward, footsteps too fast, eyes stretched wide, and cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She vaguely reminded me of a newborn lamb, still unsteady on its' short, slender feet. 

Something crunched quietly from a corner of the room, wood splintering, as though under an incredible amount of pressure, drawing my gaze to the vampire in the very back row. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, my tail bristling at the sight of Edward sitting rigidly in his seat, body half curled forward, and shoulders hunched, the hand sat atop the worktable clenched into claws. His face had twisted into a terrifying expression, lips loose, ready to pull back over his teeth and eyebrows pulling into a tight line over his black, bottomless eyes, which were focused so intensely on his prey it was like the rest of the world had melted away, faded into the background. Become secondary. He was a predator on the hunt, his intellectual mind taking a backseat to the baser instincts that had been hardwired into his cold, unchanging body, the body that made him one of, if not the most, dangerous creature on the face of this planet. Like a mountain lion who'd found its prey, he was coiled in a ready position, muscles locked under the nearly impenetrable flesh in preparation to spring. The line of his gaze followed his unsuspecting prey toward the teacher's desk and my heart lodged somewhere in my throat. 

Bella. 

My chest swelled with a surge of demonic energy, sending bolts of power zipping through my veins and fueling my instinct to protect my family as I pulled my lips slightly back from my teeth and emitted a low, almost inaudible growl from deep within my throat, (Edward!) I tried to put as much force behind his name as I could in my mind, warning him against whatever it was that he was thinking. He heard me through his haze, his black eyes snapping up to meet mine. There was a deep conflict in his gaze, a visible tug-of-war between the inner monster and his consciousness as guilt warred with anticipation and longing. His eyebrows relaxed, though there was still an evident crease just over the bridge of his nose and his lips were pursed so tight, they were paler than usual. A silent plea for help. 

I sighed silently, feeling some of my protectiveness fade into an empathetic understanding and anxiety as I followed Bella back down the aisle toward my seat, knowing there was only one empty chair remaining: the one right next to Edward. He angled away from her as she came closer, body still rigid even though it was no longer in that hunting stance from a minute ago, scooting to the very edge of the table with his face averted toward me while I sat down to his left. Bella bit her lip and subtly sniffed at a piece of her hair, as though searching for a reason for his bizarre behavior, though I knew the scent of her favorite strawberry shampoo wasn't the problem. She eventually turned away herself, hair falling over her shoulder to create a dark curtain that hid her face. 

I took out my stuff and purposely plopped my notebook down on the lab table, sending a fresh wave of air toward Edward, who blinked slowly as it brought a bit more clarity to his eyes. He looked like he was in pain, like he was being burned from the inside out by his thirst, the dark purple bruises under his eyes more pronounced than they had been before while his expression flickered between emotions so quickly no one else would have been able to keep track. Expect me. 

Edward had told me about his early vampire life, about how he used to hunt 'humans', if you could call them that, and how he first rebelled against his family's way of life before it all became too much, and he'd crawled back to Carlisle, his creator, and Esme. I knew he still struggled with the monster inside of him to be a good son, to make his adopted parents proud and prove he could live like they did. That he could be better than the man he once was. I could see in his eyes that the monster was taunting him now, encouraging him to just go in for the kill, consequences be damned, even if it meant he'd have to kill everyone else in the room to get what he wanted. 

I couldn't focus on Mr. Banner's lecture, too engrossed in keeping watch to hear much of what our teacher said as Edward's gaze darted from my face to my shoes, the floor, and back, as though he was searching for something, anything, to focus on aside from Bella. His hands clenched in his lap, pulling the muscles in his forearms taunt and pushing the tendons out against the skin; Bella fidgeted, sending out a fresh plume of her warm, strawberry scent with a simple shake of her long hair. Edward's eyes met mine, pleading once more and I knew he was asking for help, for me to find a way to get the scent away from him in some way. Any way I possibly could. I opened my binder and started to flip through my notes, making it look like I was looking for something; the gratitude on his face was instantaneous as the waves of air played with the ends of his bronzed colored hair. 

(That won't last forever.) I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, quirking an eyebrow to let him know I was talking directly to him now. (Edward, you need to find a way to control yourself over the next hour before you do something you're going to regret. Hold your breath or something!) 

His body immediately stilled at my thoughts, the normal motions of his breathing stopped in favor of keeping Bella's scent from driving him completely insane. Unlike humans or other supernatural creatures, vampires didn't need to breathe to stay alive, so filtering air through their non functioning lungs was more of a controlled reflex, especially since their sense of smell was so important. It was an early warning of danger, a major sensory input we often relied on to fuel our instincts and sense of self-preservation, as well as what led us in the hunt. 

I willed my thoughts away from anything that concerned hunting and blood, instead reaching for anything interesting I could use as a distraction, to keep him from thinking too long about how good my stepsister smelled. All the while, I watched him from the corner of my eye, my body locked in preparation to spring should he make a move to attack any of our classmates, scrutinizing every physical cue he presented to deduce which direction he would go and how quickly he might move. Bella fidgeted again, drawing his attention once more as she peeked at him through the curtain of her hair; his face scrunched, eyes darkening as he met her gaze. She flinched at his expression, the flush to her cheeks making Edward tense once more. 

The sound of the bell filled the classroom, chasing away the tension and I sighed in relief as I shoved everything into my bag and stood, slinging the strap over my shoulder, (Thank God!) Was the only thought that managed to cross my mind before something cold and hard clamped down around my wrist and yanked me toward the door. I fumbled and glanced back in time to catch Bella's shocked expression before I was pulled out of the building. Neither she nor any of the other students had even left their seats. 

"Edward..." I straightened as I looked up at him, though all I could see was the back of his bronze-colored hair as he half dragged me toward the woods at the back of the school. It didn't take me more than a second to match his near jogging grit as we slipped through the first trees into the cover of the forest, pausing in a small clearing far enough in we couldn't be spotted from a distance. He did a quick scan of the area to be sure we were entirely alone before he dropped my arm and turned to face me, offering one of the two jackets he had clutched in his free hand. I took mine from him and hung it loosely over my shoulders. 

"Do you still have that thermos Elizabeth packs you?" His voice was low, bordering just on a growl as I looked up and nodded. He held out a hand, his expression pleading once more, "May I?" Smiling in understanding, I ushered Edward over to a flat rock nestled in a shallow crevice sheltered by the roots of a tree and pulled my bag around to rest against my stomach as I dug through it. Mama had sewn a secret compartment into my messenger bag, where I kept a small thermos of blood on me in case of emergencies. Digging the thermos out, I handed it over to Edward, who took it gratefully as I sat on the rock beside him, sighing. I had independent study the final period of the day, so at least I didn't have to worry about being late or missing another day of class. 

Edward and I sat in silence as he nursed the contents of the thermos; it wouldn't be much, just about two cups of warm deer's blood, my favorite, but I hoped it would be enough to clear his head a little bit while I enjoyed the cold, wet air. The rain had slowed back into a light drizzle, bringing an icy wind in from the south that smelled distantly of alpine trees. I pulled my jacket closer to conserve warmth, tucking my hangs under my arms. When he was done, Edward replaced the cap and returned my thermos; I traded him a handful of napkins from my bag to wipe his face while I returned the thermos to my bag and retrieved a water bottle to rinse his mouth out. 

"What happened in there?" I looked up at him as he rolled the water around in his cheeks, careful to remove all traces of the blood from his teeth; he turned his head away and I watched the water arch through the air, splattering over a nearby, mossy rock, "I mean, I know you and the others are thirsty, Edward, but I've never seen you act like that around anyone before you met Bella." 

Edward handed the water back, but couldn't seem to meet my gaze again, "I...I don't really know what happened...as soon as her scent hit me, it was like...like I'd been hit with a semi truck or something. Her smell's unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life...and it almost ruined me..." He dropped his head into his hands, running his claws through his already tousled hair, "God, it was like my own personal demon had been sent to torture me in this non-life of mine...she made me almost ruin everything Carlisle and Esme tried so hard to build for us." 

My heart clenched, knowing how hard it was for him still, even after so long; I put a reassuring hand on his back, "But you resisted, Edward and you managed to pull through it. That's got to count for something, doesn't it?" 

"I only got through all that because you were there to ground me..." Edward sighed to his feet, "I wouldn't have been able to control myself if you hadn't been there to get her scent away from me or kept me sane when I was on the verge of losing it." 

"You're giving me a little too much credit, Edward." I furrowed my brow and leaned down a little, trying to see his face, "I might have helped, but the discipline it took to keep from attacking was all you. You have control of your bloodlust." 

He sighed again and sat up, shaking his head, "Control that barely hung by a thread..." He looked at me; his eyes had softened, showing hints of dark onyx around the edges of his iris, "It took everything in me not to attack the class and even then, I was thinking of ways to get into your house so I could kill your stepsister. What happens the next time you're not there to stop me? This was too close a call, Dawn." 

I rubbed his back in slow, soothing circles, pursing my lips, "There's always a solution, Edward, we just have to find it. Like mama, Carlisle, and Esme always say, right?" He glanced away again, evidently still feeling guilty while I rubbed his arm with my free hand, "We will figure this out, Edward, we just have to put our heads together, okay? Maybe we can ask Alice for some advice, too." 

Edward stiffened and pursed his lips; obviously he didn't like the idea of anyone else knowing about his dark thoughts. 

"She's already got enough to worry about with Jasper..." he murmured distantly, like he was off in his own little world...or else distracted reading his sister's thoughts, "It'd be better if I didn't tempt fate, anyway...I should just try to keep as far away from Bella Swan as I can. Her and her delicious scent." 

"Switch classes?" I guessed, though I was skeptical of the idea; even if he did manage to switch into a different science class, I doubted Edward would be able to avoid Bella forever. They would run into one another eventually, especially with how small our school was, not to mention how close our families had become, "I dunno, Edward...I'm pretty sure all the higher-level science classes are full...and I don't think they'd let you drop a course you need credits to graduate." 

"It's something, though." Edward was suddenly on his feet, his face set, determined, "And I've got to at least try." He started back in the direction we'd come, his steps just as determined as they had been when he'd dragged me out here, although now they were more measured, controlled. 

"Where are you going?" I hurried to catch up with him. "To talk to Ms. Cope, it's just about the end of the day, she shouldn't be too busy." I frowned and reached into my pocket to check the time on my phone; it was about five minutes to the final bell. "Damn, I'd better go catch up with Bella, I haven't been able to talk to her since this morning." Tucking my phone back into my jeans, I looked up at Edward, "I'd come help you with Ms. Cope, but I gotta go. Good luck!" 

Edward grinned, flashing his perfect, straight teeth, which made me glad he'd rinsed his mouth out or that would have looked terrifying, "I can handle Ms. Cope, Dawn." 

"Somehow, I don't doubt it" I rolled my eyes and smiled playfully at him, nudging his shoulder with mine, "Don't be too rough on her, Simba." He chuckled and shooed me toward the gym before he turned and set off for the front office at a brisk pace. I arrived just as the bell rang and it was no more than a minute before Bella walked out; obviously Coach Clapp had given her a break on her first day and hadn't made her dress down for class. I gave her a sheepish smile when she saw me waiting just outside the door. 

"Hey Bells." We fell in step as we crossed campus, "The rest of your day go okay?" 

She nodded, "Yeah, I met a couple of new people who showed me around..." She told me about Jessica and Angela; she seemed to like most of the teachers, aside from Mr. Varner, the Trig teacher, who'd been the only one to force her to stand in front of the class to introduce herself. I snort in understanding. 

"Yeah, well, Mr. Varner's always been one of those guys...kinda egotistical, too." I scratched my ear, remembering how he'd often accuse students of cheating if they proved to understand his subject better than he did. "But I'm glad to know you're making friends, Bella, just...be wary of Jessica." She shot me a quizzical look, "Take it from me, sis, she might seem friendly now, but she isn't all that loyal to her 'friends'." I did air quotes. "Be sure to keep that in mind if you're thinking of hanging out with her." 

Bella hummed, as though mulling over my advice, "I dunno, she seemed nice, and she told me somethings that seemed true enough..." 

"Oh yeah, like what?" 

"Well...she told me about that family who moved here a couple years ago, the Cullens." She eyed me, "You're not really dating Edward, are you? He seemed like such a jerk in Bio today..." 

I barked out a laugh and shook my head, trying to ease some of her worry, though I knew she had every right to be afraid, "C'mon, Bells, you should know by now not to trust the rumor mill." I grinned at her out of the corner of my mouth, "It is not like that between Edward and I, trust me, we're just friends. Just like I am with the rest of his family." 

I suddenly noticed as we turned away from the parking lot and started heading for, my heart pounded, the front office. 

"You forget something, Bells?" I glanced over at my stepsister, trying to keep my expression light, carefree; she frowned, eyebrows furrowing, "No...I need to turn this in, remember?" She held up the slip of paper Ms. Cope had given her that morning to have each of her teachers sign. I mentally smacked myself. 

"Ah, right, I almost forgot." I stuck my tongue between my teeth, chuckling, as I rubbed my neck, "Well, hey, why don't I take that for you, and you can just head to the car?" I stepped in front of her, forcing her to stop as I held out a hand for the paper and offered her my keys with the other. Bella looked at me like I'd just grown a second head. 

"Uh, no..." She shook her head, eyeing me, "I think I can handle turning in a slip of paper, thanks. But if you want to head for the car, go ahead, I'll be there in a minute." She stepped around me and continued toward the office while I inwardly groaned; damn that independent streak of hers! 

I barely had time to pray that Edward had already left the office as I caught up with Bella at the entrance, catching the front door behind her when she froze at the sight of the lanky, bronze haired figure leaning against the counter. He was arguing with Ms. Cope, voice low, sultry, to sway her to see things his way, flashing her his best, charming smile as she stared, enamored, back at him. 

I reached for Bella, who had moved to stand against the wall, moving instinctively between her and Edward while I contemplated dragging her out of the building kicking and screaming if I absolutely had to; if I was being completely honest with myself, though, I don't think she'd be capable of either of those things right now, her gaze transfixed on Edward while Ms. Cope could do little more than stutter out a half coherent apology, already caught in his spell, just like everyone else. I would have laughed if the situation weren't so serious. First worry about getting Bella out of the way of danger, then - 

It happened without warning, shattering any hope I had of getting my stepsister out of here without being noticed; I almost had my hand around her wrist, ready to drag her out the door when it flew open beside us with a strong gale of wind. Bits of our hair swirled around our heads, scents intermixing, filling the small hot space as the papers on the walls danced and swayed chaotically in the breeze. A lower classman, Samantha Wells, stepped through the open doorway, deposited a signed tardy slip into the nearest wire basket and hurried back out into the drizzle to catch her bus before it left. My eyes were fixated Edward, his shoulders stiffening, back arched as that dark energy from earlier filled the room, prickling at the back of my neck; his movements were slow, mechanical almost as he turned round to face us, like he was fighting himself. I turned my body fully to face him, shielding Bella behind me as his dark, fiery gaze met mine once more, tilting my chin up defiantly. 

Time seemed to freeze in that second as Edward seized me up, the bridge of his nose wrinkled, lips half curled in a sneer while he waged an inner war with the monster fighting to claim what it wanted. His gaze briefly left mine, falling to my shoulder, where I could feel Bella, hovering, not quite touching, but close enough I could feel her body heat. The hand he had perched above the counter between him, and Ms. Cope twitched, as though he was ready to reach over and rip her head from its' shoulders; another surge of power reverberated through my veins, a low, warning growl forcing its' way past my lips as I peeled them back from my teeth. His eyes shot back to mine and in that instant, I knew he'd made his choice. 

Just as he'd done back in the science building, Edward halted his breathing and straightened his back while he turned back to Ms. Cope. She shrank back from the evident change that had overcome him, her eyes wide at the dark look on his face. He cleared his throat, using decades worth of discipline to keep his voice as even and smooth as it had been before, although now his words were rushed, using what little air he still had in his lungs. 

"Never mind, then," He gave her the best smile he could manage, "I can see that it's impossible. Thank you, so much, for your help, Ms. Cope." 

Edward spun on his heel, meeting my gaze for a split second before he practically launched himself through the door, skirting around both Bella and I in an attempt to avoid close contact. I waited until the door had snapped closed behind him before glancing back at Bella, who stared after the vampire with an expression akin to someone who'd just been scared out of their mind. I turned partially to face her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder; she looked white as a ghost. 

"Why don't you give Ms. Cope the signed slip and I'll get the car?" I whispered, rubbing her back in small, soothing circles. Bella couldn't even look at me, only managing a weak nod of agreement as she shuffled toward Ms. Cope's desk. I sighed under my breath and hurried back outside, pausing on the sidewalk to watch the familiar silver Volvo turn out of the parking lot at forty and disappear around the corner near seventy. 

Running my claws through my bangs and biting my bottom lip, I headed for the nearly empty lot the Cullens had left behind. Only my Camry and a few other cars were left as I slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Bella was already making her way toward me when I cranked up the heat, her arms wrapped tight around herself, more in a reassuring way than to converse warmth as she blinked back tears, though I couldn't tell if they were emotional or from the icy wind biting at her cheeks just yet. A deep ache settled in my chest all the same and I gripped the steering wheel tight in both hands. 

(Lords above, what have we got ourselves into now, Bells...?)