Chapter Text
One thing that is unusual about Forks High School, is that the student population is so small that some classes have more than one grade in them. There are enough teachers that students kind of have a choice of the order that they can take all their courses in (as long as they get all the required ones done to graduate) so it’s not uncommon to see freshman and seniors along with the juniors in biology, or English.
The guy that she was seated next to on the first day is a senior, in fact. He seems friendly enough. Emmett. Everyone stared at her like she had sprouted an extra arm when she started up a conversation with him on that first day, then looked even more poleaxed when he had responded back.
She later learned from Jess that he and his family are all kind of the outcasts at the school, but that’s kind of how she felt too, so she kept talking to him.
The newness would wear off eventually.
She learned from Jess that they were all adopted, but some of them had paired off into relationships. Some of them were related, and some of them were no better than complete strangers in relation to bloodline.
She learned from Emmett that he was with Rosalie. They had been close when they were younger, and he had eventually fallen in love with her. It’s actually a really touching story. Evidently, she saved his life. She also learned that he loved his siblings, and they all loved their adoptive mother and father. Emmett said she’d like Esme. She agreed with him.
…
“Bells! How was your weekend?” The landmass of a teen boy asks, plonking down into his seat and making it creak alarmingly.
“Careful on the chair there, Em, I can hear it screaming,” Bella says amused, “And my weekend was uneventful. Charlie was out fishing the whole time, so I just stayed home.”
“That’s no fun! Live a little!” He says, nudging her arm with his elbow. Mr. Banner calls the class to order, and everyone quiets down.
“Anyone asked you to homecoming yet?” Emmet whispers conspiratorially over his shoulder while Mr. Banner talks. She rolls her eyes.
“No, and don’t go giving them any ideas. I can already tell that Jess is getting mad that Mike is thinking about asking me instead of her. And don’t get me started on Tyler. High School boys are a nightmare.”
“Hey, I resemble that remark,” Emmett says, grinning. She waves a dismissive hand at him.
“Yeah, but you’re taken. And just not a four year old mentally. I’d say you’re at least 6 years old.”
He chuckles, and they both turn to pay attention to the lesson.
…
“You jinxed it, assbutt.” Bella grouses flatly, dropping into her seat, glaring at Emmett. He just grins at her sunnily.
“You just have many admirers.”
She groans and drops her head onto the table.
“Can I just sit with you at lunch today? Maybe you can finally introduce me to this lovely girlfriend you’re always gushing about so besottedly. Anything other than having to sit beside Jess as she tries to fry my head off with her eyeballs.”
Emmett snorts, then covers it with a cough when the teacher looks over at him.
“If you want. Alice wants to meet you. She’s been pestering me about it ever since she overheard me talking to Rose about you.”
Bella tilts her head, confused.
“You talk to Rosalie about me? Why? What about?” She asks, curiously.
“She knew already. Word kinda traveled around the school, since, you know, you’re literally the only person that talks to us.”
“Huh. I guess,” She replies.
“Anyways, she was just asking me what we talked about. If you were trying to get gossip or something.”
“Ouch. I can’t blame her, she doesn’t know me, but ouch.” He chuckles.
“Speaking of, why do you talk to me? I’m sure you heard on the first day that we’re the pariahs of the school.”
She bites her lip, a little awkward all of the sudden. “Well. I guess I kind of understand it a little bit. I’m not exactly the most exciting person, and all the novelty will wear off sooner or later. Plus, I personally don’t see what’s wrong with you guys. Maybe they’re just intimidated by pretty people or something,” She says, blabbering a bit at the end. He looks a little surprised.
“Well then I don’t see why they aren’t intimidated by you too” He replies eventually, with a charming smile. She snorts.
“Look at you. A regular old charmer. And don’t lie, I’ve seen Rosalie. She’s literally one of the most stunning people I’ve ever seen.”
He dimples.
“I’ll be sure to pass along the word. You’ll instantly be her favorite,” He chortles.
“Oh god, don’t do that,” She replies, aghast, her ears starting to feel a little hot. They chatter back and forth for the rest of class, then he drags her over to meet his family when the lunch bell rings.
It’s unreal. Literally a table full of the prettiest people ever. I wonder if it was intentional on Carlisle’s part.
He drops his bags on the ground next to his seat, then snags a chair from an empty table for her. She can tell that he’s already told his family a lot about her because they seem moderately friendly right off the bat.
“Hello Bella! I’ve heard a lot about you,” Alice says, grinning in a way that just lights up her small angelic face. A small smile steals over her own face in response.
“Hello. I’ve been told that you wanted to meet me. I’ve also heard some stuff about you guys as well.”
“All bad things, I’m sure,” A smooth feminine voice says. Bella looks over as Rosalie drops gracefully into the open chair on the other side of Emmett, and she’s momentarily struck speechless.
Small town. Generally not accepting. Now is really not the time for these thoughts. Plus, she’s taken.
Bella’s fair skin betrays her, and a flush covers her cheeks. “The worst,” She replies, looking away to hide her reaction. Alice’s eyes light up mischievously, and they flick back and forth between Bella and Rosalie.
Diverting that potential conversation, she turns to the copper haired one, who she’s fairly certain is Edward. “Hello. Your hair is a neat color,” She says guilelessly, trying to dissolve some tension. A small grin crosses his face.
“Thanks. Yours is a bit of a mess,” He replies teasingly. She snorts inelegantly.
“It’s the humidity. It’s so dry in Phoenix, so I don’t quite know what to do with it yet.”
“Oh! I could help you, if you’d like. I may have some stuff that’ll help with the texture,” Alice chirps. Bella blinks, surprised, then grins.
“If you don’t mind, that would be cool. I’ve just been stuck with ponytails.” The humor in her tone lightens the conversation once more.
“What about braiding?” Rosalie asks softly.
God, her voice is like music.
“Ah- well. I’m sure you’ve probably heard this from Emmett by now, but I’m not the most coordinated person,” She replies sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck with an open palm. Emmett snickers, and she shoots him a dry look.
“She tripped over her chair this morning and then snagged her foot on her bag on the way out of class.”
Bella makes a face at him, and everyone else at the table chuckles. “It’s a wonder you move as fluidly as you do, you landmass.” He just shoots her a wink and flexes his biceps. Rosalie shakes her head, fanning out her blonde hair, and filling the air with the scent of some delicate perfume.
Holy damn, that smells good.
She turns to Alice and strikes up a conversation as she eats, failing to notice that she seems to be the only person doing so. She can’t help but feel a bit of a loss when the bell rings, signaling the end of the lunch period.