January 18, 2005

As I stepped into the cafeteria lunch line, my best friend Steve Palmer moved in behind me.

"Did you see her?" Steve asked, with a huge grin on his face.

"See who?" I replied, deciding to play ignorant.

"The Police Chief's daughter, you ass," he said while rolling his eyes.  I loved pushing Steve's buttons.

"I can't say that I've had the pleasure," I responded, feigning disinterest.  But the truth of the matter was; I was very interested.

"Well, I have... and let me tell you, she's fucking hottie personafied."

"How hot?" I suddenly challenged. "Hot like Rosalie Hale or Alice Cullen?" I asked, signaling out the two hottest girls at Fork's High.

"Let's just say that she's major league eye candy," Steve said with a smile.

"Hell, Steve. If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a crush on her."

"The whole fucking school has a crush on her," Steve replied with a chuckle.

"Then it's a damn good thing I've already got myself a hot girlfriend, isn't it?" I said with a grin.

Steve laughed as we paid for our food and headed off to our table.

Steve and I were juniors, but being we were stars on the varsity baseball team, we sat with the seniors. Steve stood about 5'10" and played shortstop. He was mostly known for his good bat and golden glove, but he did have his share of throwing errors. I stood about 6'2" and was the team's star pitcher. I could throw a baseball well over ninety miles an hour. I should also mention that my grandfather played pro ball in the late sixties, early seventies, and according to him, I possessed greater talent.

"There she is," Steve said, nudging me.

I turned and... was blown away.

Isabella Swan was a vision of pure loveliness.  She possessed long brown hair... a slender, yet shapely body... and she filled out her jeans nicely.  I found myself entranced with her as she walked towards the back tables.  Her beauty was unearthly in a subtle way.  She didn't possess the classic beauty associated with Rosalie Hale... nor the adorable beauty of Alice Cullen... but there was something undeniably attractive about her.

Suddenly, I felt a strange anger when I saw her sit down at a table with Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory and Mike Newton.  I had to suppress a need to rush over there and protect her from them.

"Speechless, eh?" Steve commented with a chuckle.

"She's... amazing," I replied, still finding myself mesmerized. But then I remembered Lisa, so I quickly snapped out of it, and shot a glance towards the lunch line.  I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her chatting away with her best friend, Cassie.  The last think I wanted to happen was for her to catch me gawking at the new girl.

"Her first day and she's already sitting with the jerks," Steve commented as we took our seats.

"Unfortunate," I replied, but purposely didn't look over at them.  I remembered Lisa telling me that Lauren was a backstabbing bitch and Jessica her disciple. Newton was harmless, but a total perv.  I could only imagine what he was fantasizing about. Don't get me wrong... there's nothing wrong with guys lusting over girls, but Newton verbalized it, bringing it to a brand new level.

"Is that ass really trying to hit on her?" Steve asked, and this time I did shoot a glance over at them.

"He's doesn't stand a chance," I mumbled.

It was then that our attention was drawn to the blonde goddess, Rosalie Hale.

The best way to describe a Rosalie Hale entrance is to point to one of those slow motion scenes in a teen flick where the hot chick makes an entrance. Fortunately, the attention Rosalie drew didn't seem to bother her, and nor did it bother her live-in boyfriend, Emmett Cullen.

Rosalie Hale was not only the most beautiful girl in school, but by far the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She was hypnotically breathtaking, possessing long wavy blonde hair, large shapely breasts, and a well rounded ass. But even with all that, her most alluring feature was her beatific angelic face. It baffled me as to why she hadn't been discovered yet, given she could grace the cover of any glamour magazine in publication.

Despite their last name of Hale, Rosalie, and her twin brother, Jasper, were Cullens. They were all adopted by Doctor Cullen and his wife, Esme.  They were very highly respected people in the Fork's community. The Cullen family was not only mega rich, but mega generous, and the rumor had it that he had already donated thousands to the hospital.

The one thing the gossipers had a field day with was the fact that Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale were adopted siblings, just like Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen, and yet they were couples.  They lived together under the same roof. Personally, given they weren't blood related, I didn't have a problem with this. In fact; it made perfect sense that the Super Models of Forks High were dating the other Super Models of Forks High.

As Rosalie passed my table, I purposely breathed through my nose, and as always, her scent aroused me.  I could feel myself grow hard with desire underneath the lunch table. To this day, I wasn't sure if Rosalie's scent was from some expensive perfume... or it was her natural scent, but every time I breathed it in, I couldn't get enough of her.

"Better snap out of it, Lisa's coming," Steve commented.  I quickly shifted my attention to the approaching girls.

"Hey," I greeted them, but I could tell from Lisa's face that she wasn't fooled.

Cassie sat down next to Steve while Lisa sat next to me. I watched as Lisa glanced over at the Cullen table knowingly.  Thankfully, she was kind enough not to say anything.

Lisa was a hottie herself.  I knew being the star pitcher of Fork's High baseball team that I would have the cream of the crop to pick from and the first time I ever set eyes on Lisa, I made it my mission to be with her. Not only for her sexiness... or her beauty... but also for her feisty personality.

Lisa and I had started seeing each other at the tail end of last summer. Given we resided only a few blocks from one another, it made our relationship convenient. Just recently we celebrated our six month anniversary.  I wouldn't have mentioned this if Lisa hadn't made a big deal out of it.

A mere minute later, Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen entered the lunchroom, garnering pretty much the same share of attention as their adopted siblings. It was pretty much agreed upon that Alice Cullen epitomized the words adorably sexy, and out of all the Cullens, she appeared the friendliest.  Lisa and Cassie thought she was weird. Unfortunately, Alice's live-in boyfriend appeared to be even more intimidating than his bigger brother.  Even I felt a dangerous vibe from him.

Then the last Cullen entered the room, and this time every girl in the lunch room turned to stare. I wondered from time to time if he ever noticed. Even Lisa and Cassie weren't immune, and a quick glance at the Swan girl told me she was staring as well.

Edward was the only Cullen that didn't have a girlfriend.  But that was only because of him. Lisa told me how Edward Cullen could get any girl he wanted... bar none. I chose not to go there. Lisa even admitted to me once that it was very hard for her to concentrate during her English class because she sat close enough to him where she could smell his scent. 

"There's something about the way he smells," she once told me, and this had me wondering if Lisa reacted the same towards Edward's scent as I did towards Rosalie's scent.

I found myself reflecting to the day the Cullens arrived two years ago. Emmett Cullen and the Hale twins entered the school as Sophomores, while Edward and Alice Cullen entered as Freshman. Now they were seniors and juniors respectively.

I remembered how pissed off all us guys were when Rosalie and Alice didn't try out for the cheerleading team.  Coach Clapp wasn't at all happy either when Emmett and Jasper refused to join the football team.

"Ouch!" I cried when Steve kicked me in the shin. I glared at him, wondering what his problem was.  But then I realized I had been staring at Rosalie Hale, and this time Lisa wasn't impressed.

"Hey, did you girls see Isabella Swan yet?" Steve asked, trying his best to distract.

"Bella," Cassie mumbled.

"Huh?" Steve said.

"She prefers Bella," Lisa replied.

"Whatever," Steve replied.  Then asked; "Don't you think she'd make the perfect cheerleader?"

"Why would you say that?" Cassie asked with a look of confusion.

"Because she's fucking hot," Steve argued and I winced when I realized where he was going with this.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lisa demanded, glaring.

"Hello...? Cheerleaders are hot... she's hot... no brainer if you ask me," Steve replied with a grin.

I swear he could be clueless at times.

"Are you saying all you need to be is hot in order to be the perfect cheerleader?" Cassie asked.

"Did it ever occur to you that you need to be a good athlete to cheer?" Lisa asked, sounding angry.

"Come on. Do you seriously think we give a fuck if you can't do a cartwheel?" Steve asked in response.

"Damn it, Steve!" I snapped, and this time it was my turn to kick him in the shin.

"Fuck!" he yelled out in surprise.

I turned to Lisa to show her my support when I noticed her eyes riveted on the Cullen table. I followed her gaze and sighed when I saw that she was staring at Edward specifically. But then I realized that Edward was staring at someone across the lunch room.

"I don't believe it," Lisa mumbled.

Cassie turned around to have a look for herself.

"What?" Steve asked, not understanding.

"Edward Cullen is staring at Bella Swan," Cassie whispered.

I shifted my attention to Bella and saw that she was staring right back at Edward and wore the same perplexed expression as he did.

"Of course he's staring at her... she's the new girl... and like I said before... she's fucking hot," Steve pointed out.

"But you don't understand," Cassie mumbled.

"Then fucking enlighten me," Steve suggested as he rolled his eyes.

"Edward Cullen has never paid the least bit attention to any girl in school before," Lisa offered up.

I paused to consider this. How would Bella Swan's presence affect Edward Cullen? And then I wondered why I cared.


January 26, 2005

Lisa and I had just stepped out of my beat-up old Civic when we heard the screeching sound. I turned and saw Tyler Crowley's van skidding across the icy parking lot sideways and heading straight for Bella Swan.

"Oh God!" I gasped as I took off in a sprint, but seconds later I heard a loud crunching crash, and knew there was no way Bella could survive this.

When I reached the other side of Bella's truck, I found her half lying on the cement and half lying in Edward Cullen's arms.  "Thank God," I thought to myself in relief, but then wondered where the hell had Cullen come from.

"Be careful," Edward told Bella, prompting me to shift my attention to Crowley to see if he was alright. I saw him through the passenger side window and it looked like he was bleeding from a head wound.

"Don't move!" I heard Coach Clapp yell out, but then I heard someone else say, "Get Tyler out of the van!"

I darted over to driver's side to make sure nobody moved Tyler until Coach Clapp arrived.

"Coach says not to move him," I warned a rather large looking kid.  I remembered seeing him on the football team.

"I'll take it from here, Ray," Coach Clapp said, so I quickly rushed back to where Bella and Edward were.

"But it's cold," Bella complained, and was that Edward I heard laughing?  I was just about to offer my assistance when Lisa rushed to me.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked with a look of panic on her pretty face, and then I saw her eyes light up with shock when she saw Bella in Edward's arms.

"Yes, as incredible as it is to believe, they appear to be alright," I replied.

Two ambulances arrived and the place was swarming with EMTs.  I watched Edward refuse medical help but then point to Bella, and within minutes the EMTs had a brace wrapped around her neck and forced her to lay back on a stretcher. She looked outright pissed.

Something suddenly dawned on me.  I turned to the parking lot where the Cullens usually parked their car and saw how far it was from Bella's truck.  Why was Edward so far from his car?  Were the two of them already in some sort of secret relationship?

When Chief Swan showed up, and realized his daughter was involved in the accident, he rushed over screaming her name.

"There's nothing wrong with me," I heard Bella respond and I overheard the EMT tell Chief Swan Bella was going to the hospital strictly for precautionary reasons.

Then my eyes lit up when I saw Edward climb into the back of Bella's ambulance, but I wasn't sure if that was Edward's doing or on the EMT's insistance.  Moments later, Chief Swan was back in his cruiser and providing police escort.

I took this moment to walk back to Bella's truck.  I saw a huge dent in the rear fender where Bella had been standing.  Tyler's van also had a huge dent in the rear fender which made sense.  Then I looked at the huge dent on the van's front fender and paused.  The front fender of Bella's truck didn't even have a scratch, never mind a dent. This confused me.  If there was no dent on Bella's truck, then what did the van hit to cause that much damage?  I then closed my eyes to try and visualize what I saw moments before the crash and for the life of me, I couldn't place Cullen.  

*** *** ***

"Hey, Tyler. I called to see if you're alright," I said over the phone.

"Yeah... ah, sure.  But, who is this?" Crowley asked in response.

"Ray Kulp," I replied.

"Kulp?" Crowley repeated, sounding even more surprised.

"Yeah, are you alright?" I asked again.

"Oh... uh... yeah... well... I have some stitches and a slight concussion but Doctor Cullen doesn't think it's anything serious.  He just wanted to keep me in overnight for observation."

"What about Bella?" I asked.

"He sent her home with a couple of aspirin," Tyler replied with a chuckle.

"What happened, anyway?"

"I was going too fast and hit the ice wrong."

"I meant; how did you not kill Bella Swan?"

"Edward Cullen pulled her out of the way."

"Really?" I asked, wondering if he had witnessed this.

"Yeah, at least that's what Bella said."

"So, you didn't actually see him do this...?" I responded.

"Nope, but why would she lie?"


January 30, 2005.

I actually came down with a flu that kept me home for the two days after the accident so by the time I got back to school, the talk regarding the accident had died out. Given Bella Swan was the eye witness, why would anyone doubt her?  I decided I wouldn't pursue the accident, but instead pay much closer attention to the Bella and Edward show.

February 14, 2005

Valentine's Day proved eventful... at least for some of us. I still couldn't understand the lack of a relationship between Bella and Edward, especially since Edward saved Bella's life. It looked to me like they were purposely avoiding each other.

Meanwhile my own relationship with Lisa had progressed to a more intimate stage, and she was hinting at having sex on the special date I had planned for us after school but I would insist on taking it slow.  I lost my virginity in the summer between middle school and high school, but I was well aware that Lisa was still a virgin, and I would make sure she was absolutely ready before I would deflower her.

Oh... after much back and forth banter, Steve and Cassie finally became a couple and I knew it would make the four of us inseparable.


March 4, 2005

Normally, nobody notices when a student decides to sit at a different table during lunch period. I mean... who cares, right? But when the student is Edward Cullen... everybody notices.

The Cullens were known as the Cullen five because they always sat together during lunch period. But not today. Upon entering the cafeteria; Edward sat alone at a table near mine.

Then I noticed Edward staring at the girls up in front of me, and it was then that I realized Bella was just a few students ahead of me. I was close enough to overhear Jessica tell Bella that Edward was staring at her.  That was when I saw Edward gesture to Bella to join him. Every pair of eyes watched as Bella sat down at Edward's table, directly across from him.

"Look over at the Newton table," Steve said with a chuckle.

With the exception of Angela Webber, everyone at the table looked livid about Bella and Edward sitting together.  Angela Webber, on the other hand, beamed with happiness.  Lisa's opinion of Angela was spot on.

Then I shifted my attention from the Newton table to the Cullen table and saw similar expressions. In fact, if looks could kill, Rosalie Hale would have been up for murder with the way she was glaring at them. Jasper didn't look at all pleased either, while Emmett looked confused. Alice, on the other hand, looked just as happy as Angela did... if not happier.

As I passed Edward and Bella's table, I overheard Edward.

"I told you - I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up."

"Giving up?" Bella asked.

"Yes - giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now and let the chips fall where they may."

"You lost me again," Bella replied, but then Lisa interrupted me, forcing my attention.

"What's up?" I asked her with a smile.

"I don't know," she replied with an inquisitive look. "You tell me," she added.

"Oh... I... I guess you caught me daydreaming," I lied.

"Really?" Lisa asked, not buying it. I figured if I was going to lie, I'd better lie better.

"I'm just wishing I didn't have indoor baseball practice today."

Lisa studied my face but didn't say anything. I glanced over at Steve who looked at me like I was crazy.

How could I explain my fascination with the Bella and Edward show when I didn't understand it myself? Discreetly, I returned my attention to my obsession.

"So, as long as I'm being... not smart, we'll try to be friends?" Bella asked. 

I paused to think about this.  Had I been right about them?  Had they been more than just friends? Was this discussion they were having a breakup?  I wished I hadn't missed anything.

Unfortunately, there was a barrage of interruptions; mostly from Steve, so it took nearly ten minutes before I could return to the show.

"You've got a bit of a temper, don't you?" Edward asked her.

"I don't like double standards," Bella replied.

I risked a peak and saw Bella glaring at Edward. Was Edward glaring back at her? I couldn't see his face. I then saw Edward shift his attention to the Newton's table.

"What?" Bella asked him.

"Your boyfriend seems to think I'm being unpleasant to you. He's debating whether or not to come break up our fight," Edward told her.

'What boyfriend?' I thought to myself.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Bella replied, convincing me that Edward was talking figuratively. "But I'm sure you're wrong anyway," she added.

"I'm not. I told you. Most people are easy to read."

"Except for me, of course," Bella interjected.

"Yes, except for you... and I wonder why that is."

"Come on, Ray... we need to get going," Lisa told me as she tapped me on the shoulder. I reluctantly got up and grabbed both our trays and was glad Steve followed suit. Cassie had been complaining lately that Steve needed a course in proper etiquette.

While I walked past the Bella and Edward show, I heard Bella say; "Um, well, bitten by a radioactive spider."

"That's not very creative," Edward replied, and if I hadn't been confused before, I most certainly was now.


** ** **

Just before my last class, I ran out to my car to get my baseball bag from the front seat and in doing so I spotted Edward and Bella walking towards the parking lot.

Were they ditching their last class? I wasn't sure what to think as to why they were together.

I saw Bella turn towards her red pick-up but before she could get far, Edward grabbed her coat and jerked her back to him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded of her.

"I'm going home," Bella replied.

"Didn't you hear me promise I would take you safely home?"  This had me confused. "Do you think I'm going to let you drive in your condition?" he asked.

"What condition?" Bella snapped. "And what about my truck?"

'Yeah, what condition?' I asked myself.  I had to admit I was impressed with Bella's feistiness. Here, at least according to Lisa and Cassie, Cullen could get any girl he wanted and Bella Swan was giving him a hard time.

"I'll have Alice drop it off after school," Edward told her while he pulled Bella along by her jacket.

"Let go!" she snapped, and I considered intervening.  But no sooner had I thought this, Edward turned to me and smiled. How did he know I was observing them from my car?

Edward then led Bella to the passenger side of his Volvo and opened the door for her, but instead of ushering her inside, he allowed her to make up her own mind.  While Bella debated, Edward walked around to the driver's side and although I couldn't hear them, I could tell there were words exchanged.  What I knew for sure now was that Edward was allowing Bella to make up her own mind, and I couldn't help think that he was doing this for my benefit.

Edward climbed into his Volvo as the rain picked up, and I watched Bella stand there getting soaked.

"I am perfectly capable of driving myself home!" she yelled at him, but then I smiled when I saw her climb into his car.

Clearly, they were a couple.  If that had been a secret break-up inside the lunch room, it was obvious they patched things up.  Only a couple would argue the way they did.  At the moment, this relationship they had wasn't known... and I would be damned if I would tell anybody.


March 5, 2005

During lunch, I saw Bella back at her usual table and Edward nowhere in sight. The only Cullens in school were Rosalie, Alice and Jasper.

"Did you hear how many losers Bella shot down this past week?" Steve asked me.

"Shot down?" I replied, confused. "You mean she was asked out on a date?"

"To the school dance," Steve clarified.

"But that's girls choice," I argued.

"Like I said; losers," Steve said, causing both of us to laugh.

"How many?" I finally asked.

"Newton, Crowley and Yorkie," Steve responded with a grin.

"Losers," we both said again eliciting more laughter.


March 10, 2005

I was in homeroom when a discussion broke out about Rosalie Hale's red convertible BMW M3. Someone used their cell phone to do a Google and discovered it was worth fifty grand.

Then between first and second period, I heard a rumor about Edward and Bella that made me smile. If what I heard was true, they were going public. Jessica Stanley was telling everyone who would listen that Bella and Edward had themselves a secret rendezvous at a restaurant in Port Angeles last night and that not only did Edward drive Bella to school this morning, but she was wearing his jacket.

I saw Edward and Bella in the hallway on my way to the cafeteria and noted that they were as close as two could be without actually touching each other. It was as if their bodies gravitated towards one another subconsciously.

Steve and I were a few kids behind them in the lunch line, so I eavesdropped on their conversation.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked Edward when he filled his tray up with a variety of food. "You're not getting all that for me."   Why Bella was saying this didn't make sense to me.

"Half is for me, of course," Edward replied, and then paid for all the food. I smiled.  This was another sign that they were a couple.

Steve and I sat down at our usual table while Edward and Bella sat at the same table they were at yesterday, but this time there was a few seniors that sat at the end of it.

Again, Edward's back was to me so I couldn't see his face.  I did see him reach over and pick up a slice of pizza, and for some reason, Bella looked shocked when he took a bite from it.  I happened to glance over at the Cullen table and saw they had similar expressions on their face as well.  Was Edward allergic to pizza or something? 

"No one has tried to do away with me yet," Bella commented.

"Not yet," Edward agreed and I shook my head at their strange dialogue.

"You know, I haven't forgiven you for the Tyler thing yet," Bella remarked.  Was she talking about her near death experience from Tyler's van? "It's your fault..." she continued, but I couldn't make out the rest of it. How could that have been Cullen's fault? Then I recalled Tyler telling everyone that he was taking Bella to the prom. Nobody believed him but I could see where Bella would be upset about it.  But why would this be Edward's fault?

"That wouldn't be a problem," I heard Edward reply, but then Cassie distracted me. It seemed like forever before I could return to the show.

"Can I drive?" Bella asked Edward, and I wondered where they were going.

"Why?" Edward asked, but I didn't catch her answer.

"Phoenix is three times bigger than Seattle," Bella suddenly declared.

"Your number wasn't up in Phoenix," Edward responded, and this had me wondering if Bella was in some sort of danger.

"As it happens, I don't mind being alone with you." Bella told Edward, and the second my mind registered those words, I felt myself relax. What was I doing? This wasn't any of my business, so I returned my attention back to my own table.

"Absolutely not!" Cullen said in a loud voice later on and this not only drew my attention, but several others as well. I decided it was time to leave.


March 11, 2005

The whole school was talking about Bella and Edward; except for me. I even chose to ignore them when they sat together for lunch. Although, I did perk up when I saw Alice Cullen approach them. It looked like Edward was formerly introducing her to Bella.

During my next class, I happened to be glancing out the window when I saw Bella's pick-up truck pull into the student parking lot. Cullen's Volvo followed close behind it. I was surprised when I saw Alice step out of the truck. But then I smiled, realizing that Bella would need her truck if Edward and Alice were skipping.


March 15 through 19, 2005

The whole school was abuzz with rumors regarding Bella Swan and the Cullens. I even overheard some of the teachers talking about them... and given they were all out of school meant that something happened. The one consistent story was that Bella Swan was in a hospital down in Phoenix.  This shocked me.  I caved and had Lisa ask Angela Webber what she knew.

From what Angela told Lisa; Bella was in a Phoenix hospital recovering from a major accident. The word was that Edward and Bella got into a huge argument that sent Bella running off to Phoenix. Doctor Cullen, along with Alice and Edward, rushed down to Phoenix to try and talk to her and in the process, Bella fell down a flight of stairs and smashed through a huge window.

Shock and disbelief shot through me.  I doubted the plausibility of such a story. Although Lisa and Cassie insisted that Bella was the clumsiest, most accident prone girl in their gym class.

I didn't buy it.  I believed that Bella was involved in some life threatening situation where it took all the Cullens to save her.


March 22 through 27, 2005

With the exception of Edward and Alice, the rest of the Cullens returned to school on Monday. If they weren't down in Phoenix, why had they been out of school all last week? I might have bought that they were too distraught if I hadn't been paying attention.  Hadn't Alice just been formerly introduced to Bella the previous Friday?

The story going around now was that Bella was still in the hospital and Edward and Alice, along with Doctor Cullen, stayed down there with her. I approached Emmet in the hallway.

"Hey, Emmett.  How's Bella doing?" I asked, feeling strangely intimidated.

"She's a lot better than she was," Emmett replied with a smile.  He looked surprised that I approached him.


March 30, 2005

"Bella Swan is back," Steve informed me.  "Full leg cast, bandaged right hand, and that's all I could tell from a distance. Whatever happened did a number on her."

"Are you doubting their story?" I asked Steve. I doubted their story but hadn't shared that with anybody. I just wondered why Steve doubted it.

"I'm not sure what, but there's definitely something strange going on with them."

"Explain," I demanded, but he couldn't.

According to everyone that saw them, either Edward or Alice was with Bella all the time. Even Emmett helped from time to time.

Later on, I got to see Bella for myself when I saw Alice pushing her around in a wheelchair. I studied them for a bit and realized that the dynamics of their relationship had changed.  Not only was Bella and Alice extraordinarily closer, acting like best friends all of a sudden, but Bella almost appeared to differ to Alice in a passive sort of way.

"Hi Bella, welcome back," I greeted her with a smile. Would you believe that this was the first time that I ever spoke to her.  She responded shyly while thanking me as we passed.

Later on in the cafeteria, she was laughing and smiling.  For someone who just experienced a life-threatening accident, it would have been hard to rationalize.  But I saw the reason standing but a few inches from her... Edward Cullen.  As long as Bella and Edward were together, everything would be fine.

On my way home, I speculated as to what could have happened to have Bella run off to Phoenix. I didn't believe for a moment it was over a fight. Something happened - that I was sure of... and then I remembered the talk Bella and Edward had in the cafeteria.  Had Bella been in serious danger all along?  Had it taken the entire Cullen family to fight off whatever trouble she was in?

I knew this line of thought was crazy, but I thought it was crazier to think that she had run away from Edward. Edward and Bella were soul mates and it didn't take a Rocket Scientist to see this. I truly believed that without Edward, there was no Bella... and without Bella, there was no Edward... so, it only made sense that the Cullen Five turned into the Cullen six at lunch, and even Rosalie appeared to accept the new addition.


June 11, 2005 (Senior/Junior Prom)

It was the junior prom and the four of us were looking rather incredible. Lisa and I were getting along great. Steve and Cassie were also getting along great and it was looking like we were in for a terrific summer.

"Hey, did you hear about Tyler Crowley?" Andy Pinto asked. He was our second baseman.

"What's to hear?" Steve asked.

"He's bringing Bella Swan," Andy replied.

"Don't believe it," I replied with a chuckle.

"I have it on good authority he was seen at the Swan house."

"Trust me. If Bella does attend, she'll only be showing up with Cullen," I replied.

"Yeah, man... Didn't you see how close they'd become?" Steve asked.

"Just telling you what I heard."

I scanned the gymnasium and saw Jasper and Alice right beside Emmett and Rosalie. The four of them stood out like gods and goddesses.  There really was something very different about them.

"Well, it looks like the rumor is false," Lisa pointed out as she gestured towards the gymnasium's entrance.

Edward stood there with his arms around Bella's waist, and I found myself enthralled with her beauty. Even the walking cast didn't detract from her stunning looks, and the blue dress she wore hugged every contour of her hot body.

"God, is he ever hot," Lisa mumbled, and then she blushed when she realized she said the words out loud.

I smiled back at her to let her know it didn't bother me. How could it bother me when I knew Edward only had eyes for Bella... and vice versa.

As the two of them proceeded to the dance floor, I was curious as to how Bella was going to dance with her cast.  Then Edward picked her up and placed her on top of his shoes.

"No fucking way," I mumbled, and then my eyes lit up when I saw him begin to twirl Bella around the dance floor like a pro. How was this even possible?! I turned to Lisa and saw her watching them as well. In fact, most everybody was staring, and I had to admit, there was something magical about them.

"Would you care to dance?" I asked Lisa, who had been just entranced as I was.

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied, and we then made our way to the dance floor.

"Who's he?" I asked, not recognizing the Native American that approached Bella.

"I don't know why he's here, but that's Jacob Black," Lisa replied. "He goes to school on the reservation."

"How do you know him?" I asked, surprised.

"I don't, Angela pointed him out to me when we visited First Beach last month."

I was surprised when Edward relinquished his arm from around Bella's waist to allow her to dance with him.  Obviously, Bella and Jacob knew each other, and I couldn't resist listening in.

"Can you believe my Dad paid me twenty bucks to come to your prom?" Jacob asked her.

"Yes, I can," Bella replied with a sigh. Despite the fast song, they were going real slow.  "Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself. Seen anything you like?"

"Yeah, but she's taken," Jacob replied, and I chuckled thinking here was another kid who was smitten with Bella Swan.

I stole a glance at Edward and wondered if he knew Jacob was hitting on his girl.

"You look really pretty," Jacob told Bella.

"Um, thanks. So, why did Billy pay you to come here?" Bella asked, and I waited for Jacob's answer.  But then Lisa drew my attention and I couldn't ignore her.

"The music's loud, what did you say?" I asked.

"I said... isn't it nice that Edward is allowing that Quileute boy to dance with his girlfriend."

"Yeah, real nice," I replied, glad for an excuse to focus on them again.

"Look, Jacob. I know Billy probably won't believe this, but just so you know... Edward really did save my life. If it weren't for Edward and his father, I'd be dead."

"I know," Jacob replied, seeming to believe her.

"Hello, anyone home?" Lisa asked me.  I turned beat red at having been caught.

"I'm sorry, Lisa... I'm finding something very interesting and I promise I'll explain it to you later."

"So, should I tell him you said butt the hell out?" Jacob asked with a chuckle.  I frowned, realizing I had missed something important.

"No, tell him I said thanks. I know he means well," Bella replied.

The song ended and I wondered if they would dance another song, but suddenly Edward appeared and took Bella into his arms. Edward said something to Jacob, but I couldn't make out what it was, and then Jacob said something to Bella before he left.

"I want to talk to Cassie," Lisa told me as she broke free of me.  I pulled her back to my body and hugged her.

"I'm sorry... this song is slow and I'd really like to dance with you."

Lisa looked up at me and smiled. Fortunately, I was forgiven.

Later, when Lisa headed off to use the ladies room, I searched for Bella, but couldn't find her. 


July 18, 2005.

Every year, Steve and I hit two events on back to back nights. The town of Forks hosts a Fair at the same time La Push hosts their big event down at First Beach.

The Fair had about ten or so amusement rides, a fun house, and a bunch of games designed to rip people off. This was the first year that Steve and I felt pressure to actually play and win given we had steady girlfriends. The big prize was one of those huge stuffed animals.

One of the games that was new this year, but not new to most Fairs, was a game where I would be able to showcase my accuracy in my pitching arm. A clown sat on a bench waiting to be dunked into a large tank of water, and if I were to guess, the water was ice cold. The clown looked bored and probably didn't think anyone could dunk him.  I watched one person after another fail in dunking the clown.

"Rip off!" Steve yelled when one of the guys hit the target clearly, but not directly in the center which was needed to release the lever. Steve was right, the game was fixed to the average thrower, but I was far from the average.

As I approached the game, I noticed a crowd gathering. It didn't surprise me; given I had pretty much become a household name due to my star status on the team. So, if I hadn't felt the pressure before, I certainly felt it now.

"Just throw it to the mitt like you're warming up," I heard a male voice call out from behind me and I turned to see the voice belonged to Edward Cullen. He was standing there watching, with Bella Swan in his arms, and I smiled at them in response. I glanced over at Lisa, who was staring at them as if she were mesmerized. I chuckled before I turned back to the task.

"Come on, Kulp! This is a piece of cake," Steve shouted.

I smiled at Steve and Cassie, and then turned to Lisa again.  This time she was smiling right back at me as she pointed to the huge stuffed animal on the rack to my left. I again chuckled.

The game cost $5.00 to play, which would normally be a deterrent, given you had to dunk the clown twice with three balls. If you dunked the clown once, you only won a small stuffed animal and I knew that this wouldn't do.

The distance was about sixty feet which was about the same distance from the pitcher's mound to the plate, so I made like I was warming up on the mound to make a pitch. Of course, I would throw a fastball, but I decided to take a little off of it in favor of accuracy.

"Take your time and throw normal," I heard a voice shout and I turned and saw Edward Cullen standing there with Bella.  I wondered what type of ballplayer he would make.

I told myself I could easily do this and started my wind-up, but just before releasing the ball, I took a lot off my velocity, and this proved to be a mistake, for there was a loud clanging noise which meant I hit my target, but it fell shy of the center. The throw did not release the lever and the clown smiled.

"Rip off!" Steve yelled again, and I laughed, shrugging my shoulders.

While I picked up the second ball, I turned to see if Edward and Bella were still watching, and now saw that Alice and Jasper had joined them as well.

Suddenly, I felt a strong dose of confidence, prompting me to wind up and throw hard... real hard... right down the middle of the plate.  At least it would have been if there had been a plate.  The result was another loud clang, but this time the lever did release, dunking the clown into the ice cold water.

"Awesome!" Steve yelled out.

"Way to go, honey," Lisa shouted.

I turned and smiled at them, and then shifted around to see that not only had Alice and Jasper joined Edward and Bella, but Emmett and Rosalie had joined them as well.

"Come on, Kulp!" Emmett yelled.

"Yeah, one more time!" Bella shouted, and I saw her say something to Alice, who in turn said something to Jasper.

I picked up the final ball, feeling that weird burst of confidence again, and knew I was going to win Lisa her big prize. The clown settled back into his seat and I laughed when he started to taunt me. I guess his taunting might have gotten to me before, but I had no doubt whatsoever he was going down.

I wound up and threw with all my might and delivered another perfect strike, and if I were to guess, I would have said I threw that ball well over ninety miles an hour. There was a loud clang releasing the lever again and the clown dropped into the water once again.

"Great arm, Raymond," Edward called out from behind me and I turned just in time to see the six of them walking away. I smiled as I watched Bella cling to Edward in a very intimate way. I felt really happy for them and was glad to see Bella out of her cast.

As the evening progressed, Steve was becoming more and more frustrated with his inability to win a stuffed animal. He even went back to the dunking game, and although he hit the target, his accuracy couldn't put two throws together to hit the center. 

Then Steve had me keep the girls distracted while he made some arrangements. I rolled my eyes when he told me he was going to do his own fixing.

The game had nothing to do with skill and everything to do with luck, and I found out later that Steve coughed up fifty dollars to win a large stuffed animal for Cassie. So, there we were, walking around the Fair ground with the girls holding their prized possessions.


The end of Chapter One.