Authors Note: I, Stephanie, am an author on fanfiction. I am not affiliated with the official Twilight Series in any way, nor am I affiliated with Stephenie Meyer. This story is an alternate what-if story. Edward is a vampire and Bella is a human... for now. Thank you for selecting this story to read. I hope you will enjoy it!

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BPOV

It was one of those days again.

I barely made it into my truck after school without showing the world what a crybaby I could be sometimes.

Renee and I got into another tangle on the phone. Unlike my mother, I was all about seeing the logic. She was an emotional creature, hopeless when it came to applying common sense. I had been entirely skeptical of her beginning a relationship with her now-husband, Phil, from the very beginning. I tried to keep my mouth shut after she freaked out on me for letting her know that I thought she might be too flighty to start down this path and see it through to the end, but I knew this would happen eventually. My mom was once again trying to find approval to dump the burden of responsibility – my approval. I'm sorry, but I was just not going to give it this time. An art class, a jewelry shop, selling this or that beauty product from home, one degree change after another – fine, give them all up for all I care. But not a person. She was begging me to move home so she could figure everything out, but I reminded her that her marriage was the reason I moved out in the first place. I didn't resent her for getting married, but I knew the pair of lovebirds would require some space all to themselves to get to know one another better. Now was not the time for me to move back in and create more trouble than they had already made for themselves. She needed to stick it out with Phil, even if they did date for only three weeks before tying the knot. I had always been the adult in our relationship and for once I just wanted a person who could function as an adult for me.

I thought that's what Charlie would be, but we were too much alike. We were more like roommates, really.

I was relieved to find that his police cruiser wasn't parked in the driveway for the night yet. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing me cry. He would hardly know what to say, especially since the source of the waterworks was the woman he was still very much in love with.

I didn't regret making the move to Forks a few months ago. I needed the change. After acclimating to the rain and the overall dreariness it was a nice place to start to call home. I was surprised to find myself no longer missing the dry heat and city lights. I didn't mind that every store in town closed at eight, or that plaid was always in fashion here.

I grabbed my school books and water bottle out of my truck and slammed the heavy, rusty door. I hurried to the front door and fiddled with the lock that always seemed to stick just when the rain was starting to pour. My notebooks popped out between my textbooks and landed down in a puddle that was beginning to form on the sidewalk. I rolled my eyes at my luck. What a perfect way to end my school day. As if I hadn't already made a perfect fool of myself enough earlier.

Oh, isn't this how every story starts out these days?

There is this boy.

Edward Cullen.

He saw me in the parking lot after I got off the phone with Renee. It was slick outside, and I wasn't paying attention as closely as I normally would at every step I took because my mind was scattered from the argument. He watched as I slipped and fell right on my can. I got right back up and kept walking toward my truck. I threw everything into the cab and then slammed the door, letting out some of the aggression, managing to keep the tears at bay. I leaned forward over the hood, wishing that I could just disappear for a little while. I massaged the temples of my head – where my brain literally felt like it was going to start oozing out, because I simply couldn't handle any more stress at that point ... and then ... something happened that had never happened before.

Edward Cullen touched my shoulder.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked.

Even though I knew that he knew my name, I was surprised that he said it. Aside from the few informative conversations we shared as lab partners in Biology, we never talked to one another.

I nodded my head, but I couldn't squeak out a single word. I was simply dumbfounded that he was reaching out to me to comfort me. My knees felt like they were going to give way any second, and then I was startled again – this time at the sound of my own voice. What was I even saying?

He was nodding his head, smiling. But why? What did I even say?

He was so dazzling. His smile was gorgeous, and seeing him so natural and free now was something I didn't realize I would treasure. I couldn't look away. He looked like he was waiting for something. Was he waiting for me to talk again? I couldn't think of anything to say, and I could hear my heart pounding in my head, as if it was slamming away in my ears.

"Drive safely," he said, still smiling in his eyes. He opened my truck door for me. I climbed in, not even having the courage to say thank you, and I buckled up. I heard the clang of my truck door as he closed it for me, but it was muffled, like it was far away in the distance.

I got a mile out, and then the pain from the conversation with Renee resumed. It hurt me to tell her no, that I wasn't going to be moving back in with her. I knew that holding my ground was the right thing to do, but my child-like mother sounded so desperate and hurt.

I made it up to my room, both my clothes and my homework soaked from the downpour, when my sadness began to turn to something bitter. Why should I have to be put through this? Why should I have to be the one to always make the big-girl decisions? Why was I the one who had to keep Renee and Phil's marriage intact? Why couldn't Renee just take something into her own hands for once?

I showered off quickly and neglected the homework, since it was a few days before it was due anyways, and I pulled the covers over my head. I'd planned on staying under my blankets for the rest of the night, but Fate had a change of plans for me.

Ring, ring… Ring, ring…

I tried to neglect the nagging phone downstairs, but what if it was Charlie calling with an emergency? It was unlikely he would try my cell first. I dragged myself down the stairs, trying to calm down all the while so that there would be no emotion in my voice when I answered. I didn't want to alienate the poor man too much while living under his roof.

"Hello?"

"Bella? Hi, is this Bella Swan?"

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"Hi there. You don't know me. Well… that's to say, maybe you know of me, but you don't really know me. I mean, we don't really know each other, yet, but… Anyway, hi! I'm Alice. Alice Cullen? My brother is in your Biology class? I mean, Edward is. And Jasper is in your Trig, and all… so… hi!"

"Uh, hi. What can I do for you, Alice?" I was at a loss for words. Why was she calling me?

"Wellllll… that's the thing, Bella. I was thinking maybe you and I could get together sometime? You know, just hang out and stuff? Would tomorrow be fine with you? I can bring some stuff over and we can do our hair and nails. Does that sound okay with you?"

Hair and nails? Uh-oh. She must have pegged me for the wrong kind of girl. That isn't really my forte. On the other hand, she does seem nice. And, she does have the cutest boy for a brother I have ever seen. Hmmm…

"Yeah, sure. Okay. That sounds alright. After school okay with you? I can give you a ride to my house and I can take you home too."

"Oh, that would be swell! You're such a gem, really! See you tomorrow!"

Click.

I started to feel nervous at what a girl's date with Alice would entail. It's not something I was used to, not with anyone. I was more the loner-type. I wondered if I should get stuff to make cucumber sandwiches or something. How does this girly stuff work, anyway?

I climbed back upstairs and into bed, hoping I wouldn't have to wait too long before falling asleep. The rain continued to hit hard against the roof, and I imagined all of the troubles of my day being cleansed by the heavy shower outside.

...

The next day started out pretty much the same as every other day since moving to this small town.

I turned the alarm on my phone to snooze three or four times before convincing myself to actually get out of my comfortable bed. I hobbled out of bed leaving just enough time to actually get ready without being late for school, and this is where the routine was changed up a bit. My foot landed on something small and smooth on the floor near my bed. I reached down to pick it up.

A wallet?

Whose could this possibly be? It wasn't mine. It wasn't Charlie's, either. It looked like a man's, but I couldn't think of who it could possibly belong to. And besides, what would a wallet be doing on my bedroom floor? How did it get in here? I would say maybe someone dropped it, but I never have anyone up to my room. And besides, I don't invite boys over to the house. It would only serve to encourage them to be all stupid around me and keep asking me out. It's already painful enough to watch their faces when I turn them down at school. I couldn't imagine having to handle that that poor sick puppy look in the walls of my own home, too.

I opened the wallet up. I was just going to sneak a little peak to see whose it was. It's not like I was going to take cash out of it and ditch it somewhere or anything. There was nothing to feel guilty about…

Edward Anthony Cullen.

...

A/N: Well, isn't this interesting? I wonder what Edward's wallet would be doing in Bella Swan's bedroom. I guess we'll find out next…

NOTE: This chapter has been edited and is slightly different from the original. No changes in this chapter or in any other will alter the plot of this story.

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