Twilight Child
Chapter Eight
Hate At First Sight


I walked into the cafeteria, following Jessica, Mike, Eric, and a gang of other kids I had been introduced to. I instantly scanned the crowd, it didn’t take me long to find the Cullens, who had been having a conversation over me all day, ending in a heated argument between Alice and Jasper, over the fact that Alice had predicted right, and that Jasper wouldn’t allow her to say hello. No one was looking at me when I walked thought the door, but they were waiting to see me. Edward had told his family about his encounter with me in the forest, and they had quickly connected the dots that I was the same girl. That was what they were discussing as I walked through the doors.
“Edward, she’s going to be my best friend! You can see that.” I could see the double meaning in her words, Edward could also read minds, but not mine. Ha!
“There’s something not right about her, and I don’t know what it is. No one is going to talk to her tonight”. He was upset, trying to get them to stay away from me. Why did he have so much resentment towards me? Emmett had something to say now.
“She didn’t do anything to you! What’s the problem?” Edward is such an idiot. He thinks just because he doesn’t know what she’s thinking, that there’s something wrong with her? Stupid. That was Emmett. I liked him, in a brotherly way. He acted tough, but he was really just a big teddy bear.
“I do not!” Edward hissed at Emmett, commenting on his thoughts. “There is a lot of danger involved. We know she’s not human, so there’s a lot of danger in that! I don’t care what Carlisle said!” I couldn’t believe I actually like him before. I had thought he was beautiful, but now I only saw ugliness.
I kept looking at him until I seen a vision of me staring at them from across the cafeteria in Alice’s mind. I was looking at her when they all turned to stare at me. They were all embarrassed that they had been caught talking about me without being aware that I was there. Rosalie looked another way quickly and mumbled, “She heard us.” She seemed quite embarrassed. ‘
Alice saw me and smiled. My best friend. I grinned at her and waved in her direction. She waved back, then started to get up. She hadn’t even gotten one step in before Jasper grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. Ughhh! I giggled for a moment, then my expression turned from smiley to a glare in a fraction of a second, I locked eyes with Edward. We glared at each other for a moment, and then I smoothed my expression into one of peace.
“Bella, are you alright?” It was Jessica’s annoying voice in front of me. I calmed myself and gave Edward a friendly smile before turning to her. He didn’t return it.
“Ah...Nothing. I’m fine.” I replied to Jessica. She hadn’t really been worried at all, but Mike had been. God, how long is he going to go on about her for? I bet he doesn’t talk about me like that. She was tired of me already. The feeling was mutual.
“Okay, well what are you getting to eat?” She was trying to get my attention. I looked at her, and in a friendly way said.
“Probably just a bottle of water, I’m not hungry.” I never would be either. She nodded and kept walking. I grabbled a bottle of water, and continued down the long lunch line after her. I was there, but my body was with the Cullens.
“Oooh. She just smiled at you Edward, she likes you.” Emmett. He was trying to get Edward mad, which was working. I can’t wait to get him going! This will be great! He thinks I like him? Hate would have been the better word. I thought Edwards face was etched into a permanent scowled. He snarled at Emmett, and Emmett gave him a “come and get me grin”. I could hear Edward grinding his teeth together, trying to control his temper.
“Oh, come on Edward, she’s a cutie.” Rosalie punched Emmett in the gut and I giggled, but they didn’t hear it. He was taunting Edward, thinking of other things to say to get him riled up. “Ah, loosen up! You two will totally make a cute couple, until she leaves you when I tell her you’re a 110 year old virgin.” He burst out into a fit of laughter, all of them, except Edward. I thought it was funny, and shocking at the same time. He was a virgin? It was none of my business, I was a virgin and I was older than him. That would comfort him. I felt bad for Edward, for having to endure Emmett’s teasing, deep down inside. He must be extremely embarrassed. But I pushed that feeling back, not wanting to have my old feelings for him to come creeping up on me.
I had made my way to the register, where I was charged $1.00 for the bottle of water. After I had paid, I made my way to were Jessica was waving frantically. This is it! This is when everyone will see her sitting by me. I hated Jessica, so much, but I smiled at her and sat down between her and Mike. They talked to me, competing for my attention. I was only half listening, just enough to know here to comment at, but I was waiting for the Cullens to talk. No one had said anything after Emmett was finished complaining about Alice pinching him for his virgin jab at Edward, but there minds were all racing. I will not have Alice in any danger, I wish she would just listen, but she is just dead set on talking to this girl. Edward is right, since he can’t get a read on her it’s too dangerous to risk speaking to her. Jasper was concerned for Alice’s safety, as was I. Does she normally talk to strangers like this? It was a blessing that she had Jasper and a curse at the same time, I wanted to talk to Alice too.
I wish I could just talk to her for a minute, so I could tell her that Edward is just being an idiot, and that he’ll come around. Wait! I can…the same way I communicate with Edward sometimes!
Jasper sensed Alice’s excitement and became wary. She looked over at me, and I turned slightly in my seat and locked eyes with her, then winked. She winked back, giggling a bit. Wow! She really is stunning; she looks gorgeous without even a trace of makeup on! Natural beauty is good to have. It would make her look worse if I did put makeup on her, too bad. I know Rose is jealous, she’s never had to compete for attention before. Did everyone think I was pretty except for me? Yes. Rosalie did, but didn’t want to admit it.
Why did she come here? To destroy my image? To steal my husband? Emmett did say she was cute. Is she really prettier than I am? - She looked over at me, by the time she looked up I was staring fixatedly at the table I was sitting at- Yes, much prettier. Don’t say that! But, it’s true.
I hadn’t been expecting the air to be so green today, but maybe it was just a small town thing. Maybe they don’t get out often? The humans that were surrounding me were all humanly beautiful; they wouldn’t want this kind of beauty if it was theirs. I would give anything to be human, just to kill myself. Death for me was impossible. I couldn’t feel pain at all, my spin is impenetrable, and no one is dumb enough to attempt to hurt me. A vampire couldn’t even hurt me. I have no feelings, no soul. Nothing to tell me I have even the least bit of human in me. I am all monster. Nothing good could ever come out of me. I was damned. I would never die, so hopefully the earth will end soon.
Over at the Cullen table, Alice was thinking about what to think to me. Hi! My name is Alice! And we’re going to be great friends. I can see it. I looked over to her and smiled. Then in a whisper only immortal ears could hear, I said.
“Hello, Alice. I’m Bella. And you’re not the only one who can see that we’re going to be best friends. I can see your visions too, and I can also see mine.” Every Cullen heard me, and was now staring at me. I met all there disbelieving eyes to tell them I was not afraid, and that they shouldn’t be either. Edward glared at me, but every one else was trying to figure out what I meant, especially Alice. Do you mean that you can see the future, too? How? I frowned a bit, not knowing if they would believe me.
“Yes, I can. But, I can’t do anything as great as you Alice; I only see visions of the future in my sleep.” I whispered, no one heard but the Cullens. Emmett scoffed and rolled his eyes. Yeah right. Jasper started staring hard at me, trying to figure out if I was lying or not.
“She’s being honest. She can. And I haven’t sensed anything bad coming from her-yet.” He was trying to whisper so I couldn’t hear him, but my sense of hearing was a thousand times better that there’s. Jasper decided that there was something he wanted to ask me, he was just as curious as Alice.
“So…Are you the same girl that was with Edward in the forest yesterday? And can you read minds?” What if she wasn’t, that would mean I just gave our information to our enemy.
I sighed meeting his eyes. “Yes, I’m the one who was with him in the woods. And yes I can read minds, except for Edward’s.” Edward’s head shot up, as he met my eyes, I had to talk to him. “I’m sorry about yesterday; I didn’t mean to run into you, not literally. I was just running when suddenly you were there. I’m sorry, I should have been more careful.” He continued to stare into my eyes, trying to read them. After a moment his expression softened and he nodded at me, probably still unsure of whether to trust me or not. Emmett wanted to get Edward upset again, so he had to throw in a comment.
“Hey, what did you do to Edward yesterday to make him hate you so much? And, will you pop his man cher-” He was cut off by a hard slap to the back of the heard. Jasper. But I could figure out what he was going to say. Was he always so crude? Yes. Jasper was going over a mental list of all of the vulgar jokes Emmett had ever told. I just looked down at the table and slightly shook my head no.
“I don’t know what I did.” I murmured it softly. My voice had come out in a sad tone, something I had not been expecting. I never showed this much emotion I my tone. Was I missing here? Did I feel more for him than I thought? I couldn’t. Jasper was getting something different though. She’s sad. Why? Is she surprised by her own feelings? I didn’t want Jasper to know how I felt, so I put my shield up. He was cut off instantly, left wondering what happened. What the hell? Is she doing that? How? Now Jasper was thinking of something different. He was curious about the one thing I wish he wasn’t. What is she? She isn’t human, and she isn’t a vampire. So what is she? I started panicking, but I kept my face expressionless. He looked at me, expecting me to answer his thoughts, but after I didn’t he asked.
“What are you?” I kept my face smooth. I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t tell anyone. Not until I knew them better, and not even then. I just looked at him with a grave expression and simply said.
“I can’t tell you that.” His face became confused, he didn’t understand why not. Why not? Is it a secret? Is she afraid? Before he could ask me any more questions I looked at the clock, realizing that biology would start in fifteen minutes. I grabbed the full bottle of water and reached across the table and set it next to a girl named Angela. She was nice, verbally and mentally, and she was fond of water. We could be great friends.
“You can have it. I didn’t want it.” She smiled at me, amazed at my beauty. She is so pretty. No wonder every guy at the table is staring at her. “Oh, yeah. I think we have biology together next, want to walk with me?” She looked totally dumbstruck for a moment, but I just smiled in a friendly way at her
“Sure. And, thanks for the water.” I nodded at her, she was shy, and I liked her. I stood up, throwing the weightless backpack over my shoulder, and walked to the trash cans were she dumped her tray of nasty food. As we walked out of the cafeteria, I didn’t look back at the Cullens. But I heard there thoughts.
She looks like an angel, so pretty. My new best friend! She likes me! Alice. Weird, and she has something to hide. Jasper. Edward is right, she’s not safe. I hate her. Rosalie. Edward will come around, and when he does, he can thank me with one year’s use of his Austen Marten. Emmett.
I tried to tune them all out as I made my way to the biology. But, Angela was thinking of were I would sit. There was only one seat left; next to the one person I hated the most. Edward Cullen was my new lab partner.