ch- 8 : Lunch

U.S. History went by in a blur and I suspected it was due to Brittany and me behaving like we'd been friends forever. She'd talked to me about the most amazing things like the art club which she was president of. She even told me to take a look tomorrow after school if I wanted to join.

As the bell rang for lunch hour I was suddenly very glad but also extremely nervous. This would be Bella's first encounter with Edward before he caught her scent. I needed to sit next to her and survey the situation for any errors. Everything had to go according to plan.

"Hoping to see your friend again for lunch?" Brittany asked as she elbowed me gently.

I smiled. "Yes, I was hoping to sit with her. Do you want to join us?" I asked while fiddling with the string of my bag. Part of me was nervous, Brittany was the first resemblance of a friend since this whole ordeal began. I hoped she would like Bella too.

Brittany's eyes widened and she smiled brightly. "Are you kidding?" She folded her arm playfully around my shoulder and squeezed. "Meet your bestie and discuss the hot Arizona and Massachusetts drama?" She laughed. "I wouldn't want to miss it for the world." She let go of my shoulder and began dragging me along by the hand. "Onwards! To meet this alluring Bella Swan of yours!"

The giggle that escaped me was the most earnest thing I had felt that day. If Bella wouldn't become my best friend, then Brittany certainly would.

Then again, the art- and theater kids always were drawn toward each other. And Brittany certainly was both. She had exactly the right kind of flair.

As we approached the line for lunch, my eyes were scanning for Bella. The room was long and had many square tables with five or six thin-legged chairs around them. Many were occupied but there were still plenty of empty tables.

Finally, I found her. She was standing next to a petite girl with wild, curly brown hair, Lauren Mallory, a couple of blonde girls, and a tall, brown-haired girl with a high bun who was wearing glasses. Angela maybe?. I assumed the petite brunette was Jessica.

"Ugh! Of course, they would be the ones latching on to her." Brittany groaned. "Do we have to? You can still escape and come sit with the cool kids?" Her tone was pleading, her eyes big and blinking at me.

I snorted. "What? No-," I began. Then I blinked. "Wait are you using puppy dog eyes at me?" I shook my head and crossed my arms. "No, I am not leaving my friend alone with whatever folks you don't like. One lunch won't be so bad, will it?" I hoped my smile was convincing.

Brittany huffed and crossed her arms too. "Wait until you hear them talk. You'll change your mind real quick."

Our turn in line came, we got our food and paid for it. Me a couple of slices of pizza, a banana, and a large apple juice. Brittany had a burrito, some apple slices, and a Diet Coke. Then we made our way over to Bella's table.

"Bella!" I called out, and she turned around in her seat to smile at me. Finally a genuine smile! She and Jessica were sitting at the end of an almost full table.

Jessica's eyes lit up as she saw me. Oh God. She was probably waiting to hear some juicy gossip from me.

"So you're the friend Bella's been talking so much about. I'm Jessica," She said, before pointing to the other girls in her group, beginning with Lauren and naming them as she gestured their way. I forgot the names of the others as soon as she said them. "... and that is Angela." She concluded, and I finally paid attention again to the mention of a familiar name. She was pointing at the taller girl with glasses.

Yet again I guessed correctly. 10 points to Ravenclaw. I smiled at Jessica, but also at my joke. "It's nice to meet you all," I said and looked at everyone, as I sat down in an empty chair next to Bella. There was no doubt in my mind that she had saved it for me.

Brittany sat down next to Angela, just as some of Jessica's other friends waved. Jessica dismissed them since the table was now completely full. Brittany then waved at the people seated around the table unenthusiastically. "And I'm Brittany but you all already knew that."

If she had been sitting next to me, I would have elbowed her. So instead I sent her the dirtiest look I could. "I met her in English. Excuse her, I think she's just hangry."

Brittany scowled at me. "Must be that."

Jessica rolled her eyes but then turned to me and Bella. "So Katherine, we've heard Bella's story, but what's yours? Why move all the way to Forks with a friend from another state?"

I almost sighed. Had Lauren not told her? I wasn't sure how to feel about that. How many times was I going to have to repeat Bella's and mine stories? Hopefully, it will be over tomorrow. Rinse and repeat what I had told so many others already - including Lauren.

To her credit, Jessica didn't look too disappointed by my story. Maybe Lauren had already told her it was disappointing gossip. Maybe Jessica just wanted to hear it directly from the source. She turned to Lauren and sighed. "I wish I had a friend who would move halfway around the earth for me."

Lauren looked like she was frowning. I wasn't sure. Her expression seemed to be in a bit of resting... grouch face.

"I think a lot of people would want that," a new, shyer voice spoke. I turned to face Angela. She was looking up from a textbook and pushing her glasses up towards her eyes. "Not many can say they have that great of a friendship." She smiled at me. "That was very brave and selfless of you." Her eyes widened a bit before she blushed and looked down at her textbook again.

Brittany smirked. "Selfless indeed."

I blushed, taken aback by all of their nice comments. Then I looked at Bella. She was sporting a tinge of pink on her cheeks too, but was still smiling. "Katherine is a really great friend," she softly said. "I'm glad she came with me."

My shoulder nudged into hers. "Stop complimenting me so much," I jokingly scolded. "I might explode from all these mushy feelings." A strand of my red hair fell into my face, and I brushed it away.

After that, a sort of normalcy followed. People were talking about homework, other students, and normal boring things. I had even asked Bella about her day so far, and she hadn't lied when she told me it had been good.

My eyes were wandering the cafeteria, trying to sort out the different cliques and groups by table. I could already clearly see, where Brittany's crowd was. Colorful, alternatively dressed people, some with their heads in novels, others with a pen between their fingers drawing something in their sketchbooks. A part of me was aching to fish out pen and paper to mimic them. It reminded me that I hadn't sat down to draw since I got into this mess. All of my art supplies were still back.. home. I almost sighed again.

How was my family doing? Was mom frantically calling the police? Was my dad putting up posters? And Joe? She had to be the most devastated out of them all. I knew she looked up to me, differently than most sisters did. Her journey had been different than most girls her age, not being born into the body of one. And I had been her most ardent supporter. Her most trusted confidante.

And now I had run away, claiming that everything at home - in my life - had simply been too much for me. Joe would take that blow the hardest.

I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping to shut down my sadness, and hopefully hide the beginning tears in my eyes. When I opened them again, my eyes as if driven by instinct - wandered to the furthest corner of the long cafeteria. I found myself staring at the five most beautiful people in the room.

The Cullens.

My mental images had not done them justice. The movies had not done them justice. Bella had described them as being cover model magazine-worthy. But they were more than that. Meticulously dressed, in extremely fancy and, no doubt, expensive clothing.

Edward looked exactly like he had in English, reddish brown hair in a controlled mess on his head. My memory definitely didn't live up to seeing him in person. Now that I knew how tall he was and that there were some toned muscles under that shirt, I almost couldn't look away from him. Alice still looked like a fairy; extremely small and delicate, her hair dark, cropped hair really owning the vibe. A part of me was envious that she could wear it so well. Emmett had short, curly brown hair, a big physique, and massive muscles. He almost looked like a huge teddy bear. If teddy bears hit the gym. Rosalie was virtually too beautiful. Long blonde hair, curvy body, perfect face. She put Marylin Monroe to shame. Last was Jasper, with his longer blonde hair and big eyes. He actually looked like he just stubbed his toe and was in constant pain from it. At least Alice was holding his hand under the table.

I snorted.

"Oh, so you think that's funny?" Lauren snapped.

Crap. I had not been paying attention to my own table. "No no! I was just..." Why were the words not coming to me like they usually did? "It was a joke! In my head!" I wanted to slap my face onto the table. Clever. "Whatever you just said sounds positively fantastic!"

Lauren narrowed her eyes. "So you didn't even hear a word I was saying?"

Bella squeezed my hand under the table. I sighed and squeezed back. "I was... well no. Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts." For a moment my eyes flitted towards the Cullen table again, and Bella followed my gaze.

"Who are they? She softly asked her hand still in mine. It was a welcome distraction from Lauren's angry eyes. Alice finally stood up with her full tray and left the cafeteria, leaving the remaining four Cullens behind.

Jessica began her whole description of them. The doctor-father who adopted five kids. Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie being together. That she thought Mrs. Cullen - Esme - couldn't have kids. Bella asked her

questions throughout the exchange.

Right then, Edward decided to look up at Bella and I had to look away. My cheeks felt just a bit warmer than moments before.

Stop that!

Jessica continued with her tales. Told us about Edward not dating or giving any girls attention. She even concluded that all the Cullens were standoffish towards everyone at school.

"Edward was in my English class and he seemed pretty nice to me," I felt like I had to intervene. My insides began twisting as soon as I said his name out loud. The fingers of my free hand started fiddling with a strand of my hair. I seriously had to get whatever this was under control. Or maybe this is just the effect vampires have on humans?

Against my control, my eyes darted towards him. He was looking very intently at something between Bella and me. Probably trying to figure out why we were both silent to him. Why did I have to come here with her again? I was going to be so much easier to talk to, and not smell like the best snack he was never going to eat. Perhaps I should be the one to act distant towards him so that Bella could be the interesting one.

Somehow, my arm moved without my permission, and I waved at him. His frown deepened a bit, but then he schooled his features, smiled a small smile, and waved back. Heat flooded my cheeks again.

Crap. Remember the plan here!

"Yes, he seems very nice now," Brittany smugly commented. Her eyes were twinkling, and she rested her head on her hand. She was turned towards Angela, who it seemed like she had been talking to.

I turned to glare daggers at her. My cheeks were still flushed, but at least I could try and dissuade her from making those comments. He is Bella's... something.

Through all of this, I had completely forgotten to focus on Bella. She was looking at me with a smile that seemed almost...smug. Oh no! She turned to look at the Cullen table again. Then her shoulders relaxed and she breathed

out a sigh. I hadn't even noticed how tense she was, to begin with. Then again, finding out that there were students who were weirder than her, would put her at ease. But then she looked back at me with a harder expression.

Oh right. I had mentioned Edwards's name before we even got here. Had that really only been two days ago? And I'm still not telling you anything. I tried to match my expression to Bella's.

Lauren looked at us with something like.... Anger? Suspicion? It was hard to read her face. I had no idea why of course, but it didn't really matter. Lauren was going to be grouchy towards Bella anyway. I didn't mind her extending that to me.

The Cullens gracefully began to get out of their seats, taking their full trays with them, before throwing out the food and walking out of the cafeteria doors to their respective classes. A pit started forming in my stomach.

This would be the class where Edward finally found out how Bella smelled. Of course, I knew it had to happen. I had just not thought of the very real danger Bella was going to be in for the next hour.

As if enchanted, most of the cafeteria got out of their chairs, to do just as the Cullens did. Both Bella and I pulled out our schedules. We both had Gym last. That was when I would know if she was okay.

I looked at Bella, who seemed utterly dejected. Jessica and the others had walked ahead with their trays. Brittany and Angela lingered in front of me, but I waved at them to go ahead. They looked between Bella and me, before nodding and walking a few feet away.

Gently, I placed both my hands on Bella's shoulders. She looked up at me and her eyes widened as if she had forgotten I was there. "The rest of today will be just as great," I told her enthusiastically, just as much to convince myself of it. "Then we can celebrate with pizza for dinner later."

Bella's smile was small, but still a smile. Her shoulders were tense once more. "Are you paying?"

"Absolutely!" I smiled brightly - hoping my eyes didn't The currens gracerully began to get out of their seats, taking their full trays with them, before throwing out the food and walking out of the cafeteria doors to their respective classes. A pit started forming in my stomach.

This would be the class where Edward finally found out how Bella smelled. Of course, I knew it had to happen. I had just not thought of the very real danger Bella was going to be in for the next hour.

As if enchanted, most of the cafeteria got out of their chairs, to do just as the Cullens did. Both Bella and I pulled out our schedules. We both had Gym last. That was when I would know if she was okay.

I looked at Bella, who seemed utterly dejected. Jessica and the others had walked ahead with their trays. Brittany and Angela lingered in front of me, but I waved at them to go ahead. They looked between Bella and me, before nodding and walking a few feet away.

Gently, I placed both my hands on Bella's shoulders. She looked up at me and her eyes widened as if she had forgotten I was there. "The rest of today will be just as great," I told her enthusiastically, just as much to convince myself of it. "Then we can celebrate with pizza for dinner

later."

Bella's smile was small, but still a smile. Her shoulders were tense once more. "Are you paying?"

"Absolutely!" I smiled brightly - hoping my eyes didn't betray my actual fear before bringing her in for a hug. You better not die. I really hoped I hadn't changed too much by talking to Edward during English. That his control was somehow lacking now. Maybe I should start praying to God again.

I could tell by the way Bella was looking at me, that the hug had been a bit too hard and lasted a little too long. "Will you tell me about everything then?" She dared to ask. I almost laughed.

"Absolutely not!" I answered as Brittany and Angela came back to whisk us away from each other to our respective classes.

Bella pouted and my smile widened a little before she glumly went to Biology and I, fearfully to French.