• Chapter 9

    “I was thinking something.” Edward laughed so hard I thought he was going to fall down.

    “What?” Bella asked us both.

    “What, no twenty questions today?”

    Bella and the others looked on in confusion, and then Bella laughed too, which seemed to irritate the others even more.

    “What’s so funny?” I asked.

    “Old inside joke,” Edward choked out. Bella’s wind chimes grew louder.

    We went out into the garage, and I saw why they hadn’t parked in there with me the day before. Alongside the beautiful BMW convertible and the shiny silver Volvo, there was a cherry red Jeep, three motorcycles-two black and silver, one red- a yellow Porsche Turbo (it said that on the back), a black Mercedes, a black car that said Vanquish, and a red Ferrari. I stood in the open garage door in shock as snow drifted in through the open door, settling on the Porsche. Alice brushed by in irritation.

    “Should have seen that coming,” she grumbled, brushing snow off of what I assumed was her precious car.

    This time, I rode in the Volvo. I sat in the back, between Jake and Nessie. Unlike that other Cullen’s, they were not ice cold, but sweltering hot. I was very toasty by the time we got to school. When we got out of the cars, everyone was staring.

    I panicked, thinking that everyone somehow knew the Cullen’s were vampires (with two exceptions), before remembering that they were new, not to mention drop dead gorgeous. I walked into school, knowing how plain and ordinary I looked next to the Cullen’s. We passed Hilary, Laura, and Charlie in the hallway. I waved, but there was no response. Hilary was staring at me with insane jealousy written all over her face. Laura was looking our group wistfully, and Charlie was flat out disgusted and annoyed.

    The Cullen’s started to split off to fifth period.

    “Jenn? What class do you have now?” Nessie asked me.

    “Algebra II,” I admitted sheepishly. I had always been a math nerd, and always in the advanced classes.

    Rose and Emmett exchanged a surprised look.

    “What?”

    “That’s out class now,” Jasper said, motioning to himself, Rose, and Emmett. “I guess you can escort us.”

    I smiled. It seemed like I was one of the Cullen’s now.

    The rest of the Cullen’s left for their classes. Edward and Alice were off to Drivers Ed.

    Uht-oh, I thought. I knew of four other people who had that class now.

    Silver.

    Sunni.

    Starr.

    And Hilary.

    Good luck, Edward. He smiled at me over his shoulder.

    Jasper, Rose, Emmett and I walked up to Math.

    I sat in my usual seat, in the back of the class, while Rose, Jasper, and Emmett were assigned seats-all far away from each other and far away from me as well.

    When the bell rang the class emptied. As always I was the last one out of the door. The three ‘older’ Cullen’s waited for me outside. As a part of their charade, they needed to consistently ask for directions. So I pointed them in the direction of their English class, and ran down to catch my friends.

    Laura and Charlie were already in our normal spot-being disgustingly cute. My heart yearned. Hilary rushed up, completely flustered.

    “Oh-my-god-Edward’s-in-my-Drivers-Ed-class-and-he’s-so-good! Starr-was-drooling-the-whole-time-and-alice-was-there-too-she-so-needs-to-die. Why-does-she-get-Jasper-it’s-not-fair! I’m-prettier-then-her-and-i-deserve-him-more!”

    “Calm down, Hilary,” I patted her shoulder gently. No need to tell her that I spent the night with Alice. Or that Alice and Jasper were soul mates. Or that Jasper was the Cullen most likely to kill her.