I felt stiff at dinner. I could feel my father's stare. His eyes had immediately went to me when he came home. I could see the relief in his eyes to see me standing there without a hair out of place.

My mom was practically carrying the conversation going over and over how much she enjoyed her first day at the hospital. Usually Leah was the talker at dinner but she was out with Sam on a date.

I guess I would hear all about that at dinner tomorrow night. I couldn't wait because that meant my mom and the watchful eyes of my father would be focused on her and less on me and Seth.

I felt a little guilty at how quiet he was. Usually he would join in with me as we teased Leah mercilessly but she wasn't here and I knew he wasn't sure what he could say about our first day without revealing something he thought he shouldn't.

"So, come on, tell me everything. How was school?" Seth sent me a look. I picked at my food pretending not to notice.

I knew my father was paying close attention. Just itching to ask me about my day when we were alone.

My mom went on. "So, did you make any friends?" She coaxed.

Seth swallowed around his mouth full of food. "A few." He said as his cheeks pinked.

I knew he was thinking about Angela. My mom nodded knowingly. I think she knew from the hue of his reddening cheeks that his new friend was a girl. She then turned to me.

I shrugged. "It was... you know." I said offhandedly. My father nodded as if he did know.

The walk to Quil's house after dinner was quiet. My father was waiting for me to break the silence and me not knowing what I should say was waiting for him to.

I blew out a deep breath and entered the house as my dad held the door open.

I squared my shoulders and he gave me a curious look.

Billy and Quil were waiting for us.

I tapped my fingers off of my thighs as they took their seats in front of me, gesturing for me to begin.

I inhaled deeply.

"You were right. They definitely have enlisted into school. The ones that look young enough to do so has anyways. There are five of them. I don't know much about the Cullens but I assume the two new additions are there with the others." I thought about the short, black haired girl and her blond companion with the hunger in his eyes. It had to be them.

The Elders seemed to be clinging to my every word.

"I saw them first thing this morning, they were in the hallway as I rushed passed to class. They didn't seem to react to me in any way." I swallowed hard around the words. That wasn't necessarily true. Edward seemed to have a reaction to me, a connection. He definitely had a reaction over me when I looked at him. Or talked to him. Or thought about him. Ugh.

Stay focused. I begged myself.

I tried to keep my voice calm and void when I spoke.

"I don't think they suspect what I am at all." My dad exhaled loudly as he leaned back. It looked like a weight the size of a mack truck lifted off his shoulder.

I gulped down the sick feeling I got for the white lie.

Edward definitely noticed and paid attention to me, he was watching all day but his reaction to me or mine to him was something other than us reacting to each others supernatural genes. Because I didn't have the butterfly reaction to the other vamps.

It had just been him.

"Keep going." Billy prompted.

"There really isn't much more to tell. I was in class most of the day. The few times I saw them they were always together sitting with one another or near each other in the halls. They didn't interact with the other students or reach out to anyone. " Except me. I was close to sweating. How much longer was this going to take? "They stay secluded in their own bubble. To be honest, I don't even think they are remotely interested in the humans. They looked like they couldn't have cared less."

Billy tsked. "It's a ruse. A diversion so we don't suspect anything."

I frowned. "They don't even know we are watching or spying on them so why would they put on a front?"

I looked to my father who said nothing and to Quil who watched me closely as the tapping on my thighs increased in tempo.

I felt like a damn animal at the zoo being observed and the feeling was not welcome.

"Do not doubt their intelligence and survival skills. It is how they have lasted this long. And do not fall for their facade. You are young and gullible and their tactics have tripped up many wiser than you."

I grit my teeth. If I didn't know any better I would think Billy wanted the Cullens to kill someone so that he could retaliate.

His coldness made me fear that he did not care who got hurt as long as he got even with the vampires. He seemed to be just itching for the chance to strike against them even though it wouldn't be him doing the striking.

It would be the pack as he watched safely from the sidelines.

I took a deep breath. His hate was rooted deeper than just mortal enemies. This was personal for him and I wanted to find out why.

Quil pondered thoughtfully.

"For now, no news is good news." My father said. "It's too soon to tell anything yet. We wait and see. Hopefully they prove no problem and you can come back home to the Res." I looked down at my feet.

Yeah, because that is what I wanted. To come back here where I was nothing more than a member of the pack and the only thing that mattered was my duty to them.

It might be better for the vamps to just suck me dry and put me out of my misery, I thought sarcastically.

"That will be all for now. I'm sure you would like to unwind and rest up for the day tomorrow." My dad stood and nodded in agreement.

I was just happy to be getting out of there. I did not want to do this everyday.

"Yes," Billy abruptly said.  "Your restraint is far more advanced than I could have foreseen. Anyone else would not have been able to stop the dominant trait within them of tearing them apart."

My chest seemed to plummet into my ribcage where the butterflies were resting as if shuddering from the thought.

"I wouldn't do that." I said softly. "It would break the treaty. " And I wasn't a cold blooded killer.

"Maybe." Billy shrugged as if that wouldn't be the worse thing. An idea seemed to shine in the back of his eye.

My dad led me out with his hand softly on my back. I began to wonder as the sun set on the horizon, if there was really any difference between us: vampires and werewolves.

And if we were all made to be monsters.

The next day was not going well. My alarm didn't go off.  We were late for school. Seth just laughed the whole time as I rushed around like a psycho. I was flustered and on top of that I forgot my book bag with all my assignments in it.

I was being punished for being a liar yesterday, I was convinced.

On the up side, most of the students steered clear of me today. I still got the stares but no one approached me asking who I was, my name or where I came from as if I was an alien that had crashed here from another planet.

I think my altercation with Aro in the cafeteria and then again in the parking lot gave off the impression that I was not to be messed with or that I was trouble.

And it was the biggest blessing in disguise. I almost wanted to thank Aro for it.

Even Mike seemed quieter in class today. He had turned around to talk as soon as I sat down first period and my death glare had him thinking twice about it.

He sat stiff in front of me the rest of class.

Angela snickered beside me.

Fortunately all of this kept my mind busy and it didn't give me much chance to worry over vampires: Edward especially. 

I had bitten my lip needlessly through the night worrying if I would still have the same reaction when I saw him today. Would the butterflies return triumphantly where they rested inside me when I saw him again?

Or maybe that had just been a reaction of nerves and would disappear entirely. I felt queasy thinking about it all and those thoughts kept me up all night and were the reason for me running late this morning.

I could sense the vampires around me through the first half of school. I noticed they would wait until the halls cleared a bit before emerging into them as to not be brushing elbows with the other students.

It made me wonder what the purpose of them coming here was for. Why school? Were they looking for a meal ticket?

I shook my head. I didn't believe that. They yearned to be normal. I knew what that craving felt like. To want to fit in more than you wanted air and I knew what it looked like because I saw it in the mirror in my eyes every time I looked.

To just want to be like everyone else.

And I saw that in all of them. They must want it so much that they are playing the role, going to school even if to only feel normal for the few hours they were here to endure it.

Angela was talking non stop on our way to lunch about some TV show that I had never heard of. I didn't get to watch much television especially lately.  I spent most of my nights running in the forest with the pack for patrols.

But I just nodded along. 

Seth came jogging over to us from where he had perched against the cafeteria doors. Aww, had he waited for me.

His lips swept up into a grin at Angela who smiled back. I pursed my lips, I guess not. He was waiting for Angela. I wanted to stick my tongue out at him just to see if he even noticed that I was there. He was so wrapped up in her he seemed oblivious.

I swallowed down a laugh.

"So, do you want to sit with me and my friends today." I was fixing to politely decline again and even gesture for Angela to sit with us instead when Seth spoke up abruptly. "Sure." His eyes were wide in excitement.

Mine were narrowed in annoyance. 

Angela beamed. "Awesome." She squeezed my hand. "It will be fun." Not with Jessica there. I think Angela's definition of fun differed from mine.

I let out a deep long breath and waved Angela forward to lead the way.

My eyes immediately went to her table and sure enough Jessica was already there massaging the back of Mike's neck as she sat beside him. My face scrunched up.

Mike saw us nearing the table and smirked. Jessica's hands paused and her scowl looked like it was trying to bury me six feet under.

I jabbed my elbow into Seth's side. He looked up at me bewildered having no clue how miserable I was fixing to be.

Ugh. Men. They were clueless.

As we neared I saw that Mike and Jessica hadn't been sitting alone. There were two other boys with them. I already knew this was Tyler and Eric. The two guys that Mike had mentioned yesterday.

There was no way in Holy Hades that I was sitting there.

Because I swear, if these two were as annoying as him there would be bloodshed. It might be theirs or Seth's for getting me in this situation. Or it might be Jessica's if she didn't stop glowering at me.

I huffed. I had done nothing to her. If she was jealous that Mike gave his attention to everything but her then get pissed at him. I wanted nothing to do with either of them. 

My feet slowed. "Um, I'm gonna use the restroom. I'll catch up later." I backed far away before they could answer.

I wanted to step outside to get some air when a slight commotion caught the corner of my eye. It was the Black-haired, pixie-like vampire. I drew up short. She was backed up as close to the lockers as she could get. She was practically melded into them trying to get away from the boy in front of her. My eyes glanced at him and narrowed into thin slits. Aro.

His hands had caged her in and she was curling into a ball to keep her skin from touching his.

Did he harass everyone? Still pissed at his behavior toward me and my brother yesterday I marched over there unsure of my next step.

What was she going to do? If she touched him to protect herself, I'd have to report her. I'd have to kill her. And that wasn't right because it was clear from her body language she was uncomfortable and had been cornered.

She was went from being a predator to being prey.

And did that jackass care, of course not. He got off on power trips like this. He just didn't know that she was anything but helpless if she decided to react. My blood started to heat up in anger at another person being bullied and vulnerable by this insufferable human.

And it wasn't fair because she couldn't defend herself and if she did her fate will be sealed.

Slightly panicked, I rushed over to them. Not sure who I was rushing to save.

The girl's eyes met mine and smiled as I appeared behind Aro. She looked up right as I approached as if she knew I would be there. Like she was expecting me.

A little leery of her and very pissed off at him I practically growled when I spoke. "Do you have any redeeming qualities or are you always this much of a bastard?" He jumped not knowing I was behind him.

"You!!!" His eyes widened. His lips thinned as he turned to me.

I threw my hands on my hips. "Is this the only way you can get girls by holding them against their will?"

His eyes glinted furiously in the harsh light of the hallway. "You are staring to grate on my last nerves." I did have that affect on people,  I admit.  But that was real rich coming from him.  "This doesn't concern you."

He grabbed for my arm, squeezing it tightly in his grasp.  I shrieked in shock.  If I had been completely human he would have bruised me.

The pixie-like girl looked on in disbelief before her lips pursed.

She was reaching forward to physically remove his arm from mine.

She hadn't been willing to push him off of her but he had angered her by grabbing me instead and she was going to rip his arm off of me to help me. Or just rip it off his body I feared.

I gulped watching it play out in slow motion. She was agitated and I could tell her concentration had been broken. She didn't know her own strength.

My breathing quickened in fear for one of them but I couldn't think clearly enough to figure out which one.

In a haste, I kicked my foot out to Aro's crotch before the girl could touch him. He crumpled to the floor clutching himself, wallowing in agony.

I crouched down to his eye level making sure he heard me through his cries of pain.  "Listen up. You better watch yourself because I'm definitely going to be watching you from here on out. Quit harassing the students here or I am going to tell my father, the chief of police about your assault on the students at school. Including me and he is not going to take to kindly to that.  If you think that I have been a pain in your ass then know I get it from my father." I stood up and met the girls eyes who looked pleased at Aro's suffering.

She had moved back to a much safer distance from him and I was grateful to see her face was back to the softened smile she had yesterday when I saw her in the hall.

I gestured for her to go ahead before turning  back to the boy collapsed on the floor. "And stay the hell away from my brother."

"By the way." Came a whimsical voice behind me. Her black hair wasn't spiked as much today and made her look even more innocent when she wasn't being cornered by that animal. " I'm Alice."

She stuck her hand out. I bit my lip. She smelled like honeysuckle that had just bloomed. A little sweet and a little bit of citrus. Still so different from how Sam described their scent.

My hand shook slightly as I placed it into hers. "Bella." I breathed in answer.

Her hand was cold especially against my flaming skin but gentle as it wrapped around mine.

My breathing was still erratic as I realized what I had done.

In the moment I saw her willing to protect me from Aro when he grabbed me as I had rushed over to help her, I knew that she was the one I had chosen to save.

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I hope you enjoyed.  See you next week. Please vote and comment if you want.