I was laughing with Edward as we walked out of Bio together.

Something had shifted between us in class. The weirdness that had been there before seemed to evaporate into thin air.

I felt the most relaxed I had been since before I had shifted. The butterflies seemed content as well practically purring inside of me.

We talked about nonsense the rest of class like favorite music, hobbies, places we want to visit. I had a huge list because I had never been anywhere which seemed to appeal to Edward.

He'd been everywhere writing it off as his family liked to travel. I knew the real reason was because they didn't age and people would start to notice if they lingered for too many years.

I learned Edward was passionate about music so much that he played the piano and composed his own.

It made me even more intrigued about him as if his claws weren't already deep enough in me. I just couldn't seem to stay away.

It was weird to hear about his passions and hobbies,  that he had a life that wasn't killing or hunting. It made him so much more real than just the vampire my family had portrayed him as.

Today was a culture shock of epic proportions.

Feeling lighter and content, I found myself saddened that the bubble Edward and I had created in class was over and reality awaited to greet us.

There were already students spilling into the hallway by the time we got there as they rushed to their next class. Edward still stood beside me, his face more troubled than the softened, carefree expression he had moments ago.

I wondered if he too didn't want to leave just yet.

Either way, he gave me one last lingering look before walking backwards down the hall, still facing me.

He didn't need to see where he was going, he could hear the other students thoughts, I contemplated, therefore he could hear where they are.

Not that it mattered, just like the first day, the other students gave him a wide path away from them.

I grinned.

His eyes seemed to brighten as he said. "Good luck with Alice. You're gonna need it." He teased.

Heading for Gym and curious how Alice was going to get in this class, I walked out to see it was pouring rain. I rushed into the Gymnasium to keep from getting soaked and I noticed that several other classes had piled in here as well.

The other P.E. teachers were gathered around, their classes mingling with the others. As the fields were being soaked outside there was no way to hold a class out there so here we all were, one, big, happy family.

"Told ya." Came a light, twinkling voice behind me. I turned around to see Alice smirking at me. "Come on," She gestured, to where Angela was sitting along a wall on the side of the room. "We saved you a seat."

Angela smiled at both of us as we neared. I could feel my face stiffen. When did they become friends? I was supposed to be watching the vampires intermingling with the humans and I hadn't even seen Alice hanging out with my friend. Granted I had only been here two days, but still.

Angela seeing my confusion said, "I ran into Alice on the way here. The track is flooded so no Gym today. She saved us a seat, a dry one." 

"That was nice of her." I added.

"I'm not sure if you have met yet..."

Alice's high voice interrupted before Angela could finish. "We have." She sang before plopping down beside her and pulling me down with them.

I sat cross-legged with them. Alice still made me nervous. She was highly energetic and it made her a loose cannon in my eye. I just did not know what to expect when it came to her.

That plus her wonky visions made me tread even more carefully around her.

"So, have you been asked to the dance yet?" I had my head down when Angela was speaking but I lifted it abruptly.

"What dance?" I asked, frowning.

"It's homecoming. Like a welcome back party. Forks has one every year." This was news to me. I hadn't heard anything.

Alice seemed to sit up straighter at the conversation. Her dark eyes seemed to lighten with excitement. "I love dances and parties. Getting all dressed up to meet new people. All the makeover, the dresses, the shoes, hair....." Alice sighed, her face with a far off look.  She looked liked she was in ecstasy. Angela and I shared a look before laughing.

Angela nodded. "Yeah, well I guess it would be like that since you already have a date. You have Jasper already locked up to count on. Some of us aren't so fortunate."

"Oh come on Angela, you're a total catch. Brains and beauty, you will find someone easily. I'm sure the boys are lining up right now trying to find the nerve to ask you." Including my brother. Damn, he would be devastated to know she was going with someone, anyone that wasn't him.

Maybe I shouldn't be pushing so hard for her to find a date.

"Are you going?" Alice asked. No, I didn't want to. Angela's eyes bored into mine searching for the answer because if I went, Seth probably would too.

I scratched the back of my neck absentmindedly. "I don't know. I didn't even know about it until now. Are either of you?" I was really only needing the answer from Alice because if she went or any of her family then I would have to as well.

What if Edward went with a date? I had a burning sensation crawl up my throat.

"I'm going because I always do with Jessica but I would feel better knowing people I actually like will be there." I smiled at Angela.

"I'll be there." Alice chirped. Welp, I guess that settled it. 

 I cleared my throat. "Me too." I should get hazard pay for this especially if Edward came and he wasn't alone. 

He made all these fierce emotions I didn't know or understand erupt out of me and I was liable to be more of a danger than a necessity.

"Yay." Alice clapped. "This will be so fun. We should go dress shopping together. I know the cutest boutique."

Angela's pondered. "Yeah." She fixed her glasses that were slipping down her nose. "Yeah, actually, I'd like that." 

I couldn't let her go alone. Not with Alice, not without me. "I'm game, maybe some time later this week after school. I could meet y'all somewhere. I'd have to drop my brother off. Dress shopping is more torture than he would be willing to endure for me." The girl's laughed. Though maybe not if Angela was there.

"True Dat." Alice joked. My lips twitched. I could not keep my smile at bay. It made it so much harder to be watchful around her. I understand now why Edward had wished me luck.

Alice was a lot to take in. "I can't ever get my brothers to go shopping with me. I can't even get them to go to dances." Alice continued.

My ears perked up. "So," I picked up at my nails. "Edward doesn't come to these types of things?" I tried to sound nonchalant and be cool but I don't think I fooled Alice.

She beamed like it was Christmas morning. "I think he will this time." She tapped her temple. "I have a hunch that he wouldn't miss it."

I felt shame at how pleased this made me. 

"Has Mike asked you?" Angela wondered.

My face drew up in disgust. "No, I figured he was going with Jessica."

Angela shook her head. "They aren't together. She just thinks they are. You weren't there at lunch but I'm pretty sure he is going to ask you. I'm surprised he hasn't yet. And he isn't the only one." I thought about Tyler rushing out of the cafeteria and looking for me.

Alice snickered as she realized it too. I shook my head. "Unbelievable." 

Angela laughed. "Oh, come on. A date is a date. He's not that bad." She contemplated and then grimaced. "Oh gosh." Her hand went to her mouth. "He is, isn't he?"

We all laughed. "I'm more likely to take Alice than go with him." That was the truth and Angela could never understand how big of a deal that was or how deep my annoyance and dislike of Mike went.

Alice shrugged, putting up her hands. "I am available." She joked.

I grinned.

"What about Jasper?" Angela asked around a fit of giggles.

I threw my arm around Alice's lithe shoulders. "He stands no match for our love."

Not for the first time today,  I was again sad to see class come to an end. I felt more like myself today than I had in years. I felt normal and it was the best feeling.

Which was really at odds with the fact that I wasn't normal, nothing in this situation was normal and most of my companions today that made me feel normal around them also weren't normal.

I huffed. I didn't expect this to be so hard. I just thought I'd watch the Cullens and report it to the Elders.

But now I felt like a traitor both to my kind and to the vampires. I was protecting the vampires because they hadn't done anything wrong and my kind seemed hell bent on making them pay for crimes I hadn't seen them commit.

But I was keeping vital information from my pack that could put them in danger and my allegiance was to them.

Why did this have to fall in my lap? Why did this have to be my life?

I was riding the pity train hard as I made my way outside now that the school day was done.

The rain had let up but the sun still wasn't out. It was never out as if it new the dark things that lay beneath the clouds.

Thanks to Gym being canceled we were let out a little before class should have ended so I fully expected to have to wait a few minutes until Seth made it out.

However I drew up short when I got to the parking lot and my dad's police car was sitting there. And Seth was already inside of it.

I took the steps two at a time. My brows fell so low I thought they might have actually met in the middle of my forehead.

"Dad? What's going on? Is he alright?" I asked, out of breath as I rushed over to them. I could see Seth's lips turn down through the window of the police car.

My father's face was tight with tension. Whatever was up, he hadn't wanted Seth to hear which could only mean it was of the supernatural kind.

"No, Bella, it's not alright." He grunted. His face blanched all over and he stood to his full height coming off the car as he glanced behind me.

His whole body came alive with stark anxiety. I turned around to see Alice come out of the school doors along with other students as classes were being dismissed for the day.

My dad didn't need werewolf senses to know who was the vampire and who wasn't.  The pale skin was like a neon sign.

"We're leaving." He roughly pushed me to my truck parked further down the lot. "I'm taking your brother home. You need to run to the hospital and pick up your mother. I don't have room for her in the car."

"Dad stop!" I shrugged out of his grasp. "What has happened?"

"There's been an attack. A dead human was found at the boundary line along the Reservation with its throat ripped out and drained of blood. It was vampires ."