Yes Ma'am

Introductions

Bella

"Hey guys, I met someone in my class this morning. This is Bella, she just moved here from Phoenix." Angela introduces me to everyone in her friend group.

A chorus of uninterested "heys" comes from the other side of the table and Angela slumps into her seat.

"It's okay, Ang, I'm used to it." I give her a reassuring smile and she nods.

Then my gaze shifts to something different. A group of students sitting at a table at the back of the cafeteria.

"Who are they?" I find myself asking.

"No one interesting." One of the girls, Lauren, I think, tells me.

"They're the Cullens and Whitlock-Hales. They keep to themselves." Angela informs.

"Yeah," another girl, Jessica, adds. "I don't think I've seen them talk to anyone ever."

"Who is who?" I ask again.

"The Cullens are Alice, Emmett and Edward. The little dark haired girl, the tall, dark haired guy, and the boy with the bronze hair. Edward and Alice are juniors and Emmett's a senior."

I glance at Edward and he looks at me, but we both look away quickly, hiding our blushes with smiles.

"What about the two blondes?" I ask Jessica.

"Those are the Whitlock-Hales. Jasper and Rosalie. They're twins and also juniors. Jasper's dating Alice, who's really weird by the way, and Rosalie's dating Emmett. Their family moved here a couple of years ago from Texas. Something happened to Rosalie."

They all had old fashioned names, but the more I studied the group, the more the names suited them.

"Something happened to Rosalie?" I don't expect an answer. It's not really my business.

"Jess, it's none of our business." Angela says, almost as she could hear my thoughts.

"It is if she's making it up. Which I'm sure of it."

The 5 teens at the back table whip their heads towards us and I can see Rosalie tearing up. Alice reaches toward her in comfort, while the three boys glare at us. Jasper's is the most intense and I fight the urge to shrink down, but I have to stand my ground.

"You have no right to say that, Jessica." My voice is stern and loud so the whole cafeteria can hear me. "What happened to Rosalie is none of your business, and I don't care if you don't believe her, cause I do."

I stand up and walk away from the table, murmuring an apology to Angela.

I find myself outside in the courtyard. It's cold and quiet out here, but for the first time, I don't mind.

"Hey, Bella, right?" A musical voice calls out to me and I look up to see Alice right next to me, and everyone behind her.

"Yeah." I nod.

"Thanks for standing up for me. And believing me." Rosalie says.

"It really meant a lot." Jasper finishes for her.

I notice they both have an accent and I smile. "No problem. Except for Angela, they were all being mean. You didn't deserve that. None of you do."

"Bella," Edward's voice grabs my attention. "would you like to hang out with us after school? We usually hike into the forest and study for a while."

"I'd have to call my dad to tell him where I am, but sure, I'd love to."

"Great!" Emmett booms as they walk away, his hand in Rosalie's, and I notice Jasper has an arm around Alice's shoulders. "See you later!"

The interaction leaves me speechless and smiling like an idiot, but I have a feeling that we'd be great friends.