BPOV

"So, what are you doing this weekend, Bella?" Mike asked with such enthusiasm he almost fell off his cheap, canteen chair.

Ugh. Another Friday. Another Lunchtime. Another excuse I was going to have to come up with to fend off my multiple admirers.

"Yeah, Bella, got any plans?" put in Eric.

"Um…." I racked my brains for a plan I hadn't used before. "I'm…um…going to a family thing…in Florida." I had used that one a few weeks ago but they shouldn't remember that far-…

"Didn't you have a family thing in Florida a few weeks ago?" Seriously. That good-a memory is unnatural.

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, Tyler. I have lots of family. Is that a crime?" I was being snappy, but who could blame me? My god! Won't these guys get a clue? I didn't feel that way about ANY of them! Not in the slightest. I didn't feel that way about anyone in this claustrophobic town. Did I have to spell it out for them? Luckily, they seemed to get the picture, for now anyway, and sauntered off, leaving me with Jess and Angela.

Jessica raised her eyebrows. "Seriously, Bella. Why don't you just go out with one of them already?" she muttered, "You need to get out there. What do you do every weekend? Just sit in your room, doing homework. Its kinda sad."

I resented that. Just because I don't go out every night like Miss Serial-Dater, doesn't make me sad. It just makes me…normal.

"I'm not sad, Jessica." I growled. "I could go out with a guy whenever I want to."

"Yeah. But could you have an actual boyfriend?"

Boyfriend. The word was practically foreign to me. But I was feeling really defensive after Jessica's previous comments and decided to go along with it.

"Of course I could." I bluffed.

A sly smile crept over Jessica's face. "Well, how about a little bet, if you're so sure?"

"Guys, I don't really think…" Angela started.

"No, no. It's ok Ange. Do your worst, Jessica." I smiled. Jessica wasn't very creative, so I wasn't worried.

She'd most likely dare me to go on a date with Eric. Whats the worst that could happen? I could be bored to death or he could try and kiss me and I'd explain to him gently that I wasn't interested. Then it would be over. One date and Jess would be off my back.

Jessica could obviously sense my relaxed attitude to her little bet and was trying to think up something ghastly. You could almost hear her mind work. After a few seconds, her eyes lit up.

"Ok," she began, "You have to get a boyfriend, someone decent, not desperate," Ah, so that was the catch. "You have to get him to fall for you and then break up with you. Not you break up with him!" She leant back in her chair, satisfied.

"How long do I have to complete it?" I questioned in a businesslike tone.

"Ten days." She answered firmly.

I deliberated for a few seconds and then nodded. "Ok. I win, and you NEVER comment on my love life again. Plus," I snickered, "You go out with Eric!"

Jessica made a face, "Fine. But if I win, you go out with every single guy who asks you out, ever again." She had such a smug look on her face, I couldn't take it. "Fine. But you're forgetting the most important factor here. The 'who' factor?"

Who was the unlucky guy I was going to have to annoy the hell out of so he'd break up with me? I was fairly sure it wouldn't be Mike. I got the inkling that Jess had a thing for him. If she was feeling particularly nasty she'd pick Eric or maybe Tyler, but nobody really wanted to start anything with Lauren…. And Ben was with Angela, who was siting, head down, looking extremely uncomfortable, fiddling with her apple. I turned my attention back to Jessica who's eyes were scanning the cafeteria hungrily. Then, as if a little lightbulb had gone off in her mind, she gasped, "Him!" inclining her head to directly behind me. I twisted my body around and peered around. My eyes landed on a unfamiliar group of teens sitting all alone at the back of the cafeteria. They were all very pale and so good-looking!

"Who are they?" I breathed.

"The Cullens." murmured Angela. Jessica and I stared at her questioningly. "The little black haired one, Alice, has English with me." She explained, "The teacher asked her to introduce herself to the class. They're all adopted brothers and sisters, well, except the blonde ones. They're twins."

"Whatever" said Jessica impatiently, flipping her hair. "Back to the bet, Bella. Your 'subject' is the one with the reddy browny hair. I'd usually save him for myself," she admitted, "But I like the look of the blonde boy."

But I wasn't paying attention.

I'd spotted the bronze haired boy and my mouth was hanging open.

He. Was. Hot.

Hot being an understatement. A really really big understatement, because I'd just seen his face and I was in a daze. It was the most absurdly handsome face I'd ever seen in my life. He wasn't looking in our direction, instead deep in conversation with his 'brother' a large dark haired boy with a smirk on his face.

"Jess," I squeaked, not quite ready to tear my eyes away from bronze haired boy, "I don't think I can do this." I was so ordinary. There was no way in hell that he'd fall for someone like me. EVER!

"Oh. Ok, then." Jessica replied, "I'll just go let Eric know about your little date tomorrow night. I actually think he has chess club, but don't worry, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to bring you along.."

This put everything back into perspective.

"Shut up! Its on." I muttered, "I'm gonna get him to fall in love with me and then break up with me! It'll be easy." I was reassuring myself more than her. "And I won't even get attached." I added under my breath, not quite low enough…

"Oh yeah?" laughed Jessica, "Then how come you're drooling?" she and Angela collapsed into fits of giggles.

I dragged my eyes reluctantly away from my future boyfriend, back towards my hysterical friends and wiped the side of my mouth self-consciously. I was pretty sure they were joking but never-the-less…Oh. My. God. I WAS DROOLING! My eyes darted back to the boy, praying that he hadn't seen. But god obviously hated me or something because he was staring at me incredulously before turning his head away, shoulders shaking. He muttered something to his brother, who was practically rolling on the floor, he was laughing so hard, stood up and left.

I felt my face turn bright red.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

EPOV

If I could throw up. I would have.

What was it with this couple? It was bad enough that they ruined my nights and time at home with their affectionate frolicking, but school too? And on our first day no less! Ugh. I glanced at Emmett who had Rosalie in an embrace not quite PG enough for my stomach.

"Emmett!" I muttered.

What? He thought back grumpily.

"Do you mind?" I grumbled, "Lets try to make a good impression, shall we? Get your hands off Rose!"

A flash of black and a gush of wind told me Alice was now beside me, Jasper not far behind.

"Yeah, Em." She agreed. "Don't overdo the lovey dovey stuff on the first day. Yeah?"

Emmett groaned but let go of Rosalie, leaving one hand around her waist. That would have to do. You could only push Emmett so far…

I pushed open the cafeteria door and strode in silently. I spotted a large table down the back that was empty and made a beeline for it, my family close behind. As I sat down, I could feel all eyes on us, except for a table a few meters away, where a group of girls were talking, two glaring at one another and one quiet looking girl playing with her apple.

I tried to block out the thoughts of the student body but one or two slipped through.

...such perfect skin, all white and clear. What I would give…A boy with skin problems was thinking wistfully.

So hot! A female voice screamed at me. If I hadn't married the first man that came along, maybe.. I froze. It took me a second to realize it was the lunch lady.

See anything ya like, Ed?

I ignored Emmett. It was always the very first thing he said when he came to a new school. But I never 'saw anything I liked'. Not in that sense anyway. You'd think he'd learn, but that was Emmett.

"Seriously, bro. I'm starting to think you're gay…." He muttered.

"Shut up."

He took no notice. "I honestly am worried. You shouldn't keep these things bottled up. Anything you wanna tell us?"

"Shut up."

"You couldn't get a girl even if you tried. Let alone keep one interested. You just don't have the moves…"

Rosalie giggled. We already knew THAT!

"What do I have to say to get you to SHUT UP?" I growled.

He grinned, enjoying every second. More like do…

I raised my eyebrow. "Care to elaborate….?"

He glanced at Jasper who was wearing a grin identical to Emmett's.

"A bet." They said simultaneously.

This was so obviously set up.

"Care to elaborate….?" I repeated.

"Ok," he started, "You, my friend, are going to get a girlfriend. And keep her."

"The keeping parts because we're pretty sure she's gonna run for the hills after one date." Jasper piped up.

"Exactly. And you have to keep her for ten days. Then you can eat her." Emmett laughed.

I glared at him. Even as a joke, that wasn't funny.

"To destroy evidence. Of you losing." He clarified.

"And the prize?" I asked. I wasn't doing this unless it was fully worth my while. "For the winner?"

"Well, if I win, I tell the whole school that you're gay." I opened my mouth to protest. But he stopped me. "Regardless of the truth."

"Fine." I hissed, "But if I win, you go a week without so much as touching Rosalie!" I snickered as he winced at the prospect.

That's so mean! But he nodded.

"And now, who's the unlucky lady…" he murmured to himself.

I casually looked around the crowded room too, wondering who I was going to have to charm.

Emmett smirked. "Her." He pointed, much too quickly for human eyes, to the table of girls I'd seen before. "Small, brunette, brown eyes. Perfect."

I glanced at the girl. She was ordinary, but no obvious imperfections. I could handle spending ten days with her. Unless she had a obnoxious personality. Then I really would have to eat her….Joking.

Alice's brow furrowed in concentration, then her eyes lit up. "Her names Bella." Alice whispered. And I don't need to be psychic to know that she likes you already Edward…

"Oh." Gasp. "My." Gasp. "God." Emmett was almost paralysed with laughter.

I turned around at human speed, only to be met with the big brown eyes of Bella. And her drool. A waterfall of drool.

Wow.

She turned back to her friends, who were almost as hysterical as Emmett, the quiet one had dropped her apple. Bella wiped her mouth. She looked back to me, face very red.

I practically had this thing in the bag.

I turned back to Emmett, chuckling.

"It's on." I muttered, stood up, and walked out of the cafeteria, towards the biology room.

This was going to be easier than I thought.