"A/N: My apologies for the excessively long wait.

...

...

Once Upon a Time;

Peter's PoV

"Hear what?" I hear Charlotte's voice inquire bossily.

"That Peter's coming to school with us from now on," he tells her in as bored a monotone as possible. Something like a clatter and a crash messes with the phone line, causing static before–

"OH MY GOOOOSH!" she squeals without warning. Belatedly, I distance the phone from my ruptured eardrum and try to stop the ringing in my ears with my pinky.

"Shi- Charlotte, calm down! It's too early for this shi- crap!" James yells at my cousin and I can't help but chuckle darkly.

"You better be telling me the truth you dunce!" Charlotte warns.

"Yeah, yeah… I'll tell you after you go to sleep," James tells her. Somehow, that works. "You see, what did I tell you?" Now the conversation is back to me.

"So, does this mean you can give me a ride?" I repeat.

"Sure, we'll go pick you up then," he agrees. I sigh. "But, dude, you sure Aunt Athenodora will be okay with me driving you to school?"

Exiting my room in search of my mother and a quick breakfast, I answer, "She will be by the time you get here."

…

…

Scouting for Prince Charming

Tale XIV:

Survival Mode, Activated –Part I

Peter's PoV

Turns out, I was very wrong about Mom being okay with James driving me to my first day of regular kids school. Apparently, she had this grand idea of dropping me off and having that whole experience normal parents have when they take their five year-old kids for the first time to kindergarten and their kids cry, they cry (because that's not embarrassing), take pictures of their kids cute outfits and their snot, and just feed on their kids abandonment issues, all because she didn't get to do that with me enough then. The HORROR!

Of course, just my luck, cousin James witnessed all this and chortled all throughout until finally, realizing that we were going to be late, he stepped in, and talked Mom into reluctantly agreeing to let me go with them. Reasoning that, because he'd already gone out of his way and made the trip to come pick me up, after all, she had no other choice but to agree.

And since we were going to be late otherwise, on my first day, no less, it would be better if I had someone who knew the school like he and Charlotte did to show me "the ropes" of the school, whatever that meant. Besides, she could have her day tomorrow and that brightened my mom right up again and she agreed, wishing me a "wonderful" first day.

(I could have killed him for that last bit, but since he was getting me out of a really embarrassing situation for today, I held my tongue at the time.) Needless to say, I learned that my cousin James could be one hell of a negotiator when he wanted to be. Guess it runs in the family…

So all that brings us to the here and now as we approach the school's iron gate and I take my first eye-full of the school and its grounds beyond.

"This is it!" James announces gloriously with a flourish while Charlotte claps and giggles at his theatric. "St. Cullen's Private School. See? Told you it's nothing special." I stare at the imposing building, nodding numbly. "Just a big, 'ole white building with lots of classrooms for instructing and molding ther young minds…" By the way James says that and Charlotte is trying, unsuccessfully, I may add, not to snort, I bet he's making fun of a teacher.

Next thing I know, we are parked, James' doors swing open, he pulls his seat down and forward so that Charlotte can get out of the seat, shuts his door reverently, and I'm still in my passenger seat, petrified. I guess you could say that St. Cullen's Private School is a handsome school. However, the way I see it, the school is just huge and thrumming with intimidating kids that look much older than me, taller, and totally intimidating.

"Common, Peter!" Charlotte urges, coming around to my side and tapping on my window after saying "hi and hello" to about ten people in the process of five short minutes. "You don't want to be late on your very first day!"

That, somewhat gets me moving and I jerkily move my hand to grab a hold of the door handle. "Here goes nothing…" I mumble under my breath and close my eyes for a moment.

...

Ten…

…Nine…

…Eight…

…

"You never know, Lottie, he might actually get detention right off the bat!" James mocks gleefully as his trunk clicks open with a beep and disappears out of sight. "He'll be a one hit legend."

"Mmhmm, are you gonna let him?" Charlotte challenges. "Don't you think you'll reputation will be truly ruined then, bro?"

"Oh, leave me alone you two," I beg and leaning forward in my seat, bang my head against the dashboard.

"Can't have that, can we?" James prods and closed his trunk with our three backpacks in hand. "Therefore, no can do, little cuz! Out of the car with you!"

Slowly, I steel my nerves and swing James' car door open, before I get sick in it and he ends up killing me for ruining his new baby. Somehow, like his meticulous bedroom, the 1969 Aston Martin DBS V8 still smells like new imported and expensive leather. OCD much, perhaps, wouldn't you say?

Despite being on this planet for nearly twelve years, this is my first time attending a 'real' school since kindergarten and I obviously don't remember much of that, apart from the embarrassing pictures Mom has laying around somewhere in an album. Beyond that, I've always been homeschooled. That being said, my nerves are a wreck at the moment.

"Breathe, cousin." Charlotte reminds me with a quiet whisper, and I feel her lips move against the side of my ear, holding back bemused laughter. I do as she says and my breath leaves me in a whoosh. "It'll be okay." Given the desperate lost look on my face, she chuckles. "I promise."

"Then why does it feel like everyone is looking at me?" I ask out of the corner of my mouth, leaning into her so I can whisper, while keeping everyone else warily in sight.

"Cause everyone is, silly!" she shrugs, as if that makes it all better.

With severe difficulty and managing not to blanch, I swallow and ask, "And why is everyone looking at me?"

"Well, don't start getting a big head on your first day, Peter." Charlotte rolls her eyes at me. "Believe it or not, sure, they've noticed that you're new, obviously." Cue 'DUH' expression. "But what they're really looking at, like every other morning, is the ride we just rolled in with, with envy."

"Why?" I ask. I mean, the car is beautiful and all but what's the point of envying someone over a car? She rolls her eyes again. I think girls do that a lot, but not Bella. Thankfully, Bella isn't like most girls and instantly, I'm really glad she isn't. One of the many reasons I really like being in her company.

"Apparently, this baby never gets old," she adds, patting the shiny, cobalt exterior of the Aston Martin affectionately. "They just wish they were you right now. James doesn't let anyone but me near it." She looks at me pointedly, adding, "And now you."

"That doesn't sound like a good way to make friends on my first day of school," I observe, dismayed, growing nervous again.

"Not to worry little cuz, I got your six," James cuts in, having fetched our backpacks from the trunk and handing them over the moment he comes near us. "You can relax."

"Thanks," I mumble, thanking him for handing me my bag and his promise, both, and taking my backpack from him, I shoulder it.

"No prob." He grins, his smile sincere. But it quickly vanishes as he looks at me from head to toe speculatively. I fidget. "And, by the way, dude, that hairdo isn't doing you any favors," he adds, looking at my mom's last attempts at taming my hair before relinquishing her precious one to the dark side with contempt.

"Oh, yeah…" I sigh, mortified, and run my fingers self-consciously through my flaxen cowlick.

"Don't tell him that James!" Charlotte chastises and with a tight, unconvincing smile, assures me, "It doesn't look that bad."

Yeah, it looks terrible! I note. Something that is quite evident the very moment I look at my reflection on the door's side mirror and see no other alternative but to grimace ate the sight of my hair. Since it's slightly too long for my mom's liking, it gets on my eyes, she combed it to the side with some gel and water and now, I look like a dork.

Meanwhile, as I stare in the mirror at my disastrous hair, I think I hear Charlotte momentarily break away from us and say hi to someone or another. I really need to do something about my hair… And so, I try to ruffle it into something messy and not glued to my cranium. It barely works, and I scowl.

James chuckles at my face and motions for me to approach him but I don't, I continue my attempts. "Aunt Athenodora sure did a good job." Thank God I recognize sarcasm when I hear it. Cause James sure is one sarcastic bastard. "Can you imagine how embarrassing it would have been if she'd dropped you off today?" he adds more seriously, leaning closer so that only I can hear him.

"Actually," I groan, "I can." He chuckles.

Nodding, he says, "Like first day of prekindergarten…" James and I shudder at the thought.

"Why do you think I asked you for a ride?" I confess.

"The spectacle of tears, hugs, kisses, and pictures and more pictures to capture the moment…"

"Please, stop…" I beg him weakly, eyes wide in mock horror, while trying to hide my smirk despite my obvious grimace. He nudges my shoulder and musses up my hair some more. I look up at him, hopeful. "Better?"

"It'll have to do for today," he approves after a moment of critical inspection and tweaks here and there. At least he didn't grimace…

If you'd asked me half an hour ago if I ever thought that my cousin James would be styling my hair so seriously, I would have laughed in your face, thinking you were mad, and given you a solid 'no' as an answer. Now, however, I'd say, I never saw this one coming. I'd even dare say we're bonding, not that I'd ever admit to even thinking that…

"Boys…" Charlotte sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes, and buffing her neon pink nails against her crisp, white T-shirt. When did she get back? I wonder, glancing at her briefly and smiling impishly. She shakes her head, probably thinking I'm a lost cause. "Honestly, sometimes, you boys can be worse than girls."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Charlie," James says, glaring at Charlotte who glares right back and sticks her tongue out. For some reason, she hates it when James calls her Charlie. I think it has something to do with the fact that he, somehow, kind of manages to make the name sound like a jeer while delivering it with a leer.

"Thanks cuz," I say honestly, ignoring Charlotte and James' building animosity. Otherwise, things might get ugly soon. Charlotte looks grateful for my deviation and James looks momentarily surprised as he blinks sideways at me. Then, like a light bulb, his grin is back and he understands and he responds.

"Don't mention it!" He pats me on the back, squeezing my neck affectionately. I relax.

"So…" I trail off, a smirk on my face, "do I pay you back in installments or…?"

"You can be my little bi–"

"Oh, no…" Charlotte groans a moment later with obvious disgust, interrupting whatever James was about to say. "Red alert."

Glancing sideways at her, I silently ask what's wrong as I notice James put an arm over my shoulder and go rigid. Her response comes in the form of a disgusted jerk of her chin in the general direction of a parting crowd that seems restless with furious whispers.

As my eyes try to find who could have elicited such a distinct reactions from both of my cousins, I see her. A girl with flaming red hair of wild, long tresses. Also, I see that she is the once parting the crowd like the red sea as everyone makes way for her or makes themselves scarce, leaving room for the redheaded girl to make her way from the back of the throng.

However, I also notice all the looks of disgust she's getting from every girl in the vicinity and also, the lust from almost every male eye following her every step in equal measure. Critically assessing her approach, I decide that she is older than the three of us and observe that she has elfin features, striking green eyes and a barely-there skimpy outfit that makes her look older still.

The only thing I'm not so sure about, however, is if I could catalog her as "beautiful" or simply intimidating. Noticing that my eyes are on her, the redhead offers me a smile that practically makes me shiver in apprehension, since it looks more like a leer. And yet, I can't seem to look away… The more I look at her, the more I begin to believe that she can devour anyone with that gaze –and right now, she looks like she might want to devour me. Honestly, It freaks me out.

It only takes me a moment to figure out who she has her sights on as she saunters away from the dispersing group and her eyes switch over from me to my left, where James' still has his arm over my shoulder and looking nonchalant. Belying all notions of that being remotely accurate, James' hand tightens painfully over my shoulder as he meets her eyes and with a grim scowl set on his mouth, watches as she tries to make a beeline in our direction with a ridiculous sway to her square hips.

Guess she thinks that makes her look sexy. On the other hand, I beg to differ and judging by the fact that James barely wants to acknowledge her anymore, he probably thinks the same. Or maybe I'm deluding myself. But there's one thing that is clear to me, and that is, that my cousin and this girl have some kind of history together.

My assessment: whoever the redheaded is, she is not a very nice girl. Therefore, someone I must avoid at all costs in the future, because right now, it's too late for that.

"Who's that?" I ask Charlotte as quietly as possible, before the redhead's within earshot.

"Icky Victoria, the school's 'Scarlet Harlot,' from what I hear…" she replies darkly with a raised brow to accompany her sneer. Nodding, as I understand, I shrug. As if I would argue the vine she gets her information from. Nope, I'm too smart for that. I've learned my lesson.

"So who's the little twerp, Jamie?" her sultry, defiant voice asks as soon as she's within audible range of James.

"None of your business, Vicky." James' claw-like grip on my shoulder shakes with suppressed anger and I glance nervously at him, seeing Victoria's eyes narrowing with desire and distaste. However, when I get a good look at my cousin, I notice that he looks impassive, almost bored, and that, apart from the hand on my shoulder shaking, there are no other signs of anger to betray his façade to Victoria.

I am impressed. In fact, James' glances at me for a millisecond and actually winks at me before returning his weary attention to the sultry redhead –Victoria. Feeling the warmth of her nearness too close for comfort I, too, turn my attention back on Victoria. She is nearer than I had expected, in fact, she has to just stretch out her arm and she'll be touching my cousin. James, sensing this, pulls me back with him slightly as he stands on his heels.

Seeing this, Victoria smirks and she reaches for James, all the same, while trying to wrap her arms around him. Somehow, she completely avoids touching me as she glues every inch of her body against James' stoic frame.

Charlotte and I watch with equal amounts of disbelieve, fascination, and disgust as Victoria claws her way over James' chest, up to his shoulders, pauses, and then, attempts to snake her arms behind his neck. By now, I'm really wishing James would let go of my shoulder so I can get away from their PDA, but I say nothing and just watch the train wreck that is Victoria in action.

"Now, Jamie, don't be like that," she pouts, pressing closer to James and myself. However, before she can fully sink her acid green nails completely into him and ensnare him, James wards her off with a scathing sneer, and grabbing onto her forearms none-too-gently, removes her touchy-feeling hands off of his body with a shudder full of revulsion.

To say Victoria looks stricken is an understatement.

Ouch…

"I thought I told you never to touch me in public, for one, or call me that," James practically growls at her the next moment. "There's people watching," he glances at Charlotte, "and my little sister and cousin are here. Go away now."

Double ouch… But she recovers quickly, much too quickly.

Finally, he drops his arm from my shoulder and I slide to the right, closer to Charlotte.

As soon as I'm by Charlotte's side, she grips onto my forearm, looking livid. "How dare she do that to my brother?" she hisses in a whisper against my ear. Unsure what to say, I shrug.

True, most of the time James and Charlotte are at odds with each other and they can barely stand to be together in the same room, but at the end of the day, they are family and whoever messes with one of them, messes with both of them. Therefore, Victoria better watch out or Charlotte will be on the hunt shortly.

"Oh, come on, don't be mad at me, James," Victoria pleads, trying to play the role of a sweet girl as she pouts. It really doesn't suit her. Charlotte is gripping my arm so tightly that it feels numb and I feel her shake next to me, she's still furious. "I'm only curious…" she purrs and goes to caress James' face but he catches her wrist in a strong hold and yanks her away as he moves nearer to the gathered crowd. They've been eagerly watching all along.

"Yo!" he says, addressing the masses of onlookers, voice barely rising above the clatter. Listen up, everyone!" Still, somehow, he is heard and all the chattering and whispering halts and all eyes are on him. Dead quiet settles as they wait to hear James out. "Now, do I have everyone's attention?"

"Yeah!" the crowd shouts back, unanimous.

Meanwhile, I am trying my best to spontaneously go into chameleon mode and blend in with the car's cobalt. Better luck next time, my brain mocks. I squirm. Charlotte nudges me and I manage a timid smile. James glances my way and winks, ego ever growing. Shaking my head, I roll my eyes and relax significantly as Charlotte giggles next to me.

"He's such a show off…" I huff.

"He just loves the attention," agrees Charlotte and her grip on my arm lessens as she relaxes slightly.

"This here is my little cousin, Peter," James explains, walking back over to me and throwing an arm over my shoulder, leaving Victoria on her own and looking worse for wears as she stares daggers at me. This little revelation is met with equal curiosity and what I can only label as fear. "Say hi Peter," James urges, squeezing my shoulder.

"Hey," I manage and try not to breathe too quickly.

"There you have him!" James smiles winningly. The crowd looks uncomfortable but they smile back and I manage a weak wave at some. "He's gonna be coming to school here from now on and I've decided to take him under my wing. He's my little cousin, after all!"

And more of that fear, I see. Maybe I won't be making any friends today after all.

"So you all know what that means, right?" That question is met with most people avoiding eye contact with James and me. "If any of you oafs dares to do anything to him, even touch his pretty blond head, you'll have me to answer to," James adds, eyes on Victoria the Harlot now. "Get it?" he presses. They all nod. "Treat him nicely and make him feel welcome, got it?"

"Sure man," I beefy kid mumbles, looking me up and down and finding me all bones and barely any meat. I hope. I'm not exactly tall for my age, but I'm not exactly short either… just, somewhere in between and still growing.

"Thanks." He grins reassuringly at everyone and they chuckle uncomfortably. "So that's it folks, nothing more to see here! Get back to business." With that dismissal, like the red sea, they parted. Turning his attention back to Victoria before she manages to slink away, he says, "Does that answer your question?"

Face pinched, Victoria nods and walks away with the rest of the flowing student body in the direction of the double doors leading inside. Once or twice, I think I hear someone say my name but, unable to locate where the direction of the voice is coming from, I decide that I'm not the only kid named Peter in this world and convince myself that I'm just hearing things.

Turning to Charlotte, I notice her scowl after Victoria and waving impatiently to someone. Feeling my eyes on her, she turns to me with a ready smile that looks slightly too forced to see me arching a brow at her. Some kid with dreadlocks calls to James and he goes to greet the boy, leaving Charlotte and I to chat among us.

"I have no idea what just happened…" I mumble, but she doesn't hear me or pretends not to.

"See? It's not so bad," Charlotte tries to ease, but her smile is slightly perturbed and her eyes seem far away.

"No, it's worse…" I practically groan, hoping to distract her from her dark thoughts by being overly dramatic.

"Yeah, well, James is nothing if not intense…" she muses, smiling lightly. "You should have been here to witness the talk-to he had with this boy that dared to pull my hair one too times. Even I was scared!" She shudders. "Actually, be glad you weren't."

"Hey, you two, let's hurry," James interrupts, running back up to our side. "Lottie, get to class."

"But-"

"No buts," he interrupts, voice firm and authoritative. "I have to see little Peter to the main office to get his shi- crap together. You need to get to class."

"Sure," Charlotte huffs. "Catch you at lunch, Peter," she bids, kisses my cheek and after impudently glaring at James, scurries away with a scowl on her pretty face.

"And here I thought she would give me more grieve," James muse, staring after his little sister with a fond smile and scratching at the five o'clock shadow on his chin absentmindedly. Shrugging he looks down at me and nudges me, saying, "Common, keep up. We need to get you your things for the day. Administration can be such a pain…"

Just then, shrieks, of the female variety, brake out all around us, stopping our advances.

"What the hell?" James mumbles, turning to look at whoever's causing the elated commotion with interest. Eyes landing on the instigator, they darken and his mouth turns into a mocking scowl. "Whatever. Nothing to see here," he pushes me onward, "Peter, let's keep going."

Now, I'm curious. But just when I'm about to turn to glance behind, James grabs me forcefully by the collar of my shirt and pushes me toward the school.

"But–" I start to argue. Trying to catch a glimpse of whatever is going on, before James decides to grab me, none-too-gently, by the neck and starts pushing me onwards, in the opposing direction of the massive traffic.

"Trust me, there's nothing to see here," he tells me roughly. If I know my cousin, and I do, I'd say that he's royally pissed, and for some reason I don't know. And being the curious being that I am, I really want to know who has the ability to piss him off so badly so I can talk to them and get a few pointers.

"Easy for you to –uff!" My sentence is abruptly cut off as a pair of arms wrap, vice-like, around my waist from behind me and I stumble with the force.

"What on earth?" James asks as his grip on my neck is weakened and I proceed to fall onto the floor with someone attached to my waist and no way to properly break my fall. The moment we hit the floor, everything hurts and I know I'll have a few bruise and scrapes for the rest of the day.

"Sorry Peter!" I hear a very familiar and apologetic voice mumble over me. My heart momentarily stops and stutters into full throttle as I recognize the voice.

"Bella?" I breathe incredulously and open my eyes. First, the only thing I see is pavement as I stare and then, I notice chocolate brown hair, just over my shoulder as the small person above me shifts. Holding my breath, I close my eyes, almost not daring to hope!

"It is you!" Bella giggles, shuffling over me as she tries to get us untangled and just keeps on falling back onto me as I try to shift under her to help her out, somehow.

Regardless, James makes this task easier a moment later as he steps in and in a very jerky manner, he yanks me off of the floor and to my feet, after settling Bella on hers, rather carefully, without so much as taking his eyes off her. All the while, holding her at arms length with one arm.

"Thanks, James," I mutter awkwardly, trying to stop their staring contest. Bella glances at me briefly, smiles, and then looks at James' hand on her shoulder curiously.

"Bella?" James echoes, momentarily looking around him as if to make sure that we were still at school. There's a pause and then, he drops his hand back to his side, flushing around the ears. Still, he stares at her, even as she walks inches toward me and attempts to hide from James' intense stare behind me. My insides do summersaults with her nearness and I shuffle on my feet.

"Hi James," Bella greets timidly around my shoulder, causing James to further flush at the ears and look away with a mumbled hi in return. Shuffling on her feet and entwining her fingers with mine, Bella glances my way shyly when I look back over my shoulder at her.

"Hey," I say dumbly and she smiles, saying a quiet hello back. Her hand is warm in mine and it is the only thing that reminds me that this moment is real and truly happening, though it shouldn't be.

"I thought it was you," she tells me covertly, while shooting worried glances at James.

"So, uh, how –what are you doing here, Bella?" I ask, aghast.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" she asks, eyes rounding and swelling with tears. "I thought you'd be happy to see me…"

"No! I mean, yes!" Wishing I could somehow kick myself, I grin sheepishly. "Of course I am!" Can't have her crying! Appeased, Bella smiles a watery smile and blinks her tears away. I sigh, relieved. "I was so worried about you…"

Though I can't remember, for the life of me, why I was so worried… Her hand is so warm and fits so nicely in mine and I'm still holding it…

"Really?" she asks, looking up at me dubiously with those big, puppy dog eyes and gently biting her lower lip. That look… I don't know exactly what it is about it, but it makes me want to disappear out of this stratosphere so that I can have coherent thoughts again. And talking about coherent thoughts… I swear I just heard someone calling Bella's name.

"Yes," I say instead, foregoing every other thought.

"Ahem," James clears his throat. "So what are you doing here, Bella? How did you get here?"

"Oh!" Bella gasps and her free hand covers her 'o' shaped mouth as she glances nervously around as if looking for someone. Thinking I could help, I look with her, though I'm not much help at all. "I was with–"

"Bella!" a young, male voice calls, sounding panicked. I look in the direction of the voice but there are still too many students milling around for me to pick the speaker out of the crowd. Instead, I turn my eyes on Bella as her hand tightens around mine.

"That's right…" Bella mumbles, looking suddenly guilty.

"Did you find her yet?" Another voice inquires, the person whom it belongs to, presumably, trying to shuffle his way between the crowds of milling students.

"Would I be calling her name if I did, Emm?"

"Sheesh! Touchy… point taken, it was a simple question man, chill," the 'Emm' guy responds. "I think I saw her heading toward the double doors anyway. Look around there." The first voice says something I can't quite catch in return and the 'Emm' guy chuckles, before saying, "She's a quick one that midget." His voice, despite the insult, sounds fond and curiously familiar.

"There you are…" The first voice breathes as someone approaches us and I see that I recognize him. He was Prince Charming at Bella's birthday party. Jasper, I think his name is. However, it seems that he doesn't notice anyone but Bella despite the fact that I am right next to her and holding her hand, while James is glaring daggers at him, and the milling students keep bumping into him. Actually, I notice that there are a lot of girls trying to get his attention in various ways as they keep fanning themselves and blushing. Curious…

"I'm here?" Bella greets, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible and waving our connected hands, smiling coyly. James' still glaring at him, I note, frowning. So he's the one that makes James' angry, I conclude and decide that I like him even more than I did the last time I met him.

"Very funny." From his face, you can tell it isn't. Regardless, that doesn't stop his swarm of fangirls from swooning at the sound of his voice. Still, Jasper remains oblivious. "Do you know how mad my Mom–" Jasper, noticing our entwined hands, stops mid sentence. He looks from our entwined hands up to my face and he blinks at me, eyes widening in recognition. "Peter?" he inquires and noticing the sneering cousin to my right, adds, "James? Why are you two?" He is at a loss for words. "How?"

"Uh, hey," I greet, "Jasper, right?"

"You know him?" James asks scathingly, suddenly looking betrayed. "How the hell do you know him?"

"From Bella's birthday party," Jasper provides, very unhelpfully, in an attempt to antagonize James. It works.

"You were there?" James looks about ready to blow a casket as he looks accusingly at me and then at Jasper and Bella. Blushing slightly, Bella blinks innocently up at him and he looks away, ears slightly pink.

"How do you know Peter?" Jasper interjects before I can say anything.

"James' my cousin," I interject quickly, bringing the focus back to me. Anyone with a brain can tell there's bad blood between these two. "Today's my first day here." I shrug. "And he attends this school." I smack my head with my free hand. "Though I guess you already know that."

"He does."

"I do."

Wow… stereo…

"Hey Jasper, man, aren't you supposed to be looking for the missing link before Rosie goes and finds a creative way to make our testicles–" Emmett, I only now realize, stops talking as he takes in the scene and atmosphere he just walked into. "Well, do me sideways," he says, grinning impishly, "what the hell did I just step into?"

"Not now, Emm," Jasper sighs, a weary plead.

Emmett, however, says it. "The Twilight Zone?" This time, it is Jasper whose about to smack his head but thinks better of it and smacks the satisfied looking Emmett instead. Emmett makes a show out of it, making me laugh and Bella blush while giggling as he winks at her. "Okay. I'm good," he promises, "I'll shut up now."

"Good idea," Jasper and James both mumble while shooting daggers at each other with their eyes.

"Be nice to Emmett!" Bella pouts, stomping her little foot and fisting Emmett upon his insisting.

"That's my homie," he says approvingly. Bella grins toothily and looking proud of herself.

Meanwhile, I'm trying really hard not to laugh… again. But James' very annoyed face cuts me up short and sobers all of us up.

"So what the hell do you two want with Bella?" James asks and the way he phrases that sentence, it sounds like there's some kind of underlying threat there. Judging by the dark look Emmett and Jasper exchange, I'm right.

"My Momma picked Bella up from school or something yesterday," Jasper explains defiantly. James, well, he looks like he's about to pop a vein as he bristles. I listen intently.

"Why?"

"Bella, let's go," Jasper extends his hand out for Bella to take, ignoring the glaring James and gaping Emmett. "Momma is waiting in the car to take you to school and she's been worried sick, we shouldn't keep her waiting any longer."

"Okay!" Nodding, Bella squeezes my hand, stands on tiptoes, kisses my cheek, sending shockwaves all throughout my body, and takes Jasper's hand, skipping merrily to his side under the incredulous stares of James, Jasper, and Emmett. All in the blink of an eye, while I remain dumbfounded, in cloud nine and ascending as I flush pink all over.

Jasper, it seems, recovers first. Looking at Emmett, he adds, "If you don't want a fly in your mouth, Emmett, close it." Insert triumphant smirk and Emmett, rigorously, closes his mouth as instructed. "Let's get going, Bella." With that, Jasper whisks Bella with him, walking toward the school gates hand in hand with her amid a sea of swooning and sighing girls that every now and again, hindered their process as they reached for his attention.

"Well, if you'll excuse us, this princess needs to go to school," Emmett dares to timidly interrupt the awkward silence after we were all left staring at Bella and Jasper's retreating forms without so much as a word goodbye. With that, he turned and followed quickly after them.

"Later, Bella…" I manage to croak out, two minutes too late, holding my palm to my cheek to try and preserve the sensation.

"Snap out of it cuz!" James faraway voice filters roughly through the fog in my putty brain. "Let's go…"

"Huh?" I mumble quizzically as I feel a tug on my collar. James jerks his head impatiently toward the school's double doors. "Oh… yeah…yeah… school…"

Just as the double doors shut closed behind us, the last tardy bell rang through the almost empty hallways as James lead the way to Administration and just as we walked through the office door, the shrill bell that announces the commencement of class sounded.

"Welcome to St. Cullen's Private School, my name is Mrs. Giddeon," a nice looking old lady with grey hair that looked a little on the side of blue greeted from behind her desk as she pulled something up on her computer that James had told her about.

"Hello," I managed to mumble. "Thank you."

"You must be Peter Faidon?" she probes kindly and her eyes, large behind thick glasses, look inquiringly at my face.

"Yes," I answer. Methodically pulling out my wallet from my back pocket and showing her my ID. Unsurprisingly, I was still somewhere up on cloud ninety with no intentions of coming back down.

"Thank you sweetheart, that'll help," the sweet grey-blue haired lady says, Mrs. Giddeon, and I smile at her. "I'm just printing out your class schedules for today and getting you both late passes to class. So sit tight, it won't belong now."

"Thank you," James offers for the both of us. Mrs. Giddeon glances at me, looking concerned so I smile genuinely at her as the memory of Bella kissing my cheek runs through my mind. Needless to say, I light up from the inside and that sets her mind at ease. I think she thinks my strange behavior is due to nerves and since I'm not about to correct her, I let her think that.

Regardless, I find myself thinking about Bella and I can't help but think that my day is going better than expected and I feel myself flush pink all over as I touch my left cheek with my hand, it feels overly warm... like Bella. My smile widens and by now, I'm sure I resemble the Joker but I just can't seem to care. I'm happy! Today is turning out to be the best first day of school ever!

Just then, Mrs. Giddeon returns with a folder and she hands it to me, smiling kindly and telling me that everything I need to help me through my day is within it. The folder feels heavy with papers that are, probably, loaded with information. Again, as James and I make to leave, and Mrs. Giddeon takes her seat back behind her desk, she says, "Welcome to St. Cullen's."

…

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A/N: Shorter than my usual but I just wanted to get something out there for you guys to read. More coming soon…