No copyright intended. I do not own any recognizable entities herein. This is an AU Twific. I hope you enjoy it!

Alice cannot see the future.

Rated M for Mature Content. 18 and older only please!

I tugged at the cuff of my grey hoodie as I sat next to Jess at lunch. It had been the same routine the whole last week and it seemed today would be no different. I sighed inwardly but kept my face down, shyly. This girl talked so much that I wasn't sure if my ears were bleeding or if I was going deaf. Maybe it was wishful thinking.

Today's Monday and this is the second week of my senior year in Forks High. Mom was desperately depressed from having to stay behind while her new husband, Phil went out of state for work so I made the adult decision to move across country and in with my father. That's just how it went. I was the adult, Mom was the child. I'd taken care of the bills and cooking for as long as I could remember. I wasn't really very angry about it but I supposed I did harbor a tiny bit of animosity.

Thankfully, Dad could cook well and only expected me to do the kid thing; clean up the house occasionally and keep my room clean. He's the Chief of Police for the rainiest town in the continental U.S. and works long hours so I'm usually home alone. I don't mind though because I was used to it. Maybe if I'd known something different then I'd long for company but that's just not how I was wired. Sitting on my bed with a good book was enough to keep me content.

I've only been in Forks a handful of times over the years. Mom always blew through the child support Dad sent so she could never afford to fly me from Arizona to Washington. Dad had tried coming to see me a few times but I don't live an exciting life and he couldn't continue getting a week or two off of work a year just to watch me laze around. I had encouraged him to use his vacation time to actually vacation!

"I wondered when they were going to come back. It's been long enough." Jess snarked haughtily while I picked at my salad. "Two of them are missing though..." She mused. The leaves of lettuce were limp and some pieces had a black slimy edge. It turned my stomach so I picked the tomatoes out and munched on those instead before taking a sip of my water.

An elbow poked my shoulder and I barely looked up. It was the same every day. I'm shy. She doesn't seem to get it. Instead of easing me into a conversation, she has to thrust me into them and I just cannot garner the nerve to tell her to back off.

"Hey Bella, look over there." Jess whispered loudly in my ear. Thankfully, my hair was a curtain between my ear and her hot breath. I absolutely hated it when someone whispered in my ear.

I looked up at her instead and she rolled her eyes as her bright pink fingernail thrust to her right. I followed the fingers invisible beam to the corner of the cafeteria where no one had sat since I'd started school here. I'd been told the infamous Cullens sat there but I hadn't seen them...Until I had.

My eyes widened and I ducked my head before I could make eye contact with anyone, popping another tomato in my mouth. Holy crow those are some beautiful people. My face flushed with its splotchy blush and Jess started giggling.

"I knew you would react that way. I've been waiting forever to introduce you to them!" Jess exclaimed happily.

My head jerked up and I stared at her with horror in my eyes. "I don't want to be introduced, please." I told her slowly. Hopefully she wouldn't make me go meet someone knew. The six other people she'd introduced me to already ignored me like I had the plague. I was just too shy for my own good. To their credit, they tried to befriend me but my one word answers and shy demeanor was not endearing in the slightest and they gave up after a few days. Jess was the only one who insisted she was my friend.

I wondered if that was because I hadn't told her to back off yet.

"Geez, you're so awkward." Jess waved dismissively. "I don't talk to them. I'm just gonna tell you all about them." She spoke to me as if I were stupid and who knows, maybe that's how I came across to her. It made me wonder why I continued sitting with her at lunch. "Okay." She smacked her lips loudly and grinned as she bounced once in her seat, spinning in her chair to face me. The other students at the table all paid close attention to her while I just wished I could disappear.

"I really hate gossip." I whispered causing the blush to cover my ears as well as my cheeks. I didn't usually speak out against anyone but I didn't want the 'down-low' on the infamous Cullens.

"What?" Jess asked. "It's not gossip, I'm just gonna tell you what I know about 'em!" She said with a slight indignance to her tone.

"Same thing. If they didn't tell you themselves, it's something you overheard and spreading something you overheard is gossip." I said softly, staring at the cap to my water bottle.

Jess huffed and I looked up in time to see her rolling her big blue eyes. "Do you wanna know about them or not." She demanded.

I shook my head. "If they want to talk to me, that's fine but please don't involve me in gossip." At this point, my face was on fire and my stomach was twisting. I really hated standing up for myself. Jess shrugged as if it was no big deal but when she caught my eye, I could see the glint of anger she tried to keep off her expression. I tilted my head apologetically and stood, disposing of my salad and heading out of the cafeteria while I watched my feet.