Edward hated this part of being human.

It was such a hot day, and even though all the windows in the classroom were ripped open, there was no circulation and, somehow, they seemed to only be letting in more light. Edward flexed and straightened up as more sweat rolled in beads down his back, most likely forming a pool at the curve of his spine. School had only just started, and Edward knew he'd endure a few more weeks of this heat wave, broken only but tumultuous rainstorms. Such was Forks. Such was life.

He knew this because he had endured the monotony for his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. He had one more year to go, then he was free to move, to explore, to do anything he wanted.

Edward grimaced, correcting himself. Well, there was one thing he couldn't do. But he didn't want to think about that.

Instead he tried to focus on the lecture. Biology, his easiest course. He had always been rather good at science, and toyed with the idea of becoming a doctor, after he was done being a soldier. Ah well, such big decisions didn't have to be made on an otherwise ordinary day.

He glaced to the side and caught a contemptuous glare from none other than Jacob Black. Edward wished he lived in a town that was big enough for two schools, or that Jacob's family had shipped him off to boarding school somewhere. Their families already didn't like each other, but the boys seemed to magnify their hatred the most.

Edward shot back a look at him, one that yelled you think you're such a tough guy? Come on. Try me. Jacob narrowed his eyes in response, gripping his pencil harder.

"And what do you think of that, Mr. Black?"

Their professor had noticed their distraction, cutting Jacob off from doing anything stupid. A blessing for the kid, Edward thought. He can't seem to do anything not stupid. Reckless, foolish, little boy.

Edward started to slouch, but shot up again when he felt another bead of sweat roll down his back. He just needed to get out of this class!

…

"I – I think I'm going to go into town today." Bella bit her lip and settled against the doorframe. She had pulled up her hair and was already wearing a hat and a wrap, trying to prove the finality of her decision.

Charlie looked up from his paper, glancing at how she was dressed. "Looks like it." He folded the paper. "Who's escorting you?"

"I was just going to go by myself."

"No way. Bella, this is the first time you're getting back out there after-"

It was a fresh wound. Bella had trouble even thinking of it, much less articulating it. "since Mom died. I know."

"And I don't want you to feel overwhelmed, or get harassed by anyone prying."

"You don't have to worry, Dad." Bella insisted, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I won't be out too long, it's just so hot, and if I sit in my room another minute, I think I'm going to melt!"

"What if Jacob took you?" Charlie offered up. "He's a nice boy, and he's fond of you, Bella. I'm sure he'd be happy to take you."

Bella scoffed. She knew Jacob was fond of her, she certainly didn't need her dad to tell her that. "He's in school."

"It should be getting out soon. I'll tell you what. You can walk into town by yourself, but have him see you home."

Bella wanted to keep fighting but she knew it was no use. That was the closest thing to a compromise she was going to land. "Fine." She nodded, pulling her hat forward a little.

"Pull the wrap up your shoulders a little, too." Charlie scolded her. "I don't know the fashion rules like….like Renee did, but I know you shouldn't be showing that much of your chest."

Bella blushed at this comment but used the wrap to cover her décolletage, taking her half-victory and scampering out the door, into the bright open sun. She had a world of possibilities open to her now. She could go to the parks, pop into the library, do whatever she pleased.

At least, until the school got out.

…

Class finally dismissed, and there was something new in the air. Maybe it was just the sense of freedom, maybe the heat wave was lulling, maybe a storm was coming in. But Edward beamed as he swept his stuff into his knapsack. The whole afternoon was open to him now!

"Hey, Cullen!"

Edward paused as he heard to oh-too-familiar sound of Jacob's yelling.

"What is it, Black?" he turned around, irritated just by the idea that Jacob would take up any of his already limited time.

"You gotta watch yourself." Jacob pushed Edward's shoulder back. "Your dad's been saying shit about my family again, and my dad isn't afraid to take him out back. And I'm not afraid to do the same to you, if you keep glaring at me like that."

Edward rolled his eyes. Jacob trumped everything up so much. "I feel like it's enough of a crime to try and take someone's land, Black. Your family doesn't need the extra trouble of these charges, too."

"You know perfectly well that land was ours!"

"Yes, until you sold it. To my great-grandfather." Edward shrugged. "Dispute solved." He turned around and kept walking, pushing open the doors and finally feeling the breeze the windows seemed to be blocking –

And that was when he saw her.

She was buying an ice cream cone from a vendor, presumably to escape the added heat compressed in what looked like dozens of layers. Her hair was a reddish-brown not to unlike his own, her face a perfect oval, with large brown eyes framed by dark lashes. She smiled at the vendor and let out a laugh that was so light it seemed to carry on the breeze itself.

She turned to her left and looked at him. And she smiled.

Edward ran his fingers through his hair. He knew it was neat, but it was more out of nerves than anything else. He tried to straighten his blazer and make himself look as presentable as possible. He had to talk to her, before she could vanish out of the thin air she must've come from. He had to know her name.

"Bella!"

Edward looked over his shoulder as a Jacob Black of an infinitely more cheerful disposition went running past him, waving his arm over his head.

It couldn't be.

Jacob skidded to a stop in front of Bella, a loose sheet of paper falling out of his still-open knapsack. He swept her up into a hug, causing her to drop her ice cream, and crushed her to his sweaty form, spinning her around twice before putting her back down. Bella didn't even look at him after that, as she moved to slide her shoe back on, fix her wrap, and fix her hat.

She eventually peered up at him through those dark, perfect lashes, as he stammered out an apology that Edward could barely hear. He found himself subconsciously walking closer to her, as if he were drawn by force. Eventually, he was able to catch snippets of their conversation.

"-no it's fine" Bella was assuring.

"I'll buy you a new cone-"

"-I'm not even hungry-"

"Gee, Bells, I really am sorry."

"You don't have to spend your money-"

"But-"

"Edward!" Their small argument was interrupted as the ice cream man called out to Edward, who had finally inched close enough.

Edward felt his face go warm. "Oh, good afternoon, Mark."

"Go home, Cullen." Jacob snapped.

Bella offered a little wave, and Edward laughed at the sheer cuteness of it.

"Ah, here!" Mark waved off Jacob's rude comment and held out a vanilla cone to Edward. "Here, it's a hot day!"

"Thank you, Mark." Edward smiled warmly and then turned around. "Here," he offered the cone to Bella, who blushed, but took it. "I saw someone may have knocked yours down."

"Thank you." She said softly, smiling at him, and laughing a little at his comment.

"Come on, Bella." Jacob said sternly. "I'm sure your dad would want you escorted home."

…

Bella held onto Jacob's arm with one hand, and held her ice cream with the other.

"So, tell me about your day?" Jacob had softened immediately as soon as they were away from that beautiful, green eyed boy.

Bella knew of the rivalry between the Blacks and the Cullens. A generations old dispute over who owned which bit of land, and who was trespassing on who's property, and who was a freeloader, and who was a land grabber, and yadda yadda yadda. But, presumably because her dad and Jacob's dad were so close, she had never actually met the Cullens.

She suddenly felt very deprived.

Her reverie was disrupted when Jacob shook her a little, laughing. "Bella?" he asked again. "You fallin' asleep on me?"

"Oh, no. Sorry." Bella flushed again, looking up at him. When had Jacob gotten so tall?

"Well, you gonna tell me about your day then?" Jacob placed his other hand on top of hers and squeezed. "It's really nice to see you back and around town, Bella. I know losing Renee has been hard on all of you."

Bella choked back a wave of emotion, and decided to not acknowledge the last part of what Jacob said, for the sake of her own emotional well-being. "Not much happened." She said, half-truthfully. She knew Jacob wouldn't want to hear exactly what she had thought about meeting Edward. "I went into town for a bit, walked around, poked into the bookshop. Got an ice cream." She bumped against Jacob playfully. "Had it flung from my hand."

"You know I would've bought you another one." Jacob turned serious again, and Bella regretted referencing the encounter. "You didn't need to take that leech's offering."

"Oh, don't call him a leech! You don't know whose land it is!"

"Are you…defending him?" Jacob said, a little offended.

"Forget I said anything."

"Bella, you've gotta understand-"

"Jake!" she said, stopping in her tracks and letting go of his arm. "Forget it, please."

He softened and reached for her hand again. "Don't be upset. I'll drop it."

"Thank you." Bella sighed, and the two continued home.

As soon as they got to the house, Jacob tried to make excuses to stay – offering to help Charlie around the house, asking Bella if she wanted any company, picking up any excuse as soon as it ran through his mine. But Charlie didn't need any help and Bella feigned exhaustion from the exertion of the day, so Jacob went back home, hands stuffed in his pockets and excuses to return stomping through his mind.

It's wasn't late, maybe an hour before dinner, but Bella did feel very hot, and decided unwrapping and laying down was the best thing to do right now. She removed her hat, her wrap, her gloves and her shoes, and sprawled across her bed. She tried to lay in numbness and decompress, but all of her thoughts returned to Edward Cullen.

She hadn't even properly introduced herself! Oh, she just got so tongue tied as soon as he appeared, and didn't know what to say! She did a stupid little wave, and didn't even properly thank him when he gave her the ice cream. He was just so beautiful, with features that seemed almost sculpted, and hair she wanted to run her fingers through. She wouldn't have even known his name, if it wasn't for Jacob's sneering and his friend's yelling. She supposed she should've thanked both of them, in a way.

If only she could go back through the interaction again! Introduce herself, maybe he'd-

She stopped herself there, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in a pillow. She shouldn't get her hopes up. He was the most beautiful boy in town, by far. And he was kind, and he was rich, at least, according to what her dad and Billy complained about. He was probably married, or at least engaged.

Besides, he had probably already forgotten her.

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