Hey Guys :D So I liked the early feedback from this story, I really appreciate it. I promise, it gets better. Trust me. Hearts.

Someone pointed out to me, that there just aren't enough EmmettXBella stories. And that is the damn truth. I mean, I LOVE writing them, trust me I do. But I wish I could just relax and go read one that I haven't before yet, ya know?

So I'm glad that you all like my Four EmmettXBElla stories. :D

Okay, please keep in mind that school has started and I'm busy with all that stuff. Stories will be a little longer to get up, but its either that or nothing.

Edward is a Junior btw. Just like Alice and Bella.

Okay! Here's chapter two, still mostly in Emmett's POV. It may change at the end.

Stay believing.

Emmett POV

"Dude?" Seth snapping his fingers in front of my eyes broke me from my gaze.

"Sorry. Got distracted I guess." I said lamely. He raised his eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, she has that effect on people." He said with a knowing grin, gazing at Bella who was talking to her band of nerds.

I laughed. "So are two a thing?" I asked casually as I leaned against the wall. His response was a long whistle and a chuckle. When he leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and one foot against the wall, he reminded me just like Jacob.

"Nah, man." He said breathlessly. "A guy can dream though."

I looked at her standing in front of the stage laughing so naturally with her friends. "She's interesting." I noted.

He laughed loudly. "Trust me man. You'll see exactly what I mean. She has this…way about her." He said dreamily. I never saw Seth like this.

"Whatever you say man." I chuckled. I mean, sure she was pretty. But I've seen hotter?

"Mutts!" On instinct, we both looked to Bella standing on the stage. I shook my head. Why the hell did I respond to that? "Let's go!" She shouted. Next to her was a tall gentleman with black hair and a weird goatee thing.

This must me Mr. Karo.

"Yeah, yeah. We're coming." Seth said as we started walking down the aisle way.

"And that's what she said." The teacher laughed, making everyone laugh too. I was surprised. A teacher said that?

I could really learn to love this guy.

As we approached the front row of seats where everyone else was sitting, a teacher I knew to be Mr. Green—the drama teacher and history teacher—came in with a bunch of students.

"So we're going to be running through a show with this one act play. I'll assign you guys a place, and then you come to me for your cue sheets." Bella started as she grabbed a clipboard from Karo. "Mike and Tyler you guys are up at Spots." They both let out a loud 'Yes' and gave each other a high five before Bella continued. "Ben, I can trust you at sound?" She asked already knowing the answer. He laughed and nodded. "Alice. Wait. Where's Alice?" She asked suddenly.

"She had field hockey things to do. She'll be here at 4:30." I called out. Bella glared and scribbled something out from her board.

"Fine. Ben, that means it's all you tonight buddy." He nodded still.

"Angela and Seth, main boards please." I could sense a bit of favoritism there. "Emmett, you'll be with me since you know shit." Everyone laughed.

"Okay, once you get your cue sheets, come meet me in the headset room and I'll get you all hooked up." Karo explained, probably needing to feel like he was in charge of anything.

Everyone moved at the same time so I followed, not wanting to be left behind. This was so fucking weird for me. I was Emmett McCarty. I didn't doubt myself or get awkward yet here I was, doing all of that in this auditorium.

I jogged up the four rigidity steps to the stage and stood next to Bella as she handed out sheets.

"Sorry Mike, not today." She said with a sad smile. He nodded with a loud sigh but beamed when she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on his cheek. Once everyone, apart from me, had a long sheet, we walked to a room where it was filled with headsets and boxes. Bella grabbed one right near the front and pulled me back to the cramped side stage with the main board and cue masters desk.

"This is one of the only wireless ones." She explained after a moment. She plugged the head set with one giant ear muff and mic into a small box that she clipped onto her belt. I hummed in approval. "Everyone else gets wired mics that connect to a stand wherever their station is. You click this button here, the light goes on, and they can hear whatever you say, let it go, and then they can't." I nodded, trying to take in everything. "I hope you can handle that." She teased. I smiled. "You don't talk much, do ya Caveman?" She asked casually as she grabbed another high stool for me to sit at the desk with her.

"Caveman?" I asked with a laugh. She grinned up at me before quickly looking back at her desk, which had a large book and one of the cue sheets on it. She lifted the mic to her face and clicked the button.

"Ben? Could you please turn on the camera?" She asked sweetly. After a moment, there was a distant hum and Bella reached across me to get the TV.

A few things happened at once then.

One, Bella's stool, which was leaning on two legs to reach over me, slipped.

Two, Bella's feet kicked wildly to regain a steady place.

Three, Bella started to fall.

Four, I grabbed her arms which were still reaching across me.

And five, I secured her from falling by bringing her close to my chest.

.

.

.

"Bella?" I asked after a long breathless moment. I looked at her chocolate eyes and saw her staring up at me, frozen, and found myself lost in them.

Suddenly she jerked away and made an unsteady landing to the ground. "Sorry. I'm a major klutz. You don't understand." She rambled as she scrambled to pick up the stool.

She smelled pretty.

"Bella, chill. It's fine." I flashed her my famous smile and saw her eyes glaze for a second. Her back straightened and she busied herself with the cue sheets.

"Well what do you know, Caveman. You can talk." And there was stubborn sassy Bella. "Turn on the TV will ya? Unless you want me falling on top you like that again." She said with a confident wink, despite the blush that crept up her neck. Not wanting to be outdone, I moved closer to her so our faces were inches apart.

"And if I do?" She let out a shaky breath before swallowing hard.

"Well then I guess it's no issue." She said, still standing. She moved a step closer to me and reached her arm beside me to blindly find the TV.

I would be lying if I said I was annoyed when she found it quickly.

"See Caveman? Your womanizer ways don't work on everyone."

And I guess she was right. Most of the time, girls couldn't form sentences around me or treated me like some sort of God.

Bella didn't.

As she retracted her hand I grabbed her wrist and spun her around to press her against the desk. I put both of my hands on either side of her, trapping her there.

"Oh really? That sounded like a challenge." I said with a evil smile. She didn't move as she breathed heavily. Taking that to my advantage, I leaned forward and pressed my cheek against hers, so my mouth was right next to her ear. "You're not putting up much of a fight." I whispered huskily. Her body gave a shudder and she still didn't move. "Pity." I whispered, pressing half of my lips against her cheek. "Thought you'd be more of a challenge."

And then, mostly because I heard someone coming up the side steps, I pushed away from the desk and pretending to open the book of the play we were about to be running, noticing all the little Cues scribbled in.

"Bells? You alright?" I recognized Seth's voice immediately. He ran to her side and pressed his hands on her cheek.

Some weird feeling twisted my stomach slightly. She shook her head quickly and smiled up at him weakly.

"Yeah, Seth. I'm fine. There was a huge spider, and I'm pretty sure it tried to kill me." She said breathlessly. I laughed loudly but continued to 'read'.

"Jeeze, Bells. You know they're all not actually out to get you, right?" Seth asked and I couldn't help but notice that obviously this panic attack over 'bugs' happened a lot.

The cocky smirk spread across my face because I was the one who made her that way.

"Hey man, there's a headset for you in there." Seth said, casually slapping a hand on my back.

"Bitchin!" I said jogging to the room, which was completely empty and bare besides one headset and one box. I smiled and grabbed it before there was a loud click. When I turned, I saw Bella standing, arms folded across her chest, glaring at me in front of the now closed door. "Came back for more, did ya?" I teased with a wicked grin.

"Now you listen here, McCarty." She said slowly, falling back to lean against the door, propping one of her striped knee high legs on the door. "I don't care if you were forced to join this club. I also don't care if you think you're all high and mighty because of what you do on the football field. In here, I'm in charge. I don't give a damn how many touchdown passes you've had, or what college wants to look at you. You ever pull that shit again, and I won't hesitate to cut your busy little nuts off. I'm not one of your sluts, and I'll never be one." During this whole rant, which petrified me, she started pacing the small room and I turned to look at her. By the time she was on opposite side of the door, I was convinced she was actually pissed at me.

She took a large step closer and instinctually, I took one back. She was short, but terrifying.

Just like Alice.

"Bella I didn't mean to offend you." I tried to say but she shook her head before I even finished. She absentmindedly picked up the box, which I had put down during her rant, and spun it around in her fingers. She took another step forward, me one back.

"I don't care what you meant to do, Caveman. All I care about is that it doesn't happen again in this fucking building." Hmm there could be a loop hole to that…

Suddenly, she was just there, inches in front of me, eyes boring into mine. I felt her small dainty hands making a small, feather light trail up my abdomen, then to my arm where she trailed it up to my neck. I tried to fight the shudder of pleasure that gave me.

I haven't gotten laid in months.

Her hand wrapped around my neck and she pulled me down slightly, to where I was all too willing to cooperate. Unconsciously, I put and hand on her waist and she pushed forward so my back hit the wall.

I couldn't help but note, how fucking tiny she was, my hand practically wrapped around her entire waist.

She took a small step forward so her body molded into mine in the most delicious ways, and then slowly rose on her tip toes, creating a friction between our bodies to which there was no denying the excitement in my pants.

"You better learn this, Caveman." She whispered, inches from my face. "In these walls, I don't take your shit. You take mine." My hand on her waist tightened. She raised an eyebrow at me, eyes like electric. "I will be a challenge, McCarty. The hardest challenge you've ever had to come by. And I will put up a fight. A fight that you, won't win." She said with a devilish smile. She pulled me closer and somehow, our lips still weren't touching mine. But I swore, if I were to close my eyes right now, if would

practically fucking feel like it. Her breath was hitting my lips in the most delicious ways.

Her eyes fluttered shut so on instinct mine did the same. I felt her hand go from my neck, down to my belt where she gave a quick pull and then there was this clicking noise. She pulled away, seeming satisified and when I looked down, I noticed the box for my headset attached to my belt.

I went to open my mouth to talk, but couldn't find words. She pushed past me, her hand running a trail from my arm, across my chest, to my other arm as she passed.

She left me there, stunned feeling hot and bothered.

This would be a challenge. Seth's earlier words crept into my mind.

"Yeah, she has that effect on people."

I shook my head, adjusted my pants, then walked out of the room, finding her sitting at the desk calm and collected.

I see how this game would be played.

I sat next to her on the stool.

"Seth, close the main." She said to Seth who was standing on the right side of the board, which controlled the main curtain, house lights, footlights, and some other lights from the treelights in the auditorium. Angela was on the side of the border lights.

He clicked the button and with a loud snap, the large blue curtain began to close. Once it was Bella brought the headset to her ear and lifted the mic.

"Bring down the house lights." She said into the mic. Seth reached up and pulled down the lever. I looked at the television screen where it was the view by Sound board and you could see the place go dark.

"Cue One." She said softly. There was faint music and Angela started lifted the blues and reds.

She said to Cue Five before she let the headset fall around her neck. Two people were on stage. She quickly said into her mic, "This cue will stand for nine minutes" before turning to me. "Any questions so far, Caveman?" She asked with a bite on her lip. I grinned.

"Why are the lights that light up your desk and the boards red?" I asked.

"They can't be seen from the audience." Instantly.

"How do you know when the next cue is?"

"This book is the script, I follow along and as cues approach, I give them warning to see what it is, then call it so it's done at the exact moment." I plugged the headset into my box and tossed it around my neck limply like hers.

"Why did you corner me in there?" I asked quieter, so Seth and Angela wouldn't hear. She smile and rolled her eyes.

"Still thinking about it, eh? Guess it was good." I caught the underlying joke.

"Oh it was fantastic." I whispered back. There was a long minute.

"The next cue is only going to be a curtain, so you guys can chill." She said suddenly, answering a question I hadn't even heard. She looked at me. "This curtain here." She said pointing to the one right in front of us. "Is curtain one. You're going open it." I nodded, how hard could it be.

She stood with me and walked in front of the curtain and pointed to a black taped line, telling me to open it smoothly and at the same pace to that line. "Spot Lauren." She said simply and I watched as a white orb surrounded the bitch on stage. "Ready?" She asked me as I grabbed the good old fashioned rope. I nodded.

The music began. "Go curtain." She whispered. I pulled it at a decent speed until it hit the line, pleased when I stopped it correctly.

"Too far." She said simply. I looked down and noticed that the sway of after I stopped it. Damn it. "Obviously you'll need to have practice on that."

I groaned.

"This is stupid.' I mumbled. She laughed quietly.

"Only because you don't know how to do it." She countered.

Oh.

The next hour or so was pretty simple, cues that I didn't have to worry about, and watching Bella. I could understand what Seth meant earlier.

"Trust me man. You'll see exactly what I mean. She has this…way about her."

And the truth was, I did see it. When she sat at that desk, her eyes barely skimming the script, she had this passion and fire in her eyes. Every movement was mesmerizing. Her small hands would occasionally lift her mic to her plump lips and she'd call a cue, or make a remark to an unheard comment, or just laugh quietly. Her large brown eyes looked up at the stage sometime, smiling at the people on stage.

Once in a while, she'd catch me looking at her. She'd glance at me, and a blush would creep up her neck to her cheeks and she'd pretend I wasn't there.

"What are you looking at Caveman?" She asked once as she stretched from hunching over her desk for a good time.

She was so thin I swore I could see her bones through her shirt.

"Just observing my boss for the next couple weeks. Is that so much to ask?" I said with a smile. She looked at me for a long minute before glancing back at the script.

She opened her mouth to say something, probably the first emotional thing she'd say to me, when someone came bounding in from the side stairwell.

"Bella!" She cheered loudly, earning a chorus of 'shhh's. Alice attacked Bella in a hug from behind and her eyes lit up.

"Alice. You're so late." She said, trying to sound angry, her smile giving her away.

"I know." She pouted. "But I'm here now. So forgive me?" She begged and I saw Bella roll her eyes.

"Like I could ever actually be mad at you."

How the hell could I have never noticed that these two were best friends?

"Hey Emmett." Alice said, with a smile. She leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, a habit she gained from our mother.

"Hey Ali." I said with a smile. I loved my sister.

"Are you harassing Bella? Cause I will be forced to rip your face off." She said with a smile, but completely serious. Alice could be scary when she wanted to be.

"No."

"Yes." Bella and I said at the same time. I flashed her a smile and she flashed one back.

Stunning.

Alice laughed. "Well you tell me if he becomes an issue, Bells." She giggled. I liked that name, Bells.

"Oh I will Alice. Go back to sound with Ben. And tell Esme and Carlisle I said hello."

I had the urge to rip out my eyes. What the hell? Had I never noticed Bella at the house? Or knowing my parents?

The rest of the hour Bella spent calling cues and adjusting them, and I watched her without complaint. Once the day was finished and everyone was done, Alice came up to me.

"I need to run to a teacher real quick. SO I'll meet you in the parking lot with Rose." Bella's eyes lit up at her words.

"Where the hell was Rose?" She spat and I inwardly groaned.

If they were all best friends, I would stab myself.

"She had basketball and track. She was supposed to be here for drama but already talked to Mr. Green. Emmett and I are giving her a ride home. I'm sorry. Please don't hate her." Alice said really quickly.

"I could never hate her Alice. Rose may be a bitch, but she's our best friend." I took the pencil on the desk and started hitting it repeatedly against my forehead. "And now we observe the rare McCarty in it's wild and natural habitat." Bella said in a deep monotone voice. Alice and I laughed.

"Yeah Alice, go to your teacher. I'll meet you at the car. I need to get my homework anyway." Alice danced away and there was an awkward silence with Bella for a moment. "I should get going." She rolled her eyes.

"Ya think?" There was a smile playing at her lips.

"Right. Well, it was actually really fun today, Bells. Thank you." I said honestly, hesitantly adding my new name for her. She tilted her head at me but her eyes melted and were the softest I'd ever seen them.

"Any time Caveman. You tell little miss Alice McCarty that I'll see her tomorrow." I nodded at her.

"Bye Bells." I called as I walked out of the side entrance that opened right to Senior hall.

"Bye Emmett."

Huh, that must have been the first time she called be that.

I walked to my locker and took my time taking out my homework, going to the bathroom, and joking to one of the teachers for a couple minutes. I looked for my jacket and realized that I had left it at the cue desk.

"Damn." I whispered as I shut the locker. The school was eerily quiet now and all the drama and stage crew students had left.

I opened the side door and jogged around the main board to grab it off the chair when I noticed that the front row of lights were still on.

Sitting under the lights in the middle of the stage sat Bella, looking out to a pitch black and nonexistent audience. She had her knees pulled up into her chest, her arms wrapped around them, and her chin resting upon it.

With the lights, I noticed the tears that fell down her face and I heard her start to hum.

I was going to say something to her, but if I learned anything about Bella so far, it was that she didn't like to show emotion. This would probably embarrass her to no extent. She continued to hum a song I couldn't place and I backed up slowly before walking out the side doors.

I wished I hadn't heard the echoing sob she let lose just before the door softly clicked shut.

Later that night

"Oh! And I finally got an A plus on a history test." Jasper said excitedly. Him and Alice were sitting on the far side of the dinner table, hand in hand, as he spoke. Carlisle sat on one head whiles Esme sat on the other, gazing at Jasper as he spoke. Rosalie sat beside Alice on the other side as well, and right across from me. I would nudge her foot and wink and she'd roll her eyes.

Each night when we'd all sit at the table, my parents would have us talk about our day, which was actually quite relaxing.

"Edward!" My mother called. "Come now. You've already missed Jasper and Alice." She scolded. There was a door opening, and a bunch of steps as my prude of a brother came down the stairs. He walked into the dining room with his bronze hair all messy, and flannel shirt buttoned completely.

"Sorry, Mom. I was composing." He beamed as she sat next to me.

Edward was the piano player, song writer, composing bastard of the family. He got straight A's, president of like eight different clubs, and Mom and Dad's perfect little child.

"It's quite alright dear. It was Emmett's turn." Esme beamed. "Emmett, darling, how was school?"

"Well it was alright I guess. Coach Green is assigning me a math tutor tomorrow, this way I can get some great grades." I said with a smile towards my father, hoping they'd leave it at that. Edward scoffed quietly.

"Math has always been your enemy, Emmett." I'm sure in his twisted mind, that was a joke, but I was actually struggling with.

"Sorry I'm not as skilled with it as you are, Edward." I said as civilly as I could manage. He sighs and looks at our father.

"I keep telling him that colleges won't only see a football head and that they will be looking for grades, but does he listen? Nope." Carlisle, thank goodness, swapped Edward's fingers with a spoon.

"Edward. Do not speak about your brother that way." The rest of dinner was spent with small talk before Edward asked to excuse himself.

"Oh Emmett. I forgot to ask. How was stage crew?" She asked a couple minutes after Edward left.

I smiled at Alice then looked to my mother. "It was actually not horrendous." The thought of Bella curled up crying on the stage fluttered into my mind but I figured it wasn't their business to know.

"Oh shut it. You had fun." Alice teased, laughing with Jasper. Rosalie smiled at me sweetly.

"Okay, yes. It was actually a lot of fun." Esme and Carlisle seemed pleased that was the case.

Alice laughed. "Oh you should've seen him Jazz! Bella had him so whipped it was hilarious." Jasper laughed at my misery and my parents stifled laughter. I can't believe I didn't know we all knew her.

With a smile on my face, I leaned back in my chair and listen as Alice recounted a story about Bella from our childhood.

Lunch A the Following Day.

"So then Embry and Quil actually threw me off the cliff, scaring the fuck out of some tourists passing through. They actually called the cops." We were all in stitches at the end of Jacob's story. Jacob was a funny fucking kid.

I gazed around the cafeteria, spotting Edward discussing something with his class of geeks and musicians.

I played guitar, that was it. I continued to gaze until I saw my little pixie dancing towards us to whisper something into Jasper's ear. He smiled and nodded to everything she said. She giggled and waved at me before jogging away. I watched her curiously as she plopped at the table in the far back corner where she, Seth, Bella, and Angela were sitting.

"Oh man. What was that about?" Paul asked wickedly. Jasper rolled his eyes.

"She was telling me of a dream she had where you were gay and singing Lady Gaga. Figure she'd share it with me first." All of us busted out laughing and Paul growled. I nonchalantly grabbed my tray and carried it up before deciding on taking the 'long' way back to the table, which passed Bella's table. As I approached I noticed she was sitting as close as possible to Seth, her head resting against his chest as she picked at the one tray in front of them.

"Sup guys." I said calmly as I approached. They all looked up at me with wide, surprised eyes, except for Bella.

"What are you doing here, Caveman?" She asked as she curled more into Seth. His arm was wrapped around her and he was rubbing his hand up and down her arm, as though to keep her warm.

"Just saying Hello." I said, raising my hands in defense. I wonder how much gossip would start if I sat down.

I mean, I would be by Alice…

Seth went to grab the tray but Bella stopped him. "It's okay Seth, I got it." She gave him that wide full smile and he froze letting her take it away. "You coming Angela? Alice?" Both of them stood and followed and I was left alone with Seth. I sat down.

"So you mean to tell me, holding each other like that, that you guys aren't a couple?" I teased causing him to smile.

"Yup. It's how it's always been though. We've grown up knowing everything about each other. I mean, things kinda changed now, being that she's all I ever think about. But even still, even when Jacob, Bella, and I were kids, she was always such a huggable person."

"Jacob and her were friends?" I asked, genuinely curious. He never mentioned her before. Seth let out a long whistle.

"Ohhhhh yeah. Growing up, they were attached at the fucking hip. Eventually, I became that way with her too, but boy did they hit it off. It was always us three amigos." He said distantly. I grunted casually to bring him back to the present.

"What happened?" I asked watching her as she and the girls talked by the snack line.

"I don't understand it really. He joined football in middle school, which really didn't get in the way of anything, but then they got into this huge fight our freshman year. Seriously, Bella was hysterical that day. And so was Jake. I never learned what the fight was about and they didn't talk for months." I saw him shudder. "But Bella was always at the house, or we were always hanging out so now they speak and are pretty close, just no where near where they used to be."

I couldn't believe Jake had never brought this up. I was seriously, fucking blind.

"Wow. That's heavy." I sighed lamely. Seth nodded, mesmerized behind me. When I turned, Bella was walking this way. She was wearing a blue and black striped dress with black knee highs and those red converse she loved.

She somehow made this look good.

"Hello boys." She said as she plopped back to Seth and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Hey beautiful." Seth said casually as Alice and Angela sat down.

The bell rang again, and I didn't see Bella throughout the hallways until school ended.

2:25

Once the final bell rang, I jogged down the stairs and to Senior hall where it was a massive cluster of chaos and fought my way through it. I wasn't in a rush today. Jasper was taking Alice and Rosalie had a ride home already. Once I got everything out of my locker, went to the bathroom, and came out—the entire hallway was eerily quiet again. I wasted time talking to teachers and the guidance counselor about my future. As I walked down the hallway I heard some loud bang from inside the doors which I know knew to be the side doors to back stage.

I crept open the door and listened until I heard something again.

"Bella?" I called out, not wanting to interrupt her if she was in another moment. But I decided I wouldn't leave her like that, ever again.

There was a shuffle but I called out her name again.

"Uh. Yeah?" She called back. I walked in to the right, passed the cue desk and main board, then walked onto stage where she was pulling that hunk of metal lift.

I dropped my stuff and jogged to the opposite end and gave it a gentle shove so it rolled the way she wanted it to go.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked once she pulled it to a halt.

"I could say the same to you." I countered. She stared at me for a long couple seconds. The front row of lights above the first section of the stage were lit, while the audience was pitch black.

"I missed my bus." She admitted, her shoulder slumping. "So I'll just wait for my father to get off of work." I wanted to hit myself in the eye again.

Bella Swan is to Charlie Swan who is to Chief of Police Swan.

"No worries about that Bells." Her eyes twinkled when I said that name. "I'll take you." I offered. She instantly shook her head.

"No way Caveman." She said adamantly.

"Why not?" I challenged.

"It's seriously okay, Caveman." She said softly after she couldn't come up with a real excuse. I walked in front of her and she leaned against the lift. I took a step towards her and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Please let me take you." I asked gently. Her head tilted to the side and one of her knee high legs hitched up onto the lift.

"No." She said simply causing me to sigh. I took another step closer to her and felt the electricity start to flow between us.

"Bells." I sighed. She didn't respond so I took another step closer. Before long, I was towering over her and she was looking up at me with those large doe eyes.

I let my hands pin her between me on either side of her body to trap her there. "Bella." I whispered causing a delicate shudder to ripple down her arms.

"Emmett." She whispered back and this time, I froze. I loved the way my name sounded from her lips. "It's okay. I've done this before." I didn't like that answer.

"Bells, please? I would feel better if I knew you weren't here all night."

"And why do you care?" She shot at me and that made me think for a second.

Why did I care?

I lowered my head so our noses were inches apart. "Please?" I asked. She let out a shaky breath and I resisted to urge to let my eyes fall shut from the feeling of her warm sweet breath.

There was a long minute of her staring into my eyes before her shoulders slumped again.

"Alright, alright." She said in defeat. I smiled at her and let my lips trail up to her forehead where I left a second kiss.

"Thank you." I breathed onto her forehead before pushing away and picking up my stuff from the side of the stage. I heard her following me and lifted my hands to the white border lights which were the only ones on. I pulled them down so we were submerged in darkness and felt her small hand grab mine, pulling me towards the door.

Once we were out of back stage we started walking the rest through senior hallway when Coach Burke rounded the corner.

"Hey coach." I said casually as Bella walked next to me, content in silence.

"McCarty! I was looking for you after lunch." I shrugged as we came to a stop in front of each other.

"Oh well."

"You're annoying as hell." He said rolling his eyes.

"Well at least I'm not a math teacher." I shot back causing him to laugh. The team always ragged on him for being a math teacher.

"Yeah yeah. Oh, hello Bella." He said once he noticed Bella.

"Hiya Mr. Burke." She said softly with a smile.

"Since you are here, I figure I tell you who your tutor is McCarty." He said casually as he reached into his brief case to pull out a list. He skimmed over it a moment before chuckling. "Well what do you know." He looked at Bella.

"What?" She groaned. "You didn't put me with Roger, did you?" I guess Bella was going to be tutoring people.

"Nope." Then he showed her the list and she groaned again.

"Uh. What's going on?" I asked. Coach laughed at me and showed me the list.

Emmett McCarty-Isabella Bella Swan.

I laughed loudly. "Oh the irony."

"Well I need to get going. Bella? I expect a math genius." He teased to which she rolled her eyes.

"Oh you'll get one." And then he walked off leaving us both standing stunned for a couple seconds.

"Guess there's no escaping me, Bells." I said as we began walking again. She laughed.

"Guess not."

We walked out to my car, which was one of the only ones left in the parking lot. She groaned and I looked at her.

"So that obnoxious jeep belongs to you? Why am I not surprised?" She mumbled.

"Hey. Don't hate." I said pushing her shoulder. She giggled and I walked her to the passenger side door, opening it for her. She stared up at it for a long minute before practically trying to jump up to it. I rolled my eyes and bent down to scoop her up.

"Put me down!" She kicked. I lifted her and placed her on the seat. I shut the door.

I laughed and shut the door before jogging around to the other side. I pulled myself up and buckled in before looking at Bella who was fighting with the straps. I chuckled and leaned over to buckle her up.

My hands brushed over her stomach as I found the basic strap and I tried to hide my cocky smirk when she shuddered. I pulled out of the lot and Bella calmly directed me towards her house.

We pulled up to a decent sized house and she fought with the straps before they popped off and she slowly got herself down. I got out and walked with her to the door.

"Thanks for taking me home, Emmett." She said with a sincere smile. She fiddled with her keys for a moment before finding the house one and opening the door.

"Don't mention it. It was my pleasure." I said honestly. She opened the door. "Uh. Bells?" I asked. She turned to me and I swallowed my pride. "I have a math test on Friday. I could really use your help as soon as possible." Her head leaned against the door and she looked like a model. One hand was in front of the door, her feet crossed behind her.

She was cute.

Her chocolate eyes melted. "Of course. Do you…want to start today?" She asked, almost awkwardly. I felt relief flood through me.

"Could we?"

She smiled and opened the door wider for me. I stepped inside and she shut the door. I was instantly hit was a soft vanilla scent as I looked around the cozy living room, with a large flat screen TV.

"Come on, we'll work in the kitchen. I followed her through the living room, passing stairs that went upstairs until we walked into a small but stocked kitchen with a small round wooden table.

"Uh, your book is in the jeep." I said, turning to go get it.

"No worries. You only need one book." She said calmly, letting her book fall on the table with a loud bang. "Want something to drink?" she asked as she walked to the fully stocked fridge.

"Um. A coke should be fine." I said awkwardly. She grabbed two and set them on the table. I looked around the kitchen where there were several pictures on the wall of Bella and the Chief. She was really young in some of them and I couldn't help but wonder aloud.

"Have you always lived with your dad?" I asked.

"Nope." She said instantly as she rummaged through the cabinets.

"Did you used to live with your mom?" I asked again.

"Yeah." Her voice seemed different. I waited and she sighed, turning to lean against the counter.

"I lived with her until I was like 4, then I moved up here. I spend every summer up there. My freshman year I stayed most of the year and cyberschooled until I decided I loved it here and moved back." Her entire story sounded so rehearsed.

"Huh. Moving a lot I guess." She nodded sadly.

"I'm just glad to be here. I love Seth and Alice too much to be so far away from them."

"You always been friends with them?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"Oh yeah." She said with a large smile. We talked about that for a good twenty minutes before I tried to press conversation.

"Did you and your mom not get along? Is that why you liked it here?" I asked before taking a large swig of Coke.

"We got along fine." I noticed the emphasis.

"She have a boyfriend?"

"Boyfriends." She clarified. I nodded.

"Jerks, huh?" She stared at her can for a long time before swallowing and grabbing pencils from a drawer.

"So your test is on what exactly?" She asked while opening the book. I sat back in my chair as I told her and looked at her face as she skimmed over the chapter.

I tried not to notice the tears fighting in her eyes.

It was then I made a little promise to myself. I would get Bella to tell me about herself. I would get to know Bella for the real girl she was, not the face she wore in public. I wanted to know why she sat on that stage and cried alone, but acted happy in front of her friends. I wanted to help Bella.

And I would.

TaDa! (: Ummm it wasn't fabulous or anything but we're getting there. I thought I was going to change POV but apparently not. Next Chapter will have some of the inner works of Bella's mind. But I don't want to give out what happens (;

Ummmmmmmmm. I like the sexual tension they got going on so far, don't you. And I want Seth and her that close for a reason. Maybe you'll find out what happened between Jacob and Bella?

Review and tell me what you thought. Whether you hated it, liked it. Yadayadayadayada. Review what you think happened with Jacob and Bella, what happened in Bella's past, and what role do you think Rosalie is going to play in this story.

~Pepper