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Chapter 1:

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Biology was only interesting the first six times around. I wasn’t sure if I could endure another year of it, another year of stifling high school.

There wasn’t much change this year from last, except for the new arrival of course. Police chief Swan’s daughter had moved to Forks. Bella, not Isabella (as she had already corrected everyone that introduced themselves) Swan was the newest distraction.

My first sight of her in person was at lunch, although by that point I had already endured the extreme displeasure of seeing and hearing about her in the minds of every male in the student population. Human boys were so predictable, so crude in their fantasies.

I had glanced over to her from across the lunchroom. I’d caught her looking at me. At first, I assumed she was attracted to the “single Cullen.” It wasn’t that I was full of myself, it was just that my features, my look…it enticed humans. Most of the females at the school, students and staff, had made their attraction vividly clear…by both thoughts and words.

At first I assumed she was sure to be just like the rest of them, but quickly realized there was one big difference.

I couldn’t hear her thoughts.

At all.

It was unnerving and wildly frustrating. I was so used to having that advantage. I wanted to know why, but probably would never get the chance…

My thoughts were cut short as the bell rang.

Sighing softly, I came back to present moment. Mr. Banner was walking in, behind him was Bella Swan. Ah, maybe I would get the chance to get in her head at some point this year, even if I had to stoop to verbal communication. Just the thought made me feel so…regular.

handed him her papers and as she did so, her body shifted and moved under the vent in the ceiling. The warm air rushed over her form and right into me. I inhaled sharply as her scent engulfed me.

I felt as though I’d slammed back into my chair by a force so solid, so devastating, I would’ve fallen if I’d been standing.

In that second, my carefully formed façade broke away from me. My entire being, my thoughts and mindset, shifted from feeling so "regular" to unrecognizable.