Chapter Two

Surprise

I took my seat in English, at the back, much like any other school day. I was always early for classes, so I sat absent minded staring out the window and tapping my pen on the desk. I heard the faint sound of chairs scraping as other people sat down but didn't acknowledge it. It wasn't till I felt a presence near me and the chair beside me move that I stiffened up. I knew who it was without looking. I could feel the gorgeous green eyes piercing through me. I could sense the cocky grin.

If the guy wasn't such a jackass I may have even had a slight interest in him. I thought.

I felt a pain going through my right shin as his foot made contact. "Oops," was all he said.

Nope, he may be nice looking, but he was, is, and probably always will be .. a jackass.

The rest of the class went by the same way, with a kick here, or an elbow there. I was getting used to it. By the time lunch came I was spent. I didn't even have enough money to afford something as little as an apple. So i sat, as I always sat, alone. I stared at the cracks in the ceiling. I stared anywhere and everywhere, not making eye-contact with anyone.

Just an ordinary day. Just get through today. Things will get better.

As I made my way to my next class I couldn't help but wonder if things would ever get better. If I was just destined to be miserable for the rest of my life. I pushed they thoughts aside, thinking like that wasn't healthy. I sat down at the back, same as always. I had a strange feeling in my stomach but I tried to shake it off. I was in a home economics class, so it was probably just because I could smell food and hadn't had anything to eat since that morning. Edward came and sat beside me as usual. He couldn't cook, so I had to do both of our work. As much as he meant it to annoy me, and to be something of 'power' over me, secretly I enjoyed it. I loved cooking. Charlie couldn't cook either, and over the years it was something I perfected. If dinner wasn't cooked right, or on time, it was something else for Charlie to take out on me. So i learned. I knew there was a project coming up and I looked forward to practicing my dishes, whatever they may be. The only worry I had was how Charlie would feel to having the same three course meal every night till I was ready to present it.

"As you know class, I have been coming up with a little project for you all to do," Mrs White started, "I would like to try something a little different so I've decided that you will do this project in pairs. I have already partnered you all up, so don't think that you will be working with your friends. Over the next three weeks I would like you to come up with a complex, shall we say, menu. When I say complex I mean something a little out of the ordinary, something you may find in a fancy restaurant. I would like you to prepare a three course meal, and both of you will cook this in class. Yes, both of you, separately. So, both parties will actively participate, I will have one half of the pairs cook on one day and the other half a different day. Any questions?"

"Do we have to work in pairs?" I asked instantly. As soon as the words left my lips I felt a dig to my ribs.

"Yes Isabella you will have to work in pairs, you will spend time at one an others house after school practicing for the exam, in exactly three weeks today one of each pair will prepare and cook the courses you have chosen, the next day the other half of each pair will do the same. Now that's sorted I will read out the pairs."

I switched off then. Charlie wouldn't go for this, having people in our house didn't happen. I could see his reaction now. I knew that I would somehow be to blame.

"Isabella Swan and Edward cullen."

I blinked twice. Edward? Edward and I were partners. With the way my luck was I could hardly be surprised. I was about to speak up. To object in someway, but I couldn't speak up without admiting everything. Even though things are bad, they're bareable. If i admitted to everything that went on, I'd suffer worse, I was sure of it. That's why I bit my lip, I took a deep breath and began to rack my brains of a way, any way, to get out of it. I had to.