"I'd never given much thought to how I would die. But dying in the place of someone I loved seemed like a good way to go."

Bella is soon called downstairs to meet Billy Black and his son Jacob, who are longtime family friends. Turns out, Bella and Jacob used to make mud pies together when they were little. They have brought some beer for Charlie and a present for Bella as well: a beat up old red pickup truck. It's rusty and creaky, and the clutch has to be double-pumped while shifting, but for Bella it's love at first sight. She seems disappointed that Jacob won't be going to school with her; it would have been nice to know one person.

She putters off to school the next day in her new truck, loudly backfiring in the crowded parking lot. As if she didn't have enough to draw attention to herself, being a new student in the middle of the semester in a tiny town. The entire student body seems to be aware of her arrival, as she soon discovers when an eager welcome wagon by name of Eric Yorkie greets her and tells her she is front page news. Literally. The fasination continues as people react to her presence with an overwhelming enthusiasm that she's sure she doesn't deserve or want. It's like first grade and Bella's the shiny new toy, muses Jessica Stanley, not without an ounce of jealousy.

Making mundane small talk with her new classmates at lunch, Bella's attention is suddenly drawn to a group of kids entering the cafeteria. They are all inhumanly beautiful and seem to be set apart from the rest of the crowd. Who are they? Bella wonders. Jessica is all too eager to dish the dirt. They're the Cullens, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster children, and they're all, like, together. The big, brawny one is Emmett and he's with Rosalie, the blonde. A little black-haired girl named Alice dances after them, holding hands with Jasper, who looks like he's in pain. Lingering behind them is another boy who walks by himself. It's Edward Cullen, and he's gorgeous, obviously, but none of the girls of Forks are good enough for him. Edward smirks as if hearing Jessica's conspirational whispering. Don't waste your time, she tells Bella, who quickly demurs that she wasn't planning on it, but can't help discreetly eyeing the family, particularly Edward, who she is surprised to see is staring right back at her with an unfathomable expression on his face. Maybe Forks won't be so bad after all.

Bella is surprised to see Edward in her Biology class after school, and gives him a hopeful smile, but he does not seem as pleased to see her. He glares at her and clings to the furthest side of his desk away from her throughout the whole class, and is gone in a flash as soon as the bell rings. She is further confused and upset when she runs into him in the office after school, where he is apparently desperately trying to switch out of their Bilogy class. Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done for him. "I guess I'll just have to endure it," he seethes, brushing by Bella and storming out. She is left speechless in his wake, and visibly becomes upset herself.

Having dinner at the local diner with Charlie, Bella is introduced to some of Charlie's Forks buddies, including a local fisherman named Waylon. He used to play Santa Clause, but Bella hasn't had a Christmas in Forks since she was 4. Carlie and Bella still dance awkwardly around each other, having little to say. She is much more comfortable talking to her mom Renee later that night, until she begins asking about her new school. Bella is still upset about the way Edward reacted to her and doesn't want to talk about it. She plans to confront him and demand to know what his problem is the next day, politely staying away from her new classmates, choosing instead to read a book and brood over Edward Cullen. The only problem? He never showed up to school. Nor the next day. Nor the day after that. His siblings look at her strangely, as if she has something to do with his sudden disappearance.

Several days pass with no sign of Edward. Meanwhile, Charlie tells Bella some disturbing news. A security guard in Mason County was killed by some kind of animal, so he'll be out late. An animal? Clearly she's not in Phoenix anymore. She doesn't have much time to dwell on this new development, because as she walks into Biology, Edward Cullen is in his seat next to her empty one. What's even more shocking, he politely introduces himself and begins to make small talk. "You're asking me about the weather?" She almost can't believe her ears. His questions continue, and he begins to probe deeper. Why didn't she stay with her mom, didn't she like Phil? Why would she give up her happiness so someone else could be happy? He apologizes for being intrusive. It's just that he finds her very hard to read. However, when she turns the tables on him - "how come your eyes change color?" - he immediately backtracks and leaves her abruptly. She is once again left speechless and more confused than ever.

She is still musing over Edward Cullen's strange behavior after school, walking to her truck at the end of the parking lot. She turns towards the Cullen cars across the lot and isn't too surprised to find Edward once again staring right back at her. He seems to be concentrating too, just as she is. They look at each other wordlessly. Suddenly, Tyler's van screeches onto the scene, spinning wildly out of control and headed right towards Bella, inevitably about to crush her between two heavy pieces of metal. Out of nowhere, someone grabs her, pulls her to the ground and reaches out, stopping the oncoming van with one single hand. It's Edward, and Bella looks incredulously at the shape of his hand left as a huge dent in the side of Tyler's van. He doesn't say a word as he lets her go and walks quickly away. She is still dazed, unable to believe what she has just seen, as her classmates swarm around her to see if she's ok. Further away, the Cullens look on with varying degrees of shock and anger on their faces.

At the hospital, Charlie is relieved beyond belief that she's alright, and more than a little angry and Tyler, who is still atempting to apologize. Dr. Carlisle Cullen breezes in to examine Bella, and she takes the opportunity to hint at the fact that Edward saved her, almost inexplicably. Dr. Cullen dodges her probing, only telling her she's very lucky.