what a woman! i.

quarante neuf

The rest of the day ran smoothly and soon enough, the day was done. The final bell rang and everyone was rushing through the halls, Tatum tugged Bella along as the two exited through the side doors. 

"Where are we going?" Bella asks, catching up to Tatum's fast pace. 

"To the Cullens. You're getting introduced!" 

"WHat?!" 

Tatum ignores Bella's disagreements and pulls her along gently. She sees the family leaning against their vehicles/ motorcycles, talking amongst themselves. Jasper looks at her, up and down, before smirking and nudging Edward. The two look over at the girls as they hurry over and try not to get hit by a car. 

"Hi, guys!" Tatum says happily, earning an ecstatic wave from Alice and Emmett. "This is Bella Swan, she's the newest new girl here."

"Howdy, ma'am," Jasper says, tipping an imaginary hat at her. Tatum chuckles as Bella's face is filled with wonder and shock. Bella leans over to Tatum and reaches up to say something quietly in her ear.

"I thought you were just kidding," Bella whispers to her. She shakes her head and pulls the two of them closer to the group. Edward backs away and heads to sit in the car. Bella notices this and becomes silent again.

"Well, Bella, I'm Alice," the 'fairy princess' says before quietly gasping. "You smell really good!"

"Uhm, thanks?" Bella says uncomfortably. Tatum gives Alice a small warning look and she takes that as her cue to make Bella leave. The newer girl feels herself getting tugged along. Bella hints to where she had parked her truck and Tatum quickly hurried them over there.

"So, after the tour, how do you feel about school here?" Tatum asks, watching Bella put her unused backpack into the rusty truck.

"Pretty good, I know where my classes are and everything, so, yeah."

"Okay, well, I better get going. Jasper's driving me home and he's impatient," Tatum says, adjusting her backpack. "Bye, Bella!"

Tatum scrambles over to the pale-ass family and almost slips but gets caught by Jasper. He smirks before lifting her up onto her feet. Edward shakes his head in shame and Alice smirks. Emmett waits for it, knowing it'd be the perfect thing. 

"Looks like you've fallen for me," Groans echo from Edward, Rosalie, and Tatum. Jasper pulls her towards him and wraps his arms around her. "Now, you're trapped. No escaping my loving arms, darlin'!"

The group erupts into giggles, laughs, chuckles, and a single sigh of defeat. Tatum shakes her head enough to move the hair out of her face, Jasper swiping away the bits she didn't get, before sticking out her tongue at him. Jasper smiles at her before softly kissing the tip of her nose.

"Stop!" Tatum squeals. Jasper smirks widely and kisses her nose again.

"Make me."

"Alright, I'm going to say it. I may seem innocent, but I am about to lose my fucking mind from all this sexual tension," Alice says, throwing her hands in the air and walking into the car sassily. 

●○●

January 26th

Tatum had seen Bella around a few times, unfortunately, she had been taken in by Jessica, Lauren, and Mike. Hopefully, Angela and Eric will keep Bella from trouble in that group. Walking into lunch was odd. Bella was sitting with that group and Tatum was hanging out with the Cullens. Walking together might've been a bad idea. Jessica thought she was being quiet, but in reality, everyone could hear her. 

"Those are the Cullens."

"I know who they are-"

"I'm guessing that Tatum told you. Don't believe her, she's not-so-secretly sleeping with them."

"No, she's no-"

"Doctor and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They all moved down here from Alaska two years ago," Jessica says, ignoring Bella's attempts of defending Tatum. 

"They kind of keep to themselves-" Angela gets interrupted by Jessica again.

"Yeah, because they're all like together. The blonde girl, Rosalie, and the big dark-haired guy, Emmett. They're like...a thing. I don't think that's even legal," Jessica says disgustingly. 

"Jess, they aren't actually related."

"Yeah, but they live together! And the little dark-haired girl, Alice, she's really weird." 

Bella looks at the family entering. Rosalie and Emmett had sat down and Alice was right behind them, talking to both of them. Bella looks at the door, seeing Jasper walking in after Tatum. Bella notices that the smile that had been on Jasper's face the previous day, was now long gone. She wondered why considering Tatum was smiling right next to him. The dirty-blonde girl whispers something into Jasper's ear making him look down at her nervously. 

"That's Tatum Fernsby. Not a Cullen but is attached to their hip. She transferred her from France or something. She's not very social beside the Cullens and this one dude name Keith. They had a huge fight and everything," Jessica says, glaring at Tatum. She looks towards Jasper and her eyes soften and stare at him dreamily. "Sadly, she's with Jasper, the other blonde that looks like he's in pain."

Bella watches closely as Tatum seems to try and keep Jasper distracted. It appears to be working. Jessica sighs day-dreamingly, Angela hits her elbow against the table, making Jessica jump. 

"Dr. Cullen's like this foster dad slash matchmaker."

"Maybe he'll adopt me," Angela says humorously. Bella laughs softly, she liked Angela so much more than Jessica. Someone else walking in catches Bella's eye. 

"Who's that?"