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"One day, Bella, you're going to have a hell of a lot to pay for that sick habit."

"What?" I hungrily grab for some bacon and nibble. "I just woke up."

Jasper rolls his eyes. He stares at my chest, though, and scoffs.

I love annoying him, so I snap my bra strap obnoxiously loud.

He scoffs again.

"Love you too, brother," I hum.

"Your brother's right, sweetie. You have to stop walking around the house in your lingerie. You're turning seventeen in a week."

"Two weeks," I correct my dad. I shrug. "Plus it's a habit."

My dad, Charlie, kisses the top of my head on his way to the coffeemaker, and I smile fondly at his back.

Charlie's dressed to a tee today, not that he ever isn't.

"You look really hot today, daddy."

"Thanks, sweetie." He chuckles and zips past me.

"How long will you be gone this time?" I reach for Jasper's grapes. He scowls, and I stick my tongue out.

"Thirty days, about."

Thirty days? "You're going to miss my birthday?"

"Sorry, Bella. Gotta bring the bacon home."

"We have bacon." Sighing, I dangle it in between my fingers.

Charlie laughs. "You know what I mean."

I do, but I don't. He's already on Forbes list of world billionaires. What more does he want?

"So what does my little girl want for her birthday? Anything you want, sweetie."

I'm not in the mood to steal Jasper's food anymore.

"I don't know," I mumble. "A new car?"

Charlie gives me a handsome smile. "Done."

I smile back, but it's half the size of his.

When he gets in the car, I shout through the kitchen window and tell him to drive safely. It's a long drive to New York.

"Get some sleep while you're working, okay? Don't overdo it!"

"Wall Street never sleeps, Bella."

I smirk and wave goodbye.

As the car disappears I sigh, and Jasper hears me.

"Where's mom?" I ask softly. "School already?"

"Yep. Beginning choir rehearsal and shit."

"Oh."

"Mm."

Our house – way too big for two teenagers – is horribly quiet.

Jasper's eyes meet mine for a second before flickering away.

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Jasper literally crawls out my car as soon as I park.

He's dry-heaving and everything, barely standing up all right.

I'm offended.

"How did you get your damn permit?" he gasps.

"By passing the exams. Like everyone else." I smile sweetly.

Jasper is still gasping, clutching his chest. "My life could have ended two minutes ago."

"Oh, man up."

I say that but I'm waiting for him to throw up any second now; his face does look pretty green.

"Let's go," I say anyway. "I don't want to be late for Bio."

"Your obsession for Mr. Hyde is crazy scary."

I look to the side in surprise.

Edward Cullen, my brother's best friend since birth, stands behind me with an amused expression on his face.

"It's not an obsession," I tell him. "It's a crush."

"Yeah, a creepy one at that." Before I can say anything, Ed looks away and raises a perfect eyebrow at my brother. Damn. "And you look just peachy this fine morning."

"Speak for yourself." Jasper shakes his head, groaning. "You have bags under your eyes."

Ed lazily glances down at me, giving me a look. He's stressed out.

I shrug.

I guess the stress has everything to do with his dad, the Democrat Virginian senator running for reelection this year. The Election Day is only two months away, and I can only imagine the stress. I actually feel a little bad for him.

I scan his profile, and yeah, seeing him this close, I notice he really does have bags. He's still pretty fucking good-looking though, and I've always loved the silver ear stud on his left ear. He pulls it off wonderfully.

But my respect and sympathy for him disappear as soon as the first bell rings and he smacks my ass.

I gasp and glare. Thank God Jasper didn't see that. "What was that for?"

He smirks and searches my eyes. "You're just too cute staring at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like that."

I don't get it, but he does. He laughs quietly and shakes his head before heading back off.

"You're the creep," I yell.

He waves a hand over his shoulder.

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Mr. Hyde, or Pete as I get the privilege of calling him, is the kind of teacher everyone adores, boys and girls alike.

Everyone knows he's a great teacher who knows what he's talking about. He cracks jokes that high school teenagers actually laugh to, and he makes Biology as painless as possible.

Maybe it's the age factor, not to mention his amazing credentials. During the two years he's been in this school, he's had almost every single female student in his class crush on him.

Most of all, he might be quite something to look at. "Too young," the other teachers say behind his back; he's incredibly young for a prestigious private school teacher.

Students go to him for advice, not the school counselors.

I'm one of those students. Pete knows everything about me.

Everything.

Every secret.

Just everything.

"How are you this morning, Bella?" he asks me, checking my name off his clipboard.

He raises his eyebrows from the front end of the classroom, and all the girls turn to stare at me. They don't like that he only asks me that question during roll call.

"I'm doing well," I say brightly.

He looks back down, his brown hair flopping over his forehead, but I can still see his mouth: smirking.

"Good," he says before calling out the next name on the list.

My God, at this rate, my heart is going to punch itself out my ribs.

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"I'm going to talk dirty now, but please don't tell your parents I did, okay?"

Girls sit up taller and exchange demure looks.

I, on the other hand, try not to look too interested. Inside, I'm totally interested.

Pete steps away from the smartboard, on which is the diagram of the female body.

"So there are colonies and colonies of bacteria in a woman's vagina, where it's really warm and wet – stop laughing, boys – maybe slightly acidic, but that's beside the point." He shushes the snickering boys again. "Believe it or not, that's perfectly normal. So you ladies, when you take the wrong pills, you're getting rid of all that bacteria, and that's not always a good thing, is it?"

All girls, both virgins and sluts, avidly shake their heads side to side. Some are squirming and squeezing their thighs.

"And why is it bad, Bella?"

And I'm kind of the teacher's pet. "Because you're getting rid of the good bacteria too."

"Exactly." His million dollar smile. "Okay, so that's it for the dirty talking…"

The class teases and complains, but Pete adamantly moves on to the next topic. Not without a good, solid smile, though.

Pete makes jokes like that. I love him.

Then something else comes up, and I'm totally lost until he opens his mouth again.

"And girls have more holes – anatomically –" Pete gives everyone a friendly smile, "you did know that, right, boys?"

The boys frown, eyes going up as if they are counting them in their heads.

I nudge my tablemate, Angela, on the rib, and when I have her attention I stealthily point at all my "holes," from face to vagina.

She giggles, and I do too.

And Pete looks at me. He looks amused and about to laugh.

I never blush but am pretty darn close now, because I seriously hope he didn't see me counting my holes.

Oh, who cares. God, he has the cutest dimples.

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"Yes, Lauren?" Now the diagram of the human heart flashes on the screen. Pete sighs. "Is this question actually relevant to what we just went over?"

"Of course!" she promises, biting her lip.

Nobody's convinced. She is well known for asking him the most random – if not, inappropriate – questions. I love it, because she asks the things I – or the other girls – would never be brave enough to ask.

His love life, for instance.

"I'm just really curious about something…"

"Of course you are." Pete hides a smile and crosses his arms. "Go ahead."

Lauren pokes Jessica's side, and they chortle to themselves.

And it's Jessica who speaks up. "Okay, so Lauren wants to know why your heart starts beating really fast when you see someone you like."

The boys make ugly faces, but the girls are giggling and agreeing on something in whispers.

I sit up a little taller, just because.

"That's actually a really good question. How should I explain this?" He waits for the class to quiet down. "I'd say it's the hormones being activated. You can say it's a sort of a mechanism that warns the brain, as your heart pumps out the blood. For example, the body's telling the brain, 'Wake up! Your crush is nearby! Concentrate! Anticipate!' Does that make sense? It's literally a self-alert sort of thing."

I don't miss how Pete's eyes linger on me for a second longer than usual as he answers the question, and suddenly my heart's telling my brain to wake up all over again.

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Going by the volume of the applause directed at Edward, I can tell he's going to get it. Tyler Crowley has nothing on him. Edward Cullen is the son of a darn senator, for crying out loud.

The Student Council sponsor takes over the floor, microphone in hand, when she addresses him.

"So, Edward, you're running for school President…"

People cheer so loudly that my ears hurt.

I smirk when Edward smirks – that smug bastard.

"I think it's safe to assume that your participation in certain extracurriculars, including Model UN and Debate, is influenced by your father. So here's a fun question. Indulge us: will we ever get to see you running as the President of this nation?" the commentator finishes.

Everyone goes wild.

But I don't blame them.

Ed's pretty cool.

He can't throw a ball to save his life, but that's okay, because he has other merits.

He's got the best singing voice; he's the student director of our school's show choir. He was already the student body president last year, and now also the editor of the school paper and the Secretary General of our school's Model UN program.

It's funny because you'd think that's just about it for him – the smarts – but he's always voted best dressed for his impeccable style. Rumor has it that he's aiming for Princeton or Yale after high school. He's already kind of destined to major in something in politics – no surprise there.

Edward is one of those guys – really smart, fucking hot, and as cool as a cucumber. That guy is born to be a politician.

His family and my family are well-acquainted. My dad mostly mingles in the New York financial district, but he and Senator Cullen get along pretty well. It's no surprise that Jasper and Edward are best friends as well.

Sometimes, there are moments when I wonder if I find Edward as attractive as my friends do.

Jessica whispers in my ear, "Okay, does he have the sexiest grey eyes or what? I'd tap that. For real."

"I don't know. He's like a brother to me," I say, and it's true.

Edward suddenly winks in my direction, and although I'm in the mix of sea of people, I know it's for me.

I wink back.

But whether or not he's a brother figure to me, I like flirting with him.

I get the feeling that he likes flirting with me too.

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"Mom's going to be home late," I yell just as I pull on some shorts and hop down the stairs. "Faculty meeting and some shit –"

I stop dead on my tracks as I see Edward on the couches. He's just flipped on the television.

"You…" I trail off awkwardly, "are uninvited. How did you get in? Where's Jasper?"

"He's with Benji. They'll be here in a few."

I frown. "Bros over hoes?"

He laughs through his nose. "What?"

"Ditching your girlfriend?" I clarify.

"Who? Maggie?" He buzzes his lips. "Not my girlfriend anymore. We're so done."

"Right." I say that because Ed and Maggie are that couple – the one that breaks up during lunch and makes up by the end of the day.

"Whatever you say, Bella," he teases, all cooing and flirty.

I hear the front door crack open, followed by more voices.

The next thing I see is my brother, hissing and cussing, as he frantically locks himself in the restroom.

"What's up with him?" I laugh.

Benji, the one who completes the Three Musketeers, hangs his head in shame. "Long story." Then he nods. "Cute shirt."

I flip around and flash the words "Get Off My Dick" on my back. "Talking about this?"

"Yes, that."

"Thanks." I snort. "I wear it when my parents aren't around."

"I suppose."

Benji's now very conspicuously checking me out, and I'm getting a tad uncomfortable.

Just because he's stuck his dick in me once doesn't mean I'm going to give him the opportunity again.

I give him a look, communicating a silent, "If you try to undress me with your eyes again, I'm going to tell Jasper that you fucked his little sister two months ago."

We hear the distant flush of the toilet, and Benji gets it, I think.

Good.

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"Hey, Bella! We're heading out for dinner! Do you want to come?"

I rise from my bed and pop my head out the door. "What? I missed it."

It's Jasper. "We're heading out for dinner. Do you want to come? Or do you want a take-out?"

"Where are you going?"

"We're grabbing some club sandwiches."

"I'll just stay. Get me whatever – anything but the veggie one."

"Sure thing."

I'm about to close the bedroom door when Edward's voice floats upstairs: "Don't open the doors to strangers."

I roll my eyes. "I think the strangers will make it into the house just fine regardless. Yes, I'm talking to you, Edward!"

"Okay, okay, I love you more," he teases.

"Aaaand that's enough," Jasper grumbles.

Just before they leave, I hear my brother say, "Damn it, Edward, do you have to talk to her like that in front of me?"

I wonder about that too sometimes.

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"You're still here?" I say confusedly when I see Edward by the bottom of the stairs. It's been ten minutes since they spoke to me.

He's reaching for his backpack when he looks up. He stares.

From the second floor, I look down at him. "You left your stuff?"

He shrugs, nonchalant, and heaves his bag over him.

I also shrug and walk off.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you check Jasper's room and see if my phone's there?"

I rush down the other hallway, and speak again only after I've circled the room.

"I don't see it," I trail off. "Wait, found it!"

As I find my way back to the staircase, I yell, "Hey, by the way, can you tell Jasper that I changed my mind? I want meatballs in my sandwich."

"Sure."

"Thanks." I bend over the rail and drop the phone. "Here, catch."

But Edward can't catch. Thing is, he doesn't even bother to try, and lets his iPhone flop onto the floor beside him.

It's good that he's filthy rich, because the entire floor is made of marble.

The phone makes a resounding crack as it hits, and I raise an eyebrow. It'll be a miracle if the screen is intact.

"You know, Edward, you have everything but hand-eye coordination." I secretly look him up and down. I really do like his pierced ear, combat boots, and the snug leather jacket. "If you were semi-athletic, I would date you."

He smirks, checking his damaged phone. "Your brother wouldn't allow it."

"Really," I say slowly.

"Oh, yeah."

I shrug, half convinced.

"Bella."

"What's up?"

"I would say the same thing about you too. If only you had decent clothes."

I scowl. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

His eyes widen for a second before crinkling into a cute eye-smile. He's laughing to himself now.

"Okay, fine, at least you're pretty."

I grin wider. "You think I'm pretty?"

His eyes are so intense that they're stabbing at me.

No doubt he's going to make one hell of a politician.

"Yeah, a pretty girl with a questionable sense of style."

I stick my tongue out.

He reaches for the front door. "You look great in pink."

Pink?

Oh, no.

"Thanks…" I trail off. I try to casually cover up. "It's a habit. Sorry."

"Don't be. I won't tell Jasper if you don't."

I fight the urge to smile. "Won't tell what? The fact that you caught his baby sister in just her underwear, or the fact that you were very obviously flirting with her?"

"Both." His face breaks into a hot boy grin. "By the way, that same baby sister was flirting back, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the peep show."

And the door shuts.

I want to beat my head against the wall.

I suddenly wish I'd chosen cuter underwear, just because.

And Jasper's a fucking good fortuneteller.

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A/N: So as you can see, I'm laying out the groundwork. Meet Bella, Edward, Jasper, Pete, and Benjamin! By the way, if any of you are AWA readers, I want to let you know that the next chapter update is going to be delayed… This week wasn't a good week for me – pretty horrible, actually – and I really can't find the energy in me to write anything. This first chapter of Butterfly was written some time ago, so I decided to update this instead. Sorry and thank you. I will update soon; I promise.

So let me know what you think of the hot, geeky senator's son!

Sarah