I'd finally given up on the whole contacts thing, opting instead to just wear sunglasses that weren't too tinted. This way I could still see clearly but others wouldn't see my natural eyes.

The following Monday I was able to drive my bike to school again, which worked out great considering Edward picked up Bella, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. Rosalie drove the others in her car while I followed behind in my bike. We knew where he'd gone but we still proceeded to give disapproving looks when he walked by with his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm breaking all the rules now anyway, since I'm going to hell," he said directing his statement to us.

It was like that for a few weeks. Edward and Bella were attached at the hip, I wasn't necessarily angry. I was more nervous, especially when he told me he was gonna bring her over to officially meet the rest of the family.

"What have you told her so far?" I asked.

"The truth....minus the fact that you're not a vampire. She just assumed you're one of us," he shrugged.

I sighed, "I guess it's better she think I'm one of you. Guess that means I can't phase while she's around."

He nodded, "Yeah...I haven't been able to explain your eyes, so you should probably come up with a cover story for that."

"Easy," I chuckled, "I have super self-control so my eyes reflect how little blood I have to drink," I cringed, "Ew I can't even imagine drinking blood, gross." The rest of my siblings laughed when they heard my statement, "It's not funny it's nasty!"

Emmett came up to me, "Say what you want but Brother Bear tastes amazing!"

"EMMETT!"

When the day finally came Esme insisted on making Italian food for Bella. I helped with the food while Rosalie held the salad bowl for me, I could tell she was really agitated.

"Is she even Italian?" She snapped.

"Her name is Bella," Emmett responded in a "duh" tone as if it was obvious.

Carlisle smiled as he chopped up some mushrooms, "I'm sure she'll love it no matter what.

I heard the car in front of the house, "Rose can you reign it in for just a few minutes?"

She scoffed, "I don't think the dog with anger management issues should be telling me to watch my attitude," I sighed, I knew she was just angry cause of how dangerous letting an outsider in on the secret was. We got on great even though she still hates the way I smell, "Get a whiff of that," she said before muttering, "Here comes the human."

I could tell by the looks on their faces that she smelled good to them too. Once again I was just glad I wasn't one of them. Bella and Edward came in and I could tell she was nervous. Esme approached her cautiously but happily.

"Bella, we're making Italiano for you!" She chirped proudly.

Edward introduced her, "Bella this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes," as he spoke Emmett waved at her with the cleaver in his hand, I slowly grabbed his hand and put it back on the cutting board.

"You've given us another excuse to use the kitchen! Cate has such a big appetite but sometimes doesn't want us babying her," Carlisle informed wrapping his arm around me and Esme.

"I hope you're hungry," Esme smiled.

Bella nodded, "Absolutely-"

"She already ate," Edward corrected.

Wrong move, Rosalie shattered the bowl in her hand shooting daggers at the both of them, "Perfect!" She snapped.

Bella started stuttering, "It's just b-because I know you guys don't eat."

"It's very considerate of you," Esme assured her.

I shrugged taking a bite out of the chicken that was almost done cooking, "More for me, I guess," I whispered.

I saw Bella hide a little bit behind Edward when her eyes landed on me, I looked at him confused wondering what she was afraid of.

Edward took her attention off of me, "Ignore Rosalie's negativity, we all do."

Rose was pissed, "Sure, let's just keep pretending like this isn't dangerous for all of us! And with Cate only here for a few months!" She screeched while I flinched.

"I would never tell anybody anything," Bella assured while Esme came and hugged me protectively.

"She knows that," Carlisle nodded.

Bella looked at me, seeing the frown on my face, "So you're...the youngest, Cate?" She asked.

I remembered I was a vampire to her, and nodded. "I've been this way for about a year, the youngest member of the family, I lived in Alaska until I came here in July. But you don't have to worry Bella, I've got a whole lot more self control than the rest of the family," I couldn't help but giggle.

Carlisle caught on quickly, "Yes Cate I dare say has more self control than me."

Emmett butted in, "See but the problem is you two," he waved his hand in front of Bella and Edward, "you've gone public now so-"

"Emmett!" Esme hissed.

Rosalie scowled, "No, she should know. The entire family will be implicated if this ends badly."

"Badly...as in....I would become the meal," Bella said quietly but we all laughed, it was pretty funny. Specially to me.

Alice came in, always one for grand entrances, she walked in from a tree branch with Jasper right behind her, "Hi Bella! I'm Alice!" She smiled and hugged her as if they were best friends, "Oh!" She realized as she pulled away, "You do smell good."

Edward looked at her shocked, "Alice? What are you-"

"It's okay. Bella and I are going to be great friends," Of course she already knew that.

I could see the painful look on Jasper's face and went to go stand by him, my scent was revolting to them so hopefully it would overpower Bella's scent from him.

Carlisle saw what I was trying to do, "Sorry, Jasper is our newest vegetarian. It's a little difficult for him."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he greeted but the look in his eye showed he was struggling.

"It's alright Jasper, you won't hurt her," Alice assured.

"You might want to get her out of the room dude, just in case."

Edward nodded at my thought, "I'm gonna give Bella a tour of the rest of the house," he told us as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked to the stairwell.

"I think that went well," Carlisle noted when they'd left the room.

I walked over to the food and started shoving the pasta into my mouth, "Well it could've been a lot worse!" I pointed with my fork as I dug in, "So good," I moaned as I continued eating getting some laughs from the others.

Esme laughed before pointing to the broken bowl, "Clean this up. Now," she ordered Rosalie, her voice was stern and she started to clean as soon as she'd finished speaking while Esme got me a drink.

I gave her a smile and a thanks as I used it to wash down all the food I was shoveling down my gullet at a remarkable pace, "You'd think she was a dude the way she was eating!" Emmett gawked as I continued. I threw a breadstick at him playfully, he caught it and took a bite before spitting it out, "I don't know how you do it Catie-Cat."

"You seem to forget I'm not actually a vampire. Food is good," I whispered just incase Bella was close by.

"They're in Edward's room, you're fine," Alice told me, I zeroed in on their voices and saw she was right.

Just as quick as they were in his room I could tell they were outside, "He's showing off," I laughed. Then saw Jasper calm down a bit and snorted, "She was more scared thinking I was a new-born than of you. Relax I'm clearly the most terrifying one in the family."

Emmett cracked his knuckles, "Please," he snorted.

I held a finger up at him, "Don't start with me I pinned you like a rag doll a month ago."

"Yeah as a dog! I can take you in human form," He bet.

I nodded, "Duh, cause I'm strong in human form but not too much stronger!"

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

~

That Friday, after school Bella went to eat with her dad, but she texted me when she got home.

I sent her a quick "Sure" and grabbed my keys.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked when he saw me heading toward the garage.

I laughed, "Your girlfriend's house."

"Why?"

"How should I know? She said she wanted to talk to me. I'll text you when I leave so you can go stalk her some more," I bid as I hopped on my bike and peeled outta there.

When I got to Bella's I saw her dad's police cruiser in the front. I parked the bike and knocked at the front door. A second later Charlie opened the door, he was surprised to see me there.

"You're Cullen's daughter," he recognized.

I laughed, "One of them yes, it's nice to see you again Chief Swan."

He smiled, he seemed a bit more at ease, "You can call me Charlie."

"Yes sir. Is Bella here?" I asked looking past his shoulder.

"Up here Cate!" I heard Bella call from upstairs.

Charlie let me in, "There's food in the fridge if you're hungry," he told me.

I smiled and thanked him, I took off my jacket and saw his eyes dart immediately to my tribal tattoo, I smiled, "It's a tribal tattoo. My birth-family in Alaska all had the same one."

"Aren't you a little young to have one?" He asked.

I shook my head, "I'll be eighteen in June Charlie, everyone in my tribe would get theirs at sixteen," I informed him before going up to meet Bella.

She too saw the tattoo, she closed the door so Charlie wouldn't come in, "When did you get that?"

"I got it when I was sixteen," I explained and told her the same thing I'd told Charlie.

"So you got it before you turned?"

I paused then nodded, "I...turned when I was sixteen," technically not a lie. I turned sixteen in June, my mom died shortly after. Then a month after I turned seventeen was when the vampire attack happened that killed the rest of my tribe.

"So where were you before you met the Cullens?"

I looked at her slightly confused, "Why are you so curious with my backstory?"

"Edward told me your family died, and that's why you came to live with them."

I sighed, "Yeah, that's what happened. I was out and something bad happened while I was gone. I came back and everyone was dead. My whole tribe was gone. It was....traumatic seeing the people I knew all my life gone," I took a breath before looking back up, "But I was friends with a small coven in Alaska, they told me to stay with Carlisle. Being here with them, it's like everything's okay again."

Bella listened to me intently, absorbing everything I told her like a sponge, "And what about your eyes? Why are they a different color?"

I sighed, "Honestly, I have no clue. When I first....turned. My father said it was because I was pure, so my bright eyes would reflect that. I like to think that's the reason," I liked that I could tell her mostly the truth, I didn't want her to know everything. But telling partial truths were better than whole lies.

"And Carlisle said your self control is good...?" Her voice faltered. She was nervous asking that question.

I laughed again, it was hilarious, "Bella. I have never tasted human blood. Nor do I want to. Lemme tell you; human blood is about as unappealing to me as it would be for you to drink expired milk," My explanation seemed to calm her, "When you're around me you won't even tell a difference between me and another human. Just one main thing," she looked up alarmed, "Don't get me mad and we'll be fine!" I smiled. I checked my watch and saw Edward would want to come by soon, "I better get going, but we'll talk more soon!"

She smiled, "Yeah," she walked me to the door.

"Bye Cate!" Charlie called from the sofa.

I giggled, "Bye Charlie!"

When the door closed behind me I heard Charlie say, "I like her!" I giggled as I texted Edward I had left. I saw him zoom by me as I zipped down the street on my bike. I shook my head.

Dude really couldn't wait five minutes.