Mother of a seventeen-year-old Isabell Swan remarries. Her second husband is a football player and travels a lot. As a consequence
of this Bella moves from the sunny Phenix coast to the rainy town of Forks, to be with her father. There her life
changes instantly and she becomes a center of attention for her peers.
Only Edward Cullen, sitting beside her at biologi classes, seems upset with her. He even tries to transfer to other group, but is unable to. Situation changes, when few days later Edward saves Bellas'' life during an accident at schools'' parking. At the time he shows superhuman strenght and speed, which he later tries to hide. After this incident Edward stops being hostile towards Bella.
During trip to the beach, Bella meets a friend from her childhood, Jacob. Jacob comes from an Indian family, living in a preserve. He tells her, that according to the local legends, Cullen''s (Edward, his assumed parents and for of his assumed siblings) are all
vampires. They are living in this lands thanks to denial of human blood and hunting for animals.
When Bella goes shopping to the neighbouring town, she is attacked by a group of men. She is saved by Edward. Girl and boy, both fall in love with each other. Edward explains to heroine about a life of a vampire. He can read peoples'' thoughts, but Bella is an exeption. Edward is strongly attracted to the girl and has to control his lust for blood with her, even more than with others.
Difficult yet happy relationship between Edward and Bella complicates, when other group of vampires comes to Forks. One of them, James, decides to hunt for Bella. The Cullens, whom sympathy she gained, decide to save her. Cunning James, drives Bella into a corner in which, to save her mother, she must willingly give herself away to the hunter. James bites the girl, but don''t manage to kill her, because he is defeated by the Cullens at the last moment. Edward, with enormoust amount of control, sucks out Jameses'' venom. Bella is taken to the hospital, from which she returnes to Forks.
Edward takes Bella to a prom. There the heroine reveals that she wants to become a vampire. Edwards'' denial ends the first volume.