Hello all, this is just a little side project I have from my first story "The Thorns of my Memories." I hope you enjoy it. I know this chapter is short, I'll be writing longer chapters after this. Keep in mind that Bella will be slightly out of character (OOC). She will be OOC because first off I am writing her story. I am not S. Meyer and our writing styles are different which will have an effect on the story. Also, Bella has had different life experiences which shape the way she thinks, feels and reacts.

One more little FYI: Lines in itallics are Bella's inner monologue.

Chapter One:

Not so subtle differences

There was a very distinct difference from my window seat on the plane as Arizona was forced into my past and the thought of cold, wet Washington as my new home became a reality. The lack of the sun, noticeable from the plane even though I'm sure we were supposed to be above the clouds, was depressing to say the least. All disturbing climate differences aside, I was optimistic about my new life that was awaiting me in Forks, Washington.

Of course going to a new school smack dab in the middle of my junior year was going to be a struggle, I never really cared for any extra attention. Other than the attention and the climate, everything would be better than Arizona. Charlie, my dad and former Chief of Police for Forks was injured last year by some kind of animal attack. Or at least that's what he told everyone, but I knew better than that, even if I didn't let on to it. I remember flying in to visit him in the hospital, I was a nervous wreck but Charlie was happy as could be, never even hinting at the pain his gruesome injuries showed that he had to be in. Charlie was able to retire from the police force with full retirement pay and a week after he was released from the hospital he opened up a candy store and bakery, Chief's Sweets.

Anyone who knew Charlie would never guess that this would be something that he wanted to do; it even surprised me a little. He didn't bake or actually make the candy, Charlie couldn't make a proper PB&J but he did all of the book keeping, ordering supplies and such. Any free time he had from the mundane side of the shop he spent talking to customers. I don't know where he got the idea for a sweet shop or how long he wanted to do it but when he asked if I wanted to come live with him and work at the shop I couldn't pack my things fast enough. Home in Phoenix with my mother, Renee, wasn't the most pleasant of living circumstances. Renee had what you could only refer to as an 'alternative lifestyle'. Or at least that's the politically correct way of calling someone an acid-addicted, irresponsible, lunatic hippie. I resented that statement, my mom was much more of a pot head than an acid-addict. Nevertheless I'm sure you get the point.

Yes somewhere in the great state of Washington there was a sheer genius of a judge that granted a childlike mother custody of me instead of a straight-laced police officer father. Fortunately for me after Charlie asked if I wanted to come live with him the D.E.A rushed into our house with a warrant for my mother's equally drugged up boyfriend, Phil, and found the jungle of pot plants that had transformed our garage into a scene straight from Jumanji. My mom of course said she knew nothing about it which would have meant that she was both blind and had no sense of smell. If anyone besides frat boys lived on either side of us Phil would have been arrested a long time ago, the smell was that strong. Mom got off but Charlie and I pounced at the opportunity for him to get custody.

So now here I am, about to begin a new and hopefully better chapter of my life with my dad and his candy shop. The plane glided to a halt and I a cold rush of air hit me like a ton of bricks as soon as I stepped into the airport. For Christ's sake we are indoors. How can it already be this cold?

I zipped up my jacket that barely made a dent in the cold, it was hard to find suitable cold-weather gear in the AZ, and made my way through the airport. I only managed to walk a couple yards before I heard Charlie's rough voice.

"Bells, over here." He was trying to inconspicuously wave at me. That was one of many things I had in common with Charlie, we both loathed any extra attention. Time spent between us consisted of few words and a lot of comfortable silence. How he was ever with Renee, who talked a thousand words a minute like an auctioneer, I would never be able to figure out.

"Hey Charlie," I said while we high-fived. Charlie and I never felt the need to hug, another thing that made him, and by default me, unlike Renee.

"It's good to have you home Bells. How was the flight?"

I sighed. "It was good until I got off of the plane, it's freezing here. I almost ran back on bored to breathe in the warm Arizona air for just a little while longer."

He chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Don't worry we have heating at home and in the shop."

"Good or I'd be staying in a hotel."

The drive to Forks, home, was interesting and slightly depressing. Ninety-nine percent of my view from the passenger window consisted of trees and clouds. The other one percent of it was made up of infrequent speckles of civilization.

"Wow I forgot how out in the boondocks Forks is," I said with a sigh. Charlie smiled.

"Well they've added another gas station and restaurant since you were here last, not to mention my store."

"Great, I can't wait to see them," I laced my words with as much sarcasm as I could. I could list twelve gas stations within a few miles of Renee's house in Phoenix and Forks now had three. The only thing keeping me from jumping out of this car and flying back to someplace where I would actually be able to turn on those crappy solar-powered calculators my school in Phoenix, was Charlie.

"Hey pops, you ever think about mov-"

"Not a chance, Bells. Forks is home, I love it here," he replied before I even had a chance to finish.

"Damn," I grumbled, he laughed.

Somewhere on the way home the almost dark sky, that wasn't anywhere near what my definition of "daytime" was, turned into complete black night time. Images flashed through my brain in a painful montage of memories. Night and I were not friends, I knew about things that lurked in the dark and running into one again was not something I wanted to experience. My anxiety wasn't helped by the fact that it never seemed to be daytime here. For all I know those mysterious creatures would be able to walk around freely here. The very thought of that made me shudder violently.

Soon enough we passed through the small stream of the city of Forks and arrived at Charlie's house. I mean, my home. I quickly exited the car and ran up to the front steps until I was in the false safely of the light, almost tripping a couple times in the process, and grabbed the key from under the mat. Charlie was looking at me incredulously.

I held the key up dramatically."Really Dad, under the mat? I know this is a small town and you're a cop so anyone who tried to break in would be an idiot, but come on."

He simply shook his head while lifting my suitcases out of the trunk. "You're something else Bells. Don't worry the key won't be there anymore, that's yours."

"Sweet," was my reply. I made my way up to my room and unpacked, thankful that Charlie was once again unlike Renee. She wouldn't have been able to manage the small feat of not hovering above me, forcing me to smile and say that I'm completely happy when I'm anything but. Charlie knows I'm here because of him and only him, I've never been shy about making my disdain for Forks very vocal. If Charlie lived somewhere warm I probably would have planted drugs at Renee's to help him get custody sooner. Just kidding, I think.

I sauntered over to the window and pushed aside the yellowed lace curtains that Renee had placed here so long ago. I found that the inevitable was happening… it was raining. I tried to imagine what my new life in Forks had in store for me but I couldn't picture anything but me falling down into a huge puddle made by the seemingly never-ending rain and drowning, nice. I shook the thoughts of my future out of my head and let my mind recollect the events of the last year. A single tear fell from my right eye as I remembered Charlie in the hospital, the wonderful sun-filled life in Arizona with my alternative yet caring mother that I left behind and my now deceased best friend, Ian. I had lost my best friend, almost lost my Dad and left my mother behind. I felt like I was abandoning my puppy on the side of the highway because I couldn't take care of it anymore. I felt horrible about leaving Renee, even if it would be better for me.

I shook my head again. I don't want to go there, not now. Today had been hard enough. I took the hottest shower that my body could stand, in the bathroom that Charlie and I would be sharing. I let the water wash away my tension as well as my disturbing thoughts and worries. My mental fatigue was strong enough that it made me walk sluggishly to my bed before I plopped down on it and quickly succumbed to unconsciousness. Tomorrow was going to be my first day at Forks high and interesting wouldn't even begin to describe it.