Chapter 1
Birthday girl
The thirteenth of September was here. It was the first day of college after a long summer. I wasn't the type of girl to be looking forward to it. I was the odd ball of my class. I wasn't ashamed of my long flaming red hair, or the fact my skin was like milk pasty and pale. My eyes a sapphire blue. I was tall and lanky, and not at all the skinny figures like the other girls'. Just a very awkward girl, and I was fully aware of the fact I wasn't the girl guys drooled over.
The alarm rings again. I groaned and rolled over hitting my alarm clock with my hand sharply.
"Mel you don't want to be late!"
My mum's voice snapped me out of my sleep, and I rolled over again pushing the covers off myself.
"I'm getting up."
I got out my bed quickly, and found my clothes going to my bathroom. I lived with my mother and little brother.
My father died when I was too little to remember him, and it never really bothered me because I had my mother with me.
After getting dried and dressed for the day and I looked at outfit I had put on. It was a pair of black skinny jeans and a band t-shirt. My hair dried and today it wouldn't tame so it was slightly wavy as it flowed down to the base of my spine.
Living in London the weather had become cloudy and the day seemed to get less and less sunny, and my mood with it.
Getting to the kitchen there was a loud bang, and shouts.
"Surprise!"
My mother Jackie and my little brother Michael jumped up from under the table. I then stared to them both.
My mother with blonde hair that was cropped short, I shared her eyes, and she smiled brightly.
Michael who was only two years younger than me, and his hair brown and curly along with his green eyes. Jackie would say often that he was a mini version of our father.
My eyes widened, then, I was blinking a few times, before getting my hearing back.
"Ok I'm going to walk out, and come back." I pointed to the door. Jackie grabbed my arm leading me to the table that was plastered with breakfast and presents.
"But first we can celebrate your birthday dear." Her voice was clearly ignoring my tone.
"Mum I thought I told you. I don't care about my birthday." My eyes shot to Michael's.
"It's not everyday my little girl turns seventeen." She spoke excitedly like she always did.
"Mum, I'm only seventeen, and next year I'll be eighteen."
My voice wasn't normally this cold, but I wasn't in the mood for my birthday.
"Melissa Jayne Carter, you're growing up so fast." She squeaked holding her hand to her mouth.
"Oh come on mum not now."
Michael watched us, and I poked my tongue out at him.
"In two months she'll make a fuss over you turning fifteen."
He raised an eyebrow at me, and then laughed.
"Lest, I'm grateful." He said, while taking several pancakes and placing them on his plate. I sighed, and took the present Jackie handed to me.
"Thank you, mum" I kissed her cheek and opened it slowly. It was a medium size box. I looked to see she got me the camcorder I wanted.
Smiling bright for once I pulled her into a hug.
"Mum you shouldn't of!" my shock taking over me, as I opened the box. I took a good look at my new recording equipment.
"Sweetie, you want to be a film maker, so you will need something to make them with." She kissed my cheek softly, and my mood was gone.
"Don't expect me to have gotten you something better." Michael spoke quickly through a full mouth.
"Oh, I didn't build hope up." I took his present, and opened it quickly.
I laughed.
"An invisible friend, thank you Mike." My voice was dull.
He laughed loudly, and took more food to his plate as I did the same.
Leaving the house, I put on my jacket debating whether to take an umbrella or not. The sky was cloudy, but not rain type of clouds. I decided my umbrella was staying on the coat stand.
I run for the bus just catching it just in time. I had to catch my breath while I searched for an empty seat. Fate, it seemed, didn't want to make my birthday a special one.
I took out my music player putting the earphones in my ears. The song blasted out the dead thoughts bringing them back to life.
The bus slowly became crowded. My mind was now slipping back into a daydream of anything but my college.
I was studying English and creative writing. I only did the film making for fun, but my main passion in life was to be a writer, but when I thought about it, I never really had much to write about.
My mind filled with ideas but nothing to lead them to a creative start. The group of girls behind me were making comments about my hair. My music was still blaring to block everything else out.
When I arrived I proceeded straight to the reception office. Like always, I had forgotten my timetable and I was on my way to pick up a new one.
"Mel, I don't know how you can get about without this." Gina smiled, trying to grab my attention, but I was focused on the boy standing at the desk. He was breathtakingly beautiful. He was about the same height as me, and he resembled a male model. His bronze hair ruffled and seemed like a perfect mess. He faced away from me so I couldn't see his face, but my head began to whirl into random thoughts. For one his skin made mine not look that bad.
"Mel, this is Edward Cullen. His exchanged all the way from America." She noticed my looking and slowly passed me my timetable.
"Edward, this is Melissa Carter, she can show you around the campus." Her voice was bright, but Edward stilled looked as miserable as I was.
"I don't think that is necessary." He spoke clear and polite voice, but there was an edge to his sentence. It seemed as though he didn't care.
"Plus I have to go to the library to give a book back." I spoke quickly, I didn't like the look in Gina's eyes.
"Well you can show Edward the way."
Edward turned at faced me. He was meant to be looking at me, but instead it felt like he was looking straight through me making me nervous
"Look, she isn't going to give." I then nudged my head to the doors. "Plus after we're out of here, you can go where ever you please."
His eyes were dark; a burning gold colour almost. I resisted the urge to touch his perfect features.
"I'll come with you." He spoke quickly, still watching me closely.
I nodded, feeling of his gaze. It felt like he was working inside my head, inside my mind.
Walking out the reception office I looked at my timetable to see I didn't have my first lecture for an hour.
"You don't have to come with me." I said simply, starting my quick pace to the library. Not many people could keep up with me, yet he kept pace with mine.
"So what you do for fun?" His question caught me off guard. I looked at him instead of watching where I was going and nearly missed the step.
"Reading, writing, film making. Nothing big." I answered his question keeping focus on the stairs I was walking up slowly.
"What brings you all the way to England?" I turned to face him now getting to the door of the library. I stopped, watching him closely. Some reason his eyes just seem hollow. Empty in grief?
"I'd rather not talk about it." Edward spoke softly, making his voice sound like a song. I nodded, recognising the look of either death or a really bad break up. I knew the feeling.
I didn't really want to think about Damien, but that didn't' stop my recent ex-boyfriend creeping into my thoughts.
"He's not worth it." Edward's voice snapped me out of my reverie. It felt weird having him say that. Did I say something out loud?
"I have to give this book back." I said slowly, opening the door. I glanced at Edward before I entered, he stayed where he was, like a statue.
"Well I shall leave you. Goodbye for now, Mel." He turned, walking back the way we came. I took a deep breath, my hand still on the door handle. Edward Cullen was not like most of the boys around here. I could feel that this wasn't going to be the last time I spoke to him.