(A/N: Just a quick note, this is my first story written on here and it will not follow canon, Thanks for reading! Anything relating to the twilight universe belongs to Stephanie Mayer)

Living in her Shadow – Chapter 1

I suppose it's easier said than done to pack up and leave your home, the place where you sought comfort from and where you grew up but I know it burdens my mother to have to stay home with Bella and me when she could be travelling with her new husband. So it was decided that we would leave the nest and embark on our next adventure and travel to the rainy town of Forks where our father lived. Don't get me wrong I loved my family but I'm not always comfortable with change, I suppose Bella can be a great source of comfort for me at times but I struggle to open up to people.

'Hurry up Lauren, we're going to miss our flight' I sighed and collected the last of my belongings. With one last look around my bedroom I closed the door for what felt like the last time. I hurried down the stairs and scrambled into the car pressing my face against the window as we drove away.

'Are you sure you're going to be ok, you don't have to go.' Renee cooed. Bella skilfully persuaded her that we would be fine as we closed in on the airport. We unloaded all our stuff, said our final goodbyes and left to find our flight. It was relatively quick going through security and before I knew it we were sitting on a plane watching Arizona disappear in the setting sun.

I woke a few hours later to Bella shaking me as we'd reached our destination, we left the plane and collected our stuff walking outside to meet Charlie. I sat in the back of the cruiser and she took the passenger side. They made small talk whilst I kept to myself although we did exchange pleasantries. It was but a short while later until we pulled up outside a modest sized house and got out the car. Charlie helped carry our stuff into the house and let us settle in ourselves and I went to my room to lie down. The stress of moving catching up to me. Pausing as I passed the mirror I looked at myself, ugly, fat and useless were the words I would use to describe the girl who looked back. Dry, curly purple hair piled carelessly in a messy bun upon my round face stared back at me combined with striking bluey grey eyes that reminded everyone of storm clouds. I stuck out for all the wrong reasons.

All my life I have always struggled with myself as a person. I am my own worst enemy constantly reminding myself that I will fail at life, my arms and legs littered with scars tragically telling a story to all who happen to glance at them that I have destroyed my body in bouts of depression and anxiety. But I would say I'm at a stage where I'm coping not necessarily well but I'm getting there. The truth is I hate that I feel like I'm a burden to everyone I'm near and that I live everyday hating myself a bit more but truth is I don't know how to stop. I'm not popular but I socially outcast myself preferring to sit alone in a welcomed silence. I ignored the calls to come down for dinner feigning sleep in hopes that they would leave me alone. I heard the door open and felt a presence linger over me and a scratch of stubble as I felt who I presumed was my dad placing a gentle kiss on my forehead before leaving in the manner he entered. I lay in the same position in my bed just thinking about everything.

Sleep didn't come easy to me these days so I just lay there basking in the nightly glow as animals skittered around and the rain cried softly onto the roof above me. The hours flew by and before I knew it, it was time to get ready for school. Bleh. It sucked going to school and having people stare at you like you were some sort of exciting specimen wasn't what I'd call fun, and now starting afresh I can only imagine how people would look at me. I quickly headed to the shower to calm my nerves and took my tablets for today. Although I am prescribed medication, I refuse to speak to somebody about my problems, I can't let myself open up to anyone because someone always lets you down or they judge you on what you say or have done. I learned the hard way the first time it happened and I was always treated differently by those around me. So I keep myself to myself. Dad had kindly brought Bella a car as a welcoming gift as I didn't drive for my own reasons; I preferred to walk. I noticed that Dad had left to go to work early but had left money on the side for both of us. I was dressed casually today in black tights, a long-sleeved cotton dress and a pair of matching slip on ballet shoes to complete my outfit. I grabbed my bag and left early before Bella had even come down the stairs. As I was walking down the road I lit up my cigarette taking slow drags to help me get through this morning. Taking in deep breaths I saw the school approaching and put it out with my foot.

I tried extremely hard to ignore the many stares and pointed looks I got but squirmed a bit under the scrutiny of the other students. I'm sure they were just curious but I was trying to convince the irrational side of me to agree. Oh well. I made my way to the office to get my documents for today, I was lucky not to bump into anyone along the way. The receptionist was kind enough giving me a map and all the slips I had to get filled in for the rest of the day. I exited the area quickly hoping to get to my first class early which was Trig. Nobody else was in the room yet and I internally fist pumped the air at my luck of not having people gawk at me. I was given the choice to sit anywhere in the class and I made my way to sit at the by the door in case I needed a quick escape route. I was shortly joined by Bella who took the seat next to me when she came in slightly later with a guy called Eric. Bella gave my hand a tight squeeze for comfort and I gave her one back.

For the rest of the morning leading up to lunch I sat through the rest of my lessons taking notes and trying to stay hidden from everyone who tried to make small talk. Eventually I would open up and speak but today would not be that day for many people. Bella met me after class and we made small talk as we walked to the canteen to grab lunch.

'How's everything been so far' she whispered and I shrugged leaning forward to grab a bottle of water and a small salad.

'Could be worse' I replied as I went to pay for what I grabbed. She had a salad, some chips and an apple. She led me to a table surrounded by others who waved her over. I recognised a few from the lessons I sat in. She introduced me to them all as I began to play with my salad. I listened to several conversations going on at once but one in particular caught my ear. I could see Bella nod her head over to an oncoming group who were making their way to the far table. I could hear people making their judgments about the group who I now know are the Cullen's. It got me angry to listen to Jessica saying things that she clearly knew nothing about, saying they were weird, or looked like they were in pain or judging their relationship. She had no right!

'How can you sit there and say things like that about people? Who made you in charge of deciding what people are really like, I bet my life on the fact that you've never had a decent conversation with these people and you dare to comment about them.' I angrily whispered and the silence was deafening. Everybody stopped and looked at me and I froze like a deer in headlights. I stuttered my apologies and abandoned my salad just taking my bag and water bottle. I ran down the empty corridors and headed straight towards the exit and out the front doors. My bag was slowing me down so I dumped them alongside the road and letting the flight mode take over my body. I headed towards the woods slowing my pace as the trees covered my retreating form. I leaned against the tree as my breath faltered and panic slowly increased in my shaking body. I could feel two sets of hands on me but through the blurring of my tears I couldn't see much. I could hear a soothing sound of a female voice whispering to me. She sounded reassuring like a mother would and I whimpered cuddling closer to her, still having no idea who it was. I could hear a deep rumbling growl that seemed to echo. Despite sounding very animalistic it made me feel protected. I slowly began to calm down and recognised the two people who had run after me. It was that girl Rosalie and her boyfriend Emmett. I opened my mouth to apologise but she held her finger up to me and shook her head.

I felt connected to both of them on a very personal level, they both felt safe despite only being a couple of years older than me. I myself am only freshly turned 16. Emmett held my bag open to me and I whispered a thank you to him. They both smiled warmly at me and I blushed.

'I'm so sorry you have to see me like this, my first day and I've acted like a complete nutcase people probably think I'm a right freak.' I sighed and I heard another growl. Shivering I leaned further into Rosalie and she softly purred again. I looked at her confused but she sadly smiled at me. Emmett ruffled the top of my head,

'We heard your speech about our family and I've got to say it was awesome squirt, nobody's ever stood up for us before' my face coloured again as I remembered what I had said.

'I'm so sorry, I had no idea I'd been so loud I just thought it wasn't right that she say stuff like that that isn't necessarily true'. They both give me a megawatt smile and helped me to stand on my feet. I was offered a lift back home by them both and I politely declined in favour of walking, they offered to come with me but I shook my head no. I gathered up my belongings, whispered a quick goodbye and made an abrupt exit to head home. I lit up a smoke on the way home and tried to go over all that had happened today and after the first day I'd made a massive fool out of myself. I grabbed a piece of toast on the way in and headed upstairs waiting for the incoming attack I knew that was coming my way from my older sister.

It was about an hour later when a knock sounded outside my door, I braced myself at the edge of the bed and whispered for the person to enter. Bella's head appeared in my line of vision and I found myself smothered in her embrace. She asked me over and over if I was ok and I nodded into her neck. She had told me that after I left Jessica was massively embarrassed and how the two Cullen's had followed me whilst the rest of them had gazed after our departure. She then went on to how she was captivated by the single Cullen, Edward. She described him to have windswept copper hair with a permanent scowl fixed upon his face and I shivered. She whispered to me

'Do I smell funny to you?' I shook my head giggling, she smelt like lavender, her favourite shampoo. We stayed together just sitting there and I drifted off with my head on her shoulder emotionally exhausted by the whole affair of what occurred today. As I fell asleep I dreamed, I saw colours and the forest, people were running far and fast. I smiled in my sleep as I slept peacefully for the first time in ages. Forks was now my home and I had a feeling something big was going to happen, I don't know when and I sure as hell don't know why but I could feel that a change was going to come…