Chapter One: Meet Bella Swan
I was a daydream, Quiet and unseen
I lived in stories but inside I kept a mystery.
I was a starling. Nobody's darling.
Flying in perfect circles just for company.
And now I'm ready, and now I'm ready.
And now I'm ready to be extraordinary
Bella POV
For as long as I can remember, it's just been my mom, Renee, and I. My dad, Charlie, died when I was a little kid so I barely even remember him. The most important thing that I do remember is that he really loved Mom and me. Every picture and video is a statement to just how much he adored us. His love for us was unconditional, even when Mom set the kitchen on fire every time she attempted to cook or I decided his police cruiser needed a makeover with my finger paints.
My most vivid memory of Charlie is my fifth birthday party. He and Mom had gone all out to give me my dream party. Of course, only being five, my dream included a unicorn and fairies. Unfortunately, Charlie couldn't get me, my unicorn but he throw a huge party where my dad crowned me princess and made my friends fairies for the day-wings and all, which sufficed for my five year old self. It's my last memory of being really happy with my daddy.
As Police Chief of Forks, Charlie often worked long hours. Just months later after my fifth birthday, he was called to a house party and was hit by an intoxicated teenager on his way home. I don't think Mom ever really got over his death. It might explain why she is the way she is. In other words, it may explain why she is so bat shit crazy.
Life was never the same for us after dad passed away. It took us a while, but after the initial shock of his death wore off, I can remember having a relatively happy childhood. This was largely due to my Aunt Esme and her family and their love and support. Esme is my mother's younger half sister. She had her daughter and my best friend, Alice, who is my age, when she was only sixteen. Esme and Uncle Carlisle knew they were in love from the very beginning, and never once believed it was puppy love. They were even excited when they found out that Esme was expecting. Unfortunately, their parents didn't see it that way. For the latter part of her teenage years, Renee was all that Esme had and thus, they raised Alice and I like sisters, while Carlisle attended college in Seattle. Helping people had been his passion for many years so it was a natural decision for him to study medicine. Most significant others would have demanded that their spouse stay with them no matter what, especially with an small child but eternally unselfish Esme saw that Carlisle's career would be worth it in the long run. Although the initial sacrifice had been great, Esme didn't think it was right to take away her husband's passion.
When Ali and I were around five years old, Esme was a first year teacher at the Forks Elementary Kindergarten Department. This was the perfect job for Esme because she was extremely young and kind-hearted. All the children loved her and worked their way in to her heart.
One little girl in particular tugged on Esme's hearts strings more than the others. She fell in love with a tough little blonde girl in our class, who Alice and I were fast friends with. Her name was Rosalie Hale. At the time, Alice and I were way too young to understand much that was happening with our new best friend. All we knew was that her daddy wasn't a nice man and her mommy didn't care. Esme, found bruises up and down Rosalie's little body and a few cigarette burns one day, when paint spilt down the front of her dress and Esme helped her change in to some spare clothes. Within a few weeks, Esme and Carlisle began fostering young Rosalie and she was our new "sister".
Throughout middle and high school, Ali, Rose, and I were a threesome. You could say that we were like the "Three Musketeers" in a way but we haven't called ourselves that since elementary school. Rarely were we seen without each other. While we fit together perfectly, we couldn't be more different. Somehow, we've managed to stick together through thick and thin.
"Bella, time to wake up!" How does Alice have this much energy in the morning? My alarm hasn't even gone off. Alice is and always has been bubbly and hyper twenty-four-seven. And my God, the girl is loud. With the set of lungs on Alice, you'd think she was eight feet tall and bullet-proof. Instead, she is five foot one and barely one hundred pounds. Typical Alice.
"Alice! For the love of carbs would you please get out of my room. Even better…Get out of my apartment! Come back a reasonable hour! Some of us are not blessed as morning people. Now go or we'll get to see if those wretched Manolo's play well in traffic!" I buried my head under the pillow and prayed for more sleep. Then, my warm, soft covers were ripped from my bed. Only one person could get a way with that, "Rosalie, what do you think are you doing!" My sisters were going to be the death of me, especially Rose.
Alice and I know a different Rose than everyone else sees. Rosalie was born into a loveless household where she had to fend for herself and sometimes she forgets that she doesn't have to fight for affection anymore. That gave her a tough exterior. She's stubborn, headstrong, and very protective of the people she cares about. Worst of all she was blunt, hence the ripping of my blankets to wake me up. Rose wasn't one to play games.
"Bella, Alice and I are almost ready. You need to wake and at least attempt to do something with that hair, and please for once, put on some mascara!" And with a smack on the ass, I was up.
"Fine, I'm up! And because of that smack, no mascara!" I quickly ran to the bathroom and started the shower before I could hear their complaints. Like mascara would help when I was always surrounded by those two.
Rosalie is in many ways the polar opposite of Alice. They both are incredibly beautiful but with Rose's modelesque stature and blonde hair, she is an eye catcher for a completely different reason than Alice. Where Alice is more Vogue, Rose is more of the Victoria's Secret, sensual beautiful. She's had a hard life although you'd never know to look at her. Alice, however, is the odd type of beautiful that takes you by surprise. With her short pixie cut and petite stature, in theory, she doesn't seem to be the epitome of lovely but she is striking in her own unique way.
I've always felt like the ugly duckling growing up beside of my two beautiful, best friends. I suppose I am not traditionally ugly. I just find myself exceptionally dull, much like Forks, our hometown. I felt like I really blended in there. Whereas Rose and Alice had their stunning beauty, I blended into the trees and the moss. Perfectly ordinary stuck in between the extraordinary.
After finishing my shower, I wiped the bathroom mirror off with my towel. Looking in to the mirror confirmed my thoughts. I have average brown hair, average brown eyes, average height, average weight, average Bella.
"Hurry, Bella! We are waiting. I even made you coffee and put it in a to go mug." Alice shouted through the bathroom door.
"Ok, I'm coming. I just need to throw on some clean clothes."
I looked at the mirror one last time. Somehow, this feels like it's becoming my personal sob story but I promise you; I'm not the self-pitying type. Even though feeling mediocre compared to the people who surround me has become a way of life for me; I really can't say that I am unhappy with my life.
Sure, my love life pretty much sucks. I haven't been on a decent date in years. I figure what's the point of setting myself up for disaster, so I avoid dating at all cost. According to my mother, I am a natural born dating disaster and can't pick a boyfriend for myself. I guess I sort of see where she's coming from. The past few men I've dated haven't been America's Most Wanted-esque or anything. There were even a couple who I wouldn't be surprised if they were batting for the other team.
Renee really shouldn't be one to talk though. She has had her own winners since Dad died but the truth is, she is trying to live her life through me. When she and Esme were virtually alone through Carlisle's medical schooling and residencies, she seemed content enough but the older I get, the more restless and relentless she seems to get. Even though I am clearly an adult and out of her care, Renee still insists that she knows best and can find the perfect mate for me. I, of course, avoid her dates at all costs just to piss her off. I'm not sure why Rene won't let me live my life, the way I want to live it. Is it crazy to think that I may know what's best for me?
I know who I am. I am: Isabella Marie, daughter of Charlie and Renee Swan, niece of Carlisle and Esme Cullen , and best friend of Alice Cullen and Rosalie Hale. Twenty five, plain, and perpetually alone. And surprisingly okay with that for now. At least, I think I am. Right now, the only thing I am positive about is the here and now. As for the present, I am being drug out of my cozy apartment by my best friends for our ritual Saturday morning breakfast, with mascara of course, into another day of my un-extraordinary life.