Til The End Of Time

Chapter 1

Sometimes in life, when you know you are going to die, you take chances, and make reckless choices, I should know...

I walked into the small classroom, trying to blend in. I laid the paper I was carrying on the teacher's desk and tried to disappear against the wall while I waited for whatever introduction the teacher would inflict on me. To my great surprise and pleasure the teacher just pointed to an open desk and asked me to be seated.

I walked back towards the empty desk and was grateful the desk happened to be next to the only student who wasn't staring at me like I had 3 heads. I knew this was going to be hard, but as hard as it was, it wasn't nearly as bad as my last school had been, there students had stared at me for a completely different reason.

I sat down and took in the faces of the students around me. I tried to be as discreet as possible, but with all eyes on me, the students watched as I took them all in. This was going to take some getting used to, being the new girl.

After what felt like forever, the school day finally was over. I was exhausted and was ready to head back home to take a nap. I hated being so tired. I climbed into the car my mom had purchased for my 16th birthday and drove to my dad's house.

****

I had just moved in with my dad over the summer. He lived in the small town of Forks, Washington. My mom left my dad when I was an infant and moved to Jacksonville. I grew up in Jacksonville and spent one week during the summer with my father in Forks. I loved Forks. I enjoyed being alone, and Forks felt like one big comfortable blanket, it was just so peaceful. I didn't come often because my mom was overly protective and hated that my dad was a workaholic and left me to do things on my own. She was always so worried I'd get hurt or lost, of course, none of her protective behavior did me or her any good, I was still going to die. I had been diagnosed with a cerebellar astrocytoma, I had a cancerous brain tumor.

****

I walked into my dad's house and went to lay down in my room. My dad had given me the room on the first floor, fearful that as I got sicker, I'd be too weak to climb the stairs. He'd even taken some of his savings and built me my own bathroom. I laid in bed, letting my mind wander as I thought about my first day at Fork's High.

Most of the students had been nice. Thankfully here at Fork's none of the students were aware of my condition. That's why I had left Jacksonville. While my school there had been large, it is amazing how quickly a student body can learn the latest gossip. I had spent five months watching as everyone else around me changed. My friends, people I never met, people I didn't even like, started to treat me differently. They started to baby me, to look at me with pity in their eyes. It was awful. And I'd go home only to watch my mom have that same look. She constantly looked like she wanted to cry.

I had finally had enough. I was tired of being the "sick girl" and I needed to escape. I felt so awful for leaving my mom, but after I talked to my dad, and had him vow not to tell a soul in Fork's except for Dr. Cullen about my disease, I begged to come and stay with him. Dr. Cullen would be taking care of my medical needs, but otherwise, just me and my dad knew about my illness here in Forks. I needed it that way.

I woke up and realized it was still fairly early in the evening. I got up and went to my desk to check my email. Sure enough there were several messages from my mother. I wrote her a quick update on my first day and assured her I hadn't changed my mind and went out to the kitchen to find something to eat.

My dad was pretty well off. He had been a partner in a law firm in California when he and my mother had met. When they got married he moved to Forks and started a law firm in Port Angeles. Turns out my mom didn't like being alone in a small town, and after two short years of marriage, my mom and dad divorced. My dad enjoyed Forks and continued to live here after the divorce. My dad was seeing a woman named Grace who lived on the Quilette reservation and they had been pretty serious for about a year now, I met her last summer when I came to visit, but they hadn't taken the "big" step yet.

I found some frozen pizza in the freezer and shoved it in the oven. I didn't feel up to making anything special, so this would do. I wasn't much for eating so there would be plenty left in case dad came home from work hungry. I grabbed my iPod and went to grab my laundry and shove it in the washer. I was still daydreaming and didn't notice that someone had entered the house until I turned around and bumped into him...

He was gorgeous. He was tall, over 6 feet, and muscular, with fair skin and dark hair and eyes. I quickly pulled my headphones out.

"Um, how did you get in here?" I asked, trying not to stutter over my words.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. My name is Alex. Your dad called Grace and asked if she'd send someone up to check on you, so here I am." he smiled and I felt my breath catch.

"Oh. I'm fine. Aren't you kind of fair skinned to be from the tribe?" crap, there it was again, I suffer from foot in mouth syndrome. To my great relief he only laughed at my absurd question.

"Yeah, I suppose I am. My mother's not Quilette, just my dad. Anyhow, I suppose I'll head back down, unless you'd like some company?"

"I wouldn't want to bother you, I'm fine by myself, thank you." I turned around and headed back towards the kitchen and took the pizza out of the oven. I didn't even hear him leave. I grabbed a plate and want to throw a piece of pizza on it when I noticed him standing there staring at me.

"Are you hard of hearing?" I asked him.

"Nope."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Nope."

"Okay, how do I know you were sent up here to check on me and that you didn't just come in to steal stuff?" I walked over to the phone on the wall and picked it up. I didn't really believe this strange beautiful boy was here for those reasons, but honestly, I'd just rather be alone. I really didn't want to make friends with people, because what good would it do for those people to watch me die?

Alex leaned against the door frame and looked at me with an amused smile on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest and laughed a hearty laugh.

"Fine, whatever." I said defeated. I grabbed my pizza and sat at the table. "You might as well grab some food if you are gonna stay here."

Alex grabbed a slice of pizza and sat down next to me. I tried to ignore him while I ate. He stared at me and began to look a little perplexed.

"WHAT?" I asked him upset by his staring and general attitude.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bug you. I'm gonna head out and I'll be back tomorrow evening to check on you again."

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but I am fine, no one needs to check on me."

"Sure, sure." Alex stated, althougth I didn't believe for a second that he was agreeing with me.

I watched him leave and a part of me yearned to ask him to stay, but I knew it made no sense for me to try to make friends with him, it would only hurt him and I in the long run.