Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all characters. I'm just borrowing them. Storyline is mine.
Better Than This.
Chapter 1.
Have you ever wondered if you were put on this planet for a higher purpose? That the cards you were dealt just weren't the winning hand? I did. All the time.
My name is Bella Swan. I live in a small town called Forks. It's very green, very quiet and very wet. This is the place where my cards had led me.
During high school one of my friends Mike kept trying to get me to date him. He was nice in a kind of puppy like way but I didn't want a relationship with him, or so I thought.
Senior year came and so did my decision to go out on a date with him. His eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store when I finally said yes.
"So Bella, I was wondering if you wanted to go catch that new movie out? I think you'd like it….it's a romcom.", his face held hope. So much hope in fact I don't know if I could've stood to watch it crumple in disappointment again.
"Um…well I don't really know what my plans are Mike…", his smile faultered and his eyes all but lost their twinkle, "but, but sure….yeah we could go.", what had I let myself into.
"Really, like for real? Oh wow! Yeah great. I'll pick you up say seven tomorrow?", the candy kid was back with a vengence.
"Yeah that's fine Mike. See you then.", He practically skipped away to his next class. By the end of day everybody will know that we are going on a date. Urgh.
I made it through the remainder of the day without mention of the impending love fest that Mike had probably made it out to be. The final bell rang, and I quickly dashed out of biology and made my way to the lot, thankfully missing the crowd.
"How was your day Bells?", my dad, Charlie, shouted as I crossed the threshhold. That's odd, I usually had to force a conversation out of him especially when there was a Mariner's game on.
"Eh, yeah it was like every other day at school.", I eyed the back of the couch suspiciously.
"So…nothing new then? No plans for the weekend?", he thought he was slick but I know what he was doing.
"Well actually dad, I have a date tomorrow night with em…", I coughed slightly and lowered my voice, "Mike Newton.", I heard him shuffle in his seat and take a sip of his beer.
"The Newton kid eh? Well I dare say you could do worse for yourself Bells, he seems a good kid.", He was still trying to act as though he didn't already know. I was gonna call this shit out.
"Enough dad! Who told you? I know you well enough that this isn't your usual police inquiry so what gives?", My dad is the police chief and a damned good one but when it comes to his daughter , well let's just say any topic is uncomfortable.
"I don't know what you mean Bella. Nobody….", He peeked the top of his head over the back of the settee and noticed my stink eye. "Okay, okay…Billy might have been on the phone before you came home and he may have mentioned the Newton boy was finally granted a pass.
" Urgh! You two are worse than old ladies…wait! How did Billy find out? He lives on the reservation and I haven't talked to Jake tod…JAKE!", I growled his name while grabbing the phone.
Pick up, pick up, I thought with each ring. On the fourth he did. "Hello, Black residence."
"You. Are. So Dead Jacob. Who told you? Why did you have to tell your old man? You know what it's like. A dog with a bone that's what.", I sucked in a deep breath after ranting. What lame assed excuse was he going to come up with.
I was thinking of things I'd like to do Jake as pay back and must've been inside my head for a few minutes as I was brought back by the voice on the other end of the line, "Bella? Bella? You there? Oi Bells….BELLA!", oh right, I was verbally wailing on Jake.
"What Jake? How did you hear about Mike and I?", Impatiently I started tapping my foot.
"Well Paul heard from Leah, who heard from Jessica Stanley, who heard from Mike.", He sounded like he confused himself repeating that little bit of information.
"Okay, okay. So why did you tell your dad? You know Charlie and Billy are gossips when they talk.", my anger ebbed slightly at the confusion in his voice.
"I'm sorry Bella. He kinda heard Paul ragging me about it. I had to act all pissed.", his voice had gotten smaller.
"Oh Jake. When you gonna come out and say it. No one would think any less of you. I love you and I don't care.", I sighed at my best friend.
"Look I just can't okay! It's not that I'm ashamed…I just…I gotta go Bella. Laters.", he hung up quickly.
Jacob had been my best friend forever. He lived at La Push the reservation just outside Forks. He was big, like 6" 5 and talk about muscles! I'm telling you if I didn't know he was gay, I swear I'd tap that shit.
The only problem was Jacob didn't want anyone to know so he pretended that he was totally into me, with my consent of course. It's not that I minded, I just wish he'd realise that it wasn't a big deal and everyone would still love him.
I turned to go upstairs and start my never ending pile of homework. Seriously, that's why I went to school, to learn. Did I really need to do more at home? Evidently all the teachers gave this notion a big thumbs up.
It was late before I gave into sleep, managing to avoid thinking about my impending date with Mike. 'play it cool Bella', the little voice said to me. 'don't give him false hope.' I sighed and punched my pillow. Mike was all about hope. How was I going to do that?
Please review. Let me know what you guys think x