Chapter 1:
Looking out my father's car window, I think about why I came here. To leave the sun, to leave the comforting warmth, to let my mother and step-father be happy. These are the reasons. My mother, Renee, said I didn't have to go live with my father, Charlie, but I told her that I wanted to, so she reluctantly let me go.
Let me point out a few things: My name is Isabella Marie Swan, I'm 17, I used to live in Phoenix, Arizona with my mother and her new husband, Phil, I just moved to live with my father in the small, cold, rainy, and cloudy town of Forks, Washington, and I am deaf.
I'm not looking for pity, I hate it, but unfortunately, I have to tell people through sign language. Then, they know that I'm deaf and think of me as a freak.
The car stopped, and I looked at the small house that stood before me. My new home. I grabbed my luggage. I may be deaf, but I know fashion, in fact, I love it. I never had much to do, as everyone avoided me, so I would always drown myself with school, sports, cars, or shopping. Today is Sunday, and even though Charlie said I could wait a few days, I insisted that I begin school tomorrow.
He reluctantly agreed. Charlie helped me bring my suitcases and carry-on's inside and to my room on the second floor. He was struggling, so I took the three carry-on's and helped. He smiled in thanks. He knew I was deaf, and had learned sign language just for me. I thought it was sweet.
We arrived to my small room that hasn't changed over the years. He signed to me, "I hope you like it here. Just tell me if you need anything." I smiled and nodded. He shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat and walking out my door.
I unpacked and then went downstairs to make dinner. I looked in the fridge and freezer. Fish. I looked in the cabinets. Empty. Well, looks like we are having fish tonight for dinner. I got out the supplies I would need and the fish before preparing dinner. In about 40 minutes, the fish was cooked and ready.
I walked into the living room and tapped Charlie's shoulder. He looked up. I signed to him.
"I made fish for dinner. It's ready, so come eat." He smiled, nodded, turned off the TV, then followed me into the kitchen. We ate in silence, no pun intended. After dinner, I cleaned the dishes, signed, "goodnight" then went upstairs to go to bed. I slept dreamlessly.
Next Day
I was awoken by the annoying BEEP BEEP of the alarm clock. I sighed, got up, took a shower, then began to get ready. Once I was dressed and decent for school, I walked downstairs to see Charlie smiling. He gestured me to outside. I followed. Outside in the drive way, there was a beautiful midnight blue 2010 Audi A3. I screamed and grabbed Charlie in a bear hug. From his shoulders shaking, I figured he was laughing. I signed, "Thank you!" and he signed, "Your welcome, Bella." He then set off for work and I grabbed an apple for breakfast, got my things, then left for school early to get my schedule.
I pulled in the driveway to already see a beautiful silver, shiny, brand new looking Volvo in the lot along with a canary yellow Porshe 911 Turbo that also looked brand new. Woah. Those cars rivaled my cars! I looked to see who owned them and saw five beautiful people staring at my car. I blushed, parked quickly, then grabbed my bag and strolled to the front office. I felt another presence, but ignored it. Suddenly, someone's arm grabbed me and spun me around.
I saw a jet black, spiky haired pixie looking girl who looked annoyed. Her lips moved, but I heard nothing. As always. I signed to her, "I'm sorry, I do not understand." Comprehension flickered in her eyes. She smiled widely before pulling me towards her family or friends. I really don't know.
They looked at the pixie like girl in confusion and the blonde girl looked angry. She glared at me. I flinched under the heat of her gaze. The pixie snapped at the other girl and the girl glared at Alice before rolling her eyes and going into a bored state. The others just looked at me. I looked at the small girl. She said something to me. They spoke, but I couldn't hear them. I sighed in annoyance and the blonde girl's fierce eyes snapped to mine and glared balefully at me. I flinched.
"I'm sorry," I began signing. "I can't understand you. I'm deaf." I signed. Their eyes widened before looking sheepish. I smiled. Then, a bronze haired boy who was absolutely gorgeous signed to me.
"Have you always been deaf?" he signed. I was startled. He knew sign language?
"Yes, I have. Pardon me if I may, but, you know sign language?" I asked. He smiled and nodded. I began signing again. "Huh. Not many people know the language of sign, and you are very fluent in it." I said. He smiled gently again.
"I had to learn because my birth mother was deaf. No one else except my adopted father can speak sign in my family, so I will have to translate unless they learn it." He signed. I grinned and nodded. The big one opened his mouth and looked to be complaining. I decided to ask the boy.
"Is he complaining about something?" I signed. He looked to be laughing, said something to the boy, before nodding to me. I giggled. The blonde girl spoke to Edward asking him something, before gesturing to me, telling him to ask me something. The boy rolled his eyes.
"My sister said to tell you she loves your car. Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we?" He asked. I smiled and shook my head. "Well, I'm Edward, the blonde girl is Rosalie, the big guy is Emmett, they are dating, the pixie who dragged you over here is Alice, and the last one is Jasper, him and Alice are dating." He signed. I nodded and mouthed the names. He nodded. I realized I had yet to thank Rosalie for the compliment about my car.
"Tell Rosalie I said thank you for the compliment on my car. I just got it today from my dad. She can drive it some time if she likes, as long as she doesn't crash it." I signed to him. He grinned and told his sister. She was now bouncing, then grabbed me in a hug and Edward signed to me.
"She is repeatedly saying thank you, thank you, thank you!" I laughed. He looked at Alice. She was talking. Then, he looked at me. "My sister, Alice, wants to know if you would like to sit with my family at lunch today?" I nodded in approval. He told his sister, Alice. She smiled at me. I signed to Edward saying I needed to go get my schedule. He signed goodbye. I waved and went to the front office. This year might not be so bad!
Was going to stop it there, but I'll keep going.
I walked into the warm office and went up to the front desk. The lady looked up and spoke.
I signed to her. "My name is Isabella Swan. I'm here to pick up my schedule." Understanding flashed in her eyes. So, she knew I was deaf. She nodded and handed me a schedule and a map of the school. I smiled in thanks and walked to class.
My homeroom was with Mrs. Debby. She likes people to call her Debby. She is also my AP English teacher. She could speak sign as well and helped me out. I like her.
My next class was AP History. I didn't like that teacher as much. He was mean looking and looked at me for an answer with amusement. He knew I was deaf and made it seem like I'm stupid.
The next class I had Edward and Alice in. Drama/Music. A good subject for me, but I'm deaf, so I never really did much. But the teacher here was nice and let me do things.
I had Edward for my next class as well. It was Calculus. We also had it with Emmett. I think by some of the words I caught from his mouth he was making jokes and disturbing the class. I signed to Edward asking him to get Emmett to stop. Amusement was in his eyes. He told Emmett what I said and Emmett stuck his tongue out at me. I smiled. Next was lunch. I sat with the Cullen's, as I had learned their last name, as I had promised. Edward still translated for me.
I had Edward again in AP Biology. He said the answers after I signed them when I was called on to answer a question written on the board. I thanked him.
I had Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Edward for my last class. Gym. Oh boy.
I walked to Gym slowly, nervous. I wasn't bad or anything, it just was hard to play when you don't know what to do because your deaf. I could use ASL, but the teacher doesn't know ASL.
I changed into my clothes. I noticed Lauren and Jessica's dirty looks. Huh. I wonder what I did this time. While I was changing, I thought about the Cullen's. They all are not related, but they look so alike. They all have sickly yet entrancing pale skin, gold topaz eyes, and inhuman beauty. It made me feel self conscious to be around them, knowing that I am so plain when they are the epitome of perfect.
Once I was dressed, I walked into the gym and immediately saw the Cullen's. Edward and Alice spotted me first. Alice ran over to me, grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the others. I smiled.
Edward looked apologetically at me. "Sorry," he signed. "Alice can get really annoying." I laughed, even though I was unable to hear it. He smiled slightly at my laugh, as if it were a beautiful piece of music.
"It's okay. I like it! She is very hyper and cheerful. Is she always like this?" I signed. He looked to be laughing.
"Pretty much, yes she is. You will be annoyed with her after a while though, trust me." He signed. I smiled and rolled my eyes. The others looked annoyed. Edward noticed too. He said something to them and they looked sheepish. He then turned back to me and signed, "I told them if they want to understand what we are saying, they should learn sign language." He signed to me. I smiled. He looked over my shoulder and signed to me, "The coach is starting class. He said today we are going to be playing basketball." Ugh.
"Great. And knowing him, he will give me a pity look and point to the benches. I'm not helpless! I CAN play sports, he's just a jerk who won't let me prove it!" I signed angrily. He looked like he was holding back a laugh.
"Shall I tell him that?" He signed. I thought. Then after a few moments, I nodded. He walked up to the coach and, I guess, he told him what I signed. Coach looked shocked. He looked at me and I glared. I looked at Edward.
"Tell him I want to play basketball. I have a special way of being able to play." I signed to Edward. He nodded. He told the coach what I said. The coach sighed, then looked at me, studied me for a few moments before nodding. I smiled. Edward walked back to me.
"Want to be on my team?" He asked. I nodded. He took my hand and we went back to his family. He spoke for a few moments telling them I was going to play. They grinned. Edward began signing to me again.
"Rosalie is glad. She hates sports. She is happy she will get to sit out." I laughed again. I have never laughed a lot before today. This family is changing me. He signed again. "Want to go up against Newton's team?" he asked. I grinned evilly and nodded. He always tried to make a move on me. The only sign language he learned just for me was, "Want to go out on a date," "Hey, baby. How's it going," and "Why don't we skip class today and I'll show you a good time?" He seriously disgusts me.
Edward, Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and I walked up to the center court with Newton's team. They looked shocked that I was playing. Newton said something that, by the look on his face, made Edward seriously angry. A thought ran through my head. If looks could kill. Edward signed to me.
"Coach will blow the whistle in three seconds! Get ready!" I nodded and counted. Suddenly the ball was in the air. I jumped for it and ended up hitting it to Jasper. He was shocked at first. Everyone was. But after a second, he started dribbling down the court to Newton's basket. He did a lay-up and the bal went in. I looked at the score board. Our team had two, Newton's had zero.
Newton went to the side lines with the ball and passed it to Tyler Crowley, one of his annoying friends who also tried to ask me out with sign language. Once he got to our side of the court, he tried going to me thinking it would be easy. He was wrong.
As soon as he was close enough, I intercepted the ball and was dribbling down the court. I felt that they were close behind me, so at the three-pointer line, I shot the ball towards the net. It went straight in. As they say, it was a net ball. Swoosh!
Everyone looked shocked at me and my smug face. Newton went to get the ball again, passed it in from the side lines to Jessica Stanley, she tried to dribble it, but ended up double dribbling and her team got a penalty. I took the ball from her and passed it to Alice. She looked ecstatic.
She danced down the court dribbling the ball and shot a free throw. It went in again.
Our tem: 3
Newton's team: 0
The game went the same. Once we got five points, Edward told me through ASL that we won. We went off the court and watched the other teams play. After gym, I went with Alice and Rosalie to change. Alice and I took a shower while Rosalie just waited and changed.
Once we were clean and changed, we walked out. The boys were waiting. Edward smiled when he saw me. Why? I don't know.
"Hey, want to come over to our house?" He signed. I thought for a moment. I would love to see their home. I nodded. He grinned and they led me to their car. They let me sit up front next to Edward in the passenger seat while Alice and Rosalie sat on their partner's laps. Edward smiled at me and signed, "I hope you like speed." I grinned, buckled my seat belt, and nodded. He pulled out of the parking lot and with extreme speed zoomed down the road. All I could think was, These people are seriously crazy. I hope their parents like me. And we continued to speed down the road.