The Chosen
Chapter One:
Just a favor…
It was just a favor…Or at least that's what I kept telling myself. This was the fifth time I had moved in three years. And not just switched houses, I mean moved to a different state. You see, I've been running. Running from my mother's murderer. I had been living by myself for those same three years. But, I had made one stupid mistake. I hadn't known that C.P.S. had been hunting me as well. I had fallen out of a tree and needed a doctor because my arm was broken. That was when they found me. They took me into custody, and questioned me. They thought I had murdered my mother. I guess in a way I did. It was my fault anyways. They wanted me, but found her. They found her because she hid me. To protect me. Because that was how much she loved me.
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who believe in love and those who don't. I believe in love.
It's pretty much the only thing I believe in anymore. However, I do not believe in artificial love. You know the kind of love where a boy says, 'oh, I love you!' And then he leaves you the next day. No. I believe in true love, pure love. Sacrificial love. Love, where you are willing to sacrifice yourself to save your loved ones. Because that is what my mother did for me. She loved me so much, that she died for me. But, of course, she also died for my twin sister. Vivianna. (VIVEONA) My sister and I used to be so very close. We shared everything. We were Identical twins. We both had the same long midnight black curls, the same olive colored skin, and high cheek bones, and long legs. We were also both tall for the age of 16, we were 5`8. There was only one way to tell us apart. Our eyes. Mine were a cornflower blue, with a circle of deep violet around the pupil, which at times looked like blue fire. Her eyes were a violet color. Not very dark, but just the color of amethyst, with interesting silver flecks in them.
Our mother had died to save us both. From what? I do not know. There is very little I remember about that day. We had been coming home from the shop when I heard them, I had told mother and she hid us, said they were extremely dangerous. I still remember huddling there in the dark with Vivianna. They had broken our door down. They told my mother they were looking for someone. The Treasure. I remember my heart growing cold, and remembering our mother telling us that my sister and I were strong apart, but even stronger together. Together we were The Treasure. Both my sister and I have these powers that we were born with. One of my special powers is to cloak myself in darkness. I can make it appear that we are nowhere to be seen. So there we both sat, and watched and waited. My mother argued, and screamed. I heard her. I opened the cloak just a little so I could peek out. That was when they lunged. That was when they tore her limb by limb. They murdered my mother. Because she wouldn't give us up. So I sat there and witnessed my mother die.
There was only one thing I remember about my mother's murderers. They had eyes the color of blood that matched the blood leaking out of her mouth. They left soon after, and I knew they'd be back. They had sensed us. They knew we were here. Her death was a warning. So we left. To my best friend Hailey's house. She knew all about our powers. Vivianna decided to go after them, to hunt them, and kill them as they had killed our mother. I wanted nothing to do with that. So, I skipped town that night. I had been running ever since. (I don't like to think about Vivianna. She is dead to me now. But no need to think about her anymore…)
This was how I ended up here. In Forks, Washington.
I had lived many other places, much more glamorous than this little town. After I had answered the Policemen's questions and everything C.P.S brought me here. Because I had only one living adult relative. Charlie Swan. My mother was Mercy Swan, his twin. Uncle Charlie had only one daughter and her name was Bella. I didn't see her that often, but when I did, I felt a connection with her. She lived there now with her dad. I used to be close to her actually. But, that was before…My whole world came crashing down.
My full name is Jezebel Charlotte Swan. Yes I took my mother's last name. I had never known my father. All I knew was that he was Native American. Cherokee to be exact. No one calls me Jezebel. It's Jez. Just because Forks was little didn't mean it was bad. I liked it a lot. I loved the rain. I love Uncle Charlie, really I do. But sometimes, I just don't know what in the world he is thinking. This was one of those times.
"Yep, this is your new room. I know it isn't that big but…It's the best we've got." Uncle Charlie said nervously while dropping my bags onto the ground of his tiny guest room, or my room now if you think about it.
"It's great Uncle Charlie." I mumbled under my breath. I could have run away again. But I was tired. So, tired of running. So I decided why not come here? Were they really going to come and look for me here? In Forks? It would be a waste of time.
Uncle Charlie nodded, "Well, okay then. Make yourself at home." He turned around, probably wanting to get out of there fast. Uncle Charlie knows sports, not teenage girls. He paused in the door way, "Oh, and Jez I almost forgot." He walked back over to me and handed me a piece of paper. "These are directions to your new school. If you're confused I can help you out." He nodded. I furrowed my eyebrows.
I laughed nervously, "Uncle Charlie, I know where Forks high school is. And if I were really that lost I could ride there with Bella."
Uncle Charlie shook his head, "You're not going to school in Forks." He muttered. I paused. Was he so ashamed of me that he wouldn't have me go to school with his daughter? Why? Did he think I murdered my mother? I swallowed.
"Why?" I whispered.
He saw the fearful expression on my face and quickly shook his head, "I just thought that you'd be more comfortable with going to school on the rez. Since, you know you're Native American and all." He shifted his feet. I stared at him in shock. Was that…How? I wasn't Quileute. "And don't worry about you not knowing anyone. Remember when we used to go fishing during the summer?" He asked.
"Vaguely." I nodded.
"Well, Billy Black's son, Jacob, he goes there, and you two are the same age." He babbled.
"Charlie, I'm Cherokee." He nodded grimly.
"I know that, but you see well, I'd thought it'd be good for you, and if you don't like it we could transfer you in with Bella. But first you need to promise me you'll try it. It would just be a favor…" He said trailing off. I chewed on my bottom lip. He was taking me in even though I was accused of murder…
I nodded slowly, "Okay." I sighed. He smiled. I glanced around and remembered something, "Hey, where's Bella?" I asked. I didn't hear her anywhere in the house. Charlie shuffled his feet again.
"The thing is…I haven't told her you were coming yet. I didn't tell anyone. I didn't want you to feel pressured. Just think of it as a surprise." Charlie nodded. I sighed, Uncle Charlie, what am I going to do with you…? "So, Bella's at a bonfire in La Push tonight, with Jake." I guessed that Jake was also Jacob. "She won't be back until midnight probably, so we can surprise her in the morning." Charlie smiled. I nodded and smiled weakly back. I knew it didn't make it to my eyes. Charlie put a hand on my shoulder, "It will be okay. I just know it will." He smiled sadly and with that he was out the door.
I unpacked in less than 3 seconds. Another thing I was born with. Speed. I was fast. Faster than a car, and faster than a cheetah. I was also strong. Very strong, so strong that I could lift a marble table with my pinky finger. I also had enhanced eyesight and hearing, and sense of smell. As I mentioned before, I could also cloak myself. Along with that the ability to see the future, but I do not control it, and every time I see something it will happen. However, it is not just the future I see; it is also the past and the present. The only way to tell them apart is the way they taste. The future tastes like lemons, the past like grapes, and the present cherries. But they tasted like the kool-aides, not the fruit. Then there were times when, if I concentrated enough, I could read someone's minds, but just little snippets, which most of the time made no sense at all. I had only two more gifts. One of them is the ability to move objects with a wave of my hand. The other, the power to see people's auras, which I find useless. It just tells me what mood their in. Save all of that and I'm normal. I glanced around and plopped down on my bed.
This was going to be a long night…
--
I like sleep. Really I do. But, it just doesn't come as easy to me as it once did. Which was why, at 12:00, I was still wide awake. Suddenly the front door opened and closed. Soft footsteps padded upstairs. If I didn't have my enhanced hearing, I wouldn't have been able to hear that. I sat up in bed and listened. Must be Bella.
"You are going to stay right?" I heard Bella's sleepy voice whisper.
"Of course." Answered a voice that I didn't recognize.
Strange. It was a boy. Why would little Miss Bella, who as we were growing up hated to lie to her parents, have a boy in her room? Maybe she changed over the years. Hell, as far as I know, she doesn't trip over nothing anymore. I shrugged it off. Making my footsteps as loud as I could, I padded over to my door, and slipped out. Silence in the other room. Uncle Charlie's snores rang throughout the house.
"Who's that? Can't be Charlie. I can still hear him snoring…" Bella trailed off.
"I don't know…Shall I check?" The boy asked her.
Both paused. To listen probably. Might as well give them a reason to listen.
I walked over to Bella's room. I paused at her door. And I heard hyperventilated breathing. I smiled. Oh Bella, always so easily startled. I turned the doorknob, and peeked inside. And what I saw confused me. It was just Bella, sleeping on her bed, turned away from me. There was no guy. Wha…? I walked over to Bella's sleeping form. I reached out to her, and pulled her blankets over her frame. So very fragile, and breakable. I shook my head. I pushed some of my hair behind my ear, and froze, as I sensed something. A presence. What was it…?
I glanced back down at Bella. "'Night Bell's." I whispered while slipping out of her room, and back into my own. I didn't hear another sound escape from her room. I must have been hearing things. Maybe having a vision. I was thinking about this right before exhaustion took over and sleep took me away.
--
The next morning was hectic. Because of what woke me up. The closing of Bella's window. I swear to God that someone was in her room last night. I'm not crazy. I swear. Okay. I decided to let it go, and made a mental note to confront Bella about it later. I got up, and got dressed. My wardrobe was a vast variety of things. Today, I chose, since it was sunny-ish (In Forks, it wasn't really sunny, just semi-sunny) my favorite shirt that was gray with Def Leopard emblazoned on it that hung off my shoulders, which I put a black tank top under. Along with checkered shorts, that was a little bit higher than half-way down to my knees. (I could wear shorts and stuff because I never got cold, or hot. The climate didn't affect me. But I didn't want to stick out too much, so I'd only wear these things on sunny-ish days.) I shoved my feet into my black converse boot-shoes. (They were like converse shoes, only they went all the way up to my knees.) I ran a brush through my raven black curls, with the tips dyed blue and red, and picked up my new backpack. It was a Vans bag with black and white bricks on it.
(How, exactly did I afford all of this? Well, when my mother died, she left a big inheritance for my sister and me. I got half and Vivianna got half. With my half, I built myself a car, got clothes and ran. I still have no idea what Vivianna did with hers.)
I shoved my black, Crapberry (That's what I call all Blackberries) flip phone into my right front pocket, and my wallet into my back pocket. I headed down stairs. It was 7:56, and school started at 8:15 or for me at least. For Bella it started at 8:00. That was when I entered the kitchen. It was empty. Thank God. Uncle Charlie and Bella had already left. For most normal people, if they lived where I did now, they'd be late. But not me. I'm a crazy driver, or so I've heard. I grabbed a nutri-grain bar from the pantry and headed outside to my car. As I've mentioned before I built my car. Well, I had the body, but I had to rebuild the engine, and pretty much everything on the inside. Her name was Lynn. Yes I named my car. Yes, she is my baby. A 1967 Chevy Impala, in ment condition. She looks shiny and new. Because I keep her clean. I sighed as I opened the driver's side door, chucked my bag onto the passenger seat, and got in. I started the engine. And my Lynn roared to life. I smiled. Oh, mama was proud. I checked the time. 8:05. Cool. It took about, twenty minutes to get to La Push if you're driving the speed limit. I do not drive the speed limit. I smiled as I floored it. I dodged sluggish cars, and avoided red lights, when finally I arrived in La Push. Now to find the school. I glanced at the directions. I followed them all the way to the school. I looked up and there it was. Nice. It was small. Even smaller than Forks High, if that was even possible. I parked in one of the parking spots, as people started to form groups, and pointed and stared at my baby. I felt my eye twitch. I didn't like attention. Seriously. I sighed. They wouldn't have been able to see me if they tried. I have heavily tinted windows. I took a deep breath and paused to pull on a black sweatshirt. I pulled to hood down as far as it would go to shield my eyes. I grabbed my backpack, and paused.
"Here goes nothing." I muttered to empty air. I opened my door and put one foot down on the ground, paused for a second, and then came out fully. The shutting of my car door was the only thing heard for a few seconds. Then the excited babble erupted from all sides.
"Omigosh! It's like, a girl…I think. Should we go and talk to her/him Sara…" I was not going to listen to their conversations. Seriously. I could use my time for something much better. This was why I had an i-pod. I placed the ear buds into my ears, and turned the volume all the way up. Disturbed started to shout-sing into my ears, with their song, 'Dropping Plates.' At least it drowned out most of the whispers and random snippets of thoughts from people's heads. It wasn't like I couldn't hear at all. I could hear perfectly well, as long as they were talking in a normal voice. No one saw my headphones, but I'm sure they heard the music. Barley, anyway. 'Here I come I'm droppin' plates on your ass bitch!' I pressed the lock button on my remote, and I heard my car lock, and then beep. I did this while walking away.
I ignored all curious glances and headed straight to the office. There was a bell on the door, and as I walked in it chimed merrily. Okay, so this is my theory about secretaries. They're all middle aged, have glasses, and have hair that is some kind of red. Which was what this secretary looked like. Her hair was auburn, and she had glasses, and was definitely middle aged. She looked nice enough though. I turned the music down enough so that she wouldn't hear it. I cleared my throat and she looked up.
"Yes dear. May I help you?" She asked me, I smiled kindly at her.
"I'm new here so…" I trailed off. Her eyebrows rose.
"Oh, so you're Jezebel Swan! Welcome!" She crowed. I winced.
"Uh, it's Jez actually, my nickname." I nodded.
"Of course." She nodded back. "Here's your slips, that all of your teachers have to sign, I know it's pointless, but every new student has to do them, so, I hope you have a wonderful first day here! And if you need anymore help, you just ask for Mrs. Bethany, okay?" I nodded and she beamed me another smile. "Good luck!" She called cheerfully as I walked out of the office. I sighed. What was my first class? I looked at my schedule. English. Okay. I like English, reading, writing, but I really hated Grammar. Ugh, how boring. I turned my i-pod back up, just as Evanescence came on. Amy Lee started to sing about wanting to die, as Tourniquet blasted in my ears. 'I'm dying, praying, bleeding, and screaming! Am I too lost to be saved? Am I too lost?' If someone went through my i-pod they'd think I was depressed or something. I'm not; I just like loud songs that drown out all of the weird voices in my head. That sounded crazy; again I swear I'm not crazy.
I looked around, people were still milling around staring at me, taking a step towards me, and then hesitating. Great. So they did want to talk to me. Man. I hurried as fast as I could, without drawing attention, to a room with a 5 on it. Well, here I am. Yay. At that moment the bell rang. I sighed in relief as I slipped into the classroom. Most of the students were already there, and as I entered everything seemed to stop and they all stared at me. Lovely. The teacher, an older woman, in her late fifties, glanced up and smiled, I moved towards her forcing a small smile and offered her the paper. She signed it and nodded. The room was still silent, no whispers or anything. Interesting.
"Ah, yes, Ms. Swan. You were transferred here from…" She paused for a second, thinking. I remembered the cover story.
"Brooklyn…Brooklyn, New York." I nodded to her. She seemed surprised.
"From such a big city to such a small town, may I ask why your parents decided to move here?" She asked. I decided it wasn't worth it to correct her. To tell her I didn't have any parents.
"There's family here, I guess." I mumbled, knowing that each and every student was hanging on my every word.
"Yes, family. You may take a seat, Ms. Swan; we are studying Romeo and Juliet. An excellent play by William Shakespeare…" I started listening to my music again. I had already read Romeo and Juliet, not to mention other Shakespeare plays, several times. I took a seat in the back, next to some guy that didn't even look up as I sat down. I concentrated on the lyrics to Always dirty Never Clean, by Anarbor, instead of all of the whispers around me. 'And what the fuck happened to rock and roll? I've got bruises on my hands and knees, and a list of failures in between, always dirty I am never clean, music is what you hear…Not what you see.'
I started to bob my head; it was hard not to dance to this song.
"Yes, well thank you for volunteering Ms. Sultana, but I'd like Ms. Swan to read the part of Juliet." I heard the teacher say, my head snapped up at my last name. The teacher was looking at me, and smiling. Why me? I nodded my head.
"Okay." I muttered.
"And Mr. Call will read opposite of you, as Romeo." I nodded even though I didn't know who the heck, this Mr. Call was. The boy next to me seemed to shift as he blinked his eyes open. He had obviously just been asleep.
He looked confused, "Wha…?" He muttered, I was probably the only one that heard him.
"Okay, Mr. Call, if you'd please stand, you too Ms. Swan." She smiled sweetly at both of us. I think she was doing this to me because she didn't think I could hear her, and to 'Mr.' Call, because he had been asleep.
I leaned down towards him, "You're reading the part of Romeo." I whispered to him filling him in. He swallowed and stood up. "Um, I sorta need a book…" I trailed off.
"You can share with Mr. Call as of today, oh, and we're starting at Juliet's famous 'Romeo O Romeo,' speech. Sorry that we're so much ahead." She apologized.
I shrugged, "I had honors English in my last school, and we had already read Romeo and Juliet." I murmured.
She clapped her hands together, "Excellent! So you two just start right there…" She trailed of. I sighed.
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."
I paused here to glance up, my hood still shielding my eyes, and found the boy staring at me. He looked awed. I guess. Several seconds passed by. "You're supposed to read your part now." I nodded, as some of the class snickered. He blinked and shook himself. He looked down at the book that I had handed back to him and recited his part:
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"
I accepted the book again, and read:
"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself."
I muttered, and as if on cue the bell rang. Good. No more reading today. I closed the book and placed it on the edge of his desk, while slinging my bag over my shoulder. I glanced up and he was still looking at me.
He extended a hand, "Hi, I'm Embry Call." I accepted his hand, shook it, and nodded slightly. I then let go of his hand and started to walk away. "Wait! You didn't tell me your name!" He called. I smirked.
"Never mentioned it." I mumbled back, while nodding again.
He furrowed his eyebrows at me, "So, your lasts names Swan huh?" He asked while following me out the door. I nodded. "Any relation to a Bella Swan?" He asked. I stopped.
I tilted my head to the side, "Why? Do you know her?" I asked back.
He nodded, "Yes, actually. She was just at a bonfire here last night." I looked up at him sharply.
"Did she leave the bonfire with a boy?" I asked too curious for my own good. He looked at me in surprise, and then slowly shook his head. I could tell he was covering for someone.
"Because, I heard something in her room last night and…It sounded like a guys voice…" I trailed off, "But, when I got up and checked, no one was there. It was maddening." I murmured. His eyebrows furrowed even deeper.
"Ms. Swan and Mr. Call! Did you love my class so much that you decided to stay for a second hour?" Mrs. Williams asked sternly.
"No ma'am." I said straightening up. She looked taken aback.
"Well, then you two better…Get to class." She said flustered.
"Yes ma'am." I nodded respectfully. If there was one thing my mother pounded into my head before she died, it was that I'd better respect my elders. I held to it. I slipped out of the classroom and headed towards my second period class, Trigonometry, without even a backwards glance to the flabbergasted boy behind me, as I turned up my i-pod all the way. Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood:
"He's a good time cowboy Casanova
Leaning up against the record machine
Looks like a cool drink of water
But he's candy-coated misery
He's the devil in disguise
A snake with blue eyes
And he only comes out at night
Gives you feelings that you don't want to fight
You better run for your life."
Hey, the song, speaks the truth. Right? I slipped into a classroom marked with a 3, and took a seat in the back. I decided to have the teacher sign after class rather than have to ask more questions. Once again, I sat down next to a boy, who looked way too old for this class. Weird.
"Young lady, Ms. Swan I presume, here is your math book, and I hope in time you find math as beautiful as I do." He smiled; I nodded and took the book from him. Beautiful? Really? Math? No. I opened up the book and looked inside; the numbers were already giving me a headache. Lovely. I tuned the teacher out. I hated math. Sure, I was good at it, but did I like it? No. Not by a long shot. I leaned my chin on my hands and sighed. Suddenly a wad of paper landed in front of me. I looked down at the paper. I cautiously opened it.
'Hey. What's ur name? And r u related to a Bella Swan?' Is what it said. When did Bells get so popular around here? As far as I know she's only been here for a few months, and she doesn't really like people, so…I glanced up and saw the boy smirking down at me. He nodded his head. Should I respond to him? I decided to answer.
'Yeah, I'm related to Bella, she's my cousin. And as for my name...You'll never know.'
I wrote to him. He glanced at it and then looked back up at me. He bent lower to write a reply, but at that moment the bell rang. Thank God. I stood up, grabbed my Vans bag, and headed for the door.
"Hey girl! Wait!" He called, but I kept walking. "Hey!" And before he should have, he reached me. He grabbed my arm and spun me around. I don't like being man handled. "I'm Quil, I didn't catch your name." He said, looking me in the eye. My hand writing wasn't that messy.
I sighed, "I didn't mention it." I muttered for the second time that day, as I easily slipped out of his grasp. I swallowed as I headed towards Spanish class. Which passed uneventfully. At the bell I walked out the door, and headed towards the cafeteria. As I walked in all conversation ceased. Nice. So I'm a conversation stopper? I looked around and got a muffin for my lunch. In the corner of the cafeteria I saw four boys. Two I recognized. One was Embry Call, the other was that guy named Quil. What kind of name was Quil anyway? I sat down in an empty corner, and turned up my iPod. Music was my escape. I nibbled on the muffin. That was when someone sat down. I glanced up from my muffin. Across from me sat a girl, with long dark hair, coffee colored skin, and brown eyes. She was sorta plain actually. But…In a good way.
"Hi." She murmured. She almost looked uncomfortable. Maybe like, someone had asked her to do this.
"Hey." I nodded back. That was when I heard them.
"Yeah. So Jared, do you think she'll figure out her name for us?" Quil's voice asked.
I smiled. So I was that interesting huh? "If she gets blown off by the Swan girl, and comes back all hurt and stuff, I'll hold you responsible." A voice that wasn't familiar to me growled.
"Uh, I'm Kim. What's your name?" She asked. She seemed nice enough…
"Charlotte…Charlotte Swan. You can call me Charley." I smirked. This is what I told people my name was if I wasn't sure if I could trust them or not. "Listen, Kim, I'm sure you're a real nice person and all, but I have to go." I stood up, and then I leaned down and said in a real low voice, "And tell your friends over there, who sent you over here to find out my name, that they can call me Charlotte." I winked at her, "Charley is a name people call me, when they don't trick me into things. See ya later Kim." I beamed another smile her way as I paused, "Hey, do you need a ride after school?" I asked. I had this feeling…And it was starting to smell like cherries.
She looked taken aback, "Uh, yes actually, my car broke down…" I nodded. "But, I know you live in Forks, and my house is sorta out of the way so…" She trailed off.
I shook my head, "Nah, its cool. I have to drop off some package to someone's house anyway." I smiled again.
She tilted her head to the side, "Who?" She asked.
I paused, "No one I know. Just one of Uncle Charlie's friends. Bob? Kelly? Billy…? That's it! Billy…Billy Black! That's what his name is!" I nodded remembering. Kim looked surprised.
"Oh, uh, sure, yeah that'd be great." She nodded. I smiled again.
"No problem. Meet me in the front of the school at 3:00." I nodded and then left the cafeteria. I headed to P.E and sighed. I really hated running.
--
Kim met me out front at exactly 3:00. Man was she punctual. I led her to my car.
"This is your car!?" She exclaimed looking at it. I smiled. I always loved that reaction out of people. I had parked a couple of spots away from this other truck, which I now noticed was filled with those same four boys. Except…They were shirtless. And…They sorta looked like they were on steroids…Just sayin'…
"Yep." I nodded to Kim and patted my car, "This is my baby. Kim say hello to Lynn." I smiled nodding. Kim giggled. I smiled wider, "I rebuilt her all, on my own." I sighed, "Ever since I was a little girl, I had wanted a car like this. And my mom, she loved cars. So naturally I followed in her footsteps." I smiled, and then quickly moved on, "She's a 1967 Chevy Impala, with an 8 cylinder engine, leather seats, and best of all, chrome!" I whooped, as Kim giggled some more. I heard gasps and turned around. All of the half naked steroid guys were staring at my baby. I smiled. "Just keep staring boys, it lets me know that I did a good job." And with that, with Kim already being in the car, I sped off, along the road.
--
A/n: So, this is my first fanfic, for Twilight at least, and I want to know how I did, and if I should keep writing. And, I wanna know if you guys saw floating Edward in New Moon yet! LOL!!!!! Anyways! R&R!!!!
~XOXO EmiShae
