Chapter one: New beginnings

Renee tells Edward that he doesn't have to go, but he does. He and Phil don't get along, and he can't stand the noises he hears at night anymore. He calls Charlie, who is more than happy for his son to move to Forks. It's not ideal, but it's the lesser of two evils. The goodbye with Renee is short but heartfelt, and promises to visit are made, even though they are in vain. The flight to Seattle from Phoenix is average, and the next to Port Angeles is short. Charlie is waiting with the cruiser and Edward can't help but feel relieved at his genuine smile. They embrace in a manly hug and load Edward's two bags. There wasn't much that he could bring as far as clothes; the climates are much too different.

The ride to his birth home is comfortably quiet. They don't need to fill the silence with conversation, they both know what the other is thinking. They are happy to be with one another on a fulltime basis rather than just the summer. Edward doesn't enjoy sports as much as Charlie would like, but they hunt and fish together and that's enough.

Edward's room is exactly how he remembers it from last summer. Mossy green and beige are the colors and the furniture is mismatched. He has a big window that looks out to an even bigger tree, and an old rocking chair in the corner that was Grandma Swan's. He is nervous about school the next day, because it's the middle of March. He's not only the new kid; he's the new kid in the middle of the year.

Charlie and Renee went together and bought him an old Volvo. It was silver, it was shiny, and it was all his.

Charlie left him alone for the evening, knowing he needed his space. The rain on the window kept him awake, and he wondered if his life would be different here. His sleep was restless and his alarm too early. In Phoenix the sun was always out by the time he got to school, but here he'd be lucky to ever see it again. There was a note of good luck and a twenty on the table from Charlie. Edward smiled at his father's thoughtfulness and pocketed the cash.

When he arrived at school people were staring before he had opened the door of the Volvo. He lifted his chin and tugged his hoodie a little closer and walked through the front door of Forks High. He was greeted with pleasantries from the secretary and on the way to his first class was joined by a tall lanky boy with greasy black hair.

"Hey, I'm Eric. You're Charlie's kid Edward right?"

"Yeah"

"Do you prefer Eddie or Ed or something?"

"No, I prefer Edward"

"OK, cool"

Eric was in his first three classes, so the transitions were easy. It was in his third class he met Mike and Tyler, Eric's friends. They were nice enough, so Edward was satisfied with being in their company on his first day. When lunch came around he met the girls of the group Jessica, Lauren and Angela. It was made known that none of the group was exclusive with anyone but they dated frequently. Edward was extremely uncomfortable when Jessica tried to touch his hair. Its not that he wasn't used to attention from girls, in Phoenix he never had trouble finding a date, but he didn't like the vibe Jess put out. She seemed as if she were the type of person to always have an agenda in place.

Halfway through lunch a group breezed through that made everyone stop what they were doing, like they were suddenly in the middle of a runway show. One girl was a blonde bombshell, but the scowl on her face took away some of her beauty. She was on the arm of a linebacker sized guy with dark hair. Next was a smaller guy with a look of pain on his face being pulled by a very tiny pixie-like girl who looked directly at Edward and winked. He was so startled that he had to ask Jessica to repeat herself when she leaned over and said "That's the Cullens"

"Why are they all together in the same grade, and why are they acting like couples?"

"Because they're all adopted. Dr. Cullen is like this foster dad slash matchmaker"

Edward could no longer concentrate, because the last person to walk through the door was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Long Mahogany hair, porcelain skin, and golden eyes like honey. She was a goddess.

"That's Isabella Cullen, and don't waste your time. She doesn't date high school guys apparently" Mike says

Isabella smiles as if she has heard and agrees with Mike's statement.

"I wasn't planning on it" Edward says, but follows her path to the Cullen table.

When she sits, it's so graceful, almost as if it were choreographed. She immediately makes eye contact with Edward and smiles a smile that makes his heart pound. Isabella then snaps her head over to her table and says something to her sister Alice. It is low and fast, and Edward is frustrated that he no longer holds her attention.

His last class is Biology, and he is surprised to see Isabella sitting a table in the back all alone. Her head is down as if in prayer or meditation. The teacher leads Edward to the seat next to her and she looks up. Her eyes are now black and she is no longer smiling.

"Isabella this is Edward, your new lab partner"

"Wonderful, thank you Mr. Molina"

"Hello Isabella it's nice to meet you"

Edward extends his hand but she does not.

"Please stay away from me Edward"

She is grinding her teeth now, and it seems as though she's stopped breathing. Her eyes are full of hate and she starts gripping the sides of her stool while looking at him like she wishes his death.

"I'm sorry, what did I do?"

"Stop talking to me, turn around and face front, I can't stand your breathing in my face!"

Edward blushes at the thought of bad breath and faces the front, but not before he hears Isabella groan as if she's in pain. Mr. Molina has started class so he attempts to concentrate. She is mumbling to herself and has her hair between them as a curtain. He can't help but steal glances at her, trying to figure out what he has done to make her so angry.

"If you look over here one more time, I am going to kill you"

"What's wrong with you? Are you on your period or something?

"Yes, blood is my issue"

The bell rings and she is out of her seat and out the door before anyone else has gathered their books. Edward feels confused and wishes he could figure out what could make her hate him so much. He walked to his car and doesn't care that he is alone. His first day should be marked as a success, and when Charlie takes him to the diner tonight and asks that's what he'll tell him. But deep down he can't shake the look of the hauntingly beautiful girl. What happened to her eyes? They went from beautiful to menacing.

The evening passed quickly and after dinner the two swan men went their separate ways. Charlie to his recliner and Edward to his room. He needed to clear his mind and try to get homework done. It was easy in comparison to his coursework in Phoenix, but his mind was so distracted.

That night Edward's dreams were full of Isabella. She was flirty and beautiful, stroking his hair as Jessica had done. It felt wonderful, and he found himself trying to kiss her. Her face went dark then, and she placed a room of separation between them.

"Don't try and get close to me, we can never be"

"But why?"

But the answer never came.

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