Hello!

This is something else I've written, I hadn't come up with a name for it until a couple seconds before publishing it, but I thought the title relates to the story and it's alright for a quick decision.

Anyway, I hope someone likes it. =D I have more on my laptop so if anyone does like it then they can leave a comment (review) and I'll put on a bit more.

In my opinion, I'm not excited about my own work and don't think my writing is as great as others on this website, but it'll be overwhelming to know someone likes it. XD

Summary: Bella has been home-schooled since an accident impaired her eyesight. But when she visits Charlie after years without him she's introduced to her first school, Forks high school. Blind to the world, Bella stumbles through life unaware of what lay ahead.

Enjoy!

Blind Hope

Chapter 1

Adapting to reality

The light breeze on my face chilled my skin and sent mild shivers down my spine.

But I was content.

Chirping joyfully and singing songs in harmony, the birds in the sky danced, beating their wings to stay steadily afloat. Soft and soothing grass stoked the skin of my arms as I lay on the ground with my eyes closed. Water from the stream not too far from here gushed and crashed against rocks in their way.

The day seemed happy.

But I could only see the darkness from within my eyelids. I opened my eyes and nothing had changed. I sighed in sorrow, for knowing I could never see the world the way I heard it.

"Bella?" Charlie called, anxiously, from a distance.

I sat up slowly, "Yeah?"

"Bella," his voice was closer now, "you had me worried sick."

A wash of guilt engulfed me. "Sorry dad. I didn't mean to."

I jumped in shock when a pair of hands touched my shoulders. "Sorry," he apologised for scaring me.

"It's okay. I was the one saying sorry though, remember?" I tried to let my eyes settle on his, but not being able to see didn't help me-I didn't even know if I was facing the right direction; I could only be sure of where something is if there's noise. Not being able to see made my hearing intensify, so I found my way around by sounds around me, like a bat- I use echolocation.

"As long as you're okay now," he concluded, then added, "and you don't walk off again. Not without me. Deal?"

"Deal" mentally rolling my eyes.

"Alright. Now come on, let's get home, a storm's about to hit town," he said as a matter of fact.

I resisted the urge to sigh again. I wished I could see. To me it seemed like a nice day, when really there was a storm was brewing.

Charlie helped me to my feet and when I stumbled he caught me before I fell flat on my face. "You okay, bells?"

"I'm fine." I assured him and let him guide me, holding my arm firmly in case I tripped again.

"So, how you feeling about having to go to a new school tomorrow?" Charlie said out of the blue, something told me that he was still worried.

"Um...Good," I lied.

Charlie, knowing me to well to know when I was lying, contemplated. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"No, I want to go to school. I'll be okay" I lied again.

He didn't buy it. "Bells, you won't know you're way around school. You don't need more reason to be tripping over desks and chairs more than you already do. And what if some mean boys decide to pick on you. You can be home schooled, Bells. It would put my mind at ease if you did." He spoke hopefully and full of anxiety, trying to get his point across.

I bit my lip. I didn't want Charlie to have anguish over my time at Forks High School. "You don't need to stress over me, Ch-Dad. Besides I can have someone take me around the school like you do at home." I regretted the words once I'd send them, of course he'd hold me to that.

We reached the car then, I knew because I heard the door open and Charlie helped me in. There was silence as I waited for him to speak and I was about to but I then realised, when the driver's side door opened, that he'd went around the car to get behind the wheel. "I know you can take care of yourself, Bells. You're nearly a grown up, but that doesn't mean I'll stop looking out for you."

His small awkwardness when he spoke made me feel awkward too. "I know, dad. But I'll be fine, really. You don't have to be concerned for me all the time. I'll be alright. They're not going to bite."

The sound of the police cruiser thrumming to life startled me slightly, but Charlie mustn't have noticed else he would have said 'sorry', just as he'd done with all the other things that took me off guard. "As soon as we get back home I'm ringing the school to ask if someone can help you get around campus," he said defensively.

I groaned "Dad, I'm blind not disabled. You don't need to do that, I'll be fine."

He ignored me and concentrated on driving.

Charlie had visited an old friend of his, Billy, before I walked off. The forest had called to me and I followed. Besides I wanted to be on my own to figure out my thoughts and torments of tomorrow, my first day at a new school.

As soon as we were home Charlie asked if I was okay and I told him to stop asking, nicely. I was on my way upstairs to my room when I heard Charlie pick the phone off the hock, dial a number and then speak into the receiver. I frowned, dreading the fact that I'd have someone dragging me around campus like they were my golden retriever.

My hands grazed the walls on both sides of me so I could tell when I reached my door. I found the handle and twisted it. The door swung open and I walked in to my room that was freezing. After stumbling to the window and shutting it, I fell exhausted on my bed.

Lost in my thoughts, it felt like minutes later that Charlie yelled from downstairs.

"You okay, Bells?"

"Yeah, for the hundredth time, I'm fine."

"I've made dinner. Are you hungry?" I heaved myself up off the bed and down the stairs, carefully. He was stood waiting at the bottom because he called to me "do you need some help?"

The thud of footsteps as Charlie ascending the stairs to assist me, I held up a hand in protest. "No. I can do it. I'm not disabled."

He grumbled. "Be careful" his tone said he was expecting me to fall.

When I reached the bottom, after stumbling thinking there was another step and being supported from Charlie, I went into the kitchen. "You cooked?"

"Yep, I have been cooking for myself for a while now, Bells." He pointed out.

"Oh, right. Yeah," I said lamely. "What'd you make?" I sniffed the air and smelt meat.

"Lasagna, You like Lasagna right?" he asked cautious.

"Yeah, sure, that's cool." I said, thinking that I hadn't had it in a long time and hoping my taste for it hadn't changed so I wouldn't hurt Charlie's feelings.

To my relief I did like it. I munched it gratefully at the dinner table and I could hear Charlie sat opposite me shoveling his food. "Would you let me cook for you?"

Charlie seemed to hesitate, "If you know what you're doing, and you're careful."

"Charli-...Dad, you really can't baby me all through my life. I need some independence, to walk on my own feet without the fear of falling."

"No offense, Bells, but I'm sure that's not going to happen." He chuckled as I rolled my eyes. "And I thought you keep saying you're blind, not disabled. Although you probably will be disabled with the rate of catastrophes that happen to find you, maybe you should get help with your walking, bells." He joked with a serious edge underneath.

I scowled in his general direction. "You know what I mean. I meant that I'm going to have to do things on my own now, else I'll never learn these things for the future."

Charlie was serious then, "You do have a point." It was quiet as he deliberated. "Alright, I'll give you your space." In my head I celebrated but that stopped suddenly with his next words. "But you're still having the help around Forks High."

I decided not to argue in fear that he'd take everything back.

We ate in peace, bringing up a random topic now and then so the atmosphere didn't get too still.

He finished before I did. As I scooped up the last of the food on my plate and shoved it in my mouth the plate was taken before I could myself. "Charlie?" I called, holding out my hand. His footsteps entered the room. "Independence?"

I felt something solid in my hand, the plate, and I rose from my seat and walked to the kitchen using Charlie's voice to help me.

"Sorry, Bells."

"Stop apologising. I'll wash up," I insisted.

He was going to rebel but I interrupted. "You said that you'd give me space and let me have freedom to learn all this before it's too late."

He grumbled, "Alright, then." The scrapping of wood when Charlie opened a draw was audible to me and made me bewildered. "Here" he said, pressing something rough and flimsy in my left hand, a tea towel.

"Thanks" I thanked wholeheartedly, glad that he was allowing me to do what I wanted to.

His retreating footsteps faded, I heard him flop on the sofa and turn the TV on to some sort of sports channel.

I worked slowly and noiselessly, savouring the fact that I had something to do. Fully engrossed with what I was doing kept my mind from wondering to pressing and annoying matters, like tomorrow.

But inevitably I had to deal with it sooner or later. Finishing up I dried my hands and then trailed my way to the living room. "I'm gonna go to bed soon, okay?"

"It's only seven thirty," he replied, in a slight trance by his programme but still aware that it was too early to sleep.

"Well I've got other stuff I need to do," I responded.

"Okay. Have fun," He said, as he returned his attention back to the TV.

Thanks everyone! =D Hope you like it.

There will be more when I get it off my laptop, which has died. =/ Not good. But I'll fix it soon.

And please review.