A/N: My friend rechecked this chapter for me..so..it's kind of better than the original I suppose lol
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight...but I wished I did
It was the start of something new, a fresh start for me. I, Isabella Swan, decided I needed a change in scenery. It's not that I didn't love my mom, Renee, but I just thought that maybe I needed to spend more time with my dad, Charlie. It wasn't a sudden decision of mine to do this. I, honestly, have been thinking of this for quite some time.
"Please fasten your seatbelts we are about to depart in 10 minutes" I heard the pilot speak through the intercom. I turned my head to look out the window. I was lucky enough to get a seat next to one, plus since it wasn't a full flight no one else was sitting next to me. I always dreaded flights. The idea of being in close proximity to strangers held no appeal to me. I would rather spend my time reading books or writing short stories then posting them up in fanfiction sites. How I wish I can use my laptop right about now, however, with me being clumsy I thought it best to keep it in its case until I got home.
Home. Is it really going to be home for me or be a stranger's house? I haven't seen Charlie since I was merely 7 years old. He did call me occasionally but it still wasn't the same. Mom always did tell me I was a spitting image of him, from the brown eyes to the brown hair and add our personalities there was no denying the fact that I was his daughter. Maybe he and I will get along. Who knows...I guess I will in a couple of hours.
"Goodbye California," I whispered softly watching the runway disappear as the airplane made its ascent. "Hello Washington."
I spent majority of the flight sleeping with my headphones on. One of my many hobbies was falling asleep with music playing in my ears. It didn't matter what kind of music it was, whether it was rock, hip hop, r&b, or something else; I always did manage to fall in a deep slumber through it all.
I was jolted awake by the stewardess who smiled at me and mouthed 'We're about to land'. I smiled at her and nodded my head, while removing my headphones.
"Thanks." She smiled back and made her way down the aisle checking to make sure everyone had their seatbelts on and that their seats where back in their upright position. I felt my heartbeat slowly beat faster, knowing this was it. The big change and there was no turning back.
I made my way towards the baggage claim, my mind deep in thought. Was I making the right decision to spend the last years of my high school classes here? I sighed and took an open spot near the baggage claim, waiting with everyone else until our bags started to drop down through the opening at the top. [Sorry I seriously don't know what that damn opening is called lol if anyone knows please tell me so I can change it in the future ahaha]
As I was waiting, I let my eyes linger around me. A couple was at my far left, holding each other tightly, trying to stay upright since both of them were on the verge of falling asleep. I wonder what they did during the flight, I snickered internally.
After finally getting my one bag, which happened to be the very first one to pop out, I took short steps towards the exit. I shifted the shoulder strap of my backpack and took in my first deep breath of cold Washington air. I shivered slightly, this wasn't California at all. It was about 6 in the morning and the skies where drenched in gray.
I eyed all the cars that pulled up, wondering what car Charlie would be bringing until my eyes caught sight of a police cruiser. Damn. I forgot he was the chief of police in the small town I'm heading to. Did I forget to mention that I wasn't living in Seattle, Washington? Oh no, I was going to be at Forks, an unknown town around here. I bet even majority of the citizens here didn't even know where Forks was at. Heck they might think of the utensil first! I know I did.
In the corner of my eyes I saw people shift their attentions to the cruiser. I sighed and walked towards it, trying to ignore the stares boring into my back.
"Hey Bells." Charlie engulfed me in an awkward hug with him patting my back. "How was the flight?" He asked, as he took my duffle bag and backpack, placing them in the backseat.
"Uneventful. I slept through it." I answered while he chuckled.
"Then I guess you won't be having any jetlag issues?" He opened the door for me, before closing it and making his way to the driver's side.
"Nah, I don't think so." I spoke again when he finally got himself situated inside. "But then again I wouldn't know it's been a while since I flew." He nodded his head, knowing that my last flight was when I headed back home from here. The drive to Forks was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. Charlie was listening to the radio in a low volume while I chose to listen to my I-pod instead.
"Here we are." I pulled out one of the ear pieces from my ear, to look up at the house where I would be living in for the next two years. It looked exactly the same instead that it now had blue shutters on the windows and a glass wind chime hanging on the front porch rafter. I turned my head to look at Charlie and he smiled sheepishly at me. "Sue made me repaint the shutters and the chime was her present for me."
Sue was the woman Charlie was seeing, the widow of an old friend. I heard snippets of information from Renee talking how it was about time he started seeing someone. Even with how disastrous their marriage ended up, they still managed to stay friends.
"So when am I meeting Sue?" I bit the inside of my cheek as I watched Charlie squirm in his seat. It was so humorous, seeing Charlie get all nervous. It seemed like our roles at the moment switched and I was the parent waiting to see when this "special" girl would make her appearance.
"You'll meet her soon enough." He coughed and opened his door to get out. I laughed silently and got out myself, this was going to be very interesting indeed.
Charlie spent majority of the morning showing me around the house and then last but not least my bedroom. It still looked the same with my old bed right at the corner and the one window with the broken shutter.
"You missed one." I pointed at the swaying shutter outside my window to Charlie.
"Shh...Sue doesn't know I missed that and don't tell her." He said in a hush tone as if Sue could hear us. I laughed and nodded my head, doing a zipping motion across my lips. Charlie laughed and ruffled my hair slightly with his hand. "No seriously, I really did miss that one by accident. I'll get it fixed...eventually."
We both broke down in fits of laughter. Charlie gave me the rundown of the town before he left for his shift at work. Tomorrow was the first day of high school and I bet everyone knew a lot about me by now.
I woke up with the sound of a blaring alarm next to my ear. I slapped it shut and blinked my eyes a couple of times until I got accustomed to the dim lighting in my room. At first I didn't even know where I was before realizing I was in my old room. Gosh I hated mornings. I was always dazed and confused whenever I woke up. I crawled out of bed and did my morning routine, which consisted of taking a warm shower, dressing up, then making breakfast. I was just about to crack an egg open on the skillet when I heard the front door open. Charlie came in and hung his hat and coat on the rack.
"Morning Bells, had a good night sleep?" He asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee I brewed up.
"Yup, slept like a rock. How was work?" I asked as I cooked our breakfast.
"Uneventful."
"Dang Bells, that was the best breakfast I had." He rubbed his belly with a grin on his face.
"Thanks dad but breakfast is always supposed to be good."
"Not if you're having oatmeal." He got me there. "Anyways, I have something to show you before you leave for school." He rose from his seat and I followed him taking my backpack with me. I paused right outside the front door's doorway, looking at the car parked in front of the house. "This town may be quiet and peaceful but it's still isn't safe for you to go walking on foot to school." I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't utter a word. A car. He bought me a car! A 2005 white Honda Civic to be exact.
"Dad...I uhm..thanks." I smiled brightly, walking quickly to my new car.
"You do have a driver's license right?" I saw Charlie scratch his forehead, thinking.
"Yes I do," I laughed, giving him a tight hug. He ruffled my hair in response and smiled wide.
"Well you know the protocol and especially no speeding." He said in a serious tone.
"Really dad, as if I want to get caught by someone who works with you." I grimaced at the thought. That would be so embarrassing, let alone everyone in town would gossip about it.
"Well, you remembered where the school's at right?" Charlie and I passed by it on our way here from the airport. He wanted to make sure I didn't get lost on my first day. I should have known the chief would be paranoid of something happening to me. However, I was very glad of the new car I had. Back at California I didn't even have a car. I had to ask Renee if I could borrow hers.
"Yup I do." I was lucky also after failing my first written test and then my driver's test yet I still ended up with a driver's license in the end. Don't get me wrong. I am a careful driver. I just didn't study that hard for the first test and the second well let's just say Renee never did helped me that much with my driving practices.
"Then have a good day sport." He patted my back. "I'll see you when you get home."
"Kay," Charlie handed me my new keys before walking back in the house with a last wave goodbye at me.
I got into the car and scanned every little detail inside. It wasn't new since I can see that the former owner didn't take that much care of it. But, nonetheless, it was still in working condition and I was ecstatic about driving it.
The drive to school was smooth and quick. Forks wasn't a big town so it was just a few minutes until I finally reached it, Forks High School. The parking lot was still semi empty since I was early so I parked at the closest open space then headed towards the front office.
It was a bit chilly even with my dark green jacket. I wasn't the type of girl that worried about my appearance. Unlike my mom, I was pretty much happy with a pair of jeans and some vintage tees. Which were my attire today with the added jacket.
I pushed open the front door to see a middle age woman sitting at the front counter. I walked over, and she glanced up at me before a too bright smile appeared on her face. "Hello there sweetie, you must be Isabella Swan."
"Yes that's me, but I prefer Bella."
"Okay then Bella I have your schedule somewhere around here let me look for it."
"Alright." Her looking took about 30 minutes and yes I timed her. I was tapping the tip of my shoe silently on the ground when she reappeared holding a small piece of paper.
"Here it is! Sorry for the wait sweetie." She still had that overly friendly smile on her face. I couldn't tell whether it was really a smile or a fake one, either way she was kind of freaking me out.
"It's okay." I took the paper and saw my first class was Spanish. Wonderful one of my weakest subjects.
"Oh, I almost forgot we have someone who'll be showing you around the campus before class starts. I'm sure she's waiting right outside."
"Alright, thank you." I turned around and I just managed to step one foot outside of the office when a soft voice called to me.
"You kept me waiting." Startled, I looked up.
"I what?"