Hi everybody... I've been reading a lot of stories lately, and I've noticed some consistent OOC traits, so I decided to write my own. I hope you enjoy it! Bella POV, of course.
Chapter 1: The First Day of the Rest of My Life
That particular late September morning, I awoke to the still-unfamiliar blaring of my new alarm clock. I woke right away, but was reluctant to drag my lazy self out of bed. I cracked my eyes open, squinting against the bright sunlight. I was still unused to the bright green canopy outside my bedroom window, having recently moved from dry, brown Phoenix to Washington. My parents had been divorced for most of my life, and I had lived with my mother in Arizona until a few months ago, when she remarried and I decided to give her some alone time. My father wasn't bad to live with, though; we got along pretty well.
I peered at the clock; it read seven-fifteen. I groaned slightly and pulled myself out of bed, grabbing jeans and a cozy sweater from my dresser. September is still shorts season, I grumbled internally. I'd been going to school in chilly Forks, Washington for several weeks now, and every single day I'd had to wear a sweater or sweatshirt. Before leaving Arizona, my mother had taken me shopping for cold-weather clothes, remembering herself the weather in Washington. We'd had to drive almost an hour out of Phoenix to find a store stocking what we needed. I sighed and grabbed my backpack, pulling on a shoe while I hopped down the stairs to the kitchen.
On the counter lay a scrap of paper covered with Charlie's chicken-scratch handwriting; I picked it up to read it. "Bells, honey, be home right away today. Surprise after school. Love, Dad." I read to myself. Strange, I thought, tossing the note back on the counter. Charlie left every morning around six, so I didn't see him until he came home at night, which suited me just fine. I shoved two Pop-Tarts into the toaster and leaned against the counter while the processed pastries toasted. I checked the clock; seven forty. I hit the eject button and grabbed the Pop-Tarts, wrapping them in paper towel to eat on the way to school. I grabbed my backpack off the floor and headed out the door.
--
First period was homeroom; my teacher was Mrs. Booth. The other students said she was nice enough normally, and she certainly treated me with extra kindness due to my status as the daughter of Forks' police chief. When I hurried in two minutes late, she waved me in and continued talking. I slid in next to Angela Weber, the one good friend I'd made so far in Forks.
"What's she talking about?" I whispered, dropping my bag on the floor quietly.
"Oh, some concert or play or something," Angela replied, preoccupied. I smiled.
"Oh, no need to get so detailed, please!" I mock-protested. Angela smiled sheepishly, and gestured to her other side. At the next table over, two of the more popular girls in school were gossiping excitedly, keeping their voices barely lowered.
"Apparently the Cullens are coming back into town," Angela whispered, "and-" She dropped off suddenly as Mrs. Booth walked up to our table.
"Miss Stanley, Miss Mallory, may I ask what is so interesting?" She asked, her usually merry voice chilly. One thing I had learned about Mrs. Booth was that she played favorites. It was clear that she tried not to, but I suppose she couldn't help herself. Jessica and Lauren were definitely not in her favorites category.
"Nothing, Mrs. Booth," they chorused, unable to keep themselves from smiling slightly despite the stern look on the teacher's face. Jessica tucked a dark curl behind her ear, attempting to look innocent. Angela and I exchanged a look, trying ourselves not to laugh now. Mrs. Booth must have been in a good mood, however, because she allowed the infraction.
"Let's keep it down, all right, ladies?" She went back to her desk and grabbed a sheaf of papers. "Okay, class, your schedules are being modified. Some of you," she threw significant glances toward Jessica and Lauren's corner of the room, where many of the so-called popular kids were gathered, "will not be affected by this, but you get a new copy anyway. AP Biology teachers are being switched because Mr. Murphy is out sick, and going to be out for at least a month. He fell last weekend, fractured a couple bones, et cetera. You all know the routine. Anyway, here you go." She passed out all the new schedules. Angela and I had both been in Mr. Murphy's class, and so checked our new schedules with vested interest.
"Mr. Banner?" I mouthed to Angela, hoping we had the same teacher still. Despite a passing interest from the popular kids, I was clearly a disappointment as far as popular kid material went, and Angela was the only person I could consistently call a friend. She nodded, and my spirits rose. The bell rang, and Mrs. Booth struggled to keep control over the class to finish distributing the schedules. Finally, she gave up and leaned against the edge of her desk as the class filed out. Angela and I gathered our books and made our way through the crush out to the hallway. Jessica and Lauren had resumed chatting excitedly about, apparently, a group of people returning from an extended vacation. I poked Angela, who was talking to her boyfriend Ben about a calculus project due in their class.
"Who are Jessica and Lauren talking about?" I asked, genuinely curious. New people always shake up the routine, and by the level of excitement in their voices, Jessica and Lauren were getting pretty shaken up.
"Oh, the Cullens," Ben cut in. "Probably the most important part of the social scene," He scoffed, "here at Forks High. They went to Paris about a month ago because Dr. Cullen was offered a short lecture series at the University of Paris. Anyway, the message you need to take away from this is that we go to a boring school, where nothing ever happens." Angela smiled.
"I think she gets that message enough from us," she scolded gently. "At this rate, she'll leave by Thanksgiving, and I'll lose my only friend that doesn't drag me to badly-dubbed martial arts movies on the weekend, so let's keep it upbeat." Ben grinned.
"So what will you guys be up to this weekend?" I asked, ready to change the subject. I'd met many of the popular crowd in my first week in Forks, when Charlie had trotted me around like a trick pony, and I hadn't thought much of them. "Feel like a movie in Port Angeles?"
--
By fifth period lunch, I had heard much about the mysterious Cullens, but still hadn't met any of them. Angela and I joined the quickly growing line for lunch, and I asked her to point them out if she saw them.
"Oh, don't worry about it, Bella. Believe me, if you see them, you'll know. They're nothing like anyone else at Forks." She smoothed a strand of shiny light-brown hair back into her ponytail, glancing around the cafeteria for Ben. "How are you liking Forks so far, anyway?" I grimaced.
"You sound like everyone else here, circa the first week I was here," I said, looking away.
"I'm sorry," Angela said, instantly apologetic. "It's just that you never really talk about it, you know? I just want to make sure you're feeling-" I cut her off, laughing.
"Angela, that's sweet, but I'm okay. It's different, you know, mainly temperature-wise," I said, tugging at the sleeve of my thick green cardigan. We moved up to the front of the lunch line. Angela grabbed an apple and a sandwich; I chose a Styrofoam cup of soup and a soda. "One thing that's definitely different is the food. Lunch in Phoenix generally consists of cold items, for one thing," I said, gesturing to my cup, which was steaming even through the plastic lid. Angela smiled, but her smile dropped an instant later to be replaced by pure surprise.
"There's the Cullens," she said, gesturing behind me. I turned around a little too fast, eager to put faces to the names muttered around me all morning. I only caught a glimpse of a group of good-looking people before slamming into one of the large concrete pillars scattered around the spacious room. The collision caused me to spill my soup all down my jeans and onto the floor. I swore under my breath, and heard laughter and scattered applause around me. Blushing furiously, I knelt and began using the napkins from my tray to try to sop up the chicken noodle mess. Angela immediately knelt beside me, using her own napkins to try to help. Several people offered us paper towels to help, and the actual mess was cleaned up in short order, but after I stood, I could see laughter on the faces of the fabled Cullens. Great, just what I need, I thought. What a first impression. I grabbed and paid for a sandwich and Angela and I went to sit with Ben at our customary table, brushing past the group of teenagers which so obviously must rule the school. As I slipped past them, more careful this time to avoid the pillars and tables, I made eye contact with one of them, a tall boy with messy hair and dark hazel eyes. He smiled, seeming to make a joke simply with his eyes, and I broke eye contact immediately, blushing even harder.
"So, wasn't I right?" Angela asked when we were safely back at our own table.
"Right about what?" I asked, feigning innocence. I picked the crust off my turkey sandwich, deliberately avoiding Angela's eyes. If she was anything like the few girlfriends I had had in Arizona, I knew what was coming.
"You would have known the Cullens even if you hadn't run into them," she patiently explained. I looked over my shoulder at the laughing group, which looked like something out of a movie. Two girls, both gorgeous, and three guys, all handsome. I nodded in agreement, turning back to the table.
"Yeah, I suppose so," I said nonchalantly. "I mean, this isn't exactly a large school. Even with my memory, I know everybody by sight if not by name."
"That's not what I meant and you know it. Just look at them!"
"What's so special about these Cullens anyway?" I wanted to know, trying in vain not to look behind me again.
"It's a very long, complicated story; are you sure you're up for it?" I nodded, sure that it couldn't be that long or complicated. This was Forks, after all. Angela took a deep breath.
"Emmett, the biggest guy, Alice, the tiny girl with dark hair, and Edward, the other guy with reddish hair, are Dr. Cullen's adopted kids. The other two, Jasper and Rosalie, are Mrs. Cullen's niece and nephew." I raised my eyebrows at this convoluted situation. Angela held up a hand.
"Wait, it gets more complicated. Emmett and Rosalie are dating; have been for almost a year. Jasper and Alice are dating too, which makes Edward odd man out."
"Wow," I remarked dryly. "Dr. Cullen must be more open than my dad to let all those kids date and live together."
"Oh, he's only had Emmett, Alice, and Edward living with him for about five years. Jasper and Rosalie have been with Mrs. Cullen since before she got married. Anyway, Lauren's had a crush on Edward for a long time, and she's hoping this year it'll work out for her."
"Will it?" I asked, oddly curious by this time. I glanced over my shoulder; the group had sat down by now and I could see Lauren tossing her silky blonde hair over her shoulder while Edward looked vaguely apathetic beside her. Angela laughed.
"Doubtful," she said, and I laughed. "Anyway, you'll probably pick up enough information about the whole thing this afternoon; everyone will be talking about it."
--
Angela was right again; all afternoon I was picking up snippets of information about these newcomers. By two-thirty I had learned the brand of Rosalie's jeans, the size of Alice's shoes, Emmett's favorite quarterback, the book Jasper was reading, and the number of texts Edward had sent Lauren while in Paris. When I walked into AP Biology with Angela, a small group of people was clustered around Edward, chatting and laughing happily. We sat down just as Mr. Banner began class.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," he said. "I know some of you haven't been in my class before, so we're reassigning lab partners today. No swapping, no complaining; this is one hour a day, people. Not a big deal. Okay, here we go..." He listed off pairs, accompanied by multiple groans. Apparently Mr. Banner was one of the few teachers who paid attention to who his students spent the most time with, and planned his partnerships to break those groups up. He refused to allow distractions in his classroom. "Miss Mallory and Mr. Cheney; Miss Weber and Miss O'Halloran; and Miss Swan and Mr. Cullen. Please move to sit with your partner and begin the lab described on the sheet on each table." Angela gave me a highly significant look as she moved to sit with Bridget. Lauren gave me a poisonous look as she brushed past me to sit with Ben, which I disregarded. I knew without thinking about it too much that I wouldn't be a serious rival for poor Edward.
"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen," a voice announced to my left. I turned, and there sat probably the most-discussed student in school. He was tall, though not as tall as his older brother, with reddish hair and dark green eyes. He stuck out his right hand to shake, which I took hesitantly.
"I'm Bella Swan," I replied. He chuckled.
"I think everyone knows," he said, turning to look at the lab sheet. "Your dad has been bragging about you since July." I blushed and looked down at my notebook, using my long hair to hide my quickly-reddening face.
"Well, everyone talks about you, too," I said. I had been eager to change the subject, but could feel myself blushing even harder at my sad attempt. He grinned; a crooked, charming grin that I had identified even in my few hours around the Cullens as his trademark.
"Oh, really? What do they say?"
"Nothing," I quickly replied, eager to move on. I grabbed the packet out of his hands, scanning it for myself. I began assembling the Bunsen burner, trying to show that the subject was closed. Edward wasn't taking the bait, however.
"Doesn't sound like nothing," he wheedled. He flipped a pen around in his fingers expertly, flashing me that crooked grin again. I could feel Lauren's angry gaze on me, but when I glanced behind me she quickly looked away.
"Whatever. Let's start the lab; Mr. Banner is getting worked up." Edward looked intrigued, but complied. The rest of the class period, we barely spoke aside from required conference regarding the lab procedure. I had never been very popular or outgoing, and therefore never built up the skills to charm new acquaintances. By the end of class, I could tell that my appeal as a newcomer had waned, and Edward rushed off after the bell rang to meet the other Cullens. I waited for Angela, and we walked out together towards our lockers.
"How was it partnering with Edward Cullen?" She asked in a near-whisper. Despite her copious amounts of common sense, she was not immune to local celebrity. I shrugged.
"I wasn't very interesting," I said, blushing even at recollection of my behavior. Angela patted my shoulder consolingly. "Whatever. I don't care if the Cullens like me." I said with a sudden burst of self-esteem. I opened my locker and began slipping textbooks into my backpack while Angela did the same.
"Sorry, I have to leave right away," I said apologetically. "Charlie wanted me home right away for some surprise." Angela said she understood, and I hurried out of school.
--
"Dad?" I asked, opening the door to the house. In the driveway was an unfamiliar car besides Charlie's cruiser, and I honestly had no idea what was going on.
"In here, Bells, honey," he called. I threw down my backpack in the hallway and went into the kitchen, where my father was sitting with an older man and a teenage boy probably around my own age.
"Um, hello?" I tried, knowing at this point that I should probably recognize the visitors. They all laughed.
"Bells, you remember Billy Black and his son Jacob, don't you? You used to play with Jacob's sisters while Billy and I fished during the summers." I pulled up a chair, trying to remember.
"A little," I admitted. Jacob grinned.
"We brought you a little Forks-warming present," he announced, handing me a tidily wrapped box. His dark eyes met mine as he handed me the gift, and I felt my heart flip a little. "Sorry it's a little late; we started it when you got here and, well, you'll see why." I unwrapped the box and found a beautiful wooden box, with animal figures carved into the lid.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed. "It's very pretty," I examined the lid, running my fingertips over the carvings. I looked at Billy. "Did you make this?"
"Oh, it was more Jacob than me," Jacob laughed loudly. "All right, all right, it was all Jacob," he admitted, smiling proudly at his son.
"Well, it's beautiful." I said, smiling at Jacob. Charlie and Billy exchanged glances.
"Billy and Jacob are staying for dinner, Bells, and we're having some of Harry Clearwater's fish fry, so you don't have to cook tonight. Maybe you want to hang out with Jacob outside?" It was clear to me, in that instant, that Charlie really wanted me to have another friend, and I decided to indulge him.
"Sure," I acquiesced. "You probably know the area better than me, but sure."
--
Later that night, as I was getting ready for bed, I reflected on the day. Definitely not my usual day in Forks, I smiled to myself. As I thought about my encounter with Edward Cullen, I could still feel my face warming, and my smile dropped. So I won't be friends with the popular kids; it's not like that'll be much of a change. Despite this eminently logical line of reasoning, I still felt a little disappointed. Something about Edward had seemed worthwhile. I shrugged on a hoodie to sleep in and began brushing my hair, but my cell phone vibrated on my nightstand. I started, still unused to having a phone. My mother had insisted that I get one so we could communicate more quickly than email with text message, but it still seemed unnecessary to me. I picked it up and flipped it open, reading the text message I'd received.
From:360-555-8722
so, what do people say about me? ;)
Okay, so what do you think? Sorry the ending is a little abrupt; I didn't really want to go any farther.