Bella's Arrival
When I moved to Forks, I was happy to be able to spend some time with my dad Charlie. When I was younger, my mom used to make me visit my dad each summer for two weeks, but since I've become a teenager, I very rarely came to visit my dad. It is not that I didn't want to, I was just not interested in traveling from Phoenix to Forks and then back again in such a short time. He is also the Chief of the police in Forks, which keeps him busy and out of the house. I kept in touch with my dad through e-mail and telephone on a regular basis though. It wasn't until I got home that I realized just how much I missed him.
I dreaded my first day of school. It was early spring. The time of the year when winter holds on with all it's might. The weather is warm one day and then freezing cold the next. The one thing you can always count on weather-wise in Forks is the rain. I've learned to dress in layers and I now own three umbrellas, which is something you rarely needed in Arizona.
I've always done well in my classes and it wasn't the subjects that made me nervous. Ok, I despise gym class as I seem to have been born without a sense of balance and gravity is not my friend, but the rest I don't mind. I hated the fact that I was the new kid in a town that everyone knows everyone. If you had a secret, naturally the whole town knew. Everyone knew of my impending arrival for weeks before my dad actually picked me up from the airport.
My first day of school was mostly uneventful. I managed to make some new friends. Jessica, Mike, Eric and Angela were all very nice to me. They all acted like I've been their friend since Kindergarten, although I sensed a little bit of tension from Jessica whenever I spoke with Mike. I will have to remember to tell her that I am not at all interested in him. I don't have any feelings for any of these boys in my school.
I will always remember the first day that I saw him. Mike and Eric walked me to biology class as we were all in the same class. I was grateful that I had two people I knew in the class with me. There is nothing worse then sitting in a class feeling like all eyes are on you for the whole hour and not having a friend for support. When I walked into class, I gave my teacher, Mr. Banner, my pass. Every teacher had to initial this pass and I was to take it to the office after school to prove to the attendance lady that I was capable of finding my classes. While Mr. Banner was initialling my pass and gathering my text book, I looked to my left and I saw him. This boy sitting alone at a table, glaring at me. He had his hand over his nose and he looked like he was in pain. I wonder if he was feeling ill and maybe he should go see the nurse. Mr. Banner handed me my pass and my books and pointed to the only empty seat in the room. Next to the boy I was just staring at.
"Great, I hope he doesn't have the flu. It'll be my luck to get sick on the first day of class." I muttered to myself as I walked over to the table.
I climbed onto the stool and turned to say hello to my desk mate, however, when I went to open my mouth he glared at me in disgust. His black eyes piercing. He had moved to the very edge of his end of the desk like I was going to bite him. The way he covered his nose, it was as though I smelled. I turned and faced the front of the class. I wonder what was the matter with him. The class continued at a very slow pace. For the next hour, I felt his eyes on me. I wanted to ask him what his problem was but I didn't have the opportunity to confront him. At the end of class, he tore out of the room like the room was on fire.
I was sitting in the cafeteria with my new friends and I saw him sitting at a table with other people, who surprisingly were just as attractive as he was. When I asked Angela and Jessica who they were, Jessica told me that they were Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. The blonde girl was Rosalie and she was with Emmett, the tall boy. Jasper was the blonde male and he was with Alice, the small dark haired girl.
"Who is he?" I asked, nodding in my classmate's direction.
"Edward Cullen. Don't waste your time though. Apparently, no one here is good enough for him." Jessica answered.
"I wasn't planning on it. He's made it quite clear to me that he is not interested in even being friends." I muttered in response.
Still, I couldn't help but stare at him. There was something about him, something that I couldn't put my finger on. Something drew me to him. I wanted to ask him what his problem was in class today, but I couldn't muster the courage to get up and walk over to him when he is sitting with his family. They all look so intimidating, with the exception of Alice. She seemed to always have a smile on her face, like she knew something the rest of us didn't. I saw Alice lean over and whisper something in Edward's ear. Edward turned his head towards my table and his eyes squeezed into a glare. It was like he was angry at me. I looked away, embarrassed that he had caught me looking at him.
For the rest of the week, when I arrived at my biology classroom, Edward wasn't there. For days, he didn't show up. Every day at lunch, I always felt the Cullen's stares as I sat with my friends. They watched me as I walked to get my lunch and back to the table. One afternoon I had accidentally bumped into Emmett when I was standing in line waiting for my turn to order my food. Two guys were fooling around and had bumped into Angela, who bumped into me and naturally, sent me flying forward. Emmett was leaning against the doorframe and his arms flew out to steady me before I caused a further domino effect.
"Are you ok?" Emmett asked.
"Yes thank you." I replied quietly, looking at him.
"My pleasure. See you around." Emmett replied, flashing me a smile and then turning to move up in line.
The rest of the week passed and Edward was still a no show. I don't understand how someone could miss so much school. On Monday, I decided to go to school early as I had some math homework to finish. I had spent the entire weekend thinking nothing more than him and the strange behaviour of his siblings. He was distracting me to no end. I couldn't eat, read or sleep without having Edward Cullen cross my mind. Last night I deemed my math homework to be impossible and went to bed. I walked into the cafeteria, claimed a table, put my books down and went to get a chocolate milk. As I walked back to my table, I saw Jasper leaning against his locker holding Alice's hands. They were both looking at me through the glass cafeteria window. I sat down with my back towards them. I pulled out my Ipod, turned it on and opened my books and got to work. A few minutes later, I saw a shadow come across my books. I looked up and Edward was standing at the table with his hands resting on the back of a chair. He looked nervous, as though he wanted to run away. I pulled my earphones out of my ears and waited.
"He….llo. I am sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself last week. I'm Edward Cullen. You are Bella." He said, a smile forming on his face.
"Yes I am. You've been away." I managed to answer back, not taking my eyes off his face.
"Personal reasons. Do you mind if I sit?" He replied. He pulled the chair out and sat down, not waiting for my response.
"Do you need the biology assignment? It's due on Friday." I asked. Surely this was the reason why he came to talk to me.
"My sister Alice brought me a copy of it home. She has Mr. Banner for first period." Edward replied. "How was your weekend? You are here early."
"Short. I didn't manage to get all of my homework done. That's why I am here. I was too tempted to crawl back into bed at home so I thought I would come here early and finish it. How was yours? I hope you are feeling better." I said.
"Better?" Edward asked, looking at me.
"Yeah. That day in biology, you looked like you weren't feeling well. I assumed that you came down with the flu or something." I told him.
"Oh." He replied.
I couldn't help but stare into his eyes. He made it easy for me to stare into them. His eyes never left my face. His eyes that I remember as being a rich black were now a golden honey colour. They were the most incredible eyes I have ever seen. In fact, Edward's whole face was mesmerizing. I could also smell his cologne. It was a scent I have never smelled before. I realized at this moment, that I did not want him to leave.
"Did you get contacts?" I asked.
"No." Edward replied, rather curtly.
"It's just that the last time I saw you, your eyes were black. Now they look like honey." I said.
"It's the fluorescents." He replied, closing his eyes. "I…..need to go." He got up and quickly walked away and out the door. I looked over my shoulder and watched him walk to his siblings.
I turned back to my homework, now too flustered to concentrate. I wonder what made me feel this way. I have never felt like this towards anyone before. I wanted nothing more then to just be around him. The way he moved and talked, it was like a force drew me to him. I finished my homework quickly, not caring if I had the right answers or not. I packed my things and hurried out of the cafeteria. I purposely walked passed the Cullen's lockers on my way to my own locker to see if I could get a glimpse of Edward again. I saw Jasper stiffen as I walked by. I saw Alice move so that she was standing in front of Jasper. She took his hand and she muttered something in his ear which seemed to have made him relax a little. Alice then turned and waved at me. Emmett smiled at me and nodded his head a bit and Rosalie just glared at me.
"What is up with this family?" I thought to myself as I kept walking past them and to the stairs.
As I walked up the stairs to my first period, I knew one thing was certain. I would find out. I don't care what it took, I will find out why Edward and his siblings were acting strange whenever I was around.