Chapter 1
"We will now be boarding flight A-2 with Delta, please take a look at your tickets for when your seat is called."
The flight attendant said through the microphone. I turned around to face my mother. She smiled at me softly. I pulled off her hat and kissed her balled head, knowing that I might never see her again. Her hand reached out to touch my cheek.
"Be safe okay?" I could see the tears swimming in her eyes. "Take care of yourself." She continued. "And remember that I love you." She bit her lip trying to hold in her emotions. I was doing the same.
"I love you too momma." I whispered falling into her embrace. Her small fragile arms went around my waist and her lips kissed my hair. "Take care of yourself my Vanessa." She told me whipping away a tear from my face that I didn't realize had escaped. I nodded my head once.
"We will now be boarding rows 1-12." As her voice rang loud through the terminal it was droned out with the shaking beat of my heart. I listened to the thump…thump…thump trying to hold in my sobs. I let go of my mother and let John wrap his arms around her waist, holding onto her tightly. I threw her a small smile before I turned and walked away forever.
"Would you like anything?" The flight attendant asked as she pushed the cart a little past my seat.
"I'm fine thank you though." I smiled at her. She shot me a smile back before continuing on through the rest of the plane. I pulled out my iPod and stuck the ear buds into my ears and closed my eyes.
"So you're leaving for good?" Ryan asked softly looking at the ground. I bit my lip and nodded. "But you promised that we would always be friends forever." His words stung my ears. We had made that promise, years ago that forever we would share a friendship. I sighed.
"Ryan my mother is dying, and I can't stay here to watch." I told him the truth.
"So then where are you going?" His voice was shaking.
"To live with my father." I had don't remember my father, I don't remember what he looks like or what he acts like. I just know him and my mother had a rough past.
"So you're up and leaving me." He said, his voice held a tint of anger behind his words.
"Don't think of it that way Ry." I told him trying to make this not the worst moment of my life.
"Whatever." He looked up frowning at me. His face was full of hate. "Have a nice life Ness." He said and then I watched in horror as he ran off towards the beach, without me.
"We will now be landing shortly, make sure your seat belts are buckled and your chairs are in the upright position." The pilot said. My eyes were heaving as I woke up from my sleep. I pulled the buds out of my ears and tucked my iPod into my backpack. I sighed as I looked out the window; all I could see was trees. Then I flew forwards as the plane hit the ground, luckily I my seatbelt caught me. I breathed in a breathe of relief.
"We have now landed in Seattle Washington."
Holding onto the straps of my bag I walked out of the plane and into the airport. I looked around at the group of people. Families were being reunited. I felt two big hands on my shoulders and I was spun around to face a man I did not recognize.
"Wow, you're not much bigger then when I saw you ten years ago." He ruffled with my hair.
"Dad?" I asked shocked. He looked so different than what I was picturing. He was a chubby looking guy, he had some bald spots on his head, he had a mustache, and he wore a white stained shirt and some khaki pants.
"That would be me." He laughed. I forced out a smile taking him in. Now I look nothing like my father apparently, I have bronze curly hair, a small figure, pale skin, and chocolate brown eyes. And that is weird because I look nothing like my mother either. "You ready to go home?" He asked scratching his head. I nodded my head biting my lip.
"How far away do you live?" I asked as we walked through the airport.
"Oh like an hour away." He said. We walked to his little blue car. He threw my stuff into the trunk and slammed it shut. I climbed into the passenger seat and waited for my father to get in. It took him a good amount of time to actually fit himself into the car. I noticed the thousands of McDonald's wrappers amongst the floor and smooshed within the seats in the back. He turned on the radio to some country song and then hummed along. I rested my arm on the side of the door and then placed my head on my hand. Sighing I closed my eyes trying to drone out the noises around me.
"We are here!" I felt the car suddenly stop and my eyes flew opened. I got out of the car and took in what I would be living in. It was a small brown house off of the highway. You could see it from the road. There were a couple of windows and no garage that would be nice when it poured down rain.
"This is what you live in?" I asked. As soon as the words came out of my mouth I covered it with my hands in shock.
"You like it?" He asked. Not responding to him I grabbed my bag and headed up the front steps. I followed my father through the little shack and up to my bedroom. It was very small, with only a twin sized bed, and a dresser in the corner. One window on the farthest wall.
"It's nice." I choked out. My father smiled proudly.
"Glad you like it Vanessa." He said.
"Ness." I told him. He looked at me confused. "Call me Ness."
"Oh, uh, okay." He scratched his head and walked out of my room leaving me alone. Sighing I unpacked my clothes and put them neatly into the dresser. I didn't even bother going down to eat dinner, I just took a shower and put on some night ware and then crawled into bed.
"This is better for you Ness, in the long run everything will turn out okay." I said to myself feeling sleep take over.
I woke to the sun shining in through my window. Groaning I rolled over covering my head with the pillow.
"Nope time to wake up!" I heard my father say loudly as he pushed open my door.
"No." I groaned, pulling the covers up to my head. I was definitely not a morning person. Then the covers disappeared from the bed.
"Get up Ness." He said. "You have a half hour before you need to be at school." I pushed myself out of the bed and into my favorite pair of jeans and a nice sweater. I was putting on a light amount of makeup when my father voice shook the house.
"Vanessa if you don't get that little ass of yours down here right now I'm going to come up there and carry you down!" He yelled. Quickly I grabbed my school bag and ran out of the room. I met my father outside by his little blue car. I got in and we rode in silence all the way to the school.
"I'll see you later okay?" My father said as I got out of the car.
"Okay bye." I said.
"I love you Ness." His voice suddenly turned soft.
"I love you too dad." I said smiling at him. Then I turned and began to walk up the steps to the school door of Seattle High.
"Hey!" I turned around to see a young boy with shaggy blonde hair running towards me. "You're the new girl right?" He asked.
"Maybe," I shrugged. "I am new." I said.
"We don't get many new kids, we are not that big of a school." He told me. I nodded my head. "But I'm Danny." He held his hand out to me smiling. I shook it.
"Vanessa." I smiled back. He showed me where the main office was so I could get my schedule.
"Here you go." The lady behind the desk said handing me a piece of paper. I noticed that Danny was waiting for me by the door. I walked over to him.
"Do you know where room 514 is?" I asked showing him my schedule.
"Yeah I'll take you to it." He smiled at me.
I went through the school day without any problems; Danny was my official tour guide. He took me to each of my rooms and would find me after each class to take me to the next.
"I have lunch now." I said.
"Oh cool me too!" He said excitedly. I had to laugh at him. He was a nice kid, maybe even my new best friend. I followed him into the café. We waited in line to get some lunch. The doors opened and in walked a group of kids. They were absolutely stunning. Beyond beautiful. I had never seen anyone so perfect looking. There were six of them. They seemed to be in pairs, the couples were holding hands laughing as they talked to each other. I couldn't take my eyes away from them as I watched them sit down.
"Who are they?" I asked Danny. He turned to look at me as he put a piece of pizza on his plate.
"Who?" He asked looking around the room.
"Them." I asked pointing to the group of angelic looking kids.
"Oh those are the Cullen's." He said. As I looked at them I thought back. Cullen's. Cullen's. And I could have sworn that sounded so familiar to me.