Chapter One Life before Forks

A/N: First off, thank you to everyone who has clicked the link to my story, this is my first attempt at a fanfic so try to be positive, please. I've had lots of thoughts about Bella and her life before Forks only now have I finally plucked up the courage and decided to put them on pen to paper (well, keys to screen I gues…) Anyway, I truly hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I enjoy writing it. Feel free to R&R. Any ideas are most welcome!

"God damn it, Bella, we're going to be late!"

I sat on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, stroking the edge of the blanket. My mother's voice hovered behind my door, followed by her footsteps as she rushed downstairs, cursing. I slumped onto my back and stared at the ceiling. I covered my ears with the palms of my hands. I growled under my breath, longing for a mom who knew how to look after me, or at least a dad who could help her out.

Renee was a single parent; I lived, fatherless, in the city of St Louis, Michigan whilst Charlie, lived in the small town of Forks, Washington. Rumour had it he was being promoted to Chief of Police there. I couldn't know for sure, he was only allowed to ring on my birthday and at Christmas. My parent's relationship was as rocky as it had been since the early days of their marriage. Those were the only days their marriage had, the early ones. My mom fled Forks just months after giving birth. She took me with her, and from then on we moved from city to city, from state to state as she moved on from man to man. My childhood was nothing but unstable, but I didn't complain; I didn't know life any other way. It was obvious that I was a burden, weighing her down, a red light on her road of recklessness and stupidity. Not that she was stupid, just a little hair-brained. She was flighty and nothing or no-one could keep her grounded. She loved to have fun and did so in the craziest ways. She got bored easily so she went out a lot, usually leaving me at home. She couldn't hold a job down and had something of a reputation in our neighbourhood. She was my best friend.

Unfortunately, I made it to school on time. We pulled up outside the school; I could see kids from my class flooding in through the gates.

"I love you." She never let me go without a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"You too mom," I threw my arms around her neck, squeezing it gently. "Now remember to pick the dry cleaning up at…"

"Eleven. I know kid!" She laughed as I pulled on the handle and jumped out onto the sidewalk. She blew a kiss at me as she sped away down the road.

I took a deep breath as I turned around to face the school building. The sun was strong, casting three long shadows in front of me.

"Good morning, Isabella." The cotton candy voice scratched my ear drums.

"Hello Georgie."

I didn't cower as they approached me. The beautiful blonde leading the pack; her loyal minions followed suit. I was used to the pain.

The burn on my knees as I was thrown to the floor was familiar, cuts reopened as I was booted and battered by their dainty hands and feet, and more clumps of hair fell out as they clawed away at my head. I knew better than to make a sound.

"Kick her in the head!"

"I'll get her ribs"

"Haha! Look at her squirm!"

"Nice one Georgie!"

Before I knew it, it was over. The bell rang and they skipped away, arm in arm, their laughter tinkling through the air. I dared a glance down at my exposed legs. They were glowing crimson. Blood was seeping through several large cuts on either side of my knees and blotches of purple were already starting to appear. I applied a band aid on the largest graze and collected the strands of hair that lay lifeless on the sidewalk.

"Isabella Swan! What are you doing on the floor?" It was the principal, Miss Sutton. I scrambled around my head for an excuse.

"Um… My hair band fell out Miss."

She scowled at me from behind her thick rimmed glasses, her piercing green eyes penetrating mine with a deep anger. "I suggest you get to class Miss Swan, before I call your mother."

I mentally scoffed as I ran towards the large yellow doors, my bag bounced noisily as I panted, tripping over my feet in a hurry to get inside. As I came to end of the yard, I stopped at a small trashcan. I looked around to make sure nobody was watching and added a fistful of my own brunette locks into the steaming garbage.

Note: Future chapters will be longer, I promise!