I do not own Twilight or True Blood. I really wish I owned Eric though.


I stepped off the plane and followed the signs at the Shreveport Regional airport to baggage claim. "Bella!" my cousin Sookie yelled from across the building. I smiled and ran at her, she did the same and when we met up we hugged each other and laughed.

"I'm so happy you decided to move here. Wow you look so beautiful and grown up" she said.

"You too and it will be nice to get away from Forks" I said as I smiled, trying in vain to hide my pain.

"We'll talk about it later" she said as she grabbed one of my bags.

On the drive to our gran's house, I thought about how I ended up here. At the beginning of my senior year of high school, my first boyfriend left me in the woods by my house. See, Edward is a vampire, though not like the ones that has come out to the world. Edward and his family are different, cold ones as Jacob, my once best friend now ex-boyfriend, called them.

For months after Edward left, I was a pathetic wreck. I didn't eat, barely slept and if I did I had nightmares. Jacob had picked me up and pieced me back together. By the end of senior year, I was back to the person I was before Edward.

It took me over six months to realize that my relationship with Edward was unhealthy and not just because of his being a vampire that thirsted for my blood above all others. He had been very controlling though I still believe he did not mean to be. He never believed I could make my own choices and I don't know if it was because he came from a time when women did not make decisions or because I was human.

I had applied to many colleges, the University of Washington (to be close to my dad and Jake), Florida State College (my mom), Louisiana State University (Sookie and Gran) and my hopeful longshot, NYU. I had gotten into all of the schools I applied to. I had planned to go to Seattle but backed out at the last minute and now had to spend the next semester off because of it.

Gran is my mom's mother. I am close to her, though we never lived in the same place; I always got a weekly phone call from her. Sookie was great too, though we are not as close. Actually I had never seen Sookie in person. I'd never been to Louisiana before now and she never came to visit with Gran. She and I have exchanged emails for a long time. I had not seen Gran in many years.

"So are you going to tell me why you are here?" Sookie asked.

"I didn't want to live with my mom and Gran offered to let me stay in Jason's old room" I said.

"You know what I mean" she said then her eyes widened and pulled over.

She looked at me then grabbed my hand with one of hers and the placed the other on my face. I looked at her confused.

"What is wrong?" I asked.

"I can't hear you" she whispered.

"Huh?" I said confused.

"Vampires are the only ones I can't hear" she said.

"You are going to have to explain more" I said.

"Well, you see I am a telepath and I can't read your mind" she said.

I started cracking up laughing, first Edward now Sookie. There must be something really wrong with me.

"I'm not joking Bella" she said.

"I know. I believe you, you aren't the first one I've met" I said then I proceeded to tell her all about Edward.

"You still didn't tell me why you backed out of Seattle and chose to come here" she said once I was finished talking.

"Well, I was dating my best friend and things didn't work out" I said.

"So you fled the state?" she said skeptically.

"Yeah, I just couldn't stay there so I figured I'd come here. Now tell me what's going on with you" I said to distract her.

She started driving again and she told me about her vampire neighbor that she liked and the murders around town. "I could get you a job at Merlotte's if you want" Sookie offered.

"That would be great. I've never been a waitress though; I only worked at an outdoors shop" I said.

"Not a big deal" she said.

"So what are your plans tonight?" I asked.

"Oh I am so sorry. I completely forgot about this being your first night here. Bill is taking me to a vampire bar in Shreveport so that I can investigate the murders. I can't believe that they think Jason did it" she said.

"Oh it's not a big deal. You have a date" I said.

"It's not a date" she protested and I smiled.

"Well in that case, can I come with you? I would really like to see a bar for vampires" I said.

"Sure. Sounds like fun" she said with a smile.

When we got to the house, I greeted Gran with a hug. "Bella, you have grown into a very beautiful woman" she said, smiling at me.

"Thanks Gran. I really appreciate you letting me stay here" I said.

Sookie then told Gran about how she could not read my mind. We chatted for hours.

"Gran, Bella's going to go with me and Bill tonight so we should start getting ready. He should be here soon" Sookie said.

"Of course dear, I am going to read then go to bed. Us old people need lots of rest" Gran replied.

Sookie and I laughed, "you are not old Gran" I said.

"Come on Bella, I'll show you your room" Sookie said.

I followed her up the stairs and down the hall. "It's smallest but has the most windows" she said.

"It's great" I reassured her.

"Well I'll let you get ready. Bill should be here in less than an hour" she said then left me alone to get ready.

I looked around the room that used to be my cousin Jason's, it was obviously a boys room once but I am not very girly so I am fine with that.

I looked through my luggage and found a dark purple dress that I had bought a month ago for my three month anniversary dinner date with Jake that we never went on. It was an open back halter dress that ended just above my knee. I looked really good.

I put on some foundation and lip gloss. I don't like makeup much. I finished getting ready before Sookie so I went downstairs with Wuthering Heights to wait for her.


PLEASE REVIEW!

I know there is no Eric in this chapter but he will appear in the next. Needed to give most of the background.