It was spring break, I was sixteen, and I was moving across state to live with my dad. Police Chief of Forks, Washington. I was Bella Swan.
I stepped into the airport in Seattle and took one step at a time, baby steps. Yes definitely baby steps. I hadn't seen my father in four years when I put my foot down and wouldn't travel to Forks any more for the summers. I got to baggage claim faster than I expected and spotted Charlie right away. He hadn't seen me yet, but I had definitely seen him. He stood off to the side of the crowds with a small sign that read 'BELLA' in big red letters, as if I wouldn't recongise my own father.
I walked over to him and stopped a few feet short and smiled up at him. He hadn't changed one bit.
"Bella." He smiled widely. "I've missed you kiddo."
"I've missed you too daddy." And I had, Renee was great and all but I preferred Charlie. Charlie liked his own company and never felt the need to fill the silences.
"I've got the car out front. Shall we go home?" He asked.
"Yes." I smiled, and from there onwards it was my home.
I climbed out the cruiser and looked up at the house, it looked exactly the same as it had when I visited four summers ago. The white trim, the screen door that banged gently, the tree that stood outside my bedroom window, even the curtains in the windows were the same discoloured slightly with the moisture on the windows.
I smiled up at the house. "C'mon kiddo." Charlie walked up to the house, climbing the two steps of the porch and dumping my bag and rummaging in his pocket. "Where did I put it?" He whispered talking to himself.
"What have you lost?" I asked approaching him.
"There it is!" He smiled, throwing something in my direction, obviously not taking in my lack of hand eye coordination. It fell to the floor landing just between my feet. "Nice catch Bells," He teased.
"You should know better." I mumbled bending over to pick up my mystery item. It was a car key and a small fluffy flamingo. "A car key?" I asked looking up at him.
Charlie jumped down off the porch and walked towards a truck I hadn't even noticed parked in front of the police cruiser, it was an old chevy truck, red/brown in colour. Charlie patted the bonnet, giving out a loud boom, "Welcome home kiddo." He smiled at me.
"It's amazing!" I squealed excitedly, th most excited I'd been since leaving Jacksonville. It had character and was quite sturdy, which to be honest I needed. I fumbled with the key and pulled the door open. I smell of tobacco and peppermint hit me as I climbed in, I sat behind the wheel and put the key in the ignition and it rumbled to life.
"I knew you was driving because of Renee and I wanted to get you a present and Forks really isn't the place you can live without a car." Charlie explained climbing in the other side.
"I love it Dad." I grinned over at him, And I did.
"You can drive to school with it." He explained again.
"Thank you," I smiled at him again, he climbed out again and made for the house. Charlie was never one for affection or much conversation to be honest and that's just the way I like him.
I turned off the truck and climbed out locking the door walking into the house, if the outside of the house hadn't changed the inside definitely hadn't. The fireplace was still full of my school photos, ranging from grade two right up to the most recent. I definitely had to speak to him about getting them taken down if I was living here now. The kitchen was still the awful shade of yellow my mother had painted it when they had first moved in eighteen years ago.
I walked upstairs after Charlie who had my bag slung over his shoulder, and he showed me where my room was, like it was the first time I'd been in the house but I let it slide. My room hadn't change one bit, the single bed was still situated in the corner, the desk over by the window, but there wasn't much else in there.
"We'll I'll leave you to unpack." Charlie said quietly behind me, "I'm glad you moved to Forks Bells." He smiled at me again and placed my bag on my bed and left the room quickly. One thing I loved about Charlie, he wasn't much for conversation.
Spring break in Forks really wasn't the place to be, everyone had shipped out and gone to the beach so I spent it driving around town, getting used to the truck and my surroundings. It wasn't long before sunday evening before my first day at Forks High school rolled around, and the nerves set in. I slept terribly that night, I still wasn't used to the whooshing of the wind and the hammering of the rain.
I drove to the school in a daze, already knowing the way to driving around aimlessly for the last week. I was early, very early, I pulled up by the main office and climbed out. I walked inside quickly and stood by the reception desk, placed behind it was a fragile looking women who had to be at least a hundred, she smiled at me sweetly.
"Can I help you dear?" She asked, I walked forward and noticed a name badge clipped to her shirt that said 'Mrs. Cope' in big green letters.
"I'm new," I mumbled looking away shyly. "I'm Isabella Swan."
"Chief Swans daughter!" She grinned at me. "He's been going on about it for weeks, it's nice to finally put a name to a face."
"Er, thanks." I mumbled again, trying my hardest to smile. It then dawned on me that everyone in town would always know me as the police chiefs daughter, well there goes the hope of making any new friends.
"Well, I'm Mrs. Cope," I looked up at her. "And I'm glad you've chosen Forks High to continue your education." She smiled again, it wasn't like I had much choice in the matter, It was probably the only school that wasn't at least an hour and a half drive away. "Your schedule is right here." She said handed me a bright yellow piece of paper. "And I need you to hand these to all your teachers to get them to sign and then bring them back to me at the end of the day, here's a map of the school so you don't get lost." She laughed. "And welcome to Forks High again Isabella."
I walked back out to the truck, and noticed it had got later and there was a line of cars queuing round the building I climbed back into the cab of the truck and joined the line of cars, the truck didn't really stand out as much as I thought it would. All the cars in the parking lot were obviously had me downs or brought second hand, I cruised through the parking lot looking for a space, stranded in the queue when there was a sudden jolt and I went flying forwards.
Suddenly there was a tap on the window on my passenger side. There stood a boy, maybe a year or so older then myself, he had beautiful green eyes, long copper coloured hair that went in every direction like it hadn't been brushed and he was smiling from ear to ear, I leaned over and rolled down the window. "Hello?" I said politely.
"Hi. I'm Edward." He was still smiling.
"Hi Edward." Then there was another boy next to him. He was a few inches taller then Edward, but he had russet colour skin, black hair and deep brown eyes.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked me, genuine concern in his eyes.
"Yeah I'm fine." I looked at him puzzled.
"I'm sorry about my friend here." He laughed looking over at the other boy who was smiling at me sheepishly. "He hasn't been driving long and apparently this morning he forgot where the brake was and went into the back of you." His friend nudged him out the way.
"I'm so sorry." He said looking directly into my eyes. "I'll pay for any damage."
"Wait, what?" I was confused. Very confused.
"Hey, have we met before?" The boy asked.
"Uh, no." I smiled at him. "I'm new. First day." I mumbled.
"Oh shit," Edward laughed. "Way to go Jacob, picking on the new kid." He smiled over at me again, and I couldn't help but smile back.
"Dude," I didn't mean to hit her truck. It was an accident." Jacob said looking down at his feet.
"Wait, what? You hit the truck?"I asked climbing out and looking over at his car, it was a classic Classic Red Volkswagen. "I'm so sorry." I said walking over to his car to assess the damage.
"It wasn't you fault," Jacob said, looking at me like I was crazy. "There's no damage anyway, I should look where I'm going next time."
"Yeah, not perving on the girls." Edward punched him in the arm lightly laughing as Jacob blushed.
"I'm so sorry." Jacob said again, as someone behind us beeped angrily a few times.
"It's fine Jacob." I smiled at him, and he smiled back. "Let's park up and we'll exchange details." I teased as his eyes bugged out of his head. I climbed back in the truck and then realised that someone had stolen the space I had my eye on before Jacob had run into the back on me. I drove round the other side and pulled into an empty space, as Jacob pulled into one a few away from me.
Both of them were walking my way before I knew it, I turned the truck off and climbed out meeting them both by the bonnet.
"Hey, sorry. We never caught your name." Jacob said, coming to stand next to me.
"I'm Bella Swan." I smiled at them both, I'd only know them a few minutes but I felt like we could be friends.
"Swan?" Edward asked and I nodded. "Shit, this gets better. You hit Chief Swans daughter." Edward laughed, ducking out the way of Jacobs punch.
"It's fine honestly." I whispered looking down at my feet, I was right everyone was going to know me as Chief Swans daughter.
"I'm so sorry," Jacob said. "I'm good with fixing cars up if there's any damage."
I smiled up at him, he was a foot taller then me at least. "You've seen my truck right. I probably did more damage."
"It's a beauty, I must admit." Jacob said admiring the truck and winking at me.
"Uh thanks," I blushed. "Welcome home gift." I smiled, suddenly the bell rang and it dawned on me that I hadn't taken a look at anything Mrs. Cope had given me. "Oh god." I mumbled more to myself than anything.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked.
"Uh yeah," I mumbled again, leaning into my truck and pulling my bag and paperwork out. "I need to figure out my schedule." I whispered.
"We can help." Jacob offered.
"Thanks. But you'll be late to class." I answered laying my schedule on the bonnet, the new kid was allowed to be late on the first day aren't they.
"Bella, its fine." Edward nudged my shoulder with his gently and lean't over to take a peak at my schedule. I gasped a little at the contact and I'm sure I saw him smile a little. "You have first class with Jacob, second and third with me. You're flying solo for forth and then you get my delight again in fifth." He smiled at me again, but it was a different smile this time, I just couldn't pin point what kind quite yet though.
"Well, M'lady." Jacob held his arm out for me. "Shall we?" He asked. I smiled sheepishly at him, and he laughed. "I'm teasing Bella."
"Ignore him, he's a flirt." Edward winked at me, my stomach flipped involuntarily. "Welcome to Forks High Bella."