The house was huge, like a mansion. The vines climbing up the red brick made it look like it had just been pulled out of a fairy tale novel. I swallowed and pushed my wet hair back from my face. A huge gush of wind chilled me to the bone and sent freezing cold sleet mixed with rain at my face. I shivered and ran the rest of the way up the gravel driveway and ducked under cover on the front porch. The porch swing creaked from the wind and sent another chill down my spine. There was no way this house wasn't haunted. I shook my head and raised my hand, knocking on the thick wooden door. I waited but nobody answered. I knocked again, louder, and still nobody answered. I sighed and dropped my bag before standing on tiptoe to look in the window at the top of the door. The house was completely dark except for when the lightening lit it up. I could see a couch and other furniture, so I guessed it was the living room. Another gust of wind pushed rain at my back and I gasped. It felt like I had been hit by a wave of water. With shaking hands I reached up and pulled the black hood of my jacket up over my head, though it was as wet as everything I was wearing. Damn taxi driver not driving all the way up the driveway. So what if it was caked in mud. If I can walk all the way up it, I'm sure he could have dropped my off by the door. Deciding there was nothing else to do but wait, I sat down on the swing with my head down. I pulled out the picture I had been carrying for the past week. The girl and guy in the picture smiled up at me and I swallowed nervously. What if she didn't like me? What if she made me leave? I would have nowhere to go. I swallowed again as tears sprung to my eyes. I tried to push them back and raised my head. My mouth gaped open when I saw a figure standing there. I jumped up with a gasp.
"Who are you?" A smooth voice came from the figure.
"I….I…. my names….. Willow….I was-"I was cut off when a flash of lightening lit up the porch and the figure in front of me. Only it wasn't just anyone that was standing in front of me. It was the man in the photo I carried in my hand. I clenched the photo tightly and stuffed it in my pocket.
"May I help you?" He asked, moving closer. I took a step back and bumped into the swing.
"No…yes…. I-I'm here to see…. Bella Sw…. Cullen?" I stopped myself from saying 'Swan'. The man took a step closer and I was able to see him a little more clearly.
"You're soaked. How long have you been out here?" He asked and I noticed a hint of concern in his voice. At least he wasn't yelling at me to leave.
"The taxi driver wouldn't drive up all the way because of the mud." I said with a shrug as I started shivering again. He moved away and I heard jingling before the door opened. His shadow disappeared and a second later the porch light flicked on and I was blinded by the unexpected light. The guy stepped back out and motioned me inside.
"I'll get you a towel. Bella won't be back for a few minutes." He said. I nodded and stepped inside the house. When I did I wanted to go back out. It was colder in here than it was outside.
"Sorry, we haven't been home all day. It gets cold in here quick." He said with a sheepish smile. He jogged up the stairs on the other side of the room and I looked around, still standing by the door. The sofa was brown leather and three matching very comfortable chairs where on either side of the couch and next to a brick fireplace. A huge flat screen TV hung on the wall and underneath sat a polished wooden cabinet. The guy jogged back down the stairs with a couple of towels and changed out of his own wet clothes. He gave one to me and rubbed the other one through his coppery hair. I took it and tried drying myself off as best as I could with soaked clothes on.
"So… not trying to be rude…. But what are you doing here." He asked, frowning a little at me. I swallowed. Before I could answer the door behind me opened and I spun around to see who had come in. I slipped in the process and caught myself before I fell flat on my face. I gaped at the girl who had entered. She had brown hair that shinier than mine, though it was wet from the rain, and she was thinner. I suddenly felt nervous. She frowned at me and looked at the guy.
"Edward…?" She asked in a soft silky voice. I looked over my shoulder at him to see him frowning a little. Then I looked back at the girl. This was her. Bella. My sister.