Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, the plot, or any of its characters. That's all the property of Stephenie Meyer.
What if Bella never met Edward in High School?
What if Bella didn't choose to stay in Washington until after she graduated?
What if Bella's life didn't start until her college years?
It is said that your entire life flashes right before your eyes right before you die. After this happening more than five times a year, it seems to me more of an action people convince themselves into doing. The most dangerous thing I've met until now has been a baby crocodile. Though with habits clumsy as mine, you could say something as simple as riding in a car or taking a walk with me could be potentially life threatening. The only difference now is I have someone unnatural, someone who goes against anything I knew about humanity, watching over me and helping me make it through each day.
I sighed as I stepped out of the plane that took me from my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona to this familiar place. When I was just six months old, Renee, my mother, divorced Charlie, my father, and moved us down to Arizona, leaving him here in the small town of Forks, Washington. Ever since I can remember, I've spent a month of summer vacation here visiting Charlie. And ever since I can remember, I've hated it here. It's rare to get sunny days in this small town, and I wasn't surprised when I stepped out of the plane into the cold mist.
Charlie was waiting for me, like he did every year, leaning against his cruiser. It always made my stomach turn whenever I thought about riding in that car. I mean, who wants to ride in a car with police lights on top? Let alone drive it. But then again, Charlie is the Police Chief, so I guess the car is just right for him. The ride back home was an hour drive, which I always dreaded, but luckily Charlie isn't a big talker so the silence wouldn't be too awkward.
This summer was different. Both Charlie and I knew that. Usually the routine would be me visiting Charlie for a month, trying to find stuff to talk about. And when we finally were able to hold conversations for more than a few minutes, it would be back to Arizona. Not this year though. This year, I would be starting college. Of course, with my grades back home, I wasn't able to get into schools such as Harvard or Dartmouth. No, I would be going to Washington State University, which is conveniently a forty-five minute drive from where Charlie lived.
Renee tried to convince me to choose a school in Arizona, but I know that she and her new husband, Phil, plan to travel a lot with Phil playing baseball. I didn't want to make her feel like she should stay in case I needed her, and at least in Washington I'd have Charlie close by.
Charlie smiled and waved as I stepped off the plane. As I approached him, I could feel one of those awkward moments coming on, where you're not sure whether or not to hug the person. Stopping in front of Charlie he smiled and took my bags, loading them into the back of the cruiser.
"How was the flight Bella?" Charlie asked
"Fine," I replied, keeping my answer short because I had nothing else to say.
The car ride was quiet, like I expected. I had a lot of time to think. Think about school in the fall, how much I hated the weather, what I was going to do this summer, and how I was going to get around because there was no way you could force me to get behind the wheel of Charlie's cruiser.
"Home at last." Charlie softly said, taking his keys out of the ignition and opening his door.
I followed slowly, watching Charlie grab my luggage and head to the door. It was misting out still, and I had put my hood up to try and keep most the water off of my head. I sighed as I tried to mentally prepare myself for this last month before school started.