Prologue:
When the rain falls and the sky's dark,
I run away into my secret heart.
In my dreams you'll always be here,
To guide me to safety when danger is near.
But the wonderful rainbows are gone from my world,
For you've asked someone else to be your girl.
I know we're best friends but I wish you could see
That you mean the world to me.
And when she leaves you because she desires another,
My life will be filled with Technicolor.
By: Taylor (the "Hybrids" part of "UntouchableHybrids") (A.K.A.: xEdwardsBellax4ever—I reccommend reading her fics!!)
Chapter 1:
Back to School
"I miss you, Mom," I said, finishing off the last of my breakfast—cereal as usual.
Renee laughed from the other line. "Oh, Bella…I miss you too, sweetie. But don't forget that Phil and I are coming up to stay with my mother for Christmas. You can visit us whenever you want then." She sounded cheerful.
But she didn't understand that for me…Christmas couldn't come fast enough.
"Yeah," I mumbled, leaning back in my seat to look up at the clock. Edward would be here to pick me up soon. "So…how's life in Jacksonville?" I asked, getting up and carrying my bowl to the sink.
Renee and Charlie had been separated since I was about five. It was Renee who brought on the divorce. She'd said she had enough and she couldn't take living in Forks. At the time, I just thought she meant that she didn't want to live in Forks, but I know better now.
What Renee really meant was that she'd had enough of their marriage and she couldn't take living in Forks with Charlie.
That summer, Renee packed her things and left before we could celebrate my fifth birthday as a family. Two years after she left us in Forks, she met a guy named Phil in Arizona—who was probably a little younger than I would have liked—and by year three, Mom had Grandma—Renee's mom—fly with me down to Phoenix for their wedding.
Now, I live in Forks with Charlie, I go to school with my best friends, and I have some time to visit Renee and Phil.
"…and Phil's doing so well! Oh, Bella, it's just so nice!" Renee gushed, pulling me out of my reverie.
I flushed at the lack of attention I gave her. "That's great, Mom. I'm happy for you," I said just as Edward pulled into the driveway and honked his horn.
Renee sighed. "All right, I guess I'll let you go. Have fun at school!" she said.
"Bye Mom," I replied before ending the call.
Grabbing my bag, I pulled on my sneakers and threw my coat on before running out the door into the light drizzle of rain and to my best friend's car. The car was warm and it felt good against my damp skin. I slid my hood down before turning to face him.
He was smiling hugely—as he always did in my presence—as he stared at me. Edward wasn't just a normal best friend. He was the best friend. You know, the one you'll stay in touch with and go to their funeral when you die, even if you live on opposite sides of the earth? Yeah, he was one of those. We were close, closer than blood could ever bring us. He was practically my entire life.
But, see, in addition to being the best friend, Edward was absolutely, undeniably gorgeous. I'm talking brooding emerald eyes, auburn-bronze hair that always appeared messy but totally attractive, and a musculature that made the way he moved sexy in every way. He was drool-worthy. I had to admit, being his best friend had some disadvantages, like the fact I couldn't run a hand over the contours of his chest and abs. I'd seen him shirtless before…I almost fainted.
"Good morning!" he greeted me brightly, leaning over to kiss my cheek. This was usual for our relationship, but it still made me blush.
"Hello," I replied.
"Are you excited to be going back to school? We're juniors!" Edward had been looking forward for school to start since the day summer vacation began. I wasn't exactly sure what he loved about it, but I knew with certainty, it wasn't the education program, even if he was a straight A student.
Edward was popular. Forget popular, Edward was famous. It all started in freshman year when he'd made Varsity baseball…and took the team to state. To the students and faculty at Forks High, Edward Anthony Cullen was a gift from the gods.
"Um, not really," I sighed, looking out the window and thinking of Renee.
He put the Volvo in reverse (he was raised in a rich family), and pulled out into the street to drive to school.
"Aw, cheer up, Bella," he pleaded. "Only two more years."
I snorted. "Then four of college."
He grinned as he took a right. "You'll survive."
"Like I haven't heard that one before."
He finally seemed to pick up on my depressed mood. "What's wrong, Bella?"
His velvet voice was ultra irresistible when it was saturated of concern for me. It always made me blurt out the truth. His beautiful eyes helped with that too.
I sighed. "Christmas is such a long ways away."
I saw his eyes dart to my face as he took another turn. "Renee again?"
I nodded. Edward knew how much I loved my mom. I thought about her often, but I tried to hide from Edward—not to mention Charlie—almost everything. There are only so many things a best friend and a single dad can do in place of a stable mother.
He patted my leg and my heart jumped a little. "It'll be here before you know it."
Usually, I wouldn't agree verbally, but this time I kept my protest to myself. Just because I wasn't having a good day didn't mean Edward couldn't either.
"You're right," I murmured for his sake.
He grinned the infamous crooked smile and I turned to look out the window again so I could hide the fact that my breath had caught. I wondered if he knew how beautiful he was…
"So," I said abruptly, turning my thoughts onto something new. "You wouldn't happen to have any plans Saturday, would you?" I asked hopefully.
Now, if the situation was different and Edward wasn't my best friend, I would've never been able to say something like that without stuttering…and blushing profusely.
He chuckled, taking yet another turn. "I'm going to take a wild guess here and say Alice," he said.
"And your lucky guess would be correct," I muttered sourly.
Mary Alice Brandon—or as she preferred, Alice—was my girl best friend. When I wasn't with Edward, I was with her…or Jake.
"Actually, I was just going to hang out with Jake. He got back last night," Edward said.
"Yeah, I know," I said with a heavy sigh.
Jacob Black was another friend of mine…and Edward's. His dad, Billy, had known Charlie since college. They've been friends ever since. The two of them used to try and stick me and Billy's twin daughters—Rachel and Rebecca—together when they took us all fishing in the summer. But I spent a lot of my time with Jake, and the two of us used to make mud pies together.
This summer, Jake and Billy had gone down to Hawaii to visit Rebecca—who married a Samoan surfer before moving to the island last year.
Last night, I got a call at three in the morning from a very groggy and jet-lagged Jake telling me he got home okay.
"He called you too?" Edward asked a twinge of amusement in his voice.
"At three in the morning," I said with a sarcastic smile, rolling my eyes.
Edward smirked and I swear my heart faltered and my face flushed thirteen shades of red. "You can always sleep in Government or Spanish," he suggested.
"Yeah," I agreed absentmindedly, staring out the window again. "I don't know…" I sighed. "It's all very overwhelming. Next year, we're seniors, and then college…I don't even know where I want to go to school…or what I want to get a degree in," I blurted out.
Ever since the end of last year, the thought of college had made me hysterical. Edward of course, had his future planned out. He was going to be a doctor. He was going to go to Dartmouth—in New freaking Hampshire.
"Bella, Bella, relax," Edward soothed reaching over and grabbing my hand. I could feel the goosebumps rise up on my flesh. My cheeks flushed at the electric shock that ran up my arm and I wondered if Edward had felt it too. "You've got all this year to think about your future."
"But you already know where you're going!" I argued. "And Jake knows what he's doing, Alice knows what she's doing, so does Rosalie and Jasper—even Emmett, Edward! Emmett!" I exclaimed.
My future was a very big deal to me. Grandma—Renee's mom—never went to college…neither did Charlie's parents now that I think about it. Renee didn't go to college…
The point was, everyone expected me to go to college…and it was a lot of pressure on me.
I hadn't realized we'd reached the school until Edward turned in his seat, grabbed my face in his hands, and made me look at him.
"Bella," he said, his smoldering eyes meeting my plain, boring, muddy brown ones, "you'll figure it out. You've got enough time."
I could only nod. I'd never been able to argue back when I looked in his eyes. All my worries seemed to just…disappear. Evaporate. As if they never existed.
He smirked that usual crooked smile that made my knees weak before leaning in to kiss my cheek and ruffle my hair. "That's my girl," he approved while I blushed and tried to fix my hair.
His girl. The words were enough to make a huge grin break across my face…even if he only meant it in a purely platonic way.
I tried to distract myself so that Edward's words wouldn't brand themselves onto my heart.
"Is Jake coming to school today?" I asked him abruptly.
He shrugged. "He only called to say he was in. As soon as he mumbled, "I'm home", he hung up." Edward suddenly laughed. "The poor kid can't miss the first day of school!"
I smiled at the sound of my best friend's laugh and opened the Volvo door. I stepped out into the rain and swore loudly when I forgot to put my hood up. As my hands reached up to do the task, I felt someone else already pulling the hood on.
"Now, Bella, that's no way for a lady to talk. You never learn do you?"
I turned at the sound of Alice's voice. She was smirking from underneath an umbrella that could shield the entire Volvo if she chose to. It was comical to see something so big being held by someone so small. I smiled at her.
"Thanks," I said.
By now, Edward was waiting for me at the rear end of his car. Alice bounced forward and poked Edward in his side.
"Morning!" she trilled as she jumped out of reach when he tried to poke her back, looking slightly annoyed.
If there was one thing Alice enjoyed doing, it was torturing Edward.
"Alice," Edward nodded. I could see how she got a kick out of messing with him, when he made it so easy in the first place. When she provoked him, he snapped back instead of just ignoring it. It was actually very funny to watch.
Alice smiled again, her easily pleased fairy like features arranging on her face so that she looked completely innocent. Her jet black hair was cropped so short that it barely reached her tiny shoulders. She was about five inches shorter than my five-foot-four.
"If you two are done harassing each other, can we get out of the rain now?" I asked impatiently. Edward grinned while Alice giggled.
"Sure, Bella," she replied.
I was reminded instantly of my future dilemma when we walked into the school and posters of colleges were splayed across the walls, their advertisements coming in an assortment of colors. Even when I ignored the wording, the sight of the urgency and eye-blinding colors were enough to make my stomach twist uneasily. My face must have given away some of my despair because Edward's eyes flickered to it more often than usual.
Alice and Edward's lockers were near one another (Cullen and Brandon) while mine (Swan) was nearly on the other side of the school. The only people I actually recognized near my locker were Jessica Stanley, Jasper Whitlock, and Angela Webber.
Jasper was the only one there this morning.
"Good morning, Bella," he greeted me quietly. Jasper was a senior and my partner in Spanish. Alice had the biggest crush on him, but she'd kill me if I told him so.
"Hey Jasper. Excited to get your last year of high schooling in?" I asked, sticking my books and folders into my locker, hanging my coat up on the hook.
He shrugged. "I guess."
I peeked at him from the corner of my eye. I could see why Alice liked him so much. He was really nice and shy. He had dark blonde hair and bluish slivery eyes that always seemed charismatic to me. He was nearly a foot taller than me, but was rather lanky. Still, he had a pretty face.
"Are Emmett and Rosalie here yet?" I asked him.
He rolled his eyes. "Since when has either one of them ever been here before the five minute bell?"
I snickered. "Right."
Emmett McCarty and Rosalie Hale were both seniors this starting year. They'd been together since the seventh grade. Rosalie was beautiful. Golden blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect lips, hourglass body…you name it and she pretty much had it.
As nice as Emmett was, he still scared me. He was easy going and liked to make a joke out of everything…but he was taller than Jasper and twice as big. Even with his big brown eyes and dark curly hair he scared me. I think it was the large grin he bared everywhere he went.
The only reason I knew them was because Emmett was on Edward's baseball team…as was Jasper. After Edward took them to State, the three became fast friends, eventually throwing Rose, Alice, Jake, and me into the mixture.
"Hey, Bella? By any chance, would Alice happen to be here now?" Jasper asked, closing his locker and turning to face me with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
Trying not to laugh, I faced my locker and gave him a moment to compose himself before looking over and nodding at him. Ever since I confronted Jasper in junior high, I'd known of his crush for Alice.
I just promised not to tell…
"Thanks Bella," Jasper said, ruffling my hair before speeding down the hall towards the lockers where Alice and Edward undoubtedly were.
I rolled my eyes before running my hands through my hair to straighten it out. With that, I began organizing all my notebooks in my locker (I had a habit of doodling and writing poems and short stories instead of taking notes).
"Enough notebooks, Bella?" the familiar, deep, husky voice said from behind me.
I whirled around and grinned at one of my oldest friends. "Jake!" I cried, throwing my arms around his waist.
Jacob chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me. "I missed you too, Bells," he said, obviously amused by my reaction.
I pulled away to look at him. He was gone for most of the summer. I was allowed to compare the "then Jake" to the "now Jake." And let me be the first to say that there was a huge difference between the two.
He had to have been at least a foot taller than me now—maybe even taller than Edward…by a couple of inches at least. His russet skin looked darker and his once long black hair was cut extremely short. He seemed to have built a hell of a lot more muscle too.
"You look…different," I said, closing my locker door.
"In a good or bad way?" he asked cautiously as we started walking down the hall.
"Good way," I replied with a grin. "Always good." I said. "Hawaii did you good, Jake."
Jake chuckled, stretching his arms forward before resting them behind his head. I just now noticed the dark circles under his eyes. "The trip was awesome. The plane ride? Not so great," he said.
I smirked before jabbing him in the side with my elbow. "You can always fall asleep in class," I told him.
"Silly Bella," Jake said, ruffling my hair, making me scowl, "that's what you do." He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes and worked on straightening my hair—again. "I don't sleep," I protested pointedly, "I daydream. Big difference."
Jake rolled his eyes.
"Hey, hey! Jacob, my man!" Emmett boomed, swinging a brawny arm around Jacob. "Back from Hawaii at last!"
"But not completely awake yet," Jake said with a yawn, pushing Emmet off of him.
Emmett chuckled. Unfortunately, that left him to notice me. "Hey, hey, Bella!" he said, picking me up and squeezing me—nearly breaking me in half. "How's my favorite little sister?"
Ever since we became friends, Emmet's thought of me and Alice as his little sisters.
"What am I?" Alice asked, annoyed, as her, Jasper and Edward approached Emmett, Jacob, Rosalie, and me.
I ignored her. "Emmett, I just saw you last Saturday," I choked out.
"It's been a long week," Emmett said, dropping me on my feet.
I rolled my eyes before turning to hug Rose. "Have fun in Florida?" I asked her.
She grinned. "It was nice. Lots of sun." She nodded. "How was your summer?"
"We had seven sunny days," I informed her with another roll of my eyes.
"And Bella and I went shopping!" Alice chirped.
"Eighteen times. A total of 76 hours," I groaned. "She wants to take me shopping again this weekend."
Alice glared at me. I stuck my tongue out childishly.
Emmett chuckled and ruffled my hair.
"What is it with you people and messing up my hair?!" I burst, slapping my hands over my head protectively, glaring at Jake, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward. They just laughed while Rosalie and Alice fussed over my hair.
"Ugh," I whined.
Edward's eyes twinkled as he pushed Alice out of the way and slung and arm over my shoulder. My heart pounded my chest painfully as he pulled me into that one armed hug and kissed my temple.
"Calm down, Bella," he said.
Despite the butterflies in my stomach, I pulled away from him and scowled. He just laughed.
Alice took my hand. "Let's go find seats for the opening assembly. I don't want to be stuck at the top this year."
Jasper nodded eagerly. He was up for anything Alice suggested. I wished they knew how each felt about the other. It would be so much simpler.
"I agree," he said.
Jake took my other hand, stifling another yawn. "Well then, come on."
I protested as Jake and Alice dragged me to the gym, Emmett, Rose, Edward, and Jasper following closely behind. Jake just rolled his eyes as my weak defiance.
"I'm not sure why you always need to make a scene, Bell, but it's getting ridiculous."
I glared at him. "If you were 5'4 and weight 110 pounds that allowed to you be dragged around, you'd be annoyed too." Of course, whenever I made a scene, Edward's eyes were glued to me. I wouldn't admit this to just anyone, but it was his fault I was so whiny…because I wanted him to notice me.
Emmett placed his hands on my shoulder blades and pushed me along. "I can't believe you two have so much trouble with tiny little Bella."
Alice stuck out her tongue. "We can't all be champion wrestlers," she snapped.
Did I mention that Emmett was the school's best wrestler on the off season of baseball? He was what Edward was to the baseball team, only to the wrestling team.
I tugged my hands free and stomped ahead of my friends. "I'm completely capable of walking myself to the assembly," I announced.
Edward smirked mischievously and I knew then that if we weren't at school, he'd have slung me over his shoulder. Publically, I hated it. But secretly, I worshipped it. It was as intimate as Edward ever got with me. I practically prayed for him to lift me over his shoulder every time he showed signs of doing so.
Rosalie was suddenly next to me. She smiled but didn't say anything. I returned the smile and we all walked silently to the gym.
We ended up getting seats about halfway up the bleachers. Edward and Jake sat on either side of me with Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie behind us. Jacob and Edward were my guys.
We were all talking and joking, a sense of rightness settling over our friendships after being divided from each other most of the summer. I was basking in the feeling Edward's knee against mine created when she walked in.
She was tall, slender, and beautiful. Her strawberry blonde hair was about half the length of my own waist length brown hair and shone healthily under the harsh gym lighting. Her blue eyes were wide with nervousness as she clutched a notebook to her chest. Clearly, she was one of the new students that would be humiliated with an introduction to the entire student body. I smiled sympathetically just watching her cling to her notebook for dear life as she tried to melt into the wall. To be invisible.
I elbowed Edward in his side and pointed to the girl, unknowingly making the biggest mistake of my life.
"Edward, look at that poor girl," I said as people filed in past her to find their seats on the bleachers. I saw Edward scanning the crowd for an unfamiliar face. When his eyes landed on her, my stomach tightened uncomfortably. His emerald eyes became wide and acquired a faraway look as he gazed at her. The tightening in my stomach became worse as I waved a hand in his face to get his attention.
"Edward? Hey, Edward?" I started to sound panicked and Jake jerked out of his conversation with Emmett. The others followed his lead quickly.
"Bells? What's wrong?"
I shrugged in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "He's unresponsive." I prayed that no one could hear the hysteria bubbling up in my voice. Why was he looking at her like that? Like she was the only person in the room? I started to feel nauseated.
Jake reached across me and shook Edward's shoulder. "Hey, Edward. Man, are you okay?"
Edward snapped out of whatever reverie he was stuck in. "I'm sorry, what?"
"What was that all about?"
He smiled warmly. "Have you seen that new girl?"
Jake looked to where Edward pointed. His reaction to her was just like Edward's, only his reaction didn't make me suddenly afraid.
"Whoa," he said.
Edward nodded. "I think I'll introduce myself at lunch. She looks lost."
I stared at him, hoping my face wouldn't betray my growing horror. My stomach clenched again in fear. Why did that soft look on his face make me feel like I was about to lose him?
Be cool, Bella, I thought, turning to stare straight ahead. He just wants to meet her, I told myself reassuringly.
I looked over at him from the corner of my eye. He was still looking at her. The knot in my stomach tightened and I looked over at the "Poor Girl". She was already talking to Mike Newton.
Anger washed through me and I found myself wanting nothing more than for the new girl to become invisible like she wanted in the first place. I wanted to leave the gym, hide in the bathrooms, shut myself in a locker…something! I didn't care where I went or what I did, so long as I was gone and out of here.
Principal Greene took his spot at the podium in the center of the gymnasium floor and cleared his throat.
"Settle down, settle down," he said into the mic.
Within seconds, everyone in the gym was quiet, looking between Mr. Greene and the new girl—who once more was looking nervous and trying to be invisible...clutching her notebook and biting her lip…
And Edward was still looking at her.
"As usual, the dress code remains. Skirts and shorts must remain at fingertip length. Shirts must cover stomachs and inappropriate areas. Clothing may not advertise alcohol, sex, violence…"
I tuned him out and started tugging at a loose thread on my jeans. Edward looked over at me and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him frown.
"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked as the sound of rain dropped on the ceiling of the school.
I looked up at him and feigned confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"You're making the hole on your jeans bigger. Something's bothering you," he said matter-of-factly.
I rolled my eyes, mentally cursing his ability to know me better than anyone. "I'm fine," I shrugged. "See?" I smiled to try and show him there was nothing on my mind.
He gave me a look that said he wasn't buying it.
I sighed and looked away. Tell him something, I thought. "I'm just thinking about Renee," I said with a shrug.
Edward opened his mouth to say something but at that moment Principal Greene brought out the new girl—Tanya Denali, as he pronounced it—and Edward looked towards her.
"Miss Denali is coming to us from Alaska with her sisters Kate and Irina." Mr. Greene said as two other girls made their way towards the middle of the gym. "Tanya will be a junior along with Kate. Irina will be a senior. I want all of you to do your best to make them feel comfortable here at Forks High." Principal Greene turned to them. "We're very glad to have you three ladies with us this year. I hope you come to like it here in Forks." Following his lead, the entire gym clapped enthusiastically for the three embarrassed sisters as they stared at the floor.
I didn't feel sorry for them. Well, I might have, if my best friend wasn't ogling at the one strawberry blonde—Tanya—like an idiot. He didn't even know her. So why was he giving her that look? It practically broke my heart in two right then and there.
I fingered the string on my jeans, praying to God I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Even if Edward was interested, it didn't mean she would be. I mean, what if he wasn't her type?
I sighed and saw Edward's eyes flicker to my face again. I smiled unconvincingly at him before turning towards Jake who was making fun of Mr. Greene with Emmett's help in too-loud whispers.
Edward was everyone's type. The jocks liked him, the cheerleaders liked him, the emos, the punks, the skaters, the nerds…he was funny, charming, smart, sensitive, strong, brooding, and beautiful. It would take a damn near lifeless person to not like him.
"…and so, let's all return to our classes for the year and make it one to remember! Have a good first day of school, everyone!" Mr. Greene finished his back-to-school speech, looking rather proud of himself.
"The last time those glasses were in style was in the early 1970s," Jacob snickered as everyone rose to leave. "Alice should give him one of her extreme makeovers."
Emmett chuckled. "And that tie? It's horrendous!"
Alice seemed to agree with every insult they dished out because she just stared with open-mouthed horror at our principal. I went to follow Rosalie and Jake down the bleachers, but Edward tugged my hand back.
"Something more than just Renee is bothering you," he stated with concern. "Tell me what is really wrong, Bella." His eyes connected with mine and the heat of my anger at Tanya Denali evaporated instantly as my heart thumped a quicker and quicker pace. He cared about what was bothering me. It was silly of me to think he would forget me for her. Edward would never, ever do that.
Just because I told myself that didn't mean I was going to tell the entire truth.
"Er…college," I muttered, hoping he'd take my crap this time.
He sighed. "You are going to turn prematurely gray if you keep doing this to yourself."
I grinned a little. "I know. Let's go to class."
We walked—well, I stumbled; he gracefully leapt—down the bleachers and onto the gym floor. We were laughing at some dumb inside joke when I heard her speak for the first time.
"Hello?" she said shyly, stepping towards us. Edward froze for a split second before we both looked at her, both surprised. He felt nervous. I wondered if I felt angry because I couldn't quite place the emotion. "Um, I'm Tanya. I was hoping you could show me where my first class is…?"
Nicole: There you have it, folks! That's the first ever chapter of "Technicolor". It's the very first fanfic Taylor and I are writing together. What did you think? Was it review worthy? If so, leave us a review and tell Taylor and I what you think, because we love feedback. And I promise you, we won't bite!! Well, unless we're bitten first. lol! You know we love you guys!!
Taylor: Ah, yes. Finally. We've been working on this one for a while now...about a month I think? lol. So, I hope that everyone who reads it will tell us how much they liked it...unless, of course, you didn't like it...and in that case, sorry we disappointed you. Anyways, I LOVE what me and Nicole have going here and I think that it's going to be ahhhhhhmazing. We'll love you forever and always if you leave a review! haha. Thanks for reading!