Chapter One: I Came to Rise

Bella POV

Small town life wasn't meant for everyone. There was a limited amount of people to choose to become friends with, everybody knew everything, and you had to be perfect unless you wanted to be the talk of the town. But I was one of the few teenagers in Blooming Grove High School who actually enjoyed the small town life. And when I say small, I mean only 927 people. I never minded how small the town really was. This is where I was born, where I grew up. It was all I've ever known, and I was okay with that.

Because we were such a small school, everybody knew each other and almost everyone were friends. We had problems just like any other high school, but we all seemed to get along. My sister, Alice, was my best friend in the world. We were only two years apart, making it easy to find common interests, and making it super easy to get along. I was a straight A student and had been since first grade, and already had an acceptance to Stanford in the fall. It was scary, knowing I'd be so far away from my small town, but I needed this. I needed to get out of here some time. As much as I loved it, I didn't want to be living here when I was old and gray like my next door neighbors.

It was a typical August day in central Texas. Teenagers trying to pack in their last minute summer fun, parents praising the lord students would be back in school soon, and teachers groaning about having to be back in school. Me, I didn't mind. I loved having off, but I was ready to put my mind at work again and begin doing something with my life. I was sitting on our back porch, sitting on our porch swing with a glass of iced tea on the table, and Moby Dick in my hands. I wasn't anti-social, I just preferred reading to the dull conversations about how tan I got this summer.

"Hey, Bells." Edward greeted as he unlatched the gate to our yard. Edward was Alice's boyfriend of six months and although they were young, they were crazy about each other. He was a perfect southern gentleman.

"Hi, Edward. Alice is still in her room." I laughed, Alice was NEVER able to pick out an outfit in time. "In hindsight, she should have started getting ready last night." I laughed as he sat next to me. I put my book down and focused my attention on Edward. He was nerdy. Plain and simple. Him and Alice were polar opposites, but they complimented each other perfectly. "What's up, Edward?"

"I'm nervous." He admitted.

"You've been on plenty of dates with her before. How is this any different?" I asked him.

"Because, this is our six month anniversary. People didn't expect us to last six days let alone six months."

"Then you go up to the people and say 'I told you so.' Edward, Alice is so crazy about you, it's unreal. You two are meant to be, even if you are just sixteen. Those people were wrong, and just looking for something to talk about. Trust me, Alice is over the moon happy to be with you."

"I know, I just care about her so much."

"I know. And so does she." I said, patting his shoulders.

"She's right, I do." Alice said as she came out the back door. She was always one for style. Wearing a pale yellow sundress and dark brown gladiator sandals, it complimented her nice, dark tan. He stood up as she walked over to him, standing on her tip-toes to reach his lips to give him a peck. For sixteen year olds, they really were incredible.

"You look beautiful, Alice." Edward gushed.

"You're not too bad yourself." She giggled, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Tell Mom and Daddy I won't be home late." She said, taking his hand and walking down the stairs. I watched them walk around the corner and disappear. I smiled, but felt this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was so happy for my little sister, but I wanted that. I wanted that kind of relationship. I liked Mike a lot, but we were much better off as friends and unfortunately learned that the hard way. I shook it off and went back to my book.

I must have fallen asleep in the heat because, next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake. It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the bright light, but once they had, I saw my mother standing over me.

"Hey, Mom." I said, rubbing my eyes and sitting up.

"Hi, honey. How was your nap?"

"Good, how was work?" I asked. My mother was a owner of a small boutique, specializing in over priced southern attire. But, no matter how expensive her things were, she was successful and everyone loved the things she sold.

"Good, pretty quiet, for a Tuesday afternoon. How's the summer reading?"

"It's so good, Mom. I just wish the questions in the packet made us think more. She is asking us plot line questions mostly...nothing that makes us think."

"Well then, senior year should be a breeze, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess. I love this town...but I am so ready for Stanford. Somewhere that will put my brain at work. This school is just too small, Mom."

"I know, honey. You're time is coming. One more year." She said, looking off into the distance.

"Mom, this is always going to be home. You know that right?" I asked and she turned back towards me.

"Yeah, I know that, Bella." She said kissing my forehead and going back into the nice air conditioner.

The rest of the week passed and soon enough, it was the Sunday before the last, first day of school. Never again would I sit in my room, listening to The Eagles, as well as Alice blabbering on and on about the first day of school to Charlotte. I felt sad. I mean, I liked school more than the average teenager, but I wasn't jumping for joy to be back. But knowing, this was my last year with my friends, and in this house, made me feel sad.

Alice was blabbering on and on about what to wear tomorrow...loudly. So, I grabbed my headphones and plugged them into my iPod, taking it off of the iHome. I was so content and into my book, I didn't even hear my Dad come in. I took my headphones off and set my book down, focusing my attention on him.

"Hi, kiddo." He whispered. I hadn't even noticed I'd been reading for two hours and Alice had already gone to bed. "Why don't you try getting some sleep? You're going to be exhausted tomorrow."

"I know, Dad. I put my headphones in cause Alice was talking away over there, and hadn't even realized I'd been reading for two hours." I told him, putting everything on my nightstand. I pulled the covers up and prepared for the last time I'd ever have to do this.

"Well, goodnight sweetie. Tomorrow is my late shift, so I should be here tomorrow morning to see the two of you." He said before kissing my forehead.

"Night, Dad." I said as he walked out, turning off my light. For someone who'd been staying up until four in the morning, it was easy to fall asleep, but impossible to wake up. By the time I was dressed and ready to go, Alice was already downstairs, and almost done with her breakfast.

"Morning, sweetie." My mom greeted, handing me a cup of coffee.

"Morning." I yawned, chugging the coffee. Coffee was my one true weakness...give it to me and I'd do just about anything. I sat down and chewed on a granola bar as Alice went up to finish getting ready, even though she'd probably been up since five-thirty. By the time she got downstairs, it was just time to go. We said our goodbye's, did a double check on the things we needed, and headed to the car.

"So, is it weird?" She asked as we pulled out of the driveway.

"What?"

"Knowing this is your last, first day of school?"

"Yeah, I mean this is what I've been doing since I was in first grade. It'll be weird next year, not having you as my personal alarm clock." I joked. It was a short drive from our house to the school, and Edward was already waiting for Alice on the front steps. She squealed and jumped out of the car, falling into his arms. I rolled my eyes at her, he wasn't one for much PDA, but he didn't have a choice when he was with Alice.

"Bells!" I heard Angela call after me. I turned around to see her hand in hand with her boyfriend, Ben. Angela and I grew up together, on the same street. While everyone else seemed to grow apart after junior high, Angela and I stayed close.

"Hey guys. You finish the reading?" I asked as we began walking up the steps into the cool, air conditioned building.

"Barely. I finished last night at ten." Ben laughed. He was a god student, but he was an even better procrastinater.

"Ben, you aren't going to be like this all year, are you?" Angela asked sternly. They'd been going out since the middle of last year, and like Alice and Edward, almost completely different people. But it worked for them, she kept him in line, and he showed her how to have a good time.

"No, Ang. I won't." He said, kissing her cheek. "Besides, I'll have you to keep me on track."

"Yeah, true." She laughed as we entered homeroom. The first half of the day passed by easily and quickly. In such a small school, there weren't too many hard courses and I was thankful when English came around. It was a small class, only about nine kids who were willing to put in the extra work. But it was good this way, not easily distracted, and everyone in the class was on the same page.

"Good afternoon, class." Mrs. Robinson greeted as she entered the class. Mrs. Robinson had been the english teacher here since my mother graduated in 1972. she was a sweet, little elderly woman who you couldn't help but love like a grandmother. And our class had the privilage of being her last, graduating class to teach. "Now, if everybody could get their Moby-Dick books and packets out, we will begin." She said, sitting down at her small table in the front of the room.

"Good, now lets jump right in, shall we?" She asked, slipping her reading glasses on the bridge of her nose. "Now, who can answer this for me. Why does the book begin with "Call me Ishmael"? What relationship to the reader does this introduction establish?" She asked and the room was silent. This was a room full of deep thinkers and although we'd read it over the summer, thinking about the answer was still needed. We were silent for a bit more before MaKenna raised her hand. "MaKenna?"

The class went on like this for the next forty minutes. I was happy once the bell had rung, almost sad to be leaving.

"Bella? Can I see you for a minute?" Mrs. Robinson asked as I was walking out the door.

"Sure. What up?"

"Are you having fun, dear?"

"What?" I asked, confused of why my english teach of all people were asking me this.

"I'm only asking because, you are such a wonderful student, and a pleasure to have in class. I'm just worried you are secluding yourself from the other students."

"I have friends, Mrs. Robinson. Angela has been my best friend since we were four and riding bikes together...I'm not a loaner."

"No, I know that. I don't mean to pry, I just want you to enjoy yourself your senior year. You never get a second chance...well unless your Joey." She laughed, refrancing the kid who never passes tests, but still manages to pass overall.

"Thank you for your concern, but I am having fun...I'm just having fun I like to have. I enjoy reading while I'm at the pool rather than running around, flirting with every guy I see." I shrugged.

"Okay. I didn't mean to offend you..."

"No, it's alright. Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine." I said and she smiled.

"I know you are, Bella. You can go now." She said. I walked out of the room and got to thinking. Maybe I wasn't driving an hour away to Dallas every weekend shopping, and I wasn't at the pool everyday. But I was having fun. Angela and I always had fun together and we never needed to do any of that. We had fun watching Casablanca and eating popcorn while in our PJs. My life wasn't crazy, but I was content with what I had been giving.