In this story Edward leaves Bella like in the books but before the start of the school year - similar reasons (she's at their place, injures herself, Jasper attacks, etc.) just not on her birthday. If anything is confusing feel free to ask and I can clear it up.
I glance at myself in the mirror one last time before I head out the door. My straight black hair is in a loose braid that reaches halfway down my back. I am wearing dark blue skinny jeans, a faded Bad Brains t-shirt, and a pair of black boots. I tend to wear darker colors more often as they go well with my copper skin tone. Before heading out the door I grab a black jacket, my forest green backpack, and an apple for breakfast. My father is already at work and my mother must be taking my younger brother Seth to school.
Today is my first day at Forks High School and to say that I am not excited would be a huge understatement. I was expelled from my school on the reservation on the last day of my Junior year for getting into a fight with Paul Lahote. Actually it is sort of unfair to call it a fight because all that really happened was that I slammed Paul's head into a locker and then he ran away. I doubt Paul would have said anything if his friend Jared Cameron hadn't seen it happen and immediately ran to tell a teacher. Jared has always been a little snitch. Paul and I were called in along with our parents, Paul corroborated Jared's story and seeing as it wasn't my first fight that year the principal expelled me.
I didn't bother explaining why I had gotten violent with Paul in the first place, mainly because I didn't think it would make a difference. I had been dating Sam Uley for three years when out of nowhere he disappeared for a while, came back acting all distant, and then broke up with me without a real reason. I was pissed and I have never been great at handling my emotions so this resulted in a lot of anger and violence on my part. I'm not saying I was justified or anything but Paul found me and started going off about how happy Sam was dating my cousin Emily. That's right - shortly after Sam dumped me he started pursuing my cousin and, at the time, best friend Emily. She pretended to be resistant for a minute but didn't exactly turn him away and they eventually started dating. Sam had already graduated but Jared and Paul, who had started following him around like puppy dogs a few months after he broke up with me, loved finding me at school and getting in my face about it. I am not proud of what I did...actually scratch that I am proud of what I did. But my parents were not proud and neither was the principal.
Shortly after I got expelled it came to light that Sam had proposed to Emily and the two were getting engaged. My parents understood that the breakup was hard on me, even though my dad seemed irritatingly sympathetic with Sam's decision to leave me for my cousin. They sent me to a therapist in Port Angeles twice a week throughout the summer and it helped me curb most of my more violent impulses. Luckily I had taken my final exams before being expelled so my parents were able to enroll me in Forks High without too much trouble, although I did have to sign a behavior contract promising not to bang any more heads into lockers. Or something to that effect, I wasn't paying too much attention.
The second I pull up to the school in my black '67 Impala almost all the students in the parking lot turn to look at me. Forks is a small place so it's hard for new students to fly under the radar here. When I step out of the car everybody seems to quiet down, whispering as I walk past them towards the office. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a baby-faced blonde boy with spiky hair running to catch up to me. Finally he falls into step alongside me and catches his breath before speaking.
"Hi, I'm Mike Newton. You must be Leah Clearwater."
"Must be."
I'm a little shocked that this man-child already knows my full name but I don't let it show. Mike chooses to ignore my brusque reply and continues pestering me.
"Small school so of course your arrival is news. We haven't had a new student since Bella Swan showed up last year. Although I guess you're not as new as her since you're from right next door to us. I go down to La Push quite often actually to surf. I could teach you if you want, I'm pretty good."
I resist the impulse to shove him away from me even though he is walking closer than is necessary, our arms are brushing against each other with every other step. I will mention this incredible show of restraint to my therapist at our next session. He will be proud, especially when I tell explain how annoying this Mike fellow is. I decide not to speak until we reach the office.
"I can take it from here. See you around Matt."
I say the wrong name on purpose and quickly walk through the door before he can correct me. I am still smiling at the look on his face as I walk up to the secretary to ask for my schedule and a school map. My first class is English in Building 6 and I manage to find it without too much trouble. I am ten minutes early so I slide into a seat at the back of the class to wait for it to start. Other students start to trickle in but the seats around me remain vacant until a pale brunette walks in and makes a beeline for the back, grabbing the seat to my right.
She has headphones in her ears and is not paying attention to her surroundings so I doubt she even notices that there is someone in the seat next to her. She has chestnut brown hair that reaches just past her shoulders. She is wearing black jeans, a plain blue shirt, and a simple black jacket. She's a bit shorter than I am and got an average build, perhaps a little on the skinny side, and she sits slumped in her seat as if she's trying to take up as little space as possible. When the teacher walks in the girl pulls the earbuds from her ear and sticks them in her pocket, but does not sit up or acknowledge her surroundings in any other way. The teacher, Ms. Wyatt, goes through roll call and I don't find out the girl's name until near the end of the list.
"Bella Swan?"
"Here."
She speaks in a low voice that sounds more apathetic than any other person in the room. Considering this is a 1st period 12th grade English class I find that to be an impressive accomplishment. I think this might be the girl Mike was talking about this morning who just moved here last year, maybe she just never took well to Forks. The teacher passes out class syllabi and spends most of the time going over the different parts of our grade. I am about to zone out when she mentions something about finding a partner and in true high school fashion everyone starts scrambling around like it's the fucking apocalypse. Bella and I are the only ones that don't immediately latch on to someone so I look in her direction to see if she wants to pair up and it doesn't even look like she's noticed the mayhem. She's sitting incredibly still, just staring blankly at the syllabus. I tap her shoulder lightly and even though I'm sure it startled her a little her facial expression does not change as she turns her head towards me.
"Looks like we're stuck with each other. I'm Leah, by the way."
"Bella."
Her voice is disinterested and she is turning away from me before she even finishes saying her name. I am insulted that she is being so indifferent towards me even though that is exactly how I treat almost everyone else. Before I can say anything else the bell rings and Bella slips away without so much as a glance back at me. I gather my things and head towards my next class.