Chapter 1

BPOV

"Bella, wake up!" a voice interrupted my dream. "Bella, it's time to leave! You slept in! The plane leaves in two hours!" My mom Renée ripped my blanket off and threw some clothes at my head. "We'll get breakfast on the way there! Hurry up!" she switched on the bright light and I could tell that today was not going to go well.

I climbed out of bed and put on my tank top with the green eyelet lace and a pair of black corduroys, then grabbed my last minute things: deodorant, hairbrush, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, and a parka. I ran downstairs and out the door just as Phil began to honk the horn.

We drove to the airport at sixty five miles an hour and only stopped once to grab pop tarts and juice at the 7/11. I checked through baggage and went through security as fast as the United States government and Phoenix airport would allow, making the plane only ten minutes before takeoff. I pulled out my Zune and turned on the radio just as the plane left the airport. I was on my way, and there was no turning back now.

The ride with Charlie was okay, I guess. He just went on and on about his police job and how they just started getting donuts from Krispy Kreme and how they always arrived hot. I didn't pay that much attention, but he didn't notice. I sat there and stared out the window during our drive through Forks, Washington.

We soon pulled up to Charlie's house, the whitest one on the block. It stood out in the rain, but it didn't help lift the dreary mood of the near constant cover of clouds. I pulled my two bags out of the car and was careful not to drop anything. The ground was soaked and all my books were in there.

I climbed up the stairs and into my old bedroom. It still had Barbie wallpaper and a pink carpet. The bed was made and looked very comfortable, and not wet! There were pictures on the walls that I had drawn in kindergarten, of turkeys and people and other random things. A couple were just multicolored scribbles. I would have to take those down while I was here.

I set my backpack on the bed and then kneeled next to my suitcase, unzipping it carefully. As the suitcase opened I saw the pile of things I had brought and I knew this was going to take awhile. I pulled out my laptop and put it on the old oak desk in the corner of the room. After plugging it up, I went to fill my dresser.

As soon as I was done, I grabbed a book and went down stairs. Charlie was cooking dinner, and it smelled horrible. "Dad, what are you cooking?" I asked as I entered the kitchen, holding my nose.

"Hey, Bella! Hope you're settled in alright. I'm making dinner. It's meatloaf night!" he greeted me while stirring something purple and unappealing.

"It smells like burning garbage. Why don't I make sandwiches instead?" I offered.

"That sounds good!" he said. "I'll go throw this out!" He left me in the kitchen alone so I opened the refrigerator to see what he had. It was almost empty. I made a mental note to go shopping after school tomorrow. I pulled out the sandwich stuff and started fixing our makeshift dinner.

After dinner I retreated to my room and changed into my makeshift pajamas. I climbed into bed with the CD player on low with my favorite nighttime mix. I closed my eyes and fell asleep after the CD played five times all the way through. Stupid rain.

The next morning I woke to the sound of – obviously – rain. I pulled on my clothes and walked down stairs. I grabbed a donut and my books and walked outside to wait for Charlie to take me to school. To my surprise, a truck was in the driveway. Charlie walked around the front and patted the hood of the large, bulky vehicle. He suddenly tossed a pair of keys at me. My first reflex was to guard my face, and I did. The keys hit my now soaked donut and fell to the ground. Great; my donut had a dent in it.

"This truck is yours, Bella!" Charlie said happily. "I bought it from Billy Black down at the La Push reserve. You remember Billy, right?"

"Sure," I agreed halfheartedly. Who cared who Billy was? I absolutely loved the fact that it was mine, no matter who it came from or how old it was!

"Well, see you later!" Charlie said, then hopped in his cruiser and drove away. I opened the door of the truck and revved the engine. It was very loud, and very slow, but it was mine. I drove to school happy, and I forgot to eat my donut. I pulled into the lot and got out. It was cold and wet, and I didn't like it. I ran into the office and got my schedule, preparing for a good day, when he walked in.