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Chapter 1

2004

BPV

I was a seventeen year old high school student From the town of Forks Washington. My father, the police chief had just married a woman named Irena yesterday who had twin daughters that were my age. If we hadn't been step sisters chances were that Tanya, Kate and I wouldn't of even looked at each other in school. They were blonde, blue eyed and really into themselves…thinking that they were the cat's meow …well Tanya was more then Kate. Me on the other hand…I had chestnut brown hair and brown eyes…a.k.a the definition of average. While don't get me wrong…I didn't hate my step sisters…they were really hard to get along with. My best friend…Alice Brandon hated them with a passion even before Charlie dated their mother. Which is really a statement considering Alice really doesn't hate anyone . Alice was the exact opposite of me…she was small with dark hair, green eyes, and pixie like features…in other words she was striking. She was furious when she found out they had gotten engaged. I would of thought that she purposely avoided the wedding if not for the fact that she had to attend her grandmothers 50h anniversary party.

"So how was the wedding?" Alice asked as we drove home from the mall the next day. We had just reached the outskirts of the town

" oh it wasn't too bad. I had to sit next to Tanya and she gave a look like she didn't even want me there…other than that it was pretty good actually." I said

"well that's good. I don't have to bust my purse over her head. " Alice laughed.

"I'm sorry…I know Tanya's your step sister…I just cant stand someone with an ego as high as hers." Alice said. Alice had a point there though.

"hey I'm not fighting you there!" I said.

"So I cant believe you had to wear that icky bridesmaids dress…you guys must of looked like you were sewn into American flags or something…and its not even the fourth of July! What the hell was she thinking" Alice said.

"yeah Tanya and Kate were singing the star spangle banner the whole time I walked down the isle…considering they're the ones who picked the colors out I have a feeling that it was done on purpose…but I cant say anything because it'll hurt Charlie." I said. Alice just shook her head. Just then " material girl" played on the radio.

"Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me I think they're O.K. …If they don't give me proper credit …I just walk away …They can beg and they can plead …But they can't see the light, that's right …'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash …Is always Mister Right, 'cause we are …Living in a material world…And I am a material girl …You know that we are living in a material world …And I am a material girl …Some boys romance, some boys slow dance …That's all right with me …If they can't raise my interest then I …Have to let them be …Some boys try and some boys lie but …I don't let them play …Only boys who save their pennies …Make my rainy day, 'cause they are …Living in a material world [material] …Living in a material world …Boys may come and boys may go …And that's all right you see …Experience has made me rich …And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's …A material, a material, a material, a material world …Living in a material world [material] …Living in a material world" Alice belched out happily

" I always felt this song was a lot about me…one day I swear to god I'm going to run my own fashion business…I've heard that shoes are where its at right now." Alice said.

"you would!" I said

"what about you ?" Alice asked.

"I don't know…I love writing and everything but I don't know if I want it to be a career or not and when we took a tour of that company for business class last week I could really see myself doing something like that." I said

"who knows…you might become Tanya or Kate's boss!" Alice laughed.

"No…I really don't know if they're even going to go to college. When I told them I was thinking about signing up for community college last week…they ignored me and talked about marrying rich." I said.

"I'm not even going to say anything!" Alice said shaking her head.

"oh so I forgot…I have pictures from the ceremony!" I said digging out my camera and handing it over to Alice.

"Actually Bella…you don't look that bad…I mean the dress is horrible…but the like six foot eight twins look like twin lady liberties. They should be the ones singing!" Alice said flipping through the photos

"HAHAHA!" Alice laughed coming up to a picture of Tanya giving someone a dirty look

"I got that one just for you." I said shaking my head

"Thanks…I needed that." Alice laughed some more.

"So how was your Grandparents 50th anniversary?" I asked.

"Oh you know…uncle got trashed and hit on some hoe…aunt said that he was a pig…danced a lot…ate…drank…Grandma was talking about how Aunt Charlotte should of never wore that hideous green dress…made her look like a mermaid. I love Grandma Brandon…she knows what the hell she's talking about with fashion…unlike some grandmas who wear muumuus all day long. She used to own her own department store when she was younger." Alice said proudly. I laughed. Alice's grandma was the older version of Alice.

" she must be thrilled that you want to make shoes." I said.

"ecstatic really…said she's proud that someone wants to follow in her footsteps…gave me advice on how to open my own store. I told her that she'd be a free customer. Her face lit up like it was Christmas or something. Then the subject changed to setting me up on a date…Grandma's friend's grandson is single and she wanted to set me up on a date. James something or other" Alice said.

"Well what did you say?" I asked

"No of course…he was at the party and was definitely not my type." Alice said. She looked like she didn't want to broach the subject so I let it go.

"So what about you…meet anyone at the wedding?" Alice asked. I laughed.

"Bella we've had this talk…" Alice started up.

"Please…even if you are right and someone did approach me…Tanya and Kate would promptly interfere…well more Tanya…Kate likes the men to come to her." I said.

"well that's true." Alice said pensively.

"one day we're just going to have to take care of that thought." Alice said

"Living in a material world and I am a material girl!" Alice was humming to her self a few minutes later

It was then that we approached a road block behind which I could see a destroyed police cruiser. People were getting out of their cars to look. A coroner's vehicle was on the scene and someone was being shoved into another cruiser. I felt afraid for my father…after all Forks had a small police force which meant he sometimes had to patrol the streets. From what he said this morning, Today was one of those days. Alice was staring shocked.

"Holy shit…what the hell happened!" Alice exclaimed. We looked at each other and gulped.

I pulled my car over and we shoved ourselves to the front of the barricade. A policeman stopped us.

"Miss…you cant go any farther." The man said.

"Please…my father's a police officer…I need to know if he's alright!" I begged.

"Alright what's his name?" the man asked.

"Charlie Swan." I said. I didn't need to hear the words. The look on the man's face said everything.

"I'm so sorry Miss…Chief Swan didn't make it." the man said. I felt my world shatter around me. Both my father and my mother were now dead…my mother had died before I even had memories of her. I was alone in this world…the only family I had now was my Step mother and step sisters…and I do mean they were my step family…the adoption was finalized last week.

"No….!" I moaned over and over rocking.

"It has to be a mistake!" I sobbed looking around for my father. I was praying at this point that he'd pop up behind me and say it was a joke.

"I'm sorry miss…there is no mistake…it was definitely him." the man said handing me what was clearly Charlie's badge. It had his numbers on it

"NOOOOOOOO!" I sobbed even harder. Alice started crying too

"oh god Bella…I don't know what to say…I'm so sorry!" Alice said practically dragging me to the passenger side of my truck. I foggily handed my keys to her.

"I have to call Irena." I said in a robotic voice taking out my phone. I had one new message.

"Baby…I'm just calling to make sure that your alright and to let you know that I love you. I'm chasing a psychopath who's driving really erratically right now and I know that your on the road. Stay safe…and if I don't make it please take care of Irena, Tanya and Kate…(sounds of a police scanner in the background)…oh and remember to do your homework. don't worry about dinner tonight…Irena ordered a pizza. Gotta go…daddy's going to try and get this guy off the road…I really do love you!" Charlie said. I burst into a new round of tears. The only small miracle was that Charlie and I didn't fight this morning. I was thanking god that I had told him that I loved him right before he left. I didn't know how I'd handle it if that weren't the case. Alice looked like she didn't know what to do. I continued with the phone call to my step mother. I didn't know if the police told her yet

"Irena…are you sitting down?" I asked the minute she picked up the phone.

"Yeah why?" my step mother asked slightly annoyed.

"I have some bad news…about dad." I started up. Her tone changed.

"No…how bad is it?" she asked afraid.

"He's gone." I sobbed. There was no response. Actually there was…the click of her hanging up the phone

"Bella…I'll help you guys with anything that you need…you know my uncle owns a funeral home and if you need it…its yours." Alice said sympathetically.

"Thank you Alice." I said. The next few minutes were filled with silence. I stared off at the drizzly sky lost in thought. I couldn't believe that both my parents were dead. I was now in the care of some lady that I only lived with for the past year and had spottily known for two years before that. Everything seemed to slow down as I slipped deeper and deeper into a catatonic state. I couldn't let myself drown like in sorrow like this forever though. My father wouldn't want it. I had to get a handle on myself…if not for myself then for Charlie.

"alright Bella…your almost home." Alice said as I got somewhat of a hold on myself.

"promise…if you need anything…you'll call me?" Alice asked getting out and heading over to her black 2000 Nissan maxima. She absolutely hated it…she always had a soft spot for Porsches.

"Sure thing Alice." I waived sadly.

"Again…I'm really sorry." Alice said climbing into her car. I no had time to catch my breath and place my emotionless mask on before running into an uninformed Tanya and Kate. I couldn't bring myself to say anything and luckily was able to dart off to my room with out much of a confrontation. I didn't want to fight with them…not today. I sunk into my pillow and let myself break. I never felt so alone.