Prologue
Isabella
You see me in the hallways, brushing my shoulder, hurrying to your next class so your not late. No one knows, and I cant tell them. My name is Bella Dwyer, that's how people see me. They see me as shy, nervous maybe around people. Or see me as quiet and clumsy, but a nice girl all the same. A jeans and t shirt kind of girl, her wavy blonde hair in a bun or pony tail with a few wisps falling in front of her bright green eyes. A girl with rosy pink cheeks free of make up because shes naturally beautiful. I'm plain, but not invisible. Its all about blending in, and Ive learned to do it well over the months, and my life for that matter. Keeping my secret is the most important thing right now, keeping me safe, my family safe, the people around me safe.
When people see me in the hallways, the sometimes say "Hi," and I murmur back a "Hello," only to be polite. Seeing how no one sees through my façade, it makes me want to laugh out loud at how society has gotten so clueless, because they cant see or tell what I am, what I am a part of.
My story is that I moved from a small rainy town in Washington, to Chicago, the "Windy City". The reason of the move is because a family member died, my fathers father, and he left my father, Phil, his business and home. I tell people we live in Oak park, in a modest home for me and my parents. People know that I live with my mother, and that shes an afternoon kindergarten teacher, and that I live with my father, who is a successful lawyer, his father giving him his firm. Its important to us to look normal, to appear like we belong in the lights of society. No one knows I'm only telling half the truth, no one knows me outside of school, I disappear, and no one knows... Sometimes I find myself not even thinking about it, its almost taboo in my mind. If I don't think about it, it doesn't exist and its not my problem then. If they find out who I really am, they wont be able to live.
The other half of the truth people don't know, the other half of me people don't know, is that my name isn't even Bella Dwyer, but actually Isabella Swan. I don't have blond hair and bright green eyes, but dark brown wavy hair down to my waist and chocolate brown eyes. What I look like isn't even half of my secrets. He is the only one I have ever wanted to be honest with, hes the reason I want to give it all up. He has his own secrets, but he only keeps his because I have mine. If I was honest, he wouldn't have secrets, he wouldn't need to hide from me. I wouldn't need to hide from me, or him. It would be just us. The boy, no, the man I think I love has a secret part of him that I want to know, but I cant until I let him see the secret me.
My blonde wig sits on its holder as I brush out the kinks to get ready for the next day, my thoughts drifting to the one I want, the man of my dreams. I take out my green contacts in a daze, wondering what would happen if he knew what my secret was, if he knew me really. How would I tell him? Would he still love me like I know he does? I know my father would be very upset with me, possibly have a heart attack.
Suddenly the door burst open, and I couldn't see who was behind me before I heard the shot of a compact semi-automatic Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Chief's Special — Model CS45, ah I knew the sound so well... But all I could think was... "He knows."