The Nicest Thing
Summary: Bella's life has been one tragedy after the next. When she meets Jacob. Well, he's the nicest thing she's ever seen.
Chapter One: All I Know Is That Your So Nice
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
― Aesop
Her name is Isabella Marie Higginbotham but she prefers to be called Bella, or she would if she had anyone to call her that other than her art teacher, the librarian, and Charlie.
No one picks her for their team during sports, no one passes her notes during class. People don't talk to her, not even the teacher, except when she does attendance and calls her "Ms. Higgy-bottom," much to the amusement of her classmates. The rest of the teachers just past around an attendance sheet.
Bella always sits in the back of class by the window, with her sketch pad, while in school, and during lunch, while all the other kids are sitting with their friends, Bella usually sits outside by a tree with a book or her sketch pad, with her headphones on.
Bella likes to draw. She draws her classmates, her teachers, random people she passes on her way home, animals, etc. She draws everything.
Her mom was an artist. She taught her how to draw, how to paint, how to sculpt. Her mom was one of those people who saw the beauty in everything.
She misses her mom. She was the one person who knew Bella better than anyone. Always smiling, and getting into trouble
She can draw her mother's face perfectly from memory, but sometimes she has trouble remembering what her mother's voice sounded like.
"My mom is such a bitch," the girl who sits in front of her, Lauren, complained, "She grounded me yesterday just because I came back a few hours later than my curfew,"
"Ugh, your mom's the worst," her friend, Jessica, agreed, and Bella fights back tears as she slips her sketch pad and her book "Perks of Being a Wallflower," into her messenger bag.
She bumps Lauren's shoulder as she leaves.
"What's her problem?" Jessica asks, and Lauren shrugs, rolling her eyes.
"Who knows. She's such a freak. She doesn't even talk," Lauren hisses, and Bella flinches.
Bella's hands shake, and she puts on her headphones, turning the volume all the way up.
"In the light of the sun
Is there anyone?
Oh, it has begun
Oh, dear, you look so lost
Your eyes are red when tears are shed
The world you must have crossed, you said
You don't know me, you don't even care
Oh yeah, you said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains
Oh yeah,"
She's 17, and is walking home after a long day of not speaking to anyone, and heading home to make dinner for Charlie.
Even though she had been staying with Charlie for almost three years now, she still always got this horrible feeling that one day he was going to come home from work and tell her that he didn't want Bella to live with him anymore.
Bella had been through six homes since her step-father had given her up after her mom died when she was 7. She learned that no place was safe, and that even the good ones were only temporary. Living with Charlie was nice.
He was lonely, she guesses, and decided he wanted a kid, but because of his job he needed one old enough to be independent. She doesn't mind. She keeps up the house, cooks three meals a day, and keeps Charlie company when he gets home. In return, he doesn't send her back to the group home or throw her out on the street.
It starts raining, and Bella remembers that she left her umbrella at home.
It was raining when her mom died too.
She had been at school, in the second grade, when the teacher pulled her aside.
Bella likes to go for walks in the rain.
It's weird. Something about the sky, the way the clouds cluster and huddle together, turning the world to grey and cry. It's almost like a reflection of her soul.
She feels the light drops pattering over her shoulders. When in minutes everything would be cold, dreary, and the streets would be empty.
It is only in the rain that Bella ever feels at peace.
Bella pulls her dark blue hoodie over her head, and puts her hands in the pockets of her dark skinny jeans with holes in the knee. Charlie offered to buy her some more clothes but she said no.
If she has a roof over her head and food in her stomach, then she's fine. If she asks for anything else, then she would become a burden and Charlie will get rid of her.
The crosswalk says Walk, and Bella is about to step out in the street when—
"Whoa!" a husky voice says behind her, and someone grabs the back of her jacket, pulling her back just in time for a truck to run the red-light, "That was close,"
Bella turns around and finds herself staring at the guy's chest. She looks up, her hood falling back, and sees a familiar face smiling at her.
"You okay?" he asks, and Bella nods slowly.
Jacob Black, captain of the football team and one of the popular kids in school, is standing there holding a bright red umbrella over his head. Bella has seen him before in the halls and sometimes he comes to the house with his dad to visit Charlie, but she always makes herself scarce when Charlie has company.
Charlie has tried to encourage her to socialize and has even said it would be alright if she wants to have friends over but she has yet do either of those things.
"People have no respect for the road, huh?" Jacob jokes, holding his umbrella over Bella's head, "You heading home?"
Bella nods again and Jacob chuckles.
"You don't talk much, do you?" he asks, and Bella shrugs, "Alright, well let me walk you home,"
Bella shakes her head, and Jacob smiles.
"Come on, I live right down the street from you," Jacob states, and Bella glares at him, "Okay, okay,"
He stares hard at Bella's face with a thoughtful squint, then he hands her his umbrella.
"Here," Jacob says, and Bella just stares at it, "Here, take it,"
Bella reluctantly takes the umbrella and Jacob shoves both of his hands into the pocket of his jeans, stepping back into the rain. He's instantly soaked and Bella frowns, feeling guilty, but Jacob just gives her a friendly smile, looks both ways across the street, and gestures for her to walk.
Bella hesitates, and then starts walking. Jacob lets her go, waiting until she's halfway down the block, before walking to. Every time she glances back, Jacob is there, walking a reasonable distance behind. When Bella makes it home, Jacob waves at her, before turning around and walking back the way he came.
Bella remembers that he doesn't live down the street…he lives two blocks over. He was just making sure she got home safely.
Bella goes in her house and puts his umbrella by the door, so she can give it back to him at school tomorrow.
As she heads to the kitchen to get started on dinner, she only has one thing on her mind.
Jacob Black is a nice guy.
"Chivalry: It's the little boy that kisses my hand, the young man who holds the door open for me, and the old man who tips his hat to me. None of it is a reflection of me, but a reflection of them."
― Donna Lynn Hope
Author's note: This is an AU, Where Bella isn't Charlie's daughter, Bella's mother is dead and Phil gave her up for adoption when she was 7. Jacob goes to school with Bella but they aren't friends. Bella's not popular, she's the outcast in school.
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