Disclaimer- I do not own this story... wait haha yes I do, the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N- This is my first story of Edward/Bella. Be nice please, it's such a change writing from Harry Potter to Twilight. Enjoys kiddo's!
Chapter 1.
Meeting Charlotte.
BPOV
"Please... Please Charlie!" I sobbed, clinging onto his arm as he tried to drag me toward his cruiser. "Don't do this! Please don't!"
"Bella! Get in the car now! You're going to Renee's whether you like it or not. I refuse to play the cards you've dealt" His furious voice trembled my whole body as he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me toward the car.
"Please! Please Charlie don't make me go! Not now! Please!" I sobbed harder than ever, my eyes stinging from watering too much, my cheeks burning a vibrant red from shouting so hard ten minutes ago and my body aching to go back inside and curl up into a ball. "Charlie... Dad please" I tried once more and it worked. He stopped tugging on my wrist and turned around to look at me.
"You are seventeen Bella... what do you want me to do? Let you stay here and waste your life in a small town like I did? If I send you to your mum now I'm helping you escape. I can't make it out in the 'real world' but you sure as hell can. Do not let some boy hold you back. Let your mum make the decision-"
"Renee doesn't understand- she doesn't realise the seriousness of the situation... Please Charlie I need him, he is better than you think! Please-"
"Bella get in the car now" His voice was strangled. I knew he didn't want me to leave. I knew he had no other option.
"Dad..." I whispered his name and he pointed to the car.
"Get in Bella. I'm grabbing some of your things..." He brushed past me and I fell to my knee's on the wet ash felt ground. I wondered briefly how long it would take me to get to his house but I only new one way and Charlie would definitely know were I was going.
I looked up when I heard tires screeching against the road and I saw him jump out of the car swiftly. He came running over to me and pulled me into a tight hug. "Bella... My Bella" He cooed my name gently and I sobbed into his shoulder. He ran his hands over my shoulders, neck gently up my face and I looked him in the eyes.
"Edward please. Please don't leave me," I murmured. He kissed everywhere he could touch and I knew it was only moments before Charlie came out.
"Never. I'll never leave you," He whispered back. I saw tears glistening in his eyes and we kissed fiercely as I heard Charlie yelling from the front porch steps.
"BELLA GET AWAY FROM HIM"
"I'll find you! I'll get you out. You are my life Bella... My whole world, my own soul" He kissed me again and then I felt the weight of Charlie's hand grabbing my shoulder and ripping me away. I grabbed Edward's wrist but Charlie was too strong he ripped me away and put me in the back seat of his cruiser so I couldn't get out. I pressed myself up against the window and cried harder than ever.
"I love you" I mouthed to him.
"I love you more" he mouthed back as tears began to crease his cheeks.
The cruiser began to move and I moved so quickly to look out of the back window, just to get one more look at him. He stood in the middle of the road, his eyes down cast. Turning out of the end of the street, I saw him glance upwards. An agonising look in his eyes.
-x-
Beep Beep Beep
I groaned and rolled over. To early.
Beep Beep Beep
I rolled over again and took a chance to look at the time. 7:27. Still too early.
Beep Beep Beep
Oh. I hadn't even realised I'd fallen back to sleep. Maybe just another few minutes sleep...
"MUM get up already. Your alarm has been going off for the past half hour" I groaned and sat up. It's true, I really should have been up earlier today. "You're taking me to school you know"
"Yes I heard you the first 25 times last night," I said through a yawn. I stood up, pulled my dressing gown on, and made my way down stairs.
"Homework all done?" I asked flipping on the coffee pot.
"I'm not 5 years old. I can handle it myself"
"Charlotte, there is no need to be like that" I said through another yawn. Charlotte, my 16-year-old daughter who would rather believe she was adopted instead admit I gave birth to her.
"You need to hurry I am going to be late. We are also going to Nan's for dinner tonight. She just called"
Great. Renee. Another reason not to get my hopes up about today.
"You could give her a break you know" Charlotte said as she poured her cereal into a bowl with milk.
"I'm sorry; I don't remember inviting you into the world of adults. If I'm mistaken please let me know" I bit back, maybe a bit too harshly.
"I'm not a child mum. I hear things and I can make assumptions of who's right and who's wrong for myself thank-you" I groaned and took my coffee out onto the veranda.
Another typical warm morning in Phoenix.
"20 minutes mum" she called from in the house. I drank my drink quickly then got up and dressed rather hastily with Charlotte pestering me the whole way before I snapped.
"Get off my back Lotty, I can't handle you being on my case all the time ok? I get it, I'm not the greatest mum in the world but there is no need to rub it in my face all the time" She snickered at me and went to wait in the car.
I flicked all the lights off, did a quick door-lock-check, grabbed my bag, and pulled my sunglasses on whilst walking out into the street.
"Morning Bella!" Mrs Moonley called from over in her front garden. "Lovely day?"
"It is. I was just telling Charlotte-" I started to reply before I was very rudely cut off.
"MUM Come on!" She yelled then beeped the horn a few times. I smiled an apologetic smile before getting into the car. I bit my tongue all the way to her school, knowing today was not the day for the world biggest argument and finally sighed in relief when she jumped out. "Will you pick me up after-"
"No you can catch a bus" I said before she could finish. She muttered something under her breathe before turning and strutting away.
-x-
"Bella I need those to be in as soon as possible, please" Victoria, my boss called as she walked out of my cubicle. I began to scan through all the papers, highlighting important bits of information. My job wasn't very exciting; I worked at an employment agency, scanning through people's previous jobs to see if they required any special job targeting strategies. It was a dreary, dead end job, but it payed well enough and when you're a single mother you take what you can get... especially with a rebellious child.
I continued highlighting, occasionally going through my computer files to see if some things added up and was slowly getting into my routine before my cell phone rang.
"Bella speaking" I answered when I didn't recognise the number on the screen.
"Hello Miss swan, I am Vice Principle Althorp. I'm calling on behalf of your daughter Charlotte Swan" I sighed and leaned my elbows on the desk.
"What has she done now?" I asked in a sigh.
"We were wondering if you could come down and talk to us please" I looked at the time. Only 10:43 and she was already in trouble.
"Well I'm actually really busy at work..." I asked picking my highlighter back up again.
"And this is an urgent matter. We'll see you soon" He said assuming I could just drop everything and leap to Charlotte's defence.
I packed everything into my bag and hastily left the office, trying my hardest not to get noticed by Victoria who was currently yelling at someone in the cubicle next to me, yet in my haste I dropped one of the folders I was holding and quickly bent to pick it up.
"Going somewhere Bella?" Victoria asked as she sauntered out. The funny thing about Victoria is her dad Andrew Dawn created this company. She does nothing but yammer onto everyone else about how crap they are.
"There's an emergency at the school and-" I was cut off.
"There is always an emergency with you Bella" Victoria said simply. I finished picking up all papers and shoved them roughly into the folder.
"I'm sorry but I have to go-"
"You're performance is lacking Isabella. I really don't think you should leave"
"I am truly sorry but I don't have an option. I'll finish up all this paper work at home tonight. It's just Charlotte has been called to the principle's office and-"
"Can I just stop you there?" Victoria said looking at me.
"Yeah..." I said softly hoping she would not get mad.
"Oh it was nothing; I just wanted to stop you there" She smiled at me then looked me up and down. "How much does this job mean to you exactly Bella?"
"Mean to me? Well it... it pays the bills and-"
"So you're saying that you're only hear because it pays the bills? Not because you actually enjoy it-"
"No I didn't-"
"You're always handing things in late, yet always telling other co-workers how tedious you're job is. Am I correct?"
"Well I do feel like I should get a promotion" I mumbled.
She had obviously heard me. Shit.
Rule number one of Dawns employment agency.
Never, ever, ever ask for a promotion.
"A promotion?" She asked. A smile playing at her lips. "You're late almost every day and you want a promotion? I could easily pay someone else to do twice as much as you do and be twice as polite-" All the anger I had felt for Victoria and her horrible job was building up and I had to control my anger "You insufferable- "
"You think my job will easily be replaced? You think I do nothing. I do so much more than you give me credit for. This is a horrible, horrible job and the people in here are suffocating under your obsessive reign. I am sorry I didn't have rich Daddy to pay my way through school, or give me a top-notch job for applying mascara the right way. I've struggled and I don't care what you think!"
It was silent. The whole office was staring at me stunned and I bit the inside of my lip unconsciously.
"Pack your belongings. You have until the end of the day to remove all of your things or they will be thrown out" She smiled a polite smile and walked away.
Fucking bitch. She set me up. She wanted me to quit.
"Fuck!" I said before storming out of the office.
-x-
"You what?" I half yelled turning to face Charlotte in the vice principals office.
"I said-" She began to explain it to me again but I held my hand up. I was feeling very queasy at the moment
"Yes I heard that part. But what I don't understand is why you did it?" I clenched my hands together. I was so mad.
"What was I supposed to do mum? I am living in a world of adults where they all urge me to close my eyes and trust them... You know I'm not that type of person to sit down and take it" I looked at my daughter. She was just like Renee and I. She was much older in her years than I gave her credit for.
"But what I don't get is why you would light fire to the school oval. Especially saying 'Freedom' what were you thinking?"
"Miss Swan, I'm sorry but we need to discuss Charlotte's options" Mr Althorp interrupted with.
"Yes" I said putting all my attention onto him.
"I really am sorry, Charlotte has had an exceptional learning level, yet her extracurricular rebellious side must also be taken into account. Charlotte you've been suspended five times correct?" He asked
"Yes" Charlotte said without the least bit of attention.
"I'd appreciate a little bit of your attention while I tell you this Charlotte," He said a little angrily. She looked up and I looked at him, I had a feeling I knew what was coming. "It is with Phoenix Elite Institute that I regret to inform you of you're expulsion" My head hung down in shame and I tried to hold back tears, quitting my job and Charlotte getting expelled all in one day.
"What?" Charlotte snapped. "In 1996 3 kids broke into the science wing and burnt it to flames, all they got was a two week suspension-"
"They were also banned from any future-"
"And I get expelled. See mum? I get urged to believed I'm being taught a lesson by being expelled. What a joke!" She laughed to herself and stood up and left the room, the door slamming behind her.
"Is there no way? Nothing else to keep her here?" I asked.
"I'm sorry but the student body looks up to Charlotte as a role model. What sort of example would we be setting if we gave her yet again another suspension. No, I'm sorry an expulsion I think is the only way to set her straight-"
"She is a good girl" I said defensively.
"And a good student. Yet she continues to defy us all" I nodded and shook his hand before leaving the office all together. I signed her exit forms and met her at the car once I was done.
"Well done honey" I spat rather nastily.
"Thanks" She said grinning at me.
"I was being sarcastic" I jumped in the front seat of the car and she jumped in next to me.
"So what next?" She asked me a few minutes later.
"I don't know Lotty" I said in a sigh.
"Well I was thinking I could get a job at your work?" I looked at her out of the corner of my eye.
"No you're going back to school... and there is new position at my job... the special job unit" She nodded and looked out of the window.
"Well personally I think it's ridiculous in sending me to another school mid semester- wait are they employing someone else to help you out? It's about time they-"
"No" I paused "I quit today" I was quiet for a moment just thinking when it occurred to me Charlotte should have a punishment. "You know I have to punish you right" I said.
"I know... I knew I would get consequences" she said softly.
"Well I think a grounding is in order. Two months should do it and well... No internet for two weeks... fair enough?" I asked. Charlotte was a good kid at home. I knew she wouldn't complain. She was like me in too many ways.
Suddenly I started chuckling to myself.
"What's so funny?" She asked.
"Where you trying to catch the attention of a boy or something? Causing all toilets in the school to regurgitate wasn't good enough?" I asked in a laugh. She started laughing too then we were both laughing until the chuckles died down.
The car was then silent and my mind was spinning with what to do now? How to pay the bills? Where do I go? How do I get there? What will Charlotte do? Will she continue to rebel? Can I afford to send her to another school mid semester as she said?
"Mum I've been thinking" Charlotte said quietly.
"Did you hurt yourself?" I muttered.
"Ha, ha. No I was speaking to Charlie-"
"Grandpa to you thank you-"
"You call him Charlie!" she hammered back at me.
"Charlotte" I threatened.
"Fine. Well I was speaking to Grandpa the other day and he said that he would love-" My phone cut Charlotte off mid sentence and I rustled through my bag to grab it.
Renee
"Hi Mum" I said into the phone.
"Bella. Are you coming tonight? Lotty said-"
"She says a lot of things mum" I answered back, pulling into our driveway at home. Charlotte sighed and jumped out.
"Are you coming over for dinner tonight? I really want you to meet Phil. He's a great guy honey... Please" I groaned. There is only a few times Renee would say please and I hated every one of those moments.
"Fine but I have to warn you about something" I paused and she replied with a 'sure' "I quit my job today and Lotty got expelled. End of story. NO questions"
"Wait... what?"
Exactly. I am I an incredible mother or what?
"Please mum I said no questions" She paused this time and I could hear her breathing deeply.
"Ok... sure. No questions..." she paused again and it was silent. "See you at 6 then?"
"Yeah, bye" I said and hung up.
-x-
"So Charlotte, do you have a part time job?" I sat in the middle of the dinner table at Renee's. Charlotte opposite me with Phil (Renee's new lover, 8 years younger might I add) and Renee at either ends.
"No I don't" She replied before putting a big bit of chicken into her mouth.
"Charlie there is no need to be rude to Phil" Renee said.
"I wasn't being rude" Charlotte replied.
"It's Lotty not Charlie" I said looking at Renee.
"It's quiet alright" Phil answered with.
Another silence fell into the room and we continued eating silently.
"So how old are you Charlotte?" He asked probing the silence.
"I'll be 18 in 3 months" She said with a sly grin. We both knew the moment she turned 18 Nanny will be giving her, her inheritance.
"Ahh..." He answered with.
The silence fell upon the room once again and I turned to Phil.
"How did you and my mother meet?" I asked in a general conversational tone.
"Well we both attend the local bingo game every Thursday and one night I asked to buy her a drink-"
"Offcourse I said yes" Renee said butting in.
"And we sat there drinking all night, completely immersed in each other, ignoring the actual game" I watched as they gave each other the 'lovey dovey' look and Charlotte and I glanced at each other before breaking into silent fits of laughter.
Then it was quiet again.
"So Phil... what do you do for a living?" I stabbed at my broccoli and put it in my mouth quickly.
"I'm the project manager for a high profit organisational internet blueprint corporation" I am pretty sure I looked like a deer in the headlight. Yep. He was giving me an odd look back.
"Sorry?" I asked
"I design internet web pages..." Oh... that I got.
"Do you like that?" I asked.
"I find it really challenging at times-" but Phil was cut short as Renee butted in.
"I cant hold it in!" I looked at her and she pointed a finger at me. "How on earth can you just quit your job like that? I raised you to be better than that. To at least have a back up plan! What are you going to do about food and bills now? I suspect good old mum to the rescue again, and YOU" she turned to point a finger at charlotte "How dare you violate school property the way you did. Are you an animal? I am so humiliated by your actions-"
"MUM" I cut in roughly. "Charlotte is my daughter and she is already on consequences" Renee grumbled to herself then once again we were in silence.
-x-
I awoke the next morning before my alarm then realised I had no need to get up. And I wished I had someone to ask about this, or talk about it with, someone that I knew wouldn't judge me, but sadly I had no close friends in Phoenix.
I stared at the ceiling for a while and I heard Charlotte knock on the door.
"Yes" my morning voice croaked out.
"Can I come in?" She asked on the other side of the door.
"Yes" I said, still staring at the ceiling. She walked in and came to the other side of the bed, jumping in and looking up also.
"Can I finish telling you what Grandpa said now?"
"Huh?" I asked, confusion evident in my tone of voice.
"In the car yesterday... I started telling you how I had spoken to Grandpa..."
Charlie and my relationship since I was 17 had never re-connected properly. He spoke to Charlotte on a regular basis and she visited him all the time, but the only time I had seen him was when Charlotte was born and he came up for a week to see her... that was the last time, not including phone calls.
"Oh yes, sorry darl. Continue-"
"Well... And don't get mad. But I think a fresh start is what we need. Grandpasaidwecanlivewithhim" She said the last bit so incredibly fast I didn't know what she said.
"Lotty, slow down"
"Grandpa says he wants to know me more. He misses me mum and he misses you too... He wants us to move to in with him... and I think we should..."
"Oh really..." I said with a sly smile. I knew she had a male friend in... Were Charlie lived. "You sure this doesn't have anything to do with er- that guy you were on the phone with the other nigh-"
"Mum..." she said again.
"Lotty I don't-"
"I want to meet my dad"
That caught me off guard.
I was frozen solid.
I couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
He had never found me.
And so I forgot him.
Chapter end.
OH MY GOD
So you want to know what happens next, what will Bella do?
She's forgotton him
Dum dum dahhhhhh
Hahahaha please review...=]