Disclaimer; I don't own these characters
Bella's POV
Here's the thing about Renee she was always looking out for number one, she was too stupid or self obsessed to help me when my life started to fall apart, instead she exiled me to forks, although she might have well of sent me to an eternal damnation. She forced small talk though gritted teeth on the car journey about how I'd enjoy spending time with Charlie and how Forks would be a nice change of scenery. Instead of listening I blocked her out, resting my head against the hot glass of the car window and closing my eyes.
"Bella, pay attention" She snapped at me.
"It's not hard, all I'm asking is you stop this nonsense" But she didn't know how hard it was.
By nonsense of course she was talking about the fact that not a morsel of food had past my lips for nigh on five weeks, and then there was the rebellion, the resentment, the self destruction. So I resigned myself to hell with a tight lipped smile and a half-hearted wave as I left Phoenix for good. If Renee thought a change of scenery would somehow miraculously 'cure' me she was sorely mistaken. Not even the Lord himself could have knocked me off my course- it was hardly likely Charlie would do much better than Renee.
Charlie met me at the airport he greeted me coldly. I didn't take it personally, he had no real desire to look after me- but he was still madly in love with my mother and would do anything, and I mean anything, as a favour to her. He even seemed angry that I'd upset Renee with my behaviour. He picked up my bag and led me to his beat up old ford police cruiser.
Eventually he broke the silence. "I hope you're happy" he said sternly.
I couldn't help it, I snorted with laughter. "You think I'm happy?" I replied still smirking at his blessed ignorance.
He looked at me as if he didn't recognise the girl staring back at him, had it been that long since I'd visited? "What kind of monster are you?" He asked angrily.
"Just a girl" I replied "I'm just a girl" bitter resentment colouring my voice.
"Well if you think I'll be molly coddling you, you're very much mistaken, I have shifts almost every day at the station from four a.m. ten a.m. and then again from three p.m. till nine p.m.-all so I can support you and your mother I should add, don't you forget."
I had to keep myself from smiling again, it couldn't have worked out better for me, he'd be gone in the morning and when I got home from school practically leaving me to raise myself. That night I unpacked my meagre possessions and staked my claim for some quality bathroom time. It had been a long journey and I was nervous about starting school half way though the semester the next day. I dropped my clothes to the ground and looked at myself in the full length mirror with a critical eye.
My skin was taught over my ribs, my stomach flat and my eyes slightly sunken. My collar bones jutted out, reminding me of some reason of a swan, and my cheek bones were more hollow than healthy. Perfection. I let the hot water unwind the knots of muscles in my back and massaged strawberry scented shampoo onto my aching head, before following with a crucifying burst of freezing water- just to remind myself of what was lurking round the corner.
Charlie and a plate of steaming lasagne were waiting for me downstairs, I palmed him off with a story about being tired from the journey and getting an early night. He didn't say anything but I saw his optimistic smile take a downturn. Instead of dinner I plugged my I-pod into my speakers and listened to The Killer's day and age album, while doing a punishing exercise routine.
One hundred crunches, fifty press-ups, five minutes of plank, repeat as many times as you can without passing out. Breathe, in, out, in, out- it's not hard.
The next day I awoke to hear Charlie roll out of the driveway at quarter to four, it was still dark outside. I padded barefoot though the sleeping house, sliding silent as a ghost over the wooden floor of the kitchen, I pulled out a bowl, a pack of cornflakes and some milk- full fat of course- from the fridge. I tipped some down the sink, buried some cornflakes in the bottom of the dustbin hidden under a mass of plastic wrappers from the microwave meals Charlie lived on. La piece de la resistance- I spilt dregs of milk into a bowl and floated three tiny golden cornflake boats next to a spoon I'd swirled with milk. I knew this way when Charlie popped home for lunch he'd think I'd eaten a good breakfast. Deception plays a large part in what I do, I didn't feel guilty.
I spent the next half hour preparing for my First day at Forks high, I'd received my time table in the post- which had been waiting for me on arrival in forks. It was a Monday, I had PE, biology, English amongst other subjects, I packed a rucksack with notebooks and stationary, a sketchbook, a reading book- Wuthering Heights- and my gym kit, which consisted of a pair of scratty jogging bottoms and a long sleeved top.
My first day at Forks High was exactly as I'd expected, everyone was fascinated with the new girl, that is, until I put an end to there torturing questions with my glares and blunt one word answers. Lunch was bad uneducated in the way of the cliques I pulled up a seat on a seemingly empty table, minus the lunch and pulled out my book and I- pod. A few minutes later I was joined by a boy who glared at me so hard, I couldn't have even told you what he looked like, he seemed offended that I was on his table.
If lunch was bad PE was terrible I got to the changing rooms early so I could change without being seen, I switched clothes and ditched my pony tail in favour of a plait and some Kirby grips. Needless to say I stuck out like a sore thumb, the other girls all wore brightly coloured shorts and vest tops- Lauren who wore a face of orange makeup, bleached her and a malevolent smile, didn't hesitate to make my social status clear.
"Frrr-eak" she snarled as I walked past her to the gym, her cronies giggles echoed round my head the rest of the day. We played volley ball, I jumped and danced earning my team several points, shaping my body into graceful curves diving for the ball. Breathe, in, out, in, out, it's easy see?
Edward's POV
'Monday' a word hated by children and grownups alike. Not that I had to worry too much about what grown-ups thought too often, My mum had walked out years ago and my dad worked long nightshifts at the hospital sleeping during the day- far to busy to pay his only son any attention.
Still I dragged my sorry arse out of bed at the command of my alarm, pulled on my running clothes and forced my self round my carefully measured five KM circuit on the streets. After a shower I crammed myself into a pair of black Skinny jeans- more a way of annoying my dad than anything else- and a beaten red checked logger's shirt, gulped down some tasteless mush for breakfast and swung into my Volvo to pick up Jasper, the only friend I had left, or the only one I'd ever had depending on which way you looked at it.
Jasper had the just rolled out of bed look, well it was sort of a permanent look for him with his messy blonde hair and oh so casual Jock jacket draped over a white tee. I picked him up early hoping I could get him to help me do my survey for psychology- together we'd come up with a novel idea, asking student which superpower they though was best and completing a personality analysis based on that. Like if someone said flight you might say they were a dreamer with high aims.
Needless to say though as soon as we reached the parking lot he deserted me for his footballer friends- I wasn't surprised not many people wanted to hang round me- leaving them to complete the survey on my own. I got a few of the common answers super strength, speed, flight. Before I caught sight of a girl I didn't recognise, I racked my memory banks as hard as I could but drew up a blank on her name.
She was striking, I couldn't decide if it was in a good or bad way. Her skin was sallow, standing out against her dark auburn hair and her eyes sunken into dark rings- her skin was bare of make-p a refreshing change from most of the girls in forks. Her clothes were basic, a wash of dark greys, greens and blacks and on her feet she wore battered black pumps.
She walked slowly though the crowd, hanging her head low but with a certain sort of dignity, I felt myself being undeniably drawn towards her. I approached her gingerly and muttered my question, hoping she couldn't see the blood run to my cheeks. She lifted her head looking right into my eyes, her brown to my green, there was a sadness in her eyes, a deep unnerving emptiness like she was old beyond her years.
"Invisibility" came her quiet reply, before she melted into the crowd like a ghost leaving me wondering if the encounter had even happened, if she even existed.
And then my doubts were dispelled when I sauntered to my usual lunch table, ignoring the giggles emitted by Lauren as I walked past her table. Expecting to find my normally deserted table, I was angry at first to see someone sitting in my usual seat. But I was glad I'd kept calm when I saw it was the mysterious girl, she was deeply absorbed in her book, and didn't seem to have a lunch. I frowned angrily at her trying to recall her name, realising she must have been the new girl everyone had been talking about I tried to remember her name. Something beginning with a B, Betty, no that was too old fashioned, Bella, yes that was it, Bella.
Suddenly she was everywhere, she shared my PE period in the gym. The girls played Volley ball in one half while boys played basket ball on the other half. I was chosen last for teams, but for once it didn't matter. Bella was instantly recognisable in her dark jogging bottoms and long sleeved top, I couldn't concentrate on my game as I was drawn the graceful arch of her back as she hit the ball with an unquestionable determination.