Chapter One: Welcome Home

I popped my ears once more and looked right to where my sister sat. She was looking out the window with a big smile that reached from ear to ear. How could she be so optimistic in a time like this? First off, my name is Maria Hope Sapp, but everyone calls me Mia or Hope. My big sister is Samantha Sassy Sapp. Yes, that is her actual birth-given name. Everyone we know calls her Sassy though. You may think our Mom was a hippie because of our names; surprisingly she wasn't though. Sassy and I had wondered the same thing.

I'm not the typical 16-year-old. On weekends, you can find me protesting for animal rights. Before moving, I worked at the local animal shelter as an adoption consultant. After working with the animals for a year, I had become vegetarian. Up until a couple years ago I took ballet, jazz and hip hop lessons. In fact I was one of the best dancers my class and teachers had ever seen.

Music is my passion though. I'm a classically trained pianist; I've been playing since I was 4. My mom had taught me how to play piano and acoustic guitar, my father had taught me bass. Selena and I would always perform together. She was not only my sister, she was my best friend. And when I became interested in singing, Selena helped me- Selena taught me. She would sing along with the harmonies of songs while playing piano. We could have gotten so far, we were unstoppable.

I never knew how much I would miss either of them. My father was a nice man, until my mother died when I was 11. She and my oldest sister, Selena, were both killed in a 4-car collision. It tore my whole family to pieces. My father resulted in drinking and abusing Sassy and me. Sassy became more responsible and her eyes lacked her usual sparkle. And I- I starved myself for 1 month. I became the rudest person on the planet. I wouldn't take a step in my dance classes. I refused to play a single chord, or a single melody and I stopped singing. Music reminded me of my mother and Selena. Without them, life wasn't the same.

I started doing things that I knew where wrong. My best friend, Brooke, was always at my rescue, ready to bail me out. The beating got really bad and my Aunt found out. She had once known a man by the name of Carlisle. He was a doctor. Carlisle and his wife would adopt children. She had gotten his number just in case she came across someone who needed help with a home. At the time that she had met him, she had not thought that Sassy and I would be the ones needing the help. Carlisle and his family now live in Forks, Washington. Not the sunniest place on earth.

After pleading with Carlisle, he agreed to take Sassy and me into his home. So there we were, on an airplane heading toward Forks, Washington. I didn't understand why we were being sent across the country, away from our own lives. I felt like this was all a mistake, like it wasn't permanent. We shouldn't be here, this is not right. "Please buckle your seatbelt and prepare for landing. Thank you for choosing United Airways. We hope you had a wonderful flight." The stewardess said, oh so sweetly.

Sassy had her phone out and was texting Alice, one of Carlisle Cullen's adoptive daughters. Sassy mumbled something about Alice's brother picking us up but I could barely hear above the rumbling of the plane. I rolled my eyes as a response. Why couldn't we have gone with my plan? If we had used nitrous oxide to put my father in a state of euphoria for long enough, we could have gotten out of that house and started our futures early. But no, Sassy had to be "responsible." She wouldn't budge and in the end, I had to follow her and Aunt Sony's original plan.

"Sass, I just don't understand why we couldn't go with my plan. I spent all of my spare time planning all the details out. I had learned where we could purchase nitrous oxide in the black market. Plus, I started to learn karate." I said like a little kid whining because they hadn't gotten their way.

Sassy chuckled. "Always the joker."

"I'm not joking," I whined. The plane started to touch the ground. I groaned, when we were getting off of the plane Sassy's phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked in her too cheery voice. The man on the other end of the line asked, "You're in gate 3, right?"

"Yep!" she responded. By the time she hung up we were at baggage claim. I had a big neon green suitcase and a smaller bright yellow suitcase. Sassy had a single medium sized, hot pink suitcase. When we arrived at the end of the gate there was a man standing with a sign that read, 'Sapp.' We walked toward him.

"I'm assuming you're Edward. Alice told me you would be picking us up. I'm Sassy and this is Mia Hope."

"Hello Sassy, Hope" Edward acknowledged us and shook both of our hands briskly. He seemed to have been holding a deep breath in and when he exhaled, it came in slow and small puffs.

"Here, let me get that for you." Edward motioned towards the suitcases.

"Thanks but I've got it" I responded and smiled.

I heard Sassy mumble, "Wow the bitch can be polite. Who would have guessed?"

"No, please let me." Edward said. I felt a warm feeling wash over me. I'll just ignore that.

"Thanks" I smiled once again. He took my bags and lifted them up without hesitation or struggle. Sassy looked at him and then looked at me. She shook her head and then started to walk towards me, pulling dramatically on her suitcase. She was obviously jealous that Edward had offered to take my bags but not hers.

"Mia, if you do one thing that could get us kicked out of their house I'm sending you back to dad. You can fend for yourself."

"Whatever, Sapp. Go ahead and kick me out, I won't care. It'll probably be better than having to be around you. "I responded.


Edward had overheard the sister's small quarrel. Of course he wasn't breathing and he was very stiff but he had this weird feeling inside of him. He knew that if he killed Mia he would regret it. Her blood was singing to him. But he knew he could resist. She had a beautiful smile but from what he can understand about her, it's a rare thing. He wanted to get to know her; she seemed like she would be a splendid person to be around.


"Nice car" Sassy stated.

"Thanks" Edward responded. Sassy and I got in the backseat, while Edward got in the driver's seat. He started the engine. "Alice is really anxious to meet you guys." Edward remarked.

"I know. We're super excited too. She seems like an amazing person. I guarantee we will all get along just great," Sassy responded.

I scoffed and then added, "We are? I think you mean you are. I'm not happy to meet anyone. This was such a mistake. I still don't get why we had to go with yours and Aunt Sony's."

"Mia, shut up about your plan. You know it was a stupid plan. Mine and Aunt Sony's was the most reasonable." Sassy was saying, while trying to be logical. Of course, only to impress Edward.
"You see Edward, her plan was completely idiotic. It would have promised certain death for sure."

"Hey, I was learning karate. It would have worked." I mumbled.

The car was soon filled with laughter. "Wow. You have quite the imagination don't you?"

We finally pulled into the driveway of the house. "Home Sweet Home," Edward announced.

"You have a beautiful home." Sassy feigned interest. Edward opened my car door first, then Sassy's.

A couple that couldn't be any older than their mid 20's greeted us with wide smiles. A huge man was on the other side of the room, of whom looked like he could have been Hulk. For all I knew he could have been. "Hulk" had his arm wrapped around a fair beauty. Her hair was set in perfect romantic waves past her breasts. Another couple was standing by the "Hulk." The girl was short and pixy like while the man beside her stood tall and lean, stiff and tense.

"My name is Carlisle. You must be Mia and Sassy. Welcome to our home. Let me introduce you to my wife, Esme, and my adopted children, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper. I can see you have met Edward. Please, make yourself comfortable. Alice will show you to your rooms," Carlisle gestured. The pixie-like girl, Alice was suddenly at our side taking our hands and leading us upstairs. Alice and I were nearly the same height. I was maybe half an inch taller than her. I had never met anyone shorter than me. My mom had always joked that I had gotten the short end of the stick in the family, since everyone else was taller.

The three of us ended up in front of a door with the name 'Mia Hope' painted in yellow and black on the door. The door itself was painted neon green. When we walked in I was awestricken. The walls were painted black and yellow. My closet door was neon green and it had 'M.H.S' painted in black acrylics. The bedspread was checkered with yellow, black, and neon green. My pillows were yellow and black. A neon green bed skirt lined the bed frame.

"I'll leave you here to unpack. I hope you find your room acceptable. If you don't, we can moderate it," Alice said cheerfully.

"I love it. Thank you so much." I responded. After all, it was true; they had finally found a way to make me happy.

"I'm glad you like it." And with that, she and Sassy disappeared.

I started unpacking my smaller suitcase that had all my pictures of family, my awards, and other "personals." I unpacked all my awards and put them on the wall. Now came the hard part; pictures. The first picture was one of Sassy and me when I was only eleven years old, only a few months before my mother died. The second was one of me when I was only 10 years old. That picture was taken when I was happy and natural. The next picture was what hurt me the most. It was Selena, Sassy, my mother, and me. After I placed this picture on my head board, I decided that I needed to get some fresh air. Which really translates to, I needed to go somewhere no one would find me and sing my lungs out. It was something I had done since I was a little girl.

I wandered deep into a forest. When I thought I was far enough that no one could hear me, I started to sing 'Born for This' by Paramore.

When I finished that song I began to sing 'Hallelujah' by Paramore. But before I could really get into the song, someone spoke. "You know, you have a really outstanding voice. You shouldn't hide it, like I'm sure you do." It was Edward.

"Sorry," I began, somewhat startled. "No one was meant to hear that. I don't sing anymore. I don't do anything related to music anymore."


Mia didn't know that she was falling in love with Edward Cullen, nor did Edward know he was falling in love with Mia Hope. Edward had never believed it possible to fall in love after Bella. Bella had been his true love after all. And since the horrible accident, he had felt so lost without her. They walked through the familiar forest that was now pitch black. It was something that had reminded Edward of all the beautiful and spectacular moments with Bella; before the day in the field where he had lost both his wife and daughter.