I stole one last glance at the warm, brown scenery before pulling the window shield down; blocking my vision of the world I've lived in for my whole life. The flight attendants walked up and down between the rows of seats, their perfectly manicured appearances giving me the feeling of self-consciousness, their polite and hospitable smiles giving me a sense of discomfort.
After choosing to leave my mother, Renee and her new husband, Phil, I was starting to second-guess my actions. I didn't want to leave my home in Phoenix, I didn't want to leave my mother, and I knew I would miss the dry, sunny days, but the last thing I wanted to be was a perpetual third-wheel to Renee and Phil while they enjoyed the honeymoon phase of their married lives. Instead of offering explanations as to why I would rather not step out of my comfort zone and travel to various parts of the country watching them fawn all over each other, I figured that moving to Washington to live with Charlie, my dad, would be easier and more consistent. Besides either way, I would have had to move away from my house. Renee was crushed when she found out, but Charlie was beyond elated to hear that I was coming to live with him in the small town of Forks and I figured that it was a good time to bond with my dad, realizing that only spending a summer with him every once in a while, didn't develop the kind of father-daughter relationship most families had.
Sighing, I pull out my slightly frayed copy of Romeo and Juliet and begin to read. The hours shorten and blend together as the words from the pages came to life, taking me into the world where nothing mattered except for the two young lovers.
Hours later, I arrived at Port Angeles airport. Glancing around, I skim the faces in the crowd looking for Charlie. Not being able to find him, I drop my bags softly onto the floor before pulling out my phone to see if I had any messages from him. Confused after not seeing any, I start to send him a text.
"Bella!" I hear a deep, husky voice come from in front of me. Not recognizing the voice, I look up in confusion. A man with russet skin, darkened from age, was sitting in his wheelchair looking at me with excitement. His long deep, black hair was pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, revealing the creases in his face, due mostly to the fact that his smile never vanished from his face. This man looked familiar, but I could not match his face with a name, so instead I smiled politely and replied with a timid, "Hello," hoping he would introduce himself. He seemed to notice my confusion, and quickly explained that his name was Billy Black, one of Charlie's close friends, and that when I used to spend the summer here I would play with Rebecca and Rachel while we spent the day on the beach with his family. At the reminder, I immediately remembered him.
"Billy! I haven't seen you in a while, I almost didn't recognize you. Er or I guess I didn't recognize you at all… I'm sorry how've you been? Do you know where my dad is?" I ramble on whilst giving him a tight hug.
"It's no problem Bells, the last time you saw me was, what, when you were no older than seven." Pausing, he addresses my questions, "I've been great. These bones are getting old, but I think I can handle it. Charlie went to the bathroom, so he'll be back any second"
Just as Billy explains that, I see Charlie walking up to us quickly with a grin on his face.
"Hey Bells! How was the flight?" he asks me excitedly, before picking up my bags and giving me a quick one-armed hug.
"It was long but bearable," I say, following the two out to the car. They both nod in understanding, leaving us all to a comfortable silence before Charlie starts talking about the latest baseball game. Not finding any interest in the topic, I look out the window and watch the cars, buildings, and trees pass in a blur of green and brown hues.
Thirty minutes later, we pull up to a small two-story house, the house where I've spent so many summers, yet they were all much too vague for me to completely recall. After parking in the driveway, I go pick up my bags before following Charlie into the house with Billy trailing behind me. Charlie quickly shows me to my room before stating that he and Billy would be watching the baseball game downstairs.
"Okay, I think I'll unpack a little bit then look around town for a while," I say already starting to put my clothes away. Once again his only reply was a nod, before he jogs down the stairs, trying to get to the TV before the commercials ended. I liked the fact that Charlie let me have my space, he didn't hover, and for that I was grateful. Half-way through unpacking I decide that my clothes wouldn't go anywhere and that it would be nice if I took a break.
Even if it wasn't appropriate weather for swimming, I still wanted to go to the beach in La Push, a reservation just barely ten minutes away from the house. Changing out of my sweatpants, I grab a pair of jeans and a baggy worn hoodie to wear over my tanktop and pull my hair into a ponytail just in case of unwanted wind or rain. Informing Charlie of where I was going, I grab my phone, wallet, keys, and copy of Romeo and Juliet planning to read while I was on the beach. Closing the door behind me, I finally acknowledge my emotions. I was sad, yes, but I was also ready for a new experience and to get away from the people and places I grew up with all my life. Staring up at the heavily clouded sky, I take an optimistic point-of-view and smile as I climb in Charlie's truck and head towards the beach.