Blue Hour

Preface

I never thought that moving to Forks would bring about such a change that it would thrust me into a world of the supernatural where even I am not who I thought I was. There I was though, fighting for my friends and the boy I loved, ready to die to save them, and hearing howls which made me cringe each time one rang through the trees. He was still alive, I had to believe that. I would have felt it if he wasn't. We would get through this and everything would be alright.

Somewhere in the cold, wet forest a wolf howled.

Chapter 1 - Arrival

It was a long drive from Seattle to the small, rainy town of Forks, Washington but I endured the trip. I really had no choice, you see, because my mother had decided that a small town was just what she needed to get her creative juices flowing and Forks Public Library could not turn down her resume. She's a librarian but also a writer and currently working on her first novel, two of her short stories have already been published and things for her novel where looking good. Things for me, however, were not. The move to Forks was not the most appealing thing in the world especially when the house we were about to move into was described with terms such as "homey" and "a fixer upper". To me this meant that it was a very old house that would need a lot of work to be considered livable, I hated it already. It had always just been my mom and I so I knew that most of the work would fall on my head, possibly quite literally if this place was the wreck I expected it to be.

"Andrew, honey, I'm sure once we get settled you'll love Forks. It's really a beautiful place," my mother told me from behind the wheel of the PT Cruiser. She doesn't really look like me; she's blonde and somewhat tan while I am on the light side with dark, curly hair. She tells me I look just like William, my dad. I wouldn't know, I have never met him. Their relationship didn't last long after I was born, he just disappeared one night and mom never talks about him. I am not even sure they have spoken since it happened but all traces of William Martin have disappeared from the Bantum household. "You'll have the perfect scenery for pictures," she added. The only good thing about the move was the promise of a dark room. Mom said I could convert the hall closet into a small one, it wouldn't be much but it was something. I've had an interest in photography for years now and at my old school I was a photographer for the school newspaper as well as for the year book. I was worried about getting on either now that I was enrolled for the rest of my senior year at Forks High, surely both would be fully staffed and have no need for me this late in the year, but I couldn't worry about that now. I had a weekend before I started school and I had a room to try and get used to. I probably wouldn't sleep much the first few days until I made the room my own.

"Yeah, I guess so," I finally replied, with my hand on my cheek and elbow on the door as I gazed lazily out the window as drops of rain began falling and becoming steadier the further we drove. I had completely forgotten about the camera in my lap, who could think about taking pictures when impending, rainy doom was just ahead. It was my mom who reminded me it was even there when she looked over at me, shaking her head at my slouched position in the seat.

"Cheer up, Andyroo," I hated when she called me that and I rolled my eyes. "Take a picture of me. It can be titled on the road to new beginnings or something." I knew she was only trying to cheer me up but it wasn't working. I hastily grabbed my camera and snapped a blurry photo of my mother who turned her head just long enough for the flash. "Let me see," she told me and I sighed dramatically before holding up the camera to show the preview. This was my own unsubtle way of letting my mom know I was upset. "Oh, come on. Take a good one. This move isn't going to be so bad."

I knew she was only thinking of me and my safety. Seattle was a scary place to live now with all of the mysterious disappearances, I knew this was partly why my mom wanted us out of there and to a quite little town. So, reluctantly, I held up the camera again and took her picture, this one turned out better thankfully because I was not doing it again. She approved.

"Are we almost there?" I asked, sort of whiny I admit but all this time in the car was starting to make me nauseous, I got no answer. I looked in the back seat (anything to not have to watch tree by tree go by) where tons of stuff was piled, mostly mine that hadn't been packed properly, but there was also a big black and white ball of fur. This ball was our Alaskan malamute, Wolfgang, who was surprisingly sleeping the ride away, lucky him. We got him when he was a puppy 4 years ago and with the move he was the only friend I had.

It felt like another forever passed before we even pulled into the driveway of our new home. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, it didn't look to be falling apart anyway. I couldn't take setting any longer so I hopped out of the car as soon as it came to a complete stop, stepping right into a mud puddle and getting the bottom of my jeans soaked.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be so bad, didn't I? I think it's charming," my mother said as she got out of the car pulling her purse out with her. "Here let me give you a key, you go ahead and get the door opened and we'll unload," she handed me a house key and I took it, walking through the wet front yard toward the door. I was glad there wasn't much to unload; all the furniture and big stuff had already been brought and unpacked the previous day. Mom had actually hired movers. It surprised me because she was more of a do it herself type of mom.

The front steps creaked a bit as I walked up them to the house. Mom was right though, it was sort of charming, bigger than our old house with 2 stories, white siding, a large wrap around porch, and a swing. This was going to be a lot different from the city. I unlocked the door and pushed it open.

The smell of abandonment hit me, that smell that just comes to a place from being closed off for so long. How long had it been since someone lived here anyway, I thought to myself. I only walked in a few steps, looking around at peeling stripped wallpaper and the ruffed up wood floors, we had some work to do. "Honey, come help me with this," my mom said interrupting my thoughts as she tried pulling out one of my larger bags. I lingered a few more minutes before I turned and made my way back out. Wolfgang ran by barking and I was too late to help as someone was already helping my mom. He was in a uniform, police chief it looked like.

"Honey this is Police Chief Swan, he lives across the street. He just drove up and thought he'd lend a hand, isn't that sweet?" she smiled at me and then at Chief Swan.

"You can call me Charlie," he smiled back at my mom before looking at me and pulling out the large bag mom had been trying her best to haul out. "I could help your mom with this. If you want my daughter Bella should be home and I am sure she wouldn't mind meeting the neighbors."

I thought for a second, "How old is she?" I asked, I didn't want to go hang out with some little girl. This guy was crazy if he thought I was going to baby-sit while he spent time with my mom. Not that I mind my mom meeting a guy, hey she deserves someone but please we just got here.

"Eighteen, she's a senior this year," he said, he didn't look like he believed it. Most parents seem to get that way when they realize their kids are grown. I nodded and looked over to the house across the street. There was an old red truck parked outside, great for pictures but I wasn't so sure if anyone should drive it.

"Go on, Andrew, we'll be fine with this, I'll put all you're stuff in your room," mom told me and again I nodded before starting off across the street.

When I finally made it to the door I knocked and within a few moments was greeted by a pale, mahogany haired girl who seemed to be waiting on someone else, "You didn't have to knock Charl-"she stopped mid sentence as she realized I wasn't who she was expecting, "Oh, hey, sorry thought you where…um, who are you anyway?"

"It's ok," I told her and explained that I just moved in across the street with my mom and that her dad was over helping her unpack AKA flirting. I had been sent over to meet her, my new neighbor and, once I started school, classmate. Inviting me in she explained she had been waiting for her boyfriend. He had been camping and was suppose to return today. He would be another of my new classmates, one with really good timing because as we where making our way to set another knock came at the door.

It was him this time and as she answered I saw a look that I would kill to have a boy give me. He looked at her so protectively, so lovingly that I almost felt like I was some sick peeping tom.

Remembering I was there she turned to Edward, "This is my new neighbor…" she hadn't actually gotten around to my name yet, I had only been invited inside for a few moments when her boyfriend arrived, her extremely hot boyfriend I might add. So perfect that it was almost scary.

"Drew Bantum," I offered, I preferred Drew over Andrew, and I stood to meet this new person. His reaction to me was odd, puzzling? Not sure what that was about but I smiled nervously. Did he think I was trying to put a move on Bella? Like that would happen but no need blabbing that about, this was a small town who knew if they even knew what gay meant.

He seemed to compose himself but he still seemed rather rigid, "Edward Cullen." I noted that no handshake was to be given but it didn't bother me.

"It's nice to meet you but I don't want to take away any of your time with Bella and I have things to unpack. I'll see you around."

Edward looked like he was trying to study me, for what I am not sure. Bella on the other hand held a warm smile and showed me to the door, "You really don't have to rush off," she told me but I would have nothing of it, couples need their time together plus Edward was starting to creep me out a little. "But you know where to find me. I know what it's like to be the new kid in town." She was very kind, generous. I liked her already, Edward I wasn't sure about but man was he hot.

"Thanks, Bella. I'll see you around. Bye Edward," I offered at the last minute to the stone like figure that stood a few feet behind her. She said her goodbye but Edward said nothing, creepy, and I made my way back across the street.

The car was still being unloaded and Charlie eyed me suspiciously. "Bella send you away already?" he asked.

"No her boyfriend showed so I thought some privacy was in order." I could tell at that moment I had said the wrong thing. Charlie mumbled something about the time and Edward. Telling my mom he needed to go and if she needed anything he was just across the street, he made his departure. The rest of the day was uneventful mostly just unpacking and settling into my new room, which was in desperate need of some paint. By the time nine pm rolled around I was already exhausted from the moving and headed straight to bed but sleeping in this old house was a whole other story and the constant rain was not helping with the creaking. Finally I dozed off, my last thoughts of hoping to find friends…like Bella.