Chapter One: Unexpected Visitor

Bella POV

The blistering summer sun shone down in golden glistening rays as I stepped out into the meadow. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face in the anticipation of warmth to melt my freezing body. I could see the bright yellow sun as it sent rays sparkling on my white skin. My upturned arms were reaching out waiting for the heat to sink in, but nothing. The sun rays teased me but left me cold. Would I ever feel warm again? Confused I looked back to the edge of the tree line and stepped out further making sure the shade of the forest canopy was in no way covering me, but I still felt cold, I could see the sun but couldn't feel it.

It was then I woke up from my confusing but familiar dream to the sounds of the radio, some overly happy radio jockey cracking jokes that I refused to laugh at, at 6.30 on a Monday morning. It was too early, always too early but life amidst the cold Forks morning beckoned and I scrambled out of bed into the chilly morning air that filled my bedroom.

Quickly slipping into my sweats, a hoody and lacing my Nikes I hopped down the stairs shoving my unruly curls into a high ponytail. I grabbed my iPod from the side table and headed out the door greeting the biting cold air with a grin. My morning routine always started with a jog. What better way to wake up then to be slapped in the face with the icy cold air of Forks Washington. Luckily today it looked like the rain was going to hold out, but the cloud cover and the cold made weather prospects for the day dire as per usual. I wasn't one to complain, well only to myself.

Who dreams of sunlight anyway, and not just this morning but almost every morning the same vivid dream? I'm seeking out the sunlight in the green mossy forest, finally finding it an open meadow only to realise that the sunlight couldn't penetrate my skin. I suppose it was no wonder I couldn't find warmth when it was just a dream, how so you feel sunlight when you're sleeping? What could it possibly mean? Maybe I just missed the sun and Phoenix it was always overcast and wet in Forks.

It had been three years since I left the blistering Arizona sun and moved to the wettest part of the continental US. I still missed the barren landscape of Arizona, the blistering heat, my mother and Phil, but I was happy here in Forks. As much as I missed them, I didn't miss their puppy love glances at each other or their new love chemistry. It was fine when it was just me and mum. It's not that I didn't like Phil but feeling like the third wheel no matter how hard they tried to make me fit, was not ideal. Mum tried talking me out of moving to Forks, but after a few phone calls to Charlie and finding out he was more than happy to have me home how could I say no. Plus with Phil's baseball they would need to be on the move and I didn't want to be holding them back.

Charlie was easy to live anyway, he gave me my space, never said more than what was necessary. He was easily kept happy with home cooked food and the dishes done. We said a lot by not saying much at all, being very similar we knew it was enough. Anyone from the outside looking in would think we weren't close but I loved Charlie so much. He was my stable, honest to goodness no frills Dad. I couldn't ask for anything more than that.

Thinking of my Dad always got me choked up. I held back the lump in my throat as I continued to pound the pavement weaving down the streets to a familiar track amongst the evergreen forest. Although I'd never admit it to Charlie, to me he was the best thing about moving to Forks. Sure I'd had made friends in Forks high and good ones at that. But no matter how long id been here I still felt like the new person, like the outsider.

My best friend was Alice. We hit it off right from the start it's like she knew from the moment we met that we were going to be friends. She came out of nowhere on my first day while I was blindly walking through the halls focusing on my new timetable and trying to find my first class, she grabbed my arm and introduced herself and well that was it, she declared we were going to be friends lead me to my English class.

I sat with Alice, her boyfriend Jasper, Angela and Ben another couple at lunch. I was always going to be the additional wheel. Sometimes we were accompanied by Emmet, Jasper's brother, and his girlfriend Rosalie. They were in their senior year but Jasper and Emmett were pretty close so it wasn't uncommon for the seven of us to all sit together. Really I'd done well for myself. I'd made a nice group of friends and stayed out of trouble. But I still felt like the new kid and couldn't seem to shake that label. Most of the other students had known each other from pre-school. So until the next new kid came along which was probably never going to happen, I was always going to be different, new shinny when all I wanted to do was blend in.

Forks didn't get many new residents, it was a typical steady small town no growth same old, same old. No McDonald's, no starbucks. The same Diner has been there for god knows how many years. I think my Dad went there when he was a teen. One thing for certain about Forks was that it was constant. Anything new would be new for a long time. In fact when a new service station opened it was like the community rallied against it, although the fuel was cheaper and the store was nicer and well stocked, people couldn't go past Billy's Garage. Sad to say the fuel station didn't last and well I don't think any other new business would even try to crack the market since then. We were a hard community to convince that change was good.

I was on the home stretch and slowed down into a brisk walk as I reached our street. Little beads of sweat managed to get through the chilly air on my forehead and I was eager to get inside and have a hot shower. Dads cruiser was missing he must have left early for work. It was easy to miss him in the morning. His routine basically consisted of getting changed, strapping his gun to his belt and walking out the door.

I stayed in the shower a little longer than necessary letting the hot water soothe and loosen my tense muscles. By the time I got out I was running late so I quickly got dressed in my skinny blue denim jeans, sketchers, and a Navy hoody and headed out grabbing a muffin, my school bad and was out the door. Alice happened to live a few houses down the street so I walked quickly over to her place nibbling at my muffin along the way.

We generally took it in turns driving to school. But unusual for her today she wasn't already waiting in her car. Her yellow bug was sitting empty in the driveway and next to it a silver car which I didn't recognise. I walked up the front steps a little confused and tapped on the door. Did she remember it was her turn to drive? Unlike me Alice was always on time, rocking up early for everything, always well planned. Her morning routine was more along the lines of figuring out how to do her hair just right matching her jewellery to her outfit or however that fashion stuff worked. She always shook her head when I would show up in clearly an unplanned outfit that basically consisted of me grabbing the cleanest most comfortable clothes from my cupboard and throwing them on. We were polar opposites. Where she was fashionable I was plain, where she was confident I was shy. But I think that's maybe what made us work; we balanced out each other's extremes.

I heard a door open from inside probably their study and then some footsteps towards the door, I was just about to let myself in when the front door was roughly opened and a boy I'd never met was standing barefoot in the doorway. He looked like he was our age maybe older, wearing jeans and a black polo shirt his hair a bronze disarray seemed to spike in every direction, he had a strong jaw line and plump pouty lips which were held in a stern line, eyes a piercing green, eyes that were currently staring unrelenting in to my own. It was then I realised that I was just standing there like a stunned idiot staring at this boy I'd never met not saying anything. With an effort I forced my eyes away from his down to my feet and managed to mumble something out to him.

"Ahh um is Alice home?"

God I couldn't even string a coherent sentence together let alone say hello and introduce myself to this curiously beautiful boy. Where were my manners, I was about to look up at him again and say something else when I saw his figure retreat from the doorway back down the hall and out of sight. My jaw dropped open as I gaped at the boy that was no longer there.

Whoa that was weird; here I was worried about my manners and not saying hello when he just completely brushed me off. Was he getting Alice? I couldn't hear anything so I let myself in. It wasn't like I was new here, it was practically my second home. Alice's parents Carlisle and Esme were continually telling me to not even bother knocking and to let myself in, but I never felt completely comfortable barging into their place like I owned it.

I walked down the hall and in to their large open kitchen. Alice was on the phone but waved me in. The boy with the green eyes was nowhere to be seen. So strange, I was in shock from our encounter trying to make sense of it but failing. I slipped onto a bar stool by the breakfast bar and started nervously picking at my short fingernails, waiting for Alice to get off the phone so I could get an explanation. We were definitely going to be late for school which was so unlike her.

I felt rude but I couldn't help but overhear her talking on the phone and from what I could tell it was a serious conversation. Alice was always so light and seemingly care free but something about her tone had my attention.

"I know Dad, it's ok.......... Yeah he's fine I told you............ Well yeah I was shocked too when I saw him this morning, but I'm not surprised after what happened......... I hope you don't mind but said he could stay as long as he wants, you know just until everything settles down........... Ok good. Look I have to go Dad, Bella's here we're going to be late for school......... Yep I'll give him the spare key......... No he's ok, well I think he is anyway I offered to stay home but I think he just wants to be on his own............ Ok well I'll see you tonight. Bye Dad I love you."

Alice sighed hanging up the phone. This was weird. Alice was the only child so I knew she was talking about the boy id just ran into.

"Hey Bella!"

"Hey?"

I looked at her confused

She shrugged giving me an 'I'll explain later look' she threw her car keys at me which I barely caught being as uncoordinated as I was.

"I'll meet you in the car ok, I'll just be a second."

"Ok" I said and I turned and walked out the front door, unlocking Alice's yellow bug and hoping in the passenger side. I reached over to the driver's side, sliding in her keys and switching the heater on. The car was cold, I was cold. I held my hands up to the vent slightly shivering, and trying to process what I had just seen and heard.

It looks like Alice had an unexpected visitor.

*******

Authors Note: Hey guys thanks for reading! I'm updating as often as I can in small chapters to keep it fresh. I will be slipping into Edwards POV too.