Sublunary Sphere
The original story and original world belongs to Stephanie Meyer
Any quotes and characters from the original Twilight belong to the aforementioned author.
No copyright infringement was intended throughout this story. Anything that doesn't belong to me belongs to its original creator and this story wasn't meant to be for any profit.
Summary
"About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward and his family were vampires. Second, everything I knew about the world was wrong. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably screwed."
Life is defined by a lot of things, but conception is defined by which sperm beat the insurmountable odds to reach a female's egg. In this dimension a different sperm did penetrate the egg, which produced a very different little girl in a very different world. Warning: Alternate Universe. Magic exists and vampires do not sparkle here.
1. The First Step
My mom drove me to the airport with the windows rolled all the way down. I glanced up at the clear blue sky and relished how the wind blew through my long hair. A couple strands got into my mouth now and again, but it was worth the slight irritation to feel the air rush around me. It was a scorching seventy-five degrees in Phoenix; a heat that was only bearable with the cool breeze moving throughout the car. My mom had decided to save gas instead of using her air conditioner, which was just as well. I liked feeling the open air better anyways.
My legs still ached now and again during the drive up, but I supposed it couldn't have been helped. I watched everything blur by as we sped along. Now and again I glanced at my mom and shot her a reassuring smile. She beamed at me hollowly. I knew that she wasn't that thrilled with this decision. On the bright side, I could see my dad again. On the downside...I wouldn't be able to see my mom, in the flesh, for a while. In any case, I didn't have much of a real choice in where I was going. My doctor had said, I needed a sedate place to heal. Somewhere away from the city, somewhere slow, but somewhere that I was familiar with.
I sighed and turned away from her resigned stare. I needed a way to distract myself. I looked down at my android phone and tapped in my dad's address. The expanse of the Northern-west Washington State popped up before it zoomed in onto a small town; Forks. When I usually visited my dad I had found that it was almost under a near-constant cover of clouds, usually rain clouds, most of the time. This was fine with me since I loved how green it all was. It was always so full of life. We didn't really have that here in Phoenix often, in my opinion any ways.
The contrast between the two places reminded me of the contrast between my two parents. My mom; a sunny, and energized quirky woman. My dad; a steady, and nurturing man. A man that didn't deserve to get left behind. My mom had left their small town with me in tow, where she and dad had both grown up in, when I was about five years old after both my grandparents died in a sudden accident. My dad had always told me that it was because of a drunk driver. My mom blamed it on Forks and had decided it was too dangerous to stay. I didn't really think that Forks was dangerous at all though. It was certainly considered to be safer than Phoenix. Whenever I stated that, my mom would just say that the entire place made her uncomfortable and to just drop it. I guess that was understandable. I had spent my entire summer vacations with my dad ever since I was seven, so I didn't feel uncomfortable or scared there at all. It was my favorite tradition. A tradition that had yet to end. Well...technically it was ending...sort of.
We came to a slow halt as we parked in the airport parkade, and I felt my mom's hand on my shoulder, "Eliza?"
I unbuckled my seat belt and turned to her giving her a lopsided grin, "Yes, mom?"
She took me into her arms; another one of her surprise hugs, and whispered into my shoulder, "You don't have to go." She was always a little clingy when it came to my leaving.
I rubbed her back as I hugged her, "You know that I'll always come back, mom. No worries."
She sniffled and leaned back as she let go of me. Her smile was watery, "You always say that."
I flinched at that reminder. That was just another reason as to why I had to leave Phoenix. It would just be better if I was somewhere far away from where IT happened.
I took in my mother's face and managed to calm my sudden doubts. Everyone always said that I looked like her with the exception of my eyes; they were the exact shade of blue as my dad's. As we got out of the car I felt a spasm of sadness as I stared at her lithe form. How could I leave my loving, quirky, mom alone for longer than a summer? Of course, now she had Phil to keep her company, but I bet that he wouldn't be any sort of replacement for me...right? My mother always had difficulty with keeping close friends, so all she had in that department was me. I bit my lip at that thought and shook my head. She was a grown ass woman. She'd be fine. Besides, we had the phone and Skype. Everything would be fine.
"I need to go now, mom. Besides, I bet dad is going to be glad to have me for more than two months a year. Doesn't dad deserve to be happy too?" I lugged out my rainbow colored suitcase out of the trunk of the car, and threw a bright grin over my shoulder.
She pouted and let out a resigned sigh as we walked through the airport towards the departure terminal, "Yeah...I guess so. Well then. Tell you father I said, hi."
"I will", I nodded as my suitcase rolled on behind me. I tightened my anorak, one that she had recently bought me, around my waist and soon enough we stood before the departure gates.
She stopped me and held me at arms length. I tilted my head, a confused smile affixed onto my face, "Mom?"
"I love you baby girl, more than anything and anyone. More than a million sparkly shoes," she pulled me into an extremely tight hug. As I hugged her back I could feel her shake a little.
I pulled back and kissed her cheek, "I love you too. More than a million apple cinnamon scones."
She nodded and wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes, "You'll text me soon."
I laughed and nodded, "Who else would I text from here?" I had a notorious habit of keeping to myself most of the time, so I didn't really have anyone else to text here in Phoenix other than my mother. Besides, the last friends I had made here...well, they didn't really turn out to be friends at all.
She hugged me tightly for a couple minutes before I had to leave. Soon I was on the plane, and it took four hours to fly from Phoenix to Seattle. I then transferred onto a smaller plane to get to Port Angeles. The last leg of my journey was an hour drive down to Forks. Flying this much always made my stomach churn; I wasn't a big fan of heights.
My dad had been really nice about the whole thing. He was excited that I was coming to live with him instead of just visiting him for the summer. He had already gotten me registered for high school, apparently got me two surprises, and he had promised that he was going to help me get a car. These were the happy thoughts that I focused on while I was on a cramped plane that, honestly, felt too rickety to fly. The flight only felt worse when the rain started pelting the plane. I wasn't all that religious, but I started to pray out of fear. I didn't know if it helped in the long run, but it certainly made me feel better.
When I landed in Port Angeles, it was still raining as if it was typhoon season in Japan. I took a deep breath and relished the smell of wet earth and plants. For a small airport there was a lot of dirt around here. I pulled out my umbrella and silently thanked my past self for looking into the weather forecast here in Forks. I pulled my anorak closer to my body as I dragged my suit case behind me while I searched for my dad.
He was waiting for me at his police cruiser. I ran towards him and gave him an awkward wave which he happily returned. He kissed my cheek absentmindedly while I hurried into the front seat as he took my suitcase into the trunk of his cruiser. I tucked my thoroughly soaked umbrella onto the ground in front of me, and gratefully slouched into my seat.
My dad slid into the driver's seat and shook his head slightly, letting droplets of water spray everywhere. I let out a laugh, and he cheekily grinned at me. It was always fun hanging out with my dad. I think that was one of the many reasons why I wanted to be a cop. I'd never tell him that though. His head would get too big, which wouldn't help anyone especially since he was Police Chief Kites to the good people of Forks.
"It's good to see you, Eliza," he stated beaming at me before he started up the car. He checked his surroundings before getting onto the road, "You look lovely as ever, sweetie. How's your mom?"
"Mom's fine. It's good to see your lovely self, too, dad", I chuckled and watched the trees blur the scenery into a my favorite shade of green and brown as we sped down the road.
I sighed happily as I felt the heat from the car permeate into my bones. I should've layered on more clothes when I transferred onto the small plane. To my credit, the first plane was a little late, so I didn't really have time. I patted my anorak pocket and double checked that I still had my phone. I had a bad habit of losing it when I wasn't paying attention.
"So, I found a good car for you. It was really cheap," he announced after a brief period of silence.
I tilted my head and gave him a curious glance, "That's great, dad. What kind of car did you find?" Was he trawling craigslist again? He loved getting stuff for free or for cheap. I sometimes thought that he was secretly a hoarder while I was away. I could never figure out where he kept his new treasures though.
"Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy," he took a turn down the road and I could see blurry images of buildings go by as we kept driving along towards our destination.
"Where'd you find it?" Soon the buildings started getting further and further apart, which was a telltale sign that we were getting closer to our house.
"Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?" La Push was a tiny Native America reservation on the coast of Forks, which was just a half hour drive from our place. It had a gorgeous beach and the people there were just as nice.
"No duh, dad," I rolled my eyes and playfully made a face at him. We saw my godfather and godbrother; Jacob, every summer. We caught and ate a lot of fish because of them. It was a good thing I really liked them, otherwise all that fish would've been a deal breaker.
My dad shook his head and laughed before growing strangely silent, "He's in a wheelchair now...he can't drive anymore, and he offered to sell me his truck cheap when he found out that you wanted a car of your own."
"What happened?" my smile fell off my face as I took in the repercussions of what just happened to my godfather. He'd never get to feel sand or freshly watered grass on his feet. He'd never be able to run, skip, hop, or dance any more. Ever. Fuck.
He let out a bitter laugh, "He won't tell me. It's just as well...you know how I am when it comes to our family friends."
I nodded. Forks didn't need a vigilante. I bit my lip. It probably wouldn't be good to talk about it further. Another topic. We needed a different topic. I worriedly glanced at my dad, "Okay...So, what year is the car?" I could see from his change in expression that this was a question he was hoping I wouldn't ask. Damn. I was hoping to make him feel better, not worse.
I frowned to myself while my dad pasted on a nervous smile, "Well, I think it's an '94 Chevy. The thing runs great especially since Billy and Jake worked on that car on their down time."
"Huh. Are you sure it's okay to buy it from them, dad? It seems like a car they bonded over," I bit my lip and sighed. If my dad and I worked on something, I wouldn't want him to sell it. I bet Jacob felt at least a little similarly.
"Well, honey, I kind of already bought it for you...as a homecoming gift,"my dad peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression.
I grinned at him, "That's awesome. Thanks dad. I really appreciate it."
"Well now, you're welcome," he mumbled, flushing slightly as we continued to drive onwards. I inwardly snickered at his reaction. My dad still wasn't used to people thanking him. I don't think he ever would be at this rate.
We exchanged a few more comments about the weather, which was surprisingly very wet today, and that was pretty much it for conversation for the most part. There wasn't much new to say since we stayed in contact throughout the year via Skype. We stared out the windows letting the radio fill the comfortable silence that settled between us.
It was just as beautiful as I remembered. Everything was a vibrant green mixed in with deep earthy browns: the trees; their trunks covered with fine moss, their branches hanging with huge leaves creating a canopy over the road, and the ground covered with ferns. This place would be good for me. A place where I could heal in peace. I felt the slight ache in my legs again and flinched at the reminder as to why I had to be here in the first place.
Eventually we made it home. We stopped in front of our decently sized three bedroom home. My dad had bought it with my mother in the early days of their marriage. I noticed that dad had painted the front door a deep emerald green, one of my favorite colors. I threw him a bewildered look; I kind of liked how red the door was before. What brought on this change? Before I could ask him why, I caught sight of my new - well, new to me - truck.
It was a bright yellow Behemoth, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. I loved it. I didn't know if it would run, but I could see myself in it driving with the windows down, air just surrounding me. Plus, it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged - the kind you see at the scene of an accident, with nigh a scratch on it while the other car looked like a crushed accordion.
"Wow, I love it! Thanks dad!" I pulled him into a side hug and stared at my new truck with wide eyes.
"I'm glad you like it," he gruffly stated as he returned my hug with a steady sort of affection.
It took only one trip to lug all my stuff upstairs. I opened up my summer bedroom and took in the smell of peonies, my favorite perfume. It was just as I had left it. I let my luggage thump down onto the foot of my bed and fell onto my fluffy duvet. I inhaled the sweet summer scents that I had become accustomed to with this room while I looked around. The dark wooden floor, the bright white walls, the peaked ceiling, and the sturdy yellow curtains around the window - these were all a part of my childhood. They were the only things that didn't change as I grew older.
My desk still held my first computer, it was from craigslist and cost me and my dad a total of ninety dollars. It was kind of a potato and didn't do much gaming wise, but it was great for basic things like watching Netflix, YouTube, doing homework and searching the web. I planned on getting a better one once I found a job. Anything I couldn't do on it, I could do with my brand new laptop. One of the many gifts that my mom and Phil had packed away in my luggage. I swear, I don't know why she was so worried about me coming here when it wasn't summer. I idly wondered what my dad's other surprise for me was.
One of the best things about my dad was that he didn't hover. Sure he worried about me and he did show more affection than I sometimes expected from him, but he more or less trusted that I could be left alone to my own devices. That was one of the many reasons why I enjoyed my time with him every summer.
He left me alone to unpack and get settled in again. It was nice to be alone with my thoughts. I unzipped my suitcase and steadily put away all my things into my new home base. A card fell out of one of my sweaters and I let out a surprised laugh, mom and Phil had gotten me a two hundred and fifty NCIX card. I shook my head and grinned, so far I really liked their surprises. I'd have to thank them later on. I definitely had to find the nearest NCIX to fix up my computer.
I slipped on my star patterned flannel pajamas and browsed through the Forks High School website on my laptop. I sighed and pulled my hair up into my usual bun while I read through their website. They had a depressing total of three hundred and fifty-seven - now fifty-eight – students. Back in Phoenix there were more than a thousand five hundred people in my high school. All of the kids here had grown up together - their grandparents had been toddlers together I bet. I only knew the kids on the reservation since I didn't usually wander away from my house or the reservation beach during my summer visits.
I sighed inwardly and secured my bun with another elastic from my bedside table. I would be the new girl from the big city; a curiosity, a freak. Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage, but physically, I'd never fit into that stereotype. Based on where I was coming from, I should be tan, sporty, thin, and blonde. A volleyball player or a cheerleader maybe. Characteristics that stereotypically showed that I came from the valley of the sun. I never really fit into that mold though.
Instead, I was pale even when constant sunshine burned me into a crisp. The only result of that much sunlight exposure were the freckles on my nose after my usual sun burn went away. I had never managed the magic art of tanning, and the tanning lotions always left me looking like an Umpa Lumpa. I had always been a little chubby, obviously not an athlete, but you couldn't quite see my fat unless I was naked, in a swim suit, or wearing skin tight clothes. I wasn't blonde and I was glad for it. I think my black hair and blue eyes worked in my favor. I wasn't particularly good or bad at sports, more of a meh. I could run like crazy though. Plus, I was still pretty flexible from all the ballet my mom had forced me through when I was young.
I finished putting my clothes into my old pine dresser before I went into the bathroom. My teeth felt like fuzz, and I hated that. I brushed my teeth with relish and looked at my face in the mirror. I rinsed and spat into the bathroom sink, and took a closer look at myself. I pulled at my cheeks and turned my head from side to side. My skin could be pretty - it was pretty clear today; I was having one of my better days sans acne. I had no color on my cheeks though. I sometimes wished I had a little rosacea like some of the other kids I knew back in Phoenix. I smiled at myself and stared at my favorite feature of my face, my dimples. They were the same dimples my mom had.
Facing my worried reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was very worried that I'd never fit in. I hadn't had to make new school friends for years, and they didn't really turn out to be my friends in the end. More like my almost murders. I didn't relate well to a lot of people when I first met them. Just the thought alone of making new connections with people and the possibility of screwing that up made me anxious. Maybe I didn't relate well to people at all?
I shook my head, willing that idea to dissipate. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain...I didn't normally think like this. I think I just needed some more sleep, and my pain pills. My legs still ached now and again even if they were mostly healed. Sometimes the pain would be too much at night. I suppose that was my fault for trying to fit in with the IT crowd in school. I sighed into my pillows. Well, I would never try doing that stunt again.
I didn't sleep well that night, even after I ingested a T3. The constant uneasiness I felt wouldn't go away and it was starting to freak me out. I pulled my fluffy white duvet over my head, and later added my bright orange owl pillow, too. I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, but the rain settled into a quiet drizzle that managed to lull me into a deep sleep.
Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the tendrils of dread creep into my stomach. Fog always reminded me of the Walking Dead or Silent Hill. I had to shake away my irrational fears. Today would be fine and zombie free. Totally. Monsters weren't real.
Breakfast with my dad was the same as ever. It was filled with a comfortable silence as eggs, bacon, beans, and hash browns were devoured. I savored the organic orange juice that he always bought for me every time I was here. He wished me good luck at school and gave me one of his tight worried hugs. I thanked him, although I wasn't as optimistic. I put away all the dishes into the dishwasher, after my dad left.
He never said it, but after mom had left with me in tow, he had made his job the center of his world. I inwardly flinched at that thought and pushed my remaining eggs around my plate. I sat at our old square oak table in one of the four matching chairs and examined our small kitchen. It had light paneled walls, bright blue and yellow cabinets, and a white linoleum floor. Nothing had changed since the last time I was here. My dad and I had painted over the cabinets last summer in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of my mom and dad at the Forks Church with both sets of my grandparents. One with the three of us in the hospital after I was born, probably taken by a helpful nurse. A bunch of photos of us goofing around with my godfather and godbrother came after those photos. They were followed by a procession of my school pictures up to last year. Those were kind of embarrassing to look at, but they still made me feel warm inside. I was glad they were out.
I donned my anorak over my favorite thick sweater and headed out into the rain. I idly wondered if we were going to have our traditionally first dinner takeout of my choice. My mother didn't really like it when I ate take out. Something about MSG and cancer. It was drizzling still when I locked up the house. I had my own spare key; my dad had made me one when I was ten. My yellow rain boots squished and splashed through the puddles that collected on the ground as I strode towards my truck. I sort of missed the normal crunch that gravel made as I walked, but I knew that would fade with time. I didn't pause and admire my truck, as much as I wanted to, since I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet.
Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either my godfather or my dad had obviously cleaned it up, but the black cloth upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint. The engine started quickly, to my relief, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. I beamed down at the radio; I noted that it was the newest thing in this car. It was digital and felt a little out of place, but that just made me love this car even more.
Finding the school wasn't very difficult. Thank God for Google Maps. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It wasn't as ostentatious and large as my previous school, and only the sign out in front really stated it was Forks High School. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. It was a shock not to see a single chain-linked fence or any metal detectors.
I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading front office. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I doubted Google Maps had my solution for this.
I stepped out of my toasty truck and walked down a little stone path lined with dark green hedges. I took in a deep breath before opening the door. Inside, it was brightly lit with florescent lights, and much warmer than I'd expected. The office was small; a little waiting area with paisley padded folding chairs, brown linoleum floors, notices and awards cluttered the walls, as a big clock ticked loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots on the side tables and ledges. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing bright pink glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel better. This probably meant that the atmosphere here wasn't as strict as I had initially thought.
The red-haired woman looked up and over her glasses at me, "Can I help you, honey?"
"I'm Elizabeth Marabelle Kites," I informed her as I handed her the file that my dad had sent along with me. Immediate awareness lit her eyes. I was expected, the daughter of the Police Chief.
"Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school, sweetie," she brought several sheets to the counter towards me.
She went through my classes with me, highlighted the best route to each class on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign. I was supposed to bring back said slip at the end of the day. She smiled at me and wished me a good first day of school. I smiled back at her kindness and took my necessary documents wishing her a good day as I walked back to my truck. Other students were starting to arrive, so I drove around the school following the line of traffic.
I noted that most of the cars that flowed into the parking lot were older like mine, nothing flashy. Back in Phoenix I had once lived in one of the lower - income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot. The only one really nice car here was a Volvo.
I looked at the map in my truck, trying to memorize it all now. Hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of me for the whole day. A girl could hope. I stuffed everything into my backpack, slung the straps over my shoulders, and sucked in a huge breath. I could do this. It's not like anyone was going to bite me. I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck. One step at a time.
I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk trying to dodge the rain. I didn't think it was raining hard enough to warrant an umbrella yet. My army green anorak didn't stand out, I noticed with relief. I was glad I wasn't sticking out like a sore thumb. I was just worrying for no reason. At least that's what I kept telling myself.
Once I went through the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black three was painted on a white square on the east corner. I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath in to stop my hyperventilation from getting worse as I followed two pink and green raincoats through the door.
The classroom was pretty small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. This was something that kind of weirded me out, but I shrugged inwardly. When in Rome. I copied them and made a note of where I hung my coat. They were two girls; one ebony-colored blonde and the other a pale Asian with light brown hair.
I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name - not an encouraging response - and I felt my face burn. My dad was the Police Chief. He really shouldn't gawk. It wasn't all that surprising. At least that's what I thought, but at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It took the pressure off of being new. I hated being the new kid.
The reading list the teacher had given me was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Faulkner. I'd already read everything last semester back in Phoenix, which was sort of comforting. I grinned inwardly when I recalled that I had packed away all of my school work from the last semester just in case. Who's the crazy one now, mom? I smugly smiled to myself before my face fell a little. I couldn't really tease her and playfully gloat all the way over here right now...not really any ways.
When the bell chimed, a gangly Asian boy with patches of acne and oily black hair leaned across the aisle to talk to me.
"You're Elizabeth Kites, aren't you?" he asked, his grin dimpled his face. Word really got around here fast.
I smiled and nodded, "My friends call me Eliza." Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me. That was kind of weird.
He nodded while we were all got up to leave the room. He stuck by me and asked, "Where's your next class?"
I pulled my schedule out of my jean pocket and quickly glanced at it, "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six."
"I'm headed toward building four, so I could show you the way..." he nervously smiled at me once we made it out of the classroom. We got our jackets and headed out into the drizzling rain. He thrust his hand out towards me, "I'm Eric."
I laughed and shook his hand gently, "Thanks, Eric." I really hoped that I would remember his name later on. He seemed pretty nice.
While we went through the crowds some students shot us curious looks, but I brushed their stares away. Being new would soon lose its appeal eventually. At least that's what I told myself while we walked onward.
"So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked giving me an awkward smile. A smile that I was all too familiar with now.
I nodded and looked around. The lockers were weirdly spaced here, "Very much so. Especially since it doesn't rain much there. It only rains there like three or four times a year."
"Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered out loud as we pushed through a rather large crowd of tittering girls.
I chuckled and sent him a lopsided grin, "Really sunny and really hot. Like a humid kind of hot a lot of the time."
Eric smiled and nodded before shooting me a curious look, "You don't look very tan."
I snorted and wiggled my fairly thick eyebrows, "My mom is part vampire." Joking aside, I didn't really know why I was so pale since both my dad and mom tanned pretty well. My mom never answered that question whenever I asked her about it.
He studied my face apprehensively, before he let out a slight chortle. We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, "Well, good luck. Maybe we'll have some other classes together."
I nodded as I smiled at him before I went inside, "Bye, Eric!"
The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion. My Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Vanush was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself. I stammered, blushed, and tripped over my own boots on the way to my seat. He was certainly my least favorite teacher of the day so far.
After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. That was Ashley Something. She didn't really say her last name. I did my best at being the nice polite girl that my parents raised and resisted the strong urge to lie when the questions kept coming. At least I never needed the map.
One girl sat next to me in both my Trig and Spanish classes. She was nice enough to walk with me to the cafeteria at lunch. She was pretty short only reaching five foot three; three inches shorter than my own height, but her wildly curly dark red hair made up a lot of the difference. Her hair reminded me greatly of Merida's hair from the Disney movie Brave. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she prattled on about teachers and classes. I privately called her the Merida double in my head, and hoped that I would recall her name eventually since she was being pretty nice to me.
We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. They all looked pretty friendly, expect for the blonde named Lauren. She could just have a resting bitch face though, that happened sometimes. The boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room. I waved back politely smiling at his enthusiasm. When I turned slightly I caught the image of the strangest thing I had seen as of yet.
Five people were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, far away from everyone in the room. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, but they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. I inwardly scowled at the food they hadn't touched. That would be a waste if they weren't going to eat it. I shoveled some macaroni and cheese into my mouth happily savoring the bacon bits Mrs. Aster had put in my bowel. I was really glad dad had helped find her cat the other day.
I glanced back at the strange statue like people that sat far away from everyone else. They looked eerily pretty. Of the three boys that were there, one was big - muscled like a serious weight lifter, with dark, curly hair. Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and a honey blonde. The last was lanky with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college, or even teachers here rather than students. I secretly wondered if they did any sort of drugs to make them appear older. Or maybe they were held back?
The two girls that sat with them were total opposites. The tall one reminded me of those Amazon women in the Wonder woman world. She had an hourglass figure, the kind that made some girls around her take a hit on their self-esteem just by being in the same room as her. Her hair was golden, gently waving down to the middle of her back. The short girl was pixie-like, slender, with small delicate features. Her hair was a deep blue black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. She kind of reminded me of a dark version of Tinker Belle.
I paid half an ear to the conversation at the table around me since they weren't quite including me in whatever they were talking about. This was just as well, since I was trying to figure out what felt so off about the strangely pretty people. I really couldn't help people watching, and they were the strangest people I had ever seen.
They all looked distinctly different, but at the same time they were all exactly alike. However, it wasn't in the same way when people were related. It was a strange kind of similarity that darker things shared. My stomach clenched at that though as my mind raced. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this town probably. They all had very dark maroon brown eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes - purplish, bruise-like shadows. As if they were all suffering from sleepless nights, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular like the scary statues from Doctor Who.
They were all looking away - away from each other, away from the other students, away from anything in particular as far as I could tell. As I watched, the pixie girl rose with her tray - an unopened soda and an untouched apple - and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged on a runway. I watched, amazed at her lithe dancer's step, till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than I would have thought possible. I stared at the garbage can where she had dumped her food and thought back to the times when I saw kids go hungry at my old school because they couldn't afford God damn fruit. A tiny scowl made its way onto my face.
"Who are they?" I asked the Merida double motioning towards them.
She looked towards where I was gesturing and suddenly the boyish one stared at us. He looked at my neighbor for just a fraction of a second, and then his eyes flickered to mine. He looked away quickly, more quickly than I could've thought.
My neighbor giggled in embarrassment, looking at the table like I did. She quickly cleared her throat, "That's Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen. The Cullens live with Dr. Cullen and his wife. No one really knows where the Hales live. Rumor is that they live near the Cullens though."
I tilted my head and gave her a confused look, "Wouldn't that be obvious if they're related?" Usually when one had the same last name as someone else, that's what it meant. Well...unless it was a really common last name around these parts.
She shook her head and sent me a patient smile, "Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is like really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They're all adopted."
A light bulb turned on in my head and I finally managed to remember that my neighbor was called Jessica. I personally thought that she looked more like a Merida though.
"They are all...very nice-looking," I struggled with coming up with a statement that was vaguely polite.
"Yes!" Jessica agreed with triumphant smile. She pouted slightly, "They're all together though - Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean." She glanced at the boys at the table and sighed wistfully. Huh. It wasn't good to yearn for someone else's man. That was an equation that could land you onto the Maury show.
Throughout this conversation, my eyes flickered to the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat. What a waste of food. I ate the last bit of my lunch with relish while I chugged down my iced tea.
I looked back at the table before carefully asking, "Have they always lived in Forks?" Surely I would have noticed them on one of my summers here.
"No," she said in a voice that implied it should be obvious, "They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska."
I felt a surge of pity, and relief. Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard.
As I examined them, the youngest, one of the Cullens, looked up and met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression. As I looked swiftly away, it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation. After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. They all were noticeably graceful - even the big, brawny one. It was unsettling to watch.
I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends longer than I would have if I'd been sitting alone. I didn't quite know whether or not I was allowed to leave whenever I wanted. I was anxious not to be late for class on my first day. Angela, another one of the nice ones, had Biology II with me the next hour. We walked to class together in a companionable silence. She seemed shy and I didn't really know what to say to strike up a proper conversation.
When we entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a black-topped lab table exactly like the ones I was used to. She already had a neighbor. In fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the center aisle, I recognized one of the Cullens by his unusual hair, sitting next to that single open seat.
I walked down the aisle to introduce myself to the teacher and get my slip signed and just as I passed, the Cullen boy suddenly went rigid in his seat. He stared hard at me, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face - it was hostile, furious. I looked away quickly, shocked, going red up to the tips of my ears. I stumbled over the air slightly to catch myself on the edge of a table. A girl with bright braces sitting nearby giggled.
Mr. Banner signed my slip and handed me a book before gesturing for me to take a seat. I could tell we were going to get along. Of course, he had no choice but to send me to the one open seat in the middle of the room. I kept my eyes down as I went to sit by him, bewildered by the antagonistic stare he'd given me.
I didn't look up as I set my book on the table and took my seat, but I saw his posture change from the corner of my eye. He was stiff as a board and refused to look at me, but at least he wasn't glaring at me like he had been earlier. I sighed. I knew how he felt. Some people just rubbed me the wrong way too. It was too bad that my lab partner had to be someone I rubbed the wrong way.
Fortunately the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I'd already studied. I took notes carefully anyway. I would just have to bring my other half filled notebooks to my various classes tomorrow instead.
I couldn't stop myself from peeking occasionally at the strange boy next to me. I wished I had left my waist length hair down instead of keeping it in a bun today. I could've totally spied on him behind my hair. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed. He had the long sleeves of his white shirt pushed up to his elbows, and it turned out that he wasn't nearly as slight as he'd looked next to his burly brother.
This class seemed to drag on longer than the others. I glanced back at him now and again. What was wrong with him? Was this his normal behavior? Even when someone rubbed me the wrong way, I never acted like this.
The bell rang loudly, jolting me out of my thoughts, and my lab partner was out of his seat like lighting. Fluidly he rose - he was much taller than I'd thought - his back to me, and he was out the door before anyone else was out of their seat. Damn dude. Harsh.
I sat frozen in my seat, staring blankly after him. He was so mean. I gathered up my things, trying to calm the anger that surged through me, for fear my eyes would tear up. For some reason, my temper was hardwired to my tear ducts. I usually cried when I was angry, a humiliating tendency.
"Aren't you Elizabeth Kites?" a deep voice asked me from my left side.
I looked up and turned a little to see a cute, baby-faced boy, his dirty blonde hair carefully gelled into orderly spikes. He grinned at me with a steady sort of warmth. This guy totally gave me the boy next door vibe.
"Eliza," I corrected him, with a smile.
"I'm Mike," he nodded while I got up pulling on my backpack.
"Hello, Mike," I nodded and did my best to tuck his name away in my head.
"Do you need any help finding your next class?" he looked at me curiously.
I let out an awkward laugh, "I'm headed to the gym, actually. I think I can find it." I would bet anything that the gym was probably the biggest building here. It seemed like it would be in a small town like this.
"That's my next class, too," he seemed thrilled, though it wasn't that big of a coincidence in a school this small.
As we walked to our next class together I found out more about him. It turned out that he was a big talker - he supplied most of the conversation, which made it easy for me since I preferred to listen rather than talk. He'd lived in California till he was ten, so he knew how I felt about the sun. It turned out he was in my English class too. He was one of the many nice people I had met today.
As we were entering the gym, Mike asked, "So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that."
"Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?" I asked wanting definite confirmation.
"Yes," he said, "He looked like he was in pain or something."
So that was the guy's name. I cringed slightly. So I wasn't the only one who had noticed, and apparently, that wasn't Edward Cullen's usual behavior. "I don't know," I responded, "I never even spoke to him."
"He's a weird guy," Mike lingered by me instead of heading to the dressing room, "If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you."
"Thanks, Mike," I smiled at him before walking through the girls' locker room door. I shook my head laughing lightly under my breath. He was friendly and clearly admiring, but I certainly wasn't interested. Not matter how sweet he seemed.
The Gym teacher, Coach Peramore, found me a uniform but didn't make me dress down for today's class. Back in Phoenix, only two years of P.E. were required. Here though, P.E. was mandatory for all four years. This was both good and bad. Good because then I could loose more weight, and bad because I was woefully out of shape. I figured I could always get into shape after high school if I still wanted to be a cop though. Right? Right.
I watched four volleyball games running simultaneously. Remembering how many injuries I had sustained - and inflicted - playing volleyball, I felt faintly nauseated. Volleyball was my worst sports.
The final bell rang at last. I walked slowly to the office to return my paperwork. The rain had drifted away, but the wind was strong and colder. I pulled my anorak closer to my body and made a mental note to buy a scarf and mittens as soon as I was able to.
When I walked into the warm office, I almost turned around and walked back out.
Edward Cullen stood at the desk in front of me. I recognized his tousled bronze hair. I stood pressed against the back wall, waiting for the receptionist to be free.
He didn't appear to notice my entrance. He was arguing with her in a low frustrated voice about trying to trade from sixth-hour Biology to another time - any other time.
I sighed slightly irritated at the hold up. I wanted to get home and relax and Edward's freak out wasn't really helping me accomplish my goal.
The door opened again, and the cold wind blew through the room, rustling the papers on the desk, and swirling strands of my hair around my face. The girl who came in merely stepped to the desk, placed a note in the wire basket, and walked out again. Edward's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at me. For an instant, I felt the incredible urge to smack his face. If you didn't like me, you didn't have to be near me, mother fucker. He turned back to the receptionist.
"Never mind, then," he stated hastily in gruff voice, "I can see that it's impossible. Thank you so much for your help." And with that he turned on his heel without another look at me, disappearing out the door.
I ground my teeth and took a calming breath before I stepped up towards the counter. I pulled on a polite hollow smile and handed the receptionist the signed slips.
"How did your first day go, dear?" the receptionist gently asked. I would have to find out this lady's name. She was the first nice person I had encountered today, and I felt the need to thank her somehow.
"It went better than I had expected," I said a weak smile pulled onto my face. She sent me a sympathetic look before handing me a chocolate chip cookie. I gratefully took the cookie and thanked her before I went on my way.
When I got to my truck, it was almost the last car in the lot. I sat inside for a while, just staring out the windshield blankly munching on my newly acquired cookie. Soon enough after I had finished my cookie, I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I headed back to my house, contemplating what happened earlier.