I don't intend on it being too long but... we'll see. This story is Bella's POV. Everyone is a human. I did attempt to keep a decent amount of the original stories in this tale.
Disclaimers - The characters, naturally, are Stephenie Meyer's and I've just warped 'em a little to suit our, er, "needs." The titles of the chapters and anything in italics do not belong to me, either. The titles are actually song titles and the italicized bits are pieces of lyrics that I've pulled from songs.
And, this goes without saying, these stories are intended for mature, adult readers. Well, adult, at least. Eighteen and over only.
Chapter 1: Forty-Six & 2
Six weeks. I stared out through the rain spattered windshield of the old Chevy as it shuddered and heaved, idling roughly as I waited impatiently for the light to turn green. It'd been six long weeks since Renee dumped me off here in Forks, six weeks since I'd even heard from her. Six weeks since I'd been living with Charlie, who was a stranger at best. If Phoenix was heaven, Forks, Washington was definitely the epicenter of hell - a very moist hell, to say the least. Six weeks felt like an eternity - not a good sign when I needed another whole year to graduate high school.
The light turned green and I jerked the clutch, pumping my foot on the pedal as the truck lurched forward. What a hunk of junk – the only thing I could afford. A flash of silver in my side view mirror told me the person behind me didn't think I was moving fast enough and, as the Volvo swerved expertly around me, I pressed my middle finger against the window, hoping the driver could see it through the fog before he zoomed in front of me and disappeared down the highway.
"Asshole," I muttered to myself, heaving back against the torn fabric of the seat; I shoved one earbud in and flipped on my iPod, the heavy music doing nothing to lighten my dark and angry mood. …I don't care about your routine/I refuse to fall in with the disarmed machines/ I don't give a fuck how hard you are/ don't care about your incentives or your values…
Reluctant to head back to Charlie's house, I instead stopped off at Waylin's,the local diner. The bell jingled overhead and the hinges squawked as I pushed open the door; everyone looked up, expecting to recognize the person walking in. A few did, but most just regarded me with unabashed curiosity.I was a stranger in a town small enough that there was no such thing. I planned on keeping it that way.
"Hi Bella," the waitress greeted me warmly as I slid onto a stool at the counter, tugging an earbud loose, a feeble attempt to be polite."How's Charlie?"
"Fine," I replied grimly, flipping open the menu she placed before me, absently looking at the list,"I'll have the garden burger."
Her lips tightened at my curtness but she gave me a short smile and told me my order would be coming right up. I imagined her grumbling about my rudeness to the cook in the back, probably wondering why on earth Charlie even agreed to take me in again. My presence would earn Charlie the title of Saint. It was the least I could do for him, I reasoned. Graciousness was not my strong suit.
Charlie. I sighed. It wasn't that Charlie was a bad guy; it was just that I didn't know him and I didn't particularly want to know him. I was tired of being pushed off on relatives or, even worse, neighbors, whenever Renee got herself a new husband. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the unpleasant thoughts as something hot flashed down my spine and settled tightly in my stomach. I loathed being the burden no one wanted to deal with. Renee must have been really desperate to get rid of me this time if she pawned me off on an ex-husband. Charlie may have been naively dazzled by Renee's charm years ago, but things were different now.
Renee and Charlie met when I was only an infant. According to Renee, my father was vehemently opposed to my being brought into existence and refused to take part in either of our lives. I don't know how much truth there is to that but, since he never bothered to contact me, I returned the snub by not even thinking about him. Charlie filled that fatherly void, if only for a little while, and had even given me his had to welcome me then, if he wanted my mother. We were, after all, a package deal at the time, and one he accepted with only a small amount of reluctance. Why he'd agreed to take me in again mystified me. His kindness rankled but I had no choice but to take it.
Thoughts of Renee and Charlie made me lose my appetite and I absently munched on the fries before giving up entirely and pushing the plate away.
Drizzle greeted me when I left the diner and headed back to the truck. Another heavy sigh and I tugged my hoodie over my hair, a futile gesture. The moisture seeped through everything, enveloping my body in a constant cool dampness that I never seemed able to get rid of. It was yet another reminder of how spoiled I had been in Arizona. I crossed my arms over my chest, shivering. I'll be the winter coat/ buttoned and zipped straight to the throat, with the collar up so you won't catch a cold…
The music was low enough that I was still able to detected a slight purr of a car approaching, and I side-stepped further into the shoulder to avoid being splashed by the numerous puddles littering the road. I turned to watch as it cruised by me and noted, with a start, that it looked like the same silver Volvo that had passed me earlier. My surprise turned smug as I glimpsed the driver glowering at me through the window. I guess he'd gotten my message. I met his angry glare and gave him a cheery little wave, enjoying the violence in his gaze. He was about my age, and looked vaguely familiar, though his silhouette was murky through the fogged window. He shot off like a rocket down the road.
"Whoa," a voice behind me said. I jumped at the sound and whirled around, tensed. A towheaded teen was leaning against a car, grinning goofily at me, oblivious to my narrowed eyes.
"Shouldn't mess with the Cullens," he called out, his eyes running up and down my body. Ridiculous. I was completely shrouded in a thick sweatshirt, yet he still gazed at my figure with glazed eyes.
"Who the hell are the Cullens?" I replied tersely, even though the name rang a bell. "And who are you?"
"I'm Mike Newton." He jovially shoved a meaty hand in my direction. His tone, his whole demeanor just screamed 'dumb jock', from his silly basketball sneakers that were squelching into the wet earth up to his gelled, stiff blond hair. I stared at his hand for a moment, and then remembered that civility called for me to shake it, which I did quickly.
"Well, actually, not all the Cullens,"Mike conceded thoughtfully."just the youngest one. Nasty attitude, that one. Thinks he's better than everyone else. Rumor has it he's got a bit of a temper."
I shrugged."I'm not too worried about it."
Mike's blue eyes sparkled mischievously. "Maybe you should be," he told me mysteriously.
I rolled my eyes and headed toward my truck. "Why is that?" I called over my shoulder.
"Because, judging from that look he just gave you, you're already on his bad side."
I leveled a gaze at the boy."I think I can take care of myself." My tone was haughty and full of rebuke as I climbed into the cab of my truck, slamming the door before he could even think of continuing the conversation. So much for civility.
The next day dawned bright and sunny, surprising me. Quickly, I tugged on my jeans and tossed a black sweater over my head, yanking a comb through my wavy hair as I brushed my teeth. As usual, I slept poorly the night before and felt groggy, cranky. Or maybe Forks just made me that way.
Forty six more weeks to go, I reminded myself sternly as I frowned at my reflection in the mirror in the small cramped bathroom I shared with Charlie. Seemed like an eternity. As I coaxed the old truck toward Forks High School, I silently prayed the day would be short and sweet.
I'd managed to avoid all but some curious stares my first few weeks at school. One or two people had tried to approach me and I handled it coolly, politely, even though I was desperately wishing everyone would just leave me alone. I wasn't exactly planning on staying in Forks long, after all. All those kids, eager to make friends with me, only wanted to because I was new. I was interesting. It would only be a matter of time before they realized that I was not someone they wanted to be friends with. I was good at the role of New Girl, thanks to Renee and constantly moving me from city to city, and I knew how this would ultimately end. They did not; I was really doing them all a favor by remaining aloof.
I had nothing in common with any of them, anyway. Especially here, where everyone knew each other from the cradle. Their families grew up together, shared holidays together, planned vacations together. 'Together' was a foreign concept to me and I couldn't fit in even if I tried. And I had stopped trying a long time ago. It was inevitable that by the time I actually made a friend, Renee would be telling me to pack my bags.
The truck door swung shut with a groan that was grating enough to be heard over the music filtering into my ears. They're waiting to hate you so give them an excuse/ they say it changed you I know that can't be true… I snorted at the song – how utterly fitting.
"Hi Bella!" Jessica Stanley planted herself in front of me as I walked toward Biology class, Mike Newton trotting by her side. I should probably have realized that I went to school with him when I met him yesterday, but everyone looked the same to me. With an unsettling twinge I became aware that I had barely paid attention to my classmates these past few weeks. A careless mistake. I needed to categorize them, learn which ones were the bullies, or who carried weight with the student body, should I ever need to get on their good side. High school wasn't about being sociable. It was business.
Jessica was perky and pert, a dirty blond with big breasts that I thought Mike should be ogling instead of mine. She was also totally useless to me, a brainless sheep intent on following her peers as they marched toward future mediocrity.
"Hi Jessica," I mumbled, trying to skirt around her,"Mike."
"It's a beautiful day!" Jessica prattled on, "isn't it? We should, like, totally do something after school today –"
"Um, thanks Jess, but I can't," I cut her off abruptly, "look, I've got to run to messed up my schedule and this is my first time in that class, so I don't want to be late."
Jessica's face crumpled at my lack of enthusiasm, but she threw me a 100-watt smile and flounced off, with Mike somewhat reluctantly following after her.
Conversations stuttered when I walked into the classroom and handed the teacher my pass, ignoring the stares and whispers as I made my way to the chair Mr. Banner gestured toward.I slid into it, thankful that the seat next to me was empty and hopeful it would remain that way. But as the classroom I filled, I realized the chances of that were slim to none.
The door swung open, my gaze automatically rising to see who was walking swept over me and I started to laugh.
It was the Volvo driver. Quickly, I ducked my head, smothering my laughter with a faux cough. He raked the chair across the linoleum next to me and flopped into it, without even bothering to glance in my direction.
I choked back another snicker, peeking through the lock of hair that separated us to surreptitiously study him. I wasn't concerned with him recognizing me from yesterday – I had had my hood up in the rain and I was too ordinary to stand out, anyway.
His features were regal and beautiful; I wondered how long he spent in the morning trying to achieve his seemingly-effortless tousled bronze hair. He had that arrogant affectation of people who know they are good looking; easy and unconcerned, as if he could get anything he wanted with a snap of his fingers. It occurred to me that probably could. His clothes were expensive but not ostentatious, and I was well aware of the vehicle he drove. Edward Cullen.
I tried to dredge up what little information I had heard whispered about the Cullens. Ridiculously wealthy, living in an area where most were middle class. There were two brothers – Emmett and Edward. How cute, I thought to myself wryly, that their parents gave them names starting with the same letter. And how utterly, completely pretentious. Carlisle Cullen was a successful doctor, but I knew nothing about his wife. Probably one of those pampered housewives who sat home all day, watching soap operas and getting pedicures.
I leaned back softly in my chair and suddenly his greenish eyes slanted in my direction. There was no expression behind them at first as he took in my plain face and simple hair. Then something flickered and I inwardly groaned as his eyes narrowed and he smirked. Damn. He recognized me. I sniffed haughtily and turned my focus to my textbook.
He didn't look at me again the entire class and the second the bell rang, I bolted, eager to be out of the classroom. I had a free period after Biology, which I utilized most efficiently by hiding in my truck, listening to music and doodling on my notebooks.
The sunny day had long since disappeared behind the cloud cover and a soft mist was falling. I fumbled with my iPod, my hand feeling around the depths of my book bag when I heard footsteps behind me, quiet but unmistakable. I turned quickly to find Edward Cullen bearing down on me.
"Nice ride." He gestured rudely to my truck; I noticed his coat was casually unbuttoned, as if it were somehow a conscious move. Something dark lingered in his eyes; his tight smile seemed more like a grimace. There was nothing complimentary in his tone.
"Thanks," I replied, turning slightly so I could start walking toward my vehicle.
"You're Isabella Swan." It was a statement, not a question.
"I'm Edward." He was suddenly in front of me and I stopped short, hackles rising. I knew his type – thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. I was just the plain mousy girl who flipped him off from her decrepit truck. No way was he going to let this one go. He couldn't. His ego rested on putting me in my place, which he clearly thought was beneath him.
"Yeah." I didn't know what else to say, since 'fuck you' didn't seem like it would help my situation. "Nice to meet you."
"Listen," his voice turned conversational, with no threat hidden."You're new here so I'm going to give you a little pass." His eyes hardened again. "But don't ever fuck with me, again. Understood?"
His harsh words startled me even though I was waiting for them and my mouth opened slightly; no words came out. Then I remembered myself. It was a familiar scene, just like being New Girl. This was Taming of the Teenage Shrew. Each of Renee's boyfriends tried to do it – tried to teach me 'my place'. As if I didn't already know their opinion of me. But they were men - Edward Cullen was just a boy.
"Oh, please," I laughed at him, drinking in his shocked face. "Give me a break. I've dealt with worse than you."
I turned my back on him and walked to my truck, smiling triumphantly. No one fucked with Bella Swan.
Chapter Title
Forty-Six & 2 - Tool
Lyrics
By the Throat - Born Against
Brand New Colony - The Postal Service
Blue Tulip - Okkervil River
