Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 2: Dreams
Fork's High School was nothing compared to my old high school back home in Arizona. It only upheld a mere three-hundred plus student residents whereas, in my old school that just accounted for most of the entire senior class.
As I pulled into the parking lot my mind still laid heavily on Elizabeth and the enormous amount of guilt I felt for leaving her at pre-school. When we left the house this morning I pepped talk her the whole way as we drove to Fork's only Early Childhood Center. Continuing on I said, "Make sure you listen to your teacher and do everything you're supposed to" as I opened the car door and helped her from her car seat and onto the sidewalk. Until finally, she practically yelled, "Alright already, Mommy." I gave her a timid smile and then we walked into the building hand in hand, stopping first at the office.
Inside, it was brightly lit, and covered in colorful artwork, posters, and child friendly furniture. It was a warmer welcoming than I had expected. The small signs hung over the doors gave me direction as I stepped into the small office, and sat Elizabeth down in the little waiting area of mismatched accent chairs. More children artwork cluttered the walls bringing the only exciting atmosphere to this otherwise dull room that was sectioned into two halves by a worn counter which held way to many paper baskets. Two desks sat behind the counter, one of which was staffed by a petite brunette woman.
The brunette woman looked up at me. "Can I help you?"
"I'm Isabella Swan, my daughter Elizabeth is supposed to me starting school today."
I watched as awareness fell on to her. It was to be expected that I would become the topic of childish gossip, no doubt for such small town, like this. Chief Swan's daughter comes home at last as a teenage mother. She's flighty just like that ex-wife of his. I wouldn't put it past these people to be gossiping about the night my life turned into shambles either.
"Of course, dear," she said. "Chief Swan handled everything." She dug through stacks and piles of documents on her desk until she successful hunted out what she was looking for. "I have her class room number right here, and teacher's name." She brought several sheets to the counter some of which were for me to sign. Then as I gathered Elizabeth and headed out the office, she went through a daily schedule for me, as we walked through the halls and she smiled at me when we stopped in front of Elizabeth's class. I smiled back and opened the door watching as my daughter practically ran into the room and immediately began to play. It was empty only her teacher occupied the vibrant room. I still worried about how she would cope in this new environment. Her teacher, Ms. Martin who seemed pretty nice and assured me she'll be okay, trying her best to put me at ease.
"Elizabeth," I called as I made my way over to her, bending down on my knees. "I've got to go Sweetie, you're sure you'll be okay?"
She turned into me, gave me a full on Lizzie hug before kissing my cheek and then stroking it. "I'll be okay, Mommy. Will you be okay?"
I shook my head yes.
"Then go Mommy, you got school too," she said sternly with her hands on her hips.
I kissed her forehead and wave good-bye to both her and Ms. Martin. Before I closed the door behind me I heard her exclaim, "I love you, Mommy."
I made my way down the corridor and out into my car, lingering there for just a few moments more. Elizabeth made life worth all the grief I felt, although she came unwarranted and in the most gruesome of ways, she was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me, even if her conception was not. She was a feisty little thing nothing like my quiet shell and always seemed to be energized with excitement, always bringing joy with her company.
Three years ago I would have sworn that I would never fall in the footsteps of my parents, I didn't even want children. But I also would have sworn that he would have never hurt me, he was my sun after all.
Yet, here I was.
A single tear fell before I wiped it away and started the car hurriedly.
On my trip to school I managed to control my emotions over the reality that was my life. I got there in enough time to allow for me to make it to the office for my schedule and get to class on time, instead of blindly roaming the halls like an idiot. It was just starting to drizzle as I made my way out of the main building and over to what I hoped was building three. Double checking my now wet splotched map, I noticed with relief I was heading in fact to building three which was easier to spot by the large black "3" that was painted on the right hand corner in a white square.
I kept my face down as I headed into my first class robotically following two students who hung up their coats on a long row of hooks in the small classroom. I took up the slip I was handed in the office for the teachers to sign. Mr. Mason I identified by the name plate sitting idly on his desk who thankfully had not forced me into introducing myself to the class. I took a seat way in the back looking over the syllabus that seemed fairly easy, seeing as I had read most of it.
By lunch I had made a few friends already, Jessica, Mike, Eric, Tyler, Angela, Ben and a snotty blonde named Lauren. Lauren seemed more of an acquaintance then a "friend." No one was shocked when I told them I had a daughter, and I wasn't surprised to find out they already knew. Thankfully, Elizabeth wasn't much of a topic discussion for long, except for Mike, who constantly commented on me being the hottest MILF ever, even over Miss. Cullen, whoever that was. I didn't pay any attention to his words choosing instead to look away as the blush burned my cheeks and half listen to Jessica gush about the dance that was coming up. She gave Mike a hopeful look but he was all too caught up in a conversation with Tyler and Ben. Feeling completely out of place and disconnected from the group as they talked about privileged activities my eyes wondered over the cafeteria as I tried my best to suppress my anxiety over Elizabeth. She would be okay, I thought.
It was then, that I first saw them.
There were five of them; three boys and two girls to be exact and they sat in the far corner of the cafeteria. Each of them was pale skinned and all extremely attractive, they were like extravagant Lamborghini's sitting in a used car lot. They simply didn't belong, well at least not here but maybe in California. And all of them looked the same; bruise like shadows under their eyes with flawless milky like complexion, and yet they were so different. But all seemed to have beautiful, dark eyes and radiated perfection.
Jessica, my forgotten neighbor taps me on my shoulder bringing me out of my thoughts; I turn my attention back to her but keep my eyes on the inhumanly stunning group.
She giggled, which seems to be an odd mixture of snort and small laugh, "I see your interest in the Cullen's," she says.
And as the last syllables of their name leave her mouth, one of the boys with untamed lovely bronze hair looks back at us with a scrutinizing stare before turning his back once more to us.
"That's Edward Cullen," she says with such distaste that I think his name alone has burned her tongue. It's obvious why she has that much animosity toward him. I suddenly felt very sad for Jessica. "Don't worry he always has that stick up his ass. All of the Cullen's seem too good to even bother making friends here. Even when they first moved here two years ago with Doctor Cullen and his wife, they just always stuck together." Oh, his wife, I guessed that was the Miss. Cullen Mike mentioned earlier. There's a hit to my self-esteem as I realize if those are Doctor and Miss Cullen's children, I sure as hell wasn't what Mike thought I was.
"And I almost mean that literary, like those two," she points to the blonde model and the hunky boy who seems to have more of a body of a pro football player, "That's Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen, they're like, together, together. And the same goes for the small one, Alice Cullen. She's Edward's sister and is totally in love with Jasper Hale, Rosalie's twin. The other blonde how always seems to be in pain."
"That's, well that's something else," I say having nothing to really comment on. I was all too familiar with the feeling of being gossiped about.
"I guess it's not as bad as it seems, since they're all adopted," she says with a shrug of her shoulders. Then she adds ever so blankly with a hint of bitterness, "Doctor and Miss Cullen can't have kids. She's infertile."
It takes all my might not to ring Jessica by that pretty little neck of hers. All my pity for her from earlier goes out the window and suddenly, I'm left feeling extremely grateful for whatever it was that Edward Cullen said to her that has left a permanent mark in her ever so fragile ego.
The bell rings and I'm the first to gather my things and exit the cafeteria without another word to Jessica or her friends and head to my next class. I didn't need to surround myself around judgmental people like her; I had enough of it back in Arizona. My teeth grind together and I don't even hear the soft steps of Angela Weber, as she walked up behind me.
"I know Jessica, can be," she tries to find words and I know the perfect label that would fit. "Well, Jessica can be, Jessica. Where you're headed?"
I take out my schedule looking it over, "Mr. Banner, Biology II."
"Oh great, you have it with me." We walk together to class and I'm no longer hesitant as I gather the slip once again to give to Mr. Banner. He also doesn't make me announce myself to the class and I see Angela already has a partner and she gives me a sadden look before I head to the back and sit at an empty black-top lab table. I'm happy I'm alone.
That is until I see familiar bronze hair at the door and see that the only other empty seat is next to me.
I was sitting at Edward Cullen's table and he did not seem thrilled about it.
If looks could kill, I would be vanquished right now. Edward's eyes were filled with hatred and they stayed on me as if willing for me to disappear into thin air.
"Are you okay Edward," Mr. Banner says braking him from his trance.
"No," Edward mutters glaring at me one more time. "I think I'm sick, can I be excused, Sir?"
Mr. Banner swiftly rights him a pass and before long sent Edward on his way. I'm left feeling absolutely confused and a little pissed. What did I ever do to him? It was my first day here and he already hated me. Yes, I know his family didn't like anyone but I was new and hadn't even gotten the chance to at least make them dislike me.
I guess Edward Cullen would be one more person I would not associate myself with, after the way he acted I doubted more so now than ever, that we would ever be friends.
Putting aside those events school was pretty much uneventful and I practically half ran to my car when the last bell had rung, happy and anxious to get to the only person who truly mattered to me.
That night as I'd lay asleep with Elizabeth; my dreams were filled of bronze and topaz. It was the night's sleep and the first night in three years that weren't submerged in scenes from that night.