Charlie Swan was basically a stranger to me. I visited him over the summers for two weeks from the time I was seven until twelve. That's a total of ten weeks I ever spent with my dad in my life if you don't count the few months when I was a baby. He never said much to me when I had visited, and usually just took me fishing where I would play with his friend's daughters.

Although I didn't spend much time with him, Charlie made damn sure I knew who he was. He was Charles M. Swan, Forks Chief of Police, and he deserved respect and when he told you to do something, you did it immediately. This is why I stopped visiting him when I was twelve. Charlie and I were not compatible. If we hadn't looked so much alike I would have questioned if he was even my father. Being honest, even though I did look like him, I still wondered if he was my father. He knew nothing about what it was like to raise a daughter, and I knew nothing about what it was like to have a strict parent, let alone a father.

My mom had always babied and spoiled me. I got away with having a messy room, not putting my dishes in the dishwasher, and rarely doing my own laundry. In return, I was always thankful for everything she did, hardly gave her attitude, and was there to comfort her every time she broke up with one of her boyfriends. On the other hand, Charlie inspected my room every day, made me wash all the dishes since he didn't have a dishwasher, and had me do his laundry, pick up the groceries, and cook. Along with all that, I was only allowed one hour of time in my bedroom during the day. Once he went to bed, I could retreat to mine as well.

To say I wasn't fond of Charlie Swan is an understatement.

However, on August thirteenth, one month before my birthday, I found myself boarding a plane with a one way ticket to Seattle, Washington where I would be picked up, in the police cruiser no less, and driven to Forks where I would live the remainder two years of my life before I turned eighteen.

"I don't understand why you want to go live with Charlie, Bella." My mom was absolutely clueless when it came to certain aspects of my life.

"Mom, I haven't seen Charlie in five years. I don't even know the guy. It'll be nice to get to know him before it's too late." The lie rolled off my tongue easily enough even though I was horrible liar.

"Okay sweetie." My mom looked at me sadly, and although I wouldn't ever admit it, there was a part of me that was going to miss her. I stared at her, getting a good last look before I left. People had never believed I was her daughter, what with me looking like Charlie. Where I had dark, curly brown hair that was always getting tangles, my mom had light brown straight hair that was never out of place. Where I had ugly, poop colored eyes, my mom had these vibrant blue eyes that she always got complimented on. "They're as deep as the ocean," one stranger said. "Like when you can't see land on the other side and you're convinced the water reaches out forever, never ending." It was a strange analogy to make considering we lived nowhere near the ocean. Another difference was our body. Where she was all legs and naturally thin, I was short, with short legs, and round, and chubby, and I could never keep the weight off. In short, I looked a lot like my father which was something I never wanted to admit to.

When I walked into the airport, I turned around to get one last look at my mom before I left, to find her already climbing into a taxi cab, not even watching me leave. That was reason enough for me to realize I was making the right choice.

"Hi," I spoke simply when I made it out of the airport and saw Charlie waiting. I wasn't sure what to say since Charlie didn't bother to speak first. He was never good with emotions, or even talking, really, but it wasn't like I had much room to say anything. I was just as bad.

Charlie nodded at me and grabbed one of my bags before leading me out to the police cruiser.

Of course.

Having the lovely honor to ride in the police cruiser was just one of the privileges of living with Charlie.

The drive to Forks from Seattle was long and boring. Neither one of use tried speaking to the other for the entire ride. It was a nice change from my mother who would have needed to know every last detail of everything, but also a little lonely.

By the time we got to Forks it was pouring and dark out. I was surprised when Charlie helped me carry my two bags. He didn't have to stop to unlock the front door. In a town that small locking your door was completely unnecessary and unheard of.

I had the same room I always had up the stairs and on the right, next to the bathroom and the furthest away from Charlie's room. It looked exactly the same as it did five years before.

"Well, Isabella, here you go." I didn't bother to correct Charlie as he set my bags down in my room. No one ever called me Isabella, but not matter how many times I tried telling Charlie that he wouldn't listen.

"I'll order some pizza for dinner tonight. Do you have any preferences?"

"No, I'm good. I'll eat anything."

"Oh, I know." If Charlie were a teenager he would've rolled his eyes. I suddenly lost my appetite feeling embarrassed about my weight.

I took a shower and told Charlie I wasn't hungry when the pizza came even though I was starving. I'd survive though. I started unpacking my bags trying to distract myself from the jitters of school the next day. A new grade in a new school in a new town in a new state with a new parent that I didn't know. I was trying hard not to feel sorry for myself but ended up crying myself to sleep anyway with all the worries I had. Would anyone want to be my friend? Would there be any other people with a weight problem? How would P.E. go? Would I be made fun of?

Welcome home, I thought before I passed out in my bed.