Chapter 1: The Day
"Rise and shine California! It's 7am on this lovely Wednesday morning and the sun is a-wait-ing!" The overly cheery voice on my radio blasted in to my ear drums. I turned over and quickly hit the 'snooze' button. Maybe today I could sleep in for just 10 minutes more…
"Good morning Bella!" Our maid, Esme, sang as she danced in to the room. She pushed my curtains to the side and slid my windows open. "It's absolutely gorgeous out this morning, Bella, don't waste the day in bed." Esme came over and gave me two little taps on my behind.
"Oh, Esme, can't I just sleep in today?" I grumbled. I loved Esme, almost as much as if she were my mother, but I loved sleep just a tiny bit more.
"No, darling, I'm sorry, you can't. It's Wednesday so you have your weekly breakfast with Rosalie."
"That's even more of a reason to sleep in." I grumbled.
"Bella," Esme said, "please, get up. You're ruining my schedule."
I sighed and got out of the bed. "Anything for you, Esme." I said as I stumbled over to my bathroom.
I quickly got in to the shower, washed my hair, shaved, and washed my body in my favorite bath and body scents. I got out and Esme came in to do my hair and makeup. Most people would love to be pampered like this all day, every day. I couldn't understand why I couldn't do these things myself like any other normal person.
But, this was my life.
When Esme was finished getting me ready, I walked downstairs to the family dining room where my mother and father sat. My mother was reading a magazine and sipping her coffee while my father was no doubt checking stocks on his blackberry. I sat down and reached for a blueberry bagel.
"Isabella, we need to talk." My father said.
"About what?" I asked as I put cream cheese on my bagel.
"Mr. Mongan called, he said you have a B- in debate." He said putting down his blackberry.
My mother looked up from her magazine. "Isabella." She said in a disapproving tone.
"I don't see what the big deal is. It's still the beginning of the semester and we've only had one debate." I said.
"The fact is that you won't get in to an Ivy League school without straight A's." My mother said as I made to take a bite of my bagel. Out of nowhere my mother grabbed the bagel out of my hand which resulted in me simply slamming my teeth together. "And how many times do I have to tell you to watch your figure? Who is going to want you if you are a fat cow?"
"Mom, I'm only 115 pounds." I defended.
"Charlie, would you listen to that? 115 pounds and she's okay with it!" My mom yelled.
I looked at my dad hoping for him to be the voice of reason. "I hear her, Renee. Bella, you really need to cut down on the junk if we're ever going to set you up with the Newton's boy. That merger would be great for my company and I hear Mike is in to the skinny ones." Well, that was a let down.
"Dad, I don't want to be set up with Mike Newton. Arranged marriages haven't happened since, like, the 1800's." I said trying to grab for another bagel, my mother slapped my hand.
"Why do you think people marry, love? Sweetheart, that concept died with the hippies. It's all about company mergers now." My mother said. "Would you really want to be the reason why our family can't be happy? We could very well need that merger to stay in the position we're in one day."
"And what position is that?" I asked, obviously getting angry.
"Well, high class, of course sweet pea. Do you honestly think we could survive if we were anything but?" My mother answered.
"The Swan's are high class, Isabella, and we need to stay that way." Charlie added.
I rolled my eyes. "I need to go to school." I got up and left the dining room.
As I reached the front door, I could hear my mother say something with the words 'Isabella' and 'disappointment'. I also heard my father agree.
I closed the door quietly.
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Breakfast with Rosalie was the same way it always was. All she talked about was herself. How pretty she was, how perfect her body was, how she didn't even need to dye her hair to get it to be that shiny. It was the same show of shallow it was every other week.
When that was over we drove ourselves to St. Stephenie's and I mentally prepared myself for the days onslaught. Going to an all girls school was much worse than anyone would ever realize. As I walked in to Mr. Mongan's room I heard a few of the girls snicker as I passed them. I rolled my eyes, that was easy to ignore, I was used to it. I sat down quietly in my chair and waited for class to start.
"Ladies," Mr. Mongan started, "I trust you have all prepared for your debates today."
My heart dropped. We had a debate today?
"Mr. Mongan!" I called, raising my hand. "I wasn't aware that we had a debate today."
Mr. Mongan's eyebrow rose. "You weren't?"
"No, sir."
He sighed. "Well, Isabella, you were here last Wednesday, were you not?"
"Yes sir, I was here."
"Well, I announced to the class that we would be having a debate last Wednesday. It wouldn't be fair of me to give you extra time when Miss Clearwater had to take a zero at the beginning of the year for not remembering a debate. I suppose you will just have to take a zero as well."
"Mr. Mongan!" I said standing up.
"Isabella, sit!" He yelled.
"This isn't fair!"
"Out of my classroom." He said pointing to the door. I was so embarrassed. I grabbed my things and headed to the back of the room, the snickering and eyes following me the entire way. "I would have expected more from a Swan." Mr. Mongan said. I looked back at him, but he had already turned his back.
I made my way to the courtyard with tears in my eyes. I rushed to my car and got inside quickly. I sped the entire way home and nearly hit the back wall of my garage when I pulled in to it. I slammed my car in to park, took out the keys, and ran in to the house. I rushed around, looking in every room I passed. I saw many faces that belonged to many people who worked at my house until I found the one that I needed.
Esme.
"Esme?" I said, my voice cracking.
"Bella, what's wrong dear?" She asked, concern evident in every sound and movement she made.
I walked in to the room and sat on the small sofa. She didn't hesitate. She sat right next to me and held me as I spilled my heart out to her. I told her everything that had happened so far today. I told her about the terrible conversation with my parents, the self centered cousin, and the horrifying example Mr. Mongan had made me in debate. Esme listened carefully and did her best to calm her down.
"Listen to me, Bella," she said, "when life gets tough like this you really only have two options. You can either suck it up, or you can remove yourself from the situations that are causing you to come to me crying when you're supposed to be at school."
I sniffled slightly and let what Esme was saying sink in.
"I don't know why I can't just be normal. I can't stand this life anymore, I need to get out of here! I need to run away!" I cried in to her chest.
"Bella, you're a smart girl. You know what you need, you've never let how much money you have think for you. Think about what you've told me, think about what I said. Realize what you really want and take action! I know you'll make the right choice, Bella. You always have."
"Thank you, Esme." I said wiping a tear from my cheek.
"You're welcome Bella."
I got up and walked over to my room. I went inside, locked the door, and slid down the wall next to it.
You can either suck it up, or you can remove yourself from the situations.
I had been sucking it up for years, I didn't think that I could do it anymore. My entire life people had treated my different because of who I was, who my parents were.
You can either suck it up, or you can remove yourself from the situations.
It was ridiculous that people would treat me the way they did simply because of my last name. It wasn't fair!
You can either suck it up, or you can remove yourself from the situations.
I shouldn't have to suck it up! I wasn't doing anything wrong!
You can either suck it up, or you can remove yourself from the situations.
And with that, my mind was made up.
I rushed over to my closet and changed in to a pair of grey skinny jeans and a black and white striped tee. I grabbed my tan jacket that reached down to my mid-thigh and my pair of knee high black boots, the only ones I had that didn't have too high of a heel. With this outfit, I could easily handle any temperature.
I grabbed my keys and purse and made my way out the front door.