A/N: I do not own the Twilight book series, or any of the recognizable characters. Stephenie Meyer does.
A/N: Whenever Bella says "him" she is referring to Edward. She still isn't able to say his name out loud without completely breaking down.
Chapter 2
After an entire day of searching we found a car for me. I have felt more in the past two days than I have in the past few months. It wouldn't be so bad if Renee would give me some space. Doesn't she understand that I need some space right now? That was the great thing about Charlie; he always gave me my space.
My room is only slightly bigger than my room back in Forks. It has a window seat where Renee put some pillows. It's kind of nice, it is a great place to sit and read especially with the sun shining through. It feels nice to have the sun beating down on me. I try not to think about him or the sunny day that changed my life. My bed is against the wall adjacent to the window that faces out the side of the house. It is parallel with the neighbor's window; hopefully I will be able to read in peace at my window seat without being bothered too much. I have a dresser and a closet for my clothes also a desk with a computer. The computer is newer than the one at Charlie's, but still not quite top of the line, which doesn't bother me in the least.
After returning home from car shopping all I want to do is go to my room and be left alone. I truly hope Renee can respect that and give me some space.
"I'm going to go to bed early tonight." I figured this was the best way to get her to give me some space, if she thinks I'm sleeping, then I added, "Thanks for the car." I didn't want to seem ungrateful.
"Okay sweetie. If you need anything let me know." Wow, that was easy.
In my room I fell onto my full size bed and began to cry. I cried until I fell asleep. In the morning Renee tried to get me up, but I refused. I wasn't hungry. I think she took the hint and left me alone. I cried all day, this was the firs time I had really cried since he left. It is the first time I had allowed myself to feel anything. I am getting all of my pent up sadness out. I know I will still be sad, but maybe I will be able to feel something as a change of pace.
I woke up to rays of sunlight on my face. My eyes burn with all the tears that I cried yesterday. Getting up is harder than I thought it would be. I gathered my clothes for my dreaded first day of school and all of my shower things and went to the bathroom. The shower feels so good; the hot water is relieving the soreness of my body and face. Renee interrupted my shower by knocking on the door.
"Honey, it's your first day, you're going to be late to school."
I jumped out to the shower and blew dry my hair, and finished getting ready in ten minutes. I wore a navy short sleeve fitted tee with tan cargo capris and, halleluiah, brown flip-flops. It is so nice to be able to where good old flip-flops again.
Pulling into the parking lot at my new school I realized that this is going to be a lot like Phoenix. There are nice cars all over the parking lot, mine was one of the few older model cars, which I did not car about, and at least I have a car. I made my way to the front office where there was an old lady who is, I assume, the secretary.
"Um, Hi. I am Isabella Swan today is my first day. I was told that I needed to come to the main office to pick up my schedule."
"Oh, yes dear. I believe that you're the one that they must have been talking about. My name is Mrs. Jenkins." Thank goodness, no one knows my name or my family. This is going to be a nice change of pace. "I have a new girls schedule right here." She when over to one of the desks behind the counter and pulled out a little packet. "Here is your schedule, a school map, and a sheet for your teachers to sign. Please have each of your teachers sign this and bring it back to here at the end of the day. There is also an agenda book and information about the school along with all of the activities and clubs."
Just then a girl walked into the office. She is tall, probably 5'8", she has blonde hair and beautifully bronzed skin. She is really pretty, probably a cheerleader or something. "Oh Sophie. I am glad that you are here." Mrs. Jenkins said.
"I just came to drop of the forms from Mrs. Taylor." The girl, Sophie said with a nervous smile.
"That's okay dear, I will give you a pass. It will be fine." The older woman said with a smile. "I need you to show Miss Swan around. Today is her first day, I'm sure that it would be nice for her to get to know some of the other students."
"Okay, thanks Mrs. Jenkins." Sophie turned to me with a smile. "Hi, my name is Sophie Henderson. What is your name?"
"My name is Isabella Swan, but please call my Bella." I said with a timid smile. This was new, having someone show me around. That's fine, at least I won't have to have my face in a map all day.
She began walking out of the office as I followed her. "So, where did you move from?"
"Forks, Washington."
"Wow. Washington State? Why such a long move?"
I'm debating whether or not to just tell her the truth or just lie, so I changed the subject noticing the décor around the hall. "Did something blue and gold throw up or does this place always look like this?"
"Oh, this?" she said gesturing to the banners, posters and other school memorabilia hanging from the walls and ceiling. "This is for spirit week. Its homecoming on Friday, I guess you picked the perfect week to start here."
I gave her a week smile. She didn't know how little I cared about school or much of anything right now. "I guess I did."
We walked into a large room with a very high ceiling that looks like it is the center of the school.
"Okay, this is the commons room. On the right is the cafeteria, on the left is the library, and right in front of us is the courtyard. During lunch you can go wherever you want in these areas. The can be pretty strict, unless you know how to work the system."
We headed towards the courtyard where I noticed halls leading to the left and right. Just then I heard someone yell.
"Heads up Henderson!"
I spun around to see who was yelling in the middle of school while classes were going on. As I turned my foot caught on my flip-flop and I tripped, of course. I looked up to see that Sophie had caught a football and a guy was jogging over to us.
"Sup, Henderson, who do you have here." He said as he bent over to help me pick up my papers that had fallen. He has green eyes I tried not to stare. "Well, if it isn't Bella. How are you doing?"
It was Logan. How could he be so friendly acting like this wasn't our first conversation? "Fine, well except for my rude introduction to the floor."
They both laughed at that. Better than laughing at me I guess.
"How do you know Bella, Logan? She just got here." Sophie asked with a little shock and a little perception, this probably happens a lot.
"She's Renee's daughter, you know that lady that lives next door to me. Her husband is a baseball player."
"Wait, how do you know Renee?" I jumped into their conversation.
He smiled. "She's my neighbor."
"Well, thank you Mr. Obvious, but why do you know her?" I'm feeling a little irritated with Mr. Know-it-all pretty boy. I am sick of pretty boys thinking they know everything.
He laughed. "I play baseball and keep up with all the leagues in the area. When they moved in I noticed Phil and immediately went over to talk to him about baseball. Renee has been really cool. She'll get tickets to his games for me and some of my bodies."
"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I could tell me face was getting red.
"What are you doing out of class Logan?" Sophie asked handing him back his football.
"I was just coming from the office."
"What were you doing there?" She asked. Again having their own conversation, I bet their dating. People who look like that always date each other.
"It looks like you beat me to it." He said as he winked at me. I just rolled my eyes. Pretty boys like to flirt, just for the sake of flirting.
"Hey you can finish showing her around if you want. I'm supposed to be in gym, I love gym." She said. "Nice to meet you Bella, maybe I'll see you at lunch." She waved and then said something curious to Logan before she took off, "See you at practice, Logan." leaving me here with Mr. Pretty Boy Know-It-All. Great.
"So, what is your schedule like?" Logan asked. With what looked like real curiosity.
"What did she mean see you at practice?" I changed the subject on him, more curious about that than he is about my schedule.
"Oh, that. She's a wide receiver." He said like I'm supposed to know what a wide receiver is.
"What's that?"
That made him chuckle. "It's the person who runs down the field to catch the ball."
"What are you talking about?" I am confused. I know it's some sport that Charlie probably knows all about. My face is starting to turn red, I feel stupid. I should probably know what he is talking about.
This got a laugh. "It's football."
"Oh. Yeah I don't know anything about it." I said honestly. "My dad used to watch all the time. I usually just read a book, was out, or in my room when his games were on."
"I could tell you didn't know anything. How about I show you on Friday night?"
"Do you play?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you played baseball?" I really don't know anything about sports. It seems like I fall over just thinking about them.
"I do play other sports."
"What all do you play?" I'm really curious now. Not that I care about this pretty boy, he probably has a girlfriend. People at these schools are all the same.
"Well, I play QB on the football team, I'm a guard/forward on the basketball team, and pitcher for the baseball team," He said, I can't quite tell if he is bragging or just stating fact. It doesn't matter; he's a walking cliché these guys are all the same, even when you think they will be different. They always find a way to hurt you.
"Uh, I know this is going to be a stupid question, but I've already tripped over myself and asked some stupid questions already. My embarrassment meter is pretty much full, so I am going to ask anyway. What is a 'QB' and 'guard/forward'?"
He laughed again. "You're pretty funny. No need to be embarrassed, I've done plenty of embarrassing things in games and practices. I won't go into detail, but let's just say people are still laughing at me." He said with a huge grin on his face. I'm not falling for it. I just rolled my eyes.
"It will be easier to show you than to tell you, if you come on Friday I will show you what a QB does and then maybe sometime I will show you what a guard does." He said then winked. I just rolled my eyes and thought walking cliché. He is probably used to getting girls like this. At one time in my life I might have been flattered or even embarrassed, but not anymore, not after what he did to me.
"Um, why don't you just show me where my classes are?" For some reason I'm even more annoyed than when Mike, Eric, and Tyler all asked me out on the same day and when he was laughing at me; stupid pretty boys.
"Oh, okay." He seemed taken back. His forwardness probably works with normal girls, but I'm not normal. Besides, it's probably some prank or something; I mean, why would he even want to be with me when there are girls like Sophie walking around.
"Let me take a look at your schedule so that I know where your classes are." He said trying to be nice; I know I was a little hard on him.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude. I'm still getting over a really bad break up." I can't believe I just told him that. I haven't talked to anyone about this ever. Besides it's more like heart wrenching soul-sucking vampire who trampled all over my self-confidence.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I know what that's like." He said with remorse. I could see some sadness in his eyes. "Well, how about that schedule Bella?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.
I handed him my schedule. "Hey! Look at this we have a couple of classes together."
"What classes do we have together?" I really wanted to know.
"Well on 'A' days we have first and fourth together oh and lunch. And on 'B' days," he paused while he looked over my schedule. "On 'B' days we have first, third, and fourth. As luck would have it we have lunch together on 'B' days as well." He said with a smile.
Wow. That's a lot of classes with the same person. It would make more sense in a smaller school. "Your lucky, today is an 'A' day so we're going to miss government, the Mr. Maloney is really boring. Let me show you where the rest of your classes are." He surprised me by grabbing my packet and then my hand. I gently pulled my hand back, pretending I needed to get something out of my bag. He looked slightly dejected.
"Does this place always look like this?" I asked trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject.
"Do you mean all of the blue and gold?" I nodded. "No, it just homecoming this week so the whole spirit thing. We are supposed be wearing school colors." He said pointing to his blue shirt.
"Oh I see. It must be a big deal here."
He nodded. "Yeah it's the biggest game of the year, I'm pretty nervous actually."
"Why? It seems like nothing would make you nervous."
"The way the schedule is set up this year Friday is going to be the big rival game. It's the two biggest games of regular season rolled into one."
"Oh, well, good luck."
"Thanks." He said with a smile.
He showed me all around the school and my locker. He also told me about my agenda book. It is a small spiral booklet, which has a small school calendar, it has spaces to put homework assignments, and in the back it has spaces for teachers to sign as a hall pass. Logan showed me how he can be out in the halls, if you initial this spot with your own initials you're not plagiarizing and when a teacher or administrator looks at it they usually don't question it.
"Nice trick." I was impressed.
Just then a buzz noise sounded through the speakers in the halls.
"Looks like first period is over." He said. We were engulfed by swarms of other students. It's nice not to be stared at, that is until we ended up at the door to my math class. He handed me back my agenda as he leaned up against the wall with me leaning up against the wall next to him, we were trying to avoid the crowd.
"Thanks for showing me around." I really appreciate it, even though he is a walking cliché.
"No prob, I will see you at lunch, K?' He said with a smile and walked away to class.
I noticed as I turned and walked into class I was getting looks of awe, jealousy, and curiosity. I just shrugged it off, after all, I'm used to getting looks like that when I was with him. I brought my paper up to the teacher to have him sign it, with as much as I hate math I think we will get along because he just pointed me to an empty seat in the back without making me introduce myself.
Throughout the entire class I tried to pay attention. I think I already did this chapter before I moved. Although I can't be sure, I don't really remember a lot of stuff from earlier in this semester. When class was over I headed out the door, thankful no one tried talking to me. Just when I was about to head the direction I thought the cafeteria was I heard someone call after me.
"Hey Bella! Wrong way sport." Did he just call me sport? As I turned to meet my gaze with Logan's, I tripped over my flip-flop again. I was close enough that he caught me.
I regained my composer and muttered my thanks. "Did you just call me sport?" He nodded. "Isn't that something that a grandfather calls a grandchild or something?"
That received a laugh. I couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here?"
Only a chuckle this time, "I'm showing you to lunch, besides you have to sit somewhere it might as well be with me and my friends."
"Who said I wanted to sit with you and your friends?" I asked, my lips playing with a smile. I like giving him a hard time, it seems like he is one of those guys that people think walk on water. Well, not with me.
"Oh, well…I a… just figured…" He was trying to find the words as he trailed off and head fell, he was about to walk away when I couldn't help it anymore and laughed. His head snapped back up with hurt in his eyes.
I was still laughing when I said, "I'm just messing with you, besides it is the least I could for you after you took all that time skipping a boring class to show me around and all." Sarcasm was dripping off of my words.
He smiled, "Okay Sport, no need to be so hard on me."
"Well, its good for you." I said with a smile.
"What makes you say that?" We were walking to lunch now, the halls mostly cleared out.
"The way I see it you're a walking cliché."
"A what?' He asked before I could continue.
I laughed, "Well, you're the quarterback right?"
"Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?"
By now we were in the cafeteria and in line waiting to get our food.
"Everything."
"What are you talking about?'
I couldn't help but laugh, this is a lot like our conversation earlier today. "You are the popular, womanizing, quarterback that walks on water. People are too afraid to tell you what they really think because they want to impress you. Girls throw themselves at you and you're used to getting your way because of that. Am I wrong?"
"Only partially."
"See, what did I say? Walking cliché." I said waving in his direction.
He laughed then got serious, "I'm not a womanizer, though I am used to girls throwing themselves at me and getting my way, well except with you that is."
"Well get used to it, I've had too much experience with pretty boys like you."
We had our trays of food, his piled high with pizza, fries, he had an apple, and a sport drink. He was showing me to his table that was already full.
"Make room will ya?" He hollered at the guys at his table. His table looks like a movie, full of beautiful people who are dressed just right and perfectly manicured. Well, they don't look quite as good as those stupid vampires, I pushed them out of my mind as I sat down feeling very much out of place.
"Hey everyone, this is Bella. Bella, this is everybody." He said as he gestured to the rest of the table. I received the same looks as I did from math class awe, jealousy, and curiosity. I noticed one of the guys sitting next to Logan elbow him, "hey, is that the girl next door that you were telling me about?"
He nodded and glanced at me with a slightly terrified expression thinking that I might have heard, which I did.
I raised my eyebrows. "Talking about me behind my back already Pretty Boy?"
He smiled innocently; "Renee talked about it a bunch, I got a little excited, then I met you…" he trailed off.
"Uh, huh. Sure why not." I said skeptically, although I knew that it was all too possible that Renee would talk to anybody and everybody who would listen, whether it pertained to them or not.
"Hey! What's up with that 'Pretty Boy' comment?" He tried to change the subject, which I'm grateful for.
I smiled suppressing a laugh. "Well, the 'walking cliché' and 'Pretty Boy' kind of go hand in hand. Besides, 'Sport'? What's up with that?" I can't believe how comfortable I am with him, only as a friend, nothing else. There is no way that I am ready for anything else. There is still a big gaping hole where my heart belongs; I'm just boarding it up one piece at a time.
"Well, let's make a deal. I won't call you Sport and you don't call me Pretty Boy."
I put my finger up against my lip as if to show that I was considering his proposal. He looked exasperated as if I didn't agree right away.
"Well, I suppose that's fair. 'Sport' is really annoying, but you're still a walking cliché I just won't call you that." I said and held out my hand for him to shake on our deal.
He smiled and shook my hand. We ate lunch and bantered back and forth all throughout lunch. I think his friends are a little jealous that I was talking up all of his attention. After lunch he walked me to my photography class.
My photography class went by really fast, I think that I'm really going to like this class. I won't have to draw anything, which is a good thing. After class I was only slightly surprised to see Logan standing outside of the door.
"I think if you keep this up there are going to be a lot of angry people." I told him in a matter of fact tone.
"Well, as long as one of the angry people isn't you than I am just fine." He smiled.
I rolled my eyes both at his comment as at dreading going into PE. Luckily it's my first day and I didn't have to dress out I could just sit on the sidelines watching the badminton games going on. It's defiantly a good thing that I'm not playing, I remember the last time I played this, I managed to simultaneously hit Mike and myself in one swing. I shivered at the memory.
As soon as class was over I headed towards the main office to hand in the slip of paper that I had all except for one teacher sign, I will have to get that next time. I was walking out the door to the parking lot when someone came up next to me.
"Hey! Where did you go?" Logan asked with disappointment.
"Oh, you need a chaperone now? Whatever did you do without me?" I asked with joking sarcasm, which just made him scowl.
" I just wanted to walk with you, but you took off before I had a chance to change."
"I had to turn in a slip that I had to have my teacher's sign. I didn't think that it would be that big of a deal, besides I noticed I am get too many people looking at me when we walk together." We were making our way out to the parking lot.
"You don't like being looked at?" He asked with true curiosity.
"Not at all, I got too many of those glares with my ex." Did I just mention him again? What is wrong with me?
"What kind of glares are you talking about?" I could tell he was truly wondering.
"The kind when you can tell that they are thinking, 'she must have a really good personality because I guy that looks like that would not be with a girl that looks like that otherwise.' Those types of glares." I said as I shrugged.
"What are you talking about? 'A guy that looks like that'?"
"A pretty boy." I stated as matter of fact.
He snorted, "So, your ex, the pretty boy, is he a walking cliché too?"
I rolled my eyes, I did not want to talk about him, and I did not want to think about him. "You're quick," Logan caught on to the fact that he is a pretty boy, more like gorgeous guy, too. "He is a walking cliché but in an entirely different way." Yeah in a self-loathing vampire way.
"What way is that?" He asked.
"That is for another time." Never. "Aren't you supposed to go to practice or something?" I noticed that we were standing next to my car and most of the cars in the parking lot were gone.
"Oh! Crap I'm going to be late. I gotta go. I will see you later okay?" He waved as he turned and then was off back towards the school.
I laughed to myself and shook my head as I got in my car and drove home. Stupid pretty boy, but I'm glad I have at least one friend. My thoughts and words really surprised me today. I never thought that I would feel so comfortable so fast and that I would actually laugh or even smile again. Life after him is possible, I just had to prove it to myself, and I'm still not completely convinced. I just want to go to my room and be left alone I hope that is possible.
As I pulled up to Renee and Phil's house there was a car parked out front that I didn't recognize. I wonder who that is.
