Chapter 2.
I was wrong; this wasn't a dream, not even close. It was a nightmare. I awoke to see Renee sitting at the end of my bed waiting for me. The clock on my bedside table read nine in the morning. I had slept all night. All of my recent memories came flooding back to me when I saw the tears falling down her cheeks. I could tell she had been crying all night, her eyes were red and swollen with her makeup smudged, creating bruise like shadows beneath her lashes.
"Bella, I'm sorry I lied. I truly am but I was just trying to protect you from the pain I had caused everyone. Please find it somewhere in your heart to forgive me," she pleaded.
I didn't say a word; I just looked at her, not knowing whether I should comfort her or be angry. I knew I should say something so I asked her how Charlie found out about me.
"Well, I decided you should get to know him. It's only fair to both of you and who am I to stand in the way of that."
"Mum, I love you, you know that right. I'm sorry I yelled at you, you didn't deserve that, it wasn't right," I whispered. "I know you were just trying to protect me but you still should have told me, I had a right to know. Same goes with Charlie."
"I know that now but there's nothing more I can do." Tears were beginning to well up in my eyes again so I got out from beneath the covers and went to wrap my arms around Renee. She returned the hug tightly.
"So what exactly does Charlie want?" I asked knowing that it had to be brought up sometime.
My mother looked worn out from all the crying but this question brought new resolve to her eyes. "He wants to get to know you. He said he really wishes he could have been there for you when you were growing up. He wants you to go live with him in Forks and I think you should go."
"What, are you serious? I'm not leaving Phoenix, mum, no way. If he thinks he can just come here and drag me off to live with him, then he's got another thing coming. I did fine without him all these years and I'll do fine without him now." I was furious. How dare he even think I would just leave my mother and my life behind for him?
"Honey, I think you should go. You deserve to get know your father and I think you might even grow to love him. He's done nothing wrong and he deserves a chance, Bella."
"But mum, I don't even know him. How can you expect me to just pack up my bags and move to an entirely new town in a different state? What if we end up hating each other?"
"Look, I understand if you are a little anxious about going but I think you'll like it there. Forks is a very nice place." Mum stated casually.
"Mum you say that like I'm already going. I'm not going anywhere." Panic was seeping into my voice.
"Well, Charlie and I talked last night and we came to an agreement. You're going to Forks for the next school year and then you can decide what you want to do after that." Mum told me with a straight face.
"What, so now your making my decisions for me. You're unbelievable, I can't believe this. Ah, when did you decide to become all parental? I'm not going and you can't make me." I practically screamed.
Renee got off my bed and faced me, "Yes, I can and I will. Now, listen to me, you're going and that's it."
I opened my mouth to protest but mum stopped me.
"I'll leave you alone to pack. You're going in the next two days, so I'll send what you can't fit in your suitcase." She left the room, closing the door behind her.
I sat on my bed confused about what had just happened. I'm not moving to Forks. There's no way Renee was being serious. I mean I can't handle going to a new school and making new friends. I barely had friends here. Who would want to become friends with me? Nobody I knew, that was for sure. At school I was mostly avoided like the plague. I only had a few acquaintances and they barely noticed me.
I began to sob uncontrollably as I realized that I was about to be thrown in the deep end. How was I going to survive without my best friend and mother, Renee? How was I going to survive endless stares and interrogations? Most of all how was I supposed to go live with a man I'd only met for five minutes.
I lay in bed for another hour until I decided that I needed food seeing as I hadn't even eaten dinner last night. Reluctantly, I threw back the blankets and left my room. The kitchen was empty, thankfully so I made myself breakfast and flopped on the couch in the living room. I flicked on the television, hoping that some early morning cartoons would calm me.
No point in trying though because five minutes later Charlie walked in and sat himself beside me. Was he looking for some father-daughter bonding time because I doubt that's going to happen.
As if on queue, he turned to me and asked, "So, I take it your mother talked to you about what we decided. What do you think?"
"What I think is none of your business but considering you're not giving me a choice in where or who I live with, I can't do anything about it can I." I glared at him from my place on the couch.
Taken aback by my attitude, he gaped at me, his mouth slightly hanging open.
"Look, I understand why you would be feeling a little upset but you are my daughter, whether you like it or not and that does mean I get a part in determining how you grow up. I know I wasn't there for the most of it but I really want to get to know you and I was hoping you might feel the same way."
Great, now he was going to make me feel guilty for snapping at him. Well, I'm not going to. I can hold my own, can't I? Oh, who am I kidding? He doesn't deserve my hatred; he didn't even know I existed. I suppose he's just trying to do what's best for me, or what he thinks is best for me. I held back a groan. I knew my anger was disintegrating but I couldn't help but hold onto it.
"I don't know how I feel. Only yesterday my life was somewhat normal. Now I have a father that is trying to claim me and is making me move states away from the only parent I've ever known. How would you feel because I think I'm angry?"
"I see. Well that's fine, be as angry as you want but you're still coming with me. I'm going back to Forks tonight to set up your room so I'll see you in two days." He stated, leaving the couch and in turn the room.
Now more mad than ever, I jumped off the couch and stormed to my room, slamming the door. I crashed onto my unmade bed, wishing it was yesterday and that I had never come home.
Feeling a need for some good old fashion romance, I picked up my favourite Jane Austen novel and began to read. I didn't get into the story as much as I would have liked to though because that weird electric crackle was back again.
My eyes scanned the room in search of my watcher but found nothing out of place. Even the shoes I wore last week were in the same spot, thrown haphazardly across the floor. The blue drapes mum bought a few years ago were wide open, sunlight streaming into my room, creating shadows on the carpet.
I got up off my bed and went to the window, staring out at the opposite building. No body was looking in this direction but I could still feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Flustered by my unnecessary paranoia, I forced the curtains shut and turned to face my room that was in a state of disarray. If only he lived a few blocks away, life would be so much easier, I thought wistfully. I began to pack up my life and shove it into a box knowing all too well that when mum is determined she usually gets what she wants. Is there no hope for me then?