My Sunlight Chapter 2: Jesusland
I do not own the Twilight series, all credit goes to the great Stephenie Meyer.
Town to Town; broadcast to each house they drop your name, but no one knows your face - "Jesusland" -Ben Folds
Church. Bar. Church. Liquor Store. Church…Starbucks? 'They really are everywhere' Bella thought she as she focused back on the road, she had just given herself the official tour of Forks on her way to school; she didn't even have to turn off the road.
Forks High School wasn't much to look at either. Her car creaked to a stop in the parking space as she gazed upward out of her window. Gray. She closed her eyes and squeezed them shut, opening them again slowly. Gray. She sighed as she stepped onto the wet pavement. 'Gray, cold, and wet. My three favorite things' Bella rolled her eyes at her thoughts as she slammed the door of the truck and headed towards the main office.
Her mood did lighten when she realized the school at least had heat. At least she wouldn't be freezing in her classes. The small elderly woman smiled a wrinkly smile as she took Bella's sign in sheet. "Oh, your Chief Swans daughter, Isabella" "It's Bella and yes" She followed with a half smile to make sure she wasn't coming off as rude. Thank goodness she decided to come in early, she wouldn't have been able to make it through the parking lot without tripping with the half the student body staring at her. The daughter returns, her flighty mother fled long ago but now the daughter returns. She thanked the woman as she took her schedule. 'I should think positively' she thought as she made her way down the silent hallway. A few students were scattered along the aisle, some sitting Indian style outside their classrooms, hovering over a book; others in formed circles discussing the latest events. A few eyes drifted to her and then away, a whispering conversation ensuing after. Bella leaned against the wall next to the entrance of her first class, sighing. 'So glad I decided to come early'.
To say Bella's first day was turning out to be a nightmare was an understatement. Her first classes had consisted of assignments she had already learned, awkward introductions to a student body that was way more interested in her than she wanted them to be and she nearly killed a guy with a volleyball in gym. She was on her thousandth apology as they made their way to the lunch room. "Hey it's okay. It sounded worse than it really was. If you really want to make it up to me, you should sit with us. My name's Mike by the way, Mike Newton" He extended his hand out, a goofy smile on his face as Bella shook it half heartedly. She really wasn't one for the social scene but she figured she should put forward the effort to make friends, at least to have some kind of normalcy.
His friends were nice enough. Jessica was chatty, a good trait because Bella barely had to contribute to the conversation. Angela was quiet but observant, making an appropriate comment here and there. She would share a secret smile with Bella every now and then from behind Jessica. At least there was one person she could say she would easily get along with. Mike and Eric seemed to be at constant competition with each other for Bella's attention. She would answer them both with equal interest, making sure nothing was left to be desired from her response. But it still seemed to earn her a slight glare from Jessica.
Bella shifted in her seat as the conversation turned to some party that had happened the previous week. She scanned the white and gray lunchroom in boredom. 'Why must everything here be a neutral color, I feel like I'm in an insane asylum.' She thought as she shifted again uncomfortably, sending her gaze further around her lunch asylum. Bella's breath caught in her throat as her eyes settled on the table across from her. They were all staring off in different directions, a tray of untouched food in front of each. No conversations, no words, if Bella didn't know any better she would say not even a breath being let out. It was wrong to stare; especially after the day she had, she should know how annoying it was to be gawked at. But this couldn't be helped; this was a force that she could not pull away from.
"Those are the Cullen's" Bella jerked in fright and looked over her shoulder to see Angela smiling. "Oh…" was all she could say, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks at being caught staring. Angela smiled wider and leaned in again. "They're Dr. Cullen's kids, well not really his; they were adopted by him and his wife." Bella nodded quietly as her eyes drifted back towards their table. "The big one's Emmett, he goes out with the blonde one, Rosalie." There was no denying who that could be, her golden hair fell over her shoulders like silk, and her posture was statuesque as she stared out the window. Bella turned to Angela, interest taking her over. "The two other boys are Jasper and Edward. Jasper's the one with blonde hair; he never talks…ever. I don't think I've heard him say one word since they've moved here, and that was two years ago. The one next to him you can figure out is Edward. Gorgeous, but he doesn't date, no one really knows why." Angela eyes drifted to Jessica briefly before finding Bella's again. "Believe me the theory's been tested."
They both giggled as Bella took another glance at the table. Her hand gripped the chair tightly as she saw a set of honey colored eyes staring back at her. They narrowed a little, a slight glint in them as they stared Bella down. "And the one giving you the glare is Alice." Angela said as she looked between them. "She's weird" Jessica chimed in as she began to take notice of their conversation. Bella let out a deep breath as Alice's eyes finally pulled away from her, choosing to look down at the tray of untouched food. Bella turned back in her chair. "Why do they sit by themselves?" she asked as she tried to shake the sudden anxiousness that had overcome her. "As if you can't already tell. Aside from the death glares; they only sit with themselves, we don't sit with them, and they don't sit with us." Jessica spat as she glared over at the table. "Why do you think she was staring at me? I mean you don't think...she heard…" Jessica rolled her eyes at Bella's comment. "Of course not, they're just weird Bella, especially Alice. I'd stay clear." The bell rang then, Bella watched as the Cullen's stood in unison and threw away their uneaten food, leaving the lunch room one after another. Maybe Forks wouldn't be so boring after all; at least there was something interesting here.
Bella waved goodbye to her new friends, kindly declining Mike's offer to walk her to Biology. Eric was by her side in a second. "Yeah Mike, I already got it covered." Bella was about to let him down too when she remembered he had mentioned at lunch that they shared Bio together. Eric was persistent to say the least, of course he wasn't pushy or rude about it but he sure didn't make it hidden that he was taking an interest. "So I mean I guess you could say I kinda run the whole paper, I mean I do most of the filler work…and…Angela helps some too." Bella nodded, feigning interest with the proper "oh's" and "hm's".
They walked into class and Bella handed her sign in sheet to the teacher. "Ah Miss Swan, glad to have you join us, please take a seat next Miss Cullen and we'll start the lesson" Bella's stiffened. She slowly looked over her shoulder to be met with same glare she had received in the lunchroom, this time it held a glint of amusement rather than mystery. "Uh, right…okay" she mumbled as she made her way down the aisle. As she approached, Alice swiftly looked away, a look of disgust on her face. 'What the-' Bella thought as she sat down. She took quick glances through her hair as she noticed Alice lean away from her towards the open window, taking deep breaths. Bella quickly smelled her hair. It smelled like pears, like always. 'What is this girl's problem?' she thought with sudden spite, she hadn't even said two words to her. Okay sure, she may have given her family a couple of stares but apparently so does everyone else. She couldn't possibly be upset about that could she? Bella spent the whole period shooting sideways glances at the girl next to her. Alice would turn away from the window every now and then; but would immediately stiffen and then continue her deep breaths out of it. The Bell rang and Alice was out the door in a flash, leaving Bella sitting in bewilderment.
Bella's first day had turned out to be a disaster; she had only been here a few hours and had given someone an excuse hate her. She sighed as she opened her locker, shoving her books in. 'Great Bella, you are the shining example of a social butterfly' she thought as she stuck her head in her locker, taking another deep sigh. "I don't think you'll be able to fit" Bella nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard the voice, hitting her head on the top of the locker. She immediately straightened and slowly shut the locker door to reveal the source of her horrible day leaning against the locker next to hers, a smirk playing across her lips.
Sure from far away Bella could tell Alice was beautiful, along with the rest of her family. But up close she was breath taking. She had dark hair that was perfectly spiked in every direction, playing a beautiful contrast against her pale white skin, and Bella thought she was pale; she was no where near Alice. On her she felt it looked unnatural, unattractive. But on Alice it was almost as if she was glowing. 'Oh god Bella, you're staring again. Say something!' Bella's mind screamed. "Yeah, but god knows I keep trying" she joked as she rubbed the back of her head. The girls smirk only grew wider. "I'm Alice, Alice Cullen, you must be Bella" Bella sighed and nodded. "It's B…uh…yeah, yeah I am."
She had gotten her name right, she had spent almost all day correcting everyone else, but this girl had gotten it right. 'Not bad for someone who hates me' she thought as she slung her backpack over her shoulder, her eyes averting Alice's nervously. "Listen, I just wanted to apologize for the way I might have come off-" Alice started, but Bella let out a frustrated sigh. "You mean the death glares you've been giving me, the faces, your body half way out the window in class…" Bella said slightly heated as she started to remember all of the uncomfortable moments. Alice simply nodded; her bottom lip between her teeth as if trying not to smile any wider. "Yeah… that pretty much covers all of my rudeness. I don't want you to think its any offence against you; I'm just not feeling well, so I might have come off as well…a jerk." Bella softened at her words, she could understand, she wasn't exactly the most pleasant person when she was sick either. "It's okay; I mean I wasn't even giving it a second thought." She laughed nervously as the hallways emptied. Bella caught sight of Eric and Mike walking out the school doors, silently thanking god that she wouldn't have to deal with the competition of who was going to walk her to her car.
Alice looked over her shoulder, following Bella's eyes. "I guess you want to get back to your friends." She started. "No!" Bella half screamed, immediately clearing her throat and speaking in a calmer voice. "No, uh I mean they're my friends but I don't…I don't have to be anywhere." Alice seemed to smile wider at that and nodded. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when someone cleared their throat. Alice's smile faded as she looked over at Edward who was waiting by the school doors. "I should get going, my siblings are waiting." Bella nodded, hiding the sudden disappointment she felt. "Of course um, I guess I'll see you around." "I guess you will, since you're my lab partner." Bella closed her eyes and nodded, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Ha yeah, of course." She smiled as Alice gave a small wave goodbye and headed out the doors with her brother. When they shut Bella let out a deep breath she felt like she had been holding for the entire conversation. It was confirmed; there was something interesting in the small town of Forks and her name was Alice Cullen.