"Bella!" Charlie yelled through my bedroom door. I was already up and packing my book bag with the supplies I still had leftover from Chicago. I had everything that I could possibly need for my senior year, a pack of pens and pencils and a few notebooks. I collected all of my science and math credits back home, so I wouldn't need a calculator, ruler, or any other specialty supplies.
"I'm up, dad!" I yelled back. I could hear Charlie walk away from the door. I grabbed the only book I owned and headed over to my desk to read until it was time to leave. My copy of Wuthering Heights was worn out, but I loved it. I've read it at least a dozen times by now, but every time I flipped the page it was like this was the first time again. I was beginning to drift deeply into my reading when Charlie knocked at my door again.
"Hey, kid, you have 30 minutes before the first bell. You should head out so you have time to grab your schedule and find your class!" Charlie spoke through the door. I didn't realize an hour had passed already, I jumped from my seat and grabbed my bag.
"Coming, dad!" I yelled back and opened the door. I went down the stairs, quickly and carefully. Grabbing my keys from the hook as I reached the bottom. Charlie was in his uniform, standing in the kitchen doorway with a pack of poptarts in his hand. He passed the pack off to me and shooed me out the door with a smile.
"Have a good day, Bells!" He yelled from the porch as I pulled out of the driveway. My truck was loud, but the rumbling was soothing as I drove. This was going to be a great day, a new school and new people. In Chicago I was somewhat of an outcast, no one spoke to me and I returned the favor, but here, I was going to be different.
The school was easy to find, there was the Forks High sign and the turn off was right next to it. As I pulled in, I wanted to feel disappointment, the school was so small, but I shook it off. The smaller school meant smaller classes and possibly meant easier lectures. I knew this was different, but I could survive this like I survived everything else.
"There's nothing to fear here, Bella." I steeled myself and opened the door to this new world. The faded red bricks of the school and the vines weaving up most of the building made it look like a place of fairy tales. I was excited to enter, to explore this new place and learn everything I could from the people inside.
"Nice car." And the illusion was ruined. The sarcastic jibe brought me back to reality. It wasn't just me waltzing through these halls, but a population of teenagers. The class of 100 seniors tried to unnerve me, but it was nothing like my class of 800 seniors back home. I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and held my head high. I could do this.
"Thanks." I threw over my shoulder as I headed toward the building. The inside of the building wasn't as old as the outside. The floors looked freshly polished and the walls were painted in shades of blue.
"Hey, you're Isabella Swan, right?" An Asian teen approached me, a smile on his face. He was average height with medium length black hair and a satchel hooked across his body. His brown eyes were bright with excitement and it made me smile.
"You can call me Bella." He nodded quickly and threw his arm over my shoulders.
"I'm Eric, I'm the eyes and ears of Forks High and you're front page news, baby!" Little dimples appeared in his cheeks as he smiled wider. I raised an eyebrow, I was amused. Eric seemed very friendly and I liked it. He seemed so happy to meet me and I couldn't help the excitement settling in my stomach.
"I'll have to pass on that one, Eric, but thanks." I chuckled when he began to pout.
"Okay, okay, at least let me show you to your first class." His smile was back and I agreed without hesitation. Maybe this could be my first friend. He pulled the schedule from my hands and scanned over it quickly. "The first one is in room 34, it's this way." He lead me around a corner and down the hall and bowed with a grin as I thanked him.
The class was art, I had quite a few electives considering I only needed two credits of required courses.
We were painting this hour and I fell into it easily. My brush moved with easy and fell into a remembered pattern. Golden hair, golden eyes, and a bright smile painted with ruby red lips. Sharp features and angelic grace. This goddess had traversed my dreams since I was old enough to remember. I didn't know her name and I didn't know her story, but I knew I was in love with her joy, with her genuine happiness. When I dreamt of her, it was like the world couldn't touch me in our little bubble. Nothing could harm me there and time was slowed, so that we could enjoy every moment together.
"That's beautiful." I was pulled from my trance by a short girl who shared my angel's eyes. Her pixie cut hair was dark and her build was petite, the opposite of the goddess who was often on my mind. "I'm Alice!" She sung as she pulled me into a hug. "I can tell we're going to be great friends!"
"Thanks, Alice, I'm Bella." I smiled at the smaller girl, but I noticed the difference between our smiles. Hers was so full of life and mine, mine was only there because it felt like the right reaction for the moment. I wanted to smile like her, to feel joy coursing through me like the light of the sun. Alice and I talked for a few more minutes. Her painting was of a sunset and it was beautifully done, it could be an artful photograph with how well she captured all of the colors and light angles.
"Alright class! Time to pack up, the bell will be ringing shortly." Mrs. Fronz called to all of us. She was a small elderly woman, with brown eyes and mocha skin. Her gray hair was pulled into a neat bun and her eyes wrinkled at the edges when she smiled. She was a kind woman with a love for all things art. She taught during the day to keep herself from being all alone in her house since the death of her husband, Walter. She was a bit of a chatterbox, but I liked it.
"It was nice meeting you, Bella. We should hangout after school sometime." Alice winked at me before returning to her work station. I cleaned quickly and handed my painting in to Mrs. Fronz, she praised me for my good work and dismissed class.
"See you all tomorrow!" She called from her desk as we all exited.
The next couple classes passed uneventfully. I met a few new people and was invited to eat lunch with a guy named Mike and his friends. He steered me to their table in the cafeteria and sat next to me.
"Hey Mike, you met my girl, Bella!" Eric sat across from me with his dimples on display.
"Your girl?" Mike sputtered comically. They were funny, if only they knew I wasn't playing for their team.
I was quickly introduced to the rest of the table. Jessica seemed like the nosey sort the way she asked so many questions. Angela seemed very shy, though she was very kind. Then there was Lauren, Lauren seemed like trouble. The last two, Tyler and Ben, seemed like your average rambunctious males.
"So why'd you move here, Bella?" I was planning to answer the question I really was, but in the door walked the second most beautiful creatures to ever grace the earth. My golden haired angel was, of course, the first. Alice walked in with her fingers intertwined with the long pale fingers of another golden eyed woman. She was a woman, nothing about her said she could possibly be in high school. Long honey blonde hair and a scowl to turn the masses into a cowering mess. I never would have guessed that Alice preferred the fairer sex, and I must admit, she had the best of tastes.
"That's Rosalie and Alice. They're Dr. And Mrs. Cullens adopted daughters. They're together, like together together, it's pretty creepy." Jessica smiled her grinch-y smile and prepared to drop even more information about these two on me, but she stopped when she saw my lack of interest. Three golden eyed males walked in after Alice and Rosalie, one hulking and happy, one average and menacing, one on the smaller side and brooding, no one seemed to pay any mind to them.
"They're not actually related." Angela produced a small smile and an awkward wave when the table turned their attention to her. It was obvious the girl preferred to blend into the background.
No one said another word, they just stared with wide eyes at whatever was behind me and next thing I know hands were covering my eyes.
"Guess who!" Alice giggled excitedly, as if I wouldn't know it was her.
"Hey Ali." I chuckled and she plopped, and I do mean plopped, in the empty spot to my left.
"I have a surprise for you!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'll meet you at your truck after school." Alice pulled me into a quick hug and was off to her table before anyone could blink. Lauren was the first to come back to life, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed.
"So you're friends with Alice Cullen?"