.:: TWO ::.

awkward swans



Charlie Swan was an introspective man. He liked to keep things simple and quiet. It was one of the many reasons why his home was the small, rainy town of Forks. His no-nonsense nature also made him a capable Chief of Police. Inwardly, Charlie also took pride in his observational skills; he noticed more than his teenage daughter gave him credit for. Being thickskulled was not conductive to the safety of his town, after all.

He watched from the window as she climbed out of the old Chevy truck. Something unpleasant had happened today; her stride was a bit longer, shoulders hunched, and the only time Bella watched the ground instead of looking straight ahead was when she obsessed over something.

It was obvious Forks was one of the last places she wanted to live, but they were making the best of the situation. Despite playing the martyr, whatever was upsetting Bella now had nothing to do with Charlie.

He turned away from the window as she approached the front door. They were two peas in a pod, undeniably father and daughter -- Bella was every bit as inverted as him. If she decided to talk about, he would listen, but for now it was best to act as though nothing were amiss.

"Hey, Bells," he greeted her as she walked through the door. "How was the first day?"

"Fine," she said. He could tell she was lying.

It pained him to see his daughter act like a guest in her own home. Charlie watched as she toed off her tennis shoes before fully entering the house. Her books were carefully placed on an out-of-the-way countertop. She went straight upstairs with her backpack.

If it wasn't for the fact Bella cooked their meals, Charlie would have sworn he lived alone.

Two hours passed before his daughter descended the stairs again. Her eyes, so much like his own, did not even glance in his direction as she made a beeline for the kitchen. He rose from the couch, turned off the television, and decided to join her in preparing dinner.

"What are we having tonight?"

She looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "...Did you have something in mind, Dad?"

Charlie shrugged. "No. Just trying to make conversation. Do you need any help?"

It was difficult to decide if he should be amused or worried by the look she was giving him. She averted her gaze long enough to remove her plain brown sweatshirt.

Something fell out of her pocket. Charlie bent down to pick it up just as she reached for it. They both pulled away, staring at one another, before he scooped it up.

"What's this?" he asked.

"A piece of quartz or something," Bella answered. "I found it in the truck."

Charlie frowned. Apparently, Billy had missed a few things while cleaning. He held the tiny sliver up to the light and rotated it slowly between his fingers. The surface glinted and glittered, shifting from pale amethyst to deep sapphire.

"I don't think it's quartz," he said before giving the shard back to her.

The rest of the night passed in silence.