Hey everyone! I've got a bunch of chapters lined up to post once a day for a while so keep an eye out. When I get caught up, I'll try to write and post a new chapter once a week or so. Thanks for reading and another thanks for my beta dumbrat!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight
I stopped crying after a few minutes, but I couldn't bring myself to move from where I was sitting.
After a while, I heard footsteps coming in my direction. I looked up and saw a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy. He had a baby-face and a friendly smile. He stopped right next to me and gave me a hesitant smile.
"Isabella?"
I took a deep breath and tried to stop the tears I felt forming in the corner of my eyes again. No, I'm Jamie.
I turned my hand over and traced my scar. As painful of a reminder that it was, it was still physical proof that I didn't belong there.
"Hey, don't cry." He sat down next to me, leaning up against the wall also. "What's the matter?"
I shook my head. "I'm fine. Just homesick I guess."
"I understand. I moved here from California when I was ten, but I still miss it sometimes. I'm Mike by the way.
He stuck out his hand for me to shake and I took it, smiling slightly, "It's nice to meet you Mike."
He didn't say anything after that, but he didn't leave either. I was glad. He seemed to understand I was okay with him there, but also needed a minute to myself.
I felt closer to normal than I had in a long time and I used it to take some deep breaths and calm myself down. When the bell rang, Mike let out a sigh and then stood up. He held out a hand to help me up and I took it.
"Thanks for being so nice," I said once I was on my feet.
"No problem," he said with a wide smile. "Can I see you schedule? Maybe I could show you the way to your next class."
"It's in building two, I think," I said automatically, seeing the list in my head.
He beamed. "Great, we're in the same class! It's just around the corner," he said, nodding his head back around the building.
I gestured in the direction he had nodded, "Lead the way."
He was in no hurry as he walked and I matched his leisurely pace.
"So apart from being homesick; how do you like Forks?"
"I don't know. I don't know what to think of it."
"Give it some time," he said with a smile. "It grows on you."
I nodded. We walked up to a building and Mike leapt forward to open the door for me.
"Ladies first," he said, beaming.
When we walked in, I was met by a rush of warm air. I hadn't taken more than a few steps when I saw microscopes on a counter in the back and a poster for the structure of a cell on the wall. Biology!
I looked at the back of the room and saw Edward looking down at his books uninterestedly; he hadn't spotted me yet. I had no idea whether he was going to have a serious problem with me or not and I didn't want to find out.
Then my heart almost stopped in my chest as the words mind reader flitted through my head.
Edward Masen, I called silently. Nothing. He didn't move. I let out an inaudible breath of relief. If he could hear my thoughts, that should have gotten a response of some kind.
Mike gave me an encouraging nudge towards the teacher's desk and then went to find his own desk.
Instead of walking further into the room, I started taking steps to back out of it. Just as I did, the door opened behind me and a gush of air pushed past me.
The result was immediate. Edward stiffened in his seat and his head whipped up, his coal black eyes burning into mine. He sat staring at me with a furious and hostile expression on his face, his hands clenched into fists. He was terrifying, and it shocked me.
I took an instinctive step back, and then froze. When I had moved, Edward had leaned infinitesimally forward.
Leaving would be stupid. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I focused my attention on Mr. Banner and carefully took measured steps to his desk.
I handed him my schedule which he signed and gave back to me.
"Why don't you take the empty seat by Mr. Cullen," he said, handing me a textbook.
"Thanks," I answered, taking it.
As I walked up to the empty seat, I kept my eyes directly on Edward's. I tried to give him the strongest silent warning I could. I knew it was worthless, but I felt the need to do something.
He kept glaring at me, but I didn't break eye contact until I got the desk we were supposed to share. I carefully moved the chair to the very edge of the desk and sat down
As Mr. Banner got into the lecture for the day, I snuck a look over at Edward. He wasn't staring at me anymore. I could tell he wasn't breathing. He was leaning away and his face was tilted so that it was facing the window.
I felt a little bad about what he was dealing with but I was also terrified for myself. He hardly looked like he was in control.
The class passed by unbearably slowly; I half expected Edward to leap at me at some point. I was wound so tight that when the bell finally rang, I jumped and tripped on my own feet, hitting my leg on the desk and almost falling on the floor before I was able to steady myself.
Edward was up and out the door before I had gotten myself upright. I sighed in relief as I made way out of the classroom, glad that I had made my way through the hour in one piece. When I got outside Mike was waiting for me right by the door.
"What class do you have next?" he asked me through a broad smile.
"Gym." I answered automatically. If it was possible, his smile got even bigger.
"That's my next class, too. I'll show you the way."
"Okay."
"So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that."
"No. I…I don't know what that was about at all." I lied fiercely.
"He's a weird guy. If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you." At that point we had entered the gym, so I just gave him a vague smile and went over to the teacher. He gave me my new gym clothes but told me I didn't need to dress until the next day.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, I lingered in the gym for a little while. I wanted to wait to turn in my signed schedule until after Edward had tried to get Ms. Cope to switch him out of class. Deciding that ten minutes was enough time, I got up and made my way over to the front office.
I pulled out my schedule as I walked. Just like the books. Uncanny. I was so preoccupied that I didn't notice the office door opening until it flung towards me and someone stormed out.
I looked up and saw Edward glaring furiously at me. Apparently ten minutes wasn't enough. I backed away from him slowly, crossing my arms over my chest and trying not to breathe towards him.
For half a second, I thought he was going to jump me. I uncrossed my arms, feeling ridiculous. He barreled angrily past me without saying anything.
"Sorry, Edward," I said as he stormed by. For whatever reason, I at least wanted him to know I felt bad.
He faltered slightly, almost as if he was going to stop, and I hurried on towards the office. I turned around as I opened the door, watching him as he ran to the parking lot.
It was blissfully warm inside. Ms. Cope glanced up when I came in, smiling as I handed her my signed schedule.
"How was your day, Miss Swan?" she asked, taking it and tucking it into a folder.
"Fine, thanks."
"That's good to hear. Feel free to come in and see me if you ever have any questions."
"Thanks, I will."
It was drizzling went I went back outside. As I pulled on my hood, my attention was drawn to a police car sitting in the front office parking lot.
I felt a huge rush of guilt when as I watched Charlie. He hadn't seen me yet.
If— and it was a huge if— this wasn't some trick or lie, my behavior towards Charlie in the last 24 hours had been nothing short of cruel. To him, it was like the daughter he loved so much wanted nothing to do with him in return.
He glanced at his watch. I took a deep breath as I walked over and got into the passenger seat.
"Hey Bella. How was your first day?" His question came out haltingly. I felt another pang of guilt when I understood his hesitation.
"It was okay. Not at all what I was expecting."
"In a good way or a bad way?" he asked.
"Good, I guess," I said after a pause.
We drove the next few minutes in silence.
"I'll drop you off at the house, but then I have to go back to the station. I'll be home around dinner time," he said abruptly.
"Okay."
"I'll grab us a pizza on the way home."
"Sounds good." I twisted my fingers into knots in my lap. "Look, I'm really sorry for how I acted yesterday."
"Bella…" he cut in, shaking his head.
"No wait, I really need to finish. I've been terrible. I really…appreciate what you're doing. You haven't done anything to deserve the way I treated you."
We pulled up to the house and Charlie put the car into park. He didn't move in his seat as he answered.
"It's okay. I get that it takes time to adjust to someplace new."
"I know that's no excuse, but thanks. Things will be better, I promise." It was the best I could do.
I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He looked pleased, and his face was a bit red when I got out of the car.
When I got in the house I went straight upstairs and into the bedroom. I closed the door and dumped the backpack on the floor. I kicked off my shoes, pulled back the covers on the bed and climbed in.
I laid there quietly for a little while, taking deep breaths and trying not to think. When that failed, I turned over on my side and closed my eyes.
I woke up with a jolt, feeling like someone had just yelled in my ear. The complete blackness in the room threw me; I had no idea what time it was. I turned over and looked at the clock next to the bed. It was almost midnight.
I noticed a folded piece of paper right next to the clock. I could just make out the name, Bella and I reached over to pick it up. I couldn't see well enough to read it so I got up and felt my way over to the desk and flicked on the lamp.
Bella,
You were asleep when I got home and I didn't want to wake you up. I don't know how long you've been out, but if you wake up and want something to eat there's pizza in the fridge. I'm right next door if you need anything.
–Dad
My hand fell open and I dropped the note when I read the signature at the end. A familiar hollow feeling settled in my chest. Charlie wasn't my dad. My dad was gone.
My stomach growled. I hadn't had anything to eat in what felt like ages. I walked back over to the bed and pulled on some shoes. I grabbed the black jacket and took steps towards the door, quietly making my way downstairs.
I grabbed a slice of two slices of pizza out of the fridge and tiptoed to the front door, silently closing it behind me.
It was dark outside, but the moon was bright enough that I could see fairly well and I wasn't too cold wearing the jacket. I pulled the hood up over my head and walked towards the woods on the other side of the street.
It started to drizzle, but once I walked under the cover of the trees, I couldn't feel it.
I wandered aimlessly, looking back every once in a while to make sure I could see the lights from the houses and the street lamps. As long as I knew where the main street was, I figured I could find my way back.
I walked for a while, until I came across a large rock with a flat top. I stopped and sat down, munching on the pizza.
I forced myself to acknowledge the fact that – however impossible—the people in this town were from Twilight. Seeing the Cullens convinced me of that. They couldn't fake what they were. And, if they weren't, I was ninety-nine percent sure no one else was either.
Admitting it to myself was really hard. I knew it was true, but the rational, realistic part of me was still refusing to accept it fully.
As I sat there I could hear the rain start to fall in full force. It made plopping noises as it hit the trees and water was starting to drip down off the branches and onto me.
I finished my last bite and got up; walking back the direction I had come from. When I got to the edge of the trees, I could see sheets of rain pouring onto the ground. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the little shelter that I had.
I was immediately soaked. I looked down the street and realized I had gone much farther than I had originally thought. I took off at a run. The rain was icy as it pelted my skin. Even at my quick pace, it took me a long time to get back to the house.
By the time I got there, I was shivering like crazy and soaked all the way through to my skin.
I opened the door as quietly as possible, trying to keep my teeth from chattering. I skipped every other step as I went upstairs and back into the bedroom, closing the door behind me.
I stripped off my wet shirt and pants and upturned everything in the suitcases onto the floor. I pulled on layer after layer of dry clothes and threw myself on the bed, huddling into a ball under the blankets.
Shivers raked my whole body. I closed my eyes and took deep, even breaths. It wasn't long before I was asleep again.
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