Disclaimer: I'm afraid that Twilight is not mine. So please don't slap me with a lawsuit. *looks pleading*

A/N: Thanks so much to deamrose10, xXRawkin-ZwinkeyXx, Nightwatcher'sunknowngirl, and Luckycat3 for reviewing on the last chapter.


2. AT THE WINDOW

I went up the stairs to check out my new room, hearing the sound of a creaking recliner from somewhere behind me. I heard Charlie turn on the TV, the sound of a baseball game blaring from the speakers. Typical. From what Renée had told me, he was completely obsessed with every sport, not just reading about them in the paper.

I paused at the top of the staircase and glanced up and down the hallway. Only one door was open, besides the bathroom, and I seriously doubted that that was the room Dad had gotten ready for me. Sure, he was acting a little loony about the dark, but he wouldn't make me sleep in the tub or something. Right?

I cautiously approached the second open door, pushing it open the rest of the way. It creaked loudly, scraping against the wooden floor. I held my breath, ready to see the room that I had slept in when Renée and Charlie had been married.

"Bella, are you okay up there?" The recliner made a sound of protest as Charlie heaved himself back up out of it, and the TV's volume was immediately set on mute.

"Fine, Dad. Why?" I called down to him, frowning in the direction of the stairs.

"I thought I heard a noise."

Man, talk about weird. How my father had survived this long with a fear of everything, I would never know. "That was the door, Dad!" I yelled back to him.

"Oh, okay. As long as you're alright." The TV blared back to the previous volume as Charlie returned to his game.

I sighed heavily, turning back around to peer into the room that would be mine for a while, from now on. I didn't think that it would be as great as my old room in Phoenix had been, but who knew. Maybe it would be cool in an old-fashioned way, like the crusher parked outside on the curb.

The walls in the room were a pale blue, some places peeling with age, and the ceiling was high and peaked, painted a cheerful white. A wooden rocking chair that was probably an antique sat in one corner, and I assumed that it was the one Renée had used to rock me to sleep when I was a baby. A dark wooden dresser was in one corner, a few framed photographs littering the top of it, and a matching desk was against the opposite wall. An old computer occupied the limited space on the rickety desk. A polished new bed was against the wall by the door, a faded multicolor quilt spread neatly across it.

I switched on the light, smiling at the cheerfulness that it provided, chasing away the ominous shadows from the corners of the room. This room wasn't so bad. I could probably learn to like it a lot. The only problem was the crude wooden board nailed across the single window, the faded lace curtains dangling lifelessly along the outside of it.

Slinging my damp bag onto the bed, I pushed the door closed with a foot. Staring around for another moment, thinking, I then walked over to the window and wrapped my fingers around the edges of the board. Ignoring the splinters digging into my unprotected skin, I tugged with all my strength. There was a really creepy screeching sound as the nails protested at my efforts, and I froze. I didn't want Charlie to have a heart attack or anything downstairs.

When my ears were only greeted by the sound of the game and not my father's warning shot from his revolver, I pulled again. Arm muscles straining, the board came off with a muted screech of the nails pulling loose. I fell backwards, still holding the board. I even managed to stay on my feet, which was quite an accomplishment for me.

The old curtains fluttered lightly in the breeze stirred up by my movement, and I saw huge dust particles falling down through the musty air. I blinked, leaning the board up against the wall beneath the now empty window. The glass was streaked with disgusting dirt from being covered up for so long.

Why did Charlie cover this thing up, anyway? I wondered curiously, using one hand to wipe away the thick smudges of dirt. The last trickles of dusk sunlight flew in across the wooden floor, barely able to be seen.

I stared at the huge tree standing sturdily right outside my window. The branches lacked all sight of anything green, and I sighed with relief. The tree seemed friendly somehow, my first close buddy here in Forks.

Yeah, I know, it's really stupid to consider an oak tree your friend. But when you come from the land of no green to the place that the word was invented in, anything brown could seem great. Okay, so you probably don't get it, but oh well.

I turned away from the window, happy to have it open. The board over it had made things seem claustrophobic and smaller than it really was. Now the room seemed wider and more open. It wouldn't be long before this place was looking like home.

I went over to my new dresser, leaning forward to examine the dusty framed photographs. There were two of Renée and Charlie on their wedding day, my mother looking elegant in a long white dress. The others were of a clumsy-looking baby with plain brown hair and plain brown eyes. I grimaced, averting my eyes from the pictures.

Striding over to the bed, I unzipped my bag. I wasn't surprised when everything exploded out, a pair of pants landing on my head. Sighing with annoyance, I shoved them out of the way, and started gathering up my clothes from the floor. I managed to stuff them all into the ancient dresser, and picked up Wuthering Heights from where it had landed heavily on a pillow.

I took it over and placed it next to the clunky computer sitting on the wooden desk. Would the thing even connect to the Internet? It looked older than this house, and that was really saying something. Not that the house wasn't great or anything. I thought it was painted white from the quick glimpse I had gotten outside, but it was still pretty old.

A sound like fingernails scraping on a chalkboard suddenly assaulted my ears, and my head flew up. My eyes locked on the dusty window, focusing on the strange glimmers of gold that stood out unwaveringly behind the glass.

I frowned, taking a step closer. It was as if I was hypnotized, like the movies. I couldn't look away from the strange pair of light bulb-like slits, and suddenly felt a wave of unignorable curiosity sweep over me. Instead of running the other way, I walked slowly closer. My hand, as though being controlled by an outside force, like a puppet on its strings, reached carefully towards the latch on the window. My fingers prodded the dusty old lock, trying to pull it open.

My gaze was still staring straight into the weird golden spots outside my window, unfocused and confused. I blinked…then so did they. The pair of spots disappeared, then quickly came back. Something clear and blonde fluttered above the spots. It looked almost like someone's…hair.

The curiosity instantly went away, replaced by terror. I screamed, jerking my hand away from the window lock like it was on fire. Someone was looking in my window! On the second story! I let loose another scream, throwing myself backwards. My ankle twisted the wrong way, and I landed with a thump on the floor. The vibrations knocked a picture off the dresser, its glass face shattered.

A line of white flashed in the darkness, like someone grinning, then the eyes abruptly vanished.

"Bells? Bella!" I heard heavy footsteps pounding up the staircase; Charlie was on his way.

I got to my knees, wincing at the sharp pain pulsing through my ankle, and crawled towards the window again. I only had seconds. I couldn't let my dad know that I'd opened the window, when he'd obviously wanted it closed. He would probably overreact and send me right back to Phoenix before I'd even gotten settled in here.

Ignoring the fear and panic vibrating through my body, I lunged towards the propped-up board. I grabbed at its edges, moving it back to its previous position, pushing it up onto the window ledge. If Charlie didn't look at it too closely, it would seem like nothing had been disturbed there.

The doorknob started to turn, seeming like it was in slow motion to my panicked eyes. Surprising even myself with my speed, I scooted backwards across the floor to the shattered picture. I was in a pathetic heap by my dresser when Charlie burst into the room, revolver drawn and pointed towards the window.

"Jeez, Dad. What's with the gun?" I demanded lightly.

Charlie's eyes were wide and his body was tense. He tore his eyes from the supposedly secure window to look at me. "Bella, what happened to you? I heard you scream!" he panted out.

I rolled my eyes flippantly. "I tripped. No big deal. But I broke this picture. And I think I twisted my ankle."

He reluctantly pushed the revolver back into his belt, shooting one last look at the board covering the window. "Are you sure that's all that happened?"

"All?" I declared with mock horror. "Dad, I almost broke my ankle! I think I need to go get it checked out or something." I barely suppressed a shudder at the thought of going out into the night with whatever had been looking in my bedroom window.

He had almost been relaxed, but now he tensed up again. "Here, let me help you to the bed. Then I'll get you an ice pack and that old ankle brace from the hall closet. No need to get something as simple as a sprain shown to a doctor."

"But, Dad..." I was used to Renée freaking out over every little injury that I got. His lack of response was startling to me now, after being totally babied for about seventeen years. I allowed him to give me a hand and help me limp over to my bed. I sprawled out on the soft pillows with a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Bells. Remember what I told you. We aren't going out after dark." He turned to go.

"Unless I'm bleeding, right?" I joked. If I hit my head and was gushing blood, surely he would take me to the hospital. He didn't seem like the type to be a bad father.

His mouth twisted sharply. "Especially not then. I'll be back with the ice pack and a broom to clean up the glass."

I glanced towards the window, brow wrinkling up with worry as I imagined the creatures that could be lurking out there. What had I seen outside my window? And what was going on here in Forks?


Make sure to review, because EDWARD AND THE CULLENS are going to show up in the very next chapter! Please hold your applause. :P