TAS – Chapter 2: Twilight Strikes Back (part 1) ­

My mother was at work at the local clinic in town and wouldn't get off her shift until 8 o'clock later that evening, so I decided to walk home. Tricia was attending a student council meeting­–she was a PR officer­–so I was alone. It was a bit of a shame that none of my other close friends lived anywhere near my place and they all took the school bus to their respective homes while I walked back to mine. Tricia was usually with me except for days like this where she had to stay at school because her extracurricular activities.

But I suppose now it was a good thing. At any rate, this was ample opportunity for me to continue my sulking. Not that I was the type of person who was in a perpetually bad mood, only that today, everything seemed to disagree with me. Why I had the inkling that Twilight was the cause of all my "bad luck" was hard to explain–I just did. You could say I was incredibly paranoid at the moment. Some part of me was thinking the same thing.

Besides, sulking amongst company is never a good thing. I always ended up with someone asking and when I did't answer in specifics, they tended to look at me as if I had broken some sort of friendship moral code. Then they give me the silent treatment until I fess up. I knew most of them wouldn't appreciate knowing that I didn't like Twilight. All of my closest friends (there were four of them) had read and enjoyed the Twilight series. Beth was the only exception. Her mother didn't allow her to read it or anything "dark" for that matter.

It was cold and windy outside and the little town I lived in was covered with the evidence of that afternoon's rain shower. It would have been nice, I suppose, had the sun come out afterwards but unfortunately it was still indisposed behind some gray clouds. It was most likely to rain again tonight.

On the way home, I wondered how I was going to scrape another $20 for Tricia's book. I would have to give up saving for that nice skirt I had wanted for nearly a month and would probably have to use the money saved up for that as well. I sighed.

'Twilight sure knows how to get back at me,' I thought sarcastically and with that I decided that it was best not to have anything to do with it.

Starting…now.

So I spent the rest of the long, lonesome walk home counting the puddles in my path which seemed no better than had I continued thinking about Twilight and sulking.

When I arrived at our cozy, two-story house, it was quiet and empty as it always was when my mother was not at home. My father didn't live with us any longer. He and my mother had divorced several years before, just when I had started high school. I missed him.

I didn't have any siblings either. Not that I minded, really. I don't suppose you can miss people that were never in your life to begin with. Sometimes, the quietness does get to me though.

In that sense, I could relate to Bella Swan but otherwise, I couldn't comprehend her at all. She seemed spoiled, haughty, and was whining all the time. It drove me nuts while I read through the book. I shook my head. Hadn't I just said that I wasn't going to think about Twilight? But here I was riling myself all up again. I sighed.

I climbed the staircase and entered my room–the first room on the right. Right away I was greeted by the unwanted book still lying on the floor just as I had left it this morning. I stepped over it without a second glance in its direction and placed my bag by the foot of my bed.

'Good,' I thought with a satisfied smile. 'I can actually do this.'

Telling myself not to think about something just made the whole task a lot harder and yet here I was trying nonetheless. I was sitting in front of my desk, slouched over while looking blankly out the nearest window. An oak tree blocked my view of the street below. I let my mind wander for a little bit, thinking about school, volleyball practice, and friends but when I recalled what had happened at lunch today, I frowned.

Twilight...yet again.

Tricia, Elaine, and Yvette were all talking about Twilight at lunch, how they planned to see the movie yet again this Saturday, and if they should wear their homemade "Team Edward" t-shirts like they did last time. I had never been so bothered until now. Before, it was just slight annoyance and I could tune it out pretty easily. There was always Beth to keep me company anyway.

Beth and I, on the other hand, were just having a good laugh about random things as we watched people goof around in the cafeteria when Yvette called out to us from across the table and said we should come along with them on their Twilight movie outing. Beth quickly declined, knowing her mom was never going to allow her anyway.

I frowned at Yvette's lack of consideration for Beth's feelings. Without missing a beat, I smoothly suggested that Beth and I go watch something else while they watched their movie. We could then meet up later. We all agreed and that was the end of it. Smiling a little, I thanked God that I had gotten myself out of watching Twilight.

But it bothered me that it didn't stop them from giving me curious looks. Even Beth had been looking at me quizzically. Gratefully, Tricia was keeping mum about my disdain for the book they all so adored and admired. Even Beth who knew next to nothing about it, I could imagined liking it as well. Usually, it was a bit of a shame her mother was so controlling but at that moment, I was her number one fan! Beth was the only one keeping me somewhat sane.

Shaking me head, I sighed. The act, cut my current train of thought. 'I've got to think of something else. Something less depressing.' I turned my attention to the medium-sized mirror, hanging on the wall above my desk and looked at my dreary reflection.

There I was with shoulder-length, slightly messy black hair, green eyes, and pale skin which freckled easily if I was under the sun for too long. I had what my mother said was a "button-shaped" nose and what I thought were "bee stung" lips. I wasn't excessively tall and in fact, I tended to believe I was too short to be seventeen. I've been mistaken for a twelve-year-old more than once.

I wasn't sure how tall I was exactly. I never really bothered checking. It was somewhat aggravating whenever my father called me Thumbelina. It was his pet name for me which I sort of found endearing but I was really self-conscious about my height. I never did get out of being the shortest in my batch which my mother said was entirely my own fault for not drinking enough milk growing up.

I thought myself to be nothing special when it came to the looks department and on most days, I was okay with that. What I found hilarious were people who did nothing but stereotype me into something I was not. My black hair and pale skin automatically meant I was one of those emo, artsy type of girls despite, in reality, I could not draw to save my life. I was an excessive reader and my fellow classmates found that funny.

"Aren't you part of the volleyball team?" were one of their many questions. I would then say "yes", of course and they would go away, shaking their heads while I put my glasses back on (I was far-sighted) before continuing to read whatever book I had that day. As if all I thought of was sports! I took pleasure in defying stereotypes and the need to be like everyone else or whatever everyone perceived I was. I hated being called a poser though.

Sometimes, on funnier days, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I find myself imagining I was Buttercup from the Powerpuff girls and when I was younger, there was an even bigger resemblance with my hair cut so short with bangs to boot. I would always laugh as I reminisced this; I was total tomboy back then too.

I tore myself away from my reflection in the mirror and turned around to face my bed. My backpack lay at the foot of my bed just as I had left it when I had entered the room. This reminded me that I should be doing my homework if I wanted to practice on Friday. Our school's volleyball coach, Sarah Whiteman, was a stickler when it came to each volleyball player's grades. One squeak out of the other teachers and you were off weekly practices before you knew it and you had no luck getting back on unless you managed to get your grades up or until they were satisfied that you were being serious.

I had been a bit lazy this past month or so and although none of my grades had drastically dropped and I wasn't flunking subjects, Coach had still taken me to the side after last week's practice and we had a talk. She had heard from one of my teachers–she wouldn't say who–that I haven't been participating in class like I usually did and they were worried that my final exams (which were drawing ever closer) would be affected. Coach didn't put me off practices yet but would if, as she would say, "Don't shape up."

'No problem,' I told myself, determined. Anything to get my mind off Twilight was a lifesaver. So, I dove into my Math homework that evening with a little more gusto than was to be expected.

MY NOTES:

I'm sorry for the slow pace of the first few chapters. I've only got one more chapter before we go and shift to the Twi-verse. Don't worry, it gets better soon. It would be awesome if you could leave a little review and tell me what you think so far. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I'm anti-Twilight. Why would I want to own it?