Author's Note: Thank you again for all the reviews, favourites, alerts etc. You are all awesome! This chapter is considerably longer than the previous ones... I hope you enjoy it and please review.
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Let Go
Chapter 3
Cogs
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I woke up the next morning at 6:30am. It was Monday and my first day at my new school. Monday... I hated Monday's. Why? Because they meant the start of another boring week of school and family 'issues'. They meant more of the life that dragged on – the life I hated. More times Charlie would come home late from work, smelling of cheap perfume that Renee wouldn't be caught dead wearing. More times Renee would go over-board on everything. More times my life went to hell and back.
Now you ask: Why were Mondays any worse than Tuesdays or Wednesdays? They are just another day of the week, right? Well, no. With each day that passed after Monday, I knew it was closer to the weekend - closer to the days Saturday and Sunday. On these days I could spend the time down at La Push with Jake, drinking warm sodas in his garage, talking happily as he worked on his car, or pushing Renesmee in the swing at our favourite park. Maybe we would even ride motorcycles along the dirt roads in the forest or just sit in the backyard on a picnic table on that odd summers' day, basking in the sunlight. Monday was the day furthest from all these small pleasures. That's why I hated it.
But then – since we moved – I could never have any of those things. Every day was my own personal hell. No day was closer to those days because they didn't exist anymore. There was no more Jake, no more Forks and no more relief.
I pulled myself out of bed and hit the snooze button on my alarm. I had a quick shower before going to wake up Renesmee. She was sitting quietly in her crib, waiting for me. I smiled at her and she beamed back, although it was clear that the majority of her attention was on the muffled remains of yelling from the other room. I scooped her up and gave her a quick bath before helping her get dressed. She was getting good at it. She could wash her own hair and tie her own shoes. She was an independent little thing.
When Renesmee was sorted out I rushed back to my room and went to the bathroom. I pulled and hair brush through my hair and brushed my teeth. I didn't bother with make-up. I never did.
I then went to my wardrobe and pulled on my favourite jeans, a rolling stones t-shirt and pair of converse. They were the nearest cleanest clothes. I then pulled my jacket off the hanger and grabbed my bag. I was done. I quickly snatched my phone from the desk and went back to Renesmee who was sitting on the floor, playing with her teddy.
"C'mon Ness," I said quietly. She looked up and smiled, waddling over to me. I picked her up and took her down stairs.
"Now," I began, placing Renesmee in her chair, "what do you want for breakfast?"
"Cereal," She replied, clapping her hands together. I smiled and turned towards the cupboard, getting our breakfast ready.
When we were finished I cleaned the dishes and set Renesmee up with a video. Renee and Charlie hadn't set her up with a day care centre yet. I kissed her forehead and walked out the door.
Luckily school was not far away from my house at all, on a pretty easy route. I walked past that boys' house on the way. I think I will call him Eyes – at least until I find out his real name. He did have pretty eyes. I tried to search his house in the corner of my eye for any sign but there was none. I didn't know why I was so drawn to him, but I was. He mystified me. People are interesting, you know? The way they interact together, and then the way they act when they are alone, or think no-one is watching. I could never get bored of watching people. Of course, I wasn't exactly a social person. Jake was my only friend. I never got on with girls much - too much drama.
When I started up the road towards the High School I finally saw the student body. There were people everywhere, mostly walking in groups towards the buildings. They came from all different directions and were smiling and laughing with their friends. I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. I was starting about two weeks after winter break. It was quite disruptive to the already settled student body.
As I approached the gate the lump grew bigger and tighter. I walked through the gate and past a giant oak tree. The buildings were made of a red-brown brick and surrounded an open courtyard, dotted with wooden picnic tables on the lush, green grass. Directly in front of me was a building with a grand clock sitting precariously on top. It was cliché, but expected. The building was the front office. Next to this building were corridors leading to more buildings, housing classrooms.
This school differed so much from Forks. It was open, and I saw no cafeteria. People lingered around outside before class. They had the option. It didn't rain here as much as Forks.
I kept my head down as I walked towards the front office. I could feel a few pairs of eyes watching me but I dared not meet them. It was nothing bad and nothing worrying. A few eyes did no harm. Although I needed to keep a low profile, making sure more didn't find me. I doubted they would. I mean, new kids are hardly interesting at all. I just wasn't interested in embarrassing myself in front of anyone today. I had to keep my eyes on my feet to make sure my face didn't meet the ground in haste.
I entered the office and headed for the front desk. Behind it was a short, red haired lady with pear shaped, thick glasses, wearing a floral printed blazer. I started towards her and she heard my approach, looking up from the computer screen.
"May I help you?" She asked in a sugar sweet voice.
"Hi...um...yeah, I'm Isabella Swan. I'm new here an-" I began, but the lady began shuffling around on her desk.
"Ah yes, Isabella. I have your timetable here," She said, handing me a piece of pale blue paper. "And here is a map of the campus, should you need it. Your teachers will know you are coming."
I took the paper kindly and hoped to myself that I wouldn't need it. Walking around with my nose in a map all day would definitely lead to a few accidents. Starting off as a sophomore meant I still had a few years left. Making an idiot of myself on the first day wasn't a good idea.
"Thanks," I mumbled, swivelling around on my heels and hurrying out of the room, knowing the bell had already gone. I managed to bump into a body on the way out, but with a mumbled apology and fast feet I didn't meet their eyes, my cheeks already reddening.
I glanced at my first class - physics. I then searched the map and found my destination. I started off and reached the door soon enough. It was painted green. It was not a nice green though. It was more of a vomit green. I felt my stomach churn as I lifted my fist to knock. I had to stop and pull myself together before I carried on with the manoeuvre. I knocked once and then moved my hand to the cold, metal handle. The door creaked open, causing every person in the room to stare. I bowed my head and headed towards the teacher who had stopped talking and was looking my way. I handed him the letter attached to my timetable and he took it, reading it quickly.
"Ah, yes, Isabella Swan. I have been expecting you," He said, before turning his attention towards the class. "Class," He began, "This is our new student, Isabella Swan. Please make her feel welcome." I felt the eyes of the room shift to me. I wanted to escape them.
"You can take a seat if you wish," He instructed. I nodded, heading towards the only seat left. Luckily it was at the back.
"Now Isabella, do you have any preference for what I call you, or is Isabella fine?" He asked.
"Um... Bella," I stuttered. The teacher nodded and directed his attention back to teaching.
I kept my head down, looking at my desk. I didn't want to look up. I could hear the teacher talking in the background, but I didn't really listen. I just kept my eyes locked on the flat, wooden surface.
It was then that my ears landed on a conversation. It was coming from the two desks north east of mine.
"What do you think is up with her?" One nasal-sounding voice asked. It was clearly a girl.
"I don't know, but she seems weird. I bet she's like, depressed or something," Another voice answered. This one had a bitchy tone to it, but was high-pitched and girly. I knew I didn't want to get to know the owner of the voice.
"Yeah, and look at those clothes! I mean she either lives in a cardboard box or doesn't own a mirror," The first voice continued. I had a feeling she was trying to impress the owner of voice number two. I decided that I didn't want to know either of them.
The second voice laughed at this. The sound was piercing. It was filled with cruelty which was attempted to be hidden by the girly voice. I then decided it was time to face my fears. I wouldn't take their shit. Monday's were bad enough without being put down by two brain-dead bimbos. I lifted my head up from the desk and looked at the owners of the voices.
The owner of the first voice – the nasal-sounding one and the one closest to me – was glaring daggers. She had corn-silk, blonde hair and green, fishy eyes. She was slender and looked to be about 5'6'. I disliked her immediately. Her fishy eyes complimented her slimy personality.
The second girl made me catch my breath. It was her hair. It was long, swirling red hair that looked like wild-fire. To add to it she had intense, feline-like eyes. Her fierce appearance contrasted with her girly voice startled me. She was pretty – I had to admit that – but I didn't like her. She was also intimidating by the way she stuck out like a sore thumb.
Both girls stared at me with narrowing eyes. I stared back. I didn't want any trouble. I just wanted them to know that I wasn't going to pretend I couldn't hear them. It was more of a warning then anything. When I didn't look away they both broke into shrill laughter. Blood began rushing to my cheeks again but I still wouldn't look away. It's a sign of cowardice. I wasn't a coward.
That made them back-track a bit.
"Lauren! Victoria!" I heard the teacher call. "Be quiet." The girls' – now dubbed Victoria and Lauren – laughter died down to muffled giggles. I turned my attention to the lesson at hand.
After a while I glanced at the clock. There was only ten minutes left in the lesson. I figured it would be okay to look around at my new class, so I did. Directly in front of me was a boy with black hair and medium build. I gave him a quick glance. He seemed normal and nice enough. However, as my eyes moved to the left, there were two people who caught my eye.
Their desks were moved noticeably closer to one-another and their hands were entwined together. The moment I noticed them was the moment I noticed that the room seemed to revolve around them. Was I so shallow that I had thought I was the centre of unwanted attention in the class today? Yes, but I was wrong. Like I said - new kids aren't that interesting. These people, however, were. The girl brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, and the people around them released a breath. The boy looked to the window and the people near it tensed. Everyone's actions were synched with these two. But they didn't seem to notice. It was clear they loved each other by the way they looked at each other, by the way their hands were entwined and by the way they seemed relaxed next to one another. It seemed to them that they were the only people in the world. It was bliss.
The girl, closest to the boy in front of me, was beautiful; stunning really. Her cheeks were like cream and roses and she had blonde, wavy hair that hung down to the middle of her back. It was clear that she was tall and very slim, with a figure like a model. She had to be the most beautiful person I had seen. Her eyes were a odd colour – almost a violet – that held a continuous twinkle. No wonder people noticed her.
The boy next to her was equally as noticeable. But really, he couldn't be dubbed a boy – more a man. He was very tall, very big and very muscular, although he was certainly not over weight. His size was alarming. He was clearly strong, but his rounded, dimpled face and dark brown, curly hair gave him a childish appearance. It softened his presence and made him look less frightening. He was more like a big teddy-bear.
These two people intrigued me more than the others. The way they interacted together was calming.
I could have watched the actions of these two and the class around them for much longer. However, of course the bell rang, calling classes to a close. There was a rush of packing up and the class was soon empty. I was the last to leave, and I was not grateful for it. I was most likely going to be late again.
I glanced down at my timetable, trying to be inconspicuous. My next class was Design. I hurried off to the room, trying to avoid being late again. When I got there I walked up to the teacher's desk and gave her the same letter. I told her I preferred the name Bella and she assigned me to a seat in the back of the room.
The teacher was talking at the front of the class and she luckily didn't feel the need to introduce me. I zoned out again in this lesson, staring at the pad of paper I had on my desk and letting my pen-in-hand run over the paper freely. It was sort of away to clear my thoughts and get them in order. It pre-occupied me for a while.
About half of class passed by the time I decided to look up from my work. Directly in front of me I then spotted the familiar hair of the girl from Physics. Just looking at her made me self-conscious. I looked to the left of her and was surprised to find the boy from Physics was not there. Only, someone else was.
Next to the model-like girl – who I will now call Blondie (For easy reference, of course) – was another girl with deep black hair that was cropped short and spiky. She was very petite and short with a slim build. She had small, pixie-like features, although her eyes were large and hazel. It was also clear that she was graceful. Even the way she wrote in her book and talked to Blondie was the pinnacle of poise. She reminded me of a pixie, so that is what I decided to call her, for easy reference once again. I would find out their names eventually.
Pixie radiated happiness and energy to everyone near her. You couldn't help but smile at her easy joy. Blondie radiated something different. It was more threatening; maybe a sense of protectiveness and loyalty, like Pixie was very important to her – A best friend.
These two girls chatted together, again unaware of the impact their actions had on people around them. Every time one of them giggled, the rest of the class smiled over-so-slightly. Each time Pixie wrote in her book the people around her did the same.
But, no matter what they were like, I didn't get the vibe off them that I got off Lauren and Victoria. They didn't seem to crave the attention. They just seemed happy.
Most of the time.
When they weren't smiling there was something else in their body language. I tried to push that thought to the back of my mind though.
Soon enough the bell rang once more and students were released for morning break. I packed up and headed towards the courtyard, knowing full well that there was no cafeteria to sit in during break and lunch.
When I reached the courtyard people were strewn all around. There were a few groups of people sitting on the grass talking and some sitting on or hanging around picnic tables. I saw a groups of boys throwing a football to one-another.
I scanned the area and located an unused table under the shade of a tree. It was close to the far right corner. I walked slowly to it and sat down, pulling an apple out of my bag. I bit into it, only to spit out my bite immediately. It tasted disgusting. Something was most definitely off with it, but I didn't want to throw it away right then.
I groaned to myself and lay my head on my arms, bored. The day wasn't exactly going great, although it could have been worse. And as soon as that thought passed through my mind I spotted Lauren and Victoria standing in their little group, whispering to each other and laughing while eyeing me up. I sighed and rolled my eyes at the exact moment they noticed me staring. It wasn't a good action on my half, I must say, because then they decided it would be a good idea to come say 'hi'.
"What the fuck are you looking at?" Lauren snapped in her nasally voice. Victoria, who was beside her, crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to look mean. What was up with these girls? Were they just looking for a fight? Did I have a sticker on my forehead that said talk to me? Do I look like I care? No. So fuck off.
I guess I must have zoned out because Snappy over there got a little impatient with me.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you fucking retarded? Are you fucking dumb?" Lauren yelled at me. I hated her already, and I knew that I couldn't let her or Victoria walk all over me. If I did I would never survive in that school.
"Oh sorry, I didn't see you there," I shrugged.
Lauren smiled then, spitting more words filled with venom. "What? Are you fucking blind or something?"
They both laughed. I just shook my head, "Nope. I just don't take notice of things that aren't important to me."
They both stopped laughing. It made me crack a smile.
"Like anyone cares about you," Lauren countered with a satisfied grin. That only made me smile more.
"You're right. They don't. So, remind me, why are you here again?"
Lauren opened her mouth to speak. No words came out. I turned to Victoria with a raised eyebrow.
"Victoria?" I questioned. She didn't answer. She just narrowed her feline eyes at me. It made me crack a smile.
"Right. That's what I though. Now could you both please leave? I have better things to do than talk to you."
Victoria narrowed her eyes at me again, shooting daggers. Lauren just scoffed, tossing her hair back.
"You don't fucking tell us what to do," Victoria snarled. I saw her hate, and silently cursed myself for putting my foot in my mouth. I was surprisingly good at that – screwing myself over.
"I didn't tell you what to do at all, Victoria," I corrected. "I merely asked you to leave."
"No, you didn't," Lauren claimed, placing her hands on her hips. "You told us to, bitch. Now you're going to pay."
I couldn't help but laugh. It was, firstly, because of their utter stupidity, and secondly, because of how they tried to look tough but failed miserably.
I just rolled my eyes and pushed my apple further away from me, utterly bored as fuck.
"I actually said: 'Now could you both please leave?'. But of course, I wouldn't expect you to remember that, Lauren. You probably have the memory span of a goldfish. You sure look like one. And Victoria, are your eyes permanently narrowed or are you trying to look threatening? Because if it is the second choice then you are failing miserably."
I was being a bitch, but I also wasn't going to put up with their shit. I hadn't done anything to them. I didn't deserve to be treated that way.
Victoria took a menacing step forwards. I didn't flinch. I just sat happily in my seat, keeping my eyes locked on hers. It made her hesitate just a bit.
"You better watch your fucking mouth, Swan. You don't talk to us like that," She growled.
"And you need to remove that shitty, caked on make-up from your face. It makes you look like a slutty clown. You also need to stop treating me like shit when I don't even know who the hell you are. Now go away."
Lauren was about to say something to support her friend. Victoria stopped her with a hand up.
"You better watch your back, bitch," She threatened. I just smiled. It pissed her off and so she swiped my apple off the table in one quick motion. It was in an attempt to get me back. It didn't work. That apple was rotten anyway, and I didn't flinch.
Victoria sized me up for a few more seconds before storming away. Lauren was quick to follow after flipping me the bird. I just did it right back to her. She didn't know what to do. Once they were gone I released my deep breath of relief and lay my head on my arms, settling down for the rest of morning break. I felt horrible, but I had no choice but to stand up for myself. I wasn't going to be bullied there too.
It wasn't a good start to the day because I had made two enemies and not a single friend. It was a good start to the day because I had stuck up for myself.
Then, when the bell rang, I quickly left the table and walked off to Literature, silently hoping they weren't in my class.
I entered Literature and went though the same routine with my teacher as Design. He didn't introduce me to the class and Victoria and Lauren weren't in it. I was feeling better already.
I sat in the middle of the row by the window. I was happy with the seat. Plus, I got the added benefit of being able to watch the happenings outside during boring lessons. What was even better was that the window over-looked the field where all the gym classes went. It would be entertaining.
When I took my seat people were still filing in. As I watched each person come through the doors my eyes landed on a familiar face. It was Pixie from design. This lifted my mood a bit, and I didn't have the faintest idea why. It's not like I knew these people. For all I knew they could have been horrible snobs. But no matter what, they still fascinated me.
I wasn't surprised to see Pixie towing another ridiculously beautiful person along behind her. This person was a male and stood at about 6'2'. His features were strong and angular. His eyes were emerald green and his hair was an unusual bronze shade, styled in casual, shaggy disarray. He had that got-trashed-at-a-party-last-night-but-made-it-to-school-after-five-cups-of-coffee look, but he pulled it off well. He had a slender build and it was obvious he was protective over Pixie. Even in the small space of time it took them to reach their desks he hovered over her, watching and waiting.
Pixie sat in front of me and the boy – who I now dub Shaggy – sat next to her. I saw him shift his desk slightly so it angled towards her. They didn't notice me. I kind of hoped they would. I know that I sound whiney and spoilt, but I had already had enough negative attention for a day. I just wanted someone to send a well-meaning smile my way. I didn't need to be friends with any of them. I just wanted someone to show me they were nice.
As I watched them it was clear that they were together. The way they touched each other – even the simplest touch like a tap on the shoulder – held something more. It was like this with Blondie and... Well I haven't got a name for the big guy yet. How about... Teddy? Yeah, that fits. So anyway, it was obvious that these four people were close. I mean, Shaggy and Pixie clearly were, as were Blondie and Teddy, and Pixie and Blondie seemed to be good friends in Design. I could only assume they were all one group of friends.
I had to laugh at myself then. I was wasting all my energy on deciphering the group dynamics of these four people who had not even looked my way the entire day. The school was affecting me. I wasn't normally like that.
The rest of Literature passed slowly. I was very bored and definitely not looking forward to lunch. The possibility of another confrontation with Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber did not appeal to me in the least.
When that damn bell chimed out its routine of three, long rings, the class slowly thinned out. I didn't see Pixie and Shaggy leave. I was too busy picking up my books that I had brilliantly dropped on the floor. When I was bending down to pick them up a helpful hand snatched my worn copy of Wuthering Heights. I stood up quickly, cradling the rest of my books, and frowned at the boy smiling down at me.
The boy standing in front of me was blond with pale blue eyes and a baby face. He was beaming at me and that took me back a bit.
"Hi, I'm Mike Newton," He said.
"Um... hi..." I replied. "I'm Bella Swan."
"Hi Bella, nice to meet you," He smiled. "Here's your book you dropped." He added, placing Wuthering Heights on top of my other books.
"Oh, thanks," I replied hesitantly.
I turned back to my desk and put the books back in my bag. Suddenly Mike was in front of me.
"You need any help there?" He asked. It shocked me a bit. He was in my personal bubble and I didn't like it. He was too enthusiastic and happy. It immediately raised my guard walls.
But then I mentally slapped myself in the head. He was the first person to be nice to me at the school and I appreciated it. I was going to be nice to him too.
"Oh no," I said, smiling in an attempt to be nice. "I'm fine."
Mike nodded and put his hands in his pockets. I knew he wasn't going to leave. He was just searching for a topic of discussion.
"So, you're the new girl. Where are you from?"
"Forks, Washington," I replied quickly as I started towards the door.
"Cool, cool," He said, nodding. "Forks, huh? Interesting name."
I just nodded in reply and kept walking towards the door. I wanted to get away from the tension but Mike was quick to follow.
"So, you want to sit with my friends and me at lunch?" He asked as he caught up with me.
I looked up to meet his eager eyes. I immediately shied away. I agreed to be nice, but I didn't want to make friends with anyone.
"Um... I would, but I have lots of homework to do. Maybe another time?" I excused myself.
Mike's face dropped a bit, but then he smiled when I said 'maybe another time'.
"Yeah, definitely. It was nice meeting you Bella," He said before walking away. I nodded and turned towards my still vacant table from morning break.
I felt kind of bad for turning down Mike, but when I looked to his table I saw he was talking and laughing with his friends. My worries soon evaporated.
During this quick glance I noticed a table in the middle of the courtyard that was unused at break, which was now filled. And it was not just filled with any old people. I recognised Blondie, Teddy, Shaggy and Pixie all seated around it. Blondie was sitting on Teddy's knee, while Pixie leaned against Shaggy, his arms around her. They were all talking and laughing together, not noticing the outside world.
I sighed to myself and rustled around in my bag for my sandwich. I eventually found it and placed it on the table, un-wrapping it slowly.
As I ate I noticed again how everyone interacted around this group. They were clearly not the stereotypical 'popular' kids. No, those kids were to the left of this group, laughing loudly. But they definitely held some sort of power. Maybe they were well respected. Maybe they were generally liked. Or maybe they were even generally hated. Whatever it was, they didn't seem to notice.
After a few minutes their attention diverted to something near the office building, behind me and to the right. All four of their faces turned up to look at whatever it was. I saw Teddy smile widely and say something to Shaggy while Blondie rolled her eyes and Pixie giggled.
I then decided it was time to go with the sheep and turn around to see what it was. When I did my heart nearly stopped. It was Eyes again. I couldn't believe it. I literally felt like my chest was going to explode. Blood rushed to my cheeks. I felt nervous, embarrassed, surprised and completely happy all at once. I mean, the fact he probably attended the local high school faintly registered in my brain the night before, but I never fully took the time to notice. When I saw him in that moment it all came crashing down, and I couldn't help the goofy smile that spread.
But when it registered to me that I probably looked like an idiot staring at him like that I quickly reigned in the grin.
Why I was so obsessed with the group and Eyes I had no idea. They were just interesting people - kind of magnetic, in an odd way.
I watched as Eyes scanned the area and I silently thanked the heavens that I was under the shade of the tree where he would not see me. I was sure if he saw me my heart would explode.
For some reason I felt drawn to him. There was something about him. There was something behind those sky blue eyes that I wanted to uncover. It was weird and out of character, but it was true. The sensible part of my brain put it all down to teenage hormones. The irresponsible side didn't give a shit. When I looked at him, I was lost for words. And that was a strange thing for me – I always had something to say, which often resulted in me putting my foot in my mouth. It wasn't his appearance that tied my tongue. It was something else.
Eyes sat down at the table next to Blondie and Teddy. Blondie scooted off Teddy's lap to sit next to Pixie and Teddy put his arm around her. They interacted together like a perfectly oiled machine, each one a little cog that kept the group working perfectly. I couldn't imagine what it would be like if one of those cogs broke.
Teddy leant closer to Eyes and said something to him with a huge grin on his face. Eyes smiled and shook his head, replying to his giant friend. Blondie, Pixie and Shaggy laughed quietly. Teddy playfully punched Eyes' shoulder and hugged Blondie tighter. Blondie buried her head further into his chest and Teddy kissed her forehead. Their bond made my heart melt.
I moved my attention to Pixie and Shaggy. Pixie had turned around slightly in her seat and was looking up at Shaggy, who had his eyes on her. He was holding her hand on the table, playing with her tiny fingers. She looked up at him in wonder. They were talking quietly to one-another. I watched as Shaggy lifted Pixie's small hand up to his lips and kissed it. Pixie ducked her head and smiled. I had to look away then. That was their special moment.
I scanned the rest of the group slowly. Teddy and Blondie were talking together and laughing. Eyes was watching something in my direction. Our eyes met for a split second. This observation took me a while to register. I carried on looking around the courtyard, scanning each singular group, hoping Eyes hadn't noticed me noticing him. Nevertheless, I could feel that spotlight come back. I felt exposed. But, even though the last thing I wanted was attention, his spotlight warmed me. I felt comfortable. I knew it was only his eyes watching me.
I took a deep breath and turned back, meeting him. His concentration did not falter, and neither did mine. When he looked at me it didn't feel like it had when I was watched during my entrance into physics. He wasn't judging every move I made and every piece of clothing I wore. I didn't stiffen because it didn't feel judged. He wasn't condemning me from face value.
We didn't look away from each other. It was like the previous night. I faintly recognised Teddy and Shaggy joking around next to him, holding their girl friends, while Blondie and Pixie whispered together. Eyes didn't pay any attention to them.
I looked away when I saw a movement in the corner of my eye. I didn't want to, but the familiar flash of red hair had me groaning. I looked up to see Dumb and Dumber strutting over to me, followed by a posy of the town's finest town bicycles. Okay, maybe that was a bit mean. I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. It's just these books looked like they had been checked out. A lot.
I quickly glanced over to Eyes. He was still watching, but was frowning now. He had seen their approach. He looked over to Teddy and whispered something to him. Teddy whispered something back and laughed. He then looked back towards me. I moved my focus back to my visitors.
It was just as a loud bang erupted from the table. I looked up to see Victoria and Lauren standing opposite me, Victoria's hands planted on the hard wood. I sighed, not in the mood to talk to them.
Victoria narrowed her eyes at me and I smiled. Letting them get to me was not an option.
"What are you doing?" Victoria spat at me. Her voice had turned cruel – crueller than before.
I shrugged and took a bite of my sandwich. "Just eating," I said casually.
"No. What are you doing here?" Lauren chirped in, her voice sounding like nails scratching over a chalk board. What was I doing here? Uh... It's school.
"Like I said, just eating," I replied, placing my sandwich down and smiling.
"What a pig," I heard one of the drones behind them mumble. I smiled to myself then. It was amusing.
"Excuse me?" I asked, looking past Victoria's stiff posture.
When I said this, a short blond girl who looked like she had eaten a few too many burgers stepped around Victoria and folded her arms over her chest, glaring at me. I laughed to myself at this.
"I said, 'What a pig'," She snarled at me.
I let out a small laugh and smiled at her. This would be fun.
"I appreciate your professional opinion on the subject of my eating habits. Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?" I asked, looking her over. A few dramatic gasps emerged from the rest of the drones. I was impressed that they had caught on to what I was inferring.
The girls smirk wiped off her face and she scrunched up her nose, glaring at me. There went another foot into my mouth. I wasn't getting along well in that school.
"Are you calling me fat!" She snapped at me. I thought her ears were going to start pouring steam like you see in those cartoons. She looked like she was going to pop.
I turned to Victoria then and smiled. "Wow, what intelligent friends you have," I commented. Victoria glared daggers at me. I just laughed. I turned back to the blonde girl then. "I'm glad you caught on so fast."
The girl looked like she was going to explode at that moment. She was about to speak again, but I just couldn't hold myself back. It was bitchy, but I wasn't going to stand around while I was trampled on.
"But, one favour, please. You see, I have a tendency to fall over and hurt myself. So if you stay close to me my body can search out the closest soft surface and stop my fall. Judging by the size of your ass, you will be perfect."
I mentally slapped myself again. I wasn't settling in well.
The girl took a step forward but Lauren elbowed her in the ribs.
"She's not worth it," She hissed. "You'll get suspended again."
The girl glared at me and backed away into the group of drones.
"Anything else you want?" I asked in a sugar sweet voice.
Victoria opened her mouth to speak but suddenly a short little girl with dark hair appeared next to the table with a blond girl beside her. It was Pixie and Blondie.
"Hey Victoria," Pixie sang in a lovable voice.
Victoria's face softened immediately and then became worried.
"Hi-i Alice," She stuttered, "Hi-i Rosalie."
I smiled then, but not for the obvious reasons. I was just happy to find out their names.
"Hi," Alice sang. "Now, I think its best that you go off to class and stop bothering Bella, don't you? I'm sure that you don't want people knowing about that little job you got done over summer, and they will if you don't skedaddle." She said, smiling and tapping her nose. I smiled at this. Alice was officially my idol.
Victoria's eyes grew wide and she turned to leave after sending me another death glare. Lauren and the drones quickly followed. I was suppressing my laughter at this show. For such a little girl, that Alice held a lot of power.
Alice turned to me then, smirking with amusement. "Well you certainly have a fan base at this school already, don't cha?"
I blushed, trying to hold back a smile. "Sorry," I mumbled. "Thanks for the help."
They both smiled then, sharing a quick glance and nod. Rosalie turned to me then. "Don't be sorry. Just watch your back. Those girls are nasty pieces of work. But don't fret. Victoria's all talk and no action."
I nodded again. "Thanks."
"Well, see you around then," Alice popped. She then smiled brightly and skipped off to their table with Rosalie.
I looked over to see Shaggy and Teddy in fits of laughter and Eyes was looking my way, trying to repress his laughter too. I felt my cheeks flood with blood and I let my hair cover my face.
I couldn't look at their table until I had calmed myself. Why Victoria and Lauren had decided that they didn't like me from the beginning I had no idea. But honestly, I wasn't missing much.
Eventually I pulled out my books and started on my pile of homework. It would lessen the work load for when I got home and I didn't dare look over the Eyes' table to see what was happening over there. I knew he was watching me, but I was still embarrassed.
The bell rang a few minutes later and I bundled up my half eaten sandwich and bag, throwing the food in the bin as I looked at my map. Next I had Media Studies.
I kept my head down as I walked into the room. I handed the letter to the teacher and went through the normal routine. I was assigned a seat in the second to back row near the wall.
I walked over to my seat, stuffing my timetable back into my bag. I was a few feet away when I looked up. The person I saw in the seat behind took my breath away, like so many times before. Eyes had his head down and was drawing on his note pad. I breathed in deeply and kept walking, keeping myself calm. If I had any luck, he wouldn't look up at me. I wanted to avoid that awkward exchange.
I had just put my bag on my desk when he looked up. I cursed under my breath, wishing I could have just sat down without being noticed and have avoided the embarrassment.
He met me with a dazzling smile that could stop anyone in their tracks. The spotlight was back, and brighter than ever. He was so close.
"Hi," Eyes greeted me. His voice made my heart falter. I cursed my stupid hormones. His voice was smooth and charming and southern – I felt as though I could drown in it. I tried to smile back, but it came out crooked.
"Hi-i," I stuttered out, trying to take a step forward to get into my seat but failing miserably. I fell forwards, but luckily my hands landed on a hard surface and I caught myself before I landed face first. Sadly that hard surface was his desk.
My hair had fallen around my face during the little trip and I could feel blood pooling in my cheeks. I gathered my balance and peered through my hair up to him.
"Sorry," I mumbled, pushing myself off his desk.
Eyes was frowning. My cheeks flamed brighter.
"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.
I nodded faintly and slid into my chair. I sunk as low as I could and let my hair fall around my face. My cheeks were still burning. At that moment I wished a trap door would open up below me, letting me fall in. I hadn't avoided the awkward exchange. I probably would have if I didn't have two left feet.
I zoned out for the rest of the lesson but was still acutely aware to his eyes on my back. I couldn't bring myself to turn around. I don't know why I honoured myself so much to think he was actually watching me, but it sure felt like it. Why would a guy like that even notice a girl like me? I bet it was just my imagination. How could I tell if he was watching me? I couldn't, but I thought I could.
I didn't find out his name during class. When the teacher called the roll I was too busy drowning in my own idiocy to listen.
When the bell rang I was one of the first to get out of class. I didn't want to face Eyes again. I pulled out my map and located my next class. I had Study Hall next. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a class I could relax in. There no pressure to listen to the teacher and no homework.
I got into study soon enough and chose a desk at the back. I didn't take any notice of the people in the class. It was a few minutes before I felt the spotlight around me again. I shivered slightly at this thought and shook my head. My imagination was running wild. I was starting to believe I needed an intervention.
Just when I had fully decided I was going crazy, a familiar voice told me I might be wrong. I had heard the voice say only four words, but I knew it, and it was in the same room as me. I looked up to see all of them walking in. There was Alice and Rosalie, linking arms, dancing in front of the boys to their desks. Then came Teddy and Shaggy, joking around together. Eyes was walking next to them, his hands in his pockets, smiling at me. I ducked my head quickly when I noticed this. I was still embarrassed as hell from my accident in Media Studies.
I looked back up after a few seconds and they were in their seats. Eyes was talking and joking around with the rest of them. I wanted to know what they were talking about.
I kept looking at them until the scraping of chairs on the lino floor in front of me woke me up. I looked up to see two girls taking the seats in the next row forwards. The girl directly in front of me turned around and smiled. She was quite short and had wild, curly, dark brown hair with blue eyes. She was pretty, I had to admit. Next to her was a very tall girl. She had light brown hair with streaks of honey and gentle, light brown eyes.
The shorter girl kept smiling as she addressed me. "Hey. I'm Jessica. This is Angela," She said in a happy voice. The girl next to her – called Angela – turned around and smiled.
"Hi," I said quietly. "I'm Bella".
"So, are you new? I haven't seen you around before," Jessica asked, still smiling. I nodded simply, bowing my head a bit.
"Where are you from?" Jessica continued.
"Forks, Washington," I replied.
"That's cool," Jessica said with a nod. "So, how do you like it here so far?"
"It's... good," I managed to say. I didn't want to go into detail of exactly what I thought. I still wasn't sure myself, to be honest. Eyes had shaken my thoughts up a bit.
Angela smiled to me and Jessica nodded. "Made any new friends? I saw you had a bit of a confrontation with Victoria and Lauren at lunch," Jessica said, laughing slightly.
"Um... no... no friends... but I have made a few enemies, as you saw," I said, smiling slightly yet awkwardly.
Jessica laughed at this. "Don't worry about them. They are always like that. No-one around here likes them. Victoria is a slut. Lauren is like her lapdog. The rest follow suit," She encouraged.
"I kind of figured that. They seemed that way," I agreed. I wasn't good with strangers, but these girls were nice and I wanted to return the favour.
It was then that Angela spoke.
"Hey Jess, remember we have to go do our Art work," She reminded quietly.
Jessica gasped a little and turned to Angela.
"Oh shoot! That's right. We better go. See you around, Bella," Jessica called, spinning around on her heels.
"Bye," I replied quietly. I looked at Angela and she smiled.
"Nice to meet you," She said in a sweet, quiet voice before following her friend out.
I sighed and bowed my head again, not really sure what to do. I had finished all my homework at lunch.
I waited for a few seconds and then mustered enough courage to look over to the group again. When I did my eyes met his once again. He was smiling my way, as though he had been watching me the whole time. He looked away from me and turned to Alice then, laughing at something she had said. The ease with which they all got along never ceased to amaze me. The evidence of their strong friendship made my heart ache. I missed Jake.
I watched them for a few minutes longer and then looked away. It was rude to stare all the time. It was just that they were so intriguing.
It wasn't till half an hour later that I looked back over to them. I met his eyes again. The feeling of being watched by him was starting to feel like a second skin. It was electrifying. My heart pumped faster, the obvious consequence of my cursed teenage hormones. His eyes were penetrating and homely. Why I had spent basically all my time that day thinking of that boy, I had no idea. It was pathetic really. I shouldn't have obsessed over a boy. But I suppose that's what happens when you get your first crush.
But I wasn't even sure if it was a crush. I couldn't really pinpoint exactly what it was. It was more of a pull – a continuous, dull tugging. It was a need. And that was just crazy.
I ducked my head after a few minutes and started scribbling on my page. I looked towards the group after a few moments through the corner of my eye, and, the moment I did so, Eyes looked away. He started chatting with his friends. I watched them as they were intent in conversation, and then, suddenly erupted into laughter.
The bell rang soon after that and I packed up my things. I was one of the first out the door. I started heading towards the front gate, wanting to get home quickly.
It was still cold outside during my walk home. The chilly air still stung my skin and I pulled my hood up over my head for extra warmth.
On the trip home I found myself occasionally scanning the area for any sign of Eyes. I figured, as he lived next door to me, he might take the same route back. But, then again, he probably had a social life which gave him better things to do after school then look after his baby sister. I didn't, which meant I had to baby sit.
I didn't purposely mean to search for him. I suppose it's just that my mind – being so caught up with him and all – felt the need to see him again. It was silly, really.
I got home soon enough and welcomed the warm air of the indoors. I found Renesmee in the living room, watching another video. I decided to lean against the door frame, watching her until she noticed me. She seemed to have a sixth sense of knowing when I was in the room and would realise soon enough.
As expected, just like clock-work, she swivelled around on her seat and beamed her smile at me.
"Bella!" She Squealed. "You're home!"
She slid off the couch and waddled over to where I was standing, her arms spread out and reaching towards me. When she got to me I picked her up and rested her weight on my hip.
"And how was your day, little missy?" I asked, tapping her nose.
Renesmee giggled and brushed where I had tapped. "Boring," She chimed, smiling at me.
I smiled at her and started heading towards the kitchen. "Well, are you hungry?" Renesmee nodded furiously.
"How about some fruit?" I asked her. Renesmee nodded and clapped he hands together. I smiled and grabbed everything I needed. I cut an apple up into little cubes for her and put them into a bowl.
"One for you," I said, handing her the bowl, "and one for me," I said, taking my own apple from the fridge. "Now, would you like some... orange juice?" I asked her whilst rummaging in the fridge.
Renesmee squealed and smiled.
"I will take that as a yes," I said.
After we had finished our snacks I took Renesmee up to her room. On the way up I noticed the absence of the rest of our family.
"Renesmee, where's Mom?" I asked as I walked up the stairs. Renesmee just shrugged her shoulders. I frowned slightly and carried on.
We reached Renesmee's room soon enough and I placed her on the ground.
"Okay, grab a few toys and then you can come play in my room while I do some more unpacking," I told her. Renesmee obeyed and picked up her Barbie and Ken dolls.
"Do you want me to grab the car for you?" I asked, knowing her tiny hands were too full. She nodded happily and I gathered all the toys. We then went into my room and settled in.
At about 7:30pm I heard a loud banging downstairs. I knew Renee and Charlie were home. I had just put Renesmee to bed and luckily she could sleep through anything. I could hear from upstairs that they were fighting. It didn't sound pretty. I could hear the crashing. I knew I had to stay out of it. I was still angry at Mom for leaving Renesmee home alone. I figured I would have to find her a day care centre, and soon. That wasn't the reason I avoided the confrontation though.
I put up with the yelling for about twenty minutes, but then decided I needed some air. I grabbed my iPod, slippers and a jacket and went outside to sit on the porch.
It was relaxing out there, not doing anything. The air was cold from the rain that had just ceased. The street lamps shone in the puddles, reflecting the light in all directions. In the occasional spot, where the light hit the water just right, a small rainbow would show in the ripples. The stars were bright and stunning. It was just so peaceful outside. The fresh air was invigorating.
It was a few minutes until I heard a noise. A familiar banging of a door to my left interrupted the peace. I had an idea what the noise was, and surely enough, when I looked over to the next house, I was right.
Eyes was there, walking quietly over his porch. He came to the edge and sat down on the steps, resting his head in his hands. I watched him again, the scene looking utterly peaceful. The small amounts of light coming from the moon and the dull street lamps highlighted only parts of the surroundings. The white porch steps let off a subtle glow, but were touched with grey.
I watched as his chest expanded and shrunk from his breathing, so peaceful. I wondered whether he came out there every day. I knew I would.
A few minutes had passed before he looked at me. His eyes met mine without interruption. Their warm glow felt like a soft blanket. I was used to it by then. He watched me and I watched him. A smile soon began to form on his lips, and the spotlight brightened. I felt like I was trapped in a pure white room and I was the only thing with any colour. I stuck out like a sore thumb.
I loved sitting out on those porch steps with him. There was some sort of unspoken understanding between us. It was a relief and an escape from the world behind closed doors. Well, at least for me it was.
We stayed like this for a long time. It seemed like neither of us felt the need to look away. We didn't want to either. But soon I started to feel cool droplets of water on my skin. It didn't bother me at first. It didn't seem to bother him either. All of a sudden the familiar sound of a heavy downpour on the roof drenched us through. I didn't know where those clouds had come from. It caught me completely off guard. I noticed the feeling of cold, wet clothes on my skin. I looked up to the sky and my face was washed with water. I looked back to Eyes and he was smiling for some odd reason, his eyes telling me what I needed to know. We both needed to get out of the downpour. We would see each other the next day anyway.
I smiled back and we both ran inside our houses.
I closed the door behind me and pressed against it, sliding to the floor and releasing all my tension. I didn't like the rain because it made us part, but I loved it because we both understood that it ultimately led to happiness. We just had to embrace it. There was some sort of thrill in it.
I then heard my Dad's booming voice coming from the kitchen and I darted upstairs, doing anything to avoid him killing my buzz of seeing Eyes.
I got ready for bed and soon fell asleep, curling up warm and safe in the covers. It was the best night's sleep I had had in a long time. I dreamt.