A reminder

Why are they staring…?

The loud annoying ring of my alarm clock woke me up. And in a hopeless desire to stay and bed and forget about my responsibilities a slammed my hand down on the snooze button and buried my face deeper in the pillow.

For I few moments I debated weather or not to skip school and just play hooky. I wondered if I could fake Charlie's voice… nope, that was a hopeless idea.

I tiredly raised my head and glanced at the time. 6:00am….ugh… with a resigned yawn and a good cat like stretch I raised myself out of the bed and stumbled abit as I stood. Rubbing my eyes with my fist much like Gabe did in the mornings.

Today was the day that I begin my life s a high school student at forks. Forks high school no doubt had the smallest amount of students in the entire country. Just the freshman class back at phoenix was twice the size of the junior and senior class here. And that was a big no, no.

I had never been good with crowds. Every since I was a child I had the tendency to shy away from large groups of people, no matter what the station was I just hated it. It got even worse when Gabe came into the picture. But then I realized that it wasn't the fact that I hated the big groups I just hated the fact that the people in them were so childish…

The girls were all giggly and gossipy and the guys just flirted shamelessly.

I had made a reputation at my old school for being not so tolerant about those type of people, and now I needed to do it all over again.

I walked over and peered down at Gabe, resting my forearms on the cribs side. His was sitting up just playing with his fingers and when he saw me He stared back up at me and squealed. "Mommy! I want out!" he stood in front of me and waved his hands. The normal pose for a child wanting to be taken out of the crib. I smiled and lifted him about, holding him close to me as I tickled his tummy.

As corny as it sounds, his laughter made my day seem a little but brighter. Though possible anything would make this horrible upcoming day a little easier. I felt like throwing a tantrum myself. I don't WANNA GO TO SCHOOL….. I really don't..

"You ready to start daycare today." I asked trying to keep my despair out of my voice., walking out of my room and heading to the bathroom.

I was surprised when he frowned and shook his head. Gabe usual liked daycare.

"Nope, the girls are scary!" he said, scrunching up his nose. "They keep trying, Ta kiss me."

Oh yeah. The last day of school from phoenix, all the girls in his class decided to give him a little going away present. I actually thought it was kinda cute. But Gabe was…. Well kinda traumatized…

I couldn't help but laugh at him. Will hopefully he would be afraid of girls until his 18. I really don't want to threaten some little girl.

"Well maybe they'll be different here." I encouraged, setting him down on the sink counter and removing his top. I wet the face towel hanging up on a bar by the sink and washed it out before cleaning Gabe.

"who knows, maybe you'll even find a girlfriend…" I teased. Brushing his tangled mess of hair.

He gave me a horrified look.

"Ewwwww! That's nasty!" he screeched. His blue eyes wide with indignation. I chuckled and combed through a particularly difficult curl. Part of me was curios to why Gabe hated girls but he constantly charmed them to know end. I didn't even know two year olds could charm people so that was a surprise when I had seen all the little three year olds chasing after him one day.

Eventually I had worked my way into the shower. I used my favorite strawberry shampoo that I had picked up at the store yesterday so that helped my attitude a bit. When I stepped out a did my hair. I was close to just doing the plain straight look but then again, why not change things up a little. The phrase new-school -year-new-me, came to made.

I looked through the bathroom cabinets and found a bag of stuff that I had left here the last time I was here. Pulling out a one of those hair curl thingy's, I begin my long and hopefully not to painful quest.

About 20 minutes later and 7 burns. I was finished. My hair was curled beautifully if I do say so myself. Gone was the limp brown straight brown and hair and replaced with this shin new look. I toyed with a brown lock that hung coving my left eye. My grin adopted a sly look.

Maybe I'll keep this style..

Afterwards I had gotten Gabe dressed in a green and white pole shirt with some blue jeans and I wore a simple long sleeved gray top and some dark wash skinny jeans that some how Renee convinced my to get.

I had to admit that they were kinda cute… from an angle I guess. Rummaging through the closet a little more I found something very interesting. It was black and thick looking and I frowned as I pulled it ff the hanger. I didn't remember buying anything like this, and I'm pretty sure Charlie would never buy any woman's clothing.

I held it in front off my and pursed my lips. It took a few seconds to look at it before I realized what it was.

A. black. Leather. Motorcycle. Jacket….HOT!" my mouth opened with a 'pop' as a gasped out loud.

Where had this come from. Did Charlie? How? When? Where? I really didn't care. I got a leather jacket. Hot damn.

grinned goofily and shrugged it on with pride. For some reason I made poses in front of Gabe, who sat on the bed. I always wanted a jacket like this. THIS WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE….well second compared to Gabe of course…

A timid voice spoke up. "mommy…" turned around to see Gabe staring at me like he was afraid that I lost my mind. Maybe I have.

I merely smiled at him. "come on baby, lets go get you something to eat." I cooed happy. His worried expression didn't fade but he gave me a nod of agreement.

The whole way downstairs a chanted silently. "I got my jacket, I got my jacket, I got my jacket." in a sing song voice.

I squeezed Gabe tightly to my chest. Wrapping my arms around his mid-section in a bear huge while I planted kisses all over his face. I had forgotten how hard it was to leave him at a place that was as unfamiliar to me as Alaska.

I felt tears burn at the back of my eyes. What if something happened. What if he got hurt… what if he got kidnapped… what if James was out there somewhere waiting for me to leave.

"Mommy, I gotta go." Gabe whined impatiently. Trying to pull away from my tight grip. My arms tighten a bit before I knelt on the ground and let him slip out of my arms.

"Be good baby." I whispered.

"I will."

'Make sure you make friends."

"Okay."

"Don't let people bully you."

"Okay mommy, I got to go!"

I pouted nodded at him. He leaned over and placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek, before grabbing one of the caretakers hands and was lead to the play room. I stared at the closed door for a minute before sighing and standing.

I dusted off my legs and walked out the daycare. It felt weird that Gabe seemed almost happy to get away from me. Or was I just being paranoid. Maybe I am a little too controlling and protective. What if his was feeling trapped of too controlled. Oh my god! What if he runs away and joins a group of Rebels!

Wait…what?'

I blinked, fastening my set beat and starting my truck up, hearing the now familiar sound of a goose being strangled. I let loose a small chuckle that sounded fake even to my ears.

Gabe was only two years old. I had every right to act the way I do.

Hell, even when he was 34 years old I would probably still act the same way.

Feeling slightly better I drove off towards forks high school, leaving behind the joy of my life.

The drive to the school was pretty much unitizing, it was rather easy to find. And the huge sign that said. 'Forks high school' on it was also a huge help. I parked my car un the nearest spot to wait I guessed was the main building.

I could feel the stares of the other teenager in the parking lot thought the thick windows of my truck as I slid out. Almost immediately all the talking and joking around ceased like the principal just arrived.

It was insanely creepy when all the heads turned around to stare in amazement at…me.. Some of the stares where just a little curious. I'd like to hope they were thinking. 'who's the chick with the cool hair and hot jacket?' but I couldn't be sure. Some of the stare were rather unpleasant, and they were all from the females and they seemed to all be saying to same thing. 'who the heel does that slut think she is.' I really hoped I was wrong and I just sucked at reading people.

I stood there awkwardly, I lifted my backpack from the car and threw it over one shoulder and I rose my hand in a half-hearted little Wave. Trying to keep the fear from my eyes when they all waved back.

After a nervous chuckle I nearly ran to the front door of the building. And looked back once to make sure no one decided to follow me, and I let out a sigh of relief when I saw no one had.

I got my schedule and locker information from the women that worked in the office. She was rather helpful and took time to tell me about shortcuts to get to my classes and even the teachers to watch out for. She quickly went on my list of 'good guys.'

I found my first class easily. It was Trigonometry. I hated it the moment I stepped in the class room. Not because I was bad at math (which I was.), but because when I took the slip for my teacher to sign. The old man named Mr. Miller. Had winked at me….WINKED AT ME.

I quickly locked up the memory in the deepest part of my mind where all my repressed memories were.

I had also meet a nice friendly boy named Eric. I would remember him buy his oil like hair and cheesy grin.

We became friends immediately. He was extremely good at all the things I wasn't. I was suddenly really glad that he was overly helpful. And he didn't even flirt with me, which I was also grateful for.

"So Isabella.." he said, keeping his eyes on his math sheet.

"Bella." I corrected nicely. And he grinned.

"Bella, so how are you enjoying forks."

"it's okay I guess. Just a lot smaller than what I'm use to." I said shrugging slightly. He chuckled and tapped at a answer on my paper with the tip of his pencil.. That I thought I had gotten right. I found and erased it before starting all over. Damn I hate this stuff.

"Yeah, it's a big change from Arizona to Forks. Are you settling in okay." he asked. His black eyes watching over my process of finding the answer.

I shrugged once more. "Yeah, me and Gabe are doing okay." I said.

He gave me a confused look. "who's Gabe?" he asked, dumbfounded.

I cursed slightly under my breath. And looked down, pretending to focus really hard.

I had let it slip. This was the same why I became a outcast at my old school. Along with a the other pregnant teens. Back there when you got pregnant you were considered one thing.

A whore.

It was a vicious stereotyping, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Sure sometimes it was true, but a lot of the times to was totally different.

I didn't want to be known as a whore here. And I didn't want to lose my newest friend Eric either. high school basically requires at least one friend. And he was all I had. So I gathered up all the spite and courage and my body and looked back up at him. His eyes were wide and genuinely curios.

"my son." is said simply.

Silence.

I watched with a indifferent look as Eric gaped at me, dropping his pencil with a clatter to the desk. He looked quite like a fish as he opened and closed his mouth looking for something to say. He blinked rapidly and just stared at me.

The bell rang, cutting off anything he was about to say,. I was out of my seat in a second, everything was simply swept un-orderly into my backpack and left. I felt eric's shocked gaze on me the whole way. When I was in the hallway, I felt a familiar burning sensation in the back of my eyelids. And a blinked away the upcoming tears furiously. I really thought Eric was different' maybe I should have waited until I known him a little longer.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a my shoulder being squeezed, a jerked around to see Eric, smiling apologetically a me. He gave me a sheepish grin, removing his hand and rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey Bella." he said awkwardly. I nodded, wondering why he stopped me.

"I just wanted to apologize for freezing up in there." he said, and I'm pretty sure my eyes bulged out. Before I school my expression, he apologized. That was something new.

"I mean, it must be hard raising a kid and still going to school." he said. Blinking at me, his eyes shining with what kinda looked like awe. "I don't know how you do it." he finished.

I felt a grin stretch it's way across my face involuntarily. And I felt warmth heat my face.

We both laughed a little a my reaction. He held out his arms to me and gave me a grin.

"so, need a escort to you're next class." he asked politely. Giggling I linked my arm with his And why marched down to my next class.

The day pasted in a enjoyable blur. I hadn't been able to remember the last time I had enjoyed school so much. After I had meet my new friend Eric I meet a small brown curly haired girl named Jessica why was also very friendly, and didn't Gawk at my like the other students. She said she would let me seat with her group at lunch. And I was happy to find out that Eric and a girl named Angela who he had told me was a very sweet girl was about of her group as well.

I whole-heartedly agreed.

Jessica nearly dragged into lunch room, I had no chance to actually tell her about myself because she talked so much. But I was fine with her doing all the talking. It gave my a chance to observe. My eyes traveled all over to room, seeing all the other students.

Then I froze. In the middle of the room. I was barely aware of Jessica calling me name. my eyes were focused on the table at the corner of the table.

Sitting there were five people.

Five people who were to beautiful to be human. And to pale to be normal.

Okay, this chapter came a little earlier because I had a burst of inspiration. Anyway, My first Cliff hanger! Yeah! The pairing will be somewhat revealed jn the next chapeter. You can still vote if you want but am pretty sure who's gonna win.