Chapter 4: WEEKEND; Bella's POV

I had made the decision to leave. It wasn't hard; it was time for something new, a new direction. Renee could have Phil and I could move on with Charlie my dad, Chief of Police here in Forks Washington.

Charlie had picked me up from the airport late Friday afternoon and we had arrived in Forks just after dark. Charlie had helped me with my luggage and gotten dinner ready while I settled into my new room and put my new journal under my mattress.

Pizza! Great. Charlie couldn't cook and didn't have any food in the house. He said if I made a list of things I liked he would take me shopping for groceries Saturday or Sunday.

Charlie arrived home early afternoon and took me to the grocery store. It didn't take long. I got a good Idea of what Charlie liked to eat. Fish, Steak and Potatoes. Maybe Renee had scared him with her cooking because I saw the worried look when I picked out different vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts. I had to snicker. But he didn't say anything. I would take it easy on him, for a few days anyway.

When we arrived home there was a strange red truck in the driveway. Lovely, company, but no one was there. After getting the groceries in the house Charlie went outside and returned again to the kitchen.

"Bella, I have something for you" he said as he reached out his hand holding something tightly.

"Dad! I don't need anything. You didn't have to do this." I replied as I turned to face him.

"I know but I wanted to. I didn't think you wanted to be dropped off at school in a police car your first day." he responded as he dropped a set of keys in my hand before heading to the living room.

"What? That truck outside is mine?" I was shocked. I hugged Charlie on my way out the door to go and look and he followed. I jumped in the cab and started the engine. It startled me when the engine roared to life. But it was great. I turned it off and got out doing a happy dance all the way back to the porch.

As I entered the house I herd Charlie chuckling and I hugged him again. I guess he saw my little dance but didn't say anything. "Goodnight dad." I said as I headed up to my room for the night.

"Oh Bells, I won't be here in the morning I'm going fishing with Billy or on Monday when you get up. I have to be at the station early. Will you be alright getting to school on your own? I already signed all the paperwork and they already have your schedule." He said.

"Ya, dad, I'll be fine. I mean it, thanks again." I replied bouncing up the stairs. No police car ride for me on Monday morning.

"Okay, Night bells." he stated as he turned back to the living room.

I had to tell E about this.

Once in my room and ready for bed I pulled out my journal, bound in royal blue fabric with a red ribbon tying it closed from between my bed where I had hidden it, and started writing. It sucked that I had to start over almost from scratch.

Two years ago May 6th 2003

Unusual for Maricopa country it was raining. Flash flood warnings were in effect for the entire state.

"Bella, it's not a big deal. His name is Steve. He is my best friends' son and he is only here for a week. Dan wants to take Steve to play miniature gold at Metro Center. Dan and I are both going to be there. It's not like it's a real date or something. It is just a chance to make a new friend." Phil yelled as he chased me down the hall to my room.

"No. I'm not going with you or Steve. You are not setting me up on a date with some boy like I'm some kind of freak." I locked my door.

"Yes you are Isabella." He yelled from outside the door.

"Do you remember what happen last time I went out with you and one of your friends' kids? Brad tried to put his hands under my shirt. It was two months ago at the movies. I can find my own dates and my own friends when I decide. It's not your decision." I yelled back.

I opened my bedroom window and without thinking climbed out into the storm. I started running down the street. I didn't even look back when I heard Phil yell my name from the house. I headed to the park where I could hide.

I was soaked to the bone when I reached the park. There in the middle was a giant rocket ship that housed the slides for the park. I could hide inside and at least be out of the rain.

I crawled threw the small opening at the bottom of the rocket stepping into a puddle of water. I climbed the latter inside the tube to a platform hidden at the top for the slide. I pulled my knees to my chest as I sat away from the opening of the slide. I tried to close my eyes. It was cold and damp from the rain and I was freezing. I would go home in the morning after Phil left for work.

During the night the rain had stopped and the sky's cleared to show the stars. Even though it was cold and I was wet it was a beautiful sight to see the stars. It's something that didn't happen very often in phoenix. There were too many lights around blocking the sky. I watched the stars until the sky lightened and changed from the darkest of blues to purple, lighter shades of blue to yellows and oranges as the sun rose above the distant clouds.

The sun looked bigger than usual and the intensity of it drew me in for a short time as it warmed the air around me. I watched it from the top of a metal rocket ship in the middle of a park. I thought that I saw two black spots on the sun as it lifted in the sky just above the far away mountains. It was beautiful and I started to cough.

I was exhausted and it was time to go home. I hoped my mom Renee had returned home this morning from her sisters. My cloths were still damp as I walked the mile and half home.

Phil never found me that night and besides who goes and plays miniature golf in a rain storm.

When I reached home my window was closed and mom's car was in the driveway. I called my mom was I walked through the front door. She rushed out of the kitchen, panic written on her face. I wonder what story Phil had told her to cover his ass. It didn't matter she probably wouldn't listen to me anyway.

"Bella, where have you been? Phil looked for you all night. Oh my god Bella you're wet. Let's get you into a bath and warm you up." I was pushed towards the bathroom. I was feeling the ware of the night pulling down on me as I got into the tub of hot water. The water relaxed me but I wasn't feeling good as I put on my pajamas and crawled under the covers of my bed.

May 13th 2003.

My body ached and my head was stuffy when I woke from my dream.

"Edward" I said. My voice cracked and it felt like my mouth was washed out with sandpaper. The room was dark. There was a rustling sound from next to me and I turned my head towards the sound.

"Bella" I head my moms voice before I saw her. "Good morning sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts" I said as I looked around for him but Edward wasn't there.

As I became more aware of my surroundings I noticed a book on the night stand, 'Pride and Prejudice.' My mom informed me that I had been in the hospital for the last 6 days with a temperature of 104 and she had almost finished reading me my favorite book. That must be were I had gotten the name Edward from she told me.

We never discussed what happen between Phil and me. Why I had ran out into that storm. I guess mom didn't want to know. I wasn't going to bring it up if she didn't. I would just make different arrangements at Kelly's house next time my mom was going to her sisters for the night. I would never be alone with Phil again I promised myself.

I tried to tell my mom about what happen in my dream and she said that it must have had to do with me having such a high fever, a figment of my imagination. I knew it was more than that.

I was warned that I might experience some weird affects from having a fever that high for 5 days and I was released from the hospital the next day.

I tried to tell Renee about "my dream" but she kept telling me it was just my mind playing tricks on me. So I just let it go at that. I changed my journal entries from Dear Diary to Dear Edward.