Our house was a three-bed, two-bath storybook bungalow. It belonged to my grandparents; they had raised their two children here.
I chose to stay in the room of Renee's brother; her room was too...
Renee's presence lingers in her old room.
My uncle Bea's bedroom was more my style anyway; I was grateful that the movers put the bed together.
I fell flat on the mattress deliberately and thought of Charlie and Renee.
Or, more accurately, why they left Mystic Falls.
Forks, Washington was more dangerous, and the worst thing that ever happened there was when some homeless people got attacked by bears in The Goat Rock Wilderness.
Forks had a lot of animal attacks in The Goat Rocks, mostly homeless people and drifters.
Charlie never talked to me about the bear attacks; he told Renee.
Did Mystic Falls have those too?
I wonder if Mystic Falls P.D. would be willing to let me look over old police reports, Charlie used to let me read his tame ones.
I found myself drifting off to sleep; I made a mental note to make up my bed when I woke up.
As I slept, I had the strangest dream; I was standing behind Elena Gilbert, who sat in front of a mirror, brushing her hair.
We were talking about... something it was hard to comprehend, but I do know that we disagreed with each other.
Then she turned to me; she turned to me.
But our reflections didn't.
Or mirror images stared back at me, looking far more beautiful and terrifying than our authentic selves.
Their eyes were red, veins were underneath them, and they had pointy teeth.
Fangs.
I tried to get Elena to look, to see, but she held a finger over her lips and shushed me.
She grabbed me by the neck and mirrored her mirror image, and lunged at me.
As I returned Elena Gilbert home from our 'date' from the grill, I caught Bella's scent again and noticed the '63 Chevy pulling into a driveway further down the street. I clenched my fist as Bella's scent made my mouth water.
Elena mentioned the party again, and I confirmed my presence there.
Her Aunt Jenna came outside to 'parent' as I watched Bella, and the old woman, who I presumed was her grandmother, waddle in the house.
'Stefan, this is my Aunt Jenna.'
I turned to the blonde woman, who didn't look much older than Elena; they were about the same height and built, her complexion was pale, and her eyes were hazel.
She was wearing a blue cami and blue pajama bottoms.
I converse with them before making an excuse about making it home before curfew.
When I was sure Elena wasn't watching from her bedroom window, I raced to Bella's home.
I watched Bella and the woman I presumed was her grandmother stumbled onto the sofa. They sat down, and Bella covered her face as her grandmother rubbed her back.
'I'm sorry, Gran.' Bella grumbled, shaking her head.
'Sorry for what, missing your parents?'
Bella uncovered her face, and I got a good look at her.
She had an ashen, translucent complexion, a heart-shaped face with a broad forehead, a widow's peak; her nose was thin, and her cheekbones were central. Her extensive and widely spaced eyes were chocolate brown and, if used correctly, could make you lose your breath.
Bella bit her too full lips and shook her head, muttering something about feeling like a baby.
She had the type of lips I'd like to taste.
While Elena and Katherine's beauty was striking, Bella's was delicate.
They talked about Bella's parents for a while; they died in a car accident like Elena's.
Except her parents were burned alive while Elena drowned, it was odd how their lives were similar.
Although, Elena seemed to be getting a hold of her life better.
But Elena has a whole community behind her, friends, a brother, and a much younger aunt, and all Bella has is an elderly grandmother.
An elderly grandmother that she could come home and discover dead on any given day.
She is a stranger here, an outsider like me.
Maybe that's why she's so unhappy.
Bella pulled an old worn book out of her bag and began to walk- stumble- into the kitchen.
'I'll get started on dinner.'
'No, Bella. Sit down and read your book.'
'Gran-'
'Bella, that girl Vicky works at a restaurant, and she and Matthew offered to bring something when Vicky's shift is over.' She ushered Bella back to the couch. 'Sit down and rest.'
Bella shook her and staggered to the staircase, worn book in hand.
'I'm going make up my bed.'
'Take a nap while you're up there.'
Bella groaned and teetered upstairs; the thought of knocking on the door and compelling her grandmother crossed my mind. I could knock on the door and compel the grandmother to let me in. Go upstairs to the girl, compel her not to scream as bleed her dry.
No, Stefan!
The drumming of fingers on something upstairs caught my attention.
I climbed up a nearby tree to find Bella undressing; I saw her in a plain white bra before turning away.
Her body was slender like Elena's but softer; when I dared to look back, she, wearing a dark green shirt, was stumbling out of her pants.
I suppressed a snigger and wondered if Bella possibly went five minutes without tripping over her feet?
She went over to the desk in the corner and picked up the worn book, and flopped on the bed.
Intentional, I believe, and began to reread her wore book. I could see the title of the book, Wuthering Heights.
She likes the classics; that's quite an anomaly these days.
Each generation loses more and more respect for the ones before it.
Eventually, Bella dozed off, but she tossed and turned; I wrote it off as a typical nightmare.
Until...
Until she muttered Elena's name; why was she dreaming about Elena Gilbert?
And why did she seem so distressed?
Bella jolted out of bed and stumbled onto the floor, taking a clay pot with her. She mumbled an apology to someone named Jesse as footsteps briskly sauntered up the stairs.
'Bella?' Called her grandmother.
'I'm fine. I'm fine!'
'I heard glass break.'
'I broke Jesse's pot.'
'Again?'
I had to smile at the accidental admission as Bella stood and began to collect the clay shard.
Isabella Swan.
Beautiful bird girl.
After Bella collected the shards, she placed them in a box and took out a dreamcatcher.
She put it on the wall behind the headboard, then went back to the box. She rummaged through her belongings, taking out photos and cards.
Bella looked through them slowly; she went to sit down but, in typical Bella fashion, missed the bed and fell flat, sending the photos flying.
'Nice going, Bella.' She groaned.
After collecting them, she set them back and stood as the bell rang.
'Nice going.'