Chapter Three

Arrivals

Ainsley

"Attention passengers. We will be landing in Seattle airport shortly. Please put your tables into the upright position and prepare for landing." The announcement comes over the intercom and I sigh in relief. Finally! We've been flying damn near all day.

"Whew! I've been sitting so long I feel stiff." the woman next to me says. Yeah, I'm sure you are. But you don't know stiff until your entire body locks up and you can't move without waves of pain radiating throughout every part of you. Sometimes, I swear my hair hurts.

There are 206 bones in the human body. Those bones are connected with joints. My disease targets the joints, making them stiff, swollen, hot to the touch, and painful. It feels like every joint in your body is on fire sometimes. It really fucking sucks.

I lean forward, testing my feet before I haul myself up. Pain shoots up through my feet, ankles and knees, going all the way to my hips. I curse under my breath and force my arm up to swing up my backpack over my shoulder. My joints are so stiff from sitting all day, and it takes a few minutes to get them loosened up enough to to where I'm not hobbling. Now it's more like a slight limp because my left knee's being a bitch today.

"Ainsley!" Rob waves his arms wildly from where he's standing at baggage claim. I roll my eyes and limp over.

"Hey, Rob." He pulls me into a quick hug.

"How was the plane ride? Did Beth send you directions to the doctor?"

"Good and yes." By sheer willpower, I manage to stop from rolling my eyes again.

It's raining. Again. Rob leaves me standing at the revolving doors while he runs to get the car. I climb in and glance out the window.

It's a three and a half hour drive to Forks. Luckily, Rob doesn't seem interested in making conversation, so I lean the seat back as far as it can go and try to get a little sleep. I was up at five AM to get to the airport on time.

Rob's house is a one storey, two bedroom home. It's painted white with a wraparound porch. It looks surprisingly country for something in Washington state.

"We'll turn the office into your room this weekend. We can drive up to Port Angeles and visit the DMV and get your permit, then you can drive us to whatever stores you want to pick out stuff for your new room. Just don't go too crazy, now. We aren't millionaires."

"Thanks!" I hug Rob and drag my suitcase to the sofa. Rob ruffles my hair as he pulls it into bed mode.

"I'm sure you're tired. You get some sleep, okay? Oh! I forgot to tell you that we have a jacuzzi in the office's bathroom. It was originally supposed to be a master bedroom, but I swapped rooms once I found out you were coming to live here. Both rooms have bathrooms attached, but I figured you'd need the jacuzzi to soak more of your joints."

I pull Rob into a hug, holding on tight for a few seconds. "Thank you, Rob."

"No problem, Ainsley. Get some sleep, okay?"

I open my makeup kit, studying myself in the mirror. I've slid some pencil grips onto the brushes, making it a little easier to apply the stuff. I'm getting ready to be shown around La Push High by a "student guide." What could possibly go wrong? Note the sarcasm here.

"Ainsley? You ready?"

"Almost." I apply a little blush and slap the kit closed. Time to face the firing squad.

The principal meets us in the front office. Mr. Wendel seems nice enough. Or, at least, he doesn't seem to be out for my blood like Ms. Bridge, Aka Ms. Bitch, back in Atlanta.

"Hello, Ainsley. How are you today? I'm so glad you're going to be attending here." I force myself to resist an eye roll. "I'm aware that because of your condition, school options were limited, but we'll do our very best to make you welcome here. We have our student guide, Kim Kimweller, here to show you around. Shall I get her?"

I nod, bracing myself for the inevitable pretty, popular, care free girl to walk into this office. Well, Kimweller, do your worst.

Kimweller surprises me. She's pretty in a girl-next-door type of way, and she has an air of quiet kindness around her.

"Ainsley Snyder, right? Welcome to La Push High."

She leads me around, showing me the library, cafeteria and gym. By the time we're back at the office, I've learned that Kim is a senior, and she has a boyfriend named Jared Cameron. Cameron is damn near all she can talk about. She's a nice enough girl, but her obsession with Cameron is just annoying as hell.

"How was your tour?" Rob asks me as he drives us home.

"Fine. Do I have to start Monday?"

"Yes, Ainsley."

"Worth a shot." I haul myself up the porch steps and into the house. Rob's right; the jacuzzi is amazing. I put on the audio book I'm currently listening to and hop in, soaking my aching joints. I'm so glad Rob gave me this room.

I must have dosed off or something, because before I know it, Rob is banging on the bathroom door, yelling my name. Once I've answered him and he's assured I'm not dead, he tells me dinner's ready. This probably means he just ordered take out.

"Good bath?" Rob asks with a teasing smile.

"Ha ha ha." I reply.

"Ah, teenage sarcasm." Rob is still smirking.

"Rob, really? Hey, I just thought of something. How am I getting to school tomorrow? Don't you open up at eight?" Rob's a dentist.

"Yes. I'll drop you off before heading to the office. Do you think you can get a ride home?"

"Maybe." I mutter, stabbing at my chicken and rice.

I lay awake long after Rob wishes me goodnight. My mind is racing, turning over all the bad memories of bullying from my other school. I grit my teeth and force myself to think about something else. Anything else. Because that shit won't happen here. I will keep my arthritis a secret, and nobody will ever find out.

A/n: Hey, guys! I am so sorry I didn't update when I said I would; real life got in the way. I'm fucking blown away by the support for this story! So far, I've gotten a vote for Claire as a teenager, and one just as her included in general. What do y'all think? So, here's the deal: if we get to ten reviews by Thursday, I'll update then. If not, it'll be on Saturday. Later!

Lauren.

Replies to Reviews:

LuanaMariaSwan: I'm glad you like the chapter. I've gotten up to chapter six written out so far, so I know Seth's reaction. Hopefully, it'll be good. I'll consider putting Claire in as a teen. I hope you like this chapter, too; please review and let me know.

Twilightfanjm: I kinda felt bad for Seth, so... So far, everyone wants me to put in Claire, so it's just a matter of her age. I hope you like this chapter, too; please review and let me know.

Shelby Duncan: I'm so glad you love this story. I hope you like this chapter, too; please review and let me know.