Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Pet Semetary.
First Sight, Part Three:
Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage. That, however, wasn't my only reason for disliking the fog. The real reason and one I wished to forget was that it brought forth uncomfortable memories.
Edward looked at his girlfriend questionably. "What uncomfortable memories?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Bella frowned at her mate. "The kind one wants to forget forever," she said.
Alice looked at Bella. "Does Erica have anything to do with it?" she asked.
Bella nodded, her brown eyes darkening in thought.
Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him, knowing his hope was wasted. Good Luck tended to avoid me.
Bella raised her hand to pause. "I just want to say before we continue, I take back that statement," she said. The vampires and wolves just stared at her incredulously.
Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room were rows of pictures. First the wedding picture of Charlie and mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by the procession of my school pictures up to last years. Those were embarrassing to look at. I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here.
The atmosphere in the room grew colder as everyone listened to Bella's words. To be honest, they were all a little astounded by how the girl viewed herself. The Quileute's and Cullen's were especially dumbfounded how they had missed this, as the Bella, whom they knew and loved, always seemed to be sure of herself. It concerned them, and many of the women in the room promised themselves to help her work on her self-esteem.
It was impossible, being in this house, to realize Charlie had never gotten over my mom. It made me uncomfortable.
Charlie had the decency to look ashamed, and he gave his daughter an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Bells. I didn't realize how that would make you feel. Perhaps it's time I consider remodeling the house," he said.
Bella looked embarrassed and slightly ashamed. She didn't want her dad to feel he had to change for her. "Don't worry about it, Dad. It was just me being dramatic," she said, trying to ease the tension.
No one was buying it though and Charlie shook his head before giving his daughter a lop-sided smile. "No Bells, it's time. Plus, I think Sue would like to put some of her personal touches on the place," he said, smiling over at Sue. Sue smiled but said nothing.
I didn't want to be too early for school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I donned my jacket, which had the feel of a biohazard suit-and headed out into the rain.
The statement about the jacket feeling like a biohazard suit earned Bella more than a few chuckles. Honestly, everyone was wondering how they missed this girl's sense of humor.
It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me through immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up.
The vampires in the room all looked up in disbelief at Charlie, making the man raise an eyebrow at them. "What? What's the matter?" he asked.
Kate chuckled. "Nothing's wrong, we're just surprised that you of all people would leave your house key so easy to find," she said.
Irena, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. "That's quite a dangerous thing to do. You should really hide your key better than that," she said.
Tanya nodded, chiming in. "Indeed, that is how one ends up on the five o'clock news," she said.
Charlie waved his hand at them dismissively. "Please, Ladies. I appreciate your concern, but I must remind you that this is Forks, not Seattle. Nothing bad ever happens here," he said, rather confidently. The wolves, Cullen's, and Bella all looked away. What Charlie didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. As I walked, I missed the crunch of gravel. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted; I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood.
Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up, but the tan upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint.
Jake raised his hand up. "Actually, I cleaned it up. Also, your attention to detail is astounding," he said. Bella just shrugged.
The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a plus I hadn't expected.
Rosalie, Edward, and Jake all looked surprised to hear that tidbit of news. "That old Radio, still works?" the shapeshifter asked, with humor laced in his voice.
Bella glanced up at him in surprise. "You weren't aware of that? I thought it was you who had kept it running so well," she said. Jake shook his head.
Emmett smirked at them. "Maybe it's haunted," he said.
Jake quirked an eyebrow at him. "You believe in ghosts?" he said.
Emmett looked at him incredulously. "I'm a vampire, and you're a shapeshifter, so a ghost existing isn't out of the realm of possibilities," he said.
Jake shook his head. "I don't buy it," he said.
Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain fences, the metal detectors?
Seth, who had been silently listening until then, couldn't help but laugh at his friend's description. "Man Bella, I think you're mistaking school with prison," he said.
Bella looked at him seriously. "Back at my old school, it might as well have been," she said. Causing several people to frown at that.
Sam tilted his head. "Was your old school really that bad?" he asked, curiously.
Bella's brown eyes darkened as a memory of screaming students and bloody walls filled her mind. "Yes," she said.
I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading front office. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.
Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded, folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices, and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel over dressed.
Esme gave Edward a knowing look. "Is that this Mrs. Cope that you're always complaining about?" she asked.
Edward gave his mother a nod in confirmation. "Yes, that's her mom," he said.
Charlie looked annoyed at Edward. "What's your problem with Mrs. Cope?" he said, a note of offense in his voice. He was still angry at Edward for the pain he'd caused his daughter by leaving last year.
Emmett and Jasper chuckled in amusement as memories of Mrs. Cope flirting with Edward came to mind. Alice and Rosalie shook their heads as well. It was Bella that answered for her boyfriend. "Lay off of Edward, Dad. You would have a problem with her too if you witnessed how she openly flirts with him," she said. The statement made a few people give the book a look of disgust. Charlie flushed in embarrassment, as he hadn't been aware of that information until now. The thought of the middle-aged woman openly flirting with one of her students was enough to make him gag.
The red-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?"
"I'm Isabella Swan," I informed her, and saw immediate awareness light her eyes. I expected a topic of gossip, no doubt. Daughter of the Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last.
Rosalie smirked at her little sister. "You should be a journalist, Bella. I'm serious," she said. She was really enjoying hearing the snarky side of her sister.
Alice gave a sequel in agreement. "Oh, she would be great at that! Especially with her attention to detail," she said, clapping her hands.
Bella thought about it for a few minutes. She had never thought about being a writer as a career choice before, but now it was something she was seriously considering. "I'll keep it in mind," she said, gesturing to her sisters.
"Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school," she brought several sheets of paper to show roe.
Emily raised an eyebrow in surprise. "They really have a map for a school of that size?" she asked. Bella and the Cullen's nodded.
She went through my classes with me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.
When I went back to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy. At home, I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley district. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot. The nicest car here was a shiny Volvo, and it stood out.
Edward gave a lovely smile as he thought about his Volvo, who, until Bella came along, had been his love. It could be speculated that the real reason Bella disliked the car was because of her lover's feelings about the vehicle. Although, if ever confronted, Bella would vehemently deny the idea.
Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me.
Edward looked at his girlfriend sadly. "Unfortunately, Love. Your car didn't matter. You would have been the center of attention that day , regardless simply because you were new," he said.
Bella sighed. "I knew that deep down, but still I had to try to remain invisible," she said. Edward nodded in acknowledgment.
Emmett looked seriously at his sister. "It was a splendid effort though," he said, earning him a smile from Bella.
I looked at the map in the truck, trying to memorize it now; hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything in my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me.
That last statement made the vampires in the room burst out into fits of laughter. Oh, the irony of that statement. The wolves, however, looked less than pleased.
I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck.
I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk, crowded with teenagers. The sheep, Erica, once called them. My plain black jacket didn't stand out, I noted with relief.
Once I got around the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large "3" was painted on a white square on the east corner. I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door.
Carlisle frowned as he listened to his youngest daughter's description of her first day. To him, a licensed doctor, it sounded like she either had an undiagnosed social disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He made a mental note to ask her about it once they had a moment alone.
The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one a porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale, with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't stand out here.
Alice looked quizzically at Bella. "Honey, what were you expecting them to look like?" she asked.
Bella tilted her head to the side in thought. "I guess tan," she said.
Jake smirked. "So, someone like me then?" he said, rather proudly.
Bella diverted her eyes away from him. "Uh, no," she said. Jake pouted, making the rest of the pack burst into laughter.
I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name-not an encouraging response- and of course I flushed tomato red. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in the back, but somehow they managed.
Edward chuckled. "I remember how annoyed everyone was that Mr. Mason placed you in the back. The boys especially were disappointed," he said.
Charlie looked over curiously at Edward. "I didn't realize that you were in that class, Edward," he said.
Edward waved his hand away. "Oh I wasn't," he said.
A look of confusion came over Charlie's face. "Then how do you know that everyone was disappointed then?" he asked, rather accusingly, by the way.
Bella, who had grown tired of her father's behavior towards her mate, wasn't having it though. "Enough, Dad. It will be explained later," she said.
I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything.
Carmen's eyes lit up with approval and excitement. "Finally! Someone who appreciates the classics. Bella, if need some new reading material, Elazar and I would be glad to give you some new recommendations," she said.
Jasper also looked excited. As an avid reader, he always appreciated when he could discuss books with someone. "I also have a few books recommendations for you, Bella," he said.
Bella's eyes lit up. When it came to books she was as passionate about them as Alice was when it came to shopping. "I would love that," she said.
Old Quil, who had been silent this whole time, also looked at the girl in approval. "Chief Swan, why didn't you tell me that your Bella was so smart? The next time you come to the reservation, young lady, you must come by and have some tea. I would love to hear your thoughts about Chaucer," he said.
Irena looked thoughtfully at Bella. "I would also like to hear your thoughts about them too," she said.
Bella's nodded her head. "I would love to," she said to the both of them.
That was comforting… and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays, or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on.
When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.
"Eric," Rosalie, and Alice said together.
"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.
"Bella," I corrected. Everyone within a three seat radius turned to look at me.
"Where's your next class?" he asked.
I had to check in my bag. "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six,"
There was no where to look without meeting curious eyes.
"I'm headed to building four, I could show you the way… "Definitely over-helpful. "I'm Eric", he added.
I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."
Leah looked at Bella boredly. "Geez, Bella. You act like you've never been hit on before," she said. although, to be honest, she was a little curious about that.
Bella blushed. "That's because, I hadn't been until that point," she said. Earning her more than a few raised eyebrows.
So here's chapter five, of Reading Twilight with a Twist. Hope you're enjoying it so far.