2. Ugh, Mondays
Waking up in a new room is strange, waking up in a room that has a glass wall overlooking the forest is something else. The sun peak into my room through small breaks in trees and branches, with a particular bright sunbeam hitting me right on my eyes. I squeeze my tighter and grumble irritation that I have to leave my bed only to be thrust into a pack of wolves that is high school. It is then that the sun shines brighter as if Apollo heard me and is now basking in the happiness of my misery. Turning my back to the window, actually managing to doze off again.
That is until my alarm clock goes off.
I grumble and groan in frustration as I kick off the comforter and blanket and I sit up in defeat. Swinging my feet off the bed, I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth, shower, wash my face. I stare at myself once I'm done, my father's sea-green eyes reflect with my mother's brown hair. My few gray strands of hair catch my attention, giving it one final brush, I throw myself a funny look. Still half asleep, I stumble back to my room and fall back to bed where I contemplate whether I should go to school. After I long debate with myself, I settle in defeat as I once again get up from my cozy bed.
He stands with his back to me, left hand placed on the kitchen counter while the other is hidden by his body. I see his right arm rise to bring something to his face, the soft sound of blowing air followed by a sip of what I assume to be either coffee or tea. A gentle hum echoes throughout the kitchen, his body is encircled by the calm glow of the sunrise as he overlooks the view of the forest through the glass.
The entire setting is too peaceful that I almost don't even speak but I do.
"Dad?" I ask as I walk closer to him. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I thought that as your father it would be appropriate to see you off on your first day of class. Since - "
"You have never done it before on any of my other first-day school." I cut him off with a smirk as he turns around to meet my eyes.
"Exactly," He nods as he raises his cup towards me. "Coffee?"
"Yes, please," I grab it from his hand and blowing gently before taking a sip. I glance around the kitchen aimlessly before they settle on the something sleek that shines brightly in the morning dew that slips through some of the trees outside. But it, not the object itself that catches my eye but the sliver symbol that is attached to the bumper. I roll my eyes at the sight of the symbol before I face Dad. "Really? A Maserati? I thought Apollo was the only one."
"Please, I was the one that showed him the car in the first place. The vehicle was founded by one of my grandchildren, your brother Rodolfo's children, in 1914 in Italy. But interestingly the symbol of the trident was added until later after…"
He talks about the car as he admired his dark blue vehicle. I stayed quiet, staring at him talking as I kept taking sips of my coffee. For a moment the sound of two people sipping on their coffee fills the kitchen, with the occasional hum in the satisfaction that only a good cup of joe can create. After a while, he seemed to realize that I haven't spoken he finally turned his gaze back to me.
"Dad as much as this conversation is interesting and fascinating, especially since it's about a brother," I pause as I procced to chug the rest of coffee, luckily it cooled enough to chug it but still warm enough to still taste great. Finishing my cup, I wipe a drop of coffee that slipped from the corner of the mouth. I only rinse out my cup before I dump in the dishwasher. "I need to go to school."
"Are you ready?"
I answer him, "Not in the slightest."
He laughs brashly and in return, I glare at him.
"I'm so glad that my misery amuses you, Father," I snarl at him, which only causes to snigger at me even more.
I decided to toast a cinnamon raisin bagel to wash down the coffee. And to try to calm my stomach, the knot in my stomach tightens and the butterflies flutter faster at the thought of school. I thought the coffee would help calm my nerves, but it wasn't it enough. So I'm stress eating now. "Do you want anything to eat?"
"No, I'm fine with the coffee for now. I'm having brunch with your brother in New York once you leave for school."
"Suit yourself," I say with a mouth full of bagel. I hold the bagel in the mouth as I move around the kitchen gather snacks and filling up my reusable water bottle.
"Don't speak with food in your mouth, please. That is no way for a Queen or any young lady to eat. Aphrodite would be appalled if she was here," He chastise me with a shake of his head as he drinks more of his coffee.
I pause my movement and take the bagel out my mouth, I swallow the bite before I state, "Then it is a good thing that she is not here, right?"
He hums in agreement.
Placing all the items on the counter, I head back to my bedroom to get my backpack. I quickly snatch it from the corner of the room where I dumped it yesterday. I'm way out the door when I stop and make a quick twirl on foot back into my room with a huff. I throw my backpack to my bed before I make my way into my bathroom, grabbing my toothbrush as soon as I get to the sink. Two minutes I make my out as I wipe my mouth of any leftover water and once again snatch my backpack.
"Okay, I should head out. I will see you later Dad. Dinner this weekend?" I hug him and kiss his cheek. "We can do it in Seattle, how does that sound?"
"Of course, I'll make the reservation and send you the details." He returns the hug with a pat on my back.
"Cool! I'll see you later." I make my way to the door to the garage and just as I'm about to reach the door I make a turnaround back to the kitchen. "Damn it. Forgot my car keys."
I look for my keys in the usual places that I put them back, but they're not there. I search around more before, maybe I put them somewhere else. Looking at my watch, only causes me to panic.
"Dad, have you seen my keys?" I yell at him from the living room.
"Do you mean these?"
I turn around to see him dangling a set of car keys, however, it's not my car keys. "Those are not my car keys."
"They are now," He tossed them to me.
I clasp onto them with one hand. "What?"
"Go see for yourself," Dad tilts his head toward. With on last perplex glance at my dad, I stride to the garage, where my breath is taken away by what I see once I see what's inside the garage.
"Oh, my Gods! What…wh-how… where my Chevy?"
"What happens to blend in?" Jessica comments to me as she gets in the passenger seat when I stop in front of her house.
"Try telling that to my dad. He was all like 'a Chevy is not suitable for a lady of my status. Blah-blah and some other crap, I kind of zone out after a while," I'm chuckling by the time I stop speaking. "Honestly I'm just happy it's not a Maserati."
"Yeah well, an Audi is a more appropriate car for a Queen," Jessica says with a smirk.
"Oh Gods, you sound just like him. Whatever, anyway what did you want to talk to me about? And why couldn't you tell me over the weekend?" I peel out from her house as I make my way to Mike's house.
"It's not that we couldn't tell you, Mike and I decided that it will be best if only one of us tried to warn you about-?
"Warn me? About what?" I cut her off as the car swirls for a second beforw manage to get control. My heart drops way her inflicted words reach my ears, a buzzing surrounds me as my throat tightens making it harder to breathe. My breathing grows deeper, louder, and more shallow as minute crawls by excruciatingly painful. The air grows tense and uncomfortable as moisture gathers in my hands as they tighten around the steering wheel. My heart begins to accelerate quickly, the thumping of my heartbeat reaches my ears.
"Bella, calm down, okay? You have to try to claim down, alright? Breathe," Jessica's voice muffles faintly through the noise. I try to focus on her voice as I gasp for air shakily and even attempt to do as she suggests but I can't. "Bella pull over. Pull. over. You can't drive this."
I manage to swerve roughly out off the street and into the car into an abrupt break and put it into the park. The jerks because of the sudden stop as we bounce inside the car. I slam my head on the steering wheel. The sound of the head connecting with the leather echoes loudly through the car silencing the buzzing and the thumping in ears. All is silent and quiet, the time has stopped, and the world outside the car has disappeared. Jessica sits patiently and silently, waiting for me to speak first.
"It's over. I'm okay now," I declare heavily out of breath after a moment, I put the car back into drive and begin to make my way to Mike's house. The air is stiff and uncomfortable so none of us have the guts to speak.
"Dude! Sick Audi!" Mike yells as he throws himself into the back seat behind Jessica. He makes himself comfortable as he slings the seatbelt over his chest. "By the way! Did you guys see that Maserati that pass by? Dark navy slash midnight blue? That's a very nice car!"
I slowing pull out of Mike's house and drive us to school, Jessica and I are silent as Mike continues to rant about whatever his ranting about. It's not until that we are about a mile away that Mike realizes that none of us have contributed to the conversation.
"Is everything okay? You guys haven't said a single word since you pick me up? Bella?" Mike's concerned voice pulls me out my thought by surprise that says the first words that come to mind.
"The Maserati was my dad. He was just passing through," I murmur as I pull into a parking spot closest to the school.
"What!" Mike exclaims as I turn off the car and get out, closing the door behind me. I open the passenger door behind me and reach in to get my backpack. Mike yells out at to me from the other seat," "That was your dad! What was he doing here? And why did he have a Maserati?"
I stand fully as I swing my backpack on before I bend back down so my head is leveled with Mike's. I raise an eyebrow at him before I speak, "Are you planning of getting out of my car anytime soon?"
"Are you going to answer my questions anytime soon?"
"I will if you get out," I hold his stare, as I put one hand on the car and the other one the door.
"Deal." Mike unbuckles his seatbelt, grabbing his backpack and jumps out the car quickly. We close our doors at the same time while Jessica stands by the car waiting for us. "Spill."
"He just wanted to see me off on my first day, like any regular, normal, and boring dad," I say as I make my way to the school doors. Mike and Jessica are on either side of me as we walk to school. There are few glances made at us, well at me. I try my best to ignore the stares, block them out as we make our way through the front doors and into the main hallway. Whispers filter in, not so discreet finger-pointing and roaming eyes go up and down, it all feels like I'm some form cage animal in a zoo. I love being the new kid. "And something about that company was founded
"Well, no "regular, normal, and boring dad" owns a Maserati but whatever. Okay anyway, this is the front office," Mike says as stop in glass door that is mark Front Office. "Just go in there and Mrs. Cope will help you out."
"I kind of figured that out. This is not my first time going to a new school," I joked as I walk closer to the door, grabbing the handle ready to pull it.
"Ha-ha very funny. See you later guys." Mike waves goodbye and is soon lost in the crowd of people. Swallowed in a sea of teenagers going in different directions, until all you saw was a blur of color.
Jessica stood by my side as we saw Mike disappear into the flood, and once he was fully gone she turned to me. Her eyes full of questions and worried, I prepared myself for her interrogation. But she never said anything, her eyes said it all and I believe that she may have seen the answer in mine. And that was okay with her since all she gave me was a small nod, smiled softly at me, and walked away as well. And I stood alone as I open the door into took a step inside.
Hours tick by, every minute is defined by slight movement. Tick after ticking after tick the clock hand goes around the clock until somehow next thing I know it is the period before lunch. After attending so many different schools, the first days have become routines, teaches either force me to introduce myself because they either truly care about making me "feel welcome" or they that enjoy putting fresh meant in the spotlight. Or the teachers themselves are tired the mundane routine and frankly don't care so they simply brush you off to whichever empty seat.
I move from classroom to classroom trying my best to hide in the crowd, which of course is nearly impossible being the new kid. People even walk around me as I make my way through the hallway in-between classes. It almost made me wonder if I walking around in full body armor. Despite all the schools that I have attended throughout the years, I haven't gone to one with a town this small in population. Maybe that's why they stare, they are truly not used to seeing a new face.
When bell rings singling the five-minute transition is over I finish washing my hands quickly before I run out of the restroom. Luckily the restroom was empty so I didn't even have to go through the pretense of keeping my hands wet only to dry them with a paper towel. As soon I removed my hands from the water dry instantly, so no need to waste sheets of paper towel only to keep up a façade. The restroom door slams behind me as I run to my next class, I seemed to be all over the place today. I was running behind this morning, almost forgot to brush my teeth and now I'm late for the fourth period.
I reach the door of classroom 214, I throw it open and thrust myself in without a second thought. I immediately freeze when 19 pairs of eyes look up at me, I stand awkwardly by the door when no one, not even the teacher, says anything until finally, the teacher clears their throat.
"Hi, I'm new," I say obviously, dumfounded even. "Bella Jackson."
"Hello Bella, I'm Mrs. Williamson," She shakes my hand with a soft smile. "I'll let it slide it this time being late since your new, just try to be on time tomorrow, okay? Anyway, it'll be nice not to be an odd number of students anymore. I have an empty seat for you behind Alice. Alice, raise your hand."
I look around the classroom until I see small, pale delicate hand peaks out among the heads in the last row closest to the windows that outlook the forest. I nod in acknowledgment give Mrs. Williamson a small smile in thanks and quickly make my assigned seat. Eyes follow my every movement across the room turning their head, after what feels like 20 miles I make it to my seat. This Alice girl keeps her head down, thankful that I have one less pair of eyes on me. I sit down at my desk and I place my backpack down next to me taking out the new notebook with a pen. I flip open my notebook to the first page and click the pen ready to take notes that when I look up I flinch in surprise when I still have eyes on me.
I give a cringing and sheepish smile, at last, they turned back to face the teacher and I am forgotten in the background. I breathe out in relief and proceed to take notes for the rest of the period. The next forty-five minutes pass by easily and not as painful as the beginning, the even the sound of the bell releasing us to lunch. I blinked in shock that this class has gone by so fast, I look up from where I'm writing to see that the girl that sits in front of me, Alice, is already at the door. I finish zipping up my backpack after putting away my things, swinging the strap over my shoulder I make my out the classroom and make my way to the cafeteria.
I find my way rather easily, whoever design this school didn't exactly make it too difficult to maneuver around. I enter the cafeteria and already the lines are filled with people, not seeing Jessica or Mike yet I decide to get in line. While in line for a crappy slice of pepperoni pizza, Jessica comes up to me.
"Hey! How's it been so far? Everything okay?" She asks me as we both get trays as we filed through the line, getting a bowl of salad and one for fruit.
"Yeah, so far okay. People staring but that's nothing new," I respond with a shrug as we choose our drinks, selecting a sweet tea for myself while Jessica gets a Dr. Pepper soda. Finally, we are given our slices of what is a poor excuse of pizza, I scrunch up nose as I peer at the pizza. I spot a basket filled with baggies of cookies and brownies and it just too hard to say no to that. I really shouldn't get one but whatever, I reach for a packet of cookies. I pay for my lunch and wait for Jessica to pay for hers so we can find a place to sit.
"Follow me, I know where we can sit. I can also introduce you to some of our friends," Jessica jerks her head in one direction before making her way through the crowd.
"Wait, what about Mike?" I tell her as I follow her.
"He probably got held back by a teacher of something, or maybe he's in the restroom. Don't worry, he knows where to find us," She says as we come to the table filled with some people. She places her tray in front of one of the empty chairs before throwing her arm over my shoulder. "Guys, this is Bella. She's a friend of mine and Mike from summer camp, just transferred here today."
I nod with a smile. "Hi, nice to meet you guys."
"Bella, this is Angela, one of the sweetest people you'll meet," She points to a girl sitting down on my left, she wearing a pair black-rimmed glasses framed with thin bangs, her dark brown hair is in half up half down hairstyle that hangs in very loose waves. Her features seemed to be of Asian descendent with her slightly tan and warm complexation, her brown eyes look up to me, filled with curiosity but acceptance at the same time. She smiles at me politely and offers a quite greeting before returning to her food.
"This idiot next to Angela is Eric," She continues pointing to the guy that is next to Angela. He's already taken a bite into his pizza when she calls out his name so all I get is a muffled, hello since his mouth is filled to brim with food. "Gross, Eric. Real nice, always keeping it classy."
His black hair is styled neatly bushed back off-center, he has a clean-cut look but his hazel eyes hold mischief and playfulness. He holds up his hand as a signal for us to wait for him to finish chewing and swallowing to hear him speak properly this time. "What did you expect of me? You caught me off guard! You saw that I just took a bite, you were just setting me up for embarrassment! Anyway, hi Bella. Nice to meet you. See! I have manners!"
"Yeah, the manners of an ape!" The rest of the table erupts into a laugher as the guy comments from across the table. I let out a chuckle as I put my tray on the table and pull out the chair to sit down, Jessica does the same.
"And that brings us to Tyler, idiot two," Jessica declares in between her laughter, jerking her head to another dude. His dark skin glows nicely and he has miles makes his face open and friendly, like when his laughs it's a full belly laugh. The wrinkles around his eyes show that he likes to laugh, a lot. He has on a Forks High School letterman jacket with a hoodie underneath, a typical jock.
"Nice to meet all you. I'm Bella," I say with a smile, though inside I'm a nervous mess. I'm not always the best when it came to meeting new people. The butterflies have returned, stronger this time. I almost lose my appetite; as grab my slice to take a bite.
"So, where you from? Jessica said something summer camp, you meant her and Mike there?" Eric says after he's chug some if his Gatorade.
I chew my pizza slowly, trying to delay having to give my answer. I contemplate the best way to approach this question, give enough where they are satisfied with my answer. But I can't give too much information that will cause me to only raise more questions. Too many questions will put Jessica, Mike, and me in a tough position.
"I'm from New York, and yeah, I meet them during a summer camp on the outskirts of New York after sixth grade. Been friends with them ever since then, feels like I've known forever though," I say hesitantly, taking small sips of my drink to wash down the awful aftertaste of the thing called pizza. I wish I could have typical New York-style pizza, that crust with the perfect balance between thick and thin, the crunch smoothed by the silky tomatoes sauce flavored with oregano. I can go on and on about good pizza, just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
"Ah, that's cool. What's that camp like? Jessica and Mike go there every year and they never speak much of it," Tyler follows up, he's munching on a sandwich he brought from home. Smart choice, I think, he knew better to bring his food rather than eat this trash.
"Eh it's okay," That right damned lie, it's awesome. I mean besides the occasional hazard of monsters or Gods that may try to kill you. "It's like any other summer camp. Swimming, capture the flag, smores by the fire camp, etc. You know?"
That part is true, just not the whole truth. They nod in acceptance, and I sign in relief that they aren't pushing with more questions. For the next few there's not much talking, everyone is too busy eating their lunch. There is a random comment or question about a class or teacher in particular that made them upset or gave them a heavy homework load for the night. It all seems pretty relax and laid back, for the most part, it almost seems like for a brief moment I am a normal, boring teenager in a new school. That is until Mike comes running in, and at that moment any fantasy of having a normal life came breaking down.
"Hey, guys!" Mike comes running in, his hands waving in the air. They all look at him before they roll their eyes, I'm guessing this reoccurring thing with Mike. I stare at him as he gets closer to the table, it's when I move my eyesight slightly to the left. And that's when I see them.
