Sorry for the long wait I've been busy. Busy enough that if I hadn't received the reviews that I did I wouldn't have posted this chapter till the New Year. Though if I had gotten more reviews this update might have been quicker but I'm not complaining. Now at the end I'll talk about the last chapter a little bit more, but for now it's time for the next awaited chapter…
I walked into the office, nothing different about it, and was greeted by the receptionist with wild red hair. "Hello, dear, you must be Isabella Swan, am I right?" She smiled sweetly at me.
"Yes. I prefer Bella, though."
She nodded and walked over to one of the file cabinets behind her and handed me my schedule, a map of the school, and a slip of paper for all my teachers to sign. She talked me through everything she handed me, making me even later. "I hope you and your siblings have a nice day, Miss Swan and if any of you have any problems you come straight here."
The receptionist in the office had told me if my family and I had any problems then we should go to her. I almost laughed out loud at the idea. If any of us had problems we couldn't solve there was no way the school would be able to help with that. So the receptionist would most definitely not see us that often.
Finally I reached my classroom that had started around twenty minutes ago. Reaching for the door handle I felt a sprinkle of water fall onto my head. I looked up to the sky already seeing rain clouds forming and water drizzling down.
Great, like it's not bad enough to be late for my first class on my first day, but now it's starting to rain. Great, just great, I'm never going to make it through the day with my sanity still intact.
Quickly I rushed inside and shut the door a little too loud and rough. The whole class was staring at me as I hung up my jacket with the rest of the jackets, trying to act casual, but I doubt that it was working.
People were whispering to each other as I passed them. Their voices were not subtle and very audible. Nothing interesting in what they were saying though. It was pretty much the same thing just in different words, but the most said statement was 'is that the new girl?' Wow, give them a price Bob for being able to figure out the most obvious thing in the world. Yeah, I was in a really foul mood today.
I handed the slip of paper, that the receptionist had given me, to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He took my slip of paper roughly, signed it, gave it back to me along with other sheets, and sent me to an empty desk at the back while glaring at me. Apparently, he didn't like late comers to his class but at least there weren't any introductions on my benefit. Hopefully, the rest of the classes would be like that. I absolutely despised giving pointless introductions especially since there would be a couple lies in them as usual.
Sitting far in the back made it harder for my classmates to stare at me while trying to still be coy, yet they managed. Averting their gazes I stared down at a list my new English teacher had given me. It listed books I'd already read several times along with a few authors who I already had met. The class would be easy for me as always, which was comforting but at the same time boring. Homework in the class though would be a waste of time, maybe.
Thinking back to all the papers and essays I had kept saved from over the years that my sister and brother thought was pointless. Now it would actually be quite helpful for my part as they were all neatly set in a folder that would be arriving tonight. I started to think about what my siblings would act when they found out about my new found resource for homework while the teacher droned on, slightly glaring at me.
The bell rang and a guy with acne problems and bad hair gel came up to me. "You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"
"Bella and yes, I am," I replied. Everybody close turned to listen to our conversation, just what I need an audience.
"Where's your next class?" he asked as I immediately saw where this was going. His profile fit the overfriendly chess player, perfectly.
Looking down at my schedule I replied, "Government with Jefferson, in building six." Looking back up, I was met by several curious, watching eyes.
"What a coincidence I'm headed near that building, maybe I could show you the way," he said being his over helpful self.
Yeah, a coincidence, I'm sure, but I really didn't need directions it wasn't a big school. One of the smallest schools I've gone to over the years. There was no fear of getting lost here.
"Sure," I replied trying to be polite while trying to keep my foul mood under wraps. It wouldn't make my day any better if I was rude to the kid. He was trying to help after all, even if it is help I don't need.
"Great, my name is Eric by the way," he said. We got our jackets and walked out of class, straight into the rain.
Glaring up at the sky I wondered how I didn't hear it inside the classroom. Must have gotten too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice, which was a good thing. It wouldn't have looked good if I zoned out or freaked out during class. Though, if hope is in my favor again, the same thing won't happen now or for the rest of the day for that matter.
"So…you're from Phoenix, Arizona," Eric stated trying to make small talk. I glanced behind us at people who were trying to be subtle on eavesdropping, but they were not doing a good job on it. Guess they were only good at staring.
"Indeed," I replied averting my eyes forward again.
"It doesn't rain there a lot, does it?"
"Three or four times a year, max," I replied. Just the way I liked it.
"Wow, it must be a big change then coming here," he stated as I nodded. "You don't look very tan for living in a place with little rain," he noted as everybody did.
"I know it is simply genetics, paleness runs in most of the family, if not all. We just do not react to the sun as other do," I replied as I thought back to all my classmates. They were all pale, somewhat for a town like this, but I was sure enough the palest. "Guess I'll fit in perfectly here, being one of the palest students."
"You sure would win a spot, tied with the Cullens," he replied.
"The Cullens?" I asked but we had arrived at the building too soon for him to reply.
"Yeah, students, adopted students. They stand out I'm sure you'll notice them when you see them. Bye," he said leaving me in front of the building. I walked through the doors into the classroom, away from the unforgiving rain. My thoughts, however, were currently wrapped around 'The Cullens' from curiosity.
:…:…:…:
The classes passed quickly by with little excitement. Every class was mostly the same as the last. Pointless introductions, easy homework assignments, and many stares from fellow classmates, which was what many only did was stare. How original.
There was however a girl who sat next to me in Spanish class, a brunette with wild curly hair, who had the nerves to start a conversation with me. Although, talking and asking a few simple questions was all she did. Not that I minded much it wasn't like I could keep a conversation with her going without throwing in lies. Besides, from experiences at my old schools, it was nice to be the listener for once and not have to talk so much. The shy girl act was really starting to work for me. I might actually keep the role permanently for at least a couple of decades.
When lunch came around the girl from Spanish was nice enough to introduce me to her table. Though maybe it was because I was the star of attention (which hopefully won't last long) for the day, was the true reason for her politeness. Nevertheless it didn't matter much to me it wasn't like I was staying in the town long term. I couldn't even if I wanted to.
After introductions, conversations started to form about everyday things mostly dealing with school. I didn't try to keep up instead I easily tuned out the voices while looking around the large cafeteria or canteen as they would say in Australia. Soon enough I spotted what I was searching for, my siblings, who seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Noah, it appeared had already fitted quite nicely at school, nothing new there. Serenity was also on the up sides chatting away with some classmates while Katie sat quietly next to her looking distressed and unsure. Her eyes darted ever so often to Noah. She looked like a lost little puppy, this move was the hardest for her, since it was her first, but hopefully Serenity could help her adjust.
But something else caught my eyes, though it was more of some other people who were sitting nearby Serenity and Katie and far away from Noah and me. Seven students, incredibly good-looking, who were extremely, pale. Paler then me and my family, and that's saying a lot. Trays sat before them their food left untouched. They were all so different, but in the same way they looked the same. It simply defied the laws of nature. There was something very different about them that connected them in such a way, but what was it.
Racking my brain for the answer a conversation early clicked. They were the Cullens, adopted students, the over helpful geek had mentioned before. Hmmm…I looked each one closely as I could as if the answers were written on their perfect skin foreheads.
There was a petite girl, four feet something, with spiky black hair. She seemed to be the most content out of all of them, though there was something troubling her. Next to her was a boy, lean and muscular with blonde shaggy hair. He seemed to be in pain as if someone was stabbing him over and over again. Then there was another guy with short curly brown hair, extremely muscular. Someone you did not want to mess with if you could not be able to take a punch. He and the boy with the blonde hair seemed older than average high school students along with the other girl (maybe they had been held back). She was much taller than the spiky haired girl and had flowing, almost golden, hair. Supermodels would be jealous of her beauty and would very literally kill for her supposedly impossible figure.
While the girl with the spiky hair, almost pixie like, left I looked at the last one at the table. It was another boy less muscular than his brothers with a more youthful appearance. His hair was reddish brown the shade of bronze and untidy which worked for him quite well. Soon enough however he looked over to my table as if someone had called him over. Our eyes locking, I noticed how dark his eyes were as well as all the others at the table, black, coal black. Still I couldn't pin point it to anything, though I knew I should have.
As quickly as the boy looked in my direction he looked away. I turned to my neighbor, the girl from my Spanish class, who eyes were flickering between me and the direction of the Cullens.
"Who are they?" I asked as my mind racked through the ideas of why they seemed familiar and so different form everyone else.
"The Cullens," she stated as if it was obvious. Though that information I had already gathered. "The girl who left was Alice Cullen and the incredibly muscular guy is Emmett Cullen. The two blondes are Jasper and Rosalie Hale, foster children, and the one with the reddish shade of hair is Edward Cullen. They're adopted children of Dr. and Mrs. Cullen."
"Foster children, aren't they too old to be foster children?"
"Yes, but they were brought into the Cullen family when they were eight or something. They're supposedly relatives of Mrs. Cullen, like a niece and nephew of hers."
"Well that was nice of them to take all of them in with open arms," I noted as Jessica sneered.
"Yeah, I hear it's because Mrs. Cullen can't have kids," Jessica replied as if it made a difference. Apparently in her mind it did. "But here's the really weird part, they're all together, as in dating. Jasper and Alice are together and Emmett and Rosalie. Only Edward is alone, because apparently nobody here is good-looking enough for him, so don't waste your time," Jessica warned bitterly. Seemed somebody was resentful of being rejected. Wonder when that happened.
I glanced over at the table to see Edward's head turned away towards the wall, a smile seemed to be forming on his lips. Before however, throughout my conversation Jessica I had a paranoid feeling of being watched.
"How long have they lived here?" I asked looking back at Jessica
"Only a couple years, they moved down from Alaska," Jessica said before she became wrapped up into another conversation.
Looking back over to the table one last time I saw them all leaving their trays remaining untouched. They were all exceptionally graceful I noticed. Watching Edward I saw his eyes shift over to my brother, Noah, for a second and then he was gone with the rest of his family.
Looking over to my brother, who looked back to me, no doubt we both had been asking questions about the Cullens. Trying to figure out why they were so different. My gaze shifted to my sisters, Serenity was too wrapped up in a conversation to notice the Cullens, and Katie was too nervous and unsettled to notice as well.
Shaking off an uneasy feeling I continued to stay seated at the table longer then I would have if I'd been sitting alone or with my siblings. But when I did get up another girl, Angela walked with me to Biology 2, a class we both had. She was friendly, in a nicer way then Jessica, and quite. She reminded me a little of Katie.
Break down on Author's Note, yeah it's that long. Section 1) last chapter, 2) Hancock, 3) poll, 4) reviews
Alright for this chapter I tried to make it similar to Twilight without copying it, so it might not have been as great as the others but it will get better again. Now from the reviews I've received from the last chapter the chapter was obviously confusing, I expected that. I hadn't planned on writing anything like that chapter, in fact until then there was no Riley, and Laurent and James had no roles. It was after watching previews of a book made into a movie (one you probably would never guess though you could try if you want) on youtube that I was struck with inspiration. Ideas formed in my head and I tweaked them to fit the story line. So I do know from the beginning that it was going to be confusing and I tried my best to explain as much as I could without giving away the future surprises to come. The only other thing I'll let on, which you might already know, for now is that James will indeed be playing a very important key role in this story and he is not a vampire.
Now what else was there that I wanted to say…oh yes, if you've seen Hancock it might actually help in understanding some parts of the story, for the time being. But if you have not its okay, I will explain certain things in future chapters. What I do want you to know is that the Swans are like Hancock with just a few changes about certain aspects.
The other thing I have to tell you, and I know this is a long author's note but there is just a lot I need to say, is that there is a poll on my profile for the story. Some of you may have already seen it, but I've been too lazy to put it in any of the author notes for the last chapters. Although, I have already asked the question in one of my other author notes, which is should Bella's blood sing for Edward in the story. So far I have had two responses. One in a review saying yes it should another in the poll saying yes as well but in a different way. So you can still go to the poll and cast a vote or write it in a review, soon. Otherwise I think I'm going to go with yes in a different way, though I could easily change my mind into making it a simple yes since it is tie.
Now the final, last thing I have to say is review you might get the next chapter sooner, and thank you for all those who reviewed for the last chapter your reviews are the only thing that got this chapter out now instead of New Years Day. Non-reviewers, be grateful. Oh, and I swear this is the last thing but writing questions in the reviews is fine with me just to let you know, I actually enjoy explaining it, and I will reply to them. Merry Christmas!