A/N My apologies Christmas Holiday has been insane, sorry for not posting last Friday, and posting late today. No excuses it was me being overwhelmed. This is being sent out unbeta'd so any obviously badly done grammar and such oops… mi bad. Oh on the plus side I've upgraded from Vista to Win7 and from Office 2003 to Office 2007 *whispers one reason why I was behind.* But enough of that on with the show! For being patient my dear readers double posting tonight. thanks
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Chapter 8: The Beginning
Bella stood outside of the idling patrol car. She took a few deep calming breaths. She could smell the moistened pine trees that probably surrounded the school. She also could smell the exhaust of the car, the dampened earth, in the distance she could hear people getting out of cars, the laughter of people as they all headed toward the school. The slight warming of her skin signaled a break in the ever present clouds. Today the sun decided to welcome her back to school.
Flicking out her wrist, she heard then felt the cane click in to place. She started up the pathway that Charlie had just described to her; she wavered slightly as she tested the texture of the smooth stones beneath her feet. Pausing briefly she could still hear the smooth idle of the car. She turned; pasting what she hoped was a confident smile on her face, lifted her hand and waved Charlie off.
Bella heard the shift of the transmission then the car pull away from the curb. She took a deep breath and cautiously took her time walking in to the main office. Smirking to herself as she thought about her day so far, she realized she knew how prisoners felt. First being driven in a police car and now she was standing in front of the school where she would be forced to spend her days as required by law.
The soft thump of her cane against the small step she took a deep breath reaching out she grasped the handle and pulled it open. She used her cane to test the height of the step before proceeding over the threshold in to the overheated office.
It smelled of papers and cleaning supplies, a slight but familiar medicinal smell lingered to her right. Bella figured it was where the nurse's office was. Standing quietly she heard the rustle of papers behind the desk; a hurried voice spoke softly to herself. There was a mechanical sound, what she guessed was a copier chugging away somewhere nearby. The overpowering smell of roses emanated from somewhere behind the desk.
The phone rang startling Bella walked tentatively toward the sound, stopping only when she reached the desk. A harried voice answered the ringing. "Forks High School, Missus Cope speaking." Bella stood quietly at the desk, waiting patiently while Mrs. Cope finished her call.
Trying not to be rude she couldn't help but over hear the conversation in the tiny office. "Hey Sally, how's that order coming along?" she politely inquired, "Yes, there was a reason why we had it on a rush Sal."
Bella heard the scratching of a pen across a pad of paper, "What do you mean the copy paper won't be delivered today?"
"Well I want to see at least a box here by the end of the day." Mrs. Cope said her tone irritated. Bella heard the click of the sound of the receiver as it was set down on to its cradle with more force than necessary.
"Can I help you?" she asked annoyance tinting her voice. Bella taken off guard by her quick switch could only wait as she chastised her. "Miss, I must tell you that it is against school policy for students to wear sunglasses in school."
"I'm Isabella Swan" Bella said. "What Miss? You'll need to speak louder." Rolling her eyes behind her glasses at Mrs. Cope, she tried again "I'm Isabella Swan"
Bella heard the quick gasp, as she realized her faux pas. "If you don't mind I would prefer not to take them off." She said straining her vocal cords. She couldn't keep the slight biting edge out of her tone. Bella knowing that this probably would only be the beginning of her long day correcting people tried not to let her anger bubble over.
"Of course." Was all Mrs. Cope could say, "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She said in a kinder tone filled with pity. Bella's anger simmered below the surface of her calm façade. Bella could hear the shuffle of papers as she searched for her schedule.
Bella reached in to her bag withdrawing a voice recorder, "I don't believe I'll need a map" she said as Mrs. Cope came closer. Bella found the source of the overwhelming scent of roses.
"Yes, I don't believe you'll need it." She said with a nervous chuckle. Bella could only tap her fingers impatiently against the smooth counter. "Well here you go."
Bella could feel the stiff piece of card stock slip under the hand that was resting on the counter. A surge of annoyance bubbled up from beneath her anger; it must have showed on her face when once again Mrs. Cope sounded agitated. "Oh!" she exclaimed in a moment of awareness, Bella felt the schedule slide out from her hands, "Let me read that to you."
With all the control she could muster she nodded her head in agreement, while at the same time setting the voice recorder on the counter. "That would be great." She said through clenched teeth. Mrs. Cope didn't seem to realize was that it took all the restraint that Bella had not to slam her recorder on to the counter top. Instead Bella tapped her cane up and down against the plastic carpet runner. She briefly thought that if she wasn't careful it might cause her to trip.
Mrs. Cope now feeling anxious and nervous about her previous behavior tried to sweeten up the Chief's daughter. She put as much sympathy in her voice, the sweetness that oozed from her was almost as overpowering as the rose scented perfume she was drenched in. Bella tried to keep from gagging from the over powering scent. "Ok, let's see what we have here; your first class will be with Mr. Mason, he teaches the Advanced English."
Quickly glancing at the obviously angry young lady standing before her she added in what she thought was a soothing tone, "I'm sure you'll fit right in, but in case you feel it's a bit overwhelming we can make any changes to your schedule." She chirped. Bella's reined in her emotions enough not to beat Mrs. Cope over the head with her cane, her cheeks flushed in anger.
Obviously unaware of her tremulous state she continued the monologue. "Your next classes will be Government with Mrs. Jefferson, then Trigonometry with Mr. Varner; then Spanish with Senora Goff and then Lunch."
Taking a deep breath she paused, shooting what she thought was a hopeful smile; which quickly wilted at the realization that the girl in front of her couldn't see it. Clearing her throat she continued, her indignation at being scowled at rising slowly. "Well then let's see you have Mr. Banner for Biology; and then Gym with Coach Clap."
Mrs. Cope stopped; she tapped her pencil on the counter. "Well I don't know how the Coach is going to handle you." She said absentmindedly, Bella couldn't stand the fact that she was talking about her right in front of her, so she snapped, "I'm sure I wouldn't want the Coach to handle me anyway."
Mrs. Cope slapped her pencil on the desk, "Well missy, if you don't straighten up that attitude, you'll be in here with the principal and your father." Smirking Isabella hit pause on the recorder, "What are you going to tell them, that you yelled at a blind girl when she couldn't raise her voice above a whisper, or that you treated her like wallpaper and as you went over her schedule." Bella clicked her recorder back on without her seeing. "Isabella Swan" Mrs. Cope said through clenched teeth, Bella raised her recorder toward Mrs. Cope, "Yes Mrs. Cope" Bella whispered politely, "I'll just go find your student assistant" she said through clenched teeth.
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Bella couldn't stand the horrifically overpowering artificial scent of roses any longer. The room had been too warm, too stifling, so when she felt the sudden rush of fresh air to the left of her instead of behind her, where she originally had entered the room she made her way out the unknown door.
Stepping outside the small office Bella swung her cane in a small arc around her; a small ping to her right announced that there was something near her. The vibrations resonated up to her arm; she hit it again, feeling the strength of her obstacle. Looking down she saw a vague blur of yellow against grey. Reaching over she felt the backing of a bench, then back down making sure there was nothing in her way she cautiously placed her weight upon it.
Holding her breath, she waited for it to either fall, or to hold her. Bella sat outside the main office on the plastic coated metallic bench that could have been better used as a torture device.
Sitting outside the air was fresh, warm. The underlying scent of the woods that bordered the school sweetened the air. She greedily inhaled, absorbing her new surroundings before trying to figure out what was around her.
With a small sigh of relief she relaxed her posture. She heard the laughter of her new classmates before her. Closing her eyes she allowed the anger that built so quickly in front of Mrs. Cope to flow out of her. Taking deep calming breaths she willed herself to relax, concentrating in individual muscles Bella systematically tightened and relaxed each major muscle group, while she waited for her babysitter.
She knew it was necessary to have someone help her around school, at least for the first week or so. But she absolutely hated to have to depend on a stranger. It meant that she would have to give up what little control that she had in her life.
Bella was startled out of her meditative state by the shrill scream of the school bell. The tension that had flowed out of her came rushing back like an ocean wave in front of a storm. Rolling her shoulders Bella reined in her emotions. Standing she turned to enter the door that she had recently made her escape, she was ready to do battle with Mrs. Cope.
Annoyed she realized that she was going to be late for her first day of classes. Taking a deep sigh she reached for the door handle that would lead her back in to the horrible little office.
Grasping the handle of the door she just exited, it swung out toward her, the edge hitting her smack dab in the middle of her forehead. Her sense of balance already off kilter she tumbled backward. Her already darkened world faded away as the back of her skull hit the concrete.