I want to give a quick thanks to the betas over at PTB who worked to help me make this chapter better, thanks so much.

I don't own Twilight…

Chapter 2—Coming to Forks

I didn't think I liked having to play human. I might be half-human, but thus far I certainly didn't like pretending to be a full-blooded one. I was parked in front of my new home with Karen, luggage-less, because apparently even vampires couldn't keep an airline from losing their belongings. It was painfully awkward in the rental car, Karen and I only speaking the bare minimum to each other since leaving Volterra.

"We can go into Port Angeles again in a few days to get you some clothes." She spared me a quick glance. "Until then, you can just borrow some of mine. We're roughly the same size," Karen said.

We were rather close in appearance. With her light brown hair and hazel eyes, we could pass as family. That was the cover we were going for after all. She was supposedly my older sister, taking care of me after our parents died in a car accident.

"Thanks," I smiled, but it came out as more of a grimace.

"I guess we should just go inside. We have to head to the high school in a little bit," Karen said.

I got out of the car and pulled my small backpack over my shoulder before following her to the front door. The house was cute from the outside, with two stories bedecked in white paneling. Compared to the October wind outside, the inside was nice and warm. Someone had set up the house for us, because it had all the essential furniture. Inside, there was a couch and loveseat in dark brown, a cream colored recliner and a flat screen.

I walked into the kitchen, and I noticed the new table and the chemical lemon scent from the cleaned counters and cabinets. None of them were stocked, but Karen promised we would go grocery shopping as soon as we were finished at the school. There were pictures on the wall, though none of them contained actual people, just pictures of landscapes.

It was all staged, beautifully done, but still fake.

"Bella, which room do you want?" Karen called from upstairs. She had slipped up there as soon as I entered the kitchen. I wasn't accustomed to the nickname. I was "Isabella" or "Isabella Marie" if Heidi was angry with me. I was upstairs before I could really process it. Slowing down my movements to a more human pace was difficult.

"You can pick first." I saw her standing in a room that faced the back of the house, its windows overlooking the backyard and trees that bordered our property. I entered the opposite room and felt calmer, more comfortable with the neutral-colored walls and folded up bedspread. The room was not big by any means, but I liked it. The full size bed took up the most space in the room, but the two windows made it feel less enclosed.

"Hey, we have to leave in a little while. Do you want me to find you something to wear, or are you okay?" Karen asked, standing in the doorway of my new room.

"I think I'm alright in this." I took in the white coat I was wearing over a pale yellow dress. Adhering to Heidi's new color palette, I was dressed in the usual Heidi-chosen outfits, dresses and skirts. Though the colors always changed, I never chose my own clothing, and I never had the desire or care to do so. Although the sun was shining, it had rained, and my flats were slightly damp.

"Are you sure?"

"Why?"

"Well . . . It's just, you sort of look like a doll or something." She looked sheepish, her cheeks turning slightly pink. It was nice knowing that I was not the only one afflicted with a constant blush, though mine was more of a tomato color than a dusting of pink.

"I'm fine for now." I headed downstairs once she returned to her own room. I walked into the kitchen, glancing around but not knowing what to do while I waited for her. I focused on the view of the open backyard, not wanting to deny the opportunity I had at that moment for freedom, I called out, "I'll be in the backyard!"

Leaving the kitchen behind, I strode out into the simple backyard. It was bright out, which was rare according to Karen. Though the wind was cold, it didn't affect me; I was too preoccupied.

I had never walked on grass before, and I took a moment to savor the feel, sound, and its fresh, dewy fragrance as it crushed beneath my feet. I only saw the outside world from the windows of my room in Volterra, and now that I thought about it, I realized how ridiculously cliché and sad it sounded.

I circled the edges of the yard, staring at the trees I passed when a scent hit me, one I knew since my birth. There was a different undercurrent to the scent though. I could smell lilac, honey, and sun in the scent.

"Ready to go?" Karen called from the screen door.

"Alright." I breathed in the odd scent one last time before going back into the house. I locked the door and joined Karen in the car.

The drive to Forks High School took no time at all, unlike the actual meeting we had scheduled with the principal. The man was nice, but his intense interest in mine and Karen's past quickly became annoying. I wanted to leave the cramped space, but Karen ignored my fidgeting. A shrill bell rang through the room, causing me to jump from my seat and slam my knee on the man's desk.

"Sorry," I murmured, turning a deep shade of red when both Karen and the principle turned toward me.

"Since the day is officially over, is it possible for Bella to have a quick tour of the school? That way she will know where all her classes are tomorrow," Karen said, taking the principle's attention off of me.

Eager to leave the room, I was thankful for Karen's suggestion. The small woman from the front desk, Mrs. Cope, was called in and happily agreed to show me around.

"Well, I have your schedule right here, Bella," Mrs. Cope said, before handing me a simple paper with a map printed on the back. "Do you want to try finding your classes on your own? Or do you want me to show you?"

I couldn't pass on the chance to be alone, even just for a little while. I left the office with the paper and map on my own. The hallway was practically empty; only a few students passed down them in a hurry.

My first three classes were easy to find once I became accustomed to the numbering of the buildings. I just found my biology classroom when I caught the same scent from earlier. It was definitely stronger, but watered down by the smell of humans. It was a vampire, probably more than one, but why they would be in a high school was beyond me. Of course, they would probably be thinking the same thing about me if they caught my scent. Although I wasn't a full vampire, I still smelled like one. The vampire scent tampered with the beating of my heart and the human quality of my blood.

At least that was how Heidi explained it.

The gym was easy to find before I headed back to the office. Though I had only been gone for fifteen minutes, I was already tired and hungry—yet another aspect of being human that I would have to get used to. Aro had tested my tolerance of human food before, when I was very little, and I hated the taste of it. The switch from blood had not been a pleasant one and was stopped after three days. I didn't have to go near it after that. Obviously, I would have to get over my aversion.

"Ready to go?" Karen asked as soon as I reentered the office. I nodded, saying the customary goodbyes to those working—many of whom had their brows raised at my outfit—before leaving the small office space alongside Karen.

"Maybe I should just borrow a few things until we can go to Port Angeles tomorrow night," I murmured. Karen agreed, and I sat back in the car, watching the trees go by as we made our way toward the grocery store.

"Have you ever, uh, eaten food?" Karen sounded nervous, refusing to look at me as we pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car.

"I have, but I don't know what's good or anything. When I tried, it was pretty nasty." I wrinkled my nose in distaste, grimacing painfully. Karen laughed and seemed to relax for the first time around me.

The store was much busier than I hoped it would be. Clenching my fists, I tried not to fidget too badly when a group of students in the candy aisle glanced my way.

"It's alright. You're new. They're going to look regardless. Just walk around like you would back in Italy," she said before patting my back in a gesture of comfort.

Taking her advice, I stopped fidgeting and unclenched my fists, offering to push the cart she grabbed. I followed her as she picked out several things from the produce section before continuing to the main aisles.

She eyed the shelves, "Is there anything you want to try?"

"Not really. I don't know anything about human food. If I'm completely honest, it all sort of smells and looks disgusting to me," I said, sticking my tongue out slightly.

"Okay, well, Cocoa Krispies are the best kind of cereal. Don't listen to anyone else, Cocoa Pebbles are gross." She wrinkled her nose and flicked the Cocoa Pebbles box with her finger.

Her enthusiasm made me laugh as we went through each aisle. I questioned everything she put in the cart, but she didn't seem to mind. Karen explained the best type of Pop Tart, the miracle of Top Ramen for college students, and whether store-brand Macaroni and Cheese tasted better than Kraft's. By the time we were done, the cart was completely full.

"We should probably grab some school supplies for tomorrow. Just some essentials until we go to Port Angeles." Karen took over pushing the cart as she told me the things I would need. I grabbed some pencils, a few folders and some paper. They didn't have any backpacks, but Karen offered to let me borrow a messenger-bag she had.

Paying for the groceries was easy, especially with the card that Karen had been provided. She fidgeted as she swiped it, nervous over whether it would go through, but it did, and we put everything in the car.

Later that night, after everything was put away, and I struggled to swallow down a bowl of noodles that Karen made, I settled into my room. In Volterra, screams would echo, but rain never did. The rain hitting the roof was . . . different—loud in the quiet, tiny space. I yawned and lay back in bed, trying to ignore the constant thrumming of rain before finally letting go and passing out, snuggled in the comfortable pillows.

"Bella? It's time to get up," Karen called through my door, knocking incessantly.

I heard her approach before she knocked. While I had gone to bed early, I didn't stay asleep long. Trying to get my mind to stop working had been difficult. I couldn't stop thinking about what Heidi was doing at that moment and whether any of the guard cared that I was gone. I just stayed under the covers, watching the sky darken before it started to shine from the rising sun. The rain from the previous night was gone, and the sun shining through my window was a welcomed relief.

Karen knocked again.

I groaned, "I'm up."

I pulled myself up from bed and headed into Karen's room, thanking her when she picked out and handed me what I was going to wear for the day. This was normal for me, at least back in Volterra. Although Karen's taste was different from Heidi's. I was panicked over having to dress myself. I'd probably end up with a bunch of oddly colored, too-tight outfits. I could see how horrified Heidi would be.

"I'll get your stuff ready downstairs," Karen said, her voice traveling through my closed door. "Come down when you're finished."

I dressed quickly in black tights, a tank top, and a jacket before slipping on a red pleated skirt. My hair was a mess, but I brushed through it roughly, pulling the sides back in matching red-rose pins. Karen hadn't given me shoes, so I rushed to the bathroom and brushed my teeth before heading downstairs.

"I need some shoes," I said, entering the kitchen. Karen was stirring some coffee in a mug, a bowl of cereal slowly getting soggy in front of her. I skipped the cereal, not wanting a repeat of the stomachache I had gotten from dinner the previous night.

"I need to grab my jacket from upstairs anyway. I'll bring you something. Can you check your bag and make sure I packed everything you'll need? We'll go when I come back." She hurried upstairs, and I headed toward the messenger bag she was letting me borrow. The bag matched the color of my skirt; Red seemed to be the theme of the day.

"Here," Karen said, handing me a pair of simple black boots. "Slip those on while I warm up the car."

"I'll be out in a minute." I pulled on the boots, happy with how comfortable they were. When I got outside the air was chilly, but it was sunny, and I never truly got cold anyway. My skin was warm, several degrees hotter than a human's; it took a lot to make me cold.

The drive to school was quick, and I tried not to blush too deeply when all the students stared at us as we pulled up.

"Do you want me to pick you up after school?" Karen asked.

I thought over Karen's question for a moment. The school wasn't that far from the house, and the opportunity to get out and run—freely for the first time—was too hard to pass up. I shook my head no and got out, waving to Karen as she pulled out of the parking lot. I focused on my footsteps, staring down at my feet in desperation, the last thing I needed was to fall flat on my face in the middle of school. Knowing my luck, my skirt would probably flip over my head just to spite me.

"Is that the new girl? Tyler told me that he saw a new girl yesterday, but I can't remember what he said she looked like," A girl whispered. She was talking to two other girls near the entrance of the school; I fought to ignore them. With my hearing, it wasn't easy. I took my eyes off my feet, leveling them ahead of me, no longer ducking my head down. When the bell rang, I headed off to class, hoping that the day would go by quickly so I could have some time alone.

Wishing school would go faster didn't make it happen. The worst class was my final one—gym. While I didn't have to participate, since I didn't have the necessary clothes for the class, I still had to watch. I didn't know how to act around humans, though Karen had given me some pointers, I was still nervous.

I fidgeted every time someone stared at me too closely; I copied some of the bored movements that I had seen earlier in the day: tapping my foot, shifting my weight from side to side, and examining the ends of my hair.

Everything was awkward, and I was on edge, surrounded by the poignant smells and far too many beating hearts. I was already hungry, having accidently dumped my uneaten tray of food on a boy who cut in front of me on the way to the trashcan. His letterman jacket was stained with my greasy pizza.

I concentrated on how the rest of my day went to distract myself, and when the final bell rang, I eagerly ran out the doors. The parking lot was crowded, so I left through the side, heading for the wall of trees that lined the school property. Once I was clear from the view, I pulled off my boots and kept walking. The water on the plants soaked through my tights, it was more exhilarating than annoying.

I had only gotten the chance to really run once, and that was in a hallway in Volterra when I was still small. Aro wanted to time how fast I could run and whether I could compete with a vampire. I had surpassed them all, and Aro was overtly thrilled with the outcome.

I worked myself into a slow run—still fast by human standards—and let myself relax before gradually working up to the speed I had only dreamed of until now. I weaved through trees, leaping off fallen ones. With my fingers brushing against their foliage, I zoomed throughout the various plant life. A clearing was ahead of me, but I went to the far left, not wanting to break into the sunshine yet. My feet were completely soaked and mud-splattered up my legs onto my skirt, yet still I couldn't hold back the laugh that had been building since I had first started running.

I felt free—breathing in the smell of damp moss and sunshine—having never been given the chance to do so in Volterra. I was kept indoors, away from prying eyes, and I trained—taught everything any person or vampire could learn in every way. Freedom was what I had always been craving, though I hadn't been aware of it. I turned back toward the clearing and pushed myself faster, pulling my hair clips out.

I was only a few yards from the clearing and the sunshine when I smelled it—when I smelled him. The scent was a more concentrated version of what I had smelled the day before and again today, though today it had been smothered by the smell of so many humans. I stopped. My bag, which had been strapped over my neck and across my body, slapped against my side. I was only a few feet from the clearing; I could see someone in the middle, but not completely. It was definitely a vampire, but I had no idea why they didn't hear me. The hair clips slipped from my fingers, along with the boots, and I made my way into the sunshine, seeing the man fully without the interference of trees.

He was resting on his back in the grass, reading a book. I didn't pay attention to the title, but I watched as his skin sparkled in a way that gave away exactly what he was. Mine didn't sparkle, it just appeared luminescent in the light. I passed it off by saying I used a shiny lotion when a girl asked about it on our way to class earlier in the day. He still hadn't noticed me, so I kept staring, taking in the odd bronze color of his hair and the dark clothes that covered his body, leaving only his arms and face to shine in the sun. I listened to the song that was coming to an end as it filtered through his earbuds—a piano piece I recognized.

I stepped out farther into the clearing—more of a meadow—ignoring the warning bells that screamed in the back of my head. Demetri and Felix would have been pissed over how reckless I was being around an unknown vampire. His eyes finally snapped open, and I immediately froze, watching as he yanked out the earbuds and jumped up. He didn't crouch into a threatening position—which was odd—but he did stand up and stare at me, almost mirroring my own expression. I didn't know what to do. I didn't even breathe, but I refused to break eye contact.

His brows furrowed over his golden eyes—a color I had never seen before. An accidental gasp escaped me. He finally moved, but not in the threatening way I thought he would. He stumbled back, looking confused, before turning around and dashing out of the clearing and into the trees surrounding the meadow.

I stood there for a few moments, not exactly sure what to do. I tried coaxing my legs into turning and running, but they did the opposite. I walked farther into the meadow, toward the spot he had been resting, and saw the book he had dropped there.

I bent down to pick it up, it was an old book, one I had never seen nor read before: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I had heard of one of her other books—We Always Lived in the Castle—but had never gotten the chance to read it. I slipped it into my bag. I didn't know for certain whether he went to Forks High, but I took the chance and left the meadow, grabbing the boots from where I had dropped them.

When I arrived back at the house, it was empty. A note taped to the fridge let me know that Karen was in Seattle visiting family and would be back in time to take me to school in the morning. I shrugged it off. I thought we would be going to Port Angeles, I didn't mind. It was still early. I was only out in the forest for thirty minutes, but I felt tired, drained, and hungry. Figuring that my hunger came first, I poured a quick bowl of cereal.

As I ate, I thought of the book and grabbed it from my bag. It was an older edition than I originally thought, from the wear and tear on the cover and pages, I would guess that it had been read many times. Flipping through the pages, I slowly took in every detail, seeing no marks or any reference to the owner. Finding only a strip of white paper that served as a bookmark, I inhaled the wonderful scent of old paper—as well as him. I dropped it as if it was on fire. I got up and poured the remainder of my bowl down the sink before heading upstairs for a shower. I didn't want to acknowledge the book, and the fact that I wasn't as free from vampires as I had thought.

I awoke with a start, my new alarm clock blaring in my ears. I had never used one, and the insufferable thing was on the fast track to being thrown out the window. Karen was making noise downstairs, but I didn't remember her coming home. Forcing myself to get up, I rose out of bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Morning, Bella. How was your first day? Did you make any friends?"

Surprised, I paused in the doorway and cocked my head. Karen looked ridiculously excited and happy, smiling around her mug as she sipped a coffee at the table. I wondered why but brushed it off.

"I met a few people." I shrugged. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it did seem to drag on and on."

"Welcome to high school." Karen laughed. "Now, what do you want to wear to school?"

"It may seem really odd, but I've never worn jeans before." Karen gaped, shocked by the news. But it was the truth. I had never worn jeans before. "Maybe something a little loose, too?"

"Sure."

I followed her up to her room, pausing just by the door. She pulled out a dark pair of jeans and handed them to me. Taking them, I watched as she stared into the closet before pulling out a soft, cream-colored sweater that shimmered, and that I immediately liked. It might have reminded me a little of the vampire in the meadow too. A blush broke out across my face at that thought.

"You can keep that. I got it on discount, but I've never worn it. It looks better with your coloring anyway," Karen said, smiling slightly.

"Thank you." I had been given tons of gifts, yet for some reason the sweater quickly became one of my favorites. She handed me a pair of flats that matched and a brown messenger bag. I changed in my room before pulling my hair into a ponytail. My new messenger bag was packed, and I slipped the book inside, still not sure how I would be able to return it.

"We'll go to Port Angeles tonight. I promise! Today should go by faster than yesterday. The first day is always boring." Karen was talking non-stop on our way to school.

While I would usually be annoyed with the constant chatter, I didn't mind at all. It felt good to have someone to talk to besides Heidi and the other guard members. Once Karen stopped the car, I got out and waved, hoping for the second time that the day would go by quickly.

My first two classes went by easily, much like the previous day. I talked to a girl named Jessica, who I had sat with at lunch the other day. She was nice and very enthusiastic about us hanging out some time.

It was on my way to third period that I caught the scent I was beginning to know better than anyone's—and it was even more concentrated than yesterday. He was here—though I wasn't sure exactly where—my stomach flip-flopped painfully. The feeling was new to me, but not unpleasant.

"You should really hang out with us at lunch again!"

I hadn't realized that Jessica had been talking beside me. I blushed and remembered what she was going on about before. The class had been given free time since the teacher had finished with his PowerPoint.

"Sure."

"Cool, and by the way, you'll finally get to see the Cullens," Jessica said, smiling brightly.

"The Cullens?"

"Yeah, Lauren told me that she saw them earlier today. Well, actually, it's more like the Cullens and the Hales, but anyway, they're back! Or, well, Edward's back." His name came out of her mouth on what I assumed she meant as a purr.

"Who's he?" I asked, leaning in so that I would look more interested.

"Oh, he's the hottest guy in school. Hot, but scary. He's not very interested in the girls here. Yet he sure is something to look at. Lauren asked him out last month, and he turned her down flat. She was so pissed!" Jessica laughed brightly, causing several people in the class to stare, Lauren included.

"What does he look like?" I didn't have to fake my interest this time.

"Oh, well, he's tall and has this ridiculously crazy hair. It's the weirdest color, like—" The sound of the bell cut her off, and put my stuff together and in my bag. "We'll see you at lunch, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there." I waved to her before walking off, watching my feet to avoid any stares from the surrounding students.

My next class went by quickly, but it ended with me being called on by the teacher. He let me know that I was called up to the office, so I left the class early. I spotted Karen at the entrance of the office; she was smiling at me as I walked up.

"Hi, Bella. Ready for your doctor's appointment?" Karen asked, her smile nearly blinding as she stood alongside Mrs. Cope. I caught on and nodded, leaving with Karen after she signed me out.

"So what are we really doing?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at her.

"We're heading to Port Angeles. I need to look for a more permanent car, and you'll need a lot of clothes. I figured it was easier leaving earlier and having too much time, than leaving later and not having enough," Karen said, shrugging her shoulders. She was still smiling at me, and I couldn't keep my own smile from reflecting hers.

"Well, I guess that works." I got into the car beside her, resting my head against the back of my seat. Karen started the car and pulled away, but not before I caught sight of a shiny silver Volvo.