By the time it rolled around to morning, Bella was exhausted. Between the lusty deer population and her iPod dying she'd felt as though she'd only managed around an hour or twos sleep. Tops. It took a very long shower and and very milky bowl of cereal to make Bella feel somewhat human again. Before heading downstairs again with her pack Bella took a short look at herself in the mirror. She was apprehensive about the beginning of school and as such had decided to actually give a damn about her appearance. At least for a few days.

Bella loved her clothes, she really did. They were comfortable, practical, cheap and very indicative of her personality. Quirky yet content, though not many people had gotten through her shy exterior to experience the somewhat weird interior. Her jeans were pretty thick, these stupid things better keep out the chill, and a deep brown in colour. The shirt she wore was one of her absolute favorites; a fairly vibrant orange in colour and hidden on the back of her left shoulder blade was Jake the Dog's face, wearing a comically star struck expression. A small black triangle consisting of two lines was at her right hip, pretending to be his tail. She doubted anyone was going to see either parts of her shirt though, considering the maroon, slightly too large hoody she'd thrown on over the top and zipped up midway. The teen that hated attention prayed to every deity that no one would bother looking at her shoes. They were tattered and old and needed replacing. I really should have done that last week. Bella was hard on her shoes and almost never replaced them until they literally fell apart. Being accident prone and tripping all the time really does a number on them.

"As always Jake," she muttered to her shirt, "this is as good as it's going to get."

With a weary sigh, she trudged down the steps, out the door and heaved herself into Brick and started him up, heading towards her first day as the 'new kid'. She was already wishing it was over and done with.

On the ride over, Bella had wondered where her new little pal had gotten too. Every morning for the past week she'd been accosted as soon as she'd opened her eyes by an eager raven wanting to talk about anything and everything. Not this morning though. Bella had been so preoccupied with getting herself ready for the day ahead that she'd belatedly realized that maybe she should have had a look for Clara. I'm certain she can take care of herself but it would have been nice to see her.

Bella had no sooner thought these words when a small, shrieking black shape flew at top speed into the side of her, thankfully, parked truck.

"Shit." Bella hopped out with more speed and grace than she thought she possessed, scooping up the startled, shaking mass of what she was certain was the absent Clara.

"Fancy running into you here hey Bells." Chuckling quietly to herself, Bella quickly looked around. She thanked her early morning as there was not a soul in the car park watching her yet.

"Yeah, what are the odds of that right?" A heavy heaping of sarcasm was shoveled in for good measure, as was an appropriate eye roll. "Would you maybe try being a little more careful in the future, please."

"Sure." Shaking herself off and stretching her wings a little Clara deemed herself still in one piece and let out a short bark of amusement. "So why are you whispering?"

"And you called me dull that first day in the forest. Humans can't speak to animals, can't actually know what their saying back normally, so I don't want to be branded a freak on the first day at my knew school... One that, might I add, I will be staying at for the next year and a half." Clara noticed that Bella looked a little down before speaking again. "Sorry Clara, but we can't speak during school. I'll look crazy, aaand if they see you you'll be chased out of the cafeteria." Clara seemed put out, if the slight nip to Bella's forearm was any indication, but she made an affirmative noise and flapped away without a backwards glance.

Great, I've pissed off my only friend in this waterlogged town. Resolving herself to making it up to Clara with an especially juicy fruit offering later, Bella carefully made her way to the administration block to gather her schedule.

Cramped was the only word to describe the space she'd just stepped into. A fairly large receptionist sat squished behind a desk far too small for the amount of paperwork it housed. Maybe she's just bad at her job. There was a small couch to the immediate left of the door, for people to wait she surmised. I think if I sat in the couch I could put my feet up on her desk... and basically any other floor space not already accounted for or necessary for walkways was taken up by a mass of filing cabinets stacked upon each other. At least it's warm and dry in here Bella thought with some amusement otherwise I'd actually feel sorry for this woman having to spend so much of her time here.

With a little trepidation Bella approached the receptionist. She had no idea what sort of mood the woman was going to be in on the first day back from holidays. The teen needn't have worried though.

"Hello, ma'am, I'm-" She was cut off rudely by a voice that was much too chirpy and upbeat for this early in the morning.

"Oh hello dear, you must Isabella Swan. I'm Mrs. Cope. Charlie's spoken so much of you I feel like I practically know you already. Take a seat! Take a seat, I'll just go ahead and print out your schedule, and a slip for all of your teachers to sign." Bella took that as the end of the conversation and sat in contemplation of this schools stupidity. It's literally the first day I have ever been to this school and they really think the Police Chiefs daughter has the gall to cut class? How dumb does a kid need to be to do something like that?

The cool air hitting her shins brought her out of musings and Bella belatedly looked up and realized that she and the receptionist were no longer alone. Mrs. Cope had no such clue however and it was a feather light clearing of the throat that alerted her of the added presence in the room. All Bella could see was the back of the student and the only thing she could think was if that everyone dresses the same as this girl that she was going to have no problem with being the center of attention. Even from behind Bella could tell the clothes the stranger wore were obviously designer.

With her ogling Bella had only managed to catch the end of what the slight girl was saying to Mrs. Cope.

"-eally need to switch out of this class Mrs. Cope. Every one has been talking behind my back and no matter what any teacher does it just doesn't stop. My brother is more than willing to switch around his classes with me so that there's no problem with overfilling the classes." She sounded nearly in tears and Bella's heart went out to the girl, she'd been bullied a little bit in Phoenix and knew it was never fun no matter how much you tried to ignore it.

Mrs. Cope could apparently hear her distress also as she was quick to reassure her that they'd be able to work something out if her brother really was okay with switching as well.

"He'll be along in a minute, he left after us all this morning. Helping Mum out with something at home. Ah... I think you were in the middle of something though so we could come back after if you need."

"Oh good heavens, Bella!" Mrs. Cope said far too loudly for the space they had. "I'm so sorry dear, here! All printed and ready to go. You just need to get a signature on this from each of your teachers and bring it back to me at the end of the day!" While she was standing up at the counter listening to the receptionist Bella felt eyes boring into her profile but resolutely didn't look.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cope." Bella appreciatively said before about facing and heading for the door.

Looking at her schedule for a moment before heading right Bella wandered towards where she thought her first class would be, but not before being startled by a boy leaning against the building opposite. He seemed like he was trying to appear calm and relaxed but his bunched muscles and hard expression belied the exact opposite. The worst part though? The unnamed, as of yet, boy was staring straight at Bella. Gosh, who pissed in your cheerios this morning. The almost answering glare left Bella feeling out of sorts and left no question as to who it was meant for. Shaky legs took her down a corridor where she was soon accosted by a much friendlier looking boy.

"Hi there, I'm Eric, kind of a big deal around here." He popped a collar that didn't exist on his shirt in jest. "I'm an executive writer for the school news and let me tell you, you are biiig news." Bella didn't like the sound of this. "Mind if I ask you a question or two so I can write up a story on the only new girl Forks has had in years?" Bella grimaced.

"Eric, please, I'm not big news, if anything I'm little news, or rather no news." She pleaded. "Please, I really just want to try and find a place here under the radar."

The friendly Asian boy seemed to deflate a little before seeming to shake it off as nothing. "Yeah sure, Isabella right? I can do no story. " Bella started to respond when he continued. "Buuuuut let me at least take you to your first class of the day?" It had come out as sort of a statement at first but then turned into the question right at the end. Bella chuckled a little at an awkwardness she was used to doing herself before nodding.

"That'd be great actually." I didn't ask for a map. "I never got a map so I was going in blind here."

Without waiting for a prompt Bella just handed him her class schedule, blushing when he fist pumped with a "yes!"

"Okay Isa-"

"Please just Bella."

"Okay just Bella, we have the first two classes together so I can walk you to both of those. Then it's lunch so just follow the masses really, but you're welcome to tag along and sit with me and my group of friends. We don't bite. Unless asked nicely."

Blushing again Bella responded. "Sounds good." Her eyes went wide. "The sitting with, and lunch, not the biting." The words were so rushed and mortified that she promptly turned around and strode off without another word, Eric's bark of laughter following behind her.

"Hey wait up Bella you don't know which way to go yet."

Oh yes I do, away from the scene of my chronic foot in mouth disease.

Linking his arm with Bella's in a friendly manner, he started off down the hall anew singing "Hi ho, hi ho, off to English we go." He drew all eyes in the vicinity and Bella could only groan as her blush grew exponentially. I wanted to blend in, what have I gotten myself into.


So what do you think folks? I have absolutely no idea where this story is going. Nothing else has been planned yet other than a few conversations that I want to happen at some point. But I'm not too sure what I want the conflict to be, I don't really want to just follow the books plot line, I want to deviate into my own but I'm coming up with blanks so far. So please, if you have any input do share. I can't promise it will definitely happen but everything is added motivation and inspiration.

As you can tell, Bella is slightly different to how I remember her being portrayed in both the movies and the books. She's still the shy and quiet book worm we know and love but I've always imagined Bella with a hidden quirky, nerdy side akin to Emmett. So I guess you could say she's a tad OOC in this.

So I had to end this chapter here in the beginning of the school day cause it's getting late, or early rather and I have an appointment later this day. I'm taking along a notebook and hoping to try get some ideas for the plot down, but I don't know how successful I'm going to be. Wish me luck FanBros.