Chapter Three: Blackout

I walked out to my truck with confusion written all over my face. Why was the handsome new boy trying so hard to get to know me? There was no reason for him to want to know me. I was just plain. And he was…anything but plain. He was amazing. And gorgeous. And everything that I wasn't.

I looked across the parking lot to where he was parked and saw him standing, waiting for his sister, who was walking across the campus, talking on her cell phone. When I finally made it to my truck, I noticed that he was staring at me, his green eyes shining. It was starting to rain harder and harder, but he didn't look like he cared. I was distracted staring at him while he stared right back, until I head the first boom of thunder out in the distance.

A storm was approaching. Great. And I was home alone. Even greater. Probably for the entire night, if I knew my father right. He would get drunk and stay somewhere in Port Angeles.

I hopped in my truck, desperate to get home and start the heat. I turned the key in my ignition.

And nothing happened. Fabulous.

I tried it again, and still nothing happened. I banged my head against the steering wheel.

"Why today?" I asked my truck. "Why on this shit-tacular day do you have to die on me?"

I was startled when I heard a knock on my window. I looked over to see Alice standing there, umbrella in hand. I rolled down my window and smiled at her as best as I could.

"Hey, Alice. What can I do for you?"

She laughed. "It's more like what can I do for you? Do you need a ride home?" She asked.

"Oh, I can just walk." I said as I hopped out of my car and slung my backpack over my shoulder. "It's not that far."

Alice gave me an incredulous look as she pulled me under her umbrella.

"Bella, the rain is coming down harder as we speak. It is starting to thunder and lightning. We are giving you a ride home." She started pulling me towards her car despite my protests.
"I don't want you make you guys go out of your way." I said as she pulled me to a stop in front of the Volvo where Edward was standing, now equipped with an umbrella.

"Edward, Bella here is afraid to "make you go out of your way" to take her home. I don't mind at all, do you?" She asked him with a smirk on her face.

"Not one bit." Edward said with a smile. "Hop in Bella."

"Fine." I finally gave in. "But I'm paying you for gas."

Alice laughed as she hopped into the back seat while Edward walked around and opened the passenger's side door for me. I smiled at him as I got in. He was a gentleman.

"Ok, where do you live?" Edward asked as he put the keys in the ignition. I listened with envy as his car started.

I gave him my address and then he pulled out of the parking lot. The weather got increasingly worse as we drove. The rain was pouring so hard that it was hard to see five feet in front of you, and at one point, it even began to hail. But no matter what, Edward's driving was perfect. Perhaps too fast, but not that bad.

When we finally pulled into my driveway, the storm was probably still an hour away, but it was awful.

"Guys, I would feel so much better if you just came in to my house until the storm passes. It looks really bad, and it's my fault you had to drive all the way out here."

Alice looked outside at the rain, her eyes slightly squinted and she nodded. "Yeah, Edward, it's pretty bad. Maybe we should try to wait it out."

Edward gave his sister a strange look, but nodded. "Ok, as long as you don't mind having us."

"Not at all." I insisted.

We all sprinted up to the door as the rain pounded down on us. I frowned up at the sky as I unlocked the door.

"Make yourselves at home." I said as I took my shoes off. "Can I get you guys anything to drink? Water, coke?"

Alice smiled at me. "A coke would be nice."

Edward nodded. "I'd like one too, if you don't mind."

"No problem at all." I said as I took their jackets from them and hung them up. "Just have a seat in the living room, and I'll bring them in a moment."

I walked into the kitchen and pulled out three glasses. As I filled them with ice, I heard the TV click on and quiet whispers coming from the living room. I smiled lightly to myself. It was nice to hear other people around here. Charlie was hardly ever around anymore, and when he was, he was yelling at the TV screen and ignoring me.

It wasn't always like that though. Charlie was a good guy before my mother left. He was a good father who would do anything for his family. I remember once when at the beginning of fourth grade, I was so sick that I could barely move. My mother was out of town for the week on some sort of "business trip," so my dad had to stay home from work to take care of me. When I woke up, he carried me down to the couch and made me a sick island. The couch was loaded with all my pillows and my favorite blankets. He had a garbage can on the ground next to my head in case I had to throw up, books, the TV remote, all the Disney movies I could possibly want to watch, and saltine crackers and ginger ale galore. He sat with me all day as we watched beauty and the beast and the little mermaid and Aladdin.

I was brought out of my reverie by a thunder boom and my cell phone ringing. I didn't even bother checking the caller ID. I knew who it would be and what they would say.

"Hey, dad. What's up?" I asked.

"Isabella?" He slurred, talking louder then was necessary. "It's your father!"

I sighed loudly. "Yeah, dad I know."

"Don't give me attitude!" He scolded into the phone. "Now, I'm just calling to let you know I won't be home tonight. I'm gonna stay up in Port Angeles for the night."

"Ok, be careful dad. It's storming really bad and-"

"I know!" He interrupted me, speaking so loudly, I had to move the phone away from my face. "I'm not stupid; I can see its storming. I'll be home tomorrow."

"Ok, dad. Love you?" I said, although it sounded like a question.

And there was no answer. The phone line went dead. He hung up on me again. I sighed and slammed the phone shut and tossed it onto the counter. I felt yet another tear slip down my cheek, and I wiped it away.

As I started picking up the glasses to bring into the living room, I was startled by someone clearing there throat behind me. I jumped, nearly dropping the glasses, and turned to see Edward standing in the doorway.

"Oh! You scared me. I didn't see you standing there." I said awkwardly, wondering how much of that conversation he heard.

"Is everything ok?" He said as he walked over to me. He grabbed two of the glasses, leaving me the third one. "You seemed kind of upset about that phone call."

"Oh yeah… um, my dad just can't make it home because of the storm, and I'm not the biggest fan of thunderstorms. But I'll be fine." I said with what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Are you sure?" He asked, seeming genuinely concerned.

"Yeah." I waved him off. "I'm kind of used to it." I said with a sad smile. I walked past him and hurried into the living room so he couldn't say anymore.

When we got into the living room, Alice was just hanging up the phone as we walked in.

She thanked me when Edward handed her the drink, and then began to speak.

"Mom says if the storm doesn't calm down in like 5 minutes, she wants us to head home so we're there before it gets any worse."

"Are you sure you guys will be ok?" I asked Alice. "It's really getting bad out there." And, if I was being honest, I didn't want to be alone, but I would never admit it.

"Yeah, Edward is a great driver. He's never been in an accident and we've driven through a lot worse than this." Alice said with a laugh.

"Well, at least text me when you get home?" I asked. "Just to make me feel better."

Edward smiled and held out his phone so I could put my number in it, as did Alice, and I gave them mine in return. I smiled internally. I had Edward's number now.

After they finished their cokes, they decided it was time to head home. It was getting worse out there, and I was very worried, so I kept my phone close to me as I sat on the couch with the TV on. Whenever I was alone at night, I would always put a Disney movie in. I knew it was the one thing that would remind me of the good times. I could remember Charlie, being the loving caring father who loved me, sitting in the recliner besides the couch, smiling at me as I sang along with the songs.

I sighed with relief when my phone chirped, showing that I had one new text message from Edward.

We're home safe and sound.

Are you sure you're ok?

I sighed with a smile. It was nice to have someone care about me for once.

Ok, good.

And I'm fine. I just really dislike thunderstorms.

Don't worry about me :)

He sent back simple "Ok, text me if you need anything," and that was the last of it.

I quickly ran upstairs to change into some more comfortable clothing. I grabbed an old t-shirt that I basically swam in because it was so big on me and my favorite pair of sweatpants. I threw my hair up into a messy bun and walked back down stairs, planning to spend a long evening in front of the TV.

I sat on the couch watching TV for about another hour while the storm got progressively worse and worse. I was wrapped in a blanket with the remote in my hand and a fresh coke in the other, halfway through Beauty and the Beast when suddenly…the power went out.

"Shiiiit!" I yelled. I peeked out the window to see the nearby houses all as pitch dark as mine. "Great. Just fan-freaking-tastic!"