Chapter 2 – Bella's life

"I don't like it here" I moaned as I dumped the last of my bags on the floor in my new 'home'. I looked around the room in pure disgust.

"Oh come on, it's not so bad." My Dad laughed as he walked into the room after me with his blackberry phone in hand. I groaned and collapsed on the couch that was still placed in the middle of the room from when the removal men had left. "Just think sweetheart, we only have to spent a year here" He smiled at me and took a seat next to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I snuggled closer to him.

"Okay" I mumbled not really meaning it, but it was so hard to disagree with my father. My dad is a huge business man and owns Swan Enterprise, the leading international housing development firm. Yes that's right he is Charlie Swan. He puts everything into his job and for that I have the utter most respect for him. He works hard and deserves to be where he is. With his job, we have constantly been moving all over the country all my life. I should be happy about that because I have seen things that most haven't in their old age. I have lived life to the fullest but I can't help but feel jealous of everyone else; the people that go to school and have friends, and the people that have a loving family. Don't get me wrong, I love my Dad but he's all I have besides the maids and cooks. My dad is never home though and the times that he is, I am thankful for.

We are here, in a small town of Forks in Washington. It is probably the smallest places I have even been in all my life. The reason? Dad's company is developing further and a new office block is being built. My Dad needs to be here to ensure that everything goes smoothly and that no problems arise. At first we weren't going to move here and we were going to remain in New York but he saw this house and just had to have it. He said it was also a good opportunity for us to spend some more time together. I had rolled my eyes discreetly when he said this. We never spent time together, he does try but work always takes over. I try not to blame him through because if it wasn't for all his success I wouldn't have what I have now, a gorgeous house, incredible cars and maids to clean up my room. I'm not lazy or ungrateful; I appreciate every single thing that life has given me. Some would say that I was lucky to have all I have, but I can't help but disagree.

"So are you ready to go on a tour of the town?" Dad asked me with a grin. "I know this town is HUGE so it will probably take all day" he said cheekily.

"It wouldn't last long all we have to do is look out of the front door and you can see the entire town" He chuckled at my remark and pulled me up from the couch.

"No, I'm going to take you to the land that we are building on after" He told me and left the room. He didn't look at me once; instead he was dialing a number into his phone. I sighed, to be honest I wasn't interested in where he was building, but I needed to know all these things in his eyes as I am meant to be taking over his Business when I leave college in a few years. I didn't want to hurt him by telling him that I don't want this. I knew it would break his heart, so I bared the business talk and sucked it up. If my Dad was happy, I'm happy.

I walked back over to the bag I had dropped early and propped it under my arm. I groaned as I started to walk up the stairs to my new room.

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The tour of the town took less time than I thought. There was a diner, a hospital, a garage and a school. That's it.

I nearly missed the school as we drove past it. It was only a small building and must only fit a hundred people or so in it. I looked longingly at every aspect of it, wishing that I would be able to go there. Never in all my life had I gone to a normal school and been with normal people. It was just the way my life had been. I have always wondered what it would be like to have friends who are the same age as myself and be able to have sleepovers and hang out. Simple things like that, normal teenage girls take that for granted but if I had that I would treasure every moment of it. But to top off that off, I want someone to love me and care, someone that isn't my Dad or my staff. Someone that I could call mine.

The chance of me ever being in any relationship is slim to none. My dad is very overprotective, something that can be annoying at times but at others it can be useful, like when some slime ball at the store tries to chat me up. I could still laugh at the look on the poor boy's face when my Dad threatened to have him put on death row. Something that he would probably be able to sort out...

"This is so exciting. Isn't it Isabella?" My dad was practically bouncing in his seat in his Mercedes car as we drove to a little place called La Push, which is probably a smaller town than Forks. I looked out of the window as he pulled up next to a forest next to a cosy, yet windy beach.

"Where will the new office block be?" I asked as I took off my seatbelt and looked around for a wide gap of space. There was none. My dad pointed over to the wooded area, where two men in suits were stood. I rolled my eyes as I saw them, trust my Dad to have already arranged a meeting here when it was just meant to be us two.

"But it's just trees" I frowned as he started to walk away. He turned back around and smiled at me.

"Yes we're obviously going to tear the trees down before we build it Isabella" He chuckled and walked over to one of the men in suits. I continued to frown as I looked over the trees. This place is beautiful, why would they want to destroy this?

Each tree was blowing slightly in the small amount of wind that was gently sweeping through the area. The leaves were shifted as the breeze gusted against them. They all looked the same but each one seemed somehow completely different in their own little way, whether it was the color of the leaves or the shape of the trucks.

I was never one to pay attention to this kind of thing but now that I'm standing in front of hundreds of trees that will soon be destroyed I can't help but feel troubled about how our world is slowly being demolished.

My eyes closed and when I opened them again, I focused my gaze on my dad who was now laughing at something that one of the other men was talking about. I shook my head and started to walk towards the car again, hoping that my dad would cut his conversation short if he noticed I was bored.

He didn't, instead I stayed in the passenger side of the car for an hour watching the men communicate and point towards the stunning trees. The sky was starting to darken as the time ticked by.

I grabbed my phone from my bag and quickly dialled an all too familiar number.

"Hello Bella" I smiled at the voice on the other end of the phone. She was the only one to call me the name that I preferred, even my own Dad called me Isabella. He said it was classier. He has only ever called me Bella twice in my life. Both times was when mum died.

"Hello Maggie" I kept the smile firmly on my lips. "Are you in Forks yet?" I asked urgently.

"Yes" She laughed, "I'm here with George" She told me. I faintly heard George shout his hello. Maggie is my maid and cook and the one person in the world that understands me. George is her husband and my driver. They had worked for my Dad for over twenty years and when my Dad gave them the news of our move they instantly starting packing their bags too. They were my only family.

"Is there any chance of you picking me up? Dad is talking business and I doubt there is any chance of him finishing soon. I'm at the beach in La Push. Tell him there's a map in the car" I sighed as I watched Dad start to walk closer to the woods, confirming my statement.

"Oh! Of course, dear. I know what he's like. George is on his way and I'll have a nice dinner ready for you when you get back here." She told me.

I smiled and replied with a simply thank you, before putting the phone down and moving down in my seat even further to get comfy. Just as I was about to close my eyes and take a nap before George arrived, i saw a set of headlight coming towards me. George couldn't be here already? I thought to myself and sat further up in my set. The truck stopped quite a distance away from me and the lights went out. Without any delay the doors swung open and a group of men jumped out and more jumped off the truck bed.

I leaned forward more but it was impossible to see them probably with how far away I was. The group of men made their way over to where my Dad and his staff stood, all of which had now stopped talking and where giving confused looks over to the new group that as getting closer to them.

As they made it over to my Dad, I could see them properly. I nearly passed out. There were a total of eleven men, which were all about 6'5 tall and had muscles that put every member on my Dad's security team back in New York to shame. Each of them had black short hair and was tanned, really tanned. They must be locals here. On all of their faces there was a look of anger and distress. Yes, defiantly the locals.

They must be angry about the trees and development that will be happening on their land. It is only a small town, of course they will not agree. I knew exactly how my father was going to get out of this, the same way he gets out of everything else. Money.

I stayed sitting in my seat in the car and watched the two groups of men interact. Their conversation started out calm on both sides but it started to get more aggressive as it proceeded. The La Push men where raising their voices, although I couldn't hear them, their posture showed that much. Their fists where clenched at their sides and there bodies slightly shook.

A beep knocked me out of my noisy behavior and it seemed to knock the groups of men out of their argument as they looked around wildly looking for the source. I looked out of my left window and saw the familiar car of George; the Porsche.

George got out of the driver's seat and seemed aware of the men watching him. I climbed out of the car and held up my finger to tell him I will be one minute.

I walked over to the men who seemed to have formed a circle, my dad and his staff on one side and the locals on the other. My dad was clearly out numbered. Everyone stopped talking as I walked over and straight up to my dad without looking at any of them.

"George is here to pick me up Dad" I told him and kissed his cheek. "Don't be too late home, Maggie's making dinner" I smiled.

"Ok, Isabella" Dad smiled and gave me a quick hug and I walked back over to the cars. I smiled at George as I got into the car. My dad always tells me that I should get into the back but I choose to sit in the passenger seat so I could talk to George.

"Hi George" I smiled and put my seatbelt across me.

"Hi Isabella" He started the car and drove away. I didn't even look back at the men who were probably still arguing.

"How was your flight?" I asked politely.

"It was nice and relaxing." He grinned. My father had paid for them to travel here in first class because of how faithful they were and my father wanted to show his appreciation. I smiled back at him. "So what was that all about back there?" He asked curiously as he let his full attention go back on to the road.

"I don't know really. Looks like the locals are not happy about Dad building on their land" I told him. He just nodded and didn't offer any reply. I knew he didn't agree with it either but once my Dad had set his mind on something there is no changing it. "They were kicking up quite the fuss" I looked back out of my side window at the images passing.

"It doesn't surprise me. It's their home. Anyone would do the same" George told me. I nodded. Anyone would do the same. Yes they would if they had a proper home, which I didn't. There was nowhere in this world that I would consider my home. I could not describe how much I wanted that though. I'm not asking for a lot, just a normal life. Everyone else has that, so why can't I?

We quickly sped past a sign that said 'Welcome to Forks'. I let a sigh escape me as we carried on and pulled up outside my new home. I saw George give me a confused look as we both got out of the car and walked towards the house.

I was met by a very happy Maggie who pulled me into a hug. I gently returned it and followed her lead into the house.

"Listen, Maggie. Can you just put my dinner in the microwave? I'll have it later" I mumbled when she started to pull me towards the kitchen muttering something about turning the oven up.

"Is there something wrong, dear?" She asked confused and alarmed at the same time. I looked down at my feet. Maggie was always so caring and gently, she is truly amazing.

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just tired that's all" I tried to offer her a smile but I couldn't bring myself to. They say that a smile uses fewer muscles in your face than a frown, so why does it take so much for that smile to form on my face. The frown is so much easier.

I left with a final nod at both George and Maggie. As soon as my bedroom door was closed I collapsed on my bed and cried, just like I did every night.

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Thanks to my amazing Beta, bamafan95. :)

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts about this chapter!

Bex

xxx