I don't own any of these magical characters, they're all part of Stephanie Meyers creation ;)

Chapter 3

The next couple of weeks at school passed by in a drag. Alice completely ignored me so I eventually came to the conclusion that the talk I heard among her and Edward was about me. I was so mad that I tuned Alice's thoughts completely out. If she wanted to pretend that I didn't exist then I would do the same! I know I was being childish but I just couldn't figure out why these people who were practically strangers meant so much to me already. Every time I was around them I felt such a strong pull.

There were days when I would catch Edward looking at me and I would try to contort my face into the meanest thing I could manage. By now he probably thought I was insane.

On the days where both Edward and Alice had no option but to tolerate my presence they would act like I was another tile on the floor.

To make my life even more horrid, my birthday was tomorrow and I was getting sick. For the past two weeks Rene has been trying to shove whatever home remedy she can find online down my throat. According to her I am getting paler, which in my defense, is not my fault. On the pictures she shows me of my parents my mom was paler than even Edward.

"Stop thinking about him Bella! You're acting like an obsessed little girl." I chided at myself.

I tried to distract myself so I went into Rene's room and pulled out my parents album. My mom Clary was beautiful. Rene has told me their story about a million times but I never get sick of it. My mom was adopted by my grandma when she was barely a new born. She grew up here in Forks where she met her best friend Rene and my dad Daniel. She had the smoothest complexion and whitest skin. Her hair was a shade darker than mine and flowed just below her waist in lose waves. Rene sometimes says I look exactly like her but I find it hard to believe. I got my dads big brown eyes and lanky frame.

I went into the living room where Rene was working on some new stamp collection thing she just got into and sat down.

"Hey honey." She looks up at me and notices the album in my hand.

"Hey, sorry to bug." I smile softly at her.

"Nonsense. You know, your birthday is not until tomorrow." she says as she looks down at my hands.

"I know. I was actually wondering if you could tell me the story of how they fell in love again. That's my favorite."

"Let me just make us some tea. Sit down and get comfy." She winked and headed into the kitchen.

A few minutes later she came back with two cups and some cookies.

"Okay so lets see," she grabbed the album from my hands and flipped it to the first page. "Your mother was a special girl. As I told you before, I used to be very shy and quiet. When we started school your mom walked right up to me with as much confidence as a five year old could muster and told me we were going to be best friends. Your mother had a sixth sense that we kept a secret. She would sometimes know stuff before it happened. She used to tell me that she couldn't control it but that they were sort of like really vivid dreams. On our first day of high school, your mom started acting really off. She kept telling me that she wasn't feeling well and that she felt like something was coming. I, being the worry wart that I am, was on edge the whole day. When she didn't show up to a class we were supposed to have together I almost had a heart attack. I went to go look for her and when I finally found her she was in the back of the building fighting with your dad." She let out a soft chuckle.

"By the time I got near them they were just glaring at each other. Your dad had just moved to Forks with his hot shot dad and was the biggest prick. I grabbed Clarys' arm and pulled her away. I had no idea what had come onto your mom. She was always so friendly and she hardly ever got mad. When I asked her what had happened she brushed off my question and told me to just let it go and so I did. For the next couple of months your mom became distant with me. I hardly ever saw her and whenever I called or visited she would find a way to brush me off. I tried to respect her wishes but she was best friend and it hurt me. Soon freshman year was over and me and your mom stopped talking. I started hanging out with other people but I always waited for your mom to come back to be my friend. I don't know what happened that summer because when we entered sophomore year your mom was back to normal with one exception, your dad was practically her shadow. Clary came over one day and apologized for everything and that she couldn't tell me what happened. I always had my suspicions that Daniel had something to do with her distancing herself but I was just so happy that she was my friend again that I didn't want to ruin anything because of my curiosity. It was hard at first to get along with your dad but I knew that if I wanted to keep Clary close, Daniel was a packaged deal. After a while I learned to love Daniel like a brother. He was head over heels over your mom and that's all that mattered to me. The summer of sophomore year I got in trouble for bringing home a C in one of my classes so my mom thought it would be a good idea to get one of the other kids in schools and when I say other kids in school, my mom meant the really nerdy ones." I couldn't help laughing at that. I had heard this story so many times that I knew what was coming.

"I left for the library to meet with my new tutor and it turned out to be Charlie. I knew Charlie all my life but we ran in different groups and since he hung out in the computer lab during lunch I never saw him. We hit it off and pretty soon we were dating. Imagine my moms surprise when I brought my tutor home a few weeks later and introduce him as my new boyfriend! I cant help but laugh at that to this day. As any young couple in their honeymoon phase, we forgot about the world that summer. We double dated with your mom and dad but Clary and I saw less of each other. That's why when we all started junior year and your mom pulled me into the girls bathroom with a pregnancy test I flipped out! I knew your parents were sexually active but it never occurred to me that a pregnancy was possible. We were all young and naïve. Those things only happened on television!" She took a drink of her tea and sighed the softest breath.

"Telling Clary's mom was hard. She had always been super strict with her. When we finally got the courage we went and told her together. She actually took it pretty well to your moms surprise. We were both expecting fire to come out her eyes and the swat team being called to arrest your dad." We both laughed about that. My grandma died when I was seven but everyone in town knew how she was. Rene used to take me to her house every other weekend until she got sick and passed away.

"Your moms due date was a week before Daniels birthday so we all joked around about how you were your dads birthday present. After you were born your mom started home school and got her GED that way. I had never seen your mom as happy as she was during those times. Daniel moved in with your grandma and started working at the local grocery store. They both had plans for you and they loved you so much. When your mom turned eighteen Daniel started calling me. He felt like something was wrong with Clary. She would have nightmares constantly and she was always looking out for things that weren't there.
I had already left to college but your dad sounded so worried that I decided to come down for your birthday weekend. When I talked to your mom she was really closed off and she kept making me promise that if anything were to happen to her that I would take care of you. I tried to reassure her that everything was going to be okay and that she was just stressed out but she just smiled and told me she loved me."

I got up and pulled Rene into a hug. This part of the story always made her cry.

"When I left back to college that last time I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not just right. Your mom looked so worried. Two days later I received the call that your parents had gotten into a car accident. They had hit a deer and swerved off the road. The first thing that came to my mind was what had happened to you. The cop later told me that you were safe at home with a baby sitter."

Rene put her hand on me and I squeezed it. "I know you don't remember them but you have to know how much they loved you. I loved your mom like a sister and every time I see you, you remind me so much like her. I love you kiddo."

I dried my tears on the sleeve of my sweat shirt and gave Rene a big hug.

"Thank you, I love you too. I couldn't have been left with two more loving parents than you and Charlie."

"Alright enough of this sentimental stuff! Tomorrow is you eighteenth birthday! What are we doing? I was thinking maybe your first night club?' Rene winked at me and I tried to repress a shudder.

"NO!…I mean no thanks, I think pizza and a movie would be okay?" Rene just laughed and walked into the kitchen.

That night I tossed and turned in my bed. My parents story always seemed off to me. The whole thing with my mom having a sixth sense always made me feel a little better though. Maybe it was hereditary to be a freak in our family.

I awoke from a nightmare where I was holding Edward in my arms as he laid there limp.

I had this nightmare almost every night and I always tried to change it but it always ended the same.

As I looked over to the clock on my night stand and saw that it read 2:06am I noticed a paper on the floor. Curiosity got the best of me so I got up and opened it.

Dear Isabella,
Happy 18th birthday my love. I can not believe what a strong woman you have become. I am deeply sorry I wasn't around for any of your life.
There are some things I need to explain to you and now that you're mature enough you are finally ready to hear it.
I will understand if you're mad at me but I would be grateful if you gave me a chance to explain it all. Everything you've been through, even the special ability you have has an explanation. Whenever you are ready to see me just go into the forest and tell any of the trees.
I love you Isabella. Everything I've done was to keep you safe and give you a chance to live a normal childhood.

Sincerely,
Your mom

I read and reread the letter about ten times. Whoever thought this was funny is seriously sick in the head!

"Tell any of the trees?" I screeched at my opened window. What kind of an idiot do people take me for? I was fuming! I was about to toss the crumpled letter out of the window when I distinctly saw a person there. I closed my eyes and counted to ten because this had to be another nightmare. There's no way someone could be outside my window since I am on the second freaken floor!

I opened my eyes and sure enough no one was there. I bent down to pick up the letter I had dropped in my little episode and as I reached my bed a tingling sensation started in my hand. Looking down I saw that the letter was glowing. GLOWING! Then "POOF!" it disappeared. Shaking my head I climbed into bed and fell asleep hoping that tomorrow everything that happened would be a dream and I could laugh all about it.