Chapter 2

I had stayed up way too late last night making my bed unpacking and organizing my stuff. It seems that when I feel the most uncomfortable the more organized my belongings get. I synced my iPod and iPhone on my new laptop and then I surfed the Internet till way too late. Charlie had pizza delivered and I snuck down for a couple of slices, while he watched ESPN. I felt like a stranger in my own home. Well I guess I was. But I felt free too. Charlie didn't hover over me and he just let me get comfortable.

While exploring my new laptop, I happily discovered that Forks High School had received a huge technology grant from the Gates Foundation, so Microsoft had outfitted the whole school and surrounding area with great WiFi access. Since Forks was such a small town, there was basically WiFi everywhere you went. Forks High School even had a very helpful website that had the campus map and a logon so you could get your grades and upload your homework. This seemed just so strange, that such a little town could have such advanced technology. I guess I couldn't hate Bill Gates and the evil Microsoft company too much even though I still loved my new Mac and trusty old iPod and iPhone. At least I could still be 'plugged in' as much or maybe even more than I was in Phoenix.

As I rushed to the shower to get ready I stubbed my toe and practically tumbled into the small bathroom that boasted yellow flowers on the wallpaper. Renee had decorated it and Charlie never changed anything that she had done to the house. Frowning at the wallpaper, I cursed at my hair which wouldn't do anything right of course, so I just let it fall in its lazy waves across my shoulders. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized that I wasn't going to have to go through the façade of putting on makeup here, since Renee wouldn't be here to bitch at me. 'Why can't you just try to look nice like your sister? Beca is so pretty Bella and you are just so . . .' I had heard those words way too often from Renee. As I pushed the memory to the back of my mind, I stumbled down the stairs. Stairs, I was going to have to get used to that. Renee lived in a 1 story ranch house in Phoenix with no basement.

I quickly downed a glass of orange juice and rushed out the door to my 'new' car, well new to me. Driving . . . I was going to have to get used to that too. Although I had my license, I had rarely ever driven myself anywhere preferring to take the bus to school. But here there was no bus and no mass transit, so I revved up the engine of my new baby. The VW's engine was loud but I loved it. It had old car smell, like it had been sitting in someone's driveway for way too long, just waiting for me to drive it. Stick shift, right, ok – as I grinded into 3rd gear, I winced and took mental note to ask Charlie to teach me how to drive a stick. I bet that would be just a thrilling experience!

As I drove into the parking lot of Forks High School, I glanced at my watch and saw I had 20 min till school started but I had to stop at the office first to get my schedule and school computer login info. There were a number of small red brick buildings with numbers on each one and one prominently labeled 'Office" on a large white sign with black letters. I walked into the small administration office and I must have startled the secretary behind the desk because she clearly didn't look like she was expecting anyone. She was dressed as casually as a student and her hair was a white mass of short curls. This was definitely not the business like atmosphere I was used to for a school office. There was a basket with a plastic floral arrangement on the front desk next to a bunch of wire baskets willed with papers.

"Do you need any help dear?" The woman behind the counter asked sweetly. "I am Mrs. Cope. Oh! You must be Isabella Swan, the Chief's daughter. I heard you'd be coming in today." She started rustling some papers clearly looking for something that I later realized was her computer mouse.

"Just Bella, thanks. I stopped to get my schedule and stuff."

Mrs. Cope was clicking through screens on the computer, while she scrunched her eyes at the LCD computer screen. "I'll print it all out for you dear in a jiffy. I am still trying to get used to all these new computers."

The laser printer in the corner started to hum and I concentrated at my abused and very loved Converse sneakers. God everyone must know I am coming! This is such a small town. I bet I would be the biggest news of the day at school. Ugh, more unwanted attention. All I wanted to do was disappear into the school masses like I had in Phoenix.

"Here you are honey, a campus map, your schedule, and the directions to logon to your school computer account. Oh, and Chief Swan called ahead to make sure that you were scheduled for Choir practice. Have a good day dear." With all the dear's and honey's I thought I was transported back into the 1950's instead of 2008. How had Charlie known about Choir? Beca. She must have told him. Renee certainly wouldn't have.

"Um . . . thanks Mrs. Cope."

I walked back outside and silently thanked the weatherman that it was going to be a balmy 65 degrees today and no rain even though it was the second week of September. I didn't have any clothes that were up to the Washington weather standards yet and I was going to have to do some unwanted shopping as soon as I could. I was dressed in my favorite pair of jeans that were tattered along the hems from being a tad too long. I was, as I liked to say a 'vertically challenged' 5'3" tall. So all my jeans tended to be a bit too long. I was also wearing my favorite blue tank top under my old gray hoodie. Combined with my very worn Converses, I was comfortable but by no means a fashion plate.

By this time other students had started to arrive and I was studying my schedule trying to figure out where my first period English class, with Mrs. Fowley was when I bumped into someone. "Oh sorry!" I mumbled not looking up.

"Hi! I am Eric Yorkie. You must be Isabella Swan!" I suddenly looked up into a very excited pair of muddy brown eyes. "Where is your first period? I have Spanish with Mrs. Goff in building 6." He talked so fast, it was like he was speed talking. He then smiled at me expectantly with a huge grin on his face. I inwardly sighed.

"Um . . . I have English with Mrs. Fowley in building 4?" The way it came out of my mouth sounded like a question. Ok I was now resigned that today was going to be a day of 'torture the new girl'.

"Great! I can walk you there. It's on my way. By the way you can have lunch with my friends and me today, if you want. I play trombone in band and I know that you will just love hanging out with us!" Did this guy ever shut up? As we neared building 4, I thanked Eric for his help and hoped I would find a table alone for lunch.

I walked into the classroom to find everyone getting settled into their seats. I walked up to the desk and introduced myself to Mrs. Fowley, who immediately called class to order and made me stand in front of the class to introduce me. "Class! This is Isabella Swan. Please welcome her to our class. Isabella here is this quarter's reading list and syllabus." As Mrs. Fowley handed me a bunch of papers, there were suddenly a few catcalls from some guys in the room and some murmurs of 'hi'. Luckily, I found a seat near the back of the room and the class began.

I was digging through my backpack, when I left a nudge on my shoe.

"Psst Isabella! . . . hey I am Alice Cullen welcome to the fashion pit of Washington." She said with a hushed light laugh. "Let me know if you need anything. I know absolutely everything that is going on here and what's going to happen. Although nothing much ever does."

Ok, maybe today wasn't going to be so bad this Alice girl seemed nice and normal unlike the Yorkie kid.

"Um just Bella ok. Do you happen to know where the nearest mall is? I need to do some shopping for the weather here. I am completely unprepared." I whispered. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I regretted them. Why had I said all that? I didn't know who this girl was even if she did seem ok. She didn't need to know that much about me.

"Oh shopping! Yippy! I love to shop. I can definitely help you in that department."

I looked down frowning at my notebook. Ugh, this girl is going to do a makeover project of me! I could see it now, as I glanced at her polished Coach leather boots and Chanel handbag.

"We'll plan our shopping strategy at lunch." Alice declared in a quiet triumph.

At least I wasn't going to have to sit with Yorkie but that also meant that I couldn't hide at my own quiet table for lunch either.

The classes continued to drone on and I robotically went from 2nd period Spanish, with Mrs. Goff, where she of course introduced me to the class in Spanish – to 3rd Period History with Mr. Lane, who just waved me to an empty seat – to 4th period lunch – finally.

As I walked through the hallways, people were practically falling over themselves to introduce themselves to me. I immediately forgot their names as soon as they spoke them. One kid named Mike Newton, absolutely would not let me walk to 4th period lunch by myself.

"Oh I heard you were in Choir. So am I!" He was almost beaming with this knowledge.

How the hell did he know I was in Choir? He just kept talking at me while I silently walked through the lunch line. Grabbing a coke and a side salad I just kept walking through the line. After I paid for my meal, I saw Alice waving at me like she was directing in the landing of a 747 airplane.

"See ya later Mike." I mumbled. As I weaved through the tables desperately trying to concentrate on not dropping my lunch as my backpack slid down my arm. All I needed was to drop my salad on an unsuspecting student's head and I'd be known as 'salad girl' for the next two years. I passed what must have been the Band table, because Eric Yorkie was trying to get my attention to sit down next to him. I diverted my eyes to pretend like I hadn't seen him, as I continued on toward Alice's arm signals.

"Well it's about time Bella! We desperately need to plan." Alice's voice was almost pixie like in nature and she actually looked like a pixie too with short spiky black hair and blue eyes. She waved me to a seat beside her. "Everyone this is Bella!" Alice declared triumphantly. I felt like I was the freak at a carnival that everyone was staring at. I looked around the table at 3 pairs of expectant eyes. "This is my beloved Jasper Whitlock, and next to him is my meathead brother Emmett, and next to him is his girlfriend Rosalie Hale."

"Hey that meathead is my knight in football armor!" Rosalie scornfully declared as she wound her slender arm around Emmett's shoulders.

Obviously Alice's brother Emmett was on the football team. He was definitely built for it with muscles that seemed endless and Rosalie seemed to be marking her territory there. No problem I thought. Jocks defiantly were not for me. Jasper and Emmett just kept eating their lunches, while Alice kept talking.

"Oh you'll meet Edward Masen later, he usually sits with us too. He's our cousin and he lives with Emmett and me. Edward must be in the Choir room again practicing – piano. He never stops!" Alice groaned. "Now back to shopping! Rose, Bella is in dire need of a shopping trip and you and I are definitely going to have to show her the ropes, so she doesn't buy all her new clothes at Newton's Store in town. They only have camping clothes and stuff like that but I guess we could find you a cool jacket there if we have to . . . ." Alice kept planning our shopping trip with Rosalie and I zoned out while I picked at my salad and sipped my coke. What had I gotten myself into?

When the bell rang, Alice declared that we would get together later to plan our shopping strategy more. She grabbed my iPhone that I had sitting on the lunch table and quickly typed her name and contact info into it. "See you later!" She cheerfully said as she practically danced out of the cafeteria.

I looked at my schedule. 5th Period Biology with Mr. Molina. I scanned the map and headed off to the second half of my day of torture. Mr. Molina warmly welcomed me at his desk and pointed me to the only empty seat in the room. Everyone was of course paired off for labs at the long black tables in the classroom.

When I saw my seat and my lab partner, I practically stumbled over thin air and dropped my Biology syllabus between my stool and my new lab partner's. My lab partner, was gorgeous to say the very least! This guy should be a Calvin Klein model not sitting next to me in my Biology class. He had unruly bronze colored hair and emerald green eyes that I couldn't keep from staring into. I just stood there dumbfounded for what seemed like forever but he quickly leaned down between our stools and picked up my dropped syllabus, which I had already forgotten that I had dropped.

"Hi, I am Edward Masen. I think you dropped this." Edward handed me the paper and I stumbled into the stool next to him dropping my backpack on the ground. I felt like my insides were made of jell-o.

"Hi, I'm Bella." I croaked out. I let my hair fall over my shoulder separating me from Edward's view and I tried my best to not look at him again. Just concentrate on the lecture - get out your notebook and take notes you dimwit – I told myself. Mr. Molina had already started the lecture, so I dug through my bag searching for my notebook and favorite pen. Oh god, how was I going to get through the next hour?!

A/N: I am thinking about doing Edward perspective next. What do you think? BTW: I own nothing - not even my house.

©Neonapple

Melting Heart

Edited: 03/08/2009

Chapter 2