(Author's Note) UUUUM… sorry it took so long to update, I've been really busy with school work… soooo, I hope you like this next chapter! I'd appreciate any constructive criticism you have for me. Thanks!
Forks was much too gloomy for my liking. It was rainy and grey with a green tint looming in the air. The Cullens house was down a tiny road that was impossible to find unless you knew it was there. It was a grand house in a large clearing. We pulled into the driveway. Alice and Edward walked across the lawn.
"Ya coming?" Alice called to me. I realized that I was still standing by the car.
"Oh! Uh, yeah!" I called back, embarrassed by my absent mindedness. A moment later I was standing with them.
The inside of the house was beautiful. One side of it was completely windows and all the furniture was elegant. I noticed a group of people standing on the landing of the stairs. I assumed they were they rest of the Cullens.
There was Carlisle, I recognized him. He had blond hair looked as if he was still in his early thirties, at most. There was a woman with a tiny build and brown hair. She was beside another younger girl. The younger girl was beautiful, even for a vampire. She had long blond hair and looked around eighteen years old.
Other than Carlisle there were also two boys, both appeared to be in their late teens. The taller one had darker hair and was very muscular. The other one was blond and a little less bulky.
"Welcome, Maria!" Carlisle said, opening his arms and smiling warmly. It was strange being told I was welcome somewhere. It brought back memories I'd tried so hard to block out. "I'm Carlisle Cullen," he continued, then gestured towards the rest of the vampires.
"Hello! I'm Esme, please, make yourself at home!" the tiny brown haired woman smiled.
"I'm Rosalie." the blond girl said.
"Emmett." the muscular boy grinned.
"My name's Jasper." the blond boy mumbled.
"M…Maria" I stuttered in reply. It was embarrassing being treated kindly.
"Okay then!" Carlisle said, clapping his hands together, "It's perfectly safe." Esme looked to a part of the staircase I couldn't see.
"Come now, Bella dear, Maria won't hurt you." She called. A girl's head with brown, wavy hair popped around the corner. The girl stepped out. She looked frail, especially next to the Cullens.
"Hi." She began, "I'm Isabella Swan, but you can call me Bella. I truly hope we can be friends!" Bella seemed kind, caring. I could see why the Cullens accepted her.
"I hope so too." I said with a tiny smile crossing my face.
Emmett muffled a laugh as Bella tumbled down the stairs into Edward's arms. Due to the Cullens' reactions, I could tell Bella being klutzy was a normal thing. She recovered quickly from her fall and walked over to me. She looked down into my eyes. Surprisingly, she was taller than me. She'd looked so small compared to the Cullens (especially Emmett).
"Your eyes…" she mumbled. I froze up. "Why are you wearing contacts? I didn't think vampires could have bad vision. In fact, I know they can't." Just as I'd feared. She'd noticed.
"Well… um… it's to make my eyes red." I admitted, looking down.
"But… why? Shouldn't you not need them?" she asked.
"I'll show you." I said after a moment. I led her to the next room over, which happened to be the kitchen. Bella watched intently as I took the contacts out.
"Oh my gosh…" muttered Bella.
"Yeah… so, you won't have to worry about me hurting you." I caught my reflection in the stainless steel fridge. I always loved the shade my eyes went after hunting. Though I also always found it strange to see big golden eyes staring back at me instead of the blood red ones I'd grown accustomed to.
"But… why?" her voice was weak. I could still see the shock in her eyes.
"Well 'vegetarians' aren't exactly accepted in the Volturi. I figured wearing red contacts was the easiest way to hide it." I explained, looking up to her.
Bella smiled,"You're definitely accepted here! Oh! Also, we registered you at Forks High School. You'll be starting in grad eleven this Monday." Bella grabbed my hand, "Let's go ask Esme where your bedroom is." She brought me to the living room. It too was elegant. The Cullens, excepting Rosalie, were sitting on the various cushiony pieces of furniture. While I had been speaking with Bella, they'd gone and gotten my stuff from the car.
"So, you're a vegetarian too, huh?" Emmett asked, though it was obviously rhetorical.
"Crap!" I accidentally said aloud. Alice giggled. "Oops!" realizing my mistake, I blushed. "I forgot to put the contacts back in, didn't I? Crap… uh don't think about this around Aro, 'kay?"
"Wonderful! You're like us!" Carlisle cheered.
"I'll show you to your room. You need to settle in before school tomorrow." Esme said, her voice musical almost.
"Okay!" I could hear the happiness in my voice, it hardly even sounded like me. This was the happiest I'd been in a long time. I felt so accepted with the Cullens. I began to wonder why I ever didn't want to go.