Hey everyone! I know I said it'd be a month, and I truly didn't mean to make you wait even that long. Simple story, I got promoted to a Store Manager position at work, so I'm working like 60 hours a week. I did write another full chapter like I said I would be, and I started the next one after that. So, it wasn't all for nothing. I've just been TIRED! But on with it..
I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to the overwhelming reviews I received for the last chapter. You guys are truly all amazing! :) Your reviews make me smile every time.
FOFs
FadedFlight - Haha, why thank you. She's probably still going to be a bit clumsy. But it won't be touched on as much as it was in the book. It's so adorable the way you're trying to critique something. (And believe me, I'm glad you found no errors, cause I'd be like WHERE, WHERE, WHERE?! lol) But I guess it's just the way you write it out to me. lol Thanks for the review darlin, enjoy! :)
Guest - You would have to ask Stephanie Meyer that. But he'll never learn control if he doesn't experience lack of control right? So that's my reasoning there. Plus I plan on him and Bella being really close. Just as a small "spoiler" there. ;) Enjoy!
WhatEverxx - I try not to do the repeat chapters too often, but yes, sometimes it's a benefit to get both perspectives. And I'm horrible at third person, so I always go with a single POV. lol As for Rosalie and Bella, I do have some things planned in regards to their future relationship. So stay tuned and find out. ;) Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy! :)
Breanna3593 - I'm sorry I made you sad dear. But even if I shot for sooner, other things kept me from being able too anyways. I'm still sorry though. Hope this new chapter makes up for it! :) I feel the same about some stories, I won't read if it's all human, or TOO far from the original. They should still be the same people in general, just different emotionally and stuff. She won't always be moody, but it's something she has to learn her way out of as well. Thanks for reviewing and enjoy! :)
NANA100 - That poem isn't completely the best, so I went with having it cut off. haha Sorry. I do my best to switch POVs every chapter. But you prefer Alice's huh? And I never picked an annoying song actually. But there are plenty. Like "Call Me Maybe". I'm so OVER that song. haha Thanks for reviewing and Enjoy! :)
Harley Quinn Davidson - Aww ok, well then I'm more than happy to read those few simple words! I'll always remember that there are no complaints for you, if I get a simple sweet message. :) Thanks for ALWAYS reviewing dear! And not in this chapter, but interaction is coming up! I promise. Right now I'm just setting up, and having them do the whole inner thought about each other thing. :) Enjoy darlin!
SadFaceLover - I'm so glad to hear that my story peaked your interest, especially enough to review it! Sorry for the wait, enjoy the new chapter! :)
elfspirit7 - Here you go! Thanks for reviewing and enjoy! :)
tanis19 - Your review made me giggle a little toward the end, when you had to stop your rant. Just thought you should know that. lol But thanks for your review! I am the writer/owner of any future poem between our girls. I'm a little nervous about putting them out there, and not because of personal reasons, but because the last thing I need to see is it published one day under someone else's name. And don't take that as conceited either please, I DO NOT think they're that good. That's just my worry. So it'll probably be little verses here and there. As for the characterization, I hate when people completely change the characters, so yes, I made them basically the same, just different back stories and emotions. And only some of the plot will follow suit to the book, but not much of it. :) Hope you like this new chap, thanks for reviewing and enjoy! :)
DeJee - Everyone hates Bella because they don't understand her or her choice in sexual preference. They live in a small minded town of bigots basically. So instead of embracing the new girl, they're shunning her. Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy! :)
Guerrilla Warfare - Glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing and enjoy! :)
-x-
And to all the people who added me to favorites and alerts, thanks so much! Everyone's response to this story has truly been overwhelming! I love you all!
peace&love
Mel xx
Bella
I've been in Forks for almost a week now, and today is my fourth day at school. It's nothing different from being in Phoenix anymore. Everyone just ignores my presence. That is, everyone but Alice. Ever since my first day, she's taken to this staring thing. And she's still yet to do it in any hateful way. She still just seems curious. But I mean, if she's so curious, then why doesn't she just ask about whatever it is that's on her mind? Because quite frankly, the staring is becoming unsettling.
We only have poetry together, but I now notice her constantly in the hallways. And I never miss her, simply because I always feel her eyes on me. At least her gaze doesn't creep me out. To be completely honest, it's comforting in an odd sort of way. During the moments when I decide to meet her gaze, it warms me in a way that I haven't felt in a while. And I can't seem to put my finger on why. Part of me says that it's just because I'm not used to it and I'm feeding into the attention, and the other part of me says that it's just because there's something different about her. But in the end, there's definitely something about those warm honey eyes that soothe me.
On another note, her rude little friend from my Biology class has been missing since my first day. And I try my hardest to say that it has nothing to do with me, but how could I not think it's because of my arrival? He was acting pretty rude that day and written all over his demeanor was me being the source of his sudden discomfort. He made that blatantly obvious. But at least while he's gone, I can relax and actually learn something, instead of worrying he might attempt to kill me with his gaze at any moment.
I roll my eyes at my own thoughts; yea right.
I'm sitting in lunch currently -at my now usual table- and as always, I can feel Alice's gaze on me. I decide to look up and meet her stare head-on. I don't know what spurred me to do it, but I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach like I just should. As soon as my eyes lock on hers, I see her lips twitch and a small smile takes residence across her perfect lips. I feel an unusual tug in the pit of my stomach, but push it aside and turn away. Packing up my things, I walk out of the cafeteria; needing to clear my head before having to sit next to her for the next hour.
If I don't go straight to class, like I did on my first day, then I usually walk around outside. The school is lined with the forest on almost all sides, so it's quite easy to find an unoccupied trail to walk on during the lunch hour. I walk maybe twenty feet into the forest, before coming across a fallen tree that looks alright to sit on. It's raining, like it does on most days, but with the thick coverage of trees, it hardly penetrates the ground with more than a mist.
I close my eyes and breathe in deeply, allowing myself to relax for just a few moments. It's conflicting to know that this girl has an effect on me when I know nothing about her. And it's even more annoying that Ilet it effect me. She's probably just trying to play some sick mind game. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened. I'm just going to have to keep my guard up even more around her. Hard when we share poetry, the one class that has any kind of influence on my day. But it can be done. It has to be done.
When I know the end of lunch period is drawing near, I stand and brush myself off, before heading back towards the school, in the direction of my fifth period class. Just before I get inside of the building, the bell sounds and I hear the distant voices of students now leaving the cafeteria.
I'm the first one inside of class, and I give a small smile to Mrs. Valentine before taking my seat. Alice comes in soon after and gives a beautiful smile to our teacher before taking her seat. I swear it seems as though Mrs. V. is momentarily dazzled and has to shake herself out of it. Alice seems to laugh without sound and rolls her eyes at having seen this herself. Well that's definitely odd, it's as if she expected it to happen or thinks it's funny that it still does. I shake my head to clear my absurd thoughts before pulling out my usual book and pen.
Once the bell rings, Mrs. V. starts her lesson for today. We're currently studying emotionally strong poems; most of them pertaining to a dark outlook on life. Whether it be love, relationships, friendships or the world around us. It's our poetic challenge for this week as well. She selected two poems for us to review: Darkness by Lord Byron and I Sit and Look Out by Walt Whitman. I've read both of them previously, so it's no shock that she picked them. At least no shock for the Whitman poem. They're both a lot alike, except forDarkness is extremely detailed, whereas, I Sit and Look Out is more paraphrased but to the point.
"Ok class, on Monday we began discussing the poemDarkness by Byron, and why he wrote this poem. Back in that time frame, most people were more concerned with religion, the apocalypse and the end of the world. What no one at that time knew though, is that Mount Tambora had erupted in Indonesia. Everyone just thought that the end was near and that was why there was a constant shade of darkness during the day. They even called it "the year without summer". Byron was quoted as saying he had written the poem, "when there was a celebrated dark day, on which the fowls went to roost at noon, and the candles were lighted as at midnight". But really it was just the volcanic ash littering the sky."
"So you mean to tell me that these people were freaking out, thinking the world was about to end, just because a volcano erupted?" A boy, who's name I don't know, asks out loud, in what sounds like a put-off attitude. It's obvious he doesn't know much about the foundation of the poetry we learn.
"Yes, Mike. In that time, religion or philosophy was something that everyone depended on a lot more than people do now. And it's taught in the Bible how the end times will happen. So when they weren't sure what was going on, but it resembled that of what they'd been taught, they began to freak out, thinking that it was time for the return, or the apocalypse. Depending on their individual belief. But belief's were much more common and depended on in every day life." Mrs. Valentine explains patiently.
It's obvious this boy, Mike, isn't really interested in the class. He sits there half paying attention most days. He must be one of those students that were forced into this class because of either indecision or the class he wanted was filled before he could get in. Stupid jocks; I'm pretty sure he's that ridiculous cheerleader's boyfriend, too.
I focus back on the teacher, as she continues with her lesson and begins to read from the next section of the poem that we're studying today.
"…The wildest brutes
Came tame and tremulous; and vipers crawled
And twined themselves among the multitude,
Hissing, but stingless—they were slain for food;
And War, which for a moment was no more,
Did glut himself again;—a meal was bought
With blood, and each sate sullenly apart
Gorging himself in gloom: no love was left;
All earth was but one thought—and that was death,
Immediate and inglorious; and the pang
Of famine fed upon all entrails—men
Died, and their bones were tombless as their flesh;
The meagre by the meagre were devoured,
Even dogs assailed their masters, all save one,
And he was faithful to a corse, and kept
The birds and beasts and famished men at bay,
Till hunger clung them, or the drooping dead
Lured their lank jaws; himself sought out no food,
But with a piteous and perpetual moan,
And a quick desolate cry, licking the hand
Which answered not with a caress—he died."
"Does anybody want to give their perspective on this portion of the poem?" She asks the quiet classroom.
Slowly at first, answers started being called out. She doesn't require us to raise our hands, unless she's in the middle of speaking.
"Hunger."
"Famine."
"Cannibalism."
Some of them were repeated as everyone spoke at once, until she raised her hand to bring attention to everyone. "These are all good answers, but let's look more in depth. Can someone give me a more detailed answer?" She asks kindly, looking at all the contemplative faces.
"It's basically everything that we just said. Because of what Byron thought he was experiencing, he's describing it almost as the end times, where food supply is short because of the lack of sun to help grow food. Including grass and other things to help with live stock." The girl stops, seeming to think that it's all there was.
Mrs. V. seems to have been nodding her head in that encouraging way, trying to provoke the rest of the answer from the girl. When she, nor anyone else continues, I decide to raise my hand. "Yes, Isabella?" She acknowledges with a kind smile. She seems shocked at my volunteering.
I immediately feel Alice's penetrating gaze on the side of my face, and swallow thickly before speaking lowly. "Because of the live stock and plants dying off due to the lack of sun," I begin and nod toward the girl who had said that, so she wouldn't think I was stealing her credit, "he's trying to portray that everyone became delusional with hunger and started becoming out of control and crazy, as were the dogs. The dogs began to eat their masters and go just as crazy from starvation and being scared. All except one dog, who stayed faithful even after his master was dead; protecting him from other animals and beings trying to consume him." I finish softly. I look to the teacher, before sneaking a glance at Alice. It's only quickly though, before I turn my eyes back down towards my own book.
"Exactly!" Mrs. Valentine says triumphantly. "He's using imagery to show you what he's writing. He's portraying a starving nation that eventually turn on their own kind and look to things that wouldn't usually be their sufficiency; because they're in a terrible famine due to the sun being blocked out by the ash."
"So driven by delusions of hunger, they just eat each other?" Another kid asks from the back of the classroom.
"Yes. Back in that time, men hunted as a way of life, and farmed as a way of life. So they had much more animalistic instincts then men of this era do. So when hunger became too much, their animal instincts to survive took over and they began to hunt one another and their own pets. As well as their own pets doing the same thing." She explains to the class.
The discussion goes on like this for another twenty minutes or so, until she lets us be to work on our own assignment. I end up just doodling at me seat, not having any motivation or inspiration. I notice I'm not the only one not paying much attention to the assignment, but I keep my eyes on my own desk, trying to make myself look busy until the bell rings.
I zone out not too long after, and find that my thoughts have drifted to soft green eyes and a warm smile. How her chocolate colored hair would blow in the Phoenix wind on a warm summer day. And the way her eyes would sparkle when I'd give her a random smile. I remember the way my stomach would bubble with happiness when I'd see her sitting down inside the café, waiting patiently for me to arrive. And how my heart would speed up when she'd notice me and give me her most breathtaking smile. Meant for only me to see and love.
When I feel the back of my throat tighten and the painful tug in the pit of my stomach, I shake my head quickly to clear my thoughts. I bite my lip to will away the flush of tears I feel building behind my closed lids and take a shaky breath.
Once I've willed my body back under control, I open my eyes slowly and immediately feel scorching eyes on my face. You may be wondering about my choice of words there. It's because I can feel the difference in the way she's looking at me. It's not curiously anymore, but more-so, she's looking at me almost perceptively, or apprehensively. As if she herself felt my shift in emotions.
The bell sounds moments later, breaking me out of the thoughts that were beginning to form about this peculiar girl.