Chapter 1: A New Beginning

Bella's POV:

I stared closely into my vanity mirror. My dark hair was smoothed back against my head into a perfect slick bun. I was dressed in my ballet leotard and pink frilly tutu. Then of course I was wearing my golden heart shaped locket my parents gave me for Christmas last year. Inside the locket was a picture of mommy, daddy and me.

Tonight was my grand ballet showcase. I was buzzing with excitement. Hopping up and down on my flowered bed trying to contain my enthusiasm. My mommy appeared at the doorway to my small pink bedroom.

"Bella honey, we will be leaving soon. Your father just called, he will be home from work in fifteen minutes."

Charlie, my daddy was the chief of police in Phoenix.

"Yay!" I screeched in happily, I was excited to finally show off my moves to my parents, I wasn't the best dancer, after all I was only ten but still proud of myself.

As mommy turned on her heels and headed downstairs I decided to take one last look at myself before I left. I twirled on the tip of my creamy white ballet shoe and my tutu spun around with me. Tonight was going to be perfect. I could imagine it now, dancing my little heart out while everyone cheered me on. My mind swirled with delightful thoughts on how tonight turn out.

The slam of the door of a police cruiser snapped me from my day dreams, I rushed to the window to see my daddy causally walking on the stone path to the front door. Even though I was tiny, my feet made loud thudding noises as they hit the wooden stairs as I raced down and into my daddy's warm arms. He spun my around once before letting me down so he could take off his gun belt and police jacket.

"Renee! I'm home from work, sorry I'm a bit late. Are you ready to go to Bella's show?" He yelled to mommy.

"Yes, we better hurry we are going to be late" mommy said just as she came into view and threw me my cozy sweater. We quickly piled into the car and sped to my ballet studio a few blocks away from my house. I guess daddy wanted to make sure we wouldn't be late because the car was going quite fast.

There were a set of lights ahead, they stoplight quickly changed to yellow but daddy was impatient and drove right through. We passed through the crowed intersection just as the light switched to red. The car picked up speed but not fast enough. A red van smashed into the rear side of our small fragile vehicle pushing us into a large transport truck. The front of the car received most of the impact. My leg bent as it smashed into the back of the seat in front of me. Excruciating pain shot up my leg, tears spilled from my eyes as the back of my tiny head smacked the window shattering it to pieces. Glass flew everywhere. I could hear ear piercing screams, realizing they were my own. My eyesight started to become fuzzy. My eyes struggled to stay open. Blackness, then red flashing lights then blackness once again. Loud sirens filled the space around me, my ears were ringing. Finally the blackness pulled me under.

My eyes fluttered open, light shined through the window into the plain hospital room. Boring cream walls, a long counter connected to opposite wall beside the white painted wooden door. A slow steady beeping coming from the machine on the left side of my bed. What happened? I moved my shaky pale hand to my aching head, it was all bandaged up. A tall middle aged man with square glasses came over to my bedside. He glanced down at his clipboard before looking up at me,

"You must be Isabella Swan, I'm Dr. Miller."

"I'm Bella," my voice was raspy and course. I looked up at his round face, he was still scribbling on his clipboard.

"Well Bella, it seems you have broken your leg and have a slight concussion. But no broken ribs which is good."

A broken leg? What happened? The last thing I remember was I was at home getting ready for something? Oh yeah, my ballet showcase. It was all coming back to me. Depressing memories flooded my mind, my parents and I going the showcase, speeding down the road, the car hitting us and the pain.

Where were my parents? The thought never occurred to me till now.

"Where are my parents?" I yelled at the doctor.

The doctors small smile disappeared and the corners of his faint lips turned downward into a frown. His expression looked pained and he paused trying to think of what to say. The reaction he portrayed to my simple question frightened me even more. I opened my mouth to try and ask a second time but nothing came out.

"Your parents are up in heaven. I'm sure they are watching over you right now. You were the only survivor in the car accident."

Sadness flowed through me, a sadness I've never felt before, worse than anything I have ever experienced in the past. My eyes stung as they welled up with salty tears. The pain of loss much more terrible than my leg or head injuries. I couldn't believe my loving parents were gone. I missed my mommy and daddy.

"Mommy! Daddy!" I screeched at the top of my lungs hoping they would come back to me somehow. I clutched my heart shaped locket tightly in my hand. "I need you!" My voice broke and tears continued to spill from my red rimmed eyes.

The doctor rubbed my back gently, whispering soothing words. Nothing he could do or say could help, I just wanted my mommy and daddy. My little broken body shook while wrapping my arms around my chest to help heal the black hole in my heart. Beside my bed the machine quickened its annoying beeps as my heart rate went up, my breath quickened as I took small short breaths trying to calm myself. I guess all the crying tired me out because I fell asleep shortly after.

Monday morning, the weekend after the accident, I was to be released from the hospital that day. A man was here to pick me up. The man worked at the Arizona Orphanage here in Phoenix. I stared at him, he was really tall, dark hair, a moustache, and a set of emerald green eyes.

"What's your name?" I asked politely in my sweet voice.

The man crouched down on his knees to look me in the eyes.

"My name is Robert, you must be Isabella" he replied.

"Bella" I corrected him.

"Well Bella, I'm going to take you back to your house to retrieve your things and then we will be heading over to the orphanage."

Robert signed the release papers, while a nurse offered me a wheel chair which I turned down for a set of crutches instead. It was bad enough having to use crutches but a wheel chair. No way. I didn't even want to imagine how much pity and special treatment I would receive from the others around me because of using a wheel chair.

As we pulled up in front of my house, there was a foreclosure sign on the lawn. Silent tears rolled down my rosy cheeks. I quickly wiped them away, I didn't want Robert seeing me cry, he opened the car door, helping me out and then passing me my crutches. I hobbled to the front door as Robert unlocked it.

"I will wait in the car, don't take too long, just pack the essentials. We have supplies at the orphanage."

With that Robert closed the wooden door. The inside of the house didn't look much different. Same old worn furniture, dull painted walls but the pictures of us were taken down. I slowly limped past the kitchen, no food left on the counters, no dirty plates in the sink. No signs of anybody living here anymore. More cool tears rolled down my cheeks, my mind was swirling of memories, I had almost forgotten the reason I was here. The walls leading up the stairs were completely bare of all the family pictures. By the time I had reached the top of the stairs I was sobbing, the last time I had been in this house was with my parents. Oh I miss them so much, my heart doesn't feel complete without them. I ran to my bed and buried my head under the pillows. Not realizing I fell asleep, Robert entered my bedroom. I had been inside for almost an hour.

"Bella?" His soothing voice brought me out of my sleepiness. Worry creased his forehead.

I rubbed my eyes, knowing they were rimmed with redness. But I didn't care anymore, the pain was too much for a ten year old to handle.

"I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep" I choked out.

"It's alright. You're going through a rough time at the moment. Do you need more time to pack?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice, afraid it might break. Robert went back downstairs.

I stumbled out of bed and changed my clothes into something more comfortable. Then I grabbed my backpack from my closet. I stuffed inside a few of my favourite shirts, a plain hoodie, a couple pairs of pants. I half ran to my parents room and grabbed one of my mothers shirts knowing one day I would be able to fit into it. I wanted a piece of daddy too so I took one of his shirts as well. On top of the dresser beside the bed had a few frames of pictures. The only pictures I had seen all day. Daddy holding me, me baking with mommy and a picture of all three of us. We looked incredibly happy. I wish I could go back to that part in my life. I sighed internally. Minutes past as I stood there staring at the pictures, deep in thought. My eyes flickered to the clock on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. I had been standing there for ten minutes! I took the three framed pictures and stuffed them in my bag. Almost packed. Limping back to my bedroom quickly to get my hairbrush and then to the bathroom for my toothbrush. I took one last glance around the house before I left. Throwing a sneaker on my good foot and put the other in my bag for when my leg healed then went out to the car.

We rode in silence, past tall houses, beaches and worst of all happy families. I wiped away the unwanted tear that slid down my face. Holding in the rest that welled up in my eyes threatening to fall. Raindrops started to fall as if sensing the mood I was in.

Finally we drove up a long bumpy driveway up a steep grassy hill. A grey brick building came into view. The sign had a large animated yellow sun smiling, beside it bold orange letters read Happy Valley Orphanage. Underneath the smiling sun Phoenix was written in smaller black print. Surprisingly the orphanage didn't look intimidating. The rain had vanished and the sun started to peek through the fluffy white clouds. Robert parked the car and escorted me to the to the front door, helping me over the steps with my crutches. He pulled open the red painted door and showed me to the front desk. The lady behind smiled sweetly. She had red hair pulled up in a clip behind her head and thin rimmed rectangular glasses. She seemed to look middle aged judging my the lack of wrinkles and fine lines on her face.

"This is Bella." Robert said as he gestured to me.

"Hello Bella, I'm Mrs. Montgomery. I'm sure you will have a great experience here at Happy Valley."

"Hi." I whispered shyly as I ducked my head down.

Robert handed Mrs. Montgomery a stack of paperwork and them she waved to us. I waved back before Robert took my arm and led me down the hall.

"I don't think you have a roommate. I didn't think to ask. I would knock though just in case."

I nodded as I limped down the long hall.

"I think you can take it from here. I need to go pick up another orphan. Your room is the seventh on the left." Robert smiled as he turned his back on me and started in the other direction.

I counted the seventh on the left and knocked on the white painted door. The door opened swiftly and my mouth dropped.