The rain hit the car roof as Bella sped down the highway to Forks, passing the large green sign welcoming visitors. With their minuscule number of the current population printed underneath. It was old and worn, barely holding together. She cringed at the faded letters and kept her eyes straight to the dense thicket of trees approaching. The greying clouds coating them like a thick blanket along with the layer of fog now setting as she drove through it.
Holding back an unwelcome shudder she took her turn, ignoring the thoughts swirling of being abandoned in these very woods and his cold face staring down as he dismissed her. She had had no choice in the matter, they all would be leaving, and she'd be left forgotten like she was nothing more than dirt. A disgusting human they despised.
Bella certainly felt so many decades ago. What they had between them wasn't as special as she once thought. Edward, the man whom she supposedly loved looked at her with such hatred it was hard not to cower. She could only cling to him in some false hope he'd come to his senses and either stay or return to her some day. The bark and dirty muddying her clothes as she felt her heart breaking. The dumb little mortal girl who knew nothing of their world, and was too scared to find out more. But assuming that he'd want her back, was an incredibly wrong thing to get into her head. GIving her months of false hope and headaches. Even his family, those she created bonds with, mainly his sister Alice, didn't return. The emails she sent never opened much to Bella's heartache. Out of everyone, if not Edward then she clung to the hope that Alice would respond to repeated attempts at contact. But no. Her inbox remained empty. Every day she'd look, foolheartedly expecting to see Alice's name appear, blinking at her that she'd sent something in return. Disappointment filled her repeatedly as the days wore on and blended into something incohesive.
It took months of feeling too many emotions to think straight before finally pulling herself together. Waking up from nightmares, being comforted by the only person she held close, Charlie, was all she had to cling to. Losing all her friends due to her lack of interest in doing anything apart from grieving her relationship. Bella finally hit rock bottom.
Oh how stupid and fragile her humanself was. Looking back she wished she had never met them in the first place. Never having moved to FOrks, her mother would have just taken her on the trip with her and her boyfriend. To travel around America. She would've gone happily. Not entirely true, since their abrupt departure led to this new life. Giving her everything she'd need to succeed. Bella could create a new family, a new persona, an entirely new being. With nothing to fear, no one could touch her or abandon her, she was thriving.
Nothing was going to change that.
Especially not a sparkly skinned blonde stalker.
According to Aro, Her Master had found her a house out of the way to take residence in for the several months she'd planned to stay. She was grateful. As Long as it accommodated her she didn't care much for aesthetics, and after the shitty room last night she'd consider this and the car a good enough apology to earn her favour again.
The clouds overhead gathered darker, and as she followed the gravel path to the location Aro had given her, her spine started to tingle. She glanced around between the trees trying to catch a glimpse of whoever or whatever was out there, but saw nothing conclusive. Even with her vampire sense the trees merged together to make a mass of black, greens and browns. Indistinguishable from one another. As if it were a painter's water bowl, swirling with the leftover water colours spilled from the tip of their brush.
The strange feeling of eyes on you isn't something you can forget nor become accustomed to. Even with her age, the Cullens are older, probably stronger by now. Along with whatever else may be hidden out there.
Bella will remain cautious. It's much better to be prepared than ambushed with no offence.
She pulls up as close to the house as she could and takes an unneeded breath. They couldn't know she was here already, or that she was coming. She didn't even know until days ago and she doubted they had any kind of superior intelligence infiltrating Volterra. The thought makes her laugh and glance at the letter on the seat next to her. What a ludicrous idea.
Aro had given her a large brown envelope, details on the Cullens, their abilities, the treaty, their movements. Everything she needed to know was sealed inside it. She'd given it a brief once over last night, but not heavily. In fact she'd thought of ignoring it all together. She was capable of figuring it out on her own. Not thinking that to be boastful, she was just good at what she did. Whatever that is. Hitman, executioner, certainly not a spy, even though she was excellent at that too. There wasn't much she couldn't do now with her superior form. Fighting had come easiest, being the most eager to learn. Killig? That took some adjusting to, especially the first few years. Her sense had become her strongest ally, hundreds of hours of training honing her skills.
With the tingle creeping up her spine and to avoid early discovery she vowed to lock all the doors and shut the blinds for privacy once getting indoors, and quickly. Why ruin a perfectly good surprise for the coven, and give herself away too early was not ideal.
So she did.
Bella pulled her hood up over her face, grabbed her bags from the car along with the flimsy envelope and walked over the crunching gravel to the large doorway. It was a fairly modest house, three stories, large windows and grand furniture. It seemed to have a lot of open space and a light interior. DIfferent from home, but she wasn't complaining.
Stepping through the threshold felt strange, but she ignored the feeling and locked the door behind her.
A futile measure, since whatever was watching her so closely could probably smash through the door as if it were a flimsy piece of paper.
If only these sparkly idiots needed an invite like some of the many vampires she had read about over the years. But sadly not. Even as a human Edward had rummaged through her belongings while she slept, often spending many hours watching her from the corner of her room. Looking back there's no doubt about how creepy his behaviour was. But she was young and mortal, anyone like that would stupidly fawn over the attention. So she did.
The tall brunette makes her way through the home, and eventually finds herself across the wide landing looking peering into a bedroom on the third floor. One of four on the top floor. It was decorated simply, since vampires need not sleep. She doubts she'd use the bed often, but the view was something else. It peered over the forest as much as the canopy could allow, she could pinpoint from her view the town itself and a few of the buildings. The school. Could hear the chatter even from far away. The diners, and the man cars ushering in and out. People walking and chatting between themselves. Even the birds perched every which way squawking at each other.
Ever since she turned, her sense of hearing was always better than her sight. Still, not someone to complain about the misgiving. Often using it to her advantage.
She placed her bags on the bed and took a seat on the comfortable mattress, stretching out her legs. Tugging at the boots she pulled them off and they dropped to the wooden floor heavily, with a resounding thump. There was nothing but silence in her home, apart from the hum of the wind hitting her windows, and several heavy tree branches knocking into them.
With a long exaggerated sigh she leaned back onto her new bed, sinking into the cushions and plush texture. Closing her eyes. Her muscles slowly relaxing. She groaned and stretched, a few joints popping and rolling her shoulders slightly for comfort.
Sitting for the several hour drive didn't do her body any good.
Knowing they were still out there Bella did a quick job of closing all the blinds she could see, covertly covering herself from anyone's view. By now they certainly wouldn't remember Bella's scent, not since the turning, however they'd' immediately recognise her face. Caution was key, while annoying. She was enjoying the view.
With a long stretch of evening ahead of her she grabbed the envelope, feeling its weight in her hands and turned it over a couple of times. Mulling over if she should read it as she travelled back down stairs towards the kitchen. The scent of blood pulling her forward, she edged towards the fridge, pulling it open and being greeted with several blood bags. She scoffs, and picks out the sticky note left inside. Making a mental note to tell Aro he probably should've placed it on the fridge instead.
Enjoy your treat, my dear, Isabella.
Aro
She crinkled the note and tossed it aside. Sniffing the blood again for good measure and grabbed a bag. She squeezed it between her fingers and hopped onto the island in the middle of the kitchen. It was white, marble and smooth, very awkward to sit on but if she spilled any she'd rather it be easy to clean up. Her fingers ripped a hole in the top corner of the bag and started to drink while idly opening the envelope. In between sips regarding the information with barely a glance, though looking as if she were absorbing it fully.
Finishing her drink she dropped it to the floor and raised her eyebrow looking at enrollment forms tucked sneakily within the last few pages. Another delightful surprise.
She chuckles and holds it between her fingers, assessing if it says what she initially thought.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." She mutters and drops it to the marble, hops off and starts to pace. Along the length of it, hands running through her hair as she speaks to herself "School? Me in school? Sure what an excellent idea, blend in with the crowd. It's not like I'll stand the fuck out and put them all on high alert on the first fucking day." The idea was ludicrous, he fully expected her to enrol into Forks high. What a total Cullen move.
….
That's why.
She didn't know if she was impressed or annoyed. Perhaps both?
It irked her long into the night, and as Monday rolled around, she pulled herself out of the house in ordinary looking clothes. A light pair of blue jeans and chequered shirt. Bella wore her hair up under a beanie, tucking a majority of it underneath the material while leaving loose strands to dangle either side of her face, and walked the distance to the school as the sun was coming up. Enrollment papers in her bag, and the tingle up her spine of being followed the entire way there.
A/N ; Thank you so much for the love, I'm so happy everyone's liking it! Reviews would be great, and new chapter coming next Wednesday, but make sure you keep an eye on my bio to check if that changes :)
