Hello there everyone, and Happy New Year!
I'm starting off the year strong by fulfilling that promise I made to myself and posting this rewrite for you all. Granted, I did say that it would be before the end of the year and it would be a certain amount of chapters, but things happen. Mainly, I wanted to work on a cover for the story to at least give it the proper respect it deserves for hanging in there since around 2014-2015 (I made it on Procreate at 3 in the morning to prepare for this). It's a story that wouldn't die in my heart, so I am determined to give do it justice. This will be my final attempt at completing this story, and I hope to finish it one of these days.
Anyway, I'll save more of the chatter for the end of this chapter. Please, enjoy the first chapter of the rewrite of the Rewrite of Human in Me. I'd like to think I've improved a little bit since my first attempt in 2015 (which you really... don't have to read at all. You're not missing out on anything.)
Reaching into the nearly empty closet and pulling out yet another pair of shorts, Addison sighed and tossed them into the donation pile with some hesitation. They were the ones that made her butt look extra juicy and had gotten her a lot of compliments over the years. Sadly, they would be useless in the cool town of Forks. Besides, six other pairs in various colors and sizes were already neatly packed into a box that her mother and Phil would take with them when they found a home to settle down in. There would be no reason to keep what she wouldn't use and didn't need. Turning back to her closet to pick out the next item, she could hear her younger sister hum from where she sat on Addison's bed.
"You're actually getting rid of those? You wore them all the time," Bella pointed out, taking out an earbud and looking up from her worn copy of Pride and Prejudice.
Not bothering to look at her, Addison held up a black maxi skirt that still had the tag on it. She couldn't remember buying it, but knowing her she'd likely gotten it during a shopping spree months ago. It was folded neatly and placed in the rapidly filling luggage before she addressed her sister. "Feel free to take them if you want, but I won't need them in Washington. Besides, I haven't worn them in like… two months."
Bella pointed at the suitcase and said, "I've seen you put at least four things in there that you've worn even less."
Addison put a hand on her hip. "Well, yeah, but they're coming back into season soon, and it'll give me a chance to wear them again. Believe me, I know exactly what I'm doing when it comes to clothes."
Seemingly done with her reading for the time being, Bella dog-eared the corner of the page she was on and closed the book before placing it on the bare end table. She sat silently on the edge of the bed and watched for a few moments. Addison peeked at her from the corner of her eye. Her sister's bottom lip was pulled between her teeth, and her eyebrows furrowed as she played with the edge of her ponytail.
It wasn't hard for Addison to figure out what she must've been thinking about, and she lowered the pair of jeans in her hands to look at her. "It's only going to be a week, Bells. You'll be there with me before you know it, and I'll catch you up to speed on everything you missed."
Though she rolled her eyes, Addison could see the way Bella's shoulders relaxed the tiniest amount. "Of course, you knew what I was thinking."
"I know everything," Addison boasted playfully, smirking when she rolled her eyes again.
"I just don't get why you had to get an earlier ticket. We could have left together, and I wouldn't have to be on the plane by myself."
The pair of jeans were folded and placed into the suitcase while Addison snorted. "Right, because we totally didn't make the plan to leave tomorrow months ago, and you definitely did not switch up on me last minute because you weren't ready to say goodbye just yet." She made sure to sigh and mock her sister's melodramatic tone at the end for the full effect.
The pillow that was thrown at her was fully expected, and she giggled while holding her arms up to block it. "I don't sound like that," Bella argued, fighting back a grin of her own that broke free when Addison gave her a dose of her own medicine. Unluckily for her, her sister wasn't as adept at blocking as she was and got a pillow to the face. It made Addison laugh harder.
"You totally do, but that's neither here nor there." Instead of sorting through the small pile of remaining clothes, Addison walked over to her bed and sat heavily beside Bella. "You're acting like you'll actually miss me or something."
Bella shoved her arm lightly but leaned in so that her head rested on her shoulder. "Maybe I will. Seeing you pack is making everything so real. What if I'm awkward around Charl—I mean, Dad? Or what if I get there and I'm absolutely miserable and hate everything about it? What if—"
"Bells, you're thinking way too far into it, and you're not even there yet. You should worry about it when the time comes."
She scoffed. "That's easy for you to say. I haven't spent as much time in Forks or with Dad as you have. For me, it'll be like learning how to ride a bike again."
Addison had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at her sister's dramatics. She also held her tongue and chose not to bring up the fact that the only reason she hadn't been there more was because she'd made the decision not to visit. Now wasn't exactly the best time. So, she put an arm around Bella and rubbed her back soothingly. "It's not gonna be that bad; I'm sure of it. Yeah, you're gonna feel like a fish out of water at first, but Dad is gonna be just as—if not more—awkward than you. You two are more similar in that way than you think. He's been texting me about how nervous and excited he is to see you again, you know?"
Bella's brown eyes peeked up to meet with her blue. "Seriously?"
She nodded with a big grin. "Yup. He may not look it, but the man's a real softie on the inside. We've been texting back and forth a lot 'cause he wants to make sure your room is all nice for when you come next week. Dad wants you to be as comfortable as possible while you're there, so I'm sure you'll settle in just fine."
"That's sweet of him," she muttered, smiling a little.
"I know, right? As far as getting used to Forks itself… it may take you a while since it's cold and wet most of the year," Bella's smile dropped as quick as it came, "but it'll fit your whole angsty teen aesthetic perfectly. Just imagine you're in a music video whenever you're driving in the rain, and it'll make it way more bearable for you."
"Addie, be serious," Bella sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, I was. I've done that a few times before, and it really does help, I swear." There had been plenty of times when she'd opened a window and stared out into the trees of the backyard while listening to Bella's playlist on full blast. She'd done it whenever she found herself missing Bella or Renee while she was at their Dad's for the summer, and it never failed to help ease that ache in her chest. "No really, you'll find things about it that you like, and I'll be with you through it all. Besides, if you end up absolutely hating it, it'll only be for the rest of this school year, and then you could always come back and go traveling with Mom and Phil."
As soon as the words finished leaving her mouth, Bella scrunched her face up into a frown and shook her head. It caused Addison to giggle because she knew just how against the idea her sister was. The whole reason they chose to stay with their dad was because they didn't want to intrude on the couple's time together. If she were forced to stay with them on her own, Addison didn't doubt that Bella would feel like a third wheel while glumly following along. Forks was her best option at this point, and they both knew it.
A knock on the door made them look up, and Renee entered shortly after. She'd been checking on Addison's progress throughout the day, so it wasn't an unexpected visit. The older woman smiled when she saw them cuddled up together before letting her eyes jump around the barren room. "Wow. You've made a lot of progress in the past couple of hours. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a little too excited to leave," she half-joked.
"It feels that way," Bella agreed, pouting.
It was Addison's turn to roll her eyes, and she shrugged her shoulder in retaliation, but that didn't make Bella move her head. "You guys are so dramatic. My flight literally leaves tomorrow, and I still have a decent amount left to organize and pack, so, of course, I've got to move fast. I pushed it off for as long as I could."
Their mother walked over and sat on Addison's other side, hugging her arm to her chest in a tight squeeze. "Aw, but I'm not ready for you to go. Phil and I would be okay with it if you decided to take the later flight with Bella, you know that, right? It won't be a problem; all you have to do is say the word."
"It's a non-refundable ticket, and my car was already sent ahead of me. It'd be a waste of money to buy a new one," she argued, shaking her head at her now pouting mother.
"Forget about the money," Renee said while dismissively tossing her head, "if you wanted to stay, it would make us very happy."
"And am I just supposed to disappoint Dad by canceling the plans he made to welcome me back?"
"You already made plans?" Bella asked, lifting her head slightly to look at her, surprised.
Addison nodded. "Well, yeah. It's almost tradition at this point for us to spend the day together when I come up for the summer and stuff. He took the day off and everything." Bella hummed and returned to leaning on her shoulder.
"I'm sure Charlie can wait one more week. He's gonna get you for the rest of the year, and I want a little more time with my little girl." Renee mock cried and put her head on Addison's other shoulder, mimicking Bella. It made it so that her mother wasn't able to see the way she frowned for a split second before fixing her face into a neutral expression. She probably would have wondered if Renee even realized how unfair that was to her father, who only got to see her for a couple of months out of the year, but she knew her mother well enough to know she hadn't, so she didn't bother.
Addison let out a sigh and closed her eyes to regulate herself. "Right. Let me just call him up and break his poor little heart. I'm sure he can take it."
"And you call us dramatic," Renee grumbled. "Alright, alright. You've proven your point… but what about your friends? They'll probably be missing you and asking Bella all kinds of questions about where you went. You're in your senior year, after all."
Of course, she couldn't leave it alone. The reality was settling in for her now, and she was pulling out every card in her sleeve hoping for an ace. While Addison knew how emotional this must be for the woman, it was beginning to get exhausting to have to go back and forth on a decision she'd already made.
Noticing her growing frustration, Bella chimed in, "She already let everyone we knew at the school know she would be leaving for Forks weeks ago. There was a little going away celebration and everything." By celebration, she meant a bunch of people she'd barely spoken to over the years coming to ask her why she was leaving with a few snacks they were able to fix up last minute.
"Yup, and my 'friends' didn't seem all that torn up about it in the end anyway. Apparently, moving to another state means our phones won't work anymore." They'd been saying their goodbyes and wishing her a great and successful life throughout the entire day as if they wouldn't speak to or see each other again. Addison took the hint. They'd been good friends when they were together in person, but that friendship wouldn't extend long distance, she learned. She hadn't been too bothered by the fact considering she still had college to look forward to; that's where most adult friends were found, and she would have time after that if it didn't work out then.
When Renee lifted her head with a sad look, Addison knew a 'mom talk' was in the making, but she wasn't planning on delaying her packing even further. So, she smiled disarmingly and stood slowly to give Bella time to sit up again. "That's exactly why I'm okay with graduating in Forks. The town is so small, that it's impossible I don't end up leaving with a lifetime friend." She walked over to her door and stood beside it while gesturing to the hall. "Now, if you two don't mind, I've got a lot of packing to do and not a lot of time. I would still like to get a decent amount of sleep before the flight."
Bella looked as appalled as their mother at that moment. "You're kicking us out?" She'd been in Addison's room since she started packing, almost, so the dismissal must have been a surprise to her. As much as Addison loved them both, she was suddenly craving some alone time after their mother's interruption. She was running behind, and she needed to focus if she was going to thoroughly sort through her remaining items.
"More like I'm politely asking you to do something else that doesn't require you to be in my room. There's a difference."
Surprisingly, it was Renee who stood up first, pulling a reluctant Bella up with her, who scrambled to grab her book. "I know where I'm not wanted, no worries." Again, Addison couldn't resist an eye roll at the attempt at guilt-tripping. "C'mon, Bella. Let's not take up any more of your sister's oh-so-precious time," she joked, sticking her tongue out at her oldest daughter as she passed.
"Thank you for your understanding. I'll meet you all for dinner; hopefully, I'll be done by then." Glancing back at the still too-stuffed closet made her frown. Well, if she went with her gut instinct instead of debating whether or not she should donate it, she might be able to cut the time in half, but… there were too many factors to consider for her to go along with the idea.
The pair were out of the door, but Renee turned to make a final comment. "If you're not, I'll come up and drag you down myself. This is our last dinner together for a while, after all." Addison was going to tell her that they had years and years to come when they could share hundreds more dinners as a family unit, but her mother's light glare made her close her mouth and nod silently. Satisfied with her acceptance, Renee turned and led a sulking Bella down the stairs where she would likely be helping out with dinner. Had Addison's cooking not been such a disaster, it was likely that their mother would have dragged her along too as an excuse to bond one last time before she left. Thankfully, the idea of a burnt meal was less appealing than leaving her to pack.
She closed the door with a soft sigh and leaned against it for only a moment before going back to her closet to pluck out the next item on the chopping block. Yet another pair of shorts that would serve no purpose in the cool temperatures of Forks. With reluctant hands and a groan, she tossed the item onto the donation pile full of pretty summer attire she didn't want to get rid of but knew she needed to. The memory of her stuffed closet at her dad's house was forcing her to be more selective than usual, and it was for the best. How else would she be able to go shopping if she didn't leave most of the old stuff behind?
"Are you sure you got everything?" Renee questioned, looking over the bags of luggage surrounding Addison's feet. They were currently at the airport's drop-off area which was buzzing with people and sounds. Lovers walked hand in hand, mothers attempted to soothe wailing children while their exasperated husbands complained about the time, and frustrated workers in reflective jackets encouraged cars to loop around until a space to park opened. Though it could be overwhelming for most, Addison loved how lively everything felt and the energy in the air.
Slightly exasperated, Addison nodded and tried not to sigh too noticeably. "Yes, Mom. Bells and I double-checked before I left, and you ran through the checklist when we were getting in the car."
"What about your ticket?"
She held up the folded page with all the information she'd need to board her flight, including the ticket, most importantly. "This isn't my first time flying; I've got this."
"I'm just checking. Oh, what about your phone? You didn't leave it in the car, did you, and you were able to get it working again?"
"It's right here in my pocket, and Bells and I tested this morning to make sure it wasn't doing that breaking up thing anymore. I'm telling you, I've got and checked everything I need." Renee opened her mouth to ask another question about something she surely had, but Addison interrupted her by grabbing her mother by the arms and staring into her matching blue eyes. "Yes, Mom, I grabbed all my documents including the birth certificate, social security card, and even my passport which I likely won't even need. I'm all set, I promise."
The older woman's eyes grew watery, and she shook free of Addison's loose grip to stroke her hand across her curly brown hair before settling on her cheek. The warmth of the touch was filled with affection that couldn't be denied. In response, she could feel her own eyes begin to sting with unshed tears. As much as she tried to convince her family that this wouldn't be forever, she hadn't spent nearly enough time telling herself the same and found herself more emotional than expected.
"I know... I know that. I'm just going to miss you is all, my baby girl." Renee's voice cracked as she lost the battle against her tears and pulled her into a crushing hug. Addison returned it just as tightly and bit her lip to distract the tear at the edge of her eyelid.
"I'll miss you too," she managed eventually, voice uncharacteristically soft compared to her earlier excitement.
They held each other for a long time, long enough for her mother's shoulders to stop shaking and her sniffles to turn into shaky breaths. When she pulled away, Renee forced a smile onto her face while drying the remainder of her tears, and Addison cleared her throat to get her emotions in check. "Don't you go growing up and changing too fast, okay?"
Smiling, she shook her head at her mother. "I don't think too much is gonna change between now and graduation. You'll see me then."
"That's not something you can know, sweetie, but I hope you're right. I love you." Renee leaned in to give her a final peck on her forehead before stepping back to the car to take Phil's place where he was pretending to struggle with something in the trunk to give them more time. A man with a reflective vest had been eyeing them for the past couple of minutes already, so they needed to wrap this up sooner rather than later.
Phil came up to her and gave her a short hug that she returned with a small smile. "You take good care of her or I'll book the first flight to wherever you are and give you a piece of my mind." She was only half-joking, and he knew it. Phil was a good guy, and from experience, she knew he only had her mother's best interest at heart.
He chuckled at her 'threat' but nodded regardless while squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "You'll never have to worry about that while I'm around. She'll be well taken care of. I know you'll be fine, but make sure to call us from time to time. It'll make your mom worry a whole lot less; you know her."
"Of course. Hey, just do me a solid and try to talk her down from calling every single day. I love her but—"
"She can be a lot sometimes, yeah, I get it. I think I can handle that." They shared another laugh, and he gave her shoulder a final squeeze before stepping back. "Love ya, Kiddo. Make sure to let us know when you land."
He was already turned and walking over to the annoyed worker coming towards them when she called, "Love you too, Phil." They were truly in a time crunch now.
Shuffling feet coming closer made her smile widen as she turned to finally say her temporary goodbye to her sister. Her head was angled down at her scuffed Converse as she fiddled with the sleeves of her brown hoodie. It was clear to her that her younger sister was trying to keep herself together, but Addison could see right through her and knew just what to do.
"Awe, you are gonna miss your big sister! C'mere!" With a dramatic coo, she pulled Bella into a tight hug and began rocking them side to side on their feet. Of course, Bella resisted and tried to half-heartedly push off her arms, but Addison was the stronger one out of the two and easily held on. "If you wanted a hug, you could have just said so."
"Stop it, c'mon. People are probably staring," Bella protested, but the smile in her voice was clear. The tightening of her grip as she returned the hug was also telling. Addison squeezed her for a few seconds longer before finally showing mercy and letting Bella pull back, which she did after a bit of hesitation. They both noticed her damp brown eyes, but neither mentioned it as she quickly composed herself.
Taking her younger sister's hand, Addison squeezed and smiled widely when she noticed the bracelet on her wrist with the prominent sun charm amidst the others they'd collected in their travels. She was wearing the matching bracelet with her moon charm, and Bella's smile grew fond as well when she noticed. It was their reminder of each other when they were apart, and hardly a day went by without them.
"Even though I'll see you soon, I'm gonna miss you too, Bells. You'd better not let Mom convince you to back out or I'll come down there and drag you kicking and screaming." Though she was excited to see her father after their time apart, she was more excited by the prospect of being there with Bella. She'd always missed having her younger sister by her side when she visited Forks for the summer, so she'd feel so much better when she arrived in a week.
Scoffing, Bella shook her head and quickly glanced behind her where Renee and Phil were trying to reason with the man gesturing for them to move so other cars could park. When she looked back, there was a small grimace on her face. "Don't worry. As much as I don't think I'll like Forks, it'll be better than third-wheeling with them all over the country."
"Good." Knowing that they were out of time, Addison gave her younger sister another quick squeeze before stepping back to gather her many bags of luggage. "Now, you'd better go before they get fined or something. We'll see each other again before you can even miss me." Her eyes watered, but she refused to let any tears fall until she was at least in the privacy of the airport restroom.
Bella's eyes were wet as she dipped her head to avoid her sister's gaze, and she hesitantly stepped toward the car. "Too late," she muttered. Addison didn't get the chance to say another word before Bella turned and speedily walked to the back seat; even if she did, her throat wouldn't have been able to work past the sudden lump.
She watched and waved with a forced smile as her family gave their final goodbyes before pulling off. The worker with the reflective vest looked all too relieved to finally be rid of them and eagerly waved the next car over to take their place. She stayed in her spot until she could no longer see the license plate of the 2000's Subaru and finally allowed her shoulders to slump. The goodbyes were always the hardest.
Taking a moment to collect herself, she sniffled and carefully began to load her body down with luggage in her best imitation of a pack mule. Even as her shoulder ached and her pinky latched onto one of the handles with a white-knuckled grip, she couldn't bring herself to regret the sheer amount of items she was bringing. They would all be crucial in forming her updated wardrobe.
The process of getting through the airport was a familiar one, so she had no trouble finding her gate. Her bags formed a small circle at her feet as she found a seat and waited to board. With just under an hour left, Addison decided to pull out her headphones and mp3 player as well as her personal copy of Frankenstein to pass the time. She scrolled a bit and smiled when she noticed that Bella had indeed added her playlist to the small device for her. She knew her sister must have done it shortly after she'd crashed after dinner, and she ignored the stinging in her eyes once again.
It's fine, she thought to herself, she'll join Dad and I soon, and it'll be like we were never apart. Besides, nothing's gonna change in a week. The thought comforted her, and she allowed herself to get lost in the story as well as the sounds of Lincoln Park.
So, that's the end of the first chapter. How did I do? You can be honest.
I pushed myself to start this rewrite for so long, and I really took my time to sit down and write out a plan on paper. I was serious. I completed "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron and read "If You Want to Write" by Brenda Ueland during my time away from writing/posting fanfic, and I knew that if I was gonna do it, I was gonna do it to the best of my current ability... without burning myself out. I've overhauled the plot and truly thought about Addison's place in the world, and I plotted out chapters and ACTS. I actually planned out Acts for this. (Please, I am still trying to hone my craft with writing, so please do not expect perfection, it's fanfiction and it's fun at the end of the day. Forgive me if I get wordy as well. I gotta get it out how I can.)
This has been a story that has stuck with me for years now, begging to be finished, and I want to complete it just to show myself that I do have it in me. None of my stories-fanfiction or other-ever have an ending, so it's my goal to make sure this one does. The road ahead is still rocky as I aim to go further than I ever have in either of these rewrites, but I've at least got my barings.
You wanna know something crazy? I'm not even as big of a fan as I was in the past, but I'm still determined to make this my personal best contribution of fanfiction to the Twilight fandom that I've ever made. (Trust me, I made quite a few entries back before 2015 that no longer exist and will remain only in my memories.) So, I made sure there were at least 3 chapters ready for y'all to enjoy to make up for it taking me 3 whole tries to get this done.
I hope you enjoy it. If not, I'm glad you at least stopped by. The story will be here for the foreseeable future if now's not a good time.