Post by ☪Sydnie☪ on May 21, 2016 3:30:16 GMT -5
When a house fire leaves five year old Bella motherless, she is forced to move with her aunt in Phoenix after her father turned to alcoholism. Now, twelve years later Charlie wants to be the father he couldn't be all those years ago.
Chapter One
Bella
Bella panicked as she stared at the screen on her phone and watched as the seconds ticked dangerously close to zero. The moment she dreaded finally came as it burst into the most obnoxious arrangement of beeping noises (anything less and she would've slept right through it had it not been for her nerves), notifying her that she had precisely thirty minutes before she had to go to school. She groaned as she tapped the "silence" button, sinking further into her bed and pulling the blankets over her head. Bella had been in Forks no more than a week and already it was the start of her senior year at her new school. It was bad enough having to be labeled as the "new girl", but it was even worse that she was a senior this year. Plus, the last anyone in Forks saw of Bella, she was being shipped off to a relative after she lost her mother in the fire.
She slid out of bed, leaving her blankets in a heap on the floor as she walked over to her mirror. She didn't look any different since leaving Phoenix besides the dark circles under her eyes that her porcelain skin only emphasized. She never had to stress about losing a tan that the Arizona sun was sure to provide since her pale skin refused to do anything but turn an obnoxious shade of tomato red. She quickly ran a comb through the mass of tangles that was her hair until it fell in waves down her back. After brushing her teeth she walked over to her closet, haphazardly throwing on a pair of her favorite ripped jeans, a v-neck shirt, and an old pair of Converse. She looked once more at herself in the mirror, letting out a deep breath.
"This is about as good as it's going to get," she thought.
Rushing downstairs, she was almost grateful for running late because it meant she wasn't obligated to hold a proper conversation with Charlie. A pang of guilt stabbed at her, but she quickly brushed it away telling herself it was probably how almost anyone would react given her situation. There was a time when the Swan's had a "normal" family dynamic, but that was quickly shut down after the electrical fire left Bella motherless and ,in a sense, fatherless as well. Charlie was once a dedicated father and model citizen as Fork's Chief of Police, but after the fire took Renee from them he was never the same. He spiraled out of control into a fit depression and turned to alcohol to make it through any moment he wasn't at the station working. Five year old Bella was oftentimes left to fend for herself as her dad lay unconscious in the living room. It was not long after that her Aunt Helen in Phoenix took her in, leaving her father to cope with the loss the only way he knew how. It wasn't til the last couple of months that Charlie got back in contact with Bella, promising that he had gotten the help he needed and that he wanted to be the father that he should've been all those years ago. So after months of convincing here she is, 12 years after the incident, back in Forks. She would've preferred the grey, overcast Washington sky over the blazing hot Arizona heat had it not been for the looks people around town gave her. Bella learned quickly over the past week that maybe it was better to suffer boredom in her bedroom rather than risk awkward glances around town.
"I almost thought you weren't gonna make it downstairs," Charlie chuckled, looking up at Bella as she made it to the foot of the stairs.
"Yeah, I guess I just didn't hear my alarm." She lied, knowing well enough her nerves woke her up long before her alarm went off.
"I've got to get down to the station, I can take you to school if you-"
"No, I'll make it just fine you don't have to worry about it," she mumbled, holding her keys up as some form of half-assed explanation. Charlie had bought her an old beat up truck as a welcome home present. Maybe it was his way of asking for forgiveness, but Bella wasn't interested in going there with her father. Her way of coping was to pretend it didn't happen.
Forks High was a small school, but with the town population at a whopping 3,500 there wasn't many high school students to accommodate, at least not in comparison to Bella's school back in Phoenix. Her heart continued to race as she pulled up to the high school parking lot. Her dully colored, orange truck didn't exactly blend in as it practically roared through the parking lot; she noticed that everyone seemed to take a second glance at who was in the truck, it was obvious that a new student wasn't a common thing in this town.
Bella parked her truck as the bell rang and hurriedly collected her books before rushing toward the front doors. She inwardly panicked as she realized everyone would probably be at their desks before she would have a chance to find her first period class. Skimming over her schedule she read that she had English for first period and followed the hallway signs to the appropriate number room. "Thank God," she thought to herself. English was the most tolerable class for Bella since she enjoyed reading a good book or two in her free time.
The hallways quieted down as the last of the students went to their designated classes, which allowed Bella to focus more on the signs by the doors. If her schedule was correct then she was standing outside of her English class. Hesitantly she opened the door, preparing herself for the stares that are sure to follow when anyone arrives to class late, especially if it's a new face.
"Well, look who decided to show up! I am Ms.Greene," the short, stringy haired woman started, "and judging by your horrified expression, you must be Bella Swan, no?"
"Uh yes" Bella stuttered, "sorry I'm-"
"Anywho, sit anywhere you like we were just getting started!" Ms. Greene interrupted, clearly anxious to get on with the curriculum.
Bella scanned the room, avoiding any and all glances that went her way and spotted a seat towards the back. Perfect. Lowering down into her desk, she brought out a notebook and pen in order to take down some notes.
"Swan, huh?" Bella heard a faint whisper from the desk next to her, "Like the Chief's daughter?"
Bella looked toward the direction the voice was coming from, her gaze landing on a noticeably small, but pretty girl. She had dark brown hair styled in a girly pixie cut and curious, hazel eyes. Her perfectly plucked brows were raised, awaiting Bella's answer, "Yeah, that's me,
Bella smiled awkwardly, "how did you know?"
"I'm sure the whole town knows by now," she continued, "it's a small, lonely place here. Word travels fast, it's kind of pathetic actually." She chuckled under her breath. "Considering what happened with your family, I'm surprised-"
"Ms. Cullen, may I continue reviewing the syllabus or would you like to take over?" Ms. Greene interrupted, appearing frustrated at this point with all the interruptions first thing in the morning.
The girl simply rolled her eyes and Ms.Greene took that as her cue to continue with the lesson.
Bella let out a breath, thankful for avoiding an uncomfortable conversation.
"I'm Alice, by the way" the girl whispered, "Alice Cullen."
Bella simply smiled at her, not wanting to give Ms.Greene a hernia on the first day of class with all the distractions.
English that day was a blur . She did not write down a single thing from Ms.Greene's lecture as it was simply a review of the syllabus and the books they were going to read throughout the year. The rest of Bella's classes went on similarly; syllabus review and what to expect this next year. "As seniors it was time to buckle down and get ready for college and the next steps in life", she heard repeated an exhausting amount of times by almost every teacher, though Bella honestly hadn't put too much thought into her future. She liked to think of herself as a "survive day by day" kind of girl. It's what worked for her.
At the sound of the final bell for the day, Bella made her way to the truck. The sooner she could get out of this place the better. Forks High was much smaller compared to her school in Phoenix, but the side glances and whispers that followed her all day made a single day here seem more overwhelming than an entire year in Phoenix. It was almost as if people were afraid to talk to her, besides Alice from her first period class. Though Bella often preferred being alone, she secretly hoped that her last year of high school would be more eventful than the prior years.
Bella picked up her pace after spotting her truck in the parking lot, anxious to get out of the cold.
"Bella!" she heard a faint shout and turned towards the voice, half dreading the conversation that was about to ensue. Bella stopped in her tracks and plastered on what she hoped was a smile.
"Hey Alice," she started.
"I didn't see much of you today, not even at lunch," Alice huffed, seemingly disappointed at Bella's lack of social skills.
"Sorry I didn't know you were looking for me," she confessed.
"Not necessarily," Alice replied, "but there's this thing at my house tonight, my brothers are throwing a party. You should come"
Excuses started to run through Bella's mind immediately. Evading social gatherings was her specialty after all, and today was far too exhausting to even think about enduring it all over again.
"Oh, I don't really know if I can" Bella stumbled over what she thought was a rehearsed line she had mastered, "with it being the first day of school and all..."
"Even more reason to come!" she interjected, "just stop by for a little bit, it will be fun, I promise."
"Ok, I'll try" Bella lied, putting on a (hopefully) convincing smile.
After a quick exchange of numbers, Bella continued to her car. "Just great," she thought to herself. She somehow got suckered into going to a party and the first day of school was barely over. Scenarios of "accidentally" forgetting about it rushed through her mind along with any other excuse she could possibly think of. Alice's brothers were throwing the party? Bella couldn't remember seeing or hearing anything about her having siblings, but it's not like she took the time to really observe her surroundings at Forks High.
She started the truck, ignoring the glances that went her way when the engine roared to life and drove home. She still had a couple more hours to herself before Charlie got home from the station and she fully intended on making the most of it.
Bella mustered up whatever energy she had left and took the stairs up to her room two at a time, finally collapsing on her bed and sighing in relief. Unlocking her phone, she read the texts she received from her Aunt Helen.
Today's the big day!
How are classes going?
Are you enjoying Forks?
She locked her phone and tossed it to the side, she would think of a proper response to her aunt soon. For now, she was only interested in resting her eyes and enjoying the quietness in the house.
Her complete exhaustion would have kept her asleep had it not been for her phone going off, notifying her of a text message. Reluctantly, Bella reached for her phone, shocked to see that it was already 7pm. It was Alice's text that woke her up.
Hey where are you?!
Bella turned her lamp on, listening for Charlie downstairs. Sure enough, she heard the TV and the occasional commentary coming from her father. He had most likely been home for a couple of hours at this point, but Bella had been too deep in sleep to have heard him coming into the house. Maybe stopping by Alice's place wasn't too bad of an idea after all, it couldn't hurt to avoid an awkward conversation with Charlie. She stumbled towards the door, still feeling drowsy from her nap. Her father looked up from the TV at the sound of Bella walking down the stairs.
"Long day at school?" Charlie guessed, "I saw you were sleeping and didn't want to wake you, but dinner is on the counter."
"Thank you, but I was actually going to go to a friend's house" she admitted, not sure of whether she should ask for permission.
"That's my Bells, already making friends"
"Yeah," Bella smiled, uncomfortable, " I should get going, don't worry about waiting up for me."
She closed the door behind her, relieved to get some fresh air. It had stopped raining sometime while she was sleeping and it was a nice night besides a cool breeze that gave her goosebumps. She would feel too awkward having to walk back inside to grab a sweater so she opted to tough it out, rushing to her car and immediately turning the heater on. She scrolled through her texts from Alice, searching for the one that had her address and used the GPS on her phone to help lead her in the right direction.
Alice's house was right off the main road, down a winding path that seemed to lead deeper into the forest. It was eerie at night, but Bella was sure it was beautiful during the daylight hours. She heard the faint thrum of music before she saw the house and knew she was headed the right way. The forest was suddenly lit up with various twinkle lights surrounding an immaculate house. Something this big seemed so out of place in a town like Forks, and suddenly Bella was overcome with nerves once again.
Bella removed the key, enjoying the solitude inside the truck just a minute longer.
I'm here
Bella sent the text to Alice, stepping out the car and walking towards the front door, dodging a couple of stumbling teenagers.
"Here goes nothing," she thought to herself.
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The next chapter is in Edward's POV, expect it within the next couple of days!!! Hope you enjoyed
Chapter One
Bella
Bella panicked as she stared at the screen on her phone and watched as the seconds ticked dangerously close to zero. The moment she dreaded finally came as it burst into the most obnoxious arrangement of beeping noises (anything less and she would've slept right through it had it not been for her nerves), notifying her that she had precisely thirty minutes before she had to go to school. She groaned as she tapped the "silence" button, sinking further into her bed and pulling the blankets over her head. Bella had been in Forks no more than a week and already it was the start of her senior year at her new school. It was bad enough having to be labeled as the "new girl", but it was even worse that she was a senior this year. Plus, the last anyone in Forks saw of Bella, she was being shipped off to a relative after she lost her mother in the fire.
She slid out of bed, leaving her blankets in a heap on the floor as she walked over to her mirror. She didn't look any different since leaving Phoenix besides the dark circles under her eyes that her porcelain skin only emphasized. She never had to stress about losing a tan that the Arizona sun was sure to provide since her pale skin refused to do anything but turn an obnoxious shade of tomato red. She quickly ran a comb through the mass of tangles that was her hair until it fell in waves down her back. After brushing her teeth she walked over to her closet, haphazardly throwing on a pair of her favorite ripped jeans, a v-neck shirt, and an old pair of Converse. She looked once more at herself in the mirror, letting out a deep breath.
"This is about as good as it's going to get," she thought.
Rushing downstairs, she was almost grateful for running late because it meant she wasn't obligated to hold a proper conversation with Charlie. A pang of guilt stabbed at her, but she quickly brushed it away telling herself it was probably how almost anyone would react given her situation. There was a time when the Swan's had a "normal" family dynamic, but that was quickly shut down after the electrical fire left Bella motherless and ,in a sense, fatherless as well. Charlie was once a dedicated father and model citizen as Fork's Chief of Police, but after the fire took Renee from them he was never the same. He spiraled out of control into a fit depression and turned to alcohol to make it through any moment he wasn't at the station working. Five year old Bella was oftentimes left to fend for herself as her dad lay unconscious in the living room. It was not long after that her Aunt Helen in Phoenix took her in, leaving her father to cope with the loss the only way he knew how. It wasn't til the last couple of months that Charlie got back in contact with Bella, promising that he had gotten the help he needed and that he wanted to be the father that he should've been all those years ago. So after months of convincing here she is, 12 years after the incident, back in Forks. She would've preferred the grey, overcast Washington sky over the blazing hot Arizona heat had it not been for the looks people around town gave her. Bella learned quickly over the past week that maybe it was better to suffer boredom in her bedroom rather than risk awkward glances around town.
"I almost thought you weren't gonna make it downstairs," Charlie chuckled, looking up at Bella as she made it to the foot of the stairs.
"Yeah, I guess I just didn't hear my alarm." She lied, knowing well enough her nerves woke her up long before her alarm went off.
"I've got to get down to the station, I can take you to school if you-"
"No, I'll make it just fine you don't have to worry about it," she mumbled, holding her keys up as some form of half-assed explanation. Charlie had bought her an old beat up truck as a welcome home present. Maybe it was his way of asking for forgiveness, but Bella wasn't interested in going there with her father. Her way of coping was to pretend it didn't happen.
Forks High was a small school, but with the town population at a whopping 3,500 there wasn't many high school students to accommodate, at least not in comparison to Bella's school back in Phoenix. Her heart continued to race as she pulled up to the high school parking lot. Her dully colored, orange truck didn't exactly blend in as it practically roared through the parking lot; she noticed that everyone seemed to take a second glance at who was in the truck, it was obvious that a new student wasn't a common thing in this town.
Bella parked her truck as the bell rang and hurriedly collected her books before rushing toward the front doors. She inwardly panicked as she realized everyone would probably be at their desks before she would have a chance to find her first period class. Skimming over her schedule she read that she had English for first period and followed the hallway signs to the appropriate number room. "Thank God," she thought to herself. English was the most tolerable class for Bella since she enjoyed reading a good book or two in her free time.
The hallways quieted down as the last of the students went to their designated classes, which allowed Bella to focus more on the signs by the doors. If her schedule was correct then she was standing outside of her English class. Hesitantly she opened the door, preparing herself for the stares that are sure to follow when anyone arrives to class late, especially if it's a new face.
"Well, look who decided to show up! I am Ms.Greene," the short, stringy haired woman started, "and judging by your horrified expression, you must be Bella Swan, no?"
"Uh yes" Bella stuttered, "sorry I'm-"
"Anywho, sit anywhere you like we were just getting started!" Ms. Greene interrupted, clearly anxious to get on with the curriculum.
Bella scanned the room, avoiding any and all glances that went her way and spotted a seat towards the back. Perfect. Lowering down into her desk, she brought out a notebook and pen in order to take down some notes.
"Swan, huh?" Bella heard a faint whisper from the desk next to her, "Like the Chief's daughter?"
Bella looked toward the direction the voice was coming from, her gaze landing on a noticeably small, but pretty girl. She had dark brown hair styled in a girly pixie cut and curious, hazel eyes. Her perfectly plucked brows were raised, awaiting Bella's answer, "Yeah, that's me,
Bella smiled awkwardly, "how did you know?"
"I'm sure the whole town knows by now," she continued, "it's a small, lonely place here. Word travels fast, it's kind of pathetic actually." She chuckled under her breath. "Considering what happened with your family, I'm surprised-"
"Ms. Cullen, may I continue reviewing the syllabus or would you like to take over?" Ms. Greene interrupted, appearing frustrated at this point with all the interruptions first thing in the morning.
The girl simply rolled her eyes and Ms.Greene took that as her cue to continue with the lesson.
Bella let out a breath, thankful for avoiding an uncomfortable conversation.
"I'm Alice, by the way" the girl whispered, "Alice Cullen."
Bella simply smiled at her, not wanting to give Ms.Greene a hernia on the first day of class with all the distractions.
English that day was a blur . She did not write down a single thing from Ms.Greene's lecture as it was simply a review of the syllabus and the books they were going to read throughout the year. The rest of Bella's classes went on similarly; syllabus review and what to expect this next year. "As seniors it was time to buckle down and get ready for college and the next steps in life", she heard repeated an exhausting amount of times by almost every teacher, though Bella honestly hadn't put too much thought into her future. She liked to think of herself as a "survive day by day" kind of girl. It's what worked for her.
At the sound of the final bell for the day, Bella made her way to the truck. The sooner she could get out of this place the better. Forks High was much smaller compared to her school in Phoenix, but the side glances and whispers that followed her all day made a single day here seem more overwhelming than an entire year in Phoenix. It was almost as if people were afraid to talk to her, besides Alice from her first period class. Though Bella often preferred being alone, she secretly hoped that her last year of high school would be more eventful than the prior years.
Bella picked up her pace after spotting her truck in the parking lot, anxious to get out of the cold.
"Bella!" she heard a faint shout and turned towards the voice, half dreading the conversation that was about to ensue. Bella stopped in her tracks and plastered on what she hoped was a smile.
"Hey Alice," she started.
"I didn't see much of you today, not even at lunch," Alice huffed, seemingly disappointed at Bella's lack of social skills.
"Sorry I didn't know you were looking for me," she confessed.
"Not necessarily," Alice replied, "but there's this thing at my house tonight, my brothers are throwing a party. You should come"
Excuses started to run through Bella's mind immediately. Evading social gatherings was her specialty after all, and today was far too exhausting to even think about enduring it all over again.
"Oh, I don't really know if I can" Bella stumbled over what she thought was a rehearsed line she had mastered, "with it being the first day of school and all..."
"Even more reason to come!" she interjected, "just stop by for a little bit, it will be fun, I promise."
"Ok, I'll try" Bella lied, putting on a (hopefully) convincing smile.
After a quick exchange of numbers, Bella continued to her car. "Just great," she thought to herself. She somehow got suckered into going to a party and the first day of school was barely over. Scenarios of "accidentally" forgetting about it rushed through her mind along with any other excuse she could possibly think of. Alice's brothers were throwing the party? Bella couldn't remember seeing or hearing anything about her having siblings, but it's not like she took the time to really observe her surroundings at Forks High.
She started the truck, ignoring the glances that went her way when the engine roared to life and drove home. She still had a couple more hours to herself before Charlie got home from the station and she fully intended on making the most of it.
Bella mustered up whatever energy she had left and took the stairs up to her room two at a time, finally collapsing on her bed and sighing in relief. Unlocking her phone, she read the texts she received from her Aunt Helen.
Today's the big day!
How are classes going?
Are you enjoying Forks?
She locked her phone and tossed it to the side, she would think of a proper response to her aunt soon. For now, she was only interested in resting her eyes and enjoying the quietness in the house.
Her complete exhaustion would have kept her asleep had it not been for her phone going off, notifying her of a text message. Reluctantly, Bella reached for her phone, shocked to see that it was already 7pm. It was Alice's text that woke her up.
Hey where are you?!
Bella turned her lamp on, listening for Charlie downstairs. Sure enough, she heard the TV and the occasional commentary coming from her father. He had most likely been home for a couple of hours at this point, but Bella had been too deep in sleep to have heard him coming into the house. Maybe stopping by Alice's place wasn't too bad of an idea after all, it couldn't hurt to avoid an awkward conversation with Charlie. She stumbled towards the door, still feeling drowsy from her nap. Her father looked up from the TV at the sound of Bella walking down the stairs.
"Long day at school?" Charlie guessed, "I saw you were sleeping and didn't want to wake you, but dinner is on the counter."
"Thank you, but I was actually going to go to a friend's house" she admitted, not sure of whether she should ask for permission.
"That's my Bells, already making friends"
"Yeah," Bella smiled, uncomfortable, " I should get going, don't worry about waiting up for me."
She closed the door behind her, relieved to get some fresh air. It had stopped raining sometime while she was sleeping and it was a nice night besides a cool breeze that gave her goosebumps. She would feel too awkward having to walk back inside to grab a sweater so she opted to tough it out, rushing to her car and immediately turning the heater on. She scrolled through her texts from Alice, searching for the one that had her address and used the GPS on her phone to help lead her in the right direction.
Alice's house was right off the main road, down a winding path that seemed to lead deeper into the forest. It was eerie at night, but Bella was sure it was beautiful during the daylight hours. She heard the faint thrum of music before she saw the house and knew she was headed the right way. The forest was suddenly lit up with various twinkle lights surrounding an immaculate house. Something this big seemed so out of place in a town like Forks, and suddenly Bella was overcome with nerves once again.
Bella removed the key, enjoying the solitude inside the truck just a minute longer.
I'm here
Bella sent the text to Alice, stepping out the car and walking towards the front door, dodging a couple of stumbling teenagers.
"Here goes nothing," she thought to herself.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next chapter is in Edward's POV, expect it within the next couple of days!!! Hope you enjoyed
