Chapter 4

"Bella, you remember Billy Black?"

The voice of her father still sounded unfamiliar in Bella's ears.

Shivering slightly she pulled her coat tighter around herself. Charlie had repeatedly told her mum over the phone that she might be unsettled by the cold and to dress warm.

Bella had ignored her mother's requests to wear a hat and scarf. Demanding boyfriends certainly didn't wear hats and scarves.

Demanding boyfriends didn't make her leave sunny Arizona to live in the middle of nowhere with her stupid dad who didn't even-

Bella stopped herself.

Charlie's eyes, they looked just like hers. They also revealed the emotions he couldn't express with words.

He was nervous. He didn't have the connection with his daughter that her mum did. But now here she was, in Forks, about to stay with him.

Behind the nervousness there was excitement. Charlie had always longed to spend more time with his only daughter. He had been handed the perfect opportunity.

And he was terrified he would screw it up.

"Yeah, you're looking good." She replied with an awkward smile.

Billy touched his cap and grinned, "Well, I'm still dancing. I'm glad you're finally here. Charlie here hasn't shut up about it since he heard you were coming."

Charlie scoffed, "Alright, keep exaggerating, I'll roll you in the mud."

"After I ram you in the ankles!" Billy retorted, his hands pushing on both wheels and chasing at Charlie's heels.

The two men bickered loudly as Billy chased Charlie across the drive.

"Hi." The new voice made Bella look up.

"Hey."

The boy chuckled awkwardly, "I'm Jacob. We used to make mud pies when we were little."

Bella focused on the third person present for the first time.He had long black hair and a goofy but infectious smile.

"Yeah I remember. Were they always like this?" She replied.

Her response made the boy named Jacob smile widely, "It gets worse with old age."

"So, what do you think?" Charlie interrupted.

"What?"

Charlie slapped his hand on the side of the orange truck as he learnt against it, "Your homecoming present."

Bella's eyes widened, "This?"

Charlie slapped the car once again, "Just bought it off Billy here."

Billy chuckled and confirmed, "Yep."

Jacob seemed eager to involve himself in the conversation, or perhaps just happy to have another reason to talk to Bella, "I totally rebuilt the engine for you!"

"Oh my gosh!" Bella exclaimed.

Charlie's eyes shone with happiness as he watched Bella quickly climb into the front seat, accidentally bashing an embarrassed Jacob with the door in the process.

"Are you joking? It's perfect!" Bella said excitedly.

Jacob pointed out a couple things inside the car, "So you gotta double pump the clutch but other than that it should be good to go!"

"So you want a ride to school or something?" Bella asked, her soft voice containing a bit of hope.

"Oh I go to school on the reservation."

Bella pursed her lips and clenched her knuckles around the wheel, "Right, right. That's too bad. It would've been nice to know at least one person."

High School.

Bella pulled up to the building and sighed. The bright bodywork of the truck did nothing to shield her from the prying gazes of other students.

'New school. Maybe some new friends too.' Bella thought to herself. The positivity was easily faked.

It was March, the middle of the semester. Bella's arrival felt sudden and unexpected.

The steps to the school building were slippery with rain. The crumpled papers in her hands that had once been a map and timetable were blurred too by the never ending drizzle.

"You're the new kid right! Hi I'm Eric, the eyes and ears of this place!"

Bella turned her head to see the smiling face of a stranger. He was smiling, she guessed that had to count for something, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy at his enthusiasm.

"Whatever you need, lunch date, tour guide, shoulder to cry on." He continued.

Bella smiled awkwardly and attempted to make conversation, "I'm more of the suffer in silence type."

"Well you're front page news baby! I'm on the feature!" Eric replied instantly.

Bella felt her heart stop, "No! Please don't think I want-"

Eric held up his hands, "Woah, woah, relax. No feature. Cool?"

Relief spread through Bella's body, "Yeah, thanks."

Eric had no problem dealing with her quietness. His mouth barely stopped for a second as he gave various pieces of information about the school.

Eventually they reached her first class and Eric left as quickly as he had arrived with a wave and a hastily called out, "See you at lunch maybe!"

It was PE.

Bella stood anxiously on the court. She had asked the PE teacher to sit out, she didn't know the game and had never been any good at sports. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of everyone on her first day but-

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"

The ball bounced a few times as it rolled away. It had rebounded off the head of a blonde haired boy.

Bella tried to explain, "I'm sorry! I told them not to let me play! It's my first day and I don't know and-"

The blonde haired boy had a ball in his hands and shook his head, "No, don't, it's, it's okay."

"You're Isabella right?"

Bella laughed awkwardly, "It's just Bella actually."

The boy sharply extended her his hand , "I'm Mike, Mike Newton!"

"Nice to meet you." Bella said, trying to keep the hesistance out of her voice.

"Hey you're from Arizona right? I'm Jessica by the way!"

It was a girls voice, chirpy and light, completely fitting for the short brunette that was smiling at her.

"Yeah." Bella said blankly.

"Isn't everyone from Arizona meant to be like super tan?" Jessica asked. The question came across more awkward than friendly.

Regardless Bella was relieved to see a friendly face. Mike and Eric were friendly too, but well, perhaps too friendly.

"Yeah. I guess that's maybe why they kicked me out." Bella made an attempt at a joke.

Mike laughed much harder than the joke deserved and stuttered out, "You-you're good!"

The compliment was awkard and Bella accepted it awkwardly too. She was grateful to be called back to the other members of her team.

"Nice to meet you Bella!" Jessica shouted loudly, waving happily and raising her feet to stand on the tips of her toes.

Bella took her place again in the strange formation of the game they were playing.

A slight smile crossed her face, 'At least they're friendly.'