"Are you sure you want to go to school today?" Bella asks as she looks at her brother a few days later.
"I have to do it today because then I'll be gone a week because we're pulling the plug on my mom tomorrow," Abel replies. "I'm not ready for her to die, Bella."
Bella grabs Abel's hand and she smiles softly at him. "I know," she says.
Abel and Bella go outside to Bella's truck and they get into it. Bella drives them to Forks High School. Abel hesitates to get out, and Bella motives that. She turns to look at him.
"You and me?" Abel holds up his pinky.
Bella smiles and she hooks her pinky with her cousin's. "You and me," she promises and they get out of the truth.
Almost instantly, the whispers about Abel's bruised face kick in. He bows his head full of blue hair that he plans on recoloring after Hilarie's funeral. Bella brings her cousin to the office.
"Hi, sweetie, how can I help you?" the receptionist, Sharon, asks.
"I'm Abel Swan, today's my first day," Abel says.
"Ah!" Sharon gets to work. "This is your schedule, locker number and combination. Here is a map of the school and have this form filled out by your teachers and return it to me at the end of the day. Have a food first day at Forks High School."
"Thank you," Abel says politely and he returns to Bella in the hallway.
Bella takes his schedule. "You have me in one class, and that's Biology II fifth period," she states. "That's fine. You'll do great today, Abel."
The blue-haired boy nods and Bella helps him find his locker before she leaves for her first period class.
"Hi!" a girl with a pixie haircut chirps as she and a pained looking blonde boy approach him. "You're the new boy, right?"
"Yeah... I suppose so," Abel replies awkwardly and Jasper can feel his anxiety rising slightly.
"Hi! Welcome to Forks," she chirps. "I'm Alice Cullen, and this is Jasper. He can be a bit shy."
"Shy's cute," Abel says softly and Alice giggles.
"Isn't it?" Alice smiles.
"Well... I'm Abel Swan," Abel says and he shakes their ice cold hands.
"Well, Abel, I just wanted to say hi and welcome," Alice says in her happt tone. "I hope to see you around! Bye!"
"Is she always so... chirpy?" Abel asks a lingering Jasper.
Jasper lingered because he felt the amusement and curiosity replace the anxiety. "Yes," he replies smoothly before he follows Alice down the hall.
Abel looks at his schedule and he goes to his first period, which is Gym with Coach Henry Clapp.
"You can either sit out today or play," Coach Clapp says to Abel.
"I'll play," Abel says.
"Good deal." Coach Clapp smiles. "Go change out."
Abel goes to the locker room with the other guys. He sees one guy in particular that stands out. He's big, like bodybuilder big, with dark hair and bright colored eyes with some bags under his eyes and Abs for days. Abel, suddenly feeling very insecure, goes to the area less populated with guys and he changes.
"Emmett makes us all feel insecure," a boy with dark skin says to Abel as he joins him. "I'm Tyler Crowley."
"Abel Swan," Abel says.
Abel finishes dressing out before he and Tyler leave the locker room. Abel sees that they're playing Dodge ball and he hums and the games begin.
****
"How did you win that? Against me?" Emmett asks Abel as they leave the gym together since Tyler got caught up. "I'm basically undefeated."
"Apparently not," Abel replies softly. He knows he's safe from Jason now, but he's still careful with his tone. "People say I can get competitive."
Emmett smirks. "Good to know, new kid," he muses before he walks over to two people, a blonde and a brunette.
Abel shrugs and he sees Bella approaching him with some dirty blonde girl.
"Abel, this is Jessica Stanley," Bella says. "Jessica, this is my cousin, Abel Swan."
"Hey," Jess greets happily. "Was that Emmett Cullen you were talking to?"
"Yeah." Abel shrugs. "He was pouty because my team beat his in Gym."
Bella can see Abel starting to lighten up in this school and she's glad. She can tell he still has that wall he built because of Jason up, but she thinks Forks will be a good place for him.
"Yeah, I hear he's really competitive," Jess says as the trio walk down the hall. "I'll see you at lunch?"
"Sure," Abel replies and he goes to his second period class, World History with Mr. Jackson Cooper.
He has Mr. Cooper sign his slip and he's sat behind Jasper, the one he met with Alice Cullen earlier. Abel pulls out his notebook that Bella gave him since she has a ton extra and a pen before he writes ABEL'S HISTORY NOTES at the top, along with the date and his grade. That's something he's done ever since he began middle school in the sixth grade.
Classes go on. Most are boring. Abel's favorite classes are his gym class and his free period during the last forty-five minutes of school. Abel is now at Charlie's, in his new room since Charlie was given custody as soon as the courts learned of Hilarie's health status.
"Hey, you're gonna be okay," Charlie says to him.
"I know that because I have you and Bella," Abel says. "I'm glad that Jason's in prison now."
"So am I," Charlie replies.
Charlie, feeling awkward, leaves his nephew alone. He knows that Abel's gay. He was out to him and Hilarie for months before Jason somehow found out. Abel doesn't mind the loneliness. He grabs his bruise cream and he goes to the bathroom. He looks into the medicine cabinet mirror to apply the cream.
