Absolution

CHAPTER TWO

Morning came super early, and I was nowhere near ready to get up when my alarm went off. I slowly drug myself from bed, feeling like death. I heard the shower running and realized it was Bella. I knew that Charlie had already left for work. I wasn't ready for another day of torment. I just wanted to be eighteen so I could finally spend some more time with my dad. I heard the water shut off, and I knew that I should finish getting ready. I grabbed the first set of clothing that my hands touched. I didn't really pay attention to what I was grabbing. It's not like my clothes were really appropriate for the rainy season in Forks, Washington. When Bella entered our shared room again, she looked slightly wet from her recent shower.

"Are you excited, Bella?" I asked her as I finished putting my shoes on.

"Not really. I mean, it's the middle of the semester, and we're the new girls. You're just lucky you graduate this year," Bella said, and I knew that she was right. Starting school in the middle of the semester never did anyone any favors.

"Who knows, Bella, school out here could be fun. You never know who you might meet," I told her as I finished brushing my hair.

"Yeah, right," Bella scoffed.

"Why so down about it?" I asked her.

"Because to be honest, Alex, this wasn't what I wanted, but I wanted my mom to be happy," She said, and I knew how hard this was for her.

"I know, Bells, but there is no reason why you should be feeling miserable about it," I said, hugging her.

"I'm just glad I have you with me, Alex," Bella said.

"Always," I said, smiling as we finished getting ready for school.

We both headed out the door and to her truck; the rain was nice. I had always loved the rain, but Bella, not so much. We sat in almost complete silence except for the roar of the truck. I didn't mind. That's how Bella and I spent most of our time; we didn't have to talk; we just enjoyed each other's company. As we pulled into the parking lot of Forks High School, I could tell that we were going to be stared at like the curiosities of a freakshow.

We stepped out of the truck, and some guy was being a jerk; I just glared at him until he looked away. Bella shook her head and looked at me, her shoulders shaking lightly with stifled laughter.

"Really, Alex?" Bella asked once we were far enough away.

"If he's going to be a jerk, I'm gonna treat him like one," I said as we made our way into the office to grab our schedules.

"Hi, I'm Alex Stark, and this is Bella Swan. We're here for our schedules," I said politely to the woman behind the desk.

"Welcome, girls; I have your schedules right here," The woman said, handing them to me along with a couple of maps of the school.

"Thank you," I replied; the woman went on to explain that the slip we each had needed to be signed by every teacher and returned at the end of the day. Bella and I both nodded and thanked her once more before leaving the office.

"Well, Bells, this is where you go. We'll go our separate ways for now; I'll see you at lunch, yeah?" I asked her.

"See you then," Bella said as she set out on her own to find her first class. I looked at my schedule and my map and saw that I had English for the first hour. I just had to find my way around the maze of buildings to the correct number I needed. I scrunched my face up in confusion as I looked around. I was always slightly directionally challenged; on a good day, I couldn't tell North from South.

"Are you lost?" A giant bear of a man asked me.

"Very," I laughed.

"Let me see your schedule," The bear of a man asked. I handed my schedule to him.