𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔

Chapter One

I am originally from Arizona. Born and raised there for 16 years. It wasn’t until this January that my parents and I moved to Forks, Washington, due to my mom’s new job opportunity. I have mixed feelings on this since I'll be living in a different state and going to a different state than my friends which I'll miss but the bright side of it is that I won’t be hot all day, every single day. I won’t have to see dry everything.

I’m supposed to start school today, Monday, January 24. I didn’t put much thought into my outfit since I was going to put a sweater over my shirt. Whenever it was the rainy season or winter season, I didn't bother putting effort into my outfits since I knew my sweater was going to cover it. I just put a pair of jeans, a gray shirt, and a black sweater over it. I used the restroom to finish getting ready there, I quickly grabbed my backpack on the way downstairs.

“BYE MA, BYE MOM!” I yell out on my way out of the house. I skip breakfast on the first days of school. It makes me feel anxious. Once I stepped outside, I felt the cool, damp air. The sky is overcast and I can hear the soft patter of raindrops on the ground. I take a deep breath and head towards my car.

On the way to school, the scenery is different from what I’m used to. There’s tall, dense trees lining the roads, and everything looks so green and alive. Growing up, I have always said that I loved the rain, I love seeing plants, trees, etc but living in Arizona, you don’t see much of that depending on where you live. I pull into the parking lot and find a spot. My heart is pounding as I turn off the engine and sit there for a moment. 

I see other students walking towards the school entrance, some in groups, some alone. I grab my backpack and step out of the car. I walk towards the entrance of the school. Inside, the school is bustling with students. I walk through the crowded hallway, trying to find the counselor's office. The school map in my hand is slightly crumpled from my grip and twisting it around trying to find my way around. As I turned around a corner, I bumped into someone.

“Sorry.” I mumbled, looking up. It’s a boy. He doesn’t say anything, just looks at me for a moment before continuing on his way. I stumble a bit, feeling a strange, wary sensation about him, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I stop for a moment, watching him walk away. 

“Ishkhan! What are you doing here?” I turned around and saw Bella walking towards me. Her face filled with a genuine smile. 

I couldn’t help but grin, feeling a sense of satisfaction at her reaction. “I moved here, Bella.” I explained. 

Her surprise quickly turned into pure joy. “That’s amazing! I’m so glad you’re here. But why did you move here? And why didn’t you tell me?” She asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Oh I moved here because of my mom’s work. It was a bit sudden, and I wanted it to be a surprise for you.” I explained, a bit excited and nervous.

“Well let me show you where the counselor's office is.” She offered. We headed our way towards the counselor’s office. Once we reached it, she glanced at the clock. “I better get to class before I’m late,” she said with a smile. “But we’ll catch up later, okay?”

“Thanks for showing me where the counselor's office is, Bella.” I nodded my head, grateful for her helping me. I waved her goodbye as I entered the counselor's office. One of the ladies at the front desk saw me and greeted me warmly. 

“What do you need?” She asks

“Oh I transferred here so I’ll be needing my classes.” I say as I lean against the counter.