HEARTBLOOD - Paul Lahote

SIXTEEN

One evening, I walked into the house to find Dad watching TV, a small smile on his face. When he saw me, he patted the seat next to him, his eyes twinkling.

"How's my girl doing?" he asked as I plopped down beside him.

I shrugged, grinning. "Pretty good. Bella's settling in, Paul and I went on our first real date, and things just feel... right, you know?"

He nodded, his face softening. "I'm glad, Nicolette. You've been through a lot, and it's good to see you happy."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the movie on the screen. I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling a sense of peace settle over me. It wasn't just about what was happening with Paul or Bella or the pack—it was about feeling like I had a home, like I belonged somewhere, with people who cared about me.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The morning sun filtered through the misty clouds of Forks as Bella's truck rumbled into the school parking lot. I was waiting by the main building, hands tucked in the pockets of my jacket as I watched her park. Charlie had asked me to help Bella settle in, and I could see why he was worried—she looked a bit dazed, like she couldn't quite believe she was here.

Bella stepped out, glancing around as if sizing up her new surroundings. She caught my eye and offered a small, tentative smile, clearly grateful to see a familiar face. I smiled back and walked over, giving her a quick wave.

"Hey! So, you ready to brave your first day?" I signed and spoke, something I was slowly getting used to doing at the same time now that I was speaking more often.

She let out a nervous laugh. "Ready as I'll ever be."

I could tell she was nervous, so I kept things light as I walked her through the campus, pointing out some of the landmarks and filling her in on the quirks of Forks High. I told her a bit about our friend group too, warning her about the lunch table theatrics that awaited her.

In first period, we settled into English, where Jessica Stanley and Angela Weber joined us. Jessica noticed Bella immediately, her curious gaze sweeping over Bella's newness with an assessing look. "So, you're Charlie Swan's daughter, huh?" Jessica asked, already leaning forward with eager interest. "You must think Forks is, like, a ghost town compared to Phoenix."

Bella nodded, and I could tell she was trying not to let her nerves show. "It's definitely... different," she replied with a small smile.

Jessica continued with her questions, and Bella answered politely, though I could tell she was growing a little overwhelmed by the intensity of Jessica's curiosity. Luckily, Angela leaned over, shooting Bella a reassuring smile. "Jessica just really likes new people," Angela whispered kindly. "You'll get used to her."

The rest of the morning flew by. I tried to stick with Bella as much as I could, helping her find her classes and answering her questions. She had a natural, quiet presence that made her easy to talk to, and I could see that she was trying hard to make a good impression. By the time we reached lunch, though, I could tell she was relieved to take a breather.

We joined the usual table, where Jessica, Angela, Mike Newton, Eric, and a few others were already seated. As Bella sat down, everyone was quick to pepper her with more questions about Phoenix, her old school, and why on earth she would choose to move to Forks.

"So, did you really have a choice?" Mike asked, grinning as he poked at his sandwich. "Or did Charlie just convince you this place was paradise?"

Bella laughed, relaxing a little more with each question. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be making any tourist brochures anytime soon," she said, glancing around at the gray skies and rainy atmosphere.