Recommence ° Edward Cullen[Rewriting]

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Chapter Two \ Forks High School

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The squeak of sneakers and the sharp thwack of volleyballs echoed through the gym. With the floor divided by gender, Bella all but hid behind Alex as the girls were then split into two teams. The latter huffed at her sister's antics but indulged her nonetheless, even after the game was underfoot. She took care to cover Bella and keep the ball away from the jumpy brunette. When it came her way, she'd leap and strike it clearly over the net with practiced precision. Her teammates were in sync as they let out a chorus of approval. "Nice hit!"

Her lips twitched faintly as she glanced at her team. Volleyball wasn't bad. It was fast, reactive and demanded teamwork, but it didn't interest Alex. She had long since discovered a deep-seated interest in baseball after picking up the sport purely out of spite of wanting to anger her adoptive mother. It didn't take long for Alex to enjoy the heft of a bat in her hands, the sharp crack of leather and wood colliding, or the burst of adrenaline as she sprinted towards first base, cleats chewing up dirt.

A part of her still ached for it—the sport she'd had to fight for back then. Back when Renée had been adamant that she choose something soft, something "ladylike" to fit the image of a daughter in her head. Alex still remembered the stifling press of tights, the blisters in shoes that pinched her toes raw, and the endless hours at a barre with music she couldn't stand. Ballet. Dance. Piano. Things her mother swore would teach her "grace and patience," but only made her hateful with every second she was forced to bend into a mould she didn't fit.

Renée's desperate ideals and Alex's defiance made the pair clash often, if not always. Bella found it easier to laugh with her mother, to slip into her rhythms and roll with her whims, but Alex. . . Alex couldn't fit the part Renée wrote for her. Maybe it was because she was adopted into the family, or maybe it was just who she was, but either way, the bond Bella and Renée had was never shared with her.

With Charlie, though, it was different. He was quiet and steady, always there and giving more than he took. From the beginning, he let Alex find who she was rather than tell her who she had to be. It set him apart from the families who had shown interest in her and the other children and staff. He's the one who had had her for a summer and signed her up for baseball because "I thought you might like it," he'd said. Alex had loved it.

Baseball became a rebellion and a victory then. An outlet when she felt pent up, and just needed to swing and hit something hard and fast. In comparison, volleyball didn't measure up. A startled yelp broke through her thoughts.

Alex turned her head just in time to see the opposite team's serve arc right for Bella, who flinched away as if it were on fire. She practically ducked behind the nearest player, her arms half raised in defense. The ball hit the floor nearby with a hollow bounce. "Sorry!" Bella squeaked, her face flushed as the team reset the play.