Learning to Fly

Chapter 6: On a Windswept Field

 Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer did not write this. Just hafta make sure you know that.

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There were no bells when I woke up that morning. All I heard was the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof. It was a sound that I was quite used to, but I scowled when I realized that that sound would be happening a lot more often.

I turned over and looked at my clock. It read seven A.M. School started at 8:30, and it would be ridiculous to be late on my first day. I rolled off my bed quietly so as not to wake Kate, who was sleeping across the room. I walked across the hall into the bathroom.

I was glad that Mom was still sleeping, because I really couldn’t have stood sharing the bathroom with her today. I took a quick shower and did all the essentials like brushing my teeth and blow-drying my hair.

By the time I was done, Kate was up and dressed. She left our room as I entered and headed to the bathroom.

Alone in my bedroom I contemplated over what to wear. I wasn’t a particularly fashionable person, but since I was starting at a new school, I figured I should make a good impression.

Dressed in jeans and a cute sweater, I made my way downstairs. No Steve, which meant that he had left for work. After some digging around, I found the keys to Mom’s Corolla.

When Kate was finished with breakfast –I hadn’t felt like eating– I grabbed our jackets and we made our way outside. I locked the front door and we walked to the car.

Hopefully Mom would understand why I borrowed her car. It’s not like she provided us with a ride. My motorcycle had been totaled, after all.

But lately, when it came to Mom, I didn’t really care what she would say.

When I checked in at the office in Forks High School, they gave me a slip of paper with which I was to get the teacher’s signature in each class I went to. I sighed and walked out of the office building and into the pouring rain.

I didn’t understand how this place could even be called a school. There was nothing “schooly” about it. The entire school ground looked more like a neighborhood. The buildings looked like little brick houses, and the field looked more like a playground. Like I’d said to Kevin, no one could change my situation.

Distantly, I heard a bell ring. I hurried to building 3, where my English class was.

It wasn’t too bad.

All in all, the first half of the day wasn’t too unbearable. So far, I hadn’t met any Kacies or Brees, but at least I hadn’t met any Kevins either.

                No Embry, I suddenly thought. I felt my cheeks redden, and pushed the thought from my mind. Again with the thoughts of a guy I didn’t know.

 But still, I scanned the cafeteria for him when I entered during lunchtime, and I knew I felt disappointed when he wasn’t there. It was like my subconscious had been deeply hoping that he would be at this school.

But my eye caught someone my subconscious didn’t. It was a guy that was in both my Trig and English classes. I thought his name was Joseph, but I couldn’t remember. He was a plain-looking guy with brown hair and brown eyes, but he seemed nice. Nice like actually a good person. Not "nice" like some of the guys I could feel staring at me.

I walked over to the table he was sitting at and looked around.

There was a girl who had long black hair and pale skin. I immediately thought of Bree and stiffened slightly. But then I recognized her. She was in my English class, and I knew she was pretty nice, although she was looking particularly broody now. I didn’t remember her name.