March 17, 2005
Bella and I's mother, Renée Dwyer, drives Bella and I to the airport with the windows rolled down, it being seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, Arizona where we currently live.
In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds, much to my pleasure and Bella's immense displeasure as she hates anything wet and cold.
It rains in Forks more than any other place in the United States of America. It was from that little town that Renée escaped with Bella and I when we were only a few months old. It was this small town that Bella and I had the delights of spending our summers in until we were fourteen when Bella didn't want to go anymore, and put her foot down. These past three summers, much to my displeasure, Charlie, Bella and I's father, vacationed with us in California, which is pretty much the opposite of Forks, for two weeks.
It was to Forks that we now moved, an action that Bella detested as she loves Phoenix with a great passion. She loves the sun, the blistering heat, and the vigorous, sprawling city.
"Bella, Gabriella," Our mom said to Bella and I, but mainly to Bella. the last of what will probably be a thousand more promises that we don't have to leave Phoenix. "You don't have to do this." Renée looks at Bella, cupping her face before hugging Bella, then briefly hugging me, preferring Bella over me, unless I'm winning prize money for the trips she likes taking Bella on, usually leaving me with a sitter since I preferred many of them over my own mother.
Renée looks a lot like Bella, except with short hair, laugh lines, and child-like eyes.
"I want to go." Bella lies. She's always been a bad liar, so it's a miracle that Renée even believes her.
"Tell Charlie I said hi." Renée tells Bella.
"I will." Bella plasters a fake smile on her face.
"I'll see you soon," Renée insists. "You can come home whenever you want - I'll come right back as soon as you need me." Renée informs Bella, completely ignoring me, making me wish that I had asked Phil to come to see us off.
"Don't worry about me," Bella urges. "It'll be great. I love you, Mom." Bella hugs Renée.
Bella hugs Renée tightly for a moment before she leads me onto the plane where I get to sit in an aisle seat, as I have a small bladder and need to go twice during the four hour flight up to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, and another hour in the car with Charlie, our father, which I am the most worried about.
Charlie had been fairly nice about the whole thing, he seemed genuinely pleased that we were going to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence. He'd already gotten us registered for high school and was going to help Bella get a car as I prefer to walk, even if it's miles away, just not more than twenty. Twenty miles is just excessive especially if you're walking back.
It was sure to be awkward with Charlie. Neither him or Bella was what anyone would call verbatose, and I don't think Charlie understands Bella's reasoning for leaving Phoenix. I know Renée doesn't. She hasn't made it a secret of her distaste of Forks.
When we land in Port Angeles, it was raining, much to my delight, and Charlie was waiting for us in the cruiser. This, I was expecting. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks. Bella's motivation behind buying a car was that she refused to be driven around in a car with red and blue lights on the top. Nothing slows down traffic like a cop.
Charlie gives Bella an awkward one-armed hug when we get close enough, and gives me a full hug, smiling at me, making sure I'm okay with the quick once over he gives me.
