The next day came faster than I'd hoped our first day at a brand-new school.Bella wasn't looking forward to it. I could tell by the way she stared at her cereal the night before, lost somewhere between dread and apathy. She'd never been one for crowds or attention. Back in Phoenix, she'd had a few friends, sure, but she was the type to spend weekends curled up with a book rather than go to a party. I loved her for it  even if I couldn't be more different.I, on the other hand, had spent half the night lying awake, wondering what kind of people lived in Forks, what they'd think of the new girls in town the Chief's daughters and whether they'd be anything like the people we'd left behind.

When my alarm went off the next morning, the shrill buzzing might as well have been a battle cry. My arm shot out from beneath the blanket, knocking half the stuff off my nightstand before I found my phone and silenced it.

6:00 a.m.

My personal definition of torture.With a groan, I forced myself upright, blinking against the dim gray light that leaked through the blinds. Forks didn't really do sunlight just endless shades of cloud and drizzle. I flicked the lamp on, instantly regretting it as the brightness stabbed my eyes.
After a few minutes of convincing myself that getting out of bed wouldn't actually kill me, I headed to the bathroom. I curled my long brunette hair the way I always did when I needed a confidence boost soft waves that made it look thicker than it really was. Then came the makeup: brows, a touch of shimmer on my eyelids, mascara, foundation, contour, a bit of highlighter, and gloss. It was a small routine, but it made me feel ready, like I had armor on.

Clothes were trickier. First impressions mattered, and I didn't want mine to scream new girl. Eventually, I settled on a white cropped top with a matching leather jacket, ripped blue jeans, and white trainers. Simple, but clean. Confident. I added my silver watch and gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror. Not bad.

Downstairs, Charlie and Bella were already at the table. Charlie was halfway through his coffee and his newspaper, while Bella stared blankly into her cereal.

"How'd you sleep?" Charlie asked when he noticed me.

"Fine, thanks," I murmured, my voice still rough from sleep.

He nodded and went back to reading. One thing about Charlie  he never pried. He was quiet, but dependable, like the old house itself.By the time we pulled into the school parking lot, my nerves had started to hum beneath my skin. Forks High looked like it had been plucked straight out of a movie  low brick buildings surrounded by mist and pine trees. Every car in the lot was average at best: faded paint, dented bumpers, not a luxury model in sight.
So this was it. Forks High School.

The moment Bella and I stepped out of the car, heads turned. It was like the entire population of the student body had been waiting for us. Small town. New faces. Instant gossip.

I glanced at Bella, who looked seconds away from bolting. "You'll be fine," I whispered, nudging her lightly.

She gave me a weak smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Our first class turned out to be gym, which was probably the universe's cruel idea of a joke. At least we were together small blessings.The locker room smelled faintly of chlorine and old sneakers. We changed quickly, Bella muttering under her breath about how she should've pretended to be sick.
"Could be worse," I said. "At least it's not math."

She rolled her eyes. "I'd take algebra over dodgeball any day."

Out in the gym, the coach divided us into teams. Naturally, Bella and I ended up on the same side probably a mercy move. I could tell she hated it already.

The whistle blew, and the game began. I stayed close to her just in case. My eyes flicked toward a poster taped to the wall: "Life is too short to be small."

Something about it caught me. The phrase settled strangely in my chest, like it meant something more than it should a quiet, almost electric reminder that life could change in a heartbeat.I was still thinking about it when Bella swung her arm and accidentally smacked the ball straight into the back of a blond boy's head. He turned sharply, startled but not angry, and for some reason, Bella marched straight up to apologize.

"I'm so sorry," she blurted, voice shaky. "I told them not to let me play."

The boy blinked, then smiled awkwardly. "No way. No harm done. You're... uh, Isabella, right? And you're Scarlet?"

I nodded politely, though his attempt at confidence made me bite back a smile.

"Just Bella," my sister corrected gently.

"Right. I'm Mike. Mike Newton." He offered his hand to each of us, his grin widening when I shook it.

Before I could say much else, a bubbly voice chimed in from behind him.

"She's got spike, huh? I'm Jessica, by the way  and you've got great moves, Scarlet!"

Her enthusiasm was borderline dizzying, but I smiled anyway. "Thanks. Nice to meet you."

Jessica grinned, looping her arm through mine like we were already friends. "You're gonna love it here," she promised. "Well, maybe not the rain. But the people? We're... tolerable."

I laughed lightly, though my gaze drifted to the window.The drizzle had thickened, streaking down the glass in thin silver lines. The clouds above were darker now  heavier, like something was waiting to break through.And for the briefest moment, a shiver crawled down my spine. Not from the cold. From something else.Something I couldn't name.