My mother decided to stroll with her glass filled with Jack and Coke. I reluctantly followed her. It was a cold morning in Forks, the sky cloudy and grey. My worn-out black sweater swallowed my body.

There were a lot of afternoons like this. The last thing I wanted was for my mother to venture off and get lost in the woods, causing more embarrassment for me. I could only imagine a place where the sun always shines and never rains.

My mother, Renee, frequently threatened my father, Charlie, that she would leave him for a warmer climate and man. I wanted to travel to such a place, but I would never do so with my drunken mother.

"Bella," Renee slurred again. "Just go home!"

Renee looked like me if I were to turn into an alcoholic, spoiled brat. I wondered what our lives would have been like in an alternate universe.

I shouted, "I'd like to, but only if you come with me! You don't need to stumble around town!" 

I stopped being annoyed with her a long time ago. Now, all I felt was sadness. I felt as if my parents would both be better off without me. Maybe they wouldn't fight anymore.

"Did your father tell you to follow me?" She spun around and pointed her drink at me.

"No." I sighed. It repeated several times a month.

"I need to pick up something at the store quick! I'll be home soon!" Renee hiccupped and continued walking toward the bar.

"Fine. Whatever." I gave up.

I should have known better than to worry about her. I watched Renee stumble down the sidewalk for a few seconds before I walked back home.

On my walk back, it started to rain again. In the early days, Charlie chased Renee down the street. Now, he sits in his recliner.

I entered the house, and Charlie looked at me with the same depressing eyes.

Charlie was the chief of police in Forks. It embarrassed us to have a mother and wife like Renee.

"Did she go to the bar?" Charlie asked me, though he knew the answer.

"Yes." I sighed as I closed the front door.

"Did you get the oil changed in the thing yet? It's about due." Charlie turned on the TV.

Since his friend Billy sold me his old truck, Charlie nagged me about keeping up with maintenance. I nicknamed it the thing.

"Yes."

Most of our conversations were brief and to the point. We stared at the TV in silence. We waited for someone to call for one of us to pick up Renee.

After I returned home with Renee and put her to bed, I walked into my room. My private sanctuary. My room hadn't changed much since I was a child. But the once light blue walls turned dark red. The yellow curtains became blackout curtains.

One window faced the front yard, while the second one faced the trail that led to the forest on the side of our house.

The only thing I liked about my parents was that they didn't bother me. Although, that was also one of the reasons I didn't enjoy living with them anymore.

In Forks, everyone knew everyone their whole lives. I blended in too well in Forks. So well, no one ever noticed me. I couldn't even be considered one of the goths or emo kids. They at least stood out a little. Maybe if I had just moved to Forks from some strange big city, they would notice me, like the Cullens.

I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. The only thing that seemed to stand out among my classmates was my clumsiness. I stood back whenever it came to any physical activity except walking.

I often enjoyed walking on the forest trail at the edge of our property. It helped calm me after hearing my parents argue and scream at each other. I enjoyed walking in the dark and listening to different kinds of animals who also loved the night.

I didn't sleep well again. Charlie and Renee were arguing. It was something about how Charlie didn't notice Renee's haircut. 

Charlie responded, "How should I know what your hair usually looks like? It's always such a mess."

I pulled my heavy purple blanket over my head to block them out. It didn't help as usual.

It was foggy that morning. As I stood up from my bed to get dressed, I noticed Victoria and Mike walking down the trail. They must have been out on their daily walk before school. They held hands and smiled at each other.

After changing clothes, I ran downstairs to grab something to eat quickly. I hoped to leave before Renee woke up. Luckily, only Charlie sat at the small oak table. He ate toast and drank coffee every morning before heading to the station.

The white countertops were filled with either empty beer cans or liquor bottles. Charlie drank the beer. On the table was a full ashtray. Charlie never smoked until Renee started drinking.

In the family room, several family pictures were hanging on the walls. The most recent photo was taken five years prior. It was my twelfth birthday party. It was the last happy birthday I remember having.

I didn't necessarily want to go to school, but I couldn't stay home alone with Renee either. It was the same damp weather on the same drive to the same school. I saw the same cars with the same students walking with the same friends they had had for years. I parked in the same spot at the very end of the parking lot. 

Trees and shrubs border the school's property. Everyone was outside in their various groups, chatting among themselves. No one batted an eye at me as I walked past them to enter the building.

I squinted my eyes as I walked into the brightly lit entrance. I wiped my wet shoes on the rug in front of the small office. In the corner of my eye, I saw someone looking in my direction.

I looked up from my shoes and saw the person wasn't facing me. Instead, he was speaking to the red-haired woman sitting behind the desk. I noticed four other students in the office standing in front of the desk. The other four were looking back at me.

All five of them were the Cullens. The new family moved to Forks last week during school break. It was all anyone had talked about. It was the first time a family this big had relocated to Forks in years. The only other new student was James, who moved with his father last month.

Mr. Cullen was the new doctor. I haven't seen him yet, but from what I've heard, he's very handsome. He and his wife adopted all five of their children. Jasper and Rosalie were the only ones related to each other by blood—the gorgeous blonde model twins.

The taller brother, Emmet, looked like a football star. The shorter sister, Alice, looked like a ballerina. The one who turned away from me was Edward. He wasn't as muscular as his older brothers. But his boyish charm made all the girls swoon over him. I figured it was his bronze-colored shaggy hair.

I continued to walk down the hall until I heard someone call out to me.

"Miss Swan! Miss Swan! Isabella!"

The receptionist, Mrs. Cope, knew I hated being called by that name. I've lived here all my life, and people still have difficulty calling me Bella.

I groaned as I heard Mrs. Cope's quick steps with her stubby legs coming toward me and several footsteps after hers. I turned around to see all the Cullens standing behind Mrs. Cope. The only one who looked like they were happy to be there was Alice.

"Ah, Miss Swan. Would you please show these new students to their lockers? It's their first day." Mrs. Cope grinned.

"Alright." I continued to walk down the hall. As if I were the mother goose, everyone followed.