Thanks for reading. Enjoy! Also please review if you can. I do love reviews and I do try to fix up any mistakes pointed out since I don't have a beta.
Chapter Three - First Day
Monday morning found a nervous Samuel pacing his room at 5a.m. His mind a wreck as he simply can't calm down. Thoughts and simulations about how the day could possibly go run rampant through his mind. What if he is so far behind in every subject that he can't keep up? Or maybe he is actually ahead of everyone here, answering every question right making the students think he is a know it all? What if that makes everyone hate him and he can't even make one friend? Maybe when he shows up they would all simply laugh at him? Had Bella already gone around school letting everyone know just how much of a weirdo he really is? No Samuel doesn't think Bella is that kind of person. Not from what he has seen of her taking care of Charlie. Oh god. What if everyone simply ignored him, like he doesn't exist? What then? He doesn't think he will be able to handle that. He may not talk much now, but there was a time before all this s**t happened where Samuel was constantly surrounded by people, talking sports or music. Even just about random little things that had happened in life. He was never alone. Even after all this he had never been left alone for more than a few hours. Even if he didn't know the people or necessarily like them, at least they talked to him. There was never quiet. Silence was one of his largest irrational fears. It's one of the reasons he always had is headphones on. But if people at this school really don't like him then...
His thoughts are interrupted by an irritated Bella, still in her pajamas, yanking off his headphones that are currently blasting the Transformers film score. Stopping in his tracks he turns around and stares at Bella confused as to why she is here. It surely isn't time to go yet? "Will you please stop pacing. It's doing my head in. What sane person wakes up at four to get ready for their first day at a new school?" He blushes, looking away from her and rubs the back of his head not saying a thing. She rolls her eyes, handing him his headphones back. "Fine, since you've woken me up I may as well get ready too. I'll let you know when we are leaving ok?" Walking out of his room she glanced back to see him nod his head. Not knowing what to do until then he places his headphones back on, music still blasting and flops back onto his already made bed.
An hour later Samuel is no longer in his room freaking out about the day ahead. Instead he is downstairs in the living room reading one of Bella's History books. Honestly he finds it all quite fascinating, even if a little hard to follow and keep up with at times. It's one of the reasons why, when Charlie had sat down with him Sunday to choose his subjects online, History was one of the first he had chosen. Along with English and Mathematics he had also picked P.E. since he wanted to stay active and Law. He has a feeling that it will probably be the subject he will have the most difficulty in, but he was curious. Besides it sounded far better than Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Psychology. Samuel was not a science guy by any stretch of the word. He was told he had to choose one more subject so in order to avoid the stress from all his other subjects he had chosen art. It didn't matter to him that he could hardly draw. He figured that he could always hand in shitty work and call it abstract like he had in primary school. It always worked then.
A tap on his shoulder clues him in to Bella's presence behind him. Lowering his headphones and turning around to greet her, he finds she is holding out his new backpack filled with the school supplies he had bought when Charlie took him shopping yesterday along with a banana in her other hand for him to eat. He shakes his head at the fruit making Bella release an exasperated sigh. "Ready?" Bella asks Samuel who grabs his bag from her outstretched hand. Patting himself down to check he does indeed have his wallet, phone and spare key Charlie had left on the bench for him this morning, along with a note attached wishing him well, he mutters a small noise in the affirmative before leaving with Bella who takes the banana with her.
XXxxoxxXX
Upon arriving at Forks High School, 'home of the Spartans', Samuel begins to realize just how small of a town he is now living in. Honestly if there wasn't a huge car-park and sign clearly stating that this was the school he would have completely misses it. How this miss matched clump of buildings managed to be deemed a school, he will never know. What surprises him the most though is the fact that people actually manage to ignore Bella's truck rolling into the lot. With the amount of noise it makes and it's rusted condition he is sure everyone will be staring, even after having Bella pull up in it every day for the past two months since she started in January. But he guesses that they somehow became used to it. Samuel doesn't think he ever will. After all, he is used to driving around in cars that, at most, have only been living 5 years or so. This thing felt over 30. Hopping out of the truck he begins to feel the stares. Every single eye in the vicinity turn and stare at the new guy and all he can do is place his headphones on and try to ignore them all. Bella, knowing what it fells like to be the new kid at a school so small, grabbes Samuel's hand to lead him to the office building, not noticing him flinch at the hand contact.
Luckily as they enter the office lady is just finishing up with a previous inquiry. As they walk up to her she smiles. "Good morning Bella. I take it this is Samuel Swan?" At Bella's confirmation she reaches down and grabs some pieces of paper. "Ok now this is a map of the school and your timetable along with a slip you must get every teacher to sign for each class you have today and tomorrow and hand it back at the end of tomorrow. Unfortunately there is a slight hiccup with your subjects though. Art class is already over capacity so I'm afraid you can't take it. However there are two class's that run at the same time that you can choose from without disrupting the rest of your schedule." At his curious look she continued. "The only subjects free in that block are Spanish or Biology."
Samuel suddenly groans. "Great. Spanish then." He may hate Spanish, but it is better than Biology and at least he knows what he is doing in that class having taken it for the last two years, where as he had dropped Biology along with any and all science subject as soon as he could.
"Okay then. Have a great day." Smile still etched on her face as though this is the best day of her life, and for all he knows, it possibly is.
Taking everything from the bench he walks with Bella out of the room with her showing him the way to his first class, Math. Well at least he knows what he was doing in this subject. As he walks into the classroom his teacher, an elderly man with hair like Einstein, took his slip and signed it, asking him to take off his headphones, stand in front of the class and introduce himself. Oh how he hopes not every class is going to be like this. Rolling his eyes he begins his 'speech' "I'm Samuel, 17 and I like music and soccer." The teacher, 'Mr. Einstein' Samuel decides to call him in his head, looks unimpressed with his lackluster introduction, but sends him on his way in any case. Muttering under his breath he walks off to the only empty chair at the back of the room, next to a girl with long black hair and glasses.
"Hi I'm Angela." The girl, Angela waves her hand slightly at him after he dumped his books on the table and his bag behind him. He hadn't managed to go to his locker yet, because they needed to grab the key from someone else first and Bella told him they aren't in until after his next class, so he is stuck carrying around his bag until then.
"Hey." He says as he turns to the page indicated by the teacher. One of the girls in front of him swings around and whispers to him.
"What kind of accent is that?" Her voice an annoyingly high pitched tone, blonde hair put up into a messy pony tail and make-up caked on her face.
"Australian." Samuel states, already starting to get annoyed at her.
"It's hot." With that the other girl sitting next to her burst out in giggles. Her face equally caked up, but her brown hair down in ringlets, unlike the first girl.
"Um... Thanks?" He asks not sure what to do in a situation such as this. Never before had anyone commented on his accent. Then again that was back in Australia where everyone sounded the same so he guesses it is normal.
"Miss Evans would you please turn back around and pay attention to the class?" The teacher, 'Mr. Einstein' as Samuel now firmly calls him in his head, yelled at the girl. Miss Evans rolled her eyes, winking at Samuel before she turned back around. Her friend following quick. Samuel just sits there slightly embarrassed.
"Ignore them. They are always like that. Cheerleaders." Angela speaks up to defuse the situation. Samuel smiles in thanks before paying attention to class once more.
XXxxoxxXX
When the bell rings at the end of his first class Angela and he pack up together. During class Angela and Samuel had come to a kind of agreement. Whenever the other was stuck on anything they helped each other out.
"What's your next class?" She asks as she finished packing her equipment up. He pulls his schedule out of his pocket to check.
"Um, History I think." The schedule having been written by hand and crumpled up making it kind of difficult to read.
"May I?" Angela holds out her hand for the piece of paper. Seeing no reason why not to, he passes it over. She scrunches up her eyes a bit before nodding her head. "Yep definitely History. It's right next my next class. I can take you if you want?" Taking back his schedule Samuel agrees following her. Saying goodbye to Angela, Samuel walks into his History class, handing the slip to the teacher to be signed again. Thankfully this one doesn't ask him to stay there to introduce himself when the rest of the class shows up and instead just tells him to sit at the back again on the isle side, as it was the only seat available. Muttering a simple 'K', he heads to the back of the room and takes his seat, placing his headphones back on until class starts. Slowly the room begins to fill with people chatting and laughing. Looking out the window over the still empty chair with his music blaring, Samuel doesn't notice most of the students staring at him or even the brave few attempting to talk to him. All he wants to do is forget. Forget about where he is, how he came to be here, what his life would now hold. All of it.
Upon entering the classroom to his first year History class a second before the bell, Jasper is hit with the usual flux of emotions. Jealousy, boredom, love, excitement and dread along with the ever present scent of blood. Taking a moment to steady himself from the onslaught of hormonal teenage feelings, Jasper continues to hold his breath, simply nodding to the teachers comment of him 'cutting it close'. Glancing over at his usual table, his mind stops. Sitting there in the seat next to his, unoccupied since the start of the school year, is the boy Alice had told him about. All of a sudden he felt as though he can bare class for once without feeling as though he will snap at any moment. For he couldn't. Not when his and Alice's mate is sitting right next to him. The voice of his beloved Alice floating in his head, laughing a cheering about how the day has finally arrived where they can meet their human mate for the first time. All of a sudden it is as though he can feel Alice's ecstatic emotions from across the school because that is how he feels at this moment. Striding forward, ignoring the curious stares from the rest of the class around him, he takes his seat beside the new boy. Slowly, taking a risk, he breathes in. That's when he feels it. It is odd. Strange, but a welcome change. The boys scent is overwhelming, but not in the classical way. He feels like for once he is able to control himself in front of a human, for Samuel's scent calls forth his desire, not for blood, but for something more primal. He is intoxicating.
Samuel tenses as he notices he is no longer alone at his table. Sensing his mates sudden change of emotions and the discomfort from the situation, Jasper quickly used his gift to send calming waves to the boy. As Samuel visibly relaxes, Jasper is able to clearly take in his mates appearance. He dresses like any other male that knows the basics of fashion. A hoodie with a pair of jeans and sneakers. His short, straight blonde hair, a few shades lighter than his 'sister' Rosalie's and close to the same length as his, in a messy kind of style. The boys skin slightly tanned from time spent in the sunlight. And his eyes. They weren't the classical green, but more like the gem turquoise. Having stared long enough, even though it was only mere seconds, Jasper feels now is the best time to introduce himself.
"Hi, Jasper Hale." Simple, but sweet. He doesn't want to startle his mate with talking enthusiastically like he felt he will if he doesn't hold himself back and scare the boy away before things have really even had a chance to begin.
"Uh... Samuel Swan. Hi?" He doesn't know why, but he feels flustered as he removes his headphones and places them around his neck. For some reason he expected to be ignored for this class, even though now as he thinks about it, that was a foolish thought. He is the latest news in this small town after all.
"Lovely name. Where are you from? Your accent sounds Australian." Jasper inquires as he tries to start a conversation only to be interrupted by the teacher.
"Alright class, that's enough chatter for now. Open your books to page 394 and we'll continue on from the last lesson. I'll rely on you Jasper to help Samuel keep up." He instructs the class making Jasper glare at him for the interruption, but smile at the teachers instruction for him to help Samuel.
"Yeah." A small noise from Samuel, that Jasper would have missed if not for his vampiric hearing. When Samuel noticed Jasper's curious gaze he elaborates in a slightly louder voice. "I'm Australia." Jasper smiles at that, even happier for his mates response to him. Jasper opens his book to the correct page, but doesn't bother to read something he already knows word for word. As the class continues forward, Jasper can't help noticing Samuel's face grow more and more confused over time, until he lets out a frustrated noise and closes his book. Samuel has no idea what any of this means. Maybe he was wrong when he chose this class. After all he has no experience in American History at all. Sensing Samuel's frustration Jasper thought up a brilliant plan to spend more time with his mate and get to know him more.
"What's wrong?" He silently asks the boy, knowing perfectly well what the problem is. Samuel blushes, mumbling a quite "nothing" before hiding his head in is book's cover. Jasper raises an eyebrow at the boys technique of hiding before quirking his lips up in a half grin at his antics. "You've never learnt about our history before have you?" Samuel slowly raises his head, shaking it. The blush still dusting his cheeks. Jasper's smirk at that makes his heart jump. "I'll help you then. Let me see your schedule." He demands. Reaching into his pocket, Samuel pulls out his screwed up timetable that is starting to get small tares along the edges and some of the print fading with the amount of use it has received just from him trying to memorize it whenever he had a spare moment in class. Taking the schedule from Samuel's, hands he looks over it, nodding randomly at a few points. "Alright, starting tomorrow, every Tuesday and Thursday you will meet me in the Library during your spear period and we'll try to catch you up on what you need to know to pass." He says writing a small note on the timetable for him, before passing it back. "You know you should probably put that in a book or something with a solid flat surface. Or ask for a new one and then do so considering it's current condition." Judging by the smile on his face Samuel guesses that Jasper is teasing him. Samuel just sits there stunned, gaping at him, before everything that Jasper just said sinks in. Shaking himself out of it he tries to protest before the bell suddenly interrupts him. With that Jasper smiles at him one more time, leaving the room and a flustered Samuel just staring at him. Oh that was definitely the most interesting class Jasper has ever had here in this small town of Forks.
XXxxoxxXX
When Samuel finally manages to snap himself out of that state, he quickly packs up his belongings and exits the classroom to find Angela loyally awaiting him with Bella, whom had just grabbed Samuel's locker key for him. She passes it to him and he nods his thanks, a small smile on his face. Together they make their way to the cafeteria, with a short stop by his locker to stuff his belongings into it. Yet another new experience for him. Following the girls, he picks up a tray and grabs his lunch consisting of an apple and a drink of water. Samuel still isn't quite able to eat much, since whenever he thinks of food he feels sick. Honestly he has no idea when he will be able to eat normally again and Bella's nagging isn't helping it any. He knows she is just worried for him, but she is going about it the wrong way. After collecting their food, the girls lead Samuel to a table where five others sit, chatting and mucking around.
Upon sitting down at the table, Samuel is introduced to the rest of the table. Mike, a 'key' member of the Spartan's football team, tries talking him into trying out for the team as one of the players broke his leg not too long ago, while at the same time Eric, a member of the school newspaper and prom comity, tries to talk him into letting him do a feature about him. Not to mention Tyler, a member of the basketball, football and track teams, trying to talk to him about movies and sport. It was all so overwhelming that he can't even utter a single word other than "um", "ah" and "I". This doesn't stop until he notices Jasper sitting at a table with three other attractive people all laughing. Curious about the woman next to him, he manages speak up over the boys. "Who's that sitting with Jasper?" This single question alone manages to silence the entire table making Samuel half glad and half scared of what he has done. It is Eric that speaks up first.
"You know Hale?" He seems shocked at that, as does the entire table.
"Um... yes?" Still receiving confused looks from everyone he elaborates. "He sits next to me in History." That seems to be enough for them as everyone manages to snap out of it.
"They're the Cullen's and Hale's. Rosalie Hale, Jasper's sister, the one with blonde hair and Emmett Cullen, the big dark-haired guy are together. Don't get in her way, she's a right b***h, and Emmett will probably beat you up if you even look at her the wrong way." Lauren speaks up as she eats her food. What she said does not sit right with him as he looks at the two from across the cafeteria. "The girl sitting next to Jasper is Alice Cullen. She's really weird and hyper all the time. Jasper's just as bad as the others. He always looks like he's in pain or just holding himself back from attacking someone. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen took them in when they found out she couldn't have children. They give me the creeps honestly." She shudders. With that Samuel stands up, glaring at her.
"You don't know them so you don't have the right to judge! More than likely everything you just said then is the complete opposite of who they truly are. Get to know someone before you pass judgement on them." By the end of his speech, Samuel was almost growling. He doesn't know why, but for some reason he feels protective of the Cullen's. Especially after Jasper helped him out and offered up so much of his free time to tutor him. He doesn't know the rest of the Cullen's, but he doubts they are bad people. Besides, it always rubs him the wrong way when people judged others just by looks alone. Fed up with Lauren's nonsense and the volume of their table, Samuel storms off with his bag. Angela running off after him.
Angela manages to catch up to him in the hallway and apologizes for her friend, explaining that not all of them judge people like Lauren does. Even Jessica isn't that bad most of the time. Calming down, he agrees to give them all another shot tomorrow. With that they both walk to their next class. The dreaded double Spanish. Samuel hopes, by having Angela, a girl he is quickly considering a friend, in the class it won't be as terrible as he expects.
XXxxoxxXX
Still seated at the other side of the cafeteria from where Samuel had just yelled at Lauren, a foolish girl who thought it her business to judge their family, is Rosalie. A shocked expression on her face. Over the years her family have grown used to the way others judge them and urged her to do the same. But Rosalie could not simply let the harsh comments of others slide as easily as the others. Whenever someone made a harsh or rude comment about her family, all she wanted to do was stand up and fight for them, but her beloved Emmett held her down every time, keeping her calm and her focus on him. But for once she didn't need to be held down from attacking the offender, for this time she saw someone else literally stand up for them. She watched as he stood, his seat scraping the ground from the velocity of his movement, and raised his voice to Lauren. "You don't know them so you don't have the right to judge! More than likely everything you just said then is the complete opposite of who they truly are. Get to know someone before you pass judgement on them." The look of shock on her face was nothing in comparison to Rosalie's. In all the years of her cursed life, never before has anyone done even a fraction of what that boy had. For once she thought that maybe, just maybe, not all humans were as vain and selfish as she was in her human life. Thankfully she managed to shake off her surprise quickly, as the boy stormed off, out of the room, one of the quieter humans following behind him. Rosalie would have to keep an eye on that boy, she felt she owed him for doing something she wished she could have done.
XXxxoxxXX
Dinner at the Diner to celebrate Samuel's first day of school was Charlie's idea of fun. Samuel can't agree less. The food isn't horrible, nor is it the diner itself. Honestly it is the people who bother him the most. After finally escaping the crowded hallways and cafeteria, Samuel simply wanted a break. Since the 'incident', Samuel hasn't been much of a people person and he figures that won't be changing any time soon. But since Charlie has so graciously taken him in, he figures it wouldn't be right to complain. So he keeps his mouth shut and enjoys the simple bowl of fries he has ordered with lemonade, trying to get used to eating more again. Conversation is strained between them all, but from what Samuel has already experienced, he figures this isn't out of the norm for Charlie and Bella. At least it saves him from having to come up with a conversation topic just to keep them wondering why he isn't joining in.
Once arriving back at home, Samuel heads up stairs without saying a word to the others and enters his room. Dropping his bag next to the door, he collapses onto the bed, bringing his headphones back up to play more music. He lay there simply thinking about how the day went and how he can possibly survive like this. Acting as though his life isn't shattered and he feels no reason to keep marching on. But then a flash of a smirk from the man with a strong southern accent entered his head and he feels the hint of a smile upon his own lips. Maybe life isn't totally pointless. After all, he does have a tutoring session with Jasper tomorrow.
A/N: It's finally done! With everything going on I'm surprised I managed to complete this at all. But I did and hopefully it means that I can get the next one out sooner than expected. Hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think of it! :3
An idea of what is to come:
Icy weather does not help the uncoordinated. wink
