Fate

Chapter One~First Sight

Chapter One
First Sight
Elizabeth Masen
Forks, Washington. January, 2005.
*Trigger warning: detailed abuse, implied rape

"Edward!" I called up the flight of stairs to his bedroom. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!"

"I'm coming, Mom." He laughed, descending the stairs two steps at a time, and caught me in a tight hug as he reached me. "It's just school."

"Just school!" I laughed at him, trying and failing to straighten out his unruly ginger curls. "Alright, funny man, let's get going. We have new students coming today. I have a parent teacher conference to get to."

"How does Forks High School get three new students? This town is so small it's barely on any maps." Edward laughed as we walked out to my car.

"Same way it got us I suppose." I echoed him.

"Ah, the new students' parents can't stand to live in the same town longer than a few years either?" He teased me, smiling his signature crooked look he inherited from me.

"I didn't realize it was tease your mother day." I frowned playfully back at him. "Maybe they just needed a change."

"Maybe." He agreed, his face suddenly pensive as we turned into the faculty parking lot. "And when are we going to need a change?"

"Edward-"

"Mom, please, let's stay here at least until I graduate, okay? I'm halfway through junior year, if we move now then I'll have no chance at valedictorian at another school. Think of all the scholarships I'll lose out on. I-"

"Okay, okay." I quieted him. "We won't move until you graduate. Once you do, we'll move to wherever you decide to go to college. Deal?"

"Deal." He grinned, slinging his backpack over his shoulder while we climbed from the car. "Thanks mom."

"Anything for you." I smiled adoringly at him. "Now, get to class. I'll see you later." I told him, making my way to the office where I was asked to meet with the new students and their parents.

"Ms. Masen!" Pam Cope smiled widely as I entered the office and shook the rain from my jacket. "You're right on time. Principal Greene has the Swans in his office now. You're welcome to join them."

I thanked her and hung up my rain jacket before making my way through the front office towards the principals office in the back of the building.

Principal Greene's door was open and I could hear talking and laughing coming from the room as I made my way down the short hallway.

"Ah, Ms. Masen! Come in, come in, meet the Swans." Samuel Greene took my arm and ushered me into the room.

A room full of five vampires.

I knew the moment that I saw them. Their pale skin, inhuman beauty, and strange eyes all triggered memories of my once vampire love. As soon as my brain processed the threat, I was sent into fight or flight mode, and immediately turned around in order to run from the room.

"Ms. Masen! Are you alright?" Samuel caught my shoulders as I ran into him.

I threw a panicked glance over my shoulder at the vampires behind me and shook my head frantically, "No, no, I-"

"Your class is being covered by a substitute." He laughed off my concern before shutting the door behind him and moving to his desk. "Now, Ms. Masen, this is our new Chief of Police, Chief Swan, his wife Esme, and their children Emmett, Alice, and Isabella."

"We've heard excellent things about you." The eldest-looking female, Esme, smiled at me. Revealing a set of perfectly sharp white teeth. "I wanted to be sure to introduce our children to you properly, you see, they're all quite gifted when it comes to their schooling."