The Dark Side of the Moon

5. Snowfall

Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullens entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, but was forced to decline as there was no way Charlie would let me go.

By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed.

My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie was as usual a tormentor, but somethings were too far out of my control to change. I deserved it anyways.

I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and followed Charlie's every beck and call. I did walk to the library Saturday with Charlie's permission so that I could get what I needed for my English assignment, but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore using Charlie's old truck. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got... and shuddered at the thought. I doubt he'd let me go anyways, as I was never allowed out of town or to use the truck.

The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well.

People avoided me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I knew it was my silence that repelled them. They were finally getting the hint. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike even abandoned his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy.

All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More
comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here.

When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white. I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose.

I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face.

Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. I kept my mouth shut.

Sure, it was drier than rain — until it melted in your socks.

I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish, her pulling me by the hair. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary. Jessica thought I was ridiculous but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself. Instead, she slammed me against the lockers, threatening me to stay under the radar and let her be the queen.

I almost rolled my eyes. Couldn't she see that I cared little for attention?

Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we passed the line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table Jessica pulled on my arm.

"Hello? Bella? Get out of my way," Jessica said, roughly pushing me along.

I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong.

"What's with Bella?" Mike asked Jessica.

"Nothing," I answered. I went to sit down, as I had no money to buy food with anyways.