Insieme per sempre

Chapter 1 ~ Stranger

Listening to rain fall can be hypnotic and entracing, just letting your mind drift. That's all I've been doing lately, all summer. Of course what else is there to do, no good book stores unless you make a 2 hour trip to Seattle, no sun to bask in or go for a walk in, not without getting a shower outside. Forks, Washington is so un ideal. But I am grateful for being able to live here. My mom, Renee, died from a single bullet when I was 15. She was my best friend, someone who I could go to for anything. I missed her. I missed how erratic she was and how forgetful yet fun she was.

She divorced my dad, Charlie, when I was about 6, so I would switch off between them, living here in Forks for a few weeks until I went back to Phoenix, Arizona to live with my mom. Charlie was great really, living with him was simple, like having my own place. After Renee's death he buried himself in his work of being the chief of police in this small town. Of course because of the lessened amount of cases in a small town, he often played cards all day. The weekends were reserved for fishing. Charlie loved my mom, even when she left, so that's why it took him so long to get over the true loss of never seeing her again, not even for the minute of passing me off between them.

I looked like my dad, brown hair and eyes, pale skin, though the sunless town doesn't really help that. And I was an average height, 5'5. Most importantly, I was completely plain.

After my moms death I came here a mess, as any girl would be after loosing their mother. Charlie got me enrolled in Forks High and for a few weeks, much to my dismay, I was the new toy everyone wanted to meet. I was known as Isabella Swan, the girl who lost her mother (possibly suicidal). I lived that name for a while, but after the reasurrences that I gave out to anyone who dared to talk to me, I was known as Bella. 9th and10th grade passed slowly for me, once again, the result of living in grief, in a small town that rained everyday.

So now, here we are, right where I started. Me, staring blankly out a window, waiting for something to happen. I have approximately 22 days before school starts again, 22 days till I have to listen to people gossip (namely Jessica Stanley) about everyone and everything. 22 days till I have to endure Mike Newton following me around, endlessly asking for a date with me, which I would always refuse as politely as possible.

After convincing myself that I've wallowed enough for one day, I head downstairs to make dinner for Charlie and I tonight, as well as every night, not that I minded. Charlie is an awful cook and mom was always able to set the kitchen on fire by making noodles, so cooking had always been mine. I missed my footing on the last step and went flying to the hard ground, something I do on a regular basis. I am horribly clumsy, never have I been able to do sports, never have I been able to make it through a day without an injury, but that's how life is for me. I sit up hesitantly after my small body hits the cold ground. My head spinning. I didn't see any blood so it wasnt that bad, just a bruised knee.

Not exactly sure I want to make a full 5 star course meal tonight, I throw some noodles into boiling water and cook some sauce. Spaghetti is a favorite of mine, well Italian really so I'm good with this choice.

When the spaghetti is about 5 minutes till done the door slams open and closed, letting in a wet Charlie.

"Hey dad." I say softly as he enters through the front hall to the kitchen.

"Hey Bells." His husky voice reponds. Its hardly ever alive, just low and there, nothing more.

"Dinner's about ready, you can have a seat," I tell him before he goes to the living room to watch his nightly routine of baseball. He turns around and smiles at me, silently saying thanks. Charlie is a man of little words, I dont think I've ever seen him give a lecture.

We eat in silence, as we do every evening. If I could give my life one word, it would be 'routine'. After dinner Charlie leaves me to the dishes and goes to watch his game. I turn on the little radio I got for the kitchen while I clean up, listening to the oldies, my favorite station. Once done, I tell Charlie goodnight, then head up to shower and go to bed.

Ugh, I think, as I lay in bed the next morning. What time is it? My head is heavy and there is a constant ringing sound coming from somewhere, I just want it to stop. With a sudden jolt I realise it is the phone ringing downstairs. Jumping out of bed was a bad idea, seeing as I ended up on the floor with the covers tangled around me. The phone is still ringing so I rush down the stairs, blanket included, and answer.

"Hello?" I ask quickly.

"Bella?" the voice calls back, there is giggling in the background. I once again wonder the time.

"Um, yes?" I say, sounding like a question. More giggling occurs.

"It's Jessica," she says, reminding me of a snob talking to a handicap person. I waited for her to continue.

"I just wanted to let you know that Lauren and I are going dress shopping today, for homecoming of course." I wait some more for her to explain why I need to know this. When she doesn't I respond.

"Congrats? Was that supposed to make my day or something?" I answer, knowing my uncaring state will knock her. The giggling stops then and I hear the phone being hung up. Shaking my head I look over at the clock on the stove, 12 o' clock noon. Wow, I slept half the day.

To make up for my laziness I decide to do more housework. Dusting the livingroom, vacuuming, dishes, laundry and bathrooms. Yup. I think to myself, that's my day ahead.

It all goes to quickly, since I'm stuck doing 'this' everyday there is never much to do. I haven't read in a while, I think. I rush upstairs, excited I found something different, well as different as you can do apart from a few days ago. I open the closet door in the hall to collect an old quilt, then to my room to put on light jeans and a tee. After that I grab a stack of books next to my bed and head outside.

Ok the quilt is laid down, with me on it. Obviously. Should reread Austen or Bronte? Romeo and Juliet? I figure the last one I haven't read for a while, also my favorite, Wuthering Heights wins. I pick it up, flip on my back, letting the rare sun seep through my clothes.

Mmm......I am so comfortable, I don't want to move. I think as I start to hear a car pull in, not realizing I had fallen asleep yet. The sun had moved in the sky, but still sending warmth apon my icy bones. I hear the gravel drive crunch and I sigh. I sit up and open my eyes, looking around for the cruiser. Once spotted I start to get up but then stop when I hear my father yell my name.

"Bella!" he shouts.

"What? What's wrong dad?" I jump up and run over to see him bending into the passanger side seat and lifting out something or someone.

"Help me with him huh?" he asks as if I should know. Without answering I walk over to the door and prepare to help out. Charlie is holding onto a man, about my age it looks like, maybe older. His bronze colored hair an unkempt mess, yet so beautiful and soft looking. I get the strongest urge to run my hand through it, just to learn the texture. I haven't seen his face yet, and I am so anxious too. Charlie motions for me to come onto the strangers left side, with Charlie on the right, his arm around the mans waist. I mimic my father. When i touch him he sighs and looks over at me. I freeze on the spot, he is an angel..... Beautiful emerald green eyes with long black lashes look into my brown ones, penetrating my soul. His pale pink lips turned up into a crooked smile. His skin a beautiful smooth pale color, high cheekbones and a muscular neck, craned down to look at me.

I hadn't noticed Charlie had moved forward and that I had stopped breathing until he cleared his throat, silently telling me to move. I follow as instructed, tearing my eyes away from this beautiful man. While I walk forward, in pace with Charlie, I look over out of the corner of my eye to see what has happened to this angel. His right leg is totally incased in a cast, his right arm in a half cast and patches covering his skin everywhere. What happened to him? How could someone so beautiful be hurt so bad? I peeked at his face, and noticed a darker area on his left cheek bone, as if someone hit him. I thought the worst, hoping I was wrong.

Charlie would tell me all the time to be safe, to take precautions and judge the people around me to make sure they are safe. He would also tell me stories of kids that had abusive parents or friends, each case differing a little, but always the same. Almost all the time the kid would die before help could come, before anyone knew.. and from the looks of it, this stranger that had been lucky enough to get out, was here, walking towards my home with me. Something somehwhere was giving me a sign to help, and at the same time, helping someone else.