Chapter One- Daniella Swan

My name is Daniella Swan, although I go by Dani or Ella most of the time. I'm sixteen years old, about a year younger than my sister, Isabella, or just Bella. A few months after I was born, my mother Rene left our father, Charlie. She took Bella, but left me.

That was just fine by me. Charlie was a good father, and he took care of me as best as he could, having to have Sue and Harry Clearwater watch me, a lot. Sue and Harry had two kids of their own, so Dad was pretty confident that I was in good hands while he worked.

By the time I was eight I had learned all I needed to know in order to stay home alone. Which also wasn't too hard. It taught me how to cook, which came in handy with Dad. He burns water. Often. A funny sight to behold.

Anyway, like I said, I'm sixteen, I've got the trademark Swan look; a bit pale(though this is not unusual for those who live in Forks, Washington) brown hair, brown eyes and thin in the healthy way. However, the gene of clumsiness which came from my mother seemed to have skipped me. I was graceful, luckily.

I work at a bar/grill that is settled between La Push Reservation and Forks. It's a nice little place, called Lucky's Bar and Grill. The owner's name isn't really Lucky though. Just that Lucky sounds so much better than 'Stanley's Bar and Grill'.

Dad has dinner at Lucky's on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Those are the days I work. And he usually sends someone out to check on me when I nine to midnight on Saturdays. Usually Leah Clearwater. That's just the way it was.

But now I guess the way things happen around here is going to change. Because Bella's coming back to Forks for good. I mean seriously, the locals are already buzzing about it excitedly. Eric Yorkie and Angela Webber were even nagging me for info on her. I replied honestly that I didn't know anything about her besides the fact that she was clumsy and she liked to read.

Dad moved Bella into what was once my room. Now I lived in the basement, which was luckily, funished and heated, with a bigger bathroom than upstairs. Compensation, he called it. Oh well, basement was bigger.

When Dad brought Bella home, I was making up her bed. I hugged her. I didn't particularly like having her here, but that didn't mean she wasn't family. It didn't mean I didn't love her.

"Okay, well..." Charlie trailed off and went downstairs.

"One of the best things about Dad? He doesn't hover." I grinned. "How have you been, Bella?"

"I've been better, Ella."

"It was your choice, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." She sighed. I put a lock of my hair behind my ear. There was a honk outside and I glanced out the window, grinning.

"Come on, Bells," I nodded towards the door. I jogged out of the house, finding myself encased in a bear-hug in an instant. "Hey, Jake! Billy!"

Billy Black smiled at me when his son-my best friend, Jacob- put me down after twirling me in a circle.

"Bella, you remember Billy Black?" I nodded at the wheelchair confined man.

"Yeah!" Bella shook his hand. "You're looking good."

"Well, I'm still dancing. I'm glad you're finally here. Charlie hasn't shut up about it since he heard you were coming. Isn't that right, Dani."

I nodded solemnly as Dad rolled his eyes.

"Alright, keep exaggerating, before I roll you into the mud."

Bella snorted.

"Aftrer I ram into your ankles!" Billy declared, which started a whole big thing between him and Dad.

"Hey," Jacob finally introduced himself. "Uh, I'm Jacob. We-uh- we used to make mud pies together."

"Yeah, I remember. Then Ella would dare one of your friends to eat them."

"Quil, yeah." Jacob laughed, slinging his arm around my shoulders in his friendly manner.

"Are they always like this?" Bella gestured to the two men fooling around in the street.

"It's been getting worse with old age." I chuckled. "Anyway, what do you think?" I kicked the wheel of the ugly red truck.

"What?"

"It's your homecoming present." Dad announced.

Bella's face portrayed her shock and awe.

"This?"

"Yeah. Dad just bought it off Billy. Jacob rebuilt the engine, the little greese monkey!" I nudged him gently in the ribs. Jacob grinned and blushed under my praise.

"Oh my gosh! This is perfect, are you kidding?" Bella opened the door, hitting Jacob as he tried to slide past her into the passenger seat. I laughed hysterically at my best friends pain. I went to Bella's window, hoisting myself up so my feet were no-longer touching the ground.

"Okay, um, you have to double pump the clutch when you shift, but other than that you should be good."

"That's this one?" Bella grabbed the clutch. Jacob nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it!"

"Okay, Hey do you want a ride to school or something?" Bella asked.

"He goes to school on the reservation."

"That's too bad. It would have been nice to know someone, other than you, Ella."

"Hmm." I dropped down on my feet. Jacob got out of the truck and wraped an arm around my waist, hugging tightly before he and Billy left. I grabbed my bag, as well as Bella's handing it to her as I got into the passenger seat.

Tyler made fun of the truck when we got to school. I rolled my eyes and made my way past him, smacking him as I did.

"Don't diss the truck." Then I turned to Bella. "Come on, Bells." I led her to the main office to get her schedual.

Yorkie intercepted us on our way out.

"Hey, Dani! Hey, this is Isabella, right?"

"Sure is, Eric." I stepped aside, giving my older sister a grin which I must admit was evil.

"Hi, I'm Eric, the eyes and ears of this place."

"Liar. Stop hitting on my sister!"

"Shhhh!" Eric shoved my shoulder gently. I'd already turned him down hundreds of times-now we acted like brother and sister. "Bella, Anything you need, tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on..."

"Uh.." Bella cast me a mildly horrified look and I grinned at her again. "I'm kinda more of the suffer in silence types."

"Oh! Good headline for the feature! I'm on the newspaper and your news, baby, front page."

I chuckled and shifted my shoulder strap.

"No I'm not!" Bella stopped walking. I paused and looked back at her as she started stumbling over her words.

"Eric, please don't make this any more painful for her than it has to be. I'll kick your ass again if you embarass my sister." I grinned.

"Whoa!" Eric bumped hips with me before holding his hands out to Bella. "Relax! If you want the feature cut, we'll cut it."

"Thank you." I patted him none too gently on the back. "See you in lunch, Yorkie."

Eric grinned at me.

As it turns out...Bella sucks at volleyball. Or so Mike Newton says.

I probably should have known. I grinned as I took a bite out of my apple. Seem's Mr. Newton has taken my older sister under his wing.

"Ah, Hey, Mikey! You met my homegirl Bella!" Eric slid uncomfortably close to Bella, wrapping an arm around her. I snorted into my chicken and ceaser salad.

"Oh, oh, your homegirl?" Mike asked, sarcastically.

And then Tyler, wearing his favorite red hoodie, came out of nowhere.

"My girl!" Kissing Bella on the cheek, and stealink Mike's chair, he bounced the hell outta there. "Sorry I had to mess up your game, Mike!"

Mike jumped up and chased after our idiot friend. I chuckled at the emotionally scarred look on Bella's face. I leaned across the table towards her.

"Don't worry. You get used to the idiocy after the first few days."

Bella smiled a little, and I sat back, satisfied.

"Smile!" Angela came next to me and snapped a picture of Bella. "Sorry, I needed a candid for the feature."

"The feature is dead, Angela! Don't bring it up again." Eric stood. "I got your back, baby."

'Baby' seemed to be the new nickname for the Swan siblings. Eric called me that all the time.

"I guess we'll just do another editorial on teen drinking."

"You know you could always go for uh- Eating Dissorders?" Bella took a bite out of her celery. Jess and I shared a look, before looking down at our salads thoughtfully. "Or speedo padding on the swim team."

"Lucky's is having a karaoke night on Saturday. You can write about that." I suggested.

"Actually, that's a good one." Angela agreed.

"Yeah, totally!" Jess grinned.

"Hey, Ella?"

"Hmm?" I looked up, seeing Bella lookig out the window. Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen were just arriving, meaning the other three weren't far behind. "Ah, the calvary has arrived. Bella, those are the Cullens."

Angela and Jess both looked up too.

"They're-uh-Dr. and Mrs. Cullens adopted kids. They moved down here from Alaska like a few years ago." Jess grinned, peaking behind her shamelessly as Emmett opened the door for Rosalie.

"They kinda keep to themselves." Angela said. "Except- you know, the only person they talk to is Dani."

Bella turned to me.

"I'm nice." Was my response. 'And way too smart for my own good.' I had figured out what the Cullens were some time in the middle of last year.

"They keep to themselves because they're all together. Like together, together."

"There's nothing wrong with that, Jess," I sighed. "They aren't really related."

"But they still live together! It's weird!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway Rosalie is the pretty blonde one. Emmett is the big brute she's holding hands with. But don't let him fool you. He was a teddy bear in another life."

Emmett's head swung toward me and he stuck his tongue out.

"A very...mature teddy bear." I added for my own amusement. Alice and Jasper entered next. "And the tiny brown haired girl is Alice-"

"She's really, really weird." Jess cut me off. Alice tossed the apple off of Jasper's plate at me. I caught it with ease and raised it in thanks. "See? And she's with Jasper, the one who looks like he's in pain all the time."

I bit into my new apple as Edward walked in.

"Ah, the lone ranger." I stood up and joined him as he walked. "Edward."

"Daniella." He glanced at Jess and smirked his crooked little smirk. "Jealousy is never going to get her anywhere."

"Oh, she'll figure it out eventually." I jumped into my chair, next to Jasper and Edward. I grabbed Jasper's untouched salad and began eating. I pointed my fork at Emmett. "You made me ride to school in a rust bucket. I swear to God, I'll off your sparkley ass if I have to do that again. And you owe me five bucks because my rocket went higher than yours did."

Emmett grumbled and pulled a fige out of his back pocket, winking as he slid it across the table, making me positive he had let me win.

"We'll pick you up, tomorrow." He promised.

"Jessica is freaking out again." Rosalie informed. I grinned and stood, taking Jasper's salad with me. Rose was right. Jess was staring wide eyed at me, whispering furiously to Angela. I grinned at her as Angela rolled her eyes.

Edward called later that night, while I was working, saying not to freak out if he wasn't in school the next few days. He was going to Alaska because something with Bella's blood pulled him to her. Made him want to snap.

"Yeah, okay, alright." I glanced behind me, Stan was raising his eyebrow, wondering if everything was alright. I nodded swiftly. Dad walked in, Bella following close behind. "She actually just walked in. Be careful."

"Alright." He sighed. "Keep her out of trouble?"

"As my second job of younger sister, of course. And hey! Be nicer to her. I'd hate to have to have Em whoop your ass." Edward hung up the phone. "Sorry, Stan."

He chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. You at least don't abuse the privilage like Dawn does."

"I heard that." Dawn Anders flipped our boss off as she walked by. I smiled at her. She was a year older, but she was more outgoing than me in some cases.

I skipped up to Dad and Bella's table.

"Dad, the usual, I know, how about you, Bella?"

"Just, a garden burger, please, Ella?"

"Sure." I bypassed Waylon on his way over to the table. "Hey, Tony?" The flamboyantly gay short order cook looked up at me. "Garden burger and Dad's usual, please."

"Already got the Cheif's order up and ready," Tony handed me the normal burger with everything on it. He quickly whipped up a garden burger for Bella."Your sister's a veggie. That's cool." Tony placed the burger on my tray. I grinned at him.

"Okay, Bella, here you go. Dad eat it slowly this time."

Edward was true to his word. He didn't show up the next few days. The others did. For days, this happened. He finally came back on Monday, after lunch. I saw him talking with Bella in the hall. I took the time to run up and kick him in his ass, grinning. I turned to face him.

"Welcome back, Edward."

He gave me his usual crooked smile before turning back to my sister.

I chuckled and began putting my stuff in my locker, going into the parking lot and sitting on the hood of Edward's Volvo. He came out and leaned against it, stalkerishly walking my sister.

"You aren't gonna do that thing where you climb through the window at night and watch her sleep, are you? It get's old. Fast."

Edward rolled his eyes, placing them back on Bella.

The squeal of tires was heard, and my head snapped up. Tyler's van came speeding around a corner, skidding on ice, and heading straight for Bella.

"Ed!" I snapped. He was already gone. By the time it was over, there was an hand sized dent in each of the vehicals, and Bella was on the ground. Emmett helped me down, grim faced, and I ran to my sister.

"Bella..."