The Lunar Phase

CHAPTER 2: OK! SO I AM CRAZY!

On an average, I am up between 6 and 7 every morning. School starts at 8. I am one of those contemporary, a la mode, females who love to spend a decent hour before the mirror before setting their foot outside. I would rather be vain than shabby. It didn’t help my cause that coming from a family of petite, dainty females… I am a little on the stronger side. I resemble our Nana Swan. Almost 4 inches taller than Bella. Little on the dusky side. Prominent nose and pronounced lips. My ex-boyfriend Mike used to say if my eyes weren’t bored they were burning. There too I am more in accordance with Nana. My eyes are sea green instead of brown.

My sister came to stay with us almost a year back. This one year had been really an interesting development for us Swans. Not only did my sister grab a gorgeous boyfriend, she ran away from home twice, almost got killed once, went into a suicidal mode and not long before suddenly announced getting engaged to Edward. Trouble brewed after she went to her honeymoon and we were told that she contacted some tropical disease and was bed-ridden.

Then one day he came home and after muttering for several hours announced that we are now officially grandfather and aunt. I don’t blame the poor guy. I myself went into such a shock that for a few seconds all I did was open my mouth to speak and then closed it. I called up Bella soon after to congratulate her. But all my questions died as soon as I heard her voice. Healthy and unusual. She asked me to stay at home as she would bring the baby for a visit soon. Her name, she reminded me, was Reneesmee Carlie Cullen and not Nessie.

On this particular morning, I greeted my father with utmost sweetness,
“Good Morning Daddy” and then froze as I was greeted with stunned silence. Dad looked alarmed and gave me his most severe Chief Officer Swan look. “What is that?” he emphasized his no nonsense tone by pointing his fork at my direction.. “What’s what daddy?” “What are you wearing Bee?” “Well it’s a combination of a navy blue plaid skirt and white blouse. I am yet to take my jacket.” “Its not what COLOR you are wearing Bee its how SMALL you are wearing your skirt that bothers me. Last I noticed Forks High didn’t actually turn into fashion paradise. People still wore full clothes.” “Well… Just thought of adding a little color in this rainy season” I said as I sat down chewing my toast.
“Wait a minute…do I taste butter? Dad..?” “What... it’s just a little touch-and-go” “Touch-and-go? Dad…people get their hearts CLOGGED due to butter slash accumulated fat slash cholesterol slash obesity… and before you know it you are either under the knife on a cold steel bed or pushing around a pacemaker! Not Cool! Ah-uh!” I left the toast half eaten and grab an apple.” “But I am still not convinced about the skirt BB” uh-uh, for a hopelessly messy person my dad has no trouble in keeping an organized chain of thoughts “O.K, so, we are having this rehearsal scheduled today… class project…Tennessee Williams … and I tell you… the man raises some reaaaaaally controversial issues……and I am playing Laura….so have to get into Laura mode” I swept my hands artistically showing off my attire His non-convincing “ hmm” made it certain the topic was not over yet! The topic IS going to rear its ugly head in the evening again.

Normally I cycle to school (I know it’s too “juvenile” but its exercise). By all means I am a fitness freak. But I LOATHE sweating indoors in school gymnasium. So I run, cycle, walk and play to keep those “Gluttonous sins” away from my hip. Vain creature that I am! By the time I had bid farewell to “a grumpy father”! My dad has become seriously obsessed to keep my habits in check. I am most certain he thinks I am going to follow my sister’s footsteps and go bonkers over some guy. It’s amazing how God works in mysterious ways. Charlie never was the type to worry about us like a pecking mother hen.

I was holding my books, a big sack and my jacket, all set for school and a nightcap afterwards at Julie’s place. Julie and I were raised from babies together. Our moms went to the same pre-natal classes and we went to the same pediatrics as toddlers. By the time, we went to Junior High we were mirror–images of each others habits. We moved into the same crowd. We were eternal loners. Physically we were as different as friends could be. How a soft-spoken, raven-haired ebony-skinned shy girl be friends with a red-haired, volatile, “trouble” is a matter of curious inspection. When I start dating Mike Newton, about a few months ago, I almost lost her friendship, but I smartened up and wasted no time in losing my 5th ex-boyfriend.

The road twisted and turned in lovely meandering. As I rode down the familiar road, eyeing the river Quilotte with a little sadness tugging my chest. The inborn zest of cutting loose from my nest always makes me yearn for more. I love my home but the call of the unknown is so seductive. All I want to do was to get out of Forks and do something of my own. I need to graduate. I need to plan. I need to make some money.

My thoughts came to an abrupt halt when something familiar passed by my ride. A bike. A very familiar bike. Harley Davidson Sprint. Like Jake has. But Jacob has been missing in action since my sister marrried. Or was he? I vaguely remember my dad saying something about Jacob but couldn’t remember the exact words.
JACOB. The name does some real funny things to me. I tried it again. Formed the name in my mind and concentrated on my accelerated heartbeat, on the hula-dance of my blood-stream, and the funny tingly sensation on my bare skin. I sighed. I was the victim of a very basic case of lust. Young adult hormones and the fact that a certain Red Indian had grown extremely hot almost overnight. But some things are never meant to come to surface. Since my sister formed a very close friendship with him when she was facing troubles in her life after Edward left, I was privy to some untold attraction that he felt for my sister. That developed into a healthy rivalry between the two till she married Edward. How often had I seen him riding reckless in the streets, or getting into some nasty fights? He was the epitome of nastiness until he totally disappeared again. Or maybe it was me who stopped paying attention.
The irony of the situation is Jacob was my friend first. And I have been desperately…hopelessly….unconditionally in love with Jacob Black since I was 8.

RISING MOON