This idea has been brewing in my mind for a while now. I've finally arranged my thoughts and wrote them down. I hope that you enjoy chapter 1 of getting started! Please leave a review after reading :) Outfits are linked on my profile so check them out if you'd like! :)

Beta'd by Midnight Cougar

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Isabella Swan

"How much is this place?" I questioned, looking around. The apartment was spacious. It had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, a dining room, and of course a front room. It had two balconies, the one in Masen's room would have to be locked, and a fireplace, though I probably wouldn't ever use it.

"It's six hundred a month," Sarah, the apartment building manager replied.

"And all utilities are included?" I asked.

"Yes," she confirmed.

The apartment was by far the best one I had seen today. It wasn't going to get any better than this.

"I'll take it."

"Great," Sarah smiled. "When did you plan on moving in?"

"As soon as possible," I said picking up Masen's carrier and following her back to the main office.

"I believe that apartment two twelve is ready for move in."

"Really?"

"Yes," she said as she looked down at a calendar. "I just have to do a quick inspection to make sure."

"Okay, cool." I was glad that Masen and I didn't have to wait two or three weeks for the next available apartment.

"It'll be six hundred for the first month's rent, plus a three hundred dollar security deposit." I nodded, already knowing that. "Do you have any pets?" she questioned as she filled out the lease.

"No."

"If you decide to get a pet, it would be a one hundred and fifty dollar deposit. No aggressive breeds allowed." I nodded. "Rent is due on the first of every month. If you're a day or two late, we don't charge, but every day after that is fifty dollars."

"Okay," I agreed.

"And if you still don't pay, it's an immediate eviction." I nodded in agreement.

"I don't plan on getting evicted."

"Good," she grinned, passing the lease to me. "I need you to sign and date here." I took the pen and signed it. "I also need a signature here. This just states that it's only you and your son living in the apartment."

"It's only us." I promised.

"Good, that takes care of the paper work." She stapled the lease together. "Do you have a check for the first month's rent and deposit?"

"Yep," I replied and pulled it out of my purse and handed it to her; I had pretty much planned on taking this place before I came in. I drove around the area, checked to see how far it was from my job, and from my school.

It was perfect.

"Thank you. " She slipped it into an envelope "We close at five tonight, so if you'd like you can come by and get the keys. Like I said, I just need to do a quick inspection."

"Okay," I smiled. She shook my hand. "Thank you."

"No problem. " She handed me my copy of the lease. "Have a good day."

"You too," I called over my shoulder as I headed out to my car. It was such a relief to find a place to live. Masen and I had been staying at the Holiday Inn while I searched; it wasn't bad I just didn't like wasting the money.

"Hi, Dad," I said. I had called my dad to tell him the good news.

"Hey, Bells."

"I just found a great place," I said, excitedly.

"Is it in a good neighborhood?"

"Yes." All the people I had met from the apartments were very friendly and the area was clean. The best part was it was only two blocks away from my work; I could walk if I wanted to.

"How much is it?" he wondered.

"It's six hundred a month including utilities," I explained.

"That's the perfect price," Dad said thoughtfully.

"It is," I agreed. Working at Wal-Mart, I made three hundred and twenty dollars a week. It was almost twelve hundred a month, if I worked a forty-hour week; but with school starting up in a few weeks I probably wouldn't be able to. If I had wanted to I could've gotten something bigger and more expensive, but I was looking at a specific area.

What was the point in having to drive an hour and a half to work when I could find a nice, cheaper, and closer place for less?

"Who is that? Is it Bella?" I groaned. I didn't want to talk to my mother right now. Even being two states away, we still managed to fight whenever we talked. "Bella?" It's not that I hated my mom, I just wasn't happy about the way things were after I had my son.

"Hi," I said, hesitantly.

"How is my little man?" she wondered.

"He's doing great, Mom."

"I bet he misses me." My relationship with my mother used to be great, but then I got pregnant. She was supportive all through my pregnancy, but when I had Masen, we started bumping heads.

She wanted to raise him her way and I wanted to raise him my way. She'd get so frustrated when I wouldn't do things the way she wanted them done.

Hell, she hated when I tried to dress him in something she didn't approve of.

My dad was the one who suggested that I move out, not that he wanted me to. He just didn't want us fighting all the time and I agreed. It wasn't good for Masen.

Although, when he told me I should find my own place he didn't say that I should move out of state. However, since I had always loved the heat, Arizona seemed like a great place to go.

"I'm sure he does," I sighed.

"Can I talk to him?"

"He's sleeping, Mom."

"You can wake him up," she argued, persistently.

"I'm not waking him up, Mom." If he didn't get a nap, he'd be crabby all night long. Masen hated being woken up and he wasn't afraid to show it. "Can I talk to Dad? Please?"

"When do you plan on coming home?" she demanded, ignoring me.

"Christmas?" I said with a sigh, I wasn't exactly sure. Not only did I have to worry about my work schedule, but I would also have to worry about my money situation. Driving down here with Masen was hell so I didn't plan on making two more trips with an infant in the car.

"That's almost four months away," she said, quietly. "I haven't seen Masen in two weeks."

"Can I talk to Dad?" I asked again, not wanting to make her cry. "Please?"

"Fine," Mom huffed.

"What did you say to her? She's upset," my dad asked, sighing.

"I told her that I wasn't coming back until maybe Christmas," I told him.

"You can't really blame her for being upset," he stated. I sighed, knowing that he was right.

"I know." I had never been away from home and neither had Masen. The first time I ventured away from home, and here I was in a different state. "She just needs to relax though. Join a book club, start knitting, do something productive."

"She did start cooking classes."

"Seriously?" I asked with a laugh. I couldn't picture my mom cooking. Growing up, I was the one in charge of cooking. My parents had discovered that, even at the young age of ten, I had a talent for cooking and baking.

Naturally, they let me take over in that department, since neither knew how to.

"Seriously," Dad laughed too.

"Then she'll relax in no time." Cooking and baking relaxed me. Maybe it would do the same for my mom.

"Maybe," he chuckled. "So when do you get to move into your new place? Did you already sign a lease?"

"I can move in tomorrow, but I get the keys tonight."

"Wow. They usually have a waiting period, " he said, surprised.

"I know. I'm surprised too."

"So, I'll see if I can get a week or two off work to drive your stuff down." I was excited about dad's impending visit.

"You don't have to rush, whenever you have time."

"I'll try to get everything packed up by Tuesday night and I'll leave early Wednesday morning."

"You're the best," I smiled.

"I know," he said, sarcastically. "And, I'll try to ditch your mother."

"And just when I think you can't get any better, you do." I tried not to get my hopes up because if my mom wanted to come, she'd come. Hell, even if he left her at home she would probably just fly down.

However, I guessed I could handle a few days, maybe a week, of her.

"I'll call you later, Bells," My dad said, distractedly.

"The game's on isn't it?"

"Um…" he trailed off embarrassed.

"I love you, Dad." I laughed.

"Love you too, Kiddo."

"Bye."

"Bye." I hung up my phone with a sigh. The one thing I would miss most about Washington was my dad. Unlike my mother, he was always supporting what I did. He wanted me to make my own mistakes and learn from them.

Again, unlike my mom.

My mom was overprotective, she always had been.

After my mom had my older brother, she had difficulties getting pregnant. She wanted to have a big family and the outlook wasn't looking so good. She had three miscarriages before she got pregnant with me and even then I was born two months too early. My dad said that was part of the reason why she was always so overprotective of us.

She started fearing what would happen to us if she wasn't always careful.

My brother and I grew up in a strict household. Many would assume that my dad was the one that was enforcing the rules, but in reality, it was my mom. As I said, she was extra cautious.

When she found out I was pregnant, she was very disappointed. I knew she felt that I had failed her. Even then, she still supported me though. I would forever be thankful for all the help that I received from my parents during my pregnancy and the first five months of Masen's life.

I wouldn't have been able to do it all up until now without the help I had received from my mom and dad. For that I was truly grateful, but now I knew I needed to do this on my own.

Well, what do you think?