"Off you go now dearie, don't worry, it's a short trip." Mrs. Nash kissed my forehead. There were tears in her eyes as were in those of my best friend Julie. She hugged me tight. "Don't forget to write," she whispered.

I nodded feeling a lump come up in my throat. "I won't." Mrs. Nash took my shoulder and guided me into the orphanage reception. It was happening - the most anticipated moment of my life, yet the most dreaded one. I was being adopted.

"Chief Swann, this is Lily." I could hear Mrs. Nash saying to a man sitting in one of the chairs. "She's seventeen, eighteen in six months." It made sense why Mrs. Nash told everyone our ages. She was so short that even an eleven-year-old would look like an adult next to her.

"I'm sure we'll be the best of friends." Chief Swann smiled at me. I looked at him (to be honest) incredulously. The police chief? My soon-to-be dad?

"The papers are all settled. You can take her now if you like." Now? That fast? (I ask lots of questions in my head). Then I looked at Mrs. Nash. I won't describe her, but I knew she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

Chief Swann seemed to notice her discomfort too. "Then I think we'd um, better go now." He took my shoulder (Why do people always take me by the shoulder?) and led me outside. The only thing I was carrying was a denim backpack so if Chief Swann had a small car it wouldn't be a problem.

I looked back at the gray building as I stepped into a police car. It (the building, not the car) had been my home for the last thirteen years since I arrived there after my parents died. I didn't know how my parents died. I'd always wondered if they'd had an accident or been murdered. They couldn't have died naturally, somehow, I knew that…

"So, I hope you'll like living in the Forks." Charlie said, keeping his eyes on the road. We'd already left. Oh.

"If it's not too different from Seattle, sir." I half-smiled. Chief Swann laughed. "It's Charlie, Lily! And Bella will make sure you have a great time! So don't worry!" Oh. He has a daughter. (I knew that he was single when I heard him talking to Mrs. Nash during the procedure of adoption) I decided I was sick of talking and pretended to doze. Charlie seemed to be fooled by it and I got some peace and quiet for a long time. (I hate to sit around and do nothing actually)

It was late afternoon by the time we got home. I opened my eyes and pretended to rub the sleep out of them when I felt the car stop. Charlie gave me a stupid grin. "Well, here we are!" I gave him a (fake) sleepy smile and got out.

The house was pretty normal, the usual gray roofs and what not. "BELLA!" Charlie yelled. I felt hollow and numb inside at his shout. It wasn't that he already had a daughter, I'd known that, it was just that loud noises freaked me out. I never knew why, but it must have had something to do with my parents deaths. Anyway, though, it was still embarrassing to clutch Julie like a little kid in a theater when the movie started.

"Coming!" A nice-sounding voice called out. A brown-haired girl appeared in the white-painted doorway and smiled. "Oh, you must be Lily! Welcome home!" "H-hi." Bella struck me as a nice, absolutely beautiful girl. The naughty part of my brain wondered, Does she have have a boyfriend? "Where are you going Bella? Lily's just gotten home." Charlie frowned slightly. Bella shrugged dismissively. "Alice was coming over and we were all going to drive over to shop in Seattle." "And 'all' is defined is?" Wow, I didn't relies that Charlie could make sentences like that. He seemed kind of thick, but as long as he was lenient, who cared?

"Edward and Alice and Richard. And Jasper." "Take Lily up to her room first. And take her along when you go shopping. The orphanage didn't send much stuff." "Right-o. Come on Lily!" And she bounded through the doorway. I followed her into a dark living room and up a standard flight of stairs. Bella was opening a polished brown door with 'Bella' carved on it in fancy blood-red letters. "This is my room." I blinked. Either red was the accent here or one of the veins in my eyes had broken. The walls were covered in an eye-catching shade of red, the closets were painted with swirly designs of maroon and the bedsheets were dark crimson.

"It's gorgeous!" I gasped. "Thank you." Bella said and opened a side door. "And this is your room. I know it's kind of bare but we wanted to wait for you to choose how to do it up." My room was white, completely white, like a shower of snow was resting on it. There was a wide window with a great view, edged with lacy curtains. I was so occupied with the room that I didn't notice Bella staring at me anxiously. She made the first move. "I know it's not much, I'm sorry, we could-"

"It's great! It just needs some color." "What's your choice?" "Well-l, I've always loved the sky and the sea. Blue would be my choice." "Great! When the others come, we'll go get you blue bedroom stuff. And we'll have to get a whole new wardrobe for you. Alice is great at that…"

BEEP! BEEP!

I flinched but Bella didn't notice. "They're here! Come on Lily!" And she bounded down the stairs. I didn't know what to expect from the people downstairs so I followed her down, with only curiosity in my head.

To all those who reviewed, thank you so much! Guys, whoever want to can give my ideas. So who wants a '30 minutes in heaven' at the school prom? Tell me whether there should be one! Thanks again!! :)