You're my flashlight (Quil Ateara) {Editing}

Chapter 1

           Today has been a long day. I always hated packing.  I've been trying to sort through all my stuff and see what I actually want to bring with me. A lot of the clothes I wear on the daily in Phoenix I doubt I'd be able to wear them in Forks. Despite going back and forth to visit dad every so often you'd think I'd have more clothes to survive in Washington.  I managed to end up find a pair of hiking boots mom got me last summer. Once I was done packing most of my clothes that I thought I could fit in my suitcase, seeing as most of my jeans and boots are already in Washington there wasn't much more I needed to pack.   I poke my head into my sister's room. Mom was helping her sort out her clothes that they think will be better suited for the near constant rain and over cast that made Forks. I think getting a new book for the flight might be beneficial and I think Bella might end up needing a new rain coat or at least another to add to small but growing pile of clothes that they were sorting through. Grabbed my wallet, I run downstairs to see if Phil would drive me to the mall before he had to go to practice. Thinking I could probably pick up a raincoat for her and find a bookstore. 

     So  a little backstory to the current chaos, my sister decided that she wants to officially move to Forks, Washington to live with our dad, Charlie. Which means that we are making the move from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington. I've been wanting to move back to Forks for a while now. Bella never really liked the constant rain. I kinda like living with my sister so I never felt like the two of us being separated would last long.  I wouldn't tell mom or Bella that I would actually enjoy being back with dad. Bells had put her foot down when she was 14 saying that she didn't want to spend time with dad in Forks. Which meant that I got roped into that situation. There was so much green to the town of Forks that I loved and missed. So many more things to paint rather than the sprawling desert. And to quote Bella, it was one of the rainiest towns in the continental US.

           Instead we have gone to California for 2 weeks every summer after that. I, on the other hand have spent every Christmas with dad since then and since Phil came into the picture mom hasn't really been big on doing anything for the holiday.  Some how I managed to convince dad to go to Disneyland last Christmas. Bella didn't want to go, citing the time mom took us and it became a rather fiasco.

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               I woke up the next morning to Bella hitting me repeatedly with a pillow I managed to kick off the bed in my sleep. I groaned and sat up while stretching. I quickly find clothes, and run into the bathroom to take a shower. I finish my shower quickly because Bella started what sounded like banging on the door while telling me to hurry up. Popping in my hearing aid, I got dressed. I quickly brushed my hair, then started applying makeup. I swing upon the door, and wink at my sister, then saunter into my room. Bella shakes her head then walks into the bathroom. I start running around like a mad woman trying to grab small things that I would need and throwing them into my bag. Once done I run down the stairs to see if I have time to grab food. Phil throws me a waffle then grabs mom's keys that she forgot. 

        Bella clutched a cactus that she said would remind her for the dry Arizona desert.  Pop off queen but is that thing going to last with like no sun in Washington? Who knows. I think I might place bets with Phil to see how long it lasts.  And there was no surprise to finding mom coming out of the living room a little puffy eyed already.  She told us we could always decide not to go. Bella assured her that we knew and it would be better for her if we went and spent time with dad. She would be able to spend more time with Phil. Me and Bella climb in the backseat as Phil drove us to the airport and mom sat in the passenger seat. The whole car ride was silent. I plugged in my headphones for the drive.

     I step out the car when Phil parks at the airport and make sure I grabbed backpack and my carry on. Mom started to tear up, again. She reminded us again that we still had time to change our minds and stay. Bella lies and says that she really wants to go. Bella hugged mom and told her not to worry we would be fine. I joined the hug and gave Phil a look to join in. Shaking his head he joins in anyway.

       The ride to the airport was boring. We made it through security and found our gate with no problem. We managed to get to the gate a few minutes before boarding started and were on the plane without a hitch.  I got situated and was about to plug in my headphones before Bella grabbed my hand and looked at me. "Rae, you nervous?" she asked. I shook my head no. "What do you think dad will say about me changing my hair again?"  Bells sighs "More like mom told him about it." I groan and sign 'of course she did.' I nod and push the thought out of my mind. "If I fall asleep can you make sure I don't miss getting off the plane?" I ask my sister. She nods then starts to read a book. I couldn't fall asleep so I watched the plane out the little  window, watching the different towns we passed over. Thoughts of how bad school was going to be that we were starting halfway through the year raced through my head. The book I bought stays tucked away in my bag, though adding it to my collection of books growing isn't such a bad thought. 

         Standing up and making sure I have everything. Getting off the plane took 20 minutes. And then it was another 5-10 minutes trying to find the baggage claim.  Glancing at Bella, "Dad's supposed to pick us up right?" I ask/sign. She gives me the duh look. I start looking for dad. 

    "Do you remember where dad said he would be?" Bella asks. I shake my head. 'Do you have your phone?' I sign. She yanks it out of her back pocket to see if there were any texts or missed calls from him while we were getting through deboarding. We found dad and the rest of the bags that we had checked in Arizona, which were a lot more than I was expecting to be honest judging by the small pile of clothes I saw the other day. 

      Much to Bella's dismay, dad brought his cruiser. Somehow we managed to get all of the bags shoved into the trunk of dad's cruiser. Dad starts driving to the house. Which by the way it was the most awkward drive home I've ever had to sit through. I forget how similar both dad and Bella are in the sense that they're very quiet. So it made for some very awkward small talk on the way home. "Rae did Renee have you change your hair again?" I shook my head. "I decided I wanted to dye it again. I might have to find a hairdresser here cuz I've been thinking of doing a pixie cut. Or maybe do two different colors, like orange on one side and black on the other." 

      "I'm vetoing that last idea." Dad responds. "The pixie cut might be cute." Bella chimes in. "And you should dye your hair." She glances back at me and smirks. Dad shakes his head making me and Bella laugh. "Ooh, maybe I might add bangs." Charlie laughs at that. "Would I look good with a mullet?" 

      "No one looks good with a mullet Rae." Charlie says as he pulls into the driveway. "I'd beg to differ though. Billy Ray Cyrus didn't look half bad with a mullet." Bella pipes up. 

       "He did not look good with one. I think Toby Keith pulled off a mullet better than he did." Dad shakes his head as he climbed out of the car.  I hop out and yank my book bag out from the floorboard where I shoved it. "Though I gotta say Kurt Russell also did it pretty decently." 

      "I would say Larry Bird's mullet was better than Billy Ray Cyrus's." Charlie adds in before he shakes his head again and pops open the trunk. "God are we seriously debating who had the better mullet. Anyways I'm going to start bringing this stuff in."