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I brush out my long black hair, staring at my reflection in the mirror of the bathroom. Billy lied to me the other day, when he said I looked like dad. I look nothing like him, nor Renee... I've just realized that I look nothing like the Swan family.
There is no way I am bringing this up to dad right now, even though I really should. He is a strong man; he is chief of police, he has to be strong for his job. He is also very strong, being a single father of two teenagers.
"That's better." Bella says when I go downstairs, and I tense as dad smiles at us. "I'm more used to you in pants, not dressed."
"I promised Renee I'd look less scary." I wink at the two before I pull my beanie on. "I feel more like myself in this."
I get into Bella's truck as I watch dad get into his police cruiser. Bella gets in the truck after about fifteen minutes, and she pulls away from the house. She is dropping me off at the diner before her interview after school. Since dad only bought one vehicle off Billy.
"Athena!" Roman chants as he hits over to me, Eric and Angela have stolen my sister.
"Roman!" I chant back, causing the two of us to laugh.
"Coreen and Jamal are here." Roman says as we walk towards the school, after I realize Edward and Jasper are both gone. "Claire is sick, and Marvin is late."
"Claire says Marvin is always late." I say as Roman leads me to my history class- this class will be different with Jasper gone today.
"He is." Roman says before he goes to his gym class across the school. ....
"Hi." Cody Cullen greets me as I enter my English class fouth period, catching me by surprise. "I'm Cody."
"I'm Athena." I reply as we sit, Coreen looks just as shocked that a Cullen is talking to me.
Cody smiles. "what is your best school subject?"
"History, bio, and English." I reply. "I love learning about nature...."
"We have a trip to a green house sometime next week." Cody says as our teacher starts. "Mister Molina set it up."
Cody walks me to the cafeteria after english, and I get some disguting school food. I end up sitting between Roman and Marvin, Coreen is between Roman and Jamal. Libby is perched on the other side of Jamal, picking at her salad.
"Cody Cullen talked to Athena today," Coreen says.
"He walked me to lunch too," I shrug. "So what? They might have the last names as everyone knows as popular, but they're real nice. Cody is, anyway."
"I like you," Jamal says. "you fit in well at this table."
"Kind hearted." Libby adds.
... Cora shows me my section of the diner when I get changed. Luckily, dad sits in Cora's. Wilmur Cameron is my first custoner, according to Cora. Apparently, Wilmur travels from La Push to eat at this diner.
"Hello sir, can I start you off with something to drink?" I ask.
Wilmur's old eyes light up when he looks at me. "you're a pretty little thing."
"Thank you," I smile.
"I'll take a diet Pepsi to sip on." Wilmur says. "I want a veggie burger, to try it."
I hand him his diet Pepsi before I head to the kitchen. Riley Biers is young, but he is the assistant chef. Riley is not much older than I am. He has sandy brown, shaggy hair with liquid brown eyes.
Riley smiles before he grabs the order from my hand, and he just smiles. "Just a heads up, Wilmur Cameron never orders the same thing."
"I assumed he didn't, hence he said he wanted to try the veggie burger." I reply with a smirk.
Riley smirks himself before he starts cooking this order. I leave the kitchen and find a family of four in a booth.
"I'm Athena, and I'll be your waitress this evening." I muse.
"You're much kinder than the last young waitress," the mom says.
"I'm just a people person, I guess." I reply honestly. "Can I start you all off with something to drink?"
"A sweet tea, sweetie." The mom replies.
"Pepsi," the dad replies as he secretly eyes me up and down.
The daughter, fifteen, noticed and rolls her eyes. "Ignore him." She refers to his staring. "I want a spite."
The son, sixteen, just blushes as it is his turn. "diet Coke."
I walk away and find the drink fountain, and watch the family as I fill their glasses. The fifteen year old daughter looks rather annoyed with her father, the wife and son seem oblivious. ...
I get a ride home with Riley and his parents, because we got off at the same time. Bella is doing her homework at the coffee table and dad is drinking a beer in his recliner- in socks and jeans, plus his police academy t shirt.
"How was your first day?" Dad asks as I sit on the couch.
"Of work?" I smile. "Loved it. I'm friends with the assistant chef, Riley Biers. He isn't much older than I am." .....
"Dad!" I call as I sit on my bed, in my pajamas.
"What's up, Athena?" Dad asks as he bolts into my room.
"I-i have a question...." I say gerly. "Why don't I look like the Swan's?"
"I knew you'd notice eventually, Renee too." Dad says as he sits in the rocking chair by the window. (Athena and Bella's rooms are identical, just different color bedspreads) "That is because you were not born into the Swan family. Renee didn't give birth to you. We adopted you when you and Bella were four."
"Wait....." Bella's voice says softly from my open doorway. "Athena is adopted?"
"Her mother died, and her father couldn't raise her." Dad says.
"You guys are still my family, I'm still a Swan." I say. "I'm tired, though."
As soon as dad and Bella leave my room, I fall flat on my bed. My heavy eyes close, and I willingly fall asleep within five fast minutes.
