Devoted ~A Paul Lahote Story By, Addy Schroeder

Chapter one.

I woke to the sound of my dad, Charlie Swan knocking on my door, walking in with a wrapped present. "Happy birthday Mel." Dad said smiling. I sit up. "Thank you." I say with a raspy tired voice. He hands me two presents. "You didn't need to get me presents." I yawn.
"Ones from your mom and the other one is from me." I opened them, one had a scrap book and the other one had a camera with a bow on top. "You and Bella got the same presents." Dad said."cool. thanks I love it." I say getting up and hugging him.

Birthdays was something I looked forward to. I looked forward to maturity and life. That's something me and my older sister, Bella didn't have in common. She wanted to stay young and hated even the slightest thought of birthdays. That's something funny about us. We're polar opposites.
She's introverted and got her looks from our dad, and I'm extroverted and got my looks from our mom.
She thinks about things very carefully and intensely and I'm reckless. We aren't a very good pair and aren't that close. Although, we're close enough to look out for each other.

After dad walks out get dressed for school. Just a flannel and some jeans, nothing fancy. I grab my bag and get in my Bella's truck. She, whom is already in the drivers side looks at me and sighs.
"Happy birthday Carmella. I'm proud of the person you've become. Really." Bella says nervously looking down. "Thank you.. and don't worry, I won't mention it." I say nudging her on the shoulder.
She zones out for a split second and continues to nod her head. "Right." She says as she inserts the key into the ignition and starts the truck.

We drive to school only to see our friends bunched in a little group waiting for us.
Bella mentally prepares herself and I hop out of the truck excitedly and walk towards them. "Today's the big day girls." Bella looks at me with a worried look. "R and J essay due." Jessica says standing next to mike.
"Oh yeah." Bella says looking at them, not being able to hold eye contact. "Wherefore art thou, Bella?" Mike says swishing his hand in from of all of us. Bella immediately shuts down our friends awkwardness and interrupts his shenanigans "Let me take a picture of you guys. Our mom want us to put together this, like, scrapbook of memories." Bella says pulling her camera out.

We all look at each other and smile and bunch up in a group hug for the photo.
"I take them I'm not in them." Angela says separating from the group. "Well, you are today." I say pulling her back in.
"You'll Photoshop my nose, right?" Jessica ask pointing to her nose.
"Don't worry I will be in the picture. No one will be looking at you guys." Eric jokes. Bella snaps the picture "That's good." She says putting her camera away.
Everyone looks over to Edward's car, slowly parking. "Oh great. He's here." I say sarcastically. Eric cheers weekly "yay." "Well, talk to you later." Jessica says as we all walk away.

I hated Edward. He took Bella away from everything! Bella just moved in with me and dad about a year ago and this picture perfect pale emo dude comes in and takes away my bonding time. The worst part is, is that he's creepy.

"Well happy birthday, Mella." Angela says kissing me on the cheek. "Thanks for remembering!" I exclaim sarcastically slowly turning my head to the rest of our friends. "That's today?" Eric asks as we walk up the steps of the entrance.

I look back over my shoulder to see Jacob showing up in front of the school.
Jacob Black, my best friend in the entire world, always here for me, funny, caring and has the biggest crush on my sister. "Hey I'll be right back." I say running towards them. I run over and stop by Bella ignoring Edwards presence. I walk over to Jacob hugging him.

"Hello biceps!" Bella says. "You know anabolic steroids are really bad for you." Bella says nodding. Jacob laughed. "If you actually hung out with us you'd know." I say chuckling and reaching to give jake a quick side hug. "Yeah I'm just filling out, Bella." Jacob says jokingly.
"You know, it wouldn't seem so drastic if we hung out more." Jacob said stepping closer to her.. "Exactly." I say nodding my head.