Chapter Text
Forks, Washington. A place I had never expected to go back to. All rain clouds and dark skies, I’d grown up there. Mom and Dad had raised me and my older sister there, but then we moved and I never considered coming back. But money was tight, I’d grown distant from everyone and I wanted a fresh start. So, I reached out to my uncle. Charlie Swan. He said he didn’t mind me staying with him till I could get on my feet.
It was 3pm when I rolled up to the curb and parked my car, Charlie came out and with awkward motions hugged me and went to help carry my things in.
“You didn’t bring much, Jeanie.” He laughed a bit, looking at the single truckload of items I’d packed.
“Yeah, didn’t think I would need much. And I wanted to start as fresh as I could.” A majority of it was clothes, and then knick knacks and pictures. Stuffed animals, jewelry, make-up. Little bits of my life that I thought were important enough to carry on. Charlie helped me load it all in and into a bedroom upstairs.
“Well, let me know if you need anything. I’ll let you get yourself settled in.”
“Oh actually, where’s the nearest music shop? I left all my CDs at home, I wasn’t listening to most of them anyways.” But I had brought my CD player and I knew I’d want the background noise. “Yeah, of course. I’ll write it down for you.”
With his paper instructions in hand, I headed into town. Looked over the buildings that I’d once known so long ago. I wondered who remembered me. Who still would know my face. I doubted anyone would. It had been so many years. I parked outside the shop Charlie had written down and climbed out, staring up at the neon sign. Carefully avoiding puddles, I headed in and breathed in the smell of air freshener and incense. An employee behind the counter waved a hand and I nodded back.
I walked to the CD section of the store and looked through the music. I grabbed a few of the CDs, looked through them. Decided upon a Fall Out Boy disc and a Carrie Underwood disc. Then I realized there was someone standing beside me. Someone handsome. Normally I didn’t notice someone like that… by their looks but… this man… something about him felt different. It was like he had a gravitational pull, sucking me in. He was tall, broad. He was pale and his hair was fine and golden, his eyes calm.
He looked at me and smiled, “Looking for music as well?”
I nodded and waved the discs I had grabbed. He looked at them and nodded, “Good taste, though not quite what I enjoy.” His hands grabbed a few CDs from the classical music section. As well as some operatic music. “I prefer the older stuff.”
“It has its charm.”
“Indeed.” He chuckled and looked at the CDs then back at me, “I haven’t seen you around, and Forks is a small town.” I let out a polite laugh and nodded my head, pushing some brown locks away from my face.
“I’m Jeanette. Charlie Swan’s niece. I’m staying with him for a bit while I get on my feet.”
“Ah, Charlie, yes. Our finest man in blue.” I resisted cringing at the statement. “Well, I’m Carlisle Cullen, Jeanette. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook my hand and I almost didn’t want to let go of his hand. He was good looking, polite. But he was a stranger.
“I hope I’ll see you around.”
I nodded, “Me too.”
I went and checked out with my CDs and headed to my car. I sat in the car for a moment longer than perhaps I should have, thinking about Carlisle. Finally though, I got a hold of myself and drove home. Charlie had ordered pizza for dinner and we caught up as we ate, the sun slowly setting beyond the treeline of Forks.
“Good night, Jeanie.”
“G’night, Charlie. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Charlie nodded and I went to my room, shutting the door and letting out a sigh.
I was still thinking of Carlisle and I didn’t understand why. Was it his eyes, so cool and striking? Or his hands, so firm and smooth? And there was his voice too… Rubbing my hands over my face, I tried to wipe the thoughts away from my mind. I took my medications, brushed my teeth and changed into pajamas before collapsing into the mattress. I’d work on unpacking in the morning.
Even as I dozed off though, Carlisle lingered on the fringes of my mind.