Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Rabbit Meets The Magic Stick

By Mama4Dukes

Chapter 12:

Monday Morning…

“I can’t believe we’re in a time-traveling hell and we still have to go to school,” Jacob moaned.

“I know, right?” Bella agreed before turning to Paul. “How are you holding up?”

“Okay, I guess. This is all so surreal. Does the high school look any different?”

“A little, but not really. I think there were a couple of renovations and additions later, but the structure is mainly the same. Everyone here looks weird, though.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Like you don’t look weird. For God’s sake, you’re wearing frosty pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow. On top of that, your hair looks like a monsoon hit it.”

“My grandma insisted.”

“Well, I don’t like it!”

“Right, um, what’s with the overly pleated pants, the disco shirt, and the rainbow suspenders, Paul?”

Bella and Jake both started snickering at him.

“Shut up! I look like everyone else. I got this at that Chess King place the other day. Supposedly, this look is super in.”

Bella looked at the other kids. “Yeah, I guess it is.” She turned to Jake. “I swear you were really smart going with the rocker look.”

“I know, right. At least I’m comfortable.” Jake was dressed simply in jeans, a Scorpions t-shirt, and a pair of Vans.

“Yeah, well, your hair still looks messed up. You’re gonna have to cut it all off now that you’ve phased.”

“Nah uh, my great grandpa said that I don’t have to cut my hair at all, owing to Black Family tradition and all.”

Paul rolled his eyes. Ephraim Black looked more like a bearded collie than a wolf. In any case, he was the clumsiest wolf he’d ever seen. The guy kept tripping over his own fur. What good was that in an emergency?

The morning had been very busy for the kids. Glenda, Helen, and Molly had shown up at the cabin, early in the morning, to get the kids ready for school. They cooked a nice wholesome meal for them, did Bella’s hair and makeup, and drove them to school. They had hooked the kids up with brand new backpacks and school supplies as well.

The kids had just walked into Forks High School, and they all felt like a circus act. Kids were all staring at them as they headed towards the principal’s office.

“Well, hello there,” the secretary greeted.

“Hey, Mrs. Cope,” Bella replied offhand, then realized that she was in the 80’s and… she did a double take. No, her eyes weren’t deceiving her. It was Mrs. Cope-a much younger Mrs. Cope, but still Mrs. Cope.

“How did you know that I’m engaged to George Cope? He just asked me to marry him this weekend.”

“Uh… uh… someone told me as I was walking into the school.”

The secretary shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I suppose news travels fast in a small town.” She smiled at the kids. “I’m guessing you’re the three exchange students from Arizona?”

“Yes, I’m Bel… Maile Cyrus. This is Jack Sparrow and Justin Beaver.”

Paul scowled at Bella when she said his moniker.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Shelly Adams, not Mrs. Cope yet. Now, Principal Lahote is waiting for you. Welcome to Forks, Washington.”

The kids were led into Paul’s grandfather’s office where he bade them all to sit down.

“Hey, kids, did you sleep well last night?”

“Uh, yes, sir,” Paul replied.

“Good, good. I have your schedules here for you.”

The kids each sat down to peruse the printed sheets of paper in their hands.

“Whoa! Wait a second! How come I’m in all honors classes?” Paul asked.

“You’re my grandson. You have my brains. You’ll get through them.”

“Sir, can you put me in remedial math?” Bella asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have faith in you, that’s why! And I tried to keep the three of you in the same classes, more or less, so you can stay together. Now, let’s work on picking out your electives.”

“Electives? What are those?” Jake asked. Paul nodded his head as well. He had no idea what electives were.

“Electives are classes that you choose yourself-usually in a subject that interests you,” Bella explained.

“Don’t you have electives anymore in the future?” Gene asked.

Jake and Paul shook their heads.

“We do at Forks High,” Bella replied.

“Wait a second. Where do you boys attend school?”

“We go to the tribal school.”

“Tribal school. Why?”

“I don’t know. It’s all I’ve ever known,” Jake explained.

“I used to live in Seattle and I went to a normal public school there, but when I returned to La Push, I started attending the tribal school.”

“But I thought the elders had agreed that the idea of a tribal school was bad due to the high level of dropouts, lack of opportunities, teen pregnancies, and rampant alcohol and drug addiction in reservation schools. Besides, we’re a small tribe, we don’t need the added expense of a tribal school for the handful of students attending.”

“Don’t look at me. I agree with you,” Paul said, “All of what you said is true. Thank God, I’m dirt poor; otherwise, I’d probably be an alcoholic or a drug addict. I can’t even afford those things.”

“It’s a good thing, too, because you don’t need those kinds of problems on top of the ones you already have!” Bella stated.

“I’ll look into this issue later. Now, why don’t you pick your electives. Choose different ones from each other.”

Bella chose Home Economics as her elective, while Jacob selected Auto Mechanics. Paul, though, was at a complete loss. He had no idea what class to pick.

“I’m not good at any of this stuff, sir.”

“Can you stop calling me ‘sir’ when in private? I’m your grandpa.” Gene shook his head. “Do you want to take Auto Mechanics with Jake?”

“Uh, no. I can’t even drive a car. I’m barely ever even in one.”

“What do you mean? Doesn’t your father own a car?”

“No, he had his license revoked when I was ten years old and he never went back to get one.”

“He has no job then?”

“He’s the town drunk. No one wants to hire him. I don’t even think he’s capable of holding down a job, and I try to work odd jobs here and there so we can have some money. We live mostly on welfare. I handle the bills because my dad can’t,” he explained. “We get food stamps, but I don’t know what my dad does with them. I go to the food bank each week to pick up some groceries so my dad will have something to eat. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, they’re my friend Jared’s parents, feed me dinner every night. They’re really nice. They have six kids of their own to feed, seven including me, but they do it out of the kindness of their hearts.”

“Paul, how are you planning on getting yourself out of your situation?”

“I don’t know. I want to leave, but I don’t know how. I wouldn’t know the first step to leaving. I want to get a steady job and all, but everyone thinks I’m like my dad. Many people don’t like me.”

Bella grabbed Paul’s hand and squeezed it to reassure him. “I like you,” she said.

“Me, too, buddy,” Jake said, patting his friend on the back.

“Thanks.” Paul nodded his head to his friends. “It’s funny. I actually do really well in school. I’m a straight A student. Like I told you yesterday, I go to school so I can eat. I figure I might as well learn something while I’m there.”

Gene sat still in shock at the information he just learned. How had Adam’s life spiral into one of self-destruction? Before he could formulate a reply to his grandson, Paul spoke, “Hey, I can draw. I can draw really well. Is ‘Art’ drawing?”

“It involves all kinds of mediums, but yes. Why don’t we sign you up for Art then?”

“Um, Mr. Lahote,” Jacob asked.

“Yes.”

“It says here that I’m a senior, but I’m only a junior.”

“Oh, well, I assumed that you were a senior because you’re friends with Bella and Paul. You’ll just have to be a senior for now.”

“Sure, sure.” Jacob smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

He helped them finalize their schedules, then sent them off to their classes, explaining that he wanted to see them when the final bell rang.

As soon as the door to his office closed, Gene Lahote broke down and cried. Something had gone terribly wrong in the lives of these children and he wanted to know what it was. He felt so helpless.