Charlie had left for work70 before I got downstairs. In a lot of ways, living with Charlie was like having my own place, and I found myself reveling in the aloneness instead of being lonely.
I threw down a quick bowl of cereal and some orange juice straight from the carton. I felt excited to go to school, and that scared me. I knew it wasn't the stimulating learning environment I was anticipating, although I really was interested in seeing what Mr. Banner would have us do today; neither was it the prospect of seeing my new set of friends. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was eager to get to school because I would see Fredward Cullen. And that was very, very stupid.
I should be avoiding him entirely after my brainless and embarrassing babbling yesterday. And I was suspicious of him; why should he lie about his gorgeous eyes? I was still frightened of the hostility I sometimes felt emanating from him, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face. I was well aware that my league and his league were different leagues that would never, ever compete in the World Series. So I shouldn't be at all anxious to see him today.
It took every ounce of my concentration to make it down the icy cobblestone driveway alive. I almost lost my balance when I finally got to the truck, but I managed to cling to the side mirror and save myself. Clearly, Ford built superior trucks and iron mirrors. As I hauled myself upright, I had a feeling that my day was going to be nightmarish.
Driving to school, I distracted myself from my fear of falling and my unwanted speculations about Fredward Cullen by thinking about horsey Mike and nerballs Eric, and the obvious difference in how teenage boys responded to me here. I was sure I looked exactly the same as I had in Phoenix. Maybe it was just that the boys back home had watched me pass
70. Charles Duck is chief of police in the small town of Forks. He is one of the most powerful people in town, third only to Dr. Carlisle Cullen, the eternally youthful doctor-in-charge at Forks Midland Hospital, and Mayor Gumball.