Eleanor sat with Charlie at the table in the kitchen, the bright yellow color of the cabinets was something Eleanor couldn't help but love due to the warm atmosphere it brought to the house. The cheery color had clearly influenced the girl's mood, as she was very positive for the early morning. Charlie didn't mind her excitement that early in the morning, he was glad to finally have both of his daughters back home and Eleanor's enthused chatter always brought a smile to his face.

"Thank you so much for taking care of all my plants while I was gone! I can't believe they're all okay. I was so worried for them, but I never should have doubted you! You did an amazing job, they're all so happy and healthy!" Before Eleanor had met Jake, her plants were often her only friends and even after becoming close with the boy she still treated those plants with the same love and care. Eleanor would never neglect one of her friends just because she had met someone new, it wasn't in her nature. So of course, the plants never became less important to her just because she had made her first true friend.

Charlie knew his youngest daughter would have been devastated to come home and find all of her plants dead. He had researched how to care for each one and made sure to offer them the appropriate care every day. No matter how long his shift at the police station was or how tired he was, Charlie spent the time watering and talking to each plant, showing them the same love that he knew Eleanor would. He didn't know when she would visit next, but he knew that he would take care of those plants for as long as it took. It was a sincere gratitude Eleanor spoke with and Charlie knew all of the time he spent with those plants was worth it just to see that smile.

Bella walked down the stairs and could hear Eleanor rambling to Charlie about their new school. Dreading having a first day in the middle of the semester, Bella's already frazzled nerves were wearing thin at the obnoxious positivity of her sister. To avoid saying something rude in front of Charlie, Bella decided to quickly make a piece of toast and then she promptly exited the kitchen, muttering a brief hello to her dad. 

Bella, who had come downstairs already in her shoes and coat, walked out the door and called back to her sister, "We're leaving now."

"Oh..." Eleanor quickly finished her nervous rambling about school, not having fully realized she had been talking since she sat down at the table. "I better go, Dad. Be safe at work. I love you." The words came out slightly rushed as Eleanor worked to clean up her breakfast and grab her coat. She could hear the truck's engine in the driveway and though she knew Bella couldn't leave without her while Charlie was home, she didn't want to risk making her sister angry.

"Always am safe. You have a good first day at school, Bug. Love you." The words reached Eleanor and she rushed back to her dad to give him a hug goodbye, no longer worried if Bella would be mad at her. She loved her dad and she realized she shouldn't skip a proper goodbye just because she felt pressured to hurry. Charlie gave his gentle daughter a reassuring smile as she turned to leave, giving her the extra courage she needed to brave her new school.

It was clear to Eleanor that Bella was not in the mood for morning chit-chat, the loud volume of the staticky radio inside the truck's cab being one clue. So, the car remained silent throughout the drive, not that Eleanor minded. She was okay with silence. It was something she was used to. Instead of talking, Eleanor used the drive to give herself a quick pep-talk. 'It's going to be great Eleanor. You can do this. Just be positive. And who knows, you might even make a friend! You can do this.'  She repeated the positive words over and over, anxiously pulling at her sleeves as her nerves finally settled in.

Bella did not find Eleanor's pep-talk as helpful. While her younger sister might believe she was only thinking the words, Bella could hear the low mumbling of the self-directed encouragements. It was one of Eleanor's quirks that others found endearing, but Bella had always hated it. The low whispers grated on Bella's nerves and when she finally pulled up to the school parking lot, she wasted no time turning off the vehicle and bolting for the front office, hoping to distance herself from her sister and the rusty truck. She didn't need people seeing her with either.

The loud slam of Bella's truck door jolted Eleanor from her thoughts. She quickly looked around and noticed that the truck was parked at the school and that Bella was already halfway across the parking lot. The girl took a shaky breath, hoping to gather her nerves as she studied her new school. The parking lot was busy, full of students in groups talking by their cars and a few watching her sister, the new girl, cut through the parking lot. The school buildings were nothing special, but Eleanor could already tell she would get lost quite easily with their layout. Her observations had helped steady her nerves, and finally ready to face her first day at Forks High School, Eleanor opened her door and jumped out of the cab, landing with a quiet 'oomph'. It was a long drop for her. She put on her backpack and started towards the office, following the path she had seen her sister take.

The office was small, and its warm air and cozy atmosphere was a welcome and comforting change from the stares of students outside. She saw her sister talking to the woman at the front desk and excitedly smiled. Thinking her and Bella could leave the office together, Eleanor bounced over to her sister to greet her. Bella, however, did not have the same thoughts. The receptionist handed her all of the papers and Bella quickly took off, shoving past her sister. The younger Swan deflated slightly. She had hoped that her and Bella would be a united front at this new school, something she had always wanted with her sister. But it seemed like nothing between the two had changed despite their fresh start. Shaking off the hurt, determined to have a great first day, Eleanor turned to the receptionist.

"Hello, um, I'm Eleanor Swan. I-it's my first day here," her shy and quiet voice reached the woman at the front desk who sent her a reassuring smile in return.

"Hello dear, of course. Let me go grab your schedule." After a brief discussion of the school's layout and all of the papers Eleanor had to return at the end of the day, Eleanor thanked the woman and exited the office, off to find her first class.

In the hallways Eleanor could hear other students gossiping about the two new Swan sisters. She heard her name mentioned only a few times as most were already discussing Bella. It seemed as though Bella had already drawn attention to herself. Though Eleanor didn't know how her sister had done it, she was grateful all of the attention was on Bella rather than herself. She decided to lay low and hope that no one would recognize her as a new face. All of the confidence she had in the car about making friends had disappeared after seeing the students whispering to each other about the Chief's daughters. She didn't want someone to befriend her just for gossip. If she was going to make friends Eleanor wanted them to be real friends.

Eleanor's first period class, history, passed quickly for the girl. It was the strangest thing. She had walked into the room incredibly nervous, but once she finally took her spot in the back of the classroom next to a very pale boy with blonde hair, she finally felt calm. It was as though all of her worries about her first day had left her and Eleanor couldn't help but smile, believing that her pep-talk had worked. When class ended, the boy sat next to her gave her a small and polite smile which Eleanor returned with a large, beaming grin. This was the only interaction the pair had, and though brief, it put her in a positive mood for the rest of the day. She was so hopeful that she could finally make friends at her new school, and maybe this would be the start of a friendship.

Jasper watched as the small brunette left the classroom in mild shock. He remembered hearing talk of new students starting today, the Swan sisters, but he had still been surprised when she entered the class. She was so small, and he could see how nervous she was even without his abilities of being an empath. The Swan girl was anxiously pulling at her fingers while she talked with the teacher and when Mr. Smith pointed to the desk in back, she only glanced to the spot before looking down to the floor and walking over. He couldn't help but want to help her, and though he didn't understand why, he gave in to the feeling and sent her a soothing wave of calm. Once she had relaxed, it was like a whole new girl sat in the spot next to him. She was swinging her legs back and forth under her desk as she surveyed the room and his enhanced hearing let him know that she was humming under her breath. The tune was so quiet that if he was not a vampire, he wouldn't have been able to tell the girl was making a noise, but Jasper didn't mind her humming. He found himself smiling at her actions and when the bell rang and she got up to leave, Jasper had looked up at her, the smile still on his face. The beaming grin he received in return wasn't what sent him into his state of shock. It was in that moment that he realized he hadn't once smelt the girl's blood – it was like she had no scent. Curiously, he watched her exit and once she was no longer visible, he was finally able to break out of his thoughts and leave the room himself.

The rest of Eleanora's morning went by quickly, going from art to biology to math. It was a long day so far and she was very excited for lunch. She still hadn't talked with anyone but in her art class she had sat next to a similarly pale girl as the boy from history – Rosalie, the teacher had called her. She was a little surprised at how pale the people in Forks were, but Eleanor dismissed the thought, believing that her Arizona background was making the pale seem more extreme. Rosalie had been interesting. She was incredibly beautiful but very intimidating. When she sat down, Eleanor had sent her desk mate a friendly smile but in return she received a glare that slowly morphed into a puzzled expression. Eleanor didn't let the look bother her, but she was a little confused about the questioning gazes she received throughout the class from her neighbor. She decided to ignore the stare and when class ended, she gave Rosalie a smile before she turned around and left. She didn't receive a glare that time, just a blank and slightly puzzled look, so Eleanor took the interaction as a win.

Now, however, it was lunch. Some of her nerves returned as Eleanor walked into the cafeteria. She hadn't talked to anyone yet so her only hope of sitting with someone would either be with her sister or if a table randomly decided to call her over. Eleanor was much too shy to invite herself to someone else's table if she didn't know the people already sitting there. After grabbing her slice of pizza and an apple, Eleanor stood looking around for her sister. She caught sight of Bella and slightly bounced in her spot, hoping for the best. However, after directing a friendly wave at Bella to catch her attention, the glare Eleanor received quickly told her she was not welcome at that table. Disheartened, Eleanor walked out of the cafeteria with her food. She decided to spend time outside in nature, with the plants that would always be her friends no matter what.

Perched under a tree in front of the school Eleanor ate her lunch. She was slightly dejected. She didn't want to let Bella's rejection hurt her feelings too much, but if her own sister didn't want to be her friend what where the chances some stranger would. It all seemed a little hopeless to the girl in that moment. As a distraction, Eleanor pulled out her phone not knowing what she was hoping to find there. However, her mood picked up immediately. Her best friend, Jake, had texted her and it was exactly what she had needed in that moment. It was like Jake had known that Eleanor would need a little extra encouragement at some point in the day, just a gentle reminder that she had a friend who would stay with her no matter what. 

Reading the text, a genuine and bright smile planted itself on Eleanor's face, and she didn't think even Bella could ruin her mood now. 'Have a great first day, Els! I know it's a little scary, but you're going to be just fine. And I'm always here for you. Love you, Els!' She was quick to respond, so grateful that her friend had been there when she needed him. 'Thank you, Jake. I don't know what I'd do without my best friend! Love you!' It seemed Jake was still in class, because Eleanor didn't receive a response back, but she was ready now to face the rest of her day.

After a boring gym class, Eleanor briskly walked to Spanish, her last class of the day. In gym, everyone had already found their friend group in the class, so Eleanor was left to herself for the 50-minutes. But after Jake's text nothing could ruin her mood. And now, headed to her last class of the day, Eleanor was practically skipping. She had almost done it! Her first day at Forks High School was almost over, a great relief.

The teacher had sat Eleanor at a table in the back next to a fairly large guy named Emmett. He kind of reminded Eleanor of a bear and she couldn't stop the giggle that passed her lips when she looked at him. Emmett caught her eye when he heard the tinkling laugh come from the girl and his eyes shined with humor. He didn't know the girl, but most when they saw Emmett were frightened by his intimidating size and unnatural paleness. This tiny, 5'2" girl, however, had laughed like she was in on some joke that no one else knew. He wanted to tease her and hear that small giggle again, but he settled instead for a smile.

"I'm Emmett. It's nice to meet you," his loud voice rang out in the classroom and the students around them all paused briefly, not expecting Emmett to befriend anyone in the class. Eleanor, however, jumped at his voice. No one had talked to her all day and she hadn't been ready for his loud, yet friendly, voice.

"Oh! I-I'm Eleanor Swan. Um, it's nice to meet you." Her response was slightly timid, but when she met his playful eyes, she couldn't help but let out another small giggle. Her previous thoughts of him being bear-like still rang true, his loud and boisterous introduction just proving her point further. Some of her shyness melted away as she continued to think of her desk mate as a bear rather than a human and Emmett couldn't help himself when he heard another peal of quiet laughter, he needed to know the joke.

"What's so funny?" The question made Eleanor blush slightly, only serving to intrigue Emmett even more. "Come on, please! I promise I won't laugh at you, whatever it is." He was desperate at this point and his begging only encouraged more giggles from his new desk mate.

"You look like a bear!" Eleanor couldn't help but let him in on the joke, blurting out her initial impression through her laughter. She was nervous he would be offended but she also hoped that this could be the start of a friendship.

In response, Emmett couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped him, the noise causing the neighboring students to jump. This tiny girl had just compared him, a large and, supposedly, intimidating vampire, to a bear. He knew they would become friends quickly.

"You're kind of right. I do look like a bear, huh?" He teased her back, not wanting to hurt her feelings in any way and finding the comment amusing. Eleanor nodded in response and giggled one last time before the bell rang and class started. But she was so happy, she hoped she had made a friend.

The school day ended and after a brief goodbye with Emmett, Eleanor walked to the front office to return her signed papers. She was in her head, thinking back on her day so the harsh shove she felt on her shoulder was unexpected and quick to jolt her out of her daydream. She looked over the shoulder that had just been shoved and saw a tall student, pale with wavy, brownish red hair walking quickly towards the parking lot. Eleanor didn't let it upset her, believing him to be in a rush and just rubbed her slightly sore shoulder worried about it possibly bruising.

She got to the office just in time to see Bella storm past her, her sister rushing towards the parking lot and leaving Eleanor confused. She was worried Bella would leave without her in her rush. It wouldn't be the first time Eleanor had been left at school without a ride, so she quickly hurried returning her papers and jogged to the parking lot. Out of breath, she let out a grateful sigh seeing the large, red Chevy still parked in the lot. It was already running, but Bella had waited and that was all that mattered.

Eleanor had only just closed her car door, not even buckled yet, and Bella tore out of the parking lot, wanting to get away from the frustrating boy. The younger Swan knew right away that her sister was not in a talking mood and wisely decided to stay silent, enjoying the blurs of green trees out her window. Overall, she had a good day, and she knew that Jake was one of the main reasons for her uplifted mood. She pulled out her phone to check for a response and found his reassuring text 'Always, Els. That's what best friends are for.' She was always a little speechless and how caring her best friend could be and she found a small blush crept onto her cheeks as she sent her reply 'I wish I could give you a hug'. It had been a long day and she wanted the comfort of her best friend, no matter how silly it seemed. This time his response was quick. School on the reservation got out earlier and Jacob had subconsciously left his phone next to him just in case Eleanor would text him back. His heart squeezed at her message. He so badly wanted to drive to Forks and give her a big hug and ask all about her day, but he would have to wait for the weekend when he could get a ride. Instead, he responded 'I plan on collecting that hug next time I see you, no take backs!'

It was after a slightly awkward dinner with Charlie and Bella at the diner that Eleanor now found herself relaxing on the couch next to her dad. She leaned into his side and Charlie placed his arm around her small frame, pulling her into his side so she could comfortably lay down.

"How was your first day, Bug?" He questioned her.

Charlie felt a nod against his chest and a muffled "good" come from his daughter. He chuckled at her response, realizing that she must be tired.

"Are you sleepy?" His voice came out softer this time and his hand started running through Eleanor's hair, hoping to help lull the girl to sleep. This time, he felt her shake her head no and he had to hold in his laugh, knowing that Eleanor did not want to be sent upstairs for bed.

"Ok, we can stay down here a little longer. Will you tell me about your day?" He was quick to give in to Eleanor's claim of not being tired. He didn't want to send her upstairs yet either. He was glad to spend all the time he could with his daughters now that they were home. He did know, however, that she was tired no matter how much his daughter denied it, so he continued to run his hands gently through her hair and talked in a quiet, soothing voice to not disrupt her relaxed state. Another small nod against his chest told him that this was going to be a 'yes' or 'no' question conversation only, she was too sleepy to talk right now.

"Did you make any new friends today?" His first question about her day received a shrug in response and he decided to question further, hoping his daughter had at least talked to someone.

"Were the people at school nice?"

"Yeah? That's good. I'm glad they were nice. Did you talk to anyone?" Eleanor's responses were getting more sluggish, and Charlie knew she was close to sleep.

"I'm so glad you had a good day, Bug. And I'm very proud of you for talking to someone new today. I know it must have been scary starting a new school, huh?"

This time there was no response from Eleanor and Charlie leaned over to find his daughter asleep against his chest. He smiled at how peaceful she looked. Since she was a baby, she would always scrunch up her nose slightly when she slept, and Charlie loved that she never outgrew the quirk. He carefully picked her up to carry her to her room. His movements were slow, and his hold was soft, yet secure. He didn't want to accidentally wake his daughter, but Eleanor didn't stir once, she was deeply asleep after her long day.

Charlie gently laid Eleanor on her bed and pulled the covers over his youngest daughter. He gave her a soft kiss to the forehead before turning to leave the room. At the doorway, he paused to whisper out goodnight and then closed the door with a quiet click.

He saw the light under Bella's door on and went to say goodnight to her but found that there was no response to his knock and that her door was locked. He instead just spoke through the door, "Goodnight Bells, good to have you home." He waited to see if she would respond and when he heard muffled music, the sound probably coming from headphones, he left for his room.