A Day in a Peculiar Life

[mage-apprentice.livejournal.com]

Title: A Day in a Peculiar Life

Author: mage_apprentice

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 3715

Warning: Mild language (tell me if the rating is too low or too high)

Inspiration: The combination of Meyer’s desire to NOT develop any of her characters outside her precious Cullens and the entire Twi.Spite.Fic community’s writing fever.

Summary: Jessica Stanley doesn’t find her life peculiar or something to hate, even if it does cause the occasional minor annoyance. This day features the day when a new student comes to Forks High.

Author’s Note: Interestingly, there’s really not a lot of information I could find on Jessica or her other friends. I guess that’s a green light for me to make up whatever I want as long as it could fit precious Bella’s pathetic point of view. Some of the dialogue concerning Bella is straight from the book and I changed Bella’s truck to the movie model. By the way, if you find some similarities to a certain Studio Ghibli movie, it’s not a coincidence.

Jessica Stanley usually didn’t find her life peculiar, though she did acknowledge that some things in her life discouraged having houseguests.

As she prints off her English paper, Jessica thinks over her home life and how she can come around to finally inviting friends over to her house. Unlike what most people would believe, none of the normal civilians of Forks have ever seen the inside of her house. It makes a lonely night of phone calls and no face-to-face interaction, something that torments her social nature.

The printer suddenly shudders and spits out a blank page that was supposed to be her sources for her stylistic comparison between the Bronte sisters. Jessica glances at her desktop and sighs at the blue screen of death. She steps out into the hall and calls out, “Mark! Tone it down a bit! You killed the printer and my computer has a BSOD!”

“Is anything due today?” comes the reply.

“No, it’s due tomorrow. I just thought I’d turn my report in early for bonus points.”

“You should have taken care of that last night when you were free to. Say goodbye to the bonus points. I can’t afford to ‘tone it down’ at this stage. I’ll fix your computer while you’re at school.”

Mark would be one reason why normal people couldn’t visit the Stanley household. His work is a controversial one that Jessica is forbidden to mention in mixed company. She often made up for that by saying he works as a mad scientist. It was . . . close to the truth.

As Jessica reached for the doorknob at the front of the house, smoke explodes through the house followed by a cry of anguish and smoke detectors. She runs after every window in reach and throws them all open as she asks, “Mark? Uncle Mark, are you okay? Should I call the fire department?”

“No . . . ! I’m okay! I can clean this up! Just . . . Do you have any extracurricular activities after school, today?”

“Not today, no.”

“Go grocery shopping. The list is on the fridge and the money is on the counter. Buy yourself a Kit Kat. You don’t want to be here for a while.”

Jessica sighs from relief and heads for the kitchen. She swipes the short grocery list and pulls money out of the glass jar labeled “spear chang of the streetz” on sloppily applied duct tape. With the money secure, she leaves for school. As she drives down the road, she keeps her window down to allow the cool, sweet, after-rain smell into her car. It also helps dispel the horrible smoke stench that is sure to cling to her for the rest of the day.

After parking at the school lot, she walks down to her next class before noting a new truck. It was large with a reddish faded tent and business-like. Pleasing the eyes of car nut students around, admiration gathers around from most passersby. Although she doesn’t know every year detail, Jessica can tell this truck is a Chevy truck from somewhere in the 1960s. She stops at the truck for a moment to say, “Hey, pretty truck! Who’s lucky enough to have you? You have so much character and charm. I bet all the car nuts here want to buy you off!”

With that done, she heads for her first period class. Jessica gets inside the classroom as soon as the late bell chimes and hands in her U.S. History homework. The teacher begins the lecture as soon as everyone settles down. While tacking down notes, Jessica angles her notebook towards Angela, who sits to her right, and writes on the side of her page.

Sorry I was late. Did I miss anything?

Angela writes below that, My parents filled a form for a package. She pauses for a second. And Ben keeps going on and on about this 1963 Chevrolet truck parked outside.

I saw it! It’s pretty~ And I’ll take the form after class and come down to your place after I get groceries.

Thanks.

The teacher asks, “Jessica, Angela, are you two paying attention? Or is there something you would like to share with all of us?”

Jessica and Angela exchange glances. Angela shrinks down in her seat, but Jessica takes a different route. She announces, “There is something I would like to share with the class, sir. One of the students has a 1963 Chevrolet truck. It was manufactured on the same year as the Kennedy assassination, the publication of The Feminine Mystic, when former Georgia governor George Wallace proclaimed ‘Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever,’ and when Disney produced The Sword in the Stone. Three of that will be in our lessons when you get into the Civil Rights Movement.”

“Okay, Jessica. You get a free pass this time, but keep your notes to yourself or I’ll separate you and Angela.”

Jessica smiles and returns to her notes.

As soon as the class ends, Angela digs into her bag and pulls out an application form. “Here, Jess,” she says. “All it needs is the customer’s signature.”

Jessica takes the form and reads over it. One of her eyebrows arches. “Live.”

“Yes, live.”

“Are you sure you want me to do this? Last time I delivered something like this alive, I got bitten.”

“You’re the only one.”

Jessica nods and tucks the form inside her bag. “Okay, you can count on me, then. I won’t let you down. It can take my entire hand, but it’ll make it to its new owner!”

“You always do good work, Jess. We know we can trust you with this.”

That elicits a broad smile. “Thanks, Angela!”

Another reason why Jessica didn’t often have houseguests over would be because of her job as a “freelance delivery girl,” as Jessica called it. While most people use FedEx and such, the occasion arises when the package is just too unusual to place under FedEx.  When that happens, Jessica takes the job. As a freelance delivery girl, her deliveries often came at irregular frequencies, but they all pay well and give her a sense of satisfaction at the end of each delivery. Unfortunately, due to the erratic hours, many visits had to be canceled in favor of her job, but such is the way of life.

When Jessica moves on to her third period class, she spots Eric, a nice guy with a cute nerdy appearance, saying goodbye to a girl she doesn’t recognize. Eric moves down the hall before Jessica gets the chance to ask who the new girl is. Jessica merely shrugs and decides to say hi when she gets inside the classroom.

The new girl, as it turns out, isn’t familiar to the school at all as the teacher introduces herself to Bella and assigns a seat. Jessica smiles and takes this chance to help the new girl be welcome. After all, it can be a bit intimidating to be a complete stranger surrounded by people who have known one another since kindergarten. Jessica approaches the new girl and introduces herself, “Hi, I’m Jessica! I saw you talking to Eric outside the classroom. I figured you must be new around here.”

The girl just glances towards Jessica and nods. “Yeah.”

“What’s your name and where are you from?”

“Bella. I came from Phoenix, Arizona.”

Despite the new girl’s monotone tone, Jessica persists, “Phoenix, huh? You must feel a really big difference when you moved here.”

“Yeah. It’s not as rainy in Phoenix as it is here.”

Jessica frowns slightly. That tone Bella used actually sounded resentful. Still, Jessica figures that there must be a bit more to the move and decides to let Bella have space on the issue. People will tell others about their issues when they are ready. “So what’s your next class? I can help you find it on the way.”

Bella glances down at her schedule. “Spanish. Mrs. Daniels.”

Jessica laughs, “Really? So do I! You’ll love Mrs. Daniels. She’s so sweet and helpful and I actually learn in that class!”

Bella gives Jessica a fake, halfhearted smile and nods.

Patience, Jessica. It’s just her first day. Maybe she’s the type who needs to warm up to others. However, the late bell rings before Jessica can get another word in. Between Trigonometry and Spanish, Jessica informs Bella about all the classes the girl is taking and how each teacher teaches and where they get their material for their tests. Still, Bella just gives her that same fake smile and a minimalistic response.

“Thanks, Jean.”

“It’s Jessica. You know, it’s okay to tell me if you’re slow with names. Lots of people are.”

“I’m not slow with names.”

“Then what’s my name?”

Bella doesn’t reply.

Jessica decides to assume the best.

However, Bella continues to give minimalistic responses as time passes. Jessica wonders to herself if she should even bother, but the thought is quickly dismissed. Time is of the essence in all relationships. With that in mind, Jessica leads Bella to the lunch table where she and her school friends gather. Pointing to each one, Jessica says, “Bella, this is Angela, Eric, Tyler, and Lauren. Mike is . . . somewhere. You’ll probably see him later. Everyone, this is Bella. She’s new here.”

Lauren comments, “Chief Swan’s daughter Isabella, right?”

“It’s Bella.”

Lauren frowns. “You don’t have to have such a snooty tone. I just thought that maybe you wouldn’t appreciate being called ‘Bells.’ Never knew you preferred ‘Bella.’”

Eric says, “Calm down, Lauren. Everyone’s nervous on their first day.”

As Bella and Jessica take their seats, Angela asks, “Are you the new student with the 1963 Chevy truck?”

Tyler exclaims, “She has a 1963 Chevy? Cool!”

Bella replies, “It’s nothing to get excited over. It’s a cheap thing, and I’m pretty sure it’ll break down soon.”

Lauren scowls even more.

“What do you mean ‘cheap’?” Jessica asks, “Have you ever gone antique shopping? There’s a nice little demand for classic vehicles. My parents once owned an orange ‘63 Bel Air. We had so many random people asking to buy it off from us for insane amounts of money.”

“Were they all Mexicans?” Tyler asks.

“Tyler! That’s racist!”

Lauren remarks, “I can see you in an orange Bel Air, Tyler. Driving down I101 with the base cranked up . . .”

Tyler smirks and responds, “Hell, yeah, I would!”

Angela leans around Jessica and says, “Bella? Bella, are you . . . No, you’re not . . .”

The entire table turns their attention to Bella and follows her strayed gaze to another table just a ways off. Tyler sighs, “Of course she’s paying attention to the Cullens.”

“She’ll learn differently,” Lauren says.

“Let’s hope she doesn’t learn the hard way.” Jessica taps on the new girl’s shoulder. “Bella? Bella. Bella. Beeella.”

Bella doesn’t even take her eyes off of them until Edward glanced her way, scaring Bella into looking away. “Who are they?”

Jessica spares the Cullens half a glance before informing, “That’s Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen. They all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife.”

Bella risks another peek towards the Cullens. “They are . . . very nice-looking.”

Lauren mutters, “The only time Bella loses that stuck-up monotone voice is when she’s staring at the pretty snobs . . .”

Jessica ignores Lauren and replies, Yes, I guess they are. They’re all together, though, if you know what I mean. Rosalie and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper, they have that romantic relationship—and they live together. Like a family.”

Bella continues to stare at the Cullens, perhaps not really understanding the implications the strange relationships create. “Which ones are the Cullens? They don’t look related . . .”

Eric frowns and whispers, “Didn’t Jessica just say who each one was?”

Lauren, without bothering to whisper, says, “Yes, which means Bella here wasn’t listening.”

Jessica answers regardless, “Oh, they’re not related. Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They’re all adopted. The Hales, though, are twins, while they are adopted like the others.”

“They look a little old for foster children.”

“They are now, but Jasper and Rosalie have been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She’s their aunt or something like that.”

“That’s really kind of nice for them to take care of all those kids like that when they’re so young and everything.”

“I guess so.” Jessica speculates on the Cullen children and notes the superior attitude they have held ever since moving into Forks. As a side note, Jessica casually adds, “Maybe Mrs. Cullen can’t have any kids naturally.”

“Have they always lived here?”

“No. They just moved here two years ago from Alaska.”

Lauren suddenly says, “Give it up, Jessica. If she’s going to stare at the Cullens during the entire lunch period, then let her.”

Angela changes the subject. “By the way, Jessica, your birthday should be coming up soon. What do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know, but I want a party at my own house for once! I want big decorations and noisemakers going off in the entire place and stay up all night through the mighty power of sugar!”

Lauren says, “Even if we can’t have it at your place, we can have it on mine.”

Jessica’s eyes brighten with delight. “Really?”

“Well, I need to talk to my parents about it, but I’m pretty sure they won’t have a problem with it.”

“Thank you!”

Eric asks, “What’s wrong with your place, Jess?”

“It’s my uncle’s job as well as my own. It’s a bit complicated with his mad scientist tendencies.”

Tyler frowns in confusion. “Wait, you live with your uncle? I thought you were living with your brother. What happened to that?”

“No, no, no, no. That’s my uncle. I know he’s technically young enough to be my older brother, but he’s my dad’s brother.”

“Okay, I guess?”

“Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair?”

The table turns to Bella. Jessica answers, “That’s Edward. He’s gorgeous, of course, but don’t waste your time on him. He doesn’t date. Apparently, none of the girls are good enough for him.” She sniffs disdainfully. Jessica remembers when Edward turned her down. Of course, Jessica did find Edward attractive and wanted to get to know him before deciding whether she wanted to date him or just be his friend. One day, she approached him to invite him to an outing with her friends. How did he respond in front of the entire class?

“No, I don’t want anything to do with you. Stay away from me. Don’t talk to me.  Stop fantasizing about me. There is no way I would want to date you, so you might as well give up.”

Jessica will never understand how Edward could come up with such conclusions. She only spoke to him about school work and the going-on with extracurricular. Strangely, he never seemed to care. Jessica slaved her brain away trying to figure out how Edward could come to such a brash conclusion before Lauren helped her see that Edward Cullen is nothing more than an arrogant douchebag.

Hopefully, Bella would learn before she got her feelings hurt like Jessica.

Then Jessica spots Bella hiding a smirk at Jessica’s account and changes her mind. Maybe Bella deserves a good wake-up slap to the face from reality.

“Bella,” Angela says, in an effort to be friendly and conversational, “what class do you have next?”

“Biology Two.”

“Me, too! I can help you find that class.”

“Thanks, Angie.”

“My name is Angela.”

The rest of the day went on as usual with Jessica wondering how to get Angela’s package safely delivered as well as if Bella is having a good first day at Forks High. When the day finally ends, Angela meets up with Jessica on the way out of school and says, “I’ll see you at my house, right?”

“Of course! I think I’ll bring the carpet. It’s so much more comfortable!”

“It might be safer, too.”

“I’ll be grocery shopping before that since Uncle Mark is trying to clean up his latest accident.”

“Another one?”

“Yeah. He’s fine, though. At least, that’s what he says.” Then Jessica adds, “How was Bella, though? Didn’t see her after lunch and it looks like she already left.”

Angela frowns and notes, “She sat next to Edward Cullen in Biology. He kept glaring at her and acted like she crawled out of a dumpster.”

“Typical Edward Cullen. Randomly douchey.”

“Bella looked like she was about to cry.”

Jessica’s jaw drops. “Really? Really? She acted like she did with us and then cries in a corner when Edward Cullen gives her the evil eye? Even after I told her that he thinks he’s above everyone else?”

“Well . . .”

Jessica sighs, “Oh well. There’s no changing people. The least we can do is help her feel welcome. Moving can be a stressful time.”

“You’re really nice, Jess.” Then Angela waves at her as she walks away. “I’ll see you later.”

Jessica waves back before driving right to the grocery store. Thankfully, the list stays short even with the single added candy bar and makes quick work of Jessica’s shopping. With the groceries in hand, Jessica returns home to find a smoke-clean house. She enters her home and puts away the groceries. “Hey, Mark, is everything better?”

“Welcome home, Jess!” Mark enters the kitchen and helps put away things. With his greater height, he handles the groceries belonging on higher shelves. “Yes, everything is fine now. I had to redo the entire thing, but I got it done and everything cleaned up.”

Jessica takes in the cool after-rain smell from outside. “I can tell. It smells so nice!”

“I also fixed your computer and printed your paper off.”

“Thanks!” Then Jessica says, “By the way, would you mind if I took the carpet for a delivery?”

Mark pauses to glance at her before putting away the eggs. “I would mind, actually. You know I haven’t broken that carpet down yet. It’s just not safe.”

“But that means—”

“Yes, but the ol’ stick is reliable and won’t buck you off like that carpet will. I don’t want you to break your neck.”

Jessica huffs and turns away from her uncle. Mark sighs and pushes his dark brown hair out of his face. “Jess, what I’m asking isn’t even a change. I’ll let you ride the carpet when it’s fully broken in. Until then, stick with the broom.”

On the way up to her room, Jessica grabs the old family broomstick and sets it down beside her bed. As she works on her homework, she chats with Mike and Lauren over her cell phone. Mike, it seems, is ecstatic over the new girl Bella.

“And she’s so pretty with that dark brown hair of hers!”

Jessica frowns as she twists a lock of her dark brown hair around her pen. “I don’t know, Mike. I’m all for second chances, but she seems a bit rude.”

“I say she needs some time to get used to Forks. It’s her first day, after all.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that.” Jessica pulls her pen out of her hair and answers a Trig question. “Just crush on her after you get to know her.”

“Hey, just because I’m not crushing doesn’t mean I don’t know a hot chick when I see one.”

Jessica answers her last homework problem and sets her homework next to her desktop. “Hey, Mike? I gotta go. I’ve got some work to do.”

“Okay. See ya tomorrow, Jess?”

“See ya, Mike!”

Jessica stuffs her cell inside a large tan satchel hanging from her bed. She opens her closet and pulls out a large black witch hat with secure ties to go under the chin, black dress shoes, and a long black dress with white lace around the edges and a matching white undershirt. When she puts the outfit on, she stands in front of her mirror and twirls her skirt. The last kicker that often barred her from having houseguests was the tiny detail that Jessica’s family is filled with witches and warlocks going generations back. Still, it gives the Stanley family plenty of social advantages like being the most popular house on Halloween.

Jessica smiles at her reflection and grabs her broom and satchel. As she heads out the back door, she calls, “I’m off to deliver the Webers’ package, Mark! I have my cell phone if you need me!”

“Stay safe!”

Jessica slips the broom under her and takes off into the night sky. As she soars through with Forks below her feet, she wonders if she should have put a red bow in her hair instead of her usual black hat. A red bow would be adorable in her hair Then again, she has outgrown imitating every detail about little Kiki from her favorite childhood movie—a delivery service for supernatural folk like herself so happened to be a good calling for Jessica once the novelty wore off.

Upon arriving at Angela’s, Jessica lands in the backyard and knocks five times in a specific rhythm to indicate supernatural official business. Angela opens the door and, upon seeing Jessica, she picks up a medium sized cage with a miniature hatchling dragon sleeping inside. “Here’s little Sean. His new owner should be halfway to Port Angeles. The address should be on the form.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it. I’ll be back before one with your money.”

“Okay.” As Angela helps slip Sean the baby dragon’s cage into Jessica’s satchel, she whispers, “Goodbye, Sean. I’ll miss you.” Then Angela sighs. “I know breeding miniature dragons is part of the family business, but it’s always so hard to let go all these little dragons. They’re just so cute.”

“Sean’s going to a good home, Angela.” With the dragon secure, Jessica hovers on her broom and starts climbing into the sky. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school!”

While Jessica acknowledges that others may find her home life peculiar, she herself had very few complaints against her lot in life. She very well liked it that way.

Comments

[melissatreglia]

Oh, that is so cute! Jess has a witchy delivery service and Angela breeds dragons! (I freakin' love dragons!)

I loved this, and your Jess seems like a girl I'd definitely hang out with. And of course, Bella is too snobby to realize that there's more to Jess than meets the eye.

Now, I'm headed for Part 2!