Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter One

The Bad Beginning

"They didn't understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't so."

Isabella closed the book quickly and slid it between her mattresses as footsteps echoed down the hall. She scrambled quickly under the sheets and screwed her eyes shut, hoping that whoever stood in the now open doorway would believe her feigned sleep.

Several tense seconds followed, the air around her thick with anxiety as she waited. A sharp exhale echoed in the room followed by a muted swear as the door swung shut once more, the click of the lock engaging from the outside sounding like a cannon in the quiet night.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she rolled onto her back, her exhale slow and measured, the last sentence of her book echoing in her mind. Isabella knew all about unfortunate events, her entire life had been one long string of them―starting from the day she was born.

Her parents never let her forget it either. They never failed to remind her that she killed her twin brother, sucked the life right from his body before he even had the chance to take his first breath.

Evil. Wicked. A spawn of Satan himself. That's what they called her every time she did something to displease them, a validation that their treatment wasn't ill-founded. Books weren't allowed―not for pleasure― her parents would never allow her such a luxury. She was only allowed to read books the school required, and even then her parents had to approve them.

She wasn't even allowed to read the Bible, her parents believing she would somehow taint the word of God, that her soul was too lost, too far from redemption. But that didn't mean she wouldn't be punished in his name, beaten down and broken at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and love her.

Hypocrisy bled from their souls.

But it wouldn't last forever. It couldn't last forever. There had to be more, some other life waiting for her. But until she found it, she had to keep quiet, stay out of everyone's way and pray she would survive the ever increasing abuse bestowed upon her both emotionally and physically.

The irony of praying to the same God her parents used as justification for their actions was not lost on her.

The floorboards creaked as the old house settled. Wind whistled through the old drafty windows, while branches scraped against cracked and faded siding as she began to drift. She fell asleep that night like she did every night― her body rigid, her muscles tense, and her mind ever on the edges of alertness― waiting for the sun to steal away the night and give her the means to escape, if only for a little while.

She rose dutifully the next morning, dressing and making her bed quickly before shoving her secret book into her backpack and waiting by the bedroom door. It was always the same routine: she was to be dressed, her bed made, and standing by the door when Renee came to unlock it. She'd made the mistake of oversleeping one morning. The result was a beating which ensured she'd never do it again.

"I see the Devil hasn't called his child home to burn yet." Her mother, Renee, sneered, eyeing her daughter with disdain as she downed the glass of orange juice in her hand that was heavily diluted with vodka.

Isabella dropped her chin to her chest and stared blankly at the floor, unsure how to respond. It was always difficult to decide between apologizing for still being alive, or remaining silent so the sound of her voice didn't send her mother into a fit of rage.

"Go make breakfast," Renee spat, curling her fingers into Isabella's shoulder until her nails dug into her skin, before shoving her down the hall.

Silence was the answer then.

Isabella moved around the kitchen soundlessly, her entire focus on preparing breakfast for her family. She never allowed her gaze slide over to her father, Charlie, who was hunched over the table staring intently at the Bible laying open in front of him. On the other side of the table, icy blue eyes burned into the back of Isabella's head. Alice, Isabella's older sister, was no doubt devising another plan to condemn Isabella to the basement and the belt, anything to keep the focus off herself.

Isabella almost made it to the front door when the sound of her father's voice stopped her cold in her tracks.

"Tell me the rules," Charlie demanded, his frame tall and domineering as he towered over her.

Isabella swallowed thickly and willed her voice not to tremble as violently as her hands, which were clasped tightly behind her back.

"Don't speak to anyone except the teachers."

"And?" he fumed, his hands balling into tight fists, adrenaline coursing through his body as he prepared for the thrill of unleashing his pent up aggression on this pathetic excuse of a human being.

"And only then if asked a question directly," she added quietly, her heart pounding in her chest.

Charlie reached up, his fingers rubbing softly against the smooth pale skin of her forehead, the touch almost seemed affectionate, loving. "Go on."

Her legs shook as she took in a ragged breath, her vision blurring as her stomach twisted and turned, nerves causing her breakfast to rise inch by inch.

"Answer me, goddamn it!" he roared, his touch no longer gentle as he wound his fingers into her thick dark hair and yanked her head down and to the side until she was almost parallel to the floor.

She cried out in pain which only angered him further, his other hand rising before slamming against the back of her head, causing black spots to cover her vision.

"Come straight home," she gasped. "Don't make eye contact with anyone."

"And why are you not to do that?"

"Because I will infect them with my wickedness," she choked, her breaths coming in short, choppy pants.

"And the most important?" he sneered, his hot rancid breath washing over her skin, spittle covering her face.

"Never, ever, talk to boys."

Her father tightened his grip in her hair once more before releasing her with a shove, his grunt of disapproval the last thing she heard as she crashed against the hardwood floor and he disappeared down the hall.

She lifted herself on unsteady legs, and ran her fingers through her hair, wincing as they touched her tender scalp, a clump of hair pulling away with her hand.

Alice glided past her, her mouth twisted with a smirk of satisfaction, her eyes dark and cruel. "I'll be watching you." And with that she bounded down the steps and toward the school, leaving Isabella once again, completely alone.

As she'd done everyday since she'd started school, Isabella kept her head down and her eyes focused on anything but the people around her, not daring to engage in conversation. And like every year before it had gone exactly the same: she isolated herself from the other students, and ignored the taunts from bullies.

Until today.

Because as she slid into her seat on the first day of school for her Advanced Biology class, a familiar boyish face with jade eyes, messy reddish-brown hair, and full lips fell into the chair beside her. With a crooked and soft smile, he nodded his head and stuck out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen. Looks like we'll be lab partners this year."

A/N

So, no one is probably surprise at how different this is from my last fic. I don't think any of my stories have been remotely the same, LOL. Well, except for the angst. That is ever present.

This is just something I'm doing for Halloween because it's my favorite holiday! It's going to be 13 chapters long and I will post a chapter a day, the final one posting on Halloween. Dun, dun, dunnnn. lolz.

The quotes at the beginning of each chapter come from the chapter titles, which are named after each book in the Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events series. It's also in 3rd person. I've never done that before. It's been...interesting. But it's necessary for this story. I know horror isn't for everyone, but lots of people swore they'd never read a cheater fic too and still enjoyed Glass House. I promise I think you guys will like this one as well. However, PLEASE read the note below. You guys know I don't believe in blindsiding y'all.

I am going to WARN YOU ALL NOW! This is a HORROR STORY! Horror encompasses: terror - dread - fright - abhorrence - fear - death... So please, before you start reading, Que Sera, Sera is a romance, angst, drama, hurt, comfort, suspense, horror, and tragedy all rolled into one intense story. For those of you who choose to continue...enjoy!

I called in the big dog to make sure I was true to horror on this one, big huge gigantic thanks to Raggdoll of Twilight for keeping me in line. That girl knows horror and writes some of my favorite fics, y'all definitely need to check out her stuff if you like this genre, cause OMG.

Also thanks to MidNight Cougar for pimping this fic on the Rob Attack blog BEFORE I even posted a damn chapter and to Cared Cullen for making my creepy ass banner (it's on my profile page). Love you guys!

See y'all tomorrow!

~Liv