It has been quite the dreary, rainy day so I thought "why not start a new ff story?" So here I am back on this website four years after I started my first Twilight story, which you may check out but I assure you is complete crap. My writing has matured since then so I'm proud to introduce this new story 'Foreign Exchange' in which our main character Nessie, though blinded by a love back home, follows her dreams of studying abroad in London. This is the story of her journey, her battle with everything she used to know and everything Damon Becker is willing to teach her.

(Take into consideration that in my version Jacob's imprinting never happened.)

I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

Foreign Exchange

College Algebra is arguably the worst class on my schedule this year. It isn't that the work is difficult-please, college has been an absolute breeze so far-but it's a morning class and at 8:05 AM, the last thing I want to do is listen to Professor White's monotonous voice moaning on about rational functions. I close my notes and tune him out, focusing my attention on another subject: Science.

It is known to practically everyone I'm allowed to tell that it has become my goal, my dream to develop an aging serum. Most assume that I'm trying to reverse the signs of aging and become enthusiastic at my 'eagerness to help society.' In reality, what I'm planning to do is quite selfish because instead of making the older appear to be younger, I'm trying to make myself age again.

It has been two years since I have aged any. When they said at 17 I would stop aging all together, they were right. The day of my 17th birthday, my body reacted oddly as soon as I woke up. My skin was stiffer, as if it decided to stay that way forever.

So in every science lab available, that's what I've decided to devote my time to. It's nearly the end of my first semester here at the University of Washington and I have yet to combine the correct chemicals. I keep my Science journal on me at all times, just in case I think of a new concoction to try out.

By the time Mr. White's class ended at ten, I had written down about fifteen new experiments to start in my next class. 3 of the 5 classes I signed up for are some form of science so I'll have plenty of opportunity to get the experiments done by days end.

As our dismissed class makes their way out of the Math building, I'm struck from behind by muscular arms wrapping themselves protectively around my waist. I squeal and turn around to greet Matthew with a kiss, a routine we've gotten used since we began dating in October. His hands are red and numb as they grasped mine and trailed them around his neck, grabbing me into another hug.

"Well someone's happy to see me," I manage to choke out as he tightens his hold. Understanding his grip is too tight, he lowers me to the ground. I take his hands this time and begin to rub them, attempting to warm them. "It's 20 degrees, why on Earth don't you have gloves Matt? You've lived in Washington how long?"

I chuckle at my own sarcasm, though he remains silent. I study his face and notice his expression is one of hurt mixed with pride and something else I can't quite pin. Matt's hair today is as unkempt as it usually is, giving him the same sexy look that had most of the girls on campus falling over their miniskirts to get to him from day 1. Different from his usual sleek, well dressed attire he looks exceptionally comfortable today in a white v-neck that looks well against his naturally tanned skin and sweats. He interrupts my evaluation by tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear and finally manages to speak.

"I heard about the study abroad scholarship."

I pause my hands, embarrassed. He shouldn't have found out this way. But he continues before I can apologize. "I'm so proud of you Ness."

Proud? I'm not even sure if I've won yet, why would he be proud that I signed up behind his back? The study abroad program first got ahold of me after I graduated high school at Forks. They heard about my fascination with science and noted my immaculate grades, seeing me as a great candidate to apply for a scholarship to study at Richmond University in London, England. They explained that the science program there is one to beat and if I could write a convincing enough essay I'd be sure to win a full semester after finish one here in Washington. But the results weren't supposed to come in until…

Today.

"I…I got the scholarship?" My hands involuntarily start shaking, part nerves, part freezing weather. The only response Matt gives is a methodic nod.

I want to celebrate, to jump up and down and scream and laugh and be excited but the look on Matt's face keeps me stone still. I had applied before we met and hadn't thought anything of it, but now that it's my reality, everything changes.

I sign and began the explanation I know he's waiting for. "I applied this summer after UW contacted me and told me about the opportunity to study in London for a semester and the summer. You and I hadn't started talking yet so there was nothing holding me back. My mom and dad were more than eager to help me fill out the application, telling me how much I could learn from it and how much exploring the world would benefit me. So I turned it in. I forgot about it, honestly. There were thousands of kids fighting for it. But I should have remembered. And I should have told you. I'm sorry."

I bow my head as tears threaten to fall but a gentle hand makes me forget. When I meet his gaze, I see that Matt is smiling slightly. His piercing blue eyes are enough to get lost in and I find myself having to shake my head out of a stupor in order to pay attention to what he's saying.

"I am your boyfriend Nessie, and as your boyfriend I'm a little upset I was left unknowing like this and had to find out by some distraught kid in my Physics class. Speaking of, steer clear from a Charles Weston because he really wanted that scholarship," a small laugh escapes his lips as he remembers something, probably his conversation with Charles. "But I'm also your best friend, and as your best friend, I've never been so proud of you. Not even that one time in 10th grade when you were the only one to dissect that frog with complaining once." His smile grew a little bigger and he drapes an arm around my waist, leading me away of the classroom that's beginning to fill with students of the next class.

After a moment of silence and a trudge through the snow-filled courtyard, we reach the student union on campus and find an empty table to sit at.

"I'm feeling Italian today, is that alright with you?" he asks, pulling out my chair.

"That sounds fine to me. I'll just have their mozzarella sticks. I'm not feeling too hungry today."

"That makes two of us," he winks at me then makes his way to the Mambo Italiano line.

I'm only alone at the table for a few seconds before my roommate Caitlyn finds the open seat across from me and takes it, her mouth agape.

Before she can start pestering me on the subject deeming popular with my friends today, I explain it to her too. "Yes I applied for the study abroad program, I applied the summer before this semester, yes I'm aware I'm accepted, and no I don't think they'll let you have a boy roommate when I have to leave."

Her mouth drops a considerable amount more as she reaches over the table to slap my arm. "Hey!" she scoffed, "I wouldn't ask for a boy roommate thank you very much. I'm not that boy crazed!" I give her a 'bullshit' look and she laughs, taking a piece of her golden blonde hair and twirling it absently.

"So..," she continues, a serious glaze falling over her eyes, "how is Matt taking the news?"

I turn to look at where he's standing in the food line to see that he's already staring at me. I wave stupidly and I can see him laugh and return a meek wave. "He seems to be fine about it," I say, not taking my eyes off Matt who is now trying to speak to me in sign language. I laugh, trying to make a logical response, eventually giving up and signing 'I love you' which is practically all I know in sign language.

Neither Jessica nor Matt know about me, my family, my past or what I'm to expect of my future. They know the Nessie that I've let them know, the normal, exceedingly smart college Freshman that's 19 and is weirdly obsessed with aging and Science. They have no idea about Renesmee, the girl that had a run-in with a vampire government as a toddler and is really 17 and expected to stay that age forever. They don't know I'm half vampire or I almost killed my mom at birth because I thirsted for her blood. They don't know that a part of me now thirsts for their blood.

My mom made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone about me until I knew I wanted them in my life forever. It isn't something I'm supposed to yell to the world. And though I love both Matt and Jessica, I don't know what my future holds for me besides an eternity of being 17 years old. What would be a humans dream haunts my ever nightmare. Could I deal with Matt becoming old while I stayed to watch him buried in the ground?

I hope this intro to my new story was enjoyed and if it was please tell me you thought so. Even if you didn't I would love to know why and what you think I should do differently. It's also been a good while since I've read Breaking Dawn so if there are details that I have left out or got wrong about Nessie or the rest of the Cullens, please let me know. Thanks to everyone for reading and for the feedback and if it gets enough praise, I'll begin Chapter 2 ASAP. Love, Becca.