Chapter One: What on Earth is happening here?!

The little reservation where I live is full of freaks.

I wouldn't say that if I wasn't completely convinced that something was going on; something strange, something not at all right.

I had spent most of the summer at my Aunt Beatrice's house in LA, then to my Aunt Karen's in Indiana, then to Grandma Connweller's in Boston. Our summers usually consisted of constant moving around the country, visiting our vast and ever growing family.

Usually when I came back to La Push, nothing changes. Maybe a couple of teen pregnancies, a boy or two finally reaching puberty, and the kids who finally graduated disappearing to college, but never anything to make me stop to think about what I had missed.

Me and my mother got back to the Res quite late on the Sunday evening and I wasted no time in jumping in the shower and preparing myself my last first day back at school. I was to be a senior and it was soon my time to escape from the Res and set myself up at College in my pursuit to become a famous writer, or even an author of a book no one in the res had even heard of. My plan had been in place for such a long time, and I was sure that I just wanted to write and escape.

I carefully ironed and placed out my chosen outfit, then proceeded to pack my rucksack with all new notepads and pencils.

I hadn't heard of anyone except my only friend that I trusted, Cassie. Cassie kept me up to date on the trivial matters that were apparent on the Res on how some people had magically disappeared then returned a week or two later, completely buff and high on steroids. She informed me on the breakup of the most perfect couple on the Res, Sam and Leah. They had been going strong for about three years, and then apparently one day Sam disappeared and returned, high on steroids and bent on breaking up. I also heard that he then proceeded to save Leah's cousin from a bear attack and get with her. I thought it was strange behaviour, even for the reclusive, mysterious Sam Uley.

I loaded up my old, trusty computer, and Skyped Cassie.

"Hey girl, hey." She yelled. "You all ready for the hell pit which we have to return to tomorrow?"

I groaned. "Don't remind me!"

"I have an update for you." She squealed, clapping her hands together gleefully.

I pursed my lips. "What is it now? Did the aliens finally come to claim Quil Ateara?"

She snorted loudly. "Nope."

"Urgh, what is it then?"

"Jared Cameron has joined the whole steroid party with Paul and Sam." She looked meaningfully at me.

I sighed. "His mother must be really disappointed."

Cassie shrugged and took a long sip of her drink. "How do you feel about it?"

"Hey!" I yelled, "Only because I once had a crush on him in middle school does not mean that I have a urge to know and care about his actions. It was a long time ago and we're not those same kids anymore."

She held her hands up in defeat. "I'm sorry I brought it up." A muffled shout of her name came from her end and she rolled her eyes. "I've been summoned to go to sleep as I have school tomorrow."

"I better go too."

She smiled brightly at me. "I'll come by and pick you up tomorrow then?"

I chuckled. "As always, I'll see you tomorrow."

Another muffled called Cassie's name. "Yes mother!" She yelled, and then turned to me. "S'later babe. Love you!"

The connection went, and I proceeded to check my emails. After ten minutes of looking through the same spam, I decided to head to bed.

I climbed into bed, listening to a peculiar howl of a wolf that I had never heard before echo around my thoughts.

Well, tomorrow, I thought, was going to be very interesting.

I got woken up abruptly by mother throwing a pillow at my head. I groaned and rolled over.

"I do not think so little lady. It's time to get up so you can go learn!" She yanked the cover from my body.

"Moooommmm!" I whined, pouting.

She shook her head. "Kimberley, I have to go to work in five minutes, and if I am correct Cassie picks you up at eight." I pushed my face into the pillows. "It is quarter to eight you know."

I sprang from my bed and headed straight to my bathroom with my mother's mocking laughter lingering behind me. I quickly began to brush my teeth, wash my face, spray deodorant, and get dressed all in one confusing muddle of time. My mother's knuckles politely knocked the door to let me know that she was leaving and to remind me to make sure I ate something. She left and I glanced at my bright blue wrist watch, I had ten minutes to go, which was enough time to scrunch my hair into a hair bow and cover blemishes, apply a quick flick of mascara and lip gloss and double check my ruck sack.

Just as I began to lace up my grey Converses, Cassie sounded her horn impatiently. I grabbed my house keys, my lunch money and a breakfast bar before running to Cassie's car.

As I swung myself into her rusty Fiat Panda, she smiled brightly at me. "Good morning sunshine!" She flung her finished cigarette out the window, and turned the radio down. "I would tell you that I am so excited for school, but I'd be lying."

"I know the feeling." I groaned. The rest of the ten minute drive was spent in comfortable silence and Cassie pulled into the school car park with complete ease.

I looked around at the familiar faces which I had known for years and sighed loudly. I wanted a change. I wanted excitement that shook my bones and made me hold my breath. I knew where I was, for excitement to occur, you needed to maybe murder a couple of people.

"You ready, girl?" Cassie whispered in the silent car. I shook my head, and she smiled at me. "Well, the quicker this year is over the quicker we can leave."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I agreed, opening the door and stepping out into the brisk morning breeze.

The morning followed in uniformed regularity. I received my schedule, and trudged to my first class; English. I was relieved to have better subjects this year, and apart from the Quillette History class, I wasn't daunted by any of them.

I got to Mr Bernays' classroom at glanced at the seating chart. I ran my finger across the chart and found my name right next to Jared's and to the other side was Paul. Typical, my favorite class and I'm sandwiched between the two morons. I sighed for the fiftieth time that day and took my seat, awaiting the upcoming doom.

The class began to fill the room, and I waved and smiled at some familiar faces until the class all took their seats and Mr Bernays came flying into the room, faced disgruntled and a coffee leak contrasting with his once crisp shirt.

"If I told you I had the morning of hell, it wouldn't even come close to what morning I have actually had." He placed his briefcase on his desk and took of his jacket, picking up the register. He called out the classes names only to reveal two absentees, Paul and Jared.

Mr Bernays shook his head, and wrote 'Shakespeare' on the board. "Write ten plays or poems that Shakespeare wrote without conferring with one another. Lets see if you lot have bothered to remember anything." The class began to rack their brains, and the door opened loudly.

"Sorry we're late Mr Bernays." I heard a deep voice apologize. I glanced up to spot a large man-thing hand a late form to Mr Bernays.

Mr Bernays gawped openly, and then cleared his throat. "Don't make a habit out of being late this year guys. Go on, take your seats."

Chairs scrapped back either side and I rolled my eyes. How is it too pull out a chair without making the whole world away that you are about to take a seat?

Regardless, I began to write down the plays I remember. Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, Midsummer Nights Dream, Othello, Much a do About Nothing. I paused, biting the end of my pencil when a throat cleared to the left of me.

"Hey." Jared whispered. I turned to him.

"What?!" I whispered back. He stared at me like a gold fish, opening and closing his mouth. I rolled my eyes. "Does the freak speak human?"

He smiled brightly. "Can I borrow a pencil, please... errr?"

I looked dead at him. "Kim."

He smiled even brighter. "Yeah... Kim." He said my name slower like the world had slowed down.

"You should really be more prepared for class." I hissed, thrusting my new pencil at him, knowing that I would probably never see it again.

His hand wrapped around mine, as he took the pencil from my grip. "Thank you."

"Whatever."

The rest of English went past in a blur, and the bell soon rang for me to move to Math Class. I scooped up my papers and shoved them in my bag, and left with the crowd.

Jared yelled my name behind me, I stopped and turned around, one eyebrow raised. He thrust my pencil back at me.

"Thanks for the pencil." He almost yelled at me.

I sighed, wishing not to endure this awkwardness no longer. "Seriously, don't mention it."

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?" Jared blurted, looking pleadingly at me.

I snorted, "I'm sorry, what? You couldn't even remember my name earlier and now you want me to go on a date with you?" He nodded and I snorted again. "Thank, but, no thanks"

He mouth formed an "O" shape and he appeared to be bereft of words. "But-"

"I'm going to be late for class. I'll catch you later."

I walked away, and I couldn't help to feel a tightening in my chest and I suddenly worried that I might have hurt Jared's feelings. I suddenly felt the need to run back and apologize.

I gathered myself back together and told myself I was being weird and maybe it was my time of the month again. I told myself I had shook off the feeling by the time I got to Math class, but I knew deep down... something weird had just went down, and now I felt like I was attached to Jared.

What was happening?