Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight all credit goes to the original author Stephenie Meyer

"KIM! You better be up or you're going to be late for school, again."

Groaning, I roll over to look at the time on my alarm clock. I have 30 minutes until I need to be at school. The stupid clock failed to wake me up once again. However, that's mostly my fault… I have a track recorded of absent mindedly shutting it off in a half awake state of mind. I'm not necessarily a deep sleeper but I do love sleep and it's hard to part from my warm bed just to be greeted by the wet and cold LaPush air.

I slowly push myself up to a sitting position to peer out my window to see that it's raining per usual. Great… I throw myself out of bed, not bothering to put much effort into my appearance. The rain would mess everything up anyway or be covered by my raincoat and boots.

I rush out of my room swinging my backpack over my shoulder and yelling thanks and bye to my mom. I pull my hood up and start my trek to school. LaPush is a small town; it takes less than 30 minutes to walk anywhere in town. Luckily for me and my tardiness, I'm only about 5 minutes at a brisk walk to LaPush High, the only high school on the reservation.

My power walk left me slightly out of breath but still 10 minutes early for class. I pull open the front doors and push down my hood only to be immersed in the buzzing of students. I shake my head and start to make my way to my locker in the south wing of the school. I trudge down the hall trying to avoid drawing extra attention to myself. I doubt anyone would notice; for some reason today's buzzing seems to be a louder and more eccentric than the average school day. I raise my eyebrow slightly curious of what is going on. I never join the conversation because I don't have the textbook definition of friends. I mean sure, I have people that I talk to and smile at in the halls but I'm not anyone's go to person to talk to. That's totally fine, I prefer to keep to myself and my books anyway. It makes life a lot easier and drama free.

Something about today though was drawing my ear to the conversation. As I put in my locker combination, Bethany Stahl, the girl that has the locker next to mine, is talking to some random junior.

"Did you see them? They are freaking huge, they have only been gone for.. What like two weeks? There is no way that they are not using something… Steroids, maybe? Not that I'm complaining because they got hot, like with a capital H-O-T."

I freeze as I shove my textbooks in my backpack. No, it couldn't be. He would never use drugs… Would he? I mean I don't really know him… He's been gone for almost three weeks though...

Bethany must have noticed my actions stop in her peripheral vision and she politely tries to include me, "Have you seen them, Kim?"

"Who?" I ask already knowing who she means.

"Paul Lahota and Jared Cameron, didn't you hear? They are back and they look completely different. Have you not seen them?"

I was about to respond back when... RIIIINNGGG.

It was the warning bell, 2 minutes until class. I smile at Bethany and turn on my heels heading in the opposite direction to my art class, knowing she wouldn't care that I failed to answer her question.

My art class is a joke, since it is simply a senior elective class. The class was basically a free draw, sketch what you want and talk to your friends. The only rule was don't bother the teacher, Mr. Harvey, as he drinks his coffee and does the morning crossword puzzle. He would joke that he needs it in order to teach the freshman art fundamentals classes that he had for the rest of the day. We all knew he was serious though because he had a reputation of being a hard ass and scaring the underclassman. Instead of making small talk with the people around me I put in my headphones and I let my thoughts consume me.

Jared's back? Jared's back.

I always feel like stalker when I let my thoughts run wild about him. Not that anyone or even Jared himself knew or notice. I guess that's another perk of not having a lot of friends, when you have a secret crush it stays that way. Especially, when that said crush started 8 years ago in the 4th grade. I remember the day I fell for Jared Cameron like it was yesterday.

It was a normal rainy day so we were having indoor recess when, Jared's best friend Paul Lahota, took my blue crayon that I was using to color and he snapped it in half. I remember my eyes starting to tear up, when 4th grade Jared told Paul to back off and to stop being a jerk. Paul stormed off to the other side of the classroom and Jared sat down in the seat next to me. He pulled out his coloring box and pulled out his blue crayon. I will never forget what he said to me

"Hey, I'm sorry. Paul can be a jerk-face; don't pay attention to mean people like him. Here you can have my crayon." I thanked him as he stood up and up to go back to playing with his friends.

That was the only time I've had any type of real conversation with Jared. Any other type of talking was school related, whether it was about an answer to a question or to find out the page number we were on in the textbook.

I know I have to get over this crush because it was just going to leave me broken heart or alone. I'm not the type of girl Jared likes. I'm just plain-old Kim… I'm just average, overly shy and innocent. Jared likes girls like Becca Holder and Jesse Corbit; outgoing, beautiful, party girls. I know I don't stand a chance against them, so I don't put myself in any situation where I ever feel compared to anyone. I'm just Kim.

The bell must have rang because everyone was now packing up their things and leaving the room. I threw my stuff in my bag and start heading to my next class. History with Ms. Gennings… A class I know both Jared and Paul are in.

I walk in only find that a few people are here before me. I take my seat near the window and get my stuff set up ready for Ms. G's lecture. Everyone is laughing and talking as people file into class, and I'm doodling in the margin of my notebook paper, when everything gets quiet. I figured class must be starting but when I look up I notice everyone is looking towards the doorway. Jared and Paul. I don't want to look directly at them like everyone else. It must be hard coming back to school after being out with some type of rumored illness and everyone staring probably only makes things ten times worse.

I go back to doodling. Ms. G noticed the lack of noise and decided to take advantage of it and start class ushering the newly returned boys to their assigned seats. Ms. G does her seating charts like most teachers, alphabetically by last name. Jared Cameron, Kim Connweller being the only C last names in our grade had Jared and I sitting next to each other in almost every class since kindergarten. This is another reason why I should just get over this crush: If he hasn't noticed me in 13 years it's probably never going to happen.

I let out a sigh and turn my thoughts to the repercussions that the civil war caused to the United States in the early 1860s. I could see Jared in the seat next to me from the corner of my eye. He was digging through his bag mumbling to himself about a pencil. I contemplate on what I want to do.

I take a deep breath and whisper, "Hey, here, you can use mine."

Jared whips his head up so fast and turns to look at my extended hand with the pencil. He takes it brushing my hand as he picks it up. It feels like I was shocked but it causes me to shiver in delight. This is the first time I have been able to look at Jared since he returned. Even sitting down you could tell that he grew at least half a foot and his once slightly gangly body is now lean and his arms are long and round with muscle. I move my eyes up and notice his once shaggy hair is now cut short. On the outside, Jared is different, but I can tell by the twinkle in his eye that he's still the same guy I fell for in fourth grade.

I realize I had openly been checking Jared out and I blush with embarrassment, but Jared was looking at me too. My blush deepens. I wish I would have actually woken up on time this morning and put at least some effort into my appearance. I bet he thinks I'm a slob. I turn to pull out another pencil and continue my notes.

"Hey, wait... thanks" a rugged, deep voice said in a hushed tone. I look back at Jared, I'm shocked at the response. I look into his deep chocolate eyes and whisper, " You're welcome."

Something changes in Jared's eyes. He had a lot of emotions go across his face all at once. He looks surprised and adoring, or maybe grateful? The main expression, I can only describe as someone seeing the sun for the first time. I don't know how long we sit there just looking into each other's eyes before I realize I'm staring yet again and turn back to my notes. It's hard to concentrate on class as I continue to feel his eyes on me, watching me.

"Hey, I'm Jared. What's your name?"

He smiles so his dimples are showing. I want to throw up and curl up in a hole. We have gone to school together since forever and he doesn't even remember my name. I turn to look at him and almost snap.

"I know, I've sat next to you all year."

I don't bring up the other 12 years because one is bad enough. Jared looks like I just told him I ran over his dog. I feel guilty saying it in such a harsh tone, but I feel so hurt. I need to get over this crush as soon as possible; he doesn't even know my name! I look back at Ms. G and making a promise to myself that I would not look at Jared again for the rest of the class, but I can't help but glance over every once in awhile. He looks so deep in thought, probably trying to forget the short conversation with the shy, messy girl next to him.

The bell rings and I swiftly pack my stuff up and rush out of the room like a bat from hell. I want to be as far away from Jared as I possibly can. I have study hall next, and I make my way to my favorite place in LaPush High - the library.

I wave to the librarians and take a seat at a table. I pull out my book and start to read, trying to forget all the events that happened last period. I am about two chapters in when I feel someone sit across from me. I try to ignore it and keep reading but the person clears their throat and I look up. It's Jared.

"Kimberly Connweller, this may sound crazy, but I think we might be soulmates," Jared softly says.

I set my book down and look into his eyes, "Don't call me Kimberly, it's just Kim."

Thanks for reading.

~MorgGee