A/N: Okay, so after reading Breaking Dawn I couldn't help but write this. Readers should know when looking at this story that I HATE Jacob Black (though I must admit my hatred is less after reading the last book) anyway, he will not be in this story. This means that I am ignoring a major component of the book. He does not exsist in this story, he will not cause me any grief. Alright, that being said, enjoy...oh I almost forgot;
DISCLAIMER: I am not nor will I ever be the writer of the awesome stories that are Twilight. I also do not feel the need to repeat this statement at the begining of every chapter, so this will have to do. I DONT OWN ANYTHING...except maybe the characters Mel and Julian...
I combed through my curls only half paying attention. Today was the beginning of my junior year of high school, an experience that I was sure to repeat no matter how good my grades were. It was a mark of the Cullen family, my family. My mother hovered over me as if I were headed for a much different school, one with coloring and blocks instead of books and homework. After all I was technically still very young and this was my first day of school. She smiled brightly, her eyes lit with the emotion that couldn't spill out from them. I was surprised that my aunts Alice or Rosalie weren't there, chattering excitedly about the milestone that was being reached and the outfit that I had chosen just for the occasion, I had picked it out especially to please them.
Whatever the reason for their absence, I was happy that it was just my mother and me. I turned my head to her and touched my lips to her cheek. I didn't have it in me to remind her that she had to get ready too; I wasn't the only one attending High School this year. We were in a new town, not where I had been born as that might have been a little bit difficult to explain. I still had ties to Forks though, in the form of my grandfather who was less than excited by my disappearance. My mother, Bella, also had trouble with the separation, but you had to be sensible if you wanted to belong to this family. Sacrifice was a word that had to be learned early, one of friends and for a long time, anything that involved the outdoors beyond our backyard.
My father appeared in the doorway now, I saw him through the mirror, and his lips were pulled down almost in a frown. I knew instantly what it was about. My dad had the most annoying ability to read minds, and mine was no exception, above everything else he hated the feeling that he was limiting me, though he could hardly be blamed for the precaution. I knew as well as anyone that things needed to be hidden for my family's safety and all those around us. I had been different since my birth, but now that my "growth spurt" was over, it was time for me to go out into the world. I thought this all very quickly, hoping to ease my dad's mind.
"Daddy" I said as I crossed to him, "It's alright"
Mom looked at us, confusion plain on her face as her eyes darted back and forth, yearning for the missing half of the conversation, but dad just shook his head. His hand brushed absently through my hair and his gaze fell to mine, but I doubted he was really looking, probably stuck in the past, whether mine or his own I didn't know. Mom was next to us now, and I touched my palm to her chilled skin, using the power I had held since my first breath to fill her in on the thoughts that had just moments ago run through my mind to explain his reaction. She closed her golden eyes that I had been told had once been the same color as mine and took in a breath I knew she didn't need. I left them alone then, sure that mom would soon either be talking in a voice too hushed for me to hear, or letting my dad see into her head for a few moments, in any case I didn't want to be there when it happened.
I took the steps two at a time, hopping to the floor when I still had a few left, because I was feeling impatient. I could hear Aunt Alice squealing excitedly to my uncle Jasper just a few feet a way, no doubt more excited about the start of my academic career than I was.
"Hey Nessie" she chirped as I sat down on the couch giving her a wary smile. My full name was rarely used in the house, only for very serious conversations. "What?" she continued, "Not excited?"
"Aunt Alice you know that I'm smarter than any of those kids"
She sat next to me and patted my knee, "Think of it as more of a social experiment"
I heard a bark of a laugh from the top of the stairs, and then came the voice of my uncle Emmett, "Not too social kiddo" he was by my side in a second ruffling my hair.
"Let her have her fun" my other aunt, Rosalie, sang.
"Don't you dare have any sort of fun young lady" my dad mocked, I hadn't even realized he had entered the room, but his smile was fixed and it immediately made me smirk back.
The room was quickly becoming crowded as my mother and grandparents joined the group. I vaguely registered that to the outside world, the terms like mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa would be odd applied to such young people, and realized without being told that the roles would have to be changed to ones more along the lines of brother and sister, that my grandparents would have to become stepparents. Reading my mind, my father interrupted the steady conversation that had erupted to talk to my grandpa, Carlisle.
"There's no need for a conversation about the cover story" and as he said this I thought his tone sounded a twinge proud, "she's figured it own on her own"
Grandpa nodded, not seeming at all surprised, "Well then I guess you should be going"
I was passed around; hugged and rehugged as if they wouldn't be in the school with me, maybe even have the same classes. Then we made our way to the garage, and for one moment I thought that we would be taking my mother's Ferrari. I had been asking Dad for days if I could drive it. The car was about as old as I was, but still shiny and new looking as it had barely been touched since its purchase years ago. I ran my fingers longingly across the glossy paint, my eyes resting on the driver's seat. Dad chuckled, kissing the top of my head, leading me to his much less interesting car. I groaned, but it only managed to make him laugh more. Mom guessed my train of thought.
"I promise" she said quietly, "it will be yours…eventually"
"If Dad ever lets me drive" I threw a pointed look at my father.
"When you're really sixteen then we can talk"
"talk" I huffed under my breath knowing that this so called "conversation" would be more like a monologue as to why I would never be allowed to go anywhere by myself, and an escort of an imposing family of vampires was hardly conducive to a normal life.
I slammed the door to his old Volvo a little harder then necessary. I had been told that my dad only kept the car for sentimental value, but it still held the appearance of a new car, well cared for. Mom reached for my hand from the front seat, and I took it, noticing as I always did when I touched a member of my family, the warmth of my own skin, part of the nature of being a half human, half vampire child.
My mother, father, and I had this car to ourselves, the rest of the family filing into their own vehicles. For the first time, the day seemed real, and I smiled as I thought of the adventure that lay ahead of me; not learning, I had the market cornered on that particular portion, but on the people that had been kept from me, those that could be my friends in a few short hours.
