Mary Alice Brandon was odd, exceptionally so. She thought not of life's greater worries, but still seemed so preoccupied with what was to come. Her new case worker, a kind, if harsh, woman in her fifties, was never quite used to her knowing responses to otherwise mundane statements. She seemed content to leave the waif-like girl to them, regardless.

"Alice," her case worker, Janet, spoke softly, "you'll let me know if you have trouble adjusting?"

Alice- oh, how she loved the sound of just Alice!- could not tear her eyes away from the roadside long enough to accompany her response, scared to miss the fading sign that would welcome them to Forks, Washington. Alice wouldn't say she was fond of the rain and cold that awaited her, but the excitement in her chest made her feel as though she would burst at any moment. She was surprised she hadn't already!

"There won't be any trouble at all, here. The friends I make will be very dear to me." Her eyes had not left the window, but if Janet spared a glance to the side, she'd see the easy smile seated on Alice's lips. She would see those lips part as she gasped, a high, wondrous sound. They had passed the welcome sign. "Oh, Janet, they're going to be amazing."

The older woman just sighed.

. . .

Light blue paint had long since chipped and faded, and the gutter sagged with old leaves, but Alice could not find the quaint two-story building she stood in front of anything but endearing. She was eager for the memories she would make here, and couldn't find room for any emotion less content.

The couple that awaited her was young, though not nearly as young as they could be. Perhaps mid-thirties? Martha and Robert Warner were both dentists. Their children, two beautiful blonde girls, barely reached Alice's hip- and she was hardly taller than a child herself at a proud 4'10". They were just barely five, and would be tall by middle school, much taller than her. As they ran out the front door (it was painted a darling yellow), the Warners were less concerned and more amused with their children's antics.

"Mary Alice, right? Was the bus comfortable? I've never actually traveled by Greyhound, and Spokane is such a long way." It was Martha who spoke first, voice warm and formal. She looked like she had been Prom Queen in high school, the little girls' golden curls and delicate features had clearly come from her. Robert was far from the King. He had wiry red hair and the lanky limbs of a man much younger, but his eyes wrinkled with kind lines when he smiled at his wife, a smile he'd passed on to the girls, before nodding to Alice. They were undoubtedly in love.

"That's me! Though, just Alice is alright," she replied, smile never wavering. "The ride was gorgeous, especially the mountains. I slept through the east, too used to it. Your home is lovely."

"Thank you- Alice. That's very kind of you." Robert's voice is raspy, a smoker's voice, but it gives him a kind of charm he might not have possessed otherwise. "Martha can help you get settled in?"

She declined the help, her small suitcases hardly warranted it. Three total, one with personal artifacts, the others her clothes. Thrifted things, mostly, that all went out of fashion at least a decade back. It would take no time at all to get them into the little white dresser stood in the corner of her room. Up a flight of stairs and two doors down a narrow hallway, she dashed to where she'd rest her head from now on. The ceiling was low, and slanted on the sides, and a twin bed was tucked up against the window. She immediately pushed it open and took a deep breath of the cool Washington air. The clock on her dresser read 21:04. Military time, she thought, how cute!

As she began to unpack her things, Martha ducked her head in. Alice's wide eyes gave her full attention, and if the older woman is unnerved, she doesn't let it show. Not that Alice would mind if she had, she was rather used to people not quite knowing how to respond to her.

"Are you sure you're ready to start school tomorrow? I don't think they'd mind if you took another day to settle in. I didn't think you'd be getting in this late," she almost sounded nervous as she asked, hovering in the doorway like she was just a girl. Her compassion was sweet.

"Of course I'm starting tomorrow! So much is going to happen," Alice replied, insistent. What would she ever do if she missed this chance after finally, finally getting here?

"Well, if you're sure. You can use Robert's car tomorrow morning, it's less temperamental than mine. We tend to ride to the clinic together anyway." A pause, then a thought seemed to spark behind ice-blue eyes. "You do have a license?"

She just nodded cheerfully, elfin features alight with fondness, and asked, "Would you mind showing me how the shower works? Early to bed, early to rise, you know?"

The shower was lengthy and scalding, steam rose off of her skin when she stepped into the hall, and her spiky locks were already drying by the time she had lain out an outfit, set an early alarm, and crawled under her covers. The window stood open, still, and cool air calmed Alice's excited heart.

She had waited so long for Forks, the little wooden welcome sign, and the worn-down high school, and the people. Oh, how she longed to meet the people.

Her dreams were familiar, safe- she dreamed of honey curls and golden eyes.

A/N: i've never written a fanfic before and i'm not really a writer so this is a short chapter but! here we go :-) the fic title is from clay pigeons by blaze foley (michael cera's cover)

i'm v new to this whole writing thing so constructive crit is very welcome! please be nice though i am gentle