Chapter 1- Life stories
"To all my friends... This is not an easy letter to write. I'm going to miss you all more than you think. There's no point in me pretending that my time here has been happy - I don't think any of us can say that, but many of you have made it... as bearable as it ever could be..." Riley, the ringleader, is reading the letter Sam left before he left the group. "So, how did you all turn out to be vampires?"
"Well, I couldn't believe it. I never thought he would do this. Who doesn't go through some kind of dodgy period, for Gods' sake? I'm young, I'm supposed to be having fun. My parents thought I would be this person who was going to be all-virginal and pure until I was in a serious relationship, then give myself completely over when I got married. I don't think so. Life's too short for that isn't it?" Bella explained indignantly. She then went all charming, "I want to enjoy myself a bit - but that doesn't make me evil does it? Look at me. You can tell I'm a nice person, can't you? I still can't believe he changed me."
Edward explained angruly, "well, they think that even if you just experiment, it's all going to get out of control and you will end up as a junky on the street. I wasn't doing most of what my friends wasn't doing. My parents drink wine every day, and that's a drug! But that's OK isn't it, because that's nice and middle class. They're the once that are supposed to love me and care for me. They didn't know where to turn so asked him to change me."
Rosalie is talking defiantly, "we just didn't agree on anything; we're on opposite sides on every issue. I've realised that my parents are Nazis, small-minded bigots. All I every did was go on demonstrations, help organise rallies and things. Yes, I got arrested - not because I was breaking the law, but because the police are Nazis too. My parents must be fascist; only a fascist would have got him to change me."
Emmett is quiet and intense explaining her reasons of becoming a vampire, "I hated school, I mean really hated it. My parents had this dream that I'd go on to be a doctor or lawyer or something, but it's just not me. I'd rather work in a shop. I want to be in a band really, that's what I'd love. But they don't get that. We'd have screaming rows. I'd almost have stand-up fights with my dad... me! He wants me to be 'what he never had the chance to be,' he says, well I don't fancy being made to succeed where someone failed, thakyou very much... but I'd never thought that this would happen to me."
Jasper is aggressive at the memory, "If I lived with my dad, he would have understood; he wasn't a saint when he was young. He'd have been cool about it. I didn't steal anything major - it was for the buzz, because there was nothing else to do where we lived. But my step - dad he's a self - made man, loaded too. He it me once..." Jasper is relishing at the memory "...laid him out. I still think I was right to, but I wish I hadn't... enjoyed it... so much. And then he had Marco come and change me."