Disclaimer: These wonderful characters and ideas belong to Stephenie Meyer, but may follow my orders and appear in the story.

Chapter 1:

I couldn't believe it. It had always been my dream to go to a foreign country. Besides the occasional family trips to Canada this was my first time ever leaving the United States. I expected to be homesick, but I had felt nothing but pure excitement as I left the Italian airport and boarded the tour bus.

Everyone on this bus was approximately my age, around 13 to 18 years old. I didn't really know anyone other than my best friend Jenna, who'd come with me. I was so excited when I found out that we had both gotten the letter. The letter that had to be the most exciting day of my life…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mom!" I yelled pounding down the stairs from my room, "You'll never guess what came in the mail this morning." I handed her the letter, "Can I go? Can I go? Pleeeease!" I begged.

The letter was from some agency interested in spreading foreign cultures. They were looking for relatively good students to come to Italy, and learn about their lifestyle and country. I'd read the entire letter, several times actually, it seemed to me as if it was an all expense paid vacation to Italy. I was still jumping up and down as my mom continued to read the letter. This could be the start of my dream to travel the world. One day I hoped to visit every continent, maybe even Antarctica.

"I don't know about this," my mother said, "I need to talk to your father." She'd taken the letter into the other room, where my dad was watching football.

"Please let me go, please let me go," I begged as my mom handed him the letter.

"I don't know Jane, all the way to Italy?" he asked peering at me through his large glasses.

"I know dad but its next month over summer vacation, so I wouldn't miss any school and it's free. I would get to see Italy, Dad! It's an honor to be picked really, and they picked me because I'm a good student…"I was ranting, I wanted to go so bad.

"She's right," he said to my mom, interrupting my speech, "It would be a good experience for her, and she's been doing really good in school lately. I don't have a problem with her going, if she brings me back a souvenir of course."

"Thank you Dad! Mom, can I? Can I please?"

"Oh alright," she said smiling, "You can go."

"Thank you!" I jumped up from the couch and gave them both a hug. "Yess!" I yelled running down the hallway, grabbing my cell phone. I was to excited to send a text message, so I dialed jumping up and down the entire time.

"Jenna!" I screamed into the phone.

"Jane," she yelled back faking the same excitement as me, "Why are we so happy?"

"I'm going to Italy!"

"OMG! You got that letter too?"

"No way are you going?"I was still jumping up and down.

"I don't know I just got the letter I have to talk to my mom, I'll let you know as soon as I do."

"Ok call me soon!"

I snapped the phone shut and started pacing the hallway after what felt like hours it vibrated in my pocket. I opened the phone and screamed. It was a text message from Jenna. We were going to Italy together…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Jane? Jane?" Jenna was poking me in the side. "We are almost there!"

I opened my eyes and looked out the window it was beautiful. Green forests and trees spread out as for miles until they were overtaken by the purple mountains off in the distance. "Wow," I said reaching for my camera.

"I know can you believe it? We are actually here in Italy." Jenna said as she combed out her long blonde hair, "this is so exciting, best summer vacation ever!"

"Definitely."

It all seemed so distant now, I remembered my mom driving me to the airport, telling me countless times to be careful, to stay with the group, don't talk to strangers… Now all of sudden after counting down the days for a month, here I was in Italy.

I followed Jenna's gaze to the beautiful dark stone wall that was growing in the distance, the only thing separating us from the city. The sun was beginning to set it the sky, but in the dim light I could make out the words on the sign we were passing. "Less Than One Mile to Volterra," sign broadcasted in reflective letters.