"Sherri," my mother said, the tone in her voice obviously annoyance. "Would you listen to me?"

"I AM listening," I insisted, "I'm watching the rain."

"And what is so interesting about that god damn rain?"

"Everything."

My mother hated when I didn't look at her when she spoke. She claimed it showed I wasn't interested in what she was saying. To be quite honest, I wasn't paying any attention to what she had said on our drive from the airport, but I wasn't about to let her know that. She closed the sunroof, taking away my fascination of staring at the rainy sky.

I sat up, arms crossed. "I'm listening now, dearest mother."

She smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Now, do you have a good jacket?"

"Yeah, mom, grandpa bought me one before I moved, like I already told you."

"I'm just making sure. Are you going to be alright driving to school tomorrow?"

"Well, I don't really have a choice now do I?"

"I can always have Charlie take you."

"NO!" I protested. Charlie was my mom's new boyfriend and the cheif of police here in Forks. There was no way I was going to show up on my first day of school in a police car. "Mom, I thought I was going to be NORMAL here. That's what I want, normal."

"Now, public school is different than your old school."

"I know, mom."

"You're going to have to do P.E."

"Mom, we've been over this. Can we just stop talking?"

"Sorry, hunny, this is a big change for me."

"What about me, mom? Huh?"

"Sorry."

I felt bad, snapping at my mother for that, but I couldn't help it. She seemed to not fully understand the effect this move was going to have on me. I'd always lived in Texas, where the weather was quite unpredictable. Here in Forks, was quite predictable - rain.

"You still have the locket." My mom observed.

I rolled my eyes. "I never take it off, mom. It's one of the few things I have to remember dad by."

"You really miss him, don't you?"

I turned my attention to the rain, ignoring the question completly. My father's death was not something I discussed often. My grandpa, my father's father, had been my source of support for the two additional months my mom allowed me to stay in Texas before insisting I move to Forks. She had abandoned her old home to move in with Charlie, her boyfriend. I knew she was hoping Charlie would propose soon. I, however, was hoping my mom would keep alone. I knew so far, by my two months of discussion with my mother, that Charlie's house only had one bathroom. I would be taking over his daughter's old room. The population of Forks was a little over three thousand.

"He's excited, isn't he?" I finally asked.

"Who?"

"Charlie. I mean.. didn't Bella run off and get married?"

"Yes. He is excited to have a teenager around again. I'm excited to have you back in my life." She fell silent again as we pulled into the driveway.

Charlie seemed to run from the house before the car even turned off. I opened my door and stepped out into the rain. "Sherri!" Charlie exclaimed. "What an excitement it is to have you. Did you have a good flight?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "Just great."

"I've got a pizza in the kitchen if you're hungry."

"Thanks, but I ate on the airport when mom was running late. So I think I'll go unpack then go to bed early. I'm kinda tired from the flight." Truth be told, I had very little to unpack. Just the duffle bag I had with me on the plane. Everything else had bee shipped three days earlier via UPS by my grandpa.

"Oh, alright. Do you need any help with your bag?"

"No thanks, Charlie." I hoisted my bag on my shoulder and headed towards the house.

"Your room is easy to find." Charlie called after me. "Just go upstairs and your door is open."

I started to run upstairs, not that I was excited, but to avoid further conversation with my mother and Charlie. The house was small, but I loved it. I found my room easy, as Charlie had said. I closed the door behind me as soon as I entered the bedroom to ensure privacy. I stared at my new room- the wood floor, the light blue walls, the peaked window - this was my new sanctuary. Bedrooms, in my family, were a sense of security. This one would suit me quite well. Atop the desk sat my new computer, a welcoming present my mother had promised, along with fast-running internet. It was a compromise I had to deal with - a means of communication with my friends back home.

Pamphlets for Forks high School were sitting on my desk. I picked up the top one and sat on my bed to read it. I wasn't shocked to find that there were a mere three hundred and fifty some-odd students in Forks High School. I was used to smaller, so it would be an adjustment indeed.

I contemplated trying to sell myself off as a mute at school, but immediatly discareded the idea. If my mother knew of my intensions, I'd be in for a lengthy speech on the importance of socialization. Back home, mostly everyone had an accent, those that didn't were move-ins from out of state. The word "ya'll" was a part of my every day speech.

I fell asleep that night with a copy of "The Truth About Forever" by Sara Dessen in my hands. I slept soundly, the "pitter-patter" of the rain seeming to lull my to sleep easily. I even opened the window, at a point, so I could smell the rain. My other reason for opening the windo was to dull out my mother's snoring with the wind.

I awoke the next morning to darkness. Dark storm clouds loomed overhead, rain poured from the sky. I smiled and headed downstairs, still in my baby blue Eeyor pajamas.

"Morning" my mom greeted from the stove. "Would you like breakfast?"

"Depends on what you're making," I replied happily.

"Bacon and eggs."

"No, but thanks mom. Did Charlie already leave?"

"Yes, he had some paperwork to do at the police station. I'm going to drop him off some breakfast on my way to work. I think there's some honeybuns in the cabinet if you'd like one. I picked you up a bottle of strawberry milk. It's in the fridge."

I smiled, opening the cabinet she had indicated and taking a honeybunn out. "Thanks mom, you know exactly what I like." Taking the strawberry milk, I headed into the small family room just off the kitchen. Over the fireplace was a split scene. One side, pictures of Bella, Charlie's daughter, from every school year. On the other side, there were my pictures, also from every school year - up to last year, of course. In the middle, there was a snapshot of my mom and Charlie, taken at what looked like a Christmas party.

"I'm leaving!" My mom called from the kitchen. "I put your lunch on the counter. Don't be late for schoo!"
"I won't!" I yelled back. Being late wasn't in me. I was always early to everything - even things I dreaded most. I explored the house a little more before finally going upstairs to get dressed. I didn't want to underdress, but then again, sticking out was definetly to be avoided. I decided quickly on jeans, my black converse, a baby blue Eeyore shirt, and a zip-up hoody my grandpa had helped me pick out before I moved. When I headed downstairs I grabbed my lunch and schoolbag. I was about to call my mom for my car keys when I noticed the note next to my lunch with the car keys "don't forget these. Be safe. Love, mom." I took the keys and hurried outside. I took my time walking to the old volkswagon beetle my grandpa had bought for me. The rain felt wonderful as it poured over my head and dripped from my nose. I finally got in the car, delaying the trip to school no longer. I knew I would be early, exactly as I had planned.

I found the school with ease, using the map Charlie had put in my car. The school looked oddly like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-covered bricks. There was such a plethora of trees and shrubs it was hard to see the size. It was definetly nothing like my old school, which prided itself in being so exclusive, complete with a code-needed gate

I found a parking spot in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading "Front Office." I figured it was the easiest place to find directions, rather than wondering around wasting time (although I wouldn't mind the rain). I hurried inside, wishing I could linger a few more minutes in the rain.

The office was quite small - merely a waiting area with padding folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the wall, and a large clock ticking the time loudly. Where was the sense in pride? Where were the tile floors, the leather chairs? There were three desks behind the counter, one of which had an odd-looking woman who was wearing a bright pink t-shirt, which I found shocking. Where were the power-suits? She immediatly looked up at me. "Hi there!" She said cheerfully, "What can I help you with?"

"I'm new," I managed to stutter. The look of annoyance on her face told me she already knew this. Her irritated state irritated me. I was nervous, and she didn't understand. Stupid woman.

"Name?"

"Sherri Richardson."

"One sec, hun." She smacked her gum (a repulsive habit) as she thumbed through a scattered pile of folders. Her face lit up with delight as she discovered what she had been searching for. "Yep. Here's your schedule and map." She brought the papers and told me that my classroom numbers were marked on the map, and the best route had been highlighted. She then gave me a slip that I had to get each of my teachers to sign and take back at the end of the day. I thanked her as she told me she hoped I had a good day, then hurried out of the office. I got back in my car and drove to the front of the school, parking in a random spot. The parking lot had a few cars here and there, but they were parked in clusters.

I stuffed my lunch in my bag and got out of the car and into the rain. A smile spread accross my face as I walked toward the school. The rain was absoloutly wonderful, and I only hoped the school day wouldn't ruin the day. I sat on a bench under an awning. I had considered momentarily a spot on a picnic table in the rain, but I'd rather my butt be dry when I went to class. The bench I had chosen gave me the best of both worlds - seeing rain and being dry. I looked at my schedule First period was Anatomy in building 4. I stared at the map, trying to figure out where to go.

"Anyone sitting here?" a voice asked. I looked up into the smiling face of a blonde haired boy, who was definetly taller than me.

"No." I replied feebly. "Just me."

He sat down next to me and stuck out his hand. "I'm Aaron."

I took his hand, which was amazingly soft, and shook it. "Sherri."

"You new?"

I nodded my head slowly. "That obvious?"

He laughed. "Yeah, the whole confused- looking at the map thing usually does it."

I smiled weakly. "I don't do very good at hiding."

"May I?" He asked, gently taking the schedule from my hands. "Ah, first period Anatomy. Smart girl. Mr. Fisher's a pretty cool teacher. Unlucky for me, I have yearbook that period. We have English together, that's a plus. We have Trig together, too! Oh, and Spanish. So most of the morning. Government - together. Then you have P.E. when I have Office Aide. Then we have Journalism together. And then Chem - together. So we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Lucky for me." I smiled nervously.

"Why don't I show you to your class?"

I stood up nearly too quick. "That'd be great."

"So where'd you move here from?"

"Texas."

"I knew it was somewhere southern. You've got yourself an accent."

"It's a curse."

The building he led me to was a small one, like all the others. He led me inside and introduced me to the teacher, who was absoloutly delighted to have a new student. The classroom was set up like a lab, and he had me take a seat at the first lab station. The class started filing in a few minutes later, a few of them stopping to introduce themselves, obviously curious about the new kid. Of course, most of the people entered in twos, leaving me without a partner. Just before the bell rang, three people entered. They were all beautiful, but pale. Two boys and a girl. One of the boys was obviously older. He was a bit taller with short, black hair. The girl was a little shorter than the first boy, with curly, red hair. The second boy, and third in the group, looked a few inches taller than my five feet three inches.

"Can we sit in a group of three?" The girl seemed to plead with Mr. Fisher in a musical voice.

"Sorry," Mr. Fisher said sternly, "You know the rules, Karly, two per group."

"Damien, why don't you take the empty seat? I'll make it up to you later." It was then I noticed the accent - Australian. My favorite of all accent and direct proof I wasn't the only outsider in this school. The shorter one, Damien, sat next to me quietly.

Mr. Fisher passed out books to each of us as well as a workbook. Since it was the first day of school, he gave us each an "evaluation test" which we had to complete in class. Damien and the two people he had entered with hurried out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang. I walked slowly, trying not to be forced into a conversation.

"Sherri." Aaron greeted as soon as I walked outside. He walked over to me, smiling and holding an umbrella over out heads. "How was your first class?"

"Good." I said quietly. "So um.. English now?"

We hurried off in the rain, which seemed to be picking up. It was perfectly fine to me, but most people seemed to whine about how hard the rain was falling. Our English teacher made me introduce myself to the class, and they seemed to swoon over the fact that I moved from Texas. I suffered through Trig and Spanish and finally, lunch. Aaron was quite enthusiastic when informing me of the different options we could eat in the cafeteria. I finally spoke and told him I had packed my lunch. He seemed happy, still, and lead me into the cafeteria. The tables were octagons, obviously meant for eight people. I counted 7 before Aaron walked over. He snagged a chair from another table and pushed it between the one empty chair and someone else.

"Hey Aaron." The table seemed to greet alltogether.

"Hey," Aaron replied. "Everyone, this is Sherri. She's new. Sherri, this is Nick, Coby, Andrew, Liz, Sarah, Kim, and Emily."

"Hi!" Sarah greeted happily. "Welcome to Forks."

"Thanks." I replied shyly. "The rain is beautiful."

"Do you not get rain in Texas?" Coby asked curiously.

"Do you really ride horses to school?" Liz asked.

"How hot are the guys?" Kim beamed.

I smiled nervously. "Um, we get Rain. But not like this- not beautiful. We don't ride horses to school - I've never even been on one. And I'm definetly not an expert on how hot the guys are."

Nick seemed to silence the table with a wave of his hand. "Why's that?"

"Why what?" I replied, confused.

"Why aren't you an expert? Seems most girls are."

"MOST girls. I am not like most."

"In what way."

"In the way where I've never been on a date in my life."

"I'm hungry," Liz complained. "Can we go get food?"

The table all stood up except for me and Sarah.

Nick frowned. "Not coming, Sherri?"

I shook my head. "I packed my lunch."

"Oh well, we'll be back. You two have fun."

"So," Sarah said when it was just us. "How has your first day been?"

"Pretty good. Aaron's been a great help. But there was this guy in my Anatomy class..."

"Who?!"

"His name.. starts with a D.."

"Derrick? The captain of the football team?"

"No, no, no. He had an accent. And he was with.. a girl and a guy."

"Ah, him. I know who you're talking about. Carlisle's kids."

"Who?"

"Carlisle. Hot doctor at the hospital. He and his wife Esme take in foster kids every once in a while. Those four are like.. her cousin's cousin's sister's ex-boyfriend's sister's kids. Or something like that. Ava Sanders, she's the short little one, but she's got quite a temper. Doesn't come to school often. Then there's the tall girl, Karly Timmons. She's beautiful, isn't she? The taller of the boys is Tim Gregor, he's just.. amazing. Then there's Damien. So quiet, yet so cute. I think the mysterious factor adds in. Of course, that entire family just has that mystery to them. My brother went to school with the last bunch. Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett. They were all so.. beautiful."

It was then I spotted them, there accross the cafeteria. Just three of them, the three from my Anatomy class. Tim and Karly sat with uneaten food in front of them, but Damien was actually eating. Slow and graceful he ate, conversing with his "siblings" between bites. I couldn't help but to stare. It was mesmorizing, to say the least. Tim said something to Damien, gesturing in my general direction. Damien turned to look at me, and I froze. Our eyes locked, and his a beautiful emerald green made me feel inferior with my plain boring brown ones. He cracked a smile and we both looked away quickly.

"So, what'd you bring for lunch?" Aaron asked, returning to his seat next to me.

I pulled my lunch bag from my backpack. "I think my mom packed a PB&J. You want some?"

"Sure. You want to try some spinach lasagna? It's really good."

"Looks delicious." I said, eying his plate.

He cut off a peice and held the fork out to me. "Here, take a bite."

I did as instructed and was delighted. The lasagna was good. I took my sandwich out and put it on the table. "Aaron, you can have it if you want. I think I'm going to go outside."

"Sherri, it's pouring down rain outside."

"Point being?"

"Take my umbrella," he insisted, handing it to me.

I sighed and took it. "Thank you, Aaron. I'll meet you in Government, ok?"

"Can you find it?"

"I'll try my hardest."

I gathered my things and headed outside. If possible, it was raining harder than before. The rain spilled over the umbrella as I walked slowly, watching the sky. It was intriguing, the way the rain felt here was quite different than the rain back home. I walked along happily, smiling at the rain and twirling the umbrella in my hands. Of course, being the klutz I am, I lost my footing in the rain. I knew there was no catching my balance and waited dreadfully for the wet butt I was fixing to receive from the rain I loved. However, no such thing happened. I was caught from behind by a pair of strong hands. The same pair of hands steadied me, then turned me. Damien was the owner of those strong hands.

"Gotta be more careful there." He whispered, steadying me on my feet. "You could've hurt yourself."

"Thanks." I stuttered. "I'm Sherri."

He nodded. "I'm Damien. Your.. mum is dating the Cheif of Police, right?"

I rolled my eyes. Did everyone know, or just him? "Yeah, she is. His daughter's married to like.. your brother, isn't she?"

"To be technical, he's not my blood brother. Esme and Carlisle took in me and the others because our families were having.. a rough time. They're very sweet. It's nice having a family like them."

"So.. you're from Australia?"

"And you're from Texas. Why don't you tell me why you moved here?"

I felt as though my heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"Well, most people around here, I've discovered, have been here their whole lives. You, on the other hand have been in town what.. a day?"

I smiled. "Yeah, sounds about right. Well, if you must know, my dad died about.. two months ago. My mom let me stay down in Texas and grieve for a while, then she decided I was going to move to Forks. So I left Texas and moved to Forks."

"My brother, Jasper, is from Texas."

"Oh, maybe I could meet him sometime?"

"Maybe. So.. got any brothers or sisters?"

"Actually, I do. They're half - same dad, different mom. Kyle is six and Rachael is four."

"Who do they live with?"

"My grandpa."

"So.. what class are you going to next?"

"Um. History. Building six. Could you show me where it is?"

He glanced back toward the cafeteria. Karly and Tim were staring at us, which made me wonder how long they had been watching. "It'd probably be better if I didn't. I should get back inside. Nice meeting you, though. I'll see you around." He turned and went back inside. I could feel Karly and Tim still watching me, anger on their faces. For some reason, this made me extremly uncomfortable. I shifted my bag on my shoulder and continued walking along. There was something weird about them. They seemed.. paler than most. Then again, most people in Forks were pale due to the lack of sunlight. They seemed TOO perfect. There was something about them that made me curious.

At last, I found building 6. The door was unlocked, so I headed inside. The teacher sat at a desk with a nameplate that identified him as Mr. Jefferson. He was eating what looked (and smelled) like a tuna salad sandwich. I cleared my throat and waited for him to look up.

"Oh, hello." He said happily when he saw me. "Let me guess... Sherri Richardson? New student from Texas?"

"Yes, sir." I replied politely. "I'm sorry if I interupted your lunch."

"No, it's quite alright. Are you enjoying Forks so far?"

"Yeah, it's pretty great. The rain, that is."

"And how are your classes?"

"Pretty good so far. It's very.. different here."

"You transferred from a Private school right?"

"Yes, sir. Uniforms included. So.. where can I sit?"

"Oh, right. Back row, middle desk. You can put your umbrella in the holder by the door."

I put the umbrella in the holder as told, then walked to the back of the classroom to my seat. I wasn't sure how I felt about this, being the first one to the classroom. Rather than trying to figure out what to do when the rest of my classmates came in, I pulled a copy of The Giver from my bag and started reading. The bell rang soon after, and I could hear students filing in. "Hey." A familiar voice whispered next to me. I looked up, and there was Aaron, sitting next to me.

I marked my place in the book and put it down. "Hey Aaron. Enjoy lunch?"

"It could've been better. What'd you and Damien talk about?"

"You saw me?"

"Pretty much everyone did, Sherri. Everyone knows the Cullen clan rarely dates outside their own. For instance, Rosalie and Emmett, Jasper and Alice, Tim and Karly. There are few exceptions. Edward was the first. He met Bella after she moved from Arizona. Now, there's Ava and Damien. I think Damien likes you."

"But he doesn't even know me."

Aaron shrugged. "I still think he likes you. Can't say I blame him."

I rolled my eyes and started copying the notes Mr. Jefferson was writing on the board. I wasn't sure about the classes, or the wilderness. But one thing was for sure - I was enjoying the people. Damien - and his siblings - seemed to have that sense of mystery about them. For some reason, I found this quite appealing. My curiousity was on full; I wanted to know everything about that beautiful boy and his family.

History was gone and over with before I knew it. Aaron walked me to the gym and introduced me to the coach before rushing off to the office. The coach had the class sit in the bleachers while he went over the importance of proper footwear when running. Then he went on to talk about the proper clothing to wear when running. Finally, he started handing out our dress sets. Shorts and t-shirts for the warmer days, Sweats for the colder days. The sweats were black, the front of the hooded top says "Forks Spartans" in yellow letters. The shirts were yellow with black writing. "Tomorrow," he said in a booming voice, "We will be going out to the track. Change in the dressing rooms here then head over to the track. Rain or shine - we are running."

Aaron met me outside to walk me to my next class. Journalism was pretty boring- standard first day of school things. At last, time for Chemistry. Aaron and I walked in and I went to the teacher, Mr. Banner, to have him sign my slip and ask him where to sit. He had the class sitting alphabetically. Of course, I was seated next to none other than Damien Rogers. He sat as far away from me as possible and didn't speak once to me the entire class period. At last, the final bell rang. Damien was out of his seat and heading for the door before I even picked up my bag. I was tempted to hurry after him and talk with him, but Aaron walked up to me.

"You drive?" He asked curiously.

I nodded happily. "Yeah, my grandpa bought me an old beetle before I moved."

"Nice. I have a Thunderbird Premium myself. Would you like to see it?"

I shook my head nervously. "No, thanks, Aaron. I'd probably better head home. I need to call my little sister and find out how her day went. First day of preschool. Plus I need to go turn this in to the front office."

His face fell. "Oh, well, see you later then."

I grabbed my bag and hurried out of the classroom. The rain had lightened to a drizzle, but the sky threatened more rain. I smiled and went to the front office. The receptionist smiled at me. "How was your first day, sweetie?"

"Great." I replied happily, handing her the slip. "I'm really starting to like Forks." I didn't wait for a reply before turning to leave. I headed out to my car and grumbled - my headlights were still on. I got in the car and attemtped to start it up. It was as if the car was laughing at me as it sputtered, refusing to start. "Come on." I commanded, hitting the wheel, "START!" I turned the key again, but no such luck. My battery was dead. I switched off the headlights and tried again. The laughing sputtering repeated. I took the keys out and threw them on the dashboard, hitting the wheel with my fists. I cursed at my car repeatedly, more angry at myself than the car.

I heard a knocking at the window and looked up. Aaron was at my window, along with about six other guys. I rolled down my window, embarrased. "Hey, Aaron." I said shakily.

"Hey," he replied happily. "Car trouble?"

I nodded, blushing. "I think I left my headlights on all day."

"Oh, that's not a problem at all. Nick, pull my truck over here, will ya? I'll give it a jumpstart."

Nick pulled the truck over and all the guys gathered around the front of my car with excitment. I popped the hood and they lifted it up. I heard several gasps and whispering between the guys. Finally, Aaron came over and opened my door. "Come here, you need to see this."

I got out and followed him to the front of the car. "What?" I asked curiously.

Aaron stood behind me, hands on my shoulders, and pointed at something. "Your radiator's cracked."

"My what?"

"It's part of your car. We could fix the crack, but chances are, it'll crack again. Best chances are to replace it."

"How much is that going to cost?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll fix it myself and get the radiator myself."

"And that leaves me where with you?"

"A date."

"Where? When?"

"This weekend. We can hit the beach in La Push. Picnic lunch. What do you say?"

"I don't really have much of a choice. I need my car."

"Right. I'll call my dad to come tow it to the house. I'll drive you home myself. Charlie.. won't have a problem with it right?"

"He won't. Can we go ahead and go? I need to call my little sister."

He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me over to his truck, opening the driver's side door. "Just climb in here. I'll get your bag. Alright? Oh, sit in the middle. Nick's riding with us, too."

I climbed in as instructed and scooted to the middle. I watched all the guys around my car, laughing and makign jokes with each other. Then I saw him - accross the parking lot. Damien was watching, the look of absolute pleaseure on his face. It made me wonder...

Nick and Aaron both got into the truck on either side of me, Nick holding my bag.

"Do you know where the house is?" I asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Aaron replied, "I know exactly where it is. I hear Charlie may be your stepdad soon."

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"Around town. Just a rumor, though. Don't get all worried. I'm sure it's nothing."

Something about the look on his and Nick's face didn't make me quite believe them. And I was still curious about the look of satisfaction I saw on Damien's face...