Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and some of the story line...

For the Cullen's side of this story (written by my friend) go to punbb-hosting/forums/thenewtwilightsaga and it is called Eternal Night. My friend is an amazing writer and it is worth you valuable time to read her side of this story :D

Preface

The pain is unbearable. It's worse than falling over and wounding you knee. It makes a broken arm seem like floating on fluffy clouds. Something is eating away at my flesh. A hot fire scorches my body and I am being charred alive. My mind is in turmoil and I can't move to escape the pain. Please, please just let me die. I beg for the tranquilizer than death will deliver me, and there is nothing more desirable than the absence of pain. I gave up hope long ago, and I scream in agony again as a particularly strong burst of heat consumes my body. Please. Please let me die, a solitary falls down my cheek as I am finally granted that wish and my heart thuds one last mournful beat.

Chapter one.

Jane's POV

"Lynette Jane Everton!" Mrs Barker screeched my name out with a rasping voice.

"Jane. It's Jane," I muttered under my breath.

I heard Matthew Peterson snicker quietly behind me as he heard what I was saying, and I shot him a dark look. He fell silent at once and I smiled in grim satisfaction. I stepped lightly out of my seat and walked up to the front of the class to get my schedule of classes. The teacher was old and her wrinkled face seemed to have hardened into a permanent glare as she surveyed me distastefully. I took the paper and flashed a brief smile before turning back to my friends, with a smirk playing on my lips.

I sat back down in my seat with Katherine, "Hey Jane. What have you got first?" She peered over my shoulder to see what subjects I had been allocated; there wasn't much input involved from our behalf.

"Um, Maths. English. Sport. Sewing, cooking, nannying!" My voice croaked in disbelief. "What are they doing to me?!" I looked up at her in disbelief. "Kat, I may as well die now. I don't even have a Science," I said miserably. I hate having to do stupid women work. Why can't I go out and do something real?

"I have two Sciences, and an Agriculture class." I turned around to see Matthew grinning at me with glinting eyes. Usually I would say something in retort, but today I couldn't be bothered. So instead, I gave him my signature look that made him feel like the piece of scum he was, and turned back to an amused Katherine.

"You so like him," she giggled.

"What?" I was aghast. "Are we talking about Matthew Peterson?" She nodded with a smirk, "Sorry, but I think you are confusing him with someone who has a brain."

Katherine laughed, "Someone's being defensive," she rolled her eyes.

"Kat, you know that he's been like this for years. I don't think anything is going to change in a hurry." Matthew Peterson had been in the same class as me for 7 years in a row now. We were both 16 and he had always been a rude, joking prat, to be honest. And now here was Kat, my best friend since birth, saying that he liked me? It just seemed far too bizarre to get my head around.

She ignored what I said, and turned back to study her class lists. "Same subjects, but a couple of different classes."

A dull droning sound coming from outside signalled the end of the class, and the chairs screeched, hurting my ears when everyone stood up suddenly. "See you later Jane, I have Maths."

"English," I replied. We turned down the congested corridor and went in separate ways. Hey, at least I'm at school. It could be worse; I might have been stuck at home like Alec. Mind you, he works on the farm with Father now. My twin brother had chosen to drop out of school this year, but I had been adamant on returning. There was no way that I would be stuck cleaning clothes all day; ever.

"Hey, Jane!" I turned automatically to see who had called me, and found myself face to face with a tall boy who had tanned skin and medium-length brown hair which fell over his hazel eyes.

"What do you want Matthew?"

He grinned and my aloofness, "Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. Is that not okay?"

I sighed, "Fine. I guess it's the least I could do since you haven't laughed at me yet." He fought back a snicker at my words, "Oh well. I guess that ruined that," I turned, but couldn't help a smile threaten to spill over my lips as I teased him."

He grabbed my arm and turned me back around, "Wait. I'll be good, I promise."

The words actually seemed genuine, so I shrugged. "Sure."

Matthew grinned and I began to walk to my class, with him in step behind me. "See you later," I smiled shyly at him as we reached the door to my class.

"If later means 2 seconds, then sure, I'll see you later. I'm in your class." Oh. It took me a while to register that. English .... with Matthew. This was going to be interesting. "Will you sit with me?" he continued.

My eyes narrowed, and I muttered under my breath to myself, "I'd rather have the company of the dust on the window if you don't mind." Honestly, the boy snipes at me for years, and then we are suddenly all buddy-buddy. I don't buy it. But, I didn't have any of my other friends in this class and it is better to sit with someone, and I regretted the words that came out of my mouth, "Okay. Where?"

He strode over to a desk in the back corner and I slowly sat down next to him. "I don't bite," he was amused.

I beg to differ. When I glanced at Matthew lounging on the back to legs on his chair, I realised he was actually incredibly good looking. He had this air about him which exuded confidence, but not in an arrogant way. His tie was loose and his top button on the shirt undone. I was curious, "Matthew, why are you still in school? I mean, why aren't you working with your Father on his farm?"

He smiled at me, and for once I noticed his hazel eyes melted and smiled too. It was the first time it had ever reached his eyes. "I don't want to do farming. I'm going to be a Scientist when I'm older." His eyes sparkled at the prospect of his future.

"You never told me that before," I mused. I can't believe he wanted to be a Scientist when he's older. That is all I have wanted to do ever since I was young.

"You never asked," he said softly.

"You never spoke to me. I don't think there was much time for asking," I retorted. Matthew didn't say anything. He just stared at me for a long time with an unfathomable expression. "What?" I hissed as he didn't look away.

"Nothing. You know, you can be very sarcastic sometimes, Jane."

"So I've been told," I murmured darkly. The teacher had entered the room and was shooting annoyed looks over at us.

I bent my head down and started copying the notes off the black board, and I could feel Matthew's gaze flicker to me occasionally. I never met his eyes; I was too afraid of what I was going to see, whether it was interest, humour or his most common; teasing.