Crescent

I own none of the original Stephanie Meyer characters. And I had you fooled.

Summary: When Clarissa comes to Forks, she is immersed in a world of vampires and werewolves. She must face the demons of her past to learn to love again. Does she have to choose between newfound love and true friendship? Which side does she belong on?

"Thanks Marge, for taking us in like this." My mother grimaced.

"No problem! Angela and Clara will get along fine. Angie was so excited to see you Clara. My you've grown like a weed." My aunt said, all in one breath.

I smiled through my irritation as I thought, "Clarissa. My name is Clarissa." I guess I could understand why she called me that. Last time I had seen her I was four and couldn't pronounce my full name.

I picked up my bag and headed inside. I always traveled light, carrying just the essentials and a couple of photographs in my suitcase. My mom and I were constantly on the move, never really settling down in one place long enough to really feel at home. My mother was like the Jack-of-all-Trades constantly saying, "It will be better here. You'll see! I'll get a job and we can find a house and really settle down." But we never did. I'd given up getting attached to places I liked. It didn't really matter anymore. I considered Forks the end of the line for me. It was the summer before college, and I didn't know what my life would be like. I could hardly afford college, and my mother carefully avoided that conversation. I think she was hoping a miracle would occur and money would grow from trees. I just tried to keep my expectations low.

I was shown the stairs and shuffled up them, anxious to see where I would live for the next who-knows-how-long. A girl was standing in the doorway on the right. It must be Angela. I smiled shyly and wincing, waited for her to burst out in questions like most people did when meeting me. Silence. I looked up questioningly at her. She just smiled shyly in return. I could tell we were going to get along just fine.

I entered the room, looking around me as I went. The walls were light lavender, and with the windows open, the bedroom was bright and airy. In a way it was almost fairylike. I breathed in the sweet smell of real country air, not the city air I had previously lived in. It felt wonderful.

"Your bed is over there. Do you like it?" Angela questioned.

"It's perfect." I replied. I smiled at her, noticing a framed picture on her bedside table. It was of a man with a boyish face wading in the water. His eyes were looking at the picture-taker with a fierce love that it made my heart ache.

"Who's that?"

Angela looked where I pointed and blushed. "That's Ben. He's my boyfriend. We were down at the beach at La Push when he…well, when I took that picture. Handsome isn't he?"

"Very." I smiled at her.

Tentatively she asked, "Do you have anyone, erm, like Ben is to me? Or…a crush or something?" She looked nervous. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to; I know it's kind of private…"

"No, it's ok. And no, I've never really liked anyone that way. We've moved around a lot and I never really had time to get to know people well, and frankly, I find most boys dull. I guess I've read too many fairytales where the heroine goes off on adventures and the hero does great deeds, slaying dragons and rescuing damsels in distress, and I hope to meet a man like that one day. So far, no one I've met has met my high standards." I grinned wryly. I didn't add how I would never love anyone like that. How it was impossible after my father…

Angela smiled in return. "Maybe you're lucky Clarissa. You can grow up to be whatever you want to be, and you don't have to figure in a boyfriend to your plans. You can be independent. Although I would never trade Ben for that… He's so sweet. It's just sometimes; I wonder what I could do with my life. I guess I'll find out."

"I don't exactly understand…"

"That day at the beach, in the picture, Ben asked me to marry him."

"Wow Angela! That's great! It's super exciting-"

"I told him no."

Backtrack…"What? Didn't you say you loved him? I'm confused."

"Yes! I love him with all of my heart. I'm just not ready. I want to go to college, and go to medical school, and, oh Clarissa I want to do something with my life. Marriage is supposed to happen after I have a job! But, I don't want to lose Ben! He's my life! He was heartbroken when I refused him, but I-I think he understands." Tears were flowing silently down her cheeks. "He said he'll wait until I come back, but what if he finds someone else, or something terrible happens, what will I do? I couldn't bear it."

I had been here for an hour and she was bearing her deepest feelings and secrets to me. I felt unclean, unworthy. Angela was so trusting, so loving. I had never learned to trust. She was very brave, I thought. I pondered over how to answer.

"When I first saw the picture of Ben, I saw someone who loved you deeply. I believe that the kind of love that he shows when he looks at you will wait. I believe that what you and Ben have is true love, and when you come back from college, I believe Ben will be waiting for you with open arms. I will all work itself out in the end." I got up to hug her, feeling kind of awkward from my little speech.

We stayed huddled together on the bed for an eternity, neither of us saying anything. The silence was a warm one, friendly and compassionate. I struggled to grasp what Angela was going through right now, but I couldn't. I had never had feelings like she was having. I didn't love anyone besides my mother, and I didn't see any point in going to college. Well, I did, but I didn't mind not going. Thinking of the choices Angela had made to live her life, I sighed. Life was tough sometimes.

Angela looked up and me and smiled a true smile. "Thanks for everything Clarissa." I grinned, holding back a yawn, but she saw it. "Oh! Look at the time! We have to go to bed. You must be exhausted…I'm so sorry I kept you up." With that she bustled around, making sure I was properly at home, then turned off the light and snuggled in to her bed as I lay on mine. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I replied. How strange. I didn't say that very often. My mother and I went to bed when we felt like it, and we never really talked to each other before going to sleep.

I lay on top of the blankets, looking out of the window. It was a starlit night, and the moon was majestic, slightly covered by clouds. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep for a while yet. I never could the first night we moved somewhere new. So I gazed out into the street. Angela lived pretty close to the forest. I could see the houses slowly dwindling away as they neared it. I loved the forest. I would have to make a point of going over there sometime soon.

I noticed two people holding hands walking down the street toward the forest. Young lovers by the look of them. They were looking into each others eyes and smiling. My heart ached for what I would never have. Suddenly, the girl got onto the man's back, and he was running. No, flying more like. Then they were gone between the leaves of the trees. I stared. Must have been a trick of the light or something… maybe I'm more tired than I thought. With that last thought I drifted off to sleep.

A man entered the room. I jumped up, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the punch he threw at my head. Ears ringing and eyes stinging, I unsteadily walked to the bed and lay down, dizzily closing my eyes. I tried to make my mind wander. My father's clammy hands reached toward me, groping, clawing. I gasped as my left arm went numb, pain shooting up my shoulder. I tried to make my mind wander. It was easier if I didn't fight back. I waited for more pain to come…

I woke up, my hands clamped over my mouth, silencing the screams issuing from it. My body ached from memories of past hurts. Sweat poured off my forehead as I tried to calm myself down. He was dead. He couldn't hurt me. Yet his spirit still haunted my nightmares. Shakily, I looked out the window. A soft morning glow was reaching over the horizon. I then looked at Angela. Her face was set in a stubborn frown, but she was asleep. I slid into my clothes and headed downstairs. I was going to take a walk.