Another day of school. Woohoo! The best 4 years of your life they say. Well, if this is the best 4 years of my life then shoot me now and put me out of my misery. I have lived on the La Push reservation my whole life and everyone still treats me like I am a walking plague. I am only half Quileute, you see. My father was full blooded but my mother was a prostitute. She showed up on the reservation 10 months later, after one night of fun, demanding money or she would tell the whole tribe what he did. But I never came to that. 2 days later she was found dead in her hotel room, from an apparent over dose. My father didn't have it in him to turn me over to the state. He took me home and raised my on his own. Soon the whole tribe knew about me and so I've been treated my whole life. Polite masks to my face, bitter, barbing words to my back. The only person who was ever nice to me also happens to be the person who I am hopelessly in love with. Jacob Black. Last year we had 6th period biology together. When all the other kids would tease me about my light skin, he would stick up for me. Soon we became friends and started hanging out. He was so fun to be around, always cracking and laughing at his own jokes even when they weren't that funny. He was always the highlight of my day. And there he is. Dang. He's grown over the last few months. I wouldn't have recognized him if it hadn't been for the smile he flashed my way. It was always had a shy, almost hesitant quality to it but it was still the most beautiful thing I would ever see.

"Jacob," I called and he headed my way with a wave. "How was your weekend?" I asked when he was close enough I didn't have to yell.

"It was alright," he said on a yawn. "I didn't get a lot of sleep. I haven't been feeling good but my dad made me come to school, so here I am."

"Well, I'm glad you made it. What's your first class?"

"Uh, algebra 3 it looks like. Goodie," he replied with a groan.

"Hey, that's mine too. Maybe we could sit together," I said with a little to much enthusiasm, but he smiled anyway.

"Sure," was his reply.

As it was, there was assigned seating, but we both ended up in the back of the first 2 rows, so it all worked out. I started to say something, but the teacher interrupted me. We made it through, but unfortunately we didn't get a chance to talk after class and we didn't have anymore classes together for the rest of the day. I looked for him at lunch, but someone told me he had gone home sick right after 2nd. I was a little disappointed but wanted him to feel better. Besides, I would see him in a couple days anyway. Or so I thought. 2 weeks went by and there was no sign of Jacob. I went to his house a couple times to see if everything was ok, but there was never anyone home. I was on my way out there again contemplating this peculiar behavior, when all of the sudden I heard what sounded like a small explosion. At the same moment my 1967 Mustang swerved to the right and I had to slam on my brakes to miss running into a tree. I parked it and got out only to find that my right back tire was flat.

"Curse it," I thought to myself, but opened the trunk to get the spare and jack. Of course, the jack was about as old as the car itself and I couldn't get it to work.

"Come on. Of all things," I muttered under my breath.

Suddenly I heard a sound. It was faint but it sounded like something was moving around just inside the forest edge. I backed around to the other side of the car as I pulled out my cell to call 911. But all of the sudden the trees parted and out came Jacob Black. He was wearing nothing but a pair of cut off shorts and the sun was bouncing off his skin, which was glistening with sweat. But my gaze was drawn to his hair. Gone was the beautiful long black mane. Instead, his hair was cut really short.

"He is almost bald," I thought with dismay.

I blinked several times but when I opened my eyes again, it was still the same. It took a minute or so for me to realize I was staring and I pulled my gaze away to actually look at his face. I could have gone on staring, because he was staring back at me with the strangest sort of surprised quizzical look on his face. After another minute, I started to be uncomfortable, so I tried to get his attention.

"Jacob," I called, and it seemed to break him out of his reverie. "Hey," I said lightly, "I haven't seen you in like 2 weeks. Where have you been?"

"My, uh, my dad hasn't been feeling well, so I sort of, stayed home to take care of him." He seemed to stutter, as if he wasn't sure what he was saying or supposed to say.

"I hope he feels better," I said sincerely, "I was actually headed to your house to see if everything was ok, but my back tire went flat, and the jack doesn't want to work. Do you think you could help me?"

"Sure," he said a bit uncertainly. What he did next made me think I was hallucinating. He stepped up behind my car and completely lifted the back of my car a foot and a half off the ground. Again I found I could do nothing but stare at him. He looked at me a moment and then said, "Is this good?"

"Yeah, thanks," I said and went to work still trying not to stare at him. I made quick work of it, and soon he was lowering my car back to the ground.

"How did you do that?" I found my voice to ask.

"Do what?"

"You completely lifted my car off the ground. How?"

"I've been working out," he shrugged but he seemed guarded. "I've gotta get going but ill see you later." He started to turn away but looked back.

"Bella…" he hesitated. "Never mind. Ill see you later."

I watched as he walked back into the forest and disappeared. It took me a minute and then I ran after him into the woods.

"Jacob," I kept calling but there was no response.

I heard some noise to my right and followed it. Probably not the best idea on my part because as soon as I entered the small clearing, a huge brown bear reared on its hind legs and roared at me. I tried to back away slowly, but my foot caught a tree root and I sprawled on the ground, hitting my head on a tree. The last thing I remembered before blacking out was seeing a huge russet brown wolf/dog charge the bear and then a moment later, Jacobs's concerned face blurring out of vision.

I woke up to what felt like a huge hot pack resting on my head and another on my stomach. As my brain became clearer I noticed the hot pack on my head was moving, stoking my hair. I realized finally that the hot pack on my head was actually a hand. I struggled to open my eyes and as I blinked away the fogginess, Jacobs face came into view. I smiled faintly and watched as relief flooded his face.

"Are you ok," he asked. "I was horrified when I heard that bear roar and saw you hit the ground. How bad does your head hurt?"

"I'm ok, just let me sit up a bit and ill be fine." I said this as I sat up, but it was to fast and I almost blacked out again.

"Bella, I think you just need to lay down for a bit." He laid my head back down and I realized that though I wasn't cold, I wasn't wearing my sweatshirt anymore as it was balled up under my head to soften the cold pavement I was laying on.

"How did we get back here," I asked, confused.

"After I scared the bear away, I carried you back to your car."

"Oh." Everything was still a bit hazy. "But then what was that huge wolf/dog thing that I saw. I thought it scared the bear away."

"Well, um, it did. You see, that big wolf/dog thing was…well…me."

"Ha ha," I said shakily. "Very funny. I'm serious though, what was that thing?"

"I'm being serious Bella. It was me."

I stared at him dumbfounded for the hundredth time that day.

"You are being serious. How the heck…?" I started to ask but I sat up to fast again and another wave of pain hit my head.

"Take it easy. Stop trying to sit up so fast." He said as he eased me back onto my sweatshirt again.

"But I…I don't understand…How…?"

"Well, don't freak out ok?" I managed a weak nod. "Promise?" he prompted.

"Promise."

"Ok, well, you know how the Quileute legends say that we are descendants of wolves and talk about how our ancestors used to be able to change into wolves when they needed to protect their tribe? Well, the legends aren't legends. They are true." I must have hit my head harder than I thought, because I still didn't understand what he was saying.

"And what does that have to do with you?"

"Don't you see Bella? I can change form too, just like our ancestors. I am a…werewolf."

He flinched away from me the slightest bit as if waiting for me to explode or something as understanding dawned. Oh. But even though he just dropped that little bomb on me, I couldn't bring myself to care. It was still Jacob.

"So…"

"So?" he seemed astonished by my reaction. "I just told you I am a mythological creature that turns into a wolf and all you say is 'So'."

"You aren't going to Rip my head off and eat me are you?"

"NO!" he exclaimed, a look of disgust on his face.

"Well, then I don't see a problem. I will admit, it is a bit much to take in," I admitted, "but I always knew you were different somehow." I smiled weakly. He visibly relaxed, his whole body loosened up. He smiled that full blown beautiful smile that I loved and it made me glad I wasn't standing up.

He put his hand gently on my cheek and smoothed my hair out of my face. His hand was almost scorching hot, but soothing at the same time.

"I always knew you were different too."

I smiled as he slid his hand behind my head, his other still resting on my stomach. I raised my arms to his shoulders and locked my fingers behind his head as he pulled me closer to him. When his lips met mine, I was surprised at how soft, warm, comforting they could be. I could feel him smiling against my lips as he kissed me and I knew that I was probably smiling too. He pulled back just long enough to look at me with those smoldering black eyes and say, "Why didn't we do this a long time ago?"

I smiled up at him. "I don't know," I said as I pulled his face back to mine, "But I am willing to spend the next long while making up for it."

He grinned back at me, even as his other arm encircled my waist, and kissed me gently but passionately. A kiss filled with love and promise.