What do you do when you can't have something you so desperately want and hold with all of your heart? For me, I reached for it. If it didn't come to me I gave up.

The bad thing about being sixteen was that it made you… awkward. Some girls got giant boobs, others got braces. Some boys got abs others got pimples. Me? I was stuck somewhere in between. I had straight teeth, curly dark hair that went just past my shoulders and hazel eyes. I guess I was pretty, in that young baby- like kind of way.

I probably could have friends, and boyfriends if I let a crayola rape my face and went to school practically naked like the other girls. But I was holding on to my innocence. Besides who ever said sweats weren't sexy? Oh right… everybody. It was too late though; I slipped on my jeans and boots, and lazily threw a sweatshirt on. I just wasn't feeling it today. I had nice clothes and all- but I only wore them if I felt like putting effort into myself.

I splashed water on my face and very quietly went downstairs and made my way through the clutter. I tried to avoid stepping on beer cans and cigarettes. There were some pizza boxes in the corner and they were really starting to stink. I'd once gotten tired of being made fun of for smelling like tobacco and liquor and tried to clean up… my dad Jimmy had it trashed again within an hour. I just sighed and walked down the steps of the apartment complex and started towards school.

"Of course the minute I get outside it starts raining." I mumbled as I felt a drop of moisture peck at my nose. I reached back to pull my hood on- but there wasn't one. Of course. My horrible luck strikes again.

"Hey wait up!" I heard a familiar voice come from behind me. It made me freeze in my tracks. That voice- that melodic honey trickling, harp playing, finger sweeping across piano keys voice- belonged to Seth Clearwater. We were both in tenth grade, and had all our classes together but he never looked at me twice. I was sure he was probably talking to someone else but I turned my head long enough for our eyes to meet. It was then that his hand had been waving about the air dropped, and he just stood there holding his umbrella. In all honesty he looked like a lost puppy.

Something began to stir up inside of me. My body twisted fully around and my feet started moving. Slowly, one by one. 'No,' I scolded in my mind. 'You stop it right now! Turn around and go to school.' Of course my body wouldn't obey.

I made my way up to him, feeling like an idiot as I did so. It took him a minute; he shook a little and flipped his head around, blinking as he tried to focus.

"You shouldn't be walking in the rain." What was with this guy? The first thing he ever says to me is a scolding for walking in the rain?

"I'm a big girl I can handle myself. If that's all you wanted…" I turned to leave when a large warm hand was placed on my shoulder. I stopped and turned around, the hand not giving me a choice in my actions.

"Sorry. Seth Clearwater." He held out his hand and I just looked at it, as though it were candy being offered by a stranger.

"Mary Pyne." I said watching as he dropped his hand that I'd refused to take.

"Why are you hanging out around here?" he asked motioning to the worn down apartments behind me.

"I kind of live here." I said pursing my lips into a thin line.

"Oh I'm sorry I had no-"

"It's fine. You didn't know." I said cutting him off. He seemed very apologetic. Why was he so worried about saying the wrong thing to me? Nobody else was.

"We should get to school, you might get sick standing out here in the rain." He said. Why was he so concerned? So what if I got sick and withered away to nothing? Its not like anyone around here would care.

"You go ahead. I'll wait five minutes before walking, I don't want you to have to be seen with me." I motioned in front of me waiting for him to go, but to my surprise he grabbed my hand pulling me closer to him.

"Don't talk about yourself that way." He looked really sad when I said bad things about myself. Like instead of being the lost puppy, he'd lost the puppy himself. I couldn't think of a way to respond, I just let him pull me along in the direction of the school.

"We have math together right?" he said suddenly.

"Um, yeah. And nearly every other class. Your also at the diner where I work a lot." I pointed out.

"Oh." His face fell as if he'd just done something horribly wrong. I really wish he'd stop. I felt like he was playing some sort of sick joke on me.

"It's fine. Most people don't notice me, the ones that do… I wish they didn't."

"Do you wish I hadn't noticed you?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the concrete.

"Sort of." I mumbled kicking a rock out of my path. I took my hand away and shoved both of them into my pockets. That really seemed to upset him.

"Why?" he choked out.

"Well, this seems like some sort of sick joke. Walking me to school? Talking to me? Choosing to be seen with me in public?" he stopped and turned me until I was facing him. He tilted my chin until I was looking into his eyes. As soon as his hand fell I looked away, only to have him move my eyes back to him.

"Don't talk that way. Ever. I would never do that to anyone, especially not someone as beautiful as you." As much as I didn't want to, I believed him. I just swallowed and looked away, focusing on counting the rocks in the road.

"I'm just used to being alone that's all." I kicked around some pebbles, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Then get used to having a friend." I grinned and continued to walk, he was following behind catching up quickly. Was this really happening? Did I have… a friend?

! #$%^&*() ! #$%^&*() ! #$%^&*()

We reached the building and I took a deep breath, expecting him to dart at any minute. He didn't. He stood beside me getting as close as he could without freaking me out. To be honest I like it, he had heat radiating off of him. I could get used to this even if it was some sort of joke. I slowly entered the building as he stayed close behind me. I ignored Cassidy- the royal bitch of the school- and her disgusting glare. The sad part was that we were best friends up until last year- when she suddenly decided she was better than me. She wasn't. She had just as many problems at home as I did, but that story is for another time.

"This is my class." I told Seth who seemed out of it.

"Oh right. See you later." He waved and smiled before walking away. I leaned against the wall and sighed. What was going on here?

My first three classes went by in a blur, and the bell rang for lunch. I walked outside to the courtyard and sat at a table opening a book. No one liked to eat in the courtyard because it was usually really cold outside, so I would hang out there. I'd just started reading when I hear a 'plunk' from in front of me. I looked up to see a tray of food and Seth. Seth Clearwater was sitting in front of me. Why?

"Why are you here?" I asked tucking the book into my lap.

"You don't want me here?" his smile faded and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Like I told you I'm just not used to being around people. I'm more of a loner." I said before exhaling- which I could see my breath in front of me it was so cold.

"You really don't have to be alone you know."

"What makes you say that? Cassidy has everyone turned against me."

"Not everyone. There are some guys…some guys that say very vulgar things about you" he looked down as if he was ashamed of what he'd told me. I just scoffed.

"No way in hell that's true." I said using my elbows to help me sit up.

"It is. You should hear the things they say… it's very dirty."

"Good to know." I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrows, getting ready to take my book back out. He just took the book from my hand and chucked it across the schoolyard into the woods.

"What- my book!" I stood up and inched about three steps towards the woods.

"Don't be a nerd. Besides how many times have you read that thing?" I guess it could be implied by the way the book was falling apart that it had been used before.

"I don't know four."

"Exactly. So you know how it ends." He stood up with his tray, grabbed my purse and began walking towards the school. "C'mon." he nodded his head towards the building.

"Your crazy."

"Nope. And if you want your stuff back you'll have to follow me." I huffed and trudged along, following him into the cafeteria. Once we were actually inside, I tried to walk faster. This was weird for me. I'd never actually eaten lunch in here, I didn't like being around all the people.

It also turns out that Seth was right. There were a few guys ogling my chest, which poked out through my sweatshirt as they whispered to each other. I swore I heard Seth growl as I self-consciously crossed my arms in front of me. He finally sat down at a table with three enormous guys and a girl. I recognized them as Jacob, Jared, and Embry. Not that I'd ever actually talked to them. I had no clue who the girl was though.

"Can I have my stuff back now?" I pursed my lips and stared at the back that was slung awkwardly over Seth's shoulder. He didn't exactly look attractive holding a woman's purse.

"Nope. Now sit." He commanded as he shoved an entire sandwich into his mouth. I sat awkwardly in the seat that he'd pulled out and just stared at the table.

"So this is the girl?" Jacob asked. My head snapped up. The girl?

I'm pretty sure Jake would be in high school for like five more years. He was a junior but he rarely showed up. At this rate he'd be lucky to graduate by the time he was 40.

"She is fine." Embry commented rather loudly, earning a smack from Seth. I'm pretty sure Embry and Jarred were seniors… I noticed the girl rolling her eyes and shifting to Jared's lap. She began to pick off of his tray- I'm surprised her hand didn't get eaten.

"I'm Kim by the way." She said with a mouth full of chips. I instantly felt inferior to her, with her dark hair waving perfectly down to her waist, her nice olive skin, and dark eyes that still managed to pop. I just smiled at her.

"This is Mary." Seth spoke up for me. Thank God.

"Are you coming to the bonfire Friday?" Kim smacked Jared's hand away from her bag of chips.

"Um I-"

"Great she's coming!" Seth cheered. This was definitely the most interesting day of my life so far.

I tied my apron on, sorting the silver ware at the counter of 'Nay's diner'. Yes- I worked there. But I loved it. Nay was the owner of the diner- and she kind of filled in as a mother for me. Mine died when I was around seven or eight. I just laughed as she struggled to write down the orders of the boys in the corner. Seth, Jacob, and Embry usually came to the diner after school, and they always managed to wipe out our entire inventory.

"Well dang." Nay made her way to me. "Those boys eat more than all of La push could in a year. What's with the suitcase?" she eyed the black sitting next to me on the counter.

"I refuse to live in that house anymore. With the money I make here and the money Jimmy brings home I still don't have enough to pay rent. There was an eviction notice by the door today so I just packed."

"And where do you plan on staying?" she picked up a rag and began to wipe down a spoon. I sheepishly grinned at her hoping she'd pick up the hint.

"You can stay with me for a few weeks, but I ain't got custody rights or anything. I sure as hell ain't taking in a runaway."

"Thank you Nay. A few weeks is all I need, I swear!"

"You know that boy over there keeps looking at you," she nodded towards Seth. "You should go live with him." She wiggled her eyebrow at me.

"Not all of us are tramps Nay." I joked. She still hit me with the dishtowel even though she was laughing. I couldn't help but grin a little when I noticed that Seth really was staring.

Woot first chapter! Please review- I'm watching you! O_O