Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all the basics.
Rated M for several reasons.
Prologue
APOV
William R. Fairchild International Airport, in December, is not exactly how I imagined this life changing adventure would start. But start it has, I know it, and the excitement has me vibrating on the spot despite the slanting rain that's already chilled me to the bone.
We're not due to be picked up for another hour, I assume because we're not all arriving from SeaTac, but despite having the chance to guess who else on my flight will be part of this adventure I couldn't stand to stay inside the little terminal, I knew I needed to be out here for it to really be happening.
My friends think I'm slightly insane for volunteering for this, a little more slightly insane than usual apparently but it just felt right for the holidays, or at least a little more right than pulling double shifts at Starbucks to help with my tuition like they are. My college scholarship is awesome, I wouldn't be able to attend otherwise, but it clearly wasn't designed for students with any kind of sartorial standards.
Jeez it's cold! I wonder if the cute guy with the blonde hair is part of this Experiment.
BPOV
I cannot believe I am actually doing this. I blame my mother completely. You need to let your hair down, she said. It's not healthy to feel like you have to be in control of every situation, she said. Why don't you save some of being middle aged for actual Middle Age, she said. I know my mother and I are Alpha and Omega, chalk and cheese, flibbertigibbet and weary carer but, even though this was one of our rare conversations over the last ten years for some reason I actually listened to the stupid woman. Your Masters is in horror, she said, why would you pass up the opportunity to feel the fear first hand?
Ugh. It's cold here. And wet. I loathe cold wet things. I am allowed to, I grew up in Phoenix and I'm going to school in Florida. I am not leaving this terminal building until the promised bus pulls up. No way.
RPOV
I know extra credit is like gold dust when you're flunking your course, so I can do this, I will do this. This crazy ass experiment might even be fun since I'm not known for cracking under pressure and I get a perverse kick out watching other people do it. Besides it beats working for Aunt Imogen's lousy law firm to earn money over the holidays. I know someone's got to help the poor and needy but they're just so damn, needy . . . .
Oh, hello handsome . . . . look at you and your muscles . . . . aren't you fine?
Ah, cheese eating grin and dimples, not usually my thing but they do go with that dazzling smile.
So handsome, here's my dazzling smile, good job you're sitting down already.
