I ran through the woods, four paws pounding on the ground as they carried my body to the top of the mountains. Stopping just before the clearing, I transformed back, stretching my legs out on the jutted piece of land, dangling my tanned feet off the cliff's edge. The cool breeze felt good on my hot skin and I sighed at the serenity of it all. The view was amazing. Trees dotted the land everywhere my eyes could see, and the sparkling ocean shined off each sandy beach with a cacophony of grainy light. The sky was a mix of indigo and grey, basking the tiny houses in a heavenly glow as the sun peeked through its clouds. La Push was as calm as the day was overcast. It wasn't the city with all its distracting lights and polluting cars where I'd been accustomed to. No, it was more beautiful, much more.

A twig snapping distracted me from the view and I swiveled around in my spot, seeing a boy, black hair cut short and staring at me. I didn't keep myself from returning the favor. He looked too good. His shining muscles and startling size compared to my small figure were screaming run away, but his eyes with their dark intensity pulled me into the mystery of it all, of this stranger wearing nothing but black cargo shorts, no shoes, and bearing a black tattoo on his arm, of wolves.

"Hi," I finally got out finally able to pull my eyes away from him.

"Hi," he grumbled back.

"Did you-did you um...just finish running?" The question was a weak one at its best but I just sat hands clenched and waiting for the embarrassment to kick in.

"It's pretty obvious isn't it." Now that had not been something I'd been expecting. The sarcasm and hostility made we want curl in on myself.

"I guess so." I mumbled out standing in my place ready to leave now. No mystery was worth being talked to like a dog.

But he caught my attention when he responded back. "I assume you were running too."

"Yeah, isn't it obvious?" I watched the smirk come on his face and decided he couldn't be so bad. He deserved another chance; I was probably biased on that account. He really was undeniably gorgeous.

"I'm Jacob Black, and you are?" he asked.

"Not supposed to talk to strangers." I teased.

"If you introduce yourself maybe we won't be a strangers anymore." He suggested raising his eyebrows.

"Crystal Taylor." I held out my hand as I did so many times before and gave his a firm shake.

His hands were surprising soft though I could feel some callouses much like my own.

"I've never seen you around. Did you just move here?"

"About 2 days ago," I answered him.

"You going to La Push High School?"

"Yeah. Gonna be a sophomore." It was so great to not say I was a freshman anymore.

"Me too, I could show you around then," he said breaking out into a full blown smile. That smirk of his early made me catch my breath but his smile, now that was really something to see.

"Sounds good to me."

"You're warm," he said to me when I took a seat next to him.

I scootched away slightly, explaining while I did. "I always am." I laughed out making up a quick excuse. "My mom always calls me a 'walking fireplace' too so…"

He smiled at me but didn't say a word until I spoke up again.

"Was there a reason you were so rude when you first got here? I'm just a little curious about that."

He took his time to answer. "No, not at all, but I shouldn't have acted like that towards such a beautiful girl."

And with his lie came a certainty, that vibrated throughout my entire being letting me know that my newfound friend had been less than truthful. Something I had since I was born; something that wouldn't go away, no matter how I tried.

"Good job on changing the subject, but I have what you would call a "super power" where I can tell if someone is lying or not and you, sir, are lying."

"Really?" He responded laughing at my 'joke'.

"Yeah. I know for a fact. 100%."

"Remember, you're a stranger. I can't just go around telling you all of my secrets."

"I thought we weren't strangers anymore. We introduced ourselves."

"Right, but we still don't know each other well enough to be discussing our personal life."

"Okay," I conceded, raising my hands in surrender. "I guess you're right."

"Yeah, I think I am."

"You're pretty full of yourself." I chuckled out.

"As full of myself as I can be."

"Some people find that slightly unattractive," I informed him leaning in towards his face. My brain briefly reminded me that I'd just met him and kissing him would be highly inappropriate.

I ignored it.

"Yeah, but my dashing good looks make up for that," he bragged copying my movements.

I scanned his dark brown eyes, small pink lips, round cute-as-a-button nose, all on his smooth russet colored skin and backed away.

I didn't know him.

"I should go. My mom gets mad when I don't tell her where I'm going, and I left my phone."

"You don't have to go," he said grabbing my arm gently.

"But I really do."

He moved closer to me, fingers scraping lightly down my arms to my hand before intertwining our fingers together.

"Jacob, we just met."

"I know," he admitted squeezing my hand once before slowly letting go. His mouth formed into a frown when our hands broke apart and I shared his sentiment.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow," I admitted backing up towards the woods.

"Me too. Really, really looking forward to it. Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Thanks, but I think I can handle it."

"Right, I'll see you...tomorrow...at school."

I smiled and he smiled back and I could swear the sky opened up on us.

But I turned my back and ran all the way home.

"How was your run?" My mom asked when I walked into the kitchen.

"It was good," I told her, "I met this guy named Jacob who goes to my school. He's going to show me where everything is."

"That's great honey! See I knew you'd like it here."

"I didn't say all of that, but I'm on the track of getting on the track to liking it here."

"Hardy har har, very funny,"

I laughed at her dry response. "I'm going to shower."

"Alright, dinner will be here in a second, so hurry up."

"Did you order out again?" I whined.

"Yes," she said, "You didn't cook so it's your fault. Blame yourself."

"Tomorrow, I'm cooking."

"It's about time."

I rolled my eyes at her complaining and left her to it knowing we both had a big day tomorrow.