I was seventeen when I first saw her. She was petite, brunette, and all kinds of sexy. I instantly imagined myself kissing her, among other things.

I guessed she was new to town. She was wearing a dress, which was white with tiny blue flowers on it, and some makeup, something girls in Forks never really bothered with, and her skin was very lightly tanned, which was something rarely achieved around here. I know I'd never seen her before. I would've remembered her.

She sat in front of me in English, playing with a strand of her short brown hair. I watched her twirl the piece of hair around and around her tiny fingers, and from her posture, I could tell she was bored. I didn't blame her. Mrs. Meyers was a good teacher and all, but when it came to classic literature, she tended to ramble.

The bell rang, and my brunette scrambled out the door like she was on fire or something. I was disappointed, I never really got to see a good and proper look at her face.

Day after day, my brunette would saunter into English class, slide into the seat right in front of mine, and twirl that crazy hair of hers. It looked like it was standing on end half the time, like she'd stuck her finger in the electrical outlet or something. I loved it. I wanted to run my fingers through it.

She liked bright colors, I figured out. She had no particular style, just bright colors and chaos. She was different. Every once in a while, she'd turn her head just so, probably to stare out the window, and I could see her profile. I liked the curve of her nose; it was slightly upturned at the very end, and it made her look younger somehow. Innocent, though I'd like to find out just how innocent…

As usual, she was distracting me. I barely paid attention to class anymore. All thoughts were focused on my brunette, and finding out who she was. My knowledge was extremely limited

"Miss Higginbotham!" Mrs. Meyers' voice boomed across the classroom, startling me, and my brunette as well.

"Yes?" she said, and I absorbed her sweet, soprano voice. Higginbotham. Odd name, but I'd take it. Now, for a first name…

"Are you paying attention? You and Mr. Swan are assigned as partners."

"For what?" she asked with a smirk in her voice, and my heart skipped a beat. Partners?

Mrs. Meyers got in some big tizzy about not being listened to, and my brunette crossed her arms in defiance. I spent the rest of the period trying very hard not to think about what her breasts would look like, all enhanced with her arm crossing and whatnot.

The bell rang, and my brunette swung around in her chair, facing me, instead of rushing out the door. Her blue eyes were flashing with annoyance, and she had an impatient look on her face. I couldn't process her features fast enough, there wasn't enough time to absorb her beauty. Her mouth was pouting, her top lip just a bit fuller than the bottom. It was sexy; I wanted to nibble on it.

"I really hate class projects," she said with that pouting mouth. "So, when do you wanna meet? I'm kind of busy, but I have some time on Wednesday night."

"Uh… sure. That's fine," I said, mentally calculating my work schedule. "I can meet after 7. Your house or mine?"

She sighed. "Yours, I guess."

"Fine. Wednesday, then."

"Tomorrow."

She popped up from her desk, gave me a small smile, and dashed out the door. I sat, stunned, thinking that she'd be in my home in one day's time. I'd have to clean my bedroom, and make sure I had on a clean shirt. And should I make her something to eat? That could be a problem…

I faintly remembered that school was out now, and that I should be leaving like everyone else. I pried myself from my desk, and drove home in my old, beat up Mustang. It was rusting and clunky, and barely made sixty, but it was my baby, and I loved that thing.

I spent the next day contemplating the time I was going to spend with my brunette. Would we talk? Would I finally learn her first name? It was stupid that we lived in such a tiny town, and I still didn't know her name.

In class, I spent all my time staring at her, and she barely stayed long enough after class to get my address.

I drove to work in silence, ignoring the officers on duty when they asked me what was on my mind. I had been a cadet for the Forks Police Department since I was sixteen, and I already had a job offering when I graduated.

I barely moved through the day, patrolling with Chief Crowley for awhile, and eventually spending some time in dispatch before getting done at six. I had an hour to get ready for my brunette. My dad was out on some logging job, and my mom was in Seattle visiting my grandma, so I had the house to myself, luckily. I never wanted to explain to them why a girl was coming over, even if it was only for a school project.

I showered, put on my best plaid flannel shirt, which was clean, and made sure the living room was clean, too. It was; my mom was pretty good at keeping things tidy "just in case." Now… should I make her something to eat? There were no leftovers in the fridge, and I was a miserable cook. Should I trust that she had already eaten at home? But if she hadn't eaten, I didn't want her to starve, either.

I rummaged the cabinets, and finally found some crackers that could pass off as high class, and some grapes in a bowl on the counter. That'll just have to do, I guess.

By the time this was all done, I heard a knock at the door. My brunette. My heart did this weird little tap dancing thing, and I had to take a moment to calm myself before I answered the door.

My brunette was standing there, hair all wild and crazy, wearing this tiny little denim miniskirt and a white, slightly see-through shirt. Her bra was hot pink, and set off her breasts perfectly. I felt myself harden in my jeans.

"Hi," she said, brushing past me and through the door. "You ready?"

"Uh, sure," I said, trying to calm any and all thoughts of her bra and miniskirt on the floor.

"So," she said, sitting on the couch and putting her feet up on the coffee table, "what are we gonna do for this project?"

"Not sure," I said, sitting next to her. "I'm not sure I even know what the assignment is."

She laughed, which was a low, sexy sound, and the situation in my pants got just a little bit worse. Being so close to her, I could smell her, and it was a soft, fruity scent that aroused me further. Damn. Did any part of this girl not make me crazy?

"I thought I was the only one that never paid attention in class," she said, laughing.

"What's your name?" I blurted out. Nice one, Chuck, I thought to myself. Damn.

"Renee," said my brunette without so much as blinking. "Yours?"

"Charlie," I said, relaxing. She didn't seemed frightened by my blurting.

"Nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand. I took it, and we shook. She had a firm handshake, which was a nice change from most girls, who would have weakly taken my hand and let me control it. She was strong, and I liked it.

I took note that her hand was soft and silky in mine.

"Did you just move here?"

"Yeah, I'm the new kid," she chuckled.

"Where from?"

"Phoenix. My parents split up, so I'm here with my dad," she said. "I miss the sun."

"Yeah, Forks isn't the best place to get a tan," I joked. "Yours'll be gone before you know it."

She frowned at that. "Great," she sighed.

I took a minute to stare at her, though discreetly. I couldn't get over how beautiful she was. I also couldn't get over how badly I wanted her.

I'd been with a few other girls, one of the perks of being a police cadet (the handcuffs), but no one had ever had the pull on me that Renee did. She was a mystery to me; the fun girl from the city, who loved the sun and didn't settle. I wanted to know her, wanted to hold her, wanted to make her mine.

She looked up, and I looked away quickly, so she wouldn't catch me staring.

"Wanna start?" she said, pulling a notebook out of her bag.

"Yup," I said, and we began our project. Before we knew it, it was 10pm, and she had to go.

"So, let's work on this again next week. Same time, same place?" she asked.

"Yeah, sounds good," I agreed. All I wanted to do was kiss her. "Hey, Renee?"

"Yeah?" she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. It was one of those big bags that look bigger than her entire torso, and it had a big, stitched cactus on the side.

"Are you busy this weekend?"

She looked at me with a quizzical look. "Why?"

"I, uh, was wondering if you'd like to go out to the movies with me or something?" I said this all in one big rush, figuring the faster I said it, the sooner she could reject me.

I wasn't let down.

"Charlie, you're a really nice guy and all, but I just don't see it really working out for us," she said, patting my arm like she was the mistress and I was the poor, whimpering puppy. "I'm sorry."

"That's OK," I said, suddenly very interested in my boots. "I understand."

"OK, well, good night then," she said, and started walking out to her car, which was a Pinto.

Halfway between the house and her car, she paused. I watched her, as the moonlight, rare at this time of year in Forks, streamed down and make her hair shine. She is so beautiful, I thought masochistically.

Renee turned slowly, and walked back towards me. Wait, am I dreaming? She looked like she was floating back towards me, a vision of beauty, and warmth, and sex. She stepped back onto the porch, and then suddenly she was kissing me, my face cupped between her tiny hands. I gasped in shock, my lips parting, and she took advantage of it. Her tiny tongue massaged mine, and coaxed it into her mouth. She whimpered as I snapped out of my surprise and took control of the kiss, grabbing her by her waist and holding her to me.

Her arms wove around my neck and into my hair, tugging on it just enough so I was moaning, and I tightened my grip on her. Our bodies were now flush together, all our best parts connecting in all the best ways. My hands moved down to grip her ass, and she whimpered into my mouth.

I couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. Refused to stop. Renee was kissing me, and all was right with the world. I was sure that she would feel my excitement against her hip, but she didn't pull away. She was kissing me back just as passionately as I was kissing her. She initiated it. She wanted this.

And then it was over, just as suddenly as it started. She was out of my arms, and down the steps again.

"Pick me up at 8, Saturday night," she told me, and then hopped in her car and drove off.

I was stunned. I stood on the porch long after she'd driven away, long after her tail lights had disappeared around the corner.

What the hell?

The next day, she didn't act like anything out of the ordinary had happened, or that we even knew each other. It was as if yesterday hadn't happened. I was seriously beginning to question my sanity. Had I just hallucinated the whole thing?

The day after that, she ignored me as well, that is until after the bell rang. "I guess I should tell you where I live, huh?" she asked, whirling around in her chair. She was smiling widely. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

Fuck me, is she bipolar? I wondered.

"Yeah, I am, too," I said. "Anything in particular you want to do?"

"I have to get out of this town, it's driving me crazy!" she exclaimed. "Let's go driving. Let's go to Port Angeles. Hell, let's go to Canada!"

"Are you serious?"

"Well, not about Canada. We can save that for another time. But let's just go!" she said, her voice enthusiastic. She made my head spin, but I liked it.

"Uh, OK. Yeah. Let's do it!" I said, matching her enthusiasm. "Well, I mean, not do it, but I mean…" She was laughing.

"You kiss me like you did last night, who knows what'll happen," she said, winking, and rose from her seat. She printed her address on the back of my notebook, and then she was out the door with a wave.

Fuck me sideways, that girl's gonna kill me.

Eight o'clock Saturday night finally came. I dressed in my best jeans, white T-shirt, and a green long sleeved, button down shirt. I even tucked the sucker in. I combed my hair, and made sure my aftershave wasn't too powerful.

My mom was knitting downstairs when I raced down.

"Slow down there, Charlie, where are you going?"

"I have a date," I said nervously. My mom wasn't accustomed to it. I rarely dated, and it was rarer still when I admitted it. She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Who's the girl?"

"Renee Higginbotham. She's new in town. I think she and her dad moved here not too long ago."

"I've met her, she works at Thriftway. She's pretty."

"Yeah, she is," I agreed. "So, I'm going out with her, I'll be back later."

"Have fun!" she called, and I was out the door.

Renee's house wasn't too far from mine, but it was raining, so I didn't want to walk the three blocks or so. She was waiting on the covered front porch for me, in some tiny little red dress that I imagined pulling off of her easily.

She ran out to my car, and slid in the seat next to me. I could smell her all around me. I hoped my car would still smell like her after she got out. I couldn't identify it, I just knew I liked it a whole hell of a lot. "Hiya, Charlie!" she exclaimed. She reached over and kissed my cheek, and I grinned back at her.

"Let's go!" she squealed.

I pointed my car in the direction of Port Angeles, and she chattered most of the way there. I mainly just listened. I liked the sound of her voice. She told me about Phoenix, and how much she loved the heat, and how much she missed her mother, and how she planned to move back once she graduated high school. "I could never live in Forks for very long, I'd go nuts!" she proclaimed.

That part made me sad. I guess I sort of insanely wished that she would stay with me, here in Forks.

And then she was asking about me, and I told her about the station, and how I'd be a real cop in just a few months, and how I was going to shooting practice in the morning with the rest of the guys.

"Ooh, do you have your own gun?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Yep," I said proudly. "I mean, aside from my hunting guns. My dad and I go hunting a few times a year, you know."

"Yeah, you guys like to hunt here a lot," she said. "I've never gone."

"Maybe I'll take you sometime," I said, smiling at her.

"Just as long as I don't have to see the blood," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "I hate blood."

I chuckled. "That might be a problem then."

"Oh well, I'm sure we can think of other things to do," she said. My heart swelled. She was thinking of other times we could be together.

We pulled into Port Angeles awhile later, the sky inky black with rain and clouds. The town wasn't exactly lively, but the theatre was open, and we darted inside.

"What should we see?" I asked, glancing at the three titles available. Big theatre, horrible movies.

"Uh… Smokey and the Bandit 3?" she asked hesitantly. "Burt Reynolds is kind of sexy."

I snorted. "Sure, if you like giant moustaches."

"Well, maybe you should grow one," she suggested with a wink. And damn if I decided to stop shaving then and there.

She took my hand and we bought the tickets. The movie was really terrible, but Renee kept playing with my hand, which she had laid across her lap, so I wasn't really complaining. She slid it higher and higher until I thought I was going to go insane with wanting to touch her.

"Charlie," she whispered into my ear. "When are you going to kiss me?" She looked up at me with these damned innocent eyes, and I was done.

I was suddenly thankful the theatre was relatively empty, and we were in the back row. My mouth crushed against hers, causing her to whimper and my pants to tighten painfully. I fought to keep my hands at her thigh and hip. Both wanted to converge on a more central location, but I forced myself to be a gentleman… for the time being.

She suddenly moved, swinging her leg over my waist so she was straddling me. Her lips never left mine, and she kept nibbling at my bottom lip, making me so hard I thought I was going to die from the pleasure and pain of it.

And then I realized her hips were moving against mine, and I lost all control, all thought. I thrust my hips up to meet hers, and fuck me, we were making out and dry humping in the movie theatre. It was difficult to keep my grunts of pleasure quiet, but the fact that we were in a public place made it all so much hotter. The friction was incredible.

She tore her lips away from mine, and began nipping at my ear. "Charlie," she moaned. "I'm so close."

So was I. A few more erratic thrusts against her, and we were both stifling moans. Damn it, I had made a mess of my pants, but I just couldn't find it in me to care.

Renee slumped against me, boneless, and then slid into her seat next to mine. She took my hand, and kissed the palm of it.

"Thank you," she whispered. I kissed the top of her head, and neither one of us really watched the end of the movie.

I was dying for a repeat performance when we got to the car, but Renee was hungry, so we found some crummy café on the edge of town, and had ourselves a couple of burgers.

We talked some more, and each moment I was with her, I was more and more in love with her. Yeah, in love. It was fast, but I knew it in my heart. No matter what, I was going to love this woman.

"Charlie?" she asked, taking a bite of French fries.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like me?"

I nearly choked on my food. "Of course I like you!"

"Good, I just wanted to make sure. I was hoping you'd be my boyfriend, but if you didn't like me, that'd sort of be out of the question."

"You wanna be my girlfriend?" I asked incredulously.

"Of course!" she said, as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But I thought you said you and I weren't meant to be."

"I think I was wrong. We're definitely meant to be together, Charlie. Maybe not forever, but we're meant to be together now. I can feel it."

I didn't like the "not forever" part, but I was willing to take that chance. Renee was worth it, even if that meant she was gone the next day.

"Besides," she said, leaning closer. "I've always wanted to have sex with a cop."

"Will a cadet do?"

"For now," she said, winking.