Chapter 1 - First encounter

As dad pulled the car into Hoquiam high car park, I just wanted to go home and sleep. It was our first day at our brand new high school and that fact was enough to make anyone reluctant, but it was much worse for me. The whole new school thing didn't faze me anymore; I had been to more than I cared to remember. It was the fact that Hoquiam was so close to where... no. I refused to remember. It wouldn't make anything better, only worse. When dad, mom and I stepped out of the car I could immediately sense the glaring eyes. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up on end. The girl's looks of jealousy and the boy's looks of attraction made my head spin. Slowly, I trudged to the school's reception following the 3 couples that consisted of my parents and my 2 aunties and 2 uncles.

Half an hour later I knocked on the door of my first lesson of the day; English. "Come in" called the timid, bald teacher from within the class room. "Hi, I'm Renesmee. The new student? "

"Ahh yes, Miss Cullen I'm Mr. Harper. Welcome to English. Take a seat "he said, pointing his hand in the direction of the empty seat by the window at the back of the class. I gave him a thankful smiled and walked to the seat. As I sat down everyone was either blatantly staring or sneaking sideward glances at me. Embarrassed I tilted my head to allow the veil of my long, curly hair to fall and curtain my face from the rest of the class.

"Hey. I'm Craig." I turned slightly to face my partner at the bench whose hand was outstretched in my direction. "Renesmee" I said shaking his hand.

"So Renesmee, where have you come from?" annoyingly Craig pushed a conversation open.

"Urmm, well I just moved here from Alaska." Thankfully Mr Harper called the class back to order and again I allowed my hair to fall and form a curtain hiding my face from the eyes that were gawking in my direction.

Later that day I took a seat on the table, in the lunchroom, in which the rest on my family had situated themselves.

"You okay Renesmee?" mom said.

No. "Yeah" I said glancing up at the faces of my parents.

"Don't worry it only for a couple of years and we'll be out of here again." Dad said so quickly and quietly, that any human listening in wouldn't be able to hear.

"Yeah, sure." I replied

"Honey, look I know this...location brings up memories but you can't let that rule your existence here." Mom's voice shook with concern.

"Look guys, I'm ok, really and I really don't want to talk about anything so just leave it." I raised myself from the table and marched out of the hall. I decided I would walk around the school and try to get familiar so I didn't have to walk around looking like a clueless idiot for the rest of the day.

As I entered the music block, I realised it was totally empty. I looked through the windows of the studios and mentally laughed at the deprived equipment. There wasn't a single piano insight; instead there were old Yamaha keyboards with filthy keys. I carried on walking down the corridor and through a set of doors. Suddenly I heard someone playing guitar. I listened harder and I realised it was coming from one of the soundproof studios of the other side of the block. I quickened my pace and headed in that direction so I could listen better. When I reached the room I glanced inside. There was a boy in there, sitting on a bar stool, playing an old Yamaha acoustic guitar. I realised he was playing the song "loosing you by " I had heard it once when I was flicking through dads teeming mp4 player. The boy had light brown hair. It wasn't short but not to long either. He had a sort of side fringe. I allowed my eyes to move further down to look at his face. His bluey green eyes were focused on a piece of paper which was sitting on a music stand. His forehead was creased with concentration. He flipped to another page and began playing that song. This one I recognized straight away. It was only hope by switch foot and one of my favourite songs. As I looked at the boy, his forehead straightened and he began to sing the words. He was a good singer for a human. As I listened, the tense feeling in my head began to relax and soon I realised I was miming the words. I was so engaged by the song, I barely noticed the bell, warning me that I had 5 minutes to get to class, go off. I straightened myself from my position of leaning against the wall to the left of the door to the music studio, and just as I began to walk away, to my next class of P.E. the door opened. Blushing, I quickened my pace away from the boy hoping he didn't realize I had stood listening to him sing for the past 5 minutes.