Okay, I like the idea of Leah/Jacob, but now there are way to many of those stories. Leah is one of my favorite characters, and I noticed that most of the stories where she ends up happy involve a guy. Well screw guys! Leah is a strong, independent woman. She can be happy on her own.

PS That does not mean there will not be a guy later on, just that I don't think that should be the main part of the story.

Disclaimer: Own Twilight, I do not.

I sat on the edge of the sand, feeling the waves crash against my feet. Winter was coming, but, of course, I wasn't cold.

I was sitting there, not really thinking of anything, while, at the same time, thinking about everything. I had come to the realization long ago that there was no escaping it. Even in human form, being a werewolf was my life. It had defined who I am.

Sam had dumped me because he's a werewolf. I can sit in the freezing water because I'm a werewolf. I'm bitter because I'm a werewolf. Because I'm bitter, I am a bitch, and no one will ever love me. And a bunch of teenage boys see me naked on a regular basis.

Even now, in this perfect moment, or so it would have been last year, I was a werewolf. I was hiding because I was supposed to be in wolf form, doing some crap or another. Whatever. It's not like they'd do anything once they found me. Just yell at me. Sam had done worse.

I shook my head. After all this time I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that the person I had thought to be the love of my life was now engaged to my cousin. Why? Because he was a stupid WEREWOLF!

A girl was walking down the beach. I found it odd for more reasons than one. One, I had never seen her before, two, she was wearing a blue tank top and denim mini skirt, no shoes, and occasionally steeping into the freezing cold water. And three, she was crying.

I had a sudden urge to comfort her. She seemed so young and innocent. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, to tell her that it would be okay. Because life always turned out okay. But I couldn't. because it doesn't.

It was only then that I realized I was crying too. The girl, who had black hair and green eyes, walked over and sat next to me and said, completely emotionlessly, "Life suck, doesn't it?"

I nodded. "It really, truly does," I said to her.

We sat there for a second, her with her arms wrapped around her knees, and me with my legs stretched forward toward the ocean. Then she looked at me and said, "You're Leah Clearwater."

I nodded. "That's me."

"I'm Alicia," she said.

"Do you live around here?" I asked.

She nodded, but offered no other information.

"What happened?" she asked suddenly, after a few more moments of silence.

I looked at her, confused. "What?"

"You're crying on the beach," she told me. "Something happened."

I smiled. "Just some stuff," I said.

"Same here."

"Why do you care anyway?" I asked her. That was so very like me. Just screw up a nice conversation.

To my surprise, she smiled. "I don't know. I guess life just sucks, and when it does, it's good to know you aren't alone. I don't know anyone who is capable of being sympathetic. That's why I'm by myself. No one else can comprehend the fact that the world might not revolve around them."

I nodded. "I know exactly what you mean."

I looked up at the sky. It was getting dark. I stood up. She didn't move. "It's getting late," I said.

"I'm not going home."

I stared at her a moment.

"You want to come have dinner at my house?"

I don't know why I said it. She only looked about fourteen, fifteen at the most. I couldn't leave her here, could I? not even Leah, the harpy bitch is that mean.

She looked at me, a glimmer of happiness behind her tears. She smiled at me. "Really?" I nodded. She got up, and we walked to my house.

Mom was at Charlie's house, and Seth was off somewhere being a wolf. I found some pasta and spaghetti sauce in the cupboard.

"You like spaghetti?" I asked Alicia. She nodded.

We ate in silence for a few moment, before Seth opened the door, and proceeded to run through the kitchen naked.

Alicia screamed when she saw him, and he screamed when he realized I wasn't alone.

He returned from his room a few minutes later, his face red. "I-I-" He didn't seem able to finish the sentence.

I decided to help him out. "Seth," I said. "Were you guys playing truth or dare in the woods again.

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah…"

"Seth," I said "This is Alicia. Alicia, this is my brother Seth."

Alicia smiled, but Seth didn't say anything. He was staring at her. Adoringly. Oh good god. Not my brother. Not on the runaway girl I had found at the beach! I sighed.

"Seth," I said again. "Come into the living room with me a second."

He followed me until we were where Alicia couldn't hear us. "You didn't," I said. He nodded. "Oh god, you did." I sighed. "Well, don't tell her."

He looked at me quizzically. "I found her at the beach. We got to talking. She said she wasn't going home, so I brought her here. She obviously has some issues."

He nodded, then his gaze drifted back to the kitchen. I just shook my head. "Go ahead."

He ran back into the kitchen.

I followed him after a second. They were having a conversation about some book called Twilight. She didn't look as sad, but there was still something in her eyes. Something almost…haunting.