prologue

I looked out the car window... everything passed my by in a blur of gray. I was wearing the T-shirt I had made especially for this trip. Since my parents were forcing me to spend time with my grandparents in the lovely town of Forks it only seemed appropriate for me to wear a shirt with silverware on it. It was a picture I had drawn myself of a spoon and knife with the text 'Who needs forks' underneath.

Off course, my parents approach to my troubles at school had the desired effect. This was real punishment for me. I couldn't even imagine the fun I'd have in a town with a three figure population count.

"You could've at least let my drive here myself." I said to Laurel, my mothers latest income... I mean boyfriend.

"You're mom just wanted me to make sure that you'd get here safely." he said.

"No, she wanted me to get here PERIOD." I said, I knew my mom didn't trust me to drive myself to Forks.

"Well you came really close to having your driving license revoked. That doesn't really inspire trust you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah." I reached over to the radio and turned up the volume. I was afraid that if I'd have to listen to Laurel any longer, I would loose my lunch.

We enjoyed the rest of the trip in silence... Well actually we enjoyed the rest of the trip listening to Laurel's Meatloaf album on high volume. But it was better then having to talk.

It seemed like forever until we finally pulled up to my grandparents house. As Laurel parked the car, I saw my grandparents already rushing outside to greet us.

I reluctantly got out of the car and force a happy face. It may be like a trip to bore-ville every time we visit, but that doesn't mean I don't still love them.

"Grams!" I said, walking right into her open arms for an embrace. She hugged me to her chest so tightly that I could barely breath. Behind her I could see grandpa slowly moving towards us, clearly he was not as agile as he was the last time I saw him. I was surprised to see him needing a cane.

"Duckling" Oh my God, I had so hoped he didn't remember his nickname for me. I was kind of an ugly kid when I was young. You know those pale kids with orange-colored curls out of control, and a permanent booger attached to there nose. Well that was me growing up. That's why my grandpa always compared me to the ugly duckling when I was little. Promising me that one day I would grow into a beautiful swan. Never happened though, I only ever got rid of the booger.

"Oh Paul, don't call her that. She's obviously grown into a beautiful swan." my grandma said as she held me at arms length to look me over.

"I bet you had all the fellas fighting over you back home didn't you duckling'?"

I know they're supposed to say that, because I'm their granddaughter and all that... but still I felt flattered.

"Thanks grandpa." I said, hugging him. I was surprised by how frail he felt. This man that used to pick me up and trow me in the air only to catch me again with great ease. What a difference.

"Thanks for bringing her here Laurel, Do you need some help with luggage?" grandpa offered. I smiled, I liked how grandpa still felt uncomfortable with hugs and kisses. Any form of affection. It was adorable to me. Strange how old people can be adorable.

Grandma placed her hand on my shoulder, "Come on love, I'll show you wear your room is." she said.

I looked out my bedroom window as Laurel drove of. I felt calmer already, that feeling of not wanting to be here kind of... faded. Maybe spending some time here wouldn't be as bed as I had first thought. There was a knock on the door and I turned. My grandmother carefully opened the door and peeked inside.

"Can I come in dear?" she asked. I nodded. "How do you like your room? It used to belong to your mother you know." She asked, taking a seat on the luxurious queen sized bed that looked way more comfortable then my single back home.

"It's nice. I like the wallpaper." I said. I detested the floral printed wallpaper, but at least it wasn't pink so that was a plus.

Grandma smiled, happy with my answer. "Tomorrow is Sunday, but Monday we'll take the bus into town and pick you out a desk and some decorations if you like."

"Why don't we drive?" I asked remembering the car I saw outside the house. It seemed like a perfectly fine truck.

"Well, you're grandpa failed his drivers exam. He had to retake it after his stroke two years ago. And you know my eyes aren't that well any more."

"I can drive us." I offered. "I have my license."

"I know sweetheart, and it's nice of you to offer. But that car has been standing still for so long that it's kind of rusted on the spot. It doesn't work. And we can't afford a new car from your grandfathers pension." grandma explained.

"Oh..."

"Now, if you want to get a car you can. If you get an after school job, then you can buy one secondhand for yourself. Or if you like our car, you can have it if you can get it fixed."

"Really?" I asked, immediately feeling greedy. "You'd just give me your car?"

"As long as you pay for the repairs yourself." Grandma said. She brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear and smiled. "You're grandpa and I are so happy to have you here sweetheart. We've missed you."

"Yeah," I said. "I've missed you too."

chapter 01.

Why would anyone want to go to school driving a bicycle? That's the question racing through my brain as I park my bike at school. I'm soaked to the bone. My hair is sticking to my face and my mascara is running down my cheeks. Seriously, Forks has to be the wettest place in the world. People around me are rushing into the building with umbrella's or holding their bags over their heads. I don't bother, I'm already dripping wet.

Just as I'm about to enter the school another car pulls up. Unlike any of the other cars, this looks like the type of car you'd see in one of those men's magazine's. Silver-gray... the type of car that you'd expect to see Bill Gates in or any other billionaire. The doors open and I feel my heart pounding, like I'm expecting a celebrity to get out.

It's not who I expected, but the guy that get's out definitely looks like he could be a model or something. He's absolutely gorgeous. His pale skin and messy, auburn hair... and DAMN!

The door on the passengers side opens as well and a girl get's out of the car. They immediately go for each others hands, like it hurts them not to touch for longer then a second.

Only one word goes through my mind... Taken.

"Ah, you're admiring the schools 'it'- couple." The boy suddenly besides me drapes his arm around my shoulders and turns me with him towards the school. He practically forces me to walk with him. "I'm Eric, those two you were admiring are Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. They're engaged."

Great, I somehow managed to get myself caught in a conversation with the schools gossip.

"You know I'd like to talk to you further, but I need to go by registration before class." I excuse myself. The boy nods.

"Sure, come see me during recess. We'll talk about your interview for the school paper."

"Still hassling newbies for features Eric?" a girl asks, pulling on his arm. "Come on, we've got to get to class."

Wow, she obviously felt threatened by me talking to her boyfriend, I think to myself as I watch them walk away.

I head over to the registrations office.

"Oh my girl, you're soaking wet!" the woman behind the counter says as she looks at me. I hand over the pile of paper I already filled out at home with grandpa and grandma.

"I'm Jenny Durance, I'm new here." I say, introducing myself. "I was told to hand this in here." I go on, pointing to the pile of paper.

"Good, my... you sure are well prepared." the woman turned. "That makes my work so much easier." she says and I only now notice the boy sitting at a table behind the counter filling in a similar pile of documents. He looks up at the woman with a 'who-gives-a-damn' kind of look and then turns to me.

Phew, do they grow hot boys around these parts or something? If I had known about this I would've visited my grandparents more often. The boy looks exotic. Beautiful black hair kind of a messy chopped look and dark brown eyes. His skin is really tanned and I'm guessing he has native American blood. He looks so angry... broody no smoldering.

"Miss Durance!" the woman behind the counter reclaims my attention. She didn't fail to notice that I was momentarily preoccupied with the hot boy behind her desk.

"Yes?"

"Here are your books, your lesson plan and a small map of our school. You're first class is..."

"Done." the boy interrupted her, roughly placing his papers on the pile of books.

"Excuse me, but can I finish with this young lady first?" the woman said obviously insulted. I looked up at the boy. Jeez, he looked really angry at me.

"That's okay, he was here first." I said. "Help him first." Honestly, I didn't care if I missed my first period. I just wanted to put this day behind me and look for a job. I really wanted to buy some cool things for my car. I had even gone as far as to sign up for a mechanics class, so that I could save money and fix the car myself. I was kind of hoping that maybe I could offer my car as practice material for class so that I could have my classmates do the work for me. I'm kind of brilliant that way.

"Fine!" the woman said, the boy moved to my side of the counter and waited as she gathered his things. His pile was pretty similar to mine, save for a few exceptions. The woman gave him a lesson plan and map as well and send him to his first class.

My first class was biology, math next and then after the break my very first mechanics class. As I walked into the cafeteria I could feel all eyes shifting to me. Apparently newbies were the most excitement they see here in Forks. I looked around, looking for a place to eat lunch. But groups were already formed and nobody was eager to offer the new girl a place in there clique.

Then I noticed a table, mostly empty... only one seat was taken. It was that boy from the registrations office. I started towards him, hoping he'd allow me a seat at his table, but when I was almost there someone called out. "Jenny! Over here."

I turned and saw that Eric boy frantically waving me over. "Come sit with us."

I forced a smile but cursed on the inside... I was so close to sitting with that hot boy. Reluctantly I took a seat at Eric's table. He introduced his friends.

The one with the 'don't-look-at-my-man' look on her face was Jessica, she clung tightly to her boyfriend Mike. Then there was Angela, the girl that saved me from him this morning. A feisty looking girl called Alice and a stick-up-his-butt (he was so stiff) called Jasper. And of course, there were Bella and Edward.

Then he introduced me.

"Everyone, this is Jenny Durance and she..." I swear he must have read my diary or something because it seemed like he knew me better then I did. I was relieved he didn't cover my thumb-sucking as a kid ('til I was eight) in his introduction.

"We don't get a lot of newbies." Bella explained her friends excitement. "It was the same for me when I transferred last year."

"It must be quite a day for you then, two newbies in one day." I said, looking back at the boy sitting alone. "Shouldn't we invite him to sit with us?"

"No!" it was the first time I heard Edward speak. All the others had asked everything about me during Eric's introduction (questions he answered) but Edward had been completely silent.

"Yeah, but he isn't really new. He used to go to school at the reservation. Lived in Forks his whole life." Eric explained.

"Why did he transfer?" I asked. Nobody answered, but I saw Edwards eyes uncomfortably shifting from Jacob to Bella. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. I thought to myself. It was obviously the three of them had a nice little love-triangle going on. What was with this girl anyway? How did she have men following her around like puppy's? Can she turn paper into Playboy's or something. She looked kind of plain to me.

The buzzer. Mechanics...

I had to keep checking my map looking for mechanics. I swear something was wrong. Either the classroom had vanished from the face of the earth, or my map was a little outdated. I went around the corner, not paying any attention, since everybody was already in class the hallways were pretty much empty...NOT.

I walked into someone. And again I was wet... not from the pouring, cold rain this time. No, this time it was steaming hot tea that scorched my skin.

"Ow ow ow!" I yelled trying desperately to brush of the hot liquid. Not knowing what else to do, It was impulse really... I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor away from my body.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking. Here, borrow my gym shirt." Before I knew it, there was a shirt in my hand. I put it on, it smelled a little bit sweaty but it wasn't at all an unpleasant odor.

"Wow, I could drown in this." I said, realizing the size of the shirt. I looked up and just in time I managed not to gasp. "Oh, hi... you're the guy from the registration office." He nodded.

"Jacob." he said. "Jacob Black." I smiled at his James Bond like introduction.

"Jenny, Jenny Durance." I mimicked him. I noticed the crumbled map in his hand. "are you lost to?" I asked motioning towards the paper.

"I'm not lost, I know where I am... just don't know where the hell I'm supposed to be. I must have turned this thing upside down a hundred times but I think someone's playing a joke on me."

"I'm lost too... I'm supposed to be in mechanics since I want to learn how to fix my grandparents' car. I think this map hasn't been updated in about twenty years or something." I crumble the piece of paper and toss it into a nearby trashcan. Jacob follows my lead.

"I'm heading for mechanics as well. I already know my way around cars, but I prefer screws and bolts to biology."

"Hey, if your good with cars... maybe I can get you to fix my car." I said jokingly.

He cringed. I started to apologize, wanted to explain that I was only joking.

"I have to go."

"Okay, we could look for mechanics together." I offered.

"No!"

Nothing else, just no and then he left.

"But your shirt!" I called after him.

"Give it to Bella Swan, she'll get it back to me after school." and then he was gone. I picked up my own shirt from the floor and continued my search for my next class. I had learned one thing today... kids here were rude, and weird.

Maybe I was going to fit in.

A/N: Well so far for the prologue and chapter one. Hope you like how the story is going so far. Don't forget to review. :P