Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 2: School Supplies

Aunt Gina woke me up for dinner a few hours later. I wiped my face with the plaid blanket and followed her slowly down the stairs. Everyone was already there waiting.

"Hey," I said weakly as I took a seat between Gabriel and Aunt Gina.

Everyone started eating, except Nate, who was watching me carefully, as though waiting for me to say something. When I didn't, he turned in his chair to face me and began, "So, Heather, what do you think of your new room?"

Gabriel stifled a giggle and I put on my most convincing smile.

"I really like it," I told him. "It's so colorful and unique. Why?" I asked coyly.

Nate smiled, gratified. He bobbed his head up proudly before admitting that he and his friends had wanted to make me feel welcome and had spent the majority of last night decorating my room. Naturally Nate had overseen all of the details.

"You and your friends did all that?" I asked, really hamming it up for Gabriel's benefit until he asked to be excused to go to the kitchen. "That was so sweet of you," I told him. "it must have taken you guys forever."

"Oh yeah," he admitted, "but it was worth it for my cousin." He wrapped an arm around me. "I wanted you to feel at home here."

"Well, I do," I lied, actually starting to feel guilty about making such a fuss after hearing how sincere he was about it. Nate and his friends had absolutely no taste in interior design but I guess it was one of those instances where it's the thought that counts. "It's really great. Thanks so much."

"Oh, it was nothing, really." He waved it off. "I'm glad you like it."

"So, Heather," Uncle Rich interrupted, "do you feel up to doing a little school shopping? School starts next week, you know. You want to be prepared."

"Sure," I agreed, swallowing my last bite of food. "It's always good to get things out the way."

"I have our list," Gabriel added, pulling a crumbly piece of paper out of his back pocket as he emerged from the kitchen.

"Great," I said slowly, doubting our chances of being able to read that paper that looked so torn and pathetic.

After dishes were all cleaned up, we all headed over to WalMart. It was surprisingly crowded with students who, like us, were cramming at the last minute to get our school supplies before school started.

Gabriel handed me the list. "You keep it," he told me. "I think I pretty much already know what I need to get. If I forget anything, I'll come to confer with you. Do you mind getting your supplies by yourself?" he asked guiltily.

"I'm not five," I told him before turning my eyes downward to look at his list. Of course he had written it out himself. And his handwriting was the worst I had ever seen. I shook my head as I turned the paper at different angles, trying futilely to examine it. In fact, I was pouring so much attention into my examination, that I hadn't realized that I had started walking. Well, that is, until I crashed into something.

I looked up to see a boy with this spiky pale blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He looked at me with a sort of stunned expression before bending over to pick up a stack of notebooks and folders that he had dropped. I reflexively got down on the ground to help him, picking up a blue calculator, an English-Spanish dictionary, and a pack of pencils.

"Here," I said, handing them to him. I brushed a piece of hair out of my face as I continued. "I am so sorry," I told him quickly. "My cousin gave my his school list but it was all messy and I was trying so hard to figure out what it was I had to get and I wasn't looking where I was going." I took a breath. "Sorry."

I started to get up, when the blonde boy took my arm with a spare hand (how he managed to have a spare hand in the first place is completely beyond me) and he pulled us up together at the same time.

We were rather close and I got a chance to look at the boy I had knocked into more closely. He wasn't bad looking. I bet he was the popular, jock type. His face was kind of rounded, sort of youthful, although I guessed he was about my age.

I put some distance between us and held out my hand. "Hey," I said, "My name's Heather Johnson. I know this isn't the best way of meeting someone but…"

A look of recognition seemed to flicker across the boy's face, as if he knew me somehow. "You're that new girl," he confirmed. "The one coming to live with the Morgans. I'm Mike," he said, taking my hand. "Mike Newton."

"Pleased to meet you," I grinned.

"So, did you get here recently, or…"

"Yes," I answered quickly, "around 1 this afternoon."

"Wow, so you must still be… pretty new to this town." He commented. I could see where he was taking this, but I let him go on anyway. It would help me get my shopping done faster, if nothing else. Plus, Mike seemed like a nice guy.

"Complete stranger," I told him, shrugging my shoulders.

"So I was wondering," he continued. Here it comes, I thought. "Since we're in the same class, maybe we could look for our supplies together. I mean, I don't know if my list is any neater, but at least I can read my own handwriting. And, I could possibly point out some of the people that will be in school with you."

I knew it! I laughed about the list and let Mike guide me around WalMart. We talked casually as we grabbed our supplies, exchanging vague information, talking about school and the weather, until we found ourselves mostly alone in the section with all the highlighters and notecards.

"Hey, listen," he said, turning to me.

I raised my eyebrows.

"I heard about your parents and I'm… sorry. It's gotta be tough."

I looked down for a moment, then back up at him, my tears masked and my face clear and confident. "Yeah it's hard," I admitted, "but I'm fine. Thanks."

Mike nodded and seemed like he was about to say something else when I distracted him. "Who are they?" I asked, discreetly gesturing to a short, pixie like girl with cropped black hair that spiked out at the ends. She was standing beside a tall guy with honey blonde hair, who looked a little nervous and rigid. Both were extremely pale but very beautiful, almost like other worldly beautiful. I didn't notice at first, because I was just using them to refocus Mike's attention, but when I really looked at them, I couldn't help but gape.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mike shift his feet uncomfortably and frown. "Alice and Jasper Cullen, juniors," he replied hesitantly. "Dr. Cullen, the town doctor, and his wife took them in along with three other kids. They moved here last year and all of them are really weird."

"Why's that?" I turned to him curiously. "They seem cute." I watched as Alice laughed at something funny that Jasper must have said and his tight face lightened a little as he graced it with a small smile. They seemed like normal people to me.

"They're really tightly knit, you know? They all hang out together and there's no room for anyone else to really join in. They keep to themselves and they're all dating each other." His eyes widened theatrically, as though he was telling me some deep dark secret.

I glanced at the Cullens, then back at Mike, giving him a quizzical look. "What do you mean they're all dating each other?" I inquired. "They're not, like, related, are they?"

Mike shook his head, but he seemed disappointed that I didn't start freaking out or looking at Alice and Jasper funny. "No," he confirmed. "Well, I mean, Jasper had a twin, and Alice has two brothers—they don't date—but it's still weird, you know? I mean, they all live together."

I just shrugged. I mean, who was I to judge? And chances are, there was nothing abnormal going on, just some strange rumors like the ones that often get circulated in your average high school.

Mike picked up a pack of mechanical pencils and The Idiot's Guide to Geometry. "You're going to need these," he explained, handing them to me. "Math can be, you know, a challenge."

"Thanks," I said, glancing skeptically at the book. I hope he wasn't insinuating that I was an idiot, because that's terribly rude, especially after you just meet someone.

"So I was wondering…" he began again as we headed out of the aisle.

It was that voice again, with his classic opening. I hadn't known Mike an hour before I could tell when he was trying to ask a girl if they could hang out or go out or something similar. He was so transparent.

I suppressed a grin.

"There's this, 'before school starts' type of party at my house this Saturday. Everyone from our grade will be there. It'll be a good chance to get to know everyone so you won't be all awkward. Do you want to go?"

I didn't have to think for a moment. I loved parties. I'd have to beg and drag Bella before I could get her to go to one. And usually we'd leave early, but still. I knew how to make the most of anything and how to have a good time.

"What should I wear?" I asked.

Mike beamed, like an excited kid at Christmas. "Well, it's semi formal."

"Oh okay," I said quickly, understanding. "What time?"

"9:00. Actually, if you have difficulty finding a ride or anything, I'd be glad to pick you up."

"I was kind of thinking of going with my cousins," I started, watching Mike's face fall. "but if anything changes, I'll call you," I finished. "Could I have your number?"

I handed Mike my cell phone, so he could just program it into my list of contacts. Mike's spirits seemed to gather up again and he seemed like he had become Forks' official source of sunlight.

Poor Mike. He was such roller coaster of emotion. I almost felt like I was messing with him.

But of course I wasn't. I was just being friendly, and having friends is a healthy part of high school.

Mike walked me to the checkout, where I met Gabriel, Nate, and Jackson.

"Hey guys," I said enthusiastically as we walked up to them.

They all greeted me, except for Jackson, who was still mad at me for rumpling his hair and calling him Jacky. Nate nodded at Mike politely.

"So," Jackson said, strutting up to me, "we leave you alone for a half hour and you already have a boyfriend?" He was trying to get me back.

My cheeks colored with anger but I suppressed it with my cool façade. "I have a friend," I corrected gently, "and he was kind enough to invite to the Post Summer Semiformal at his house Saturday night." Mike looked at me with a sort of awe as I said it, probably wishing he had come up with something that clever. Post Summer Semiformal sounded a lot more impressive than the "before school starts" type of party.

"What do you think of that?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking passed Jackson, to Gabriel and Nate, who were both leaning against the side of the checkout.

Nate straightened. I winced as I notice him sporting "I'm the big protective responsible cousin" stance. He walked over to Mike, almost seeming to stare him down. "Is there going to be parental supervision?" he asked.

"Nate," I said seriously.

"Is there?"

"Oh…yeah, yeah of course!" Mike stammered.

"And no alcohol?" Nate's eyes narrowed. I rolled my eyes.

"We're sophomores, for goodness sake!" I exclaimed.

"No alcohol."

"None." Mike met my cousin's eyes but I noticed him gulp.

Nate pulled back a little, looking calmer. "Gabriel can take you," he said.

"Mike's taking me," I replied quickly, suddenly feeling defiant.

"Oh good. I'm sure there's room in the car for one more person," Nate declared. "It'll save on gas."

"Sure, no problem," Mike responded. He turned to me, looking a shade paler and added. "I'll uh, see you later, Heather."

"I'll call you," I yelled after him as he took his things over to another checkout on the other side of the store.

"What the heck was that?" I demanded on the way home. I had my arms crossed over my chest and I was sending Nate deadly glares through his rearview mirror.

"That," he said calmly, "was me looking out for you. You just got to town, you don't know everyone, and I don't want you getting yourself into any kind trouble."

"You mean like the kind of trouble you get yourself into?" I shot back.

"That's different. I'm older."

I was about to say something when Gabriel pulled me back and whispered in my ear. "He's always like this. 'I can do this and you can't' sort of thing. Don't worry. If you really want to go to the party with Mike Newton by yourself, I'll find a way to work it out, okay?"

I relaxed against the backseat of the car and took a breath. "Why are you so nice to me?" I turned to face him.

"Because we were friends when we were kids, if you'll remember. You threw a punch at that one boy when we were eight because he was beating me up." Gabriela cracked a smile. "Plus," he added. "Nate gets on my nerves too. We rebels have to stick together."

Later that night, after a long talk with Gabriel about how much I hated—I mean really hated—my room, I pulled out my laptop from one of my bags and checked my email. I had one letter from Bella.

Dear Heather,

How are you doing in Forks? Is everything okay with your aunt and uncle and cousins and everything? I know everything will work out for you. You have a way of making things happen. I miss you. Call me.

Bella

I sighed. I missed her too. I missed sharing secrets and talking her into doing stupid things with me. I missed all of my old friends. I missed the warmth of Arizona. I missed everything familiar. I pinched myself in order to suppress another bout of tears. Once was enough already!

Dear Bella, I typed, thinking about what I should tell her.

How are you? I miss you too, but like you said, things are working out. Except my room. Nate and his…girlfriends? They decorated it and between us it is the worst nightmare you have ever seen! I'll send you pictures that will make your eyes bug out! We went school shopping today. I met this guy from my grade, Mike Newton, your average jock. He's taking me to this party next week before school starts. I'll try not to get too crazy! Lol! Anyway, I'll call you so you can keep me updated on everything exciting in Arizona!

Heather

I hit the send button and shut down my laptop. I laid it on my desk beside the blue lava lamp and went to bed.

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