California Girl

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Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, but I own the characters of The Bird Family and friends and The Hunter Family and friends. Thanks!

All mistakes are my own, I'll try and correct any as I see them, but I'm only human- I will miss some.

2. School

Monday.

Monday morning came too quickly. I had stayed home all weekend with only Grammy.

I forced myself out of the lumpy bed, showered and got dressed. I packed some notebooks and pens and walked into the living room. Grammy was sitting in her armchair, watching Homeland.

"Quil says that he'll give you a ride to school today." She said, sweetly, sipping a cup of tea, not looking away from the screen.

"Really? That's nice of him." I sat down. I stood up when I heard a car outside. Grammy didn't seem to notice. Grabbing my over-sized handbag, I walked over and hugged her.

"Good luck, sweet girl." She grinned at me, then looked back to the TV.

I jumped into the large truck that Quil sat in. I seriously hope this school isn't shallow... the truck was seriously old and if I went to my old school in this then I'd be considered a loser- a poor one, at that.

"Hey." I grinned, hoping to dazzle him- maybe convince him to ditch school with me and take me to a secluded parking lot to just... you know. He gave me a small smile, but looked distracted. "Are you okay?"

"My friend got in an accident... I'm worried about her..." He murmured, wincing at the mention of an accident.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I was never good at comforting. Just ask my best friend, Juliette. When her parents got divorced, I'd patted her back and said 'hey, at least you're pretty'... it didn't help much.

"It's fine... Sorry about being a downer... how's life, Min?"

"It's fine..." I trailed off, looking out of the other window. He didn't say anything else- he was too distracted about his friend.

I didn't go to homeroom, instead I went to the office. A sweet woman named Mrs Norris gave me a schedule and a map, before sending me into see the principle.

"Hello, Carmen?" He said as I sat down. He looked slightly exhausted, stressed and somewhat annoyed by his entire job, but still, he tried to smile and be friendly.

"Yeah." I smiled back.

"I'm Principle Mitchell, it's a pleasure to have to in this school." He seemed overly friendly. I was taken aback a little... I didn't want him to be a perv... my last English teacher was and had a huge crush on, like, six of my friends. Not me, though, I 'annoyed' him.

"It's nice to be here..." I lied. He didn't seem to notice. He stretched his hand out across the desk.

"May I please see your schedule?" I handed him it. He examined it closely, before giving it back. "Math is just outside the office, to the left."

"Thanks." I stood up.

"Hopefully, we won't meet again unless you're accepting an award." He smiled, standing up and walking to the door. He opened it and waved at me as I left. I nodded a goodbye and walked out, straight passed sweet Mrs Norris, down the hall, to the left.

"Hey, you're Quil's friend?" A very attractive boy asked me, leaning over in his seat to whisper to me. He looked like Quil, but his face was more grown up. He was a hell of a lot sexier, too.

"Um, yeah?" I nodded, hoping my hair looked okay. This guy was hot and I wanted him to think the same about me.

"I'm Paul." He stuck his hand out. I shook it. He was as warm as Quil.

Must have that genetic thing.

"Carmen."

"Minnie." He smirked. I rolled my eyes, but giggled. He looked at my hand, probably expecting me to pull away, but I let it linger, trying to be flirtatious. His smirk fell and he leaned away. I frowned.

Why was I so ugly in Washington?

Seriously.

I'd of been sneaking to the bathroom with him right now if we were in California.

"Class, turn to page thirty and begin to work on the equations." The teacher called.

After that, I had PE. Ugh. I'd been forced to take it since I'd come here late. I hated PE, it wasn't that I was bad at it, but because of the fact that it was generally co-ed and I hated boys seeing me make a fool of myself, which I generally did. Some people who were Quil's friends were in the class, and apparently he was too, but he'd had to 'run' after he'd dropped me off

Weird.

They were all pretty bummed over the accident with their friend.

I been introduced to Collin, who seemed to like me, which I adored. He was hot too, but was even more boyish than Quil. I wanted to pinch his cheeks and ruffle his hair the whole time. He also introduced me to Lexi, who he said was Brady's girlfriend, and that I'd meet him too. Collin seemed to hesitate around her, Lexi told me that he'd had a huge crush on her before she started dating Brady, his best friend. I'd also met Jacob Black, who I remembered from growing up here. He told me that Embry Call would be in the class too- someone else I'd been friends with through Quil as I grew up- but he was off with Quil.

We were taking a break from losing at volleyball when Lexi turned to me.

"So, you know Logan?" She asked. I froze.

Logan from the cafe? Sad Logan? My sex buddy, Logan?

"Um..."

"He... uh... saw a photo of, uh, you, at, uh, Quil's house... um..." She stammered. Something was going on, but I was too freaked out to care what.

"He told you?"

"Yeah... it wasn't on purpose, really... it slipped out..." She glanced away, before looking back and smiling lightly. "I love your hair."

That was a good enough distraction.

"Thanks! I love yours!"

Next was Biology where I sat with Brady. He was sweet, but again, uninterested. I decided that he was that in love with Lexi that I wasn't good enough... Lexi was really pretty, her skin was like Hershey chocolate and her hair was only a shade or two darker. Still...

I'm sure I'm pretty enough to capture his attention for at least a little while.

No, he stayed on his phone, texting her under his desk, even while we were supposed to complete a test together. I'd done it alone and watched as other people in the class worked on it together in half the time I took.

Ugh.

The next class was just as bad. I was in Spanish- a lesson I loved- with Collin and Brady, but they sat together at the back, and I had to sit at the very front alone. Apparently the girl who would be sitting with me was in some sort of bear attack and in hospital. This town was scary, I wanted to be in San Diego, on the beach with the sun in my eyes.

San Diego, take me back?

It was lunch, and I'd gone to my locker before lunch. I assured Collin he could go ahead, which made him grin, hug me, then run off. I walked into the cafeteria alone, my eyes drifting to the table that was half-tan, half-white-as-paper.

Paul, Brady, Collin, Lexi, Jacob and a pretty-ish girl sat on one half of the table. On the other side were people the color of the clouds in the sky of this dreary town, but they were all beautiful, like, a thousand times prettier than I could ever hope to be.

I decided that since Quil was still missing, I'd sit at the empty table in the middle of the room. I pulled out my iPhone. It was weird, I'd been addicted to my phone my whole life, but this weekend, I hadn't touched it. I turned it on to find 101 messages, 30 missed calls and 10 emails.

I didn't know I had an email address.

"Carmen!" I looked up to see Collin wave at me. "Come sit over here!"

I nodded and stood up, a little cautiously. I was always popular in my old school, but I knew as well as everyone else, new kids are never immediately popular, even if they know the hottest kids in school.

I put my hand on a chair beside a pretty pale girl with the most gorgeous copper ringlets, but after receiving glares from everyone, I stayed standing.

"Where's Quil?" I asked. He still wasn't there. I was thinking that he could give me a ride home... I didn't wanna walk passed the trees if there were bears around!

"He's at work." Brady answered, still not looking at me- only at Lexi. I resisted the urge to frown at being ignored.

He just thinks she's prettier than you... it's okay...

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen, this is Bella, Emmett and Alice Cullen and Jasper and Rosalie Hale." He motioned to the pale people sitting at the table. 'Rosalie' had a disgusted look on her perfect face like she'd smelled something bad.

"And I'm Renesmee Cullen!" The girl with ringlets who I was standing beside said. She smiled, but she seemed slightly upset. I guess she was friends with Bear-Attack-Girl.

Jacob was sitting beside her, his hand holding hers. I resisted the urge to cry, but it wasn't as bad as before. Ringlets was so beautiful, much prettier than I could ever be. The two just seemed so different. I didn't understand how they worked, but, at the same time, they seemed to be madly in love.

Edward cleared his throat again, interrupting my thoughts.

"H-Hi, I'm Kim." The pretty-ish girl said, shyly. I walked over to the chair beside Kim and sat down. I realized just how perfect all of the Cullen-Hales were. They all seemed so different, but they were all pale with golden eyes (except Ringlets who's were brown) and they were all extremely beautiful with voices like angels. What a perfect family!

"Do any of you have AP English next?" I asked. Ringlets raised her hand, grinning. I was getting slightly creeped out by her enthusiasm. She was like a porcelain doll...

Like Chucky.

Edward cleared his throat again, and looked annoyed.

"What are you doing in English?" I asked.

"Shakespeare." She grinned her perfect-Chucky-grin, before turning to Jacob. "Wanna come over tonight and read Romeo and Juliet with me?"

"Renesmee." Edward scolded.

Woah man, chill.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"Did you know that Romeo and Juliet is pretty much all about sex?"

"What?" Edward looked at me, his eyes wide.

"Well, I mean, not all of it, but most of it. I mean, come on, it's pretty much about a guy who wants to get some with a kid, you know?" I explained.

"You should talk to Jake-" Paul started, before he was elbowed by Jacob. Edward looked ready to kill me, so did Bella... come to think of it, all of the Cullens looked pissed. Oops, I guess.

"Well, I'll see you in English, Chucky." I patted her shoulder and stood up, grabbing my phone and purse.

"What did you call her?" Bella stood up, but I was already walking away.

"Bye!"

"Sup, Chuck." I sat down at a shared table with Ringlets. She shot me a glare, presumably at the nickname.

"Bella wants you to stop calling me Chucky."

"It's a friendly nickname, go with it. It's not my fault you remind me of Chucky." I rolled my eyes. She sighed.

"Call me Nessie."

"No thanks."

"Carmen!"

"Students! We have a new student today!" The teacher came in. She was far too perky, if you ask me. "Miss..." She picked up a sheet of paper. "Carmen Bird! Stand up and introduce yourself!"

"Um, hey." I stood up and waved slightly.

"Where are you from and how is it different to Forks?"

"San Diego... it's sunny." The class laughed.

I'm not joking, idiots.

"Thanks, Carmen! Take a seat!" I sat back down. Chucky giggled slightly. "Okay, kids! Act two, scene two, page five, Carmen, would you be Juliet, please! Larry, you can be Romeo!"

"Oh! Swear not by the moon, the constant- crap, sorry- inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circ-circle orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable." I blushed as I read out the old words and received laughs for them from Chucky. "Can it, Chuck."

I walked into my Study Hall classroom to see round tables of four, all full, except for one at the back, where Jacob sat alone. I was about to walk over to the table when the teacher walked in, looking startled to see me.

"Who're you?" He asked, looking flustered.

"Carmen Bird, I'm the new student-"

"Mmm, yeah, hmm." He put the stack of papers he'd been holding on the desk along with a mug of coffee. "I'm Mr Jet, nice to meet you... take a seat wherever and study whatever."

"Sure..." I walked to the pack of the classroom. "Hi." I smiled, sitting down next to him. He gave a small, insincere smile, before looking back down at a History textbook. "Is anyone else in this Study Hall?"

"Embry."

"Is he coming in today?"

"Nope." He said, popping the 'P'. I should've left the conversation, but I decided that I wanted the last word.

"Whatever. It's not like you ever used to like me."

"I don't like you because you're mean to Nessie." He said, gritting his teeth ever so slightly.

"I don't mind Chuck, sure, she's a little creepy, definitely annoying. Not as annoying as Lexi, of course, but still."

"Stop calling her Chuck, she hates that."

"It's a nickname. Friends have nicknames."

"So, she can call you Minnie?"

Quil.

I'm gonna kill him.

"Has Quil told everyone?"

"Everyone used to call you Minnie, Minnie."

"Ugh, whatever. Chuck for Minnie. I'll call her Ness-"

"Call her Chuck, Minnie." He smirked. I groaned and sat back in my chair. He laughed and went back to his textbook.

10 Years Ago.

"Wait up, Quil!" I yelled. I was shorter than my friends- Quil, Jacob and Embry- but I was slowly catching up to Quil, which was annoying him a lot. At that time, I was the annoying six year old to their eight year old selves.

"Girls are gross, go away!" Jacob ran passed me too, running after Quil. I stopped running after them outside. La Push was a nice small town so kids could run from house to house without parents worrying.

I started to walk in the direction they'd gone in, when Embry ran passed me. Instead of following Quil and Jacob, he stopped and ran back to me.

"Minnie!" He grinned and walked along with me. "Where are they?"

"They ran off. They said I shouldn't hang out with you 'cause I'm a girl and you're boys and 'cause I'm only six." I frowned.

"Don't be silly! You're the best one of us, Minnie!" He suddenly put his arm out, stopping me. He knelt down and grabbed at my shoes. I looked down to see that he was tying my shoe lace for me.

"Thanks!" I grinned an almost completely toothless grin and blushed dark.

I was the daughter to a girly mother who loved romance. I'd seen one done a thousand times in silly movies that made no sense.

I wanted to thank him for being sweet, so when he stood up, I leaned in.

I kissed Embry on the lips quickly, before blushing darker, giggling and running off in the direction of Quil and Jake.

I walked home alone. I found a note telling me that Grammy was next door at a house that I had learned was the Ateara home. I walked to the next house and knocked lightly.

"Carmen! Just come on in! You don't need to knock!" Quil's mom invited me inside and into the living room.

"Sweet girl! You got my note!" Grammy said, not looking away from the small TV that played the news.

"Yeah, I-" I was cut off by the front door opening with force. Quil stormed in, not looking at us, and went straight to a closet.

"Mom!" He yelled, digging through a box.

"Yes, dear?" His mother asked, walking behind him.

"Do we have a family tree?" What did he need that for?

"Hm..." She thought for a second. "Ask your grandfather." He kissed her goodbye and ran out, still not seeing me and Grammy.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"You better get used to strange things happening in this town." Grammy said, quietly. I swear that I saw Mrs. Ateara shoot her a glare.

Weird.

So, I hope you all liked this chapter! :D Thanks for the reviews! That means a lot! :):):)