WOOT NEXT CHAPTER!

[I can't go to school mom. The blankets have accepted me as on of their own. If I leave now I may loose their trust.]

(Teenager Post!)

Chapter One: Rosemarie's POV:

I let my mind go calm as the last notes of the Moonlight Sonata flowed from the piano. A smile shows brightly on my face as I stand and bow.

"Did I shine my shoes? Yes, I shined my shoes." I recited quietly as my head dips in appreciation to the crowd. My curls stay stuck to my head from the millions of bobby pins and mountain hair jell. The bun stays intact as my head rises back up, and my eyes found my best friend. Jacob sits next to Billy- my second father- and Dad- my actual father. I smile brighter knowing that my family was out there, clapping. Even though I was related to none of them by blood, they were still my family. I was raised, loved, and cherished by those three men out there.

I exited the stage and sat with some other piano students as they performed as well.

As the last girl go up to play, I took a chance to sneak a glance out to the audience around the heavy red curtains to see Jake.

It was as if he knew I was looking, because not a second later, Jake turned and met my eyes. I smiled and he did too, although his was cheeky and proud, mine just toothy.

Once the recital was done with, I left the stage all together to meet the boys.

"That was fantastic, Rosie." Jacob's arms wrapped themselves around me. I placed my hands on his back, firmly holding him to me. This hug would mean more to me than it probably ever would to him. Isn't that sad? I loved him with everything I had, and couldn't even muster the guts to tell him.

I suppose I am too afraid that it would change things between us, you know? Like we would be different on our movie nights, or our playful wrestling be read a different way. So I could just relish moments like this with our bodies so close.

It was all to soon that Jake's arms around me disappeared.

"Great job Rose." My dad nodded at me with a proud smile on his face.

"I loved it, Rose. Wish I could play." Billy remarks. Ha. I'm sure he does. Old coot! I should teach him one day. Or play for him. He seems to really enjoy it.

Just then my stomach decided to make an injured whale sound, alerting the group of my hunger. I giggled and Jake patted my belly and whispered,

"Don't worry, help is on the way!" This threw me into a fit of giggles, causing Jacob to laugh and shake is head. Yeah... My laugh naturally seems to make others laugh. Just part of the package I suppose.

We exited the school's auditorium and made it a few steps onto the asphalt of the parking lot when Jacob turned to me and challenged,

"I'll race you to the car!" And then he was gone.

Did this fool seriously think he could out run me? I was the fastest for the 800 meter at our school.

Yeah about that, Jake and I go to the same school. I was supposed to go to the one in Forks (Ewww!), but not only did I stand out drastically with my russet skin and dark hair, but I begged Daddy to let me. My best friend went to the school on the Rez, and I couldn't possibly be forced to suffer long hours of being an outcast separated from him. Or at least; that was what I told my dad.

Or, exaggerated to my dad. I would still demand to see Jake at any and every possible moment that I could.

We all sat at the restaurant, Billy with his wheeled-chair pulled up to meet the slab of wood, my father with the menu in front of him like a book, and Jake who was still grumbling about me beating him in out little race.

And then there was me; sitting cheerily and proudly. I was practically bursting with self satisfaction that I had beaten him.

"Hi, I'm Hannah. What can I start you all out with this evening?" Her voice was steady and sure, but her eyes flickered to Jake every few seconds.

Of course. Of course she would serve this table.

Hannah Dianold has had a crush on Jacob since as long as I could remember. Which is good because, I started loving Jake even before I could recall things. Ha. Or at least; that's what I told myself.

Hannah was one of those people at our school.

Perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect make-up, perfect body. She ran the mile at our school for the track team. Making a 6:03 had scored her big. The teachers loved that she was such a perfect representative for track for our school. That pretty much won her the other half of the school considering she had every member of the student body wrapped around her finger.

Other than me, of course.

And Jake.

Jake. That's what angers her though; the fact that Jacob had always remained loyal to me, even if it was just as a best friend. She resented that he would stand by me. Me, the thin wierdo who happens to run track competitively. Me, who no matter the odds of getting muscular do to that competition, still manage to have stick-like legs.

And that weakness, that flaw, she utilizes and abuses every chance she gets.

"Hay! How are you?" To anyone else at the table, that seemed like a perfectly kind statement to make to wards a classmate. But to me it was a sucker punch to the face, a knee to the stomach, and a swift kick to the shins.

Hay. Like straw. Hay- the thing horses eat. That's what she calls me to bully me about my stringy legs. How petty.

"I'm great. Thanks. Oh, I think I'll have a sprite." I tried to make it sound like an off hand comment, but in reality it was a way to end the conversation she had so rudely started with me.

Jacob glanced up from his menu when she asked what he wanted to drink, and finally realized just who was serving us to night.