My first Twilight fanfic! Hope you all enjoy!

"Alright, Nessie." Emmett shifted the car into park and then looked at me expectantly as we idled out on the curb. A few seconds later, I still hadn't moved an inch. Emmett took one look at my petrified expression and burst into laughter, causing me to frown.

"It's not funny," I muttered, crossing my arms indignantly as I stole another glance out the window. I had been begging my parents for years to allow me to go to school – ever since my growing had slowed down to leave me to appear as if I were sixteen or seventeen years old. I was convinced that I was ready to go out into the world and meet new people and explore. It was the one thing that my parents and I hadn't seen eye to eye on.

I argued to them that my tolerance around humans was impeccable; the smell of their blood rarely tempted me. I was obedient and well behaved, spending my Saturday nights either at La Push with Jake and his pack, or walking through the woods and writing in my journal. Going to school would help me, I explained, because I would be able to be more social and around people who were my own age (although not really). They'd finally conceded after Carlisle used evidence to convince them that I was ready.

But now that I was here…I bit my lip, the butterflies in my stomach almost painfully fluttering as I peered out the window. Who knew there were so many kids that went to Forks High? This wasn't at all how my parents described it. The parking lot was packed, with kids running to each other and hugging and laughing as they reunited after the summer.

"There are a lot more people than when I went here," Emmett noted. "Sucks for you, huh?"

I thought for a moment, and then turned to him with a dazzling smile on my face. "Can we go get breakfast? I'm starving."

"Nice try. You just ate this morning," he reminded me, amused. "And you hunted last night. Get out the car, Nessie. Gotta face it sooner or later."

"Uncle Emmett-" I protested, but he cut me off.

"Ness, you'll be fine, alright? Just go to your classes, make friends, and don't kill anyone." He chuckled a little at the end of his sentence, clearly amusing himself. I rolled my eyes, reluctantly climbing out of his massive Jeep and feeling very much like I was a guppy entering a tank full of sharks. I'd asked Emmett to drive me so I wouldn't bring more attention to myself in the brand new Ferrari that my parents had bought me.

I turned around to try to convince him to take me somewhere else – the mall, the bookstore, home – when he saluted me, reached across the seat to close the door, and pulled away.

I watched him in disbelief for a moment. Some uncle he was. I should have asked Jasper to drive me, or maybe Alice or Rose.

I can do this, I thought to myself before turning around and walking towards the school. I'd dressed extremely casually so I wouldn't bring more attention to myself than needed; jeans, tall black boots, a v-neck sweater, and the gold locket that my mother had given to me years ago. I'd simply worn my hair down, letting the bronze curls cascade over my shoulders and down to the middle of my back, and I wasn't wearing a hint of makeup. But as I passed by people, I could feel them staring at me. I could feel their body heat radiating through the cool Forks air and the light drizzle that accompanied it.

Maybe I should go up to some of them and introduce myself. I really didn't know how to make friends – Jake, his pack, and their girlfriends were practically family, and I didn't know anyone outside of them.

I'd wait until class, I decided, and I'd talk to people then. For now, I'd just get my schedule.

I pushed through the crowds of people to get inside the school, heading straight for the administrative office so I could get my schedule. I already had my story straight; I was Renesmee Cullen, distant cousin of the Cullen family who had moved in with Carlisle and Esme. Just in case anyone asked.

There was a line snaking outside of the administrative office, packed full of students with questions and typical demands on the first day of school. I squeezed in self consciously, feeling everyone watching me, as if everyone detected that I was a new kid starting here as a junior. A pack of four pretty girls watched me from across the hallway. I timidly waved to them, only to have them roll their eyes and turn away from me.

"They're bitches."

I turned in surprise to the voice. A girl stood behind me, a few inches shorter than my 5'7. She had sandy brown hair with a light dusting of freckles across her nose, and her eyes were a pretty forest green. She boasted a silver nose ring and piercings all up and down her eyes, giving her an edgy look in combination with her black leather jacket.

"Oh," I said unsurely, scrambling for something else to say. "Well, um…yeah, I guess so."

"No guessing. They are." The girl eyed me up and down before snorting. "Jesus Christ. You exude innocence."

"Um…thanks?" I was surprised. Rose and Alice had helped me pick out this outfit, and had said it made me look very mature and grown up.

"Not a compliment. If we're going to be friends, you're going to have to badass it up a little bit."

I blinked, taken aback. "We're going to be friends?"

"I'm Parker," the girl continued, ignoring my question. "I've never seen you around here, so clearly you're new. And if you're as innocent as you look, then you're definitely going to need my help to stay alive around here."

"I'm not that-"

"What's your name?"

"Ness – well, Renesmee, but everyone calls me Nessie."

"That sounds like a toddler's name," Parker declared, loud enough for several people in line to turn around and look at us. Parker met their bemused stares intimidatingly. "Do you all have something you'd like to add to the conversation?"

Just as they were all turning back around, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and checked the caller ID. Jake. Parker watched me curiously as I accepted the call.

"Hey, Jake," I greeted.

"Ness." In that single syllable, I could hear several emotions in Jacob's voice; love, concern, anxiety…and a hint of desire. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your house this morning to see you off. I got tied up in pack stuff. How are you doing? Did you get to school okay?"

"Yes," I told him, unable to keep a smile off of my face. Talking to Jacob made something feel right inside of me. "And I'm fine. I'm in line right now to get my schedule."

"Okay, good. Make any friends yet?"

"Well, um…" I eyed Parker, who was currently pulling a pack of cigarettes out of her bag and inspecting them. "Kind of."

"What's kind of?"

"I'll tell you later." I didn't want to go into details with Parker right in front of me.

"Okay. Want me to pick you up after school?"

"Yes, that'd be good. I didn't drive in today."

"Alright. I'll be there at 3:30. Have a good day, okay? And let me know if you need anything."

"I will," I assured him. My mom always marveled at how protective and careful Jacob was of me, saying how vastly different he behaved before he imprinted on me. But I couldn't picture Jacob any other way. He was always there for me, ever since I'd been born. He'd always looked at me like I was something magnificent, something that he was entirely too blessed to have in his life.

And lately, he'd been looking at me slightly differently. He thought I didn't notice, but I did. His feelings towards me were shifting more romantically…and my feelings for him were remaining the same.

But God, I knew my mother had broken his heart. And I didn't want to do it to him too.

After I hung up with Jake, Parker glanced up at me. "Boyfriend?" she asked.

"No. Just a…a good friend."

"Well then." She linked her arms through mine. "Let's go get your fucking schedule, Nessie. And welcome to Forks High."

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