"This flight is due to land in fifteen minutes; passengers please fasten seatbelts and put all trays securely up."

I stirred awake, I had fallen asleep shortly after take off, and it was only a short flight. I brushed a hand through my hair and patted it down before fastening my seatbelt. Glancing over at the man next to me who was still asleep, snoring in a dulcet way his head lolling to the side, hesitating for a moment a nudged the man lightly. Jumping in my seat as her jerked awake looking around frantically before his eyed fell on me a confused expression on his face.

"Ugh sorry to wake you but we are about to land" I gestured at the flashing light instructing us to 'fasten our seatbelts'.

"Oh right" The man replied rather gruffly, I bit my lip and shot him an apologetic smile; apparently aware of his gruff tone he shook his head "Sorry, sorry it's been a long week."

"Yeah, it gets like that doesn't it..." I mumbled in reply trailing off as the man diverted his attention to the air hostess, asking her a question I didn't hear as I peered out the window as the plane lowered.

Lugging my suitcase towards the hordes of waiting people, embracing loved ones some crying others laughing, I spotted the man I had sat next to on the flight. He was in a wheelchair, which must have been what he was asking the flight attendant about. Spotting me he gave me an enthusiastic wave a huge grin on his face. I waved back a sheepish grin on my face, a small laugh escaping my lips. He looked so happy, good for him. Well it looks like his bad week is over.

I continued towards the crowd of people, hoisting my duffle bag further up my shoulder as I struggled with the weight of both my suitcase and the duffle bag, barely noticing a blonde man rushing towards me a smile on his face as he grabbed the suitcase from my hand "Here, let me help you with that!"

Taken aback by the mans enthusiasm, I stuttered but nothing coherent came out, and grabbed out at my suitcase. "No, really I don't have any money to pay you for helping me with my bags." Ah a coherent sentence lovely.

Reaching out I snatched my suitcase back, I should be used to these airport types. Flying to New York to visit my brother regularly over the holidays, people helping you with yours bags then demanding a twenty after they assist you. Tricky buggers.

"Thank you though, but no thanks" I added at the man who looked completely baffled by my statement.

"But your Samantha Lake aren't you?" He questioned

"Yeah I'm Sam" I answered, wait how the hell does he know my name? Well no use asking myself "How the hell do you know my name?" I asked, taking a few steps back as a precaution just in case he was some crazy psycho.

Instead of attacking me, like I assumed he would the man just started laughing. Now I was the one staring at him a baffled expression on my face. "I think there has been a misunderstanding, I'm not here to help you with your bags I'm here to get you settled at your new home." The smile not leaving his face, I still stared at him confused. "I'm Ashley, the Social Worker didn't Victoria tell you I was meeting you here?"

"I ugh…Oh yeah" I hadn't forgotten about the Social Worker, I just expected him to look less like…well I don't know what I expected him to look like I just hadn't expected him to come rushing at me to assist me with my bags.

"Alright, now we have that established let me grab that suitcase, you look like your struggling."

Ashley seemed okay, for a Social Worker at least. He was a lot friendlier then Victoria, not that she wasn't friendly Ashley just seemed to be more sincere about it.

"So you're going to love La Push" Ashley said as he turned onto the highway. We had been driving for about an hour, mostly filled with idle chit chat; he had asked me how my flight was. I told him I had slept for most of it; I knew he was waiting for the right moment to mention La Push and my Grandparents.

Social Workers were predictable, establish a little bit of communication then start with observation or in Ashley's case an assumption. How did he know that I would love La Push? He didn't know, he just wanted to hear my answer to open up another question.

"Well I haven't seen it yet, so whatever" I shrugged in a very typical teenager way, I could of just told him flat out that I was sure I was going to hate it there, but then he would ask why and I didn't want to play twenty one questions

"I'm sure you will, anyway we have a while to go. Sorry we couldn't get you a flight into Port Angeles but on such short notice the only flight we could get was to Seattle airport."

"I don't mind really" I shrugged again, fiddling with a heavy silver charm bracelet on my left wrist. Ashley must of notice because a few moments later he asked me what it was.

I held my arm out in front of me, examining each of the charms on the bracelet. "It was my mothers charm bracelet, I was going to have it buried with her but my brother insisted I keep it something to remember her by." My hand falling back into my lap, I attempted a smile in Ashley's direction but it was more like a pained grimace. I didn't mind that he had asked about the bracelet, it was just everything about my mothers death was still so fresh in my mind I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable talking about anything to do with her.

"It's beautiful." He replied simply. I gave another forced smile before turning my attention to the thick green forest that surrounded us, my brow furrowing as rain drops fell on the windshield

"Welcome to Washington Samantha." Ashley announced as he turned on the wipers.

I sighed watching the rain fall, and the green forest passing us in a blur. I pressed my forehead against the cool window and closed my eyes, wishing that I didn't have to welcome Washington and it didn't have to welcome me.

My whole body jerked forward and my eyes shot open, as I looked around frantically. Had we just hit some forest creature or something? Oh god I hope not. Looking over at Ashley, he grinned back at my sheepishly

"Sorry to wake you, I almost missed the house"

House what house; what on Earth was he talking about? I raised a confused brow at him as he gestured out the car window

"La Push reservation" He stated in a matter of face tone "This is your grandparent's house"

My mouth suddenly felt dry, and I licked my lips in a nervous fashion as I straightened myself up and looked out the window. The house was a rather small; a nicer person would call it quaint but I was in no state of mind to be positive about any of this. The garden was full of trees and flowery shrubs and in the driveway sat a faded green pick up truck.

Ashley was already out of the car, getting my suitcase and duffle bag out of the trunk before I had even stepped out of the car. This, finally being here made it seem real. The flight from Chicago was like a distant memory as I walked up the driveway towards the front door, Ashley talking animatedly beside me. I wasn't listening to a word he was saying.

I stood back as Ashley knocked on the door, a dog started to bark. I couldn't recall my grandparents having a dog; well actually I couldn't recall anything about these people.

A few moments later there was a rustling behind the door and the voice of an older woman scolding the barking dog who was going bonkers from behind the door, great I'm going to get mauled by a dog before I even step foot in the house, well at least I wouldn't be living here! Ha, I cracked myself up.

Wrapping my arms around my middle, I hugged at myself protectively as the door opened an unfamiliar face greeting me with a warm smile. The woman had dark skin, typical of most Native Americans, her face aged with lines, crow's feet and laughter lines her long dark hair framing her face, half of it clipped up with a bizarre looking feathered hairclip. She definitely wasn't your typical Grandmother type, dressed in faded jeans and gumboots and a flower print smock, I knew now why the garden was so lush the woman obviously had a green thumb.

"My Sammy, my beautiful Sammy" The woman stepped forward and pulled me into her arms, squeezing me tightly the dog who was a small white fluffy thing stood at the doorway yapping up at me.

"Um hello" I replied awkwardly to her greeting, my arms hanging limply at my side. She pulled away, her hands resting on my shoulders as she examined my face. Averting my eyes to the dog, who was still barking at me. Annoying yap, yap dog

"Goodness you've grown up so much, still short though – like your mother" She stated, I flinched as she patted me on the head turning to Ashley who stood back patiently as my grandmother, who's name escaped me crushed my rib cage.

"All Sammy's things arrived here safely, Ray fixed up the spare room so it's already for her"

"Wonderful, wonderful." Ashley enthused, clasping his hands together before looking towards me a sincere smile on his face "Well this is where I leave you Samantha; I'll give you my card so you can call me whenever you need to. I'm located in Port Angeles so not that far from here" I nodded, taking the card he held out to me. "Don't hesitate to call me ok, but I'm sure Penny here will take great care of you."

Penny, so that was my grandmother's name. I glanced over at her to be met with a warm smile, as if reassuring me that she would look after me. Despite the smile, and the words Ashley spoke I still didn't believe them, but I didn't believe much anymore.

I didn't say anything, just simply waved at Ashley pocketing the card he gave me in my jean pocket. I shuffled nervously on the spot; staring at my feet my grandmother moved over the threshold my duffle bag over her shoulder calling out to me to follow her in.

Grabbing my suitcase I followed her, the dog running around my feet as I followed her through the house. It was small, but I could tell that from the outside. The interior was a filled with warm neutral colors, a lot of wooden furniture, ornaments lining shelves and a large lounge chair and a couch. I noticed the smell of pine and lavender in the air and spotted incense when we passed through the kitchen which reminded me of something out of a fifties sit com, very clean and the dining table was already set – for three people

The hallway was narrow, lined with old family photos. I noticed a few of my father as we walked through, even one including my mother. It looked liked their wedding photo. She stopped just short of the end of the hallway, which led to the back door I could see a glimpse of the backyard, it was much like out the front filled with flowers, trees and shrubs an outdoor table and chair setting sat in the middle beside it an old barbeque pit that looked like it hadn't been used in years.

"This is your room my dear, Ray…I mean your grandfather spent the past week sprucing it up for you." She opened the door and walked in, gesturing with a wave of her hand for me to follow, she looked excited and nervous as I dropped my suitcase inside the door and looked around

The room was a powder blue colour a slight smell of paint in the air. It must have been just recently repainted, there was a single bed in the far corner under the window, dark blue curtains pulled open to reveal the low picket fence and the window of the next door neighbour's house, the curtains drawn closed. There was a dark oak dresser in the corner, complete with a mirror and a lamp and then there where the boxes containing my possessions from my room back home, the room that was no longer mine in the home that would contain a new family very shortly.

I didn't like this room, it didn't feel like mine.

"We didn't want to unpack your things, and left the walls bare because we know how you teenagers like posters and things" She smiled again, glancing to the room then to me nervously, waiting for me to say something.

"Thanks, its great" I lied, managing a half smile on my face. Penny seemed convinced by it though and moved back towards the door

"Well I'll just leave you to get comfortable, your grandfather should be home in about an hour – he's gone down to the school to finalise your enrolment papers"

Still staring around the room, feeling like a lost sheep nodded automatically at her mumbling "Ok" before sitting on the bed, weakly smiling at her as she closed the door behind her.

Wait, did she just say school?

Instead of unpacking, I spent the next hour pacing around the room. I had opened the boxes, and stared at my things – posters and books, a few stuffed animals and all sorts of junk I had collected over the years all of which didn't have a place in this room. The only thing that had been removed from the box was a photo of my brother and me which I had placed on the dresser.

So they had enrolled me at the school, well I was hoping this could be easily resolved because I had no urge to complete my senior year back in Chicago so that didn't change here. I was hoping I could just get some sort of employment, save some money and then move far away.

My pacing continued for another half an hour until I heard another car pull into the driveway followed by Penny calling me out into the lounge room. Gathering my thoughts and some confidence I went into the lounge room, this would be easy enough I would simply tell them I wasn't going to attend school here. Simple enough, oh except by the fact I was met by a six foot something man in the lounge room who resembled a very aged version of my father. Ray, he had broad shoulders and the same weathered face as my grandmother and an unreadable expression on his face as I entered the room.

He was intimidating to say the least.

"So this is young Samantha" I nodded feebly, his voice was strong and intimidating like his general presence. Despite the shared appearance with his son, he didn't share the same warm aura I remember my father had "Well Penny wanted to wait until I was here before we went over the house rules, so take a seat" he gestured at the couch where Penny sat and I took a seat obediently next to her, Ray didn't seem like a man who took disobedience well, which made me more nervous about mentioning the schooling situation.

"We have dinner at seven, every night if your going to be out let us know but we want you home before twelve" He looked at me, as if daring me to protest the curfew. I just nodded waiting for him to continue but instead Penny spoke

"We'd rather you not stay out past nine on school nights though love, but all we ask of you is to help around the house, do your homework and respect us. We are so thrilled do have you with us Sammy, it's such a shame it's because of awful circumstances" I looked at her and gave her a weak smile, despite hating the fact I would be living here I couldn't dislike this woman

"That's all fine, but I just have one thing that well…" I drew in a sharp breath, and looked over at Ray who had sat down on the large lounge chair that was obviously reserved for him "I wasn't planning on returning to school for my senior year, it's just what I had planned with Mom as well" I averted my eyes to my converse sneakers.

I heard Penny cough awkwardly beside me, well now how did I know this wouldn't go well?

"I'm sorry Samantha, but while you're living with us it's our rules, and you attending school is one of those rules" It was Ray who spoke, I could of predicted that.

Great, I was being forced to live with people I didn't know and now attending school with a bunch a troubled teens who like drugs and underage sex, just fucking dandy. Biting my bottom lip, I looked up at Ray who had the same challenging look on his face that he had when going through the house rules.

I opened my mouth to say something, but promptly shut it when I remembered what my brother had said to me at the airport. Keep my attitude in check, I hadn't had to sacrifice anything in my life, so I guess now was the time to. Living with strangers in a place that rained most of the year and attending a school filled with people I didn't know.

"Right" I stood up, and tried to make my expression as blank as possible hiding the anger from my defeat "I'm just going to go finish unpacking then" I was eager to leave the room, to curl up in my strange new bed and just cry until there was nothing left

As I was leaving the room though, Ray spoke again "School starts at eight tomorrow, and don't forget dinner at seven"

I didn't reply, and I didn't join them for dinner either.