Hi all and welcome to another installment of Cruel Intentions! I couldn't update last weekend, which I'm sorry, but it seems like the update schedule is shaping up to be every second weekend instead. You guys know that nine times out of ten I really can't keep to the deadlines that I set, but I'm trying.

First chapter of Forks High with canon characters! Maybe not the ones you'd hope for, but here nonetheless. I'd warned you that this fic will be following the stereotypical highschool tropes, so characters might be a little OOC than what you're used to, in order to make it all work. Hopefully they'll be enjoyed nonetheless. ALSO, I repeat, if anyone takes issue with hard dealing topics, or even jokes which could be seen as controversial (to a very minor group of people honestly) better jump off now because as we learn more about our Heroine's mindset, we also get a bit more…well it's just sad, I'll leave it that.

Thank you everyone for all of your support! It gives me life and hope even in this dark, bleary world of ours.

Review?

:)

"Hi, I'm Jessica! You must be the new girl!" A chirpy –fake- girl's voice greeted, startling me enough that I fumbled with the textbooks I had in my hands.

It had been a little over an hour since I'd been with the school secretary, whose name I'd later learned was Mrs. Cope -not that I was ever planning to address her directly by name. A stilted interaction that had been little more than useless. She'd shoved my schedule and textbooks at me with thinly-veiled disdain, and when I'd asked for directions on how to get to said classes, she'd replied with a dismissive "the school isn't that big. You'll figure it out." before turning away to face her computer.

It wasn't that I was surprised; I'd been waiting for someone like her to their face eventually. It was a small town, and most everyone was of the pale variety, and on top of everything, I knew that my mother marrying a black man was still hot news, even over a decade later. I wasn't bothered by the secretary's behavior, or anyone else's should they surface. Their existence was irrelevant to me.

The girl who'd ambushed me, however, didn't seem put off. She said her name with purpose, as if it were supposed to mean something, and coupled with the way she said 'new girl', meant that this girl was obviously looking to be a sort of guide to me, for lack of better word. I was Fresh Blood. She'd make nice but not too nice, drag me behind her while showing me off to her friends and also making it clear in unspoken words that I was not to talk unless she allowed it. I knew her kind well; indeed, I'd done it myself many times in the past.

It was amazing what a tone of voice could reveal about a person, truly.

I took my time in arranging my stuff, the door creating a barrier between us and not allowing her to see my face, which meant she'd effectively introduced herself to the metal instead. Closing my locker door would be rude, and she knew that, so she was forced to walk away, loudly demand my attention, or wait until I was done. The former two weren't an option; walking away would be awkward, but being obnoxious would make her seem desperate for my attention.

It was pushing seven forty-five, and the school had been alive for a while now, the hallways filled with chattering kids eager and reluctant at the same time to start a new school year. Banners were strung up all over the place, advertising different events ranging from basketball tryouts to the candidacy for this year's Student Body President. While the school itself barely had five hundred students, it was a lively place. It seemed that they were doing their best to forget that they were actually stuck in the backwaters of America, and with the amount of rain and large pools of water surrounding Forks, I meant that literally.

No one had tried to approach me thus far, thought their lingering looks on my person were obvious. I was probably the only new student, even if it was a new year. This, plus the fact that I'd arrived earlier than even the teachers, had given me time to explore and flag down my classes. The buildings were labeled, but I didn't even need them.

After taking much more time than I needed to line up my new textbooks than was strictly necessary, I slowly closed the locker and turned to look at her. Or well, down at her. She was a full head shorter than me. Perfect.

I gave a smile. "It's great to meet you. I'm Maude," I said. I didn't acknowledge the 'new girl' term she'd used.

Jessica was a nice enough girl, I supposed. She had straight blond hair that you could see she took care of by the way it shined and flowed like water with every small movement she made, and her skin was pale but had sweet little red spots on her cheeks and nose. Her makeup was a little amateur, the winged eyeliner a whole mess in my opinion, but she'd tried at least, with a pink look to compliment her sky blue eyes, glossy lips and all. Dressed in a pink long sleeved dress with a fluffy coat and ankle boots, I could tell Jessica leaned towards classically-feminine fashion. Her aura exuded confidence; she was certainly feeling herself today, I could tell by the way she stood before me, proud and sure of herself.

First day of Senior Year, Jessica probably felt skinny.

Really, she was cute all around, outfit included. But while 'cute' wasn't all bad for her, for me, who liked to wear everything from 90s RnB looks to Menswear and prided myself on being a risk-taking trendsetter, I could never.

It also meant that it would be almost pitifully easy for me to shove her off her high horse.

Jessica held out her hand, moving to the books she was holding to rest by sides, and I shook it with eagerness I didn't mean. Shorter than me or not, she didn't seem fazed, easily looking into my eyes. "It's my duty to come welcome new faces, as I'm Student Body President, and I thought you might need some help, so-"

A new voice interrupted before she could continue. "You're not President yet, Jess," they sang, inserting themselves neatly next to her. It was another blonde, though her hair was cut short and it wasn't quite as light as Jessica's. Instead, hers was of a more strawberry variety, brushed back fall to her collarbones. She was dressed similarly to the latter girl, going with the dainty lady-like look. A pretty knit jersey with a skirt and white stockings tucked into pumps. When I looked around, I noticed that most girls were favoring similar styles, pinks and pastels galore.

Well then.

"Soon enough, Lauren. I've been voted three years in a row, and that's unlikely to change. It's not like you're going to steal the spot, will you?" Jessica laughed as the mere idea was unfathomable, complete with a hair flip and all.

"As your assistant three years in a row, I think I might have a chance," the girl, Lauren sniffed, before turning to me, looking me up and down with a raised brow. "You're Bella's cousin?" she asked, disbelief clear in her tone. I wondered how many more times I'd have to endure this.

"They're, like, so different, right? I just had to come verify for myself," Jessica added. Then they both blinked at me expectantly. "Well, are you?" Jessica asked, and I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Yes." I hadn't seen the girl in question since I'd left the house, though no doubt she'd have already arrived at school. I loved Bella, really I did, but if I had it my way, I wouldn't be seeing her again until we were home this evening.

"But, if you're Bella's cousin…why are you black?" Lauren asked, and Jessica hit her arm.

"Oh my god Lauren, you can't just ask people why they're black!" she hissed, using her hand to gesture to me up and down.

"Shook," Lauren declared, making the girl next to her make a commiserating noise.

"Well, you don't seem too lame. At least you bothered to put some effort into your appearance. That, and the fact that you're like a million times darker than her makes all of this seem like a bit of joke, you understand. "Jessica said. "Anyways, I'd thought I'd come show you around and explain how things work around here. I understand that starting a new school can be a little bit scary, and it would be rude of me to not help you, right?" Her smile was self-satisfied, like she was performing a great act of charity.

These two girls were probably in the more popular crowds, judging by the way they held themselves and the envious looks other girls had been shooting me since Jessica's approach, and they had been dominating the conversation from the beginning, probably not thinking that I was here to do anything more than fall into place as one of masses. It was time to change that.

"Actually, I can make my way around just fine, and I pick up things really easily, so you don't have to worry yourself over me. I'm happy Forks is filled with such helpful people like you though, a whole Ex-Student Body President coming to welcome me? I'm touched," I gushed, and oh, the way Jessica's smile strained and Lauren's brows rose with shock was just lovely. Jessica obviously wasn't doing this to be helpful, she was doing it for clout, and tacking the 'ex' onto her coveted title was the best way to convey that I wasn't buying it.

But this was a game, and she had a façade to hold up, so the smile didn't slip from her face. "Glad to help. Let me see your schedule, maybe we have some classes together," she said, hand held out expectantly.

"Oh, I hope so. It would be nice to have some familiar faces around. Here!" Instead of the slim piece of paper she was expecting, I reached into the locker and took out the books I needed for the morning, shoving them towards her. Jessica made a sound of shock, but reflectively caught them before they could hit the floor. I hid my smile behind the slip of paper Mrs. Cope had printed my schedule on and pretended to go over it.

My first class was Calculus, which required two heavy texts to get through, depending on what we'd be working on. It meant that along with her own textbooks for the morning, Jessica had a bit of a heavy load to hold on to if she wanted to keep up her 'helpful' appearance.

I barely held in a laugh.

"I've got Calculus with a…Mr. Barnaby? Building B," I said, hoping they didn't catch onto the amusement in my tone. Lauren, who had been watching her friend struggle with wide eyes, snapped to attention.

"Same!" She exclaimed. The grin I returned was genuine –Lauren didn't seem to be as alert as Jessica, indeed she was probably the other girl's sidekick more than anything. Being in close quarters with her without Jessica's influence would be the perfect opportunity to find out more about the going-ins the school, and recruit her on onto my side.

The first warning bell rang, signaling it was time to get moving, and I turned to Jessica, whose expression had been getting progressively more strained the longer she had to hold my books. She took in a breath to say something, but I didn't let her. "It's a shame you can't join us, Jessica. Having you around would certainly make things easier for me," I said, reaching out to hold Lauren's hand.

"Jess has History this morning, it's in D building. Such a bummer," Lauren explained, shifting closer to me and leaving Jessica across and separate from the two of us. She probably didn't realize how big of an action that was, but Jessica certainly did, judging by the way she tensed and her eyes flickered to Lauren with alarm, though she masked it behind a smile quickly enough.

Jessica's smile was bland. "Don't worry, Maude. We'll see each other at lunch."

"Of course," I chirped. "You should get to class now, since it's on the other side of campus. Lauren, be a sweetheart please, and hold my things for me while I grab my stationary."

Lauren didn't hesitate. "Sure, Maude!" she agreed, letting go of my hand and stepping forward towards the other blonde.

Jessica veritably threw the books in the girl's face, her eyes filled with murder even with the smile still on her glossy lips. Lauren stumbled but held them tight.

The second bell rang, and I raised a brow expectantly, waving her goodbye. "Later, Jess!" I said, and though I was beaming, Jessica could only accept the dismissal.

Jessica adjusted her own textbooks, and even with my own experience, I'd never seen a smile so plastic. She shot a glance of disgust towards Lauren, before flipping her hair and declaring imperiously, "Later."

I'd been getting stared at from the moment the first students had started arriving, curious eyes and whispers following me every step I took, and honestly, it was unsurprising. Most of the teenagers hadn't been in town when I'd gone exploring on the weekend, so it was the first time they'd seen me. I was prepared for this, and I made sure to carry myself in a way that let them know that I was not at all intimidated by their interest in me. Soon enough, it would be the other way round –they would be intimidated by me.

Starting a new school was hard in the way that I had to start from scratch to develop a credible reputation, and with every other Senior looking to do the same thing, it would be harder. I knew teenagers, as much as I liked to distant myself from their stereotypical behaviors. New seniors always wanted to make the best of their last year, looking to carve a memorable place for themselves in the school's history. Jessica, was just one of many of those kinds of students I would have to contend with.

There was just something about the game I just loved; all of us were just beginning our lives, just starting to develop independent thought, discover ourselves and figure things out for ourselves, and yet we thought we were so important, so smart, trying to act like the adults that we very much weren't. Someone like Bella thought she was mature, that she was above these little playground games and wouldn't ever 'lower' herself to our level, but though Forrest said I had a weird sort of separation and scorn for the age of my age mates, I didn't try to delude myself into thinking that I was any better than them. In fact, I was worse.

They didn't really know what they were doing, but I did. As arrogant as it sounded, they were simply going about their lives and following the whims of whatever pleased them at a particular moment. Most people in general, no matter their age, tended to do that.

But me? Maybe it was my general disregard for life, or the fact that I was so mind numbingly bored more than half the time, but it made me take active pleasure in causing chaos, in shaking the table and revealing the bad side of even the kindest person. I couldn't content myself with staying out of the picture and going about my life quietly. I had to be in the mix of things –no. I had to be the mixer. It had landed me in quite a bit of sticky situations, but if you asked Forrest, that was exactly why I did it.

TL;DR: I loved to start shit, and I could admit it.

But regardless of all of this, I had to admit that I hadn't received quite so many stares as when I walked into class, chatting happily with Lauren who trailed in behind me holding my books. Most of the class had already entered, as the third and final warning bell had rang while Lauren and I had been en route, so we were hit with the full weight of the students gazes on our person.

I didn't let it bother me, taking a free spot a row from the front, Lauren in tow.

We hadn't even been sitting five minutes before a jockish white boy grabbed a chair and straddled it, arms on the backrest. He had the American All-Star look, in a grey and red sports jersey with jeans and faded sneakers, all blond hair, blue eyes and a grin bright enough that I was reminded somehow of a golden retriever. Taking a seat on the accompanying desk was another boy, this time black, with hair shaved at the sides, dressed much the same; team jersey, jeans, and sneakers. I gathered they were both on the basketball team.

"So you're the new girl, huh?" he asked, and beside me Lauren rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath, though no doubt it was uncomplimentary.

"It's nice to see another dark face around here. All this mayonnaise was starting to give me indigestion," the black boy behind him said, only to let out a laugh when the blond punched him in the gut.

"What mayonnaise?" Lauren asked, brows furrowed in confusion, and as one Tyler and I snorted, while Mike just rolled his eyes.

"I'm Mike, and the smartass behind me is Tyler," the blond, or well, Mike introduced.

"Maude," I answered, giving Mike a subtle once over. Lauren had mentioned him in passing; he was Jessica's boyfriend, or well, on-and-off boyfriend. Judging the way he was eyeing me, I could only hope that for Jessica's sake, this was an 'off' period for them. But I could see how the two of them could gravitate to being a couple –what with one being (Ex) student body president and the other captain of the Basketball team. It was predictable.

"We all grew up around Bella when she'd come down to spend the summers here, though most times she typically stayed, but if you're Susan Swan's daughter, how come we've never seen you around?" Tyler asked, and I could tell that other people at the surrounding tables were listening.

I shrugged, "My mum hated Forks-"

"-Well that's no secret-"a voice muttered, though I couldn't identify the speaker.

Pursing my lips, I carried on. "…My brother and I never really had any reason to come down here when Uncle Charlie and Bella would just come visit us," I finished.

"You're from Portland, right? I've been a couple times, it's wild," Mike said, smile growing wider. "It must be death for you to be here, huh? It is for us, and we're the natives," he joked, adding a laugh at the end.

Lauren pursed her lips, "God, I can't wait to get out of here," she declared, and Tyler made a noise of agreement.

"One more year, and then freedom!" he exclaimed, and the rest of the class crowed in agreement.

It seemed that Bella wasn't alone in her disdain for her hometown, but honestly, I wasn't even surprised. Forks was just dreary.

"Bella tells me that you guys typically hang out in Port Angeles, right? Meaning it must be interesting there, at least?" I asked.

Lauren made a noncommittal sound, "It's not like, as great as say Seattle, but its loads better than this place. At least you can go shopping," she said, making Tyler scoff.

"Don't listen to cloth-for-brains here, there's more than just boutiques in Port Angeles, though she's right, it's not exactly a 'big city'," he stressed.

Big city or not, if it at least had a population with life, I was more than ready to check it out.

The teacher walked in at that moment, a heavy set white man with a loose tie and a cup of coffee clutched tightly in his hands. He slammed his bag on the teacher's desk and stared at us with bags under his eyes and what I assumed was despair at having to deal with a class of rowdy teenagers. "Alright now, settle down guys so we can get this over with," he sighed.

The rest of the class did as told, albeit with a few grumbles of displeasure, but Mike was still smiling at me. Tilting his head, he said, "If you're interested in going, I can show you around, if you like?"

Seems that it really was an 'off' period for him and Jess.

I gave a hum, neither agreeable nor specifically dissuading. "Maybe. I'll give it a thought," I said with shrug.

He didn't seem disappointed; instead he winked, before turning around to face the board.

Forks High didn't have much going for it, but I could at like this was shaping up to be a lot more interesting than I'd thought.