It's okay, nobody's staring at you. Fumbling the little dial on my locker, I repeated my mantra over and over, trying to convince myself that I blended in perfectly fine. Blended in with the kids who had known each other since birth. The kids who's parents had been born here, who's grandparents had known each other as toddlers.

But right now, I just needed to focus on making it to English class without making myself too big of a spectacle. Unfortunately, I don't think my feet ever got that message. I ran smack into a tiny girl with curly red hair and managed to fall flat on my butt with my books scattered all over the place. The girl gave a little squeak, then came the "Oh my god I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I noticed she had a kinda cute Southern accent. She reached down and gave me a hand up, which I accepted with gratitude.

"No, it's not your fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. Um, I'm Iris."

She smiled. "Yeah, the 'new girl.'"

Laughing, I replied, "That's me."

"I'm Cassie. Nice to meet you. Well... are you headed to English?"

"Yeah, you too?"

She nodded, her curly hair bouncing enthusiastically. "You can walk with me, if you'd like."

I was so relieved I thought I would melt. "Sure!"

And that was when I met my very first friend in Forks.

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"And you had to leave a nice warm beach to come live in this icebox? Well that's just crazy."

Cassie and I had bonded very quickly, as she and her bubbly personality were happy to chat all day long, and I was just glad to have a friend. Turns out that she and I not only had English together, but also Art and our Lunch period.

Right now we had just gotten out of school and were walking towards the parking lot.

"Yeah. I miss it a lot."

She shrugged sympathetically. "I would too."

By then I'd reached my car. [It had been an "early birthday present" from Dad. He found it really cheap in a used car lot, incredibly beat up, but still running. But really, he and I both knew that it was more of a "sorry I made you move here" present than anything else.]

"Alright Cassie, I have to go. But I'll see you tommorrow, 'kay?"

"Okey-dokey!" she replied cheerfully.

I laughed, climbing into the driver's seat.

On my way home my phone began to ring loudly.

Wave goodbye, wish me well, you gotta let me go. Are we-

"Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart, it's your Daddy. Listen, I'm going to be running a little late from work tonight. Do you mind fixing up dinner for you and your brother? Oh, and make sure he's in bed by nine."

I sighed. "Sure Dad. Love you."

"Love you to baby. Bye."

I shook my head. I'd hoped that when we moved to Forks my Dad might be able to quit the late night shifts, but I guess I might have been wrong.

He's just getting settled in, I told myself. Everything will be normal soon.

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