Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of the immensely talented Stephenie Meyer.

= x = x = x = x = x = x =

As soon as I was allowed to leave my parents I went to have a shower. There was nothing romantic about spending the night on the beach. Sand had worked itself into so many places that it made me shudder to think what it would have been like if Harry and me had actually been up to anything.

So I had my shower and dressed in shorts and T-shirt, my normal summer garb. I ran the brush through my hair but didn't bother to dry it. I mean what's the point, it's not like I can go anywhere I was confined to the house. So I fell back onto my bed and sprawled across it haphazardly I stared up at my sealing miserably.

The next few weeks were gonna drag and what made it worse was that my friends would be punished along with me. They should go have fun, but they wouldn't, they'd all cram into my little house where we'd all get in one another's way while also being under Renesmee's feet. It was all going to end badly.

There was a distant rumble of thunder somewhere out over the bay. I sighed registering this fact with less enthusiasm than I would have otherwise done. The storm was finally rolling in that would clear the air of all its humidity and I was stuck in the warm house anyway. It was so unfair.

Soon my mind began to wander to my parents revelation, I was going to Forks High, how did that really make me feel?

Well pretty darn peeved if I was honest, but I also couldn't stop the seed of excitement that was starting to germinate inside me. It was my ticket off the Res every day, and an official one too. I got to see the town up close, I rarely got to go there, what with my keeping a low profile. I'd get to nose around the buildings where my tale began, I'd always wanted to do that and now I had a good excuse, I was meant to be there.

With these thoughts in mind it didn't seem that bad at all.

So I lay on my bed all morning musing over this new acceptance and imagining different scenarios that would occur that first day there. Some of them were just plain stupid while others were a little more reasonable.

It was around half eleven when the twins showed up. They entered my room and I sat up so we all had some space to sit on the bed. The twins sat down and the sympathetic look on Sammy's face told me that they knew I was in for a long time.

"What d'you do this time?" Susie asked, leaning her back against the sidewall.

I sighed and told them everything. Absolutely everything, even about the piano, I just couldn't stop my tongue. I even told them about the dream with the crazy split screen, to which they assured me that it was nothing to worry about, just me being paranoid. They were horrified when they heard about Holly hunting me and they vowed that if they ever saw her when they were able to phase then she'd never have to worry about her cravings again.

I laughed along with this, but truly I was worried for I was sure Holly was quite capable of handling two wolves on her own. She had hunted the Children of the Moon after all, she knew how to fight werewolves, even ones who knew what they were doing. I didn't want my friends put at risk like that, especially little Sammy.

Then I told them about Harry coming to my room, how he felt ashamed and everything that was said at the beach, they agreed this was the most sensible course of action. Susie made a quip about who was I, and what had I done with the real Essie Black, to which we all three laughed. Finally I got to the end where Jake had found me on the beach this morning.

"And because of all that I'm house bound for the rest of the summer." I said with a sigh.

"Bad." Susie observed.

"Maybe the weather will stay this bad and at least it'll be as if you weren't grounded then." Sammy said brightly.

Good old Sammy, always the enthusiast. I thought bitterly as the rain pounded outside, washing down the window like a river. It was definitely making up for the recent dry spell. Ok so it had been overcast and stuffy, but that counts as dry here, believe me.

"At least they can't stop you going to school." Susie pointed out.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." I replied darkly.

"Huh?"

"Iwon'tbegoingbacktoschoolwithyouguys." I said in a rush, hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.

The twins looked at me in incomprehension.

I heaved a sigh and then repeated in a slower voice, ok, a normal paced voice, "I won't be going back to school with you guys."

"What?" Susie gasped. "So you're gonna home school?"

"No." I said, shaking my head. "I'm going to Forks High."

"Why?" Sammy asked, a frown creasing her normally smooth forehead.

"Because it was one of those 'Do the honourable thing old chap' lock you in a room with a pistol and a single bullet, type things." I said.

They looked even more confused, I was being too vague.

"Basically Pikey told my parents that they transfer me or I'd be expelled." I explained.

"She can't do that!" Sammy exclaimed.

Oh bless her, she always had my back.

"But she can. All the teachers have complained about us, but what they decided was that the main culprit is me so if I'm not there the rest of you will behave." I explained.

"Fat chance." Susie said, folding her arms and looking smug.

I felt dismayed at the notion that my influence could extend beyond my physical presence.

"No. No." I gasped. "You have to behave. I have to because otherwise I'm going to boarding school. I think part of that is linked to you lot behaving as well. Honestly the grown ups think I own you or something." And I snorted at this ridiculous concept.

"Well you don't own us." Susie conceded.

"But you are our leader." Sammy added. "Everyone knows you'll be Alpha one day."

"No I won't!" I snapped and shot to my feet, wobbling slightly as the mattress moved beneath me.

The twins were looking at me in shock, and I didn't really blame them, I had shocked myself with my outburst. I calmed my breathing before dropping back onto the bed, folding my legs Indian fashion in front of me. I placed my face in my hands my cheeks burning with my embarrassment.

"Essie, you ok." Sammy asked timidly, and I felt her touch my arm lightly.

I drew in another deep breath and when I thought I could pull off a convincing smile I lifted my head.

"Sure, sure." I said cheerfully, probably not fooling anyone.

"Why do you always get upset over the future?" Sammy asked.

I shrugged.

"Because." I replied.

"Because?" Sammy persisted.

"Just because." I murmured, looking away.

"But…" Sammy began but cut off.

It didn't escape my notice that Susie had nudged Sammy in the arm and shook her head ferociously when Sammy turned to her. It didn't escape my notice, but I chose to ignore it. If there was one good thing about Susie, she knew when you didn't feel like talking and reigned in Sammy when the latter was being overly concerned for you.

"So, you play the piano then." Susie said after a moment of silence.

I laughed and looked back up. "I sure do."

"And you never thought to mention this?" She demanded, but there was a clear hint of joking on the edges of her words.

"Didn't think it was important." I said off hand.

"Not important!" Susie exclaimed. "We know the trivial details about you but you don't tell us you can play piano." She demanded in mock horror.

"Ok. I'm a bad person, so bite me?" I said holding up my hands in surrender.

We all chuckled, but it was only to relieve tension, nothing exactly funny had been said.

"Do you think you'll like it in Forks High?" Sammy asked timidly.

I shrugged, "Actually it's not all bad. The bright side is that I get to nose around the school. I've always wanted to do that. See all the places Bella and Edward used to hang out."

"I didn't think of that." Sammy said with a smile.

"And there's all those dances." Susie added with a grin. "You can go officially now. See what the town folks get up to when they let their hair down."

"Yeah. But it'll probably suck big time though." I said downcast.

"Why's that?" Susie asked cocking her head.

"Cause my sisters won't be there." I said with a smile. "Can't have fun without my girls there." I added, grabbing one in each arm and hugging them.

They hugged me back laughing.

"Hey what about your boy?" Harry asked from the doorway.

"Like we'd be able to leave you out." I said cheerfully. "We'd need you as security, you know to keep all those boys back."

"Not all the boys though." Sammy chipped in.

"No, we'll want some of the boys to get through." Susie conceded. "Just for the fun of it."

Harry grunted a reply before flopping down onto the foot of my bed, lying across the entire width while he propped himself up on his elbow.

"Watch it." Sammy complained, pulling her feet out of the way just in time.

I winced at the alarming groan my wooden bed frame gave under our combined weights. Harry jumping on it didn't help matters any, but I let it go without complaint, my mood was too good at the moment for me to willingly bring it down again.

"So what's with the love-in?" Harry asked, picking at my woven blanket.

"We were trying to find the bright side to Essie having to change schools." Susie informed him dryly.

His hand stopped and his head snapped up.

"You're changing schools?" He demanded. "Why?"

"Do you think I chose this?" I asked incredulous.

He shrugged.

"Well. I got to go. I got no choice." I retorted.

God, seriously, what was his problem?

"Pikey was threatening to expel her." Sammy supplied.

"She was? That bitch!" He growled, then a mischievous glint came into his eye. "Hey, why don't we go TP her house?"

"Gee, that would be awesome." I sang. "Where's your brain Harry, it's exactly what she'll be expecting from me. From us." I corrected. "It'll get at her more if I act all mature about it, besides if we do something like that she'll retaliate by punishing you three since she can't get to me anymore. Do you really want to spend your first weeks back in detention?"

"I guess not." Harry conceded grudgingly.

"So, I guess Susie'll be the brains when I'm gone then." I joked.

"Hey, I thought I was the brains anyway." Susie said in mock anger.

She smirked and we all fell about laughing.

"Hey, you kids hungry?" Nessie asked, sticking her head around the door.

We all looked at each other in deliberation, then nodded in agreement.

"Good, there's some food on the table for you all." She informed us before leaving the doorway.

We rose one by one from the bed and made our way to the small kitchen table that was laden with food.

After lunch we took over the front room laughing at Harry squirm as we forced him to watch a really cheesy chick flick. Although he was fighting back the tears by the end, trying to be all macho while the twins and me were halfway through a box of tissues. Honestly, what was so difficult about letting your emotions show once in a while? A good cry was good for the soul.

When Jake came back we returned to my room, my bed groaning once more, honestly I didn't know if it would take our weights much longer, especially with Harry, and me I suppose, going through our growth spurts.

We spent the evening talking nonsense, until finally it was getting dark and since I was still being punished Nessie ushered my friends out the door. After my friends had left we ate our evening meal under a heavy cloud of silence. Neither Jake nor Renesmee tried to start a conversation with me and I couldn't decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Finally it was time for bed, so I changed into some pyjamas and slid under my covers, the storm had washed the heat out of the air so I could stand the covers on me, but inside I still felt hot. I wouldn't worry about it tonight though, I would push it from my mind and try to sleep.

I lay back and closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift.

= x = x = x = x = x = x =

Thank you for reading, please review,

Gemma x