After school, Winslow dragged me from our last class which we thankfully had together, for I wasn't sure how I was going to find him after school. He led me outside without a word and on to the bus that would take us to LaPush. Cat-calls came from all his friends but he ignored them and grabbing my hand, pulled me to the back and pushing me down on to the very last seat. After lunch, he had been acting the same as before so I had thought I had imagined his displeasure in the cafeteria. Apparently, I had been wrong. He pushed me over against the window and then sat down himself. Surprisingly all the rest of the passengers had squeezed to the front of the bus leaving three empty rows between us and them. It was almost as if Winslow had told them to get lost but I hadn't seen him say a word to any of them.

Winslow turned to me, his eyes angry.

"What's gong on with you and that kid." I just stared at him. My anger began to take hold but I held it back.

"If you mean Toby, he has a name Winslow." He merely grunted at my response. "Look," I said turning towards him. "I'm grateful that you stood up for me and help me and everything, but we're not actually dating right? So there is no need for you to get all jealous and-" I was cut off by his sarcastic laughter.

"Jealous? Please, I would never be jealous of that half breed." He seemed to freeze, realizing what he had said and looked away.

"Winslow! I'm surprised! That's the most racist thing I've ever heard!" I smacked his arm to get the point across but he just laughed the sarcastic laugh again.

"It's not racist, it's a fact of life for one who's cursed. Let's not get into it now." He finished quickly as he watched my expression shift. "I just want you to be careful around him, got it?" He stared deep into my eyes as if to drive home his statement. Then without warning, his blinding smile returned and he quickly leaned in and kissed me, full on the mouth in front of everyone. I pulled back and gasped, erecting shrieks and laughter from everyone else on the bus. Winslow just laughed, only this time it was a real laugh, a booming, happy chuckle. I couldn't help but smile. His happiness was contagious for me. For some reason I thought of his father and this contagious happiness and became sad. It made no sense but I couldn't shake the feeling. By the time we reached the Black's family Garage I was in a foul mood. Winslow had noticed and was being overly silly to compensate but it was doing nothing for me. I could feel him begin to fade into a melancholy too, thinking it was his fault and that made me feel like ever more of a jerk.

We walked in and Winslow led me over to his father. When we reached him, I felt look me over intently and I knew it was so he could distinguish me from whoever it was that he was confusing me with.

"Well Scarlett, your father explained the situation to me and offered your services saying you are a fantastic worker. I must admit it was a wonderful treat to see Mike Newton apologise so profusely to me." He chuckled to him self and smiled and I could instantly see where Winslow's optimism and happiness came from. With that he set me right to work. My dad had told him how I had worked in an auto body shop before we moved, so he put me to task, having me do odd but simple jobs on cars that would take a long amount of time. It was irritating and sometimes frustrating work but I loved it. I thought that barely a half an hour had past when Jacob came to tell me it was seven and my dad was here to pick me up.

The drive home was a quiet one. I found out why when I arrived. Stacy had blabbed about Winslow's brilliant plan. My mom was furious. She forbid me from dating him and I agreed. I said that I had just gotten caught up and that I had been lonely and he had been there. This seemed to please her and when Stacy told her that some nice, non-LaPush boys had asked us out on Friday, she readily agreed to let us go. I thought she did it just so I would get Winslow off my mind and this made me think. I was quiet for the rest of the night, and went to bed with man questions in my head, most about my parents' strange prejudice but the one at the fore front was about the woman who looked like me, the one named Bella.

The rest of the week went by in a blur. Winslow remained at my side but after I told him about my parents being angry, stopped touching and kissing me. Stacy seemed to some how spread around that I was no longer with Winslow and many of the La Push kids glared at me hatefully when Winslow's back was turned. Yet when he was around, I was their best friend. How fickle teenagers are, I thought. My dear sister also spread around the story of our upcoming "date" as she called it with the cursed trio. Everyone except the LaPush students was buzzing about it like crazy. I thought it was strange how the natives clung on to their legends, especially when they were about such things as werewolves, vampires and fallen angels. Winslow seemed unhappy about it but said nothing. Daniel approached me at lunch on Wednesday and said he would pick Stacy and I up at the Outdoor Equipment Store at 6 on Friday night. I said thanks and he nodded and left and it was the last I saw of him or Andy and Toby for the rest of the week.

The best part of the week had to be Thursday after school. Jacob had given me permission to skip work on Friday. Apparently he was as happy as my parents were that Winslow and I were no longer "together".

"Scarlett," He began, as I pulled myself out from under a car. He laughed at the smudge of grease I felt on my cheek but quickly pulled himself together. "I'm going to let you work on some of the bigger projects next week. You proved to be a fantastic worker." His praise rained over me and filled me up with joy.

"Thank you so much Mr. Black!" I gushed. He smiled softly.

"Please, call me Jacob." I nodded. His eyes began to swim before he softly whispered,

"You are so like her." He quickly shook his head and took off, but I caught Winslow staring off at us, confused. I simply shook it off and got back to work.

Friday came to fast and it was six before I could count to five. Stacy dressed me, dark blue jeans with a crimson red halter to set off my skin colour. She wanted to pin up my hair but I made her leave it down and leave my face make-up less. She shrugged her shoulders and mumbled something about how I must not want a second date, before rushing off to do her own make up. Before we knew it, the boys were here and off we went.