Luna sighed as she watched the rain pelt the glass window. It's been almost a week since they moved to Forks, and her first day at school would be the next day. On one hand, she was a bit excited to be here, meet new people and explore the nearby beach she and Piper heard about. On the other, she was worried and scared out of her wits. She wished her friends were with her, that she knew at least one person here, that she didn't have to constantly worry about staying away from prying eyes. Sighing, she moved away from the window and took a look around her new room.

The bed was big and white with a duvet of a beachy landscape, decorated with lots of pillows with scales, quotes, and sea life. It laid at the wall nearest to the door among wooden floors and furniture the color of beach sand, and the walls were a turquoise hue reminiscent of the Caribbean. Around the ceiling were lines and lines of fishnet, bedazzled with fairy lights and studded with polaroid photos. A desk stood opposite the bed, the laptop a few months old as it sat with supplies, an old jewelry box, and a starfish lamp. A new shelving unit sat some beach artwork with pieces of memorabilia to the left of the bed, and a nightstand carrying another lamp, a jewelry disk, and a sketchbook sat to the right. To the right of the bedroom door was a dresser bedecked with Luna's cosmetics and hair products as well as a large TV. The window on the left wall had sheer white windows and gave a beautiful view of the ocean. Last but not least, a crescent moon ornament hung from the door.

Luna looked in the mirror beside her closet, straightening the cream knit cardigan over her flowy indigo tank top and black skinny jeans to make sure they looked perfect. Piper taught her from an early age to look presentable in any new place they move to, so she knew what to wear for the chilly weather of their environment. Running a brush through her knotted hair, Luna couldn't help but watch the way her face shifted in her reflection. She had been asked if her locks were a result of hair dye, but no. Her auburn tresses were as natural as the day she was born. Her skin was fair despite any amount of sun she exposed it to. Then again, it burned more often than not. Her eyes were her most confusing feature. Her mother had blue eyes like the sea, while her aunt had green eyes like a rain forest. Luna's eyes, however, were this deep, rich brown - the color of milk chocolate. She asked why her eyes were different from theirs, but all she heard was that she got them from a distant relative.

Leaving her hair down, Luna walked over to her nightstand and picked her locket up from its dish. Caressing the blue-green crystal at the top, the redhead clasped the silver chain around her neck and readjusted the loose waves in her hair. Hearing Piper's call, Luna put her sketchbook and art supplies in her waterproof tie-dye backpack, grabbed her phone and her ankle boots, and made her way downstairs.

"Are we taking the Impala?" Luna asked, putting on her shoes.

Upon arriving in Seattle, Piper ended up at a yard sale and got a white 2002 Chevrolet Impala. It was used since the previous owner only had it for three years before selling it, but the engine and parts were in good condition and showed no signs of breaking down any time soon. Luna knew the moment her aunt saw the car that it was the one. She rarely settled for anything less.

At the stairs, Piper stood dressed in her usual professional manner. "Not exactly. Come outside, I have something to show you."

Luna followed behind her, a bit confused. Her birthday wasn't until March. "Auntie, you know I don't like to be spoiled-"

Her chocolate eyes widened at what was in the driveway.

"You bought a truck?!"

The older woman leaned against the passenger door. "Well, I can't drive you everywhere like I used to when you were younger, so I decided to get you an early birthday present."

Luna couldn't believe it. She was used to her aunt driving her around until they got to Australia, where she started walking to school. Sauntering closer, she ran her pale hand across the silver paint of the 2005 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500, mesmerized by her first car.

"W... Where did you get it?"

Piper didn't hold back the joy on her face at her niece's reaction. "I had been looking for a car for the last few days, considering my route to work strays from yours. When I was driving into town the other day, I came across a car dealership and bought this with you in mind. I had dark-tinted windows installed in case you're about to pop a tail and need a safe place to hide in public. What do you think?" She brought the car key into view, danging the crescent moon-shaped chain she attached it to on her fingers.

Luna took no time in snatching the key chain, smothering Piper in a tight hug. "I love it! Thank you so much. I promise I'll take good care of her!"

The two women laughed wholeheartedly before going to their respective vehicles, waving as they went in separate directions. As she drove down the road, Luna couldn't help but admire the forested areas creating Forks. The greenery reminded her of Ireland, while the current winds of the day were more reminiscent of the chillier times in England. But despite the similarities, there was a sense of calm and unusual warmth to her. It made her think of home and her mother.

Luna's family wasn't normal. They were mermaids. No, not like the ones you see in movies. Luna's mother and aunt were not vicious or animalistic. They were humane, beautiful, and protective. They also didn't kill humans, unless they attempted to kill them first. They used to live in a pod with other merpeople near England, but after Luna was born, the two moved to raise her themselves. For the last seventeen years of her life, she has been hiding from those who would expose her nature to the world, especially after what happened with Dr. Denman. The redhead shivered at the thought of that woman.

Within minutes, Luna found herself approaching the parking lot of Forks High School. Taking note of the groups of people surrounding the various cars in the area, the redhead couldn't help but sigh, remembering that Forks was a small town where everyone knew everyone. Meaning she would be noticed immediately.

Great, she thought. Just what she needed to keep a low profile.

Cursing under her breathe, Luna took a few seconds to calm her anxious nerves before grabbing her things and exiting the vehicle. She paid no mind to the stares as she shut the door, sending a quick text to Piper telling her she made it to school safely. Shoving her phone in her pocket, Luna glanced at a few onlookers as she made her way across the parking lot.

She made a face when she heard a wolf whistle. "Nice truck!"

Turning to a guy with a big white van, she gave him an innocent smile. "Nice van, is that where you're keeping the kids?"

She barely hid her smirk as the guy's friends howled in laughter at his embarrassed face. As she found her way to the stairs leading to the main building, her eyes wandered to an approaching truck. It was a brick-red and looked older than Piper, the sounds making it seem like it was on its last wheels. Luna prayed the owner was safe driving it as she found herself in the front office and got her slip and map of the school.

As she stared at the map, Luna couldn't help her nerves as she struggled to get past the groups of students next to her. She probably looked like an idiot. Just when she was about to go look for a teacher to help her, an Asian boy with long black hair framing his face came over. "Hi, you must be the new girl. Luna Taylor, right?" Luna nodded, blushing from being caught like a deer in the highlights. The boy laughed at the redhead's reaction. "I'm Eric, the eyes and ears of this place. If you need anything, a tour guide, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, I'm your guy."

The hybrid smiled at his friendliness, trying to stay as calm as she could as Eric led her down the hall and to her first class, which was art. The teacher was amazed by Luna's knowledge of artistic techniques and styles, so she knew she would pass that class with flying colors. Her next class was gym, where the girls were playing volleyball. This concerned her because her telekinesis had a habit of getting a little crazy when her opponents got too serious and mean. Luna could vaguely hear a female asking the coach if she could sit out, but she didn't pay much attention.

When the ball came right at Luna, she acted out of reflex, using all of her strength to swat it away from her. Unfortunately, it went out of bounds and hit a blonde-haired boy in the head.

"Shit!" Luna gasped, racing over to the guy who was holding a basketball. "I am so sorry! Are you okay?" The blonde looked like he was about cuss Luna out when he got a good look at her, at which point he gave her a cheesy grin. "It's no problem. I'm Mike Newton, you're Lulu Taylor, right?"

Luna gave him the stink face. "It's Luna." How hard is it to remember a girl's name? Mike was undeterred, though. "A unique girl for a unique girl." She tried not to scowl. He was like an American version of Nate. Always stuck to anyone with a pretty face.

Just when Mike was about to start flirting with Luna, a preppy brunette with blue eyes ran over with a laugh. "That was some spike, huh? Better than what Bella did last year." Luna could barely catch a pale figure flinch at the loud comment before turning her attention back to Mike and the girl.

"I'm Jessica Stanley. You moved here from Australia, right? Sydney or Melbourne?" The brunette questioned. Luna could sense that this girl was a gossip and only faked her friendliness, eager to get more popularity and attention. Miriam and Tiffany were just like that.

"The Gold Coast. Rain is pretty scarce there," Luna claimed. She would play this girl's game, but she would never reveal her deepest secrets.

"Then aren't the people there supposed to get a lot of sun? Or an accent?" Jessica asked. Luna raised an eyebrow at the jabs. Was she serious?

"I only lived there for a few years. I guess you wouldn't either if you traveled a lot." Jessica looked taken aback before joining Mike in a laugh.

"So have you made any friends yet?" Mike asked. His eager blue eyes made Luna stiffen.

Since the plane ride, the redhead has been having these strange dreams of mysterious, beautiful people with golden eyes. She never got a full view of their faces, just little pieces that she would sketch and attempt to put together in a puzzle. She already completed a few - a blonde supermodel, a pixie, and a brooding teen. Some had shadows beneath the eyes, but their eyes were always this bright, rich gold that she worked hard to create the perfect shade of yellow for.

Luna felt a slight smile on her lips as she thought of her art. She didn't understand why she was having these dreams, but looking at them made her warm inside. It was like she knew them. But how?

"Luna?" Jessica snapped her fingers in Luna's face, expecting an answer immediately. The new girl blinked back to the present.

"We should get back to class before the coach goes off on us," Luna reminded. She wanted to get out of this conversation before they pushed further.

Jessica spoke up. "Hey, do you want to join us for lunch?"

Luna ignored Mike's face as she gave the brunette a nod before returning to the volleyball court, briefly watching how Jess stared after Mike.

Looks like someone's got a crush.

When lunchtime came, Luna felt more relaxed when she saw Eric sitting with Jessica, Mike, and one other girl at the same table. The hybrid smiled at the group before grabbing a parfait and a water bottle, confident that she knew at least one nice person. As Luna approached the table, a bright flash blinded her. A dark-haired girl with pink glasses came into view as she struggled to sit down.

"Sorry! I needed a photo for the newest feature. The last one died," the girl sent a mean look to Eric. "The features were gone, Angela. You gotta move on."

Mike sat down next to Luna, placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "It's okay, Lulu. I got you, girl." She recoiled at her new nickname. Luna was about to retort when she felt someone's hand on the back of her chair.

"My girl." One of the guys from earlier this morning, Tyler, pecked Luna on the cheek. Luna tried to bite back her disgust, only to stifle a laugh as the teen ripped Mike's chair from underneath him. The blonde got up and chased after him, nearly knocking another female student over in the process.

"Looks like your the new chew toy," Jessica murmured. Luna glared at the girl's petty jealousy, not understanding why she had to make a big deal of something so stupid.

As the fluorescent light in the cafeteria beamed over the table, a glint reflected off of the locket around Luna's neck. Angela, noticing, gave her a thoughtful smile and pointed. "That's really pretty."

Jessica looked in Angela's direction and focused on the jewelry. "Where'd you get it?"

Luna reached up to touch the pendant. "It was my grandmother's. My mother wore it for a time until she eventually gave it to me."

Jessica raised a brow. "Seems kinda ancient."

"It's also part of a one-of-a-kind set. It means a whole lot more to me than some gaudy diamond," Luna retorted.

Jessica cut her eyes at the beautiful necklace before a creepy smile stretched across her face. "Does it have anything inside?"

"Just a swatch of fabric infused with my grandmother's perfume. Nothing special," Luna lied with a shrug.

Jessica sneered a bit and grumbled something under her breath, earning a nudge from Angela. Shaking her head, the redhead turned back to the female she almost ran into. Luna tilted her head a bit as she tried to compose herself and stumbled over to the table. The girl was a fairly pretty brunette, hair long and straight as a ruler. Her dark eyes looked bleak, her pale skin defining a wide forehead and prominent cheekbones. Her body was slender and stood close to average height, but didn't look very athletic and dressed most simply. As the brunette placed herself in Mike's seat, she did a double-take at the redhead beside her.

"Who are you?"

Luna couldn't help but frown at the tone the brunette used. What's up her ass?

Luckily, Angela came to the hybrid's rescue. "Luna, this is Bella Swan. Bella, this is the new girl in our grade, Luna Taylor."

Luna smiled at Bella, trying to act calm and mature as her emotions rampaged from what happened before. But, instead of acting like the eighteen-year-old adult she was, Bella frowned and turned away, deciding her food was more important than being nice. Angela sighed. "Don't take it personally. She's been in a bad mood since her birthday last week."

Luna nodded, watching questionably as Bella flinched like she was reliving a bad memory. It was at that point that Angela decided to lighten the mood. "So, Luna, Jess said that you moved here from Australia?"

Luna shrugged. "I was born here, but I moved to Hawaii when I was a baby. My mom and I then went to England, Ireland, and a few other places until I turned fifteen. It was my mom's job that brought us to the Gold Coast, which is when we stayed until we were forced to relocate again."

Jessica furrowed her brows. "Didn't you ever get tired of moving?"

"Not always. I mean, you can't help it when it's your job or if you aren't in a good environment. I love my mom, and I know she only wants what's best for me. She's all I have."

"What about your father?" Jessica internally smirked. She wanted juicy details.

Luna glowered at the preppy teen. "I never knew my father. He died before I was born, as did my mother when I was seven. Any more questions?"

Jessica furrowed her brows. "Wait, aren't your mother and your mom the same person?"

Luna sighed. "My mother is my biological mother, but my mom is really my aunt. I call her mom because she's the only other maternal figure I know. She helped raise me, so it feels only right to call her that."

Luna hated lying, especially about her family, but it was better than telling the little gossip that she didn't know anything about her father aside from the fact that he was a human. She didn't want pity from someone as fake as Jessica. Plus, it was fun to see the girl shrink at both her and Angela's glares. As Angela began to give her condolences to the redhead, her acute hearing brought her attention to a pair of glass doors leading outside. As she turned to see who had arrived, Luna nearly stopped breathing.