kay, i guess you could call this chapter a bit of a filler, but i promise things do get intresting towards the end, and i think i've writen more for this chapther than the rest. and like always, credit for both the twilight and Uglies goes to sm and sw. enjoy!


This is running smoothly, I'm next for my picture, if only this line would pick up. I sighed and Nessie giggled at my frustration, one of the many traits that I didn't receive from mom. The person standing in front of me whirled around and might have scared the life out of me had I been completely human. I was about to break a retort about their carelessness when I took in his familiar blond hair. "Julian," I gasped quietly. Reneesme looked shocked that I knew him before she did, but she didn't say a thing. "i didn't think we'd run into each other this soon. How's your day going angel?" he replied with a smile, oblivious to the daggers my sister was practically visually throwing at me. "good, I mean I haven't ran into any walls so far. I think i'm adjusting," I said with a smile of my own.

Simultaneously we both started laughing and ended with perfect synchronization. It was weird, almost as if we knew exactly like we were meant for each other. Internally I shook my head at how cheesy it sounded, and even Jake would have said the same thing, which for the record makes it even worst. "so..." Reneesme said making her presence known to us. We looked and blushed like two kids caught trying to fake being sick, and even in my family that one wouldn't work, much. "um..Nessie, I mean, Reneesme, this is Julian. Julian, my sister Reneesme." I say awkwardly. Julian gave her a pleasant smile, not like the one he gave me, but a pleasant one none the less. "nice meeting you. I'm sure you two must be very close." he said kindly.

Oh if only you knew the half of it...A small bump hit the corner recesses of my brain and then Nessie's voice became more distinct. Hey, I'm still here you know... and had I not known our abilities of communication, one of these moments for instance, I probably wouldn't have been able to cope with, and what I mean is having your sister in your head for like 24/7 isn't very appealing. But some how, when we were little, we found out that we could do this and we still haven't told anyone about it. And even if we had we didn't know what to call it until we read the Uglies series, so the nickname "Skintenna" stayed and ever since then that's what we've thought of it as, minus the unbubbly side affects. So in some essence, it works perfectly when were trying to get a hold of each other and both of our cell phones are dead.

"next!"some one called from up ahead. "looks like thats me angel"Julian said leaving with a smile. Before he left I managed to ask him "so want to meet up for lunch?" I asked hesitantly. He nodded and went on his way for his photo. Explain before I start looking for explanations... Nessiethought to me dramatically. Relax, 'kay? I mean, it's not like I'm going out with him or anything, so chill. i replied as best I could. Her tense expression had relaxed a little and after wards I was called up next. I walked up looking at her making sure she would be fine.

As I started heading back to class I started feeling lightheaded as I thought over what I had asked him. Was it too much to ask for a first impression? Or was it just right? He seemed fine about it, if not a little happy to eat with me. But after seeing Nessie's expression I felt bad, because knowing her, she'd rather eat by herself and give me privacy than stick it out with an awkward conversation. Before I fully passed my sister, I hugged her tightly and said "thanks". She gave me a look that warned me that she was starting to turn purple and that if I didn't loosen up that I was going to kill her, and then she'd come back to haunt me and killed me herself. I still took my chances but eased my grip a little and took precaution just in case. A little while later I was back in my desk next to Gina, talking about world history and the causes of WWI.

The periods came and went, lunch approached too soon, and I was left with a question that was beginning to bug me. I went to the girls room to freshen up after gym finding that I was one of the unlucky ones that didn't have a walking day, but it didn't matter. PE was a piece of cake, at least as a half- vamp, it was. Running, stretches, and tennis, it was practically a joke. As a full human it would have been difficult, but I didn't have to worry, and as for the exercises I did a half-walk half-jog so I could at least put on some act for the human world. I went to the mirrors along the sinks and removed the contact lenses and put them into their case, and then went to worked on my make up. The door opened and a few other girls walked in.

they started putting on some lip gloss and checked their coverup when one of them gasped. "oh my god! Are those contacts?" a brunette exclaims as she stared at my lavender eyes. I sigh as the other two noticed and in almost in the same manner ask the same thing. "yes, family traits just don't seem to like me so yeah," I answer back loud enough for them to hear. "nuhh-ah, your lying!" one of them with blond hair said with disbelief. "now why would I lie?" I ask myself quietly that they don't hear. Instead I tell them, "believe what you want, but i'm out of here." and I walk out heading for the cafeteria.

As soon as I walk in I see Julian sitting across the room at an empty table. I also see a group of kids at another table and most of the girl population starring at him intently. I walk over to him with a full tray of food and assortments and sit down. He looks up and take in my eyes and I know what he's about to ask as he purses his lips. I answer before its out, "no they're real. And they dont bug you do they?" I ask him. He shakes his head and replies "no they don't, but I was going to say that it suits you." I look at him for a long moment and ask "what's that suppose to mean?" not harshly but enough so that he'll tell me. He smiles when I realized what he meant. My cheeks blush scarlet and my ears slowly begin to heat up.

"so..." I begin nonchalantly, looking down at my food. "what grade are you in?" I ask, trying to sound cassual. "eleventh, and yourself?" he askes. I feel his eyes on me as I reply, "same. Who do you have next?" I look up at him. He smiles and I feel as though his eyes sparkle. "mr. jackson for trig." he simply responds. And then some one slams their hand down on our table causing me to jump in surprise. "okay, now could some one just shoot me already?" it would be my pleasure...I think to my self as they continue talking. "I've had enough Julian. why are you even over here? I mean, why aren't you sitting with us, huh?" a girl asks looking up at her to see who she was and was quite elated to find that it was the same one who said I was lying about my eyes.

She pauses and finally looks down at me full in the eyes. Her voice drops with disappointment as she takes in our scenery and says, "oh it's you again..." I feel my eyebrow begin to raise as she looks at Julian and says to him only, "we'll save your seat if you still decide to sit with us." and walks back to that one table that kept a close watch on him since the beginning of lunch. Julian shakes his head in annoyance. I ask "what in the devil's name was that about?" it was very unusual and it bothered me that she had the courage to come over her and... I tried shaking it off. "i dont know, but Miranda really needs to wake up, smell the coffee and realize that the world doesn't revolve around her." I caught the barest hint of anger in his eyes that slowly began to fade. Instead I started switching gears and asked "so how long have you been here in forks?"

his mind settles to a different place and I see him star to relax. "I'd say a good year, maybe two at most." he starts thinking again. "are you new to the area or just the school?" he probes. I give full thought to my answer before responding. "I've been here all my life, but my parents had me home-schooled mostly. In the beginning I think I was okay with it, but as I grew older I notice how lonely it was and well, I didn't want it any more." I frowns slightly as if he understood. "its all fun when you get to stay up as long as you want, but also very solitary." he mummers quietly. I nod and soon the bell rings.

We both get up sighing and I begin pulling out a crumpled piece of paper that had once been my schedule. "you know, I don't think I ever got your name." Julian says as he puts my tray away for me. "i think of my name as bit of an understatement," I tell him truthfully. He laughs saying "it cant be too bad."i then say "considering how I usually argue with Nessie and her boyfriend its a wonder why my parents chose the name 'Serenity'."this makes even me smile and finally it comes to the point that we had to go before we were both late.