About three things, I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a werewolf. Second, there was a part of him that couldn't control the rage dwelling within himself. Third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

I tossed and turned in my unfamiliar bed, my head was spinning with anxiety of what tomorrow would bring. It had been a long flight from Arizona, I'd hoped that I would easily have fallen asleep once I arrived at La Push. But that had been wishful thinking.

The seaside community of La Push is home to the Quileute tribe, the people were hard working and cherished traditions above everything else. It made the prospect of me fitting in that much harder. Although this was part of Charlie's heritage, I hadn't spent much time here growing up. My parents had divorced while I was too young to remember. I've mostly been living with my mother, Rene.

La Push is known for surfing, whale watching and beautiful rainforests you could easily get lost Pacific beaches and forested trails. Nothing even remotely close to what I experienced back in Arizona. The world I knew was city streets, intense heat and the constant noise of people, moving fast. Cars flying down the interstate, crowds of people lining the sidewalks, the smell of street vendors, selling delicious hot meals. It was so quiet here, everything moved much slower. And everything was just so… green.

I'd be starting high school at the Quileute Tribal school tomorrow, needless to say I was terrified. Charlie mentioned it was a pretty small school, only about eighty kids were enrolled there, all ranging from kindergartener to seniors. It was the only school in La Push, so it wasn't like I had much of a choice in this situation. I knew I'd stand out, with my pale skin. I just hoped I could make it through tomorrow with some shred of dignity. Charlie truly did look like he belonged here, this was the area he was born and raised in. He had the beautiful sun-kissed tan and dark hair. But, I looked more like my mother. Fair skinned, with light mahogany hair. I was utterly plain to look at. Not even fortunate enough to have interesting eye color. It may be the only characteristic I got from Charlie. We shared the same, dull brown eyes.

Turning again on my side, I stared pointedly out the window, narrowing my eyes at the rain hitting against the glass. It made a very distracting sound, almost headache inducing. The moon was shining brightly in the night sky, illuminating some details of the forested area around Charlie's house. Out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw something darting through the woods. Something huge, but it was too fast. I couldn't be sure if my mind was playing tricks on me.

I rubbed at my eyes, before glancing over to the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand, next to the bed. Four in the morning. Ugh. If I want any chance of getting some sleep, I need to do something. Luckily Rene had packed a little bottle of Melatonin, a sleep aid. She mentioned that the rain often kept her awake at night.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I sighed heavily. It was a bit of a walk to the bathroom. The entire upstairs of this cabin was pretty big. It was nice and spacious. Charlie built it with his own hands. I just wished the spare bathroom would have been a little closer to my room.

The old wooden floors left out quiet creaks under my feet, the entire walk over. I tried to not make too much noise. Charlie was just sleeping down the hall. I flipped the light on and searched through my little travel bag I had left in here. I took a mouthful of water down with the little pill.

That should do the trick.

After that, sleep came almost instantly. I curled myself in a ball against the soft mattress and just buried myself in blankets. My hope was to drown out the sounds of the rain. It must have worked. Finally I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Morning came too quickly, my alarm went out in a frenzy of beeping. The noise startled me. Subconsciously I jerked upright into a seated position. The sudden movement made my head spin for a second. I turned my head to the window, half hoping to see the sunlight sweeping through the glass. But of course it wasn't. The sky was gray with clouds and the rain continued. I groaned, giving my alarm a sharp tap to stop the annoying noise. Seven o'clock. I hadn't gotten much sleep. My eyes burned. I still felt exhausted. I almost laid back down, to try and get a little more sleep, but I could hear Charlie stirring in the kitchen.

He wanted to make sure he was around to see me off, for my first day of school. It was kind. My heart squeezed in my chest uncomfortably. Displays of emotion was something Charlie and I both were a little awkward with. Words were impossible at times, but actions came a little easier.

I drug myself groggily out of bed and got ready for my day. Shower, brush through my hair, dress rationally for the rainy day, brush my teeth. I wished for a moment that I was the kind of girl that could do makeup. The dark circles under my eyes weren't a pleasant sight. Especially not for my first day. But I pushed that aside for the time being. This was as good as it was going to get. I took a few shaky breaths as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Just get through today. The rest will become easier, with time.

Charlie was waiting for me at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in front of him and a cup of coffee. The smell of coffee was a bit comforting, it reminded me of early mornings with Rene. We always had a little morning chat over a cup of coffee. He peeked at me from over his newspaper, clearing his throat. "How did you sleep Bells?"

"Great," I lied, avoiding eye contact with him as I poured myself a bowl of cereal as well. It wasn't my favorite cereal, but I couldn't complain. It helped me procrastinate a bit longer, before I had to drive into school. "How about you?"

"I slept like a log, as usual. I was a bit worried the rain would keep you up all night. It was something Rene struggled with a lot." He admitted, his eyes scanned over my face. It wasn't hard for him to notice the bags under my eyes. But he didn't comment on them. His brows pulled together, not happy.

"It's a bit to get used to, but I'll be fine." I said, sitting down at the table to take a couple spoonfuls of cereal. It wasn't too bad of a taste, but it did have a bit of a stale flavor. Charlie wasn't much of a shopper. Most of the cabinets were empty, and the fridge looked no better. I would have to go into town and pick up some groceries. I was under the impression that he went out to eat more often, then eating at home. It made sense. Charlie never remarried, there wasn't a woman in his life that I was ever aware of anyway.

It was a bit painful to imagine my father sitting alone at this table, in this big house, eating alone. This was something I've never given much of a thought about. But being here was lonely. I wondered if Charlie felt that way too. So, even though this was a bit awkward, I would make a habit of sitting down and having a meal with him. Every spare chance he had. With him being chief of police in this community, he was pretty busy. He warned me ahead of time that there would be times I'd be on my own. I welcomed the thought. I was alright being alone. It gave me space and time to think. Although I wasn't sure if that's what I wanted. Not until I've settled in a bit.

Charlie and I parted ways after breakfast, our conversations didn't flow as naturally as it did with Rene, but I'm sure over time it would get better. I was thankful that Charlie had bought me a truck to get back and forth to school with. The idea of having him drop me off in his police cruiser was horrifying.

It was a solid truck, full of rustic charm. I loved it instantly. Thankfully, my truck didn't seem to stand out from the other cars parked in the school parking lot. But like I had feared, I felt eyes all over me as I parked and slid out of the comfort of my new truck. I pulled my hood up over my head and walked to the front doors of the school. I could hear a lot of whispering as I passed groups of people. It felt like I was some kind of freak show, everyone that saw me, couldn't look away.

My cheeks warmed up and I ducked my head even lower as I entered the building. My lips trembled into a smile as I approached the lady at the office. The room was nicely decorated with wild plant life and tribal decor. Again, everything was so green. It was pretty, but so foreign to me. Heart beating fast, I stood at the desk with the last pages of my transfer paper work.

The woman behind the desk eyed me, her gaze roamed over my face. "You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am, umm, Bella is fine," I said, shifting my eyes to the floor.

"Ahh, of course, I have a few things for you to sign," She offered me a gentle smile, while she sorted through some things on her desk. Like everyone I've ever come across on this reservation, her skin had a warm brown tone. With eyes, dark and deep. She was probably in her late forties. There is a nameplate at the front of her desk. Mrs. Cullen.

She was very kind. We talked briefly on what my first day was going to look like. I would get signatures from all my teachers. Each class I had was pretty close together, so I wouldn't have much trouble finding my way around. But she gave me a little map of the school anyway. She wished me luck and hoped sincerely that I would enjoy my first day. But I already knew that wasn't going to be the case.

The uncomfortable staring continued, no matter where I went. My locker, the bathroom, my first several classes. No one spoke to me. They just watched me. Like I was some kind of intruder. It wasn't until my third class, that someone had been bold enough to come over and talk with me.

I sat awkwardly at my desk, as a boy took a seat right next to me. He smiled from ear to ear. He was massive, the most muscular guy I've ever seen. I mean he was around my age wasn't he? He could pass as much older.

"You're Isabella, aren't you?" He watched me with curious eyes.

"Just Bella," I nodded to him shyly.

His smile grew. "So you do talk, we were worried you would be a mute." He laughed easily.

I raised a brow at him. "Why would you think that?"

"Don't know, everyone says that you haven't said a word since you got here."

"Oh, well I figured if someone wanted to talk, they would just come over and say hi. But… Everyone here kind of looks at me like… I'm some kind of weirdo." I admitted quietly.

"Well you are a little weird looking. Your skin is so pale. I thought Arizona was like a sunshine state."

I didn't mind how blunt this guy was. It was refreshing to hear what people were thinking for a change. He didn't seem shy at all. He said what was on his mind. It was a nice quality to have. I felt a little more at ease.

"It is, but I don't get tan, I pretty much just burn in the sunlight."

He snickered, leaning back in his seat. "Well that's a relief. Mystery solved. Bella Swan, can talk. I'm Emmett by the way." He held his hand out to me and they were almost unnaturally hot to the touch.

We shook hands briefly. His hands were just as big, nearly twice as big as mine. He was a handsome guy. I wasn't the only one that noticed. The girls in this class have been hanging on to his every word. They scowled at me, probably envious of this brute's attention.

"Nice to meet you," I said with a small smile.

"Likewise, I'll probably see you around," He mused, before collecting his things and making a speedy departure at the sound of the bell.

I took a slight breath, doing the best to ignore the staring that lingered on me. But since Emmett had spoken to me, more and more people collected the courage to do the same. It wasn't long before there was a list of names, I would have to try to remember. Some were friendly, others just seemed a bit more scared and unsure of me. I suppose it would just take time. Thankfully a few nice girls stopped to talk and offered me a place at their table for lunch. That was something I had been dreading. As much as I wanted to remain out of sight, I didn't want to be the loner, sitting by herself at lunch. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. To be an outcast.

Lunch time had come around quickly. A girl - whose name I had already forgotten - was chattering animatedly to me, guiding me to a small table of others. They welcomed me warmly, most of them. I tried following their conversations the best I could, but something kept distracting me. There was a knot forming in my stomach. I couldn't explain why. I could feel myself getting warm. Sweat slid down my back. My heart was fluttering in my chest. Everything felt like it was on a diagonal slant. Like my world was rotating, but I remained still, in one spot.

"Bella, are you alright, you look like you're going to be sick?" A girl spoke from across the table. She was the most petite one of the group. She spoke with a softness, at all times. Possibly on the shy side, like I was. I think her name was Angela.

At her words, the others turned their attention to me.

"I'm perfectly fine, something must not be agreeing with my stomach, as all." I lied. But in truth, I've barely had a bit of this food. I just picked out a simple salad. Not even half of it was touched. But still, I didn't feel right.

The boy next to me made a sour face. "I never eat the salads here. Rabbit food is all it is. You should stick with the main dishes here. A word from the wise." He gave me a boyish grin. I think his name was Mike, or maybe he was Eric. I couldn't remember. But the girl that had invited me to sit with them, gave me the heads up that Mike was about to ask her out. Not to interfere. I had thought it was a pretty bold statement to make. As if I was looking to date. The thought would have never even crossed my mind.

The group resumed their conversation gradually, but Angela continued to throw concerned looks in my direction. I tried my best to remain emotionless. Hiding my feelings was something I've grown to be good at. But my body wasn't responding well to it. The hairs on my arms stood. My legs trembled from under the table. I chewed my lip as I forced them still.

But suddenly, I felt my head raise up and lock eyes with a guy on the other side of the lunch room. My heart skipped a beat. The intensity of his eyes overwhelmed me. It felt like gravity was no longer what kept me grounded. It was this man. He stared at me without emotion. After a short moment, his eyes flickered away. His shoulders heaving as he noisily sighed. Those seated around his table looked at him curiously.

There were two pretty girls and two other boys, one I recognized as Emmett, the first person here to ever speak to me. The way they looked at him, it was as if he was their king. They waited with bated breath for him to speak. But he didn't. He just stared off into the distance. His eyes landed somewhere outside. The rain had picked up, slamming against the windows with some force. I could see the tense muscles of his jaw. Hard. Unwavering. He didn't look pleased. Not in the slightest. But it wasn't long before his eyes returned to me swiftly. I couldn't tell what crossed his mind. Did he hate me? Why was there such intensity in his stare?

I saw his lips move slightly, before he heatedly picked up his tray and marched away from his table. I watched his retreating back, leaving the lunch room entirely. Leaving his table of friends, lost and confused.

My heart ached at his absence, I couldn't pull my eyes away from where he had just left. I fought the urge to follow him. I let my head drop a little.

"I wonder where Prince Edward is heading to in such a hurry?" One of the boys commented with some distaste.

"Prince Edward?" I muttered, glancing over to the boy.

He smiled eagerly, pleased that I had finally acknowledged him. "Yeah, that's what we call him anyway. He acts so high and mighty. Him and his little gang. They are too good to speak to us peasants."

My eyes went back to the table that he had been sitting at. Taking note that the others were starting to collect their things. I guess they would follow after him. I envy that.

"What's their story?"

"Do yourself a favor and don't even go there. That group is something else. They don't talk to anyone here. They just stay to themselves." The girl at the end of the table muttered coldly. She glanced at the group as they nonchalantly walked past our table. "They think they are special because they are descendants of the original settlers of La Push."

One of the girls must have heard her comment, she smirked to herself, tossing her long ebony braid over her shoulder. She was very beautiful. The kind of girl that made you feel hideous. It was true, she was on another level. One I could never reach. Emmett clung to her side, his massive arm rested around her waist. His eyes flickered to mine for a moment. I thought that he might smile, or wave. But his expression remained blank.

It was confusing. He had been so open and friendly when we spoke before. What changed?

"Original settlers huh?" I said, watching as they exited the room.

"Yep, their grandparents make up the entire elder council. But they are so weird," The guy said, regaining my attention. "They all follow Edward around like lost puppies. That's why we call him prince."

"Not to mention, he is incredibly hot." The girl who invited me to sit at this table commented. She fanned herself, her cheeks tinting pink.

Looks aren't everything, but I had to agree with her. Edward was dazzling. Even with his eyes so cold in my direction, I could only feel my growing desire to burn the image of him in my mind.

"Come to think of it, Swan is your last name isn't it? You would be a part of the founding settlers as well. I hope we don't end up losing you to the dark side as well."

That was news to me. I hadn't known that Charlie heritage went back to the original settlers. This was something I would be sure to talk with him about. Maybe he could shed some light on this odd group of people.

A lump formed in my throat as the table stared at me with uncertainty.

"No worries, I'd never go around acting like that."

My words seemed to satisfy them enough, although the girl at the end of the table continued to slip glares in my direction. I had the feeling that she didn't like me very much. I doubted that was going to change. I didn't do anything to her, to begin with. If she wanted to distance herself before ever getting to really know me, I wouldn't beg for her friendship. I didn't need people like that in my life. I would ignore her for now. There were plenty of others at this table, who seemed to welcome me with open arms. Although, I'm sure not all of them were genuine. I at least knew that Angela could become a potential friend.

The remainder of lunch went by in a blur. I failed to rejoin the group conversation. My thoughts were too wrapped up in Edward. I couldn't drive him out of my thoughts. No matter how hard I tried.

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read this! Let me know what you all think so far.