Everyone was quick to mock the dark circles under my eyes. It didn't seem to deter any of my new friends that we'd only just met - they rolled with the critiques, especially Jessica.

"They're, like, so, so dark, Dani, what did you do?" she asked, biting into her forkful of salad.

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, I don't know, I slept badly, what else could it be?"

Eric perked up at that. "Well, you do know there's a bunch of maulings happening around here right now. Wouldn't it be so cool if you saw one?" The boys seemed to agree, save for the green tinge to Mike's face. Weak stomach, I bet, not that I blame him.

I laughed abruptly at the thought, catching the table's attention. My eyes cut across the table to Bella who was sitting right across from me. We hadn't had a chance to properly speak yet, and I was curious. Her dad came last night to the house, maybe she'd heard something. "Hey, Bella."

She seemed shocked I addressed her, but nodded anyway. "Did your dad say anything about last night?"

Everyone seemed to shut up. Angela was the first to break the silence, though. "What happened last night, Dani?" She asked apprehensively.

"Did you… and the chief…" Tyler started, seeming to blush.

It took me a second to figure out what the fuck he was going on about. And then it hit me. High school boys and sex. I groaned so loudly I wouldn't have been surprised if the whole cafeteria heard. "Are you an idiot, Tyler?" I shouted. Between the shouting, the frown, and the deep purple bags under my eyes, I must have been a sight. "My house was broken into, mongolico! Someone climbed in through my window and broke into my room last night and Chief Swan came to check it out. God, I swear," I started mumbling, more to myself than anything. The table erupted into laughter at Tyler's expense. Mike and Eric shoving Tyler around a little until he stood up and left, lunch abandoned. Angela assured me he was fine before inquiring more about last night's incident.

I started retelling the story I'd told Charlie, but adding in more about the nightmare - Jessica at least had the decency to look ashamed - but I left out the part about the… yeah. I didn't want them thinking I was crazy, even if I was, they didn't need to know. I heard a particularly loud snort about the din of the cafeteria, but shrugged it off. Someone else must've been telling a story too. Wish I was listening to that one instead of my own.

Bella chimed in eventually to say Charlie didn't recount much aside from warning her to stay on main roads and not go into the woods with all that was happening lately. Nobody had to tell me twice. Woods and I do not mix well. All too soon the bell was ringing and we started packing up to head to class. In my mind, I had only one thought: I'd have to see Jasper. Which meant thinking about last, and how I acted, and how he took me to bed? Ay, dios mio, kill me now. No one questioned my flushed face as I walked through the busy halls. I was at the doorway for my Spanish class far sooner than I would have liked and lingered in front of it, jostled by the waves of students coming and going down the hallways.

I took a deep breath and went to grab the handle, when I heard a deep rumble of laughter behind me. "Do you plan on standing there for the whole class, Daniela?"

The flush got worse. My hand fumbled and missed the doorknob, so I wound up smacking it against the doorway instead. "Oh, fucking hell!" I balled up my hand and opened the door with my other hand and sped up until I reached my seat… which was next to the aforementioned boy. He sat in his seat with a grin and turned to me.

"Entonces, señorita Daniela, ¿cómo andas?"

My face was still aflame, my hand still hurt like a bitch, and my heart was thudding against my ribcage still from his laugh, and the only thing that I could think of saying was, "Come mierda, singado."

The only issue was the classroom was now deathly silent, and everyone was looking at us, including the teacher. Mr. Davis did not look happy. "Ms. Rivera," he started in a strained voice. "While I appreciate your use of the Spanish language, we do not tolerate such vulgar language in our classrooms. I'll have to send you to the office."

My flushed face blanched. My mother would kill me if they called her from the principal's office. I immediately started trying to back my way out of that when I felt a hand on my back. "Disculpa, Señor Davis, era una reacción a darse contra la puerta, no es lo que piensas. ¿Me permites llevarla a la enfermera?

If I hadn't grown up listening to Spanish my whole life, maybe I would have been dumbstruck listening to Jasper Cullen's flawless Spanish. Instead, I was dumbstruck by the frigid hand he had placed on my back. I mean, we were inside, it was warmer inside, why is her frigid?

Everyone else, however, was enamored with Jasper Hale, much like they were with the rest of the Cullen family, with reason, of course. I was just kind of sidetracked at the moment, so I couldn't focus on the dazzling smile he gave the teacher before leading me up out of the chair and out the door.

By the time I realized we weren't heading anywhere near the nurse's office they had shown me on the first day, Jasper had already led me to the back entrance of the school. My fight or flight instinct kicked in. I forgot about my hand and the hand that was still on my back and whirled around on him.

"Okay, Jasper, what the hell?" I exclaimed, throwing me hands to the side and trying my hardest to ignore the throb in my hand. "What was that all about?"

He only smiled. "I just thought it seemed pointless to stay in a class where we're clearly beyond the curriculum, that's all."

I stood there, literally no words could come to mind. He was leaning against the lockers, at peace apparently with the fact he was aiding me in cutting class on my second day of school here. His blonde hair was hanging loose and in his eyes, his golden eyes. There was something so off-puttingly attractive to them. It threw me off. How could a family be that... pretty? And they aren't blood related! Well, except Rosalie and Jasper, I suppose. His whole demeanor was that of a cool boy, too smart for school, and his family just seemed too out of place in this town, and he thought cutting class was the move? I had to laugh.

And I did. Loudly, in fact. It was a full-bodied laugh that came from realizing the ridiculousness of this scenario. What would Jessica be saying if she found out Jasper pulled me out of class for thinking I was too good for the Spanish class we were in? Oh, she'd shit herself, her and the whole school if we didn't go back to class. People talk, that I know. And I didn't come to Forks for people to talk about me again.

"This is ridiculous, Jasper, this isn't a movie, this is real life with consequences and I'm going to wind up in detention because you thought you were cool!" I huffed and went to walk around him when he put his cold hand on me again. This time I was so close to him I could look past his fringe and see the golden eyes properly. He was still taller than me, but it felt like space was shrinking. Not actually, more, mentally. Like he was letting me in, but that's ridiculous too, no?

All of a sudden I felt much calmer and even giggly, like when I have champagne for New Years. The change was prominent. I could feel a rush of nerves coiling in my stomach. My toes were curling, I was smiling, I even dared put my own hands on his chest. My hands splayed out across his clothed chest, and all I wanted to do was rip it off him. I bit my lip and glanced up at him. Those eyes were boring into my soul. Feeling bold, or better said, stupid, I asked Jasper, "Why are your eyes so weird looking?"

A beat passed and then he smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I felt the air rush out of me from seeing those lips curve. In that moment, all I wanted was Jasper to kiss me senseless. But that was a fool's wish. In the back of the school where no one could find us, I'd be happy…

Wait. What? I shoved Jasper back and stumbled to the side to make my way past him. There was no way I'd want to kiss this ass! Self-assured, self-righteous, self-absorbed ass!

"Not what you wanted, Daniela?" He was looking at me now again, but differently, like I was an interesting find. It was different to how he was staring at me in class, this, I was his specimen. And I didn't like it. I strode away, hoping to hide out in the bathroom until the bell rang.

The class after Spanish was History and I spent most of it in a daze. There was no getting his face out of my head. God, I sounded so stupid, why would I want to kiss him of all people? Sure, he was handsome, but I didn't know him like that! All of History was spent rethinking the same thoughts. I had Edward Cullen in the class to make it worse. I kept staring at the back of his head from my seat at the window. He kept sighing, his shoulders slumping occasionally; something had him in a mood too, I guess. I could only imagine what I looked like, making faces as I replayed the conversations over and over.

I was played! Manipulated! I don't know how, but I would never throw myself at this dude when I didn't know him, or even remotely like him. Okay, that's a lie, I do like him, but not when I'm sequestered off to the edge of nowhere where people can't hear me scream if I'm murdered! That just screams creep.

I sighed too loudly and got Bella's attention. The whole time she'd been staring at Edward too, I'd noticed, but probably for different reasons. I hadn't seen Jasper cozying up to her so I wonder what had her like that. I moved my hair forward as Ms. Stone passed up and down the rows of tables lecturing. Peeking through the curtain of hair, I noticed Edward tense up and shoot his hand in the air, asking quickly to be excused, except he took his bags? Ms. Stone seemed to also be confused, but let it slide. He must be a favorite.

Whatever. All I know is, I want nothing to do with the Cullen family when I can help it. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are phenomenal people but their kid crossed a line and I'm not here for the fuckery of it. The bell rang soon enough, marking the end of the day. Automatically everyone started talking about what to do after school. I shared the class not just with Bella but Angela and Tyler too. I vaguely heard them talking about a beach and this weekend, but I was packing up my stuff too fast to catch most of it.

"Dani!"

"Huh?" I looked up blankly at the three faces peering down at me.

Angela smiled kindly. "I asked if you wanted to come this weekend. To the beach."

"Oh, uh, sure, yeah. Which beach, exactly? And I'm assuming it's not the kind of beach I'm used to, right?"

They all laughed a little at that comment while nodding. Tyler said, "Yeah, these beaches are cold! Definitely not the Miami weather you're used to."

"It's on the Quileute reservation, it's only a little ways away. We're going in Mike's car."

I considered it for a second. If I stayed home, Mom might want me to go hang out in the office with Mrs. Cullen and that could mean seeing the rest of the Cullens. I'd take my chances at the beach.

Just to be sure, though, I asked, "Would the Cullens go?"

Tyler seemed to find that hilarious and bust out laughing. "No way! They don't go around those parts. Everyone knows that."

"Well, Tyler, I wouldn't know, now would I?" I quirked a brow and shrugged my backpack up. I turned to Angela and Bella and said bye to them, heading to the parking lot to wait for my mom.

The ride home was mostly quiet, the unease climbing the closer we got to the house. I knew my mom was taking the break in just as hard, but I didn't have it in me to try and ease the tension. Between what happened today during Spanish and the general vibe of the school day, I was spent.

"Mija," my mom said. I glanced over at her before looking back out the window. "Mija, come on, I promise it isn't this bad normally. Nothing has happened to me the whole time I've been here! I swear, and the people are sweet. You met the Cullens, they're wonderful!" I snorted. "And the Chief, and his daughter, all the locals, they all welcomed me when I got here."

I looked at her profile questioningly. "So is this to say I came and everything went to shit?"

She groaned, closing her eyes for a second. Gripping the wheel, she continued. "Listen, Dani, I know the past few months have been hard for you - they've been hard for me too, and I appreciate you coming up here. I didn't say that enough the other day."

I let her words sink in. I know what she was saying was true, I was just in a bad mood. I sighed and nodded in agreement. You didn't need to be next to my mom to feel her change in mood. It was evident in the bright smile she bore and the way she straightened out. I let myself smile too.

"So, how was school?"

Now it was my turn to groan. "Ay, mami! That boy affronted me!"

She laughed so hard. "What boy, mija?"

"Jasper!" She laughed even harder. "Mom! Please!"

She went to wipe a tear, but swerved all of a sudden. I let out a shout as I grabbed my seat belt tighter. The shriek of the brakes was so loud in my ears. I shut my eyes and braced against the car door. The smash of the hood against a tree was deafening.

I opened my eyes and saw spots everywhere. I lifted my head slowly and turned to the side. My mom was slumped against the wheel.

"Mom." I inched forward and went to shake my mom's shoulder. She barely moved. I let out a shuddering breath. "Oh, God. Oh.. Oh my god." I got my phone out with shaking hands and slumped back in my seat, shocked still. The line rang and rang and rang and then it clicked.

"Hi, hello, uh. My mom just crashed into a tree." The panic over the phone was in one ear and out the other. "Uh, yeah, I'm down the main road. Coming from the school. Yeah. Okay. Uh, thank you." I clicked the end call button and let my hand drop to my lap.

This was shock. It had to be, right? I vaguely heard another car on the road, but I was in my head. I was convinced that this place was cursed. This was hell on earth. The people sucked, the weather sucked, hell the roads suck - I don't even know what the fuck Mom hit or saw or why the fuck she crashed and now she's probably going to have a concussion -

"Hey, hey, Daniela!" I could hear the knocking on the window and looked over to see Edward Cullen himself. My fucking God, these fucking Cullens. I saw his lips twist upwards minutely But all I could really focus on were his eyes. Those fucking golden eyes. I was in a fury. I ripped the seatbelt off, aware that someone else was on the other side of the car trying to yank open my mom's car door.

I threw open the door, watching Edward back away. "You fucking people. I swear to God! I hate this place. What the fuck is up with all of this? Why do you guys show up everywhere? It's been two fucking days and I've seen you more than I've seen anyone else! Explain that," I exclaimed, shoving him just the same as I shoved Jasper, but this time Edward didn't budge. I shoved him with all I had and he wouldn't move. Instead, he gripped my shoulders and held me as far from him as he could while still holding on.

"You're not okay, Daniela. You're angry, that's okay, but you need to calm down." He slowly let go of my shoulders and I let myself fall against the car. "You and your mom just crashed, you have that to worry about first. We were heading home and saw the car. Now, do you want to come with us or wait for the ambulance? We can call Carlisle and he'll be there to treat you and your mom."

I watched him for a long time, examining him. He was pale, his hands cold, and his eyes so unnatural it was almost they were so, so pretty, I couldn't put it together. He didn't have to be kind, he didn't have to be doing this. His siblings and parents didn't have to check in on me, on my mom, no, maybe they did, my mom was colleagues with Esme, sure, but beyond that? What responsibility did they have to help?

"Okay." I nodded and dropped my shoulders, my rage flattening. I needed to talk to Carlisle.

I hope the mood manipulation makes sense! Also, her own mood swings will be explained soon! Thank you for reading!