This took some time. I added in Jacob!

Chapter 5 :

"Tired?"

I looked up from the high-backed chair to see Jasper standing over me, thumbs out the pockets of his tailor-made suit. "Mentally, yes. Physically, I feel like I could scale a mountain," I look around for a clock. "What time is it?"

Jasper checks his twenty-four-karat Rolex. "One twenty-three. You've been at this for a while."

Something I've noticed about the Cullens is how rich they are, for use of a better word. I guess hundreds of years of working gives you a little more money than average. Not to mention that Carlise is a doctor, a feat that astounds even the most accomplished of the kind. Not consuming human blood is one thing, but being always around it? I can't even begin to imagine that.

"So, what are you doing with it?"

By 'it', he's referring to the pages of assets in front of me as I split it between cancer research laboratories, free education, my one known living relative - Nancy Styler. I need to give some to the Cullens as well.

"Charity. I think I have one relative who wants to buy a fishing boat. I'm definitely wiring some into Carlise's account, and I'm keeping the rest, just in case."

"You don't have to do that."

"And you don't have to keep me here. You could easily set me on the streets."

"Well, you are now a part of the Olympic coven. Speaking of which, have you seen your room?"

"My room?"

"You could hardly think that we'd keep you on the sofa."

"But...I don't sleep."

He laughed. "Good point. Come on."

I followed him up the winding staircase, through a beige-carpeted corridor past closed doors. He leads me to the end room. "This one's yours."

"It's beautiful," I say, and it is. There is no bed to be expected; instead, there's a sofa. The whole room is done in neutral shades of gray and white. I look back at Jasper, leaning against the doorjamb, much like the position he was in when I woke up two days ago.

God, it feels like years ago.

"Esme wasn't sure how to decorate it, so she used gray and white, hence your last name. It's very neutral."

"It's perfect," it's rather picturesque, looks as if it could suffice well in Homeowner's Weekly. I feel with a stab of envy that this is the type of room I've been aiming for since I was ten. Interior design. Something I've tried hard to be better at.

A mirror in the corner tempts me to step into its full-length frame. Beautiful. Exquisite. Until I get to the eyes, where the lethal crimson taunts me with the humanoid lifeline I'll never have.

-break-

"Do tell me again, why can I not go to school?"

Carlisle laughs. "It's too risky, being around so many humans, when you're only a newborn." I shake my head in disbelief that people live like this.

Two hours later, I'm standing in the middle of the room like I have for the last hour, reading a random book from the bookshelf in the corner, bored out of my mind. Sighing, I move my legs for the first time. Would they mind terribly if I just left? I'm sure that there's a bookstore somewhere around here.

My mind is happy convincing me that it's perfectly fine for me, I can easily control myself, so I get up to go. It occurs to me that I probably need to wear something other than the outfit that Esme lent me two days ago. I don't seem to sweat or get dirty, though. Something urges me to open the giant walk-in closet, and sure enough, it's filled with expensive clothing. "Alice," I sigh, fingering the floaty material of a blue shirt.

It all fits perfectly, of course. I choose the simplest outfit I can find - a-line khaki shirt and a white top. I leave the house soundlessly, preferring to use my newfound natural speed than a car.

I have a cell phone, given to me by Carlisle. Squinting at the screen in horror, I realize that there are no bookstores in Forks. I scrolled through the ones within a ten-mile radius and decided on the closest one, in a neighboring town called La Push.

Getting there takes all of five minutes. When I stroll down the mostly empty main street looking for the bookstore. Then the vilest smell hits me, and I try not to gag. What is that? It smells like..a dog.

Sharp eyes scan the area around me, but all that is a cluster of teenaged boys. Suddenly, they all look up, alert, and train their eyes on me. I hold their hostile gazes for a second; then, I'm surrounded. The one in front of me is insanely tall, with burnt sienna skin and black hair. Maybe sixteen or seventeen..his height is confusing. The smell hits me again, much harder than before, and I stop breathing, a feat that's not as hard as it sounds.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, leech, what the hell are you doing here?"

I stare at him in confusion. Who is this kid? "Who are you?"

"I didn't think bloodsuckers were that stupid."

"Well, it seemed like a standard question if you have less than no idea what's going on."

The boy peered at me through squinted eyes. "Jacob Black. I take it that you're new?"

His facial expression is strange like he's trying to figure out whether this is good or bad. "I'm kind of a new resident," definitely bad.

"I didn't know that the Cullens were breeding," he snarled.

"Breeding? No, they didn't do this."

"Who are you?"

I hesitate, but say, "Julie Gray."

"No, really?" we both turn to the cheerfully excited voice. It's a boy of about fourteen, with a wide smile. "I'm Seth. I loved to read your books!"

"Yeah," I smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"How long have you been..one for?" cuts in Jacob.

"All of two days."

He lets out a breath. "And you don't know yet. Perfect."

What? I again become aware of the burning in my throat, and I hurriedly start breathing through my nose so that the repugnant smell cancels the bloodlust.

"Why are you breathing so heavily?"

"To keep myself from potentially draining the blood from you. You smell terrible."

Jacob laughed unexpectedly but became serious once more. "Here's the thing, Julie. You're not allowed here."

"Why?"

"This is our territory."

I snorted. "You do realize that nothing can hurt us-"

"Werewolf territory."

I stared at him, my mouth gaping open. "No."

"Yes."

"You have got to be kidding me! What is this - alternative Harry Potter fanfiction? First vampires, now werewolves..where are the wizards?"

"Nonexistent, as far as I know."

"Lovely, just lovely," I raked a hand through my hair, almost cringing at the impossible silkiness. "I assume that I'm supposed to leave now, correct."

"Yeah."

I growl. "Can I at least get my book?"

That caught him off-guard. "What?"

"That's why I came here. La Push has probably the only decent bookstore within ten miles."

Jacob stared for a few seconds, then grudgingly shrugged. "Fine. Make it quick."

He followed me in and I remarked, "I don't need a parole officer, Black."

Reluctantly he stepped back, and I walked in.

-break-

"You went to La Push?" clamored Emmett.

"It's fine, Emmett, she didn't know," interjected Jasper.

"Did you kill a few dogs?" continued Emmett.

I crossed my legs and leaned back in the armchair, one of my favorite positions. "No, I think I managed to refrain from killing a few dogs," I said dryly. "Look, Carlisle, there are werewolves here?"

"Not exactly. Werewolves are people that only turn to wolves on full moons, and turn into rabid, reckless creatures, without an ounce of mindset. You can only become someone who does that if you get bitten by one."

"And these are..?"

"Ancestral wolves. They can transform at will, maintain their bearings, and they work in packs. They also age at will, and it takes them longer."

"Oh," I sighed. "Anything else I should know?"

"What?"

"Any other mythical creatures that aren't supposed to exist?"

"Not that I know of."

"Is there a vampire monarch or whatever?"

Carlisle breathes slowly and unnecessarily. "There is the Volturi."

"The Volturi?"

"Jasper, will you show her?"

"Sure," Jasper got up and offered me his arm, pulling me upstairs.

-break-

Thirteen-year-old Julie Gray twirled a No. 2 pencil between her fingertips of her left hand, while she stared at the PowerPoint in front of her.

"Jules! We're going to be late!"

The person talking was one of her best friends, Lagaan Chatterjee. He tapped his watch expectedly while she shrugged.

"We'll be fine, Lag. I just need to add this and..Christ, we're going to be late."

"Correct. I really want to make it to this assembly."

"What's it about this time?"

"Something."

"Then why do you want to make it to this one?"

"I don't mind assemblies. An hour of sitting and doing nothing in comfy seats, what's to hate?"

"Great then, we need to go," she closed her laptop and stuffed it in her satchel. She got up. "Race you."

Lagaan laughed. "You are so on."

"Brilliant. Threetwoonego!"

She shot off and he went after her, protesting. Julie rounded the corner to victory when she came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Lagaan leaning calmly against the wall next to the auditorium.

Her mouth fell open. "Wha..?"

"Didn't you know? The art room has two doors, so I went through there, which led right to this hallway."

"I don't take art!"

"Duly noted."

Julie growled and Lagaan laughed. "Say it."

"No."

"Say it, Julie."

"Ugh, fine. You win."

"That's right."

Julie suddenly dove to the door and yanked it open, ducking inside the auditorium first. "Or maybe not."

-break-

"That. is insane."

Jasper laughed. "I suppose it is."

"So Carlisle has lived through all of this?"

"Yes."

"Wow." I stare off into space, contemplating it all.

Light footsteps on the stairwell direct me to open the door, just before Alice walks in, clutching something. "It's going to rain!" she announced.

Jasper's face lights up and I stare at the both of them in confusion. "Doesn't it always?"

"No, there's going to be a thunderstorm!"

"So?"

Alice tosses me something and I catch it.

"Baseball?"

I didn't think that anyone wanted to hear the whole history of the Cullens and whatever again, so I cut it to the flashback I wanted to add. Review if you wanted to see it! Actually, review anyway. Thanks for reading!

- Bluebell