I stomped into the cottage, knowing it was where my parents would be. My mom was sitting at the table, smiling to herself. I scowled. Dad had probably already heard my fuming thoughts.

She bit her lip as I hissed angrily.

"He attacked me!" I burst, stung by her reaction. She seemed to be trying to hold back laughter. "He knew I didn't like him that way but he just kissed me!" I couldn't think of a good insult for him. "Stupid idiot!" I snapped. I stuck my lip out like a baby.

My dad came in and smiled at my mom conspiratorially.

"And you can keep your nose out my thoughts," I growled. I remembered Jacob's wild eyes and flinched. Dad frowned slightly. "I wish I'd punched him like you did, mom," I grumbled, remembering the story. She chuckled slightly but was silent.

I looked meaningfully at mom, who sighed. I felt the blanket of her shield settle over my mind and dad glared at her.

"I'm hungry," I said to myself. I didn't feel like hunting, so I made my way to the tiny kitchen.

"Nessie?" I heard my dad's voice float through the door.

"Go away," I mumbled. I knew he could hear me.

"We were just going to discuss about you enrolling at Forks High, Nessie," mom said quietly. "Are you sure you want to go?"

I searched the cupboards twice, unsuccessfully, before I replied. "Yes."

"Do you want to change your name at all?" they asked at the same time. Rehearsed.

I considered this. "Nothing too drastic," I decided. "But it might be a bit weird for the teachers if yet another Cullen turns up." I grinned, mainly for their benefit, when I thought of my loving - if slightly odd - family.

"Can you remember the passport I made you?" mom asked. I walked back into the room, standing far enough away that I could make a run for it if I wanted.

"Yes," I said through my teeth. "And no."

"Not even Vanessa?"

I grinned. "Vamp-essa."

Neither of them laughed. "The term starts in a couple of days. We need to get these forms sent by today," mom insisted.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Vanessa…"

I watched as dad took the paper and scribbled something down.

"No!" I scrambled quickly, carefully, though I knew my movements weren't clumsy, over to him and ripped the paper out of his hands.

"Vanessa Masen…?" I remembered vaguely my dad's human surname being Masen. "Huh, good idea."

His expression was almost smug.

"How old shall we say you are, darling?" mom asked, taking the papers back.

"Sixteen," I said firmly. "My birthday was yesterday."

Mom chuckled. "That makes you a junior. You'd be the new kid."

"Déjà vu?" I suggested softly. She laughed lightly.

"You'll get a lot of attention," she said. It was a fact. "I might get jealous."

I frowned. "Just don't walk me to school or it'll be Stacy's Mom in real life." I hummed a bar or two. "And actually, neither of you take me to school, please. I look nearly the same age as you guys."

"Hm." Dad pretended to have a problem with it. "What are you doing about sunny days though?"

"What do you mean?" I was caught by the abrupt change of subject.

"Well, you kind of shine," he laughed.

"Only a bit," I insisted. "And it's never sunny anyway."

Mom said something very low, too quiet even for me to hear. She was good at that.

"Okay sweetie, we'll take it from here," she said, overly sweet. I grimaced.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying not to sound suspicious.

"Filling out the rest of it."

"Can I read?"

They exchanged glances. "Um, sure." Dad passed me the paper and I noticed they had to fill in the names of my parents, my address and lots of petty details about my ethnic background. I sighed unhappily.

"What are you putting?"

"Edward and Bella," dad said. "Seems reasonable."

"Oh dad no please…" I was annoyed. "At least change mom's name, it would be embarrassing if the teacher's recognised your names…"

"Cathy," mom said, smiling at what seemed to be their little private joke.

Dad smirked and stole back the paper. "Okay darling, we'll be fine now. If you're hungry you should hunt."

I rolled my eyes. "I was only saying that to get away from you."

He shrugged. "Alice says she hasn't seen you in a while."

"Oh right!" I jumped up. "Great idea! Bye!"

I ran out until I felt sure he wasn't listening to my thoughts. Then I turned down the trail and went to my secret place in the forest, sighing heavily.

The stream trickled by me gently. I leaned towards it, taking deep breaths. It smelled lovely. There was a lavender bush I had found further upstream that I'd grown. It dropped lavender into the water, scenting it. I watched the water flow for a while. I lay on my front in the grass, closing my eyes and wishing I could sleep.

I secretly couldn't wait to go to Forks High. One reason was that I knew it'd be easy so I didn't have to panic about the workload, the second was that I was missing out on an ordinary life.

The third, a new addition, was that Jacob wouldn't be there.