Chapter Six - First Day

I walked alone into the cafeteria and looked around. There were people already seated at the long tables that covered most of the floor space, and a line was forming on the other side of the room from me where people picked out and payed for mushy food. As my eyes scanned the room a second time, I realized that every eye in the room was directed at me. No one spoke - they simply stared at me shocked. What was going on? I looked down at myself and what I saw made me scream in horror.

I was completely naked!!

"Nessie!!! It's okay, it's okay, it was just a dream......" Jacob curled me into his lap, rocking back and forth as he petted my hair.

"You didn't see anything, did you?" I had no way to control my little talent when I was asleep

"Not much," he said, stifling a smile. I knew he wasn't being completely honest.

"How much is not much??"

"Just a little there at the end," he chuckled. My face got hot and I would bet that it was turning bright red.

"Jacob Black, you stay out of my dreams!!!" I yelled. He fell into the floor - he was laughing at my outburst. I didn't think it was funny.

"I am serious!! I get enough of that crap from Dad!!!!"

"Sorry, Ness, I didn't know that I was gonna see that, I was just about to wake you up," he said as he attempted to compose himself.

"Oh noooo," I groaned. "Not today already."

"Sorry," he said again. "Don't worry, though. I would never drop you off anywhere if you were naked like that," he grinned at me, running out of the room before I decided to throw something at him.

I got dressed quickly in a plain gray t-shirt and jeans, brushed my teeth, and fluffed out my hair. I couldn't put it off any longer.

Jacob drove into an empty space in the student parking lot at Forks High School. There were students talking excitedly all over the place, probably catching up after their summer break.

"Don't worry about anything, Ness. Everybody will love you - some of them probably more than I'd like them to."

I sighed. "Alright - here goes nothing."

I stepped out of the car. Slowly, most of the people facing me started to stare. Then the people they were talking to started to turn and stare.

Oh No! not this.....

I looked down and breathed a sigh of releif - I was still fully clothed. I decided to ignore all the curious eyes that were trained on me and head off to building two, where my government class was. My parents had gotten me my schedule mailed in early like everyone else that was enrolled last year would have. I was thankful for that, at least.

I followed a few people into the door of the classroom. They all looked like they were choosing their own seats, so I chose one, too, at the back of the classroom. Maybe this would help with the staring problem. More people filed in, seating themselves like everyone else. A loud nasal buzzing sounded from a speaker on the wall at the front of the room.

Mr. Smith walked in and began calling out everyone's name in alphabetical order, and I mentally noted peoples names to their faces. That would be easy, at least.

"Renesmee Cullen?"

Everyone started searching for the mystery new person.

"Here," I said just loud enough for him to hear. For the second time already today, everyone around me stared curiously.

Class droned on and ended with a second nasal buzz. I put my new textbook into my bag with my new notebooks.

"Umm, hi, it's Renesmee, right?" a nervous voice asked from above me. I looked up and saw a pretty girl with long dark hair and big blue eyes holding her hand out to me in a friendly gesture. I shook her hand and smiled.

"Yeah," I answered simply.

"I'm Brittany - it's nice to meet you."

"You, too."

"Do you want me to help you find your next class? This place is a little bit confusing when you're new," she said as we walked out of the classroom.

"Sure. I have Biology in building five." At least someone was trying to be friendly instead of just gawking at me like I was a freak. None of them knew that I technically sort of was one, either.

"Hey Brittany, wait up!!" someone called from behind. We both spun around and I saw a tall, muscular boy running towards us. He had tanned skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Overall, very nice-looking.

"Hey, Anthony," Brittany said to him as he came closer. He stopped in front of us.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend?" he asked her as his eyes looked me over many more times than is necessary. He twinkled a smile at me. Very nice looking, indeed - but nothing in comparison to the beauty that was Jacob.

"Renesmee, Anthony - Anthony, Renesmee," she gestured back and forth between us.

"It's definitely a pleasure to meet you," he said holding out his hand to me. I shook it quickly.

"Yeah, you too." I smiled my most breathtaking smile at him. It had the effect I had wanted - Brittany and I escaped as Anthony stood there dazed. Brittany was cracking up the whole walk to my Biology class.

"How did you do that to him??" she asked between laughs. "Girls at this school try anything they can think of to get his attention and he never gives them the time of day, but you just smile at him once and he's completely speechless!"

Her face became serious again."Are you going to try and date him? I mean, he obviously looked interested...."

"No!! I don't even know him. Besides, I already belong to someone," I smiled, thinking about my Jacob. Just a few more hours.

"Who?" she inquired.

"Jacob Black," I answered, smiling hugely again.

"Oh.... well do you want to sit with me at lunch?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Sure - I'll just find you when it's time."

"Alright. Later," she waved as she walked away.

Trigonometry and Literature passed by while I tried to ignore all the people that still refused to let me out of their sight. It was like they thought that if they turned away for even a second, I would do something completely off the wall and they would miss it. A few boys would come and introduce themselves at the end of the hour, following along with me to my next class silently. It was like everyone was attracted, or even almost drawn to me, but intimidated by me as well.

I walked on to the lunch building with everyone else and scanned the room. It was uncanny - it looked exactly the same as I had dreamed it. Even the part where everyone started to stare at me. It was okay though. I was getting used to it, and I knew I was wearing clothes right now. I held my head high and walked over to the line, searching around for Brittany.

She was already seated at a nearby table. I walked over and took the empty chair next to her.

"You're not hungry?" she asked. I couldn't help but laugh at the question.

"No, not right now. I'll eat when I get home." I did need to go hunting tonight. The burn in my throat was back today, probably because of all the human scent swirling around me.

Anthony walked to our table and sat down in the seat across from me. Two girls a couple of spaces down started whispering and giggling to one another.

"Hello, again," he said, inclining his head towards me.

"Hi."

"So, how's your first day been so far?"

"It's been alright..... everyone keeps staring at me though."

He chuckled. "Yeah, you can't really blame them. You're the prettiest thing anybody around here has seen in a long time."

My cheeks blushed scarlet. The two girls that had seemed excited a second ago now looked downright offended. They sneered at me angrily. They must have been some of the ones Brittany had mentioned earlier, the girls that would do anything for this boys attention. I didn't see what was so great about him - he was just a regular teenage boy, even if he was pretty cute.

"So what are you doing a couple of weekends from now?" he asked me, trying to pick up the conversation again.

"I don't know. Why?"

"I was thinking of getting a group together to go down and have a bonfire at the beach, sort of like a back to school thing."

"Oh. That sounds fun," I told him. I smiled a less devastating smile than the one I'd used on him earlier. He still seemed completely stunned by it.

"What's wrong with you man?" a short, black-haired boy called from down the table. "You never talked to a beautiful girl before?"

Everyone sitting close enough to hear busted out laughing. I laughed too, a little bit, even though I was completely embarassed. At least they were laughing more at him than at me.

"So would you come, then?" Anthony managed after everyone calmed down.

"What beach would we be going to?"

"First Beach, down at La Push."

I giggled. "I go there almost every single day. It's one of my favorite places...." I drifted into thoughts of Jake and I. Anthony interrupted them.

"I've never seen you there before," he accused.

"I usually go around twilight, when there aren't many other people. We like to watch the sun set over the ocean."

"We?" he asked cautiously.

"Jacob and I." I stated simply. He did not seem happy with my response.

"Is that your boyfriend?" His voice fused with little sparks of anger.

"Yeah, I guess so." I hadn't ever thought of Jacob as just a "boyfriend". He was my soulmate, and any other word for it didn't feel right, like I was selling our relationship short.

Anthony looked pleased at my hesitation on the subject and started back with the beach bonfire thing.

"I'll try. I'd have to ask first." That was all I would promise for now. I didn't know how I would feel trying to make a social outing with my new schoolmates.

"I'm in!", "Me, too!" people along the table were shouting to him.

"It's going to be awesome," he said as he twinkled his smile at me again. I realized that this was his trick, too. He was used to dazzling girls when he smiled at them. I laughed to myself - he didn't have anything on me. I stood up as the bell was ringing.

"See you later," I said to him softly, pulling out my devastator once more. He swayed, staring off into space unblinkingly as I walked out of the cafeteria and on to the next class.

I walked at a speedy human pace after gym. Jacob was waiting for me, and I couldn't wait to see him. I hopped quickly into his car, threw my arms around him and kissed him roughly.

"I missed you so much," I whispered softly into his ear.

"I missed you, too, Ness. It's really boring when you're not around." His voice sounded like he was in pain.

"What's wrong, Jacob?" I asked as I examined his face.

"It's really hard.... being away from you. I didn't realize it would be this bad," he admitted sheepishly.

"Ohh, Jake.... it'll get easier, we just have to get used to it is all." We had never spent this many hours apart, except for before, when Jacob slept in the woods outside of my house. He had never strayed far though, always standing as protector if I needed one. He sighed and looked up at me, seeming to feel somewhat releived.

"So how did your day go?" he tried sounding cheery. I placed my hand to his neck and reviewed the past few hours.

"Who's this Anthony clown?" he asked sourly. "He'd just love to try and take you away from me."

"Nobody is taking me anywhere," I smiled. "You can have me forever."

Jacob laughed and pressed his warm lips to mine.

"Might have to take you up on that offer," he muttered as he took a breath. I hoped beyond everything that he would.