A/N: Hello! Here's the first thing you probably need to know if you want to read this. If you're a fan of a certain pairing starting in the last book, you won't like the pairing. Don't say I didn't warn you. The second thing is, although Bella's story will remain unaffected as far as halfway through New Moon, the love triangle will not have those issues to the degree in canon because of the way the story goes. Also, for those of you who might be asking, I actually think that Bella should have ended up with Jacob, just because I get the feeling it would be a healthier, more balanced relationship. No offence to anyone who's on Team Edward, he's a good love interest, but too possessive and it's a bit too intense, although I suppose that's probably something that any vampire-human relationship in this universe would have as vampires have a capacity for feeling that is more than human (like just about all their other senses). On to the story!

Plot: It's been a hard summer of 2004 with a hard divorce for Ashley-Beth Keita, but her mother, a Quileute who moved away, is moving back to La Push with Beth, just as she's about start high school. It's a little hard to move to a new place, but it's by the beach, it's friendly, and the community is close. Soon enough, Beth is fitting right in, and she becomes interested in some of the legends her mother once told her. Now that she's part of her tribe, could one of those legends affect her? And yes, there is a pairing.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all the characters except Beth and her mother. Quileute legends belong to...well, where they started, and Stephenie owns what tweaks she put into them (she didn't make up most of the stories about the wolves, and La Push really is a tiny Native American reservation).

Here's a point: The story starts BEFORE the first book. Bella started at Forks High School in January. This story starts at the beginning ot the school year in September, before Bella arrived.

"Mom, I appreciate that I get to start high school with all the other new kids, but why are we moving to the most remote town in America?"

"Ashley-Beth Mika Keita, we have gone over this." Mom said in her most tired voice. "La Push is my childhood home, and I belong to it. I was already making a sacrifice when I settled with your dad in Massachusetts. You know how much I missed my home. Anywa, you'll love the community on La Push – even in Forks itself, everyone knows everyone. You become a part of it so easily. There's lots of kids who go to the high school on the rez, but it's smaller than Forks High and all the other kids will be new to the school, too, since it's your first year in high school. This is the last time I'm going to tell you this."

I knew not to push Mom any further, not on this long flight, so I said no more. Neither of us were used to flying, but it hadn't been an easy summer for me, any more than it was for her. I'd sort of known Mom and Dad were going to get a divorce before they'd announced it. They'd been acting so awkward around each other, although they tried not to row in front of me. And of course I knew Mom was Native American and part of a tribe in Washington state – she'd even told me the legends about how they were descended from wolves, and that some could even turn into wolves at will, if their tribe was threatened by the enemy (although Mom never told me what enemy that was). But I'd never once wanted to move to a tiny little town called Forks on an even tinier reservation called La Push. At least we still had a week of summer vacation, and then I'd be one of several new faces on my first day of high school. Still, I was worried about getting teased. All the other kids would probably be Native American and...well, I didn't think they'd be racist exactly, but I'd probably be the only black kid (I was half Native American on my mom's side, but I got my dad's looks), and I was bound to stand out, so I expected to get stared at. The worst thing I could imagine.

Of course I could have stayed with Dad, but he was a Havard professor and the last thing I wanted was to hang around in a town full of college kids. Middle school was OK – I mean, I had friends, my grades were mostly Bs with the occasional A, that's just what life was like. I didn't mind starting high school in a new place, especially since I was sure some of the other kids would be new, too, but I did mind sticking out like a Joker card in Go Fish. At least my middle school in Boston was mixed – no one took a second glance at me (and if they did, it was just because of my pixie cut – I got "Most Radical Haircut" at the end of ninth grade – or I would have, if that title existed). The rez was for Native American kids, and even though I was half Quileute, I knew everyone would look at me and think "African-American". Okay, so my dad was, but still. Even though I chose to live with my mom, standing out was my biggest worry. But there were a few things in La Push that I couldn't get in Boston, and my choice depended on those things. My mom, for one thing.

At least, when we finally got off the flight and out of the airport in Port Angeles, we just took our new car (bought online beforehand) and drove straight to our new house, not meeting anyone today. Still, when we left the indoors of the airport, I shivered in my green tank top and jean shorts. I'd known that even summer was cooler here, but I was used to hot Boston summers. Still, I was sure I'd feel right at home in the winter. At the moment, though, it looked more like fall. A cool breeze blew and the sky was overcast, grey as if the rain was just waiting to hit.

I still felt nervous, but I managed to make a joke. "Guess my summer wardrobe will look a lot different here." A lame joke, but at least it was one. I had to try and pretend this was going to be the start of a good thing, although I couldn't see much evidence yet.

"There's still sunny days, Beth, honey." Mom assured me. "It's often cloudy here, but not always – there are always some clear sunny days." (I honestly don't know where they chose my name Ashley-Beth from, since it was such a mouthful, but I was perfectly happy just being called Beth, and almost all my teachers and friends did so – my parents only pulled both names out if they were fed up with me).

"How much does it rain?" I asked warily, looking up at the sky. I didn't mind a little rain, but I got depressed if I didn't go for runs. La Push was a beach area, and I was really looking forward to running there, but if it rained very heavily...

"It's drizzly most of the time – or at least, it was when I was your age." Mom admitted. "The rain isn't usually heavy, but it's present most days."

I relaxed. I could go for runs in a constant drizzle, just not a downpour. I mean, at least it would keep me cool, right? Anyway, I'd be taking a shower straight after each run – it would just be a matter of making sure my running outfit was dry when I next wore it.

The new house was more like a bungalow. Two bedrooms, a bathroom (with a bath along with a showerhead instead of a separate shower), a living room and a kitchenette. It all looked a bit simple, but there was enough room, it was only about ten blocks from my new school, there was more than one beach (well, really there was just one, but it was divided into three and there was a different way to reach each one) within an hour's walking distance and the movers had already unpacked all the heavy stuff. It was just all the little things to unpack.

My new bedroom looked out onto one of the beaches. It was misty that afternoon, so I couldn't see much, but that was all right. The view was pretty, and the room itself was large and would definitely be able to hold all my things. It also had a massive wardrobe with shelving on one side, so I was able to tuck all my summer clothes onto the top shelf. Maybe I'd get to use them next time I went to Boston to see Dad.

My tops mostly went onto the next shelf, with blouses, jumpers and dresses on the racks. Underneath that went most of my jeans and leggings. Finally, I put my exercise wear (and pyjamas) on the lowest shelf. I'd be getting the most use out of those.

Mom didn't order out for dinner, like most people moving into new houses did. She wanted to leave the unpacking until the next day, and instead of unpacking, she'd somehow found the time to make a run to the store and buy shell pasta and enough ingredients to make marinara sauce from scratch. She'd found the pots and pans, but not much else was unpacked.

"Most people order out for pizza on moving day." I teased. "Personally, I prefer the more homemade Italian approach."

Mom laughed. "Your jokes are improving, Beth. I have no idea where the crockery is right now, but I bought plastic bowls and forks, so we're all set."

Even though it was cold out, the sky was still light after dinner. I decided to go out for at least a short run. Just fifteen minutes.

On my way back, I saw a boy, about my age with much longer hair, sitting on a porch outside one of the houses, down the same street as me. He looked up at me, and I saw his eyes widen before I looked away. I wasn't sure what to think.

I glanced back up for a moment, and the boy was still looking at me. Suddenly, he grinned and motioned in the direction of my house. I nodded back at him, and his grin widened.

He mouthed four words: See you at school.

Yeah. I kind of guessed. Oh well, at least I had a face to look for when school started.

So, what have we learned? Ashley-Beth prefers to be called Beth, she's half African-American and half Native American but looks more like the former than the latter, the last place she lived in was Boston, she needs to go running every day, and...she has a pixie cut. I know it's weird to put emphasis on the pixie cut, but when she first popped into my head, she immediately had one. And who was the boy? Honestly, I haven't figured that out myself yet. It's a member of the pack in later books of course, but not yet. Please let me know what you think!