Rain, although many complained about the cold and murky weather, I found it soothing and beautiful. I could never get tired of the shower; it always seemed to beckon me to join it outside - even as a child, I found it hard to ignore the urge to run around the rain and jump into the puddles.

"Are you even listening to me?" Angela asked; she was cross-legged on her bed closest to the left side of the room while my bed settled on the right side closest to the big window that overlooked the front yard. Our desks sat next to each other in the back of the room. While our clothes were neatly placed on their respective sides.

I sighed, "Of course, I am." I looked away from the window to look at her.

"You're complaining about what elective to join this year - and like I've mentioned about the 100th time. Try the journalism class; I think you'd like it."

Ang threw the pen she was using for her class schedule at me. I rolled my eyes at her.

"What elective are you taking? Maybe I can join you?"

She asked timidly. I sat up straighter on the bed, eyeing Angela as I did so. Although the same length and shade as mine, her dark hair was out of place, a hassle to tame, while mine was straight, not a hair out of place. Dad would always reference the phrase, 'Never judge a book by its cover.' Seeing as Ang was the nicer one out of us, while I clearly struggled with my resting bitch face. Nonetheless - we weren't too different from each other.

"I'm not taking an elective this year," I said matter-of-factly.

Angela raised an eyebrow, dumbfounded that I would refuse to take an easy class.

"Why, would you do such a thing?" she asked.

I smiled as I folded my arms. "Cause I want to be ahead."

Ang shook her head, disappointed at what I was insinuating.

"You need to stop. It was funny in the beginning, but now it's getting out of hand." She admitted.

Growing up in Forks, everyone knew everyone, including the kids. With that being said, everyone knew everything about the other. I never cared to share such things as goals or aspirations, but Jessica - would go about boasting how she'd definitely be the top of our class and become valedictorian since there was no one as smart as her - insert me, and now you have Jess struggling to even keep up. I thought it'd be fun to knock her a peg down - as revenge for joking about my intelligence. However, I've been playing this joke for so long that I couldn't stop - I now wanted to be valedictorian. I haven't given Jess any thought since.

I rolled my eyes at Ang, "It stopped being a joke when we finished freshman year,"

I got up from the bed, grabbed my notebook, and passed it to Angela, who scooted closer to the edge of her bed to reach for the book. I sat down on my white stool, looking at her studying my notes.

"You're serious."

It wasn't a question as she could tell I wasn't joking. She gave me a smile studying my notes once more. Giving the classes and quick thoughts I had scribbled for college courses a second glance. Angela handed the notebook back, looking as if I had convinced her I was an angel sent from the Lord himself.

"Dartmouth?"

I nodded, clutching the notebook to my chest. "I know that's ambitious, but I think I have a strong mind."

Angela gave me a wide smile. "Well, if that's the case, then I'm rooting for you. I think you can achieve anything, Ellie."

I cringed at the nickname. "I know I can,"

I dodged her pillow that she had settled on her lap a few seconds ago, laughing. I set my notebook on my desk, eyeing the pillow she just threw.

I grabbed the floral patterned pillow and chucked it back at her, missing her face entirely. She laughed at my lousy aim.

"ELEANOR! ANGELA! Grandma's on the phone for you!"

I quickly got up from my stool, tripping over another one of Ang's Pillows. I can hear Angela laughing hysterically as she headed downstairs. I groaned knowing I was going to have a bruise. I rubbed my knee and made my way downstairs.

I took a deep breath fixing any loose strands of hair that made their way to my face.

"Yeah?" I called out, looking at mom.

Angela was already on the phone talking to grandma. Mom was in the kitchen hunched over some paperwork on the counter as she looked pointedly at the house phone. She was surrounded by boxes of paperwork and books. Her dark hair was perfectly styled for tonight's event while she was still in her loose scrubs - her Pj's, as she loves to call them.

I grabbed one of the boxes near Angela.

"What's this?" I asked, cautiously looking over my shoulder to make sure mom wouldn't be upset with my curiosity - this time.

Mom glanced from her work to the box I was sitting with and then to me. "It's old stuff of Nana's."

My eyebrows raised as my nosiness increased. Much of Nana's stuff went to mom's younger sister, Tia Julia. Mom and Nana were never on the best of terms. Which explained why mom felt too emotional to keep anything when she passed. This was the first time seeing the items let alone mom being comfortable enough to have them near her.

I smiled to myself realizing what the box was full of. 'Nana's old journals.' I thought grabbing a brown worn-out book that caught my eye.

The majority of the entries were about Brujeria - old witchcraft that grandma swore by. I turned a few of the pages reading some of the Spanish she wrote down. I smiled to myself recognizing some things about the Malo Ojo - evil eye.

I felt mom's gaze over my shoulder before I felt her snatch the book from me.

"Hey," I cried watching mom narrow her eyes at the book. It's as if her mom's handwriting was insulting her. She snapped the book shut before shoving it back in the box and covering it back up. She did this with the other two boxes that also carried some of Nana's journals and antiques.

"I don't think you need this type of influence, El." Mom said shoving the boxes near the garage door.

I bite my lower lip out of annoyance. Of course, mom and dad were definitely never okay with Nana's mumblings of old traditions on doing things. Dad especially. He loved reciting 'We're children of god,' as if that would diminish any curiosity we had about Nana's quirky stories. It didn't - well, not for me. Angela on the other hand would have an internal crisis of disobeying our parents.

"Focus," Mom said to Angela as grandma Lucia - Dad's mom, continued to talk loudly.

"Uhmm, grandma, Eleanor wants to talk to you." Angela had to cut her off to share the unwanted ramblings Gran Lucia always did. I got up from my seat and grabbed the phone.

"Hey, grandma," I greeted hearing Mom shout for Isaac. "ISAAC! Come down to say hello to grandma!"

Mom went up the stairs as Angela made herself busy and heated up some leftover lasagna.

"Hello?" I asked, the phone pressed against my ear and shoulder. "Eleanor?" I hummed as a reply, listening to Grandma Lucia congratulate me for starting school soon. I smiled to myself hearing her honey-like voice soothe me into believing the school year would be fun. Unlike the past years when every day felt like the same routine. Nothing ever seemed to happen in Forks. Grandma asked if I already knew what I was going to wear for school or what classes I'd be more excited about. I shrugged eyeing Angela who was now scanning over the boxes with the old journals and pulling out a bracelet.

"Not sure," I murmured, getting distracted from the conversation.

"What do you mean you're not sure? Hello? Are you eve-"

"Oh, Isaac wants to talk to you!" I interrupted her, spotting Isaac coming down the stairs. His hazel eyes went wide as he shook his head in refusal, his dark curls bouncing from the force. 'Too late.' I smirked holding out the phone to him as he realized he was the last one.

He let out a groan sluggishly making his way to the house phone. I rubbed his curly dark hair as I helped Angela take out the Lasagna she had warmed up.

I smiled to myself, carefully taking the lasagna out of the oven and setting it on the stove. "Want some?" I offered Isaac handing a plate to Angela - which she accepted. Isaac nodded letting us know he wanted some as well. Once done with Grandma Lucia, we gave Isaac his plate and some juice.

"What was in the books?" She asked taking my attention from Isaac. I shrugged, "witchery stuff." I said, digging into the food and grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. Ang looked up, fixing her glasses that steamed up from the lasagna heat. "Don't you mean Brujeria?" she asked wiggling her fingers at me. I chuckled taking a sip of the water.

We left it at that even though our curiosity about the books had grown. Twintuition - a feeling we shared knowing what the other was thinking or in this case feeling.

"Oh, so for school tomorrow. I was wondering if I-" I leaned against the kitchen table, watching Angela wash our dishes. Isaac was already up the stairs getting dressed for tonight.

"You can borrow whatever you want." Angela gave me a quick smile.

"Can you also help me with my hair?" I nodded,

"Yeah, we just have to be up early." Angela groaned, drying her hands with a dish towel.

"Is it too much to just want to sleep in?" I shook my head, "You know how it is. You need to be up early if we want to make it to school on time."

Angela was gifted with natural wavy hair, a trait I've been jealous of. However with wavy hair came frizz and puffy hairdos which is why I have been volunteering to help Ang tame her hair. Angela groaned making it first to our room. She began to pull out clothes for tonights sermon we had to go. Every Sunday was reserved for church - no excuses. As dad liked to say it was 'gods day.'

I scrunched up my nose in distaste watching Ang change into a red dress. "You know dad's going to be here in a few minutes right?" I knew it was a rhetorical question. However I still responded, "I hate going to church." It wasn't a lie but it also wasn't the whole truth. Angela knew that.

I didn't mind the sermon or the people that attended. It was the facade that going to church meant we were 'good' people. "Can't we just say we believe and not go?" I asked begrudgingly grabbing a turtleneck top and black jeans. I quickly changed into it as Angela dropped my rain coat ontop of my bed.

"You know how dad is." was all I got from Angela who had already changed and was no doubt heading downstairs to fix her hair. I sighed, grabbing the coat and following after her.

"Girls, you have a few minutes before your dad gets here, and we leave." I groaned, feeling rushed to help Ang.

"We'll be ready soon," Anglea replied, closing the door to the bathroom. "Do you think we should just stick with a braid?" she asked sitting down.

"A braid would look nice." I had her sit down as I started braiding. It only took a few minutes before we heard Isaac coming down the stairs. His feet slamming down as to be heard from outside.

"Dad's HERE!" Isaac yelled. We can hear mom yelling at him as she followed down. I smiled at Ang through the mirror. Ang left me alone as I made sure my straight hair was still.. well straight. I licked my lips doing another once over before adjusting my raincoat.

"Is everyone ready?" Dad greeted.

I closed the door behind me as he walked into the living room and towards mom, giving her a quick peck before hugging Angela and Isaac. Dad was wearing his usual suit for church with a red tie to match mom.

"Almost. Is the car heater on?" Mom asked, pulling her coat on once she was done adjusting Isaac's button up. Dad nodded before pointing to a few boxes near the garage door, mom had left . "What's all this?" He asked.

Mom grabbed his arm before he could snoop into it. "They're just old journals of my mom's. Julia mailed them to the house so we could see what we might want to keep. She said there'll be more arriving. Nothing too important." Mom then looked at all of us, making sure we had our coats on before rushing dad out the door. Ang quickly pulled on her shoes and coat - I doing the same, both of us eyeing the boxes. I couldn't - for the life of me - keep the boxes of journals out of my mind and desperately wanted to go through more of it.

Angela elbowed me out of the door as we saw our family alreading climbing into the van. "Hurry up or dad's going to ground us." Ang murmured pulling me along with her.