I'm sure that most of the world's population has heard of the story of Cinderella. Most would recall tale told by Disney. Personally I always enjoyed Grimm's story version. Her slippers weren't made of glass, but of gold. She had no fairy god mother, only talking birds. The step sister's cut off their heels to fit within the shoe. To be honest, I always liked it because it showed justice. It showed that if you hold true to yourself then good would come to you. I mean, granted Disney show's you that too, but there was never really any justice for the cruelty the family showed Cinderella. She forgave them. How many people can honestly say they'd forgive such cruelty that quickly?

None that I know of. Then again, I don't know many people.

But the real question is what does the story of Cinderella have to do with me? Why am I thinking about it as I scald my hands with hot water cleaning a wooden bowl that once held my cereal? I'm thinking about it because Disney Cinderella and I have something in common.

I wasn't abused or anything, but, both her an I are practically orphans.

I...am an an orphan.

After all these years, I really am an orphan.

Cinderella and I have a tragic likeness. Our parents are dead. To make things worse, I just lost the only person in the world who cared for me. My grandmother.

My grandmother was a beautiful woman who aged beautifully. She was in her late sixties but looked like she just turned forty-five. Her hair should've been pure gray, and wispy. However, it still had her brunette luster and even though it only just began to appear wispy she wore it beautifully. Like almost all the people who reside in the little town I live by, her eyes were dark sometimes as dark as the night sky. But like the night sky, they twinkled with light. Especially when she laughed or smiled at me.

My grandmother was a beauty to behold, like a candle in an all dark room. But like a candle, her light was extinguished like the candle flame with a gust of breath. And hence to say I was left alone. Alone in a house whose very foundation creeks against the gust of sea wind. Alone upon a cliff over looking a small town, which no one escapes from.

Well, except my father.

I placed the bowl down on a drying rack, shutting off the water and drying my hands. Though even if they were dry I couldn't stop rubbing them, as they stung from the heat. Anyways from the stories my grandmother told me, my father was a bold and adventurous man from a young age. Running around getting into loads of trouble. Then when he graduated, he left. No note, no reason, no goodbyes. Just one day was here, and the next he wasn't.

From there, all I know is he moved from placed to place until he found my mother. A pale outsider with no home of her own. I guess it was love at first sight. Three years later she died, giving birth to me.

I shook my head and laid my throbbing temple onto my pals. I didn't want to think about what I had lost. I didn't want to walk out my front door with tears in my eyes. Not in front of Charlie.

Charlie was the Chief in these parts. Normally he didn't dabble too much into La-Push territory, but he knew my grandmother. Supposedly she babysat him occasionally when he was a child. He liked to visit a lot and have coffee with with my grandmother. In fact he came about three times a week if there wasn't anything to do. Forks and La-Push are small towns, and the most drama you get is a bunch of kids having parties in the woods past curfew. So he would come here. Of course that stopped happening as often as it used to when his daughter moved in. Bella I guess her name is. She moved in a couple of years ago. He would talk a lot about her, and he insisted on bring her down at her a couple of times. I guess he thought we'd instantly be best friends. It never happened, he said she was spending a lot of time at a guys house. One time she ran away. He was distraught, and she sounded like a trouble maker. Not my cup of tea to be honest but never judge a book by it's cover right?

I don't know. But anyways, he was called into town a two months ago and that's where he found my grandmother. She had a heart attack, and she just didn't come back from it.

It was the worst pain. The most I felt since my father died. And I wasn't even allowed to see where she was buried. I guess it was in her will.

Also in her will was her command that I stay in La-Push till I I found out, I was in a state of shock. How did she know she'd die before I was eighteen? Apparently her doctors have known for a while her heart was failing her. They just didn't know how long she'd have. She never told me and it doesn't surprise me that she didn't.

I only have to stay until next year. So I guess it's not that bad. Today is my first day of school, since I was like eight. I've been home-schooled since I came to live here, and things are very different. School started about a month ago but I just couldn't go so soon. The school board understood and gave me a month of mourning. Now it's time to face face the music. And I have to face the fact that when I come home I'll be alone. And thanks to my grandmother, I can't leave this place. So for another year and half, I'll be reminded of just how alone I really am.

Even now the heavy air filled with loneliness drenched over me like a cloak. It followed me around like a dark cloud before a storm. However, amidst the cloud settling around me, I distinctly heard the sound of tires down the stony driveway. In a minute, Charlie would pull up. Having been ready since four this morning, I simply grabbed my nearly empty back-pack and keys and headed out the door. I locked the door behind me when I left and walked down the wooden, somewhat rotted, stairs to the driveway. Charlie drove pretty slowly down considering it was rocky and I watched awkwardly as he did so. It wasn't that I was uncomfortable around Charlie..I just wasn't too good with people. Anti-social they call it. I ran my only slightly reddened fingers through my curls as Charlie pulled to a stop. My converse were thin and worn so I felt the rocks beneath my feet as I grabbed the cold handle of the passenger door of the police car. Clamoring in, I set my dark backpack on the floor and closed the door, grabbing my seat belt as he put the car in reverse to turn around.

Once he had turned around and we began the trip down the rocky driveway, Charlie tried to make small talk.

"How have you been, Red?" He asked. "Ready for today?"

I shrugged, even if he couldn't quite turn his head to see it. He was a very safe driver. "Ready as I can be I suppose." He gave a chuckled exhale as we turned right down the highway into La-Push. The car was silent for a moment as we tried figuring out what to say next. "How's Bella?" I asked.

"She's doing okay." Charlie said. "Still believes she's in love with that boy." He shook his head. "Personally I would have loved it if she gave Jake a chance but, what can you do."

I hadn't met Jake, or anybody for that matter. But from Charlie's details, he sounded just like the rest of La-Push, but with a better sense of humor and dedication I suppose. Charlie said I would probably meet him today as there were only maybe one hundred thirty kids in the high school alone. And since I'm the new girl, there was a probability that I would meet all of them by the end of today.

And I am absolutely shitty with names.

"Well, from my experience-"

"What experience?" He asked teasingly.

"Don't be mean," I laughed. "From what I've read, it's a teen thing. I'm sure she'll find someone new."

"I wouldn't hold my breath." He said with an eye roll as we made a left into town, following the streets and maybe the only two school buses in town. "So are you nervous?"

"I am nervous to be around that many people at once. I'm nervous to be looked at and scrutinized all day. I am not nervous about my classes. I think grandma taught me enough to get me through the first year of college at least."

Charlie laughed as we stopped behind a school bus as it picked up a couple of kids. "To be honest, I'm pretty sure she did. She bought some heavy duty books all the times I helped her with shopping. She was always worried she wasn't teaching you enough. You could probably test out of junior and senior classes."

"Yeah I probably could, but I don't think that's what she would have wanted for me. I think she wants me to go so I can see what it's like to be around others. Testing out would defeat the purpose."

"You're right." He agreed as we pulled into the school parking lot. He drove around and pulled up by a staircase leading inside. "Will you need a ride after school?" Charlie asked as I looked up at the building with apprehension.

"Uhm..I don't think so. I think I want to walk around and become familiar with this place a bit. I can't always count on you for rides. But thank you." I looked over at him with a small smile.

"Well, if you need me just have the school call. I'll be here in a jiffy." I nodded and looked back over to the students walking up the stairs in the morning drear.

"Do you think it's too late to decide not to do this?" I questioned, smiling.

"Yeah, just a bit. "He laughed, and I sighed hanging my head.

"Alrighty," I muttered. "Have a good day Charlie."

"You too, Red." He said and I grabbed my bag and got out of the police car. I walked up the stairs, careful to not be noticed by any of the kids who were walking up too and as soon as I entered the school I nearly vomited.

There were too many scents all at once. The smells of heavy perfume and cologne. The smell of angst and desperation. There were a couple smells which I couldn't identify. One I quickly assumed was a drug, since it smelt so heavily of musk and skunk. It wasn't too heavy, but it lingered on a couple of strange characters walking down the hallway. Charlie warned me about that a while ago. The other however, was new, and something that I couldn't place with anything I had read or smelt before. It came from every direction, as if it clung to more than one person. I just shook my head though; I didn't need to worry about where the smells came from. Soon enough I wouldn't even notice they were there. I came down a while back after school had ended to see where my locker and classes were. So I couldn't really get too lost. Even if I had, my first block teacher smelt heavily of tobacco. That lady could out smoke a train of she wanted to. I'd just follow that nasty stench down the hallway. I reached my locker and quickly opened it, remembering the combination with ease. I pulled the two notebooks that I had out of my bag and grabbed two pencils that I carried in the front pocket. Shoving them in my hoodie pocket, I shut the locker door and headed down the hall.

My first period was a U.S History class, and I think at the moment they were discussing the Revolutionary War, but considering I haven't really been here; I didn't know. And gladly I didn't have to make up anything I had missed, they didn't have a lot of grades right now anyways. I felt a few stares as I walked down the halls, from students who didn't care that the first bell had rung. I blocked at the uneasiness I was feeling. I inhaled deeply as I came close to the opened door which led to the first period of the day. I paused before I walked in, trying to still my heart.

I could always make a run for it. I don't think anyone would notice or care. But I was enrolled, I took enough time off as is. Plus, I don't think Gran would be too happy with me. I swallowed my fear and walked through the door.

The ten students were in there, were very loud before I walked in. So loud I could hear them down the hall, but when I walked in, they became silent. My teacher was a medium sized woman, who was neither tall nor short, nor skinny nor large but everything in between. She had glassed which hung around her neck. I would guess she was going on her forties, or may already be in her early forties. For a moment I pitied her, to be teaching for this long in a place no one probably knew existed. She smiled politely at me. She didn't do introductions, even if she did I politely asked when I met her to not announce my arrival and give my name. I didn't want the attention. I had a feeling however, I was going to get it anyways. Considering how small the classes and school is.

Mrs. Reagan cleared her throat. "As you can see there are plenty of open seats, please feel free to go wherever you like."

I had already spotted an open chair near the back, so that's where I went. I felt all eyes on the back of my curly head as I made my way to my seat. Mrs. Reagan added me to her seating chart and sat down. We had another few minutes before the tardy bell rang to actually signal the beginning of class, so the class began to murmur again. They weren't as loud, and I know they were all talking about me. I could hear them, even if they were trying to whisper.

However, one man who sat in front of me, turned around. His dark eyes were somewhat mysterious as they observed me. But they were very open, as if you could read his whole life story by just looking. They were warm and they were soft. Kind. I also observed him. He had high cheekbones as most Quileutes did, just like his dark eyes. Dark eyes, dark hair, high cheek bones, and a tan were all traits that most people of the town had unless they married a pale face like my father did. This one however, had a big nose. And I mean, very big.

It was rude of me to think it, but it was also true. But it didn't look bad, it complemented his features. He had big lips, very pouty, and big ears too. So it wasn't like it stood out too terribly much against the rest of his face. He was a big guy regardless.

He completely turned around to face me in his chair, and I guess this would be the first person to speak to me here.

"I'm Jacob Black."

Oh.

He's Jake.

Of course. I'm sure Charlie told him to greet me and make me feel comfortable. Definitely sounds like a Charlie thing to do.

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Charlie speaks fondly of you." Jake gave a smile. He had a nice smile, white teeth and wide grin. I held out my hand. "I'm Red."

Jacob took my hand firmly to shake it, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stared at our interlocked hands. I found nothing strange about shaking hands with him, but apparently he did. He pulled his hand away and looked back up at me.

"So, how do you like the first ten minutes of La-Push High, Red?" He asked.

"Uh, it's a bit disorienting, I think. Strange." I admitted. He seemed like a nice guy, definitely someone I could talk to. I could see why Charlie liked him so much.

"Why's that?"

"I don't know, it's strange. It's strange being in school and being in a classroom with people. But I think I can get accustomed to it." I didn't mention how oddly smelled everything was.

"That's understandable. Charlie said you've been home schooled for most of your life."

"Yeah I was."

Jacob frowned a bit. "Well how come you never came into town or anything? It's a small place, I would've remembered seeing you at least once."

"I mean, I came down once in a while, but never went to any places that everyone would've gone too. My grandmother would go to the store, and I would hide out in the library or book shop."

That's when Jacob laughed. "Yeah no one goes there. So you like to read?"

I nodded. "Since I didn't go into town much I would just read or play by the house."

"Charlie said you live up on Hallow's Hill."

"I do, it's kind of a walk and a half from here but it's still La-Push territory."

"Sounds kind of sheltered."

"Oh it was," I agreed. "But I never minded-"

The tardy bell rang just then and the teacher began checking off names of students who were late.

"Well, as soon as she is done with roll call, she immediately dives into notes. Do you need to borrow any of mine?" He asked, moving to turn around.

"Oh no, I think I'm okay. Thank you." I said, pulling out a pencil. Jake nodded.

"You're welcome." He turned around, facing the board for a moment before turning his head to look back at me. "You're welcome to hang out with me if you'd like, at lunch or something. Show you the do's and don't of this place."

I gave a small smile. "I think I'd like that. Thanks."

He smiled and turned around as the Teacher began her lecture.

So far, it hasn't been as bad as I thought. Finger's crossed that it'd stay that way.