Chapter 1

When I stepped out of the car, I realized the importance of wearing a raincoat. The skies poured down buckets of rain on top of me and I just sighed. I honestly could say I loved it. I loved the rain and it was the only thing I was happy about. Rain has always been my comforter and I needed it at such a time.

I hated so many other events in my life. I hated that I moved to this forgotten place called Forks. I hated that Cassandra got a job as a teacher on the La Push Reservation. We couldn't even live on the reservation because we weren't tribal members or part of the Quileute tribe, but Cass could work there as a teacher. I didn't see the logic. Of course I'm only 17 years old and didn't know anything yet. Oh how my temper got the better of me. How my words fed my rage.

I sighed and took many deep breaths, looking around at my new home. Forest was everywhere I looked and it was odd to see so many trees and bushes. It was beautiful to see the amount of nature here. Back in my hometown, one would have to go to a park to see this. Fresno wasn't really the healthiest place to live. The air pollution was terrible and there wasn't a day that it wasn't an unhealthy air day. Once in a great while there was a healthy air day.

California was a nightmare. I didn't even like living there. I hoped that Washington was better, but Forks wasn't looking promising. It was so small and there wasn't even a Starbucks. At least I didn't think so. I stuffed my hands in my coat and my hazel eyes turned back toward the car. Cassandra had to sale her little blue 2001 Saturn to afford a better automobile more suited for Washington, for Forks. So she bought a Toyota Tundra and she got it for a good price. Of course it was a used car, but it worked for our trip from Fresno to Forks.

"Taelore! Come look at our new house," said a sweet and bubbly voice in the far direction. My eyes looked away from the truck to the curvy dark skinned older woman. It was none other than my mother.

Cassandra wasn't my real mother. My parents died in a train accident when I was six. Cassandra adopted my brother and me when I was seven. Aerin was ten at the time. It was hard to believe he was 20 now. Since that day though, Cassandra became a second mother because no one could replace my real mother and she knew that all too well.

"Coming Cass," I answered, running toward her. She stood under the small overlay before the front door. The door was painted a freighting bright baby blue and I could tell that the paint was fading anyway. Thank God for that. Under the blue, there was a deep red like a maroon only darker. It was more beautiful than the bright baby blue paint. Cassandra could see from my expression that my mind was on the door's color. It was her loud and cheerful laughter that broke my thoughts from it.

"Forget the door Taelore. We can fix it. I know how much you love to paint." I gasped as she mocked me. I frowned crossly and this only made her laugh more. I sighed and shook my head at this woman, the woman who has cared for me more than ten years. I shrugged my shoulders and waited for her to open the horrific door.

Cass placed the key into the doorknob and turned it to the left, unlocking it. With a gentle push, it was opened. It opened to a slightly large room that I could only guess was the living room. There wasn't even an entranceway. This house was going unbearably small. After all it was a cottage, but I had some hope.

"Isn't this place adorable?" Her squeal of enjoyment had no effect on me. I planned to be misery about this. All of this. Sure I never liked Fresno, but I wasn't planning on liking Forks either.

"I could found other words for it," I said in a dreary, sarcastic voice. Let Cass listen to my discomfort. I hated to move. It only reminded me of one thing.

"Taelore! I will not have the negative attitude for another moment! I had to deal with on the drive here and I won't deal with it now. This is our new home and you will just have to deal. Plus you will learn to love it. I thought you would be happy. It's raining."

"It's Washington. It always rains from what I have been told." I was happy about the rain, but I tried my best not to show it. I sighed and looked at her with apologetic eyes. The dark lips of Cassandra formed a frown and knew that my sad, apologetic eyes wouldn't work on her. They haven't worked on her since I was nine. "I'm sorry Cassandra. I'm just upset about leaving my friends. That's all I care about is them. I couldn't care less about Fresno and our old house. I hate this so much."

"Don't say that Hun. Hate is a strong word, but this job will be good for me. I have always wanted to teach in a small town like this. Though Forks isn't the town I'm teaching in. La Push will be nice as well. You can always visit and look at all the sites. I know how you love that. Seeing history and cultures at work. Come on Tae. Let's take a little tour. Shall we?" she asked. Cassandra held her dark hand for me to take. I placed my tan olive hand in hers and followed her about the house.

Everything was the first floor. Well there was really one floor. There was attic that could count as a second floor. The attic was going to be my room. I told Cassandra that I wanted it as my room right away. There was something charming about it. It also had a window facing the front of the house. It had a loveable window seat. It was perfect for reading and staring at the night sky. After hearing all that, Cassandra let me have it.

Sure her room was downstairs with the kitchen, living room, laundry room, and bathroom close at hand. That was something I hated about this house. There was only one bathroom. Lucky I wasn't much of one who spent hours in that room. Still it was nice to have your own. Everything was tiny in the house or so it seemed. My room wasn't that small only because it was the length of the cottage. No duh, it was the attic.

"Taelore!" called Cassandra from the bottom of the stairwell. "Come and help with the boxes. Tour's over. We have to move the boxes in." I groaned and covered my face with my hands. My pinkie fingers rubbed against my eyelids. It was time to actually move in. I hated this experience. Couldn't some of La Push men come over and help their new teacher move in? Of course not.

"On my way, Mama Cassandra!" I yelled back. I walked out of my new room and closed the door behind me. I took slow steps down the stairs. It wasn't long before I was outside in the rain, loading boxes from the trunk into the house.

'Welcome to Forks, welcome to your new life,' a voice murmured in the back of my mind. Thanks a lot Self. I rolled my eyes and unloaded my boxes on the ground in the living room. "Yep. Welcome to Forks. The place of misery," I said bitterly to myself.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse as well as all the characters. I own my original characters and the plot.

A/N: This story is starting out at the rating of T. There may parts that are M and will noted. I will most likely change the rating of the story when that happens.