St Bernie's Beginnings:

The early morning September sky was overcast and threatening rain. Seattle would be a good fit us. We might only miss a few school days in the year; I played both arguments in my head as to whether this would be a good thing or not. An angry breeze darted against my skin and I tugged my grey school jacket against me reflexively. I wasn't cold, but had lived among humans as a vampire long enough to go through the human reactions almost instinctually.

I found our presence at a private Catholic high school laughable, ironic, and ludicrous. While the church no longer openly acknowledged the existence of vampires, our histories converged once upon an ugly midnight conspiracy. For some reason however, Jasper thought it was entirely too entertaining. Therefore, as it was his turn to pick our school we dutifully packed our trendy bags, donned our matching green and grey school uniforms, and made our way to the stately front entrance of our new school.

Seattle's St. Bernadette's Preparatory School, or "St Bernie" as it is colloquially known, is an old catholic high school (at least in terms of schools on the west coast), rich in history and prestige. Not only that, but the school is said to teach the North West's brightest and most affluent young minds. The school, being both expensive and socially elitist, was brimming with children, all who thought themselves to be the pinnacle of greatness. It was going to be a hellish few years.

I rolled my eyes at the onslaught of self important thoughts racing through the minds of our future peers. Slamming the door shut with a touch of my fingers I huffing a "just brilliant" under my breath earning me a glare from Alice, who a few bounds ahead of me turned to condemn my pessimistic attitude. Try to be less condescending would you?

"Just trying to fit in" I shot back smiling and raising my eyebrows, daring her to defend the pompous young minds swimming around us.

For our current mission (as Jasper had called it, slipping easily into the role of captan) we were 5 adopted high school aged kids, being raised by a prominent research doctor working closely with Fred Hutch in Cancer Research and his equally prominent wife who was collaborating with the City of Seattle on designing cohesive transportation and city development. Our relationships were convoluted as always: I was supposedly Alice's biological sister, Emmet our brother, while Rose and Jasper were meant to be our cohorts from the adoption agency-or some odd ridiculous association. Alice, Jasper and I were registered at Sophomores, Emmet and Rose as Juniors.

As we entered the impressively gothic campus I pondered the sea of green and grey around me. The women were dressed in grey sweaters pulled snugly over white button up blouses and dark green skirts with subtle grey plaid patterns running across them to the knees or particularly unbecoming dark green pants, needless to say most women wore the skirt. The shoes were all different styles but were all black and closed toe. The men wore matching grey sweaters over white button-ups distinguished as different from the women only in their anatomy and the addition of a dark green tie. All the men wore dark grey slacks and black shoes.

I found it interesting the way the thoughts zipping through these young minds found new so much to criticize when so much of how they looked was identical: hair color and cut, tan, make-up, nails, shoes, weight, bags, braces. Why had I thought that streamlining the clothes would make any difference? Human's, especially high schoolers, were so predictable, so disappointing.

In the crowded marble halls we had yet to be noticed and I savored our perch as outsiders once more as a small beaming red head who, instantly reminded me of Alice, situated herself in our path to the registrar's office.

"Welcome to St. Bernie's" her smile was genuine and her thoughts did not stray from her greetings of welcome. " My name is Anne, I'm a Sophomore here, are you all new? I don't recognize you? Wow I like that, Sophomore, it's nice not to be the bottom of the heap for once" Her voice was high and fast, her eyes inquisitive and open.

"Well, hello Anne, I'm Alice. I feel like you and I will be fast friends. And yes. I am new." she stuck our her small arm (which happened to be gloved against the weather) and shock vigorously the hand of her new friend. "These duds behind me are new too" She shot back a smile. "The quite one that looks bored in the back there is Edward-my brother dear. Next to him-the blond with her nose up so high you can almost see up it is my adopted cousin Rosalie" She paused to allow Rose to throw daggers at her with her eyes. "And lets see who else. The dreamy nervous thing here (patting her husbands hand) is my boy-toy Jazz, and lastly that big lump of muscle is Emmet- my other brother dear."

"My goodness, well there sure is a lot of you so I'm sure you will manage well without me, but if needed just holler. I can show you guys to the registrar's office and then send you in the right direction for your first class? "

My first class was assigned on the second level of the classic building. I would be starting each day for the rest of the semester with history. I loathed history more than any other subject-there was nothing new to learn, and I found myself pipping corrections in the first person when a teacher smeared a fact, or dated an event incorrectly. It was missery.

After picking up our slips of course assignments we were given not only the locations, but all the dirt and social commentary that might be necessary to "survive" as Anne phrased it.

"So did you all come from a private school before?" 'Cause if you didn't this place is going to throw you for a real loop. These people are ruthless, you got to know how to play dirty to make it in a school like this.

"No. This is all new for us" Alice had become our spokesperson.

Anne whistled quietly under her breath "Well then do I have a lot to catch you all up on"

Anne and Alice prattled on as we the group of vampires trudged along behind them; Emmet, distracted as always by just about everything we passed, Rose swatting at him intermittently for not having been attentive to her, and Jasper focusing intently on controlling himself. And that was when I smelled it. Like water to a man in the desert, ice to a man on fire, air to a drowning man, like the smell of the sweetest blood to a ravenous vampire. I had to find it, had to have it.

I felt myself still as the others continued on to their first class. My brain went blank- there were no minds invading my own, no sounds filling my ears. The only thing that existed was that smell. I had to have it. Needed to be closer to it. Needed to be buried in that sent. Surrounded in that sweetness.

A moment later I felt to petite hands brace me with strength and determination.

"Edward. Hello! Edward!" I was being shaken by the to small hands. "Earth to Edward" Not cute. Not funny Edward. Pay attention to me Edward. This is so not okay. You need to snap out of it! Now! It isn't worth it. You love your family. Come back from the ledge. Seriously. Snap out of it. NOW!!!

A.N.: So this is actually my second story on FF... however, my first story was reviewer-less so if you could take pity on the poor-wanna-be-writer's soul and give me some feed back. I keep telling myself that I write for me and I don't care what other people think of my writing... but even I know that's a big fat lie! Probably karma from being an inconsistent reviewer myself... alas would love to hear what you think!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------