Hello all! This is my very first FanFic, so play nice. I am posting the first chapter only (at first!) although I have several more chapters written. I want to see how it's reviewed, so please comment!!! *AM*

D/C: I do not own Twilight, nor do I own any of the characters portrayed in the novel.

I sat in my car, afraid to leave the driveway. Rain pounded onto the windshield, creating a curtain of protection from the world. I sighed, glancing into the rear view mirror. Chocolate brown eyes stared back at me, blatantly telling me that I needed to suck it up and go.

School. An unfamiliar hell, in an unfamiliar building. I took a deep breath. Bella, you can do this. I'd been mimicking my mother's words as I had gotten off the plane just two weeks ago. I had cursed Renee for putting me on that damn plane and sending me away. I'd then heard those same words yesterday when my father, Charlie, said the words to me over dinner.

My anger towards Charlie wasn't as intense as the waves of animosity that radiated from me when Renee called to check on my progress. Since she had accepted a job in Germany, I had denied that any change was happening. I ignored her when she told me I wouldn't be coming with her. I called her a liar when she told me she had called Charlie and they were arranging my move. I cried when I packed my bags of clothes and boxes of belongings. And I told my mother I hated her when he all but deposited me at the airport gate in Phoenix. She and I both knew I wasn't telling the truth as I uttered the three words no mother wanted to hear come out of their child's lips.

But now, as I was encased in my new, drizzly, rainy life, I felt empty. Anger and animosity had subsided and I was only left with a dull feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Beside me, my cell phone beeped and my mouth twitched in the corners when I saw 'Kaiden' appear. One new message. My thumb was already pressing onto the track ball, lighting the screen in the gloomy confines of the car.

'U could always just get in the car n drive. Itd be hrs be4 they knew u were gone.'

Such advice from the peanut gallery. Kaiden had been my boyfriend in Phoenix. He had also been the one who caught my attention in a blue Toyota Celica, igniting my true love for speed. But I had to leave him behind, thus ending our relationship of danger and breaking the rules.

I threw my phone onto the passenger seat, not bothering to respond to the idea of running. No, I would face my 'punishment' like an adult. No matter how much my mother thought that keeping me here while she rode out her contract would help kick me back into the little girl shoes I had once occupied, I would not buckle. I would not admit defeat. And when my mother called me at the end of the day, to check if I had actually shown up to school, I would put that fake smile on my face and say 'Yes mother, I went and it was great. Everyone was very nice.'

I reached over to turn the key in the ignition, letting the V8 engine of my Mustang Cobra come to life. It was my pride and joy, my reason for living. When I moved to Forks, the car was shipped soon after. It was the final the condition of my moving. I would have thrown myself off a bridge if I hadn't been able to bring her. Dramatic, yes, but it defined who I had become, and the trip to school would be the first time I would be able to drive it. Yesterday I had spent a majority of my time fine-tuning the red machine, and changing the oil and fluids.

Charlie had already left for work, the long hours a necessity of his job title—Chief Swan of the Forks Police Department. I rolled my eyes before slamming my left foot into the clutch. My luck. I had gotten myself in trouble in Phoenix for being involved with street racing, and now I'm in a town small enough that if I were to go over the speed limit, my father (the Chief!) would know about it immediately.

Throwing the shifter into reverse, I flew down the driveway, turning my car towards the school. The rain beat steadily on the road before me, and the waves of water my tires kicked up created the soundtrack I needed for the ride.

I'm not sure where my mind was. Maybe in Phoenix, when I would drive to school every morning, passing the cars I would sometimes see on the weekend nights when we would race each other. Maybe it was remembering the familiar terrain of my hometown, and becoming accustomed to it now that I would be living there full time. After all, I had been born here, and as long as I was still in high school and my mother was overseas, I would be living here.

Damn Renee.

I can't remember exactly what was on my mind when I rounded a corner about five miles from the school. But I remember the feeling of my heart entering my throat when I had to slam on my brakes, narrowly missing a collision with a silver Volvo.

"What the fuck!" I screamed into the confines of my car. I slammed my fist into the center of my steering wheel, listening with satisfaction as the horn blared through the quiet morning air. I expected the Volvo to slow, maybe a hand to exit the window and wave in apology. Instead the car straightened itself on the road and sped away. My eyes were wide open, wondering where the vehicle had come from. But as I stepped on the gas, I looked to my right and saw a half hidden driveway, obscured from the normal traffic by trees and bushes.

Had the car seriously just whipped out onto the road going that speed? My mind pulsed with realization and I cursed under my breath when I saw just how fast the silver car had been going. Looking down at my speedometer, I saw that my gauge was reaching fifty, and with annoyance I saw the silver blur in front of me speed away. I knew for a fact that the speed limit was thirty five; I had to listen through a grueling two hours as Charlie had explained everything about the roads and car safety the moment my car had arrived in Washington.

I glared at the back of the Volvo, shifting in anger as I tried to gather speed. Turning the corners of the road, I felt the familiar ache in my chest. The speed, the exhilaration as the engine vibrated beneath my body. The knowledge that I could go faster and faster with each passing second made a small smile tug at the corner of my lips.

The windows of the silver car were darkly tinted, and I wasn't able to see anything- not even the outline of the driver. Squinting through the rain on my windshield, I grew agitated that the person remained a mystery. The voice in the back of my head told me to slow down, that driving in the rain like this was a huge mistake.

But did I listen? Nope.

Instead I rounded the next corner and slammed through the gears into fourth. A small gasp escaped my mouth though, as I saw that the silver Volvo was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the flashing of blue and red appeared in my rear view mirror, signaling the arrival of a new contender in the personal race.

A slur of words left my mouth, all of them inappropriate to say in front of parental units. But I shifted down as I pulled over to the side of the road, feeling the idle of the engine as the police cruiser pulled onto the gravel behind me. I automatically reached for my purse, pulling out my wallet. Sliding my new Washington driver's license out, I grabbed the registration for the Mustang, rolling the window down. The long legs of the officer, clad in the same brown material as my father's uniform, were already standing next to my window. Was he really that rushed to give me a ticket? My stomach plummeted with the fact that a ticket may cause Charlie to revoke my driving privileges.

"Bella?" the voice asked. I sighed and looked up, expecting to see my father's friends from the station staring down at me. But instead I was met with the inquiring eyes of Jacob Black.

"Jake?" I said incredulously. Standing in the rain was the six foot six statue of a man, friend of the family, and apparently newly turned police officer, Jacob Black.

"I knew your dad said you moved back, but I didn't expect to run into you while pulling you over for speeding." He spit out the last word with a laugh, and I grimaced in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that, I was…" Dare tell him that I was chasing after another car? A car that was no longer in sight, even though I could easily see a mile up the road.

"I was on my way to school," I finished. "I guess I wasn't paying attention. You know, anxious and all." Jacob looked down at me with the dark brown eyes I remembered from when I was a child. I remembered vaguely the summer days I spent at my father's house, playing in the yard with Jacob while the adults remained indoors watching the latest baseball game. His black hair had once been long, longer than mine. But now it was cut in a cropped style, most likely a requirement of the police force. But the brown eyes that I had once swooned over when I was twelve, were now looking down at me, filled with the same laughter as he exuded when we were younger.

"Well, you were going pretty fast there. Normally I would be giving a ticket for that." His words hit my chest with a piercing stab. My father would take away my keys, take away my car, and force me to ride to school in his police cruiser. No way.

"Jacob, how about this be that one free card you give me? A warning of some sort?" I didn't want to beg him, and I knew that I wouldn't. My mind drifted back to the hours I spent on the Reservation with the Black family. Jacob was my age, but I couldn't fathom why he would be out of school and occupying a police car.

"Wait, how are you a cop?" I asked before Jacob could say anything about a ticket. He laughed and looked around the forest that surrounded us on the side of the road.

"Well, I graduated early and your dad offered me a job. I'm surprised he didn't mention it to you." So was I. The select words that I wanted to say aloud would have to be saved for some other time when Charlie would be able to hear them.

"I'll let you go with that warning," Jacob was saying. I sighed with relief, glad that my registration was still sitting in my lap and not being entered in the computer system as a traffic violation.

"Thanks Jake," I mumbled. Jacob tucked his hands into his pockets in an awkward stance and gave me a nod.

"I'll see you around, Bella. Drive safe." And with that he was getting back into his brown and black police cruiser and driving away. Rolling my window up, I revved the engine before continuing towards the school. I made sure to look around as I approached campus, wondering where exactly my racing opponent had gone, or even if they had realized that they had almost crashed into me.

But as I drove into the parking lot of my new High School, I rolled my eyes when students turned their heads to find the cause of the noise. Yes people, that's the sound of an engine. I made sure to park towards the back of the lot, my old habits settling back in. In Phoenix, I parked as far as I could from anyone. Not because I enjoyed walking, and not because I was a difficult person, but because I absolutely loathed people parking next to my car. Once I had parked in the first spot at my old school, right in front of the flag pole. And after school I watched in horror as a 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass' door was slammed into my cherry red paint. Dents like that don't come out easy, just for future reference.

I grabbed my bag and umbrella out of the backseat of my car, keeping my sunglasses in tact. If people were going to stare at me like I was the new mysterious girl, I was going to act like the new mysterious girl.

The campus was small, not what I was used to at all. But vaguely I remembered being younger and driving on the school bus towards the elementary school, passing the high school buildings and dreaming of the day where I would be cool enough to go there. But now, as I stood in front of the gray building with unease in my stomach, I realized in the past ten years it hadn't changed at all.

Suck it up.

Words of wisdom, I suppose. And I did. I took a deep breath and trudged forward, pressing the 'lock' button on my keychain for my car. With each parking spot that I passed, new faces turned towards mine. Senior year was already two weeks into play, and I was upset that I couldn't start with everyone else. Would this make me more of an outcast? No, I don't suppose it would. The fact that these people had grown up together, and been in every grade together, and that I was the new person jumping into the mix, would make me the outcast.

I sighed. I had successfully left the parking lot, careful to avoid the curious gazes of the other students, and made it to the front office. The orange carpet that greeted my shoes made me grimace, but I tore my eyes away from the awful floor and smiled at the woman behind the counter.

"Miss Swan I presume?" The woman spoke sweetly. My smile dropped. Did everyone know who I was?

"Yes ma'am. My father told me to stop by the front office to pick up my schedule," I said in a monotone voice. The woman nodded and fished through the papers that were strewn over her desk. Minutes later she was handing me a crinkled paper, covered with my classes. I didn't look at it there, afraid the woman would speak more to me, and I turned to leave.

"Miss Swan, may I be so bold?" My eyebrow went up in question as I turned back to the plump red haired woman.

"Ma'am?" She let her eyes glide over my outfit and I felt my heart beat furiously.

"The students who dress in such a way are usually the ones who are in detention and getting in trouble with… well, your father." I looked down at my black jeans and white and black shirt. My rain coat was, of course, black. I dressed this way because of a style choice, not because I wanted to create trouble. And I told the woman this, happy to see an ashamed look cross her face.

"Presumptuous bitch," I muttered to myself as I walked back out into the drizzling rain. I pulled my jacket hood over my already damp hair, glad I didn't try to do anything fancy with it. The weather in this God-awful town would destroy any sense of fashion I would attempt to have.

"New girl…" I heard the whisper seconds later. My head remained down, but I let my eyes wander up. They met the blue eyes of a blonde haired boy, and he gasped when he realized I was watching him. Today would be full of stares and whispers. I wondered briefly if anyone would actually talk to me.

I glanced down to the schedule again, and I saw that my first class would start in ten minutes. History. Really? Would I really have to endure an hour of talk about events that had happened a hundred years ago, this early in the morning? I sighed again, and removed the sunglasses that had shielded me from the prying eyes of others. Tucking them into my shoulder bag, I looked around for an indication of which direction to go. The front office was not attached to the other classrooms, and I saw quickly that there were several buildings sprawled across the campus. The illusion that the school was bigger than it actually was.

"What's your first class?" a voice spoke behind me. I fought the urge to ignore the female's voice and turned. Standing to the side was a small girl, no more than five feet tall. She had golden eyes, wide as can be in her curious state. Her hair was black and short, a small pixie cut framing her face. I smiled to myself when I saw that she was dressed like me—black rain coat and all.

"History with Palmer," I answered. The girl smiled and started walking away.

"You'll have that class with me then. Follow." I laughed aloud and did what she said, matching her pace as she led us through the crowd, all eyes seeming to be on us.

"I love your car," the girl said. Had she been watching me?

"Thanks. She's my baby." She turned and smiled when I said this, nodding as if she understood my feelings towards the red Mustang in the parking lot.

"I'm Alice. Alice Cullen," she continued as we walked along the sidewalk. I memorized the name immediately.

"Bella Swan," I answered. Alice looked at me and smiled. I knew then that she had already known my name, but I didn't question it. It would be happening all day, I knew this. Again, the inevitable.

"So did your dad give you the car?" she asked. I laughed louder this time, holding my shoulder bag closer to me as we got closer to the building our History class was held in. The volume of students grew, and I felt claustrophobic.

"No, that's all mine. Paid for it on my own." It was true. I had held a job when I lived in Phoenix, using just about every cent of my paycheck towards the upkeep of the car. What my mother and father didn't know was that the car was already paid off because of the money I had earned in my races. The brief memory of my last win flashed through my mind, and I wished that I was home, parked at the start line of a freeway, waiting for the flag to drop.

"Sweet," Alice said. I became very aware that she was appraising me with her eyes, as if trying to decide if I was worthy of being associated with her. "Just don't get caught racing her. At least in Forks anyway." The last statement was left hanging as we entered the classroom, and I stared at the pixie cut as its owner went to sit down. Did she mean to tell me that there were races? Did the people in this town actually have suitable cars to race me with? I immediately thought of the silver Volvo from just the hour before, and I knew the answer was 'yes'.

"Miss Swan, thank you for joining us," the teacher said. Mr. Palmer pointed towards the open seat in the back of the classroom and I slumped in my seat with a grunt.

"Class, this is Isabelle Swan. New to the school, but not to the town. Make her feel welcome." I cursed Mr. Palmer and his balding head. Now people would be approaching me, making me feel 'welcome' in my new school. That was the last thing I wanted at the moment. I wanted to be left alone to wallow in my self pity.

"Bella," Alice whispered to me from her seat diagonal from me. I raised my eyebrow and acknowledged her.

"After third hour meet me in front of the lunch room. You're sitting with me." I didn't get the chance to nod. I had to accept the demand from the small girl due to the whispers dying out and the teacher beginning to talk. I leaned back in my chair, glad to have the corner desk. No prying eyes invaded me here, and if anyone turned to stare and I would return the look that forced them to glance away.

Alice was odd, I could tell right away. Her clothes were much like mine, but as I sat in the class I had already studied in Phoenix, I let myself look closer. Her black boots were designer, I could tell. They spiked at the end, and were a glossy leather material. Her jeans were in fact leggings, and she had a white sweater that hung to her knees, buckled around the waist with a silver belt. When I studied her jacket, I felt my heart skip when I saw that it was in fact Armani. I remembered seeing the jacket in a magazine, and envied it from the confines of my room. I was jealous because it was a three thousand dollar jacket, and I would never be able to afford it.

What did this girl do for her money? Were her parents rich? The envy struck again as I realized I might have to get a job here in Forks like I had back home. Charlie had given me the speech of watching how I spent my money, and I refused to have to do that every time I wanted to purchase gas for the car or go out to eat. I made the mental note to hit up the classifieds when I got home from school.

I let my attention drift back to the class, pulling my eyes off of Alice's attire and attitude. She was a great girl it seemed, and I suddenly felt nervous about meeting her for lunch. But I had a feeling that she wouldn't let me feel awkward around her; this made things a lot better.