Morning Star

Chapter 1: Bite me

My dad drove me too the airport that morning with the window rolled down. I enjoyed the cold morning wind as it hit me in the face. Unlike my mom – may she rest in peace – I hated heat. Hot, dry places were my own personal hell. I was beyond happy to be getting out of Nevada. Las Vegas, Nevada had not been my home since I was five, the day my mother died. I was there when she was killed and to say it fucked me up mentally is a understatement. Three years of being shuffled between mental houses and being scrutinized by physiologist after physiologist I was legally insane. I thank god everyday they let me out of that white hell.

In my seventeen years I had only ever been normal for five of them. I still remember my mother, I may have been young when she died but I held on to the memories. She was beautiful, standing at 5'5 with a slender yet curvy body which was obviously that of a mother. Her hair was curly and long, beautiful mahogany brown. Her eyes were the most deep and beautiful chocolate anyone could have ever seen. She used to call me her little Star but she was always brighter then any star. The day she was killed was the day my mind snapped.

"Starla..." my father began but I cut him off with a glare. I let my siblings get away with that, but he knew better.

"Sorry, Ren. You don't have to do this." I smiled, wondering how I could leave my busy, hoverless, erratic father? He would be okay with Jake and Rosa but would the nanny be able to handle the brats from hell.

"I really do," I told him. It was true, I really did have to leave. My need to kill had been nearly insatiable in the last few years. There were simply to many killers, and criminals in Las Vegas. I had looked it up, even asked Melody and Forks did not seem to have any. Seattle and Port Angelus the closest places to Forks had very little crime. If I could only avoid killers or places were crime was in a abundance maybe mother would leave me alone. I couldn't take the guilt anymore. Humans were never meant to punish the guilty like I had, we were supposed to protect the innocent but not by killing the killers.

"If your sure. Tell Mel I said hello." I nodded. That was a simple feet. Sighing I looked to the airplane and boarded not minutes latter. My just above shoulder blade length brown hair, which was straight as could bee was layered and framing my face, blowing behind me. My eyes were almond shaped and a bright apple green which seemed to darken with my moods. I had inherited my eyes from my father, my brown hair – though lighter then my mother – I had inherited from my mom. I looked the most like my mother compared to my siblings , beside from Melody that is, who our mother once said looked a lot like her own mother, our grandma Renee.

In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It was the main reason I was wearing my favorite tank top, a white one with paint splat that looked like blood and on the right shoulder was a deep blood red ribbon. I had on dark skinny jeans and my favorite red suedette knee high boots which were tucked under the skinny jeans. I also wore my red long sleeve lace shrug, a red snake skin cuff bracelet over my left wrist, a pair of vintage bat earrings, my mother's lamb pendent my favorite pair of ladies classic mid length leather gloves in red. The bangle rested over the leather gloves and my carry on was a red messenger bag. My other things were in the back, two duffel bags and two suitcases. I wasn't a material girl but my father had the money too burn and if he wished to buy me things then I wasn't about to argue. I had tried before, it only resulted in a larger headache. I figured I should wear my favorite outfit as a farewell gesture, as I knew it was simply to wet and cold for this assemble in Forks.

The flight was boring. The only thing to keep my mind off things and getting a bigger headache was my mother. She would whisper endearing words to me as the flight progressed, she knew I was afraid of flying. My worst fear was going down in a crash, knowing my luck it just might happen. The lady next to me smelled of cats and old lady flowers – I wasn't too sure of which kind. She would smile at me from time to time and offer me sweets. I rejected them kindly, my headache became worst as we hit turbulence a few times but once I was safely on the ground for good the headache began to egg away.

I arrived in Port Angeles finally, as I gracefully descended the steps and stood on solid ground I praised the lord for small favors. I was never much of a heights kind of girl, flying was something I hated. I also despised boats, I couldn't swim so why chance drowning? That is beside the point though, as I looked around for Melody I wasn't too shocked to find some people were staring at me. I was always considered beautiful, my father said I took my beauty from my mother. I wasn't completely lacking in self esteem but I didn't see what others saw. I saw a girl who was pretty, but by no means extraordinary.

"Starla! It's been so long, you've gotten taller," Mel greeted me as she pulled me into a hug. My bags were on a trolly behind me, I almost snorted at my thoughts. I had spent a year in London once with my younger siblings and father on one of his business trips as I was only sixteen and not allowed to stay alone for weeks at a time in the Vegas house.

I smiled at her reassuringly, mother was inside my head now, cooing about how much her oldest baby had grown up.

She's simply beautiful, and the pregnancy glow suits her. I had too agree with mother, pregnancy suited Melody. "I'm good, yeah, I hit a growth spurt two years ago." She nodded. The last time she had seen me had been three years ago before the year in London. I let Melody pull me happily to her dark blue Volvo. She had gotten it years ago, a older model. Most likely made around the time she was born. I wasn't sure though, I didn't speak car and driver. Melody tried to help me place my bags in the trunk, but I shook my head and handed her my carry on messenger bag.

"It's bad for the baby," I told her when she questioned why I would not allow her to help. She huffed and walked to the drivers side and sat inside. I shut the trunk and walked over to the passenger seat. In the back I could see Jackson in his booster seat. He smiled at me from the back and waved.

"Hi aunt Star'a," he said, not able to pronounced the 'L' properly. I laughed and reached my hand behind me and smiled as he grabbed it. After a moment I pulled back and sat straight, taking my bag from Melody. The drive was silent for the most part, neither me or Melody were what you could call verbose but that was mainly because we didn't have much to talk about. Melody had always been upset with dad, he was always working, never taking care of us. It was always our nanny, and maid, Anna's job to care for us. After mother was killed it got worst. It was the main reason Mel decided too move out here.

"How is dad?" I looked at her startled. I shrugged, rubbing my temple as I leaned my head against my hand which was propped on the door of the car by my elbow.

"He's good, the same you know." she nodded, of course she knew. I was taking care of Jay and Rose by myself with Anna's help and Dad was pretending mom had never died and that everyone was one big happy family. I knew better, I was almost positive he was banging his secretary. I couldn't be too angry though, he had waited years after mother died and never found anyone. Of course mother didn't agree and her voice was screaming at me that dad needed to stay faithful. I worried sometimes if mother would someday make me kill someone I really didn't want too, someone who hadn't done anything terribly wrong. Someone like my father.

"Good, how are you Jake and Rosa?" she asked and I chuckled as we got closer to the house.

"They're just as troublesome as before. Now that Rose has hit puberty she's been a little witch once a month but she'd always been the temperamental one," I told her but even she knew what I meant. Rosa was dad's favorite, he would baby that girl the most. Buy her things she didn't even ask for. When she turned eleven he bought her a pony. Beauty lived on the land in a little stable dad had built outback. I hated that horse, I contemplated killing it everyday but mother would berate me about how it would hurt Rosa's feelings. If mother was telling me not to kill something then I knew I had better not do it.

"I got you a car." I snapped my head around at my sisters words. Jackson had fallen asleep in the back, he had just turned three last October so I wasn't too shocked.

"What kind of car? You know I was going to handle that Mel," I told her, and she smiled sheepishly.

"I know but I couldn't help myself. You know how I get around shopping." I chuckled. Yeah I knew how she got around shopping. She pulled in good money with both her and Jason working so she had the money to burn. She was a bit of a addict when it came to shopping.

"Your evading the question, what kind of car?" I asked again. She slows down a bit as she answers and I notice we have almost arrived.

"A Jeep actually, it's black and has a open and closeable roof for when it rains. It's safe," she said and I shook my head.

"You do know I am not as clumsy as I was when I was seven?" I asked her and she looked at me and nodded as we pulled into the drive. I noticed instantly the jeep and I at the same time I fell in love. It was perfect, almost brand new looking. It was old though, in model at least, around the same era as Melody's car. I watched as she woke Jackson up and got him inside before coming to help me take my stuff up to my room. I relented and let her take the lightest bag I had before stuffing the resting into my arms and following her up the stairs. I noticed that Jackson was coloring in the living room.

"Jackson was moved into the room next too the nursery when you called last month. We decided to go ahead and let you have..mom's old room," Melody said, hesitating on the last part. I looked at her and smiled before taking in the room. The room looked almost exactly the same, the rocking chair was even in the corner though it had been refurbished years ago. The bedding was blood red and black, my favorite colors. The comforter was silk and blood red but had light pink cherry blossoms on it, it was beautiful. Probably expensive as well.

"Thank you Mel, I love it." she smiled and placed a hand over her stomach before nodding.

"Well, I'll let you settle in. Dinner will be ready in a hour." I nodded, and as she left the room and shut the door I sat down on the bed, and contemplated life.

Melody has grown up so much. She reminds me of your grandma. I sighed as mothers voice returned. I agreed with her though, I had watched home movies with grandma Renee in them. My own middle name was after her and some other woman who mom had never told anyone about. Simply that the woman was like a second mother to her.

You should unpack dear, you have a long night and day ahead of you.

"Of course Mother," I whispered to her and stood up. I spent the rest of the time before dinner placing my stuff away and what little clothes I had brought with me. I might need to go shopping before long, even if it wasn't something I liked to do. Dinner was a quiet affair and afterward I kissed Jackson and Melody goodnight and went up to shower and dress for bed.

Laying in my bed, the covers clutched to my chin I sighed as my fan blew cold air into my face. Twisting onto my side and faced the fan. I had always hated the heat and living in Las Vegas it didn't get very cold during the night so I always had a fan on at my bedside. After a few years I couldn't sleep without it. I had asked Melody too buy me one when I mentioned moving in with her a month ago. I was happy she agreed, she had always worried about me getting pneumonia. Before bed I took half of one of my medication pills and tried to sleep, her voice still whispered a lullaby in my head and I closed my eyes to listen as I drifted.

I awoke the next morning to a heavy fog outside my bedroom window. I wasn't all that surprised, this was Forks. I made quick work of taking a shower, dressing in a dark green tank top, a tight light blue long sleeved shirt and a short sleeved button down shirt in a dark shade of red. A pair of jeans which I wore often, my favorite pair of black boots and I placed my lamb necklace back on. I decided to skip taking my pill today, mother's voice was oddly quiet this morning. Shaking my head I almost skipped into the smallish kitchen. I found a note on the fridge, and I wasn't too shocked to find it was from Melody.

Ren,

Went too work early. Marie from next door took Jackie to preschool, he gets out at four, please pick him up if you can. His school is just down the street from yours, in the opposite direction you arrive in. I'll be home late tonight, so don't be afraid too use the emergency phone numbers.

Love,

Mel

I sighed, it was so like Melody to do this. Shaking my head I grabbed a apple and darted out the door after grabbing my raincoat and hoodie from the door. The hoodie was black and had the words, Bite Me, one the back in blood red. I found it amusing and had bought it three years ago. By the time I got outside it was raining and I was happy to see the roof to the jeep closed. Nothing put a damper on the first day like a drenched car and looking like a drowned rat. Thankfully it wasn't raining as hard as it could.

The ride to school was smooth but worrisome. I had never been very social, my schizophrenia had always ostracized me from my peers. No one understood, they all thought I was weird, that I talked to myself, took medication to make me sane and was a freak. I simply hadn't been welcomed in Las Vega High. God, I hated that school. The school itself wasn't the problem, it was the students. I didn't see this being much different, I had not changed since coming here and I had learned long ago teenagers, people in general were vicious.

Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. It was not like I had ever actually spent time in Forks. I liked it here, but besides from the one spring break when I was fourteen I had not been here. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. Though the bricks were old and looked like they needed a coat of some kind of paint or primer.

Even to be rebuilt onto. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?

I had too smirk at the thought that if I wanted to, I could bring a weapon to school and they'd never be the wiser. Of course I would not, I had too much banking on never getting caught. I knew, as did the voice in my head if I was every caught for my heinous crimes that I would face life in prison, a mental hospital or even death. Mother was meticulous with details and planing, you could call it a form of OCD. I degrees though.

I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading front office. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.

Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped, or even liked for that matter. I didn't shrug my rain coat or hoodie off just yet though. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. I loved green but even this was getting me scene sick.

The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, gray haired woman wearing what I assumed too be reading glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed. I wasn't too sure though, I wasn't exactly dressed with the latest fashions.

The gray-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?" I sighed, there was no turning back now.

"Yes, I'm Starla Turner," I told her like it would explain everything. I was about to open my mouth to explain further but her gray eyes – oddly matching her hair – brightened and her smile grew larger. I shuddered, gossip must run rampant in this town.

"Yes, we've been expecting you. Melody's sister." I nodded, and shuddered internally once more. I could just hear the gossip, daughter of the former police chiefs daughter return to forks at last. I doubted though that this woman would know my mother, but then again she looked to be around the right age.

"You know, I was here when your mother came home. Such a lovely girl, so sad too hear she died," the woman said as she shuffled through the stacks of papers in front of her. She gripped my fist into tight fist, so tight I feared I might break a knuckle. I sighed in though, keeping my temper as mother's voice came to me.

Calm down my little Star, she's only trying to make you feel at home. I smiled slightly as the woman held out a wide piece of paper. I know mother, but does she have to disrespect you, she talks as if you died peacefully. I responded back in my mind, not wishing to make this woman think me insane.

"I'm Mrs. Cope dear, if you need anything, feel free to ask," she told me and I took the schedule and nodded. She smiled at me and hoped, like Melody, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could. It wasn't that I wouldn't get by in Forks, it was simply the fact I never got along well with people, my age or otherwise.

When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy. At home I'd lived in one of the few higher-income and secluded neighborhoods that were included in the Las Vegas District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot.

The nicest car here was a shiny silver Volvo, and it stood out, but it was also old. Very old, but I couldn't put a finger on the model or what year it was made. Sighing I parked my jeep and got out. Some students were going into the school around me but other then that I was alone. I looked around me and I wondered if I was going to be able to handle this?

Don't worry Starla, everything is going be alright. Mother said as I looked down into a puddle and bit my lip. I could see the reflection of not only myself but my mother standing beside me a smile on her face and her long curly brown hair falling like a waterfall. She had a light blue dress on and a blue rose in her hair. I closed my eyes and counted to ten, breathing in and out before opening my eyes. The puddle was clear, only my own reflection was there.

I could do this, no one here was going to attack me. Finding my classes was easy enough. My first class was Government with Mr. Kimber and while he was a good teacher I never liked the subject. Throughout the class I wrote notes, sat in silence, and rubbed my temples to try and relieve an on coming headache. It wasn't as easy as it sounds. People went out of their way to stare at me, luckily no one talked to me until the period before class on my way too my Italian class with Madame Bianchi.

"Hi, your Starla Turner right?" he asked. I looked at him in slight disbelief. Someone was actually trying to talk to me? Shaking my head, I nodded. This seemed to confuse the boy a little and I took the time to look him over. He wasn't very attractive, possibly of Asian decent with oily black hair that was shoulder length and held back by a rubber band. His skin was pale and had a few acne spots, he was also rather short – only 5'5 give or take and few centimeters.

"Ren, I prefer to go by Ren." he nodded, and cocked his head to the side.

"How do you get Ren out of Starla?" he asked and I sighed and ran and hand through my brown hair.

"You don't. It's short for my middle name, Renesmee," I told him. He nodded and began walking backwards in front of me. I bit my lip and tried to not lose control of my temper. This boy seemed friendly but maybe to friendly. Enough so that it was starting to grate on my nerves.

"Cool. So I'm Frank Yorkie, the eyes and ears of this school. Anything you need I can get." I smiled slightly at the boy, and shook my head.

"I'm fine really, first days and all that."

"Right, so what do you have next? I can help you find it if you need help," he said and turned back around, so he was walking front instead of backwards. I placed my left hand over my hip, where the pocket of my jeans were and sighed as I felt the familiar metal of my switch blade – the one I carried with my too school which had never been used on anyone. If I wanted to kill someone I would never use this blade, it had been a gift from my therapist when I was thirteen. He had always seemed to understand me and I guess he never thought I could be a murderer so he never cared that he was giving a traumatized schizophrenic a deadly weapon.

"I have Italian next, then Lunch and then English," I told him. He nodded and as he began talking about things I mostly tuned out he walked me to Italian. The class was nice, even though people would physically turn themselves just to get a glance of me, the new girl. The girl next to me was a talker, she never seemed to shut up. I think she said her name was Jenna Stanley – I could tell just by observing her she lived only with a younger sibling and her mother. From having the last name Stanley and the fact I had seen my mother high school year book I figured her mother must be a bit of a slut and not married.

Lunch was another engagement entirely, and of course Jenna wouldn't let me go my own way. I was dragged over to a table were I could see Frank and some other kids. Jenna herself was short, 5'2 which was tiny compared to my 5'9. her hair made up for some height differences pushing her to 5'3 if not 5'4. her eyes were a clear blue, which could have been pretty if not for all the make up she caked on her face. There was three other kids at the table she forced me to sit at, a kid with a baby face and blond hair and a girl who looked just like him. Both had brown eyes. I suspected they were twins. The last girl was a tanner then everyone else, but not drastically – she was still pale. She had wavy brown hair and pretty hazel eyes. She looked like the only one who was kind, or had brain cells enough not to be rude beyond reason.

"Guys, this is Ren Turner. Ren these are my friends; Frank Yorkie, Merrick Newton, Lacey Newton, and Isabelle Cheney." I nodded at each of them. Merrick gawked at me, lust in his eyes and I simply wanted to kill him but I couldn't. I came here to get away from my past, my demons not recreate them. Lacey glared, and flipped her silk blonde hair over her shoulder and made a unladylike like noise. The only who really smiled at me with manners was Isabelle who smiled and held out her hand which I shook for a minute before pulling back. I never was one for touching but I like this girl.

"Please just call me Belle," she told me and I smiled and nodded.

Such a nice girl, you should get to know her. Mother's voice spoke up. I nodded and picked at my tray of food as they all began talking, engaging me in conversation every now and them. It was during lunch, during all the mindless chit-chat that I first saw them. I was shocked though that mother began to hiss and then totally disappeared as they entered the cafeteria.

One was burly, large and built like a body builder. He had curly dark hair and equally dark eyes. Holding his hand was a beautiful blonde girl, who could put any girl to shame. She had a statuesque body, the kind you'd expect a model to have or too see in a sport illustrated. Her curls were vibrant and bouncy and flowed down her back like a waterfall. She was tall, my height but she was much more beautiful them me – she as well had dark eyes despite the lightness of her hair and skin.

The next two were also holding hands. The man was tall as well, but more lanky, but muscular. He had hair similar to the blonde girl, but shorter and more shaggy? His eyes were the darkest of them all but like the others he had light, white skin and purple bruise like shadows under his eyes. Something I noticed each of them had. He looked like he was in pain, or constipated. Weary, but the way his eyes scanned the room I knew he was someone of formidable wit and tactics. The girl was his opposite, short so short she probably wasn't much taller then my younger sister. About 4'10 if she was lucky, with spiky jet black hair and dark eyes. She was smiling and skipping but I also saw a sadness in her eyes, a sadness they all had but hers was more pronounced.

The last one was the one I couldn't comprehend, the one who baffled even me. As I took him in my head began to pound, a hissing sound coming back to me and I moaned and held my head between my hands. Begging mother to stop, she never once talked she just kept hissing. I looked back up trying to play it cool to see the boy had sat with the others. He was lanky, more boyish them the other two with the strangest colored hair. Bronze or a light yet dark auburn. Looking at his eyes I expected to see a color similar to my own green but like the others his were dark and had the same bruises. One thing that set him apart was the sadness I could see in their depths. So sad it was almost like I could feel it leaking form him and affecting me. I groaned as I felt like my head could explode. Shaking it I turned away, as soon as I stopped looking my head became less heavy, it hurt less.

"Who are they?" I asked. It was Jenna who looked at me and then too them. She smiled and shrugged.

"Those are the Cullen and Hales." I looked over at them, and was shocked that they were looking over at me. Most of their eyes were wide in shock, and The little one and the bronze god was looking at me like they'd seen a ghost. I looked away and back to Jenna.

"The little one is Alice Cullen, she is with the blonde one, Jasper Hale. The blonde one is Rosalie Hale, Jasper's twin and she is with the big one, Emmett Cullen. The other one is Edward Cullen, he is single but don't get you hopes up he doesn't date. It's like he's gay or something," Jenna explained and she looked back over and then quickly away, rubbing her temples.

"They all live together as well. I think that's Illegal, isn't it?" Lacey gossiped, a look of confusion on her face. I could tell instantly she was one of those brain dead blondes. Belle rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Don't listen to them. The Cullens are simply different. They're all adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. They moved here two years ago in freshmen year. It's all been big talk since they have. I heard my mom talking about how familiar they were but she couldn't remember where or why," Bella told me and shrugged. I nodded and looked over at them, my eyes caught the Bronze haired one and I groaned letting my head fall into my hand, I almost felt like something was trying to invade my mind. I forcibly rejected it and got up, just as the bell rang.