worked； a plus that I hadn't expected。
Finding the school wasn't difficult； though I'd never been there before。
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。 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 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。 The office was
small； a little waiting area with padded folding chairs； orange…flecked
mercial 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。 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； red…haired woman wearing glasses。 She was
wearing a purple t…shirt； which immediately made me feel overdressed。
The red…haired woman looked up。 〃Can I help you？〃
〃I'm Isabella Swan；〃 I informed her； and saw the immediate awareness
light her eyes。 I was expected； a topic of gossip no doubt。 Daughter of
the Chief's flighty ex…wife； e home at last。
〃Of course；〃 she said。 She dug through a precariously stacked pile of
documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for。 〃I
have your schedule right here； and a map of the school。〃 She brought
several sheets to the counter to show roe。
She went through my classes for me； highlighting the best route to each
on the map； and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign； which I was to
bring back at the end of the day。 She smiled at me and hoped； like
Charlie； that I would like it here in Forks。 I smiled back as
convincingly as I could。
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 lower…ine neighborhoods that were included
in the Paradise Valley District。 It was a mon thing to see a new
Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot。 The nicest car here was a shiny
Volvo； and it stood out。 Still； I cut the engine as soon as I was in a
spot； so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me。
I looked at the map in the truck； trying to memorize it now； hopefully I
wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day。 I
stuffed everything in my bag； slung the strap over my shoulder； and
sucked in a huge breath。 I can do this； I lied to myself feebly。 No one
was going to bite me。 I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck。
I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk；
crowded with teenagers。 My plain black jacket didn't stand out； I noticed
with relief。
Once I got around the cafeteria； building three was easy to spot。 A large
black 〃3〃 was painted on a white square on the east corner。 I felt my
breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the
door。 I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats
through the door。
The classroom was small。 The people in front of me stopped just inside
the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks。 I copied them。
They were two girls； one a porcelain…colored blonde； the other also pale；
with light brown hair。 At least my skin wouldn't be a standout here。
I took the slip up to the teacher； a tall； balding man whose desk had a
nameplate identifying him as Mr。 Mason。 He gawked at me when he saw my
name — not an encouraging response — and of course I flushed tomato red。
But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing
me to the class。 It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in
the back； but somehow； they managed。 I kept my eyes down on the reading
list the teacher had given me。 It was fairly basic： Bronte； Shakespeare；
Chaucer； Faulkner。 I'd already read everything。 That was forting… and
boring。 I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays； or if
she would think that was cheating。 I went through different arguments
with her in my head while the teacher droned on。
When the bell rang； a nasal buzzing sound； a gangly boy with skin
problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk
to me。
〃You're Isabella Swan； aren't you？〃 He looked like the overly helpful；
chess club type。
〃Bella；〃 I corrected。 Everyone within a three…seat radius turned to look
at me。
〃Where's your next class？〃 he asked。
I had to check in my bag。 〃Um； Government； with Jefferson； in building
six。〃
There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes。
〃I'm headed toward building four； I could show you the way…〃 Definitely
over…helpful。 〃I'm Eric；〃 he added。
I smiled tentatively。 〃Thanks。〃
We got our jackets and headed out into the rain； which had picked up。 I
could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to
eavesdrop。 I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid。
〃So； this is a lot different than Phoenix； huh？〃 he asked。
〃Very。〃
〃It doesn't rain much there； does it？〃
〃Three or four times a year。〃
〃Wow； what must that be like？〃 he wondered。
〃Sunny；〃 I told him。
〃You don't look very tan。〃
〃My mother is part albino。〃
He studied my face apprehensively； and I sighed。 It looked like clouds
and a sense of humor didn't mix。 A few months of this and I'd forget how
to use sarcasm。
We walked back around the cafeteria； to the south buildings by the gym。
Eric walked me right to the door； though it was clearly marked。
〃Well； good luck；〃 he said as I touched the handle。 〃Maybe we'll have
some other classes together。〃 He sounded hopeful。
I smiled at him vaguely and went inside。
The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion。 My Trigonometry
teacher； Mr。 Varner； who I would have hated anyway just because of the
subject he taught； was the only one who made me stand in front of the
class and introduce myself。 I stammered； blushed； and tripped over my own
boots on the way to my seat。
After two classes； I started to recognize several of the faces in each
class。 There was always someone braver than the others who would
introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks。 I
tried to be diplomatic； but mostly I just lied a lot。 At least I never
needed the map。
One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish； and she walked with me
to the cafeteria for lunch。 She was tiny； several inches shorter than my
five feet four inches； but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of
the difference between our heights。 I couldn't remember her name； so I
smiled and nodded as she prattled about teachers and classes。 I didn't
try to keep up。
We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends； who she
introduced to me。 I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them。
They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me。 The boy from
English； Eric； waved at me from across the room。
It was there； sitting in the lunchroom； trying to make conversation with
seven curious strangers； that I first saw them。
They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria； as far away from where
I sat as possible in the long room。 There were five of them。 They weren't
talking； and they weren't eating； though they each had a tray of
untouched food in front of them。 They weren't gawking at me； unlike most
of the other students； so it was safe to stare at them without fear of
meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes。 But it was none of these
things that caught； and held； my attention。
They didn't look anything alike。 Of the three boys； one was big — muscled
like a serious weight lifter； with dark； curly hair。 Another was taller；
leaner； but still muscular； and honey blond。 The last was lanky； less
bulky； with untidy； bronze…colored hair。 He was more boyish than the
others； who looked like they could be in college； or even teachers here
rather than students。
The girls were opposites。 The tall one was statuesque。 She had a
beautiful figure； the kind you saw on the cover of the Sports Illustrated
swimsuit issue； the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on
her self…esteem just by being in the same room。 Her hair was golden；
gently waving to the middle of her back。 The short girl was p