Dusk

"Dusk is just an illusion, because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means that day and night are linked in a way that few things are; there cannot be one without the other, yet they cannot exist at the same time. How would it feel, I remember wondering to be always together, yet forever apart?"

-Anonymous

Chapter 1: Easy For You To Say (Nessie's POV)

"Just try to keep an open mind. I swear you are as bad as your mother- zero fashion sense, and all the time that I have spent teaching you how to dress… are you even listening to me??" My aunt Alice grumbled as she rolled her eyes at me.

Apparently my selection for my first day of high school wasn't nearly good enough. I pulled myself in from my daydreams and let out a sigh of surrender to my most annoying yet favorite aunt.

"Ok, ok I am waving the white flag, do with me what you will, if it means we will be done here!"

"Nessie is your Aunt playing dress up again?" My mother asked in her silky voice with a look of amusement in her golden eyes. She and my father had just glided into my room to see what all of the commotion was.

"Aunt Alice is trying to make me presentable enough for school tomorrow," I sneered as sarcastically as I could. I was completely aggravated that my family was forcing me to go to a conventional high school. I am not the conventional teenager, being half human and half vampire. In a couple of weeks I will be fully grown and immortal. Most kids are worried about their driving exam and here I am sealing the deal with my immortality can you see my quandary?

I am perfectly content to continue being home schooled by my grandfather and father as I have been up until this point. In a few years when I am old enough to go away to college I might actually have a shot at fitting in.

"Honey just accept the first thing that she lays out for you and she will be content and move on to annoy someone else," my mother replied with a laugh.

To that Aunt Alice responded, "Funny Bella now that you mention it, it has been awhile since I have gone through your closet and updated things."

Although they were joking I couldn't join in. I felt the anger rise up into my throat it erupted into a snarl.

"Mom honestly why do I have to go, I already know what they will be teaching me. Grandpa Carlisle has been teaching me college level courses for years I don't see the need in my going."

My father is normally a gentle and soft spoken man, but his eyes flashed and he returned the comment with a growl, "Renesmee Carlie Cullen, do not talk to your mother in that tone. You are going to high school that is final. I sat through high school for 80 years, I held 3 degrees in medicine and I still sat there. We are asking you to go for only 4 years. You are half human and, you need to have human experiences. There is more to learn in this world than can be learned from books and this family, you need to interact with peers of your age group."

"MY AGE GROUP? According to the humans I am 6 years old! Do you understand how ridiculous this is? How am I going to fit in? On top of that the weirdness factor is even greater when you take into consideration the fact that everyone in Forks believes I am your niece, and they can't know that you are my parents because it will tip them off to what a bunch of freaks we are considering you gave birth to me a month after your wedding which was 6 years ago and I am old enough for high school?! You don't understand NONE of you understand-"I only stopped my tirade because I was out of breath. My face was set in scowl; my chest heaving as my lungs filled themselves up again.

"Nessie-" my mother always the peacemaker cut in softly "We know it is awkward your father and aunts and uncles never felt as though they fit in throughout all of their years in high school as vampires, and I never felt that I fit in as a human. It is a teenage thing no body feels as though they fit in we are just asking you to be open-"

"And why should I?" I cut her off.

"Because," my father growled at first and then his velvety voice softened, "you might just find something wonderful." His eyes filled with happiness as he gazed into my mother's eyes I had no doubt that he was remembering back to their first meeting in high school during which he tried as hard as he could not to kill her. Talk about romance.

"I can't listen to this anymore", I grabbed my iPod and flew out the door before I could hear any of their responses. I didn't need to see or hear it though. I knew my mothers brow was furrowed in concern, my aunt pouting about the fact that she couldn't predict my future since I am a half breed; and my father read my mind which told him I was headed to La Push to see my Jacob…my best friend.

When I walked up to Jacob's house he met me at the door, he saw that my eyes were red. Sensing the mood I was in, he tensed up his face strained with concern as he flew onto the front porch. "What's wrong Nessie?"

"I don't want to talk about it Jacob," I snapped.

He looked bemused as he flashed me my favorite smile. "Um ok, Nessie then why are you here?" He tried to keep a straight face and I attempted to stay mad but we both started laughing.

I looked at him with a big smile "that is exactly why I am here, you always make me laugh."

He led me into the woods and we started walking. He took my hand, "Ok, seriously what's wrong?"

I went into my whole explanation of the fight with my parents and how I think it is stupid for me to have to go to high school.

"So basically you are just concerned that you won't fit in?" He asked me in a very serious tone that was not the least bit condescending.

"Yes that is it. My life is very different to say the least and I don't want to have to lie to people about it. I won't be able to bring my friends home because I feel uncomfortable with all of the lies. What will I do when they notice that I actually look like my mother? Grandpa Charlie didn't believe that I was my father's niece he saw through it right away, what will I tell people?"

Jacob gently tucked a curl of hair that was in my face behind my ear and thought before he answered. "Well, he sighed, "You do have a point but so do your parents. High school is something that you need to experience before you can really go into the world."

I got up with a start, "You know what Jacob forget it, I thought that you of all people would get it but clearly-"

"Renesmee", he cut me off I stopped turning away and looked back at him in shock He very rarely used my full name; it was reserved only for serious conversations or if I was in trouble for being too reckless in his opinion. "I love you and I want what is best for you. I know that it doesn't seem like it now but your parents love you very much as well and they are trying to broaden your horizons. It is just a few years. You might even have fun" he winked at me with his mischievous brown eyes.

I grumbled as I narrowed my eyes at him." No I won't Jacob. You won't let me get away with anything. Between you, my father reading my mind and Aunt Alice straining herself to attempt to see my future there will be no fun"

At that he laughed, "Come on lets get you home before your father comes to get you. I promise you that I will be here for you. Hey I'll tell you what I will even take you to prom."

"Wow. I commented sarcastically "In that case I better fly home so that I can get my book bag ready."

He rolled his eyes at me "You aren't going to make many friends with that kind of an attitude. You know, you will attract more flies with honey."

I snorted, "What if I don't WANT to deal with the flies?"

He smiled, "Then by all means continue with your fly swatter method. I guarantee you won't have to worry about any human friends then."

I smiled tightly, "Good."

He shook his head as he chuckled at me, "You are every bit as sarcastic and obnoxious as your mother…. but cuter." He flashed me another one of his amazing heart melting grins and for some reason I was left in a daze from it. Weird…

"Alright you win this one but I'm not giving up I will find a way out of this, and I am racing you home by the way."

With that I took off to take advantage of the head start that I wouldn't need (I knew he would let me win, he always does).

"You are such a cheater he yelled as he hurried to phase so that he could catch up with me. Jacob is a shape shifter part human and part wolf. Sometimes I feel that he is the only one who truly gets me we are two of a kind in a way.

My aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett were in the living room when we got back to my Grandparents house. "Ew somebody needs to let the dog out," Aunt Rosalie whined in disgust as Jacob and I entered the house.

"Hey Blondie, Jake responded, "I got a new one for you. Why did the blonde drown?" He didn't wait for her response before continuing with the punch line. "Because she hit her head on the bottom of the pool trying to see her reflection."

I rolled my eyes as my Uncle and Jacob burst into laughter. Aunt Rose's eyes squinted fiercely and my uncle stopped laughing immediately. I find it beyond hilarious that he is three times her size and yet deathly afraid of her.

"I'm not even going to waste my breath in response," she flipped her hair and faced me. "Nessie I was waiting for you I want to talk to you"

Aurrgh I groaned, "Not you too". Jacob laughed and sat down on the couch with my Uncle to watch the game.

"Come on let's go for a walk I really need to discuss something with you" she urged. I figured that I had already heard it from just about everyone today so why not get the lecture yet another time. In an act of resignation, I followed her out the door and into the brisk autumn night.