One More Bloodthirsty Insomniac

The Cullens

This time, when I entered the cafeteria, almost everyone looked up at me. I waved shyly. Then I met the eyes of the Cullens.

One of them, a boy with scars all over him who was holding the hand of the short black spiky-haired girl, was staring at me as if he was afraid. He glanced at the humans, worried, then back at me. I wasn't going to attack them, if that's what he thought. I was rather in control, surprisingly. I frowned, wondering why that is. A bronze-haired boy vampire holding the hand of a brunette vampire smiled at me a bit after I thought of that, as if he could tell I was well behaved. I gave him a confused look.

Then I saw the second most beautiful vampire I'd ever seen, a blond sitting on a huge vampire's lap. Then there was a small girl sitting with them looking at me excitedly, only she was different. She resembled the bronze haired boy and brunette girl, but I could hear her heartbeat. I met her stare, confused.

I slowly walked over to them, not taking my eyes off the confusing little vampire with a heartbeat. When I reached them, I put my hands in my pockets and turned around, seeing that pretty much all eyes were on me. I cleared my throat.

"Um, hi...You guys don't get new people often or something?" I asked, trying to make it light but it came out nervous.

A few people snickered, but almost everyone returned to their conversations, glancing at me out of the corner of their eye from time to time.

"Why are you here?" The scar covered boy asked, his eyes guarded.

I turned to him. "Warm welcome." I crossed my arms.

The little humanish girl spoke up. "Hi, I'm Renesmee. You can call me Nessie." She stood and came around to shake my hand.

I smiled slowly, confusion spreading through me again. I shook her hand. It was warm. But...She looked so not human. I tilted my head.

"She's half vampire, half human." The bronze haired boy explained, so low there was no chance of humans overhearing. "She's my mate and I's daughter." I raised my eyebrows at that, but he gave me a look like, Don't ask.

"Where did you come from?" The scar covered one demanded impatiently.

"That's Jasper," Renesmee introduced, "and my parents are Edward and Bella, Jasper's mate is Alice, and the other two are Rosalie and Emmett."

I waved. "I'm Clarisse. New student. Didn't want to be a monster, heard there was a family here like that. That's pretty much it." I shrugged.

Jasper nodded, his face less agressive, but still worried. "You didn't answer my question."

"I came from a place called Volterra. I was staying with the Volturi, but I didn't like their...lifestyle." I grimaced. "Aro was interested in me, he said I was the best addition he'd had in a long time. But I left when I noticed their, um, eating habits."

Everyone stared at me for a while. Then Edward spoke, "That was brave of you, leaving like that. Most newborns wouldn't have it in them."

The grimace returned. "It wasn't hard. I'll miss Felix, though."

"You two were friends?"

"Something like that." I sighed. "Can I sit?"

"Of course." Bella spoke for the first time. She smiled at me warmly. Strange, I felt especially close to her. She gave me this look, like she could understand where I was coming from. I couldn't help but grin back at her. I sat inbetween her and Alice.

Alice had been staring off into space since I came over here. I glanced at her, concerned. Suddenly, she snapped out of it and turned to me. She threw her arms around me. I just sat there, caught off guard. Jasper looked anxious. When I raised my arms to hug her back uncertainly, he growled. I dropped them and she pulled back and smacked him on the arm. "So overprotective."

Then the bell rang. They stood. "Do you need any help with getting to your classes?" Bella asked.

I looked at her gratefully. "Yes, please. I don't really remember anything from when I was human. Including how school works." I laughed darkly.

Alice put her hand on my shoulder for a minute and gave me a look like she knew exactly what I was talking about, then everyone but Bella, Edward, and Renesmee left to go to class. I rocked back and forth on my heel, waiting for my directions. They stared at me expectantly.

"What?" I demanded.

Edward smirked. "Schedule?"

"Ohhh." I laughed at myself, taking the papers out of my pocket. "What period is this?"

"Fifth." He replied patiently.

I looked over my schedule. Fifth period...I had Biology with Mr. Grant.

"That's with Jasper." Edward said. All three of them laughed at the shock on my face.

"H-how did you know...?" I stuttered.

"Edward reads minds." Bella rolled her eyes. "It's his gift."

"What's yours?"

"I'm a shield. I can shield myself and others from other people's gifts, but only ones having to do with the mind. Renesmee is the opposite of Edward. When she touches you, she can let you in her own mind. Come on, Nessie, we should get to class." They walked off together, leaving just Edward and me.

Edward looked at me curiously. "Do you have a gift? You said Aro was interested in you."

"Oh, yeah." I responded nervously, "I can make people believe me. Like, when I lie, suddenly it becomes true. That's how I got in this school. I just said I was a new student even though I had never seen this school before, and suddenly everyone knows I'm a student and I have a schedule." I smiled, realizing for the first time that my gift was pretty cool.

Edward raised his eyebrows. "That is cool." We laughed a second. Then we headed for our classrooms. He showed me to mine and I stopped in front of the door, a wave of paranoia washing over me as I thought of all the things that could go wrong when I stepped into that small cramped space full of humans.