Disclaimer: I don't own the characters… Stephenie Meyer does. Believe me, if Edward was mine, he'd never see the light of day ;)

A/N: This is the introduction, just basically setting the story up, and giving some background information on each character. The actual first chapter will start in the next post. This is my first fan fiction, so please be relatively gentle! I don't mind criticism, as long as it's constructive. I have a general plan about where this story is headed, but I am always open to suggestions – feel free to PM me, and I will try to get back to you ASAP. Now, enjoy!

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BPOV

Alice Cullen and I have been friends ever since we were born basically, growing up in Forks, Washington. We grew up right next door to one another and are practically sisters – we share everything, including the month in which we were born. We call ourselves "cosmic sisters" because our birthdays are only one week apart – mine on September 13th, and hers on September 20th. She is not only my "cosmic sister" and best friend, but has been my confidant about every little thing growing up, and is currently my roommate in the apartment we share.

Alice is a little ball of energy. And when I say little, I am talking literally - she is about 4'10" and she has short, spiky, black hair. I call her my little pixie. She loves to shop and is completely obsessed with fashion. That is actually her line of work – she is a fashion designer. She is constantly nagging me about my wardrobe choices, but I have remained adamant about keeping my sweats and comfortable t-shirts. I don't understand why women put themselves through pain to look good. Besides, it's not like I have anyone to look good for.

Alice is up at the crack of dawn every morning, and me, clearly not being a morning person, cannot understand how in the hell she manages to be so awake that early without one sip of coffee. I am pretty much dead to the world before I have at least one cup in my system.

In high school Alice started going out with Jasper Hale, and they have been together ever since. I can't imagine Alice without Jasper or vice versa. They balance each other out. Alice, the hyperactive pixie, and Jasper, always calm, cool and collected. Jasper is just one of those guys that looks laid-back all the time – he exudes calmness. He is tall, with blond hair and blue eyes, and he is freakishly good at reading people's emotions. I think he has managed to calm me down on more occasions than I would like to admit. Jasper is one year older than Alice and I.

Alice's parents, Esme and Carlisle have been like my second parents. They raised me just as much as my actual parents did, or probably even more. Esme is absolutely gorgeous. She has honey colored hair that is wavy and falls just beneath her shoulders, and beautiful topaz colored eyes. She is probably one of the kindest and sweetest people I have ever met, and she has told me on several different occasions that she thinks of me as another daughter. She loves interior design, and even has her own company.

Carlisle is like a fucking super model. I swear. He is tall with blond hair blue eyes, and is a doctor at the local hospital in Forks, and it's no secret that practically every nurse is absolutely infatuated with him. But Esme definitely has nothing to worry about because first of all she is absolutely gorgeous and second of all Carlisle would never ever do anything to cause a conflict in their marriage. Carlisle and Esme's marriage is a model of what marriages should be. They are so completely in love, and I have never seen them fight. It's absolutely crazy.

Growing up I was always over at the Cullens. Don't get me wrong, my parents were good parents, but I just always felt more comfortable with the Cullens. My parents got divorced when I was very young and my mother moved down to Jacksonville and got remarried to my stepfather, Phil while I stayed behind in Forks with my dad, so I hardly ever see her – Just the occasional call or email. My dad, Charlie, isn't very big on showing emotions, and always seems to be preoccupied with work -- he's the Police Chief in Forks -- so he never seemed to mind me staying at the Cullens a lot. He actually encouraged it because he didn't like me spending so much time by myself. I think he felt a little guilty, but I assured him it was totally fine.

Alice has two brothers, Emmett and Edward. Emmett is big, boisterous, and lovable. He intimidates most people because of his size, but there really isn't any reason to be frightened – in reality he is just a big teddy bear. He is two years older than me, and therefore feels obligated to treat me like another little sister, teasing and all. He always says it is more fun to tease me than Alice because he can always get a reaction out of me. I thoroughly believe that God seems to have something against me, or at the very least was having a horrible day on September 13th 1985, because I have never, in my 24 years of being on this earth, met anyone who blushes as much as me.

Emmett is married to Rosalie Hale, Jasper's twin sister, and the classic example of everything I am not – tall, blond, and beautiful. Rosalie and Emmett met in high school as well, and have pretty much been inseparable since then. They finally tied the knot last April, and between Emmett's brown curly hair and adorable dimples, and Rosalie's blue eyes and flawless beauty I am thoroughly convinced that they will make beautiful babies.

And then there is Edward.

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. How do I even begin to describe him? I guess Adonis or sex on legs would be sufficient. He is tall and lean with messy bronze hair that I have wanted to run my fingers through on more than a few occasions. He also has the most beautiful emerald green eyes I have ever seen and I can get completely lost in his gaze. I melt every time he walks into a room, and become totally incoherent when he tries to talk to me. It's pathetic really.

I wasn't always this way around him though. Up until I was 16 I could act relatively normal around him. My heart still fluttered whenever he was near me, but I wrote that off as being excited to see him. But then when Alice and I were in our junior year of high school, and Edward was in his senior year, I realized I was completely, and irrevocably in love with him. But I knew there wasn't a chance in hell he could ever love me back. Him being in love with me was just inconceivable. Here I was, Bella Swan: plain, skinny, and unbelievably clumsy, with boring brown hair and brown eyes, and there he was, basically a God, and one of the most popular guys at school. Girls were constantly throwing themselves at him. Not that I'm saying he was arrogant or conceited or anything – quite the opposite actually. He didn't seem to like the attention, and never took up any girls on their offers. I never could figure out why he didn't date, but I figured it was probably because he was so focused on his studies. But even if he did date he never would have gone for me because he always saw me as his sister's best friend. And that just about broke me. But I figured if I couldn't have him the way I wanted, I would settle for being his friend. Something is better than nothing, right?

After Edward graduated high school he headed off to college. He was accepted to every place he applied, but that really doesn't surprise me considering the kid's a genius. He ended up going to Dartmouth, which was all the way on the other side of the country, and we kind of lost touch. After he left for college I found that I felt a strange emptiness in my heart like something had just been torn from it. I soon realized that without his knowledge, Edward had successfully stolen my heart and took it with him to New Hampshire.

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A/N Okay so just for those of you who want to keep track, Alice and Bella are almost 24, Rosalie, Jasper, and Edward are 25, and Emmett is 26. Whew! So, how did I do? Do you think I should continue? Read and review please! Thank you so much!!

xoxo Espie