"Ever wonder how long it takes to change your life? What measures of time is enough to be life-altering? Is it four years, like high school? One year? An eight-week walking tour? Can your life change in a month, or a week, or a single day? We're always in a hurry to grow up, to go places, to get ahead…but when you're young, one hour can change everything."

–Lucas Scott; One Tree Hill

BOV:

I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest. So wildly I was mildly afraid that I was going to give myself a heart attack, knowing me that wouldn't be so unlikely. Overlapping voices and overwhelming body heat only added to my anticipation. I felt my best friend, Alice Brandon, jumping ecstatically next to me. She was always the more hyper and enthusiastic one out of the two of us.

Let's backtrack a little, my name is Bella Swan and I'm your average small town girl trying to find her way out of this place I call home. Don't get me wrong, I love Forks. It's my safe place. The place I grew up, where I had my first bike lesson, Sunday afternoons with my dad just going down to LaPush, had my first boyfriend, lost my first kiss, and most importantly where I met Alice. But I want more than what Forks has to offer. I want the adventures you read about in novels and all the action you see in movies. I want to make it big and I know if I stay in Forks my chances of succeeding are close to none. Luckily, Alice shares the same passion as I do, we've both agreed to leave Forks and make it big together. And today is the first step to accomplishing that dream. Graduation.

"It's back." I nudged Alice's shoulder.

"What is?"

"That knot in my stomach. I don't think it ever went away."

Alice soothed me and comforted me while we waited for our turns to walk out. In a couple minutes, both our lives will change.

"You can do this Bella. Remember, baby steps are all it takes." I nodded my head while I inhaled through my mouth and exhaled through my nose.

"Pst! Alice you're next!" Ms. White signaled for Alice to take her position and walk out on her count.

"That's me babe. I'll see you on the other side." Alice kissed me on the cheek and threw me a wink as she disappeared across the room and into that magical door. I heard applause and screaming coming from the other side of the door.

"Ready Bella?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Ms. White chuckled and gestured me to stand directly in front of her.

"When I give you the green light you go." I nodded.

It felt like eternity till she finally muttered the word "go!" I faintly felt her hand tap me on the back as I walked out into the light. I secretly wondered to myself if that would be the last time I ever saw Ms. White. Those thoughts were quickly pushed out of my head as my vision focused in on the rows of chairs aligned perfectly in symmetry juxtapose to each other. I heard my mother scream my name, but I was captivated by the arrangement of the ceremonial room to even acknowledge her. I walked with my head held high pumped with adrenaline pulsing through my body. I prayed to my god that I would not embarrass myself. Please not today. Just spare me one day of my life. I am my own personal walking death trap. Doesn't matter who you are or where you are, if you are around me you will be in a near death incident 99.9% of the time. Successfully, I arrived in my seat next to some guy I had math with in freshman year. I doubt he remembers me.

For the next hour or so, Fork's High Schools teachers and staff, student body, and our parents listened to our principal, Ms. Love, deliver a speech on how to succeed in the world. "Never look back. Just keep going forward." I reminisced on my high school life here at Forks. From my shitty ass history teacher in freshman year all the way to my perverted old fuck of a math teacher in senior year. God was I glad I was finally graduating.

"Mary Alice Brandon." I heard the principal called out Alice's name and I screamed my lungs off for her, along with half of the student body. The names went by fast. Ms. Love was going through that roster faster than a bullet. Jeez lady, we're the ones graduating. I scarcely heard her call out the next person.

"Edward Cullen." Hmm...wasn't there another Cullen who graduated the last year but I was to busy even bother looking at to confirm my suspicions.

Next thing I know that dorky guy sitting next to me was nudging me in the side. I looked at him perplexed and he mouthed "you're on." I snapped out of my trance and nodded a thank you to the guy. So he does remember me. I was praying again. Don't trip. Don't trip. Bella Swan don't you dare trip. I heard Alice cheer me on, just like how I cheered her on. When I reached Ms. Love, I smiled in response to her congratulations. I felt a sort of enlightenment as my skin made contact with my diploma. Something so thin and delicate has been my aim since the moment I stepped into high school. I've finally got you. I smiled so wide, my face could barely contain it. Which led to my next step, I tripped over the last step coming down from the stage.

"God damn it." I blushed at my own accident and looked around praying that no one saw me. To my hopes, no one was looking at me, all transfixed at the sight before them and waiting for the last person to be called so we can all rejoice by throwing our caps 10 feet in the air and probably never finding the right one, when it landed, again. Discretely, I walked back to my seat.

Finally.

EPOV:

"Dude, its today!" My brother Emmett pounded my back with his enormous bear like hands and flooded my ears with his booming laughter. It gets a little annoying sometimes but you can't help yourself around Emmett. Everything he does makes you want to laugh, his laughter is contagious. A deadly parasite like no other.

"How long have I been waiting for this day?" I asked myself.

"Since you were fucking five little brother!"

"I've been waiting for this day for so long. Now that it's finally here, I'm speechless. It's unbelievable."

"I know what you mean bro. I still remember my graduation last year, that's one memory I'll never forget." I nodded with him in agreement.

My name is Edward Cullen and I'm about to graduate from my tiny High School, who has a population of less than a thousand students, in mediocre Forks. I never understood why my father, Carlisle, would ever accept a job in this town and move us all from Chicago. We moved here just before I began my freshman year at Forks. News traveled fast about us, we were considered the "new ones" and everyone in the community did their best to welcome us into their lives. I admit its homey here and everything but it's not my style. I like independence and privacy. I don't want to walk into a grocery store, buy something, and five minutes later word goes around town on what I brought, what time I went in, which register I brought it from, what time I left and how much was it. Plus Chicago was to old-fashion for me. I need something new; I need something more contemporary and I knew I wasn't going to find it here.

"Hey man, I gotta get back to mom and dad. I'll see you after the ceremony! Keep a look out for me; I'll be the one up in the stands shouting your name." I hugged my brother goodbye. After all these years, Emmett has always been the bigger one of the two of us. I have my daily workout routine. But I have never been anywhere as buff as Emmett is.

"Edward! You're next!" I half ran and half jogged to my place behind Tyler Crowley and patiently awaited my turn. As Ben and Tyler disappear through the doors, I felt a sense of accomplishment wash through me. I'm finally going to move forward in my life and expand my possibilities. I smiled to myself.

"Alright Edward, you're up." I breathed in a gust of air one last time before I walked out of that door, closing it, and opening another. Tyler was waving and patting the seat next to him as I approached. From there, we all listened to our Ms. Love give a speech on ethics, morals, and conduct from here on out. We were not children anymore, now we are "young adults of society" and in turn it was assumed that make good choices and past fundamental judgement in our lives. I yawned for the third time right before she finished her speech.

"Damn this lady talks a lot." I laughed at Tyler's comment and applauded Ms. Love as she stepped off the podium, taking the microphone with her to start calling names. I waited and waited as she went through the list, hoping she finally call my name.

"Man, good thing we're at the beginning. Or else I would die of boredom sitting here." Tyler said as he stood up and headed out before me. I knew that I was next and I prepared myself for this next moment.

"Edward Cullen." I stood up with my eyes still closed and counted to five in my head. When I opened them again, I smiled and walked proudly to accept my diploma. As I whispered a thank you and smiled at my family up in the stands, I felt like a new man. I've made it through my high school days and now I'm going to move on to bigger and better things. I walked off the stage just as proudly as I walked on it. I zoned out in my seat as Love called the other students. I turned my head to the left to count the number of people that had yet received their papers. But something in the corner caught my eye. A girl, with brown wavy hair, just tripped as she stepped off the last step connected to the stage. A smiled graced itself on my face. I could not see her face for her hair was hiding it. What was her name again? Betsy. Beverly. Bella. Yes Bella, Bella Swan. It has just occurred to me that I have never seen this girl at Forks High before. Is she new? I tapped Tyler on the shoulder.

"Do you know who she is?" I pointed at Bella and his gaze redirected at her.

"Oh yeah, that's Bella Swan, Police Chief's daughter." She's Charlie's daughter. That means she isn't new and she's been around for awhile now. How come I've never seen her at school before, not to mention around town? I plagued myself with this question until I finally gave up. I sat back and waited silently for the rest of the ceremony to end peacefully.

It's not like I'm going to ever see her again.

AN: So this is the first chapter to my first story ever. :) Leave some comments on anythingg! Thanks (: 3

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilights.