SM OWNS IT
My name was called as I made my way up to the stage towards the Dean who held my future in his hands, well not the real one because that one I already had safely packed in a box back at my dorm, but the one given to me for show. My hand was shaken and the Mock diploma was shoved in my hands before I even realized I was walking off the stage. I then looked out in the audience where I found my Uncle Carlisle, his wife Esme and, his son Emmet cheering and applauding my accomplishment.
Carlisle meeting my gaze smiled, then nodded his head towards the door where my father was standing. I growled mentally. Charlie never wanted me to leave Washington which is the only reason I even went to WSU instead of some big school like Julliard. Money was not the issue, as long as I was going into music performance, Carlisle the conductor of San Fransisco Symphony Orchestra, was going to pay my tuition whether I liked it or not. Then last Christmas, when I visited, Charlie pleaded for me to switch to music education. He even had the guts to talk to local schools about possible teaching jobs.
I was already back to my place before I realized the orchestra playing the dreadful pomp and circumstance. I'm so glad I will never have to play that, for lack of a better word, song again. I looked over at all of the underclassmen performing with fake smiles forced on their faces. I smiled when I remembered that my graduating class was the largest on record.
Soon Alice, my friend and fellow cellist, took her place next to me laughing as she noticed where my eyes were searching. "Its going to haunt us in our dreams isn't it?" she stated more than asked. She only minored in music but was still in the University's orchestra because she was so good. Her major was fashion design.
I nodded and began paying attention to the names being called out. Finally we were to the W's. "Here's to our graduation class of 2009." the Dean spoke. We moved our tassels and threw our caps into the air. Soon we were all moving outside hugging, high-fiveing and looking for our "loving" families.
Finlay Carlisle and Esme found me just as I was grabbed by the waste and swung around. Emmet set me down as I gave him a proper hug. When he released me I turned around and was hugged by Esme and Carlisle.
"We're so proud of you sweety." Esme whispered into my brown hair.
"Thanks." I said as I started looking around. Carlisle must have been waiting for me to ask but he soon told me that Charlie left soon after Alice was called to the stage.
"He was lucky even to be able to stay as long as he did" Esme explained to me, "He had to work."
I grimaced. As much as I knew my dad, I know he didn't even bother to try to put in for a day off of work. Work is the most important thing to him.
"Hey, I want to get a few pictures of you, oh and Alice, where did that pixie run off to?" Esme said pulling out some high tech fancy smancy camera.
As if Alice heard Esme, she came walking up alongside a tall, muscular, blond. He was wearing tan pants and a nice light blue polo that stretched across his tight muscles. He caught me off guard, from the way Alice talked about her boyfriend, Jasper, I could have sworn he was going to be some wimpy rich kid. His jaw was strong and squared. His arms were almost as huge as Emmet's.
"Bella!" Alice ran up to me leaving her man to catch up. Jasper's face went up in a smirk. At first I was disgusted becasue he was watching Alice's butt, but at first I didn't know that he was looking at Carlsile.
"Jasper, what are you doing here in Washington?" Carlsile asked.
"You know Carisile?" Alice asked pulling from our hug and looking at her man.
"Yes, Jasper is in the Orchestra." Esme spoke sweetly giving Jasper a Hollywood kiss. Then Jasper and Carlsile shook hands.
"Oh...wow...I never connected the dots before." Alice said sincerily shocked with herself.
"Um, ok can someone explain?" Emmet asked scratching his head.
"Oh sorry Emmet. This is Jasper Hale, he plays the Bass in the SFSO." Alice said wrapping her arms around Jasper smiling, "And this is Emmet Cullen, of course Carisile's and Esme's son."
Emmet and Jasper shook hands, no doubting Emmet squeezing as hard as possible. When Jasper didn't wince Emmet's smirk went straight to a frown.
"Then this must be Isabella Swan?" he asked.
"She prefers Bella." Alice said before I could even open my mouth, not that I would have said as much anyways. I don't normally speak to people I don't know.
I nodded then held my hand out silently for him to shake. To say the least I was surprised when he took it to his mouth and kissed it instead.
"Very well met." he said.
Alice was suppressing a laugh at my shock, Emmet on the other hand, laughed holding nothing back.
"Did I do something wrong" Jasper asked as he saw everybody's face.
"No." I said quickly before anyone else could speak.
"Maybe not, but the look on your face was priceless Bells." Emmet chocked out.
Jasper looked at Alice questionably.
"She just isn't use to southern manners" she said now laughing as my surprise now turned into a grimace.
Finally understanding my discomfort, Jasper laughed, then realizing his actions stopped and apologized.
"Emmet, stop laughing, it really was not...ha...funny." Carlisle said trying to suppress his own laughter.
"Are we going to take pictures or not?" Esme asked comming to my rescue.
"Ugh, do we have to take more pictures in this hideous thing?" Alice asked pulling on her robe.
"Oh it's not that bad, at least you don't ever have to wear it again." Emmet said, "Wait, you never wear the same clothes over again do you?"
At this I laughed as Alice looked at Emmet with a look as if she was going to ask who would.
After the pictures were taken, Carlisle announced that he was going to pay for everybody's lunch. I knew better than to argue with him, especially when it came to money. Besides, it is better than him getting me some big luxurious gift for graduation.
"Oh and Bella, I have a gift for you when we are finished eating." I cursed to myself for thinking too soon.
When we got to the restaurant, some five-star-reservation-only place, Alice, Jasper, Emmet, Carlisle, Esme and I were taken to our tables which were located in a separate room from the rest of the restaurant. That's my family for you; a need for privacy and luxury. There were two waiters that stayed with us the whole time never leaving except for when we ordered or needed refills. Even then at least one of them stayed.
I must have been fidgiting becasue Emmet put his hands over mine. "Bella, get use to it. There is no use fretting over money when it's not yours to control."
I whispered a thank you as our meal came in. I couldn't help but laugh; compared to the price, the meals were small with useless decor of varrying leaves. Jasper looked as if he were questioning my sanity. Alice rubbed his arm and whispered into his ear. He soon broke into a laugh but then tried hiding it as a cough. Looking back at my plate I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.
"So Jasper, how did you and Miss. Masen meet?" Carlisile asked stirring the akward silence.
"Well, it's kind of a funny story actually. Edward and I were out getting our suits tailored when this angle walked into the store yelling at Edward waving keys in her hands." Jasper said before being cut off by Alice.
"The day before I let my brother borrow my Porche. Edward decided it would be funny if he took all of my music out of the database and replace it with Chopin and Bach. Don't get me wrong, they were great composers, but it took me weeks to download all of my music and organize it. So I threatened to place a pretty decal on his Vanquish as pay back. He then reported it stolen. So instead I took his Volvo in and had the engine replaced with a stock engine."
"That doesn't explain why you were yelling at him." Esme stated.
"Oh, I was yelling at him because when I cleaned my car out I found a pretty little silver wrapper in the back seat. I ended up spending the rest of the day sanitizing the whole car. I was not going to take any chances." Alice finished with disgust filling her voice.
Emmet laughed, "Dang, getting some in your sister's car. I need to meet this guy." Esme slapped him even though everyone knew it didn't even phase Emmet.
Looking over at Jasper I noticed his cheeks were flush, "I didn't know that part of the story he said shyly."
"Wait, is this Edward Masen we're talking about?" I asked as every one looked over at me.
"Well, Edward Masen the Third to be correct." Alice said looking curios, "Do you know him?"
"Ah, not really, I just heard about him, he is an amazing pianist known for his lullabies." I said.
"Bella, I didn't know that you listened to Edward's music." Carisile said.
"Yeah, I first heard him when I visited you a few years ago, I got addicted to his twisted melodies and..." Bella stopped, noticing everyone was looking at her.
"You do realize he plays for the SFSO?" Carisile asked
"Umm, no I didn't." I confessed looking down at my plate again.
The table fell into another awkward silence until Carlisle asked for the check and gave his Shiny credit card to one of our waiters. We all got up as Esme walked over to me and placed something in my hand. I didn't want to look, but I felt it. It was a ticket.
"This better be a gift receipt for some book you bought me." I spoke.
Emmet laughed, "Yeah right, like you need more books."
"Everyone can use more books." Jasper tried saying before he grabbed the elbow Alice was jabbing into his gut.
Finaly I opened my hand, sure enough it was a valley ticket. "Esme, you really shouldn't have." I gasped.
"It was Emmet's idea, he knows how much you hate that old truck of yours." Carlisle said.
Emmet laughed as I threw darts at him with my mind. He knew I loved my old run down Chevy.
"Don't worry Bella, earlier I tried starting the stupid thing and for some unknown reason it wouldn't start, so I sold it for spare parts and the money for it is in the glove box of the...car" Emmet said ignoring my death stares.
"Carisile." I whined.
"I'm sorry Bella, I didn't realize." he said shrugging his shoulders, "Just go and check the car out and if you don't like it, I'll take it back and you can pick out something more your taste. At that Alice snickered.
Quickly, I walked out the front door to face the contraption that was forced upon me. As I got to the parking lot a man asked me for my ticket.
Almost as soon as I placed the ticket in the boy's hand his eyes widened, "Wow, so your the owners of that beauty. What is it? Please tell me it isn't no 6 cyl?" the kid finished with a wink towards me.
"Dude, you just ruined and chances with my cousin here. She like her men smart and, knowing that a person should never use a double negative. And no, it's a 6.1 Hemi." Emmet said with a smile taking the set of keys from the kid who was now looking at his feet blushing.
"Don't worry kid, she doesn't date anyways." sang a voice as Alice wrapped her arm around my shoulders.
Now was my turn to stare at my shoes.
"You got Bella a Hemi?" Alice asked turning on Emmet.
"Yup, I know she will take good care of it, I doubt she will even go twenty mph over the speed limit." he said laughing as I choked. Which of course made everyone else laugh.
"Kid, are you going to get the car or what? Emmet asked impatiently.
"Oh, yeah." the kid seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in.
"Here have a picture of her, it will last longer." Alice handed him a picture. It took me half a second too late to realize it was a picture of me on one of the many 'girl's night out' days Alice forced me to go on. The boy's face went crimson this time but still took it as he walk pasted us to get my "beauty".
As soon as he was out of ear shot I turned on Alice who was now wrapped in Jasper's arms.
"I do to date" I said turning on Alice
"Okay when was the last time you went on a date?"
"I admit it has been awhile but only because I have been too busy." I said crossing my arms
"Busy with what?" she asked knowing she has already won, "How many times have you read Wuthering Heights this past year?"
"Alright fine, I know. I know." I said uncrossing my arms rolling my eyes.
We weren't waiting long when a car pulled up beside us.
"Damn Emmet, is that what I think it is?" Jasper asked.
"It's pretty Emmet, thanks so much." I said sincerely jumping up to hug his neck as he caught me.
"Please tell me you know what that is Bella?" Emmet asked me.
I looked at it again and saw a familiar symbol, "It's a Dodge?" I asked as everyone, including Carlisle and Esme as they finally exited the building, started laughing.
"Yes Bells, it is a Dodge. Do you know what kind of Dodge?" Emmet asked again.
"The question is, should I know?" I asked tartly as I put my hands on my hips.
"It's a Challenger!" someone from behind us said, "Whose is that?" as we all whipped around to see who it was.
"Jacob!" I gasped.
This Idea has been in myhead for a while. I will try working on it as much as I can but I can't give any promises.
Tell me what you think. Feel free to give me ideas or ask questions.
