Complete Summary: "This is the true story of seven strangers, picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting real." Canon Pairings. OOC moments, because this is fanfiction, and I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Rated for language and later chapters.
Other Important Details: Story is told completely in THIRD PERSON. Appearances of cameras are mentioned. My personal writing is not based on experience, therefore some things may not be completely fact in regards to the inner workings of The Real World. This piece of writing may or may not delve into political, religious, and sexual orientation views, but they are not my own. THIS IS FANFICTION. A cross over of Twilight and The Real World; so, as you may know, touchy subjects are often presented. If you have not heard of The Real World, fear not, it's on Wednesday nights on MTV. The complete summary basically gives the gist of the show though.
Before I continue writing this story, I'd really like to know whether or not I'm writing to wallpaper, so reviews are really appreciated... especially if you want an update! Thanks so much! :)

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The Real World television concept and set up belongs to MTV.

Okay, this is weird, Bella thought as she retrieved her luggage from port J3 in LAX. Cameras. Being in front of them was quite the nerve-wracking experience – if not a little awkward. But… Bella had indeed signed up for this.

Just pretend they're not there, she repeated in her head the orders given by the first producer she met, Chet. Of course this was all easier said than done.

Bella had researched several Real World alumni, and in interviews their responses were all the same. "You get used to the cameras. By the second week it's like they're not even there."

Really? Bella eyed a sound man as he chewed his gum in a tight, silent rhythm. How could she possibly get used to this? Out of her peripheral vision she noticed someone shaking their head. It was Chet, and he was frantically trying to draw her tension elsewhere. Right, Bella thought as she turned her face forward and exited the building.

Los Angeles was blindingly bright and utterly busy. It was hot too. It might sound a little silly; what with the area being nothing less than a concrete jungle, but Bella couldn't help but admire the blue, cloudless skies and the never ending rows of palm trees. It was a nice change from the rainy Pacific Northwest.

The cameras left as she entered her taxi, giving the driver the directions Chet had. She was supposed to meet a Jasper Whitlock at some bus stop. Her first roommate.

Bella sighed as she rested her head against the upholstery of her seat. This would most likely be the last moment of peace from the cameras for quite some time now. It was said that being on The Real World was something quite similar to being a fish in a fishbowl. And she was only beginning to understand this.

Many people wouldn't understand her reasoning behind joining this show, it's not like she was getting paid some enormous amount. Bella had seen the show before, seen the arguments, the violence, the tears, why would she join? Not only had she been educated on what occurred on screen, but also off. She was aware that they wouldn't be able to pick their own food to stock the fridge. While others might enjoy a break from the responsibility, Bella was aware of the negative side of this too.

She had to sign contracts. She had to be susceptible to being kicked out. She had to be viable for her own mistakes, and responsible for others. It was all part of being a "family" as the producers had put it… and to make sure cast members didn't sue.

On top of all these added responsibilities, Bella had to quit her job and leave everything but a jumbo suitcase behind.

So why did she join? By now it should be fairly obvious that being on The Real World isn't all that it's put up to be.

Well, to put it simply, Bella just wanted to get away. Life had thrown a lot at her these past few months. And she couldn't understand why. Bella was acutely aware that everything happened for a reason, but what if that reason wasn't good enough? What if, when her parents died, the only reason out there was because a drunk driver ran a red light? Wouldn't that just be utterly disappointing? It may be true, but did nothing to help the heart.

What if Mike just cheated on her because he was bored with her? That would be a reason, a true, plausible reason - but at the same time, it still didn't help the pain.

Screw it, Bella thought. She impulsively decided then that the saying, "Everything happens for a reason." was the most ill thought through, dejected philosophy ever spoken. Yes, everything does happen for a reason, but very rarely are they the reasons that bring happiness to your life, or give you a warm feeling inside that lets you know someone is watching over you. The fact of the matter is, Bella's parents died in a car accident while on their way to her house because Bella had some "news" to share. The "news" was that she and Mike were going to be married. That evening, when Bella was worried because her parents were late, Mike showed up and chickened out. Bella accepted this fine –thinking that he just wanted to put off being engaged - but when Mike told her he was seeing someone else, and didn't want to hurt her further, she left. On her way out, she got the phone call.

Yes, everything does happen for a reason. Bella's parents dying and Mike's cheating are perfect –if not a little ironic–examples of said fact. So, with nothing left but a broken heart and her parent's bills, Bella decided to do something a little spontaneous. She signed up to be on the upcoming season of The Real World. Thinking that she had a shot, Bella filmed her audition tape. Only after sending it in did she laugh at her chances. She didn't worry or fret for quite some time afterwards. No, that part came in when she received an acceptance notice followed by a phone call.

Her first feelings were, what have I done? Self conscious thoughts crept in, followed by an angry dash of pessimism. The truth was in front of her, right there in print. There was no possible way to deny it. With this new piece of knowledge, Bella began thinking. At first, her initial answer was "no." Absolutely not. But then she took in her surroundings, even her present condition in life. She had to be honest with herself, it sucked. She sat down and thought long and hard. She groaned in embarrassment while watching her audition tape again. But that girl she saw in there wasn't anything like the girl she was now. Such a quick transformation, yes, but the girls were indeed different. One was desperate, broken, and abnormally bubbly. The other was broken, but fantastically talented at hiding it. Bella began thinking in a mad rush of thoughts as to why she sent in the silly audition tape in the first place.

She wanted to get away. Indeed, she had changed, but her situation had not. There were still bills to pay, still the nights where she would cry herself to sleep over Mike (even though she knew she shouldn't), still the times where she would have a bad day at work and wonder when she'd ever just get a job that she liked.

And here, staring her in the face was an opportunity to get away. She could leave this place, both physically and mentally, and clear her head, get her bearings, live a little… be different.

As soon as her decision was made, she felt happy… for the first time in a very long time. After that, as the days passed and turned into weeks, more preparations were made. She felt herself becoming excited, truly excited. And then the night before she left she felt nervous. Butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach with wild abandon, the way they would when she had a choir concert she was looking forward to.

And as she sat in her window seat and gazed down at the desolate land beneath her, she began feeling lucky. Yes, Bella Swan was feeling lucky. And she couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't felt this way before. How many young adults–desperate for the opportunity to party uninterrupted for three months–would want to be in her position right now? Even the ones that hadn't auditioned, even the ones who didn't know the show even existed (rare as they may be) would give so much to be in her shoes. And as the plane began it's descent into Los Angeles, Bella felt a wave of gratefulness.

She was lucky.

Bella knew her ride was coming to an end before the driver slowed down. There was a tall young man sitting casually atop a bench, with a jumbo suitcase in tow. Bella smiled involuntarily. Her first family member.

Cliché, maybe, but Bella couldn't wait to form friendships with her fellow roommates. She knew that there would most likely be drama involved, but she also knew that many times, people walked away from the house with lifelong friendships. And Bella couldn't wait to start.

Quickly, before she exited the cab, Bella began reciting some of the guidelines Chet had explained to her. They were all simple and easy to follow, but she knew that it would take time to perfect them. His number one rule was to just pretend the cameras weren't there, but, being sympathetic, he understood this could often be a difficult task. So he enforced other rules if the number one rule couldn't be accomplished.

Don't mention the rules.

Don't mention the cameras.

Speak with others as you would if no one was there, with the exception of keeping things "real."

Keep formalities pleasant, there will be time for drama afterwards.

Ask obvious questions that enable easier characterizations for the show.

If we stop, you stop.

These were the first set of rules I learned. Chet explained to me that as the show would progress, others would be enforced. These rules weren't house rules that had to be followed, but in order for the show to continue smoothly, they should be followed.

I didn't argue with him.

The driver exited the car and began unpacking my luggage. The young man stood up. I took a deep breath and stepped outside. He smiled hugely at me as he held out his hand.

"Hi, are you Bella Swan?" Good, they told him the name I preferred to be called.

I smiled shyly. He was very good looking, and his southern accent oddly added to the charm. "Yes, pleased to meet you… Jasper?"

He nodded. "That's me."

Jasper was a little nervous to meet his new roommate. He wasn't quite prepared for her beauty, but his natural charm broke out and cured his shyness the moment she stepped out of the car. He liked her already.

Another taxi magically appeared as soon as Bella's left. Jasper had to remind himself not to mention the fact.

"So where are you from?" he asked to start some sort of conversation.

"Forks, Washington." Bella stated quietly. Jasper had to lean in to hear her correctly. So she was shy. Jasper had figured as much as soon as she shook his hand. "What about you?"

He smiled, feeling pride for his home. "Richmond, Virginia. Born and raised."

Jasper was an only child. His father was a public defender and his mother inherited a fraction of her grandfather's old fortune, setting her for life. He had an average childhood. After graduating high school he studied philosophy at a local university before coming to the decision to join the army. By the age of twenty he was sent overseas to Iraq. Stationed there for four years he participated in many difficult missions and had seen a lot. Loosing friends and acquaintances became regular after a while. Seeing things that he thought only existed in video games became a weekly occurrence. Serving in Iraq matured him greatly, but it had its own negative side effects. Jasper believed himself to be lucky, though. After returning home he started writing things down, getting all the images out on paper. Sometimes he spent days trapped in his room, just writing, writing and thinking. It was a difficult time for him - getting used to being home, seeing all the things he once considered normal, reliving things he had grown to know. And then, writing wasn't enough for him anymore, and he began talking. Starting with his mother, who said she understood but he knew didn't, moving onto his girlfriend, who he found out didn't want to hear. Then, he regained regular contact with some of the friends he had served with. They were the only ones that could truly understand. They lived it too.

For a while, Jasper found himself at peace with things. Things like that though, never last.

The first friend he lost contact with was Peter. Even though Jasper was under the impression that Peter was fine, things aren't always as they seem. There was something darker haunting him, and sometimes there isn't a clear reason as to why people do the things they do, sometimes it's just vague enough to let you know it was done on purpose. Peter shot and killed himself, leaving behind an expecting wife.

Jasper couldn't explain clearly to anyone why Peter was affected harder than he. The only thing clear to him was that he was okay. Jasper had so far been considered normal amongst other soldiers sent home with him, and he knew he was lucky to be thought so. He still had his troubles, but instead of keeping them inside, he let them out. Of course the memories never truly left him undisturbed, but he had learned to accept them… in his own way.

Jasper was engaged once. And often times when he thought back to the woman he had given his heart to, a reflexive, sad smile would often break out on his face. Not in happiness, nor sadness or bitterness, just acceptance. Jasper had loved Maria with the kind of love that shielded its flaws by the simple fact that it was new. They were both naïve and smitten with each other but their flame was bound to die out after time… and distance. Maria had stayed by Jasper faithfully while was away at war. It was this loyalty that fooled Jasper into thinking she was right for him. They were engaged for one month exactly. The case opened just as soon as it closed. It was simple really. Maria didn't love him anymore. She didn't want to be attached to him any longer. And though Jasper bowed out respectively, he couldn't hide his hurt. This hurt, though, never turned to anger.

Jasper instead began feeling thankful for this heartbreaking trial. He did love her, yes, but as much as he once believed so, she wasn't the one for him. If the breakup wasn't enough to prove this, little things in the past were. Maria was there for him, and she said that she loved him and she kissed him and kept him company in the nights. But sometimes, when Jasper said that he loved her… he didn't feel anything.

He wasn't can't-live-without-you in love with her, and he knew this.

Sometimes when Jasper would tell her something truly personal to him, she wouldn't react in anyway that said she was touched or had sympathy. She did the usual soothing rub on the back, whispered her apologies and did all things aimed to comfort him, but when Jasper looked into her eyes with the enormity of his feelings, he was met with distant ones.

But even though he knew that his love for her wasn't as desperate as it used to be, he stayed with her. Just because their feelings were no longer running deep didn't mean he didn't still care for her immensely. She was his first everything. He had an attachment to her like no other. That's why it hurt to break things off, even when he knew it was for the best.

They didn't end bitterly, but no longer kept in touch.

Jasper didn't like to dwell on that fact though. He knew that after things ended with Maria, he was at a turning point in his life. It was time for him to settle down into an actual career and start thinking more about the future than dwelling on the past.

But, there was always the chance of Jasper being recalled back into the military. He had a little under four years of uncertainty ahead of him. Did this scare him? Of course. But shortly after being discharged, Jasper learned that worrying about this fact would only ruin his time at home. So, like with other things in his life, he came to accept it.

But, a turning point is a turning point, and Jasper was becoming more and more aware of the fact that his time to let loose and be young was quickly running out. He never truly regretted joining the military, it had matured him in many ways and taught him many things, but on top of the emotional trauma suffered - it did take away what could have been the very best, alcohol-filled years of his life.

So… he did something kind of crazy.

It was a silly self preservation act of sorts, joining The Real World. He knew that he wouldn't have much longer to just enjoy being young, and he didn't want to grow up any faster than he already was, so he sent an audition tape in. The odd feeling that he was accepted was confirmed one day with an envelope and a call. And then a smile turned into a breathless, disbelieving chuckle, which turned into a full on burst of laughter that could be heard across the hall and into the next apartment.

"That's nice," Bella said softly, breaking him out of his reverie. Their bags were loaded into the back and soon they were off to the house.

"So tell me about yourself, Bella." Jasper suggested while stretching out in the space provided, trying to ignore the large camera pressed a few inches from his face. It shifted to Bella.

She met his eyes once before continuing. "Well, I'm twenty-two years old. I majored in Biology while in college, yet now that I've graduated, can't seem to find an immediate use for this knowledge."

Bella felt this shed enough light on her current situation. In her eyes, this statement said: "I hate every job I've stayed at, yet can't keep the ones I can tolerate for the life of me."

Jasper laughed. "Did you plan on going into the medical field?" He raised his eyebrows while leaning into her. Bella instinctually leaned back, before correcting her mistake and relaxing.

She had nothing against Jasper so far. In fact, he was very attractive and nothing but polite since she had met him, but she tended to get shy and reclusive while meeting new people. Just another reason she joined the show, an attempt to gain better people skills.

She smiled sadly before nodding. "I actually wanted to be a veterinarian." Shrugging, she turned and met his curious eyes. "Just not in the cards for me right now."

Jasper nodded, understanding by the way Bella spoke and held herself that it was a topic to be touched later. He wasn't going to push anything.

Sensing that she wanted a subject change, he grinned before speaking.

"Yeah, anything medicinal sounds extremely challenging. I don't think I'd be dedicated enough to study it." He had a feeling that probably wasn't her reason.

Bella breathed a laugh. "Is there anything interesting about you?" Her voice rose at the end.

Jasper shrugged, figuring that it was an appropriate time to share his previous position in Iraq. They'd all find out eventually…

"I fought in Iraq a few months back, just got discharged."

Bella's features changed immediately, first disbelief, before switching over to a more calm form. "Really? That's interesting." she breathed.

He smiled back at her briefly, knowing that she wasn't going to be one of those people who pretended that they knew or showered him with praise before they even understood what he did. Jasper wasn't ashamed of sharing this piece of information, just more over afraid that people would treat him differently once they knew.

They chatted briefly on the topic for a few more minutes, and Jasper was grateful to find that Bella wasn't following the stereotype. He briefly wondered if he'd be this lucky with the rest of his roommates. If anything, he was sure he'd always have Bella, who was proving to be an easy going girl that Jasper could see himself confiding with in the future.

Bella, thankfully, saw the same thing in him.

Aw, thanks so much for reading! If you have any questions just ask. :)