Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight related

Thank-you to my lovely wife cutestkidsmom and my beta eternally edward's girl for their help and encouragement.

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day without any mistakes in it?". L.M Montgomery

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake" Napoleon Bonaparte

Chapter 1

My name is Bella Dwyer, where my story begins is simple enough, where it ends up you won't see coming, I know I didn't. The best way to tell my story is to start from when I was just ordinary. How with just one lie my simple life changed forever.

"Isabella Marie Dwyer, I swear if you don't get your butt down here right now I will come up there and drag you down by your hair!" My mother, I love her dearly, I do. But she has a tendency to freak out on occasion.

"Chill mom, I am coming geez. I'm Valedictorian, they kind of need me!" She rarely sees logic. Her hippy ways have clouded things.

She is all I have had in this world, and I am all she has had in hers. My first memory I have of me and my mom is when we went to a cactus festival. She believes they can hear us and in their own way they can communicate with us. Whatever, maybe they do. All the scientific research I have done on the topic has not dis-proven her theory, so I'll let her have that.

I grab my orange cap and gown and rush down the stairs. "Mia seriously, you walk like an elephant. Can you slow down and pretend to be a lady?"

"Well excuse me Lady Renee for rushing, did you or did you not threaten my luscious raven hair would be tugged if I had not meandered faster?" I said rather sarcastically.

She shakes her head, "OK smart ass, very funny and witty might I add." She grabs my hand and wraps me into a smothering hug. "God I love you Bella, I am so proud of you."

I look up and see a tear sliding down her cheek. "Awe mom, don't cry please. You know if you cry, I cry." I hug her extra tight. She might be the mom but most of the time I feel like it's me who takes care of her.

"I know I never talk about your dad Bella, but he was a brilliant man. You remind me so much of him. If he were alive he would be in awe of you." She says between sobs.

My dad.

My mother tells me he died when I was six months old from a brain aneurism. Beyond that I don't know much about him, besides that he loved me and was really smart.

"Thanks mom." And that is that, I am not good with feelings. "Let's go get me all graduated and shit."

"Bella! Watch your mouth!" She gasps.

We get into her reliable faded-yellow 1967 Volkswagen bug and take one last drive to Forks High School. It's the only high school in our small town of Forks, Washington. Population: 3175. I've gone to school with the same one hundred kids for twelve years. It's pretty cool though, I hate meeting new people and I haven't in, well, twelve years.

"Gold, I don't get it mom, the colors are gold and blue. They could have used blue instead." I groaned.

"Bella, it doesn't really matter the color. You look good in anything, and you only have to wear it once." She slides her fingers through my hair and gives my shoulder a squeeze before returning her hand to the wheel.

"I know, you're right. I guess I am being all weird because I am terrified about my speech. I hate public speaking, what if I make a mistake?"

I look over at her, she shrugs. "So what if you do? There's always tomorrow, and you know what I always say." I nod even though I know she'll say it anyway. "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day without any mistakes in it?" See, told you.

"Yes mom, I know I know, you're right, again." I chuckle, and the next thing I know we are there.

The good thing about having the last name of Dwyer means I'm am one of the first people to go up and receive their diploma. Unfortunately though, I am Valedictorian, so I have to go up before anyone and give my speech.

My mother patiently sat with me for hours listening to about eighty different versions. Each one she said the same thing. "It's wonderful hunny. You're so talented sweetheart."

So here I sit next to Embry Call, also known as the boogeyman. Since I've known him he was a closet booger eater, gross I know. He is the sweetest guy but I could never get past his unique cuisine choices. Brady Fuller is on the other side of me. We are always grouped together. He is kind, but quiet. He has black frizzy hair and his glasses are like two magnifying glasses.

My observation of my peers is interrupted by our principal calling my name for me to deliver my speech. As I stand up I desperately look for my mother. Only her eyes and her smile can anchor my nerves. I have it all worked out, I will pretend it is just another dry run. "Just pretend you are practicing with me" She said last night when I woke up from a nightmare. I dreamed that as I was reading my speech a tornado swept in and stripped me naked. Everyone was laughing at me. It was awful!

I take the podium and clear my throat. The echo is like thunder. I truly think I am going to faint. Deep breathes. The principal puts his hand on my shoulder, "Are you alright Bella?"

I open my eyes and there she is, smiling. It is like the sun shines just on her. I see a glimmer of a tear fall, and I know I can do this. "Yes I am fine, thank you." And I am perfect.

After I deliver my speech flawlessly, I step down, blow my mom a kiss, and take my seat. Thank God for that woman. We all listen as the guest speaker does her thing. We all stand as our school song is sung. I listen intently knowing it is the last time I will hear it.

"We're loyal to your Forks High, we're pulling for you Forks High." It really is a terrible song, it speaks of mountains, and waterfalls, something about fortresses and hearts and hands. A lot of "Go Spartans!" and "Rah Rah's!" I stop listening.

Finally our names are being called. I am still nervous but after delivering my speech I feel slightly invincible. Embry gets up and receives his diploma. I laugh at his parents, they cheer and scream and hold up signs. He blushes and gives them a timid wave. He sits back down with a shrug, but I can see the pride in his face as he grips his future in his hands.

Then, "Isabella Marie Dwyer". That's me. I rise and take the walk to freedom. With this diploma everything I ever wanted will be mine. I have received a full scholarship to Oxford University, in England. It is exciting but nerve racking. I knew we couldn't afford much; I thought that I would end up at a community college, especially since I was only seventeen. I was graduating early and I never thought any college would want a seventeen year old. But, they did. I applied on a whim after my mother pushed me to.

I always wanted to travel and she said this was a perfect opportunity. "Two birds with one Stone" I remembered my mother chuckling as I groaned at the age-old cliche. So here I am, taking the walk of a seventeen year old Valedictorian of Forks high. The diploma feels like freedom and independence. It feels like happiness and sadness all rolled into one. I look over to my mom, she is cheering for me louder than any other parent. It is both embarrassing and exciting.

Where I feel fear she feels adventure, when I cry she makes us laugh. I am growing up and she is too. This step will be big for us, we will be so far from each other and I hope she will consider moving closer to me so I can have her near me. I try to convince myself it's because she needs me, but I'm not fooling anyone. I'm scared, she's my mom, and her hugs are home.

Caps are thrown in the air, the band plays and family and friends flood the football field. My mother grabs me and spins me around till I am dizzy.

"My Bella, my beautiful, amazing, brilliant Bella, you did it, you did it!" She is screaming it for everyone to hear.

"Thanks mom." We stop spinning; I look into her pale green eyes. Her short brown hair is extra curly from the humidity. I take in her unique scent of cider and sandalwood. I note her brown flip flops and her hand-made sundress. I gather it all up into my mind; this was a moment to keep. "None of this could be what it is without you mom, I love you."

She laughs and cries, and spins me around a little bit more. "Let's go eat sweetie, I'm starving."

I'm not sure where we are headed, but I just don't care. My mom has this gigantic grin plastered to her face and is humming some tune. I ask her what tune it is; she says it's The Beach Boys.

After about an hour she pulls the car over to the side of the road and hops out. I look around and all I see is miles of nothingness. "Hey Mom, where are we?"

"Get out Bella, I have a surprise." She opens the trunk and pulls out a picnic basket and a large blanket.

We walk for about five minutes and then she stops and opens up the blanket, "Sit." She says.

"Mom, this is weird, you are being cryptic." I say.

She says nothing; she just puts a plate and a cup in front of me. She pours us both water, pulls out apples, carrots, and a tofu and alfalfa sprouts salad. She keeps eying me. I think she is going to speak but she just starts eating without saying a word.

I can't take it anymore, "Mom please talk to me." I yell.

She starts laughing, "Okay, okay you win, here." She hands me an envelope. I just sit there staring at it. "Open it Bella, it won't bite."

After a deep breath, I slip my finger through the seal and pull out…tickets? "Mom?" I look at her quizzically.

"Read them." She says with a little giddiness in her voice.

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. "No way, we are going to St. Thomas?"

She shakes her head enthusiastically, "Yep!"

"When?" I ask excitedly.

"Tomorrow!"