Story Title: The Life and Times of Isabella Marie Swan

Summary: Bella has always been friends with Jake, Embry, and Quil. What happens when she comes back to live in Forks and two of them realize that they have feelings for her? Who will she choose? And how will the other friend make it through, without choosing a side? Throw in another guy vying for Bella's affections and you've got one very difficult love square. AH, which means no Werewolves or Vampires whatsoever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Stephanie Meyer and Little Brown Books do.

I got this idea a few nights ago. I had originally planned it to be a young Bella/Jake one shot. That would be this chapter. This morning however, it took a life of it's own. Like I don't have two stories that I'm working on, plus a fistful of others that are gathering dust. I am determined to get this out, so maybe the plot bunnies will be sedated. Hope you guys enjoy.

2004

She sat on her bed looking around her room sadly. Something told her to memorize every crevice of this room. It wasn't like she wasn't going to be back next summer. Yes, it was going to be hard leaving Jacob, Embry, and Quil, it always was. Tears were always shed on her flight home to Phoenix. What was it about this time that felt different? She shook her head trying to shake away the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Bella worried too much. Embry always told her that. He also said that he, Jacob, and Quil never had to worry about anything, because Bella worried enough for all of them. Her conscience always got in the way when Quil would come up with some prank to play on someone. She would always bow out, knowing that if she went with it, she would either tell the person, or feel guilty with the outcome.

"Bells?" her dad asked, from downstairs.

"Yeah?"

"The boys are here."

"Okay, I'll be right down."

She grabbed her flashlight before running out of the room. She was downstairs a few seconds later, seeing Sarah Black standing at the kitchen counter, while her dad and Billy were in the living room, watching TV. Sarah was pulling something out a bag, and Bella walked into the room, wondering what it was.

"I brought you guys something for tonight." Sarah said holding up a bag of marshmallows.

Bella looked over her shoulder, seeing a box of graham crackers, and a fistful of candy bars. She smiled her appreciation as she looked around for the boys.

"They're outside. Follow the noise sweetie." Sarah said with a wink.

"Hey Billy." she said walking past the living room

"Hey Bells." he called as she walked out the back door.

Quil, Jacob, and Embry were already on the trampoline. Jacob and Embry were laughing as Quil let out excited yells every time he did a back flip

"Come on Bella! What are you waiting for?" Quil called, getting her attention.

"Nothing. Just watching you three dorks. Can you be any louder?"

That made the laughing and yelling stop. The springs from the trampoline squeaked as the three of them jumped off. They reached behind the brick wall for something and came out with water guns.

"Oh come on! I'm unarmed!" she said laughing.

"Look on the table." Jacob said, pointing behind her.

Bella turned around only to find the table empty. She felt the cold rush of water hit her back as the boys yelled in victory. She turned back around and ran towards them. She may be a girl, but Embry was small for his age. He would be the one that she could take down. The other two would run, thinking that she would come after them. Like she could take Quil down, he was massive And Jacob, had hit a growth spurt that summer. He was now at least five inches taller than Bella. How was it possible for a ten year old to have that big of a growth spurt?

She launched herself into the air, feeling herself collide with Embry as the wind was knocked out of the both of them. The other two took off running towards the trampoline again and Bella heard the zipper being zipped before she heard the squeaking of the springs. Apparently, they were just sitting down. Embry let out a deep sigh from underneath of her.

She lifted her head, quirking an eyebrow at him. He gave her a death glare as he tried to shove her off of him. She smiled in victory as she rolled off of him.

"Why is it, that you always come after me?"

"Because you're the smallest. You're an easy target."

"You just wait until I get older. I'll be as big as Jake, then you'll be sorry." he said in a mock threatening voice.

Bella shook her head as she helped him up. They continued to hold hands as they walked over to the trampoline Sure enough, Quil was in one corner, and Jacob was in the other, staring at Bella with wide eyes.

"Serves you right for ambushing me. You don't see Embry still upset do you?"

"Embry has a brain the size of a gnat, he's probably already forgotten that it happened." Jacob said from his corner.

"Hey!" Embry said, getting defensive.

"He's just mad because I didn't tackle him." Bella said squeezing his hand.

Embry gave Jacob a cocky smile as Bella climbed up onto the trampoline Whoever had zipped the net, hadn't zipped it all the way. Embry steadied her as she climbed in. She held out her hand for him as he hoisted himself up. He pushed her hand away as he climbed in. She glared at Jacob, then Quil. Quil had guilty written all over his face.

"Were the water guns your idea Quil? Or were you trying to keep me out?"

"Both." he said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah? What now? I'm the one who didn't want to do it." Embry said as he started to jump.

"Did either of them force you do it?"

"Yes! Do you remember the wedgie incident from last weekend? Quil threatened me!"

"I told you shouldn't have done that." she said shaking her head.

"Yeah, well it's done now."

"You'll be dry in no time Bells." Jacob said getting to his feet.

He bounced over to her before holding out a hand. She shook her head as she pushed herself to a standing position The four friends formed a circle before jumping at the same time. The landing was off, it always was. Seeing as the four of them were never going to be the same height. Each landing made them go higher.

Bella could see over the net after a few jumps. She wished that this night could last forever. Jacob did a back handspring launching himself away from everyone else. Embry moved closer to Bella, taking Jacob's place. He kicked his legs out, imitating a karate move in mid air making Bella grin. Bella kicked her legs out touching her toes quickly before coming to a standing position. She stopped jumping as the back door opened.

"Come inside for dinner!" Sarah called from the door.

Quil was the first one out, followed by Embry. Jacob waited for Bella while she fixed her pony tail. Almost all of her hair had come out of it while they were jumping. She made her way to the opening while Jacob held it open.

"Ladies first." he said smiling at her.

"Thanks Jake." she said returning the smile.

Embry sat on the ground, slipping on his shoes while Quil raced to the house. Bella shook her head, still smiling. Leave it to Quil to forget his shoes. He forgot everything at the mention of food. Bella slipped on her flip flops before grabbing his shoes. She tossed them by the washing machine once she was inside.

Sarah had gone to get them McDonald's Tonight called for it. She had bought them McDonald's on Bella's last night for the last four years. Quil dug into the bags retrieving Bella's chicken nuggets, Embry's cheeseburger and his and Jacobs hamburgers. The large fry was set in the middle of the table while Sarah grabbed each of them Cokes from the refrigerator.

They talked excitedly while they ate. Sarah watched them from the counter. She knew that the boys were trying to take Bella's mind off of tomorrow. She couldn't blame them. She would have enough to worry about when she got home. Renee wasn't the most responsible person in the world. Bella took on the role of adult when she was with her. Sarah made sure that Bella got to act like a kid as much as possible when she was in Forks. Even if that meant, baring her from the kitchen, so that she wouldn't make dinner. Charlie and Bella couldn't live on frozen pizza forever.

Half an hour later Billy had built them a fire in the fire pit out back. They were roasting marshmallows on wire coat hangers while Billy and Charlie set up the tent. They had done this for two summers in a row. Last year, there had been a thunder storm, so Charlie had come up with the idea to turn the living room into one huge tent. He was quick on his feet at two in the morning. Hopefully, it wouldn't rain tonight.

Charlie and Billy watched the four friends sit around the fire. Bella sat in the middle, with Quil on one side, and Embry on the other. Jacob sat across from her doling out graham crackers and chocolate. Quil was being goofy, making noises and nudging Bella with his elbow. Bella nudged him back with a smile as Embry shook his head, not able to hide his own smile.

"We should go inside. They'll be okay." Billy said from the back door.

"You're right. It gets harder to let her go every time."

"She'll be back. She always comes back. She's got three reasons sitting right there with her."

"I'm not enough?"

"Would you jump on the trampoline with her?"

"That thing is a death trap."

"Then why did you buy it?"

"Because Bella begged and pleaded until I caved."

"I would have caved too. Did she give you her puppy dog eyes?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I definitely would have caved."

The two friends went back inside without looking back. Billy and Sarah left a few minutes later. The plan was that Charlie would drop the boys off after taking Bella to the airport. It was easier, the boys would get to say goodbye, and Bella would have the piece of mind that she needed.

XXXX

Four hours later the four of them were lying on the backs, counting the stars. They were back on the trampoline. They wouldn't dare jump on it this late. They were talking quietly as clouds moved across the sky, blocking the stars and making them lose count.

"What number are we on?" Jacob asked as a cloud finally moved away from the patch of sky that they were staring at.

"Six hundred seventy six." Bella said from next to him.

"Have we counted that one yet?" Embry asked pointing to a specific star.

"Six hundred seventy seven. Good job Em." Bella said nudging his leg with her foot.

Things were quiet for a while. Bella heard Quil's even breath, then Jacob's soft snoring a few minutes later. She sat up looking across Quil to Embry.

"You asleep yet?"

"No." he said quietly.

"Do you want to finish off the chocolate?"

"Sure." he said crawling towards the opening.

He climbed out first before grabbing Bella around the waist. He helped her down and the two of them made their way across the yard. She noticed her flashlight on the table.

"We never did get to play hide and seek." she said picking it up.

"We still can."

"What about the chocolate?"

"We've gotta get rid of the energy somehow."

"You're right." she said with a smile.

"Should we wake them up?"

Bella shook her head breaking a piece of chocolate in half. She handed him half before eating hers. A few minutes later they were both armed with flashlights and taking off towards the woods. Embry was it first, so Bella climbed a nearby tree, knowing that he would more than likely walk right past her.

Sure enough, Embry walked past her a minute later. She quietly climbed down the tree and made a bee line for home base. Half way there he was a few yards behind her.

"Where were you?" he called just loud enough for her to hear.

"Up a tree." she said with a laugh.

"Cheater!" he said, closer this time.

She looked over her shoulder, only to see that he was farther away than she thought. His long hair fanned out behind him as he ran. The next thing she knew she was on the ground, and her knee was in pain. He skidded to a stop in front of her as she held her knee. He pulled up her pants leg to check the damage with his flashlight. Her knee was red, but it wasn't bleeding.

"What did I trip over?"

Embry shined his light across the ground before finding a tree root sticking up out of the ground.

"A tree root. Can you get up?" he asked, before standing to his full height. He held out a hand to her.

"I think so." she said taking his hand.

"No more hide and seek tonight."

Bella shook her head in agreement. They were back at the tent a minute later. Quil and Jacob were still on the trampoline, fast asleep.

"Do you think that we should wake them up?"

"They'll be okay." Embry said getting into the tent first.

Bella and Embry changed with their backs to each other. They had been doing it for years, even if Sarah and Charlie told them that they needed to stop. Why would they stop doing something that they had been doing since Bella was six and the boys were four?

They got situated under their blankets before Bella turned to face him.

"Embry?" she aked a few minutes later

"Hmm?" Came a sleepy reply.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being you."

"Go to sleep Bells." he said, his voice thick with sleep.

"Goodnight."

"'Night." he said with a sigh.

XXXX

The next afternoon Bella again sat in between the boys, with her dad at the end. They were waiting for her flight to be called. Embry sat next to her, not knowing what to say. Saying goodbye to Bella was always hardest for him. He would never explain why. He had secrets of his own that he wanted to be kept secret. Jacob on the other hand, talked about all the stuff that they could do next summer. He always had been the optimistic one. Quil did his part by agreeing with Jacob and throwing in his own ideas.

Bella, was quietly nodding as Jacob rattled off the list. Her worry from yesterday was back. She felt like their was a black cloud all of the sudden following her around. She couldn't explain it. Had something happened to her mom while she was gone? Her grandmother? Her Aunt or Uncle? Maybe her grandpa had had another heart attack.

Her flight was called and Charlie gathered her three bags. The four friends walked ahead of him, not saying a word. What they had been dreading all summer was about to happen. The formation hadn't changed from when they were sitting down. Embry and Jacob were at her sides, while Quil was on the other side of Embry.

They stepped up to her gate without a word. The quiet was now starting to annoy Bella. She sighed in frustration, making Embry look at her in worry.

"Somebody say something. I do not want my last few minutes with you three to be spent in silence."

The three boys looked at each other, wondering what they should do. Embry was the first to react. He pulled Bella in for a hug. He let her go as she eyed him suspiciously. He shrugged sheepishly before Quil rolled his eyes.

"Way to break the ice Em." he said getting in between them.

Bella's eyes met Embry's over Quil's shoulder. She gave him a smile, letting him know that she didn't mind. It was just unexpected.

"I'll call you whenever I need help with math." Quil said with a nod.

"I know." she said with a laugh.

"And I'll keep these two from fighting." Embry said from behind him.

"You always get in the middle of it!" she said with a laugh.

"I'll keep in touch." Jacob said from behind her.

"Now that; is what I really needed to hear." Bella said turning around

"Suck up." Quil said under his breath.

The person in front of Bella stepped up to the person collecting tickets. Bella handed the woman hers as the boys waited for Bella to step into the hall, leading to the plane. She stopped just before she rounded the corner. The boys hadn't moved, she waved before the boys smiled and waved at the same time. She met each of their eyes, holding Jacob's gaze a little too long. She gathered her courage before turning the corner. She didn't know when she would see them again, she hoped that as long as she could talk to them, things would be easier to handle.