Disclaimer: Meyer owns it.

I'm feeling Christmas creepin on me...

Here's a little something. Enjoy!

703.

I stared at the bronze numbers.

After what seemed like decades away from this place, I never thought I'd be this scared of coming back. I mean, while I was at college, this place seemed nonexistent. But after being gone for so long… I'm just starting to remember that they are expecting something, or better yet someone, on my return.

There was only one good reason that pushed my parents into letting me study out of state. They believed that by going farther from home, I'll be more likely to start new beginnings and meet new people. By "new people" they meant guys. And by "new beginnings" they meant a relationship.

You see, all my eighteen years, I never dated. At 15, my mom began hinting the idea on me, by subtly adding lipstick on my list of things to use. She believed my lips should always look perfect and ready. I had no idea what she meant by "ready", but I just used it anyways.

At 16, she started adding more and more into the beauty products, and soon enough, I had a mountain of make up in possession.

By 17, I started to realize what all the products meant. I remained my normal self and passively accepted the clothes and the beauty advice. I thought, Why the heck not? It's clothes…However, by this time, my mom was just plain worried. One night, when it was prom night, I contentedly sat in the living room watching the latest of my favorite TV show. I happened to have a slight obsession with Fez at the time. I didn't go to prom. No one asked me. But I didn't mind. But that night, my mom did not keep her cries so subtle. In more than one occasion, I heard her cry: "WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG?!"… to be followed by a loud sob, and my father's mumbled comforting words.

By the time I turned 18, my mother finally popped the question. Just as I graduated, she finally found the guts to straight out ask me.

"Honey, I am so proud of you. All these years…You've just been so studious…You're such an intelligent, young, beautiful woman…. I mean, you're my little girl. Of course you're beautiful! You're gorgeous! You're eyes, you're face, you're everything is wonderful! Bella," she sobbed, "I just don't understand!"

By this time she had tears in her eyes. I was quite panic-struck.

"What…what don't you understand, mom?" I hurried and offered her a tissue.

She sobbed even louder, seeing my gesture. "See! That's what I mean! You're such a wonderful girl! So lovely, and nice, and wonderful! Why is no one taking notice?!

"Taking notice of what?" I asked. I was so confused.

"Of you, Bella!" She blew her nose and threw the tissue aside. "Bella, tell me straight out." She said, sniffling. "Is there a boy? Have you just kept it a secret?"

I let out a sigh. It finally came falling down on me.

A boy.

This was all about a boy…

On my freakin' graduation! Of all the things she could have been worrying about, it's a frickin, boy! For crying out loud!

I wanted to scream at her.

But I didn't.

I shook my head.

And seeing my negative reply, she cried harder.

…

So…when we discussed where I'd be studying...they agreed to New York.

It only took my mom a few references to Sex and the City and Friends to push my dad into paying for my tuition.

"Branch out and be yourself, honey. You don't need to be as reserved when you're miles away from us, yeah?" Those were her parting words partnered with a sly wink.

So…I went to New York. And I branched out. I branched out on my classes, picking the hardest, the toughest, the ones that took all the power I had to pass.

About a year later, I receive the Come Home for Christmas card, and it dawned on me that they expected a man, as they wrote in large print: "Bring anyone you'd like honey. We'd love to meet the new people in your life."

By the time I received the invitation back home, it was too late to find someone. Two weeks was not enough to acquaint with someone and ask them to come home for Christmas with me.

So now… I stand in front of the door. Staring at the number. Stalling…. Hoping they would not question my lack of guest. Praying that they'd pay more notice to my academic achievements and forget about my failure in my social life.

Hearing my thoughts, I burst out laughing. ….there's no way in hell, they'd let school overshadow my relationship status.

Knowing I'd have to face them sooner or later, I knocked.

TBC

This chap was kind of just Bella and Parents. Please stick around, Edwards a'comin!

Chapter 2 comin soon. Review?