So, I've had this little story on my hard drive for the last year or so and as I finished MBBF, I figured why not post several of the one-shots I've wrote the last few years. So, as always, Enjoy!
"The swells are hitting a nice six foot today, better get out there and enjoy the great day. This next song goes out to all those surfers, Paddle Out by Sublime."
I grabbed my board, yelled good bye to my mother and left to find my perfect wave before school.
"Hey, Bella," I heard people call, I paid little attention, I was a local hero. The person the local surfers looked up to. No, I'm not bragging. I'm merely stating that I'm a pro surfer at age 17. I'd joined the circuit at 16, but my journey begin so much earlier than that.
I started paddle boarding when I was 8 in my home town of Santa Barbara, California. I picked up surfing at age 12, I was named amateur surfer champion that year. Then I won more amateur comps and then when I turned 16, I turned pro. For the 2010 comp year, I was winning most, I'd won three out of four comps, coming in second in the one I hadn't won. I was currently in the lead with 2980 points. If I keep this up, I was on my way to winning the ASP world championship.
Thank god, I was in down time during competitions, my next was set for the end of March, I wouldn't even have to be in Australia until the first of April, leaving me plenty of time State side to enjoy the surf and sand here.
Ah… I thought, the sweet one was heading my way, I paddled hard, waiting for the second I'd get to stand up. I dropped in, and I was off. The comfort of the tube was my safe haven, the place where I had no worries, than life crashed back into me. The wave was dying, I placed myself so that I could get out of the tube, I saw the sunlight and I was out.
"Bella," I heard from the beach, I looked my mother was yelling. Time for school.
I finished my shower and went down to the table for breakfast.
"Looking good out there Bella," my step father Phil Dwyer said.
"Thanks Phil. How are try-outs coming?"
"Well," my mom, Renee, said. "There's been something Phil and I have been meaning to talk to you about. Phil got a position in Florida, baby, we're moving to Florida."
"Mom, I can't, I have to be in Australia at the end of the month, what about my career, the waves, they are here, not Florida."
"I'm sorry, but you are still underage, you'll just have to deal until next year when you can rejoin the competitions."
No way was I dealing, I couldn't give up now, I was already half way through the season.
"No, I'll, um… I'll move in with Dad. He's near the ocean, and he can go with me on trips if need be."
"I'll call your father."
She called him and I was allowed to continue vying for the world championship for the time being. In just three days, I'd been moved out to my fathers, and now I was facing the prospect of a new school, learning new waves and flying by myself to Australia. My father had said I was fine going by myself. He'd never seen me compete. Never said he was going to, he didn't want the worry.
I pulled my new truck into a free parking spot at Forks High. My truck had been a homecoming present from my father, it was a red 1960'sish Chevy truck, the date was uncertain. It back fired as soon as I pulled in. I blushed. Something I did frequently.
"Nice truck," I heard as I slipped out of the truck. I ignored it. My boards and wet suit where in the back, I was going for practice after I was through with my five classes that I had to take. It was a deal that I'd struck with Forks High, I got five classes a day, the other three where spent training. They where worried at first, but I explaining that while I was away for a week or longer every month, I maintained my homework through the internet, emails and such. They couldn't argue when they found that I was a strait A student, the occasional B slid in, but not since I'd started pro level competing.
I looked at the other cars, they ranged from my old Chevy to a new Volvo. So I didn't feel to out of place. I located the administrative offices in building A. The secretary was filling out paper work, my paper work it turned out, when I walked in.
"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan."
"Hello, dear, I'm Mrs. Cope." She gave me a smile, it was a genuine smile, something I hadn't seen in awhile. With my star status in California, I received the excited to meet you smiles, in comps I got the 'oh great, you're the person that might be snaking my wave' smile, but never a genuine 'nice to meet you smiles'. Of course I wasn't famous here, nobody knew my name. Charlie never spoke much of my career. Maybe to my old friend from the res Jacob Black and his family, but never to anybody that didn't know me.
"Can I have my papers? What do I need to sign?"
"Oh, your father's already signed everything, here's a building map and your schedule. Anything else, don't hesitate to ask."
I smiled, a nice, kind of 'am I done yet', smile. I wasn't being rude, but I wanted to get to classes so I could get done and get to my board.
I left, looking at the map, trying to decipher where to head to first. Bio with Banner, building C. I was looking at the map trying to find the building I didn't even notice the person coming strait at me, not paying attention either.
WHAM!
The air rushed out of me. I was knocked to the ground. My stuff went flying, including my cell phone which chose that second to go off. Something that wasn't allowed in school. I grabbed at it, and silenced it. I hurriedly tried to pick up my stuff, then a hand bent down to help me.
"I'm so sorry," the velvet voice belonging to the person I'd crashed into said. I looked up and found the most breath taking emerald colored eyes. I took the hand he offered, helping me up.
"No, it's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm new and trying to find building C."
"Oh, it's that building," he pointed at a building that was clearly mark in viewing sight.
"Damn map," I pretended to chock the map. He laughed. I finish grabbing my stuff. I set off of the building that I now saw clearly.
I got to the class with a few seconds to spare. I handed my papers to the teacher and I seat down in the empty seat he pointed me towards.
I sat there day dreaming for a few minutes, thinking about my last competition. How I'd literally owned the wave, going so far as to hang my toes off the board. In just a few weeks time I'd be in Australia hopefully winning the next match. I'd been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't see anybody come in the class and walk towards the table I was at.
"Ah, so we meet again."
I jumped, I'd been that lost in my day dreams.
I stared in to the emerald eyed boy again.
"Are you following me, cause I can get a restraining order, I've got an in with the chief of police here in Forks."
"Good one, Bella Swan," he said. For a minute I thought he knew me from the circuit than I realized that while my father might not talk about my career, he did talk about his talented daughter.
"So, you know my name, do I get to find out yours?"
"Maybe, I'll give you a hint, it starts with Edward and ends with Cullen."
"That's not much of a hint, is it Edward Cullen?"
"Damn, your good." He smiled a crooked smile that I couldn't put a name to. Maybe a 'hi, I'm interested' smile?
"Bella Swan," I extended my hand, getting the formal introductions out of the way. Edward took it.
"Edward Cullen."
Two weeks had went by since I'd moved to Forks, I'd made quiet a few friends, Edward for one. His twin sister Alice, and his older brother Emmett. Alice was dating Jasper Hale, who I'd known from when I'd come in for summers before I entered the pro circuit. We where still good friends, he was one person who knew about my career and came out with me from time to time to see me board. His sister, who'd up until recently lived with their father in New York was Rosalie Hale, and she was dating Emmett.
Now, if you think I was only friends with those six, you'd be wrong, I was just becoming better friends with them, than the others, these five, well they cared about me, they'd call me up at random times and tell me it was time to hang out.
I'd also meet Mike Newton and his girlfriend Jessica Stanley, but Mike had a thing for me, which wasn't reciprocated. I'd also seen Angela Weber and her best guy friend Ben. Angela had known me when I'd been here for summers before. So that meant she knew about my surfing, and would at times come with me to spot me. She'd told me on one of the rides that she really liked Ben and wished he'd ask her out.
There where people that I didn't like, Lauren and Tyler for example, they drove me insane, I'd been carving a good wave the other day, and Tyler snaked me. I'd told him off royally.
"Bella, your phones going off," Alice chirped, I hadn't even felt it going off in my pocket.
I flipped it open, great my manager.
"Hello," I said.
"Hi, Bella," Rae said. She listed everything that I'd need for my trip. Hotel, car, flight, it was all covered by my last purse, yet it barely covered it all, I only had a thousand left over out of a 200,000 dollar purse. Of course, I'd put quite a bit into savings, trying to save a bit for when I retired for a real job when I was in my 30's.
"Alright, thanks Rae." I hung up. I got glances all around from my friends. "What, I have a trip planned, it was my travel agent confirming my details."
They smiled, the smiles that say 'I know your lying, but I'll flow with it'.
We where at the skating rink, enjoying a Friday night. I was on in lines zooming around the rink when Edward skated up to me, I slowed down.
"So where are you going?"
"Florida, mom wants me to come see her." I spun around in my skates so I could face Edward, I skated backwards.
"Florida, really, why do I think your lying."
"It's time for a slow skate, girls grab your boys and enjoy," the announcer said.
Edward put his arms on my waist, I was stunned, I hadn't even asked if he wanted to slow skate. I put my arms around his neck, trying to keep a respectable distance. He wasn't having that, I'd get away and he would come closer.
"Where did you learn to skate?" I asked Edward.
"Parents, we'd come out every weekend to skate in Alaska."
"Do you ice skate?"
"No, it's the only skating I don't do."
I smiled and we where silent for the rest of the song. I saw Alice looking mischievous where she was skating with Jasper. Emmett looked like he wanted to hug us both, at the same time, did they think we where together?
"So," I said. "I think your siblings want us together."
"Well, Alice has been hinting about us for the last two weeks. How about we give them a show."
I cocked my head, trying to figure out what he meant when his lips crashed down on mine. My breath was taken away.
"Oh, my," the announcer said, I unlocked my lips from Edwards. "It looks like one couple needs to get a room." I blushed so red my lips probably where the same color. I dropped my hands but grabbed his left hand and spun so I was facing forward again. We skated holding hands the rest of the night.
That night, I had a slumber party with Alice, we stayed up and gossiped late into the night, she asked about the kiss, I spilled about how I liked Edward the first moment I'd met him when we'd collided in the hall.
I didn't tell her, that I was worried about how I'd maintain a boyfriend with my career. I'd be gone at least once a month for a week or more at a time. In some foreign country. Yea, it wouldn't work. April was next month and I wouldn't be home at all that month, I'd be starting at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia, than I wouldn't fly home for the four days between competitions, then I'd be in New Zealand, than fly back to New South Wales Australia. Then fly home for the remainder of the school year than at the beginning of June I was due in Peru. Then I had some well needed time off.
Alice had fallen asleep while I was thinking about the upcoming competitions. I got up and went for food in the kitchen.
"Boo," I jumped when I heard Edward's velvet voice try to scare me.
"Shit, you scared me."
"Sorry, thought you'd heard me. What are you sneaking?"
"I really don't know, I just thought I'd come and see what your parents had."
"Well, I know what I'm hungry for, you."
He crashed his lips on mine, and I curled my hands in his hair. I was enjoying this moment. Then I heard somebody clear their throat. Busted by, I looked, Emmett. Oh, we'd be hearing about this for awhile.
Yea, so I didn't hear about it, not as much as Edward had, I was shipped to Australia for the month of April, Edward called me all the time, telling me what Emmett thought about my month long trip. He'd let Alice talk for awhile, then Emmett would get on and give me some shit, than Jasper would get on and wish me luck, well, the way we'd come up with wishing each other luck, code words.
This is how the conversation went:
"Hey, Jasper."
"Hey, Bella, how's the warmth?" Warmth, that meant down under.
"Good, really working hard on my tan." Tan, surfing.
"I heard it's really hot down there, right now." Hot, I'd won my first competition.
"Yea, I'm hoping to get hotter." Hotter, win two and three.
"Well, have fun, and don't forget to wear sunscreen." Sunscreen, that means don't forget real sunscreen, I didn't want to burn.
"I will, oh and you don't forget to check on Alice every once and awhile." Alice is going to kill us if she ever finds out we used her name. Alice, internet.
"Will do, now, go find a hot man and get a Florida boo." Hot man, and I swear I heard Edward growl at this comment. Hot man, win big.
"I already have Edward." Edward's turn to kill us. Edward, the man I like a lot.
"Okay, just don't forget about Rosalie and Emmett." Rosalie, don't forget about your training, Emmett, go big or go home.
"Okay, thanks. I'm going big."
"Well, have fun and be safe." Be Safe and have fun, his good luck words.
I hung up with him shortly after that.
The plane landed in Seattle at mid-night, I had won all three events, keeping me securely in lead, I was a shoo in for World Champion, unless something drastic happened. Which it better not.
I grabbed my carry on and walked off the plane. I looked around for my father, but I couldn't find him. I saw Edward though.
My eyes widened and I ran to him, giving him a big hug.
"Hey," he said. "How's everything? How's your mom?"
"Oh, she's good, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I told your father that I wanted to surprise you so I said I'd pick you up."
"Well, thanks. I was just going to get a hotel tonight then have dad come get me tomorrow, so what do you want to do?"
"I can drive, that's no problem."
"Good, I'm a bit jet-lagged."
"From, Florida to here?" He asked uncertainly.
"Well, it's an eight hour flight and I don't sleep well on planes."
He nodded and we made our way to his car. I fell asleep on the way home, he held my hand the whole way back. I didn't stir when he lifted me out of the car and carried me to my bed, I didn't wake as he slipped my shoes off, but I remember him saying very softly, thinking I was asleep, "I love you, Bella."
Edward and I finally had our first date, a few days after I landed, two months after we'd first meet, a month and a half after our first kiss.
He took me to this little Italian restaurant, in Port Angeles. I had mushroom ravioli while he had Spaghetti Parmesan. All in all it was a great date. Though, I yawned through half of it, I was still so tired from Australia.
After that night, I considered us as a couple, Edward, well he had other plans.
"Hey, Bella," Edward called to me one night while I was staying at Alice's for a slumber party that now included Rosalie, who'd been nice to me since I'd returned.
"Go," Alice whispered.
I got up and went towards his voice, which was drowned out by a song on a CD that I didn't recognize.
"Dance with me?"
I nodded and we danced for awhile, I was totally comfortable staying in his arms for the rest of my life.
"Bella," his velvet voice spoke to me, I looked up to see his emerald green eyes peering into my brown ones. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes."
He kissed me so gently, just taking his time, letting us both enjoy that moment. Things where perfect.
"Not perfect, Rae, I can't do the interview."
"Look, Bella, when you went pro, you said that you could do any and all interviews, and Surfer Magazine want's to interview you, the girl who is looking like she's going to be the next Association of Surfing Professionals woman's world champion. You have to do the interview."
"But it's prom," I whined. I had the date, was going shopping for the dress but my dream was being shattered by one very mean manager. I knew the more I whine the less she'd even consider giving.
"So, do the interview in the morning and the prom that night, nobody will be wiser about the interview being that day."
"No, pictures," I said.
"Fine, interview only. Now, please be a good girl when I tell you something."
"What?"
"There is this invitational in Maui in May, it's not prom weekend, but the sponsor wants you there. They are giving you a bit more leg room, you get to take a friend, all expense paid trip for two for three days two nights, you just have to show off your new board shorts and shirt Billabongs sending you."
"That's it, I'm going to Maui, you should have told me that first."
"Well, sorry Ms. Little Ray of Sunshine."
I hung up and went back to our café table, I had to take the call, there had been no way around it. Now, who to take to Maui with me. Alice, shopping there was amazing. Rosalie, no, she's to self centered. Emmett, hell no, he'd use this as blackmail for the rest of my life. Jasper, he wouldn't go without Alice. Angela, no, her and Ben where now a couple. My personal choice, Edward, yes, I'd ask him and reveal the real me at the same time. Just had to ask dad about my choice.
"Dad," I called as I walked into the house.
"Living room, Jake and Billy are here."
I walked into the front room, I gave Jake the biggest hug ever. He picked me up and spun me. Charlie and Billy laughed. I towed Jake into the kitchen so I could start dinner, my conversation with Charlie would wait.
"So, any fancy destinations in the near future?" Jake asked.
"Well, my manager says I'm going to prom, pretty fancy, as long as I give an interview before. I'm heading to Maui in a few weeks as well, doing some invitational the sponsors want me to participate in. Then I leave for Peru the first weekend in June."
"Sounds fun," Jake laughed. I gathered the dinner ingredients and went to work preparing stroganoff.
Jake and I bantered off and on while I cooked, he told me stories about our friends down at the reservation, I told him of down under.
Billy and Jake finally left, and I set the dinner plates full of steaming hot stroganoff. It was time for the issue of Edward.
My dad knew that Edward and I where dating, that wasn't the big deal, but taking a three day trip, yea, that might be a big deal.
"Dad, I got a invite today to a comp in Maui. Rae told me I could take one person."
"Ah, Bella I know you want me to see you surf and such, but I would be on pins and needles."
"Dad, I'm not talking about you. Now, before you shot the idea down, I want you to know that the sponsor is willing to get a suite, two rooms for me and my friend. I want to take Edward."
"Well, I wasn't expecting, what the hell, yea I was expecting this, and I'm fine, he needs to know. Just don't do anything you will come to regret. You've got a long season ahead of you."
"I know dad, wrap it before you tap it," I joked, but Charlie's face turned a bright red. "Dad, I was kidding, like haha, breath, dad, I am still a virgin, I can't believe you said that. Nor do I have any plans of changing that. I want world champion to bad."
His face slowly returned to its normal color.
"Hey, baby," Edward said as he picked me up a week later, we where just a three weeks from prom and two weeks from Maui, I just had to ask him to go. I just didn't know how to ask him. I leaned in for a kiss. It was just me and him this morning.
"Alice took the Porsche. Emmett and Rosalie took the jeep," he said after our nice slow kiss.
"Good, there's something I need to talk to you about."
"What is it?"
"Nothing bad. I've been asked to go to Maui for a thing, and they said I could bring a friend. I was wondering you'd like to go?"
"Of course, I'd love to go, just let me run it by my parents. Will there be chaperones?"
"We'll be watched like a hawk."
He smiled and we went to school.
Nothing amazing happened that day, the great things happened after school, Edward and I talked to his parents and they allowed him to go, as long as there where two rooms involved.
The weeks leading up to the Maui invitational went by so fast, I found my prom dress, it was a deep blue, knee length dress. I found the perfect flats to go with it. Alice was already imagining my hair.
Then our flight day came and I knew things weren't going well, when I realized I'd left my board wax at home. I'd just have to get more at the comp. My leash broke, thank god I had a spare. Things weren't going right at all.
I packed my board and my gear, opting to leave most of my clothes at home, I wouldn't have much time for anything other than surfing. I packed mostly bikinis, board shirts and sponsor shirts. I grabbed a wet suit as well. Some times I enjoyed surfing in those better than board shorts. Packing just a pair of jeans and two shirts. I loaded it all into Edward's Volvo.
"What's the board for?"
"Might want to surf."
"You just had a board laying around?"
"Don't you?"
We got to Seattle two hours before our flight was due out, just enough time to get everything loaded and we set in to wait for the call for the flight. Edward held my hand while I read a bit.
The flight was called and we where in the air. Some time later we where landing, I looked out the window's, the swells where amazing. 12 foot in places. I smiled, tomorrow I'd be riding that.
"Ready," Edward asked. I got up and lead the way. Rae was meeting us here, she always made it to my events, my mother could rarely afford it and Charlie wouldn't come. So Rae was my fill in parent.
"Rae," I said over the commotion of passengers de-boarding. She made her way to me and I introduced her and Edward. Saying she was an old family friend, and leaving it at that for the time being. We grabbed our stuff and we where off to the hotel.
Turned out my sponsors had made a mistake, I only had one room with a single bed. Edward would be sleeping on the floor.
"I'm sorry," I said later that night, the comps didn't start until early morning. I had to be at sign up by 8:30 that morning. "I really thought we had separate rooms."
"Don't worry your adorable head about the sleeping arrangements, I actually like it this way. Just don't mention it to our parents."
"Early morning, I have to be at the event at 8:30 and we have to be out of here by 8."
He nodded and set on the floor.
"Silly, as long as you promise to behave you can sleep in the bed, I mean it's a king. You stay on that side, I'll sleep on this side." I pointed at sides, that I knew neither of us would be on. We curled up together and fell asleep.
My phone was going off, the room phone was ringing what the hell was going on. I was under Edward's arms, I pushed them off and grabbed the room phone, it was a wake-up call made by Rae to make sure we got up. My phone I'd set last night for 7. I slipped off the bed and started grabbing my clothes. I put the bikini on first, then the board shorts, I'd get the shirt at the event, then proceeded to wake Edward up.
"Hey, sleepy head, it's 7:30, we need to be leaving shortly."
He got up grumbling the whole way but as soon as he saw what I was wearing, he stopped and got ready, probably wanting to see me wet.
Rae got us at 7:55 and we where on our way by 8. I made it to the event by 8:15 and was signed in and in heat two, when Edward noticed this wasn't surfing lessons.
"I thought you said that you where learning how to surf?"
"No, never said learning how to surf, that I know, I'll explain everything once my heat is done."
With that I ran to the starting line, Edward behind me.
"No, no running, what the hell is going on?"
"Edward, not now," I said, the pop gun went off and my legs instinctively ran towards the water, my face still turned towards Edward.
The third set, that was the golden set today. I waited, letting my partner have the first good wave, the sportsman like thing to do, she'd have snaked me anyways. Then it was my turn. I paddled, hard, then popped up. I was in the tube, going for miles it felt like, my hand skimmed the wall of the water where it loped over. I made it out before it broke.
Another two waves like that and I was in for the next round.
Two waves later, I shook hands with my partner, offering her congratulations on a job well done and wishing her luck in her next comp, I was moving forward. Rae handed me a towel, Edward still looked pissed.
"So," he said. "You ready to tell me what the hell that was."
"That was my career, Edward, I'm a pro surfer, that's why I invited you to this invitational. Okay, I get that your upset, I lied. I just didn't know how to bring it up that I was running for world champion of surfing with the ASP. I'm one of the biggest girl surfers around right now and I'm only 17."
"Wait, your," Edward fumbled for words. "Your, a pro surfer? That's why you've been missing so much school, last month, you weren't in Florida where you?"
"No, I was in Australia. And your worried about my schooling? You should be more worried about your own schooling, last time I check, a week ago my grades where still strait A's."
"You're a pro surfer and a strait A student?"
"Yea, I get my homework before I leave, do it and then come back with or sometimes ahead of the other students."
"Wow, but you didn't feel this was important," Edward said, but I cut him off, the reporters and photographers where looking at me.
I dragged him to a more secluded corner.
"Edward, I'm a hot commodity, people see me fighting with you, well it's going to be told across the surf land. Edward, in surfing, I'm famous."
"Bella, I just can't believe you, my girlfriend, would lie to me. About something so big."
"I'm sorry," I cried. He turned and walked away.
Later that evening I was flying back to the mainland, solo. I'd lost my focus in the invitational, I'd told Rae I was dropping out, she understood, just made me promise that I'd do the interview. I rescheduled my flight, called my father, told him to come get me at the airport and left. I didn't tell Edward where I was going, I just told Rae to tell him. She'd make sure he got the message.
I think I cried most of the flight home. I was glad this wasn't an ASP world championship event. I would have lost my top spot for leaving early. I would have been booed out of the surf community. As it was, some press had seen my meltdown. I think I was still crying when my plane landed.
I got off, collected my stuff and dragged my feet to my father's car. I really didn't care for much.
I didn't go back to school until Edward returned. Hell, I'm sure he returned the day after me and went back to school before me. I just couldn't face him or anybody. The interview was in three days, and I really didn't want to do it. I also told my dad that after the trip to Peru, I wanted to live in Santa Barbara again, so I could train for the final four events. He didn't agree to that. I was stuck in Forks.
I returned to school, my new best friend was my iPod, I had it in every chance I got, Angela was the only person who came to speak to me after I got back, I just shrugged her off. I was such a great friend.
I didn't attend prom, my grades slipped, the interview I did was the worst ever, Rae had said it wouldn't run because I'd answered the questions so bad. I was losing my focus. School ended at the end of May and my mother agreed to move back to Santa Barbara so I could train after Peru.
I pushed myself in training, working past the pain of losing the person I loved. Edward didn't try to call or anything to help me figure out if what I was feeling was what he was feeling.
The first of June came, I flew to Peru. I placed third, but I remained in the top spot, just barely. I went to Santa Barbara and put my entire being into surfing, pushing past my physical limitations. Most nights after I got out of the water, I collapsed in bed still in my board shorts and bikini.
By August my mother noticed something wrong, I wasn't eating, I was losing weight, she could almost see my ribs in an unhealthy way, I was pushing myself hard. She told me I should call him, I couldn't. I heard nothing from any of the others, they didn't want to talk to me, well I wouldn't talk to them.
"That's it, Bella, where in the hell is that bruise from." My mother pointed out a bruised I'd gotten while surfing from the seabed.
"Just surfing."
"You know there is more to life than surfing. You are moving back to Charlies."
My mother was serious, that meant I was once again packed up and sent to Charlies house in Forks. I took my GED test when I got there at the end of August. I found this quiet place to surf, the swells where high and I could get good scores.
"Bella Swan, get your ass in, you're going to kill yourself."
I heard a voice from the shore, but didn't care, I just surfed more. I took the next wave, a shaky one, I wasn't stable and down I went. I hit my head on something. Everything was blurry for awhile. I remember being pulled out of the water, but not much else after that.
"Bella," a new voice, sounded like Edward, only older, more wisdom behind it. Bright lights where shown in my eyes. I blinked away.
"Bella, can you hear me?"
"Yea," I said grudgingly. I heard breaths being released.
"Well, Charlie doesn't look like she has a concussion, just keep her away from the water for a few days."
"No, I can't, I'm leaving for Portugal in a month, I need the practice."
"Bella, you need rest, when was the last time you sleep for eight or more hours?"
I shrugged, I'd be back in the water tomorrow. I closed my eyes for a moment.
"Your lucky, Jasper knew where to find her. He's worried about her, everybody is, is she okay?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Carlisle left. I opened my eyes. Charlie lead me out of the room.
The next day I tried to find my boards, but Charlie had hid them. I went to the spot where I'd been the day before, just watching the water.
Two days later a surprise came in the form of Alice and Rosalie, they said how sorry they where for the way they'd treated me when I'd gone back to school, how Edward didn't talk about what had happened in Maui, only finding out about my career from Jasper who they forced to tell them.
They wouldn't leave me alone. September came and while they where at school I was surfing, than after school they'd come drag me out of the water and we'd hang out. They would fill me in on what was going on.
September went, then October, and I left for Peru, I was back in my zone, I placed first, than I was off to California where I placed first surfing waves I'd grown up riding. Alice, Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett had come to that event to see me, they where amazed at how well I did. I took the road trip back home with them. We celebrated my win.
I had a few days off before I left for Hawaii where I'd surf my last two comps of the year. It was already the end of November. This year had flown by. It had it's ups and downs. I'd found and lost love this year, made some truly great friends and been normal for awhile. Not always worrying about chasing the next big wave.
The last few days where amazing, but it was time to head to Hawaii.
I raced well in the first comp. The second was my worst fear, the waves where bigger than some I'd ever seen. I knew I'd prove my worth today.
"Bella," I heard and I turned there was Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Angela wearing shirts supporting me. I ran to them.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well we heard that this 17 year old girl was going to be crowned world champ today and well, we couldn't miss that, since she's our best friend."
I cried, just one person was missing.
"He's still mad you know, you should call him," Alice said, wiping at my tears.
I walked away from the group and tried to call Edward. It went strait to voice mail.
"Trying to get a hold of me?" I spun and there was Edward in the flesh.
"Yea, I'm sorry. I should have been strait forward, I shouldn't have taken you to a comp just expecting you to be fine by what I did."
"Bella, I felt betrayed, but when I saw you out there surfing, showing me what you where loving, well that made me love you even more. I wish I could take back these last few months, I'd have follow you back to Forks that same night, I'd follow you to Peru. I'd beg you to forgive me. I can't and won't lose you. Can you forgive me for being a jerk?"
"Edward," was all I said before his lips came down over mine.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I" kiss, "love" kiss, "you" kiss, "too."
Four years later
"Bella," Edward said, we where celebrating our four year anniversary. Four short years ago we'd forgiven each other, I'd given my best performance ever at a pro circuit tour and won world championship. "Bella, I love you."
"I love you too," I said kissing his chest. We'd moved in together just a year ago while we attended Dartmouth College together.
"Do you ever regret giving up surfing?"
"Why all the questions?"
"No reason, but answer it."
"If I hadn't given up surfing, it would have always come between us."
"Still didn't answer my question."
"Edward, we wouldn't be where we where today if we'd made different decisions in the past, so I'm exactly where I want to be. In just four months, we will graduate from here, and move home."
"Bella, will you marry me?"
"Of course." We kissed, we didn't emerge from the room for awhile.
While quitting surfing had been one solution, it wasn't the one that I really wanted to take, but it was the one that had to be taken, or I'd have lost Edward for good.
"Bella," Edward said some time later, "I think you should go for the ASP world championship again this year."
He produced a envelope, I opened it.
"It's a wild card entry for the world championships, Edward are you sure?"
"I'm sure, you shouldn't give up your dream just because I was to stubborn to let you do anything else."
I nodded and fell asleep.
The next year went by so fast, I graduated from Dartmouth, while riding the wave. Edward traveled with me to every event, we where inseparable when I wasn't in the water. I even taught Edward to surf, sort of, he was just content with boggy boarding.
Time really does go by fast when your in love and doing something you love.
A year and a half later
"I now pronounce you man and wife," the minister said. Edward kissed me to a crowd of cheering people, we where married on a beach at Santa Barbara, the place we'd call home after this. The place we'd raise our children.
Though, children might have to wait, I was still chasing the wave, I'd missed a comp just so I could get married, we flew out tomorrow to the comp so I could be a late entry.
I held the title of World Champion twice, and was looking for the third one. Which I was going to get, but life, well thing's never work out just the way you hope, they sometimes work out better.
I'd have to put my dreams of finding the best wave on hold, for about nine months. Two months after Edward and I where married, I found out we where three months pregnant, that cut my surfing out for the year. I wouldn't hold the title for two years in a row yet.
But who knows what wave's on the horizon, it could just be the perfect one.