Hey everyone! Here's chapter 2 and it's just waiting to be read! I'll warn you now that not all chapters are going to get updated this fast, but I'll try not to wait too long! Hope you like this one, though it's pretty long! Enjoy! =)

Chapter 2

Bella's POV

"Bella!"

"Hmmm?" I said as I turned around only to be face to face with none other than Mike Newton. We had just gotten out of school and we were now in the parking lot and I had just opened my truck door ready to go home and greet my cousin, Megan. I was afraid he was going to try and ask me out again even though he knows I only like him as a friend. That's never really stopped him though…guess it would be a good time to tell him Edward and I are back together.

"Hey, um, I was just wondering – if you're up to it of course! I-I mean, coming home from a very…spontaneous trip and everything," he rambled with a nervous laugh. Poor Mike. He always tried so hard to go on a date with me! It hurt me every time to turn him down because he is a good friend of mine, but you'd think he'd get the hint after a while?

"But, anyways –ahem- if you'd like, we could go –you know, bowling? Or to the movies sometime? If you're up to it I-I mean." He stuttered looking a little hopeful. God, I hated moments like this where you know in a few seconds things are going to get awkward.

"Um, as great as that sounds Mike, I don't think my boyfriend would be very happy if I went alone with you somewhere. But if you mean – like – with a group, then sure." I said just waiting for his reaction about me having a boyfriend. He stared at me in confusion and slight shock for a moment before he said anything.

"Oh, right, Cullen is back in town. Take it that's who you're seeing again?" he said distastefully. All I did was nod uneasily. I knew he wasn't going to like hearing this. "Wow, I'm surprised you took him back. Didn't he dump you and put you into some serious depression?" he added. I clenched my jaw but I kept my mouth shut. I was about to blow up on him but I realized that he and the rest of my school friends didn't know the real reason why he left (nor could they ever). From what they know, Edward was nothing but scum.

"Yea, but you know, everyone deserves a second chance. Well, I better get going. Got a cousin to move in." I said before hopping into my truck.

"Oh, that's right, you were talking about that at lunch. Maggie, right?"

"Megan, actually."

"Ah, gottchya. Well, maybe we should all hang out sometime over spring break and you could introduce her to the gang?" He suggested now sounding more high spirited.

"Yea, maybe. I'll see if she'll be up for it. Have a good spring break Mike." I said before shutting my door.

"Yea, you too Bella." He said before walking away to join Jessica and the others who were standing outside of their cars chatting away. Starting the engine I braced myself for meeting my cousin again after 11 years. Talk about nerve racking.

***

Pulling up into my driveway I saw Charlie's work car parked in the street, which didn't help settle my nerves any. I really hoped Megan wasn't some crazy possessive freak or a snobby, uptight girl who always thinks she gets her way. Heck, I'd take quiet awkward goth girl over any of those! Slowly making my way up to the door, I hesitated briefly before grabbing the door knob and twisting it open. As I walked into my house I saw nothing but bags upon bags of bright pink. My hopes of her not being snooty fell drastically. Wait! An Adidas bag! She must be somewhat sporty, right? Snooty girls aren't usually sporty.

"Oh, hey Bells!" I heard my dad say as he descended down the stairs. "Would you mind grabbing a few of these bags and putting them into your room?"

I stood in surprise.

"M-my room?"

"Well, yea. What, did you think I was gonna throw your cousin on the couch for the next 5 months?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow before grabbing a few bags, including the Adidas one.

Shit. That meant no more Edward staying in my room.

"N-no, of course not. It's just, I don't know if we're both going to fit comfortably on my bed, that's all." I said.

"Yea, I set up an inflatable bed for now. Billy Black said he has an old bed frame and mattress we could use so, we may have to arrange a little bit in your room to make way for it." He stated before making his way back up the stairs. He stopped suddenly about half way and looked at me carefully. He must have noticed my uneasiness. "Bells, are you going to be ok with this? 'Cuz I could make room somewhere down here if you're not comfortable sharing a room."

"No dad! It's fine, I just didn't really think much of where she would sleep. Just came as a surprise is all." I said. Looking at me for a second longer, he continued up the stairs while muttering an "ok." Heaving a large sigh, I made a mental note on calling Edward to tell him he couldn't come over at all now. Charlie wouldn't allow him in the house anymore because of what happened with him dumping me and all, and then leaving me alone in the woods…the whole Rome trip probably didn't help matters either. In time though, I know he'll come around and let Edward visit. Leaning over the last two small bags, I grabbed the handles and lifted them up. Surprisingly, they were fairly light.

"BELLA!" Came a high pitched cry, causing me to drop the bags from fright. Looking up, I saw who I could only assume was my cousin, Megan. With a big smile she came scurrying down the stairs before attacking me with a large bear hug. Not knowing what to really do, I lightly hugged her back.

"Hey Megan, I'm…glad you came." I said before we released each other.

"I'm so happy you guys would let me stay! Gosh, what has it been, like… 10 years since we last saw each other?" She asked while crossing her arms across her chest.

"11, actually." I corrected.

Looking up and down, I noticed Megan was about 3 inches taller than me due to the long legs she seemed to carry. She had light brown hair with caramel colored highlights that carried about an inch and a half past her oval shaped face. Wearing yellow sweatshirt with the words "Michigan" written in navy blue and jeans, I knew our styles couldn't be that much different from one another. That seemed to be the only thing that we had in common, physically wise. So much for looking like twins… our eyes weren't even the same. Mine were brown while hers were more of a hazel-green.

"So, what do you say we get you unpacked?" I suggested before grabbing the remaining bags I had dropped.

"Sure, it's just these two and the other ones Uncle Charlie brought up already. Here, let me take one of those." She said cheerfully before grabbing one of her bags in my hand. She reminded me of someone… maybe she was just like this when we were little and it was all just coming back to me.

Walking into my room, we both laid the bags on my bed.

"So, which bag do you want to unpack?" I asked while looking at the last 5 scattered around the room.

"Well, these three are just clothes so until your dad finds a place where I can put them they can just stay in there. This bag has all my toiletries and this one has my laptop and camera." Megan replied, pointing at the two we just brought up.

"Ok, well, I suppose we could just lay these bags then across the wall by the window for now and we can just start on these two then." I suggested while sliding the bags of clothes across the floor and along the wall. Turning around, I noticed Megan was gone along with the bag of toiletries. Leaving her to that, I unpacked her laptop along with her camera in their cases and placed them on my desk.

"Ok, I guess we're done." I heard Megan's voice say as she walked back in the room.

"Yea, looks like it. Um… do you want to help me make dinner or something?" I asked not really knowing what to do next.

"It's, like, almost 4 o'clock. Do you usually have dinner so early?" Megan asked with a small laugh.

"Oh…no, no I- I guess not." I said with a nervous chuckle. I'm always bad with meeting people, or in this case, an estranged cousin I haven't seen in a long while. "In that case, wanna watch some tv?" I added.

"Oh, sure!" she said enthusiastically before we headed down the stairs.

"So, you –uh- proud of your state or something?" I asked, pointing to her hoodie.

"Actually, it's a college. The University of Michigan. My dad was a big supporter before he died. Must run through the genes or something," she laughed. I smiled a little. Even though Megan didn't really know her dad, she still found a way to connect to him. I kind of admire her for that. Even though I love my dad to death, we don't really share any interests. In a way I'm kind of jealous. On the other hand, I don't think there's anything wrong with our current father/daughter relationship.

"You planning on going there for school?" I continued to ask.

"No, I don't have that kind of money. Besides, there's plenty of smaller schools I can go to for my major." She answered as we plopped onto the sofa.

"And what are you going to major in?"

"Photography - landscape mostly. I like to be outdoors a lot so I thought I'd do something creative with my life." She praised.

"Hmmm, sounds intense," I joked while surfing through channels. I finally settled on an old episode of FRIENDS.

"Yea, it could be if I venture through a jungle or something. But, I'll probably start off small. Maybe I'll try some shots in the woods here! Take a picture of a bear or something." She laughed.

"Bears are the least of your problems. You're better off in the jungle," I thought while thinking about Victoria still on the loose preparing to kill me.

"Yea, that actually isn't a good idea." I blurted out.

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Well, there have been some killings lately in the woods by some wild animal and no one knows what it is exactly. Everyone's thinking a rabid bear, but no one can seem to find it." I answered, hoping she would be too scared now to go off into the forest. It did the exact opposite.

"Sounds like an adventure! I should totally try to hunt it down and camp up in the trees or something!" she said excitedly. I looked at her for a second thinking she was joking.

"Y-you're kidding, right? I mean, are you really that crazy?"

"Ha, yea-yeah I am." She said with a chuckle. I sighed in relief and laughed with her.

"I would never camp out in the woods at night with a wild animal on the loose. Just looking for it during daylight would probably be the safest way to go." She said in a now serious tone.

"Or, not looking for it at all, that's automatic safety right there." I said hoping to change her mind.

"C'mon Bella, where's the adventure in that? Besides, it was just an idea." She said with a wave of her hand.

"Ok, good, 'cuz you just got here and I'd like to get to know my cousin before she got herself killed. Besides, your mom would probably come and kill all of Forks for letting you go off on a dangerous hunt."

"Ha, please! My mom isn't as bad as she was when I was younger. Ever since she started dating Mr. I'm too rich and important to care about your daughter, she's been spending too much time away from home. I think she just wants a man that can secure both of our futures, financially anyways. What she doesn't see is that this guy doesn't give a crap about me and just wants a housewife with his own kids.

"Wow, for a second there, I thought it was great that your mom was finally dating again, but this guy is really that bad?"I asked. I was surprised of how much she was telling me when we don't really know each other much.

"Bad? Last Christmas, he wanted my mom –and my mom only – to come visit his family in New York. He had surprised her with a ticket and everything and made up some lame excuse of how there were the last two available and how they were nonrefundable so he couldn't change to a different flight." She explained.

"Wow, what a jerk."

"Jerk? I think ass is the word you're looking for." She stated. I just laughed. "But, I did get one good thing out of their relationship… independence!" she added with a bright smile. She must have had braces or something because she had two rows of perfect white teeth.

"Oh, before I forget, a friend of mine wanted to hang out tomorrow and said you could tag along if you wanted. Actually, you might know him. Remember Jacob Black?" I asked. She squinted her eyes in thought. "He use to play with us when we were kids. Well, probably more with me than with you since we were, like, always outside." I further explained.

"Oh, yea…yea, I think I do. He was that little Quileute boy, right? Black hair, bronze skin?" she asked.

"Um, yea. I'm surprised you remembered he was Quileute, but ok, yea, that's him." I said in slight shock.

"Ha, yea my mom used to refer to him as "That Quileute Boy," so, to me, that was practically his name."

"Ah, gotchya. But yea, he's a really good friend of mine." I informed.

"Really good friend? Are we talking, like, potential boyfriend here?" she teased with a slight smile. My eyes must have been the size of tennis balls.

"What?! N-no, what I meant was that he was a close friend. He's my best friend actually. Besides, I already have a boyfriend," I explained further.

"Oh really?" Megan asked said while adjusting in her seat to get more comfortable, "Do tell."

Oh crap.

"There's nothing much to tell. I mean, his name is Edward and he's 17 –"

"Ooooo, you're a cougar, huh? Grrroooowwwwlll." Megan purred while thrashing her claw-like hand forward. I stared at her for a moment questioning her sanity.

"Anyways," I continued while trying to hide my smile, "he's tall and outrageously handsome and likes to, um… camp and hunt a lot with his family." I said quickly, hoping we could drop the subject.

"Hmmm, outdoorsy, my kind of guy, ha ha." She said.

"Heh, yea. So what about you? Any boyfriends back at home?" I asked.

"No. I just got out of a 2 year relationship, but I ended it because he was starting to become way too possessive. The final straw was when he told me I could no longer hang out with one of my closest guys friends. I guess to compare, he would have been my "Jacob." Except, he was gay. Tells you how insecure my ex was." She answered with a small laugh. It surprised me and how happy this girl could be after all the crap that has happened in her life. You'd think she'd be a little moody or not quite so honest right away. I knew someone like that once… who was it?

"Bells?"

Turning around I saw my dad leaning against the wall frame.

"Yea dad?"

"I got called back into work so I left some money on the table for dinner. Thought you two could go out or something to eat, maybe even introduce Megan to some of your friends or show her around town." He suggested.

"Yea, sure dad. Be careful at work." I said. I knew they were still trying to find the humongous wolves that I told them about months ago before I knew it was Jake and his pack.

"Always am." He said before departing out the front door.

About an hour had passed by before we decided to go out and get something to eat.

"Wow, nice ride." Megan said sarcastically as we walked out of the house.

"Yea, it's not the best, but it gets me places." I answered while climbing into the driver's seat.

Deciding to eat at the pizzeria we ordered a medium cheese pizza with a side order of breadsticks with water. We had just been chatting away about our lives both together and apart and actually had a lot of good laughs. It was still bugging me that I couldn't think of who she reminded me of? My mother? No…her mother? Definitely not!

"Oh, by the way, you never answered me about wanting to go and hang out with me and Jake tomorrow." I pointed out.

"Oh, yea. Um… yeah, sure that would be ok. Where we going to hang out?"

"La Push. We'll probably walk along the beach or something." I said.

"Ok, great! Oooooo, I could take my camera and snap some photos!" she exclaimed while excitedly clapping her hands together.

"There you go, we'll have a good time." I laughed.

"You two could even model for me!" she said eagerly.

"Definitely not. I don't do pictures, but we can put Jake through that kind of torture." I joked.

After finishing our pizza, we walked around the town for a little bit so she could become familiar with the Forks area. We left back for home around 8 o'clock and decided to finish the night with a movie.

"Hmmm, how does Texas Chainsaw Massacre sound?" I asked while looking through my small stack of DVD's. Megan just gave me a weird look.

"Sounds like fun, but how about something more happy and funny instead of something where my eyes are shut through most of it." She answered.

"Don't like scary movies, huh?" I replied while I continued to browse.

"It's not that it's scary, it's just plain disgusting. I have this weird thing about me that if I see or hear about a very detailed injury on parts of the body, parts on my body start to feel weird and it lingers for a very long time." She explained.

"Ok, no disgusting goriness…ever. Oh, how about this one! It's kind of cheesy, but it's pretty funny." I said while showing Megan the case.

"John Tucker Must Die? I love that movie! Pop it in!" She said elatedly while cuddling up in an oversize blanket on the couch.

"Ok, I'm just going to go change into some pj's and I'll come back down." I said before putting in the movie and pushing the play button. Climbing up the stairs, I was feeling very happy that Megan and I were becoming close. It would have sucked majorly if she had been anything like I feared. Opening my bedroom door, I walked in and almost screamed. There on my bed, was Edward.

"Edward, you scared me." I scolded while placing my right hand over my heart from fright. A smirk grew across his face. Then, I realized something. "Wait, you can't be here!" I almost shouted. I totally forgot to call him to tell him not to come over anymore at night.

"Is that because your cousins here?" he asked, his smile never leaving.

"H-how did you know she was my cousin?" I asked. He took one of his fingers and tapped his temple.

"I can read minds, remember? Well, not all minds." he stated, meaning me.

"Right, well, you can't stay here. Megan's going to be sleeping in my room for the next 5 months and it would look really bad if she caught you in here." I explained while trying to find some pajamas.

"Don't worry, I'll be more careful. I just wanted to see you, that's all." He said before hugging me.

"I know, I wanted to see you to. But, I actually did have a pretty good day. Megan and I are getting along quite well." I said before we released each other.

"That's great. You'll have to introduce us some time. I mean, can you really hide me from her for 5 months? She's already wondering about me."

"No, no I guess not." I said.

"So, did you want to come over tomorrow? Alice wanted you to try on some clothes she picked out in Europe." Edward asked before proceeding to plant a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Um, yea, I probably could. It just depends on how long Megan and I hang out with Ja-" I stopped myself suddenly before finishing the name "Jake," but with the look on Edwards face, it looks like I didn't stop myself soon enough.

"Oh, you're hanging out with him already?" he asked, trying not to sound too irritated.

"Yea, he stopped by this morning. He told me he wanted to still be friends and so this is us trying to keep our friendship going." I explained. Edward knew how important Jake was to me, but with them two hating each other, it was sometimes hard to keep the mood light and happy when the other one was brought up in some way. He looked a little more calm though, so I knew he was understanding my point of view.

"Ok, well, there's always the next day if you can't," he finally said, "Well, I better get going. Your cousin is starting to wonder why it's taking you so long." He said before pecking me on the lips. I wished we could really kiss each other, but I'll have to wait until I'm changed for that…unless by some miracle, Edward can really control himself. I watched as he jumped out the window and disappeared into the night. Closing the window, I quickly put on my pj's and made my way back down the stairs to join Megan with the movie. Tomorrow was going to be a total mystery.

So, how was it? It was pretty long, I know but that's a good thing, right? Lol. Well, to let me know, why don't you go ahead and press that snazzy little "Review" button on the bottom below and drop a comment or two? =) Thanks guys, you're great!