Chapter 2: Introductions

Alice and I sat outside the café with a few of our other sisters waiting for the first DD pick up. Alice was chatting with Holly about some assignment they were given for their communications class and I was taking the time to gather my thoughts.

Meyer University is in a small town about an hour outside Seattle. Sometimes I think if it wasn't for the university there wouldn't be a town here at all. I didn't want to go to a big college with a big campus where you became just another number to your professors. I grew up in a small town where with my parents, Charlie and Renee. In Forks everyone knew everyone and while it could get tiresome I liked the fact it was also quiet. I wanted to go somewhere new for college but somewhere that was comfortable and Meyer was perfect I got to meet people I hadn't known all my life but it was still close enough to home that I could go back and visit when I missed my family and old friends.

I didn't keep many close friend from home, there were people I spoke to when I saw them then there was my closest friend I had known since elementary school. Lynn and Danielle they were like family to me. Ryan who somehow managed to put up with the three of us and not lose his mind when we had our rare bouts of overly girly behavior. Then there were two of the most important men in my life.

I put my hands over my face and tried to fight back the tears that were always there lately. It was amazing how differently they effected my life and yet the end result was the same. Jacob, my best friend. He lived on the reservation and his father and my father had been close friends. Jacob was tall good looking with his dark hair and dark skin and a smile that made you want to smile.

From first grade Jacob and I had been inseparable although most of the time that was because he was fallowing me around picking on me. As we got older we found a different kind of friendship. Things were never romantic between Jacob and I although many people assumed it was. It was not uncommon for him to hold my hand when we walked along First Beach, of for him to kiss me goodbye when we would leave each other. That's just how we were and it was perfect.

When I left Forks to come to Meyer University Jacob enrolled at a community college close to town so that he could be near his father Billy. He would drive the hour and a half some weekends to visit me. We'd spend time on campus and in the university union playing pool. Well more like he would play pool and I would attempt to play. He was even here the night I was initiated into the sorority and all my sisters loved him. Jacob was my rock.

Then there was James. James was my high school boyfriend. He was quite good looking with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. I met James at the end of my junior year he was a few years older than me and had just moved back to town to live with his grandparents. I remember when we first started dating one of the girls in my class asked me how I was so lucky to find a guy as good looking and as sweet as James. I smiled and blushed because at the time I had no idea why he wanted to be with me.

For months things were wonderful between us my parents loved James. He would pick me up from school or volleyball practice every day. He would take me to dinner every weekend and after only a month he told me he was in love with me. James was my first serious boyfriend and was the first person to say he loved me after that night he became the first person to make love to me. I was truly happy. That was until he became possessive and controlling, and then one day he hit me.

We had only been together for five months but I was naïve and I was afraid to leave him. So another two months passed before I could convince myself that no matter how much I thought I loved him I had to leave him.

I've been away from James and the abuse for over a year and I had thought I was healing mentally. I'm a pretty strong person and can deal with unpleasant things fairly easily but for the past 3 months I've begun to wonder if I'm being tested to see exactly how much I can handle.

I sighed and looked down at the bracelet I always wore. Jacob had given me a small silver link bracelet with a carved wooden wolf charm attached to it for a graduation gift. It was the last gift he had ever given me. Since then I have attached another trinket to the bracelet, a small ring that James had given me when we started dating. I never take off this bracelet because it's a reminder they are both somewhere watching over me.

"Bells, we're here." I glanced up and saw Alice looking at me with concern "Are you alright? You have been spaced out the whole way."

I smiled a weak smile in return and told her I was fine. Holly and Mary were looking at me carefully and I internally cringed. This has to stop Bella! I thought. I resigned myself that I was going to have fun tonight and find a way to get through this.

"Come on girls let's go" I smiled brightly and jumped out of the car. I was going to enjoy myself tonight, or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

We wandered into the Pi kapp house through the living room and down to the basement. The layout of the house was one of the best for parties. Directly at the bottom of the stairs was the bar room. On one wall was the sliding glass door that led out to the downstairs patio there was a deck above off the living room so when weekend parties got too crowded you had a choice of places to avoid the masses. Against the back wall were the old worn leather couches facing the beer pong table. Somehow I'll get roped into playing tonight I just know it. On the opposite basement wall was the bar the guys had built.

Alice and I made our way over to the bar were we saw my big sister Rosalie Hale. She looked beautiful as always. Her long blond hair was curled up to make it look much shorter than normal and she was wearing a white dress. There was no mistaking her celebrity, Marylin Monroe.

"Hi little, I'm so glad you came out tonight." She smiled and hugged me.

"Hi Big" I hugged her back then pulled myself up to sit on the bar she pulled herself up to join me. Turning around and asking Mitch one of the brothers who was pouring a beer from the keg to pour us each one too.

"Ladies." He said handing the three of us our beers.

Alice was standing in front of us scanning the crowd. I knew exactly who she was looking for and had to stifle a laugh. Rose must have notice to because she nudged her and pointed to the beer pong table where a few of our sisters were playing some of the brothers.

Alice smiled when she saw the tall blond haired well muscled laid back object of her affection, Jasper Witlock. Jasper is a great guy, truly genuine. He and I met in freshman orientation he is a history major with a minor in literature so we had a lot of the same classes. I introduced Alice and him during our first week at the freshman picnic and she has been pining ever since. The two of them get along great which surprised me since they are so opposite, Alice being more of a city girl who likes to shop and plan events and Jasper being more of a country boy southern gentleman with his motorcycle (cringe) and worn jeans. I keep trying to tell Alice that as a male he is most likely oblivious to her attraction and she should just ask him out but she insists that when the time is right he will realize.

I rolled my eyes thinking of her true love can't be rushed theory and decided to let him know we're here. "Hey Jazz!" I yelled over the music. He looked up at the sound of his name and smiled when he saw me wave.

"Hey Bells! You and Ali gonna take on winner or is your big sister gonna show Emmett up again?"

It wasn't until he mentioned Emmett that I saw the dark curly hair and burly figure of my big brother, well fraternity big brother, sitting on the couch watching the game before him with a beer in hand. He barked out a loud laugh smiled at me then looked to Rose with narrowed eyes turned his palm up and pulled his fingers back in, waving her over as if to say "bring it". Rose, Alice and I laughed.

"Not just yet Jazz but no worries we'll show you boys how it's done before the nights over." Rose yelled back to our favorite guys.

"Oh… I'll be back girls" Alice squealed then danced away.

Rose and I looked at each other silently asking what in the world that was all about.

"So I'm really glad you came out tonight little, I've missed you. " Rose put her arm around me and squeezed.

"I'm glad I came too it's good to forget for a while." I looked around trying to see where Alice got off to and notice Emmett again. "Um Rose, who exactly is Em supposed to be dressed as? He looks like an over dressed burgler."

Rose laughed "Oh he must have put the guitar somewhere he says he's Johnny Cash."

I looked at her wide eyed. "He was carrying a guitar around here? He does realize what his drunk ass brothers could do to it right?"

"It wasn't a real guitar. Actually it looked more like a ukulele." She told me before we both broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

Emmett was one of the most intelligent guys I know he is pre law yet sometimes I wonder if he lost his common sense somewhere along the way. Em and I bonded fairly quick when we met. He grew up in a town about twenty minutes from Forks and I had never realized it at the time I had seen him play football many times against my high school. He is such a big teddy bear and is truly the big brother I never had which is why I asked him to be my fraternity big brother. I have a closer bond with him than any of the other Pi Kapps and he has been there for me through everything these past few months.

Rose and I were still laughing at Emmett when Alice came back over to the bar with an extremely good looking guy in tow. This was a mixer so only Pi Kapps and Sigmas were allowed but I had never seen this guy before. He was tall and lean built like a runner or maybe a basketball player, with amazingly bright green eyes and unruly bronze hair. Must be a pledge I thought.

"Rose this is Edward he's in my communications class and is pledging this semester."

Edward held out his hand for Rose to shake "Hi Edward I'm Rose, This is my little Bella. Be nice to her." And with that she hopped off the bar and walked away with Alice.