I breathed a sigh of relief as i wrote my last word and put down my pen. Stretching out, i ruffled my hair and smiled to myself, looking around at the other students, some of whom were furiously writing up to the last minute and some of whom looked utterly bored in their seats. My mid drifted back to my last four years at college and the memories i had made. Tonight i was celebrating with my flatmates and our friends, some from the building in which we lived and some from my course. Everyone headed to the same bar anyway. Tonight was going to be extra huge, it was the last ever exam, the last ever night out before graduation. Although alcohol didn't affect me as strongly as it did for humans, it did have some effect and i was able to get drunk for a while before my immune system overcame the alcohol and sobered me up. I also never saw a hangover, thank you vampirism. This i found out in my four years here, much to the dismay of all my flatmates who suffered from very bad hangovers.
The bell sounded the end of our exams and the end of my college career (for now at least). The students moved faster than i had ever seen, all energised with excitement. As i walked trough campus i noticed the celebrations had already begun in one building embellished with toilet paper, and for one group of students camped out with crates of beer on the lawn. Different types of loud music could be heard throughout the buildings as i walked in between them, and even my own was as loud as the others. I smiled as i entered my living room to see Kira dancing on the sofas singing karaoke and throwing her hair back and forth to Willow Smith. Tara was lounging on the loveseat clearly off her face as she raised her glass to me when i approached them.
"Hey Ness, come join our party! We're going out to Corin's in half an hour so you had better be ready, miss Thang! This is our prees party" i smiled as i dropped my bag and took her cup, smelling and then taking a sip. I coughed as the vodka hit the back of my throat
"Classic Tara, 99% vodka 1% mixer. Whats even the point? Why not just have straight vodka?"
"Pft. Please Ness, i don't want to seem totally alcoholic" she exclaimed taking back her drink and swigging it
"oh right, but seeming mostly alcoholic is totally fine" i teased as i walked into my bedroom and looked for an outfit for this evening
Half an hour later, i had finished skyping my parents – who were exceptionally happy for me finishing exams and couldn't wait for me to come home tomorrow- i was scouring my wardrobe for the remains of clothes i could find, half dressed in the latest unsuccessful outfit i had tried.
"Arg! I don't have anything to wear" i finally exclaimed
"Here. Wear this, i didn't pack it and its just lying there and i know how much you like it, you look great in it." Jenna said as she waved her green mini dress around the door, poking her head in with a smile. She was right i did love it, and i loved her in that moment for her kindness
"thanks Jen" i said as we left the flat ten minutes later, though that may have been due to the three vodka and cokes Tara had made me neck before heading out. As we reached Corin's apartment it wasn't hard to see out very out of control this party had gotten. The door was wide open, the music was ferociously loud, there were so many people that i had to hold onto the doorframe and steady my breath as their scents hit me all at once. I guess to the others it looked like i was steadying my balance because Tara exclaimed
"woah, steady on there Ness, looks like you need more drink"
"Tar, that makes no sense, but i wholeheartedly agree, lets get pissed" Kira confirmed, linking arms and walking off.
"i'll see you in a bit Ness, unless you wanna come man-hunting with me?" Jenna asked waggling her eyebrows at me suggestively.
I grimaced at the thought "I think i'll pass, but i'll go find Corin, see what she's up to"
"suit yourself" she said walking off into the crowd
It didn't take me too long to find Corin and our other friend Justin at the beer pong table.
"Ness!" he exclaimed holding his arms out for me, i could hear his heartbeat quicken as i hugged him. I had known for a while now he had a crush on me, or at least like me enough to gage a physical reaction such as that. "you look lovely" he appraised
"yeah, nice legs, beaut" Corin added. Both were drunk i could tell.
"thanks, i think i need a drink, i may be the most sober at this party"
"oh hell no, i claim that one" a new voice claimed from behind me, i spun around and found Thomas, a good looking blonde boy from my class
"hey Thomas, wanna rectify it and get a drink?" i asked hopefully
"absolutely" he agreed with a smile
An hour later saw us dancing on the living room floor, me, Justin, Tara, Kira, Thomas and Corin. By this point things were becoming blurry in my vision and i couldn't stop smiling as i swayed to the rhythm of David Guetta. I did feel like i would throw up sooner or later as the vemon tried to rid my system of alcohol, so i stumbled my way through the crowd to get some fresh air outside, leaving the dorm and walking towards the front doors before thinking twice and going into my dorm for a glass of water. As i fumbled with my keys, a hand came down on mine and took the keys from me. Turning round i saw Thomas meer inches from me, i laughed as i realised my clumsy movements.
"having a breather?" he asked with a smile
"yeah you could say that, fancied some water to be honest" i said as i put my palm to my forehead
Thomas moved to open my door for me, though i could see him struggle with shaking fingers as well, he was slightly less inebriated than me and managed to get the door open.
We scrambled into my dorm and immediately i took my heels off, thankful for the relief
"quick shut the door, the music is ringing in my ears" i exclaimed
"i know, tell me about it" he agreed closing the door behind him
"water?" i offered taking two glasses out of the cupboard and filling them up
"finished packing?" he asked curiously looking around at the half filled boxes. Thomas had been in my flat only a handful of times, usually after or before class as we sometimes walked together or hung out studying.
"not yet, some more bits to pack tomorrow morning. Probably something i should have done earlier" i admitted, handing him a glass and drinking from my own.
He followed me as i walked over to the coach Kira was singing on earlier.
"i can't believe i'm not going to see you everyday" Thomas said to me after a moments silence
"we don't see each other every day" i said though i agreed, it would be weird not to see any of my friends again after college. In reality i probably wouldn't see any of my friends again after i left here. The thought made me shed a few tears
"hey now! Don't cry about it, you should be happy you don't have to see my ugly mug every day, lord knows i must have given you a few scares over the years" Thomas teased as he put an arm around me. I laughed a little as i wiped the tears away. It must be the alcohol making me feel like emotional. I just hated the fact that my college friends just didn't fit into my life outside of college. I would never be able to keep in touch, grow old as they did, have career troubles and children. I would never be able to meet them at reunions or even send a holiday card because they simply didn't fit into the vampiric side of my life. Where they would age i would not. I continued to cry as Thomas comforted me, and i think that his warmth and the emotions that overwhelmed me in that moment is what made me press my lips to his in a desperate need to reassurance.
It took all of two seconds for Thomas to react, pressing his lips firmly to mine and moving them in a tender way against mine. In that moment i wasn't so sure it was the alcohol spreading warmth through my body. Our kiss became heated as he grabbed hold of my hips, my waist, my hair, any part of me he could and i was equally as keen to progress the kiss. Im not sure how long we continued that way, but before i knew it, Thomas' hand was sliding up my dress and toward my breasts. Suddenly, a wave of sobriety hit me- thanks very much venom – making me push Thomas away
"wait, stop, Thomas, stop" i said as I sat up and readjusted my dress "i'm sorry i just cant, i can't. Sorry Thomas" i apologised embarrassed by what had just happened.
"no, ness im sorry, i shouldn't have done that when you're so drunk. You're leaving tomorrow and everything, i just don't want you to remember me like this. we're friends, and i'll miss you but i just wanted you to know- i've liked since forever" he exclaimed "oh sorry i'm rambling. We're both leaving tomorrow so i know nothing can happen, we live on different sides of America. I like you Ness, im sorry – i shouldn't have-"
"Thomas, its fine, really. We've both had a lot to drink. Honestly, its okay. It refilled my kissing quota, i haven't had any for a while so im all good" i joked. It seemed to work a little to reduce the tension between us. Just then the girls and Justin came into the room shouting some lyrics from Nicki Minaj.
"come on guys, we're going to head out to the hill, the party is carrying till dawn and there'll be fireworks too!" Kira exclaimed. So dutifully we all headed out and partied, almost until dawn, where you could find around 30 of us lying on the hill, draining the remains of the whiskey bottle and watching the sun rise.
"Hey" Thomas whispered from next to me, i turned my head as his hand nudged me, holding on. "Are we okay?"
I smiled "of course we are" I whispered back lifting our joined hands to my mouth and pressing a swift kiss against them "we're friends" at that he smiled tightly
"yeah" we complied "we are".
5 hours later the girls and I could be found packing the remains of our belongings very quietly and very slowly as the three of them nursed hangovers and i pretended to have at least a little headache. My parents would be here any minute and i still have quite a bit of my room to pack. Alice couldn't understand why i was bringing anything back anyway i wouldn't need it. I agreed somewhat so didn't pack a great deal to take home, just the things i loved most. I sensed my parents arrival before i heard the polite knock at the door. All hangover pretences dropped, I ran to open the door where they stood with smiles on their faces. I hugged them both at the same time and smiled as i withdrew
"I missed you" i said to them lovingly, holding my hand up to my mum's cheek to show her how much.
"we missed you too" she cooed holding my hand to her cheek. They smiled down at me and then we moved into the living room and around the piles of boxes, my parents greeting my flatmates as they passed. Within the hour we were all packed up and ready to go, my flatmates impressed with how much my mum could carry at once. As my parents waited in the car, i said my goodbyes to my flatmates, the girls who i had lived with for four years. It was tearful but thankfully not as overwhelming as last night. As i left, the girls promised they would keep in touch and i reciprocated with a tight smile, thinking maybe i could for the first few years. Maybe.
The drive home took an hour tops with how fast dad drove, and i filled the journey with stories of last night (conveniently leaving out my escapades with Thomas) and of my final exams. My thoughts wandered to Jake and La Push at various points but i thought it maybe wasn't the best time to broach my concerns with my parents. Soon enough we pulled up in the driveway to our family home, the large wooden panelled three storey house which had been lived in for four and a half years. The lights were on throughout but i couldn't hear a sound inside. As I moved through the front door, my parents following, i breathed in the smells of home and smiled, when suddenly
"Surprise!" several voices shouted out and from behind various doorways and pieces of furniture came Rose, Em, Jasper, Alice, Grandma Esme, and grandpa Carlisle. My vampire family all in the same room. I squealed in delight as i went over to hug them all. They congratulated me for finishing and wanted to know all about my last days at college.
"How do you feel now it's over?" Rose asked as she played with my hair.
I smiled at her "i don't know really, glad and a little sad at the same time to be leaving that life behind, my friends, even that identity i suppose" I sighed because thats what it was like, and my family had taught me that so well. It was how i knew i could no longer keep in touch with my friends, because as of a couple of hours ago i once again became Renesmee Cullen, half human- half vampire with no need to hide myself in front of my family. I could no longer be the girl who my college friends knew. I would make new friends in the place we went to next. That was my life.
"Hey Ness, would you like some dinner?" Grandma Esme asked. I had missed her cooking, but i just couldn't face eating alone when around my vampire family, not only was it strange but it made me feel like the odd one out, the weaker child who needed human food. I didn't need human food, but i did love the taste of it sometimes.
"No thanks, grandma, i think i'll go hunting tomorrow maybe or soon at least. Besides i think Jake will call tonight" i told her. I watched as she looked toward my father briefly than smiled back down to me as if she had not. What's going on, dad? From behind e i could hear a sigh.
"Ness, there's something we all need to discuss. Its really the reason everyone is here right now. Not that they didn't all want to see you of course" he added, giving me a wry smile as he sat beside me. At his words my family all congregated on the large U-shaped couch.
"What's going on?" i asked "is this about Jake?" i feared, biting my lip.
"He's told you about the scents he keeps picking up in La Push?" my father enquired, looking down at me. I nodded, fearing the worst, my mouth suddenly going dry.
"Your mother and I made a quick visit last week to see for ourselves. The scent is odd, and whilst nothing has yet happened there for us to suspect anything dangerous, we are a little worried that something could happen." He looked up to Carlisle and back down to me again "we wants to keep tabs on the situation"
"Okay" i drew out "and how do you want to do that?"
Dad looked me in the eye and took a moment to search for something within them, though what i don't know. He took a breath before his next sentence, and the words which came out of his mouth shocked me beyond belief "We're moving back to Forks. All of us"