So something apparently happened with this chapter update yesterday- lots of people couldn't get to the next (this) chapter, so I'm posting it again, hoping that everything got corrected. Technology hates me, I swear.

I don't own anything associated with the Twilight universe.

Chapter 2

February 2, 1918

I still haven't gotten used to journaling. There hasn't been much going on the past few days, but I guess that's all the more reason to be writing. When I look back on this journal, I'll want to remember the little things. The larger events, like what happened tonight, will likely stick with me regardless of my journaling.

Mother's charity organization held a ball downtown. I resisted, but she reminded me that most of my seven classmates would be there. More and more in my class have been leaving the confines of the high school to become full time workers. The remaining eight of us are staying in school for the hopes of a college education. At least, that's what my father wants.

So we all went to the ball. Mother made me tame my unruly hair, no matter how much I prefer it in disarray. Her efforts were futile, as my hair returned to its normal state within an hour. I was also dressed in my nicest suit.

I've always disliked entering a ballroom. Most people immediately turn to see the newcomers, and I abhor that attention. Usually my mother's friends immediately swarm to us, telling me which of their daughters to ask for a dance.

Though the attention is often unsettling, I do appreciate the dancing. I often forget how much fun it can be, and once it begins, I instantly remember.

I asked a neighbor, a girl two years younger than myself, for a foxtrot, and it was obvious she had been practicing. Her movements were effortless, and she was instantly asked for dances by other, more age appropriate boys once our dance had finished.

It was the girl standing off to the side that caught my eye later that night. She was a year above me, a senior, from my school. She had transferred at the beginning of the spring session, though, and we had never actually met. Her hair was a beautiful golden blonde, and her eyes were the darkest blue I had ever seen.

I approached her cautiously. "May I have the next dance?" I asked, pointing it out on her dance card.

"Only if you can guess my name," She said, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Hmmm," I said, rubbing my imaginary beard as I pondered. "Could it be Mary?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. Much too common. You can do better than that."

I thought it over. "Well, I'll have to ask someone else to dance. You've given me absolutely no help…"

"All right. Have fun during your," she paused looking down at her dance card to find the upcoming dance "…waltz. Ooh, looks like I got lucky with that one. I hate the waltz." She shuddered.

I frowned, disheartened. I walked away from her solitary spot and went to grab a drink. As I reached for the glass, a small voice whispered in my ear.

"Lily." I turned around to find the girl on her toes, a shy smile on her face. "My parents call me Lillian, but I much prefer Lily, if you don't mind."

"Hello, Lily. My name is Edward," I said, extending a hand, grinning slightly.

"Pleasure," She giggled.

"May I have this dance?" I asked dramatically, bowing slightly.

"Of course, but remember this: I tried to spare you," She replied cryptically.

By the end of the dance, I realized the meaning behind her words. She was a terrible dancer. Words cannot accurately describe it. She fell over twice, ripped the hem of her dress, and, I'm fairly sure, broke one of my toes. After the dance, she pulled me off to the side of the dance floor and led me to the balcony outside.

"I warned you," She said laughingly. I couldn't help but laugh with her. "Here, turn around really quickly."

I did as she asked, and when I faced her, she held two cigars and some matches. "How-"

She cut me off. "It's my little secret. It's such a wonderful night..." I smiled at her choice of words. It was extremely windy and cold. "Will you join me?"

Her eyes were sparkling once again, as she held one now lit cigar towards me. I had never smoked one before, so I took it cautiously, wanting to see why my dad, as well as every other stereotypical lawyer and politician, enjoyed this pastime.

I took a big breath in, and immediately began coughing. Lily laughed at me and held her own cigar to her lips. Mere seconds later, she was coughing, her eyes watering. "Blazes, that is dreadful!" She laughed in between coughs.

I agreed and laughed and coughed with her. We put the cigars away and returned to the ballroom, slipping easily into the crowd.

I like Lily. Her company is extremely refreshing.

I smiled at the page. Edward and Lily were quite the little rebels. I snickered, comparing the cigars to what I knew girls in Phoenix did in the alley. Times really have changed.

I flipped the page, and read on.

February 10, 1918

A group of my classmates, as well as a few seniors, invited me with them to go to the movies yesterday. We all filed in the theater, and I ended up sitting on the end, with another open seat next to me.

Just before the lights went out, I saw Lily slip into the empty seat. It only made sense that she'd be invited along as well, I reasoned, as she was a part of the senior class, and our class sizes were rather small.

"Hello, Eddie."

I wrinkled my nose at her nickname for me. I've always preferred 'Edward' to 'Eddie', 'Ed', or even the occasional 'Ward'. "Lillian," I greeted her, and she stuck out her tongue.

The shorts began to play, and we all sat through them, watching the latest in the news, as well as funny little films. The theater we chose to go to had a piano player accompanying the film inside the theater, so in-between the feature, Tarzan, and the shorts, he led us in a sing along, during which Lily would occasionally change the words as to make me laugh.

So I began to do the same as well. We'd look at each other in the corners of our eyes and try to keep our smirks from transforming into fits of laughter.

When the lights got dimmer and the feature began to play, I whispered to her "You're outrageous."

"You're just as guilty," she replied, folding her arms over her dress. "Besides, I'm a lady. I'm proper and dignified."

I laughed. "You're keeping me from the movie."

And it was true- the film had begun in earnest and the credits had stopped. After the story had developed a little and we first saw the young Tarzan in the jungle, I heard Lily sigh.

"I've always loved the jungle- even just the idea of the jungle." Lily whispered, her eyes focused on the screen. "There's so much to discover. You know, they say that we have yet to discover hundreds of species? I'd like to see it myself one day."

I frowned. I did appreciate the escapism that the film provided, but by no means would I like to be in the jungle for an extended period of time. "I wouldn't last one day. I'd probably get eaten by a hippopotamus the minute I set foot in the jungle." I added, trying to keep the conversation light.

She giggled. "But hippos seem so tame! All they do is wallow a little, maybe swim a little,"

"And eat you a little," I finished for her.

She brushed off my comment. "They just eat grass. They're harmless little things! Well, not exactly little, but you get my meaning."

"That's what you think- you turn your back on a hippo for one moment and you'll instantly regret it."

"Ha, I better not put you in the company of a truly frightening animal, like a bear, or a mountain lion." She smiled, before turning around to see a rather unhappy usher.

"Ma'am, please refrain from speaking in the theater. Others are trying to enjoy the film." He said in a harsh whisper.

Lily blushed- an occurrence I hadn't thought possible as she always seemed so sure of herself. When the usher left the area, she hit me on the arm. "You got me in trouble."

I smirked. "You deserved it; you just can't seem to keep your mouth shut!"

"Sir, must I warn you and your lady again?" The usher, who apparently had returned, scolded. "Keep your voices down."

Lily and I had to keep from laughing when the usher, finally, left.

At the end of the movie, everyone in the group began going their separate ways, depending on where they lived. Robert, who drove me there, and I walked off together in the car he 'borrowed' from his father.

"So, Edward, tell me. Did I notice you and Lily didn't pay too much attention to the film?" Robert said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes, she's good company," I replied sincerely.

Robert laughed a little to himself and dropped the subject, luckily. He had his own girl he was going steady with, Eleanor. So he knew when to stop a conversation because it was getting too personal.

When I got home, I went straight to my room to write this all down. I haven't decided how I feel about Lily. Right now I consider her a friend, but who knows what the future knows?

I wanted to know what the future holds, dammit! And I wanted to continue reading, but my stomach was grumbling.

I found a bookmark on my desk, I had several because Renee thought that I loved books and therefore could use dozens of bookmarks for birthday and Christmas gifts, and placed it gingerly in the pages of the journal. I looked at it, sitting on my bed, and frowned.

I don't know why, but I was unsure of whether I wanted Renee to know about the journal or not. So I put it in my side table, under the most recent book I had read.

When I got downstairs, I saw Renee on her laptop, looking at pictures of wedding cakes. She had really taken to this wedding planning, even if she had only been engaged for a day.

"Hey, mom," I said, announcing my presence.

Renee looked up from her computer, startled. "Hey there, Sweetie." She said, turning her laptop around to show me the screen.

"How do you like this design? I'm thinking that these cakes may be a bit plain." She looked at me, wanting my opinion.

"Yeah, they could probably add some flowers or something to make it pop out a bit more," I suggested, though I found nothing wrong with the ten or so pictures of cakes that lined her screen. But Renee was much more outgoing and carefree than myself, so I reasoned that simple traditional styles wouldn't be her thing. "Isn't it a bit soon for this, though? Shouldn't you be reveling in your engagement, rather than planning?"

She blushed a little and sat up a bit in her seat. "I thought I told you yesterday; we want the wedding in October, before it gets too cold, but still enough time to get things in order. Didn't I mention that?"

I frowned and shook my head. "No, I don't think you said that."

"Well, we are. Phil and I talked about it and decided it'd be the best timing. Do you want to help me plan? I don't know if I can afford a true Jennifer Lopez type wedding planner, so right now I'm doing this solo." She said hopefully.

I sighed, and plastered a huge grin on my face. "I'd love to. What do you want me to do?"

She smiled. "Well, right now we're toying around with October 4th. That'll give us about three and a half months to plan, send out invitations, and order things for the wedding itself."

"Sounds like a plan," I said. The news of her engagement last night didn't exactly take me by surprise. Phil was a good match for her, and I knew that it was only a matter of time.

The short time until her wedding, however, was another story. But, it's what Renee wanted, and in the end I just wanted her to be happy. I'd seen her brokenhearted a few times in the past, and I didn't want to see it again. So I'd do what I could to help her with her wedding, and be the support she needed, I surmised.

After all, I wasn't the only one in a new city. The only person Renee had, other than me, was Phil. Though she wouldn't show it, she did need the little support I could give.

After making myself some soup, I decided it was time to go to the store. Renee had gotten a few groceries, but nothing that would last more than a few days, and that was if we got really creative with the little food we had.

"I'm going to go to the grocery store," I told Renee.

"Okay, here, let me give you some money. I asked Phil if he wanted to have dinner here tonight, like take-out pizza or something. Does that work for you?" She asked, searching through her wallet before handing me a few twenties.

"Thanks, that sounds great," I responded. I grabbed the money for her and went upstairs to grab my purse. I eyed my side-table longingly, and scolded myself.

That journal was beginning to be an obsession. I'd have to pace my reading; I had already searched the open space of the floorboard for more journals, but there was only the one.

I went back downstairs, after slipping the journal into my purse.

I was weak.

Besides, it was getting good! Edward had met Lily, and I was anxious to figure out what happened.

Once outside, I realized I didn't know the area at all. I assumed there would be a grocery store inside. If not, I'd ask someone. It was a plan.

As I walked in the hot afternoon sun, I was honestly a little shocked. I thought the north would just be cold, but apparently not. For someone living in Phoenix for the majority of their life, could you blame me? I took off my thin sweater that covered up my tank top, and tied it purposefully around my waist.

The trees that lined the sidewalks were large and provided much needed, and appreciated, shade. I looked to my right as I walked, and saw several houses that were similar to the one Renee and I moved into.

They were mostly two-story buildings, some lined with brick, others with wood paneling. The ones with paneling were often painted in pastel colors, like light yellow or light blue. I liked the feel of this neighborhood.

However, it was apparent that things have changed over the years. Some of the homes were actually apartment buildings, relatively newer additions to the area. But all of the houses had some variety of flowers in the window boxes. It really was a quaint feel, even in the middle of such a large city.

About six blocks from my house was a small line of shops, and I instantly wondered if this was the same group of stores that Edward had written about in one of his journal entries.

I didn't see the music shop, but so many years had passed that even if this was the same area Edward had walked in, few, if any, of the stores were likely the same. I did notice, however, a large grocery store. I was unfamiliar with the name, but most grocery stores were regional, so I didn't really expect to know it.

I got some fruits and vegetables, as well as various cereals, frozen meals, and other foods. I also got some turkey and other meat. I figured I could make a big salad with our pizza tonight, so I also got some salad dressing. I was excited that Renee's vegetarian phase had ended last February, when Phil took her to a nice restaurant for Valentine's Day.

Armed with four bags of groceries, I hobbled my way back to our house, sighing with relief when I saw the familiar dark blue paint on our home with white edged windows and shutters. I knocked on the door with my foot, unable to free up one of my hands.

Renee answered the door, her cell phone held in place on her shoulder by her cheek. "Hey, Bella. You found the store okay? Hold on a minute, Phil."

"Yeah it's pretty close. I have some change," I said, pulling it out of my pocket when the groceries were placed on the counter. "Can you put these away for me?"

"Sure thing," She smiled. "Alright honey, I'm back."

I smiled and ran up to my room, pulling Edward's journal out of my purse, and then throwing my purse into the corner. I didn't use it often.

February 14, 1918

Valentine's Day. I never really understood the tradition, but it is rather festive. Father surprised mother with a bouquet of roses, and a nice dinner in the city tonight.

We were told to make small valentines for our classmates in homeroom, though the act is rather childish at this point. Five of my seven classmates are in relationships, and six of my classmates are boys. So, it was a bit awkward. But our teacher, Miss Taylor, was pleased by the exchange.

Apparently, the other junior homeroom classes did not have the same sort of valentine exchange.

However, I saw a small, pink heart in my locker at the end of the day, when I went to put back my books. Curious, I picked it up and noticed it was a card.

"Edward,

"I noticed your class was one of the few to exchange valentines, and even though you now have a handful of valentines, I thought you could use another.

"Can you meet me tomorrow after school next to the track?

"Lily."

What am I supposed to make of this? Does she just want to talk?

I don't know what to make of her, and I'm hoping I'll find out soon.

I was just as curious as Edward. What were they going to do?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter- I originally had something that went in a completely different (and much more boring) direction, but scratched it the minute I thought of the possibility of Lily.

Please review so I know how I'm doing, what you think of the story, or where you think the story is going!

Thanks for reading- I'll update again later this week.