Bella slowly stepped out of the backseat of the car and lifted her arms above her head stretching before reaching back into the car and picking up her book bag and slipping the straps over her shoulders.

She looked up at the white house before her with surprise. She hadn't visited with the Cullens since they had moved. Before they had lived in a much smaller house, but from the looks of things, the size of their house had doubled.

"Bells?" she heard. She tore her eyes off the house and noticed her mother looking at her expectantly.

"Huh?" she said.

"Come on," Renee said motioning for her to follow her. Charlie had already made his way up to the door and was waiting for both of them.

Bella sighed and followed after her mother. "Sweetie, are you feeling alright?" Renee asked after Bella fell in step beside her and she draped her arm over her shoulder.

"Just tired, that's all," Bella replied looking to the ground as they reached the front door, where Charlie was waiting. He pressed the doorbell and rustled Bella's hair causing her to look up and glare at him.

"Sorry," he said as the front door swung open.

"Charlie! Renee!" Esme Cullen smiled with delight as she gave them each a hug before turning to Bella and embracing her in a hug. "My have you changed, Bella! You're more beautiful than ever."

Bella blushed and mumbled, "Thank you."

"Well, what are standing out here for?" Esme smiled. "Let's go inside."

Bella followed her parents and Esme into the immaculate house. Esme led them into the living room. "Well, have a seat," she smiled. "Are you thirsty? Hungry? I imagine that you're tired," she said.

"Esme, we're fine," Renee interrupted as she and Charlie sat down on the couch. Bella looked around for a moment and sat down in a recliner.

Bella couldn't help but smile as she watched Esme. She was probably the kindest woman Bella had ever met. She and Renee had been best friends, and when Bella was little, she had always loved when her mother told her that they were going to go see Esme and her family.

She couldn't explain it, but something about Esme always just set Bella at ease. The way she moved around so freely - the way she always made you feel welcome.

"We didn't know when you'd be arriving, but I just sent Carlisle into town to get some pizzas and some drinks," Esme smiled. "Bree, Riley, and Vicky decided to tag along."

"And I sent Edward and Jacob over to get the roll away bed from their grandmother's house," Esme commented as a teenage girl with long wavy blonde hair strolled into the living room.

"This can't be Jessica, can it?" Renee smiled.

Esme draped her arm around Jessica's shoulder. "It sure is," she beamed. "She's almost 15."

Renee shook her head. "They just grow up too fast," she said.

"Don't I know it," Esme sighed. "Jasper's engaged, and Jacob's in college. Living at the dorms."

"How old are the boys now?" Charlie asked.

"Jasper is 22. Jacob is 20, and Edward is 17," Esme replied with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Jess, why don't you take Bella upstairs and show her, her room?"

"Sure," Jessica smiled as she motioned for Bella to follow her. Bella stood up and followed Jessica down the hallway to a staircase. "I have a feeling my mom was going to get weepy eyed any minute," she commented with a laugh.

Bella nodded. "I think you're right," she said as she followed her upstairs and down the hallway. "So, you're almost 15, huh?"

"Yeah," Jessica nodded. "My birthday is at the end of July."

"Cool," Bella said. "The last time I saw you ... I think you were ... 12?"

"Yeah, that's probably right," Jessica nodded. "How old are you?"

"I just turned 17," Bella replied as Jessica stopped at the door at the end of the hall and turned the knob and pushed the door open. "This is your room," she said as she stepped inside with Bella right behind her.

Bella took a look around. The walls were a pale shade of blue with two windows on the far wall with a full size bed positioned between them with a nightstand under each window. There were two dressers spread around the room. There was a door beside one of the dressers on the wall across from the entrance, and on the other wall was another door.

"This was Jacob's room when he still lived at home," Jessica commented as she walked to the other door across the room. "This is the walk in closet. There's plenty of room in here. I'll get you some hangers after bit."

"Okay," Bella nodded as she peeked her head into the closet and was surprised to find that it was incredibly spacious - it was even larger than the closet she had at home.

"And over here," Jessica began as she walked over to the other door. "is the bathroom."

Bella followed her into the bathroom. "Unfortunately, your bathroom is adjoined to Edward's room," Jessica said as she walked over to the other door and opened it to reveal another room with clothes strewn all over the floor. "He's quite the slob sometimes, so you might have to get onto him about keeping the bathroom clean."

"Great," Bella said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yeah, I know the idea of sharing a bathroom with Edward isn't too appealing to me either," Jessica grinned.

"Oh well," Bella shrugged. "I can't be choosey."

"Well, I'm sure you could if you want to," Jessica shrugged with a light laugh. "But the alternative to this room is the hall closet."

"Well, I think this room will do just fine," Bella replied. "But then again, if the hall closet is anything like that one," she said pointing to the closet in the room they had just been in. "Then it may not be too bad."

"Yeah, whoever built this house must have really liked closets," Jessica commented. "So, want to go get your stuff? I can help you bring it up."

"Okay, thanks," Bella smiled taking her book bag off of her shoulder as she walked back into the bedroom and sitting her bag on the bed before following Jessica back down the stairs.

"Where are you two going?" Esme asked as Jessica reached for the doorknob.

"We're going out to get Bella's stuff," Jessica replied.

"Oh, okay," Esme nodded. "You might check to see if the mail has come yet."

"Okay," Jessica said as she opened the front door and stepped outside as Esme turned back to Renee and Charlie. Bella pulled the front door shut.

"So, this is your car?" Jessica asked as Bella walked around to the trunk and hit a button and lifting the trunk up.

"Yep," she nodded.

"Cool," Jessica said nudging her in the side. "So, are you gonna be the best houseguest in the world and give me a ride to school everyday?"

Bella smiled. "Yeah, sure," she nodded. "You'll be a freshman, right?"

"Yeah," Jessica nodded. "And you'll be a junior, right?"

"Right," Bella nodded as she lifted one of her suitcases out of the trunk. "What grade will Edward be in?"

"He'll be a senior," she replied.

"Doesn't he have a car?"

Jessica nodded and pointed toward the back of the house toward a small black truck. "That's his truck."

"But he won't take you to school?" Bella asked.

"Psst," Jessica laughed. "Yeah, right. He'd sooner let me hitchhike!"

"Aw," Bella said. "What a butthead."

"Yeah, Edward can be quite the ass," Jessica nodded.

"Well, don't worry, you can ride with me," Bella replied.

"Thank you, you're too kind," Jessica smiled.

"Yeah, well, I have to have someone giving me directions on where to go, or I'll have myself completely lost," Bella grinned as another truck pulled up behind Bella's car.

"Speak of the devil," Jessica murmured rolling her eyes as two guys stepped out of the truck.

"Bells?"

Bella turned around and looked up to meet two brown eyes and smiled. "Jacob!" she said as she gave him a quick hug.

"Long time, no see," he grinned.

"Yeah, I know," she nodded. "Damn, you got tall!"

"And you're still short," he said. She punched him playfully in the arm.

"Shut up," Bella pouted as she turned to the other guy and gave a little wave. "Hey, Edward," she smiled.

"Hey, Bells," he replied nodding his head a little. She noticed that he had cut his hair. It had been a lot longer the last time she had seen him, but now it was very short and styled like most guys hair with the messed up gel look.

"I like your hair," she commented. "When did you cut it?"

"Um," Edward said rubbed his temple. "Last year."

"Looks good," she said.

"He got tired of people calling him a fag," Jessica commented.

Edward turned and glared his younger sister. "Shut up."

Bella glanced at Jacob who simply shook his head and grinned. "See what you get to put up with now."

"Yeah," Bella nodded slowly.

"So, what are you doing?" Jacob asked pointing to the open trunk.

"Oh, just taking my stuff inside," Bella replied.

"Need some help?"

"Sure," Bella shrugged as she pulled another suitcase out of the trunk. "There's some stuff in the back seat too ..."

"I'll get it," Edward said with a light sigh as he walked over to back door and open it and pulled out some bags.

"Thanks, Edward," Bella said as she as she slung a bag over her shoulder and handed another one to Jessica before glancing at Jacob. "So, I hear that you're in college now?"

"That's right," he nodded.

"Are you a frat boy?" Bella grinned.

"Yeah, I wish," Jacob said.

"Mom won't let him join one because she's afraid of hazing," Jessica commented as she picked up one of the suitcases and they all headed toward the house with all of Bella's things.

"That's too bad," Bella commented.

"Well, it doesn't stop me from going to parties though," he said in low tone so that no one but Bella could hear.

"I see," she grinned as they stepped into the house.

Esme peeked over the side of the chair she was sitting in. "Oh, boys, you're home," she smiled. "Come in and say hello to Charlie and Renee."

Edward headed into the living room as Jessica headed upstairs. "I'll be right back, mom," Jacob said as he followed Bella upstairs.

Jessica was sitting down the bags she had carried upstairs as Jacob and Bella entered the room. Jacob sat the bags in his arms down. "I'll be right back," he commented.

"I'm going to go get some hangers while I'm thinking about it," Jessica commented as she brushed past Bella and out into the hall.

Bella looked around the room at all of her stuff in bags as Edward walked into the room and sat down the bags he had carried inside.

"Thanks for helping," Bella smiled.

"Yeah, no problem," Edward nodded.

"I can't believe I had all this stuff in my car," Bella commented with a light laugh. "It looks like I've got a lot of unpacking to do."

"Yes, I guess so," Edward replied.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a bathroom too much," Bella commented trying to fill the silence in the room.

He shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"So, Jess said you were a bit of a slob in the bathroom," Bella said with a smirk.

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Well, Jess doesn't know what she's talking about," he replied.

"Oh, well, it's okay. I'm a bit of slob, too," Bella said thoughtfully.

"I said I don't know what she's talking about," Edward said glaring at her before walking over to the bathroom door and walking through - slamming his door shut behind him.

Bella was so taken aback by his sudden mood swing that she didn't even notice when Jacob walked back into the room.

"Dad just got home with the food," he commented looking around. "Where's Jess and Edward?"

"Jess went to get some hangers," Bella replied with her eyes still on the door to Edward's room. She slowly raised her hand and pointed towards the door. "And Edward - he's in there."

"Well, I'll get him and Jess," Jacob commented. "You can go on down stairs. I'm sure you're starved from being on the road."

"Yeah," Bella nodded slowly as she headed for the door. She felt dazed. Jacob had always been like the older brother she had never had, but she and Edward had never really gotten along very well. She never understood why, but she had figured that since they were older now that things would have panned out and the past had been left behind, but from the looks of things, she had been wrong.