Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. "Uno" by Muse.
Sorry if I get the details wrong; this is non-canon, so the order of things are a little off.

Mike Newton

This means nothing to me
'Cause you are nothing to me
And it means nothing to me
That you blew this away

Today was going to be a good day, I told myself.

As I walked across the parking lot, I became aware of the Volvo passing by. Instantly, my head perked up. Edward wasn't there. Instead, Alice and Bella were talking, though Bella was looking a bit nervous.

I thanked the heavens when Alice started heading for her class, leaving Bella alone.

"Hi, Bella," I said. She waved shyly, though she was clutching her jacket with white knuckles.

I cleared my throat. After all these weeks of being with Cullen, now was my chance to talk to her. And possibly ask her—

My thoughts were interrupted with a loud screeching noise.

"What the..." I mumbled, seeing a motorcycle speeding through the parking lot. Riding the black motorcycle was none other than Jacob Black.

How could I forget Jacob? I've had so many endearing moments with him. The bonfire last year, when he talked to Bella the whole day, and completely ticked me off by bragging about it. Then a few months back, when we went to a movie. I had gotten the stomach flu, and he was so kind as to whisk Bella away from me! I wondered if he too got the stomach flu that night. I hoped he got something worse.

But terror hit me when I saw what he looked like. He was huge. If I recall, he is younger than me. Even though he was sitting down, I could tell he was taller than I remembered. The black shirt he was wearing showed his muscular arms. I gulped.

"I got sick and had to go home, okay?" Bella breathlessly told me. I looked at her, then realized that Jacob had stopped right in front of us.

"Okay," I said shakily. Why in the world would I prevent her from going with Jacob Black? I would probably get pummeled if I told on her.

Then, before I could register anything else, she kissed me.

"Thanks, Mike."

A simple peck on the lips, then she was off.

I walked on air that day.

'Cause you could've been number one
If you only found the time
And you could've ruled the whole world
If you had the chance

Strange, I don't remember time passing this quickly. Where did all my days go?

The month of June had brought no change at all. Sure, I started to have hair that looked like foundations of a mustache, but overall I was pretty much the same. Eric was babbling on about his valedictorian speech, and I was mindlessly chewing on my straw. The empty lemonade bottle laid on the table, along with my trash, and Eric was staring at them as if they were a bother.

"So, like I said, I wanted to say something funny, you know? Something that would catch the crowd's attention. But, I don't suppose you have any ideas do you..." And on and on, his nasally voice droned about the memorable moments Forks High seniors had, and about the numerous accomplishments the class had gained...Blah. Blah. Bleh.

"Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you shut up for a second?" I had spotted Bella. She was sitting at a nearby table, the one next to ours, and was talking silently with Angela. Edward and Alice were not there.

Looking back at Eric, he shrugged, and picked up my trash. "I don't know why you just don't throw away your garbage. It's just right there..."

I grinned. Today was my lucky day. The sun was shining brightly outside, unmasked by clouds, perfectly agreeing with what I was saying.

As I casually sauntered to their table, I noticed that Bella looked worried. Why was she always so far away? What exactly were her worries? Maybe she was just nervous about graduation. I heard she was planning to go to somewhere in Alaska. A weird choice, especially for someone who doesn't like snow. I remembered in junior year, she cringed when Eric had thrown a snowball my way. Even the Cullens never got around to persuading her of the benefits of the cold.

"Hi Bella," I sat down in front of her. Angela, looking shy as always, turned around to face Ben. I could see Jessica talking to Lauren, pointedly ignoring me.

Bella looked cautiously at me, then cleared her throat. "Hi, Mike. What's up?"

She didn't even make an effort to smile, but she still looked lovely with a frown. Wow, that doesn't sound freaky.

"Oh, you know, been busy with the store, and my mom's been telling me to get ready for graduation," I said, looking straight into her brown eyes. Sometimes those brown eyes scared me. They looked so...brown, so deep, and it was like they were transparent, sort of like an illusion, where it looks deep but really it's just a flat drawing.

Bella nodded her head. She was always so quiet, but her blush would indicate her thinking of something.

"Hey, listen," I said. "Why are you always so quiet? I mean, I could tell you're thinking of something, so why don't you just say it out loud?"

She frowned, and I wondered if I asked the wrong question. "Um, I guess I like to keep to my thoughts," she answered.

"I think you have too many secrets," I said. It was true, and she smiled apologetically.

I have to admit, the silence that followed could only be described as awkward. She was looking at the clock randomly, and I couldn't think of anything else to say.

The bell rang. Lunch was over.

"Bella, can I walk you to your next class?" I suddenly asked.

Her eyes widened at my suggestion, but I knew she wouldn't say no. She was too nice for that.

As we walked, I asked her a few questions I had never asked before, in the time I knew her.

"Where do you usually go?"

"What's your favorite type of flowers?"

"When's your birthday?"

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

The walk wasn't that long, and I only got vague answers, except for the birthday one. September, her birthday was. She was older than me by a few months. We'd reached her classroom, and she politely waved and went inside.

Was I boring her?

You could've been number one
And you could've ruled the whole world
And we could've had so much fun
But you blew it away

When school was over, I drove dejectedly home. Though it was the afternoon, the sun was still out. Suddenly, it didn't seem to shine so brightly.

My mom was gardening, planting some flowers in the front lawn. "Mike, can you get the mail before you go inside?"

"Sure, mom." I took the key out, and I walked toward the door. Our house was simple, fit for three people and a guest. It had two stories, and had white panels going across. Blue shutters added color to the house, along with the green door.

After getting the mail, I started to look through it. "Alright. Bills, newspaper—"

"Oh! See if there's anything about the Seattle murders!" my mom exclaimed, looking up from her gardening.

"Um, here, why don't you read it for yourself?" I wasn't really that interested about the Seattle murders. Sure, it was pretty cool, but it had nothing to do with Forks. I handed her the newspaper, which she eagerly took with muddied hands and perused.

I looked at the remaining mail. There was a small white envelope, and an unfamiliar return address. "Hey, it's for me."

My mom looked at me. "What is it? It better not be a rejection letter from college."

I ignored her, putting the other letters on the ground and opening the letter. "Well, read it aloud," my mom urged.

I went over it, and my eyebrows shot up. "The Cullens are having a graduation party at their house in a few days," I looked over it again. "I'm invited! Sweet!"

"Let me see that," she demanded, snatching the thick invitation from me. "Wow, this is a first. No one's been in the Cullen house before, except for Bella of course. Speaking of Bella, did she tell you when she was quitting? I heard she was planning on going to Alaska of all places." She shook her head, probably thinking about how strange Bella was. It was one of the things I love about her.

You're still nothing to me
And this is nothing to me
And you don't know what you've done
But I'll give you a clue

The next day was filled with talk of the party. As expected, plenty of girls were spreading details about it. Lunch, as always, was the worst.

But the absolute worst thing was, the Cullens and Bella weren't there. All three were absent. Did they all go camping?

"I think Emmett and Jasper are going to be there," was Jessica's input. She smiled contentedly when everyone around her started giggling mad. She looked at me, glared, then turned away.

Tyler, who was beside me, said, "You're going to the party, right?"

"Yeah," I said. I wouldn't miss it for the world. "I mean, it's the Cullens. They're so weird, but I heard they lived in a really big house. Never seen it though."

"I know what you mean," he nodded. "But I think the party's really for Bella. I mean, last year, when Rosalie and Emmett and Jasper graduated, they didn't throw a party. But now, all of a sudden, they—"

"I get it," I cut him off. The more he explained, the more agitated I became. "Bella's the only one who managed to get cozy with the Cullens, d'you realize?"

Tyler looked as thoughtful as I did. "Yeah. It's like she's part of their family now."

My eyes narrowed. What if...Bella was part of the family? Not by adoption, of course, but by something else?

I snorted. Yeah right. No, Bella and I still had a chance. Mike and Bella. Isabella Newton. Co-owner of—

"So, what are you wearing for the party?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler, we're not girls."

He laughed. "But I'm serious. No one's really given a party in this town. Have you ever been to a party before?"

"No," I admitted, "but I've seen movies. I wouldn't worry; it's all casual. The invitation said casual."

"But there's no way I'm wearing regular school clothes for a Cullen party. What's casual for us, probably might not be the same to the Cullens."

He was right. Alice Cullen was a perfect example. Her clothes, so conservative and clean, screamed designer, though subtly it was done. It always struck me strange how they wouldn't flaunt their riches (excluding the Volvo, but Edward was a different matter) when it was obvious they had money. Snobs, they really are.

Then it came to me that I sometimes saw Bella in these kinds of clothes. They looked nice on her, but it gave me sight to my competition.

"Alright, Tyler. Want to go shopping?" I stood up, throwing my garbage out.

Tyler followed. "Sure. Want to go to Seattle? Shops are way better than in Port Angeles."

You could've been number one
If you only had the chance
And you could've ruled the whole world
If you had the time

"Mom, why can't I go to Seattle?" I stabbed the spaghetti with my fork. Beside me, Dad groaned.

"Mike Newton, I already told you," she paused to munch. "Seattle has a killer. A killer, Mike! Mass murders everywhere! And don't even think about Port Angeles; those gigantic bear things were seen there too."

"No they haven't!" I protested. My mom was one to listen to rumors.

"Yes they have! There's been killings in there too! I swear, the next thing you know, they're going to come here to Forks..." she muttered curses under her breath, though I could clearly hear them.

"Karen!" Dad reprimanded. She looked up, raised an eyebrow, and continued eating.

"You're not going to the mall, Mike. That's final. Do your shopping online."

I grunted. I was going to have to try again tomorrow at work.

After dinner, I called Tyler. The conversation got me frowning.

"Mom, Tyler's allowed to go to Seattle! Why can't I come too?"

She was in her bedroom, but because she was across the hall, she shouted, "The Crowleys are very unreasonable! I don't care what they say; you're not going!"

You could've been number one
And you could've ruled the whole world
And we could've had so much fun
But you blew it away

I started thinking of a particular movie. Can't Hardly Wait, I think it's called. I've seen it only once, when Jessica had forcefully put it on, and I remember one part. A girl and a boy were stuck in a bathroom. They really didn't get along, but then they ended up making up right there.

Stopping my random thoughts, I fumbled with my blue tie. I was wearing brown pants that once belonged to my dad, and a black button down shirt. My hair was gelled, once I'd realized that styling it like Cullen only made me look like a beggar.

I looked at the clock. I had ten minutes until I had to leave. Taking a last glance, I grabbed my cap and gown and headed downstairs.

A white flash greeted me.

"My boy is graduating!" Mom squealed, clapping her hands excitedly against the camera. Beside her, Dad was looking at the window sternly, his lips a tight line.

I was pulled into a hug, and I frowned because my hair was getting ruined. "Mom, come on. We gotta go."

When we'd all settled in the car, my mom started making fuss with my hair and clothes.

"Mike, your hair really looks ridiculous, no wonder girls don't throw themselves at you! You look like a middle schooler. And fix your tie! I wouldn't have you looking like you don't know how to wear nice clothes. And what did I tell you about your shoes last night?"

"Mom! I know how to dress myself!"

She glared. "Clearly you don't, n—oh, we're at the school. Come on, the ceremony's about to begin." She looked at me, rolled her eyes, then bent to the car seat so she could fix my tie.

"Come on, Karen," my dad called. "Seats are getting taken up."

We got outside the car, and Mom handed me my cap and gown.

Mr. Banner was motioning the parents to get seated at the fields, and I saw the students filing inside the school building, where teachers would remind us of the arrangements.

"Congratulations, son," my dad choked out, but before I could see his face, he'd turned and walked on. Mom gave me a small smile, but before her tears could spill, she ran toward Dad.

"They just can't be emotional in front of us, can they?"

The voice came from behind me, and I turned to see it was Jessica. She was wearing a pretty dress, and her heels sparkled, despite the overcast sky. She was smiling at her observation, that being most of the parents desperately trying to keep from crying.

"I guess they don't want to look weak," I reasoned, matching her cool tone. "I mean, this is our day, and they know how we don't want to have to deal with their tears."

She nodded, and looked at me then. "Mike, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I said. She didn't specify what she was sorry for, but it didn't matter; I forgive her.

She sniffed, though I was not aware she had been crying. "Well, let's get this over with. I'm getting pretty teary right now, and it hasn't even started yet." She winked at me, then nudged my arm so we'd walk together inside.

"It's just graduation," I muttered. But then it hit me. High school was over.

I swallowed, holding tighter to Jessica's arm. Now was not the time to think about goodbyes.

As the line of students pushed forward and curved, I caught a glimpse of Bella and Jessica. I could see Bella's face. She was calmer than usual, as if in a trance. But then again, most of the time she had always been an anxious person.

Jessica looked like she was about to cry any moment. She was turning her head in every direction, and I knew she was remembering everything that happened in each place. I even did the same. As my eyes swept through the square buildings, along the pathways in between, I smiled. Snowball fights, slaps, awkwardness...

"Dude, are you crying?" Will Nolan whispered before laughing silently. Mrs. Lafferty was glaring at us.

"No, I'm not." I kept my face forward. The principal was going through the M's. In a few moments, I would be graduating.

I took a deep breath. It would be all over, I told myself. I didn't know if I was happy or sad about it; it was just plain fact.

And then it really was over.

And I ran to the school bathroom. For the last time, I added mentally. Goodbye vandalized walls and tiles, so long broken mirrors, it's been nice knowing you all.

After drying the tears, I left the bathroom.

Jessica was waiting outside. She was smiling at me knowingly.

"Come on," she said playfully. "It's not really goodbye goodbye. You heard Eric's speech: 'we're just expanding from our humble town of Forks, making the world our hometown.'"

I smiled shakily. "Yeah."

"Besides," she added confidently, "we still have a party to go to. You're coming, right?"

I nodded. I wasn't really thinking of the party; that seemed a long way off. We walked to our families, and they were surprised to see us together. We just shrugged, for it really was no big deal.

I wondered how long it would take until Jessica and I stopped circling each other, and have finally decided on where we stand.

Probably never.

You could've been number one
And you could've ruled the whole world
And we could've had so much fun
But you blew it away