Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended. Beta'd by HollettLA.
"Class Act"
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Graduation
The day of graduation . . . I had all these emotions running through me—just like every time I hung out with Edward. He brought all that shit out in me, and today I didn't need him to feel it.
In fact, we hadn't so much as kissed since I "thought" we had sex. We had hung out again, but we didn't get physically intimate. We talked and got to know each other a little better, which was nice.
Talk about feeling stupid. It felt so amazing; I thought he had a magic peen or something.
It was nothing like Jake's needle dick.
Never in my life . . .
And every time I think about it . . .
"What are you so happy about?" Rosalie hit my arm.
"Leaving this hellhole," I lied.
"Emmett said Jake cried last night."
About to receive our diplomas, Rosalie Hale was currently slumming it with the S's, but we stared up to the front of the line at Jake. He was on his cell phone. "He looks crushed." I rolled my eyes.
"You're coming to Ben's party, right?"
I opened my mouth to respond, remembering I'd told Edward we'd hang out at his place. "No . . . can you cover for me? I want to—I can't tell you here," I whispered, looking over her shoulder.
Her eyes widened. "You met a guy."
I touched my nose, indicating she was correct.
"Do I know him?"
I nodded.
"Tall, short—does he go to this school?"
I made a face, not sure how to answer. "I'll tell you later!" I hissed.
"No, now." She stomped her foot, just as the A's started to walk across the stage.
"Cullen," I mouthed.
"NO!" She jumped up and down. "Oh. My God." She pulled my hair and pushed me.
"What the hell?"
"You're telling me everything!" She snuffed me, duffing me right on my forehead with her fingers. "I don't care if we have to ditch our parents at The Manor tonight. You. Me." She did that weird thing—pointing her fingers to her own eyes and then to mine as she made her way back to the H's.
"Yeah . . ." Sighing, this line couldn't move fast enough.
"Graduates!" Edward shouted, patting Robert Sanchez's back, who was in front of me. "Robbie—good luck to you."
"Thank, sir." He nodded.
"Miss Swan."
"Mr. Cullen." I smiled.
He paused, grinning down to me, and I wanted to say something. Instead, my heart played a melancholy tone, and I didn't want him to leave me.
His brow furrowed. "You okay?" he whispered, patting Robbie's back again. "College." He played it off.
Robbie gave him a thumbs up, but Edward kept glancing back at me.
Quickly and as I moved up with the line, I sent Edward a text message—knowing he kept his cell on vibrate.
I'm sleeping over tonight—B
His gaze flashed to me, and I never saw the man smile so wide.
Good. A new habit I'll enjoy, no doubt—E
My smile matched his, as I waited in line to grab my diploma.
Dinner with the Hales and my father was boring. Our fathers discussed fish and game, and Mrs. Hale spoke to the Cheneys at a neighboring table.
"Let's sneak out and grab a smoke." My partner in crime hit my thigh.
"Uh." I stood up, smoothing down my purple, floral dress I wore under my graduation robe. "Fresh air."
Rosalie damn near pulled me out of the restaurant, but we stopped short. In the lobby, I literally—thanks to Rose—bumped into Dr. Cullen. Since I'm so accident-prone, we'd become acquainted over the years. He was a nice guy, much like Edward, but I didn't know that before. "Dr. Cullen!" My voice was so wrong.
"Bella! Are you all right?" He gently held my shoulders.
"Fine." My face felt flushed.
"Awkward," Rosalie whispered in my ear.
I laughed to cover her comment, and Dr. Cullen turned to tap some lady's shoulder.
"Esme, this is Charlie's daughter." Dr. Cullen smiled down at me; meanwhile, I'd seen Mrs. Cullen around town many times. "This is my wife, Esme, and this is Mrs. Denali." He gestured to another older lady.
"How do you do?" I did a little curtsy, and I felt like the biggest ass on the planet.
"What the hell was that?" Rosalie was like a bird, who kept chirping in my ear tonight.
"Ahh!" Dr. Cullen beamed at the entrance. "We wondered what the hold up was."
When I turned, I didn't expect to see Edward walk in with my calculus teacher. They were laughing, and he held the door for her.
"Don't people go to the diner anymore?" Rosalie again.
Edward had yet to notice me, but I saw how great they looked together.
They made sense.
And I felt so stupid.
Oh, Bella . . .
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How would you feel if you were Bella?
