A/N: We flew past 3000 reviews. I'm so beyond thankful and humble, and I love all of you. So thank you very much! :) It's back to the real world for these kiddies, but again, there's a bit of a time jump, so I'll let you get to it. See me at the bottom!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Bella grabbed her backpack from the floorboard in front of her as Edward pulled into the driveway, which was empty, since her truck had lost the battle and finally died of old age just a couple of weeks before. Rose and Emmett had looked it over, but they'd both said it would cost more than the truck was worth to just replace the engine. Deciding it wasn't worth the cost of a new engine or a new vehicle, especially since Edward was more than happy to ferry her wherever she needed to go—"I'm your mate, Bella. I have a car, I don't have anywhere I have to be that doesn't involve you anyway, aside from hunting, so why spend the money?" he'd asked when she'd started fretting about what decision to make—she'd finally allowed them to haul it off to the junkyard. It hadn't made her very happy, because she'd loved the big red beast, but Edward had made a very good point, so she'd let it go without too much fuss.
Once he'd parked, Edward raced around to her side of the car, only slightly faster than a normal human pace, and opened her door for her. Scooping her backpack from her lap, he held out his other hand and helped her from the car. Bella took it with a smile and closed the car door behind her.
They were quiet as he walked her to the door, Bella's hand still firmly in his as she used her free hand to unlock the house. Only then did he release his hold, ushering her inside with a hand on her lower back.
Quick as a wink, he set her backpack on the counter and then had her pressed up against the front door, his lips hovering over hers as her breathing picked up.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"
His breath was sweet, nearly intoxicating, and for a moment, Bella almost relented. But when she flicked her gaze over his face, she noticed the light purple circles under his eyes, which were just beginning to edge past the golden honey into a darker, inky shade.
"No," she finally said with a sigh. Reaching up, she traced her finger under his eye. "You need to hunt. You've put off going on anything more than a single deer for too long. I'm going to get the mail, then study for finals, and then spend time with Charlie. I'll probably go to bed early."
Edward looked at her for a long moment and then nodded. "Okay. I'll be back to pick you up for school in the morning, but Bella, promise me you'll call Carlisle if you even think you might need him."
He looked worried, so much so that Bella knew if she wasn't firm, he would insist on staying, so she put as much confidence in her voice as she could when she said, "Edward, I'll be fine, but I promise I'll call Carlisle if I need to, okay?"
He finally nodded. "I just worry, Little Bird."
She smiled, reaching back to thread her fingers through his hair at the base of his neck. "I know you do, and I love you for it. Now kiss me so you can g—"
The rest of what she was going to say was silenced as he lowered his head the rest of the way and pressed his lips to hers. Bella's skin instantly lit on fire as Edward cradled her against him, barely allowing her to breathe as he parted her lips with his tongue, sweeping it inside and finding hers. His kisses were drugging, leaving her weak-kneed and so aroused that she ached. When he finally pulled away, only to sweep his lips softly across hers, Bella nearly told him to take her upstairs, that he could go find Bambi tomorrow.
"I love you," she murmured, feeling her heart thump hard in her chest as he leaned his forehead against hers.
His smile was nearly blinding in its intensity. "As I you, love." Pulling away, he stuck his hand in his pocket and came out with his cell phone, holding it up for her. "I'll have this with me, so I'll call you later. Call me if you need me or just want to talk."
She smiled, plucked the phone from his hand, and slid it back into his pocket, lingering longer than was necessary to tease him as his head fell back with a groan. Scooting around him, she grinned. "Go, Edward. Commune with nature and all that."
He chuckled, running a hand through his hair, and finally nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
With one last kiss, he left her standing in the entry. The front door closed softly behind him.
Bella had barely taken three steps toward the counter to grab her backpack when there was a knock on the door. Knowing it had to be Edward, she turned and made her way back to open it, smiling when indeed she saw his handsome face. "What happened to lea—"
He held up his hand, waving a stack of mail with a smile.
"Oh!" She laughed softly. "Thanks. I'd have gone out in a bit to get it."
"I know, but this way, you didn't have to. Plus," he said cheekily as he pulled her into his embrace, "I can do this."
Another long, heated kiss had Bella's blood racing through her veins and her breathing ragged. She laughed, pulling away and shaking her head. "Go while you can," she teased, taking the mail when he held it up. "And thank you."
With a wink, he turned and sauntered back to his Volvo. She didn't hear him pull away until she'd closed and locked the front door behind her.
Studying done a couple of hours later, Bella walked downstairs to the kitchen. Her dad would be home anytime from work, and she knew he was bringing pizza, so she didn't have to worry about cooking. The mail was where she'd left it, on the kitchen counter. Scooping it up, she looked more closely and realized the large envelope was from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, or SAIC as she'd taken to calling it. She dropped into a chair and set everything on the table, ignoring the rest of the mail in favor of tearing open the college information packet.
Bella was still going through all the paperwork when Charlie stepped through the front door. The scent of greasy, cheesy pizza, spicy pepperoni, black olives, and more wafted over to Bella, making her stomach grumble.
"Hey, Bells," Charlie said as he set the pizza on the table and reached for his gun belt. "Whatcha got there?"
She smiled. "Info from SAIC. The receipt for the last check you sent is in here, plus final dates for financial aid, orientation, and stuff like that."
"Good, good," he said, coming back into the kitchen with his uniform shirt open, showing his white undershirt. "We can look it over as we eat."
Bella agreed and gathered up the papers into a neat stack before grabbing her dad a beer and herself a glass of milk as he pulled out plates and napkins. "Classes start Wednesday, August twenty-fourth," she mumbled around her first bite. "Orientation is the Sunday through Tuesday just before that."
Charlie nodded as he flipped through the papers. He stopped on one and slid it across to her.
Last Chance Sign-up for Housing was in big, bold print at the top of the page.
"Have you given any more thought to this?" he asked, tapping the paper with his index finger.
Bella shook her head and said, "No, I haven't." Setting her pizza down, she wiped her mouth and hands before picking the paper up. "For a lot of reasons, Dad. I want to live with the Cullens. You know that." She held up a hand when he started to speak. "Hear me out, okay?" When he nodded, his mustache twitching, she continued. "Alice and Jasper are going to live at home, too, even though they're going to CSU there in Chicago. Rose and Emmett will be living in an apartment on campus at Northwestern, but they'll be down a lot to visit. Edward's going to live at home, too. It just makes more sense. None of us really want to live in the dorms.
"You know me," she continued with a sigh. "I'm not the most…social person in the world. I prefer the quiet and calm and don't particularly want to be around a bunch of girls all the time, even—and maybe especially—artists. Living with the Cullens will give me a good balance of quiet and calm along with enough social interaction outside of class so that I don't go into hermit mode."
"Bells, I can pay for an apartment so you don't have to be in the dorms," he huffed.
She shook her head. "No, we can't afford that, Dad, and I know it. I got scholarships, but not enough." Bella knew she shouldn't mention that Edward had offered to pay for her schooling, especially since she'd turned him down. He would end up paying for a lot of her expenses, so she wasn't going to take his money when she didn't have to. Focusing back on Charlie, she had to fight her smile. "Besides… If you're worried about me living with Edward, having my own apartment wouldn't necessarily stop that…"
Charlie's mustache twitched again, and he grimaced. "I know that," he said in a gruff voice. It softened when he looked up at her and continued, "It's just hard for me to think of my little girl living with a boy."
Fighting her laugh at the thought that Edward could've been his grandfather, Bella smiled gently and said, "I know, Dad. I'm sorry I'm growing up…but look, there are advantages to this arrangement, too. Not only will living with the Cullens mean there's a doctor only steps away, but the house itself is only two stories with no basement, so I don't have to worry about—"
"I know," Charlie interrupted, reaching across to take her hand. "And you're right. You're growing up. Heck, you're an adult now, as much as it pains me to admit. And you've got a good head on your shoulders. I trust you to act responsibly. Edward's a good guy, Bells, and I like his family, but it's up to you to…protect your—"
"I get it," Bella rushed to say, anything to stop the protected sex talk she knew was coming. "I'll be safe, Dad…in every way."
He took a deep breath and let it out in a quiet whoosh, nodding. "Okay, then." He patted the table and then picked up his pizza. Before he took a bite, he said, "Tell me again what classes you've picked out."
~oOo~
Edward tried once more to tune out the minds of the hundreds of people in the school's auditorium. He could hear his family the loudest, of course, not only because they were all grouped together, but because he was so tuned in to them. He could also hear Carlisle and Esme from their places in the audience, sitting with Bella's parents and stepfather. On Charlie's other side were Jacob and Billy Black, who was sitting at the end of the row in his wheelchair. Edward was glad that Jacob had persuaded his father to come. Both he and Edward knew that Billy's support of Bella made Charlie happy.
Bella… The mind he most wanted to hear but couldn't.
Never had Edward hated alphabetical order more than he did at that moment. What he wouldn't give to be sitting beside her, holding her hand and making quiet little comments to amuse her while they listened to the principal and other school officials make their standard speeches. Instead, he was near the front and Tyler Crowley, while Bella was near the end. At least she had Jessica, whose mind was full of excitement about finally graduating and getting out of Forks, sadness over the thought of leaving her friends, and hope that the party wouldn't get too out of hand so Chief Swan didn't have to be called.
When Angela Weber finally climbed up on stage to give her speech as valedictorian, Edward turned his attention back to the stage. Angela was a soft-spoken young woman whom Edward admired. She seemed passive if you only looked at the surface, but she had a sharp mind, a sharper wit, and an even sharper sense of loyalty to her friends. She truly loved Bella and wanted only the best for her, for which Edward was grateful and understood completely. And because he and his siblings worked to keep from being recognized officially by making sure their grades were good, but not best in the class, Angela had easily been the top student in the class. Bella and Ben had both done well, but Angela's grades in all her advanced courses had slotted her into the number one spot—which made Bella very happy, since she hadn't wanted to get up on stage to give a speech anyway.
As Angela made her way back down to her seat, her classmates clapped enthusiastically. Mr. Greene, the Forks High principal, stepped over to the table of diplomas—or what Edward knew were just empty leather binders into which the actual diplomas could be placed when the students received them in the mail. Mrs. Cope, everyone's favorite office secretary, moved to the microphone and began to call off names as the students stood row by row to head to the stage.
To Edward's amusement—especially since he knew Bella would be pink and trying to hide from her embarrassment—Renee stood and cheered as first Alice, and then he, followed by the rest of their "siblings" crossed the stage to receive the customary binder and handshake. Just before holding his hand out to Mr. Greene, Edward pocketed the hand warmer he'd been holding—per Bella's genius suggestion—so the principal wouldn't get suspicious about the temperature of his hand. From their thoughts, he knew his siblings were all doing the same.
By the time that it was Bella's turn, Edward was back at his seat, and he watched, smiling, as she glanced at him on her way to the stage. When her name was called, he and his whole family—including Carlisle and Esme—as well as Charlie, Renee, Phil, and Jake all stood and cheered. Edward couldn't help but chuckle when Bella's already pink cheeks darkened even further, and she ducked her head to hide her grin in her chest. She stepped down from the stage, looking up and straight at him, mouthing, "I love you," as she passed.
Only moments later, the principal stepped back up to the microphone. "I'd like to close today's ceremony with the most appropriate piece of writing for a graduating class."
Edward chuckled, hearing in his mind what was coming.
"This is Oh, the Places You'll Go by the one and only Dr. Seuss. 'Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!'"
As the man read the story, Edward only half listened, having heard it many times before. He was anxious to get the ceremony over with so he could get back to his Bella.
"'…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray, or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!'
"Congratulations class of 2005. You are now officially high school graduates!"
The auditorium was filled with cheers as all the now-former students shouted their excitement over the news and threw their graduation caps into the air.
Edward, who declined to throw his cap, quickly made his way through the crowd to Bella's side, sweeping her into his arms. "Congratulations, love," he murmured against her lips.
Bella grinned, kissing him once more before pulling away and looking up at him. "Thank you. You, too." She winked before squeaking as Alice pulled her into a hug.
The rest of his family gathered around them, congratulating Bella, and then Angela, Ben, Jessica, and even Mike, who followed closely behind.
"I can't believe we're not in high school anymore," Jessica gushed to Bella and Angela. "Do you feel any different? I don't think I feel any different."
Angela chuckled. "I don't either, Jess. Give it a few days, at least."
"No," Bella said with a grin. "I don't feel any different, either. But…I mean, we've been out of class for almost a week, Jess, so technically, we were finished with high school then. This was just a formality."
Jessica's disappointment was visible in her facial expression and body language, as well as her mind.
Yeah, but…it's high school graduation! That's a huge thing, isn't it? Maybe it's just me…
Taking pity on her, Edward hugged Bella to his side and smiled at Jess, whose breath caught for a moment. "I get it, Jessica," he said, nodding his head. "When people ask when you finished high school, the answer you'll give is May twenty-first, 2005, graduation day. It's the big date, right?"
She perked up immediately, giving the group a happy smile. "Yes, exactly! See, guys? Someone else totally gets it! Thanks, Edward."
He nodded, holding in his smirk at Mike's thoughts.
Damn Cullen. He's too quick. I should've said something to Jess to make her feel better. I'll make it up to her later.
Edward quickly blocked him as Mike's thoughts turned to what should be a private act, not something he wanted to share in.
As the group continued chatting, he heard a mind heading his way and sighed, reaching up to claw at his hair. Lauren Mallory was making her way to the group, her thoughts obnoxious and full of herself. She was also tipsy. She'd apparently raided her parents' liquor cabinet before coming to graduation and had secretly had a few drinks as soon as the caps had been thrown.
There he is. God, he's so hot. I wish he was alone, but fuck it. They're not gonna stop me from getting what I want.
Watching her thoughts, Edward could see her plan unfold in her mind, and when she got close, he watched her look down, trying to figure out what she could pretend to trip over. Unfortunately, in her haste to look back up at him, the alcohol went to work on her and she actually tripped. She would've hit him hard face-first had he not caught her.
With a giggle and a swoon, Lauren batted her eyelashes—fake ones that were stuck at a funny angle and thick with too much mascara—and said, "My hero. A kiss for the man who saved me?"
She leaned up as Bella, Angela, and Jessica gasped, but Edward quickly foisted her off him to her feet, setting her away from him just in time to hear Alice's thoughts.
Grab Bella, Edward. She'll hit Lauren, but she'll end up breaking her thumb.
Edward smirked and grasped Bella lightly around her waist, pulling her to his chest so he could look down into her eyes. "Careful, Little Bird," he murmured into her ear." He told her what Alice had seen.
Bella nodded and turned to face the blonde who looked angry that she had interfered. Leaning in, she hissed softly, "Ever since you broke up with Tyler in the middle of the year—and even before that, when you were still with him!—you've been throwing yourself at Edward, who clearly wants nothing to do with you. So why keep doing it?"
Lauren rolled her eyes. "Duh," she said as she smiled his way. "Look at him! Now look at me… I'll just keep reminding him what he's missing until he realizes it."
Edward kept a firm hold on Bella, afraid that she'd go after the other girl, and he started to speak up, but Alice's thoughts held him back.
Don't, Edward. Let her fight this battle. It'll be okay.
He nodded once to let her know he'd heard her.
Bella huffed a laugh. "Try kissing him one more time, and the school's entire e-mail list will get copies of a certain…video that I'm sure you don't want everyone to see."
Lauren's mind went crazy as her eyes widened and jaw dropped.
What the hell? How does this bitch know about that? That was supposed to be private for Tyler and me! That sonovabitch! Did he share it?
"That's right," Bella continued, nodding. She lowered her voice, so quiet that no one outside their small circle could hear—Edward could see that their confrontation was attracting attention, but from their minds, no one could hear them. "How long did it take to get the taste of Tyler's foot off your tongue? Was the collar as uncomfortable as it looked?" She leaned around, as if trying to look behind Lauren. "Did the bruises on your ass ever go away?"
Lauren's face turned white and then purple as shock and then rage set in. She shrieked, and before she could swing her arm up and toward Bella in the intended slap, Edward pulled his mate back a few steps even as Angela stepped between them.
"I wouldn't advise that, Lauren," Angela said quietly but firmly. "We would all attest that you threw the first punch—unprovoked—and Bella could press charges for assault. You're an adult now. That wouldn't look too good to your sorority sisters in California, would it?"
Lauren glared at Angela, then Bella, and then around to the rest before her gaze landed on Edward. He looked passively back at her and then leaned in to kiss Bella's cheek.
Huffing a breath, Lauren growled, "Fine. Whatever. I don't need him anyway."
As she stalked away on unsteady feet, she pulled a flask out from under her robe, taking a long drink.
"Oh my damn," Alice breathed, and Edward held in his laugh as he watched in her thoughts only moments before it played out in front of them.
Lauren ran right into Charlie Swan—Police Chief Charlie Swan—who was coming over to congratulate his daughter, and spilled her drink all over him. Without realizing who she'd run into, she screeched, "Watch where you're going, you imbecile! You made me spill my…" Her voice trailed off when she looked up and saw who she'd yelled at.
Charlie plucked at the front of his shirt, dipped his head to sniff at the cotton, and grimaced, reaching out to take hold of Lauren's upper arm. "Ms. Mallory, you need to come with me. You're drunk in public and you're underage. Let's go find your parents and tell them they need to follow us down to the station."
As Renee, Phil, Jake, and Billy stepped around them, Charlie looked up and winked at Bella. "Congratulations, kid. See you back at the house later, okay?"
Bella smiled, reaching down to take Edward's hand. "Thanks, Dad."
As soon as the others reached them, Bella was pulled out of his arms by Renee. "Oh, honey, congratulations!"
Phil reached out to shake Edward's hand. "Congratulations, Edward."
"Thank you, sir."
As Phil turned to the others, Edward looked at Jake, who offered his hand. They did the complicated handshake that always made Bella laugh. Then he looked at Billy and nodded. "Thank you both for coming. I know Bella appreciated it."
Suddenly, Bella was beside him again. "Yes, I'm glad you guys came."
She accepted a hug from both Jake and Billy, who said, "I'll meet you at the car, Jake. Congratulations, Bella."
"Thanks, Billy." Turning to Jake, she asked, "You coming to the party at Edward's house?"
He nodded. "I think so. Seth wanted to come, too, but he's gotta study for finals since we're not out for another week. He said hi and congratulations, though."
"Well, tell him I said hi back and I'll see him next weekend, okay?"
Jake smiled. "Will do." Looking back, he rolled his eyes and said, "I'd better go. Dad…"
Edward chuckled. "Understandable. See you later at the house."
Jake smiled once more and then turned.
"Okay, kiddies," Emmett said. "Time to get our party on!"
Everyone laughed as they turned to make their way out of the auditorium.
~oOo~
Edward reached over and squeezed Bella's hand. "How are you, love? Do you need to stop somewhere, or can you wait two more hours till we get to Butte? We'll stop there for the night."
He saw her glance at the dashboard and knew that she was checking the time. "I'm good. I can make it to Butte. But Edward, really, I can sleep in the car so we can keep driving. There's no need to pay for the hotel or take the time—"
"We're stopping, Little Bird," he said firmly. "You need time out of the car—longer than just a trip inside a gas station or restaurant—so you can stretch your legs, lie down to sleep, and just have a change of scenery. We'll have driven twelve hours by then, and that's plenty. Okay?"
She looked over, and even though it was dark in the car, he could see her easily, helped by the light of the moon and the gauges inside the car. "Okay," she acquiesced. "Thank you."
He smiled when she brought his hand up and kissed his knuckles. As she settled back into her seat, his thoughts turned back to their trip.
They'd made the decision to drive to Chicago, rather than fly, since they'd need all the vehicles. It made more sense to drive than to ship them, especially as Bella wanted to see all the states in between. The others had gone on ahead, since they only needed to stop for gas, to get the house ready—sheets on beds, food for Bella, and other necessities. Jasper was driving Bella's newly and completely renovated and overhauled truck—which the Cullens had surprised her with, courtesy of Rose and Emmett's expertise, for graduation—with his motorcycle in the back, leaving Bella free to ride with Edward in his car.
It had been a great summer. They'd spent a lot of time with friends before everyone scattered for college, and Bella had spent a lot of time with Charlie, as well. Leaving had been the hardest for both her and her father.
"Bells, it's not too late," Charlie said in a gruff voice. "I can take time off and come over."
Edward could hear in Charlie's head how much he wanted her to say that she'd like for him to come, but the chief also knew that with one man down from a broken leg after a water skiing accident, another man out because his wife was having a baby, and a third out because he had chicken pox he'd caught from his kids, there was no way he could leave now. It was tearing him up inside, even though he knew she'd be in good hands.
She shook her head. "Dad, I'll be fine. It's not like I'm gonna be alone. You still plan to come to Chicago next month for my birthday, when things should be slower here at the station, right?" When he nodded, she smiled. "Good. By then, I'll have a good feel for the town, and I can take you around and show you the sights, too."
Feeling a little like he was intruding, Edward tried to give Charlie mental privacy and tried to keep from listening as they said their goodbyes, but he could hear Bella's heart speed up and he could smell the salty, concentrated scent of her tears. Charlie's voice was even more rough when he told her he loved her.
Finally, Charlie loaded Bella into the car and then stepped over to Edward's side. "Take care of my daughter, Edward," he said sternly.
"Yes, sir. With my life," Edward promised.
Charlie looked at him long and hard, finally nodding as he stuck his hand out. "You know, I do believe you will," he admitted—somewhat reluctantly, according to his thoughts—as he shook Edward's hand. "Be sure she calls me along the way and once you get to Chicago. I'll worry…and I don't like to worry."
"I promise, Chief. I'll have her call when we stop for the night."
Charlie nodded and then backed away, waving to Bella as they drove away from the house.
As rough as Bella's leaving had been for both of them, Edward was just as excited to be bringing her to Chicago…to his childhood home. He had some good memories of the city, of the house, although he knew there was a lot he had forgotten because of his change. But being able to share that part of his past with his mate—his future—meant the world to him. He was looking forward to showing her the tree he and his mother had planted shortly before they got sick. The last time he'd checked on the house, the tree had been huge and thriving. They would be sharing his childhood bedroom, which was thankfully large enough that they would have plenty of room, and that thought made them both very happy.
In reality, he wanted to show Bella the world, but Chicago was a great place to start.
A/N: There you have it... Bella's officially an adult and out on her own, so to speak. Hopefully you enjoyed the little bit of Charlie/Bella time and graduation. I couldn't resist throwing Lauren into the mix. *laugh* She's so fun to mess with!
I just want to address one thing that's come up a lot recently: guest reviews. If you have a complaint or critique about the story, please don't decide to say it via a guest review. I have no way of replying if you do that. A lot of times, the complaint or critique you give is valid and worthy of a response, but I have no way of speaking to you, other than to take it public, which I really don't want to do. If you have a problem with the story, just post that as yourself. If you don't want it public, send me a PM. I'll try to explain my reasoning for whatever you have a problem with, or at the very least I'll be able to say I understand and thank you for letting me know how you feel. But also remember this: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. If all you feel the need to do is "review" and say this chapter doesn't have a point or the story has become boring or whatever, without explaining WHY you feel that way, that's just considered rude and you become a troll. If you truly feel that way and you can say WHY you feel that way—such as: I'm getting bored because it's all happiness and light now—then by all means, tell me. But do it under your name or via PM so I can then explain that yes, it's been happiness and light for a while, but because of their rough beginning and what is coming up later in the story, they needed this time, and since she won't be changing into a vamp while she's in high school, we have to get past that time anyway. I hate guest reviews. That's all there is to it. I'd much rather hear from someone that they're becoming bored with the story line as it is, even though they usually like my stuff, than to see an anonymous complaint about it. And I know I'm far from the only author to feel that way. So the next time you decide to post as a guest, take a second to think of all that: 1) Is this anything but a complaint without any words to explain or back up my opinion? 2) Is this something that could be taken to private message if I don't want to leave my name in public? 3) Do I maybe just need to be patient and see if things turn around, rather than leaving a rude message about it?
*steps down off my soapbox* Thank you guys, truly, for reading, not only the long-ass author's note, but the story. :) Be sure to check out the pic for this chapter, on my site & FB (again, links are on my profile. :) ), and then leave me some love for this one! We're in Chicago next, and again, you'll need to fasten your seat belt because it gets a little bumpy.
See you Wednesday! Mwah! – Jen
