Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah! Happy Kwanza! And all together, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I hope you all weren't too torn up without me. Midterms and all of the other stuff in my life have been hectic, but I think I'm surviving. Possibly. :) But you aren't here to read about MY life, you're here to read about the fascinating life of Bella and the Cullens! So read on!

Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyers. This is just my spin on her series "Twilight".

ENJOY!!

I sighed and crossed my legs, picking at my lunch. My arm was bothering me again, but it wasn't unbearable. Carlisle promised that since it was healing quickly, I could have it off today after school if I traded it for a sling. I was glad to know that I would be able to move it more freely, if only minutely, once it was out of the bright orange cast that I was currently growing sick of.

Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his side as Alice gushed about her upcoming shopping trip. The field trip had been cancelled due to the fact that our teacher was out with the flu, so she suddenly found herself with a new, open chance to torture me. I shuddered silently and forced myself to eat. I knew I should have been starving after skipping breakfast, but I was surprisingly not. I really didn't feel like eating. I just wanted to get my cast off, and then get home.

Before I knew the time had passed, the lunch bell rang and we were on our way to class. The rest of the day passed in a blur and I finished my homework easily in class. School was becoming too simple as the teachers realized the end of the first semester was quickly approaching. I knew that they didn't want more papers and worksheets to grade as their stress limits increased with upcoming midterms and report cards. In fact, most of them seemed to be utterly exhausted. I wondered how many problems they had in their lives and doubted that it amounted to any of those in mine.

Even then, I couldn't force myself to feel even remotely sorry for myself. Things may have seemed bleak and tense to anyone else, but I was sure that the clouds that had formed in my sky would soon pass. I was so certain of this only because of the beautiful boy who held my hand at that very second. Edward, my Edward. Nothing was wrong in this world as long as he and I were together. And so I could not find even an ounce of will power to compel myself to be dragged under by the bad things. I would stay afloat and one day, we would make it through all of these struggles.

I laughed quietly to myself as I thought through all of these things. I couldn't see why I was suddenly seeing my life so clearly. But truthfully, everything was right with me, and sitting on that big, sea-foam green patient's bed in the hospital, I realized and appreciated that.

Carlisle worked over my arm, removing my cast. I smiled at him and then at Edward beside me, squeezing his hand and lying my head against his stone cold shoulder that was oddly comforting to me.

We were out of the hospital in no time and Edward dropped me off at my house. Charlie was home from work, but I didn't mind. It was relatively late, anyway, and he had already gone out for dinner with Deputy Mark. I excused myself for bed quickly and found Edward waiting for me in my room. I checked my email but only found a short one from Reneé. I responded swiftly and then climbed into my bed, falling asleep in Edward's arms.

Two months have passed; Bella's arm is out of her sling and she and the Cullens are beginning their fourth quarter of school.

"Jasper?" I called as I shut the front door. I had just gotten off of work at the Newton's store.

"Upstairs!" He shouted back. I dropped my stuff by the door and walked up the stairs, watching my feet.

"Uh, where up here?" I asked when I reached the top.

I heard him laugh. "My room." I rolled my eyes and walked down the hall, opening his door.

"Hi." I said, shutting it and going to sit on the end of his bed. He was lying on his side, reading a book.

"Hey. What's up?" He asked, shutting it and setting it on his nightstand.

I took a deep breath. "I have something I think we need to talk about." I told him, biting my lip.

Jasper frowned. "What's wrong? Why are you anxious?" I felt a sudden wave of calm hit me like a brick wall, but I did not resist it like I knew I could; I welcomed the feeling. I would make this talk easier.

"Well, I'm not anxious now." I joked, smiling a bit. His frown deepened. I laughed shakily and then sighed.

"Bella, what is it?" He exclaimed after a moment, the urgency still in his voice.

"I just…alright, fine. This is difficult, so I'm just going to get it out there. I'm tired of waiting." I gushed. "I'm tired of getting older, and I'm tired of being the odd one out. I'm ready to change, to be like you. I don't think I could be any readier than I am right now, actually. I want it, and I think I can handle it. I don't care about the pain and I know we can find a way to deal with Charlie. I am just tired of waiting for this. I want to start my life, and to stop wasting my time." I blushed but kept my eyes glued to his face. He didn't seem upset like I expected Edward to be; that's why I had decided to have this talk with Jasper, instead.

A few minutes passed before a sudden, brilliant grin lit up his face. "Really?" He exclaimed.

"Really." I assured him, nodding vigorously. I had thought this over for a long time and I was sure of my choice.

"Fabulous! I'll let Carlisle know immediately." He said, still smiling hugely. "Don't you dare tell them first, Alice." He muttered under his breath.

"Yeah. Don't you dare, Alice." I agreed, smirking at the thought. Alice would see this, I was sure. She'd be itching to tell everyone, but I knew she wouldn't go against Jasper's wishes. "Oh, and don't think about this around Edward!" I added quickly. "I want to wait and tell him myself."

Jasper laughed, long and loud, and I felt relieved that he seemed so relieved.

"Would you be willing to wait until after school is finished? It would make this easier, and probably give us a lot more time to plan." He said, the hint of a smile still lingering in his eyes.

"Sure. But after graduation. I don't want to wait much longer than that. I'm ready."

"Of course, of course." He reassured me, reaching over to pat my knee. "This will be great! I'm so excited." I felt myself smile at him again as he spoke. It was strange to see Jasper so happy, but I liked the change. If something as simple as telling him what I had known for months had brought him this much happiness, I felt myself begin to feel guilty for not telling him sooner. But I could not go back in time and change my mind to tell him before now, so I would have to live with him being happy now. It wasn't hard to accept.

"Come on. Let's go see the others. Charlie is going to Harry's after work so we can be there for awhile. We'll go let them know." Jasper said, jumping off the bed and grabbing my shoulders, slinging me onto his back and leaping out the window in the same second. And then we were flying, and my thoughts were slammed to the back of my mind as I took in this big, fast, and fascinating world that I looked forward to entering into myself. And then, I wouldn't just be along for the ride. It would be my time.

Well? I wanted to go into more detail with the whole cast-off-the-arm thing, but I know absolutely nothing about it, so I just kind of skated over that. :) It turned out alright…I think.

Let me know????

Kendra