The remaining few weeks until graduation passed quickly, almost too quickly in Lily's mind. There had been no update of any sort on the vampire attacks in Seattle, regardless of the ever-increasing body count the news announced.
Jasper hadn't volunteered to go back to the hospital with Lily after their first and only visit together, but Lily didn't mind. Just because they were. . . whatever they were, didn't mean they had to be attached at the hip.
Lily liked history, but nowhere near as much as Jasper did. History was his passion, among other things such as his motorcycles and writing. He often wrote books that take place during the civil war under a pseudonym. He had written over two dozen books, stating he only started writing once he became a vegetarian to help his mind get out the poison within it.
Surprisingly, Rosalie had called Lily to tell her off for not inviting her to help with the children at the hospital. While not common knowledge outside the family, Rosalie had confessed to Lily that she had issues being around parents with children because she herself could never have that. She had gone to medical school before in the past but specialized in pediatrics because of her love of children. It was only after realizing how she felt towards the parents of the children that she realized she would never be able to work with them fully.
Not all parents were good parents. It was hard enough for medical professions or anyone to stand by when children were mistreated, hurt, or neglected in some way. But to see them over and over, often in worse conditions then the previous visit, Rosalie found she could maintain her dreams without putting herself at serious risk of exposing her family.
Lily apologized to Rosalie, asking her to come with her when she went again, to which Rosalie asked if they could go the next day. Lily of course had agreed, and they met up at the hospital after she finished school.
Rosalie was heavily laden with different presents for the children. New coloring books, crayons, markers, paints, fresh books, hypoallergenic stuffed animals, and so many other things. Lily refrained from laughing at the ridiculousness scene her friend had made with everything because she knew this was a huge step for Rosalie.
The nurses of course let the newest visitor thought as she was one of Dr. Cullen's children and they loved Lily.
The children were beside themselves with the gifts and having someone else to visit and play with. The girls had stayed with the children well until it was time for them to go to sleep. Once they were outside of the hospital in the parking lot Rosalie pulled lily in for a hug, holding her close and quietly sobbing without tears.
Lily held her friend tight, rubbing her back but saying nothing as she cried her heart out. She never brought it up with Rosalie, but she knew that her friend needed this. She asked if she wanted to come back again in a few days, but Rosalie had said no surprisingly.
It wasn't until Lily's next visit to the hospital that she learned Rosalie had visited everyday sense, reading, playing, and teaching the kids different things while she was there. The only thing she said to Lily when she arrived to see her friend there was where had she been and that they had children to see.
Jasper and Lily's relationship had also grown in the weeks sense the hospital visit. He was exceedingly respectful of her boundaries, never pushing her farther then she was comfortable with. They had only kissed and had heavy make out sessions, but she was a young teenage girl after all.
They had discussed about their past somewhat when it came to being with others. Lily's was a quick as she hadn't really done anything with anyone, although she had no problem making sure she was taken care of herself.
Lily hoped that now that graduation was happening tonight that maybe they would move to the next step. Jasper seemed to be holding himself back in several ways, and Lily was not thrilled by it. He, of course, had been with other people in the past, both as a human and a vampire. He had also been with other vampires and humans. The thought hadn't hurt Lily in the way she had expected. She had expected that she would feel jealousy, rage, betrayal, things along those lines.
However, Lily only was happy that he had somebody to spend time with him while he was waiting for her to be born. Nobody deserved to be alone all those years. Knowing he had someone, anyone, that helped ease the ache inside him even for a moment comforted her.
Lily was standing looking at herself in the mirror while all these thoughts ran through her mind. Her curls had been artfully twisted into a gentle French braid so that her graduation cap would fit. She was dressed in the awful yellow robes of her school, with blue sashes hanging down off her shoulders. Whoever thought that this was a great look was sorely mistaken.
Maybe the creator of the graduation outfit missed clear skies and the sunshine?
She had managed to gain som health weight while living in Forks, so her clothes hung more flattering on her now. The dark circles under her eyes had faded somewhat, and her scars were starting to fade. She was really starting to feel human.
Her abilities were growing stronger every day.
Her fangs dropped often when she was turned on while making out with Jasper. He had joked that if he consumed any more of her blood accidentally from her split lips, but his eyes hadn't changed from their lovely shade of honeyed amber.
She had been working on her own with plants as well. She was able to get the trees to bend a bit, talk to them for a sense of what was going on in the forest. She was working on pinpointing where the pack was whenever they were shifted just to see if she could. She often wore herself out but was happy with the results.
She had also applied for several universities and had been accepted into most of them. Western Washington University, Whitworth, University of Alaska, and several more had accepted her and even offered reasonable scholarships. She hadn't selected one yet but was excited for the next phase in her life.
Part of her wondered if she should take a year off, travel, explore the world, and find out more of herself. She had an idea that she had been toying with but wasn't sure how the others would feel about it.
Correction, she knew they would vehemently disapprove of her idea, but in the end, it wasn't their decision. It was hers.
"Lily, come on down so we can finish taking pictures!" Called Sarah from the living room, shaking her lose from her thoughts.
"Coming!"
"Good, I'm tired of waiting! I've waited 18 years for this moment young lady!" John shouted up afterwards, making lily smirk.
"I'll just make you wait longer for that type of attitude" she yelled down the stairs as she held the railing.
She wasn't willing to break an ankle in her heels walking downstairs.
A click of a camera went off followed by a bright flash, blinding Lily.
"Wait! It came out blurry! Let me take another! Go back upstairs!" Sarah cried, fidgeting with the camera again to get it ready for another shot. John, sweet loving patient John, took the camera from his wife and took the pictures for her.
She was an excellent nurse and wife, but photography skills went right in hand with her cooking skills.
"There she is our little high school graduate! It feels like just yesterday we were bringing you home to us." Sarah started to tear up as she pulled Lily, her daughter in all but blood, into a tight hug. "We are just so proud of you lily flower!"
"Mom, stop. You're gonna crush me."
"As if you calling me that would make me hug you any less!"
Lily squeaked with the tightness of the hug before another light flashed signaling the moment had been captured.
"You guys are the best" Lily whispered as John came to join the hugging pile that was his small family.
"Duh, its me" John said, causing Lily to shove him with her hip seeing s her arms were full of her family. This only helped to unbalance the huddle, forcing everyone to let go of the hug.
"Okay, a few more pictures to take, a small glass of champagne, and then we are off to your hopefully last visit to high school as a student!" Sarah announced, rushing to the kitchen to pour the small glasses of bubbly.
After she returned to the living room with three glasses, two filled much less than the third. John raised his eyebrow at the discrepancy.
"What? You're driving, she's technically underaged and has to wear heels, while I'm the proud mom who gets to yell from the audience." Sarah explained with all the sass she could possess. "Now, cheers to the best daughter any family could ever ask for. I know the road has been a hard and very much less traveled one for you my darling girl, but you travel so well. I know you have so many questions on what to do next in your life, but that's the beauty of it. Life is full of ups, downs, twists, and everything else you could imagine. But you have the strength, the fortitude to keep on walking."
"If you make me cry, I'll have to go back upstairs and redo my mascara. It's the non-waterproof kind" Lily warned, loving the meaning behind the words but hating having so much attention on him.
"Alright, alright! Enough with the mush! Drink up!" John said, clapping his hands together before downing his drink.
"John, you were supposed to savor it!"
"Love, drink up or we are going to be late" John warned. The two women in his life drank their drink, Lily scrunching up her nose at the bubbles causing the older two to laugh at her. They packed into the family car and headed towards the school afterwards.
They made it to the school with plenty of time to spare. The small family gave Lily once last hug, took another picture, and left to join the rest of the parents at the main entrance of the gym.
It was pandemonium as Ms. Cope from the front office and Mr. Varner the math teacher tried to line everyone up alphabetically. One would think after all the years spent at school people would know their ABC's by now, but apparently not.
Lily had gone to stand towards the back of the line due to her last name but was quickly called over by Jessica to talk some. Bella had been called over too. Jessica had been talking excitedly about how fast life had changed.
"It's just so amazing! I mean, it seems like we just met, and now we're graduating together," she gushed happily. "Can you believe it's over? I feel like screaming!"
"So do I," Bella muttered.
"Jess, you look amazing! I know you've been dreaming of this sense what, kindergarten?" Lily asked, trying not to let Jessica's good mood waive due to Bella's weird comment.
"This is all just so incredible. Do you remember your first day here? We were friends, like, right away. From the first time we saw each other. Amazing. And now I'm off to California and you'll be in Alaska Bella and I'm going to miss you so much! You have to promise that we'll get together sometimes! I'm so glad you're having a party. That's perfect. Because we really haven't spent much time together in a while and now we're all leaving. . . . And Lily! You only just got here but you fit in so well into our group! You promise to keep in touch, right? Especially if you choose to go to California with me!"
Lily laughed and agreed good naturedly. She knew this was all probably just graduation giddiness hyping almost everyone up. After all, most of the students here had grown up together, even Bella for a good portion of it.
Eric went first from the group, as the valedictorian, to give his speech. He had been working on it for weeks, often times asking the girls in his group for help. In the end, it felt a bit like a group effort hearing him talk. It was a good feeling Lily decided.
Then, the students began being called in alphabetical order to walk across the stage by Principal Green and receive their diploma. Poor Ms. Cope was having difficulty with all the papers handing them out to the right student.
Alice Cullen was called, and as her usual self she danced across the stage to take her diploma. She looked like she was in deep concentration. Edward was called next, looking like his normal constipated self. Lily supposed being cooped up in a gymnasium with everyone's thoughts, scents, and blood was probably hard for him. She felt bad for her negative thought of him after that crossed her mind.
She also wondered how many times they had gone through with this charade. She had to think they wanted to do more with their lives than continuously go to high school. That couldn't be healthy for anybody.
Parents screamed, clapped, stomped, and shouted as their children were called, or friends of their children.
"Lilliana Rose!"
Lily slowly walked up trying to look as regal as she could without slipping in her heels. She kept her eyes forward towards Principal Green shaking his hand before being awarded her diploma. She turned to face the crowd only to have not only her family cheering her on, but several members of the pack, the elders, and all the Cullens, not that they sat anywhere near each other. Jasper was holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers that looked wild rather than store bought and blew her a kiss, making her blush. Flashes from cameras went off before she took her cue to continue towards the opposite side of the stage so the next student could walk.
After Lily had finished her portion of the event, the rest of the ceremony seemed to go by quickly. That also my have had something to do with her being towards the end of the list. Graduates, families, and teachers all mingled around in the gymnasium once it was over, hugging, crying, taking pictures, and socializing. The pack stood around the elders of their group who were standing next to John and Sarah. Lily winked at Jasper before rushing over to her family, being swept up in a hug from John.
"There she is! The woman of the hour!" John said playfully.
"The woman of the day, thank you very much!" Lily joked back before being let down to hug Sarah who had started crying again and moving towards the elders of the pack.
"Young lady, you do us proud. Despite everything going on, you are always and will always be part of us. We hope to see you down on the Reservation soon, you hear?" Sue Clearwater said before engulfing Lily in a tight hug.
"Billy was here, but he and Jacob had to leave early but he wanted us to pass on his congratulations" Sue continued.
"Oh, its alright Mrs. Clearwater, I understand" Lily said pleasantly.
"You really do dear girl" Sue said before hugging her again and passing her on to her children.
"About time you joined the club. You took your own sweet time walking across that stage," Leah teased.
"Well, you try walking across a stage in heels and this outfit and tell me how easy it is" Lily teased back.
Things had been getting less strained between the two best friends during the last few weeks. They were working on patching up their friendship and the trust between them. It wasn't perfect, but it was getting there.
"I really am happy you made it out here, all of you" Lily said sincerely.
Seth interjected at that moment with a present wrapped in sparkling green wrapping paper and a pink bow. "The pack all came together to make this gift for you. Even the elders helped. We hope you like it!"
"Seth, I'd love anything you guys made me," Lily said smiling. She took the present gently before unwrapping it to reveal a beautifully carved bracelet made from sea glass, shells, and polished wood. Hanging from the bracelet was a small circular disk with several different wolves carved into it. In the middle of the wolves was a flower, a Lily. It was possibly the most beautiful think Lily had ever seen. Her eyes started to tear up as she stared at the gift in her hand, unable to move.
"Oh, don't get emotional on me now Tinkerbelle, hold out your wrist and let me put it on you" Leah said, trying to lighten the mood.
"I… I'm stunned. This is beautiful and I… I have no words…" Lily said through her slowly closing throat as she fought off more tears. She held her left wrist out for Leah to put the bracelet on.
"It looks perfect on you" Sam said, holding Emily close to me.
"It really does" Emily said cheerfully, pulling Lily into a hug as well.
"Em, let her go. Her boyfriend is getting twitchy." Leah snarked before winking at Lily.
"Thank you again everyone for supporting me!" Lily hugged sue one last time before heading towards the Cullen's, who now consisted of everyone but Alice and Edward.
Jasper hugged her tightly before passing his flowers to her and passing her off to the other members of his family who demanded attention.
"It feels like pass Lily around day" Lily joked.
"Well, don't get used to it, graduating loses its charm after the first time" Emmett joked, winking at her despite Jasper's growl of warning.
Lily rolled her eyes before kissing Esme on her cheek. "Thank you all for coming. I'm sorry I won't be at the party tonight."
Esme was quick to dispel any fears the young girl may have had. "Darling, its nothing to worry about. We will see you soon. Parties aren't for everyone. Especially when my youngest daughter decides to throw them." The family laughed gently at that.
"What are you planning to do instead?" Carlisle asked.
"Well, Sarah and John have something small planned at the house for the three of us. They want to have another dinner soon with Jasper, so there's a heads up on that" Lily said, turning towards her mate. He smiled down at her before pulling her hands gently into his own.
"You darlin' look horrible in that color" he said with all the sweetness of saying she was his.
"You look absolutely dashing in that sweater" Lily retorted, just as sweetly.
"Ugh, lets go. They're doing it again" Emmett teased, leaning against Rosalie as he covered his face with her neck.
"Grow up you big baby" Rosalie replied before shaking her husband off her. "Now, you promise we will see you tomorrow. I still can't believe you're leaving me alone at this party." Emmett complained at the statement but was ignored by everyone.
"Sorry Rose, but plans are plans."
"Alright, lets head toward the car to finish setting everything up and give these two some time together," Esme said, ever the mother of the bunch.
Once the family had left, leaving Jasper with Lily finally.
"I'm serious Doll, you need to get out of those robes."
"Are you planning on helping Mr. Cullen?" Lily teased, walking closer to her boyfriend while looking up at him from her green eyes.
"Don't tempt me, I'm only a man after all" jasper replied, smirking down at his little fiery mate.
"Promises, promises" Lily said offhandedly.
Jasper kissed her gently on the nose before her lips, pulling her into a loving hug. "Sweetheart, when it happens it happens. We have all the time in the world."
"I know, but I think I'm ready for. . . something more. Does that make sense?" Lily asked, whispering into his neck knowing he could hear her just as easily.
"All grown up now, a graduate and ready to take on the world" Jasper said into her hair, kissing the crown of her head afterwards.
"Absolutely."
"Hey now, you have to share her! She's my daughter after all!" John said, having just arrived with Sarah.
"John, let them have their moment!" Sarah interjected, slapping her husband lightly on the shoulder.
"It's alright, moments passed" Lily grumbled.
"You're teenagers, you'll bounce back in an instant." John said, earning a chuckle from Lily and Jasper while getting another shoulder slap from his wife.
"Here is your daughter sir, just as yellow as you left her" Jasper joked. Sarah hugged him before hugging Lily again. "Oh, I'm just so proud of you!"
John pulled Lily to the side and whispered into her ear. "She may have had more of the champagne than we realized little love. Let's get home before she starts snoring."
Lily smiled at the idea and kissed Jasper one last time before saying their goodbyes and heading towards the car.
Sarah had passed out before they even got home, snoring and all.