When We Were Young

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. All recognisable characters, content, or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: You learn more than just the assigned curriculum at university. A story of growing up, growing older, and finding love along the way. All Human. OOC. Canon Pairings.

Rating: T for language, mild violence, and mild adult themes.

Author: tlyxor1.

When We Were Young

Chapter One

Bella

There has never been a question as to whether or not I would attend college. I've spent my whole life listening to my parents' expectations for my brother and I, and never in those 18 years have they even considered the thought that I would do anything else. In this day and age, where a university degree is required to get anywhere in the corporate field, there is simply no other option, and it is a reality I've long ago come to terms with.

That said, I've never been particularly opposed to the idea. Mostly, I'm simply disgruntled by the lack of options at my disposal, though I know my parents have only the best of intentions at heart. They'd both attended college themselves, had toiled and struggled for every inch of success they'd earned, and they have no intentions of allowing us to ride on their coattails to the top, so to speak.

With that in mind, much of my adolescence was spent absorbed in extracurricular activities, in my studies, and in preparation for the future. I'd participated in soccer, gymnastics and softball, in ballet and cheerleading. I'd been on the debating and scholastic decathlon teams, participated in the school news paper, in a couple of school musicals, had been involved in various committees and cultural clubs. I'd worked part time in the summer holidays, volunteered at the courthouse, and subsequently, I had nailed the college application process.

A number of months later, it's the start of September, and I've just arrived at my home for the next year. The dorm room is a double, with a window that faces eastwards, and Emmett has already made himself comfortable across my unmade bed. He fumbles with my rubix cube, his feet propped on top of one of my suitcases, and I have no idea where to start with the whole 'settling in' thing.

"How about some music, Bells?" Emmett asks. He's my older brother by 14 months, and he is perhaps my closest friend. He knows every one of my secrets - even when I lost my virginity, to the day - and I can't imagine my life without him in it.

It was only natural, then, for me to follow him to the University of Washington. I'd received bigger and better offers - Emmett had, too - but when we'd made our respective choices, neither of us were particularly inclined to travel far from home. I don't regret my decision, and I know Emmett doesn't, either. Our grandparents are growing older - our parents are, too - and neither of us want to be far if (God forbid) something were to happen to any of them.

"Sure," I acquiesce, "You can set up the docking station."

He gives me an unimpressed scowl, and a scoff. "I just hauled all your shit up here. You do it."

"You do it," I mimic obnoxiously, and someone laughs from the doorway.

I turn, a smile on my face. There's a tiny wisp of a girl stood in the door frame, with glittering hazel eyes and a megawatt grin. I determine she's my new roommate - Mary-Alice Cullen - and I'm comforted by the fact she looks relatively normal. Emmett has horror stories from his freshman year with the roommate from hell, and I have no desire to follow in his footsteps in more ways than I already have.

"Hi," I greet her, "Your name is Mary-Alice, right?"

"That's me," she confirms, "I prefer Alice, though. And you're Isabella?"

"You can call me Bella," I reply, "Everyone else does. And this lazy lump is my brother, Emmett."

"Pleased to meet you," Alice chirps, deposits her suitcase by her bed, and the three bags she carries on her bare mattress. As she does, a blonde haired man steps through the doorway, laden down by two different boxes. He drops them in a corner on Alice's side of the room, introduces himself as Alice's father, Carlisle, and disappears to retrieve more luggage. Alice follows, and Emmett gets to his feet with a yawn.

"Are you heading out?" I ask.

"Yeah," Emmett confirms, "I have to go pick up Rose."

Rosalie Hale is Emmett's girlfriend. They've been together since the beginning of their freshman year of college, and Emmett is utterly devoted to her. She is beautiful, tall and blonde and graceful, and they've begun to talk about the future. Emmett's met her parents, Rosalie's met ours, and if they don't eventually get married, then I'll probably lose all my faith in humanity.

Suffice to say, I ship them hard.

"I'll walk you out," I decide.

"Sure," Emmett agrees.

It doesn't take me long, and by the time I return to my dorm room, Alice has already made herself comfortable. She's set up a bright yellow docking station on her nightstand, and Lady Gaga filters from the speakers.

"So, Bella Swan, where are you from?" Alice asks.

"Born and raised in Seattle," I answer, "You?"

"Born in Mississippi, raised in Illinois, live in this tiny town called Forks, about four hours away from here."

I know of it, of course. It's my parents' hometown, where both sets of my grandparents reside when they're not commandeering my parents' guest rooms. Up until I'd turned 15, I'd spent every summer of my life there, learning to fish, to track, forage, and hunt from my grandfathers, to cook and knit from my grandmothers.

It's not home, but in another life, it certainly could have been.

I begin to unpack as I make idle chit-chat with Alice. I learn she's got a step-brother, Edward, who is one year older than her, that she's got a Burmese cat she adores, that she plans to major in Graphic Design. I also learn that she talks a lot, but she seems genuinely nice, and I hope she doesn't turn out to actually be crazy.

In turn, Alice learns that I'm double majoring in Criminal Justice and Social Work, that Emmett is my only sibling, and that I intend to start law school when I've completed undergrad.

"You'd get along with my brother, I think," Alice says, "He's ambitious, too."

"I don't know if I'd call myself ambitious," I hedge. Rather, I feel as though I'm doing what is expected of me, and nothing more.

Alice glances at me doubtfully, but she doesn't argue the matter. Instead, we talk music, television, and movies, and I determine that Alice and I are more different than we are alike. I'm not sure how that will impact our living situation - if it will at all - but I suppose we'll both find out in time.

Eventually, I've unpacked everything I brought with me to campus, and I have just enough time to shower before Emmett returns. He and I have dinner plans with our family, and I'd sooner bite off my own arm than listen to another Nona Swan themed lecture were I to bail on them.

I apply my eyeliner and mascara as Emmett blows up my phone, and Alice throws open our dorm room door to an absurdly handsome, copper-haired stranger.

I try not to gape like an idiot, and on the counter, my phone blares to life once again.

"Are you going to answer that?" Alice asks. She gestures for the boy to drop onto her bed, I cap my mascara wand, and mindlessly swipe on some clear lipgloss.

"It's just Emmett," I explain, "He's getting pissy because I'm not ready yet."

Alice offers a commiserating grimace. "Brothers, right?"

I laugh. "Right."

As I pack a bag, Alice introduces me to her brother, Edward, and we make idle small talk as Alice begins her own makeup routine. I tug on a pair of boots, answer my phone, and yell at Emmett as I approach the door.

"Have fun, Bella," Alice offers.

"You too, Alice. It was nice to meet you, Edward."

Edward offers a slight, bemused wave as I leave, Alice promises to see me later, and I dart into the elevator before anyone else can. It's a short trip down, and Emmett's in the parking bay outside when I get there. Rosalie is in the passenger seat, applying her own makeup in the reflection of the visor mirror, and I offer my brother the finger.

"Took you long enough," he grouses.

"How about next time, you arrive when I fucking tell you to, and not half an hour earlier?"

"What next time?"

I sit back in my seat, plug in my headphones, and ignore him. Rosalie glances between us, but she makes no attempt to mediate, and I sulk all the way to the restaurant. It's a small family-owned Italian place near Mom and Dad's, one we've frequented regularly over the years, and I silently hope they're not insulted by Nona Mia's crazy.

Inside, our parents and grandparents are already there. I'd seen them just that morning, of course, but I embrace them all anyway, drop into the empty seat beside my mother, and wistfully eye the glass of wine she cradles between her fingers.

"How did you settle in, Bella?" Renee asks. "Any issues?"

"No issues," I assure, help myself to the basket of complimentary bread in the middle of the table, and query, "How was your day?"

Renee rolls her eyes, long-suffering. "You know your grandmothers."

I laugh, unsurprised. Mamie and Nona are the best of friends, but they fight like cats and dogs. It's become something of a running joke in our family, but it drives Mom up the wall. In turn, Charlie - my dad - thinks her reactions are hysterical. Renee disagrees.

Emmett and Rosalie settle in the last two seats, I peruse the menu, and my family catches up around me. Most of the attention is on Rose, who has just returned from her vacation with her own family, but I receive my own fair share of questions, too. Most of them are centred around college, naturally.

"My roommate is actually from Forks," I inform them, "Her name is Alice Cullen."

"Ah, yes," Nona exclaims, "Dr Cullen's girl. She's a little thing, isn't she?"

"Very sweet, though," Mamie opines, "I've never seen that girl without a smile on her face."

"That brother of hers, though," Nona whistles appreciatively, and beside her, Nono rolls his eyes heavenward. It's an expression reflected by my Papi, and all Mamie can do is laugh.

Emmett guffaws, Rosalie lifts a peaked eyebrow, and I laugh, too.

"Jesus, Mom," Charlie groans.

"I'm just being honest," she defends herself. "He's very handsome. You should try and meet him, Isabella."

Aware that I'd never hear the end of it otherwise, I possess the common sense not to mention that I already have. Instead, I nod noncommittally, drink my water, and pray that someone changes the subject soon.

Blessedly, that's when our waiter arrives, and I grasp the opportunity like a lifeline, greet him in Italian, and watch - satisfied - as Nona then proceeds to grill him about his family's migration to the US, their home in Turin, and the authenticity of their menu.

Charlie chuckles beside me, pats my shoulder fondly, and commends me for my diversion. I preen under his praise, and smile throughout the remainder of dinner.

It's a good night. The food's lovely, the company is hysterical, and I'm still smiling by the time I return to my dorm room. Alice hasn't returned yet, so I change quickly, gather up my toiletries, and retreat to the communal bathrooms to clean my face, brush my teeth, and braid my hair. There are a couple of other girls there, all strangers to me, but they introduce themselves cheerfully, I do the same, and listen, idly, as they get to know each other.

By the time I make it back to my dorm room, Alice has returned. She's painting her toenails, singing enthusiastically - and badly - along to Adele, and I have to smile at the sight. This girl is cheerful and lively, and I like her already.

I just hope I can live with her, too.

"Hey, Bella, how was your night?"

"It was good," I acknowledge, "And yours?"

Alice shrugs, caps the lid of her polish bottle, and wiggles her toes. "I can't complain, I suppose."

I drop onto my bed as Alice gathers up her toiletry kit and watch, amused, as she shuffles out of the room on the heels of her feet. It's a long walk down the hall to the communal bathroom at the end of it, but the shorter girl seems undaunted by the prospect, and I only pray her polish remains unscathed upon her return.

I fall asleep before I can find out.