June 8, 1996

It's graduation day.

My Berkeley letter still hasn't come.

But I've got two other acceptance letters in my desk drawer—one from UW and one from Stanford University. Stanford's got a phenomenal school of engineering…and it's only an hour away from Berkeley.

So when they asked me what college I wanted under my name in the graduation program, I gave in. And there it is. In print. Officially.

Edward Masen Cullen

Stanford University

I scan the rest of the list, surprised by some of our classmates' choices. Then I reach your name, and something jumps out. Something huge.

Isabella Marie Swan

Stanford University

It has to be a mistake. You committed to Berkeley. My heart pounds in my chest. I have no idea if this is real. I try really, really hard not to get too excited about it, but…that's incredibly difficult.

We're not seated anywhere near each other since it's alphabetical order. Craning my neck, I try to find you in the sea of black caps and gowns, but you're too far back. I'm going to lose my mind. I keep staring down at the program in my lap, expecting to find that the optimistic part of my brain is playing tricks on me. But it doesn't happen. It's right there in black and white print.

The stupid ceremony drags on and on. The principal speaks, the valedictorian speaks, too many people say too many things, until finally, the only part that really matters starts. My row finally lines up to walk across the stage, and I take the opportunity to search the crowd while I wait. Everyone looks the same from up here. When my name is called, I cross the stage and shake hands with Principal Greene, with other people I don't even know, and then struggle to find you one last time before I take the stairs back down and make my way to my seat.

My knee bounces as I sit and wait and wait some more. Finally—finally—I see you. There are four people ahead of you in line, and you seem to be doing the same thing I was. I watch your head turn slowly as you scan the rows, but your eyes never find mine. Then it's your turn. You walk up the steps and across the stage, and eventually, as you make your way back down the aisle to your seat, I catch your eye. You break into a wide smile and nod your head once, and every ounce of stress and worry and uncertainty drains right out of me, replaced by a warm feeling surging through my chest. I grin back and mouth that I love you before you pass my row.

Standing with Alice and a few of my other friends, I wait impatiently for you to come outside. I'm antsy, shifting my weight from foot to foot as I keep one eye on the exit door and pretend to listen to the conversation going on around me. And then there you are.

"Bella!" Alice cries, waving her arms at you before I can get a word out. You run over and throw your arms around her, but then Jasper comes out, and she's gone in less than three seconds.

"Hey, dollface." I wrap my arms around your waist, and yours go around my neck. "So…the program." I try really hard to rein it in, to be casual, just in case, but I'm sure what basically boils down to euphoria is written all over me. "Is it true?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. It was so hard keeping my mouth shut."

"That's fuckin' amazing." I hug you tight, lifting you off your toes. "I didn't even know you got a letter from them."

"Got it the day after yours came."

"You didn't tell me. I thought… You're not just doing this because of me, right? I mean…Bella, do you really want to go to Stanford?"

You take a step back, grabbing my hands and holding them between us. "I won't lie. You played a part in my decision. Obviously."

"But it—"

"But I did my research and decided I really want Stanford."

"Really?"

"Truly."

"God, that's the best news ever." I pull you close again and kiss your forehead.

"By the way, what was it you said to me when I was walking back to my seat? Olive juice?" you tease.

"Nope."

"Elephant shoes?"

"You know I didn't."

You press your lips to mine, keeping the kiss brief since we're waiting for our parents, and then whisper, "I love you, too."

"Good," I say. "Because you're gonna have to put up with me every day for the next four years."

"At least."

My face gets hot.

Because who knows?

We have dinner with our parents at a nice place in the city. It's the first time they've met. They take to each other quickly, which is a good thing and an aggravating thing all at once, because they gang up and tease us relentlessly. After dinner, they go on to meet Alice's mom and dad at some wine bar, and we hightail it back home. Because you're friends with Rose Hale, we scored an invite to Emmett McCarty's graduation party. It's supposed to be a rager.

And it is. There's a keg and food and loud music. Kids are getting drunk in the backyard and blazed in the basement. I grab a beer for each of us, and we go where the party takes us…which is eventually down to the basement. Mike Newton is there, of course. He's eyeing you in a way that makes me seethe, but he only shrugs when I glare at him.

That's all right. I'm taking you home with me tonight. Supposedly, you and Alice are staying at Rose's. It's risky, but we got away with it once before. And there's no way I'm taking you back to your dad all tipsy and smelling like weed.

We share a blunt with Alice and Jasper when they arrive. I'm mellow and happy, loose, splayed on the floor, leaning back against the wall with you sitting between my legs. You sag against me, equal parts giggly and chill, and I don't see how life could get much better than this.

"I need snacks," Jasper announces. He gets to his feet and pulls Alice up with him.

"Need anything?" I murmur into your ear.

You shake your head. "I'm good."

"Yeah, you are." I kiss the side of your neck, letting my tongue peek out, making you squirm. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Okay," you breathe.

I push you up, smacking your butt when we're on our feet, and you spin around with your mouth open. I cover it with mine before you can get a word in. With my hands on your hips, I push you into a corner, sweeping my tongue over yours again and again. You clutch the sides of my t-shirt in your fists as I lean in, pressing against you. I'm hard and needy, and you moaning into my mouth isn't helping matters.

"I gotta get you alone," I mumble before I attack your mouth again. If there weren't so many people to hide behind in here, I'd almost be embarrassed.

"Then you should probably let me out of the corner."

I groan and duck down to lean my forehead on your shoulder. "I need a sec."

Your hands move up and down my sides as you drop little kisses against my neck.

"That's not helping."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"No, I'm really not."

I raise my head and give you a lazy grin while I reach into my jeans to adjust myself. "Let's go, then."

A/N: Y'all. Things were going in a completely different direction in my head as far as the college thing. But when I sat down to write it, this is what ended up coming out. Hope you like it. :)